Year 2016 Top 15 memorable News that made headlines out of Nigeria, What was your reaction then?

2016 has been a great year, with its ups and downs, highs and lows, ignominy and honourableness. In all it was a dramatic year filled with happenings that either made us smile, wonder, shook our head in disbelief, and marvel.

I think this event that astonished us to a very large extent and stayed in the news for a while its worth being well documented, if not for anything, for us to have yet another glimpse of what we can do as a Nation –albeit how unthinkable, unimaginable or ingenious it can be.

                                                

15.  Nigeria to import grass from Brazil, what's left for us to import? THE CLOUD: The green on our flag that shows we are a fertile Nation was corrupted by the previous govt.

This suggestion will never be forgotten in a hurry after many Nigerians felt it was a big shame and an idea lacking any iota of wisdom, it received barrage and avalanche of criticism, impugnation and castigation. Trust the social media not to disappoint at times like this, it was buzzing, raging, reacting, and even cursing, only a very few supported the idea - that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh was on a mission to innovate the traditional and nomadic system of ruminants like sheep, and cattle husbandry in Nigeria.

                                 

14. In a Land in far west Africa, lived a governor saddled with the mission to save Nigeria.

The infamous letter to Gov. Ayodele Fayose wrote to the president of china, Xi Jingping, seeking that they don’t borrow Nigeria the $2 billion loan sought by the Nigerian government. He wrote for the generality of the masses, in the April 12 letter, this made people to tag his move as opposition taking too far, but trust me, Gov. Ayodele Fayose is one that wasn’t perturbed he made the news all-round the whole year.

13. That moment you begin to wonder if this is the best we can elect as our leaders, how on earth do we select our leaders? The Infamous Anti-Social Media bill.

I never imagined in my wildest dreams that a bill like this can ever be spoken of or even passed. The senate had to bow to the various arsenals and garrison ready for battle on every social media platform, the same social media that was pivotal to the electoral victory of president Muhammadu Buhari, suddenly became the problem of Nigerians. The bill was sponsored by the deputy senate leader, senate Ibn Na’allah and was dropped after the presentation of the report on the bill, by the chairman, senate committee on Judiciary, human rights and Legal Matters, senator David Umaru (APC, Niger east).

                                           

12. Nigeria, the country with the most patriotic youth, following the unprecedented application to join the Nigeria Police, of a truth, Police is your friend.

What would best explain the kind of traffic that was so huge to have crashed the police recruitment website. The portal that was opened for registration by 4am crashed by 2pm and yet when you hear people talk about the police on the street Nigeria, you will think it’s the worse profession that anyone will ever do. Police is your friend after all.

11. The type of ear infection you get when all Nigerians are complaining with a loud voice.

Big man, big trouble, a popular saying in Nigeria, when Nigeria got the news that president travelled out for ear treatment, a disturbing news since most Nigerians took president Muhammadu Buhari to be an austere person that will not toe the path of previous leaders that wasted public monies on treatment oversees and this time it was just an ear infection, it beggars imagination to ask if we any have university teaching medicine in Nigeria?, That we can’t find any hospital that could do this surgery. Trust Gov. Ayodele fashola to take up the role of FBI to beam searchlight into the president journey and the inquisition of Nigerians, that persuaded the presidency to issue clearer statement on the matter and the spokesperson to the president later confirmed that the presidency spent about 20 million as expenses.

10. When we say kidnapping someone is a crime, we never expected a person to kidnap a minor, forcefully marry her and impregnate the same person. The Ese Oruru, alleged abducted daughter.

                                                                                                                                

Ese oruru, the teenager that was allegedly kidnapped from bayelsa and taken to Kano, where she was married without the consent of her parent and impregnated by Yunisa Dahiru, a Kano state indigene, surprised people, a case of a minor, who was at that time in junior secondary school. Is it by force to marry again? Since the case is in court, we hope justice is served.

9. Mixed reaction on protest against fuel price increase, there is no place for a hungry man protesting.

It was a total difference from the January 2012 protest when President Goodluck Jonathan increased fuel price, Nigerians came out in their numbers and occupied the nation, but fast forward to 2016, it was marred by hunger in the land, people stayed back at home and those that even protested got tired after the first day. TUC, NLC, ASUU, APC youths, IPAC, CSO, where all saying different things on the increase on pump price of PMS till the matter died naturally.

8. on sport - ‘we never knew Falcons will win AWCON’ – Mr. Solomon Dalung, simply put, participate, but don’t win! And the late arrival of the Nigeria team kit, when we had Aba boys.

When you are presented for a competition with the hope that you just participate and not win is the apt definition of this kind of statement by an appointed minister of the federal republic of Nigeria. The Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung made the remark after the Falcons revealed that they have not been made match bonuses of about N235 million naira promised them by the government. The players had seized the trophy they won at the competition. The Nigerian Olympic team kit arrived three days to the end of the Olympic, may be that would replace the lack of medals that they failed to win.

7. Even as an octogenarian, US Green card is truly green. Prof. Wole Soyinka was just joking on tearing his US visa.

The Nobel Laurette, prof. Wole Soyinka unsolicitatedly brought himself for public ridicule, haven declared that he is going to damage his US Green card if Donald Trump wins the election, unfortunately, Hilary Clinton lost the November 8, polls. Donald Trump was elected the president and it was only then prof. wole Soyinka made us know we are intruding on his privacy. The green card as we all know remains untouched.

6. Dec. 13,2016, suspension of MMM. The devil that people suddenly won’t mind living with, MMM ponzi scheme or not, this Nigerians are ready to drown with it. Has MMM Crashed?

Following the order by the house of representatives to investigate the MMM scheme that it’s a Ponzi scheme, this caused serious confrontation between the participants that felt the Government is out to destroy the only solution they think is helping them out of the current economic recession, to them this is paying more dividends than our democracy since 1999, simply put, they are ready to drown with it – more like, what’s the sudden concern of the government for the masses? Apostle Johnson Suleiman declared that it was a sin and the heavenly minded Christian were the first to suggest he’s not speaking from God and those that always tagged pastors as people that milked their followers dry, didn’t even acknowledged that he said this bearing in mind that he’s not interest in the tithe that will come after 30 days from members that participate. January 2017, will be an interesting time for the members. With many Nigerians waiting to say, we told them.

5. Linda Ikeji and Wizkid, Age shouldn't not be a barrier, common take the bold step

You would almost think these two celebrities, Blogger Linda Ikeji and Artiste, Ayo Balogun have been married in the world before if there is anything like that. It all started with an embarrassing mistake from Wzkid where he said he own a home in the US, which Linda Ikeji later revealed that it was hired. It sparked off with Wizkid calling Linda Ikeji, unsavory name calling, like smelly that, hoe and what not, that we never expected from a five-star artiste that he is, the case was reported by Linda Ikeji claiming threat to her life when Wizkid wrote ‘RIP Linda Ikeji’ in one of his replies. Once more, police are your friend in this case.

4. The room that even the users dare not call its real name, instead it’s the other room – room for secret mission, that surpasses US Osama bin Laden’s secret mission.

It all started with the wife of the president, Mrs. Aisha Buhari declaring that she may not support her husband come 2019 if he runs for election. When president Muhammadu Buhari was asked for his reaction, he laughed off the comment and dished out the comment that sparked off reactions on social media and other print and electronic media, he said ‘’I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room.’’ This prompted German Chancellor Angela Merkel, standing next to him during the interview to produce that funny stare, that you make reading to be like, Hello, Sir, a lady is standing next to you, watch it. Mrs. Aisha Buhari even went on to say that the president does not know many top appointees in his cabinet, this was when she was interviewed by the BBC Hausa-language service broadcast.

3. what should have remained in the other room. TeeBillz and Tiwa Savage marriage crisis.

One clear lesson we all learnt this 2016 is that never bring up on social media what you should have settled with your spouse in the other room. This was the case when Teebillz started the public meltdown and outburst on social media about the crisis rocking their marriage, apportioning all blames on Tiwa savage. Well, no be who first carry case go police station dey win case. It all ended with the star actress entertaining an interview that lasted close to an hour, revealing dirty things about their marriage, trying to overturn the blame to her husband, Teebillz. You would almost think Teebillz account was hacked with revelations like my wife slept with 2 face, don jazzy and others. He also claimed he was undergoing mental torture by her wife and also claiming that Tiwas’ mother is a witch. The issue is just a long one can’t be covered here.

2. Of all this fruit, avoid the Cucumber, the forbidden fruit of the 2016

I wouldn’t want to shed too much light on this, because I think there is more to it than meet the eye, but it lasted on various social media for days, with videos in part released showing two beauty queen helping themselves reach an unknown destination with the use of cucumber to get sexual pleasure.

1. When budget suddenly becomes miracle worker. The budget padding imbroglio

When you see even an uneducated person on the street giving you a definition of budget padding in the layman’s definition, then you will know Nigerians are at it again. We all got to add the new word to our lexicon. This sole act delayed the passing of the budget, and about 22 top federal officials were sacked as contained in president Muhammadu Buhari autobiography, written by prof. John Paden. We got to learn that the budget was a copy and paste version containing project that have been completed by the past administration.

What news have I missed? Do you agree with the ranking? What was your reaction when this news was first headlined?