The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday

  • Stranded ‘Baba’ makes save-my-soul call, gets crisp naira notes

    Stranded ‘Baba’ makes save-my-soul call, gets crisp naira notes

    Those who think the current naira scarcity crisis is a respecter of persons or status will do well to learn about the fate that befell one of Nigeria’s most prominent and accomplished figures, who had to make a call to the big man in his state for a bailout after running out of cash and becoming literally stranded in his country home in one of the southern states.

    It is needless to state that the last two weeks have been agonising for most Nigerians as virtually everyone has been cash strapped because of the scarcity of both old and redesigned naira notes. The enormity of the attendant frustration has been such that a man stripped himself bare in a banking hall because he could not withdraw his hard earned money from the bank while a lady almost went berserk in another bank leaving only her underwear and bra to also protest the non availability of cash in that bank.

    In what has become a case of every man for himself and God for us all, people have resorted to various means to cope with the scarcity and the very big man , one of the fathers of the nation, gifted letter writer and author of controversial books, was no exemption. Really? True. What he needs cash for, what he buys with it or who he settles with cash are all matters reserved by SENTRY for another day.

    Of interest now is how did he get by? How did he get the elusive Naira? The answer is provided by George Orwell in his famous book, Animal Farm. All animals may be equal but a lion is not a rabbit, neither is a snail a leopard. The jungle they all reside in quite well but the animals know who amongst them is king. The king gets what it wants easily.

    For this eminent Nigerian, a mere call to the big man in his state did the magic. “Can l get one?” he was said to have asked the man who calls the shot in the domain. Appropriate directive was said to have been given and within minutes, the eminent father got the notes — crisp, freshly minted.

  • Dan Suleiman: Demise of a soldier of democracy

    Dan Suleiman: Demise of a soldier of democracy

    At 80, he bade farewell, having lived a honourable life and made positive impact on his country. He will be remembered for his legacies, not only as a military officer and administrator, but also as a pro-democracy crusader.

    Air Commodore Dan Suleiman left behind a country that is immersed in self-inflicted crises; a unitary nation-state masquerading as a federal entity; the sixth largest oil producer in the world that cannot supply fuel to its citizens for domestic consumption; a nation wriggling in a cash-strapped economy; a country with a huge population of unemployed youths; a country with a long line of decayed infrastructure; and a colonial legacy battling with lingering identity, wealth distribution crisis and leadership ineptitude.

    Throughout his earthly sojourn, Suleiman was not off the radar. When he enlisted in the military, he was bubbling with patriotism. The focus of the military then was the defence of the nation’s territorial integrity. But the soldiers derailed in a bid to correct what they alleged to be the mistakes of legitimate civil authorities and act as rectifiers.

    The Nigerian military, having tasted power, never wanted to return to its full traditional responsibilities. In the process, they ended up committing more grievous errors than the civilian authorities had made to justify the military interventions in politics.

    Suleiman’s involvement in the heroic battle against the elongation of military rule could as well be described as restitution. It was ironic because he could not be absolved of the blame for the military’s illegitimate rule that spanned 13 years before the advent of the Second Republic.

    As a military officer, he was part of an institution that foisted itself on the people. The sins of the military rulers were many. They transformed Nigeria from a federal to a unitary state. They presided over governments that were not accountable to the citizens. They rammed their wishes down the throats of Nigerians. With their coups and counter-coups, they exacerbated the instability the political class had created across the country.

    It could, therefore, be largely said that the greatest obstacle to the growth of democracy in Nigeria was the military. The words of the unelected military rulers become the law that was not debatable at any forum, except in hushed tones.

    Perhaps, Suleiman could be said to have become sober in his blissful retirement. Latter-day military adventurists had, during the years of their military career, become reckless, pillaging public treasury and conducting national affairs as lords of the manor.

    They ingratiated themselves with some political players, banning and unbanning some classes of politicians, and maintaining a commitment towards transition programmes they deliberately designed to fail. Under the latter-day soldiers of fortune, the state became the greatest corrupter of society.

    Yet, the solution, lied in democracy, which the military tyrants were, nevertheless, expected to midwife.

    When their hypocritical transition programme collapsed on their heads, some elderly soldiers came out of their shell to join forces with genuine democrats to demand military disengagement and return to civil rule. They were eager to rescue the military from self-inflicted maladies.

    If the crop of politicians misbehaving today knew the input into the pro-democracy struggle, and the loss of lives and property that character the protracted face-off, they will govern well. Unfortunately,  majority of those who occupied the seat of power after the titanic struggle were military lackeys and confederates.

    Embracing the new call to duty by Suleiman meant that he had voluntarily rejected the comfort zone. He joined pro-democracy fighters, like his former colleagues – Gen. Alani Akinrinade and Air Marshall Ndubuisi Kanu – to press for democratic governance, enthronement of popular rule and justice.

    The struggle was stressful. But his professional training prepared him for the rigours.

    Sulaiman was a gentleman officer who rose through the ranks in the Nigerian Air Force. Under General Yakubu Gowon, he served as Federal Commissioner for Special Duties and played a prominent role in the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    The Air Force officer was a member of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) under the leadership of the late General Murtala Mohammed. Before serving as military governor of Plateau State, he also served briefly as Federal Commissioner for Health.

    As governor,  Suleiman had proposed a closure to the tension between indigenes and settlers when he upheld the political rights of all residents without discrimination. It was in a bid to forge national integration, cohesion and unity in a heterogeneous state.

    He was responsible for the progressive proposal that anyone born in Plateau State or anyone who had lived in the state for 20 years should enjoy all the rights and privileges of a native, regardless of their ethnic origin.

    Plateau may have demonstrated that noble example of oneness by appointing a woman from old Oyo State, Mrs. Janet Akinrinade, as commissioner.

    In the 1980s, the wave of democracy began to spread across Africa. Scholars, civil society groups and the international community started mounting pressure on Nigeria to return to democratic governance.

    But, Nigerian military rulers turned a deaf ear. They continued to suppress voices of dissent. They never contemplated an orderly transfer of authority because, in their view, it amounted to the liquidation of self-acquired power. They relied, not on legitimacy, but on the barrel of gun to intimidate and cow political leaders and other critics.

    The annulment of the historic June 12, 1993 poll won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was the last straw that broke the back of the camel.

    The refusal of the military regime to de-annul the result of the historic poll tossed Nigerians into a nightmare. Having stepped aside, the Evil Genius, General Ibrahim Babangida, passed the baton to an interim contraption headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan, who was simply shoved aside by the maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha.

    Abacha believed it was his turn to rule and there should be no resistance. He never feared the ‘civilian’ leaders of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). His headache was the involvement of his senior military colleagues in the Senator Abraham Adesanya-led chain groups – Afenifere/NADECO. He was ready to bomb, kill and maim. He brooked no opposition.

    Thus, Akinrinde’s residence was bombed for daring to challenge the military Head of State. Then, Abacha sent words to Admiral Kanu to come and face him in uniform for a raw fight, with gun, like a soldier that he was. Suleiman and Akinrinade had to go on exile to continue the crusade when their lives were clearly threatened by agents of the state.

    In his tribute, one of his compatriots during the dark days, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, described Suleiman as a prominent NADECO chieftain who fought the annulment of the June 12 poll.

    It is an understatement. Abandoning a blissful retirement and joining forces for a hectic battle against the military government was more than a sacrifice. It underscored an audacity of courage and commitment to a strong principle.

    The repercussions also came. He never planned for it. Suleiman endured the inconveniences. In his book: The Open Grave: NADECO and The Struggle for Democracy, Honourable Olawale Oshun wrote: “The harassment of General Alani Akinrinade, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman and Senator Bola Tinubu made it imperative that they should proceed on exile.

    “Akinrinade and Suleiman slipped out of Nigeria together and spent a few days in a safe house in Cotonou before they were joined by Senator Bola Tinubu. They eventually moved to the United Kingdom.”

    Suleiman became the chairman of NADECO abroad, having been vice chairman of its Steering Committee in Nigeria. Typical of any human organisation, disagreement ensued over structural composition. The lingering crisis led to his resignation. When it was resolved, he agreed to serve as vice chairman under the leadership of the late Chief Anthony Enahoro.

    Following the sudden death of General Sani Abacha in June 1998, Suleiman returned to Nigeria on October 7, 1998, and became a part of the democratic process. He was among the frontline members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the party’s early days, rising to become its leader in Adamawa State. He was head of the party’s electoral panel in Delta State during its primaries in 2003.

    The Olusegun Obasanjo administration made him the Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation in 2006 and under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Air Commodore Suleiman was appointed the Chairman of Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria in 2009.

    The retired military officer was always a guest at many events where national issues were dissected for the purpose of unity and cohesion. He lived for country and especially for democratic norms in the twilight of his eventful life.

  • A transition and the burden of victory

    A transition and the burden of victory

    Ahead of the May 29th hand over date for President Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency, he has set up a 22-man Transition Committee Council to help facilitate the handing over of power to a yet to be elected President in the February 25th election. The country that has been tensed up by the campaign rhetoric of the political parties and their candidates seem to heave a sigh of relief in an optimistic way that at least, the president is through the committee signaling his commitment to a seamless transfer of power to a new president.

    In a way, many political analysts are concluding that a President Buhari seems to want to replicate the gesture by former President Goodluck Jonathan who in a rare display of political sportsmanship conceded to President Buhari after the 2015 presidential election even as a sitting president. As an incumbent who was on the ballot and whose party wanted a judicial resolution as seems to be the norm in some previous elections, former President Jonathan set the peaceful mood that ushered in the Buhari administration. With this action by President Buhari, he seems to be reassuring Nigerians that his government is committed to a very peaceful transition.

    In a country that seems to have a huge trust deficit between the people and all tiers of government, there are fingers crossed in optimism. Nigerians are willing to welcome new governments at all levels for both state and federal levels.  It is also interesting to note that the President Buhari has continually assured Nigerians that he intends to bequeath a free fair and credible electoral process to Nigerians.

    While that promise is debatable given the nuances of the electoral processes, Nigerians are trusting that having signed the 2022 Amended   Electoral Act which substantially  gives more power to voters and more room for transparency in the electoral process, the hope is that votes will count  and voters would at the end see their power validate the mandate of candidates.

    While President Buhari has set up his Transition Committee Council, The Roundtable Conversation is today focusing on urging the 18 Presidential candidates to step back from the campaign trail and begin to plan their actions post elections. Each of the 18 political party presidential candidates are in the race to win and as such there hopes that one of them will emerge victorious after the election. The question is, what plans do they have for victory of defeat?

    Going into any electoral contest, either of two things is bound to happen to candidates and their political parties, either a win or a loss. The optimism of candidates for victory often blurs their vision of reality that could mean a loss. What can candidates do with victory or defeat? The Nigerian history of elections has seen violence and peace at different times. While violence preceded destruction and killings, peace is often very fragile and needs a lot to sustain.

    Unlike what the world expected before the campaigns started, the campaigns have been a cocktail. The four major Presidential candidates, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the all Progressives Congress (APC), Rabiu Kwankanso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter obi of the Labour Party  (LP) have all been under the media klieg lights campaigning and trying their best to sell their party’s manifesto to the people.

    However, the country is seemingly not totally weaned from the divisive political rhetoric that has ailed the country for decades. The political class seems to thread on the old paths of ethnic and religious lines. The ethnic and religious divisions have caused so much pain that the world expects that candidates must be able to navigate their supporters away from those divisive sentiments. 

    In his recent State Of The Union address to congress, President Joe Biden was bold to say that America is the only country built on ideas while other nations are built on ethnicity of geography. There is something instructive that Nigeria that fashions its democracy after the American model must learn. The American system might not be perfect but they are the most powerful and economically viable nation whose citizens are from across the world. The idea of a United States of America means more than mere words. If there were no differences, there would be no need for uniting. It therefore means that to be united even in differences can prosper a nation. The country of immigrants has been able to harness their differences for positive development. Nigeria can do the same or even better.

    Whoever wins the coming election must have a plan to unite the country and embrace everyone. Politicians must realize that democracy is a system of government that gives the people the power to choose their leaders and that in no way should limit the rights of any citizen on the basis of who they voted for. President Mohammed Buhari’s post inauguration claim of ’97 Vs 5%’ has gone down in history as a most politically vindictive speech by an elected President in Nigeria. That singular statement deeply touched nerves and the prayer of Nigerians is that no President ever tows that path again.

    The new President must chat a new cause for unity. The saying that a house divided amongst itself cannot stand has been true of the Nigerian story. A post-independent Nigeria was derailed by some of the so called founding fathers who began to play ethnic politics that seems to have affected the country since then. Even though there are fundamental differences amongst the people of Nigeria, the civil war and the loses ought to have taught Nigerians some lessons. The old lyrics of the old national anthem must be the guiding principle of a better unified Nigeria. ”Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”.

    The political elite must borrow a leaf from the entertainment and Sports industries. These two sectors have through diligence and commitment to the nation continually put Nigeria on the global map. In these two sectors, tribe and tongue never determine inclusion but excellence. These two sectors more than the political field continually unites the country through excellence. In these two sectors, merit and capacity determine inclusion and we feel that politicians must borrow a leaf from them.

    The new President that Nigeria would elect must understand that the nation has moved on from the ethnic and religious divides in a globalized world. The old politicians might not be tech savvy but the Gen-Z generation are operating in a totally different world. Technology and the internet seem to blur the lines of difference that the old generation reveled in. Technology has one futuristic language and the young people are not ready to be slowed down by the divisions of their fathers literarily.

    The focus of Nigerians is not on the present government because to them, the future starts soon and as such, whoever wins the election must understand that he must come with a healing balm as the people are hurting. The economic and social issues affecting the people must be holistically addressed by whoever wins with the reality that the campaigns are over. Reality sets in after the elections are won and lost. The party that wins can win or lose the people by the way they handle the victory.

    The incoming legislature at the federal and state levels must be that that can on their inauguration in June give the people hope of a new day. Since 1999, the Nigerian people have been very skeptical about the legislative arm that earns so much that they are considered one of the highest paid legislatures in the world in a country with 133m people living in multi-dimensional poverty. It might not be business as usual. The political language has changed. The apathy that was shown in past years seems to have given way to active involvement and more participation.

    The governors that would be elected and their houses of assembly must gird their loins because the level of political awareness has increased and people are ready to hold them to account. It will be foolhardy to assume that the people would soak in inefficiency and shrug their shoulders and move on. The fact that almost half of the Nigerian population registered to vote during the election must alert the politicians that almost 94million registered voters did not register for the fun of it. They realize now that their voice matters and after their voices are heard at the ballots, they would be ready to hold all elected candidates to account.

      The Roundtable Conversation believes that only dialogue and the right communication and attitude can unite the country post elections. Winners at all levels will emerge as the chosen ones especially if the elections as has been promised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is free and fair and credible. The Nigerian voter is seemingly more aware of the value of their votes more than ever before. Winning elections must come with responsibility and beyond the euphoria of victory. The people would look from transition to performance that starts from the acceptance speech that must set the mood for national reconciliation and unity for a greater Nigeria.

    The dialogue continues…

  • Emefiele as the Nigerian Houdini

    Emefiele as the Nigerian Houdini

    The name Harry Houdini naturally conjures a number of thoughts and opinions particularly in the area of magic and escapism, which is the practice of escaping from restraints and other traps. This is in terms of the magical and should not be confused with escapism in  either the fields of psychology or literature.

    Houdini, was for sure an escapist who used it together with some form of magic as a modern art with the intention to entertain people. From escaping from handcuffs, graves , prison cells and the most popular of them all, a Chinese water torture cell,Houdini held his audience in one spellbound act after another until he met his death from acute appendicitis.

    In Nigeria, we have had our own array of  illusion masters; the likes of Professor Peller and recently a Babs Cardini readily come to mind, however the list is endless as a number of Nigerian , leaders, politicians and policy makers have also featured relentlessly as members of the abracadabra gang.

    All through our history, Nigerians have been entertained on a monthly if not daily basis with what the legendary Nigerian musician described as “Government Magic”. From the early days of the Western Region crisis where the Tafawa Balewa led administration declared a “State of Emergency” and foisted a pliant Sole Administrator in the person of Dr. Moses Majekodunmi simply because there was a strange dance in the Western Region House of Assembly which resulted in an exchange of blows between parliamentarians. However, when push came to shove and the region began to experience real bouts of violence and chaos, the same Balewa who was quick to declare such an emergency in the past told the world that he had no powers to do such.

    Other events such as the allotment of 20 pounds to each member of the defunct Biafran nation as an equivalent of all his supposed holdings in the bank was another example of government magic, the 12 2/3 conundrum where a state was no longer seen as a whole unit but could be broken into fractions to serve the political interests of a few people and ensure that Alhaji Shehu Shagari was declared as president-elect rather than allow for a runoff between the aforementioned and his closest rival in that election, Chief Obafemi Awolowo was another display of such magic, matter of fact the Supreme Court ruling  that upheld the 122/3  magic was also some form of escapist magic in itself as the ruling justices declared before reading the judgement that such a ruling was to never be cited as a judicial precedent!

    I mean this is a country where 12 billion dollars just woke up overnight and took flight, a country where the number of votes in a particular election was greater than the number of registered voters. One where an election was reportedly annulled when a particular candidate was already coasting to victory, one where 19 was adjudged lesser than 17, where 5 could form a quorum and impeach a sitting governor.

    There you have it, Nigerians for an uncountable number of years have been experiencing such magic free of charge and whereas magic elsewhere serves as a form of entertainment, the Nigerian type induces pain and befuddlement thus numbing the mind after a number of bouts that the average Nigerian is no longer alarmed at such attempts to pull the wool over our very eyes.

    To this end, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele has joined the legion of shamans bedeviling the Nigerian nation in the name of policy formation and implementation. Since his emergence as the head of the Nigerian apex bank, Emefiele has put every foot wrong or should I say applied every wand of his in abysmal error. Nigerians will recall how the CBN under his watch, sometime in 2015 conducted a secret recruitment of people as staff of the bank without initially publicizing such vacancies. These persons are allegedly children of the high and mighty who’s competence to work in the apex bank wasn’t based on their degrees or levels of experience but based on whether one was a family friend of Emefiele or the daughter of one of his concubines.

    His eight year tenure has also been filled with what one will call “By his spirit” policies, policies which are escapist in nature and has seen Inflation spiral much out of control, a situation where money in circulation tripled from 1.46 trillion Naira to 3.23 trillion Naira without any corresponding increase in

    Investments in the nation’s economy, for example in manufacturing. What we saw was the deliberate creation of an inflationary trend without an attempt to arrest such a trend and perhaps help cool the economy.

    From one policy misstep  to another, Nigerians have watched as the CBN  under Emefiele‘s watch created and sustained a rent seeking class which thrived on the policy summersaults experienced within the apex bank’s monetary policy regime. It is also important to note that under the same Emefiele’s watch, the Naira experienced its freest fall against the Dollar and other notable currencies moving from N180 to its present rate of N460.00 to a dollar, whereas its unofficial rate  is near N700 all as a result of the Emefiele’s shambolic macroeconomic policies.

  • Power, elections and security

    Nigerians are in the  throes of pain, anguish , and serious   suffering   over  a lack of money and fuel to move their vehicles and run their businesses  on the eve of an election . Similarly   in   the   US,  Americans   suffered  the humiliation of watching a strange  balloon hovering over their  continent from the skies later identified as Chinese ,  before a frightened and dithering government summoned the nerve  to have it shot down . Yet  in a scheduled state of the    union address  expected to be      the annual  rendering of government accountability on performance and mandate  , the US president gleefully  asserted  this week    that   America  has never had it so good  . That   drew   the ire of   a furious   Republican    opposition legislator   who  shouted  ‘ liar’  to his face and in his presence in the Capitol ,America’s seat of power in Washington DC  .

    Today   I draw a fascinating comparison between the political culture , government and security of  my nation Nigeria , the   largest black nation in the world , the  USA the   largest democracy and presidential system  in the world , and   little  Israel ,  the most  cantankerous   but   very   security conscious  nation in the Middle East  and scourge of the Arab world as well  as   the Islamic state  of  Iran .  The   lines of comparison are thick and obvious between  Nigeria and the US .  This is because Nigeria evolved  from colonialism   as a parliamentary democracy  at independence in 1960 before the military  coups of  1966    and   subsequent    ones later  ,  diverted our political course and destiny towards  ,  at first ,   a unitary command system   and   structure  of government and later the  American style  of presidential system of government  and separation of powers .  It  is the use and separation of powers  in these three nations that  arrest  our attention today  in terms  of time and space  and the scope of power transition.  Especially at  times of elections  and  refreshment  of power ,  which  are expected to be conducted in a safe and secure environment  in any democracy .

    Let  me start  with initial observations on the political  situations in these nations as of today before darting into   historical  comparisons   and  analysis .  Israel ,   in the face of  rocket  war with Hizbollah and Gaza is rocking from huge  democratic protests against   planned   judicial   reforms  of   the newly elected government of Benjamin Netanyahu  who  has  just claimed the democratic mantle  to  govern for the  sixth  time,  in a vastly unstable  system  of  government  which  must  be second only to that of Italy in terms of  frequency   of  change of government at numerous and various  occasions and based on many issues and contentions . Nigeria  on the other hand faces a presidential  election on February 25 but the electorate  is not focused on the election but on how to survive as human beings looking  for   food , fuel and money  which   have    become rare   commodities   in  these  hard  days  and  times.  These   translate into how to have money to eat and pay for transport at affordable prices which is  hard  and   impossible because the  banks  have literally  seized  customers deposits and money because of the unavailability of money  from the  Central Bank  .     This    arose   from   a policy     of a new currency design and confiscation of old notes , all  on the eve of a   long planned    presidential election slated for this month on February 25 2023 . In the US a   balloon floated  over sites   and    cities  harboring nuclear weapons and military arsenal and the Chinese owned up it was theirs  . But  a sitting US government accepted their excuse that  it was for meteorological  research  before shooting it down days later in the shoddiest manifestation of deterrence by a world power . This   is   because   the US ,   diplomatically and militarily , accepts that China is a potent enemy and adversary of the US globally and second only to Russia in that regard .

    Obviously all  three nations face different types of security   problems but the US  just had   its mid term elections  last year and  will  not  have a presidential election till  2024.  Whilst Israel  just had Netanyahu elected as PM of  what is said to be the most radical far right coalition in the Jewish  state recent history  . Nigeria  on the other  hand  is having its  presidential election this month and Nigerians are beset  with problems of hunger and mobility  such that it is apparent that voter apathy will  be a major determinant of the   result of the presidential  election if it takes place as scheduled .  I  pray    it  is not postponed because  of  the high fuel cost and  crippling  non availability of money and funds for Nigerians to go about  of  their daily  duties and eke out a living most especially at  an  election time such as we are in .

     Some  observers have said that Nigeria’s  unexpected pre election hiatus on fuel  and naira  shortage are self inflicted and   could have been a retaliatory policy of an aggrieved CBN  governor  who also  wanted to be president but was not given the green light to  contest by his boss  who happens to be the incumbent president  .  My take on that is that the CBN  boss is more of the boss than  his legitimate boss  who   happens to be the president . Or else how can  a CBN governor want to be president before resigning  first as required before contesting ?.  It is a clear  case of the tail  wagging the dog that the CBN governor is back on his seat and driving the currency  redesign process after having declared openly that  he wanted to be president and  was not allowed . Yet   he  is   still    driving the currency change   on the eve of an election that he was not allowed  to contest in .  It again shows  the strength of the executive  in   Nigeria’s  presidential system in which the APC is  controlling both the legislature and the  executive  .  Surprisingly      though   ,  it    cannot provide  an  enabling and comfortable environment for its own candidate  ,the   Jagaban , who is the forerunner in this election  to   literally coast  to victory as any government in power is expected to  do   legitimately    for its own  candidate in any  democracy . As Shakespeare  once noted in  the   tragedy  Hamlet  ‘ something is rotten in the state of Denmark ‘  and surely  something is fishy in the way the APC is not  using its executive power to further  it retention of power in this month’s election . It  is in bad taste for a party in power to treat  its candidate like an orphan and create avoidable crisis on the eve of an election it has pledged  support  its    candidate  openly and is campaigning all  over the nation to see this through . The consequences   can be suicidal if not destabilizing both for nation and party . Again a word is enough for the wise .

    Aside  from the  floating  Chinese   balloon issue  in the US  , the current  US president is behaving like the proverbial  ostrich with  its head buried  in the sand . The Biden government is in for a hard time  with the Republican  majority in the Lower House  of its legislature . I recall a state of the Union address when Speaker Nancy Pelosi  tore the president’s  speech  being  delivered by Donald Trump .  Pelosi  was seated behind  the president then with his VP  Mike   Pence  . When   Biden  delivered   his state  of the union address  this week  the VP Kamala Harris  was seated behind the president with Kevin Macarthy , the new Speaker  of the House . This is where  the fire works begin for Biden on his mishandling of the US inflation which is said to be the highest in 40 years , a porous border where drugs  said to be enough to kill  every man woman and  child in America   are  smuggled in with impunity  , and   an economy    in which  fuel  prices are   rising like in Nigeria because of Biden’s policy to close down the oil  companies literally because of his priority and pursuit of clean energy and consummation of climate change policy  . The die is cast  for the Biden government and family  given the majority reality   of the Republicans in the House of Representatives  .  This   , together   with  his son Hunter’s  lost lap top and dealings with China   means  the American  president us about to learn  a hard   lesson  that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones .

  • Atiku, Fintiri in silent war

    Atiku, Fintiri in silent war

    Up until the build-up to the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last year, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his Adamawa State counterpart, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, were in a chummy relationship.

    But in an instance of the instability of human relationships, the bond between them appears to have waned because against popular expectation, Fintiri chose to support Atiku against Wike, who the former eventually defeated to emerge winner.

    Since then, Fintiri has left no one in doubt about his support for Atiku’s presidential ambition as they have been going in and out together. At Atiku’s campaign rallies, the Adamawa State governor has been visible, eulogising the presidential candidate as an experienced politician and illustrious son of the state, who should be supported in his quest to become the nation’s number one man. In return, Atiku has showered encomiums on the Adamawa State governor at public gatherings and eloquently recommended him for a second term as governor.

    But in spite of Atiku’s praises and recommendation, the challenge posed by the candidacy of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, Aishatu Binani, is not lost on Fintiri as she continues to pull huge crowds particularly among the youths and women in the state. She is also loved by many Christians in the state.  Her support base was further boosted when President Muhammadu Buhari visited Adamawa State recently and told the residents to make history by electing the first female governor in the country.

    Jolted by Binani’s growing popularity and crowd pulling rallies, Fintiri felt a desperate need to neutralise it by any means possible.  Since he already has a sizable support from the Muslim community in the state, he hit on the idea of appealing to the Christian community and resorted to wooing the Christian voters, particularly those of them who are leaning towards the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi. During one of his campaign rallies in a predominantly Christian community, he chose to say some kind words about Obi, believing that his listeners would be persuaded by that to embrace him.

    Well, how much vote the Obi card would fetch him in the governorship election remains a matter of conjecture. What is certain, however, is that his kind words on Obi has landed him in trouble with Atiku and the national secretariat of the PDP, who were said to be miffed by the gesture. Kind words for Obi in Adamawa, the territory of Atiku, Turaki Adamawa, and from a PDP governor? What sacrilege!

    While the party has demanded an explanation from the Adamawa governor, Atiku’s loyalists are livid and are baying for his blood. Atiku was said to have wondered if the bug of Wike, who is leading the G5 governors in their opposition to his candidacy, has also beaten Fintiri. “Is that what Wike asked him to do here?” the PDP presidential candidate reportedly asked.

    As Finance minister cleans up CBN governor’s vomit . . .

    The nation was treated to a mild drama in October last year when the news of plan by the Central Bank of Nigeria to redesign the naira hit the airwaves. Forty-eight hours after the announcement, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, who was at the Senate to defend budget estimates for her ministry, had denied any knowledge of the plan, saying she was not consulted.

    But before Nigerians could recover from the shock provoked by her claim, President Muhammadu Buhari came out and declared that he gave the directive for the policy. Of course, the President’s declaration naturally sent tongues wagging as observers wondered why an economic policy of that magnitude would be initiated without the knowledge of the Minister of Finance. Others readily pointed to it as an evidence of disconnect in government.

    Well, no one knows what has transpired between then and now. In more civilised climes, the shabby treatment she received when the policy was being formulated would be enough grounds to throw in the towel. But this is Nigeria. The reality, however, is that the minister has now turned the chief defender of the policy that has turned into a national nightmare, a monumental disaster.

    Fielding questions from State House correspondents when she featured at the 65th session of the State House Ministerial Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja during the week, Ahmed said the current hardship, though temporary, is required to stifle corruption and gradually transition into a cashless economy.

    She said: “Of course we are worried, we are not happy that citizens have to queue and struggle to get their cash but this is a temporary situation.

    “Let me give you an analogy, this situation can be compared to a patient having a sore and while treating the sore, you must apply some iodine or spirit which is usually very painful.

    “It is something that needs to be done at this time. But the Central Bank has been responsive in terms of providing some extension and also some explanation that before the closing date, it is not all over. There are still opportunities for citizens as provided for under Section 20(3) of the CBN Act, for people to take their old currency to the CBN for redemption.

    “Mr President is not happy that citizens are suffering but there is also the positive side to it, which is that a lot of currency has been mopped up back into the system.”

    Who has saddled the minister with the arduous task of cleaning up the vomits of the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, in spite of contradictory moves and pronouncements? For instance, when he appeared before the House of Reps panel on Tuesday, Emefiele tactically blamed the banks for the hardship occasioned by the introduction of the new notes, knowing full well that the banks would not reply him.

    On Thursday, however, he confirmed what everybody knew has been the cause of the hardship: scarcity of the new notes. In a directive it issued to the banks, the CBN had asked them to pay N20,000 of the new notes across the counter. The question is why 20,000 when an individual, by the CBN policy, can withdraw up to N100,000 across the counter per day and N500,000 in a week? The answer is simple: scarcity of the new notes.

    By the CBN directive on Thursday, Emefiele unknowingly absolved the banks and now admitted that the CBN has been shoddy in its execution of the policy. Surprisingly yesterday, Buhari blamed the banks for the scarcity.

    Speaking at a meeting with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors Forum who were at the Presidential Villa yesterday to seek solutions to the cash crunch which they said was threatening the good records of the administration in transforming the economy, Buhari said: “Some banks are inefficient and only concerned about themselves,” adding that “even if a year is added, problems associated with selfishness and greed won’t go away.” Poor bankers!

    Tale of two political opponents

    Both are renowned and respected in the traditional town of one of the North Central states. One is wealthy and the other a tested technocrat. They have mutual respect for each other, but they are eyeing the same seat in the next National Assembly. It is one race that has caught the attention of analysts and political observers and both are throwing everything they have into the contest.

    The less endowed of the contestants is harping on honesty, probity and untainted riches as values while the wealthier is reminding the voters of service, empathy,  and provision of amenities as factors to consider. Today in the ancient city, his philanthropy is unparalleled and the people seem to love him.

    Sensing that this can be a factor in the race,  the one harping on untainted riches is asking voters to ask his opponent how he came about his wealth. It is not enough to flaunt wealth, the source of it must be interrogated, he tells those who care to listen.

    His opponent, on his part, is asking the voters to ask his fellow contestant why he didn’t ask that question when he assisted him financially not long ago. As the verbal missiles continue, SENTRY is poised to bring you the juicy details.

  • AFCON 2024: Osimhen, Lookman are Eagles’ match sticks

    AFCON 2024: Osimhen, Lookman are Eagles’ match sticks

    I pity Nigeria. We have a galaxy of talented players across the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) but we don’t have the processes to produce the exceptionally gifted ones such as Napoli FC of Italy star Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala for the women’s team. Our national team’s coach Jose Peseiro has been wandering around Europe looking for players even when our domestic league is in its sixth week. Interestingly, Osimhen is the only Nigerian plying his or her trade in the European leagues who can easily be crowned the next Africa Footballer of the Year despite Nigeria’s absence from the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

    Unfortunately, these two football players were discovered in the dusty playgrounds in Lagos. No surprises. Soccer is the cheapest game to fund at the grassroots level. Osimhen and Oshoala have told us about their grass to grace stories yet, our soccer federation chieftains have been groping in the dark – helpless. Bounce any round object – be it Peters’ ball, the painful-to-play health ball otherwise known as hazard and other leather balls anywhere in Nigeria, such a playground would be besieged with kids (boys and girls) ready to play the beautiful game.

    Most times when our big players behave as if they are doing Nigeria a favour by playing for the national teams with the same zeal and passion as we see them do for their European clubs, I always walk towards them to ask where they would have been if they didn’t get the privilege to wear Nigeria’s green-white-green shirts in major international competitions where scouts fished them out. Our big boys and girls exhibit nauseating characteristics quite unlike their European counterparts who play for their countries as if their lives depend on those matches. Our stars are the last to enter the camp claiming they went to see their relations, Yet, they are the first to fly out of Nigeria’s camp to join their European club mates knowing that they would be sanctioned. This has been the attitude of our op stars with NFF chiefs helpless instead of wielding the big stick.

    There was a particular Serie A game where Osimhmen shone like a million stars such that his club fans accompanied him to the car garage demanding autographs and pictures which he obliged them. It was obvious Osimhen didn’t sustain any knock as he played the 90 minutes of the game scoring brace. He walked with no abnormal movement to the car garage where he met Ogenyi Onazi who embraced him. But like the thief at night, the announcement came stating that Osimhen was injured and couldn’t honour a game the Eagles were to play. Not for the first was Osimhen opting out at short notice. In fact, he chose games he wanted to play.

    Pundits wondered how Osimhen could miss out on an international friendly against Portugal days before the commencement of the 2022 Qatar World Cup which Argentina won by beating the hitherto defending champions, France in a penalty shootout. The Eagles were very poor against Portugal eliciting harsh words about the Nigerian side from Bruno Fernandes, who also plays for Manchester United FC of England. Osimhen’s absence in those matches was obvious. Teams blend properly when key players who play in such matches are available. In fact, Nigeria had a penalty kick against Portugal which would have changed the game’s tempo had Dennis Emmanuel converted it. Dennis shot the ball tamely in the goalkeeper’s direction. Had Osimhen played he could have scored the penalty kick given his experience from performing such duties for Napoli in the Serie A. Indeed, Portugal beat Nigeria 4-0.

    Super Eagles need a renowned tactician who can negotiate Osimhen’s release for national team matches without friction. Napoli pays Osimhen’s wages but he came into the limelight playing for Nigeria at the U-17 World Cup. Only a reputable coach employed by Nigeria can work out the synergy for both club and country to the advantage of both sides. There are easy fixtures that either Nigeria or Napoli can prosecute without Osimhen. There shouldn’t be any difficulty in getting Osimhen to play for Nigeria. Truth be told, Jose Peseiro lacks that pedigree. If Super Eagles were to maximise Osimhen’s talent, then Nigeria needs a better coach. Don’t expect any miracle from Peseiro.

    In fact, some of the very big ones such as Messi have embedded in their various clauses which make it imperative for them to play for their countries when there is a clash of fixtures between such players’ clubs and countries. Indeed, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Messi defied Barca’s threat to play for Argentina. The Argentines won the gold medal beating Nigeria 1-0 in the final with De Maria beating Nigeria’s offside trap to score the winning goal. Dear reader, please don’t ask me if Nigeria played with all her big stars at the age-grade level.

    Make no mistakes to say I dislike our players. No way. I always celebrate Nigerian kids using The Nation newspaper and its sister publication, Sportinglife’s platforms. Tongues have been wagging in low and high places over the regularity in which these two publications feature Osimhen. For the reasonable ones among those who think that there is more to the frequency of Osimhen on Sportinglife’s cover, my response has been that if nothing is wrong in highlighting Cristiano Ronaldo’s, Lionel Messi’s, Mbappe’s, Neymar’s et al’s stories daily including the incorrigible things they also do outside the pitches, then nobody should bat an eyelid when Nigerian boys and girls who outshine their European counterparts in England, Spain, Italy, Germany etc are being celebrated here in Nigeria.

    Ordinarily, if we are sincere in rebuilding the Super Eagles, Osimhen, a product of street football in Nigeria like Odion Ighalo, Emmanuel Amuneke, Jonathan Akpoborie, Obafemi Martins, Victor Moses et al should be the new Eagles captain, his age notwithstanding. The argument that strikers aren’t good captains isn’t cast in stone. Senegal’s captain, Sadio Mane is a striker and he has been an influential leader. Ditto with Cameroon whose captain Vincent Aboubaka is the team’s top striker. Most national teams’ captains are usually their best players. Super Eagles’ hitherto docile approach to matches would be energised by Osimhen’s dogged fighting spirit which other Super Eagles players would inadvertently imbibe in the course of competitions.

    Osimhen will serve as an inspiration to others given his exploits with Napoli and other European clubs he has played for. But can Nigeria risk naming Osimhen as captain when he won’t have the courage to play for Nigeria when there is a clash of fixtures with Napoli? I understand and appreciate what our players go through whenever they return from national team assignments. The battle to retain the regular shirts is always a herculean task. In this instance, it is very different, not how Osimhen carried Napoli on his head during matches.  Osimhen is the soul of Napoli. When Osimhen plays well the team benefits and vice versa. Osimhen can easily honour Nigeria’s matches and play his Italian side’s games with the right arrangement.

    Napoli’s gem Osimhen and Ademola Lookman who plays for Atalanta FC in the Seria A are painting Italy red with goals weekly. Today, Osimhen has scored 14 goals and Lookman’s 12goals  are the first two players on the highest goal scorers’ table in the Serie A, with pundits tipping them to fight till the end of the season scoring goals with aplomb. And with Paul Onuachu joining Southampton in the English Premier League this week for 18 million pounds, the talk in soccer circles is hinged on how ruthless Nigeria’s attack would be at the next Africa Cup of Nations slated to hold in Cote d’ Ivoire in January 2024.

    But is the NFF ready to use these strikers’ potentials to Super Eagles’ advantage when the chips are down in Cote d’ Ivore next year.

  • Colonialism, force and peace

    Colonialism, force and peace

    The views of three personalities and leaders on the above topic shape our discussion today . They  are the Catholic Pope  Francis  ,  the  outspoken Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El Rufai   and the  veteran PM    of Israel  Benjamin Netanyahu  .  The Pope spoke  on a visit to war ridden and perennially politically   volatile  Congo Kinshasa .  El Nasir  voiced an  opinion on the opposition  of some’ elements ‘ in Aso Rock ,   Nigeria’s seat  of power to the election of APC  presidential  candidate Jagaban  Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president of Nigeria in this month’s presidential election  . Netanyahu  spoke on global peace and the security of his nation Israel  in a very  educative and sizzling interview with CNN this week .

    On   the first  day of his visit to Congo Kinshasa  the Pope   condemned what he called ‘ economic colonialism ‘ in Africa  noting pontifically in the presidential palace in Kinshasa –  ‘After political colonialism  , an equally enslaving economic colonialism was unleashed . This country , largely plundered , therefore fails to take sufficient advantage of its immense resources’ .  The  Pope  then   warned   western  nations  and former    colonial  nations   and   internal   colonialists  , in a rare  ,  shrilly  admonition , ‘’ Take  your hands off Democratic Republic of Congo , take your hands off Africa . Stop suffocating Africa; it is not a mine to be exploited nor a land to be plundered ‘

    While  one may condemn the role of religion in colonial Africa  in that the church was complicit with the colonialists   who  came with the gun in one hand and the  bible    in the other ,  in a manner of ‘ praise the lord  and pass the ammunition ‘ , the Pope’s  call  is benevolent  ,    compunctious  and timely  . It reminds  one  of the   on going efforts of some American states  to make reparations  to  black  Americans on the past and present sufferings  and inhuman exploitation  of slavery , the labours  of which built the huge American  nation   and    prosperous  economy  .

    At  a lecture at the prestigious Yoruba Tennis Club  Tennis Club Onikan , Lagos   given by the running  mate of the Jagaban  ,  Kashim Shettima  Mustapha   last year I    asked him a question on why   and how Nigerians , having survived the exploitation and slavery  of colonialism now have  to cope with the colonialism of politicians and their  strategy  of exclusion of the rest of the society . Shettima  replied to my satisfaction that the solution lies in electing his ticket to the presidency of Nigeria  in this month’s presidential  election .  That  seemed  to be very well  on the way till  the new   ,  raging  fuel  shortage ,   and new  currency design  cropped  up un expectedly  to show that in politics nothing comes on a platter of gold .  This is where the observation of the governor of Kaduna  state ,  El Rufai  comes in handy  and is very  useful  for the APC  and its presidential  candidate  to  consummate their ambition of retaining power  in this   month’s presidential election . El  Rufai  has exposed the enemy within in Aso Rock  and is asking the APC government to put its house in order and not go to sleep  in a house with thatched roof while there is fire on the roof top . Which  his declaration on ‘ elements  ‘ in Aso Rock  against  Tinubu’s  election  as president , clearly  indicates .

    El  Rufai  went  back to history  to show that the president is trying to do  the  right thing but some ‘elements ‘  in Aso  Rock  are trying to frustrate what the president did quietly  when  he was a military president  ,  ably assisted then by Tunde Idiagbon and they changed the currency  to deal with those hoarding  the naira .El  Rufai  commended the naira  redesign policy . According to him – ‘It  is a good intention . The  president has his right . But doing it at this time within the time allotted does not make any political  or economic sense .’ That  is the truth and it is coming from the inner circle of the holy of holies of the APC . The  party must     urgently   re –  strategise  its       campaign    to  face the challenges of the enemy in the high  quarters  of its  party and in its  seat  of power   in  order  to retain power in this month’s election .  That is the pragmatic and bold way  to avert  the real  danger of treachery in high places which  the El Rufai revelation has unleashed and it is not too late  for victory in this month’s election .

    However  it   is in the Netanyahu  interview that  we see the  consummation   and  complete  illustration of the three concepts of the topic  of the day . Up  till  this interview I had respected Netanyahu as a durable and wily  politician having been elected six times as PM of his nation. Since  I view Israel as a colonial power  in the way it treats the Palestinians   especially  in the occupied    territories , I had  a scant   respect  for its many times PM . This interview however increased the respect I  have  for the Israeli  leader profoundly as a world leader who  knows his onions in securing his nation  and his priorities in doing so . 

    Netanyahu showed his CNN    interviewer  in an  hour long   interview  that he was an American like himself and that he  has known the present American president for about 40years . He literally mesmerized his interviewer  who was looking at his note book before asking questions while Netanyahu spoke brilliantly and incisively ,    off   the cuff  on  all  the questions  he was asked  . Netanyahu  stated his driving priorities ,  for  which  he believes has  been elected several  times  in  Israel  ,  as  ensuring Iran does not have a nuclear arsenal , managing peace with the Palestinians and developing the innovative Israeli  economy. He  said Iran  is his first  priority   on   the security  of Israel  because that nation wants to destroy Israel  and its slogan is ‘ death to Israel and death to America  ‘ .   He  said   the culture  of Iran is to  celebrate   death    while  that of Israel    is to  celebrate    life  .  On the peace with the Palestinians   he   advocates   what he called   judicious  use  of    force    as his policy  is  to ensure the Palestinians do not drive Israel  into the sea  which   is their declared goal .   He   believes it is better to make peace with bigger or friendlier Arab  states as he thinks the Palestinian tail   should  not be wagging the  bigger Arabs  with regard to peace  deal  with Israel . On   the   huge protests  in Israel  on his judicial  reforms he blamed judicial activism  as disrupting the balance of power in Israel  where judges appoint themselves .He  believes  the Russian Invasion of Ukraine    was a threat  to world peace but he does  not want to intervene as there should not be too many cooks in the kitchen  in the search  for  peace although he would  consider a role if invited by the US .

    While  I condemn Israel’s policy as a colonial  power  with the Palestinians  I admire Netanyahu’s   fierce patriotism and deep  concern for the security of his people and nation . That is what leadership  should be   about   at all times  . That type  of leadership is what Nigeria needs and that is why I support the call of the Jagaban that Nigerians should arm themselves with  their voters cards and  go and vote for  him as president   if only   for their   security and    in    spite of the odds  , mischief and obstacles  in the path of the Emi Lokan journey ,   on February  25  . A word  is enough for the wise . 

  • Professor Diji Aina on factionalism, Economic Parasitism and state fragility (2)

    Professor Diji Aina on factionalism, Economic Parasitism and state fragility (2)

    For the humanistic scholar and thinker, man is the be-all and end-all of existence. Only that which is material, that which can be seen, heard, touched, tasted, smelled and felt is real. The spiritual is thus mere fantasy and thus no more than the creation of the fertility of the human imagination. This is perhaps what Marxists mean when they describe consciousness as a creation and reflection of matter and not vice-versa. Of course, not all radical academics are of the humanistic philosophical persuasion. Thus, the late Marxist political scientist, Professor Aaron Gana, for instance, started his Convocation lecture at the University of Jos with the famous declaration, “Let me start this lecture with two apologies. One is that because I am a “Jesus person” I am giving this lecture in Jesus name (Amen). My apology here is to those who might be offended by this declaration”. In giving this apology, Professor Gana obviously had in mind not only those who were not of a Christian religious persuasion but even more so those who are of a humanistic, materialistic, disposition particularly in an academic environment.

    Many humanistic thinkers reject the notion that man is essentially and fundamentally flawed as a result of sin and thus hopelessly and helplessly in need of a savior and redeemer to reconcile him to God and salvage him from an innate disposition to evil leading to eternal damnation. ‘I am the captain of my soul and the master of my destiny’ is the enduring credo of the humanistic ideologue. For him, man is a perfect creation with no spiritual flaws. If so, however, how then do we explain the evil we can see all around us transcending social classes, levels of educational attainment, socio-economic status as well as across all categorizations of nations – developing, underdeveloped or developed? The humanist has no answer to the problem of prevalent and persistent evil in human nature and society. Is it any wonder then that such humanist ‘saviours’ of man as Lenin, Stalin or Mao Tse Tung, for example, did not flinch from slaughtering large numbers of people in striving to salvage society and promote what they perceive as the common good of mankind in their respective societies even though the means towards the achievement of their goals were manifestly evil?

    Like Professor Gana, Professor Diji Aina comes across in his inaugural lecture under focus here as essentially a ‘Jesus person’. Thus, for him, factionalism has its roots in the inherent spiritually flawed nature of man that predisposes the individual to pervasive selfishness and self-centeredness thus fostering negative and dysfunctional factionalism across diverse sectors of society. As he put it, “The implication of the foregoing is that factionalism is the outward manifestation of a sinful (rebellious) heart, covetousness and of fallen humanity…In the biblical context, factions are outcomes of rebellious acts and are often created via subtle persuasion to upturn natural order and events. In Genesis 3:1-6, the serpent, portrayed as “more crafty than man” asked, “Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” From this spiritual analytic paradigm, Professor Aina concludes that “The moral lesson here is that it is only by allowing the indwelling Holy Spirit that we can have eternal peace, one that propels cooperative rather than degenerative spirit that results in factions and its attendant consequences of conflict and violence”.

    After a detailed and exhaustive excursion into the manifestations of factionalism in Nigeria right from the colonial era through to the first, second, aborted third and now fourth Republic, Professor Aina posits that “It was not until the advent of crude oil as a major, national, income-earning source that the personal lust over state resources became so evident. Hitherto, it had been shrouded in a regional, economic interest-driven struggle for the political soul of the nation”. It is instructive in this regard that in the first republic, the most progressive, rapidly modernizing and prosperous part of the country, the Western Region, was the most affected by a fierce destructive factionalism within the ruling party, the Action Group, that split the party down the middle, fostered the massive rigging of regional elections, degenerated into widespread anarchic violence that ultimately resulted in the January, 1966 coup and the collapse of democratic rule only six years after independence.

    Although the military was initially welcomed by large sections of the populace as a redeeming political Messiah which intervened to save the country from the misrule and venality of the politicians, it took little time before the intervening military itself became the victims of divisive organizational factionalism that deepened ethno-regional mistrust, bred widespread instability and severely threatened the country’s cohesion and continued existence. As Professor Aina pungently and lucidly put it, “Resources accruable from crude oil are largely administered by those who are located outside the terrain of crude oil exploitation thereby creating factions and struggle for control. This resulted in separatist agitations, which eventually led to recurring military coups and transition governments in what Oyediran and others documented as “Transition Without End”.

    Professor Aina continues by depicting the linkage among militarism, crude oil, economic parasitism of the elite and state fragility. In his words, “Military insurgency and counter-insurgency took the odious dimension, not only truncating the development of civilian rule but the destruction of the socio-political and economic fabric of the nation. Corruption became ubiquitous, evil and malignant. Even the clergy that once served as distant echo of “voice of reason” got engulfed in the greasing of palms and monetary inducement to gain public endorsement…Nigeria is evidently at crossroads. As I have documented in a number of publications, and as many other scholars have confirmed, the factions have multiplied, metamorphosed and transmogrified becoming malignant and inimical to national progress. They have left in their wake multifaceted fragmentations that have resulted in over one million people killed in just 30 months of a civil war and scores of other people most recently in the Niger-Delta insurgency and an international terror-induced hydra-headed insurgency known as Boko Haram”.

    The lecturer documents the pervasive and persistent factionalization of political parties and groups in the current fourth republic since 1999, the deepening of corrupt elite enrichment through access to state power, rampant political vagrancy of the polite elite from one party to the other in desperate quest for platforms to contest for public office with scant regard for fidelity to party ideology, philosophy or principles. Just as intra-party factionalism was partly responsible for the loss of the PDP’s control of power at the centre to the emergent APC in 2015, no sooner had the new party assumed office than it became bogged down with fragmentation and factionalism leading not only to organizational immobility but also competing cabals in government resulting in state paralysis on diverse fronts.

    According to the author, “Assessing the new ruling party, (APC), as more or less a replica of the former ruling party (PDP), Schineider (2015), dubbed the APC as “an opportunistic coalition of interests.” In  the scenario that ended the seventh assembly, “cross carpeting”, which was the buzzword of of the politics of the 1960s was replaced with “defection”. All it took to decamp or defect in Nigeria’s puerile political ecology was to feel shortchanged in the sharing of the national cake at any point time”. As the countdown to next year’s elections continues, the political elite in control of state power persist in behaving like economic vampires, sucking the resources that should be the lifeblood of providing for the wellbeing of the generality of the people, and rendering the state even more fragile as manifested by pervasive criminality, kidnapping, banditry, rape, incompetent economic management and the contestation of the very sovereignty of the state by criminal gangs and terroristic elements.

    Even then, with the evidently increasing autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the intensification of the utilization of technology to enhance the credibility and transparency of the electoral process, the electorate may increasingly begin to more effectively utilize the power of the ballot to effect positive change in the efficacy and quality of governance in the country.

    Although Professor Aina proposes no less than ten recommendations to deal with and minimize the dysfunctional effects of degenerative factionalism in society, I will conclude by citing only one of these because it brings us right back to the spiritual underpinning of his lecture, with which we began the second part of this review. In his words, “The political society should be re-oriented towards cooperative and competitive rather than degenerative factionalism. This can be achieved if there is a deliberate effort/program towards minimizing crass materialism in the national psyche of the citizenry, using the East Asian “tiger” and Scandinavian countries’ experiences as benchmarks. I call for a return to primitive godliness, a lifestyle that aligns with the biblical aphorism “righteousness exalts a nation, sin is a reproach”. Factionalism is rooted in self and sin”.

    • This article was first published September 17 2022

  • Politics of fuel scarcity and currency swap

    Politics of fuel scarcity and currency swap

    NIGERIA is in a fix. Over 200 million people are held captive by the apex bank headed by a self-acclaimed superman, ‘most intelligent banker in the world’ and politician in disguise, whose policy on currency redesign has unleashed a monumental disaster on innocent bank customers and other Nigerians.

    Two objectives were disclosed by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele. The first was to compel Nigerians to embrace a cashless policy. The second was to mop up illicit naira notes allegedly hidden in the homes and vaults of politicians who are likely to monetise the February 25 and March 11 elections.

    As if Nigeria was still under a military regime, public complaints seem not to matter. It appears there is no going back on the journey to national doom, even if all commercial activities remained paralysed, and Nigerians felt nostalgic about the use of cowries in the commercial transactions of old.

    On Thursday, the Finance Minister, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who had earlier claimed that she was not carried along by the CBN governor, appealed to Nigerians to endure the hardship.

    Thousands of Nigerians queue daily at Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) to get the few amounts they had deposited with the banks. They use the small cash they could lay hands on to queue at filling stations for fuel to get their vehicles moving and their generators running to provide power supply. In the national melee, the highly inefficient power distribution companies (DisCos) have remained largely epileptic. Ahead of the polls, distraught Nigerians are reminded to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) – for those who have not done so – from the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within the few days to the deadline the electoral empire has specified. Nigerians also have to queue for these PVCs ahead of voting for their preferred candidates.

    Today’s Nigerians have been put under undue pressure from all areas they ought to enjoy peace and quiet.

    It thus appears that there is a hidden agenda in the new currency design, among other issues, judging by the timing of the policy. The change of the three highest denominations of the notes coincides with the electioneering.

    There are speculations that a dangerous plot was being hatched to incite Nigerians against the best presidential candidate in the race to Aso Villa. Social media miscreants have allegedly been mobilised to heap the blame for the calculated misery on the target. The conspiracy against the Jagaban is the last hurdle to cross before the February 25 poll that will lead to victory.

    But the plot has collapsed. Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has told Nigerians that the APC as a political family had no hand in the policy.

    The risk of social unrest is high. Protesters in Lagos and other cities have turned the heat on the CBN governor. The suffering should not be allowed to escalate. The memory of the October 20, 2020 #EndSARS protest that was hijacked by hoodlums is still fresh.

    Public pressure has now forced Emefiele to issue a directive that N20,000 could be obtained across the counter in the banks. The measure is still not satisfactory to most Nigerians who agonise daily.

    But, there may also be other plans to achieve the subsisting hidden agenda. Hopefully, it will also collapse.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, in his second coming, inherited a country that was thirsty for change. He has tried his best in some sectors. He has achieved some improvements in the areas of security, transportation and anti-graft war.

    Yet, there is still much more to be accomplished.

    As the President is approaching the end of his eight-year two-term tenure, Nigerians are upset by the inexplicable fuel and cash scarcity, which are casting a dent on his score card. More worrisome is the probability of mismanaging the pressing challenges, thereby affecting the general election.

    If well perused, the protracted fuel shortage is quite strange. Nigeria is the sixth largest producer of oil in the world. But the country is also an importer of petroleum products. In the last 24 years, successive administrations have failed to maintain the four refineries scattered across the country for optimal performance. Building a new one is also a tall order.

    The current fuel scarcity is thus a classic kind of sabotage which has persisted despite the threats by the Department of State Services (DSS) last December to halt the trend. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) simply ignored its 48-hour ultimatum to stop the crisis in the industry and restore normalcy.

    How much oil is lifted daily by the NNPC? The figures are in the realm of conjecture. There is no reliable data on the amount supplied daily. NNPCL tendered a figure of 66 million litres, but the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) disagreed, saying it is 40 million litres.

    Both institutions of government have also not provided effective solution to oil theft. According to reports, $4 billion was lost to the theft of Nigeria’s petroleum products in 2021 and $1.5 billion in 2022. The figures for this year may come in due course. Those behind bunkering are not ordinary people.

    In the past, there were reports of tankers crossing the borders to other countries. Security agencies could not rise to the occasion.

    At a time many oil-producing countries are maximising the benefits of gas, 75 per cent of assorted gas in Nigeria is flared; only 12 per cent is re-injected for commercial advantage.

    Fuel pricing is motivated by external pull. Since Nigeria imports fuel for domestic consumption, whenever oil price goes up in the international market, it affects the price regime at home.

    The loss in terms of man-hour due to scarcity is enormous. Motorists spend several hours on the queue in search of the elusive product. Transporters shift the cost to commuters. In turn, traders shift the burden to ordinary Nigerians.

    The woe of the sector is exacerbated by the embarrassing fuel subsidy, which is to the advantage of few barons who desperately milk the country dry. Nearly all the top presidential candidates have indicated plans to remove it, thereby incurring the wrath of the manipulators.

    As fuel becomes scarce and the cash to buy it also becomes scarcer, Nigerians are groaning in the economic cul-de-sac the insensate cabal has thrown them into.

    Many experts believe that the chaos was avoidable, if the CBN had done extensive research, collated data, adopted a gradual process and considered the collateral damage to the common man.

    Many rural people have now developed acute fear for modern banking. The fear is premised on what they perceive as the deliberate seizure of their hard-earned cash. After depositing their working capital in the bank and they cannot easily withdraw it for their little businesses, nasty thoughts flash across their minds.

    Is it a crime to be a Nigerian? How could a set of soulless beings hold the nation by the jugular without those in authority making them to pay dearly for their criminality? Why should a national monetary policy transmogrify the nation into denizens of perdition?

    Those who are yet to deposit the old notes are confused. Many of them, according to some governors, live in remote rural communities where banking is alien. 

    Having been encouraged and assured before depositing their cash, they now feel that they were deceived. If someone travels from the remotest part of a state to the city to deposit his cash and he is directed to the ATM to withdraw N10,000 only, he loses confidence in the banking system.

    Rural economy, indeed the informal sector, is cash-driven. The cashless policy, to many rural dwellers, is like fiction. This is associated with low level of literacy. In the interior, cashless policy is also hampered by lack of telecommunications network.

    Besides, how would a trader who does not operate a bank account carry out transactions in his or her  area of residency?

    According to the CBN, over N1.1 trillion has been mopped up. The cash, to the rural poor, has been trapped. Some of the rural dwellers have no money to even eat.

    Although CBN has alluded to the presence of Point of Sales (POS) agents, they are few, relative to the population. Many still find it strange that the agents are entitled to certain charges to give out cash.

    In the banking halls, customers express frustration and vent their anger. They demand explanations for what happens to their money. Their anger is not misplaced; it is their right to know what happens to the cash they deposited or they are about to deposit and when they can call for it and get it at their convenience. But the bankers appear forlorn themselves. They lack the psychological answers to assuage the hurt in the people’s agitated minds. Bank workers try to explain the new policy. They do not understand the depth of the situation. They often sound illogical and incoherent.

    The confusion pervading the horizon may have arisen from the fact that while ATMs are not dispensing cash, the new naira notes are in high supply at social functions. Bank officials get the currency across to those who sell them to people to spray at parties. These buyers and sellers get the new notes after paying the officials.

    Although CBN claims to be targeting politicians, those who bear the brunt are ordinary folks. The big men seldom carry cash about. They have their money in banks. They account for the huge volume of cashless transactions.

    Vote buying and selling will be more attractive on poll day, if the agony persists. Bank workers who sell cash to people for social functions will see a more lucrative business in selling to desperate politicians.

    Unlike before, more Nigerians are gradually embracing the cashless option. As time goes on, it is hoped that the policy will become the vogue.

    Emefiele and President Buhari should listen to financial and monetary experts. They should allow the old and new notes to circulate together for another six months. Gradually, the CBN can collect the old notes without damage to commercial transactions and our daily existence.

    Many rural people have now developed acute fear for modern banking. The fear is premised on what they perceive as the deliberate seizure of their hard-earned cash. After depositing their working capital in the bank and they cannot easily withdraw it for their little businesses, nasty thoughts flash across their minds.

    Is it a crime to be a Nigerian? How could a set of soulless beings hold the nation by the jugular without those in authority making them to pay dearly for their criminality? Why should a national monetary policy transmogrify the nation into denizens of perdition?

    Those who are yet to deposit the old notes are confused. Many of them, according to some governors, live in remote rural communities where banking is alien. 

    Having been encouraged and assured before depositing their cash, they now feel that they were deceived. If someone travels from the remotest part of a state to the city to deposit his cash and he is directed to the ATM to withdraw N10,000 only, he loses confidence in the banking system.

    Rural economy, indeed the informal sector, is cash-driven. The cashless policy, to many rural dwellers, is like fiction. This is associated with low level of literacy. In the interior, cashless policy is also hampered by lack of telecommunications network.

    Besides, how would a trader who does not operate a bank account carry out transactions in his or her  area of residency?

    According to the CBN, over N1.1 trillion has been mopped up. The cash, to the rural poor, has been trapped. Some of the rural dwellers have no money to even eat.

    Although CBN has alluded to the presence of Point of Sales (POS) agents, they are few, relative to the population. Many still find it strange that the agents are entitled to certain charges to give out cash.

    In the banking halls, customers express frustration and vent their anger. They demand explanations for what happens to their money. Their anger is not misplaced; it is their right to know what happens to the cash they deposited or they are about to deposit and when they can call for it and get it at their convenience. But the bankers appear forlorn themselves. They lack the psychological answers to assuage the hurt in the people’s agitated minds. Bank workers try to explain the new policy. They do not understand the depth of the situation. They often sound illogical and incoherent.

    The confusion pervading the horizon may have arisen from the fact that while ATMs are not dispensing cash, the new naira notes are in high supply at social functions. Bank officials get the currency across to those who sell them to people to spray at parties. These buyers and sellers get the new notes after paying the officials.

    Although CBN claims to be targeting politicians, those who bear the brunt are ordinary folks. The big men seldom carry cash about. They have their money in banks. They account for the huge volume of cashless transactions.

    Vote buying and selling will be more attractive on poll day, if the agony persists. Bank workers who sell cash to people for social functions will see a more lucrative business in selling to desperate politicians.

    Unlike before, more Nigerians are gradually embracing the cashless option. As time goes on, it is hoped that the policy will become the vogue.

    Emefiele and President Buhari should listen to financial and monetary experts. They should allow the old and new notes to circulate together for another six months. Gradually, the CBN can collect the old notes without damage to commercial transactions and our daily existence.