I have accepted the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a “speaker and honoured guest” for LEAP 2023, scheduled Feb 6-9 2023. Joining me as speakers are CEO of Nokia, Billionaire Investor Tim Draper, Football Legend Thierry Henry, and other world leaders. I will deliver a major speech titled “Into the New Worlds for Nations” encapsulating many elements at the intersections of technology, economy, prosperity and development.
Is Nigeria’s independence worth celebrating?
Independence day celebration is the most unnecessary annual event in Nigeria and other underdeveloped African nations.
What is the reason for the celebration; what calls for the celebration?
Nigerians celebrating that the country is free from its colonial masters and colonial rule, and so what?
We should ask ourselves these basic questions; are we better off governing ourselves, is Nigeria in any way better than when it was under colonial rule, or is Nigeria worse now? We all know the answers to these questions.
The countries that deserve to be celebrating independence day and make a big deal out of it are countries like the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Bahamas, and other developed countries that were former colonies of the United Kingdom because they can boldly beat their chests and say that they are better off governing themselves than when the British was in charge of governance and it is obvious that they are better off as the evidence is glaring in their economy, human capital development, infrastructural development, education, etc.
As a citizen of Nigeria and or a citizen of other underdeveloped African Nations that are former British colonies, is independence really worth celebrating? Independent from what exactly?
We are more impoverished than they were under the colonial powers. We are enveloped in abysmal corruption.
Don’t you see that it is paradoxical to celebrate independence day in Nigeria and make a big fuss about it? We do not deserve to Jubilate or celebrate freedom from colonial rule yet, maybe we can in the near future, but we do not deserve the pleasure of celebrating freedom from colonial reign yet.
Someone may raise the argument that nothing beats freedom; that it is better to be poor and have your freedom than to be a rich slave but can we for all good reason claim that African countries are free? We might be free from other taskmasters with white-colored skin but we were only handed over to other despotic and corrupt colonial masters who happen to have the same color of skin as us and happen to be our kinsmen.
Being a slave under a white man and being a slave under your fellow black man, you are still a slave and you are not in any good conscience independent by any stretch of the imagination.
The reason why we think we are enjoying freedom under our current leaders is that they share the same color of skin with us, speak the same languages with us, are from the same tribes with us and we happen to see them in our religious centers and we are forced to think that they are one of us, but do not be deceived, they are still taskmasters who took over from the white taskmasters and will rather prefer to keep you as their slaves and make sure that the resources never get evenly distributed so you don’t acquire the material resources to stand up to them.
These black slave masters are far more brutal than the colonial slave masters but they were able to gaslight us into believing that we enjoy freedom under their reign.
Until we get rid of these black taskmasters who call themselves our leaders and build “a close to” utopian Nigeria where every citizen will have access to good education, where the economy will be stable, where there will be jobs for the qualified ones, where there will be high human capital development, infrastructural development and other good things of life, we are not free or independent yet and we do not deserve to celebrate independence and the past 62 previous independence day celebration we have had since 1960 were just mere deception and delusion of grandeur.
Professional storms happen; to overcome them, work hard and surround yourself with the right people!
They were men of great capabilities. They excelled in their fields. They were masters of waters, having core competencies in navigating sea waves as fishermen. But one day, they were on the Sea of Galilee, legendary for its shallow depth – the lowest freshwater and second-lowest lake on earth. Fed by River Jordan, with the Golan Heights by the side, a wave easily gathered momentum, causing problems along the paths.
On that day, the disciples, masters of waters, had their capabilities tested. Four of them were recruited by Christ while working on that very Sea. The waves were ferocious. Yet, the men trusted their skills. Then, they gave up, and asked for help. “Peace be still” were the words, and the storm stopped!
Our education, networks, and experiences are things we cherish. We use them to navigate careers. But there are things so powerful: preventing storms or when they do happen, being able to recover by stopping them.
Today’s labour market is like the Sea of Galilee. Tech-driven dislocation and globalization are major challenges. We require alternate plans just in case the skills become momentarily unhelpful just as the fishermen saw themselves nearly imperiled in a sea. But they were lucky, they were in good company, and the men of waters were saved in water.
Work hard and surround yourself with the right people! Invest in that because in professional careers, storms do happen. Do you have 2-3 people you can call to stop the storm?
Comment on Feed
My Comment: Sir, thanks for the words. More than enough to stir up the soul.
How do one accomplish that in an environment where graduates find i? very hard to get a job. No opportunity to strive or show any iota of capacities.
After My NYSC in Feb this year, I still find it getting a job let alone meeting with people with like mind. Efforts are frustrated in a country like Nigeria 
My Response: The challenge is that we focus on jobs as a validation of our value and capabilities. Jobs are great but jobs are not the only vehicles that connect us to people. I did not visit Bill Gates because of my work. He invited me because of an article I wrote. So, I want to ask you: what is your skill and how can you make people know about it? While we need jobs, there are many other ways to demonstrate competence and capabilities.
This photo is with me and Tony Elumelu. He was in Boston and somehow read an article I wrote (the academic ones which are well written, not the Facebook 12 min posts). He asked his staff to connect him to the author. They connected; I went to Boston airport where he was flying back to Lagos and we met https://www.tekedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Ndubuisi-Ekekwe-Tony-Elumelu-photo-960×450.jpg . That was how he became a mentor. He now invited me to Lagos, etc.
Understand that the best time to audition is when there is no opportunity available. You need jobs but we have more worlds outside jobs!
The Impacts of Catchphrases and Colonial History in Political Campaigns in Nigeria
Sixty-two years after independence from the colonial rule, can it be said that Nigeria has mastered its colonial experience, and ready to take leadership space in the world order? The nation’s current political landscape and political culture provide interesting insights about certain colonial character traits that are retained by the Nigerian people and often taken advantage of by elitist politicians in the country.
At this period of electoral campaigns, it is expected that political parties and their supporters will begin to intensify efforts to significantly improve their chances of gaining power in the forthcoming general elections in February 2023. As political parties begin to communicate their manifestos and woo the the electorates, the use of catchphrases or ‘buzz words’ targeted at selling party’s cadidates and ideology or discrediting opposition’s ideology and standard bearers will naturally gain momentum.
The use of catchphrases or buzz words in electoral campaigns has become a common practice in the digital-media age. On the social media, there is limited barrier to the flow of information to the people. While this has ameliorated the problem of information asymmetry that often causes uninformed decisions or indecision among the electorates, there has been increasing incidence of misinformation and disinformation that sway the electorates to the biddings of desperate politicians. Therefore, not so many politicians may have a strong motivation to belie the influence of the social media sentiments on their chances of electoral success.
Although some still strongly believe electoral success goes beyond social media sentiments, it is widely acknowledged that having a strong social media presence during electoral campaigns is not a trivial matter. Moreover, considering the level of bullying and disparaging contents that are being transacted on a daily basis in the cyberspace, the significance of establishing a strong and formidable defence-structure in the same space cannot be overemphasized.
Among the the three leading contenders for the presidential race, the standard bearer of the All progressives Congress (APC) Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu aka BAT is definitely not the least trending if not favoured on the social media. From the emilokan coinage to the agbado-cassava catchphrase, it is not so unclear the wide controversies and attacks the candidacy of BAT has attracted on the social media.
Recently, a group of supporters of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket reportedly went on a corn-eating rally to demonstrate their allegiance to their candidates. This can be interpreted in several ways; one is a symbolic, group effort to counterbalance or trivialise the viral agbado-cassava catchphrase that has been making round on the social media to discredit BAT and the progressives.
The catchphrase, agbado(corn)-cassava government emanated from one of BAT’s several moments of addressing national issues that was obviously taken out of context. The progressives’ flag bearer had highlighted unemployment and food crisis as the major challenges of the nation and suggested mass recruitment of the Nigerian youth into the agriculture sector which still has the highest capacity for employment in the country. According to him, more efforts should be channelled into production of food crops such as, cassava, maize, yam etc. locally. This logically should not engender contempt, especially considering the impact of the Russian-Ukraine war on the global supply chain of grains and its attendant effect on the food security of many countries of the world including Nigeria.
However, the fact that such matter of critical national importance is being abused or manipulated to advance political bickering does not only send wrong signals about our readiness or preparedness for national development but also exposes our pathological fixation to our colonial history; It is reminiscent of the black or natives’ alienation demystified by Franz Fanon in his Wretched of the Earth. The colonial bourgeoisie established in the colonies structures that were so poised and powerful that even after the end of the colonial epoch the exploitation of former colonies and alienation of the natives still persisted. This is neocolonialism, and according to Fanon, the struggle for decolonization is at the heart of Africa’s development.
It is not a point to contest that Agriculture is native to Nigeria’s economy. With more than 60 percent of arable land and over 200 million people, Nigeria has all it takes to feed its people, sustain itself and be the paragon of peace. The Flag is green and white not by accident. Unfortunately, the several years of clamour for diversification of the nation’s economy through agricultural initiative has remained abortive due to certain colonial virtues and ethos that have continued to characterize our democracy as we have it today, albeit unconsciously.
Big Eyes Coin Raises Over 3.2 Million Dollars In Pre Sale! Can It Surpass The Likes Of Dai And Polygon?
To say Big Eyes coin pre sale has been a success is a bit of an understatement. This quirky meme coin has exceeded its own expectations by already raising over 3.2 million dollars.
The question now is, how far can Big eyes coin go?
It’s fair to say that meme coins weren’t always the most lucrative proposition in the crypto world. Investors were traditionally more concerned about how much money they could make down the line from high-value coins.
Bitcoin famously started at a mediocre price of $105.21 when it was released in February 2013, before peaking at 67,566.83 in November 2021, and now, at the time of writing, is worth 19,428.61 per coin.
This notion of making money from crypto obviously still exists, but meme coins like Big Eyes coin, Dogecoin, and Shiba Inu are here to make everything a little more fun.
Big Eyes coin is unlikely to dethrone Bitcoin any time soon, yet the superseding of near-the-top currencies like Dai and Polygon is a real possibility.
Seamlessly Lend And Borrow Crypto With Dai
Dai is a cryptocurrency stablecoin that aims to possess a one-to-one ratio with US dollars. Its non-volatile nature means it is perfect for the lending and borrowing of crypto assets without a third-party processor.
Additionally, due to its cheap price, Dai is a perfect crypto gateway for those who are sceptical of the cryptocurrency scene and want to dip their toe in the water.
As an Ethereum-based coin, Dai can easily be transferred between Ethereum wallets and used to pay for various products.
If purchasing stuff online isn’t your thing, Dai can also be incorporated into various decentralized applications.
User-Friendly Apps? You Can’t Go Wrong With Polygon
Similar to Dai, Polygon is affiliated with Ethereum to a great extent too. As a decentralized Ethereum scaling platform, Polygon allows users to create user-friendly dApps with cheap transaction fees.
Despite currently being ranked number 13 on coinmarket, Polygon does not necessarily apply to the masses. The cryptocurrency was specifically created for web developers who want to make the most of Ethereum’s scaling solutions.
By investing in Polygon, you can take advantage of Ethereum’s industry dominance, dedicated blockchains, modular security, and outstanding developer experience for a lower price and without the risk of coin volatility.
Invest In Big Eyes Coin And Indulge In The Cuteness
In contrast to Dai and Polygon, Big Eyes coin is not overly concerned about the technical and technological elements of the crypto space.
However, its stage 3 release is the epitome of innovation and engagement. This includes the release of eccentric, cat-related NFTs and an exclusive real-life NFT event.
Still, Big Eyes coin is not solely about fun and games. The cryptocurrency has already donated 5% of its total supply to ocean-saving charities as part of stage 2 and is set to repeat these donations in stage 3.
Therefore, if you’re someone who cares about the environment and wants to make a positive difference, every Big Eyes coin investment you make will have greater meaning.
Final Thoughts
It is no coincidence Dai and Polygon are ranked in the top 15 cryptocurrencies. Both provide immense value to investors and developers alike.
Nevertheless, with more meme coins and NFTs emerging, we could see a significant change to the crypto landscape in years to come.
Big Eyes coin is the perfect example of a meme coin with enticing features that could tempt people to invest in crypto, besides the goal of making a healthy monetary return.
Presale: https://buy.bigeyes.space/
Website: https://bigeyes.space/
Telegram: https://t.me/BIGEYESOFFICIAL