Heartland FC in Distress

HEARTLAND FC IN DISTRESS

     The last time I checked, the famous Heartland Football Club (FC) of Owerri otherwise known as the ‘Naze Millionaires’ were really seeking for an urgent attention from the apt quarter considering their performance in their recent outings in the ongoing 2015/2016 season of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).

     If you have been following the aforementioned championship (NPFL), you would observe that the club has been inconsistent in all ramifications, thereby dampening the morale of its teeming fans. Aside its ‘win and loss’ syndrome, the players have been into ‘fumbling and wimbling’ bargain. These among other pressing issues require to be adequately considered with a view to making amends where necessary.

     Taking a walk down the memory lane: when the team was founded forty years ago, in 1976 precisely, as Spartans FC, the state was of the view that she had gotten a football team to reckon with not just in Nigeria but worldwide; and since then, the club has been making remarkable waves in the Nigeria’s football terrain and sports generally. It consecutively remained the Nigerian football Champion for four years, from 1987 to 1990 when it was called Iwuanyanwu Nationale. Moreover, Heartland FC remain one of the two Nigerian teams that have never been relegated since they came on board.

     In 2006, the Imo State government thought it wise to reclaim the ownership of the club having leased it to the private sector in 1985 because she realized the socio-economic implications of the state government not being able to boast of a functional senior soccer team. In this regard, the government isn’t meant to be reminded that a special attention must at all times be paid to such sector, let alone this period that diversification of every state’s IGR sources remains a public discourse.

    At the commencement of the ongoing NPFL, Heartland FC started woefully by recording a losses or goalless in all the matches played with their counterparts including Warri Wolves, Wikki Tourist, Abia Warriors, and Akwa Utd Football clubs, respectively; the most painful of these was the one they played at home with their neighbouring counterpart, Abia Warriors FC that ended 1-0, precisely at the Dan Anyiam ten thousand Capacity Stadium, Owerri. This, among other troubling matters was what prompted the quest to substitute the team’s then Technical Adviser and Chief Coach in the person of Bethel Orji. To this end, the present Coach, Alphonsus Dike was contracted to handle the team.

     In addition, new players such as Emeka Achilona from Dolphins FC (now Rivers Utd), Longi Obadiah from El-kanemi Warriors, Egor from Giwa FC, and Adeleye Anukaye from IfeanyiUbah FC, were pumped into the team to boost its morale and efficiency. The moment Mr Dike resumed duty as the team’s Chief Coach, everything automatically changed positively as if a messiah has come. Unfortunately, thereafter an inconsistency as regards the performance of the players set in unannounced; they would win a match, and subsequently they would willingly settle for a loss or draw and vice-versa.

      Obviously, the wins so far were recorded only in the six matches they played at home, indicating that their powers only lie at the Dan Anyiam Stadium. The one that baffled me most was their outing against the bottom placed Ikorodu United FC on Saturday 30th April 2016 at the Onikan Stadium, Agege, Lagos State, which ended 3-1 in favour of the latter, though Zoumana Doumbia bagged a Red Card but that wasn’t enough reason. I noticed, the moment Anthony Oussou scored the early goal, they all went to bed as if the match was over. Why I was deeply hurt by the outcome of the match was because I, being a staunch fan of Heartland FC, boasted so much that the club would carry the day, during my interaction with some of my old time friends who reside in Lagos State.

     We would recall that the Ikorodu Utd just joined the NPFL alongside the MFM, Niger Tornadoes, and Plateau Utd Football clubs, thus it’s unequivocally a baby to the Heartland FC. They later compensated me by defeating El-Kanemi Warriors FC on Sunday 8th May 2016 with 2-1 goal margin, making them occupy the 10th position on the League Table having played fifteen matches.    

     Before they battled with the Niger Tornadoes FC at Minna, Niger State penultimate week, on Wednesday 11th May 2016 to be precise, the General Manager as well as the General Coordinator of the club (Heartland FC) in the persons of Oscar Keke and Tonnex Chukwu respectively, assured their fans and Imolites at large that they were headed for Minna to amend the costly mistake they made in Agege, Lagos State; the club’s Head Coach – Alphonsus Dike coupled with the skipper, Chinedu Efugh also supported the assurance. Owing to this, everyone including myself was of the strong opinion that the intended hosts were in big trouble, only to see that they were indeed a violent storm with strong circular winds just as their name (Tornadoes) implies; the match ended 2-1 in their favour. As if that wasn’t enough; they further resorted to goalless draw in their outing against Kano Pillars FC.

     Now, the Heartland FC is placed on one of the bottom positions on the League Table, signifying that the club’s management is required to act fast before the monkey’s hand in the soup turns to a human hand. I’m much concerned because I’m a devoted fan of the club as well as a patriotic stakeholder in the state. When most Imo indigenes were busy fanning the various soccer clubs in Europe, I was very busy praying for Heartland FC’s success; this is the reason I’m earnestly crying foul.

     It’s not as if the club cannot presently boast of competent and reliable players. With Philip Acho, their goalpost is duly safeguarded. Similarly, the likes of Chinedu Efugh, Anthony Oussou, Nelson Ogbonnaya, Roland Koffi, Zoumane Doumbia, Emeka Ogbu and Bright Ejike, among many others, are invariably ready and prepared to play to finish. What’s needed right now is a proper team work; since the coach is relatively new in the club, he still needs more time to master the tactics of each of the players towards creating a formidable team. We don’t have a team; we only have players. Against this backdrop, the coach needs to engage the boys on more rigorous trainings prior to their subsequent matches.

      However, the Imo State government through the effort of the state’s Commissioner for Sports, Chief Chidi Ibe is expected to go closer to the club toward ascertaining the actual plight it’s currently faced with. Apart from building a team work as asserted above, other pressing logistic issues could cause the downfall of any organization. For instance, the FC in question needs to boast of a world class fan club. We can as well boost the boys’ morale by promising them match bonuses.

     We are aware that sports is all about win, draw or loss, but this very one is abnormal. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador 

      

2016 Telecom and Information Society Day

CELEBRATING 2016 WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SOCIETY DAY, TODAY TUESDAY MAY 17

        

     Today Tuesday May 17, the global community is celebrating the 2016 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD). In November 2006, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) during its plenipotentiary conference held in Antalya, Turkey decided to celebrate both the World Telecommunication Day and World Information Society Day collectively on a day instead of celebrating them separately or individually; on that note, they called on the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare May 17 of every year as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.   

     May 17 was chosen owing to the fact that it marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is aimed at raising awareness on the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can yield powerful societies and economies, and also help to bridge the digital divide.

     Telecommunication can be defined as the science and activity of sending signals and messages over a long distance, by the use of electronic or electrical equipment such as radio, television, telegraph, telephone, computer, cable, and satellite. The term is often used in its plural form – telecommunications, because it involves many different technologies.

     Telecommunication occurs when the exchange of information between two entities includes the use of technology. Communication technology uses channels to transmit information as electrical signals, either over a physical medium such as signal cables, or in the form of electromagnetic waves. Ancient means of communicating over a distance included visual signals namely, beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags and optical heliographs.

     A revolution in wireless communication began in the first decade of the 20^th century with the pioneering developments in radio communications by Guglielmo Marconi who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909. Other highly notable pioneering inventors and developers in the field of electrical and electronic telecommunications include Charles Wheatstone, Samuel Morse, Alexander Graham Bell, Edwin Armstrong, Lee de Forest, John Logie Baird and Philo Farnsworth.

     Telecommunication, which is one of the major factors that constitute an information society, has obviously contributed immensely towards nation-building. Indeed, the impact of telecommunications on the social, economic and political development of any country in existence cannot be overemphasized. Telecommunication has helped tremendously in so many areas of human endeavour including information dissemination, easy access to news reportage, education, politics, creation of awareness, advertisement, entertainment, as well as job creation and entrepreneurship development.

     The availability of telecommunication has enabled people irrespective of age or status to easily access information even in their bedroom. The recent introduction of the social media, which can be access via smart phones, has succeeded in boasting several personal cum business activities which were formally done on a low pace with the use of the old telecommunication systems such as television, radio, newspaper, et cetera.

     The provision of the visual satellite dishes has also helped people from all walks of life to greatly appreciate the use of the television, either domestically or industrially, as a result of its ability to simultaneously access every facet of the globe at all times. To say the least, the transmission or dissemination of visual signals with the aid of the television alongside newspapers has assisted profoundly in marketing of goods and services.

     The impact of telecommunication on education has become so enormous that it cannot be expressed on a sheet of paper. Of course the functionality of the various distant learning programmes situated all over, which are increasing on a daily basis, wouldn’t have been possible without the telecommunication system such as the internet. More so, the series of educative programmes, soap operas, and what have you, being televised by the various television stations across the country can also be included as one of the avenues that have encouraged distant learning.

      As regards politics, the telecommunication has recently proven to the citizenry that they can as well observe any electoral activity such as voting and counting of election results from their respective homes without stepping out of their premises. The recent Presidential primary election conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC), which was observed by every Nigerian both home abroad, is a good example of the said practice. Such has helped to improve transparency during elections, thereby avoiding occurrence of various possible electoral malpractices and crises.

     It is no longer news that millions of Nigerians are currently employed by several telecommunication companies operating in the country. Statistics show that over fifteen percent (15%) of Nigerian citizens are engaged with various telecom firms. Suffice it to say that the telecommunication industry is one of the major employers of labour in Nigeria, likewise other countries across the globe.

     Though telecommunication technologies play a very vital role in the information society and socio-economic development of any nation, it’s noteworthy that there are several anomalies needed to be addressed in the sector in question. A situation whereby uncensored films, pictures or music are disseminated either via the television or the social media is totally unwholesome to the state of any nation, thus ought to be looked into severely by the apt authorities such as the Nigerian Communications Communication (NCC) and the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

      As the world commemorate the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, I call on governments at all levels in collaboration with other concerned bodies to put up a stiff measure that would address the various ongoing questionable acts taking place in sector including propaganda, fraud, and all forms of immorality. This no doubt would go a long way towards sustaining sanity in the system.     
      However, this is also a moment to remind all the broadcasting stations in the country that the June 20, 2017 new deadline issued by the ITU for switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting remains sacrosanct. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

 Twitter: @mediambassador            

When Lawmakers Become Lawbreakers

WHEN LAWMAKERS BECOME LAWBREAKERS

     The last time I checked, several legislative councils at various quarters across the contemporary Nigerian society had in one occasion or the other violated or broken the law which they are bound to safeguard. The most popular phenomenon in this regard is impeachment saga, which has abruptly become the order of the day in the country’s political terrain.

     Currently, one would hardly wake in the morning without hearing that a certain state assembly speaker alongside other principal officers of the House is about to be impeached, or has already been impeached, probably for a frivolous or selfish purpose. Similarly, sometimes you would hear that a particular deputy governor or even a governor is passing through suchlike fate or ordeal in the hands of the lawmakers. This uncultured practice has continued unabated that most concerned activists or Nigerians in general have wondered if the so-called impeachment took place during the midnight at one of the lawmakers’ abode.

     The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, likewise the laws of the various states, categorically stipulates the procedure through which any intending impeachment could be actualized, but it’s very baffling that most of these legislators would wake one morning to inform the general public that they had ‘successfully’ impeached their speaker. Funnily enough, the clerk of the affected house would welcome or assent to such unconstitutional and nauseous conduct, thus agree to swear-in other principal officers who claimed to have taken over the leadership of the assembly.   

     The most recent of these were the ones that transpired in Kogi and Edo States, respectively. Pitiably, like what happened in Enugu State barely few years ago in the case of the former deputy governor of the state – Mr Sunday Onyebuchi, the judiciary, owing to prolonged delay in prosecution, would only reverse such act after the tenure of the affected politician or officer has elapsed. Then in such situation, the aggrieved person would only be entitled to compensation as regards the inconveniences and damages caused his/her person; even, in most cases, the compensation as pronounced by the judiciary would be far-fetched.

    This implies that there’s a compelling need to strengthen the country’s judiciary in its entirety. There ought to be duration for any given prosecution irrespective of the circumstance. The prosecution of a certain lawsuit should be meant to constitutionally last within a stipulated period of time. Such approach would tremendously help to save people from unsolicited prolonged wait during any prosecution.

    Aside impeachment, sometimes you would observe the lawmakers acting funny such as dodging a certain plenary, indulgence in a fracas, creation of inconsequential factions, and what have you, among other forms of contempt of a legislative council. Such incident was witnessed recently in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly. For crying out very loud; the legislature, which is widely regarded as the backbone of any democratic system, is supposed to fiercely protect the laws of the society in question instead of breaking them or doing otherwise.

     A legislature is the lawmaking body of a political unit that has power to amend and repeal public policies. It’s an assembly of persons that makes statutory laws for a municipality, state, or nation, as the case may be. A legislature is well respected in any country where it exists because it creates a complex interaction between its individual members, committees, political parties, rules of parliamentary procedure, and informal norms, among others

     A legislature is the embodiment of the doctrine of popular sovereignty, which recognizes that the people are the source of all political powers. In advanced democracies, citizens choose via popular votes the persons that would serve them as their legislators or representatives because they understand the sensitive nature of a legislator’s responsibilities. The representatives are expected to be sensitive to the needs of their constituents and to represent their common interest in the legislature, thus they need to take cognizance of the people’s feelings regarding any action they intend to carry out.

     In view of these facts, the legislators, either state or federal, who are expected to control, criticize, supervise and scrutinize the administration or activities of the executive as well as influence the policies of the government aren’t meant to indulge in any thought, action or inaction that would attract public criticism or condemnation regardless of the circumstance.

    The various political parties that remain the primary political homes of these lawmakers have a very vital role to play in this aspect since every legislator is affiliated to a certain party. It’s their duty to call any of their members to order when the need arises, make them acknowledge that they are not just representing their respective constituents but also the party, as well as suspend them indefinitely if need be.

     The lawmakers ought to be the number one constitution activists, thus the constitution, either national or state, should always guide every move they make, their utterances and how they relate with the public. They are invariably expected to speak unanimously because the same tool or principle is guiding them; due to their inability to establish one voice in most occasions, their positions are often abused by the members of the executive arm, thereby ridiculing their stance or immunity.

     We need to wake up from our slumbers. It’s high time we told ourselves nothing but the gospel truth. Our democracy has suffered an untold hardship because we refuse to face the reality; the reality remains that every democratic state must be guided or controlled by the language of the constitution. The rule of law must be observed as a priority, hence shouldn’t be maltreated by anyone in a position of authority.

     At this juncture, I have just a question for our teeming lawmakers: why would you attempt to break what you took your precious time to make, rather than safeguarding it? Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056