Gboyega, Long time! How now? How is the UK, we need some one to co-ordinate for the '89 set for the intervention funds. How ur family? abeg my love to all. Onon --- On Thu, 10/13/11, Gboyega Adetunji <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Gboyega Adetunji <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Jos Commandos] The tone of our emails To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, October 13, 2011, 10:36 AM Hello Tope, You have indeed spoken well....Probing is out of the question, because it would not serve any useful purpose. The emphasis should be on matching words with action. It's high time we all got serious about this intervention fund business. Regards Gboyega Adetunji Flying Horse 89 From: Harold <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Cc: 'commandos' <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, 13 October 2011, 13:10 Subject: RE: [Jos Commandos] The tone of our emails Tope, For those of us who could not participate in that noble endeavor 2 years ago, we have since mended our ways and are active participants of our chapters. Everyone deserves a second chance. Let us see how this one will go, we will make our voices heard. Harold Nwariaku Octopus 88. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Tope Ojo Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 11:51 AM To: [email protected] Cc: commandos Subject: Re: [Jos Commandos] The tone of our emails Hello all, Two years ago, precisely September 30 2009, the class of 88 presented a set of ten computers to our school. What began with the chance meeting of five of us back then in Port Harcourt culminated in the idea of a reunion. The idea was greeted with loads of enthusiasm. Tony Akhidenor came up with the plan and.......to cut the story short, only 21 out of a class of over 100 ended up contributing financially. We managed to raise 740K in one year! We therefore had to change our plans and instead bought computers for the school. This was after a plea had gone out to everyone on this forum to join us to see if we could expand the scope. But there was not a single response. I had to take you back on this because of Adam's mail. Adam is one Commando I have great respect for. His passion about our school is in my opinion unrivalled. I remember having to plead with him to end his "siddon look" attitude after his "Where are the real Commandos?" and "101 questions" e mails a long time ago. I am happy he is contributing again. Thanks Adam and thank you to all our founding members. Probing is in my opinion out of the question. Coming back to the intervention fund issue, I have read so many e mails from people and I admire the enthusiasm. The challenge I have is, when it comes down to actually matching words with action, how many people will still have a voice and not "disappear" into thin air? How many willbe ready to take time out to help see to the completion of whatever projects we decide to execute? What this does is kill the passion that serious minded people have for the project. In as much as the idea of raising one million naira per set is laudable and I believe achievable, it will however, take the real commandos to stand up to be counted. Thanks to the North America and UK-IRL branches for the new vigour. I pray for more strength in the days ahead. Truly, why is there no existing branch in Jos? Please let us all get serious about this intevention fund issue and let's challenge ourselves to see which set comes out the first to meet their target or even surpass it. The next thing we should be planning is a detailed project execution plan and startegy, detailing timelines and milestones. Only then can we be seeing to be serious. Can we have a member per set form the planning committee and come up with a document we can work with? These are the things we should be talking about now and not distractions that could only end up destroying everything COJOSA represent. I wish you all the best. Long live Command Jos. God bless you all Best Regards. Babatope Ojo Best Regards. Babatope Ojo From: Sagai John Adam <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, 12 October 2011, 18:10 Subject: Re: [Jos Commandos] The tone of our emails Hi Harold, I take it you are referring to my post “7 Reasons…”? Please do us all a favour and point out where I have flouted Yahoo! Terms of Service of Group Guidelines. To help you, here are the links: >> Yahoo! Terms of Service (especially number (6) MEMBER CONDUCT) http://info.yahoo.com/legal/us/yahoo/utos/utos-173.html >> Yahoo! Groups Guidelines http://groups.yahoo.com/local/guidelines.html Let’s not get emotional. Let’s discuss the IDEAS put forward. I also strongly suggest you re-read our post, especially the conclusion. Stay blessed, Adam John (’86, Tiger House) From: Harold <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 5:41 PM Subject: RE: [Jos Commandos] The tone of our emails Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes the tone used in some emails is a bit uncomfortable to read. Saleh, I will look to you and the EXCO to set clear guidelines for how we write and what we write in public forums such as this. I think we can resolve some disputes through phone calls and healthy conversations. People who write, write their opinions, and we all mature enough to decide if we think those ideas flow with us or not. We also have executives who we have elected to help us reach consensus where there is a disagreement. I tend to withdraw from documented disputes such as this one may provoke, but so I can still enjoy being a part of what we are about to become, I had to step in here. Apologies if what I have written comes across wrong. Harold Nwariaku Octopus 88. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Adam Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 3:30 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Jos Commandos] 7 Reasons why the ‘Probe’ Idea is bad 7 Reasons why the `Probe' Idea is bad -------------------------------------------- We have read with interest the idea of probing the Administration of Command Secondary School, Jos, with the hope of knowing why the school has degenerated to its present state. The idea was first muted by Ugo Ben, "BEFORE THE 17 MILLION INTERVENTION FUND" and supported/expanded by Mike Agana and Remi Harris. You can read their submissions here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JosCommandos/message/4715 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JosCommandos/message/4726 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JosCommandos/message/4747 We beg to disagree. As we will prove below, the idea is bad and should be kept aside by all Commandos. Here are our reasons: REASON #1 The idea of a Probe is a TYPICAL Nigerian REACTION to any problem. In fact, it is used by the Political Elite to side-track Nigerians from the main issues. There is never any tangible result from such probes/inquiries. Remember the Power Probe? FCT/Nasir El-Rufai Probe? What is the main issue facing Jos Commandos today? How to restore it to its past glory. Let's focus on the main issue. REASON #2 The idea is a BETRAYAL of the warm reception given to the President and Vice President of the Lagos Chapter by the present Commandant. He welcomed them, and trusted them enough to show them the truly bad parts of CSS Jos and even to take photographs. He could have refused them access to the school. Is that how we will repay him? He will now get a letter asking him to explain how he is running the school? Or how his predecessor ran the school? Is that why the Lagos Chapter sent them ? REASON #3 Many of you do not know this: The current Commandant is less than 2 months old in the school! What answer can he give us? Or do you expect him to start calling all previous Commandants (who are probably his seniors) to answer our query? He, too, must be shocked at the level of decay. (We think that is why he allowed the representatives from the Lagos Chapter to look around.) So, please let's allow the Commandant to settle down and do his work in peace. We risk antagonising him and the Staff and thereby ruining the good relationship that we need to fully impact our Alma mater. REASON #4 The proponents of the idea don't seem to realise this FACT: We have NO AUTHORITY to probe anybody. The few people who can probe any Commandant (or order a probe ) are: a. President and C-in-C b. Minister of Defence c. Chief of Army Staff d. Director of Nigerian Army Education e. Senate Committee on Defence (and their counterparts in the House of Representatives) Even the Minister of Education may find it difficult to call the Nigerian Army Education Corps to order because of the special status of the Command Schools. We are only ex-students of CSS Jos and we should know our place. REASON #5 Ok, let's say we ask for a probe. What do we expect? That a serving Lt. Colonel will apologise to us? All the past Commandants (our FATHERS) will quake in their boots and apologise to us? That the Nigerian Army will apologise to us? That they will refund the monies they should have used to fix the school? Let's get this clear: WE CANNOT TELL THE NIGERIAN ARMY WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR BABY. REASON #6 We are an example of a FAILED ALUMNI Association ourselves. Are we satisfied with our performance as Alumni? What are our achievements in the 29 years after the first set left CSS Jos in 1982? Can we compare ourselves with our contemporaries? FGC Jos? CSS Ibadan? Have we donated one single desk? Have we instituted a scholarship? How many prizes did we sponsor at the Speech and Prize-Giving day? Or Inter-House Sports? How many Chapters are on ground? Only 5? After 29 years? Are we not ashamed that even the COJOSA Chapter in JOS, JOS, JOS (which should be the largest in membership) is in-active? Was it not after 29 years - this year, AD 2011- that we finally succeeded in registering the Association? After 29 years? We have PERFORMED WOEFULLY AS ALUMNI and we should cover our faces in shame instead of talking of probing anyone. We, the CSS Jos Alumni need to remove the plank from our own eyes first. And it is a big plank. REASON #7 Finally, this whole probe business is a DISTRACTION. While we talk and talk, we are CONVENIENTLY AVOIDING THE BIG ASSIGNMENT on the table: raising 17 million naira. One week in the month of October 2011 has gone. By this time, we expected that the idea would have been fine-tuned to perfection. The members of the sub-committees should have been finalised. All Sets should have been contacting each other and sensitising each other. But, no, some of us prefer to probe. Dear Commandos, we should leave this probing idea alone. The CSS Jos Invention Fund Project is already in the public domain. Abuja, UK-Irl and Lagos have clearly bought into the idea. No one has said it is a bad idea. No one has said it is bound to fail. No one has said it is impractical. However, we must not UNDER-ESTIMATE THE TASK AHEAD. It is not going to be a walk-in-park. Only a few Sets have the experience of working together. It will be difficult. It will try our patience. But, we believe it is achievable. With a dose of healthy competition, we will finally see the action Sets amongst us. Already, one of the 2000-2010 Sets (who are exempted) are already ganging up on Facebook to raise their money. It will be a shame if such a Set raises 1 million BEFORE their seniors. It is our hope that when we do succeed, we will identify and use our money in the best way for our dear CSS Jos. Even though we will seek approval from the relevant Authorities, NO COMMANDANT WILL DICTATE TO US HOW TO USE OUR MONEY. It is ours to spend as we wish. But, we must be humble. CONCLUSION In conclusion, while we will be available to discuss the CSS Jos Intervention Fund Project, we do not intend this piece as a personal attack on anyone. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It is just that our idea of raising 17 miliion to fix CSS Jos next year is BETTER than trying to investigate how or why CSS Jos got this bad. Meanwhile, we advise everyone to start contacting their Set mates and decide on their Set Coordinators. Please re-read the Project Idea again and send us your feedback or questions. We will be back soon to get the sub-committees filled up. As from November 2011, we will see the most organised Set from CSS Jos. Lets get started! Kofo Owojori ('86 Set) Sagai John Adam ('86 Set) --- In [email protected], lugo Ben <raftex1994@...> wrote: > > Great Commandos, > In as much as being among those who do not subscribe to the > posting of verbatim discussions at EXCO or membership meetings on a public > platform as this, it is good to learn that COJOSA-Lagos is sending 2 > officials on > fact finding mission: to visit and speak with the commandant of CSSJ. It is > the > first thing, the right thing and highly commendable. > Photos of the deplorable status of once glorious CSSJ have > been posted on FaceBook (kudos to Commando Ibrahim Kadiri). It is understood > that great infrastructural developments are taking place in the other Command > Schools > but that of Jos. Looking at those pictures posted I see that some structures > are been renovated (eg, admin block, the clinic, the classroom blocks). It > will > be interesting to know if there is an ongoing turn around or “makeover†on > ground. If it is school wide or just some specific structures. > Whatever the report from the fact finding mission; bottom line > is that as alumni we have to make an impactful presence in the school that > gave > much to us.  It is the right thing. I > think that is the vision and mission of the chapters in ABJ, LAG, PH, UK-IRL > and North America. > 1.      Will this require a coordinated effort to visit > the Nigerian Army Education Corps to draw its attention to the deplorable > conditions? > We have very high senior military officers who were pillars to the birth of > COJOSA that can facilitate such an audience. > 2.      Will it require the assistance of commandos > whose parents are Generals or retired Generals? COJOSA may explore using such > networks to lobby the right authorities to fix our alma mater. > 3.      Will it just require a loud media noise to draw > attention of the authorities to the collapsed infrastructures at CSSJ? We have > media people who are not only passionately commando, but have high interest in > the vision and mission of COJOSA. I know of Vivian Akinyosoye. I know of > Victor > Okhai. > 4.      Will it require a 17 million intervention fund > from commandos? May be, maybe not. Will this amount be less or more than may > be > needed? “Will the Cart come before the Horse or the Horse before the Cart? > Is > it possible that some set coordinators for the fund drive might end up having > no > body to coordinate? Very Possible. Is it practicable for a strong and > accountable COJOSA to host a public event in Nigeria to raise funds for the > cause of CSSJ? Very practicable. > 5.      Will there be better options than the ones > enumerated above by great commando minds if the reports that may be presented > by the 2 Lagos officials are made available to the other chapters to brain > storm? Probably. > 6.      Finally, are there commandos on this forum who > have not joined a COJOSA chapter? Please we need you. > Thanks > Ugo Ben (Class of 82) > > > A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public > opinion....Grantland Rice >
