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NEWS COMMENTARY

Recently, the two slain corps members of Kogi state extraction who died in the post election crisis in Bauchi were buried amidst grief and lamentation necessitating the need to combat electoral violence in Nigeria.

       This is the basis of our news commentary written by Bartholomew  Ademu a public commentator.

  According to an English poet John Dones, the death of any man diminishes me. The death of ten corps members among which two were of kogi state extraction murdered in the post election violence in Bauchi does not only diminish, poet John Dones but the entire people of kogi state, Nigeria and indeed all lovers of democracy and good governance.

   For the young lads who were endowed with so much energy and burning with patriotism to have died this way is not only unfortunate but a clarion call on all people of  good will to rise up and ensure that such dastardly act does not re-occur anywhere again.

   While no ethnic group in Nigeria or elsewhere can lay claim of having monopoly of violence, it should be noted that the  much cherished freedom and development cannot thrive in such atmosphere.

   It is on record that since the sectarian crises engulfed that  plateau and its adjoining states, development and peace which used to be synonymous with plateau have since become anybody’s guess.

   As a matter of fact, for anybody or group of persons to say that the post elections crises was the fall out of the presidential election may not be far from the truth.

   What is however painful and worrisome is the fact that some leaders and stakeholders will sit and arrogate to themselves power to direct feeble and idle minds to cause mayhem because election result does not favour them.

  A critical appraisal of the post election violence in Bauchi and other Northern state of the country in this last election will therefore reveal that many stakeholders abdicated their responsibilities.

   For instance, what will any one say had been the pre and post election security measures put in place to forestall such crises.

  It is clear base on the forgoing that proactive measures were not adequately put in place or else the crisis will not have degenerated to that magnitude of loosing ten hapless innocent and unarmed corps members to the sheer wickedness of people who perhaps may have benefitted one way or the other from the services of the same corps members.

    By this painful and untimely death, their families have lost promising sons, and the Nation has equally lost rising stars.

It is  most painful that the North east zones of the country where the atrocity occurred mostly have the highest percentages of children who are out or never attended school in this jet and digital age.

 Findings of last year’s Nigeria education Data survey presented by the National population commission commemorating the national launch of  Nigeria Digest of education statistics two thousand and six to two thousand and  ten have confirmed this ugly development.

   Since Education is light, the absence of it among future leaders will continue to lead and nurture them into anything but evil against their fellow beings or against the state.

Leaders from this zone must bury their head in shame rather than encourage and provide the necessary wherewithal’s and fertile environment for this idle young minds to go to school, their preoccupation have always been to remain tin gods and be heros  worshipped by these talakawas. This Neo colonialism and modern day must not be allowed to continue.

   For now and even any other time in future, there is no alternative to education because with it, people could liberate themselves from bondage and enjoy freedom in numerous ways.

    The fall out of the presidential election which resulted in the avoidable killings of the corps members certainly could be attributed to the absence of enlightenment or good  education among those concerned.

   This is a new era and all efforts must be put in place to ensure that the people, particularly young boys and girls go to school to become responsible future citizens and leaders  and not those who will at the slightest prompting, kill their fellow human beings on the overt or covert directive of their leaders.

   For electoral violence to be fully combated in Nigeria, all recommendations of the shiek learn commission of inquiring must not be swept under the carpet like other ones before it, violence  does not and will never pay. Write up by Barth Ademu , a public commentator based in lokoja , kogi state.

KOGI YOUTHS

 Youths in Kogi state have been urged to be in the vanguard for development.

 The speaker of the state house of assembly , Alhaji Bello Abdullahi gave the advice at the formal inauguration of the advisory council for Echocho/Obembe ticket organised by the united youth volunteers service group lokoja.

 Alhaji  Bello who said the youth volunteers group are champion of good governance, noted that they should not allow their movement to be jeopardised to enable them contribute meaningfully to the development of their fatherland.

  He pointed out that as  agents of change for good governance, their focus should be on building on a virile democracy at the grassroots, saying that forthcoming gubernatorial election is a collective responsibility of all stakeholder in the state.

    Earlier , the chairman organizing committee of the programme, comrade Alpha Ebune called on the people of like mind to join hands with the group to actualize its dream.

WATER WAYS

   The managing director and chief executive of the National Inland Water ways Authority, Alhaji Ahmed Yar’Adua says the Headquarters  of the organization in lokoja is not misplaced.

   Alhaji Yar’Adua made the assertion while answering questions on the radio kogi programme ‘’My stewardship”.

  Alhaji Yar’Adua said the people of the state are enjoying the maximum benefit of the organisation, adding that it has added value to their lives.

WAGE SHOW DOWN( LABOUR)

President of the Nigerian labour congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Umar has told state governments and employers of labour in the private sector to pay new national minimum wage which has been signed into law by president  Goodluck Jonathan.

  The president of the labour congress, made the call at the constitution review conference organised by members of the Anambra state chapter of the Radio, Television and Theatre Art workers Union in Awka.

  Comrade Umar urged State governors in the federation to begin the process of paying the wage to their employees.

  He wondered why governors are slow in paying the minimum wage, saying the NLC and government negotiators took over one year to arrive at the amount.

FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LOKOJA

The people of Kogi have been called upon to give necessary support to the vice chancellor of the Federal university, Lokoja.

The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kaduna, Bishop  Idowu Fearon made the call at a reception and award ceremony organised by the Lokoja Forum of Patroits in honour of the vice chancellor, Professor Abdumumini Rafindadi and the registrar , Mrs. Habiba Adeiza in Lokoja.

Bishop Idowu Fearon who described the appointment of the vice chancellor as divine, expressed appreciation to president Goodluck  Jonathan for the choice of professor Abdulmumini Rafindadi.

Responding, the vice chancellor of the university , professor Abdulmumini Rafindadi expressed

Gratitude the body, the people of lokoja and the state government for their support for ensuring the

Smooth take off of the university in the state.

 KOGI WIRELESS CONNECTION

The kogi state Executive council has approved a state wide wireless connectivity project ,pointing  

 out that a private firm has been designated to forward proposal for the project.

Professor Baba announced plans by governor to renovate the  Stella Obasanjo Library complex to

become an education resort centre.

FCE OKENE

The federal college of Education okene is to commence it degree awarding programme soon, in a

 Statement in lokoja  a member of the institution senior officer dropped the hint and that all other

Paper work  was  at an advance stage.

VISIT

Members of the Internet publishing and broadcast media recently paid a courtesy call on the former

managing Director  of Radio Kogi Lokoja Alhaji Abu Onaji. The delegation  which was led by the

delegation which was led by the coordinator  Hussein Abu onaji express gratitude to the veteran journalist for receiving them and praised him on

his contribution to the writing profession in Nigeria.koginwesforum@www.facebook.com