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Maiden Speech of Major-General Ibrahim Babangida – August 27 , 1985

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Fellow Nigerians, When in December 1983, the former military leadership, headed by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, assumed the reins of government, its accession was heralded in the history of this country. With the nation at the mercy of political misdirection and on the brink of economic collapse, a new sense of hope was created in the minds of every Nigerian.

Since January 1984, however, we have witnessed a systematic denigration of that hope. It was stated then that mismanagement of political leadership and a general deterioration in the standard of living, which had subjected the common man to intolerable suffering, were the reasons for the intervention…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

 

Nigerians have since then been under a regime that continued with those trends. Events today indicate that most of the reasons which justified the military takeover of government from the civilians still persist.

The initial objectives were betrayed and fundamental changes do not appear on the horizon. Because the present state of uncertainty, suppression and stagnation resulted from the perpetration of a small group, the Nigerian Armed Forces could not as a part of that government be unfairly committed to take responsibility for failure. Our dedication to the cause of ensuring that our nation remains a united entity worthy of respect and capable of functioning as a viable and credible part of the international community dictated the need to arrest the situation.

Let me at this point attempt to make you understand the premise upon which it became necessary to change the leadership. The principles of discussions, consultation and co-operation which should have guided decision-making process of the Supreme Military Council and the Federal Executive Council were disregarded soon after the government settled down in 1984. Where some of us thought it appropriate to give a little more time, anticipating a conducive atmosphere that would develop, in which affairs of state could be attended to with greater sense of responsibility, it became increasingly clear that such expectations could not be fulfilled.

Regrettably, it turned out that Major-General Muhammadu Buhari was too rigid and uncompromising in his attitudes to issues of national significance. Efforts to make him understand that a diverse polity like Nigeria required recognition and appreciation of differences in both cultural and individual perceptions, only served to aggravate these attitudes.

Major-General Tunde Idiagbon was similarly inclined in that respect. As Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, he failed to exhibit the appropriate disposition demanded by his position. He arrogated to himself absolute knowledge of problems and solutions, and acted in accordance with what was convenient to him, using the machinery of government as his tool.

A combination of these characteristics in the two most important persons holding the nation’s vital offices became impossible to content with. The situation was made worse by a number of other government functionaries and organisations, chief among which is the Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO). In fact, this body will be overhauled and re-organized.

And so it came to be that the same government which received the tumultuous welcome now became alienated from the people. To prevent a complete erosion of our given mandate therefore, we had to act so that hope may be rebuilt.

Let me now address your attention to the major issues that confront us, so that we may, as one people, chart a future direction for our dear country. We do not pretend to have all the answers to the questions which our present problems have put before our nation. We have come with the strongest determination to create an atmosphere in which positive efforts shall be given the necessary support for lasting solutions.

For matters of the moment which require immediate resolutions, we intend to pursue a determined programme of action. Major issues falling into this category have been identified and decisions taken on what should be done.

Firstly, the issue of political detainees or convicts of special military tribunals. The history of our nation had never recorded the degree of indiscipline and corruption as in the period between October 1979 and December 1983.

While this government recognises the bitterness created by the irresponsible excesses of the politicians, we consider it unfortunate that methods of such nature as to cause more bitterness were applied to deal with past misdeeds. We must never allow ourselves to lose our sense of natural justice. The innocent cannot suffer the crimes of the guilty. The guilty should be punished only as a lesson for the future. In line with this government’s intention to uphold fundamental human rights, the issue of detainees will be looked into with despatch.

As we do not intend to lead a country where individuals are under the fear of expressing themselves, the Public Officers Protection Against False Accusation Decree 4 of 1984 is hereby repealed. And finally, those who have been in detention under this decree are hereby unconditionally released. The responsibility of the media to disseminate information shall be exercised without undue hindrance. In that process, those responsible are expected to be forthright and to have the nation’s interest as their primary consideration.

The issue of decrees has generated a lot of controversies. It is the intention of this government to review all other decrees.

The last twenty months have not witnessed any significant changes in the national economy. Contrary to expectations, we have so far been subjected to a steady deterioration in the general standard of living; and intolerable suffering by the ordinary Nigerians have risen higher, scarcity of commodities has increased, hospitals still remain mere consulting clinics, while educational institutions are on the brink of decay. Unemployment has stretched to critical dimensions.

Due to the stalemate, which arose in negotiation with the International Monetary Fund, the former government embarked on a series of counter-trade agreements. Under the counter-trade agreements, Nigerians were forced to buy goods and commodities at higher prices than obtained in the international market. The government intends to review the whole issue of counter-trade.

A lot has been said and heard about our position with the International Monetary Fund. Although we formally applied to the fund in April 1983, no progress has as yet been made in the negotiation and a stalemate has existed for the last two years.

We shall break the deadlock that frustrated the negotiations with a view to evaluating more objectively both the negative and positive implications of reaching a mutual agreement with the Fund. At all times in the course of discussions, our representatives will be guided by the feelings and aspirations of the Nigerian people.

It is the view of this government that austerity without structural adjustment is not the solution to our economic predicament. The present situation whereby 44 per cent of our revenue earning is utilised to service debts is not realistic. To protect the danger this poses to the poor and the needy in our society, steps will be taken to ensure comprehensive strategy of economic reforms.

The crux of our economic problems has been identified to centre around four fundamental issues: READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

1. A decrease of our domestic production, while our population continues to increase.

2. Dependence on import for both consumer goods and raw materials for our industries.

3. A grossly unequal gap between the rich and the poor.

4. The large role played by the public sector in economic activity with hardly any concrete results to justify such a role.

These are the problems we must confront.

ON FOREIGN POLICY:

Nigeria’s foreign policy in the last 20 months has been characterised by inconsistency and incoherence. It has lacked the clarity to make us know where we stood on matters of international concern to enable other countries relate to us with seriousness. Our role as Africa’s spokesman has diminished because we have been unable to maintain the respect of African countries.

The ousted military government conducted our external relations by a policy of retaliatory reactions. Nigeria became a country that has reacted to given situations, rather than taking the initiative as it should and always been done. More so, vengeful considerations must not be the basis of our diplomacy. African problems and their solutions should constitute the premise of our foreign policy.

The realisation of the Organisation of African Unity of the Lagos Plan of Action for self-sufficiency and constructive co-operation in Africa shall be our primary pursuit.

The Economic Community of West African States must be reborn with the view to achieving the objective of regional integration. The problems of drought-stricken areas of Africa will be given more attention and sympathy, and our best efforts will be made to assist in their rehabilitation within the limits of our resources. Our membership of the United Nations Organisation will be made more practical and meaningful. The call for a new International Economic Order which lost its momentum in the face of the debt crisis will be made once again.

Nigeria hereby makes a renewed request to the Non-Aligned Movement to regroup and reinvigorate its determination to restructure the global economic system, while we appeal to the industrialized nations to positively consider the debt plight of the developing countries and assist in dealing with the dangers that face us. We shall remain members of the various multilateral institutions and inter-governmental organisations which we belong to and do what must be done to enhance the membership and participation within them.

Fellow Nigerians, this country has had since independence a history mixed with turbulence and fortune. We have witnessed our rise to greatness, followed with a decline to the state of a bewildered nation. Our human potentials have been neglected, our natural resources put to waste. A phenomenon of constant insecurity and overbearing uncertainty has become characteristic of our national existence.

My colleagues and I are determined to change the course of history. This government is determined to unite this country. We shall not allow anything to obstruct us. We recognise that a government, be it civilian or military, needs the consent of the people to govern if it is to reach its objective. We do not intend to rule by force. At the same time, we should not be expected to submit to unreasonable demands. Fundamental rights and civil liberties will be respected, but their exercise must not degenerate into irrational expression nor border on subversion.

The War Against Indiscipline will continue, but this time, in the minds and conduct of Nigerians, and not by way of symbolism or money-spending campaigns.

This government, on its part, will ensure that the leadership exhibits proper example. Criticisms of actions and decisions taken by us will be given necessary attention and where necessary changes made in accordance with what is expected of us.

Let me reiterate what we said in 1984: This generation of Nigerians and indeed future generations have no other country but Nigeria. We must all stay and salvage it together. This time it shall be pursued with deeper commitment and genuine sincerity.

There is a lot of work to be done by every single Nigerian. Let us all dedicate ourselves to the cause of building a strong, united and viable nation for the sake of our own lives and the benefits of posterity.

Finally, I wish to commend the members of the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police for their mature conduct during the change.

I thank you all for your co-operation and understanding.

God bless Nigeria.

 

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METRO

Woman mourned the death of her husband at his funeral ‘only to find him at her doorstep 4 days later’!

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The unfortunate woman, Victoria, told local news outlets that she ended the year with a tragedy. During a visit to the local hospital, she was told by hospital staff that her husband, Julio, passed away from c0ronavirus.

She reportedly identified the body that she was shown in the hospital morgue, after which the medical staff released the corpse to the grieving wife.

Making arrangements to pay the last respects to her husband, Victoria, arranged to have Julio’s body be taken 30 miles away from the hospital to her village in Honduras.

She then spent one entire night surrounded by distressed relatives as they had an all-night wake before his final burial the next day…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

 

On the day of the funeral, Julio’s children saw the open coffin and found something amiss. They took a look at the body and wondered whether it was really that of their father’s.

But despite their doubts, the relatives reportedly went ahead with the ceremony and the man was laid to rest in a funeral that Victoria spent more than $430.

In the days that followed, Victoria continued grieving for her husband until, out of nowhere, she saw Julio himself arrive back at their house on the fourth day since the funeral was held.

“That wasn’t my husband who died, because I have my husband here now. I recognised him,” the wife said, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

It was only after her husband returned home that Victoria discovered he had been missing for a few days because he went for a walk and fell over at a spot in the neighboring municipality.

Unable to get up, the man spent several days there, surviving without anything to drink or eat. He was later found injured in a field before his return home. Although her husband was back, it also meant that she buried a complete stranger in her village and her family has no idea who they were grieving for. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

“I would like them to give me back some of what I spent, because they gave me the body of someone I don’t know,” Victoria shared.

“The authorities at the morgue should have properly examined him to see if it was really him.”

But on the other hand, the hospital said that the wife was to blame for misidentifying the man as her husband. They confirmed that the man arrived with Covid-19, and because of his serious condition, he didn’t survive in the hospital for more than a few hours.

The hospital staff had a look at the picture Victoria was carrying of her husband, and they found him to resemble the body of the man in the morgue. In addition to this, Victoria herself recognized the body at the time as that of her husband’s.

The hospital director reportedly said, “The logical thing was to bring the body back so we could investigate.

But later the relatives called back and said he was the right person after all and they were going to bury him.

We have everything documented. We even have an apology from one of the children, if this becomes a lawsuit.”

 

 

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A Girl Rushed Out Of McDonald’s Bathroom Crying, Then Her Mom Saw Something Wrong On Her Legs

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The restaurant was packed with hungry customers busy eating at their tables when the customers’ attention shifted to a four-year-old girl named Kayla running towards her mom. Kayla’s face was filled with tears, and she was hysterically crying when she reached her mom’s arm. While Kayla’s mom, Nicole, was comforting her daughter, she asked her daughter what was wrong. Kayla was still crying and couldn’t speak; she continued sobbing like she was in deep pain. That was when Nicole started scanning her daughter’s body and saw what was wrong.

There was something on Kayla’s leg. Hello, wonderful people! I’m Jamie Buck from Wonderbot, and here is a story about a girl who rushed out of a McDonald’s bathroom crying. Then her mom saw something wrong on her legs. Before we begin, make sure you smash the like button, subscribe to our channel, and click the notification bell for more amazing videos…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

 

It was during New Year’s Day when Nicole and her daughter Kayla decided to spend their day at the park and buy some food at McDonald’s. It was Kayla’s favorite fast food. The two were so excited to spend time together and bond at the park. While Nicole was closing their front door, she turned to Kayla and asked her if she was ready to have fun. Kayla nodded her head with excitement, having no idea what was about to come to them.

When Nicole and Kayla arrived at the park, the piercing sun was shimmering down on them. It was a perfect bright day to spend at the park. Kayla immediately ran towards the roundabout and asked her mom to spin her. You could hear Kayla’s giggle throughout the playground while her mom was spinning her. Nicole’s phone started ringing, and she turned around to answer the call while Kayla got off the roundabout to go to the slides.

While Nicole was busy talking on her phone, she suddenly heard a scream. Nicole quickly ended her call when she realized it was Kayla. The moment Nicole got off the phone, she turned around to find Kayla had fallen from the slide and scratched her head. She was so worried about what had happened and continued comforting her daughter while she was sobbing. After a while, when Kayla had finally calmed down, she asked her mom if she could get food already.

Nicole immediately stood up and told her daughter, “Yes, of course, dear.” The two left the park and drove off to the nearest McDonald’s, which was about 10 minutes away from where they were. Little did Nicole know that it would have been better if they just ate somewhere else. When Nicole and Kayla arrived at McDonald’s and walked into the restaurant, they noticed that the place was filled with people. Nicole’s attention was caught by a group of teenagers that were seated in the corner of the restaurant.

The group was listening to music while sipping on their soda. Two of the teenagers suddenly turned their look at Nicole and her daughter and sniggered. What could those two be thinking? It was mentioned earlier the restaurant was packed, so it’s no surprise that the line was long too. After what seemed like forever standing in line, it was finally Nicole’s turn to order.

While she was ordering their food, she asked Kayla to sit at the table in the corner and wait there while she was ordering food. Kayla politely followed her mom’s instructions and sat at the table while watching a video on YouTube on her mom’s phone. But then suddenly, a scream was heard throughout the restaurant. A scream came from the teenager that was sitting in the corner of the restaurant. The group started a fight and were yelling at each other.

Nicole immediately walked over to Kayla and comforted her, trying to drive her attention away from the battle by making her watch YouTube videos. Staff from the restaurant quickly went to the group to break up the fight and kick them out of the place. While the group was kicked out, two teenage girls from the circle were still sitting at the table. It was finally time to eat. The smell of burgers and fries lingered in the air as Nicole and Kayla started digging into their well-deserved lunch.

Kayla was eating a Happy Meal while Nicole was eating her chicken burger and some fries. In the middle of their mealtime, Kayla suddenly looked at her mom with a stern but innocent look. “Mommy, I need to use the toilet,” Kayla whispered as she finished the last bite of her cheeseburger. Kayla wiped her hands and got up to go to the toilet. When she walked over, she noticed the lock was shut.

There must be someone in there, she thought. She looked back at her mom, who smiled at her. Suddenly, she heard something. It was coming from inside the toilet. Giggles and laughs could be heard while Kayla was patiently waiting outside the toilet. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

After a couple of minutes remaining, the door opened, and the two teenage girls from earlier went out of the bathroom together with a smirk on their faces. Nicole was intimidated by the girls as she watched them walk past Kayla. Nicole then signaled her daughter to enter the toilet and assured Kayla that she’ll stay outside and wait for her. While Nicole was patiently waiting for Kayla at her table, she heard a scream coming from the toilet. “Mom!

Kayla screamed while running out of the bathroom with tears streaming down her face. Nicole immediately stood up from her seat, not minding her bag that fell onto the floor. As a mother, one thing that you never want to hear is the sound of your kid screaming. Kayla ran into her mom’s arms, sobbing. In the toilet, she says, Nicole immediately went to the toilet to check what was wrong.

She scanned the whole room and thought there was nothing wrong there, so she continued studying to see what could be the reason behind her daughter’s outburst. She saw that there were a few toilet paper rolls rolled out on the floor, and the faucet was dripping. Nicole checked the toilet seat, and that is when she figured the reason for her child’s outburst. When she went to the toilet seat, she noticed that it looked like the chair was covered with a white sticky substance. But as Nicole got closer to inspect, she realized that it was glue.

The toilet seat was smothered with super glue. She then realized that someone did this on purpose. Nicole stormed out of the toilet while her heart was pounding and yelled to call the manager and all employees in the restaurant. Nicole went over to her daughter, who was still crying and yelling in pain. She checked on Kayla to see what was wrong and saw that her daughter’s skin was peeled off at the back of her legs.

While Kayla was still crying in her mother’s arms, Kayla was terrified of what happened, and her mother was furious. Nicole yelled out for help in the crowd while stopping her tears from falling out of her eyes. Joanna, the assistant manager at McDonald’s, thought that she had seen it all, from small fights over a Big Mac to a drunk customer and misbehaving teens. She was trained and was already used to handling heated situations. She knew what to do to solve problems, but in her 15 years in the industry, it was the first time to see and experience something like this.

She had never seen anything like this. The moment Nicole asked for help, Joanna and her co-employees all gathered around Kayla and provided medical assistance. The staff helped in cleaning the wound and bandaging her up while Kayla was crying in her mom’s chest. After that, Nicole decided to go to the nearest hospital, so she called a family member to come and get them. But the assistance that was given to them was not enough for Nicole.

She knew that there was something that she needed to do. Nicole took the matter to her social media account and shared on her personal Facebook what happened, hoping that this would bring the pranksters to justice. On her post, Nicole wrote, “To the two young blonde girls that thought it would be hilarious to put super glue on the disabled and baby changing toilet in McDonald’s, I just want you to know that I still have to console my four-year-old daughter who was unfortunate enough to use the toilet after your little prank. She is hoping that the two teenage girls who played the prank on her daughter would be found and punished. Kayla is just an innocent little girl and does not deserve all of this.

After some investigations, the two teenage girls were finally found and were interviewed by the police officers. The two girls immediately admitted what they did and sincerely apologized to Nicole and Kayla. The two girls said they were regretting what they did and that it was a prank gone wrong. But was the apology enough for Nicole and daughter Kayla? Imagine Kayla, a four-year-old who would have to live her life with this terrible memory marked in her mind.

After hearing that the police had taken appropriate action against the two teenage girls, Nicole felt relieved. It’s been weeks since the incident happened, and the things that happened that day are still fresh in her mind. She watches as her daughter peacefully plays with her dolls. Some justice finally, she thought to herself. She takes a sip of her cup of coffee before smiling to herself and watching her brave daughter playing.

Such a story right? This story just proves to show that pranks can be a fun way to trick your friends, but it can result in a bad scenario. Hopefully, Nicole and Kayla’s experience will remind those people who love doing pranks and tricks on their friends to think twice about the people they would upset all for the sake of a laugh. So next time you want to play a prank on someone, make sure to think about it first and that no one will get hurt.

 

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The bus driver picked up the children early in the morning as usual, and the parents found out they were not at school

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Black ice (a thin layer of new ice on a road) is dangerous. If you have ever tried to walk or ride it then you know.

This is why the parents of Shelby County were not surprised when they were informed that school would start late because they had to wait for the ice on the road to melt.

Unfortunately, bus driver Wayne Price did not receive the message on time. He had already collected all the children, and knew that returning them to their homes
would only increase the chance of an accident. So instead, he did something completely different…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

 

Instead of parking the bus and letting the kids play on the smartphone for two hours, he knew he needed to do something to keep them busy.

His actions may not have been according to the book, but they also did not surprise elementary school principals in Montevallo, Alabama.

Understand, they know Wayne. They know he is capable of doing such a ‘trick’.

But the children did not know what to expect. When they stopped at a local McDonald’s branch they must have wondered if Wayne had lost it. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Turns out he just wanted to buy all the kids breakfast, and paid for everyone’s breakfast instead of the breakfast they were supposed to eat at school.

To put things in perspective, there were between 40 and 50 kids on Wayne’s bus, so you can imagine how much the bill came out. School principals responded to the
gesture on Facebook and wrote: “Mr. Price, one of our bus drivers, really demonstrated the holiday spirit! On Tuesday, when school started late because of ice on the
road and we could not serve breakfast, he bought breakfast at McDonalds for all the kids who were on the bus! What a wonderful gesture that the students will
remember forever!”

After hearing every good deed of the bus driver, people from all over the world flooded Wayne with messages of support and encouragement.

What a beautiful thing to do, and what a wonderful way to do above and beyond for kids who he so obviously care about!

If you think Wayne Price’s deed is commendable, share the article with your friends and family!

 

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