IDOKO KINGSLEY ILONAH: A Shift From The Honeyed Deception Of Politicians!
~3.5 mins read
IDOKO KINGSLEY ILONAH: A Shift from the Honeyed Deception of Politicians!
Eneojo Herbert Idakwo
According to Euripides, a Greek Tragedian, “When one with honeyed words but evil mind persuades the mob, great woes befall the state.”
What Euripedes meant was that it is high time societies de-emphasized rhetorics, and place emphasis on practical and measurable realities.
Euripides’ notion finds expression in the third world, or what is today known as the global south (Africa inclusive), where politics is being equated with deception, mendacity and zero-sum game - which winners take all.
It is, however, encouraging to know that there are a few persons, such as Chief Idoko Kingsley Ilonah , the philanthropist Outdoor Media Mogul, and others in his genre, who who have made truth and honesty, the bedrock of their leadership endeavours. Honesty, in this connection, refers to, honour gained by action or conduct.
On the other hand, deception is “the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid, what is false and invalid”. Cognitive Psychologists believe that lies by politicians impact voters’ behaviour: lies can be used to get others to form false beliefs and garner their support, but its benefits are usually short lived.
For instance, former United States President, Donald Trump, famously made more than 30,000 false or misleading claims during the four years of his presidency. This is an average of more than 20 a day, and his abysmal failure in the 2020 presidential election cannot be separated from this.
Deception is also one of the sources of political violence and instability in Nigeria. For instance, the Niger Delta insurgency, the persistent riots and conflict in the North East part of Nigeria and the prevailing poverty and inequalities, cannot be divorced from insincerity and honeyed deceptions of the political elite.
In the buildup to the 2023 Senatorial and Gubernatorial election in Kogi State, cases of aspirants who have no antecedent of accountability and honesty abound, several of them cannot clearly explain how they got their money. Some of them have held political offices in the last 20 years, but have no traceable evidence of possessing genuine concern for the people they wish to lead, others have penchant for pathological lying, Epistemologically speaking, human beings are what they repeatedly do.
One question that requires an answer is, does the number of years a political figure spend in public offices or in repeatedly seeking for it translate into the common good of the people- with no concomitant betterment in their living standards? What this means is that the mere holding of political offices or continuously looking for it does not solve the Governance/leadership and development crises.
Citizens also expect ethical and responsible conduct from politicians and public administrators. Teddy Roosevelt, former Governor of New York, observed that, “Honesty is not so much a credit as an absolute prerequisite to efficient service to the public. Unless a man is honest we have no right to keep him in public life.”
Taking cognizance of Roosevelt’s opinion, one cannot agree more with him that honesty is an ingredient of Governance. It means that political wisdom - veiled with deception and vindictiveness - is not enough to muster the momentum of peace, prosperity and progress currently being envisaged in Kogi State. In this regard, Idoko Kingsley Ilonah is a shift from the honeyed deception of political figures.
What makes Chief Idoko Kingsley Ilonah different from other politicians is his knack for the welfare of his people and his truthfulness to them aside all other entrepreneurial and developmental plans as his main talking points. In this regard, Idoko Kingsley Ilonah outranks many others in his genre, given any measurable antecedent.
Having grown the Lona Group in twenty years into an enviable conglomerate (with numerous subsidiaries) that has over 500 persons in its employ in 2023, its indubitably true that he would replicate such feat in any other position of public office he is called upon to occupy, This record is unbeatable, as one is yet to present any other Candidate who can match that feat.
Also, international capital or Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and other development partners are looking for concerted and determined answers, and these can only be provided by a truthful and honest technocrat in the genre of Chief Idoko Kingsley Ilonah. Truth is, career political figures would subject the peace and unity of the state to their drive for political vendetta.
In any public office , Idoko Kingsley Ilonah will use his reputational advantage to deepen honesty in the system and social structure. This is because lies and deception lead to the erosion of social trust.
Therefore, supporting Chief Idoko Kingsley Ilonah will translates into passing on a sense of the value of honesty, integrity, and personal responsibility to the next generation Kogi people.
_Eneojo Herbert Idakwo of Market Hub Media Limited writes from Abuja_
In the heart of the Zulu kingdom, where the golden grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see and the majestic mountains kissed the sky, there lived a cheetah named Thando and a hunter named Jabu. Thando was known throughout the land for his speed and agility, while Jabu was notorious for his laziness and lack of ambition.
Now, Thando and Jabu had been friends since they were cubs, and despite their differences, they shared a bond that ran deep. But as they grew older, their paths diverged, and while Thando honed his skills as a hunter and provider for his family, Jabu chose to while away his days lounging in the shade of the acacia trees, content to let others do the work for him.
One day, as Thando was out hunting for his family, he stumbled upon Jabu lazing about in the grass, his bow and arrow lying forgotten at his side. Thando shook his head in dismay at the sight of his friend's laziness, knowing that Jabu was capable of so much more if only he would put in the effort.
"Jabu," called out Thando, "why do you waste your days away like this? There is so much to be done, so much to see and experience in this beautiful land."
But Jabu simply shrugged and replied, "Why bother hunting when I can simply wait for others to bring me food? Life is too short to spend it toiling away in the sun."
Thando sighed, knowing that he could not change his friend's ways no matter how hard he tried. And so, he bid Jabu farewell and continued on his way, determined to provide for his family and live his life to the fullest.
As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, Thando's family flourished, while Jabu's laziness only deepened. But fate has a funny way of teaching us lessons when we least expect it, and one day, Jabu found himself face to face with a hungry lioness, her eyes gleaming with hunger and determination.
Terrified and unable to defend himself, Jabu cried out for help, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. It was then that Thando appeared, his sleek form slicing through the grass like a bolt of lightning. With a roar of fury, he leapt to Jabu's defense, driving the lioness away with his speed and agility.
As Jabu lay trembling on the ground, Thando gazed down at him with sadness in his eyes. "Jabu," he said gently, "you have been given the gift of life, the gift of strength and agility. But you squander it away with your laziness and indifference. Remember, my friend, that life is a precious gift, and it is up to us to make the most of it."
With those words ringing in his ears, Jabu vowed to change his ways, to embrace the gifts he had been given and live his life with purpose and meaning. And from that day forward, he joined Thando in his hunts, eager to prove himself worthy of the trust and friendship that had been bestowed upon him.
And so, as the sun set on the Zulu kingdom and the stars twinkled in the night sky, Thando and Jabu roamed the golden grasslands together, their bond stronger than ever. For in the end, they had learned that true happiness and fulfillment come not from idleness and indifference, but from embracing life's challenges and seizing every opportunity that comes our way.
Legendary Investor And 'Quant King' Jim Simons Dies At 86
~1.5 mins read
Legendary mathematician and investor Jim Simons, also known as the "Quant King," died at the age of 86 on Friday, according to a statement from the Simons Foundation.
Simons taught mathematics at a number of prominent universities including MIT and Harvard University, and was a code-breaker during the Vietnam War before founding quantitative hedge fund Renaissance Technologies.
Simons and his Renaissance colleagues became known for their closely-guarded quantitative analysis models. The firm was famous for its policies of hiring statisticians and mathematicians over Wall Street veterans, and its flagship Medallion Fund generated an average annual return of almost 40% after fees from 1988 through 2023.
Simons served as CEO of Renaissance from 1982 until 2010, eventually stepping away from the firm's board of directors in 2021. His abilities in the world of quantitative analysis earned him the nickname the "Quant King."
As of the firm's latest 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in February, Renaissance's portfolio was worth about $64.61 billion. Simons was worth an estimated $31.8 billion, making him one of the 50 richest people in the world at the time of his passing, according to
The Simons Foundation, which announced his passing, was co-founded by Simons along with his wife Marilyn, donating billions of dollars over the course of his life to charities and projects related to research and education in the fields of math and science.
“Jim was an exceptional leader who did transformative work in mathematics and developed a world-leading investment company,” Simons Foundation president David Spergel said. “Together with Marilyn Simons, the current Simons Foundation board chair, Jim created an organization that has already had enormous impact in mathematics, basic science and our understanding of autism. The Simons Foundation, an in-perpetuity foundation, will carry their vision for philanthropy into the future.”
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US Consumers Set To Spend $33.5B This Mother's Day, Despite Waning Sentiment
~2.0 mins read
Consumers are expected to spend $33.5 billion this Mother's Day, the second-highest figure since the National Retail Federation (NRF) has tracked spending data, despite persistent inflation and high interest rates.
This marks a dip compared with total spending of $35.7 billion at this time last year but could still provide a crucial boost to the economy at a time when consumer sentiment more broadly is at a multi-month low.
The average per-person spending this Mother's Day is expected to be $254.04 for those celebrating the holiday, down $20 from last year but up almost 30% compared with what it was five years ago. The NRF anticipates 84% of U.S. adults to celebrate Mother's Day.
As in prior years, spending is not evenly distributed across age groups; those between 35 and 44 years old are forecast to spend the most, with an average of $345.75 per celebrant expected.
The NRF anticipates that the most common purchases for Mother's Day will include flowers, greeting cards, and special outings like dinner or brunch.
A boost to retail sales for Mother's Day could continue the trend of strong retail performance in recent months. In March, for example, food and retail goods sales rose at about twice the rate analysts anticipated.
Strong sales trends fly in the face of headwinds including lingering high prices following a protracted period of inflation, and high borrowing costs that have strained budgets and have helped to buoy economic growth in recent months.
Still, the impacts of these headwinds can still be felt in consumer sentiment more broadly. The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index, updated on May 10, dropped to 67.4 for May after reaching 77.2 in April. Reasons for the dip in sentiment include lingering elevated prices, high interest rates, and employment concerns.
Consumer sentiment trends do not always match up with spending trends, as recent retail sales figures show. Nonetheless, retailers have begun to note a slow-down in spending in certain areas, particularly among lower-income customers, with big-name brands including Starbucks (SBUX) and McDonald's (MCD) lowering full-year sales forecasts and announcing an increase in deals, respectively.
Consumer sentiment has faltered since the early days of the pandemic and has remained low through inflation and periods of global unrest in recent years. However, May's consumer sentiment index reading is still roughly 14% higher than a year ago at this time.
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Former Super Eagles Player, Tijani Babangida’s One-year-old Son Di£s As Wife ‘loses Eye’ In Car Cra§h
~1.3 mins read
Tijjani Babangida, the former Super Eagles player, has lost Fadil, his one-year-old son, in a car cra§h involving his family along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, The Cable reports.
Last Thursday, Babangida was travelling with his family — Maryam, his wife, their son, and Ibrahim, his brother — and his maid when the car acc+dent occurred. Ibrahim was said to have di3d on the spot while the other occupants in the vehicle were rushed to the hospital.
But in a recent update, Harrison Jalla, chairman of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) Task Force, disclosed that Babangida’s son also di3d due to inj¥ry sustained in the acc+dent. “Yes he eventually lost the son, a one-year-old boy,” Jalla told TheCable on Sunday evening.
Babangida’s wife is also said to have lost an eye due to the severe inj¥ry to her face. She is said to be receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria. It is also reported that their maid suffered a fracture in her leg.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) on Sunday paid a courtesy visit to Babangida at the hospital. The delegation consoled the former Eagles player over the d£aths of his brother and son. They also prayed for a quick recovery for Babangida and his wife, “who has undergone a successful facial surgery”.
Babangida is the president of PFAN and was a member of the Nigeria U-23 team that won the gold medal in football at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
He had a decade with the Super Eagles, where he became famous for his speed down the wings. Babangida was also a member of the Eagles squad at the 1998 World Cup and 2000 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
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