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Leadership & Democracy: Reflections on my Nairaland Leadership Years

I was just having a random thought on circumstances that made me resign as the moderator of NL Politics section (NPS) almost 9 years ago and for the first time, I sat back and realized there was a lesson

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Background

NL was my online playground from my service year in 2007 until recently.

I was the moderator of NPS from Aug 2010 to Jan 2013 and, alongside my co-moderators, we ran the section like it was full time job. NL Politics section (NPS) was very hot then with a lot of brilliant folks and all shades of debates, and of course not immune from the tribal sentiments then(though not as prevalent as now). To make it even more lively, I introduced several initiatives like monthly debate (among members), yearly hall of fame(for public personality that was considered most outstanding in the year) and, later, hall of shame (for the most disappointing public personality in the year). The selection of inductees into the two halls was through public voting by Nairaland members.

The Controversial Hall of Shame

The 2012 edition of Hall of Shame generated serious controversy that made me resign later. As was usual, we asked members for nomination in December 2012 and that was the year the late Prof Chinua Achebe published his controversial book, There was a country. Remember that book was not well received by many non-Igbos. Many people (presumably Yoruba) nominated Chinua Achebe for the HoS category.

From nomination to voting stage, we stuck to our processes which we had used for previous years - it's to be determined simply by public nominations and votes. No interference by us moderators.

The Issue

Sticking just to popular nominations, Achebe's name appeared in top 3 for this "awar. Then we put it to votes.

This generated a serious backlash for me from Igbo Nairalanders who believed I had been influenced by Yoruba members of the forum. I was called all names, including bigots.

Then the forum owner, Seun, went to issue a disclaimer to say the hall of shame award had been cancelled. I felt unhappy he went public to without informing me as the 9/ mod of that section. We had serious squabble. He had always suspected me to be partial in running that forum but I didn't care because I felt my conscious was clear.

Anyway, the matter led to serious free-for-all on NL for like a week until I decided to resign on 1 Jan 2013

Who’s still very familiar with Nairaland to tell me how to deactivate my account?

I want to rest my account after 15+ years of use.

I blocked Seun here after our “frenemous” relationship of over 14 years broke down irrevocably and he responded by going to NL to damage all links or posts that have JarusHub on NL.

Clearly a fair game.

Let me kuku rest my personal account, Jarus too.

I remain grateful to Seun and NL for giving me platform in my early years on active online participation, which I consistently acknowledge and even listed as one of the 40 forces that shaped me in my book, A Mat of Roses.

But it’s a mutually beneficial relationship. Many people also patronised NL because of Jarus and the content we created remain evergreen as people still benefit from them years after we left.

If onirese stops designing calabashes, the calabashes he has beautified will remain evergreen.

I never supported Buhari. When people like Jarus were promoting him on Nairaland, I was telling them,
* guys, he participated in 1966 anti-Igbo coup.
* guys, he is a former dictator who hates the press.
* guys, the dude is a complete economic illiterate.

After Jarus blocked me and I blocked him back (which SHOCKED him because he is a bully) I forgot about his existence completely. Only to learn that he is still going about trying to discredit me.
If you meet him, ask him what EXACTLY I did when he decided to block me. DETAILS.

He would do things like unfairly blaming me for the decision to "leave Nairaland" & start his own blog. Feature me on his blog and pick my most embarrasing pictures from Facebook without asking. Everytime he "praised" me he would always introduce a little dig at my character.

He posted our personal conversations constantly to embarrass me without asking for permission, while pretending to be a friend.
I finally got tired of his behaviour and called him out. He responded by insulting me & trying to use his followers to drag me.

When some of his followers started taking my side, scolding him for posting personal conversations publicly, for insulting me & repeatedly escalating the conflict between us, he blocked me.
Whenever I reported him to friends, they would say, "that guy is NOT your friend". Period.

helinues:
Abeg we no longer dey Interested in whatever happens between Seun and his friend. Let them go and settle it amicably or enter boxing ring to fight.

Make una no turn NL to gossip land

gistray:
Stop forcing this Jarus Niggah down our throats... No one gives a flying _fuck about him

I've never heard of him before until some people started spamming this section with his name


What is this... Who the bloody hell is Jarus

EreluRoz:
I and others give a Bleep ok?

EreluRoz:
I and others give a Bleep ok?

gistray:

You need a job

EreluRoz:
I'm typing from my office

gistray:

Your toilet cannot be your office

You need a real Job, shitting and pressing your phone is not a job

gistray:

Your toilet cannot be your office

You need a real Job, shitting and pressing your phone is not a job

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
Occupy Nigeria protesters? is in the top list for "NL Hall of Fame" While GEJ is in the top list for nairaland "Hall of Shame"

ACN/APC used nairaland successfully.

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
If that's the true.. He's not your friend.


Seeing him promoting two leaders who have taken Nigeria backward since the return of democracy. I'll stay away from him.

helinues:
Abeg we no longer dey Interested in whatever happens between Seun and his friend. Let them go and settle it amicably or enter boxing ring to fight.

Make una no turn NL to gossip land