The Nation Newspaper

Tag: obsession

  • Obsession with death sentence

    Obsession with death sentence

    SENATOR Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi (APC-Niger) probably thinks his sponsorship of the hate speech bill is a demonstration of his patriotism and altruism. It is nothing of such. Hate speech is an indication of intolerance, a vice that sometimes draws strength from stereotyping. It can end in terrible destruction and scar a society for generations. Consequently, hate speech should be deprecated, and even legislated on, assuming existing legislations are neither wide-ranging enough nor offer sufficient deterrence. But to ask for the death penalty — the latest Nigerian obsession — for hate speech is both very facile and dangerous.

    Here is Sen Sabi-Abdullahi’s justification: “I looked at the rate at which people say things anyhow just to get at another person. Yes, somebody will tell you that there is law on defamation, but you may not even say a word to defame a character. What we are saying here is that today, the various divisions within our country, from religious to ethnic and other societal strata, try to differentiate themselves from others. Arising from what you represent, somebody may come out and be saying things that are very hurtful. There are things you say to somebody that hurts them deeply. It was hate speech that led to the genocide in Rwanda. The biggest challenge with hate speech is the fact that it is usually along two prominent lines. And Nigeria is so prominent with them: religion and ethnicity.”

    Apart from the weakness of his argument, the senator can of course not guarantee that the provisions of the bill would not be twisted to achieve predetermined ends, or be deployed against opponents and the opposition, or against anyone politically and hurtfully designated. More importantly, going by the provisions of that bill itself, it is too amorphous to lend itself to unambiguous definition and determination. Here is how the bill describes hate speech: “A person who uses, publishes, presents, produces, plays, provides, distributes and/or directs the performance of any material, written and/or visual, which is threatening, abusive or insulting or involves the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, commits an offence, if such person intends thereby to stir up ethnic hatred, or having regard to all the circumstances, ethnic hatred is likely to be stirred up against any person or person from such an ethnic group in Nigeria.”

    How for instance would Nigerians, going by the country’s cultural and religious divisions, have categorised Ms Isioma Daniel’s commentary in This Day newspaper on the 2002 Miss World pageant which was to be hosted by Nigeria, considering that it led to the death of more than 200 innocent people? Under the superfluous bill, it would have been considered hate speech. The Sen Sabi-Abdullahi bill is not only an overkill, it is a thoughtless and imprecise legislation incapable of addressing the problems it purports to fight. In any case, has the death penalty curbed armed robbery, kidnapping and murder?

  • Of love, infatuation, obsession and lust

    Of love, infatuation, obsession and lust

    It is common and very normal to confuse lust, obsession, and infatuation for love.

    By definition, lust is an emotion or feeling of intense sexual desire. By implication, it is more of a physical attraction that pushes a person to seek sexual gratification. Teenagers are more susceptible to confuse lust for love.

    However, as we grow older, become wiser and get more experience in life, we are able to differentiate love from lust.

    God created us to have physical urges, desires and needs. In themselves, they are not wrong or bad. But when we yield to them at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons and with the wrong person, they can become destructive.

    Infatuation according to Wikipedia is the state of being carried away by an unreasoned passion, usually towards another person for which one has developed strong romantic feelings. Unlike lust, infatuation has its origin in something more transcendental than just feeling attracted to the physical appearance of someone.

    It is usually an unguided passion towards someone you most likely do not have knowledge of or any aorta of familiarity with. All you feel for the person is physical or sexual attraction; He or she might not even return or share the affection you have for them. Infatuation is usually unrealistic but very idealistic.

    Obsession on the other hand can be very easily confused for great love, when in reality, is just an ailment of the mind that keeps the person emotionally and mentally enslave to someone else. It is an overwhelming desire to possess another person with an inability to accept rejection or failure.

    It is often mistaken for love especially among youths these days. Recently, there have been several cases of ladies committing suicide over guys that left them for someone else; since they couldn’t cope with rejection, they decided to put an end to their own life.

    While the stubborn ones among them believe if they can’t have the person they are obsessed with, then no one will; they try to either hurt or (in extreme cases) kill the person.

    LOVE is a feeling especially in the soul; a connection that goes over and beyond physical appearances.

    When you truly love somebody and that person loves you back, you feel an overwhelming sense of value and worth; unlike lust, infatuation and obsession which render their undiscerning victims empty, dry and finished.

    You don’t have to chase after it, because if it is love, it happens naturally. When you are in love with someone, His/her happiness becomes your happiness and you can’t imagine life without him/her which is why you might think you are obsessed.

    But you also need to understand that if the feeling is not reciprocated you won’t want to force the other person to be with you. Love makes you selfless; it brings out the best in you and sometimes the worst which your other half will accept willingly if he/she truly loves you.

    Love is never enslaving but liberating. It never lays absolute claim to its significant other.

    It is always patient and kind. Never jealous, boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and it is not resentful.

    After all have been said and done, what really matters the most is how much we have given and experienced love.

    People really do not care how much you know, but want to know how much you care. SHOW SOME LOVE TODAY!

  • Crossing the line: Shaka Momodu’s obsession with Tinubu

    Crossing the line: Shaka Momodu’s obsession with Tinubu

    A NEW brand of journalists now parades the media landscape. They are the ones who have exchanged good journalism for quackery and hatchet jobs. They pose as journalists while getting paid huge sums for public relations for their clients. Shaka Momodu of ThisDay newspaper fits this mode of predators and character assasinators.

    His unrelenting attacks on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu cross the boundaries of decency and ethical journalism. His most recent piece, “The Change We need”, should have been titled: “The Journalists we don’t Need”. Shaka’s piece is fit for the trash can where it belongs. Shaka himself is fit for the dregs.

    A most worrisome aspect of the on-going campaigns prelude to the general elections slated for March 28 and April 11, 2015 is the drastic depreciation of the core values and statutory mandate of Nigeria’s mass media as the Fourth Estate of the Realm. Ordinarily, it is expected to enlighten, educate and bridge the gap between the electorate and the candidates on their parties’ manifestos as envisioned for the country after May 29. The media’s other duty is to inform the public on the voting process, their civic responsibilities and the demands on them by the electoral body – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Even while carrying out its sensitive duty as advocates of good governance, the press is expected to be apolitical and neutral – to effectively expand the frontiers of democracy.

    Unfortunately, however, some of its practitioners have elected, albeit, for self-serving reasons, to take sides by flaring the flames of discord in the campaigns of calumny between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the main opposition party, the All Progressives Party (APC). In so doing, they stand logic on its head, mudsling and cast aspersions on well-meaning Nigerians; whose driving passion is to see the country reclaim her pride of place in the comity of nations. Shaka’s diatribe, published on the back page of ThisDay on Tuesday, March 10, 2015, is one of such.

    Taking off tangentially on the premise of concern for ridding the country of crass corruption in high places, and specifically in Lagos, Momoh had this to say: “I have been heart-broken, shattered, devastated and depressed (talk about tautology) about the sheer scale of abuses, mismanagement and careless disregard for the public interest that Tinubu and (Lagos State Governor Babatunde) Fashola are accused of.” Which term has he employed in conveying his so-called disgust? ’Accused’ and what was he supposed to have done as a columnist before getting his words in print? Investigate the veracity of the litany of allegations by having a chat with the accused and getting their own side of the story. That indeed, would have added a lot of weight, veracity and objectivity to his highly opinionated essay. But he refused to do so.

    Instead, he is quick off-the-mark to amplify the content of the allegations and presumptuous to draw obscene and hasty conclusions.

    He said: “It is difficult for one to understand the voracious appetite of some people, who it is alleged have shared our common patrimony amongst themselves.” What should have bothered the PDP man the more was to ask why Tinubu, who has been out of political office for upward of eight years as governor, is suddenly being accused of sundry crimes of misappropriation of public funds. This is curious and throws up the burning questions.

    For instance, why have the anti-graft agencies-the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) been unable to investigate such allegations; call Tinubu to question, and if found guilty, get him prosecuted? Were the allegations true? Why have the good people of Lagos State, well known for their political sophistication and inquisitiveness kept silent, even till this moment? Is something fundamentally faulty with the agencies in question; for not living up to public expectations, or the allegations are simply fishy. But methinks, the latter rings a deafening sound of political mischief, carried out by none other than the mis-ruling PDP.

    That political party, which has been in power for upward of 16 years with little or nothing to show for its existence in terms of infrastructural and human capacity development, elevation of quality education, primary healthcare delivery and job creation has suddenly become uncomfortable with the rising profile of the National Leader of the opposition APC because of his courage, clout and charisma in being the catalyst for the impending change. So, who is afraid of Tinubu? That should be a topical essay for Momoh.

    It should be patently obvious that the PDP is afraid of Tinubu for that singular milestone midwifing of the opposition parties (defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha’s) into a formidable  force against the PDP behemoth. This deft political move has left not a few politicians in the PDP fold sleepless. From the Alliance for Democracy (AD) through the Action Congress (AC) to the ACN (all seen as Southwest regional parties) and currently the pan-Nigeria, APC, how did he achieve the feat? This, more than anything else, has sent jitters down PDP’s spine and all they could think about is the pull-him-down syndrome.

    It sounds curious that the PDP is only waking up now to question the source of Tinubu’s wealth. It is on record that he was at a time the Treasurer of a multi-national company, Mobil Oil, Nigeria. In fact, it was out of his passion for the country and the clamour for the return of democracy that he became one of the major sponsors of the activities of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). It was that same love for the country that made him to say an emphatic “no” to the military dictatorship of Gen. Sani Abacha, the late military Head of State, who wanted him appointed as the Minister of Finance. Is it not a matter of surprise that nobody raised an eyebrow even before he became a state governor?

    The truth must be told. The allegations are a bundle of fallacies and fabrications of some power-hungry, sit-tight politicians, who are out to blackmail Tinubu for counting himself out of the political aberration called Interim National Government (ING). His traducers have attempted to soil his name by dragging him to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), allegedly for owning foreign bank accounts while in office as the governor of Lagos State. But they failed. So, will this new set of spurious, unsubstantiated claims of him amassing choice properties all over Lagos and beyond.

    It should not therefore be any surprise to Momoh that: “the allegations are not weighty enough to rouse the outrage of the people into the streets to demand for answers.” Ditto for the silence of “our self-appointed custodians of morality” such as Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof  Wole Soyinka and Prof Itse Sagay, SAN, (who are clever enough  to distinguish between mere allegations and proven crimes) as mentioned by the writer, who by the way, has some questions to answer.

    Now in the court of public opinion, is it not true that you, Shaka Momoh is a member of the Strategic Committee of the PDP along with Jide Ajani (Editor, Vanguard on Sunday), Abraham Ogbodo (Editor, The Guardian on Sunday) all hands-in-glove with the PDP’s fair-weather friend, Femi Fani-Kayode  and of course Olisa Metuh? All of you do meet regularly in Abuja to strategise on how to undermine the integrity of stalwarts of the APC, don’t you?

    Were you not sponsored to vent your vituperations against the party all because the PDP fears it would lose the forthcoming general elections in a broom-sweeping change? Were you not paid, and handsomely too, to run this deliberate falsehood to hoodwink the public that: “the architects of change have been caught in a scorching irony of hypocrisy”? May your conscience be the judge, if only you listen to it carefully.

    Yet, there is another important question. Will the fear of Tinubu become the wisdom of the PDP? Not likely, as events unfold. In its desperation for the annoying ‘continuity of transformation, ‘it was first the Buhari certificate saga and then his health status. After all that, came the spate of hate speeches, the call for the removal of INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega and now a mischievous device to paint Africa’s political colossus in  uncomplimentary colours. But they do not know him well enough.

    For the much-confused PDP, let it be known that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a political strategist of no mean stature. His towering political stature may belie his lean frame, but it sends some shock waves across all the undemocratic forces. Mention his name, not only in Nigeria but the world over, and the image that comes to mind is that of an indefatigable defender of the doctrines of democracy; passionately propelled by the principles of equity; fairness and justice all in the search for the common good. For that, he has made a lot of sacrifice of energy, time, resources and even his cherished freedom.

    He was there during the dare-devil days of military dictatorship and exhibited that uncommon courage to stand on the side of his people when it mattered most. And he is still here now witnessing that same democracy he fought tooth and nail for, currently in the throes of annihilation. Nigeria is being besotted by storms of political ineptitude, cluelessness, crass corruption riding on the wave crests of opportunism and he is saying “no” to it all.  Only a patriot would do that.

    Yet, he is being misconstrued as a self-serving politician. But nothing could be further from the truth. For the records, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is for now Nigeria’s most enduring top political brand. He occupies a pride of place in the hearts of his teeming admirers and of course, Nigeria’s effervescent political space because of his past patriotic efforts.

    Love to hate his pervasive persona, or hate to love his expanding political influence, you cannot take away the long-held concepts of democracy etched deeply in the principles he stands for.

    Members of the PDP are well admonished therefore, to channel their energy to the more worthy goal of winning the next elections, as the baton of political power is gradually slipping off their greasy palms. Or, they should head to the court of law to prove their spurious allegations, if they have any evidence to back them. That is the best way to go. Meanwhile, Momoh should go back and tell his sponsors that they have failed again!

    • Olabode Johnson writes from Lagos

  • Society and its obsession with paper qualification (2)

    For a well educated citizenry is of great advantage to any nation particularly a developing one like ours. Besides the skills acquired, formal education broadens the mind, opening it to a world full of new possibilities and vistas. It also emboldens, as it gives one the confidence to face life boldly and the ability to cope with the challenges of a modern world. Perhaps it’s for all these reasons that there’s the saying, ‘An educated mind is difficult to enslave’.

    But the reality is that not every one can have a university degree. And this has nothing to do with class or elitism but the issue of ability. Academic work is for serious minds with the intellectual and mental capacity to cope with the rigors of academia. Not everyone has that capacity and it’s not because they are not intelligent. Perhaps, their talent lie in other areas, such as in creating things with their hands or inventing stuff that can be of benefit to society. Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world was a university drop out. He left Harvard to pursue his dream of making computers that would have a profound impact on the world in the field of info tech and communication.

    What his story shows is that a degree is not the only road to success in life. There are other routes to achieving something with one’s allotted time on earth. But in our society, most people have been brainwashed to believe that the only way to a successful life is by getting a degree from a higher institution. It doesn’t matter how you acquire the degree; just get it and your way through life will be paved with gold.

    That is why many do all sorts including cheating, buying exam questions, paying invigilators to look the other way and all kinds of exam malpractices and scams to get admission into the university. Sadly, some misguided parents even aid their children in this cheating game. The JAMB exams is a case in point. Yearly, we hear of candidates who scored very high marks in the exam but fail woefully in the post-UME that some universities organise to as a lecturer friend put it, ‘separate the wheat from the chaff.’ Despite that, some academically deficient candidates still manage to smuggle their way in and the result of this is that our campuses all over the country are filled with all sorts of students, many of whom have no business being there in the first place. Unable to cope with tough academic work, they pay their way through school by settling some crooked lecturers in ‘cash or kind’.

    And by the time they graduate and enter the real world, it’s the society that now bears the brunt of this mess. Most are largely unemployable and barely literate like the ‘graduate’ of Electrical Engineering posted to a bakery for his primary assignment for the NYSC programme. And there are many like him out there. What this means is that the piece of paper that the degree is written on is worthless if it cannot be defended by whoever owns it. It’s what is in the brain that matters, not some paper.

    Many observers have thrown up their hands in frustration, stating that the situation, like many things that have gone wrong in our society, is beyond redemption. I still believe that something can be done. First, this fixation or obsession with degree acquisition needs to change. Those without university qualifications shouldn’t be made to feel inferior or lesser human beings, that there’s something wrong with them or they are not good enough. Every child came into this world with a skill or talent which can be nurtured in different ways and not by the four walls of a Uni alone. That is why there used be technical or vocational and skills training centres in the past. But many of these are no longer functioning because everyone now wants to be a university graduate even if they have to ‘buy’ the degree and cannot defend it if called upon to do so.

    Our educational policy needs an overhaul with less emphasis placed on paper qualification and more on skills acquisition.

    And in the long run, is it not better to acquire a skill that will be useful to one throughout his life time rather than ‘getting’ a degree through dubious means that one can’t even use to get a job? There are so many unemployed and unemployable graduates these days some of whom have spent as long as ten years or more seeking non-existent jobs. Some, out of frustration and to meet up with their peers take to criminal activities like armed robbery, kidnapping, drug trafficking and others.

    Perhaps, it might be late for those who have already graduated with their dubious degrees but for the young ones still at the foundation school level and the future generations, something can still be done so we don’t keep producing too many deficient ‘graduates’ with degrees that are useless to them and the society at large.

    •Concluded

     

  • Society and it’s obsession with paper qualifications(1)

    What kind of English is this, you might wonder after reading my intro above. Well, it was written by a Nigerian university graduate from one of the higher institutions in the country. Sounds unbelievable? Well, it’s true. According to some reports, the said graduate of Electrical/Electronics and a few others had been rejected by their areas of primary assignment for the NYSC programme due to lack of competence and intelligence level expected of genuine degree holders.

    The story goes that the said graduate who was posted to Niger state, was rejected by a nursery/primary school in the state because of his inability to read and write.

    Having been rejected by two other employers, he had to be reposted by the state NYSC to a bakery, pending the final determination of his case by the NYSC national headquarters.

    That many products of our universities these days fall into the category above is no longer news. For years, the general complaint has been that many of the nation’s higher institutions, churn out half-baked graduates. That was in the past. Today, a high percentage of them are not even baked at all. Maybe, that is the reason they are now being sent to bakeries for their primary assignments so they can get fully baked!

    Anyway, employers of labour, who are mostly the ‘end users’ of these products have cried out for years over this issue, that something needs to be done to rectify the embarrassing situation. For how could someone, who supposedly spent an average of four or more years in a higher institution be unable to teach in a nursery/primary school or write the type of English above? Well, some might say, English is not our mother tongue so it’s no big deal if he can’t write or speak it well. That would have been fine if he was a farmer in the village with no formal education who only needs good farming skills to survive. It’s a different ball game for a graduate who supposedly spent four years or so in a higher institution of learning in the country.

    English might be a foreign language but by accident of history due to colonialism, it’s now our official language, generally used widely nearly everywhere be it homes, schools or offices. It’s the language of instruction right from the foundation stage of the educational system- nursery, primary, secondary. Resultantly, for a student to have passed through all these stages and up to the university level and still unable to communicate effectively in this medium shows something has gone wrong somewhere.

    It has thrown up the ugly underbelly of all that has gone seriously wrong in our educational system. While this piece is not about the blame game or pointing accusing fingers at all those who have contributed in making a mess of our once proud educational system, which was one of the best on the continent, there’s one salient point I want to point out. And that is society’s obsession with paper qualification or becoming a graduate by all means possible. In an ideal world, it would have been wonderful if every one can be a university graduate.

     

    To be continued