On ISIS: World At War!

An ISIS execution. Unfortunately, this is not a scene from a movie!

I think the world needs to take a stronger stand on ISIS.

And not just ISIS. I think the world needs to take a stronger stand on ISIS, Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab, Boko Haram, and the many other terrorist organizations that seek to take away our freedom and return us to the dark ages.

It is not enough to ‘contain’ ISIS or any terrorist organization; they have shown what they can do despite being ‘contained’. Terrorists have no interest in cohabiting peacefully with the rest of the world. They have attacked men, women, and children regardless of ethnicity or religion, and have committed heinous crimes against humanity.

Terrorists should not be contained; they should be eliminated.

#PrayForParis

The Paris attacks were deadly! At least 153 people dead, and lots more wounded. I am heart broken beyond measure, and greatly saddened by this turn of events.

I saw on CNN that ISIS set up a celebratory hashtag on Twitter, and I am shocked even more. What kind of human celebrates terrorist attacks on another human? Is this how divided a planet we have become?

It is unfortunate that the world has allowed the situation with ISIS in Syria to degenerate this far, but firm steps need to be taken quickly. Strengthening national borders is not enough - ISIS will continue to leverage disgruntled citizens for their crazy purposes.

I'm all for Russia's approach to resolving the Syrian conflict and comprehensively dealing with ISIS.

May God be with the friends and family of the 153+ people who lost their lives yesterday.

PS: ISIS did not yet claim responsibility at the time of writing this.

My Problem With 'Church' (1/X)

I decided to write this during a discussion with friends yesterday. I know I cannot exhaustively cover the many things I would like to see different in ‘church’ in one post, but I am not willing to commit to a series exploring the subject. Hence I have decided to make this one out of ‘x’ posts; I may, or may not, write other posts – and if I do, I may not write them any time soon.

I have used ‘church’ loosely, to mean different things in different contexts.

Here we go.

Terror in Nigeria's Food Basket

You may have noticed that onions, tomatoes, and yams have steadily become more expensive over the past two years. Prices have risen between 225% and 360% since 2013, well ahead of the official inflation rate. The brilliant folks at SBMorgen have dug deep into the situation, and released a report about ongoing crisis in the Middle Belt.

So far in 2015, 2000 people have reportedly been killed in the ongoing crisis in the Middle Belt, a number that rivals annual deaths due to the Boko Haram insurgency. Thousands of people have been displaced, and some farmers have not harvested their fields since 2006!!!

"The picture that our research painted is a grim one, of methodical violence by herdsmen against host communities, and steadily advancing southwards; and of herdsmen facing increasing violence from cattle-rustlers, coupled with a decline in grazing resources. Attitudes towards the Fulani are hardening, and there is evidence of a slow loss of confidence in the ability of the security forces to keep law and order. Both the host communities and the herdsmen have been neglected by the government and have been reduced to self-help." - SBMorgen.

"During a visit to the tomato depot in Ketu, we observed that the prices of tomatoes have increased by at least 225 per cent in the last two years, and in some cases, as high as 360 per cent. The variation in the prices during that time frame can only be described as shocking. A small basket of tomatoes roughly 3kg), which used to sell for between N5,000 and N6,000 in 2013, now sells for N18,000. The big basket (roughly 15kg), which was sold for N12,000 now costs between N26,000 and N27,000 depending on one's bargaining power." - SBMorgen.

The Middle Belt is the food basket of the nation, and food prices will continue to rise if the long-lived tussle between nomadic cattle herders and farmers is not addressed squarely and decisively. Beyond their status as the food basket, the government owes it to every Nigerian to keep them and their property safe - this in itself is the primary responsibility of a government. The large number of displaced people will continue to pose a humanitarian crisis, and provide a festering ground for future insurgencies; idle hands are often diverted to evil purposes.

You may follow the link to read SBMorgen's report on the incident. A 7-page summary of the report can be found here, and the full report (37 pages) here.

So far, the crisis in the North East has received disproportionate focus by the Federal Government. It is now time to shine a light in the direction of the Middle Belt and North Central areas. With concerted effort, Land Use reform, and an overhaul of the Agricultural Sector, we may yet turn this situation around.

A stitch in time saves nine.

What is the Nigerian Dream? (Thoughts on the Importance of a National Vision)

You may have heard of the American Dream. It has powered the aspirations of Americans for generations and fueled America’s rise to world-dominance. It unites Americans in the belief that they can achieve prosperity through hard work, regardless of social class or other limitation. Experts now argue about growing inability to achieve the Dream, but still agree it unites Americans in a shared vision of abundant possibilities.

Shared visions have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to unite people and drive countries to greatness. Neil Armstrong walked the moon in 1969 - only eight years after JFK first sold the goal to Americans. Singapore transformed rapidly under Lee Kuan Yew’s visionary leadership. My Vision, a book chronicling Dubai’s transformation from fishing settlement to foremost tourist destination, has inspired many young Nigerians.

Why then is Nigeria yet to unite behind a common goal for sustainable development and economic growth?

“We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress.” - President Muhammadu Buhari, October 1 2015. 

The President could not be righter on this one: Nigeria has not fully exploited unity of purpose! If anything, the political class has sought to divide us even more for selfish reasons. There are few things that unite Nigerians across social divides, and these things tend to be fleeting - like the Super Eagles contesting in an international tournament.

What then do we need to do?

Nigeria: Why stay here until we die?

I last wrote an Independence Day post in 2009, six years ago. In that emotional piece, I drew on experiences that had brought me to tears - from lives lost in preventable accidents to classmates who had dropped out of school, ending it with a call to act for a better standard of life for the average Nigerian.

In the six years since then, I have started multiple essays but not completed any. Confronted with the magnitude of the challenges we face as a nation, I chose instead to focus on doing what little I could in my own corner. Tonight however, I feel strongly compelled to share the following thoughts. I will adopt the framework and text used by Olusegun Adeniyi, chair of the ThisDay newspaper editorial board and spokesman to former president Musa Yar'Adua, at The Platform earlier today.

3Now there were four men with leprosy^d at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.” - 2nd Kings 7, NIV.

This story from the Bible describes a time of war and famine in Samaria. The King of Aram had besieged Samaria, and food was so scarce that mothers ate their children. It was a bleak situation for the Samarians. They had no choice but to wait it out and hope to defeat the Arameans in battle, or die slowly of hunger after all the young and weak were eaten. Then four men at the city gates, lepers, asked a question that changed everything.

Random Thoughts: On Indiscipline in Nigeria

If indiscipline were human, it would probably be Nigerian. It lives here already.

You see it when bus drivers park indiscriminately on the right lane to pick and discharge passengers, slowing traffic to a crawl as all other drivers are forced to make do with one lane.

You see it when people glance down long queues at banks, airports, or even places of worship - then head straight to the front.

You see it when citizens make unsafe highway crossings right under pedestrian bridges, endangering their entire lives to save a few minutes.

You see it when people openly demand bribes, gifts, and 'settlement' before they do the jobs they are already paid to do.

You see it everywhere, if you look well enough.

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Slowly but surely, indiscipline has become the norm here. People are applauded as 'smart' for gaming the system; those who comply with rules are derided as 'dumb'. It is worrisome, and I don't think we should continue like this. There is a lot more we could achieve as a nation, and our overall quality of life would definitely be better for it, if we would be more disciplined.

Seeing as we lack the power to wave a magic wand and change everyone at once, what can you and I do?

First - we can role-model disciplined behaviour. Use pedestrian bridges. Join queues. Do your job without requesting kickbacks. Treat other citizens respectfully. Drive responsibly. Be disciplined! Show people that things can be done without breaking the law.

Bottoms-up change in a society like ours where indiscipline is strongly entrenched is going to be very slow and exceedingly difficult, but it can be done. Of course, things will move along much faster with a few targeted top-down initiatives (like a modernized War Against Indiscipline and an impartial war on corruption).

Two - speak up for disciplined behaviour, and against indisciplined behaviour. Recognize and compliment people who respect the rules and conduct themselves in an orderly manner. Speak up when people don't. You don't have to be aggressive. Gauge the situation, and speak up calmly and respectfully. If you sense you might be in any danger, then just let it slide.

We can make a better nation, together.

Cheers.

Birthday Report: Mind Blown, Thank You!

Yesterday was amazing.

Without doubt, this was my best birthday yet! I stepped into the day excited, looking forward to a good day; I got a great day! I returned home wishing my birthday could last 48 hours so I could experience all the excitement, joy, and celebration again! I can't believe I have to wait another 365 days before it's my birthday again.

I am reminded that God has blessed me with amazing relationships, in my family and with my friends. I appreciate everyone who helped me feel special and loved yesterday. Special thanks to Busola, who made me a cake so lovely I did not want to cut it, went the extra mile to surprise me at the office, and gave me gifts of the variety one keeps for a lifetime. I appreciate my siblings and parents; there is nothing like celebrating your birthday with the people who have always known you.

Who conducts their own birthday song? Me - of course :)

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

I’m starting with this picture because I think it is funny. Foluso Ajayi dug it up yesterday, and my Facebook friends seem to think it is funny too. I’m doing a few things in this picture I’ll most likely never do again: striking a hilarious pose, wearing green ‘canvas’, and generally trying hard to look like an Ibadan boy. Apart from highlighting how much I have grown, this picture does not contribute further to this post.

This picture was taken about a year after the first. I had gone up the Old Buka hill at the Obafemi Awolowo University with friends, and I was the designated photographer. I’m not sure what I was thinking when I took it, but I am glad I did. It is one of my favourite pictures of myself. It reminds me of a time that sometimes seems far away, a time when I had few worries, even fewer fears, and when I genuinely believed I could help heal the world.

Transform Your Effectiveness: Tying Up Loose Ends (4/4)

It’s been four weeks since the first post in this series. I struggled to decide which to start with between ‘Eating Healthy’ and ‘Planning’, but chose ‘Eating Healthy’ after concluding the best plans cannot be executed by a sick body. I then shared in the third post how the best plans don’t amount to anything if they’re not excellently executed.

In closing the series today, I intend to tie up some loose ends and answer some of the questions I was asked. For readers who seek a more comprehensive discourse, I strongly recommend the following two books: ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ by Stephen Covey, and ‘Getting Things Done’ by David Allen.

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Why ‘effectiveness’, instead of ‘efficiency’ or ‘productivity’? These words are similar, but mean slightly different things. Productivity and efficiency define the production of results with minimal waste, but do not measure if these results are the intended ones; effectiveness does. I have spent days analysing data, identifying patterns, and drawing conclusions – to later find that I misunderstood the original requests or business needs. I was productive and probably efficient, but was I effective? No.

I chose ‘effectiveness’ because it incorporates an understanding and alignment of what is really important. Alignment, a clear understanding of the objectives, is really important in the context of work.