Sharing ABIOLAS Thoughts

An Unpublished work of Olajide David Abiola

By: Nnamdi Okeke 2015.

Nnamdis Comments These are candid excerpts of Olajide David on different issues as posted from his online thread. Do enjoy this Piece.

About David

Is a multidisciplinary professional bringing a broad vision, measured success and rich experience in business and operations management, technical sales and legislation/government administration spanning over seven strong years and preceded by six years of impeccable record of military service. A prolific writer and commentator.

My thoughts IDLENESS OF FUNDS (A TETFUND Perspective) In year 2009, a full page publication listing all Tertiary institutions (University, Polytechnic and Colleges of Education) who were yet to access the sum of N23.6bn from the TETFUND in the Punch news print. Some hadn't accessed 3 years of funds as at that time, while a few, just a year. My feelings were mixed at this discovery. On the one hand, I was a bit perturbed that such huge funds for a few number of institutions were stashed away fallowing while these instiutions suffered huge deficit and degradation in critical educational and instructional infrastructure and facilities. On the other hand, I saw this as a huge business opportunity to proffer IT solutions with ETF fund compliant and accessible criterion. I believed strongly, and still do, that one of the problems with many of our public institutions is the poverty of ideas and absence of the moral and political will do get simple things done. I took time to develop some well researched solutions, which were drafted into well detailed proposals, outlining core education services merits, benefits and advantages to the institution with clarity. These were sent out to the institutions listed in the publication. They were a little over 30 in numbering. On seperate dates after some weeks, they started replying, with invitations to come make presentations or to communicate preferred dates. Out of all of them, the only institution meaningful headway was made is the University of Uyo; the commitments of the rest fizzled out quickly no sooner had we had any meaninful negotiations. By October 2013, the funds had grown to N73.87bn, and by July 2014, it had topped over N100bn, unaccessed. And it keeps growing. One can't blame TETFUND but the institutions. Most aren't serious about accessing funds they don't have control and management of. Many of them make attempts at accessing the funds to execute irrelevant projects like school fencing, Bus procurement and the likes, which have no benefits to nor correlation with the improvement of education systems delivery for both lecturers and students.

Legislation cannot in any way deter or prevent acts and crimes of racism or tribalism, it is only effective at apprehending and punishing culprits. If laws were effective at obviating crimes, the United States wouldn't have the highest convicts per population ratio in the world, and Singapore, Indonesia, China and Malaysia wouldn't still be attractive to drug traffickers considering the very stiff penalties for such crimes. The issue of racism will be more effectively addressed if the right values are ingrained at the family, school, work place and worship house levels. One's prejudice or outright dislike for a person is an easy road to believing anything bad, unsavoury or negative about such a person, even when facts, reason and logic proves otherwise. The same thing when you like someone. It becomes difficult to accept a bad or negative reality regarding such a person. SOLUTION: Investigate all things thoroughly before holding on to that which is true. The world pays attention to talk but understands action better. It wasn't lamentations and rhetorics that stopped Adolf Hitler in his war tracks, it was affirmative military action by global coalition of nations. Rhetorics are good if it can galvanize inmediate affirmative action. If the African Nations whose citizens are being targeted in the ongoing South-African genocidal xenophobic frenzy cannot transmute their criticisms, lamentations and despair into pursuing a formal complaint at the ICC or pressuring the South-African government to rein in the xenophobic marauders, the anguish, frustrations and agitation are pointless and needless. This xenophobic episode shouldn't have recurred if the appropriate measures were taken the first time it happened. Can Africa do better than lament? I have maintained at every opportune time at different fora that the white man can never and should never be blamed for any socio-economic and socio-political woes of the black man. Even

the much talked about and scholarly denounced transatlantic slave trade is the Black man's own undoing. It should have been described as Slave Capture but it was aptly phrased "slave trade" because it was a concensual transaction between buyers and sellers. As a human being, salvation in any area of one's life begins with acknowledging and embracing self responsibilities, rather than misdirecting blames. The black man is his own enemy. The black man doesn't even know the basci responsibility that comes with power of any sort. Who needs all these socio-cultural and socio-political groups? Whose interests do these groups really serve? Self or altruistic? Are groups required to address issues related with bad governance like unemployment, poor infrastructure, social insecurity et al. Personally, I think groups like AFENIFERE, AREWA and OHANEZE should altogether be proscribed by our collective attitude of ignoring them. Their views are always representative of a very few and self serving at best. Who can really state with confident assertion that these groups really represent interests beneficial to an egalitarian society for all within their regions? Multichoice and MTN are white owned businesses. Sanctioning these firms in an effort to rein in those black blood suckers will be misplaced. Those murderers should be hit so hard and bad that they'd think twice resorting to the madness called xenophobia. Afterwards, they need to be properly desensitised and orientated. Beasts they're, and should be treated as such. Seriously, the singular most important major difference between the white race and the black race is the white man's "sheer will to get things done".

When it really comes to getting things that matter to them or their society done, their egos, petty differences and those silly prejudices aren't ample hindrances or saboteurs. I hear and read many Nigerians adduce a flawed constitution as cause of many of our National problems. This is weak and myopic in several ways as there

What have we made of the numerous aspects of our constitution considered ok? As the Nigerian constitution stand today, does it permit theft or corruption, murder, tribalism, violence, economic sabotage, anarchy, partiality, insecurity, chaos?

is no nation of the world where the citizens were every content or satisfied with all the articles that define the constitution.

The black man's problem seem to be getting trapped in the white man's idealism; being unable to transmute them into action or practice. Nigerian government at all levels are bedevilled by the spirit of time wasting and sluggishness. We can learn how to spend a 4 year tenure from the likes of China, U.A.E, Singapore or even Ethiopia. Aswear, a lot can be done in 4 years if the sheer will is present. I once had a time wasting experience of 2 years with a State government that really wanted to procure my professional services. The proposition was initially tendered 2 years into the government's administration. It spent approximately 18 months going back and forth in the name of due process. By the time it was approved, the administration had 6 months left with a re-election bid on the horizon, causing its suspension till after election on the premise that the intended solution may hurt electoral chances. The incumbent governor lost, having 3 months duration left to handover. He totally shelved the project because he didn't want to appear vindictive by going ahead to implement the solution. 2 years gone! Hahahaha

Should we wish back the evil of APARTHEID upon this black South-Africans? No wonder the white population reside in mostly heavily secured homes, relying on private security outfits, and arm themselves to the teeth with sophisticated firearms. Their xenophobic craze no fit near them, even foreigners. Violence seems to recognize higher power. From the body languages broadcasted in the photos emerging from the streets of South-Africa, it seems to me that the government is complicit, what with the way the police look on and even laughing while the flames of immolation burns on. One reason the materially wealthy status of many Nigerians lack the substance of inspiration to many aspiring entrepreneurs, gifted and professionals is the absence of a real narrative that led to the wealth. What you get for your inquisition is usually "Na Godu ooo", as if God is a sorcerer. I guess not too many are have the pride of dignity to share how they came into their material wealth. I see a new generation of honest and hardwork forged entrepreneurs emerging with the new Nigeria, not those "Microwave" millionaires who mock the dignity of labour of others. Some join the mob or assume a mob mentality, for there in they derive strength to act or think as they wouldn't do alone. For others, they form a clique to feel safe, secure and to have a sense of belonging. And you have those who stand with sense, reason, logic and the truth, causing the mob and the cliques to buzz about them. Luggard and Bortha's similar verdicts on the black man several decades ago continues to generate indignation from black readers till date, however, very little to nothing has improved in the general affairs of the black man or the societies which they doninate and organize. Rather than react indignantly, it is only wise that one takes a critical and careful study of these verdicts in

a passively objective way. This will help seperate the chaff from the grain, enabling a good That there is nothing genetically inferior in the makeup of the black man as compared to other races is an absolute truth requiring neither scientific experimentation nor historical study. The least developed mental faculty can comprehend this.

takeaway.

So if the black man is provenly mentally at par with other races, with intricate superior physicality, what can evidently be alluded for his century endured hopelessness and decade long confusion in spite of immense natutal resources and great advancement in science and technology to aid his salvation and significantly thrust him ahead of other races in many or all frontiers? I for one do not believe there exist and elusive Holy Grail to salvage the black man other than the simple, yet ignored principles. A quick list will do without deviating into an academic discourse. THINGS OTHER RACES DO RIGHT THAT THE BLACK MAN HASN'T UNDERSTOOD - Other races plan, prepare and execute * The black man believes in fate - Other races are altruistic and sacrificial * We are more self oriented & more focused on who takes the credit than who will bene- fit. - Other races think with their head * The black man thinks with the heart mostly. - Other races have stronge senses of reponsi- bilities. * God takes responsibility for everything with the black man. - Other races seek power to serve, to work * The black man seeks power for aggrandise- ment.

- Other races thrive through organized societ- ies. * The black man requires chaos to thrive. It is not a close ended list, but it isn't endless either. The sooner we realize heaven is yet to come upon us, the less jarred we would feel about the vicious ways of men in this checkered universe. Prime your mind for the unexpected. If you're feared or deified by your subordinates, never look forward to sound and good counsel from them. All you'll ever get is stroking of your ego. The black man will accomplish so much if he cared less who took the credit. People hardly remember the shape of the trophy, but the memory of the winning performance or act endures. Personally, I don't believe there are ethnic haters and religious extremists in the real sense of it. There are simply enemies of HUMANITY. Wicked people! Evil people. All these classifications simply give them less indignant and evil appellation. Intense enthic hatred and religious extremism invariably leads to inciting murder and triggering unrest. Profiling crimes against humanity on the grounds of race, ethnicity, gender, religion et al is flawed. Religion and ethnicity doesn't just cut it. Haven't you variably encountered both good and bad people of the same ethnicity and religious faiths as you? A criminal or an evil mind saying ngbati ngbati and ni oruko Jesu will not be less harmful to you because he shares your faith and ethnicity. There are bad people and there are good people. It doesn't get simpler than that.

Does a terrorist shouting the name of Allah while blowing himself up along others or savagely cutting another's throat make everyone who says Allah akbar a real or potential demon? No! You're likely to consumate more meaningful and rewarding friendships, social and business relationships if you focused on people's character rather than their religious proclamations or ethnic descents. The greatest challenge to the 21st century individual is preserving self when almost everyone is taken by the active ongoing pressure within society to make the individual conform, accept and embrace the status quos. This is often angrily greeted with the protestation language like "I have a right to be myself; justifiably so. However, before we exercise this right, it is incumbent we answer the question of our sanity, civility, mannerism and humanity. The moral and natural r

A lot of people have fallen under the hypnosis of society's influence to tune other's lives with conceited overbearing attitudes. The tyrants of this age are not physical brutes, but social and emotional control freaks, many of whom are really oblivious of their state of being or minds. Their attitudinal dispositions can be rightly discerned if you're sensitive and observatory enough. They want to dictate the mood and atmosphere of any given social space. They want to set the agenda of social discourse and determine what's relevant and intellectual to stimulate their participation or respect; they want to determine who you can and ought to relate with. If they don't relate with person A, they expect you not to too; doing so earns you a systematic boycott.

ight to be one's self should never include being noxious. Therefore, before agitating and pursuing the right to be self, these conditions beg for satisfaction.

To roll with their illusional league, your lingo has gotta conform, else the right of place in their world is not guaranteed. They're mental meddlers. They may even not engage you, but they observe and monitor your social trail, beating and agitating themselves with why you should be relating with this or that person, the trendy topics you should be buzzing along with or initiating, the timing of your activities, and finally the intellectual upper crust you should identify with to belong to their virtual island of "gbo gbo" big boys and girls. Lol.

Be yourself, everyone in the world is taken. What makes socialisation exhilarating is the diversity of our narratives and the issues thrown up for discourse. But before you be yourself, make sure the self is not rude, mannerless, uncouth, uncivil, treacherous and overbearing. Good morning. For a Corporate or Government really committed to getting anything worthwhile done in good and reasonable time, it is no brainer that eliminating or shrinking bureacracies to the barest minimum is the most important thing to do. On board the smartest minds and the most dilligent hands all you can, yet, very little will be accomplished at the expense of irredeemable time and material resources. The same way one can be in the middle of Oceanic waters and remain thirsty (due to salinity), is the same way one can remain acutely ignorant in the midst of vast amount of information in this age. Information overload doesn't equate knowledge. Upon hiring a coach, you leave him be to choose his players and define his game formation and strategy. You don't behave meddlesome. The overall purpose of bringing a coach on board is to improve game performance leading to more victories, trophies, earnings and perhaps bragging rights for team and fans. How he does it is not the business of the fans nor stakeholders in as much as the rules, principles and spirit of the game are not undermined or violated. If you didn't have

Like a student, I don't have to read late into the night, early in the morning or go to some remote places to find solitude conducive for study as is the practice and habits of some; they may not be my own approach to effective study. The koko is that I study and pass my examinations. I choose the strategy best suited for my cognition.

confidence in the character and competence of the coach, why hire him if you'd have to preemptively censor his team selection and strategy?

Lets allow the incoming President choose whoever he pleases to drive and implement his vision and goals, not satisfy our fantasies about those we consider competent or otherwise. Competence isn't lacking in a population of 170 million. Who knew Dora until she was appointed DG NAFDAC? Who knew Nuhu Ribadu until he was appointed EFCC chair? Who knew Adeshina, the minister or Agric before he was appointed? Who knew Fashola before he became Lagos governor? The names are endless. There are more capable but obscure minds and hands than we can ever imagine. To understand how impressionable the average human mind is, craft an averagely articulate sensational fictitious reportage on any state actor or affair and publish it on Social media. Shaka boom! It has accelerated and gone round the globe and back long before the veracity or logicality is attempted to be determined. If you believe your "religion", sect or denomination is superior to others, I have one question for you. How did you realize this? As an adherent of one of the monotheistic religions, have you ever paused to ask yourself how you found and developed faith in it? Chances are good that you were born into it and grew to accept it as a religious heritage. So, assuming you were born into and grew under a different religious practice, would you have maintained an open mind and assu

I know if the fear of being ostracised or persecuted at different levels of family and society are removed or eliminated, many would choose their beliefs differently.

med the courage to explore other religions objectively? If no, how sure are you that your beliefs and faith is true and accurate? If you feel they are, why then do you disdainfully act and think towards others who came abother their "religion" through family heritage as you?

The world would be a better place if people weren't meddlesome in the affairs of others except those affairs are hurtful to individual and society, or criminal. The error many people make is to accept others' lifestyle and experiences as absolute verdict. Someone has a distasteful experience in marriage and concludes marriage is overrated. You totally embrace it, ingraining it as a mindset. Another tells you marriage is sweet and singleness is not good or idealic. Neither marriage nor singleness confers happiness or joy whatsoever. You're the architect of your own experiences and feelings. The world is populated by equal numbers of m

What's the conclusion? You're happy or sad because you chose to, not because anything is faulty with the institution of marriage or the state of singleness.

iserable and happy married and single status individuals. Refrain from mindsets as this and liberate yourself.

You make your choice. Live your own experience. Let no one's experience define your reality. OF WRONG MINDSETS. When an experience is tough, it is the DEVIL. When an experience is smooth and easy, it is GOD. If you have a mindset as this, I ask, who bewitched you? No wonder many people lack the toughness of character to come into significant living; because they associate easy with God and hard with the devil. Show me one really great soul who ever had it easy on the road to accomplishing something noteworthy. Check your doctrine, evaluate your understanding and reset your mind.

AIT Freedom of any kind is naturally accompanied by plethora of responsibilities; therefore, it must not be trifled with nor abused. Those who defended the defamatory and hate broadcasts against President elect Buhari and others cannot tolerate an ounce of slander, yet they'd be the most vocal in pulling out the Freedom of Expression card, as if my freedom to give expression to an opinion includes defamation, hate and slander. Buhari's barring of AIT from covering his activities is well within his right to do so. Se fini. He hasn't violated any laws! Shikenah. Whatever reactions towards it is one of the fine attributes of democracy: Everyone can have their say! We will all have divergent views on how Buhari should have handled AIT, but the prerogative to do so is his in as much as he doesn't undermine the law. Simple! Were the AIT reporters assaulted? No! Have they been hindered from broadcasting on air? No! So what are the issues here? NONE! Your SIN is what you address with God through your conscience. Your CRIME is what the STATE deals with. Woe betide you if your SIN also amounts to CRIME. God will forgive you but the law will still take its cause. If you doubt me, ask the repentant theif crucified beside JESUS. As an independent business person or sole entrepreneur, the responsibilities are huger than a pay slip drawing exployee. A pay slip drawing employee has his job schedule, duties and responsibilities interwoven with those of his mates, superiors and subordinates. A significant drop in his productivity in many

instances will not eat away at such a person's pay. This isn't so for the business person. A business person earns every dime of his cheque. No slack cutting from the cus

You should ponder it well. Your reason for going into business for yourself should greatly transcend the desire of freedom to be your own boss. Such a freedom is ladened with immense responsibilities.

tomers, except from the "money miss road sorts" of clients. Customers are really a person's boss in this circumstance. You lose your pay check if you're denied patronage.

The same common sense required to get a spare tyre placed in the trunk of your car, to change a deflated tyre and to have it fixed and inflated back is what is required for good governance. No rocket science nor high sounding philosophies required. Common sense, character and resolve in that order. What's hard about receiving monthly allocation? What's hard about signing off payment of workers' remuneration monthly? What's hard about getting thr road fixed or getting waters running from the taps? What's hard about getting classrooms equipped and getting instructors well trained to do the job? What's hard about charging working residents as tax to get all of the above done?

Nothing! No new laws are even required to do these basic things. What's hard about building hospitals and getting equipped?

Money isn't the problem, neither is education. The problem is simply the lack of willingness and the character. All our problems as a nation requires simple COMMON SENSE, CHARACTER AND RESOLVE to solve. Not Havard, not Yale, not MIT type education. Just PLAIN COMMON SENSE that makes every human to get water to drink when thirsty. SIMPLE! As a lucky beneficiary of the cheap appellation of HEROISM around this clime, I had expected he would fix a mouth guard to

prevent self-denigrating words proceeding from it, revealing him as the real VILLAIN he was and remains. Who are the real HEROES between millions of people habitually subjected to the harrowing and tortuous experience in Nigeria, but self-restrained from going berserk on the leadership, and a leadership that came to power with the most widespread goodwill ever given by Nigerians and oversaw the hugest resources ever made available to any government in Nigeria, but frittered everything. Where and what were all the religious minds watching and doing till the country got under dysfunctional bondage in several respect? This is a critical question one needs to sit down and really ponder upon. Christians and Muslims alike calling loudly unto God. It is either we are calling upon the wrong God, or there is no God at all (which I doubt) or we are just plain hypocrites. The Chinese we consider atheists, the Indians we understand to be idol worshippers, the Japs we

The truth is, Nigerians misrepresent God on earth the most. They're the worst marketers of God. If Christianity and Islam started in Nigeria, no one would practice both religions today.

also perceive to be a blend between atheists and Buddhists massively dwarf us in Science, technology, industry, economy, order, organized society, citizen character et al. To cap it all, many of them don't even speak English.

You blame another's chicanery for your deception but excuse your own lack of discretion and discernment. This is not to excuse vice but to question absence of virtue. Lacking or possessing few vices is not evidence of the presence or abundance of virtue. Sometimes being naive does pass for virtues.

For criticism to be valid, it must be aimed at improving the quality, performance and occurrence of the object or activity being criticized. Anything to the contrary is misguided, misplaced and nonsensical. Any criticism outside the realm of influencing and causing good improvement is ill informed, regardless of the compelling eloquence and brilliance by which it is crafted or spoken. Most criticisms (Not all) are motivated by strife, envy, bitterness, hate, and in some instances sycophancy. As poisonous as snakes are, they don't bear their fangs on every prey unless to eat or in self-defense.

Throughout history, no single man (anthropic) of reckon in any sphere has ever escaped fallibility of deed, speech and judgement, nor successfully dodged the dart of vicious and maligning criticism, envy and bitterness. Such a persona has neither bestrode this checkered pavement of mortality nor can a biography of the like be found filed on the shelf of any human library.

One cannot be hopeless and optimistic at the same time. They're diametrically opposed. You assert that it's not possible for a lady to be very successful without compromising, questioning and suspecting the success of another on this premise, yet you desire and are in pursuit of achieving success without compromise. How can you pursue or become what you have the conviction not to be possible? Do people really think about what they think and do at all? You believe it is not possible to be rich without cutting corners but your own aim is to actually make it without cutting corners. Are you alright?

Many things in life are similar to food preparation. You need some heat to cook or prepare. Apply too much heat for longer than necessary and the food gets burnt, becoming inedible, in spite of the completeness of ingredients. Similarly, apply inadequate intensity of heat for either short or long periods and you also get an inedible or unenjoyable outcome, in spite of the proportional balance and completeness of ingredient. Heat can be likened to efforts and duration is same as time. Timing and efforts often go hand in hand than any other factoral combination. Often, people quit when they ought to have held on and hold on when they ought to have quitted. Choice making on the surface seem easy, but it is as hard as a crucible for the majority of people. Remember, what's good may not be right, but what's right will always be good.

The singular attitude of underestimating and undermining the intelligence, greed, pride and ambition of your competitor or subordinates reveals inferiority of your thinking, strategy and tactics. This alone makes you inferior. You can't go into a contest with emphasis and focus on solely your own merits, strength and advantages without factoring those of other contestants and participants. A GOOD person is not immune from the consequences of a bad decision, choice and strategy. Likewise, a BAD person cannot be denied the rewards of a good choice, decision and strategy.

I don't fret, worry, panic or lament over what is outside the sphere of my control and influence. This singular principle and attitude have made a lot of difference in my career, business, relationships and interaction with the world.

Much of our international image is shaped by the values projected by the citizens. We believe image making is the inherent and statutory responsibility of government. Few years ago, Nigeria was a permanent feature on the blacklist of many commercial (not economic) platforms, while countries like Somalia, which hardly had a stable government, with a wobbly socio-economic structure wasn't. What this implied was that the Somali people were and still considered more honest than

The few foreigners I have interacted outside will remark or ask thus: 'why are you people? Why do Nigerians indulge in this or that? All their negative perceptions and beliefs of Nigeria were shaped by engaging and observing Nigerians, not the government. The illicit activities of dubious Nigerians have created more degrading images, identity and perception for the country than the government and leaders. After all, the government is formed by individuals from the citizenry.

Nigerians, despite their lingering multifaceted socio-political problems.

We have a reputation outside as dishonest people, and this is justifiably so. It won't be the job of the government but the people to fix this.

People should endeavour to read and listen to UNDERSTAND first; not to respond, not to remark, but to get the message, to really assimilate what is meant and what is implied and in the right context.

I believe we most times mean the same things but read things with the wrong mindset. Finally, you can never read or listen to understand someone you despise, envy, jealous or hate. I have keenly observed this phenomenon. No matter the effort, it doesn't just work.

DEALING WITH TREACHERY I don't know why many people think heaping vituperations on a treacherous person is a sound strategy for dealing with such behaviour. I don't just get it. It doesn't work. You'd make a hero out of a villain that way. Attacks don't reverse the situation, turn the tide or punish the behaviour. All the betrayed needs to do is put up measures to protect against such treacherous conduct from the traitor in the future. TRAITORS have self-destructive mechanisms within their character. They never fail at doing themselves in. People are in the habit of always seeking technical ways of solving problems instead of simply allowing NATURE to take care of things where it matters. Don't fight traitors. Don't attack them. Just insulate/protect yourself and watch them do themselves in.

THE FALLACY OF JUSTICE The general idea of good Justice through the is that of the judgement favouring popular expectations of people. Anything contrary to this is considered miscarriage of justice or compromise. Either fair or unfair, we have to accept any final judgement from the secular temple of justice as final, at least, in the scheme of human affairs (This doesn't obviate appeal, but an appeal still leads up to a final judgement). The conclusive assumption of guilt over an accused is wrong both morally and legally. Doing so opens the pathway for anyone to

easily fabricate an accusation to pin on another, relying on the 'mob justice mentality' of the mass of people. The best disposition is to condemn the offence while maintaining the benefit of doubt over the suspected offender. Lets reorganize our law enforcement and judicial systems, while embarking on mass moral rejuvenation. Without moral rejuvenation, the best of laws and judgements will never be properly enforced and dispensed. The law cut FANI KAYODE free. That's the law! It isn't prejudiced towards commonly held opinions. The government can appeal the verdict, but as of now the law has determined him Not guilty of the alleged crime of corruption. Case closed, case brief filed away. Lobatan! RELIGIOUS FAITH To me, religious faith is like a piece of stone viewed differently by two or more people. One says this is a limestone; another says this is a gravel stone, and another, this is a gemstone. Expectedly, another says this isn't even a stone, it merely has the apperance, creating and illusion. How the the stone is percieved by each will determine the end for which they attempt to use the stone regardless of the real nature of the stone. It is all ok if we don't percieve the STONE the same way provided we don't hurt one another with it. The debate on whether the stone is lime, rock, gem or wether it is a stone at all is all ok in as much as we don't resort to using the stone to harmfully hit one another in an attempt to have others percieve as we do. If you believe it is a lime, by all means attempt making cement with it. If yours is seen as a rock, make concrete pillars. And if yours is seen as a GEM, please polish and sell. All I know is that divergent perceptions doesn't change the real nature of a thing.

RESPONSIBLE MONEY LIFESTYLE AND ONE OTHER. Majority of Nigerians are financially undisciplined on several grounds, especially at savings and spendings. That's what you see reflected in public governance. People spend what they don't earn on what they cannot afford (what you can buy doesn't equate affordability). This isn't perculiar to a particular economic class. It cuts across all. Low, middle and high income earners. People are simply mindless, careless and irresponsible Somone earns a profit (not transaction value) of N36m from a business break and already broke within 12 months struggling to pay a house rent of N800,000. Another has to borrow to renew house rent in spite of earning salary in the 7 digits region. Some become financially in disarray just one month after being out of job. Sadly, the most financially irresponsible are 'religious' folks. They're so reckless and senseless when it comes to money management.

with money.

Funny enough, 80 percent of religious gymnastics in Nigeria revolves around how to come into overnight wealth or preserve your existing 'prosperity' supernaturally. Overnight financial breakthrough, debt cancellation and transfer of the 'wicked's' wealth to the lazy, undisciplined and unintelligent 'righteous'. No lifestyle changes sought or emphasized, no organized commitment to a spontaneous and responsible wealth building and wealth creation pathway followed; just mindless expectation of an EFFECT without a CAUSE. The same applies to 'HUSIBAND' seekers (A very legitimate desire). Getting a spouse or marriage is not a MIRACLE, it is a covenant. Covenant is a binding agreement between two consenting parties based on mutually agreed terms and conditions. Marriage is not a miracle, it is a lifelong designated relationship with somone of the Opposite sex (my irrefutable believe) whom you agree with. Getting married is a CHOICE, not an obligation whatsoever. It is a relationship, not an ACHIEVEMENT. You won't get a SPOUSE by giving 'GOD' money (seed). Whoever, and I mean whoever told you this was possible is a thief, liar and demon. You get a spouse by making yourself visible, attractive and communicative to someone or people with similarly shared interests, values and views. If it is your character hindering you, modify it for the right

reasons and you'd be more attractive. MARRIAGE doesn't make you happy. If you are an UNHAPPY lot, that's exactly what you're taking into that COVENANT. And woe betide you that your partner too is unhappy. That's going to be an explosive fusion of TOXICITY. You can be happy being single. N.B IF you've got to give GOD a SEED in exchange for an answered prayer or heart desire, trust me, that's not God. It is scam, it is gimmick to fleece you. If you don't agree or understand now, I am patient enough to witness your frustrations in the years to come. GOOD MORNING.

DISCIPLINE AND SELF CONTROL If you lack any of these virtues, forget achieving sustainable stability of anything worthy, good and right. They should rank high above in one's stock of virtues. Our generation is grossly deficient of these two essential virtues. DISCIPLINE sees one through, SELF-CONTROL insulates one from so many troubles.

'WHAT SIGNAL WILL SUCH INDICATE'? is more important and valid than 'WHAT WILL PEOPLE SAY'? They are two entirely different things. What if I am caught? So if you won't be caught, the act would have been committed? Integrity and ethics tied to surveillance or monitoring isn't INTEGRITY; it is playing to the gallery. The appropriate thing is to abstain or refrain from an act for being WRONG instead of the fear of embarrassment and shame of

being caught. It means the deed will be done if all possibilities of getting caught can be eliminated. LISTEN TO THE SOUND OF VALUES IN EVERY STATEMENT

Humans, especially those of the African stock, have yet to progress in the act and practice of collaboration and team working. A little, negligible difference of no consequence amongst them and work or progress is stymied.

Majority of Nigerian activists are opportunists and "chopvitists". Their motivation is pecuniary not altruistic.

Everything is easy behind the screen and in front of the keyboard of social media. So easy to condemn, jeer, sneer and criticise without profering any solutions. This is very typical behaviour of armchairs. Armchair: used to describe people who like to give opinions about matters they do not have to deal with themselves and do not have responsibility for. That moment when a momentary flunk is cast in stone. I have laughed myself silly from that moment up till now. When something one does effortlessly is staged competitively, murphy's law can upstage even the most prepared and capable. Ouch! I guess making occasional mistakes keep us humble and human after all. MS Excel related task on my mind. * It's a personal habit to review my efforts after any task during the day immediately or before retiring to bed, and being objective makes it easier to identify fault lines I take full responsibility for.

FORGETTING IS THE CULPRIT We need to receive and heed counsel as often as we can, not owing to lack of KNOWLEDGE or WISDOM, but because of our susceptible human nature of forgetting our learning. Many are very knowledgeable and wise yet, very few people benefit from such virtues when they FORGET to utilize or apply it. Humans have an inherent inclination to forget virtues which they posses.

We should never come under any illusion. If religion and race did not exist, HUMANS would still have devised other banners of reasons and excuses to murder one, kill many, hurt people and pillage lands. As long as MONEY is to be had, POWER is to be grabbed, INFLUENCE is to be exerted, GREED to be fed, EGO to be massaged and HATE nurtured in the hearts of Men, killings and destruction on either small or large scale would exist, with or without RELIGION or RACE. A lot of people don't understand the nature of humans hence they quibble over RACE and RELIGION.

I was grazed on the left rear side while awaiting the traffic light indicator by an SUV which squeezed itself through a very narrow opening. Immediately, the driver alighted while I cleared off the road and did same. He approached me and immediately admitted his error of judgement, making me speechless with just smiles on my face; an amusing sight to onlookers at the traffic stop. He was ready and willing to accompany me to go get it fixed, to which I declined because he was elderly and also

impressed me with his display of civility and responsibility (and perhaps the damage wasn't much). At my decline, he fetched his business card and handed it to me, asking that I give him a call afterwards. I have given him a call, asking if he has yet fixed his (which was worse than mine and across the full length of his vehicle). The man is happy and so am I. I guess it isn't what happens but our disposition and reaction to what happens.

The blatant exaggerations and utter disregard for information accuracy and fact validation by the Nigerian press in their reportage is very disturbing, irresponsible and nonsensical. A social and professional disease aggravated by the frenzy driven appetite for the absurd, superstitious, negative by the mass of mis-educated citzens.

When we've erred in an instance of misinforming the public, we should be ethically responsible in making the appropriate correction. It starts from such seemingly little matter. Days ago, social media was abuzz with the reportage and attendant excitement over a $5,000,000,000 donation to the FG's fight against insurgency by the United States government. Unfortunately, the actual figure has been accurately determined to be $5m i.e $5,000,000. Freedom of expression must be acco

mpanied by the responsibility of accuracy. The long term implication of this is usually adverse. Just imagine detractors waking up tomorrow demanding where $5,000,000,000 disappeared to when only $5,000,000 was in question.

GOOD GOVERNANCE & PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

You shouldn't be civic-minded or focus to the detriment of your own life. Of what use is good governance without a resourceful and useful you within same society? Government is not responsible for making individual lives better, it is only responsible for making the public space and systems functional and level for everyone. Therefore, while demanding for good governance, don't ignore to equip and develop your own capacities and ca

Government is not designed to take up personal/individual responsibilities.

pabilities to benefit from the resulting results of good governance.

The fact that there are considerable numbers and presence of poor, wretched, invalid, alcoholic, loafers, homeless, criminals, et al within the population (though in varying degrees and proportions) of all nations is emperically conclusive of the irrefutable role of personal responsibility in shaping the good life. Government plays its own part, you also play yours. No spoon feeding.

VALUE & USEFULNESS IS OGBONGE Acquired knowledge that can't be distilled into the sequence of understanding and action is USELESS. The aim of knowing is doing, not retrievable storage. Not all shreds, coloration and layers of information or knowledge are USEFUL. This is similar to the issue of NUTRITION. 'Ponmo' (Cow hide, for those too anglicized to understand) is edible, gives the teeth a good feel when biting or chewing, and can even be tasty when garnished with the balan

I hope all you have as information/knowledge can't be likened to 'ponmo', the local favorite 'hide' delicacy with no nutritional benefit.

ced combination of seasoning; but it is all NURITIONALLY useless to the body. Yet, after it, your belly and your mind both conspire to convince you that something 'good' has been eaten.

You sef consider the matter small.