PART 11

FIGHTING TERROR WITHOT STRATEGIC THINKING, INTELLIGENCE AND PLANNING…TUKUR BURATAI & HIS “PENKELEMESI”

The Buratai’s Kangaroo strategy…A CALL TO ACTION AND A CHANGE OF STRATEGY AND TRAJECTORY

There comes a time in human history and civilization when a people or a nation having embarked on a venture, using the same method/approach/strategy/tactics time and again, achieving the same result of failure, when such a person, people or a nation should take a pause or simply punctuate their lives and allow a time for self-examination by asking themselves very reflectively such questions as: Why isn’t this thing working?

Why am I not achieving the desired results?

Could it be that the method is wrong?

Is the method right, except that I am applying it wrongly?

Is there anything that I’m supposed to do that I’m not doing?

Is something wrong with me/us?

What exactly is wrong with me/us, my/our method/strategy?

How can that same method still be adopted, but done differently to achieve a different and an effective result or desired?

But can I now fall back on an alternative possibility otherwise known and called Plan “B”?

But why did I have to wait until now to think of Plan “B” – the alternative strategy?

Hang on a minute: before embarking on this venture, did I have my Marshal Plan, Plan of Action, Action Plan, Blueprint, Business Plan and research of any type whatsoever?

If no, why not?

Couldn’t this have begun the starting point?

But why was I so foolish to the point of embarking on a journey without a compass, a road map, actual map, sat nav and binoculars, etc?

In another dimension or at another level, I mean THE NEXT LEVEL (aaaaaah…oi!), if I have worked this out, but failed to use or apply them, then the pertinent question at this juncture is: for how long will I continue to waste precious time, resources and energy, contextualizing this with respect to the subject matter – fighting terror, the precious time, energy and resources of the nation, particularly our boys being pushed irresponsibly and foolishly by their bloated-belly and contract-chasing non-war Generals (NWGs) into the line of fire without the needed terror training/tact/tactics/strategy, fighting equipment, the right accoutrements, logistics, only to be ambushed again and again and again and again by a mere band of, but very well equipped former street urchins - Almajiris turned terrorists!

I have over the years learnt that what the Nigerian people and the world generally, called common sense, is not common with everybody, then I should say simple sense.

Therefore, my simple sense should tell me over and over again that the fact that my men are being ambushed again and again and again shows that the enemies first and foremost, are within!

Also, the very frequent ambushment which has been taking the same pattern for nearly 15 years attests to the fact that something is very wrong with my strategy/method/approach, even though well cherished, albeit, ignorantly by me.

Even though this antediluvian and unreviewed method of mine has been fetching me the hanker-after pecuniary gains to fatten my bank accounts in Dubai and elsewhere at the expense of lives, properties and the nation, my conscience, and as devoid of patriotism and loyalty as I’m, should tell me that a change of strategy is needed.

Also, simple native integrity should command me to surrender, throwing my hands up to let my bosses or the Nigerian authorities or the Nigerian people know I’m not the right person to get this job done on behalf of the nation, her friends and the whole of humanity.

But if I’m very greedy and stupid enough to give up, since lives and the destiny of the nation and all persons of African ancestry are at stake, I should for conscience’s sake and by God, bin my monstrous arrogance and try to seek help, either internally or externally.

Again, if then I still have any modicum of conscience on the inside of me, a review, a change of tactic, tact, strategy and stocktaking are inevitable.

And now is the time, now is the hour and as William Shakespeare will help me out in this my hour of need on behalf of our Nigeria. W.S., wa kera ba la mi ge (Yala, meaning W.S. come and speak to me please):

There is a tide in the affairs of men,

Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.

Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat.

And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.

Kwenskwently, (consequently), I sure will now fall back on my Plan “B”.

But speaking generally and with respect to strategic national planning, and in tandem with modern reality, what is expected of any sane/serious nation is to formulate strategic national policies for every sector of the polity, the national economy and every facet of the national life, such as:

• Strategic defence policy;
• Strategic policing policy;
• Strategic agricultural policy;
• Strategic economic policy;
• Strategic health policy;
• Strategic foundry policy;
• Strategic engineering and technology policy;
• Strategic education policy;
• Strategic foreign relations policy;
• Strategic cultural policy;
• Strategic constitutional review policy, etc, etc.

Eventuating in, and backed by a corresponding strategic goal/objective/aims/visions/mission statements, etc.

• Examples:
• Strategic decision making – operational, administrative -
• Strategic implementation/execution;
• Strategic monitoring;
• Strategic review;
• Strategic logistics
• Strategic maintenance and refurbishment culture;
• Strategic procurement, etc.

And regarding fighting terror there should be:

STRATEGIC OPERATIONAL MASTER PLAN OF ACTION

PLAN “A”

• Strategic plan of action or action plan;
• Strategic summary of action plan/plan of action;
• Strategic Operational Executive Summary (for Mr President);
• Strategic implementation/Execution;
• Strategic monitoring;
• Strategic review;
• Strategic Operational Logistics;
• Strategic Operational Intelligence;
• Strategic Alternative Possibility (PLAN “B”);
• Strategic mapping;
• Strategic zoning;
• Strategic supervision;
• Strategic monitoring mechanism;
• Strategic feedback;
• Strategic proactiveness;
• Strategic response;
• Strategic deployment of troops
• Strategic composition of troops to reflect Federal Character;
• Strategic composition of security chiefs to reflect Federal Character;
• Strategic rotation of Field Commanders/Field heads;
• Strategic informants;
• Strategic embedding;
• Strategic recruitment;
• Strategic surveillance;
• Strategic national terror and allied data;
• Strategic meetings with Commando members;
• Strategic daily or weekly reports to the C-in-C;
• Strategic meetings with the C-in-C – twice in a week (Mondays and Fridays);
• Strategic field visits by the C-in-C, COAS, CDS, VP, Minister of Defence, Senate President, Speaker, HoR, Opposition leader – this should be separately done.
• Strategic quarterly briefing by the Commando Coordinator to the Apex Assembly;
• Strategic monthly press briefing about the state of the operations, funding, stewardship and other problems;
• Strategic psychological warfare;
• Strategic informant recruitment;
• Regular strategic raids of palaces, mosques, house to house, hotels, motels, travel lodges, barracks, vehicles, cemeteries/graveyards, markets, state houses, campuses, hostels, college and universities laboratories, etc;
• Strategic stop and search on all persons, all types of vehicles including hearse, buses carrying ‘corpses’ and coffins, official cars, tricycles, bikes/bicycles, goods vans, luxury buses, church ‘buses’;
• Strategic checks on public, companies, private and café computers, etc.
• Strategic border patrol (I have been drawing the attention of the nation and the Nigerian authorities since the 1990s to the porosity of our national/international borders, both in the North and South. International terrorists are having free entry on daily basis, guns are being brought in, in containers, in bags of rice, beans, in coffins, in ambulances, in Goods and Owners vans, in official cars – the security personnel in all national borders are simply useless and have been involved in untold unNigerian loyalty, allowing in containers, all the afore-mentioned and many more without checking them, but collecting bribes from the owners. This is Christmas period, these are elections periods, security agencies have to wake up to their responsibilities and be patriotic for once. It must be told to all those currently engaged in unNigerian loyalty that they have blood in their hands. The Nigeria Border Patrol Force (NBPF), distinct from the thoroughly useless Custom and Excise, whose statutory responsibility will be to patrol the nation’s borders night and day, 24/7 must be created immediately.
• Strategic international partnership. But when will the security chiefs in Nigeria crisscross the world for a cross-pollination of ideas with their counterparts across the globe? This is what patriotic security chiefs the world over do on behalf of their countries as no country is an island and there is not such a country as a KNOW-ALL country in all aspects of human life. Therefore, Nigerian security chiefs and personnel generally, should stop chasing contracts and LPOs and go out there and woo friends for Nigeria.

All these strategies must pass the JOHN ADUMA 8W+H INTELLIGENCE GATHERING TESTS (JAIGTs) when so applied, including attacks from and by the enemies, in this wise, terrorists, and their operational, financing, recruitment strategies.

Here are the JAIGTs:

• Who
• When
• Where
• Why
• What
• Which
• Whom
• Whose
• How

It is therefore, not about merry-go-round, moving from Chad to Niger, Cameroon in the name of endless summits or consultations. This is simply exposing the nation’s weakness, helplessness, idiocy, zero intelligence gathering and the absence of strategic defence policy.

The COAS or any other security chiefs can be asked to relocate to Sambisa forest or Dubai or the Presidency, but without the needed intelligence, right equipment, not the current outdated and refurbished equipment from Western nation’s junkyards, terrorism in Nigeria cannot be thus defeated, but will last till eternity.

Buratai is in a pub kissing Abubakar Shekau and the leaders of the other terror groups, whilst they are biting his tongue very hard.

I cannot believe that a band of miscreant can hold the erstwhile giant of Africa to ransom for upward of 15 years, except for the inherent politics, treachery, monkey tricks which are fattening these traitors’ private accounts in Dubai and elsewhere, whilst the Caliphate delusionists, which abound in palaces, state houses, local government council areas, the Presidency, in the nation’s civil service in collusion with the Arabs and the Muslim Ummah worldwide keep expanding their territories by wiping off Christian communities that Uthman Dan Fodio could not conquer between 1804-1809. So, who is deceiving whom?

So, what then is it about?

• Intelligence;
• Intelligence;
• Intelligence;
• Intelligence;
• Intelligence;
• Intelligence;
• Intelligence!

ANALYSIS OF ATTACKS AND SOURCES OF SUPPLY

Here again, the JOHN ADUMA INTELLIGENCE GATHERING TESTS – 8W+H are needed for an informed/insightful decision making and strategic execution.

INTELLIGENCE

Sources of Supply, e.g:

• Recruitment;
• Weapons
• Food;
• Uniforms;
• Informants;
• Intermediaries;
• Logistics;
• Sympathisers;
• Fuel;
• Equipment;
• Accoutrements;
• Nursery/seedbeds for grooming;
• Foot soldiers;
• Powerful traditional rulers;
• Local traditional rulers/district heads/lawanis/sarikis
• Mosques;
• Universities;
• Countries;
• Laboratories;
• Universities Laboratories;
• Contractors;
• The so-called mediators;
• Procurers/Purchasers
• Locals;
• Hunters;
• Drivers;
• Spies;
• Students;
• Journalists;
• Girls;
• Girlfriends of terrorists;
• Boys/friends of terrorists;
• Lecturers;
• Hisbah officials;
• Palaces generally;
• Some security chiefs;
• Foreign embassies, mostly from the East/Mediterranean;
• Over 250 Sunni radical Islamist groups, including the so-called Islamic foundations engage in unNigerian loyalty, not just Shi’ites;
• Hotels/restaurants/shops/stores/supermarkets owned by persons from the Gulf States – UAE, Asians, the Mediterraneans and such others from all the OIC-D8/Islamic States and world – Muslim Ummah generally;
• Federal Secretariat, Abuja, State Houses, etc.

FINANCIERS

Here too, JAIGTs is also to be applied:

• Gulf States – UAE + Other Islamic nations, etc;
• Charities/Islamic and Individual Foundations;
• Radical Muslims groups/associations/societies – over 250;
• Politicians;
• Traditional rulers;
• Individuals;
• Business people;
• Civil servants – serving retired;
• Other Sympathisers, etc.
• Some retired Generals/Police Officers, etc.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS – A CALL TO ACTION

• Intelligence;
• Intelligence;

• Intelligence.

 

OPERATIONAL MODUS OPERANDI

Current method is Kangaroo, hence the terrorists have the upper hand plus their being more well trained, more organised, more well equipped than the International Task Force, where Nigerian side is using abandoned/refurbished and old equipment picked from the Western nations’ arsenal junkyards.

A CHANGE OF STRATEGY NEEDED

Tiger-fox Approach:

• Proactive Approach;
• Proactive Approach;
• Proactive Approach.
• Eternal vigilance;
• Eternal vigilance;
• Eternal vigilance.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP – LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL

Strategic partnership should aim at having informants in all LIKELY AND UNLIKELY places, both within and without –

• Mosques;
• Churches;
• Rugas;
• Market places;
• Almajiris;
• Public and private offices;
• Drivers, conductors and other garage or motor park workers;
• Schools, colleges, the universities and other institutions of learning;
• Shop workers;
• Food vendors;
• Mai tea;
• Mai namas;
• Mai kasuwas;
• Cyclists;
• State Houses;
• Police stations;
• Police and military barracks;
• Farmers;
• Hunters;
• Traders;
• Unionists;
• Workers;
• Politicians;
• The so-called Nigeria Army – officers and ranks who in every way non-committal, having the lowest morale in the world, who too like the previous generations of officers and men are looking forward to wealth without sweating/working like Danjuma, Obasanjo, Buba Marwa, Buratai and other billionaire Generals having wealth for which they did not sweat or work! In sane nations when people retire from service they go and rest and enjoy their retirement quietly and peacefully, not in Nigeria, where people retire only to relocate their homes to public offices and spaces.
• This greed and the delusion of indispensability by the locust elites or ruining elites (ruling elites) explain the reason for the endemic and entrenched militocracy in that nation since 1983.
• It is only in Africa and in Asia that you have military and police Generals and the civils servants retiring from ‘service’ as billionaires.
• Ex-military and police personnel – the Nigeria Legion.
• Mama Put;
• Canteens;
• Hotels/motels/restaurants;
• Petrol stations (where from and how did the terrorists normally get their fuel;
• Tanker/trailer/lorry/tipper/van/chauffeurs drivers;
• Union leaders;
• Associations;
• Teenagers/students;
• Young adults;
• Clerics/religious leaders;

TERRORISM: A PROBLEM OF DEFINITION

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT.

A HINDOO FABLE.

I.

 

*IT was six men of Indostan To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant (Though all of them were blind), That each by observation Might satisfy his mind.

II.

 

The First approached the Elephant, And happening to fall Against his broad and sturdy side, At once began to bawl: "God bless me!—but the Elephant Is very like a wall!"

III.

 

The Second, feeling of the tusk, Cried: "Ho!—what have we here So very round and smooth and sharp? To me 't is mighty clear This wonder of an Elephant Is very like a spear!"

IV.

 

The Third approached the animal, And happening to take The squirming trunk within his hands, Thus boldly up and spake:

"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant Is very like a snake!"

V.

 

The Fourth reached out his eager hand, And felt about the knee. "What most this wondrous beast is like Is mighty plain," quoth he; "'T is clear enough the Elephant Is very like a tree!"

VI.

 

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said: "E'en the blindest man Can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an Elephant Is very like a fan!"

VII.

 

The Sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope, Than, seizing on the swinging tail That fell within his scope, "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant Is very like a rope!"

VIII.

 

And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, And all were in the wrong!

 

MORAL.

 

So, oft in theologic wars The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an Elephant Not one of them has seen!

• The poems of John Godfrey Saxe  (1872)  by John Godfrey Saxe

 

 

A major reason why terrorism/fundamentalism has not been defeated across centuries stems from the fact that since these centuries there has not been any generally and internationally acceptable definition of this bestial ideology, hence all concerned look at terrorism/fundamentalism/Islamism from their own point of view, just as the six blind men of Hindustan as the poem above shows interpreted the elephant based on their individual sense knowledge about the tetrarch of the jungle – how they each felt it, under the context, I would say from their own world view!

Unarguably, the Nigerian governments, especially under the SECOND NATION or AMALGAMATED CITIZENS - the Fulbes, particularly who are quick to label tribal militias in the South such as OPC, MASSOB, BIM, MEND, Avengers, the parrot’s hunters, Agbekoya, etc, as terrorists, do often develop cold feet when it comes to all the terrorists groups in the North of the country such as Boko Haram, Ansaru, ISWA, the Fulani herders, even the Janjaweed and other terrorist groups - Alqaeda in the Maghreb that have been collaborating with their own terrorist organizations (the Fulbes, the Hausas, the Kanuris, the semi-Arabs and the Arabs) to kill maim and destroy, only to resort to labelling them as mere insurgents; and their dastardly arts seen not as religiously or ideologically motivated, but rather economically and absurdly, politically motivated.

Pray, if you have an ailment and you are not able to be honest with your GP by at least giving an accurate description of such an ailment/sickness to enable them to arrive at a conclusion as to its name and cause/s, how will they be able to diagnose and come up with the right prescription and subsequent medication?

Herein, lies the reason why terrorism/Islamism in Nigeria is sure to be with that nation for a very, very long time, in addition to the lack of sincerity in fighting terrorism/Islamism in Nigeria, especially from the Fulbes, Hausas, the Kanuris and the Arab financiers of terrorist activities in Nigeria as they see the activities of these monsters as serving the cause of Islam in Nigeria, and more, as a money making machine – CASH COW, just as the cabal see Muhammadu Buhari as their best cash cow ever, bringing them money as if from Kulifindu Mountain in D.W. Gwengwe’s Sulizo Achieves Greatness!

On the problem of definition, whilst the rest of the world see Islamism and extremism as terrorism, all jihadists/Islamists and most Muslims the world over, see these bestiality and monstrosity as martyrdom and their perpetrators, martyrs.

THE NEXT PRESIDENT MUST DISBAND AND RECONSTITUTE THE JOINT TASK FORCE ON TERROR AND SHOW COMMITMENT AND SINCERETY

Rename the Joint Task Force on terror to: COUNTER TERROR COMMANDO.

All the current security chiefs are nothing but traitors engaged in unNigerian loyalty, hence thoroughly useless and therefore, must be ridden of their posts, with a view to making the national security architecture and apparatus representative, including coming up with a new national policy on strategic defence and policing in a multicultural, multi-lingual State, such as Nigeria.

The so-called Civilian Task Force must equally be disbanded, and its members absorbed into the National Counter Terror Squad (NCTS), in addition to having the ECOWAS CONTER TERROR SQUAD and continentally speaking, the Africa Counter Terror Squad, which I had suggested since 2012.

The nation must bring all its terror fighting equipment to international standards, the sight of seeing the Nigerian Counter Terrorists Commando members pushing armoured tanks whenever they are going on operations is very ugly and embarrassing – as a people, we can do better.

It is not lost on this writer that Boko Harams informant are amongst the rank and file of the national counter terror squad, some clerics, Almajiris, from whose constituency the terrorists actually recruit; the locals, district heads, community leaders, the mosques, palaces, some journalists, lecturers in Universities up North, some civil servants and politicians blindly sympathetic to the terrorists/Islamists cause/s, some members of the Oligarchic class, otherwise known now as cabal, some Fulbe/Hausa/Kanuri and semi-Arab elites, etc.

This being the case, it will be my candid advice that during all operations, members of the COUNTER TERROR COMMANDO (CTC) must, excepting official radio for communications, have their mobile phones taken from them – and they must never even have access to their mobile phones whilst they are serving the nation as counter-terrorists – and their phones having been taken from them, must be securely labelled with their names and kept at the Commando Headquarters Office.

However, they must each be given time/period in which they will go to the Headquarters to use the official landlines to be in touch with their loved ones, say a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 30 minutes.

The operation should be so organised such that a member of the Commando can serves between one month to three months and return to be with their families for upward of three months and afterwards return to the battle field.

The Commando members must be remunerated to international standards with insurance for each of them fully covered, including their family members in the event of any unlikely untowardness.

And finally, there must all be treated with dignity, and in the event of any eventually or untowardness, be given a befitting burial of a hero/heroine.

The next President must merge the Nigeria Customs and Excise and the Nigeria Immigration Services together form THE NIGERIA BORDER PATROL (AND MANAGEMENT) FORCE (NBPF).

Yello Fever – the Traffic Police and Road Safety must be merged together to form THE NIGERIA TRANSPORT POLICE (NTP) under the Inspector General of Police, who should now be known and called either as the Chief Police Commissioner of the Federation (CPCF) or the Chief Constable of the Federation (CCF), whilst two Police Heads are appointed at States Level to be known and called Crime Commissioner of the Police (CCP) or State Crime Commissioner of Police, solely in charge of crimes in a given State, whilst the State Commissioner of Police (SCP) or the State Chief Constable (SCC) will be the overall head of the police in each State in charge of Administration and Logistics in that State.

Finally, the Nigeria Civil Defence Corp should be changed to Community or Neighbourhood Police, and both the Police, the Nigerian Border Force must be under the Interior Minister.

All those retired Generals heading various Ministries in Nigeria who have been talking of arming the security guards under them must bury that idea, our national slogan must be: IT’S ALL ABOUT NIGERIA and not the individuals, to boost their egos – and where ordinary security guards under these ego maniacs have been so armed, they must be disarmed immediately.

Once again, the next Government must by an Act of the Apex Legislative Assembly establish the Nigeria Security Industry Authority (NSIA), the equivalent of the Security Industry Authority of Great Britain (SIA) to upgrade the status of the private licenced security outfits to enable them take over the works of all the police who are currently not performing their FRONTLINE statutory duties, but are attached to the so-called big men and women, politicians, companies, traditional rulers, multinational companies, etc – those multinational companies having the Nigeria Police guarding their premises and homes MUST stop the practice immediately as it is not so done in their home countries – rather the practice in the West and in all serious nations is, the private licenced security operatives/guards/officers are so engaged, and not the police.

Legislators of all hues and the Chair People of the Local Government Councils are the people’s representatives and are not and shouldn’t be entitled to having the national police attached to them as their body guards – not any so-called big men and women must be so entitled to having the national police officers attached to them as their body guards or protocol officers.

The nation must develop its private security industry such that these idiots bloating and ballooning themselves into that nasty piece of creation, which Nigerians refer to as big men and women can go and hire as many security guards that they will like to indulge themselves with, so that all the police now guarding private individuals must be withdrawn immediately.

No nation must so treat its police thus, for the police of any nation are its national officers and not that of the individuals!

The police are not established for the sakes of the individual egos – to boost, massage such egos, but to fight crimes, and fight crimes they must henceforth, especially under the new dispensation - even the in-coming Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

OF COBWEB LYING, THE ABSURDITY OF THE ABSURD IN THE AGE OF POST TRUTH, POST DECENCY, POST-INTEGRITY AND FAKE NEWS

Please refer:

President Buhari, WAEC and PDP’s toxic air – Garba Shehu

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/president-buhari-waec-and-pdps-toxic-air-garba-shehu/. Accessed: 03/10/2018.

GOD EXPECTS…

Since the events leading to the eve of the nation’s independence, elections included, elections times in Nigeria have always plunged the nation into a feverish state, consequent upon periods of unspeakable inflameability, as politicians past and present would out of mischief go out of their way to heat up the polity for pecuniary gains, self-glory and personal aggrandizement, after having sent their families abroad.

Therefore, in these times of national emergency when the “deep of night is crept upon us” already, I consider it as part of my national duty to sound the trumpet, summoning all Nigerians to the table of brotherhood once more, as to talk-talk brings us together, whilst anger, bitterness hatred of/for one another, one another’s religion and exhumation of tribal and primordial prejudices, ethnicity, regionalism, nepotism, favouritism, hereditary privilege, corruption, religiosity, high wire political partisanship and careless talks are the very weapons in the hands of all those engaged in unNigerian loyalty to put us asunder, and afterwards blast us into shreds with their MOABs (Mother of All Bombs).

As this is the only house God has given to all Nigerians to call their own, even THE HOUSE OF NIGERIA in which He expects them to make it a home, first for themselves, their children and their children’s children unto the children of the coming generations of Nigerians, and all their friends in all of the nations of the earth and all of humanity and subsequently, become the city set on a hill such that all of humanity cannot afford to ignore.

Yes, God expects us to stay here; remain here; live here; work here; love one another here; not bearing grudges against one another here and be full of resentment towards one another here, but learn to forgive one another here, allowing us to disagree to agree; live here in peace that surpasses all understanding; share the superabundance of this land, yea a land still flowing with milk and honey – based on the principles of egalitarianism; trained up here; develop and grow up here; prosper here; be blessed and prosper here and share in the superabundance of the land here, and live in peace with one another here; experience and enjoy the peace of God that surpasses all understanding here.

Yes, God expects, but please LET US MAKE NIGERIA ONE AGAIN.

And the best way to go about this is: Let us sit down together at the table of brotherhood to talk and forget about our differences, and then reason together to understand our differences.

As a matter of fact, two of the nation’s founding fathers had at one time or another counselled: “…let us forget our differences (Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe), and Ahmadu Bello countered: “…No. Let us understand our differences.”

NIGERIA EXPECTS

Whilst God expects all Nigerians to do their utmost to serve Him and their nation with all their hearts and with all their might, rendering services not as serving man, but God; Nigeria expects all of her children to give their vertical services to God and God alone, whilst the horizontal services of every Nigerian severally to be rendered to first, the LEAST OF THESE ONES, then to their neighbours, their compatriots, to their nation, to the nations and all of humanity.

LET US SING

Let There Be Love

Let there be love shared among us Let there be love in our eyes May now Your love sweep this nation Cause us, O Lord, to arise Give us a fresh understanding Of brotherly love that is real Let there be love shared among us Let there be love

 

• Dave Bilbrough

Finally, as we course the earth in this our national odyssey and with 2019 lieth nigh before us in the other side Jordan, let us together sing THE SONG OF NIGERIA:

SONG OF NIGERIA: NIGERIA WILL RULE THE WORLD

                                     BY

                      JOHN ODEY ADUMA

 

Nigeria, great country, destined to rule the world

There’s no nation in the world as great as our Nigeria

With God, this Nigeria, God’s own beloved nation will rule the world

Yes, Nigeria, God’s own beloved nation, shall someday rule the world

God, Creator of the Heavens and the Earth

Help us to live together as one, brothers and sisters

Accepting one another in spite of our differences

Understanding and forgetting such differences

And working together side by side with our children

To build a strong and virile nation where in our diversity

Every citizen is treated equally and fairly.

God of Nigeria, give to all those to whom you have entrusted

The task of governing Nigeria to govern well in a manner that will glorify you

Give them the grace not to think highly of themselves,

But to in their entrusted little corners think of themselves as servant- leaders;

O God of Nigeria, give our leaders the grace to be selfless and patriotic;

Give them wisdom and hearts large enough to love and serve all;

Keep them away from greed and corruption,

So that instead of asking, “What’s in it for me?”

They will ask, “What’s in it for all of us?”

Give them the grace to in judgement be impartial, remembering the poor in our midst;

Showing no respect to persons, but acknowledging you always as the God of Nigeria who has placed them in authority over us;

Give them the wisdom to be broad and whole in thinking

And let them embrace strategic thinking and shift away from oil and genuinely diversify the economy

O God of Nigeria, implant in the heart, mind, spirit,

Soul and body of every Nigerian love for each other,

Respect for each other in an atmosphere of peace

Surpassing all understanding and having respect for one another’s faith Without recourse to religious bigotry in dealing with one another

On daily basis in word and in deed;

Let this spirit of love permeate every fabric of our society

So that whether in the North, South, East or West of our country

We shall in peace and harmony live together

In a country where there’s no North, no South, but one Nigeria;

In a country where there is no division as to ethnic nationality, but one Nigeria;

In a country where there’s no division as to indigineship, settlership, but citizenship only;

Where all Nigerians are citizens of one great and indissoluble country,

Having one mission, vision, one dream, one purpose, one destiny with one commonality

As one people, set to take over the world in all things-politics, science, innovations, technology, sports, agriculture, cultures, standard of living, social welfare and per capita income, etc.

Help us to build a nation where no one will be persecuted, killed for embracing or belonging to a Faith;

Give us the spirit as a people to strive for excellence, competitive performance instead of the usual recourse to hereditary privilege;

Help us to do God and not religion, church or mosque,

O God of Nigeria, give us the wisdom, courage to bring up

Our children in the fear and nurture of you;

Give them and the coming generations the grace not to give up on Nigeria;

But that they should act their own part in the rebuilding of Nigeria,

Never to be bitter, but be sufficiently angry

to challenge the status quo, committed, loyal and patriotic

And when they shall ask us in this national Odyssey,

“Are we nearly there?”

Let us then respond with love and inspiring words that

“We are not nearly there yet, but on our way

And we shall arrive very soon on eagle’s wings.”

Yes, we shall soon arrive on eagle’s wings

And some day our Nigeria will rule the world

Again we sing the song of Nigeria in unison:

Nigeria will rule the world!

JOHN ODEY ADUMA

      British Chevening Scholar                

EVERYONE OF US SHALL GIVE TO NIGERIA AND THE WORLD ONLY WHAT THEY EACH HAVE AND NOT WHAT THEY DO NOT HAVE

•  

“The apostle Paul wrote to the evangelist Timothy, Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).”

 

*The poem above which has remained a great influence in the Author as an international scholar, journalist and a philosopher was first introduced to the Author at age 11 by his great mentor and Primary School Teacher, alongside other members of their class in 1974 by Mr Christopher Odey Okobo Aduma at St Gabriel’s Primary School Ebo Ipuole in the present Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Mr Aduma, an ex-Senior Seminarian of Ezamgbo, Abakaliki was a great influence in the Author’s life, encouraging him to be ambitious and to dream big.

And he went beyond the call of duty in preparing that young, very brilliant, ambitious and precocious teenager. As an ex-Senior Seminarian, Mr C.O. Aduma taught the Author’s Class, the Elementary Six a lot of Latin words and phrases which even though he has never learnt Latin, has continued to enrich his writings.

Amongst such Latin words/phrases the Author proudly uses today are: “Nemo potest dare quod non habet. You can't give what you do not have.”

But how does that Latin all time truism given to all Catholic Priests and Priests in-training apply to Mujahid Muhammadu Buhari in the governance of Nigeria?

My candid response is Mr Buhari couldn’t have given to Nigeria what he did not have and not have so done, hence he has since he came to public limelight, first as Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources (1976-1978) and later as a military Head of State, 1983-1985) and since the 29^th of May, 2015 been given to Nigerians what he has – jihad, dictatorship, injustices and unparalleled tyranny.

As a former disciple of Muhammadu Buhari, I would say Nigerians did not know anything about the headline and fake myth Buhari, no wonder they expected too much from him. At the end of the day, Mallam Buhari is not to blame, but Nigerians who are all guilty of OVER EXPECTATION.

And whoever the next Nigerian President will be, Nigerians MUST discipline their expectations of him to such a person’s intellectual capacity, endowment and world view in line with the above Latin dictum.

What is more, many will interpret and describe the next President just the same way as the six blind men of Hindustan had done the elephant.

The other Latin expression which C.O. as he was fondly referred to by all his admirers is: Mea culpa mea culpa mea maxima culpa – “Through my fault, though my fault; through my most grievous fault”, which we boys used to use during every weekly confession when this writer was a teenager-Catholic.

An acknowledgement of one’s fault – accepting that you are wrong, when in fact, you are wrong, instead of spinning continuous cobweb of lies like Liars Lai Mohammed, Muhammadu Buhari, all his aides, including the Pastor Vice President given to Nigerians by Enoch Adejare Adeboye, Oluliar Osinbajo and all the APC crooks and fraudsters.

Therefore, can the next President and his team, TELL IT LIKE IT IS, the truth, the whole truth and nothing, but the truth, beyond every shadow of doubt to their fellow country men and women, friends of Nigeria and the entire world and all of humanity, for did not Mr Aduma use to tell us boys and girls: TELL THE TRUTH AND SHAME THE DEVIL?

 

 

Yours in the service of God, our nation and humanity,

 

ODEY OKABO OBOYA ADUMA

ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM.

 

** *The Voice of One crying from the Diaspora…proudly leading the NATIONALISTS UNITY MOVEMENT OF NIGERIA (NUMON).

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Odey Aduma was formerly Executive Secretary, Foundry Association of Nigeria; Southern Coordinator and the Public Affairs Manager of President Muhammadu Buhari's pastoralists NGO - THE PASTORAL RESOLVE; Chairman, Editorial Board of the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc; member, National Committee for the Nigerian Youth Festival, 1993; member, core Committee of the National Technology Summit and was the Summit's chairman for two of its sub-committees - Publicity and Exhibition, 1998; member of the Administrative Panel of Inquiry set up by President Olusegun Obasanjo to investigate the illegal trade in and smuggling of endangered species of wild fauna and flora into and out of Nigeria, 2003.

He was the Chairman, Planning Committee of the General Murtala Muhammed Memorial Lecture for two consecutive years, 2001 and 2002 before it attained a Foundation status in 2002, having first been upgraded to that status in 2001.

General Murtala Muhammed was one of Nigeria's former Heads of State and was killed in the abortive coup led by the then Colonel Buka Suka Dimka on February 13, 1976.

That same capacity saw Mr Aduma delivering huge successes during the Daily Times of Nigeria's 75th Anniversary (in which he raked in N6, 000, 000 into the coffers of the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc) and also, playing a similar role in a similar capacity during Dr Isma'il Babatunde Jose's 75th Birth Day. Dr Jose, doyen of Nigerian journalism was Mr Aduma's personal mentor. That relationship was so close and solid such that whilst Aduma was leaving the shores of Nigeria for Britain in 2003, Dr Jose gave him N10, 000.00.

In 1992, Mr Aduma's contributions to journalism was recognised with the awards of the Nigeria Media Merit Award as the Investigative Reporter of the Year and the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence as the Reporter of the Year, and the British Chevening Scholarship, which saw him studying International Journalism with Specialism in Environment at City, University of London in 2003-2004.

Aduma is the author of the inspirational best-seller, THE DIAMONDS ARE HERE and the founder of Vigilance, the World's Leading Security Magazine and Scorpion News Corp, in addition to founding the Nationalists Unity Movement of Nigeria (NUMON).

He is also, involved in professional mentoring at Post Graduate level in the City, University of London’s Post Graduate Professional Mentoring Strand.