The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • All elections must hold next year

    The Nigerian constitution says it in the relevant section as regards tenure

    of elected officers, that all election must hold after every four years to allow the electorate have the opportunity to elect another set of their elected representatives.

    The recent war against insurgents in the country has been threatening the very corporate existence of this country, hence the fear in some quarters that the country is not in the right position to hold another election.

    The recent victory by our armed forces in curtailing the menace of these insurgents has rekindled our hope that the war against the insurgents would be surmountable, with vigour and determination on the part of our political leaders, by ensuring that all the needed support is given to our armed forces to bring to an end the stupidity going on in the north east of this country by some miscreants and rag tag army who do not want the unity of this country and its democratic development.

    The recent comment by some political leaders on the possibility of holding an election at this period of an ongoing war in some parts of the country should be seen as divisionary and uncalled for.

    Some countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq that were faced with serious security challenges like us were able to conduct successful elections widely accepted by the international communities, and the electorate came out en-mass to cast their votes without any fear of these terrorists who issued warning to them to steer clear of polling booths.

    It behoves on the part of the government to put all necessary measure in place to assure the citizens of their security before, during and after the election.

    The current war against insurgency should be seen as collective efforts by the government to ensure the protection of lives and properties of its citizenry.

    Nigerians look forward to electing leaders who would bring the much-needed democracy to them, and also afford the electorate elect or refuse to elect those that did not meet their expectations while in office.

    We believe the coming election in 2015 will offer the current democracy an opportunity for the electorate to re-elect those that made positive impact on their lives when they were in office.

    The independent national electoral commission (INEC) has been assuring the nation of its determination to conduct a credible, free and fair election in the country that would be acceptable by Nigerians and the international communities.

    We hope that as we approach the 2015 elections, our politicians would place the interest of the country at heart by conducting themselves in civilised manner to ensure Nigerians elect leaders that would make the nation to develop and grow.

    Bala  Nayashi

    No 1 Yashi Areas

  • Justice is no more with us

    Today, we are lamenting the departure of our best friend, Justice, who has been our beloved one for many decades. There is no official record of his family or his age, because of changing the office from Bharat to Hindustan and ultimately to India. He will be credited for his contribution to the nation especially for using precious language and advocating for economic equality such as it was my mistake, please forgive me, I am so sorry, pardon me, can I help you, and it is my pleasure.

    Justice followed and lived by straightforward and good financial policies (e.g., don’t take or give any bribe; and don’t misuse public fund or property). And also he developed honest plan and philosophy (e.g., don’t exploit the poor; and the strong must serve the weak).

    His body began to decline speedily when ancient socio-ethos and ethic of India seem to change from corruption-free land to quick service policy of using easy tips method. His wife’s, Love, reports of taking money for just a signature in application; wealth became medium for winning election; and developmental projects are only in file. This gave another additional factor for the immediate deterioration of his health.

    Justice’s foundation was shaken when ‘Have’ and ‘Have-Not’ increased in every towns and villages. He thinks that rich by getting material benefits deprives even the qualified candidates. It further reduced him when his own son’s, Genuine, points were rejected in the meeting and was dropped from the leadership position. Even Justice lost the will to live as he found that the number of religious places is becoming a professional businesses centre; and few hippocratic spiritual leaders getting better treatment than the godly people. Further, his mother, Righteous, informed that she was now witnessing only small trade like wall between religious and secular leadership style.

    Justice’s heart was beating fast when his daughter, Mercy, could not defend her civic rights from a muscle and money power. She told him that wealthy people often override the decision of the meeting, since they are the main donors of the colony, where Mercy lived.

    At last, Justice gave up courage and the will to live after he realised that the dogs owned by many rich Christians are getting better facilities than handicapped relatives of the said dog owner. While he showed that washing soap and polish used for cleaning the vehicle owned by the elite are more costly than the daily wages of a poor widow who lives in that vehicle owners’ house as maid servant. Therefore, ultimately, Justice gave his last breath. In his mortal, Justice was heralded by all his kith and kin.

    He is survived by his five renounced cousins, who always opposed his views. And they are still working in the country and saying I don’t know, I am busy, mind your business, I am your boss and come tomorrow & bring some gift.

    According to his father’s, Truth, word, only a few people attended the funeral service, since no one knows when he departed from us. However, on the funeral day, his dad requested the entire participants ‘if we love and remember him, kindly pass this news to his other friends also.’

     

    Yumri Taipodia

  • Oyo State needs continuity

    SIR: “Ibadan and Oyo State got their names from Wild, Wild, West of the First Republic and that violence continued until recently. I want to commend the governor for ensuring that there is peace in this land and for the development that he has brought to the state. If Oyo State people are appreciative like our people, they will automatically give you a second term”.

    The above was the comment of leading industrialist and elder statesman, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, about the development in Ibadan at the instance of the present administration in Oyo State, during his recent visit to Oyo State to attend the birthday service organized for him at the University of Ibadan.

    The commendation from the Esama of Benin who is not known for sycophancy shows that the state governor, Senator Isiaka Ajimobi has impacted Oyo State and it will not be misdirected if one adds fillip to Igbinedion’s call for continuity in Oyo State.

    Obviously, this will not be an easy task because Ajimobi is not in the good book of some people in the state due to his comportment. Arguably, he his cultured, corporate, formal and elitist. The fact is that, over the years, culture of impunity reigned supreme in the state. Streets and roadside trading, building on the river channels, dumping of refuse in the streams, drainages and on the road sides, culture of violence among the drivers union were notable features. Ajimobi came and put a full stop to all the above. Definitely, his actions have to draw some people’s ire.

    Going down memory lane, Ibadan, the capital was a heap of refuse before Ajimobi’s coming. In actual fact, it was ridiculed as the dirtiest city in Africa, south of Sahara. That has become something of the past. Also, culture of violence amongst the factions of drivers’ union which led to destruction of lives and property, and which defied all solution has been nipped in the bud by Ajimobi.

    Not only that, insecurity in all nooks and crannies of the state, violent armed robbery incidents which were carried out with impunity and led to loss of lives and closure of banks on many occasions have been arrested. Oyo people could now sleep with their two eye firmly closed. Kudos for this goes to Ajimobi for establishing crime bustling security outfit, Operation Burst.

    In addition, is the urban renewal programme which has led to the building of Mokola flyover, the first in 35 years. Fruits of urban renewal policy include road expansion in major cities in the state. The one under construction in Ogbomoso is unprecedented and has given the city a new face.

    As 2015 elections approach, politicians have started awareness campaign and many have been jostling to challenge the incumbent governor. Obviously, very few of the aspirants are worthy of the task, and the few have been tested and their ability known. Others are parvenu and out to make names for themselves; they are not equal to the task. In other not to throw spanner into the good works of the present administration in the state, Oyo people are implored to heed the Esama calls for continuity beyond 2015.

     

     

    • Adewuyi Adegbite,

    Apake, Ogbomoso.

  • The disaster at TB Joshua’s church

    SIR: I have followed the coverage of the ugly event of the collapse of Synagogue Guest-House  and I am shocked that the media appears to have swallowed the ludicrous explanation given by TB Joshua and his team at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).  They are claiming that a six storey building collapsed because a plane circled over it four times and they have even provided CCTV evidence to back up the claim.

    In my opinion, TB Joshua’s media team is trying to manipulate things.

    First of all, if the plane was directly over the building, it would not be so small. The plane was not directly flying over the building. The reason it appeared to be above is because the line of sight is straight.

    Secondly, if the plane was flying directly above the building, the noise would have been deafening.

    Thirdly, the plane that they claim flew over the guest house four times could not have been the same plane. There is no photo evidence of the plane circling the building. They are actually four different planes following the same or similar trajectories.

    Fourthly, has anyone seen the map of Ikotun area of Lagos? If you do, you would notice that Joshua’s church is almost on a parallel line with the trajectory a plane would take to land on the Murtala Mohammed International Airport-MMIA, Ikeja. It is possible that the four planes were just landing at MMIA.

    Someone should visit MMIA and compare the landing times on September 12, with tahe times the four planes flew across the view of the CCTV. I believe the times will coincide.

    TB Joshua should provide us with the building plans of the Guest House and allow for structural tests on the wreckage. This will establish the reason the building collapsed. Members of SCOAN should come clean and apologize to victim’s relations and stop trying to avoid responsibility and culpability.

    • Nehemiah Sokponba

    Medical Store Road Benin-City

  • NUT leadership is selfish

    SIR: Leadership deficit in Nigeria has caught-up with the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), going by the position of the executives of the two organizations on the resumption date of primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.  The government of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ), stunned many Nigerians, when it announced that the schools were not to resume until October 13, because of Ebola. The announcement came at a time when Nigerians were told that the country was on top of the Ebola crisis, and most parts of Nigeria were only hearing about it, and not experiencing it. Above all, no measure that would warrant delay in resumption of schools was announced prior to the decision to extend the resumption date.

    Given the foregoing, the extension announcement made no meaning to many thinking Nigerians, and certain stakeholders immediately protested the absurdity. They argued inter alia that since churches and mosques were not closed, the schools should not be closed. A stronger argument is the fact that people sit closer in our public vehicles and churches than in a normal school setting. To which of these serious arguments have the NUT and NMA addressed themselves? In what sense are the lives of students more precious than the lives of those who attend churches and mosques, and those who board public vehicles? The latter groups are not only adults, but cut across different ages. Even if those who attend churches and mosques, and board public vehicles are only adults, who will take care of the children if the adults die from Ebola?

    At any rate, the star of Ebola is sinking in Nigeria, and nobody should terrify us unduly. I want to know how many members of the NUT and NMA executives have their children in public schools, and how many of them will debar their own children from resuming in their private schools this month?

    Those who know the executive members should expose them, if they go against what they are advocating.  You can now understand why top professionals hold public offices and mess up. Too much of egocentricism and insensitivity bedevil Nigeria. Most people struggle for public offices for self-aggrandizement and not genuine public interest.

    Why did the Jonathan administration make the October 13 announcement in the first instance? I believe it was intended to create confusion, since that is its modus operandi. The administration has succeeded in wriggling itself out of the embarrassment, but who is behind the NUT and NMA’s insistence?

     

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, PhD,

    University of Ilorin.

     

  • Using ICT for national development

    SIR: Nigeria, like most developing nations, has come to recognize the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a catalyst for sustainable socio-economic development. This recognition is well captured in the National Development Plan – Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020: “The increasing globalization driven by ICT makes it imperative for Nigeria as an emerging market to irreversibly consider the application and promotion of ICT strategy to facilitate its rapid growth and development. This will involve the development of a vibrant ICT sector to drive and expand the national production frontiers in agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors. It would also require the application of the new knowledge to drive other soft sectors: governance, entertainments, public services, media sector, tourism, et cetera.”

    This is the way to go! However, Nigeria is not going to get the full potential benefit of ICT until we change our ways.

    Although there are mobile communication devices to suit every pocket nowadays, the tariffs being charged by the telecom operators are still on the high side. And what’s more, the poor quality of service remains a thorn in our flesh. They told us to talk the talk, and now we’re talking everywhere we go. But if we must talk and talk we should at least get value for our money. We are tired of carrying two or three mobile phones as if that’s the way to glow with pride.

    The National Identity Management Commission recently launched the long awaited National Identity (e-ID) Card scheme. We hope they get it right this time around.

    We are a people who hate change. Ironically, Nigerians actually like change to the extent that it suits their personal interests. They can’t wait to own the latest electronic gadgets but electronic voting can wait forever. On this side of the digital divide, whatever would help promote the transparency and efficiency of government institutions and processes hardly stands a chance.

    Conventional wisdom has it that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Therefore, there is need to align the public service with the private sector to allow for a smooth transition to a vibrant digital economy. As of today, most MDAs do not have working ICT structure. As one of its strategies for success, the ICT Ministry ought to push for the creation of ICT Department in every government parastatal. This would help provide an interface necessary for effective implementation of policies aimed at maximizing the levering potential of ICT for national development.

    Similarly, the dearth of IT experts in our public institutions doesn’t help matters. This has created a vacuum currently being filled by non-IT personnel, and exploited by private business partners alike, resulting in misplaced priorities, poor value-for-money solutions, and tasteless service delivery..

    Nigeria needs to leverage its investment in ICT to gain a significant competitive advantage in the rapidly changing global economy. As a way forward, government should provide security; expand national infrastructure such as power and broadband; encourage private sector investment in the ICT industry; deploy and ensure full utilization of ICT infrastructure on all fronts – Education, Health, Agriculture, Oil & Gas, et cetera.

    If we are serious about becoming one of the world’s leading economies in this age then we must realize that ICT is not a “nice to have” asset but a sine qua non for transforming Nigeria into a knowledge economy.

    • John Adebisi,

    Abuja

  • TAN’s offensive rallies

    SIR: If Nigeria were to be a country where commonsense means anything, especially the ruling elite, kick-starting any form of political campaign or rally ahead of the 2015 general election at this critical moment would be the last thing on anyone’s mind.  I consider it shameful and laughable that a country of Nigeria’s size and pedigree now runs to Cameroun and Chad to secure her borders!

    We are presently at the mercy of Boko Haram’s increasing onslaught and our leaders’ screaming incompetence. An average Nigerian lives in fear, lacks access to basic needs of life. To worsen matters, the nation’s abundant material resources is tapped, processed and shared by our glutinous leaders and their cronies. Nothing is said about the poor masses. They only remember them during elections.

    It is the annoying how some individuals are trying hard to sell a cheap dummy to us ahead of the 2015 general election. The body behind this badly packaged campaign is the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN). It claims it is doing the bidding of Nigerians by collecting signatures of those who desire that President Goodluck Jonathan seeks re-election in the 2015 presidential election.

    Those behind TAN are faces we are very much familiar with. These same individuals were part and parcel of those who worked for President’s Jonathan election way back in 2011.

    I wonder why we should daily be viewing 2015 election campaign ads at a time the whereabouts of over 200 school girls remain unknown, having been seized from their hostels by suspected Boko Haram members more than four months ago. The sad reality is that the system, after operating in denial, appears clueless as to what to do to secure the release of these innocent girls. One had expected the system to remain sober, and keep reassuring Nigerians of what it is doing to bring back the girls alive. It is however disturbing that, apart from the #BringBackOurGirls group and a few other voices, most Nigerians have since moved on as though these girls in captivity were never part of us as a nation. This is how terrible things have become in this part of the world. We are always in a hurry to forget things that should ordinarily remain permanent in our hearts.

    Imagine a nation grappling with excruciating and monstrous insurgency spending heavily on pre-election campaigns through money-gulping rallies and media ads. TAN and its activities are a sad reminder of what we all witnessed when the dark-goggled General Sani Abacha nursed the evil idea of transmuting from a military head of state to a civilian president. The story of how one Daniel Kanu launched his One Million Man March code-named, Youth Earnestly Ask for Abacha (YEAA) is still very fresh in our memory. Kanu and his team of opportunists formed part of those recruited to drum support for Abacha’s plot to remain in power for life. The rest as they say, is now history.

    Sadly, since we are bad students of history, we have since obliterated that part of our recent past from our minds and information warehouse. We have since moved on, as usual, pretending as though all is well. Like the YEAA campaigners, these TAN fellows are spending heavy sums of money to ‘impress it on the President to seek re-election’.

    The whole thing is a grand deception; an unintelligent attempt to divert attention from burning national issues. Regrettably, the President, the very man these fellows are spending heavily on, keeps recording spectacular lows in all areas of our national life. He appears ill-informed and not abreast of happenings within and around his office as president.

    Who is financing TAN’s activities is another germane question. We demand urgent answer to this question. How come the group’s activities are centred around President Jonathan alone? We had better watch this disturbing trend before it consumes us and all that we hold so dear to ourselves.

    Abdullahi Yunusa

    Imane, Kogi State

  • UBA, pay me my money

    SIR: I am currently a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving Abuja. On August 3, I attempted cash withdrawals with my UBA MasterCard from the UBA branch opposite Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Makurdi for which I was debited N5,000 even though the Automatic Machine Teller (ATM) did not dispense the cash.

    I know it is small money but it matters a lot to me because it’s my sweat.

    I have gone to UBA branches in Keffi and Abuja, filled all manners of forms to no avail. I even called their head office but up till now I have not been refunded the money. It’s now over one and half months since the incident took place. This has caused me lots of inconveniences. Please, how do I get UBA to refund my money?

    Opaluwa Omera ,

    Abuja

     

  • Re: Wrong way to go

    SIR: The Nation editorial, page 17 of Thursday, August 7, titled Wrong way to go refers. The article appears to have been intended to ridicule and rubbish the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme of the Federal Government being  implemented by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency  (NESREA).

    The EPR is a waste management model which many countries have since adopted in an effort to surmount challenges posed on the environment by non-degradable materials. The programme is in line with the zero-waste idea which is now the norm

    worldwide and is encouraged by international environmental bodies. The  globally acceptable standard is the application of the 5R concept – Recover, Reduce, Repair, Recycle and Reuse. Here, emphasis is placed on the need to recover waste materials, reduce, repair or recycle them for further use.

    In furtherance of promoting best practices in the environment sector through EPR, the Committee on Environment of the House of Representatives held a stakeholders’ meeting on the EPR programmes in Abuja, onJune 10. Stakeholders at the meeting identified EPR as, “a necessary step to take if our industries are to become more responsible corporate citizens as it addresses the lifecycle issues of products, especially what happens to them at the end of their life.”

    The implication is that responsibilities of producers go beyond pushing their products into the market and leaving Nigerians to suffer the harmful effects of the waste which litter the streets and pollute our environment.

    In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, stakeholders were unanimous in adopting the stand that, “All producers should take responsibility of incorporating environmental concerns in the design, process and disposal of their product, including the packaging” and also, maintained that “industry and business should build synergy with all relevant stakeholders including the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN); Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA); and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to explore opportunities, and deepen the understanding and implementation of EPR.”

    Many of these companies are multi-nationals who already practice EPR in their countries of origin and many other countries where they operate. Adopting the same model in Nigeria therefore, cannot and should not be a problem for them. The stakeholders particularly in the manufacturing sector, were very well carried along in every step of the EPR programme design. As is traditional with NESREA, no programme is ever developed and implemented without inputs from stakeholders. EPR is no different. As a matter  of fact, some companies have started implementing EPR programme but in a quasi-form.

    In many western countries where EPR is in force, as companies are setting up their production outfits, they are also, alongside, setting up their recycle plants where they receive the ‘waste’ from their products in the form of metals, plastics, can, etc and process them for re-use or other uses. This is the point we need Nigeria to get to.

    In some cases, companies engage the services of already existing recycle plants to reprocess the wastes from their products. Usually there is a form of agreement between the parties as to cost and benefit sharing.

    The manufacturers do not seek the help of government in moving their products to all nooks and crannies of the country. Whatever strategy they have adopted in pushing their products should also serve as a network for recovering the waste. Of course, this does not mean the duty of government to collect waste from Nigerians is cancelled, no. The idea is just that any waste that has a producer’s label on it SHOULD be recovered by the producer.

    Again, we must not fail to acknowledge the job creation opportunities which will be opened up by this programme if properly implemented. The steps being taken by the federal government so far is in the best interest of Nigerians, including the manufacturers.

    • Sule Oyofo

    NESREA, Abuja

     

  • Is Nigeria Humpty Dumpty?

    SIR: The activities of rampaging Boko Haram in north-eastern Nigeria with the terrorists overrunning many towns and villages, and the dismal response of the Nigerian state to the unbridled brigandage should be a cause for concern for patriotic Nigerians. The poorly-equipped Nigerian Army, contrary to what President Goodluck Jonathan voiced sometime back, again shows that corruption is Nigeria’s number one problem. With the huge defence budget over the years, how come the Nigerian Army is poorly equipped? The advances made by Boko Haram also shows that either our intelligence services failed in their responsibilities over the years, or people who were to take actions based on gathered intelligence compromised the Nigerian state.

    For more than 150 days now, more than 200 girls have been kidnapped by the insurgents and we all seem to be going about normally as if nothing has happened. Nigeria appears to be in a free fall! As I contemplated these happenings, I remember the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty. Is Nigeria Humpty Dumpty?

    • Victor O. Adetimirin

    University of Ibadan