The Nation Newspaper

Category: Lekan Otufodunrin

  • Shameful power tussle

    Unknown to Nigerians, the inability of the police to live up to expectations under the immediate past Inspector General, Ibrahim Idris, had to do with his alleged refusal to relate well with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, according to the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau.

    Speaking during a courtesy call on him by the new Acting Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, Dambazau said the ministry had a cordial relationship with former IG Solomon Arase but the situation changed when Idris took over.

    “In the three years, we have presented 25 memos to the Federal Executive Council in terms of policy and projects but none of the 25 memos that went to the FEC included the police,” the minister disclosed.

    The above report gives an insight into how personal relationships among government officials can affect the discharge of their duties. Instead of strictly performing their duties in the overall interest of the public, there is unnecessary power struggle in the corridors of power with each official going to any extent to assert his or her supremacy.

    If not, how does Dambazau justify his disclosure that the police was denied the opportunity of having any of its major projects included in the memos of his ministry simply because in common place parlance Idris was ‘stubborn’.

    It didn’t matter to Dambazau that the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations was relating with the ministry, but as long as the former IG failed to ‘behave’, the policy and project needs of the police did not matter.

    Normally, the official line of relationship between government agencies should be clear cut. While the attitude of heads of the agencies may be helpful in the discharge of their duties, it should not determine if one agency or the other should get what is due to it. One of my former bosses used to say that people don’t have to be friends to work together, but it helps.

    If for any reason, the head of an agency that is supposed to report or work with a ministry fails to do so, he or she should be called to order or reported to the supervising authority instead of being ignored and allowed to deny his or her agency necessary benefits to enhance its operations.

    It is sad that a major security outfit like the police, which has been unable to cope with the security challenges of the country, had to wait for the appointment of a new IG who is ready to ‘cooperate’ for the Ministry of Interior to be ready to give the police its due.

    Who knows, the police and interior ministry situation may be playing out in other ministries and instead of the officials involved putting their personal egos aside, they will be working at cross purposes to the detriment of the public.

    The FEC should have a mechanism for ensuring that all organs of the government work amicably irrespective of the differences between their heads. Whoever fails to play its assigned roles should not be spared.

    The police is in dire need of adequate facilities and policy reforms to perform at optimum. The new IG has the enormous task of taking necessary steps and seeking all the support he needs to restore faith in the ability of the force to discharge its responsibilities.

  • Abuse of private universities

    Just when one thought the federal government has halted approval of new private universities, four others were given the go-ahead last week.

    With the new ones, the country now has 79 private universities in addition to the 43 federal universities and 47 states universities.

    I am sure many other requests are still pending and before long, other private universities will still be approved. With the high number of students seeking admission into federal and states universities who cannot be admitted, not because they are not qualified, but due to the limited spaces, there could be justification for the continued approval of more private universities.

    But for the private universities in the country, many school graduates may have been denied the opportunity of university education. Even now, many admission seekers have had to resort to seeking admission, not only abroad, but in neighbouring countries out of desperation.

    Some private universities can also be credited with offering quality higher education which many public institutions are incapable of offering due to lack of necessary resources and facilities.

    However, it is worrisome that, typically how every opportunity is abused in our country, issuance of private universities licenses does not seem to be based on the required standard.

    Suddenly, ownership of universities is becoming a status symbol with various organisations and individuals seeking to own one, even when they may not really have all it takes to run them.

    Virtually every major church and Islamic organisation now has a university or is seeking one. We now have so many private universities that graduates of the institutions have to try hard to convince employers that they graduated from approved universities whose names are largely unknown.

    While the private universities are supposed to have passed rigorous accreditation requirements before being issued license, what obtains in some of the campuses falls short of how such institutions should be administered or the quality of education that should be offered.

    Contrary to the well-developed facilities and personnel most of them claim to have while seeking accreditation, they simply don’t have the capacity to do so.

    Some hurriedly put up structures with borrowed equipment and temporarily hire lecturers from public universities to get approval.

    Based on these false claims, which is obvious but ignored by the accreditation panels, they admit students who find out the inadequacies when it is too late to withdraw. Many of the private universities can’t afford to hire enough lecturers for various courses.

    Because some of the private universities can lure especially public universities lecturers with attractive payments on part-time basis, students of public universities have to cope with the absence of their lecturers.

    Additionally, some private universities have rules and regulations which deny their students their basic rights and academic freedom required for intellectual development.

    While not advocating for total stoppage of approval of private universities, it is necessary to ensure that only those who can adhere strictly to the rules of the approval should be given permission. The rate at which the licenses are being approved, more damage is being done to our educational system.

    The screening process has to be more rigorous, while there should be provision for continuous monitoring and evaluation of the operation of the institutions.

  • 2019: Ensuring gender equity

    For the first time since 1999, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will not be fielding a female deputy governorship candidate. Due to some internal political realignment, the party will have a male candidate for the position in the February elections.

    Although some other parties in the state, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have female deputy governorship candidates, the APC has a better chance of winning the governorship race like in past elections.

    If the APC wins the election as expected, one of the closest opportunities women have had to be in top political positions in the county would be denied them.

    Instead of making progress in our quest for gender equity in the election of office holders in the country, this development will be a setback as there is no guarantee that as many as six female deputy governors and seven senators in the present dispensation will be elected in the coming general elections despite the increase in the number of female candidates in the various parties.

    But for the opportunity to vie on the platforms of other parties, female aspirants were not as lucky in the APC and PDP that have brighter chances of winning most of the electoral seats.

    At a workshop in Ibadan, Oyo State, last week, female candidates recounted the ordeal they had to go through to win the primaries of their parties. There were cases of those who won the tickets and had their names substituted.

    Some were not even allowed to contest for seats in the parties they had been part of for years and had to opt for other options. Despite being eminently qualified than their male party members in some instances, female aspirants were told to forget their ambitions and were intimidated through various means.

    A participant at the workshop recalled how she was told that based on cultural reasons, women cannot hold any top position that would make her superior to a man.

    Notwithstanding women making up 49 percent of the country’s population, according to the National Population Commission (NPC) figure of 193 million released in April, it is unfortunate that their share of political offices in the country has been less than 15 percent.

    While some other countries in Africa have made significant progress in the number of elected women up to the Presidency, there is no indication that the major political parties are as committed as they claim to giving women equal rights to aspire for political offices.

    The advocacy for improved women representation is not a case of asking women to be elected to increase their numbers, it is that of demand for equity to enable those of them who have what it takes to provide leadership at any level to be given the opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of the country.

    Evidence abound that women who have been elected in the past in Nigeria and other countries have lived up to expectations and in some cases done better than their male counterparts. What is needed is a conducive political atmosphere where the electorate are allowed to choose the best candidates for whatever position, no matter the gender of the candidates.

  • Media and 2019 election

    After the 2015 general elections, I wrote an article titled lessons from election coverage in which I said there are a few lessons journalists should take note of, reflect on and take necessary steps to guide them in the very crucial role of informing and educating the public.

    As we prepare for this year’s election in February, I wish to remind journalists and media organisations of some of the issues I raised then which I think many are still not taking seriously as they should.

    Coverage of the pre, during and post elections issues cum activities are very crucial as they in one way or the other contribute to the outcome and aftermath. The media plays a major role in informing and enlightening the voting public about who is contesting, for which positions, their suitability and ability based on their past performances in the positions they have held.

    Preparations for the election by various agencies, especially the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and election conduct are also crucial focus of coverage to ensure a free and fair exercise.

    Much is expected from the media and they cannot afford to perform below expectations.

    In responding to a question by a media group on Twitter on what the media needs to do ahead of the forthcoming elections, I noted that they need a detailed strategy backed by adequate resources they can afford and the ones they can get from stakeholders to ensure comprehensive coverage.

    For an exercise that holds mainly once in four years and which outcome can make or mar the stability of the country, the media should rise above average standards of coverage by reviewing past performances to know areas where they did not measure up in previous coverage and other aspects, they should pay attention to.

    Journalists should not take it for granted that they have always covered election and therefore know what to do. More than ever before, there are more interested political parties to cover and the stakes are higher at all levels.

    The traditional media must acknowledge that they no longer serve as the main gatekeepers of information with virtually everyone able to publish on various platforms. Presentation of reports also now must be multimedia.

    Analysis of election issues by journalists and analysts should be well informed based on the law and provisions to avoid misleading the public. Facts, like the popular saying, must remain sacred; while comments are free.

    To be taken seriously and seen as independent umpire in the coverage of the election                                             , journalists and media organisations must abide by the code of ethics of the profession which requires that they should be fair, balance and objective.

    There is also the recently adopted Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage which among others spells out the right of the citizens to freely express themselves and have unfettered access to information on the electoral process.

    The election code also notes the right of the media to freely access and truthfully disseminate information on the electoral processes, the rights of media access by parties, candidates and under-reported groups and promotion of democratic norms and values.

    As much as journalists have personal rights to hold political views, they must shun the present unethical practice where some openly declare their positions and take sides especially on social media.

  • Who cares about ASUU, ASUP strike?

    In the unlikely event that the representatives of the federal government is able to reach an agreement with the striking lecturers in public universities and polytechnics, at the next meetings fixed for early next year,  the campuses  will remain closed nationwide for a long time to come.

    The lecturers have indicated that they are not ready to budge unless the federal government agrees and commence the implementation of the memorandum of understanding dating back to 2009 and 2013 for Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and 2016 with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP).

    Despite warning strikes by the unions, their demands were not taken seriously enough until they made good their threats to stay away from classrooms and leave the students with the disrupted academic sessions.

    All meetings held so far between government and ASUU officials have ended in deadlock with both sides accusing each other of one thing or the other.

    According to ASUU President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, the federal government has not shown clear commitment in resolving all the affected issues and appears to have adopted the ‘keep-them-talking’ strategy.

    “Through its press interactions, government through its representatives had falsely raised the hope of the Nigerian public on the state of discussion with our union. Our expectation from a very responsive and sincere government is that by now, all outstanding issues would have been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties. Unfortunately, government is yet to show sincerity in addressing the problem,” Ogunyemi stated.

    Contrary to ASUU’s claim, the Minister of Labour is hopeful that the strike will soon be called off based on consideration of some of the union’s demands, including the submission of the union’s list of outstanding payments, and the identification of some areas in the universities in need of revitalisation as contained in the signed 2009 agreement.

    The negotiation with the ASUP is not different with another meeting scheduled for January 10 after an earlier inconclusive one.

    While the unresolved issues predate the current administration, it is unfortunate that the situation has degenerated to the present state where there is no guarantee of how soon an agreement will be reached to save the universities and polytechnics from further deterioration.

    Despite claims of education being a major focus of successive administrations since 1999, allocations to the sector has not matched the huge requirements of the sector. Necessary facilities and resources for higher education have not been provided, while basic payments for lecturers have been denied them.

    The cumulative effect is of years of neglect and poor teaching is that the quality of graduates from our tertiary institutions has continued to deteriorate. More than ever before, graduates are becoming unemployable and can’t justify the certificate they get on graduation.

    Everything necessary must be done to reverse the shameful slide in the quality of education at all levels in the country. The present administration must show more commitment to honour previous agreements with the lecturers and ensure a quick resolution of the deadlock.

    Even if it cannot pay all the outstanding payments, it must not ignore the legitimate demands of the lecturers who deserve better conditions of service to be able to effectively discharge their crucial duties.

  • Time to move on 

    In one of their popular songs, Knowing me, Knowing you, the legendary Swedish pop music group, Abba, sang “Breaking up is never easy, I know, but I have to go.”

    After 13 years of working in The Nation newspapers, out of my cumulative over thirty years of being a journalist, I’m not about breaking up from journalism, but I have resigned my appointment to become a full-time media career development specialist effective January 1, 2019.

    Resigning from The Nation newspapers where I was a pioneer staff and have had a very fulfilling career is not easy for me. I have enjoyed every moment and would love to stay on considering especially the unfinished task of making The Nation digital platforms number one, but I feel more compelled to take up the challenge of contributing my own quota to providing the much-needed structured media career platform for journalists in Nigeria.

    Over the years, I have experimented with all manner of media career support programmes for journalists, but I need full-time attention to give to the crucial task of mentoring and coaching, especially mid-career, young and student journalists to become the journalists they ought to be.

    In an industry where continuous training is not given priority in the country, ensuring that journalists are fulfilled on the job and maximise available opportunities demand a deliberate, planned and sustained structure which I want to devote the rest of my career to.

    With the depression in the industry, journalists, now, more than ever before need more than regular trainings which only a small percentage of practitioners benefit from. Journalists need regular motivation. They need inspiration, encouragement, coaching, counselling, accessible resources and much more to remain committed journalists.

    From the Media Career Development Centre in Ogba, Lagos, I will be the Executive Director of the Media Career Development Network along with a board of eminent trustees and advisers.

    From January 1, 2019, I and some other mentors will be available for consultation on media career development issues physically and through all channels of communication.

    I am looking forward to visiting newsrooms to chat with journalists on how to enhance their career prospects. When journalists get stressed and disillusioned with their work as it is once in a while, I want them to call our help line 08050498530 and speak to someone who can help them get over what they are going through.

    I want to sit down all day with mass communication students and aspiring journalists to explain to them how to prepare for a fulfilling media career. I want to share with them all sides of the story of the profession. Not only the ‘old wives tales’ of the doom picture of the profession.

    I want to travel across the country and share with journalists outside Lagos and Abuja, opportunities and resources they should be aware of. I want to support media training organisations in mentoring journalists after workshops and seminars.

    I want to work with our media unions and groups to organise more professional programmes and network with international media support organisations.

    The above and many more I want to do especially at this time when our profession is going through digital disruption. I will appreciate all the support and understanding I can get for this dream that dates back to 1998 when I returned from Thomson Foundation in Cardiff, United Kingdom.

    It has been a pleasure working at The Nation; it will be a greater pleasure working for all journalists.

    Notwithstanding my exit, I plan to continue to write this column for as long as possible to contribute my views to crucial national issues and others of interest to me.

  • Parade of suspects

    A crime reporter once told me a story of how after the parade of some alleged robbery suspects by a police officer, she strongly felt that the accused persons were innocent of the charges against them based on their denial while speaking with crime correspondents.

    She was so worried about the accused persons being punished for the offence they were not guilty of that she sought the intervention of a superior police officer who after further investigation was able to establish their innocence.

    I am not sure what happened to the officer who tried to frame up the accused persons, but the incident confirmed the doubt I have always had about some claims by the police of their ‘exploits’ in apprehending ‘criminals’

    While the police can indeed claim to have done a lot to curb crime in the country through various arrests and prosecution, there have been cases of deliberate false accusations against innocent persons and miscarriage of justice which have been a cause for concern and require urgent attention to curb the practice.

    There have been cases of innocent persons who have been killed by security agents and labelled as robbers to give the false impression that they are ‘on top’ of some major cases being investigated.

    The recent outcry against parade of suspects who may turn out to be innocent persons is informed by instances in the past when claims by security agents were not proved in law courts. It is not enough to arrest persons for a crime, it is necessary to be able to prove beyond reasonable doubt in accordance with the laws of the land that they are guilty of the offences they are accused of.

    Since no one can be said to be guilty of a crime until he or she is proved to be so in the law court, it is wrong for security agencies to take the laws into their hands by parading suspects and calling them what they may not be.

    The police can announce that they have arrested persons in connection with a case, but parading them and making them to make ‘confession’ on camera to journalists who interrogate them based on the police accusation is not right as human rights activist and lawyer, Femi Falana, and others have been insisting.

    There have been accused persons who have claimed that they were forced to admit what they didn’t do following torture and other extra-judicial means of obtaining evidences. Some accused persons are forced to pose with weapons which may not be theirs.

    Instead of taking time to get necessary evidence against accused persons, the impression one gets is that security agents think once they parade suspects and give room for unrestrained media trial, the case is over. Unfortunately what is required is not parade or media trial, but convincing evidence and diligent trial of accused persons.

    It is sad that after some accused persons have been falsely accused and subjected to public ridicule, they are freed by the court without commensurate publicity about their innocence.

    If the police and other security agents continue to ignore the wise counsel to stop parading accused persons, it is up to the media not to give the parade undue publicity. Arrests can be reported without pictures and videos since such violate the fundamental rights of those concerned.

  • How safe is Aso Villa?

    Last Monday, the Directorate of State Services (DSS) paraded a woman, Amina Mohammed, for allegedly impersonating Hajia Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.

    According to the DSS spokesman, Peter Afunaya,  Amina allegedly disguised as Aisha Buhari to fleece a Lagos-based business mogul of N150 million.

    While the accused person has insisted she is not a fraudster and claimed she was involved in the transaction in question with the sisters of the first lady and former Secretary to Government of the Federation, Basshir David Lawal, it is up to the DSS to prove the allegation against her.

    It is not enough for the first lady and the former SGF to simply deny not knowing her, the accusation has to be thoroughly investigated notwithstanding their status. There must be reasons why she mentioned the persons she named and not other persons.

    More importantly, however, is the security implication of the accusation against the woman. According to the DSS, she had unauthorised access to Aso Rock Presidential Villa and used the office of the first lady to engage in the alleged fraudulent act.

    Amina Mohammed, also known as Justina Oluoha, reportedly paraded herself as the first lady of Kogi State and used the false identity to evade protocol and scrutiny.

    “She took advantage of the fact that personalities such as the first ladies, ministers and certain categories of officials are not taken through rigorous protocol and security checks at the Villa posts.

    “What may even surprise you is that Amina had on the said date invited her victim to the Villa and made him believe the invitation was at the instance of the First Lady,” the DSS stated.

    One would have thought that the Presidential Villa would be one of the most secured places in the country considering that it houses and serves as office for the president and other top officials, but the revelation by the DSS raises a lot of doubt on how safe the Villa is. The accusation is an indictment of security officials assigned to the Villa.

    Why would anyone not properly checked be allowed to have unhindered access to the office of the president to the extent that she invited other persons and made them believe that she was acting for a First lady?

    If the accused could beat the security at the Presidential Villa as claimed by the DSS, many others must have and may not have been caught. The truth is that unauthorised persons like the accused must have been bribing their way through.

    There is need to urgently thoroughly review the security of the Presidential Villa and take necessary measures to protect the president and other officials. If the DSS knows the date the accused invited his victim to the Villa, security officials on duty need to explain why they were not vigilant enough to stop her.

    Concerning the impersonation of the first lady and Kogi State’s governor’s wife, this is possible because of the way elected officials and their wives abuse their offices and privileges along with their aides.

    It is not a secret that aides and close family members of top government officials extort gratifications from persons who need to get official things done, sometimes with the knowledge of their principals who pretend not to know.

    What the DSS has on its hands is not just a case of the alleged impersonator of the first lady, it is the confirmation of the rot in high quarters of government where all manners of shady deals are being perpetrated.

  • Stopping endless killings of soldiers

    My heart goes out to soldiers attached to the 157 Task Force Battalion in Melete, Borno State, recently killed by Boko Haram insurgents. I sympathise with their families and loved ones who have been looking forward to their safe return from the battle front someday, but now have to cope with the sad news of their death.

    While the Army authorities are disputing the actual number of soldiers killed in this recent incident, what is not in doubt is that we have yet recorded major causalities in the battle against the insurgents.

    A large cache of arms, ammunition and military equipment were also reportedly carted away by Boko Haram fighters during the raid.

    Contrary to the claims that the camps of the insurgents have been decimated and they are on the run being unable to withstand the onslaught of our combined military forces, the number of our soldiers who have been ambushed and killed keeps increasing.

    Except when information about our loss leak like the present case, the authorities prefer to bury the bodies secretly, apparently not to give the impression that the insurgents are proving to be hard nuts to crack.

    While a lot of resources and men have been committed to the counter -insurgency campaign in the Northeastern zone of the country, there are clear indications that the firepower of the insurgents cannot be dismissed.

    If they can occasionally attack our military bases and kill the number of soldiers and civilians they have killed so far, there is cause to worry about the ability of our forces to match the insurgents.

    There must something wrong with the present strategies being deployed by our military that allows the insurgents to have the inroads they are having into our bases and killing our officers and men.

    There is an urgent need for a review of the situation to stop the unacceptable loss we are suffering in the battle.  The decision of the Senate asking its committees on Army and Defence to investigate the killings and examine the welfare and wellbeing of troops engaged in counter insurgency operations is timely and the assignment should be taken seriously.

    Recently, some soldiers who have been on duty in the battle zone openly protested against being deployed to Marte, a border community in Borno State.  The soldiers grouse was that they had been on the battle field for over three years against the stipulated one year as directed by the Army authorities.

    The soldiers complained of being war-weary and stressed the need to see their families. This is instructive and the army authorities must take this serious. Are the soldiers being stressed beyond limitations, are the soldiers too tired to even face the enemy in a coordinated manner? The Army must look into this.

    Police officers and men in Borno also protested against non-payment of their allowances on July 2, 2018 in Maiduguri. The policemen had been deployed from units across the country to help with the fight against the insurgency and were being owed six months of unpaid allowances. The policemen barricaded the highway sending panic throughout the city already tensed from years of insurgency.

    The above incidents confirm that all is not well with the welfare of our troops on the battle front and we must act before the insurgents take over Borno and neighbouring states.

  • Edo State House of Assembly: Blazing the trail

    The importance of the house of assembly of a state as a fundamental arm of government cannot be overemphasised. The duty of the legislature in any country is to make laws and legislate, as well as act as representatives of the people. To this end, effective legislation is a panacea for accelerated development and a catalyst for good governance.

    The story of a formidable state house of assembly in Nigeria will not be complete without the mention of Edo State House of Assembly, EDHA. Right from the inception of the fourth republic in 1999, EDHA has been a beehive of activities, sometimes breathtaking.

    Since the inception of democracy in 1999, it has been led by several speakers. Some were impeached in a most unconstitutional and questionable manner. In some cases, the hollowed chambers of the assembly complex was turned into a free-for-all.

    The harmonious working relationship existing between the executive and the legislature in Edo State is due to the understanding between the governor and the speaker. Check and balances can be carried out effectively in agreement. It does not necessarily have to be open confrontation.

    On Tuesday, 23rd October 2018, EDHA unanimously passed a vote of implicit confidence in the speaker of the house, Hon. Kabiru Adjotu, for his exemplary leadership qualities and outstanding charisma. Peace and tranquility has now been restored to the house.

    To all intent and purpose, the legislature as an organ of government is a veritable tool in effective and efficient delivery of the aims and objectives of government. The importance of legislature cannot be overemphasised. The slow implementation of budget occasioned most times by rift between the executive and legislative arm of government is quite worrisome. The function of parliament in any country is to make laws and legislate, as well as act as representatives of the people. By all standards effective legislating is a panacea for accelerated development, and a catalyst to good governance.

    However, few states in Nigeria enjoy harmonious working relationship between the three arms of government, notably between the executive and the legislature. Worthy of mention is Edo State.

    In Edo state, the fact speaks for itself. Hon. Kabiru Adjotu has brought sanity to legislative business in Edo State. Basically the house has indeed become a true house of assembly as against a house of commotion and comedy that it used to be prior to this very time.

    The synergy between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary in Edo state is quite commendable. Before now, just like some state house of assembly, EDHA used to by walloped in leadership struggle, supremacy, senatorial district tussle and friction with the executive organ of government in the state. But under the able leadership of Kabiru Adjotu, he has been able to unify the house and restore sanity to the legislative process. This is quite commendable and a good example of what a proactive legislature should be, and quite evident for the National assembly and other legislative houses all over the country to borrow a leaf from. Due to his courage, dexterity, sagacity, capacity, determination and will-power, the speaker has transformed EDHA to an amiable position with regards to the legislative and parliamentary functions in Nigeria.

    Bearing in mind that government is the amalgam of the people, the executive can function effectively and provide the basic necessities of life if there is an active and effective legislature to make laws for the good governance of the people. At any level whatsoever, the legislature is the representative of the collective will of the people. It is the symbol of democracy, and it should be active, distinct and independent.

    Only recently, students from the faculty of Law University of Benin, endeared by the leadership qualities of the speaker paid an academic visit to Edo state house of assembly to watch parliamentary proceedings. Consequently, they proposed some bills and urged the speaker to keep up the good works in ensuring that the state in particular and the nation in general have people oriented law for the good governance of the state, and the nation at large.

    • Peter Erekose, University of Benin, Benin City.