Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;

----- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.

-----Rudyard Kipling

 

‘If I die a violent death, as some fear and a few are plotting, I know that the violence will be in the thought and the action of the assassins, not in my dying- for no hate is dark enough to overshadow the extent of my love for my people and my country; no force is strong enough to divert me from my purpose and my endeavour to take this country forward.’

INDIRA GANDHI - the only woman prime minister of India

 

 

The ferocity with which the president Goodluck Jonathan led government has continued to pursue its removal of fuel subsidy agenda takes one aback, you begin to wonder what really is the motive behind the proposed removal of subsidy other than to raise revenue and stop some cabal from continuing to corner the subsidy money that the government considers it a do or die affair.

Like yesterday, I remembered that one of the previous governments reasoned that it was increasing the pump prices of petroleum products to match smuggled prices so as to dissuade smugglers from smuggling the products to neighboring countries and promised that the revenue from the increment was going to be used for developmental purposes and alas, up till present we are yet to see any of the promised developmental project come to light and now under president Jonathan we are it again. Firstly, one point the government should note is that it is estimated that over 70% of its population are living below the poverty line and the prices of petroleum products happens to be the major price determinant variable for all other products and services in the economy. So it would be normal for the government to reason that what does the citizenry stands to gain from an at least 200% increase in prices of goods and services, what will this translate into? The answer is easy unfounded and untold hardship visited on the populist of the country. Really the situation is dumbfounding, when you hear those who are suppose to protect our interest give less than reasonable reasons for planning to foment and visit more and more hardship on the populace of this country. Through the years the citizens have never has any leverage in the way they are governed ,it has always being a gravitation, an unwavering  propensity to further aggravate already appalling  and meager living conditions of the people that has perhaps become the hallmark of successive government in Nigeria.

The issue of removal of oil subsidy that both the federal and state apparatchik has made their present pass-time is disheartening. It once more brings to the fore the fact that the present government has not come to grasp with the peculiar nature of the Nigerian state and situation. The Nigerian elites have continue to deem it fit to pursue anti-people policies under the guise of saving or raising funds for much needed social and economy development which never materializes. The country can’t develop at the expense of its people, any development that is not people oriented would fail and I don’t even belief the government is thinking of the people presently. The increase in the pump price of petroleum product under the guise of removal of subsidy from petroleum products would have the usual spiral effect and translate into higher transport fares and subsequently the prices of all products would skyrocket and the helpless masses would bear the brunt, become more pauperized, the already high level of crime would further surge, the already poor standard of living of ordinary Nigerians would further nose dive. It is obvious that there is nothing good at all about the proposed removal of subsidy from petroleum products. There are many questions begging for answers.

It is argued in certain quarters that there is nothing like subsidy on petroleum products and one of those who argue in this direction is somebody who should know is onion that is a former Petroleum minister, Professor Tam David West who has described the much talked about fuel subsidy as “sanctified falsehood”, challenging the Federal Government to prove him wrong. Funny again is the fact that the amount the government has being claiming it spends to subsidize petroleum products has being changing by the day, from about 300billion some months back, they later claimed was over 600 billion and now government officials are claiming its over one trillion naira that they spend annually to subsidize petroleum products, what a gargantuan comedy of error unfortunately, this one is intended to create sympathy for their cause.

Another question begging for answer is the fact that our refineries are not functioning and the government does not see any reason why these refineries should be made to work and why it should also embark on building new ones to complement the already existing ones. Government officials are running around saying that fuel is cheap in the country that we should allow the forces of demand and supply to determine the local prices of these products what competitive edge do we have. Is the unstable and weak naira that we want to compete with internationally or apart from these petroleum product we do we have that we export that can generate foreign exchange for us.

Conclusively, my question again is what do the masses stand to gain from the removal of subsidy from petroleum products? The answer is nothing. So the next question is whose interest will the removal serve the answer is that it would only serve to put more money at the disposal of corrupt government officials who would definitely misappropriate, embezzle and out rightly steal these funds. It seems that there is no reprieve for the Nigerian masses poor standard of education at cutthroat cost, high cost of accommodation and housing with no reprieve in sight, bad roads that have turned into death traps everywhere, a moribund railway system, and a completely deadened agricultural sector.

The petroleum minister Mrs Allison-Madueke was quoted to have explained that government opted for the removal of subsidies as all punitive measures to make racketeering by dubious businessmen unattractive have not succeeded. This is a strange admission that government with all its apparatus cannot stop a handful of persons from continually holding the country to ransom. I think the government is misplacing its priority, one of Nigeria’s most pressing problems is corruption, another is sabotage, another is poor infrastructure, another is poor agriculture and so on it goes. If government is trying to safe/raise funds there are many avenues open to it one of which is fight corruption, another revive agriculture, invest in electricity poor and transportation etc.

 

 

My beloved people

Just as all living beings having faith are drawn to Mother nature as one to her bountiful lap, let us place faith in our mothers who have borne us.

Our mothers who are like no one else, keeping guard in the dead of the night with a fire torch in hand.

May the light in your torch lead us to a better society where love and harmony exist between different groups.

May it bring together all the fragmented pieces.

May Mother Nature continue to bless us with her bountiful gifts to feed everyone.

May people have access to healthcare for everyone.

May anger and disillusionment go away.

May those who stone and set fire to vehicles that are carrying food and other supplies for their fellowmen leave behind their destructive nature.

May the seething anger that leaves us half-dead and half-alive and caught between hunger and excess, may all that is uncalled for go away.

May we be able to live in peace as nature does.

May we strive to be selfless.

May we be able to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice.

May the movements that started with a vision to serve the people and all those who set out to work for the people by getting into governance find their way back to what they set out to do.

May all their wrongdoing and their pretensions of doing good turn into what is right.

May all that is wrong, get resolved. May we be able to find the way to a better Manipur!

May we be able to give up setting fire to the centres of learning.

May we be able to save the pillars of our society from HIV/AIDS so they are able to stand together as one.

May we be able to save lives.

May a new beginning be heralded that brings justice to everyone.

May all that is evil and wrong be changed by truth.

Irom Sharmila's address: A-4, Special Ward, Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, Porompat, Imphal East 795005, Manipur.

Translated from the Manipuri text by Chitra Ahanthem

------------------------------------------------------------------

A concerned human being.

Siddiq

When I think about who is driving the global shift from enviromental explotation to enviromental stewardship, I think of David Suzuki and tree huggin' hippies. I do not typically think of Lumberjacks and the United States Navy. But recently, I have begin to understand that my un-enviromental stereotypes can be seriously misleading. 

 

For instance, when I think of the United States Navy, and where they fit on the scale of eneregy effiecency, I would jump to the conlcusion that they are terrible for the environment. They are the largest single consumer of fossil fuels in the united states, and it could be argued that they violently defend a western addiction to oil. As such a large consumer and international powerhouse, there actions resonate around our pale blue dot - and it seems their actions are turning shades of green. The US Navy is set to become a global leader in green technology.

This is a calculated strategy to save US lives, reduce costs, and better protect the homeland. It was not the Navy jumping on the Prius electic-powered bandwagon.  But Does it matter that this great reform was motivated by cold calculation rather than an ethical responisbility to our planet?

With the amount of money the US Navy spends on energy, diverting those funds to developing and buying green technology will have serious fallout for upstart industries and their technology - technology that will one day power civilian transportation. 

 

Another example of a green industry paradox is Siliviculture (aka Foresty). Noramally, I would be quick to judge a truck rolling down the highway full of freshly hewn timber as the irrepriable distruction of wild habitat. Yet, the timber industry - with the help of government regulation and cinsumer pressure - has been responsbile for growing the amount of forest on this plant in many parts of the world.

Europe for instance has grown back 30% of the forest that was desroyed in the previous centruy - and done this through sustainable forestry practices. It is mostly in the developing world where forestry companies are not subject to strong government regulation and social pressures to practice responsible harvesting. No doubt this needs to change, but hopefully, with your help, it will.

 

All this is not to say we should stop printing doublesided and start a few more wars - but it is to say that we need to think a bit deeper about what is green and what is not. It is important to realize that everything we humans do needs to be touched by enviromental stewardship. We should not shun any industry that takes up this banner, regardless of what sterotype that industry falls into. 

When I think about who is driving the global shift from enviromental explotation to enviromental stewardship, I think of David Suzuki and tree huggin' hippies. I do not typically think of Lumberjacks and the United States Navy. But recently, I have begin to understand that my un-enviromental stereotypes can be seriously misleading. 

 

For instance, when I think of the United States Navy, and where they fit on the scale of eneregy effiecency, I would jump to the conlcusion that they are terrible for the environment. They are the largest single consumer of fossil fuels in the united states, and it could be argued that they violently defend a western addiction to oil. As such a large consumer and international powerhouse, there actions resonate around our pale blue dot - and it seems their actions are turning shades of green. The US Navy is set to become a global leader in green technology.

This is a calculated strategy to save US lives, reduce costs, and better protect the homeland. It was not the Navy jumping on the Prius electic-powered bandwagon.  But Does it matter that this great reform was motivated by cold calculation rather than an ethical responisbility to our planet?

With the amount of money the US Navy spends on energy, diverting those funds to developing and buying green technology will have serious fallout for upstart industries and their technology - technology that will one day power civilian transportation. 

 

Another example of a green industry paradox is Siliviculture (aka Foresty). Noramally, I would be quick to judge a truck rolling down the highway full of freshly hewn timber as the irrepriable distruction of wild habitat. Yet, the timber industry - with the help of government regulation and cinsumer pressure - has been responsbile for growing the amount of forest on this plant in many parts of the world.

Europe for instance has grown back 30% of the forest that was desroyed in the previous centruy - and done this through sustainable forestry practices. It is mostly in the developing world where forestry companies are not subject to strong government regulation and social pressures to practice responsible harvesting. No doubt this needs to change, but hopefully, with your help, it will.

 

All this is not to say we should stop printing doublesided and start a few more wars - but it is to say that we need to think a bit deeper about what is green and what is not. It is important to realize that everything we humans do needs to be touched by enviromental stewardship. We should not shun any industry that takes up this banner, regardless of what sterotype that industry falls into. 

            Firewood is a log of dried wood suitable for the generation of both domestic and industrial sources of heat and illumination. When added to the word millionaire, one of the ideas that come to a sane mind is, “someone who has made millions from the sale of firewood.” The other meaning is probably derogatory in that it implies that the persons concerned were once millionaires but now, they have dried up due to stress and other adverse conditions to the intent of reducing to non-millionaires.

            But that’s pretty jargons! The real meaning of a firewood millionaire as we will consider it here is, a group of young guys making impact and money in an adverse environment. These boys bring out the common sense in entrepreneurship. They see the potential worth of a pitiable economy, locate the overall community’s prime needs, push for the release of unavailable funds and create valuable products and services in the society.

            Even when the banks declare that the funds are not available, these boys seek other honest means of capital and make more money! To all of them, I say I respect o!

 

Greenshotz, Wonderful photographs describe him. Plus, he is a pastor!

 

Panayo, he wears a jersey that says forex, Nigerian stock market & DSTV

 

Emmandus, he does everything books...except stealing, looting, toyboying.

 

Goshendraw, this is the sharp “pastor” guy that first got my 3k for Corel Draw training! He is a publisher!

 

Stanley. This boy-looking man can solve any computer problem! Incredibly, he doubles as a gifted writer!

 

Afo. This guy himself is a program. He can write a program that makes your pets see to their own upkeep themselves

 

Akinwumi. All his life, Ak has been a consultant. Alata, Satisfier, and everybody knows him! It’s good to know that he knows their monies too!

 

Ibukun. IBK is an utility guy but I know him more as a distinct compere

 

Fasdel. Right from PDSP, dele started speaking to everything, both living and non living.

 

Emmy. In 100Level, Emmy bought a motorcycle and employed someone to run it for him. When he bags his Ph.D., I expect it to be in business.

 

Kirk: y’all lucky that he’s around. Now, pack up your sounds and let the master teach you how it’s done.—Archbishop Kirk.

 

Sylvester Usein: don’t mind this guy, he can write a program that writes any program you need to write. Looks like he cannot kill a fly with an insecticide- like a nice air freshner. But really, this guy can kill two birds with a third bird.

 

Nifemi. He talks, poeticizes and dramacomediates! One more thing, he gets paid.

 

XG. I knew him for fashion but now, Gbenga mixes sounds and does compuras (not yahoo). Also, proudly Naija! Yes o!

 

IB. Ibrahim does everything from data wreckage/disaster prevention to their recovery. Plus, he is RHG media redefined!

 

Akinlolu: He studied farming. Has made money from the rearing of bees, is absolutely into music, does MC, can repair your PC, can cook more than some Aso Rock chefs, can…What can’t he do? Yes! I remember, he can’t play football.

 

Prof. Lowo: he’s done business and business has done him. And now, he still does business. Beyond that, he is a graduate in chemical engineering.

 

Amusan Olusola: when you think of electronics and get confused, call this guy. I don’t know why, but he’s always known what to tell you. While what he tells you may not make any sense to you initially, when the deed is done, you’d be tempted to hand him a blank cheque or even your ATM card and its PIN code.

 

Olaide Olawuwo: I’m still wondering why BusinessDay newspaper has not given this guy any award yet. He sells it and smells of it! Bro Laide is an entrepreneur.

 

Niyi: this is the chicken guy, the fish man and the mango farmer. And he is a maaaan of God.

 

The Transparent Mind is probably the least of them. At age 7, he sold mangoes to some people while living in Letmurk Officers’ Qtrs (his parents still don't know about it).

The list is endless, there are many whose names I am not worthy of typing. It will take an incumbent Larry King to do so. Besides, as at the time this piece will be published on facebook, there will be many more of these guys.

 

 

The one who learnt from everybody hails you all, knowing he will still learn from anybody.

Written: December 2010

There is yet another tragedy unfolding on this planet. A tremendous earthquake has struck Japan, causing a massive Tsunami and a potential nuclear meltdown. Thousands have died, and hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. If you would like to help the people who have lost everything, please donate - Google's Crisis Response page has several recommended donation options with commission-free credit card donation options.



To learn more about the disaster, here are some insightful links:

Interactive photos of Japanese cities pre- and post-Tsunami

Continuing video coverage of the Japanese nuclear situation via BBC

Read first-hand accounts from students in Japan via the Student News Action Network: Survival Guilt and Earthquake in Japan: A Tokyo Experience

Explore the risk/benefit anlysis of nuclear power from Straight.com

Are all the donations making a difference? Gizmodo explores all those who have taken advantage of the worlds generosity in face of this disaster.

For Tweets about the Japanese disaster, try searching #Japan or #save_miyagi (use the translate link on the right)

To add your voice to those discussing Japan, please make a comment here in one of the two discussion threads on TakingITGlobal.

Learn more about how this disaster will put further pressure on deforestation in Borneo, and visit our DeforestAction project to help.

And to all Japanese TIG members, you and your loved ones are in our thoughts and in our hearts.

If you're concerned about someone you know in Japan, you can see if their status has been reported by them or someone they know via Google's Person Finder:

There is yet another tragedy unfolding on this planet. A tremendous earthquake has struck Japan, causing a massive Tsunami and a potential nuclear meltdown. Thousands have died, and hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. If you would like to help the people who have lost everything, please donate - Google's Crisis Response page has several recommended donation options with commission-free credit card donation options.



To learn more about the disaster, here are some insightful links:

Interactive photos of Japanese cities pre- and post-Tsunami

Continuing video coverage of the Japanese nuclear situation via BBC

Read first-hand accounts from students in Japan via the Student News Action Network: Survival Guilt and Earthquake in Japan: A Tokyo Experience

Explore the risk/benefit anlysis of nuclear power from Straight.com

Are all the donations making a difference? Gizmodo explores all those who have taken advantage of the worlds generosity in face of this disaster.

For Tweets about the Japanese disaster, try searching #Japan or #save_miyagi (use the translate link on the right)

To add your voice to those discussing Japan, please make a comment here in one of the two discussion threads on TakingITGlobal.

Learn more about how this disaster will put further pressure on deforestation in Borneo, and visit our DeforestAction project to help.

And to all Japanese TIG members, you and your loved ones are in our thoughts and in our hearts.

If you're concerned about someone you know in Japan, you can see if their status has been reported by them or someone they know via Google's Person Finder:

There is yet another tragedy unfolding on this planet. A tremendous earthquake has struck Japan, causing a massive Tsunami and a potential nuclear meltdown. Thousands have died, and hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. If you would like to help the people who have lost everything, please donate - Google's Crisis Response page has several recommended donation options with commission-free credit card donation options.



To learn more about the disaster, here are some insightful links:

Interactive photos of Japanese cities pre- and post-Tsunami

Continuing video coverage of the Japanese nuclear situation via BBC

Read first-hand accounts from students in Japan via the Student News Action Network: Survival Guilt and Earthquake in Japan: A Tokyo Experience

Explore the risk/benefit anlysis of nuclear power from Straight.com

Are all the donations making a difference? Gizmodo explores all those who have taken advantage of the worlds generosity in face of this disaster.

For Tweets about the Japanese disaster, try searching #Japan or #save_miyagi (use the translate link on the right)

To add your voice to those discussing Japan, please make a comment here in one of the two discussion threads on TakingITGlobal.

Learn more about how this disaster will put further pressure on deforestation in Borneo, and visit our DeforestAction project to help.

And to all Japanese TIG members, you and your loved ones are in our thoughts and in our hearts.

If you're concerned about someone you know in Japan, you can see if their status has been reported by them or someone they know via Google's Person Finder:

There is yet another tragedy unfolding on this planet. A tremendous earthquake has struck Japan, causing a massive Tsunami and a potential nuclear meltdown. Thousands have died, and hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. If you would like to help the people who have lost everything, please donate - Google's Crisis Response page has several recommended donation options with commission-free credit card donation options.



To learn more about the disaster, here are some insightful links:

Interactive photos of Japanese cities pre- and post-Tsunami

Continuing video coverage of the Japanese nuclear situation via BBC

Read first-hand accounts from students in Japan via the Student News Action Network: Survival Guilt and Earthquake in Japan: A Tokyo Experience

Explore the risk/benefit anlysis of nuclear power from Straight.com

Are all the donations making a difference? Gizmodo explores all those who have taken advantage of the worlds generosity in face of this disaster.

For Tweets about the Japanese disaster, try searching #Japan or #save_miyagi (use the translate link on the right)

To add your voice to those discussing Japan, please make a comment here in one of the two discussion threads on TakingITGlobal.

Learn more about how this disaster will put further pressure on deforestation in Borneo, and visit our DeforestAction project to help.

And to all Japanese TIG members, you and your loved ones are in our thoughts and in our hearts.

If you're concerned about someone you know in Japan, you can see if their status has been reported by them or someone they know via Google's Person Finder:

There is yet another tragedy unfolding on this planet. A tremendous earthquake has struck Japan, causing a massive Tsunami and a potential nuclear meltdown. Thousands have died, and hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. If you would like to help the people who have lost everything, please donate - Google's Crisis Response page has several recommended donation options with commission-free credit card donation options.



To learn more about the disaster, here are some insightful links:

Interactive photos of Japanese cities pre- and post-Tsunami

Continuing video coverage of the Japanese nuclear situation via BBC

Read first-hand accounts from students in Japan via the Student News Action Network: Survival Guilt and Earthquake in Japan: A Tokyo Experience

Explore the risk/benefit anlysis of nuclear power from Straight.com

Are all the donations making a difference? Gizmodo explores all those who have taken advantage of the worlds generosity in face of this disaster.

For Tweets about the Japanese disaster, try searching #Japan or #save_miyagi (use the translate link on the right)

To add your voice to those discussing Japan, please make a comment here in one of the two discussion threads on TakingITGlobal.

Learn more about how this disaster will put further pressure on deforestation in Borneo, and visit our DeforestAction project to help.

And to all Japanese TIG members, you and your loved ones are in our thoughts and in our hearts.

If you're concerned about someone you know in Japan, you can see if their status has been reported by them or someone they know via Google's Person Finder:

There is yet another tragedy unfolding on this planet. A tremendous earthquake has struck Japan, causing a massive Tsunami and a potential nuclear meltdown. Thousands have died, and hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. If you would like to help the people who have lost everything, please donate - Google's Crisis Response page has several recommended donation options with commission-free credit card donation options.



To learn more about the disaster, here are some insightful links:

Interactive photos of Japanese cities pre- and post-Tsunami

Continuing video coverage of the Japanese nuclear situation via BBC

Read first-hand accounts from students in Japan via the Student News Action Network: Survival Guilt and Earthquake in Japan: A Tokyo Experience

Explore the risk/benefit anlysis of nuclear power from Straight.com

Are all the donations making a difference? Gizmodo explores all those who have taken advantage of the worlds generosity in face of this disaster.

For Tweets about the Japanese disaster, try searching #Japan or #save_miyagi (use the translate link on the right)

To add your voice to those discussing Japan, please make a comment here in one of the two discussion threads on TakingITGlobal.

Learn more about how this disaster will put further pressure on deforestation in Borneo, and visit our DeforestAction project to help.

And to all Japanese TIG members, you and your loved ones are in our thoughts and in our hearts.

If you're concerned about someone you know in Japan, you can see if their status has been reported by them or someone they know via Google's Person Finder:

There is yet another tragedy unfolding on this planet. A tremendous earthquake has struck Japan, causing a massive Tsunami and a potential nuclear meltdown. Thousands have died, and hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. If you would like to help the people who have lost everything, please donate - Google's Crisis Response page has several recommended donation options with commission-free credit card donation options.



To learn more about the disaster, here are some insightful links:

Interactive photos of Japanese cities pre- and post-Tsunami

Continuing video coverage of the Japanese nuclear situation via BBC

Read first-hand accounts from students in Japan via the Student News Action Network: Survival Guilt and Earthquake in Japan: A Tokyo Experience

Explore the risk/benefit anlysis of nuclear power from Straight.com

Are all the donations making a difference? Gizmodo explores all those who have taken advantage of the worlds generosity in face of this disaster.

For Tweets about the Japanese disaster, try searching #Japan or #save_miyagi (use the translate link on the right)

To add your voice to those discussing Japan, please make a comment here in one of the two discussion threads on TakingITGlobal.

Learn more about how this disaster will put further pressure on deforestation in Borneo, and visit our DeforestAction project to help.

And to all Japanese TIG members, you and your loved ones are in our thoughts and in our hearts.

If you're concerned about someone you know in Japan, you can see if their status has been reported by them or someone they know via Google's Person Finder:

There is yet another tragedy unfolding on this planet. A tremendous earthquake has struck Japan, causing a massive Tsunami and a potential nuclear meltdown. Thousands have died, and hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. If you would like to help the people who have lost everything, please donate - Google's Crisis Response page has several recommended donation options with commission-free credit card donation options.



To learn more about the disaster, here are some insightful links:

Interactive photos of Japanese cities pre- and post-Tsunami

Continuing video coverage of the Japanese nuclear situation via BBC

Read first-hand accounts from students in Japan via the Student News Action Network: Survival Guilt and Earthquake in Japan: A Tokyo Experience

Explore the risk/benefit anlysis of nuclear power from Straight.com

Are all the donations making a difference? Gizmodo explores all those who have taken advantage of the worlds generosity in face of this disaster.

For Tweets about the Japanese disaster, try searching #Japan or #save_miyagi (use the translate link on the right)

To add your voice to those discussing Japan, please make a comment here in one of the two discussion threads on TakingITGlobal.

Learn more about how this disaster will put further pressure on deforestation in Borneo, and visit our DeforestAction project to help.

And to all Japanese TIG members, you and your loved ones are in our thoughts and in our hearts.

If you're concerned about someone you know in Japan, you can see if their status has been reported by them or someone they know via Google's Person Finder: