Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Bits and bobs

Just before I sign out on probable links between the insurgents in Kenya and Nigeria, this article from Time  magazine tells how potential native terrorists are on the radar of their nipping future threats.  The alleged mastermind of the Nyanya bomb blast had been identified as as a potential terrorist. He was arrested in 2011 on terrorism charges but was released and Nyanya happened. Similarly, Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force,was trained under Muammar Ghaddafi to sponsor conflict in Nigeria. Ghadaffi's student in the 1990s became Nigeria's problem in the 2000s. Is someone keeping track of potential security threats? 

On another note, the ongoing talkshop has recommended rotational distribution of electoral positions from the Federal to local government levels. I had my 1st experience with federal character (what the principle of rotation connotes) in primary 6. I scored 529/600 in the Federal Common Entrance examination yet didnot get into the  unity school of my choice because as a someone from the South West my scores were low whilst my mates with lower scores from other geopolitical zones were able to get in to promote education. Even now, I know people who qualify for positions in public institutions who do not get those jobs because they are not from area the position has been allocated to. I recall the experience of someone who was told something along the lines of: if you had applied last year, you would have gotten the job, it was allocated to your LGA
That we are still in the phase of promoting federal character shows that tribalism and ethnicity will continue to be promoted over merit and competency and we may never truly become unified. People should compete for positions not because of where they come from but what they can do. Federal character has gave us presidents Obasanjo, Yar'Adua and Jonathan. Where did that get us? For progress sake we need move to merit and competency. Federal character looks good in principle but is bad in practice because it not rectifying a past wrong but entrenching entitlement and incompetency . 

The talkshop also recommended the creation of an additional 19 States to the present 36 States. Considering that most states are civil service states without any tangible form of internally generated revenue are additional states the answer to agitations for recognition and independence?

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