January 2019

at January 30, 2019 0

By 1knews.com Editor 

The People's Bishop Kenneth Obi

Most Nigerians, even those in position of authority do admit that things are not right. I strongly believe that when it comes to what is wrong with this country, when it comes to why things are not really in order, when it comes to why the system is not functioning effectively and appropriately, when it comes to why the different sectors are not maximally optimizing their productivity, I believe that the Nigerian people are not the problem, but rather, the Nigerian people are the solution to the problem. It depends on which direction we choose to look at it from, but either way, we can build a better Nigeria. It is possible!

I have written extensively on the possibility of a better Nigeria, and have spoken to a lot of Nigerians, home and abroad, and one of the most frequently asked questions they throw at me is; “how can we make our Nation better? What can we do? How do we make a difference?” And the answer I always give them is; “You should be an agent of positive change”.

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A lot of people know what is wrong with our country; they know all the problems we are faced with; an epileptic power supply, an health system that needs health itself, an educational sector that needs to be educated with the fundamentals of real education, and a host of other challenges that bedevil our Nigeria. These problems of Nigeria and Nigerians have made every Nigerian with exception of those in authority to become critics. But more than talk about these problems, I keep telling people that we’ve got to figure out the solutions; what is the way out? How do we put things right? It is possible!

Anybody and everybody can talk, but you know as well as I do that talking about a problem doesn’t solve the problem. A lot of people have been talking for years but that hasn’t changed anything. I believe we’ve got to start making changes by asking real questions and providing real answers, followed by an “organized plan” as to how we can build a better Nigeria.

We need to ask questions like; how do we repair the enormous damage of these dismal years and recapture that sense of common purpose that has seen us through our darkest moments? How do we charge our darling Nigeria towards the direction of the ideals that were inscribed on the hearts and minds of our founding fathers? How can we begin living in the reality of the motto of our Nation – Unity, Faith, Peace and Progress? We have so many things to deal with and we need to talk straight up!

This time around, we need real changes. We need to do this one way, one style, because we have one end in view, we want to build a better Nigeria. Whatever part of the country you are from, whatever tribe or ethnic nationality you come from, so far you love righteousness and justice; let us work as partners in progress.

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The real issue we face right now is about the past versus the future. It is about where we are coming from versus where we are going to. Let us move forward with a common purpose, a common drive, and a common end in view. There are so many better things for us to see; things to be in the future. Our history is full of tragedy and misery, so we need to leave it where it belongs – the past, and then move forward to see how we can build a better Nigeria. It is possible.

Whatever will become of our lives, whatever will become of our nation, it’s on us to do what we have to do. That is the factor behind my claim that the Nigerian people are the solution to the Nigerian problems, the solution begins with you and me. We all know that people make up our society, and societies make up the nation, so if we can affect people positively, we will affect the society, and invariably we will affect the nation positively. Let us organize; we need to start taking care of our home. We need to start somewhere and we need to start here and now.

Lastly, we should note that the positive changes we desire will not happen without us having a new spirit of service. Let us all summon a new spirit of patriotism and responsibility. I may not completely be sure of anything else, but this one thing I am completely sure of; we can build a better Nigeria. It is possible.

Like I tell people wherever I find them, I want to tell you as well; you should be an agent of positive change. Where do you go from here? That’s a choice I leave to you.

Concerned Christians Alert Group (CCAG), Nigeria Rise Initiative (NRI) in conjunction with Citizens for Righteousness and Social Justice Anti Corruption Crusaders is the Best Way to Go Fighting Injustices in a Violence and Immoral Society.

For further enquiries contact us @ Plot R75 New Market Layout (behind Shoprite Mall) Owerri, Imo State, or call:

08038276188, 08033376734, 08038754069, 08033703545, 08182486692 & 07034463316. USA contacts: 7708759085, 6785496566, 6785767526 & 2149005848.

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*The People's Bishop, Kenneth Obi, Chairman, CRJ, IMO STATE*
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at January 30, 2019 0
 *This is an urgent message to all Nigerians  and those in the Diaspora.*


We have all seen what life and people-focused development is in the Diaspora. I know your hearts must be bleeding now for your Country just like mine does everyday. Shall We keep watching while our people suffer daily from one oppressive and uncaring regime to another? The answer is No!

Shall we keep watching them loot our Nation dry? The answer is No!

Shall we keep Watching them destroy the Future of our Youth and the Nation's manpower while they keep their families abroad? The answer is No!

Please, let us come together, unite and save Nigeria. We have no other Nation we can truly call our own. Majority of us are sojourners where we are. Many of us will eventually return home. What type of home and nation do we want to return to?

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Let's join forces with Citizens for Righteousness and Social Justice (CRJ) to fight against corruption and injustice in Nigeria and change the plight of our nation and People forever.

For those in the diaspora, send your representatives for a Mega rally against bad governance in Nigeria. This " *FOR US RALLY* " is billed to hold on Saturday, March 9th, 2019, in Owerri, Imo State.

For further enquiries contact us @ Plot R75 New Market Layout (behind Shoprite Mall) Owerri, Imo State, or call: 08038276188, 08033376734, 08038754069 & 07034463316. USA contacts: 7708759085, 6785496566, 6785767526 & 2149005848.
   

 *The People's Bishop, Kenneth Obi, Chairman, CRJ, IMO STATE*( *Convener* )
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at January 29, 2019 0

Fellow Nigerians, with every sense of sincerity and the urgency of today and for posterity sake i call on everyday, real hard working and peace loving citizens of this nation to rise and fight for the freedom of this nation. The time has come and there's no better time than now because we have been pushed to the wall. We have taken enough from the so called rulers or leaders in this country for so long. The truth of the matter is that we are already flat on the ground so why are we afraid of falling again?

What these so called leaders have subjected us to in this country is so unbearable that sometimes I ask myself, what is wrong with us as a people that we should be suffering and smiling in this land of plenty? It is time to say no to their divide and rule tactics because hunger, poverty, suffering and death has no tribe, no religion and no ethnicity but it affects all of us ordinary citizens. For how long shall we allow this selfish, evil, wicked, vision-less opportunists and accidental leaders to continue to put us down like this?

Finland is judge to be one of the happiest people on earth not because they are suffering and smiling like Nigerians, but because they are truly happy with their lives, their leaders have build a better country for them. They don't have any mineral resources but still their leaders build a functional system and vibrant economy for them that makes them the happiest people.

Here we are in Nigeria so much blessed with more than enough to be one of the greatest nation in the face of this earth, but our so called leaders are squandering our common wealth for their own greedy and selfish interest and they keep playing blame games with us. They give us all kinds of excuses, like that the price of oil was down in their own time and up in the previous regime or that everything that is bad in this country is the fault of any regime before them. Since our independence till today, every government that has come in this country will tell us that the problem of this country was due to the corruption and bad leadership of their predecessors, but none of them ever leave it the way they met it not to talk of making it better. Each coming administration is worse than the one before them and we keep going round in cycle and expecting what, magic or miracle? while other African countries who have been looking up to us for leadership have now leave us behind and moved on.

Just look at Ghana of yesterday and how much progress they have made in a short period of time. Obama came into power in America when the economy of America and the world is in a total melt down and instead of playing blame games, he faced the situation head on and began to put up right policies that start restoring American economy back, and within 2 years in power the results of his intelligent, smart policies and hard work began to bear fruit and by the time he left office not long ago American economy is back and is growing. He did not sit there and blame his predecessor for the collapse of their economy, that's the kind of leadership we should be talking about in Nigeria.

In Nigeria what we see is the opposite, even the primary purpose of government which is the protection of life and property have been zero. Imagine a country where the Commander in chief of the armed forces and the so called leader will openly tell his subjects (citizens) that he know the people causing the insecurity in the country and that some of them are in his cabinet and we take it lightly. Then another Commander in chief of the same armed forces told us again that he knows the people sponsoring the killings and all the insecurity but he cannot do anything, that we should resort to prayers for our safety and protection the safety of our properties. At a point they begin to count for us under whose administration the killings were the highest, is that not ironic?

Any society that has no value for human life is doomed and any religion, group of people or leaders that has no value for human life are not worthy to even near the position of leadership not to talk of been in authority. The killings in this country is now beyond human imagination but it is so real and frightening, and the worst of it all, is that our so called leaders prefer apportioning blame and making excuses while innocent souls are being wasted every day. Those who are perpetuating, sponsoring and protecting this evils are doing it for their own selfish and greedy agenda, but unfortunately our people are so poor and venerable that they are always a willing tools in the hands of this evil and wicked leaders to commit all this atrocities and they use religion and ethnicities to blind fold them. The killings and the hardship in this country is affecting every ordinary citizens of this nation regardless of its religious and ethnic back ground while our so called leaders, their children and their cronies are protected, that's why life have no value as long as it's not their own, their families and friends. A country that celebrate mediocre as leaders and praise singing for them is a failed country and needs to be rescued which is what Nigeria needs today.

How on earth in this age and time can we make progress as a nation with the so called leaders empowering their citizens with shoe shining tools, buying of plates for beggars, stomach infrastructure and a whole lot of other stupid empowerment programs and had the audacity to show off and brags about it. Can they empower their own children, family members and cronies with such an amazing empowerment? Our President sometime ago in a foreign land where he was talking to expectant foreign investors said that the youths of this nation are lazy, and the sycophants that surround him and those benefiting from the failed system that we are operating is killing themselves defending him. Just as we are about to get over that, the Custom boss again open his mouth to say that any Nigerian that is hungry under Buhari government is a lazy person. Is this the way a leader and his cabinets or advisers should talk about their citizens or are they really out of touch with the reality on the ground in the country they're leading?

How about the pensioners who have served this country so well in different areas of our national life who lineup in their thousands every day in the sun and rain begging for the payments of their pensions and die out of hunger in the process, or the civil servants and ordinary workers dying every day for not receiving their salary for months, are they lazy too?

The lazy people we are talking about here are the people providing houses for themselves, providing drinking water, providing power through their generating set, buying electric poles, transformers and wires and were forced to sign an undertaken by the electricity company that it is a donation and pay them money before they can come to install it, same lazy people fix roads in their areas and communities, do so many self help projects to better their life and their communities.

As a young man growing up, I contributed to the electrification of my town and my age grade build a health center for my village and hand it over to the government, up till now that am old, am still contributing to the development projects in my town and the city where I live because that's the only way to better our conditions of living since the government is not doing anything for the people. I think because most of this so called leaders are privileged to belong to the born to rule of this nation and their cronies that does not know how it feels to be an ordinary Nigerian, made them to have the guts to call us names and add salt to our injury.

Now tell me, if lazy people of this country can provide these things for themselves, what else do we need these self acclaimed hard working leaders or government for? Can anyone of them come out and tell us what he/she has selflessly contributed to this country if not what they are benefiting from the failed system that feeds them and their families.

God in heaven knows that the most lazy people on this earth is Nigerian leaders and their families and friends who can only survive by the evil and backward system they operate and feed on. That is why this administration will recall and reinstated a man who was sacked for embezzling the pension funds money and so many other corruptions still going on today.

Imagine a world where leaders of other nations are leading their people to technological advancement, conquering planets and braking barriers and looking for a habitable planet to relocate their people if possible, and our so called leaders are here celebrating buying of plates for beggars, giving out shoe shining tools, exporting of just 1 container of yam which the citizens cannot even buy to eat, showing off mango fruit that they don't even know how the tree came about, all in the name of achievements. How dumb could that be.

They buy Okada today for the citizens as an empowerment, all for campaign purposes and ban it tomorrow after the elections are over and turn around to call them lazy people, tell me is that not a shame and disgrace to leadership?

It is only in Nigeria that some people will come out in the public and tell us that it's only one man that can rule this nation of almost 200 million people, that without him nothing will work. The wanted to sell that dummy to us during Obasanjo 3rd term agenda but it failed and Nigeria didn't collapsed, Jonathan came they told us the same thing and we get past Jonathan and Nigeria is still standing and now it is Buhari or no one else.

Can't we as a people grow past this sycophantic sentiment and begin to build a real nation and good institutions that will stand the test of time and help fight corruption and all the social ills of the society. With all the potentials that are abound in this country we are still lagging far behind in every aspect of life most especially in leadership.

In this 21st Century with the enormous potentials we have in this country that we're still talking about a seventy something year old man with health challenges who suppose to be resting and taking care of his health and become an elder statesman, is still coming to contest for a second term. This President lack the capacity and the intellectual capability to lead in the 21st century world, that's why he told a gathering of eminent Judges and Lawyers that the rule of law is not supreme and could be set aside in the interest of national interest and security.

A President who had the audacity to air such view in the presence of members of the judiciary which is a separate arm of government in a democracy does not understand how the system works and is a big disappointment. The Judges and Lawyers present at the event that did not immediately protest that legal sacrilege by staging a walk out is nothing but a shame to our country. Rule of law is the basic foundation upon which democracy rest and rule of law is also the basic foundation upon which every civilized society stand. Rule of law is about fairness, orderliness and impartial administration of justice. Without social justice, equity and good governance all of which are ingredients of rule of law, a state has no legitimacy. One of the most serious challenges our national security and national interest are battling with today stem from the President determination to ceaselessly subject the rule of law to bottomless ridicule by disobeying almost every court order given by different courts of the land and Ecowas in different cases since the inception of this administration. Do the President know that each time he disobey court order, he violet the constitution and abuse the principles of separation of powers regardless of his reasons, the clear message he passes across to Nigerians is that they should resort to self help each time they have any disagreement with either government or fellow citizens.
We have a fundamental problem in this country, the foundation of the country is faulty from the beginning and was based on lies and deceit, and in the process of trying to cover those faults and lies, we continue to commit more.

"The holy book tells us that we shall know the truth and only the truth shall set us free."

Leadership is our main problem or how else can we explain that the north have been in power more than any other region in this country, "but are their people better off?" They denied them good and sound education in the name of religion, so that they will always be a willing tools to cause violence and kill for them, while they send their own children to get the best of education in the western world.

The northern leaders uses religion to brain wash their subjects and teach them how bad the western world and their education and way of life is, but they send their own children to study in the western world and enjoy the civilized way of life, they themselves seek the western world support and backing when they seek for political power and even when in power they will always consult and seek for the blessings of the western leaders, not minding that they are infidels as they want their subjects to believe .

Let us stop being willing tools in their hands which they uses when it serves their purpose, mostly now that decamping from one party to another is the other of the day and elections is fast approaching.

Let them bring out their own children to do those dirty jobs for them and become suicide bombers and thugs The worst thing about this administration is their lack of tolerance for criticism and truth, they go after you with everything at their disposal to intimidate you for telling the truth. Two of such instances are personalities like the current Emir of Kano and FFK who always speak truth to power and how they have shut him up by threatening to remove him from his throne, because of his sincere criticism of the evil system in the country, even from the past government where he served as a CBN governor, to the current administration he has been consistent in speaking his mind on the way forward to our national development, but now they have shuts him up somehow. The reason I mentioned Sanusi as an example is because he is from the northern part of the country and the born to rule class but of different breed, he understands that things has to change in that part of the country for the country to move forward.

How about the intimidation that is going on in the national assemble and judiciary? They are harassing and arresting people who air their views and opinions and they said that it's hate speech but they commit hate in action. Which one is worse, the person who expressed his dissatisfaction on the killing of the citizens and the bad system we are operating or the killers and the government that seems to be protecting them and operating that bad system? You can not beat a child and ask him not to cry.

This country fought a needless civil war for almost all the problems that we are still battling with today and still we don't want to change course. Instead some people are still bragging how they fought in that war to keep the country one and are ready to fight again or die to keep it one, that the unity of Nigeria is nonegotiable but they are not ready to do what will keep the country united.

Keeping a country one at the expense of killing innocent souls and brutalizing the very citizens you want to keep as one, does it worth it, does it make sense? The very reason why we fought that needless civil war is still very much with us today if not worse, and the blood of the innocent souls wasted in that wicked war is still crying for vengeance. Instead of our so called leaders doing atonement for their evil actions by apologizing and leading the country well, they are busy spilling more innocent blood through boko haram, fulani herdesmen, intimidating people and all kinds of killings just to satisfy their greed and sectional interest.

Majority of Nigerians have seen it today that Ojukwu was right in what he was advocating for before the war and that the agreement of Aburi accord was the best thing that could have happened to this country. If all this so called leaders especially those that participated in that genocide have abide by that agreement, Nigeria would have saved themselves from the agony of that evil war and would have been a great country today. Just imagine how many years ago we fought that senseless war and today we're still talking and discussing about the same issues that lead us to that war and some people want us to continue in that same madness.

"As far as am concern Ojukwu have been the greatest and most patriotic Nigerian leader ever, dead or alive".

Now people talk about restructuring and some people doesn't want to hear about it, but almost every right thinking Nigerian knows that the evil system we are operating is not working, so it is high time we force them for the real change because we can not continue doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different results, it's not possible. The day we sit down as a people and tell ourselves the truth and be honest with each other in our discussion, is the day the greatness of this nation will begin to manifest. When those who are part of this atrocities and lies or their representative genuinely accept the mistakes of the past, apologize for their evil deeds and work hard to make things right and allow the younger generation to understand the truth, that's the day Nigeria as a nation will woke up from their slumber and arise from its sleep and begin to march forward to our desired destination in the world.

But let no one make any mistake about it, if we refuse to change course as some people believe that they will continue to hold us hostage forever, it will be a different ball game this time around. This time it will not be Igbos vs Hausas or Yorubas vs Ijaws or one ethnic groups vs the other. It will be true Nigerians and their common enemy who are the so called leaders, their families, friends, cronies and cabals from every part of this country who have caused us this pain and agony. There would be no hiding place for them because God will be on our side, God wants us to make a move and demand for our rights and freedom.

If we can keep our ethnic and religious sentiment aside and know that there is a better life for us and our children, that we are as good as the so called leaders and their families to have a good life like them, then we will have to do the right thing in the coming election. We have to choose young and vibrant credible candidates that will offer us the kind of leadership that this country need at this point in time. A leader who knows what it takes to unite the country as one nation and propose policies that will move it forward and bring out the best in all of us. Let us do away with ethnic and religious bigots that are destabilizing this country claiming that they mean well for the country while it's not true.

We need a leader who on its own see every part of this country as its constituent and understand that the development of every part of the country will make Nigeria great and that it's a task that must be achieved, not a myopic and selfish individual. This country has such people in abundance in every ethnic group in this country but because we have not been able to look beyond our ethnic and religious sentiment, that makes it as if some of these bunch parading themselves is the best that this country could afford.

If Nigerians from every part of this country is competing and excelling in all fields of life outside this country and in most cases doing better than their counterparts from other countries of the world, it means we're blessed and we have the people that can get the job done. We only needs to get it right in 2019 election and change course from what we have been doing over the years that is not working. All those that want us to maintain the status quo are the enemies of this country and should be seen as such. Let all eligible voters in Nigeria get their PVC ready to excise their civic responsibility rights and vote wisely and most importantly protect their votes.

I wish us well as we move closer to the general election.

God bless Nigeria.

Concerned Christians Alert Group (CCAG), Nigeria Rise Initiative (NRI) in conjunction with Citizens for Righteousness and Social Justice is the Best Way to Go Fighting Injustices in a Violence and Immoral Society.
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at January 05, 2019 0


We thank God for bringing us to a new year. The major challenge ahead of us as a nation in 2019 is stability. The year 2018 was indeed an eventful one, with so many ups and downs in the lives of individuals, organisations and the country as a whole. We were tossed, buffeted and shaken on every side by uncertainties and insecurity, and a general search for a new direction.

In this New Year 2019, I look forward to when we will leave behind much of the vices and tackle the challenges of our country in previous years. Aside from the social ills, which have been flogged by practically everybody namely: corruption, unemployment, insecurity, bad leadership and collapsed infrastructure among others, I would like to see an overall change of attitude in Nigerians. Without an attitudinal change and a new orientation, it is impossible to turn anything involving human beings around. Nigerians generally must leave behind the cynicism, which has become a demobiliser of most of our good effort.

Most Nigerians, debilitated by past experiences, have lost faith in government, the academia and even now have doubts about religion. Let us all talk less and act more.  We must be more positive about humanity, ourselves, our country, about God, religion and the possibility of positive change. It is this groundswell of the “CAN DO” attitude that conquers evil and vices. Each one of us should become a crusader of virtues. Evil prevails because good people are lukewarm.

 Religious leaders must be more courageous and sincere. The fate of society is also a game of numbers. Let everyone challenge corruption, fraud, deceit, ignorance, and indolence in his own family, school, workplace and the church and we will all be well on the way to a better country. Change will be granted us only if we unite to provoke it. Let us bring back personal and social discipline and prudence to our lives. Let our businesses, churches, our artistes, sportsmen and celebrities engage in social responsibility activities in favour of the downtrodden and we shall surely end 2019 on the path of restoration and prosperity.

Read The problem with Nigeria


We all have one positive thing or the other to contribute towards moving away from the mistakes of the past. 2019 is our chance. We should be stakeholders and not just spectators or squatters in midwifing this new Nigeria.

Nigeria must become a nation, where laws are not only made, but also applied to all. It must not be selectively applied, whereby some are sacred cows and some are victims. From the traffic rules, where people exhibit reckless driving habits that endanger other lives, to the big business people that evade tax, we must resolve to make Nigeria a place where things can work.

The present killings and insecurity in the country requires firm and permanent solution, as this has become counter productive to the government’s mobilisation for renewed interest in peace and prosperity. Overnight, people have lost their lives and properties. We do not expect change overnight, but a solid foundation for a new Nigeria can be laid. There must be a resolve by all and sundry to do whatever it takes— sacrifice and discipline— to turn things around. People must work for their pay, and not see corruption as the unchangeable profile of the Nigerian nation. We must also identify and reward merit appropriately wherever found.

Let us believe that God can still change Nigeria for the better. We are so greatly endowed with rare human and natural resources. We must reverse the brain-drain syndrome to a passion for happy homecoming to those in the Diaspora. Religious leaders and followers must pray for the healing of the nation and also model integrity. There has been widespread credibility gap, whereby some have made religion to become the lazy man’s alternative. Religious commitment brings about change in people’s hearts and attitudes, which in turn leads to change in the society. We must seek to make Nigeria the nation that people can believe in once again.

On it's part, Citizens for Righteousness and Social Justice (CRJ) is ever committed to authenticating her mission of pointing our nation in the direction of true greatness anchored on justice and righteousness. We will continue to advocate for the emergence of true statesmen, whose expertise is wasting away unused. In 2019, CRJ will be as light and salt in a society that needs direction in more ways than one. May God take us higher.

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.

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

The People's Bishop Kenneth Obi *Anti* -Corruption Crusader and *Advocate* of Humanity and Social Justice.
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