Yesterday (Thursday, 3rd April 2014) was just like any other day.
We started by saying the opening prayer. Proceedings of the previous day were checked, corrected and adopted. After that we took the journey for 3 minutes speech
And here are what some of your delegates said. They so much love to be called ‘Distinguish’ that they queried the Chairman for calling them delegates, so I might be in great trouble if one of them read my Blog where I often address them as 'delegates'. But you have my back, don't you?
A ‘Distinguish delegate’ said "You know why Nigeria is this backward? because our civil service has failed. We profess that countries like Singapore are now ahead of us, I will tell you why, they made sure only the best get into their civil service. Malaysia focused on science, technology and Engineering. We can do same".
Another delegate said "the speech of the president surpasses that of Martin Luther King Jnr. Obama is no match o....
"We need to empower and educate our youths. We need to get our Youths jobs, we can't allow them die fighting to get jobs"
"If I divorce my wife for 20, 30 years and you snatch and marry her and then you couldn’t control her, you should return her to me not blame me for not being able to control her. Those that are blaming the military for the woes of this country should return her to us" an Army delegate asserted.
"The speech by Mr Presidents is just another speech by a president, I am one of the critics of this conference and that's why when my name was submitted, it was removed but I somehow got here. Even children unborn know the problem of Nigeria, because the nourishment they get during pregnancy has changed now. We know the problem of Nigeria, we don't need to spend public funds, our problem will be solved when we have one man one vote - good electoral system when the vote of an individual counts".
"Nobody will remember what we say here in few years but what we do by addressing the key concerns of Nigerians".
"Some of them here talk like they are very religious while they throw weekend parties, buy private jets yet come here and talk about ethnicity, religious divide among other things"
Delegate representing Muslim Group said "Religious representatives should come together and discuss to end the difficulties that we are facing; it's not only based on religion that we clash. We agree pilgrimage sponsorship should be stopped, both to mecca and Jerusalem and if our Christian brother want biblical laws inserted into the constitution, why not? We have no problem with that"
“Representatives of people with disability protested about calling them people with special challenges. He also lamented that, the more violence happen, the more they increase in number”..
"Some of the people that were part of the problem in the 60's and 70's still come here and blame the government. Why are we like that"?
"As we disagree, which we must, we would split to various committees soon, but we should please disagree with decorum"
Well, we went for lunch break by 2pm, after lunch I saw a group of men, one military and the others in their suits staring at me, they were actually staring at my tag, I was wondering what are they up to…then I overheard them saying "Kai!! Wai wannan da tag? sai dai na mamanta ko?" meaning I am probably wearing my mothers tag. I haf tire.
After lunch we continued the 3 minutes speech journey......
The first speaker started with us "For the young ones here that want to outcast the over 65 men, you should know that the elders can see what you can't see"
"We need an education task fund in this country. As a young person, I have created job for my friends and myself, if I can do it, other youths can do it, we need mentorship and entrepreneurship skills aquisation centers in this country. Said a youth.
"The situation in the Northeast is very pathetic, market squares, churches and mosques have been burnt, and we find it difficult going home - there is poverty, jobless-ness, and illiteracy in the lands. These boys that terrorize us are between the age of 14, 16 & 25, the FG should create jobs. Imagine the president given N3billion to Movie Industry - Nollywood, just when hundreds die in cold blood.”
"We want a total overhaul of our economy; we only have a filling station economy. We need to major in the agric sector as well"
"Nigeria is the only country that doesn't have a transport bank. We should explore that’.
"When will you children get to positions if you don't retire and leave the position you are? Some of the youths too are unemployable. I once told a girl to write me a list and I was calling out the names she should write, when I said Nasir she told me "I can't write Hausa names – how poor can our National Integration be?"
"Most of the ex-convicts are here after eating our money, they still come here and talk. Irony!"
"The major problem with this country is, we the politician don’t give up when we lose election"
"It is Bakasi yesterday, boko haram today, who knows what next?"
"The president didn't include eduction in his speech yet the major problem we have in this country is in our Educational system. Almajiri school is a way of depriving the children of the poor and subjigating them to perpetual poverty - upgrade the Almajiri students to normal schools"
"Let's give this system of governance 15 more years" said an old man oops a delegate.
"Before, we don’t admonish people because they have money but people that love the masses and are making positive impacts, but today if you have money that is it",
"I am still in my 50's and my fathers and grand fathers are still in office so you the young ones should cooperate with us" said a distinguished delegate.
Another delegate said "It's funny, I know the presidents’ speech was probably written by his admin assistant, yet people are praising it"?
"When I was coming to this conference, I don't know if it is a constitutional conference or what exactly. The president has sent a message to the house of assembly to accept the resolutions made here, well this is a good one"
"The young ones here know that if they praise the government, they will get ministerial and other appointments. It is not good the way we are going about this, we must tell the truth. Please let us display morals, let us not be drum beaters and point to him -president where he is wrong" said a distinguish.
Well, there was a deliberation on the food that was served during lunchtime, someone moved the motion that the food doesn't go round, so the secretariat should take note’.
LOL! ‘Some shut him down saying very soon the papers will carry "delegates fighting for food"
"We are not here to eat food please"
A delegate read out order three (3)(a) of the rules of procedure of the conference and it reads; " No Delegate shall miss sittings without prior authorization, then he added "But Mr Chairman I noticed most of the people especially from the other wing are absent, probably because they have finished their speech or they just decided not to attend sittings, we are here to listen and understand each other Mr Chairman this has to be checked".
Some minutes after 6pm, motion was moved for the adjournment of sitting till Monday. Why Monday right? Sittings are normally from Monday to Thursday, 10am - 6pm. Friday according to our procedure was set aside for administrative works.
Well, we stopped at "I" the 3 minute journey is not yet over.
See you on Monday.
On Twitter: @Yadomah
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