Presidential Election 2019 – Matters Arising

Credit: Blueprint.ng

Presidential, Senate and House of Representatives election has come and gone. Nigerians indeed have decided. Yes, some decided by not going to vote, the majority who voted decide by voting either PDP or APC while other decided by rigging the election, to make sure they win, because to them, winning is a do or die affair.

In Nigeria, we are good with analyzing the effects of governance, criticizing and complaining about the problem of recycling leaders that do the same old things again and again without any positive impact, but we fail over and over again to stand by the truth whenever it is our opportunity to decide who will govern us. We are so addicted to popularity, strong political structure, reigning parties, etc that we fail to look at things the other way round to see the outcome.

Kingsley Muoghalu was right when during the presidential debate, he said that the two popular parties believe that they already have Nigerians in their cage and there is no escape. Judging by the votes cast by Nigerians, it is obvious that we are so obsessed about recycled leaders and popular parties.

The fact that APC and PDP are the stronger parties doesn’t mean that our votes must go to them; they will not flog or kill us if we try somewhere else because there is freedom of choice. The majority didn’t want to vote for other parties other than APC or PDP simply because the other parties do not have a strong political structure and are not popular; therefore, they should not waste their votes on them. They already believe that those parties will lose with the lesser votes they will get. What we don’t seem to reason out is; if we that are thinking that way decide to think and act positively, we will become the majority that will give other parties a winning vote and make them popular.

We have decided, and our choice parties have rigged the election. Here we are, at the beginning of another four years of managing our long recycled leaders, if there is something I am happy about, it is because I proved that I am not in the cage of either APC or PDP, even though my choice candidate lost, at least I have shown that I can exercise my will freely. APC and PDP do not own me and they do not own Nigeria. A soldier must go and another soldier must come.

Even from the result of our votes as listed below, the final results recognized only APC and PDP. We still have a long way to go. 

Congratulations Nigeria! Long Live Nigeria! God Save Nigeria!

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Final Election Result table

STATE                                    APC                        PDP

ABIA                                      85,058                    219,698

ADAMAWA                          378,078                  410,266

AKWA IBOM                       175,429                  395,832

ANAMBRA                          33,298                    524,738

BAUCHI                               798,428                  209,313

BAYELSA                            118,821                  197,933

BENUE                                347,668                  356,817

BORNO                               836,496                  71,788

CROSS RIVER                   117,302                  295,737

DELTA                                221,292                 594,068

EBONYI                             90,726                   258,573

EDO                                   267,842                 275,691

EKITI                                 219,231                154,032

ENUGU                             54,423                  355,553

FCT                                    152,224               259,997

GOMBE                            402,961                138,484

IMO                                  140,463                 334,923

JIGAWA                           794,738                 289,895

KADUNA                        993,445                 649,612

KANO                             1,464,768             391,593

KATSINA                        1,232,133             308,056

KEBBI                             581,552                154,282

KOGI                               285,894               218,207

KWARA                          308,984               138,184

LAGOS                           580,825               448,015

NASARAWA                  289,903              283,847

NIGER                            612,371             218,052

OGUN                             281,762            194,655

ONDO                             241,769            275,901

OSUN                             347,634             337,377

OYO                               365,229             366,690

PLATEAU                      468,555            548,665

RIVERS                         150,710             473971

SOKOTO                       490,333            361,604

TARABA                       324,906            374,743

YOBE                            497,914            50,763

ZAMFARA                    438,682           125,423

TOTAL                          15,191,847      11,262,978

Copied from www.concisenews.global/2019/02/27/latest-nigeria-presidential-election-results

Valentine’s Day – A Celebration of Love or A Love Sick Day

St Valentine is a priest from Rome who was arrested after secretly marrying Christian couples who were being persecuted by Emperor Claudius II in the third century AD. Helping Christians was considered a crime as at that time and so, St Valentine was imprisoned and was later condemned to death while in jail for attempting to convert the emperor to Christianity. He was beheaded after being beaten with stones and clubs outside the Flaminian Gate.

According to a legend story, St Valentine fell in love with the jailer’s daughter while in prison and he once sent her a love letter on February 14, the day of his execution, to bid her goodbye – a letter which he autographed ‘from your Valentine’.

The feast of St Valentine of February 14 was first established in 496 by Pope Gelasius I in order to celebrate St Valentine and remember his acts of love known and unknown; from then, Valentine's Day became a commercialized event and the church decided that February 14 shall be an annual event to honour St Valentine. 

Today, Valentine’s Day has metamorphosed into a celebration of vanity. Many people, especially people of Africa have become so obsessed about Valentine’s Day that those who respect it for what it is meant for have become confused about the reason for the celebration. From the look of things, Valentine’s Day might become a tale of Sodom and Gomorrah in future.

It is not wrong that Valentine’s Day has become a funfair event, but it will be more fun if the funfair of Valentine’s Day is left strictly for married couples and those engaged to be married. On my way back home from work this year’s Valentine’s Day, I saw a young woman dressed on red running towards Shoprite, her breasts sagging; she was dragging along a child of about two years or less, who looked almost exhausted, as if the child was her mate; just to catch up with one funfair going on at polo shopping mall or whatever – what madness?

The promiscuity and obsession that now revolves around Valentine’s Day will rather mess up the psychological and emotional well-being of young people – should we not rather play safe?

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Lion Heart Movie on NETFLIX

Besides making history as the first Nigerian movie to be acquired by NETFLIX, Genevieve Nnaji’s Lion Heart has given Nollywood a new face by its theme of “Business ownership tussle”, depicted through merger and acquisition.  

If I’m not mistaken, Genevieve Nnaji directed movie, Lion Heart is the first Nollywood movie to feature transport business as a respectable and worthy to be celebrated and protected business. Some of the Nollywood movies that I happen to have watched, that featured transport business only featured it as a business of last resort or a business of the nobodys. 

Most movies rather feature and celebrate professions and businesses like medical, legal, engineering, oil and gas, manufacturing, production, etc, but not transportation, because it is not worth celebrating; but Genevieve’s Lion Heart has brought it to limelight, letting us know that transport business is also a noble venture.

Again, Lion Heart movie of Genevieve Nnaji and Co came with a different message, which is ‘managing a transport business’ and ‘dealing with business competitions’, as compared to most Nollywood movies that send across messages of crime, cultism, witchcraft, love and vengeance.

What thrilled me in the movie, Lion Heart is that Adaeze (Genevieve Nnaji) being a woman, was the one who greatly desired to run her father’s transport business and longed to take over from her father. She showed so much passion to keep their transport business alive – a business considered tough, and ought to be managed by a red eyed man, because majority of its workforce are wild.

More so, I enjoyed the code switching and code mixing in Lion Heart movie. It was wrapped up in English and Igbo languages, including little of Hausa. 

Lion Heart movie will not be celebrated without other wonderful castes like Pete Edochie, Nkem Owoh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Onyeka Onwenu, Kanayo O. kanayo, Kalu Ikeagwu, Chika Okpala, Peter Okoye, etc. When Nkem Owoh, who played the role of Adaeze’s uncle in’ Lion Heart’ suddenly appeared in the movie, I thought he has come to play a fast one on Adaeze and her father, but I was wrong; he was good this time.

The featuring of one of the biggest transport company in Nigeria, Peace Mass Transit (PMT) also made Lion Heart movie unique. One of the scenes of Lion Heart movie took place in a Peace Mass Transit Park, Holy Ghost Round about, Enugu, and it made the movie look so real. Another unique message of the movie, Lion Heart, which is unity in diversity, is what I will not forget in a hurry.

Ideal Olive congratulates Genevieve Nnaji and her team; Pete Edochie, Nkem Owoh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Onyeka Onwenu, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Kalu Ikeagwu, Chika Okpala, Peter Okoye, etc. for a job well done. Genevieve’s lion heart has indeed taken Nollywood to the international playground through NETFLIX.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Oby Ezekwesili Withdraws from Presidential Race

Oby Ezekwesili’s withdrawal from 2019 presidential race barely five days after proving her worth to Nigerians during the presidential debate has continued to stir dust in Nigeria through the social media.

Ezekwesili in her statement said she stepped aside from the presidential race to help build a coalition to defeat the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party in the February 16, 2019 election, and after extensive discussions with Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora.

African politics is characterized by fairy tales and we have become used to political dramas that we now accept things the way we see or hear about them, even when they are nothing but fallacies. It has become difficult for so many people to decipher the truth; on the other hand, so many people twist the truth they know, just to suit their selfish desires.

People withdraw from politics for so many reasons; probably because they want to acquire knowledge and skills for a set time to run, or they were threatened to withdraw from the race by the principalities and powers that be (we are not referring to the unseen forces or evil spirits but the forces and power hijackers that we see and talk to), or they want to give their votes to their most preferred co contestant, or they were paid off.

It is not advisable for us to spread rumours when a political aspirant withdraws from political race if we are not sure of their reasons, or if we think their reasons are not good enough, because we might be wrong.  Oby Ezekwesili have stated her reasons, let us accept it and watch as the drama unfolds.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

2019 Presidential Debate

Five Presidential aspirants, President Buhari of the ruling APC, Atiku Abubarkar of PDP, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili of ACPN, Mr Durotoye of ANNP and Mr Kingsley Moghalu of YPP were invited for the presidential debate organized by the Nigerian Election Debate Group (NEDG) and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) on January 19, 2019 but only the candidates from ACPN, ANNP and YPP honored the invitation and participated to the admiration of Nigerians that watched the debate.

We see no reason why Buhari of the ruling APC did not at least honour Nigerians at a time when Nigerians want to hear his plans and programmes for Nigerians, and to answer most of the puzzling questions troubling Nigerian as a nation that he is ruling, yet, he has time and was fit for his political rallies. On the other hand, we also see no reason why his main opposition of the PDP, Mr Atiku Abubakar honoured the invitation but did not participate, to give Nigerians the honour and opportunity to know him better and his intentions. The absence of President Buhari is not an excuse for him not to participate because it is not about Buhari but about Nigerians.

The three aspirants that participated were right about the absence of the two main aspirants. According to Oby Ezekwesili; “if they cared about Nigeria, they would have come for a contest of ideas related to how Nigeria could be saved”. Durotoye on the other hand said that their absence is as a matter of pride, adding that pride goes before a fall. Kingsley Moghalu’s statement was more impressive. He said that they did not attend because they have no answers to the questions troubling Nigeria, and more importantly, he said that they believe they have caged Nigerians and Nigerians cannot do without them. In other words, whether Nigerians like it or not, they already have our votes.

However, the presidential candidates of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) Mrs Oby Ezekwesili; The Alliance for New Nigerian Party (ANNP), Mr Durotoye; and the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Mr Kingsley Moghalu have endeared themselves to Nigerians, they have made Nigerians proud by their performance. They passionately dished out their plans for Nigerians on matters regarding education, security, budget and finance, Technology, girl child protection, health, etc, if they emerge President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. People like them should be voted in to lead Nigeria but the question now is: will the negative forces and system in place allow them into such leadership position?

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Ofalla Festival of Hymns 2018

Prince Engr Arthur Eze (middle) starring at his birthday cake

Ukpo in Dunukofia LGA of Anambra State has become a centre of attraction, especially during their Ofalla Festival because of one of their illustrious son; Prince Arthur Eze, the money bag. Ukpo’s Ofalla Festival usually ends with a thanksgiving service at St Mary’s Anglican Church, Ukpo and it features different Choirs all over Nigeria, either invited or not. 

This year’s thanksgiving in Ukpo which took place on December 23^rd was unique because of one Choir from Akwa-Ibom called Real Braz Choir. Their regalia made them objects of attraction. When I first noticed them, they reminded me of Pharaoh's warriors and chariot men, and Israel’s warriors in Bible movies.

Real Braz Choir, Akwa-Ibom

Choirs have continued to multiply as each Ofalla thanksgiving comes, because Engr. Arthur Eze is a lover of music, especially Igbo Hymns, and every choir expects a reasonable amount of money after the thanksgiving, but the table seem to turn against the almost thirteen choir groups that were present this year, as they waited patiently, ears itchy and eager to hear the weight of Naira that Prince Arthur Eze will announce. However, after waiting for a looooooong time, the Choirs were dismissed with a promise that will be redeemed come 2019.

Another thing that made the Ofalla thanksgiving in Ukpo unique this year is that Engr Prince Arthur Eze and his brother, Igwe Robert Eze (Okofia VI) celebrated their 70^th and 81^st birthdays respectively.

I have been thinking, if Engr Prince Arthur Eze is one low class Engr, will he attract many people as what happens around him now? We all need money and should thrive the right way to make it; we may not be as wealthy as Arthur Eze but we ought to at least make the much that can save us from certain troubles and embarrassments that comes with poverty, and when we do make the money, we should not forget that "the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof". (Ps 24: 1-3)

Ideal Olive says: make wealth, spread wealth, help give others a push!

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Why Carol of Nine Lessons?

All Saints Anglican Church Choir, GRA, Enugu

I have celebrated Christmas for many years now and ought not to act freaky as it approach every other year but no, because to me every Christmas comes with a sense of renewal and enthusiasm. Carol of Nine Lessons is one charming event that makes me fall in love with Christmas over again whenever it comes. Only recently did I reminiscence on what Carol of Nine Lessons is all about and how it all began.

Carol of Nine Lessons was first celebrated in 1918 by Kings College Choir at King's College , broadcast by Radio in 1928 and was first televised in 1954. It then spread to other places in the UK and to most parts of the world; today, we celebrate Carol of Nine Lessons, to honour Jesus Christ and gladden our hearts with melodies of hope. Who is behind the long celebrated Carol of Nine Lessons? We may ask.

It was initiated by Eric Milner-White when he returned to Kings College as Dean. Before the world war, he was the Kings College Chaplain but later went to serve as an army chaplain. When he returned to King’s as Dean in 1918, his experience taught him that Church of England needed more imaginative worship. (Kings College) 

All Saints Anglican Church Choir, GRA, Enugu

Carol of Nine Lessons service comes with nine different Bible readings or lessons that tell the story of Christmas, with one or two carol songs in between each of the readings. Carol of Nine Lessons will forever be a wonderful event because of some wonderful artistes like, Cecil Frances Alexander and Henry John Gauntlet; the brains behind “once in Royal Davids City”, George Friedrich Handel; the brain behind “O thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion”, Michael Perry; the brain behind “Calypso Carol”, etc. I have been thinking……….; how will Christmas be without the wonderful melodies they have created? They are wonderful people.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

You may also wish to read "The World of Christmas" by clicking HERE