The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Pantami: Victim or villain?

    Pantami: Victim or villain?

    By Jide Oluwajuyitan

    I sympathise with Isa Ali Ibrahim, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy who has been going through stress and strain this past week. He has denounced his past, attributing it to age of ignorance before enlightenment. He has paid restitution. As the Yoruba adage goes: you asked a thief to drop his loot, he complies, what else do you want of him?

    Pantami is a resourceful academician, committed Islamic scholar and a man of great faith. His academic pursuit took him through Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, Scotland, for his PhD and to Harvard and Massachusetts both in the USA and Switzerland for other management studies.

    For his clerical training, he studied under great Islamic scholars with radical views including: Umar Fallatah  who narrated from Sahih Muslim  that “Eesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam; Allah created him from a mother and he does not have a father”; Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen  who wrote  that “the time will come when Islamic rulers will cleanse the land of Arabia and the neighbouring lands from  Jews and Christians; and Abdulmuhsin ibn Abbad, the author of the ‘Status of Sahabah, who  wrote: “Whoever among you wishes to follow (someone), let him follow one who has died”.

    It should therefore surprise no one that Pantami grew up to become a Jumu’ah Chief Imam,  a Shurah member and Deputy Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah (SCS) in Nigeria  and espoused  radical teachings and support for Islamic terrorist groups.

    Pantami was a product of the era when northern governors, his pathfinders, protesting the shift of power from the north illegally introduced sharia law in core northern Muslim states and dispatched many innocent northern youths to Sudan for indoctrination under Osama Bin Laden. It was therefore not unexpected that amidst global terrorism of the period, he would express support for al-Qaeda and Taliban: “Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and to al-Qaeda,” and informed his home audience that: “This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria”.

    Pantami in his innocence back then did not see anything wrong in his advocacy. Neither did his pathfinders in the north. In fact if his past featured at all, it was probably on the a positive note when warring Buhari’s ‘loyal gate keepers’  recruited a terrorist sympathizer  from the Islamic University of Madinnah in 2016, first   as the Director General/CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to develop the ICT infrastructure to counter Boko Haram terrorism and later as  minister for the sensitive communication and digital economy ministry in 2019.

    Following overwhelming disapproval of is earlier support for violent Islamic groups, Isa Pantami, last week tried to backtrack on some of his extreme views that must have no doubt radicalized terrorist groups in Nigeria.  ”For 15 years, I have moved around the country while educating people about the dangers of terrorism. I have travelled to Katsina, Gombe, Borno and Kano states, and Difa in the Niger Republic to preach against terrorism”, adding:  “I have engaged those with Boko Haram ideologies in different places. I have been writing pamphlets in Hausa, English and Arabic. I have managed to bring back several young persons who have derailed from the right path”.

    But the genie has escaped, the falcon can no longer hear the falconer. Those he had earlier radicalized have turned his new crusade centres into a killing field and havens for banditry and kidnapping of innocent school girls and boys. Unfortunately, those with radical views according to experts “don’t change overnight”.

    As expected of an opposition party, PDP weeping louder than the bereaved wants Pantami sacked by Buhari, predicating its stand on the “heightening concerns in the public space and in the international arena of possible compromises by the communication minister, who has access to sensitive government documents and information, in addition to data of all individuals including high profile personalities in the public and private sectors as well as the traditional and faith-based circles”.

    PDP may be right; the appeal however was misdirected. President Buhari doesn’t sack people. That is the exclusive preserve of his loyal gatekeepers. The only two appointees that have suffered the indignity of being unceremoniously sacked in six years were Babachir Lawal, the former secretary to government and Ibrahim Magu, the former EFCC helmsman, both victims of internecine wars of loyal gatekeepers. If the Buhari we knew were in charge, Pantami would have not lasted beyond 24 hours after subjecting 100 million Nigerians to danger and untold hardship in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic. This was Identity Card project successive governments have used to fleece Nigerian state of billions of naira and which in any case, it cannot stop millions of non-Nigerians from neighbouring West African nations from illegally obtaining.

    If one may ask, what has Pantami done that others have not done.? If the issue is about sympathy for terrorists, both PDP and APC are tarred with the same brush. It is on record that PDP is the father of terrorism in Nigeria. The party, by the confessions of some of its leading light created Boko Haram and the Niger Delta militant groups because of disagreement over power sharing.

    In fact, President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012 was to admit his government had become a haven of Boko Haram sympathisers . According to him “Some of them are in the executive arm of government, some of them are in the parliamentary/legislative arm of government, while some of them are even in the judiciary…Some are also in the armed forces, the police and other security agencies”.

    If anything, it only got worse under Buhari’s government of ‘delegation by abdication’ from 2015. With the control of all political appointments in the absence of any form of governance by his warring ‘loyal gatekeepers’, religion orientation and ethnic identification carry more weight than efficiency or loyalty to the state. It was obvious those who attempted to smuggle fugitive offender Abdulrasheed Maina back into the bureaucracy and those who knew the antecedents of Pantami and yet eased his appointment love neither Buhari nor Nigeria. It was also impossible for Pantami’s past to have escaped DSS during screening before his nomination was sent to the National Assembly for confirmation, a former DSS retired officer told Channels TV last Monday.

    As for our National Assembly, unlike the US senate where rigorous preparation go into the screening of political office holders, here, it is a depressing exercise where candidates are asked to bow and take their leave. It brings little relief that some of them have admitted a number of senators are terrorist sympathisers.

    Pantami was the victim rather than the villain. At the beginning of the fourth republic, not many northern politicians especially the Sharia governors opposed radical and extremist ideology or violent preaching If Buhari did, it was not until Boko Haram made an attempt on his life in Kano. And even as president on whose table the buck stops, until his recent ‘shoot at sight’ order of those herdsmen illegally carrying AK-47, he has been widely criticized for refusing to declare herdsmen as terrorists long after World Terrorist Index had declared ‘Fulani herdsmen the world fourth most deadly terrorist group”.

  • Herder-farmer conflicts: Monster-child to a monstrous mother

    Herder-farmer conflicts: Monster-child to a monstrous mother

    By Afolabi Samuel Odunayo

    As it is the case with Nigeria, then and now, the human history cannot itself deny the many cattle-rearing situations that had confronted it from time immemorial. This is evidently so in most parts of the world. Northern America-the Spaniards and the Mexican cowboys who were accustomed to moving from one place to the other in search of conducive land purposely for the convenience of rearing in America-is our typical reference. How they lived one with the other? What respect designed the constitution of principles by which these two traders share the ‘peaceability’ of the same geographical need?

    Answer to these questions and many more not expressed here will certainly be recorded as a historical surprise which deserves nothing less than emulation from a third-world country like Nigeria! It is not however surprising that, by contrast with that amiable situation—such as we do not now have here in this part of the world, ‘conducive land’ (what in Nigeria is understood by herders to mean farmlands), most certainly, was not arbitrarily reached or seized from owners or farmers. Instead, what was obtainable was that, the government as well as the concerned private landowners helped to appropriate some portion of land particularly to station herders’ cattle for sectoral efficiency and avoidance of the simple confrontations which were often spurred by the destruction of crops only by straying young cows. It is by this way that the ranching system was considerably introduced as a form of solution ever since the farmer-cowboy relationship itself has appeared inseparable.

    According to history, ranching successfully presented itself to be the most reliable panacea to the social conundrum that fetched from farmer-herder’s dispute. The ranching system is a public peace maintenance programme which tends towards providing lands (otherwise identified as the settlement) on lease to rearers or cowboys for the effective raising of animals such as cattle, sheep, etc. without fear of infiltration or intrusion. It further maintains a single policy of avoiding conflict of trade between farmers and herders, thereby allowing for peaceful coexistence and the eschewal of otiose bloodletting, which on the contrary has since beset herders and farmers in Nigeria. It is also a recorded fact that those who handled cattle husbandry were commonly called cowboys, herders, or rearers who traditionally were observed to have been moving from one place to another purposely in search of green pasture. This continued until the introduction of the ranching system where they were later addressed as ranchers. But before then, they would consciously roam the lands with the constant consciousness of avoiding intrusion on farm crops or of farmers’ settlements till settlements were also subsequently allotted to them.

    The Spaniards and the Mexican rearers were careful not to infiltrate or intrude farms, let alone devastate crops and useful plants. But, in the Nigerian situation, it is quite unfortunate that most of the haunted ‘green pastures’ or ‘conducive land’ are viable farms with growing seeds, crops and plants which are readily owned by struggling farmers who then have turned out unhappy with the constant herders’ infiltration and devastation of their farm plants. It is at this sticking point that the often notorious and bloodthirsty conflicts, which ensued afterwards, unquestionably present itself in need of urgent attention. As its own responsive action, however, the federal government introduced a settlement plan, popularly identified as the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA), in May 11, 2019, with the main objective of solving this rampant herder-farmer conflict that was (and is still) helplessly ravaging the country. The implementation process of the idea was noticed to be flawed first by the then Benue State government who later rejected the plan as a contriving plot to establish another territory for a certain ethnic group within existing territories. He was immediately supported by other eminent leaders in the southern parts of the country to reject what seemed to be a misinterpreted idea. To them, it was an expansionist conspiracy!

    It is no more a hard and unanswerable question that such rejection was informed by the ethno-religious consciousness that Nigerians had been steeped in from time immemorial. Judging by the attitude of their actions and the tone of their impunity down historical timeline, the Fulani are suspected by other tribes to have imbued themselves with some supremacist orientations-such that is even being indirectly encouraged by the presidential silence of President Buhari. Do further details of fact not indirectly explaining also that the same consciousness for the suggested supremacy may be feeding these northern herders from far away north with an uncommon confidence and temerity to displace the southern farmers in the south?

    Even in their own lands? Despicable, isn’t it (if so)? Unfortunately, this same sinister consciousness that is suggestively observed to have characterised the beginning of this herder-farmer conflict also strives to remind each local tribe of the need to begin to yell at other foreign tribes to not only learn to respect boundaries, but it also remind these local tribesmen and women with the necessity to attempt a disharmonisation of the unity which seems to hold, even today, as Nigeria. Our very recent examples are the issues surrounding the Oduduwa agitations for national freedom and the risk of imminent arrest of Sunday Igboho pervading the air.

    On a last note, it must be reiterated that green pastures are edible arrangements for cows-our focus animal here. They are inferentially understood to be geographical locations where crises are least expected other than peace, equity and justice. With crises, violence, allegations of intrusion, and injustice, ‘green pasture’, ‘conducive land’, or any other term like it becomes self-contradictory; thus, it then carries an obvious understanding that the purpose of criminal herders is not to look for ‘green pasture’, but to look for trouble which not only settle for the maiming of farmers and destablization of southern agriculture; it, notwithstanding, settles to surreptitiously establish some expansionist conspiracy, which further confirms the negative ethnic consciousness with which Nigerians are imbued. This remains as the infertile land on which the ranching system, even if introduced as the only suffering solution, will never make it to the light of any day in Nigeria.

    • Odunayo, a teacher writes via afolabisamuel.odunayo@gmail.com

  • 2023: Why Tinubu should run for president

    2023: Why Tinubu should run for president

    By Setonji David

    Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu held his last political office in 2007 when he completed his tenure as the second civilian governor of Lagos State. That is 24 years ago. Yet, his name is more recurring in political, social and economic conversations than those of many politicians that are in government today. The criticisms as well as adoration that greets the mention of his name in any part of the country, is only second probably to that of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria himself, President Mohammed Buhari. It is a two-edged sword.

    His critics would not deny his popularity but they think, even though erroneously, that he has an overbearing presence in the politics of Lagos. I sympathize with them; in Lagos State, after Tinubu, there has not been a governor that was successful at the polls and in governance without his express support. His approval and support made not a few governors and buoyed most of the other office holders who have become politically powerful in Lagos and elsewhere. Is this necessarily a bad thing?

    Look at Lagos State where Tinubu’s political influence is claimed to be overbearing. To quote an independent source, “Although it covers only 0.4% of Nigeria’s territorial land mass, making it the smallest state in the country, it (Lagos) accounts for over 60% of industrial and commercial activities in the nation. Lagos is financially viable, generating over 75% of its revenue independent of federal grants derived from oil revenues. It generates the highest internal revenue of all states in Nigeria.” If Lagos was a country, its projected 2020 GDP of over $100billion made it the 5th largest economy in Africa.

    For the sake of an even clearer perspective, Lagos State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), in the years of Tinubu’s so-called over-bearing politics, has grown consistently to around N33 billion today. The same Lagos had a miserly IGR of around N7 million under the military in 1999 – the year Tinubu became the governor.

    Really, will an overbearing godfather succeed in politics, in an enlightened state like Lagos? The man in the eye of the storm has a simple recommendation: what makes him or any political leader successful is having good feelers to know where the people’s best interest lies, and being able to articulate matching solutions and vision good enough to make the people say, “ah” we can trust you to take us there. It would be hard to find one successful politician who faults this wisdom.

    So, Lagos and majority of followers of Southwest’s politics are not complaining. The state is making megacity strides, going smart and leading Nigeria into the best years of the 21st century. State governors in the Southwest, North, East and the rest of Nigeria are not too proud to admit to understudying political governance in the Centre of Excellence. That is why progressives all over Nigeria have continued to show Tinubu love whenever he steps out with his party to campaign for their votes. The man, who has anointed many eventual winners all over Nigeria while waving the progressives’ broom, justifiably, is ready for Nigeria’s nod to lead. Tinubu should run and become President in 2023.

    One cannot discuss Tinubu’s sterling credentials for the highest political job in the land in the narrow purview of politics, or of love or even hate. To be fair to Tinubu, one must leave politics and sentiments behind at some point and deal with glaring realities of the difference he has made in people’s lives, in expanding economic opportunities, in the transformation of his state’s physical infrastructure and in steering Nigeria into a new and progressive course. His politics is better reflected in the context of his socio-economic objectives while he has excelled in tackling these noble tasks.

    Tinubu, as governor, transformed political administration in Lagos State. He employed novel measures to improve service delivery and system efficiency in the state’s public sector. Five years into his administration, Tinubu had awarded contracts for 422 road projects, out of which 308 were completed. The upgrading and renewal of the Lagos Island Central Business District Roads project was speedily done to give the state’s crucial economic zone a new lease.

    To clean up Lagos, Tinubu separated the Ministry of Environment from the Ministry of Physical Planning and repositioned it to articulate and supervise waste disposal operations. The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) was adequately equipped to register its impact in a cleaner Lagos.

    In transportation, he had bold initiatives also, which included the BRT system. He established LASTMA. The Tinubu administration was comfortable with proffering innovative solutions. In spite of the constitutional constraints bedeviling his vision to tackle the immense energy appetite of a commercial centre state like Lagos, Tinubu acted rather than complained endlessly. He executed a pioneer Independent Power Project (IPP), which added 270 megawatts of electricity to the national grid.

    Tinubu met 20 local councils in a state of over seven million residents yearning to have their government closer and more responsive to their needs. He made bold to create additional 37 councils, with a total of 57. And in defense of his action, he told all who cared to listen that it had become impossible for Lagos to deliver good and improved governance to the teeming people at the grassroots. The National Assembly, however, differed. It would not list the councils in the constitution and that created a political crisis of a new dimension between Lagos and the Centre.

    When the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo stopped the statutory allocation for Local Governments in Lagos from reaching the state, Tinubu again acted rather than sit and complain. He did not consider capitulation either. He insisted that LCDAs had come to stay as long as Lagosians desired them.

    He instituted such an aggressive revenue generation drive of the scale never seen before in the country. He succeeded in breaking the culture of dependence of Lagos State on the monthly federal allocations from the Centre.

    It is worthy of note that real socio-political developments only occur when stakeholders push the limit of what freedom the state has granted citizens and institutions by default. Just as the IPP project demonstrated the capacity of states to generate electricity, if the power to legislate on it is on the Concurrent List, the victory of Lagos State at the Supreme Court on the new councils, years after, proved that the constitution implicitly backs states to create local administrative units for the purpose of service to citizens. Tinubu has through these efforts, advanced the course of true federalism and constitutional development more than Nigerians have given him credit for.

    Talking of resilience and consistence, Tinubu was the arrowhead of a stable, robust opposition culture for 15 years while the Peoples Democratic Party ruled at the Centre. Those who taunt that Nigerian politicians have no ideology ought to be honest enough to admit that there are handful exceptions to the rule. Tinubu stood true to his progressive credentials and precedence. He planned and plotted. He co-hatched the biggest and most successful political coalition of all times in Africa – the All Progressives’ Congress. Tinubu qualifies to be called the doyen of democracy in Nigeria.

    This experienced management accountant, financial strategist, and accomplished political administrator is accustomed to making big growth dreams come true. He comes with creative solutions to existential problems and he is adventurous. Nigeria is begging to bolt free towards its rightful place as a world leader and the pride of the black race. Tinubu is one leader who would not dither at such a due task.

    The next presidential campaign would be the political death of anyone who has not got the plan, the preparation, the stamina and fundraising capacity for the push.

    Tinubu has extensive connections stretching across decades of corporate employment, social activism and politics.

    It is in the interest of the South of Nigeria to give the opportunity to the one man who not only has paid the right dues, but also has the mettle and throttle to prevail at the polls.

    • Hon. David, is member, Lagos State House of Assembly.

  • The Pantami paradox

    The Pantami paradox

    By Lawal Ogienagbon

    After all said and done, we are all guilty for what happened. We should all share in the blame that a person like Isa Pantami rose to become a minister of the Federal Republic. It should not always be about brilliance, but character and good conscience. No matter how brilliant a person may be, without character and conscience, he is nothing. Pantami did not descend from the moon, he came from among us.

    It is certain then that many people must know him and what he stands for. These are the people he interacted and still interacts with. It is easy to blame others and not ourselves when things like this happen. Reason: it is difficult to believe what we hear or see. We wonder then why people kept quiet in the first instance when they knew the truth. Did they keep quiet for altruistic reasons? Did they keep quiet in order not to be accused of envy? Did they keep quiet for the fear of their lives?

    Pantami did not just happen on us. As a brilliant young scholar, people flocked to him. The young and old courted him; he was the teacher and preacher of the time. They believed every word that poured forth from his mouth and were ready to do whatever he said. That is where the danger lies. His ability to rouse fanatics, who see themselves as the most faithful of all, to pick up the cudgel against others who they describe as infidels. Pantami was a fiery preacher and he is still as aggressive as ever. You should have seen him in the early days of the ongoing linking of the National Identity Number (NIN) to the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM). He was quick to anger over the simple question that the people were not given ample notice about the exercise. A dead giveaway trait of people of his ilk.

    The fiery preacher in him took over as he abandoned decorum to accuse the same people who pay his salary for their tardiness about Project NIN to SIM. It is now obvious why he is in so much hurry about the exercise. He could have made his point without being combative and abusive. Even, the media was not spared. But that is not his style, that is not his character. He is used to the old aggressive way of mallams,  who believe that you must always do things in a crude and rude manner in order to achieve results. I hate to call people out on the basis of their faith. I am forced to do so in this circumstance because the person of Pantami cannot be separated from his faith, or if you like, his religion.

    Now that he has been exposed for who he truly is, he wants to renounce his past. But he is doing it half-heartedly. He is doing it for bread and butter. He is doing it in order to hold on to the high office of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, a post he should not have been appointed to if all of us had been vigilant. May be we were all under his spell. There is nothing ideologues like him cannot do. As a die-hard mullah, it is easy for him to use his powers to cast spell on people in order to get what he wants. Was this what happened in the case of his appointment, first, as director-general, Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and later as, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy?

    By their fruits, you shall know them. As a fiery preacher, he rallied his flock to war. He spoke in support of terrorists and terrorism. He saw nothing wrong in standing by Al Qaeda, Taliban, ISIS, Boko Haram and other fundametalist groups, which stock-in-trade is the waging of war, which they try to justify as Jihad to make it acceptable. These are the groups which give Islam and good Muslims a bad name. These are the groups he associates with. Being well read, Pantami should know better. But he used his education the wrong way. He used it to spew hatred and bigotry under the guise of propagating Islam. He used it to point the gullible to the path of perfidy. He used it to create problems in the Northeast where he hails from as can be seen from what Boko Haram is doing in that region today. That was not Islamic propagation, it was a battle cry and the weak in mind was roused to kill and maim.

    A student lost his life to Pantami’s extremist views. Many today are members of the Boko Haram sect, which has been wreaking havoc on the Northeast, because of his preachings. His views are as strong and provocative today as they were then. Just listen to him speak on NIN registration and you will know that he is not fit to hold public office, notwithstanding his education. Education does not confer wisdom; it does not confer gumption; it only opens our mind to others’ views and makes us tolerant of them. For President Muhammadu Buhari to continue to keep Patanmi as a minister is akin to having a fire on our roof and going to sleep. Pantami constitutes a clear and present danger as long as he remains in office. It is time for him to go.

    But the preacher turned politician wants to retain his job badly. When news of his excesses first broke, he threatened to go to court and was able to get the publication to retract the story and apologise to him. When things became too hot to handle, he lost his mojo. The fiery preacher became a jelly and took back all that he said in the past. He said they happened when he was young and now that he is old, he knows better. Iro nla (big lie). In one word, he is pleading to be asked to go and sin no more. He wants to be given the chance which he did not give that student who was killed years ago through his fault. Does he deserve that chance? That is for the security people to say.

    One thing is sure though. People like him should never be allowed to find their way to public office again. In this wise, we all must be vigilant and be ready to speak up whenever anyone with a tainted past is nominated as minister. ‘If you see something, say something’, to borrow what has become this administration’s mantra. It is is not the job of the security agencies and the lawmakers alone to check out ministerial nominees, it is our collective duty. If we do not do our job as citizens, someone worse than Pantami may end up being president one day. And we all know what that means.

  • Odumakin: Exit of a pro-democracy crusader

    Odumakin: Exit of a pro-democracy crusader

    The pro-democracy movement is yet to overcome the shock over the demise of the Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Yinka Odumakin. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the life and times of the activist, who passed on at 55.

    Yinka Odumakin was many poles apart from pseudo-ideologues fond of adorning phony Awo caps. His grouse was that lack of permanent fidelity to Awoism was a disservice to the memory of the illustrious pathfinder of history.

    He had the trademark cap in various colours, not only for the sake of fashion, but also as a reminder that the ideas of the indomitable Chief Obafemi Awolowo offered comprehensive answer to the national question.

    Although he had opportunities to be in power, he preferred to operate outside government. He remained very principled to the end; highly informed, vocal, critical of targets, strong-willed, always sharpening his arrows.

    Concern about his health grew after the photograph of the Afenifere delegation to the Ilupeju residence of the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, former governor of Lagos State, appeared in the newspapers. He appeared to have lost some weight. But, he retained his mettle of speech, exchanging banters with people. The photograph was a source of discussion in many newsrooms.

    In February, Odumakin visited the Aare Ona Kankanfo of Yorubaland in his Omole Phase 11, Olowoora residence. The visit coincided with the visit of two reporters to the Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC) leader.

    He could not walk on his own. After alighting from his Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), he was assisted by two people, one on his left and the other on the right, who he leaned on.

    On the chair, he took a cup of tea, unaided. His hands were not shaking. After sipping coffee, Odumakin was in his best of elements. Although he was a bit lean, his voice was clear. He still spoke with vigour, marshalling his points sequentially and evoking the power of logic.

    The discussion involving the Aare, Odumakin and the two reporters focused on two unrelated subjects. The first was the gift of public speaking and ability to write, which the reporters said Odumakin exemplified. The second was insecurity, particularly the onslaught of killer-herdsmen in the Southwest.

    One of the reporters observed that it is sometimes rare to find a single person being an orator and a fine writer at the same time. In a display of humility and courtesy, Odumakin, who neither admitted nor denied being an epitome of the two traits, simply thanked the reporters for their observation.

    On the security challenge, he expressed worry over the killer-herdsmen who are on the prowl in Yorubaland, urging the people to act fast to prevent escalation.

    Odumakin was vibrating. He spoke with passion and patriotism. His analysis of the difficulties underscored his intelligence; his capacity for reasoning, comprehension and judgment.

    The activist urged speed, warning that the delay in resolving the security problem could be dangerous.

    Shortly before the interview with Aare Adams, Odumakin had to leave. The Aare beckoned on two of his aides to assist him; to lift him up from the chair, and help him to the vehicle the same way they led him to the sitting room.

    It was said that he left for the hospital to keep an appointment with his doctor.

    Odumakin’s admirers were hopeful that he would overcome the unusual health challenge until the news of his death was confirmed by his widow, Dr. Joe.

    Odumakin left behind a country in chaos, a disunited Yorubaland, a polarised Afenifere, a civil society battling with role crisis, a youth population suffering from agony of unemployment, and a populace wallowing in ignorance, poverty, deprivation and frustration.

    Ironically, his activism was a protestation against inhumanity of man to man.

    Having placed his hand on the plough during his days at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Odumakin never looked back. Although he was once rusticated, he was unrelented in his campaign for liberty, equity and justice. He was detained as the Student Union Publicity Secretary. The detention became a blessing in disguise as he met his heartrob in detention.

    Although he took off as a journalist, there was no excitement. His potentials later unfolded as Afenifere spokesman when he succeeded Dayo Adeyeye, journalist, lawyer and prince of Ise-Ekiti.

    For 17 years that he was an activist in the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Odumakin lived up to expectation as a latter-day disciple.

    As an Administrative Secretary, and later, Publicity Secretary, he was the bridge between the umbrella organisation and the media. He was the youngest officer in the Controlling Leadership, who kept records, acted as liaison officer between the group and other ethnic organisations, and also worked assiduously to sustain the organisation in the consciousness of Yoruba people. As he projected the group, his activities on that platform also projected him. Ultimately, Odumakin became a household name in Nigeria.

    Despite serving as media aide to Jimi Agbaje, spokesman for Muhammadu Buhari when he contested for the presidency in 2011 on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Publicity Secretary of Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Secretary of Save Nigeria Group(SNG), and a spokesman of Southern Assembly, none these could dwarf Odumakin’s status as Afenifere Publicity Secretary.

    If the Afenifere gerontocrats forgot any matter at the meeting, it was up to the young man to remind them. Since he never wrote any book detailing his experience and stewardship, there may be many facts and secrets, only known to him and few others, that may be lost forever.

    Post-military period Afenifere’s strength lies in its pro-democracy antecedents and history; its exploits as a mouthpiece, success as the backbone of the now weakened Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the Southwest and feat as a protector and defender of Yoruba interest.

    To observers, the demonstration of steadfastness is highly commendable.

    But, Afenifere’s weaknesses have also been pointed out by analysts. It is a divided group, polarised, not by contrasting ideas, but by differences in approaches. The hallmark of Afenifere is the absence of a forgiving spirit.

    Its former leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti has also decried what he described as indiscipline in the group. As Afenifere could not draw the line between working effectively with progressive parties and extending a hand of fellowship to conservative elements, there is a semblance of identity crisis.

    The Controling Leadership, including Odumakin, deserves commendation for sustaining the strengths of Afenifere. But, they could also not be shielded from the blames arising from the impact of its weaknesses. The greatest weakness is lack of an effective crisis resolution mechanism in the fold.

    Odumakin will be remembered as an outstanding rights activist, who largely became famous for his consistent advocacy of a better Nigeria for all Nigerians; devotion to cherished principles, boldness and bravery; a great campaigner for good governance.

     

  • SSANU faults NUC’s suspension of UNIJOS Vice-Chancellorship race

    SSANU faults NUC’s suspension of UNIJOS Vice-Chancellorship race

    By Kolade Adeyemi, Jos

    The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) University of Jos (UNIJOS) branch has condemned the suspension of the Vice-Chancellorship race of the institution by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

    Speaking at a press conference in Jos, the Secretary of the union, Mr. Muplang Kangpe, decried the suspension, saying the Governing Council of the university had not derailed in following due process in the selection of new vice chancellor, hence should be allowed to conclude the process.

    “At the time of this press conference, we are not aware of any breach of the extant laws regarding the selection process neither are we aware of a petition by any candidate and groups.

    “But to our greatest dismay, the entire process was ordered to be suspended and invitation was extended to council members to appear before the Executive Secretary of NUC, by Wednesday, April 21.

    “This, we strongly feel, is orchestrated to truncate the laid down statutory process duly followed before the recent development.

    “May we also want to state that this is an outright disregard of the university autonomy Act and an usurpation of the responsibility of the governing council,” he said.

    He explained that the process, which commenced since last December was to be concluded with an announcement of a new vice chancellor by Friday, April 23.

    The secretary described the suspension as a usurpation of the roles of the Governing Council and disregard for the university autonomy Act, adding that it had created unnecessary tension within the university community and raised suspicions among the candidates vying for the position.

    He said: “This singular act of suspending the process is also creating unnecessary tension within the university community as generating suspicion among the candidates, thereby brewing conflict in the peaceful environment.

    “We, therefore, call on President Muhammadu Buhari, to call the attention of the NUC executive secretary, Prof. Abdulrasheed Abubakar, to desist from interfering with the activities of the governing council, who are appointed to oversee the activities of the university on behalf of the Visitor.

    “Also, we call on the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to direct the conclusion of the selection process to enable a smooth emergence of a new vice chancellor.”

    Also, the students of institution called on the Federal Government to ensure the right thing was done.

    The Speaker of the Students Union Government (SUG) parliament of the university, Mr Nanshin Lakai, said they were in solidarity with the staff.

    “As the largest constituency in this institution, we are here, first in solidarity with our staff, and secondly, to ensure the right thing is done.

    “To show how serious we are about this, students defy going to write their examination just to be here,” he said.

    The Nation reports that the students later barricaded the entrance of the university, stopping entrance and exiting of persons.

    Thirteen candidates are vying for the position of the vice chancellor of the institution.

  • Mental arithmetic system should be part of school’s curriculum, says don

    Mental arithmetic system should be part of school’s curriculum, says don

    By Sampson Unamka

    Former Director, National Mathematical Centre, Prof. Adewale Solarin has said the Abacus system of mental calculation will soon be introduced into the primary and secondary school curriculum pretty soon.

    The Professor of Mathematics and Head, Education and ICT Directorate, Growth and Development Foundation (GDF), made this known last week during the closing ceremony for the two-hands system of Abacus Mental Arithmetic Training for secondary school teachers training in Remoland, Ogun state.

    With its theme: Advancing the Education Landscape in Remoland, the event was organised by the Remo Growth and Development Foundation(GDF), in partnership with the International Academy for the Gifted Programs(IAGIFTED).

    On the reason for introducing the Abacus system of mental calculation, Solarin said: “Actually, the origin of this in Nigeria or Africa dated to about 10 years ago or a little earlier, when the Chief Executive of the National mathematical center then, Professor Sam Allen; having seen the importance of this, invited some Asians to train some students and teachers at the centre. At that time I was the trainer of the Nigerian team for the international maths Olympia.

    “When we went for the Olympia, for two three years, I observed that the Asians were always leading, getting gold medals. They cleared all the gold medals.

    “Then I did a further investigation and found out that that mental arithmetic they used during the competition, they started from age five and running through the basic education to age 15 and that’s why when I became the chief executive, I decided to train and develop the concept of the Nigerian version. So, everything you are seeing here is totally Nigerian except the Abacus.

    And what these trainers achieve in two weeks is more than what the original trainers achieved in four weeks. In fact, when we gave them reports of this, they couldn’t believe it because they wanted us to have a franchise so that all the materials will be coming from them. We said no, because if we were to go with that, actually public school children would have not been able to be part of this. Only private schools would have been able to afford it. So, that’s why we developed the Nigerian concept and it’s fantastic.”

    On how to get the Abacus he noted that the previous ones used had been imported adding that making it here in Nigeria would not be difficult for plastics companies in the country.

    Continuing on the history of Abacus in Nigeria, he said “It started about ten years ago in Nigeria and since then we have been developing it. When I was Chief Executive of the National mathematical center, we actually ran this program in most of the states and right now I think National mathematical center, currently the Chief Executive is still pushing it further and now it is going into the curriculum so you would soon see it as part of the curriculum for mathematics from primary school to secondary schools all over Nigeria”, said Professor Solarin.

    In the same vein, National Coordinator IAGIFTED, Oyebola Fabowale, lauded the initiative and the two weeks training program, he said “Over the years we have been having something like this. This two-week program is designed to bring up to speed these children when it comes to this mental arithmetic thing, just like if you have a recap to the olden days where you have this arithmetic multiplication table once you are asked a question you are asked to respond immediately”.

    On the relevance of Abacus in the current educational curriculum, Fabowale said “It is relevant, relevance in the sense that it energizes the inner mind, the brain, the mental alertness is there then secondly, the children that tend to be docile, the seemingly lethargic ones you know they get themselves tuned to apt responses.”

  • Odumakin: Too cruel a sting

    Odumakin: Too cruel a sting

    By Sola Lawal

    This is one death too many, Yinka. How fate played a rude one on us! You left at 55. You left behind Pa Ezekiel Abioye Odumakin, your father who turned 115 at his last birthday. Your mother , Alice Ojuolape, 92, is mourning a gem of a child.

    Alice couldn’t stop asking why death didn’t take her and leave you here. Ezekiel couldn’t stop wishing this bad dream to end. ” Please shake me up from this bad dream”, Pa Ezekiel begged visiting Afenifere team.

    We were in Moro, the rustic , forgotten, rural community in the fringes of the ancient Ile-Ife that donated you to our struggle.

    At 115 , distraught but stoical, pained, but undaunted, weak but alert, your mourning father displayed that uncommon never- say- die mien you’re known for. Now we know where came the fighter you were.

    From the moment our paths crossed in the early eighties at the then University of Ife, later renamed Obafemi Awolowo University,  you’ve remained a leading light of the struggle for a just and egalitarian society. We pranced the Ife landscape like possessed youths. We dared the jackbooths and bayonet of never smiling military rulers. First we took on Muhammadu  Buhari military dictatorship. Then challenged Ibraheem Babangida’s dribbling military terror.

    In all these, you shone like a conquering star. You led the various battles as Public Relations Officer of Yemi Adegbite- led Students Union. I was in the Students Union Parliament.

    Following graduation in Ife, you joined Punch Newspaper where you ran its high profile society page named razzmatazz. Then I was with Kaduna based  Hotline News magazine published by Hassan Sani Kotangora,  the consumate, but rabid northern defender. We kept in touch. I recalled the many brainstorming session we had on the ever intractable national missteps of the ruling military junta led by Buhari and later Babangida and the conniving elite class whenever you visited Kaduna where you shared my modest bunk in the night or I made any of my many Lagos trips.

    You never stopped impressing it on me that Lagos , being the then seat of military usurper of governance, was where I should ply my trade. I joined late  Moshood Abiola owned Concord Press of Nigeria. You remained in Punch.

    The military junta served notice of fake transition to civilian rule. We both found ourselves joining other restless youths in the Abiola presidential platform code named Hope 93. He won the presidential election. Abiola’s ascension to the highest office in the land was halted by the military. Bloody mass confrontation with the military enveloped the nation.

    Angry military ruling clique bared its fang on media houses. Concord Press was shut down. I lost my job. Punch suffered similar fate. You lost your job. Other newspapers and electronic media outlets including Observer, Daily Sketch, Guardian and Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation tasted sour grape of proscription. The National Democratic Coalition- NADECO- came into being. National Liberation Congress, NALICON, followed. You and I pitched our tent with NADECO. You moved on to the National Conscience Party of late storming petrel of the bar, Chief Gani Fawehinmi. We remained on the street throwing darts at the military.

    You later served as unpaid Personal Assistant to Afenifere Secretary and NADECO spokesperson, Ayo Opadokun. I combined my job as editorial staff at the defunct  Post Express newspaper with Personal Assistant duty to late Afenifere and NADECO leader, Pa Abraham Adesanya. We both held this positions gratis.

    How do we reignite the conversation your death halted? You were my buddy in this business of saying no to injustice. You were the ubiquitous rock I drew near whenever it was time to intervene for sake of our people. The last we did together came barely a week before your health collapsed. You were a weekly regular in my office where we interrogated nothing other than Yoruba affairs.

    Hope has dimmed for our group of fighters with your departure. To whom do we turn in our quest for halting our sinking ship of state? Another such intervention was our attempt in 2018 to deploy the NADECO spirit in surgical operation to save the nation on realisation that government was losing grip of the security situation in the country. This fortnightly brought to my home Chief Conelius Adebayo, ex minister and ex governor; late Frederick Fasehun, Odua Peoples Congress founder; Jimi Agbaje, erstwhile governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos; Funminiyi Afuye, Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker; Late Biola Ige; Zacheus Adelabu, ex finance commissioner in Oyo state; Supo Sonibare, Mobolurin, Kabiesi Oba Olaitan and yourself.

    Now that you’re on the other side, please greet other greats like Chima Ubani, Baba Omojola, Kanmi Ishola Oshobu, Gani Fawehinmi, Ola Oni, Abraham Adesanya, Frederick Fasehun, Beko Kuti, Kudirat Abiola, Bamidele Aturu, Kunle Adepeju and others too numerous to mention here. We remain here to fight on, in the shadow of your spirit.

  • Babcock varsity gets new council

    Babcock varsity gets new council

    A new governing council has been inaugurated for Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State to steer the affairs of the institution for next five years (2020-2025).

    The new Council is headed by the President of the Northern Region Conference of the Seventh Adventist Church, Pastor Yohanna Harry.

    The inauguration, which took place at the institution, was performed by the Chancellor of the University and President of the West African Central Division of the church, Pastor Elie Weick-Dido.

    The Chancellor advised members of the Council to discharge their functions effectively with passion and dedication to the service of God and humanity.

    He noted that at a time such as this, every institution requires the best practices to excel and drastically stave off competition.

    ‘“With about 197 universities in Nigeria, Babcock University requires your best input to continue to raise the bar of learning and training for maximum global impact.”

    In his acceptance speech, Pastor Harry said the Council would exercise its primary responsibility in the overall interest of all and sundry with let or hindrance. He added it would continue to determine the educational character and academic direction and integrity of the University to ensure that students of the institution have a high quality learning experience leading to academic awards which are subject to the application of appropriate academic standards.

    Also speaking, Prof. Tayo noted that he would, with the support of the governing council work to implement and fulfill the mission and strategic aims of the University, the Corporate Plan and the key indicators of University performance. He added that he would ensure that the University is financially sustainable and is using its resources  judiciously in the overall interest of its students and stakeholders.

    Other members of the Governing Council at the inauguration were the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ademola Tayo; Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Prof. Philemon Amanze; Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services, Prof. Yacob Haliso; Vice President, Financial Administration, Dr. Ilesanmi Akande; Vice President, Student Development, Dr. Sunday Audu; former 32nd President, General Conference of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Emeritus Professor Michael Omolewa; Abia State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Kanelechi C. K. Nwangwa and Elder Markus Dangana.

  • All teachers should be trained to screen for disabilities, says educator

    All teachers should be trained to screen for disabilities, says educator

    By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

    With two to three pupils in any given class having learning disabilities, Head of Lakefield School, Badore, Ajah, Lagos, Mrs. Kemi Hamilton has said all teachers need to screen pupils for learning disabilities to ensure children get the support they need.

    This system is in place at Lakefield School, which opened its doors to pupils for the first time last October, while the COVID-19 pandemic raged. And Mrs. Hamilton said it should be the norm in both public and private schools across the nation.

    In an interview at the school, Mrs. Hamilton said: “Every teacher must know that one or two of their children would have learning difficulties. Once a teacher, as a professional, can identify that he might not be able help that child, we have special needs teachers who are trained to teach those kids.  But the main thing is for every teacher to be able to identify rather than write them off.

    “Every school either public or private must make sure they train their teachers to the level they can identify that ‘this child needs help in this area’. Once you can identify, the school can now decide can we cope? Can we help this child? There are still some learning difficulties that we cannot handle – when we talk about autism or Down syndrome – but there are some that we can handle as an institution.  But everything starts from being able to identify it.”

    Mrs. Hamilton said with the philosophy that every child can learn once teachers know how to get through to them, Lakefield School prioritises teacher training so they can reach every child at their level and bring them up to the required standard.

    Drawing from this, in admitting new pupils, the head of school said Lakefield School does not turn away children that may not meet its benchmark but provides interventionist measure to bridge the gap.

    As the school screens new pupils for its second session this week, this practice will still be in play.

    Mrs. Hamilton said this policy does not diminish the high standard the school has set for children to achieve.  Considering that the pandemic seriously disrupted schooling last year, she said even the best children had to re-adjust to regular schooling again.

    “In our school as much as we have our standard we still don’t write off children because every child can learn and every child matters.  Sometimes they have slow beginning but they pick up and knowing that most of them have been at home for almost one year so even a child that before the pandemic was actually a high flier most of them came back struggling, so all you need is a bit of patience, more work, extra project assignment to refresh their memory,” she said.

    Mrs Hamilton said capacity building of teachers takes place fortnightly in the school. She added that once travel restrictions caused by the pandemic eases sufficiently, the teachers would also be able to get international training.

    She said: “The teachers still go through their training every two weeks and calling up a professional to train your teachers you not just going to pay peanuts.

    “We train our teachers both at home and abroad.  I believe that in another year most of my teachers will be out of country for their training so that we can combine experiences and learning methodology so that we can achieve our goal that our pupils must be able to compete globally when it comes to education.”

    On how Lakefield School opened  for the first time in a pandemic-impacted year, Mrs. Hamilton said it was able to offer parents seeking value quality online education for free at a time many schools could not transit to e-learning.

    She said the school started with free online classes until it opened for physical classes to 21 pupils on October 2. The population has since grown to almost 100.