Thursday, 28 July 2011
JOHN ODAH PAID #150M TO SABOTAGE MINIMUM WAGE
Federal Govt recruits JOHN ODAH former NLC General Secretary to sabotage minimum wage payment, he addressed a press conference in ABUJA yesterday and to do same this morning in LAGOS at WELCOME CENTRE HOTEL airport road, Ikeja Lagos. Lets storm the venue @ 9am to resist the TRAITOR & SABOTEUR of our collective struggle. DARE TO STRUGGLE DARE TO WIN
Monday, 25 July 2011
PROGRAMMES AND PERSPECTIVE OF YOREM.
EXPLAINING YOREM.
The Yoruba Revolutionary Movement (YOREM) is a mass political and socio-cultural fighting and militant formation of the Yoruba nation and people. The YOREM is an organisation which is committed to mobilising,educating and organising the Yoruba masses, the poor,the dispossessed, exploited and oppressed classes of the Yoruba nation to actively and uncompromisingly wage the battle for self determination and social emancipation.
YORUBA is part of the name of YOREM because Yoruba is the correct name of our nation.
The word REVOLUTIONARY is a component of YOREM nomenclature because the struggle we are involved in is a revolution.It is a revolutionary struggle because what we want to achieve is a total,thorough and radical transformation of all facets of our condition and mode of existence.
Besides, we are also convinced that it is only through a revolution that the masses of poor peoples' can take effective political,economic and socio-cultural control of their lives, overhaul the oppressive status-quo and remake society in their interest.
YOREM is therefore a mass political movement at the vanguard or leadership of the revolutionary mass struggle of the Yoruba masses.
OUR STRUGGLE, OUR CAUSE!
For the avoidance of doubt, our struggle is for social justice,for equity ,for equal access to opportunities ,for all Yoruba and for other peoples.The components of our struggle includes:
STRUGGLE FOR SELF DETERMINATION
Self determination is an internationally recognised human right and it means the capacity and ability of a people to determine its mode of existence.Self determination involves the right of equality of all nations and peoples,including the right to exist,if so desired by the nation or people to exist as separate sovereign entity.
Self determination is thus, a political right which negates national oppression and subjugation as well as forceful inclusion of a nationality in a state not of his own choice.Therefore,self determination is a right of a people or nationality to run its own affairs up to and including establishing a separate nation of its own.
In the context of Nigeria today,our struggle for self determination entails the restructuring Nigeria to a truly federal union.This is because the Nigerian state as presently constituted is a negation of our right to self determination.
Thus, our struggle for self determination means regional autonomy for the Yoruba and this will involve self government including
a. our own legislative assembly
b. Our own armed forces in the nature of the armed popular militia,which will include all able bodied adults,
c. Full control, direct ownership and democratic self management of our own human, material and other economic resources.
STRUGGLE FOR SOCIAL EMANCIPATION
Social emancipation is an important component our struggle.This is because,either within the context of regional autonomy or an independent Oodua Republic, we want a situation where the condition which makes it possible for a few people to be extremely wealthy while the majority of the people wallow in abject poverty will be eradicated.
We want a society where the wealth of society will be produced,owned,held and used in common;where every one's need will be met,where there will be jobs for all;where the unemployed,the sick,the disabled, the aged and the infant will receive from the common pool of social wealth, materials and monetary benefits in the form of social security.We want free,functional and qualitative free heath delivery and education for all.we want every one to have affordable and humane homes. We want the poor,who are the majority,who are the real victims of the present system to directly control and run the affairs of society in their own interest.This is social emancipation.
The Oodua Republic,which we want,will not be run by corrupt treasury looters,contract inflating officials nor an inept greedy and corrupt political class,but by the poor peoples ourselves.
THE PITFALL OF OUR EXPERIENCE
Up till this moment the experience of our struggle as a people throughout history has shown that those who claim to be the leaders and leading organisations of our people struggles have always approached the issues as if all Yoruba have a common interest in self determination and social emancipation for the Yoruba nation.
The impression has always been created that the privilege,the extremely wealthy Yoruba ruling elite as a social class have a common interest with the poor,marginalised,exploited masses of the Yoruba nation.The impression is created that the wealthy also want an autonomous self governing Yoruba region(Oodua Republic)where the benefits will be shared equally with the poor, which will committed to(a) eradicating poverty(b) redistributing wealth(c) creating a common pool of social wealth from which everybody's need will be met.
The rich are not prepared to give up their wealth ,positions and privileges, as they are the chief beneficiaries of the status-quo, they will not be interested in transforming the status-quo.All through our history,it is the poor workers,self employed,artisans,traders,jobless youths and students who have borne the brunt and burden of our struggle.
They are the ones who have demonstrated, went on strike,protested,organised rallies,face the brutal repressive backlash of the state.They have been the one's to be massacred on the streets, to be jailed en-mass without being remembered.They have being the one's being harassed,to be thoroughly beaten,and for our women even to be raped.
They are sole militants and combatants of our struggle,they should be the sole beneficiaries of our victory. In the past and until now the leadership of our struggle has been conceded to these deceitful ruling elites or to persons who believe in forming an alliance with these treacherous elite to the detriment of the poor masses.They have always througt it better to collaborate with the corrupt politicians, with the military and the wealthy class in general in order to reap personal benefits.This is why we have not made any headway in our struggle.This is why we must take our destiny into our own hands.
OUR ENEMIES AND OUR FRIENDS
Throughout the whole world, and throughout the whole of human history ,every nation in reality has always being made up of i.e.,the nation of the minority wealthy,privilege,corrupt,inept ruling elite(the oppressors) and the nation of the overwhelming majority of poor,homeless,jobless,marginalised,uneducated,suppressed and exploited masses i.e. the nation of the oppressedThe enemies of our cause, those who have an interest in suppressing our struggle so as to safeguard their wealth and positions, are to be found both within our nation and outside our nation. If every nation is made up of a minority of wealthy oppressors and the majority of exploited, poor and dispossessed oppressed masses, then it follows that our true friends in our struggle can be found only in and majorly among the poor, oppressed and exploited masses of other nations.
The poor, exploited Yoruba masses actually have more in common with and thus a close common interest with the poor exploited Ijaw, Igbo, Hausa, Tiv, Jukun, Urhobo, Ikwere, Ogoni etc. masses. It is in the interest of our struggle to reach out to the poor of the other nations, to form alliances with them, to fight together and organized joint actions with them.
After all, the oppressor wealthy ruling elite of all these nations gets together and plan our common exploitation together in company boardrooms, in government houses, in military commands, in federal and state cabinets, in the houses of assemblies, and other such places including social gatherings where they meet, wine and dine together. It is because the key to our victory is our unity that our respective ruling classes always try to whip up divisions among us and orchestrate violent clashes among us. After all, it is we the poor who end up killing one another and destroying our meager possessions.
THE CURRENT SITUATION.
It is very clear that whether politically or economically the Nigerian ruling class and its constituent ethnic factions are incapable of transforming our lives. For example, the Yoruba elite through Alliance for Democracy (AD) and with collaboration of several so-called Oodua fighting organisations control the affairs of the Southwestern Yoruba states, but what have they been able to do?
Instead of more jobs they have sacked workers. They have left salaries unpaid. They have threatened striking workers with sack. They have enriched themselves by giving themselves fat allowances of various types including housing, furniture, cars etc. Their interest and our interest are not the same. They cannot serve our interest. They are concerned about safeguarding their positions and their properties and ill-gotten wealth. They are busy looting the treasury.
THE WAY FORWARD
In this kind of atmosphere, what can we do?
We believe that it is ONLY THROUGH CONSTANT, CEASELESS AND UNINTERRUPTED STRUGGLE THAT WE CAN WIN.
WE KNOW THAT REVOLUTION IS THE ONLY WAY OUT
To restructure Nigeria into a true federal union to achieve a self-governing, autonomous oodua Republic, to win the battle for self-determination, to take control of the processes and institutions which affect and shape our lives, we need to chase the corrupt ruling class whether civilian or military out of power. We need to radically transform our condition and mode of existence.
THE SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE (SNC)
We believe that a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) is the minimum and most peaceful way forward. We also know that neither the Nigerian state nor the existing registered political parties will convene a true SNC. We affirm that the SNC can be called only by the different nationalities working together and waging a campaign of insurrection on the streets can through their collective might independently convene the SNC.
We urge each nationality to convene its own NATIONAL CONFERENCE and work out terms, under which they would wish to associate with other nationalities, as well as in their own internal affairs
On our part we are committed to convening a Pan Yoruba Constituent Assembly (PYCA) to draw up a constitution for a self-governing, autonomous Oodua Republic within the context of a restructured truly federal Nigeria union, as well as work out the terms of our association with others.
Only through intensified militant, direct mass actions – the organized self-activity of the masses can we convene both the Pan Yoruba Constituent Assembly (PYCA) and the SNC independently and proceed from there to make the Yoruba revolution, initiate and consummate the Nigerian and African revolution, for we also believe in a Federation of Africa’s ethnic nationalities on the basis of justice and equity.
OPERATIONAL MODES.
YOREM is a fighting revolutionary organization and shall make use of the modes that includes the followings in the actualization of her mission;
Organisational training of members and cadres and on political, economic, philosophical and ideological issues involved in our liberation struggle.
Mobilisation and education of the people with a view to enlightening them of the programmes and perspectives of YOREM and winning them to support and participate in the actualization of YOREM programmes.
Organisation of lectures, symposia, seminars, rallies etc.
Production and circulating of mass leaflets press statements, fliers, stickers and posters.
Campaign via print and electronic media.
Picketing, mass procession, demonstrations and protest.
Any other modes as may be agreed by the appropriate organ of YOREM.
A CLARION CALL TO HISTORIC DUTY
We are hereby calling on all the patriots of Yoruba nation, and all the oppressed and poor masses of Yoruba nation to
REFUSE OPPORTUNISM – Do not collaborate with our oppressors.
REJECT DOMINATION – Whether by privileged Yoruba or elites of other nationalities.
RESIST OPPRESSION – Whether from the hands of Yoruba traitors, other nationalities, imperialism – alliance of world ruling class and
RECLAIM THE FATHERLAND
Published by: YORUBA REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT (YOREM)
Date: Sunday 21st of NOVEMBER, 1999.
The Yoruba Revolutionary Movement (YOREM) is a mass political and socio-cultural fighting and militant formation of the Yoruba nation and people. The YOREM is an organisation which is committed to mobilising,educating and organising the Yoruba masses, the poor,the dispossessed, exploited and oppressed classes of the Yoruba nation to actively and uncompromisingly wage the battle for self determination and social emancipation.
YORUBA is part of the name of YOREM because Yoruba is the correct name of our nation.
The word REVOLUTIONARY is a component of YOREM nomenclature because the struggle we are involved in is a revolution.It is a revolutionary struggle because what we want to achieve is a total,thorough and radical transformation of all facets of our condition and mode of existence.
Besides, we are also convinced that it is only through a revolution that the masses of poor peoples' can take effective political,economic and socio-cultural control of their lives, overhaul the oppressive status-quo and remake society in their interest.
YOREM is therefore a mass political movement at the vanguard or leadership of the revolutionary mass struggle of the Yoruba masses.
OUR STRUGGLE, OUR CAUSE!
For the avoidance of doubt, our struggle is for social justice,for equity ,for equal access to opportunities ,for all Yoruba and for other peoples.The components of our struggle includes:
STRUGGLE FOR SELF DETERMINATION
Self determination is an internationally recognised human right and it means the capacity and ability of a people to determine its mode of existence.Self determination involves the right of equality of all nations and peoples,including the right to exist,if so desired by the nation or people to exist as separate sovereign entity.
Self determination is thus, a political right which negates national oppression and subjugation as well as forceful inclusion of a nationality in a state not of his own choice.Therefore,self determination is a right of a people or nationality to run its own affairs up to and including establishing a separate nation of its own.
In the context of Nigeria today,our struggle for self determination entails the restructuring Nigeria to a truly federal union.This is because the Nigerian state as presently constituted is a negation of our right to self determination.
Thus, our struggle for self determination means regional autonomy for the Yoruba and this will involve self government including
a. our own legislative assembly
b. Our own armed forces in the nature of the armed popular militia,which will include all able bodied adults,
c. Full control, direct ownership and democratic self management of our own human, material and other economic resources.
STRUGGLE FOR SOCIAL EMANCIPATION
Social emancipation is an important component our struggle.This is because,either within the context of regional autonomy or an independent Oodua Republic, we want a situation where the condition which makes it possible for a few people to be extremely wealthy while the majority of the people wallow in abject poverty will be eradicated.
We want a society where the wealth of society will be produced,owned,held and used in common;where every one's need will be met,where there will be jobs for all;where the unemployed,the sick,the disabled, the aged and the infant will receive from the common pool of social wealth, materials and monetary benefits in the form of social security.We want free,functional and qualitative free heath delivery and education for all.we want every one to have affordable and humane homes. We want the poor,who are the majority,who are the real victims of the present system to directly control and run the affairs of society in their own interest.This is social emancipation.
The Oodua Republic,which we want,will not be run by corrupt treasury looters,contract inflating officials nor an inept greedy and corrupt political class,but by the poor peoples ourselves.
THE PITFALL OF OUR EXPERIENCE
Up till this moment the experience of our struggle as a people throughout history has shown that those who claim to be the leaders and leading organisations of our people struggles have always approached the issues as if all Yoruba have a common interest in self determination and social emancipation for the Yoruba nation.
The impression has always been created that the privilege,the extremely wealthy Yoruba ruling elite as a social class have a common interest with the poor,marginalised,exploited masses of the Yoruba nation.The impression is created that the wealthy also want an autonomous self governing Yoruba region(Oodua Republic)where the benefits will be shared equally with the poor, which will committed to(a) eradicating poverty(b) redistributing wealth(c) creating a common pool of social wealth from which everybody's need will be met.
The rich are not prepared to give up their wealth ,positions and privileges, as they are the chief beneficiaries of the status-quo, they will not be interested in transforming the status-quo.All through our history,it is the poor workers,self employed,artisans,traders,jobless youths and students who have borne the brunt and burden of our struggle.
They are the ones who have demonstrated, went on strike,protested,organised rallies,face the brutal repressive backlash of the state.They have been the one's to be massacred on the streets, to be jailed en-mass without being remembered.They have being the one's being harassed,to be thoroughly beaten,and for our women even to be raped.
They are sole militants and combatants of our struggle,they should be the sole beneficiaries of our victory. In the past and until now the leadership of our struggle has been conceded to these deceitful ruling elites or to persons who believe in forming an alliance with these treacherous elite to the detriment of the poor masses.They have always througt it better to collaborate with the corrupt politicians, with the military and the wealthy class in general in order to reap personal benefits.This is why we have not made any headway in our struggle.This is why we must take our destiny into our own hands.
OUR ENEMIES AND OUR FRIENDS
Throughout the whole world, and throughout the whole of human history ,every nation in reality has always being made up of i.e.,the nation of the minority wealthy,privilege,corrupt,inept ruling elite(the oppressors) and the nation of the overwhelming majority of poor,homeless,jobless,marginalised,uneducated,suppressed and exploited masses i.e. the nation of the oppressedThe enemies of our cause, those who have an interest in suppressing our struggle so as to safeguard their wealth and positions, are to be found both within our nation and outside our nation. If every nation is made up of a minority of wealthy oppressors and the majority of exploited, poor and dispossessed oppressed masses, then it follows that our true friends in our struggle can be found only in and majorly among the poor, oppressed and exploited masses of other nations.
The poor, exploited Yoruba masses actually have more in common with and thus a close common interest with the poor exploited Ijaw, Igbo, Hausa, Tiv, Jukun, Urhobo, Ikwere, Ogoni etc. masses. It is in the interest of our struggle to reach out to the poor of the other nations, to form alliances with them, to fight together and organized joint actions with them.
After all, the oppressor wealthy ruling elite of all these nations gets together and plan our common exploitation together in company boardrooms, in government houses, in military commands, in federal and state cabinets, in the houses of assemblies, and other such places including social gatherings where they meet, wine and dine together. It is because the key to our victory is our unity that our respective ruling classes always try to whip up divisions among us and orchestrate violent clashes among us. After all, it is we the poor who end up killing one another and destroying our meager possessions.
THE CURRENT SITUATION.
It is very clear that whether politically or economically the Nigerian ruling class and its constituent ethnic factions are incapable of transforming our lives. For example, the Yoruba elite through Alliance for Democracy (AD) and with collaboration of several so-called Oodua fighting organisations control the affairs of the Southwestern Yoruba states, but what have they been able to do?
Instead of more jobs they have sacked workers. They have left salaries unpaid. They have threatened striking workers with sack. They have enriched themselves by giving themselves fat allowances of various types including housing, furniture, cars etc. Their interest and our interest are not the same. They cannot serve our interest. They are concerned about safeguarding their positions and their properties and ill-gotten wealth. They are busy looting the treasury.
THE WAY FORWARD
In this kind of atmosphere, what can we do?
We believe that it is ONLY THROUGH CONSTANT, CEASELESS AND UNINTERRUPTED STRUGGLE THAT WE CAN WIN.
WE KNOW THAT REVOLUTION IS THE ONLY WAY OUT
To restructure Nigeria into a true federal union to achieve a self-governing, autonomous oodua Republic, to win the battle for self-determination, to take control of the processes and institutions which affect and shape our lives, we need to chase the corrupt ruling class whether civilian or military out of power. We need to radically transform our condition and mode of existence.
THE SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE (SNC)
We believe that a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) is the minimum and most peaceful way forward. We also know that neither the Nigerian state nor the existing registered political parties will convene a true SNC. We affirm that the SNC can be called only by the different nationalities working together and waging a campaign of insurrection on the streets can through their collective might independently convene the SNC.
We urge each nationality to convene its own NATIONAL CONFERENCE and work out terms, under which they would wish to associate with other nationalities, as well as in their own internal affairs
On our part we are committed to convening a Pan Yoruba Constituent Assembly (PYCA) to draw up a constitution for a self-governing, autonomous Oodua Republic within the context of a restructured truly federal Nigeria union, as well as work out the terms of our association with others.
Only through intensified militant, direct mass actions – the organized self-activity of the masses can we convene both the Pan Yoruba Constituent Assembly (PYCA) and the SNC independently and proceed from there to make the Yoruba revolution, initiate and consummate the Nigerian and African revolution, for we also believe in a Federation of Africa’s ethnic nationalities on the basis of justice and equity.
OPERATIONAL MODES.
YOREM is a fighting revolutionary organization and shall make use of the modes that includes the followings in the actualization of her mission;
Organisational training of members and cadres and on political, economic, philosophical and ideological issues involved in our liberation struggle.
Mobilisation and education of the people with a view to enlightening them of the programmes and perspectives of YOREM and winning them to support and participate in the actualization of YOREM programmes.
Organisation of lectures, symposia, seminars, rallies etc.
Production and circulating of mass leaflets press statements, fliers, stickers and posters.
Campaign via print and electronic media.
Picketing, mass procession, demonstrations and protest.
Any other modes as may be agreed by the appropriate organ of YOREM.
A CLARION CALL TO HISTORIC DUTY
We are hereby calling on all the patriots of Yoruba nation, and all the oppressed and poor masses of Yoruba nation to
REFUSE OPPORTUNISM – Do not collaborate with our oppressors.
REJECT DOMINATION – Whether by privileged Yoruba or elites of other nationalities.
RESIST OPPRESSION – Whether from the hands of Yoruba traitors, other nationalities, imperialism – alliance of world ruling class and
RECLAIM THE FATHERLAND
Published by: YORUBA REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT (YOREM)
Date: Sunday 21st of NOVEMBER, 1999.
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
NIGERIA AS A FAILED STATE: DIALOGUE NOT BOMBS
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,
We are compelled by the sordid happenings in Nigerian to state certain fundamental positions because it will be criminal on our part to remain silent at a period when the country is being plunged into social, economic and political morass. Thus, we can no longer condemn the ugly state of social infrastructures alone or the lack of vision of impostors in power to steer the ship of state to desired economic growth and development rather we should be perturbed at the level of degenerations into the Hobbesian period where life has become brutish, nasty, poor and shot.
It would not be out of place to reaffirmed at this epoch of our social, politico-economic history that Nigeria is a failed state a position the UAD has continued to maintained in the last seven years ,for all indices of a failed state are clearly apparent.
APRILL GENERAL ELECTIONS
Many Nigerians are of the view that the last April polls are free, fair and credible and Kudos given to INEC under Prof. Attahiru Jega but we of the UAD do not share the notion, rather we believe the little success recorded at the polls depends largely on the sheer determination of the Nigerian electorate to rescue the degenerate electoral fortunes of the past in order to peacefully remake Nigeria through the ballot box.
Before, during and after the polls we continuously maintained that to save Nigeria from imminent collapse our doggedness and commitment to system change is required in which we have to take our destiny into our hands to dismantle the rotten edifice of Nigeria as presently constituted. To us the question of regime change is too cosmetic to fundamentally address the various problems in the polity and the correctness of our position manifested in the insecurity of lives and property confronting us now.
CORRUPTION AS A TRADITION
Despite the fact that the expected conduct for public officers is spelt out in the 1999 constitution fifth schedule, part 1 which is to establish and maintain a high standard of morality in the conduct of government business, and to ensure that the actions and behaviour of public officers conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability, those in the corridors of power flout the provisions with impunity.
Thus, corruption becomes an accepted norm and traditions in all organs of governments at the Federal, state and local levels. Whilst, the anti-graft agencies do not equally help matters by indulging in selective persecution through the investigations and prosecutions of those who has fallen out of favour among and within the looting cabal. And most of this crucification is done on the pages of newspapers.
It is interesting to note that the National Assembly from 2007 – 2011 spent a lot of public funds in investigating the preceding regime the reports of which are gathering dust while those indicted either found their ways back into government or were enjoying their loot in the country or abroad.
The questions were, are those reports so worthless that the ICPC and EFCC bulldogs cannot appraise them? Why are those prosecuted particularly by the EFCC either given light sentences or allowed to enjoy their spoil after the corruption aiding plea bargaining have been invoked. It is pertinent to ask ourselves at this juncture, if we genuinely think the grace to grass fate of Dimeji Bankole should not be the fate of the David Mark led senate. In essence, the same search light that led to the ongoing prosecution of former Speaker Bankole and his deputy Nafada should be beamed at the senate because both the upper and lower legislative chambers dubiously increased their allowances disregarding provisions through the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
The UAD wants to add that if Madam Farida Waziri refused to probe and prosecute former President Obasanjo and others perceived as untouchables based on petitions before it she should resign immediately. More so, we believe that Farida Waziri lacks the moral credibility to lead the anti-graft agency because Saharareporters and Naijanews had revealed how corrupt former governors recruited Mrs. Waziri, an allegation she has not refuted till date.
BOKO HARAM UPRISING
The UAD wish to state unequivocally that the Jama’atul Ahlu-Sunnah Hidda’amati Wallaital Islamic Group popularly referred to as Boko Haram uprising is more social, economic and political than religious. Unfortunately, the sect adopted the most extreme form of tactics to achieve its strategic goal. They viewed western education as a medium through which past and present leaders in the Northern Part of the country in particular and Nigeria in general acquired the knowledge to deceive, cheat and amass wealth at public expense without conscience.
We believe that the Boko Haram sect that came into being in 2002 was attractive to its followers because of the level of ignorance, poverty, joblessness, unemployment and hopelessness that not only pervades the North but the entire Nigeria landscape. Whilst Nigeria rulers arrogantly display their ill-gotten wealth and the dehumanized majority languished in penury.
From 2009 till date the sect had carried out dozens of attacks for which they claimed responsibility in Borno, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Niger, Plateau, Katsina and Kano before the mind boggling and brazen attack at the police headquarters in Abuja in which over 12 lives were lost and over 82 cars damaged. In aggregate, over 360 lives have been lost in Boko Haram induced violence. The police also killed over 180 adherents of the sect and its leader Mallam Muhammad Yusuf in 2009.
The police headquarters bombing which has attracted several comments is not only an eye sore but shows that we lack security consciousness as a people, lack of alertness on the part of our security operatives not only the police, a confirmation that security is very porous all over the country.
The UAD is of the view that it is imperative to fish out the leadership and sponsors of Boko Haram and engage them in serious and constructive dialogue to lay down their weapons and not to make a tactical error that they can be easily dislodged through force. The use of force is baseless because terrorist do not just carry arms around like other freedom fighters and they are also very difficult to identify. It is also through a properly organized and coordinated intelligence network that we can nip terrorism in the bud in Nigeria.
A concerted effort should also be made to train and re-train our security operatives particularly the police in the art of modern policing. Buying military hard wares without a corresponding motivation of rank and file officers and adequate knowledge will be grossly useless.
MINIMUM WAGE
It is disheartening and sheer insensitivity for some governors to claim that the payment of minimum wages to workers will incapacitate their programmers. It is criminal for any governor to refuse the payment of the minimum wage to workers when they were part of the negotiations with the leadership of labour before the passage of the act. The arguments of these governors are baseless and unfounded, if they refuse to pay, the UAD enjoin workers not only to declare industrial dispute but to make such states ungovernable to the recalcitrant governor. ENOUGH OF MONKEY DEY WORK BABOON DEY CHOP.
ARTIFICIAL KEROSENE SCARCITY
UAD cannot understand the self-centeredness and insensitivity of Governments at all levels to the plight of the governed who voted for them even in the recent April polls. We cannot but liaise with organisations with similar interest to fight the unjust kerosene scarcity and covert plot to increase its price by the federal government. If President Goodluck Jonathan government is people friendly as claimed he should invoke the same power as he did with the price and sale of cement.
The federal government should also revoke Femi Otedola monopoly on kerosene; he has caused enough hardship for the majority of our toiling people.
We shall call on our people in the next few days to seize the streets in protest against the diabolic attack on the masses on the issue of kerosene which per litter has skyrocketed to #280 - #350.
SIGNED:
Saturday, 4 June 2011
CLARION CALL FOR SNC
We all know that Nigeria as a pseudo Federal state is lopsided, that though the country will be 51years old come October 1st we are far off from nationhood. That ethnic cleavages and nepotism is a factor in getting what, where and when. That public officers loot our colective treasury with impunity, that insecurity of lives and property remains the order of the day.
That it is pratically impossible for Enebong Bassey to become a councillor in any local goverment in Ekiti State, Muhktar Dalhattu to become a Local government chairman in Ebonyi State, and a Sangosanya Ibikunle to be Governor of Kaduna state.Whereas, we have sacrified merit from independence till date to create a sense of belonging for the hitherto independent nations cobbled together, through the rotation of leadership.
That the government at the centre is too power and domineering at the detriment of the component states and local units. That fiscal federalism is an abberation in our political economy . That Constitutional conferences and Constitutents Assemblies have taken place in the past but could not address and redress fundamental ills bedevilling the country, that are too numerous to mention here.
That at this epoch in our chequered history, there is need to convoke a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) as a peacful panacea to frontally and holistically address social, economic and political problems that are impediments to our growth and development as a people. That the SNC to resolve our multi-faceted problems is not an event but a process to remake Nigeria, it is not a constituent assembly or a conference of ethnic nationalities and it should not be reduced to PRONACO workshop. It is a contested terrain of ideas, to redefine and to renegotiate our continous existence as people.
The SNC must and should be convoked by the working people, artisans, peasants, proffessional and interest groups,the physically challenged, students and youths, faith based organisations, CSOs, CBOs self determination groups and other oppressed layers of the Nigerian state.
As we hope to get in touch with you as soon as possible please start mobilising people in your neighbourhood and working place now. SNC is a struggle to be waged independently by the people, for the people in the collective interest of the working people and other oppressed and marginalised layers of the Nigerian society.
Contact: Wale Balogun 08135356082 for more information
That it is pratically impossible for Enebong Bassey to become a councillor in any local goverment in Ekiti State, Muhktar Dalhattu to become a Local government chairman in Ebonyi State, and a Sangosanya Ibikunle to be Governor of Kaduna state.Whereas, we have sacrified merit from independence till date to create a sense of belonging for the hitherto independent nations cobbled together, through the rotation of leadership.
That the government at the centre is too power and domineering at the detriment of the component states and local units. That fiscal federalism is an abberation in our political economy . That Constitutional conferences and Constitutents Assemblies have taken place in the past but could not address and redress fundamental ills bedevilling the country, that are too numerous to mention here.
That at this epoch in our chequered history, there is need to convoke a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) as a peacful panacea to frontally and holistically address social, economic and political problems that are impediments to our growth and development as a people. That the SNC to resolve our multi-faceted problems is not an event but a process to remake Nigeria, it is not a constituent assembly or a conference of ethnic nationalities and it should not be reduced to PRONACO workshop. It is a contested terrain of ideas, to redefine and to renegotiate our continous existence as people.
The SNC must and should be convoked by the working people, artisans, peasants, proffessional and interest groups,the physically challenged, students and youths, faith based organisations, CSOs, CBOs self determination groups and other oppressed layers of the Nigerian state.
As we hope to get in touch with you as soon as possible please start mobilising people in your neighbourhood and working place now. SNC is a struggle to be waged independently by the people, for the people in the collective interest of the working people and other oppressed and marginalised layers of the Nigerian society.
Contact: Wale Balogun 08135356082 for more information
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
RESTATING THEORY OF PERMANENT REVOLUTION
Dear Comrades,
In recent times with the uprising in the middle east and the inconclusive and half made nature of those revolutions, there has been a new debate within the revolutionary left around both Trotsky's theory of permanent revolution as well as around Tony Cliff's augmentation of the theory with the theory of Defelected permanent revolution, to explain the state capitalist outcome and not the socialist outcome of the post 2nd world war revolutions in places like China, Cuba, Vietnam, Yugoslavia etc.
Both the original theory and its augmentation were based on concrete analysis of existing manifestations of the law of uneven and combined development at the time the theories were being formulated, although the utilisation of the law was more explicit in Trotsky than in Cliff.
So now, in changed historical times, with the law of uneven and combined development still operating [still an absolute], it is important to take a look at that theory and restate it within the context of the manifestation of that law today.
So whereas in Trotsky and all marxist since Trotsky, combination represented the impact of collission of capitalist and pre-capitalist formations and modes of production on a world scale in general, but more importantly on a national scale in particular, where the tensions generated by that collission created the possibility for a revolution led by the working class to literally skip historical stages and go on directly to socialism. The Russian revolution is the most significant demonstration of this. The Chinese revolution of 1925-7 was if you like another demonstration of this, but this time it is a negative demonstration because the revolution was defeated.
In the twenty first century, the principal combination taking place is the collission between more advanced forms of the capitalist mode of production and relations of production and more backward forms of the same.
Is permanent revolution still possible under these terms? Ofcourse now even more than in the twentieth century, it is obvious that the only way that the working class can achieve its self emancipation is by making the socialist revolution.
This does not mean that the era of political revolutions have come to a close, or that even a revolution in which the working class plays the decisive roll can not vegetate at the level of the political revolution and fail to transit to the social revolution. But it does mean that any political revolutions can only lead to the forcing of the bourgeiosie to concede some reforms. And it does mean that there are no longer any outstanding bourgeiois democratic tasks to be carried out by the revolution which is not decisively an integral part of a socialist democratisation, and workers democratic project.
The restatement here is indicative, perhaps even tentative and speculative, it is certainly not exhaustive.
Comradely Regards,
Jaye Gaskia
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