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The Diaspora And It’s Negative Influence On Our Democracy

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By Abubakar Gana

We yearned and prayed passionately for democratic leadership for decades. It was not easy for a nation as famous and naturally endowed as Nigeria to face the enslavement of dictatorship for the years it was imposed on us by our Military. At last, democracy reincarnated in Nigeria in 1999. Good enough, for over two decades now, we have savored the gains and experienced the extraneous froths and thrills inured to democratic governments.

Read also: Resist attempts by elements in Diaspora to throw country into war, Nigeria First warns

Not deterred by the setback, we are still struggling to reshape democracy in Nigeria; our leaders have their eyes fixated on it. President Muhammadu Buhari is labouring unstintingly to redefine and indoctrinate in us, the ideal democratic culture in Nigeria. That’s one of the legacies he strives to bequeath to us after serving out his leadership tenures.

But there are the reneges and betrayers of the Nigerian regeneration project who have implanted multiple thorns on his path. At every turn, we notice grand plots to frustrate the refining and purification of Nigeria’s democracy by the Buhari administration from these unpatriotic subverters.

I have observed over time, a very dangerous obsession of defilements of the land by the Nigerians in the diaspora. Ordinarily, Nigerians in the diaspora should be admirable ambassadors of our country. But in contrast, the league of Nigerians in foreign lands have insensitively constituted themselves into potently brazen forces of antipathy for any agenda on sanity and progress in their home country.

Nigerian compatriots in the diaspora have re-baptized our land with varied destructive tendencies and repulsive acts. These vampires and old fags in the diaspora have turned Nigeria into a cesspit of an uninhabitable land only evocative of the fate of the aborigines in the oasis of Bhangarh Fort, in Delhi, India. The natives deserted it because a sorcerer cursed it.

We are being dragged to a similar fate now. Nigerians in the diaspora have morphed into celebrated Luciferic reincarnates and destroyers of our beautiful country with unnecessary incitements and persuasions of youngsters in the country to embrace evil at the expense of decency. They want us to desert our land gifted to us by God. The Nigerians in diaspora chant songs of war against their country when they ought to erect orchestras of merriments.

Read also: Scrap or restructure NIDCOM now, Oduduwa group urges FG over threats by Diaspora to national security

Evil has enmeshed almost all of them neck-deep and they prefer to sedulously work and see to the absolute collapse of Nigeria at the slightest chance of internal upheavals. They are usually vociferous in the condemnation of imaginary “evil” in Nigeria; but operate a treacherous web with external destabilization forces against the unity, peace and security of our beloved nation. We have appropriately decoded their ungodly pretensions and demonic machinations against Nigeria.

I cannot endure their excesses this long without raising a voice of condemnation publicly. Most Nigerians in the diaspora who are the leading campaigners’ and protagonists in the perpetration of disguised evil against the country are haunted by the ghosts of their earlier disfigured lives, while they resided in the country.

It was their motivation for taking refuge abroad and the external forces against us have found worthy weapons in them to exploit against Nigeria. They are usually blind to the evil in foreign nations and countries of their domiciliary, but very vocal about an evil they have conjured and promoted against Nigeria.

Read also: General Buratai’s defiant audacity in leadership

The actions and conducts of Nigerians in the diaspora connote an assemblage of people on a revenge mission against their country and adroit in imposing it. The angle for Nigeria to break in smattering pieces, so, deploy all arsenals, such as blackmailing leaders, defaming and distracting the Nigerian Military; mindless and instigative utterances which promote hatred in the citizenry and goad gullible Nigerians into destructive and regrettable actions against our country.

An Africa adage says; “he who frequently breaks the calabash is unmindful of an earlier crack on it.” Knowingly or unknowingly, these diasporan Nigerians; some of them opinion molders and leaders in their new domains have vowed to always ensure they catapult Nigeria into a state of quandary. Some of them no longer veil their identities in executing these sinister plots. And we are also aware of those working behind the curtains.

Read also: Caring as Gen. Buratai’s Golden Rule

However, it is indubitable that diaspora Nigerians have become a bad influence on their home country as emerging activists who inexplicably delights more in ruining the subsisting peace and security of the country. They are initiates of masochism, who are only excited whenever they sight blood and destructions in their home country.

 

These Nigerians in foreign nations are narcissistic and egoistic; they perceive themselves as embodying the finest of leadership or governance qualities; but in a realistic sense, it is fake and immersed in evil. They are after the pursuit of an agenda antithetical to the people and anti-Nigeria. They have masked patrons overseas who surreptitiously bankroll their nefarious outings against Nigeria and craft the script of the sequence of actions. At best, they are spies and hired goons of anti-Nigerian interests.

Therefore, they migrate into the country, alien habits, lifestyles and non-existing governance codes against Nigeria to pacify their foreign masters at the detriment of our nation. Let’s look at a few examples from them. It is a great puzzle why the leader of outlawed IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu claims agitating for self-determination but would ignore all lawful means in pursuing the actualization of a Biafran state?

Read also: CISS finally breaks silence on suspension of CJN, backs Buhari

Rather, the escapee jailbird, Kanu is more at home with a bloodbath of his kinsmen and other acts of criminalities in the pretext of secession agitations. The same IPOB leader frequently ignites irresponsible violence and bloodbath at home, but effeminately runs away together with his wife and children to foreign lands when the heat is hot. He allows others to die for his troubles, whilst he escapes to secured sanctuaries abroad. He shirks from remaining behind to shepherd his minions on the cause of his convictions.

The last time, he stoked the violence, Kanu saved himself through a nocturnal escape to the United Kingdom and has remained permanently a self-exiled fugitive, but keeps hurling missiles. Had Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid campaigner and heroes fought independence from the black minority in South Africa with Kanu’s style, the country would still have been in chains.

The emotionally distraught and physically drenched Omoleye Sowore claimed he wants his home country Nigeria, to be a better nation. He sought a democratic means of seeking to offer leadership personally by contesting the presidential elections of 2019. It was a standard procedure of seeking to provide leadership alternatives as endorsed by democracy.

Unfortunately, Sowore was resoundingly rejected by Nigerians through the ballot. He polled a paltry 33,000 votes in a country densely populated like Nigeria. Sowore’s presidential bid was apparently financed by the same external forces of destabilization. We sensed the diabolical agenda against us and cast him off our leader ladder. But Sowore has become indefinably restless. He plotted a #RevolutionNow protests to overthrow a democratic government. But the plot could not fly.

Unrelenting, he shadowed in the first phase of the bloody #EndSARS protests, but the dream was also drooped. He flouted every bail condition granted to him by a lawful court and vainly attempted to re-introduce the second phase of the violent #EndSARS protests, but again, the agenda flopped.

For Christ’s sake, how does our conscience speak to us in solemn moments? Sowore faults and sermonizes on the “bad” leadership of President Buhari; he tells me and Nigerians that he wants a better nation and a country where the rule of law takes center-stage. But he is lawbreaker himself. How would anyone of use reconcile these juxtaposed traits by the self-disesteemed “activist?”

Read also: Boko Haram: Conor Fortune, Amnesty International behind new plots by terrorists’ sponsors to blackmail Nigerian military – Human Rights Monitors

What most of us fail to decipher is that the likes of Kanu, Sowore, Deji Adeyanju and cahoots enmesh themselves in these nonsensicalities because of the pecuniary gains in the sumptuously irresistible dollars and pounds sterling offered as baits. The political buccaneers who get the funds through various channels can create any public anarchy, cause public fracas and even kill to ensure it never stops flowing into their wallet.

Therefore, for the sake of the zeal and thirst to secure these foreign funds and grants, the undertakers have donated themselves to the sponsors as merchants of bloodbath; they have pledged allegiance to foreign organizations and interests that ordinarily hate Africa as a continent. And Nigeria is the topmost on their list of targeted countries. But let me assure these hired betrayers and sabs after the soul of Nigeria that with President Buhari still in Aso Rock, they stand no chance of turning Nigeria into the deserted Bhangarh Fort of Delhi.

Gana is a public affairs commentator writing from Kaduna.

BREAKING: Anambra Governor ballot holds Nov 6

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Anambra Governor ballot holds November 6

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Anambra governorship election for November 6.

Details shortly…

BREAKING: Presidency warns Akeredolu over quit discover to herdsmen in Ondo

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The Presidency has condemned Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s ultimatum to herdsmen to vacate Ondo forest reserves.

In a press release on Tuesday, Garba Shehu, stated the presidency has been keenly monitoring events occurring in Ondo State.

The special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari mentioned what’s emerging is an absence of consistency in messaging which in flip results in numerous contradictions relating to accuracy and the intent behind the message.

The presidency called for restraint on each side.

Read also: Akeredolu Sacks Ondo Attorney-General, Olawoye

It urged the state government and the leadership of the Fulani communities to continue their dialogue for a good understanding that will bring to an urgent end the nightmarish security challenges.

Shehu said Akeredolu, being a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has fought crime in his state with passion and commitment.

“It will be the least expected to unilaterally oust thousands of herders who have lived all their lives in the state on account of the infiltration of the forests by criminals.

“If this were to be the case, rights groups will be right in expressing worries that the action could set off a chain of events which the makers of our constitution foresaw and tried to guard against.

“We want to make it clear that kidnapping, banditry and rustling are crimes, no matter the motive or who is involved. But, to define crime from the nameplates, as a number of commentators have erroneously done- which group they belong to, the language they speak, their geographical location or their faith is atavistic and cruel.

Read also: Akeredolu bans Okada, unauthorised tinted vehicles in Ondo

“We need to delink terrorism and crimes from ethnicity, geographical origins and religion—to isolate the criminals who use this interchange of arguments to hinder law enforcement efforts as the only way to deal effectively with them.

“The President, who swore to defend the constitution has spoken against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in asking citizens of Northern origin to leave; he did not spare the group based in Sokoto, ‘Muslim Solidarity Forum,’ which asked the Bishop of Sokoto to leave and is prepared to do all that the law permits to protect citizens all over the country in their choice of where they wished to reside and are treated as equal citizens.”

Shehu said the Ondo and all States must draw clear lines between the criminals and the law-abiding citizens.

He added that beyond law and order, the fight against crime is also a fight for human values which are fundamental to Nigeria.

Read also: Ondo 2020: Unite Behind Jegede, Group Urges PDP NWC

Scrap or restructure NIDCOM now, Oduduwa group urges FG over threats by Diaspora to national security

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The Coalition of Oduduwa Descendants (COD) has urged the Federal Government to totally scrap or restructure the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) over threats to national security by some Nigerians in the Diaspora.

According to the Oduduwa group, this has become paramount following hate campaigns by some disgruntled elements abroad , endorsing negative publicity about Nigeria.

The COD made these known at a press conference on Tuesday in Lagos.

Speaking on behalf of the group, National Coordinator, Lekan Ekundayo, said NIDCOM has failed in its mandates thereby discouraging many investors, exaggerating the security situation and underreporting the success made in the fight against insecurity.

The group noted that many campaign of calumny against the country abroad are spearheaded by these Nigerians abroad.

According to COD, these criminal elements hiding abroad have also encouraged enemies of the Nigerian state like Boko Haram, insurgents and other economic saboteurs to continue to wreak havoc on the country.

Instead of promoting the image of the nation abroad, the Yoruba group said NIDCOM has become the refinery for the processing of crude, scathing critics and all forms of negativism against Nigeria.

The Oduduwa descents, however, urged the FG to scrap NIDCOM or restructure it inorder to focus on its “fundamental objectives of harnessing our human resources for good and not for the destruction of Nigeria”.

It also advised the commission to focus on researches that would facilitate development in Nigeria in the fields of science, engineering, agriculture and medicine.

Read full statement below:

Gentlemen of the press,

We are addressing you today on an issue of urgent national importance.

This has to do with the way our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora have constantly been portraying Nigeria in negative light thereby influencing our citizens and other citizens of the world to hate our dear country, Nigeria.

We are also alarmed by the official consent given to these hate campaigns by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, which is like given an official endorsement to negative publicity about Nigeria.

Going by the kinds of texts and literature coming from our kindred in the Diaspora, one would assume that there is absolutely nothing good about Nigeria and that this country is only fit to be discarded and dumped in the refuse bin.

Saying anything positive about Nigeria is now considered demeaning and for one to belong to the class of individuals seen as deep intellectuals, one must attack the Nigerian  government and speak of happenings in the country as the worst in human history.

It is this kind of mindset that gave birth and nurtured the self hating and seditious sentiments of the likes of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB who kept referring to Nigeria as a zoo and had wanted  to start an insurrection until he was checkmated by the Nigerian Government.

These set of people have become in the words of Prof. Toyin Falola, “like the Europeans in 19th century Africa, the colonizers,  who saw nothing good about the continent.”

THE IMPLICATION

According to a United Nations 2017 report, there are at least 1.24 million migrants from Nigeria in the Diaspora but that this figure is likely to be higher in 2018 and 2019 with the recent trend in migration from Nigeria.

These include people who have done their basic and tertiary education in Nigeria but are unwilling to contribute their quota for the development of the country and have set their minds only on looking for greener pastures elsewhere.

These are people who have benefited from the free primary and basic education programmes of previous Nigerian governments, enjoyed various forms of scholarships at the tertiary levels and were treated with high respect and dignity and given choice appointments upon graduation from the universities.

These are the same set of people that have now turned their backs on the very country that gave them these opportunities.

So, as these Nigerians who benefited from the Nigerian system continue in their hate campaigns, the damages they’re doing to the well being of the country is better imagined.

By their actions and comments, they have discouraged many investors from coming into Nigeria as they exaggerate the security situation in the country and underreport the success made in the fight against insecurity.

Unfortunately, their comments influence other unsuspecting citizens not to believe in themselves but begin to think that nothing good can come out of Nigeria and that the only way they can make it is to escape to other countries.

They have encouraged corruption in the public sevice because people who are reading them have come to believe that the only way they can make it is tosteal from the public till and send their children to schools abroad no matter the cost even as Nigeria offers better opportunities in that regard.

The utterances and actions of these Nigerians in the Diaspora has stalled the growth of public institutions in Nigeria as their self hate sermons has encouraged a lackadaisical attitude towards everything the country represents.

Worse still, it has encouraged enemies of the Nigerian State like the Boko  Haram terrorists, insurgents and other economic saboteurs to continue to wreak havoc on the country in the misguided belief that they share common passion with Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Their attitude has also served to dampen the morale of security agencies who are in the field putting their lives on the line to secure the country as troops go home with the belief that they’re not appreciated.

THE ROLE OF NIDCOM

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, which was created to provide for the engagement of Nigerians in Diaspora in the policies, projects and participation in the development of Nigeria and for the purpose of utilising the human capital and material resources of Nigerians in Diaspora towards the overall socio-economic, cultural and political development has unfortunately allowed itself to be used by these see -nothing -good -about-Nigeria set of Nigerians.

Rather than adhere strictly to its role of fostering development, NIDCOM has now become the refinery for the processing of crude but scathing criticisms and all forms of negativism against Nigeria.

The Commission, rather than insist on the positive aspect of its role is lending itself to the projection of negative images about Nigeria and this is most unfortunate.

THE WAY OUT

NIDCOM must be called to order and reminded of its fundamental objectives of harnessing our human resources for good and not for the destruction of Nigeria.

It should not allow itself to be used by self-seekng opportunists to paint the country in bad light.

If the Commission refuses to fall in line, it should be restructured and reconstituted to allow only those with passion to develop the country come on board as the Commission has failed by becoming an avenue for disgruntled elements to congregate against the interest of the entire country.

Nigerians in the Diaspora on the other hand, should focus on researches that would facilitate development in Nigeria in the fields of science, engineering, agriculture and medicine and not just to be regurgitating worn out political theories that have become stale and are no longer applicable in the new world order.

They should be making remittances home not just to build hotels and mansions in their villages for camping young girls but to build industries for the employment of youths.

Nothing stops Nigerians in the Diaspora from building basic infrastructure like schools and hospitals to complement what the government is doing.

They should also use their various positions abroad to project Nigeria as an emerging world economy to woo foreign investors and they should stop magnifying the country’s challenges as there is no nation without challenges.

Finally, we call on Nigerians in the Diaspora to in the words of Prof. Falola remember that, “You are supposed to empower your people, not destroy them. Statements to uplift and upgrade are different from statements to ridicule. We all criticise, even we criticise family members, but not that we want to push them to the mouth of the lion.”

Thank you.

Abia Social Funding Programme to pay N93m to 10,000 beneficiaries

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The Abia State Social Funding Programme has disclosed that the Federal Government released 93.47 million Naira through the Abia State Cash Transfer Unit for payment to about 10,000 benefitting Households in the state.

This is coming after the initial payment of 540 million Naira paid out last year to the same benefiting households.

However, in a press release signed by Godwin Okeagu from Abia SIP Office on Tuesday, in Umuahia, said the payment will be flagged off on Monday, January 25th, 2021 in one of the benefiting Local Government Areas.

Read also: Bandits Kill Four, Abduct Professor In Kaduna

According to Abia State SIP, “We thank the President for sustaining this programme that has improved the livelihood of the poor and vulnerable members of the society, we sincerely commend Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for putting up strong structures to implement the initiatives seamlessly in the State. Abia State Cash Transfer Unit, a component of the Abia State Social Investment Programme, is one of the most efficiently run Cash Transfer Units in the country.

Under the headship of Mr Okeziem Nwoko, the state cash transfer unit has been most resourceful in managing the programme in the state”.

Meanwhile, all arrangements are in top gear by the State Focal Person for FG Social Investment Programme, Chinenye Nwaogu to ensure that all the seventeen (17)Local Government Areas in the State begin to benefit from the programme.

While appreciating the Federal Government and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the State Focal Person, Chinenye Nwaogu, maintained that Abia has always been in the lead among the comity of states in implementing the National Social Investment programme which has been injecting over 800 million monthly into the economy of the state.

Read also: PRESS/NEWSPAPER REVIEW: Press Talk 19th Jan. 2021

He enjoined all stakeholders who have roles to play in implementing the programme to put more efforts to ensure Abians maximise the benefits the program offers.

Nwaogu, who is also the Senior Special Assistant to Abia State Governor on Youth Development, opined that the mandate the Governor has given the Abia SIP office is that no stone should be left unturned to ensure Abia leverages on all the opportunities available through the National Social Investment Programme a mandate he said they have lived up to creditably.

The SIP Focal Person further thanked the Wife of Governor Deaconess Nkechi Ikpeazu for always playing a very important role in ensuring the huge success witnessed in the state from the Social Investment Programme.

Bandits Kill Four, Abduct Professor In Kaduna

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Bandits suspected to be kidnappers have killed four persons and abducted a Professor, Aliyu Mohammed in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.

He explained that the bandits invaded the residence of the professor who also holds the title of Wazirin Wusasa in the night and kidnapped him, killed his son while his nephew, Abba Kabiru was injured during the attack.

Similarly, two members of a local vigilante group in the Giwa Local Government Area were also killed by bandits in another attack.

He said, “Bandits on motorcycles swarmed Iyatawa village of Giwa local government area, and fortunately, groups of local vigilantes confronted the bandits and eventually forced them to disperse.

“Sadly, two of the local vigilantes, Malam Auwalu and Alassan Shehu, were killed during the encounter, as ground and air patrols were quickly mobilized to the location for a comprehensive engagement.”

The commissioner also revealed another attack on commuters last Sunday by bandits on the road from Anaba village to Birnin Yero town in Igabi Local Government Area.

He noted that a resident of the area, Lawali Abduklhameed was shot to death by the gunmen when he attempted to escape the attack.

Kano LG Chairman Dies 2 Days After Winning Polls

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Ali Namadi, who won last Saturday’s local government election in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State, is dead.

Namadi died on Tuesday around 1:00a.m, according to this campaign’s public relations officer, Ibrahim Tiga.

Namadi died on Tuesday around 1:00a.m, according to this campaign’s public relations officer, Ibrahim Tiga.

Namadi died on Tuesday around 1:00a.m, according to this campaign’s public relations officer, Ibrahim Tiga.

His was announced early Tuesday, two days after the state’s electoral commission confirmed his victory.

The cause of his death is not yet known.

Namadi was among the successful APC chairmanship candidates in the just concluded local government council elections held on Saturday 16th January, 2021 who are still awaiting their swearing in.

His funeral prayers will take place in his hometown, Bebeji, on Tuesday morning, Tiga added.