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Category: Dayo Sobowale

  • Democracy, performance and justice

    Democracy, performance and justice

    Dayo Sobowale

     

    Lawyers  love  to say that ‘he who comes   to equity must  come with clean  hands’ . In  politics  and in a
    democracy  however,  it is the electorate that determines who has a clean or  dirty hand and  that is sorted out at election time. Democracy is a game of numbers and in a  first past the post  democracy prevalent in most parts  of the world including specifically Nigeria and the US   election time is pay back time  for those seeking  or  renewing  power. When  however they get the power,  politicians follow their  mandate and deliver on them or failing in that regard must expect expulsion from power as the penalty for their failure to deliver. Which  means ultimately that  performance matters and the electorate is the sole judge of that at election time,  no matter the   cacophony  of campaigns prior to election day. Such  is the day of judgement in Edo State today and the man on trial, take it or leave it is the incumbent Governor Obaseki  of   the PDP  who  faces Ize Iyamu  from the same party   APC ,  from which Obaseki  defected , very  close  to today’s election.

    We  take a look  at today’s Edo state elections in terms  of the earlier mentioned indices of performance and electability or re electability.  We  proceed to examine two strong Attorneys General in both  Nigeria   and  the US,  who are unabashedly  executing the  mandates of the presidents they serve and are   certainly   showing    that they are not bothered whose  ox  is gored in the process. Nigeria’s Attorney General  Abubakar Malami  SAN  is literally  prosecuting the head of the anti corruption  body  EFCC  Magu   for  corruption and is even moving on to  set  up a body to take care of recovered loot, the mismanagement of which formed  the core of his ire with the EFCC boss. In the US Attorney General   William  Barr has followed up on US President Donald Trump’s    uneasy  reluctance to close up the US  economy on account of the pandemic by  saying  that the lockdown on account of the pandemic  has  been the greatest  violation of liberty in US history outside slavery .And that  his position is political as Attorney  General  even as he functions as the Attorney General in pursuit of justice in the American political system.  These  three events form the kernel  of our discussion today.

    As  I said before,  the Edo State election is all  or mainly  about   the incumbent governor  seeking reelection on the platform of the PDP to which  he fled after he could not get the ticket for the APC. A strong voice in the APC, the Jagaban  Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already asked the electorate in Edo  not to vote for Obaseki  because he is not  a  democrat and did not allow the swearing in of legislators in the state The NLC in the state  has asked the voters in the state to reelect Obaseki because he paid salaries  and pensions as and when due. Not  much is known of Ize Iyamu and indeed if he wins he will  become the Otedola of Edo  politics when an unknown political  entity   and opponent was voted into power in Lagos   state, because the electorate was disenchanted with the candidate of the popular party.  What  the Jagaban has said is weighty and voters should be wary of leaders with dictatorial  tendencies but then, the choice is for the people of Edo state to make   in a  free and fair election which I think is possible. This is because both parties know each other so well  that it will be difficult  to surprise each other in any rigging attempt. So  the die is cast  and the ball  is in the court of the Edo Electorate to reward or punish  Obaseki  or  bring in Ize Iyamu from the cold as it  were. Today’s Edo election is like a litmus test of Caveat Emptor  which   means  Buyer Beware  for the Edo State electorate and I wish  them well in their choice because they  have to live with it there after. Good luck.

    In  Nigeria the Attorney  General  is proceeding to make the law that will create a body  to look after recovered  loot. Which  to  me is a step in the right direction although it is a bit bizarre that  recovered loot  can  somehow,  be re -looted. Which  sounds  very unbelievable and stands  logic or  accountability  on its head. The  admission of poor record  of  recovered loot  by the government that was elected and reelected because of the integrity and reputation of the president ,  is a brave one by the Administration  and the Attorney  General  who  has maintained control of the anti  corruption brigade and flagship of this Buhari  Administration. One thing is clear. That  is that this Attorney  General  means well and will not shirk his responsibility in the fight against  corruption even as corruption is fighting back with its ill gotten wealth  and massive loot armory. I wish  him well in laying a solid foundation for the anti -corruption  crusade in our very  corrupt  economic  and  socio – political environment.

    We  now go back to US Attorney  General  William Barr’s view that in terms of violation of human rights the pandemic lockdown is similar  to slavery. He  is not alone in condemning the lockdown advocated by scientists and infection disease experts as some people have been demonstrating and protesting along such lines  in Germany recently. Barr lamented that state governors and governments that decree  lockdowns as it were, are treating their citizens like children  who do not know what is good for them. He said governments should not behave like bureaucrats and should make pandemic rules but should allow  people to think out how to apply them and use their initiative in saving themselves from  the pandemic. Instead of putting them under what he called house arrest with the prevailing lockdown. This goes very well with the views of his boss,  the US president in admitting that he tried to play down the pandemic so as not to cause panic at the outset. But Trump’s  opponent want to use this to nail him as an irresponsible liar of a  leader and that  is dangerous  for his reelection  chances in November this year. Of   course Trump’s AG  is  not mincing words in saying that the lockdown and the  pandemic are affecting the reelection  chances of his  boss and that his duty is to ensure in the Department of Justice he heads  as AG    to protect the political  chances  of his boss  for reelection in November this year. That  is saying it   as it is ,  and that has my commendation  because their opponents are  really using the pandemic and lockdown and its handling  as a potent political  hemlock to make sure that Trump  is never reelected. His AG is saying however that this  would be over his dead  body and that is why  he is equating  the pandemic lockdown to slavery. It   may sound   like  an exaggeration   but   then  that is his opinion    on the pandemic and he is entitled    to   it.  That, pandemic or not, is what politics and democracy is all  about. Freedom  of speech , after all   said and done,  is an inalienable   right  especially   in American   politics.  And   really,    it  is not easy to lose power  with your  eyes wide open, even  in God’s  own  nation like the US. Once again – From  the fury of this raging pandemic,  Good Lord Deliver Nigeria.

     

  • Recognition, security and protests

    Recognition, security and protests

    By Dayo Sobowale

    The news of the arrest of Nigerians protesting against the fuel and electricity prices by  the Police is  something that should bother Nigerians as it is an anti democratic  act that  smothers the right of protest and dissent in a democracy  such  as Nigeria proudly claims  to be. This is  the kernel of our discussion today. People  have the right  to protest in a democracy and as long as they are not violent they must  be protected even as they  protest  by the Police. That  the protesters are quarrelling with the fuel price and power price  hike is to be expected. Especially in this grueling pandemic and at a time when the National  Grid  is  virtually   always down while  power failure  is the norm rather  than the exception mostly  all  over  the nation. We  shall  face  the reasons for the hike later but it needs to be put in proper  perspective   and   recognized that the right to protest over issues that  concern  the welfare of Nigerians is an inalienable right  which  even the Police   should   respect as a legitimate  right under the rule of  Law.

    Today  however we look at the nomination of US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Prize by a Norwegian  law  maker  who  thinks he deserves it for brokering peace between  the UAE  and  Israel recently. Is   the mercurial  US president worthy of such recognition ? We shall  answer  the question decisively. We  shall  also  look at the North Central  Politics in Nigeria as  a group  broke away from the sole representative, socio- political organization and weighty voice of the North , the Arewa Consultative Forum,  ACF  to  form a splinter group  on grounds of insecurity  pervading the North Central  as well as  marginalization. In  the same  vein   we   also  appraise  the killing of a repentant war  lord  called  Gana  by soldiers  in the Middle  Belt  where an amnesty  was recently  forged and the slain war  lord had publicly  announced he was laying down arms and embracing the amnesty .   Coincidentally  all  these  issues  revolve around  security and peace which  are  essential  for  political stability and that  recognition  needs to be appreciated as we proceed on our  analysis  of these events.

    First  we look at the nomination of the US President Donald Trump  for the  2021  Nobel  Peace Prize by a Norwegian MP which is the requirement for  the Nobel Prize  in  Norway. The Norwegian Gdejje  had nominated Trump for   the 2018  Nobel Prize for brokering Peace between North and  South Korea  but the nomination failed . This  time Gdejje  is nomination Trump for brokering peace between Israel  and UAE recently. I know  the Democrats in US domestic politics would be mad as hell on Trump’s  nomination  but  then  that is there  funeral. This is because in spite of the latest political  grave they have dug for Trump   to be buried alive by insisting he called military men captured or wounded in wars ‘losers ‘  Trump  has performed  very  well  in diplomacy  and foreign affairs. He  has done the unthinkable in this regard and he must  be given recognition for blazing a trail in American foreign policy  more than any     American   president in recent  times.   Aside    from calling China to  order  on  forging  copyrights  and getting away  with  it,   his tariffs    are   defining    World a   Trade as we  know it today He   has  created  détente with North Korea   and brought  that nation in  from the cold and isolation of nuclear  politics.  Now  for the first time in recent  times he has made another Middle East  nation  to sign  a peace treaty with Israel. Hitherto  only Egypt -1979   and Jordan- 1994  signed such a treaty and   in Egypt,  Anwar Sadat was assassinated for his bold  effort. it is widely  reported that more nations would sign the peace treaty with Israel , a fact  which will not go down well with Palestinians who  are out in the Cold  for insisting that Israel  should give up the land it  captured in the Six Days War  of 1967. To  me  ,Trump  has done more in international  relations than Barak Obama who was given the Nobel Prize for Peace  for his Cairo  speech on the Middle East but left that part of the world in the throes of the Arab Spring of 2011 which  brought a false sense of democracy.  Especially  in Egypt where Morsi  was elected democratically  but later decimated by the Egyptian military which  then  ensured the election of its leader as civilian  president  of Egypt  subsequently.

    We  now go to the North Central where the North  Central Peoples Forum seceded as it were from ACF and  cited as its rationale the fact that in spite of the abundant mineral and human resources of the North Central the area is’  bedeviled  by vices like banditry and other forms of criminality. The  leader of the new group is former Minister of State for Health Gabriel  Aduku. The  group expressed confidence that the people of  Benue, Kogi , Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger Plateau and the Federal  Capital  Territory  would   unite  to  ensure peace and stability  in their area.  The  fact  that NCPF  has emerged shows that regional  suspicion of Federal  might to guarantee regional security, peace and stability  is growing  nation wide. This was the motive for the emergence of Amotekun in the South West. What  this means is  that  the center is falling to pieces in  guaranteeing peace  in the regions and  a security panacea of  ‘every body for himself, God for us all‘ is slowly but surely emerging.

    It is a situation based on pragmatism as life has no duplicate especially in the  face of avoidable  but  constant  violence that  seems to  persistently override government  veto  in the NE, and  NW. That surely is the rationale for this North Central Initiative to make regional  concern on security  and protection of life and property  its main goals and objectives. It  is a way of saying that one does not put fire on the roof  and go to sleep.  I see it as step in the right direction  for the safety  of the area.

    We  now  take a look at the death of the warlord Gana who  had just embraced peace and amnesty  but was nevertheless gunned down by soldiers. To  me this is a clear sign of a failed peace. Obviously  the soldiers who killed  Gana knew who  they  were killing, amnesty or not. The peace of amnesty  has always seem a dubious and unsteady  peace to me. At  best it is a peace of the grave yard  with the ever  present threat of death and retaliation.  It  failed in Katsina  where the Governor  was confounded with the resumption of hostilities after the amnesty  was seen as a settled matter. Peace  should come in any  conflict once a victor  has emerged who has  subdued the  defeated by superior violence and force of arms. Granting amnesty without victory is allowing a Trojan horse  in  any  such territory. This is because there is no such thing as repentant  terrorists. Terrorists are terrorists ad infinitum  until  they are captured and punished or  decimated altogether. That  is the language of war and only victors can  impose peace and stability. Not amnesty.

    Once again – From the raging fury of this pandemic, Good Lord Deliver Nigeria.

  • Politics, pandemic and bad apples

    Politics, pandemic and bad apples

    Dayo Sobowale

    In  defending the  Police in his law and order campaign strategy for  re- election,  US President Donald  Trump admitted that  that  there are ‘bad  apples‘ in the US Police who  will  be dealt with by the   system. It  may  be an un -assuring  statement   to   his   opponents but  for a president who  has lost  a lot of goodwill during this pandemic, his law and order  mantra is a  desperate effort of a sinking  man grasping  at   a  straw,  to clinch   re election in spite   of  the crushing blows of the pandemic on his re election chances. Similarly in banking in Nigeria customers tremble  to go to banks in this  pandemic  because of the discomfort of long queues   and  social  distancing, such that  some  if not many have wondered  if the banks are not conspiring to seize customers deposits  by  making  it difficult  for  customers to  access their money conveniently,  with  the banks  citing the pandemic  protocols as convenient excuse.

    In   Lagos  the   pandemic  curfew   has made  life miserable for workers to return home from work  as they  try  to  beat  the curfew of 10  pm and avoid  police  harassment in violation of  a curfew that  seem  like  an extra burden on commuters, travellers workers and traders who  are  mostly  stuck in the snaky, long  traffic jams compounded by many  road  construction works  going on simultaneously    all  over the  city during this  pandemic. Also  in Germany this week over 30000 people demonstrated against the rules and constraints of the pandemic protocols on their way of life in various endeavors  especially on freedom of  movement. The  Police eventually  dispersed  them after acknowledging that the ranks of  demonstrators  had   been  infiltrated by Nazi  groups displaying  Nazi   symbols  banned in Germany.

    The  import of these various events and observations is to admit that good intentions are  sometimes marred by  bad apples  as Trump  said  of white  policemen killing blacks  at random  under  his watch while he seem to  turn  his  eye  away in  supporting them   on the grounds that  law  and order is the basis of organized  society. Which  in a way is true.  But  good policies and laws  made  by government and  public institutions  can  be subverted by disgruntled and corrupt    public officials  who  exploit implementation  loopholes  to get quick, illicit money and gains  during this pandemic. Also  political, economic  and  police  power  can  be misused and abused  during the pandemic  as we  shall  show today with illustrations and analysis  of the  events we have  mentioned   earlier

    In  the  case  of  the citing of bad apples  to be dealt  with in American Police  Donald  Trump was  adopting a phrase in a book  that says –  play  me foul  and I  will  play you tricky –  in his campaign  to  prevent Democrat Joe  Biden from sending  him  out of power in the November presidential elections,  and  the reason  is clear. The Democrats are using the pandemic and Trump’s handling of it as an  inefficiency    political  albatross   on  his  neck  and   the  main   issue  to defeat   Trump    who was ahead in the polls  before  the pandemic. Now  Trump  is  using the breakdown of law  and order in  swing states and those controlled  by Democrats as his  campaign retort    and rhetoric that  the Democrats will  destroy  American values and security if  voted into power. Trump  is suspicious of   the       coming   but inevitable  postal  voting occasioned  by the pandemic   for  the presidential election and has gone on to ask  his supporters to send their vote by post  but  to   still  go to  vote  to make assurance doubly sure. His explanation is that during tabulation this   will  be sorted out by polling officials. But Trump  has been accused    of asking  his supporters    to vote  twice   which again is   controversial  and debatable. Actually  Trump’s desperate suggestion to his supporters can be equally  used by the Democrats  and it will   be up to the electoral and   postal  authorities  to  sort  out the ensuing duplication. Which   certainly  shows the critical  and important effect  of the election, that  Trump himself  has  admitted to his supporters at their Republican  Convention,  as ‘the  most  important  election in American   history.‘

    In  the situation of the massing of customers at  bank gates in Nigeria, a common sight   in this pandemic the CBN  and  banks’  management  should   do  something urgently  to show that the customer  is king in this service  industry,  especially in this crippling pandemic. Some banks don’t work on some weeks but on alternate  weeks. But  their customers don’t know until  they  get to the branches where they  are turned back by security  operatives. Which  is bad, as it is like using the pandemic to seize  customers money and earnings. It  may  mask   distress  in some banks  and bank regulators like CBN should  be alert  and on   their    toes ,  to ensure  that  some banks  do  not  use  their    financial   power of custody of customers funds to deny them access  on grounds  of    the pandemic. Banks  should protect  their  staff  by all  means but not at the expense  of customers  not having access  to their deposits, funds  and  assets on account  of the observance of the rules of the pandemic .   Customers  deposits after  all are the goose that lay the golden  eggs of skyrocketing bank profits even  in this  pandemic and banks   should find ways of eliminating the spectacle of sad and morose customers waiting to collect   their money  at the door steps   of many  bank  branches  nowadays.

    On  the situation of the continuing curfew in  Lagos  there is no doubt  that it is affecting many  businesses of both corporate and retail traders as well  as professionals too. This is because people rush to get home and driving can  be tedious and treacherous  in the ensuing traffic frenzy. The curfew should be lifted so  that people  can have space to plan their lives  and get home in one piece. The  anxiety   and rush  to get home and not be caught by the police, or  paying their way through  can  be  a debilitating and costly  health and road  hazard.The  Police are trying and can be understanding at times but  then  as Trump noted there are bad apples in the  police and no nation is immune to that fact and Nigeria is not  an exception.

    In  the demonstrations and protests in Germany the protesters were asking  government to ease  pandemic restrictions and not  curtail  their democratic rights of movement during the pandemic. According to German Police the protesters were a motley  crowd  and amalgam of  strange  bed fellows. This is because Far  Right and Leftists protesters, fierce opponents of each  other  at  most   times, flew their  banners at the rally  at which Police said anarchists  and well  known violent groups were also  marching before they were dispersed. One  of the  protesters  summed it up   ominously that they  all  were united in the acknowledgement  and knowledge that the government is their enemy on the pandemic issue  and the  curtailment of their rights and movement  consequently.  Some  of the demonstrators almost  forced  their way  into the German Parliament  which  the German President called an  attack  at the heart of German democracy.  But  the German  government  has been  quite efficient  in the way it has handled pandemic rules and testing and in reducing deaths unlike the UK and the worst of all, the US.  All  the same,   one man’s food is another man’s poison. And  in a democracy  as   buoyant   as Germany  the right of dissent is an  inalienable  one    to   be  respected at   all   times ,  even  in a pandemic.

    From  the fury  of this raging pandemic therefore Good Lord Deliver Nigeria.

  • Power, rigging and security

    Power, rigging and security

    By Dayo Sobowale

    The  November 3 Presidential elections in the US engage our attention today especially as the usual party conventions  for  Nomination of the two candidates ended this week with that of the Republican Party. I take issues with some events and utterances from the politicians at the conventions and make some comparisons with similar situations in Nigeria moreso with  the use of the word ‘rigging‘  by  the US president as a possibility in the election.

    Rigging of course is a familiar  word in Nigeria’s  democracy  and politics and has dogged every  election here except that of the June 12 election won   by  MKO  which  was truncated by the IBB military  regime. It is an unfamiliar word in American  or indeed European  politics because it is as unthinkable  as it is  unexpected, and  I am  talking strictly   of EU  nations  and not nations like Russia or  Belarus  where protesters are  still  on the streets protesting  as rigged, the election of their president in the just  concluded  presidential  elections.

    Let  me start with  the observation about Nigeria  on rigging and note  clearly  that  even if a party in Nigeria  knows it has the majority and goodwill  to win,  it  would  as a matter of  course still  rig or pad the figures. Consequently and inevitably,  the number of  votes returned will be more than the number of registered voters  on the electoral  roll. The  rationale  for rigging  in  such  a safe constituency is to make assurances doubly sure. So    you  can imagine the fierceness and zeal  to  secure the majority in a highly  competitive environment and electoral  zone.  The import here is that  rigging, like budget padding in our  legislature, is a way  of life  or culture in Nigeria’s  politics  and  democracy.  Just   as it    is  a stranger in American politics and democracy,  into  which  rigging is about  to  make a grand entry,  as proclaimed  by  no less  a person  than  the incumbent President Donald  Trump,   seeking   reelection  in the same November 3 Presidential  election. Indeed  it is necessary  to make this distinction  in the nature  of politics in both Nigeria   and   the  US   because Nigeria’s  politics of  presidential  system was  borrowed  from  the Americans  by the military. Which  so  admired   America’s   presidential  politics    such   that  we  have   had   two military  presidents elected as democratic presidents as civilians, in elections that were naturally coated in rigging but were accepted as clear victories; but always  characteristically contested as rigged by-election losers who ended up  as losers too with the subsequent  Supreme Court judgments affirming the victory of the winners of  the presidential elections.

    It  is clear  then that there is an umbilical chord between Nigerian and American political systems which is the presidential  system of government. With this in mind let  us identify the utterances that provoked today’s ruminations from the conventions of the two parties in America this week. The  first was by US Vice President Mike  Pence who warned that the US will not be a safe place if  Trump loses  and that his opponent  Joe  Biden did not  mention a word on the violent protests rocking the US on racial killings and   vowed that the  rule of law will  be maintained at  all costs if  Trump wins. The second utterance or  warning was   from the presidential  candidate that Trump defeated in the last presidential election of 2016 Hillary Clinton who  ominously  asked  Biden not  to concede defeat if the  election results  are close and he loses . These two positions advocated on the coming US  presidential elections form  the kernel of the comparative politics we embark on between Nigeria  and the USA     today .

    It  is a good  point that  Trump’s  running mate pointed  out that  Biden did  not mention the protests in his  speech accepting his party’s  nomination. But that  could  be an oversight rather than a condoning of the violent street  protests . While  the Democratic Party has branded the Trump Administration as reckless and incompetent in handling  the pandemic, the racial killings  and the economy there is no denying that blacks in the US favour the Democractic Party more than the Republicans and those being killed by the White  Police  are blacks. Hence the Black Lives Matter dominance of the protests hijacked by arsonists and anarchists   that Trump and the Republicans are denouncing and invoking the rule of law.  However what  is good for the goose should  be good for the gander. The  Democrats should   equally call on the GOP to condemn police excesses and make proposals to  put blacks in police jobs and change  the orientation  of American white  policemen that  blacks are disposable criminals to be shot like  wild life and randomly,   in a  republic that  brags historically  that all  men,  regardless of   their colour are created equal.

    In  comparison with Nigeria however,  Nigeria needs  the  sort of promise and dedication to the maintenance  of law  and order that the Republicans  are offering the American  people in the face of police killings of blacks and the hijacking of the protests  by lawless  arsonists. The  killings in the North west  and   NE  of  Nigeria    and the terror of Boko Haram and its bloodletting existence  should  become a thing of the past .We  need the sort of news that the Nigeria Army in OperationWhirl Stroke  overcame the terrorist group Darul Salam in Nasarawa state such that 410  of its members surrendered and the army destroyed their bomb  making site and drove them  out of their forest.   The  army then  warned  that it is ready to  flush  out all  terrorists group in the North Central.  We  pray  for such decisive victories in the NE, NW and  more importantly  against  Boko  Haram sooner than later.

    This  is because the Republican Party promise on law and order to Americans is similar to the APC promise on security and  Boko  Haram  elimination and it  was on this platform  that the Jonathan Administration was weeded out in the 2015  presidential  election  and the APC gained power   and was reelected in 2019  on the same promise  which is now  proving  difficult   to fulfill. Government  should  crush any insurgency  that  stands in the way of its fulfilling its election  promises as the Republicans  have  promised Americans on law and order in the coming November 3 elections in the US.

    On  the advice  of  Hillary  Clinton   to Biden not to concede if he loses narrowly  that is an invitation to chaos  similar to Trump’s shouting wolf of rigging on the coming elections. It is clearly  un-American. But maybe Hillary is lamenting that she conceded too easily to Trump in 2016, or  that the Republicans controversially  claimed victory for George Bush Jnr in the close election of 2000  that Al Gore lost. Either  way, the Americans have a lesson to learn from Nigeria’s 2015 election when power changed smoothly and President Goodluck Jonathan, now the peacemaker of Mali  conceded defeat  to  the man  who recently   sent him to Mali to get  the   army out  of the power they recently seized in that nation. Jonathan’s  swift conceding  of power  is a high   point   of  Nigeria’s      democracy and presidential system similar   to what  obtained  in American politics   hitherto. Such  goodwill  between a leader   who lost  power and his  successor, is totally impossible in the  present  climate of the American presidential  election and presidential  system. I am  certain that if Trump   loses,  the  Democrats  will  surely  send  him to jail,   given  the bitterness of this US  presidential  campaign   and  election. Once  again,  long live the  Federal  Republic of Nigeria and From the fury of this  pandemic Good Lord Deliver Nigeria.

  • Democracy, rascality and legitimacy

    Democracy, rascality and legitimacy

    Dayo Sobowale

     

    The coup in Mali, the lockdown presidential election party  conventions in the US  and  the power struggle of two  Vice  Chancellors in the ivory tower of Unilag form  the focus of our attention today.  The  three events show  that  democratic rascality is not a monopoly of street  protests which   are  an  accepted part of   dissent  but   that  it exists in high places  notably  this time in the ivory   tower and even  among past  and incumbent  presidents in the struggle for power in any democratic setting. The  military coup  in Mali  has been condemned by a largely democratic  world led by the UN and ECOWAS  but it has happened  all  the same and the Malians who  know where the democratic shoe  pinches are  happy  with it. Also  at   the convention of the  Democratic Party  without  the usual  large crowd  former US President Barak  Obama  and his wife  made speeches  that made a mocked  the   diligence and competence of the presidency of incumbent President Donald  Trump  who  retorted in kind that  he was elected to succeed Obama because  of  Obama’s    well   known   shortcomings.  Somehow  in my  view   all  three  are  right in their  observations . At  Unilag  the   senior    staff     union  said  they  recognize the seemingly  sacked VC  as the real  VC  because  the Senate  still  backs him and they  back  the senate  and not  the acting VC they  see as an impostor, and that  too  makes very  good  sense.  Especially    in an    educational   setting where the rule of law  is expected to prevail and more   so  in a university  with    the high    rating   of Unilag.

    It  is my contention today  that three events show the travails  of democracy all  over the world as well  as the use, miss –use, abuse  and the limits of power  in various  settings. They  show the hope inherent in democratic elections for change by a victorious majority and the disenchantment  and frustration inherent in a non performing   government by  the electorate  at large. In   today’s world  military  coups  are  out of fashion and that is why the  coup  leaders  in   Mali  are  promising a programme  for election to civilian  rule  . Yet    the fact that the   military   combatant   were welcome as  a  sort of salvation army while protests against  corruption and insecurity  were  going on in Mali  showed  that the  democratic rascality of the coup in dismissing an  elected  president was  not  that  much of a taboo. More   so  in a democratic environment where the elected government had lost  touch  with the desires , expectations,   and  aspirations of the   electorate  that put it in power.

    In many ways the   democratic  rascality in Mali  has a lot  to do with the situation in Nigeria. This   is   because  the   Nigerian government is involved in a great war against  corruption that  seems  to  be rocking  from an     upper   cut   or   knockout     blow as corruption  fights back  fiercely  and even  the government  has admitted that  it  has  problems  of mistrust   and disbelief  with those it charged with fighting  corruption. The issue of insecurity in both the North West and North East  are  similar to the incursion of the Jihadists into Mali  with  arms from  Libya   which has led to French  forces being stationed in Mali  to resist and repel   the Jihadists. However   the     soldiers     in Mali  have  no  legitimacy  for their intervention  even though the move was popular  and can only be legitimized  by a free and fair  election . The  difference here is that Nigeria’s  government  has legitimacy  and has been given a second  term  to  fight corruption, secure the lives and property   of  Nigerians and  improve  the quality of  life of Nigerians especially  in this pandemic. Nigerians   believe   firmly  and somewhat  that   the  government  should  live up to its billing. The president especially  should show more concern on the issue of insecurity  in the North East and North West and stop the marauders  killing Nigerians with impunity. That  is the legitimate  function of government. The  government  should  re strategise  militarily   to defeat  Boko  Haram swiftly  and by all  means and control the herds men  killing people in the nation. Nigerians have confidence in the Army to deliver on this matter  and  are baffled that  the   issue  is getting protracted. It   however    should  not be allowed to  become an issue  for the  next election in 2023  as the reputation of both the incumbent  president and the Nigerian Army  that led ECOMOG in Liberia   is very much  at  stake on the rampaging terrorism  and insurgency  in the nation. A  stitch in time saves nine.

    With  regard  to the coming November presidential  elections  in the US the  Democratic Party, through  those  who spoke  at  its    election  convention  this week  has shown that its major  priority is to get Joe  Biden to replace Donald  Trump But Donald Trump has already cast aspersion  on the quality of the coming election by saying he can  only lose if it is rigged. Which  to me is political  rascality unbecoming of a candidate in the coming election. That  is already  questioning the legitimacy of a Biden  presidency  if Trump  loses. That  really  shows how muddy  American politics  has become in the Trump  era. But  Trump  threatened not  to accept  the election results  while  Obama was in office  and nothing came out of the threat even though he  (Trump) eventually  won the 2016 presidential  election. Obama  in my  view  was   therefore culpable of negligence and overconfidence in  not  asking the FBI to  probe Trump  on his threat not to accept the results  of the 2016 presidential  elections. Indeed  Obama  never   thought Trump   could win the  2016  election and succeed   him. Now Trump is contesting an election   in  2020 that  he says  will  be rigged and there is no one to call  him to order  because he is president. That  surely is a lesson  in political  rascality  and it is a sad day for American politics and democracy.

    Similarly it  is a sad  day  for  legitimacy  and the  rule  of law when   two  egg heads are  fighting for one position of VC   of  UNILAG  which  has one of the best  law  faculties in Nigeria.  That  is some  form of political  and democratic rascality. The Chairman of ASSU in the university put it succinctly  that the Senate is the highest authority in an academic setting and it backs the VC dismissed  by  the Pro Chancellor and Chairman of the  governing Council. ASSU spokesman went on say that the University should  not be run by an impostor who  seeks  legitimacy  by addressing the press  and the university  workers. Which is reasonable. This is because  the spectacle of two VCs  in  a community   of  professors and   distinguished   scholars     makes a mockery  of  learning, knowledge  and  management. It  is  a situation expected  among    touts  and    hooligans   in  market  places and motor parks  and should be an  embarrassment to  graduates and present students  of the University. I think  the Visitor  of the University  should  intervene  to  save  the public  image and reputation of this illustrious educational   citadel    from   this embarrassing     political   and   leadership   rascality.  Once again – From the fury of this raging pandemic Good Lord Deliver Nigeria.

     

  • Leadership, age and sex

    Leadership, age and sex

    By Dayo Sobowale

    I start today with a quotation from Shakespeare on the  life and times of Cleopatra, Queen of  Egypt also  famously called ‘ Daughter  of the Nile’.  The quotation says of Cleopatra, ‘ Age   does  not wither her, nor custom stale  her infinite varieties, other  women cloy the appetite they  feed , but she makes hungry where  she most satisfies ‘Cleopatra went  on to befriend,  seduce and     beguile   two  great  Roman  leaders who conquered  Egypt  namely  the great  Julius  Caesar  and   Mark  Anthony  and  the rest  is history. The  clear  historical  fact was  that  Cleopatra was a sex  symbol  and used  her  beauty  patriotically to get advantages  from  the conquerors  of  Egypt  in her  time.

    In   this  age and time however  let  us look at  what  the ‘Me  Too ‘sexual  assault  movement would  say  of  Cleopatra’s   leadership  role with  her  sex. Especially  now that   Joe   Biden, the Democratic  Party’s  candidate     in the US  November 2020    presidential  election  has  picked  a woman  Kamala   Harris   as his running mate. Kamala  Harris, a lawyer  and senator  would   be the first, black, Asian American to be US Vice  President  if the Democrats  win the election. Such  description of Kamala  Harris  willy  nilly  throw up  the  issues  of age, sex and  race which  are the dominant  issues  polarizing American  politics viciously  nowadays, and it does not seem the polarization   would  end   regardless  of the winner  of  this coming November presidential  election.

    In  Nigeria  too  the issue  of age in leadership came up  when a former   president   retired  General  Olusegun  Obasanjo   called  on Nigerian  youths to rebel  against old leaders  and take up  leadership  of the nation by  drafting constitutions with age  limit on  leadership  positions  and  political   participation  to  those  within the age bracket  of say  45  years. This  is surely a charge to eliminate gerontocracy   by a   well    known   gerontocrat     who  certainly  has exposed himself   to charges  of  senility   and   absent  –  mindedness,   given  his track   record of  never letting go of power  and influence  ,well  after  his controversial   leadership as  both a   military      and  democratically  elected president of Nigeria.  To  me Obasanjo’s call  is  for an insurrection of youths against  old age in leadership. We  look at its merits and demerits. We    along    the  line   recall  the moonlight     story in the animal  kingdom when all  animals  killed their  parents for poor  leadership,  as agreed but  the dog  hid    his   parents who  saved  the kingdom  from the collapse  of  the kingdom  that  ensued  from the  volatile   leadership  of  the rebellious  youths.

    But  first   we   go back  to the US    where it is clear that  Kamala Harris  was  chosen  for  her sex   and   race,   not  because she was  like  Cleopatra, a sex  symbol,  but  to pacify the  female  sex  in the coming elections in the US. Also the ‘Black  Lives Matter’  issue  made  her choice inevitable  given  the political equation  in the US  on    racism    after  the death  of  George Floyd.To  me  however  her choice  because of her sex is a double edged sword  that can  harm the chances of the Democrats winning   the 2020  presidential  election.  This   is because  Male  Chauvinism  and  suspicion played a  major part in the  defeat  of Hillary  Clinton in the 2016  presidential  elections. It will still  play  a major  role  in this 2020 presidential   elections. American  men have a long memory  and while they watched  the Me  Too movement destroy  male careers on past   sexual    relations, they  will  not view  favorably  the   prospect    of  a female   line of succession to  the  US  Presidency by  Kamala Harris even if  she  is branier   than  Hillary  or  sexually  attractive like Cleopatra. Sexual  equality  has  been at  the root of gay rights and gender  equality   in    history and men   in the US and Europe find it  difficult  or even dangerous to  offer dissenting  opinion either  privately or worse  publicly  on this. But   the election and secret  ballot  voting provide an opportunity or right to air  their  resentment of female domination and aggression and stem  the tide of  the prevailing sexual equality   drive in the Me  Too  sexual  assault  drive. In  addition  Kamala  Harris  was a successful Attorney  General in California  who  favored the Police  Unions  to enforce law and order. In   a political   climate  and    presidential  election  where  the police is under scrutiny  especially with killings of blacks   inevitably,    and     sooner than later, some blacks will  reveal  this type of tacit support  for the police made  for her to survive in office and that will be a sore  skeleton in her cupboard and an  obstacle   in the path of the Democrats to victory in this coming presidential elections.

    In   addition I am  sure Donald  Trump  is going to get nasty with the choice of Kamala Harris  but that  is really his own funeral,  especially  as he  does  not see anything  wrong with racial  policing in the US. He  is on record as calling  Harris nasty on the way  she attacked one of the US Supreme Court  nominees  on sexual  assault  recently. In  this there is division cutting across party  lines on gender on the two  US Supreme Court nominees  that the Republicans have put in office under Trump and again  male voter sexual   fears  will  play a part in the way men  will  vote in a ticket  including Kamala Harris.

    On   the call  for youths  to take power on account  of age in Nigeria one wonders at  the motive  of our former  Head of State on  this. Perhaps  he wants to burnish  his image  with the youths  so  they will  reflect favorably  on his legacy  of leadership .The  truth is that the youths  in Nigeria have not lived up to their  billings. Those in politics especially are so   materialistic, self centered  and opinionated   to  provide  the  sort  of leadership  needed to  overhaul our stinking,  corrupt  political and socio economic and  financial  system. Young  political    Personal   Assistants, Pastors  and  businessmen in Abuja, our state  capitals  are already  awash  with   ill gotten gains,    expensive    exotic   cars  and jeeps  and rich mansions that they  do  not need an Obasanjo  to  prompt  them to leadership   or    succession on account of age. Indeed they  may regard his call as an extravagant distraction  or   unwanted   exposure  calling attention to their  speedy  and  swift    roller  coaster   way  to affluence  and power    on account of their political connection, collusion and collaboration with  their  older patrons and principals  in political  control in our state houses, the legislature and even Abuja.

    Coming  at a time when  the elderly or   those  over 65  are  being sidelined in religious  and social  circles on account  of age,    in this   pandemic, the call  on the youths  to literally  seize   power  may  be sadistic and disrespectful   of the quality of leadership in political  circles in Nigeria  in which Obasanjo  himself  has played  a great albeit  controversial  and debatable  part. He  should  allow history  to take its   course  and not impose  his will   on leadership   now   or after  him .  For  some one who  has  no respect for the dead as his statement on the death of a  relatively young political  opponent has shown recently,  he  should   allow  sleeping dogs   to lie   on youth      leadership. He should allow  our youths to paddle their own canoes  to their fate and not jump  ship on leadership  education and  development  in  Nigeria. Once  again;  From  the fury of this pandemic, Good Lord Deliver  Nigeria.

  • Democracy, terrorism and education

    Democracy, terrorism and education

    Dayo Sobowale

     

    THERE is no doubt that  these  are hard and dubious times  for  the practice of the ideology  of democracy globally. The  popular  meaning  that  ‘democracy is the government of the people, by  the people and for the people ‘  is being turned into a charade  by   the elitism of politicians and leaders elected into government  and positions of  power  by  the  electorate  that is   equally  getting very  bitter  and resentful  of  the  unfair  but  clear  socio political  situation  now  prevailing globally   in    many democracies.  This is the    plain fact   emerging   that those  who  wield power in many political systems    do not have the interests  of those who elected them at heart.

    The  situation  has been compounded  and aggravated  by  a  global  pandemic that  has led to the closure of global economies and the attendant present and future  economic   crisis  that  portends.   Especially   now     that   schools have been closed and in Nigeria at least the Teachers Union has   refused to go to teach until they    have  the enabling environment  that will  protect   them  and their pupils  from the ravages of the pandemic. Which in a way  is like closing the future  of  any  nation  because education and youth development is the clear  future of   any  developed   and developing   nation including Nigeria.

    What  attracts  our attention  today  however is the alarming information  from the  American  military  African High  Command  that  about 9000  schools  have  been  closed   across    Africa  and    Nigeria,  and   about   3000, in    different     African    nations like  Mali  and Burkina Fasso     by   terrorist     groups     deliberately    while  they  are     replacing  such  closed  schools  with  teachings    and     proclamations  of their  own  terrorist  Ideology.   The  US  African  High Command    named   the terrorist   groups as   Islamic State, Al  Quada , Boko  Haram  and   Al  Shabaab     .This is in addition  to the  past   kidnappings  in Nigeria   of the Chibok   and  Dapchi    school   girls, their sexual  violations and cooption as wives  and allies  of Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria .

    According   to    a   virtual     media  security  briefing this week  Major  General Dagvin  Anderson, Commander of the US Special  Operations Africa lamented what  l have always  written about for some time   now,  that terrorists  are  taking over control  of both the vast NE and NW of  Nigeria and there is need for this to stop. The  American  general  noted in particular  that  terrorists were  bent  on ‘  hijacking the minds  of  the leaders  of tomorrow ‘ in Africa  generally    and Nigeria    in particular. The  Americans  are   therefore lamenting the irresponsibility  of our leaders and politicians  in turning a blind  eye to the  future   education of our youths, our future,   while literally condoning terrorism in our  midst.

    However  the recent  attack  on the convoy of the Borno  State  governor  in Baga and his  indignant   charge of   military   sabotage, which  has been denied  by the military  high command,  illustrates   roundly   our   democratic   lack  of  leadership  accountability on stopping   terrorism militarily. In   denying the accusation of  sabotage by the Borno State  Governor  the military   high   command   said  it has the men , resources and equipment to stop the terrorists and it  has no inferiority   complex     on   achieving  its goal. So   who is going to stop  the  terrorists  in  our    brand  of  democracy that  spends a lot on elections and  the    maintenance  of  our sprawling   expensive   legislative and presidential  apparatus   but  has no sense   of  responsibility    and accountability   in saving the future of our education and   our   youths,  from the   scourge  of   terrorism and the spread  of its   militant  ideology in our land by  Boko Haram, Islamic State and Al  Qada ? Surely  we should not  be told that  in asking this question  we are    like     the   proverbial dog  barking  in vain  at  the moon,  because in doing so  we put  our  stability, peace and democracy  in  jeopardy.

    Let  us  now look  at other travails and vagaries of  democracy  this week that  show  clearly  that  it is suffering not  only domestic violence  from those who  should protect it from abuse and misuse  but also make it  an example of the rule of law  both conceptually and contextually. We  look at  the recently  concluded Nigerian Bar Association elections and the emergence of a non Senior Advocate  of Nigeria  as  president ,  and   the  recent  attempt by the US  president  to post  pone the coming November 2020   US  presidential   election.

    The  NBA  election of a  lawyer  who is not a silk or SAN   and  the consequent charge of rigging by some lawyers is good  evidence  that the so called learned men are  not  immune  to undemocratic  practices. Indeed  this disagreement  on the election  results in the NBA  is to be expected as a  hazard  of the practice   of  election litigation in  Nigeria   at  which  our  SANs  are  so  prolific that they will  take a case even  against  the Almighty if the fee  is right. But  on this particular  occasion crass  elitism and an   effective  repugnance  of this  by the majority made  sure that  a SAN   was  not elected . Indeed  I think  the SANs  who thought  a  SAN  should lead  the NBA forgot  that legal  knowledge  or erudition  is  not  at  all  democratic  and is not a  game  of  numbers as in the last NBA election  or any election for that matter . Legal   brilliance in any case or any court  has nothing to do with  professional honors or even experience.  It  is a personal    genius  or   wisdom   that  comes to play when  any   lawyer  performs a  ‘Daniel  Come To  Judgement ‘  as the young  lady  lawyer  Portia   did  on the shedding of a pound of flesh without  blood  in   Shakespeare’s  famous ‘ Merchant  of  Venice.’ Legal  brilliance and genius should  not be mistaken for legal  honors as  it  does  not follow   or  is  non   sequitur that SANs  are  more  professional and better than non SANs  in legal  practice and that  is what  the  majority  has shown  in electing a non SAN  as President  of the NBA. The election  result   which  is predicated on    majority  indignation against the SANs   has shown  that  ‘ ambition   should be  made of sterner stuff  ‘as  Shakespeare wrote and  as  the  men  in silk  know  so well-   that   ‘ He  who comes to equity  must  come with clean  hands‘

    On  the  issue  of   postponement  of the US presidential  election  in  November suggested by President Donald  Trump,  I think  he just  tried  to fly  a kite that would not  take  off. He  knew  he has  no such  powers and he knew he would be accused of  attempting    to  elongate his tenure which  is undemocratic. For  someone who  has expressed admiration for  the life presidency of China’s  strongman   President Xi  Ping    just   recently,  the American president shot  himself  in the leg  for   inordinate   ambition  for  even  mooting the idea of  election  postponement. Again,  given the fact that the Russian president,  Vladmir Putin ,   who  Trump’s     detractors  and  opponents think helped  him  win in 2016, has just extended    his tenure ,   literally ad infinitum ,  in Russia, Donald  Trump  exposed himself  and his  election to the charge of ‘evil  communication corrupts  good  manners ‘on his well known Putin affinity  and   admiration. Anyway,  while  I do not  pity the American president for his self inflicted political  wounds and democratic gaffes, I admire his brave attempts  to  make  sure  the schools  in  America  are open and are  secured with funds and hygiene observations   because  he believes America should not toy  with its future  on education, in spite  of  the raging pandemic that is  putting  his  reelection  at  great  risk. Once again – From the fury of this raging pandemic, Good  Lord Deliver Nigeria.

     

  • Culture, politics and security

    Culture, politics and security

    By Dayo Sobowale

    Culture  is the way of life of any people or nation and reflects in many ways their values, morals, customs and tradition. A  new way of life is  however,  slowly   but steadily   creeping around the world and it is  one that Nigerians  and Nigeria  are diametrically opposed to  regardless  of whether  they are Christians, Muslims animists or pagans. Lamentably  enough,  the recent elections in far away  Poland brought   this new danger  to my  attention and that   is the issue of gender role  ideology  which   dominated the last presidential election in Poland. I want  to  discuss  that  today  in the context  of security  and  collective or regional   existence    and     the fact that  Nigeria’s  motto      in our vastly    diverse,  multi ethnic  society  is  ‘unity   in diversity. ‘I  link   this   with the  news  this week   that the   convoy    of   Babagana  Zulum,   Governor of Borno State was  attacked  again by  Boko  Haram  as well  as the  security     concern raised by no less a person than the President of the Nigerian Labor Congress   Ayuba  Wabba  that government  should  do  more on  security in Nigeria generally.

    At   the last   July  12   2020  presidential  election in Poland,  the incumbent  president  Andrezej   Duda won  by  a narrow margin  after  he campaigned  that gender  role  ideology which his opponent  supported was  worse  than the ideology   of  communism  which the former  USSR  imposed on Eastern Europe  for along time after the Second  World   War. The  Gender  Ideology   is    about  the attitude  towards  the, role, rights and responsibilities  of men  and  women  in any society.   The  Ideology   believes that there are more than two  biological  sexes  of a man  and a woman and that sex should  not  be determined  by only the male or female  genitals   and  argues  that there  are more than one type  of  family   other   than  the traditional  one of a man and  a woman.  Hence   it champions gay, lesbian and  transgender  rights . It has caught  on with much of  Europe  and was promoted highly  by the Obama Administration. It  is supported  by the EU nations  except  the nations  of Eastern Europe like Poland, Czech, Slovakia, Hungary,   and  Bulgaria.  In  fact  this week  the EU suspended financial  aid  to some  cities in Poland  because they  have  not accepted the gender  role  ideology  but have  instead declared  their  cities LGBT  free.  Proponents  of this ideology  say  there  are  three stages  in  Gender  Role  Ideology   namely the  traditional, transitional  and  equality     stages.

    Essentially  the  source  of this  ideology was   the    quest  for equal  feminine  rights but it has  now snowballed to include violence against women in a  new  treaty agreed by  the 28  member states of the EU  but which  Poland refused  to sign this  week. The  decision  not to sign  this treaty nullifies its take  off as all  members of the EU  must  sign to  ratify  the treaty. The  treaty known as the Istanbul  Convention was initiated on 11 May  2011  by the   Council    of Europe  in  Turkey   and it  has not  been implemented   till  now. Obviously  Poland’s   reelected President  Duda   waited  till  his   this month’s presidential  election  victory   before Poland  declared it will  not ratify the Istanbul  Convention  as it has sneaked in the issue of domestic  violence which  the Poles   believe is anti  – traditional  family  values. To  me,  the Polish president  and nation has  been  democratic even  in defying the Istanbul  Convention and has acted in consonance with the African wise  saying that  until you have seized the hilt of your sword you  do not inquire who  killed  your father.

    Coming back  to Nigeria  and indeed Africa on this issue  of Gender Role  Ideology,  there  is no doubt  that there is  no market  for  this ideology  in   this part  of the world. Nigeria  has a law against Homosexuality and Lesbianism that carries a penalty of  14 years and  the EU nations and the US governments   know   this  and  respect the African  sensitivity  on this. Even when President Barak  Obama  came to Africa and  avoided visiting Nigera  and went  to Senegal,  he was firmly and politely told  by the Senegalese President then  that  Senegal  needed  no lesson on gender ideology  because its values  are woven  around a family life  of a man and  a woman. In  Africa, S Africa stands  out like a sore thumb  in recognizing gay rights and certainly its   apartheid  background  must  have played  a role  in this.

    In   Nigeria  however there is a consensus on the roles  of  men  and women in society. Majority  of Nigeria’s ethnic groups are patrilineal except  perhaps  the Tivs  and family values are respected.  Even  in the observance  of the rights of women   to protection against domestic violence the  Nigerian way  of life recognizes the right of the man against domestic verbal  violence,  disrespect,    abuse  and provocation by some  women on many occasions   against   their    male  spouse or  husbands. Protection against  domestic  violence in Nigeria is therefore for both men and women and not against women  alone   as in  Europe and the US. Even  in these places where the ‘Me Too‘ women movement against  sexual  assault  is  now  looking like discrimination against men and,  the destruction of   male   careers over past, old,  long time   relationships,  the  momentum  is  losing steam because of the injustice and unfairness of men being seen as guilty before they are tried and the total    and ready   credibility given  to their accusers of the opposite sex.

    Again  in Nigeria  in terms  of security on which  the Borno  State  governor and members of his convoy were attacked and scattered  by Boko  Haram on their way to Baga  which  the Governor  was told  had been captured and safe,  Nigeria and even  Boko  Haram agree   somewhat   on Gender Role Ideology. In  fact  Boko  Haram  means  saying No  to Western Education  and  one can substitute Gender Ideology for  this. Saying this is not to pacify Boko Haram in attacking  our gallant  troops  but to acknowledge that Nigerians  have a way  of life  that  they  respect  and  hold dear  especially  with regard  to  family  life. It  is also  an  appeal  to Boko  Haram   to value  the sanctity  of human life and stop killing Nigerians in the North West and East  as well as foreign aid  workers  who have come to Nigeria   to  help  Nigerians with  humanitarian  work  and aid.

    It  is  necessary    to sound   this note of warning now as many    issues,   policies  and measures      that affect the    socio  cultural  health  of  society  are  being smuggled in  or    secretly   thrown   out    by   governments and some enemies  of society    while this lockdown   to  contain the pandemic   is  being   given  as    the topmost    priority. The   Nigerian  culture,  our way of life, matters  and should  not  be submerged     or   disturbed    by those who cannot differentiate  between    human   rights  and     the culture  and tradition    of   equal   and diverse societies. The   family   is the nucleus   of the African  society and our kinship   and extended    family system  thrive  on it, politically,  economically and  socially. Like   the Poles    we  should    not allow this  gender     protagonists     to bastardise  our way   of life,  unity   and security   even    in this killing pandemic.    On   this   gender  matter   which    is a corrosion  from  Western Civilisation  which    certainly,   is on the decline,   I     urge  Nigerians     to    remember  the   saying   and slogan  – ‘Eternal       Vigilance is the  Price  of  Liberty ‘Once  again  – From  the fury of this pandemic, Good Lord Deliver Nigeria.

     

  • Separation of powers, security and dissent

    Separation of powers, security and dissent

    Dayo Sobowale

     

    The  presidential  system of government is based on the  principle  of   separation of powers between the executive, the judiciary  and the legislature in such a way  and   to ensure   that a democracy does not become a dictatorship and an abuse  of the rule of law and respect  for human  rights, freedom and justice.

    Democracy  thrives on respect for human rights and public opinion   and elections  are the  litmus test of the popularity, acceptance or rejection of the policies and programmes  of elected governments in any democracy.

    Nevertheless it is the duty of government to provide and promote the security   of life and property  of its citizenry,  which  put  it  in   power  in periodic  elections in democracies.

    There  are many claims  to   the practice   of    global   democracy  stemming from various ideologies   but  the right of dissent  and its scope and manner,  separate each  from  the other.

    For  now ideologies  have been  bastardised   by  a disrespectful  pandemic which  has  led to democracies and their leaders running for shelter in the defence or rejection of time honoured   policies  for which  they  have been known hitherto,    in order  to protect  the security   of life and  property  of their  citizens.

    It  is such  political and ideological  dissemblance in the pursuit of  the claim of democracy as the working tool and policy   of governance that  we examine  in the topic  of today.

    We  shall  proceed with a comparative analysis  of the  governments of Nigeria, the US  , UK  and   China    at  this  point in time of a   global  pandemic and the state of their democracies consequently.

    In  Nigeria  the Senate has asked  the President  to fire the   military   security  service  chiefs   for  providing inadequate  security  for  the nation and for poor leadership resulting in  pervasive insecurity and the president  has refused  to do so.

    In  the  US  and  Britain where  the  Republicans  and Conservatives are in power they  have pumped  immense  funds into their economies as stimulus and comfort for their  citizenry  in this pandemic.

    These were ideologues  of minimal government and laissez faire capitalism notorious  in the recent past for stringent economic austerity which they exported through  the World Bank  and IMF as conditionalities for  much  needed bank  loans  to  developing nations.

    The   repayment terms    of these   loans    crippled the economies of these poor  nations  and raised their misery  and poverty level astronomically.

    China which  is ruled  by   the  powerful   Communist  Party of  China    recently   got  entangled with the US over  it 5G telecoms  technology development on security  grounds and the US  has used its economic and technological muscle  and strength  to make EU  nations  at least  Britain to  desist  from  going ahead  with Huawei, the Chinese  telecom giant  on the    development  and  deployment  of the 5G technology.

    Let  us look at these  nations in the context  of their  democracies and style  of  governance starting with Nigeria, Africa’s  largest  democracy.

    The  call   this week   by the Senate to the President  to fire the   security   service chiefs breaches the principle of separation of powers as it is a usurpation of   the  function of security which rests squarely  on the table  of  responsibility of the  President of Nigeria   as  the Commander In Chief of the Nigerian Armed  Forces led by his  service  chiefs responsible  to him and not the Nigeria senate.

    But   the call  showed  the Nigerian  senate at its best in  getting more Catholic than  the Pope  which  now  is the Nigerian  government,   in looking  after  the interests and security  of not only Nigerians  but the  Nigerian  Army,  which  is being deserted by some of its soldiers on the grounds of inferior facilities to fight not only Boko  Haram  but  the murderous insurgents  raiding and  killing  Nigerians in the North East and North West,  right up to  the President’s   home state  of Katsina.

    The  call  by the  senate is   however  a  responsible, patriotic  call  of dissent  with the president on the issue  of its handling of security  of Nigerians and Nigeria by  the  Nigerian  president.

    Read Also: UPDATED: Senate to Buhari: sack IMC of NDDC now

    It  is an  important call  for the fact that the president and the senate  president belong to the same party  and  that  party has the majority  in the Nigerian  senate.

    It  is in the interest  of the presidency to heed  the call  one way or the other  such that the security  of Nigerians and Nigeria is  guaranteed and not at the mercy of insurgents and terrorists like Boko Haram.

    I  wonder  if the  presidential  spokesman  who berated the critical media and columnists  recently, of  airing the views of the opposition,  would  categorise  the senate for its dissent  on security   with  the president.

    Is   the senate   airing the views  of the opposition    on the   call to sack or change    the  military service chiefs? This   certainly    is the   president’s  senate where   his party   has a comfortable  majority.

    A  democracy is based on elections  and the majority  having its way  while    the  minority   must  have   its say. In  this case the Nigerian  senate  is having its say even  though it seems  not to  be   having its way with  the president on whose  table  the buck  stops on Nigeria’s security. I doff    my hat   all   the same  to the senate  on this security  issue.

    Similarly  the concern of the US President Donald  Trump  and the action of the UK government  to scuttle any deal  with Huawei on 5G technology   development on security  grounds is  well  founded and well  informed.

    The  rationale  or  explanation  for  the American  and British   hostility to Huawei  lie  in  the structure of the political  system in China which  is a one party state which  just made its president, a president for life.

    In  China   there  is  no   separation  of  powers  but a monopoly of  it   by a political   party,  The  Communist  Party in China has  a  membership  of around  1m  but it runs China,  the biggest nation in the world in terms  of population of 1.5 bn people.

    That  is   a  powerful   minority  running the majority without periodic elections but for five yearly meetings to discuss   and  approve five year Development Plans  for China.

    It  is difficult to  separate  state  firms from private firms  in China which  is involved in a technological  rat  race  to beat  both the US and  small  Britain in terms  of nuclear, technological  and scientific development,   globally.

    China  is very much ahead in terms of using Artificial  Intelligence, Computer Learning and  Robotics  in policing its vast territory and  massive  population.

    So  what stops  it from using Huawei   to spy  on its technological rivals  like the US and  Britain? There is no room  for criticism  of government in China and  dissent is zero.

    The  US  through  its President is playing safe on security in taking action against Huawei on 5G aside  from its trade wars with China.

    This    is because    China  has proved elusive,   recalcitrant    and   aggressive on many international  engagements and  commitments including its   muscling of  the World   Health   Organisation –WHO – on how and when  the present pandemic  started in Wuhan,   China, which   the  Chinese government first  concealed  before  revealing its existence and  murderous damage.

    China  can  not claim  that it knows nothing about Huawei, as its founder has claimed,  when  the whole world knows that Huawei  cannot  exist in a vacuum   in  China  but for the grace, goodwill and tacit,  if   not  open support of the Communist  Party of China, the  political  institution driving the fastest growing and  largest population economy in the world.

    Certainly, on the claim  of lack of control of Huawei  with  regard  to  China’s  security outlook and plans, the Chinese  government is behaving like the proverbial  ostrich with its head buried in the sand. Once  again – From the fury of this raging pandemic Good  Lord Deliver Nigeria.

  • Mobocracy, infrastructure and population

    Mobocracy, infrastructure and population

    By Dayo Sobowale

    This  is a birthday essay for  me  as my birthday was July  15 this  week   and  I start  by thanking God for  his mercies and greatness in my life . I  go back to history and 1975 during my  NYSC  stint  to derive inspiration for today’s   topic from  a very interesting analogy  in the past  .  I served  in the former  North East  from which  six states  were later  created  from  a population of  15million  people from the latest  census figures then . I  was  later posted  to Gwoza  and  finished at  Mubi  where I  taught Economics  at the then  Federal  School  of Arts  and Science –FSAS- Mubi  . At  the NYSC  orientation camp we  were  told that  in case  of  any  accident   when driving we should  flee,  yes  that was the word, to  a safe  police station for  protection and not even wait  to help  the victim  as we would be mobbed and killed.  We  were  even warned  to make sure that the police station was  well manned  and guarded   and to go on fleeing if it   was not. That was the North  East   of Nigeria  in 1975 and  that was a clear definition and illustration of  Mobocracy which  has never left  my mind  and which  I never prayed  to experience  ever  since.

    But  that  was  what happened to a Nigerian  Usman  Yamah   this year 2020  in  Ikorodu , in  Lagos   state  who  hit  a disabled man,  attempted to flee the spot   of the accident, but was raced down  by Okada  riders who stabbed him  to death, even  though his accident  victim was still  alive  by the time  the bad roads   made  his escape  from the  Okada    lynch   mob  impossible ,  and ultimately fatal  for  him. That  Okada  mob killing in Ikorodu  which  the Police  are still  investigating is an ever present danger to all  vehicle  drivers in Nigeria and especially  Lagos  state where Okada has been banned but the state  government  has never been  able  to  effect  its own  laws. In  addition  the bad  roads  which  made the escape of the Ikorodu  driver  Yamah   to safety,   and   in search   of security,   impossible , is reminiscent  of the parlous state  of the roads in the state.  Especially in this  pandemic  which  seem   to have consumed  the time of the state  government  as if the pandemic is  going    to be   for ever and   should be the sole concern of the state government for now and ever.

    My  birthday  concern today is    focused on   the   okada   Mobocracy in   Ikorodu  and the attendant  street jungle justice ; the insecurity  and  bad  roads of Lagos and indeed Nigeria  and  the need to  meet    the resulting    challenges of  security  and  rural  urban  migration   subsequently. This  really    is  the  root  of  the Okada menace  on our  roads  as  a means  of  travel  and communication . In  addition  I take a look  at  the states of the former North East  as  well  as the census  figure  of 15 million  from  the 1973  census  which was eventually cancelled   but  from    which   the   six  states  were created. The  six states are  Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe,  Taraba  and   Yobe.  I   also  explore   the need  for  infrastructural  development  to  boost  the economy   post  pandemic ,  even as we try  to face the reality that our census figures don’t tally  with  geographical and environmental  realities of  today  .  ln deed     for  now  Nigeria  is projected    to have a population of  210.87million  in 2021 and 215.87million  by 2022.

    I  will  all   the same   try to show  that  Mobocracy  is not peculiar  to  the  Okadas alone.   It   is essentially    a mass   movement. It  abounds in our politics in terms  of vendettas ,    mass  protests      such   as  ‘Me Too’ , ‘ Black  Lives Matter ‘  and  political  retribution. It   can  be seen   in political  parties ,  in   global  diplomacy  and   certainly  in    the politics of other  nations,  both developed  and undeveloped,  regardless   of the raging pandemic. But  as  the Okada’s  have shown in Ikorodu  it can  be as  murderous and killing as this  mad  pandemic.

    Let  me go back to  the  former  North East   which    was  the largest  state  in Nigeria  in terms of population according to the cancelled 1973 census  figures . Nowadays ,  the North East  has become the theater  of war for  the intractable Boko  Haram  insurgency against  which  a large  number of our soldiers are resigning   from the army because  of  complaint  over poor  equipment to execute   the war . Aside  from the North East a spate  of killings are going on in the North West   concomitantly  with the Boko  Haram  insurgency.  But   Borno  state , in the North East and  Katsina and Kaduna states   have  the   largest  census figures in  Nigeria  and invariably  have the largest number  of votes in most  Nigerian  elections   even at the height  of the  insusrgency  in Borno State. So, for certain census figures have always been  manipulated because they  go hand in hand with revenue allocation  to the states .But   it is also  the case  that North South  migration has always  been  ongoing in Nigeria especially  to  Lagos  and yet  the North ,   in all Nigeria’s  census   ,  has always  had  over  50  per cent  of  the  population.  Which means that the destination of migrants  is  having  less population than the origins  of the North  South migration . Which is a very  demographic  inexactitude or  anomaly.

    In  geographical  terms the   North  East  is  vast  like  the   contiguous  neighboring states like Niger   and  Chad  which  do not claim the sort of   large  figures we allocate  to  these Sahel  states in Nigeria.   Such   high populations    have been the basis of carving six states   out of the Nigeria’s  North East  which  is where Boko  Haram  is terrorizing  with  bloody  raids and  reportedly better  equipment and ammunition than  the Nigerian army.  This  accounts  for why  for now Nigeria is spending a lot on insecurity, resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced people when  such  resources  could  have  been used to  make and build hospitals, schools,  roads  and  other  infrastructure  in these  areas. Such   infrastructure  would  reduce  the incessant  North South  migration that is straining  the old and poor  infrastructure of  the south    and  creating the Mobocracy  of Okada  transportation   and the impotence  of government  in containing it,  at  least  in Lagos state.

    As  I  said before  Mobocracy  exists  in other forms as         a form  of  retaliation or  vendetta in political  systems. You  can read vendetta or  Mobocracy  in the way the APC  Edo State  primaries were conducted and concluded  recently leading  to the emigration  or defection of the governor  of the state to the opposition PDP   for  the coming guber election  in the state.  Even  in the US  you  can  read Mobocracy  clearly  in the mudslinging and hostile  campaigns  going on for the forthcoming November presidential  election between  Donald Trump  for the Republicans and Joe  Biden for the Democrats. At   state level  you  can  see Mobocracy  in the way Donald  Trump  retaliated against his  former  Attorney  General  Jeff  Sessions  by  supporting an opponent in his state of Alabama against  him  and ensuring he was defeated in his bid for  senatorial  election because of  his decision  to recuse himself from   Russia  election meddling Muller  probe,  without clearing  from  Trump  as president  first . Even   the July 12 presidential  election  won by the current  president in Poland  by a margin  of 51   to  49  per  cent was a passionate  political  exercise and struggle  between gay  and  family  rights  and  the morals   of  the Catholic  Church  in  hitherto  fiercely  Christian  Poland . It  was won on the campaign of the winner that gay  rights were worse  than Communism from  which  Poland  struggled  to free itself   for  years   during the  Cold  war    and    after the oppression of the Nazis  in Hitler’s  time   during the Second World  War  of 1939   to  1945.   Certainly   the pandemic  closed the gap  in   the Polish  election   as it is a killing virus  that does  not respect issues or campaign slogans. But  the  Catholics in Poland   can  still  be proud  to be Polish  while the gays have to  look  for  having their  ways around Poland,  next time around. Again  from Nigeria I end by saying  –   From the fury of this pandemic Good  Lord Deliver Nigeria Amen.