Category: Discourse

In Nigeria today, aside religion, ethnicity, ‘restructuring’ has become a very sensitive subject that evokes emotion across the land. Amidst the continued security siege, economic deprivations, social life dislocation and general confusion that envelop the country, the renewed agitation for restructuring as a ‘silver bullet’ that will save the country from the cliff grows daily.

The Asaba Accord declared by the southern governors anchors on the urgent need for restructuring and entrenchment of true federalism as a panacea to unprecedented tension and ethnic strife.  They unanimously resolved to ban open grazing of cattle describing nomadic animal husbandry as anachronistic in the 21st century.

Expectedly, reactions and commentaries trailed the outcome of the historic summit of southern governors. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila spoke on the matter but was misquoted by the fifth columnists.

He was quoted to have opposed the stance of the southern governors on restructuring. Pure lie! The purveyors of this wicked narrative have a sinister agenda of pitting the Speaker, who is a southerner against his people and their interests.     Anarchists and irrendists went  on overdrive to set brothers against one another for primordial political points or just for the fun of it.

Gbajabiamila and the House of Representatives he leads cannot undermine the constitutional restructuring that will guarantee national cohesion, fairness and equity. It is in the interest of the operators of the nation’s democracy especially the legislature which is the bedrock of democracy to do everything to ensure ethnic composition in Nigeria remains united.

For instance, The House has started the alteration process of 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended to accommodate the genuine and legitimate yearnings of various interest groups and stakeholders in Nigeria’s project.

For the records, the submission of the Honourable Speaker was clear and unambiguous.  He spoke as a true statesman who believes in the union of ethnic compositions that made up Nigeria. Gbajabiamila only appealed and called on all patriots across religious, ethnic and political divides to jaw jaw out of the current quagmire.

These are verbatim words of the Speaker, he said, “This is not a time for name-calling or blaming one person or the other. If truth be told, we all have equal shares in the blame. And whatever challenges we have, we all must come together.

“In the same way we all have equal shares, we must all come together to make sure that we resolve whatever issues there are.

“Like I said earlier, the greatest nations have gone through challenges worse than this and I believe that it is that spirit of oneness and that spirit of togetherness and unity and love that will take us through this.

“You know sometimes there are many things that people have said here and there and you never know where these things are coming from. Sometimes God even puts you through challenges so that you can come out of it stronger, bigger, better, bolder.

“That’s what I believe is gonna happen to Nigeria. We’re all put together in this one geographical space for a reason. It wasn’t by happenstance or coincidence or by chance. It was ordained by Almighty God and He doesn’t make mistakes, He doesn’t go wrong. What He decrees is what will be and I believe He put us all together.

“No matter your religion, no matter your ethnicity, talking about over 250 ethnic groups in one country, it is that diversity that God had foreseen that I believe we should tap into as Nigerians. I have belief in the Nigerian resilience and in the Nigerian spirit; and in the spirit of Ramadan, we must continue to pray.”

The above is very clear. The Speaker never disparaged the resolutions of the Southern governor. As a true democrat and a lawyer who trained in the United States, Gbajabiamila has always rooted for the adaptation of the American federal system which devolves to federating units and empowers them to substantially address threats within their jurisdiction. True federalism is the way to go.

Why would Gbajabiamila support open grazing of cattle in a 4th industrial revolution era? He knows that is not sustainable and anachronistic to the modern way of life. Cattles can be herded from end to end on foot. The resultant consequences are grave. The perennial farmer/herder clash which has assumed an ethnic colouration will continue unabated with such practice.

The economic logic is simple. A farmer grows crops for economic purposes. He hopes to sell farm produce to feed his family and earn a livelihood. The herder is also rearing and pastoring his herds of cattle for economic purposes. So, no one should subvert each other. A herder’s cattle can’t eat up the farmer’s farms and throw him into penury. The same way a farmer cannot rustle herder’s cattle.

Gbajabiamila antecedence as a Federal legislator and his achievements thus far as the Speaker of the House stand him out as a public figure who is constantly charting a course for a more equitable Nigeria where no region will lord it over another.

Those seeking relevance by twisting the Speaker’s position on restructuring played dirty politics with such a sensitive matter. If for anything, Gbajabiamila’s region, Lagos and South West in general  will be the biggest beneficiaries of a restructured Nigeria.

His base, Lagos State has been clamouring for Special Status recognition from the Nigerian state in view of the enormous national burden shouldered by the state as a commercial capital of the Nation.

The struggle which has yielded no tangible positive outcome will be a walk over if true Federalism as a major plank of restructuring becomes a reality. Gbajabiamila’s Lagos  has a lot to gain if these foundational issues are addressed. Why then oppose such an initiative?

It means more funds will be available to Lagos to fund the huge infrastructure deficit in the state. The rails projects and the ambitious fourth Mainland Bridge in Lagos will become a huge success if the centre cedes more resources to the state in tandem with what Lagos contributes to the nation’s treasury.

A state that hosts 60 percent of aggregate commercial activities in the country will boom under a restructured regime. So, Gbajabiamila can never oppose an initiative that will emancipate his state and the people.

By Mary Beth Leonard

Taiwan was incredibly effective at managing the COVID-19 pandemic and the world has an opportunity to learn from that experience at the May 25-June 1 World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva. If only inviting Taiwan were that easy. Taiwan unfortunately has been blocked from participating in critical international efforts to control the spread of diseases, denied access to important platforms to share its knowledge and expertise, and the 24 million people living on the island are cut off from global health security initiatives.  This undermines public health in Nigeria, just as it does in the United States, Taiwan, and around the world.  We can all do the right thing and support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations where their contributions would help solve pressing issues, such as alleviating the COVID pandemic.

The WHA convenes senior health officials and leading health experts from around the world. It is instrumental to coordinating international efforts to improve the health of all people. Indeed, the motto of the WHO is “Health for All.” Taiwan participated in the WHA as an observer between 2009 and 2016, but today finds itself shut out due to political pressure from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Beijing’s actions to prevent Taiwan’s participation in the WHA leave the world, the World Health Organization, and Nigeria worse off.

The world has much to learn from Taiwan at the World Health Assembly. Taiwan’s response to the recent pandemic, led by President Tsai Ing-wen, is rightly lauded as among the world’s most coordinated, transparent, and effective. Even before registering the first confirmed COVID-19 case on January 21, 2020, Taiwan activated its Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) to facilitate inter-ministerial cooperation in prevention and monitoring measures. By late February, the CECC had published a list of 124 action items, which included ramping up mask production through public-private partnerships.

Taiwan managed to avoid an outbreak by relying on transparency and implementing testing, strict border controls, mandatory quarantine guidelines, and advanced digital technologies for tracking potential infections.  Taiwan threaded the needle between protecting public health and promoting a healthy economy, becoming Asia’s fastest-growing economy in 2020.

Taiwan not only successfully protected its population, it also sought to support the global population hit hard by the pandemic. In March 2020, President Tsai announced that Taiwan was “willing to contribute capabilities to better protect human health around the world.” Soon after, the island committed to providing 10 million masks to more than a dozen nations, including the United States. Nigeria has received over 100,000 masks from this effort.

Taiwan continues to pursue innovative avenues of pandemic support. In April, it launched a “travel bubble” with diplomatic partner Palau. As a result, Taiwanese travelers are arriving in droves and providing much-needed revenue to the tourism-dependent Pacific Island nation.

As long as Taiwan remains excluded from meaningfully participating in international organizations such as the WHO, the world cannot leverage Taiwan’s considerable strengths in medicine, manufacturing, and technology for the greater good.

Taiwan is ready to help us defeat this terrible pandemic. We should let Taiwan help.

• Beth Leonard is U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria

The annual Youth Alive Conference of the Family Fora Ministry (FFM) will hold on Easter Monday at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, 3 Babani Street Ajegunle, Apapa, Lagos State.

The event, in its fourth season, has the theme: “Repositioning for Divine Opportunities”.

FFM President, Amaefula Nneoma, said people can register via the link: cutt.ly/Ezbgd1A.

Seasoned speakers, he said, have been invited.

“Everyone who goes far in life stops at intervals to evaluate and reposition himself. And now is the time,” he said.

Inner Wheel clubs in Nigeria have admonished women to be the embodiment of truth.

They are also urged to ensure that their words and comportment convey the dignity of who they are and to all they meet.

In a communiqué at the end of the 34th Annual Rally/Conference of the National Governing Body of Inner Wheel clubs in Nigeria, hosted by District 911 Nigeria at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, women were recognised as the stabilising force in the polity.The club canvassed more roles for women in the moral re-armament of the national values.

The theme of the conference was “Lead the Change”

It stated that Inner Wheel as a well-structured organisation with great values should remain an embodiment of truth it represents, adding that it should let its words and comportment convey the dignity of who it is at all times.

Inner Wheel said the values highlighted should be retained, especially at the club level and at all their dealings.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference recorded an impressive registration of over 300 members, but with limited attendance in adherence to the COVID-19 protocols.

The  guest speaker, Dr. Abiola Dosunmu – Erelu Kuti  IV of Lagos, said government at all levels must ensure that policies were in place to provide unrestricted access to women health care, both mental and physical, because women are the support of their families and the nation at large.

Dosunmu stressed the need to protect the rights of women.

By Robert Egbe

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, yesterday pledged the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining an enabling environment for innovative agro-allied firms, to take their products.

Adebayo spoke while receiving officials of WACOT Ltd (a TGI Group member company), following its double certification by international certification organisation, ECOCERT, to export organic sesame globally.

The certifications, approved in January, were presented to Adebayo in his Abuja office by the National Sesame Seed Association of Nigeria (NSSAN), WACOT’s management, sesame production stakeholders and Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

The first certification authorises WACOT Ltd to export sesame globally, while the second certification permits WACOT to export sesame to the United States, having met the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic regulations.

“This government is all about encouraging and supporting indigenous companies, especially those in the agro-allied sector, to be successful within and outside the country. President Muhammadu Buhari administration is serious about weaning our economy off oil, and agriculture is a major priority. It is in this light that I commend your resourcefulness and diligence for getting the certifications”, Adebayo said’’.

TGI Group’s Director (Corporate Affairs) who is also the Deputy National President of NSSAN, Sadiq Kassim affirmed the commitment of the stakeholders to position Nigeria on the global map of organic sesame production.

“We are delighted to have received these certifications that permit us all levels of sesame handling from farming to export to the United States, Europe and Asia, among others. We are happy to be supporting the government’s economic diversification effort.

The government has supported agriculture, and we felt that we could further assist by obtaining the certifications to export organic seed and bring in foreign exchange”, Kassim added.

By Precious Igbonwelundu

The Maritime Component Commander of NNS BEECROFT Operation Awatse, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shettima, has said the base made progress in operations, welfare and infrastructural development.

He said strategies were articulated on his assumption of the leadership of the command, to safeguard maritime-based resources and assets, reduce  oil theft as well as ensure general improvement in the overall security of his Area of Responsibility (AOR).

Shetimma spoke in Lagos when security chiefs gathered at the parade ground, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, for his valedictory parade.

Rear Admiral Shettima commanded the navy’s premiere base from April 19, 2019 to March 26, 2021.

He ensured infrastructural upgrade and enhanced inter-agency collaborations and synergy among relevant agencies in Lagos State.

Security chiefs who witnessed the parade included the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Fejokwu; Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Admiral Kamaurudeen Lawal;  Commissioner of Police (CP) Hakeem Odumosu; Commander Ninth Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Sale Kawugana; State Director, Department of State Services (DSS), as well as heads of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state.

Giving account of his stewardship, Rear Admiral Shettima, who has been appointed managing director, Navy Building and Construction Company (NBCC), Abuja,  said: “NNS BEECROFT’s strategic location in the busiest and largest economic zone of the country puts a lot of responsibility on the base as its functions have direct bearing on the socioeconomic well-being of Lagos State, the Southwest and the nation at large.

“Accordingly, the base leveraged existing cooperation of the Lagos State Government, relevant stakeholders in the maritime sector and other security agencies to synergise efforts at enhancing the security of all key and vulnerable points.

“I am pleased to state that the strategy paid off and gave spur for the operational successes achieved by the base. “

For instance, unlike in the past when pipeline vandalism and oil theft were rampant, a robust and vigorous security strategy by the base led to a massive reduction in the activities of these vandals who attempt to siphon and sell these stolen products at the detriment of the nation’s finances.

“Under my watch, the base conducted operations which led to the dismantling of many illegal connections along our pipelines. These efforts by the base have led to a reduction of PMS losses along this line from 27.25% in the past, to less than 5% today saving the nation billions of naira.

“This was achieved through clearance operations at the Atlas Cove and Tarkwa Bay, which used to be havens for pipeline vandals and criminal syndicates, resulting in significantly fewer disruptions to NNPC operations within the area.”