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In a sizable number of states in Nigeria, individuals who presently occupy the Government houses are, perhaps, apostles of the Use and Dump Philosophy.

For the period these individuals have been there, the people are yet to identify the fresh ideas to take the affected states to the next level of development, rather schemings, intrigues, and maneuvres for self perpetuity is the direction.

In these states, it is not about the people not wanting good leaders, but it is all about the imposition of mediocrity.

Sadly, the people never conducted background checks on the antecedents of Those-in-Charge in the states to verify their capacity and capability.

The overbearing influence of the helmsmen in the states is given prominence by the docility and silence of political appointees on the government's unpopular policies and actions.

Indeed, most of the appointees in the cabinets of the affected states are disturbed, but their facial expressions mislead the public to believe the contrary.

Strangely, crime and criminality are now the norms in the affected states, with the helmsmen making feeble efforts to include dialogue as one of the options to put an end to the wasting of human lives and the destruction of properties.

The Federal Government has been called upon to carry out an investigation into the claims of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC)that its revenue goes into the subsidization of the cost of producing the Premium Motor Spirit(PMS).

This call was made by an Ex-Officio of the Oyo State Council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze.
If such pontification is coming from the NNPC, perhaps, there is a need to investigate the age-long corruption in the Corporation. The vituperation of the NNPC is an indication that lawlessness has taken over the country. It also means that the NNPC is being run like a private business concern under the command of a dangerous cartel. Nigerians did not vote for the NNPC to direct the affairs of Nigeria, we expect such information to come from the executive,'' Comrade Emelieze concluded.

A former Deputy Prime Minister in the now-defunct inclusive government, Prof. Arthur Mutambara has warned that the attempt by the Zimbabwe Government to annex all the powers of the state through the Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 could result in a Coup de tat.
Mutambara who made this disclosure recently in an online discussion organized by civic society group, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC), revealed that the amendment seeks to remove the presidential running mate clause during elections.

“What we are doing now will lead to another coup de tat. You know why? Because when the first one happened, Mugabe had these useless vice presidents, he was hiring and firing at will and one of them (Mnangagwa) left the country and engineered a coup de tat (in November 2017),” he said.
“What Mnangagwa is doing could lead to another coup de tat by somebody else because right now he is controlling succession. He is controlling everything and maybe some people may say the only answer is a coup de tat. If we are not careful these shenanigans will lead to another coup de tat,” Prof. Mutambara stated.
Zimbabwe had a military-led coup in November 2017 when then-President Robert Mugabe was toppled from office and replaced by the incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Mugabe was accused by the coup leaders of neglecting his presidential duties by allowing his wife, Grace Mugabe, and senior members of the rival Zanu PF faction – G40 – to dictate the country’s affairs. Mugabe died in September 2019.

Wednesday 28th April

In this season of the Ramadan fast for the forgiveness of sins and crimes and total refrain from devilish thought processes, let the opportunity make us awesome to be able to enjoy the promise of overall protection from all forms of life's hazards as exemplified in the Holy Quran 8: 29 and authenticated by the provisions of Proverbs 14: 26-27. The words of God must not be doubted by believers. Let us all work towards receiving grace. Ramadan Kareem.

Thursday 29th April

Have you worked on how best to achieve and imbibe the concept of the fear of God in this period of the holy month of Ramadan for you to be one of those who will give testimonies for others to increase in faith and belief. 

The Holy Quran 8: 29 refers : ''Ho ye who believe! If ye fear Allah, He will grant you a Criterion to judge between right and wrong, remove from you all evil deeds and forgive you: Allah is the Lord of grace unbounded.

Proverbs 14 : 26-28 refers :

'' 26In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.27The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. 28In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince. ''

So let it be with you and our dear nation by walking the talk. Ramadan Kareem.

Friday 3oth April

A t this period of the Ramadan fast let us begin to SWOT analyze ourselves to be able to increase in good deeds, as our strength, refrain from all forms of devilish acts that may destroy virtues and values to zero our weaknesses.

Equally, let us seize the opportunity of this sacred month to be spiritually rejuvenated to be able to live expected exemplary lifestyles. Everybody has his or her areas of threats. For example, poverty and fear as well as insecurity in the land. This is the time to fortify ourselves to be able to break even. Ramadan Kareem.

Saturday 1st May 

As we are preparing to enter the harvesting period of the Ramadan fast, let us begin with a self-assessment on the compliance with the rules of holding the prescribed Ramadan fast.

This is to be able to make necessary adjustments not to be a loser after the end of the socio-spiritual class sessions of the sacred month of Ramadan. Ramadan Kareem.

Sunday 2nd May

For ease of rating ourselves, on our performances so far, in our observance of the Ramadan fats, let us use the SMART concept for us to be able to project into the kind of harvest we should expect as we are about to enter the last 10 days of the fast. Routinely, be specific and measurable on the achievable assignments herein contained in the month of Ramadan.

Be sincere and realistic without deceiving yourself because the Ramadan fast period is either 29 or 30 days time-bound.

Endurance, tolerance, and perseverance ought to have been learned in this month for possible peaceful co-existence and ease of achievement in the areas of our social desires and development. Ramadan Kareem.

Friday 23rd April

The week of mercy must have opened a floodgate of access to good things of life as well as the opportunity to keep a close relationship with the almighty Allah if and only if the month of Ramadan has been respected and the Ramadan fast has been observed with caution, due process and the fear of God. Let us check ourselves on this to make necessary adjustments. Ramadan Kareem.

Saturday 24th April

We are already in the second cycle of the Ramadan fast where soberness is required with a sincere reflection on the past to be able to enjoy the target of divine forgiveness as promised all sincere adherents.

However, the realization of this is a function of the observer's readiness to move away from sins and crimes to have their bodies well preserved for God. Thread gently as a true servant of God, the almighty Allah. (Holy Quran 25: 63)

Sunday 25th 

Be right guides of the rules of exemption for those who are permitted to observe the Ramadan fast, the aged are already in the exponential decay region of life, the pregnant women have more than two mouths to feed just like mothers who are breastfeeding their babies and those with terminal diseases who depend on prescribed drugs. A balanced diet and timely attendance by caregivers, ante-natal, and pediatrics shall always be needed for their survival. But for those who are to repay this offer of exemption, the classification is equally obvious. Women in their menstrual period, the sickly, and travelers suffering from ailments such as fatigue, observing these guides will equally be tantamount to having the fear of God. This is the objective of the Ramadan fast. Ramadan Kareem.

Monday 26th

The wellness of the people matters most to the almighty Allah as He submitted in the Holy Quran 2: 145, ''Allah intends every facility for you, He does not want to put you to the difficulties.''

Those who are exempted for one reason or the other, not to fast in this sacred month must not abuse the privileges of mercy and forgiveness and must not lose the focus of the fear of God by been modest in their affairs and other interpersonal relationships.

The Almighty Allah loves those who live within the ambit of the law. Holy Quran 22: 38, ''Verily Allah will defend from ill those who believe: Allah loveth not any that is unfaithful, ungrateful.'' Ramadan Kareem.

Tuesday 27th

As we enjoy the benefits of forgiveness in this sacred month of Ramadan fast, let us learn to forgive those who might have offended us, as our perceived enemies. Let us equally eschew hatred from our hearts and replace it with love. This month extends to divine cleansing of our hearts for the purpose of soul purification from evil thought processes for us to be wholesome as true Muslims right from this sacred month of Ramadan. The benefit of this cannot be overemphasized or over quantified.(Holy Quran 94: 1, 20: 25-26).

The claim by the 36 State Governors that a major portion of their monthly allocation is used for workers' salaries confirms their incompetence.
This assertion was made by an ex-officio of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC)who is also a former chairman of the union in the state, Comrade Andrew Eemelieze.
''The proposition by the State Governors that they are using a large chunk of their monthly allocations to pay workers' salaries is laughable, a sign of their incompetence to occupy the seat and an indication of the failure of the Governors to transform available resources to wealth. If the Governors lack the initiative to generate revenue, the workers should not suffer for their inefficiency'', Comrade Emelieze declared.

A number of Those-in-Charge in the states, run these states like personal fiefdoms. Corruption is commonplace while monetary allocation from the center is the major focus.
Several questions without answers have continued to trail the award of contracts to proxies of Those-in-Charge, with the choice of, but not limited to, infrastructure, rehabilitation, renovation, and road construction as the signposts of good governance in this dispensation.
In some states where constructed street light poles only need repairs and refurbishment, preference is given to the award of contracts for the construction of new ones.
The thousands of Nigerians who benefit from the daily feeding programs in this month of Ramadan fast in several states is a reflection of the deteriorating state of governance. Indeed, a particular number of helmsmen, at all levels of government have failed to conduct themselves in ways that suit the various offices they hold in trust for the achievement of peace, law, and order, security, and good governance.
Unfortunately, today's elected officials and political appointees did not pass through diligent background checks, because the profile of the leadership is questionable.
As the debasing and defrauding of the resources of the state of the federation continue unabated, criminally-minded entrepreneurs, consultants, estate developers, and cultists feature prominently in governance, just as distraught and impoverished Nigerians continue to ask: What was the growth rate of the economy at the federal and state levels, before those in the saddle came on board? What is the growth rate of the economy at present? What percentage of the population have the policies of government at all levels empowered economically?

Anger is an inborn quality that is easily expressed through reflections over matters when alone or as an outburst of reactions to people's actions considered not acceptable to one's system of perspective.

However, one is expected to overgrow it as one transit from Id and Ego to superego state of living, when and where one is expected to, through a sense of maturity, overgrow unnecessary passions and emotions with a powerful mechanism of sense of control.

This is why in Proverbs 25: 28, every human is admonished against loss of bearings of sense of discipline.

''“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”

Also Matthew 5: 21-26 ''Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

25Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.''

It is, therefore imperative that we live in peace with our neighbors by guarding our utterances to prevent hate speech that may hurt others into uncontrollable anger.

However, the Holy Quran wants us to live above hate with full resistances of perseverance and tolerance even in the height of provocation just to be at peace with ourselves and our neighbors for the society to remain orderly with a peaceful environment as an enabler to peace and development.

The Holy Quran 25: 26 refers, And the servants of Allah Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say Peace !''

For our general lifestyles to be exemplary, we must avoid a state of fire for fire, but rather imbibe that of harmony for acrimony, this is expressed as a concept that should be cultural in the land, to be able to build a society that is more concerned about development, peace, and wellness of the people because of the existing love among the people and high sense of understanding the easily consider other people's weaknesses with a passion to forgive possible offensive actions towards them.

The Holy Quran 41: 32-36 refers, to us to ponder and digest into good attitudinal values.

To live above hate implies that we have overgrown been offended while our consciousness level must have been so sensitive to effectively control our tongues and body language towards others in such a way that they will never be thrown into any state of stress or frustration, making our neighbors happy always must be of major concern. This is the message of today's advice to enrich our knowledge and understanding to a state of wisdom.

''A hospitable gift from One, Oft-Forgiven, Most Merciful, who is better in speech than one who calls people to Allah, works righteousness and says I am of those who bow in Islam, that is, total submission to the will of God? Nor can goodness and evil be equal Repel Evil with what is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate! And no one would be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint-none but persons of greatest good fortune and if at any time an incitement to discord is made to thee by the Satan, seek refuge in Allah. He is the One who hears and knows all things''.

Exemplary lifestyles that are above hate and anger, most especially by the elderly ones are sacrosanct for effective child-rearing, most especially in the region of the adolescent stage of our youth that demands the right attitudinal correction through an all-encompassing nature nurturing. In this wise, there is every need for me and you to control our anger and make it cultural for our children to be able to imbibe the spirit of tolerating one another.

This is the best way to create a new world order, where everybody would be able to shun any or all acts that may lead to the disruption of law and order which, if not timely and effectively controlled may lead to a state of violence, anarchy, and war as the worst environment for every human's need for a safe and secured habitation that will be prosperous enough for peaceful co-existence and sustainable development.

Learn how to control your anger today to have tranquility of the mind and to be at peace with others.

Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide,Wakajaiye, Ibadan, Nigeria