GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA: FOR WHO THE BELL TOLLS NEXT.

Just five people shy of Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting incident that claimed 26 lives, the Uvalde Texas Robb elementary school mass shooting at 21 victims, now ranks among the highest grossing gun carnage in America. It is sad that such frequent blood spilling has tragically become part of our culture as a society. May the souls of the killed now rest.

25th AMENDMENT: ITS NOW ALL CRICKET.

Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi once questioned former President Donald John Trump's fitness to remain in office due to what she claimed was his declining mental capacity. Does anyone know what Madam Speaker presently thinks about the incontrovertible case which America is now saddled with? Just curious!

WHO WILL REBUILD UKRAINE?

The West should convert frozen Russian assets, both state's and oligarchs' owned, into a full seizure and set them aside for the future rebuilding of Ukraine. Like the Marshal Plan, call it the Putin Plan.

A HERO IS BORN.

I am staying put. I will not run away and abandon my people. The fight is here in Ukraine. What I need are weapons and ammunitions, not a ride out of town like former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani - President Volodymyr Zelensky.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

"There is too much hate in America because there is too much anger in America." - Trevor Noah.

WORD!

A life without challenges is not a life lived at all. A life lived is a life that has problems, confronts problems, solves problems and then learns from problems. - Tunde Fashola.

NOW, YOU KNOW.

When fishing for love, bait with your heart and not your brain, because you cannot rationalize love. - Mark Twain.

JUST THE FACT.

In our country, you can shoot and kill a nigger, but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings - Dave Chappelle

DO YOU?.

“What you believe in can only be defined by what you’re willing to risk for it." - Stuart Scheller.

HEDGE YOUR CRISIS.

Never get in bed with a woman whose problems are worse than yours. - Chicago PD.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

'The best way to keep peace is to be ready to destroy evil. If you Pearl Harbor me, I Nagasaki you.' - Ted Nugent.

OUR SHARED HUMANITY.

Empathy is at the heart of who we are as human beings. - Cardinal Matthew Kukah.

WORDS ON MARBLE.

"Birth is agony. Life is hard. Death is cruel." - Japanese pithy.

REPENT OR PERISH - POPE.

Homosexuality is a sin. It is not ordained by God, therefore same sex marriage cannot be blessed by the church - Pope Francis.

CANCEL CULTURE IS CORROSIVE.


FOR SAKE OF COUNTRY.


MAGA LIVES ON: NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!

TWITTER IS BORING WITHOUT HIS TWEETS. #RestorePresidentTrump'sTwitterHandle.


WORD.

"If you cannot speak the truth when it matters, then nothing else you says matters.” - Tucker Carlson.

#MeToo MOVEMENT: A BAD NEWS GONE CRAZY.

"To all the women who testified, we may have different truth, but I have a great remorse for all of you. I have great remorse for all of the men and women going through this crisis right now in our country. You know, the movement started basically with me, and I think what happened, you know, I was the first example, and now there are thousands of men who are being accused and a regeneration of things that I think none of us understood. I’m not going to say these aren’t great people. I had wonderful times with these people. I’m just genuinely confused. Men are confused about this issue. We are going through this #MeToo movement crisis right now in this country." - Harvey Weinstein.


RON DELLUMS: UNAPOLOGETICALLY RADICAL.

"If it’s radical to oppose the insanity and cruelty of the Vietnam War, if it’s radical to oppose racism and sexism and all other forms of oppression, if it’s radical to want to alleviate poverty, hunger, disease, homelessness, and other forms of human misery, then I’m proud to be called a radical.” - Ron Vernie Dellums.


WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE - STEVE JOBS

“I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me. God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth. Memories precipitated by love is the only true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on. The most expensive bed in the world is the sick bed. You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear sickness for you. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – Life. Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well. Cherish others.” - SJ

EVIL CANNOT BE TRULY DESTROYED.

"The threat of evil is ever present. We can contain it as long as we stay vigilant, but it can never truly be destroyed. - Lorraine Warren (Annabelle, the movie)


ONLY THE POOR WISH THEY HAD STUFF?

“I’m not that interested in material things. As long as I find a good bed that I can sleep in, that’s enough.” - Nicolas Berggruem, the homeless billionaire.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

NIGERIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, CASTRATED? - an article by Paul Barthlomew.

Power they say corrupts, while absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is a popular refrain among political science students. This is the main reason why in a democratic setting, there are three arms of government that operate as co-equals and serve as a check and balance on one another. The result is an effective checks and balances on the activities and operations of each government tier.
That Nigeria has spent ten uninterrupted years of civilian rule is not in question. The argument has been whether these years of civilian rule can be equated to ten years of democratic governance? Many commentaries had been made on this subject; while some argue that we have had democracy these ten years, others believe we had only had the change of uniform as the same clique of undemocratic elements had been in control of the national affairs these past ten years. That was why in 2007, when a so-called unblemished, true civilian and a university graduate - "Umaru Musa Yar'Adua" was 'selected' by the PDP and later imposed on the 'nation' as a civilian president, not few were optimistic that things will no longer be the same, hoping that we are in for better times? But with several events since his inauguration as president, President Umaru Yar'Adua had proved the optimists wrong while the sceptics had been proved right. Not a few had been taken aback with the level of corruption in all segments of national life, exhibition of ineptitude, lack of direction, unwillingness to change the status-quo especially with recent events in Ekiti and President Umaru Yar'Adua's strong commitment to the Northernization and Islamization of Nigeria?

However, my anger goes to the National Assembly, the so-called representatives of the people - both the senate and house of representatives? These people are supposed to gauge the feelings of the 'electorate' (though none of them were elected but selected, in the first place) and make laws to assuage these feelings and fears. These so-called 'distinguished' senators and 'honourable' representatives are expected to serve as a check on the excesses of the executives and defend the constitution of the 'Federal Republic'? They are to remind the executive of any actions that serve as a breach to the constitution and ensure that the interest of the generality of the masses is defended, at least let there be a semblance? They are supposed to scrutinize the actions of the executive and various parastatals to ensure that they are in consonance to the dictates of the constitution. However, what we observe now is a legislature that had become an extended arm of the presidency, not even the executive. Actions of the executive are now approved without recourse to constitutional requirements. They are only interested in their allowance and had abandoned the responsibility bestowed on them to 'at least' show that they have separate but equal powers, running Nigeria. I am persuaded to concur with those who term them 'rubber stamp' legislature.

The recent appointment by the presidency and the so-called screening and approval by the Senate of Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is appalling and negates every sense of decorum and legislative responsibility? Mr. Sanusi just assumed his last office as the Group Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria in January 2009. From all indications, Mr. Sanusi is not qualified to head the nations apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria. His educational background completely disqualifies him. This is a man that would formulate policies that is supposed to drive this national economy in this period of global economic recession and lead us to the so-called Vision 2020? From all indications, he is not properly equipped for the task of the present global economic meltdown and his masters degree in Islamic Studies, a course that has nothing to do with Economics, or Banking or even Political-economics does not help matters, at all? Sanusi also lacks the international clout or exposure to lead the nations banking sector to the desired Eldorado?
If the North desires to appropriate the CBN governorship position now, my question is ' Is Sanusi the most qualified candidate the whole of the North can produce?' If that is true, then they have a fundamental problem because they are and will remain for many decades, very far behind in Nigeria. During the so-called Senate screening of Sanusi, this his incompetence was not commented on by any of the so-called Senators? What a shame? Mr. Sanusi comes from a region, North Western Nigeria that already has appropriated the positions of the President, Economic Adviser to the President, Minister of Finance, Minister of National Planning, Minister of Energy, GMD NNPC etc. This completely negates the principles of the constitution of the 'Federal Republic' of Nigeria as it appertains to federal character principle in allocation of offices in the land? During the jamboree called screening, the so-called senators were busy listening to a fable prepared to deceive the gullible men that the question of federal character was no longer an issue in federal appointments? The worst case displayed by this inept senators is that they acquiesced that even the affirmation of his clearance should be done by voice votes? Which triggers the question, which clime are we operating here in Nigeria?
I recently read a babbling by one Northerner that the reason for not giving Prof. Chukwuma Soludo a second term was to pave way for a Northern who has a primary responsibility to reshape the policy of the operations of the Bureau De Change. They complain that the policy of Soludo affected the Northerners negatively without considering the effect on the national economy. It goes to show how myopic, sentimental and tribalistic that President Umaru Yar'adua is and by such, a person with his traits has completely demonstrated his incompetence to be president of any country in this world. No wonder some of his former associates had complained that President Umaru Yar'Adua has no national agenda, had no friends outside his locality and thus his mentality is completely local. I am afraid for Nigeria especially with recent calls for a so-called second term. What we have got from the so-called National Assembly had been probes that got nowhere. Noises were made, emotions evoked and all of such nonsense. The conclusion is the enmeshing in corrupt practices by those who are supposed to perform oversight functions. Nicholas Ugbane, Ndudi Elumelu et al will tell better. Many others abound in both chambers with their atrocities covered by the EFCC and their presidency collaborators. We wish Elumelu will open up and squeal the beans in his case as it concerns the so-called young Turk, Mr. Speaker. We all know about it and are waiting for the details.
The National Assembly, during Obasanjo's regime made some noise about impeachment. However, in the name of executive-legislative collaboration and political stability, the interest of the masses is constantly subsumed to the wishes of a cabal that has been holding Nigeria hostage since independence. In the so-called hallowed chambers, rot, disappointments, shame, election riggers and thugs, criminals, 419ers, fake contractors, ritualists, womanisers, sponsors of kidnappings and all sorts of evil abound. It shows that this nation is doomed. Our democracy is doomed. The future of our youths is doomed. They are not National Assembly but National Ashamed? They are not honorable people but dishonorable people or what is honorable in a bunch of thugs, fraudulent criminals, 419ners, SIEMENS bribe-takers, NITEL looters etc? What a disgrace these bunch of hooligans have brought to the office as well as Nigeria?

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