The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Sir Ahmadu Bello: 51 years after

    Sir Ahmadu Bello: 51 years after

    SIR: Tomorrow marks 51 years since Sardauna Ahmadu Bello was brutally asassinated alongside with his dear wife by soldiers who took over the reins of government.

    Ahmadu Bello will continue to be remembered by generations upon generations because of his selfless service to the northern region. It is on record that he paved the way for the development of the region during and after the keen struggle for the attainment of the country’s independence.

    Sardauna’s leadership greatly added value to the development of the region and its people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. He was one leader that embraced all the people of the north irrespective of their tribe or religion. No wonder he had in his kitchen cabinet, the likes of late Micheal Audu Buba, late Sunday Awoniyi, late Pastor David Lot and a host of others from minority tribes in the north. His motto was anchored on work and worship. The core civil service under his leadership devoted a lot of time to ensure that the north caught up with the rest of the country in development. It was based on this that the policy of manpower development was initiated. This saw the training of northerners in some of the world best schools especially in Britain.

    If the successive generations of northern leaders had carried on from where the late Sardauna Ahmadu Bello stopped, the north would have been a different story today and the kind of distrust and misgivings that is prevalent would have been history.

    What preoccupies the mindset of today’s northern leaders is accumulation of ill-gotten wealth to the detriment of the people. The late Sardauna did not believe in accumulation of wealth. At his death in the hands of the mutineers, he left behind only a mud house and no fat account in any bank.

    He laid the foundation for the building of a virile and cohesive north despite its heterogeneous nature with more than 200 ethnic nationalities. He also held the entire north under one umbrella despite the divergent tribes in the region.

    He did not condone any kind of misdemeanor. He deposed the then Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi who was his bosom friend when he was found wanting in the discharge of his responsibility.

    Above all, he cared less about his personal comfort and that of his family. Today, he is being eulogised for his superlative performances as the first and only Premier produced by the north. Fifty-one years have gone by, but he is still fondly remembered by the old and the young.

    • Usman Santuraki,

    Jambutu, Jimeta-Yola.

     

  • Governance by blackmail

    Governance by blackmail

    SIR: “We should be constructive in our criticisms so that we do not inadvertently encumber the rebuilding of our nation. The President of Nigeria must be transported safely at all times. The cost may seem exorbitant now, but it would be impossible to put a price tag on good governance and an efficiently run country”.

    This statement was made in 2010 by President Goodluck Jonathan in a bid to replenish the ever-increasing fleet of the Presidential aircraft. Three planes were subsequently added to the PAF that same year, and another two in 2011 and 2012, totalling 10!

    Now this. The 2014 budget before the National Assembly has a slush provision of N1.6 billion as deposit for the purchase of a new aircraft for the presidential fleet that already boasts a record 10 planes and is ranked among the most luxurious across the globe.

    President Jonathan has established that corruption is the air his government breaths. The sum of N2.58 trillion paid out in the oil subsidy mega-scam of 2011 is the greatest act of looting of the national treasury since independence. As part of the squander mania, the US$21 billion in the Excess Crude Account (ECA), which was the balance in the account when Jonathan became acting President in 2010, has since been drawn down to less that US$2 billion presently.

    In the last 14 years, PDP has proved to be a colossal disaster. Shortly before the party took over in 1999, the price of oil was eight dollars a barrel. The military built universities, seaports, the highways, airports, hospitals and all the visible edifices you can find anywhere in the country. In the last 14 years, with oil price between $100 and $170 a barrel, the PDP cannot maintain what they inherited. Instead, they sold the nation’s commonwealth to themselves and their cronies.

    President Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda is nothing more than empty sloganeering solely meant to transform personal friends of the administration. No pretences should be made about this.  Aso Rock mole hints that if it were possible for the President to open the vault of heaven to woo back the millions of defecting PDP members against his ineffectual government, the President would been readily open for it. This cast of governance is the sort that takes a nation to the abyss. We hope that the Presidency and its minders take note.

     

    • Erasmus Ikhide,

    Lagos.

     

  • Omatseye’s For love of Nigeria

    SIR: I read Sam Omatseye’s article with the above title published in The Nation of Monday January 6. I must say I enjoyed the article just as I have enjoyed so many others before this. I was however moved to write this time, because I was not impressed with the back and forth thoughts on the manner of sacrifice or nature of patriotism expected of our politicians to display.

    Sam talked about our politicians having to learn from the Mandela type of patriotism, and sacrifice their Winnie, but just when I expected him to build on that, he returned to say we did not need that much. That’s where I got disappointed.

    You are very aware of the rot in our nation, orchestrated by corruption which has seeds sown in all aspects of our lives as a people. Why then should we set the bar so low and demand just a year of rules and civility, when the potential for a lot more dwells within?

    As a nation, Nigerians have suffered untold hardship in our efforts to remain one. Lives have been lost in crisis; both political and ethnic, violence and impunity have become a way of life. Amenities to ensure the everyday life of Nigerians is made easier, bearing in mind our huge resources, is without.

    I therefore say, Mr. Omatseye, that what our nation needs are true leaders, willing to make whatever sacrifice it will take to turn this nation on the right path. Leaders, who are willing to sacrifice their Winnie, make the vow of Jephtah or get their families butchered.

    This is the only type of patriotism and love for country that will see Nigeria turn a new leaf and ensure years of rules and civility.

    • Emmanuel Moses

    Port Harcourt

  • Abia airport and seaport, misplaced priorities

    SIR: The plan by the the Abia State government to embark on the construction of a seaport and an airport in the state is not only a misplaced priority, it is a white elephant project that would turn out to be a big financial waste. There are very critical sectors in the state that demands the governor’s attention for development rather than these projects that would end up not contributing to the economic development of Abia at this time.

    One wonders why the haste to build an airport and a seaport now? With just 17 months left for the governor to complete his tenure, how does he hope to complete these projects? Should we remind the TA Orji administration that the airports at Owerri and Enugu do not presently witness more than two departure and arrival flights in a day? And, we all know that, it is mostly the political class and few wealthy individuals who use these airports. So, it is not true when they say it is to advance the economic interest of the state and region that they are constructing these projects. In fact, it is also on record that few airlines ply this route because of low patronage of passengers. Of all the airports in the South-east and South-south, it is only the Port-Harcourt International Airport that appears very busy while others operate at low ebb.

    The development of the economy anywhere would depend on how the infrastructures there are improved. Governor Orji would help boost the economy of the state, attract investors, the moment he decides to do the right things first. The few federal roads that connect to Aba, the commercial city of Abia, for instance, Port Harcourt – Aba – Umuahia, Ikot-Ekpene – Aba, Owerri – Aba roads are all in a state of disrepair. These roads deserve to be properly built and maintained considering the heavy human and vehicular traffic they carry daily. Agreed, they are federal roads, but we stand to gain much from their repair and maintenance. More so, the governor is a good friend and loyalist to President Goodluck Jonathan hence, an agreement can be reached between him and the President on one hand and, the federal minister of works on another, on the refund of expenses to be incurred by the state government in putting the roads in order.

    We had thought that, first, Aba, the commercial nerve centre would attract the government’s massive investment to advance the state’s economic base, create employment, increase its capital earning and become less dependent on Abuja. Aba remains the only magic wand to transform Abia State economically. The airport and seaport construction that the government is considering now in the state will mean next to nothing when Aba is still very poorly developed. Major industrialists, manufacturers are shutting down and relocating their businesses for more conducive and friendly business environments. In the last couple of years, some fabric and shoe-making industries in Aba have relocated to Abuja and Lagos because of the harsh economic climate in Aba, thereby making Abia State lose revenue. Others with huge business interests in Abuja, Lagos and other cities have refused to relocate or locate a branch because of the disappointing economic climate there. The question for the governor and his men is – what is the economic attraction in the state right now to warrant a seaport or an airport?

     

    • Uzodinma Nwaogbe

    Abuja

  • For the love of religious ecstasy

    SIR: Open your mouth and start giving God thanks. And like a clogged gutter that finds an outlet, the flood of words gush out. The congregation rapidly voices out their burdening intentions. The supplications flow without restriction like incantations from a subconscious medium. The cacophony of sound shakes the air. Bitterness and anger ruffle the wind.

    There is rapturous weeping, wailing and moaning. Like excited juveniles in a rock concert, worshippers surrender themselves in a spiritual jamboree.

    The deepness of the outpouring of hidden thoughts is explosive to understand. Words of castigation by believers rattling like a burning fire. The devil is a liar. My enemies will burn in hell fire. Holy Ghost fire must burn the hands holding down my progress. They furiously burst with fire the shackles of bondage. The projection of the demonic force seems circuitous. Worshippers are venting their condemnation of one another or relatives who they judged have wronged them.

    Shouting down the Holy Spirit like it is the day of Pentecost is the rave in many churches. Participants brazenly endeavor to ritualize the occasion when truth was manifested to believers to show the clarity of God. This is an act of vanity. A group of zealots cannot pretend to meet the biblical sanctity to come together to stage the spiritual phenomenon. One shouting all through the night to call down the Holy Spirit will cause sore throat and severe tiredness through the day, at best, a psychological release. God is not so far away that He cannot hear the divine mediation of a saint. God is in the forefront of your presence and your life will be an embodiment of miracles when you observe Him.

    Looking up to man to bring down the spiritual light from heaven is like believing in magic. God did not create man to understand His ways. Trusting your life in the hands of another to make your problems disappear is recklessness. One is inclined to believe that the punishment will be greater for the megalomaniacs who sell fantasy to the searching souls. An Igbo adage asks the question, a doctor that cures dysentery where does he put his buttocks. It is the flare of ambition that blinds some gifted people to cross the boundary of glory.

    Magnificent light appears to those who sleeplessly seek the love of angels. It dawns before their eyes to light their hearts with joy. It is as simple as a rose to see the love of God. The glimmer of beauty like stars dotting the blue sky caresses the rough places. Nature can testify that the Holy Spirit is ever present whether you shout down from heaven or whisper from the deepest valley. It is a struggle to walk the barren desert. The sparkle of a falling spring is divine. The creator made both the desert and the spring to serve His purposes. Shine your eyes in the light of the sun and you will find peace in your journey. Bang not your head against a rock to find water. It is free!

    • Pius Okaneme,

    Umuoji, Anambra State.

  • Who is afraid of social media criticism?

    Recently, the Senate said the bill to sanction any person found to use any social media to either criticise or say anything that would endanger the security of the country has passed second reading at the chamber. The bill, after being passed into law, provides that anybody who is found guilty would either spend seven years in prison or a fine of N5 million.

    The Senate should realise that all the social media, whether Facebook or Twitter have been the only source most people use to express their views to all and sundry across the world.

    The bill would be dead on arrival, because this social media has created a lot of awareness amongst users. Hence, the bill when passed would be an effort in futility and a waste of time.

    We are living in a free world where individual rights can’t be trampled upon. This measure to stem the use of Facebook or Twitter is akin to muzzling the public to stop expressing their views.

    This social media has played a significant role in sensitising the public and also as a medium of public expression of some bad policies of government and this has resulted in the government becoming aware of what the public want to have without any hindrance.

    The National Assembly should have at the back of its mind what the electorate that elected them want is to legislate on what would bring much progress to them not some unrealistic bills.

    We would like to call on the Senate to reason along responsible and acceptable decisions for the benefit of those that sent them to represent them in that hallow chamber.

    By Bala Nayashi

    Lokoja

    Kogi State.

     

  • Unkind postures of the boss

    Some of our ‘Ogas at the top’ behave as if they do not need love from their ‘Boys at the bottom’. They loathe showing kindness to their Boys. What they see as the showing of kindness is the pittance they give to their Boys, even when the Boys must be working tirelessly for recognition and uplift.

    The Boys exhibit the most kindness, but are rewarded with a lot of pain. This act demoralises the Boys, showcasing their Ogas as persons who do not need love and do not recognise love, when given them. The Boys are the ones who take care of the Ogas’ every need, but are not taken care of in the appropriate manner that would make them to smile, when no one is around.

    In the relationship between the Ogas and the Boys, the former see it as something that the Boys alone must be giving, without them showing love, forgiveness, kindness, compassion to the Boys, when they need them the most.

    The life the Ogas live is the continuous keeping of the Boys at the level they were picked; the Ogas prefer feigning a life of completeness and purity, by only helping those of their friends and cronies, who already have enough; they do not help the Boys, because the Boys have not helped them financially.

    The Ogas would prefer to hurt the Boys, because of preferences. The Ogas have a knack in showing friendship in words alone to the Boys, without their hearts burning with loving-kindness for all the Boys, who crossed their paths, for a change to come their ways. The Ogas have refused to be lectured to understand that kindness means the quality of being kind and not, the quality of amassing wealth and owning conglomerate of cartels and business empires.

    To be an Oga does not mean to have a large crowd of Boys, who do your works for you, but to also be kind, considerate and generous to them, so that they could enjoy the legacy of having their own Boys by tomorrow, whom they would in-turn show kindness, generosity towards in order to become Ogas. Being an Oga should go with kindness and meaningful generosity, not for political or cheap publicity, but also for virtue to foster humanity.

    It was written: “Little deeds of kindness and little words of love make the earth pleasant like the heavens above. A part of kindness involves in loving people more than they deserve. Everyone responds to kindness.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), German writer, philosopher and scientist, was it who said, “If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.”

    The Ogas are much interested in making more money and rich friends and not in becoming really interested in the affairs of their Boys and trying to get them uplifted. The Ogas are ready to go for the kill if reminded of the prudent saying of a George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish playwright and journalist thus: “If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.”

    They go for this kill to remain at the top. And while the Ogas make progress by the efforts of their Boys, whom they hardly take to cognisance are smarter than them, they do not create positive force field of attraction that repels the anguish of the Boys, so that the Boys would one day be like them. They prefer to create a negative work force against the Boys by creating fear, lavishing blame on the Boys, instead of wealth. And they forgot that when the Boys are not happy, the work is internally not given the best.

    Conversely, it pays to be kind. This makes persons to be citizens of the world. Let the Ogas learn to show kindness to their Boys for their direction in life.

     

    By Odimegwu Onwumere

    Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

  • Re: Family denies report on Oshodi ‘ownership’

    SIR: I wish to comment on the report in The Nation of December 24, 2013 page 37 on the dispute between Oshodi-Tapa and Agedegudu Onigbesa families.

    I am of Salihu Oba-Tapa family descendant. Salihu is my great-grand father. He lived and died in Tanmeda-Aguda which naturally turned to be my ancestral home. Suffice to state here that my grand-father was born in Tanmeda-Aguda but grew up in a compound in Iganmu. There he lived and gave birth to my father in 1919. My grand-father later died and was buried in Iganmu. I was also born and grew-up in the same compound in Iganmu like my father and the compound was like my home but in early 90s, I developed the quest to trace my ancestral home which led to a lot of discoveries.

    The findings made me to understand that Salihu Oba-Tapa (as well known in Tanmeda-Aguda) in not from Nupe (Tapa) in present Niger and Kwara states but are of Egun stock. He only migrated to Tanmeda and settled. History reveals that Salihu is a very strong traditionalist. He is a close friend to Oshodi-Tapa and Debari in Shomolu-Bariga. Around 1855, the trio, in a quest to improve in their prowess embarked on a mission which took them to a town called Kusoko in the present either Niger or Kwara State. (There are three Kusoko villages in Nupe tribe).

    Salihu, Oshodi and Debari travelled to Kusoko, lived there and embraced their religion – the worship of Igunuko. They all returned to Lagos together and settled at their former abode, established and introduced their new found religion in their various areas. While Salihu covered Tanmeda-Aguda, Iganmu, Ijesha and by extention, Ota in Ogun State, Debari covered Shomolu-Bariga while Oshodi covered the present Oshodi-Ile in Lagos Island, Mafoluku and Oshodi-Oko in present popular Oshodi.

    The introduction of the worship of Igunuko common with the Nupe (Tapa) made people to indentify them with the Tapas hence Oshodi-Tapa, Salihu Oba-Tapa and Debari too. But without mincing words, Salihu originated from Iweme and is likely that the rest two also originates from same area.

    I agree with the opinion that the Agedegudu Onigbesa is a landlord to Oshodi who is likely of Dahomey origin like his friends. It is pertinent to also state that they are now of Lagos origin because we are talking of a well over 150 years history.

    In conclusion, we all need to bury our pride on either one is master or servant. No one germinated from the ground. We all came, settled and claim where we long stayed. Agedegudu Onigbesa families should not continue seeing Oshodi-Tapa families as strangers. More so, Onigbesa is of Awori tribe that also originated from the present Ado-odo-Ota Local Governemnt Area of Ogun State.

     

    • Alhaji Babatunde Salihu

    Tanmeda – Aguda, Lagos

  • OYSG: Stop after-school lessons

    SIR: Since the inception of the Abiola Ajimobi administration in Oyo State, parastatals of the government have witnessed dramatic changes in terms of zero tolerance for corrupt practices but the secondary schools in the state appears not to have experienced this change.

    Some principals/teachers who believe they are untouchable, especially in the South-east and South-west local government in Ibadan are always looking for ways to exploit parents through compulsory lessons after school hours despite the fact that the administration had warned public secondary schools to stop all forms of extra classes after school hours. They pretend to be after the performances of the children but it is because of ridiculous N30 or N50 they collect daily.

    Some collect N30 or N50 from each student per day while a particular school charge N2000 student per term. The fact of the matter is that they actually do the normal classwork in their so called ‘extra’ and make every student pay by force. The topics taught in the extra lessons are never repeated in the normal classes and those taught in the normal classes are not repeated in the extra lessons. Should we call that extra lesson? Who is deceiving who?

    Should extra class affect the normal classes for which the principals/teachers are paid? This deceitful act was common in many private schools but we now experience it in public secondary schools in Oyo state. They make many parents that do not have time for their children believe they are helping them when they are not. These deceptive and fake extra classes do not give those of us that are ready to be responsible for the performances of our children time to take care of them.

    Public schools were not known for extra lessons; they closed by 2pm and the performances were much better. Now that we have so many extra classes, and the children leave school late, where are the records of good performances in WAEC, NECO AND UTME? The only record of performance we have seen is the record of malpractices. If not, how can a student do well in Oyo state qualifying exam and still fail or have incomplete result in public exams?

    We parents believe in the zero tolerance of this administration for indiscipline and evil acts, and we shall be grateful if this administration can put an end to any class beyond 2pm in public secondary schools in Oyo State so that teachers will concentrate on their primary assignment without the option of doing their normal class work after school hours.

    • Concerned parents,

    Ibadan

  • Let’s have a peoples’ constitution

    SIR: God, in His wisdom made President Goodluck Jonathan agree to have a national confab by whatever name. He might have his own agenda as being alleged by some observers. My own take is that we as Nigerians should latch on to it and make it work for us!

    In this light, I align with the Igbo Leaders of Thought that we should fashion out a new constitution that will reflect the people’s aspirations, not the decree that we parade at the moment.

    My own suggestions for consideration include a return to Parliamentary system of government as the Presidential system is too expensive or is it the way we operate it that makes it so?

    If we must retain the Presidential system, then, we have to peg the number of aides that can be appointed.  Let us revert to regions with each of the current six zones constituting a region. The Salaries and Wages Commission should fix the pay for everybody, from the President to the messenger. We should scrap the Revenue Mobilization and Allocation Commission.

    Finally, we should have only part time legislators who will only receive sitting allowance, while we should scrap the House of Representatives.

    Incidentally, PRONACO has already fashioned a constitution for the nation, let us take a look at it for guidance. There are also some recommendations from the Obasanjo conference which will be very beneficial to the nation!!!!

    • Abiodun Sopitan

    Oregun, Ikeja