The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Nigerians not made for the law

    SIR: The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) is not shocked that Senate President, David Mark, was quoted to have said Sovereign National Conference is not workable under the 1999 Constitution. He went as far as saying that Nigerians “have ratified the [1999] Constitution by our conduct.” In other words, Mark is telling us that referendum is not needed to ratify constitutional amendments; our silence and judicial actions is enough sign of acceptance.

    We found this statement as an assault to peace-loving Nigerians, which have always bent over backwards to accommodate deepening levels of bad leadership in the country. We equally found Mark’s statement as an indirect confrontation on Nigerians to show their denunciation of 1999 Constitution through their conduct.

    In a nation that is still grappling with the scourge of extremists and insurgents, this statement is no less a malfeasance. That Nigerians have been peacefully advocating SNC should not be misinterpreted as a ratification of the 1999 Constitution and Mark should not deem this as an acceptance of the institution he heads.

    Mark has condemned 170 million Nigerians, even the generations yet unborn, to the provisions of 1999 Constitution, thereby concluding that Nigerians are made for the law. This is an indication of Mark’s degrading opinion of Nigerians who deserve better from him as the custodian of the nation’s democratic institution. Whereas the law is made for man in countries that Nigerian leaders like Mark aspire to overtake in their touted pursuit of Vision 20:2020.

    Mark asked “where will the Sovereign National Conference be deriving its sovereignty from, and under what framework? How will the conference be convoked and by whom and under what terms?”

    He should not forget that colonialists took away the sovereignty of ethnic nations, an illegality that was doused at Independence, repeated in 1966, and has been perpetrated ever since, culminating in the 1999 Constitution.

    Sovereignty belongs to the ethnic nations that constitute Nigeria and it is in politicians’ interest that a Sovereign National Conference be convoked to chart a new constitution that will properly transfer this sovereignty to democratic structures. Only then can there be lasting peace, progress, development, and freedom for all in Nigeria.

    Why is the National Assembly afraid of referendum if not because it is afraid that many of its activities are perceived as illegal in the minds of Nigerians? Referendums have been held even in countries like Norway where it is not constitutionally recognised. Therefore, NASS has no excuse for not subjecting its constitution amendment process to referendum.

    A Nigerian, Obiageli Ezekwesili, had at a time challenged the federal government to a public debate on its reckless spending. Lately, she had challenged National Assembly also to a public debate. While we salute Ezekwesili’s patriotism, we are saying the country needs more than a public debate; we need a national dialogue.

    To continue to put it off is to reinforce the growing perception that there is a ruling elite controlling Nigerian economy to the deprivation of the masses. Such perception never ends in comics and it pays to do things right when we are all still smiling. Nigeria is negotiable.

    • Kunle Famoriyo

    ARG, Lagos

  • Use infrastructure levy for Aba roads

    SIR: Payment of Infrastructural levy in Abia state dates back from 1999 when the then civilian governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, seeing the level of infrastructural decay in the state, especially in Aba introduced the phenomenon in order to ameliorate the people’s suffering as a result of the impassable nature of their roads. And since the bill was passed into law by the state house of Assembly, it has come to stay.

    The motive behind this concept was to create a synergy between the government and the people with a view to, among other things, tackling headlong and with quick dispensation the problem of infrastructural decay in the state. Although some individuals kicked against it, Aba residents were thrown into jubilation as the development would enable the government repair most of their major roads in the city that had deteriorated to a sorry state.

    In line with their expectation some of the roads like: Ohanku, Obohia, Osusu, Omuma, Eziukwu, Ibadan, Okpu Umobo and others were given a face lift. Bypasses were also constructed including Emelogu ring road. But because palliative measures were applied on them they lasted only for a short time before degenerating into their present pitiable state.

    In spite of this development, Aba residents did not cease from paying the levy. But to their chagrin, up to this moment nothing meaningful has been done on these roads, and they are still deteriorating. The question now is: Is the fund realized from this concept misused or misdirected?

    Government should as a matter of urgency, revisit these roads to avoid a total collapse of business activities in this commercial city that has been the major source of revenue to the state. It is foolhardy to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

    • Nkemakolam Gabriel

    Port Harcourt

  • NMA and health workers strike

    SIR: I read with disgust the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA)’s attempt to praise doctors for working to frustrate the strike action of other health professionals. I am disappointed because the NMA ought to have used its energy to prevent the strike. To make matters worse, NMA is claiming it has the right to call out its members for strike in future when the need arises. Weird logic.

    The NMA is acting like a man who goes rat hunting when his house is on fire. Right now the Federal Government is trying to stop paying salaries to House Officers under the guise computerized salary payment. Teaching hospitals are now being asked to pay interns and house officers from their internal revenue. The result of this is that many will not be able to employ as many as they do today. This will compound the backlog of frustrated medical graduates.

    What the leadership of the NMA do not realize is that the current Minister of Finance has a long held desire, since here first tenure, to stop paying interns. Computerized payroll has provided a good excuse.

    Could it be that the present leadership of the NMA belong to the group of medical elders that like the idea of not paying interns and using them as cheap labour?

    • Nehemiah Sokponba

    Medical Store Road

    Benin

  • Suntai and Taraba youths

    SIR: Who and where are these so called “Taraba Youths” reported as protesting and demanding, that Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State address the people publicly if he is applying to the Taraba House of Assembly to resume duty?

    The so-called youths should cast their minds back, compare and contrast the difference between the coming home of late president Yar’adua and Governor Suntai. You would agree with me that the coming of the governor was transparent. He arrived alive in view of all Nigerians and waved to all his well-wishers.

    Apart from that, the acting governor of the state and the Governor of Adamawa State were given free access to visit and discuss with him, unlike Yar’adua whom even his Vice-President, Senate President and those at helm of his affairs were not aware of his coming, or allowed to visit him. In order words Yar’adua was brought home under suspicious circumstances and other Nigerians and religious bodies were silent just to allow peace prevail in the country.

    Though I am not from Taraba, my sincere advice to the so-called youths is to stop bringing religious sentiments into Taraba State politics so that the sleeping dog will lie. they should also not take the tiger by the tail.

    • Oboyi Simon

    Abbattoir Road, Jos.

  • Ngige’s emergence, step in right direction

    SIR: As the euphoria that greeted the registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) wanes, it’s time the party got down to business; and there’s indeed great work to be done. While well-meaning Nigerians look up to the party and indeed wish her success, cynics and particularly reactionaries can only pray and hope that she meets with disaster. The first major test for the APC will come in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State.

    Anambra is one state that has way too many political heavyweights (including those in politics for service and others mostly for personal aggrandisement) perhaps for its own good. This explains the rancour that often accompanies elections in the state and their very keenly contested nature. The November 16 gubernatorial election will not be any different. Already politicians are jostling for the various parties’ tickets.

    There were quite a number of formidable candidates in the Anambra APC, but of the lot, two stood out. They included Senators Chris Ngige and Annie Okonkwo. These tested and eminently qualified senators have all it takes to go all the way and win the election. But the question was: who will bear the party’s flag? Will the two mighty Irokos from the same senatorial zone battle it out in a primary? This was one question that agitated me and perhaps the party’s leadership.

    One of the hallmarks of a great soul is the ability and even readiness to place common good above personal good, the willingness to sacrifice for the progress of one’s society, organisation etc. Senator Okonkwo demonstrated these noble traits and more when he not only let Ngige have the APC’s gubernatorial ticket without a fight but also vowed to put in all effort towards ensuring victory for the party come November 16. This is a clear demonstration of political maturity and points to a man fit and indeed destined for high office in the near future. It would be nice if the other equally credible APC candidates demonstrate the same maturity and queue behind Senator Ngige.

    The emergence of the immensely popular Ngige is indeed a step in the right direction. His track record as a grass root politician who has the interest of the masses at heart speaks for him. His candidacy places the APC in pole position in the Anambra gubernatorial race. The other parties will no doubt throw up formidable candidates, but who among them can beat Ngige in a free and fair contest? I sincerely don’t see any.

    • Nnoli Chidiebere Aba, Abia State.

  • Re: ‘ Letter to the Igbo Nation by a Friend ‘

    SIR: I write in respect of the article ‘ Letter to the Igbo Nation by a Friend ‘ written under the pen name Gbogun Gboro and published on page 21 of The Nation of Thursday , August 27 with a view to setting the records straight as regards certain inaccurate sweeping assertions that encouraged ethnic/group labeling as well as maybe passive association of the Ndigbo with the vice of falsehood by Gbogun Gboro.

    I believe that it is out of character for a columnist of a reputable medium like The Nation to label an ethnic stock ( Ndigbo ) and therefore propagate falsehood because of an intellectual disagreement on a part of Igbo/African History. The expected course of action by Gbogun Gboro is to make such discrepancy subject to debate within the academic circles or the Historical Society of Nigeria for resolution of such competing worldviews.

    I make bold to say it is the voice of Jacob but the hand of Esau – such that Gbogun Gboro has been influenced by the fallout of the media or internet war going on between two failed reactionary politicians with respect to the relocation/deportation of 14 or 72 (depending on which side of the divide you are) persons of Ibo origin to the South-east. I do not need to be a person of superior academic station to Gbogun Gboro to know which side he has taken, not minding the pretentious niceties of admonishing Ndigbo. He zeroed in on the fact that one of the failed reactionary politicians made a statement that Lagos is a no man’s land which is inaccurate as no reasonable person will say that Lagos has no indigenous people from the colonial times.

    However it seems strange to me that Gbogun Gboro with his solid background and indisputable scholarship in history could not caution the other promoter of Lagos interest (who kept quiet when his master seized LG funds due to Lagos from the Federation Account ) when he called the Ndigbos collectively unlearned and reeled out phantom statistics supposedly showing that his own ethnic stock has an educational advantage over the Ibos by virtue of Yorubas being the first Nigeria nationality to produce graduates. Since Gbogun Gboro is the guardian of pure African history, why did he not inform this politician that he should eschew falsehood as the first Nigerian Professor in history is an Ibo-man, Prof Kenneth Dike (who went on to become the first V.C of iconic U.I ) and that the Ndigbo have no educational deficit or gap with the Yorubas. Whatever gap has been closed down by the mid-1960s.

    Why did he fail to inform him that currently Imo State produces the highest number of graduates yearly and Anambra State has the highest performance score in Unity College exams nationwide (and by virtue of that highest cut-off mark for admission)?

    The major attraction of Lagos right now is her property value and it is left for Gbogun Gboro to conclude whether demography and property investment by Ndigbo has had a salutary contribution towards that or not. Furthermore having bandied his christian credentials by virtue of being involved in the affairs of the church, if he says that any other group apart from the Yoruba has contributed to the building of Lagos more than the Ndigbos – then I leave him to his conscience.

    Columnists are expected to shun stereotype or group labeling. Permit me to say that from my inferior academic station, there is no way I can generalise what the other politician said about the Ibo being collectively unlearned as being a Yoruba opinion rather than an individual one from a relevance-seeking politician. Gbogun Gboro is not expected to behave less.

    The impression being given by Gbogun Gboro that phantom falsehood will hinder Ibos prospects in Nigeria is nothing more than an inaccurate deduction. The fact is that all enterprising nationalities with the Nigerian nation-state have no prospect in a unitary and centralised Nigeria and the struggle to restructure the polity is what The Nation is propounding via the constellation of progressive columnists and Gbogun Gboro should not be an exception.

    • Ejike Sanchez

    Enugu

  • GEJ: Performance, not empty promises

    SIR: It is now obvious that the Jonathan administration has nothing to offer after more than two years in the saddle. The president had promised that his doubters were going to be surprised in 2013 and here we are still waiting for the president’s container of positive changes.

    Sincerely, President Jonathan continues to surprise Nigerians with the way he is running his government. Presently, there is marked increase in pipeline vandalism, unprecedented oil-theft, bomb blasts, economic instability and lots more. Yet, the president has not realised that Nigeria is drowning.

    My problem with Jonathan and his cabinet is that they have not for once admitted their failures. A government that is not criticised will never get things right. Whether the criticisms are constructive or not, what the government ought to do is to prove its critics wrong by doing it right rather than engage in meaningless counter-criticism. Nigerians were in jubilation galore when Jonathan emerged in 2011. Many people who gave birth then named their child after him thinking that his emergence would change things for better.

    A lot of promises have been made but none of them has been fulfilled and the president and his aides are already talking about re-election. My belief is that, if the president and his aides feel that they are moving Nigeria forward and that the populace are happy with the government, then, he should let Nigerians judge his performance by providing the avenue for free and fair election and not like Jega claimed free and fair election when he could not provide the ballot papers at the election petitions tribunal for cross examination.

    Education which is the bedrock of democracy of every nation is what our own government is toying with. The amazing thing about this government is that it can afford to pay huge amount of money to our lawmakers who are doing nothing to move the country forward; pay erstwhile bandits billions of naira to secure our pipeline when we have military men who can do this for less; the same government claims it cannot pay varsity lecturers who spend day and night teaching and researching to enable the universities produce students who would contribute their quota to moving Nigeria forward.

    For how long does the president want Nigerians to continue to wait? Nigerians are increasingly losing hope. The country cannot change until its leaders change. The backwardness of this country is nothing but the problem of leadership; we need leaders who are bold and quick at decision-making, leaders who will put the interest of the masses before theirs and build Nigeria of our collective dreams; not leaders who would grant amnesty to people who steal from the country’s treasury.

    If the president really wants to get it right, he should dissolve his cabinet and bring in people who have vision, people who will tell him the truth; not praise-singers.

     

    • Waziri Mohammed

    Mokola, Ibadan.

     

     

  • On Lagos-Ikorodu road expansion

    SIR: Government exists everywhere to take care of the needs of its people. This accounts for the reason why the Lagos State Government acceded to the request of the people for the expansion of the Mile 12 to Ikorodu Road. I have lived abroad for several years before deciding to relocate back home to contribute to the development of my fatherland. I was very happy when I heard that the road would be expanded from a two-lane dual carriageway to a three-lane dual carriageway. However, to borrow words from our own Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, words soon ’turned to ashes in our mouth’ when we learnt that the additional lanes to be added on both sides were actually to extend the Bus Rapid Transit system to Ikorodu.

    The plan, no doubt is desirable but can we be so sure that the four lanes would still be enough for other traffic after taking two lanes for the BRT? Government needs to think through it very well.

    Point number two is the issue of the construction methodology. The contractor handling the project sometimes becomes insensate to the plight of users of that road during construction period. Traffic would sometimes snarl five or more kilometres. Some of the construction being done in the daytime could indeed be done at night to minimise traffic issues encountered on the road particularly during peak hours of going and returning from work.

    All said, I think one should give kudos to the Lagos State government under Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola for embarking on this gigantic project. It will sure change the face of Ikorodu when it is completed. Today, the experience might be harrowing but at the end of the day, road users will have cause to smile. There is therefore the need for everyone to support the government to achieve a prompt delivery of the project.

    • Lola Magnus,

    Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Lagos

     

  • Let these doctors induct

    SIR: The World Health Organization recommends that all countries have a minimum of one doctor to 600 people. Presently Nigeria has a ratio of 1 to 35,000, outlining the huge strain on Nigeria’s medical workforce, amongst whom a lot continue to travel abroad in search of greener pastures. Our medical schools graduate an average of 3000 – 4000 medical doctors annually which is evidently not enough. For us to tip the scale, Nigeria needs over 10 times the amount it graduates.

    Nigeria presently has over 240 sound and unused medical doctors and dentists produced by Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, doing house jobs in their parents’ houses for more than two months now. These doctors that could ease our health burden have unfortunately been wasting away since ASUU strike commenced; they have not been able to get their licenses which would have been issued at their induction.

    The circumstance in this case is peculiar; over five schools have inducted medical doctors and dentists since the onset of the strike but OAU has been unable to follow suit, the autonomy of other medical schools from their mother universities permits them to do things at their own pace as most of them were created by Acts of Parliament. OAU medical school did not come about that way so it does not enjoy sufficient autonomy from the university which explains the inability of the senate to sit hence hindering the crop of doctors from joining the medical work force.

    The college authorities have tried all within their power to solve this impasse without any progress. The school is incapacitated by the strike and still the FG/ASUU battle rages on as the grasses continue to suffer. The grasses in this case include not just the students but thousands of lives that will have experienced mortality and morbidity due to the absence of or inadequacy of qualified medical personnel. Nigeria still ranks high on maternal mortality index and infant mortality index. We are in the same bracket with Chad on health indices far behind Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.

    OAU products are in high demand in every sector of the economy; medicine and dentistry are courses in which OAU has great pedigree in. The impact these graduates will have on healthcare in this country cannot be overemphasized. The sooner they are inducted and allowed to join the medical workforce and play their role in saving lives, the better it is for the nation, at this juncture Nigeria needs all the hands it can get.

    Let these doctors induct, Let our people live longer, Nigeria needs them.

     

    • Omotoye Joseph,

    Surulere Lagos.

     

  • Suntai: Impunity, greed killing Nigeria

    SIR: Circumstances surrounding the health situation of Governor Danbaba Suntai, of Taraba State Nigeria have been deliberately shrouded in secrecy in the last 10 months after an air crash that left him hospitalized in the United States. I thank God that Suntai is still alive today. It could have been worse.

    But impunity, hide and seek game, greed, lies, deceit, dishonesty, breach of contract etc have been the hallmark of the leadership in Taraba. Associates of Suntai including his wife have been deceiving Nigerians and the people of Taraba State for 10 months now and this must be stopped. The Suntai I saw on TV on Sunday cannot continue to remain governor of Taraba State until he gets back his health.

    I am not a lawyer but the 1999 constitution 191 (1) gave five grounds under which a deputy can become a governor. These are on the ground of death, resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or removal of Governor from office for any other reason in accordance with section 188 or 189 of the constitution. The Deputy Governor could become a governor if the state executive council decided to give effect to section 189 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. That section says the governor or deputy governor of a state shall cease to hold office if by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of all members of the executive council of the state (i.e. the body of commissioners of the Government of the State) it is declared that the governor or deputy governors is incapable of discharging the functions of his office. This declaration has to, however, be verified by a medical panel of five (one of who must be the personal physician of the holder of the office concerned) to be appointed by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

    The arrival of governor Suntai at Abuja Airport spoke volumes about the state of the governor’s health. His looks suggest that he is far from recovering. His eyes are something else and it tells a bigger story that all is not well with him

    The carriage of his handlers suggests a despicable desperation to remain in power by all means. The idea of bringing a sick man home even when it is obvious to the world that all is not well suggests the way we are. Because of greed we have all become a slave to public office. I guess some people are feeding on the governor’s predicament. I guess that billions would have been stolen using his name and his fake signatures. This is a shame! But we have seen it before in the days of late President Yar’Adua of the blessed memory.

    The late former president of United States, Ronald Reagan had cause to undergo a surgical operation few years back. What did he do? He signed off his office as the President of the United States, went into the hospital for the operation. After a successful operation and recovery he took back his office. This is what civilized people do.

    Governor Suntai’s case has become an embarrassment to Nigerians and democracy. Handlers of governor Suntai have mismanaged the man’s recovery plans and Taraba State House of Assembly must do its work. The Deputy Governor of Taraba is now going through what President GEJ went through in the hands of Yar’Adua’s men. They have kept the man in the dark for fear of losing power.

    Let the law makers of Taraba State raise a team of five competent medical doctors to honestly ascertain the true state of the governor’s health and have the courage and the political will to do what needs to be done in the overall interest of the entire people of Taraba State.

    Let no one play politics with this man’s health and life.

     

    •Joe Igbokwe

    Lagos