The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Ted Cruz’s absurd comment about Nigerians

    I watched, like every American, and the rest of the world, the unnecessary spectacle that led to the US Government shutdown for 16 days. While Americans are breathing some sigh of relief that their Government has finally re-opened, after losing so much, including a loss of “at least $200 million a day,” Senator Ted Cruz, in the most bizarre, absurd manner, tried to show his harboured animus toward Nigeria and Nigerians by exploiting some correctable computer “glitches” that customarily affect big companies that are first working with a very large volume of data.

    What Ted Cruz said with such reckless abandon was to condemn Nigeria, Nigerian government, and Nigerians all over the world. To him, Nigerians are scammers, unprofessional, and “of no good.”

    Now, let us first explore what Ted Cruz’s statement means, and finally answer the ultimate question, “why did he say that?”

    Let us assume, for the moment, that all the Engineers hired by the US Government to run the Affordable Healthcare website are all Nigerians. Now, what does that really say of Nigerians in the US? It clearly and unequivocally says that some Nigerians have actually attained such lofty professional heights in the US and the world, writ large. Put differently, there is no way Americans, especially American government officials, will hire any African or foreigner, at the job level we are talking about, with less than first-class, superior resume or curriculum vitae.

    One must also notice that in every society, including the United States of America, there are natural, native born “scammers.” No society is immune to fraudulent people of some sort. Consider this: Grace Commission was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to look into how Pentagon (the US Defense Headquarter) spends money appropriated by the US Congress. This Commission was created, following some whistleblower report. Here is one of the mind-boggling, startling findings by Grace Commission (1984): Pentagon was spending $91 on a 3-cent screw.

    It does not take Solomon’s wisdom for one to figure out that there are some American contractors – red-white-blue American contractors – scamming the US Government. Hence, Pentagon was paying $91 on a screw one can simply buy 3 cents from ordinary hardware store.

    Now, does this finding by Grace Commission make all Americans scammers, unprofessional, and “of no good”? Common sense says NO!

    So, instead of Ted Cruz allowing the engineers to do what engineers do in such normal circumstances of “glitches” – i.e., take a breather, clear some cobwebs, take a second look, and try to find the source(s) of the glitches – he found it compelling to juxtapose such glitches with what he considers “Nigerian scammers”. This is absurd, to say the least. To publicly malign Nigeria, Nigerian Government, and Nigerian people in this manner is totally uncalled for, mean-spirited, and highly disrespectful of his office as a Senator.

    It must be stated, rather boldly and poignantly, that there are good, law-abiding Nigerians in the continent of Africa, in the US, and all over the world obeying the laws of the land, discharging their professional duties with honesty, decency, and professional decorum. Further, there are so many Nigerians fulfilling their civic responsibilities in the US, and participating in the US electoral process – some of them, I am sure, voted for Ted Cruz in Texas. Therefore, to use the usual glitch, which engineers encounter all the time in say Microsoft, Apple, AT&T, General Motors, Toyota, Mercedes Benz, and other big companies that handle huge volume of data, to condemn Nigeria and Nigerians is totally out of line.

    Now, one must ask the ULTIMATE question: Why did Senator Ted Cruz make such absurd and disparaging comments about Nigerians?

    Seriously, the answer is not buried in rocket science; the answer is rather very simple. Ted Cruz and his likes know, for instance, that they will NEVER leave American banks to bank in Nigerian banks – NEVER! They know they will never leave their schools to collapse only to send their children to Nigerian schools to study. They know they will never leave their own hospitals to collapse only to fly themselves and their family members to Nigeria for medical checkup and treatment. They know that no matter what they do or say about Nigeria, so many Nigerian leaders will always do what they do best, namely, abandon Nigerian banks to bank abroad; abandon Nigerian schools to send their children to study abroad; abandon Nigerian hospitals to fly abroad for medical checkup and treatment; abandon Nigerian people only to feed Swiss people and their cohorts with Nigerian oil money. In other words, they know that there will be no meaningful, substantive response(s) from Nigerian Government – NONE! ZERO!! Indeed, Ted Cruz and his likes understand that lots of Nigerian leaders have yet to understand the meaning of true patriotism – i.e., the love of a country. If they did, the N10 Billion (Ten Billion Naira) squandered on Independence Day dance celebration this month in Nigeria, for instance, could have been invested in Nigerian roads, schools, science, research, hospitals, and other infrastructures to command respect for Nigeria around the world.

    So, Nigerian leaders must wakeup and bear this in mind at all time: leadership is action and not a position, and that leadership is parenthood. Just as parents take care of their own people, leaders must take care of their own people. If leaders abandon their own people, their people will become a laughing stock of the whole world. It is as simple as that. Nigerian leaders must learn a big lesson from such ugly, disrespectful statements by Senator Ted Cruz and his likes, and do everything in their power to build up Nigeria (with Nigerian oil money while oil still remains a source of huge revenue in the world today) so that the likes of Ted Cruz and the world will start respecting Nigeria and her people.

    Bedford Nwabueze Umez, Ph.D, Lee College, Baytown, Texas, USA

  • Power sector’s new dawn

    SIR: The privatization of the power sector is,indeed, a dream come true. It offers the promise of total emancipation for Nigerians who have been subjected to captivity of power failure.

    Nigerians have so much lived in ‘darkness’ that the jubilation, whenever power is restored for a while, defies the sense of dignity and decorum. It had always been an eruption of ‘up NEPA!’ in every home, street and community.Funny enough, this is not the shouts of children alone, but of

    adults as well. If this is not captivity that a full grown adult shows

    such excitement like someone who just won a jackpot over something he is

    supposed to have constant access to by right, then what is?

    Many Nigerians spend fortune on fuel and dieselto generate power for domestic use. According to the Good Governance Initiative Nigeria (NGGI), a Non Governmental Organization, Nigerians spend a whooping 2.7trillion naira annually on fuelling generators. Many small and medium scale businesses, firms, and industries have been thrown out of market as they can no

    longer afford to generate power for their daily activities. Many large

    firms barely survive.

    The power sector privatization is no doubt, a great feat by the government. Against all odds, the processes and the formal handing over of the sector to the private power generation and distribution companies were finalised and actualised respectively, on November 1. Not only was this singular achievement by the government widely applauded,it also marked a historic dawn.

    The impact of this privatization on the economy will definitely be enormous on the long run. There will be decrease in cost of production as manufacturers will experience reduction in the cost of purchase of fuel and diesel to power their equipment for production. The effect of this will be a reduction in prices of goods and services, increase in demand/sales, revenue, GDP and standard of living of the people. As demand increases, there will be need for increase in supply which calls for increase in output and expansion of plants and industries. These, no doubt, will call for employment of more workers; reducing the problem of unemployment in the system.

    Also, it will create enabling environment for industrialization.

    Industries and businesses which rely so much on power to carry out their

    activities will thrive. New industries will be established,creating a market economy where competition among firms leads to efficiency

    and qualitative production of goods and services which culminate in industrialization and economic growth. Foreign investors will, equally, be attracted; generating foreign capital inflow and capital formation in the economy, to mention, but a few.

    Therefore, we must all embrace this new ‘mark on the sand of time’; we must all follow up on this new era our great nation is being driven to with full optimism. We must patiently wait for it to fully unfold and blossom, as this can only happen overtime and not overnight. Watch out for new Nigeria!

     

    • Justine Nwanakwere

    University of Portharcourt

  • Why our leaders prefer to die abroad

    SIR:  The failure of our rulers cannot be measured only by the visible decay of infrastructure and the dwindling quality of our lives but also by the way they prefer to die.  While ordinary citizens live their miserable lives unsung in the country, our leaders, or rather, rulers on whose shoulders rest the responsibility of taking us beyond the miserable 47 years life expectancy live theirs in foreign lands and/or die there.

    It has become fashionable to hear those who should fix our health care delivery system say they travelled abroad for medical check-up or that they had their medical cases treated in India or London. When our presidents, governors or their amiable and not so amiable spouses, or lucky children fall sick with the flu, the nearest medical facility is the one in London or Germany. It is the people that are sentenced to attend the panadol-dispensing clinics they call teaching or specialist hospitals here in our country.

    In our culture, the dead is treated with so much respect that we are told that it is more dignifying to die and be buried at home than in a foreign land. Now, it appears fashionable to travel in the luxury of a business-class for medical treatment abroad and be brought back here for burial in the baggage compartment of an airliner. What a shame.

    Dying far away from home like they do is an indictment on the poor, unfeeling, insensitive and profligate governance which our rulers have provided and continually provide us ordinary citizens of Nigeria. If our general, specialist or teaching hospitals were working, our rulers would not need to travel to foreign lands for answers to their medical problems. And it is ironic that it is those who should make our hospitals work to serve our needs who actually lead the way to foreign hospitals. It is even more ironic that many of the medical consultants and other health care providers they rush to patronize abroad are actually Nigerians driven away from home by lack of basic equipment and conducive working environment at home.

    You still want to know why our rulers are dying far away from home? The answer is not far-fetched: there are no facilities here for the proper diagnosis and treatment of “the afflictions of the wicked” rich and mighty in our country.

    When shall we begin to think seriously about a health care delivery system which guarantees all Nigerians adequate, accessible and affordable diagnostic and management facilities such that no one needs to travel abroad for specialised or general medical care? When will our teaching, specialist and general hospitals be transformed from death centres to truly teaching and specialist hospitals good enough to attract the patronage of all of us, including our rulers?

    • Blessing Yakubu,

    Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

  • Nigeria and workplace slavery

    SIR: The damning report of the Australian anti-slavery campaign group, The Walk Free Foundation that Nigeria sweeps the board in mustering the highest number of people living in modern slavery in Africa is not only on the threshold of verifiable truth, but also in the crucible of sordid reality.

    The foundation which defines modern slavery in the vistas and themes of human trafficking, forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, sale and exploitation of children, tangentially obviates workplace slavery, seedy and sub-human working conditions. However, for this pardonable lacuna, it blares out, “Victims of modern slavery, have their freedom denied, and are used and controlled and exploited by another for profit….”

    It is logical and tenable to aver that if the organization had considered critically Nigerian workplaces and the working conditions of Nigerian workers, the published figures of 670,000 and 740, 000 (Nigerians living in modern slavery) would have quadrupled.

    The sad truth is that some Nigerian workplaces are concentration camps, and working conditions in Nigeria are below the crust of salubrious standards.

    It is without a doubt that some organisations in Nigeria do not adhere to labour stipulations as regards the treatment and working conditions of their employees. Labour organisations too, are either timid or indifferent when it comes to defending the rights of workers. This a rough blot on the Nigerian work system. The rising tide of unemployment too has foisted a mentality of “I work or I die” on Nigerian workers that they endure execrable depths of maltreatment, expurgating their rights from the rule books.

    The present conditions of Nigerian workers call for accelerated actions in giving jagged teeth to labour laws protecting Nigerian workers from misuse, abuse, and capital dehumanization by their employers. Workers in general must be treated with dignity, fairness, and respect if maximum output is expected of them. It is when they are treated right that employers can avail themselves of the best of them.

    • Fredrick Nwabufo

    Abuja

  • ASUU/FG imbroglio: Balancing the arguments

    SIR: Watching a recent live programme on the NTA which focused on the ASUU strike elicited a number of emotions. The discussants on the programme acquitted themselves very well. Their aim was nothing but to persuade ASUU to call off the strike. They argued that since the decay in the university system did not start from the Jonathan’s administration, ASUU should not expect a comprehensive repair of the dilapidation that has become the lot of our universities in one fell swoop. They blamed the lecturers for wanting to enjoy the kind of luxury our senators enjoy. Their strong point is that to be a teacher at any level is both a calling and a vocation. A teacher like a parent is forbidden from embarking on strikes. He is under moral obligation to take care of his students no matter the condition in which he finds himself.

    My position is that the appeal is well taken but we have to balance out our arguments. We cannot compare teaching profession of today with those of the days of yore. Today, our teaching is done within the context of meeting the global standards. We need basic teaching tools namely computers, e-books, e-library, vibrant academic linkages with the outside world and a lot more if you are not to bring shame to your institution and the nation at large. For our institutions to qualify for exchange programmes with other global institutions of the world, our environment must at least be minimally conducive to learning and research. Our society today has become a consumerist postmodern world, it is difficult to isolate teachers and say they are not supposed to be affected by the profligate consumption pattern exhibited by our leaders. Remember that our society has become so monetized that nobody is interested in how many degrees you have but what capacity you have in terms of solving incidental financial problems that come your way. If our teachers are not empowered to make the teaching profession attractive to future generation of intellectuals, soon the profession will be abandoned to the never-do-wells of our nation. This will mean penny wise pound foolish. Our leaders must lead in the crusade of trimming our consumption pattern so as not to become so ostentatious and tempting as to corrupt the entire populace. Teachers’ reward should therefore no longer be in heaven because today teachers are living in a globally competitive world and must live up to global expectations if they are not to become irrelevant in the global scheme of things.

    Running higher institutions is not a child’s play. It requires enormous resources-manpower, finance, material, equipment, infrastructure, etc. This means that the government must budget sufficient funds for the education sector and ensure adequate supervision and monitoring of projects and programmes in our tertiary institutions. To be able to carry the burden of financing the educational sector, there is the need to involve the public sector, individuals and NGOs. Government must plug all loopholes through which our nation loses cash to looters. Prudential fiscal policies and management will reduce the rampage of national looting which is currently in vogue. If we are to build competitive human capital then the education sector is one sector that must not be politicized. Government must take far-reaching steps to rebuild eroded trust and instill confidence in ASUU that a new dawn has set upon our educational sector. It should no longer wait for strikes to discharge their obligations to our public universities. We urge our indefatigable President to arise and rebuild his former constituency.

     

    • Prof G. O. Ozumba

    University of Calabar, Calabar.

     

  • That outbreak of cholera

    SIR: Apart from the recent outbreak of cholera in Nigeria that killed three in Lagos and some others in Zamfara, at least 352 people have been killed by this infection in a space of three months. More than 6,400 cases have also been reported, mostly in the North. Doctors are currently monitoring outbreaks in 12 of the 36 states.

    Nigeria had the first series of cholera outbreak between 1970- 1990. Despite this long experience with cholera, an understanding of the epidemiology of the disease and the reason for its persistence is still lacking.

    Developed countries have almost zero incidence of cholera because they have widespread water treatment plants, food-preparation facilities and they observe strict sanitation protocols. Most people have access to toilets and hand-washing facilities. A lot of responsibilities in curbing this epidemic lie with the government although the citizens have a great role to play in battling and subduing cholera.

    Individuals can prevent or reduce their chances of contacting cholera by thorough hand-washing, drinking treated water and eating clean and well prepared food.

    Cholera is an acute infectious disease caused by a bacterium, Vibrio cholerae which results in painless diarrhea (the main symptoms are watery stool and vomiting). Most people who contact this disease get it primarily from drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the faeces (waste product) of an infected person, including one with no apparent symptoms.

    To prevent cholera requires washing the hands frequently with soap and water especially before handling food and after using the toilet. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used when soap and water are not readily available.

    Intervention measures that address the root problems of poor sanitation and unsafe water supplies are required to fully solve the problem of cholera. U.N. figures indicate that half of Nigeria’s population of 160 million do not have access to safe water and a third, to proper sanitation.

    • Tolulope Ojo,

    Lagos

  • When leaders abuse the place of worship

    SIR: The stampede at the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, in Idemili North local government area of Anambra State is one incident that should not be allowed to fizzle out just like others. Trust our leaders, already, politicians and security agencies have all come out threatening fire and brimstone to fish out those behind the ‘dastardly and inhuman act’. Our leaders, just like most Nigerians are very reactionary in nature. We derive unquantifiable pleasure in exhausting energy, time and resources on issues we all know we cannot record any success. Innocent worshippers have been made to die for no justifiable reasons. Dreams shattered, hopes dashed and potential leaders had their journey to stardom truncated. All these happened in just a night, under the watchful eyes of the clergy, politicians and helpless ordinary worshippers.

    The organizer of the crusade, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obinma, where thousands from across Nigeria throng to for prayers, healing and spiritual retreat obviously had no slightest knowledge of the fact that politicians had plans to hijack the gathering for that day. I am very sure, if he had known, the crusade would have been called off at the 11th hour. But like human that he is, he couldn’t have known everything. Regrettably, instead of harvesting souls for God, dead bodies were harvested while several other worshippers sustained varying degree of injuries.

    Expectedly, politicians across different party platforms in the state have since pointed accusing fingers at Governor Obi and his team for being responsible for the attacks and subsequent deaths recorded. Report in some section of the media quoted eye witnesses as saying the stampede occurred when Obi started campaigning for his party candidate and there were shouts of disapproval, causing his security aides to fire tear gas into the crowd. According to the governor, this allegation is a product of mischief and vain attempt to calumnise him and his party, APGA.

    I personally see some sense in the allegation that Governor Obi seized the opportunity of speaking at the programme to canvass support for the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, Chief Willie Obiano ahead of the November 16 governorship election. Trust our politicians; they know how best to kill 20 birds with just a stone. A Nigerian politician is not an opportunity waster. They know when and how to use every opportunity that presents itself to floor their opponents and possibly sell themselves.

    Our clergymen are notoriously becoming insensitive to growing concern about the fact that undeserving personalities are given front rows in our Mosques and Churches. Aside giving them the regular opportunity to brazenly flaunt their ill-gotten wealth, religious leaders often present them as good examples for our teeming youth population. We desire to see men and women of God who could summon the courage to look straight into the eyes of a thief and ask him to take his ill-gotten wealth elsewhere!

    Would the organizers of the Uke Adoration Ground crusade have also allowed candidates of other parties to mount their rostrum and address their congregation? It is high time our clergymen are told in clear terms that people of questionable character shouldn’t be celebrated or given special recognition in our places of worship.

     

    • Abdullahi Yunusa

    Imane, Kogi State

  • Rape convicts deserve death penalty

    SIR: I have followed stories of several incidences of rape, a crime against humanity, committed in numbers across Nigeria. This wicked practice has risen sporadically to an all-time high and now poses a threat to our very existence. Rape isn’t just an offence; it is a crime against humanity with sore consequences on its unfortunate victims. It derobes its victims of their human dignity, body sanctity and innocence with its transcendent consequences of exposure to self-absorption, acute depression, resort to prostitution and or outright death.

    Our society is no more a safe haven for our women and female children. Demons, in human flesh, now prowl our streets, abducting women and ripping them of their self-pride.

    For the umpteenth time, I ask that we cease attributing the rise in acts of sexual acts and rape to poor fashion culture of our female folks. As much as I concur that our women ‘show too much flesh’ in the name of fashion, an evil in itself, it will take a demented man to let loose his libidinous urges because of a woman’s sense of dress. This craziness has to stop and this evil monster, tagged rape, quickly brought to a halt. I propose a capital punishment for convicts of rape crime as it would serve as deterrent to those contemplating it. This, I believe, will help, in no small way, to drastically reduce the high incidences of rape of different dimensions – and no more will the act be seen as a cheap means of sexual gratification while desecrating the bodies of its victims. It is high time the legislative arm of government enact a capital punishment against rape as quickly as they want their bogus salaries paid. Otherwise, apart from losing our sisters and female friends to harsh deaths, decent men, like me, may never get a virgin for wife.

    • Joshua Oyeniyi,

    University of Lagos

     

  • ASUU strike: Much talk about morality

    SIR: As the strike embarked upon by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) enters its fifth month, different groups, observers, individuals and stakeholders in Nigerian Universities have continued to react differently to it. While some have called on ASUU to call off the strike on the ground of morality, others have simply pleaded with her to return to class in the interest of Nigerian students.

    It is worthy to note that the current strike is the result of the failure by Federal Government to honour the agreement it entered with ASUU in 2009. Recall that the 2009 agreement was as result of cumulative efforts of ASUU between the successive military regimes of Babangida, Abdulsalami, and Obasanjo. More worrisome is the recent statement credited to the Senate President, David Mark that: “the current agreement was signed by ignorant government officials”. This remarks from such a highly place personality leaves more to be desired. If the agreement is in error, then the 26% budgetary allocation annually to National Assembly with just 8% to education is definitely an error.

    What is actually the moral thing to do now by all stakeholders of Nigerian University system?

    Will it be morally right to do nothing and have our public universities decay like what is currently happening in Nigerian primary and secondary schools today and allow people to insult ASUU in future for not letting the world know the state of public universities?

    Is it morally right to continue to see our children sitting on the floor receiving lectures and taking examinations; to allow students crowded in the hostel up to 15 to 20 students per room; to continue to use old facilities, outdated textbooks stocked in our libraries?

    Is it morally right to allow private schools built in most cases with stolen funds to thrive at the expense of public schools; for government to continue to deceive itself and Nigerians while enriching the pockets of private individuals; to continue to allow the government to be insincere in its dealings and agreement?

    Probably it is morally right to leave unworthy legacies for our unborn children.

    What is more, is it morally right for government to sponsor a group of students under the umbrella of NANS and market women to protest against a legitimate struggle embarked upon by ASUU that is actually for the betterment of all?

    Government says it has released N100 billion for infrastructural development and N30 Billion for earned allowances. The pertinent question is where is the N100 Billion?

    It is morally right for government to spend over N3 trillion to bailout commercial banks in the wake of the financial crisis in 2007, and N500 billion to the aviation sector; billions of naira to the creative media industry, but no money to fund education?

    I think it is morally justifiable for all well meaning Nigerians to identify with a just cause to secure our collective future- regaining the lost glory of Nigeria’s public universities once and for all.

    Education remains the bed rock of development without which neither peace nor justice can be permanently maintained. Qualitative education means the youths will no longer be used as thugs by some politicians. This is why so many countries invest heavily on education. For instance, Ghana allocates 8.2% of GDP to education, South Africa, 6%, Jamaica, 6.2%, Niger, 4.3% and so on while Nigeria allocated less that 1 % of her GDP to education in 2012. We may never get it right if we jettison our pursuit of quality education. So the earlier this imbroglio is resolved, the better for all.

     

    • Ochalibe Ibu Alexander

    Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi

  • Where Is Tolu Ayoola?

    SIR: It’s more than three weeks that our colleague, Toluwalagbara Ayoola disappeared without any clue of where he could be. On Sunday, October 13, three days to the Sallah holiday, Tolu drove his official vehicle, a white Toyota Hilux with registration Number EK 618 A01 with inscription, Bureau of Special Projects, Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti out of his residence in New Oko Oba Area, Agege at about 7 p.m. On his way back home, he was said to have been waylaid by some armed men, bundled into another vehicle that took him away. As at the time of writing this letter, there has not been a clue as to where Tolu is or what could have happened to the father of two.

    Since the sad occurrence, staff members of the Bureau of Special Projects where Tolu works as a Civil Engineer have been praying and anticipating his safe return to his family and office.

    The sudden disappearance of a man on the street of Agege in Lagos, again, lends credence to how unsafe one is in Nigeria, how porous the security system has gone and how cheap the lives of the citizens have become.

    Because it’s a case of abduction, according to the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, when the story was reported, it was difficult to release information. Painfully, up until now, no single information has filtered into the corridors of Tolu’s family or colleagues in the office.

    Our thoughts and feelings, daily remain with Tolu; a Christian and easy going guy. Sure the families have been thrown into pains, anguish and perpetual anticipation of his return. We, his colleagues have been in limbo, but also praying earnestly every minute, every hour, every day to God to bring (Engineer Tolu) back to his family and to the ‘house.’

    In recent times, there have been reports of abduction, kidnapping and armed robbery incidents at the New Oko Oba Area in Agege, Lagos. Much as the Lagos State government has tried in the area of curbing these menaces, the perpetrators are still out there amongst the people.

    It is apt to say that New Oko Oba is not an outskirt of Lagos. Whatever extra security measures expected to be put in place by the Lagos State government to ensure the safety of lives of the people in this area and several other places that seems to be ‘outskirt’ should be a priority at the moment. The Police and other security apparatus of the state should further ensure that the protection of lives and property of residents in all the nooks and crannies of the city remains uppermost as they carry out their duties.

    At the moment, the waiting game continues. And we are, however not relenting in our prayers to God to bring Toluwalagbara Ayoola back to us. May God grant answers to our prayers, in Jesus name!

    • Dare Daramola

    Ado –Ekiti.