Hon Akinlaja Extols the Virtues of Governor Mimiko

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fRFVOhpw5w&feature=youtu.be

Abuse of Social Media: A Call for Caution

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Social media is a term used to collectively describe a set of tools that foster interaction, discussion and community, allowing people to build relationships and share information. Media is an instrument on communication, like a newspaper or a radio, so social media would be a social instrument of communication. It is easy to confuse social media with social news because we often refer to members of the news as "the media." Adding to the mix is the fact that a social news site is also a social media site because it falls into that broader category.

Meanwhile social news is not the same thing as social media anymore than a banana is the same thing as fruit. A banana is a type of fruit, but fruit can also be grapes, pineapples, or lemons. And while social news is social media, social networking and wikis are also social media. Few of such examples are Blogs (posting articles), Facebook, LinkedIn (networking), Twitter (networking), YouTube, Flickr (photos & video) to mention a view.

Think of abuse, for some reasons politicians come to mind. They are one breed which has brutally been punished by social media. Mudslinging has got a new medium, and people are venting all their wrath and anger by blasting off tweet after tweet, mocking every aspect of these servants of society.

In a related development, internet abuse involves the use of the internet in an abusive manner. It consists of threats and harassment, viruses, spamming, port scanning, hacking, denial-of-service attack (DoS attack), and copyright infringement. One may argue that there must be some measures expected to be put in place by the government to check the abuse of use of social media, but it is also imperative to note that the privacy of the users is also important especially those involved with decent and other activities that are not nefarious. What a dilemma?

Recently the House of Representatives, detailed its committees on Information Communication Technology, Justice and Anti-corruption to investigate the alleged award of over $ 40 million internet spying contract to a foreign company to monitor computers and internet activities of over 45 millions Nigerians on the web by the Federal Government. To this end, the House urged the Federal Government to suspend all action with regards to the contract pending the outcome of its investigations.

The House resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance raised by Honourable Ibrahim Gusau, entitled: “A motion for the need to investigate the alleged over $40 million surveillance contract awarded by Federal Government to a foreign firm.” The mover of the motion equally maintained that reports had it that the contract was awarded secretly and in wanton disregard of due process, fiscal responsibility act, and Bureau of Public Procurement Act 2007.

According to him, “the award of the contract has violated the basic privacy provision in Chapter 4, Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. The contract under the guise of intelligence gathering and national security may not be the answer to the glaring security challenges of today’s Nigeria.” He noted that if the alleged contract was allowed the right to private and family life enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended would have been violated and breached.

Former military President (Gen. rtd) Ibrahim Babangida once said, “Most importantly, nothing has happened to change my conviction that freedom and the love of liberty remain the essential defining attributes of our national character as a people.”   He is indeed spot on.

However, this age of digital media, coupled with the current unfortunate security challenges facing Nigeria, has given rise to unqualified authors and social commentators. Only with a mobile device or personal computer supported with internet facility, people now own ‘newsrooms’. We all can spread news, pictures, stories, comments and reactions using our blogs and social media platforms. The downside is that more often, misguided and unethical practices replace the informed code of conduct that guides the noble media profession.  It is just too obvious that some people cannot handle with maturity, the freedom and limitless platform presented by digital media since there is no control or checks put in place.

These destructive ideas include contempt of religions, discrediting religions, provoking racial, communal, religious, ideological and regional commotion, spreading biased rumours, malignantly distorting facts, libelling, defamation, cursing, fabricating accusations as well as insults etc. Nigerians must learn to embrace call for paradigm shift to foster decency in the internet community. If there are no defined regulations or checks, internet users can also regulate themselves too, within the confines of propriety and maturity.

Nigerian government may not have succeeded in the task to scrutinize abuse of social media, or control on the use of internet facilities in the country for many known reasons at the moment, but other countries of the world have been somewhat tough on their citizens who may wish to subscribe to social media, though such harsh measure are still faced with many criticisms.

A claim by countries like China and middle-east Asian countries was that due to ‘privacy issues’ and ‘objectionable content’ most social websites have to be proscribed in their territory. For example Facebook is banned in countries like China, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, and UAE. Similarly, YouTube is banned in many countries primarily including Turkey, Thailand, Pakistan, China, and Indonesia. So also Twitter is banned in UAE and China.

It came as a surprise that the famous blogging platform is banned in Ethiopia, Pakistan and China. Wikipedia an open source encyclopedia is as well banned in countries like China, Iran, and Pakistan. China blocks almost all top websites including Google (often), Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, Orkut, Technorati, Vimeo and many others. China filter-out such sites to allow its own cyber industry to flourish and challenge the western giants.

Written By Mr. EMMANUEL AJIBULU

Dino Melaye Extolls Jonathan's Decision on State of Emergency Declaration

 

A former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, a public critic of the ills of the Jonathan administration, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for declaring a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States.

The social media-savvy ex-lawmaker made his position known on his twitter handle.

“I congratulate Mr. President on the declaration of the state of emergency in 3 states, particularly his respect for the constitution in this regard,” he said, referring to the president’s announcement that the existing democratic structures in place in the affected states would not be suspended during the emergency declaration.

God bless Nigeria.

Full Text of President Goodluck Jonathan's Address on Declaration of State of Emergency in Borno Yobe & Adamawa

The full text of the President’s address

“ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR ON THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN BORNO, YOBE AND ADAMAWA STATES IN ORDER TO RESTORE PUBLIC ORDER, PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE AFFECTED STATES OF THE FEDERATION

MAY 14, 2013

Dear compatriots,

1.  It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate of terrorist activities and protracted security challenges in some parts of the country, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states.  These unfortunate events have led to needless loss of lives and property of many innocent Nigerians including members of our security forces.

2.  The recent killing of security operatives by a cult group in Nasarawa state is particularly condemnable. I have directed that no effort or expense be spared in identifying and bringing to justice all those who had a hand in the killing of the operatives.

3. The activities of insurgents and terrorists have been reprehensible, causing fear among our citizens and a near-breakdown of law and order in parts of the country, especially the North. We have taken robust steps to unravel and address the root causes of these crises, but it would appear that there is a systematic effort by insurgents and terrorists to destabilize the Nigerian state and test our collective resolve.

4.  Since I returned to the country after cutting short my visit to South Africa and aborting a planned state visit to Namibia, I have received detailed briefings from our security agencies. These briefings indicate that what we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity. Already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance is to different flags and ideologies.

5.   These terrorists and insurgents seem determined to establish control and authority over parts of our beloved nation and to progressively overwhelm the rest of the country. In many places, they have destroyed the Nigerian flag and other symbols of state authority and in their place, hoisted strange flags suggesting the exercise of alternative sovereignty.

6.  They have attacked government buildings and facilities. They have murdered innocent citizens and state officials. They have set houses ablaze, and taken women and children as hostages. These actions amount to a declaration of war and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the Nigerian state and threaten her territorial integrity. As a responsible government, we will not tolerate this.

7.  Previously, we adopted a multi-track approach to the resolution of this problem through actions which included persuasion, dialogue and widespread consultation with the political, religious and community leaders in the affected states.

8.  We exercised restraint to allow for all efforts by both State Governors and well-meaning Nigerians to stop the repeated cases of mindless violence.

9.  Yet, the insurgents and terrorists seek to prevent government from fulfilling its constitutional obligations to the people as they pursue their fanatical agenda of mayhem, mass murder, division and separatism.

10. While the efforts at persuasion and dialogue will continue, let me reiterate that we have a sacred duty to ensure the security and well-being of all our people and protect the sovereign integrity of our country. Therefore, we shall, on no account, shy away from doing whatever becomes necessary to provide the fullest possible security for the citizens of this country in any part of the country they choose to reside.

11. We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the sovereign integrity of the Nigerian state. Our will is strong, because our faith lies in the indivisibility of Nigeria.

12. Following recent developments in the affected states, it has become necessary for Government to take extraordinary measures to restore normalcy. After wide consultations, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the provisions of Section 305, sub-section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I hereby declare a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

13.  Accordingly, the Chief of Defence Staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective internal security operations. The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists.

14. This will include the authority to arrest and detain suspects, the taking of possession and control of any building or structure used for terrorist purposes, the lock-down of any area of terrorist operation, the conduct of searches, and the apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weapons.

15. The details of this Proclamation will be transmitted to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. But in the meantime, let me make it clear that within the purview of this Proclamation, the Governors and other political office holders in the affected states will continue to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.

16. I urge the political leadership in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to co-operate maximally with the Armed Forces and the Police to ensure that the exercise succeeds. We call on the citizenry to co-operate with our security agencies to ensure a return to normalcy within the shortest possible time.

17. I am again approaching our neighbouring countries, through diplomatic channels, as done in the recent past, for their co-operation in apprehending any terrorist elements that may escape across the border.

18. Nigerians are peace-loving people; these sad events perpetrated by those who do not wish our nation well have not changed the essential character of our people.

19. I want to reassure you all that those who are directly or indirectly encouraging any form of rebellion against the Nigerian state, and their collaborators; those insurgents and terrorists who take delight in killing our security operatives, whoever they may be, wherever they may go, we will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice. No matter what it takes, we will win this war against terror.

20. I am convinced that with your support and prayers, we shall overcome these challenges and together, we will restore every part of our country to the path of peace, growth and development.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Abridged Speech of Governor Olusegun Mimiko after the judgement of the Ondo Election Petitions Tribunal which upheld his election as Ondo State Governor

"The Labour Party government salutes the professional competence with which the Justice Andovar Kaaka’an Election Tribunal handled the petition within the legal time frame and applauds the decision that squares with the preponderating wish of the electorate during the said election.

"We, as government, are mindful of the onerous task of meeting the development challenges of our people; we know that the fostering of understanding between government and the people will engender a more conducive environment for the deepening of the dividends of good governance.

"We are urging those opposed to our politics to shed the adversarial toga and join hands with us in building an enviable and prosperous Ondo State.

"The Labour Party government wishes to use this opportunity to thank all the people of Ondo State for their loyalty during our first term in office; for their support during the gubernatorial election; and for their understanding of, and faithfulness to, the policy thrusts of our government.

"By the grace of God and by our collective resolve, we shall all live to see a transformed Ondo State whose fortunes shall have been irreversibly turned around for the better.

"Let us all join hands in making this a reality."

The Historical Significance Of May Day Celebrations

The Historical Significance Of May Day Celebrations

This day is a commemoration of the historic struggle of the workers throughout the world against capitalism, exploitation, and for safe working conditions and respect for the dignity of workers. It came into being as a result of the successful demand, claims and demonstrations that was carried out under the umbrella of the Federation of Organised Trades and Labour Unions when it passed a resolution stating that eight hours would constitute a day's work from May 1,1884.

The resolution called for a general strike to achieve the demand of eight hours, since legislative methods had failed to address the demand. Workers then were forced by greedy and power hungry capitalists to work ten, twelve and fourteen hours a day under conditions so terrible that most workers succumbed on duty due to ill health and other physiological and psychological ailments.

By April 1886 about 280 000 workers were involved in the May Day movement which demanded an eight hour work day. Their slogans read as follows: "The only way to get an 8 hour day is by organising. If you want an 8 hour day, we must make it ourselves!" and another: "We require 8 hours for work, 8 hours for repose, and 8 hours to do what we want and for our own instruction!" The main machinery of the movement was based in Chicago and organised mainly by the Anarchist International Working People's Association. The capitalist bourgeoisie and their cohorts, the State, were terrified by the united front that swept across the entire United States. They increased the Police and the Army in size and supplied them with new and powerful weapons. The Chicago Commercial Club purchased a US$2000 -00 machinegun for the Illinois National Guard that was to be used against striking workers.

On May 3, 1886 the City of Chicago was paralysed by the general strike; stockyards, railroads, factories and other businesses where forced to close. The police fired into a crowd of fleeing strikers at the McCormick Reaper Works Factory, killing four and wounding many workers. The Anarchists called for a mass meeting the next day in Haymarket Square to protest the unnecessary brutality against unarmed workers. Angry workers began to call for armed retaliation. The mass meeting proceeded without any violent incident and when the last speaker was on the platform, the police numbering 180, arrived with a mandate from the State and the capitalist bourgeoisie to disperse the meeting. As the speaker was climbing from the platform, a bomb was thrown in the midst of the police platoon, exploding, and killing one officer and wounding about seventy.

The response by the police was typically that of brutality, firing randomly in the crowd of workers and injuring about 200 workers and killing many. With no clues as to the source of the bomb, the police arrested eight revolutionary leaders of the Union movement, seven of whom who had not even been present in Haymarket Square at the time of the explosion. They where charged with amongst others; conspiracy to murder in connection with the Haymarket Bomb blast, incitement and public disorder. They were all found guilty as charged despite the lack of evidence connecting them to the bomb. Only one was present at the meeting, and he was on the speaker's platform. They were all sentenced to death. Albert Parsons, August Spies, Adolph Fischer and George Engel were hanged on November 11 1887. Louis Lingg committed suicide in prison, and the remaining three were pardoned in 1893.

These comrades where arrested, tried and sentenced to death because of their political beliefs and because they fought for the rights of the worker. News of the trial electrified labour movements in the US and Europe. Protests against the trial were held around the world. The Socialist International declared May 1 as a day of demonstrations and since 1890 these have been held annually by labour movements and workers forcing official recognition of May Day as a paid public holiday.
But some of however argued that in an attempt to destroy the significance of May Day, the United States government declared the May 1 'Loyalty Day'. Thankfully the significance of May Day is yet to be defeated, I hail all the workers of the world. Forward ever Backward never!!!!


WISHING YOU ALL HAPPY MAY DAY AND HAPPY NEW MONTH. ENJOY YOU HOLIDAY.

COUNTRIES WHO BANNED SOCIAL NETWORKING

Social Networking is gaining a lot of importance these days. It includes Facebook, Orkut, YouTube that are, on one side very useful while beaching privacy on the other. Mainly because of the ‘privacy issues’ and ‘objectionable content’ most social websites are banned in China and middle-east Asian countries. Following is the list of countries where the different social networking sites (social media) are banned,

Facebook- It is banned in countries like China, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, and UAE.

YouTube- It is banned in many countries primarily including Turkey, Thailand, Pakistan, China, Indonesia.

Twitter is banned in UAE, China.

Blogger- The famous blogging platform is banned in Ethiopia, Pakistan and China.

Wikipedia- This famous open source encyclopedia is also banned. The countries are China, Iran, and Pakistan.

China blocks almost of the top websites including Google (often), Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, Orkut, Technorati, Vimeo and many others. China filter-out such sites to allow its own cyber industry to flourish and challenge the western giants, which is no bad idea.

According to a report, Pakistan and many Islamic middle-east Asian countries have banned these websites beacause of ‘anti-Islamic’ content placed on them. The unrest in the middle-east Asia is also a big reason why these social networking sites are banned there. During such unrest, banning of social media prevents people from communicating rest of the world, and that’s what dictators of most countries want.

Source: http://yourravi.com/countries-who-banned-social-networking-websites/