CredoWritres Wakdok, Samuel Stephen.
The story of the various crises in Jos is one of hypocrisy and biasness. The government has been biased and unfortunately the media have been hypocritical. The issue of Jos is simple and clear, the Hausa/Fulani have been on the offensive. There has never been one crisis which started without them premeditating or escalating it. Their agenda has been to take over a land they know fully well is not theirs, even if ten generations of their forebears were born in Jos that is not enough to give them liberty to declare war on the city and people. The most appropriate thing to do is to coexist peacefully with their host and other residents. Rather it is their over ambitious and violent expansionist tendencies that have led the indigenes who until now freely gave them their lands to be alarmed. Nigeria is a federal state and every body is free to live and work peacefully in any part of the country, but when a group of people either ethnic or religious fail to harmoniously live with others, then they have lost that freedom. When a group of people continuously kill and maim others, they should be told point blank that their freedom stops where those of others start.
The largely Christian media has been so scared to report that facts as they are, while their Moslem counterparts are so biased to even fabricate facts in order to continue the war by propaganda. The Moslem media practitioners are as guilty of senseless murders as the religious bigots on the streets. They use their pens and Islamic media like Al-Jezeera to fan and promote hatred by distorting the facts and giving the world this misrepresentation. There have been reports in the media of fake soldiers been arrested or mercenaries imported, but they are not bold to tell us the group these evil people belong too. Everyone knows that no fake soldier or mercenary ever caught happened to be a Christian. How many corps members killed were Moslems? The government has never prosecuted any perpetrator or sponsor of these senseless waves of reoccurring violence. We keep shouting that no religion preaches violence; I agree. But when a certain proportion of a particular religion keeps becoming the vanguard of violence then we must say it as it is. If we must expunge the world Indigene from our national vocabulary why must it start from Jos? Let us start from kano, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Bauchi, Minna and even Katsina. Unfortunately Christians who come from Kano, Bauchi, Kebbi, Sokoto and katsina among others are not even treated as stakeholders in their own states, but the world expects Jos and the people of Jos to be the guinea pigs. Why should it be that the indigenes of Jos are required to give up their ancestral heritage to settlers who very well know their origin?
It is very barbaric to say this last crisis which by all accounts started as a dispute between two people or among a group of people will lead to this monumental loss of lives and property, except to buttress the point that it was well rehearsed and planned out. People argue or disagree every day, why will disagreement over a boundary of land or football game lead to attacking and killing Christians on Sunday morning inside the church? Those of us who come from other local government of Plateau state other than Jos have never lay claims over Jos, there are thousands of southerners and middle belters whose generations too were born and bred in Jos, yet they chose to live peacefully rather than take up arms against their host communities. If the Hausa /Fulani Moslems claim to be at war with the indigenes of Jos why then are other Christians and churches always their first targets? If we claim these crises are political what has the Christian who doesn’t belong to any party got to do with the November 2008 crisis over a disputed election which result had not even been announced? Are they saying there are no Christians in ANPP or no Moslems in PDP? If the media cannot report the fact as they are, can they shut up? If the government can not prosecute the master minds they should spare us all these panels of enquiry.
The Story of Jos is so sad because the people innocently sought to dwell in peace with people from other parts of the country irrespective of ethnicity and religion; only to be rewarded with violence from the Hausa/Fulani who see conquering of Jos as a continuation of the 1804 Jihad. The Federal government is also culpable; in fact the Federal Military Government of Babangida which created Jos North in 1991 had the sole intention of establishing an Islamic Republic of Jos and promoting the interest of the Hausa/Fulani settlers above other residents of the place. This fact accounts for why the vehicle plate number for Jos North is represented by JJN. JJN stands for Jasawan Jos North; Jasawa is the identity of the Hausas in Jos. No other local government in Nigeria has its plate number represented by the identity of a segment of the people albeit settlers. It is easy to remove the Christian governor of Plateau and still call for the removal of another while the Moslem governors of Bauchi and Borno; and other Moslem dominated states which have similar histories of skirmishes remain in office. It is easier to call for a state out of the present plateau state to meet the selfish demand of a minority Hausa population but impossible to give the predominantly Christian population of southern Kaduna their own state ,despite their inability to produce a governor in their own state.
As much as we desire peace in Jos, hypocrisy must give way to the truth. Peace without Justice is only but an illusion. Equity rather than equality is the bedrock of Justice. You can’t be talking of equal right which will only please a minority but against the right of the majority and owners of Jos and you say Justice will be done? Justice is defending the citizens irrespective of religion but it is also saying the truth. We can’t have justice when we are biased, hypocrites or cowards. Justice for the Jos indigenes means that we respect them and accept the fact that whether we come from other parts of plateau state or from outside the state, Jos belongs to the indigenes and we must live peacefully with them or leave peacefully without endangering the lives of others.
Lack of sincerity on the part of our leaders has lead to the balkanization of Jos into the Christian Jos and the Moslem Jos. We all have our towns and villages to go back to but the indigenes of Jos have only Jos and this same Jos has been destroyed. The indigenes have been killed and maimed in their own villages and this time around; as far as Bukuru and Anguldi and the world still accuses them of genocide against the very Hausas who are the war mongers? Hypocrisy is condemning Israel for occupying the lands of the Palestinians but encouraging the Hausa settlers in Jos to become the overlords of the owners of the land. Shame on hypocrites and cowards!
www.credoworldmedia.wordpress.com
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
A TALE OF TWO AFRICAN CITIES: JOS (NIGERIA) AND CAPE COAST (GHANA).
*By Wakdok, Samuel Stephen 1 and Nana Amma Twum-Baah 2
Amma, you can really cuddle the rocks and kiss them. When you climb the hills you will actually touch the clouds because you will not help but imagine how the mountains are locked in an embrace with the sky. The sweetest thing for me is the smell of its harmattan. It will give you a crown of white hair on your head. The rains can stay with you all day and escort you to bed, and even when you wake at dawn, like a faithful dog the rains will be waiting on you. This is the Jos they may never know. Jos the capital city of Plateau state, in North Central Nigeria, Africa.
Jos is one of the coolest cities to live on earth. Naturally blessed and humanly dressed. The tourism of this town is breath taking, the weather is seducing, the atmosphere superb, the people are wonderful. The main indigenes of Jos are the Beroms, Afizire (Jarawa) and Anagutas. The Hausa settlers are the next in contention. As the capital of Plateau state, other tribes from all over the state live and work in Jos; Ngas, Gommai, Mughuavul, Mupun, Quan, Pan,Taroh, Bassa etc. It is a pot mixed with different grills. Prior to the debut of home video in Nigeria which midwife the birth of Nollywood; Jos was the theatre and drama capital of Nigeria. The National Film Institute, The Nigerian Institute of Journalism and the Nigerian Television Authority College all sit in Jos. The Headquarters of Industrial Training Funds is also in Jos. The theater arts department of the University of Jos has produced the best acts and talents in Nigeria.
Talking about the University of Jos; Jos is like a weeping mother without her university. The University ofJos gives soul to the town. It influences the economic and social life of the city. In UJ or U-Jay as the school is known, gentlemen and ladies mingle freely; Amma, the fact that a guy could show up on your door step at any moment makes it germane for cleanliness and personal hygiene. We also had pots to run to when we were hungry in these female hostels. The phrase” kaduna Mafia” which was dominant in the political equation of Nigeria representing the powerful Northern power brokers was coined by the present Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Sonny Tyoden. Professor Ali Mazrui, the renowned international African scholar is a professor at large of the university.
When you take a trip to the Wildlife Park or visit the Ray field resort. Oh my --- The museum of African Arts boast of the largest congregation of people on the 26th of December every year. Shere Hills is one sweet place to visit in Jos, the combination of its mountains and waters exudes so much beauty and splendor. At Shere Hills nature is in communion with the city.
The comedy of bloody rivalry between the two main football teams, Plateau United and Mighty Jets will make you laugh and cry simultaneously at the Jos township stadium. For those who love to give themselves a treat; West of Mines is that place where meat and drinks respect the kingship of man. This Tin city called Jos, earned Nigeria foreign exchange during the colonial era. You will still see the tin mines as legacy of colonial exploitation of the people’s land and wealth. Jos is the home of Irish potatoes. Our ladies love Pringles, we the men are at home with chips. The cold weather makes it attractive to keep poultry and fish ponds.
The city is tops in education and social activities. Some of the best schools are located in and around Jos. Kent Academy Miango, a primary school with boarding facilities. Hillcrest, a first generation foreign tailored secondary school. Air force Military School, St. Louis College, St. Augustine’s major seminary until recently was the only catholic major seminary in the Northern part of Nigeria. The institution with the highest honours in the country: National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies is in Kuru near Jos. The University of Jos Teaching Hospital, ECWA Evangel Hospital, Our lady of Apostles Hospitals; are among the best health facilities in the country. Various churches both orthodox and Pentecostals have their headquarters in Jos.
Jos may not be the cradle of civilization, it is not the best town on earth, but surely it is a place to be. J-Town as the charming town is called, Josites as we of Jos are referred to, the town allures, she seduces and captivates. Jos holds those it calls and calls those it loves. In Jos; Life is serendipity, life is simple, life is fulfilling. When you dare Jos, you will be consumed; when you date Jos you will be dazzled. Jos has what it takes to hold you captive. It ceases your breathe and makes you exhale at same time.
Those who love Jos can never love another; those who have never known Jos do not know what they are missing. Jos is a lovers’ town. The ladies are beautifully created as the city; the guys are as solid as its rocks. The people may not all be from Jos but they are all of Jos.The city you may never know is one city, where nature was made to please man and man was created to exhaust the pleasure of nature. In harmony both man and nature continue to thrill themselves.
Amma, life must not begin or end in Jos, but in Jos; life is beautiful.
Sammy, I am trying to write my part for the “Tale of Two African Cities. I chose the city of Cape Coast because it is the birthplace of my mother and I have some very fond memories of the place. I lived the majority of my live in Ghana in the capital city of Accra; but the memorable trips to Cape Coast were my greatest joy.
Cape Coast is the capital city of the Central region of Ghana. It sits beautifully and majestically along the central coastal shore of Ghana; and once was the trading center of the Gold Coast. Cape Coast was the first capital city of Ghana until the capital was moved to its current post in Accra. Fante is the major language of the people of Cape Coast; and, much like the people who speak it, the fante language possesses a sensuality all its own.
The city houses some of the most historic memories linked to the pain of its past. The city is one of many attractions of foreigners eager for a taste of Ghana’s past. Matter of fact, one has not experienced Ghana until they have had a taste of the hospitality of the people of this majestic city. The recent trip of America’s first African American first family bears witness to this fact!
Sam, the story of Cape Coast swims in murky waters. Cape Coast derived its name from the Portuguese word cabo corso which means “short cape.” The Portuguese were the first foreigners to arrive on this coastal city – they came around the 15th century. Deep in the pride of the fante people lies a sorrow of the past. The city was once the port of the slave trade and currently houses remnants and monuments of that past. The Cape Coast castle is one such monument that bears witness to the past.
A walk along the coast is a sight to see: fishermen dragging in their nets full of the days catch, women haggling over the price of what the fishermen have just dragged in, children running up and down the coast, some doing summersaults without a care in the world.
For peace and quiet, the many beach resorts that line the coastal shore afford you just that. From the whistle of the palm trees to the chirping of birds and calls of frogs and toads, nature never afforded such a sense of serenity than along the coast of this beautifully blessed city. Here you would find tourists and locals basking in the afternoon sun, some sipping on drinks of immense pleasure and satisfaction; while others abandon the shore to take a dip in the ocean’s caressing waves.
Cape Coast boasts of some of Ghana’s most elite secondary schools – Holy Child School, Wesley Girls High School and Mfantsipim Boy’s Secondary School; as well as one of the country’s major Universities, the University of Cape Coast.
Tourism has fast taken over as the main attraction of this friendly city. Besides its many coastal attractions Cape Coast boasts of two other major tourist attractions: Kakum National Park and Akatekyir Crocodile pond. Kakum National Park is home to the first canopy walkway which sits above the forest floor and hangs high up above the forest trees. A trip across the canopy is one to savor for years. The crocodile pond is another adventure worth taking. Try standing in the hut located in the middle of the pond surrounded by fierce looking crocodiles who respond to the summons of a fetish priest – it is a sight worth beholding. Samuel;Ghana beckons on you and the world. Come!
1 Wakdok, Samuel Stephen; a Nigerian is the brain that powers CredoWorld Media: www.credoworldmedia.wordpress.com www.credoworld.blogspot
2 N. Amma Twum-Baah; a Ghanaian based in the United States is the Founder/Managing Editor of Afrikan Goddess: www.afrikangoddess.com
Amma, you can really cuddle the rocks and kiss them. When you climb the hills you will actually touch the clouds because you will not help but imagine how the mountains are locked in an embrace with the sky. The sweetest thing for me is the smell of its harmattan. It will give you a crown of white hair on your head. The rains can stay with you all day and escort you to bed, and even when you wake at dawn, like a faithful dog the rains will be waiting on you. This is the Jos they may never know. Jos the capital city of Plateau state, in North Central Nigeria, Africa.
Jos is one of the coolest cities to live on earth. Naturally blessed and humanly dressed. The tourism of this town is breath taking, the weather is seducing, the atmosphere superb, the people are wonderful. The main indigenes of Jos are the Beroms, Afizire (Jarawa) and Anagutas. The Hausa settlers are the next in contention. As the capital of Plateau state, other tribes from all over the state live and work in Jos; Ngas, Gommai, Mughuavul, Mupun, Quan, Pan,Taroh, Bassa etc. It is a pot mixed with different grills. Prior to the debut of home video in Nigeria which midwife the birth of Nollywood; Jos was the theatre and drama capital of Nigeria. The National Film Institute, The Nigerian Institute of Journalism and the Nigerian Television Authority College all sit in Jos. The Headquarters of Industrial Training Funds is also in Jos. The theater arts department of the University of Jos has produced the best acts and talents in Nigeria.
Talking about the University of Jos; Jos is like a weeping mother without her university. The University ofJos gives soul to the town. It influences the economic and social life of the city. In UJ or U-Jay as the school is known, gentlemen and ladies mingle freely; Amma, the fact that a guy could show up on your door step at any moment makes it germane for cleanliness and personal hygiene. We also had pots to run to when we were hungry in these female hostels. The phrase” kaduna Mafia” which was dominant in the political equation of Nigeria representing the powerful Northern power brokers was coined by the present Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Sonny Tyoden. Professor Ali Mazrui, the renowned international African scholar is a professor at large of the university.
When you take a trip to the Wildlife Park or visit the Ray field resort. Oh my --- The museum of African Arts boast of the largest congregation of people on the 26th of December every year. Shere Hills is one sweet place to visit in Jos, the combination of its mountains and waters exudes so much beauty and splendor. At Shere Hills nature is in communion with the city.
The comedy of bloody rivalry between the two main football teams, Plateau United and Mighty Jets will make you laugh and cry simultaneously at the Jos township stadium. For those who love to give themselves a treat; West of Mines is that place where meat and drinks respect the kingship of man. This Tin city called Jos, earned Nigeria foreign exchange during the colonial era. You will still see the tin mines as legacy of colonial exploitation of the people’s land and wealth. Jos is the home of Irish potatoes. Our ladies love Pringles, we the men are at home with chips. The cold weather makes it attractive to keep poultry and fish ponds.
The city is tops in education and social activities. Some of the best schools are located in and around Jos. Kent Academy Miango, a primary school with boarding facilities. Hillcrest, a first generation foreign tailored secondary school. Air force Military School, St. Louis College, St. Augustine’s major seminary until recently was the only catholic major seminary in the Northern part of Nigeria. The institution with the highest honours in the country: National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies is in Kuru near Jos. The University of Jos Teaching Hospital, ECWA Evangel Hospital, Our lady of Apostles Hospitals; are among the best health facilities in the country. Various churches both orthodox and Pentecostals have their headquarters in Jos.
Jos may not be the cradle of civilization, it is not the best town on earth, but surely it is a place to be. J-Town as the charming town is called, Josites as we of Jos are referred to, the town allures, she seduces and captivates. Jos holds those it calls and calls those it loves. In Jos; Life is serendipity, life is simple, life is fulfilling. When you dare Jos, you will be consumed; when you date Jos you will be dazzled. Jos has what it takes to hold you captive. It ceases your breathe and makes you exhale at same time.
Those who love Jos can never love another; those who have never known Jos do not know what they are missing. Jos is a lovers’ town. The ladies are beautifully created as the city; the guys are as solid as its rocks. The people may not all be from Jos but they are all of Jos.The city you may never know is one city, where nature was made to please man and man was created to exhaust the pleasure of nature. In harmony both man and nature continue to thrill themselves.
Amma, life must not begin or end in Jos, but in Jos; life is beautiful.
Sammy, I am trying to write my part for the “Tale of Two African Cities. I chose the city of Cape Coast because it is the birthplace of my mother and I have some very fond memories of the place. I lived the majority of my live in Ghana in the capital city of Accra; but the memorable trips to Cape Coast were my greatest joy.
Cape Coast is the capital city of the Central region of Ghana. It sits beautifully and majestically along the central coastal shore of Ghana; and once was the trading center of the Gold Coast. Cape Coast was the first capital city of Ghana until the capital was moved to its current post in Accra. Fante is the major language of the people of Cape Coast; and, much like the people who speak it, the fante language possesses a sensuality all its own.
The city houses some of the most historic memories linked to the pain of its past. The city is one of many attractions of foreigners eager for a taste of Ghana’s past. Matter of fact, one has not experienced Ghana until they have had a taste of the hospitality of the people of this majestic city. The recent trip of America’s first African American first family bears witness to this fact!
Sam, the story of Cape Coast swims in murky waters. Cape Coast derived its name from the Portuguese word cabo corso which means “short cape.” The Portuguese were the first foreigners to arrive on this coastal city – they came around the 15th century. Deep in the pride of the fante people lies a sorrow of the past. The city was once the port of the slave trade and currently houses remnants and monuments of that past. The Cape Coast castle is one such monument that bears witness to the past.
A walk along the coast is a sight to see: fishermen dragging in their nets full of the days catch, women haggling over the price of what the fishermen have just dragged in, children running up and down the coast, some doing summersaults without a care in the world.
For peace and quiet, the many beach resorts that line the coastal shore afford you just that. From the whistle of the palm trees to the chirping of birds and calls of frogs and toads, nature never afforded such a sense of serenity than along the coast of this beautifully blessed city. Here you would find tourists and locals basking in the afternoon sun, some sipping on drinks of immense pleasure and satisfaction; while others abandon the shore to take a dip in the ocean’s caressing waves.
Cape Coast boasts of some of Ghana’s most elite secondary schools – Holy Child School, Wesley Girls High School and Mfantsipim Boy’s Secondary School; as well as one of the country’s major Universities, the University of Cape Coast.
Tourism has fast taken over as the main attraction of this friendly city. Besides its many coastal attractions Cape Coast boasts of two other major tourist attractions: Kakum National Park and Akatekyir Crocodile pond. Kakum National Park is home to the first canopy walkway which sits above the forest floor and hangs high up above the forest trees. A trip across the canopy is one to savor for years. The crocodile pond is another adventure worth taking. Try standing in the hut located in the middle of the pond surrounded by fierce looking crocodiles who respond to the summons of a fetish priest – it is a sight worth beholding. Samuel;Ghana beckons on you and the world. Come!
1 Wakdok, Samuel Stephen; a Nigerian is the brain that powers CredoWorld Media: www.credoworldmedia.wordpress.com www.credoworld.blogspot
2 N. Amma Twum-Baah; a Ghanaian based in the United States is the Founder/Managing Editor of Afrikan Goddess: www.afrikangoddess.com
OUTSHINE THE SUN WITH YOUR TORCH; THE PURPOSE OF OUR BEING.
CredoWriters: WAKDOK, SAMUEL STEPHEN
Do you have a Personal Mission Statement?
In 2007 after reading some books among them the richest man in Babylon; I decided to have a personal mission statement and I came up with the one below:
“To remain relevant in an ever-dynamic world by being highly adaptable to change thereby bringing my wealth of experience to bear in all I do.”
The question I do not want you to ask me is how consistent I have been in the attainment of my goals? Anyhow you look at it; you need a personal mission statement.
It is the road map to our future; it is the compass we need as we navigate through life. It is our torchlight at night and even at day. We may not have achieved everything, but having a personal mission statement gives us a barometer to measure the pressure and change in our lives and the world. Keep it simple and practicable. Not having one already sets a parameter on us, it restricts our circumstances.
I have made so many mistakes in life. Painfully I still make mistakes after I sat down to think and write my personal mission statement which ought to have launched me to greater heights. Ironically though I accept the fact that I am liable for all my shortcomings, they have been very instrumental in molding me and grooming me for the challenges ahead. I have accepted the fact that perfection only exist in the books of two people. God and a liar, I am not God and I will be a fool to tell myself lies. Although I set perfection as a bench mark for my achievements, if I must truly achieve it will be very illusionary to think or feel I can never get some things wrong. What spurs me is that I must quickly learn from the mistakes that I couldn't prevent and prevent those I can.
In trying to decipher my mission statement anew, I have decided to see problems as challenges which will be part of this world. The day I stop facing problems or challenges is the day I am no longer alive. Years ago our problem was how to finish primary school, it became how to pass WAEC, and then how to get University admissions, and it grew to going for Youth service. We thought it would terminate when we got good jobs. Then we realized that we couldn't get the best of ladies or men to marry. We are faced with the choice of cars to buy or the kind of houses to live in. These tell us that life's challenges only end with life.
The greatest achievement in life is to achieve what we set out to achieve no matter how little. Having millions or billions of Naira though may solve our financial needs; is not always the sufficient solution to all our problems. The key responsibility in life is to know our strengths and use them to improve our existence. It is to know our weaknesses and minimize if not eliminate them. We can only set out to achieve our goals when we pause and reflect on the things around us. The preliminary way to go about this is to set a mission for ourselves. It is only when we know our mission that we can achieve our purpose in life.
Many of us do not have a purpose for living or we do not know the purpose for our being. Our purpose on earth is not only to make money, it is not only to live in affluence, it is not only to have power, and it is not only beauty or fashion. Prince (King) Edward Viii of England abdicated his throne in 1936 to marry the woman he loved but was rejected by the British Empire and Dominions and the Church of England. Edward chose love over royalty; he knew what he wanted in life and went for it at the expense of his throne. What are the obstacles that deny us the chance of achieving our different purposes in life? We alone must discover our own purpose as individuals.
I can not tell you your purpose, but I can help you discover your purpose.
I can help you by asking you to develop your own mission statement today.
Ask yourself the things that please you and the things that displease you.
Tell yourself the things you excel at and those you fumble at.
Ask yourself what you regret doing and those things you enjoy doing.
Tell yourself what you left undone and those you did which you ought not to have done.
Do you have talents? Are these talents buried, or are you exploring them?
What are your hobbies and how can you tap the potentials your hobbies offer?
If you lived to be hundred years on earth; what will you have achieved?
If you are to mentor a child, what legacies will you pass on to that child?
If your family, friends, colleagues and even neighbours should write and advertorial in the newspaper on your 30th, 50th or 80th birthday, what do you think would be written about you?
If as a result of you having lived on earth, the world has changed; tell me your contribution to the world and your influence on the people and environment around.
Can you read my personal mission statement above again and write yours too.
Define the purpose of your existence. If writing this has made any impact on the person reading this, then I have achieved one of the very little purposes why I was created. If each of us can achieve a little of our individually purposes, then collectively we would have achieved a lot and that will make a difference as much as outshining the sun.
I hope I didn’t bore you? If I did I am sorry, remember I am not perfect, but I just tried to achieve something and I hope to try better next time so that I will achieve the desired effect and not bore you. Start by having your personal mission today. Dare mine, be dynamic, remain relevant and do not look back.
Powered by CredoWorld Media.
www.credoworldmedia.wordpress.com www.credoworld.blogspot.com
Do you have a Personal Mission Statement?
In 2007 after reading some books among them the richest man in Babylon; I decided to have a personal mission statement and I came up with the one below:
“To remain relevant in an ever-dynamic world by being highly adaptable to change thereby bringing my wealth of experience to bear in all I do.”
The question I do not want you to ask me is how consistent I have been in the attainment of my goals? Anyhow you look at it; you need a personal mission statement.
It is the road map to our future; it is the compass we need as we navigate through life. It is our torchlight at night and even at day. We may not have achieved everything, but having a personal mission statement gives us a barometer to measure the pressure and change in our lives and the world. Keep it simple and practicable. Not having one already sets a parameter on us, it restricts our circumstances.
I have made so many mistakes in life. Painfully I still make mistakes after I sat down to think and write my personal mission statement which ought to have launched me to greater heights. Ironically though I accept the fact that I am liable for all my shortcomings, they have been very instrumental in molding me and grooming me for the challenges ahead. I have accepted the fact that perfection only exist in the books of two people. God and a liar, I am not God and I will be a fool to tell myself lies. Although I set perfection as a bench mark for my achievements, if I must truly achieve it will be very illusionary to think or feel I can never get some things wrong. What spurs me is that I must quickly learn from the mistakes that I couldn't prevent and prevent those I can.
In trying to decipher my mission statement anew, I have decided to see problems as challenges which will be part of this world. The day I stop facing problems or challenges is the day I am no longer alive. Years ago our problem was how to finish primary school, it became how to pass WAEC, and then how to get University admissions, and it grew to going for Youth service. We thought it would terminate when we got good jobs. Then we realized that we couldn't get the best of ladies or men to marry. We are faced with the choice of cars to buy or the kind of houses to live in. These tell us that life's challenges only end with life.
The greatest achievement in life is to achieve what we set out to achieve no matter how little. Having millions or billions of Naira though may solve our financial needs; is not always the sufficient solution to all our problems. The key responsibility in life is to know our strengths and use them to improve our existence. It is to know our weaknesses and minimize if not eliminate them. We can only set out to achieve our goals when we pause and reflect on the things around us. The preliminary way to go about this is to set a mission for ourselves. It is only when we know our mission that we can achieve our purpose in life.
Many of us do not have a purpose for living or we do not know the purpose for our being. Our purpose on earth is not only to make money, it is not only to live in affluence, it is not only to have power, and it is not only beauty or fashion. Prince (King) Edward Viii of England abdicated his throne in 1936 to marry the woman he loved but was rejected by the British Empire and Dominions and the Church of England. Edward chose love over royalty; he knew what he wanted in life and went for it at the expense of his throne. What are the obstacles that deny us the chance of achieving our different purposes in life? We alone must discover our own purpose as individuals.
I can not tell you your purpose, but I can help you discover your purpose.
I can help you by asking you to develop your own mission statement today.
Ask yourself the things that please you and the things that displease you.
Tell yourself the things you excel at and those you fumble at.
Ask yourself what you regret doing and those things you enjoy doing.
Tell yourself what you left undone and those you did which you ought not to have done.
Do you have talents? Are these talents buried, or are you exploring them?
What are your hobbies and how can you tap the potentials your hobbies offer?
If you lived to be hundred years on earth; what will you have achieved?
If you are to mentor a child, what legacies will you pass on to that child?
If your family, friends, colleagues and even neighbours should write and advertorial in the newspaper on your 30th, 50th or 80th birthday, what do you think would be written about you?
If as a result of you having lived on earth, the world has changed; tell me your contribution to the world and your influence on the people and environment around.
Can you read my personal mission statement above again and write yours too.
Define the purpose of your existence. If writing this has made any impact on the person reading this, then I have achieved one of the very little purposes why I was created. If each of us can achieve a little of our individually purposes, then collectively we would have achieved a lot and that will make a difference as much as outshining the sun.
I hope I didn’t bore you? If I did I am sorry, remember I am not perfect, but I just tried to achieve something and I hope to try better next time so that I will achieve the desired effect and not bore you. Start by having your personal mission today. Dare mine, be dynamic, remain relevant and do not look back.
Powered by CredoWorld Media.
www.credoworldmedia.wordpress.com www.credoworld.blogspot.com
MUTAL-ALQAEDA: Their Responsibility; Our Liability.
CredoWriters: Wakdok, Samuel Stephen.
I do not have a problem with a Nigerian in particular blowing himself up and others in the air, at sea or on land. Neither do I care if the person is a Moslem, Christian or even an atheist. But I generally have a problem with anybody at all doing that. It is not a crime because the bomber is a Nigerian; it is a crime against God and humanity irrespective of the person’s nationality or religion, background or ideology.
Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the attempted suicide bombing of a U.S. airliner by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on the 25th of December 2009; leaving Nigeria with the liability. All the world now knows, especially the imperialistic capitalist West, is that Nigerians are terrorists or to put it mildly; potential terrorists. Consequently, the United States has included Nigeria on their list of terrorist countries. For the crime of one man out of a population of one hundred and fifty million, is this not infinitesimal? Yet they have failed to close their embassy in Nigeria. They only found it imminent to intensify the dehumanization of innocent Nigerians seeking to travel for legitimate businesses.
They can not close their embassy because of the interest they have in our oil and Nigeria provides a big market for them to dump their goods. Globalization has helped to reinforce terrorism in many ways. The three major approaches to Globalization are Capital flow (goods and money) Migration (people) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The developed world always finds excuses to restrict the free movement of people across their borders especially from the southern hemisphere. Paradoxically they want an uninhibited flow of their goods into our market and a free flow of our money and resources to their countries which has encouraged large scale corruption resulting to capital flight. ICT however has been the most helpful resource for the 21st century terrorist as all terrorist attack have element of the use of ICT in planning and execution.
It is shamefully not only Al-Qaeda that takes responsibility and leaves us with liabilities. The Western world takes responsibility for giving us grants and aids leaving us with fallen capacity utilization and hunger. The oil companies mostly multi-national companies (MNCs) and Trans-national companies (TNCs) pollute our environment and flair our gas. They do not deny responsibilities but leave our people with the liability of a degraded ecosystem. Our political class rig elections as even President Yar’adua accepted the responsibility that a flawed electoral process brought his government to power in 2007.We are now more than ever left with the liability of a lame duck government in power with the resultant catastrophe. Government and university negotiators accepted responsibilities for deadlocks in negotiations during last year’s university strikes saddling the country with the liability of a prolonged closure of the universities.
Al-Qaeda knew the responsibility they had, and they also knew the liability on us will be unlimited. Before now an average terrorist or suicide bomber was an Arab. Thanks to Nigeria’ spoilt brat Farouk; the world now sees the black face of intra planetary terrorism. After all no one will be surprised if the black terrorist was a Sudanese or a Somali. We have seen the Janjaweeds in Darfur and the Al-shabab in Somalia. Recruiting and indoctrinating a Nigerian terrorist gives the probability that a quarter of the total blacks in the world are terrorists which is so significantly high. This is the responsibility they accepted. They glory of a people who feel they must fight their causes by killing innocent people leaving families and countries with liabilities. The annoying thing is that Farouk like all the people responsible for the misdirection of Nigeria belong to the privileged cult of a few who have belched on the wealth of the country at the expense of the generality of the citizens. Their excesses have always left us with no small snags.
The failed educational system in Nigeria is an example. Government officials, politicians and even lecturers are in high competition to send their kids and wards to school abroad .I can comprehend Nigerians in American, European or even Asian schools. I can also forgive Nigerians in South African, Ghanaian, Kenyan and North African Schools. But when Nigerians enroll in Togolese, Chadian and even Sudanese schools for mere secondary education at that, then the Nigerian picture becomes forlorn.
Unfortunately Farouk rather than becoming a martyr has turned his dad into a living martyr. He has killed his father while the man is alive. For to be the father of a terrorist is bad enough, but to be the father of a black albeit Nigerian terrorist is unimaginable as Mutallab senior would have known by now. In the same vein, our rulers have turned Nigerians into living martyrs. When Nigerians start spending Christmas in the petrol stations, when able bodied women not just men are begging on the streets and in the churches; when our elementary schools are so inept to educate our children, when we drive our cars jumping like grasshoppers on the highways to dodge potholes, when unemployment and inflation rise like Abel’s smoke, when the quality of living is dismal. Then sadly we are only alive but their responsibilities and irresponsibility have made our liabilities to kill us a very long time ago.
This is the start of a new decade; it is high time we dropped our docility as a people and champion our own liberation. We must change the misfortune that beclouds us as a people even if it means us engaging in affirmative actions. We can not continue to leave them with the responsibility of giving us liabilities. This is a clarion call for us to take responsibility for our lives and destiny; and eliminate the plethora of liabilities festered on us ad infinitum.
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I do not have a problem with a Nigerian in particular blowing himself up and others in the air, at sea or on land. Neither do I care if the person is a Moslem, Christian or even an atheist. But I generally have a problem with anybody at all doing that. It is not a crime because the bomber is a Nigerian; it is a crime against God and humanity irrespective of the person’s nationality or religion, background or ideology.
Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the attempted suicide bombing of a U.S. airliner by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on the 25th of December 2009; leaving Nigeria with the liability. All the world now knows, especially the imperialistic capitalist West, is that Nigerians are terrorists or to put it mildly; potential terrorists. Consequently, the United States has included Nigeria on their list of terrorist countries. For the crime of one man out of a population of one hundred and fifty million, is this not infinitesimal? Yet they have failed to close their embassy in Nigeria. They only found it imminent to intensify the dehumanization of innocent Nigerians seeking to travel for legitimate businesses.
They can not close their embassy because of the interest they have in our oil and Nigeria provides a big market for them to dump their goods. Globalization has helped to reinforce terrorism in many ways. The three major approaches to Globalization are Capital flow (goods and money) Migration (people) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The developed world always finds excuses to restrict the free movement of people across their borders especially from the southern hemisphere. Paradoxically they want an uninhibited flow of their goods into our market and a free flow of our money and resources to their countries which has encouraged large scale corruption resulting to capital flight. ICT however has been the most helpful resource for the 21st century terrorist as all terrorist attack have element of the use of ICT in planning and execution.
It is shamefully not only Al-Qaeda that takes responsibility and leaves us with liabilities. The Western world takes responsibility for giving us grants and aids leaving us with fallen capacity utilization and hunger. The oil companies mostly multi-national companies (MNCs) and Trans-national companies (TNCs) pollute our environment and flair our gas. They do not deny responsibilities but leave our people with the liability of a degraded ecosystem. Our political class rig elections as even President Yar’adua accepted the responsibility that a flawed electoral process brought his government to power in 2007.We are now more than ever left with the liability of a lame duck government in power with the resultant catastrophe. Government and university negotiators accepted responsibilities for deadlocks in negotiations during last year’s university strikes saddling the country with the liability of a prolonged closure of the universities.
Al-Qaeda knew the responsibility they had, and they also knew the liability on us will be unlimited. Before now an average terrorist or suicide bomber was an Arab. Thanks to Nigeria’ spoilt brat Farouk; the world now sees the black face of intra planetary terrorism. After all no one will be surprised if the black terrorist was a Sudanese or a Somali. We have seen the Janjaweeds in Darfur and the Al-shabab in Somalia. Recruiting and indoctrinating a Nigerian terrorist gives the probability that a quarter of the total blacks in the world are terrorists which is so significantly high. This is the responsibility they accepted. They glory of a people who feel they must fight their causes by killing innocent people leaving families and countries with liabilities. The annoying thing is that Farouk like all the people responsible for the misdirection of Nigeria belong to the privileged cult of a few who have belched on the wealth of the country at the expense of the generality of the citizens. Their excesses have always left us with no small snags.
The failed educational system in Nigeria is an example. Government officials, politicians and even lecturers are in high competition to send their kids and wards to school abroad .I can comprehend Nigerians in American, European or even Asian schools. I can also forgive Nigerians in South African, Ghanaian, Kenyan and North African Schools. But when Nigerians enroll in Togolese, Chadian and even Sudanese schools for mere secondary education at that, then the Nigerian picture becomes forlorn.
Unfortunately Farouk rather than becoming a martyr has turned his dad into a living martyr. He has killed his father while the man is alive. For to be the father of a terrorist is bad enough, but to be the father of a black albeit Nigerian terrorist is unimaginable as Mutallab senior would have known by now. In the same vein, our rulers have turned Nigerians into living martyrs. When Nigerians start spending Christmas in the petrol stations, when able bodied women not just men are begging on the streets and in the churches; when our elementary schools are so inept to educate our children, when we drive our cars jumping like grasshoppers on the highways to dodge potholes, when unemployment and inflation rise like Abel’s smoke, when the quality of living is dismal. Then sadly we are only alive but their responsibilities and irresponsibility have made our liabilities to kill us a very long time ago.
This is the start of a new decade; it is high time we dropped our docility as a people and champion our own liberation. We must change the misfortune that beclouds us as a people even if it means us engaging in affirmative actions. We can not continue to leave them with the responsibility of giving us liabilities. This is a clarion call for us to take responsibility for our lives and destiny; and eliminate the plethora of liabilities festered on us ad infinitum.
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WE WERE BANKERS!
CredoWriters: WAKDOK, SAMUEL STEPHEN
September 10, 2013
New York- U.S.A
Studio lights come on
Good evening viewers, my name is Jane Washington of CWM International broadcasting from our New York studios. You are welcome to this week's edition of Global Finance Focus on Africa. Today we are discussing the Rate of Recovery in African Economies. With me in the studio is Dr. Aloye Sanchez, a consultant from Goldman Sachs, and joining us via broad band is Ms. Vera Philips of the University of West Indies.
"Ms. Phillips, the developed world has recovered from the economic crisis of 2007-2009, how will you rate the recovery of African Economies?"
"I will not say with certainty that the recovery rate of African Economies is high, but you will agree with me that comparing the level of systemic damage done to these economies, there seems to be encouraging results from the tremendous efforts to pull these economies from the brink. I can see some positive results."
"Dr. Sanchez, do you share the same opinion?"
Dr.Sanchez: "I will like to agree in principle with Ms. Philips, but I will go further by saying the nominal growth has steadily picked up in some of the African economies. Taking some key financial indicators like banks liquidity ratios, capital adequacy ratios, non deficit components of annual budgets, there have been improvement. But real term human development indices like employment growth rate, exchange rate flexibility, and domestic currencies convertibility have not matched up with forecasts."
Anchor: "When we use a five years moving average, what pattern of growth will we see in the African economies?"
Ms. Phillips: “It will not be easy getting a definite pattern; one of the reasons is the unavailability of a central data collection for these economies. African economies have a lot of distortions in their multivariate functions. The seasonal variations make it more complicated to ascertain an analysis of trend in their growth rate.
Dr. Sanchez: "In as much as we have scattered seasonal variations, available statistics show positive movements in trade, broad money M2 though broader money M3 is still low. These distortions in the African economy though not excusable, originate mostly from the western world. The level of capitalism has become so inhuman. The major issue is having the foreign reserves and trades in the US dollars. This creates destabilizations in the foreign exchange convertibility of the African economies. It also distorts their domestic currencies convergence. That is why we at Goldman Sachs agree with the Fund (IMF) that the reserve currency be changed to a basket of world currencies using the SDR (Special Drawing Rights) as the new unit of measurement."
Ms. Philips: "Yes, the international payment system of the present economic world order which determines the liquidity of countries cannot protect the transition of weak economies like the African Economies towards a vibrant liberalized market. These economies have not achieved desired growth because they cannot be insulated from the vagaries of the US dollar...
November 19, 2009.
Kaduna - Nigeria
"Aloye, Aloye, wake up. Time is gone; you are running late already"
"Good morning baby. I must have been dreaming, I was in New York"
Emily: "There is no gas and PHCN has struck as usual, I am afraid you will have to bath with cold water. I hope we will not manage to death?"
Aloye: "Sweetie, the car has refused to start again. I will take a bus to the office; the mechanic will come and look at the car later."
October 16, 2004.
Lagos - Nigeria.
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I am here to take you on communication skills. I will love to congratulate you all on your induction. Welcome to the Royal Bank of Nigeria. You made the right choice by working with us. Here, we pride ourselves as the best bank in Nigeria and our staff can testify to the excellent working conditions. You are bankers now and you must think, talk, act, work and live as bankers. From your offer letters I hope you all know that you are millionaires now. Your salaries are twice or even more those of directors in ministries and parastatals. You are the bank and people must see this bank in you..."
November 19, 2009
Kaduna-Nigeria
Throwing the gate open "Oga Aloye good morning"
"Frank, good morning, how is the cold?"
"Oga we dey fine, how man go do for cold, na the work now"
user name aloye sanchez
password **********
"Janice good morning, have they not paid?"
"Aloye, good morning. How is madam?"
"We thank God my sister; at least we are still alive. I am getting exasperated. Things are getting tougher and one can't even understand any more. This melt down has dealt with me seriously and we are bankers"
Janice: "This year has been a rough time for everyone, it is so traumatic. Did I hear you say we are bankers? I think the right thing to say is that we were bankers. The shine is gone, when I came to this bank 3 years ago I was sure that poverty was out of my life for good. See our plights now, even journalists and comedians have found bankers as the hottest selling topic..."
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September 10, 2013
New York- U.S.A
Studio lights come on
Good evening viewers, my name is Jane Washington of CWM International broadcasting from our New York studios. You are welcome to this week's edition of Global Finance Focus on Africa. Today we are discussing the Rate of Recovery in African Economies. With me in the studio is Dr. Aloye Sanchez, a consultant from Goldman Sachs, and joining us via broad band is Ms. Vera Philips of the University of West Indies.
"Ms. Phillips, the developed world has recovered from the economic crisis of 2007-2009, how will you rate the recovery of African Economies?"
"I will not say with certainty that the recovery rate of African Economies is high, but you will agree with me that comparing the level of systemic damage done to these economies, there seems to be encouraging results from the tremendous efforts to pull these economies from the brink. I can see some positive results."
"Dr. Sanchez, do you share the same opinion?"
Dr.Sanchez: "I will like to agree in principle with Ms. Philips, but I will go further by saying the nominal growth has steadily picked up in some of the African economies. Taking some key financial indicators like banks liquidity ratios, capital adequacy ratios, non deficit components of annual budgets, there have been improvement. But real term human development indices like employment growth rate, exchange rate flexibility, and domestic currencies convertibility have not matched up with forecasts."
Anchor: "When we use a five years moving average, what pattern of growth will we see in the African economies?"
Ms. Phillips: “It will not be easy getting a definite pattern; one of the reasons is the unavailability of a central data collection for these economies. African economies have a lot of distortions in their multivariate functions. The seasonal variations make it more complicated to ascertain an analysis of trend in their growth rate.
Dr. Sanchez: "In as much as we have scattered seasonal variations, available statistics show positive movements in trade, broad money M2 though broader money M3 is still low. These distortions in the African economy though not excusable, originate mostly from the western world. The level of capitalism has become so inhuman. The major issue is having the foreign reserves and trades in the US dollars. This creates destabilizations in the foreign exchange convertibility of the African economies. It also distorts their domestic currencies convergence. That is why we at Goldman Sachs agree with the Fund (IMF) that the reserve currency be changed to a basket of world currencies using the SDR (Special Drawing Rights) as the new unit of measurement."
Ms. Philips: "Yes, the international payment system of the present economic world order which determines the liquidity of countries cannot protect the transition of weak economies like the African Economies towards a vibrant liberalized market. These economies have not achieved desired growth because they cannot be insulated from the vagaries of the US dollar...
November 19, 2009.
Kaduna - Nigeria
"Aloye, Aloye, wake up. Time is gone; you are running late already"
"Good morning baby. I must have been dreaming, I was in New York"
Emily: "There is no gas and PHCN has struck as usual, I am afraid you will have to bath with cold water. I hope we will not manage to death?"
Aloye: "Sweetie, the car has refused to start again. I will take a bus to the office; the mechanic will come and look at the car later."
October 16, 2004.
Lagos - Nigeria.
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I am here to take you on communication skills. I will love to congratulate you all on your induction. Welcome to the Royal Bank of Nigeria. You made the right choice by working with us. Here, we pride ourselves as the best bank in Nigeria and our staff can testify to the excellent working conditions. You are bankers now and you must think, talk, act, work and live as bankers. From your offer letters I hope you all know that you are millionaires now. Your salaries are twice or even more those of directors in ministries and parastatals. You are the bank and people must see this bank in you..."
November 19, 2009
Kaduna-Nigeria
Throwing the gate open "Oga Aloye good morning"
"Frank, good morning, how is the cold?"
"Oga we dey fine, how man go do for cold, na the work now"
user name aloye sanchez
password **********
"Janice good morning, have they not paid?"
"Aloye, good morning. How is madam?"
"We thank God my sister; at least we are still alive. I am getting exasperated. Things are getting tougher and one can't even understand any more. This melt down has dealt with me seriously and we are bankers"
Janice: "This year has been a rough time for everyone, it is so traumatic. Did I hear you say we are bankers? I think the right thing to say is that we were bankers. The shine is gone, when I came to this bank 3 years ago I was sure that poverty was out of my life for good. See our plights now, even journalists and comedians have found bankers as the hottest selling topic..."
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