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Mbasekei Martin Obono's Blog
Mbasekei Martin Obono's Blog


Youth Position On Etteh Saga
Related to country: Nigeria
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

YOUTH AGAINST CYBER CRIMES AND FRAUD PRESENTS

YOUTH VOICES ON CORRUPTION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE.

AGENDA: Press Conference on Youth Position on Etteh Saga and related Issue.

BY: Mbasekei Martin Obono (PRESIDENT)

Venue: Trade Union Congress National Secretariat.

Date:On 29th October, 2007

Contact: 017402451

Email: martobono@yahoo.com

Good afternoon fellow Nigerian Youth, Gentlemen and Women of the press present. I welcome you all as we honor this epoch - making occasion, it is an epoch assembly because we determine our fate in the Nigeria of today - the fate of the Nigerian Youth, it is indeed a day were we have to strike a balance between the imbalances of self – government of the wicked and corrupt politicians whose clandestine and impious agenda is to use their position against the popular will of the majority majority. The Nigerian Youth has been silent for too long, the implication of this hush is seen as weakness by the people who govern us, that is why they treat us the way they do. Now we have woken up, today is ours and the future belongs to us. We would not take a seat while we watch the likes of Patricia Olubunmi Etteh and a host of others ridicule our fight against corruption in Nigeria.

Corruption and fraud are worst adversaries of development and good governance. Nigeria is not supposed to be plaque with this massive unemployment, epileptic power supply, poorly equipped hospitals, if not for corruption and mismanagement of public funds. 30 years ago, Nigeria undertook massive investment in public enterprises worth over $100 billion, but at the end of 1996 our net returns on investments was less than $0.5 per annum? Until recently, NEPA served 12% of Nigerians with an average of 6hrs daily, yet it attracted N 20 billion subsidies yearly, or haven’t you heard that the government of General Babangida has not been able to properly account for $12 billion gulf war oil money? Most developmental activities have been thwarted by corrupt public office holders and we must put an end to it now that the government of President Yaradua is still new, before it eats deep in our system like a cankerworm.

We have watched the unfolding events in the lower chamber of the national assembly; we have also noticed the leadership’s height of incompetence since its inauguration. According to a commentator, the house has adjourned in the past 3 months more than any other house since 1960. The sit – tight attitude of the dishonorable speaker of the lower house is the altitude of insensitivity and callousness to the people she portrays to represent.

Madam speaker, when you were made head of the House of Representatives, we were very happy, I can vividly remember my comment on takingitglobal website after your election as a speaker. Little did we know you were going to betray our trust so soon? I still cannot imagine how you would want to renovate your house with N238, N 570, or

N628 million whatever the true figure is, in this rising phase of poverty, in a country were her ex – service men who fought for the sovereignty of Nigeria live under the bridges of Abuja.

Whatever the true figure you wanted to use to renovate the house with is, you have tried to defraud our nation twice. First, you wanted the approval of a body massage chair worth N 98 million, when you know quite well that you would end up buying it for a few hundreds of thousands at most. When you were denied, you went ahead to approve

N628 million for you and your deputy’s house renovation, furnishing and official cars. Knowing fully well that it wasn’t part of the 2007 annual budget, you boycott due process, yet you talk about due process. After perpetrating this act of fraud. We are not asking you to step aside this time around to allow the speaker pro tempore preside on the Idoko report. You are too fraudulent to be in the helm of affairs, you and your accomplices should be impeached, recalled by the people you claim to represent, arrested, tried and jailed for attempting to defraud Nigeria. You do not have any moral justification to be within the confines of the lawmaking arm of the government.

It is a pity that Dr. Fredrick Fasheun of OPC who most of us respect so much would want to interpret the campaign for Etteh’s removal as a plot against the Yoruba race, we all know that when Madam speaker leaves the exalted position, another Yoruba person would be made speaker of the house, I strongly campaign that another woman be used to replace her, Baba, we plead with you not to remind us of the sensitivity of our ethnic differences. We expect that you would teach us the younger generation to defend the unity of Nigeria and not its disunity.

Chief Olabode George also, made a blunder and ridicule of the intellectual capability of Nigerians who fought for democracy, when he agreed that Paticia Etteh did not follow due process in the award of the contract but that does not mean that she should be impeached. Chief George, must we wait for her to keep on attempting fraudulent practices in Nigeria? Must we wait for her to empty our national treasury before something is done? The answer is a capital no and she must go to jail now.

Today, we are campaigning against our youth involvement in cyber crimes, how do we justify our campaign, when the older ones – our leaders are busy with fraudulent practices, who do we use ask them to emulate? How do we tell the unemployed graduate not to be fraudulent when all he reads on the pages of newspapers is embezzlement of public funds, inflation of contracts and other financial misconduct?

Whilst we appreciate the Farouk Lawan lead Integrity Group for exposing the gullibility, surreptitious and irreverent plan of Patricia Etteh, her deputy and the rest, we place a vote of no confidence in your so called Integrity Group campaign, based on the allegations that you championed the cause because of denied juicy committees, implore the ICPC to investigate your activities and if found guilty, you should face the music. We have had enough in the last government, and we are no longer going to watch you all treat us with impunity. We want credibility and accountability in the law making arm of our government this dispensation.

Mr. President Yaradua, some of us saw credibility, integrity and accountability in you among other candidates in the April polls that was why we voted for you. Although, your party and her devilish leadership rigged for you and you watched, many have appealed that with these most essential elements you poses, you should intervene in the crises rocking the lower house of the assembly, as a party leader, not as a president because of your respect for the rule of law and the principle of separation of powers, but you have refused – we are watching. Please Mr. President, we are not too happy about the way the Attorney General of the Federation is going about the anticorruption war, especially with the investigations of James Ibori and Orji Uzor Kalu, I wonder if as an AGF he is supposed to be a defense counsel to those who looted public funds or a prosecutor? Mr. President, beware of his likes, whose agenda is to derision our war against corruption in Nigeria, under the pretence of rule of law and due process. I strongly posit we don’t need such a man occupy a powerful position as the AGF. Since his ministry is constitutionally recognized, he can undo any process on the war against corruption war. His credibility is being questioned by commentators daily, and this does not tell well for your leadership which claims to have a zero tolerance for corruption. Mr. President, my advice is that, if you must curb corruption, you need not surround yourself with the list of questionable characters of Ambassadors, who have not even represented your Party well enough to talk less of the entire nation Nigeria, or Michael Aondakaa and a host of others.

My Fellow Nigerian Youth, this is a struggle we must fight to finish, it is a strenuous life we must hope to endure with joy, if we must have a better Nigeria. The fight against fraud and corruption is not for the feeble mind, it is for the strong and courageous. My fellow youth and compatriots, each one of you carries on your shoulders not a burden of doing well for the sake of self, but for the sake of the entire citizenry - the sake of humanity. At every stage, and under all circumstances, the essence of the struggle is to equalize opportunity, destroy stolen privileges of massive employment, adequate power supply, good roads, right to good education and health. But to achieve all these, we must have the right kind of character – the character that breeds success. The character that makes a boy first a good son to the home and community, a brilliant student in the classroom and a good citizen to the nation.

To Yahoo boys engaged in cyber crimes, it is because of Nigeria we are Nigerians, it is because of our future we fight corruption. We don’t have any other home like this and we would never have. I therefore appeal to you all to drop your fraudulent acts, let us serve our fatherland, let us embrace hardwork, let us be honest. Cyber Crimes and fraud would lead us nowhere; it rather destroys our creative ability, global trust and may in the long run cause us isolation among the comity of nations. We are the future Nigeria, now is our time to prepare ourselves for leadership and we cannot be preparing for leadership while we are deeply engrossed in fraudulent acts. Let us work to make Nigeria great again. Let us not let the labor of our heroes past and present be in vain. I encourage you to face your studies and shun all manner of financial misdemeanors, there is nothing like good education and legitimate success. As for those who don’t have a job just hold on, it may be tough today, but that doesn’t mean you should trade your conscience for peanuts. Just keep holding on things would always change for the better, if you don’t give up, that’s were tenacity cuts it.

God Bless You all. Long Live Nigeria.

January 11, 2008 | 7:59 AM Comments  0 comments
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Yahooisim and The Yahooists: What the United Nations must Know
About this event: Peaks from an Informed Position
Related to country: Nigeria
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

A cross examination of the global perspective on 'yahooism'(cyber crimes and fraud)and yahooist (perpetrator), is tantamount to consideration and examination of same.

"Yahooism" is an act of cyber crime that defrauds unsuspecting victims in foreign countries of their hard – earned money. In some instances, the unsuspecting victim is used to defraud banks, postal agencies, shops, etc. The yahooist (perpetrator) sends fake cheques or postal money orders to victims in either of the following countries: Canada, United States of America, United Kingdom and other European Countries, Asia as the case maybe. When the cheques or money order are cashed, the victim is told to send the money through western union money transfer in Nigeria, in other cases, the victim is told to send the money to another country were the yahooist they has built networks over time. The mode of money collection is usually dependent on the modus oparandi the yahooists use.

The paramount classification of yahooism as a branch of cyber crime and transnational crime is not only expedient in understanding its mystery and in propounding a lasting solution when considering curbing the menace. Yahooism is the fastest growing transnational crime in recent time, especially in Nigeria. Suffice it to say that, in its classification with advance fee fraud, its major differentiating factor lies in the innocence of the yahoo - victim, and the gullibility of the advance fee fraud - victim. Although, most criminals are dropping advance fee fraud and embracing yahooism because of its broad spectrum.


In Nigeria today, cyber crimes has found its roots in the society. Like a cankerworm it has eaten deeply in the society and finally been accepted by thesame society. It is difficult to deny youth support of the menace with yahoozee shirts, yahoozee dance steps, yahoozee songs and even some young people identify themselves as yahoo boys and girls.

The major implication of the conscious unconscious acceptance of this menace in the Nigerian society in the nearest future is high level of dis-interest in education and touting among young people. In the long run, there would be more 'physically organized crimes', when the criminal network is explored, ranging from cheap assasinations, armed robbery, terrorism, drug trafficking and 'cronic' corruption. Corruption is gradually institutionalizing itself, presenting protection for her ex-government officials and in the prosecution of the nations former speaker of the national assembly on the six hundred and twenty eight million naira contract scam. Suffice it to note that public prosecutors have been recommended and nominated by corrupt caucuses in other to protect the interest of people who looted national and state treasury. This is acheived through legal frameworks. People who have contributed to the death of many Nigerians, as a result of failed or poorly implemented policies tha would bring about good and accessible roads, better primary health care delivery system and functional educational facilities to ehance learning.


Corrution and Crime is evolutionary changing, if the networking involved in yahooism and the immaturity of the yahooist are explored, exploited and properly structured it would be easier for structurally organized crime groups like the Italian Mafia, Japanese Yakuza, Chinese triads who have heavy presence in North America, Japan, United States and other countries to tap and explore the unexplored network of the yahooist in Nigeria for their clandestine and impious agenda.

According to Lupsha's useful stages of crime development, From the Predatory to Parasitic and to Symbiotic stage. Lupsha opined that, the predatory stage is when street gangs or other local crime groups use criminal violence to maintain dominance over a territory, to eliminate enemies, and to create monopoly over the illicit use of force. Criminal acts at the predatory stage tend to be directed at immediate rewards and satisfaction, rather than long range plans or goals. Although, yahooism and the yahooist have grown beyond the Predatory stage because of its long range planed reward system of involvement.

At the parasitical stage, they develop a corruptive interaction with legitimate power sectors, and mold their control of a territorial base with the broker's need for illicit services. Lupsha emphasized that at the parasitical stage, there usually needs to be a "window of opportunity" through which the gang can pass to emerge as a fully – fledged organized crime group. In Nigeria, the "window" has already been opened – cyber crimes (yahoo – yahoo) and there has also been interaction between brokers and politicians, who attain power through some cyber criminals financial supports, especially at the local government levels.

These befitting "window" has levels of organization. Each level has its own category or level of influence before the circle of crime would be successful. At one stage, it involves the yahooist sourcing for a victim who a time can be gullible or an innocent person attempting to render assistance. This depends on the method used by the yahooist. On another stage, it involves brainstorming, and maintenance of the relationship with the victim, consultations are made among yahooist, information is gathered and materials like the counterfeit cheques, money orders are sent to the victim for cashing.

The final stage involves receiving the money from the cashed cheque or money order. This stage encompasses a greater network which may involve bankers or bank manager, who clears the yahooist with false identity. In other instances were huge sums of dollars are involved, an account of a multi national is provided, so that the Financial Intelligence unit would not suspect such transfer as a result of the high level of transfers and lodgments made in and out of the accounts on daily basis. Sometimes, the money may travel to different countries or continents before hitting its final destination; this is so that the process would break traces. The signatories to these accounts who are usually business moguls often have a percentage from the benefits of the fraud proceeds.

The parasitical stage gives us an insight as to the networking involved in the crime, and how easy the "window of opportunity" inherent can pose a tremendous threat to our society in the short run. It is threatening because, the power brokers, ruling class, politicians and terrorists groups can exploit these organized skills, network to create monopolies, scarcity, political violence and corruption, bad leaders into power and havoc in the society.

Lushpa wrote that the symbiotic stage is the stage of acceptance meaning that crimes, businesses and political system grows into mutuality. The politicians and the people they govern become used – to and dependent on the parasite – the monopolies and networks of the organized crimes for sustenance.

Many are of the opinion that cyber crimes and fraud does not affect them in Nigeria, as a result, they care less about its activities. But the truth of the matter is when crime reaches the symbiotic stage, it is no longer a law enforcement problem, it is a matter of national security and economic threat.

In considering national, regional and global security as public relations professional, it is pertinent to inform us that cyber crime or yahooism posses a threat to global peace and conflict resolution in these phase of rising advocacy for globalization and liberalization of economies. If we must practice the aforementioned in its totality as well as maintain peace internationally, International organizations (UN, ECOWAS, AU, EU), governments, professionals in the security sector, prolific writers and scholars must also move from the unadventurous approach to the adventurous by considering cyber crimes and fraud as a threat to global peace and conflict resolution.

IF the United Nations publication which states among others that its purpose is for maintaining international peace and security and to develop friendly relations among nations based on the principles of equal right and self – determination of peoples. Then there must be a need for these international organizations to strengthen regional organizations that would in turn equip governments and its agencies like the EFCC and ICPC as well as NGOs and CSOs. To make laws, fasten investigation and prosecution processes as well as man an effective campaign against the menace.

Mbasekei Martin Obono

Lagos, Nigeria 234-1-7402451, 234- 0806-0622035

January 11, 2008 | 6:51 AM Comments  0 comments
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Brain Building
About this event: Peaks from an Informed Position
Related to country: Nigeria
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

The morals of some of our youth is going to land them in real big trouble, this is because they act like they dont know the difference between good and evil, right and wrong. There is a need for a total change of values and norms among young people. Today, most youth spend so much time at the back of their houses lifting bars, drinking and smoking the better part of their lives away.

It is pertinent to note that there must be a paradigm shift in youth percieved values, the average youth must move from body building to brain building, especially when we consider that the pen and the brain are stronger than the might of a giant. It is in brain building that we can solve the problems of the our socio - economic and political crisis, technological inadequacies and also build an army of intelligent people who would use their knowledge for the defense of national territories. This is a process i refer to as moving from alcoholism or drugaholism to being a thinkaholic and then an actorholic. The lack of the art of thinkaholism and brain building is what is giving rise to increased youth involvement in cyber crimes and other crimes. This is because of the sudden awareness of most of this young people that time is running out on them and they feel it is ' too late' for them to start any legitimate.

We need to encourage the youth in our societies to build their brains through learning and proper education. Young people must be taught to understand that, wisdom and intelligence are the worlds most wanted skills. Yes phisical appearance matters but of what use would it be when a beauty queen opens her mouth and what comes out of it is a thousand grams of ignorance.

Kingdoms and Economies have been turned around just by the power of the mind, which is constantly being renewed. In our world today, nothing is constant, therefore, young people must constantly be taught to be dynamic in their perception of things.


Mbasekei Martin Obono

January 11, 2008 | 6:51 AM Comments  0 comments
Tags:


Much Ado About Globalization
About this event: Peaks from an Informed Position
Related to country: Nigeria
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

The concept of globalization and liberalization of economies has left a lot of people wondering about the future of third world nations, especially Africa. It is indeed troubling to note that the continent still wallows in abject poverty. Poverty arising from intellectual deficiency in managing her God given resources.

Suffice to say that the concept of globalization and liberalization of economies is suppose to be a blessing in disguise for especially Africans because, if enterpreneurs in the region would take opportunity of the global market in making her product of international standard, then they would be able to bridge the divide that exists between the development of the developed countries and the underdevelopment of the third world countries.

However, corruption and fraud is a major set back for African nations in their bid to compete favourably in the international market, this corruption is seen in various sectors like, Energy which is very essential for the production of goods, Health which is very imperative for national development because health is wealth. Among many others, looting of public funds is practiced in all spheres of government. The proponents of globalization are yet its back - stabers. If Africa is told to export anything other than her mineral resources, she would be swift to export corruption, these monster has so much endeared itself in their moral fabric.

Corruption has institutionalized itself to fight against any intruders. In Nigeria, the institution is growing larger and larger, hidding under due process and rule of law. I laugh when the number one law officer in Nigeria perpetrates or shows corruption in a legal manner. If the nation - Nigeria must move forward, we need to pay massive attention to the youth. Because it seems as though corruption among the older generation has turned to a bent 'dry fish' which can break in an attempt to straighten it.

What we need now is a massive action, massive re - orientation of the young generation, whose future the older generation toys with. Nigeria and Africa can only reach her MDGs if only corruption is stemmed.

December 20, 2007 | 11:16 AM Comments  0 comments
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ARE THE YOUTH SLEEPING or DEAD?
About this event: Peaks from an Informed Position
Related to country: Nigeria
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

It is quite amazing how young people in Nigeria respond to issues that concern them. Knowing fully well that the future belongs to them more than any age group in the country. If this is wrong, how do we therefore explaiin the non chalant attitude of our youth to governance and corruption.

Recently, (October 29th 2007) the Youth Against Cybe Crimes and Fruad in Nigeria, organized a press conference on Youth Voices against Corruption and Good Governance in Nigeria. The Agenda was: Youth Position on Patricia Olubunmi Etteh Saga and other related issues, at the Trade Union Congress National Secretariat. Suffice it to say that as few independent youth were present, while majority were represented by major youth organizations and the Human Rights Information Network (HURINET) The big question is; why should the youth remain silent even when all platforms have been provided for them to air their views?

November 30, 2007 | 8:43 AM Comments  0 comments
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