Category: Letters

By Kene Obiezu

SIR: It was good while it lasted but judgment of the Federal High Court Abakiliki which ordered the disbandment of Ebubeagu in Ebonyi State is historic.

Formed in 2021 after governors of the five South-eastern States met and agreed that insecurity  was the biggest threat to their  states, the group quickly found its feet in Ebonyi and Imo states, while it has been slow to make headway in Enugu, Anambra and Abia State as the security dynamics have differed for each states.

For the two states of Ebonyi and Imo where the security outfit flourished under the support of their governors, the outcry against the modus operandi of the group took no time to become very great. The group has been accused of everything vile including torture, murder, and intimidation and even stealing.

Political opponents of the powers that be in Ebonyi and Imo states have also felt the wrath of an outfit which was ostensibly formed to improve security in the states.

 The judgment of the Federal High Court in Abakiliki which put paid to the aspirations of Ebubeagu in Ebonyi State  over proven allegations of torture, illegal arrests and extrajudicial killing has also left the people of the state in a bit of a fix over what to do with the  insecurity in the state which may become uncontrollable in the face of the 2023 general elections.

While he has suspended Ebubeagu pending an appeal against the judgment, Dave Umahi, the governor of Ebonyi State, has hurriedly cobbled together two new security outfits namely Ebonyi Neighbourhood Watch and Ebonyi Vigilante Corps to maintain security in the state while the suspension of Ebubeagu lasts.

However, can the leopard change its spots? Who is to say that some of the criminals responsible for the worst atrocities recorded under Ebubeagu would not simply be absolved into the newly formed groups for business to continue as usual for them? When will those who man the various security agencies in Nigeria learn that there can be no equitable security until the full rights of Nigerians are respected at all times.

Ebubeagu was a child of agonizing necessity which has now been smothered by the judgment of the Federal High Court.

Amotekun was also formed in the Southwest as insecurity spread death and dread and the reality dawned that Nigeria’s harried security agencies were too slow to respond.

In the last eight years, the coals of insecurity which were only showing signs of life before 2015 have become blazing fires bringing into question the vexed issue of state police. There have been arguments for and against it.

Those who argue against State Police can now say that what happened in Ebonyi State foreshadowed what would come to pass if states are allowed to have state police. They would point out that a security outfit that was supposed to provide security for the people became a sledgehammer for two unscrupulous governors to use against their political opponents.

It is another loss for the southeast where it appears that things always assume disturbing dimensions.

While the criminals who staffed the outfit in Ebonyi State must now pack their  bags and ponder on what next to do, there is a lot of uncertainty.

The hyenas which in just under two years showed a disturbing bloodlust will not suddenly leave their business of impunity. Having scented and tasted the blood of defenceless residents of the state, they are likely to hang around and  either sell their deadly services to those with dark intentions, or simply set out on their own.

With security agencies who would rather limp than leap, while residents lament their loss and lick their wounds, they may as well prepare for more lethal attacks carried out by those who peddle death but suddenly find themselves unemployed.

The question of insecurity in the southeast and elsewhere in the country will survive the election. But whether it will go on for years after the election is a question Nigerians can yet shape for the best possible outcomes.

• Kene Obiezu – Twitter: @kenobiezu

By Harris Nnamdi

SIR: Almost every Nigerian knows Obosi, the ancient town in Anambra State, the birthplace of many Nigerians who not only reached the acme of their careers but achieved global recognitions in their respective endeavours.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the former secretary general of the Commonwealth; Dan Chuke, a former minister; Chief Mike Ajegbo, a one-time senator readily comes to mind. How can anyone forget that the late Chief Chimezie Ikeazor, a legal luminary, and founder of the free legal aid, hailed from Obosi, too? Osita Chidoka burst on to the national scene with his headship of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC). Chidoka would later become the minister of aviation. 

Obosi town is not known only for its sons and daughters. It is a town known for its cultural festivals, which are non-pareil in the entire southeast. Obosi people pioneered and popularized the Ito Ogbo festival. It is a periodic and collective birthday celebration of people, who turn 80 years in the year the Ito Ogbo festival will take place. The Ito Ogbo Obosi festival, a cultural renaissance, is based on the Age Grade system, which is a cultural commonality shared by towns in Igboland. 

But, lately, Obosi town has morphed to a killing field. Now, majority of Obosi youths wield guns and romanticize violence instead of embracing education, and clutching books. Their membership of deadly cult groups boosts their egos. And the trademark of those cult groups is engaging in violent acts and the shedding of people’s blood. The battle for supremacy among the cult groups has caused the deaths of innumerable young people in Obosi town. 

The anarchic situation, which reigns in Obosi, Anambra State, is symptomatic of Nigeria’s malaise, and represents our country’s descent into a banana and/or failed state. Obosi town is now sucked into a maelstrom of cult killings. And the control of a large swathe of Obosi land by marauding cultists highlights the ineffectiveness of the security agents to secure human lives in Obosi.

In 2022, a great number of Obosi young men were shot dead during rival cult fights. Those who died in the cult wars were young men in the prime of their lives.

Our political leaders, especially the governor, Chukwuma Soludo, have continued to show indifference to the perpetration of homicidal deeds in Obosi, which is disguised as cultism. Our political leaders’ failure to curb the incessant killings in Obosi amounts to their abdication of their cardinal duty, which is the protection of lives and property. So, is governance put in abeyance in Anambra State? 

We are beseeching the Anambra State governor to intervene in the cult war ravaging the town and bring the culprits to justice. It is high time the spillage of human blood and wastage of human lives were brought to an end in Obosi.

Obosi is an important town in Anambra State. So the unremitting bloodletting in Obosi, which heralded its descent into an anarchic situation, is a blot on the escutcheon of Anambra State. 

So we urge Governor Chukwuma Soludo to do the needful and stem the tide of bloodletting in Obosi. 

• Harris Nnamdi, Obosi, Anambra State.

SIR: We are back to the time of the year when there is usually massive egg glut and slump in the farm gate price of egg occasioned by low demand of the commodity by end users and concomitant increase in feeding cost leading to farmers’ inability to continue feeding the laying stock. The sign of the bad times is marked with large stocks of crates of eggs in the farms and at the egg wholesale markets. This creates a very bad buyers’ market situation. Eggs are being sold according to what the wholesaler who usually controls the price at the consumer market offers the producer. At this time, supplied eggs, are paid for after two or three weeks. Meanwhile feed sellers will demand for cash payment for purchased feeds! The farmers now sell off the laying birds with anger!

 Jos has been known as the epicentre of egg production for almost all the northern parts of Nigeria because of its peculiar favourable weather conditions that suits commercial production. Thus, the egg production industry had become a large employer of labour and source of income earner for a good number of the inhabitants of the area. Many others are engaged down the value chain such as wholesalers, packagers, transporters, retailers, dealers in poultry droppings etc.

The last break-even price per crate of egg had been around ¦ 2000. This has now dropped to less than ¦ 1500, thereby throwing the hapless farmer into a precarious position. A bag of layers mash on the average currently sells for ¦ 10,000. Two hundred layers producing eggs at 75%, will consume conservatively one bag of feed to produce 150 eggs or five crates that can only fetch N7,500. This leaves a deficit of ¦ 2500 just on the cost of buying the one bag of feed, excluding other numerous production costs. This is disheartening and discouraging for the hapless farmers to continue in the business.

The resultant effect is that more than 75% of the egg producers have closed down their farms. This has thrown many people into the unemployment market as there are just fewer farms to work in. The few farms that are surviving are still finding it very difficult to sell their eggs at a profit.

The poverty situation in the country in the recent past has exacerbated the situation. A large proportion of the masses cannot afford even a marginal increase in the price of eggs because of the demand elasticity of the product and its substitutes. The insecurity situation has also compounded the situation as consumers in distant places hardly get constant supplies due to incessant supply cuts. The school feeding programme of the APC administration had opened up a vista of hope when the programme was running, as they mopped up eggs thereby averting egg gluts.

Processing of eggs into various products as a means of prolonging its shelf life is an old practice in developed economies since 1950s when global fresh egg consumption started declining. Government should provide an enabling environment and support for food processors and industrialists to produce liquid egg products, dried egg products, frozen egg products and specialty egg products. These will go a long way into ensuring a robust and profitable egg production industry and vibrant value chains 

In the interim, there should be a concerted intensification of maize production campaign as to increase maize output. Presently, man, livestock and industry are competing for the much that is produced. Maize cost constitutes about 60% of the cost of feed in Nigeria whereas it is much lower is other climes. Bringing the down the price of maize will go a long way into keeping the egg producers in the business of egg production.

Occasionally, governments at all levels should engage in Egg Buy Back Schemes as a way of guaranteeing minimum egg prices in the country. The purchased eggs can be supplied to internally displaced persons, schools, hospitals and other vulnerable citizens. This will ensure that farmers remain in business, employment opportunities for farm workers, wholesalers, retailers, packagers and transporters will continue to exist for the betterment of the economy.

We expect the next administration to live up to the expectation of alleviating the present sufferings of chicken egg producers by doing the needful.

•Kingsley Okeke-Agulu, PhD,

Jos.

SIR:  Elections always come with significant safety concerns as the risk of violence and injury escalates, and this year is no different. The lack of access to reliable emergency response across the country only heightens this risk, and it raises important questions that you and I should ask as we approach the polls: Which of the presidential candidates will value the lives of Nigerians?

And more importantly, who will take the necessary steps to put a stop to the over one million preventable deaths in the country each year? The answer to these questions lies in the investments that each candidate will make in key sectors like the health sector.

Nigeria’s current administration delivered the landmark National Health Insurance Authority Act (NHIA) 2022, which holds enormous potential for extending financial protection from healthcare challenges and emergencies for even the most vulnerable. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 100 million people globally are pushed into poverty by having to pay for healthcare out of pocket. In a country where more than 70% of healthcare expenditures are out of pocket, the positive implications of universal health coverage will be enormous. Increasing access to both preventive and curative care, will have profound effects on our life expectancy.

The National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) is one aspect of the new Act that holds significant promise for increasing the life expectancy of Nigerians, but is receiving little attention. Today, most states lack any formal or tangible emergency medical services system. Efforts to deliver emergency services are often plagued by three core challenges: low public health literacy on what to do in an emergency; shortage of trained pre-hospital healthcare professionals and abandoned ambulance assets; and broken communication between patients, response providers and hospitals. Underpinning these issues is of course the lack of catalytic, sustainable financing to ensure successful health outcomes in the short and long term.

 The private sector has indeed stepped in to fill some of the gaps, but that intervention still leaves the emergency response highly fragmented, in part due to the variability of service and the cost being far too expensive for most Nigerians. How else can we explain the untimely death of the woman who slumped and died at an airport in Abuja last year? Or the man in Delta who collapsed after waiting in a bank line for hours earlier this month? Who can forget the viral videos of the man dancing at a party, the pastor on the pulpit, the politician at a campaign? All died needlessly. Often, the only difference between those who die and those who survive is that they received help before it was too late. So, how can we ensure that in the next four years, it won’t be too late for us?

The new NHIA Act provides an opportunity for transformation by restructuring the delivery of emergency medical services and sustaining it through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund. The NEMSAS mission statement is inspiring: To establish an ICT enabled Emergency Medical Service that is effective, efficient, timely and at no cost to the patient at the point of care, thereby increasing access to care, reducing mortality and morbidity rates and improving health care outcomes for all Nigeria.

The proposed model is right for Nigeria. The system will leverage existing ambulances and hospitals, bringing the public and private sector together to ensure free access to citizens at the point of care. If implemented successfully, the programme will address multiple Sustainable Development Goals by saving as many as 1.2 million lives every year, creating job opportunities for paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), and fostering partnerships.

To our state Ministries of Health, NEMSAS presents an extraordinary opportunity to transform a long-overlooked but critical part of our healthcare system. While elections and new leadership can stall or even terminate programs like this, it can also be an opportunity to renew commitment to its success.

•Folake Owodunni,

contact@emergencyresponseafrica.com.

SIR: Nigerians will this week be going out to elect 360 House of Representatives members and 109 senators from different constituencies and senatorial districts across the 36 states of Nigeria, and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. By virtue of Section (4) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, these persons are empowered to make laws for peace, orderliness, and good governance of the federation. They are by the letter of the constitution and by character, expected to represent the interest, desires, aspirations, and well-being of the citizens.

The position is critical for the survival and prosperity of our nation, and shouldn’t be occupied by people without the competence, and capacity to perform.

On many occasions, we have seen some of the elected members sleep during plenary while matters of national importance are being considered and debate ongoing with different interests. Some hardly participate in the session or proceedings.

Here comes another opportunity for us to elect those who will represent us. The National Assembly election is as important as that of the president. It goes without saying that the efficiency of the executive branch also depends on the capacity, vibrancy, and determination of our lawmakers to deliver the highest standards of governance to Nigerians. The institution requires people of character, integrity, humanity, and compassion. It requires people of foresight, who can look into the future and make laws and plan beyond the present economic situation for future generations. Not people limited to 1980s ideas, yet expecting to rule the 21st century generation and beyond.

Educational background has a vital role to play in quality representation, especially when it comes to dissecting issues to bring out the cost and benefits analysis for the people. Character is another factor we must look into when electing our representatives. It is regrettable that some of our lawmakers cannot stand to defend and protect the interest of their people and that of the nation because they have sold their conscience.

The function requires people with mental alertness and those ready to work, who can take a stand on national issues for the good of the masses. People ready to sacrifice their comfort for the good of the people. Not people that impose themselves on the electorate.

Our struggle for democratic principles, peace, unity, growth, and development is possible if only we can say enough is enough to money-bags politics.  

•Omale Omachi Samuel

Abuja.

By Usman Bulama

SIR: All the presidential candidates have gone through painstaking campaigns and will now be at tenterhooks to hear the feedback on their efforts on election day. As for the electorate, they have far reaching debates amongst themselves, sometimes in very harsh tongues. The office of an executive president is the most prized diadem amongst elective offices.  It is so coveted because it is so powerful as it stands at the zenith of an over centralized authority.  

In a diverse entity such as ours it is understandable the level of rancorous and acrimonious debates over who occupies the office. The level of animosity among social media netizens is so abhorrible that makes one  to ask whether participants are nationalities of the same nation?                 

 The issue of who becomes the next president is of paramount importance.  Party formation has evolved for the better such that national spread is the norm. This is a clear departure from the first and second republics when parties were largely regional based.

 The candidacy of Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a huge asset and must be seen as a new dawn and a fulfilment in the quest for national cohesion. The Asiwaju has shown his mettle in his governance of Lagos State.  He is a man of tremendous political acuity: and his skills in bringing men and materials to achieve results is unmatched. Now that the country in dare straits of bad economy, insecurity and other numerous problems, only a politically suave candidate like the Asiwaju suits the position of the president.

Nevertheless, other candidates can not be dismissed off hand. There are formidable challenges from the PDP and to some extent from the Labour Party. Given the disunity in the PDP especially from the five governors revolts and the emergence of the Labour Party candidate, it will be a herculean task for the party to make in roads in the southern states.

Labour Party is largely a protest party borne of PDP‘s renege to concede the party‘s candidacy to the south as per the party‘s covenant. The Peter Obi train is making waves in the south amongst youths throughout the south and the entire demographics of the southeast.  The fourth that makes the quartet, the NNPP may spring surprises in the northwest especially in the most populous state of Kano. Its flag bearer is a tested leader with a huge bearing of stellar performances as two terms governor of Kano State.  It may be difficult to forecast its performance even as it‘s ability of being a spoiler cannot be under estimated.

 It is only voting day that will reveal the next president even though permutations by experts and political pundits skew the contest as between the APC and PDP all things remaining equal. The elections are here and a winner must emerge.

• Usman Bulama, Mairi Village, Maiduguri.

By Ayomide Agbaje, Fareed Ibrahim, Chiazoka Nwaogu, and Ibitoye Olukosi

We express our optimism for Nigeria’s electoral system given the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) so far. However, there are a few salient issues as the commission moves to further implement the newly-signed Electoral Act during the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

First of all, note-worthy is the deployment of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and the real-time transmission of voting results from polling units direct to the central collation system. According to reports from independent observers, this innovation so far had a 92% success rate. We believe this is an ultimately significant improvement on the electoral process geared towards strengthening its credibility and our electoral body’s level of transparency.

One would recall that this new Electoral Act, that was finally signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022, was our country’s most ambitious electoral legislation. One that had over 12 years of delay in bringing about the recommended electoral reforms — following a long-standing series of advocacy efforts. Worthy of note is that this Act is the result of Nigerians’ reactions to the electoral challenges that have affected our journey to democracy since the Electoral Decree of 1977.

So, this new Act means a whole lot not only for INEC, but also for all Nigerian electorate to rekindle the light of our hopes and trust in the electoral system. With a boost in the scope of powers and independence of the commission, the least voters can demand is the proper and full implementation of all the Act’s extant provisions to conduct free, fair and credible elections across the country in 2023. Citizens, both home and in diaspora, cannot expect any less at this yet another inflection point in our nationhood as we go to the polls.

Nonetheless, we have deep concerns about the effective election management capacity of the commission on implementing measures to mitigate electoral offences. We hope INEC will make all efforts to fight against vote buying, voters’ intimidation and violence at polling units. Due to the rise in fake news, we also hope the newly-inaugurated Election Crisis Communication Team (ECCT) will tackle misinformation and disinformation that affect our electoral affairs. We urge INEC to use its strengthened power and incremental resources to ensure that elections are managed in a secure manner — with objective activities that provide safety for voters and a level playing ground for all candidates.

We also suggest that INEC continuously propose reforms to amend the Electoral Act — especially the bill to establish the Electoral Offences Commission, and the delimitation of electoral constituencies to democratize the electoral process for our voting population. More importantly, we also need to allow our electoral laws to be fine-tuned with each electoral cycle.

As INEC prepares for the elections, they must ensure the newly-signed 2022 Electoral Act is extensively implemented to fully close the wide gaps of election administration. Our hopes and expectations are high. And we, alongside all citizens, count on your administrative capacity for positive electoral outcomes.

• Ayomide Agbaje, Fareed Ibrahim, Chiazoka Nwaogu, & Ibitoye Olukosi – ONE Champions and Activists in Nigeria.