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	Atsar Terver Public affairs Commentator Port Harcourt Rivers, Nigeria
Atsar Terver	Atsar Terver's ECHOES Commentary on burning public issues
Much Ado About Tinted Glasses by Atsar Terver April 22, 2013 The Police in Nigeria have achieved a sinister notoriety of always being in the news exclusively for the wrong reasons. It is more common to read that the Police have released accidental bullets on innocent citizens than that they have arrested and successfully prosecuted a notorious criminal. It appears to be a more appealing task to the police to shoot live bullets at peaceful, unarmed citizens in time of public protest than to provide protection to them as is expected in societies where the people are held supreme. The only time police would provide cover to citizens on a public protest is when the crowd is hired by the President or his Wife to protest in support of some silly  idea like the proposed 4billion Naira African First Ladies  Mission Center in Abuja or to beg the President to contest election. NigerianNews Special
Pardoning Corruption by Atsar Terver March 18, 2013 The granting of state pardon by President Jonathan  to ex-convict DSP Alamyesiagha, and a host of other Nigerians convicted of various offences in the past has once again  brought to the fore the penchant for this government for the absurd. This government loves absurdity and President Jonathan himself is absurdity personified. How this president manages to come up with several silly actions in quick succession is something psychologists may need to study. The outcome of their study could help Nigerians in the future to avoid persons with certain personality traits when choosing their leaders. NigerianNews Special   Good Governance Tour: Matters Arising. by Atsar Terver February 28, 2013 The current political leadership in Nigeria may not be very good at breeding creative ideas that will make this Nation a better place to live but they are extremely good at springing up all manners of absurdities. When you think they have exhausted their tactics then there emerges a record breaker to rubbish what his predecessors have achieved in the pursuit of vanity. The latest addition to the feathers of this administration’s records of narcissism is the so-called ‘Good Governance Tour’ being conducted by the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku NigerianNews Special   Yesterday’s Hypocrites and Yesterday’s Men of Tomorrow by Atsar Terver February 18, 2013 In a recent article, presidential media aide, Reuben Abati made what I could call a passionate appeal for those he called ‘yesterday’s men’ to stay off ‘their’ back. ‘Their’ here refers to ‘Today’s Men’. Today’s men can readily be interpreted to mean the current President’s men (and women) who constitute his government. Simply put, Abati was trying to pass the obvious message to ex-government officials; ‘you had your turn; this is our turn, allow us to also have our bite’.NigerianNews Special   Unhappy New Year Nigeria! by Atsar Terver January 01, 2013 The title of this article may sound melancholic or sadistic but nothing captures the state of the nation better. From 1st January 2012 when Nigerians woke up to the rude shock of an baseless new year day petrol price hike by the government of Goodluck Jonathan, twelve months of excruciating poverty has rolled by; twelve months filled with violence, pain, death and darkness. It has been twelve months of directionless spending, barefaced stealing of public wealth, purposeless leadership, moral decadence and decay in the standard of governance. NigerianNews Special   The Aluu-4: I Weep for Nigeria. by Atsar Terver October 09, 2012 Nigerians woke up penultimate Friday to the rude shock of some, hearty, healthy, and promising young men, four of them, students of an Ivory Tower, the University of Port Harcourt, cut down in their prime, not by natural or accidental death, but by the cold, inhuman, savagery hands of some blood-thirsty demons in human skin! NigerianNews Special   Nigeria on Reverse Transformation by Atsar Terver October 04, 2012 Imagine being the President of a country where the people expect nothing and get nothing from you. Where you can make many different and contradictory speeches and get away with all of them. Where you can make 100 promises and fulfill none and no one will hold you to account. Imagine leading a country where you don’t have to worry about the security of the people because any citizen who deems his life to be important should get a private security, while communities should organize vigilante groups, and where they cannot afford to do so, members of that community could take turns to keep watch overnight in their neighborhood. If you happen to be the President of such a country, what else would you use your idle brain and time to do than to imagine vain things, do vain things and practically become hallucinated? NigerianNews Special   Nigeria at 52: A People Under Siege by Atsar Terver September 19, 2012 Nigerians are living under a siege. We have been besieged from all corners by a compendium of forces that appear to have entered into a covenant, the sole objective of which is to ensure we live a miserable life. The conspiracy is between the Nigerian government (her agents) on one hand and Militant groups, as well as nature on the other. These three have built a water tight line of attack against the Nigerian citizen that leaves no room for escape. If you manage to survive Government brutality which comes in various shades like corruption, leading to denial of basic minimum infrastructure for the well being to the common man, deliberate negligence of duty and direct  acts of violence against the people, you will come face to face with organized criminal, ethnic, political and religious gangs who come to kill, steal and to destroy. And if you escape these, you are sure to face a natural disaster during which the government, again, will look the other way to enable nature complete what it (the government) started, that is, to finish you! NigerianNews Special   Reuben Abati and the President’s Menu by Atsar Terver August 28, 2012 Speculations that Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Reuben Abati may have been consigned to the background with the arrival of a new attack-dog Dr.Doyin Okupe to the Villa are becoming real and confirmed with the recent outburst from Abati himself which point to the fact that indeed the guy has been re-assigned to do menial jobs in the President’s Kitchen. I think Abati has been technically crippled and put under rehabilitation. I can imagine he spends quite some time in the dining section of the Presidential mansion like the crippled Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan who was rehabilitated by David in 2.Samuel 9:6-7. NigerianNews Special   Why The Orchestrated Falsehood Against NEXIM Bank MD Must Stop! by Atsar Terver July 24, 2012 My attention has been drawn to the laughable, fictitious and desperate sponsored report in the National Daily of 9th July 2012 targeted at the person of the Managing Director of Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), Mr. Roberts Orya. Among several spurious claims, the report alleges that the dismissed NSA uncovered massive losses in the Bank's operations which were craftily covered up to reflect profit as declared in the Bank's 2010 Annual Report; and further speculates that the Bank gave out loans to shadow clients and cronies without applications and other such fallacies!. NigerianNews Special   Ghana Has Gone; Nigeria Must Go! by Atsar Terver July 10, 2012 A new brand of luggage bag is about to hit the market stands in Ghana. It will sell under the trade name ‘Nigeria Must Go’. The first batch of users who would test the effectiveness of these bags will be Nigerians in Ghana. These are Nigerians who have been given a quit notice, rightly or wrongly, by their host, necessitating their sudden but compulsory return to their fatherland, and thus creating the demand for an emergency travel bag. NigerianNews Special   Mrs. Johnson’s Gaffe on President Jonathan by Atsar Terver April 23, 2012 One of the biggest jokes of the year is the recent publication by Times Magazine in which Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was named among the 100 most influential persons in the world. One thing I must admit upfront is that being, the President over a country of over 160million people, who are directly affected by decisions taken by him and Nigeria being an oil producing country whose policies affect the global energy market, every Nigerian President automatically qualifies to be named an influential person. But that is just where Jonathan’s qualification ends. Any further criteria that relates to leadership performance, Integrity, anti-corruption, good governance, transparency, promotion of social welfare and respect for human rights and the rule of law must be watered down below the barest minimum standards for him to qualify NigerianNews Special   On The Way To Aburi: A Journey To The Ghanaian Countryside by Atsar Terver March 16, 2012 We set out on Kumasi expressway from Accra township at about half past ten in the morning after a long and winding drive through the narrow streets of the central market area of Mokola, a busy business district where almost anything under the sun is sold. The human traffic on the street far overwhelmed the cars for which it is meant. Car horns blared almost continuously from impatient drivers and an insult flew from the driver’s window every now or then either against a fellow driver or the trespassing traders. Mokola reminds one of Broad Street in Lagos Island or of the former days of Oshodi when the Motorway was converted into a huge market square where traders either hawked their goods or spread them on the floor while chanting their marketing jingles. NigerianNews Special   What Manner of Transformation? by Atsar Terver February 09, 2012 One of the oddest expressions on the mouth of the Goodluck Jonathan Administration is ‘Transformational Agenda’. Listening to the President and his aide’s recite this two-word phrase leaves one with a profound sense of their credulity being exploited in the same manner as when one pisses on your head and tells you it’s raining. Nothing in the body language, actions and inactions of the government points to a genuine desire to transform anything from the economy, education, security, to the fight against corruption. NigerianNews Special   We Must Beg the President by Atsar Terver January 17, 2012 If you need anything from a President Jonathan there is something you must know how to do very well. Begging! The man loves to be begged. Begging moves the body, soul and spirit of the president faster than strikes and street protests. This is one lesson ASUU has not learnt and hence their prolonged strike to which the man has not given them as much as a glance. NigerianNews Special   This Fresh Air Stinks. by Atsar Terver January 08, 2012 If anyone still doubts the insensitivity of President Goodluck Jonathan to the suffering and yearnings of the Nigerian masses after the 1st January hike in PMS  price then tonight's national broadcast should erase such doubts. The President referred to the escalating violence in the north as mere security challenges while he casually alluded to planned protesters as mischief makers NigerianNews Special   Monkeying Around the Villa by Atsar Terver January 06, 2012 When I first voiced my opposition to the candidacy of Goodluck Jonathan for last year’s presidential election, one of the reasons I put forward was that Jonathan did not demonstrate sincerity or honesty in his handling of the Zoning Formula of his party. His manipulation of party leadership and denial of the existence of an agreement to which he was a signatory just to further his ambition clearly portrayed him as a man who could not be trusted. I argued that it was a dangerous gamble to place the destiny of 150million Nigerians in the hands of an opportunist who could not be taken by his words. NigerianNews Special   Why Nigerians Should Stop Praying by Atsar Terver December 21, 2011 Recently I had a squabble with a friend. He is a businessman and a Christian leader. We were held up inside a taxi in a nasty traffic snarl on our way from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja as we sought to catch up on an appointment in the Central Business District of the capital city. The argument started when he made a remark about Nigeria’s future being great! I had asked him why he believed Nigeria will become great but was annoyed at the simplistic answer he gave me.  He said that since Christians were praying for Nigeria God will one day give us a good leader. NigerianNews Special   Fuel Subsidy: This Pot Is Leaking by Atsar Terver October 14, 2011 The real tragedy of our nation is that those trusted with responsibilities for governance are so despicably clueless on the expectations and demands of their job. Going by the shallow and vague reasons canvassed by Diezani for the planned removal of the so-called fuel subsidy it would appear that her most potent asset might just be a fine face! NigerianNews Special   Six-Year Single Term Proposal is a Charade by Atsar Terver August 17, 2011 Being one of the most ardent non-supporters of a Jonathan Presidency for reasons I did not fail to elucidate in my previous writings before the 2011 general elections, I had planned to remain silent for a while when he finally clinched victory in an election that has been (doubtfully) christened ‘free and fair’. My decision was for two reasons; one was to give him a chance to prove me wrong on most of my gloomy predictions about his performance. The second is related to the first; that is not to give the impression that my opposition to his presidency is just for the sake of it! NigerianNews Special   On Jonathan’s Divisive Victory by Atsar Terver April 21, 2011 The 2011 Presidential election has come and gone, but like a Tsunami that leaves rubbles in its trail, the nation will have to grapple with the aftermath for a while. The country needs some tremendous capacity to absorb political shockwaves generated by this election. NigerianNews Special   Why Jega May Fail. by Atsar Terver November 03, 2010 The appointment of Prof. Atahiru Jega as the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has been widely acclaimed as putting a round peg in a round hole. It is one of the rare appointments to be commended by the civil society, prodemocracy activists, human rights groups as well as even the opposition.NigerianNews Special   Twinkle, Twinkle Little Stars. by Atsar Terver September 02, 2010 The first time I saw a helicopter was in 1979. As a village boy, together with my primary school mates, we had gathered in the open field of the LGEA School Ikpapam on that sunny afternoon to witness the arrival of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the then Presidential candidate of the UPN. Our enthusiasm was not as much about Awolowo as it was for the mode of his coming.NigerianNews Special   This House Has Fallen. by Atsar Terver June 28, 2010 Almost three years after Hon. Aminu Safana was ‘killed’ right inside the chambers of the lower house of the Nigerian Legislature, a repeat of the ugly incident was nearly witnessed in the House Tuesday when attempts were made to forcefully remove some members purportedly suspended from the House because they attempted to commence impeachment proceedings against the Speaker. Luckily no one died this time but one is reported to have left with a broken arm.NigerianNews Special   The Pitfalls of Anti-Zoning Argument by Atsar Terver June 15, 2010 Perhaps one of the hottest topics for political discourse in Nigeria today is the Zoning Formula which allows for the rotation of the Presidency between the Northern and Southern divides of the country. The death of President Yar’Adua and the consequent ascension to power of his erstwhile Vice, Goodluck Jonathan has suddenly awakened some political analysts to the ‘unconstitionality’ of the Zoning arrangement.NigerianNews Special   Jonathan is still the ‘Vice President’. by Atsar Terver March 17, 2010 I am a lone voice that has been unable to see the ‘emergence’ of Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President as being equivalent to a change in government. Perhaps there could be others who feel this way but are afraid of being labelled with unprintable names by a largely opportunistic but extremely vociferous mob overtaken by some ecstatic, even sardonic euphoria of seeing a deputy upstage his boss.NigerianNews Special   The Enemies of Electoral Reform and El-Rufai’s Silly Outburst. by Atsar Terver June 09, 2009 When former President Obasanjo recently declared in his characteristically reckless manner that he was not aware of any ongoing electoral reforms in the country, not many may have read the evil intentions pregnant in those words. Coming at a time the Uwais Report on Electoral Reforms was being widely debated by the public, such a declaration from a former President meant either of two things, namely that he was truly ignorant of political happenings around him or that he was just expressing cynical apathy. The later seems more plausible for a former head of state that he is.  NigerianNews Special   Obama Not a Snub. by Atsar Terver May 21, 2009 Efforts have been made by many Nigerians to interpret the planned visit to Ghana by American President Barack Obama as a snub on Nigeria for failing to demonstrate commitment to free and fair election-a feat which Ghana has managed to achieve in three consecutive times since Jerry Rawlling’s revolution. NigerianNews Special