The Nation Newspaper

Category: Round Table

  • AFCON2024: Patriotism vs political bigotry

    AFCON2024: Patriotism vs political bigotry

    The 2024 African Cup of Nations (#AFCON24) being hosted by Ivory Coast started off with a beautiful opening ceremony that spelt  AFRICA in all its glory and cultural effervescence. The organizers were very Afrocentric in their presentations. It was absolutely lovely to watch the glamour  and cultural diversity displayed by the entertainers. Even Nigeria’s Yemi Alade popularly called Mama Africa was on stage to trill the world and she did not disappoint.

    The Roundtable Conversation however considers the 2024 AFCON competition a needed elixir for a country like Nigeria smarting from a very chaotic 2023 elections that as usual saw politicians further dividing the country through religion and ethnicity.

    The Nigerian political class has for a long time created divisions amongst the citizens who on the social and economic levels see no problems in relating with each other. Even before and after colonialism, the many parts of Nigeria have always related with each other cordially. There had been inter-tribal marriages and trade with all its interspersing cultural exchanges. The society was more peaceful and prosperous and less suspicious of each other.

    Then a post-independence Nigerian politics happened and tribes and religion became issues and the politicians divided the country along those lines not for its prosperous nuances but purely for selfish reasons.

    Read Also; Meet new commander of IRT, DC Sanusi assigned to tackle Abuja kidnapping crisis 

    In 1952, a Fulani man, Mallam Umaru Altine from Sokoto state was elected the first  Mayor of Enugu. He had emerged through his discipleship of the late Nnamdi Azikiwe political family that was as multi-cultural as it was deeply nationalistic. On a more social note, the Mayor had equally married an Igbo lady in the course of his sojourn in the Eastern region as the area was then known. He belonged to the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) . He was a scion of the Sokoto Caliphate.  He was a Nigerian who was interested in service and the people gave him the mandate without recourse to divisive socio-religious nuances now driving the country apart.

    S.G Ikoku, a highly influential man from Imo state was a staunch supporter of late Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group (AG) an at some point he was the Secretary General of the party. His late father, Alvan Ikoku was a great educationist who did great things for the education sector in ways that his legacies still stands to his name. He was as influential locally as he was nationally and today his image looms large on the 10naira note.

    Late Adeniran Ogusanya was a staunch member of the NCNC and helped the party win elections in his constituency.  It is good to recall these lofty sides of our politics because the difference between then and now is almost like the difference between day and night. Today, Nigerian politics looks almost very toxic and divisive. The political actors are more alienated from the people than ever and there is trust deficit.

    So it is apposite for the Roundtable Conversation to broach this very important conversation as Nigerians revel in their victory at the on-going AFCON games against Ivory Coast in their country. Even if the performance of the Super Eagles has not been excellent in comparative terms, their victory over the host despite a huge home support speaks of the resilience, the sense of patriotism and commitment to the Nigerian spirit in the team.

    The nation needs all the healing that it can get from the psychological and physical injuries of the just concluded elections across the country. But the question is, why does Nigeria produce the most litigious elections in the world?

    The Roundtable Conversation can hazard a guess. Nigerian politicians seem to be some of the least patriotic in the world. More often than not, the ‘professional politicians’ as most  of them describe themselves are in politics for less than altruistic reasons. 

    In the light of the AFCON games, the Roundtable Conversation feels that creative Arts like the entertainment industry and sports of which football is the beautiful game produces some of the most patriotic humans and as such our politicians have some lessons to learn. 

    We talked to Dr. Danladi Bako, ace broadcaster, former Director General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and former Chairman of Sokoto State Football Association who had attended six World Cup finals and 12 AFCON tournaments about his views about politicians and footballers as it seems that sportsmen like footballers show  more patriotism.

    Dr. Bako believes that the field of  politics and football have very divergent hierarchical growth processes. In politics, there is a lot at stake on personal levels. The contestations are fierce and the winnings are personal in a different way. In football, the growth is from a junior level and you almost always rise through your country’s junior to national teams and personal efforts determine your future progression especially in more viable European, English, or other profitable Continental leagues.

    Politics is about sharing what is available on the context of the individual, provincial pressure groups, sub-national and national groups. Contestation for power is all about sharing the commonwealth. In football, the prizes or the reward is not as gargantuan as that of politics. A legislature gets a House of Reps. seat and he gets millions in a month as salaries an allowances. The footballer goes through the stages from Under 16 up to national teams. It is an individual issue.

    In the case of politics, you could be a thug today and the moment your mentor wins a big political post, you become a Special Adviser, from there you too can rise through the political ladder to become even a senator or governor. The footballer works too hard to rise on his own merit but the politician can even connive to rig elections and the electoral processes can throw up contrived cases of tribes and religion meant to divide the people to achieve success. Even at the sub-regional levels, you have the people finding ways to exclude each other .You have for instance internal issues of even those from same states still finding ways to claim supremacy over each other for political gains.

    It is that contestation for power that gives rise to exclusion politics like religion, tribe etc. The price is huge and as such the contest becomes very fierce. The likelihood of manipulation in electoral processes also creates distrust. On the contrary, on the field of play, individual merit is what markets a player. The real issues are that the field of politics is tricky, most people depend on God fathers but in football, individual merit matters.

     There is too little integration. Politics needs a definitive effort to blur the lines of differences. There must be a national effort to think Nigeria first so the narrative can change . We need to make conscious efforts to re-integrate values that unite. There must be a design to make Nigeria the focal point rather than peripheral tribal lineages.

    We must make efforts to be one and calm frayed nerves for national cohesion. We have to level the political playing field where justice is seen to be done to all. Citizenship must be made attractive by government to create social justice across the country. We can take a cue from America where people from different nationalities have stopped thinking of original ancestral countries. We  need to obliterate ‘state of origin’ in our polity. When would federal character not matter anymore? Contestation for power is what brings division.

    Victor Osimhen gave Ekong the penalty to take during their match with the host. There was no contestation based on any other consideration except the need of the team to win for the country. The Nigerian political space must take a leaf from the team spirit that guides the national teams in all sports. Individual efforts combines into a formidable team success.

    We also spoke to Godwin Dudu-Orumen (Esq.) lawyer, journalist former Chairman, Edo Sports Commission and Sports businessman. To him, politics and sports are two different fields. Sportsmen have a totally different attitude that politicians lack. Politicians have a totally conceited behavior.  Most of the politicians are in the business for their selfish gains. A lot of politicians do not understand that sports especially football has become a multi-trillion dollar global business. Some of them pay lip service to sports because they lack the patriotic spirit of sportsmen.

    To him, sportspeople are possessed by a different type of spirit that politicians lack. This to him is why politicians only meddle in sports with some nepotism making it possible for certain wrong decisions to be taken that often affect national interest. On the other hand, sportsmen carry the burden of national pride and glory. The average politician is often more concerned about personal gains rather than the general good of the citizens.

    He believes that the fact that core politicians are not in the sports business  is why merit works in the sports sector so the politicians do not always bring their divisiveness into sports. Their character is not brought into sports and to some extent, sports seems devoid of certain attitudes found in politics that strips the politician of that sportsmanship spirit that is productively enchanting and patriotic.

    Both Bako and Dudu-Orumen are experienced enough in both sports and politics (even if they don’t pass for ‘professional politicians of the Nigerian hue) to critically weigh into the nexus or lack of same between sports and politics. However, the Roundtable Conversation believes that like other nations, Nigeria must begin to look at sports with the global lens of not just for its entertainment and unifying value but to be able to tap from the multi-dimensional profit-yielding venture that is attracting investment and paying off in nations’ GDP. A country like Morocco and Saudi Arabia are showing the less developed countries that investing in sports especially football can be rewarding. But how many of Nigerian politicians are reading and/or watching #AFCON2024 for instance?

    • The dialogue continues…

  • The missing links in ministerial nominations and screening

    The missing links in ministerial nominations and screening

    The return of civilian democracy to Nigeria in 1999 has been a huge learning curve for both the Nigerian political elite and the people.  Despite the flaws in the political parties’ structure and administration and even in the electoral processes, some progress have been made. The political awareness amongst the people has increased. The young people are showing less apathy and though they are not yet in the main stream of political engagements across the country, progress has been made.

    The internet has been a great tool for political and social communications and even though most of the political class seem to be of the analogue generation, the youth drive the levers of technology and the internet and their influence has been profoundly impactful. The Social media has despite its alleged and real negatives been a huge influence on the socio-political sphere in the country. Whether the political class agrees or not, the youth dictate the political communication pace in ways that has been vibrant and almost a game changer.

    The Nigerian political class however seems to revel in their old ways and has seemingly not taken advantage of the young people and their world views which are as cosmopolitan as they are global in practice  in a 21st century global village. The political class seems stuck in their archaic and parochial ways of doing things. The impact of this type of obstinacy has been huge on the development of the country in general terms.

    The idea that political parties in Nigeria still do not operate along identifiable political ideologies is an old school idea. The fact that political parties are still not run independent of individuals, groups, regions and some other considerations like ethnicity and religion are the bane of the weak democracy practiced in ways that have left the people poorer than expected. The fact that a lot of democratic tenets are observed in the breach is reason most elected officials are not accountable to the people who ought to be beneficiaries of democratic dividends. 

    Since 1999 for instance, successive presidents had always sent their ministerial nominees without attaching their portfolios and criticisms have always trailed the process because the Senate that has the constitutional duty of screening nominees at the federal level often do very unsatisfactory job of screening nominees whose professional and personal pedigrees often do not get the desired scrutiny before they are posted to any ministry, agency of parastatal.

    In the nomination and screening of candidates, some mundane considerations often overshadow what is actually important. Sometimes there is attention to party affiliations, religion, ethnicity or loyalty to political parties. While these are important aspects of humanity, making them the core focus and discountenancing competence, experience and the candidate’s capacity to understand that being given an opportunity to serve is a privilege that must be backed with a sense of patriotism and service.

    The Roundtable Conversation has always maintained that party loyalty and other less important considerations must not be made qualifying criteria for confirmation of nominees. There must be more thorough jobs by the Senate who are representatives of the Nigerian people. We all recall the almost 12 hours screening of Hilary Clinton when she was nominated by former President Barack Obama as Secretary of State for the United States. She is an accomplished lawyer, a former first lady of Arkansas, former United States First Lady, a two-term Senator representing New York yet the American Senate screened her for hours.

    Read Also: Fani-Kayode, Keyamo, others hail Tinubu over ministerial nominations

    On the contrary, the Nigerian Senate often use the laughable, ‘Bow and Go’ style to dismiss  the screening of some nominees as the Senate often cite their  being former legislators or even for some women who are dismissed on the laughable reason of being a woman. There is often lack of diligence in the screening of nominees in ways that make the nominees feel a sense of entitlement that almost always backfires when we consider their deliverables.

    If the Nigerian Senate had insisted on getting the portfolios that nominees would be assigned after they are confirmed, possibly there would have been better deliverables in all sectors of the economy in the years from 1999 till 2023. While thorough screening might never preempt performances, it would have provided some insight to the capacity of certain individuals and their suitability for the positions they were to occupy.

    Ministerial positions are serious positions in any country. They are the team that works with each president and their capacity often tells on the outcome of every administration. The grinding poverty in Nigeria and other developmental problems cannot be the fault of any president but the presidents take credit or flacks either way. This is why no president should toy with the people he hires to be in the cabinet. When people insist the nominees must be attached to portfolios, it is for the senate to ask the right questions as regards the ministries the individual would be heading.

    But Nigeria has a problem. More of than not, appointments are seen as a favours being one the appointees and their families and friends often celebrate as though they are the chosen ones  who have been invited to a banquet with no care in the world. The paraphernalia of office is often the focus of most appointees in offices and that is why most of them have no laudable achievements after their tenures.

    It is laughable that the Nigerian National Assembly has made the words, ‘juicy ministry or committees’ regular words in the political lexicon of the nation. What these words semantically and politically mean is that there are ministries and legislative committees that are considered ‘lucrative’ and these implies that there are always scrambles for them. What Nigerians have not asked the political elite is the implication of those words. Juicy ministries and committees seem to be those areas where all the shenanigans take place and no one should then wonder why since 1999, Presidents put a veil over the portfolio of nominees and the Senate and House of Representatives all lobby and scramble for certain committees even when they lack the prerequisite competences  to effectively serve in certain committees. The lack of diligent  oversight function of the legislature is part of Nigeria’s problems.

    It seems that the unedifying history of lack of accountability by the political elite continually give us reasons to question the sense of patriotism and service they all come to offices with. Why should any sector be considered ‘dry’? The metaphor, ‘juicy’ in this circumstance comes with all the negatives. It just means everything with them is not about service. When you get ‘juice’, you consume it and juicy as a word comes with all the attractiveness that feeds the palates.

    The 133million Nigerians leaving in multi-dimensional poverty, the more than 20million Nigerian children that are out of school, the double digit unemployment and infrastructural decay are all results of non-performance by people who are paid with tax payers money not serving the people in productive ways. Nigeria is an endowed country both in human and natural resources. Commitment from the political class at both the executive and legislative levels is the prerequisite for a functional economy.

    The recent allegations in the Humanitarian Affairs, Social Development and Poverty Alleviation against the previous Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, the now suspended minister, Betta Edu and the suspended National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, (NSIPA), Halima Shehu is now top of national discourse.  While we await full and transparent investigations into the facts of their cases, it should be evident that when two elephants fight, the grass suffers.

    Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world. While the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry is relevant. Those that fashioned  democracy as a system of government did not envisage that governments would be a charity. The system ought to work well enough that extreme poverty is reduced to the barest minimum and no minister should be glad to hand out money to the poor if all things are equal let alone fiddling with what is for the poor or being negligent of the most vulnerable.

    The focus at this time might be on this ministry but that lone ministry is not the one to wave the magic wand and eliminate poverty from the land. Every minister, every public servant owes the poor a duty to be diligent in their posts. While we await the outcome of investigations, it would be appropriate for every minister to do their bit, for every legislator both at the federal and state levels to do the right thing – work for the good of the people.

    The Humanitarian Affairs, Social Development and Poverty alleviation Ministry might be in the eye of the storm now but the Roundtable  Conversation believes that Nigeria has not looked at the fundamentals. Why are nominees not screened thoroughly by the Senate and State assemblies in ways to determine the competences, professional and private experiences and readiness of nominees to deliver? Why has nominations and screening since 1999 been seen as mystery dates?

    The idea of some people castigating the gender of those in the eye of the storm now as the sole problem of Nigeria is just ludicrous. Humans are humans and leadership qualities do not reside in any gender. The system must be purged of finger-pointing and the right and global best practices in leadership  must emerge for a functional system that can limit human flaws interrupting development.  Nigeria has had excellent female public officers from across Nigeria as well as men. Ngozi okonjo-Iweala, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, Dr. Omobola Johnson, late Dora Akunyili and many other women had serve excellently.

    • The dialogue continues…
  • That Rwandan retreat by Nigerian governors

    That Rwandan retreat by Nigerian governors

    The United Nations (UN) through its many agencies continues to play very significant roles in global development. It does seem that developing nations get the lion share of the global interventions. Whether the developing nations maximally utilize the grants, research and information from UN agencies depends on the various tiers of leadership in such countries. Every individual is a global citizen but each country through its governance structures determine what steps they must take in addition to the contributions from UN and other development agencies in the world.

    Nigeria has over the years benefitted in no small measure from UN interventions through UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women,  UNESCO, MDGs and other agencies. These holistic interventions have great impacts on the different human demographics and institutions of state. However, the impact of the interventions depends so much on the human factor buried in the leadership and the people.

    The leaders in the various tiers of government have their constitutional roles in governance and articulation of policies and their near-perfect executions determine which countries develop and which ones would temporarily or permanently bear the ‘developing’ or third world tags. The UN agency interventions cover all strata of society from conception, childhood, school age, adolescents, youth, men and women and even immigrants and refugees. The role of the leaderships and government institutions in the success or failure of UN interventions often depends on the vision and mission of the various leaders in the society.

    The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) recently attended a UNDP Executive Leadership three-day retreat in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Of the 36 governors in Nigeria, 15 and three deputy governors attended.  According to the UNDP, the purpose was to avail  them the opportunity to, “re-imagine Nigeria’s leadership to achieve transformation and nationwide sustainable development”.

    The governor of Anambra state, Prof. Charles Soludo in a TV interview after the retreat was asked how much his government spent on the trip given the paucity of funds affecting the country. He claimed that he only travelled with one aide and that he just walked into the aircraft and went to Rwanda and came back. He did not overtly say that the trip was an all-expenses paid trip by UNDP but he went ahead to say that the only possibility of any money spent by some of the attendees might have been at the Rwandan Genocide Memorial where the management urged any of their visitors that wanted to drop any token as they depend on the goodwill of visitors to run the memorial building to run the project.

    From investigations, the choice of Rwanda was deliberate. The country has become an investment and tourism hub in Africa. It has started attracting the attention of a world that appreciates order and progress. The second reason even if laughable was the fact that the country is far from home and would enable the governors to be focused and face the process with possibly zero distractions. Really?

     It would offer them a sample of how far Rwanda seems to have come since the 1994 genocide that claimed the lives of close to a million Rwandans from a senseless war sparked off  by the instigated tribal bigotry that possibly had its origin from the colonial era. The physiological ‘differences’ between the Hutus and the Tutsis were allegedly highlighted by the colonialists in their divide-and-rule game and taken up by subsequent political elite.

    The Roundtable Conversation finds the retreat and the venue very apt. Even if the governments of each state picked the bill, it is still worth every dime. Nigerian leaders need to be in Rwanda. It is a joy of every African to notice how the world has been gravitating towards Rwanda simply because the leadership has worked for the people using the best development input in the world – the people of Rwanda. There was a deliberate effort by the President Paul Kagame-led leadership to reposition the country using the best of its citizens.

    He banished the tribal bigotry that led to the devastating war in the first place. He made the citizens realize that no one or country can make Rwanda functional except the citizens. He closed down many churches that had hitherto distracted the people with false narratives. He mandated everyone who desired to open a church to go get a theology degree and apply for license. That was a masterstroke in a continent where  some shady individuals have been validating the words of the iconic Karl Marx that, “Religion is the Opium of the Masses”. Africa has more religious houses than industries and the people are some of the poorest and least developed of all continents.

    In Nigeria, politicians are notorious for profiting from the exaggerated religiosity of the people.  Most of the governors at the retreat and those that  were absent use religion as a divisive tool. It is good they went to see Rwanda after President Paul Kagame tried to streamline issues about religion. Most of those governors during the electioneering campaigns tried to influence the choice of the people with even intra-religious sects/enominations and it did not matter if they are Christians or Muslims. In states where the population is almost 99% Christians, politicians often exploit denominations and set the people against each other.

    The Nigerian governors are part of the political class that exploits tribal differences to set the people against each other.  The last elections in Nigeria had most of the violence instigated by tribal bigotry on all sides but it was quite bloody in some states and lives were even lost. This form of bigotry has set the country on edge and even after the elections, the wounds are yet to heal. The citizens seem to be remarkably polarized along ethnic/religious lines due to political intrigues and horse-trading. The Rwandan Genocide Memorial should be imprinted in the psyche of those governors that attended.

    The Nigerian political class revels in exclusion at all levels, women, youth, rural communities etc. do not often get full representation.

    Rwanda has the highest number of women parliamentarians in the world at more than 61%. Understandable as the circumstances are, Nigerian political space in contrast has one of the world’s least gender/youth inclusion. There is no female governor in Nigeria. Even though women like late Margaret Ekpo, Gambo Sawaba and Funmilayo Ransom Kuti and other remarkable women are known for their roles in the fight for the country’s independence, there is only reference to Nigeria’s ‘Founding Fathers’.

    The gender exclusion in Nigerian political space has dire consequences on the development of the country. Most governors have fewer than three women in their cabinet. Some states have no women in the Houses of Assembly, the legislative houses that make laws that affect women and others.  The country has 133million people living in multi-dimensional poverty and 4million was added in the first quarter of 2023. More than half of the poor and disposed are women.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Senate denies receiving rice worth N200m as palliatives

    The governors might attempt some puerile defense of the gender inequity as not being wholly their fault but we also know that they all belong to different political parties and in Nigeria, governors through their Governors’ Forum, regional governors’ forum and other self-preservation associations wield tremendous influences in their political parties so they all have the capacity to change the narrative but might never due to selfish interests. It is good they saw the difference women in leadership can bring to a country.

    The governors met President Paul Kagame, they interacted with him and the hope is that they might have been humbled by his stellar achievements in leadership. Say what anyone will, he might not be perfect being human but he is today the global leadership icon coming from Africa. The Rwandan economy speaks to a global investment/tourism  community. He is not one to bend to neo-imperialism that most African leaders at all levels have seen to be suffering from.

    The sense of leadership of the president is as productive as it is admirable. For a country with fewer natural resources than some states in Nigeria, it is amazing how much he has invested and developed human capital.  While most educated and talented young people are leaving Nigeria in their millions for greener pastures even in some other African countries in the now infamous ‘jakpa’ syndrome, graduates and skilled Rwandan youths eagerly return to Rwanda after their education from anywhere in the world.

    Did the governors find out why the young people are so eager to work for their country? The leadership of Rwanda understands the value of human capital to development. Nigeria has more than 20million out-of-school children, in a global environment where ideas and technology uplift countries, how many of the governors understand the value of education? How many are investing in the children of their states through basic education programmes?

    Rwandan Air is helping Rwanda tell the world of the viable economy through aviation. Did the Akwa Ibom state governor attend to tap from this idea so as to grow Ibom Air that seems to be doing well locally? Aviation is a global business and given the place of Akwa Ibom in the Nigerian oil sector, investing in aviation by learning from Rwanda won’t be a bad idea.

    Nigerian political class love summits, conference, talk-shops and retreats. The problem is that the time and money invested in such verbal jamborees often have nothing to show in practical terms. It seems that many people in the Nigerian political sphere care less about patriotism and leadership excellence rooted in well-thought out policies that are achievable through better planning.  The Roundtable Conversation is waiting to document the achievements of the governors realizing that UNDP and the world are watching.

    ●The dialogue continues…

  • As curtain falls on 2023: Rejuvenation not politics

    As curtain falls on 2023: Rejuvenation not politics

    January 2023 like every New Year came with all the enthusiasm, dreams and hopes expressed by humans across the globe. In Nigeria, it was an election year. The general elections was held between February and March. That meant that the political parties in the previous years had finished with their congresses and primaries and were going to the voters with their manifestoes.  Nigerian democracy despite its flaws recorded some improvements.

    The two dominant political parties in the last eight years, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had to contend with two new power blocs, the Rabiu Kwankwanso led New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Peter obi led Labour party (LP). The election campaigns were as divisive as they were intriguing.

    In the usual political environment of a developing country like Nigeria, the issues tilted more towards the mundane like tribal and religious issues than core issues of competence, track record and readiness to handle the socio-economic problems confronting the country. First the PDP as a party was confused about their constitution and the unwritten agreement about zoning. Hitherto, the party’s style was for the presidency to move between the Northern and Southern parts of the country. Precedents had been set since 1999 with a South Westerner, former President Olusegun Obasanjo who handed over in 2007 to the Northern late Umaru Ya’Adua who unfortunately died in office.

    The debate and political intrigues about his then Vice President,  Goodluck Jonathan replacing him was as intriguing as it was epic. He ended up serving as president but lost the 2015 election to former President Mohammadu Buhari who served out his eight-year tenure. The elections of 2023 saw former Vice President Atiku Abubakar getting elected at the PDP primaries as the presidential candidate.

    A Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra state and one who had in 2019 contested with Atiku Abubakar as his Vice Presidential candidate under the PDP had in sensing that the party might not stick to the North-South rotation of the presidency left the party and joined the Labour party where he got the presidential ticket. The LP had been in existence but somehow had failed to attract enough national attention substantially.

    Read Also; FULL LIST: All past Ondo governors dead except Mimiko

    For the PDP, the dye was cast after the primaries as former governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike then felt that the emergence of an Atiku through a last minute seeming ‘treacherous’ stepping down of former governor, now Senator Aminu Tambuwal of  Sokoto for fellow Northerner, Atiku  Abubakar signaled a sort of ‘betrayal’ of the Southern candidates.

    Again a Wike not being picked as even a Vice Presidential candidate eloquently spoke volumes. The party is still reeling from the post-primary trauma if their loss of the presidency and the seeming political  ‘royal rumble’ in Rivers politics between governor Sim Fubara and his erstwhile godfather, Nyesom Wike post the governorship elections is anything to go by. 

    On the part of the ruling APC, the primaries seemed less rancorous even though the entrance of former Vice President  Yemi Osibanjo  into the race earlier seemed to have stirred some controversy given his political history in relation to now President Bola Tinubu. Former transport minister Rotimi Amaechi  also lost his bid to fly the APC presidential flag.

    The political nuances and economic realities pre and post the APC primaries were as interesting as they were intriguing too. The Buhari administration and their weird monetary policies that almost brought a covid-19-like economic hardship capped with the tackily handled ‘naira re-design’ were seen as a subtle sabotage of the candidacy of President Tinubu. He was however determined that it was his turn to be president and his famous ‘e mi lokan’ phrase was birthed.  At some point he assured his supporters during his campaigns that whether there was fuel or lack of same, whether there was money or no money for the campaigns, success would be his at the end of it all. His stoic stand to push ahead despite all odds was remarkable. He even was faced with the Muslim-Muslim ticket controversy which many analysts criticized as not good enough for a multi-religious country that has since 1999 sought to balance the Presidency and the Vice Presidential seats between Muslims and Christians. As in 1993 with an MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe’s   Social Democratic Party (SDP) Muslim/Muslim ticket, the APC Tinubu/Shettima Muslim/Muslim ticket went into the election explaining that what mattered was not the religion but the commitment to work for the country.

    Rabiu Kwankwaso’s NNPP could not make serious inroads beyond winning Kano state governorship seat which even then is now at the Supreme Court for final adjudication. But Kano is a very significant part of the Nigerian electoral map. The country awaits the apex court’s verdict. It is interesting to see how the political pendulum of the state swings going forward.  The APC chairman, former governor Ganduje being a former ally of Rabiu Kwankwaso and other political realities would take time to unravel.

    The Labour Party surprisingly had against all odds changed the dynamics of electoral participation in the country. The fans of the Peter Obi candidacy some of who refer to themselves as Obidients have seemingly re-awakened the civic duty responsibility especially amongst the young Nigerians who hitherto had shown apathy for political engagements. The party made significant inroads in the political space as they now have seats at both the House of Representatives and the Senate. They now have a governor Alex Otti in Abia state and some seats at some state houses of assembly.

    The 10th Assembly has a former governor Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President and chairman of the national assembly.  He comes with a wealth of executive and legislative experiences and expectations are high that he would lead the legislative arm with diligence, responsibility and patriotism and refrain from toying the line of the senator Lawan-led 9th assembly that is popularly regarded as a ‘rubber stamp’ assembly given their proclivity to accent to almost all bills and requests from the executive without questioning or some critical evaluation.

    The Roundtable Conversation has tried to recall history here because most times humans tend to forget history but like legendary Chinua Achebe said in his iconic Things Fall Apart, “a people must understand where the rain started to beat them”.  Nigerian politicians of every political hue are some of the least trusted leaders on earth. There is chronic trust deficit between the people and the political leaders. This is not out of place because it does seem the political elite do not feel the pains of the people. There is a serious disconnect between the people and the leaderships.

    The level of poverty in the country is evidence that since 1999, Nigeria does not seem to have made significant progress. It is sad but the reality is that Nigeria seems to have retrogressed despite the huge natural and human resources in the country. To have 133million citizens living in multi-dimensional poverty and more than 20million children out of school, the global highest is a very disturbing issue that the political elite must seek ways to remedy.

    If democracy is government of the people for the people and by the people, the Nigerian situation seems to somewhat negate that definition. What it means is that there must be introspection as the country moves into 2024, a new year. The people must be given enough reasons to believe in the democracy being practiced. All the three arms of government must understand that the country is what they make it through their actions or inactions.

    The New Year must be one that the welfare of the people must be prioritized. Understandably, the global economic hardships that resulted from the Covid-19 pandemic is still an issue  but must not be given as the perennial excuse for lethargy in governance at all levels. Other countries have managed to navigate their economies to recovery through deliberate choices and determination to put the country first. Nigerians see insecurity, infrastructural decay, weak currency, unemployment, inflation, food insecurity etc. as huge problems that leaders at all levels of leadership, local state and federal levels should prioritize in the new year. State governors must stop feeling insulated from the scrutiny of the people and making it feel like the presidency is a magic office that solves all problems.

    State governors must see themselves less as emperors but more as the servants of the people. The political parties must be restructured to ease the stranglehold of certain individuals and groups on the structure that does not benefit the people. The restructuring of political party functions must be a priority so that Nigerian political parties can be based on real ideological convictions without which no democracy can function optimally as we have seen with the Nigerian experience.

    Nigerian political parties must be based on real political ideology and run in line with the American standards Nigeria seems to have copied. It is not enough to just copy some aspects that benefit individuals in the parties and jettison those ideals that grow and develop viable democracies. The legacies of each politician must matter but the collective political direction must be propelled by a collective decision that has the people at the center. Nigerian politicians must move away from the monotonous cycle of elections-campaigns-elections. There must be an urgent re-orientation that can bring development.

    Happy New Year dear readers.

    The dialogue continues…  

  • 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.

    Read Also: Tinubu receives ambassadors, directs emphasis on new investments, trade expansion

    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.

  • Governors vs deputies: Democracy or autocracy?

    Governors vs deputies: Democracy or autocracy?

    Nigerian democracy since 1999 has been an interesting cocktail. There have been some developments but yet there have been some serious challenges too. The political party structure in the country has not seen a very remarkable progressive change. This has made it very viable for politicians who push the rhetoric of ‘no permanent friends or permanent enemies’ as reason they oscillate from one political party to the other depending on where their interests are better served and the permissiveness shown in upholding any principles.

    The Nigerian political party system ought to be restructured to function for the democratic process in ways that the political parties are driven by ideological convictions that would encourage membership based on principles being pushed by the political parties. It is very funny how in matters that would benefit some politicians, they cite examples of United Kingdom and the United States of America with two major political parties, the Tories democratic and Labour and the Republican and Democratic parties respectively as models.

    The political party structure in these two viable democracies has made it possible for the countries to have a functional and sustainable democracy.  An adherence to the rule of law and the constitution keeps every political actor on track in ways that every politician is held accountable.

    Conversely though, the Nigerian democracy seems a bit directionless given the wobbly nature of political parties and their systemic lack of accountability with their members. As late Chuba Okadigbo, a political scientist and lecturer once said in an interview, Nigeria does not really have political parties, what they have is a gathering of people who seek their political interests. This might be a bit of an exaggeration but in it is some sense the perception of an insider-player at the time. Not much has changed years after his death.

    Read Also; Kaduna Bombing: We’ll push until victims get justice – Sultan

    The Roundtable Conversation has over the years expressed concern over the constant rift between Nigerian Presidents and their Vice Presidents and some governors and their deputies. The rift between former President Obasanjo and his former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar was so tense that OBJ at the time allegedly had to kneel to beg him. On the reverse side, Atiku Abubakar allegedly tried at some point to use the governors to upstage his boss at the time. The fight doesn’t seem to have abated. Former President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osibanjo had their own differences even though most alleged crisis was credited to the infamous ‘cabal’ at Aso Rock. Nevertheless, the rift earned the nation some development  setbacks.

    The Roundtable Conversation has watched the conflicts between Nigerian governors and their deputies since the return of democracy in 1999 till date and concluded that Nigerians seem to miss the point when they focus all their attention on the presidency, important and powerful as the office is. Governors in Nigeria almost operate as imperial rulers.

    The litany of quarrels between governors and their deputies are legion. From the South East, former governor Orji Uzor Kalu was at daggers drawn with his former deputy now Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe. Rochas Okorocha quarreled with two of his deputies, Jude Agbaso and Eze Madumere. From the North West, we had former governor, now APC chairman, Abdullahi  Ganduje and his deputy Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, From South South, former governor Victor Attah and Chris Ekpenyong, From South West, Ayodele fayose and Abiodun Aluko, Olusegun Mimiko and Ali Olanusi, Again from North West, Isa Yuguda and Garba Gadi.

    Today, Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy Philip Shuaibu have made headlines. Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa have been in the media for long, each being projected by their supporters as the victim or villain. In all these, the people bear the brunt and development suffers. Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world for a reason. The people seem not to hold their governors to account. Governors operate with so much power and they revel in the euphoria that Nigerians only point to the presidency for the failure of leadership.

    The Roundtable Conversation sought the views of former Senator Grace Folashade Bent on ways to mitigate the perennial conflicts between governors and their deputies. To her, these aberrations further highlight the defective nature of our constitution. The constitution did not really define clearly the duties and roles of Vice Presidents and deputy governors. Then you have sycophants around the corridors of power who stoke embers of hatred. This seems to be their only way they survive as that gives them some relevance.

    Most of the political jobbers feed their principals with false narratives just so they remain relevant. On the other hand, the governors often seem very undiscerning. They often fall to the antics of political hangers on. They buy the narratives hook, line and sinker with little emotional intelligence. Again the state houses of assembly members seem not to know their roles in ensuring good governance. They often take sides and allow themselves to be used as puns on the chessboard of politics. The conspiracy theories around the corridors of power increases the chances of divisive political actors.

    To her, the constitution seems defective and we must do enough to correct this and clelearly define roles. The houses of assembly should start doing their jobs and stop taking sides for purely political gains. Their interest must be good governance and strictly playing their constitutional roles. To Senator Bent, the legislative arm is very relevant in democracy and people elected at that level must be serious enough to understand that their roles are defined and they are not mere appendages to the executive.  A constitutional review can solve this problem of Vice presidents and deputy governors and their principals. The legislature at both state and federal levels can hold presidents and governors accountable in ways they become more loyal to the constitution. This is the system that works in functional democracies she insists.

    Dr. Constance Ikokwu, a veteran journalist, political analyst and deep thinker believes that we just have to obey the law. There are no ambiguities in the law that states that when a president or governor is incapacitated, the Vice President of deputy governor should take over. On the other hand, the law also provides that if a president or a governor decides to disobey the law, the legislature at either the federal of state level should impeach him or her. However, the sad part is that somehow in Nigeria, the legislators often do not understand their duties in the constitution and that is exactly why the governors continue to operate with imperial mindset.

    It can be challenging when the legislative arm do not understand their roles ab initio. Again we have to review the constitution and clearly delineate the roles of deputy governors in our democracy. For now, the deputies almost depend on the governors to tell them what to do in a way that feels like they exist at the mercy of governors. The governors often exercise too much powers and that is possibly why their positions are coveted. They appear too tyrannical at some point. They often go above and beyond to exercise those powers and in the process, their deputies become the collateral damages of a system that created them in the first place.

    To Dr. Ikokwu, the structure of Nigerian political parties becomes very worrisome when these governor/deputy issues come up. In the first place, the two are representing a particular political party flawed as they might be. People would expect that the political parties ought to step in when the interpersonal conflicts between the governor and his deputy becomes too disruptive of governance and distracts both the two and the people. The chairmen of political parties should be more concerned.  One thinks the internal conflicts should be resolved by the party executive under the chairman of any party in question.

    Again, she feels that it might help that governors and deputies understand themselves better before collaborating and not  just to win an election. That way, the two would be in a better position to work together. In cases where the governors deviate from pre-election agreements or begin to be too tyrannical, a deputy governor can work away and not behave like they are both in a boxing ring.

    Again, Ikokwu believes that the Nigerians seem to focus on the presidency and ignore governors who often behave like emperors. The governors often have a lot of funds and powers at their disposal and as such have the tendency to be corrupted such absolute powers. She believes that the people must begin to understand that governors have roles beyond the titles. They ought to be held accountable by the people.

    Ikokwu recommends that  more attention from the people, civil society groups and all other agencies of good governance will put more pressure on governors to be more responsible. Civil Society groups must decentralize their operations from Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt and spread across the states to sensitize the people about the roles of governors across Nigeria. The klieg lights must be on the governors so they can shift some attention from the presidency to the states for a more functional country. A lot of the governors take the people for granted.

    The Roundtable Conversation believes that democracy cannot function optimally if elected persons continue to bring personal nuances to leadership positions. The dysfunctional system surreptitiously gives energy to governors in Nigeria not to be totally accountable. More often than not, they even hold the presidents to ransom stalling some development projects and policies.

    Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in her book, “Fighting Corruption is Dangerous” gave a peek into the abuse of power by governors who manipulated the Governors’ Forum then chaired by Rotimi Amaechi  to subvert her efforts as the then Finance and the Coordinating minister of the economy. The effects still reverberates today with the level of poverty in Nigeria. Action must be taken to reverse this ugly trend. Governance is not a personal fiefdom.

  • When the ministers are evaluated…

    When the ministers are evaluated…

    Nigerian democracy is fashioned after that of the United states but then there are differences in the actual practice of the system owing to a variety of factors most of which are rooted in culture and other social and political nuances.  Sometimes, political analysts seem to debate whether really the Nigerian democracy is more like the American model or very different. The basic structure of the two systems seems somewhat similar. The presidential structure and the two arms of the legislature are quite structurally similar but functionally different.

    The functionality of most democratic systems is dependent on the decision of the people to adopt systems that work for the interest of everyone. The focus of democracy is the people. Every action of the elected must be to advance the welfare of the people. Failure of any system of government to work for the people breeds contempt for the leadership irrespective of the continent.  Governments exist to cater for the welfare of the people. When this one role is neglected, anarchy often sets in in different forms.

    Nigeria’s return to civilian democracy in 1999 has undergone several metamorphoses. There have been challenges in leadership at all levels but progress is being made in certain areas but the fact that there are a huge number of citizens living in multi-dimensional poverty begs the question, what dividends have the people gotten from successive administrations in the Nigeria political space?

    Sadly, there is a somewhat flawed focus on the presidency as the magic wand of development and somehow the people ignore the roles of every elected individual from the ward, state to the national assembly and even the appointees at all levels of governance especially the federal ministers. Most of the state and federal appointees are often not held accountable. Ministers and commissioners are screened by the state houses of assembly and the senate before their inauguration but more often than not, it is mere perfunctory function as some mundane considerations often overshadow need for due diligence in screening individuals nominated by either governors or the executive.  This sometimes is the beginning of the failure to deliver by teams in the executive. Competence, experience and track record of performance either as private or public operators are often taken for granted.

    In a country with much divided political sphere, there is a subtle sense of monopoly that winners seem to take it all.  So most times the winning party often tends to insist on appointing its ‘loyal’ members or even in some cases, some campaign sponsors or their cronies to positions they sometimes are not very qualified to handle effectively.  While reward for party loyalty is not a crime, functionality ought to be the deciding factor for appointments in climes where political actors are held to account.

    In the last eight years, a lot happened both positively and negatively but the bottom-line is that the country has 133million people living in multi-dimensional poverty with an additional 4million in the first quarter of 2023 in addition to more than 20million out of school children. The insecurity level in the country has never been this high. There are dilapidated infrastructure, high under-five malnutrition, high child and maternal mortality and a general  decline in the healthcare sector among other evelopment problems.

    It is pertinent to recall that there were ministers and heads of agencies and parastatals that were in charge of the ministries and they had huge allocations that they defended in the national assembly for the budget appropriation committees. What oversight functions did those ministries get? How many ministers were held to account? How many where sacked for incompetence? How many did the political party leadership call to order?

    Accountability in leadership is the foundation of good democracy dividends which ultimately adds up to development.  Development happens when there is a conscious and deliberate effort to work for it to happen. Given the history of Nigerian democracy since 1999, there was Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the coordinating minister of the economy but this administration is the first to appoint a Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination of the ministries. Hadiza Bala Usman, the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) had been appointed by President Tinubu after his inauguration.

    Many watchers of the Nigerian economy welcomed the appointment of Hadiza for this role because that might help in putting all the ministers on their toes. The President himself had during a recent retreat titled, “Delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda” organized for ministers, presidential aides, permanent secretaries and other top government functionaries  issued the warning, “…you will sign a bond (of performance) with me, if you are performing, nothing to fear, if you miss the objective, if you don’t perform, you leave us We must take 50million people out of poverty”. The President said that the bond would be reviewed periodically.

    This administration  has the highest number of ministers at 48 and as such the expectations on the administration is very high and the hope is that each one of them would perform to expectations of both the president, the people and the larger global community in a world so interlinked every action in one end of the world reverberates in another geographic setting.

    The Roundtable Conversation believes that this present circumstance is welcome as the individuals now realize that there is a gatekeeper who has been charged to take stock of their performances and report to the president. The implications of non-performance are dire. They had all signed the ‘performance bond’ and must remember that the die is cast.

    It is however very intriguing to watch the actions of a few of the ministers in the last few months. The exaggerated post-inauguration celebrations seem to have faded into the times and the people are eager to count the gains.  When a minister is performing, the people would be the recipient of the good works because the works they do can be evaluated not just by the Hadiza-led agency but by the people who can do the evaluation of both the tangibles and the intangibles all of which contribute to the welfare or lack of same for the people.

    Read Also: Tinubu receives Uzodimma, Ododo over poll victory

    The Roundtable Conversation like many Nigerians across the world has been watching the ministers, aides and all the appointees of the administration as they struggle to live up to their performance bonds.  Some are quite regular in the media, some are speaking through their aides about their plans and programmes of action and it becomes very interesting to watch but a bit difficult to understand. While it is good to give the public information about their plans, narratives in the media does not replace real performance deliverables.

    The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, seems to have started on a good note but not too loquacious over his admirable first steps to revamp the ministry. There are reports that the perennial problems with international passport issuance seems to be easing off based on his intervention. A few days ago, he flagged off the Correctional Center Decongestion, a project that has been on the list of Civil rights and Justice advocates in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. He has equally flagged off the release of 4068 of the 80,804 inmates  in the 253 Correctional facilities nationwide.

    His ministry has opened the first phase of E-passport offices that will reduce processing delays in Europe. The Minister has been silently working in ways that has not been very common in the past few years. The Minister seems to have brought a youthful energy and ICT knowledge to the ministry. It might not be uhuru yet for the ministry but the morning seems to show the day.

    On the contrary, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Uju Kennedy- Ohanenye, has been quite in the face of the media for a cocktail of reasons, some commendable others not so amirable. She recently stirred the hornets’ nest by vowing to sue the United Nations (UN) for allegedly mismanaging funds meant for Nigeria. Her counterpart at the Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr. Beta Edu seems to have retracted from her many visits from one media to the other talking about the intention of her ministry to take 133million people out of poverty. Her explanations seem to be somewhat very vague on statistics of the Social Register and real plans that would be impactful in the long run. These might be very baby steps for these ministers but the people expect they should realize that no one needs a torch to see the sun.

    Many of the other minsters have been possibly behind the scene working and the people are eager to see and feel the impact of their actions. What they ought to realize is that political and economic dynamics have changed and the people are now better armed with information to monitor performances of each minister.

    The past situation where most non-performing minister escaped without being held accountable might be in the past because the president and the Hadiza-led unit might not be too patient with non-performers. Nigerian economy is dependent on the dedication and commitment of these ministers and expectations are high. The Roundtable Conversation has all eyes on all ministers.

    The dialogue continues…

  • Development experts urge Southeast govs to partner with women group

    Development experts urge Southeast govs to partner with women group

    Global economies have been negatively impacted by Covid-19 pandemic in the last three years. The devastation in terms of loss of human lives and disruption in social and economic activities has made many developing economies more unstable. The people  are poorer and with poverty comes its negative effects like insecurity and other social vices. In Nigeria for instance, the insecurity problems in the North East due to the activities of Boko Haram, ISWAP and other terrorist groups have greatly impacted not just the region but the whole country.

    As the years went by, the insecurity in the region spread to the North West, North Central and indeed the whole of the South of Nigeria. The degrees of impact have been almost at par. There are kidnappings, school abductions, murderous activities of bandits, herder/farmer conflicts in farms and villages across the nation which has impacted the nation’s food security. This has contributed in pushing inflation into double digits whie unemployment is on the increase.

    However, the undocumented statistics is the impact of insecurity on women across Nigeria. Besides school abductions that seems to have been stamped in the global consciousness by the abduction in April 2014 of the Chibok girls, a series of school abductions have happened especially in the Northern region of the country. The increasing number of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) weighs heavily against the female population.

    However, being displaced in one’s own country that is seemingly at ‘peace’ can be traumatic but the additional socio-economic impact on the victims especially women who are already burdened by various developmental challenges can be unquantifiable. While the government has tried to reduce the impact of terrorist activities in the North through the Joint Task Force (JTF), it is not yet uhuru for the rest of the country.  Loss of lives, decrease in economic and social activities and general sense of insecurity among the citizens is a national problem.

    Across the South East, the insecurity situation has taken a heavy toll on the economy of a region hitherto renowned for its industry and commerce. The sit-at-home order by some yet to be identified group and the activities of the now infamous ‘unknown gunmen’ have impacted negatively on the region in ways that economists and development experts fear might cripple the economic and social lives of the region if urgent steps are not taken to stabilize the region.

    In the light of this, a Pan-Igbo non-partisan socio-cultural group, Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo Foundation (NNIIF), recently took their 3rd annual conference with the theme: WOMEN: A UNIFYING FORCE IN PEACE BUILDING to Enugu state in their effort to explore a restoration of the pristine leadership partnership with the leaders in the region through an inclusive peace-building. The essence of the conference according the founder of the organization, former Minister of Women affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih is to offer all leaderships in the region, political, religious and traditional that are often male-dominated a hand of partnership that can restore peace to the region.

    According to Iyom Anenih, the motto of the group is ‘Partnering for Development and going back home with the conference is significant because the women who are the ones most affected by insecurity not just in the South East but globally. She maintains that women are the peace bearers in families being daughters (Umu Ada), wives (Ndi inyom) and mothers (Ndi Nne) whose primary duties are to nurture, unite and mentor depending on which of the tripartite roles they are playing.

    Women of Nigeria like most women in developing nations to her are subjected to the similar treatments  whether in peace or conflict situations. Women, children and other vulnerable demographics form the bulk of the victims in all conflicts globally. Ironically, men that seem to have the monopoly of all classes of power; political, economic, religious and traditional seem not to realize the roles women have always played in peace mediation and sustenance. She told The Roundtable Conversation that if charity begins at home, it is apposite for the group to go back home through the two-day conference hosted by the Enugu state government led by H.E Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah to renew the pristine sense of male and female partnership to the leaders in the region with a view to restoring peace not just in the Eastern region but in the country.

    Read Also: Army, police troops rescue two abducted corps members in Katsina

    The theme of the conference is an all-embracing point of focus that the group hopes would cascade to all the regions in the country. Nigerian men must return to the times when women’s traditional role in peace building made the society more peaceful. Speakers at the conference were drawn from across the nation and most were predominantly, educationists, development experts and human rights advocates.

    H.E Regina Amadi-Njoku , a development expert who retired as a former Regional Director at the International Labour Organization at the level of UN Assistant Secretary General and the Board of Trustees Chairperson said that the political leaders must realize that while men often have the tendency to be egoistic and tend to be ambivalent about conflicts, women are nurturing and they humanize. In her speech, she appealed to leaders to partner with women as our ancestors did before the colonialists brought their mono system of governance. Men and women in Africa played complimentary roles.

    Other Speakers like, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,  Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Prof. Kenneth Amaeshi, Ms Ene Obi, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, Senator Grace Folashade Bent, Pro. Chidi Odinkalu, Prof. Chinwe Obaji, Hajia Fatima H. Betara, Dr. Nwankwo Nwaezeigwe, Rev. Dr. Edwin Biayeibo and Prince Ozioma Ani were all unanimous that it is time for inclusive leadership that can enhance productivity. All demographics must fully be allowed through opportunities for education to contribute to both peace-building and productivity for economic growth not just in the South East but across the country.

    The goal of the conference was to have the needed conversation (nkata) that can be backed with the partnership the association hopes would return the region to a more peaceful region and in essence the country as a whole where women, the young people  and men can explore their full potentials so that progress can be made.

    The deputy governor of Enugu state, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai who represented his principal recalled that women and men have always partnered in development because while in rural communities, subsistent farming sustained lives, there was division of labour, men till the land and women weed and nurture the planted seeds. Leadership roles were complimentary and so to him, Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo Foundation bringing up the peace –building roles of women is commendable. He recalled the roles of women in families often replicated at the August meeting as mediators and the socio-economic values of their interventions that even goes beyond the Aba Women intervention in 1929.

    Oby Ezekwesili reminded everyone that women have always been part of the driving force of development across Africa. But development she insists must start from the restoration of the dignity of the human person. The Igbos she insists have a belief system that says, ‘Ndu bu isi’ which literally translates to ‘life is the ultimate’. The Hobbesian impact of insecurity in the region as in the whole country somewhat negates this social mantra. Security of life as our ancestors valued it must be the focus of any leadership and both men and women must collaborate through the restoration of peace to achieve this.

    Senator Grace Folashade Bent through her speech reiterated the roles women play in the world not just as daughters, wives and mothers but also as bridge builders through marriage. To her, a Yoruba woman, born in Kaduna and married to a man from Adamawa in the North, she is rooted across Nigeria and her children might even spread their wings further. Women therefore must be right in seeking inclusion not just in the political space where policies that affect them are made but also in peace-building.

    Prof. Chinwe Obaji believes that the impact of a dysfunctional system on everyone is huge and the governors must pay better attention to the education sector. The loss of values that has contributed to the  insecurities can be traced back to the loss of values that has impacted both parenting and the stability of families. She believes that the curriculum must be adjusted to include history and the story of who we are not just as a region but as a country.

    Prof. Chidi Odinkalu said that given the impact of insecurity and violence against women that are largely undocumented the group’s intervention must be taken further than the conference. There must be a functional coalition of groups that must work to get to the minutest details of the impact of the gender-based violence on the South East women. He urged the group to equally hold the governors of the South East accountable for actions and inactions that result in the insecurity and underdevelopment.

    To him, every male victim leaves behind a string of female victims/dependents. Women are often direct and indirect victims of the violence in the South East, the socio-economic impact is huge. Sexual violence on women come with both physical and psychological impacts that impact development because young men are deserting the communities, women can’t go to farms, markets and even socio-religious gatherings like, meetings, festivals and churches that hitherto provided recreation for them. The ball therefore is in the court of everyone. He believes functional across board partnerships  can help untie the Gordian knot of insecurity that will precede  development.

    • The dialogue continues…
  • Of ‘corrective 10th Senate’ and allegations of ‘ambush’

    Of ‘corrective 10th Senate’ and allegations of ‘ambush’

    Democracy is a government of the people by the people and for the people. Nigeria has practiced unbroken civilian democracy since 1999 even if it was somewhat midwifed by the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd.) administration. Coincidentally, another former military general and former Head of state, Olusegun Obasanjo became President in what many political analysts have termed a very deft strategic move to assuage the agitations of the South West Yoruba nation that was seemingly shortchanged by the annulment of the 1993 presidential election believed to have been won by the late MKO Abiola.

    Somehow, the unique characteristics of the military that has totally different professional operational mechanics continues to influence Nigerian civilian politicians and the way they do things. The incursion of the military since 1966 into the Nigerian state has left a lot of influences in the democracy practiced in Nigeria. The military after each coup immediately suspends the constitution and sacks the legislature.  They understand the dynamics and believe that not having any claim to legitimacy, brute force and intimidation are couched in the decrees they roll out. Because they have all the coercive tools of governance, the people often have no options but to obey.

    The Roundtable Conversation has been pointing out the effects of the military hang over on Nigerian democracy and why the nation must find a way of addressing the issues as quickly as possible. The country may be reeling under the yoke of economic and social challenges but if there are no fundamental changes in the structure of the brand of democracy the country has adopted, it might just be all motion and no movement. There are fundamental questions that the political elite must answer before progress can be made.

    The questions do not start from the governance structure. There has to be a structural realignment of the democratic processes. As it is at the moment, the political party structure is almost run in undemocratic styles. The basic fact is that Nigerian political parties lack basic ideological principles. There is a laughable fluidity that exists amongst the political parties that makes it possible for members to oscillate between the parties without any qualms and even though some very weak legal implications are touted to exist, there has been no effective deployment of the legal hammer in this regard.

    Read Also: We won’t tolerate any form of economic sabotage, COAS warns soldiers

    Political parties in functional democracies like the United Kingdom and the United States are easily identified by their ideological stands. Even though the United Kingdom runs a Constitutional Monarchy, the Conservative and Labor Parties, the two major political parties are identified by their views. In the United States of America that runs the presidential system Nigerian adopted, the President is the central and apex power but the liberal left-wing (Democrats) and conservative right-wing (Republicans) are the two dominant political parties.

    In those two democracies, the two political parties evolved over time based on shared world views and convictions about certain values. It is often not difficult to identify where a politician is leaning because of the unambiguous expressions about national issues. However, the overriding sentiment is often the respect for the constitution and the value paced on national interests at all times.

    Conversely, the Nigerian political space seems to lack a very nationalistic fervor and as such, mundane issues of religion, tribe, region and personal interests seem to take precedence over any national interest. So for Nigerian democracy to functionally serve the people, there must be an introspection amongst the political class. National interest must be a priority. This is the only time that every action would be in the interest of the country and the political parties even in their diversity would be working towards the same goal.

    When the political parties operate with valid identifiable ideologies, the structure that produces the leadership of political parties would be different. The citizens would buy into the political parties based on their own convictions too. When the citizens have a buy in, the field would be more open and more Nigerians would show interest in nation building and the political space would be one where ideas would be at play for the good of the country.

    For now, elected officials operate with imperial mindset. The center appears too powerful and as such the other tiers of government seem to be subsumed in the aura of the presidency. This has impacted development negatively. There is a sense of ‘ownership’ of political offices that renders elected officials very ineffectual. Let’s for a second look at the amount of money spent by the country to provide security for the presidency, the governors, ministers, and other high ranking officers of any administration. This is traceable to the lack of trust on both sides, both the leaders and the led.

    Nigerian leaders seem to be some of the most ‘protected’ in the world. The trust deficit must be seen as a product of a dysfunctional political structure. Most Nigerian politicians have a flawed sense of service. The political parties seem not to have a system of keeping tab on their elected officials in ways that they understand that any failure on their part is a failure of the political party. That lack of ideological conviction seems to make political parties mere gatherings of men and some women whose passion for national development   seems very weak.

    The Roundtable Conversation noted with worry the complaints of the Senator representing Bornu South Senatorial district, Senator Ali Ndume the Senate Chief Whip who accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio of approving the passage of some executive bills without seeking the input of most of the other senators. He accused him of passing certain bills without formal reading and the members’ contributions.

    Another member, Senator Ogoshi Onawo, representing Nasarawa state also complained about the style of the Senate President as he said, “Very sensitive bills are brought and are expected to be passed with the speed of light, which is not good for the country”. He insisted that senators ought to be adequately informed about the bills and that they ought to make their research and contribute productively to debates for the good of the country.

    The legislative arguments might appear trivial but its significance must not escape political analysts. The legislative arm is a strong arm in a democracy. Each senator represents a constituent part of the nation. Each senator is a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria so in essence, their oath of office is to obey the constitution and work in the interest of the whole country. A senate president is a first amongst equals and must be seen as respecting every senator in the discharge of his duties.

    It is interesting to note that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has a rich political history. He rose steadily from the political ladder in his state until he became the governor of Akwa Ibom state, a position he held for eight years. He is a ranking senator having been part of the 8th assembly under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before decamping to the All Progressive Congress (APC). His two terms as governor of Akwa Ibom state were as controversial as they provided some political comedy to the nation.

    He adopted the tag of ‘the uncommon governor’ during his time as governor in what many saw as a veiled form of self-adulation. He is known for his somewhat playful disposition to official duties. As Minister of the Niger Delta development Commission (NDDC) he was mired in series of controversies. At some point, he appeared along with some members of the board of NDDC before the House Committee investigating some official misconduct. He set the country laughing when he claimed that some of the legislators were beneficiaries of some contracts in the ministry.

    As Senate President, he has not deviated much from providing points of discussions for the country. At one point when the Senators were to proceed on recess, he was caught on camera telling the senators that ‘a little token’ had been deposited in their accounts for them to enjoy their break with. When there were murmurings about that in an economy that many can barely fee, he quickly changed the information to ‘prayers in their emails’.

    While Senators are human and therefore in a position to make mistakes, the roundtable Conversation equally believes that Senator Akpabio must realize that uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. He must understand that the nation is seemingly weary of an ineffectual senate coming off a 9th Assembly that was notorious for acting as a ‘rubber stamp assembly’. This 10th assembly must in truth be a “CORRECTIVE SENATE” as Senator Akpabio stated ab initio.

    His adoption of the word ‘corrective’ means he understands the status of the 9th senate. It would then be self-indictment  if his colleagues in the senate see him as authoritarian in practice. If they are complaining of often being ‘ambushed’ and seemingly sounding dissatisfied with lack of information that should precede research and contributions, lack of proper quorum and alleged wrong calculation of the two-third majority for the passage of bills, then the national interest might not be fully served. The legislature has a very paramount duty in all functional democracies.

    ● The dialogue continues…  

  • We are all casualties

    We are all casualties

    The above headline is from the iconic J.P Clark’s poem of the same title, written after the Nigeria/Biafra war of 1967-1970. The poet tried to remind everyone that the effects of war are so universal that the dead, the living, the lost and the survivors all at one point or the other feel the grave impact of the war or indeed any war. The instigators of war and the executioners of same often feel that wars have specific targets but that is fallacious. Victimhood of any disruptive order whether war or socio-economic disorder can never be boxed into a corner  seemingly.

    A few days ago, a ministerial nominee from Kaduna state, Balarabe Abbas collapsed while undergoing screening at the senate building.  He was however quickly revived by the National Assembly medical team who certified that the nominee merely suffered from exhaustion and would be fit enough to take up the duties of a minister if confirmed. A journalist with the Nigerian Tribune, Tijani adeyemi was however not lucky enough. He had collapsed in the National Assembly shuttle bus and could not be revived. He died of what has been alleged to be cardiac arrest. There is no post mortem yet at the time of this writing.

    Some months ago in Anambra state, the convoy of Senator Ifeanyi Uba representing Anambra South senatorial district was ambushed and he barely escaped with his life possibly because his SUV was bulletproof. His aides were not so lucky, more than two of them were killed in the attack.  A few weeks ago, the governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki’s vehicle was allegedly stuck in the flooded street and the people trooped out to mock him and take pictures and many of them expressed happiness that he too has felt their pain even if momentarily.

    The Roundtable Conversation has for so long been emphasizing the need for good governance from all arms and tiers of government. The legislative arm of government seems to be underrated as all eyes seem to be on the executive arm possibly because of the powers that that arm surreptitiously wields in Nigeria. It is a sign of a dysfunctional system because democracy is about the different arms of government doing their constitutional roles effectively. If the system works well, there would be adequate checks and balances. The legislative arm is not supposed to be subservient to the executive at both the federal and state levels. They are supposed to complement each other in ways that the legislature would mount functional checks and balances on the executive besides their other major roles in a democracy.

    It was a bit unnerving to notice that the Nigerian National Assembly had no First Responder emergency response team on standby given that most of the senators are well past their prime with an average age of possibly above 60 years. The Senators too had no CPR skills and as soon as the nominee slumped, most of the senators just rushed to lift him with no one knowledgeable enough to offer valid first aid treatment.

    The senate president, Godswill Akpabio was heard on camera shouting ‘bring water and sugar’ repeatedly as though those items could be found on the pockets of senators. It was comical even though it was a spontenous reaction at the time. What many failed to understand was the kind of water and sugar therapy that the senate president felt was a valid and effective first aid to someone that had slumped.

    The nominee after being revived wanted to still go ahead with the screening but the senator declined seeing that he was thoroughly exhausted. He was however confirmed.  He had complained of having been informed merely a day to the screening and he had to travel from Kaduna to Abuja and had barely slept the night before. Many are wondering why the protocol people did not give him enough notice so he could better prepare and not work under such a stressful condition that left him exhausted to the point of him collapsing at the senate.

    While the incident seemingly ended well as he was revived later, anything could have happened. The journalist that died was not so lucky. The question is, what if the journalist had received instant help? What if he had someone who could call the medics? Who knows how well he was before setting off to work? Questions. The health sector in the country needs urgent attention.

    So what are the lessons here? The senate is constitutionally charged with screening, confirming or rejecting ministerial nominees. They could choose to be thorough and grill nominees to make sure they are suitable for the jobs they would be assigned. They can as well choose to play politics with nominees, they could choose to let parochial sentiments rule their decisions. At the end, the competence or incompetence of a minister affects both the ministers, the citizens and the senators.

    Since the return of democracy in 1999, the Nigerian senate has had its mountains and valleys, there have been successes and failures and all have impacted on the development of the country. Have the senate been progressively active in putting the nation first? Does their job merely stop at screening nominees? How is it that there is the very obnoxious craving and lobbying for ‘juicy’ committees? What sector of any economy can be said to be dry? Should it not be a case of round pegs in round holes?

    These questions might appear frivolous but sincere answers to them might just untie the Nigerian Gordian Knot. Why is the country battling with such grinding poverty with its attendant fallouts? Definitely, something is wrong with the ways the legislative arm has carried on. How effective has the National Assembly been in carrying out their oversight functions? If their eyes are on the ball, certain things would not happen they ways they are happening across the nation.

    Read Also: Nembe has rejected your lies, blackmails, Sylva tells Diri

    The 9th assembly earned the derogatory tag of ‘rubber stamp’ assembly because the public followed their activities and discovered that they failed in their oversight functions on the executive arm. No democracy works well without the three arms working in synergy.  Complementarity is the soul of democracy. There should be no superior arm as the political philosophers like Baron De Montesquieu proposed that power sharing is the strength of the democratic process because humans if left with absolute powers would be absolutely corrupt.

    The Roundtable Conversation has been more interested in the role of the legislature in strengthening democracy and the Nigerian legislature seems to be dropping the ball. There are various reasons for this but we believe it can be worked on.  The executive arm in Nigerian democracy seems to have retained the military attitude of authoritarianism.  The effect of the military interruptions since 1966 seems to have been inherited by the politicians.  In a way, with the benefit of hindsight, it now looks like the entrance of an Obasanjo, a former military man after the chaotic military era of Gen. (Rtd.) Babangida,  late Sani Abacha  and Abdusalam Abubakar  was a flawed development strategy.

    The seeming hangover of the military tradition on the civilian democrats seems to have pushed the bar of a seeming imperial rule higher a notch. The presidency and the state governors have since 1999 been appropriating too much powers in ways that the legislative arm often appears as a subservient arm. This is not surprising because the successive military soups started off by disbanding the legislature and replacing their functions with mere military decrees.

    This is an attempt to trace what ails the Nigerian legislative arm at both state and federal levels. However, it is high time the more than two decades return to civilian democracy grew up. The defined roles of the legislature must henceforth take its valued position. Our legislators must be more conscious of their roles. Most of them just seek elections into those houses with no clear idea about their roles.

    Being a legislator is not about being subservient to the executive, it is not about party loyalty, it is not about regional solidarity or religious affiliations. It is about playing an active part that makes our democracy more functional. It is about doing their duties to the people who elected them. The dysfunctional system that makes the country poor due to unproductivity is largely due to human errors. The mental picture of a nominee slumping in their presence and they all looking on and scampering for help  must be a reminder that when a system fails, the casualties are not limited to the voiceless people must sink in and rouse them to be more circumspect in doing their jobs.

    The story of governor Obaseki’s vehicle wading through the bad road amidst the flooded streets must equally tell the executive that the mocking from the people is very telling. It must not just be waved aside as attacks from political opponents but of the true feeling of the people about the seeming insensitivity of those in power. Democracy is about the welfare of the people and the executive and legislature must realize that the effects of their collective failure to do their jobs falls like rain on the roofs of bot the leaders and the led.

    The Roundtable Conversation hopes that the nominee takes out time to go get a comprehensive medical checkup so that he would be in a better physical and mental state to work for the people. While what happened to him is not strange, the incident must remind him of the ephemeral nature of life and the fact that a call to serve the nation at a ministerial level must come with all sense of dedication and patriotism for a better Nigeria.

    ●The dialogue continues…