There is no attempt to muffle any one's voice, nor to undermine rights. No supremacy intent in the least form of it. Rights belong to us all, and are of free exercise. How best can you describe a way forward other than self expression? Whatever opinion here expressed by me is personal and not representing any other's, just as much as yours.
None is more enthusiastic than the next. It's all about collective efforts. There is no attempt whatsoever to criminalise anybody by my assertions. There is an antecedent I referred to. It may sound hard but the obvious truth. Where any is knocked very hard, the regret is mine. Without meaning to demean any one, how come I still don't feel that we are forging a way forward. There is a wonderful proposition and all we are resorting to is bickering. Let's address the issues raised as it will concern moving everyone forward, devoid of selfishness. I also hope that our continuous responses in this direction may not be misconstrued. We can be of great services to each other without recourse to mudslinging. God bless! Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Airtel Nigeria. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sender: [email protected] Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:27:23 To: <[email protected]> Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Jos Commandos] Essay – Could I Have Done Better? It must be understood that some of us cannot make ourselves available for our usual meetings and this is for reason of location. I speak for myself, that I was an active member of our Abuja chapter before it went to sleep and now that it is up and running again I cannot be available for our meetings because of my location(Makurdi). I've actually been thinking of a way around this challenge and hopefully I should get around it this year to start participating in our activities through the Abuja chapter. Its important to stress here too that it is not right to criminalise everybody who is unable to attend our meetings. Its a choice we all have to make and our choices will be made differently depending on our individual circumstances. You cannot then conclude everybody under the umbrella of "not caring or not showing concern" simply because of their inability to attend meetings. Not been able to attend meetings should not preclude me from making contributions to issues on ground in the association and when issues are raised it cannot be that a single individual will issue a fiat on its non workability as you are presently doing. Its an association and the decision on any issue put forward must be a group decision to make it valid, except of course I'm now been told that some members are more equal in this association than others. I have been a part of this association from its early stage and have contributed my little bits to its growth and development. Adams, Rex and the current Abuja president of COJOSA, Tony should be able to confirm this position. If however, the situation in the association has degenerated to the level where certain individuals can now issue a fiat to conclude an issue before it is tabled before the house, we then have every reason to be afraid. No propositions put forward before the association can be considered a LAW and in the same vain, no individual member has a right to rule conclusively on such propositions without it having been first of all tabled before the general house. Rights of others to free expression within the association must be respected if we must further our group course in the association. No disrespect intended please. I have a right and that right I must defend. Thanks. OTIS. Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sender: [email protected] Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:40:22 To: <[email protected]> Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Jos Commandos] Essay – Could I Have Done Better? It's only interesting to see reaction such as this. I can understand that, only on the premise of long absence. All Commandos that have been actively involved are aware that we have had to handle such situations before. A simple matter as issuing cautionary statement so as not to jeopardize this clear proposition from Adam may sound like salvo directed at anybody no doubt, but the intention is far from it, even though the tone is deliberate. Henrietta was an interim secretary of the chapter. She came up with a networking thing two years ago and was rebuffed simply because everyone felt she only came to self serve after staying away for too long. She has not resumed activities with the chapter till date. How do you help when you are not even in contact? I personally belong to other groups too, and have experienced that the more the merrier. It is on record that there is a heavy presence of ex Commandos in Abuja but never show up for the chapters activities. It is true that you may not have all the time just like many of us, but it's all about the love, concern and commitment to the betterment of your childhood friendship. We are into various businesses, works and professional practices. The essence therefore is to encourage each other through patronage and upliftment of the supposed indigent amongst us. Group life assurance is a great policy to take, and would never be considered in the light that you purportedly alluded to above. While those who can afford it are taking it, I also would assume that you will design a product for the less endowed amongst us. No insults intended, and please don't misunderstand me again! Yes, Dan's death is a loss to all of us and the pain can't be greater on any, as none of us is the chief mourner. It is a collective thing and that is why we are trying to make good all areas of past failures or negligence, not for personal gains, but in the interest of all. It's all about forging ahead; join us and encourage us. You might be too amazed at how much your presence can mean to us, even far beyond what you can offer. Remain blessed!!! Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Airtel Nigeria. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sender: [email protected] Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 06:18:24 To: <[email protected]> Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Jos Commandos] Essay – Could I Have Done Better? Na wa for us o. A simple suggestion to further a proposition put forward by Adams is now already being misconstrued as an opportunity to advertise a self serving interest on my part. I thought that while we couch in pain mourning the passing on of a dear colleague, Adams is advocating the need for a collective and deliberate action that goes to support the rest of us who are still on this side of the divide. I strongly believe that our wives, husbands and children, though not attendees of CSSJ are now part of the same Commandos family. It was with this understanding that I made the suggestion of a group life assurance policy for all our members. It was not intended to push forward any personal interest or an attempt to benefit from the demise of our member as is being purported in one of the submissions here. While making comments on other people's ideas or suggestions that may have been presented, it is important that we are guided by the sensitivity of such comments or insinuations to the intended recipient. Dan's death is a loss to us all and indeed very painful. It is true that the grief of his loss will be heavier on those who maintained close contact with him. This is not to say that those of us who saw him last in 1986 are not pained by his death or are less concerned about what has happened. We care and are concerned too. It is necessary for me, to with all due respect clear the air on this salvo that have fired at me and to also state that if the proposition I have made lacks merit it should be quitely discarded without resorting to insult on my person. Thanks. OTIS. 88. Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sender: [email protected] Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:27:44 To: <[email protected]> Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Jos Commandos] Essay – Could I Have Done Better? I also feel guilty that perhaps if I had shouted out ealier, the challenges or burdens would have been lessened. While I am very sure that no man controls the destiny of another, a collective effort can be very encouraging. Hello, how are you doing? Are kind enough words to express love and care. Beyond those words, are coming together to relate and interact with your folks at various fora. Adam, you have spoken well and I hope it appeals to our hearts. It is also important to add that it is not a platform for advertisement nor an opportunity for those who hitherto have not shown care or concern, but an opportunity to serve and assist each other, with special interest in the "indigent". In the words of our fallen comrade, Daniel Oteikwu, he said, "it will not be fair I keep coming to benefit without contributing anything". In view of the above, let's be guided by our consciences. Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Airtel Nigeria. -----Original Message----- From: Sagai John Adam <[email protected]> Sender: [email protected] Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2012 08:33:43 To: cssjos<[email protected]> Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: [Jos Commandos] Essay – Could I Have Done Better? (First written on 8th of March 2012 for the 1986 Set Commandos) Our classmate Daniel “O’Brains” Otiekwu passed on this evening. In my tribute on Facebook I lamented, “Oh how I wish life had been kinder to him”. Life, in my opinion, had been “hard” on him. Daniel and I lived in Karu and he was one of the few Commandos who knew how I started life from a one-room back-me-I-back-you slum in Karu village. He also knew that I moved to a 2-bedroom place. It saddens me that while I progressed, he stagnated. As my train of reflection moved further, it became apparent that maybe, just maybe, I too contributed to his “hard life”. Life may have dealt him a bad hand, but what did I do to relieve him? Dan tried his hands on several businesses like moulding block at building sites and running a kabu-kabu operation. Dan tried to join the Civil Defense Corps but was asked to bring 150,000 first before he could be employed. (Godwin Okpe filled me in on the other efforts he and Dan tried over the past few years on our trip to Oturkpo for the burial.) The question is: During these efforts, what did I do to help him succeed? Could I have done better? As Commandoes, many of us are lucky enough to be living the good life: we have jobs, cars, wives, kids, iPods, iPhones, iPads, iThis and iThat. Most importantly, WE ARE PROGRESSING. But, in our meetings, sitting right next us, are those who are still struggling. They are the printers. They are camera men/photographers. Some are chefs. Some Teach private lessons. (Those who are regular to our Abuja meetings, can match faces to these businesses.) Can we help them succeed? Shouldn’t we help them succeed? Prosper? What if I had called Dan anytime I needed a drop? Or a trip to the Airport? What if I had called Dan to come and mould all the blocks that I would use in the house I am building? Or I convinced my colleague in the office who is about to start his house project to use Dan’s moulding machine? Imagine all Jos Commandos in Abuja calling him to take them places. Imagine our Commando Chef getting the feeding contracts for all our Birthdays, Office parties or Commando meetings? Imagine our Commando Photographers doing the photo shoots? My fellow Commandos, we need to kill our present I-am-doing-fine-thank-you attitude. We need to roll our sleeves and get involved in the urgent and necessary task of uplifting ourselves. We must incorporate our fellow Commandos into the money flow within our group. Let us stop competing. Let us keep pride aside. Let us get real. Let us open up our wallets. So, what is next for me? NUMBER 1: Even though I prefer very private, very low-key celebrations, I will consider contracting the feeding of Mbaitat’s first birthday to Chef Soji Williams (If I can afford him). I will also get Sani Inuwa to take the pictures. They must chop my money. NUMBER 2: I will bring up for discussion in our Abuja Meeting the possibility of contracting the feeding and photography to fellow Commandos. They should be paid too. The usual practice is to bring our cameras and then try to gather the pictures at the end of the year for the photo-journal. But, let us try having professional shots taken and the CD’s presented to the Publicity Secretary for safe keeping. NUMBER 3: May I suggest that to the 17m Intervention Fund Coordination & Implementation Committee that Commandos should be considered first when it is time to buy something, build something or fix something. Our Commando Builders, Architects, Engineers, Traders etc. should be we should be the chief beneficiaries. IT IS OUR MONEY. NUMBER 4: We urgently need a Commando Network List. It should have contact details and most importantly, Services each Commando can render. All the Chapters should produce one and every Commando should own one and consult it regularly. I dare suggest that we only attend Commando events that the host can prove that he/she involved a Commando in the event. We should always ask: “Which Commando has benefitted from this your event?” (Plus another important question: “Have you PAID the Commando for the product or Service?”). NUMBER 5: We, (’86 Set in Abuja) must meet and discuss this issue in detail so as to fashion out HOW we can help each other to live a better life. SOME OF US HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR FAR TOO LONG. I suspect this is the case for all the other Sets too. Bye, bye Daniel. May you be the first, and the last, of my mates who will struggle through the last 10 years of your life while, we, your more fortunate friends look on without doing something to lift you up. Amen. Sagai John Adam ('86 Set, Tiger House)
