SECURITY

Happy EID MUBARAQ.

I wont bore you with lengthy definition of the word SECURITY, so will just stick to the street version, which is the Extent to which the populace trust it's government to ensure safety. Invariably, this questions knowledge on the identity and capability of  hostility, sabotage and espionage.

I was at my local bukateria where I have my morning rice with Banga soup(you should try this joint) and a discussion was raised about what this present administration is doing to ensure no more lives is  lost to insurgency.
It took the grace of God that punches were not exchanged and I quickly rushed my food to avoid any unwanted scenario.

The topic on the menu was Boko Haram and The Renewed call for the state/republic of Biafra.
So heated was the discussion that every customer at the 'Buka' was actually speaking along the lines of ethnic sentiments. Cant blame them. We are a state so united by boundary lines(being called Nigeria) yet so divided by ethno-religious and political gains.
The people don't even know whether to trust the authorities with their safety.
The people cant seems to understand why the naira is enjoying such a free fall to the dollar.
Fuel scarcity is back(Abuja is experiencing it).
There is an increase price of commodities, goods and services.
Now they(workers) are demanding an increase in Minimum wage (from 18,000naira - to 46,000naira), will these solve the problem?
Now that New service Chiefs have been appointed(laudable) and Checkpoints are back(I warned about their removal initially) to key areas to forestall any impending danger/assault, Can we boldly say we have won the war?
Far from it!

Where is our SECURITY?

Are You Hungry?

How often do you eat outside?
Do you patronize Restaurants or "Mama-put"(buka)?
When you live in a city like the Federal Capital Territory, you need to be conscious of your pocket. Abuja is filled with awesome restaurants but they take a chunk from your small pocket and this is where the "mama-put" comes in.
They are economical with tasty foods with assorted meats to go with it,winks.

Wuye - Iya Oyo, for your typical yoruba meals. (tops my chart).

Wuse 2, off ademola adetokunbo crescent,junction before Hmedix wholesale (this canteen used to be close to Valencia hotel before relocating to their new address- lovely foods with hausa flavour. (they fry the best plantain). Lol

Area 3 coca-cola garden - Another good place to eat, especially their Pounded yam.

Canteen at federal secretariat car park - good.

Zone 1 computer village canteen - good.

Zone 3 computer village Market canteen (Madam ify)- the best in "ibo" foods.

Of all the general hospitals in Abuja, kubwa general hospital canteen  serves the best meal.

Utako garden (close to Caramello Lounge ) -  serves good meals with cheap goat meat.


There is also a lady in front of Fudie mall, jabi adjacent Chida Hotel - lovely banga soup with your rice(heavenly).


Don't be hungry, help yourself.

Education and JAMB

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board earlier today fixed the cut-off mark into Nigeria Universities and polytechnics as well as College of educations.
1. Degree institutions -180 and
2. NCE and ND institutions- 150.

While these will be a cheering news for those writing this exams, it is worrying that our standard of education has fallen this low! And at this rate, we could be looking at accepting students with 100 and 80marks in their JAMB results say 10yrs from now.
I'm highly disappointed at the government, stake holders and agencies responsible for upholding a high standard of learning culture in this generation.
Thought we are in d computer age,where learning is made easy as a result of computer and sources of information are just a click away!

Teachers in government primary school now come to school, simply to mark attendance so as to get paid at the end of the month. These have simply destroyed/laid no foundation into which the secondary school is meant to build upon.

How many primary/secondary school teachers have their children attending Government primary/secondary schools?

Government secondary schools are either too populated with pupils or Under-staffed with teachers to make a meaningful impact.

Private Schools are now the people's choice yet the quality being brewed still leaves much to be desired.

I remember back in the days:
-You dare not come late to school, yet you see kids outside the school environment around 8:30am strolling.
-You dare not leave your assignment at home, most kids this days don't even go to school with notebooks or bag!

The Education sector needs CHANGE.

Where are the Teachers?


I have good memories of mine, can this generation feel the same?

News bits

What a week that just passed and I'm grateful for all the calls and messages.
Good to be back and healthy again.
Let me do a quick run down of news and gists:

Marilyn Ogar, spokesperson of the DSS have been demoted and recalled from 3years study leave.

Robin Van Persie and Podolski leaves Manchester United and Arsenal  for Fenerbache and Galatasary respectively.

Increased call for ensuring a total inclusion of other geopolitical zones by Nigerians after it became obvious that so far its only Northerners have been appointed by President Buhari.

Coach of Nigeria's Super Eagles sacked by NFF, fallout from the Ivory coast job I guess.

Chile wins her first Copa America after 99years beating Argentina via penalties 4-1.

APC claims to have resolved it's internal issues after meeting on Friday(let's wait and see).

Tension brewing as President Buhari demands for details and documents used in procuring arms after meetings with service chiefs.

Greece and her creditors still at the deliberation table since Germany said NO to debt relief. Referendum is for today to decide which way to go.

The final of thhe Women football World cup takes place today in Canada between Japan(defending champion) and USA.

Happy sunday.

A new dawn

Good morning,
It seems sunday is a reflective day to decide,plan and analyze the new week.

It's exactly 30days that PMB became the President of the most Stubborn, never patient but always expecting miracle country in the world.
Is this the change we all voted for?
While some have quickly positioned that things are going worse, other have reasoned that the last administration was better. Did anyone notice the increased price of Pepper? Some have reasoned PMB caused it. lol

How realistic are the promises made by the APC since there's still bitterness in the way the Elephant was shared( kindly read my "Hunter and elephant" post)?
A friend of mine told me he is waiting to see the London metro railway, Heathrow standard airport, N5,000 welfare allowance promised by the APC.
How long further can Nigeria wait before rallies and placards starts making headlines?
Miracle isn't going to happen, it's all still have to follow a structural and systemic reform. Atleast, it's now obvious we can't be wasteful and expect buoyancy.
What is delaying the appointment of minsiters?
I support the continuous assessment of the new administration which implies we are ever watching with our 3D lens digital camera.

It's a new day though still cloudy.

PMB and Nigeria.

My attention has just been drawn to the news that PMB has dissolved the NNPC board.
Good move if you ask me.
Fuel scarcity is smelling for July(you did not hear it from me).
Get prepared,
I hope marketers remain silent though.
I hope this is not all fun and games.
Budget 2015 is still so fresh.
No Ministers yet.
Nobody to work with PMB.
Even the position of SGF is vacant.
The National Assembly is in turmoil and by the time they will be re-convening on 21st July, PMB would have spent 54days in the office.
100days I believe is the litmus, to account for the first 100days in office.

So we have a long list of inactivity.

Mararaba-Check-Nyanyan-Point

Abuja is a wonderful place to live in especially if you have experienced lasgidi traffic in its full glory. A first timer in abuja would be amazed that full business activities doesn't begin until around 9am, and transportation is very hassle free until say 7:30am which is a sharp contrast to Lagos. Moreso, the way Abuja has been designed, the low income earners have been made to reside in satellite towns such as Lugbe, Kubwa, Kuje, Zuba, Mararaba-Nyanyan axis.

A good place to enjoy and feel the lasgidi traffic incase you are missing it, is the Mararaba-Nyanyan axis. It's the most busy environment in the whole of the North(Sabon gari market road,linking Ibrahim Taiwo road ,will come a distance second) because it's a gateway to low cost of living and also linking other states such as Plateau,Nassarawa,Benue state.

Mararaba-Nyanyan axis accounts for a sizeable percentage of the working class in Abuja because it offers a pocket friendly house rent, foodstuff, daily needs and transportation. Thus, a breakdown by a car or truck or accident poses a big threat to movement in and around the axis. situations have occurred that people get home late in the night as a result of a truck falling on its side along the road.

It has all the thrills and feels of a busy metropolise and you better be on your way home early enough to avoid....you catch the drift. A new twist was added when Army Checkpoints were erected in the wake of the 2014,April 14 bomb blast which left scores dead and injured. One is found on the Nyanyan bridge, another by the Karu bridge while a grand checkpoint is found on the express just after passing the Karu bridge heading back into Abuja town. Movement along the axis became strenuous and intimidating due to activities of the soldiers on the road who diligently search vehicles. I remember being stuck in this traffic for more than 5hrs in the afternoon on my way back from Kurudu-Jikwoyi-Karu area with my car AC bad and the sun was dancing in the sky in full splendour. You could be lucky to spend just two hours going and coming from the axis on a good day while it could be worse ,sometimes especially during the Market day of the area.

While many have commended the federal government for the removal of the checkpoint around the country due to the untold hardship been experienced in areas where such existed, it should be pointed out that the reasons for their existence are still with us. Therefore, we are left to decide which of the two evils we are ready to live with:

NO CHECKPOINT - vulnerability to attack but tree flow of traffic.

CHECKPOINT - curtails activities of insurgency but invariably causes TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK.

My opinion is that the Checkpoints should have remained until we have won the war against insurgency so that there can be peace and lack of fear. Sometimes, we have to suffer hardship to achieve that which will enable and ensure a better society in the long term. Though no amount of checkpoint will restore the lives which has been lost, its existence has greatly secured the city.