Faces of AMAA 2015

FROM THE DESK OF TIJANI SHERIFFDEEN OPEYEMI III

JUNGLE JUSTICE (2): THE UGLY COLOUR PAINTING OUR COUNTRY’S LANDSCAPE
Rather than declining, jungle justice is on the increase in our society. A piece of mine was published few months back on this topic, but it’s rather saddening that the menace is getting recognized more and more and seen as the best means of paying back a culprit.
This menace has gained a comfortable ground in the southern part of our country- Nigeria, particularly Lagos state. Your been current is you been abreast of cases of jungle justice in our dear nation, you hardly will go by a day without hearing cases of this flagitious, iniquitous and nefarious occurrences. It’s disheartening and unspeakable to see a nation with a guided constitution involving in this mischief. I sometimes find myself asking questions like, are our security agencies that incapable? Or don’t they see to cases rightly? Or are our people just head bent on taking justice to their hands?
I stumbled on a post on Naijaloaded- a top Naija leading blog few days back, a man who should be in his early thirties was caught for an offence, of course the man would say nothing other than “it’s the devil’s work”, is everything the devil’s work? You don’t do anything to earn a living and you want to survive, you waste your time while others invest meaningfully into theirs and you expect to survive too, how sarcastic this is! I didn’t know what he said, but what would he have said? For all I care I didn’t know what he stole but I could quantify the extent to which he was beaten, he was beaten mercilessly and ruthlessly, all his weak mouth could pronounce was “please” I didn’t hear that, I noticed it. His body was painted in his own blood; his head was bleeding profusely, would his body ache? Every sane mind should know the answer to that.
And for a fan of jungle justice, the question is, do we spare someone who has stolen our hard earned possessions? Do we spare his miserable life after throwing us into restlessness? Do we spare them after so much sorrow they have planted in so many peoples life? The questions are endless… I said it in the former piece entitled “ori bibe ko ni ogun ori fifo” that, no body in is right senses would support an immoral act as stealing and other punishable offences, I do know of only one person who would feel normal and carefree when his possessions get stolen and it’s definitely nobody. Of course you are right; they throw one into restlessness, hurry-scurry and uneasiness but then “two wrongs don’t make a right”. We have authorities who can see into cases like this, why not approach them in seeking for justice, and fold your hands in watching what they do.
The menace preaches a whole lot that people don’t seem to understand, in that incident, I saw a young boy looking pitifully at the young man been recreated, his look was asking questions, like, what has he done? Why the unending beating? Why are people so ruthless? And many other questions running through his tender mind. What do we want young minds to learn from incidents like this? That they should always take laws into their hands when anything happens, that they can always use their discretion in any situation, is that what we want them to gain? Another thing is riot sprouting up unplanned, a set might want the victim beaten to comatose, and that’s with pity in their minds, unlucky ones get mobbed by angry sets that don’t care if the victim kicks the bucket, another set might want the victim burned, while some might want the case handed over to the right authority, and then it results into argument, abuses and then another scene. Not minding the fact that some are been disturbed by their cacophonies.
Do the right authorities take the right steps in seeing to justice prevail? That’s another critical question we have to ask ourselves. Is it those who take bribes that would act in accordance to the sayings of the law? Or those who see any report as chances to exploit the culprit? And we are here arguing that those who commit offences should be handed over to the appropriate authorities rather than lynching them. Who are the appropriate authorities? Maybe we should start from there. Those whom I refer to as the appropriate authorities are those who act in accordance to the dictates of their jobs, who see the security of lives and properties has been superior, those who follow due course in cases filled to them, and those who don’t see bribe as a necessity.
When cases of theft occur, it’s unfortunate you wouldn’t see anyone think of the appropriate thing to be done. All your inquisitive eyes would feed on is people running up and down to get sticks, iron or the worst of it all petrol to set the culprit ablaze, when the right thing could be done. Who wants to hand over a thief to a security personnel who would release him/her for pennies? That’s a reason why our people are fond of this barbaric and uncivilised culture, they don’t want to lose to two sides, they don’t want a thief go scot free, and as such they lynch the victim. Are they to be blamed? Or those who have shown them they can use the power they have the way they please?
Our people are not barbaric, they are just always thirsty of justice, and they wouldn’t take laws into their hands when authorities do the right thing. It’s logical, an elder brother comes to report his junior one to his father for insubordination of some sort, and the father bats an eyelid to his complaints, do you think he will come back next time to report? Obviously no, he will bounce back at his sibling, and that’s the similitude of what’s happening with our people and authorities. When a culprit is caught and handed over to the right quarter, only to be seen the next day moving freely like an innocent person, what then do you want people to do?
As I mentioned earlier “two wrongs don’t make a right” let culprits be handed over to the right quarters, and let the quarter itself act justly. Injustice on their path preaches a lot. The piece as shown you the problem is two sided. Let each quarter do the right thing, so that we can have a conducive and habitable atmosphere. Don’t take laws into your hands you always have somewhere to report to, our country’s landscape is, a beautiful one, don’t lets paint it dirty. Let’s say no to jungle justice.
Tijani Sheriffdeen Opeyemi is a youth advocate, a writer, orator, campus journalist and a motivator . A student of the better by far university- university of Ilorin, studying Anatomy. For comments you can reach me at s_opeyemi42@yahoo.com or 07033254385.

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YOBE YOUTHS MARCH AGAINST CORRUPTION 2015

In continuation of solidarity march by Nigerian youths support to Mr President in his Fight Against Corruption . Held on Thursday 27 August 2015 by the youths in Yobe state,  Nigeria.

FROM THE DESK OF TIJANI SHERIFFDEEN OPEYEMI...PART II

BUHARI WILL REVITALISE NIGERIA

At the inception of President Muhammad Buhari’s administration, people started strategizing plans for him, working out things, so that his administration would bring the much awaited change he had promised. As if he had no plans himself, poor Nigerians! They have indeed suffered in the hands of unscrupulous, conscienceless and selfish leaders, why won’t they plan ahead for Buhari?

When he assumed office, he said things weren’t in place, that which we aren’t supposed to be told, we know the situation of our country- Nigeria. Corruption as eaten deep the lung of our nation, indiscipline almost in all sectors if not all, menacing Boko haram terrorists disturbing the peace of the nation and threatening its security, unemployment at its peak, injustice at the interpreting tie of government, incapacitation of law enforcement agencies by the don’t-touch-us-men, poor infrastructures- deteriorating health sector, crumbling education sector, corruption infiltrated oil sector, abandoned agriculture sector, confused aviation sector among others. Will this man take it up all at once? He isn’t robotic don’t forget, he is a man like ourselves who wants to implement changes, who wants to make life worth living for Nigerians, who wants to give every Nigerian the sense of been represented, who wants to send corruption into extinction, who wants the youths voice heard, who wants to help facilitate social amenities, who wants to restore our economy into its buoyant state, among many other plans he has for our dear country.

At the early hours of his administration, people had started throwing in comments, saying he was too slow, which resulted to the name “babagoslow”. Some even concluded early that he wasn’t the messiah, and a host of others were optimistic. He is after what some think isn’t necessary at the moment- corruption. Checking and balancing could be postponed for now, but till when? People need to understand the fact that you don’t start rectifying problems from the top, you start from the scratch, best known as the foundation. And if I may ask, what is the foundation of Nigeria’s problem today?

Commenting on people’s early claim that Buhari is too slow, the chairman of the APC in Abia state said “You don’t assess a government in a month period. The minimum acceptable standard of assessing any government is 100 days in office. So, PDP should wait for the 100 days in office” Nwankpa said. And now the 100 days chance is over, what has Buhari done? In every government, the first hundred days are important, because a government that gets it right within that short and limited period of time will sail the boat of the nation successfully. And the question then is has Buhari got it right?

While addressing the electorates on his 100 days in office, he said he hasn’t done anything yet, but then he has fought to block the loop holes that flies out our country’s money, and that he has the list of those who have in one way or the other looted Nigeria’s fund. A committee was set up by this same man to mediate between the government and this set of people, so as to recover the stolen funds. If this has been the only thing he has done within the short period of his administration, I think it really worth it. Why? You would want to know, the country is generally facing a financial crisis, states don’t have money to pay workers and other consultants working for them, some benefits of the masses have been temporarily blocked, policies are been reverted, construction works are been halted- which as a matter of fact is very much disturbing. Roads under construction have turned to death traps. These and many other challenges are posing treats to the development of our nation. And so when the country has something to run itself with, things would go fine, workers would get paid; consultants would smile while construction works would be completed, without leaving out capital projects of the federal government. Isn’t it worth it?

Artisans have been smiling of recent, particularly those whose jobs have to do with electricity. They said their jobs are now running better; the story of electric power supply is taking a new dimension in our country. Don’t forget, a government that sees to the affairs of its people is the real government. It’s crystal clear, that if Buhari should eventually work out his plans on electric power supply, it would help our crumbling economy stand tall again, for lost investors would find hope in our country again. Isn’t it the foresight we want? Is it not a progressive government we want? If things must work, then it has to go bit by bit, little by little because, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

The youths, the future leaders, played an active role in the emergence of President Buhari as the president of Nigeria. No doubt it was every ones fight, but then the youths didn’t sit to watch this time around, they fought for what they wanted, if our voice won’t be heard then let’s put in someone who won’t bath an eyelid to our cries and worries, I guess that was the striking point of the youths. It’s necessary to ask now if Buhari will listen to the cries of the youths, “would their voice be heard?”

The youths want to be represented, they want to feel the sense of been an integral part of this nation, they don’t want their rights to be trampled upon again, and as such, they woke up from their slumber. Would their action pay back? Let’s wait to see the drama unfold.

 A part of the youths have been catching feelings that this new administration has nothing for them, a government that wants to send corruption into extinction definitely as a plan for the youths, a government that wants the representation of its people has undoubtedly planned for its youths, a government that sees the employment of its youth has been important, as making it one of the three most important fights, is that which wants the success of its youths, and so youths would reap the good seeds of their struggle.

The people of a state are the statesmen; they are in the capacity to choose who they want as their leader, which is vindicated by their power to vote. But in our dear nation, the power is as light as a feather, they come for our mandates, and get there to forget their promises, they see their appointments as a privilege to siphon the country’s wealth, power blinds them totally. And when a man has surrendered himself to help the drowning nation, to help her people from the abject poverty and neglect they are subjected to, do we then confuse him with unnecessary cacophonies, and complaints?

When you see progressive minded ones you would know, they tend to look at the two sides of a coin before judging a side is rusted, not bias observation. “Mr President’s appointments are restricted to the north”, is that supposed to be our call now? Are we supposed to be bothered about who rules or how they rule? Nigerians should get it right, when they get it right, they will help the government in getting and setting it right! We complain over things that can sought itself out, the president as only made few appointments and complaints have been floating in the air like balloons. A man with integrity needs men and women of his calibre around him. It’s hilarious you know, if this man should surround himself with undisciplined figure, people would bless write ups with the sage “birds of a feather flock together”, and this man is trying to avoid working with corrupt men, is that too much to ask for?

 I was listening to Edmond Obilo of splash FM, anchoring his brilliant programme- Voices, he said something which caught my attention, if Buhari finds all he wants in the North, let them work and move the country forward. The last administration had a lot of Easterners but what did they do to help the situation of our Country? And that’s the reason we have to be patient with Buhari, let him do what he sees as the best for this nation, not distracting him with baseless claims.

The nation is going through changes, optimistic men are following him, the pessimistic ones have dropped from the wagon of change, do we help them join back? So we can have a completely sanitized Nigeria. The solution then is, let’s give Buhari the chance to implement the changes he promised, and a better Nigeria will crawl in. He is indeed working. Youths shouldn’t feel left out, the game as just started. There strive in making Nigeria a better place will materialize, I pray and hope so. Nigeria will stand tall again.

  

Tijani Sheriffdeen Opeyemi, a young motivator, speaker and writer, is of the anatomy department of the prestigious University of Ilorin. 

contact: s_opeyemi42@yahoo.com

still IN MY KITCHEN with ABIMBOLA OMOLADE IV

                          PEEL BEANS WITH A BLENDER

There are so many dishes that could be made from beans. Dishes like; Moi Moi, Akara, Gbegiri. This dishes are very delicious but nobody enjoys peeling beans because it is stressful and takes most of your time.  So here’s a way to stop shying away from preparing beans dishes. Here's how to peel your beans with a blender. 

STEPS TO PEEL YOUR BEANS WITH A BLENDER

STEP 1: put your beans into a bowl, add water and leave in the water for about an hour. And if you are using brown beans, this time may be less. You will know the beans seeds are ready to be peeled when they are swollen and the skin is baggy. The skin should also come off easily when your rub it with your hands.

STEP 2: Put a small amount of beans into your blender and add water to twice the level of the beans.

STEP 3: Press the button on your blender for 1 second, then press it again for another one minute then off again. Do this 5 times and that is enough to peel the beans without blending them.

STEP 5: Pour into a big bowl and repeat this same process with the remaining beans.

STEP 7: pour the peeled beans into another bowl using a sieve. And make sure it is mostly the skin of the beans that goes into the sieve by shaking the bowl containing the peeled beans it into the sieve.

STEP 8: keep adding water into the peeled beans and the pour through a sieve till all the coat is removed. If there are any seeds that were not peeled, rub them with your fingers to peel them. 

 

Omolade Abimbola; 

email@ Abimbolaomolade9@gmail.com 

contact:08188866735 

FROM THE DESK OF TIJANI SHERIFFDEEN OPEYEMI

ONE MISTAKE ONE BEATING…

You have done this, you did that, why this? What were you thinking? All resulting to beating, why? It’s so pathetic that at this age, we still find parents who see no other means of correcting their children other than flogging their butts to serious pain, or worse still, inflicting injuries on the skin of their children.

“Charity begins at home”is what most parents that fall into this group seize to unleash terror on their children. Nobody is saying you shouldn’t train your children, mould them to have good character, build them to be honest, loyal, hardworking, prayerful,and patriotic among other virtues, but all am pointing out is the fact that too much beating disturbs a child psychologically.  You can beat a child, but let them see it as the last option, when you have talked to a child, scold him a times and if he doesn’t change scare him/her with a cane, by flogging with caution. When you call their attention to certain things and they don’t yield, you then introduce a cautious beating. The child would also sit down to think, oh! Mum doesn’t beat me o, means have crossed my boundary, and so he/she changes for good.

Cautious beating! Yea cautious beating, when some parents are enraged, exasperated and annoyed, they tend to beat their children anyhow- random beating. The cane meets the head, and other delicate parts in the course of the action, and then the child starts watering a problem grow. Even if at all no problem is caused, the injuries itself are problematic! A boy sees a friend of his in school, and sees his body beautifully designed with beating, and ask, were you hit by a trailer or something, the lad replies saying, oh! No, might be uncomfortable saying his mum caused it, and so would lie saying another thing, then what charity begins at home?…

It’s true every parent wants the best for their children but not at the expense of exposing them to psychological problems. You would be surprised to hear a 7 year old boy say his parents don’t like him, as a result of them flogging him every now and then, he further says, his friends don’t get the same share of what he gets at home, and as such the boy is left to thinking why such is happening to him. Would that type of a boy listen in class? Would he make good grades? And if he doesn’t pass he still has an unpleasing gift to receive at home. So who is hurting who? What about the boy that doesn’t accept sorry for anything in the world? Who blames him?When his parents don’t too, he beats his siblings mercilessly when his parents aren’t around. You then begin to ask yourself how his parents have benefitted him with the beating.

 “Spare the rod and spoil the child”, beat them when they do things you don’t like which you have corrected them on, they are your children, but still, with caution. Some parents would beat their children ruthlessly, and would still be the one rushing them to the clinic, running up and down to pay bills. Maybe some parents don’t get it right, they feel if they beat them they wouldn’t want to repeat the action again. Ask anyone and they will tell you, when beating is too much the child doesn’t fair the beating again, and as such no correction is made again. It thus becomes a normal thing as the gas we inhale.

This applies to teachers too, who derive joy in beating students for the slightest mistakes. What impression do we create for these young minds? If you ask me I would tell you, no student likes a teacher who beats all the time. You beat all the time and scare them away, from you, your subject and everything, and you then later complain they aren’t passing your subject, how would they?... We use to have a teacher in school then, he hardly flogs, he was free to students but still the mark for respect wasn’t compromised, his subject gets accolades all the time, students pass easily and get to tell him what their problems were concerning his subject.

That memorable day he flogged me, I felt bad myself, if this uncle could flog me, then I went too far myself. He left the class and I jumped out after him, to ask for forgiveness. That’s how it should be, let them know the right thing but not always withcaning them. The room to flog them would always come after much persuasion, and then they dance to the tone of the music, skelewully or shokilly.

Beating children or students should come last always; better methods or approaches should be taken to correct wrong attitudes in them.

Tijani Sheriffdeen Opeyemi is of the anatomy department of the prestigious University of Ilorin. 

 To comment on this piece  contact him : s_opeyemi42@yahoo.com

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