The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Anambra’s guber cap fits Ngige

    Anambra’s guber cap fits Ngige

    The November 16 governorship election in Anambra State is being awaited by different interests in that state, like religionists all over the world begin by the starting month of the year to hang around for the month of December to celebrate Christmas. But without a person like Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige, of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the race, such yearnings and expectations of people concerning the election would have been a boring situation.

    Senator Ngige is a social democrat doing great in strengthening democracy in the country, not minding the brickbats and bickering from political traducers. Keen observers know this!

    As a Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, he is one leader whose crusade is not divergent to the age-long matrix that people should respect their leaders, but not to be afraid of them.

    Senator Ngige is one leader who did not shy away from bringing Anambra State to the front burner for the people to understand that the state had money with which it could develop, unlike in the years, when godfatherism nearly pummelled the state to the soil.

    Senator Ngige has been tested in these areas when he was a governor and is trusted that he is one leader who does not take pride in seeing the led suffering.

    He is so important for the health of the country’s democracy and the development of Anambra State, without dividing opposing views and not seeing such views as anti-Ngige.

    He is not a dictator in a democrat’s garb, coercing people to his personal belief. He believes that the most enduring democracies burgeon from recurrent and people-oriented projects, and not by personal-oriented projects.

    It is time for Ndi-Anambra again to bring back Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige to the Government House, Awka, to make sure that the projects he started, when he was governor, but was prejudiced by the court, are completed.

    Senator Ngige believes in the ballot and not in the bullet. He sees the latter as an enemy of the people and democracy and the features of tyrants. And he is not a tyrant. He has shown that the wealth of the people should be judiciously used to enable a modest system.

    He knows the tenets of modern democracies. Under him, Anambra people did not suffer and will not face difficulties again, because he shows that he knows how to tackle challenges tweaking to globalisation, and acclimatising to the aging world.

     

    By Odimegwu Onwumere

    Port Harcourt, Rivers State

    E-mail: apoet_25@yahoo.com

     

  • Another Apo killings

    Please when solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves. If I can go back in memory, it was in 2006 a similar incident happened, whereby six innocent Igbo traders lost their lives in the same way these seven were also killed last weekend by a combination of SSS and military personnel. Well, I support government’s effort to defy terrorism and overcome it but caution and diplomacy should be applied especially at the current democratic dispensation. We must be thoroughly democratic and patronise everybody without distinction of class.

    One important area one should look into is, these people have been living in that place for more than two years and there was no report from any citizen or neighbours of any security threat from these squatters. Also, according to reports, they are charged some stipend and they live there with the consent of the care-taker and the owner of the building. Please why were they attacked in the night and branded as Boko Haram without proper arrest, investigation and confirmation that they are members of the group? Or is it because they are from Bauchi, Zamfara, Katsina etc? This is a total blackmail, intimidation, victimisation, humiliation and deprivation. Now, the ASUU is on strike, and some of these squatters are students, you expect some of these youth to stay at home idle? Coupled with hard economic situation and unemployment palaver, they need to struggle for their daily bread.

    This issue borders on human rights, the rule of law and the inviolability of human life. To be candid, the law enforcement agencies should stick to their role under the constitution. These people should not be attacked and gunned down in the first place. Those concerned should be arrested, interrogated, if found guilty they should face the book. Because every segment of our population, and every individual, has a right to expect from his government a fair deal.

    Lives were lost, many were injured, a certain group of people were blackmailed. We are calling for justice on this issue because injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. It is better to have war for justice than peace in injustice. Also the owner of the building should not be spared because he may be the brain behind this barbaric act. Going by the third Amendment of Human Right Act, which forbids the government (security agencies) from quartering soldiers in private residences during peacetime without the residents’ permission, and during wartime only according to law.

    At this junction, I’m appealing to NASS, Human Right, Civil Society and all stake holders to make sure they follow this issue to the end. I also appeal to NASS to come up with modalities to minimise all these forms of extra judicial killings, deprivation, humiliation, victimisation and intimidation, which are inhuman. But this one cannot stop us from having consequences (penalties) for those who violate rules and regulations in the land.

    By the way, to put a stop to this, the law makers must follow and maintain laws; those who interpret the law must also follow and maintain it. The law enforcers should as well follow suit. Government should embark on training and re-training security personnel in order to operate professionally and effectively. Also their welfare should be attractive. Prisons and police cells should be equipped with all the necessary basic amenities. May God help us.

    Adamu Muhd Usman

    Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa State

    amu3333@yahoo.com

  • Those who seek Suntai’s job

    SIR: The political crisis in Taraba state revolves around only one thing- who becomes the governor of the state in 2015. The thinking among politicians and some pundits in Taraba state is that Governor Danbaba Suntai’s stay abroad for medical treatment would have altered the political arrangements and block some people’s political ambitions. So, those most likely to be affected made sure Suntai was brought back home, regardless of its implications on his health and that of the state’s polity.

    Politics in Taraba is similar to that of some states in north-east and central Nigeria: Faith, geography, ethnicity and powerful politicians determine who gets what. Since its creation on 27 August 1991, those who became governors in Taraba have shared the same attribute with Nigeria’s presidency of finding themselves as governors without having planned to be.

    Rev Jolly Nyame was an aide in the then Atiku Abubakar campaign organization, when Atiku wanted to be governor of the former Gongola State. When Taraba state was created out of the former Gongola state and Atiku was among the politicians disqualified by IBB. Atiku supported Nyame to contest for the governorship of Taraba state, and he won.

    In 2007, Governor Danbaba Suntai was not in the political equation. Danladi Baido won the governorship ticket of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), but he was denied the ticket. Suntai was eventually given the ticket and he won the governorship election. Same goes for Acting Governor Garba Umar; he was not in the calculation at all, then suddenly the then deputy governor Sani Abubakar was impeached by the State House of Assembly. Suntai picked Garba as Sani’s replacement. Then tragedy struck, Suntai was involved in an air mishap in Yola, on October 25, 2012. Garba assumed the Acting Governor position, following a resolution by the State House of Assembly.

    Those alleged to have spearheaded Suntai’s return are said to be claiming that the governor promised to champion the course for power shift to southern Taraba. Senator Emmanuel Bwacha is representing Taraba South in the Senate. It is believed that he has a strong ambition to be governor.

    Taraba South, has never produced a governor. Taraba North has produced a governor- Rev Jolly Nyame who was governor for nearly 10 years. While Tabara Central has produced Suntai, who is in his second term. Taraba South has produced three deputy governors (Uba Maigari, Saleh Usman Danboyi and Armaya’u) during Rev Nyame’s reign.

    With the current happenings, it appears providence would again keep away the governorship position from Taraba South. Taraba South comprises five local government areas- Wukari, Takum, Ussah, Ibi and Donga. Taraba north comprises six local government areas of Jalingo, Zing, Karim Lamido, Lau, Ardo Kola and Yorro, while Taraba central has five -Sardauna, Kurmi, Bali, Gashaka and Gassol. There is a historical political and cultural affiliation between Taraba Central and North.This is because most parts of the two zones are areas that formed the historic Muri zone. Majority of areas in Taraba south are parts of the Wukari division which is mainly dominated by the Jukun and Kutep tribes; these are factors that may not be in favour of Senator Bwacha, who is from the minority Nshi tribe.

    Another potential contender for the governorship of the state is Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan; she represents Taraba North in the Senate. She has strong grassroots and women support, but she is from Taraba North, same zone with Acting Governor Garba Umar.

    The centre point of the entire crisis is acting governor Garba Umar- just like President Jonathan- Garba was catapulted to his present position just by destiny, nothing else. He was not in the limelight even before becoming the deputy governor. Garba is from Karim Lamido local government area– Taraba north.

     

    • Zayyad I. Muhammad

    Jimeta, Adamawa State

  • Kogi State we never dreamt of

    SIR: Upon the declaration of the new state carved out of Kwara and Benue states on August 27, 1991, the tripartite kingdoms of Igala, Okun, Ebira cum other minorities became citizens of Kogi State. Myriad of dancing steps announced the new nomenclature that binds different ethnic groups together, masquerades in their numerous colours and entertaining display beautified the atmosphere of joy permeating the land.

    Dreams were high up, ambitious were thrown up for strategizing, the struggle for survival of the wittiest, the smartest, and the best workable political philosophy reigned supreme.

    Let us talk about the Kogi of today in comparison to the one we celebrated, the one we so trumpeted, the very one we cherished and loved upon inception; let us quickly fetch from the river of our expectations of then and see if it can match with the existential issues in our state today.

    Is this really the Kogi of our dreams? Is this supposed to be the state we planned for, the state we fought for, prayed and bargained for?

    Our patrons could not have given us a state that plays the role of a melting pot to corruption. Our heroes past could not have fought for a state that is a refuse dump, where hotels and filling stations have become the business of the day, where certified and well educated civil servants who are not connected to the source of power are relegated to the background and the privileged-fake-certificate-holders and political rogues are made to occupy high offices and to receive undeserved robust salaries.

    We have become citizens of a state where education is not considered worthy of attention. As a result, children are condemned to remain at home due to protracted strike action. Faced with the detestable wrath of abandonment, pensioners die of delay of payment; retirees have their gratuity shattered into pieces upon the rock of administrative mismanagement. Promotion in service is earned by those who know who and not by merit.

    What can be said of a state that is richly endowed with geographical sites but at the same time renowned for being a colossal betrayal and a caricature of tourism?

    Ours have become a tragic story of fools in paradise. Blessed with abundance but languishing in emptiness, rich in quality personnel but ruled by a group of untrained and selfish fellows, surrounded with myriad resources but trapped in the maze of maladministration and mismanagement, privileged with multilingual convergence but tormented by division and ethnic discrimination. It is indeed a saga of travail, a mixture of joy and pain for that matter.

    I am confident that we shall get to the Promised Land. But how can this be as we constantly witness degeneration in governance? How can we ever have laughter in our mouths when the ugly stories of previous regimes suddenly become beautiful stories to tell in the face of the present decay in our state?

    We stand in dire need of a turn around. We need to pray and work for a better Kogi State where we shall judiciously maximize our natural gifts/resources to become an enviable tourist centre. We have to carry the broom of transparency, honesty and accountability in our hands so as to sweep away the debris of embezzlement, corruption, insensitivity, sectionalism and segregation.

    Let us learn from our neigbouring state, Edo. We can definitely borrow a leaf from Lagos. We’ve got to turn and learn wisdom from those states where things are working out well. We can go forward, we can be clean as a state, we can make progress, we can be selfless, we can be disciplined, and we can surely unlearn the culture of retrogression so as to relearn the habit of unity of purpose, which will go a long way to enhance socio-economic development.

    • Rev. Peter Adeiza Ariko,

    Lokoja, Kogi State

  • What kind of national dialogue?

    SIR: President Goodluck Jonathan in his Independence Day Address admitted that there is indeed the need for a National Dialogue or Conference to resolve the myriad of issues we are facing as a nation. He in fact said he is an advocate of dialogue and went on to announce an Advisory Committee to set the agenda for that purpose, but the Nigerian people are asking, and rightly so; what kind of dialogue are we going to have?

    Nigerians are sick and tired of fruitless dialogues; they are wary of dialogues that are always hijacked and thwarted by those in government and the very people who had failed them time and again, and gotten the nation to the parlous state it is in now.

    Therefore, the Nigerian people want this President and his National Dialogue Committee to ensure that this time around, things must be different; and that means that those in government and their allies across the country must not be allowed to handpick the representatives of the people to the proposed National Dialogue or Conference. It also means that it must be inclusive, and its composition, a true reflection of the almost 400 ethnic nationalities in the country.

    More critically important, is that, a free and fair referendum must be held for the component ethnic nationalities to choose their representatives to the proposed National Dialogue or Conference; that is the only way to ensure its credibility and the outcome of its deliberations, especially with respect to what we hope will be a genuine peoples’ constitution, and not the imposed fraudulent one we have now. Anything short of that will not be acceptable to the Nigerian people, and it’s dead on arrival.

    • Eneruvie Enakoko, Tunde Adetula

    & Nojeem Ekeolere Papa Siakpere

    Onikan, Lagos,

  • Happy 53rd Independence

    SIR: As we marked our 53rd independence anniversary on Tuesday, I couldn’t help but wonder if our founding fathers would be proud of the Nigeria of today. Does the Nigeria of today fit their vision when they struggled for independence? I sincerely don’t think so. They must be gnashing their teeth in disappointment; their counterparts from other parts of the world must be having a good laugh at their expense.

    There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria has failed to live up to expectation. Suffice it to say that Brazil, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries with whom we once played in the same league have all moved on leaving us behind. We seem stuck in the mud or perhaps taking one step forward and two back. Some say we are jinxed.

    It is indeed very disheartening that a country whose independence was announced with so much hope and expectation, a country abundantly blessed with human and material resources has failed so abysmally to maximize its enormous potential. But we are not cursed, we are the cause.

    It is really not progressive for one to want to remain a child so as to continue to enjoy the care of parents as well as freedom from responsibilities. Every child, every country, must eventually take responsibility for itself, must become the author of its fate. Independence is not the problem, how we have so far managed our independence is.

    Over the decades we have taken paths we shouldn’t have taken, done things we shouldn’t have done. We have not allowed ourselves be led by our positive sentiments but rather have been mostly influenced by our baser instincts. We have not been our brother’s keeper; we have not placed common good before individual good; we have not loved our country enough.

    Our problems are not really so intractable. To great extent, we know the solutions; the problem is implementing them. Perhaps our greatest challenge is summoning the will to do the right things. But thankfully, it’s never too late to begin to do things differently. If we resolve today to turn over a new leaf, to begin to place society first, then by next year we should have cause to really celebrate independence. In spite of our present not-so-rosy situation, I say, happy independence, dear compatriots.

    •Nnoli Chidiebere

    Aba, Abia State.

  • A parade of jokers

    SIR: Looking at most Nigerian politicians is like watching a parade of jokers.  They remind one of children running around during festivals in the village square being chased by overweight masquerades.  The exercise is for jest.  There is no far sight of a visionary hungering for a new direction.  The level of buffoonery will make it shocking to find one that can articulate his or her mandate.   Except for a few who are starting to appreciate the decency of democracy, others are gesturing like thugs in the motor park.

    The obvious desire of most Nigerian politicians is to crash the elite circle.  It is party time all the time.  It makes it understandable why some are willing to literarily spill blood to push down the wall of the exclusive club to gain membership.  Leaders who fought for Nigeria’s independence must be questioning their ambition in their graves.  Their tireless struggle to uproot the feet of the colonial masters from the Nigerian soil may appear in vain.  Their vision has been turned upside down from one form of exploitation to another.

    There is a glaring disparity between the leaders who fought for Nigeria’s independence and those who inherited the fruit of their labour.  Nationalism was at the core of the pioneers’ agenda.  Individualism drives most of the modern politicians.  Without fear of being anachronistic, the political forebears were puritanical in their struggle for the progress of the nation.  Compare their patriotism with that of some of today’s politicians who cannot seem to syphon enough of the nation’s wealth to their private accounts.

    The crop of new politicians leading the country reminds one of the spoiled children of the rich.  The flow of oil like a river and the abundance of other natural resources assure steady flow of liquidity to the nation.  The leaders are easily carried away by the surplus wealth that they lose sight and fall into the habit of squandering money as if they are monarchs.  The eyes of destitution look at them and wonder if the land of green belongs to every Nigerian.  Overcome by materialism, they stomp on the poor masses as if they are grass.  They appease them with platitudes and crummy projects without completion.

    The snail pace of advancement makes one ponder if the nation is cursed.  Nigerians have grown accustomed to politicians wobbling in glutton.  The leaders exhaust themselves with jolly, lifting the condition of the country is not their priority.  An Igbo adage says that every iron must go to the blacksmith.  The politicians and their cronies live in homes that look like maximum security prisons and move around with squads of armed officers for protection.  One may assume this infringement on personal freedom is of their making from not using their authority to appropriately distribute the nation’s immense resources.

    Government is not working in Nigeria for all.  The rich use their money to influence politicians to cushion them.  The poor resign to a life of frustration from lack of social amenities to insecurity.  Most of the world envies American system of government not because it is perfect.  Their constitution is grounded in the pursuit of happiness for all.  The classic definition of civilization requires that a nation should endeavor to make the betterment of its people paramount.  Can one say that is happening in Nigeria?

     

    • Pius Okaneme

    Umuoji, Anambra State.

  • Nigeria’s 53 years of nation-hood

    SIR: The occasion of our 53rd Independence Anniversary does not call for celebration given the low level of our economic and technological advancement and the various challenges that are bedeviling the country. In spite of our abundant human and material resources, Nigeria is still stuck in the mud of under development. Countries that were at par with Nigeria when it became independent in 1960 have overtaken Nigeria. Malaysia got her first palm seedlings from our country, but, now, Malaysia has become economically prosperous. India, which is the destination of Nigeria’s health tourists, has evolved its own technology. Back home in Nigeria, we have a mono-economy that is solely dependent on oil revenue. And, we import simple things like tooth picks and matches. Nigeria has continued to remain the country with the potentialities to become a great country.

    So, what is wrong with Nigeria? Nothing is wrong with Nigeria. Rather, God has abundantly blessed our country. Natural disasters or acts of God like earthquake, tsunami and cyclone that devastate other countries do not occur in Nigeria. Our weather condition is equable and favorable; and, our land arable and fertile. These are incentives for the practice of mechanized agriculture, which will boost our economy. And, we have a large population, too. Knowledgeable and skilled Nigerians in the Diaspora are contributing to the development of their host countries. Our leaders can lure them home to contribute their quota to national development. Scattered beneath the soil of the states that make up Nigeria are such natural resources as tin ore, bauxite, coal, gas, limestone and crude oil. But, why has Nigeria not joined the league of the developed nations?

    The problem of Nigeria is the failure of leadership.

    To be fair, President Jonathan inherited most of the problems militating against our country. But, a dispassionate evaluation of his administration shows that he is an under-performing president. He couldn’t diversify our economy to create job opportunities for millions of unemployed Nigerians; consequently, millions of university graduates roam our streets daily searching for non-existent jobs. Corruption, which is the canker worm asphyxiating Nigeria, has not been tackled. Most roads across the country are in deplorable conditions. As our hospitals are mere consulting clinics, well-heeled Nigerians seek medical attention outside the shores of Nigeria. And, education, which is the bedrock of national development, is suffering utter neglect. University students have been at home for two months because their lecturers had downed tools to protest the government negligence of university education in the country. To make matters worse, Nigerian union of Teachers (NUT) has threatened to embark on industrial action if the Federal Government- ASUU impasse is not amicably resolved within two weeks.

    The PDP’s leadership of Nigeria has brought woes and hardship on us rather than blessings and improved standards of living. Their acrimonious disagreement has highlighted some facts and fault-lines in our body politic: Nigeria is a disunited country that is divided along ethnic and religious lines; and, the recruitment or election of Nigerians into political leadership positions in the country is characterized by corruption and ethnic and religious considerations. The battle for the topmost political post in Nigeria has always polarized the country along ethnic and religious lines. Are we aware that unity is a force for national development? A country that is characterized and paralyzed by political instability cannot become a super power country.

    We need a leader who can wield all the diverse ethnic groups in Nigeria together, achieve national cohesion, diversify the economy, and eradicate corruption from our body- politic.

     

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye.

    Uruowulu, Obosi, Anambra State.

     

  • Glo, get this thing off my back!

    SIR: In a bid to get more money from their customers there is nothing telecom companies do not dream of. They send you unsolicited sms, and if you do not scroll down to your feet you may not see the trap deliberately tucked under. They can go to any length to get people to keep sending sms to rake up profit.

    Now, I have been a customer of Glo since its birth in Nigeria and at no time have I considered “porting” like Saka. But glo’s attitude to its customers tests many a customer’s patience. And it is hard to say how long that patience can last.

    I have been receiving a particular unsolicited message and missed calls from different “glo numbers,” the last one being from 5471880410. I asked around and I was told it is a particular chat room called Frenzo. After I learnt of this, I called Glo customer care. At first, the officer either pretended not to know what I was talking about or was genuinely ignorant. I had to help him by saying I think the missed calls and messages come from Frenzo. I said I could not remember subscribing to such a thing and that even if I did inadvertently I wanted out. He asked when I got the missed call last, I told him it was a few minutes ago. He said he would need to check my call log to really understand what I was talking about. After a few minutes, he came back to tell me he was sorry but that due to technical problems he could not check to see my call log. I can’t remember making any complaint to glo without them giving that cop-out. Yet, I said I’d still give glo the benefit of the doubt.

    The following day I did the same thing, calling customer care. Another fellow I heard his voice still repeated the same refrain: there was a technical problem and so he could not see my call logs. I felt driven round the bend. As I said, what I am talking about usually comes as missed calls or sms, with lecherous words, and unrelenting – indeed, a pact with the devil!

    If Glo did its customer data capture properly it should not have any problems getting my number.

    I take Glo to be a responsive telecommunication company. I am using this medium to tell it to get Frenzo, or what ever it is off my back!

     

    • Dr Cosmas Odoemena

    Lagos

     

  • Nigeria at 53: Nothing to celebrate

    SIR: It’s always a thing of joy to have one’s desire realized, especially if one had worked hard to realise such desire. While the joy of Nigerians may have known no bounds at our attainment of independence on October 1, 1960, the question is: to what extent can we really say that we have achieved the visions that propelled that desire and quest 53 years on?

    Nigeria has had a chequered political history from military interregnums to democratic distortions with the result that Nigeria has not fared well politically.

    Up till now, Nigerians cannot beat their chest about a stable political milieu where institutions and structures of government are performing optimally and satisfactorily. More than a decade of uninterrupted democratic dispensation, there is virtually nothing to prove that we are on the verge of being politically vibrant.

    Socially, Nigeria is eclipsed in ethnic and tribal bigotry, favouritism, nepotism, and religious intolerance. Our educational system is everything but functional. Coincidentally, our country is celebrating this year’s independence anniversary in the midst of a dysfunctional university system –grounded for three months now as a result of strike by university teachers.

    What about our health system? I hear a typical Nigerian scream: “no go area”! And that is exactly what it is! If not, our ruling and affluent class would not be travelling en mass to other countries for medical attention.

    No matter how one views it, all has not been well with our economy ever since we transited from being agro-based and productive nation (in the pre-independence, independence and early post independence period) to an oil-based consumer nation (starting from the 1970s period of oil boom to date). If not, how can one account for the all-time high levels of abject poverty, unemployment and astronomic costs of living prevalent in the land?

    How can anyone deem our 53rd Independence Anniversary commemoration worthwhile amidst the shades of corruption, insecurity, anarchy, leadership ineffectiveness and inefficiency, the widening gulf between the rich and the poor, socio-economic cum political somersaults, and what have you that is preponderant in the country?

    Today, available indicators have shown that the foundations upon which Nigeria is built is everything but firm. There is no doubt about the urgent need to re-visit and re-assess these foundations to ascertain their viability or otherwise.

    Rather than engage in habitual flamboyant and frivolous way of commemorating the anniversary, we should take time-out to reflect on the state of affairs in the country and come up with the best ways to tackle the myriad of socio-economic, political and leadership challenges confronting us.

    Our leaders at all levels and indeed, Nigerians in general, have got to wake up to stem the tide of corruption, nepotism, individualism, immorality, avarice, wickedness, and lack of patriotism that have been hampering our development. We need to work hard to realise the Nigeria of our dreams where peace, love, unity, tranquillity and progress truly pervades.

     

    • Daniel Ndukwe Ekea

    Umuahia, Abia State