The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Edo 2020: Obaseki and politics of endorsement

    In spite of his disagreement with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki is not losing sleep over his second term bid. Correspondent OSAGIE OTABOR traces the genesis of the crisis and how the governor is managing it.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki of Wdo State is not letting down his oars in his quest to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to run for a second term. Speculations that he planned to dump the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been dismissed, as Obaseki has insisted that he would rather flush out all dissidents out of the Edo APC. True to his words, many ‘disloyal’ party officials have been removed from office.

    Last month, leaders of the APC from the 18 local governments endorsed him as the party’s flag bearer for next year’s election. Many of the leaders were former political appointees of the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. They said they carried out the endorsement after assessing the achievements of Obaseki in the last three years, especially the working relationship between him, his deputy Philip Shaibu and the Secretary to Government, Osarodion Ogie.

    The argument was that if they listened to Oshiomhole when he told them to support Obaseki for governor, with Shaibu and Ogie as his deputy and SSG, and the trio have performed to the satisfaction of the people, why would the immediate past governor now move to stop them?

    It is the belief of Edo APC supporters that Oshiomhole is using the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), a pressure group within the Edo APC, to truncate Obaseki’s bid for the second term. The main objective of the EPM is to get a replacement for Governor Obaseki in 2020 and ‘reposition’ the Edo APC.

    Observers have faulted the EPM’s style and approach to wrestling power from Obaseki. They said it is obvious that the EPM is out to discredit Obaseki and paint him in bad light before the general public. Issues raised by the EPM were attempt to destroy Oshiomhole’s legacies, by not continuing with some legacy projects, including the Bénin Storm Water project, non-opening of the new five-star hospital, lack of patronage for party supporters, closure of some tertiary institutions and the non-inauguration of some members-elect into the House of Assembly.

    Obaseki’s response to the EPM’s agitation helped to win the support of the people to his side. Thus, he managed to secure the control of the Edo APC structure and gained confidence of his cabinet members. The new five-star hospital was opened and work commenced on the Bénin Storm Water project. The reforms he introduced in the area of revenue collection endeared local government workers to his administration.

    Attempts by the EPM to build structures in the local government areas were resisted by APC members in the localities. Among those that secured political appointments, those that are not loyal to the governor were identified and sacked. Many leaders of the EPM have since fled to Abuja on the excuse that their lives were no longer safe.

    Many have said that Obaseki has a firm grip on Edo APC in 14 out of 18 local government areas. All the five local government areas in Edo Central are in support of Obaseki because it gives politicians from the area the opportunity to contest for governorship in 2023. In Edo North, Obaseki has a strong support base in Akoko-Edo, Owan East, Owan West, Estako Central, and Estako East. In Edo South, the local councils supporting Obaseki’s second term are Ovia North East, Ovia Southwest, Ikpoba-Okha, Uhunmwode, and Egor.

    To further show their support for Obaseki’s second term, Edo APC leaders from the 18 local governments  met at an enlarged meeting and adopted him as the candidate for next year’s election. At the meeting, Obaseki reeled out his achievements after which the APC leaders expressed satisfaction with his administration.

    Among the achievements listed by Obaseki was an investment in the education sector through the Edo BEST initiative, increased revenue through e-ticketing and civil service reforms.

    Obaseki, who promised to deliver more dividends of democracy to  people, said his administration has engendered good governance through policies and programmes targeted at eradicating poverty and creating jobs in the last three years.

    Read Also: Obaseki vs Oshiomhole: Cry my beloved Edo

     

    The governor has promised to consolidate his achievements in the next one year. He said: “When we came on board three years ago, 15 of 18 local governments were not able to pay salaries and we met a huge pension arrears burden. But, with your support, we have made a lot of progress.

    “For revenue generation, the internally generated revenue (IGR) in Oredo Local Government rose from N1.5 million monthly in December 2016 to N62 million in October 2019. We are emphasising people-oriented projects because APC’s principle is focused on people’s development.

    “My administration has created about 107,000 direct and indirect jobs in the last three years. We have been getting a lot of support from the diaspora in this regard.”

    Obaseki urged the people to expect more developments in the next year, especially in the areas of agriculture, infrastructure, job creation, and social welfare.

    The governor reiterated that members of the APC working against the interest of the party would be driven out. He added: “Nobody must feel that they are bigger than the party. How can we build a house and want to pull it down? There were many people who were not part of this house. They were looking for what to benefit. Now that they are not benefiting, they want to pull it down.”

    Rev. Michael Egharevba, a chieftain of the APC in Edo South, moved the motion for the endorsement and adoption of the governor for a second term, saying Obaseki has transformed all sectors in the state. He said: “We are solidly behind the governor and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, for a second term. This is the first time somebody is speaking to our hearts and it is evident in the physical structures he is building across the state.”

    Egharevba said Obaseki has performed well and that Oshiomhole is not seeking a third term in office. His words: “Is Oshiomhole contesting the election? Those people saying we benefited from Oshiomhole do not know anything. Oshiomhole will not be on the ballot. He brought Obaseki, he brought Shaibu, and he also brought Ogie. If these people are doing well, why should we not support them?”

    A former Chief Whip in the Edo State House of Assembly and a leader of the APC in Edo North, Shaibu Abdullahi, seconded the motion and called for more grassroots mobilisation.

    Mrs. Stella Okoro said APC women in the state have agreed to adopt the governor for a second term.

    She added: “When a woman carries you on her back, you are protected. We are happy for all the governor is doing. We are carrying him on our back as a sign of our support for his administration.”

    The Chairman of Edo APC, Anselm Ojezua, said the chapter has remained strong more than ever before and that the EPM would not be allowed to be an organ of the party. He said: “We will take those steps that will protect the integrity of the APC. Once we are done sanitising our party system, we will be better and stronger.”

    Charles Idahosa urged the APC leaders to intensify work at the ward level to defeat the common enemy against the Governor Obaseki-led government. He said: “We have a problem and we need to go back to our respective wards to put things in order. There is a big fight, and it is a win for us. We know our enemy and we must defeat him.”

     

  • Kogi West: As Adeyemi, Melaye go back to the trenches

    As the concluding part of the Kogi West senatorial election takes place on Saturday, fears over violence, thuggery, intimidation of voters that characterised the initial exercise on November 16 are still rife. Will the exercise be free and fair? TONY AKOWE and NICHOLAS KALU write on the preparations for the poll.

    Two sons of Okunland in the Kogi West Senatorial District, Smart Adeyemi and Dino Melaye, are poised for a final duel over who takes the district’s vacant seat in the Senate. Judging by the growing animosity between the contestants, the stage appears set for a fight to the finish. The election on November 16 was cancelled in a number of polling units where violence, ballot snatching and intimidation of voters marred the process.

    One of such units is the Aiyetoro Gbede polling ward 1 unit 4, located beside the Apostolic Church headquarters in Aiyetoro. Intending voters were on the line in an orderly manner, waiting to take their turn to perform their civic responsibility. The turnout of voters was impressive. Suddenly, there was commotion as news filtered in that thugs had invaded the polling unit at the town hall and had made away with the ballot box. The voters scampered in different directions, while the youth corp member, who was apparently the most senior electoral officer around, made to pack up the unused electoral materials. A middle aged man told him, “please protect yourself first and don’t argue with anybody”. The electorate began to form the line again to continue when suddenly, like a scene from the movie, a black Toyota hillux van and an ash coloured honda civic showed up on top speed on the bumpy road. There were gun shots rang in the air and the people, including reporters and election observers, ran in different directions. A middle aged man jump down from the hillux van, smashed the box containing cast votes for the senatorial election and took the second box, which was probably containing votes cast for the governorship. A few minutes later, everywhere was calm again and residents of the area gathered in small clusters discussing what had just happened, while some of the youths began to make road blocks and burn fires around the voting area. Some of the women were heard saying “they took our ballot box away. We cannot vote again”. A passing Toyota sienna space bus belong to Splash FM, Ibadan, stopped to listen to the women. Journalists who were occupants of the van were lucky to escape as the youths went wild, smashing its rear windscreen.

    Read Also: Kogi West: let’s finish race with wider margin, Adeyemi urge party members

    Senator Melaye, who is a senatorial on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accused the Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, of sponsoring the thugs. He said the governor was desperate to hold on to power by all means and would do everything possible to ensure that the election went is way. He also accused the police of not doing enough to protect the people and their votes. Melaye said: “After casting my vote, I left my polling unit and came to the house only to be called that Sowore, who worked as SA to the governor and now Chief of Staff to Onoja, came with hoodlums who shot indiscriminately and carted away ballot boxes in my polling unit. Immediately I was told, we ran back and the boys were able to recover the two ballot boxes. The ballot box for the senatorial election was riddled with bullets so, it was damaged. But that of the governorship was recovered intact. I want to acknowledge that the security agencies who came in started searching for them and eventually got five of them arrested and as I speak, they have made confessional statements to the Commissioner of Police in charge of election in Kogi West. They made confessional statements to the fact that they were recruited. They have been arrested along with a police man on illegal duty who was apparently giving cover to the thugs. He was recognised as the person who came with them to the polling unit and the community people descended on him and started beating him until he was rescued. The policeman is right now in detention. I also understand that police arrested a team of thugs carrying a bunch of PVCs and they have confessed that it is Taofik Isa, the local government Administrator that gave them those PVCs and thumb printed papers to be used. Taofik Isa has been arrested by the police and I learnt that he has written a confessional statement in Kabba. We have always said that the APC was not prepared for election, but we are ready to prove that the ballot is stronger than the bullet. They came to the town hall, shot and carried ballot box in Ayetoro Ward 2 and also went to Okebukun in Aiyetoro ward 1 and shot the ballot boxes, carrying all the bags and the remaining ballot boxes and ballot papers, including the phones of Youth Corps members. Yahaya Bello has terrorised the entire state. As I speak to you, I have received information that they have taken over a greater part of Lokoja and they have been collecting ballot boxes from each polling unit in Lokoja metropolis with the intention of coming back with stuffed ballot boxes with altered results. We don’t see how that is going to happen because we will fight with the last drop of our blood to protect our ballot and our votes.”

    This was the scenario in many other parts of the state as residents tried to decide who should lead them in the next four years, beginning from January when the tenure of the current governor expires. It was not only in Aiyetoro Gbede that journalists were attacked. They suffered the same fate in Ayingba, Dekina local government area of the state. Sporadic gun shots either from political thugs or policemen trying to instil fear in the people became the order of the day. The violent attacks, started days before the election, went unchecked till the results of the polls were announced. Fingers were being pointed at the governor who was the candidate of the APC and the party’s leadership in the state.

    Before the election, tension was palpable across the state. Fear of possible violence was the major topic of discussions around the state, especially in Lokoja, the state capital. The police authorities claimed to have deployed over 35,000 personnel in the state, in addition to other security personnel from sister agencies. Observer groups like the YIAGHA Africa had warned of possible violence long before the election, citing heavy militarisation of the state. Of particular interest was the attempt to prevent the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Natasha Akpoti, from casting her vote at her polling unit in Okehi local government. Thugs and charms were reportedly deployed around her to make sure she did not step out of her house until journalists arrived before she could go out to vote.

    With a total number of 1,646,350 registered voters spread across the 21 local government areas of the state, only about 636,202 were accredited to vote. Interestingly, Kogi East Senatorial district where the governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr Musa Wada and the APC deputy governorship candidate, Edward Onoja hailed from, has the highest number of registered voters with 804,715 spread across nine local government areas. While the governor’s Kogi central district has a total registered voter population of 409,120 spread across five local government areas. The balance of 432,515 are located in the West district where Senator Melaye and his APC challenger, Senator Smart Adyemi hailed from. Also from the West district is the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP, Samuel Aro. The Secretary to the Kogi state government is also from the western district.

    A close analysis of the distribution of polling units indicates that the governor’s Okene local government, with 131,166 registered voters, has the highest number of polling units with 266 units. In contrast, Dekina local government where the PDP governorship candidate hailed from, has the highest number of registered voters of 166,165. But the total number of polling units in that local government was 217.

    Also, Ankpa, in the eastern part of the state with 142,912 registered voters, the second highest in the state with 176 polling units, same with Okehi with 8,180 registered voters.

    Vote buying, may have played a prominent role in the outcome of the election. But one thing that was clear is the fact that in most of the places, votes were bought and sold while security men looked the other way.

    Complaints over intimidation of voters were rife during the initial election. The some chieftains of the PDP in Kogi West told told one of our correspondent that members of the PDP were denied the opportunity to cast their votes in Odokolo area. Thy claimed that some APC chieftains had left a standing instruction to armed thugs not to allow voters other than those intending to vote for the APC exercise their franchise in a number of polling units. However, the village head of Odokolo, Oba Abdulganiyu Isa, denied the claims. He said that he personally instructed the people to allow everyone exercise their franchise without intimidation. A local government administrator was sighted in one of the polling units moving in company of persons who appeared to be political thugs.

    Worried by the disruption of voting at the various units, Captain Jerry Agada who served as agent of the PDP at the collation of results, had tasked the Inspector General of Police to explain why some of his officers chose to work against the people wanting to exercise their civic responsibility. Agada claimed that an officer of the Counter Terrorism Unit flew a helicopter that shot at innocent voters, allegedly killing some of them. He claimed that the officer was arrested, but released shortly after despite the promise by the IGP that such offenders would face the consequences of their actions.

    The IGP had said: “During the elections, anybody you saw either in police uniform or military uniform that did not carry the tag that had been given for the election, that person was not a genuine police officer or military officer or he was not on official duty. We were aware of the fact that some politicians were going to sew police and military uniforms, so we devised some other means of identifying those who were on election duty. We gave them tags. There was a police helicopter that was hovering. It was on patrol, and in the course of patrol, you could see some incidents of maybe people fighting, people trying to snatch ballot boxes. You need to intervene. In the course of intervention, of course, you can never use firearms because during elections we don’t carry firearms. So, that helicopter you saw was to patrol and scare those that would want to snatch ballot boxes. Of course, if you see a helicopter hovering over your head, if you wanted to snatch a ballot box or you had carried one, definitely you would know you are being monitored and you would stop. So, prevention was our focus”.

    The Kogi governorship election may have come and gone. But, the ugly fallouts from it may continue to linger in a long time to come. On Saturday’s the senatorial poll will hold. Adeyemi is already leading with over 20,000 votes. What is left for the two contestants to share is about 40,000 votes. But, win or lose, the two contestants have fought a fierce battle -fair and foul.

     

  • Don Jazzy promises N1m to Beatz Awards

    Sampson Unamka

    Over the weekend, Mavin Record honcho, Don Jazzy, was honoured with a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the organisers of The Beatz Awards. The legendary producer was honoured for his contribution to the music industry and had an award category renamed after him.

    In an interview with The Nation, the Chief Executive Officer of Beatz Awards, Elijah John, disclosed that the former ‘The New Discovery Producer category’ will now be called the ‘DON JAZZY NEW DISCOVERY PRODUCER’ .

    While receiving the award at the Shell Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, Don Jazzy thanked the organisers for the award and praised them for their consistency over the years.

    He also added a twist to the newly formed category by adding N1 million cash prize to the winner from next year’s edition.

    “One of the great  things about the fifth edition is that a category is created in the name of Donjazzy, and the winner will be going home with 1 million Naira come next year,” said Elijah.

    “The  way this is going to work is that, the new producers coming up with hit songs would be shortlisted for this category, and the best five will go into a battle whereby voting will commence for the best in the year of review. We want to thank Donjazzy for the gestures of supporting this with a cash reward and we also want to thank the sponsors for believing in what we do.”

    Speaking on including cash interest on the other categories, Elijah said: “This is a start of such laudable gesture and we are considering other options to see how cash rewards can be included in some of the categories. Meanwhile, sponsors are already showing interest to support some other categories in terms of cash. So by next year, we would be unveiling a lot of things.”

    Read Also: I’m not living my best life- Don Jazzy

    The fifth edition of the awards was hosted by popular musician, Dr. Sid and the crowd was thrilled by performances from Johnny Drille, Idyll, Reil C and top comedians like Emmaohmygod, Deeone, Omobaba, Phronesis among others.

    One of the biggest winners of the night was music producer Kel P vibes who bagged three awards for Afro Beat Producer Of The Year, Afro Dancehall Producer Of The Year and Producer Of The Year, closely followed by Johnny Drille who bagged two Afro Rock Producer Of The Year and Song Writer Of The Year.

    Other winners were Afro Pop Producer Of The Year (Cracker Mallo), Afro R&B Producer Of The Year, (Killertunes), Afro Hip-Hop Producer of  The Year (Rexxie), Afro Highlife Producer Of The Year (Orbeat), Afro Soul Producer of The Year (Seyikeyz), Afro Gospel Producer Of The Year (Skerzbeat), Mixing & Mastering Engineer of The Year (STG), Music Video Director of The Year (Unlimited LA), Choreographer of The Year (Don Flex), New Discovery Producer of The Year (Ozedikus), Male Dj of The Year (Dj Spinall), Female Dj  of The Year (Dj Cuppy), Entertainment Tv Station Award (Terrestrial) of The Year, (Silverbird Television), Entertainment Tv Station Award (Cable) of The Year (MTV Base), Radio Station of The Year (Soundcity Radio), OAP Of The Year (Moet Abebe),  Artist Manager of The Year, Asa Asika, Record Label Of The Year (DMW), Blog of The Year (Bellanaija) and Online Music Platform of The Year (Tooxclusive).

  • Jaiye Kuti clears air on relationship with Pasuma

    Dupe Ayinla-Olasunkanmi

    Nollywood actress and producer Jaiye Kuti, has addressed the issue of her relationship with popular Fuji artiste, Pasuma.

    The actress, who was featured recently in Achievers Orient, posted the cover of the edition, saying she is married to the Kutis and not Fuji artiste Alabi Pasuma.

    “Since the time of my movie, ‘Jayeola Monje’ and the movie wedding pictures, many have said that it is a true wedding picture of my wedding , but it is not,” said Jaiye, who was one of the recipients of Yomafa award at the weekend.

    “It was only a movie. I am married to the Kuti’s family and not Pasuma.”

    Showing off her award after the event dressed in a black attire with gold headgear, the actress wrote: “Another Big one again from @yomafaglobal. All the glory be unto the Lord God Almighty. I want to say a big thank you to Yomafa for counting me worthy of this award.

    Read Also: Nollywood Actress Eniola Ajao opens up: my relationship with movie star Odunlade Adekola

    “This is clearly one of the most significant events in my professional career. I can only express my sincere appreciation.  To all my family, friends and fans out there, this is dedicated to you all my lovers. You’re part of my glory and am grateful.  To all my Executive Producers, production houses, my cast and crew in all my productions I am saying God bless you. E seun, mo dupe o. JK is okay because of your love.”

    Durojaiyeola Oluwakemi Kuti, popularly known as (Jaiye Kuti), hails from Yewa Ayetoro, Egbado in Ogun State. She attended Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun State where she studied Secretarial Administration. She then obtained a bachelor degree in English Language at  the University of Lagos where she met her husband.

    With a passion for acting, Jaiye started with English soap operas before joining Yoruba film industry which she started with Adebayo Salami (Oga Bello) and then joined Prince Jide Kosoko’s team for script writing and acting.

    The title of the first movie she produced that made her popular was ‘Jaiyeola ni mo nje.’

  • Battle against Meningitis

    As the dry season gradually sets in, authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are taking preemptive measures against the outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis. GBENGA OMOKHUNU reports

    IN August 12, Nigeria introduced the Meningitis “A” Conjugate Vaccine into the routine Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) schedule. Findings revealed that Meningitis ‘A’ remains a major global challenge and 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) fall within the meningitis belt; putting 26 percent of the Nigerian population at risk. According to a research conducted in April, 2017 which is in the public domain, findings also showed that reported cases of Meningitis is 32, and of that number, 12 people had died.

    With the introduction of Meningitis ‘A’ Conjugate Vaccine, the FCT has commenced an integrated measles and Meningitis ‘A’ vaccination campaign which started November 16, and will be on till November 25, 2019. The Acting Executive Secretary, FCT, Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Iwot Ndaeyo who spoke with The Nation on the ongoing vaccination exercise, disclosed that government targets 692, 695 children, adding that government has engaged the services of 664 teams who are currently vaccinating the children across the six area councils in the capital city. Ndaeyo advised parents and gaiudians to also go to any government health facility and vaccination posts nearest to them for the vaccines. He disclosed that the FCT Minister has approved the sum of N20 million as contributory fund. Ndaeyo advised that children should complete their routine immunization before the age of two years in a health facility nearest to them. His words: “This is a very important activity and if we do not get the result right, it will not be good. What we are having this time around is not for polio. We all know meningitis. This is a sickness that people live with during dry season. Usually, we are used to having vaccination probably in February or March in the heart of the dry season when there is outbreak, mainly in the northern parts of the country. The Federal Ministry of Health used to run up and down during this period looking for vaccine which is usually very wrong. If you want to protect someone against meningitis, it should be three months to the time you expect it will come. Nigeria is a nation where outbreak of meningitis occurs. So we are expected to have this preventive vaccination in September, October or latest in November. “So this has been a challenge. What have we done? We have found out that if meningitis vaccine is included in the national immunisation schedule, it will be easier to build a critical defence against the outbreak. That is why the Federal Ministry of Health, professional bodies, donor agencies, in their wisdom, agreed and endorsed that Meningitis-A, vaccine should be used as vaccination for children at nine months. “So this was introduced into the national immunisation schedule on August 9, 2019 and all the states of the federation including the FCT, must have this in their immunisation schedule. So children under one year should have meningitis ‘A’ vaccination at nine months along with measles

    Battle against Meningitis

    As the dry season gradually sets in, authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are taking preemptive measures against the outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis. GBENGA OMOKHUNU reports. IN August 12, 2018, Nigeria introduced the Meningitis ‘A’ Conjugate Vaccine into the

    • The Acting Executive Secretary of the FCT Primary Health Care Board Dr Ndaeyo Iwot immunising a child at the official flag off of the Meningitis ‘A’ and Measles vaccination campaign in the FCT

    ‘

    ‘

    risk. It is a devastating disease that poses a major public health challenge. Meningitis can be caused by many different pathogens, including viruses and fungi. But the highest global burden is seen with bacterial meningitis. Together with sepsis, meningitis is estimated to cause more deaths in children under five years of age than malaria does. The World Health Organisation (WHO) secretariat acknowledged the global relevance of an approach fully aligned with the objectives of the plan for (2019-2023).

    How to prevent meningitis Dr. Ndaeyo also spoke on how to prevent meningitis. He said saying it is advisable to avoid overcrowded places, to sleep in well-ventilated places, to avoid close and prolonged contact with a sick person. Proper disposal of respiratory and throat secretions is also advised. Residents are also advised to observe hand hygiene and to sneeze into elbow joint/ sleeves, reduce handshakes, kissing, sharing utensils or medical interventions such as mouth resuscitation. They should also get vaccinated with a relevant meningococcal vaccine and avoid self-medication.” Many residents, especially those who stay in rural areas, have embraced the vaccination process and time frame. Most of the vaccination centres in the FCT have been receiving large turnouts of mothers who have been bringing their children for vaccination.

    Read Also: COFFHA extends free health to Okun-Ajah residents

     

    and yellow-fever vaccines. So, we expected that in FCT, just like it is going to happen in other states of the federation, that children that are nine months of age should be fully immunised with Meningitis ‘A’ vaccine. “In FCT, we are having the Meningitis ‘A’ vaccination campaign for children, nine months to five years. This is a very clear indication that we do not want people to miss the opportunity to have the immunity. Measles vaccination campaign is expected to take place every two years. Recall that in 2013, there was also a catchup campaign for measles vaccination when children up to 15 years were given this vaccination. Every two years, there is supposed to be a follow up campaign so that any child that missed such opportunity at nine months will not also miss it in the year ahead. Every two years we have to do the measles vaccination campaign. The vaccination campaign for measles is also due. This is the second year. The last one we had was 2017. So we have got to combine the measles campaign with that of the Meningitis ‘A’ campaign in 2019. So the Meningitis ‘A’ catchup campaign for children 1 to 5 years down is a follow up campaign for children from 9 months to 5 years.” Continuing, Ndaeyo said, “We are expected to ensure that all the children in the target group are not left out and we have done a lot of sensitisation across several stakeholders. Plans have also been harmonised with the FCTA. The

    cost of vaccinating a child in is about N600 per child. And if you look at our target in financial terms, it is about N40 million. But the FCT counterpart fund on its own is about N20 million for this programme. It has been approved by the Minister. UNICEF also contributed some fund. The training of the staff and those that will work on this programme are all costed in the fund. “This is a combined vaccination. Immunisation is not a guaranty that one will not have the sickness but it will minimise the effect. We are aware that 95 percent of people living in the FCT are in the rural areas, with poor amenities, particularly sanitation and security. The local hunters are part of our team. “FCT has been known by the Federal Government to be doing very well. Each area council is expected to support this activity.

    If not for this campaign, it is possible that we would have been having more outbreaks than we are having now. We are targeting 692, 695 children for the Measles and Meningitis ‘A’ vaccination campaign. We are currently working with 664 teams for this campaign. They have been recruited and are working. The vaccines are very save and are not having side effects that would be dangerous or cause panic.” As the dry season sets in, Nigeria is trying to contain meningitis epidemic which has killed hundreds of people, mostly children. Meningitis is an infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges. Viral and bacterial infections are the most common cause but bacterial meningitis is much more serious due to its rapid onset that poses significant death

    It is a devastating disease that poses a major public health challenge. Meningitis can be caused by many different pathogens, including viruses and fungi. But the highest global burden is seen with bacterial meningitis. Together with sepsis, meningitis is estimated to cause more deaths in children under five years of age than malaria does

  • NDDC and the imperative of Buhari’s intervention

    By Victor Oseni

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s handling of the two issues currently simmering at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which may soon blow into a crisis, is going to be the first test of the degree of independence of the legislature and the nature of its relationship with the executive in the current dispensation. It may also, to a large extent, serve as proof of his much vaunted commitment to accountability, due process and rule of law.

    Before he jetted out of the country late October for Saudi Arabia for the Economic Forum of the Future Investment Initiative, which ended with a private visit to the United Kingdom in November, the president nominated a 16-member board for the NDDC and submitted same to the senate for screening and confirmation as required by the law that set up the commission.

    But while attention was focused on the exercise by the upper chamber of the National Assembly so as to get a substantive board in place for the smooth running of NDDC, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, set up a three-member interim management committee to run the commission. Not only that, the management committee is to oversee the planned forensic audit the president announced he would carry out on the interventionist agency, indicating that it may be in office for an indefinite period.

    The minister’s action has raised legal questions as well as the question of intent. The NDDC Act of 2000 as amended makes no provision for an interim management committee for the agency. The Act recognizes that there may be circumstances that may warrant the commission not a having a managing director for any length of time, and therefore provides for the executive director, finance and administration to hold that position in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive managing director and chief executive officer. It was the reason Timi Alaibe, then executive director, finance and administration, held the position of managing director at a point during his stay at the agency.

    Whatever necessity there was for any interim arrangement has been eliminated by the nomination and confirmation of a substantive board for NDDC as stipulated by the Act. This much was said by no less a personality than the president of the senate, Ahmed Lawan, after 15 members of the board were confirmed by the senate following the absence of Dr. Gbene Joi Nuneih, President Buhari’s nominee from Rivers State who Akpabio appointed as head of the interim management commitment.

    “With the completion of this process, I am sure that any other structure that exists in NDDC is vitiated”, Lawan said. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about, because this is one thing that is clearly established by the law”.

    Observers describe as awkward and inexplicable a situation in which the interim management committee is still in office long after the board of the commission was confirmed by the senate (on November 5). And, considering the statement by Akpabio that the board will begin to function after the committee has seen to the conclusion of the planned forensic audit of the commission, there may be no indication of when it would be inaugurated. This is more so because the audit has yet to begin, and it is not an exercise that would be carried out overnight.

    “President Buhari has returned to the country from his UK trip; he must do the needful by stepping in to clear this confusion so that NDDC can function properly, “said Cletus Uwakwe, a Lagos-based legal practitioner. “The president nominated the board before he left the country; the senate confirmed the board while he was away. And now he is back. What is holding inauguration of the board”?

    He said the transfer of NDDC from the office of the president to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs merely by a letter written by the president’s chief of staff was itself an act of illegality since the law that placed the commission under the presidency had not been amended to reflect that change.

    He said the NDDC Act recognizes a board and a management committee that is an internal organ in the commission, not an interim committee to be appointed from outside. “The Management Committee mentioned under Section 10 in Part III of the NDDC Act of 2000 as amended is what major organizations call Executive Directorate, which is an internal structure and the highest management organ that is subordinate to the board, not a replacement for the board”, Uwakwe said.

    Read Also: Senate kicks as President submits NDDC’s Budget 

     

    He wondered about the necessity of nomination of a board by Buhari and its confirmation by the senate if the members were going to wait for the completion of an audit that has not yet begun before assuming office. “Is Akpabio saying that if an audit that will cover a period about 18 years takes one year or more to complete the board members will wait for so long to be inaugurated to commence work”? He asked. “Why were they nominated and confirmed in the first place? In fact, if one may ask – who is in charge here? Is it the president or the minister? Why would the president nominate a board and the board is duly confirmed by the Senate and then a minister says the inauguration of the board must wait indefinitely”?

    Sola Oyelade, a businessman and public affairs commentator, says the NDDC issue will prove the independence or otherwise of the legislature during Buhari’s second term. He said with the general pessimism about the independence of the judiciary and legislature in the current dispensation, what finally plays out in the NDDC leadership crisis will either vindicate or prove pessimists wrong. “On the day he was inaugurated as senate president, Senator Ahmed Lawan promised to run an independent legislature that would not be a rubber-stamp of the executive”, Oyelade said.

    ”But the same Senate over which he presides looked the other way when Buhari’s chief of staff wrote a letter to practically amend the law that placed NDDC under the presidency and transferred it to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, and action they know is illegal. It is also instructive that more than two weeks since Lawan said with the confirmation of the NDDC board the interim management committee had ceased to be relevant, the committee is still functioning, while the board the senate confirmed is still waiting to be inaugurated”.

    He described as untenable any argument to the effect that the board cannot be in place while an audit of the commission is being carried out, and drew attention to the fact that it is not the tenure of the incoming board that is to be probed, and so the question of interference does not arise.

    “Former president Goodluck Jonathan carried out an audit of the NNPC with a board in place”, he said.

    “That exercise was carried out by the internationally reputable firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers, but that did not stop the board of NNPC that was in place at that time from functioning”.

    He said if the audit of NDDC is to be carried out by one reputable audit firm for each state and one for the commission’s headquarters as promised by Akpabio, then there was no way its board could interfere in the exercise.

    The audit promised by Buhari is one exercise in which Nigerians will show more than a passing interest. With shocking revelations of trillions of naira that were spent by NDDC which do not reflect the level of development of the Niger Delta region, coupled with allegations of high level corruption that may have involved top shots in the agency as well as influential people in the region, the audit may well be an acid test of Buhari’s sincere commitment to accountability. That is why it must be handled by reputable audit firms and supervised directly by the presidency, and not an illegal interim committee set up by a minister. “Buhari cannot be an onlooker in this all important exercise, as the actions and utterances of Senator Akpabio would seem to suggest”, said Oyeleke.

     

    • Oseni, a public affairs commentator, lives in Abuja.

  • Garba Shehu @60

    By Ali M. Ali

    Let me wish my mentor, Malam Garba Shehu, media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari a happy birthday as he turns 60 today November 27. I doubt, very much, if there would be any fanfare to mark this milestone. Ten years ago, when he turned 50, to my knowledge, there wasn’t any beating of drums to mark his entry into the “golden” club, at least, not in  the public   space. I am not too sure this time, it would be any different.

    Certainly three “scores” is momentous. I pray to Almighty Allah (SWT) to increase him in good health and wisdom.

    To many people, Shehu is just another “spokesman”. This, indeed, has been his main turf in the last 20 years or so. Before his foray into the difficult terrain of public relations and managing the image of politicians these past two decades, he had been a brilliant journalist, media manager and communications teacher. Long before he spoke for Atiku Abubakar and now President Buhari, he had been the image maker of Aluminum Smelter Company (ALSCON) in the twilight of the 90s.

    Further back in history, he was at various times a reporter with the NTA before crossing over to the Triumph newspapers in Kano, his home state, where he was, at various times, editor of all the tittles before exiting as managing director /editor -in-chief in around 1998 at 39 or there about.

    Shehu was destined for the top in his chosen path, which is   journalism and PR. He made marks in both fields. As newspaper editor and media manager, he was brilliant visionary and had keen eye for both talents and details. Thanks to his vision, he constituted a first class editorial board drawn from the academia, the intelligentsia, the business community and top not technocrat.

    Shehu also helped recruit or head hunted young promising reporters regardless of creed or   status. In the newsroom of the Triumph, wholly owned by government of Kano State were Nigerians from across cultures. There were many voices on the editorial board and the newsroom but Shehu was able to “distill” the tower of babel and produce a paper whose views were   respected and its stories often quoted by foreign media.  I recall one instance when I was the news editor; the coverage of the June 12, 1993   debacle that earned the paper rave reviews by the Lanre Idowu-edited Media Review Magazine. Other times, the BBC and VOA will quote stories from the Triumph as their unfailing reference. As government paper under military regime, Shehu found a way of telling truth to power without   appearing belligerent.

    One day in 1994, the then Commissioner of Information late Bashir Karaye accompanied a visiting military   governor of the neighboring state of Katsina. After a tour of the company, the visitors sat down for a chat and as unit heads, we all had a question or two to ask but the commissioner   was throwing his weight trying to control the flow until Shehu stamped his feet on the ground made it clear that it was “our show”. The visitor backed down.

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    Shehu was “encyclopedic”. No subject was Greek to him. Politics, economics, sports, entertainment, you name it, Shehu was at home discussing. I have seen him engage intellectual power houses at close quarters. In 1991, I was invited to attend a workshop organized by the Centre of Democratic Studies (CDS) in conjunction with the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE). I was still wet behind the ears. Alhaji Wada Maida was then the president. I saw Shehu take on late Professor Omo Omoruiyi, the Director -General (DG) to task throwing up different alternatives and postulating different theories concerning the transition programme of the administration at the time.

    In between running a newspaper with a few hot headed found time to teach undergraduate and post graduate course in the Mass Communications Department of Bayero University, Kano. In my formative years in journalism, Shehu taught me many lessons in management .I learned from him early that knowledge is power and it’s the best guarantor to ascend the ladder. Once during the general staff meeting, he pointedly said that “ability” not seniority in age is the consideration in promotion.

    “This is not gerontocracy” he said and rested the contrived agitation in the company that “greenhorns” were becoming line editors.

     

    Shehu matured early. He became managing director of the Triumph at 33 and president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors at 37. Clearly he was gifted. He had a way with people. He is quick witted always ready with a sharp one liner.

    Among his peers, when excited, he has a patented throaty laughter. Among his subordinates, he projects a tough exterior but deep down he really is a nice guy. Once he assembled all of us in editorial management and chastised us for being “too nice”. The tittle editors were quiet. But not hot headed me who retorted “you are the nicest of them all”. He challenged me to give an instance and I did. The following week, a reporter did the unthinkable-he assaulted his unit head after being queried for dereliction of duties. He was dismissed at the recommendation of a disciplinary committee.

    I met Shehu 30 years ago. I didn’t know him from Adam. He was then editor of the   TRIUMPH. It was a chance meeting. One day, I accompanied   a classmate Abdullahi Mohammed Doki to see a relative of his, called Muktar Magaji who had taken up a job there, a year earlier. Magaji was a brilliant student of mass communications. He was editor of the campus newspaper at the time called Bayero Beacon. The dream of every communication undergraduate was to edit the Beacon back in the day.

    On the way out, we bumped into Shehu in the corridor apparently on a mission. There was a hurried introduction by Magaji. Shehu acknowledged without breaking his pace as he headed upstairs probably to meet with the managing director.

    A year later, I came looking for a job. Armed with nothing but my NYSC discharge certificate and photo copies of a couple of published articles in especially the Guardian and the Sunday Triumph, Magaji convinced me to meet with Shehu. I   did. It was very brief. All he asked was if I had “written” any articles in the past. He took a bird’s eye view of my    “prized” article in the Guardian on Sunday when Amma Ogan was editor under the weekly “Campus Experience” column.   I think that helped made up his mind to persuade management to give me an offer.

    From that moment, Shehu ran from pillar to post until I got the job despite a suffocating   embargo on employment nationwide by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.

    Within weeks, I was employed as features writer and member of the editorial board, thus began my career as a reporter with Shehu as my mentor.

    Years later after my sojourn as the pioneer Group Politics editor of Daily Independent, ThisDay and Editor of Leadership, Shehu came looking for me to head the management of Peoples Daily. He convinced me that I had what it took to run it. I was chief operating officer for a record six years.

    Once again, happy birthday sir! May your days be long,

     

    • Ali M. Ali writes from 1stAvenue, Gwarinpa, Abuja.

  • Social media/hate speech legislation and authoritarianism

    By Samuel Oluwole Ogundele

     

    Nigeria is currently sinking fast into the swamp of authoritarianism characterised by numerous reactionary complexes.  Indeed, there is fire on the mountain.  The only option is for the citizens to quench the flames raging through our ancestral homeland before it totally crumbles away.  The country is bedevilled by a wide range of problems and challenges bordering on insecurity, starvation, hopelessness, cronyism, unemployment, under employment and religious bigotry.   There is no way the ordinary people will not complain bitterly.  Criticisms no matter how harsh are to make the government perform optimally.  It is a fact, that the Buhari administration though fighting against corruption (at least to some extent), is very notorious for disobeying court orders.  The cases of Sambo Dasuki, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, Olawale Bakare and Omoyele Sowore are a valid evidence of the demise of the rule of law in today’s Nigeria.  This is very worrying because the rule of law is the cornerstone of constitutional democracy.  Therefore, when this is abused to this degree, one can no longer be talking of a democracy but unfettered authoritarianism.

    According to Pourgerami, A. (1991) in his monumental book entitled, “Development and Democracy in the Third World”, authoritarianism is a form of government dominated by a sole political party or one or more individuals.  There may or may not be elections under such a system, but even where there are, the exercise is merely “rubber stamping” or “legitimising” the leadership continuity in power.  Therefore, an authoritarian government tramples upon people’s freedoms and rights.  In addition, it imprisons political opponents for expressing their views no matter how constructive.  Indeed, authoritarianism is characterised by political repression, instead of protecting civil liberties and human rights notably freedom of speech and association, that represents the essence of true democracy.  Authoritarianism is a recipe for social and economic backwardness arising from political instability.  According to Amal Clooney of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, it is outrageous that Nigeria continues to imprison a journalist and presidential candidate after a court has ordered his release.

    Insensitivities of power have dealt a serious blow on the joys and civil pride of the people.  People’s votes no longer count except in a few cases.  Power of incumbency is being regularly and blatantly abused as innocent voters and/or political opponents are mowed down.   Political thuggery and all kinds of savagery now define the Nigerian brand of politics.  The recent gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states are an epitome of political recklessness, most unbecoming of any country in the 21st century.

    The whole civilised world is laughing while our leaders pretend that all is well.  An average Nigerian is naturally worried that the legislature which in saner climes and cultures represents the heart and soul of constitutional democracy could be making new laws to deal with social media and hate speech offences.  This is a great disservice to humanity.  Nigeria is now very close to authoritarianism at its peak.  A bill sponsored by the Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi (Niger North) passed the first and second readings in the senate.  The National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speeches (Establishment etc bill, 2019), proposes the setting up of a “Commission on Hate Speech”.  The hate speech offence leads to death by hanging.  Hate speech promotes violence or has the primary purpose of inciting hatred against an individual or groups based on such factors as gender, race and religion.

    There was another bill introduced earlier in November.  It was called “Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations” bill, 2019 sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (Niger East).  It is primarily concerned with the abuse of the media for the sake of publicity or blackmail.  All these bills are aimed at regulating the social media.  They are an attempt to gag everybody so that there would be no freedom of speech to articulate opinions or views without any fear of molestation by the government.  Misuse of social media carries a fine of three years imprisonment or one hundred and fifty thousand naira or both, while hate speech involves a capital punishment.

    Read Also: Social media bill will protect human dignity-Lawmaker

     

    These bills are obnoxious and primordial.  They are capable of threatening the fundamental rights of Nigerians guaranteed in Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.  Why coming up with this new legislation, when there are laws already in place to deal with all the above issues?  It is a great pity, that the parliamentarians (with a few exceptions) are ready to lose their souls to Satan because of self-aggrandisement.  The above two bills are an exercise in retrogression and an assault on constitutional democracy.  This scenario is a reflection of a dearth of knowledge-based political leadership in the country.  All men and women of good conscience should reject these bills before it is too late.  This struggle must not only be for such radical Nigerians as Femi Falana, Deji Adeyanju, Omoyele Sowore and of course, the uncommon, indefatigable defender of human rights – Wole Soyinka.  It is a collective battle for the restoration of the soul of Nigeria, otherwise many innocent people would be killed like chickens.  Where are the pressure groups especially the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)?  It seems to me that almost every union or pressure group has paled into insignificance as far as a national discourse of this magnitude is concerned.  Nigerians are a funny lot!  We consistently fail to challenge our leaders even when they are underperforming or not performing at all.  Nigerians are good in merely praying in their churches and mosques, erroneously thinking that God will relocate to this geo-polity to solve all our problems for us.  This is a retrogressive, lazy faith which Providence abhors, having given us the cognitive capacity to subdue the universe.  Nigerians should take the bull by the horns so that only the best among us are given the opportunity to serve as leaders.

    If I were President Muhammadu Buhari, I would worry more on rehabilitating the collapsed roads across the country.  The roads are death traps most unbefitting of a country of Nigeria’s stature.  In addition, I would take more decisive action on kidnappers, bandits and cattle rustlers who are maiming and killing innocent citizens.  These are the criminals to “enjoy” the hangman’s noose, not those criticising my administration.  Again, all those governors (whether or not they belonged to my party) who were found of misappropriating their states’ resources would never enjoy my support.  Indeed, I would never give any thug parading himself as governor a space to stand.  If I were President Buhari, I would make sure that starvation was wrestled to the ground, understandably because a hungry man would remain a threat to societal peace and security.  I would not hesitate to stop all those elements in the National Assembly (who wanted to give me a bad mane for selfish reasons) from pursuing archaic, despotic bills that would be injurious to the hearts and souls of Nigerians.  In the final analysis, it is President Buhari’s name that is at stake. He needs to be more careful when handling sycophantic admirers who are shameless, dangerous political prostitutes.  The Stone Age period ended about 10,000 years ago in this broad territory christened Nigeria in 1914.  Consequently, there is no justification for the savagery that has almost completely enveloped the country in recent times.

     

    • Professor Ogundele is of Department of Archaeology & Anthropology, University of Ibadan.

  • Hate: eliminate ‘minority’, ‘Wazobia’?

    Daily millions suffer for the diversion of the N150b to the constituency projects of Eighth National Assembly – NASS -8, from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. This delayed misery inflicted for 2+ years. Can we prosecute NASS-8?

    Cancelling ‘death sentence for hate speech’ is not enough. Cancel the Bill. If we ‘halt and reverse hate actions, then hate speech will die’ from lack of gossip to feed on and nothing to become inflammatory about. For example, the discussion around a group suggesting that after eight years in power, power should remain in the same group for another eight years could precipitate a hate action that will result in an avalanche of hate speech all because of suspected breach of an unwritten ‘rotation policy’ agreement.

    On the subject of ‘hate speech’ or ‘hate speak’, as some would call it, there is much more beneath the tsunami wave of hate speech than meets the eye. The spoken word is merely the tip of a ‘hate iceberg’ with the years of preceding emotions and sometimes physical discomforts and even violence arising from ‘hate policies and resultant hate actions’. These are buried precipitating a reactionary tide of hate speech.

    Hate speech is not only about words to protest about the crimes often committed by government, its agents or its wards against humanity in farms, on highways and in school’s admission policy.  Those who propagated the hate policies leading to reactionary hate speech protect the practitioners of hate actions.

    Look into our history for the real origins of hate speech and even hate actions.  Once upon a time, we were in love with Nigeria and Nigeria was in love with us giving us her ‘SOS- Soil, Oil and Sun’. We had fun, making Nigerian friends not ‘minority’ or ‘WAZOBIA’ or ‘ethnic’ friends -just ‘friend’. We thought the world of each other; knew and sang the national anthem by patriotic heart and at every opportunity with a heart filled with pride and carried the green passport with what they now call ‘swag, good swag, not deceitful arrogant swag. Of course the politicians set fire to the happy camp of nationalism giving the military the needed opportunity to put the wetie and other fires, interethnic and near genocidal, out and set off ammunition dumps of their own during the ‘Great World Coup Cup Wars’ of the 1960s-80s.

    Read Also: Abdullahi makes U-Turn on Hate Speech Bill

    The unitary actions of successive government destroying the equality of Nigerians before the law; the execution of government policies is among the greatest hate actions and hate crimes that have crippled the growth of Nigeria and created the feeling of inequality almost since the federal system was usurped by the early coup and countercoup plotters which set in motion the inequalities perpetuated in governance today. All Nigerians of goodwill were dismissive when in 1978 power began to fail so regularly that children were called ‘child of darkness’ celebrating the return of NEPA with clapping. Then, candles were a major import. This was before the ‘Generator Generation’ and 40 years of deprivation later! I have operated in the abdomen of several women with a torch while politicians luxuriated in generator power. Too many of our frustrations today are directed against distortions to life caused by the discriminatory and hate policies and resultant hate actions of 50 years. Not including ‘maintenance’ in contracts and cancelling history and scholarships and delaying pensions are all ‘Hate Actions’.

    Hate speech is everywhere, assimilated as ‘normal’. We should recommend a ban on two words immediately, without the need for a draconian ‘death sentence’ Hate Speech Bill to be misused in future. Nigerians did not invent the truism that ‘Actions Speak Louder Than Words!’ But Nigerians conveniently put aside the hate actions that lead to reactionary words and label the words of victims of hate policies as hate speakers. They often deny any relationship to the precipitating hate action. This is convenient, but typically arrogant, forgetfulness and deliberate disassociation of cause and action and consequence i.e. actions leading to reactionary words.

    The most glaring hate speech word is ‘MINORITY’ a word that insults and diminishes millions of fellow Nigerians and is used to take government policy ‘Hate Actions’ against many ethnic groups in Nigeria. Victims have had to resort to seek God’s protection by acclaiming ‘One is majority with God’ to fight discrimination and to console themselves when being cheated.

    The second most frequently used ‘Hate Speech’ word is the word ‘WAZOBIA’. This ‘hate speech’ word – ‘WAZOBIA’, a unity clarion call to only ‘big three’ ethnic groups out of 344, seeks to force Nigerian unity. WAZOBIA’s use casually, in comedy and programming is obnoxious, insensitive and ethnic hate speech. WAZOBIANS open the wounds and insult the nerves and sensibilities of the tens of millions of NON-WAZOBIANS who are supposed to be ‘Team Nigeria’. Everyday, too many Nigerian soldiers and police and now even thugs and ordinary voting citizens who are not WAZOBIAN die for a Nigeria lacking in respect for them. WAZOBIA is no longer a joke! Comedians should find other jokes.

    Perhaps if the comedians concentrated comedy on ‘True Federalism’ it may rescue us from ‘False Federalism’ called ‘Unitary Nigeria’ by those with a strangle hold on Nigeria’s purse strings and policies for decades creating the hate speech scenario the NASS-9 seeks to silence with huge N10million fines. Only a Nigerian NASS-9 saturated with huge Salaries and Perks and Constitutional Allowances- SAP, can think that N10m is an OK fine.

  • What Nigerians need is anti-poverty bill

    SIR: The social media regulation and hate speech bills being debated on the floor of the National Assembly are nothing but a misplacement of priority. This is because the social media problems are fallouts of unemployment, hunger and other problems which have made the country the poverty capital of the world.

    Since 2015, the prices of goods and services have continued to increase. As a matter of fact, it appears as if every new year celebration comes with new price tags. For instance, a bag of rice which was sold at the rate of N8,000 in 2015 is N25,000 today and this is applicable to almost all the daily items in the country.

    Similarly in 2017, the price of a litre of petrol was jacked up from N97 to the current price of N145. This hike really affected the transportation system, house rent, school fees among other things that are essential to Nigerians. However, despite all these, the bills the lawmakers would rather give their utmost attentions are social media regulation and hate speech bills.

    Social media regulation bill sponsored by the senator representing Niger East District, Sani Musa seeks protection from Internet falsehood and manipulations and other related matters. It’s penalty for defaulters goes up to N300,000 for individuals and up to N10 million for corporate organisations and imprisonment of up to three years or both.

    Read Also: Hate Speech Bill: Soyinka is right

    The National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech Bill sponsored by the deputy chief whip, Aliyu Abdullahi, senator representing Niger North District, prescribes death penalty for anyone found guilty of spreading a falsehood that leads to the death of another person and seeks to help investigate and prosecute offenders.

    Looking at the content of the bills, they seem to address the shortcomings of the new media (social media) but at the same time they fail to understand that these shortcomings become more pronounced because of the inability of the government to curb unemployment, hunger to mention but few.

    As a matter of fact, where there is no buyer there cannot be seller; the preacher of hate speech and other related issues are doing that on the social media because they know the state has already bred an army of unemployed youth present on the social media.

    These youths, most of the time, use this avenue to express their aggression by spreading anything spreadable on the social media. It is after all, common knowledge that where there is no idle hands to see, the workshop of the devil will be very difficult to operate.

    Though, ethnicity, religion and other similar factors also come to play in the spread of hate speech but it is obvious that if poverty is taken away from them, the preacher of hate speech will find it difficult to sell his falsehood.

    Presently, the nation has more than enough laws to take care of issues of hate speech, defamation of character or slander. Even, the criminal code identifies such offences and the punishment, there is a Cybercrime Act and other legislations that are already in place to address this problem but they seem not working because of poverty.

    The government needs to provide an enabling environment for learning. This will seriously reduce the rate of half-baked graduates which have dominated the social media space waiting for anything spreadable to spread.

    Also, government needs to improve on the social investment scheme, invest more in agriculture, create more jobs, transform our transportation system, repair the bad roads and declare war against poverty. When a total war is declared on poverty, the issues of hate speech will become a thing of the past.

     

    • Femi Oluwasanmi,

    Ibafo, Ogun State.