Category: Lekan Otufodunrin

I usually think it’s not fair when people dismiss the youths of today as a bunch of unserious people.

You hear people say most young people don’t know anything. They don’t want to work. They are too much into entertainment. They want quick money. They are very disrespectful.

Of cause this can’t be totally true as there are many outstanding young people who have distinguished themselves in their various endeavours.

Many are very brilliant and very good at what they do. They are very innovative thanks to the digital era and exploring new frontiers old generations never attempted.

The fact that a good number of them too are very disappointing in their ways does not mean they are all the same. Even in the good old days and years the old generation of today lived, we had our own group of ‘bad boys and girls’

I am very proud of many young people I know who cannot in any way be classified as the typical youth of today who misbehave in ways that call for concern.

There is, however, indeed need to be worried about how many youths live their lives now and behave. Sometimes one just wonder why they are very careless about their life.

We live in a new world but there are still basic things that are supposed to be sacrosanct.

There are things we are supposed to do at various stages of our lives that if we don’t do them we will definitely live to regret. There are unbecoming behaviour that cannot be tolerated in the name of being in a new age.

I teach part time in a higher institution and really want to give my best to the students to help them have what it takes to become better professionals, but not many of them seem interested.

Despite the money their parents have paid for their fees at great discomfort, many of the students find it difficult to pay enough attention to learn as much as they can.

You constantly remind them of the reality beyond school life and why they have to take their studies more seriously but the import of your message doesn’t sink.

I watched a video of some secondary school girls smoking some substances while the inter house sports of their school was on and just couldn’t understand why they don’t understand the damage they are doing to themselves.

It’s understandable that the youths of today are exposed to so many negative influences and peer pressures, but they need to know what is really good for them and what is not.

They need to listen to wise counsel of their parents and others who know better instead of misusing the freedom they enjoy and what they are exposed to.

There is a time to learn and the time to play as moderately as possible. Too many toxic entertainment these days are not helpful for the youths. There is need for self-imposed disciplined lifestyle to remain sane in a world where many youths are endangering their future.

Only youths of today who are very disciplined, knowledgeable, hardworking and focused in their endeavours have a good future ahead of them.

FROM all indications, the Senators behind the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill 2019 are determined to push it through.

With the passage of the second reading of the bill on Thursday, chances of having it become law seems possible except reasons prevail on why this is yet another attempt by anti- freedom of expression proponents to have their way.

While the sponsor of the bill, Mohammed Musa, and his supporters claim that it is not meant to gag the media but check the spread of false information, experience shows that such laws can easily be used to shut down opposing views and harass perceived opponents of the government or other influential individuals who don’t want to be held accountable for their actions.

It’s a fact that the social media is being misused by some persons and organizations, but seeking to regulate it with yet another law when there are existing regulations like the cyber crime law and other parts of the criminal code makes the calls for great concern on what the real intentions of the movers of the bill are.

Some of the contentious parts of the bill include part 3 (12) which gives law enforcement agencies the power to shut down access to the internet and social media without recourse to the National Assembly or a court.

Specifically, the  Law Enforcement Department may direct the NCC to order the internet access provider to take reasonable steps to disable access by end-users in Nigeria to the online location (called in this clause an access blocking order), and NCC must give the internet access provider an access blocking order. An internet service provider that refuses to obey the order on conviction by a court may be fined N10 million for each day the order is not obeyed

The bill also prescribes a fine of ¦ 300,000 or three-year jail term or both for anyone found guilty of making statements that “diminish public confidence in the performance of any duty or function, or in the exercise of any power of the Government.”

With the high level of intolerance already being exhibited by government officials across the country, the social media law will readily come in handy to prevent the kind of freedom of expression that should be guaranteed in a democratic dispensation.

In some countries with the kind of proposed laws, internet services are shut down indiscriminately by the government and the people are denied access to social media at crucial periods to prevent them from reporting the true situations of things.

Depending on who is making an accusation, any critical statement can easily be termed to be capable of diminishing public confidence in the performance of any government’s duty or function. Even without the bill, some critics are currently being tried for all manners of allegations including insulting top government officials.

Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, wants us to believe that journalists need not worry about the regulation of the social media as they are not the target but those who allegedly peddle false information.

This cannot be true as journalists have in the past been accused of peddling false information even when it is well known that media reports are true. If the social media bill and other regulations by the governments are allowed no one will be spared.

As long as government officials or anyone in any position of authority get away without being penalised one way or the other for their misdeeds, we will continue to have such persons take the people they are supposed to serve or be responsible to for granted.

If the plea by Kaduna State Governor, Mallam El-Rufai, last Thursday, for the re-election of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State is heeded by the people of the state and he gets a second term, the governor would not have learnt the hard lesson for his four years of misrule of the state.

Perhaps because he became governor by default due to the death of Audu Abubakar, Bello did everything but provided good governance for the people of the state. How can he justify owing civil servants in the state so much and the reign of terror during his first term and yet expect to be rewarded with re-election?

Chances are that by the time this article is published, Bello would have been re-elected considering his hold on the state and the funds available to him, including the one hurriedly approved for him by the Senate, thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari. He will go down in history as one young man who had the opportunity of improving the lots of his people but failed woefully.

What governors and other political office holders owe their people is, among others, good governance to improve their standard of living, but, unfortunately, most of them behave the way they like with the least regard for the electorate forgetting that they will still need their votes for the second term.

Instead of prioritising the resources available to them, many governors embark on projects that will not benefit a majority of their people. Across the country, there are many abandoned projects which should not have been embarked on if the former governors and even serving ones cared about the good of all.

Despite claiming not to have enough resources, many political office holders live large at the expense of the people. State resources are converted to private use without caring about the consequences of such criminal acts.

While some of the carefree politicians fail to get re-elected or have the candidates they support elected, many sadly still get elected or appointed into other positions. Except persons who violate their oath of office are not only stopped from getting re-elected like Bello, but subjected to investigation and made to pay dearly for their actions, our politicians will not believe they need to live to expectations of the people.

READ ALSO: El-Rufai begs Kogi electorate to forgive Bello

Many former governors currently in the Senate and some before them should not have been elected as their records of performance in their states do not show that they cared much about the people they claim they are still representing. Some who are also ministers did enough damage in their states that they should not have been rewarded with another political appointment.

Having been governors for eight years in some instances, why must they want continue to be in government and not give others the opportunity to serve the people the way they deserve?

Voters need to be weary of being deceived by the kind of last-minute plea by El-Rufai for politicians like Bello and ensure that they don’t vote based on any kind of inducements that will always return failed office holders back to office.

By Lekan Otufodunrin

Marriage is not supposed to be a wrestling contest, but it may require some ‘holding down’ at some points in the union to ensure that the husband and wife remain faithful to the ‘for better for worse’ vow.

The occasional struggle, not necessarily physical, to hold each other to submission must have informed the topic of this piece which was the subject of a hilarious and insightful pidgin radio discussion programme I listened to last Sunday on Faaji FM of the Raypower Radio Network.   Most of the callers offered what the presenter, Josiah Wampa, considered vague answers to how they have sustained their marriages over the years.

“Love, Prayers, Care. All these one na big grammar, make una tell the thing we una de do gangan take hold your husband or wife down wey he or she no say he no do again,” Wampa said. The real practical answers then came in torrents. “I dey satisfy my husband with anything wey he want anytime, anywhere.”

“I dey call my husband the name wey the mama dey call am and I know how and when to talk to him to get what I want. For the thing wey husband and wife dey do for night I no dey kere, I dey try well well.

“I dey buy my wife gifts and dey give am money because without money, no love. I know the food he likes and prepare it very well. I de dey patient for my wife even when na she offend me and she go come beg me later.

“I don’t get angry when he gets angry. I know his mumu button and know when to press it,” the callers continued to the satisfaction of the presenter who hilariously responded: “Yes, these are the practical things. Even Bible say, prayers without work no go work.”

So how does my own madam Rokusbaby hold me down and make me continue to love her even more than when we married in 1992?

Among many other things, one of the very simple one which young couples should know is knowing what their spouses like and providing it.

My wife has a way of listening to me talk about what I like and surprising me with it without informing me.

One of my favourite food which I am not sure I have eaten at home but mention once in a while how I enjoy eating it in restaurants is the Eba prepared with yellow garri in its firm mould.

A night ago, my wife surprised me with my favourite at dinner. She had to go out of her way while returning from work to buy the yellow garri. Did I enjoy it? Hmmm.. yes I did, but she owned up without me saying so that she knew she didn’t exactly prepare it the way the ‘Ajokuta ma mumi’ people do.

That she got me my favourite was more than enough than any other thing. I just love her for that and many other things she has done to show me practical love and care and will do anything for her. Talk of mumu button! What I’m not sure I will do for her is to like a singer said is slap an agbero for her case. I will prefer somebody else does.

One thing I have also learnt to do over the years is listen to my wife for as long as possible even if I am not in the mood to. Women like it. They always have stories to tell and you will be injuring their emotions if you don’t have time. Even if you have to pretend, hear their most times genuine desires, aspirations and sometimes tales by moonlight out and respond to what they are saying. Listen and offer an advice. Be their gist partner and laugh out loud when there is need to like you used to do before many other things caught your attention.

A marriage counsellor said one of the reasons a woman whose husband bought her an expensive car will not mind sleeping with her driver, however ugly, is because he willingly listens to all madam’s stories and even offers advice and a shoulder to cry on when the husband thinks all she needs is the luxury and not attention.

The declaration of a state of emergency on various dilapidated highways and carriages within Lagos State by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu last Monday was long overdue.

For residents of the state, many major roads have become so bad that moving around either in private or public transport has become very harrowing as they spend hours in traffic largely caused by failed portions.

The continuous downpour has further damaged what is left of some tarred roads that have been washed away.

Like someone jocularly noted, but it is indeed the reality, Lagos drivers can no longer avoid potholes, they have to choose which one they will drive through and how they would. Consequently, vehicles are repeatedly damaged and costing owners lots of money for repairs.

The declaration of the emergency is therefore a timely response to the cries of residents who are worried that the Sanwo-Olu administration is not giving due attention to the deplorable situation.

Though the new administration is just over 100 days in office of its four-year term, the level of infrastructural decay has become very unbearable that any further delay in taking a firm action would cost it lots of goodwill.

While it is understandable that the rainy season may not allow for comprehensive repairs, quality palliative repairs ordered by the governor will go a long way in providing temporary relief.

The contractors assigned the reconstruction jobs have a good record of building good roads and should be adequately mobilised to approach this crucial task with the urgency it deserves. One of the reasons for the frequent damage of the roads is lack of drainages.

It is necessary to ensure that standard roads are built for a megacity like Lagos with its heavy vehicular carriage to avoid having to repair them almost every year despite the huge amount said to have been spent on them.

Some of the roads that now need urgent repairs were part of those the last administration worked on and it is surprising that they have become so bad quickly.

Officials of Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) in charge of repairs of 116 inner roads across the state should also be more diligent in their assignment instead of doing shoddy jobs that may not even last the remaining of the rainy season.

The corporation should be well-equipped to carry out its task which should be as often as required instead of having to wait till when the roads become impassable. The old concept of Public Works Department is that the officials are always on standby to fix damaged portions of roads. This does not seem to be the case again at state and federal levels.

For federal roads in Lagos and other states, the federal government may also need to declare an emergency as residents don’t care who owns what road. Across the country, the state of the dilapidation of major roads is alarming. It is nightmarish travelling around the country and the federal government cannot continue to watch the situation deteriorate.

The Lagos-Abeokuta road and the Otta –Idi-Iroko roads are good examples of how bad many federal roads have become. If monies spent by state governments to repair federal roads in the past have not been refunded, they will be no more willing take up the additional burden of fixing the bad roads in their states.

Except it is absolutely necessary to build new roads, the federal and state government should spend more on fixing the bad ones instead of embarking on projects that may end up abandoned.