Coping With Tough Times

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This are no easy time for Nigerians. The global economic crises is taking its toil on the citizens. Saying that the masses are getting impoverished may be an understatement as the Nigerian Naira value continues to fall against major foreign currency. That is bad news to the population of Nigeria that mostly rely on foreign goods.


Unfortunately, the various tiers of Governments are not helping matters with their various new economic and social policies. Instead of making adequate research to understand the plight of the citizens, government officials are attempting to implement laudable policies by the book.
This has added to the hardship being suffered by the average Nigerian. All around, I see people groaning under the heavy economic burden.

It seems nobody really know what to do. It reminds me of the situation that King David must have faced when he wrote that eternal piece in Psalm 121. It is time to look-up unto God for help and succor.

Google Adsense Scamming - Do Not fall for it!

Today is April 1^st. A lot of people are playing pranks on their friends and family member. When the victim of the joke is looking bewildered, they simply remind him or her that today is April 1^st by saying “April Fool”. (There is no room for such pranks in the life of a christian. Is there?)

Well, there is a bigger and more serious prank going on here in Nigeria. Some scammers are selling get rich overnight Google Adsense Package. Do not fall “mugu” for it. You can read more about it in the following article Google Adsense and Nigerian Online Entrepreneurs Shalom

The Challenge of a Nursing Mother

The baby is just three months old. She looked at him as he lay in his cozy cot. Sleeping away in the wee hours of the day. The innocent look on his face and the chubby cheeks almost brought out the tear she has been fighting back. Here is her bundle of joy sleeping peacefully; ignorant of the fact that mother must leave him for the next seven hours because the maternity leave is over.

Not that she liked the idea of living this little one for such a length of time when he is still so tender and need all the love a mother can provide. The fact is, she has no better option! She must go to work because the family needs the additional income. She quickly placed a soft peck on the rosy cheek of the sleeping-handsome and tip-toed out of the room thinking “Mama said that when I was this tender, I was never left for more than 10minutes. I wish I don’t have to do this”

Thumbs down to all the greedy politicians. There would have been no need for this forceful separation of mother and child at such a tender age, if the natural resources bestowed on the nation has been well managed. Thumbs down to all the greedy past leaders, who through their greed and corruption, has bastardize the economy.

Your Special Day - Don't spend it there!

A government officials office, not the best place to spend your special day. Today is a special day for my family. One of us is celebrating birthday. I left home feeling excited after chorusing Happy Birthday with the rest of the family. The whole day was rolling fine until I got a phone call instructing me to go to a government official's office. Unfortunately, I got there in the noon 12:25p.m.

The period when officials have unofficially closed for the day. I had to wait patiently in the office of the assistant to the person I was looking for. While waiting there like a gentleman, his colleagues busts in and out of his office. At first, I thought they were coming in for serious official business, however I started hearing loud sounds of laughter and people giggling from his office. It was obvious that they were there exchanging banters and whiling away the time.

Then it dawned on me that I am in for a long wait. I thought of what to do without appearing rude or froward. I asked the assistant if I could send a note in to notify him that I have been waiting to see him. She objected and advised that I should just peep into his office and say "hello" so that he will know that I am around. At first, I objected because the whole idea sounded un-gentleman-like. However, when I discovered that the waiting was not coming to an end, I acted as she advised.

Unfortunately, the officer was on phone when I finally peeped in, so there was no response to my greeting. He simply continued his telephone conversation as if I never existed. Of course, I had to retreat back to the office of the assistant lest I be accused of intruding into his privacy!

After waiting for another 5minutes or more, I decided to take the bull by the horn. I fished out one of my business cards and I wrote a quick note at the back, informing him that his executive director is the one that sent me. Pronto, he jumped from his seat, abandoned the colleagues he was chatting with and came to the office of his assistant. He told me that he is attending to the issue that brought me right away.

Well that was the beginning of the second phase of my waiting. This particular phase is the one I could do nothing about. I waited until 4.00p.m before I could get out of that office. Ordinarily, I shouldn't have spent more than 15minutes to get the issue I went for resolved. I thank God that I still got what I went for without having to repeat the visit. How I dread Government offices.

SPEAK UP! - Nigeria Project

INDEPENDENCE SPECIAL

I came in contact with a passionate Nigerian blogger Nigerian Curiosity. After reading some of the articles I was definitely impressed.

Now the main gist is the fact that the blogger in conjunction with some other Nigerians are organizing a SPEAK OUT project to commemorate the Nigerian independent on 1st October, 2007.

I feel every Nigerian blogger should participate. Not because there is a prize to be won (a Nano iPod) but because it is our own contribution to the growth of our nation. Evil thrives when the righteous keep silent. Get more information at Nigerian Light House

From Nairaland - Yaradua to rule for 15years!!!

I came across this funny article, I felt I should share with you.

Re: Yaradua to rule for 15years!!!

If Nigerians are pessimistic, Who is to blame? The politician of course. They blab about how they will make Nigeria better than New York if they come to power. But alas, they cannot deliver in simple basic infrastructures and amenities.
How can someone be talking about planning for 15years when they cannot even successfully plan for 12months.

I beg all of them should stop imagining that the citizens are gullible. We are not.

After 100 days in office, they are yet to lay down a plan on how to solve the problem of electricity. All that OBJ administration achieved in that sector is constant naming ceremony for the inefficient government's electric power authority. N.E.P.A, N.E.P Plc, PHCN very soon we will read about another naming ceremony for the organisation.
Let the Federal Government tell us, what its plan is for the remaining part of 2007. Then they can give us their plan for the year 2008. That is the way it is done in well organized society.

Talking about 2020 while the legislators are busy debating on how much their "speaker" is supposed to use for renovation is simply not convincing.

How can we be talking about 2020 when the ordinary citizens are dying because of deadly pot-holes on our Federal roads. For eight years, the last administration was planning on how they will dualize the Benin - Lagos road. So many lives and goods have been lost and yet, nothing is achieved. Now we are being told of paradise come 2020.

" I beg, let's talk about something much more serious" "Na person wey dey alive go see 2020" " No be person wey in whole family don pafuka say because of in put I pass my neighbour inside room dose off" (Too many Nigerians have died from fumes from generator).

You can read the rest of the article here.

Suffering and Shivering ! - Dividends of Democracy !

For about 3days now in Portharcourt, the civil servants, public servants and self-employed have been enjoying what I termed "Suffering and Shivering".

The rain has been pouring continuously and the weather is terribly cold. Unfortunately, it is as if the rain has chosen the critical hours in the day of a worker to fall. In the morning, it falls seriously between 5a.m and 7a.m thereby making life difficult for those going to work. When you add the rain plus bad roads and traffic jam, then you will understand what it means to be SUFFERING AND SHIVERING.

Many workers in the bid to beat the traffic and make it to their workplace on time, use Okada Transportation (motorcycle). So I see people on Okada, getting soaked in the rain while the cyclist is struggling to navigate traffic jam caused by pot holes.

If you want to watch this drama, just find your way down to Rumuodara junction, the situation is not funny, but it is a scene to behold.
The same senario repeats itself in the evening. Once it is 5p.m many of the junctions in Portharcourt becomes no go area. Vehicles are forced to slow down because of potholes and bumps (Port-Harcourts legacy of "dividends of Democracy"), impatient drivers try to use oncoming vehicle's lane to hurriedly overtake vehicles in their front and before you know it, a chaotic situation whereby no movement is possible is created. Then the rain comes in to baptise every one. The traffic wardens run for cover and it is time for SUFFERING AND SHIVERING - part 2.

Corruption in Nigeria - Who is to blame?

Who is to blame? Yes, who should be held responsible for the seemingly incurable disease call corruption in our Nation?
Answer: Each one of us that encourages it! Yes, each one of us that do nothing about it! Each one of us that honors those that engage in corrupt practices!

• If every Nigerian were to frown at corruption at the grassroots level.
• If every Nigerian refuse to tell lies in order to gain advantage over another.
• If we refuse to honor those who we know are PEN-ROBBERS with Chieftancy Titles and Honorary Degree.
• If we refuse to recognize their wealth or pay homage to them.

Then the spread of corruption will quickly be curtailed. Indeed in less than no time, it will be a thing of the past.
Until we as a society belief the biblical saying that "a good name is better than riches Prov. 22:1" the spread of corruption will not cease.

Let us stop celebrating thieves. Let's stop honoring those that are stealing the future of the unborn generation. Let's stop excusing misbehavior under the pretense of Religion or Ethnic affiliation. A thief should be treated as one. Whether he is Abraham or Abdul, Northerner or Southerner, Male or Female.

Nigerian Legislators - When will they start working?

This is rather annoying. When will the legislators in Nigeria ever settle down and perform their constitutional duties. It is rather disgusting that since 1999 two-third of their tenure is being spent on debates about financial scandals and impeachable offenses. Of what good is it to the common man if all the legislator do is changing leadership instead of fulfilling their legislative duties?

I feel it is high time the society tell this so called representatives that the tax payer money being spent on them has to be justified. They must settle down and do the work of legislating for the good of the common man.

Imagine all the efforts, energy, time and money being wasted within their first 100days in office. I am beginning to doubt if they are representing us or their own "belly".

NIGERIA IS GETTING BETTER

Praise the Lord! Nigeria is getting better. The Federal government is beginning to set good examples by obeying the rule of law. That is about the best step we can take towards becoming a great nation.
It is never acceptable that a nation have separate laws for the rich and the poor. The bible frowns at the situation where someone is treated based on his material possession (James 2:2-9).
If the rule of law is respected by everyone, the society will become a better place.

What is Port Harcourt turning into?

Wait a minute! What is really happening in Port Harcourt? I just discovered that the same stressful dog life I ran away from (in Lagos) is what is forming right before my eyes here in Port Harcourt.
When I relocated to Port Harcourt in 1987 to join my Uncle. I was very happy that I have escaped the hustling and bustling lifestyle that Lagos has become internationally known for.
I was so happy about the serenity of the environment and the kind nature of the people. I did not last a month before I genuinely gave my life to Christ.
Now, 20years after, the story has changed. Port Harcourt seems to be worse than Lagos as far as I am concerned as an individual.

• Bad Roads
• Lack of electricity
• Dirty environments
• Hostile people
• High crime rate

The only thing that has kept me from regretting settling in Port Harcourt is the church! Yes, the church makes the whole difference. It provides a place of comfort away from the hostility that pervades the entire city.
I meet and relate with brethren from different tribes and different works of life who despite my tribe treats me as blood relation. I give thanks to the Lord Jesus for this.