Akinbode's BLOG on Faith, Politics, Science, Engineering, Education and Health

In conservative communities, showing any sign of what is perceived as weakness is looked down upon. Being open about your bad situation is sometimes considered a sign of entitlement and attention-seeking. Mental health is one of the ailments many suffer in silence and don't get help for. It has reached an alarming rate among young adults. Science presents many reasons as the causative factors: 1. Change in socio-cultural behavior instigated by many things 2. Change in lifestyle of caregivers - parents. It is commonplace now that both parents are professionals and are often not available enough to supervise the upbringing and meet the emerging needs of their wards. 3. Technology - the internet, smartphone, tablet, laptops, Nintendo, X-box, etc are drawing time away from young adults (even adults). The time they should spend socializing by playing with their siblings, friends, and parents is spent playing games and surfing the web looking for what is not lost. 4. Peer pressure from s...

Whereas policemen carry bags and umbrellas for "big men" and politicians, whereas they are assaulted by celebrities in daylight. These same policemen go about harassing ordinary people for no just cause.. Seun Kuti slapped a policeman in daylight and he was not arrested there and then. It tells you that Nigeria is a lawless country. Police kill many Nigerians daily and nothing happens, but when one is confronted by a celebrity artist, he lost himself as the officer of the law and allowed himself to be humiliated publicly - it does not happen in a sane world. Seun knows he could not repeat the same abroad and not be arrested immediately and jailed. You know, many Nigerians are daily assaulted, maimed, raped, and extorted, and we see it as the norm - they carry guns and wear uniforms that symbolize they are the face of the laws of the land. I was almost killed by one in 2010 on the Iwo-Ibadan road when I challenged him for intimidating and harassing innocent road users. I just...

At a time when Nigeria is spending 96 % of its revenue to pay debt When resident doctors are threatening to go on strike and ordinary Nigerians are the ones that will pay the price. When millions of children are out of school When tens of millions of Nigerian youths are jobless When infrastructures are in a terrible state - hospitals, schools, colleges, airports, intra-city and inter-state roads When 100 of millions of Nigerians are hungry Our political class have decided to share over N63 billion as a severance package. This tells you the mindset of these people and where their hearts have been since they got to the office. This can only happen in a country where the electorates are powerless and voiceless.... This is what Nigerians have done to themselves....when we are tired we will stand up against recklessness, tyranny, and impunity.

Abraham Lincoln defined DEMOCRACY to mean the government of the PEOPLE, by the PEOPLE, and for the PEOPLE. If a government was not elected by the PEOPLE, it can never be a government of the PEOPLE, nor will it be for the PEOPLE. It is important that in every election, FREENESS and FAIRNESS are allowed. The people should be allowed to elect their leaders - good or bad. If the leader is bad, the people will have the opportunity to elect someone else in the next election. However, when a few powerful people subvert the process and buy votes to get to office, it can never be a democracy. Those who get into office through this means will never act in accordance with the laws that guide their office and they will abuse the power of the office with impunity because they know there is no accountability. They can always take the back door to get back to the office anytime they want. Those trivializing the importance of free and fair elections should know they are supporting tyranny, dictatorshi...