HELP, TERRORISTS ON RAMPAGE IN THE WEST BANK!

An Israeli border police officer aims his weapon at protesters during a demonstration against the Israeli settlements

The deafening silence of the world powers over the ongoing Israeli terrorism in the occupied Palestine is not only disgusting, irritating and nonsensical but also inhuman and unacceptable. 

Over the last two weeks, illegal settlers in the West Bank and Jerusalem have killed no less than thirty innocent Palestinians in cold blood. Over one thousand have also been injured. While this carnage is going unchecked, the US and its allies, including the gulf monarchs, have remained unconcerned. 

The reportage of the situation has also not been fair as Israel, rather than being portrayed as the real aggressor and terrorist, the Palestinians who had endured the Israeli oppression for decades, are shown as the oppressors. 

Reporting for Israeli Occupation in Palestine

 

For instance, the ever pro-Israeli BBC had the headline ‘Palestinian rioters torch Jewish holy site Joseph's Tomb.’ The story, which reported the attack on Joseph’s Tomb in the West Bank City of Nablus by Palestinians, from paragraph one to the last elicits sympathy for Israel and rage towards the Palestinians. The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbass, who has been alleged to be having security cooperation with Israel, condemned the attack on the tomb in strong terms. Equally, Israel's military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner said the attack was "a blatant violation of the basic value of freedom of worship."

While the Israelis are doing the physical killing, the media is helping to effect the psychological brainwashing of the world on the real situation of things there.

The atrocities by Israeli settlers have both political and religious backing. These two support base spur them on to continue their killings unchecked. The terrorist settlers have been operating under the military cover of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and on Friday, 16 October, Rabbis in the terrorist enclave declared that the killing of Palestinian resistance fighters is "a religious duty!

According to Israeli news website, Walla, when right-wing rabbi, Rav Benzion Mutzafi was asked tquestions whether settlers are allowed to kick the insurgent (Palestinians), hit him or shoot him in order to kill him after he has been arrested or is this prohibited, he replied that "It is not only desirable to do so, but it is a religious duty that you hold his head down to the ground and hit him until his last breath."

Similarly, Middle-east Monitor reported that the Chief Rabbi of the city of Safed Shmuel Eliyahu called for all Israeli police officers and soldiers who allow Palestinian resistance fighters to live after their arrest.

 

Chief Rabbi of the city of Safed, Shmuel Eliyahu

Eliyahu wrote on Facebook that "It is prohibited to keep the vandal alive after the operation, because if he is left alive, there is a fear that he would be released and then he would kill others." 

It is pertinent to reiterate that the world is fully aware of the real terrorists in this conflict. The western media may continue to distort the information concerning Israel’s terrorist activities in Palestine, but the truth no matter what will certainly surface soon and when it does, the oppressors will have no option but to surrender to natural justice!

Palestine, remain firm, the whole world is with you!!!

Nigerian Artistes and NBC Ban, Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish

THIS PIECE IS WRITTEN BY A SENIOR COLLEAGUE OF MINE. I CAN'T AGREE LESS WITH HIS SUBMISSIONS. HAPPY READING!

Anyone with a bit of morality, decorum and sense of decency running through his veins cannot, but salute the courage of the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, NBC when it finally woke from its slumber and summed up courage to wedge the big stick on some songs considered  vulgar, immoral and corruptive.

WIZKID

 

NBC recently placed a ban on some songs, including 17 by Nigerian leading artistes, from been aired on radio and television stations, citing several reasons, including ‘obscenity, vulgar lyrics, violence, and indecent exposure’ among others.

The corporation stated that free-to-air channels are not allowed to broadcast music containing vulgar lyrics, obscene scenes with violent contents.

The affected songs are three foreign songs: Nicki Minaj‘s Anaconda, Post To Be by Omarion which featured Chris Brown and Jhene Aiko and Ace Hood’s collaboration with Rick Ross titled Bugatti.

The 17 Nigerian songs include Wizkid‘s In My Bed, Fans Mi by Davido (featuring American rapper Meek Mill), three Olamide songs and Shakiti Bobo and Iyanya‘s collaboration with Don Jazzy, Gift.

Others are Tony Montana by Naeto C featuring D’banj, Oyari (Dr Sid and Tiwa Savage), Gbese (Lil Kesh), Ibadi (May D), Tesojue (Reminisce), Yayo (Phyno), Lomo (Jhybo), Pre‘s The Girl  and 'Baby Konga’ by Lawal Olalekan Olumo a.k.a. Konga.

An insider source said Davido’s Fans Mi was outlawed because it is believed to promote ostentatious lifestyle, drug trafficking and indecent exposure, just as the Nigerian Drug law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had also expressed concerns about the video.

The last time Nigerians heard of such ban was when the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, BON placed NTTB on some songs because of disagreement on royalties with members of the COSON; the sole Collective Management Organisation (CMO) approved by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to act on behalf of authors, composers, performers, publishers of musical works and owners of sound recordings in Nigeria.

Many Nigerians consider as appropriate, the ban on the devil’s advocate who are simply destroying the moral fabric of our society, while disguising in the garb of globalisation; but all in the overall interest of financial gains. Sex and sexuality are being marketed wholesale, unhindered.

After many wrongs had been committed

Though, the move came rather belatedly after many wrongs had been committed, those who applauded the ban regard the effort as part of the cultural rejuvenation, value re-orientation and national rediscovery which was currently being embarked upon by President Muhammadu Buhari. The move has also suddenly gingered the erstwhile comatose EFCC to rediscover its bite after dancing Makosa for about eight years. 

The country became whitewashed and the slumber had continued even after Oprah Winfrey dubbed all Nigerians as fraudsters when the nation was agog with the dancing to Yahooze by Olu Maintain without single official condemnation from official quarters.

The effort is thus considered worthwhile since it tells the world that not all Nigerians are morally bankrupt after all.

OLAMIDE

It also sends the necessary signal and make the morally deprived realise that, in any case, some monitoring still exists if wrong things are done and at least, sanctions are there for any one that runs afoul of the law.

Many have wondered and inquired to discern what has gone wrong with all our monitoring organs and censors boards. Some even asked to know whether there still exists in the country, the Ministry of Youth and Culture and National Orientation Agency- as the leadership watch cruelly, how the future (youths) of the most populous black nation is being mortgaged on the altar of freedom, liberty and free market.

Why the prevalence of violence sexual relates crimes?

Come to think of it. Must we swallow anything that is packaged from foreign lands hook, line and sinker? While would this kind of development be justified under what is described as ‘commercial music’?

Simple knowledge of the central nervous system reveals that the nature of what is often watched and listened to has a lot of impulsive impart on the brain and the mind. Do we then need any rocket science to discover the reason behind the pervasiveness of incest, underage sex, rape and other related developments?

Again, why shall we not have proliferation of rubbish when nuisance and thrash are glorified and noble efforts are rubbished and pushed to the back? For instance, while virtually all educative and brain tasking programmes on broadcast media are begging/pleading for sponsors, multinationals are struggling to fund programmes that promote nudity, immorality, drunkenness and time wasting.

DAVIDO

Today the universities debate and quiz, national mathematics competition, business proposal competition, Zain African Challenge among many other brain-teasing and intelligent (IQ) development programmes are off the air due to lack of sponsors. What now dominate our air waves are: Guilder Ultimate Search, Shine Shine Bobo (Star Beer) Maltina Family Dance Show, MTN Project Fame, Beauty Contests, Nigerian Idol, Big Brother Africa, and Star - The Winner; currently being anchored by Uti Nwachukwu among others.

Useless songs with violence and vulgar promoting videos are being rewarded by proselytizers of obscenities as GhaNaija Awards, The Headies, formally known as Hip Hop World Awards., MTV Awards, Grammy Awards, Independent Music Awards, Golden Melody Awards and Gbedu Awards among others. Yet, those who are calling to rectitude and integrity are neither being encouraged nor rewarded.

The prevalence of these thrash called music or song, no doubt symptomises the death of intelligence and the weakness of the thinking faculties of the people. If not, how will an artiste release an album without a track dedicated to any noble theme except love, sex, romance and immorality? Tracks devoted to promoting social harmony, political education and economic emancipation of the people is almost non-existent. If for no other reason, it could be used to critique and run commentaries on popular or unpopular government policies. Better still, songs and music could be better used to enlighten the teaming masses as it was in the good old days of Haruna Ishola, Ebenezer Obey Commander, Ayinla Omowura, Ik Dairo, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Oliver De Coque, Dan Maraya and a host of others. Today no new theme is available in the market except love, champagne, and booty songs!

ASA

This is where music stars like Asa (especially her newest song- Bed of Stone); Sound Sultan (in 2010 where he featured conscious rapper M.I.) Timi Dakolo and Beautiful Nubia stand out. They dared to be different; churning out songs with noble and splendid themes; refusing to join the bandwagon under the pretext of the usual lame excuse: ‘that is the demand and wants of the society’. They argue: “If the society does not appreciate or want it, how come people are buying it and artistes are smiling to the banks’.

TIMI DAKOLO

The argument holds no water, lacks merit and simply falls like a pack of cards. For instance, should you permit your children to take to permissiveness, allowing them to watch television and play computer games at the expense of their studies, they will happily embrace it. Similarly, if you feed your children with junks: biscuits and sweets instead of good nourishments of fruits and vegetables, will they not embrace it and praise you as ‘the best dad or mum in the world’? Hence, as those children have rights to good parentage and proper guidance, innocent Nigerian youths equally deserves the rights to good governance, proper guidance and ideal spiritual or soul nourishment to make them useful to themselves, their families and the country at large.

Singers like Iyanya and the management of Made Men Music, the record label under which, Iyanya is signed had in the wake of the NBC ban said the restriction won’t affect their song’

Speaking on behalf of the group, Iyanya’s manager, Ubi Franklin arrogantly said; “My song don blow already so whether them ban am, I no mind. I don’t feel bad in any way. Nobody can fault the NBC. It is a body that decides whether a song has vulgar lyrics or whether it should fit for airplay so it is their decision to make….”

Of course, no sane person should expect anything contrary from the originator of the obnoxious materials; but since they are not hurt, it means NBC must be allowed to do his job. So, good riddance to bad rubbish.

However, what cannot be denied is that Nigeria’s entertainment industry has grown to economic reckoning, the ‘transformation’ of Jonathan administration and the rebasing exercise placed Nigeria as biggest entertainment industry in Africa, with Nollywood contributing N853.9bn or 1.2% to Nigeria GDP in 2013. Though Nollywood ranks 2nd largest producer of movies behind Bollywood, it is placed behind Hollywood and Bollywood in terms of economic generation raking $590m annually.

But beyond the economic boost, our entertainment industry has become a veritable medium of impacting social decadence to the public. Today we have: Abasha-Iranu, Jedi…, Iyalaya…, I want to do shina today, Bajinatuka fawon..., Efe joku nioo, Moti mu dongoyaro..., Enter the place, Pishaun, E ju won si Konga…, Shake your behindocks, Elo lobo e..., 'E pon mi si Konga'…, Dayan mo etc. Our Nollywood now promotes sex, nudity, assault, violence, smoking, rascality etc.

In what a friend called a ‘Transformation that needs Change’:

“Now that change is here, our government should make National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) work. Any video that is anathema to human nature must be taken off public”, he concluded.

At this juncture, the argument of rights and liberty of the artiste and the listeners is useless and therefore not tenable. If not, why do governments globally arrest drug addicts and refuse to allow them kill themselves? Why was Governor Babatunde Fashola’s decision to ban Okada (motorbike) on the highways applauded, even when the riders were willing to commit suicide on daily basis?

Moral sanctity

That it has market value and promotes mere economic interest of the few at the detriment of the moral sanctity of many is also foolhardy. Should we rely on such baseless position then, the world the world would not have been justified for frowning at the ‘blood diamond’ exploit in Ivory Coast and for condemning Mexico, Columbia as well as Afghanistan that make a fortune and brisk money from hard drugs.

Serious countries do not allow harmful foreign cultures to be marketed to their innocent youths- the future of the nation; and that is exactly what the NBC has done.

In as much as musicians like D-banj otherwise known as Koko-Master (Oliver-Twist, Tumba), Olu-Maintain (Yahooze); Kelly Handsome (Maga don pay) Zule Zoo, Kokolets/Tongolo, X-Project (Lorile...) MP (Pasa), Tuface (Enter the Place), Tiwa Savage (Gboju o), St Janet of St Bottle Cathedral and so on might have escaped ban since they released their albums when NBC was in deep slumber; and the likes of Shaggy, Usher, Snoop Dogg with other foreign artistes showcasing naked girls in their tracks might not have been affected by the ban, the recent effort simply symbolises the dawn of a new era and a good step in the right direction.

Some even ask: why banning the songs when they’ve already gone viral or when it could be downloaded on the internet and will remain on cable platforms like Hip TV, MTV Base and Soundcity? Others simply ask: why banning ‘Shakiti Bobo’ when two hit songs have followed it? Yes, those questions sound logical, but the simple answer is that, with the ban, innocent souls are protected from their damaging effects. So let their fans keep consuming the garbage at night clubs, disco parties and private abodes.

Such position only reminds one of the arguments of the corrupt individuals who have virtually mortgaged our future through their mindless looting of the nation’s treasury; but are rather masquerading under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to find fault in what they tagged ‘needless fight against corruption’. They argued that concentration on fighting corruption may likely slow down governance (as if fighting corruption is not part of governance and as if that was never part of the campaign promises of PMB).

BUHARI’S SURVIVAL IN POWER, BETWEEN MORALITY AND MISCHIEF GOVERNANCE

Nigeria's President-Elect, Muhammadu Buhari

The second coming of General Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s president holds a lot of significance for the Katsina-born general on one hand and the Nigerian nation on the other.

For Buhari, it is another golden opportunity to re-enact and possibly surpass the feat he achieved in office 30 years ago. He will also use this opportunity to deeply reflect on what actually caused his ouster despite his laudable vision for the country, with a view to avoid making similar mistakes.

For the nation, it is a time to decide whether to endure Buhari’s ‘bitters’ for its pile-ridden system to be effectively cleansed or take another sweetener to further strengthen the pile to continue to wreak havoc in the system.

Many observers have indeed come up with reasons why Buhari’s first stint at the helm of affairs of Nigeria did not last beyond two years. The reasons range from his style of leadership, to his political naivety. They also stemmed from his principled and uncompromising stance on issues.

But beyond the adduced reasons above, there is another school of thought that offers a possible factor that brought down Buhari, then. The factor is psychological and has proven to be highly effective in striking or pulling down good leaders. Consider this lines:

“The political has nothing in common with the moral. The ruler who is governed by the moral is not a skilled politician, and is therefore unstable on his throne. He who wishes to rule must have recourse both to cunning and to make-believe. Great national qualities, like frankness and honesty, are vices in politics, for they bring down rulers from their thrones more effectively and more certainly than the most powerful enemy.”

The above is a quotation from item eleven of Protocol One, of the Twenty Four Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion; often referred to as the Jewish Conspiracy in many quarters.

The Protocol provides the substance of addresses delivered to the innermost circle of the Rulers of Zion. It entails minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the Learned Elders of Zion on how they planned to rule the world through cunning and crooked means. It also reveals the clandestine plan of action of the Jewish nation developed through the ages to dominate the world. Despite its conformity with the way they have conducted themselves over the ages, the Jews has denied the authorship of the document.

One thing that has continued to amaze observers and indeed keen watchers of events as they unfold in the world since the ‘leakage’ of the document is the fact that its content fits perfectly into what, when, where, why and how those events happen. Mr. Henry Ford, an American industrialist and founder of Ford Motoring Company, in an interview published in the New York WORLD of February 17th, 1921, puts it succinctly thus:

Late Henry Ford

"The only statement I care to make about the PROTOCOLS is that they fit in with what is going on. They are sixteen years old, and they have fitted the world situation up to this time. THEY FIT IT NOW."  Mr Ford was widely known for his pacificism during the first years of the World War I and also for being the publisher of the book ‘The International Jew.’

Back to the above quote. Truly or coincidentally, it seems morality and politics have no relationship, at least going by historical experiences in recent past. Great ‘moro-national’ qualities like frankness and honesty have indeed become vices in politics, and they have inadvertently brought ‘down rulers from their thrones more effectively and more certainly than the most powerful enemy.’

The current crisis in Egypt is a perfect example of how these great qualities practically brought down a democratically-elected president and installed the most cruel and despicable human being to power.

President Morsi of Egypt

President Mohammad Morsi is loved and trusted by most Egyptians. They believe having him as their leader would put the country back on the track of growth, development and indeed greatness. But barely a year in power, the hapless president got the butt from the ‘powers-that- be’ from within and outside Egypt for no offence other than committing the twin ‘vices’ of frankness and honesty in dealing with his people and the rest of the world. He’s just been handed a 20 year prison term on phony charges of inciting violence that led to the death of some protesters who are mainly his supporters in 2013!

Former Egypt dictator, Hosni Mubarak

Interestingly, his immediate predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, who resorted to ‘both cunning and make-believe,’ tactics, ruled the country for three decades. The dictator, who was charged with corruption and death of protesters during the revolution that ousted him from power has been freed of all the charges, and now walking as a free man.

While his reign lasted, Mubarak oppressed, suppressed and terrorised the people of Egypt. He institutionalised corruption in all facets of the Cradle of Civilisation and ensured the empowerment of a few cabal in all sectors. The world powers, led by the United States gave him all the needed support. He got billions of dollars in aid and weapons to remain in power for that long, until the mass revolution of January 25, 2011 swept him away.

Morsi on the other hand was not only starved of support from the world powers and strangely, the gulf monarchs, his ouster was strategically engineered, massively funded and dastardly executed by them. When Morsi assumed the leadership of Egypt, US President, Barrack Obama, without mincing words, told him that ‘Egypt is neither an enemy nor a friend of the US.’ This statement heralded the series of events that culminated in the final toppling of his government in June 2013.

History is replete with instances of upright leaders who were swept off power due to their ‘frankness and honesty.’ At the same time, history has also recorded presidents, prime ministers and other state leaders who held on to power for quite a very long time, subjugating and enslaving their people through ‘cunning and make-beliefs.’ They can still be seen around today.

The story of Nigeria’s newly-elected president, General Muhammadu Buhari, during his first coming as a military head of state, buttressed the proposition or simply put, the thinking of the Jews that morality brings down good government easily more than the enemy.

General Buhari ran a disciplined, transparent and honest government that is unparalleled in the history of Nigeria. He was highly-principled, incorruptible, patriotic and disciplined. Within one year of his leadership, the mess that the country had become under the Shehu Shagari administration was radically corrected. It was difficult for drug barons to make Nigeria a transit point for their trade. Nigerians were made to imbibe the culture of discipline, orderliness and courteousness in their public dealings. The culture of environmental sanitation that the nation still practices till now became entrenched during that administration and corruption was reduced to a barest minimum.

However, the ‘Jewish thinking’ came to pass and in 1985 when Buhari was kicked out of office by the gap-toothed General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. Because of his smiles, Babangida was believed to be humane, and capable of taking Nigeria to the Promised Land. 

General Ibrahim Babangida

Buhari on the other hand was perceived as rigid, strict and too ‘inhuman’ for many.

Nigerians impatiently sacrificed Buhari’s ‘principledness’ on the altar of selfish aggrandisement and corruptive culture of Babangida. His glorious regime lasted only two years while that of the all-smiling maradonic IBB dragged on for eight painful years.

Late General Murtala Muhammed

Before Buhari’s ascension to power in 1983, another brilliant leader, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed had suffered the similar fate and paid with his life barely six months in office! He had a brilliant vision for Nigeria but that vision was never allowed to blossom by the world powers who connived with vicious elements within the country to truncate it.

Now that the Katsina-born General has been given another uncommon mandate to lead the country, the question is: should he bow to the notion of mischief governance just to retain power or maintain his uprightness and honesty in his quest to execute his noble plans for Nigeria?

From the moralist perspective, Buhari has no option than to maintain his principled stance, which in the first place endeared him to most Nigerians that voted for him. But from the realist view, the president-elect must find a balance between morality and smartness (cunningness) if he must succeed. He must, as a true army general that he is, go back to the cheese board and play the game with all tactics, deftness and needed strategy. To this school of thought, too much ‘moralness,’ without necessary caution may make him suffer the same fate as he did in 1985.

It may not be entirely correct to attribute the fall of the aforementioned leaders to their uprightness after all. After all, the Lee Kwan Yews of this world survived without employing the Machiavellian theories or resorting to maradonic tendencies. It’s just because those who design and control the world affairs from the shadows have devised it in such a way that only the corrupt and the cunning, which will be of great advantage to their grand ‘evil plan’ for the world, endure in leadership positions.

As a principled man with the fear of God, righteousness, uprightness and truthfulness must not be made to be submissive to wickedness, lies and crookedness. Hence, General Buhari should hold on to his principles and still hope to survive. After all, the outgoing government lost power as a result of loads of lies and excessive penchant for corruption. Our president subscribed to the counsel of the Jews and resorted to mischief, cunningness and make-beliefs in the affairs of governance. Many even linked his belief in these notions to his frequent visits to the Jewish nation while in power. But the more he resorted to these ‘skills’ the more he gets into trouble and earned the ire of Nigerians; leading to the technical liquidation of his government on March 28, 2015.

So, General Buhari should not sacrifice his principles. The name ‘Buhari’ alone in today’s Nigeria scares corruption and send fears down the spines of corrupt individuals. He must therefore build on this goodwill to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians and take the nation to the greater height. Great national qualities of frankness and honesty are only vices to the evil-minded and the reactionaries. They are veritable tools in the hands of progressives.

Truth shall forever prevail over falsehood.

Ambode And Challenge of The Agberos

AKINWUNMI AMBODE, GOV-ELECT, LAGOS STATE

The governor-elect of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, surely has a whole lot of challenges to face and many ‘battle’to fight as he prepares to wear the ‘big shoes’ of the outgoing Gov. Babatunde Fashola, who is stepping out of office in a couple of weeks.

Having rode on the back of Fashola’s remarkable achievements and popularity, and with the strong support of former Governor Bola Tinubu, Ambode owes Lagosians the great duty not only to surpass Fashola’s feat, but to also right the perceived wrongs of his administration.

There is no need to chronicle these achievements as that has been done severally by many commentators. But one area that Fashola, and indeed his predecessor Tinubu, failed to address is the problem of miscreants popularly known as ‘agberos’ at virtually all motor parks and bus stops across the state.

 

TINUBU AND FASHOLA

While Tinubu condoned them, Fashola simply chickened out of containing them. The problem remains a big dent on the corporate image of the ‘New Lagos’ and is considered a major drawback on the entire campaign of ‘The Spirit of Lagos’ where citizens are being urged to acquire civilised attitude and adopt new ways of behaviours.

Many see this indulgence as a major undoing of the AC/ACN/APC government and Ambode will have to take a critical look at the problem and address it as a matter of urgency as soon as he takes the mantle of leadership on May 29.

It will not be a hyperbole to state that most residents in Lagos daily live with the frustration and the nonchalant disposition of the government to addressing the threat pose by these social miscreants to the well being of Lagosians and the state at large. From park to park and from one bus stop to another, the agberos collect all kinds of fees from hapless commercial bus drivers, okada riders and tricycle operators.

The ‘fees’ range from ‘booking fee,’ ‘loading fee,’ ‘dropping fee,’ ‘security fee,’ to‘sanitation fees’, and ‘chairman’s meal’. It also includes the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) levy’ and‘police toll’, the list is endless. The annoying aspect is that the drivers pay some of the illegal fees on the morning, noon, afternoon and night shifts.

Any reluctant driver or conductor who fails to part with the fees usually gets the beating of his life from the drug-driven bad boys. Bodily injuries are inflicted on the ‘stubborn’ drivers even after they are made to still pay the illegal fees! In some cases, they vandalise the vehicles of reluctant drivers by removing the wipers, fuel tank cover, engine covers and other vital parts they can lay their hands on.

The agberos operate like a second government or simply put, a parallel administration in Lagos state. They act with impunity and most times get away with their atrocities. Since they also provide the machinery with which the Police and the LASTMA officials collect their tolls, they are practically above the law.

Hence, the aggrieved drivers know too well that it is a sheer waste of time to report agberos to the police. Even when arrested, it is only a matter of hours before they are ‘bailed out’ by the almighty ‘chairman’, who settles the police regularly.

Consequently, they are aggressive, combatant in nature and ever ready to unleash mayhem at the slightest provocation. In most cases, they dictate the transport fare against the wish of the commercial driver, which is usually on the high side; thereby forcing potential passengers to seek alternatives and delaying the trip in return.

Once the hapless driver obeys their command, which logically translates to high charges or commission for the agberos, the cost is then transferred to the commuters!

 

STRANDED LAGOS COMMUTERS ON LAGOS ABEOKUTA EXPRESSWAY

Findings show that these miscreants have their leaders who fix them at various bus stops and expect returns later in the day. They are given high targets to meet and any failure in this respect (to deliver the pre-determined amount) means troubles that could even lead to loss of jobs. So the ‘field worker’ naturally employs every means possible to extract the fees from the drivers to keep his job.

There is virtually no bus stop or motor park in Lagos that these guys are not stationed. From Iyana-Ipaja to Oshodi, from Obalende to Ajah-lekki, CMS to Mile-2, from Ikotun to Isolo, Mushin to Idumota, Ikorodu to Oyingbo and Orile to Badagry, the fear of agbero is the beginning of wisdom for commercial vehicle operators and commuters alike.

The side effect of the activities of the ubiquitous agberos on the Lagos economy cannot be quantified. Revenues that are to accrue to the government end up in private pockets. The high cost of transportation in the state is largely due to their activities.

 

By extension, traders add the cost on their wares, just as companies, whose trucks are heavily ‘taxed’ by the miscreants, equally pass on the burden to citizens.

But how did these miscreants get so powerful and seem invincible in the face of the law and a government that had spent so much on the security? Is it that the government does not consider them a security threat, or could it be that authorities deliberately allow them free reign for selfish political motive as it is being insinuated in some quarters?

Observers are of the opinion that as long as law enforcement agencies, especially the police, collaborate with the agberos, their activities will continue unchecked. The allegation that some policemen employ the services of the miscreants at bus stops to extort money from drivers is a case in point.

Officials of the LASTMA are also complicit in this regard. For the avoidance of doubt, one can take an observatory mission to Oshodi at the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) Park to confirm the ‘cordial and mutual’ relationship between LASTMA officials and the miscreants.

The free reign of the agberos to some extent can be traced to the power brokers in the state,especially the ruling party. It is has been alleged rightly or wrongly that the agberos and their leaders constitute a major support base for the government.

That is why many conclude that the problem of agbero may never get addressed.Little wonder that the politicians never cited the curbing of their activities as a campaign promise.

Hence, Ambode must summon the necessary political will to address the problem once and for all. Although this may be difficult and seem impossible, the interest of Lagosians, who gave Ambode the mandate, must propel him to do the needful.

If that is the only thing he will achieve in his first 100 days in office, Lagosians will not forget him. Honestly, if the governor-elect had witnessed any scene where the agberos descended on innocent commercial vehicle operators, or where commuters get stranded as a result of high fares dictated by miscreants; or at least endeavour to quantify the revenue loss to the government due to their activities, he definitely will not hesitate to take action.

Unlike the military government that choked them (Kudos to Colonel Buba Marwa’s Operation Sweep), Tinubu, unfortunately gave them a lease of life and Fashola allowed them free reign. Ambode must therefore put them where they belong. He made a lot of promises during the campaigns and one of them is youth empowerment.

Our incoming governor can design a plan of action to take these miscreants off the roads, get them trained in skilled works and provide them with start-ups to begin a new life. Gov. Fashola actually embarked on a similar venture at the beginning of his administration in 2007 but soon slowed down and backed off.

Ambode must, however be circumspect in going about it as there would be serious resistance and fightback. He must also be wary of saboteurs within the government.

 For instance, I once boarded a bus with a LASTMA officer in 2011 and I overheard him on phone, pre-informing the agberos of an on-going operation by the state task force that will get them arrested! With such an official in the system, Ambode must surely be careful and tactical.

Lagosians are looking forward to a Lagos that is ‘safe and secure for all’. In line with the slogan of Change Revolution across the country, Lagos cannot afford to have the change terminated by the continuous presence of the agberos on our roads. Ambode, when you sought the votes of Lagosians, you promised to treasure it. You also promised to make life more meaningful and comfortable for them.

In one of your campaign billboards you were pictured folding your sleeves saying ‘Ready to Serve.’ Lagosians trusted you and gave you their votes; you are now expected to hit the ground running.

Ambode, as your name implies, you have arrived, now it’s the time to act. Please do the needful!

Lagos is working, Lagosians are waiting.