The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Leadership’s one-way patriotism

    SIR: Over the years, citizens have been subdued and blackmailed into submission by terms like patriotism and sacrifice. The government is always quick to ask citizens to sacrific’ for the sake of the nation, while they make no sacrifices at all. Recall that during the OccupyNigeria protests in January 2012, the government asked Nigerians to endure and make sacrifices to enjoy in the future. The same government went on to budget two billion naira for feeding the President and his vice.

    As in the current ASUU/FG imbroglio, ASUU has been told to give the government the benefit of the doubt. We ask; for how long? This government has shown itself to be one of the most deceitful in the history of this nation. Recall that in 2011, when they first raised the issue of subsidy removal, when the government met with labour groups, it was agreed that the removal issue will not be raised until sometime around June/July after due sensitisation has been carried out and palliative measures put in place. On New Year’s Day, Nigerians were greeted with the news that shook the tiny frame of the nation and cut short whatever celebrations people had planned: government had jerked up fuel price. We then ask, a government that has engaged itself in such brazen acts of deceit, can it be trusted?

    The government keeps claiming that there’s no money to develop the nation’s educational sector, health sector, etc, yet the President’s foreign trips, which he promised to reduce, has rather increased as he seems to have found solace in other people’s countries as against the one he was elected to run.

    It is irresponsible of a government that has shown itself to lack the political will to tackle corruption and mismanagement to keep demanding patriotism and sacrifices from citizens. Under this government, we’ve had Lawangate, Oduahgate, pension scams (twice), including the petroleum ministry’s regular and consistent scams.

    What has the government done to checkmate all these? Should sacrifices only be made by the led and not the leaders?

    Nigerians have made enough sacrifices. Nigerians have endured for long enough. Nigerians have watched impunity take the driver’s seat in the affairs of our nation. Nigerians have watched as undemocratic acts reign supreme in a so-called democratic setting. If there’s going to be sacrifice, it should now be made by the leaders, not the led. Let them begin by sacrificing the sacred cows that are in government. Let them show patriotism by bringing their kids back to this nation to study rather than send them off to foreign lands while our schools rot down here. Let them begin by receiving treatment for their ailments here rather than flying off to other lands in search of good health. Let them sacrifice the unconstitutional roles of the first lady and stop using our money to finance her excesses. We are done with making sacrifices; there’s nothing left to sacrifice.

     

    • Ogunjimi James Taiwo

    Ikeja, Lagos

     

  • Masses, not leaders are Nigeria’s problem

    SIR: It is obvious that all is not well with our economy. Almost every sector of the economy is rotten. Education is in shambles. ASUU is on strike and students are compelled to stay at home. Also, power supply is erratic.

    The aviation sector is nothing to write home about. Five plane crashes within 14 months. As if that is not enough, the NCAA bought two armoured cars which were not budgeted for at a cost of N255million. Yet a certain Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala claimed there is no money to cater for the demands of university lecturers. But, there is money to pay federal lawmakers’ wardrobe, newspaper, entertainment, vehicle maintenance, hardship, personal assistants and domestic staff allowances.

    Insecurity has attained its most terrifying state with Boko Haram in the North and kidnappers in the South-south and South-east.

    Why is this happening to Nigeria despite the numerous resources we are endowed with? Many have attributed our problems to corruption which people like Chinua Achebe said is accounted for by leadership failure. But, the question that has not been answered is that: “who caused the leadership failure”?

    We, the masses are the architect of leadership failure. Yes! When it’s election time, politicians will distribute money, recharge cards and do all sorts of things just to get people’s votes. This is like the PHCN bringing electricity consistently when the month is running to an end just to encourage people to pay up their bills only to return to their epileptic ways thereafter.

    Our problems start when we fall for the tricks and deceit of politicians. The latest slavery index shows that many Nigerians are swimming in the pool of poverty. Unless we enthrone leaders who are ready to take the bull by the horn, the number of these swimmers will continue to rise.

    We are the employers of our leaders. This means that we can hire and fire them anytime. Nigerians should not trade away their votes on the altar of religion or ethnic sentiments. They should for for merit.

    • Idowu Esho Jamiu,

    Eruwa, Oyo State.

     

  • What’s delaying operational audit of DANA Air?

    SIR: In compliance with the October 6, directive by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for Dana Air to suspend its flight operations to allow for an audit of the airline’s operations, the management of the company shut down its operations.

    Subsequently, as a result of the suspension (and understandably so), the airline directed its Nigerian and expatriate staff to proceed on compulsory leave without pay, with a promise to recall staff as soon as the audit process is completed.

    It is now three weeks since the NCAA directive and, though the airline is open and ready for the planned audit, it is worrisome that the NCAA is yet to commence the audit and no clear direction or timeline has been given to the airline for completion of the same.

    The continuous grounding of Dana Air is causing untold hardship for the hitherto ‘gainfully-employed’ staff of the airline, and with NCAA’s inaction regarding the audit, there appears to be no relief in sight to the sufferings of the airline’s staff and their numerous dependants.

    NCAA’s action or inaction is not without consequences for the average Nigerian traveler with the few airlines left taking advantage of the dearth of operators to hike fares and offer poor services to helpless customers.

    Businesses and nation’s economy are negatively impacted too. Need we mention the negative signals being sent to potential investors in the sector?

    It is for these reasons that the over 540 directly-employed Nigerian staff of the airline, are appealing to the NCAA to save us and the airline by carrying out its statutory role devoid of sentiments and political interference, and commencing the planned operational audit of the airline without any further delay.

    • Tony Usidamen

    Lagos

     

  • Futile calls for divine intervention

    SIR: In Achebe’s classic, ‘Things Fall Apart’, we read of Unoka, Okonkwo’s lazy and improvident father sought solution to his poor harvests from Agbala. Here is what he was told by Chika, the priestess of Agbala: ‘you have offended neither the gods nor your fathers. And when a man is at peace with the gods and his ancestors, his harvest will be good or bad according to the strength of his arm. You, Unoka, are known in all the clan for the weakness of your matchet and your hoe. When your neighbours go out with axe to cut down virgin forests, you sow your yams on exhausted farms that take no labour to clear. They cross seven rivers to make their farms; you stay at home and offer sacrifices to a reluctant soil. Go home and work like a man.’

    The above captures the Nigerian situation. In fact, I could swear Achebe was speaking of Nigeria if not that when he penned down these immortal words, the country was so full of promise.

    In the very illuminating essay, ‘Religion in age of social and moral crises’, published October 20 by this esteemed paper, Dr. Akinola did justice to the force driving the prevailing religiosity among Nigerians. The commercialization of religion, and rise of charlatans who claim ability to solve so much problem but evidently have not only woefully failed to make the slightest dent on the avalanche of maladies plaguing the country but in fact seem to be contributing to it. Suffice it to say that the religiosity of Nigerians is hardly a function of hunger for spirituality but quick solutions to worldly cares, and ambition. It is mostly product of harsh economic situation. Little wonder why corruption, crime, iniquity are escalating even with the explosion of religious houses.

    It has become some sort of culture for Nigerians to seek quick solutions to their numerous cares and worries through ‘prayer’. One could sympathize with despairing and disoriented masses who think they could secure metaphysical solutions to socio-economic problems. But it is utterly preposterous to see people in leadership positions (who should know better) among the multitude calling for divine intervention. Political leaders who thread this religious path are either being devious and only wish to divert the attention of a credulous public from their irresponsibility or actually so lacking in knowledge as to expect God to fix our mess (of which they are major contributors).

    Does God arbitrarily intervene in the affairs of men? History and everyday affairs prove the contrary, yet, like Unoka, we continue to offer ‘sacrifices to a reluctant soil’. We have been calling for divine intervention for decades all to no avail. But like the proverbial fool who does the same thing expecting a different result, we obstinately refuse to learn. How many of the developed countries we aspire to be like got where they are by divine intervention? I’ve never heard any leader of a serious country tell his/her people that prayer is what they need in order to surmount some social or economic problems.

    We are quick to acknowledge the Bible account of creation where God gave to man dominion over the earth. Why then do we keep making ourselves less human by bothering God over issues He has already equipped man to tackle? Nigeria’s problems are not other-worldly. Many countries have surmounted similar challenges through positive philosophy, creative thinking and diligence. But while they work, like Unoka we ‘pray’, and consult deities. Like Unoka, we shy away from productive venture, like him we are so wasteful, like him, we have unhealthy appetite for revelry and the easy life. Every other people see how we are the architects of our woes except perhaps ourselves. Rather than waste valuable time on the shameful begging we call prayer, we can do well to practice a kind of sympathetic magic. Yes, if we can summon the will to do like the developed countries, we’ll surely become like them. It’s about time we went home and worked like men.

     

    • Nnoli Chidiebere

    Aba, Abia State.

  • Re: Olakunle Abimbola ‘s Ekiti Ronu

    SIR: Since the MOB-JKF political saga trundled itself on the political scene, Abimbola Olakunle ‘s Ekiti Ronu piece that appeared in The Nation of October 29, is the most objective commentary I have read on the subject. In many essays that  I have read on the issue,

    JKF is held up and emblazoned and lionized as an achiever per excellence and a committed progressive element, while MOB is demonized as a fifth columnist, a betrayer of causes, and a puffer of satanic smoke into the hallowed political shrine of the Yoruba race and an unrepentant reactionary element. These are all products of the partisan imagination. The truth of the matter is that the true test of democratic values and tenets as espoused in the APC is at hand. The party must throw the political arena open to both JKF and MOB to test their popularity amongst their partymen and women in an open, free and fair primaries. The choice should be left to them to decide and not to the whimsical discretion of a few party leaders. This is the spirit of democracy. And if truly, JKF has done excellently well as is reported in the media, he should have no problem winning the primaries. To do otherwise, is an infraction of MOB rights and giving a dog a bad name in order to kill it. It is important to stress that, Nigerians are keenly watching the unfolding MOB-JKF event. How it will logically be resolved-to give everyone a sense of belonging and justice-will tell much about APC in particular and Yoruba politics in general and it will greatly influence the direction of the debate of the 2015 elections. So once again, to reecho Herbert Ogunde, Yoruba Ronu.

     

    Atah Pine

    Makurdi, Benue State

  • Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala and non-military pensioners

    SIR: I am writing once again to draw the attention of the President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala  to the plight of non-military pensioners. This category of senior citizens have been waiting for the 53 percent increase which has been pending for the past five years or so. To worsen matters, the 53 percent increase has been down-graded to 33 percent and yet, this downgraded version has not been paid to the non-military pensioners. Meanwhile, the pensioners who retired from the armed forces have been paid their  own increases since August. The question now is: when are the non-military pensioners going to get their own?

    Specifically, I have in mind pensioners of the university system. Many of these pensioners from the various universities continue to die by the day. On the other hand, Nigeria continues to exult in her new status as a member  of the UN Security Council whereas human security is patently lacking in the country, since our senior citizens continue to wait endlessly for pension entitlements that are long over-due. I can only hope that the 33 percent increases in pension will be captured in the new budget that will be presented shortly to the National Assembly. On this note, Dr Okonjo-Iweala in view of her extensive American experience may wish to draw inspiration from this aspect of her life. Even during the recent shutdown in the United States, measures were put in place to ensure that pensioners and astronauts continued to receive their entitlements. Madam Okonjo-Iweala, I urge you to do no less as regards the pensioners in our university system. These pensioners have waited for too long.

    • Professor Kayode Soremekun

    Covenant University, Ota

  • Getting things rightly done

    Next year’s budget proposals and presentations are here again. The big question is: will the principals of this project allocate the 26% UNESCO recommended minimum to the educational sector or at least raise the bar from the current 8.5% national level of allocation? Or will the education ministry be split into ministries of tertiary education and basic education as recommended by the 2012 Needs Assessment of Nigerian Universities report for efficiency? Education truly counts. Now is the time to give to education what is due to it as minimally required of all responsible governments globally.

    Getting it rightly done this time around is a moral obligation. Education must be allocated the UNESCO minimum in the budget. For there is no need to neglect the sector and expect the unions to go on strike before meeting its needs or attempting to do so. Stakeholders in education are human beings and would appreciate good deeds done to it through proper funding, infrastructure and welfare issues. For instance, there is need for agreements or promises to be implemented when and as at when due for the smooth running of the sector and government in general .Naturally, the morale of staff will be greatly boosted if there emoluments are weighed against economic indices and raised to enable them meet their needs against inflationary forces from time to time without necessarily waiting for agitations to take place. Believably, this applies to all sectors and is supported by diverse theories of human motivation to excel.

    Notably, Nobel prizes in core academic disciplines like chemistry, physics, economics, medicine and physiology are like an exclusive preserve for countries that invest heavily in their human resources through education. This investment in human resources we hear is the practise in other climes where they have a living or sustainable wage for their workers. However, if wishes were horses, the Nigeria of the dream of many of us would be cast in this mould. Getting it rightly done for the benefit of all is what many Nigerians pray for. This reminds me of my days in a private school where the business thrived on the efficiency of the staff, and which I believe was sufficiently motivated within the financial strength of the owners as we were comparatively among the highest paid among our peers. Although this did not automatically make us rich, we were able to meet some basic needs and returned service for the ‘’good or handsome money’’ paid to us. Now the agricultural sector also wants 10% of the budget and this is serious because we all need food to survive and to especially support local production and be able to feed ourselves as a nation and to have control over our food security. Again, now is the time to get it rightly done by making the inclusion to reflect as such, as that due to education.

    The other day, I was surprised to hear that the Federal Road Safety Corps had insisted that the old number plates were analogue and the preferred new one was digital. By whatever logic, one wonders what sort of computer would reject an input of those numbers whether reversed or non-reversed, if not to simply exploit hapless Nigerians. Like one of our professors would say, for a computer it is what you put in that it will return to you, and so the saying goes: garbage in, garbage out. All that needed to be done was to capture the old number plates in a new database at little or no cost at all! Just getting it rightly done is the answer. Nigerians, nay, motorists, need not be harangued into such unpopular policies. If it were in other climes, this commission owes the citizenry an apology over this policy. In contrast, while at a zebra crossing in Europe as the first arrival, I was surprised that the driver of the oncoming vehicle to the point where I stood stopped for me and waved me on to cross the road, obviously because I got there before him. While being initially scared to cross given the way some of our road users here treat pedestrians with scorn, I braved the odds and crossed, thanking him in return. One wonders how many of us Nigerians are willing to treat others with dignity. I think it all has to do with getting things rightly done.

    While not alluding to self-righteousness, it is time we got things rightly done for the benefit of all. There is no need for agitations to be made before agreements and promises are met or for salaries to be increased for workers. Caring employers always have feelers to know when an agitation is most likely in order to respond positively to such aspirations and yearnings. There is even no need to allow ASUU or other unions to go on strike before the desired attention is given to those sectors. At least, even in this country, there are some categories of workers who don’t go on strike, yet they are well-catered for.

    By different news accounts, Benue and Ondo have both claimed they were the first to implement 27.5 teachers salary increment which leaves one wondering whether it is getting their first or doing it rightly to the satisfaction of the agitating teachers to sufficiently motivate them. In addition, what must be done to protect unarmed people along the Benue-Nasarawa border from armed marauders? Should these people be allowed to carry arms in self-defence? Will these increase the chances of them being killed by their attackers? Should the Benue Government set up a committee to look into these attacks usually aimed at Tiv farmers or remain silent and pretend that the attacks will go down? Should the Benue government facilitate arms license for vulnerable communities? Should the Benue government apply the principle of licensed arms acquisition as in Zamfara State to keep the terrorists at bay? What should be done rightly to right the wrongs done to these vulnerable Tiv communities? In conclusion, everything should be done rightly to motivate and make all happy in this country.

    Emmanuel Tyokumbur, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan

  • Nigeria’s teeming prayer warriors

    SIR: Whether it is written or not, Nigeria is the number one praying country in the whole world. Anyone who thoroughly traces the history of this nation would confirm that we qualify for ‘prestigious awards’ in that regard. Even in my neighbourhood there about 183, if you like, mushroom prayer houses which jam lips every day and night in prayers.

    Various religious groups pray including the traditionalists who I occasionally stumble on in my locality mustering some words with white chalk circling one of the eyes. But whatever be the content of these numerous prayers is what I cannot really tell. Very recently, some members of the National Assembly organized a National Prayer Breakfast for divine deliverance from myriads of ‘evil spirits’ tormenting the country. As if that was not enough, our amiable President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan led a delegation to the Holy Land of Israel which among other, perhaps, important things, is to ‘pray’ for the country.

    When the founding fathers of America were building what we regard today as the world’s power, they did not only pray but also worked. While one side of their eyes, legs, hands, and brain were closed in prayers, others were working indefatigably. With this, one begins to wonder the kind of leaders we have in this country. There are millions of families in this country who can hardly afford a comfortable meal per day. Thousands are dying of hunger. Will these numerous prayers place food on their tables? Most of the highways across the country are in shambles. Particularly, the Enugu–Onitsha expressway is not only a death trap but death on its own; can these prayers fix them, other than our leaders rolling up their sleeves to their real responsibilities?

    If these insincere prayers have any dint of potency in them, we would have by now have felt their impacts. I think it’s just a mere political ploy designed to deceive Nigerians, and portray themselves in the good light as serious leaders. The greater percentage of our leaders at all levels lack even the minutest iota of ideas, political will, and focus to live up to their responsibilities in office.

    To be apt, Nigeria does not need prayers any more. We need attitudinal change. Our leaders should stop deceiving the gullible ones among us with their dishonest prayers; prayers that lack value. Prayers that couldn’t indict James Ibori, until real rule of law brought him down abroad. Dishonest prayers that have dumped several presidential committees’ reports, both past and present; prayers that allowed thieves to abscond with pension funds; prayers that could not repair federal, and state roads across the country while many die daily. It will pay this country greater prize to nail these ‘prayers’ and face her challenges, and indeed, tackle them headlong.

     

    • Odogwu Obinna

    Awka, Anambra State

  • Double jeopardy for varsity lecturers

    SIR: This letter has become necessary because of the deadlock that appears to have become the case in the ASUU/FG imbroglio. This has elicited a number of questions namely; is it a crime to enter into agreements? Is it fair that the party that reneged on an agreement should punish the party that has not defaulted in an agreement? Is it proper to use state power to muscle the Ox that threads out the golden corn simply because the Ox dared to ask for what is its due? Is it just to beat a child and at the same time insist that the child should not cry?

    The above questions seem to capture the plight of university lecturers who without any prejudice to any bad faith entered into agreement with the federal government four years ago and are today being punished for daring to ask that the agreement be implemented after four years of grace and forbearance. It beats imagination that humans would revel in treating their fellow beings with inhumanity. It is now four months since the salaries of academics have been stopped for having the audacity to ask for a duly signed agreement to be implemented. It is akin to a debtor beating up a creditor for having the effrontery to request that the money he borrowed be refunded.

    The NO WORK NO PAY is a good policy if the worker is not justified in withdrawing his service. But in the present scenario, the lecturers are not the offenders/instigators in the impasse; rather ASUU is merely trying to compel the federal government to honour the agreement it willingly entered into with it. The consequence is that double unfairness is visited on the lecturers, their children, wives, aged parents, other dependents and students who for no fault of theirs have also been caught in this cross fire.

    This senseless hardness of heart is resulting in multilayered injustice and unfairness which will be very difficult to redress. Nations suffer ultimately because of the quantum of injustice generated in the polity. I therefore use this medium to plead with the federal government to allow justice to reign. If our university is transformed by acceding to the request of ASUU, it would have only fulfilled its mandate in line with the transformation agenda of the federal government. Providing infrastructure is quite capital intensive and this is why ASUU has allowed four long years to enable the government to prepare adequately for it. It is also good to mention that if the government closes its eyes to fulfill this obligation it will be on record that it was during this administration that education received a new lease of life. May Godly reason guide our leaders in decisively and urgently tackling this problem.

     

    • Prof. G. O. Ozumba

    University of Calabar

  • Nigeria did no wrong on capital punishment

    SIR: For a long time now, the propriety or otherwise of the death penalty has become an issue of controversy not just in Nigeria but in the international community. Beyond the realm of secularism, death penalty is also a matter of serious concern in the realm of religion. This is borne out of the fact that the killing of a human being by another under any circumstance is viewed as a grave sin unto God.

    The argument against the death penalty has been that it violates the fundamental human rights of the convict to dignity of human person; this is because the condemned convict undergoes a very degrading psychological situation before and during the execution of the death sentence. It has also been argued that the continual retention of the death penalty in the statute books has not deterred the least of criminals on the streets.

    While some of these arguments remain faultless on paper, a question that must be answered is the practicability of these theoretical postulations in the Nigerian context. No matter how beautiful some of the submissions against death penalty may appear to be, one thing that would always remain about them is their imperialistic colourations, the fact that they are a subtle continuation of the colonisation of Africa by imperialists. Some of these arguments have found haven in the mouths of many not because of their kind-heartedness and forgiving spirits, but because the urge to join the international bandwagon has become irresistible partly due to financial gains and other factors.

    In the midst of the seemingly international community’s negative perception of the death penalty, Nigeria must be commended for its courage in making its official position known to the United Nations to the effect that Nigeria will continue to apply the death penalty in its criminal justice delivery system. Playing the cards plain and sincere was the best thing the federal government could have done on the issue.

    The position of the federal government admits of no fault in view of the need to consider the Nigerian context critically before keying blindly into some international resolutions. Any international position on issues of this nature must not be absorbed hook, line and sinker unless such position has been tested with the local country situation and found to be of potential benefit to the polity. As far as this issue on death penalty is concerned, the making of a positive move towards the abolition of the death penalty or doing something similar to that will only encourage more potential criminals and increase the crime wave in the society, the fact that the application of stiff penalties (including the death penalty) have not deterred many individuals from committing heinous crimes is a pointer to the fact that if such penalties are abolished, the sky would be the stepping stone for some criminals.

    The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended) clearly recognises the death penalty as a form of punishment. The Supreme Court of the land has also accorded judicial imprimatur to the validity of the death penalty as a valid form of punishment under the Nigerian Criminal Justice system. What more?

    The clamour for the abolition of the death penalty is not a bad one after all. However, it is too early at the moment for Nigeria to make a positive move in that direction, the ever increasing rate of terrorism, kidnapping and armed robbery will make such a move a countrywide suicidal mission. While a future policy change on this may be productive, it is safer for the country to continue to retain its current position on the issue.

    • Vincent Adodo, Esq.

    Ilorin