October 2018

at October 30, 2018 0
It is indisputable that there have been a good number of arguments and debates on the immunity clause on the basis of whether it should be upheld, reviewed or removed from the Nigerian Constitution. To start with, I have to x-ray the meaning of immunity clause.
The Black Law Dictionary defines ‘immunity clause’ as a provision that limits the responsibility of a trustee or leader to liability for negligence or misconduct. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 308, as amended, asserts that the immunity clause is for top government officials, including the President, Vice President, Governor and Deputy Governor respectively. The section clearly states that there shall not be any civil or criminal proceedings, indictment, trial, judgment and imprisonment to the aforementioned political bigwigs while in office.

The immunity clause, without an iota of contradiction, first came to light in the First Republic, 1963 Constitution of Nigeria (Section 161). Those that drafted Nigeria’s constitution would agree with me that there is nothing like immunity clause in the constitution of U.S.A., from which we borrowed the pattern of our constitution. The only thing that looks similar to, but not exactly as, ‘our immunity clause’ is the Detects of Article IV (States’ Relations) Section 1 (2), which provides citizens of each state entitlement to all privileges and immunities of citizens in several states. This implies that a citizen in the state of Georgia is entitled to all the privileges and immunities of Florida citizens.

The concept of good governance is all about a government being accountable, transparent, responsive, effective, subject to the dictates of the law, participatory, equitable and inclusive in their day-to-day governance of a state or country.
The above qualities are hardly practicable in the Nigerian polity. According to the 2017 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) report, Nigeria, being the giant of Africa, scored lower than the African average (50.8) and lower in the regional average for West Africa (53.8).
It is unarguably correct that the Nigerian ‘homo politicus’ have turned the Nigerian political landscape into a laboratory room for carrying out their mischievous and self-aggrandizing experiments. Nigeria is a country where a top political leader embezzles, misappropriates, diverts and stashes away public funds for private use and walks around as a free man while in office and even after leaving office; a country where the common citizenry cannot sue a top political official like the president or governor, but such personality can institute suits on any citizenry of the country; a country where some political zones enjoy the dividends of democracy and opportunities more than others. All these are supported by the immunity clause. Where, then, is the rule of law?

There have been series of arguments by the top political class and citizens on immunity clause and impeachments. Some political class argue that since there are impeachment proceedings for political officials who are found in gross misconduct, according to Section 143 of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution, there is no need to remove immunity clause from the constitution. This negative impression needs to be corrected.

Pastor Chris Divorce story

I will buttress my impression with realities in USA. During the Nixon investigation, Ronald Rotunda’s 56 pages legal opinion stated that the President is not immune from prosecution. His first argument was that the Constitution didn’t state that the President is immune from prosecution. There are a number of cases in the Constitution in which immunities are spelled out. He also said, if it was the intent of the Founding fathers of USA to make the President immune, they would have written that in. Also, the views of a majority of Justices in Nixon v. Fitzgerald quite clearly supports the conclusion that it is constitutionally permissible to prosecute a sitting president. But here in Nigeria, immunity clause has made a sitting President above prosecution. Despite the impeachment proceedings instead of prosecution for a sitting president found in any gross misconduct, it will surprise you to know today that none of the past presidents in the history of Nigeria has ever been impeached. Does it mean that all of them are saints?



I also studied the records of previous governors in USA, I came to discover that former State Governors like H. Guy Hunt (Alabama State), Jim Guy Tucker (Arkansas State) were all convicted while in office as a result of gross misconduct. The reverse is the case with some past Nigerian governors since 1999 to date, who were impeached as a result of gross misconduct, but their impeachments were later nullified and overturned by one higher court or the other in Nigeria. With the analysis above, you will see that in U.S.A., any public official found in any misconduct will be severely dealt with, but in Nigeria, impeachment proceedings meant for government officials who are under immunity is theoretical, fraudulent and not a pragmatic concept.

In conclusion, the immunity clause has created political, social and developmental problems in the leadership of Nigeria and therefore should either be reviewed or removed from the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for a better Nigeria. I vividly recall that President Yar’adua, while he was the sitting president of Nigeria, before the “Partnership against Corruption Initiative” in Switzerland, admitted that immunity clause was unethical for a country like Nigeria and also agreed that it would be reviewed in subsequent amendments of the Nigerian Constitution. I, therefore, end with the words of Mallam Labaran Maku, the former minister of information: “Removal of immunity clause would help tackle corruption and ensure good governance in Nigeria.”

Christian Alert Group, Nigeria Rise Initiative in conjunction with Citizens for Righteousness and Social Justice is the Best way to Go Raising Anti Corruption Crusaders fighting Injustices in a Violent and Immoral Society of Nigeria for a Better Nigeria come 2019.
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at October 30, 2018 0
We are back to another round of arguments, negotiations, bullying and blackmail between the government and the Nigeria Labour Congress on the issue of minimum wage. It’s the same cyclical drama socio-political observers are now used to. But then, the question is do we always have to get here? Do we have to continually endure this distraction? Don’t we have tougher meat to chew on as a people?

Why can’t the federal government set an example by obeying its own laws?

There is an existing law in the country which stipulates a review of workers wages after every five years, so one would expect that it should be automatic, right? Well, not in Nigeria. Don’t get me wrong there are unavoidable socio-economic situations when salary review doesn’t have to be automatic. A responsible government would show facts and figures why when these situations arise. However this writeup is about normal situations. Under these normal circumstances, do people in authority in this country need to be reminded to do their jobs or do they need to be blackmailed or cajoled into doing them as is the case most times when it comes to labour issues? The last time, the wage was increased was over five years ago, and that was when it was increased from N7,500 to N18,000.00 Since then inflation has risen, the price of crude (sadly the main index of measuring the economic well-being of the country) has gone down significantly, cost of living has gone off the roof and ordinary Nigerians are feeling hard done by.



During the last increment, the Federal Government put a benchmark of N18, 000 for all workers at the federal, state and local government levels. It called it the National Minimum Wage. This move was of course criticized by some governors, who maintained that the resources/ financial strength of states differ and as such their salary portfolios should differ. But despite the back and forth on the issue, the federal government refused to back down as it felt that every worker should at least earn the proposed minimum. That was some years ago and as cliché as it sounds, that take home pay can no longer take our workers home! Quite frankly, I do not think it ever did. To make matter worse for the hapless workers, only a few states have been complying with that law. Some who implemented the law, only did it on paper while maintaining the old status quo or reduce it through all sorts of backhand manner, including payment of only a percentage of the workers salaries. These payments are usually at the whims of the governor depending on how he feels.

The argument that states should not be subjected to the same minimum wage law could be looked at from two angles. One is that states should be allowed to determine the wages of their workers based on resources available, considering that they all do not earn the same income. After all states are not naturally endowed equally. Fair argument as long as there’s a sincerity of purpose. Nigerians know there’s none whatsoever. The country is replete with greedy governors who would rather not pay workers and owe them as much as five months salaries while their own lifestyles tell different stories. We live in an unjust and repressive society where the expensive lifestyle of our governors, lawmakers and ministers are flaunted without inhibition on the faces of those workers who are owed several months of livelihood. The well publicized obscene salaries and allowances of our Nigerian lawmakers have demonstrated time and time again that they are not at the hallowed chambers to represent the masses but their personal interests.

How is it possible that our governors who claim that they are not able to pay salaries maintain a retinue of aides who do nothing but massage their ego every morning. It is a common sight in Nigeria, to see young men and sometimes women hanging around Government Houses, to hail the governor simply for waking up! The governors also have thugs at their beck and call, who are also on state payrolls. Same goes for the long convoy which is also catered for from the coffers of the government. The Nigerian workers are always at the short end of the stick unfortunately. Let’s be brutally honest here, with the economic situation of the country, even if the minimum wage was N30,000, it would not do much to cater adequately for the Nigerian worker and his family. In a strongly communal society as ours, the worker not only looks after his immediate family but also a long list of dependents.

Nigerian Democracy dieing

The NLC is taking advantage of the impending elections to demand for what ordinarily should be a right of every Nigerian worker and who can blame them? Everyone knows that the eve of an election is when you can get anything (including your fundamental human rights) out of these unfeeling politicians. So, I urge the NLC to maximise the opportunity. They have threatened to embark on another national strike on November 6, and I support the move. They should maintain their stance and ensure that they get a good deal. Workers are not beggars, they are not meant to take whatever crumbs drop off the table; they are critical stakeholders in this country. If we can make our politicians comfortable, we have the moral obligation to make our workers comfortable. The Labour leaders should approach the table with a demand for a realistic wage. With the Naira exchanging at N368 to 1$, N30,000 as minimum wage does not really cut it. I don’t have to be a Macro-Economist to know that the excesses of one class of people in a country can be curtailed to look after the shortage of another not so fortunate. It’s circulation of commonwealth, put crudely.

Demanding minimum wage is one thing though, enforcing it is another and much more important. We all know that the minimum wage is a law and violation should attract some sort of punishment. We know too the contempt with which highly placed individuals treat the law of the land. The federal government should make it a point of duty to ensure enforcement. Governors who treat the minimum wage law with levity should have their allocation deducted at the source to cater for workers. The issue of inadequate revenue should not be tolerated. Governors should work hard at improving internally generated revenue and in any case, I believe that many states are at the moment generating a lot of money internally. They are just not adequately accounted for due to corruption.

It’s time the leadership of this country sees workers salary not as a privilege but a fundamental human right.

Christian Alert Group, Nigeria Rise Initiative in conjunction with Citizens for Righteousness and Social Justice is the Best way to Go Raising Anti Corruption Crusaders fighting Injustices in a Violent and Immoral Society of Nigeria for a Better Nigeria come 2019.
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at October 29, 2018 0
Have you ever  contemplated about the life cycle of an Eagle? If no, let’s go on a voyage of learning and lessons that will change your perception about our predicament as a nation. The eagle has the longest life-span of its species. It can live up to 70 years, but, to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard decision in its early 40’s, because its long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey which serves as a food and its long and sharp beak becomes bent. Its’ old-aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers become stuck to its chest and make it difficult to fly. Then, the eagle is left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of change which last a hundred and fifty days. The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountain top and sit on its nest, there the eagle knocks its beak against a rock until it plucks it out, after plucking it out, the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back and then it will pluck out its talons. When its new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old-aged feathers and after five months, the eagle takes its famous flight of rebirth and lives for 30 more years.





If you have ever thought Nigeria will not be great again, it is better you have a rethink. Though, dreams have been chattered, hopes have been lost and desires have been melted in the face of adversity. We live like strangers and slaves in our fathers land, going through hell, rupture and torture, with the hope that things will get better one day. This is the spirit of an average Nigerian; a spirit of hope, tenacity, doggedness and endurance. I live with a heart full of sorrow and joy – sorrow of how we battle one challenge or the other since independence and joy of a new Nigeria borne out of the belief that Nigeria will be great again.

Hardly will any great success be achieved without any form of challenge being faced during the process of achieving it. Challenges are bound to surface, but our strength lies in overcoming them. There is no problem in falling but the greatest problem lies in our inability to stand up each time we fall. I strongly believe Nigeria will be great again only if we believe and work towards achieving it.

Nigeria will be great again if we can be best students of history. It is said that he who forgets the history before his birth will remain a child forever. For us to grow out of our childish behavior and start responding to political issues maturely we must go back and tread the rough road that leads to the political independence we enjoy today as a nation. It is only when we starve ourselves with past occurrences that we can sit down and eat to the fill the fruits of such starvation.

Nigeria will be great again only if a Yoruba man will tolerate an Igbo man in his land the way his fellow tribesmen will tolerate and welcome him. Nigeria will rise again only if we can eschew enmity, and nepotism, and embrace religious and ethnic tolerance. We Nigerians must learn to see ourselves as brothers and sisters irrespective of ethnic background or religion. There lies a greater strength in our diversity.

Nigeria will be great again, if the followers can see themselves as having a lot to do in engineering their great nation to reaching the pinnacle of her dream. Followers must see themselves as partners in progress, as our leaders cannot be left to do the work of nation building alone. Our criticism of the government must always be constructive and objective, and we must as well offer solutions to them in tackling the myriad of problems facing our beloved country. Let’s assist the government in actualizing the dream of a better Nigeria. Nation building must be seen as a collective work that cannot be left in the hands of few people.

Nigeria will be great again if we all can see corruption as a canker-worm that has destroyed and will continue to destroy our nation if not stopped in due time. We must all support the anti-graft war of the present administration because it is a way of securing our future and making Nigeria great again. We must encourage ourselves to eschew stealing and mismanagement of public funds, as this is one of the ways we can achieve the change we have always desired. As citizens, we must take it upon ourselves to identify looters and report them to the necessary authorities irrespective of the affiliation we share with such people. It is our duty as responsible citizens to expose corrupt individuals among us.

Read Nigerian Network Corruption

Nigeria will be great again if the legislative arm live up to its creed and perform its duties to the fullest. Our lawmakers must make laws that will protect the interest of the Nigerian masses. Individual rights must be guaranteed and no one irrespective of his or her social status should act above the laws of the land.

As a nation, we must learn the spirit of being patient in the face of adversity, if not for the doggedness, determination and focus of the eagle, it would not have the grace of living for another 30 years. We sometimes need to get rid of old memories, habits and other past traditions to be great again as a nation. If we can believe in the present administration and work towards achieving a better Nigeria then I must tell you that Nigeria will be great again and will be much better than it looks right Now!

Christian Alert Group, Nigeria Rise Initiative in conjunction with Citizens for Righteousness and Social Justice is the Best way to Go Raising Anti Corruption Crusaders fighting Injustices in a Violent and Immoral Society of Nigeria for a Better Nigeria come 2019.
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at October 29, 2018 0

I call on the sleeping Soldiers (not just the Soldiers, but the Citizens also) to wake up to their responsibilities.


What is this fast trend in our society? Why everyman for himself? We are all trying to make money, jostle for power, and have fun. That we even forgot that there are wars going on in the North East, the Fulani Herdsmen killing in the Middle-Belt, while hundreds are being kidnapped and raped. Underage children are molested and abused on daily basis.

Where is our conscience?

O God give us heart and flesh to be able to see the sufferings of people around us. Nigeria and Nigerians are increasingly becoming selfish, as long as their immediate family is doing great, the rest can go to hell.
How are we going to move forward with this kind of attitude?

Our Politicians grew up with this mentality, that is why I don’t blame them when they get there, all they do is amass wealth and steal funds that even their unborn generations cannot finish.

Did you know that your Politicians, after leaving office go with different packages which includes ; houses, cars, drivers, cooks and so on ? Now I can confirm to you that it is true.

Have you ever asked yourself why your present Governors picked up their parties tickets to run for the National Assembly ?

Read African New way Of Slavery

If they succeed, they will be collecting lifetime benefits that I listed above and they would still be collecting the other one as a Senator even after their exit from the National Assembly.

Have mercy Lord, we are cold, we’ve turn away from the crying, we’ve turn away from the dying. So we run, run after money, we run, run, run after power.”

Yes in the East here, and every other parts of Nigeria that are free from attacks by demon blood-sucking terrorist and killers have turned away from the sad realities that there are  Nigerians in precarious situation. Indeed I have listened to many people saying that it is the North that is killing themselves to get Power, that may be true and it may also be false.

What about those innocents that were massacred in a Catholic church in Benue ? What about Leah Sharibu, the little captive of faith in Boko Haram's custody?
What about those in the IDP camps scattered across different parts of Nigeria ?
What about those kids who did not have the means to go to school in your own locality ?
What about those kids that ordinarily should be in School and not in the streets hawking ?
What have you done to help the situation ?
What about those poor women who toil daily to make a living ?
How about those boys and girls of tomorrow who don’t know where their next meal will come from ?
How about you lending a helping hand to that blind man that needs to cross to the other side of the road?
How about you checking on your loved ones that you’ve never called in a year, months and days ?
How about you give a smile to that little employee working with you ?

Nigeria is currently ranked the poverty capital in the world, but automobiles are daily filling our streets. Who bought and keeps buying them?

Have you ever visited big eateries like SHOPRITE, KFC, MR BIGGS and so on  and see the population that throng their buildings everyday ?

Where do they get the money ?
Are we truly poor as a Nation ?
Are we truly poor as a people ?

Now do not get me wrong, I am not saying that you should not spend your money, you earn it, so you should spend it. But at the same time, also remember the people in your environment who needs help. Maybe not money sometimes, maybe a counselling would do.

There are foreign men and women who would leave their comfort zone to Nigeria to help educate our youths, teach children, give them scholarships, help in cases of disasters. But it saddens my heart these days to see Nigerians who claims to be religious but in the true sense of the word, they are Godless. Some of these whites don’t even believe in God, but they are ready to help, even to sell their house to make sure their neighbours, not just their neighbours are alive and well. But look at our very religious Nigerians, look at the Churches, Mosques Pastors and Imams, what do you see?

If we are going to build a sustainable economy, if we are going to have relative peace, we must start investing in the people. If we don’t, these forgotten souls will one day raise an army of killers against us.

Let's WAKE UP TO THE TASK, and re-evaluate our lives, change our mindset about Money, about wealth and life in general.

Christian Alert Group, Nigeria Rise Initiative in conjunction with Citizens for Righteousness and Social Justice is the Best way to Go Raising Anti Corruption Crusaders fighting Injustices in a Violent and Immoral Society of Nigeria for a Better Nigeria come 2019.

For more information: 08038276188, 08033376734, 08038754069 & 07034463316. USA contacts: 6787487829 & 2149005848.

Please forward others, Sharing is Caring for a Better Nigeria 2019.

The People's Bishop Kenneth Obi, an Advocate of Humanity, Anti- Corruption Crusader and Social Justice in Nigeria.
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at October 29, 2018 0
Rarely do I write against the leadership of my beloved state, Imo, because I thoroughly understand the biblical injunction, which mandates people to respect their leaders. But based on recent events in the state, one really does not have any choice than to devote little attention to addressing some pertinent issues.

It must now be obvious to Imo people that they chose wrongly 2011. Any sane person should be disturbed at the level of hardship especially those that travelled all the way back to Imo State then to mobilise our folks to rise in support of the present administration. The good people of Imo thought they have found the Messiah the state needs so badly because since the administration of the late Chief Sam Onunaka Mbakwe (God bless his soul); the state has been very, very unfortunate with leadership. Sadly, it has been the curious case of one plunderer after another taking their turn, which the state has to avoid in 2019.



It is unfortunate that Imo State has become a laughing stock among the states of the federation. The present administration in the state is an occurrence which the living, the dead and ancestors of the land wish never happened. The ignominious rule has headed Imo back to the dark ages and within the period in review, sister states, Anambra and Ebonyi have well overtaken her economically, developmentally and otherwise. It has dawned on everyone in Nigeria and the world that Imo was set on regression in 2011.

 Listing the many areas where the administration has failed woefully and is still failing would be a waste of precious time and energy. But if we must, what else can one say than that the administration on a mission has taken seven years to litter  Imo State with bad roads, abandoned projects, comatose health sector, destroyed markets, crippled businesses; while leaving workers, pensioners, traders, business men and women in regrets, pain and anguish. Not satisfied with that, the administration wants to entrench life- governorship ambition by imposing a successor on the State. This is clearly not exciting the people of the state who are against it. To them, it is an attempt to impose on the people’s will regardless of the fact of whether or not the attempted imposition adhered to the zoning arrangement as is presently structured.

Why would they insist on planting successor at Government House? If it were not for ulterior motives of “chop and clean or “loot and block? Do they have the  constitutional and moral right to impose a successor upon the masses?

I ask these questions because if a son-in-law is elected Imo governor in 2019, then it is the incumbent that has been directly re-elected for an unconstitutional and illegal third term. Nobody has been able to controvert that with a superior argument.

For groaning out aloud, this is a democracy. There are basic best democratic principles and practices. Major among them is freedom of choice; choice of who the individuals want to be their elected representatives. This principle and practice, inter alia, is what the incumbent is bent on violating.

Don’t misunderstand me. Anybody can vote and be voted for. Anybody can contest and win any elective position. There is nothing wrong with that. But there is everything wrong with an incumbent overtly declaring his intention to impose a successor as next Imo governor, thereby infringing on the blue chip principle and practice of democracy, which is electorate’s freedom of choice of candidates.

As I ponder on the megalomania and impunity in Imo State, I cannot but feel for the people of Imo State.
This whole episode is just horrifying like having a bad dream.

I make bold to say that Imolites can never again, make that mistake of choosing darkness over light.
This is not a case of the devil you know...
It is a choice between wisdom and folly!

All the effort at imposing a successor in 2019 smacks of a hidden but open agenda of securing a third term. Imo people must resist any such move in 2019. We need a fresh body, soul and spirit to arise and continue from where the present administration will stop with a resolve of righting all wrongs. There are thousands of very qualified great Imolites with very captivating leadership attributes that can provide more reasonable and responsible government and governance to Imo people. If Imo people keep deceptive and criminal politics aside, choosing one from among over a million eligible governorship candidates besides the one being imposed on us should not be a problem.

Congratulations Imolites on our victory in advance. There is HOPE in the horizon.
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at October 28, 2018 0
Someone once said: “People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.”

I have pondered over the line for years and have come to the conclusion that it clearly captures what democracy is or should be – that is: “a government of the people, by the people, for the people”. This means that We the people should have the ability to place representatives in power, and also remove them from power when the position is abused or taken lightly, and should therefore be feared and respected.



Fear and respect of the people forms the true bedrock of democracy. When the government fears the people and recognises their rights and power, there is liberty, and the government keeps it promises and performs. But when the people fear the government or when a government is not concerned with serving the people, there is tyranny and non-performance.

Unfortunately, our sham of a democracy has turned the bedrock of democracy on its head. Democracy, as practiced in this part of the world, is laden with the electorate being morbidly afraid of the government. As a result, rather than canvas for our votes, we are intimidated with the force of arms. Rather than woo us with policy talk and concrete plans, we are bamboozled with stale talk on corruption and past mistakes, while the same anti-corruption preachers go ahead to corrupt the electoral process by offering bribes for votes. Rather than give Nigerians the life we deserve, poverty has been weaponised, so we have people who are afraid of tomorrow and would rather sell their votes for a few naira to guaranty survival today. Rather than government to perform and keep promises, promises are cancelled and the press is intimidated and warned not to critique its performance.

Although we have been socialised to believe that all is well, if you look behind the glossy façade of our democracy, all you will see is a murky system so rigged that the honest and upright majority are practically giving up. I watched, live on Facebook, as voters went on a spree of destruction – out of frustration – after the Ekiti election, burning and cutting up their voter’s card when it became clear their votes didn’t count in the areas where they voted.

In our self-styled democracy, the executive, in a bid to have its way, has continued to undermine the two other equal arms of government, by attacking the integrity of the institutions of justice and the National Assembly. The homes of our justices were invaded gestapo-style in the deep of the night and they were treated like common criminals. When our justices pronounce judgment or grant bails, they are routinely ignored, with fellow citizens kept under lock and key, even though the government promised to uphold the rule of law.

The National Assembly is worse hit. It is the arm of government which has suffered from military adventurism in the past and continues to suffer today. The reason is simple: When the military strikes, the Constitution is suspended, the National Assembly disbanded and the interventionist force rules through decrees made by fiat. Unfortunately, for the likes of President Obasanjo and President Buhari, who came back wearing borrowed robes, they had and continue to have a hell of a time trying to get their agenda through, because in a democracy, laws are not made by fiat but via consultations and agreement. So they resort to de-marketing the National Assembly in a bid to make the institution appear redundant and ineffective. In continuation of that onslaught today, the Senate and House of Representatives pass resolutions that are ignored, while their leaders are hounded.

Nigerian minimum wages endless problem

All this has undermined our democracy right before our very eyes.

At the root of the problem is the fact that many Nigerians lack a basic understanding of what democracy is. We need to know our institutions, our representative democracy, our obligation to the next generation, and what each of us can and must do to preserve our democracy. Ask Nigerians what democracy is and the general consensus you will get is that democracy is the power to vote. However, voting every four years is not democracy, but merely one expression of the democratic process. Voting is important – but not enough. Without the protection of human rights, civil engagement with our representatives, participation of civil society, the right to protest and the rule of law, in which all citizens are subjected equally to the same laws and procedures, there is no democracy but tyranny.

Unfortunately, in this “era of change” where we have a Senior Advocate of Nigeria as vice president, votes are bought, human rights are trampled on routinely, Nigerians are locked up indefinitely, the press and civil society groups are often fearful of making their voices heard for fear of victimisation, and common thieves meet justice in the marketplace, while elite looters evade jail or justice by joining the governing party.

Can we really build a strong virile democracy with all the shenanigans going on? With our democracy endangered, we cannot afford to be resigned or complacent; we all have to get involved at the local level immediately, making our voice heard and trying to change the dangerous trajectory our society and democracy is headed.

We have to sit back and ask ourselves honestly, if this was the change we voted for? Do we deserve better? Is it right for fellow citizens to be locked up despite the pronouncement of Courts? Are our lives and the lives of our fellow Nigerian more secure now than before? Is it right for us to be afraid of government rather than the government being afraid of us? Are we better off now than before?

We must also begin to engage our leaders and hold them accountable at all levels. All elected representatives, when they come back seeking our votes, must give account of their stewardship. If you are upset about the influence exerted by special interests; if you are upset about the actions of a public official; if you are upset about the condition of your local school; even if you are upset about a pothole in front of your house, make your grievances known. This is the only way to make our government responsive to We the people.

We must as a matter of urgency begin to insist that policy discussions and debates take place now, rather than blatant noise and showboating. It is sad that although we are in the election season, and a few months to elections proper, there has been no policy discussion offered by the president seeking reelection nor his challengers.

You and I deserve quality leadership at all strata. Michael Willian in his article “complacency is a threat to democracy” says: “What Nigerian politics needs more than anything else is the involvement of middle class professionals, because they are unlikely to be bought off by bags of rice and will be held accountable by their peers. That is where the real change will be made – when local wards and constituencies are controlled by conscientious citizens who democratically select the candidates to face the ballot box. That’s when Nigerians will be able to choose between a doctor and an architect, a local entrepreneur or a head teacher – all level-headed people – instead of the unsavoury touts and hangers-on who are forced upon us currently.”

Now is not the time to lose hope, now is not the time to destroy or burn your PVC. It is time to dig deep and insist WE the People, must be respected, feared and our votes must count come 2019.

Christian Alert Group, Nigeria Rise Initiative in conjunction with Citizens for Righteousness and Social Justice is the Best way to Go Raising Anti Corruption Crusaders fighting Injustices in a Violent and Immoral Society of Nigeria for a Better Nigeria come 2019.
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