Day 8: My National Conference Exploits...

Alright yesterday (1st April 2014) started off pretty well.

Deliberation started at exactly 10am.

A delegate sent down her name, saying she has an engagement somewhere, craving the indulgence of the chairman to call her before she steps out to make her 3 minutes speech. The Chairman pleaded on her behalf but the house vehemently disagreed saying so many people will misuse such submission and this is how the day started.

Here are some of the comments from delegates...the 3-minutes speech.

"In Nigeria, we have beautiful and honest ideas, and presentations but implementation is the problem"

"The immigration stampede is still fresh in our minds and we can't forget"

"I come from oil producing area. Our oil has been claimed by other states". 

"Many elderly people in service don't want to go away - retire, in turn blocking chances for our younger ones"

"In Nigeria, we are in degeneration yet we call it progress and from generation to generation we are moving backward"

"Apologise to the Youths who are oblivious of how they came into this mess due to the negligence of the elders. As for the elders here, no apologise to them as they are part and parcel of those who threw us into this problem"

"The constitution hasn't done justice to people with disabilities, children and women, this has to be checked"

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in - Greek proverb". ..

"We need to form an enabling environment for our Youths, the elders will pass sooner or later. Where are the elders of yesterday? The youths are coming up".

"In the Southwest we have kidnapping, Southeast they don't go home for christmas because of kidnapping, North East; terrorism, North Central; settler issues, the whole country is in turmoil, how do we manage that"?

An Elder statesman lamented "We have heard the warning from our Younger people that we are old. The young people should know that God made the world for the young and the elderly, so they should not throw us away while we tolerate them". 

"There's too much power at the centre, to the extend that things to be done by local and state government are done by federal government"

"Civil service can't make recruitment without reference to the government, most systems in the country are finding difficulties creating jobs. One vital thing that brings problem in this country is the immunity clause. This clause must be removed from our constitution".

"Nigerians are passionate people and let's channel this passion to making our country better".

"We are not being fair to the president if we only praise his speech, we need to talk about those parts he missed, I didn't hear him talk about attitudinal change, accountability, transparency. There's a consensus about the conference but there should also be consensus that this conference will not be an obstacle for the 2015 election".

"Nigeria has never been short of good letters, but the implementation. It's time to go beyond lamentation. The president said we have weathered the storm for too long but the question is when will the storm be over"?

"Why is it that anti corruption is not captured in the presidents' speech"?

"Those of you who have been ministers and senators in your 30's and 40's please take the back seat, it's time to give the youths a chance."

"I hope this conference will be the last one"

The president said he has no personal agenda "we believe him" another person shut him down "you believe him" [sic].

A lady representing people living with disability said "I always meet people with disabilities and ask them why do they beg? They in turn ask me, have you the graduates gotten jobs? she continued, I have sponsored 3 people to school yet they don't have jobs. We understand those without any disabilities are running helter skelter trying to fend for themselves too. We?" 

"Enabling environment should be created for women and children. Those terrorist are not old men and women, they are youths. We have created a time bomb already, it's time for us to spend time in defusing these bombs"

"There's no problem with our documents as a nation but our attitude".

"I find the speech un-presidential and a speech written by someone under pressure, there are some points where it pose threats, I am embarrassed." A delegate lamented.

"Thank you for the bags you gave us with document which the press carried as bag with money". LOL.

A traditional ruler said "Look at Abuja, there's no water, no electricity in some parts, yet it is the capital of Nigeria and we are saying we are great? Go to our villages they are the way they are since independence, no major improvement."

"When we pushed Ghanaian away with their Ghana Must Go, they went back and empowered their youths, in Ghana today, every Ghanian is a potential worker. We need to empower our youths".

After lunch a dramatic scene happened in the hallow chamber, the deputy chairman continued with the 3 minutes session and then called on Diepreye Alamieyeseigha to deliver his speech. He rose up and began his speech, the house protested that the deputy chairman should not go back as his name was called earlier in his absence and can not be favored. The deputy chairman told him to sit down then began explaining to the house that he lost his mother 2 days ago and we are all humans and should understand. He had to squeeze and come to the session now despite his grieve, the house reluctantly agreed to the deputy chairman and he was given the floor. Because of the boos, laughter and side talks, I couldn't grasp what he said but he commended the president immensely in a way no other did. After his speech a delegate shouted "Thank you madam". [sic] Oh well, this time na elder no respect him fellow elder o.

My seat mate a former minister whispered to me "that is why is good to be good in whatever you do"

Further comments by delegates

"The problems of this country is caused by people seated here and I am one of them" 

"The monies our people keep oversees should be brought back and revive our economy."

"We women are the bedrock of the problems as well the solutions. We have to train our children to be of good moral behaviours or they become wayward, we are the ones that yet push our husbands to do corrupt practices, we need to change."

A bishop said: "Islam has been mentioned to take dominance of the Nigerian constitution. He went on to mention the number of times Islam, Sharia & Grand Khadi were mentioned in the constitution and Christianity without such representation."

"A pastor complained that Christians were murdered in so many parts of the country and protested the dominance of Islam in the constitution. He also mentioned the number of times Islam, Sharia & Grand Khadi were mentioned in the constitution.

"It's obvious that we all know our problems but the truth is, are we going to change it? When we stand in front of camera we blame everyone but us, like there is something impressive about ourselves" said one of the last delegates that spoke.

Some 15 minutes to six, the votes and proceedings of the previous day was reviewed and adopted. At about 6:20pm we adjourned till the following day.

Well, 3-minutes session is not over, names are called in alphabetical order and we are still on "B".....

To be continued..

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