Tag: Nigeria

Change, Randoms

Redeeming a Battered Image

Jilomes

Growing up in Nigeria, one phrase continuously heard was “African time”. It appears the world had a meeting and assigned a special time-keeping system to Africans, with Nigerians as the guardians of this time standard. With such a reputation at odds with the famous timekeeping Swiss, stereotypical expectations assume that Nigerians would never be early at anything, even if their lives were to depend on being early. Unfortunately, while some Nigerians try to defeat this stereotype, some others go extra lengths to ensure Nigeria’s battered image remains unredeemed. Continue reading “Redeeming a Battered Image” →

Politics, Randoms

A Look at 2016

Jilomes

It’s already the first of January. Another 365 days has passed; 366 if we consider that 2016 was a leap year. Like every other year, 2016 had its highs and lows, times of rejoicing, and times when we wondered if things could ever get worse. Despite all that happened, the important thing is that we pulled through the bad times and immersed ourselves in the joys of the good times. As the usual annual greetings continue around the world, here’s 2016 summarized from my viewpoint. First, let me say, “Happy New Year”. Continue reading “A Look at 2016” →

Change, Randoms

FRSC: Creating Another Monster

Jilomes

Let me start with a quote attributed to the famous Albert Einstein: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” This quote simply says good solutions require innovative thinking. The alternative is to say that without good thinking, we cannot solve problems, or at best, we would solve one problem by creating another. This alternative seems to be enshrined in the policy guidelines inspiring several decisions by the Nigerian government. Continue reading “FRSC: Creating Another Monster” →

Randoms

Watching Out for Customers

Jilomes

When you come from a place where things are generally messed up, there are strong odds that even a whiff of sanity would piqué your interest, making you think you’ve just encountered the best life has on offer. This tallies with the common maxim that “in the land of the blind, the person with one eye is king”. However even accounting for this maybe overexcited feeling, there are things you come across that would surely stand out, regardless of whether they are one-off occurrences, or common to those you encounter. This is a narration of an encounter with caring customer service. Continue reading “Watching Out for Customers” →

Change, Inspiration, Politics

Taking Nigeria Back

Jilomes

Newton’s first law of motion states that “a body at rest would remain at rest unless a force acts on it”. If this sentence does not seem simple enough, here’s a street person’s rephrasing: “a football would not move until someone or something (e.g. wind) pushes it”. Something must make a move. This is a simple rule that Nigerians have not learned. Nigerians can pray and hope for ten million years, but don’t forget that even David had to pick stones and face Goliath. Without some action, most prayers are useless. Yes, I said that, and I’m a Christian. Continue reading “Taking Nigeria Back” →

Change, Politics

Shackles of Independence

Jilomes

Two centuries ago, Brigham Young said that “True independence and freedom can only exist in doing what’s right.” Those words are as true as the knowledge that the earth is spherical. Whereas some persons view independence as being free to do whatever they like however they like, such persons have a myopic view that points to immaturity. When one is truly independent is when one comes to appreciate that independence implies a responsibility to do the right thing. It is the Nigerian state’s inability to understand this logic that has kept it in shackles for fifty-six years. Continue reading “Shackles of Independence” →

Change, Randoms

​Undeserved Hoops

Jilomes

One of Nigeria’s contemporary bright minds, Ayo Sogunro, once wrote that “everything in Nigeria will kill you”. While one tries to take in the import of his statement, one hears something like “life is already hard; why make it simple”. The two quotes combined, paint a gloomy picture of a Nigeria that is designed to make things as difficult as possible for Nigerians. Sadly, this is a daily reality for many Nigerians.  Continue reading “​Undeserved Hoops” →

Inspiration, Politics

​The Heaven Called Immunity

Jilomes

Intro: This piece is about the drive by federal lawmakers to grant themselves immunity from prosecution. Although this form of writing isn’t my forte, I felt like doing something different from my usual direct articles.

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My name is Peter Mohammed Ifa. I am a full-blooded Nigerian representing my people, Nigeria Constituency I at the Senatorial Council of Representatives. On March 28, 2015, I made my people think they willingly chose me as their sole ambassador at the distinguished council. Since then, I and fellow council members have been on a journey to get heaven’s key.

Continue reading “​The Heaven Called Immunity” →

Politics

The Fulani Question: A Tale of the “Left Behinds”

Jilomes

If anyone ventured here to read the rantings of a “tribalist”, I am happy to disappoint such a person. It behoves me first, to state clearly that I do not believe in the superiority of one tribe over another, nor do I ascribe to the fallacy that a tribe can be so inherently evil that no good person can be found in it. Nevertheless, for some time now, the Fulanis have made the news headlines their virtual home, effectively becoming inglorious pains in the longsuffering asses of other Nigerians. Continue reading “The Fulani Question: A Tale of the “Left Behinds”” →

Change, Randoms

Nigeria’s Many McCulloughs

Jilomes

The role of justice is to not only ensure that the guilty pay for their crimes, but to also ensure that the innocent is not wrongly punished. The scales are supposedly perfectly balanced, and manned by impartiality personified. In Nigeria, however, the judicial scales are obviously crooked, and manned by doyens of crookery. An American, Jack McCullough is presently celebrating his freedom, while many Nigerian McCulloughs continue to languish in decrepit jails for crimes they did not commit. Continue reading “Nigeria’s Many McCulloughs” →