The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday

  • The economics of terrorism, war, and security

    Lastly the activities of the Victims Support Fund in Nigeria as well as the required payment of allowances to recall our legislators to approve the president’s expenditure to fight terrorism are economic and funding issues and are really two sides of the same coin

    IT was Chinese Communist Party Leader Mao who was credited with the saying that ‘a revolution is not a tea party.’ I hasten to agree with that timeless piece of wisdom today even though the word ‘revolution’ is not in vogue or currency, in today’s global politics and diplomacy. Yet, Mao’s long sighted definition of an insurgency or war against the status quo or establishment – which is what a revolution is all about, is quite relevant in considering the issues of war, terrorism and security that are confronting the world right now. In the US in Washington DC next week on August 4 , the 2014 US- African Conference coordinated by the US is taking place involving 50 African nations to discuss US partnership in tackling the menace of both Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Sahel and that of Al Shabaab in East Africa. The theme of the confab, the first of its kind, with more to follow according to the US Under Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas Greenfield is – ‘Investing in the Next Generation‘. Also with effect from August 1 this week EU sanctions prohibiting finance for 5 major Russian banks came into effect with regard to the role of the Russian backed rebels in shooting down a Malaysian plane in Ukraine recently. EU nations have also banned arms sale to Russia as well as the export gas equipment to Russia. Russia of course is the largest exporter of gas in the world and the second largest exporter of oil and can cut off their supplies to the EU nations in retaliation . Yet the Europeans are punishing Russia because they believe that the Pro -Russian rebels in Ukraine shot down the Malaysian Airlines plane killing 295 people in a flight from Amsterdam very recently. Similarly in Nigeria, where reports on daily Boko Haram killings are the vogue, the news is that the government must be ready to foot the bill to recall legislators to come from their recess to debate the $I bn military expenditure proposal from the presidency. The expenditure is to buy new equipment and upgrade some for the military to confront Boko Haram and really this lawmakers’ demand for recall expenses is evidence enough that there is no free lunch even in fighting terrorism in Nigeria. Also Nigeria has launched the Victims Support Fund to provide for victims of Boko Haram bombings and their dependants just as the news broke that young girls of an age as low as 10 have been used to detonate bombs in Kano killing several innocent Nigerians. Starting with the US –African Confab this week in the US there is no denying that the concern of the US on the matter is a good and legitimate one to help Africa fight terrorism given the US exposure and experience on the matter. In addition the theme – ‘Investing in the Next Generation ‘ is quite apt although a bit futuristic and advisory rather than being pragmatic. The aim of the organisers, from the theme, is to show that providing jobs for African youths will make them less opportune or available to be lured by terrorists to join their ranks. My contention is that almost all the leaders from the 50 African nations at the confab already know this but are simply not doing anything about it. The US organisers should research for the manifestoes of the political parties of the African nations attending. These will show that these African nations have pledged employment for their youths during political campaigns and have been elected on the basis of such promises which they have subsequently not implemented. The US- African Confab should therefore focus on making these nations fulfil their election promises to their masses of unemployed youths to stem the high flow of such people into the recruitment ranks of real and budding terrorists. This alone will make a success of the US /Africa conference which I fully support. In addition I urge the US not to be distracted by hostile criticism that it is creating business and jobs for its military industrial complex or that it may even be funding terrorism in Africa. Such criticisms are based on Cold War animosities between leftists and laissez faire capitalists and such views are stereotypes to be ignored in the face of the new frontiers of modern terrorism, the containment of which requires urgent regional and continental cooperation and vigilance. Certainly the US Africa Confab is such a problem solving platform for the wave of terrorism unleashed on African nations by Al Shaabab in E Africa and Boko Haram in Nigeria. Next Russia has described the EU sanctions against it as ‘destructive and short sighted.’ Yet Russia has not shown any remorse on the downing of the Malaysian plane nor has it been able to persuade its Ukrainian rebels to allow international observers to have access to the Malaysian plane crash site. Neither has the Russian strongman President Vladmir Putin shown any remorse at least in terms of his body language in condemning the terrorist act. All the same the EU is not unaware that its 28 – member nations will suffer when Russia targets some trade links with EU nations such as food imports to Russia which is expected to adversely affect weak EU nations like Greece already in dire economic straits with attendant political uprisings and discontentment on EU financial palliatives. The EU nations are however united in their resolve that Russia should not get away with murder for its role in the downing of the Malaysian jet. The EU nations have described their sanctions as capable of inflicting the ’maximum pain on Russia’ and the ‘minimum pain on the EU’. That to me is vintage economic pragmatism in confronting terrorism at least in world airspace or global aviation. Lastly the activities of the Victims Support Fund in Nigeria as well as the required payment of allowances to recall our legislators to approve the president’s expenditure to fight terrorism are economic and funding issues and are really two sides of the same coin. The legislators can maintain their stand and call inevitably into question their sense of patriotism. The government on its own cannot watch idly while it is being made ineffective and toothless in the face bloody terrorism. Already there was news that the legislators have not been able to cash their huge monthly and quarterly allowances as and when due. It is therefore a ding dong tussle between the Executive and legislature although this time around the Presidency is winning the contest of wills in the court of public opinion as the death toll on terrorism rises on a daily basis and the law makers are not on their seats. Even the argument on diversion of funds for 2015 elections does not jell this time around. On the Victims Support Fund alone the personality of the Chairman of the Committe former Minister of Defence General Theophilus Danjuma speaks for itself in terms of accountability. Danjuma in accepting responsibility has stated that the insurgency is a war that is taking too long to put down. This week the Council of States made up of governors and former heads of state offered similar sentiments and went on to give a deadline of December for the war on terror to be concluded. That is how it should be. Surely, people like Danjuma should have been recalled to advise on how to end the war NOW. Rather than being called to raise funds for victims of a war they know is expensive and protracted in terms of time, and human lives while such people are being used to raise money for victims of a war without end running on a daily basis into an avoidable pyrrhic victory at the end, hopefully by December. It may sound wicked but to me putting all hands on deck to end the war is far more important than the opportunity cost of running the Victims Support Fund which seems to be a priority right now. Having a large such fund is like prolonging the war and that again is like treating terrorism with kid gloves or making money like a funeral parlour which is not in any way desirable in this nation at least for now.

  • For Blessing Okagbare

    For Blessing Okagbare

    The urge not to write about soccer this  week is strong. I wish I could do without  writing about Nigeria’s king of sports. I cannot because of the season we are. It is the transfer period. We expect to see young Nigerians earn a living playing the game. With such a setting, it is only appropriate that the exploits of some of our kid stars in Europe come to the front burner at a time like this.

    Today in Manchester City, Kelechi Iheanacho reigns supreme. His exploits in two friendlies have compelled the club’s scouts and coaches to consider him for the main team when the European season opens in England with the Charity Shield game against Arsenal at the Wembley Stadium.

    Iheanacho was the best player at the last FIFA U-17 World Cup held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), playing for Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets. After his dazzling moments for Nigeria, European scouts struggled to get his signature, culminating in all the stories leading to his picking Manchester City ahead of others.

    So much was said about Iheanacho’s move to Manchester City, especially after his father chose his son’s career path. Iheanacho’s acrimonious movement to Manchester City set him against the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) chiefs and the country’s senior team coaches, leading to his exclusion from the Super Eagles squad to the 2014 World Cup.

    A few people felt Iheanacho’s decision to join Manchester City was wrong considering the club’s penchant for signing celebrated players in its fold. But the beauty with the game is that it creates the platform for immensely talented players such as Iheanacho to exhibit their silky skills for the world to appreciate.

    Manchester City’s manager Pellegrini’s comments about Iheanacho’s abilities lifts the spirit at this time when the Super Eagles need new stars to elevate the team to the world class status it truly deserves.

    Pelegrini was so impressed about Iheanacho’s performance that he told media men after the citizens’ 5-1 thumping of Italian giants AC Milan at Heinz field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Sunday that: “ we have a lot of young players here with us. We have Kelechi Iheanacho, Greg Leigh, Jason Denayer and several others. Kelechi has stood out. He’s on fire at the moment. He can’t stop scoring; he’s very calm in front f the goal. It’s an important chance for them to show what they can do, and maybe this moment is their moment.”

    One only hopes that Pelegrini’s wise words would tickle the imagination of Eagles coaches to quickly include him in their plans for the country’s defence of the Africa Cup of Nations diadem, which the Eagles clinched in Johannesburg, South Africa on February 10.

    Such mundane talk as Iheanacho not fitting into the Eagles’ plans because of his age must be jettisoned because we saw several young lads exhibit tremendous skills that left their markers sprawling on the turf. Young boys can only improve if fielded in matches. They will never get a big break if they are left at home. Iheanacho could have done better than many players that our coaches picked as our best at the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

    Iheanacho’s talents remind one of the glorious moment at the Hampden Park Stadium in Glasgow on Monday night when Nigeria’s speedster, Blessing Okagbare, ran a terrific race in the women’s 100 metres to fetch the country the prestigious gold medal. Okagbare also set a new Commonwealth Games record of 10.85 seconds to become the fastest woman in the Commonwealth this year. On Friday night, she clinched the gold medal in the 200 metres for women, the fourth person in the Commonwealth Games’ history. What a feat. What a moment for the girl with a humble beginning bolstered by the financial support of her state governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was in Glasgow to watch the worthy girl justify the trust placed in her to develop into the world class star that she is.

    Uduaghan has been there for Okagbare through thick and thin. He lifted her spirits two years ago after Okagbare failed to sparkle at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Okagbare’s exploits in Glasgow underscores the essence of investing in our kids, who most times need financial assistance to raise their game to the heights where our national anthem would be sung at international competitions, such as the Commonwealth Games.

    Uduaghan’s monitoring of Okagbare’s growth should serve as a wake-up call for companies and public spirited Nigerians to invest in potential greats such as Okagbare, if we truly want sports to be the business that it is in other climes. Uduaghan left pressing official duties in Delta to identify with his young kinsmen and women, who he had provided state-of-the-art facilities to train.

    Uduaghan said in Scotland: “The important thing is that they are serving Nigeria. And I’m happy that they are from my state and all efforts in building these facilities are not in vain. In Delta, we appreciate and reward all our athletes who bring honour to the state. You can see the marvelous job they are doing for Nigeria and Delta. It is in our character to welcome them home as heroes and heroines.”

    Well said, Uduaghan. One only hopes that other governors will emulate Uduaghan by using sports to reunite the people and create jobs for the youths. Sports can be used to rebuild Nigeria, only if those in charge can deploy the cash to develop the industry and not their pockets.

    The government would continue to bankroll sports, if it doesn’t provide reliefs that would encourage corporate firms to invest in the industry. It is about time brand ambassadors are made of budding talents, such as Okagbare. Had Uduaghan not stood by her as she developed, what happened on Sunday night in Glasgow wouldn’t have occurred.

    Okagbare has been through the worst and best of times in her career. But she has this irrevocable belief in her talents. She easily puts behind any bad tournament and plans for the next. She accepts that she is prone to mistakes. She accepts corrections, hence her steady rise to the top.

    Many would want to ask who Okagbare is? She told her story to the BBC in 2011, before the London 2012 Olympic Games. There were plenty of interesting twists, including the fact that she spent over nine months in her mother’s womb.

    Many had given up on her birth and expected the worst, but the family trusted God for a miracle. When eventually her mother gave birth on October 9, 1988 in Sapele, Delta State, her father aptly named her Blessing.

    Blessing, daughter of Margaret and Francis Okagbare, has lived up to the meaning of her name so much so that she has grown to become one of Nigeria’s gold medal prospects at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

    She told the BBC: “I asked my daddy why I was called Blessing and he said that I spent over nine months in my mother’s womb. When I was delivered, he named me Blessing. Since that time, I have brought joy, hope and aspiration to the Okagbare family. I have seven step brothers and seven step sisters. My family is behind me and keeps track of what I am doing. I would have loved to have them in London during the Olympics. But in Nigeria, such luxuries don’t form part of government’s obligation to athletes. I agree with the sense that they could distract me, but I will remain focused.”

    With seven step brothers, Okagbare’s first contact with sports was football. She played with boys and later soccer clubs. But it isn’t in soccer that she is writing the name of Nigeria in gold and making her parents proud.

    Let’s move away from the sport whose actors are treated like gods. Yet they cause us more pains when we bank on them to shine. Let’s consider athletes who bring us glory through their exploits in sports that we often derisively tag lesser sport. Let’s acknowledge these athletes who toil to make others perceive Nigeria from the prism of endless stream of producing world champions and not a polity of jesters.

    For us as a nation, soccer is it. Other sports can hit the roof with their exploits, we cannot be perturbed.

    It is extremely unfair to reward Okagbare with $7,000 for her feat in the 100 metres when soccer players are paid more than that to motivate them when they draw matches.

    A national honour, $100,000, a house and a car are what Okagbare deserves. After all, don’t our fumbling soccer coaches and players have unrestricted access to the President? Again, this is the best time to give Okagbare training grants for the 2016 Olympic Games. Nigeria returned from the London 2012 Olympic Games without any medal. Okagbare’s feats in Glasgow, show that she can win a medal at the 2016 Olympics in brazil, if she starts her preparation now.  Take a bow Okagbare. All hail Uduaghan for believing in her. Oba Khato Okpere, Ise.

  • All eyes on Osun

    All eyes on Osun

    Classically defined as the government of the people, by the people and for the people, contemporary conventional wisdom describes democracy as the best form of government. One of the reasons for this view is that representative democracies are predicated on the will and consent of the people and must thus be responsible and accountable to them. Since democratic governments derive their legitimacy from the will of the people and remain in power only at the pleasure of the electoral majority, it is assumed, at least in theory, that they will be more compelled than dictatorships to promote development and the public good. However, this assumption cannot be taken for granted. Its validity depends firstly on free, fair and credible polls and, secondly, on performance being a key determining factor in electoral outcomes.

    What we have experienced in Nigeria since 1999 is the strange phenomenon whereby the PDP has continued to ‘win’ elections at the centre and in a majority of the states even as the fortunes of the country continue to decline in virtually all sectors and the vast majority of Nigerians increasingly impoverished under its watch. What then can be the motivation for a government to perform and keep its electoral compact with the people when it is rewarded with emphatic victories at the polls irrespective of the quality of its performance or the extent of its ineptness and moral degeneration? As the country has grown richer, at least according to the re-based GDP, unemployment, insecurity and hunger have worsened with the majority of Nigerians descending deeper into poverty. The increased impoverishment of Nigerians has fuelled the monetisation of elections with the highest bidder likely to triumph at the polls through the deployment of stolen public wealth. It cannot get more absurd than that. This is a classic case of what the late Claude Ake would describe as ‘how democracy underdevelops Nigeria’.

    Matters are not helped when a desperate Jonathan presidency cynically and ruthlessly exploits all opportunities to keep Nigerians divided along ethnic, religious and regional fault lines all in a bid to perpetuate itself in power at all costs beyond 2015. Can you see, for instance, how a Chibok community, hitherto united in their single-minded quest for the return of their abducted girls by Boko Haram brigands, have been divided through monetary gratifications by a delegation’s visit to Abuja’s cash-laden presidential Villa? All that the Jonathan presidency touches, it taints and divides!

    The enthusiasm and impunity with which the Jonathan presidency deploys asymmetric federal powers and resources to crush all opposition and impose its might on Nigerians no matter how lawlessly, shows that the whole idea of the national conference , purportedly convened to restructure Nigeria, fundamentally reduce the powers of the centre and create a more balanced federation, was an entire ruse. Let no one think that resolutions passed by a collection of unelected Nigerians with absolutely no legal powers can convince this president to give up the immense powers conferred on him by the existing constitution. That purpose can only be achieved by the irresistible force of people’s power expressed through a genuine mass movement. But that is a matter for another day.

    Is all therefore lost as far as elections are concerned in Nigeria? Must we raise our hands in helpless surrender and watch federal might and the emergent culture of ‘stomach infrastructure’ enable the PDP actualise its wish of imposing its suzerainty over Nigeria for the next six decades? I do not think so. There are some glimmers of hope that people’s power can still triumph in elections over arrogant and irresponsible use of federal might. In the Ondo and Anambra governorship polls, for instance, the PDP could not use its federal might for its own benefit. It had to work through auxiliary parties, Labour Party (LP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) respectively to contain a resurgent and threatening APC. The behemoth may be grossly overrated after all.

    In Edo State, massive deployment of federal force and resources as well as crude ethnic manipulations could not displace the ebullient, high performing and grassroots-oriented Adams Oshiomhole. The jury is still out on what went wrong in Ekiti. Some attribute the unexpected outcome of the June 21 governorship election to sophisticated, scientific rigging. The APC has taken its case to the Election Petition Tribunal contending that a process tainted by excessive militarisation, intimidation and harassment of targeted party leaders could not have produced a flawless outcome. My take is that the gains of excellent governance and visionary reforms were eroded by inept, divisive and detached politics, which enabled an intellectual and moral Lilliputian like Ayodele Fayose to defeat a far more competent and credible Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti.

    An excited and misguidedly optimistic PDP now has Osun as its target in next Saturday’s governorship election. The Minister of State for Defence, Musliu Obanikoro and his collaborator in mischief, Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, are once again hyperactive. Thousands of heavily armed security operatives have already been deployed to Osun, driving roughly round major towns and shooting in the air like thugs and ruffians. And this at a time when we need all the men and resources we can muster to contain the raging insurgency in the North-East – a war in which the country is continuously being given a bloody nose. This is clearly the most irresponsible Federal Government in the history of Nigeria.

    Yet, in Ogbeni Raufu Aregebesola, the diminutive Governor of Osun State with a razor sharp intellect and magnetic political charisma, the PDP has met its match. You cannot fault Aregbesola on the terrain of performance. Osun is 34th of the 36 states in terms of statutory allocation from the Federation Account. Apart from this paltry federal allocation, previous administrations were incapacitated by an Internally Generated Revenue of approximately N300 million monthly. Thinking outside the box and devising ingenious strategies, Osun’s IGR has grown to N1.6 billion monthly under Aregbesola’s watch. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Osun state today has the lowest poverty index in Nigeria.

    Through the revolutionary Osun Youth Employment Scheme (OYES), Aregbesola created 40,000 jobs, which injects N200 million into the local economy monthly. This is in addition to recruiting thousands of workers into the civil service and teaching service cadres. His massive road construction projects are visible across the state with beneficial impact on economic productivity. His administration has consistently supported the huge population of farmers to boost food production and enhance food security. His reforms in the education sector have created jobs for hundreds of tailors who produce school uniforms as well as caterers who provide one nutritious meal per day for all children in public schools. Of course, the innovative and revolutionary computer learning tablet, ‘Opon Imo’ has become a household name and even received international acclaim. There is no doubt in my mind that the flawed and insulting ‘stomach infrastructure’ hypothesis will be discredited, cremated and buried in Osun next Saturday.

    Aregbesola is at home both in the company of professors as well as of farmers and marketmen and women. He is the quintessential man of the people. As a grassroots mobilizer, he is incomparable. This is why the PDP candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore’s antics of riding on okadas and eating roasted corn with a masked gun man behind him is so utterly ridiculous and laughable. You cannot give what you don’t have. Incidentally, Omisore, who recently claims to have acquired a Ph.D in some nebulous discipline, ran away from engaging Aregbesola and other candidates in a televised debate.

    Aregbesola’s grassroots mobilization skills are understandable. As a student, he was the President of the Black Nationalist Movement. Under the influence of the late Marxist theoretician and economist, Comrade Ola Oni, he became inclined towards revolutionary Marxism. We can thus understand the progressive, welfarist orientation of his politics. As commissioner for works for eight years in Lagos State, Aregbesola was a key pillar of the formidable grassroots structure of the ACN. This is why the APC in Osun is a true mass movement.  Although a fervent and devout Muslim, Aregbesola symbolises the liberal and tolerant religious outlook of the Yoruba of the South-West. The attempt to negatively tag him as a religious fanatic has failed abysmally. All religious faiths have been allowed to thrive under his administration and leading Christian clerics have openly identified with his administration. Next Saturday, we will see a confrontation between federal might and people’s power in Osun State. I am confident that the latter will triumph decisively as a signpost to the possibilities of 2015.

  • Ideological clarity in Nigerian politics

    Ideological clarity in Nigerian politics

    « …we, on the threshold of this new constitution, are on the cross roads ; there is that broad, smooth road, with promises of no-taxation, and efforts to get money from other places, leading nowhere but to perdition, poverty, disease and economic enslavement ; and there is the other road – people who go therein pay tax. They also have to apply self-help and self-sacrifice to get where they want. But this road, Mr President, leads to success, to prosperity and to the exploitation of our natural resources by the people of this country” –  Chief ObafemiAwolowo, August, 1954

    Responding to my article ‘Further Thoughts on Ekiti Polls’, an eminent son of Ekiti state sent me a text message agreeing substantially with my views but pointing out that the defeat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in that election could be attributed beyond Dr KayodeFayemi’s flaws to the inability of the people to see any ideological differences between the APC and the PDP. I agree that the lack of ideological clarity among the major political parties is a major problem in contemporary Nigerian politics. The APC projects itself as a progressive party in the mould of the Action Group (AG) and the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) of the first and second republics. This image was tenable and credible particularly on the part of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before the grand merger that produced the APC as a mega party.

    The very necessity of the merger to forge an alliance capable of effectively contending with the PDP behemoth at the polls inevitably blunted the progressive ideological edge of the new party. This is understandable. The APC had to devise strategies to win power first before being able to implement policies inspired by a progressive ideology. In the process, the APC was forced to accommodate all shades of characters and tendencies many of whom left the ruling PDP not on grounds of principle but because they were losing out in the power game within the party. Some of those who joined the APC at its inception and were even accepted into its inner leadership core were worse than conservative; they had reactionary antecedents. These elements have since found their way back to their natural habitat, the PDP thus reinforcing the notion that there are really no differences of ideology or values between the two parties.

    Interestingly, no one has captured more incisively and clinically the ideological hiatus that separates the APC from the PDP than the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr KayodeFayemi. In his very important book, ‘Regaining the Legacy: Three Years in the Saddle’, Fayemi captures the ideological essence of the APC and I will quote him at some length: “Nigeria stands at a historic juncture. For the first time, the nation is witnessing the practical differences between the neo-classical economic policies of the ruling PDP and the progressive political economic policies of the merging APC as exemplified by the states under our control. This difference has manifested itself in the divergence of opinions regarding issues such as Sovereign Wealth Fund, fiscal federalism and the fuel subsidy removal. The governing PDP has embraced the supply side economics in accord with the dictates of the doctrinal mindset of the international financial institutions. Under this worldview, the moneyed elite and big business are given the utmost advantage to reinforce their economic advantages. This trickle down economic theory has clearly failed to empower the bulk of our population. Conversely, we have embraced a more grassroots model of economic development that promises dignified employment and a decent wage, good social services, and social safety nets, modern, functional education that provides marketable labour skills; increased agricultural output, revival of moribund industries, promotion of the knowledge economy and provision of modern infrastructure”. The critical question is why with this deep philosophical insight Fayemi was unable to translate theory into practical electoral victory in Ekiti state. The answer lies in his personal leadership failings which I have addressed in this space and will not dwell upon further.

    It is not as if the APC has not tried to project its philosophy of governance and sought to focus public discourse on pertinent issues confronting the average Nigerian. The party was thus widely applauded when it earlier in the year launched its policy road map and manifesto. But what was the response of the PDP? The latter did not undertake a rigorous critique of the APC road map. Its spokesman, OlisaMetuh simply dismissed it as a ‘janjaweed agenda’ thus tarring the APC with the brush of religious bigotry. The APC confronts a major dilemma because its opponent is a party that defies any meaningful ideological categorisation. I have insisted that the PDP cannot rightly be described as a conservative party in the mould of either the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) of the first republic or the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) of the second republic. Conservatism is a respected and cohesive ideology, which places premium on minimal government, limited intervention of the state in the economy, fiscal discipline and strict adherence to moral and ethical principles. The PDP stands for none of these values. It is purely and simply a vote-harvesting machine with the singular aim of capturing and retaining power for its own sake.

    The PDP has been in power at the centre since 1999. Under President OlusegunObasanjo, its policy platform was the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS). The late President UmaruYar’Adua jettisoned this for his nebulous seven-point agenda. President GoodluckJonatrhan has in turn dumped YaÁdua’s seven point agenda and is currently purportedly implementing a transformation agenda of little substantive content and negligible impact. Under the PDP’s watch, the country has degenerated abysmally on all fronts – education, health, security, electricity, employment generation, industrialization, agriculture, and poverty alleviation. Yet, President Jonathan is confident of being re-elected for a second term next year, not on the basis of his performance record, but on his ability to divide Nigerians in order to rule them. His has been the most divisive presidency in Nigeria’s history deliberately pitching Christians against Muslims, the North against the South or the middle belt against the core north.

    In the South-West, the PDP is propagating a most cynical form of populism. It promises to abolish or substantially reduce taxes. As Chief Awolowo noted in the quote above, the attractive road of no taxation may seem broad, easy and pleasurable but it eventually ends in poverty, penury and perdition. In Ekiti and Osun states, AyodeleFayose and IyiolaOmisore hop on Okadas or eat roasted corn by the roadside, albeit with sinister masked gun men behind them, in fake, hypocritical solidarity with the poor. We thus have an ironical situation whereby the PDP is now trying to profit politically from its poor macro-economic policies at the national level that has crippled Nigeria’s agriculture, led to massive de-industrialisation, multiplied unemployment and reduced large numbers of our populace to the dangers of riding okadas for a living or selling roasted corn by the road side. Which is really the party of the people? Is it that which wants to keep the people at the menial level of riding okadas for a living or that which through massive infrastructure renewal and qualitative social services wants to elevate the economy to create greater prosperity for all? That is the question the APC must creatively and ingeniously communicate to the electorate.

    The APC must refuse to be stampeded by the Ekiti electoral debacle into abandoning its core principles and values. Massive infrastructure provision cannot be compromised. Taxes are painful but inevitable for development. The level of recurrent to capital expenditure must be drastically reduced if meaningful transformation is to be achieved. The imperative of having competent teachers cannot be compromised if we are to have truly educated youth equipped to compete in a global economy. Our economy must be radically elevated so that our people have more dignified ways of earning a living than riding okadas. Principles, values and ideology matter. Everything is not about winning elections. Fayemi lost in Ekiti but he has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Whatever may be his own flaws like all mortals, history will ultimately vindicate the values he stood for as Ekiti state governor. Unfortunately, the wide ranging and thought provoking interview he granted this newspaper last Sunday suggests a man living in denial and thus incapable of facing bitter political realities. His political future rests on his ability to confront and accept cold realities. His contention that he never gave a concession speech, for instance, smacks of intellectual dishonesty, which is totally unbecoming of a gentleman and sober scholar.

    In the absence of any redeeming ideology or coherent policy framework, the PDP has become devastatingly adept at running negative campaigns of calumny against the opposition. On the Ekiti polls, the authoritative and influential London-based journal, ‘Africa Confidential’ wrote: “Fayose told voters that Fayemi’s reform plans would mean massive job cuts in the civil service and claimed he was using state funds to build a university in Ghana. By the time Fayemi’s team issued rebuttals, much of the damage had been done. Fayose’s team ran a textbook negative campaign – well funded and personally targeted”. This is a communication challenge the APC must be prepared to confront and effectively counter in future elections.

  • Rising terrorism, declining deterrence and confidence

    TO say that the terrorism of Boko Haram has soiled the good name of Nigeria as a nation of peace loving and  peaceful people in the comity of nations, is sadly for now, not an exaggeration at all.

    Indeed it is a great understatement and two events bear that out confidently and vividly over this last week. The first were the cheeky but bloody assassination attempts in Kaduna on retired General Muhammadu Buhari a former head of state and opposition politician, and Sheik Dahiru Bauchi, a Moslem cleric who had just preached in that town that day.

    The two events left several innocent people dead. The second testimonial of our descent into the abyss of terror, denting our good name as a nation, was the testimony in far away Tel Aviv, Israel, of no less a person than Israel’s PM Booyamin Netanyahu at a news conference with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, on Israel’s on going slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza, where in trying to say how vicious Hamas‘ record on terror had been, ended up by proclaiming with great emphasis and finality that Hamas is like Al Qada in Pakistan, Taliban in Afghanistan and Boko Haram. Of course he did not need to mention Nigeria because Boko Haram has stolen the thunder of the bloodiest terrorist groups in the world with its peculiar and constant shedding of the blood of innocent Nigerians with impunity since it commenced its nefarious activities of saying NO to western education a few years back. That Boko Haram of our own shores of Nigeria is now the king pin of world terrorism is unbelievably great but pathetic news. Worse still is the fact that a leader of the state of Israel, a nation of the volatile Middle East whose establishment in 1948 has led to three Middle East Wars with the Arabs, now uses a Nigerian terrorist group to show how bad Hamas is as a terrorist organisation in the Middle East imbroglio. This odious comparison which gives an edge of terror – a primus inter pares of sorts — to Boko Haram, clearly shows that we Nigerians do not know yet what we are up against with Boko Haram given our complacency and business as usual side stepping, when ever the next news of Boko Haram murder and mayhem intrudes rudely and daily into our attention from the news media, as it continually does ad infinitum nowadays.

    Yet, no one in his right senses will say that Netanyahu did not know what he was saying on Boko Haram. Or that Nigerians, Nigeria or its leaders have more experience of terrorism than the Israelis that Arabs-since 1948, and Iran, have vowed to wipe off the face of the earth. Indeed compared with Israel, Nigeria’s experience with terrorism is like aclean slate, until the advent of Boko Haram which has proved ruinous indeed to our sovereign reputation and is now threatening even our collective existence mortally as individuals and collectively as a peaceful sovereign nation state. So, one is left wondering in perplexity how we all have been able to muster the courage and equanimity not to see what Netanyahu has seen in Boko Haram that we have not seen either because of our collective myopia or national astigmatism.

    Yet, again it is obvious that we are oblivious of our predicament given the danger inherent in Netanyahu’s comparison and let me show how this is so, from two utterances from our leaders, also this very week.

    The first was the statement credited to President Goodluck Jonathan at a daily post Ramadan dinner in Aso Rock where he reportedly told visiting members of the diplomatic corps that contrary to the situation in the country and all expectations, the 2015 elections will be free and fair. This was after the twin bombings in Kaduna on Wednesday this week. As the Chief Security Officer and Commander in Chief of Nigeria, the President is in a position to say what he said and guarantee that, but I am sure not many Nigerians share his confidence.

    Indeed some have said that what is needed first is a fast way to deter and crush Boko Haram before 2015 so that the 2015 elections can come in on its own terms and recognisance.

    Without any ominous strings or security premonitions attached, given the present incessant rampage and insolent impunity on the Nigerian state with the bloody bombings and attacks of Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria.

    The second statement was that credited to the Minister of State for the FCT Jumoke Akinjide who reportedly told an audience gathered to mark 100 days of the abduction of the Chibok girls that the Federal government was in a position to defeat Boko Haram as it was bringing in new strategies and buying new equipment and technologies to defeat Boko Haram. She mentioned the Safe Schools Project to secure schools in the North and said the Soft Approach of the FGN was to ensure a safe return of the girls as force alone would jeopardise their safety. Such hope and preparation are commendable. But the money for the equipment is yet to be approved by the National Assembly where some legislators hostile to the President’s request for $1 bn have charged that it could be used for 2015 elections by the president. In addition one can question the use of a soft approach given that the 200 Chibok girls are in the custody of terrorists who have scant regards for girls and have promised in the recent past to marry and sell the girls in a market they said exists.

    What type of life would the girls live after being rescued? Procrastination on their rescue has tarnished their womanhood and their chances of living a future married life tremendously and one is not surprised of media reports that some of their parents have died a premature death from high blood pressure arising merely from contemplating the plight of their dear daughters in the custody of blood thirsty and unashamedly randy terrorists.

    It is my view that the Netanyahu alarm should be treated seriously and all Nigerians should endeavour to condemn and fight Boko Haram to a definite halt. We do not need to carry arms but since this is a nation of deeply religious people and prosperous pastors there is a lot to be done that being just mere by standers. Tony Blair the former British PM provided a clue on fighting terrorism at a Labour Party Conference he addressed after the 2005 bomb attack on London by terrorists. He said that the British people must not succumb to people who want to force them to change their way of life because the US is supporting Israel or think that democracy and Islam are not compatible as this is a false belief. He said the way to fight religious militancy is to use the force of superior arguments to argue and debate against the aims and  objectives of such terrorists. This he said can be done by highlighting true religious beliefs to counter religious terrorism and promoting true legitimate politics under the rule of law. The same measures can be adopted by all Nigerians regardless of their religious leanings to tell off Boko Haram that it has no religious anchor or tenet to be killing innocent people as Islam is indeed a religion of peace and the Boko Haram menace in Nigeria is an anathema to indeed any religion as a guide for moralty and belief in the unseen God in any religion of our time.

    Similarly, Palestinians in Gaza and Jews in Israel or the diaspora should pointedly condemn the Netanyahu government in Israel and the leadership of Hamas for the obvious lack of respect for human lives inherent in

    the ongoing Israeli land incursion of Israel into Gaza.

    Both Israel and Hamas have thrown caution to the winds and are no better than blood thirsty suicide bombers in the manner and bloody costs of their present confrontation in Gaza. Put simply Israel has no moral or legitimate right to be bombing places peopled by children, women and families who are not combatants. Just as it is cruel of Hamas to be using innocent human beings as human shield in shooting rockets into Israel. Both actions are as bad as that of Boko Haram in Nigeria or the Taliban in Afghnistan or ISIS in Iraq or Syria. Killing human beings to achieve an objective when dialogue or diplomacy has not been exhausted is Barbaric and definitely Boko Haram – and both Hamas and Israel are behaving like Boko Haram in the latest bloody but avoidable confrontation in Gaza. And that too is a great shame and pity indeed.

  • Backlash for Eagles: (My World Cup diary, 15)

    Backlash for Eagles: (My World Cup diary, 15)

    The reality has dawned on our big boys (Super Eagles) in Europe. They are languishing in their old clubs. John Mikel Obi and Victor Moses are not good enough to be part of Chelsea’s pre-season tour. They will keep the home front warm while others perfect their acts ahead of the new European season. That is the price players who lost focus during the World Cup face after the Mundial. Only a miracle will earn them a shirt at the start of the season.

    Mikel has been linked with several clubs, especially in Italy. His transfer news is everywhere the international media, yet nothing has happened in terms of securing a new club, leaving pundits to ask what has happened to his game. Chelsea’s manager Jose Mourinho has recruited good holding midfielders who will keep the Nigerian at the stands, not on the bench this new session. Had the Eagles done well in Brazil, Mikel and Moses would have called Mourinho’s bluff and head for at least Queens Park Rangers (QPR), the newly promoted Barclays English Premier League side.

    Will Mikel return to the Globacom Premier League competition this season? Shocked? Do not be. It could happen with the way things are. Or he could swallow his pride and head for the lower rung, like Kenneth Omeruo, who is on a one year loan to Middleborough. Is this how Mikel’s career will end? I don’t think so. He must lift his game. He must show that he can dribble, pass the ball very well and score goals. Passing backwards or shielding the ball from markers cannot help his game.

    Not a few criticised Mikel’s choice as the Budweiser Man-of-the-match against Iran. They opted for Osaze Odemwingie. But the statistics on the technical board as the Iranian game progressed showed that Mikel was indeed the engine-room of the Eagles in that tie. Mikel has vowed to remain at Chelsea to fight for a shirt. No one doubts his talent. His problem is his style. He needs to be more adventurous, if he hopes to use Chelsea’s games to convince willing European teams to seek for his services. This seems far-fetched for now, given Mikel’s body language. It could mean that his fight for shirt at Chelsea is hinged on the fact that a move out of Stamford Bridge could force the Nigerian to take a pay-cut. Pay cut for Mikel? Read my lip.

    Moses’ case is slightly different. He learnt the game in England, playing with English kids. His peers are all over; so are some of his former coaches and trainers, who taught him the basics of the game. Moses seems too lazy. He was loaned out to Liverpool. He couldn’t lift his game, with England international whiz-kid Raheem Sterling keeping the Nigerian on the bench for most of last season. However, Moses could get succour from his former manager at Wigan, Roberto Martinez, who coaches Everton.

    Martinez wanted Moses at Everton last season. He could return for the Nigerian. But this depends on how much Chelsea would accept as his transfer fees. Otherwise, Mosescould be loaned out to smaller teams this season.

    Efe Ambrose earned his stripe playing for Nigeria at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. He wasn’t quite outstanding in Eagles’ four matches. Efe returned to his Scottish club Celtic FC of Glasgow, and did well in the team’s UEFA Champions League game. He is a sure bet for the Eagles, except that he plays at the centre-back for Celtic.

    The good news, however, is that Elderson Echiejile is fit again to play for his French side. He couldn’t tie down a regular shirt last season. Many hope that Echiejile returns to the first 11, having missed out of Nigeria’s Brazil 2014 World Cup matches due to a freak injury during one of Eagles’ warm-up matches. Our players need to play regularly, if we hope to excel at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

    For Godfrey Oboabona, Brazil 2014 World Cup is a nightmare. He nursed hope that he would hit the big stage with a meteoric outing for the Eagles. He limped out against Iran and never returned to the game till Nigeria was eliminated. Easily one of Nigeria’s best central defenders, Oboabona’s injury worries has made his club career in Turkey an uneventful one. Perhaps, this injury is what Oboabona needs to see the doctors, ahead of the 2014/2015 soccer season.

    Juwon Oshianiwa shocked everyone with his determination at the world Cup. Not a skilful player, yet he fought for the ball and gave his opponents difficult times, every time they took him on to try to dislodge the Eagles’ defence.

    Nigeria’s best player at the World Cup in Brazil is Oguenyi Onazi. He did the dirty jobs in the midfield. He covered up Mikel’s weaknesses even though the Chelsea star got the accolades culminating in Mikel being adjudged the man-of-the-match in Nigeria’s first game against Iran. Onazi was brutalised by the French, reminiscent of what the Italians did to Daniel Amokachi and Emmanuel Amuneke during the USA’94 World Cup. Onazi held the Eagles’ midfield firmly. But he bowed to the rough tactics of the French with the referee from USA looking the other way. Onazi’s exit spelt doom for Nigeria as we crashed out of the competition, losing a game we had firmly in our hands.

    When Michael Babatunde was listed in Nigeria’s 23-man list, this writer was shocked. He had shown glimpses of his talent. But for the big stage, one had doubts. But Babatunde proved everyone wrong with his sterling performance until he was substituted due to a broken hand in the better-to-be-forgotten game against France. I look forward to watching a midfield featuring Babatunde, Onazi, Bright Dike and Mikel, only if Eagles’ coaches learn how to parade four midfielders, not the archaic two-man midfield formation where Mikel tires out quickly.

    If a seer had predicted that Emmanuel Emenike won’t score a goal at the World Cup in Brazil, bookmakers would have placed several bets on such odds. Emenike was the hottest striker in Africa before the Mundial. It was the reason why the Iranians, Bosnians, Argentines and the French close-marked him. He wasn’t given any breathing space as he could be deadly when faced with any goalkeeper. In fact, the Bosnians are still ruing how Emenike shoved off their captain before laying the killer pass which Osaze Odemwingie converted for the only goal of the game between Bosnia and Nigeria. Emenike did score a disallowed goal, yet he did his best at the Mundial. He remains with his club and we expect that he has learnt a few lessons on how to evade his markers. It could also include getting to know how to dribble them beyond his present physical approach to the game.

    Odemwingie justified the clamour for his return. He accepted that his behaviour was untoward. The World Cup is over and not one negative word from the “king of the twitter” which means old things have passed away. Odemwingie and Ahmed Musa propelled the Eagles’ attack against Argentina and France. Odemwingie and Musa scored Nigeria’s three World Cup goals. Poor records for the defending African champions, but a deserving lesson for the Eagles’ coaches on how to field only the best, irrespective of their idiosyncrasies

    Sadly, one of those dropped by our coaches, Brown Ideye, has joined Barclays English Premier League side Westbromwich Albion for a club record fee of 10 million pounds. He joins the league of Nigerians who have played for the Baggies. Ideye would strive to combine effectively with another Nigerian, Victor Anichebe in the attack. One hopes that Eagles’ coaches can look in their direction when picking the squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

    Ikechukwu Uche is back at Villareal in Spain. He is fit. It was said that he had reconciled with Eagles coaches. They know better, having taken stock of what happened in Brazil with the strikers they took there. Uche’s return to the Eagles is imminent. One only wished the coaches had swallowed their pride for the sake of Nigerians. Nigeria would have beaten France and hit the quarterfinals. Maybe, we could have topped the group by beating Iran and drawing Argentina – only if they took Ike Uche, Victor Anichebe, Sone Aluko et al to Brazil. Not one to sulk over spilt milk, Uche offers the coaches their best chance to redeem whatever coaching reputation that they have. Will they take the chance? Oba khato Okpere, Ise!

  • NFF TO TECHNICAL COMMITTEE: Seal Keshi’s deal in 7 days

    NFF TO TECHNICAL COMMITTEE: Seal Keshi’s deal in 7 days

    • An Emergency Congress slated for Thursday, 31st July

    THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has instructed its technical committee to seal a deal with Super Eagles chief coach, Stephen Keshi, for another four years in the next seven days and report their findings to the executive committee at an unspecified date.

    The executive committee members stated categorically that they were still interested in retaining Keshi’s services for the Super Eagles, stressing that: “The Executive Committee mandated the Technical Sub-Committee to open channels of communication with Mr. Stephen Keshi with a view to extending his contract, as the NFF is still interested in working with him. The Technical Sub-Committee is to report back to the Executive Committee within ONE WEEK.”

    The executive body revealed further that subsequent financial dealings with Super Eagles’ players and coaches must be done before the commencement of such international competitions to avert the show-of-shame that dogged Nigeria’s participation at the Brazil 2014 World Cup competition, where Nigeria was eliminated by France 2-0 in the Round of 16.

    “Henceforth, all financial issues with players and officials must be thoroughly deliberated upon and agreed ahead of major matches and competitions, to avoid the kind of embarrassment brought upon the nation at the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, when players boycotted training sessions before the Round of 16 match with France.”

    “An Emergency Congress of the Nigeria Football Federation will be convened in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Thursday, 31st July, 2014 to ratify the impeachment of Alhaji Aminu Maigari from the NFF Executive Committee.”

    The Executive Committee commended world football–governing body, FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for their keen interest in the development of Nigerian football and pledged that the country will continue to abide by the dictates of FIFA and CAF Statutes and FIFA–approved NFF Statutes.

    “The Executive Committee thanked Nigerians from far and near for their patience and understanding during the crisis period and reiterated that concerted efforts that are geared towards the development of football in Nigeria, are on.

    It remains to be seen if the NFF executive body will be in office when the decisions raised in the comunique are taken with a few days to the NFF’s elections, where a majority of those at Thursday’s meeting would be shocked at the polls.

  • Impeachment, credibility and security

    IN Nigeria this week the big news was the swift impeachment of Adamawa state Governor Murtala Nyako, his disappearance into hiding and the impending impeachment of Governor Tanko Al – Makura, in Nasarawa state where the legislators in that state have adopted the route taken by the Adamawa state house of Assembly in routing Nyako from office with brazen impunity. Of course the charges against Nyako were corruption charges and in the declared war by the federal government against corruption this would seem a step in the right direction in the anti corruption drive of the Federal government. But the there is infinitely more to the impeachment drive and charges than meets the eye as a cloud of credibility ominously darkens the horizon in this regard.

    First, the governors of both Adamawa and Nasarawa namely Murtala Nyako and Tanko Al Makura were allies of the Nigerian president and leader of the ruling PDP before they defected to the newly founded opposition APC which for now is the major headache of the PDP as it prepares for the 2015 elections in which the incumbent President is expected to declare his candidature any time from now. The impeachment drive would therefore seem like a good weapon for now to kill two birds with one stone for the ruling party. The first objective is to maim the opposition by crippling its number of state governors using impeachment as a weapon of power acquisition at and intimidation state level and political control nationally. The second is to assert at the federal level like the late Murtala Muhammed usually said in the anti corruption rhetoric that characterised his purge of the civil service then, – ‘this administration will not tolerate indiscipline, this administration will not condone abuse of office. ‘ So in effect then for Nigerian governors in the opposition the fear of impeachment is the beginning of wisdom as we head towards the 2015 presidential, state and gubernatorial elections. But then the PDP or the Federal government has forgotten that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones and that in the two pronged strategy it had adopted in winning the 2015 elections, namely military policing of elections and impeachment of opposition governors, it is behaving like the proverbial ostrich that buried its head in the sand thinking that nobody can see its body. Which is such silly folly which I will illustrate vividly here today with some events that happened just this week.

    These events were first the reaction of the international community to the Nigerian president’s $Ibn request to the National Assembly to approve for the upgrade of the equipment of the Nigerian Army to fight the menace of terrorism plaguing Nigeria called Boko Haram. The second was the reaction of former Minister of Defence retired General Theophilus Danjuma to the setting up of another massive fund namely Victims Support Fund to take care of the victims of the Boko Haram horror and their dependants. The third was the visit of the French President Francois Hollandeto West Africa, first to Ivory Coast, and Nigeria’s north easterly neighbours Niger Republic and Chad.

    Definitely I intend to use these events to illustrate the title of the day and show that the world at large is not deceived by the dubious fight against corruption in Nigeria and that that people can see through the veiled, kid’s glove being used to fight terrorism and are ready to counter this approach rather than sink with it.

    Let us start with the $ 1bn request for military equipment by first admitting that the expenditure is indeed very much required and needed. But what of the time and manner of its presentation? That certainly was in bad taste and a danger to our collective security. This was a request that should have been made confidentially to a closed joint session of the National Assembly and not on the public domain as was done Now the contents of the expenditure and the stated need of them can only gladden the stony and bloody hearts of Boko Haram as an admission by the government that the terrorist have really vanquished the Nigerian military such that it is now scavenging for funds to fight terrorism both at home and abroad. The public presentation can also dampen the morale of our military who are risking their lives to protect all of us as they would be wondering what to expect of them between now when they are ill equipped and the time the equipment would arrive for their use. To me this was like telling the terrorists to wait till our military is ready for confrontation with them which smirks of benign, avoidable negligence and a form of surrender which was not intended in the making of the public request for expenditure.

    Unfortunately as I was typing this piece I got the news that that National Assembly has gone on its usual two month vacation and is due to resume in September without considering the president’s urgent request for the $ 1bn to fight Boko Haram ,and this raises further questions. Do the Federal legislators not believe the urgency in the request? or do they not believe that the money will be used for the purposes stated? or again, is it the case that they not take the issue of Boko Haram serious enough that they can leave their approval hanging till September by which time the Chibok girls may still be missing because the military is not equipped to fight Boko Haram or find the 200 abducted Chibok girls? A sickening stench of levity and nonchalance reverberates around this urgent and unattended $Ibn request of the president and the legislators certainly owe the Nigerian public and electorate an explanation if and when they resume in September.

    For now one needs to compare this apparent legislative neglect with the pungency and urgency in the speech credited to retired General Theophilus Danjuma before the Nigerian president at the setting up of the Victims Support Fund Committee to get funds for Boko Haram victims. General Danjuma reportedly said that the war against Boko Haram was taking too long and that he called it a civil war before but people thought he did not know what he was saying and the they called it insurgency. Danjuma said the committe will not go to the Sambisa forest where the terrorists are operating except the President is ready to lead them there a Commander in Chief. Danjuma said the war should be won immediately as Boko Haram seem to be having the upper hand for now. Obviously, Danjuma a Nigerian Civil war hero knows what he has seen and heard on the handling of the Boko Haram crisis and if he had his way, given his utterances before the president, he would not be seen dead with the present approach in high places to contain this bloody terrorism destroying Nigeria so brazenly before our very eyes, like Wole Soyinka would have said.

    This Danjuma warning can also be compared with the views of our American friends especially in their Congressional hearings where US legislators are treated to information that the Nigeria military is so corrupt that the huge $6bn budget for defence has been diverted for non military purposes by the the top brass such that not enough money gets to the battle front to buy arms and ammunition for fighting terrorism. The authorities in Nigeria should debunk such information publicly and urgently if they are not true instead of keeping mute and thinking that such stories will just go away.

    Definitely they will spread like a virus on the internet instead. Next the visit of French President Francois Hollande to Ivory Coast, Niger and Chad on security matters has a story on Nigeria’s strategy on fighting security and terrorism in the region.

    President Hollande at our Centenary Celebration promised to help Nigeria fight terrorism but he has not gone to sleep over it. If anything the French have decided to take the bull by the horn and not go to sleep while there is obvious fire on their thatched roof in the region and that is why their president is on site to see things for himself. The French certainly have serious concern on terrorism in the Sahel and that is why their president will visit Niger and Chad our neighbours in the NE of Nigeria. Given the latest vacillation and delay in approving expenditure to equip our military there is every likelihood that France will give equipment and military aid to Niger and Chad such that Boko Haram will flee those nations and intensify its death grip on our NE states.

    Before, our military usually pursued terrorists on our borders in the North East far into Chad and Niger with impunity that put the fear of God into such terrorists such that they never return.

    Nowadays the reverse is the case as our borders have become porous such that Boko Haram, like Danjuma lamented, now choose where and when to strike in our entire North East of six states with three under a state of Emergency. Obvously the French are not forgetting their former colonies because of deep economic and historical ties. Their president is in our backyard in the region to show the Francophone nations that they are not alone in fighting terrorism especially as the giant they usually relied on to take the lead has for now developed feet of clay. Definitely the French policy on fighting terrorism in the three nations their president is visiting is that a stitch in time saves nine which is infinitely far superior for regional security than delayed expenditure on urgent military equipment and legislative vacation in the middle of a civil war that we still call insurgency.

  • Disband Super Eagles now

    (My World Cup diary, 14)

    The price we pay for this bunch of Super Eagles to flourish is outrageous. We make them look like tin gods simply because they unite us when they win matches. Everything stops in Nigeria when the Eagles play. They are infallible. They can do no wrong. When things go awry with our football, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) eggheads get the butt. This trend must stop if we hope to attain the height of others.

    What we should do to stop the rot is to disband the Super Eagles. We can then ask those who truly want to play for Nigeria at our terms to come and fill the Code of Conduct forms which will tell them the dos and don’ts of playing for us. Code of Conduct exists in clubs where these players ply their trade. It is the absence of this rulebook in the national teams that the players have exploited to pour odium on us like they did in Windhoek before the 2013 Confederations Cup tournament held in Brazil and at the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

    For winning the Brazil 2014 World Cup, Germany rewarded her players with 300.000 Euros. Before this feat was achieved, the German soccer body graduated what the players would earn from the qualifiers till the glorious moment at the famous Maracana Stadium in Brazil on July 13. The German government had nothing to do with the team’s operations in Brazil, even when the President watched all the games.

    No player misbehaved because they knew who called the shots. Germany’s coach’s decisions were obeyed. The coach didn’t disregard his employers. The coach knew he couldn’t walk up to the President to grumble. The President was only seen celebrating at the stands. The World Cup winning team was not burdened by the nuances of influence peddling officials nor were they suffocated by the overflowing attires of government officials. The Germans celebrated alone. No intruders. If it had been the Super Eagles, there would have been more intruders than the players.

    If the Eagles had won the World Cup, each player would have got $2 million; an estate in any city of his choice and a national honour, streets would have been named after them in the 36 states of the federation and Abuja and, they would have been paid salaries for life in their states of origin. Governors would have splashed the equivalent, if not more, of what the president would provide. The two chambers of the National Assembly and their states’ counterparts would have joined in the cash splash.

    The madness arising from the struggle to host the Eagles gives the players and coaches unfettered access to those in the corridors of power to wield powers that they dare not seek with their European clubs’ presidents. I hope that these players don’t come back in the future to tell us that they have been abandoned. The wise ones must save money for the rainy day now.

    If we want the Eagles to change their ways, we must disband the team, task the NFF to print out copies of the Code of Conduct approved by former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi and ask the players, coaches and supporting staff to either fill them or sit at home. The nuisance in the Super Eagles exists because the players and the coaches feel that the NFF and sometimes, the sport minister don’t wield in government the influence that they have. Nigeria will not cease being a sovereign nation if we don’t participate in the World Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations. Super Eagles is a football team, not a union for protesters. If they feel dissatisfied, they can opt out of the Eagles, like Carlos Tevez did with Argentina and Samir Nasri did with France than hold us to ransome before matches.

    In Brazil, we saw nations crash out of the competition and how their players shed tears, knowing that they had lost the platform to showcase their skills and possibly earn more cash from their European clubs. These players were inconsolable. But Super Eagles players and officials cared less after our loss to France. Will you blame them? After all, they shared the $3.850million which the government brought up until 3am before the game against France. How could such players win matches? Impossible, even if the whole country knelt down to God for His favour.

    We can only develop our game when we get FIFA’s official instrument called the “Statutes” to run the game here. The “Statutes” opens the operations of the game to all Nigerians. The FIFA Statutes gives the 209 football federations the power to decide how it should be run, independent of government. Those who argue that the government funds the NFF and so should oversee, must tell us how many times PHCN, NNPC, aviation and other key parastatals render their accounts to the government?

    FIFA’s Statutes is a rulebook guiding how the body’s affairs should be run. It is has extant laws that ensure that no federation misappropriates FIFA’s cash for frivolous things. It gives the soccer bodies the autonomy they require to run as a business, independent of the government. To ensure continuity, FIFA’s Statutes ensures that federations are not destroy at the whims and caprices of overbearing government officials by inserting the section where there is zero-tolerance for government interference. This section is the reason why most African football federations can run their four-year term unhindered.

    When such four-year tenures end, it is fight-to-the-finish for everyone, with most African governments seeking to nominate their stooges into the soccer federations.

    Nigeria’s football is regrettably being run by the draconian Decree. Indeed, it is only in football that the operative instrument is a decree. Previous governments have cast an indulgent eye on repealing the decree because a certain section of the obnoxious instrument gives the supervisory minister to intervene without any thought for the implications of such intervention. Most times, these minister enforce this section to fight the battles of some aggrieved National Sports Commission (NSC) technocrats or disgruntled stakeholders, who have their ears.

    For this show-of-shame to stop, we need to fast-track the process of repealing Decree 101 and ensure that FIFA Statutes are used to run the game. Football is serious business. Cash from FIFA’s operations is more than what the Nigerian government budgets annually (no hyperbole). FIFA’s events are billion dollars operations, hence blue-chip companies outbid themselves to sponsor the various marketing windows the body has open to source for cash. Money from television rights and merchandising alone has adequately reshaped the game in countries where the Statutes operate.

    What this simply means is that such countries’ governments don’t fund their operations and cannot ask them to render their accounts. Now that the case has been removed from the courts, can we get the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to inaugurate the Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS) where aggrieved people in sports can seek redress, instead of facing committees inaugurated by those who the complainants have issues with? It is a case of being the judge and the jury in your own matter.

    Again, “FIFA Statutes” provides the framework for rich Nigerians with passion for the game to seek elective positions in the NFF. Those who heat up the polity in the period before NFF’s elections are either jobbers or government’s lickspittles waiting to eat from the national cake.

    If the government feels strongly about the present NFF board, the elections offer the best platform for democratic changes. Our football is in the doldrums because of frequent changes in the leadership of the NFF. Such changes don’t encourage other soccer bodies do business with Nigeria.

    Being members of the NFF, for instance, qualifies many of them into elective offices in CAF and FIFA. Interpersonal relationships with other countries’ FA chiefs help a great deal in sealing quality matches for our national teams, especially the Super Eagles. Such games open new vista for our players since most of them may secure better deals in Europe the next season.

    Eagles need to play top class friendly games in Nigeria, for us to truly appreciate the benefits of generating more cash for the NFF from gate-takings, merchandising and other marketing windows such games would attract.  Is anybody listening? Oba Khato Okpere, Ise!

  • Between electoral and executive rascality and democracy

    ELECTIONS in any democracy create or destroy power. Which in effect means that while elections can refresh power for incumbents they can also remove them from power. That was what happened in Ekiti State recently and even though the loser’s wife has protested that what happened at the election will soon be known, the fact is that power has shifted base from one party to another and from an incumbent to an incoming. That is the beauty of democracy.

    The acceptance of loss of power with equanimity and without loss of composure or face, is another potent aspect of elections that nurtures stability and continuity in governance and security. Thankfully all that was very much at play again at the last gubernatorial elections in Ekiti state and is something that we in this part of the world can be quite proud of, at least this time around.

    The reason for mutual backslapping or elationover a smooth electoral transition of power in Ekiti is not difficult to see if you monitored the reactions of politicians to some elections globally in the last week. In Indonesia’s presidential elections this week the two contestants have claimed victory in a way similar to how Former US President George Bush Jnr did on his election in 2000 for a first term of office when the results were very close when he defeated Al Gore in a close and controversial election decided by the Florida recount. Similarly in Afghanistan, the front runner in the announced election results asked for an urgent audit of the votes cast to confirm his lead while his opponent who also disputed the election results was planning to form a parallel government. This was a move which saw the US, the ‘owner’ or midwife of Afghan democracy sending its Secretary of State John Kerry scurrying back to Afghanistan to warn that any parallel government will not have US aid or US guarantee of security for Afghanistan- which both contestants know and admit is a sine qua non for any leader to rule Afghanistan at this present time.

    So, in effect, it follows that elections in some circumstances need some guarantees to facilitate their conduct and transparency and in some cases some threats, either subtle or direct, to ensure that those who get elected really get to take over power in a con-ducive environment. Surely these are the rigors or the political costs of elections and they vary from place to place. In Ekiti of recent the army was the guarantor of a free and fair election while INEC was the organiser and facilitator. In Afghanistan the US was the guarantor and in either Ekiti and Afghanistan, the contestants were left in no doubt as to the conduct expected in the elections even though the electoral body was given a free hand to operate . In Ekiti some critics have called the involvement of the army a militarisation of elections, which I think is a misnomer as soldiers did not vote. All they did was to police the election as the normal police was deemed inadequate to provide such function even though they were on the ground filly kitted like an army for any eventualities.

    Which meant that the Army in Ekiti policed the election on behalf of the police which will make such operation a mere ‘police action’ similar to the one the Federal government of former Head of State ex-General Yakubu Gowon embarked on at the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War to crush the Biafran secession. Surely that seems to have become the mode of security for state elections under INEC nowadays as it was done in Edo state before Ekiti and all things being equal it would be repeated in Oshun state elections due in August. The only snag in the comparison with the Afghan election guarantee is that while the US had no stake in who won the election in Afghanistan, the Commander in Chief of the Nigerian army is the leader of one of the parties viewing for power in the state and has even come there to campaign for the party’s candidate who eventually won.

    You have to wonder then what could have happened if the Commander in Chief’s candidate had lost or whether his losing at all was ever a part of the security guarantees for the elections. We need to mention that the police action against the Biafran rebels later metamorphosed into a full scale military action when the Biafran army proved a hard nut to track with that initial strategy.

    Aside from power shift arising from elections, real power rascality can ensue between power holders and those with whom they exercise or share power as was the case in the US this week when some US Republican Party leaders asked that US President Barak Obama should be impeached for violating the US Constitution in his use of presidential powers. Which is quite laughable considering the fact that President Obama was a professor of Constitutional law before becoming president surelyknows the limits of presidential powers. But his accusers are not joking on the charges and some senators have stoked the fire against Obama further by threatening to take him to court on similar charges. Obama in turn have called their bluff by saying that he has acted within the constitution and would be happy to have his day in court on the matter with his accusers. Of course Obama is serving his second term and cannot be frightened with the prospect of losing his powers through any presidential elections again but he is becoming a lame duck president faster than most of his predecessors in office. A lame duck president in the US is one who is ignored because he is in his last term and people are preparing for his successor as he is running out of tenure and office and is not quite relevant on issues. So Obama can afford to make himself merry with the rascality of those seeking his impeachment as his days are numbered in office anyway.

    This is not so however if a sitting president in any nation is seeking re election and a state governor stands in his way for what ever reason. This brings to mind the problem the Adamawa State governor Murtala Nyako is having over a letter he wrote recently condemning the security strategy and presidential style of Nigeria’s incumbent President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan.

    As at now Governor Nyako is facing impeachment charges from his state legislature that is surely a spill over from his face off with the Nigerian president and I am sure that the Adamawa governor is fighting dearly for his incumbency even though there is no election yet in his state. Surely Governor Nyako knows very well by now what the late but very witty MKO Abiola meant when he said only a mad man will stand in front of a moving train, when he counts the cost of his altercation with the Nigeria president over the security of his state where he is the chief security officer, and that of the purview of the C- in C which covers Nigeria including Adamawa state. This has shown that even in the use and management of power and security, water must find its own level at all times as incumbencies at both state and federal levels are not certainly equal in many aspects. Especially in Nigeria where Aso Rock is the fount of power and patronage thanks to our unitary system of governance in a so called federal arrangement or constitution.