The "Basics" Debates

[Eja]

THE BASICS DEBATES

Invitation to Villagers to participate in an exchange of views on implementable ideas within the Nigerian environment.

Subjects to be covered will include:

• Agriculture
• Civic Organisation
• Education
• Energy
• Finance
• Health
• Industry
• Infrastructure
• Security
• Transportation
  
• Any other suggested topics.

As it has often been said that one of the problems we face in the current political dispensation is a lack of clearly articulated motivational ideologies from the main political parties, I will suggest that participants in this discussion adopt a platform approach. That is to say, each submission should be presented as if it were part of a manifesto.

If our political parties will not do it, let us here have structured discussions about these important subjects.

Let us also try to present our ideas in ways that will enable the adoption and dissemination of the best to a wider audience.

2011 fast approaches....

[molue]

Excellent! May i suggest that we need "tough" moderators on all subjects for example, one moderator can cover 3 subjects.

I am interested and willing to participate on the above, 2011 can come soon enough.

Many thanks Eja.

Molue

[Veros]

Eja nice suggestion. But to submit manifestoes that will cover all the above subjects will need a lot of energy, research and time. I suggest we cut it down or group them into sections or even sub-sections. I look forward to submissions.

[katampe]

I love the idea , Eja.

But I think it would not be a bad either, since you talked about structure to present suggestions it in a policy proposal format. And in ways that people can jointly work together and chip in, so we can have ideas from a vast array of perspectives and save time and energy when compared to one person coming up with the whole ideas.

The structured format is good so people can contribute what they know best under the sections in the prescribed format.I guess what we need to do is establish general guidelines for the format using timeless principles on how best to solve problems.

It is easy to glean insight from best practices from countries around the world. And getting these perspectives becomes easier when we consider that contributors are spread across the world.

I would suggest we include housing, economic, immigration, urban and city development. Equally, we might start of identifying priority issues that affect the country and how we can go about solving these issues.

Originally Posted by Eja

THE BASICS DEBATES

Invitation to Villagers to participate in an exchange of views on implementable ideas within the Nigerian environment.

Subjects to be covered will include:

• Agriculture
• Civic Organisation
• Education
• Energy
• Finance
• Health
• Industry
• Infrastructure
• Security
• Transportation
• Any other suggested topics.

As it has often been said that one of the problems we face in the current political dispensation is a lack of clearly articulated motivational ideologies from the main political parties, I will suggest that participants in this discussion adopt a platform approach. That is to say, each submission should be presented as if it were part of a manifesto.

If our political parties will not do it, let us here have structured discussions about these important subjects.

Let us also try to present our ideas in ways that will enable the adoption and dissemination of the best to a wider audience.

2011 fast approaches....

[Eja]

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions.

Veros, the grouping is a good idea especially as several of the mentioned topics actually interlink.

Molue, each group can then have one moderator. I see the moderator as being one who has a most vital role to play in this. The types of summing up that was done by moderators in previous debates will have a great influence on the policy proposal that will be the end result of each debate (thanks Katampe).

An updated list of topics now follows:

• Agriculture
• Civic Organisation
• Economics
• Education
• Energy
• Finance
• Health
• Housing
• Immigration
• Industry
• Infrastructure
• Security
• Transportation
• Urban and City Development

A proposed grouping of the above:

ONE

1. Health
2. Housing
3. Education
4. Transportation
5. Urban and City Development

TWO

1. Agriculture
2. Energy
3. Industry

THREE

1. Economics
2. Finance

FOUR

1. Civic Organisation
2. Immigration
3. Security

You will note that I have removed Infrastructure from the grouped lists. This is because I feel that the topics in Groups ONE and TWO already deal with that subject.

Without a doubt, this will be time-consuming, but I feel that the end result will make the efforts worthwhile.

[denker]

Eja, i do not wanna believe dat you wanna reinvent a wheel....tell us first wetin no correct for the system wey we dey practice now....na after dat me i go reconsider joining..lol!

[Enforcer]

Originally Posted by denker

Eja, i do not wanna believe dat you wanna reinvent a wheel....tell us first wetin no correct for the system wey we dey practice now....na after dat me i go reconsider joining..lol!

denker

No, my German-Nigerian friend. You tell us why you believe there is nothing wrong with the current system, giving five specific examples on each heading in each group.

I believe that is fairer. Don't you think?

[Marin]

I would like to register my interest in taking part in the discussions/debates...

[charles4u]

Originally Posted by Marin

I would like to register my interest in taking part in the discussions/debates...

I believe you can contribute and register.

Its a good discussion and every idea is good to share.

But I dont really understand what the outcome will be ....and how the grouping thing, people here to choose one of the groups then what ?

[denker]

Originally Posted by Enforcer

denker

No, my German-Nigerian friend. You tell us why you believe there is nothing wrong with the current system, giving five specific examples on each heading in each group.

I believe that is fairer. Don't you think?

Enforcer, oldboy, i no sabi o...abeg, do tell wat is wrong with the current system, giving five specific examples on each heading in each group....

[charles4u]

... Which one be this testing one another to comfirm if he or she is qualify or so, the discussion is debate and contribution and already guys don dey throw questions to each other.

....Na wa oo

[valteena]

It is definitely a great idea to put our house in order but we should not loose sight of the fact we are not an island unto ourselves.

The world is a now a global village. We therefore need to redefine our terms of engagement with the rest of the world by formulating the right foreign policy agenda or trust to protect and further our national interest. I therefore suggest adding.

(1) Foreign policy
(2) Information

[charles4u]

Originally Posted by valteena

It is definitely a great idea to put our house in order but we should not loose sight of the fact we are not an island unto ourselves.

The world is a now a global village. We therefore need to redefine our ters of engagement with the rest of the world by formulating right foreign policy agenda or trust to protect and further our national interest. I am therefore suggesting adding.

(1) Foreign policy
(2) Information

Valteenarita...I know say you be one guru..PhD ..LOL

See as you talk am...

[Eja]

Since one constant question that is often thrown at critics of the system is "What would you do?", this exercise gives us an opportunity to state in a focused manner what ideas we do possess. In short, the purpose is to go beyond the current practice of scatter-gun criticism and, to provide instead alternative policies (where necessary) for specific/defined fields.

Latest revised grouping follows below. Due to the necessity of moving past this initial phase, please note that any further additions may only be placed as a subject under one of the topics already listed. An example of this can be found in Group ONE (where subjects "Housing" and "Transportation" have been placed under "Urban and City Development").

ONE
1. Health Care
2. Urban and City Development

• Housing
• Transportation

3. Education

TWO
1. Agriculture
2. Energy
3. Industry

THREE
1. Economics
2. Finance

FOUR
1. Civic Organisation
2. Foreign Policy
3. Immigration
4. Information
5. Security

Participants may select one or several groups to contribute to. The purpose is not necessarily to "re-invent the wheel" as, for example, if it is my opinion that a good agricultural policy has already being implemented by current stakeholders, then my contribution to that subject may simply be one where I speak on the infrastructures and practices that make up that good policy. Then, I might also make suggestions on how these can be improved or, select aspects of the policy that can be exported and adapted to some of the other fields under discussion.

I wish to emphasise again that the point of this exercise is to provide (in our little way), something that has been missing from current political discourse in Nigeria: The purpose is to re-introduce the concept of the policy-driven manifesto (i.e. a proposed programme of action that can be easily disseminated).

To this end, the amount of detail that we will provide is totally down to how much effort we wish to expend.

You never know, at the end of this, we may have been inspired enough to provide usable nuggets of information that can be picked up and utilised by ones who wish to participate in the mainstream of the ongoing Nigerian political process.

The next stage now is to list the participants. So far we have Eja, Molue, Veros, Katampe, Marin and Valteena having explicitly expressed an interest. All others who wish to contribute as participants in the Main Debate should now state their intention.

Participants will be required to identify the Group(s) they wish to debate about. We will also need volunteers for the role(s) of Moderator. I said role(s) because we might require more than one Moderator (i.e. one Moderator per 2 groups will equal 2 Moderators).

I suggest that we close this stage by midnight Friday and then proceed onto the presentation of arguments phase.

[Eja]

I will like to present ideas on subjects listed under Group FOUR. However, I may also respond to any other subjects/groups if and when I deem it necessary to do so.

[charles4u]

....Were better thing dey to maybe help the situation in Nigeria me go dey oooo, I hereby surrender myself for this debate for number 3 (THREE 1. Economics 2. Finance).

....I will like to know if on what ground does this debate stand on, those that should be focused on first or which one is more better that will help the economy at this stage or just some kinda contribution to know how we can contribute our ideas base on the ground of what we chose.

....Make una brief me small oo b4 we proceed and why dont we have governmental issues there ?

[Eja]

Originally Posted by charles4u

....I will like to know if on what ground does this debate stand on, those that should be focused on first or which one is more better that will help the economy at this stage or just some kinda contribution to know how we can contribute our ideas base on the ground of what we chose.

....Make una brief me small oo b4 we proceed and why dont we have governmantal issues there cus thats why me choose 3 for economy.

Charles4u, the answer to the question is the bolded part. If we all contribute ideas based on the grounds of what we choose, we will hopefully cover all areas.

As far as governmental issues go, I think that most of the subjects chosen so far can be described as governmental issues. Just that instead of simply talking about "government" as an all-encompassing topic, we have broken it down to component level.

[charles4u]

Originally Posted by Eja

Charles4u, the answer to the question is the bolded part. If we all contribute ideas based on the grounds of what we choose, we will hopefully cover all areas.

As far as governmental issues go, I think that most of the subjects chosen so far can be described as governmental issues. Just that instead of simply talking about "government" as an all-encompassing topic, we have broken it down to component level.

....OK then am in for the debate representing number 3 (THREE = 1. Economics 2. Finance).

....Where is the debate gonna take place, here or ?

[Eja]

Originally Posted by charles4u

....Where is the debate gonna take place, here or ?

It will take place here in The Crucible.

[charles4u]

Originally Posted by Eja

It will take place here in The Crucible.

....OK, so under this same room (The "Basics" Debates) or a new different room ?

....Kindly give the guidelines on how the debate should be presented also with how the presentations should be followed if any.

I just want things to be accurate with no contradictions, to be smooth and pointful.