The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Commission seeks better welfare for workers

    Commission seeks better welfare for workers

    By Tajudeen Adebanjo

    The Lagos State Local Government Service Commission yesterday continued its visitation to 20 Local Government and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) with a promised to better the welfare of the council workers.

    Led by its Chairman, Kamal Baiyewu, the five-man commission members with permanent secretaries and directors, had visited Bariga, Somolu, Ejigbo, Isolo and Oshodi-Isolo councils.

    Baiyewu said the visit was meant to ensure the workers work in conducive atmosphere and acquaint them with the modern ways of running government offices.

    The commission, he said, would ensure the council workers meet up with their peers at the state level.

    “Lagos State government has adopted a unified system for all civil servants in the state and they have done a lot of training for those at the state level especially in the area of Information and communications technology (ICT), hence the need to upgrade the skills of the council workers to match their competence,” he said.

    According to him, each council should create an ICT to upgrade their worker’s skills.

    COVID-19, he said, has made the world realise the need to be ICT compliant.

    While urging the council chairmen to improve the welfare of the workers, Baiyewu enjoined the staff to maintain cordial relationship among themselves and the political class.

    Chairman of Bariga Council, Kolade Alabi, thanked the commission for choosing Bariga as their first point of call in Lagos.

    He described staff of Bariga as people with winning mentality.

    “There is this maxim that you don’t change a winning team. We wouldn’t have achieved much without these wonderful staff. The reason I appealed to the commission not to transfer any one of them. They are diligent and dedicated to work,” he said.

     

  • Government will employ more Arabic teachers, says lawmaker

    Government will employ more Arabic teachers, says lawmaker

    A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rotimi Abiru, has promised the League of Imams that the state government will employ more Arabic teachers.

    At a meeting with the clerics in his Somolu Constituency, the Imams lamented the dearth of Islamic Studies and Arabic teachers in public schools in the state.

    Abiru, while responding, assured them of his efforts to ensure the state government increase the number of Arabic and Islamic Studies teachers for the benefit of the Muslim students.

    He reiterated his commitment to the quick completion of the permanent site of the cemetery for the Muslim community.

    The lawmaker urged the league of Imams to continue to pray for Lagos State and Nigeria on challenges facing the nation.

    According to him, the effort of the federal and state governments in curtailing the spread of the COVID-19 was highly appreciated.

    He appealed to the clerics to sensitise the Ummah to continue to abide by the protocols.

    The Chairman of the League of Imams and Arabic Teachers in Bariga, Imam Isiak Olohuniyo, appreciated the lawmaker’s gesture and promised to take his message to the faithful.

  • Makinde: tenderness, kindness not signs of weakness

    Makinde: tenderness, kindness not signs of weakness

    By Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde yesterday said tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness.

    He spoke during the 7th Annual Omituntun Ramadan Lecture at the Government House Arcade, Agodi, Ibadan.

    Makinde said: “Some people came to meet me that the people of Oyo State deserve to be treated with iron hands. But I am very sorry to say I am not wicked because I believe that if we approach the challenges, which we met on the ground tactically and calmly, it will be a manifestation of strength and resolution for us. That is the only way that every one of us can get what belongs to us.

    “Of course, our country is faced with all kinds of challenges, particularly the issue of insecurity and ethnic/religious crisis. Farmers/herdsmen crisis also spring up almost on a daily basis but I thank you for not allowing all the challenges to affect our attitudes to those living together with us. And I believe this is part of why this state is still peaceful.”

    The guest speaker, Prof Afis Oladosu, called on Nigerians irrespective of tribe or creed to be accommodating, willing to assist others, promote justice, fair and be of good behaviour for the country to achieve a united front.

    Oladosu who also is the Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, also said the quest for a united nation will continue to be a mirage so long selfishness, injustice and sentiments are still found in the polity.

    The Don identified greed, discontentment, and self-centeredness as the major challenges bedevilling the attainment of a united and indivisible Nigeria.

    Former Oyo State Governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, who chaired the occasion, urged the people irrespective of religion or political leaning, to continue to pray for the state.

    The  lecture had in attendance Makinde’s deputy, Mr Rauf Olaniyan; Chief Imam of Ibadan land, Alhaji Abdulganiyy Abubakri; Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land, Edo and Delta, Alhaji Daud Makanjuola; Islamic clerics among other personalities.

  • ABOUT TAFSIR

    ABOUT TAFSIR

    By Femi Abbas

    From the beginning of Ramadan, every year, Muslims congregate in various Mosques or Learning Centres where the exposition of the Qur’an (Tafsir) is rendered by learned Muslim scholars. This is in accordance with the Prophetic tradition which encourages better understanding of the Qur’an.

    Linguistically, Tafsir means exposition. But technically, it means the comprehensive analysis of the Qur’an, spiritually, linguistically, logically and semantically. In other words, Tafsir is the comprehensive exposition of the contents of the Qur’an, as usually done by learned Muslim scholars especially during the month of Ramadan throughout the Muslim world.

    Because of the coded language of the Qur’anic revelation, it became necessary for the verses of that sacred Book to be decoded for the purpose of thorough understanding by the Muslim Ummah when the Prophet was alive. And, the example of this was laid by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) himself to the great delight of his companions.

    From the explanation above, it therefore becomes clear that the revelations of the Qur’anic chapters and verses were the immediate causes of intellectual research in Islam. For instance, Arabic, the original language of the Qur’an, had no grammar prior to the revelations of the divine message. The grammar of that language evolved only from the contents of the Qur’an.

    With time, the challenge which the Qur’an threw to humanity in all spheres of life led to serious competition among scholars. Thus, each time a revelation came, the Companions of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) were always eager to know why and how of every what. And this led to their very close association with the Prophet who paved the way for them towards that intellectual research.

    Although the formal study of Tafsir as an independent intellectual discipline did not begin until many years after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), he (the Prophet) nevertheless, started its process. He did not only educate his companions about the exoteric and esoteric meanings of the revealed verses of the Qur’an, he also explained their applications to the daily life of man as well as the implications of same.

    It was the prophet who decoded most of the coded areas of the Qur’an for proper understanding of the ordinary Muslims. Through his utterances and actions which were later to be known as Hadith and Sunnah, the contents of the Qur’an became more and more understandable to the Muslims even as further researches continue today.

    Thus, after the prophet’s demise, Hadith and Sunnah together became an independent subject of research paving man’s way to higher firmaments in civilization. And, this has helped, in no small measure, to expand the scope of Tafsir. It is from Qur’anic researches that, all new discoveries and new frontiers in knowledge became adapted to the study of Tafsir until Tafsir itself became an estuary through which every stream of knowledge was passed to mankind. But what problems does Tafsir face in the contemporary time? Read the answer to this question in this column tomorrow in sha’Allah. RAMADAN KARIM!.

  • Etsu Nupe cautions clerics against provocative sermons

    Etsu Nupe cautions clerics against provocative sermons

    The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has urged clerics to focus their Tafsir (explanation of the Qur’an) on peace, unity, tolerance and understanding among Nigerians.

    The Etsu Nupe, who is the Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, said this at a meeting with Islamic clerics in his Wadata Palace in Bida, Niger state.

    Alhaji Abubakar said Ramadan provided an opportunity to preach for sustainable peace, unity and socio-economic prosperity of Nigeria.

    The traditional ruler said clerics should conduct their sermons to abide by Islamic injunctions.

    He cautioned preachers against provocative sermons capable of inciting public disturbance.

    The Etsu Nupe said that preachers should always preach the message of peace to their fellowship.

    “Religious preaching during this period should be targeted at maintaining harmonious relationship among the people and nothing should be done to divide the people,” he said.

    He appealed to wealthy Nigerians to assist the less privileged improve their living standards.

  • FUOYE: Indigent students get N3.1m insurance scheme

    FUOYE: Indigent students get N3.1m insurance scheme

    By Temitope Adejuwon, FUOYE

    The Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, (FUOYE) has approved an insurance package of N3.1 million at N125,000 each for 25 students to enable them complete their programmes.

    The students are those unable to continue with their education as a result of the death of their parents or guardians.

    The Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Dosu Malomo, said the scheme would take care of the students’ tuition and other need.

    He said over 100 students had benefited from the scheme since it was set up.

    Malomo noted that the N125,000 was to the students continue with their education in the university.

    He said: “The students who benefitted from the scheme expressed their gratitude to the university’s management team for making their dreams a reality, notwithstanding their financial constraints.

    “They thanked  the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina and his team for showing support towards their education.

    “They prayed that God will bless their children too and make them achieve the best in their future endeavours.”

    Malomo, who unveiled the scheme, said the insurance package was introduced as a special policy to cater for students who suddenly lost their parents or guardians responsible for funding their education.

    “Students will on submission of relevant documents, be screened for the claims of about N125, 000 each. The funds are sourced from the premium of N1, 000 paid by all students each session.

    “The criteria for qualifying for the package include earlier payment of the N1,000 premium along with school fees, losing a parent or guardian or the parent or guardian becoming fatally injured to a state of permanent disability,” he said.

    Meanwhile, staff members of FUOYE have also hailed the vice chancellor for approving a proposal for special consideration for their biological children to get admissions into the university’s academic programmes.

     

  • Mixed feelings over online exam in UNILAG

    Mixed feelings over online exam in UNILAG

    The University of Lagos(UNILAG) has conducted online examinations for 100- and 200-Level students. However, whether the students are satisfied is another issue as they have expressed mixed feelings, reports EMMANUEL OCHAYI (UNILAG).

    Since the outbreak of the pandemic, many schools have been left with no option than e-learning. University of Lagos (UNILAG) was among the universities that conducted lectures test online.

    A platform, the Learning Management System (LMS), was created for the online lectures for five to six weeks, where  lecturers dropped their materials for students to read, while some lecturers  created opportunities for further teaching  using the Zoom App or the Google Meets.

    Nevertheless, the school authority announced late February that year one and year two students would have their examinations virtually, using the WebTest application. The management noted that it  would be  strictly monitored by the school electronic team.

    The online examinations started on March 22, with General Studies (GST).The departmental examinations kicked off on March 29.

    When the online examinations ended on April 9, some students were disappointed because of hitches encountered, while some were satisfied with the conduct, but called for an improvement. Some of the issues were poor network connection, being logged out during the exam, and inability to log in to continue, among others. Those who could not log in to continue had their exams  rescheduled.

    A  200-Level student of the Department of Psychology, Folagbade Segun, complained of being logged out during the examination. He added that his examination had been rescheduled because of the hitch.

    He  said: “I was logged out during the exam and could not log in till the end of the exam. I already complained and they promised to look into it . It has been rescheduled for another day. I cannot really grade the general success of the examinations now. When results are out,I would be able to do that. However, the concept of  online testing is nice.”

    For Fatuga John, a 200-Level student of Electrical Electronics, the online examinations should be discontinued. He noted that the time allotted for the examinations was not enough.

    “I do not think the online examinations should be continued. The time allocated  for the courses was not enough for me. All the courses had a time limit of one hour or less. There were log in issues also as a result of network errors,” he said.

    But Abraham Adekunle Adejare, a 200-Level student of English, does not want online examinations scrapped. He urged authorities in the institution to work on improving the server.

    He said: “The online class has come to stay and improving it is better than scrapping it. The area I seek improvement is the server. However, with what I know, all the hitches occurred because of poor network. However, the university should just hold occasional seminars enlighten  students on the workings of the computer system.”

    For Aroyehun Johnson, a 100-Level student, the conduct of the exam was fair. He, however, hopes the school improves by providing access to gadgets like laptops and internet connection.

    “ I think the conduct of the exam was fair, although I never experienced network difficulty but some of my colleagues complained about it. If there should be any improvement, I think it should be in the area of accessing laptops or desktops as well as internet connection by the school authority. The public are aware of the private universities in the country but opt for public ones for different reasons. Besides private universities do not have access to government grants and other benefits unlike the public universities. That should make public universities  capable of providing what is needed,” he said.

    Ogunleke Adebayo Sharon, a 100-Level student of the Department of Science and Technology Education, wants the exams cancelled because of high cost of data. He added that the exams went well for him.

    “Though the examination went well for me, I do not think it should be continued subsequently. This is as a result of high cost of data in online learning and testing. Then,  we have no idea of the new courses that we would be registering next. It is tough when students bear the cost of data,” he said.

    Ewenla Tomiwa Joseph, a 200-Level student  of Business Administration, said: “There were lots of lapses encountered by students like network issues, server not loading the questions, time factor, among others. Nevertheless, management should look into all the issues  because somehow some students have been psychologically affected.”

    Abe Taiwo, a 200-Level student, said:

    “I missed two exams; I was logged out due to bad network. I hope they improve for a better conduct of the examination next time. The ways they can improve include getting good web developers for the site, provision of enough data for students and provision of materials such as laptops etc.”

    A 200-level student of English Education, who refused to be named, said the  examination was  not really bad, but there were issues  concerning the setting of the questions, connection issues and the time frame.

    She said: “The UNILAG online exam was not  that bad, just the challenge of network connections and other issues. Also, the way the questions are set are not okay; a question per page, it causes tension before it loads to another page, consuming students’ time and data. They could have also given students enough time to work. We  hope they improve next time.”

    A 100-Level student of Human Kinetics Education who preferred anonymity, said: “The conduct of the examination generally was fair on my path. I cannot really say the exam was a success or a failure. I hope for a better conduct next time and improvement in subsequent exams.”

    Olajuwon Owokoniran, a 200-Level student  said: “The exam was nearly itch-free; there’s room for improvement. Compared to numerous complaints on the Learning Management System, I can say the UNILAG exam was a 90% success, as there were minimal complaints; 5 per cent of the glitch can be traced to the students, not the site—not all the students are computer literate. I could not type on the chat box; they needed  to resolve that. The questions per page should be more than one, at least, three questions; this will save a handful of data.”

    However, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics and  Research, Prof. Oluwole Familoni, noted that the examinations were a success and the school would build on it.

    He said:  “We can attest to 80 per cent success of the exam, and that majority of the complaints by students were personal problems like that of the logging in and  out of  during the exams. The questions were in a Cloud, so they start showing once a student logs in. The only genuine challenge from students are those with issues of course code, mostly by the carry over students. This was due to the change in course codes. Thus,preventing them from writing the exam. Proper arrangement has been made to reschedule the exams. More than 90 per cent  of the students took part in the General Studies (GST) exam,and it  proved to be a success.”

    He continued: “The  revenue spent on the examination was internally generated and the request from the government has not been granted. It would have been better if the government had supported. The setting of the exam was also important, invigilators were stationed online to monitor students  either through phone calls, email or popping up questions on the screen of your exam for you to type in what they had asked you. I strongly applaud the cooperation of the lecturers and members of staff.”

     

  • Broadening funding opportunities for informal sector

    Broadening funding opportunities for informal sector

    By Daisy Abiola Igaga

    We begin by appreciating the federal government for the very laudable economic intervention programmes it has initiated in recent times. We consider these programmes as fundamental interventions towards the economic recovery of the Nigerian state. In spite of the sophisticated content of these programmes as well as the scope of delivery projected for the programmes, the criticism of government on economic progress and general development has not abated.

    We do not intend to hold brief for the government. In a country where the insecurity situation is as abysmal as it is presently in Nigeria, the anti-government posture of the citizenry is given. However, it is important to avoid a narrative where we throw away the baby and the bathwater. It will be inimical to the interest of Nigeria if we do not applaud, and thereby seek to strengthen, the very laudable ongoing economic intervention programmes of the federal government. While the Trader moni programme was laudable as an entirely Keynesian model for depressed economy, its investable amount for the individual was an absurdity. We hold that when you give a market woman or man the sum of N10,000 to improve his business, you only help the said trader to pay part of his or her debt. The recent intervention funds earn our accolade as the amount loaned convey genuine capacity upgrading for the recipient.

    To that effect, it became fundamental to put forward this interaction so that we can deepen public awareness of these programmes. As an extension of this, this discussion is considered imperative to avoid these programmes being hijacked by tie wearing city based red neck executives while the target recipients are alienated by lack of awareness that these programmes are ongoing. We also know that these programmes are many and the few persons who are minimally briefed in the public space are confused about which of these programmes are real. You will appreciate the dimension of falsified information and fraud being engendered in the social space presently. To that effect, most of the information being shared through social media are largely received with suspicion. Further to this, most of the peasant farmers and traders dwelling in the rural villages and communities have no access to WhatsApp compliant phones.

    Part of the objective of this discussion is to benefit the public with direct insight on the various programmes that are in the social space and how the people can have access to these programmes. Specifically, we are aware of the AGSMIES programme and would draw analysis from it. The AGSMIES programme is targeted at Agriculture, Small and Medium enterprises. As organs of civil society with the main focus of sharing in the pains and needs of the people, we inform that these programmes benefit the “city-based populace” rather than the real or integrated farmers resident in the rural communities.  We classify the former as “city-based populace” because many of them are not in the category of the full-time farmers in the rural settings.

    Speaking from the perspective of political economy, we submit that when these funds are misapplied in this context, it constitutes a regression of the expected optimum output of the initiative. We posit that the mono product character of our economy is the most pathetic undoing of Nigeria presently. While building technological and industrial capacity is highly recommended by experts of development economics, the need to explore the benefit of our environmental advantage calls for maximum application of our lands and waters consequent to its rich endowment for agricultural purposes. The AGSMIES programme is targeted at effectively and concretely diversifying the Nigerian economy. We aver that industrialisation must recourse to secondary level conversion. To that effect, the symbiotic relationship between primary agricultural production and the evolvement of industrial manufacture is self-evident.

    Thus, when we mismanage, misdirect or misapply the opportunities generated by the present government’s economic intervention project, we sustain or enlarge the already terrible circle of poverty in Nigeria. It is the vision of curtailing the very appalling dimension of poverty in Nigeria by strengthening the present programmes that necessitated this advocacy intervention.

    Further to the wider audience provided by the cooperative/civil society model applied herein, we posit that the cooperative model provides a more effective perspective for debt recovery. The cooperative group have an institutional and corporate identity which the state can effectively apply in enforcing repayment of loans. The cooperative model will also reduce the number of falsified identities presently characteristic of some of the beneficiaries and applicants for these facilities. We are emphatic on a coordinated approach that effectively outlines a repayment plan as the final outcome of the programme is dependent on the recovery of the loans. This is critical to recycling the loans and sustaining the entire programme overtime.

    We must appreciate the seriousness of purpose that underpin the implementation of the AGSMIES programme. While we will urge for the inclusion of the cooperative model in the disbursement perspective, the expected delivery of this session is a more inclusive approach to implementing these programmes. We applaud the NAESA Bank in Edo State for the anticipated opening of extension offices in Edo Central and Edo North. With cooperative and civil society groups from both senatorial zones in attendance here, we trust that the information provided by the NAESA directorate will substantially guide the people of these zones on having access to the AGSMIES facility. Once again, we argue that irrespective of the offices at Auchi and Ekpoma, we still have to contend with the rural, uneducated farmer being provided with access to these facilities.

    • Mrs Igaga is president of CONGOs, a network of CSOs/NGOs in Edo State, working on different development areas.
  • United Nations in an era of growing nationalism

    United Nations in an era of growing nationalism

    By Jide Osuntokun

    Developing crises in the international community particularly the ongoing deployment of Russian troops on the border of Ukraine which has drawn sharp criticism from the United States and her NATO allies presage possible big powers conflict if care is not taken. Hopefully this will not lead to a shooting war between Russia and NATO and its leading power the United States but we could see a proxy war between Ukraine aided by NATO and Russian troops backing Russian ethnic Ukrainians who have effectively set up their own country adjacent to Russia. It is unlikely President Joe Biden would allow Russia to annex eastern Ukraine as it did to Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014.  Vladimir Putin’s Russia seems to pursue policies of brinkmanship paying little regard to international opinion. The Czech Republic has now had to expel scores of Russian diplomats from its country after being accused of subversion and some kind of terrorism involving blowing up of munitions factories in the Czech Republic. The absence of the United Nations as a mediator in all these crises is symptomatic of the weakness and ineffectiveness of the UN in today’s global politics.

    ÿþIt is 76 years ago since the United Nations was founded after the most destructive war mankind has ever faced and which included the use of atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki wiping out close to a million souls instantly. The ferocity and the destructive nature of the new weapons convinced world leaders that if serious and collective efforts were not made to rein in man’s violent behavior, mankind itself would be doomed to self-immolation and annihilation. Since the end of the Second World War in 1945 and the ability of the Soviet Union  in 1949 to balance the one-sided equation of the USA being the only nuclear power in the world, peace has been maintained by the fear of mutual terror of possible  exchange of nuclear weapons by the two nuclear weapons states of  the USA and the USSR especially when inter-continental ballistic missiles tipped with nuclear war heads became operational by the late 1950s. These weapons system have been further perfected depending on intended theatre of operation and targets to the point that each of the then super powers of the USA and USSR allegedly had enough nuclear weapons to bury the world five times over. One cynic added what would be the point of burying the world five times over once it is buried once? The second-strike capability possessed by each of the super powers eliminated the advantage of a surprise attack. The futility of the arms race eventually led to some reduction in nuclear weapons by the USA and Russia, the successor state to the Soviet Union. More reductions are planned for the future presumably by all the nuclear weapons states.

    The danger now facing the world is the proliferation of nuclear weapons. It is not only the five permanent members ( P5) of the United Nations’ Security Council ( UNSC) namely the US, Russia, Great Britain, France and China  that have the bomb, other countries such as India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea are now nuclear weapons states. Iran has ambition, against international opposition and international treaty of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT), to join the nuclear club, presumably for defensive purposes. There are other countries that have the technical knowledge and the money that can quickly become nuclear weapons states if determined to do so because the UN ‘s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) based in Vienna Austria, does not really have the energy and force to prevent a determined country from producing nuclear weapons as was the case of North Korea, Pakistan, Israel and India. Countries like Japan and Germany, the two countries that lost the second world war can easily become nuclear weapons states but for their constitutional self-restraint and possibly international disapproval.

    What was until recently a bipolar world up till the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1994 suddenly became a unipolar world of the United States as the global hegemon. This has now metamorphosed into a tri- polar world of the United States, Russia and China, when the question of war and peace are taken into consideration. But in actual fact, it is really still a bipolar world of China and the United States when all indices of power including the economy are considered. For example, the following comparative GDP figures graphically illustrate the strength of each major power today. The USA has a GDP of $21.43 trillion, China has a GDP of $15.42 trillion and Russia has a GDP of $1.7 trillion USD (2017). The relative poor strength of Russia is what made President Barack Obama of the United States to call Russia a medium power to the annoyance of President Vladimir Putin who found the description humiliating for a proud and powerful country and a nuclear power for that matter.

    This is the power context within which the modern United Nations operates. The truth is that the UN is as effective as the major powers want it to be because each of these major powers that sit permanently on the UNSC can wield their veto power in the UNSC to prevent collective action of the UN even when world peace is threatened. The UN seems most effective when the major powers are behind it and are ready to provide logistical support if military or humanitarian operations are needed. The big powers rarely provide troops for peace keeping or peace enforcement operations. The only aberrant example was during the Korean War of 1950 to 1953 when a largely American military operation supported by her western allies fought under the UN flag.

    The upshot of all these preambular statements is to suggest that the issues of global peace are largely dealt with bilaterally between the super powers rather than under UN multilateral diplomatic channels. Of course, when there is a crisis in such places like Syria or Myanmar, the UN Security Council would convene to condemn, offer platitudes and call for arms embargo and nothing more. When action is taken it is usually unilateral action with the UN merely as an onlooker. Each of the global powers recognizes red lines which they may not cross to avoid super power confrontation. When Russia in 2014 illegally annexed the Crimea peninsula part of Ukraine, it was a gamble that the United States would not risk a global conflict to save Ukraine. The USA of course imposed sanctions and summoned the meeting of the UNSC to condemn Russia. Russian policies in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus are based on what it calls protection of “Russia abroad “that is to say, showing the Russian nationalist flag to assure the millions of Russian leftovers in the 15 successor states of the former Soviet Union. The USA and the west without open acquiescence with this policy seem to see that Russia has genuine interests in those states. This is why military operations by Russian supported dissidents and even Russian volunteers in Eastern Ukraine, in Georgia, and Moldova are largely tolerated as sops to Russian nationalism. This should also be taken in the context of the USA and her NATO allies intervening in the Balkan wars (1994-1995) to stop the genocide of Serbs against Muslims in Bosnia in spite of Russian opposition of western military action against a Slavic people like the Serbs. But Russian opposition was brushed aside especially when it was obvious genocide was being committed. In any case Russia in 1994 was not in a position to challenge the West. The UN later came into the scene when UN International Criminal Court was set up in The Hague to try Serb and Croat political and military leaders for genocide and crimes against humanity. This same court has tried some African leaders from Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, the Ivory Coast and Chad for crimes against humanity. The number of former African rulers that have been dragged before the court has raised eyebrows in Africa where intellectuals are wondering why it seems the International Criminal Court was set up specifically to try former African rulers. It should however be borne in mind that countries like the USA and Russia are not parties to the protocol setting up the International Criminal court and consequently the court has no jurisdiction over their nationals. It is obvious that the UN is only active in stopping the virulent nationalism leading to genocide when relatively powerless countries are involved but not countries such as Russia’s championing ethnic Russian nationalism in former countries of the Soviet Union. However, no matter the push by Russian nationalists, Russia has restrained itself in all forms of intervention apart from secret efforts of subversion in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania despite the presence of large ethnic Russian population in the three Baltic states. This restraint by Russia is because of the danger of confrontation with NATO to which these countries now belong to maintain and guarantee their freedom from Russia.

  • AfCFTA and Ogun’s renewed determination on Olokola

    AfCFTA and Ogun’s renewed determination on Olokola

    By Wale Osunbiyi

    SIR: The recent sensitization and sub-national engagement on the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) in Ogun State by the National Action Committee on the AfCFTA brought to the fore the abundant opportunities the agreement offers businesses as well as required action that must be taken for those opportunities to be optimally harnessed.

    The agreement enables Nigeria and Nigerian businesses to be a part of the largest economic bloc in the world, with a population of 1.2 billion people and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $3.4 trillion.

    But beyond that, the agreement is aimed at increasing economic growth, breaking the bond of monopoly in different lines of production thereby leading to reduction in price of goods and increase in Foreign Direct Investments (FDI).

    Also as deduced from the discourse at the sensitization, the agreement will progressively reduce and later eliminate non-tariff barriers on goods thereby lead to increase in competition and improvement in standards of goods, allowing Nigerian-owned businesses to penetrate the global market through increased exports.

    As good as all these ideas are, the most interesting of them all especially as it concerns Ogun State is the fact that the agreement has now put the spotlight on the Olokola Deep Seaport and Free Trade Zone projects.

    The AfCFTA has now made the importance of the Olokola project which was abandoned by the immediate past administration in Ogun State more glaring and further makes a resonating call for the project to be urgently revived.

    The Olokola project which is a Joint Venture between the Ogun and Ondo State governments makes a case for administrators in Nigeria to be more vision-driven in their decision-making process and make decisions for the utilitarian good of the people irrespective of differences in ideology or political approach. The culture of abandoning beneficial projects initiated by a preceding administration will only set the country backward.

    With the free trade agreement, the ports especially the Apapa port will certainly be busier with more prospects for transportation and logistics sector which is why concerted efforts is required if the country is genuinely interested in easing the stress on the Apapa port and addressing the challenge posed by the dreaded Apapa gridlock now that the AfCFTA is expected to lead to increase in exportation and importation of goods.

    With experts view on the Olokola deep sea port, the project has the potentials of bailing the country out of the challenge currently created by congestion issues at the Apapa port.

    Experts have said the depth of the Olokola water channel makes it capable of having vessels bigger than those that patronise the Apapa port berth at the Olokola deep sea port when it becomes operational.

    That is one of the reasons the project needs to be urgently revived.

    On the AFCFTA, the Ogun State government has been very swift in its response to the demand of the National Action Committee on the trade agreement, by inaugurating its Committee on the AfCFTA saddling it with the responsibility of developing a state strategy while also promising adequate implementation of the agreement.

    Infrastructure has been identified as a major challenge to the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement. And that includes infrastructure like an effective port system which the Olokola deep sea port promises.

    The Ogun State government must therefore intensify efforts in line with its promise during the sensitization program to ensure that the Olokola seaport project sees the light of the day.

    Beyond the government’s promise, the state has also said that its forthcoming Investment Summit which holds in May, and themed “OGUN#ISEYA21: Becoming Africa’s Model Industrial and Logistics Hub”, is part of the government’s efforts at optimally tapping into the opportunities available through the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

    For Ogun to become Africa’s model industrial and logistics hub the government needs to act faster and in a strategic manner to get Olokola projects fully back on track.

    Also, the two state governments, Ogun and Ondo need to form a strong synergy as the positive impact of the Olokola deep seaport and the Free Trade Zone would not just aid the economy of the two states but that of the Nigerian economy.

    The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has been working to ensure the two states fully play their part in the revival of the project. More efforts are needed in that regards as the benefits of the projects are not just for the two states but the nation as a whole.

    • Wale Osunbiyi, Laderin Estate, Abeokuta.