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Those who contend for the soul of this nation, are not not resting on their oars. Underneath the obvious is an evil spiritual force fighting for the right to steal, kill and destroy the soul of this Nation. The Masters command to his disciples is not to disciple individuals, but to make disciples of Nations. God is interested in National influence and discipleship, the alignment of people groups is more important to him than the alignment of individuals. The shameless events being perpetrated by those who will stop at nothing to exert influence over this nation is disturbing, and even though we are in the season of ACTION, we are in that time as well, when we must pray. Trust me, prayer ranks high on our to do list, cause there is nobody there today to engage, nobody to walk against or publish anything about.

It’s not as if we haven’t been praying though, I only doubt if we have all been praying about the right things, I also doubt if we have the full picture about prayer. True prayer must be backed up by receiving action. Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain and for three and a half years it did not rain. It took another fervent prayer to release the clouds, before the clouds made sense he ran, he was sure that God doesn’t store prayers. When Jesus decreed about the fig tree, it wasn’t go and come back, it dried up!  The true measure of prayer power is not length, it’s function. Today is not the day of diplomacy or standing in the middle, today is the day to take a prayer stand, backed up with the willingness to surrender ourselves to the process of answered prayers. Please circulate this far and wide, this is prayer with ultimatum, this is the time where we back up our prayers with oaths and a fast until our eyes see that which our soul desires. Here are the prayer points. Continue Reading »

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends”- Martin Luther King

The Lagos version of the Abuja walk by the Save Nigeria Group titled, “Enough is Enough” is taking place today at 10am. We’ll be moving from Arch Bishop Vinning Memorial Church to the Government house in Alausa. Our message has not changed, we are marching in peaceful protest against the current issues which stem from the same root -lack of good governance! Ever so often the intellectuals want to ask -why are you walking? Will this walk achieve anything? Are there no other risk free things that can be done? Is there a hidden agenda?  Intellectuals love to ask questions, and thankfully, I’m not un-intellectual as well, so I can answer what I can.

Yesterday was quite a full day for me, it was a day in which many things simply came to a head. I had deliberately refused to comment on a number of issues for a while, hoping that in the period of my silence things will bounce back to normalsy. The more the days pass however, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that we are approaching a failed state. Optimism is good, if it is bound at the bottom by reality, at the top by faith and at the sides by work. Baseless optimism is a cancer, it’s false hope and mere lies.

Rather than confront our issues and do what we need to do to save our nation from a head on collision course with failure, we tell ourselves it’s all going to be well, God will do it, we make God out to be our slave. In the face of unconstitutional behaviour, in the face of  televised dishonesty, of forgeries at the highest levels, of being labelled as terrorists, of no power at home and a vacuum in the seat of power, the elite in Nigeria have not heard the drums of war. We pacify ourselves with phrases that show that even if we lose all, we still have something. We are voiceless in our own country, slaves where we should have been princes, our young sons and daughters flee from our shores preferring to be slaves abroad than at home, and our elders have nostalgic memories of when they were slaves to colonial masters. This house is falling, and those who exercise the power of faith limit it to their words and are slow to back it up with action.  My brothers and sisters, if we continue to fold our hands we will soon have them cuffed. History is replete with trends we can learn from, the distance between our current state and people seeking refuge in other nations as refugee is not as far as we have been deluded to think. The time to have a stand and stand for it is now! Continue Reading »

We are in exciting times! We are the times when history is being made and documented. We are in one of the best times in the world to be alive. Time has never been so fast, technology never so advanced and the world never felt so small! It’s a great time to be born, and a great time to be alive!

I know that what you are reading might sound contrary to your present experience, I know that there is a lot going on right now that make it all look like there is nothing good in sight. With bank chiefs losing their jobs and their rights to walk as free men – you might wonder who is free. With so many of our applauded wealthy men neck deep in non-performing loans – you might wonder who is rich. With our elected political office holders telling us to go and form our own country, it all looks bleak and hopeless.  The headlines these days are sensational, the big ark Nigeria seems rocked by the storms. With all these happening all around you however, it takes special revelation to know that we are right now, in the midst of GREAT times! Continue Reading »

It’s 2am and I’ve never caught myself so drained and saddened by what I see Nigeria gradually decaying into. When I close my eyes, I see the Nigeria of my dream, the Nigeria where candle lights are remembered only as instruments for romantic dinners and not alternative sources of light, a Nigeria where my son grows up not to know what a generator is. A Nigeria where even when it rains, we know when we are at the beach and when we are on the road. When I close my eyes I see the most desirable nation on earth, but these days, that it’s 2am and my eyes are still open, the realities that my eyes see in the 20 plus hours that I am awake are making it difficult to hold the dream of less than 4 hours.

My clarion call goes to all able bodied Nigerians above the age of 18!  My clarion call goes to the criminally silent enlightened elites! My call goes to the spiritual leaders who exist as islands of prosperity in a poverty stricken country! My call beackons to churches who find nothing missing in the rate at which manufacturing companies are closing to provide them with warehouses to store the hopeful souls of irresponsible citizens! My call goes to all who are comfortable in Nigeria, who have done well for themselves and don’t think long enough to know that the society that is unelightened will ultimately burn their houses. My call goes to you and I, who have been more accustomed to talking than doing, who have lofty ideas, puritan ideals and score woefully in political participation. My clarion call goes to all who think themselves too clean, too sacred, too neutral or too important to be involved in the polity of our nation. My call goes to you in diaspora, you who know the answers but remain dislocated from the questions! My call goes to all of you, we need all of you. We are bashed as a nation, buttered with shame on both sides, but our ego is intact and incorruptible. We’ve been too proud to beg, I beg you all, let’s come to our rescue, before this titanic collides with the sure iceberg ahead and doubtless sinks! Continue Reading »

“The Future Started yesterday, we are already late” – John Legend

At the political round table meeting yesterday, my confidence was multiplied by 100 on the fact that come 2011 we can actually ensure that our preferred candidates win more than 60% of all the political offices in Nigeria including the very important positions. I had been motivated by optimism and passion in the past, but now I know behond doubt that we can make change happen in Nigeria! I used to think that if we fight, we may lose, but if we don’t we have already lost. Now however, I know with confidence in my heart that we actually have a good chance of not only fighting, but winning!

I am not a political strategist, I’m a patriotic and visionary Nigerian who had always prefered to be neutral, be non political and not partisan. Just face my business and leave governance and government to those who have nothing more important to do with their lives. All that started changing recently, when I began to get serious nudgings on a regular basis that -”if it is to be, it is up to me”. I discovered very quickly that all the efforts we mustered in education, empowerment, community development, enlightement, re-orientation, sponsorships and scholarships involved too much struggle, too much effort and very little lasting effects. I and a few compatriots discovered, that to make significant difference and progress, we must be involved in the leadership of Nigeria. We must be involved in more than merely voting, we must ensure that we have a voice before the elections, and ensure that our voices cannot be silenced. Knowing all these, I was still motivated by optimistic faith and the youthful passionate belief that all things are possible. Yesterday however, our movement took on a new turn as we had a political strategist with 33yrs experience join our team. This man’s experience was inspiring, haven led two presidential candidate campaigns successfully, led a few State government campaigns and delivered several local governments to power. From yesterday, we ceased operating on zeal, belief, energy and thoughts, our gears have shifted to practical strategies, reapplication of things that have worked in the past, an indept understanding of the current systems and the only ways to beat them. Continue Reading »

“Advertorial – An Alliance for Progress meeting on behalf of Prof. Pat Utomi, would be holding at Golden Gates on the 10th of July, 2009. It’s a fundraising dinner organized for all who have interest in electoral reforms, and practical solutions to ensuring that the people we vote for in 2011 and beyond win! If you are interested in being a part of this dinner with the greats, the entry ticket is N25,000 and N10,000 for young professionals. For more details email : joshua.olaomi@newnigeriaclub.net”

Sitting beside the intensive care unit of the hospital in Ilorin where my mother was before she finally transited to glory, gave me a shocking realization. Every time power shuts down, some lives are endangered. I noticed with amazement that even my mother who was in the most funded section of the hospital regularly had her existence dependent on a UPS. The UPS was no different from the small ones supporting a personal computer. My mind wandered back easily to the road accidents that I have seen on my road travels over the past few weeks, and to the other thousands of lives lost uncelebrated. It is real, that we are losing people who ought to be alive daily in this country. And no, we are not to blame, it’s all the fault of the government, isn’t it? I’m here today to show you that our enemies are closer home than the government. In the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the lord!

Everybody who has the capacity to lead us, who has the potential to be voted for, who is a leader and has earned the trust and respect of people in this nation, has committed a great offense. Our negligence has put the wrong people in power, made our hospitals unequipped, left our roads as deathtraps, and have assisted in killing, murdering and sentencing many young talents and future leaders to early graves! The silence of your pastor, your CEO, your mentor and yourself is the reason for our bad roads, is the reason for the deplorable state of power in Nigeria, is responsible for poverty and the deathroll in this country. If you know how it can be better or know leaders, like we all agreed a few days ago, that can make things better and don’t position them, we have sinned! Continue Reading »

Today, I really want to welcome you into the second half of the year 2009. The match started January 1 this year and it was you vs 2009. It’s a great time to ask yourself what the scores are, and what your strategy for the next half should be. It’s a good time to do your life audit, and a good time to seek Gods face afresh for direction, for grace and for help! While this is something I’ll like to write about very well, I’m sorry that today I must write about something else that really bothers my heart – Nigeria!

I’m sure you read the title and wondered what was going on, I’ll like you to join me in this video I’m about to paint with words. Sorry, I could have done it on You-Tube, but our link in Nigeria is not strong enough to allow most people to watch it, it’s even going to be difficult for me to upload. So bear with me, and use your minds eye to follow me in this journey of our imagination!

Imagine with me if you can, that Pastor E.A. Adeboye indicates interest in becoming the president of Nigeria. What do you think will happen? Let me tell you what I think. First of all he’ll likely win, I do not attend the Redeem Christian Church of God, but I know many people from different churches and religions who will gladly and passionately vote for him. We’ll have the largest voters turn out in the history of Nigeria’s voting. I know many churches that will align, I know many people from diaspora that will fly in if voting was restricted to Nigerian soils. I know that many things will shift, peoples attitude to participating in Nationhood will dramatically change, Nigerians will know that something different was in the air.  All our dreams and aspirations for a New Nigeria would all of a sudden seem possible to millions of Nigerians who believe in this man of God.  All these if he indicates interest in becoming president, now imagine what is possible if/when he wins. In case you don’t know who Pastor Adeboye is, he’s the General Overseer of the Redeem Christian Church of God, and Newsweek ranked 49th most influential man in the world and 1st most influential person in Nigeria. Continue Reading »

I had two great meetings yesterday, one was the Future Movement’s steering committee meeting, and the other one was a  New Nigeria Club Online Conference. I’m so thrilled at the key issues we were able to trash out in both meetings yesterday. I’m particularly impressed with how much we are achieving with the online conferences, technology is sure making things easier.

There was an interesting eye opener during the NNC online conference though, and I think it’s an idea I should quickly bring back on board and re-communicate. With so many great heads brainstorming together, we were able to obtain a good variation of personalizing our issues with our leaders’ name concept. I was thrilled with the additions and have decided to capture it as Rebranding Nigeria, Reloaded! Rather than sound abusive or use words that might ultimately lead us nowhere, we have decided to add an interesting positive tweak to the personifications. Here are the thoughts. Continue Reading »

What I want to write today is an article I will love you to pirate. I’ll like you to dub it, and put it on your blog post. Modify it if you like, give me credit if you want, or give me none at all. They say we’ll achieve a lot more if we don’t care who gets the credit. 

I have refrained deliberately for a long time to make any comments about our National Rebranding exercise. I hope I will be able to say what boils in my throat and wrists tonight, without making too much reference to it. For all it’s worth though, I think the fundamental error I can see, is that Nigerians have not been made to own it, and hence rather than having people championing it, and helping others buy in, what we have is criticism and condemnation by the same people who would have been it’s champions.

Having said that however, I have a proposition of an exercise that we can own as Nigerians. It’s a simple idea and it came as a fallout of a discussion that ensued in my office yesterday.  It’s an answer of what we can do to focus our leaders on the problems that we have as citizens and to assist them in giving it the attention it deserves. We no longer need any assitance from any source to know that our most crucial problem in Nigeria is Leadership! If we are all on the same page in this realization, then our efforts towards a better Nigeria must be channeled to support, focus and direct our leaders. Continue Reading »