CONFIDENT SPEAKING WITH FEMMY - "Filling the Potholes"

What's Changed with 'Change'?

A popular French proverb attributed to the novelist, writer and critic;  Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr says  "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"  translated to mean " the more things change, the more they remain the same" and that depicts the summation of our challenges as a nation.

On the 28th March 2016, it will be exactly one year since our country men and women from across the length and breadth of this nation overwhelmingly voted to what clearly seemed then a better alternative to the status quo. An alternative to the egregious insecurity, debilitating poverty, wanton corruption, crippled infrastructure, shameless prebandalism and a dearth of all sense of logic, reason and sanity in government and governance. 

Nigerians were presented with clearly the most efficient and well oiled political campaign by an opposition in Nigeria's history. On social media and on the streets of all the major cities across our lands, declaratory advertisement postulated the oncoming change as the only possible solution for Nigeria's redemption. Add to this well oiled campaign machinery, inflammatory comments made by politicians vying for elective office and the haunting prediction that 2015 could be the year Nigerian would break up, actions and predictions that filled Churches, Mosques and prayer houses with worshipers supplicating for peace and foreign missions launching a no violence campaign as well as ensuring that candidates signed peace treaties.

Thankfully and in answered prayers for many, the election were adjudged relatively free, fair and credible by the International community. A sitting president was removed from office by the power of the majority in democratic elections. The doomsday predictions were averted and we as a people were ushered in the era of change.

The question many ask almost a year on is, What really has changed?

The reality is that the poor are still poor, the richer are still rich and  inspite of the 'war on corruption', there are still corrupt politicians littering our political landscape; from the hallowed chambers of our state and national assembly's to the corridors of power in our nations' capital. Cities remained darkened by non-existent power supply and our cars litter the roads in traffic grid-lock as the citizens spend countless hours in filling stations waiting to buy petroleum products. 

Our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers continued to be murdered, raped, dismembered and their homes and communities pillaged by marauding Fulani herdsmen, our cities in the north-east live displaced from their homes in fear despite swathes of territories reclaimed by our military; remain in constant fear of bombings and pillaging by the dreaded and monstrosity that is the Boko Haram sect. Our unity is being fractured by returnee citizens  inflaming a region while seeking to resurrect the ghost of a civil war we would rather forget, while millions of Nigerians remain more than ever economically dis-empowered. 

Our local currency the Naira plunging on a free fall into a limbo between what exists on the so named parallel market available to businessmen and entrepreneurs and the government regulated price accessible to the wealthy few in the corridors of power and least we forget; our Chibok girls have still not been found without trace or hope!

As Nigerians, we tend to find comedic relief in even the most dire and obnoxious situations and this ability to see positives has clearly kept us away from the boundaries of desperation and insanity but does that make it tenable? Perhaps we may commend the many foreign trips and bilateral relations signed. From agreements on remitting corrupt proceeds and emboldening security to climate change and nuclear summits as well as the visits by foreign heads of governments to Nigeria. 

President Buhari has clearly decided to take a lead on rebuilding Nigeria's foreign image and while this may be commendable, the effects of degrading ordinary Nigerians at forums outside the country negate the possible benefits making the expected successes faint, distant images in the mind of many Nigerians. With a focus on constant media engagement, without the balance of articulated information on the direction of the Nigerian economy, the common reality remains different from the statements of progress, of development or the change millions voted.

While no one can argue with the realities of the fall in oil revenue, no one can contest the repeated warnings from economic pundits on the need to adapt to the falling prices by diversifying the economy. 

It would seem then that while the current government; like an army willing to take a fortified city, prepared for the siege but not for what it would find or how it would govern with the promises it made to the electorate.

Even as the patience of the electorate grow thinner waiting for the change promised, it is time to move away from blaming past government administrations whether in the past 16 or 56 years; and face squarely the challenges on ground with mutual respect for Nigerians in reference and expressions, respect for the rule of law and provisions of decent jobs, constant electricity, qualitative education, entrepreneurial developments and economic growth. 

As no nation on earth will come to our aid without their interests being duly served and its wealth and dominance entrenched; Nigeria, Nigerians and our government must work with openness, belief and forthrightness to achieve the promised change for unless we do these, we would have wasted another mercurial chance to fulfill our potential as a great nation.

Blogging Again...Finally

Unleash creativity!

So after more that two years away from my blog, I have decided to start writing again. Truth be told, I have missed the satisfying feeling of sharing my thoughts on the media space and for the everyone to read. It is indeed a huge sacrifice of personal creativity to give up expressing oneself especially if your opinions can be misconstrued as the opinion of your principal.

My previous employment though interesting in some ways, held back was the chance to truly express my thoughts on issues. If could not say it as I felt it, why bother to say it at all?

In this regard, I salute the writers, creative minds and journalists brimming with creativity but shackled to duty, enterprise and position who knowing well that for the time being, they can no longer express their personal opinion as the wished. 

Now, I want to write again. Write about everything and anything. Frank discourse about our national life flowing with the ink of patriotism. I want to write of the good our nation desires and deserves as well as the men and women who should take us there. I want to write of Love, politics, self development, women's rights and everything in between. Maybe, just maybe what I write will inform, educate, empower or even offend; whatever it does it will solely be my duty for the good our nation, human kind and the world from the prism of possibilities and hope. 

Shall we begin?

Remembering Komla!

Tall, Suave and confident. These were my first thoughts whenever I saw the Late Komla Dumor read the news on the BBC. For me, in many ways, he gave hope to Africans that achieving giant strides in the media especially in foreign news stations was actually possible.

I once met a woman who believe that only the BBC spoke the English language properly. While that may be a subject of a debate some other time, Komla represented for me a brand of young Africans not just for his native country Ghana but for all of Africa a man climbing to the top of their journalistic career internationally.

I have felt a greater sense of kinship to him especially when I found out he once studied in University of Jos in the northern part of Nigeria and his sudden demise, while it reminds us of the brevity of the human existence, his impact to inspire the millions in Africa who follow him tells us as always that no matter how short, we must strive to leave our mark positively in our world.

With tributes from Presidents and world renown industrialist from the Mandela family to President Kuffor and ever Africa's wealthiest man Aliko Dangote, this loving husband and father of three adorable children and his passing will surely be missed.

So my question is where are the next set of African's to break the glass ceiling and to excel internationally?

May his gentle soul rest in peace.Amen

Return from the Haitus

Hello Everyone...

It has been a really loooooonnnnggggg time since I last posted on my blog "Speaking for Positive Change"

I had to take time off a lot of social media to work in other areas. I felt due to the roles I had filled, it was expedient to observe from the side lines and effect change best as possible....

Now... We're back to blogging and it will be richer, better and more interesting... From Politics to International relations, from Life Coaching to Public Speaking and from Advocacy and the issues of the day we will be talking all about it.

So dear friends, Please drop a line or two of your thoughts on issues that make us better human beings and citizens of the world....

Just my two cents.

Love, 

Femmy

The World Bank Presidency, Okonjo Iweala and the Nigerian Dream

As the World Bank prepares to choose its next president in a few days, the international media is inundated with updates of the interview process and the candidates. Somewhere in between the violence in Syria and the increasing woes of the economies in Europe, The world’s attention is without doubt drawn to debate as to who should lead the World Bank. The exceptionally qualified contenders Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s Finance Minister nominated by South- Africa (An interesting observation), Renowned economist Antonio  Ocampo and the Dartmouth President Jim Yong Kim, a medical Doctor born in South Korea show that the world truly has changed and begins to question the informal agreements made between Europe and America.

Under an informal agreement, the US heads the World Bank while a European heads the IMF. While that has worked in the post World war II era, the realities of our changing world point to the fact that competence and not nationality should be the sole factor for choosing who leads the World bank. 

History has proven that a change in leadership, Staff and direction of the World Bank has the ability to impact greatly on the world. Can we quickly forget the change in policy direction of the bank between 1980 – 1989 when A. W. Clausen was president, the severe introduction of Structural Adjustment Policies lead to great suffering in the developing countries and as UNICEF put it, was responsible for "reduced health, nutritional and educational levels for tens of millions of children in Asia, Latin America, and Africa". I personally believe that Nigeria has not recovered from the blind implementation of this Policy.

The credibility and expertise of the candidates is not in doubt. Reflecting on her experiences living in the village, training in Harvard and being a world class economist, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala represents a formidable candidate that can truly lead the world bank, but the question is has she been successful with the handling of Nigeria’s economy. A plethora of government terms “NEEDS”, “7-Point Agenda”, “Vision 20-20” leave the citizens wondering when we can actually do away with media savvy acronyms and make policies that actually reflect the yearnings of millions of Nigerians, policies with that favor the masses. The reality is the Interests of western governments are all it seeks to protect in choosing the heads of the Breton-Woods institution and rightly so but my question always is, who protects Nigeria’s interest? What would we like to leave for our children and our grandchildren? When will these self seeking, greedy and myopic politicians see that you cannot provide jobs, enrich western countries and empower them with the stolen loot while millions of Nigerians are without food, clothing or work. With an external debt of $5.66 billion and a teeming population of 160 million, we can agree that the situation is indeed dire.

Would a Nigerian as the President of the World Bank make a difference to us? Maybe. Maybe not. The truth is, other than national pride, all we can do is hope that the policies of the bank become more global rather than western. The challenges we face in our country; Security, economic, developmental are enormous and ensuring we meet the goals of development is extremely important to our future. Development must not only be step by step but all things together. Dealing with corruption, solving the infrastructure challenges and the education and empowerment of Nigerians.

Some observers believe that the voting bloc may tow the line of the US in choosing the World Bank president. Perhaps there will be a deviation from the status quo. Whatever happens, there is not doubt that the face of our world and international policies has changed and that developing countries will ask, whose right it is to tell them when to develop, and how. The world is changing. It always is.

Still on Reciprocity.....

 The recent deportations of Nigerians by the South African government brings to the fore the multitude of inhuman treatment meted out to Nigerians in foreign countries. In the principle of reciprocity, I believe it is time the Federal Government review Nigeria's Foreign policy not only with South Africa but with all countries.
Kudos to Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa for making this case loud and clear. Her position has always been crystal clear. Nigerians should not be mistreated in other countries.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa

I do know for a fact that Africans in India staying for more than 180 days are mandated to take HIV test.This does not apply to other nationalities. Anyone who is HIV positive must leave India.

It is interesting to not that even Cote d' Ivoire our West African Neighbors also ask Nigerians to produce yellow fever card. I once heard stories of Nigerians quarantined and even deported in Mumbai, India even when they had the yellow card.

This among other policies show the uneven treatment to Nigerians and Africans by developed and developing countries alike. If we do not value ourselves, No country in the world will treat us with value.

If you would like to know how many foreigners come to Nigeria, Take a trip to our deprecating Airports (Story for another day). It would amaze you how many foreigners come here. And they are here as expatriates. Living in posh areas and forcing up the prices goods and services. They earn huge salaries, accommodation, feeding, transportation. The least we can get is to be treated fairly.

Our relationship with other countries must be on the basis of fairness, mutual respect and the economic growth of Nigeria. The simple truth is no one comes here because the love Nigeria. They are here for what they can get. Pure and Simple!

It is time to review on what basis we call ourselves friends. So we can decide who truly are our friends.