"Heirs of sorrow, hear me and lend me your ears" might sound like an elegant beginning to an all too familiar warning from abroad but in times of stability, we need to do things better. In changing times, however, we need to do things differently. Sadly, Nigerians do not appear to have woken up to the issues of our times. A look at the local media trash publications inc and the mountain of rubbish attributed to the FGN on the web must concern those educated enough to see the signs of a failed state. No, God will not provide, "religion is only an opium of the extremely poor".

Leaving aside the statements attributed to Senator Russ Feingold, (a 16-year member and the current Chairman of the Subcommittee on African Affairs) that classified Nigeria as a failed state. Feingold, AFRICOM and the CIA are looking for benefits to the USA. Who is looking out for benefits to Nigeria? High-ranking Nigerian officials between 1994 & 2004 and beyond? The failed state analysis was done with the degree of effort not available in Nigeria, and it is not a Windows X simulation either. Should we take up those issues or await the tsunami and its inundation?

Either way, over 70% of Nigerians live below poverty level by Special Assist to the President on MDGs, Hajia Amina Ibrahim isn't good news but those MGDs will not break the vicious circle of poverty. The root causes of poverty is corruption with its many heads example, but "Corruption breeds poverty, poverty breeds corruption" by Justice Ayoola is the type of joined up thinking that might help Ibrahim in her crusade. "We cannot deal with poverty without removing corruption. If you start a social welfare scheme today without dealing with lack of integrity, you are wasting your money".

Ps. I wrote this for Shrek & his old boss in Feb 2009