CORRUPTION AND UNEMPLOYMENT THE FUTURE AT STAKE

                                                                                 ELUSIYAN TOLU’ FRANCIS

INTRODUCTION

The Nigerian society is beset with myriads of challenges today that are searching for solutions, because all over the world today, the image of Nigeria is that of a pretentious country. Most of these challenges ranged from corruption to unemployment. Corruption which leads to an inept Leadership, from nepotism to religious triumphalism, from incessant kidnapping to ritual killing, from vandalism to oil theft and most recently the terrorism of Boko haram. The imperative role of a crystal clear understanding of what corruption is will be inevitable before delving into the stage in which the grave rage of corruption in Nigeria is cart null and void into Hades. John Locke outlined the doctrine of the separation of powers, indicating the dangers of oppressive and arbitrary rule when all function of government are exercised by a single person or institution. Corruption as we all know is the abuse of entrusted power for enraging private gain. It hurt everyone who depends on the integrity of people in a position of Authority. The growing corruption in Nigeria can be traced to people holding power at federal, state and local government levels. Corruption does not involve just people in government, but also to people in both private and public positions and even traditional rulers

The image problem

It is now exactly 55 years since the independence of our dear beloved nation, the giant of Africa, Nigeria, and the most populous black nation in the world. Though the day as any other day would have passed without any notice if not for the public holiday being celebrated in few places. Lament of the people is what we keep hearing. At 55 years old the giant of Africa is still crawling following the dictations of other countries. When exactly will she stop been led? The joy of freedom suddenly collapses into a bank of sorrow when there is an agony of remembrance flashing to the stupendous enthusiasm in which Nigeria gained her independence.  Nigeria has now become a mole-rat digging burrows of abjectness with incomparable large and powerful incisors driving narrowing into the spines of her citizens. Though she may have been freed from the colonial figures and imperial masters that feasted like vultures on a dead carcass, she has now been fully plunged into the black dungeon of her own feudal lords who at best we could describe as hungry dogs who lack integral reputation. In the past we have great men, real patriot who sacrificed all they had to make sure that this country will one day become one of the best countries in the world. But what is really the result today? Contrary leaders, old fool who dedicate themselves in serving their pocket and specialized in looting and corruption. Instead of the highly focused Nigeria of yesterday, what we are left with today is nothing but a horrible and blind country, a dumping ground, and an odour of offensive pong what a shame! She lost her identity and therefore described as a country of paradoxes, perplexities and complexities throwing every citizen into what Yoruba people will call “wahala”   

youth as future leaders of tomorrow: are we there yet?

If we recall the popular aphorism or if you like cliché which says: ‘youth are the future leaders of tomorrow’ made by our leaders of yesterday who are still voraciously clinging in the baton of power which has become ineluctable to them. I wonder when exactly is the future going to arrive for the youths when unemployment today has become every youth nightmare. To me it is enigmatic that in a country so rich and blessed with natural resources, people can still find it difficult to deep their hands into their mouth.  It is no longer about going to school and graduating or learning a trade, but about how to face the reality of graduating and joining the battalions of unemployed youths. Politics have thrown many of the old fools into confusion that they can no longer think properly. All they think of is jumping like a toad into another party all in the name of making money, no hope of redemption what empathy! The government in advanced countries has placed high priority on matters regarding the welfare of their youths and their policy has in some way positively affected the young people by institutionalising many youth centres organised primarily focused on reflecting the views and serving the needs of the young people. They provided a space where young people can organize for action and meet community needs and experience group processes, strengthening youth vigilance combating corruption through advocacy and networking.

IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR THIS PLAGUE OR SHOULD WE LET THE SLEEPY DOG LIE?

In order to prevent corruption from happening at all, Nigeria should emphasis transparency, integrity and accountability in all their private and public transaction. There achanism model is named for achan who appears in the old testament of the Bible. Achan in the scripture was avaricious (Joshua 7). He was caught and his entire family was severely dealt with. His children, who, who might have expected to inherit the proceeds of his illegal actions were not allowed to do so. There is need for formation and reformation, orientation and de-orientation of the minds and heart of Nigerians for them to see that corruption is the enemy of development. The law should be enforced to its fullest and without favour. Improvement of socio-political and economic life will reduce the tendency of public servants to demand and take bribes and get involve in other corrupt practices. And to the youth of this country, our future is at stake, these old rotten hoodoo have degenerate and waste our future and that of the generation to come. Therefore, the earlier we begin to think and plan the better for all of us. So the stage is now ours we either think objectively in order to bring positive change or sit back and fold our hand or leave the old goats to determine out future which they now hold at ransom!

CONCLUSION

It was Mark Terry who says “don’t waste your time about what you should have done, use your time instead and do the next thing that needed to be done”. Corruption in Nigeria is systematic, and to address the problem a systematic approach is needed. To curb abd eventually eradicate corruption, children, youth and adults must be given the power to distinguish right from wrong. All schools should return to the teaching of moral education to empower children with the spirit of stewardship, while adults live exemplary lives, reflecting truth, kindness, dignity of labour and integrity. Permit me to conclude with this popular Yoruba moral song on corruption.

KINI UN O FOLE SE LAYE TI MO WA (2X)

LAYE TI MO WA KAKA KIN JALE

KAKA KIN JALE MAKUKU DERU

KINI UN O FOLE SE LAYE TI MO WA.

And to also say Ese rere ye Ese rere, Ese rere ko ba le ye wa o.

FEMINISM IN POST-MODERN WORLD

FRANCIS TOLU’ ELUSIYAN: ‘Nothing affects a man as deeply as an encounter with a woman who has womanly qualities. Let me say, those women you are looking at, they have lost what they ultimately want while skirmishing over the reward of recognition. What is all this bullshit?... feminism everywhere! Even in academic sphere you see feminism, feminist epistemology, and feminist ds, feminist that...... what is it? Women or feminist...listen to me, when you lose your selves as women and begin to force your selves to develop muscles you are not designed to have, your internal and rational system suffer! Hence you will continue to be an object of problem! A cacophony of confusion to our changing world.....nonsense!

COMMENTS............................................................

*PETER DERAH: Actually the evolution and incessant agitations of the feminine gender for recognition and relevance is not as miasmic as you think bro. I am not a feminist and intend being none, but the world has been too patriarchal and manly. Lets give them trial and see whether there could be ‘an end to history’....£ fukuyama£ conception£

*F. ELUSIYAN: Give them chance or not..... Since the emergence of this wagonic idea called feminism... The world had been transported to a state of Hopelessness and we are all dancing to our own dirges! let me say, they are only advocating for nothing, they don’t have to be heard everywhere, after all men are not everywhere. Looking at it meticulously you would agree with me that men and women can never be the same, even though there are scriptural back up to that! Because to me scriptural analyses is not enough! After all we are giving them the chance but instead of them to make use of it, they prefer clamouring for what is not.... why can’t we consign them to flame and forget about the whole enterprise of feminism....

PETER DERAH: David Hume at work in you! Treating the proposal of feminism like an empty Shabuoth cannot proffer lasting and concrete panacea to argument against androcentricism. We still have some of them that are really apt in decision making and governance, like the president of Brazil is trying better than our erstwhile indecisive primus buhari. There seems to be a light at the dark tunnel powered by the feminine gender.

F. ELUSIYAN: Bros i beg iiiii:.o jere.. President of Brazil is one out of many, so that can never be the paradigm to follow, simply because these things are not done indisputably. Feminism i will continue to say is a fog of mentality that cannot withstand critical examination. Revolution is done with a spectacular kind of rigorousness. It is not a sheer naked flaunting of naive, precarious and wobbled ideas about a subject matter. It is indeed coloured with interior motive, let me say, the treatise could hence be described as a sociological hilarity, amusement and announcement. It is an intentional smugness labelled with theme of defamation, ludicrousness, pride and unimportant legacies. Truth be told! Feminism is just a penchant for personal nomenclature and as such it should be jettisoned!

FAMOROTI RAPHAEL SHEUN: ‘When you lose yourself as woman (even as a man) and begin to force yourself to develop muscles you are not designed to have, your internal and rational system suffers! ‘I feel that is the height of the write up. That is a good statement’

F. ELUSIYAN: Thank you FAMOROTI....You got it right, that is the point......you know why?  Because God who is awesome and all knowing, he has a divine plan for his creatures. So he must necessarily has a reason for creating women the way they are. Whenever women begin to fight and advocate for themselves all in the name of feminism which solely based on gender quality, they are rejecting the will and plan of God.... and as such it is nonsensical.

BISSONG SNATHY EHISOGIE: Well as much as i agree with that expression as stated by FAMOROTI, I still don’t think it’s right to totally dismiss the idea of feminism. Feminism as we know, doesn’t have to be radical, it could simply be a movement which seeks to resolve the problem of female subjugation and male chevenunism. Humanity is two natures, man and woman and the share this humanity equally. Women should therefore not be regarded to the background; they should be given equal chances of development. In this light, i support the movement of feminism. At least i don’t want my sister to not be able to reach the height of her endeavours in life simply because she is a woman. Women have suffered a lot ranging from rape, prostitution, genital mutilation, lack of education etc. But even with the above being the case I still do agree that a lot of irrationality has crept into this thought of feminism hat women now clamour for a right to alter nature. For example Allison jaggar clamouring for a time when instead of women, men would get pregnant, sayimg that pregnancy subjugates women. Marriage types such as those involving women having wives. Women not wanting to domestic shores, and fool themselves saying ‘ if he loves you he wont let you work’. Funny that women can clamour for equality or rather prioritization and still want ‘John’ to pay the bills, or open the car door, or carry you at the wedding. If women has been i all treated my factors created by humans then we can and should adjust, but if some women think that the way God created them limits them, then it means they already agree to subjugation. Thanks ELUSIYAN for this piece, it was insightful but don’t be too one sided.

FAMOROTI RAPHAEL: Bissong Snatchy Ehisogie has spoken well, but i need him to support his claims because men have suffered a lot too. Women rape men, lack of education is not restricted to women alone. What about the idea of ‘sugar mummies’ feminism in the strict sense is an agitation that is contra natural. However, i support the fact that the rights of women be upheld but I stand against feminism. Feminism becomes a waste of time when we, (men and women) respects our very own strength and weakness. The creator has made it like that, that women get pregnant and breastfeed. If men try to breastfeed they will alter nature.

F. ELUSIYAN: And as a follow up to FAMOROTI and BISSONG, I submit to you that women have lost their hallowed position by trying to assimilate into what they consider to be a male world. Now before you get all excited, i would like you to hear me out. God did not design a man’s world. God’s design for the world was man and woman working together in peaceful harmony, building one another up and promoting each other to good works, namely our God given assignments on the earth, that others would observe the fruits of our lives and give glory to God. Women lost it when they failed to recognize their own unique power. Instead they got locked into a power struggle that never existed from God’s vantage point. Struggling to get the credit for something I still cannot figure out, they put men on the defensive, and that put them on the defensive. Now, with everyone defending themselves, we are all losing ground. Let me say, it is time to take off the boxing gloves and allow God to redistribute his first commission to us, man and woman both in power because of their status as complementary partners. For women who  have chosen to walk in the spiritual dimension, it behooves you all to understand kingdom principles in the light of who you are and who you were meant to be as women....say no to feminism...if it has contributed nothing to the development of mankind!

BISSONG SNATCHY EHISOGIE: We should understand that speaking against feminism s a whole mean speaking against the good part of it also, the rights of our mothers to a good life. Feminism in the strict sense means a movement for an support of women’ rights. Feminism has a good part, and for that good part i am a feminist, but for radical feminism which presents all those odd things that alter nature, that am against. At this juncture we are saying the same thing FAMOROTI. I understand men undergo these things but we cannot lie about the fact that it is on the very minute bases. It happens on a 5 out of 100 percentage calculation. The females are actually the most affected by this. This doesn’t however give them a right to be irrational.

BISSONG SNATCHY EHISOGIE: ELUSIYAN I like your post. But if you gonna be heard by all. You must try to clarify concepts and not put all the eggs into one basket. I am not oblivious of the evils being perpetrated under the guise of feminism. (i can’t be oblivious of the obvious especially when the obvious is precarious...bro Francis, HOD PHIL. But i wouldn’t make the famous mistake of throwing away the child with the bath water.

F. ELUSIYAN: With all of life pressures surrounding us, how do we find our way back to the garden! How do we get back to the place of women being women and men being men and nobody minding? How do we return to celebrating our differences and making them work for all of us? The serpent has woven an intricate lie into fabric of our existence. He has made us believe that if we are not ‘as’ another, then we are ‘less’ than other. What a ridiculous concept! A naira bill has the same value as a naira coin, doesn’t it? Each will buy the same thing. So men use authority while women use influence. Men are calculating while women are instinctual. Men are fixers while women are nurturers. I could go on and on with the comparisons, but the bottom line is that both elements of what a man has to offer and what a woman has to offer are just as vital as the other to the existence of all....let me also say, Feminity is definitely strength under control. Feminity is strength wrapped in a velvet glove. It doesn’t insist on its own way, but most of the time gets it. So what is so awful about just being a woman? Women listen, humility is not a weakness...be humble and say no to feminism! Its not helping matters...i must say.

PHASUGBA HARYOBAMI: Yeah...i am enjoying this...i swear it is better than the cinema....lolz

THE PATHETIC ENSLAVEMENT OF THE BLACK

ELUSIYAN TOLU’ FRANCIS

We are not Africans because we were born in Africa, but we are Africans because Africa was born in us; and as such whatever happens on the continent of Africa is in us and it revolves round us.

Going back to the history of slave trade in Africa could actually be a waste of time because we are all familiar with this pathetic historical trajectory, even though we the children of the present day were not part of the enslavement of our fathers but am very sure we can still feel it in our modern world. But can we keep swimming in the massive ocean of this pathetic experience and allow it to affect our present day. We have to forget the past, even though it is not easy to forgive the colonial masters on how we were treated and underrated, some have said in the past that  we all lived in the world of blindness, but assuming we were not treated in that mannerism, what could have be our history? Some are of the opinion that the pathetic experience launched Africa in to her full potential such that Africa was able to realize her strength, what she’s capable of doing and what she can’t achieve on her own.

But is she going to remain a toddler forever, when is she going to grow to withstand every other continents? Are we going to remain in our state of blind foldedness thinking of bachelorhood days? When are we going to stand up to the challenges before us? Or are we going to weep over and over again just because of our pathetic enslavement in the past? After all we are now free, what have we achieved? Are we even preparing to do anything at all? A fool at forty is a fool forever. Oh Africans, we have to stand up to the challenges before us, we are great continent that has been blessed by God with so many things like cultural values, natural resources, talents, metaphysical powers and beautiful concepts etc... We are powerful, we have strength, we are intelligent, and we have great wisdom about life, what else do we need? We cannot have all this and continue to close as if the weight of our melody had pulled into shut, and our lips pressed together in a half-smile.

When will the goat be strong enough to kill a rat? We don’t use bare feet to search for hidden thorns which we have seen in day time. Perhaps, the gods only hear one wish at a time, and nothing more. A herbalists that refuses to ask laymen what leaves he looks for in the bush must have difficulties getting what he wants. It is a pot of water that is already half full that the world would like to help in filling to the brim. Oh! Africans, let us make conscious effort to make Africa a better place for her citizens.

Let me quickly borrow the words of olufemi taiwo in his book ‘African must be modern’ he says ‘Africa must embrace individualism as a principle of social ordering; make reason central in its relation to, activity upon, understanding of, and producing knowledge about the world, both physical and social, that it inhabits; and adopt progress as its motto in all things. The position just stated is rarely encountered in discourse about, in and on the continent or its Diasporas. On the contrary, no thanks to the militancy and stridency of the nativists, those who wish to celebrate Africans genius at adapting the wisdom of others and, by so doing, domesticate modernity for the benefit of Africa, Africans, and their life and thought, are practically shouted to silence or, at best, limited to furtive expressions of their preference’

And there is no doubt that with the widespread diffusion of white supremacy in the world’s relations with Africa, the roots of which can be traced to the slave trade and slavery as well as the peculiar form that colonialism took in Africa, it is almost required of an African intellectual that she or he be hostile to modernity and its suppositions. It is almost as if an African like me who deliberately embraces modernity as a way of life that promises at the present time a better template for making life and thought in Africa must be a dope; one who is suffering from pathological dependence on white people as well as a severe case of self-hatred. This charge, this awful name-calling has managed, over the course of the last century, to silence many in the continent who would and could have been the spearhead of positive change for Africa’s long-suffering peoples. What else? He who does not look ahead always remain behind; so charms do not perform miracles on the shelf; they perform for those who are brave.

WAKE UP FROM YOUR SLUMBER! OH AFRICA!

ABORTION: THE PARADOXES, THE COMPLEXITIES AND THE PERPLEXITIES

 ABORTION: THE PARADOXES, THE COMPLEXITIES AND THE PERPLEXITIES

ELUSIYAN TOLU’ FRANCIS

As I sit and begin to write, and nothing is in sight, but something came to mind, I can’t believe you took his life, you should know now and knew then that you have no right. It was a selfish choice that you made. You chose yourself when his life, you could have saved.

Though the baby’s conceived, without being planned. A night of passion, with an unknown or known man. Nine months are slowly getting close, you are surrounded by his blanket, slowly he is growing in your womb, please do not send him to the tomb. Have mercy on him, he can become great tomorrow, let him live, he also has the right to life “ejo, edakun, emabinu” let him also live “ko le di iru, kole dogban lola”

Much we have seen much we have heard. Stories and sceneries about abortion cases. Stories about the survivors, stories about the so called doctors, stories about the mothers. Sometimes these stories support the children, and the pro life cause, but other times they support the pro choice movement.

If we think about it for a moment, their titles is all wrong. They are not pro choice at all. They are anti life campaigners. The ultimate child abuse, child molesting, physical and emotional abuse of children is all forms of child abuse, but abortion too.

Abortion is morally and ethically wrong, and damaging and should be jettisoned and be illegal. Abortion of a human life within the mother’s womb is physically damaging, emotionally traumatic and ethically wrong. The attempted murder of a human life still within the mother’s womb is physically damaging, to both mother and child. If the abortionist makes a “mistake” and the baby which was being aborted is born alive, the chances of them having a debilitating disorder is high such disorders has cerebral palsy. These are common among the survivors. In some cases, the process of abortion is also harmful to the mother, such as future pregnancy being impossible, even the mother bleeding to death. These procedures are dangerous, extremely risky and very damaging. These damages are almost always irreversible and affect both mother and child.

Doesn’t the law clearly state that murder is a horrendous criminal offence, and the murder should be jailed? Well then, why does the law permit the killing of a human life within the womb? May be it is because they cannot speak out. That is, unless the abortionist who is trying to kill them didn’t finish the job properly. Then they can survive if the abortionist does not get to them first. Abortionist can try to kill a mistakenly born child by other horrific means such as strangulation. You can’t convince pro lifers that this is by any measure fair. The law is very slack and doesn’t enforce its own rules for murder.

Abortion is very literally, murder but the law is slack, and in many cases, the knowledge of an abortion is hush-hush. Abortion equals violence, oppose both.

Arakunrin ati Arabinrin (ladies and gentle men) for a mother to kill a human life, within her womb is emotionally traumatic for her. The full effects may take years to surface, but the guilt, when it comes, can be as torturous as killing a fully-formed human. So articles have shown that the emotional scars suffered by women who have had abortions “oyun sise” are quite tragedic in nature. Many regret the decision they made to kill their child. They say that if they had the choice again, they would choose a different course of action. “o ga o: e pa o boro mo: aso ti bo lorun omo eye,omo eye ti rin iho ho woja”

The emotional scars cannot be seen but can only be felt in the heart and told by those who have the scars. There is no doubt to whether killing a baby is traumatic for most mothers, the question is just whether we choose to listen to the cries of their hearts. Emotions after all can be ignored, but will you choose to ignore, or give the mothers of this world hope for forgiveness?

The Christian message brought a dignity to the concept of the individual person and the value of life. The gospel taught that Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit. What grew in her womb from conception was not a blob of tissue, but the person of the God-man Jesus. So growing in each pregnant mother’s womb, is not just a blob, it is a person, the beautiful person God has created. What then, gives us the right to torture, then murder, the God given, God created human life, within the womb? Nothing “ko si rara ati rara ni”

This entire concept cannot be proven. It is a faith belief. If the pro life forces triumph and abortion is again condemned, it may be that other family preserving values will be strengthened. But if we fail, few other family values or interpersonal moral values can endure if the one person ordained by nature and God to protect each helpless innocent little one is allowed to kill her own flesh and blood to “solve” her own personal social or economic problem.

Through abortion, the mother can be physically damaged beyond repair and emotionally traumatised with guilt. Abortion should be illegal, because of the repercussions suffered by the mother, child and other family members. Abortion is morally and ethically wrong and damaging and should be illegal. Abortion is an immediate, personal one on one, voluntary decision over which participating person has direct control that is except for the unborn. Who will speak for them? Who will stand up for the life which they represent? Will you?