The New One Hundred Naira (#100) Note

THE NEW ONE HUNDRED NAIRA NOTE: WHERE EMEFIELE GOT IT WRONG

 

Brethren, ordinarily I wouldn’t have considered coming up with this epistle until I realized that I would be speaking the mind of many if I do so or that the piece would interest many concerned individuals. Suffice to say; I’m not just commenting for myself, but on behalf of millions of souls out there.

Of course, we are all aware that the statutory fundamental object of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) remains to regulate the nation’s economy as well as print new naira notes when necessary. These among other functions, are peculiar to the Central Bank of any country in the world.

For quite some years now, it has been in the tradition of the CBN to introduce a new/different naira note whenever a new governor takes over the helm of affairs of the apex bank. Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo came on board and introduced some of the naira notes we are using now, and even went ahead to change the pattern/design of some of the notes that were already in existence as well as reintroduced the existence of Coins.

Subsequently, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the current Emir of Kano, took over the mantle of leadership of the said bank and thought it wise to follow suit as regards introduction of different naira notes. And he succeeded after all the reactions and counter-reactions from the public and analysts. Let’s ride on!

It is longer news that a different one hundred naira (#100) note has been introduced into the system by the present Governor of CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele. The naira note in question, which is tagged “Centinary #100”, has been in circulation for quite a few weeks now upon the approval/endorsement of the National Assembly.

I must tell you unequivocally that I have been worried likewise other observant concerned citizens, since the naira note was put into circulation. Compare to the previous one hundred naira note, the recent one is nothing to write home about in regard to its graphics design. If you take a close look at the note, you would notice that there’s a “Colour riot” on it, which makes it seem dull or unattractive.

One fact we must acknowledge regarding graphics designing is that if the colouring becomes too complex and pronounced, rather than making our work appear very attractive as we anticipated, the reverse would definitely become the case. There’s no two ways about it.

It is obvious that several concerned and patriotic citizens are also disturbed by the aforementioned anomaly. Of course, their worry is on the rampage, and it was one of the reasons that prompted this critique. Something needs to be done urgently to restore normalcy; else, the emotional condition of some persons like me might deteriorate in no distant time.

Perhaps, at this point I expected the apex financial institution to concentrate on the economic measure to be taken to ensure that the value of one US dollar becomes less than one hundred and forty Naira (#140) as well as other foreign currencies, rather than the ongoing ugly value of our beloved and notable currency, Naira.

I wonder why the National Assembly as well as Mr President endorsed such note in the name of “Centinary one hundred naira”. Frankly, this is exactly where Emefiele got it wrong. Besides, what made the introduction of the so-called centenary naira note seem so important to the Nigerian economy amidst our present tremendous economic challenges that made its proposed existence appear unavoidable?

Brethren, we must continue to acknowledge the importance of ‘Scale of Preference’, after all the people in question are partners in Economics as a discipline. Though the deed may have been done, but there’s still need for us to make a redress for posterity sake. Think about it!

 

COMR FRED NWAOZOR
(The Media Ambassador)
+2348028608056

2015 Int'l Day In Memory of the Holocaust Victims

COMMEMORATING THE 2015 INTERNATIONAL DAY IN MEMORY OF HOLOCAUST VICTIMS

       

The term ‘Holocaust’ came from the Greek word ‘Holokauston’; referring to an animal sacrifice offered to a god in which the whole animal is completely burnt. Literary, holocaust which was formed from two distinct Greek words ‘Holos’ and ‘Kaustos’ meaning whole and burnt respectively, can be defined as a situation involving a very great destruction and loss of lives and property.

Destruction of lives and property, which could result from either natural or manmade circumstance such as war, inferno, earthquake, auto crash, plane crash, genocide, or insurgency, is obviously a phenomenon that is as old as the world. It has indeed rendered several homes and communities useless or incapacitated both in the past and present.

Considering the possible origins of holocaust, which include ethnicity, fanaticism, carelessness, envy, greed, hatred, tyranny, mutiny, and treason, there is no part of the world that is yet to experience tragedy. Needless to say that, the ugly incidence has brought mankind in its entirety to a state of unending torture and unthinkable anguish.

War, which is usually a manmade crisis, subjects humanity to an untold hardship and subsequently creates parallel lines among the ethnic bodies that constitute the affected country. In consequence to the emergence of war in any nation, distrust invariably becomes the order of the day amidst the populace or citizenry which often results to eternal enmity or lack of unity.

There is no gain reiterating the fact that disasters not unlike earthquake or plane crash which could be natural or manmade as the case might be, have ended up making the mindset of every concerned individual to be preoccupied with a psychological cankerworm known as ‘fear of the unknown’. Inferno or fire outbreak for instance, which mainly takes place as a result of man’s carelessness or lackadaisical attitude, has succeeded in rendering many families homeless and stranded thereby making them constitute severe menace to the society they belong.      

Taking Nigeria that is currently salvaged by insurgency as a case study, you will agree with me that every right thinking individual in the country has been sleeping with one-eye open since the emergence of the terror, even though the incidence is peculiar to the people residing in the Northern part of the country – particularly North Eastern region, because nobody knows whose turn it would be the next day.

Suffice to say; insurgency which often leads to high level of massacre or wanton destruction of lives and property, does not only affect the victims or the group of people directly involved but as well members of the surrounding or neighbouring communities/countries.  

The economic mayhem caused by holocaust cannot be overemphasized. For instance, after the Biafran civil war in 1970 under the reign of General Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria whom used to be one of the major exporters of petroleum products prior to the era of the said war abruptly became dependent on other countries for the aforementioned resources including oil, gas and fuel thereby ushering the economic status of the nation to a state of mockery.

Owing to the damaging effect of holocaust, on 1^st November 2005, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly unanimously adopted January 27 of every year as International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. The UN Outreach Programme seeks to remind the world of the lessons to be learnt from the Holocaust in order to help prevent future acts of genocide or any form of massacre.

The first commemoration of the Day took place in 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters situated in New York, U.S.A alongside all the UN offices across the globe. The ceremony which occurred in the General Assembly Hall drew over two thousand two hundred (2200) people and was viewed by countless others globally via webcast and live television broadcast. During the commemoration, the then UN Secretary General Mr Kofi A. Annan unequivocally stated that, holocaust will forever warn all people across the globe of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism, and prejudice.

As the world over marks the 2014 annual Int’l Day for the Victims of the Holocaust, there is need for everyone to acknowledge that the occurrence of holocaust can be avoidable regardless of the locality in question. And there is also need for the bereaved/affected families to be duly compensated in order to erase any form of agony from their minds.

On their part, the civil society, activists, and the religious bodies are expected to bring succour to the victims or their relatives by conducting seminars, crusades, and disseminating radio cum television jingles, and what have you, as well as soliciting for appropriate compensation on behalf of the said victims or their families, as the case may be.

They are also meant to educate the entire public on the dangers of holocaust by painstakingly condemning all the possible manmade causes of the mayhem such as ethnicity, racism, fanaticism, carelessness, hatred, envy, apathy, mutiny, treason, tyranny, among others.

At this juncture, I enjoin everyone to live with the consciousness of holocaust with the aim of avoiding any irrational attitude or thought that could lead to the emergence of the forsaken and thought-provoking incident. A word, they say, is enough for the wise. Think about it!

 

 COMR FRED NWAOZOR

 (The Media Ambassador)
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Twitter: fdnnwaozor  

 

 

 

Recent Political Tempo In Imo

THE RECENT SOCIO-POLITICAL TEMPO IN IMO

  

Brethren, by acknowledging the absolute effect of a sincere and polite language, a true Nigerian on the average would rightly tell you unequivocally that the country is currently salvaged by antagonism coupled with sycophancy due to political rivalry.

The ongoing socio-political tempo in my home state, Imo, popularly known as ‘the Eastern Heartland’ is not unconnected to the aforementioned scenario, political rivalry. Regarding the devastating and uncalled phenomenon, initially I thought it wise to remain a mere observer, but lately the overwhelming nature of the ‘madness’ angered my humble pen that appeared to be fast asleep. 

It is no longer news that since Governor Okorocha has been at the helm of affairs in Imo State, to the best of the knowledge of every concerned individual, the masses who were jubilating when he emerged victorious as the governor of the state, precisely on Thursday May 6, 2011, are still in their euphoric mood, which has to do with the good governance they have enjoyed since the emergence of the ‘Rescue Mission’ Administration, ranging from education, to health care delivery, infrastructure, road network, security, agriculture, prompt payment of workers’ salaries/wages, pension matters, among others.

No wonder when the governor publicly indicated his interest to vie for the presidential position, the said masses felt like descending on him as if the governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, had spoken an abominable thing. When I interviewed one of them, he frankly told me that they wanted the governor to run for a second term in office. According to the interviewee, it wasn’t because they didn’t want Okorocha to become the President of Nigeria someday, but on the contrary, simply because they wanted him to consolidate the dividend of democracy he has ushered to Imolites.

Fortunately for the masses, Governor Okorocha who is popularly regarded as the ‘Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM) and the ‘Commander of Free Education’, lost the presidential bid. I must tell you; when he was away to Lagos for the presidential tussle under the aegis of the All Progressives Party (APC), some of the persons I was opportune to meet on the streets of Imo disclosed to me without mincing words that they had been frantically praying for Chief Okorocha’s downfall at the presidential primary election, so that, he would return to the state and participate in the incoming gubernatorial race. Yes the narrated incident sounds weird and funny, but the truth of the matter is that the story was real. Let’s ride on!

Today, Imo is at it again as usual, just as it was prior to April 26, 2011. During the 2011 race, it was mainly between the then governor of the state, Chief Ikedi Ohakim of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) having defected from Progressive Peoples’ Alliance (PPA), and Chief Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in which the latter emerged victorious after the supplementary polls that took place on the 6^th of May 2011.

Presently, the gubernatorial race is mainly between Owelle Rochas Okorocha - the seating governor of the State, of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha - the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP); Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Osmond Ukanacho of the United Progressives Party (UPP), and Chief Ken of the Accord Party.

No doubt, the heat is really on in Imo State as regards the forthcoming general elections that are fast approaching. The recent uncalled and ‘crazy’ tempo in Imo, which has negatively affected both the social and political lives of the residents, has constituted a state of anarchy among the people. Frankly Imo, likewise any other state in Nigeria, is currently undergoing an unwarranted torture by the political rivals that parade themselves as gods.

Considering the charismas of the above mentioned candidates, as a well experienced analyst, I observed that all of them want to assume duty as the governor of the state, come May 29, 2015, by all means. Also, by critically looking at the respective manifestoes of the opposition parties including PDP, APGA, UPP and what have you, they seem to be repeating one thing; which is, that the present governor has ‘rubbished’ or has already ‘killed’ Imo State. In retaliation to the accusation, the accused person Rochas Okorocha, would tell you that his rivals are mere ‘wolves in sheep clothing’; stating that, they are seeking for a slightest chance to bury or take the state to a ‘graveyard’ just as they had done in the past before he resurrected the state.

 

Which implies; as the opposition parties are accusing the seating governor who is also an aspirant of having killed the state, the governor on his part is of the opinion that they are seeking for a medium to bury the body he (the governor) has murdered. Very funny indeed!

The most devastating side of the scenario is that, presently in Imo State, you would hardly recognize when the governor is coming because virtually everyone goes by convoy as well as siren. Honestly, the show has taken a different dimension, that, even the blind could see.

The funniest part of the ongoing melodrama is that the aspirants in some parties are of the view that the acclaimed flag bearers of their respective parties are just mere purported candidates; stating that, they are the ‘rightful flag-bearers’ of the said parties. For instance, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume and Chief Okey Ezeh of the PDP and APGA respectively have allegedly declared themselves the winners of their parties’ primaries, and are presently campaigning vigorously in the state, which has put some of the members of the affected parties in a state of imbroglio. Believe me, the tempo is excessively high.

The question now is: who truly do the people want to see emerge as the governor of the Eastern Heartland, come February 28, 2015? Indeed, it is a puzzle no one can answer because the arena in question is predominated by fake as well as opaque homo-sapiens. Think about it!

 

COMR. FRED DOC NWAOZOR
-The Media Ambassador-
Public Affairs Analyst & Rights Activist
Founder/Leader , Imo Fans Fortress (IMOFAF)
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