Your life has remained an inspiration to the teeming youth and progressives in Ijumu, Okun Land, Kogi West, State and Nigeria at large.
Your
steadfastness in the face of adversity has made you a reference point in the school of political study.
Your superb ability to manage affluence has distinguished you amongst your contemporary Politicians.
I salute your courage, consistence, perseverance and sheer energy towards achieving your goals. Whoop!!!
Distinguished Sen Smart Adeyemi, you're amazing and God fearing in the way and manner you have touched people's lives positively.
I’m ever so
proud of you sir.
Happy birthday my super, duper Distinguished Personality of note.
*Kamaldeen Toyin*
Monday, 20 August 2018
Ipinmisho Set To Declare Interest To Contest For Assembly.
According to him, "my intention to officially declare interest to run for the Ijumu Constituency of the Kogi State House of Assembly is sequel to the broad introspection and consultations from family, friends, community leaders and associates".
Otunba Shuaib Ipinmisho while calling on all community's leaders, elders, political stakeholders, market women, farmers, students and all government and non governmental unions to honor his invitation, also reassured his commitment to sacrifice his time, energy and resources toward the development of Ijumu land.
The event will hold as follows.
DATE: WEDNESDAY AUGUST 22ND 2018.
VENUE: COMMUNITY HALL, AGEGBE OGIDI, IJUMU LGA, KOGI STATE NIGERIA.
TTIME: 11:AM PROMPT.
For more enquiries call the Secretary, Central Planning Committee, on: 08035209666.
Thanks for honoring our invitation.
Signed.
Otunba Shuaib Ipinmisho Media Team.
ITESIWAJU IJUMU LOJEWA LOGUN.
ANY ELECTION MARRED BY VIOLENCE SHOULD BE SUSPENDED
The attention of the Citizens Centre for Democratic Governance has been drawn to the suspension of the House of Assembly bye-election for Port Harcourt Constituency 3, following the high spate of violence and terror that characterized the inconclusive bye-election of August 18th 2018. We commend INEC under the purposeful leadership of Prof. YakubuMahmood for his great stewardship and timely intervention of suspending the election which would serve as deterrence to politicians who believe that violence would continue to be a viable election winning strategy in Nigeria.
Our field agents, who were on ground at Port Harcourt the capital Rivers state, visited some polling units to observe the turnout and general process. They confirmed that the election commenced peacefully in all the units, with INEC personnel and materials in sight well ahead of time. However, they lamented the unruly interruption of the process by hoodlums and racketeers accompanied by security agents who stormed different polling units and registration areas to disrupt voting activities and in the process made away with election materials, including smart card readers, ballot papers and ballot boxes. They also reign terror, molested and injured many electoral officials, while holding others hostage.
While the blame game continues with the PDP claiming that the APC employed the use of thugs with the support of security operatives to disrupt the election, the APC is also claiming that the PDP employed the help of militants to disrupt the voting exercise, we want to state unequivocally that election is not a do or die affair and this particular election is an example of a joke taken too far. We condemn in its totality, the actions taking by the two major political parties involved and call on all civil society organization, faith based organizations, ethnic based organizations among others, to rise up against this kind of happenings as it is capable of endangering our democracy.
The law enforcement agencies must investigate this awkward event and punish all officers found guilty. Enough of the use of security operatives as thugs in our elections, enough of using security operatives to intimidate electorate, enough of using thugs to steal ballot boxes and other electoral materials, enough is enough. We are indeed grateful to INEC for taking this bold step that will go a long way to sanitize the electoral system by serving as deterrence to politicians that any election marred with violence shall be cancelled.
Saturday, 18 August 2018
Re- A Call on Governor Yahaya Bello to Relieve Emmanuel Ayo Arewa of his post
While we want to exercise restraint not join issues with this unscrupulous element, we will like to put the record straight as allegations in the said write up is figment of his own imagination .
First and foremost I want to say categorically that Folorunsho Oludare was never a member of the All Progressive Congress APC and therefore has no locu standii to call for my removal. The facts remain that he has been romancing with our party to get cover for his criminal and other atrocities he has perpetrated in the past.
For avoidance of doubt the writer, Folorunsho Oludare is currently facing criminal charges before a Magistrate Court in Kabba for allegedly impersonating the Chief Executive of Orewa Integrated Global Services Limited as company's agent collecting and diverting money meant for the government into his private pocket and defrauding unsuspecting public .
It is also on record that the Timber Association has equally dissociated with Folorunsho Oludare (aka Jam de Box ) following his spurious allegations and unauthorised article written against the APC youth leader.
Contrary to the writer claim that the APC Youth Leader is paper weight and not popular, I made bold to say that Since 1999 that Emmanuel Ayo Arewa politics has consistently winning his ward for every political partied he belongs .To be he has always be in opposition party until the formation of APC in 2013 when he emerged as Youth Leader in Kogi State.
Recently , as part of efforts to despise APC in Kabba , the same Folorunsho Oludare led some disgruntled and unscrupulous PDP youth with brooms claiming that they are defecting from APC to PDP and set the brooms ablaze and has the gut to post the same on social media.
There is no doubt that he has also been publicly antagonising the policies of APC led administration .
As part of corporate social responsibility , Orewa Integrated Global Services has constructed 8 motorised borehole in the Kabba/bunu local government area of the state
It has also employed over 100 youth across the five local government areas of Kogi State.
As part of effort to to woo membership to our great party , the Youth Leader has donated cars and distributes motorcycles to the APC youths in Kabba .
Honourable Emmanuel Ayo a.k.a Arewa is a well known grassroot mobilizer ,a thoroughly breed party man, community developer, and a youth oriented politician that has good working relationship with the Timber Association .
Sunday, 12 August 2018
A RECAP OF INTERACTION BETWEEN OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE AND HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI (KOGI West Senatorial Aspirant)
*OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE
You are welcome sir.
May we meet you sir?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: I am Bisimillahi Ibrahim Tajudeen BIT. I was born into the family of Alhaji Ibrahim Bismillahi in Ejuku, Yagba East LGA of Kogi State. I am a multi-disciplinary young entrepreneur whose experience in various facets of Nigeria Private and Public Sectors spans over two decades. Ever before my University Education, l acquired a 3-year skill-training in maintenance of office equipment, which later helped me in facilitating my private business in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Today, After securing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from University of Abuja, I did my one year mandatory service (NYSC) with the Presidency (Office of the Secretary to Government of Federation). Thereafter, i served as Personal Assistant to Professor Aliyu Abdullahi who was then the Academic Provost of the Nigerian Defence Academy NDA, Kaduna, i moved with the same man to Kogi State University, Anyigba as Personal Assistant to the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council. The position i held until i went for my Masters Degree at the prestigious Birmingham City University, United Kingdom, where i obtained MSc. in Business Computing/Project Management.
Since returning home after my academic sourjourn in the UK, i was engaged on strategic assignments with the National Ethics and Values in the Presidency.
I am a Chartered Member of Nigeria Institute of Management and PRINCE2 Project Management Foundation.
*OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE*: What are you aspiring for sir?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: By the grace of God I am vying for senatorial seat for Kogi West.
*OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE*: Sir, can you in brief tell us what you know about the senate?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: It is a representation of 3 people each from every state. Which their primary duty is to enact laws that will positively impact on the masses.
*OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE*: Sir, can you tell us your age range?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: Young man in his forties.
*OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE*: Sir, what triggered or motivated your interest to wanting to represent us at the red chamber?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: Even before I ventured in to politics, I have always had the interest of my people at heart. As far back as 1996 I had a scholarship for the youth in my community, and the well-being of my people has alway been my priority. In view of this I believe I need to get in to be able to massively impact on my people as they deserve more than what they are currently getting.
*OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE*: What political platform are you contesting from?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: APC.
*AN INTRUDER*
You are highly welcome. Sir, what do you think is wrong in kogi west that you think you Need to contest to fix?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: As a young man, it’s obvious that a lot of thing are not going well. For instance, we have a lot of infrastructural decay, level of youth unemployment is very. There is abject poverty in Okun land. All this could be easily rectified with good representation.
*OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE*: Sir, before now what has been your contributions towards community development starting from your community, Okun, Kogi West and Kogi state at large in details?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: Well, as I have earlier stated far back as 1996, I have a scholarship for youths, in my community here i purchased many Jamb forms for the less privileged and help them to secure in to the higher institutions when I had not even attended one myself.
In the area of women empowerment, I had trained and empowered many of them especially the widows
In Okun land, I have facilitated a lot of governmental projects, such as ICT centers which is solar powered in various locations like Ejuku, Kogi State college of Education technical Kabba, College of Agric Kabba, Mopa/Amuro Sect., Ife Olokotun, Poyan, Ejiba, Iyamoye just to mention but few. Also I facilitated 500million Naira model school to Ijagbe and Alumajiri school to Ayegunle Gbede. Presently, their is UBEC federal intervention of class rooms going on at Ijowa.
*OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE*:
What are your plans for Okun Youths if elected?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: To redirect the youths from always looking for government job which pays less and hinders them from utilizing their God given potentials. Based on the available natural resources in our area especially in area of Agriculture. Three of the crops that can give Nigeria $20b per annual as reported by the Export promotion Council are Cocoa, Cashew and Sesame. Kogi west is very lucky because this 3 crops can do well in our land and the OMI DAM which has over 2000 hectares natural gradient. Which was described by an Israeli consultant as one of the best dam in west Africa. With all this at our disposal and with my international exposure, I will make sure most of our youths become financially independent by not only farming but by adding value to agricultural produce through the establishment of industries and factories, for them to make more money.
*OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE*: What are the menace in Kogi west that you think you must correct if elected.
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: I think this has been addressed earlier. But what is important is that our people deserve more.
*OKUN YOUTH FOR CHANGE*: Lastly sir, what do you have to say about the clamor for a yagba person to be given the mandate to represent kogi West?
Do you believe in rotation?.
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: Of course. For equity and fairness, Lokoja/Koto has had 8 year and Sen. TUNDE Ogbeha allowed it to move to Kabba/Bunu which Sen. Smart Adeyemi spent 8 years and Sen. Dino from the same local government spent another 4 years. Even if their is no rotation agreement. On a moral ground it should move to Yagba. So I think this is our time and we must get it right.
*FLOOR OPENED FOR GENERAL QUESTION*
*FIRST QUESTIONNAIRE*: Sir can you sacrifice your ambition for another Yagba Person who you believes he or she is capable of representing us sir in order to bring justice, fairness and equity to your federal constituency?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: Politics is not a do or die affair, is a call to service and you must not see it as if it’s not me, No one else. So for that reason let the best man wins. But we have to be sincere with ourselves by doing the SWOT analysis of each candidate. For us to get it right this time around.
*SECOND QUESTIONNAIRE*:
Going by your bio data, you have experience in both educational and entrepreneurship with one of the best moral standard. How do you think you can revive education in Kogi West?
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI*: As we all know, education is the bed rock of any developed society. We need periodic re-trainingof the teachers for them to be able to keep up with modern trends and we will do this by making additional incentives available to them.
*THIRD QUESTIONNAIRE*:Okun youths want to host the first ever OKUN UNITY CUP we do hope you will partner with us for sponsorship as sport is also key to our community development.
*HON TAJUDEEN BISMILAHI* Yes why not, I always do my best in what ever capacity I can contribute to Okun
*FOURTH QUESTIONNAIRE* Sir, in KOGI west, one of our major problems has been the incessant seizure of electricity, if elected, how can you palliate the inconveniences of west kogites especially OKUNLAND in the aspect of electricity❓❓❓
*HON TAJUDEEN BISNILAHI* If given the opportunity to serve, most of my constituency projects will be geared towards the yearnings of my people and If electricity is one of the challenges. I will make sure that is given priority.
The leadership of *Okun Youth for Change OYC* appreciates *Hon. Ibrahim Tajudeen* for availing himself and being our guest on tonight's program.
Honestly we can't thank you enough for giving us the opportunity to know a lot about you and your intent to run for kogi west senatorial seat.
Thank you very much, we hope to have more of you and development in our dear land.
Collectively we can bring about the development our people desire.
Thank you very much for the kind gesture it was nice having you on the program tonight.
To all participants that contributed to the success of this program we say thank you all.
Okunland must be great.
God bless BIT
God bless okun youths for change
God bless okun land
God bless kogi west
God bless kogi state and
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
WHO WILL LEAD BASSA LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO THE PROMISED LAND IN 2019?
By: David Alfred-Dogwo / July 30, 2018
+234-(803)-(4768)-(404)
My brothers and sisters, it is good to write to you this on a few things that really “catch my heart.” It has been 1 to 2 or more months since I write about Bassa local government. But God has a reason for everything. Many things have happened in our land and in our lives since. But thank God we are still alive to reflect some thoughts on our common problems as a people. I am happy to be home, and I am happy to see all of you. I know that God has a purpose for each of us in this life; otherwise, we wouldn’t be here today. I believe God spared our lives so we can rebuild our homes, our families, our towns, our villages, and our schools. But it will not be easy. The challenge is great. But if our God was able to lead the children of Israel to the Promised Land from captivity in Egypt, He is able to unite all Bassa to rebuild their land and to live in peace as brothers and sisters.
God did not come down from heaven to lead the children of Israel to the Promised Land. Instead He counted on the children of Israel, the men, women, and children of the Hebrew people, led first by Moses, and then by Joshua, to follow His direction to the Promised Land. Today, in Bassa, we need good leaders such as Moses and Joshua to lead us on the path of unity, peace, and reconciliation so we can together rebuild our land. We ought to be tired of being slaves in our own land. It is time that we think long and hard about the kind of life we want for our children and ourselves tomorrow. We have to be firm in our desire to see total peace and stability in Bassa, otherwise we will continue to guess about the kind of life we want to live if we do not work together and choose the best leaders for us.
In the task of choosing our leaders, we must be mindful in the description of who we choose. That is to say, what kind of leader we really want? I know we all want good leaders, but who do we consider good leaders? What characteristics of a good leader do we want? Well, you know for the children of Israel, not only did they produce their own leader, BUT THEIR LEADERS WHERE THEIR SERVANTS AND NOT THEIR MASTERS. Even when God referred to Moses as a servant of the people, Moses became humbled and said, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since you have spoken to your servant …” (Ex. 4:10).
You will note that Moses considered himself as God’s servant, not God’s leader of the Hebrews. It is stated that more than thirty times throughout the Bible, Moses is referenced as God’s servant, or “the servant of the Lord.” What is important in this description is that all great biblical leaders have this title from the Almighty God: Joshua, Samuel, David, Caleb, Job, and even Israel is called as such. This is also one of the names and titles given to the coming Messiah in which Jesus describes Himself as a servant of the people (Mt. 12:18; cf. Isa. 42:1)
Brothers and sisters, in our modern society, the word servant is not a very pleasing word to the ears. Many of us hold the word or title of servant generally in very low esteem. We think if you are servant of the people then you don’t worth a salt. But that is not what the word “servant” means before God. It means you are your brother’s keeper. It means you will not give your brother or sister something that you wouldn’t use yourself. It means you are willing to sacrifice your own happiness for the happiness of your friends and relatives, and the good of the country. If you are such a person, you are not only a good servant of the people, but also a good leader of the people.
Today in Bassa, there is a general misunderstanding about being servants of the Bassa people. Every person in authority in Bassa thinks he or she is master and not servant of the people. But every leader is a servant of the people because without the people one cannot be a leader. A leader is chosen by the people so he or she could serve their best interest and not to work against their interest. Bassa local government is undergoing very troubling times and we need a servant of the people to lead us in rebuilding our lives and our country.
Like the Hebrews, we in Bassa local government must know that we are blessed. Our land is blessed with the earth’s finest climate and fertile soil for agricultural enterprise, for growing yam, guinea-corn, maize, millet, bananas, rice, cassava, Malaguatta pepper, mushroom, coffee, kola, mango, okra, palm oil, papaya, sugarcane, and much more. Iron ore tops the list of Bassa’s mineral wealth, making Bassa local government one of the leading iron owner (untapped) in the world of Barite, cyanite, diamonds, gold, graphite, and manganese. These are key avenues and opportunities for wealth generation in Bassa local government area which could be used to the benefits of all.
Bassa is also endowed with abundant natural resources, with forests covering nearly 2 million acres, including 9 species of useable timber such as Mahogany, Walnut, and Makere; while wildlife such as land buffalo, leopards, chimpanzees, and eagles are plentiful in Bassa-east. But none of these natural resources has the value of a grain of sand, because of our greed and our collective failure in developing our human capital, and our dependency on external theories. Had our leadership promoted our heritage and instituted good governance, as opposed to power being wielded by a few and knowledge confined to a few, our land would have had the best and the brain behind it to make great inroads in the socio-economic developments of our communities. But here we are rich but poor at the same time.
Unlike the Hebrews who relied on their customs and traditions to develop the Promised Land, the westernization of Bassa local government swept our feet from beneath us only to have our achievements deliberately trivialized. Day-in and day-out many Bassa and their external friends deliver our natural resources to 'outsider' to meet their development aspirations while we die from hunger, malnutrition, and other calamities.
In essence, the finest climate means nothing; the fattest soil has no value; the richest mines of Bassa mountains are worthless; the safety and cleanest harbor that border our land are of no value when we are ignorant of our own origins and capabilities. As we have seen, Bassa, with an area of 1,925 km² and a population of 139,993 of good soil naturally blessed by the tropical sun, with millions of beautiful people, is without the resources to feed her people, clothe her people, provide protection, and send in experts to run her government and write books on her history.
Bassa local government area is like a big balloon that moves with every touch and every breeze. We hold our debates next door in places we are rejected as a “step child,” just to let “godfatherism” know we are children on our best behavior. We crawl our knees to “big mom & bid daddy” so she can select our biblical Adam for us. We just don’t seem to know who we are. We are never confident in who we are and what we are doing unless people from the outside tell us what is good or what is not good for us. We are like that stepchild always seeking attention.
In the book of Genesis 1:1-2, we a see a compelling story again that can help us with the concept of self-consciousness. For some unknown events the earth became formless as darkness covered its surface after God’s first attempt at creation. For some strange events, the earth became dark and formless which surprised God but He was not discouraged. He made His second attempt at creation for six to seven days and saw that everything was good. However, God had another problem at hand. He wanted someone to name these things He had created. Therefore, God decided to make an Adam to name all of the animals, trees, rivers, birds, reptiles, and creatures that fly, crawl, swim and run.
Therefore, God decided to make an Adam to name all of the animals, trees, rivers, birds, reptiles, and creatures that fly, crawl, swim, and run. So God created Adam and he began to name God’s creatures. “This is a fish, this is a snake, this is a bitter ball, this is a bird” and so forth. But we are not Adam and we are not in the Garden of Eden. We live in Bassa and we are Bassa. We cannot create a Bassa-Adam, and we do not need a Bassa-Adam. We need a good leader: A leader who will respect us and work hard to improve our living conditions.
In other words, in the forthcoming Elections 2018/9, we need to elect the person who like Adam, can name those things that are dearest to our hearts and our land. We need to select a leader who will take our homes back from the hands of those people who can’t stop behaving like children. To steal our money, they destroy our land, and then they laugh at us. To confuse us, they totally devoid the education of indigenous culture. We barely read about any tribal hero, folktales and legends of our culture. Beowulf and Hercules were our heroes and stories about the Trojan War saturated our thinking. Children learned more about the Presidents of United States, capital cities, social studies and languages of Western countries than their own homeland. These western stories though compelling but are irrelevant to the Bassa culture and society. And it seems to me that our present predicament lies in the fact that we have proven to be totally unprepared to accept and implement a leadership system based on our own design. We have failed in so many respects to reclaim our status as a people, to worship the God of our forefathers, to revere our ancestors, and to educate our leaders so as to assure their greatness. We have miserably failed our people and ourselves because we are still confusing "grape vines with thorn bushes, or figs with thistles."
As Bassa, we must try to take our rightful place in the community of the world. In time, the God of our forefathers and foremothers would reveal the true “Bassa-Nehemiah” to build our wall in 52 days. But we must be accountable just as God was when God chose Nehemiah among the millions of the Jews. We hurt ourselves if we have a mute acceptance of the way things are. We need to do what Barnabas did when he heard that Jesus was passing by. He shouted to Jesus, “Have mercy on me, son of David. I am blind!”
Yes, many people may want to silence you, but Bassa local government is in a condition where we need to shout louder and louder in order to be heard.
We all should vote for Leaders in the forthcoming elections who loves Bassa and believes in its cultural heritage, including : history, mythology, legend, folklore, literature, practices, and spiritual beliefs. Regardless of ethnicity (wards), the person selected as the new leader of Bassa must demonstrate the ability to enhance the image of Bassa at home and at the state level and to unite all the people of Bassa under one roof as it ought to be. This senseless division amongst our people has greatly undermined the development aspirations and progress of Bassa people, and it is now time that the new Bassa leader be a unifier not a divider.
We need peace in Bassa, we need brotherhood in Bassa, and we need opportunities in Bassa so we can rebuild our lives.
My brothers and sisters, this is my message to you. We need to unite and rebuild our homeland. We need to elect the best-qualified groups of Group for local leadership. The family of the persons we choose for leadership shouldn’t matter as long as they are qualified in the sense of their ability to value our culture and unite all Bassas around a common goal of development. If a village chief is a good leader, elect him. If a city-based person is found to be a good leader, elect him or her.
Remember, the key qualifications are leadership and the ability to mobilize the Bassa people into collective action to rebuild our land.
In the past, some Bassa indegeneous writers have asked: what are we looking for as a people if we do not want an Igala, Bassa-nge and Ebira to be Chairman? For me, I don’t really care about the tribe or education of the person who wants to be leader. I care about the person’s leadership ability and philosophy. We need to look at why this person wants to be a leader before uprightly rejecting him or her.
We first need to ask ourselves does this person want to be our leader only to advance himself or herself, or to serve our best interests? We need to know the platform of what the person will do if he or she becomes a leader. And if the person cannot give us any concrete plans on how he or she will unify Bassa and rebuild the land, that person would not be qualified, regardless of origin. If that person cannot clearly define our needs, do not vote for that person even if he or she is your blood brother or sister, old classmate, son-in-law or partner in crime.
Bassa is in ruins and we need to act fast before it gets too late. We need to close the ugly chapters in our history 36 years, and move on. We have gone through our first republic as a nation and people, and so we need to correct all our past mistakes in the upcoming republic. Bassa local government area made a mistake from the beginning and any attempt to hold it together as a unified nation is doomed to certain failure without the right leader and a proper understanding of the Bassa ways of life. We need to respect and protect our cultural values if we want other people in the world to take us seriously.
If we forget the past and forgets the present, we should be prepared for the future. Are we ready to tell ourselves the truth? If we cannot describe our homeland, our own image in the community of nations, will we not be able to get other people to help us, and we will not be able to select the correct person to lead us. As Bassa, we must be proud of our history, and we must teach our children and ourselves about our history and our culture.
The knowledge of Bassa local government history, culture and natural resources can be a powerful force in the unity and rebuilding of a new-Bassa.
At this point, my dear friends, our message here will be incomplete if we do not talk about matters of the land for which I am writing today. I guess you have wondered many times why we have the civil crisis and fighting among ourselves, insulting our sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters thereby plunging our communities into years of civil crisis. If you didn't know then, let me share with you one of the reasons: It is lack of knowledge about ourselves as a people. I mean the lack on institutions to teach us and indoctrinate us to be our brothers and sisters’ keepers. But how can we solve this problem?
The corridor of history continues to remind us that civilisation is the jewel of life for all people and that the human “mind is a terrible thing to waste.” As an invaluable component of society, associations at our localities should consist of the promotion of patriotism and the effective and efficient use of wealth (human and materials) by members. In this regard, the people has the moral and ethical responsibility to join in the effort to educate Bassa leaders and all Bassa in national history, leadership, and networking, in order to unlock the creative talents of its indegenes to become better people. If good associations is to have a true meaning and a democracy that befits our culture is to take root and flow like a majestic waterfall, no mind of Bassa should be wasted or cut off from the authentic history in post-conflict. In retrospect, the primary goal of the Bassa curriculum is to provide the people with knowledge on Bassa ethnic groups, their histories, cultures, mores, and educate future leaders and other civil servants to solve our problems as community of nations continue to tell us to solve our own political quagmires. In the past, our political institutions have not adequately addressed the deep differences among us.
Therefore, the proposed curriculum should be intercollegiate, interdisciplinary and multicultural in nature to meet its objectives.
The proposed curriculum also stands the chance of bringing together Bassa’s best brains from the various disciplines, not only to promote interdisciplinary exchange, but also to reinforce critical interventions, interactions, discourses and constructive engagement with the learning process about our “total identities.” I believe that familiarity with Bassa intellectual thoughts and the activists' traditions that flow from such thought will contribute to our generation and future generation to enter into dialogue and join in projects with other ethnic groups for a nourishing functioning homeland.
The Bassa people were (are) a proud and self-respected people. And this is the history we must tell our children.
This is the history for which we must take responsibility to let others know. Some of the information can also be found in my Works; The Egyptian Origin of The Bassa of Nigeria: -History, Migration and Government of the Bassa. I have donated copies of my works to the University students for their reading and research works or to be one of the books for the proposed Studies.
They would function as sources of our producers, transmitters of ideas and practices, mediators, and legitimators. To make the program attractive to incoming students, I proposed to the Ministry of Education via a meeting with the then Registrar, Kogi State University Ayingba (now late) Mr. Daniel Zhizhi so that, interested students had access to the books in the university and state libraries respectively.
In my capacity as the Aurthur of Bassa History Educational Development, Inc. (BaHeDe), to sustain the program, I have contacted Bassa scholars to develop instructional materials (curricula), and write textbooks specifically for Bassa. Other Bassa authors are encouraged to donate one or more copies of their books to the Bassa studies program.
If the proposal is acceptable, I will arrange in consultation with other individuals to teach these courses at their homes, a series of three-week compact courses.
This is the best way I think we can get the program off the ground until a legitimate government is elected. I believe our sisters and brothers outside would come to our aid.
Let us go forth and inspire on a daily basis at least one child or adult to believe in themselves, learning our history and to work hard for the peace, unity, and development of Bassa. We should never forget to unite and work hard because our collective action can define and resolve Bassa needs. As adults, we must not be ashamed to tell our children that we are the generation of the Bassa on whose watch Bassa died because we had the chance to give her CPR and failed. Such a message will be a very hard lesson, but it will be a lesson well learned for the good of society.
I thank you all.
DAVID ALFRED-DOGWO
ABOUT THE WRITER:
ALFRED-DOGWO hail from Wussa in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State where his placenta was surrendered to the worms in the early morning of December 25, 1974 in Uzhibu Kure 1. He is a prolific writer and a frontier adventurist in Grammar; in 2015 he emerged 3rd position among 13 Nigerian members of World Revolutionary Writers (WRW) in addicted prints & pixel and has since become registered Research Assistant www.academia.edu.usa. He served as Principal Private Secretary/PA to His Excellency Air Commodore Dan Suleiman (Rtd) OFR in the State House Abuja and later became Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Communications Strategy to former Executive Governor of Kogi State His Excellency Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada Government House, Lokoja from where he pinched his tent as Media Consultant to former Executive Governor Abia State His Excellency Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, MON.
Alfred-Dogwo have been at the forefront of the Defence of Human Rights in Bassa, since and has pioneered critical research on the State of the Bassa nation. He has published extensively in the fields of Comparative Study of Citizenship Legislation in Nigeria.
Currently, he started a new role as Associate Acquisition Editor & Freelance Investigative Journalist for Scandinavian citizens where he writes three articles per monthly and get paid. He has many mentors to thank for their generous guidance and support along all the twists and turns of the own career path.
He can be reached at:
email: <davidalfreddogwo@rocketmail.com>
+2348034768404
2019: Elder Leke Abejide Officially Declares To Run For Yagba Federal House Of Representatives.
His declaration came few months after constituents called on him to run for the exalted office in a meeting held in Igbagun community of Yagba East LGA of Kogi State.
Elder Leke made his position known while addressing stakeholders and members of ADC drawn from the three Local Government Areas of Mopa/Muro,Yagba East and Yagba West.
Elder Leke who held the official declaration ceremony at Isanlu, Yagba East, also inaugurated the party ADC in the the three LGAs of the Federal Constituency.
The Alu born politician said he had the capacity to move the constituency forward following his track record in private sector and in his various selfless community service to the people even without being in office.
“We are doing two things today, one is, we are leaving the brooms Party APC because they have used their brooms to sweep all our money in Kogi into their private pockets and accounts. “Hunger has ravaged our land because of their misrule but I know for sure the people will not die of hunger”
From now on I cease to be a member of APC, Elder Leke said.
Secondly I am officially declaring my intention to run for Yagba Federal House of Representatives under the ADC.
“I am running for the House of Representatives because enough of the hunger in our land”
With the little resources God had helped me to use for the betterment of our people, if am elected today I will do more.
He called on the people to join him in Africa Democratic Congress(ADC) in order to change the narrative of the constituency.
He also admonish the people to get their PVCs ready to vote ADC in all the elective positions in Yagba, Okun and Kogi State at large.
In show of love for the people, Elder Leke pledged to pay WAEC fees for all public secondary school students in Yagba Federal Constituency even before his election and assured no parents will have to bother over WAEC fees for the four years he will be in office if elected.
“The women will be greatly empowered and the youth will be gainfully employed, we shall invest in Agriculture to empower the youths, our farm produce is not meant for cows but to feed our people”
We all know what we have gone through in this constituency in the last years”
That is why I have offered myself to run for the Yagba Federal House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2019,” he said.
Also speaking at the ceremony is a prominent and influential stakeholder, the Mayegun of Isanlu, Chief Dare Olatunde. He said “ We are building a party(ADC) where the right of people will be respected more than the right of cows. I wish to formally introduce to you a party(ADC) where salaries and pensions will be paid as at when due”
Chief Dare said that people has suffered enough and that the ruling party APC may intimidate and harass the people but it will not last because intimidation and oppression will only last for as long as the oppressed allows it to be.
“Your destiny is in your hands, we must change from a government that cant pay salaries but can block our road to prevent the commission of project executed by others even when the government has nothing or none to commission. We must replace it with a government where power will return to the people and their rights respected.
He further concluded that no reconciliation will work in Kogi and that ADC will change the narrative this coming elections, the whole people of Yagba are saying goodbye to APC.
Shortly after the declaration ceremony, Elder Leke Abejide led other stakeholders to officially commission the ADC Local Government Offices in Yagba West, East and Mopa/muro.
SGF Seeks Inclusive Devt Strategy For Local Govts As Segnip Holds 2-Day Summit On LGs
By Gideon Ayodele
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha has called for an inclusive development strategy for local government in the country as a strategic element for achieving inclusive growth in Nigeria.
In an address during the Nigerian Local Government Summit organized by Segnip Promotion Limited in Abuja today, with the theme: ‘’Evolving an Inclusive Growth Model for Sustainable Grassroots Development in Nigeria’’, Mustapha called for building systems that will cater for issues affecting local government in the country.
Mustapha who was represented by Gabriel Aduda described the summit as timely and urged the participant to come up with decisive action plans.
He averred that such plans should encompass promoting an appropriate structural transformation in the context of which intra-and inter sectorial resource flows are driven by productivity differences which will in turn further enhance economic growth and job creation at the grassroots.
In his opening speech, the Chief Executive Officer, Segnip Promotion, Engr. Kayode Adegbayo, said the firm visited the six geo-political zones over the past nine months and observed the wide developmental gaps at the grassroots and which was compounded by an un-inclusive development strategy of the local government areas.
Engr. Adegbayo noted that it ‘’is imperative for government to focus attention on delivering inclusive growth.’’
He stressed the need for an employment-intensive growth process for effective participation of people both in terms of generating growth and benefits from the process.
Adegbayo, however, called on all participant of summit to ‘’effectively participate and contribute to the discussion at the summit as critical and concerned stakeholders in order to achieve good deliverables and provide implementable suggestions for the overall development at the grassroots where majority of Nigerian citizens reside.’’
He added that the ‘’two days summit, shall present a unique platform for addressing the various developmental challenges facing the third tier level of government in Nigeria.’’
Friday, 3 August 2018
Police Disobey Court Order, Withold Melaye's Passport
Chief District Judge II, Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello, gave the order directing the FCT Commissioner of Police, to release the International Passport of Melaye with immediate effect after a case instituted against lawmaker by the Police was struck out by the court.
An order of the court striking out the suit No: CR/12/2018 with the copy of the ruling obtained by OUR SOURCE said: "the first information report filed by the prosecution on 2 May, 2018 against the defendant Senator Dino Melaye is hereby struck out and the defendant discharged."
Consequently, Melaye had on July 25, 2018 wrote a "Letter of Authority" to the FCT Commissioner of Police Abuja authorising his counsel, Mike Ozekhome's Chambers to collect his passport from the police on his behalf.
Meanwhile, efforts by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) to retrieve the international passport from the Commissioner of Police has so far proved abortive with the Police authorities delibrately disobeying the court order.
Melaye, while addressing journalists on Friday in Abuja, said the Commissioner of Police has refused to release the passport to him but asking him to personally come and collet the document, a development he said was a plan by the Police arrest him.
The Senator explained that his concern was not just because of his travelling passport, "but the need to curb the excesses of the Nigeria Police Force ahead of the 2019 general elections. Nigeria Police Force ought to enforce the law and not break it."
He recalled how he once requested for his international passport on June 6, 2018 for medical trip, which was given to him through his counsel and he subsequently returned it to the custody of the FCT Commissioner of Police upon his return from the trip, wondering why the Police is acting differently now.
"I have six baseless arraignments in different courts. No politician has been so humiliated like me. I don't have any police attached to me also. This is uncalled for," Melaye added.
Baseball Tomorrow Academy to participate in "World Comes to Palm Beaches Baseball Tournament"
The Chief Executive Officer of the Academy Mr. Peter John disclosed this while addressing a press conference at the Abuja National Stadium on Tuesday.
He said the tournament, organised by the Caribbean Baseball Commission and the Diamonds, is scheduled to hold between October and November, 2018 in Florida, the United States of America.
"Baseball Tomorrow Academy will be presenting two teams to represent Nigeria among the 23 countries coming for the tournament," Mr. John disclosed.
While intimating that the Nigerian teams will take part in the U-15 and Open categories, he said other side attractions at the tournament will include University Clinic for U-12 and 15 divisions as well as Major League Baseball Alumni skills clinic for U-18 and Open amongst others.
"Attending the tournament will enable our teams to establish international relationship with their foreign counterparts, receive high level training and key into various opportunities," he said.
According to him, the competitions staged by the academy for the past three years have allowed it to have a database of skillful athletes who will do the country proud at the tournament.
"As a sport promoting Academy, our vision is to use base ball to preach peace, fight drug abuse, reduce gender violation and human trafficking. We look out for prospective players who are less privileged to enjoy the benefits of playing baseball, competing with other age groups in both local and international tournaments. Baseball Tomorrow is also a bridge for the less privileged to access greater opportunities that accrue in the world of baseball and we shall tap into any available opportunity in realising this vision" Imonikhe concluded.
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