By Ibrahim M. Baba
babamibrahim@gmail.com
The whole nation is now in turmoil because ultra-conservatives are not the ones moving the country for the first time in it’s political history.
In their inconsolable hate for the 77 Year Old Man and negative mindedness born out of idiotic anger, they have developed an incurable hate for Nigeria – their own Mother Land. Embarked on denigrating the country, wishing all evils that that will make even the devil to wince for the country. They are only happy when negative news or tragedy befalls the nation.
They are a coalition of forces that keeps frustrating any single efforts geared toward the development of the common man since independence in 1960. When their fathers and forefathers die, their siblings will take over and continue until it reach where we are today.
They are united with the sole aim of institutionalizing poverty and making sure that no one with welfarism as ideology makes it to the office of the president.
Then came the savior – President Muhammadu Buhari, who in the history of his struggle as both military and politician has never been found wanting or accused of emassing wealth for himself.
Buhari who proved to be our answered prayer, trying to save this country from a verge of collapse after many years of misrule, is now facing this agony from the hands of the enemies of progress. For a single offense that he refused to allow the usual loot from the National Coffers to continue.
Since assumption of office, this government has continued to suffer in the hands of this wicked crooks, by several forms of allegations, accusations and countless propaganda campaigns, thereby giving any single policy it brings about, a negative interpretation.
In those many years, the country is ranked among the most widely corrupt, where looting public treasury became the norms for political office holders. Only friends and allies of the government have access to wealth, clothing and shelter. Nobody was enjoying anything from the government except their sons and daughters.
Now that the sons and daughters of the poor are enjoying the Government through numerous Social Interventions, they feel the heaven will fall down, and therefore are out to bring down the government by all means.
Whether you are “Hasidin Iza Hasada” you can testify that the following initiatives put in place by President Buhari Administration have been benefiting the children of the poor, because if your father, mother, daughters or sons did not benefit from one, must have definitely benefited from another whether directly or indirectly.
1. N-Power: 500,000 enrolled in 2 batches between 2016 and 2020 receiving 30,000 monthly, with enrolment of 3rd batch of 400,000 in progress.
2. NYSC Monthly Allowance increased from N19,600 to N33,000; more than 300,000 beneficiaries monthly.
3. 75 billion Naira Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), for businesses owned by young Nigerians aged between 18 and 35: https://www.cbn.gov.ng/Out/2020/CCD/NYIF%20implementation%20Framework%20final%20Sept_30_2020.pdf
4. Special Public Works Programme to provide 3-month employment to 774,000 young Nigerians across the country (1,000 beneficiaries per LGA): https://specialpublicworks.gov.ng/site/
5. $20 million Fund for Nigerian Tech Innovators and Entrepreneurs, managed by BOI: https://www.boi.ng/
6. National Young Farmers Scheme: An initiative of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) to engage 1.000 youths in each of the 774 local government areas in mechanized agriculture: https://www.nalda.ng/#FAQ
7. The Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS) by the CBN aims to engage a minimum of 370,000 youths in agricultural production across the country, over the next three years, in collaboration with State Governments. The goal is to facilitate increased private sector agricultural production of staple foods and industrial raw materials, as well as support food security, job creation and economic diversification. Prospective participants must provide evidence of capacity to engage youths as in-growers or out-growers to cultivate on the land after clearing. cbn.gov.ng/Out/2020/DFD/GUIDELINES%20FOR%20THE%20P-AADS.pdf
8. Creative Industries Financing Initiative (CIFI): An initiative of the CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, to provide single-digit financing for the creative sector, as part of efforts to boost job creation in Nigeria. The initiative has four pillars, namely: i. Fashion ii. Information Technology iii. Movie iv. Music. https://www.cbn.gov.ng/out/2019/ccd/creative%20industry%20financing.pdf
9. DEEL – D – Digital Skills E – Entrepreneurship E – Employability L – Leadership. Targeting more than 500,000 young Nigerians with opportunities for training and entrepreneurship and leadership: https://noya.ng/initiatives/new-deel.aspx
10. NESP-Homes: The Mass Housing Strategy of the Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) envisages the creation of 1.8 million jobs starting with the construction of 300,000 homes in the next 12 months, using 100% locally sourced materials for construction. https://nesp.ng/document/Jobs.pdf
11. The 5M Solar Connections Programme, to expand access to 25 million Nigerians by providing 5 million new connections through the provision of Solar Home Systems, or construction and operation of mini-grids. The Programme will incentivise the creation of 250,000 new jobs – particularly for young people – in the energy sector. https://www.cbn.gov.ng/Out/2020/DFD/Solar%20Connections%20Facility%20Guidelines%201.0.pdf
12. The Energizing Education Programme (EEP) is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria to provide clean power supply to
37 Federal Universities and 7 University Teaching Hospitals across Nigeria (independent power plant, street lighting, development of a world class training centre on renewable energy for each university, etc). Phase 1 has already commenced to deliver 28.5MW to 9 Federal Universities and 1 University Teaching Hospital, using solar hybrid and/or gas-fired captive power plants. https://eep.rea.gov.ng/about-eep/
13. Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme (P-YES), to address the needs of unskilled and less educated youth, by targeting areas of activities that are of practical importance and are essential to every aspect of our economy, including agriculture and food processing, restaurant and catering, tailoring and fashion design, welding, carpentry and joinery, etc.
14. Annual National MSME Awards: https://msmeclinics.com.ng/award-categories/
15. The National Survival Fund, designed to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 on businesses, including but not limited to the following: Free business name registration for 250,000 beneficiaries; One-off Payment of N30,000 to more than 300,000 artisans nationwide; and Payroll support of between N30,000 and N50,000 per staff for between 3 (minimum) and 10 (maximum) staff of qualifying MSMEs, for 3 months. http://survivalfund.gov.ng/
16. 52% of loans disbursed by the FG-owned Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) in 2019 were to youths and women-owned businesses. Since 2017, when the bank began operations, the DBN has disbursed more than N150 billion through the bank’s 27 Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs), impacting close to 100,000 MSMEs. Development Bank of Nigeria PLC.
Many other fresh initiatives are under way, such as the AGSMEIS which targets more than 1,000,000 Business Enterprises, National Housing Support Program, second and third components of the Survival Fund Initiative, new N-Power enrollment and so on.
This is in addition to many infrastructural development currently going on across the length and breath of the country. But because of the recent insecurity challenges in some parts of the country, some unscrupulous haters of the government are already capitalizing to achieve their personal aims.
Nobody is saying President Buhari is hundred percent perfect in all areas, but the situation in the country is never compared with what is obtained in the past. Our military men have tried within the last Six Years to curtail the insecurity challenges in this country.
Let us avoid making uterances that can invite God’s anger to us. Whether we like it or not, we can never compare the present situation with the country’s experience in the past.
If you are talking about the killing of 43 farmers in Zabarmari, what about the Baga Massacre on 8th July, 2013 where 228 people were slaughtered and many others killed within 3 days of coordinated attacks, Making it the largest Massacre in the country?
If you are mentioning Kankara abduction, what about the Chibok abduction of 276 female students on 15th April, 2014? Dapchi, Munguno and many other towns have experienced a similar situation. I recalled in December 2014, many people who were too elderly to flee, were rounded up and taken into a bush near Bama where the militants opened fire on them. Over 50 were reported death in that attack as revealed in the video later in which the militants claimed responsibility.
I recalled, in a single attack in Gamborungala on 6th May, 2014, over 300 people died when Boko Haram sets houses ablaze at night with people sleeping inside their huts.
In those days, hardly a single day passes without series of explosions in different parts of the north, not only Borno, Yobe or Adamawa. The entire northern Nigeria was completely in disarray.
How many Local Governments were rescued from the terrorists after hosting their flags there? How many schools, hospitals, mosques, Churches, Markets, Banks, Police Stations, Government and Private Institutions were raised down by the arm militants?
Many of our prominent leaders, politicians, Islamic clerics and pastors we’re lost to the evil activities of insurgents. You remember the Church bombings in Madalla, Okene, Kaduna (Wusasa and Sabon Gari) on 7th June, 2012, as well as that of Abuja on Christmas Day when the entire church was set on fire during procession?
The events of the past are still fresh in our memories. We reached a point where this terror group has claimed most of the country’s territory in the north east region, but with the prayer and commitment of our troops, it has now became a history. Isn’t this enough for us to raise hand and thank God? Kai Jama’a!
Notwithstanding, we shall always keep faith in our country. I believe in the efforts, sacrifices and commitment of our troops to protect Nigeria and Nigerians. Let us not be part of this inverse outrage and failure singing choir of ignorant, emotional and wilful blind rabble rousers.
Insecurity is a greatest challenge that most countries faces difficulties in fighting, and Nigeria is not an exception.
Tell me that country in the world that has successfully defeated terrorism and wiped out terrorists completely from their land, including the world powers with all their sophisticated security apparatuses and architecture.
All over the world, inspite of the sophisticated security achitecture of many countries, terrorists kill thousands of people every year. On each occasion, the people of those nations rise in unison to condemn the terrorists and denounce them as cowards.
But in Nigeria, many hatefilled retards promote the activities of terrorists free of charge and make heroes out of the cowards who pick soft civilian targets by denigerating our own military.
This therefore only encourages the terrorists to continue killing innocent people and equally demoralizes our military and continue to diminish their zeal to protect the population.
Let us give out support to our uniform men as they vowed to protect us under any circumstances, Nigeria is bigger than its challenges and we shall definitely overcome them.
© M. Baba
13/12/2020
babamibrahim@gmail.com
