BUHARI AND THE LEGISLATORS MUST DANCE NAKED IN THE PUBLIC;"The Criminality of the Constitution that Allows Legislators to Earn so Much out of an Economy Wallowing in Penury"

Nigerians are not interested in your naked body, but are interested in how transparent and selfless your service will be after the exercise under the scorching sun at the polling booths favoured all the legislators. A cogent question to be asked is; Why is the salary and allowances of the lawmakers are so much at variance to the GDP ( Gross Domestic Product) of the nation, as some workers are not paid or less paid? The absentia of working social amenities and enjoyment of fat and seemingly illegal salaries and allowances by lawmakers are spotted as loopholes in the Nigerian way of leadership which is back tracking the development of the country, and these are the reasons for looking into the following.

Nigeria has a population of over 180 million people. Out of this 180 million, over 120 million now live below poverty line. This means that about 66% of the population of Nigerians live below poverty line......& this is a country that claims to be THE GIANT OF AFRICA!?!?!? This is the deplorable situation we find ourselves due to decades of gross mismanagement and pillaging of our resources by our so-called leaders. In the past forty-five years, countries like Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea, who were not as developed as Nigeria in the 1960s have vastly developed because of visionary leaderships that drove their nations. These countries are flourishing in their economy, maximising their GDP by spending it on institutions, being less corrupt and diverting their religiousity to boom their economy by not using it as an excuse to remain stagnant. The twisted irony is that of a rich father with poor children: He invested the money he should have used to develop his own family on other families' growth and expects a good reaction from those families. Those other families can only see such a father as a fool, and they continue to flourish with their members as the foolish father faces the wrath of abuses and witch haunting by his children. This is the analogy of most of our so-called leaders in the past 40 years, particularly in the past 25 years. These stolen monies are used to develop the economies of the countries where these monies are kept. If these monies have been invested in Nigeria, it would have greatly helped the growth and advancement of the country.


Reuben Abati says in a piece titled 'Nobody Comes to Abuja to Read' that; "Ideas drive and build nations. A country without a positive and deep current of thought is bound to run into crisis" as we see in Nigeria's economy today. " So it is with Nigeria where the leaders only become animated when they want to share money or  play partisan politics..... Try and compare the cabinet list in Singapore with that of Nigeria, for example. The difference is clear. The message is clear. The answer lies in a re-configuration of the leadership recruitment process and the vigilance of civil society insisting on higher values".

We have a prevalent situation where our legislators refuse to study how their counterparts in other flourishing countries administer their law making that helps to promote consistent growth and advancement. Our Nigerian lawmakers are content with the part of the constitution that allows & affords them fat bank accounts and living lavishly in the midst of socio-economic crisis; they refuse to make it possible to change the aspect of the constitution that will slash their salaries & allowances but they are more than happy to debate and amend 'Social Media Bill' that will restrict freedom of information because the restriction of such information will suit them and allow them to carry out their nefarious acts that the flawed constitution allows. The 'clan based approach' in recruitment exercises has crippled most sectors of the economy. This has led to 'brain drain' whereby most of our capable citizens have had to migrate to foreign countries where their skills & know how are appreciated, to be used for the development of their host countries. This brain drain is a massive challenge for the present Buhari government who needs competent Nigerians to help the country out of this period of crisis"

Singapore's economy has been ranked as the most open in the world, 7th least corrupt, most pro-business, with low tax rates and has the third highest per-capita GDP in the world in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). The lesson derived from this is that the Rome of Singapore was not built in a day, and the parliamentarians there have worked so hard to gain this record. Nigeria's economy is not to be run like the personal affairs of a select few who want to subject the masses to a state of fiefdom with their feudal mentality. Nigeria is meant to be run in a business-like manner by great, thoughtful visionary leaders whose handiwork would manifest the dividends of a well run state. Nigerians should uncompromisingly demand for a leadership with the political will to sanction those political office holders who fall below expectations.

Electorates should no longer be subjected to the politics of 'stomach infrastructure' whereby those, who should hold the persons seeking political power to account, are reduced to the status of beggars.

Nigerians NOW demand an enabling, business-friendly environment where myriad taxes & rates levies won't cripple budding businesses or organisations that want to contribute to the socio-economic advancement of the nation. Most start-up businesses are crushed by the draconian levies by local, state and federal governments; there are no tax moratorium given that would give these businesses a breathing space to develop. THIS MUST BE ADDRESSED FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMON MAN WHO GENUINELY WANTS TO MAKE HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIA!!!

The citizens want to see the allowances & salaries of the legislators to be commensurate to the GDP of the country. In other countries in the world, their constitutions does NOT allow their legislators to earn outrageously more than the level of their GDPs dictate. I make bold to claim that our legislators at the National Assembly make more than 1000% of the GDP of our nation. It is evidently clear that most of our people seeking political office are ready, willing & able to commit all sorts of heinous atrocities to gain power purely because of the financial & material gains they are targeting to achieve, not because of the nobility of service to the nation. Examples abound of so many people who got into politics and have acquired stupendous wealth overnight whilst their constituents, who they claim they want to serve, still wallow is poverty and nothing to show as the dividends of democracy.

WHAT DO I REGARD AS SECRETS?

What is your little secret? We all have little secrets that we don't know how to share with our bossom friends, parents, siblings, spouse, and anyone close to us. We often feel that the day we pour our hearts out to them, we start to experience insecurity, the fear that one day, what we call secret will soon be known by all.

Imam Ali quotes; " Nobody can guard your secrets better than you, so do not blame anyone for revealing your secrets, because you could not hide them yourself.  Your secret is your prisoner, which if let loose it will make you its prisoner". What are the things we regard as secrets? Some take their romantic moments as secrets, some their health challenges, in some contexts, mistakes made, others, challenges faced. Research shows that 90% of people with secrets are more careful in the aspect or area that forms the lump of secrets they carry about.

In other news, most people do not know that some things they guard as secrets are not meant to be treated as one, but the things that are meant to be the way they are, for example; regarding the style or positions your spouse do in bed as a secret is outrightly wrong. It isn't a secret, but what is meant to be between a couple. A murderer has a lot of secrets to keep, an armed robber and liars have so many secrets to keep, but your health challenge shouldn't be a secret, because it might end your living even while there is a cure.

A murderer, an armed robber, liar, looter can get choked up with secrets, but some issues are best treated as challenges which you can divulge to people who you feel have solutions to such challenges or better still look up to God. Another kind of secret is; secret affair, dating someone with the intention of hiding the relationship from others. A relationship that is not meant to be known by all is not worth keeping in the first place. Irrespective of what we categorise as secrets, what is meant to be hidden is not worth venturing into in the first place, and this is the reason why we have to live freely without any burden of secret because no one can keep a secret, and one day, you will have to let it go either to a trustworthy or untrustworthy fella.

Nigeria is Getting Hotter, Global Warming at its Peak (Will You Relocate or Do The Needful?)

Aliya Haq says, "There is no other way, if it doesn't start with people." What starts with people? Healing the planet starts with you, in your garage, in your kitchen, and at your dining~room table (Melissa Denchak). A Nigerian citizen once shouted beside me as we were waiting for the arrival of public transport, "Oh this country is getting uninhabitable, I feel I should be in the United Kingdom", and unconsciously the little smile spread all over my face.

Little do we know that we are the agents that caused the depletion of the ozone layer, hence the experience of global warming in this 21st century. Our activities in our homes and beyond have formed the balls that roll over the earth which suddenly caused the atmospheric condition we experience. Global warming and climate change are terms used for the observed century- scale rise in the average temperature of the earth's climate system and its related effect and there are different causes as well as proposed ways to reduce the infliction of this new generation menace.

What are the major causes of global warming? Carbon dioxide emissions is regarded to be the major cause and enemy of the climate, and it is released through coal, oil, and other fossil fuels which are burned for energy. The energy in form of electricity used to power our cooking appliances, charge our smartphones, fumes from cars, energy from air planes and so on. All these and many more are the enjoyed luxuries that cause injury to our planet which most people especially the urban dwellers are not aware of, since they are the people who enjoy most of the new generation technologies. All these cause a high sea level, higher wild life extinction rates, more frequent and severe weather, dirtier air, warming of the ocean surface leading to increased temperature.

How do we save our "Earth"? In actual fact, we can relocate to some countries that are still enjoying good atmospheric condition, especially during winter, but we cannot relocate to other planets when our ignorant activities continue to destroy the countries we regard as still habitable and the result is seen during summer. Some of the things we need to do to save the earth are;

*A need to change to renewable energy. When more than half of our power is generated through solar and wind, then we are a step closer to living in a good climatic condition. In this case, carbon emissions will be averagely reduced.

* According to Aliya Haq,  air transportation is a major air pollution and a train can serve as a better option, and good public transportation can lead to less driving by citizens

* This is a time to invest more in urban planning project as it serves as an escape route out of global warming.

* Green world initiative is encouraged as planting of trees and going organic in our consumption will help to reduce the effect of global warming as stated.

We are always the product of what we make our environment look like. An air conditioner could fail when the hotness becomes unbearable, but our activities can make us enjoy our natural habitat if we can correct all to live a better life, and leave a better earth for our children's generation. #FIGHTGLOBALWARMING.

DO YOU CARE FOR A DINNER WITH THE DEVIL?

    An adage says; If you want to dine with the devil,your spoon must be long. The devil always has variety of foods placed on his table for those that wish to have a dinner with him, and the foods often come in these forms; riches, ignorance, greed, fornication, adultery, pride, homosexuality, terrorism, and the list can't be exhausted.

People that dine with the devil often go to him with their bottles of wine,  and he provides them with drinking vessels with some plates of assorted foods ( the foods above). This simply means that the devil only works on people when they have the trait of evil in them. An outright man can be difficult for the devil to perpetrate, but a man that his mind has strayed away is a useful tool for the devil, and this has a close relation with an adage that goes thus; an idle man is the devil's workshop.

Man becomes a fool at the devil's party because devil has not come to satisfy you, but to add more to your burdens, by giving you a buffet offer to add to your bottle of wine ( what you are brooding on). The devil cannot wipe your tears, but can give you what seems like defence to wipe your tears like spirit to fornicate when you are a victim of loneliness, spirit to be proud when you feel you have acquired all the wealth on earth, spirit to acquire other people's wealth when you see that they are not watching and this doom disguise like it's the way out, but it's outrightly the way into the burning furnace.

What we see is not real, the dazzling mirage, the beautiful case with rotten content, the glamour full of tears, only the wise can see clearly that what we chase after are all vanities upon vanities, fighting to hold the wind when we have not been given the strength just because we do not realise that we are dust, and to the dust we shall belong.

CAN I DONATE BLOOD IF I GET A TATTOO BECAUSE OF MY CELEBRITY CRUSH?

In the sports world, Lionel Messi's tattoos can drive some fans crazy, in the music industry, Lil Wayne, or probably 50 cent's tattoos are the attraction to fans, but whichever way it is, tattoos sometimes attract fans to some celebrities and this brings about immitation in some cases. Contradictory to the above, Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to get a tattoo inorder to donate blood to charity and this seems to be an attraction of fans to the Portuguese as well.

What is a tattoo? It is a form of body modification made by inserting ink , either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos are done for different reasons as research shows that tattoos are rich in history, but the two that are visible are to identify oneself, either with a celebrity, zodiac sign, class or a value. It is also done to honour loved ones, parents, siblings, lovers and so on. 

If you intend getting a tattoo done, watch out for which tattoo parlour you visit as so many things are involved in skin piercing following different herald of occurrences. Some of the challenges faced if tattoos are done,  or done in parlours that are questionable are: 

***Inability to donate blood at least for a year: This is so inorder to know the status of the person involved as most tattoo carriers could be infected with some diseases, so screening is key.

*** Inflammation can possibly occur if particles accumulate in the nymph nodes. 

***High risk of getting HIV and hepatitis: Needles are highly sensitive to the skin, and when instruments are used for different tattoos customers, there is a high risk of getting infected with these two aforementioned. 

***Skin infections such as red rashes, pain may occur because most inks are not safe.

***Tattoos give permanent or temporary skin discolouration. 

***Bruise: Some bruises may be gotten, either long term or short term, etc.

As beautiful as some tattoos may look, a person prospecting to carry it should however be fully aware of the risk factors that are involved.  A  celebrity could order for new instruments to get his tattoos done, but a person from a middle class or the next might not be able to afford such, and in a case where instruments are not sterile, the health of the person in question could be jeopardised, so why not leave out if you're in doubt, as there are so many ways of identifying with celebrities you crush on or your value, and so many ways to honour your loved ones.

Derek's Death, a Lesson To Workaholics

Steve Jobs refused to pay utmost attention to his health but kept pursuing wealth, and this formed part of his regrets before he passed away.  In a business world, there are alot to accomplish, an empire to be built, some skills to be improved upon, some deals to close, a rank to be maintained, salary to be paid, schedules to be met, enthusiasm to be rewarded and a whole lot more. The more the mind settles on these, then a pint of blood gushes out of  the heart, and indeed the beginning of stress.

Derek is a friend, a next door neighbour, as well as an associate, but it was shocking to receive his death notice on a tuesday morning after he slept and couldn't wake up for his morning duty. He was a real time workaholic, dedicated and enthusiastic to be on top of his game in the banking industry. Derek wakes up early enough to catch up with time schedule, sometimes skipped breakfast, and most times jeopardised his sleep to get rewarded. He was a good friend that had to deal with so many family issues, and his all day sitting position never helped either way because it denied him of good exercise.

As I watched him alight from his car the night before his demise, I rushed to have some conversation with him, moving close to him shocked me as a grown man had eye bags full blown on his eyes, so I withdrew my initial conversation of the loan I intended to collect from his bank to discuss how he could safe time to get over stress, but little did I know that Derek was already a victim of stress to death.

I managed to share some tips with him because I can't deny that I have been a beneficiary of stress management owing to my wife's practice of nursing, that helped a bit. I told him to;

***Take control of his emotions, as stress is built on worries that things could be difficult to solve, or can't even be solved at all.

***I warned him to manage his time: The little weekend he has should be spent on pampering himself and not office work since that took his whole weekdays from him.

***In actuality, relaxation does not necessarily mean taking a nap, but a relaxed mood at work wouldn't pose a threat.

***Indulging in physical activity like moving around the banking hall when customers are not forthcoming is not a bad idea as I proceeded in my conversation with him.

***Talking to someone even if it's sharing humour with your partner at work can only reduce your stress hormones.

***I stressed the need for Derek to take some days off if he is ill instead of managing his health at the progress of a job that will, or has replaced him after his demise.

***Derek is always in haste to meet up target at work, but must the pressure overwhelm him, unfortunately it just did.

My friend wouldn't stop caffeine, and alcohol because he believed those kept him strong, but little did he know that they were agents to boost stress for him.

All these were my words to my dear friend that night as I watched him climb the stairs struggling with his suit and suitcase, but I never knew those would be my last words as he nodded in agreement that he would try to put my words into action. Derek is dead, Mahogany bank is alive, and it would keep recruiting to replace dead people like Derek.

Stress management is not the task of your industry management,  but yours. I have seen bankers retired with no health challenge, I have seen bankers died, and I have seen bankers with hole in the heart, but not only bankers, the job you do shouldn't put your health at risk because you can control your personal schedule. Hope my words are not getting too late to you like it got late to my friend Derek. Do not panic, but act, because no one is irreplaceable in any industry.

AN ELIXIR OF THE MIND

I must say it's an elixir at work when we begin to do things that are unexplainable, act irrationally, politely, love unconditionally, lie even when you're caught, sleep when you're depressed, timid when you have to be courageous, courageous when you have to be timid, prayerful when you are in pain, dutiful when you are denied of your pay, above all, campaign to win people's heart, even when your party has been black listed and the people yielding because you have cajoled them.

Sometimes we wonder why we do some things we said we will never do again, for example; a lady that promises herself never to have sex again until she gets married, or a man that says he will never revisit a relationship with an ex girlfriend, but he does, or a citizen that promises never to vote for a particular political party, but he/she still finds herself/himself dipping hands into the ballot box and casting that vote for a member representing that same party, indeed it's a disease of the mind, an elixir that only your mind can give you are those exposures.

No matter how you have been persuaded, cajoled, romanced or brainwashed, if your mind is made up not to attempt a particular thing, you will conquer, but when your mind is not well made up, that is when the mind pours an elixir to the soul through what you have been exposed to and it makes it yield to compromise with what you have once bid farewell. Your mind does a great thing in whatever you do and this is where your conscience can be tied or loosen and it sets the agenda for what you do and this hence builds your personality. Tagging in a saying that goes thus; " We Are What We Repeatedly Do" , and a christian or muslim that prostitutes for money can be said that she is at the mercy of the elixir her mind gives to her that no other way is forthcoming financially than prostitution.

Our mind works with our brain, and whatever we perceive through the mind is interpreted through the brain and thus our action. Whatsoever elixir your mind pours to your brain, your brain can filter whichever is profitable, right, and according to act upon, so no excuse that your mind is powerful, because your brain can filter which is profitable, bad and right to do. The elixir of the mind is what we get exposed to in our daily lives, the portion that comes as solution, either right or wrong, and yours is to filter which you want. YOU ARE THE MASTER OF YOUR SOUL, THE DRIVER OF YOUR BRAIN IRRESPECTIVE OF HOW MUCH ELIXIR YOUR MIND MUST HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO IN FORM OF CAJOLE, SOLUTION OR OPTION.