YOUTH STAKEHOLDERS FORUM

James Asu attended the YOUTH STAKEHOLDERS' FORUM today which was organized by AGDC in partnership with the LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT. In attendant was his excellency, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, Mrs Ibukun Awosika (Chairman, AGDC), Dr Yew

ande Adesina(Special Adviser to Governor on health) and several youths in Lagos @ Event Centre in billingsway in Oregun, Ikeja which was filled to capacity.
Part of the speech delivered by his excellency, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola was extracted below:

"We need people to work. It is only through competition that you can make growth and become productive. No successful nation prosper through hand-out but hard-work. We didn't grow up like this, we competed. sustainability requires we built model that we can hand-over. The revolution we need is not street revolution but the revolution of the mind. Education is the first step to building up your mind. Our better days really lies ahead of us. Be self driven rather than been driven. If you're not competing there won't be luck. Compete fairly and honestly because they have values. Let's ask ourselves, Are we in the worst place? No! We can be the new frontier without being in the front, if we choose to be behind. The Nigeria and Ghana empires is about to rise, you have a part to play. Business models have changed. e.g Event managers replacing the traditional way of organizing parties on the streets. Adversity is the strongest asset of great achievers. All of you can become models for the next generations if you stop feeling sorry for yourselves and start doing something productive for yourselves."

10 LIVING TESTIMONIES WHY BUHARI IS THE MOST QUALIFIED LEADER FOR NOW

But within the limits of human weaknesses let's look at ten reasons while he still stands tall among other contestants for the no1 position in the land:
1.Professionalism
:The wife did not rule by proxy;in fact there was no Oga Madam Syndrome.I am sure many of us do not know the name of the wife till today.

2.Security : He was able to tame the Chadian Incursi
on of Hissen Habre and quell the fire of Maitatsne crisis of Maiduguri in 82 while serving as GOC 82ND Mechanised Div Kaduna.

3Preparation :.He was prepared for power and office and not an unwilling or opportunistic leader.

4.ECONOMY: He opted for counter trade and had a valid forex management policy using counter trade to reduce pressure on the Naira within Dec 83 to Aug 85;It will be interesting to remember that as at 27th August,1985 when IBB took over,exchange rate was =N=1.11 TO 1USD.

5.Foreign Policy : He knew that Nigeria is a regional power and without military prowess there can be no significant political prowess.Most security problems in Nigeria today could be traced to our confusing foreign policy direction.

6.Corruption ; He has the moral courage and political good will to sanitise the body polity (and this is one of the major reason while he may not be able to rule Nigeria,because the system is a corrupt system).

7.IDEOLOGY : He remains one of the last group of African leaders that are trained in the colonial era with a clear vision of what Africa should be;Buhari is a welfarist-pan Africanist ,who like late Captain Thomas Sankara believed firmly in the restoration of African dignity and dominion.

8.SECULARISM : He was able to clamp down on traditionalists and monarchs in his first time and he is a modernist who has what it takes to position us among the best in the world.

9.CHARACTER : He is one of the few leaders in the country who still have integrity;he may need to improve on personal communication but he always meant well.

10.MANAGEMENT AND PRUDENCE :Buhari is a leader and a manager,who has what it takes to catapult Nigeria from the valley to the mountain top.

CONCLUSION :WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND;BUHARI IS LIKE GENERAL DE GAULLE OF FRANCE; PRIME MINISTER WINSTON CHURCHHILL OF UK,A TRANS GENERATIONAL LEADER;HE LED 27 YEARS AGO;MOST YOUTHS OF TODAY,CLOSE TO 40% OF NIGERIAN POPULATION WERE NOT EVEN ALIVE WHILE HE RULED IN HIS FIRST TIME;

NATIONS THAT MISSED THEIR CRISIS LEADERS ALWAYS HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER GENERATION;WE WASTED A LEADER LIKE BUHARI 27 YEARS AGO;WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE STILL HAVE HIM NOW;IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER 27YEARS OR ANOTHER GENERATION TO GET A LEADER IN HIS MOLD.THIS IS THE WAY LATE CHIEF AWOLOWO WAS TREATED BECAUSE OF SENTIMENTS AND EMOTIONS;

THE ONLY ARGUMENT PEOPLE HAVE AGAINST BUHARI IS THAT HE IS A MUSLIM;BUT LET'S ASK THIS QUESTION;WILL BOKO HARAM EMERGE OR BE VIBRANT UNDER BUHARI?NO! WHY AM I SURE?HE WAS ABLE TO QUENCH THE FIRE OF MAITATSINE 30 YEARS AGO!ALSO,MORE CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED UNDER THIS REGIME AND OBJ REGIME THAN OTHER REGIMES LED BY CHRISTIANS;THIS IS BECAUSE CHRISTIANS THAT HAVE RULED NIGERIA ARE MORE OF APOLOGISTS&PACIFISTS(IRONSI,GOWON,OBJ AND GEJ) .

FINALLY;NIGERIA IS A NATION WHERE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT PREPARED TO RULE ALWAYS RULE;WE WILL ALSO TELL OUR CHILDREN ABOUT OUR COLLECTIVE ACTION IN INSTALLING UNWILLING PRESIDENTS OVER THE MOST POPULOUS BLACK NATION ON EARTH;THEREBY DRAWING THE DESTINY OF THE BLACK MAN BACKWARD! LONG LIVE NIGERIANS!

NIGERIA: A NATION RULED BY ROGUES/419

"President Jonathan's Economic Advisers Owing Nigeria N1.3 Trillion; CBN Bars Banks From Doing Business With 419 Deadbeat Companies And Individuals."

An explosive Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) circular published today by a local Nigerian newspaper lists some of President Goodluck Jonathan's economic advisers among the country’s worst deadbeat debtors

.

Some of the worst offenders are household names: Mr. Femi Otedola, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, Sir Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, Prof. Bart Nnaji, Mrs Elizabeth Ebi and Dr. Wale Babalakin.

And businesses too: Zenon, Arik, MRS, Aero Contractors, Capital Oil and Gas, to list just five.

But now local banks are barred from extending even one more kobo of credit to them until they clear all debts.

The big debtors are also among the nation’s richest companies and individuals, and their extensive uncollateralized loans from Nigerian banks to the tune of billions of dollars led to the collapse of the banking sector.

Several of the debtors were also involved in the petroleum subsidy scam that bled the Nigerian economy of some $6.5 billion.

Instead of prosecuting the predatory lenders and borrowers the Jonathan government pushed the problem aside by setting up a bogus body known as the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to absorb the debts and enable the debtor roam free and engage in more economic crimes.

They apparently roamed far and wide, all 113 companies and 419 directors/shareholders. 419 is the actual number given by the CBN.

The document circular obtained by Thisday, dated last Monday, September 17, showed that the disdain by these rich individuals and companies for their debts has grown so much that the CBN decided to bar banks in the country from extending further credit to them.

“It has become necessary to stop debtors who failed to repay their loans to banks and had these loans subsequently transferred to AMCON, from further enjoying credit facilities from Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) until they fully repay agreed outstandings to AMCON,” said the circular, which was signed by CBN’s Director of Banking Supervision, Mrs. A. O. Martins.

According to ThisDay:

• The circular, which was accompanied by a detailed list of the blacklisted debtors, showed that worst hit by the directive are Zenon Petroleum, owned by Otedola, which was indebted to banks to the tune of N192.4 billion; MRS Holdings Limited, which belongs to Dantata – N119.98 billion; Seawolf Limited – N98.32 billion; Arik Air Limited, belonging to Arumemi-Ikhide – N85.481 billion; NITEL Plc/M-Tel – N71.547 billion; and Capital Oil and Gas Limited, which belongs to Ifeanyi Ubah – N48.014 billion.

• Others include Falcon Securities, whose Managing Director, Mr. Peter Ololo, was arraigned alongside several bank executives in 2009 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) – N162.9 billion; Rockson Engineering Limited, owned by Arumemi-Ikhide – N60.475 billion; BGL Securities – N6.44 billion; Rahamaniyya Oil & Gas Limited – N46.38 billion; Bi-Courtney Limited – N20.214 billion; and Geometrics Engineering, owned by Nnaji – N19.76 billion.

• The restriction also applies to: Aero Contractors Company, owned by the family of Olorogun Michael Ibru - N32.579 billion; Tinapa Business Resort – N18.509 billion; Nestoil Limited, belonging to oil and gas entrepreneur, Ernest Azudialu – N13.506 billion; Dorman Long Engineering – N9.667 billion; Ascott Offshore Nig. Ltd, belonging to former banker, Henry Imasekha and the Berkley Group – N64.728 billion; Gitto Constuzioni – N11.838 billion; and Dansa Foods – N14.880 billion, whose directors, Sani and Abdul Dangote, are the brothers of business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

Furthermore, the banks have also been directed not to grant further credit to two States: Cross River and Zamfara, because of the failure of the Tinapa Business Resort and the Zamfara Accountant General to pay back loans collected.

The Central Bank warned that any bank that flouts the guidelines would be made to make an immediate provision of 100 per cent of total principal and interest outstanding in the account of the customer and related parties, in addition to whatever regulatory penalties the CBN may decide to impose, ...This Day Newspaper

WORTHY OF CELEBRATION

Yesterday President Goodluck Jonathan rewarded Super Falconet and Paralympics as follows: Golden Medalist - N5million; Silver Medalist - N3million; Bronze Medalist - N2million; Coaches - N2.2million; Falconet - N1million and Team Mates N.5million each. This is worthy of celebration. Had we as a nation priotized celebration of notable acts and outstanding achievers, our search for good leadership and patriotic citizenship would have been much easier and our country a much better place. This will not only reawaken the consciousness of patriotism but will rekindle hope that Nigeria is on the path to greatness. I salute all those who put their best effort for the service of nationhood. Be on the watch as we unveils other outstanding youth achievers to commemorate Nigerian 52nd Independence Anniversary. Dont just go away

NIGERIA: A BLFSSED LAND BUT FILLED WITH POOR/CURSED PEOPLE

R*E*V*E*A*L*E*D
Nigerians Bought 123 Private Jets This Year..Peter Obi
**Who own them? These are people who are receiving (oil) subsidy
**owners of private jets include politicians, businessmen and pastors.
**Bishop David Oyedepo, is known

to have the most number of private jets in the country.

Upwards of 123 private jets have been acquired this year alone by some rich Nigerians even as the vast majority of Nigerians wallow in poverty as the economy goes from bad to worse.

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State made this shocking disclosure yesterday in his goodwill message during the opening ceremony of the Second Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) holding in Umuahia, Abia State capital, South East Nigeria.

Giving indices of corruption in Nigeria, Obi lamented that this is happening in a country where many go to bed hungry. The governor declared that those who bought the private jets owe the public an explanation as to the source of their wealth.

This year alone, 123 private jets have been registered in this country. Who own them? These are people who are receiving (oil) subsidy. It is time to stop them, Obi said.

News Express reports that Nigerians who own private jets include politicians, businessmen and pastors. Bishop David Oyedepo, Founding Bishop of Living Faith Church International a.k.a Winners Chapel, is known to have the most number of private jets in the country. His fourth private jet, a Gulfstream V, is worth $30m and he has announced plans to buy a bigger one. Governor Obi in his speech also revealed that Nigerians seeking medical attention in foreign lands and those sponsoring their wards abroad for schooling spend about $10 billion doing so in a year.

Remedy to this needless capital flight, he noted, lies in fixing and handing over schools and hospitals in the country to the missions with adequate support from governments at all levels.

His words: We have schools in this country but nearly $6 billion is paid for education outside this country every year. Who are those paying it?

In this country, we pay over $4 billion for hospitals in India every year. Who are those paying it. We can fix our hospitals, let's put in money. Government cannot manage schools, government cannot manage hospitals. The ones we go to in India are not managed by government. Therefore, let's give it those who can manage it and support them. The missions can manage schools, they can manage hospitals.

The schools abroad that we take our children to are managed by missionaries; the hospitals we go abroad are managed by missionaries. Let the missionaries here manage our own so that if they fail, we hold them responsible. That is what we should all work for.

Obi explained that domestic debts portends ill for the country. What I want Nigerians to do is to resist the level of domestic debts that is being accumulated in this country by local, state and the federal governments,†he said, adding:

Domestic debt is very dangerous because it is Nigeria, your pensions, your future that we are burning out. The consequence is that In future, if they (the governments borrowing the money) can't redeem it, they devalue the currency and the naira will worth nothing. Let us know who is borrowing this money and what is it being borrowed for.

We borrow money in this country for consumption and not for productivity and who are those consuming, the same people who you must today hold responsible.

Citing the Middle East corruption and bad governance antidote, Obi said “People are blockading streets in the Middle East, let’s start doing it here. If anybody is not doing well, let's block his house.

The four-day conference, holding at the Bishop Nwedo Episcopal Centre, Mater Dei Cathedral, Umuahia, is being attended by Bishops from the 52 Ecclesiastical Provinces in Nigeria, government functionaries and the laity.

*Photo shows Bishop David Oyedepo, who owns the most number of private jets, relaxing inside one of them.

F*I*R*E!

Jonathan Cannot Win Free and Fair Election in 2015 - Buhari.

**let South South people vote for him when 2015 comes.
**I don’t take the decision of South-South leaders seriously.

**Buhari criticized Govt for not prosecuting those indicted in the pension, subsidy and other scam.

The defeated Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and former Head of States, Maj Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) has dismissed the call by South South leaders that it is Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 or no one else.

The retired general believes those rolling drum for the president were member of the leading People Democratic Party (PDP).

Buhari stated this in Kaduna when the party’s governorship candidate for the October 20 election in Ondo State, Mr. Soji Ehinlanwo was received by him.

His words: “I don’t take the decision of South-south leaders seriously. The South-South people said it is Jonathan or nothing; I know they are members of the Peoples Democratic Party, let them vote for him.

“In a free and fair election, let us see if they can give him the ticket against other geo-political zones. Let them give him the primary ticket first. Let them vote for him when 2015 comes and let us see if he would win.”

He stressed that, “It is also up to the elite to participate and ensure that elections are free and fair. It is not necessary for them to be card-carrying members of political parties. They know how to participate; they should not sit and look. They can go to their constituencies to identify and enlighten their people on the need to entrench free and fair election to stabilise the country.”

The Kastina-born former leader had asserted that it was only in Nigeria that workers would serve the government for 10 to 35 years and come out without due compensation as they end up joining the queue to continue in another phase of struggle in order to survive.

While lamenting the delayed in prosecution of those indicted in the pension, subsidy and other scam, Buhari maintained that “this can only happen in Nigeria”.

Who is wise?....

 

#5000 will bring all of us to poverty...Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.



IF I AM CBN GOVERNOR, I WILL PRINT #10,000 note...Former Bank Chief, Atedo Peterside. Great Nigerians, how far?