The Nation Newspaper

Category: Hannatu Musawa

  • I have a new dream…

    I have a new dream…

    At the time that Martin Luther King Jr. articulated his celebrated “I have a dream” speech in 1963, he spoke of an America in which its citizens would not be judged or condemned by their race or colour of their skin. He urged that every citizen be judged “by the content of their character.” As I reflect on the sagacious words of MLK, I too have a dream; a new dream about my motherland, Nigeria.

    I have a new dream that one day from every corner of this great nation, my country folk will see themselves primarily as Nigerians. I have a new dream that I will wake up in a nation where none of us will be judged by the features on our faces, the languages we speak, our accents, the traditional regalia clothing us, the region of our indigeneship, the ethnic tribes of our parents, or the religion we submit to but by the content of each of our characters.

    Since the pronouncement that the ruling APC was going to float a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential election, with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the flagbearer and Kashim Shetima as running mate, there has been outrage and a sense of exasperation amongst many Nigerians. The Christian community and, some Muslims have been up in arms about the insensitivity of such a decision in light of the current atmosphere in the country.

    A great majority of Nigerian Christians feel marginalized, short-changed, disrespected and offended. They feel as if they are footnotes in a drama where they are witnessing the Islamization of a nation that is supposed to be theirs in equal footing.

    As the debates and fallouts continue, it has become my new dream that we, Muslims, especially in the ruling party, especially from the north, do not waive aside the disapproval of the composition on the ticket or minimize the concerns of the Christian community as being oversensitive. As long as we turn a blind eye to the anger of our brethren, act as if the ire of our Christian neighbours is not justified, then this country, beyond the noise of a Muslim-Muslim ticket and beyond any election, will forever be tainted. The fact that some believe Asiwaju’s decision is part of some elaborate underground master plan cannot be wished away by those of us who are certain that it isn’t.

    As a northern Muslim, Hausa/Fulani who fully understands and supports the reason why Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was compelled to pick a fellow Muslim as his running mate, I also thoroughly understand the anger from the Christian community, especially those of Northern Nigerian extraction. As much as I would want the Christian community to pause and take a minute and not view Asiwaju’s choice through religiously jaundiced lenses, it pains me that a vast majority of the Muslim community, especially from the North are being highly insensitive and vaguely hypocritical towards the Christian community.

    This ambivalence has forced me to confront what I would be feeling if I woke up and the flagbearer of the political party I had committed to support was a Christian who had picked a Christian running mate. On the face of it, I honestly would not have a problem with that combination if I believed that the decision was necessary and made in great wisdom. However, at my very core I continue to question whether I would nurse some consternation as to what it would portend for me and my immediate community.

    If the Christian community, primarily of northern extraction, is so distraught about the prospect of a Muslim-Muslim presidency in spite of the rationale behind its conception, despite the fact that the vice-presidential nominee is their fellow northerner, perhaps the Muslim community needs to be more introspective and look inwards.

    Northern Nigeria is an entity encompassing over half the population of this country; with widespread water resources, vast land, fertile agricultural soil, abundant natural endowments awaiting development, amongst so many other virtues. Once upon a time, Arewa produced the most selfless, patriotic leaders, but today it is an entity in disarray, a ghost of its former self, crying out for redirection; desperate for salvation. Our leadership now almost seems at odds with the spirit of building a strong, united, and virile Arewa.

    It is a pity that since our independence, the north is forced to continuously refer to Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto whenever asked to produce a northern leader of selflessness, courage, distinction, dedication and detribalized sentiment. Sir Ahmadu Bello was able to unify the various diverse tribes found in the north. Never did he discriminate based on tribe and always, he would encourage people to practice their religion regardless of what it was. He taught the north to understand and value its differences and look upon them as its strength by accommodating every “dan Arewa” who shared his vision to fortify and modernize the north.

    Unfortunately since Sardauna, the north has not functioned in this way. For a long time, systematic differential bigotry and nepotism have characterized the manner in which the north has applied itself against itself. Along tribal but especially religious lines, northerners have gone to war with themselves and it goes both ways. And perhaps because the Hausa, Fulani or Kanuri Muslims are the majority within the northern population, it would almost be expected that the non-Hausa/Fulani have felt like the second wheel in the states that they are a minority and in the general affairs of the north. And while northern Muslims share the same sentiments in states such as Plateau, Taraba and Benue where the persecuted Muslims are the minority, we cannot pretend that there isn’t a perceived marginalization of northern minorities by the largely Hausa/Fulani Muslim northern oligarchy. This true state of affairs in Northern Nigeria invariably injected itself into Asiwaju’s decision and forces the hands of fate.

    From the moment Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the primary election of the APC, there was a high prospect that the APC presidential ticket would comprise two Muslims. This does not speak to the fact that Asiwaju is trying to enact some sort of Machiavellian agenda or because there isn’t a northern Christian who has the capacity to fill in as vice president. Far from it. Asiwaju’s burden is one in which he needs to deliver victory to the APC in the 2023 presidential election. And in order to do that, he must garner the support of the voting mass in the core Northwest and Northeast. Call us narrow-minded, intolerant, illiberal or unexposed, the majority of the voting public in these areas, which happen to be Hausa, Fulani or Kanuri Muslims are not open to the probability of having a representative on a presidential ticket that is not a direct reflection of themselves. This is the reality of the region as presently composed. Thus, if Asiwaju Tinubu hopes to get the support from this vital voting bloc, he is left with no alternative than to choose a Northern Muslim. That is the burden that Asiwaju carries within the context of contesting for a presidential election in 2023. That is the burden that the North has to correct internally by going back to the Arewa values Sardauna tried to espouse in us.

    I have a new dream and in that dream Nigerians will toe the line of honour and integrity and be objective on issues. As long as we obey the law, protect fundamental human rights and ‘’live and let live’’, it should not matter what our respective beliefs are. So long as we try to respect each other and understand the whims and caprices that make our brothers and sisters anxious and try to explain our differences with compassion and consideration, the suspicion rearing its ugly head right before our eyes will be a thing of the past. When people feel free, liberated, protected and respected, they prosper. That is where, in my new dream, we go… the path to prosperity.

    My new dream is that Nigerians will immediately appreciate that the unity from which we were fashioned is the only road that leads to lasting success; politics should never be a harbinger to that unity. And it is that unity that will change our perceptions about the paths that providence leads us down.

    What Nigerians must realize now before this religious debate permeates the atmosphere any further is the need to truly understand each other. Religious dichotomy has never gotten anyone anywhere and cannot take Nigeria to any space that will produce anything positive for any of us. At this very time in Nigeria, in the future of the land our forefathers envisioned for us, there are many conditions of injustice that must first be addressed and that have nothing to do with how one prays, which holy book one believes in or which name the flagbearers of our political parties bare before we ever enjoy a nation in which all are afforded their inalienable rights.

     

    • Musawa is a member of APC.

     

  • Burgeoning triumph of democracy in Africa

    THE club of authoritarian leaders maintaining an iron grip on power in parts of Africa, either by amending laws to extend their terms of office, hosting rubber-stamp elections or repressing opposition and civil society is fast dwindling. Nine leaders have wielded power for more than 20 years in Africa; four of them have been at the helm for more than 30 years. Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo seized power from his uncle in 1979, the same year Angola’s José Eduardo dos Santos rose to power.

    Robert Mugabe has been in office since 1980, while Yoweri Museveni won the recent election in Uganda to continue his rule after a vote marred by a lack of transparency. But Africa is about more than this club of authoritarian leaders. Aside from the growing number of leaders passing power peacefully after elections, there have also been cases of public backlash against leaders who have tried to prolong their tenures, such as Zambia’s Frederick Chiluba and Malawi’s Bakili Muluzi. In 2014, Blaise Compaoré’s bid to extend his 27- year presidency in Burkina Faso was thwarted by a violent popular uprising, while upheaval in Burundi was sparked by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s successful bid to prolong his term.

    Following the 2010 presidential election in Cote d’Ivoire, the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo began calling for the annulment of the results after losing to Alassane Ouattara. His actions incited a short period of civil unrest before he was arrested and being tried for crimes against his country-men. He has since made history by becoming the first head of state to be taken to the International Criminal Court.

    Similarly, Gambia’s presidential election that was held a few days ago, in a surprise result, opposition candidate Adama Barrow defeated long-term incumbent Yahya Jammeh. The election marked the first change of presidency by popular election in the West African country since its independence from Britain in 1965. Taking a cue from our own ex-president Jonathan, before the final results were announced, Jammeh graciously conceded defeat, shocking a populace that had expected him to retain power.

    BBC News called it “the biggest election upsets West Africa has ever seen.” Also exhibiting that African democracy is maturing, political parties that has maintained power over a long period of time is being replaced via transparent and credible polls. The ANC in South Africa is losing its popularity especially after losing in the recent municipal elections having held power since the country’s independence.

    For the first time, a plausible alternative party of power is emerging in the liberal, business-friendly Democratic Alliance. Here in Nigeria, the PDP which held power since our return to democratic rule in 1999 has been relegated to the opposition. Thus, the narrative that Africa is an undemocratic continent ruled by autocratic old men who pay lip service to the wishes of the people who elected them is changing. Since the end of the cold war multi-party democracy has spread far and wide across the continent, often with impressive and moving intensity. Many of Africa’s worst “Big Men” were swept away. Mengistu Haile Mariam fled Ethiopia in 1991; Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) decamped in 1997.

    In parts of Africa however, autocrats are still in power and wars still rage. But most leaders now seek at least a veneer of respectability; elections have become more frequent and more regular, and economies have opened up. In a healthy democracy, you expect a rise and fall in support for a particular government, which is expressed at the ballot box. But it’s a cause for concern if people begin to lose support for the regime – such as when there starts to be a growing nostalgia or sympathy for forms of authoritarian rule, such as a “benevolent dictator”, one- party rule, or military rule. The most serious risk to a political system is when state institutions begin to break down and citizens begin to disregard the commands of state officials or even transfer their loyalties to political groups with a rival claim to authority. At that point, civil war and outright state failure becomes a very real possibility.

    The last 20 years have seen gains and reversals in democracy in Africa. For democracy to work and flourish winners must not be greedy; losers must accept defeat and both need independent and trusted institutions to act as arbiters and stabilizers (alas, in many African countries, some or all of these elements are missing).

    The best way for democracy to flourish would be to expand and strengthen Africa’s emerging middle class, strengthen institutions and abide by the rule of law. Increasingly connected to the world, Africans know better than anyone the shortcomings of their leaders. Take South Africa for instance; despite its model constitution, vibrant press and diverse economy, it has been tarnished under the current president, Jacob Zuma. He has hollowed out institutions, among them bodies tasked with fighting corruption.

    With the new emerging democratic governments across the continent via credible polls, they would have to confront a legacy of poverty, illiteracy, militarization, and underdevelopment produced by incompetent or corrupt governments. Will these demands placed on these African nations by international donor institutions as well as heightened individual expectations for better lives be met by these nascent democracies, time will tell.

  • Muhammad Ali… Rest easy brother

    AS the news of the passing of a hero broke on this sad June day, the heartbreak and sadness felt by many of us had to be juggled by the stoical sense of realism in the knowledge that a critically ill man, who had dedicated the vast majority of his life to being one of the ‘greatest’ men the world has ever seen could finally be laid to rest. Muhammad Ali was an international figure, loved by most, admired by even those who opposed and fought him. In his life and even in his death, he has impacted the world and set the tone for being a citizen of the world for all generations. While his passing had been expected for a long time coming, the loss of this great man, athlete and icon was one that those who loved him were still unprepared for. As I watch all the accolades from world leaders and ordinary folk on TV celebrating Muhammad Ali’s life and legacy, I also reflect on the key lessons that his life and example offers me as a person. At the peak of his career Mohammed Ali delighted audiences with his charisma, excess skill and humor but Parkinson’s had rendered him virtually powerless and robbed this most verbose and loquacious of men his physical co-ordination and speech. However no matter how bad his illness got, his dignity never failed to shine through. Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Clay. He began to box at the age of 12 after an incident in which his bike was stolen. Hurt by the theft, he vowed to “whup” whoever stole his bike. A local policeman cautioned him and advised him to “learn how to box” before carrying out his threat. Within weeks he trained, boxed and won fights. He had 108 successful amateur bouts before his 18th birthday and in 1960 Cassius Clay won the Olympic gold medal in Rome. Due to the segregation of blacks in Southern America during that time, Cassius was refused service at a local restaurant despite his Olympic achievement. This fuelled his ambition to succeed and reach out to minorities. The ultimate glory came when, against the odds, he defeated Sony Liston to emerge heavyweight champion of the world in 1964. While training for that title bout, he announced to the world that he was a member of the Nation of Islam and that his name was Cassius X, latter to be changed to Muhammad Ali. The response to this news was negative but it never stopped him from wavering, sticking to his beliefs or even joking about it. Whenever he was asked about his attachment to Islam, Ali joked that he was going to have four wives: one to shine his shoes, one to feed him grapes, one to rub oil on his muscles and one named Peaches. In 1967, as the Vietnam War was escalating, Ali was called up for induction into the armed services. He refused induction on the grounds of religious beliefs. Typically in a joking manner he said “I done wrestled with an alligator; I done tussled with a whale; Clean out my cell and take my tail to jail; ‘Cause better to be in jail fed than to be in Vietnam dead” and latter he declared “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong”. The national anger over the last comment combined with Ali’s refusal to go into the armed services caused the authorities to cancel his boxing licenses. He was convicted, stripped of his championship title, his passport confiscated and he faced a 5-year prison term. Eventually after 2 ½ years, the Supreme Court reversed his conviction and restored his license. This action elevated him into a champion even more than before because he was the first national figure to speak out against the war in Vietnam. Among the highlights of his career lays the ‘rumble in the jungle’; a fight between him and a fearsome champion George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire. Before the match, in his usual boastful manner, Ali predicted “To prove I’m great he will fall in eight”. And true to his word in the 8th round Foreman was knocked out of the match. To his credit, Ali became the first man to win the world heavyweight title three times. He revolutionized boxing by pioneering a style that went against many of the game’s consecrated traditions. By the end of his career, Ali had fought an impressive 6.1 bouts with 56 wins (37 by knockout) and 5 defeats (1 knockout). Shortly after his retirement he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and has been battling it ever since. Before Muhammed Ali started boxing the sport was largely controlled by the mob but he came along and defended it as a sport. He gave this most uncompromising of sports beauty, grace, style, magnetism, humour, class, sheer excitement and he fought with emotion and heart. In his usual stubborn way he refused to adhere to the conventional way of boxing and told the establishment “I don’t have to be what you want me to be; I’m free to be what I want”. In the ring Ali used a method that flouted boxing logic; for one he had arm reach and used it so that he didn’t have to get close enough for his opponent to hit him. Additionally his powerful legs allowed him to dance, shuffle and float in the ring. The ‘Ali shuffle’, a foot manoeuvre invented by him allowed him to elevate himself and sometimes deliver a blow while dancing. At the time when his career bloomed, boxers never talked to the media but Ali disregarded this by boasting and predicting matches in a very public, bragging and poetic manner. In a rhyme that latter came to define his mode and manner in the ring Ali said of himself “I float like a butterfly, I sting like a bee; his hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see.” Floating, stinging, striking, winning or rhyming Ali has today emerged as the world’s most adored athlete. His actions outside of the boxing ring continue to speak volumes. In his journey he risked everything; his standing, his title, his achievements and his livelihood yet he managed to surface as a hero and a man of principle for all time. He has always stood up for his beliefs, loves children and respects women. He was a super, super star, confident, smug and incredibly handsome. Ali will always be a great inspiration to mankind as a whole and black people in particular; we can all learn a great deal from him. He gave people hope and proved that anyone could overcome insurmountable odds to achieve their dream. Since his retirement from the ring Ali had been a relentless advocate for people in need, having delivered millions of dollars in food and medical relief to third world countries and raising in excess of $100 million for charities throughout the world. For the last three decades the terrible disease that dogged Ali had done its share of crippling him, but he fought and refused to let it beat him. He continued to fight Parkinson’s disease with the same courage and determination he brought to the ring and to his work aimed at alleviating poverty, hunger and intolerance. Whether one followed his career or not or agreed with his political views and lifestyle, there is no arguing the fact that Muhammed Ali was a spectacularly unique and fascinating person. For a very traditional Hausa/Fulani girl, from a rural African village in North Western Nigeria to be so moved by him that she developed an interest in the sport of boxing says a lot about his ability to inspire from afar. I am often asked why and when I began to develop an interest in writing. It may surprise some to know that my interest in writing and style was actually ignited by Muhammed Ali. When I started writing, I started by writing poetry and spoken word pieces inspired by Muhammed Ali’s poetry and spoken word. Often, before or after a match or during interviews, Muhammed Ali, a keen poet, would express himself in rhyme form and he would tell stories in the wittiest way using poems. For instance, when he was about to fight Joe Frazier he summed up his predictions in an interview when he rhymed, “Joe’s going to come out smoking. But I ain’t gonna be joking. I’ll be picking and poking, pouring water on his smoking. This might shock and amaze ya. But I’m gonna destroy Joe Frazier.” Then after the “Thrilla In Manila” fight with the same Frazier he said, “It will be a Killer, And a chiller, And a thrilla. When I get the gorilla in Manila.” Watching him perform was the most remarkable and entertaining thing ever and it was a form of expression that I immediately clung to and tried to emulate. This interest I had in the way he recited poetry led to me writing stories using the same rhyming format and this invariably led to other forms of writing. As weird as it sounds, today, I can honestly say that it is largely to Muhammed Ali’s credit that I write. He was an incredibly remarkable personality and his story should never stop being told to generations who may not be aware of the story of this one man who was the epitome of brilliance, humor, spirit and will power. He touched the world and in return the likes of myself will always love him from the bottom of our hearts. Muhammed Ali was a personal hero to me and I, like millions across the world, loved him dearly. I thank him for representing so many things in so many people’s lives and for instilling in me the love of poetry and freestyle rhymes. How does one comprehensively describe the story of a man like Muhammed Ali? Well, one needn’t go far because in his own words Ali once said of his story “This is the legend of Muhammad Ali, the greatest fighter that ever will be. He talks a great deal and brags indeed of a powerful punch and blinding speed. But I think more appropriately Ali was, is and will always be; that which he proclaimed to be- the greatest! I offer my heartfelt prayers and condolence to all of Late Muhammad Ali’s family, friends and fans. He will be so sorely missed by so many. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who feel the pain that I feel now. “INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAYHI RAJI’UN… …Oh Allah, our dear brother, Muhammad Ali is under Your care and protection so protect him from the trial of the grave and torment of the Fire. Indeed You are faithful and truthful. Forgive and have mercy upon him, surely You are The Oft-Forgiving, The Most-Merciful… …Oh Allah, forgive and have mercy upon Muhammad Ali. Excuse him and pardon him, and make honorable his reception. Expand his entry and cleanse him with water, snow and ice, and purify him of sin as a white robe is purified of filth. Admit him into the Garden; protect him from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the fire… …Oh Allah, Your servant and the son of Your maidservant, Muhammad Ali, is in need of Your mercy and You are without need of his punishment. If he was righteous then increase his reward and if he was wicked then overlook his sins.” “Rest easy brother… Peace onto you.”

  • Oil, oil everywhere?

    MINISTER of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources, recently stated that the federal government remains resolute to its commitment on exploration of oil and gas in the inland basins, especially Chad Basin and the Benue Trough. The acceptance by academic experts and geologists in the oil and gas sector that hydrocarbon deposits are believed to be heavily present in the Lake Chad Basin and the Benue Trough has for years been treated with complacency by the Nigerian government until now. The Lake Chad Basin found in Central Africa, covers an area of almost 8% of the continent and spreads over seven countries, with Nigeria occupying at least 21% of it in Maiduguri state. The Benue Trough is a major geological formation underlying a large part of Nigeria and extending about 1,000 km northeast from the Blight of Benin to Lake Chad. It is documented that the Chad basin has been forming for thousands of years and for all that time, evidence of crystalline rock has been found under the more recent deposits. A couple of years of ago, it came to light that the Republic of Chad and Niger, countries that have contiguous landmass with Nigeria had found substantial deposits of crude oil and commercial exploitation of the mineral is ongoing in its own sector of the Lake Chad Basin. This prompted Nigerians living along Lake Chad to question why more effort was not made by the Nigerian government to commit to exploring for oil and gas in commercial quantities on its side of the basin. This was seen as an encouraging pointer to the prospects of oil discovery in the Nigerian side of the basin. Oil prospecting in those countries had lasted for close to two decades, but the companies had remained steadfast in their belief that the geology of the territory held tremendous promise. Instructively though, the cost of the prospecting activities had been borne by the oil firms without any injection of funds by government. Although in the past oil exploration in the Lake Chad had been commissioned by the Nigerian government, it is believed that the wells dug did not reach the required depth and it was effectively stopped under controversial circumstances. The NNPC which carried out the search for oil in the Lake Chad from 1976 had said that the drilling campaign was halted because of the low success rate in the discovery of hydrocarbon deposits in commercial quantity. But researchers and experts of oil exploration in northern Nigeria have in the past been quoted as saying that there is evidence which suggests that all the companies involved in the oil exploration enterprise in the Benue Trough and the Chad Basin, drilled only shallow wells whose depths were not consistent with the average sediment thickness in the area. Scientific studies have conclusively indicated that sedimentary rocks in the Benue Trough and the Chad Basin lie 6,000 meters below the earth surface. However, the deepest wells drilled by the oil companies reached depths of less than 3,000 meters. The argument of the exploration companies is that, they submitted a work programme in which they proposed to drill not more than 3,000 meters. The pertinent question here is who approved work programmes for the prospecting oil companies in such a highly technical project, without relying on the preliminary geological map and geo-physical survey report, which are supposed to guide the decision as to the depth of wells and their locations. If the geo-physical survey report indicated a 6,000 meters sedimentary pile for the region, why approve work programmes allowing only 3,000 meters drilling depths by the oil prospecting companies? In March 2003, in an effort to resume the search for oil in the area, the Federal government commissioned a consortium of indigenous and international consultants to carry out what it described as an integrated study in order to evaluate the large volume of data generated over the years and to provide a guide for future exploration activity in the Chad Basin and Benue Trough. The integrated study was aimed to review the entire exploration strategy and come up with new exploration approach considering all the geological peculiarities of the Basin. But not much information has been publicised as to what the study has uncovered. Geologists in the Nigerian Universities have expressed the view that even though there is limited data on the exploration activities in the Chad basin and the Benue Trough, available evidence suggests that the Nigerian side of the Chad Basin and the Benue Trough has positive drillable prospects. With the prospect that the geology and the structural setting of the Nigerian side of the Chad Basin and the Benue Trough and looking at all the parameters of the exploration for the hydrocarbon, the conditions are there for the presence of commercially viable hydrocarbon. On the other hand, some experts in the field refer to the uncertainty of drilling in the areas due to what is referred to as the “oil window” for each sedimentary basin. Apparently, indications are that the oil window is in the 3,000 metre range for both the Chad Basin and the Benue Trough. This would indicate that drilling deeper at 6,000m might not yield huge amounts of oil and gas. Nonetheless, whatever found, no matter how small would be beneficial and significant. For a while, doubts have been expressed especially in the north as to whether the Federal Government and the NNPC have the commitment and the capability to carry out this project. Questions surrounding whether the NNPC invested enough funds in seismic data acquisition and drilling in these areas or whether the cessation of oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin and Benue Trough is related to geopolitical issues in the country will continue unless more effort is made. Nigeria needs a fresh programme for interested oil prospecting companies that would insist that drilling depths must reach deeper meters, coupled with the employment of the most modern and latest technologies to reappraise all the fields that had been earlier written off as uneconomical based on 2-D seismic data computation. Ghana’s recent oil discovery after 20 years of failed attempt is a clear example where the employment of the latest technology in oil exploration endeavours has yielded positive results, despite initial claims of non availability of hydrocarbons in the area. It is therefore safe to conclude that the non implementation of the recommendations suggested will only confirm the politicisation of oil exploration activities in the Chad Basin and Benue Trough, through the lack of political will and inadequate application of resources to the search for hydrocarbon in all parts of the country Without doubt, finding oil in the Chad Basin and Benue Trough area will require new thinking and the re-focusing of the entire efforts of the NNPC. Any new strategy will involve addressing the presently identified constraints, which primarily is the residency of the project within a small department in the NNPC, among so many other schemes. If any commitment made beyond the prolific Niger Delta Basin towards the exploration of oil in these areas and basins with good sedimentation is successful, in addition to the Niger Delta, other oil producing states could include, Maiduguri, Niger, Anambra, Adamawa, Benue, and Sokoto basins which are located alongside the Middle and Lower Benue Trough. If oil is discovered in these areas, it will be able to be exploited for the benefit of all Nigerians. And collectively we can all sing, ‘oil, oil everywhere in the South-South, East, West, Middle Belt and North’.

  • Surging Domestic Violence Rate Against Women In Nigeria

    Recently, the news making rounds in the print and social media is the sad story of Ronke, a banker, who was allegedly beaten to death by her husband. Ronke a mother of two was found dead in her Lagos home on Friday last week, while her husband was said to have fled the scene of the crime. The Lagos State Police Command has since launched a manhunt for her husband, Mr. Lekan Shonde, and hopefully he will be caught soon and made to answer for his crime. This is just one of the many cases of domestic violence that is suddenly on an upsurge in the country. Every week, at least a domestic abuse case often becomes a headliner in the print and electronic media. “Husband beats wife to stupor, wife stabs husband to death, father rapes daughter”, and many more are making headlines of various news stories. From all indications, domestic violence in Nigeria is on the increase as the statistics are alarmingly daunting.

    Sadly, domestic violence, especially violence against women has been part of the fabric of many societies and cultures worldwide. It is so commonplace that it is often going unnoticed. It has also failed to garner the level of concern it deserves in light of the devastating effects on children and the family as a whole. 25% of women in Nigeria have to go through an ordeal of domestic violence and every fourth Nigerian woman suffers domestic violence in her lifetime. The worst forms of them are battering, trafficking, rape and homicide, various reports have claimed. With regards to the deceased Ronke, residents in the area where she lived confirmed that she had been enduring an abusive marriage. Reports have it that she was serially abused and assaulted by her husband until the last attack led to her death. “He would tie her, beat her and take her mobile phones away. She should have left him long ago” one of the residents was reported to have said.

    Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior which involves violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.  Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone. Domestic violence in Nigeria is a problem as in many parts of Africa. There is sadly a deep cultural belief in Nigeria that it is socially acceptable to hit a woman to discipline a spouse. Traditionally, domestic violence is committed against females. Common forms of violence against women in Nigeria are rape, acid attacks, molestation, wife beating, corporal punishment and homicide.

    Studies have shown that battered women suffer physical and mental problems as a result of domestic violence. Domestic violence has serious destructive social consequences including physical and psychological disorders. Also, the poorer the women are the greater for them is the risk of suffering from domestic violence. Women with fewer resources and those experiencing physical or psychiatric disabilities or living below the poverty line are at greater risk of domestic violence and lifetime abuse. Children are also affected by domestic violence even if they do not witness it directly. Also, despite Nigeria’s constitution vows to eliminate discrimination and violence against women and promotes the idea of freedom, equality and justice, Nigerian women’s’ rights are often violated with impunity. In some communities, wife-beating is often seen as justified, particularly in cases of actual or suspected infidelity on the part of the woman. A woman, who is abused in her family, has very low chances to get protection from the law. In most cases the victim of domestic violence is mistreated by law and dehumanized by society. Recent research has also shown there to be a direct and significant correlation between a country’s level of gender equality, and actual rates of domestic violence.

    To remedy the domestic violence against women surge in Nigeria, all stakeholders must be involved. All hands must be on deck to tackle this surge. Firstly, government at all levels, religious institutions and the community needs to band together in propagating an anti-domestic violence campaign, emphasizing the fact that violence in the home serves as a breeding ground for violence in the society. Secondly, there should be an urgent need to begin regarding domestic violence from a psychological perspective rather than from the socio-cultural one. Thirdly, girls and women in general should be sensitized and educated to draw a line between love and abuse. They should be made to know that if your partner truly loves you, he wouldn’t abuse you. Fourthly, men and boys should also be sensitized and educated that it is never okay to hit a woman. They should be told that any form of violence against women and girls doesn’t improve your machismo, instead, it lessens it. Fifth, due to lack of positive response from the authorities, victims no longer seek legal redress. Hence, existing laws on the violation of women rights should be solidified and implemented on perpetrators.

    The power to change the social norms that justify domestic violence against women in our society lies in our hands. Never has commencing a social change been an easy process. However, no matter the reasons, domestic violence against women is an aberration in our society and must be treated as such. Our existing laws must prosecute and punish those who inflict psychological and physical pain on women and girls; while protecting the victims of such reprehensible acts.

  • Everything to fear in President Donald Trump

    It is absolutely frightening to know that there is a good portion of Americans who support a completely narcissistic, delusional, severely controlling, manipulative, arrogant, selfish, ill-informed and utterly toxic Donald Trump in his bid to become President of the United States of America.

     Never before in the course of American politics has a candidate, during the course of this campaign, repeatedly exposed his sheer witlessness on the very rudimentary of matters; even in his own countries’ national interest. Never before in recent history has there been a candidate so vile and offensive to global conscienceless such as he. Even in the past campaigns of a dim, “Africa is a country and Nigeria is a continent,” George Bush and a “You can see Russia from land in Alaska,” Sarah Palin, there has not been a more mindboggling and disturbing bid for the US Oval office than that of Donald Trump.

    Not in these ages has the world seen a presidential candidate who has made racial and religious prejudice the center-point of his campaign.

    Trump started his race by making declarations to impose immigration bans on Muslims, to shut down Mosques, to build a wall around America and force the Mexicans to pay for the wall, to expel millions of immigrants from America and other very derogatory statements towards women.

    No major presidential candidate has ever been quite as condescending of wisdom, as apathetic to realities, as undisturbed by his nescience. From the start of his presidential bid, Mr. Trump has never come across as a man with an intent to familiarize himself with most issues, let alone master them. President Barack Obama hit the nail on the head when he described Donald Trump as a man who ‘doesn’t Know Much’ About the World.”

    Should this moron end up in the sacred office of which he runs for, there would most likely be the most unqualified president in American history. Donald Trump has had neither military or government experience and this tragically is very evident in his comportment and utterances. He has no experience of political office.

    Just as concerning is his impression of what his proposed presidency would actually entail. The man has absolutely no clue. In none of his campaigns does he speak intelligently about policy or working with the American Congress. Not once has he articulated a reasonably clear course that he intends to take the country, especially as part of an international community looking to promote peace and unity. The world watches with abated breath as this man acts out a presidential race as if he is a contestant in one of his reality TV shows. If anyone thinks the world is a dangerous and scary place at present, then one can only shudder to think what a Donald Trump presidency in the United States would mean.

    Even more debarring is Mr. Trump’s disposition. He is unpredictable, mercurial and amoral. He enjoys an element of primitiveness and nastiness that has revealed itself in how he speaks to and of people, how he ridicules and mocks others and how he tangibly scorns those he perceives to be against him. He is all shades of delusional.

    Mr. Trump’s poisonous mixture of lack of knowledge, expressive volatility, demagogy, egoism and malice would do more than result in a failed presidency; it would lead to a global catastrophe. The prospect of Donald Trump as commander in chief should send a chill down the spine of every single person in this world.

    The fabled manner in which Mr. Trump’s conducts himself would be hilarious were it not hazardous in someone contesting for the highest office in the world’s only remaining super power.

    Whatever slumber the Republican party is in, they need to wake up from it. And fast. If by any stretch of the imagination, the Republicans allow Donald Trump to emerge as the party’s candidate going into the 2016 elections; that would be the biggest threat to the triumph of the party. The Republican nominee will end up being the de-facto leader of the party; the figurehead, whom will give it characterization. If Donald Trump heads the Party, it will be a bigoted, party in the worst way possible. If Trump emerges as the standard bearer for the party, it would signal a danger to conservatism in America itself.

    Indeed, Donald Trump is the kind of man the system of the so-called free world was intended to elude, the sort of leader the American Constitution and its founding fathers dreaded. The kind of rabble-rousing and inflammatory character who does not see himself as part of a constitutional arrangement, but more as an substitute to it.

    Watching the political journey of Donald Trump is like watching a pre-pubescent teenager acting up in the middle of the schoolyard during lunch hour. From his twitter attacks and threats to ‘spill the beans’ on his opponents wife, to his support of an aide’s alleged battery of a reporter, to his misogynistic comments on women, to his refusal to denounce the KKK and his warnings that he would quit his party if he doesn’t get the primary nomination, this one man has cut the silhouette of an enormous, immature bullying splotch of a jester.

    None could have described Donald Trump’s candidacy for the presidency of the United States better than a German daily newspaper, which recently described it as an ‘open door to madness: for the unthinkable to happen, a bad joke to become reality… What looked grotesque must now be discussed seriously.”

    Donald Trump is not just a clown whose rhetoric is clumsy and basic. He is an advocate of unreasonable illusions, a xenophobe and an ignoramus whose potentially nationalist-chauvinist strategy would make the world dark, unpleasant and unstable. His presidency would most certainly risk the stability of the global order.

    For the sake of that delicate World order, ‘all’ Americans should register to vote and save the international community from the catastrophe that could be the electoral victory of Donald Trump. If nothing else, the world should have everything to fear at the chime of the word, President Donald Trump. May God help us…

  • Crude Oil– Bane of Nigeria’s economic growth

    Global oil prices have been fallen sharply over the past seven months, leading to significant revenue shortfalls in many energy exporting nations. From 2010 until mid-2014, world oil prices had been fairly stable, at around $110 a barrel. But since June last year, prices have more than halved. Brent crude oil has now dipped below $50 a barrel for the first time since May 2009. The reasons for this change are twofold – weak demand in many countries due to insipid economic growth, coupled with surging US production. Added to this is the fact that the oil cartel – the Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) – is determined not to cut production as a way to prop up prices.

    However, not all within OPEC are equal. Some OPEC members need oil to be above $100 a barrel to avoid hard spending choices. Alongside Saudi Arabia, Gulf producers such as the UAE and Kuwait have also amassed a considerable foreign currency reserve, which means that they could run deficits for several years if necessary. Other OPEC members such as Iran, Iraq and Nigeria, with greater domestic budgetary demands because of their large population sizes in relation to their oil revenues, have less room for maneuver. They have combined foreign currency reserves of less than $200bn, and are already under pressure from increased US competition.

    Nigeria, which is Africa’s biggest oil producer, has seen growth in the rest of its economy but despite this it remains heavily oil-dependent. Energy sales account for up to 80% of all government revenue and more than 90% of the country’s exports. The current oil price which is on a free fall (at about $34 per barrel presently), has brought about the presently witnessed dire implication for a Nigerian economy which runs mainly on a single commodity. These implications on our economy include the current exchange rate volatility being witnessed in the country. Since 95% of our foreign exchange earnings is tied to oil and with shortened revenue in dollars terms, the Naira is under continuous pressure. At over N280 to a dollar presently and despite devaluation, Nigeria is currently earning less revenue from oil and gas exports and imports of household items has become more expensive, with the burden passed on to Nigerians.

    Also, stagnation in savings is currently being witnessed as a result of the depletion of the excess crude account. Declining oil prices means that Nigeria is not able to add additional revenue due to pressure from states that also run high recurrent expenditure. It’s also becoming difficult for the Federal Government to save funds in the sovereign wealth fund, considering the austerity measures of the times. Accretion to the external reserve is expected to slow with falling crude oil. Similarly, capital expenditure is under threat by lower oil prices as government strives to keep its deficit within the limits of the fiscal responsibility act whilst ensuring it meets its day-to day obligations. Unless drastic reforms such as downsizing personnel, sharp cuts in overhead costs occur, spending on recurrent items will remain, as they are fixed charges. Furthermore, employment/job creation is being adversely affected. Since the public sector is undoubtedly the largest employer of formal labor, cuts in government expenditure due to falling oil prices would lead to cuts to a number of new jobs. Unless the private sector steps up, this can lead the way for employment opportunities in Nigeria.

    Crude oil more than anything else has been a major curse to Nigeria; breeding corruption, indolence, greed, and other ill vices. The current declining oil price is the boost Nigeria needs to wake up from its slumber and diversify its economy. We have as a nation relied too heavily on oil. Even while relying on crude oil export, we have failed to recognize the added value to it, because there are lots of bye-products. We take the oil in its raw form, export it and use the proceeds from it to buy finished products. This is indeed very sad. This is akin to a cassava farmer who harvests his cassava and takes it to the market to sell, using the proceeds to buy garri.

    Agriculture has always been a huge potential in bringing in much needed revenue for the development of the country. In fact before the discovery of crude oil, agriculture was the mainstay of the Nigerian economy. Nigeria was once famous for her agrarian economy through which, cash crops like; palm produce (oil and Kernel), cocoa, rubber, timber. Groundnut etc. were exported, thus making Nigeria a major exporter in that respect. The exportation of this agricultural products helped Nigerian in taking gigantic strides towards her economic growth. This sector offers vast opportunities and can employ over 70% of the Nigerian labour force. Added to it is the provision of the basic food requirements for the country, as well as providing raw materials for local industries.

    Alas, upon the discovery of crude oil and its subsequent exportation, there was a boom on the economy of Nigeria as it accounted for over eighty percent (80%) of the country’s foreign exchange earnings. The discovery to some extent assisted the country’s economic prosperity, but has now become the bane of Nigeria’s economic growth. The fact being that, the money earned by a country with less or little effort; through petroleum, resulted in the abandoning of the agricultural sector. Sadly, the agricultural sector presently provides employment for about 15-30% of the population and agricultural holdings are small and scattered, and farming is carried out with simple and archaic tools. Large-scale/mechanized agriculture is not common. Also, Nigeria’s abundant mineral resources can serve as a good source of income for the country. However, the mining of minerals in Nigeria currently accounts for less than 0.3% of its GDP, due to the influence of oil resources. The domestic mining industry is currently underdeveloped, leading to Nigeria having to import minerals that it could produce domestically, such as salt or iron ore.

    Affluence is not a function of the availability of resources at one’s disposal, rather, an effectiveness in utilization of the so – called “resources” to meet the social and psychological needs of individuals, persons or nation in general. If that is case, it is really quite sad for a country like Nigeria; that is endowed with untapped minerals, fertile and available land coupled with good climatic conditions, turns from being a producer and exporter to one of the largest importers of food products.

    Nigeria needs to urgently begin looking beyond oil. Years of our over-reliance on oil has led to the current dismal and sordid state we’ve found ourselves in. Governments’ at all levels in the country should and must restructure other sectors like industries, tourism among others, and fully utilize and harness available resources to meet the demand of the present time. The habitual lip-service of diversifying the economy by previous governments should be a thing of the past. Adequate measures has to be put in place and must begin for the actual diversification of our economy if Nigeria wants to survive the ongoing shortfall that has been caused by the over-reliance of oil and running a mono-dependent economy.

  • Legal prossibility of the Federal Republic of Biafra

    “When we speak, the Zoo trembles. That is what happens when a cattle rearing terrorist and pedophile is your ruler. Message to every #Hardcore Biafran, if you find anybody in your village asking after Radio Biafra, kill the Baboon Awusa Foolani or Yorobber bast*ard. Let them keep searching as we keep tweeting for Biafra…. Lunatics.”

    –This was the exact (verbatim) message posted on Nnamdi Kanu’s Twitter handle on the 28th June 2015 at, approximately, 11:00 pm.

    The above excerpt was posted by Nnamdi Kanu, the London based director of the radio station, Radio Biafra, and a leading member of a movement agitating for Self-Determination from Nigeria to form the sovereign Nation of Biafra.

    Now, let me say this; before I had the sickening experience of going through all the hate-filled social media platforms owned by Mr Nnamdi Kanu and reading the dangerously frightening, chilling and venomous hate-filled rhetoric that this young man has been spewing, I was one of those who disagreed with the current measures taken against him. It reminded me of Mohammed Yusuf, who was a person that few knew about, until the government incarceration and murder of him turned him into a Martyr. A martyrdom, which triggered bloodletting lunatics we are petrified of today. I felt that, Mr. Kanu’s imprisonment was counterproductive. I believe he was playing a game, one, which the government took the bail! I feared that there were frightening parallels between the current tensions raised by his incarceration and the sectarian, religious and anti-government rage that preceded the current insurgent uprising in the base of Biafra. In the same way that I felt the government could have handled the situation and fallout of Mohammed Yusuf’s capture in a more cautious manner, I also felt that the present government should handle the capture of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu in a more cautious way.

    I simply feel that they should free him, with surveillance. I look at him as no more than a misguided, attention seeking biped with an over-inflated ego; looking for his 5 or 10 minutes of fame. I still feel, going forward, that the government needs to be a lot more careful, strategic and structured in the decisions it makes on Mr. Nnamdi Kanu. So that the tiny little anthill Mr Kanu’s issues present isn’t turned into humorous mountains.

    While doing some background on Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and reading his social media posts, I came across scores and scores of his hate-filled rhetoric online, some speaking on mass murder, torture, maiming, really, really unspeakable acts those he refers to as Awwusa, Foolani, Yooroober and every tribe not from the South East. To say I was flabbergasted is an understatement. It is unbelievable to me that a human being can harbor that level of hatred. Like the insurgents killing and bastardizing innocent people in the North Ease, I hope Mr. Kalu can come to the realization that there is very little in the way both he and insurgents think. He is a reflection of their leader and they are in the reflection of him! Wright or wrong, different ideology, they both legitimize violence.

    When researching and reading of Mr. Kanu, I experienced two emotions. The first was an anxious curiosity I felt about his home environment as a child. I wondered what kind of toxic setting he grew up in that shaped this misguided young man into the hate filled reprobate making the posts I read. The second was a deep compassion I felt for him. I felt sad to see another, amongst us, whose heart was so condemned, it perished in the deep, dark, lonely dungeon of such bigotry and loathing. Where was his family and his friends as he was growing into this dark, bigheaded nasty creature?

    Considering the basis for Nnamdi Kanu agitation, the starting point is the principal of self-determination. In discussing the legal ramifications for Self-Determination for Biafra, we should first examine the legal possibility of a declaration of political autonomy from Nigeria on the backdrop of the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This declaration is essential for any discussion on Self-determination.

    This is not the first time the issue of Self-Determination from Nigeria has come up. In the past, groups have attempted to make use of Art 1(2) of the United Nations Charter as well as other International Covenants to assert the third generation right for political autonomy, however, the position of International legal principles and set precedents established, in regards to Self-determination is not as simple and straightforward as one would assume! “…I’ll explain…”

    Under Art 1, [ICCPR/ICESCR, Art 1(2), UN Charter; Art 20(1), ACHPR; Art 2, AL], it is provided that:

    1. “All peoples have the right to self-determination…”
    2. “All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based on the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence.”
    3. “The State Parties to the present Covenant, shall promote the realization of self-determination, and shall respect that right, in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.”

    As clearly evidenced in the provisions of the United Nations Charter, international law has always held the right to self-determination at a high standing because its recognition is vital for the effective guarantee and observance of individual human rights and for the promotion and strengthening of those rights. However, even with the importance attached to this right, in the wake of decolonization, the right to self-determination stands as one of the most debatable aspects of modern international human rights law we have today.

    The accepted view of self-determination is that, it is a right exercised primarily by people living under colonial regimes, which could be exercised once and once only, to remove the colonial regime in question. Essentially it was taken as referring to the right of a group of people, normally of one distinct territory, to decide collectively the manner in which they wish to be ruled or governed. However, even though the right to self-determination for all peoples is an apparently inalienable human right, it must be noted that it is not necessarily an absolute right! Most notably, its application to ‘peoples’ living under non-colonial domination is not so apparent.

    It must be established that the right to self-determination is ‘a group’ right, but one of its main problems lies with its beneficiaries; who are the ‘people’ to whom the rights ascribe? Due to the fact that the right is only exercisable by ‘peoples’, the law has to be satisfied that those who seek it meet the threshold of ‘peoples’ under international set principles. The meaning to be attributed to the concept of ‘peoples’ for the rights of people in international law in this regard includes, groups who enjoy a common historical tradition, racial or ethnic identity, cultural homogeneity, linguistic unity, religious or ideological affinity, territorial connection or common economic life. The group as a whole must have the will to be identified as ‘a people’ or the consciousness of being ‘a people.’ In view of this definition, it is presumed that Nnamdi Kanu’s definition of the Biafran people may satisfy the definition of ‘peoples’ for the purpose of securing their indigenous rights under the United Nations Convention…. If he has the complete and pure consensus of every single Nigerian Igbo!

    Conversely, in respect of self-determination of ‘peoples’, two other vital aspects have to be distinguished; the internal and external aspect of self-determination.

    The right has an internal aspect, that is to say, the rights of all peoples to pursue freely their economic, social and cultural development without outside interference. In that respect, there exists a link with the right of every citizen to take part in the conduct of public affairs at any level, as referred to in Article 5 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. In consequence, governments are to represent the whole population without distinction as to race, color, descent or national or ethnic origin. On the other hand, the external aspect of self-determination implies that, all peoples have the right to determine freely their political status and their place in the international community based upon the principle of equal rights and exemplified by the liberation of peoples from colonialism and by the prohibition to subject peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation.

    Within the backdrop of establishing the internal and external aspect of self-determination follows the issue of territorial integrity. The main bone of contention for any group or peoples within a defined national boundary that wish to declare their right to self-determination is the fact that international law has developed within a framework of respect for the territorial integrity of a state. Cohabiting with the United Nations’ encouragement of self-determination is its very strict practice of respect for the territorial integrity of a State, a policy deeply against partial or total interference with the territorial integrity of a State. Territorial integrity and respect therefore is enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, Art 2. The General Assembly, in Declaration 1514 on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples in 1960 even went as far as purporting to exclude the exercise of self-determination by discernible groups: ‘Any attempt aimed at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and the territorial integrity of a country is incompatible with the purpose and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.’

    In a leading Canadian case with similar facts to the declaration that Nnamdi Kanu may eventually wish to rely on, the court was very clear on the position of United Nations Charter in regard to the right to self-determination of indigenous people within a defined state.

    On the question of whether international law principles recognize Quebecers right to self-determination, which could legally effect the unilateral secession of Quebec from Canada, the court concluded that; ‘Canada is a sovereign and independent State conducting itself in compliance with the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, thus the Quebecers had no right to secede’. In the judgment, the Supreme Court had recognized the right of a people to self-determination and acknowledged that much of the Quebec population satisfied the criteria for determining the definition of a ‘people.’ However, the court then distinguished between internal and external self-determination; the former being the accepted political development of a State and the latter could only be invoked unilaterally in extreme situations. The Quebecers were accorded internal self-determination insofar as their linguistic rights are recognized; they have a fair representation in national legislative, executive and judicial bodies and their culture is not threatened.

    The court received many submissions on behalf of other indigenous Canadians who also argued for their own territory and autonomy. But this point was not even addressed by the court because no application of the principle of self-determination was found as justified vis-à-vis Quebec and therefore no other indigenous group or tribe could invoke that right.

    But even with these set principles, there are instances where international law applies a different criterion in cases it considers extreme. The scope of an extreme situation justifying external self-determination was addressed in the opinion of the African Commission of Human Rights in Katangese Peoples’ Congress V Zaire. It was suggested that where a State denies a group participation in the Government process and violates their fundamental rights, the territorial integrity of the State may not be such a paramount consideration.

    Furthermore, other instances where support for the extension of the principle of Self-determination to indigenous populations may be inferred have been recorded. If Nnamdi Kanu’s grievance and ambit falls within this argument, then he may have a case. One such example was from the powerful separate opinion laid down in the Western Sahara Case. The judge opined that; “It hardly seems necessary to make more explicit the cardinal restraints which the legal right of self-determination imposes… It is for the people to determine the destiny of the territory and not for the territory to determine the destiny of the people.” But even such a strong ‘obiter’ is not without its ambiguity. It could be inferred from this that the ‘people’ must be of a whole territory and hence the judgment conforms to the territorial view of the United Nations. On the other hand, the use of the term ‘territory’ could be taken to mean that the land could be part of an existing State. This still causes some problems for self-determination with the colonial framework where questions of succession arise.

    While unilateral secession is not specifically prohibited, it is clear that international law does not specifically grant component parts of sovereign states the legal right to secede unilaterally from their parent state. Self-determination is clearly acceptable for divesting States of colonial powers but the problems arise when groups, not, in solo occupation of a given defined State territory choose to exercise self-determination! Hoping Nnamdi Kanu is taking note…!

    Although the policy of self-determination has had some notable successes in the post-colonialist era; for example in Czechoslovakia where the population voted to separate and become two States, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, international law tends to lean towards territorial integrity in a clash with claims for ethnic, cultural and religious self-determination.

    As earlier stated, the right to self-determination as a group right applies to the people of a State wholly and not severally. The people that Nnamdi Kanu is referring to as Biafrans are the nationals of Nigeria as a whole. And even though Nigeria is a decolonized State that lacks cultural and ethnic homogeneity, the whole people of the territory achieved independence through the communal exercise of self-determination.

    So, based on the set precedence of the International legal provision that Nnamdi Kanu probably would need to seek to rely on, would such a quest for political autonomy of Biafra from Nigeria succeed under the United Nations Charter? Given the fact that it would be difficult to argue that Biafra meets the threshold of a colonial people or an oppressed people or that they have been denied meaningful access to government to pursue their political, economic, cultural and social development, any quest he may have for self-determination under the United Nations Charter would be unlikely to succeed. International law would expect any such agitation for self-determination to be sought within the framework of Nigeria.

    Now, let me briefly turn to Nigerian law. Based on Nigerian internal law, Nnamdi Kanu’s quest is also unlikely to succeed. Provided in the preamble to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ,1999 (as Amended), the entire people of Nigeria agreed that the Country should be One Indivisible and Indissoluble Sovereign Nation. It proscribes that ;

    “We the People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria: Having firmly and solemnly resolved: TO LIVE in unity and harmony as one indivisible, indissoluble, Sovereign Nation under God dedicated to the promotion of inter-African solidarity, world peace, international co-operation and understanding: AND TO PROVIDE  for a  Constitution for the purpose of promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our  country on the principles of Freedom, Equity and Justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the Unity of our people: DO HEREBY MAKE, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THE following constitution…”

    The foregoing is a collective agreement by the Nigerian People and for this principle of indivisibility and indissolubility to be undermined by any part of Nigeria it will require the people of Nigeria coming together to agree that a part of the nation has a right to what that part considers as self determination. The Constitution is the Organic Law, governing the rights, duties, obligations, and privileges of the people of Nigeria and its supremacy must at all times be fundamentally observed. For any group of persons to seek to divide the Nation under any guise would amount to a brazen attack on the Constitution.

    Nnamdi Kanu has got the law, both international and internal, twisted! The second limb of the preamble to the Constitution makes provision aimed at engendering peaceful coexistence and unity of Nigeria. Perhaps, Nnamdi Kanu should be advised to concentrate his efforts on engaging the leadership of Nigeria for… better leadership rather than go on this ‘silly, billy, senseless, ‘Frolic of his own!”

    It is likely that the grievances Nnamdi Kanu has is hinged on the failure of past political leaders to promote good governance and welfare of all persons on the principles of Freedom, Equality, and Justice that has heightened his agitation for the Biafran State, which threatens the peace of the Nation.

    I suggest he channels his energies in order to bring better leadership in the places it is required. How about lifting his posterior off that potato couch, hence where he disgorges his vile venom in the comfort of this London station and comes to see what peaceful and productive change he can bring to Ngeria? Eeehhh? How about that for a suggestion Nnamdi Kanu …? Instead of breaking the law, calling for treason, committing conspiracy and expecting to b hailed as a hero and a marytry. *Sigh*

    In a nation like Ethiopia it was possible for Eritrea to exercise her right to self determination because the Ethiopian law has liberal provision that guarantees such right unlike Nigeria where the Constitution does not admit of the exercise of a right to self determination.

    Therefore, if Nnamdi Kanu wants to declare political autonomy from Nigeria in order to enforce the United Nations’ Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples for the self determination of Biafra, he must keep in mind that, in challenging the traditional anti-secessionist United Nations’ stand, the present United Nations’ practice dictates that only classic colonies, those Third-World nations under European domination can exercise the right to self-determination without any hitch. In light of this, rather than relying on international law and the UN Convention or internal law to enforce his quest for self-determination, an internal decision making framework, such as a Constitutional Convention, National Conference or Constituent Assembly may be a more informed, advisable and sensible way for Nnamdi Kanu to present his argument for breaking away from Nigeria.

    Based on this legal Analysis, there is no support for the concept of Self Determination and Political Autonomy On Biafa that Mr Nnamdi Kanu is trying to make noise on.

  • Operation ‘Donald Duck’

    Try as one may, it is hard to look beyond Donald Trump’s thorough distastefulness. Apart from being a most insecure public figure, he is a deeply sad and despicable character. His neurotic arrogance is evidence of a burly complex. His desperate ply for attention shows his throbbing need for the approval of others in order to endorse his self-esteem. The continuous declarations of his confidence expose that he is not self-persuaded. Now, gasping with a canine’s voracious fervor to be mollycoddled, Trump continues to resemble a Democratic joker to usher in another Democratic presidency in the United States of America.

    Unlike Walt Disney characters, which were described by the creator as “All cartoon characters and fables must be exaggeration, caricatures… It is the very nature of fantasy and fable,” there is nothing humorous or serious about this morbidly unpleasant exaggerated Donald the Duck.

    That is the perspective of an outsider looking in because no one in their right minds would imagine that American voters would be so reckless as to vote for such a despicable byped as President. But it appears that, no matter how outrageous Donald Trump’s behavior is, he seems to resonate with the large slice of the conservative base he panders to. The support that this one man is receiving is very strange to the vast majority of the human race. It doesn’t take an avid political pundit or a hater to know that Donald Trump is a horrible candidate whose off-handed comments don’t appear to have clear planned solutions to give him credibility. He would most definitely make a very dangerous president. His prevailing polarizing conversations about minorities and religion would most likely lead to further radicalization.

    It’s hard not to conclude that this mentally imbalanced, monumentally nasty man is just having a laugh in this political misadventure. It really is hard to take serious the fact that this man is contesting to become the leader of the most powerful nation on earth. Listening to his absurd and self-serving rhetoric, it’s hard not to believe that he has got no real intention of being president. From his dreadful comb-over, to his extravagant pomposity, down to his narrative of discrimination and alienation, it is impossible for the reasonable mind to take Mr. Trump seriously.

    In making political statements, Mr. Trump is rude and pointless. Anyone who doesn’t agree with him, he labels a ‘jerk,’ a ‘wierdo,’ as ‘dumb’ and as a ‘loser.’ He responds to criticism as if he is in a market or bar brawl or a primary schoolyard. The creator of the original Donald Duck described his kind of character best when he spoke of exaggerated caricatures because that is exactly what Donald Trump is, the exaggerated caricature of a nincompoop! How can such a man be expected to perform as the president of the United States?

    Being the leader of the ‘so called’ free world takes a personality that is more than a wealthy real estate mogul and reality show star. This, essentially, is what Donald Trump is. A bully that is as undiplomatic and vile as Trump cannot be US President!

    Despite the fact that Donald Trump is a force in the Republican presidential race with polls showing him taking the lead out of all the potential candidates. Apart from the fact that his horrible declarations command the attention of his tea party audience, it would be a monumental mistake for the whole world if Donald Trump ended up as President.

    But then again, if it is so absurd for him to emerge as President, why is he leading in the polls? Who are these people that are actually taking this man seriously? He obviously has a dedicated following for him to be recording the kind of approval rating of his party that he does. But the answer to ‘why Trump’ is quite simple. He is leading in his party’s polls because Mr. Trump is very good at drawing attention to himself. The fact that I am dedicating my time and attention to actually write an article about him so many thousands of miles away from the land where he is contesting is attributable to his genius at drawing the spotlight to himself. He flourishes on propaganda and has ignited the power of social media like no other.

    But yet and still, it is hard not to be convinced that the Democrats and media are more than happy to focus a spotlight on Mr. Trump’s tirades and torrent of offensive statements because they want him to emerge as the Republican presidential candidate. Because, having Donald Trump as the Republican candidate, going into the election, is the easiest way of ensuring that the Democratic party wins the Presidential election.

    Honestly, one can imagine that the world would be a much more terrifying place if Trump was to be elected as US President. The numerous wars and most of the extremist uprising that we see in the world today stemmed from some of the controversial decisions that were made by a mistake that the American electorate made when they voted a clueless President Bush into office. The great foreboding of imagining that the world would be thrust into a similar or worse gauntlet, with the election of Trump is just so overwhelming.

    One only wishes that the American Tea-party right wing were able to share this view. Though that is a tall order! You see most right wing Americans have never travelled outside their country or even their state. They possess extraordinary, ignorant ideas about the world outside the United States. They believe that to be safe, they have to sleep with a riffle under their pillows. They believe that the best way to win a war is to fabricate a reason and take it to an imaginary enemy that targets America because America chooses freedom. If the rest of the world thinks that Donald Trump, like George Bush, is an ‘uninformed yob’ with the inability to construct a rational sentence or chart a reasonable discourse unless he was reading a script or spitting bars of warmongering, then we have the exact picture of the average Tea party loving, far right American.

    Forget about what we see in the Hollywood films and how tall their buildings are, those who think that Donald Trump is a breath of fresh air, a man whom ‘says it as it is,’ are truly the most backward of people. That would explain why they would celebrate the political emergence of a man whose unpredictable and conspiratorial temperament are so outlandish, it’s hard to take him seriously.

    Even with his non political views, this is a man who defies the medical experts and declares that vaccinations cause autism. This is a man that relishes in making malevolent, bigoted, racist, chauvinistic statements about women and minorities. He’s absolutely sure, for example, that Mexicans crossing the American borders are drug dealers and rapists. He uses his Scottish golf course to threaten the United Kingdom because members of the British Parliament dared to foster debate about him.  This is not a rational man in any sense of the word.

    I once read somewhere that in the 1990’s, a section of the American people got used to believing that war could be won by remote control in mobile phone games in which whole enemy battalions could be wiped out with the push of a button. Perhaps, that’s why some seem so willing to elect a leader who offends at will and makes the declaration of war, discrimination and hatred look as easy as D’bang’s Oliver Twist lyrics; so that he could smile and push the red button for them when the time comes.

    If a large section of American society is willing to elect Donald Trump as president, then the whole world will have to appreciate the fact that America’s interest is not the same as everyone else’s, if they didn’t already. In such a horrifying case, it would be clear that a large section of the American society are only pre occupied with their interest and must achieve it regardless of what it takes. The whole world can go to blazes for all they care.

    So, if the inconceivable does happen and Donald Trump is elected President, what does the world have to look forward to? Probably four years of the abject subjugation of Mexicans Muslims, immigrants, minorities and probably a lot more chaos, destruction and war all over the world. America would certainly be a no-go area for the vast majority of the world. It honestly would be shocking if the world got through the next 4 years without some military intervention against some country under a Trump presidency.

    Only God knows what will happen in the next American presidential elections, whether Donald Trump will emerge as the Republican presidential candidate and whether the support he is receiving at his base will translate into victory at the general elections. But it is highly doubtful that, even the most stupid Americans would be stupid enough to vote for Donald Trump to become President.

    If the Republicans gather to defend this malevolent character on the American political scene on the ridiculous notion that he is invigorating, anti-establishment and infuriates liberals, they will do significant damage to their cause and to the Republican Party. They will do damage and have a lot to loose from a successful Trump candidacy because that would be the easiest way for the Democrats to win the general election.

     A Trump win would be a choice for a self-fulfilling prophesy of Armageddon that will be accomplished through arrogance, stunted moral development, suppression of opposition and the illusion of an offensive, mysterious enemy in the face of sheer ignorance led by Donald the Duck.

     Let’s then hope that the coverage and support Mr. Trump is getting is an ingenious way for the Democrats to inject themselves into the Republican camp in order to win the Presidential election. A way where they give the worst Republican candidate subliminal support and media exposure to ensure that he clinches the Republican ticket so that the Democratic presidential candidate has an advantage at the elections.

    Should this be the case, then this ‘Much Ado about The Donald’ could be nothing more than ‘Operation Donald-Duck’…i.e. Operation ‘Promote DONALD in order to DUCK a Republican presidential victory!’

  • People of the Year 2015 (1)

    The 2015 general elections began like a much-awaited suspense/action Hollywood movie with many actors featuring. However, while many feel that the real heroes 2015 election and the peaceful democratic election are the trio of President Buhari, former President Jonathan and Professor AttahiruJega, I feel that the primary protagonists in this true-life movie set in Nigeria were the Nigerian people! All over the country, teeming Nigerians from 18 and above trooped out en masse on that faithful election day to make history. Eligible voters in all the 6-geo-political zones in the country certainly knew they had a date with destiny as they came out to exercise their suffrage.

    After 16 years of PDP rule since the return to democracy in 1999, majority of the Nigerian voters went to the polls eager to overturn this dominance. During the March 28 and … general elections, Nigerians who had been thirstily awaiting the poll heeded the call for “change” and voted for the APC. They then went ahead to protect their votes to make sure that the results reflected their desires. This epochal and watershed event would be the first time since our independence that an opposition party has successfully wrestled power from a ruling party. Millions of Nigerians achieved this rare feat in Africa, despite fatal attacks by insurgents, widespread technology challenges and the alleged hacking of the national electoral commission’s website.

    However, this feat wasn’t achieved without its fair share of drama. The “Nigerian factor” present in most things “Nigerian” expectedly reared its ugly head. The election, which was first scheduled to be held on 14thFebruary was postponed by the electoral commission by six weeks. This was mainly due to the poor distribution of Permanent Voter Cards, and also to curb the ongoing insurgency in certain North Eastern states. The federal government also closed the land and sea borders from midnight on 25 March until the end of the polling date and the election was further extended to 29 March due to delays and technical problems with the biometric card readers. Nevertheless, the Nigerian voters persevered and remained adamant that their votes must count.

    Over the years, the discernible Nigerian voter had been disillusioned with the conduct of elections in Nigeria. Majority had lost hope and saw elections as an extension of the hydra-headed monster of corruption, where only powerful politicians reap the benefits. Voter apathy was the usual norm as many eligible voters declined to exercise their rights. However, the build up to the 2015 general elections was never before seen in our clime. The emergence and amalgamation of some parties to form a single unit – the APC – and their mantra of “change” resounded with a lot of Nigerian voters who were fed-up with the 16-year PDP rule. From Makurdi to Maiduguri, Abakaliki to Abuja, Nigerian voters voted massively for the party with a broom as its logo. Even in areas that were traditionally referred to as “strongholds” of the PDP, the Nigerian voters defied this custom. Instead, they placed their mandate on the burgeoning party.

    Retrospectively, before the elections, there was fear about the foreboding effects the elections were going to have to the unity and existence of Nigeria as a country. Western countries such as the US and the UK, issued several statements to this effect. The overheated polity prior to the elections through political vitriolic and shenanigans by some politicians, seemed as if the doomsday prediction of these countries was at hand.  However, when it was seemingly becoming clearer that Nigeria was heading towards it’s foretold doom, the Nigerian voters rose up to the occasion. Armed with their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), Nigerian voters patriotically and peacefully queued up in single files in different polling units across the country, waiting to be accredited, so that they can be able to cast their votes for their preferred political parties/candidates. Apart from skirmishes and pockets of violence in certain wards and poling units across the country, the election was largely seen as credible, free and fair by international as well as domestic observers.

    The Nigerian voters inadvertently became the heroes who ushered in the present “change” dispensation. They were the heroes that unsentimentally cast their votes and stood by their votes in making them count. They were the heroes who voted in the spirit of unity and oneness as the results of the election reflected this. They were the heroes who used the social media to canvass for support for their preferred political parties and candidates, in ensuring that they get elected.

    That 90-year old woman who braved all odds to cast her vote on Election Day with the hope of creating a better future for the present, future and generations yet-unborn, is certainly a hero in my book. That 18-year old who just became an adult and eligible to vote for the first time and voted on election day with hopes of a better tomorrow for himself, family, generation and country, is indeed a hero in my book. That blind man who on Election Day insisted that he must vote and his vote counted, is also a hero in my book. That pregnant woman who on Election Day insisted to vote with her unborn child, with the hopes of a better tomorrow for herself and her baby is a hero in my book. All eligible Nigerian voters who voted peacefully and in an orderly manner on Election Day, and who protected their votes to the latter, ushering the present change-led administration are definitely the biggest Nigerian heroes of the day.

    ‘…FOR THEIR TENACITY, SENSE OF SELF, LOVE FOR KIN AND COUNTRY, HOPE FOR THE FUTURE, PATRIOTISM, DESIRE FOR CHANGE THROUGH PEACE AND UNITY, “THE NIGERIAN PEOPLE AND VOTERS…” ARE MY PERSONS OF THE YEAR FOR 2015.’

     

    NON-NIGERIAN OF THE YEAR 2015:‘SAFYRE TERRY’

    Safyre Terry is an 8-year-old American girl who survived a house fire in 2013, which left her with burns over 75% of her body and killed her family. Her father and three of her younger siblings all perished in the fire. As the fire ravaged Safyre’shome, the little girl’s whole family was trapped in the apartment. Safyre survived because her father hugged her tight in his arms shielding her from breathing in fumes. He ultimately saved her life.

    Safyre has undergone more than 50 skin-graft surgeries resulting from that tragedy. She has also lost her right hand and left foot. She has basically lost everything but instead of being bitter, Safyre looks at life with optimism. When asked what she wanted for this year’s Christmas, rather than ask for something material, Safyreasked for people to send her Christmas Cards.

    Her simple request should remind us how important the little and simple things in life can bring joy and happiness to a person. Safyre will continue to face life alteringdifficulties but she teaches us that it takes very little to make a young child feel loved and happy.

    “… FOR GIVING THE WORLD A STORY TO LISTEN TO, WHICH CHANGES OUR FOCUS FROM THE MATERIALISTIC ASPECT OF LIFE TO ITS HUMBLE, INSPIRING AND BEAUTIFUL SIMPLICITY; AND FOR BEING BRAVE, BEAUTIFUL AND OPTIMISTICE DESPITE THE CHALLENGES SHE FACES,  ‘SAFYRE TERRY…’ IS MY NON-NIGERIAN OF THE YEAR, 2015.”