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Veteran’s Day 2020

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Veteran's Day 2020

 

Interestingly, this year’s Veterans Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11. With world events impacting the ability to gather in person, many Veterans Day events have been canceled or modified to a virtual format for 2020. Public schools; city, town, state and federal offices; public libraries, post offices, and most banks will be closed. Restaurants, convenience stores, liquor stores, retail stores will be open. Trash pickup will be delayed one day. The MBTA is operating on a regular weekday schedule. Below is a list of how some North Shore communities are showing their appreciation for those who served in the armed forces.

 

Veteran's Day 2020

 

 

Danvers: Due to COVID-19, a socially distanced military-style rolling procession will be held, along with a virtual ceremony to honor those in the community who served in the military. The caravan, organized by the Danvers Police Department, kicks off at 9 a.m. in front of Town Hall on Sylvan Street with police cruisers, fire trucks and first responder vehicles. Singer Annie Brobst, winner of the 2019 New England Music Awards Live Act of the Year, will sing a patriot ballad. Jeannine Nash will speak of her father and five brothers who served in World War II or Korea. A rolling photo presentation of Danvers veterans will also be featured at 11 a.m. on DCAT’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

 

 

Middleton: Middleton Veterans Services will observe Veterans Day at the memorials at the Flint Public Library, 1 S. Main St. at 11 a.m. Social distancing will be mandatory. Face masks and hand sanitizer will be available.

 

 

 

Salem: A ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. and can be watched live on the city’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/cityofsalemma. It will also be aired on Salem Access Television. Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, state Sen. Joan Lovely and state Rep. Paul Tucker will offer remarks. Guest speaker is a Salem native and U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran Capt. Stanley Burba. Veterans, families and friends are invited to share a veteran story in the Facebook and SATV comment sections.

 

 

 

Topsfield: A gathering of veterans will be held on the Veterans Memorial Green at 11 a.m. A brief service will honor veterans from Topsfield who have been lost in the past year. All Topsfield veterans, families and residents are welcome to attend. Please observe safe COVID-19 practices.

Veterans Town Hall: Salem Congressman Seth Moulton will hold his annual Veterans Town Hall event online at 7 p.m. via Facebook Live. Visit www.facebook.com/RepMoulton for more information.

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Amadi Lawrence: The Brand Whisperer Behind Starstation’s Creative Renaissance*

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*Amadi Lawrence: The Brand Whisperer Behind Starstation’s Creative Renaissance*

Lagos, Nigeria – In a country teeming with talent and ambition, it takes more than just vision to stand out. It takes grit, strategy, and an instinct for storytelling. These are the qualities that define Amadi Lawrence, the dynamic CEO of Starstation, a fast-rising, top-rated management and media company based in Lagos.

For over a decade, Lawrence has been the unseen hand behind some of Nigeria’s most compelling branding, artist development, and content marketing campaigns. From launching new products to repositioning personalities, his work has consistently revolved around one core belief: stories move people—and people build brands.

> “Since 2011, I’ve worked closely with leading organizations, companies, and high-profile individuals,” Lawrence said. “My goal has always been to help them shape their presence and achieve remarkable growth across advertising, marketing, and public relations. It’s not just about visibility—it’s about impact.”

 

At the heart of this impact is Starstation, the firm he describes as “the brainchild of absolute passion, years of experience, and utmost dedication.” More than just a consultancy, Starstation is a powerhouse of creativity, branding, and strategic management—blending innovative thinking with deep emotional intelligence to help clients tell their stories in a powerful and authentic way.

> “Starstation is a top-rated innovative management company that helps brands and talented artists rediscover their mission, live their core values, and clarify their positioning,” Lawrence explained. “We are creatives who love telling inspiring stories about the brands we serve.”

 

From artist and event management to business analysis, brand storytelling, and corporate strategy, the firm delivers a wide spectrum of professional services. And with each project, they aim to go beyond the ordinary.

> “We live in a time where common thinking reigns supreme,” Lawrence said. “At Starstation, we challenge that. We value potential over predictability. We exist to reignite the fire within restless brands—to challenge their status quo and stoke their belief in an uncommon future.”

 

This future-driven philosophy is evident in the company’s track record. Whether crafting compelling content for a campaign, building a disruptive brand identity, or managing an event that leaves a lasting impression, the Starstation team approaches each task with a clarity of purpose—and a hunger to elevate their clients.

Lawrence’s personal journey reflects that same sense of purpose. Having worked in artiste management, content creation, and branding, he has cultivated an instinctive feel for market dynamics and audience psychology.

> “Whether I’m building a brand from scratch or re-energizing an existing one, I always focus on authenticity,” he said. “People can tell when something is real—and when it’s just noise. That’s why our campaigns are built on truth, values, and strategy.”

 

His style of leadership combines mentorship and innovation. He doesn’t just execute projects—he empowers the people behind them. Many of the talents who passed through Starstation have gone on to build solid, independent brands of their own.

> “I believe in collaboration,” he added. “I believe in helping people discover their voice—and amplifying it. That’s what makes the work fulfilling.”

 

As the digital landscape evolves, Lawrence continues to embrace new trends while staying grounded in storytelling.

> “The tools may change, but the core remains the same,” he said. “People will always connect to stories, values, and vision. That’s what we deliver—every single time.”

 

For companies, individuals, and talents seeking to rise above the noise, Starstation is more than a service provider—it’s a creative partner and strategic guide. And at its helm is Amadi Lawrence: a man driven by passion, purpose, and the audacity to imagine a future beyond the ordinary.

> “The future,” he concludes, “belongs to the uncommon. That’s why we’re here—to help brands discover that part of themselves and lead with it.”

 

As a media partner, Starstation continues to shape the narratives that define success in Nigeria’s ever-evolving creative and corporate space—one brand at a time.

Amadi Lawrence: The Brand Whisperer Behind Starstation’s Creative Renaissance*

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Tinubu Isn’t Nigeria’s Problem — He’s the Symptom of a Rotting System

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Budget Constraints, Infrastructure Woes Stall Diplomatic Deployment

from military rule to mismanaged democracy, Nigeria’s crisis runs deeper than any one president.

By Femi Oyewale

In the flurry of discontent sweeping across Nigeria today—rising costs, worsening insecurity, and public distrust—many fingers are pointing at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But in our desperation to find a scapegoat, we risk missing the bigger picture. Tinubu is not the architect of Nigeria’s ruin; he is the latest occupant of a broken system built on decades of policy failure, corruption, and elite impunity.
Tinubu Isn’t Nigeria’s Problem — He’s the Symptom of a Rotting System
Let’s be clear: Tinubu’s administration deserves critique—no leader is above accountability. But it is intellectually lazy and politically shortsighted to isolate him as the root cause of Nigeria’s dysfunction. Our real enemy is the structure—a web of systemic errors that has entangled Nigeria for over 60 years.
A Brief History of Institutional Collapse
Since independence: Nigeria has struggled with the ghosts of colonial division, regional distrust, and leadership that prioritized personal gain over national development. From military dictatorships to flawed democratic transitions, every administration contributed bricks to the wall of dysfunction we now face. Policies came and went, but accountability remained a myth. The oil boom brought riches, yet poverty deepened. Institutions became shells of power, riddled with incompetence and fueled by patronage.
Democracy Hijacked: Nigeria Under Tinubu and APC's Reign of Suppression By George Omagbemi Sylvester
By the time democracy “returned” in 1999, the nation had already normalized bad governance. Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari—all had chances to reverse the rot. Instead, they either sustained it or worsened it. Now Tinubu inherits a house built on sand, and we expect him to walk on water.
Structural Injustice and a Culture of Rot
The real crisis lies in how our political, judicial, and economic systems are wired. We run a federal system that behaves like a unitary state. Governors act as emperors. Elections are transactional. Justice is for sale. And our security architecture is outdated and overwhelmed.
Fueling Uncertainty: Investigating Nigeria's Subsidy Removal And Dangote Refinery Debacle* By Sylvester Audu
Tinubu did not invent fuel subsidy scams. He didn’t start the tradition of bloated governance or underfunded education. The poverty and infrastructural decay tormenting Nigerians today are the cumulative results of 60+ years of elite failure. If not him, the system would have found another operator.
A People Conditioned to Tolerate Failure
Nigerians have also been conditioned—through survivalism and repression—to accept bad leadership as fate. We cheer tribalism over merit, and we normalize inefficiency as long as it wears our ethnic or religious label. This collective silence is what emboldens political actors, not just at the top but across all tiers of government.
Nigeria: Achebe’s Warning Ignored, A Nation in Relapse By George Omagbemi Sylvester
TIME TO FIX THE FOUNDATION
Removing Tinubu won’t fix Nigeria. Electing a messiah won’t work if the system crushes reformers. What Nigeria needs is institutional restructuring, civic awakening, and a hard reboot of its political culture. We must de-emphasize personalities and focus on process. We need less of “who’s in power” and more of “how power works.”
The Architect of Renewal: The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Story Reviewed by Sunday Dare,
Blaming Tinubu alone is like blaming the final domino in a long-fallen chain. He is a reflection, not the cause. If Nigerians want a better future, we must stop hacking at branches and start digging out roots. This is not just Tinubu’s mess—it is ours too. And until we fix the system, no president, saint or sinner, will save us.

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ENOUGH OF THE PROMISES: Nigerians Demand Security, Not Speeches

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ENOUGH OF THE PROMISES: Nigerians Demand Security, Not Speeches By George Omagbemi Sylvester

ENOUGH OF THE PROMISES: Nigerians Demand Security, Not Speeches

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

 

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu once again summoned Nigeria’s service chiefs to Aso Rock for yet another high-level security meeting, Nigerians collectively sighed not with relief, but with exhaustion. We have been here too many times before. The statements are recycled. The directives sound familiar. The assurances ring hollow.

This is not leadership; it is theatre.

The tragic truth is that the Nigerian people are not just tired, they are angry, disillusioned and traumatized. They are tired of being the collateral damage in a war their government pretends to be fighting. They are tired of being promised security while bandits roam free, terrorists regroup and kidnappers demand ransoms without consequence. The real crisis is not just the violence; it is the normalization of that violence.

The Grim State of Insecurity: A Nation Under Siege


Between 2015 and 2024, Nigeria has recorded over 63,000 conflict-related deaths, according to the Council on Foreign Relations’ Nigeria Security Tracker (NST). In 2023 alone, over 4,800 Nigerians were killed in violent incidents, while more than 3,600 were kidnapped. States like Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau, Borno, Niger and Benue have become synonymous with bloodshed. From Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast to bandits in the Northwest, to killer herdsmen in the Middle Belt and separatist agitators in the Southeast, the entire federation is under siege.

Rural communities have been abandoned. Highways have become death traps. Urban centers are no longer safe. Nigerians live in fear not because they are weak, but because their leaders have failed to make safety a priority.

Presidential Promises Are Not Bulletproof Vests


President Tinubu came into power with promises of security reform. On May 29, 2023, during his inauguration, he boldly declared that “security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.” Yet, as of May 2025, that promise remains largely unfulfilled.

Yes, the president meets with service chiefs. Yes, there are occasional “military successes” trumpeted by the state media. But these are mere tokens in a crisis that requires transformation not tweaking.

You cannot bomb terrorism out of existence while corruption is left intact. Security is not merely about bullets and battalions; it is about intelligence, accountability, justice and trust. It is about rooting out the rot in the system that allows terrorists to be released from jail, while victims receive shallow condolences.

Empty Meetings, Empty Results
Every time there is a mass abduction, a military ambush, or a deadly attack on civilians, the federal government reacts the same way:

A security meeting is convened.

The President is “briefed.”

Service chiefs are “directed” to “intensify efforts.”

The same faces appear in the same photos.

Nothing changes.

These meetings are not solutions, they are distractions. They offer optics, not outcomes.

How many Nigerians must die before action is taken? How many villages must be razed before strategies become realities? How many schoolchildren must be kidnapped before the government sees the urgency that citizens feel every single day?

As Chinua Achebe once warned, “A man who brings home ant-infested firewood should not be surprised when lizards start to visit.” Our leaders have invited chaos by tolerating impunity. And now, Nigeria is crawling with lizards of lawlessness.

A Deafening Silence on Accountability
Nigeria’s political elite have mastered the art of talking without saying anything. They issue statements without solutions, sympathize without sincerity and govern without results.

Why, for instance, has no service chief ever resigned or been dismissed for gross security failures? In civilized democracies, such dereliction would trigger resignations, probes and prosecutions. In Nigeria, it earns a promotion or a national award.

In the words of Professor Wole Soyinka, “Only in Nigeria do criminals get rewarded while victims are forgotten.”

This culture of impunity must end. If the military hierarchy cannot secure Nigeria, then it is time for a national overhaul not another presidential handshake.

ENOUGH OF THE PROMISES: Nigerians Demand Security, Not Speeches
By George Omagbemi Sylvester

The Economic Cost of Insecurity
Beyond the human toll, insecurity is decimating Nigeria’s economy. According to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), the country loses over $10 billion annually due to conflict-related disruptions. Farmers cannot access their land due to fear of attacks, which has worsened the food crisis and driven inflation to an alarming 33.2% as of April 2025.

Foreign investors flee at the first hint of instability. Tourism is virtually nonexistent. Domestic businesses relocate or shut down. The World Bank notes that insecurity has become one of the top three obstacles to Nigeria’s economic growth, alongside corruption and poor infrastructure.

A nation without security is a nation without a future.

2025 Is Halfway Through: Why Only Excuses?
It has been nearly two full years since this administration took office. Nigerians are not unreasonably impatient they are rationally demanding results. The APC government has exhausted its grace period.

No more “renewed hope” slogans. No more speeches about “resilience” and “commitment.” Nigerians are not a people who need to be told to endure. They need a government that knows how to act.

As the popular street saying goes: “Na security we wan chop?” No. But without security, no one can chop.

What Must Be Done?

If the Tinubu administration truly desires to end this cycle of bloodshed, it must take the following concrete actions:

Reshuffle and professionalize the military leadership. Promotion must be based on performance not political loyalty.

Invest in local intelligence and surveillance technology. Drones, satellite monitoring and community-based intelligence must be prioritized.

Strengthen state policing frameworks. Centralized policing has failed. Each state must be allowed to manage its own internal security with federal collaboration.

Prosecute collaborators and financiers of terrorism. Enough of the hidden sponsors; name and shame them.

Ensure victims get justice and compensation. Healing starts with acknowledgment.

Quotes to Remember

Nelson Mandela: “Safety and security don’t just happen; they are the result of collective consensus and public investment.”

Barack Obama: “Security and opportunity are two sides of the same coin.”

Thomas Jefferson: “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”

But what use is vigilance when those at the top are asleep?

Let the Bullets Stop. Let the Lies End.
Nigerians are not asking for miracles. They are demanding what every responsible government should provide: the right to life, peace and liberty. If this administration cannot guarantee that, then history will judge it harshly not for what it promised, but for what it failed to deliver.

Let the bullets stop. Let the bloodshed end. Let results speak louder than rhetoric.

Nigeria deserves peace. And Nigerians demand nothing less.

ENOUGH OF THE PROMISES: Nigerians Demand Security, Not Speeches
By George Omagbemi Sylvester

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