Rostrum

Monday, 7 October 2013

Sadism

SADISM: GRUESOME SCHOOL OF THOUGHT


Brethren, sometimes one may choose/prefer to remain a mere onlooker over an ongoing ugly scenario, because, some discussions or deliberations might warrant an unprecedented wanton action. It’s in the same vein that an individual or a group accepts a certain humiliation in good faith; simply because, vengeance is likely to have the tendency/potential of constituting a third world war. Suffice to say that in the eyes of many, some anomalies are better left untreated.

The last time I checked, fanaticism and extremism remained the order of the day in the global society. During the investigation (inquiry), I also fully understood that the founders or prime (key) actors of the untold bloody activities resulting from the aforementioned global scenario were among our apex ‘leaders’. A moment that almost brought me to a comatose state. Believe me, when I tried to unravel the mystery, it appeared I was nearly close to the forbidden ‘six feet’. Nevertheless, I’ll continue to abide by the truth because I’ve already taken an oath not to be discouraged by any circumstance I might find myself.

It’s inconsequential to remind us of the topic of today because I’m personally of the view that it’s boldly written, therefore it’s expected to be legible in the sight of all and sundry. Notwithstanding, I wish to inform you that we’re discussing one of the gruesome school of thoughts in existence. Lest I forget; in subsequent to my immediate previous edition which laid emphasis on ‘courtship’, someone (a colleague) jokingly called to remind me that I was still single, therefore wasn’t licensed to write on that (courtship). Well, I thanked him for reminding me that I needed to settle down. Let’s ride on!

Sadism is a behaviour in which a person drives pleasure from hurting other people and making them suffer. It could also be addressed as an excitement felt from hurting/humiliating other individuals or groups.

At this juncture, I humbly asked; how can one in his/her real senses drive pleasure/excitement from seeing other persons being hurt, even if he/she wasn’t the cause. Then, considering the fact that you were the one that hurt them and still drive pleasure from such act; isn’t it absurd, or doesn’t it sound inhumane?

Though if properly checked right from our respective childhood stages, we would understand that we all have sinned in one occasion or the other, ignorantly or soberly, as a result of such ridiculous/evil act; but the situation whereby some persons indulge in the act on a daily basis or has taken it to be their way of life is a point this edition is actually driving at. How can one wake up in the morning from his/her bed and decides or makes up his mind to ensure that his neighbours live to regret their existence on earth.

The other day, I was privileged to glance at a certain home movie. The bone of contention of the story line was that a certain young man’s fiancĂ©e was snatched from him by his so called best friend while he was on a three-year study leave overseas. On the other hand, barely two days ago, I came across the news of one barbaric act on social media, facebook precisely; I learnt that a man in his early thirties drugged his girl friend who was still a virgin in his personal lodge, and subsequently the lady in question was raped to a state of coma. According to the news, I understood the lady regained her consciousness in the process and started screaming, but unfortunately the man persisted till she fainted.

Of course, all these wanton destruction of lives and property such as massacre, genocide, arson and what have you, taking place on a daily basis in all nooks and crannies are attributable to this aforementioned gruesome school of thought known as sadism. The most painful and devastating aspect of these deadly scenes is that some of those we entrust our collective future on, are the major constituent of the group of sadists.

Brethren, where have our consciences gone, that we find it very difficult to comprehend the efficacy of fellowship, unionism and absolute sincerity? Mind you, one who chooses to murder the happiness of others have as well chosen to murder the entire members of his/her fourth generation to come. Think about it!


______________________
COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Friday, 4 October 2013

Tools for Human Coexistence

FOUR VITAL TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR HUMAN COEXISTENCE


Brethren, for human beings to coexist harmoniously irrespective of the nature of the relationship and their individual status, there must be certain tools/parameters that should not be taken for granted. And they are: kindness, appreciation, commendation, and apology.

During the creation of mankind, he was furnished (garnished) with various idiosyncrasies that discharge the above spices/recipes to ensure the sustenance of human existence.

Let’s take our time to factor out the basic definitions of the stated tools considering the context this edition is representing, or where the writer is coming from. Kindness is the quality of being gentle, caring, and helpful. Appreciation is the expression of gratitude over a certain kind gesture displayed by someone. Commendation is the praise(s) someone receives from someone else or group of persons due to the remarkable act displayed by him. While, apology is something that you say or write in order to tell someone that you’re sorry for having hurt him or caused him trouble.

Let me begin with kindness. In a nutshell, this really has to do with caring; and caring is affection, help, and sympathy. So for one to be referred to as a caring person, he must be affectionate, helpful and sympathetic. We must try to showcase our caring quality to each other at all times. That’s where love comes in. Thus, we should ensure that we love our fellow creatures. This’s why the Holy Bible instructs every living soul to love his neighbour like himself (1Jn 4:7-8). We must respect the Almighty because He’s the Supreme Being, and as well good. In other words, if you truly love yourself, you must ensure that everyone around you is treated with kindness. You shouldn’t be selfish or greedy. You can only boast that you love someone when his/her happiness is very important to you. And, it’s only love that can ascertain unity. If we don’t love ourselves, we can’t be united. Frankly speaking, most social ills or deviant acts experienced in our society today are not unconnected to lack of love. Therefore, we must cultivate the habit of being kind for the betterment of any society we find ourselves.

I wish to switch over to appreciation. This factor may carry a definition different from the one stated above depending on the context of the debate or deliberation. In this edition, we actually mean, the discharge of gratitude. Many are yet to embrace the importance of this tool (appreciation). Phrases such as, “Thank you, God bless you, or may God reward you,” may seem meaningless to us, but they’re deeply meaningful. If you receive any gift from someone, don’t hesitate to say, thank you or any of the above. You’ll lose nothing if you discharge such phrase, rather, it’ll add a lot to what you already have. Believe it because it’s a fact. Honestly, a sincere gift comes from the heart. And anything that comes from or lies in the heart is being controlled by love because love is an action of the heart. So no matter how little a gift might be, don’t fail to appreciate it. Even if you don’t like the gift, do not allow your countenance to inform the donor that you’re not comfortable with it. In this case, the most mature thing to do is to accept the gift with a cheerful look which would automatically shows that you welcome the kind gesture. Having collected the gift, you may have someone else around you who would cherish the item more than you expect. We all are not same or equal, by choice or material possession respectively. That’s how we were created; naturally, we’re being guided by such rule or phenomenon. Such approach (appreciation) is also applicable if one does something nice to you or any of your relatives.

Let’s talk about commendation. The similarity between this and appreciation is that both lay emphasis on eulogies. But the difference lies in the language, and the occasion at which they’re required. Commendation is used when the effort or kind gesture is received either directly or indirectly. That is, sometimes you may not have any personal dividend from the effort (gesture). For instance, when a brother or cousin of yours just finished building his home or place of residence, courtesy demands that you go to him and say, well done! Such effort could only be beneficial to you indirectly. But the fact remains that, there’s no personal benefit attached to it. Thus, unlike appreciation which goes or comes up only when the gesture in question is beneficial to your person, commendation could be used/cited in various circumstances. In other words, commendation could be used in several kinds of circumstances. Summarily, we ought to continually commend (appreciate) one another; our siblings, parents, children, and/or leaders. You can even commend yourself each time you undergo something challenging.

Let’s take a ride to apology; the last on my list, but not the least. In the same vein, the phrase “I’m sorry,” should be the action of the mind and heart, and not that of the mind alone. Meaning; it has to do with reasoning and total submission. Apology usually comes or set in when one must have done something wrong. And, it’s only a reasonable person that realizes when something is or goes wrong. That’s where mind comes in. But there’s more attached to the action of the mind, which is honesty and compassion. And, this’s the action of the heart. You don’t just say ‘sorry’ each time you go wrong because you feel that would soothe the mood of the recipient. In addition, you’ve to express that with extreme sincerity. It’s only a sincere apology that showcases true remorse. And a true remorse shows that, such would not repeat itself. Let me quickly draw your attention to a very remarkable scene of one of the American (Hollywood’s) seasonal films, Prison Break, I took my time to watch; in that scene, one of the characters states that, “If you wanna restore dignity, you need to take action. Making amends requires much more than saying, I’m sorry. It means learning to change. The most important thing is that, you display honesty, courage and compassion when you extend your apologies. You need to earn your forgiveness…” Let’s always embrace the use of sincere apology which has the tendency of saving many from apoplexy. More so, one can say that he’s sorry even when he truly knows that he never did something wrong to the partner in question. Mind you, ‘I’m sorry’ doesn’t really mean that you were wrong; it simply means that you adore the friendship/relationship and would never want to lose it.

Brethren, I bet you, our entire existence here on earth can never be successful and fruitful as we anticipate if we fail to embrace the four tools/parameters discussed above. Honestly I’m not here to mesmerized your mood, but to put you in the right direction. Think about it!

_____________________

FRED D.N NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com



Wednesday, 2 October 2013

Politics & Society

POLITICS AND SOCIETY: INTERWOVEN HERITAGE


According to BBC English Dictionary, “Politics is the actions or activities which people use to achieve power in a country or organization.” It is also “your beliefs about how a country or society should be governed.” On the other hand, “A society is an organization for the people who have the same interest or aim.”

The above definitions have proven to us that, politics and society are intertwined. This is possible because, they have something in common which is ‘people or man’.

Any given society is dominated by man, and politics is experienced or practised by man. Therefore, we could simply say that, both phenomena have something in common. This analogy makes politics to be closely related to any given society in the world. In a nutshell, politics or politicking can only take place in a society, and nowhere else. Thus, any society witnesses the impacts of politics on every bit of man’s struggle, because, politics as a discipline takes place only in a society and it’s being practised by man who is the major constituent of any society.

Furthermore, politics is strictly dependent on a society, and vice-versa because, a society will never be accommodating if politics which is aimed at achieving man’s wants or desires is not being practised in it. So, man whom is known as one who has a dominant position in a society is in a better point to determine or predict the subsequent nature of his immediate society. And , this cannot be achieved without the application of politics. In other words, politics and society are interdependent.

Any society in which politics is not being practised should be referred to as a dead society, because a society with zero-politics would not experience leadership struggle, or man’s struggle for survival which is done with political acumen. More so, a society without a leader is aimless. So there is no atom of possibility of having a society with zero-politics.

The above fact would be what led to the popular quote of the late famous philosopher, Plato, which states that, “Every human being is a political animal.” As we all know, every society is made of human beings and other creatures, as the case may be. Thus, a society with zero-politics or with no trace of politics does not exist. Q.E.D!

Politics in many ways, has impacted positively towards the betterment of any society. By it means, life has been easier for mankind to pass through. It has made him to be able to pursue his goals by the means of a wonderful plan or strategy. If a proper or adequate plan towards the attainment of a certain height/point is being initiated and carried out, you will agree with me that, there would be a near possibility of taking the dream in question to the history book. Since we all have dreams, therefore in one way or the other, we tend to embrace politics knowingly or unknowingly.

Apart from the positive impacts of politics on mankind, and the society at large, it had also impacted negatively to the well-being of man on earth. In the world today, politics has been abused in the highest order. It is through politics or by politicking that most of the global crises take place. It has led to so many calamities such as election rigging, the use of politics as a business platform, hiring of thugs during elections, insecurity experienced by many genuine aspirants, to mention but a few. Though the above societal odds are mainly caused by the institutional (practising) politicians. That is, those who have been accustomed to politicking, or whom politics has become their way of life.

Institution of politics has led to loss of millions of lives. In any existing country in the world, each day there’s a tendency of losing a soul due to politics because there’re thousands of organizations in each of these countries. Of course, virtually all organizations practise leadership struggle; except family whose leader has already been ordained by God. In addition, any organization comprises of several desirous individuals; the aim of every desirous person is to become a leader. And, leadership cannot be achieved without observing politics.

Therefore I put it up to you that, politics is not just a developmental instrument but as well a menace to any society. In other words, it can also be referred to as a dirty game. Nevertheless, for the fact that politics/politicking has led to so many social-vices should not make us forget so soon that, our entire welfare is strictly dependent on it. That is, politics has proven to us that without it, we cannot properly articulate our ideas or feelings which is the most fundamental means to any societal development; because without an idea, one cannot have a plan. Suffice to say that, an idea is the bedrock of the implementation or initiation of any plan/project, system, or law as the case may be. And it’s only by proper implementation of a certain plan that, a better or conducive society could be actualized/witnessed.

On the above note, one ought to at all times acknowledge the fact that, anything that seem to have an advantage must surely have a disadvantage. Thus, merit and demerit are also interwoven.

At this juncture, I wish to state unequivocally that we have succeeded in coming up with a fact that, every individual on earth is an initiate in the world of politics. Or what do you think?



FRED D.N NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Unemployment in Nigeria

THE DEVASTATING EFFECT OF UNEMPLOYMENT


Please if I don’t say, “welcome,” don’t forget that you’re highly welcome. Such necessary and very important approach (welcome) could easily skip one’s mind due to the mood of this edition. Though going by the caption of the edition, any full-fledged Nigerian might decide to overlook the context because it’s no longer news. But believe me, it sounds horrible to the ears of those who know where we’re from and where we’re actually heading to.

Barely two days ago at about six thirty in the morning (6:30 am), I received a phone call from a good friend of mine after saying my usual morning prayers. After our usual phone interactions coupled with some jokes, he hurriedly informed me that the Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan lacked adequate advisory crew; thereby, had failed Nigerians. He added that, as the President of the country, he (Jonathan) was visionless. Still on the phone conversation, I tried to understand the angle he was coming from by asking him to expatiate his hypothesis. You know as an analyst, you shouldn’t expect me to be informed in a hurry.

My friend went further to back-up his antagonistic theory with few facts. Though he concluded by telling me that, he loved Goodluck Jonathan, as a person, with tremendous passion; stating that he had been following his foot-steps right from his (Jonathan’s) class/lecture room days. In his opinion, one of the vital points he made was that he anticipated that, Mr. President’s primary aim would be to revive the education sector since he had been in the system. He said that if the issue of education decay and power instability could be adequately tackled, the reoccurring scene of unemployment would be a thing of the past. He added that, from his imagination or experience, there would be no time Nigeria as a country could boast of employing all youths/graduates in the country because the available manpower or labour force will continue to supersede the existing industries (ventures) due to overpopulation and rapid increase of immigration. From his view, the only answer to our plight is self-reliance which could only be actualized by sustaining adequate education coupled with skill acquisition, and above all, power stability. Due to time frame, he promised that there would be a second phase of the discussion in regard to unemployment.

Injecting antagonism/criticism in any existing system may not mean that you’re against any individual rather, a particular administration or policy just like that of my friend as stated above. Thus, a certain criticism could be positive/constructive or negative (destructive). If the former becomes the case, mind you, it helps to strengthen a given system or administration; and that is the angle where most activists are, or had been, coming from. So don’t be myopic. At this juncture, I wish to begin my analysis based on the context of this edition.

Unemployment is a situation or circumstance in which people are willing and able to work, but there is no available job for them. In a concise sentence, someone who is unemployed wants to work but cannot get a job. For over the years, Nigeria has been singing this chorus that is detrimental to the health of her citizenry. In other words, a deadly catastrophe.

As a patriotic analyst, my optimum interest in any existing societal ill which I’m deliberating on lies in the cause(s), and the remedial measure(s) that ought to be taken. On this note, I wish to unequivocally state that, the basic causes of the aforementioned disease/phenomenon are lack of adequate education or skill acquisition and insufficient (inadequate) power supply. I quite agree with my friend; he was really coming in the same direction with me. Brethren, many had spoken on this issue (unemployment), many are still speaking, while many are yet to speak. It’s my time to analyze. Yes, I had been watching like a watch dog or mere onlooker; it’s high time I spoke as an Apostle of God.

On one fate occasion, I was privileged to interact with one of the participants who happens to be my old time friend right from my university days. Along the line, we ventured into the issue of unemployment. From his point of view, nepotism is one of the major factors that have been posing threats the Nigerian labour market. He further stated that if nepotism is not duly eradicated, the issue of unemployment would generate an untold scene in the nearest future. As an analyst, I wasn’t meant to disprove him, rather, give him a listening ear and as well create a cordial and harmonious relationship throughout the discussion.

Yes, nepotism has been a cankerworm in our labour market. But frankly speaking, it should not in any way be considered as one of the causes of unemployment in Nigeria; needless to say, it’s the major cause as it was viewed by my dear friend. Because, if there’re millions of job opportunities available for the unemployed youths/individuals, unemployment would never in any way be attributed to nepotism. The only avenue it (nepotism) affects the economic system or our labour market is that, most time jobs meant for qualified individuals/graduates are being provided for less qualified applicants thereby promoting quackery.

Due to over-population and its consistent tremendous increase in Nigeria, the only answer to the reoccurring question(s) on unemployment is nothing but ‘self- reliance’. Yes, if every able and reasonable youth in the country can boast of being an employer of labour instead of an employee, then the problem of unemployment has been solved. Making individuals to be job creators rather than hunters is the best and simplest way the above economic predicament could be put to stop, because the actualization of concentration (establishment) of industries/firms owned and managed by the government remains a mirage. Even in the advanced or western nations, it has never worked. For instance, about seventy-five (75%) of the industries in Germany are owned and maintained by the citizens or individuals. But how can this be actualized in Nigeria? Let’s ride on!

For one to be self-employed, he/she must acquire a certain skill. And if such skill leads to possession of a certain venture or enterprise, it can’t be adequately or effectively managed if instability of power supply is experienced in the system. Believe me, total overhaul is required in the Nigerian educational and power sectors. And, complete revolutionary theory must be applied or adhered to, to ensure that tangible result is yielded. On this note, I recommend the book, 'Scentic Scenarios' by Fred Nwaozor to the concerned authorities/agencies. The book gives an insight on the most suitable avenues that ought to be followed by the Nigerian government to ensure that Nigeria witnesses a better and developed socio-economic state/arena.

Nigeria ought to tell herself the truth and embrace a worthwhile scenario that would lead to the nation’s paradise that is long overdue. Most importantly, a collective effort is intensely and drastically required to insert a full stop to this persistent jaundiced appellation that has caused many to live far below the poverty line, one dollar per day, as was stipulated by the United Nations (UN). Think about it!

_____________________

COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

The World as an Institution

THE WORLD: AN INSTITUTION WHERE EVERYONE IS A STUDENT

Most times when one intends to narrate a story that seems vague or broad, he may begin with a clause, “I don’t know where to start.” And, if one of the audience happens to be a funny person, he shall react by saying, “Start from somewhere.” Same is applicable here.

Since any story or analysis, be it comprehensive or concise, must have a beginning; so I must start from somewhere. But the question remains, where do I start from; …world, institution, everyone, or student? Though, the aforementioned terms are familiar to people irrespective of their educational backgrounds; even to most children. But their usage here might sound a bit vague. Please pardon me if that becomes the case.

Apart from my talent in writing, by profession I’m a practicing engineer. The talents/trainings which I acquired in engineering were gotten from a certain institution (university). But, there’s another institution that supersedes the above. On this note, let’s take a look at the dictionary meaning of the word ‘institution/institute’, based on the context of this edition.

According to Oxford Advanced Learners’ dictionary, “An institute (institution) is a society or organization for special, usually a social or educational, purpose.” It can also be defined as an organization where knowledge is acquired. Since an organization is a society/group of people of the same aim or motive, the world could be regarded as an organization because, the day-to-day struggle for survival remains the major common aim of everyone in the world. In other words, it (the world) is an institution.

Of course you will agree with me that, not only human beings belong to the aforementioned organization (the world). Other animals also participate in the organization, and they’re also struggling for survival. Since biology as a subject has succeeded in grouping every living thing that moves continually as ‘animals’; thus, this edition shall be discussing both the advanced animals (human beings) and the lower animals (others). Let’s begin with mankind (advanced animals).

A student is a person who is studying/learning at a college/institution. Here, the student in question doesn’t imply to only the learners in various colleges/universities, but also to those in nursery/primary schools; that is, the kids and children inclusive. Since everyone (mankind) is learning in the world which has been stated as an institution, apparently, we all are students.

Someone may ask if everyone is really learning. Yes, we’re all learning. Regardless of one’s age, level, class or status, he/she is bound to learn in a given circumstance (occasion) or the other. It could be in office, bed/sitting room, formal/informal gathering, playing ground, or while driving or operating a computer gadget to mention but a few. Thus, everywhere is a classroom. Most times we learn from our, or other persons’ mistakes. In this case, anyone/anything stands as a teacher/tutor; your child, father/mother, siblings (younger/older), uncle, aunt, fate, and above all, experience. Sure, you can be taught by your experience. In fact, that is where the best teachings lie. This is why it’s often cited by many that, “Experience is the best teacher.”

Brethren, search yourselves and see if you’ve been taught by any experience you had encountered in the past. I bet you if such holds in your life, it’ll continue to stick to your brain no matter how little it (the brain) is. And, it shall remain for eternity. But if you, in one event or the other, had been taught by any other tutor different from experience, there’s a certain tendency that at a point, you may forget the lessons (teachings).

One may also ask how fate teaches or impacts knowledge to mankind. In the last two editions, we took our time to discuss ‘fate and faith’ which were tagged as two fancy facts. Fate actually teaches. For instance, if your fate drags or takes you to a moment of sorrow, then, it’ll enable you to be spiritually fortified irrespective of your religion/faith. That is, it will not tentatively, but definitely bring you closer to your creator (God/Allah) where your faith lies. By so doing, you’ve automatically learnt of the efficacy of faith, and as well, endurance/perseverance. You will also learn that, the Almighty is powerful and good.

Other animals are not left out in the above analysis as regards learning or studentship. Therefore, all animals fall under ‘everyone’ as it’s used in the topic. But the difference lies in their level of reasoning or understanding due to the nature of their brains. So you shouldn’t expect them to learn as fast or tangible like human beings (advanced animals).

In the world as an institution, the only factor that obstructs or marks the end of our studentship is death. In other words, everyone remains a student till his/its death. In a nutshell, as long as any person/animal lives, he/it is recognized as a bonafide student of the globe.

Brethren, conclusively and convincingly the world is an institution where everyone is a student. We must continue to have reverence for our creator for making us privileged to be part of this enormous and wonderful institution known as the world. Think about it!

____________________

FDN NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Courtship towards Marriage

THE ESSENCE OF COURTSHIP TOWARDS MARRIAGE


Brethren, often times most people indulge in strenuous thought that doesn’t really worth it or which may be contrary to the issue at hand. Please before I proceed, in advance I wish to sincerely beg for your pardon because I’m of the view that I might be strident in this edition. I therefore pray that such intention won’t warrant a strife. Believe me, I truly don’t intend to hurt any soul, rather my paramount motive is to resurrect many.

At about eight O’clock in the morning (8.00 am) penultimate Monday, September 23 to be precise, I was about heading to the bathroom to have my usual morning shower in my family residence in Lagos State; I embarked on a trip to Lagos for some business transactions. Immediately my cell phone rang and the caller happened to be one of my friends residing at Owerri in Imo State. According to him, he actually called to inform me that he was about heading to my personal residence (lodge) in Owerri to discuss a very critical issue with me. Unfortunately I told him that I was presently in Lagos State; an information that suddenly brought a sad mood to his person. Yes I felt it because he sighed in subsequent to the notice. Having sensed the urgency of it, I promised to call him back after some minutes so we can have the discussion on phone; he was so delighted to receive the pledge. And by God’s grace, I fulfilled the promise.

As soon as I called him, he exclaimed that there was fire on the mountain. A statement that ushered in a question, “How?” which was the only word that managed to escape from my mouth. In response to my question, he hurriedly said that he just lost his fiancĂ©e to someone else; to the best of my knowledge, this is a woman he was about taking to the altar in few weeks time, and they just met about two months ago. I tried to ascertain what actually transpired between the two parties that has led to such ugly moment. The summary of the ordeal was that he caught her red handedly in her own bed with another man. They were making ‘love’ to each other I presume, because he thought it was inconsequential to give me the detail on a phone conversation. I really felt sorry for the poor man, thereby I pledged that I would come to his place the very moment I arrive at Owerri so we can round off the discussion one-on-one. Though I urged him to be a man and never allow the plight to disorganize him.

The bone of contention of whatever sermon I would be dishing out today is that, in anything we do, we must endeavour to consider time. If we fail to create time in respect to the prospects of any worthwhile activity we find ourselves, definitely the activity is liable to be found in shambles irrespective of the nature of the venture/activity. In other words, time remains the most vital tool when it calls for success in any of our respective strides. Honestly, you have no choice in this aspect; thus, it (time) remains a threshold whenever the issue of success/progress is in question

It beats my psyche intensely each time I watch people who live with the ideology that money can withstand or buy any situation one wishes. Such ideology is simply a fallacy; if not a daydream. Frankly, money can never buy intimacy. The only man that has the true potential to buy the aforementioned tool (intimacy) is no other person than ‘Time’. Q.E.D. Let’s ride on!

If you’re into a certain relationship and you think that with your money/wealth the woman in your life is all yours, then apparently you’ve been living with a deadly misconception. At this juncture, I put it up to you that if you are into any affair with a man/woman as the case may be and you desire to settle down with him/her, you must devote your time to such relationship if you sincerely want your wish to metamorphose into reality. Believe me, you can never bribe time; you must follow the due process whenever the issue of time is at hand or being considered. In other words, no one can maneuver it regardless of how powerful or wealthy he/she is.

I keep on telling people that the best thing that would happen to a man/woman is to marry his/her sister/brother as the case may be. Please don’t get me wrong; when I say getting married to your sister/brother, I meant getting married to your best friend. The best friend anyone can have or boast of, is someone who has/shares the same blood with you. Even if someone is not your sister/brother, he/she can share same blood with you if you both are devoted to each other. And such situation can never be possible if you fail to accommodate time to the fullness. In a nutshell, time can make a total stranger in your life to emerge as your bosom brother/sister in future.

One who shares same blood with you can never think of hurting you under normal circumstance unless he/she is being placed under a certain spiritual influence. This is the reason prayers are very essential in any relationship. Thus, if you are into a relationship you adore so much, you must endeavour to create time for it for the interest of its successs and as well your happiness. In addition, both of you ought to inculcate prayers.

If you’re dating someone and you wish to settle down with him/her, there’s need to experience intimacy prior to such eternal/everlasting union (marriage). And, this is where courtship sets in.

Courtship is an activity in which a man and a woman spend a lot of time together because they intend to get married. Going by the above definition, you will agree with me that courtship can never be successful if time is not adhered to. Devoting precious time to a relationship brings absolute understanding and trust amongst the partners involved which automatically yields true/genuine love. On this note, I wish to state unequivocally that the efficacy of courtship in any relationship cannot be overemphasized. If you’re still single and intend having/establishing a happy home in future, then I urge you to embrace this fact today; and I bet you, you would be glad you did.

Mind you, courtship coupled with sex is likely to ruin your intention/plan. Such attitude might make your partner to detest you at the long run with the aim of wanting to taste something different as regards sex/romance. But if you totally abstain from such act, your ultimate prayer would be to have/witness a day whereby you both would taste each other; therefore you would be earnestly yearning for a moment of marital vow. Above all, premarital sex is evil.

Brethren, many homes have collapsed because the partners involved failed to embrace courtship. The worst thing that would happen to a man/woman is to end up settling down with a stranger. Think about it!

_____________________

COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com



Monday, 30 September 2013

Criminality in Begging

ALARMING RATE OF CRIMINALITY IN BEGGING


The means through which the unhealthy poor masses or the handicapped live by the activity of asking other people for money or food has contributed immensely to the high level of corruption in Nigeria.

The main problem attached to this is that, it’s no longer practised by the people it’s meant for, rather it’s being practised by the healthy masses. The increase in the number of lazy bones in our society could be attributed to such ugly act because, healthy people that are meant to be occupied with many reasonable unskilled labours end-up as beggars due to hard times.

Many Nigerians disguise themselves pretending to be handicapped in order to earn for their living through begging. This is blasphemy! Sometimes I wonder if people still have some respect for their creator, or if they actually know that they were created by a certain supreme being. Even, in most cases, they leave their place of birth for elsewhere which may be located very far from their home, for the sake of recognition or any embarrassment that’s likely to arise.

One may ask if this country is dedicated to beggars because, even some of the healthy immigrants from the neighbouring countries trouped-in purposely for begging. On this note, I’ve started believing on one of the most popular philosophies that says, “Wonders shall never end!” We may even conclude that, if something drastic is not done to eradicate this demeaning act, we might wake-up one morning to see that the entire labour force in Nigeria had indulged in the menace.

Due to the above ridiculous act, begging can as well be referred to as one of the glaring handicaps to development, because most members of the productive class of the nation are into it. Believe me, the only way we could be productive and useful to this nation is by occupying our minds with what we can do for the nation, and not the reverse. By so doing, Nigeria would be rated as one of the most peaceful and God-fearing countries in the world. So let’s be productive instead of being destructive.

The handicapped could as well be productive if they can occupy their respective minds with the above statement. For instance, I was amazed the day I saw a man with only one arm mending foot wears in one of the federal polytechnics in the country. Besides, the famous sound producer and renowned musician, Steve Wonder, from the United States of America (U.S.A) is a blind man.

The aforementioned criminal act may be caused by misfortune, influence, or inadequate up-bringing of children. But above all, laziness ought to be held responsible as the major cause of the anomaly. Let’s ride on!

Someone may be influenced by his/her friend(s) to embark on begging by convincing him/her that, the business is more lucrative than any other business/venture one could lay his hands on, and it requires no capital. He/she will quickly join the chorus out of ignorance since it’s a capital-free venture and as well creates enormous income for the participants.

The entire members of a wretched home may embark on begging to seek for survival, due to lack of optimism. Also, some poor masses indulge in it because they think they are irrelevant and of no consequence in the society they belong.

If a child was born and bred up in a corrupt or indecent environment, he/she may decide going into begging because it requires no skill or capital, owing to the sense of reasoning of the people around him/her. This’s the reason a famous philosopher, Karl Marl of the blessed memory, says, “Environment determines the action of the mind.”

Laziness should be seen as the basic cause of this act because, those people would have considered doing any of the available unskilled labours within their respective societies (environments), but they intend not to struggle or do any stressful work to earn for their living.

The parents have a role to play here. They should endeavour to back-up their children’s up-bringing with sound religious background. They should from time-to-time ensure that, they feed them with strong religious/social quotations and statements that would encourage them to be ambitious, determined, and above all, optimistic irrespective of the circumstances they may be facing.

And to the people involved; please always dream of becoming a great man/woman in future because tomorrow may bring a total change in your life which might presently seem devastating. Take note of this; “Many are born great, many achieve greatness, whilst many have greatness entrusted upon them.” Thus, if you’re not born great, try to achieve it; but if you’re not equal to the task, always remember and ensure to have it at the back of your mind that, you might have greatness entrusted upon you. So never give up!

The existing Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) ought to constantly embark on massive seminars and workshops that would go a long way sensitizing the minds of the populace on the dangers of this barbaric attitude.

Above all, the concerned government authority should look into this overwhelming issue with the sole motive of eradicating the blasphemous act which is likely to pollute the mind of all the poor masses in near future. On this note, those who immigrated into the country with the aim of begging should be captured and deported to their respective countries of origin. This would help to minimize the level of corruption and human-trafficking on our roads.

Let’s come together and make Nigeria a better place to live. The criminals in question should also understand the fact that, ‘He who lives in a glass house doesn’t throw stone.” Think about it!

______________________

FRED NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

twitter@fdnnwaozor

Saturday, 28 September 2013

Beauty of the Heart

BEAUTY OF THE HEART: AN ANGELIC EPITOME


It’s another bright day for brighter edition. This shouldn’t take our time because it’s safe-explanatory. Many have spoken on the issue of beauty. It’s time for me to speak. As an Apostle of God, my interest should be to tell you nothing but the truth. I must let you know that this is a critical issue that requires a critical approach.

Beauty is the state or quality of being beautiful. One or something is said to be beautiful when you find him/it very attractive or pleasant. You can also describe something that someone does as beautiful if it’s done very skillfully. In this edition, the context of the ‘beautiful’ we’re looking at lies in the former. On the other hand, one can be referred to as an angelic person when he/she is very good, kind and calm.

Going by the topic, you’ll agree with me that, personification as a figure of speech is into play or being utilized. That is, heart as an object was personified since angelic as a quality is only found among mankind. This is one of the reasons I called it a critical issue. Let’s proceed!

Yes, beauty can lie in the heart. That is, the heart could be beautiful. Here, the heart in question is that of human being. Thus, it (the heart) represents mankind. So for the beauty of the heart to be referred to as an angelic epitome, it means that it supersedes that of the facial outlook. Meaning that beauty of the face and/or skin is not enough to prove that one is truly beautiful. Angelic idiosyncrasies or endowments lie in the heart. It’s only one’s heart that can tell or prove to you how good, kind or calm he/she is. And these are the qualities of an angel. On this note, only one with such qualities could be said to be truly beautiful. Summarily true beauty is one of the qualities of the heart, and has nothing to do with the face, posture/stature, height, complexion, or nasal shape. Therefore beauty of the former ought to be of most concern to people instead of that of any of the latter. And this is where character comes in.

For over the years, many have derailed in search for true beauty because their only interest lie on facial beauty. Though facial beauty or countenance might be considered during such circumstance, but that shouldn’t be enough to convince you that the person is truly beautiful. You have to concentrate on the heart; that is, the person’s character. This should be your priority because it’s the most important aspect of beauty. If you have one whose heart is beautiful as a friend, you should be rest assured that you’ll always be filled with unquantifiable happiness due to his/her presence in your life. On the contrary, the joy that comes from the facial beauty has a limit. It turns sour, fades, and expires. Believe me, these are facts. So while searching for or considering a friend, partner or spouse, your major interest should lie on how beautiful the person’s heart is.

Brethren, you don’t need a prophet to tell or inform you how beautiful a certain heart is. You can find it out yourself. This is where time comes in. Unlike facial beauty or countenance that can be detected by mere looking at the person involved, in this case you have to bring out your time to examine his/her character(s). No time would be too much for this close examination. While taking your time, put it at the back of your mind that, you’re searching for happiness that shall yield everlasting profit. So you’ve to earn your wage(s). And you can’t achieve that without considering or abiding by time. It’s better you take millions of seconds to acquire what would make you live long than, to take few seconds and obtain what shall lead to your eternal state of doom.

How are you expected to utilize the aforementioned time? You should ensure that both of you spend time together often. Create various different occasions/circumstances for the relationship. This may involve the good or ugly circumstance which ought to be cough up by you. So it may require disguise; yes, you may need to create some fake occasions in order to unfold some hidden attitudes of your partner(s). Why this is very important is that, most time your partner may disguise his/herself to prove to you that his/her heart is pure/beautiful. Don’t forget, “Not all that glitters is gold.” But if you can create series of events involving disguise when necessary, the truth must be disclosed/unveiled. Honestly, the truth can only be hidden for some (a short) time after which it explodes. Sure, the truth explodes when it’s due.

In a nutshell, you’ve to take your precious time if you truly want the best. If you can abide by this, you will surely testify that, beauty of the heart is truly an angelic epitome (symbol). Think about it!


____________________
   FDN NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Extramarital Affairs

DETESTING EXTRA-MARITAL AFFAIRS


Amazingly, I woke up one fateful morning and found myself smiling for no reason. A mood that ushered me into a moment of thorough meditation. Initially I was enjoying the scene; but lately, I discovered I was almost losing my sanity. Frankly speaking, till now I find it very difficult to fathom what precisely constituted that period of amusement at that early hour of the day. Needless to say, deep inside my system lies a fathomless fear in respect to the aforementioned mysterious scenario. Nevertheless, we shall continue to thank God and as well present Him with eulogies due to the life and strength He has given to us considering the fact that millions of people out there are lying helplessly and hopelessly.

If a close look is not given to the above paragraph, it stands to be meaningless to most of us. But I seize this opportunity to inform you that, that very paragraph represents the most important phase of this critique/edition. In essence, the paragraph is trying to tell us that some of the actions we indulge in on a daily basis is mysterious. In other words, such actions are being instituted or initiated by nature without our individual consent. You may not really comprehend where I’m actually driving at unless you join the school of thought known as “Realism”.

You will bear me witness that I’ve written on marriage. In my previous work on marriage, I categorically made it clear that it remains the oldest institution on earth. I also said that it’s an institute being instituted by God Himself, therefore ought to be seen by all and sundry as a sacred organization. Then if truly that such union is sacred, therefore it should be regarded as sacrosanct.

It’s quite appalling that the above union/institution has been abused greatly by those involved. Pathetically most people have turned it into a place for mere jamboree as if it’s an arena meant for social clubbing. Each time I see or set my eyes on such set of people, I smile with my jaws widely open. Yes instead of weeping, I’ve chosen to go by smiling. Well, my duty and paramount interest for today’s edition is to redirect most of us who has been abusing or intend to abuse this holy union called marriage.

I want to use this avenue to put up a fact that may be peculiar to us. It’s only by the special grace of the Almighty that one finds his/her marriage/life partner. In the same vein; it’s by the grace of God that both of you remain faithful to each other regardless of how beautiful or loveable any of you might be. Believe me, it’s not just a fact; rather, a fancy fact. In essence, I’m actually saying that if you fail to abide by the rule of God, you will definitely find your relationship in shambles.

Let me make this issue clearer. Some of the actions such as cheating or bickering we find ourselves in our respective marital relationships may not be as we planned or wished; it could be mysterious. And this aspect known as mystery remains the major reason we should endeavour to always be closer to God whenever we find ourselves in any marital relationship. Take for instance; if one gets married, he/she might wish to adore his/her partner for the rest of his/her life. But at a certain point in our marital life, we find ourselves acting silly contrary to our earlier decision; and you may never find out what actually prompted such unwanted act. This is why we must acknowledge the fact that there’re certain forces surrounding any marriage or marital vow. Let’s ride on!

An extramarital affair is an activity in which a married person cheats his/her marriage partner for the purpose of actualizing his/her selfish desire. Without mincing words, this aspect of marriage has been existing since the beginning of the world. Thus, it’s as old as the union itself.

First and foremost, the only way one can be free from this mess is to be contented with what he/she has. Secondly, you should also understand that the union was not by your making; thus, you’re bound to be faithful or grateful not only to your partner but to the progenitor of such sacred union.

The perfect key towards a home that’s free from any sort of extramarital affair is nothing but contentment coupled with prayers. You must continue to inform yourself that you’re satisfied with whatever you’re blessed with; be it your partner or material possession. Then such worthwhile attribute or idiosyncrasy is meant to be accompanied with regular prayers in order to withstand any possible temptation that may come on your way. Surely, temptation must set in; there’s no two ways about it, and you can never escape from it. In other words, it’s natural.

I want to let you know that mankind has a natural tendency to taste what he has never tasted before. This is why Economics recognizes that human wants are uncertain due to our natural quest to have what we’ve never had before. Thus, we must safeguard what we have jealously as if it’s the best among others. Such quality is simply known as contentment. I also wish to inform you that, contentment cannot work if we fail to dedicate our marriages to God.

For crying out loud, marriage has a finite rule/policy, and we must stick to it if we really want ours to be successful and fruitful. This is why maturity remains the most fundamental tool requires in a marriage. Yes, both parties are expected to be mature; maturity is one of the basic recipes when it calls for marriage. Mind you, that one is forty (40) does not imply that he/she is mature; thus, age is not directly proportional to maturity as it’s generally and popularly noted.

Brethren, we must endeavour to do this right so we won’t be smiling when we’re meant to pray because there’s time for everything. You shouldn’t personally invite moment of doom into a union founded by God Himself.

It’s high time we detested and destroyed these cankerworms that are setting our respective homes ablaze. Cheating is definitely evil and we must absorb that fact into our thick skulls. Think about it!

______________________

FDN NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Madness

MADNESS: A SOCIETAL MONSTER


The term ‘madness’ could be used in many ways; but in this edition, our interest lies in the aspect of mental illness or degradation. Pardon me, I wish to begin with a short story.

One fateful day, I and three other young men, fellow executive members of a certain organization Oru Youths Platform (OYOPLA) which I happen to be the founder/leader were heading to a certain town in Oru in our private car to see a prominent personality; Oru is an ancient community that comprises of Oru East / West Local Government Areas in Imo State, Nigeria. Within five to six minutes drive which ushered in about ten kilometers (10km), we encountered three mad persons on the way. One of us, Mr. Charles Nlemeke (Financial Director) who was on the sterling couldn’t hold his breath; so he thought aloud, “Is like this town has the largest number of mad people in this community (Oru)?” The rhetorical question suddenly broke the silence that had lasted for over three minutes. Thereby, an uncontrolled unified laughter followed suit. But I maintained a slight smile. After some seconds, I bombarded the insinuation with another rhetorical question, “How sure are you that, those mad persons weren’t imported from your town?” Subsequently, another great laughter burst in. ”But, Presido might be right,” said the Director of Ethics, Mr. Longinus Onyebuchi who was trying to be on my side. Then, the Vice-President General (VPG) Mr. Joseph Ozor suggested that we go to one of our Legal Advisers for more clarification. According to him, the Legal Adviser would be in the right position to know the actual fact about the community. We all unanimously agreed to dance to the tune of the VPG.

Brethren, any reasonable person can figure out that the above conversation was a joke. We decided to laugh over the circumstance (madness) so it wouldn’t affect our respective psyches. Of course it shouldn’t have been a joking matter because ‘madness’ has become a very serious issue in our society. And, this is where the context of this lonely edition lies.

There are two distinct mood a certain mad person might belong to, which are violence and calmness; a mad person could be violent or calm. Pardon me, I wish to narrate another short story.

There was a day I was sitting at one of the joints situated at Wetheral road in Owerri; still in Imo State. I was very observant just as I had always being, as I was sipping my chilled drink. Suddenly I noticed that a certain mad man was walking in an opposite direction with one pretty young lady along the road. At their point of meeting, the mad man in question quickly hit the lady at her lips with one of his bare hands. Everyone around was shock by the incident. The lady sustained an injury on her lower jaw. We all began to sympathize with her. On the other hand, the mad man kept on moving as if he never did anything. Believe me, the scene was dramatic; but it wasn’t funny.

One of the men who was sitting with us called the lady and inquired from her if she had known the mad man, or had ever met him before. To me, that was a rhetorical question. Arrant nonsense; total ignorance coupled with stupidity! We frowned at such question that lacked an action word or verbal term. By His grace, I used the avenue to educate the man who tendered the silly question and also, everyone in the gathering. I let them know that the mad man was a typical example of a violent mad man. In other words, he was suffering from psychosis. And such persons are scattered all over the nook and cranny. Let’s ride on!

Whatever branch/mood a given madness belongs to, the cause could be natural, medical, spiritual, or physical. Let’s commence with natural causes.

The cause of a certain madness could be natural. That is, it can be caused by nature. And, this is where curse (spell) sets in. one may ask if ‘curse’ truly works. Yes, it actually works if the recipient of such curse is not innocent. Believe me, if you’ve wronged anyone in the past and never cared to seek for forgiveness and as well embrace total repentance, you must in one way or the other receive the consequence of such evil or ungodly act if the person places a curse on you. The person in question may not even care to place you under spell if he/she is truly a Christian. But whatever may be the case, I want you to acknowledge that, nature fights on behalf of the innocent whenever he/she is being hurt by someone. Frankly speaking, there’s too much power in nature.

Secondly, madness could be caused by medical/health problem(s). Some of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) such as syphilis could lead to madness. If anyone is infected by any of them and refuses to go for adequate treatment, at a point or an acute level, it may result to psychosis (madness). So, an infection is also one of the causes of madness.

There is/are also spiritual means of madness. This is where ritualism/cultism comes in. For instance, if one is being initiated into a certain secret confraternity; and he/she was asked to carry out a particular ritual or sacrifice which he refused or failed, there is a tendency that the person would incur madness as an outcome of his rebellion/failure. Apart from madness, there are other repercussions the person may encounter. I’m of the view that the above words are enough to explain this paragraph. Note that one of the causes of madness, nature, mentioned above can also be classified under this (spiritual).

Above all, there is also a physical cause of madness. If one receives a bullet in his brain, it could be a pathway to madness if an adequate and urgent measure is not taken. More so, constant reading (studying) without adequate intake of food or absolute rest may also lead to psychosis. There are other physical activities that affect the brain such as incessant intake of hard drugs like cocaine and marijuana which are also possible means of madness.

All the causes of madness discussed above could be avoided; so one needs to be extremely careful because carefulness remains the best approach to it. A popular Igbo idiomatic expression says, “were ire gi guo eze gi onu.” Meaning, count your teeth with your tongue. Though sometimes temptation sets in; that is more reason we are bound to remain prayerful and faithful. Yes, that is the suitable key. Don’t forget, there’s no absolute or total cure for madness. Thus, “prevention is better than cure.” Another Igbo adage says, “agboja onye ara, ogayi akusi ntawu.” That is, if a mad person has been treated or cured, he/she would never stop thinking aloud at all times. ‘Thinking aloud’ is a situation whereby one indulges in self communication in a manner in which his/her voice sounds to the hearing of other people around. Thus, “prevention is better than cure.”

The Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have a very vital role to play here. They ought to organize educative and inspirational seminars and workshops relating to madness, from time to time. On the other hand, the concerned government agencies should ensure that those mad people on our roads are consistently taken to a special home or psychiatric hospitals with the object of maintaining a serene environment.

Brethren, it’s time for break. Remember, ‘all work no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Perhaps it may lead to madness, not just dullness. Who knows? Think about it!

_______________________

COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Saturday, 21 September 2013

Birthday anniversary Celebration

BIRTHDAY-ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: A WELCOME PHENOMENON!

In most developing nations, the mood of political cynicism and despair deepened tremendously. As a crime analyst and social crusader, these are bulk of catastrophic illusions culminated by bunch of feverish panoramic views which were solely initiated by a myopic telescope. Such fallacious ideas are the reactants of this insistent and perpetual product known as ‘treason’ which has been the order of the season. You’ll agree with me that, this unending cankerworm (treason) yielded the present reoccurring state of insomnia witnessed by many developing nations scattered all over.

On the contrary, a wise thinker considers the odyssey of his/her country and sees if he/she can render a remedy to any existing loophole(s). It’s obvious that such person must consider both the nourishing and devastating parts of the odyssey rather than, being one-sided as it is the case in the above phenomenon. And such examination or analysis will surely lead to a logical conclusion. This is what we, the analysts, tag as realism. Brethren, realism is a school of thought; one who belongs to such school, or a realistic person, recognizes and accepts the true nature of any situation and tries to deal with it practically. Above all, he embraces pessimism and optimism. Yes, it’s a paradox, but at the end, the latter must supersede the former.

At this juncture, I wish to draw your attention to the basic reality of life; we all were created for a purpose. And, that purpose is positive. Thus, no one was created to die or to be destroyed. If our various dreams are pursued with worthwhile and enormous effort(s) coupled with great passion and vigour, such dream/pursuit must surely be actualized or come to past. Let’s ride on!

Birthday is the anniversary of the date on which one was born. In other words, it’s the day that marks the completion of a particular span. That is, if you were seventeen by this time last year, then apparently you’re eighteen. Which means, you’ve clocked the adulthood and as well completed your eighteenth (18th) year span. In other words, you’ve accomplished a certain mission.

For over the years, millions of people have been seeing this phenomenon (birthday) as worthwhile whilst, many critics see it as an inconsequential gesture or are yet to embrace/acknowledge the efficacy of its existence. This difference between the members of the above groups has been generating a lot of dusts as a result of their surfeit of debate. On this note, I wish to use this avenue to earn my view on this reoccurring baseless debate that has been taking place in the absence of a judge or quizmaster. You can forward your response(s) after this edition if you wish to counter my forthcoming critique or single-minded opinion on this outstanding topic.

Unequivocally, as stipulated by the caption of the topic, birthday celebration is truly a welcome phenomenon. It’s a day that you have to take a second look at your life (journey) so far just as it was quoted by the famous philosopher of the blessed memory, Socrates “an unexamined life is not worth living.” Yes, one’s life ought to be constantly and consistently examined. On the close examination of your odyssey, the good side of it must surely call for celebration while, the other side (bad side) calls for adjustment or total transition of your life-style in regard to the affected phase (angle). You shouldn’t be rigid at all times/events. At a certain point or in some cases, you’ve to loosen up. Examination or cross-examination of your life will do you no harm. Honestly, it pays to indulge in such act.

Thus, such moment (birthday) is truly a moment of sober as it’s cited by various wise thinkers. I want to quickly remind you of something very crucial; there’s no span or life-span that does not have both the good and bad sides. Even the holy Bible says it all; “…He sets the time for sorrow and the time for joy, the time for mourning and the time for dancing…” (Eccl 3: 1-8).

At your moment of sober, if you fail to recognize the good side of your span, always remember that, there’s one which is constant; and that is ‘life’. If you don’t have anything to celebrate for or you’re so myopic to acknowledge that you’re still alive, kindly do so (celebrate) for the sake of your life. Frankly, there’s no good thing that would be better than life. Just as the Igbo people always say, “ndu bu isi.” That is, life is/remains the most important thing on earth, or to mankind. Surely, life is too precious.

So if you’ve been celebrating/acknowledging your birthday, then I wish to state here that, you’re one of those wise thinkers who closely consider the real purpose of their existence on earth. Believe me, such attribute is not unconnected to realism. For sure, like I said earlier; if you’re on this earth, or in this world, you’re here or were created for a purpose. And, that purpose is definitely positive. So even if you’re myopic to recognize that you’re still alive, you’re bound to appreciate that purpose for which you were created. Above all, you’ve to appreciate God for creating you or ensuring that you were created; It is a privilege that we should always remain grateful to. (Q.E.D).

Even in your sick bed; no matter how critical is the illness, the purpose for which you were created should continue to motivate you. Let it be your sole motivation. Thus, “you shall not die; you shall live to profess His goodness and mercy…”

Similarly, such demonstration (anniversary) is also required in the case of graduation, irrespective of the nature/level of the citadel of learning. That is, be it nursery, primary, secondary, tertiary or what have you, they all call for celebration. If you can’t celebrate with friends, do so with the members of your family. You can even celebrate within yourself. What matters most is the spirit of the celebration. So the euphoria must be there. Thus, the most important thing that matters in any celebration/jubilation, no matter how little it is, is that the celebrant(s) must be euphoric. Yes, there’s no two ways about it.

Don’t forget that anniversary is needed/necessary in any aspect of our worthwhile endeavours. For instance, a constant wedding anniversary celebration is really essential to any couple in question. Marriage is an everlasting institution, so any thing or day that results/marks the beginning of such mutual relationship automatically calls for celebration. Even if the marriage is yet to be fruitful, you’re bound to appreciate the fact that, the Almighty never fails.

Brethren, continue to celebrate because such attribute yields greater success or fruit. Mind you, celebration is not when one hosts a party; there’re several ways one can celebrate. Think about it!

______________________

COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

twitter: @fdnnwaozor
BB PIN: 2B0290C8

Black in the Midst (Poem)

BLACK IN THE MIDST

Blacks loaded
With blackmails,
Do you still need
A blackout?

A tremendous colour
Without a blemish
But with
Tremendous blemishes
On it
Socio-political platform.

Blessed colour
But yet
To be blessed.

Blameworthy but
Meant to
Be blameless.

Though, loaded
With many
Artistic endowments.
What a superb artistry!

Yes, we're aware that
The artistic power of
The entire atmosphere
Lies in your hands.

What a friendly atmosphere!
An atmosphere of
Cautious optimism.
_______________________
  FDN NWAOZOR

Friday, 20 September 2013

Fate & Faith

FATE AND FAITH: 2 FANCY FACTS


By His grace, this edition will take time to analyze the aforementioned tools exclusively. Yes, I call them tools because both are working instruments. But the difference remains that, the former is regarded to be used by the ‘Almighty’ while mankind uses the latter. Please don’t be in haste. There’s still much time to talk about it. Like I promised, I shall be discursive in my analysis.

Fate is a power believed by some people to control everything or whatever that happens on earth, or to them. In other words, someone’s fate is anything that happens to him/her. On other hand, based on the context of this edition or analysis, faith is a strong religious belief some people have towards their creator; or towards the efficacy/supremacy of their creator.

Let’s commence with fate. Those things that happen to you, or anyone/anything around you either mysteriously (without symptom) or with symptom(s) are what we regard as fate. Your fate are the things that happen to you which you cannot control or stop. This is where nature comes in. of course, you know one can’t cheat nature. Rather, it (nature) is meant/bound to cheat you when it’s necessary. That is, no matter how powerful you are, always remember that you’re one of the subjects of nature. And this is where supremacy comes in.

Yes, in any environment one may find himself, he must be subject to one of two supreme beings. These supreme beings could be earthly. But above the earthly ones, there lies the most ultimate/superior one who’s regarded by most people as the heavenly. It’s this unseen heavenly being that can give an answer to one’s fate. Honestly most individuals, irrespective of their religious affiliations, believe in the existence of this most high being. Though, only few/some believes in fate; many are yet to acknowledge the efficacy of the tool. This is where the context of this edition lies. Let’s ride on!

Brethren frankly speaking, fate exists. Sometimes in life, we encounter one of two circumstances that seem to be mysterious to us. That is, a circumstance no one can explain why or how it took place. This also has a link with destiny. For instance, if you’re destined to be an engineer but you keep on dreaming of, or struggling towards becoming a medical doctor; along the line, you may be faced with bunch of failures. At this circumstance, one is liable to say that you’re under the influence of fate. Most times some people misinterpret it; some may see such scene as a curse whilst some sees it as lack of focus/seriousness. But don’t forget, fate plays a very vital role in our various pursuits or endeavours. So most misfortunes or accidents are attributed to fate, while some are attributable to carelessness, lack of determination (zeal), or curse. If fate is behind any circumstance you might be facing, always bear it in mind that, such situation is for your own merit, and nothing less.

Let’s usher into faith. This has to do with the trust we have for our creator. If you truly trust one, you will always rely on him regardless of the situation. Thus, there’s no faith without trust. In other words, trust begets faith. For one to embrace fate to the fullness, he/she must learn to be faithful. If you’re being surrounded by a certain unfavourable fate, the only way to overcome it is by being faithful to your supreme being. You’ve to challenge Him with faith. It’s the only key that can open any door locked with fate. Even prayers are not enough. Believe me, no amount/degree of prayers can withstand fate if such prayers are not accompanied with faith. True faith gives optimism, enthusiasm and above all, near-perfection. So we should learn to accept our fate in good faith at all times.

Even if a misfortune is attributed to some spells, challenge it with faith. This shows you acknowledge that your creator or supreme being could fight/act on your behalf. Your only contribution to such battle ought to be prayers coupled with extreme faith. No matter the intensity of the curse or misfortune, faith shall grant you happiness at the end. But mind you; if the spell you’re passing through is due to your past wrong/evil deeds, then an extra sacrifice would be required. This is where total repentance comes in. Yes, you must admit to desist from those acts. Such approach is known as practical remorse, and it’s the first step. The second step lies in seeking for forgiveness from the person you must have wronged. Then lastly, sincere prayers and faith shall shower you with eternal deliverance.

Whenever you embrace faith, you must be filled with an inspiration that, your creator can change your unfavourable fate for good at any time; or that, any new thing can manifest in your life within a twinkle of an eye. So you don’t have to be doubtful. You shouldn’t allow the event of the past to weigh you down if you truly acknowledge the efficacy of faith. Yes, it’s written already in the holy Bible (Isaiah 43: 19-21) according to the Christian virtue, “Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already; you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there. Even the wild animals will honour me; jackals and ostriches will praise me when I make rivers flow in the desert to give water to my chosen people. They are the people I made for myself, and they will sing my praises!”

Above all, faith is also the feeling of one’s confidence in someone/something’s ability or goodness. Even the married couple should exercise faith for each other if they really desire a progressive and fruitful relationship. More so, this is the only way they can overcome any temptation encountered by their institution (marriage).

Honestly, fate and faith are two fancy facts that we are meant to embrace at all times. Acknowledge them, and you shall see that the Lord is good!

______________________

COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com



Thursday, 19 September 2013

Hired Masquerades (poem)

HIRED MASQUERADES


A true impedimenta

To the continuous

Fantastic societal approach

Stipulated by

The African giant

To embrace the promise-land.



Were you hired or

You hired yourself?

Well, not really necessary.

The fact remains,

Hire is in question.



The most complicated scene;

Still the fact

That you are

Part and parcel of

The struggling society.



I wonder,

You willing agreed

To be

Among the notorious

And exploitable work force.



You are not just

A speech impediment

But a major impediment

To the societal economic growth.



Behind the bars

Ought to be

The only resting arena

For your pessimistic ego.

________________________

FDN NWAOZOR

Tuesday, 17 September 2013

Rumour dissemination

RUMOUR DISSEMINATION: AN OCCUPATION FOR IDLE MINDS


According to BBC English dictionary, rumour can be described as “a piece of information that may or may not be true, but that people are talking about.” That is, if something is rumoured to be true, people are suggesting that it is true but they do not know for certain.

The way through which people live by the above phenomenon is really becoming a devastating scenario. There are several situations that could lead to the practices, such as idleness, enmity, rivalry, illiteracy, envy, to mention but a few.

Someone who is idle will have many things to say than to do. Therefore, idle people go a long way disseminating information which they are not too sure of thereby feeding their listeners’ minds with fallacies, because they have nothing better to do or to be occupied with. This dances to the tune of the popular citation that says, “An idle mind is a devil’s workshop.”

Also, someone’s enemy can pollute the minds of the populace by formulating a false information that can tarnish his/her image. And the recipients of such information will definitely have an intimation of it.

Thirdly, if two or more persons or organizations are in the same type of business/work, they are automatically rivals to each other; especially when their businesses are situated at the same location. Thus, any of them can come up with a propaganda that may be published or broadcast, to reduce the reputation of the other(s) so that they would be placed ahead of them. This routine is often used by the politicians to disqualify or discredit their antagonists.

Fourthly, the illiterate ones among the recipients of any propaganda will easily be convinced. This will enable the news to be more widely spread since any society must have a concentration of the illiterate or uneducated ones. On the contrary, the educated ones would like to take a second look at the information thereby creating avenue for thorough scrutiny; though some of them may be hired by the propagandists.

On the other hand, if you are being envied by some persons, your name will always be mentioned during most of their gatherings. They will say all sort of things about you including the fake/false ones that may stain your reputation. The funniest part of this idiosyncrasy is that, the people who fabricate/make such loathsome statements may not mean any harm; their intention or basic interest may be to prove to others that they know much about you. The fake news would be solely propagated by them. The art of ignorance! This set of people can be referred to as the men of the underworld. The aforementioned phenomenon often occurs between a star and his/her fans.

Any of the above factors that contributes to rumour dissemination can lead to gossip in all nooks and crannies of any given society. Gossip, which is one of the masses’ major occupations can also be referred to as a rumour which its content may or may not be true.

Going by the above stated facts, one can boldly consider the popular saying that says “In any rumour, there is an atom of truth” as an illusion, since one can easily propagate an information on a matter that had never existed. On this note, I urge us to rather agree on the fact that in any rumour, there must be a trace of truth; and not “atom of truth” as it’s widely noted. For instance, one who graduated from the same department with you in a certain university may propagate a rumour that you used to be a cheat in the examination hall. This may be a lie against you; apparently, there’s no any atom of truth behind it. But the trace of truth remains that you used to be his coursemate. This trace of truth is what would attract the attention of anyone who receives the information. The fact is that, some of the recipients of the rumour will automatically see it as a truth while some will definitely give it a second thought, which is the art of individual differences.

Please the actors of this scandal should desist from it and think of how to turn a new leave. Let’s always remember that, “what goes around comes around.” To the idle minds; according to the Holy Bible, Sirach 19: 6-9 says, “Avoid idle talk and you will avoid a lot of trouble. Never repeat what you hear and you will have no regrets. Don’t tell it to your friends or your enemies unless it would be sinful to keep it to yourself. Whoever hears you will take note of it, and sooner or later will hate you for it.”

Secondly, the recipient of any rumour should always be conscious of the fact that, in any rumour, there may not be any atom of truth; but there might be a trace of truth. Furthermore, Sirach 19:10, 13-16 says, “Have you heard a rumour? Let it die with you. Be brave! It won’t make you explode. If you hear that a friend has done something wrong, ask him about it; maybe it’s not true. If it is true, he won’t do it again. If you hear that a neighbour has said something he shouldn’t, ask him about it. Maybe he didn’t say it. If he did, he won’t say it again. If you hear something bad about a friend, ask him about it; it might be a lie. Don’t believe everything you hear. A person may say something carelessly and not really mean it. Everyone has sinned in this way at one time or another.”

Brethren, please it’s high time we threw this menace to the bush. Enough of these inconsequential bickering. Think about it!



COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

________________________



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twitter: @fdnnwaozor

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Man's quest for Materialism

MAN’S QUEST FOR MATERIALISM


As a social analyst/activist, the last time I checked, greater percentage of the entire Nigerian population, emigrants inclusive, was made of individuals gifted with different laudable talents. On the contrary, most members of the aforementioned percentage (class) are yet to discover their respective talents. And some who has discovered theirs find it very difficult to embrace them due to lack of contentment coupled with indulgence in inconsequential rivalry. To some of us, I may have been speaking Greek; but my points are very clear and comprehensible.

In the early morning of last three Sundays, 1st of September precisely, I received a phone call from a bosom friend who resides in Ghana. Firstly, he verified the present physiognomy of the Nigerian society as regards the long awaited ember months period. Furthermore and lastly he asked me to apply extreme carefulness in the forthcoming days of the year in regard to my writing/activism profession, stating that the said period is always associated with fathomless temptation especially in a country like Nigeria. Based on the former, verily I informed him that the look of the country remains same owing to the fact that the usual social culture/tradition of the major occupants has not change. Then on the latter, I told him that carefulness remains my watchword regardless of the circumstance.

In the same vein, immediately after the phone conversation, a text message came in from another close friend residing in Calabar, Cross-River State coupled with other numerous text messages of similar content from several friends and fans. In the sms, he was wishing me tremendous successes in my various endeavour as we just embarked on the most tempting period of the year.

Conclusively going by the above stated reactions from my friends, you’ll rightly comprehend the fact that anyone who were born or bred up in Nigeria is occupied with the knowledge/mentality that the ember months usually go with different tempo which is often accompanied with series of temptations. To me, any concerned individual/observer who decides to take up such perspective as a case study may end up tagging it as a fallacious one because personally, I’m of the opinion that the famous ember months are just like any other months in the calendar. Meanwhile, let’s ride on!

Quest is a long search for what one desires; or can be said to be an extreme passion attached to one’s want(s). On the other hand, materialism is an act in which one thinks that money and other possessions are the most important things in life.

Taking Nigeria, and Africa in general as a case study, most people believe that life is all about acquiring wealth or property. If not, how can someone in his real senses dream of owning different classic of cars in existence; more so, how can a person think or have a passion of being the president/leader of his country for the rest of his life? I’m just thinking aloud, therefore your answer might be inconsequential.

Brethren to be candid and precise, life is all about leaving a footprint on the sand of time. Thus, it doesn’t matter how long one lives here on earth but how well. Yes it’s no longer news that everyone, including myself prays to live long or to witness his/her old age. Though such attribute is consequential and worthwhile; but I put it up to you that what matters most is what you would be leaving behind. Therefore, the latter ought to be of paramount importance to us. On this note, I sincerely ask all of us; what are we leaving behind when we eventually depart from here or what will you be remembered for; is it the hundreds of cars you drove or the series of aircrafts owned by you? At this juncture I urge us to search our various consciences.

It baffles my person and it’s as well disgusting the manner in which most of us, the youth to be precise long for mere material possessions which makes them end up indulging in several vices. It’s appalling to note that most of those people who indulge in such act is gifted with unique and charming talents.

The only way we can boycott these lingering inhuman acts is to embrace contentment, detest unnecessary rivalry and above all, being God-fearing. We must learn to be satisfied with whatever we’re blessed with irrespective of its amount/value, and try as much as possible to avoid some inconsequential rivalry. Yes some competitions are necessary whilst most are usually based on issues that don’t really matter. We should endeavour to concentrate on the necessary ones or those that are called for by promoting or sticking to our respective talents. Above all, in all our endeavours, we must not forget that there’s a supremacy that controls/oversees whatever we do here on earth.

We’re already occupied with the mentality that the ember months attract alarming rate of man’s quest for materialism. Based on this widely accepted ideology, I wish to inform us that the ember months are not in any way a problem to us or any society, rather, we remain our problems. In other words, we’re our plight. Think about it!



COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Friday, 13 September 2013

National Engineering Workshops


THE NEED TO INTRODUCE NATIONAL ENGINEERING WORKSHOPS FOR THE UNDERGRADUATES IN NIGERIA

The drastic persistent state of decay in the Nigerian engineering sector that seems perpetual may look like a mere dramatic scene to the eyes of the myopic viewers, but it could have a pernicious influence on countless generation to come if urgent and adequate care is not taken.

The insistent insouciance among the citizenry or the concerned group is another sensitive and pathetic lapse attached to the aforementioned economic shortcoming. Needless to say that, a country tagged as a ‘giant’ by many quintessence of knowledge filled with tremendous intellectual depth appears sympathetic.

Engineering, according to BBC English dictionary, “is the work involving in designing and constructing machinery, electrical devices, or roads and bridges.” On the other hand, a workshop “is a room or building containing tools or machinery for making or repairing things”. Thus, an engineering workshop is a well equipped building established solely for the purpose of engineering activities. It could be set up (established) anywhere such as at the industry/factory, university, polytechnic, or the road side, as the case may be.

Engineering, as we can testify, is a professionally oriented and technical intensive discipline being studied in the most Nigerian Universities and Polytechnics, and all over the higher institutions in the world.

You will agree with me that, over the years, our engineering sector has been deteriorating and decaying due to the flopping of our industries with the half-baked engineers (scientists) from the Nigerian Universities and Polytechnics. Most of these engineers are unemployable, and this has been detrimental to our economy. One may boldly say that the major cause of this is lack of seriousness showcase by most lecturers, or the introduction of bribery and corruption in our various schools. But, this may not be exactly the fundamental cause of the occurring scenario. Honestly, the rot is being experienced as a result of inadequate or non technical know-how undergo by the engineering students (undergraduates) in various higher institutions in the country.

Nigeria, as a giant of Africa, should be producing the most experienced and qualified engineers/technologists, but the reverse remains the case. This is due to the lack of sufficient attention and improper management by the government.

There is only one way out. Well equipped workshops should be established in each of our existing universities and polytechnics that studies engineering, and should be properly monitored. Also, some standard national engineering workshops should be set up. They should be located to several strategic points in Nigerian, so that, the graduating students would undergo a one year compulsory technical training after the completion of the required course works in their respective schools. Such students shall also be qualified to participate in his/her project work after the completion of the compulsory programme. On the other hand, these national workshops should as well be properly managed by the government in order to maintain its standard, and to be internationally recognized.

The above programme would enhance the existing quack knowledge of our engineering students thereby making them to become world-class engineers after graduation, rather than the technical impact of the already existing Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (S.I.W.E.S). Even, most students dodge the so-called SIWES or Industrial Training (IT). They prefer indulging in other activity that would fetch them money during the stipulated period for the training. There is also need to revive the SIWES because it shall serve as a worthwhile basis for the compulsory technical programme. The school authorities should endeavour to send delegates from time to time to any firm/industry an IT Student might claim to be, irrespective of the location or distance from the school in question. At this point, the government is also expected to support the institutions financially. It should continually fund the universities/polytechnics in regard to logistics inconveniences.

The compulsory one year engineering training shall be similar to that of the medical/pharmaceutical and law sectors. But the routine shall be a bit different from the law sector because that of the law is elective; that is, if you would like to become, or to be addressed as a practicing lawyer after the completion of your university programme, the choice is yours, unlike that of the medical and pharmaceutical programmes, housemanship and internship respectively.

So, the one-year engineering programme shall be strictly compulsory. Therefore, shall be considered by the government as a prerequisite for any graduating engineering student to participate in the on-going National Youth Service programme.

If the above routine is taken, the incessant problems faced by the engineering students in our various schools will surely belong to the history book. So definitely, the routine (measure) shall serve as a placebo. Think about it!



COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

_____________________


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Thursday, 12 September 2013

God-fearing Home

BUILDING A FORMIDABLE GOD-FEARING HOME


“Rome was not built in a day” as it’s popularly cited. Also, “a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a step”. Above all, ‘to be forewarned is to be forearmed”.

Most times, the best way to begin or to issue an advice is to present it as a warning. Yes, the wise thinkers have come to realize that, the most suitable and reliable method of teaching is to package your facts in form of warning. That makes it, the topic or the teaching, looks more serious. Here, we’re discussing or about discussing a formidable God-fearing home; and how such phenomenon could be actualized.

A home is a place where one lives. It’s also the area or country that one comes from or lives in. Here, our interest lies in the former.

A home is an institution. The immediate members of such institution are father, mother and child/children. This institution (home) is derived from, or is a product of a certain institution (marriage) instituted or inaugurated by God Himself. In other words, since marriage was installed by God, its product(s) should be regarded or seen as a sacred entity. Thus, a home is a sacred institution. And every member of such institute ought to be sacred.

Considering the journey that ascertains a complete home, one could vividly figure out that, such institute was not built in a day. So, it seems to involve a journey of a thousand miles which must begin with a step. What we should be asking ourselves is; where does the first step of such journey lies? Brethren, I wish to volunteer the only answer to the given question. The first step to the journey lies in ‘courtship’.

Courtship is an activity in which a man and a woman spend a lot of time together because they are intending to get married. A male and a female that intend to become a couple must try to know each other better prior to such mingling stage by initiating a period of courtship. This instrument (courtship) shall enable the persons in question to know themselves very well. And during such moment, if there’s anywhere any of them has lapse(s) or a loophole; it can be amended amicably provided they truly love each other.

Both persons can also use the period to educate themselves, and as well, tell themselves how they would like their children to look like or to be. This is the best avenue both parties could acknowledge the efficacy of moral upbringing of children/kids. Believe me, the best way to actualize your dream to the fullness is to initiate, and as well implement a proper plan. Yes, you must learn to draft the plan of any project you have in mind; it’s the best way such project could be ascertained if God is truly by your side, or in support of the proposed project. Honestly many had derailed and also failed in their various endeavours due to lack of project initiative or planning. Let’s ride on!

So if truly you care to have a formidable God-fearing home, you must start by telling yourself the truth. Don’t ever deceive yourself; always be frank and honest. I bet you, if you can boast of such quality as you court with your partner, you’ll leave no stone unturned to ensure that he/she emulates the glittering and worthwhile idiosyncrasies. And if both of you can boast of the quality, believe me, the journey has begun; and definitely, the sky must surely be your stepping stone.

Let me quickly draw your attention to a popular Igbo adage that says, “agbo adiyi amu ihe di mkpu-mkpu.” This means, a snake does not reproduce or give birth to a short being/thing. Yes, one can only give what he has; there’s no two ways about it even if you’re a magician. Frankly speaking, it doesn’t require any magic; it’s natural. And till death do us part, I’ll continue to tell/remind you that ‘nature’ is very powerful.

Then if by the special grace of God, you both end up a couple, you shall encounter no problem while implementing the techniques/tactics that ascertain a happy home because you had already planned towards it. Another Igbo adage says, “aya akara aka adiyi eri nwangboro.” That is, a war that was announced doesn’t consume a cripple person.

What am I saying in essence? Since you had trained yourselves during the courtship to be God fearing, then it’ll take no stress from you to transfer such qualities to your offspring(s) whenever God blesses you (the union) with any. At this point, it would be no news to you as a couple that, the best way to start training your child is to ensure that he is being drawn closer to the content(s) of the holy Bible or Quran, as the case may be.

Brethren, if a child acknowledges the real content of the aforementioned tool (holy writ) as he/she grows, he must ensure that he sticks to the mandates or instructions of the religious tool (instrument). If a child can grow up to differentiate the right from the left, then a solid/formidable God-fearing home has been actualized since every member of the family (home) can boast of living a life worthy of emulation.

At this juncture, I strongly believe that I have succeeded in convincing you on the fact that, the key that leads to a formidable God-fearing home lies in our hands. Think about it!



FDN NWAOZOR

_____________________________

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The Media, Society & People

THE MEDIA, SOCIETY AND THE PEOPLE


As a crime/social analyst, my analyses would not be complete if I fail to speak on this. The interwoven nature of the above tools has called for my humble critique.

Indeed, obscurantism had become the official policy. But, the media remains the answer to any state of transformation from an angle of obscurity to a point of transparency. Even, recent times, people tagged as incorrigible and obstreperous creatures had suddenly become flexible due to the efficacy of the aforementioned tool. Most times, the so-called plenipotentiaries that shy away from the societal eye/mouth piece (media) would end-up being exposed by the panoramic view of the same societal foresight.

Lest I forget, this edition is solely dedicated to my media family, White-paper newspaper. I was compiling this critique before I had a humble encounter with the Editor-in-Chief (MD), Sam Onwuemedo in his noble office which became an avenue to be reminded that, the family in question would be celebrating/marking her third year anniversary on the 9th of September being yesterday. So, in other words, I’m tendering my critique in arrears, though we’re still celebrating because the euphoria continues.

The television, radio, magazines, and newspapers can be referred to as the media. On the other hand, a society is an organization for people who have the same interest, aim or object. While, a people could be defined as all the men, women, and children of a particular country or race. In a concise sentence, any society comprises of the media and a group of people which are directly dependent on each other.

Brethren, over the years, the media has been liberating people in millions of societies from different sorts of bondages; academic, spiritual, political, social, just to mention a few. Barely two days ago at the early hour of the day, I woke up to receive a phone call from one of my cousins residing in Lagos State. The young man asked me to continue thanking and praising God on his behalf for the media has liberated him from a certain social bondage. I tried to understand the genesis of his story/thanksgiving by asking him to expatiate. He told me that it was a long story, but promised to lay down the full gist when next we meet. Finally I succeeded in getting the tip of the iceberg from him. He said that, he had been a good listener to a certain radio programme being broadcast in Lagos State and was consistent in deriving his listening pleasure. One fateful day, he was privileged to be listening to an episode that has to do with one of his social ills/diseases which seemed indelible. At the end of the programme, he was totally filled with the Holy Spirit or was completely delivered from the ailment. That was the tip of the iceberg. Believe me, I’m yet to know the ailment in question.

Frankly speaking without taking much of our time, the media has done novel therefore deserves honourable mentions. It’s no longer news that a society without the media is completely blind. And I doubt if there’s any society suffering from total blindness. In other words, there’s no society that is yet to know/acknowledge the efficacy of the media.

For any leadership to be successful, the leader(s) in question must embrace the media. For adequate education to be ascertained, the media must be recognized. To obtain a crime-free society, the media would be required. For any given society to experience a socio-economic growth or emancipation, the media must not be left aside. Umu nnam, agam eku di ole yara ole; my kinsmen, which am I to speak and which am I to leave? Honestly, there’re too numerous goodness attached to the media.

My media family, white-paper Media Limited, the maker of the newspaper that truly elicits thinking is not far from the aforementioned quality. On this note, I’m giving kudos to the entire members of the blazing team; most especially my producer (publisher) and my noble editor, Sam Onwuemedo and Ken Uwasomba respectively, for their editorial guidance. Surely, just as our mission stipulates; we’re practicing journalism to the Glory of God. To God be the Glory!

Happy birthday White-paper newspaper. I’m in good position to say that, you deserve the ongoing state of euphoria or celebration galore because I’ve been with you right from when you started business. Continue to mean business; I’m solidly behind you. By His grace, we’ll surely get to the promise-land. It’s a fact. Yes a fancy fact!!



COMR. FRED NWAOZOR







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