The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • The girl child at Big Brother Africa

    SIR: A few of us tried to rescue the girl child from the Yerimas of this world but see what she is doing at Big Brother Africa. she can not draw the clear distinction between dignity and immorality. She traded away the temple of God in the name of game. It’s ‘un-african’ for the girl child to live without virtue. Those of us who thought that only the Yerimas of this world pose a great danger to the girl child need to think twice because the girls have proved that she is not only a danger to her self but to the world.

    Some call it a game but I can not see the game that is geared toward the destruction of our values. Parents must hencefourth begin to structure the up-bring of their wards along african-philosophical creed. I do not believe one needs to toe the path of moral negativity in the quest for fame, wealth, etc.

    Please the girl child owe us a duty to act right whenever she is in public especially on international media. Come to think of it, how will her unborn child feels if she see’s her mum wasting away with another man in the pool of nudity.

    Can somebody tell her to stand up for what is right? We are africans and we must cherish our value. Its our pride and heritage. She may not understand in-view of the prize tag. But I pray she will one day understand that money is not every thing.

    • Godfrey Ogbaisi.

    Benin City

     

  • Much ado about visa bond

    SIR: Few weeks ago, the UK authorities announced a new visa policy which makes it mandatory for new visitors to the country to pay a sum of £3,000 visa bond in addition to other customary visa processing fees. As usual, many Nigerians went wild with anger with the dominant elites invading newspaper pages to condemn the measure and accuse Britain of neo-racist inclination.

    Quite unfortunately, rather than re-think the decision following this widespread outrage, authorities in the UK have only gone ahead to confirm their stance by fixing November this year for the commencement of the new policy. Admittedly, while the move may appear to have dealt a fatal blow to ongoing efforts by the Commonwealth of Nations to promote free movement among member states, it is nevertheless pertinent to note that the British government has come out to insist that the policy is a pilot scheme and is predominantly person-specific. It is targeted at high-risk immigrants with phase one covering selected countries in Asia and Africa noted for their high immigrant burden in the UK.

    Indeed, having made these clarifications, it becomes needles to saddle the government with further explanations again on the real reasons behind the new visa regime until it becomes fully operational during which opportunity will be presented to do a clear-headed assessment of implementation process and identify possible area(s) of diplomatic mischief.

    As a matter of fact, if Nigeria is admissible to all forms of dangerous ‘immigrants’ turned sectarian terrorists, we cannot expect other countries to be similarly lax in the area of imaginative response to national security challenges. Britain has maintained that her doors remain open to the best and brightest minds irrespective of climes. The simple statement inherent in the new policy is that the country will no longer welcome clueless artisans, glorified ragamuffins and itinerant killers masquerading as asylum seekers and re-defining her society along the path of violent cultural and religious intolerance.

    Happy enough, Britain has also made provisions to reimburse visitors who do not violate the visa terms. Therefore, instead of the present energy-sapping broadside, why not, on our own part, begin to look at more innovative ways to secure our various homelands in Nigeria just as Britain has done and may yet do more.

     

    • Dr Omotajo O.R.

    Oke’Badan Estate, Ibadan.

     

  • Softly, Operation Burst

    SIR: When the above mentioned anti crime squad was established by Oyo State government few years ago, many rejoiced that end has come to the criminals in Oyo State. In fairness to the squad, it has lived up to expectation thus far, at least in Ibadan where its operation began. One thinks that it was as a result of its success in Ibadan that the state government extended its operation to other zones in the state.

    However, the function of operation burst in Ogbomoso Township needs to be defined. From the feelers from some town’s people and some victims, the outfit has turned itself to a tin god, dabbling into land matter, forestry matter, this is because they used to chase timber lorries. It has equally assumed the function of traffic warden and use to operate at strategic junction, extorting money through subterfuge. They even went to the extent of visiting hotels and beer joints to arrest people in a bid to extort money. Equally, they used to accost girls for indecent dressing, punishing them by ordering Okada rider to play with the victim’s breast. In short, they are becoming a terror in the land.

    Soon, if care is not taken, they would take over the function of the judiciary. Why this piece is written is that Ogbomoso people are the most accommodating, hospitable, respecters of law but they are haters of oppression and cheating. History is full of instances of their revolt against injustice and oppression in the pre and post colonial periods. This is well documented.

    Oyo State government should call the squad to order to ward off people’s revolt against it. Ogbomoso is entirely crime free as the regular police in the town is capable of providing security in the town.

    • Jimoh Abiodun

    Ogbomoso

     

  • Akpabio, victim of editorial diatribe?

    SIR: The Nation on August 8, dedicated its editorial column to fire unsavory salvos at Governor Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State. In the piece entitled Tin god, it criticized Akpabio for relieving Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Akwa Ibom State of duty. According to the editorial, the raison d’être for the action was the declaration of the erstwhile SSG to vie for the office of governor of the state.  In its uninformed comment, it stated that Governor Akpabio was infuriated by that declaration hence the decision to show him the way out. But the aspiration of the former SSG was not new to anybody in the state including the governor who had also mentioned that aspiration liberally at different fora.

    Editorials represent the policy of the paper. Editorials deal with topical issues and canvass opinions on how public policies could be shaped. The language is often temperate and impersonal. It labours to rise above subjectivity, frivolity, animosity and personal feelings. The column is often known for exercising professional and civilized values being the window to that paper or magazine.

    The editorial under reference failed unabashedly short of all the isolated criteria. It is hard to conjecture how egg-heads sat in an editorial board meeting to decide that the editorial policy of the paper for the day should be hatred directed at Governor Akpabio. That is if the ritual of editorial meeting was observed. Or was it an individual who decided to exercise his/her warped fancy that did the editorial without consulting other members of the editorial board?

    The editorial employed clearly indecorous language. It made no pretence about its intention to disparage Governor Akpabio. It set for itself the disingenuous task of undertaking and completing investigation on the ousting of the erstwhile SSG, condemned the style and handed down a verdict of ignominy to the man it claimed called the shots for that ouster. It described the governor with all manners of sordid epithets depicting him as a tyrant which does not reflect Governor Akpabio that many know. By this editorial, The Nation has failed in holding out the proverbial mirror for the true reflection of man and society as expected of a dignified medium and journalism profession. It use of far-fetched examples to advance the cause of its defective submission about Akpabio only shows how hate can becloud reasoning.

    While one appreciates the dilemma of the medium being a mouthpiece of the opposition, it must not sacrifice professionalism to satisfy the fancies of its paymaster. It should at least pretend to be on the side of principle by not allowing politics to interfere and prejudice journalism career and dispose it as a tool in the hands of politicians. The sustained efforts by The Nation to see everything wrong in Akwa Ibom seems to be part of a calculated political agenda to discredit the state which has ascended enviable height these past six years to turn the once defeaning success story of ACN controlled Lagos State into a boring tale of drudgery. And as part of it, the star light of Akwa Ibom which is Akpabio must be dimmed with bad press. This in my estimation is unfortunate and a sad commentary on journalism practice.

    Recently, Punch carried a news item which it purported was a result of a press statement issued by a groups called Northern Emancipation Network. The group is reported to have advised President Jonathan to be wary of Akpabio. Curiously, it was only Punch that was at that press briefing out of plenteous newspapers in this country. And the purpose of that mischievous news report is stripped bare when papers further editorialise fiction in the name of reportage. Journalists must find the nobility to commend people that are doing well in other to encourage them as well as others to tow the path of progressive and accountable governance. It must also criticize when need arises to keep leadership in check. This is the only way journalism would be seen as partners in the all important task of nation-building.

    A newspaper of the standing of The Nation should not be seen to be parochial or holding jaundiced views against a person or section of the country. It should be seen as a true national paper. This is the only way it can continue to cultivate followership that would nurse this enfeebled adult nation state to a strong and virile one.

    • Joseph Ndedu

    Lagos

  • Plight of victims of 2011 post-election violence

    SIR: I am a victim of the post election violence that took place in Kano in 2011.

    I will like to call the attention of the federal government to the need to come to the aid of the victims many of whom lost virtually everything that they had laboured for over the years of hard labour.

    Shortly after the crisis, the federal government sent the director general NEMA, Alhaji  Mohammed Sani Nasidi to Kano, to us at the refugee camp at the Police Headquarters, Bompai Kano, assuring us that the federal government promised to compensate us accordingly. Since then, we have heard nothing from them. Even the governor,  Dr  Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, visited us in the same camp  promising  that on assumption of office, he will ensure that we are duly compensated. Since coming into office, we have tried everything possible to reach him but to no avail. Months later, we were invited to Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano by the Lemu panel sent by the federal government. They took our documents, passport photographs and phone numbers, and yet we have had no response.

    Later NEMA, through the Kano Relief Agency again invited us demanding similar documents to the ones submitted earlier, which we submitted again, yet no response from them and all efforts to contact the committee have proved abortive. Most painful of it all, is that most of the victims are not even enlightened on where to submit their documents due to the manner in which the collection of the documents were conducted.

    It’s been almost three years now and we just learnt that President Goodluck Jonathan  approved the compensation subsequent to which the Vice President Arch. Namadi Sambo later disbursed the funds to the various states. It’s been five months since the approval and disbursements and still we don’t know when and where to be compensated. We tried contacting the Kano Relief Agency again and we were told that they are not responsible for the payments and they don’t know when we will be called upon.

    All we are soliciting the federal government is to please call on all the stakeholders and committees in charge of the disbursements, to please remember that we are living in abject poverty and pains. We want them to remember we have children to cater for and a lot of other responsibilities; most of us are jobless and homeless and our children out of school, we are almost living as beggars in the communities we live in.

    We were attacked, robbed and killed by the enemies of the government which we can call an artificial or a manmade disaster which would have been treated as a critical condition but we have been abandoned. In 2011 and 2012, flood victims were given immediate attention; why is our situation not treated with equal attention to that of the flood victims?

    We urge the President to please come to our rescue; we are dying of starvation and life has been miserable for most of us because we lost everything to that violence that took away so many lives and our hard-earned properties.

    • Raphael I. Ogenyi

    Kano.

  • The Pope and Desmond Tutu

    A strongly believe there’s a grand conspiracy by the world powers to force-feed the world with the gay bug before the turn of the new decade.

    It’s no mere coincidence that two of the world’s most revered religious leaders, the Pope and Desmond Tutu, made ‘disturbing’ statements in support of ‘Gayness’ in a space of three days. While the Pope’s was veiled, Desmond Tutu’s was brash; the Nobel laureate threatening not to go to heaven if he finds out God is homophobic. Now, if God was in support of homosexuals, why did he destroy Sodom and Gomorrah as written in the Bible? This is in addition to the aggressive pro-gay campaign the leaders of both the United States of America and Britain have embarked on in recent months.

    I see no reason why the people of the world shouldn’t clamour for the legalisation of present day sexual vices such as incest, child marriage, bestiality etc. After all, homosexuality was once seen as a crime by the same people at the forefront of the campaign for its acceptance.

    What is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. Gay rights activists should henceforth include the aforementioned ‘sex crimes’ in their checklist of rights to be fought for.

    I still insist that homosexuality is an abnormality that can be corrected, either medically, through psychological therapy or through exorcism. It’s important to note that I don’t and can never hate gays; it’s only the act I detest.

    I pray God heals the world.

     

    Simon Utsu

    08094982226

     

  • Is Benue governorship exclusive to the Tiv people?

    I strongly believe there’s a grand conspiracy by the world powers to force-feed the world with the gay bug before the turn of the new decade.

    It’s no mere coincidence that two of the world’s most revered religious leaders, the Pope and Desmond Tutu, made ‘disturbing’ statements in support of ‘Gayness’ in a space of three days. While the Pope’s was veiled, Desmond Tutu’s was brash; the Nobel laureate threatening not to go to heaven if he finds out God is homophobic. Now, if God was in support of homosexuals, why did he destroy Sodom and Gomorrah as written in the Bible? This is in addition to the aggressive pro-gay campaign the leaders of both the United States of America and Britain have embarked on in recent months.

    I see no reason why the people of the world shouldn’t clamour for the legalisation of present day sexual vices such as incest, child marriage, bestiality etc. After all, homosexuality was once seen as a crime by the same people at the forefront of the campaign for its acceptance.

    What is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. Gay rights activists should henceforth include the aforementioned ‘sex crimes’ in their checklist of rights to be fought for.

    I still insist that homosexuality is an abnormality that can be corrected, either medically, through psychological therapy or through exorcism. It’s important to note that I don’t and can never hate gays; it’s only the act I detest.

    I pray God heals the world.

     

    Simon Utsu

    08094982226

     

  • Still on Abati’s metamorphosis

    SIR: Read Chief Afe Babalola’s column in the Tribune, and you will find that he remains the same old man, always saying, “Welcome, my Lord”, not only to Judges, as a seasoned lawyer and long-standing Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, but also to whoever wields the sceptre in government.

    Afe belongs to the ideological school which teaches you don’t say a ruler is not ruling well, but praise him/her and advise by way of embellishment.

    By always showing reverence to whoever is in power, Afe has made a lot of fortune as a fierce lawyer to reckon-with. While Chief Gani Fawehinmi (of blessed memory) was always suing erring rulers, Afe and the late Chief Rotimi Williams, always defended. That was basically why Gani earned “SAM” (Senior Advocate of the Masses) long before earning “SAN”, for which he was as qualified as anybody that qualified; he was as fierce as anybody that was fierce. But, imagine the success of someone swimming against the current!

    That notwithstanding, Gani was highly blessed with patronage, and was always there for both the able and the unable who had a legal grievance to settle with the powers that be. (I congratulate Afe also, because he is known to be a philanthropist in my view in recent times. My reminiscence is motivated by the current image of Dr. Reuben Abati, who for a long time was a fierce anti-government critic, but now a government apologist.

    To me, and possibly to most of those who used to read his column in those days, Abati is like nightmare. The past and present of Abati are two diametrically opposed images! But, he is not fierce any more, because he is now on the defensive side; having to defend President Jonathan’s indefensible policies and actions, including reneging on promises, e.g. not to run for a second term as President, increasing fuel price rather than retrieving the stolen wealth and blocking loopholes.

    My more serious concern is the utterances of those we expect to lead us out of the woods; unguarded statements that help the likes of Abati to speak triumphantly, insulting our collective intelligence. Imagine such statements as “Jonathan is not to blame for the crisis rocking the Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum”.

    Why say “Jonathan is not to blame for the crisis rocking the Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum”, when he left nobody in doubt that he didn’t want Amaechi, and has embraced the loser, Jang?

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin.

  • SOS to President and governors

    SIR: I wish to appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan, and the governors of the 36 states. Your Excellencies, in the first place, I wish to commend the effort of governors like Peter Obi of Anambra State who pay monthly pensions regularly since assumption of office.

    This appeal is for Your Excellencies to administer the old pension in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution rather than abandon the civilian pensioners in the lurch through failure to adjust the old pension.

    Military pensioners suffered the same fate until Brig-Gen. Bitrus Kwaji was appointed chairman of Military Pension Board. General Kwaji relied on section 173 of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 to recognize that the 12.5 percent and 15 percent salary increase granted to workers in 2003 and 2007 respectively and the 23 percent increase granted to the military in 2008 should be applied pari passu with pension. The total percentage increase which was 50.5 percent was accordingly added to military pension in 2010 with the payment of the resultant arrears. The “idle” civilian pensioners now got better understanding of the message of George Orwell’s Animal Farm as their pensions remain unadjusted even after the hullabaloo and riot over the controversial petroleum products price increase in January 2012 and the enactment of a new minimum wage by the National Assembly thereafter.

    Your Excellencies, at the peak of the Roman empire, fervent admirers of Rome volunteered to sacrifice their lives at the Roman forum (market place) to save Rome in accordance with injunctions of the oracle. In exhibition of patriotism and love for their country, they proudly exchanged cheers with the by-standers at the scene of the supreme sacrifice.

    As Nigerians look forward to the centenary of nationhood, what will be the basis for the pensioners and their relations with growing feeling of disenchantment go out there at the Eagle Square and stadia across the nation to cheer? What is the encouragement to the pensioners and their children to rise and obey the call by Nigeria?

    A nation that cannot fulfill mutual agreements with its citizens and where 20 percent of our common resources is spent annually by the leadership to combat crimes and lawlessness but would resort to selective application of the provision of the supreme law of the nation which they swore to uphold.

    Your Excellencies, the prevalence of inertia in the conduct of human affairs with timescale does not augur well for the future of society. Please help to build a nation where no man is oppressed.

    • Chukwuma Nwene

    Obunagu Village, Ndikelionwu,

    Anambra State.

  • Anambra guber: The odds against Ekwunife

    SIR: The slogan of Anambra State is the Light of the Nation. The slogan aptly fits the state and captures its essence and what it represents. It is the home-state of late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, foremost Nigerian nationalist. Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, the former African sprints queen of the track hails from the state. John Mikel Obi, mid-field maestro and the engine room of the Super-Eagles, is native of Anambra. The roll-call of iconic figures who come from Anambra state won’t be complete without mentioning the eagle on the Iroko, Chinua Achebe, the indisputable father of modern Africa literature.

    It is time for politicking and the election of a new governor. So far, more than 30 politicians have indicated interest to contest the next Anambra governorship election. Each of these politicians is with qualities that can tilt the race in his or her favour. In the Anambra politics, intrigue, religion, political clout and money are factors that will determine the next occupant of the government house, Awka.

    Among those running for the governorship post are Professor Chukwuma Soludo, former CBN governor; Ifeanyi Uba, oil magnate; Uche Ekwunife, a serving law-maker in the National Assembly and others.

    APC will use the Anambra election to test its popularity and solidify its roots and foundation. Dr. Chris Ngige will likely carry the flag of APC in the epic battle.

    Male chauvinism reigns supreme in Anambra State. Are the people ready to have a female governor now? Onitsha based traders are wont to say that a lady whose urine does not flow in a jet straight line will not rule over them.

    More so, Anambrarians are chiefly Christians. Christianity and Igbo culture subordinate women behind men. Among those who will urge Ekwunife to shelve her political ambition are women. They will copiously quote the Bible passages and pepper them with Igbo proverbs to prove that a woman should not contest for a political post with men. These are attitudes and sentiments, which Ekwunife will battle in order to win the APGA ticket and the governorship election.

    But, let us work on the assumption that securing the APGA ticket will be a cake-walk for her. Can Honourable Ekwunife defeat the governorship candidates of APC, PDP and Labour party in the governorship contest? Some people opined that APGA died with Chief Emeka Ojukwu. Late Ojukwu commanded huge followership during his life-time. He used his charisma to sway people to his side. Governor Obi rode on the coat tail of Ojukwu’s popularity to win the governorship election. Now, APGA has emerged from a bitter judicial fight between Obi and Chief Victor Umeh, the national chairman of the party. So, can APGA governorship representative beat APC, PDP and Labour Party flag bearers in the governorship election?

    More so, the presidency would like to add Anambra to the list of PDP states in preparation for the presidential poll in 2015. Anambra PDP is fractured by quarrels, intrigues and betrayals. Can Anambra PDP bury their political differences, unite, and present a formidable and consensus governorship candidate? Only then can the party thwart the efforts of APGA flag-bearer and derail the APC’s march to victory.

    These are hurdles that Ekwunife must clamber over.

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye.

    Uruowulu-Obosi,

    Anambra State.