The Nation Newspaper

Category: Dayo Sobowale

  • Power, media and diplomacy

    Power, media and diplomacy

    Kenya’s Raula  Odinga’s  declaration of himself  as  president  of  Kenya, this week    and his inauguration in that nation,  as well as Donald  Trump’s State of the Union Address, which  was a lesson on the ideals of government, and democracy  dominate our thoughts  today. Both  events question the essence power, authority  and legitimacy in any democracy.  Along with  these  but   on   the lighter side we look at a comment by a diplomat  at a Diplomats Night organized by  Nigeria’s premier  social  club   –  The  Island  Club, Onikan  Lagos  – at which a retired Ambassador  ridiculed  journalists  as only interested in sensationalism  while diplomats carry out   foreign policy,  a dubious claim  that I intend to expose   here  as a fallacy.

    With  regard  to Kenya I  want to remind the self- declared Peoples President  Raula Odinga of an African proverb  which states  that until  one has seized  the hilt  of his sword he does  not inquire  the cause of his father’s  death. This  proverb  is applicable  to  Odinga in  terms  of his personal  history and political  life  as well as a form of saying  of the wise  to  be respected. In  declaring himself  as president  Odinga has taken the fight to the rightful president of Kenya, Uhuru  Kenyatta. It  is a  bold  fight between  legitimate authority and a stolen and illegal presidency. It  is a challenge against  constituted  authority . Really,  Odinga’ has murdered’ sleep  and   like  Shakespeare’s Macbeth,’ will  not sleep  again’.

    Perhaps Odinga  is taking the matter  personal  between  him and Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta  as their  fathers were  President  and Vice  President respectively   and  parted company over  succession when  Kenyatta  picked  Arap  Moi  as his successor  over the leftist  father of  Odinga. More than that too,  even  though  it  does not matter,  was  the  fact   that Odinga  had won election in  Kenya before in  2007  and had to be pacified after riots   and  appeased  by a new constitutional contrivance  that created a post  of Prime  Minister  for  him  for peace to reign in Kenya then.  But  now with a self declared president  in place with an elected  president,  can peace reign in Kenya? The  answer  is definitely  No. This  is because  the legitimate government must claim  and assert its authority  or else  it will  be assumed to have been usurped  effectively  and decisively, albeit  illegally  by the self declared Peoples  presidency of Raula Odinga. Unfortunately  the Kenyatta government  moved against  the media instead of its political  challenger  and closed  the media threatening them  with total  closure  if they covered  the event  only for  a court  to overrule  even  that  misguided order  by asking that the media houses be opened for the duration of the hearing of the case on  the matter.  So   who  is in control  in  Kenya? Definitely the  whole world  is watching   with  baited   breath  political  developments in  Kenya  as  a unique  event  and development  in   and  for   Africa.

    Similarly  in Nigeria  it was widely  reported in the news  media  that  the former  governor of  Kano  State  now   Senator  Rabiu  Kwankwanso  was  advised  by the state  police command  not to come to the state during the week  until  the security situation in the state was ‘ neutralized’.  I  thought  that was a new  way  of  addressing security  situations because if security is neutralized it means it  has been  compromised  and it is not adequate. Which  can  only mean or lead to insecurity. Was that  what the state  Police  Command had in mind?  I   doubt. Anyway, what  stops a former governor visiting  a state he developed  so much  and so well  and in which he handed over  to his Deputy  who is now governor?  Definitely  something  big   and  suspicious  is happening in  Kano  politically  that  needs security  to be ‘neutralized ‘before  a  governor  who  was a hero  during his tenure  as governor cannot  suddenly  be seen in broad  daylight  by the people he once governed  so popularly.

    In  the US, Donald  Trump gave his State  of the  Union Address which  to me was a very brilliant  one to bring unity  amongst  all  Americans irrespective of their  political  leanings. That  he was able to couch  and deliver such a speech in the midst of the media war he created by lambasting  part of the media as Fake News and the on going Russia  hacking and interference in the 2016 presidential elections is really  amazing. I really do not care what the American political  elites and media make of Trump’s presidency but I  want to share some of the fascinating aspects of that  speech with anyone interested good political  literature  and fine people  oriented rhetoric.

    At a ceremony  to which  were brought  ordinary  Americans who  had performed incredible but patriotic duties like the kid who mad flags for graves of dead US military  heroes, Trump  rallied   Americans in my view  like Winston Churchill  rallied  the British people  in their  darkest  hour during the Second  World War. Except  that  the Americans are  facing no war   now,  besides   that between  the Republicans and Democrats   on one   hand, and the media war  between their president and those he had labeled Fake News on the other.

    Trump  told  his people that  in America it  is faith  and family  that count, not government and bureaucracy, because America’s motto  is – In  God  we trust.

    In  a moving exhortation  he applauded  that America gave the world  the arts and music, science and other spheres  of knowledge. The  American people he said dreamed the US, the American people built  it,  and it  is the American  people  who  are  making it great again. When   leader invokes  power  and authority   as belonging   to  the electorate   in  any  democracy   he cannot but have their  admiration   and undying support  in any   clime and  in any  polity. No matter  how grudgingly, it is difficult  not to admire Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address.

    Let  me now  round  up  with  the retired Ambassador  who  mocked  journalists  at  the Diplomats Night of the  prestigious  Island  Club  this week. I   was at the event at which  the Chief  of Protocol represented the Minister of  Foreign  Affairs. I  raised a question on  what  is now the cornerstone of Nigeria’s  Foreign Policy  which was the topic of the day. The  Minister’s  representative did her best  in identifying National  Interest  as the Ministry’s  focus  of  attention before   former  Ambassador  Segun  Akinsanya  came up to patronizingly  insult  journalists by claiming that they  are  only interested  in sensationalism  and do not know anything about   foreign   policy  which  he claimed to be the  work  of diplomats. Which  to me is a comparison  that was   as unnecessary  as it was   grossly  misinformed. This  is because  the media  has a huge input in any foreign policy, including one  that is focused on National Interest  because  even that is moulded and articulated  by the media before it becomes  foreign policy. Diplomats and Ambassadors do  not  make foreign  policies, governments and politicians  do, and Ambassadors and diplomats carry out   the dictates of  the  policy. Perhaps  the pomp  and pageantry  of diplomacy, the balls and cocktails  may  put diplomats  and Ambassadors in the lime light while the journalists  bring the issues  to the public domain as foreign  policy  from the background,  but that does not  mean that Ambassadors and Diplomats make foreign  policies. In    fact   and  indeed   they  run  errands across  the globe to  implement  foreign  policy.  They  do  not make it  just   like   the saying that ‘ the hood does  not  make the monk‘. Once  again, Long live  the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Communication – Between Obasanjo, Trump and Buhari

    Communication – Between Obasanjo, Trump and Buhari

    While  the quality  of leadership depends on the personality of any  leader, power itself thrives on political participation and communication especially in a democratic  setting. The  message of the leader is  as important  as its delivery  before it can be translated to performance which is the ultimate decider of the refusal  or renewal   of  leadership at periodic elections which  also  are  the engine  oil  of all  political systems claiming  to be democratic.  This  is the premise of our approach  to the topic  of the day, which  is a departure  from our normal  conceptual  configurations, for  the simple  reason  that the three figures   mentioned have  gotten  to such a stage  in their   leadership postures  and   challenges  that their  masquerade  of leadership  needs  to be unveiled  today.  This is   to see  their leadership in its true perspective even  as we weigh the consequences  of their past  and present  actions and its toll on the  political, geopolitical  and world  order  in which  they  have exercised  their immense  and powerful  leadership  before  our eyes, which  we assume  were wide  open  as we marvel  or recoil  at their  leadership whims and caprices.

    Former  Nigerian  president, retired  General  Olusegun  Obasanjo  set the ball  rolling  this week,  in   the rather Trump-  like and  explosive way  he shredded the Buhari government in terms of performance and bluntly   asked the Nigerian president to get off the leadership  horse, take a good rest  and  not seek reelection in the coming 2019 presidential  elections.  That  was a tall order from the former Nigerian president  to  another military  colleague  and the   horse riding example  must be a clearly understandable one to both leaders,  who coincidentally,  have  a lot in common in the way they got power both militarily  and democratically. Obasanjo  became  military  president against  his’ personal  wishes  and desires‘    as he was forced  to lead after the assassination of   late  General Murtala Muhammed.  General  Buhari  was brought to Lagos from Jos after  the coup  by the IBB led officers to be Head   of State in Lagos.  20 years  later after Obasanjo  handed power to an elected government  he was picked again  by his military  disciples  as the only man capable of leading Nigeria and he became president in 1999 and ruled   till  2007.  In the case of  General  Buhari   he  became    a democratically elected   president thirty  years    in 2015     after  he  was    removed in a  coup    as a military  president in 1965.  He   became  president in 2015 after the APC leadership  decided  he was the only one capable of winning the election because  of his integrity  and well  known   discipline as military ruler.  So  how  come that the circle of power acquisition has gone full  circle that the generals  are using their slang  on  each  other   and    for  full  effect?  The  answer  to that may  be  important  but it is not urgent for now.

    What  is important  for  now  is the  manner  the Obasanjo  tirade  was received by the Nigerian  people and nation. The  governor of Ekiti  state Ayo  Fayose hit the nail  on the head by saying that Obasanjo  contributed to the problems of  Nigeria today  and whenever   he spoke, people  hissed. Yet Fayose  asked the Nigerian  president to heed the warning in Obasanjo’s missile. Even  Northern  political  leaders  of all shades  said  Obasanjo  has a right  to say what  he has said and the government  should listen.  Of course  the government has listed its achievements  which  it  said Obasanjo never countenanced  because  of his busy travelling engagements.  But  the world is a global  village  and anyone  can monitor  events from anywhere in the world today. Similarly  the government defence that  the president is busy  running the state  and  cannot address  speculation on his reelection  in 2019 is  arrogant and unrealistic  because  the president is a product  of elections and  cannot  take the issue of his reelection as below  him or a waste of his time. That  surely is a misrepresentation of the president’s  posture on the respect  or lack of it for the Nigerian electorate, which  massively put him in  power in 2015.

    In  releasing  his letter now, Obasanjo  has  in a  way broken  political  convention of the times.   That   for now    is to praise  the government on the fight against insurgency and corruption  and pretend  all is well and Nigerians are happy. Obasanjo  has belled  the cat and like  the incumbent US President  Donald  Trump  has stood up against  political  correctness  in Nigeria  and that is commendable. The  saying   that a cat has nine lives is applicable to Obasanjo with regard to this timely warning to government which  should be heeded  especially with regard to the speedy  resolution   of  the killing of Nigerians in Benue, Taraba  and Benue  states  especially  and the call  for  Cattle  Colonies by the Minister  of  Agriculture. The  way  Nigerians have derided   and   rejected the idea  and   are asking for pig , farm  and oil  colonies, show how  the issue  of the Fulani  herdsmen  has polarized  the nation.  If  care  is not  taken this matter  would overtake  the call  for restructuring as the panacea  to Nigeria’s  political and economic problems.  The  recourse then  would be agitation  for a confederation and that  is a slippery  and contentious  way  to the fragmentation of the Nigerian nation.  Reining in the Fulani  herdsmen according to the rule of law  will  surely  give the Nigerian  nation, its stability  and well  being a lot of breathing space. That  really was all Obasanjo  was talking  about and for once Nigerians did  not ask  the messenger to be told off  even  though as Governor  Fayose observed, they hissed because  of the messenger’s  well  known leadership antecedents and  pedigree.

    The  Nigerian leader Obasanjo wrote a 13 page letter  that is sure  to be the  focus of political  attention in Nigeria  for some time .He  was  you   may say  not quite modern and innovative even if his message  was effective. The  now recognized modern political  leader in terms communication globally is US  President Donald  Trump who  has tweeted over 1000 tweets in his first year in office.

     

    This was someone who  was  touted as an  IT illiterate during his presidential  campaign.  His tweets have drawn attention  to the issue of fake news which  governments all  over the world have condemned  as weakening democracies  and human  societies with  false news. Both  Britains’ Theresa May  and Hillary Clinton  have also  come out to condemn fake news on the internet as anti democratic and Germany has made a law that fines  companies like Face  Book, Google and Whats app heavily  for not removing fake news within a given time. Even  global  Media mogul Murdoch  has asked internet companies like Face Book  to pay  for –truth-  and promote genuine journalism  and publishing online. The   Vatican  too is not left  out as Pope  Francis recently claimed   that fake news originated from the garden  of  Eden in Genesis where Eve misinformed Adam  and he ate  the forbidden  fruit.

    Political Communication matters  a lot in terms of leadership. In  Nigeria, unfortunately that is not the fort of the present Nigerian  leader. He is of course well  known  for his taciturnity  and integrity. In  a democracy  however the leader must  read  correctly,    when  to say something  and when  to keep  quiet. Loud  silence in the face of pressing problems in the polity is a sign of leadership aloofness  and it  sooner than later  that   estranges such leadership to its followership. The  Nigerian  leader needs to have more rapport with the Nigerian people and their sectional  leaders  and representatives. That  is what democracy is all about  and that is how to move  the nation forward 2019 or no  2019  elections.  Once again, long live the Federal  Republic of Nigeria.

  • Threats, provocations and politics

    Threats, provocations and politics

    Aside  from the  much   publicised   clean bill of health given the tweet bombastic US President Donald Trump by his doctor this week, the more interesting and  riveting news  on the world scene in my view came  from Nigeria. Three   of them caught my fancy. The  first was from the Emir of Kano who  in defending the killing of Fulani  herdsmen and giving the number killed at 800 in a state,   including the killing of a baby brought out of the mother’s  womb, added fuel to the fire on the issue  of marauding Fulani  herdsmen killing Nigerians with impunity. The  second was the   order as it were from  a group called  the Ohaneze Youth Council – OYC– to  Fulani  herdsmen to quit  the South East   immediately and for the Federal  Government   to create what  it called  ‘Pig Colonies  ‘in the North  as a counterweight to the demand    of the apex cattle rearers  association  Myetti  Allah    for  Cattle  Colonies. And    the OYC  asked     boldly   that  the Federal  Government  should declare the Fulani  herdsmen  as terrorists. The  third was   the  declaration at  the sympathy visit  to the Benue State Governor   on    the state citizens killed by Fulani  herdsmen, by  notable and veteran politician Chief Ayo  Adebanjo, that our president is a tyrant, a dictator   and  an   autocrat  on the  matter  and on  his leadership. Remarkably  Chief  Adebanjo  is going to be 90  this year  and since  not many  Nigerians can  claim  to be older than  him,   or      be  his  father, you have to concede  he  has enough experience   to know what  he has seen  and what he is saying, no matter  how  controversial that  may be.

    Really   if    it was  not the case  that human lives  are involved in all  these  issues  and the   grim  fact   that     life  has no duplicate  as we all  know,  one would find all of  these   issues   humorous  and extremely  laughable.  But really  that would  be coarse, bloody  bad    humour   or at  the very least  tolerance and connivance at dangerous and  disruptive  humour,   which   in   stark     reality,  is what  the issues  boil  down to  anyway. How  that    sad    and   sorry  state has come to be,  is our food for thought today.

    Let  us start  with  the declaration  of Donald  Trump’s  White  House  doctor that   the US president is not only sane  but is expected to be so  for the duration of his tenure and for a second term  if  he so  desires. The  humour is that the joke  now is on those who  branded the US president crazy  just like the N Korean  leader, even  though that of the Korean leader was more  important in terms of human lives because  both him  and the US  president   have nuclear  buttons  at their behest  and in their  offices  to annihilate us all. The  amusing thing  was  the excited  way  the Naval  Admiral  doctor reeled out  his findings  before an  unbelieving   and  disappointed  media that  would have been confortable with an opposite  medical  declaration.  That   was inherent in the loaded question on how a president that does not exercise  and eats junk food  could be declared  medically   fit. But again  the doctor’s answer  was charming and disarming. Genes  he  said  and the answer  is in genetics, he gleefully  answered.  He  went  on to say  Trump’s life long abstinence from alcohol  and tobacco  has stood  him well  in life for someone his age and he can  only  be cautioned to show restraint on his eating habits  and have more exercises. Which   really is a disappointment  to his detractors who  should  be  told  clearly   that in calling him mad  they  committed the fallacy of ad hominem, which is abusing the person  you argue with  and abandoning the substance of your argument  and that is  also   a dishonest  way  to win an argument.

    Let  me  digress a bit  to comment on Trump’s  so called  decscription  of some nations  as ‘shithole  nations’. While   I   agree that the description is repulsive and unethical  in diplomatic discourse I   do  not see  the terminology  as a preserve of poor nations and their immigrants coming to the US for a better  life   or  seeking the golden fleece. It  is a relative term and  the US has been a shit hole nation  for years on drugs and environmental pollution, and  crime. Even before  terrorism  and Islamic Militancy   became the vogue after George  Bush  and  Tony  Blair  conspired  to invade Iraq in 2003  on the false premise  that Saddam  Hussein  had weapons of mass  destruction. Really  I lose  no sleep  over the matter  in  terms  human  dignity. Its  like African  nations saying  that their culture  does not permit   homosexuality  and gay  rights and nations doing and allowing  that are ‘shithole nations’. What is wrong with that?  Certainly  not much,  at least in this   Trump  era.

    We  go back  now  to the three  Nigerian  contents  of the issue of   the day.  We  start  with   the OYC  and  its  call  for the  banning  of Fulani  herdsmen  in the  South  East     and  the call  for Pigs Colony. Both  calls are unrealistic  and smirk  of youthful exuberance   which  is certainly  not a crime.  But  it    also  cannot be ignored because youths  have energy on their side and are prone to violence  and must  either as a consequence be called to  order  firmly  or  be called  and appeased  by the government of the day,  one way or another. They  certainly  cannot  not  be ignored in   the scheme  of things   especially   where  innocent lives  are  being shed in their midst  without let.

    In  the case of the Emir of Kano’s  defence of Fulani  herdsmen, the Emir  should be told firmly  by the  Federal  Government  to  watch  his language  as no  Nigerian  is above the law including traditional leaders  like him.

    The  Emir  should know that two  wrongs do not make a right and as someone who has  a   Master’s  degree in Islamic  studies          from  Sudan , he  should  help  in  making Nigeria not to go the way of  Sudan  on this issue of  water  for cattle which  has  bloodily   polarized and  pauperized Sudan  and  split it into two  nations today . The  graphic  description  of the slain  pregnant  woman and  her  baby  should  not be  in public  space and  Nigerians should  not have such  horror inflicted on  them  even from a traditional  ruler as it is in very  bad  taste  for the peace  and stability of the nation which this issue  is threatening so provocatively .

    Thirdly  Chief  Ayo  Adebanjo’s  condemnation of the president can  only  come from someone  of his pedigree and ilk who  does not care  whose  ox  is gored . But  his utterances on this condolence visit remind  me of the role of  Mark  Anthony in Shakespeare ‘s  tragedy  Julius Caesar . Mark  Anthony historically  lamented   after  Caesar’s   murder –  I come  to bury Caesar , not to praise  him .  Yet  his oratory  over  Caesar’s  body  sparked a civil  war in which all of Caesar’s  assassins  met their  tragic  end  and waterloo . Again  , Caesar  on the day  of his death teased  the soothsayer  who  predicted his death on   the  Ides  of  March , that  ‘the  Ides of March  is come ‘  and he  Caesar  was still alive   and the soothsayer  replied  that though the  Ides  of March  had come , it was  not gone yet . Caesar  was  murdered  in the Senate  a few  moments later  fulfilling the prophecy on the  Ides  of March . I  tremble  to think  that this Fulani  herdsmen  issue  and the attendant solution of cattle  ranch and colonies  may  be the Achilles heel  of our unity as a nation  ,  if care is not taken . I  pray  it does not lead to our Ides  of  March  as we seem  to be saying to our selves confidently  that the Ides of March  has no  bearing on us and our existence. Just    like the great  Caesar  did  so  pompously  ages  ago  before  he met  his tragic  end that same day . Once  again , long  live the Federal  Republic of Nigeria .

  • Religion, violence  and leadership

    Religion, violence  and leadership

    Let  me start  on   a dark  note on today’s topic  by quoting Bonaparte Napoleon’s  anti   religion observation that  ‘religion was created to  prevent the poor  from killing  the rich‘. Shocking as Napoleon’s historical  quote  was,   it found grim  expression in the violence unleashed  by the French  Revolution of 1789  when the poor rose in fury  against   iniquities   in French    society,  killed the rich mercilessly and invented the guillotine as an equipment for beheading   them, even as they shouted their  slogans    and  objectives of -Freedom, Liberty and Equality – in creating a new modern society  based on social equity  and liberalism.

    In  Nigeria this week  Nobel  Laureate Wole  Soyinka,  while holding the Federal Government complicit  in not doing enough to  contain marauding Fulani herdsmen killing people all  over Nigeria,   reminded us all  that Boko  Haram  started  on a  similar  note of resentment  of iniquities in our society    which  were  ignored then,  and are  indeed   being  ignored  now,    in the way and manner that the   issue   of Fulani   herdsmen killing  other Nigerians is being treated  with   levity    by the authorities.  A  newspaper headline shouted  that  Nigerian authorities  were behaving like the infamous Emperor Nero  of the ancient  Roman  Empire who  historically  fiddled while Rome burnt in the way  and manner the Fulani  herdsmen  have been left  undeterred while they unleashed murder  and horror  on innocent and unsuspecting Nigerians. Both  Wole  Soyinka’s indignant  outburst and the newspaper  categorization of the authorities ‘seeming  reluctance to deter the herdsmen,  are  both sides of the same coin and both hit the nail on the head squarely  on how Nigerians generally feel  about the Fulani  herdsmen and the atrocities they  unleash nowadays and lead to a disturbing conclusion that religion  has  something to do  with this as Fulani   herdmen  are mostly Muslims.

    Presidential  spokesman Femi  Adesina tried to dissemble the Fulani  connection  with the president but then  he complicated  the issue by giving  statistics showing   that herdsmen killed over 756   Nigerians in two  years  under the Jonathan presidency. Painfully   though,   such statistics not only miss the point but showed clearly  that the situation is even  more alarming than we know now  and even  in the past. This   is because  even  if one Nigerian is killed illegally on Nigerian  soil the government  is liable under the rule of law,  because the constitution  which  is our  social     contract  vests the power to protect the lives  and property  of  Nigerians in the Federal  government. That  really is the bottom  line and it does  not matter whether it is Jonathan or  Buhari  Administration  that  is in charge in looking after Nigerians as long as Nigerian are not killed  with impunity on their  own soil  and in full view of the government of the day. A local  proverb  puts it very  succinctly   in saying  that it does not matter  who  kills the snake as long as the snake is killed   and a stop put  to its murderous  menace  and nuisance.

    Since  the world is such  a global  village,  thanks to Information technology,  it  is not difficult  to see that we   have  not addressed the issue  of  the Fulani  herdsmen  with the requisite deterrence and  empathy or  sympathy  for victims of  the  violence. I  read  reports this week that on January 7  this year unusual  events happened in both Russia and Egypt. Incidentally   I just  learnt     that  January  7  is the Christmas day  for  Christians  of the Greek  Orthodox Church  in Eastern Europe  and Coptic Christians in  Egypt. On  January  7, this year  however the  Russian  leader President Vladmir  Putin worshipped  and celebrated Xmas  at an  Orthodox  Church Cathedral  in  the city of  St  Petersburg  in  Russia. In  Egypt, unbelievably, President Sissy   attended the January 7 Xmas  Mass   at a Coptic Church Cathedral  in Cairo  conducted  by the Archbishop  of the Coptic  church  in Egypt. I  will  expatiate  on these  two  developments , one after  the other, to  show how they  have helped in healing the wounds of violence  in the context  of today’s topic.

    Russia this year  celebrated  100  years of the Bolshevik Revolution that turned Russia and later  the   Soviet  Union into a communist state  which  condemned religion and was blatantly atheist. The  church  was relegated  to the background  under communist  rule for a century and the state security  apparatus  the  KGB,   monitored the daily life of Russians citizens  so  closely such that it inspired the famous novel  by George  Orwell  titled – 1984 – which  included the famous  intelligence  slogan –’Big  Brother is  Watching You‘  until  the Soviet  Union collapsed in 1991. President  Vladmir  Putin was a  KGB officer  who  was handpicked  as Vice President of Russia  by the Russian President  Boris  Yeltsin   but  he has changed  from being  an ardent  atheist  and Godless communist  to the worshipper at the Xmas service at St Petersburg Cathedral  on January 7 2018. What  a turn around  and what a boost  for the Orthodox Church in  Russia  100  years  after  the Bolshevik  Revolution which  turned Russia into  a communist state  and banished  religion  while worshipping literally the dead body of  Lenin  at its now deserted Mausoleum in Russia.

    More surprisingly in Russia  is that religion has a key  role to play in mobilizing   political  support for President Vladmir  Putin  in his quest  to literally rule Russia  for life.

    At  a time when gay rights are the vogue in the west  and Islamophobia  is a crime, it  has  been  reported by even the western media,  that  religion, nationalism, sovereignty, and conservatism  are  the cornerstone of Russian  state policy under President  Vladmir  Putin   and he has carried  his people with him all  the way in boosting patriotism  and loyalty  to the Russian state at home and   Russian  citizens ‘pride  in their nation’s sovereign reputation abroad. Which  really shows that religion when well  marshaled judiciously  and with  equity can be a potent force for good in any society, including Nigeria, of course.

    In  Egypt  Coptic  Christians  have been  blown  up in their churches  all  over Egypt where  they are a small minority in a predominantly Muslim nation.  Just    like  Boko  Haram has  been blowing up Nigerians especially  with suicide bomber  teenage girls in both mosques  and churches in Nigeria. That  President  Sissy  chose to worship  at a  Coptic  Church in  Egypt  was  therefore  a personal, political  and religious risk loaded  heavily  with serious security  implications. He  could be killed by either Coptics in retaliation or by fellow Muslims for abandonment of faith , and he still  risks being communicated. But  the Egyptian  president, an ex general, braved  all  that and more  and went  to worship  with the Coptic  Christians to  show  solidarity  and empathy with a small minority in Egypt  that they  are not orphans in their own  nation  and that the Egyptian  state  is not in any collusion  whatever  with their killers  and tormentors.  That is the duty of any government to its citizens especially  when they are being tormented  brutally  by fellow  citizens as the Fulani  herdsmen  are doing to other Nigerians with impunity,  right now in our midst. Once again, long live  the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • 2017 – The year of Trump, the Nigerian legislator and the battered Nigerian

    The year 2017 has come and finally has gone, and we can now look at the good the bad and the ugly side of it, in line with the title of the popular action film by that name. We look at it in the context of that famous and annual Time Magazine well tested criterion that the Man of the Year must be someone who has influenced world events for good or bad. I always like reminding my audience on this retrospective assignment, that the winners of the award have included evil military geniuses like Adolf Hitler of Germany and Islamic revolutionaries like Ayatollah Ruhola Khomeini of Iran who labeled the US – the Great Satan – and whose hatred of the US is still today the official Iranian foreign policy and diplomacy in all areas and ramifications of global contact between the two nations. On 2017 therefore I will pick a Man of the year globally and locally in Nigeria and I will give my reasons quite clearly no matter how controversial and debatable they may appear.

    My choice of Man of the Year on the global scene is US President Donald Trump and I will tell you that I am picking him for influencing world events positively and innovatively and putting in place the diversity of a multipolar world leadership, outside the apron strings of his own nation, the US, on which his slogan loud and clear in 2017 was most vocally – America First. Donald Trump in his first year as US president made clear and loud that American sovereignty and interests transcend any multilateralism in global trade, economic and working agreements and he did this by rewriting the books on major agreements reached with major regions of the world by his predecessor in office. Trump did not spare hitherto sacrosanct historic military and defence pacts like NATO and EU but questioned the financial standing of its members by asking them to play by the rules or go home. This prompted a confused Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, the facto leader of the EU to lament publicly that Europe must learn to fend for itself under a Trump presidency. Trump’s pursuit of American interests at all costs also created a global role for France’s rookie president who was able to raise the voice of France like a little Napoleon in the wake of the Trump created breathing space in global diplomacy that firmly puts America first on all odds and global issues.

    To crown Donald Trump’s radical year of innovative global politics and diplomacy, he stunned the world with his decision to make Jerusalem the capital of Israel in total disregard of Arab feelings and sensitivities on the global scene. His excuse was that there was need to try something new to find a solution to the debacle called the Arab – Israel peace deal, which has gone comatose after many dead on arrival peace negotiations . Before this Trump in 2017 divided the Arab world with his historic visit to Saudi Arabia which later developed a suicidal no holds barred relations with Qatar the richest state in the world ably protected by US Forces stationed on its soil. Again during the year Trump jettisoned the Iran Nuclear deal ostensibly to please the Saudis who never forgave the Obama Administration for seeing the deal through.

    To me Trump was carrying out significant changes on the world diplomatic scene in a way never seen before and that to me is similar to what Schumpeter called creative destruction in his theory of Economic Development and the creation of new products and services. Of course the world of diplomacy and international relations is aghast at American abandonment of world leadership under Trump. But really who ever said world leadership must be a monopoly of American leadership? Nobody, just a crippling and unfounded assumption by us all.

    Trump’s isolationism therefore is a beckon to a multipolar world leadership which in my view is a welcome development for the prospect of world peace. This is because it reinvents and redistributes the burden and responsibility for world leadership to budding world leader-nations outside American dominance like Russia, China, India, Australia and even France and post Brexit Britain. With such a wealth of ideas and resources the world should be a better one than the present leadership that pitches US interests and values over that of the rest of us all. Surely equity in global leadership can only make the world a fairer one to live in and enjoy than the one sided American dominated experience we are in today under Donald Trump.

    On the local scene my Man of the Year is a two sided presentation. My Nigerian Man of the year is both the Nigerian Legislator and the beleaguered Nigerian. By the Nigerian legislator I mean the elected Nigerian representing his or her constituency in Nigeria’s palatial House of representatives called the green Chambers or the opulent Nigerian Senate called the Red Chamber. It is my view that the Nigerian legislator in 2017 gave birth to the beleaguered Nigerian and how that translates into how the Nigerian legislator has influenced Nigeria and the Average Nigerian for good or bad leaves little to the imagination. If the Nigerian legislator influenced events in Nigeria for good in 2017, there would be no need to talk of the beleaguered Nigerian. It therefore leads us to an identification or definition of the lot of the beleaguered Nigerian in 2017.

    The beleaguered Nigerian in 2017 struggled to get power and light to cook , to do his business , to get treated in our hospitals when sick and ASUU strikes did not allow his offsprings in the Nigerian universities to graduate as and when due . He or she was subjected to the horrors of kidnapping and rape in one part of the nation . In another part especially the North East Boko Haram suicide bombers killed Nigerians more in mosques in 2017 than in any other place . In other parts of the nation like Kaduna traditional leaders were kidnapped and killed without ransom . Fulani herdsmen dominated the Nigerian landscape like a colossal menace destroying farms with impunity while the impression in 2017 was that they were above the law and their victims were lesser Nigerians . To crown it all, 2017 ended again with the agony and misery of Xmas without fuel or gasoline for Nigerians with the grim prospect of an increase in the price of fuel and the attendant multiplier effect on transport fares and the price of food and basic goods . The plight of the average Nigerian was pitiable and bad in 2017 . Yet the Nigerian legislator elected to represent him has never had it better with the wealth and power that came his way in 2017 . This was easy to see and behold in the accouterments of power and wealth on display by our legislators at public outings and events ,as such attractive fringe benefits of political power are difficult to hide in an impoverished environment . Surely there is need for the Nigerian legislator to reassess the situation and create a better Nigeria for the beleaguered Nigerian in 2018 . Once again long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria .

     

  • Leadership, apologies and progress

    Leadership is all about taking decisions and accepting responsibility for their consequences both expected and unexpected. Brave leaders  own up to their actions and inactions as the case may be and move on with  the grave task of leadership, which  in most circumstances  is a lonely  job in which  at times, a bad decision is better  than none,  on some weighty  and important issues. Making apologies for decisions taken earlier is an acceptance of responsibility for such decisions and it is a mark of what we may call mature  and responsive  leadership. A  leader  who does  not accept responsibility for  errors when  obviously  palpable and clear,  cannot  be a  good leader. Even  though  some leaders  believe   fervently  that as at the time they  took some decisions they  weighed  all  the options  and  the context  and could  not be liable for any failure. It is in the light of   what   the inputs into leadership decision  could  be and how  weighty and relevant  or even important to the outcome of such decisions, that we look  at  the topic of today.

    We  therefore look  at events in Nigeria  and Peru  where  two  apologies  by political  leaders surfaced this week.  In  Nigeria where there is an ongoing and biting fuel  scarcity  which  has turned  the normally joyful Xmas Yuletide celebrations into  a nightmare  for the average Nigerian family,the  Nigerian President Muhammadu  Buhari  apologized  to Nigerians for the seasonal  hardship  which  he said would end in   a few  days  time. In   Peru  a former  Head  of State  Roberto   Fujimori  apologized from his sick bed  after  he was given a pardon  by the incumbent President  Pedro   Kusczinsky  who just escaped  being impeached for  corruption,   allegedly  because  of the support  given to him against  impeachment   by the Fujimori’s  supporters  in Parliament. Thirdly  we  look  at events in Russia  where  Alexei  Navalny, the leading but disqualified  opposition  leader seeking to replace  President Vladmir  Putin asked the  Russian  President who  is seeking another term as an  Independent   presidential  candidate   to  apologise  for  misleading the Russian  people  instead  of  seeking  a new  presidential  tenure  of office.

    In  both  Nigeria  and Peru the  two  leaders  were clearly accepting responsibility  for present  and past  lapses. In  the   Russian  scenario it is obvious  that  the call   for  apology  was like a dog barking at  the moon  and clearly an  exercise  in futility.  We  now  look at  the context  of the three  in terms of leadership  accountability  and what  motivated  the apologies  and the import of this for the three political  systems in terms  of human  and societal   progress  in these  nations.

    In  the  case of  President  Muammadu Buhari’s  apology  to  Nigerians on the fuel shortage and   the   attendant  household  hardship,  it is obvious  that  the Nigerian president is accepting   responsibility for  the fuel  shortage. This  is an informed  apology  because  the president was a former Head  of State as well  as Oil  Minister  and knows  where  the shoe pinches Nigerians on the shortage,  as well  as the problems  that have made the shortage an  annual  event  which  in the life  of this Administartion   led to fuel  price  increase  from 86  naira   to  145 naira  sometime. Some  skeptical   Nigerians are predicting that  the present shortage will  culminate   in a fuel  price increase but  I beg  to  differ on that  possibility  and my ammunition and defence is  the presidential apology to Nigerians on the hardship  by their presiden. That apology is at once   responsive and full  of empathy. It  therefore  cannot be shattered   by the greed  of Independent  Marketers , fuel price   manipulators , professional supply disrupters and all  those powerful  interests who  have turned  our oil discovery  and ownership  into  the ultimate   resource  curse  that  has made  Nigeria   laughing stock in the world as  an   oil  producing nation,  whose  citizens queue  up  annually  at  Xmas   to  look  for oil  to  power  their vehicles  and generators and even  to  cook  their meals   even  as  their    nation  is famously awash  with the black  gold.

    In  Peru   the  scenario  is different from  our situation. The  apology  is being made  by a fallen  president who  is serving  a 20 year  jail  term  for human rights abuses  that led to  the death and disappearance   of  opposition  leaders  during his presidency. But  Fujimori  to a large extent was  a successful  leader. He  defeated  the Shining  Path,  a terrorist group  similar  to our own  Boko  Haram,  and  created  political  stability in  Peru but  made  powerful  enemies in the process. The  defeat  of  Shining Path  made  him the envy of his political  opponents who invoked  human  rights  abuses massively to dent his image prosecute him and have him jailed. This strategy  is not dissimilar to that  of some Nigerian  leaders playing politics with  the defeat  of  Boko  Haram  and insisting that  no more funds  should be used to annihilate  the notorious terrorist group. Powerful  vested  interests similar to those that incarcerated Fujimori  are actively at  work  too on Boko  Haram.  Anyway  I have  no doubt that  Fujimori’s  apology will be accepted as he is dying  man and  even  though his  party helped the incumbent Fuji  president to  avert  impeachment in  Parliament,  no  one stands to gain  from  the Fujimori   grace to  grass  predicament,   which  is a lesson  for any real  or budding political  dictator  in any political  clime.  The  scene  from  Russia  is also  interesting and instructive. The  opposition  leader   Alexei   Navalny   admitted on CNN recently that he could  be killed  anytime   and I admire his bravery  on that score.  But  he is a political  lightweight  and Russia,   like China is a sham  democracy in terms of political leadership   participation  and   elections. Putin   as  leader   in  Russia  has played the game of political  self – succession very  well  and quite brilliantly   and has  outlived two  US  presidents. Now,  he    is being accused by the US political  system  of imposing a third   through  election  hacking,   which  Putin denies. Putin was in office from 2001  to 2008, the two  term tenure  of   President  George Bush. He  served a four year term  as PM   thereafter   and  put a surrogate in place as  president  who returned as PM  when   Putin  was  elected president again in 2012.  It  was the role of Hillary  Clinton in making that  2011  presidential  election  campaign   difficult  for  Putin  that earned  Hillary, who was Secretary of State  then, the eternal  hatred  of  Putin  together   with   her boss   Barak  Obama. And that  was responsible  for the massive even though denied Russian  interest  in the 2016 US   presidential  won  by  Donald  Trump. Putin  does not need  to apologise  in any way  to the Russian people  whose elites this week  gathered enough signatures  to  make him stand for president as an Independent candidate. Russians  are  proud  of Putin  for standing up to  the world  and the US  after the collapse  of the  Soviet  Union in 1991  which  Putin  described as the greatest  tragedy  of the 20th  century. A  leader  who invaded Crimea, Ukraine and  took  a military  base in Syria  to help oust  the dreaded ISIS  in the Middle  East  does  not offer  apologies  to his people  for fuelling their national pride, sovereignty  and  patriotism. Putin  may  have flouted   international  law  and may  be a culprit  at the comity of   nations  including the UN,   but  he is at  ease and at home with his primary  constituency, which  is the Russian  people.  That  to me is a mark  of  strong leadership  that  offers no apologies as  charity  should always begin at  home in any political  system. Once  again, long live the Federal Republic  of Nigeria.

  • Leadership,  sovereignty and corruption

    World  leaders  jostled   this week  on the world scene for attention and positions more loudly, and  I dare  say more rancorously than at any other  time this year. And it is not only because of the passion involved in the issues at stake  or  the expectations of their audience or followers. I think  the stark  fact is that diplomatic language is taking a back  seat  as world  leaders deal with the issues  at stake and square  up to each other in plain language.  Which  means that the world is in an  exciting season  of calling a spade a spade and it is becoming unpopular  even in diplomacy  to talk to friends  and  foes alike   by   mincing words. This is the language  of our time at least this week and I  ask  you  to enjoy  this  unique development in international  relations  and global  diplomacy with  me today.

    At  the UN   this week,  I  think it was US  President  Donald  Trump, outside that august body  who  started  the ball  rolling   last    week  by recognizing Jerusalem  as the capital  of Israel  and setting the Middle East on fire literally  by injuring Arab  and Palestinian sentiments, passion  and emotions  with that  pronouncement.  Then Nikki  Haley  former   South  Carolina   governor    and    now    vibrant US Ambassador  at the UN took  over  the baton,  vetoed  a Security Council condemnation of  the American  Jerusalem  position and lambasted  as an insult,   the rejection of that position by those  who  she   protested  have no respect  for the sovereignty of the US  on that score.  Haley  like  an Amazon  she has become  at  the UN,  promised  to take down  the names of all    nations   which  vote against the US  on  the Jerusalem  issue and  ostensibly   take retaliatory  action  sometime later.  Her  boss  the American President  Donald  Trump  followed  suit  later on global  media warning that those who take American  aid should expect  a  freeze on such free  rides  as there is no free  lunch  anymore on any form of  anti – Americanism at  the UN    or  any where else  for that matter.

    In    S Africa  the ruling African  National Congress, ANC  had  a smooth transition in terms of a change  of leadership  as millionaire   Cyril  Ramaphosa    was voted in as   leader  of the party  to replace President Jacob  Zuma.  But  that   was a transition  with  a lot of rumble  in the jungle  of  S African   politics.  This  is because   outgoing President  Zuma  was awash  with the opprobrium of corruption  such  that the party  wanted him to go   even  if   he is   not  probed.  But  his wife was the opponent  to the eventual  winner  and it was obvious  that Zuma was using his incumbency to obtain a succession by his wife to ensure his immunity or soft landing against the massive  corruption charges that have plagued his  presidency  rather  notoriously  and  so  disgracefully. At  the end,  his nepotic    survivalist  and protective strategy  failed,  and his wife lost.  Now  the winner  has pledged  to  fight  corruption  and  it needs no  soothsayer in S African  politics to know that is Zuma’s other surname and his  days of walking free  are over once as expected  the ANC  under the leadership  of  Ramaphosa wins  the next  presidential elections   in   2019.

    To  allay  the fears of the teeming  masses of  S Africans  on persistent  poverty  and corruption under the Zuma  presidency, the new leader  of ANC has  promised to follow the decision of the ANC  at  the Congress to make land appropriation with compensation  a  policy in the next  ANC  presidency.  This   is obviously  aimed  at  copying what Robert  Mugabe did in Zimbabwe. But  the new leader  has warned  that the ANC  must  ensure  that it protects  the economy  and its vast  agricultural  skills and resources.  This  is obviously  a check  on the possibility of South Africa  following the destructive footsteps of  Mugabe  who  destroyed his nation’s  economy  by appropriating land without compensation  from white  farmers  and giving such  farms and lands to party members and cronies who  mismanaged such  lands and ruined the Zimbabwean  economy.  In  addition  the ANC  has  already  shown that it was not ready  for any of Mugabe’s   shameful  wife  succession  scheme  in the way it has carefully led the Zuma bull  out of the china shop,   by  rejecting his wife  as the ANC new leader  at the party convention this week. Obviously  the path of honor  for the ANC   leadership  hierarchy  is  to prosecute Zuma  for his corrupt  practices  and  actions which  gave him immense   wealth.  I  caution    however  that   for  now till  after the 2019  elections the party  must  not  show its hand till  the election is won  and   Ramaphosa  is sworn  in as Zuma’s    successor.   This  is to pay  heed  to the African  proverb  that says until  a man has  seized   the hilt  of his sword,  he does  not inquire  who  killed  his father.   That  to me is the safe way  to show outgoing  President Jacob  Zuma   that even  in African  politics,   social    control  and    deterrence  are  alive  and well    even   though  it is    easy     for    every dog    to have its   day.

    It   is necessary to look  at the American  threat  on aid cancellation on the Jerusalem  recognition matter in the light of the pedigree of US foreign policy  and pedigree on such threats  or perceived insults. Similarly  we  need to look at Nigeria’s  anti  corruption  war  and the personality   and   leadership  of the Nigerian  president leading the crusade  to    appreciate   how  unacceptable and repugnant   were   the leadership  styles that both Zimbabwe  and S Africa  have endured under  both  former President  Robert  Mugabe  and now Jacob  Zuma. Indeed   President Muhammadu Buhari  emerges like  a saint  compared to the corruption, abuse of  office and misuse of power  that have tainted both Southern African  leaders. Even  if you take  the charge against  the Nigerian president that he  was  a Muslim  fundamentalist, that  charge falls off  in the way  he has pursued  Boko  Haram and encouraged  the military with funds to preserve the security of life and property  of  Nigerians  in the face  of terrorism  in the North East. The  latest  is the withdrawal  of $1bn  from the Excess  Crude Acount   by  the Federal  Government  to fight  the bloody  Boko  Haram  insurgency.   This  is  aside the huge funds made available  in the   proposed  2018 budget for the military  to  fight this crippling insurgency. Even  if  you  are a Buhari sceptic  and you ask  why  part  of the   withdrawal  from the ECA  cannot  be used  to contain the Fulani herdsmen  now shooting at NAF  aircraft  in some  parts  of the nation, you  will  even   then   albeit   grudgingly agree  that President Muhammadu    Buhari   is  very    committed to fighting both terrorism  and  corruption  and his integrity on that  score is intact  and unassailable. You    may even   ask   that  part  of the money be used to accommodate   those    Nigerian  youths  misled   into   Libya  ending up in dehumanizing slavery and you will   have   my   full    support.   Really  then   I  see no sense in the brouhaha on whether  the National  Assembly  has the authority  or not on the ECA disbursement,  as security  is always  a priority  in terms  of  government   expenditure  and cannot  wait most  times. Especially  now that Boko  Haram  has  resurrected with    deadly   girl  bombers  in recent  times  in  our  Far  North  East.

    Again  on   the  Trump retaliatory threat on Jerusalem   voting   at  the UN,  I state   clearly   that   surely   it has a precedent. This  is  because  the   Obama Administration  had a similar intimidating  policy  against  African  nations that had anti  gay  and  anti  homosexual  laws and even  threatened  Nigeria which  has such laws. I  leave  it to you to decide which is more repugnant  between  Trump’s  threat on Jerusalem  and Obama’s  on gay  recognition and aid withdrawal. Once again  long live the  federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Social welfare, responsibility and  politics

    I  went  to a Christmas  Party  for  Annuitants  of  Leadway this week  and  I was amazed  and impressed  by the way this Nigerian  Insurance  company  has leveraged the concept of corporate social responsibility to  project  its    image as that of a socially responsible corporate  citizen  of the   Nigeran  corporate   environment.This is in sharp  contrast   to the devil  may  care attitude  of the bank  where  I retired and  where  for seven  months my pension was  not paid because I did  not show up for  verification   on which I  had  no  information or communication  whatsoever.   I  got  the  Leadway  invitation  as an  Annuitant  and the concept was explained  lucidly  at the event  by the organisers  whose motive was to ensure  that Annuitants live well  and long to  enjoy their  annuity in good health.  Again  I doff my heart  to  Leadway  as a caring corporate  organization and that should  override  any criticism   I  may make about its   event, the practice of corporate  social responsibility in  Nigeria  or even  the history of the welfare state, all  of which   I  am  focusing on today and all  flowing from the thoughtful XmasParty for  Annuitants  of  Leadway  at which  all  Annuitants went home gratefully with six yards  of quality   Ankara  prints.

    The  organisers  of the Leadway Annuitants party had  the welfare of  Annuitants very  much  in mind but in a way  they overplayed  their part and portrayed  the Annuitants in bad light which  was not their intention.  Imagine  the Gynaecologist  brought in to talk on health  and good living asking ladies to  be touching  their breasts looking for signs of cancer in the midst of men who tried  to look  straight  in obvious embarrassment. The event was not an ante natal or post natal  clinic and that was superfluous  and uncalled for. Annuitants  have earned their annuity through  hard work over the years and should not be treated as disabled  people  or humans who do not know their left from their  right.

    Anyway  that  threw  my mind back  to the origin  of the welfare state from  where  the concept  of contributory  pension  sprang  from,  especially  in Britain in the thirties  or the years  preceding the Second  World War. Indeed  it was the  1942 Beveridge Report   titled ‘Social  Insurance  and  Allied  Services ‘written  by  Lord William  Beveridge  that recommended   that    the  British  government should  look  after its citizens  from ‘cradle to grave  ‘and protect them  from the’ Great Dangers of –  Want, Ignorance, Disease, Idleness, and  Squalor’. The  Report insisted that each  citizen  must pay  a flat tax  as contribution  and that  was the genesis of the welfare state,  the   famous NHS  in the UK    and  of  course  the caring for  Annuitants which  Leadway  did  so well    this  week.

    The  politics  in the origin of  the Beveridge  Report  also  caught my fancy  and imagination. The composition of the Committee  was bipartisan  and its  report came out during  theWW2 years.  Indeed  Winston  Churchill, Britain’s most  successful War  PM lost  the 1945  elections  because  he felt  the Beveridge Report should not be implemented immediately after the war because of other expenditure arising from the war. But  the   Labour Party led by Clement Attlee  thought differently  and campaigned on its immediate implementation and won the 1945  elections and Attlee  became PM. But again in 1951  when  Attlee  got overconfident and called    a snap  election  he lost  and Winston Churchill  returned  to power  till 1954. The  lesson  here  is that welfare issues  have always played a  major part in British  politics  and this was obvious in the snap election on Brexit that Theresa  May  called recently.   She    lost her  party   majority  because  the British electorate was  concerned  about its welfare in the face of massive immigration and the fear of erosion of welfare benefits generally in Britain.

    It  is my belief  that governments must  look  after  the welfare of their  citizens  not  only as pensioners, annuitants and shareholders but equally  as young people  looking for a career or  the golden  fleece.  And    governments  especially  in the three tiers  of governance  and government  in Nigeria must  create jobs  for  Nigerian youths  so that they don’t flee our  shores  and become slaves in Libya or some wicked foreign  land where  they  are sold several  times  over and tortured by wicked  people who exploit  their  innocent  and legitimate  pursuit of a better life and future  for themselves.  Obviously  these  youths  migrate out of desperation, risking  their lives  on the High  seas  to  reach  Europe.  Angela Merkel,  the German  Chancellor  risked  her political life to accommodate migrants   fleeing   wars   in the Middle  East especially  young ones with families but she is  about losing her leadership   both  of Germany and EU  on  account of this. Nigerian  youths  are not fleeing wars but are fleeing poverty, starvation, joblessness  and are  now  running headlong into slavery  in  Libya.

    Its high time our  governments stopped  this mass  slavery  and the disgrace  of the flower of  Nigerian  youths and the way  forward  is to provide  jobs, jobs  and more jobs to forestall this disgraceful  modern slavery  in our midst.

    On   the world  stage  I  want  to look at two issues  from Australia  and Alabama  US and  tie them with the concept of social welfare, responsibility  which  we have pursued  so  far. In  Australia a report  has just been  published  which showed  that religious  leaders have sexually  violated young boys in their  care  for ages. The  Catholic  Church, the Anglican Church  and Jehovah  Witness  are  all  involved. This  sort  of revelation  must  have made Australians to recognize  gay marriage  as law in that  nation recently. The  religious  institutions in Australia have betrayed their trust as reposed  in them  as  educational  institutions  and have ruined the lives of innocent youths  in their custody  and that is anti social,  irresponsible  and  quite pathetic.  The report  went on to advise Catholic Authorities  to reconsider the concept of celibacy  for priests.  That  is like closing the stable  doors after the horses  have bolted. But  then  the religious  institutions  must  reform  or change  their  calling and stop  using salvation  to blackmail  their  followers  when  in real life they do the opposite  of what they  preach.

    However  in Alabama  where  the politician  supported  by US President Donald  Trump  lost the senatorial  seat   to a Democratic  candidate, the  dark observations of the loser are  what I want to share.  The  loser  Roy  Moore  has not conceded  defeat even  though  Donald  Trump  has congratulated the winner. The  loser  who  came to the polling booth on horseback  with his wife warned  reporters not to  frighten their horses  with their flashlight  as the horses  may be violent.  That surely  showed  the gruff  cowboy  attitude  of the former Alabama Supreme Court  judge.  But  his warnings  to Americans are universal  and apply  to  all  of us especially Africans. Moore  said  Americans  are  in a struggle to preserve their  republic, civilization and religion . He  lamented  that  abortion, sodomy and  materialism    have  taken  over the pursuit of life, liberty  and the pursuit of happiness  that the founders   of  America laid  as the nation’s  cornerstone   values. Yet  this candidate  lost mainly  because  of unproven  charges  of sexual  harassment  over thirty  years  ago. So  in Australia  priests  abuse  boys  in their custody  and get  away  with  murder  as it were given that there  was no punishment other  than opprobrium.   Whereas  in  Alabama  a bible  thumping cowboy judge lost  because  of  sexual  harassment    thirty    years    ago  dug out a month  before election  date.  Who  is socially responsible between  the  Australian  priests  and the  Alabama  judge  and where  indeed  does  the welfare   of  Australians or  Alabamans lie in all  these   chicanery?   For  now  let us   conclude  that  God  knows best. Once  again  long live the Federal  Republic of Nigeria.

  • Culture, new  norms and  justice

    A  Nigerian  couple  who had just returned  from  Libya  with a new  born babe warned  Nigerians  on the global media  this week   never  to go to Libya because  the people there  are  hostile to migrants  and strangers.  Another Nigerian, a jobless  graduate  who  fled  like  Andrew  to  look  for the golden fleece  had a similar  message that  Nigerians should not go to Libya unless  they  are  ready  to die.  These  are chilling revelations for Nigerians  looking for green pastures and a better  tomorrow.  But  the most    disheartening  story  was that  of Nigerians  who  were kidnapped on the streets  of our cities  and their  parents  were  now  contacted   by the  victims’  phones  and asked to pay  huge  ransoms which  are later  used  to  purchase  and resell  these unlucky Nigerians on the international trade market  which  the victims claim  are  run by both Nigerians  and Arabs  alike.  That  slavery  has reared its head and Nigerians are  selling each  other is  a new  way  of life or culture which is repugnant  and acceptable. It  is however   such   a reality  that  a new presidential  candidate  for the 2019 elections has made it  an election issue  claiming that things  are  so bad for Nigerians that they  are  being  sold into slavery  and the government  cannot  address  the situation.  To  me  a new  culture  of modern  slavery  is condemnable   and is an anathema  to human development and progress  and Nigerians should  stand up as one to condemn  it in all its ramifications. It  is therefore  not  just  a campaign issue for power in 2019  but  a burning and nagging national problem of urgent public concern  and  I  intend to make that my focus   for the remaining part of 2018  so that  it will not have any campaign attraction for any presidential candidate  for the 2019 elections.   There  is no doubt  that new things are  happening   in our world   that  turn  cultural  values  and norms on their  heads  and really  tax  the concept  of  ethnocentrism, which  is a way  of thinking one’s  culture  is better  than  that  of others.  Well, the world  in the last few  days or weeks certainly has a serious   and daring challenge  on that  score   and I ask  you  to  come along with  me on events this  week  in  Yemen, Australia  and the US to  see   whether  the concept of  ethnocentrism   or cultural   relativism  has any meaning in our   global  village  of  new   startling  norms and new    startlingly   unbelievable, emergent   morality.

    Let  me state  that  I   believe  that this new  slave trade  of  Nigerians  by  Nigerians  and  Libyans   and Arabs  at  large  may   be  our  contribution  to the global  cultural aberration  going   on in the world  at  large,  albeit    unwittingly    and   without   our comprehension   or  cognition. But  let  me treat  events in the three  nations  I have  mentioned,  before  rounding up with  Nigeria’s new  nauseating  slave trade  mentality  and unnerving but emerging culture.

    Let  me briefly  narrate   what  happened  in the three  nations  I  identified  before  dilating on them. In   Yemen  a leader and  former   president  Abdallah  Saleh  who   ruled his nation for 33 years  and who likened  leadership of that  nation to dancing on snakes was brutally  killed  by his allies a day  or two  after  he switched  alliance in the ongoing war  between  the Houthi rebels  and the government of Yemen  supported by Saudi  Arabia. In   Australia  MPs  danced  in  Parliament  and male  couples  kissed  each other  after that  nation’s Parliament recognized gay  marriage  by approving the bill on it. In  the  USA a  case  reached the US Supreme  court on   appeal  by    a   wedding   cake maker  who  refused  to make a  wedding  cake  for a gay  couple  because  that   was against  his religious  belief which says marriage  should be between  a man  and a wife.  On  the international  scene US President Donald Trump  lived to his billing of rocking the boat  by  recognizing  Jerusalem  as the capital of  Israel   thereby  collapsing the peace  efforts in the  Middle  East  and rousing  the fury of  Palestinians and their supporters  globally.

    First  with  Yemen, former  President Ali  Abdullah  Saleh  was killed  by  Houthi  rebels who  called out their  supporters  in the capital Sanaa  to  celebrate  his death claiming he was killed  for treachery  as he has  announced  he was ready  to dialogue  with  the Saudis  who  were  raining bombs on Yemen  and supporting the de jure government of  Yemen. This time the Houthis  who are rebels from the North of  Yemen  and are supported and funded  by Iran  have proven that they are the de facto force on the ground  in Yemen  as they took Sallah  out as he fled the capital after what they perceived  as treachery.  And  really I  do not see much wrong in that as treachery  is condemnable in any culture  no matter the  norms or mores  at work . So  you  can say what happened in Yemen  is a return to old political values  of an eye for an eye.   But  a resort  to violence is not a modern way to resolve  any  disputes  even though  culturally Arabs  are  known  for ancient feuds  which they settle through  planned  and deliberate  retaliation and  Saleh’s  death  follows this bloody  pattern.  However  this resort  to barbarity of the Stone Age is just  the tip of the ice  berg  today.

    Australians  were reported  to be celebrating the legalization of gay marriages in their  nation   and  I   want  to take that with the case before the  US Supreme Court  on the refusal  to make wedding cake  for  a gay couple by a cake maker  who said  it is against  his   religious  beliefs.  This  is because  both issues  are birds  of the same feather   or both  sides  of  the same coin.

     

    • Continued online

  • Diarchy, security and decency

    A Zimbabwean News item during the week stated clearly that the honeymoon with the new regime that replaced former President Robert Mugabe was over because the new cabinet was made up of soldiers who helped displace Mugabe in the coup, and war veterans who had served Mugabe diligently for 37 years and that really nothing has changed. In the lexicon of politics a government made up of a mixture of the military and politicians is called a diarchy . That really is what the new president of Zimbabwe has done and I am not surprised as I have predicted recently that Zimbabwe’s democracy will continue its gerontocracy under Mugabe’s successor and that this will be ratified in next year’s elections. Now a diarchy is in place and to me that too is predictable and is a sign of political pragmatism and foresight on the part of the new leadership in Zimbabwe. Ostensibly the objective is to keep at bay the dogs of war in the army who have tasted power and now know the superior power of the barrel of the gun over the ballot box.

    Again I say Diarchy as a political challenge or reality is not peculiar to Zimbabwe. It was mooted in Nigeria before by no less a person than the first president of Nigeria the pragmatic Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe who was shouted down then, even though his motive was to pacify the military, which had tasted the blood of power in the first coup of January 1966 and the counter coup of July the same year. Together the two bloody coups have shaped the politics and the practice of democracy in Nigera ever since whether you talk of civilian or military government, as they follow one another in our turbulent and topsy turvy brand of democracy.

    Another story in the media this week was about a disbursement of $40m to a cousin of the last Nigerian president from a vote of the office of the National Security Adviser of $1.2bn approved by the former president for security issues. This is pure nepotism and a misuse of public funds if proven in open court eventually. But it is just the tip of the ice bag when compared with the $ 2.8bn approved to prosecute the war against the terror of Boko Haram ravaging our North East but converted or diverted for campaign purposes by the last administration to win the 2015 presidential elections which it lost. That electoral loss blew up the can of worms in the face of the new administration and indeed in the face of all right thinking Nigerians. The NSA has been in detention ever since and even though he had been granted bail he has not been released. This again violates the rule of law but then this again is political reality. that the gravity of the issue transcends the fine points of law and reverberates solidly in the very delicate realm of state security which is sacrosanct, I presume in such matters . This then is the real face of the diarchy inherent in Nigeria’s brand of democracy.

    Anyway civilian regimes in Nigeria have always had military officers as incumbent NSAs for the simple reason that they feel safe that one of the military can sniff a coup and nip it in the bud faster and more safely than any non military staff including even the Police. Indeed the revelations from the ordeal of the NSA of the last Administration shows where the power in our political system is and who calls the shots, albeit at the behest of the president of the Republic. So is Nigeria a diarchy like Nnamdi Azikiwe suggested or the new Zimbabwean president is executing? Your guess is as good as mine.

    Let me go further to unlikely arenas or states of the emergence of diarchy as a political governance contrivance to illustrate a point I hold dear. This is the view that the essence of government is to guarantee a decent existence or living for the citizens of an elected government, regardless of the ideology at play or the composition of the government of the day. I do this by taking a peep at the Administration of US President Donald Trump and his use of nuclear attack against North Korea and I look back at Britain’s Parliamentary democracy in the Premiership of Harold Wilson who was the UK PM from 1964 – 1970 and 1974 – 1976.

    I look critically at the US media portrayal of Donald Trump as incapable of giving orders to US military commanders to use nuclear weapons because they- the Media – doubt his mental capability and stability in this regard. Yet, as Commander In Chief of the American armed forces Trump has the powers alone to do this and his commanders must obey his orders or face court martial for treason which can cost them their lives and ruin their military careers. History has it that when Harry Truman, the US President during World War 2 dropped the Hydrogen bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he ordered immediate use of the bomb on a week end even though those who told him of the bomb wanted to wait till Monday. Yet Truman was a God fearing Sunday School teacher who dotted on his two daughters. Nobody has queried his sanity ever since as the Japanese Emperor surrendered immediately when told of the horrors of the bombs on the two unlucky Japanese towns.

    Now Donald Trump faces a real threat from a North Korean leader that this week claimed his nation has perfected missiles that will reach the entire length and breath of the US and the media is doubting the mental capacity of their president to issue defensive or attacking orders. That to me is a recipe for anarchy or chaos if not outright treason. Indeed in the realm of ideological considerations it is an apology for diarchy or an invitation for it, but I really cannot see that happening in the US.

    • Continued online