AN OPEN LETTER TO NIGERIAN LEADERS

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To Mr. President, VP, Governors, Senators and other elected officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

AN OPEN LETTER TO NIGERIAN LEADERS

Your Excellencies,

Congratulations on your swearing in as the President, Vice President, Governor, Senator, etc.  Your victory, just like others before you brought hope to Nigerians – the hope of true democracy and good governance, devoid of selfishness, discrimination and exploitation of citizens – hope that is yet to be realized.

Pause and sniff the Stench, it's horrible!

Nigerians have suffered for many years and are still suffering due to bad governance. We have been nicknamed ‘shithole’ because any form of rubbish is allowed here without complaint or putting up a fight; ‘burial ground’ is another adjective that qualifies Nigeria – Most of you loot our money and help in developing other countries. When you or your loved ones get sick, you travel to those countries you have helped to develop because you failed to maintain and equip the hospitals in our land, but when your loved ones die, the ‘burial ground’ will receive their dead body. You send your children to foreign schools because you have helped to mess up the standard of education in our land. I can go on and on.

Its infectious, our Youths have been Infected

The worst is that our leaders, past and present have corrupted the minds of Nigerian youths – the future leaders. It’s no longer about the reward for hard work, quality service, accountability, etc, but about greed, selfishness, popularity, power, etc. Frustration and disappointment have eaten up many destinies. Tell me, if these things don't bother you, then what? Are you not bothered about what will become of this nation when you are gone? Please don’t add to the problems already created, come up with solutions, even if that solution is to stop creating more problems.

Live and Let Live

Members of a family have their differences and so with members of the society and nation. Serve your own God and leave others to serve theirs. You have your value systems, culture, norms and traditions and so do others, so live and let live. “A brave man acknowledges the strength of others” - Veronica Roth. It is your responsibility to stop the killing of human beings by their fellow human beings and not to promote or pretend not to notice it. Nigerians cannot be fooled so please stop taking advantage of their lack of courage. “Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too – If one says no to the other, let his wing break.” – From Chinua Achebe’s collection of proverbs.

Give Nigerians a Push and Watch us Fly

You are not in that position to manipulate, humiliate and exploit others, or see those who voted for you as useful idiots – we cannot all be in a position of power, that’s why you are there, so take your position as a responsibility and privilege, and not your right. You are in that position to create an enabling environment for Nigerians to thrive; to stop multi taxation system so that youths in entrepreneurship can thrive; to develop this nation with the abundant resources God has given us, etc. You are there to encourage productivity by reducing middlemen involved in the production/distribution chain. How can a product pass through SON, MAN, CPC, NAFDAC, etc with all their demands?  In the end, a product of N100 will be valued at N2, 000. At least help the producers and consumers by assigning a group of product to one agency, so that manufacturers/producers can make enough profit after their hard work. I’m sure there are a lot of Nigerians who have something to produce but are afraid of the many hands that will squeeze them dry from inception.

If it’s not Easy, then you are not Qualified

It is not easy to lead but you can make it easy for yourself by choosing the right people to work with – not those that only sing your praises, but those that applaud and also criticize you – those that tell you what you know is the truth. I know that in every twelve, there is always a Judas but the peace of mind which only you can seek out will help you coordinate yourself enough to identify and handle the Judases the way they should be handled. God has placed Nigerians, its states and zones in your care and what you do with them will define you, not only in Nigeria but the entire world.

Why Program our Reasoning for Perfect Crimes? 

No one is perfect. Yes. Why is it easy to say that no one is perfect, yet, we commit crime and perpetuate injustice perfectly? Instead of wasting your intelligence on crime and injustice – oppressing people, siphoning public funds for your selfish gains, etc, I advise you to channel that wisdom and intelligence to meet the needs of the public, which is the reason why you are in power.

A Good Name is Better; Not so?

The wounds inflicted on Nigerians by the past and present administrations will take time to heal and even when it heals, the deeds, acts of irresponsibility and grave misconducts of the past and present leaders will remain in the records as history - even the power of oratory and favour buying will not be able to rewrite the ugly history of most of you that parade as leaders.

Was it not said that a good name is better than silver and gold? Does it cost much to have a good name? What will it profit you to gain the whole of Nigeria and have your name and image rubbished in the eyes of the majority?

Heroes do what others have not done. Why not be a hero and write your name in the hearts of Nigerians, then watch them willingly decorate Nigeria choice places with your image. Is that too much to wish for?

What’s Happy about Democracy Day?

I cannot pretend to say happy democracy day when in the actual sense there is cold war and many people are dying in silence. May God give you the needed wisdom and intelligence to govern Nigerians!

Respectfully yours,

Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Idealolive.blogspot.com.ng      

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice (1Sam. 15:22b)

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This is a familiar topic, and as most of us know, it originated as a result of Saul’s disobedience to God. Some of us know the story; and also know the meaning of obedience, and sacrifice based on the story. But I must admit that in our activities, we tend to sacrifice this truth on the altar of pretense and ignorance.

Saul’s Disobedience

The entire chapter 15 of 1 Samuel that explains this topic points out that:

1.      God told Saul through Prophet Samuel to go and destroy the Amalekites and all that they own.

2.    Paul went and destroyed the Amalekites but spared their King and the best of their animals (an act of disobedience to God)

3.     When Samuel confronted King Saul, his reason for disobedience was that the plunder are to be sacrificed to God at Gilgal

4.     When Samuel told King Saul a piece of God’s mind, King Saul confessed the real reason for his disobedience – he was afraid of the people and so he gave in to what they want, he wanted the approval of people rather than the approval of God.

King Saul had heard the word of the Lord but thought he had a better idea. He was aware of what he was doing yet he went ahead to disobey God and wanted to use sacrifice as a defense mechanism. But the question is: Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

We cannot buy God

When we make sacrifices to God, we kind of see it as a way of buying whatever we want to get from God according to our needs which could be child, husband, wealth, etc. This makes us think that He owes us, so we sit and wait for what we ordered from God to arrive.

Then, before the birth of Jesus Christ, they used Peace offering, Burnt offering, the Sin-offering, Tithes, Duties, etc to appease God.  But in the present, it is First fruit, Thanksgiving, Vow, Tithes, etc. There is nothing wrong with offerings but they are not God’s priority. To God, obedience is better than sacrifice. God's salvation is freely given to us by our obedience to the lordship of Jesus Christ, not through our sacrifice.

We are as guilty as King Saul

We have many King Saul today in our worship centers. People who engage in fetish activities to destroy their fellow human beings, yet go to church with fat offerings, People who steal public funds, yet donate for church buildings, people who bear grudges and work against their fellow human beings as an act of jealousy, yet they sing cheering praises, serve in the prayer group or other church activities, people who refuse to work hard for God to bless the works of their hands but pray away their time, expecting God to release magical money, car, house, etc. Such people are all King Saul who thinks they can bribe God and cut corners to receive salvation and blessings. God is not a merchandise, He cannot be bought and He cannot be sold.

God is not interested and cannot be appeased by the magnificent cathedrals and churches we build; he is interested in the souls of men. Those cathedrals and church buildings shall be useless to Him if the worshippers are headed to hell. There is no short cut to total submission/obedience to God; we cannot bribe Him.

Just like King Saul, some men of God pretend to be interested in the souls of politicians and wealthy men; they become diplomatic in administering the Word of salvation to them when they are present; with the excuse that they may chase them away from the house of God if they try to use the gospel of salvation to appeal to their conscience; But in the actual sense, they don’t want them to go with their money. 

The Sacrifice of Obedience

The best sacrifice we can offer God is the sacrifice of our body and soul - to live a holy and righteous life; such a sacrifice is an act of worship to the Lord.  In 1 Peter 2:9, it is written, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; It is also written in Romans 12: 1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

We are worthless before God when we try to appease Him with material things knowing that he owns the world and everything in it. It is written in Mathew 5: 23 and 24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift". Sacrifice flows out of obedience. A sacrifice that does not flow out of obedience is disobedience and is not pleasing to the Lord. God will appreciate our offerings and tithe when we come to Him with a clean heart.

Religion is not Obedience to God

Some of us are so religious that most times, we tend to confuse obedience to God with our religious rituals like attending all church activities, serving in the church, following the order of service, observing the holy days, etc. It is written in Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace, you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” We can’t earn or work our way into Heaven.

Conclusion

This is a challenging topic and I hope that after reading, not only ourselves but people around us will feel the impact and learn to choose obedience to God rather than empty sacrifices.                                                             

Regina Daniels Alleged Marriage to Ned Nwoko

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A lot has been rumored and said about Regina Daniels, a 19 years old Nollywood actress since her intentions to marry a 59 years old billionaire Ned Nwoko was made public until their alleged marriage. So many things have been going on in my mind since it became clear that she has made up her mind to marry a man forty years older. What does she really want? If she were an older lady the gossip would have been that age is no longer on her side and that is why she chose to become a sixth wife to a 59 years old man; people will like: eyaah! She has no choice than be the sixth wife – only a few people will think otherwise. In Regina Daniel’s case, all rumors point to her desire for wealth and material things – human desires really differ; and I can say that some of those desires are really complicated and unbelievable.

On second thought, some people are selfish, beasts without conscience, shameless, and what you can think of. I keep wondering why a 59 years old man will have the heart to waste the life of a teenager by going ahead to marry her as a sixth wife just because he can offer her all that she craves for. Regina Daniels is well exposed to know what is right and wrong, yes. At her age, I don’t even know half of what she knows now because of her exposure. But Ned Nwoko knows better what damage he is doing to Regina Daniels, yet, he is bent on satisfying his selfish desires.

Whatever her reason is, it is no one’s business because she is already in and enjoying the moments, in her right mind or not. What should really be our business is to fight immorality, corruption, and evil laws in Nigeria that enslave us instead of enriching us. I love this post from a local source by Georgina Onuoha about Regina Daniels and her choice in marriage.

“No one has made you nor I a judge over her or her decisions even though my name is Georgina and not Regina. The last time I checked, I did not go to a law school neither was I appointed a judge.  It’s her life, her business and her propagative.

When those before her are busy flaunting private jet and fake plastic ass, most of you did not cry wolf.

She has made her choice with the endorsement of her mother behind her to be a teen bride or adult bride, so let her be.

Most of her senior colleagues are busy sleeping with old politicians, pastors , fly to Dubai to sleep with old wrinkled Arabic men and married men and you all go hail them as slay queens. You endorse bad behavior as hard work.

Islam permits more wives and she has made her choice. While I don’t and will never endorse teen marriage as a parent and mother, I wish her the best of luck in all her endeavors.

In my days, some followed yahoo and 419 boys for extra stretch limousines, where are they today? Some teen brides have gone on to make something out of themselves by pursuing academics.

What is morally corrupt is the Nigerian society that celebrates immorality and goes agog with it with impunity.  So please, don’t DM me or tag me on such nonsense. Her life and choice.

I don’t pay her bills and will encourage her to equally pursue education regardless. So please people address the problems facing our nation and let Regina deal with her private life”.

If you dm me again I will block you. I am neither her mother nor judge. Let her Be. Let’s encourage education, empowerment of our youths.  Books not boobs, Pens and not penis for young girls and boys. So before you tear her down, go tear down all the slay queens you hail and criminal politicians you revere and shameless pastors you worship. Regina is not your problem. Your corrupt politicians are your problems.

Mothering Sunday – Celebration of Motherhood

Mothering Sunday at All Saints Anglican Church, GRA, Enugu

“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” —Lin Yutang

“[Motherhood is] the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It’s huge and scary—it’s an act of infinite optimism.” —Gilda Radner

“I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is.” —Oprah Winfrey

We can go on and on to dish out quotes on motherhood; that’s how unique mothers are.

Many years ago, women limit themselves to staying at home, doing house chores and attending to their gardens, just to make sure they are around to take care of their children. Those that worked then embraced the job of teachers and nurses; jobs that give them time to be with their children and train them properly. This explained the reason why there are more intelligent and responsible children those days.

Mothering Sunday at All Saints Anglican Church, GRA, Enugu

Today, we have career women; women who have seen that they have potentials that shouldn’t go to waste; women who have seen that the economy is too tight and that their husbands alone cannot provide all that the family needs. Rather than watch this hard life mess up their children, these career women had to sacrifice the precious time with their children to take up all manner of jobs to make ends meet. The result of that sacrifice as we can see today are children that sniff or take all manner of hard drugs, children with sagging trousers and bra, etc.

I wish that mothers with little children will be allowed to dismiss earlier enough from their workplaces so that they can spend time with their children and train them properly; this will go a long way to reducing many ills of the society. It's just so unfortunate that wishes were not horses that beggars will ride easily. Mothers deserve to be celebrated; this is not to discredit fathers but mothers have all it takes to give the society a better face.

Ideal Olive celebrates mothers all over the world.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Success Adegor Video: Help a Child and Trend

                                                             

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A girl of about 7 or 8 named Success Adegor, a pupil of Okotie Eboh Primary School II has attracted media presence to herself because of her so-called stubbornness and zeal for school. When interviewed by the person who published her on social media, she complained that she was chased from school for not paying school fees.

From her video that has gone viral, one could feel the bitterness from her complaints. She complained that the school authorities should have flogged her and let her stay in school instead of sending her home since she will still pay the fees eventually. She really poured out her heart to show how she felt by her demonstrations while adding that if they had flogged her, they would be the ones to get tired.

I will rather say that her stubbornness is constructive because it attracted first the person that wanted so badly to know why she is ranting, then that person interviewed and published her on social media. Ever since, she has attracted favour to her family and school, apart from her media presence. So many individuals have taken up the responsibility of paying her fees while government representatives have gone to check out the state her school, which is in a mess. Our take on this is that any kind of stubbornness that does not attract good fortune should be done away with.

The problem here now is that we so much love popularity. Since someone has initially promised to sponsor her or pay up her school fees, others should please focus on other children around them who are suffering the same fate. Everybody must not pay Success' school fees and sponsor her all the way to university, it will be too much for one child when there are other children going through the same thing. We shouldn't help because that help will make us trend or go viral; we should help because that help is needed. 

Ideal Olive applauds that person who saw her walking and ranting but did not smile or laugh and pass her by but stooped to find out why she was ranting. That is the person that helped her the most, because of Success Adegor and that person, renovation and upgrade of infrastructural facilities has begun in Delta Schools beginning with Okotie Eboh Primary School II. 

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Lagos Building Collapse: Are we really worthless?

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I felt so miserable when I read about the Lagos collapsed building as reported by a local source, especially as regards the testimony of one middle-aged woman identified as Medinat who revealed the state of the building during an interview with her. She said: "The government should come and demolish all these houses in my neighborhood; this one that collapsed, they marked it since last year but they cleaned the mark by the government and continued staying there, even the government never came back. Do you know that even this morning, this house was shedding debris before it...".

The building was marked for demolition because they knew it was a threat to human lives, yet, people wiped off the mark, ignored the warning and continued to stay there. Government agency that marked it for demolition, on the other hand, didn’t care to go back and check if their warning was effective, they didn’t go back according to the woman.

The four-story building in question containing residential buildings, a nursery and primary school as well as a shop complex on the ground floor situated at Ita Faji on the Lagos Island has collapsed, killing many people inside. According to residents and rescue workers, "the building that was very old and marked for demolition since last year came crashing after giving signs of fatigue".

Photo Credit: thisdaylive.com

Ideal Olive is asking: Are we really worthless? Why does it seem like we Nigerians have no value for our lives? I read one of the essays written by late Pius Adesanmi who died during the Boeing 737 Ethiopian Plane crash and saw how Canadian government value animals and I was as shocked as he was when he got the orientation because we are Nigerians and here in Nigerian, humans are not valued as much. 

Here is an excerpt from the essay: “I hope you all know that in Obodo Oyibo, public animals are government property. All those doves you see in Trafalgar Square or the squirrels you see on lawns, geese, ati bebelo, are all government property. Una wey dey go holiday in London from Nigeria, go to Trafalgar Square and touch a dove, that is the day you will realize that the life of a public animal is worth more to the government of obodo oyibo than your life is worth to the Nigerian government”.

Ideal Olive encourages you to patiently read the full essay below.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Raccoon Orientation for Canada-Bound Nigerians

By Pius Adesanmi

I promised I was going to get around to tell you all this story. 

Eventually.

Happened last summer – before my accident.

The jazz of all my political enemies in Nigeria finally crossed the Atlantic and caught up with me here in Ottawa. 

The trouble with Homo Occidentalis North Americanus is that as soon as he arrives within a certain income bracket that is no longer middleclass but not quite upperclass but dangerously close to upperclass, he will move far away from the city and create a new paradise he calls upscale suburbia. Swanky neigbourhoods with manicured lawns, removed from the rabble of the city. 

That is where you will find high-earning doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers, etc. If you are a Professor who negotiated a good pay when you were hired, you also tag along, buy property among them, and begin to form associate big man.

Trouble is suburbia in Canada or the US is always encroaching on the habitat of much older residents. Man steals land from these residents but cannot always predict consequences. That is why a family in Florida will return from work to an alligator chilling in their swimming pool. That is why a family in Arizona will grumble about rattle snakes all over their yard. They call animal services. Never mind that these animals have called that place home for millions of years before man put one leg on top of another leg and developed his suburbia there.

In Ottawa, if you live in the suburbia called Riverside South as I do, you have encroached on prime raccoon territory. As in Florida and Arizona, these raccoons have a way of behaving like omo onile in Lagos. Occasionally, they let you know who truly owns the land (This is where you google raccoon).

Because the jazz of my political enemies in Nigeria worked as I was saying, a family of raccoons elected residence in our roof last summer. We’d been hearing mawuru mawuru in the ceiling for months. The noise would come only at night. Tise said it was the tooth faerie. I thought it was squirrels, but we couldn’t fathom how squirrels could tear into the roof of a duplex from outside and make their way into the attic.

One day, madam called me urgently and asked me to hurry home. I arrived to a small situation in front of our home. Our otherwise very friendly neighbours had converged on our front lawn. It was quite a scene. Bloodshot eyes everywhere. No friendly faces. In upscale suburbia, we are naturally the only non-white homeowners within a certain radius so when normally friendly white neighbours converge, looking sorrowful and unfriendly, you worry.

I exited my car to behold quite a scene. Unknown to us, we had accommodated a pregnant raccoon for several weeks. Mama Raccoon eventually gave birth to six pups. On this day, she suddenly went crazy like she found a mixture of codeine, sniper, and tramadol in our attic. She began to fling her babies down on the lawn one by one. From the roof of a duplex fa.

That explained the sadness and sorrow of our neighbours. Remember, this is an animal-loving civilization. It also explained their hostility. Somehow, it must have been something we did that got that poor animal so crazy that she began to murder her own kids. Everybody was looking at us one kain, like, what have you guys done now?

The only analogy for you in Nigeria is if your home was invaded by destructive giant rats. You’d tried everything from traps to rat poison. Then, one day, Mama Rat begins to miraculously kill her own children before your very before. Only for your neighbours to gather around sorrowfully because those awesome baby animals are dying. Only for them to be hostile to you for not doing enough to keep the baby rats alive!

Anyway, animal services eventually arrived to rescue some of the babies that had not yet died. Come and see interrogation! Even Tise did not escape questioning! Are you guys perhaps a little noisy in the house? What time do you all normally sleep? 

Nigerians, believe you me, Oyinbo was trying to determine if we did something to cause the postpartum depression of Mama Raccoon, which led her to killing her babies!! They began to explain the characteristics of raccoons to us. How it was still too early for her to bring her babies out, let alone fling them from the roof. There was the unsaid: you guys must have done something.

When we were eventually “acquitted”, the animal services people went into our attic to inspect. They screamed in excitement: three more babies that Mama Raccoon had yet to fling! We said: thank God. Now you can evacuate Mama Raccoon and her remaining babies.

I hope you all know that in Obodo Oyibo, public animals are government property. All those doves you see in Trafalgar Square or the squirrels you see on lawns, geese, ati bebelo, are all government property. Una wey dey go holiday in London from Nigeria, go to Trafalgar Square and touch a dove, that is the day you will realize that the life of a public animal is worth more to the government of obodo oyibo than your life is worth to the Nigerian government.

So, we asked Obodo Canada to please carry their raccoons from our ceiling. We were in for another shock. She is a nursing mother, the animal services people replied, we don’t move nursing mothers. By law, Mama Raccoon has the right to remain here and nurse her remaining babies. We will keep checking.

I have been in Obodo Oyibo for 22 years. I didn’t see that one coming. Apparently, the Raccoon had eminent domain! The best they could do for us was to come and move her at the end of the biological breeding cycle or something to that effect. With that, they entered their van and zoomed off.

I looked on in wonderment, lost in one of those na-who-send-me-come-obodo-oyibo moments that every Diasporan goes through on occasion. With which mouth am I even going to tell this sort of story to a Nigerian audience?

Then I noticed that Tise all along had had the same attitude as our Oyinbo neighbours.

Now she is glad that some Raccoon babies had survived and would not be moved.

I realized that only her parents had a problem.

I realized that we were two Nigerians raising a Canadian.

This is her country.

This is her culture.

These are her people.

These are her baby raccoons. 

I jejely borrowed myself brain and joined the little girl in rejoicing that three baby raccoons had survived.

Political Extremism: Man Dies after Drinking Drainage Water to Celebrate Buhari’s Re-election

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The death of Bala Haruna, a strong supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari in Bauchi State, who died after battling with Gastrointestinal bleeding in the hospital as a result of drinking drainage water, has continued to fly on social media.

When I learned about Bala Haruna, a strong supporter of President Buhari and his extremist tendency and resolve to spend 10 minutes inside a gutter and drink the drainage water if President Buhari wins the presidential election, I wondered if he has got a human brain. If I had seen him, I would have asked him to jump inside a pit toilet instead; to drink the dung, but on second thought, I had to conclude that some humans are not normal.

Haruna actually fulfilled his promise as he swam in a gutter and drank dirty water from it the moment Buhari was declared the winner of February 23 presidential election in the early hours of Wednesday, February 27. But the problem now is that he did not live to enjoy the rights and wrongs of President Buhari’s leadership that he sacrificed for. According to reports, Haruna was rushed to the hospital after complaining of severe abdominal pains and severe stooling of blood for two days and was diagnosed with Gastrointestinal bleeding, which was contacted from the contaminated water he drank.

A similar incident happened in 2015 when a man named Abubakar Duduwale trekked from Yola in Adamawa State to Abuja to celebrate Buhari’s victory. It was also reported that the man was admitted at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, after developing leg injury as a result of the trekking.

I have seen and heard of people who eat, drink, party or celebrate the victory of their fan politician or sports club; they don’t punish themselves to show their excitement. Consequently, if their fan loses, then they have reason to destroy lives or properties, but for someone to destroy his life to celebrate the victory of a fan, I will rather say it is way out of line. But whether it is to celebrate the victory of a fan or oppose the victory of a foe, does it worth destroying the life that God has given us? Today, Bala Haruna is making face wrinkling headlines, but inside the grave - no thanks to his suicidal stunt.

Some stories are too disgusting to be true but here we are; we have to face reality and deal with realities of life because nothing exists that God has not empowered us to handle.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi