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  • Kenya Considers Reopening Schools

    The Kenyan Government  is considering reviewing the January 2021 resumption date of schools in the country.

    The Education Cabinet Secretary, George Magoha, made this known  after a crisis meeting at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), attributed the development to decreasing cases of Covid-19 that suggest the curve may be flattening.

    “I called this meeting today to engage the taskforce and various education stakeholders on the process of drafting a new proposal to be presented before the larger national education stakeholder’s conference that will be held on September 25.”

     “It is time to relook at earlier proposals regarding reopening of schools. We are looking at all aspects, but have not come to a consensus on when schools can reopen, or set any date,” said Prof Magoha.  “Between now and next week, the taskforce committee will work on finer details that will be interrogated by the larger stakeholders meeting,” Prof Magoha stated.

  • Activate Religion to rescue Nigeria from Collapse

    Prof 1Three things are fundamentally true in life-positive, negative, and neutral. In the electrical wiring system, the three have a significant role they play in helping us to generate light or to make machines work.
    The positive and negative work together for electrical circulation or to produce energy or to make mechanical work in the engine without the intervention of the neutral, the whole system may get burnt or disrupted, whenever there is an upsurge of thunder strike, if not for the third.
    However, this does not work in interpersonal relationships which mainly depends on the algebraic rule of addition that makes them be commutative. This is why Nigeria is having fundamental problems in the polity.
    Nigeria continues to face challenges and threats of insurgence, terrorism, poverty, and a lack of achieving sustainable development to date. The interest of the people with the mandate to rule, therefore, becomes personal with a lot of blood in their hands to protect their wealth.
    This is contrary to the concept of philanthropy, good governance, and passion for the needy which are necessary to run an all-inclusive government, while the able-bodied cry of been denied access to the good things of life, the marginalized ones such as the girl child, women and people with disabilities have no hope under this oppressive condition, rather than resort to faith.
    The religious sector must, therefore, get overhauled and sanitized, to be able to rescue humanity, ab initio Go created the heaven and the earth, Gen. 1: 1-2, ''At first the earth was completely empty or void'. Making the earth to be completely void was a deliberate action by God as a challenge for every human to toil through the principle of dignity of labor, process to cultivate an environment for habitation from a hut to a house, and with an emerging community.
    The essence of teamwork spirit and cooperative attitude,  placing ideas together for the purpose of development and unity is hereby established by God for humankind to embrace as a culture.
    The Holy Quran corroborates this and warns people and nations that, for sustainable development, we must go through the due process of the fear of God by forming a formidable united front based on love.
    Quran 3: 102-104,'' Oh ye who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared and die not except in a state of Islam(piety, goodness, love, and legitimacy) And hold fast all together by the Rope which Allah stretches out of you, and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favor on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love so that by His grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the Pit of Fire and He saved you from it, doth Allah make His signs clear to you: Tha ye may be guided.
    If we are all scripture compliant with all consciousness on the need to apply by intuition what we have learned in our Churches, Mosques, and other faith-based organizations, our value system would have been in tandem  with the  scriptural dictates of Quran 3 :104:'' Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining  what is right and forbidding what is wrong:  They are the ones to attain felicity.''
    If we are able to follow this, our houses of God would promote and produce good and well-informed citizenry as well as credible leaders with a common focus on nutrition, health, and wellness of the people to be capable of enthroning the much needed sustainable development devoid of fraud, indiscipline, impunity, and corruption. Let's save Nigeria from collapse.

    Prof. Sabitu Olagoke

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

     

  • Activate Religion to rescue Nigeria from Collapse

    Prof 1Three things are fundamentally true in life-positive, negative, and neutral. In the electrical wiring system, the three have a significant role they play in helping us to generate light or to make machines work.
    The positive and negative work together for electrical circulation or to produce energy or to make mechanical work in the engine without the intervention of the neutral, the whole system may get burnt or disrupted, whenever there is an upsurge of thunder strike, if not for the third.
    However, this does not work in interpersonal relationships which mainly depends on the algebraic rule of addition that makes them be commutative. This is why Nigeria is having fundamental problems in the polity.
    Nigeria continues to face challenges and threats of insurgence, terrorism, poverty, and a lack of achieving sustainable development to date. The interest of the people with the mandate to rule, therefore, becomes personal with a lot of blood in their hands to protect their wealth.
    This is contrary to the concept of philanthropy, good governance, and passion for the needy which are necessary to run an all-inclusive government, while the able-bodied cry of been denied access to the good things of life, the marginalized ones such as the girl child, women and people with disabilities have no hope under this oppressive condition, rather than resort to faith.
    The religious sector must, therefore, get overhauled and sanitized, to be able to rescue humanity, ab initio Go created the heaven and the earth, Gen. 1: 1-2, ''At first the earth was completely empty or void'. Making the earth to be completely void was a deliberate action by God as a challenge for every human to toil through the principle of dignity of labor, process to cultivate an environment for habitation from a hut to a house, and with an emerging community.
    The essence of teamwork spirit and cooperative attitude,  placing ideas together for the purpose of development and unity is hereby established by God for humankind to embrace as a culture.
    The Holy Quran corroborates this and warns people and nations that, for sustainable development, we must go through the due process of the fear of God by forming a formidable united front based on love.
    Quran 3: 102-104,'' Oh ye who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared and die not except in a state of Islam(piety, goodness, love, and legitimacy) And hold fast all together by the Rope which Allah stretches out of you, and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favor on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love so that by His grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the Pit of Fire and He saved you from it, doth Allah make His signs clear to you: Tha ye may be guided.
    If we are all scripture compliant with all consciousness on the need to apply by intuition what we have learned in our Churches, Mosques, and other faith-based organizations, our value system would have been in tandem  with the  scriptural dictates of Quran 3 :104:'' Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining  what is right and forbidding what is wrong:  They are the ones to attain felicity.''
    If we are able to follow this, our houses of God would promote and produce good and well-informed citizenry as well as credible leaders with a common focus on nutrition, health, and wellness of the people to be capable of enthroning the much needed sustainable development devoid of fraud, indiscipline, impunity, and corruption. Let's save Nigeria from collapse.

    Prof. Sabitu Olagoke

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

     

  • Allow Religion to take its Divine Course

    Prof 1The relevance of all religious houses is to complement the role of the home as an agent of socialization for humankind to be reformed from a state of ignorance to that of a complete agent of change and development by providing the supplement.
    The animal called man attending a faith-based house of worship is expected to be processed into a normal human being that would always exhibit characteristics that are based on a positive mindset.
    Adherents of all houses of God are, therefore, expected to have a positive self-image by been sure of himself or herself always as a relevant entity in any situation such an individual finds himself or herself. For an achievable feat to be recorded by an individual, a faith-based organization must be able to instill in the individual the culture of rational confidence.
    Furthermore, the house of God must be able to help society to promote the culture of integrity through the individual accepting self-esteem as a way of life.
    On the issue of interpersonal relationships that will help us all to live by the concept of keeping good neighborliness as obtained in Mk. 12: 31. Individual adherents must be cloned and cultured into having a positive mental attitude for him or her to be able to make the right decisions that are accurate, fair, and precise on critical issues from the simple to the state for ease fo relocation.
    This is the basis upon which the Holy Prophets including Abraham(ASW), Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ's parents-biological and social, Mary and Joseph, and the Holy Prophet Muhammad.
    In the case of the Holy Prophet Ibrahim,  his relocation from Ur of Chaldeans to Caanan was regarded to be divine but happened to the best decision that brought light into the world up till today.
    Jesus Christ as a baby escaped the wrath of King Herod, who became jealously genocidal upon hearing fo the birth of Jesus Christ.
    His decision to take him to Egypt from Israel was divine and considered a wise decision because a mortal that runs away from trouble spots will ever have the opportunity of coming back at the appropriate time to deliver his message. One can imagine the greatest fortune brought to the whole world by challenging and dwarfing the principalities of darkness from the light to be a sustainable and preferred alternative for mankind.
    On the Holy Prophet Muhammad, his relocation from Mecca to Medina at the time of his greatest height of travail gave him the opportunity to continue to the cleaning exercise in Medina, later to conquer Mecca for God as a holy city that eventually became the home of light and salvation for mankind to realize his spiritual essence.
    Adherents, therefore, in every house of God are expected to be processed into good citizenship with the beneficial gain of the tranquility of the mind s well as the promotion of the culture of safety and security protocols for the society.
    However, all these behavioral objectives that would have endeared us into a perfect God/man relationship are absent amidst us mainly because the administration of the religious system in the country has fallen into the wrong hands of emergency economic driven religious leaders who drive the wheel of spiritual movement through God and mammon of the society to lack the substance of the much needed divine intervention in all human affairs. The recipe for this is for all individual adherents-males and females-to focus on the 10 religious nutrients to have the right spiritual strength as contained in Quran 33: 35-1)Total submission to the will of God. 2)Sincere belief is based on truth. 3) Scripture compliance. 4) Vanguard of truth. 5) Patience, perseverance, and endurance. 6) The fear of God as exemplified in due process. 7) Charity of the concept of charity. 8) Respect for fasting based on the concept of abstinence-soul purification from all evil thoughts and body preservation from sins and crimes. 9) Fidelity: no fornication, no incest, no pedophilia, no prostitution, and no adultery.  10) Constant remembrance of Allah or God exemplified in prayers, business, and routine transactions. 
    Keeping to all these can be likened to a state of wellness based on the right nutrient combination in nutrition and a good state of health condition. 
    Forgiveness of sins, divine protection through enhanced divine immunity are assured for true fulfillment of religious operational activities through just worship in an environment fo love as presented in Corinth. 1: 13  Be guided wisely.

    Prof. Sabitu Olagoke

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

     

  • God's Promise

    12 Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

     

    God 1

  • Democracy can only Thrive When Govt Respects Human Rights-Prof. Olagoke

    Prof 1Fundamental human rights are among major components in constitutions of countries across the globe. Sadly, in a sizable number of countries in Africa, the curtailment and derogation of the rights of citizens have become prominent in recent times.
    Arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention without trial, physical torture, and several other forms of inhuman treatment perpetrated by law enforcement and security agents have continued with impunity, with influential personalities in Nigeria featuring as sponsors. In the last five years or there about, an unspecified number of Nigerians have had their rights trampled upon with impunity.  In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head, and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabiut Olagoke opines that the Federal Government must cultivate the habit of respecting the rights of Nigerians for democracy to thrive. Excerpts :
     
    How can Government institutions established to ensure and protect the fundamental human rights of Nigerians be empowered in this democratic dispensation?
     
    The issue of respect for fundamental human rights became a serious concern for humanity after World war 2.
    Unfortunately,  most African countries lead by deceit when it comes to the implementation stage of domesticated laws. Hence, the usual state of chaos and records of human rights violations as always recurring : arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention without trial, physical torture, and several other forms of inhuman treatment perpetrated by law enforcement and security agents. The violation of the rights of the people has different phases-behavioral, economic, environmental, etc. All these usually lead to the creation of a hostile environment for government activities in the areas of the provision of basic amenities leading to the introduction of poverty, hunger, and diseases while the areas of functional infrastructure as the backbone to the reality of industrialization equally suffer a lot to detriment of true development and the welfare of the people!
    Democratic governance can only thrive in an environment of respect for the people's rights which happen to be the focus of every faith-based organization in their expected activities of cloning the adherents into disciplined citizens. If this had been followed, the elements of patriotism for the nation to thrive and respect for our leaders to motivate them into good performances would have produced good synergy between government and the houses of worship in an environment of divinity in which peaceful co-existence is best realized.
    The respect for the human rights of Nigerians is sacrosanct to achieving a bequeath able legacy of sustainable development for the nation.

  • An Executive and Legislative Agenda

    Ni 10The government seems to have adopted strange methods in approaching issues of national interest and general concerns while at the same time promoting sectional and personal interests, even though its appointees have continuously contended with several nasty issues affecting governance and development.

    Attempting to bring back the water resources bill that was rejected in 2018 will never be in the interest of  Nigerians.

    The bill seeks to tamper with the land use act and empower those with self-centered agenda to further their hidden interests.

    Obviously there are a number of those in government, who are desperate to control resources across the six geo-political zones, an agenda of the present administration that was never disclosed to Nigerians.  This indeed has brought to the fore the anti-people plans of the Executive and the Legislature which would not augur well for a nation that is still struggling with its myriad of challenges.

     

  • Nigerians should rescue Religion from its Captors-Prof. Olagoke

    Prof 1Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right provided for in the 1999 amended constitution.

    The constitution also prohibits the adoption of an official religion by the government at all levels, just as the separation of government and religion is a constitutional imperative.

    Indeed, religious leaders have crucial roles to play in making sure that the freedom of religion is assured for all Nigerians. In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head, and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olgoke advise Nigerians to make concerted efforts to rescue Religion from those holding it captive. Excerpts :

    How in your views do you think that present administration in Nigeria can ensure the separation of Government and Religion in a way that would not negatively affect the freedom of religion?

    The clamor for restructuring needs to beam its searchlight into the areas of culture, religion, education, and government with respect to their freedom and interconnectivity ab initio by the design of nature or almighty God, there is no way you can separate one from the others because each of them focuses in terms of service and benefits on mankind and humanity.

    The cultural segment is deceptively neglected but always sourced by the other three segments of existence. In the political arena, the  Obaship, Emirship, and Obiship is more recognized by the segment than the religious sector because the apex bodies of these segments are regarded as the custodians of our culture and traditions which are the primary functions to be jealously guided by the regarded fathers of the land through whom government or political parties believed to be important factors in reaching out to the people while traditional rulers enjoy the patronage and remuneration of government.

    They are, however, puns in the hands of the government, who by the design of the constitution, which is a social contract can be removed at will, when they don't dance to the tune of the government in power, while the culture continues to suffer under the resistance of collusion of religion and idiosyncrasies of merging civilization.

    The culture itself becomes unguided to lose a grip of ethics and the much-needed discipline of an environment that is needed for the people to live in harmony without any traces of insanity.

    The constitution on the issue of religion looks very much contradictory because of a lack of understanding of the divine concept of it.

    Generally, the government and the people view religion as Karl Marx's perception of it, as being the opium of mankind.

    The constitution on one hand states that Nigeria is secular instead of been a multiferous religious system, by this, the implication is that religion is trivialized into a speck in an environment where the services of God are not needed, hence religion loses the grip of sourcing for us, the necessary divine intervention, most especially in the times of travails.

    This, on assessment, has put all worshippers into a state of no scripture compliance and mere religious commercial merchants to the generality of the adherents. Religion becomes so weak to sanitize the environment as well as reforming them into morally conscious, disciplined people. By this failure, every successive government in Nigeria that claim to wage war on institutional indiscipline and corruption always end up as failures because the situation has always weakened the fabric of the network of all agents of socialization to be able to get strong enough into the expected responsibilities of reasonable and rational change agents. Under this fatal condition, the project of education-non-formal, formal and informal- get affected to the detriment of helping school attendants to attain the altitude of their life's desire to be true community leaders, nation builders, and ethically based professionals, individuals, and organizations. The environment equally eats into the fabric of the management of the home front to eventually lack good parenting for the society to suffer so much for it.

    If religion is so vital to human life why do we need to trivialize it into having no freedom?

    It is unfortunate that 90 percent of Nigerian religious leaders are fraudulent and unpatriotic to the nation by capturing religion into captivity, making it to be hostile to culture, instead of allowing it to work together for the possible reformation of our religious beliefs like Mary Slessor did in Calabar when she put an end to the killing of twins. The apex body of every religion should not be trivialized into political tools, giving religion the necessary independence would be a direct challenge for the leadership of all religions face the need to eradicate poverty among the majority of their adherents and to be able to use the scripture to correct anomalies of profanity in the houses of God-Tim.16-17, Quran 2: 185.

    The constitution needs to be amended to allow religion which by definition is a school of faith-building where the primary concern must be a focus on perfecting man-God relation for the system to be able to enjoy corporate governance in government, due process in procurement to avoid fraudulent practices, justice management in the Judiciary by incorruptible Judges, equity in material management and distribution, peaceful co-existence and sustainable development among others.

    No religion teaches evil, let us all rescue religion from its captors, for our leaders to become Solomonic in knowledge, wisdom, and power of discerning mind which will never come if we continue to trivialize the issue of religion, bastardize the content of the scriptures by not walking the talk.

    Only the independence of religion in terms of management can address the present areas of weaknesses and threats, so that we are able to have the light at the end of the tunnel, after darkness. The study guide on this includes-Isaiah 29: 11-16, Quran 87: 6-9, and 2: 269.

    Religious people, if thoroughly bred through their houses of worship would be best in management and administration in the process of governance and leadership because hey would be fraud-free. Religious leaders in their various capacities are supposed to be unbiased advisers and opinion molders for government services to be result oriented.

     

     

  • True Federation-Guide against Possible Wrath of...-Prof. Olagoke

    Prof 1A cross-section of Nigerians have continued to agitate for the devolution of powers to the 36 states and Abuja which is the Federal Capital Territory, while the Federal Government enjoys  a minimum of important powers transcending  state jurisdictions. Several tribal and socio-political  groups have insisted that the devolution of power would give the regions more independence to develop, even though the agenda of these gropus could have self centered and hidden interests as the major push. In this interview, the Founder, Spritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide warns that unfolding events should been handled with all seriouseness to avoid an  omnious situation. Excerpts : 
     
    Do you think Nigeria can be restructured  in to a true federation with the component units having financila autonomy ?
     
    The problem of Nigeria led us to this worrisome unacceptable structure regarded as an effect of colonialism and neo-colonialism, whereby sovereignty and independence were lost. Since then, we have been cohabiting as couples in marriages of inconvenience due to the unconsidered factors of memorandum of understanding  which was never sought nor respected despite our differences in tongues, tribes, ethnicity and religion including culture. This was why Nigerians, dead or alive had been waiting for the year 2014, when the term of the amalgamation would have elapsed for the need to renew or break up.
    What we did in 2014 without seriousness about true restructuring could be regarded as a game of fire by the people sitting on kegs of gun powder.
    Apart from the fact that the 1960 and 1963 constitution seemed to be manageable on issues of peaceful co-existence, the 1999 amended constitution gave us a negative mindset of not workable.
    One needs to ask a question regarding credible leadership and good governance and their correlation coefficient with the two created regimes of kleptocracy in looting spree and destitution with increasing profile. Under the present reality of 12.8 per cent inflation rate, two digits interest rates on bank loans  and soaring prices of food and household items in the markets, Nigerians are worse off for it.
    Nigeria is a country comprising of emergency billionaires as a result of having political power and business advantage but through  the menace of the inaction of various security and standard control units, everything is politically polarized to the level of business as usual in  governance with the lost ethos of visionary leadership for credibility in positions of power and lose of selfless service in power management. Further questions are 1)Where are the progressives and activists of yesteryear's, why they are not performing but keeping mute upon getting into positions of power.
    This is the situation that bothers on the deteriorating conditions of the welfare of the people in the face of poor governance styles that depends mainly on the importation of goods, low morale on provision of basic amenities and in the area of infrastructure, professional cannot comfortably set up cottage industries to promote industrialization, most especially in the areas that depend on supply of  electricity. People are still kept in the dark on why a whole nation can't have active and sustainable  turn around maintenance of our refineries, not to talk of developing more at least to satisfy local consumption. Despite the fact that at the individual level, some of these big shots in politics and business have refineries established abroad as well as universities, here  in Nigeria and abroad.
    In the face of all these, where the just only harvest their dividend of democracy as impoverishment  and legacy of poverty; where their children cannot enjoy after struggling tooh and nail to sponsor their deucation. The only option opne to the citizenry is agitation against economichadrship and insecurity. It is equally unfortunate that  even with  the unacceptrable arrangement of the Federal, State and Local Government allocation sharing formula, the Local Governments have become mere annexes of the states whose Governors put their surrogates to be in charge with the lamighty formula of 100 per cent win by the ruling party. Calling for true Federalism wherein there would be financial autonomy for the states is therefore not an overstatement, if we are to follow the example of the United States of America, where corporate governance promotes a strong nation rather than strong individuals, who daily oppress  their people in Nigeria and most often claim to be above the law. Nigeria has three options vis-a-vis 1) Working for true Federalism, whereby states would enjoy financial autonomy. 2) Confederation which is a call back to the root  our former regional control of the economy. This was what operated during the First republic with a lot of visible records  of development and with their sources of strength been agricultural resources. The third must be prevented through good governance and correct  welfare package  for Nigerians. This would be possible if we can address the issue of institutional indiscipline and the endemic culture of corruption which presently are rubbishing the values of education, religion and governance.
    We must  guide against  possible wrath of military incursion which is daily been signaled by some soldiers resigning coupled with the difficulties in eradicating terrorism.
    Indeed, without correct attitudinal change, aberrations negating the philosophy of due process may continue to be in place.
    Correcting the ills in the land as a prerequsite  to any restructuring  neeed is sacrosanct otherwise we may by ourselves undermine the need foe secession in the face of our failure  to achieve true Federalism. The Federal Government and all the security agencies are primary stakeholders  in this respect of effecting the much needed change that Nigeria needs to be comfortable among the committee of nations.

  • The Period of Mediocrity and Lack of Knowledge

    Quote 7The President and State Governors took oaths of allegiance and office at the commencement fo their different tenures.  

    However, happenings across the federation revolving on crime and criminality-killings and ritual killings, kidnappings, armed robbery, rape among others, are indications that the above mentioned political office holders are yet to justify the oaths they took during their inauguration. Even though the President and State Governors have held regular meetings with all their appointees, the general and domestic and foreign policies of the present administration remain subject to unending debate among confused and distraught Nigerians. 

    Indeed,  the citizenry wishes to know 1) If the political office holders are conversant with the real meaning of good governance. 2) If political appointees are without controversy, qualified for the positions they presently occupy. 3) If the above mentioned are not responsible for the worrisome situation in the country presently.

    Of note is the fact that mediocrity, ignorance, illiteracy, and lack of adequate knowledge have become major challenges affecting political office holders and the citizenry. 

  • Restoration of Sanity in the land is a must

    Prof 1The essence of religious houses is to have a school structure whereby adherents of each religious denomination or sect shall be taught lessons of life through the faith-building process to achieve morally based ethics in an environment of discipline to be able to keep sustainable good man/God relationship.  The house of God, therefore, needs to be structured and equipped with the scripture and highly committed clerics or pedagogues that would be able to not only teach the scriptures but become a role model and operationalize the book of life in order that the adherents are able to achieve the much-desired tranquility of the mind and peace driven environment that would be safe and secured. Failure to have qualified clerics in place will lead to poor processing of the adherents and poor maintenance of the house of God, where commercial activities will dominate the expected giving of the much-desired spiritual diet as the bread of life.

    In this wise, religious houses will become havens for fraudsters and sources of anti-societal menace with complete lack of the grace of divine intervention.

    The Holy Quran 3: 187 speaks volumes on this, '' I remember Allah took a covenant from the people of the book to make it known and clear to mankind, and not to hide, but they threw it away behind their backs and purchased with ti some miserable gains!  And vile was the bargain they made !''

    To the above effect, the penalty is aptly expressed in Quran 3: 188-189, Think not that those who exult in what they have brought about and love, to be praised for what they have not done,-think not that they can escape the chastisement. For them, is a chastisement grievous indeed, to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens  and the earth; and Allah has power over all things.''

    The situation in the country is that of deplorable institutional discipline because we fail to role model ideals by not teaching aright and learning correctly. The situation of the nation is aptly described y the Hole Quaran 5: 62,'' Many of them doest thou see raising each other in sin and transgression and their eating of things forbidden. Evil indeed is the things they do.'' To corroborate the stand of the almighty Allah in the above verse of the Holy Quran is Prov. 22: 22-23,'' It is easy to steal from poor people, but don't do it. And don't take advantage of the poor people's court.

    The Lord is on their side He would avenge their cause. He supports them and He would take things away from them.''

    People in affluence or positions of power oppress their people, sending signals of poverty, hunger, and diseases with threats of jail or imprisonment in an environment of injustice. If the governance circle is into this rot of poor performance, the almighty Allah challenges the judiciary to correct the anomalies as expected in Quran 5: 63, '' Why don't Rabbis and the Doctors of law forbid them from their habit of uttering sinful words and eating what is forbidden? Evil indeed is their works. Let us, therefore, restore sanity into the land through institutionalizing discipline and establishing zero tolerance for corruption. 

     

    Prof. Sabitu Olagoke

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

  • Take the Right Decision

    Genesis 4: 7

    7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

    Q 1

  • Stamp Duties on Rents-Govt is Taxing the Poor for the Benefit of the Rich-AWC

    The six percent stamp duty on rents in private residential buildings recently introduced by the Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS) has been described as a policy to favor government and privileged  Nigerians.

    This assertion was made by the All Workers Convergence(AWC) through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

    ''The Federal Government has decided to tax the poor for the benefit of the government and  the rich. The policy is aimed at further devaluing the Naira and make the cost of living very high. This certainly is the wrong policy. This is a government that is supposed to provide as a matter of right to citizens, accommodation, in order to guarantee their right to shelter but has defiantly refused to guarantee citizens' right to shelter and is now taxing citizens for providing shelter for themselves. The hard times are here,'' Comrade Emelieze lamented.

  • Stop Discriminating Policies to ensure National Integration-Prof. Olagoke to FG and States

    Prof 1Nigerians have for so long complained of injustice, inequity, discrimination and other related inhuman acts by successive administrations in the country. Sadly, nepotism, favoritism and political patronage have become the order of the day at the Federal and state levels. In this interview the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke opines that the present administration in Nigeria should stop implementing discriminating policies to ensure national integration. Excerpts : 

    How can the present administration in Nigeria ensure national integration and at the same time eliminate discrimination on the grounds of state of origin, sex, religion, status, ethnicity and language ?

    National integration for Nigeria as an entity will promote love, enhance security and accelerate development. However, under the present circumstance, its complexity will require a giant stride of efforts from the present administration to achieve. This is because Nigeria has since by structure and architecture been viewed as a mere geographical contraption by name since the period of amalgamation in 1914.

    Unfortunately, our failure to develop the culture of patriotism has been responsible for allegations of marginalization and inequality in having access to our common wealth.

     Nigerians today remain unnecessary heterogeneous because of the discriminatory attitude of our rulers and leaders through biases of differences in state of origin, gender, religion and language. Till date,religion is still a tool to fuel crisis and is a pun in the hands of politicians, not only to have tickets of opportunities to be voted into elective positions, but as a means to be appointed into juicy positions of power.

    Discrimination is highly endemic in Nigeria, biases flow continue to stream out the choice of partners in marriages and the girl child and women are equally discriminated against even by their parents in the areas of developing the children.

    At the career front, women equally suffer at the entry point of employment as well as at the promotional stage of their development in the establishment. It is unfortunate that our leaders do not see positions of power as an opportunity to serve meritoriously, towards leaving a legacy of good mentor ship by aggressively and seriously working on our weak areas that prove to be the bane of development. For example, the essence of adopting English language as a the lingua franca is to promote national integration, unfortunately, research into cases of fraud and corruption in Nigeria reveal that the majority of those who engage in these evils including the ‘’Yahoo yahoo’’ boys and girls are those ones who are regarded as educated with good diction, phonetics and fluency. Can these people build for us dignity of labor and fraud free society ? How then can we have national integration in the face of all these odds of life. If this government is to achieve for us and the next generation, national integration, there would be the need to overhaul most of our policies that favor discriminating attitudes . To this end, a restructuring agenda that is not based on ethnic coloration or religious sentiments must be effected as the main agenda that must be pursued as a project that must not fail, otherwise the proponents of the fact that Nigeria is a child of circumstance based on the 1914 amalgamation which lives on a document that was only renewable in 2014, that is after 100 years, of the people so wish, may hijack the project. We must not allow national disintegration to replace the lofty project of national integration. The present government must therefore serve the people by satisfying their physiological needs, otherwise the pursuit of the elitist project at the expense of the welfare of the people may be catastrophic in future.

  • The Prisoners of Debt

    People are uncomfortable with language, which suggests hierarchies and power relationships, however we are happier with the language of equality.

    None of us is entirely happy with the thought of been a  prisoner of a servant.

    These are words which have few honorable associations for us.

     So what is the mystery which Christ proclaims ?

    It is precisely the liberty we most desire, a liberty which is a mystery or infinite treasure because it makes us all members of the body of Christ.

    In Christ, we are offered the true equality of belonging.

    These days it is very difficult for people to feel that they belong to anything.

    We are deeply scarred by the kinds of greed or apathy which set whole communities against  each other.

    Let us pray for global healing between nations, which have  made servants of each other and prisoners of debt; let us pray for world unity.

    Continue reading

  • Suspension of EFCC Boss-Nigeria is soaked in Corruption-Prof. Olagoke

    Prof 1The suspension of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, his questioning and probe of the activities of the commission from 2015 till date has cast dark clouds on the anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria. However, a cross section of Nigerians are of the opinion that this has exposed the worrisome state of affairs among the leadership. Interestingly, the panel’s roles are not stated in the constitution, even as the insinuation is that it has been five years of chasing shadows. In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. SabitU Olagoke says that the country is soaked in corruption. Excerpts :

    The presidential panel on corruption is now saddled with the responsibility of looking into the activities of the suspended Chairman of the EFCC and the commission from 2015 till date. What is your reaction ?

    Consider the present state of institutional indiscipline and impunity on the issue of sins and crimes in all sectors and spheres of life.

    The environment is fraught with rent-seeking, hypocrisy, nepotism, Nigeria loss of identity(lack of patriotism) and kleptocracy where corruption is deeply ingrained in in our collective psyche through institutional indiscipline, impunity, blackmail and intimidation. This land is soaked with corruption, transgression, sins and crimes. Hence, there is a dire need for an enabling act as an antidote. Section(i) of the EFCC Act(2004) limits the appointment of the EFCC Chairman to ; ‘’Serving or retired member of any of the government security or law enforcement agency no t below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent.’’

    The law was adjusted to make the EFCC answerable to the Attorney Genetral of the Federation, that should be more of probe, rather than monitoring the looted assets auctioning process profile.

    One expects the agency(EFCC) to be answerable to the Presidency where the Presidential Advisory Committee(PAC) should be doing the monitoring of the process of the looted assets recovery and disposal system through due process.

    This would have made the President to have first hand information and monitoring of the process through direct and timely briefing.

    When will a civilian boss emerge with law background and antecedent of integrity with clean records and relevant experience ?

    The Senate refused to confirm Magu’s appointment twice, based on security reports that declared him as a security risk or ‘danger’ to the anti-corruption war.

    The present moral incompetence charges justify his detractors’ claim.

    The anti-corruption agency has the antecedent of record of being used by the Presidency to witch hunt the opposition or perceived enemies of the powers that be. With this reduced status to a moral blackmail, the agency with its anti-corruption crusade, the whole process will by implication become questionable through doubtful integrity and credibility.

    One expects that lessons ought to have been learnt with full determination of purpose to identify with the charge mantra of the government that appointed Magu as the acting chairman. However, for lack of autonomy the political wind could have beclouded Magu’s sense of professionalism an objectivity.

    The war against corruption ought to have been worn out for the structure and architectural defects as well as attitudinal challenge of officers and the society including, governance, the battle process is always fraught with fictional resistances. All anti-corruption agencies need to be built upon clearly spelt out premises, while the monitor of the terms of references and training that dwell on :

    1. Emphatic policy analysis and implementation process.
    2. Monitoring mechanism and coordination structure.
    3. Sociological consideration for corruption tendency. For example, past records of Timocracy and Kleptocracy at any given opportunity to serve at any level of operation
    4. Sources and environment that enable corrupt practices.
    5. Key trends in the evolution of sharp and corrupt practices.

     Process flow analysis of checking leakages based on the concept of prevention is better than cure, with the regulation mechanism in place such as :

    1. Expenditure controls.
    2. Audit systems and monitoring.
    3. Assessment and evaluation framework.

    All these must be the orientation of all officers of the EFCC and in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies and government functionaries including parastatals, Executive, Judiciary and Legislature with emphasis on on the need of transparency and accountability probity and auditing that corruption is nipped in the bud before it become full blown. To this end the following must be in place

    • Autonomy of the agency is required to be immune from undue political influence. The independence of the anti-corruption agency must be guarded in law to protect its credibility and objectivity for maximum efficiency to produce deterrents .
    • Periodical workshop on best attitudinal attainment for anti-graft officials to be reliable and dependable without disappointing people’s trust is sacrosanct.
    • This must be driven through adequate training, capacity building, adequate resources, professionalism and rigorous ability to prosecute offenders.
    • For effectiveness, the following must be given credence for enhancement :
    • Conceptually grounded system analysis of corruption with basic consideration for :
    • Level and dignity of labor.
    • Location and characteristic attitude of the people in the environment.
    • Magnitude of corruption a the strategy level to be able to restrategize.
    • Keen focus on the drivers and enablers of corruption.
    • Ensure that legal, societal and normal norms are fully aligned within the framework that enable operators to full fight the cabals, cartels and the yahoo yahoo boys and girls on quick money making syndrome.
    • Above all, checks to regulate living not above our means deserve a wider and effective mechanism that would enable the anti-corruption commission and the society at large to naturally identify with the objectives and goals of the anti corruption agencies.
    • Character and judgement are crucial and more important than professional background for the position of chairmanship of the EFCC, hence, the need to try a civilian pedigree in experience, education and impeccable character with a clean state of past records.

     

     

  • Coronavirus- Govt Should Test Students in Reopened Schools-AWC

    Oyo 2State Governments in Nigeria which have reopened schools in the heat of the coronavirus pandemic  have been called upon to commence tests for the coronavirus among students, teachers and other staff.

    This call was made by the All Workers Convergence(AWC) through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, in a chat with Poverty Line.

    ‘’Now that some state Governments have reopened schools, it is very necessary for these governments to conduct COVID 19 tests among teachers, students and other staff in the various schools that have reopened in the states. This is what is expected of governments which project and are not ready to risk the lives of their people. As a matter of fact we need not remind these state governments to conduct the tests, if the intention of reopening schools was not to perform unnecessary experiment with our students or put their lives in jeopardy’’, Comrade Emelieze concluded.

  • Pick Pocketing as a Means to an End

    Quote 5Pick pocketing is now a means of livelihood for the young and old in  major cities  in Nigeria.

    Young men and women, including the aged are noticeable at bus stops and other public places such as markets and events centers plying their trade. 

    At bus-stops they are always out waiting for their victims, who board buses, tricycles, motorcycles and cabs. Sadly, their collaborators are in the law enforcement agencies

  • Electricity Hike-90 Per Cent of Nigerians have been Impoverished-Prof. Olagoke

    Prof 1Ever since the privatization of the power sector, Nigerians have continued to pay for darkness even though the expectations was that the privatization would ensure that electricity would be stable and regular. Sadly, this is not the case.

    Of worry, is the fact that estimated billing, in the face of the irregular electricity supply all over the country by the Electricity Distribution Companies(DISCO) has been more of a night mare for serious minded Nigerians.

    In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head, Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke opines that increase in electricity is not the way to go since 90 per cent of Nigerians are contending with poverty and hunger. Excerpts :

    Darkness persists despite the privatization of electricity supply in Nigeria, do you think increasing tariffs is the solution?

    Th system of government in Nigeria has always been characterized by insensitivity to the records of the history for its performance to put in place a value system that is not only maintainable but sustainable for the future. The consequence has always has always been a case of worsening situation through successive governments till date.

    The level of corruption at all levels of its management became embarrassingly high to the detriment of our development even in the areas of economic diversification projects, vocational and entrepreneurship ventures and the general economy that is artisan driven. As the home comfort suffers, the industrial sector suffers more.

    The solution to aid better performance became directed towards using metering system to avoid the further issuance of estimated or ’ crazy’ bills even in the absence of regular power supply. It is unfortunate to note that the failure of this sector has adversely affected the realization of the vision 20–20–20 project which experts projected that same would require a minimum of 6,000 megawatts power generation for Nigeria to be able to rise to be among the first 20 economically viable nations in the world.

    It is embarrassing for government to direct its search light towards the masses of which 90 per cent of the population had already been impoverished to pay for the debt they never incurred through their attempted policy to increase the tariffs. It is equally embarrassing for the National Assembly and DISCOS to ask the Federal Government to subsidize electricity consumption without putting in place some measures such as proper metering before such hike could be implemented.

    With the Coronavirus pandemic collapsing the economy and further impoverishing Nigerians who do not have access to jumbo pay, it is not proper to add more to the people’s challenges of coping with the present hardships through the so called cost reflective tariffs.

  • Corruption in the Civil Service is a Cancer-Lesotho PM

    Lesotho 1

     

     

     

    Lesotho Prime Minister Dr. Moeketsi Majoro  has expressed worries over the unending  corruption in the country's civil service.

    Dr. Majoro made this know on Monday in a nationwide broadcast.

    "Corruption, especially within the civil service, is a cancer that has been ravaging Lesotho's economy for a very long time... We are determined set a precedent on this matter and His Majesty's cabinet, principal secretaries, senior government officials and heads of procurement and supply chains will have declared their assets in the next 14 days," he stated.

    The Prime Minister assured that the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) would be  given all the assistance it needs to perform its statutory functions.

    Dr. Majoro stressed that farming was the mainstay of the country's economy saying ''"This is why food security is every government's obligation to its people. We need to produce food in order for us to win the fight against hunger and poverty.

    "Furthermore, we will ensure a wider access and usage of green houses and shed nets as well as embarking on agricultural technology."