The Nation Newspaper

Category: Friday

  • As PDP struggles to remain united

    As PDP struggles to remain united

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been facing escalating internal wrangling since the presidential primaries of the political party built up to the 2023 Presidential elections, and so far, key leaders of the PDP have not been able to stabilize the party. 

    Indeed, the crises have gotten worse in the last few months resulting in litigations with subsisting court injunctions and counter-injunctions, which culminated in having two clear factions last week after the Amb. Umar Damagum-led NWC suspended the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN, for alleged abuse of office and insubordination. In response, Ologunagba and Ajibade announced the suspension of Damagum and the party’s National Secretary, Senator  Samual Anyanwu, over alleged anti-party activities and their role in the political crisis in Rivers State between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike.

    The crisis got to a head when the Ologunagba group announced the party’s National Treasurer, Yayari Mohammed, as Damagum’s replacement.

    So far, some of the 13 PDP State Governors have also not been consistent in their unity with regard to the intrigues and the interests. However, it appears that the upcoming Ogun state gubernatorial elections have made the party leadership rethink lest they shoot themselves in the foot when the governors came together and appear to beat a tactical retreat to manage the PDP through the upcoming Ogun State elections. Of course, this is a temporary retreat. I don’t believe this will be the end of the crisis. The days ahead especially after the Ondo elections will be very interesting as things unravel.

    The PDP Governors through the Chairman of the PDP-Governors Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed, asked that Amb. Damagun should resume back as the PDP National Chairman. This decision to broker a truce was reached after the PDP-Governors Forum consulted with representatives of the National Working Committee, the party’s National Assembly Caucus, and the Board of Trustees, BoT. As I mentioned earlier, this is clearly a tactical move to manage the PDP through the upcoming Ondo gubernatorial election coming up on November 16 (the next 4 weeks). The PDP wants to put up a “united” front so as not to lose voters. What remains to be seen is if this temporary arrangement will facilitate a win for the PDP in Ondo State, and if so, if the truce will be sustained into a lasting peace and unity for the party. In my view, unless there is a solid and practical strategy to unite the Party – the PDP crisis is definitely not yet over.

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    Accordingly, could this be the beginning of the end of PDP? As we watch the People’s Democratic Party unravel due to toxic internal crises, and protracted toxic internal wrangling, the party is yet to find its sound footing. This is despite the fact that it has been able to muster about 13, about 36 senators, and over 100 members of the House of Representatives in the 2023 General elections.

    What is very interesting is that the members of parliament are hardly around during crisis meetings or engagements of the PDP. Indeed, most of them hardly take a firm position with regard to the issues, apart from the likes of Honorable Ikenga Ugochinyere ; a member representing Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives and some senators and members of House of Representatives.

    The lingering leadership crisis of the PDP is a sign of a party that is at a precipice. Unless the PDP leaders are able to put their personal interests and sentiments aside, the party may not be able to reclaim its lost glory. It may be a party that may become a relic of itself and a reference point in our political history. Conversely, if we consider the exploits and successes of the PDP from the time of its formation in 1998 to the time it lost presidential power, as an incumbent in 2014 under President Goodluck Jonathan; the political party could also become a reference point of how a party could be well-structured, well-oiled, well lead political party, which was at the top of its game during its heydays.

    However, looking into the future, the PDP in its present form is not an example of a political party that has the potential to upstage an incumbent President in the person of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. With the way the PDP leadership saga is going, it is even likely that in the coming weeks and months some PDP members, especially, some of the State Governors, may capitulate and decamp to the ruling party, i.e. the APC, or other political parties. Political parties’ cross-carpeting has become a traditional political survival move in Nigeria, especially built up to elections. Members of opposition political parties easily morph into the ruling parties; obviously to ensure political sustainability and in some cases, as speculated, to avoid potential arrests and prosecution for graft, after their tenure – especially the governors. For instance, in the case build-up to the 2023 Presidential elections some PDP Governors like Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi at that time decamped to the APC. The same thing happened in the build-up to the 2019 elections, when the likes of the then Senator Godswill Akpabio, who was then the Minority leader of the Senator under PDP, decamped to the APC in August 2018.

    Therefore, based on the foregoing, if the PDP does not put its house in order to achieve unity in the next 6 months, then the party will certainly face an existential crisis of ability to effectively strategize, plan, prepare, and effectively win the 2027 Presidential election, even by a long shot.

    How did Pdp get to this stage?

    The PDP is dealing with what I consider self-inflicted injuries, majorly. due to the ambition of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In my humble opinion, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was not able to keep the party united  build-up to the 2023 presidential elections. At the end of the elections, the PDP ultimately lost His Excellency, Peter Obi to the Obedient Movement/ Labor Party; and His Excellency, Nyensom Wike to Alhaji Atiku’s arch-political rival, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is now the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The inability to manage the critical stakeholders, particularly His Excellency Nyensom Wike, during and after the PDP Presidential Primary elections, dealt a big blow to the PDP power dynamics. The consequence is the PDP losing the Presidential elections and the crisis that ensued due to the hitherto grip and influence that His Excellency Nyensom Wike has had on the PDP for years as the main political party financier, manager of the PDP superstructure and, influencer some of the PDP Governors. This power dynamic enabled Wike to have the vice grip he still has on the party thus far, and that is why I dare say that the critical PDP’s problem is a “Wike” problem. 

    His Excellency former Vice President Atiku Abubakar lost peripheral vision of the structure of the party, whereas Hon. Minister Nyensom Wike was able to take over the structure, including the support he mustered from his fellow Governors of Oyo, Benue, Enugu, and Abia, with whom he formed the G5 pressure group. Indeed, Mr. Nyensom Wike had been oiling that political structure for a very long time due to the cross-carpeting of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar between PDP and APC between 2014 to 2023. Nine years I sa long time for a political leader no matter how powerful he/ she is to consolidate power and control of a political party; or for hie/ she to lose grip and control of the political party.

     Whenever Alhaji Atiku left the political parties, he founded, co-founded, setup, structured and led, other visionary political leaders people take over the parties, maintain them better, make them stronger, and use them as a veritable platform to further their political objectives.

     A typical example is how Wazirin Adamawa Atiku Abubakar formed the Action Congress (AC) in 2006, built up to the 2007 elections. In 2006, Alhaji Atiku as the then Vice President was able to muster a structure that was formidable, formed a back-office alliance with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then Governor of Lagos State, put up a very good fight as the AC Presidential candidate, in a political fight against his principal, the then President Olusegun Obasanjo. But immediately after Alhaji Atiku lost the presidential elections of 2007, he abandoned the structure of the AC, which His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over, invested in it, maintained, later renamed, and was able to hold it for the next 8 to 9 years until his Excellency Bola Tinubu executed is strategic masterplan of the merger of CPC, ACN, ANPP, NPDP, and a governor from APGA of 2014 to form the All Progressive Congress (APC). The APC went on to make history by upstaging the incumbent PDP government of President Goodluck Jonathan. Ironically, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar joined the APC merger under the umbrella of the nPDP rather than the AC he formed in 2007.

    Essentially, the PDP leadership needs to wake up, smell the coffee, and decide what they want to be by 2027, veritable opposition or political party that yet again loses to the APC, or becomes a relic of a party as a case study in political history. We are watching developments are they unfold.

  • EFCC and states challenge of its legitimacy

    EFCC and states challenge of its legitimacy

    “Corruption is incipient in every society and must be continuously purged. Once corruption has set in, it is not possible to wipe it out quickly.” – Mr. Lee Kuan Yew – the First Prime Minister of Singapore.

    I wish to state that I am reflecting on this topic without prejudice to the ongoing Suite at the Supreme Court. I will therefore not be speaking on the legal mechanics but in general terms of the fight against corruption and graft in Nigeria and the potential impacts of actions like the ongoing case before the Supreme Court.

    Like every other Nigerian, I am watching with keen interest the development with regard to the suit instituted at the Supreme Court of the Federation of Nigeria by 16 State Governors across political party lines, challenging the constitutionality and legitimacy of the existence of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In my view, the Suit is politically motivated and not borne out of any intent to better our lot as a nation. This is especially given the fact that there are no subsisting bi-bilateral or multilateral conventions entered into by Nigeria that negate the legislation that promulgated the EFCC Act.

    Three days ago, the Supreme Court fixed October, 22nd, 2024 for the hearing of a suit filed by at least 16 state governments challenging the constitutionality of the laws establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and two others. Interestingly, the 15 States are joining in support and/ or consolidation of a Suit, in this regard, initiated last year by the Kogi State Government.

    The Kogi government sought a declaration that the federal government through the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) lacked the power to issue any directive, guideline, advisory or any instrument however called for the administration and management of funds belonging to the state.The Kogi State government also sought a declaration that the EFCC, the NFIU, or any agency of the federal government cannot investigate, requisition documents, invite or arrest anyone concerning offenses arising from or touching on the administration and management of funds belonging to the state.

    Other States that joined in the suit marked: SC/CV/178/2023 include Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Nassarawa, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Benue, Anambra, Plateau, Cross-River and Niger.The 16 states said they are relying on the fact that the constitution is the supreme law and any law that is inconsistent with it is a nullity. The plaintiffs argued that the Supreme Court, in Dr. Joseph Nwobike Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria, had held that it was a UN Convention against corruption that was reduced into the EFCC Establishment Act and that in enacting this law in 2004, the provision of Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, was not followed.

    They are arguing that, in bringing a convention into Nigerian law, the provision of Section 12 must be complied with. According to them, the provision of the Constitution necessitated the majority of the states’ Houses of Assembly agreeing to bring the convention in before passing the EFCC Act and others, which was allegedly never done.

    It is a very interesting development, especially given the recent developments and the prosecution faced by former governors and the potential prosecution that governors that will be leaving office will face on issues of graft; to see how this Suit will impede or stop the fight against corruption in Nigeria. The state governors are well within their rights to institute such a landmark suit challenging the constitutionality of such very important institutions in Nigeria, anti-corruption institutions (EFCC and the NFIU). In fact, I am very, very happy that the Governor took this action. This is because I believe that at the end of the day, the two institutions will be further strengthened, which may likely be against the intention of the state governors who instituted the suit.

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    Indeed, there is a global and national consensus that for us to make any meaningful progress in Nigeria, we must effectively fight corruption in Nigeria. This consensus has been established for over 40 years; it was the institutions and the political will that have been lacking up until Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 with the advent of the 4th Republic and the subsequent legislation and establishment of the EFCC (within which NFIU operated) in 2003 the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration. In the 21 years since the promulgation into law of the EFCC and NFIU, the relevance of the institutions in the fight against corruption has been further entrenched. It is also true that entrenched corrupt vested interests have been consistently fighting back. Therefore, I believe that ongoing overt and covert efforts to undermine those anti-graft institutions, hamstring them, and withhold or whittle their powers will ultimately fail.

    It is worthy of note that since the setup of the EFCC, and NFIU, for the past 21 years, no state government, civic society organizations, constitutional lawyers, etc. have challenged the legislation or any process of the enactment of the institutions into existence and operations. All attempts within those years to challenge the legality of the consequence of suits or prosecutorial processes instituted by these anti-corruption agencies have also failed even at the Supreme Court. I am optimistic that this time around also the will decision of the Supreme Court will be in the overall interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.

    No matter how “noble” the intention of the 16 States could be, the move has dented a negative mark on the image of Nigeria in the Committee of Nations, on the one hand, and is also sending wrong signals to Nigerians. Rather than for state governors to be focused on delivering the much-desired good governance in their respective States in the midst of multi-dimensional poverty; they are preoccupied with such legal exercise is, to say the least, worrisome. Especially when not long ago we were described as “fantastically corrupt” by the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron. In fact, Mr. Cameron was re-echoing how Nigeria was/ is perceived globally despite various anticorruption efforts of successive administrations. It is, therefore, a paradox that 16 Governors of our 36 Governors and the Minister of FCT are taking such a legal step, while Nigeria is trying to shake the ugly toga of being seen as “fantastically corrupt”. This is also happening at a time when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been investing time and a lot of resources to boost the confidence of the international community and attract foreign investments into Nigeria while, as a lot of good Nigerians are all over the world doing their best for themselves, their families and for Nigeria to keep our image good and our flag flying.

    It will be very interesting to see how Mr. President is able to apply political sagacity and strategy to first of all rein in the APC Governors as well as the other Governors across the party lines, to support the enactment of new laws that will boost the war against corruption. It is also important for civic society organizations and Nigerians to rise against any attempt to frustrate the fight against corruption.

    Moreover, the fight against corruption will not be the job of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu alone, nor will it be the job of the National Assembly alone. It will be the job of all the citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If we want to fight corruption in Nigeria, we, as people, must resist any attempt, covertly or overtly, to frustrate the fight against corruption or even to kill or destroy the institutions that are set up to fight corruption. As the saying goes, when you fight corruption, corruption fights you back. I believe that this is the way to go in trying to counter this obvious attempt to subvert what is necessary for; the endurance of the nationhood of Nigeria, the socio-economic recovery of Nigeria, putting the country on the solid economic trajectory, for the successful review and entrenchment of the value reorientation of Nigeria, and the sustainability of the socioeconomic well-being of Nigeria.  I dare say that no Economic strategic blueprint of policies will succeed if the fight against corruption is not a critical pillar.

    Furthermore, we must all note that the pushback against the war against corruption will not stop but continue. It has been like that, coming with different methodologies and approach, and I don’t think it will stop now. What is important is that Nigerians should all see through veiled and clear attempts at drawing us back as a nation and resist such by supporting the President or any leader that is sincerely fighting corruption. And that is why it is important for us not to be caught up in the moment where we are. Nobody knows tomorrow. What is essential is what we are bequeathing to our children and grandchildren.

    It is my expectation that the Supreme Court would judiciously take a position that will be in the overall interest of Nigeria, after which myself and some concerned Nigerans will strongly advocate for some new provisions to be legislated to further strengthen the EFCC, NFIU, and the ICPC for better performance and effectiveness.

     I wish all Nigerians, God’s Guidance and Grace. May Almighty God Continue to Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • As we mark 64th Independence Day

    As we mark 64th Independence Day

    “A nation is great not by its size alone. It is the will, the cohesion, the stamina, the discipline of its people and the quality of their leaders which ensure it an honorable place in history.”- Mr. Lee Kuan Yew – the First Prime Minister of Singapore.

    SO FAR SO GOOD, BUT GOOD IS NOT GREAT

    Three days ago, as Nigerians, we marked and celebrated the 64th Independence Day in Nigeria, with mixed feelings. While we celebrate 64 years of independence from colonial rule, and 25 years of uninterrupted democracy on one hand, on the other hand, we remember with nostalgia, the sweet decades ago when the socio-economic condition of Nigeria was far better than what it is today – Our Naira was stronger and more valuable albeit, it has been losing value in the past 50 years, our GDP, inflation rates, and other indices were far better and more promising even in terms of projections. Unfortunately, President Bola Tinubu took over the leadership of Nigeria with over 65% of the population (above 150million Nigerians), i.e. about 7 in every 10 Nigerians are “multi-dimensionally poor”, employment rates have been free falling, insecurity has been escalating for the past 16 years, albeit we have seen some improvements in the past weeks with the onslaught on the terrorists in North West Nigeria by the Nigerian Armed Forces – which is commendable.  

    Furthermore, climate change has been ravaging and degrading our topography and ecosystems, especially with the increased flooding across Nigeria especially in the north where desert encroachments have been on the increase. The global socio-economic headwinds, which is impacting every Country in the world, are further exacerbating our situation.

    Even though some Nigerians may retort that this is a time to celebrate, which I agree to some extent as stated above; with over 65% of us in “multi-dimensional poverty”, it is also important that we remain not just aware of our poignant reality, but that we all (the Government and the citizens of Nigeria take the proper actions to make Nigeria a better place. Unless we all, especially the leaders face those realities practically, decisively, with honor, integrity, and empathy – Nigeria will continue to slide into the abyss of retrogression with devastating consequences.

    KUDOS

    When 65% of the population of a Country is multi-dimensionally poor, then that Country is undoubtedly in trouble. Therefore, I appreciate that President Bola Tinubu decided that Independence Day, this year, was marked in low-key. Indeed Mr. President applied his “sensing” personality in this case, which is quite commendable.

     Importantly, the fundamental rights of citizens of freedom of expression, movement, and choices as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution have been largely enjoyed and sustained by citizens far more than what was obtained during the military juntas, even though there should be improvements, going forward. The ability of citizens to engage government in politics, economy, social justice, unity, justice, etc., has increased significantly in the past 25 years because Governments have been consistently put on their toes by citizens, civil society organizations, etc. – questioning strategies, policies, actions, and inactions, etc. These are all in my opinion dividends of independence and democracy.

     Therefore, we have come a long way as Nigerians and we must appreciate how far we have come. That being said, there is still much left to be desired in terms of what we are expecting from democracy. Because in my opinion, democracy is a process that should produce dividends like peace, unity, equity, justice, economic growth and development, social justice, value and cultural re-orientation, etc.

    Furthermore, the political landscape is broadening and the political consciousness of Nigerians has evolved in the past 25 years reaching its highest during the 2023 general elections with citizens demanding good governance and increasingly knowing the power of their votes.  

    The aforementioned key developments are gains of our independence, and therefore, so far so good. But If we pride ourselves on being the giant of Africa and considering where we are coming from, our position in Africa and in the Committee Nations – then I dare say that for Nigeria- good is not great!

    DEAR MR. PRESIDENT

    Managing Expectations With profound respect, Mr. President I submit as follows:

    Mr. President, in the Foreword of your Renewed Hope manifesto, during your campaign for President in 2023, you stated that, “…Our objective is to foster a new society based on shared prosperity, tolerance, compassion and unwavering commitment to treat each citizen with equal respect and due regard”. The aforementioned excerpt encapsulated your overall vision for a better Nigeria, and I am of the view that that quote should form the overarching strategic thrust and objective of his administration, going forward – which in my opinion is “a better Nigeria for all Nigerians and the allies of Nigeria”.

     I note and commend your excellency’s efforts in trying to turnaround the socio-economic situation of Nigeria, while managing our international relations, as you also steer the affairs of the ECOWAS and Africa as you are elected for the second time as ECOWAS Chair. Your multitasking abilities despite your age are clear for all to see and acknowledge (your friends and foes).

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     However, many Nigerians including myself are apprehensive about the situation in Nigeria and what will come in the next months and years. Therefore, we are glad to hear that you intend to rejig your cabinet for better performance at this crucial time. Indeed, Mr. President, you cannot run fast with iron-clad shoes, because the input of your team is your output. I agree with you that it is time that you get rid of the “weaker links” in your team. Indeed, performance is not measured by events, but by results and impacts.

    Speaking Truth to Power

    In conclusion, Mr. President, mine are the words of a son to a father, the words of a citizen to his President on behalf of a lot of other citizens; the words of those that voted for you and also those that did not vote for you. Because as Nigerians you remain our President and Commander-in-Chief, and for that, you are responsible for guiding and leading this Country. What we owe you is support, commitment, loyalty, and the truth. 

    Your Excellency, some of us will remain committed to adding our voices to healthy progressive narratives/engagements; and also, actively support you in building our nation. We will commend you where you do well, encourage you when and where you need it, and sometimes speak truth to power when/where necessary; not out of sycophancy, malice, disrespect, or sabotage, but out of respect for you, and genuine love for Nigeria, and based on the believe that a single leader, alone cannot successfully lead a Country. Indeed, I believe that the success of a nation is not based solely on the quality of a single leader (whom I call the focal point leader), but based largely on the collective support of some members of the society that I refer to as “the leadership value-chain”. I will share my thoughts on the concept of the leadership value-chain with you Mr. President, and with my fellow compatriots very soon. Thank you, Mr. President.

    NOTE TO THE HANDLERS OF MR. PRESIDENT

    I respect your various versatile skills, competencies, and capacities; which are the reason why Mr. President hired you for your various roles of handling his communication and publicity. However, I am of the humble opinion that there is a need for a review of Mr. President’s Communication Strategy to be more proactive, pragmatic, “sensing”, “influencing” and empathetic.  

    In my view, some of the handlers and supporters of the President make the grave mistake of addressing all feedback from all Nigerians that is not in line with what they want as political or opposition. With all due respect, that is wrong. There are a lot of good Nigerians; male, female, young, and old who voted for Mr. President; across creeds that mean well for Nigeria.  Those citizens have the skills and capacity, and/ or most importantly, the right to speak truth to power and for the leaders to take the feedback seriously; and speak and act in a manner that reflects respect and understanding of the people that elected Mr. President, and even those that did not elect him. Indeed, he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. that the administration is serving.

     In the case of opposition parties and personalities, and also critics; they are well known and have their place in our democratic process. In strategy, you don’t get fixated on the messenger – if so, you will lose the objective, focus, and the ability to effectively counter-maneuver or effectively deliver your mandate. Therefore, it is important to differentiate distractions from substances and deal with them accordingly.

     Another key point to note is that the consistency of the handlers of Mr. President is crucial in managing the image of Mr. President, and the expectations of Nigerians.

    DEAR FELLOW CITIZENS

    We must recognize that we all have roles to play as citizens especially, we the elites, in influencing a change in our mindsets, and behaviors, and that of our political class, so that they will be more productive, and impactful for the betterment of Nigeria.

     I wish all Nigerians, God’s Guidance and Grace. May Almighty God Continue to Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • EFCC versus Yahaya Bello

    EFCC versus Yahaya Bello

    “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time”

    This quote by the late Abraham Lincoln, the 16thPresident of the United States of America which was further re-echoed in the 1970s by the legendary musician, late Bob Marley, as part of his song titled “Get up, stand up” is apt regarding the dramatization of the ongoing prosecution of the former Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the. Suffice it to say that it is very obvious as to who is trying to fool who in his saga.

     Yet again, two days ago, former Governor Yahaya Bello was absent before Hon. Justice Nwite of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja. This is despite the subsisting Court of Appeal Order which affirmed the Federal High Court Order compelling Yahaya Bello to appear before Justice Nwite having ruled against his appeal to set aside Justice Nwite’s Order. Instead, Yahaya Bello has basically decided to hit the bulwark of the judiciary heading to the Supreme Court of the Federation in order to avoid complying with the Order of the Court of Appeal. I wonder what Mr. Yahaya Bello will do when the Supreme Court bounces him back to submit himself to the Federal High Court. Will he at that point appear before Justice Nwite? Or will he still be looking for other avenues to dodge the Courts? “Time is a gentleman”.

    Mr. Yahaya Bello who has been declared a fugitive (local and international), has so far refused to take a plea. Interestingly, it appears like it is not a drizzle for Yahaya Bello, but for him, it is a heavy downpour. This is because, 48 hours ago the EFCC has come up with another sucker punch by filing fresh 16 charges against him and two others on a N100.4 Billion case bordering on breach of trust, in another Court. This is adding another dimension to his travails. This will tally to almost N200 Billion as the total money belonging to Kogi State that is alleged to have been stolen by Yahaya Bello and his accomplices.

     By the way, I am one of the Nigerians who were taken aback by the inability of the EFCC to take Mr. Yahaya Bello into custody when he arrived at the EFCC Headquarters last week and presented himself – escorted by his Excellency, Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Governor of Kogi State. Despite the explanations given by the EFCC, a lot of concerned Nigerians believed that it was an opportunity for the EFCC to take Yahaya Bello into custody having declared him a local and international fugitive. Nonetheless, Mr. Yahaya Bello has the duty to comply with the Appeal Court Order for him to appear in Court to answer the charges proffered against him. The fact the EFCC failed to arrest him at the Headquarters is not an excuse for him not to comply with Court Orders.

     Former Governor, Yahaya Bello has so far made several unsuccessful attempts to frustrate the corruption case against him. Meanwhile, his supporters from Kogi State, some Civil Society Organizations, his supporters across Nigeria, and some days ago, the Kogi State Assembly are claiming that Yahaya Bello’s travail is a witch-hunt against him by the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Barrister Ola Olukoyede.

     However, in my opinion, the claim by the Kogi State Assembly that the EFCC Chairman is witch-hunting former Governor Yahaya Bello is clearly another failed publicity stunt to botch the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Yahaya Bello. Rather than focus on the mandate of delivering the desperately needed good governance to the good people of Kogi State, the State Assembly members are preoccupied with an obviously futile exercise of fighting EFCC. 

    Therefore, let us dimension the claims by the Kogi State Assembly and some supporters of Yahaya Bello to determine the veracity of such claims:

    Yahaya Bello is not the only politically exposed person thatis facing investigation and prosecution

    Over the past last one year since the beginning of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, there have been several ongoing high-profile grafts and other corruption cases at various stages of investigation and prosecution – with a scope and scale of cash and assets amounting to whopping Billions of US Dollars (Trillions of Naira); These are indicators of the critical momentum that the EFCC has built in such a short time under the leadership of Mr. Olukoyede, especially with the seriousness and fearlessness that the EFCC is currently executing her mandates. 

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    Such high-profile cases include: the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele and his co-suspects, the former Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello and his co-suspects, former Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Senator Hadi Sirika and his co-suspects,  suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, her predecessor and other co-suspects, suspended Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Board (REA) Mr. Ahmad Salihijo, the suspended Executive Directors of the REA, and their co-suspects, etc. So, I wonder how come former Governor Yahaya Bello and his supporters are claiming a witch hunt? What is the basis for their allegation?

    The level of pushback that is deployed anytime there are attempts to stand up against vested interests or fights against corruption in Nigeria, tells any right-thinking person that indeed we are in trouble in this country.

     Furthermore, from all indications, Mr. President has not been interfering with the works of the EFCC. What is key to note here is that even though, the EFCC Executive Chairman has the support of President Tinubu, Mr. The President would have called him to order or stopped him, if Mr. Olukoyede was operating unprofessionally. 

    Additionally, the claim by the Yahaya Bello media office that the EFCC has a vendetta against him is far-fetched. For example, if it is a vendetta, I expect Mr. Yahaya Bello to puncture all the allegations by countering with solid counter-evidences and accountability. That way Yahaya Bello can clear his name and prepare himself for a political future devoid of blemishes. That is the strategy that will work for him. Media war and propaganda will only make things worse for him. 

    Another key point to note is that, if the allegation by Yahaya Bello and his supporters, that the EFCC is hounding the former governor is true; does that mean that the Federal High Courts and the Court of Appeal are also aiding and abetting the EFCC’s vendetta against Yahaya Bello? This question is germane based on the fact that the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal have taken similar decisions, which speak volumes about the veracity of the need for Yahaya Bello to have his day in Court. This is so much so that on 17th July 2024, Hon. Justice Nwite had to issue an order of Court referring Mr. Bello’s two most senior defense lawyers to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for probe over alleged professional misconduct – Is this also an EFCC vendetta?

    We can run, but you cannot hide from the long arms of the law

    Yahaya Bello is needlessly complicating his case whether he is guilty or not. In addition, I must say that Yahaya Bello’s supporters are not helping him with wise counsel on this matter. The ongoing civil and criminal corruption cases against the former Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello which interestingly started about 2 years ago before the tenure of Barrister Ola Olukoyode as the Executive Chairman has become a macabre dance on the part of the former governor. In fact, in my view, Yahaya Bello has boxed himself into a legal cul-de-sac.

     This is a classic example of “you can run but you cannot hide from the long arms of law”. Nigeria and the international community are awash with the macabre dance by the former governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello who is trying to run and evade a reality that I thought the former Governor should know better.

     Let me be clear, I am not saying that Mr. Yahaya Bello has been found guilty – No! Mr. Yahaya Bello remains innocent until proven guilty by a Court of competent jurisdiction. My grouse is that the activities of Yahaya Bello and his co-travelers are leaving a very bad impression of him in the eyes of the public and the eyes of authorities (local and international).

     I urge Yahaya Bello, his team of lawyers, and supporters to do justice to the allegations made against him by puncturing the pieces of evidence line by line, item by item – and if he cannot, he should do what men of honor do – step up and take responsibility, it will not be the end of life. It will be an opportunity to close a chapter and open a new one that will be full of opportunities for greatness.

     Dear former Governor Yahaya Bello, until you step up to the plate and take responsibility, you are losing face and supporters. Please be wary of sycophants, who will only make your matters worse while they mock you behind you. At the end of the day, you will stand alone with a few of your true friends and loved ones who tell you the truth and mean well to you.

  • Lagdo Dam alert: is warning good enough?

    Lagdo Dam alert: is warning good enough?

    “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”. This quote by the late Benjamin Franklin, an 18th Century American Polymath and one of the founding fathers of the United States of America; resonates with me, and reflects on how we govern and conduct our affairs in Nigeria and most parts of Africa.

    I am saying this because in the last 1 year (from 6th October 2023 to 28th June 2024).  I wrote six episodes in this weekly column under Agriculture, Food Insecurity, Climate Change, and Cost of Living Crisis topics; wherein I was calling the attention of the government to the projected floods in 2024, other climate change variables, and the looming socio-economic impacts, especially, food insecurity. However, I did not hear about or see a concrete action plan to mitigate the impending threats as they were, until now that the threats have become clear and present dangers with the ongoing counting of loss of lives and livelihoods due to the bursting of Alo Dam in Borno State, which has been showing signs of deterioration for decades (without interventions) and other floods across states in Nigeria. The impending dangers of the opening of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon are even more worrisome when the Cameroonian authorities have given us adequate notice about their plan for the dam – I have not seen Nigeria’s Action Plan.

     In those writeups I spoke about the importance of planning, having a strategy, and importantly taking proactive actions to forestall, effectively contain, and significantly reduce the impacts of the onslaught of floods which is basically due to climate change on one hand, and also due to poor risk assessment and poor disaster mitigation and management practices on the other hand. We seem never to learn from past experiences. This is especially so, given what happened last year when the opening of the Lagdo Dam. unleashed floods that disconnected two major logistics and supply chain corridors from Northern to Southern Nigeria, and vice versa, i.e. from the River Niger route in Lokoja (western-middle-belt), and the River Benue route in Makurdi (western-middle-belt). Consequently, the impacts were deep and wide across Nigeria with direct impacts on not less than Seven States and indirect impacts on the economy of the entire country.

    Read Also: Nordic countries seek cooperation with Nigeria to enhance food security

    The major problem, in my view, is that we are very good at alerting and reporting about disasters in Nigeria with no action. We are a reactive nation, instead of being proactive. Having known that there is a report of disasters that have happened, and also, we have access to international and national projections, what lessons have we learned? And what Action Plan have we put in place since the 4th Quarter of last year as part of the 2024 national strategic plan and budget; to forestall and mitigate the annual recurring threat and also potential disasters? What is the plan? Where is the strategy? 

    Apart from warnings, alerts (which are not even loud enough), and telling people to move out of flood plains; Have we factored the potential dangers of floods for this year, especially the opening of the Lagdo Dam – vis-a-vis provision of security, safety nets, temporary shelter for victims, provision for relief materials, Medicare, logistics, communication, and information management systems, etc.? If so, where are the Action Plans (at Federal and State levels)? Because, by now NEMA in conjunction with the States, and relevant Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) should have been communicating the Acton Plans to stakeholders, six (6) months ago (March this year) for cascade to Nigerians and residents in Nigeria. This is very important given that government agencies are aware that we have a recurring action plan by the Cameroonian authorities to avert disaster in their Country, by the annual opening of the Lagdo Dam. Do we have our own national Strategy and/ or Action Plan in Nigeria to control the consequences of crises that will ensue if and when the dam is opened? Have relevant MDAs developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to manage such an annual threat? Have they developed a protocol for “unexpected” disasters like the Alo Dam overflow? In which case, is there a “contingency” provision in the 2024 budget?

    As of this moment, we should have had a crisis/disaster management framework and system communicated to Nigerians starting from 6 months 2024, especially the potential areas of impact through the paper, electronic, online social media, local, town criers in villages, etc., repeatedly with contact points and guides for people in the case of the eventuality. This is a worrisome situation, because, the narrative I am hearing from government agencies like the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency, is that people should get out of the flood plains. There is no template that has created a clear pathway for individuals and families to prepare for and manage the situation, no Dos and Don’ts guidelines to guide people, etc. I am not hearing such communications at the national level from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Environment, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), National Orientation Agency (NAO), and other relevant government agencies. 

    Furthermore, it is worthy of note that President Bola Tinubu, recognizing the importance of climate change as a national and global challenge; has made climate change one of the key national priorities by appointing some persons to preside over some key national and international Climate Change portfolios with the latest of such appointments made by Mr. President a few weeks ago include; Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe as the Director-General/CEO of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), and Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi Shelleng, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance & Stakeholder Engagement- Office of the President. Therefore, it is time for those officials in conjunction with the relevant MDAs to fully activate their roles and start making impacts, with regard to the ongoing flood situation across Nigeria, especially, with the impending annual opening of the Lagdo Dam of Cameroun. 

    I use this opportunity to commiserate with the government and the good people and residents of Borno State for the tragedy of the overflow of Alo Dam, and for the loss of lives, properties, and livelihoods.  May Almighty Allah SWT Make things easy for all of us. Ameen, I commend the efforts of President Tinubu, Governor Zulum of Borno State, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and other well-meaning Nigerians for coming to support the people in Borno in this trying time. I also commiserate with all the people that are affected by floods across the States in Nigeria. Indeed, these are major setbacks for us as a nation.

     In addition to the Alo Dam overflow; floods in other states have swept away farms, markets, food reserves, and silos in parts of Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Niger, Bauchi, etc. With the subsisting food crisis, we are having in Nigeria, and the insecurity that has blocked many farmers from their farms; the floods will certainly further exacerbate the food insecurity in Nigeria.

     Way Forward – Recommendations

    I expect all the critical stakeholders to put their hands-on deck as a matter of national priority – It is better late than never!

    The Lagos State Example

    Lagos State has consistently been proactive in mitigating threats and risks such as flood; in terms of regulations, enforcement of regulations on building plans, construction of drainages, culverts, and other ways waterways, sensitization of citizens and residents, etc. Other States and Local Governments need to also be proactive in this regard.

    Key points to note on Action Planning

     1. The Federal Government should have declared the opening of Lagdo Dam as a Category-1 Threat, while the State Governments that are located on the flood pathway of Logda Dam should have declared a state of emergency on the topic with a disaster mitigation action plan, systems and resources allocation to deal with the issue. 

    2. Leaving the citizens and residents to the elements, and just telling them to do their parts is not good enough! Most of the doing should be done by the government (Federal and State) including the enlightenment campaigns unsung paper, electronic, and local media platforms

    3. Inter-States collaboration amongst the States that are along the flood pathway to ensure synergy in managing the crisis. Because this issue has to do with the security, safety, and economy of these States. The floods have the capacity to ground the supply chain and economy of the entire Country.

    4. Mitigation of health issues that will ensue due to water, air, and environmental pollution, especially at this time that Cholera and M-pox diseases are ravaging some Nigerian States. This is also a critical issue that requires inter-state and inter-agencies collaboration.

    5. Interagency collaboration, Policy coordination, infrastructure protection strategies, data management, security coordination, risk advisory, and strategic alliances in the management of disasters are critical.

    6. Creation of “Buffer Dams” can take overflowing water from major dams which can also create irrigation platforms for all-year-round farming, Dam-silting dams Clearing tributaries

    7.  Continuous environmental impact assessments and acting on issues that are flagged.

    I hope that the relevant MDAs and State governments will not sit on their hands until disasters happen, because we do not have the luxury of time, the situation is dire and the clock is ticking.

  • Islamic solution to leadership problem

    Islamic solution to leadership problem

    Monologue

    Like in any other week, the competition for attention by emerging issues, for this column this week is extraordinarily intense. The choice of one of those issues by any columnist must thus become a problem capable of causing confusion. The case of yours sincerely cannot be an exception. That is a confirmation that the dilemma of any worthy columnist is not a dearth of ideas but a deluge of them. For instance, which national or international contemporary issue in today’s world does not deserve attention of ‘The Message’ column now? Is it the sudden demise of the former Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi in a suspicious circumstance or the implacable tension between Trump’s American government and the Islamic Republic of Iran or the severe persecution of Muslims in China and Myanmar or the seemingly endemic plight of the Kashmiri people who, as Muslims, are being forcefully subjected to Hindu rule in India or the callous murder of an American based Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, in cold blood in Istanbul or  the         frightening menace of banditry and kidnapping across Nigeria or even the incessantly ravaging atrocities of certain voluntary agents of Satan called Boko Haram? Looking at all these issues and many more, not mentioned here, the tendency is to conclude that the modern world is fast approaching its end. Yet, the role of leadership in making success of most of these issues cannot be underestimated. Without leaders, there are no nations.

    Preamble

    The title of today’s article in this column is not originally a coinage of ‘THE MESSAGE’. It is rather the theme of a public Ramadan lecture organised by Mustapha Akanbi Foundation (MAF) in Ilorin to which yours sincerely was invited as the guest lecturer on August 29, 2010.

    Who is Mustapha Akanbi?          

    The name Mustapha Akanbi cannot be strange to any educated Nigerian of contemporary time. That was a household name in Nigeria and beyond especially for those who are familiar with the Independent Corrupt Practices (and other related offences) Commission (ICPC). The first Chairman of that Commission was Justice Mustapha Akanbi, an erstwhile President of the Federal Court of Appeal of Nigeria. For the entire 35 years of his service in the judiciary, all that can be called his property was just a modest three bedroom bungalow in which he lived in Ilorin till his demise recently. 

    The MAF Foundation

    Established in September 2006 shortly after its founder (Justice Mustapha Akanbi) voluntarily resigned as the Chairman of ICPC despite the overwhelming pressure on him to continue his service, MAF is a non-governmental and non-partisan organisation dedicated to the uplift of mankind and to the enthronement of justice, equity and fair play as well as the promotion of the quintessential virtues of honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability in all human activities.

    Read Also: Post Paris 2024: Fasuba demands total haul of Nigerian athletics’ system 

    The Foundation is committed to being in the vanguard of revolutionary changes aimed at reforming and transforming our society from being a body of self-serving individuals to a nation that places high premium on selfless service for the common good of all. MAF Foundation, therefore, has, as its focus, the building and sustenance of a great nation founded on sound ethical values and good governance capable of holding its own in the comity of nations. It is in line with its focus that the Foundation chose the theme of today’s article and invited yours sincerely as the guest lecturer.

    At the occasion which was held in the month of Ramadan, I alluded briefly to the significance of Ramadan in the life of an average Muslim.

    Point of Reverence

    This is a period of relevant reference in Nigeria. This is a time when history displays its duty as the teacher of man. The current trend of dirty banters in the country is both a reminder and a point of reference for men and women of decent pedigree and impeccable dignity. This is a time when disciplined parents and patriotic citizens are identifiable. This is the time in Nigeria’s contemporary history when human wheat can be separated from human chaff. This is the time of distinguishing between shame and shamelessness on the one hand and decency and indecency on the other. This is the time when lovers and haters of Nigeria can be known. It is the above mentioned issues that make this article a point of reference. And the reference is the lecture that yours sincerely delivered at the MAF Foundation in 2010.

    The lecture

    As a preamble, I told my audience that thinking of leadership in terms of those who are privileged to govern the country alone can never solve the problem of bad leadership in Nigeria. Leadership does not start from the top. It is rather a matter of good home management and excellent upbringing of children. Leadership is like a pyramid which has a base and an apex. Whoever wants to assess leadership in a society must start from the base rather than the apex. It will be unreasonable to start sighting major faults at the roof of a house when the foundation of the same house is evidently faulty. Generally, children learn from their parents’ actions much more than from the latter’s preaching.

    Any parent who starts the upbringing of his or her children with lavish celebration of birthday without teaching such children the act of legitimate money making early in life has initiated such children into the cult of reckless spending spree. The tendency for such children when they grow up is to look for money to spend from any source including pilfering, stealing, kidnapping and ritual killing for money. What will be virtuous to such children is to get money to spend. It will never matter to them how they come about such money. And that is the root of corruption in a society like Nigeria where parents assist their children to cheat in examinations or to get admitted into higher institutions with fraudulent pre-requisites.

    Leadership in Islam

    In Islam, leadership is so sacrosanct that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) never relented in warning all leaders and aspirants to leadership about the delicate nature of ruling the people. In his farewell sermon in 631 CE, he reminded the Muslim Ummah that leadership is a great responsibility entrusted to an individual by the society as ordained by the Almighty Allah. The Prophet also admonished the people on their responsibility to both the state and leadership quoting Qur’an 4, Verse 59 thus:

    “Oh you, who believe, Obey Allah, obey the Messenger (of Allah) and those charged with authority among you. If you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger if you do believe in Allah and the last day. That is best and most suitable for final determination”. Quran 4 verse 59.

    However, he did not stop there. He went further to explain that obedience to those charged with authority is conditioned by their (those in authority’s) own obedience to God in their deeds as well as the rule of law that governs them.

     In one of his statements, he said there is no obedience or loyalty to any human being, ruler or otherwise, who is not himself, obedient to God and the rule of law. He concluded that: “Whoever entrusts a man to a public office, where, in his society, there is a better man than this trustee, has betrayed the trust of God and His Messenger as well as the people of that society”.Hadith.

    The Prophet’s Exemplary Leadership

    The exemplary leadership of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his great teachings were scrupulously followed by the Caliphs who succeeded him in office. When, shortly after the Prophet’s demise, Abubakr was elected as the first Caliph, his primary objective was to continue the pious administration which the Prophet left behind. He took the mantle of leadership with which he was saddled as a responsibility to Allah.

    In his acceptance speech as new Head of State, he addressed the people as follows: “Oh people behold me charged with the cares of government. Yet, I am not the best of you. In carrying out this great responsibility, I need your advice and assistance. If you find me doing well, please support me. If I make mistake, counsel me.

    To tell the truth to a person commissioned to rule is faithful allegiance. So long I obey God and act according to law, obey me. But if I neglect the law of God and His Prophet, I have no more right to your obedience. The strong among you shall have no right over the weak on the basis of his strength. Neither shall there be any room for sycophancy, nepotism or undue favouritism. Authority, power and sovereignty belong to Allah alone in whose hand is dominion over all things….”

    Comment

    From the foregoing, and contrary to what is happening today, especially in Nigeria, it is clear that leadership is a privilege rather than anybody’s right. It is a public trust which should not be betrayed under any circumstance. It is a responsibility to be carried out, not just with human face but also with human heart. It is a covenant between God and rulers on the one hand and rulers and the ruled on the other. It is a measure of conscience, piety and discipline. No one who is bereft of these traits should be entrusted with leadership.

    Other Caliphs after Abubakr followed suit and lived ascetic lives despite their access to unlimited state resources. Ali Bn Abi-Talib, in particular, did not limit those qualities to himself. He extended them to his appointed Governors.

    While appointing Malik bn Ashtar as the Governor of Egypt he gave him certain instructions in writing and admonished him to follow those instructions to the letter in his governance in that country. Those instructions were not about the executive arm of governance alone. They also touched legislation and judiciary morally and legally.

    Parable of Governance

    Governance in Islam is like pregnancy in the womb of an expectant mother. The duration of such pregnancy is naturally defined barring any anomaly or aberration. Its delivery depends on the safety of its carrier and the circumstances of her wellbeing. And, after delivery, the baby is claimed, not by the carrier of the pregnancy but by the impregnator.

    There is no pregnancy without semen firmly planted in the womb of a woman. And the semen planter is a man who will eventually be called the father of the baby. For this reason, children bear the names of their fathers rather than those of their mothers as surnames.

    By analogy, one can compare governance to a pregnant woman who could not have become pregnant without an impregnator. The impregnator in this case is the populace that gave those in government the mandate to rule them. And just as the product of the womb (the child) belongs to the impregnator as a matter of legitimacy so should dividend of governance be the property of the governed populace. A child who bears his mother’s name as surname is nothing but a bastard. 

    After life, security, law and justice, nothing else is held as sacrosanct in Islam as governance which can be compared to a magnificent shade under which people are supposed to take cover during torrential rains or burning sun. In a democratic setting, such a shade is owned by the citizenry. Those who claim to be its custodians are just servants holding it in trust for the people.

    Democracy in Islam

    In Islam, democracy is not about voting and power alone. It is fundamentally about justice in all its ramifications according to the rule of law. It is about tending the lives of others for the overall good of the nation. It is about providing the needs of the people according to the available resources in the nation. It is about protecting the interest of the weak against the oppression of the strong. It is about managing the wealth of the nation with diligent sense of accountability. It is about securing the lives of the citizenry in terms of jobs, feeding, shelter, health and education. It is about boosting the horizon of the youths and sharpening their hope for the future. It is about guaranteeing adequate income per capital and ensuring a standard life expectancy. Any government that claims democracy without all the aforementioned is oppressive and hypocritical. That was Nigeria’s lot from the beginning of the Fourth democracy in 1999 till now, the continuity of which we fervently prayed Allah to forbid.

    Governance, like culture, has a variety of colours, flavours and tastes. What is called democracy in a State may amount to despotism in another State. Governance, whether democratic or monarchical, is fundamentally a function of culture. That is why a country like Britain claims to operate politically on a constitution that is partly written and partly conventional. Borrowing a foreign culture to practice democracy through a constitution written in a foreign language is like borrowing another man’s mouth to eat. Into whose stomach will the food go?

    If those entrusted with authority and power with which to care for the masses are the ones stealing public funds with audacity and reliability on ethnic or religious inclination, what moral right do they have to govern? Nigeria has now reached a stage where justice, the last hope of the common man, is for sale even as the citizenry continue to be impoverished. For a country that hopes to progress, to where does this lead?

    Justice Mustapha Akanbi was an exemplary judge with an exemplary template in delivery and administration of justice with the fear of Allah. He lived a clean life and groomed some others to follow suit with the expectation that Nigeria would be great.  We pray the Almighty Allah to repose his soul in eternal bliss. As for those who have deviated from the path of decency left behind by Justice Akanbi, we pray Allah to guide them aright and rescue them from the manacle of Stan to which they are sternly tied. However, such people should know that:

    “Allah does not change a people’s lot unless they change the evil acts in their hearts. If Allah decides to afflict them with a calamity, no one can ward it off. Besides Allah, there is no protector for them”. Q. 13:11.

  • Abdul Samad Rabiu initiatives:$100 million interventions for Africa

    Abdul Samad Rabiu initiatives:$100 million interventions for Africa

    Two months ago (3rd July 2024), I wrote and lamented about the current brutal socio-economic situation in Nigeria which must be reversed immediately; in which I called out the leaders of Nigeria, especially northern leaders, demanding better leadership. By leaders, I am referring to political leaders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, business leaders, and community leaders down to the parents at home.

    I spoke strongly about how northern Nigeria is moving backward and is hamstrung by debilitating socio-economic malaise due to the cyclical and abysmal failure of northern leaders and the need for a change in this ugly phenomenon. Otherwise, the future of northern Nigeria which is currently lagging behind across all socio-economic indices with over 70% of the over 130 million multidimensionally poor Nigerians (according to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics); will be doomed.

    Interestingly, it is at this crucial moment in the history of Nigeria; that I got the cheery news about an upcoming scholarship intervention for the youths of Nigeria, by Abdul Samad Rabiu (ASR) Africa Initiative; with an initial take-off of 500 scholarships at the Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu University (KHAIRUN), Kano – Nigeria.

    Consequently, I was so excited when I saw a video clip, advertising the scholarship initiative that I had to immediately call an acquaintance of mine, who is a cousin of Abdul Samad Rabiu to confirm if it is true, to which he confirmed in the affirmative. With over 13 million out-of-school children/ youths in Nigeria out of which almost 70% or more are from northern Nigeria, this is music to my ears! I am so delighted as I commend Alhaji Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu for this huge leap of service to Allah SWT.

    The scholarship program is part of wider national, continental, and global interventions by the Abdul Samar Rabiu (ASR) Africa Initiative, which cuts across three critical sectors, i.e. Education, Health, and Social development. You will agree with me that the three aforementioned sectors are critical success pillars for any society or nation. 

    The ASR Africa Initiative is the brainchild of an indigene of Kano State – Nigeria; a proud Nigerian, foremost industrialist, philanthropist, the second richest Nigerian, and one of the richest Africans in the world; Alhaji Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu CON, CFR, GCON. Abdul Samad is the Founder and Chairman of BUA Group, one of the biggest and most successful Nigerian conglomerates with interests and active businesses (manufacturing, infrastructure, and agriculture) across sub-Saharan Africa.

    Read Also: Post Paris 2024: Fasuba demands total haul of Nigerian athletics’ system 

    Abdul Samad Rabiu has set up the ASR Africa Initiative with an annual pledge of 100million US Dollars $100,000,000 (USD); with Nigeria to benefit 50 million US Dollars $50,000,000 annually, and the rest of Africa, $50,000,000 annually; in what is currently the largest private philanthropic giving of its kind by an individual in Africa. Indeed, this is a remarkable achievement for a man who always tries to give more to humanity.

    It is in line with the foregoing, that ASR Africa Initiative in partnership with Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu University, Kano, Nigeria (KHAIRUN), is offering a “unique opportunity” of free scholarships to 500 students in northern Nigeria and across the nation. With these scholarships, students will get access to world-class university education, ensuring that students receive the best training for a productive future. This scholarship program, which will effectively commence next year, is open to students from all parts of Nigeria; giving them access to financial support, brilliant faculties, and world-class facilities and an environment for conducive learning.

    One of the key points to note is the premium that the scholarship puts on the girl-child education, with the scholarship’s target ratio of 60% female and 40% male. This, in my view, is a strategic move, going with the saying that “if you educate a girl you educate a society”.  This initiative is highly commendable, and I am sure that it will be a success and the impacts will be huge.

    Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu University, Kano (KHAIRUN)

    KHAIRUN is the brainchild of the late Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu, the father of Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu.  Knowing that education is the bedrock of any sustainable and developing society, the late Khalifa, started building the school during his lifetime as part of his various humanitarian, religious, and philanthropic initiatives. Even though he could not finish the project during his lifetime, he set aside the funding for the completion of the University when he was alive, so that the project would be completed even after his death. Accordingly, the project was completed by Abdul Samad Rabiu after his death with the support of his siblings. Together, they ensured that they fulfilled the wishes of their father – A  feat that I find very remarkable indeed.

    Late Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu was a Kano indigene, a prominent Nigerian businessman, and an Islamic scholar who founded a major conglomerate – the Isyaku Rabiu & Sons Conglomerate in 1952, after initially starting as a UAC Agent. Isyaku Rabiu & Sons grew and diversified into manufacturing, insurance, banking real estate, etc.

    KHAIRUN got the license to operate as a University in 2022 and became operational in 2023. The University is currently in the second semester of its first year of operation.

    Interestingly, KHAIRUN was founded initially as a Qur’anic recitation school, after which the late Khalifa expanded his vision for the school to make it a University that would teach various Islamic and secular courses/ subjects across various disciplines for the development of humanity.

    Other Education interventions by Abdul Samad Rabiu

    It is worthy of note that the ASR Africa Initiative is not the first time or the only education intervention that Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu provides – much as he does not talk about them; which speaks volumes of his modesty, selflessness, and virtues. Indeed, Alhaji Abdul Samad has been providing thousands of scholarship interventions for decades cutting across various fields, and across primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions (Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, etc.) within and outside of Nigeria.

     Abdul Samad inherited those virtues from his late father who did a lot of philanthropy during his lifetime. Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu left indelible marks of honor, kindness, humanness, fear of Allah SWT, and the love of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in ways and measures beyond human comprehension.

    Moreover, the passion for education did not start from the late Khalifa Insyaku Rabiu. Their passion for education started from the late Alhaji Abdul Samad’s paternal grandfather, late Mallam Muhammadu Rabiu Dan Tinki, who was an Islamic scholar from the Bichi Area of Bichi Local Government of Kano State – Nigeria, who led his own Quranic school. 

    I am the son of an educationist, myself. My mother (May Bless her soul) was a teacher, lecturer, and education administrator; from Primary school to Tertiary level during her lifetime until she retired, after which she continued providing education interventions in every way she could throughout her life. Therefore, I understand, value, and cherish people who dedicate their lives to educating people by teaching, funding, and supporting the entire education value chain. It is, therefore, by default that I keyed into the ASR Initiatives with such vigor

    Some Key Points to note about the state education, especially in northern Nigeria

     According to the National Bureau of Statistics of Nigeria, in 2017; Yobe had the lowest literacy level of 7.23%, Zamfara 19.16%, Katsina 10.36 % and Sokoto 15.0 %. Southern states were far better with Imo the highest with 96.43%, Lagos 96.3%, Ekiti 95.79 %, and Rivers 95.76%. There has been little progress since then. 

    In fact, things have gotten worse. According to UNICEF, about 1/3 (one-third) of primary school-age children drop out before reaching Junior Secondary School, says UNICEF, and the majority are female children from the Northern states.  The number of out-of-school children and youths from primary to secondary and tertiary institutions has significantly increased due to increased multi-dimensional poverty, insecurity, kidnapping, child marriage, religious extremism, and other forms of strife. In some cases, there is a need for more awareness for the citizens who still do not send their wards to school in towns and villages and lack of political will and corruption on the part of governments at federal and State levels to do the needful that will improve the quantity and quality of education in Nigeria. 

    A Call to Action

    To our northern political leaders; Where are the visions? What are the priorities? What are the values? I hope that you will emulate the virtues of Nigerians like Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu and indeed his father Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu and his grandfather late Mallam Rabiu …… May Allah SWT Continue to repose their souls in Aljannatul Firsdau. Ameen.

    I close by saying; “Thank you and Well-done Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu. You are indeed a model of good leadership, selflessness, and good virtues. May Allah SWT Reward you. Ameen.

  • Islamic solution to Leadership Problem

    Islamic solution to Leadership Problem

    Monologue

    Like in any other week, the competition for attention by emerging issues, for this column this week is extraordinarily intense. The choice of one of those issues by any columnist must thus become a problem capable of causing confusion. The case of yours sincerely cannot be an exception. That is a confirmation that the dilemma of any worthy columnist is not a dearth of ideas but a deluge of them. For instance, which national or international contemporary issue in today’s world does not deserve attention of ‘The Message’ column now? Is it the sudden demise of the former Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi in a suspicious circumstance or the implacable tension between Trump’s American government and the Islamic Republic of Iran or the severe persecution of Muslims in China and Myanmar or the seemingly endemic plight of the Kashmiri people who, as Muslims, are being forcefully subjected to Hindu rule in India or the callous murder of an American based Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, in cold blood in Istanbul or  the         frightening menace of banditry and kidnapping across Nigeria or even the incessantly ravaging atrocities of certain voluntary agents of Satan called Boko Haram? Looking at all these issues and many more, not mentioned here, the tendency is to conclude that the modern world is fast approaching its end. Yet, the role of leadership in making success of most of these issues cannot be underestimated. Without leaders, there are no nations.

    Preamble

    The title of today’s article in this column is not originally a coinage of ‘THE MESSAGE’. It is rather the theme of a public Ramadan lecture organised by Mustapha Akanbi Foundation (MAF) in Ilorin to which yours sincerely was invited as the guest lecturer on August 29, 2010.

    Who is Mustapha Akanbi?           

    The name Mustapha Akanbi cannot be strange to any educated Nigerian of contemporary time. That was a household name in Nigeria and beyond especially for those who are familiar with the Independent Corrupt Practices (and other related offences) Commission (ICPC). The first Chairman of that Commission was Justice Mustapha Akanbi, an erstwhile President of the Federal Court of Appeal of Nigeria. For the entire 35 years of his service in the judiciary, all that can be called his property was just a modest three bedroom bungalow in which he lived in Ilorin till his demise recently. 

    The MAF Foundation

    Established in September 2006 shortly after its founder (Justice Mustapha Akanbi) voluntarily resigned as the Chairman of ICPC despite the overwhelming pressure on him to continue his service, MAF is a non-governmental and non-partisan organisation dedicated to the uplift of mankind and to the enthronement of justice, equity and fair play as well as the promotion of the quintessential virtues of honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability in all human activities.

    The Foundation is committed to being in the vanguard of revolutionary changes aimed at reforming and transforming our society from being a body of self-serving individuals to a nation that places high premium on selfless service for the common good of all. MAF Foundation, therefore, has, as its focus, the building and sustenance of a great nation founded on sound ethical values and good governance capable of holding its own in the comity of nations. It is in line with its focus that the Foundation chose the theme of today’s article and invited yours sincerely as the guest lecturer.

    At the occasion which was held in the month of Ramadan, I alluded briefly to the significance of Ramadan in the life of an average Muslim.

    Point of Reverence

    This is a period of relevant reference in Nigeria. This is a time when history displays its duty as the teacher of man. The current trend of dirty banters in the country is both a reminder and a point of reference for men and women of decent pedigree and impeccable dignity. This is a time when disciplined parents and patriotic citizens are identifiable. This is the time in Nigeria’s contemporary history when human wheat can be separated from human chaff. This is the time of distinguishing between shame and shamelessness on the one hand and decency and indecency on the other. This is the time when lovers and haters of Nigeria can be known. It is the above mentioned issues that make this article a point of reference. And the reference is the lecture that yours sincerely delivered at the MAF Foundation in 2010.

    The lecture

    As a preamble, I told my audience that thinking of leadership in terms of those who are privileged to govern the country alone can never solve the problem of bad leadership in Nigeria. Leadership does not start from the top. It is rather a matter of good home management and excellent upbringing of children. Leadership is like a pyramid which has a base and an apex. Whoever wants to assess leadership in a society must start from the base rather than the apex. It will be unreasonable to start sighting major faults at the roof of a house when the foundation of the same house is evidently faulty. Generally, children learn from their parents’ actions much more than from the latter’s preaching.

    Any parent who starts the upbringing of his or her children with lavish celebration of birthday without teaching such children the act of legitimate money making early in life has initiated such children into the cult of reckless spending spree. The tendency for such children when they grow up is to look for money to spend from any source including pilfering, stealing, kidnapping and ritual killing for money. What will be virtuous to such children is to get money to spend. It will never matter to them how they come about such money. And that is the root of corruption in a society like Nigeria where parents assist their children to cheat in examinations or to get admitted into higher institutions with fraudulent pre-requisites.

    Leadership in Islam

    In Islam, leadership is so sacrosanct that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) never relented in warning all leaders and aspirants to leadership about the delicate nature of ruling the people. In his farewell sermon in 631 CE, he reminded the Muslim Ummah that leadership is a great responsibility entrusted to an individual by the society as ordained by the Almighty Allah. The Prophet also admonished the people on their responsibility to both the state and leadership quoting Qur’an 4, Verse 59 thus:

    “Oh you, who believe, Obey Allah, obey the Messenger (of Allah) and those charged with authority among you. If you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger if you do believe in Allah and the last day. That is best and most suitable for final determination”. Quran 4 verse 59.

    However, he did not stop there. He went further to explain that obedience to those charged with authority is conditioned by their (those in authority’s) own obedience to God in their deeds as well as the rule of law that governs them.

     In one of his statements, he said there is no obedience or loyalty to any human being, ruler or otherwise, who is not himself, obedient to God and the rule of law. He concluded that: “Whoever entrusts a man to a public office, where, in his society, there is a better man than this trustee, has betrayed the trust of God and His Messenger as well as the people of that society”.Hadith.

    The Prophet’s Exemplary Leadership

    The exemplary leadership of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his great teachings were scrupulously followed by the Caliphs who succeeded him in office. When, shortly after the Prophet’s demise, Abubakr was elected as the first Caliph, his primary objective was to continue the pious administration which the Prophet left behind. He took the mantle of leadership with which he was saddled as a responsibility to Allah.

    In his acceptance speech as new Head of State, he addressed the people as follows: “Oh people behold me charged with the cares of government. Yet, I am not the best of you. In carrying out this great responsibility, I need your advice and assistance. If you find me doing well, please support me. If I make mistake, counsel me.

    To tell the truth to a person commissioned to rule is faithful allegiance. So long I obey God and act according to law, obey me. But if I neglect the law of God and His Prophet, I have no more right to your obedience. The strong among you shall have no right over the weak on the basis of his strength. Neither shall there be any room for sycophancy, nepotism or undue favouritism. Authority, power and sovereignty belong to Allah alone in whose hand is dominion over all things….”

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    Comment

    From the foregoing, and contrary to what is happening today, especially in Nigeria, it is clear that leadership is a privilege rather than anybody’s right. It is a public trust which should not be betrayed under any circumstance. It is a responsibility to be carried out, not just with human face but also with human heart. It is a covenant between God and rulers on the one hand and rulers and the ruled on the other. It is a measure of conscience, piety and discipline. No one who is bereft of these traits should be entrusted with leadership.

    Other Caliphs after Abubakr followed suit and lived ascetic lives despite their access to unlimited state resources. Ali Bn Abi-Talib, in particular, did not limit those qualities to himself. He extended them to his appointed Governors.

    While appointing Malik bn Ashtar as the Governor of Egypt he gave him certain instructions in writing and admonished him to follow those instructions to the letter in his governance in that country. Those instructions were not about the executive arm of governance alone. They also touched legislation and judiciary morally and legally.

    Parable of Governance

    Governance in Islam is like pregnancy in the womb of an expectant mother. The duration of such pregnancy is naturally defined barring any anomaly or aberration. Its delivery depends on the safety of its carrier and the circumstances of her wellbeing. And, after delivery, the baby is claimed, not by the carrier of the pregnancy but by the impregnator.

    There is no pregnancy without semen firmly planted in the womb of a woman. And the semen planter is a man who will eventually be called the father of the baby. For this reason, children bear the names of their fathers rather than those of their mothers as surnames.

    By analogy, one can compare governance to a pregnant woman who could not have become pregnant without an impregnator. The impregnator in this case is the populace that gave those in government the mandate to rule them. And just as the product of the womb (the child) belongs to the impregnator as a matter of legitimacy so should dividend of governance be the property of the governed populace. A child who bears his mother’s name as surname is nothing but a bastard. 

    After life, security, law and justice, nothing else is held as sacrosanct in Islam as governance which can be compared to a magnificent shade under which people are supposed to take cover during torrential rains or burning sun. In a democratic setting, such a shade is owned by the citizenry. Those who claim to be its custodians are just servants holding it in trust for the people.

    Democracy in Islam

    In Islam, democracy is not about voting and power alone. It is fundamentally about justice in all its ramifications according to the rule of law. It is about tending the lives of others for the overall good of the nation. It is about providing the needs of the people according to the available resources in the nation. It is about protecting the interest of the weak against the oppression of the strong. It is about managing the wealth of the nation with diligent sense of accountability. It is about securing the lives of the citizenry in terms of jobs, feeding, shelter, health and education. It is about boosting the horizon of the youths and sharpening their hope for the future. It is about guaranteeing adequate income per capital and ensuring a standard life expectancy. Any government that claims democracy without all the aforementioned is oppressive and hypocritical. That was Nigeria’s lot from the beginning of the Fourth democracy in 1999 till now, the continuity of which we fervently prayed Allah to forbid.

    Governance, like culture, has a variety of colours, flavours and tastes. What is called democracy in a State may amount to despotism in another State. Governance, whether democratic or monarchical, is fundamentally a function of culture. That is why a country like Britain claims to operate politically on a constitution that is partly written and partly conventional. Borrowing a foreign culture to practice democracy through a constitution written in a foreign language is like borrowing another man’s mouth to eat. Into whose stomach will the food go?

    If those entrusted with authority and power with which to care for the masses are the ones stealing public funds with audacity and reliability on ethnic or religious inclination, what moral right do they have to govern? Nigeria has now reached a stage where justice, the last hope of the common man, is for sale even as the citizenry continue to be impoverished. For a country that hopes to progress, to where does this lead?

    Justice Mustapha Akanbi was an exemplary judge with an exemplary template in delivery and administration of justice with the fear of Allah. He lived a clean life and groomed some others to follow suit with the expectation that Nigeria would be great.  We pray the Almighty Allah to repose his soul in eternal bliss. As for those who have deviated from the path of decency left behind by Justice Akanbi, we pray Allah to guide them aright and rescue them from the manacle of Stan to which they are sternly tied. However, such people should know that:

    “Allah does not change a people’s lot unless they change the evil acts in their hearts. If Allah decides to afflict them with a calamity, no one can ward it off. Besides Allah, there is no protector for them”. Q. 13:11.

  • U.S. 2024 Presidential Election (2)

    U.S. 2024 Presidential Election (2)

    On 9th February 2024, I wrote Part 1 of the topic on my reflection today. In that episode, I reflected on some of the mechanics and dynamics of the political landscape in the United States of America (US, or USA) building up to the 2024 Presidential elections. Today, I will further my analysis of the political permutations and combinations with the attendant potential outcome of the elections.

    THE USA GOING THROUGH A PHASE OF POLITICAL METAMORPHOSIS?

    One of the points I made in the 9th February episode of this Column was that, in my view; the USA is undergoing a phase of political metamorphosis with both the Republican and Democratic political parties undergoing sublime internal ideological restructuring which will ultimately impact the mid to long-term political outlook of the Country. 

    Indeed, it turns out that my postulation is becoming true; as President Joe Biden bowed to pressure and stepped down while endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s Presidential nominee. This is due to the fact that a lot of us, including members of the Democratic party, were raising concerns with the Democrats that President Joe Biden was not a strong contender despite his power of incumbency; due to the obvious and worsening state of health and some strategic policy missteps. Therefore, President Biden’s stepping aside from contesting and nomination of Kamala as the Democratic party’s nominee is a deft and strategic move. The move has caused a major political upset in the political history of the USA, especially when it only happened after the Republican Presidential candidate and former President, Donald Trump had crafted his strategy and picked Senator JD Vance, as his Vice Presidential candidate, and Mr. Trump and his supporters in the Republican Party were already having a field day, due to the galloping polls that were in his favor – no thanks to President Biden’s gaffes, slips, and mental breakdowns which culminated in the debate he had with Trump in about two months ago in Atlanta Georgia; where a clearly incoherent candidate Biden failed to impress even his most devoted supporters within and outside the US. 

    I must say that the Atlanta debate was the tipping point for the Democratic party power brokers like former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, The Clintons, and then subsequently the Obamas as they were able to influence President Biden to do the right thing, i.e. to give up his second term aspiration in the interest of the Democratic party’s stability and a better chance to win the elections. By finally taking that step, because it was completely up to him to push on and fail, I give kudos to President Biden for being a leader. More importantly, he didn’t go without landing a last punch on Donald Trump with his nomination of VP Kamala Harris – This I consider a “sucker punch”! This is because Donald Trump’s political calculus was based on Biden running – pure and simple, and he crafted his strategy including the choice of his VP candidate, the punch line, and the communication strategy including advertisements based on that seemingly settled reality! Mr. Biden demonstrated political sagacity with the deft move at the instance of his Party’s power brokers.

    Vice President Kamala Harris’s emergence as the Democratic party’s presidential candidate and the huge acceptance and the “Wow” effect it is having on the Democrats and even Republicans-who were taken aback by the development, has already set candidate Kamala Harris on a good campaign start and building critical momentum with the huge potential of becoming the first female President of the United States of America. The democratic party is now unified, and the cracks of doubts and frustrations that initially started forming due to Biden’s candidacy have disappeared. This is important for the Democrats – Unity of purpose is key! The US public, especially the undecided voters, is now looking at a new scenario with keen interest because, like her or not, Kamala Harris presents some kind of freshness albeit with some legacy issues of her own and those of President Biden’s administration which she cannot extricate herself from. 

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    The nomination of Kamala Harris has sent Donald Trump’s camp into a frenzy, with Donald Trump escalating his verbal abuses and attacks, speaking outright lies, misinformation, and disinformation, and throwing tantrums which in my view will not really help his campaign. In my opinion, for Mr. Trump to make tangible progress in his campaign, he should focus on the issues. Indeed, nobody can wish away the importance and influence of Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement in current American politics. Donald Trump has become a phenomenon (good or bad) that cannot be ignored or waved away. But his behavior is eroding his opportunities. Therefore, I think candidate Donald Trump and his campaign team need to focus on the issues especially as the campaign becomes hotter with the debates coming up. Donald Trump needs to focus on the Homeland and Foreign policies missteps of President Biden, which Kamala Harris is part of.

    FOCUS ON THE ISSUES, POLICIES, AND SUBSTANCE WILL WIN THE RACE

    Focusing on facts and figures and not fiction and linking them to Kamala Harris as part of the Biden administration will help Donald Trump’s campaign and not the verbose onslaughts on what I call micro or non-issues, sentimentalities, or personalization of issues. 

    For Kamala Harris, the momentum is good, the acceptance is growing, but the game is just starting. She should not rest on her oars and take this initial momentum for granted and her campaign team should not for a moment be complacent but actually brace for one of the most toxic and tough campaigns – even tougher than that of Biden versus Trump. The days ahead will be crucial. The messaging should be based on substance, character, and values. Moving forward, much as Kamala is part of Biden’s administration, she should demonstrate independence of opinion without disparaging the Biden administration that she is part of. She should show that she can creatively and strategically, have a better value-proposition to Americans than what President Biden offered or what he is currently doing. For example, with regards to the Israel-Palestine war in Gaza, and other global geopolitics. I do not expect many ideological changes in Kamala’s strategic and policy messaging.

    Essentially, the win will not come to Vice President Harris on a platter. It will be a neck-to-neck campaign and elections. Therefore, complacency should not be contemplated by Kamala Harris and her team. They know better than I do, that Donald Trump is tough, popular, and relentless with high electoral value, based on a support base that believes that the establishment is against him and therefore they see him as a victim of the establishment and their MAGA hero – that is a powerful combination in favor of Trump. 

    Being practical and pragmatic on the issues that concern Americans will be key. The days ahead will be very interesting as this keen contest unravels. Americans and the world in general, will be watching out for the ultimate outcome of the elections. This is especially true with the fear-mongering and gaslighting by candidate Donald Trump, stating that should he not win, there could be a crisis. He is already reeling out the same election malpractice narrative from the 2020 elections.

    Conservative Republicans like Representative Liz Cheney, who openly stated that they would vote for Kamala Harris are a very important value addition to Kama Harris’s campaign and speaks volumes of the momentum of her campaign. So definitely there will be protest votes from the camp of the Republicans. However, much as these protest votes will add value to the optics and campaign of Kamala Harris, those votes will not tip the scale, albeit the votes will go a long way to muster more support for Kamala.

    Gun violence, rising racism and race-related violence, hate speeches promoted directly by Trump and surreptitiously by Biden (in support of the onslaught on the Palestinians), etc. will be some of the issues that the candidates will be addressing.

    WHAT IS IN IT FOR AFRICA?

    In my view, when it comes to Africa, I don’t expect much from the outcome of the US elections. Whoever becomes the President of the United States of America, whether it is Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, THE US agenda for Africa will pretty much remain the same- nothing much of substance for us. The US and the Western powers will continue to feather their nests at the expense of Africa and Africa. Therefore, my interest is from the global geopolitical point of view. When it comes to Africa or Nigeria, I do not expect significant positive changes.

     Of course, it also speaks volumes with regard to the fact that “Africa is on its own”. We, the people of Africa in general and Nigeria in particular need to do the needful to come out of our political, and socio-economic doldrums. That being said, when the dynamics are escalated with global socio-economic impacts, for example, what is happening in Sudan, where the US and Russia are majorly he unseen hands; then we should take note with regard to the political dynamism of the emergence of the next President of the United States of America, so that we can strategize, plan, hedge and position for better survival, growth and sustainable development.

  • Islam in the Eyes of Nigerian Media

    Islam in the Eyes of Nigerian Media

    Preamble

    In response to a particular question coming incessantly to this column from every conceivable angle in Nigeria, yours sincerely decided to recall an article published in this column in 2007 which answers the recurring question.

    The enquirers wanted to know why Muslims and their activities are not as vivid in Nigerian media as those of their Christian counterparts. The article that served as an answer to that question goes thus:

    “Information is power. It can make or mar. An informer must be informed. He must know what information to disseminate. He must know, not only when and where to disseminate such information but also how to do it. These are the attributes that can qualify journalists as professionals in their calling.

    Journalism as a profession is not about news gathering and news reporting alone. It is also about dissemination of genuine information, transmission of valuable education and even presentation of meaningful entertainment. That is why a journalist is perceived as a professional who knows or should know something about everything in existence.  To be a thorough professional, a journalist must be knowledgeable in various fields of discipline no matter how little. For instance, a journalist cannot report space exploration without some scientific knowledge of astronomy. He cannot report war without some knowledge of weaponry and the geography of war areas as well as the social history of the involved warring groups or nations. Also, no journalist can report a religious festival without knowing some jargons of the religion in question.

    And, of course, in the process of filing his reports, a journalist must be conscious of the technical reportorial sequence to be followed. This is generally known in the profession as ‘five W’s and H’. The coded cliché here is interpreted as follows: “Who (does) What? Where? When? Why? And How?” Without practical knowledge of that sequence, a journalist cannot claim to be a professional in the practice of that noble profession.

    Thus, from whatever angle journalism is viewed, knowledge remains the main axis around which journalists’ activities rotate. In a nutshell, no charlatan can claim an enclave in that noble profession without the required knowledge.

    Prophetic Foresight

    Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had foreseen the effect and implications of positive or negative information dissemination before he implored Muslims to seek knowledge in what became one of his divinely guided prophetic saying (Hadith). This is how he put it: “Seek knowledge even if you will have to travel to as far a place as China”. He made that divinely guided statement at a time when China was known to be the farthest place from Arabia.

    Essence of Knowledge

    Nothing in the life of man is comparable to knowledge. As a matter of fact, life is worthwhile only if it is based on knowledge.

    That was why the revelation of the Qur’an started on the premise of knowledge n 610 CE. The very first chapter of that Sacred Book commenced thus: “Read in the name of your Lord who created; He created man from clots of congealed blood. Read! Your Lord is the Most Bountiful One, who taught by the pen, He taught man what he (man) did not know…”.  And, to further emphasize this, the Prophet said that “knowledge is a missing substance and advised Muslims to search for it wherever they could find it”. He did not restrict such knowledge to religion. Without knowledge, there can be no right information.

    Origin of Journalism

    Contrary to the falsehood documented and disseminated by the Western world that journalism started in Germany in the 15th century, it was the Muslims who actually started journalism in Arabia about 1500 years ago. Though they did not call it journalism, it was they who started what we now call journalism through the process they followed in documenting Hadith (the prophetic tradition and rightly guided statements of Prophet Muhammad).

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    In order to prevent false documentation of any fabricated statements in the name of the Prophet, some Muslim researchers took up the task of ascertaining what the Prophet actually said or did as against what some prominence-seekers were trying to attribute to him after his demise. It was a thorough investigative job voluntarily done by certain individuals to retain the authenticity of Islam. Foremost among such great researchers were  Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas’ud, Anas Bn Malik, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nisai, IbnMajah and a host of others.

    For the purpose of authenticity, these great scholars introduced what they called ‘Chain of Narration’ (Isnad). Through that Chain, they endeavoured to trace the source of every Hadith quoted and credited to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Such narrations were graded as: Sahih (indisputably genuine); Hasanun Sahihun (perfectly authentic); Hasanun (genuine); Dai‘f; Munqatiu’ (broken); Gharib (strange) Mawdu‘ (fabricated) and so forth. Thus, from the final documentation through this process, Hadith was transmitted from generation to generation just as we transmit news stories today in professional journalism.

    Without the great efforts of the above mentioned researchers, the world would have been flooded today with all sorts of fabricated expressions falsely credited to the Prophet. And such fabrications would have thrown the Muslim Ummah into total confusion even as Islam itself would have been shrouded in doubt.

    Prophetic Recognition of Information

    The very first Minister appointed by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as Head of State was that of information.

    The black man called Bilal, who was charged with informing Muslims of the time of Salat by making ‘Adhan’, was the appointed Minister of Information. That shows how important information is to Islam. 

    However, when journalism as we know it today was introduced to Nigeria in the 19th century, it was through the perception and mentality of the Christian colonial masters. Although the earliest Nigerian journalists were quick to realize the power of the Press which they used to fight for Nigerian independence, they nevertheless inherited the Christian colonial traditions which are still causing disharmony in our society today. One of such traditions is religious perception. For instance, an average Nigerian journalist does not see anything positive in Islam as a religion because he/she is blatantly ignorant of its tenets. This is not to say that journalists cannot understand Islam if given the opportunity, but the colonial orientation they inherited is such that they must not see anything good in the religion called Islam. And to ensure the effectiveness of that obnoxious indoctrination, most of Nigerian journalists who are based in the Southern part of the country were enlisted on the pay roll of various Churches. And for this reason they had to follow the dictates of those Churches by imitating the Western reportorial orientation which must paint Islam and its adherents in black colour and portray that divine religion as a hub of trouble.

    Facts in Retrospect

    For well over a century after the introduction of journalism to Nigeria, the word ISLAM and MUSLIMS were reported in Nigerian media, like in European media, as Mohammedanism and Mohammedans respectively. It took the few Muslim scholars and journalists in Europe at that time to counter that obnoxiousness which was deliberately hung on the neck of Islam before it was changed. Even as of today, and against the ethics of their profession, most Nigerian journalists take pleasure in writing or pronouncing word ‘MOSLEM’ rather than ‘MUSLIM’ knowing fully well that the earlier is derogatory to Islam and abhorrent to Muslims.

    Editorialisation

    In news reporting and even editorials of many newspapers, some journalists have ridiculously embarrassed themselves, their media outfits as well as their Muslim readers by confusing EidulAdha with Eidul-Fitr during Muslim festivals out of deliberate refusal to want to know anything about Islam. On the other hand, no Muslim journalist will ever confuse Christmas with Easter or make reference to Jesus Christ or even Christianity in a derogatory manner. It is rather shameful and ridiculous that most Southern Nigerian journalists behave as if they enjoy special immunity in freedom of expression even as they arrogantly bask in the euphoria of a non-existing monopoly of religious hysteria.

    Another instance is the seeming malicious manner in which some Southern Nigerian journalists do report the outbreak of events and occurrences in the country particularly at very sensitive times thereby compounding any problem at hand. It has virtually become a tradition particularly in the Southern axis of   Nigerian media to describe youths who engage in any disturbing activities in the north as ‘FANATICS’ or ‘FUNDAMENTALISTS’ or ‘ZEALOTS’ even before the details of whatever happened become known. And in other parts of the country, such restive youths are merely reported as militants or bandits. The implication here is that any disturbance in the Muslim dominated areas of the north must automatically cloaked in garb of Islamic religion which is criminally perceived as the breeder of fanaticism. And when the trend of such restiveness is seen as tortuous to Islamic and Muslim images, the Christo-journalists of Southern Nigeria turn their back by refusing to report the incident.

    These and other religiously insensitive reporting can be potentially dangerous for the corporate existence of this volatile country. We had witnessed crises precipitated by such insensitivity in the remote and recent past. But the big question is: why are Nigerian Muslims apathetic to media engagements?

    Muslims in Nigerian Media

    Muslims in the media generally must have good knowledge of Christianity and the culture of its adherents just as Christian journalist must know the dos and don’ts of Islam and the Muslims. Arabic is not a language meant for the Muslims alone. There are Christian Arabs who speak no language other than Arabic. And, there is no record anywhere to show that Prophet Isa (Jesus) ever spoke English which is the main language of the Bible in Nigeria today. Both Islam and Christianity came to meet us here in Nigeria. Why must we use them to destroy ourselves on the pages of newspapers or on radio and television stations?

    One of the responsibilities of the media is to ventilate a peaceful atmosphere for harmonious co-existence of the people. Thus, any educated and civilized professional journalist in Nigeria must not shirk such a fundamental responsibility at this age of internet. For the sake of our collective survival, no combative or provocative journalism should be extended to religious sphere. 

    Jihad against Corruption

    From time immemorial, man has learned through experience that it is better to prevent a disease than to cure it. One old disease which still remains young in contemporary time, despite its age, and keeps growing on the palm of man is corruption. This monstrous human ailment is like an implacable virus constantly threatening to metamorphose into full blown cancer as it eats deeply into the fabrics of its victims. Once it is allowed to so grow, its cure becomes impossible. And, coping with it in that circumstance, is like chasing a mirage.

    Corruption is a much more deadly disease than what can be fought with hand in glove. As the mother of all crimes, corruption will be better prevented from growing than to be fought after growing. Incidentally, the societal disease called corruption is not limited to embezzlement and theft of public funds. No abuse or betrayal of public privilege bears any name other than corruption. And the subjective practice of journalism in Nigeria is one of such diseases. That is why the tentacle of the corruption-fighting organs like EFCC and ICPC should be expanded and strengthened. So far, EFCC and ICPC can be called offices without authority. And this is casting a shadow on the acclaimed genuine intention of the government to fight corruption in Nigeria. The first boss of EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu was able to put up some bravado while in office because of unlimited financial resources made available to him by the then President Obasanjo for whatever agenda. When Mallam Ribadu left office, the bravado left with him and the scorching EFCC became a subject of unwarranted scrutiny.

    On the other hand, the first Chairman of ICPC, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, had to quit office when he observed that the intention of the initiators of that institution was at variance with the mode of operation put in place. And in that situation it would take a miracle to function as effectively as expected by the well-meaning section of the public. His successor, Justice Emanuel Ayoola, had to ensure that some amendment was made to the act that established ICPC before he could make up his mind to accept the job of its Chairman. The summary here is that if we must seriously fight corruption, we must seriously fund the agencies set up to face the task. Corruption is not about money alone. Neither is it limited to public office holders. Fighting the monster should therefore be a matter of national orientation which should be taught in schools. Corruption is as incurable as cancer. Concentrating on merely arresting public office holders who stole public funds alone is like scratching the skin of the monster on the surface.

    The seriousness of the government in fighting corruption will be better acknowledged in the area of prevention than that of cure. And that requires not only adequate funding but also sincere mobilization which must be done with all hands on deck now and not later. And the role of Nigerian journalists in this is unlimitedly vital.