BEFORE WE BECOME A HATED REGION

,During the controversy surrounding the then President Yar'Adua's illness and the call for then Vice President Goodluck E. Jonathan to be made the acting President, It was the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) led by Pastor Tunde Bakare, Prof. Wole Soyinka and other well meaning Nigerians that took it upon themselves to organize protests and rallies to demand that Jonathan be made an acting President. These were Yoruba men who believe the right thing should be done at all times. With the pressure from these groups and the international communities coupled with divine providence, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was made an acting President in 2010.

During this time, Ankio Briggs, Edwin Clarke, Akpabio, and other acclaimed activists from Niger Delta never organized any rally, not even in PortHarcourt, Warri or Calabar. They remained silent. Fortunately when Jonathan won Presidential in 2011 and during his reign as President, the wife who is constitutionally irrelevant decided to throw shades and insults to a man who fought for her husband's emergence as the President of the most populous Nation in Africa.

During this time, the South East who later adopted Jonathan as their son, never blocked the Onitsha bridge to demand that he be made President, they were doing "Sit down look". But fast forward to 2015 General elections, Jonathan became the best thing after Ojukwu and they will do anything to bring him back to power. Incase many don't know, the acclaimed love for Jonathan was not due to the fact that Jonathan was the best for the presidency, or that he was truly their son as they claimed but because they enjoyed lots of Privileges and juicy positions during his reign as the President many of which plunged us into this present economic quagmire.

They told everyone who cared to listen how Jonathan was not allowed to rule in peace, how Apc caused every problem in Nigeria how they are Islamic party, Northern party etc. They came up with the rubbish that Amaechi is a betrayer and Judas. (I guess Edwin Clarke now is also a betrayer going by his recent utterances and dumping of the PDP) Like their gullible followers who buys into anything they utter, even when they do so for political gains, they replicated it everywhere possible and even took such illiterate sentiments that should have been questioned to the polls and crashed. Today they blame every other region for their woes.

The above background form the basis of this article. After losing the election, instead of learning from the loss that Nigerians were fed up of gross incompetence and pseudo leadership exhibited by President Jonathan, they continued with their irrelevant party sentiments, they pushed unnecessary sentiments to the South-South. This days you will hear such nonsense from some section of the youths in South-South as APC has no place in South-South and South-East, they are Islamic party with Islamic agenda and other nonsense.

I must remind my Brothers from the South-South that as at 2014, there were two States that belonged to the APC (Rivers and Edo). That the founding fathers of the PDP came from different region of the country and so also is APC. The APC has among its founding fathers Ogbonaya Onu, Tom Ikimi, Rochas Okorocha etc. From the South-South and South-East so how then is it a Northern or Islamic party? It must pointed out that every party was registered at the National level and serves as a platform for anyone to achieve its political ambition and contribute their own quota to national building. No party was registered as a Regional one.

The nonsense of terming a political party as religious or regional will not profit our Region the South-South. We must resist such nonsense being sold to us by political miscalculators. Every political party should be embraced by our people. We should not demonize any political party out of sentiments but we should criticize them based on facts, sound arguments, and having the interest of the Nation at heart. No matter what they do or say, if they must rule this nation, the votes of South-South and South-East will not be enough to earn them the Presidency seat. So lets allow them continue in their irrelevant sentiments. But when any of their politicians want to achieve their political ambition, they will jump into such party they hated yet their gullible, illiterate followers being used. Like many of them are doing now.

I am appealing to my South-South brothers and sisters especially the youths not to join in this nonsense of terming a political party as belonging to a particular region or religion. When you say a political party is for a region or religion, what do you mean by that? What do u tend to achieve with that? How do you want such region to feel about you? Before we become hated like the miscalculating region lets put a stop to that nonsense. We will rule this country again that is certain. If we must do that we will need the support of other regions and a political party to achieve that. We must not play into the hand of mischief makers, discord creators. Let us stop the saying that a particular party is for a region or religion and has no place in South-South. It will do us no good.

***I am Princewill Chimereze i believe common sense should supersede unprofitable sentiments and I believe religion should not make us stupid also and that National Interest should supersede selfish interest.*** Follow on Twitter @P_Chimereze
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THINGS IPOB SUPPORTERS SHOULD CHANNEL THEIR PROTESTS INTO IN THE SOUTH EAST

It must be pointed out that when a people misplaces priorities, they begin to live a confused life. Since the loss of President Jonathan at the poll, there are insignificant few who does not want to come to terms with the reality on ground. These persons have cashed in to the misguided message of a man based in London and who might not suffer any consequence of his unguarded utterances and resurrection of a painful experience over 35 years ago. This misguided few go by the Name Indegeneous People of Biafra. (IPOB) they have been engaging in protests. What they arepprotesting for is unclear to me. But here are lists of what they should channel their energy into instead of the present one they have embarked on. ________________________________________________________ 1. GOOD GOVERNANCE IN THE SOUTH EAST: Imagine these IPOB supporters carrying placards that they demand good governance from all Five South East Governors. That they want the allocation that is received by South East Governors to be judiciously used to develop the area. That the available resources should be harnessed for the betterment of the people. This will be lauded than wearing black and blocking the only road that connect your region and others. ________________________________________________________ 2. GOOD LEADERS : Are you kidding me? After the poor leadership exhibited by T.A Orji he was still voted into the senate? The South East is lacking in terms of quality leaders full of integrity and ready to work for the people. These IPOB supporters should demand that they be represented by leaders of proven integrity. ________________________________________________________ 3. EDUCATION OF THE POPULACE: Many believe that a particular region are the ones that are more uneducated in the country or has more illiterates. This is erroneously erroneous. Someone stays in London and ask you to stockpile arms for war, you should kill other tribes, and many heeded to his wrong command and even started disturbing the peace of a Nation cos such person was arrested? In 21st century? I wont say much on this. _______________________________________________________ 4. STATE CREATION: The time and energy used in blocking Onithsa bridge, imagine channeling such energy in demanding from the legislatures one more State for the region. Have a conference where they will mandate all their representative to push for at least this singular agenda even though its their only achievement in four years. ________________________________________________________ 5. POLITICAL RESTRUCTURING: The south east is always miscalculating politically and this the end product of bad leadership. Ojukwu contested and they voted Obasanjo, there was a candidate of Igbo extraction in Lagos and they left him to rally behind Jimi Agbaje how? Seriously how? You saw a man whose six years in power was a disaster you decided to throw all your weight behind him. Just because Ngige was in APC you left him and voted Ekwunife thereby losing the senate presidency. There is need for serious overhaul of the political structure of the south east party sentiments should be replaced with outstanding individual qualities of integrity, accountability and believe in the development of the people. ________________________________________________________ 6. PURGING THE PEOPLE OF UNECESSARY POLITICAL SENTIMENTS: The South East needs to be purged of some meaningless, unnecessary, irrelevant and unprofitable political sentiments. APC is an Islamic party, they are Bokoharam party. Do you mean it? No wonder APGA has not gone beyond Abia State because it should be regarded as Yahoo Yahoo , Ritualists, and 419 party. No party was registered in a particular region they were all registered at the National level and should serve as platform to actualize anybody's political ambition no matter your tribe or religion. The South South should be weary of this type of sentiments and avoid it because some discord creators have started creating this impression on the region and it should be resisted. You want the presidency of this country and you are demonizing a party? What if that party is your only sure way of climbing to that post will you get there? IPOB supporters should use their energy to pursue this course and change this type of sentiments in the SE. ________________________________________________________ 7. DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH EAST: I would have left my duty post to join the demonstrations if it was for development of the south East. Such developmental issues like Second Niger bridge, a seaport, building of industries, etc should have formed the basis for the protests. Business men and women from the region prefer to invest more outside than in the region. Go to Trade Fair, Alaba Market, Computer Village, Kano Main Market etc. They form major stakeholders in this places. Development of the region is needed more and should be vogorously pursued. _____________________________________________________

HOW TO CELEBRATE VAL WITH YOUR LOVER IF YOU ARE BROKE.

Though Valentine day was not intended for romantic relationships, but over the years lovers have hijacked it as a day of celebrating their love for one another and it seems it will forever remain so.

On valentine day, many people expects gifts from their lovers and maybe for the guy to take them out. (this is a Nigerian mentality though, as many western and developed nations have surpassed this "na man suppose take woman out" attitude). But due to the harsh economic condition and youth unemployment, valentine is sometimes not enjoyed by the poor and low income earners
Here are ways to go about the valentine day if u don't have money or broke.

On that day, try to do something no matter how small. On that day, clean your house in a new way possibly, some romantic arrangement with your lover's pix or pix of both of you together, hanged/pasted in diferent places in your room.

Lets assume you have 600 Naira with you, you can buy meat #200, two cups of rice, where i stay its #60 per cup, tin tomatoes and fresh one #100, Oil #50 and maggi #10 amounting to 480. Ask her to boil rice make stew with those foodstuffs that day. Allow her wear one of your T-shirts while she do the cooking then buy soft drinks with the remaining #120.
Enjoy the meal together with laughter, teasing, and feeding of each other. Please compliment her cooking.

If you are opportuned to have a tv/dvd watch some romantic movies or play music, If you don't have, play some party jamz with your phone so both of you can dancefor some hours and thereafter play some heart touching cool music (blues) like:
Forever – Paul Play
I swear – boyz to men
I swear – westlife
Don't brake ma heart – Banky W
Because you loved me – Celine Dion.

After the music, sit together on your bed, look into her eyes, hold her hands and let her know how your world have not remained the same since you met her, how you wish to see her grow old with you, how you cherish every moment you spend with her, that she owns your heart alone. Let her know that tomorrow will be better than today, that you will pay her patience and love with hardwork to give both of you a better future. Let her know its not by mr. Bigg's, shoprite, Tantalizers etc, but by what you truly feel down your heart and soul.

Retire to your bed late at night and spend the night the way you wish.

Happy Val in advance friends.

Princewill Chimereze.
Writter, Public Affairs Analyst and Social Commentator.
Twitter @P_Chimereze