SATAN LUCAS, SANTA CLAUS AND CHRISTMAS: THE SECRETS REVEALED - PART 1

I made a broadcast yesterday that I'll be examining a topic today....

Oh my usual and consistent readers and non-readers, if you don't read this, am sorry, you are lost!

Yesterday was Christmas day, right?...

What brought about the day been celebrated?

The relationship between Satan Lucas, Santa Claus and Christmas, do we know it?

Well, I have some secrets to share...

In this article, I want to employ you that you take your time to read it and get the message clearly.

I'll start this article with a historical background which many of us have never known or heard.

It goes thus:

According to a legend (name not discovered), _Santa began as a fourth century Catholic bishop named Saint Nicholas. The cult of St. Nicholas was one of histories most widespread religious movements. According to St. Nicholas historian, Charles W. Jones, ". . . the cult of St. Nicholas was, before the Reformation, the most intensive of any nonbiblical saint in Christendom. . . there were 2,137 ecclesiastical dedications [churches] to Nicholas in France, Germany, and the Low Countries alone before the year 1500." (Jones, Charles. W. "Knickerbocker Santa Claus." The New-York Historical Society Quarterly, October 1954, Volume XXXVIII Number Four, p.357)_

There is this popular book I read titled, The Christmas Almanack, it states, _"By the height of the Middle Ages, St. Nicholas was probably invoked in prayer more than any other figure except the Virgin Mary and Christ Himself" (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, p.131)_

Miraculous folklore and legend surround the mysterious St. Nicholas. Among the more popular legends of St. Nicholas is the rescue of three poverty-stricken girls destined for prostitution. These girls were poor and did not have the dowry for marriage. St. Nicholas saved them from a life of shame, by providing marriage dowries of gold. They then were able to get properly married. Another amazing miracle in the life of St. Nicholas is the three young boys who were sadistically murdered by a wicked innkeeper. Their bodies were chopped up and preserved in pickle barrels, with the cannibalistic intent of feeding their flesh to unsuspecting house guests. Of course, the amazing St. Nicholas resurrected the boys and their mutilated bodies. And like Santa, Saint Nicholas gave gifts to poor children, hence, his veneration as Patron Saint of Children. During the Middle Ages, hundreds of plays and paintings told and re-told the amazing feats of St. Nicholas.

Next, according to th legend, Santa magically appears in the
Netherlands around the seventeenth century. During this
time, Sinter Klaas (a.k.a. Santa Claus) was officially born.
Dutch children began the tradition of placing their shoes by the fireplace on December 5, for the mystic fourth century Bishop, Saint Nicholas. (Note: In the Dutch language Saint Nicholas is "Sint Nikolass," which was shortened to "Sinter Klaas," of which the anglicized form is "Santa Claus.") The next morning, the gleeful Dutch children quickly awoke to gifts and goodies in their shoes, left by Sinter Klaas. Like today's Santa, Sinter Klaas, miraculously, traveled from housetop to housetop, and entered through the chimney. Our next stop on the Santa highway is the year 1626 in the New World called America. Searching for the "American dream," Dutch settlers sailed from the Netherlands and established the Dutch colony called New Amsterdam (today called New York). The Dutch colonists quickly settled into America, bringing their customs, and of course, their beloved Sinter Klaas.

In December 1809, American essayist Washington Irving
published a popular satire of the Dutch founding of New
York titled A Knickerbocker History of New York. More than any other event, it was Irving's Knickerbocker History that is credited for creating our modern day Santa Claus. The following history-making words from The Knickerbocker History became the public inauguration of Santa Claus. Who could have possibly imagined the significance these simple words would soon have? And the sage Oloffe dreamed a dream,–and lo, the good St. Nicholas came riding over the tops of the trees, in that self-same wagon wherein he brings his yearly presents to the children. . . And when St. Nicholas had smoked his pipe, he twisted it in his hatband, and laying his finger beside his nose, gave the astonished Van Kortlandt a very significant look; then, mounting his wagon, he returned over the treetops and disappeared. (Irving, Washington. Knickerbocker's History of New York, New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1928, p. 50)

At this early period was instituted that pious ceremony, still religiously observed in all our ancient families of the right breed, of hanging up a stocking in the chimney on St. Nicholas Eve; which stocking is always found in the morning miraculously filled; for the good St. Nicholas has ever been a great giver of gifts, particularly to children. (Irving, Washington. Knickerbocker's History of New York, New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1928, p. 68) Next stop on our investigative journey for Santa, surprisingly, comes from the pen of a New York theology professor named Dr. Clement Clarke Moore. In 1822, inspired by Irving's popular, Knickerbocker History's portrayal of jolly St. Nicholas, Dr. Moore quietly wrote a trivial poem titled, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" for his own children as a simple Christmas present. Dr. Moore had no intention of publishing his poem, but in 1823 it was published anonymously, by a friend, in the Troy Sentinel. Moore's extremely popular poem was the spark that lit the Santa Claus wildfire. Santa quickly began flying through America. Dr. Moore's poem was later renamed the famous, "Twas' The Night Before Christmas." The finishing touches for Santa occurred around 1863 from the artistic hands of cartoonist Thomas Nast. Inspired by Moore's popular poem, Nast illustrated scores of Santa
pictures in Harper's Weekly and the world was officially
baptized with the face of Santa Claus. Nast's early Santa was burly, stern, gnome-like, and covered with drab fur, much unlike today's colorful and jolly fellow. But make no mistake – it was Santa.

Let us investigate the traditional Santa story a little closer. . .

The mysterious St. Nicholas.

The first major problem in the Santa Claus saga is the
person of St. Nicholas. There is very little evidence, if any, that the man St. Nicholas actually existed.

Nicholas' existence is not attested by any historical document , so nothing certain is known of his life except that he was probably bishop of Myra in the fourth century. . . ("Nicholas, Saint" Encyclopaedia Britannica 99)

Nicholas, Saint (lived 4th century), Christian prelate, patron saint of Russia, traditionally associated with Christmas celebrations. The accounts of his life are confused and historically unconfirmed. ("Nicholas, Saint" Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99)

Unfortunately, very little is known about the real St. Nicholas. Countless legends have grown up around this very popular saint, but very little historical evidence is available. (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, p. 130)

In 1969, the final nail in the coffin to the feeble fable of St. Nicholas was officially hammered down. Despite the fact, St. Nicholas is among Roman Catholicism's most popular and venerated "Saints," Pope Paul VI officially decreed the feast of Saint Nicholas removed from the Roman Catholic calendar. UPI Wire Services reported that St. Nicholas and forty other saints were deleted because "of doubt that they ever existed." ("Pope Marches 40 Saints Off Official Church Calendar." UPI Wire Services. <www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=389>)

Because the saint's life is so unreliably documented, Pope Paul VI ordered the feast of Saint Nicholas dropped from the official Roman Catholic calendar in 1969. ("Santa Claus" Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99)

The next devastating error in the traditional "Santa comes to America" legend is Irving's Knickerbocker History. Irving claims the early Dutch planted the legend of Sinter Klaas in America. One little problem – it is historically false. In fact, Irving, a well known fiction author of such classics as Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, never intended Knickerbocker History as historical fact, but silly satire. To heighten the satire and humorous effect, Irving even used the comical pen name of Diedrich Knickerbocker as author.

Oh readers, thanks for reading this. At least, you have added to your knowledge and I am happy about that.

Remember, this article is coming in five parts, part 2 is loading as I'll conclude the historical emanations and existence of the SANTA CLAUS.

Good evening to you all.....

Rauf Kazeem Isaac
*WhatsApp:* +234 813 138 8834
*Telephone:* +234 803 377 1836
*Email:* rakiempire@yahoo.com
© December, 2016.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ON 56TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY. OCTOBER 1ST 2016

Today – 1st October is a day of celebration for
us Nigerians. On this day, 56 years ago our
people achieved the most important of all human
desires – freedom and independence. We should
all therefore give thanks and pray for our
founding fathers without whose efforts and toil
we would not reap the bounties of today.
2. I know that uppermost in your minds today is
the economic crisis. The recession for many
individuals and families is real. For some It
means not being able to pay school fees, for
others it's not being able to afford the high cost
of food (rice and millet) or the high cost of local
or international travel, and for many of our young
people the recession means joblessness,
sometimes after graduating from university or
polytechnic.
3. I know how difficult things are, and how rough
business is. All my adult life I have always
earned a salary and I know what it is like when
your salary simply is not enough. In every part of
our nation people are making incredible
sacrifices.
4. But let me say to all Nigerians today, I ran for
office four times to make the point that we can
rule this nation with honesty and transparency,
that we can stop the stealing of Nigeria's
resources so that the resources could be used to
provide jobs for our young people, security,
infrastructure for commerce, education and
healthcare.
5. I ran for office because I know that good
government is the only way to ensure prosperity
and abundance for all. I remain resolutely
committed to this objective.
6. I believe that this recession will not last.
7. Temporary problems should not blind or divert
us from the corrective course this government
has charted for our nation. We have identified
the country's salient problems and we are
working hard at lasting solutions.
8. To re-cap what I have been saying since the
inception of this administration, our problems are
security, corruption and the economy, especially
unemployment and the alarming level of poverty.
9. On Security, we have made progress. Boko
Haram was defeated by last December – only
resorting to cowardly attacks on soft targets,
killing innocent men, women and children.
10. Nigerians should thank our gallant men of
the Armed Forces and Police for rescuing large
areas of the country captured by insurgents.
Now, residents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa
States, as well as several neighbouring states go
about their daily business in relative safety.
People can go to mosques, churches, market
places in reasonable safety.
11. Commuters can travel between cities, towns
and villages without fear. Credit for this
remarkable turn-round should go to our Armed
Forces, the Police, various sponsored and private
vigilante groups, the local traditional leaders.
Security is a top to bottom concern and
responsibility.
12. Besides Boko Haram, we are confronting
other long-running security issues, namely
herdsmen vs farmers, cattle rustling, kidnappings.
This Administration is firmly resolved to tackle
these challenges and to defeat them.
13. A new insurgency has reared up its head in
the shape of blowing up gas and oil pipelines by
groups of Niger Delta Militants. This
Administration will not allow these mindless
groups to hold the country to ransom.
14. What sense is there to damage a gas line as
a result of which many towns in the country
including their own town or village is put in
darkness as a result? What logic is there in
blowing up an export pipeline and as a result
income to your state and local governments and
consequently their ability to provide services to
your own people is reduced?
15. No group can unlawfully challenge the
authority of the Federal Government and
succeed. Our Administration is fully sympathetic
to the plight of the good people of Niger Delta
and we are in touch with the State Governments
and leaderships of the region. It is known that
the clean-up of the Ogoniland has started.
Infrastructural projects financed by the Federal
Government and post amnesty programme
financing will continue.
16. We have however, continued to dialogue with
all groups and leaders of thought in the region to
bring lasting peace.
17. Corruption is a cancer which must be fought
with all the weapons at our disposal. It corrodes
the very fabric of government and destroys
society. Fighting corruption is Key, not only to
restoring the moral health of the nation, but also
to freeing our enormous resources for urgent
socio-economic development.
18. In fighting corruption, however, the
government would adhere strictly by the rule of
law. Not for the first time I am appealing to the
judiciary to join the fight against corruption.
19. The Third Plank in this Administration's drive
to CHANGE Nigeria is re-structuring the
economy. Economies behaviour is cyclical. All
countries face ups and downs. Our own
recession has been brought about by a critical
shortage of foreign exchange. Oil price dropped
from an average of hundred USD per barrel over
the last decade to an average of forty USD per
barrel this year and last.
20. Worse still, the damage perpetrated by Niger
Delta thugs on pipelines sometimes reduced
Nigeria's production to below One million barrels
per day against the normal two point two million
barrels per day. Consequently, the naira is at its
weakest, but the situation will stabilize.
21. But this is only temporary. Historically about
half our dollar export earnings go to importation
of petroleum and food products! Nothing was
saved for the rainy days during the periods of
prosperity. We are now reaping the whirlwinds of
corruption, recklessness and impunity.
22. There are no easy solutions, but there are
solutions nonetheless and Government is
pursuing them in earnest. We are to repair our
four refineries so that Nigeria can produce most
of our petrol requirements locally, pending the
coming on stream of new refineries. That way
we will save ten billion USD yearly in importing
fuel.
23. At the same time, the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture and the Central Bank have been
mobilized to encourage local production of rice,
maize, sorghum, millet and soya beans. Our
target is to achieve domestic self-sufficiency in
these staples by 2018.
24. Already farmers in thirteen out of thirty six
states are receiving credit support through the
Central Bank of Nigeria's Anchor Borrowers
Programme. Kebbi state alone this year is
expected to produce one million tonnes of locally
grown rice, thanks to a favourable harvest this
year. As part of the 13 states, Lagos and Ogun
are also starting this programme. Rice alone for
example costs Nigeria two billion USD to import.
25. The country should be self-sufficient in basic
staples by 2019. Foreign exchange thus saved
can go to industrial revival requirements for
retooling, essential raw materials and spare
parts. It is in recognition of the need to re-
invigorate agriculture in our rural communities
that we are introducing the LIFE programme.
26. Government recognises that irrigation is key
to modern agriculture: that is why the Ministries
of Agriculture and Water Resources are
embarking on a huge programme of development
of lakes, earth dams and water harvesting
schemes throughout the country to ensure that
we are no longer dependent on rain-fed
agriculture for our food requirements.
27. In addition, government is introducing Water
Resources Bill encompassing the National Water
Resources Policy and National Irrigation and
Drainage Policy to improve management of water
and irrigation development in the country. We are
reviving all the twelve River Basin Authorities,
namely;
Anambra - Imo
Benin - Owena
Chad Basin
Cross River
Hadejia - Jama'are
Lower Benue
Lower Niger
Niger Delta
Ogun - Osun
Sokoto - Rima
Upper Benue
Upper Niger
28. The intention is eventually to fully
commercialise them to better support crop
production, aqua –culture and accelerated rural
development.
29. This Administration is committed to the
revival of Lake Chad and improvement of the
hydrology and ecology of the basin. This will tune
in with efforts to rehabilitate the thirty million
people affected by the Boko Haram insurgency
in the Lake Chad basin countries.
30. The second plank in our economic revival
strategy is centred on the Ministry of Power,
Works and Housing. The Ministry will lead and
oversee the provision of critical infrastructure of
power, road transport network and housing
development.
31. Power generation has steadily risen since our
Administration came on board from three
thousand three hundred and twenty four
megawatts in June 2015, rising to a peak of five
thousand and seventy four megawatts in
February 2016.
32. For the first time in our history the country
was producing five thousand megawatts.
However, renewed militancy and destruction of
gas pipelines caused acute shortage of gas and
constant drop in electricity output available on
the grid.
33. There has been during the period June 2015
to September 2016 big improvement in
transmission capacity from five thousand five
hundred megawatts to the present seven
thousand three hundred megawatts.
34. There were only two system collapses
between June and December 2015, but due to
vandalism by Niger Delta militants the over-all
system suffered 16 system collapses between
March and July 2016 alone. As I have said
earlier, we are engaging with responsible
leadership in the region to find lasting solutions
to genuine grievances of the area but we will not
allow a tiny minority of thugs to cripple the
country's economy.
35. In the meantime, government is going ahead
with projects utilizing alternate technologies such
as hydro, wind, and solar to contribute to our
energy mix. In this respect, the Mambilla Hydro
project, after many years of delay is taking off
this year. Contract negotiations are nearing
completion with Chinese firms for technical and
financial commitments.
36. The project is to be jointly financed by
Nigeria and the Chinese-Export-Import Bank. In
addition, fourteen Solar Power Projects have had
their power purchase agreements concluded.
Hence the plan to produce one thousand two
hundred megawatts of solar electricity for the
country would be realized on schedule.
37. And in line with the objective of government
to complete all abandoned projects across the
country, the Rural Electrification Agency's
projects needing completion are provided for in
the 2016 Budget. Bringing electricity to rural
areas will help farmers, small scale and cottage
industries to integrate with the national
economy.
38. Roads Construction and Rehabilitation has
taken off. The sum of twelve billion naira was
allocated to this sector in the 2015 Budget, not
enough even to pay interest on outstanding
unpaid claims.
39. Notwithstanding the budgetary constraints,
the current budget allocated two hundred and
forty billion naira for highway projects against
twelve billion naira in 2015. Many contractors
who have not been paid for three years have
now remobilized to sites. Seven hundred and
twenty point five billion naira has so far been
released this budget year to capital projects.
40. The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing
has received one hundred and ninety seven point
five billion naira. Work on the following highways
has now resumed.
Dualization of Calabar – Itu Road in Cross River/
Akwa Ibom States.
Dualization of Lokoja – Benin Road, Ehor - Benin
city, Edo State.
Re-construction of outstanding sections of Benin
– Shagamu Express way, Edo/Ogun States.
Expansion works on Lagos – Ibadan Dual
carriageway, Ogun/Oyo States
Rehabilitation of Onitsha – Enugu Expressway,
Anambra/Enugu States.
Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Enugu –
Port Harcourt Dual carriageway, Abia/Rivers
States.
Rehabilitation of Hadejia – Nguru Road, Jigawa
State.
Dualization of Kano – Katsina Road, Kano State.
Dualization of Kano – Maiduguri Road, Borno
State.
Dualization of Azare – Potiskum Road, Azare –
Sharuri Road, Bauchi State.
Rehabilitation of Ilorin – Jebba – Mokwa –
Birnin Gwari Road, Kwara State.
Construction of Oju/Lokoja – Oweto Bridge over
River Benue, Benue State.
41. Other major highways are in the queue for
rehabilitation or new construction.
42. Already contractors have recalled about nine
thousand workers laid off and Government
expects that several hundreds of thousands of
workers will be reengaged in the next few
months as our public works programme gains
momentum.
43. On railways, we have provided our
counterpart funding to China for the building of
our standard gauge Lagos -Kano railway.
Meanwhile, General Electric is investing two
point two billion USD in a concession to revamp,
provide rolling stock, and manage the existing
lines, including the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Line.
The Lagos-Calabar railway will also be on stream
soon.
44. We have initiated the National Housing
Programme. In 2014 four hundred million naira
was voted for Housing. In 2015 nothing. Our first
budget this year is devoting thirty five point six
billion naira. Much of the house building will be
private – sector led but Government is initiating
a pilot housing scheme of two thousand eight
hundred and thirty eight units uniformly spread
across the 36 states and FCT.
45. We expect these units to be completed
within 4 – 6 months. These experimental Nigeria
House model Units will be constructed using only
made in Nigeria building materials and
components. This initiative is expected to
reactivate the building materials manufacturing
sector, generate massive employment
opportunities and develop sector capacity and
expertise.
46. The programmes I have outlined will revive
the economy, restore the value of the naira and
drive hunger from our land.
47. Abroad, Nigeria's standing has changed
beyond belief in the last 18 months. We are no
longer a pariah state. Wherever I go, I have been
received with un-accustomed hospitality.
Investors from all over the world are falling over
themselves to come and do business in Nigeria.
This government intends to make business
environment more friendly because we can not
develop ourselves alone.
48. All countries, no matter how advanced,
welcome foreign investments to their economy.
This is the essence of globalization and no
country in the 21st century can be an island. Our
reforms are therefore designed to prepare
Nigeria for the 21st century.
49. Finally, let me commend Nigerians for your
patience, steadfastness and perseverance. You
know that I am trying to do the right things for
our country.
50. Thank you and may God bless our country.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

*```NIGERIA, THE GIANT OF AFRICA AT 56 STILL CRAWLING```*

*Corresponding Speaker and Author:*
_Rauf Kazeem Isaac (Human Rights Activist), Lagos State Cordinator of Nigerian Youths' Rights Association (NYRA)_ October 01, 2016 at 12:00 am in Letters Facebook•|Twitter|SMS|WhatsApp - @NYRA2016

_A Speech Delivered at NYRA's Conference, Lagos Chapter on 1st October, 2016_

Readers, don't mind me, I would have publish this article early hours of today, but I need to get some facts and figures right beside, the speech must have been spoken before the broadcast

The hoisting of the Green, White, Green flag on October 1, 1960 symbolically marked Nigeria's attainment of independence. And today, we are celebrating Nigeria National Independence.

Uhmmmm....

*Celebration?*

Imagine, the whole 36 states of Federal Republic of Nigeria were celebrating this day, I witnessed on after NYRA's conference, Ogun State Precisely, but comments reserved.

_What are they/we even ecelebrating?_

*I would have listed out 56 things Nigeria is celebrating today, but it's a shame* but time and ink won't permit me, I'll only list few.....

1. We are celebrating Inequality
2. We are celebrating Injustice
3. We are celebrating Budget Padding
4. We are celebrating Kidnapping
5. We are celebrating Oppressive
6. We are celebrating Economic Recession
7. We are celebrating Educational Backturn
8. We are celebrating Massive Hungerbeat
9. We are celebrating Inflation
10. We are celebrating ASUU and ASUP Strike
11. We are celebrating Boko Haram
12. We are celebrating Fuel Scarcity
13. We are celebrating Bad Road
14. We are celebrating Poor Electricity
15. We are celebrating Unemployment
16. We are celebrating Insecurity
17. We are celebrating Megalomania.
18. We are celebrating Funali Heardmen
19. We are celebrating Pipeline Blasting
20. We are celebrating Slavery and Victimization
21. We are celebrating corruption
22. We are celebrating Bad leadership
23. We are celebrating Outrigth mismanagement
24. We are celebrating Unfair and rigged election
25. We are celebrating Nepotism, Tribalism?

_among others...And you call it Independence Day?!_

Upon the announcement at midnight of September 30, 1960 by Sir Emmanuel Aghanjuebitsi Ewetan Omatsola, OON, an ace broadcaster and radio commentator who died 2013 at the age of 83 that "Nigeria is a free, sovereign nation", many then had thought it was the beginning of good things to come for the country.

Fifty-six years down the line, we cannot beat our chests and say we are where we should be as a nation, especially when one considers the abundance of natural and human resources Nigeria is blessed with.

Nigeria is like a man who has everything and lacks nothing, yet, he is still seen to be suffering and in serious pains. Corruption, bad leadership and outright mismanagement of our God-given wealth have kept us crawling, even though we have since been released from the clutches of colonialism through the actualization of independence. We have become more like a crawling giant.

*At 56? Nigerians not yet in promised land?*

If a country's greatness is determined by the promises and rhetorical prowess of its leaders, Nigeria of course would have become one of the most powerful and economic vibrant nation. Since 1960 the agenda to transform the country into a developed nation has never been lacking.

The pledge and desire to make Nigeria a formidable force to be respected in international community by every Commander-in-chief can never be overemphasized. Every inauguration of new President presents a wind of hope across the length and breadth of the country. But after a while the national interest becomes optional and citizens betrayed as the leader in charge usually blazes through a solo path of self-enrichment and compensation of cronies. As a result Nigerians have been placed in a permanent state of expectations.

Nigerian as a country is blessed with abundant human and natural resources. It is no longer news that Nigerian is the most populous black nation and one of the largest exporters of petroleum on earth. Ironically, there is no gainsaying to state that in spite of these natural gifts, Nigerians are still suffering from endemic poverty, epileptic power supply, dilapidated infrastructure, ethno-religious and resource control crisis.

In essence Nigeria's problem is not paucity of resources, but rather the inability of successive governments to convert the windfalls into public good.

Some school of thought relates poverty with large population and therefore blames population growth in Nigeria as a major setback to human and economic development whereas China the largest populated country is indisputably the fastest growing economy in the world.

In as much as we recognize the efforts and sacrifices of our leaders to get things done the right way, it is however pertinent to state categorically that apart from natural disasters and war, the major causes of poverty and underdevelopment are bad governance, corruption, injustice, mismanagement and lack of diversification.

Just as a deaf person needs no warning at a troubled market, every Nigerian knows without recourse to economic indicator that hard times are here. However, since a day is not criticized until nightfall, there could be hope of a better and prosperous Nigeria if government should guarantee observable progressive difference in social, judicial and political setting.

It is also expected that government should reduce unemployment and inequality, create conducive political space to accommodate eligible Nigerians without regard to their creed, tribe and party affiliation.

While we commend government on relative security and the courage to declare war against corruption, it should also declare state of emergency on food security and fight corruption without any trace of vendetta or favour. Another challenge before the government of Nigeria and the people is that the world attention is still on the fate of the Chibok Girls (I am yet to conclude that this is a SCAM) and the Internally Displaced Person (IDPs).

But wait.....

I said wait....

Let me call your attention...

*The constitution outrightly says, at 18, you can vote and be voted for?! Why then are the youth neglected and deprived?* Should be say self interest, covetousness? Whatever!

We, some Intellectual Youths, Vibrant Youths, Human Rights Activists has come up with a movement name *"NIGERIAN YOUTHS: RIGHTS ASSOCIATION - NYRA"*

What is NYRA for?

Do you want to know?

Then click on this link »»» https://nyransblog.wordpress.com/about-us/

Now, do you wish to join us?

If so, send a request to any of these contacts to join the whatsapp group

1. Prof Samuel (National Leader) - +234 806 815 5490
Eb
2. Comrade Josh (Interim President) - +234 903 454 3184

3. Comrade Tope (Acting General Secretary) - +234 816 630 9787

4. Comrade Rauf (Lagos State Coordinator) - +234 813 138 8834

Follow NYRA on twitter: @NYRA2016

All these problems of Nigeria I outlined started from the very first coup when the military left their constitutional responsibility to take up new responsibilities they were ill-prepared for. They came with the excuse of restoring peace and curtailing corruption and ended up creating further unrest and corruption.

Today, our 'elected' leaders in most cases are still tolling the path set by those military henchmen that ran Nigeria like their family business.

To them, some of them have sold your birthright and solving the problems of the citizens who see them as small god and to them, they think there is no longer a priority, Illiteracy and lack of knowledge and understanding of our civil rights which would have helped give the weak ones more boost to continue treating themselves like say... They are completely ignorant of it, isn't that a shame?....

Nigerians the way they like and nobody says anything about it. For people we claim we 'voted' them into power, the indiscriminate use of sirens and abuse of our rights by using security men to chase us from their way tells a very different story. That, is just a tip of the iceberg and nothing compared to the suffering our 'elected' leaders are subjecting Nigerians to.

For a country so well blessed, our heroes past will turn in their graves when they look at how our leaders have succeeded in mis-managing our God given natural resources. Our heroes past will regret fighting for our independence when they see how greed and monetary gains have turn this great nation apart resulting in the unrest (BOKO HARAM, Kinappers, Fulani Herdsmen, Oil Vandalism) we are experiencing in this country today.

For a country so blessed, our leaders should all be ashamed of themselves; but then, they have no shame as long as their pockets and bank accounts are overflowing with their loot. Because we have not fully understood our powers as citizens of this country, that is why government will formulate policies that aren't obtainable in Nigeria and force it down on us knowing that nothing will happen.

Because we do not know our rights, government can afford to give us tit-bits, substandard facilities and rather than demand for standard facilities, we praise them for giving us the worst facilities.

Somebody said, whatever is done should be done well. If government will give me a road that will crumble before two years, then government should not give me the road at all let me understand that government has done nothing rather than trying to fool our intelligence into believing they have done something. As far as I can tell, Nigeria should be the richest and most blessed nation on the face of the planet. Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world endowed with many types of natural resources apart from oil which has become the source of our downfall.

Many of the great nations in the world do not possess a quarter of what we have yet with the little they have, they have turned their economy and people around making them greater than 'rich' countries like Nigeria. With what we have, our brothers and sisters will not be scampering away from this country to go and become taxi drivers and waiters in countries of which Nigeria is clearly richer than.

It's a pity, our sons and daughters run to a country like England which is virtually devoid of natural resources and are turned into slaves in another man's land when God have given them one of the richest nations in the world as their home.

Ah!!!

I have to stop here....

To conclude, I therefore call on government to quickly initiate the release of our girls and provide adequate security and food to the IDPs in short term and subsequently resettle them in their ancestral homes.

The Federal Government should as a matter of urgency revive the economy, dialogue with the aggrieved persons or groups, improve health standard and standard of education, then Nigeria  could stand shoulder high again in the comity of nations.

I also want to call on our present crop of leaders to do everything within their reach to get us out of this quagmire, which is a product of our handiwork. They must leave no stone unturned to renew the confidence of the people of this great country called Nigeria.

This is the time for them to put in place all necessary machineries that will make us to stop crawling and start walking as a truly self-respecting nation. Our leaders must go beyond their lamentation on the state of affairs in the country and use their good offices to help change the situation in the interest of all Nigerians.

So, it's high time we walked the talk and show the world the stuff we are made of and champion the course once again. Because I believe Nigeria will be great again.

May the labour of our heroes past not be in vain!

#StandUpNigeria
#ItIsWellWithYou
#GodBlessFederalRepublicOfNigeria
#GodBlessGCRF
#GodBlessNigerians
#GodBlessNYRA
#GodBlessNYRAns
#HappyIndependenceDay

I am:

Comrade Rauf Kazeem Isaac
NYRA, Lagos Chapter Cordinator
(C) October, 2016
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN