The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday

  • Christmas: Yesterday and today

    Christmas: Yesterday and today

    Today is Christmas, a regular day but a day with global import and impact, a globally unifying day and season. Somehow the day defies creed or race and is celebrated across cultures. It comes like a sign off of each year, the time to take stock, to let heads down, to bond with families and friends, a seeming unity in the global space, if you are not consuming, you are producing for those who consume. There is colour and beauty, a somewhat synergy between nature and man.

    Each growing human across the globe grows along the celebration and ambience of unity, bonding and sharing. In a world that politicians and some religious leaders use some divisive rhetoric for non-altruistic reasons, the celebration of Christmas seemingly disarms them even if momentarily. There is even the belief that crime and criminal activities are often at their lowest during the month of December because even the criminals and social misfits join in the celebrations.

    The Roundtable Conversation tried to dig into the significance and change in the celebration in a Nigerian context and decided to have a chat with some veterans who have celebrated a couple of Christmases to find out what Christmas meant before and whether there is a difference with what they experienced and the recent Christmases they have been blessed to live through.

    Prof. Adebayo  Williams is a scholar,  author and a veteran journalist who remembers his past Christmases with absolute nostalgia. Growing up, December to generation signified hope and not just the hope of eating rice which was not a staple food then even when it was even locally produced, Christmas was one of possibly the third time of the year that rice was joyously eaten in households that could afford it.  New Year, Easter and Christmas were the golden days  rice was joyously eaten with equally locally raised animals and birds like chicken.

    To him, was also purposeful governance then and that is missing all over the country today. So there were  always things to look up to with great enthusiasm and expectations. Then December truly marked the end of the academic year and those who did well and going to the next class were always in a joyous mood as they are often rewarded with gifts no matter how small while those who did not do so well took stock and learnt their lessons and took the failure as motivation to do better in future academic sessions.

    We also had a situation of no ethnic division at all and as such Christmas was a time of bonding beyond families in spite of differences in religion and ethnicity. Families shared their food and drinks with anyone in the neighbourhood irrespective of any social  or creed differences.  There were  no ethnic or religious polarizations unlike what obtains now.

    According to the Prof., possibly due to age or something he can’t possibly put his fingers on, it does not really feel like the Christmas they grew up anticipating and joyous to experience. He suggests it could be a result of the erosion of religious faith caused principally by enveloping materialism and the sheer brigandage of certain sections of the church as a body. They seem to have, through their actions caused people to lose hope and belief in the whole idea of Christmas.

    So the change in the idea of celebrations and Christmas is due to a combination of a lot of things most of them having great multiplier effects on the permeating tragedy and the mood of hopelessness.  Again the difference we the older generation seem to see could be tied to demographics. The younger ones seem not to miss what they never experienced.  A lot of the younger ones still look forward to Christmas. It could be that the older generation are more focused on what once were he thinks.

    In those days though, December marked the massive influx of holiday makers across the country. Then there were real unity schools and people were not afraid to send their children across states to study. There was order and there were expectations in the society of that period of bonding. It did seem that the social bonding was stronger then as even the cooking were shared experiences and sharing was seamlessly done. These days, that social bonding seems to have evaporated as fear and mutual suspicion reign supreme.

    As one who did the National Youth Service in the Eastern part of the country, coming home to Lagos for Christmas was pure joy as there was no fear of any form of insecurity at the time. It was joy to soak in the Christmassy ambience as the people trouped home from across the country creating a seeming carnival-like atmosphere  even on the roads with different banners announcing different events and social engagements.

    There was joy in observing the communities bubbling with festive spectacles with huge banners hung across the roads heralding the great funfair that comes with the season. Prof. vividly remembers his almost  exhilarating trips from Okigwe to Onitsha in the East and the joyous expressive expectations and hope seen as they journeyed to Lagos . It was awesome experiencing what looked like organic communities  in festivity.

    Even the climate had not suffered so much global warming as the harmattan weather provided the best cooling environment for some beer and palm wine as one journeyed across the land. One did not need to refrigerate beer.  It is sad but Prof believes that the change in the Christmas aura seems to be a global issue despite the unfortunate impact of covid-19. To some extent, there is a drift away from the belief in Christmas as people seem to care less about the reason for the season. To Prof., there may still be hope that the good times will be back but humanity must actively work towards that.

    Veteran actress, journalist, cosmetologist, broadcaster and the matriarch of Nigerian entertainment industry, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett believes that Christmas is now  like any other day of the year and merely signifies the end of the year. It is a joyous period to know that one has gone through the year. However, she believes a lot has changed and the camaraderie that existed during this period seems to have disappeared. The insecurity in the land has robbed people of the freedom to joyously bond and share joy. A marked difference from the past she grew up in. The social ills like kidnapping, bombings and sundry crimes were almost non-existent when she was growing up and as such, the joy, the friendliness, the freedom to bond and have a laugh within communities are all gone.

    When we were growing up, there were things associated with Christmas, the camaraderie, the new clothes and shoes that were only bought for kids at Christmas were enough to create great expectations. The street celebrations that brought forth artistic displays like singing and dancing that lifted spiritsand taught lessons are all gone. Everybody is quiet and keeping their heads down. There is paucity of funds and very few people care for their neighbor these days.

    There are too many ostentatious spenders, consumerists who just enjoy themselves without caring what happens to other people these days. In Lagos for instance, those living in highbrow areas like Banana Island and Ajah seem to mind their own comfort without knowing or caring what is happening to the masses in their neighborhoods.  So Christmas is not what it used to be but on a personal level she tries to share what  with neighbors because that is what she grew up doing and expect others to care a bit about others too. That is what Christmas is about.

    Doing what I do is my idea of carrying on with the tradition which is sharing with your neighbours. I love the old tradition of the Easterners travelling to the East to be with their communities to celebrate Christmas and New Year . It is sad that people due to the economic hardships have little for themselves this year and it does not help that Covid-19 threw spanner in the works in the past eighteen months. Many people are ill, dead or dying and some with the new Omicron virus.

    It is not a happy period in the world generally but we must not lose hope. The governments especially in Africa must help the people. We must be thankful for our lives but governments must be proactive.

    Taiwo Ajai-Lycett believes all hope is not lost. Governments to her must rebuild the hope of the people by being more deliberate in their policy formulations and executions in ways that the people would have better hope and experience more joy some of which gets to its zenith during the Christmas season. She believes that as humans we must do our best to create and nurture hope.

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    To her, security of lives and property inspires hope and would return the good old Christmas spirit that inspired family and community bonding that makes it safer to relate and bond as community. The onus is on the government to inspire hope not just through speeches but through concrete functional actions.  The people seem helpless and the government can and must stick their fingers out to fix the security situation. Declaring public holidays for festivities is good but it is better to create a functional system that can make the holidays valuable too.

    The Roundtable Conversation believes that these two veterans have shared valuable wisdom on the great changes about Christmas celebrations before and now. It behooves of the governments at all levels to help the people regain that sense of hope and joy that the season brings. It has nothing to do with creed or race. Peace and progress happen when the people joyously have look up to tomorrow. The increased cases of depression and suicide especially amongst the most productive sector of the economy are traceable to the erosion of hope and expectations of a joyous tomorrow in general. Happy Christmas dear Readers.

  • Rivers of troubles

    Rivers of troubles

    Rivers is a state of political warriors who are addicted to crises. It is a wealthy state; richer than many others put together. Its wealth has brought it fortunes, development and progress, to the envy of its peers across the lopsided federated country.

    But, the reason there is so much crisis in the Southsouth state may also be due to its wealth. Its pride is its limitless oil from vast fields. Its gas is still being flared, to the consternation of those who scolded successive Federal Governments for a shortfall in vision and productivity.

     The summary is that those in the corridors of power, who have access to the state’s wealth and resources, are also in the vantage position to deploy them into the war of supremacy and egoism.

    So rich is the state that in the last 23 years it has made progress under its three governors under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – Dr. Peter Odili, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nyesom Wike. In fact, many expect the state to soar to a greater horizon of progress under Governor Siminalayi Fubara because he has models to emulate. His career as a civil servant was like an indirect tutelage under the previous administrations.

    Rivers State is also reputed for the ambitions of its governors. The three former governors were presidential aspirants who fought hard battles in their bid to secure the tickets of their political parties. The pillar of their aspirations may have been the deep purse of their oil-rich state. But the tickets eluded all of them.

    A permanent feature of the state is successor-predecessor crisis. It has become a tradition and culture that is inherited and transmitted from one dispensation to another. Once a crisis breaks out in Rivers, reconciliation becomes futile. The state is polarised. The situation degenerates into the survival of the fittest.

    Although a heterogeneous state, ethnic tension has been minimal, except when political gladiators deliberately enlisted ethnic numerical strength into personal battles. Neither is religion a major issue. Almost all indigenes of the state from the diverse social formations are Christians.

    But those who trouble the peace of the ever buoyant state are not the commoners; it’s the privileged leaders. All of them are closely bound together by political ties. The battle among the political elite, backed by many prominent traditional rulers in the state, who were once active politicians and public servants, is intense because the stakes are always high.

    In extreme cases, when some categories of militants and even cultists were on the prowl, they were politically induced. External forces are not waging a war on Rivers; the state has been waging a war on itself.

    There is no godfather in the Southsouth state that has not regretted his last cardinal decision of installing a lackey as successor.

    Odili, eminent medical doctor, Third Republic deputy governor and governor for eight years between 1999 and 2007, groomed his boy, Amaechi, for succession. Despite the stiff resistance by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other forces who brought an interloper, Clemens Omehia, Amaechi succeeded his godfather. That was the end of the story.

    The godfather and his godson later parted ways. The cause of the rift was not brought to the public domain. If Obasanjo had allowed the PDP to conduct a free and fair presidential primary, perhaps, Odili would have picked the ticket, having seized the momentum from the onset.

    After leaving office, the experienced politician was left in the cold. But an accomplished, calm and mature statesman, Odili also let go at the state level and never raised an eyebrow at the state affairs, policies and programmes when Amaechi was in the saddle.

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    Although the anti-graft body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was after him, the old man got a rare reprieve. The court granted him an order of perpetual injunction that he should never be troubled for life.

    Though an elder statesmen and a septuagenarian, Odili has not really retired from politics. He is a PDP elder held in high esteem. He lives a life of contentment and he has some peace of mind.

    These are the rare happenstances that appeared to have eluded his successor and beneficiary of his succession plan. Young and vibrant, Amaechi is a lucky politician who was transformed from Odili’s personal aide to a member of the House of Assembly. Perceived as a loyal son, he became Speaker without much stress, and after eight years, sat on the number one seat vacated by his benefactor.

    Unfortunately, Amaechi, who also became the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), could not hand over to his preferred candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, having left his party for the All Progressives Congress (APC). Being the stronghold of the PDP, Rivers people made Nyesom Wike their governor.

    The parting of ways between Amaechi and Wike was confounding to their common friends and compatriots. When Amaechi was forced by circumstances to temporarily leave the country when the political heat was put on him, it was Wike who held forte in the course of the litigation; Amaechi’s ambition, which in OBJ’s calculation, had developed a ‘K-Leg,’ was being ‘straightened’ in court. Wike was Amaechi’s Chief of Staff before he was appointed the Minister of State for Education by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    As Wike succeeded Amaechi, both resumed full hostilities. Having under-studied the former governor’s utilisation of resources to fight partisan battles, Wike gained greater mastery of the art. The gulf deepened between Wike and Amaechi, who, despite being a federal minister, could not persuade the central government to deploy its federal might to unseat him in 2019 or frustrate his 2023 succession plan.

    Wike triumphed. But little did he guess that he would not have peace afterwards. The current Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister understood the calculations that led to the choice of Fubara as his anointed candidate. The former Accountant-General knows why he became the beneficiary of the succession plan. The cause of the rift may be that after power landed on his laps, interests could no longer align,  leading to a deep gulf.

    Fubara has been an observer of the recurrent successor/predecessor crises that have been the hallmark of Rivers, having worked in the civil service in the last two decades and risen to the pinnacle of his career under the civilian regimes that were characterised by intra and inter-party wars of attrition.

    What is striking in Rivers is that no single successor/predecessor crisis has been resolved. Reconciliation between benefactors and beneficiaries has often been stalled. Although President Bola Tinubu has intervened once in the current impasse, his admonition went on deaf ears. The President is may still condider bringing them back to Aso Villa the second time for a truce.

    What now preoccupies the two warring camps in Rivers is not effective governance in the state but how to win the battle and how not to lose the war. Attention is inadvertently diverted from the pursuit of laudable policies and programmes. Much energy is being dissipated on crisis management.

    A state needs an atmosphere of peace for the continuous works of development. That harmony is currently absent in Rivers. The state is polarised and, as the acrimony festers, both sides are liable to commit more errors.

    Already, the faulty mathematics of sustaining the numerical superiority and supremacy of four state lawmakers over 27 stares people in the face. Since Rivers is bouyant, it can afford to pull down the House of Assembly complex. A new one will be built soonest. Then, any judge can award ex-parte injuction at will without putting the other side on notice. The confusion can be justified by the narrow minded enemies of democracy as part of politics.

    Let the gladiators, combatants, their allies and followers on both sides realise that while they know the beginning of the war, they cannot accurately predict its end.

    On Thursday, elder statesman Chief Rufus Ada George appealed to the warring parties to show decorum and elevate the collective interest of the state over their particularistic agenda.

    Warning against further  provocative comments, he said: “I am deeply pained and worried over these embarrassing events and flagrant demonstration of impunity, power, and lawlessness because of the grave danger they portend to the peace and security of Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole.

    “As the oldest former Governor of Rivers State, I call on all former governors and their deputies to close ranks, come together, and collectively and frankly speak to our younger colleagues in the best interest of the state.”

     The former governor pleaded with the warriors to prioritise Rivers State first and above all other personal, sectional and parochial interests.

    Hopefully, reason and wisdom will triumph over ego, arrogance, selfishness and destructive self-interest.

  • No soul is unimportant

    No soul is unimportant

    The European game is an interesting setting to follow, both in the physical displays of how the game should be properly exhibited and how the ethics of the game should be administered by the rules and regulations. No sentiments. Rules are applied no matter whose ox is gored.

    The leagues in Europe are structured in such a unique way with the FAs of the different European countries, holding the game in trust for FIFA.  However, the leagues are administered by the regulatory bodies constituted by different countries such that major decisions are taken by them except for a few which reside in the custody of the home FA as directed by FIFA. The club owners are to be seen unlike in Nigeria where club owners want to be judges in their matters.

    With such discerning roles, sitting on a tripod in terms of lines of authority, there are no overlaps since everyone knows where his power starts and ends. It isn’t rocket science. Club owners obey decisions before they complain through the avenues for seeking redress on any matter. They know the implications of joining issues with superior bodies. The laws in the European leagues are no respecters of persons or clubs. Club owners, my foot.

    Every weekend, one sits at home to watch European league matches across all the cadres, especially the big games live on television. The beauty in watching these games on television is that if there are breaking news and goals scored at different venues, the cameras’ focus is turned to that match and visuals are beamed for everyone to see and make their submission.

    Last week Sunday, the news flash read that the game between Granada FC and Athletic Bilbao had been halted because of an incident where fans sat. It was sketchy, but the attention was turned to that Spanish La Liga game to find out what transpired to halt the match. With time the news changed stating that Granada and Athletic Bilbao agreed to suspend the La Liga fixture after the tragic death of a fan in the stands at Los Carmenes. 

    “From the Entity we want to send our most sincere condolences to the family and friends, as well as to the entire Granada family,” read the statement from the home side.

    “The match between Granada CF and Athletic Bilbao, was suspended after the death of a subscriber of our Club.”

    Athletic Bilbao added via their official social media accounts: “La Liga and the two clubs have agreed to call off the match owing to the death of a fan at Los Cármenes. Athletic Bilbao expresses its deepest condolences. Our heats are with the person’s family and loved ones.”

    What struck me as soon as the communiqué from both teams was made public was to ask myself, what the scenario would have been if the unfortunate incident happened in Nigeria, God forbid. A known fan of Nigerian team confirmed dead from the stands? Would such a tragic incident be enough to suspend an ongoing match? Who is such a fan to attract such a huge respect of suspending the match? Would the away team be rewarded enough to spend an extra day to play the game the next day? Won’t the away team be asking the question about who would foot the bill for the extra costs of continuing the match the next day? What does the rule require both teams to do under such an unfortunate incident?

    As one ponders one of the aforementioned questions among others, the organising body La Liga was right there on the status of the game after the fan died in the stadium on Sunday.

    According to La Liga’s terse statement: “Granada CF vs. Athletic Club de Bilbao has been suspended, following the tragic death of a fan at the Estadio Nuevo los Cármenes,” the Spanish top-flight said. “Our condolences go out to the family and friends, as well as to all Granada CF fans. A rescheduled date and time for the match will be announced shortly.”

    La Liga also confirmed that the match would be rescheduled, with an official date to be announced  as both clubs took some time to come to terms with the tragic event at Los Carmenes. Interestingly, the match was eventually played the next day, which was Monday, and ended 1-1.

    Indeed, would a fan’s death have necessitated a suspension of an ongoing match for 24 hours in Nigeria? Perish that thought. It would never happen unless we start to cite this kind of instance for our administrators to emulate, and not to watch in awe. This fan’s death while watching a game at the Estadio Nuevo los Cármenes, has shown that no soul is unimportant, no matter what.

    Igeniwari George was killed during a crowd incident at an FA Cup game between Rangers International and Stationery Stores at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan. He was a member of the Golden Eaglets team at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Ecuador in August of that same year he was killed. He died of a gunshot wound. The league games weren’t suspended. There was no a minute silence observed across the playing ground in his honour either. Perhaps. Everyone went about their businesses as if nothing happened and until this day his killer was never found. Sad.

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    The way the dead fan was treated and the respect he got as the game was suspension  for 24 hours is extremely commendable. It also showed that the organisers and the two participating teams had a working synergy worthy of thunderous applause. Again, fans have been credited and accorded a huge  importance and it is expected that the NPFL pays attention to how the European leagues are administered.

    Of significant note is the swiftness in which decisions were taken and how the message was disseminated without any misrepresentations. How the fans who watched the game exited showed that the league organisers in Spain communicate about the dictates of the league. The fans didn’t create a scene by demanding a return of their cash despite the match was only 17 minutes away when the fan died.

    Last weekend’s matches had scenes meant to educate the informed and uninformed watchers of the beautiful game in terms of their relationship with match officials before, during, and after games, irrespective of the game’s result.

    Faruk Koca, president of Super Lig side MKE Ankaragucu, raced onto the field and hit referee Halil Umut Meler after a draw against Caykur Rizespor on Monday. Koca was arrested on Tuesday, with matches across Turkey temporarily put on hold amid the fallout from the incident.

    Earlier on Tuesday, the Association of Active Football Referees and Observers of Turkey called on all referees not to take to the field, adding: “The violent attack was not only against our referee Halil Umut Meler but also against the entire referee community.”

    The referee punched by a club’s president in Turkey left hospital, with the country’s football association, saying that the sport will resume after a week-long suspension on December 19.

    The 37-year-old, who had spent three days in hospital following the incident, confirmed that ‘there was no problem with his health’ before commenting on whether he would continue to officiate.

    ”They called me from UEFA,” he told reporters. ”I will explain these issues later. There is no situation at the moment, everything is possible. I just want to go home and rest,” he replied.

    FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino has slammed the incident claiming it was ‘totally unacceptable’, while president Koca has spoken to defend himself, claiming that the official had ‘thrown himself to the ground.

    I hope referees in Nigeria can take their destinies into their own hands by ensuring that those who inflict bodily harm on them are made to face the wrath of the law no matter their status in society.

  • From Edo to Rivers, It’s all shameless politics

    From Edo to Rivers, It’s all shameless politics

    I had initially planned to write about Comrade Philip Shaibu’s  travails with his boss, Governor Godwin Obaseki and their surugede dancing, however with the duo of Fubara and Wike engaging in a much more macabre form of breakdancing, I had to infuse the latter into this treatise.

    For a start, I have some sympathy for Philip Shaibu the self acclaimed “Homeboy” of Edo State Politics. Having served as a one time President of the National Association of Nigerian Students ( NANS), an association I also participated in my heydays as a student activist and radical where we cherished several ideals derived from what we termed as the struggle to entrench a better society within our nation.

    Shaibu’s sin is that he chose to be loyal to his principal than to his mentor or should I say benefactor when the duo of Godwin Obaseki and Adams Oshiomole were engaged in a battle for supremacy, faced between the horns of such dilemma, Shaibu opted to pitch his tent with Obaseki, forsaking his benefactor in Oshiomhole, sadly today the same Shaibu is at the receiving end of Obaseki’s penchant for turn-coating, the drama might be a soothing one for the former NLC President who might with a smirk on his face be saying  “Shebi I tell am!”

    Nigerians can recall how both the duo of Shaibu and Obaseki mauled the character of their joint benefactor owing to Oshiomhole’s insistence that those who laboured to make Obaseki a Governor be carried along in the running of the affairs of Edo State. It was indeed an ugly sight to see the dour looking Obaseki who would never have been even a councilor plotting against and undermining the same Oshiomhole who had insisted on making him governor! It is however much more uglier, matter of fact grotesque that the same Obaseki who had disavowed godfatherism is now hiding under a number of guises  to wear the same dishonorable robe.

    One ought not to have any issues with Obaseki’s choice for successor but to seek to emasculate others, particularly those who displayed unalloyed loyalty when it seemed rather foolhardy and foolish to do so puts Obaseki in moral quicksand and registers much his true character.

    Now, while he hides under the plank of power rotation to gift the ticket to another ‘Johnny Just Come’ like himself from Edo Central, a plank not in tandem with the political culture of Edo State, would it not be better if an Obaseki allows for a free process similar to how he emerged rather than hound Shaibu who deserves better from Obaseki?

    Even if we agree that Shaibu had it coming, should it be coming from a man he burnt bridges for? This indeed sums up the politics of Obaseki as shameful, hypocrisy laden and ought to be condemned by all. Moving on to Rivers State, the kind of breakdance there is something else, it is the infusion of the acrobatic dance known as atilogwu with the nervous disorder we described as ‘boogie’ with each personality attempting to outwit the other. I had previously written on the debacle in which i had berated Governor Fubara for actually going above the bar in his desire to retain his seat such as the alleged election of a new speaker, the alleged sacking of the chief judge of the state  and the dissolution of the tenures of the chairmen of the 23 local government councils in the state, I spared not Wike either by wondering what crimes Fubara had done or committed in his six months as governor to warrant his impeachment.

    Sadly, the uneasy peace many thought would  prevail seems to have collapsed with the duo resorting to the shameful in their attempts to pull out all the stops!

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    With 27 legislators who are allegedly loyal to Wike on Monday announcing that they had decamped from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC, the message from the decampees must have sent Fubara reeling in extensive apprehension that he immediately ordered the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex an edifice worth billions of Naira, with the excuse that the complex, owing to the bomb attack a month ago had suffered structural defects and was unfit for human use!

    Fubara and Wike
    Fubara and Wike

    Nigerians however know that the real reasons for the demolition is to prevent the 27 man majority loyal to Wike from sitting within the assembly complex to impeach Fubara. Fubara immediately followed such with a master stroke in shameless politics by moving the sitting venue for the state house of assembly into Brick House, his own official residence where he even presented his budget to only five members.

    Does it not bother Fubara that the cost of a new house of assembly complex would be borne by the tax payers in Rivers? Monies that ought to have gone into a number of development sectors ranging from healthcare to education, infrastructure or ploughed into a sovereign wealth fund or something similar to it for the benefit of generations unborn.

    Can Fubara show the world where those structural defects lay and what engineering firms carried and certified such a study? I am even in wonderment what sort of bomb could have created such defect? An A bomb?

    While I again insist that the war of attrition against Fubara is unnecessary and deserves full condemnation, Fubara in his fight for survival has not taken the honorable path but has again exposed the Nigerian elite/ political as a self serving base only interested in preserving its status even at the detriment of the state and its citizens.

    Ladies and gentlemen it’s all shameless politics!

    May Nigerian succeed!

  • Osun APC and some hard home truths  (1)

    Osun APC and some hard home truths  (1)

    Olajumoke Ogunkeyede is a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State. JMK, as Ogunkeyede is popularly called, is also a chieftain of the now-rested National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and he participated actively in putting an end to military rule and the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.

    In a chance encounter with yours sincerely recently, JMK has these to say on the state of Osun APC:

     “I am not a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and I try not to dabble into the running of Osun PDP. But, with the current situation of things, there’s no doubting the fact that we need to rejig the opposition APC in the state if we are going to challenge the current government. We must create structures that will help put our house in order. Politically, our house is not in order. If we are going to challenge PDP in the next Osun governorship election, we should be doing more than what we are doing presently.

     “The fact that a lot of people are running after former Governor (Gboyega) Oyetola does not resolve the quagmire into which we have fallen in Osun. Charity is said to begin at home. The leadership should do its best to make sure that we are not just sitting on the fence. Whether we like it or not, (Ademola) Adeleke’s government is there and we will just keep complaining, unless we are able to get our house in order.

    “With the way Osun APC is going about resolving its internal dynamics, it’s like we are feeling that, because Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is in Abuja, we will win. No! Tinubu will only do his best for the party. But his responsibility is to the whole nation and whatever he is able to do will be minuscule, compared to what he would do were he not to be the president of Nigeria. To this end, we should begin to get our people ready so that in the next election, we are fully prepared because, from the look of things, we are not yet prepared. As things stand, the falcon doesn’t seem to hear the falconer. In Osun APC, the centre is not holding. And we are complacent, thinking that it will be good. Of course, that’s the concept of miracle. We can’t fold our arms, thinking that manna will fall from heaven. We can sit down under a make-believe canopy of ‘it’s done’. The way things stand, nothing is done.

    “Yes, President Tinubu is known to be a strategist. But he needs that strategy for the nation. He would have done a lot to push the nation up and that may have a positive effect on the electioneering processes in 2026 but, according to an adage, ‘it is a child that raises his hand that will be picked up’. We cannot depend on him doing it alone. It will be a huge joke if we are expecting him to do it for us at all costs. Already, he is doing it for us by being the president. Or do we expect him to move Aso Rock to Osogbo because his party is contesting an election? The more reason we must struggle hard to complement his efforts. If the election is in 2026; and this is 2023, what are we waiting for? We have not done much to reposition our people. We have not done anything in the area of empowerment. Yes, we are criticizing the ruling party, but it should be more than that. For now, we are an empty mouth, just clanging and making noise. There should be substance to the noise-making. If we focus too much on what the PDP is doing, that’s good. But that won’t help the APC. Rather, the opposition should have its strategy to counter and subdue the antics of the ruling party before, during, even after the election.

    “Truth be told, Osun APC is not yet ready for the next election. Otherwise, one is never ready by word of mouth. Empowerment should begin right now to be able to face the tedious challenges of electioneering, instead of hoping that, from Ile-Ogbo to Ila-Orangun, and from Orile-Owu to Ilase-Ijesa, we would win.

    “In 2022, Osun PDP caught the then party in power by surprise. Though what’s done cannot be undone again, the way out is adequate preparation. PDP had never had it so good like the 2022 governorship election. Although the enemy within made it possible for that to happen, the fear I have now is that we still have some members of the PDP who are diabolical and may still infiltrate our party. I was looking at the list of those that were suspended or expelled. Some names were still missing there. So, we should shine our eyes and make sure that we are prepared for the election.” 

    JMK has said it all; and a word is enough for the wise!

    Surely certainly, politics as a vocation has a way of mesmerizing its adherents. While one is not attempting to be adventurous as to how Osun APC decides its destiny, that there’s an urgent need for political retooling or reengineering is no longer news. To get the party back to the market, there should be a commitment to seeking the cause in order to prevent reoccurrence. Of course, this is no time to engage in the trappings of politics or dirge of self-pity. Instead, a moment like this calls for a reappraisal of how the party got to this pass. So, let those in need of penance establish a framework for it with penitent hearts and let those who think no one else matters in the affairs of the party pursue a critical political thinking that’s consistent with the dynamic changes in the world we live in.

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    In the light of truth, nobody is an island. No one is also blameless. Therefore, a recalibration of the party’s politics and needs is a viable option. Those who have no direction shouldn’t delight in elevating peculiar interests over and above everybody. Those who ate all the honey and have relocated to Abuja, struggling to be attached to somewhere must be made to account for the roles they played or failed to play while the honeymoon lasted.

    If you ask Nigerians, heaping the loss of the 2022 governorship election solely at the doorstep of Rauf Aregbesola is a tale long stale. Yes, Aregbesola’s factor might have done a lot to July 16, 2022, but it’s time the gladiators invoked critical, self-introspection to find out why their treasured party missed the mark. For instance, was Aregbesola responsible for the party’s loss in Boluwaduro, a Local Government with only 10 Wards but having the immediate past state chairman and more than 20 other high-ranking leaders and first-rate political appointees in its kitty? Was it Aregbesola who made it lose in Ila-Orangun where Bisi Akande and other party bigwigs came from? What about the shallow and hollow fries who pretended to be big birds: those who were adequately mobilized for the election but ended up losing even their Polling Units? Should we start mentioning the names of those who were pursuing vanity and pride which eventually left the party in torments? Have they been sanctioned for their unprofitable adventure?

    Let’s face the truth, to say that Aregbesola was the reason APC lost the Osun governorship election in all the three Senatorial Districts is to say that ‘Ogbeni’ was the most powerful person in the party and that, without him, nothing could be done. Unknown to Osun APC, the political strength and influence that the former governor himself may never possess have already been ascribed to him, freely.

    To be continued.

  • Executive/Legislative independence: Truth or farce?

    Executive/Legislative independence: Truth or farce?

    “There can be no liberty where the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person or body”.

    -James Madison (father of America’s constitution).

    Democracy seems to be admired as a system of government because ideally it is a government of the people by the people and for the people. Elections seem to be the pillar of democracy because it is the process through which the people choose their leaders and the expectations are that each elected candidate is a deliberate choice of the people who might have considered certain variables before voting. This is why voting at elections is considered a civic duty of citizens. In some countries, voting during elections is made compulsory and failure to do so punishable.

    Only two arms of government, the executive and the legislature are the elected representatives of the people and their loyalty ought to be to the people. In Nigeria sadly, the political system is different and as such there is a flawed type of democracy and with this comes a myriad of other problems. When the loyalty of the elected is not to the people, there is a dysfunction that adversely affects the people.

    Nigeria claims to practice the American brand of democracy on paper but the structural practice seems to be purely ‘homegrown’ in ways that had stunted the growth of democracy. The political party structure is so dysfunctional that it affects the whole system. The political parties are not run in ways that the administration is properly structured to deliver politically viable processes. The financing of the political parties is often left to those who have the money and because he who pays the piper dictates the tune, there are often influences that impede the democratic processes.

    The Roundtable Conversation believes that there must be a restructuring of political party administration in ways that the financing of the parties would fall on the public and members of the political parties and donation of campaign funds strictly regulated. This brings accountability because stakeholders become the gatekeepers. The idea that ‘party chieftains’ fund political parties makes the parties vulnerable in ways that affect the whole political process.

    The Nigerian post-independence military incursions into governance seem to have negatively impacted the democracy practiced in the country. The authoritarian nature of the military, the lack of accountability in governance, the command and control structure seem to have damaged the foundation of Nigerian democracy and the impact continues even after more than two decades of  civilian democracy.

    The military after every coup first suspends the legislature and rule by decrees. This process seems to have weakened the legislature even as the country has practiced uninterrupted civilian democracy since 1999. The executive in Nigeria seems to have ‘inherited’ the military style of looking down on the legislative arm of government and this has been the case since 1999. The governors seem to wield too much power that it appears they control the legislature at all levels,

    Nothing since 1999 so eloquently points to this than the description of the 9th senate led by former senate president, Ahmad Lawan as a ‘rubber stamp’ assembly. These two words define the trust deficit the people felt about the 9th assembly. There was a feeling amongst the people that the 9th senate was not as independent as they ought to have been and in being so flouted the basic democratic principle that all elected people must maintain the separation of powers for democracy to really live up to its tag as a government of the people.

    The Roundtable Conversation has always maintained that there must be a general overhaul of the system if Nigeria can make progress. The political elite must make deliberate efforts to be self-cleansing. The independence of the three arms of government is sine qua non to development. Those who fashioned the democratic system understood that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The three arms of government are supposed to be independent and act as each other’s watchdog on behalf of the people.

    Somehow, the executive over the years has acted as monarchy at different levels. The governors in Nigeria wield so much power that they often determine who gets elected to the to the state houses of assembly, local government chairmen,  the national assembly and who gets to be nominated as minister and other federal appointments in the spirit of federal character. They muscle their ways through the political space and do some undemocratic things.

    But it is curiously the norm in Nigeria that the executive often behave as though the legislators are only accountable to them. Sometimes when analysts point out the aberration, the politicians claim party loyalty or in some cases, executive/legislative harmony. The people however often see through the façade and try to call them out but more often than not nothing happens as self-interest often trumps patriotism with politicians.

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    It is against this backdrop that what is happening in Rivers state should worry Nigerians. The no-love-lost between the former governor of Rivers state, now minister of the federal capital territory, Nyesom Wike and his anointed successor governor, Sim Fubara and the factionalized legislators come to the fore. Wike was a very ‘strong’ governor and an influential politician in his own right. His two term as governor of Rivers cannot be forgotten in a hurry and no Nigerian dreamt that there would be a fallout between him and his successor so early in the day.

    The Rivers state house of assembly had a few week ago experienced a series of chaotic events, first was an alleged attempt to impeach the new governor, then an arson attack on the building, then the struggle over speakership, then decamping of about 27 members of the house of assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC) party. Then just yesterday, the state government allegedly  demolished  the state house of assembly building claiming it was due to a professional advise owing to the previous arson attack on the building.

    The two factional speakers of the house both claim to have a court judgment supporting their speakership, one from a federal high court and another from a state high court. There seems to be a judicial cull de sac at the moment. The governor  however present the 2024 budget to the few legislators supporting him in a venue different from where the decamped legislators sat. There seems to be total confusion in Rivers state.

    The question the Roundtable Conversation is asking however is, in this whole chaotic situation in Rivers state, how are the people being served? How does the fight between the two elephants, the former governor and his successor serve the interest of the people of Rivers? Both the legislators alleged to be loyal to the former governor and those loyal to the new governor are representatives of the people. How does the muscle-flexing fit into their legislative functions?

    These and other questions are hanging because there are fundamentals we seem to forget. This chaotic state of affairs is rooted in the type of democracy we have been practicing since 1999. How is it that we are talking of ‘legislators loyal to one personality or the other’? In other climes, elected individuals are accountable to the people and in the case of legislators ether at the state or federal levels, to their immediate constituencies with loyalty to party principles. Legislators hold regular town halls to give accounts to the people. It rarely happens in Nigeria.

    There are basic questions to ask, how is it that the executive elected by the people are not accountable to them? How do governors exercise so much power over the legislature at state and federal levels? Why do governors literally ‘install’ their successors across the nation and in most cases of incompetence goes from a predecessor to a successor and the people suffer the consequences.

    Nigerian democracy must be re-evaluated by all stakeholders if progress is to be made. The different arms of democracy must maintain their traditional roles for a cohesively functional governance to happen.  Power must not be abused by the executive and the legislators must understand that they are an independent arm meant to represent the interest of the people not themselves.

    If Nigeria has chosen the democratic system of government, they must be prepared to obey the tenets laid down for functional democracies. We could pretend  that we can ‘domesticate’ our brand of democracy by infusing our own traditional nuances but obviously they are not working. The country since 1999 has been struggling and is now the poverty capital of the world with 133million living in multi-dimensional poverty and more than 20 million out of school children with dilapidated infrastructure fueling insecurity and unemployment.

    Nigerian political class must not play the ostrich. The problem in Rivers has precedents and they were not tackled and here we are with the mess in Rivers. Each country with a functional democracy got there by working the ropes and obeying the democratic rules. The political elite must realize that destruction of the values of democracy in the name of ego and selfish interests is an ill-wind that blows anyone any good.

    There must be some efforts at returning the democracy to its original form where the people have the power to hire and fire. The era of imposition should be over and there must be a deliberate attempt to curtail the excesses of the executive and to get the legislature and judiciary to be functional. There must be an effort to restructure the political party system for positive outcomes. What the country presently practices cannot develop the country.

  • Wanted: Southwest Infrastructural Development Commission

    Wanted: Southwest Infrastructural Development Commission

    The Southwest is reputed for scoring many firsts in Nigeria. It is a politically conscious zone. It is the nation’s economic capital. It is the balancing zone. It is the most accommodating zone. It is a very productive geo-political region.

    Endowed with vast human and material resources, the zone has made invaluable contributions and enormous sacrifices for the country’s survival. The leaders of the region’s six states are loyal to the cause of a united, prosperous and equitable federal Nigeria.

    But the Southwest is in pains. It is battling infrastructural decay. The deficit is confounding. Most of the region’s roads are death traps, almost impassable.

    Many roads in the zone were constructed decades ago. With thousands of vehicles plying them and beset by years of poor maintenance, the lifespan of the roads wear out rapidly. Palliative work on them is a waste of time and resources. Unless they are reconstructed and rehabilitated to befit modern highways, plying them would remain harrowing.

    Throughout the six states, the awful picture of dilapidated federal highways stares the government and the residents of Yoruba land in the face.

    From Lagos through Ogun to Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states, the dilapidation is ubiquitous. It portrays the image of a region that once occupied the Olympian heights in development and modernity in the First and Second Republics. Today, the Southwest groans in utter neglect, aloofness, suspension, failed projects, and complaints by contractors.

    People of other zones even make jest of the Southwest, saying they should direct their grievances to the leading lights in the region who once held sway at the Presidency, the Federal Ministry of Works, and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

    Others berate federal legislators from the states for not effectively articulating the collective interest of the region. But, for the bad federal roads in the Southwest, the Federal Government is to blame.

    Apart from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, 90per cent of federal roads have become an eyesore, with potholes, damaged bridges. They constitute threats to travellers.

    It took the Federal Government more than two decades to complete the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway. Commuters had to endure endless traffic snarl. They include routine passengers, devotees and visitors to religious camps – Redeemed Church of Christ, Deeper Life Church, Mountain of Fire and NASFAT.

    The problem was compounded by indiscipline by road users, particularly reckless drivers who violated traffic rules and made traffic control a herculean task for traffic wardens and security agencies.

    The completion of the road, the busiest in Nigeria, if not Africa, has brought relief to Nigerians. The credit goes to the Muhammadu Buhari administration. It may now be possible to travel from the former federal capital to Ibadan within one hour.

    But there ends the cheery news. Other important roads connecting Lagos to other Southwest states beg for attention. For example, the Lagos/Abeokuta road creates a nightmare for people who live in Agbado/Sango axis and Abeokuta-bound passengers who spend hours when vehicular movements are stalled.

    Former Works Minister Babatunde Fashola, following the inspection of the Ikorodu/Sagamu road, hurriedly drafted contractors to the site. Hope brightened that the inter-state road would be fixed. Unfortunately, the road could not be completed before the tenure of the last administration expired. The few kilometres within the Sagamu end of the road, which have not been reconstructed, are impassable during the rainy season. It must be stated that the heavy load-bearing traffic cause the rapid wear and tear on the roads.

    The towns and villages along Itamaga-Ikorodu-Itoikin/Ijebu-Ode road are in agony. Those from Agbowa and Ota-Ikosi who reside in Ikorodu prefer to embark on an Israelite journey from Owutu-Agric through Ojota to Victoria Island, Lekki and Epe, before going to their native towns. That is too stressful.

    The road, which passes through Imota, Maya, and Adamo, used to be busy. After Maya, it becomes lonely; completely deserted because of gullies. It portrays infrastructural marginalisation on a grand scale.

    Such is also the harrowing experience among residents of Lekki and Epe who always have to contend with gridlock. It is hectic for them to pass through the corridor, especially those who work on Victoria Island, Lagos Island, Mainland and the suburbs.

    It is worrisome. These poor roads are to the detriment of Lagosians and visitors from the hinterland who have businesses to transact, or those who visit the metropolis for medicare.

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    Is the Lagos/Badagry road project still on course? It was half-completed from Mile 2 to Iyana-Iba. From that spot through the Lagos State University (LASU) in Ojo, up to Iyana Isashi to Ijanikin and Badagry, it is another story of abandonment.

    It is a prime international route linking Nigeria with neighbouring Benin Republic. Apart from LASU, other important institutions line the long stretch of the road. They include the Post-Graduate Medical College of Nigeria, the Federal Government College, Foreign Service Academy, Adeniran Ogunsanya University of Education, the Mathematical Centre, the French Village and the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) in Badagry.

    Also in a deplorable state are the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode road, Ijebu-Ode/Ore road, Ijebu-Ode/Ibadan road, Sango-Ota/Idiroko, Agbara/Lusada, Lafenwa/Egbado North, Abeokuta/Ilaro, Sango/Agbado, and Sagamu/Abeokuta roads, all display signs of stress.

    Federal roads in Oyo State are also in disrepair. Those linking up the state with its neighbours are in a sorry state. The Ibadan-Ogbomoso road is taking too long to complete; the Ogbomoso/Ilorin highway is nothing to write home about. But the worst in that axis is the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa road linking Oyo and Osun states to Ekiti and Ondo states. It is a pitiable sight to behold.

    In Ondo State, the lamentation over dilapidated roads cuts across the entire state. The non-dualisation of Ore-Ondo road has made it accident-prone. The Akure/Ikere road is horrible. The contract has been awarded but construction has been piecemeal. The plight of commuters on the Owo-Ikare road is unsavoury. People travelling to the North from the Southwest have abandoned the route and shifted to Itawure-Efon/Ikole/Omuo route.

    The most neglected roads are in Ekiti State. The disrepair among the roads makes the residents to wonder if the state is still a part of Nigeria. The only motorable road in that axis is the short road connecting Iwaraja in Osun State with Efon-Alaaye in Ekiti State.

    From Ilesa to Ijebu-Jesa to Itawure, the picture of dangerous roads persists. The federal road linking Itawure to Erio, Aramoko, Igede, and Iyin is the worst in the Southwest. Also, the Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki-Ido-Ilupeju-Ayegbaju-Ikole-Omuo road has collapsed. The Ikere-Akure is a disaster.

    Roads are critical to the economic growth and wellbeing of the people. They are a factor in development and rural integration. Good roads boost agricultural development. In the absence of a good road network, farmers cannot bring their produce to the market. The perishable produce harvested in distant farmlands rot before they can get to their destinations.

    It is also roads that facilitate the transportation of raw materials to factories and industries so that finished products from factories can be conveyed to the desired markets. It implies that good roads reduce transportation costs.

    Also, road construction creates jobs for skilled, unskilled and semi-skilled people. There is a multiplier effect. Apart from engineers and suppliers of raw materials on site, food vendors are also engaged in the production chain. There is thus a nexus between effective transport system and national productivity.

    Conversely, a bad road may be an invitation to avoidable calamity or tragedy. Vehicles live out their lifespan very rapidly. Plying bad roads means that a huge man-hour is lost and commuters are denied travel comfort.

    Many avoidable accidents are attributable to the poor state of the roads. Security agents have also said there is a relationship between crime rate, particularly armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom. The  negligence by government is to the citizens’ peril. The people perish on roads when government displays indifference to the people’s plight in their journeys.

    Southwest states need to press for more federal attention. Their federal legislators should lobby for more budgetary allocation to infrastructural development in the zone. Their governors need to synergise with Works Minister Dave Umahi so that the states can undertake the construction of roads in their domains and get refunds afterwards from the Federal Government.

    The central government needs to declare a state of emergency on its roads in the Sothwest. Senators and House of Representatives members from the region must push for the setting up of Southwest Infrastructural Development Commission to tackle the infrastructural challenge in the zone. Southwest deserves more in a federal Nigeria.

  • Deepening good governance in Lagos

    Deepening good governance in Lagos

    In recent days there have been vehement denunciations and criticisms by members of the public particularly on the social media of what had been described as frivolous and wasteful spending by state governments. The mood of the country is understandably tense, febrile and easily combustible. Ever since the announcement of the removal of the fuel subsidy regime by President Bola Tinubu during his inauguration on May 29, the implications for the economy and an already overburdened citizenry have been punishing and excruciating. Inflation has spiraled considerably as prices of essential commodities such as food, basic drugs, housing and transportation costs among others have more than quadrupled.

    Unfortunately, although a few state governments are effectively and efficiently managing the distribution of palliatives to cushion the hardships of their people, these are a stark minority. At times of acute economic crisis such as we are in today, it is only natural that perceived acts of frivolity and waste in the expenditure of public resources will meet with intense censure and public disapproval. The inequitable material conditions between the haves, including those lucky to hold public office and the have nots, will be a source of disenchantment and class-induced tensions.

    It is thus understandable that there has in recent weeks been critical focus on the expenditure of state level governments with their budgetary provisions under line-by-line scrutiny by both individuals and civil society groups. Among the various data sources available online is, for example, the website of the Open Budget System (OBS), a budget foundation initiative dedicated to promoting openness and transparency in budgeting and spending by governments at all levels. According to information on its website, the OBS found that all the 36 state governments of the federation spent, cumulatively, N4.59 trillion comprising debt payments as well as capital and recurrent expenditures from January to September 2023. Out of the N4.59 trillion combined budget, the 36 states spent N2.52 trillion on recurrent expenditure with civil servants and political office holders’ salaries and allowances amounting to N892.43 billion, which is approximately one-third of the total recurrent expenditure.

    The OBS website indicates that spending on other items by the state governments including those on entertainment, food and honorariums, domestic and foreign trips by government officials, internet access fees, operational and luxury vehicles, sitting allowances, electricity and telephone bills, aircraft maintenance, toiletries and stationeries among others cost N1.71 trillion. 30 out of the 36 states reportedly disbursed N87.45 billion as security votes in the period under review while the state governments increased their borrowing to N988.48 billion with 29 of the 36 states presently owing financial institutions and other government enterprises about N536.01 billion.

    Perhaps because she is the country’s frontline state, the country’s centre of commerce, business and industry, a cultural melting pot where residents drawn from all over the country make a living as well as the seat of the media, traditional and social, Lagos has understandably been under intense focus as regards the expenditure of public resources by the governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration in the state. Following an open letter to governor Sanwo-Olu by the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the last governorship election, Mr Funsho Doherty, on the administration’s budgetary provisions, there was not inconsiderable debate on social media, many motivated by partisan considerations, on the administration’s expenditure patterns.

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    It was reported , for instance, that over N400 million was allocated for the procurement of a luxury vehicle for use in the vehicle pool of the Chief of Staff (COS); that items such as rechargeable lights, fans and fridges were supplied to the Office of the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, for the sum of over N2 billion; that the Office of the Deputy Governor was allocated N30 million monthly for outreach to indigent citizens by his wife; that provision was made for sundry consultancy services ranging from between N2 billion and N7 billion; that N7.45 million was reportedly allocated for the replacement of the liquid fragrance in the governor’s office while provision of about N400 million was made for flying hours expenses charged by charter planes. It was also reported that the state government paid from the public purse for the service of lawyers who defended the governor’s victory in the post-election litigations after the March 18 governorship election.

    In a swift reaction, the Deputy Governor corrected the error in the figures being bandied about pointing out that the supply items to his office cost over two million Naira and not two billion. He also noted that the amount voted to his office for outreach to indigent citizens was N30 million annually amounting to about N2.5 million per month and not N30 million monthly. There is certainly no way this expenditure can be considered frivolous or exorbitant. It would appear that this error emanated from the Lagos State Office of Public Procurement (OPP) which readily admitted its mistake and effected necessary corrections.

    According to the Director General (DG) of the Office, Mr Fatai Idowu Onofowote, in a statement, “We regret that specific details, particularly concerning the descriptions of government dealings, may have inadvertently led to confusion impacting both government entities and corporate partners providing services to the state. This arose largely from the lack of detailed descriptions in the project information which has inadvertently led to confusion in the public space”.

    To remedy the situation, the DG of the Lagos State Office of Public Procurement noted that “To address these concerns thoroughly, the agency has taken immediate steps. Line-by-Line explanations of the contracts in question are attached herewith, aiming to provide absolute clarity and dispel any lingering misconceptions. The agency continues to improve its internal processes and communication methods as our commitment as a government is to offer clearer and more accessible information to the public”.

    The point is that if the Lagos State government had wanted to run an opaque and inaccessible budgetary and financial management system, it would not have bothered to establish a Public Procurement Agency with an obligation to publish on its website details of government financial transactions for easy tracking by the public. Despite the hard times, the business of government must continue apace and there is no way that certain inevitable costs including those for domestic and foreign travels, air charter flights, stationeries and toiletries, training, entertainment and feeding costs during government functions, accommodation for visiting dignitaries and sundry allowances for public officials will not be incurred.

    The cost of over seven million Naira to replace the liquid fragrance that serves the sprawling edifice that is the governor’s office is certainly not out of place if we do not want to play politics and be deliberately mischievous. In the same vein, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho has strongly debunked the allegation that state funds were utilized to pay lawyers who defended the governor in the aftermath of the last governorship election pointing out that the sheet of paper purportedly indicating such payment had no state government emblem on it nor was it signed by any authorized person.

    The commitment of the Sanwo-Olu administration to maintaining the highest standards of accountability and transparency in the handling of public finances was indicated early in its tenure when it scrupulously accounted for every donation in cash and kind made to the state during the unfortunate #EndSars protests of 2020 when public and private property estimated at over two trillion Naira were destroyed in the state. Even though there have been allegations of frivolous and wasteful spending against many other state governments in the country, Sanwo-Olu is the only governor as far as I know who has come out frontally and personally to address the issue not relying only on statements by his aides.

    Speaking at the commissioning of the newly built Headquarters of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the governor admitted that the state government may have made mistakes on some of the line items in the records released by the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency. He welcomed the open letter by the ADC governorship candidate stressing that his administration remains firmly committed to ensuring utmost transparency in its financial transactions. It is also instructive that despite the clarifications made by the executive arm of the Lagos State government on the issues, the Lagos State House of Assembly has summoned officials of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency over the alleged frivolous spendings.

    According to the Speaker, Honourable Mudashiru Obasa, “We call on the committee in charge of procurement to invite the agency and others mentioned and do a thorough job on this in order to establish facts concerning the publications”. This is certainly a model of governmental checks and balances as well as accountability at work in the Centre of Excellence.

    What is good about the Lagos State government making its budgetary line items available online for public scrutiny is that most of the items are provisional and necessary expenditures have not yet been incurred on them. This makes it possible for the government to go back to the drawing board to reorder its priorities and modify some of its budgetary projections where necessary in the light of prevalent public mood and perceptions.

  • Task Force? Not again

    Task Force? Not again

    Sports Minister, Senator John Enoh, keeps amazing me with his approach to solving age-long problems that have bedeviled all facets of sports in Nigeria. Whenever I read Enoh’s thoughts on problems in the sports industry, my mind flashes back to the first description of the minister as a farmer. I wasn’t fooled by the initial tag of Enoh because it is in the DNA of the media to make a meal out of issues through ‘satanic’ headlines.

    I was bowled over by the witty way in which he laughed off the farmer’s tag insisting on maximum cooperation from everyone, who wants to return sports to its Eldorado era of yore. Enoh’s masterstroke response laid the foundation for how the calm minister has gone about his duties.

    I’m not a praise singer. I’m also not a musician. But, I strive to speak the truth about sporting issues and I’ve found Enoh as an incredible addition to sports in Nigeria. Am I surprised about the minister’s scorecard so far? How can? Enoh’s academic citation tells the story of a man, who wants to leave his footprints of sports on the sands of time in Nigeria. Enoh, welcome to the biggest unregistered political party in the world – administering sports here, especially football, the opium of the people.

    Interestingly, Enoh held court in the sports circle without creating room for existing cabals in the sports to either encircle him or capture him. It is the reason there isn’t any media war since his Press releases are unambiguous and well-circulated in the print and electronic media. The minister’s media team also includes recorded videos for clarity sake on their boss’ utterances.

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    And so when the minister ruled that Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Jose Peseiro, should stay, his submission sounded convincing just as I gave the Portuguese the chance to keep his job if Nigeria lifts the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations slated to be held in Cote d’  Ivoire next year. But there is the big problem with this ministerial intervention based on the fact that if Peseiro wins the Africa Cup of Nations diadem for Nigeria, it would be insane for anyone to sack him.

    For a fact, a coach is as good as his last game. Besides, nobody sacks a winning team. The truth, however, is that the group of players Peseiro has been picking as his team for Nigeria’s matches cannot lift the AFCON title. I’m not a seer. I base my submission on the fact that at 42nd position in FIFA’s recent ranking, it would take only a miracle for Nigeria to lift the trophy in January.

    This writer would rather rate the Super Eagles to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup, using the matches of the next AFCON to prepare for the Mundial. The AFCON games wouldn’t be the priority, but a path to World Cup success. This doesn’t foreclose Nigeria from lifting the trophy as she did in South Africa in 2013. Tasking the NFF members and Peseiro to return to Nigeria with the trophy puts more pressure on the players which isn’t the best way to motivate sportsmen and women to glory.

    If one may ask, what would happen to the NFF if Nigeria doesn’t lift the trophy? Is the option that of asking the members to resign or that of constituting a Presidential Task Force to prepare the Super Eagles for the 2024 World Cup? Honourable minister sir, the PTF option would be a fiasco. The PTF option is dead on arrival, just as it is a recipe for disaster for the game in Nigeria, going forward.

    Honourable sports minister sir, the World Cup qualifiers resumes in March, leaving us with enough time to prepare only if we find the money to politely ask Peseiro to go. We can pay off Peseiro with our FIFA grants, while the government can organise a Dinner with the corporate people, stating what they stand to gain supporting sports in the country. The President’s presence at such a Dinner with the blue-chip firms’ Chief Executives could jumpstart the process of sourcing cash from the private sector, knowing that the government is behind the project and that their cash won’t be misappropriated.

     The truth, honourable sports minister, is that Nigeria doesn’t have a well-blended team to lift the AFCON diadem. If we fail to lift the trophy, the ripple effect of our elimination from the next AFCON would not only tear the players apart, it would also affect how we prepare for the World Cup qualifiers. The flipside to the earlier argument is that Nigerian teams don’t know how to manage success.

    Nigeria lifted the AFCON trophy in 2013, yet the cup-winning coach resigned live on South African radio. In fact, the then sports minister was stunned when the South African driving him in the competition’s pool cars informed him that Nigeria’s coach had resigned. The furore from that unfortunate act was such that the then senate president led the delegation which came to South Africa to pick the victorious squad.

    Those who claimed that they contributed to the team’s winning the trophy wanted their pound of flesh. They openly boasted that the team would be beaten before games were played in Uyo and it happened. A few of these aggrieved sports administrators told the coach to his face before some games that he would cry after the games. The coach watched in awe as his team fell face down.

    A team that doesn’t have a top-rated goalkeeper fewer than 34 days to the country’s first game is doomed to fail.

    Title-winning squads always have an impregnable spine, comprising a world-class goalkeeper, a seasoned central defender, and a dependable midfielder whose intelligence and vision, while releasing his passes to his top striker, is like a done deal in terms of firing the ball into the yawning net. It isn’t rocket science.

    Most countries know that Nigeria has goalkeeping problems and would strive to exploit it to their advantage. Peseiro has gambled with all manner of players, which has left us high and dry. Except something spectacular happens to the Super Eagles in terms of change in personnel in the team’s midfield, Nigeria’s dreaded attackers wouldn’t be able to replicate their awesome knack for scoring goals next year in Ivory Coast.

    Let’s be realistic, these Eagles can’t fly. The coach doesn’t know his players. The Portuguese’s style of coaching is hinged on guesswork. It is one of the reasons Super Eagles matches are no longer exciting to watch. A team that can’t trounce Lesotho anywhere in the world has no business aspiring to lift any continental trophy. A team that struggles to beat Zimbabwe on neutral ground should ask their coaches to go.

    One is excited that the minister hasn’t voiced the PTF as one of the solutions to the team’s problems. PTF is simply another job for the boys. The minister should, in the coming weeks, seek an audience with the President to explain the team’s nefarious problems and assure the President that with closely-monitored spending of cash, a lot can be achieved at the Africa Cup of Nations next year.

    What sports require in this country is a sports budget that can address the industry’s problems over two years, four years, or yearly depending on such a sport’s calendar for competitions.

  • One and half gbosa for Nigerian Senate

    One and half gbosa for Nigerian Senate

    The Nigerian Senate for a long time has existed in the calloused minds of the Nigerian people as a chamber where a hundred and nine men and women merely meet to discuss how to divvy the nation’s resources amongst themselves. While this may not be entirely true, the Senate on several occasions may not have also exhibited the character that millions of Nigerians all over the country and in diaspora are indeed yearning for. Asides from the election of a number of characters who naturally have no business in the business of legislating laws for the benefit of the Nigerian people, there is hardly a season that the Senate isn’t embroiled in one scandal after another, earning itself  some level of lavish notoriety with respect to allegations of corruption since the commencement of this republic, in May 1999.

    However, news that the Senate had asked President Bola Tinubu to Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withhold funds to the various Local Governments that deliberately failed to elect persons to fill spaces available to run or administer the LGs for a time frame as indicated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gladdened my heart as for once the Senate deserved some accolades for considering such a motion.

    Section 7 (1) of the Constitution which focuses on the issue of the Local Government System specifically states that: The system of the local government  by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed…

    Even to a layman, the basic interpretation of such a section cannot end ambiguously, thus the continuous dependence by a number of state governors on the appointment of interim appointees under the nominal “Transition Committee “ to oversee the administration of  the Local Government System is a flagrant disregard for the constitution and should be frowned upon.

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    A situation where an executive governor decides to appoint lackeys and yesmen  into positions for a particular period of time negates not only the democratic principle but also denies the persons at this level the opportunity to elect their choices. In a multiparty system such as ours, such automatically confers a systematic politics of exclusion on members of the other opposition parties who cannot have any representation by virtue of the fact that the governor handpicks party loyalists.

    Such a system much  affects also the deepening  of democracy in our political parties. As most appointments removes the process of competition amongst party men and women. Power therefore resides not in the people but in a few people.

    More-so, the lack of democracy within these councils denies the masses at the local government system any opportunity to adequately interact with the system which is the closest form of governance to them. Naturally, a duly elected local government chairman would naturally be accountable for funds allocated to his LG. Conversely, under the system of “transition! transition!! ”( Apologies to our former IG) the transiting chairman take whatever the Governor allots them but signs that he may have received more. It is a clear case of graft and is one of the means used by most governors, past and present to siphon funds into their own pockets.

    This way the LG’s are denied real development as all ideas relating to development rather than flow from bottom up are handed from top to bottom. This denies not only the LG’s from being competitive forms of government but also the state also loses as it is denied those outbursts of growth that ought to have occurred simultaneously across the state.

    The LG’s which then should be hubs of development are hubs of lethargy with no meaningful growth.

    The senate thus deserves at least one and half gbosa l( Naturally it ought to be three but…) such a resolution is in consonance with the demands of most Nigerians who are sick and tired of the lethargy at the grassroots. This may perhaps be the journey to a restructured Nigeria who knows?

    We cannot argue for true devolution of powers without a functional and democratic local government system.

    In my home state, Anambra, the duo of Willie Obiano and the present incumbent in Professor Chukwuma Soludo refused to conduct LG elections, Peter Obi in his holier than thou posturing conducted his in the twilight of his eight year tenure, compare this to the pace of development within states like Anambra and Kaduna that have regularly held LG’s and the difference will be as clear as between light and day!

    Unelected LG Chairmen and other officials are an aberration to our democracy and thus should not be allowed to subsist in our democracy which has grown beyond the context of being a nascent one.

    In an article sometime ago, I had clearly shown the nexus between the nation’s poverty level and our poor functional LG system. I thus enjoin the Senate and President Bola Tinubu to stand firm with the resolution and ensure that the right things are done! They should shun all forms of distraction and even the arguments that the Supreme Court has ruled on this matter in favour  of the states. That judgement was in favour of democratically elected governments and not that of appointees.

    Again, One and Half Gbosa for the Senate.