The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • On the so-called six years, single-term presidency

    SIR: Nigeria has not been the same since Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (who was Vice President to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua) took advantage of the death of Yar’Adua to truncate rotational presidency. Towards gaining sympathy for his presidential ambition in 2011, Jonathan promised to spend a single term of four years, and he said it repeatedly wherever he went within and outside Nigeria. Less than two months after his election, he started hammering on seven years single term, but some voices cried foul. Yet, Jonathan used his presidential clout to control the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through which a referendum was stage-managed to rubber-stamp six years single term, and rejection of rotational presidency among the six geopolitical zones.

    Rotational presidency among the six geopolitical zones is in tandem with Nigeria’s federal character policy, while its rejection promotes political disorder as a corollary. Indubitably, Nigeria is fertile to terrorism without political order that can guarantee equity, justice, peace and stability. Secondly, Nigeria gave-up the British parliamentary system and adopted the American presidential system of a singly renewable four year term in office for President, Governors, and other political elective positions. With a single term of six years, Nigeria goes the way of neither Britain nor America.

    Note that the two older democratic countries have been on their political systems for ages and they are not contemplating change, rather finding better ways of doing what they have been doing. Professor Maurice Iwu spent many billions of naira to produce voters’ cards and registers. When Professor Attahiru Jega took-over, he described Iwu as one of the best accountable persons he ever met. But he jettisoned Iwu’s voters’ registers and cards, only to get billions of naira to issue new ones. Don’t ask me what has become of those materials and how many billions Jega is budgeting to demand for the 2015 general elections.

    Meanwhile, the only solution that Jonathan and the PDP-controlled legislature found to lack of fiscal discipline and unstable voters’ registers and cards is six years single term for President et al. Six straight years will quicken the pace for power mongers, so that they can all become President before Christ returns. When a heartless, clever totalitarian dictator rules Nigeria for six straight years, if the country does not go into oblivion, “everybody” will emaciate. Thinking about second term promotes sensitivity.

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin.

  • The gale of same-sex union

    SIR: The spate of same-sex marriage is winning over opposite sex marriage as many countries of the world continue to sign on gay marriages, making the same-sex marriage legal. Other countries still dragging their feet are under great pressure to do same. As Nigeria government has been recently rebuked for her anti-gay policy.

    Some renowned personality in the entertainment industry are living as gay couples, combined with the explosion of gay sex videos and pictures on the internet are fast turning a large number of innocent people into the fold.

    A same-sex marriage was held in France the day the gay bill was passed into law, while gays continued to storm every street corner in the world for recognition by law and demand to live the life style of their taste.

    The danger signal here is that those with same sex persuasion are more aggressive than those with opposite sex inclination. Following the violent history of those with the habit, and some protest slang that threatened ‘we will sodomised your children’, coupled with the description in one of the historical book of the world, the Holy Bible, where it was associated with rape and humiliation of those that have different sexual inclinations.

    How long then can those countries and states that are against gay marriage maintain this stand and what happens if gay marriage is finally accepted in every country? It will surely be a licence to wipe out opposite sex union, and the foreseeable time limit for this is 2030, that is if it did not happen before then.

    • Ojay Kaikai

    Akure, Ondo State

  • Jonathan should not sign anti-gay marriage bill

    SIR: Nigerian lawmakers have once again passed a bill against gay marriage. The bill which bans same sex marriage and outlaws any groups supporting gay rights was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives. The bill bans any gay marriage from being conducted in a church or a mosque.

    “Gay or lesbian couple who marry could face up 14 years each in prison. Witnesses or anyone who helps couples marry could be sentenced to 10 years behind bars. Anyone taking part in a group advocating for gay rights or anyone caught in a “public show” of affection also would face 10 years in prison if convicted by a criminal court’.

    Since 2006, there have been repeated attempts by the government to legislate against same sex marriage. But none of the bills has, as in this case, succeeded in scaling through both Houses of the National Assembly. So what we have seen in the case of the current bill is an unprecedented move to criminalize gay marriage.

    Here are reasons why I think President Goodluck Jonathan should not sign this outrageous bill into law.

    First of all, the repeated moves by lawmakers since 2006 to ban same sex marriage is clearly unwarranted. It is an indication of pervasive, persistent and obsessive homophobia among our politicians. And political homophobia is not consistent with the reason why the lawmakers were elected in the first place. Our lawmakers were elected to make laws that protect the citizens, not laws that harm them.

    The passing of the anti gay marriage bill is another sign that Nigeria is governed and led by those who are not forward looking in their legislative thinking and reasoning; those who cannot make laws and policies that reflect the realities of the time and the actual needs and aspirations of the people.

    There is no doubt that the bill enjoys the popular support of the religious groups in the country. Both christian and islamic leaders have come out openly and expressly in support of the bill. But that should not be interpreted to mean that the proposed law is good for Nigeria. No, it is not. Nigeria is a democracy, not a christian or an islamic theocracy. Democracy upholds the will of the majority while respecting the rights of minorities. This bill violates the rights of sexual minorities in the country.

    The provisions in this bill are not in accordance with Nigeria’s human rights obligations and commitments locally and internationally. The bill makes some Nigerians criminals based on who they are, the persons they associate with and the opinions they hold. It gives legislative backing to acts of religious fanaticism, to gay persecution and witch hunt, to inciting violence against persons on the basis of their real or imagined sexual orientation.

    Again the bill is not compatible with our local culture and traditions as many have argued. The cultures and traditions in Africa are diverse, dynamic and tolerant in terms of sexual, marriage and family norms and values. They do not sanction hatred, intolerance, oppression, persecution, and discrimination against persons with different sexual orientation or lifestyle as this bill expressly does. Hatred and persecution of gay people are certainly not the ‘African values’ which many politicians are using to argue against gay rights and support the ban on gay marriage.

    Generations yet unborn would be ashamed and horrified to know that we- the current generation of Nigerians- stood by and allowed this homophobic bill to become a law.

    So I urge President Jonathan not to sign into law the anti-gay marriage bill.

    • Leo Igwe

    University of Bayreuth,

    Germany

     

  • The business of parenting

    SIR: Parenting could be tasking especially with the economic situation in Nigeria. Many parents find it difficult to exert much control and supervision over their children since they are busy chasing money. But then the family needs the money in order to be able to take care of its basic needs so that life will be meaningful.

    No matter how you look at it, whatever a child will become in life is greatly determined by the parents. Parents can set the pace for the success or failure of their children by their actions or inactions as the case may be. Society will be better off if parents live up to their responsibilities towards their children. Crime and other social vices would be greatly reduced if children are properly nurtured in all ramifications by their parents who incidentally are their first teachers and first point of contact with society.

    When a family decides that the wife should become a full time housewife, there is nothing wrong with this to an extent. As long as the man of the house earns as much income as to cater for the family needs, the woman would do well to take care of the home front which incidentally is the exclusive preserve of women. When one or both parents are working class, no matter their busy schedule, they should find time for their children once in a while to constantly monitor their progress and counsel them where need be. Can business or career success without a corresponding success at the home front be justified? Should the home front be sacrificed for the sake of business or career and if one is to be preferred to the other which would it be?

    I think that parents would do better to set their priorities right and do the right thing at the right time.

    As a parent, do you know the kind of friends your child keeps? Have you one day paid an unshedulled visit to his school to know what is really going on there? Many bad traits children learn are usually from their friends and acquaintances. Parents should monitor their children closely and ensure they do not associate with the wrong kind of people who will negatively influence them. Children are God’s gift and parents should do everything possible to cater for their welfare without leaving anything to chance.

    • Tayo Demola,

    Lagos.

     

     

  • Banks and the challenges of ATM

    SIR:Though ATM might have been introduced more than two decades ago in Nigeria, it was not until the post-consolidation era in 2005 that the machines became popular. The innovation was first piloted in Lagos before being deployed nationwide. With the introduction of cashless policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2011, the use of ATM became imperative. Advantages of ATM are legion. It saves time and helps to decongest banking halls as more people prefer to use their Debit Cards to make withdrawals. It makes withdrawal possible beyond traditional banking hours. Most banks in Nigeria operate between 8am – 4pm. However, ATM is available every hour of the day including weekends and national holidays which are off-days for banks.

    On the flip side however, Automatic Teller Machine brought with it severe pains, tears and sorrow. Until recently, there exist syndicates who specialise in cloning unwary bank customers debit card. The customers debit card details are cloned in such a way as to enable the scammers make successful withdrawals from the customer’s account. The method in use varies. Some of the syndicates send scam electronic mails to thousands of people purportedly from Interswitch (debit card manufacturer) or the bank itself asking customers to update their records which are inclusive of their account numbers and debit card details. Once the customer supplies these details, they use it to clone cards and make withdrawal. Others go to crowded ATM pretending to want to withdraw and using the opportunity to steal peoples debit cards or memorise the details and later go back to clone the cards. Many have been arrested by the police and officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for this sharp-practice. It is common to hear of ATMs debiting customers for undispensed cash. There are also incidences of ATM swallowing bank customer’s debit cards during transaction. All these have decreased considerably. Replacement of stolen, lost or expired debit cards have also been simplified as I was able to apply and receive debit card same day recently.

    However, what has refused to improve is the difficulty in making withdrawals through ATMs. This is as a result of the epileptic power supply. The machines are powered by electricity either publicly supplied by Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Generators or Inverters. None of these three is totally reliable. The other shortcoming is constant breakdown of the internet backbone that networks one bank to the other or one bank’s branch to the other. Many of the ATMs are old and need being replaced with new ones. There have also been instances where bank staff in charge of ATMs also engage in fraudulent activities, helping themselves with some of the monies meant for the machines. ATM is desirable and has helped to revolutionise the banking industry. However, banks need to unite in finding lasting solutions to the aforementioned challenges faced by their teeming customers.

     

    • Jide Ojo

    Abuja.

     

  • Re: Open letter to Director-General of NYSC

    SIR: The attention of the NYSC management has been drawn to the above publication, which appeared in Mallam Mohammed Haruna’s column in The Nation of May 8.

    The columnist alleged that the NYSC Secretariat, Kaduna State victimized a corps member, Abubakar Idris Usman KD/12C/2265, over a newspaper publication that was critical of the NYSC scheme. The article, which was the subject of Haruna’s open letter, was published in The Nation of November 22, 2012 and entitled “In Kaduna, corps members sleep in toilet”.

    We consider it appropriate to address the issues raised in Haruna’s column; putting the records straight for the benefit of the reading public.

    The corps member, Usman mobilized some other corps members, and took photograph of them in a toilet, which he gave the setting of a living room by taking in a double-bunk bed and personal effects of some corps lawyers who were at that time in Abuja for their “Call to Bar” ceremony.

    Usman also left camp to get the photograph published with an article. At the time the article was being published, the camp even had two unoccupied hostels, each with capacity of 300. He was, in fact, taken around to see the vacant hostels.

    The publication was in contravention of the NYSC Bye-Law (Section 3, sub-section R) which bars corps members from addressing the press, publishing or causing to be published news or other articles on policy issues without express permission from authorities of the scheme.

    Secondly, the fact that he went out of the camp without permission was in contravention of the provisions of the Bye-Law, and punishable by decampment (Section 3, (b). It was on the basis of these that disciplinary action was initiated against him.

    Now, to the issues raised by Haruna in his column; we wish to presents facts of disciplinary procedures against the corps member as follows:

    Usman’s appearance before the camp court was in line with the provisions of the NYSC Bye-Law. The appearance of erring corps members before the camp court, which is a form of disciplinary committee, is to give them opportunity to defend themselves. The corps member agreed that his publication was false and even tendered apology in writing to the camp administration and the corps members that he lured into the toilet to photograph.

    His father, Malam Danjuma Yaro, came to the camp in company of his neighbour Sheik Namadi and upon hearing of the facts of the case, openly rebuked him for his wrongdoing. The plea by the father saved him from being decamped as provided by Section 3, sub-section B of the NYSC Bye-Law.

    The issue of extension of service raised is, in fact, a lesser penalty, which only deals with parts of his offence (i.e., addressing the press without permission and rudeness to the camp court’s secretary whom he threatened for refusal to disclose to him the verdict of the committee).

    As for his relocation to Delta State, the management took that decision after noting his tendency to cause disaffection among other corps members. It should be also be noted that NYSC Kaduna State has paid him allowance due to him before his relocation contrary to the claim made in Haruna’s column.

    The issue of the corps member’s Ill-health (Hepatitis B positive) was never indicated in his registration forms even when there are provisions for any corps member to state whether he/she suffers from any ailment.

    Records of the entire case, including his written admission of wrongdoing, apology to the corps members that he lured to the toilet, snapped and wrongly used their photos, are available at the Press and Public Relations Unit of the NYSC Headquarters and NYSC Secretariat, Kaduna for verification.

    • Management,

    National Youth Service Corps, Abuja.

     

  • To keep Lagos moving

    SIR: If there is one governor in Nigeria today who deserves to be commended, it is Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State. Since he took over the reins in 2007, he has worked assiduously to transform every sector, thereby making Lagos one of the most beautiful cities not only in Nigeria but also in Africa. With sterling achievements in health, education, economy, roads and other sectors, Fashola has written his name in the sands of time and earned himself a place in the pantheon of great leaders.

    As someone who has lived in Lagos for more than three decades, I am particularly concerned about Fashola’s infrastructural development initiatives. Being the commercial hub of the country, Lagos deserves the best infrastructures and it takes a pragmatic governor in the mould of Fashola who is willing to devote all that is required to make that happen. Since he came on board, Fashola has embarked on an aggressive infrastructural development scheme that has brought about the construction and renovation of many roads in various parts of the state. The governor who is on a mission to turn Lagos into a mega city is leaving no stone unturned. There is virtually no part in Lagos where new roads have not been constructed or bad ones renovated.

    His latest addition is the Lekki –Ikoyi link Bridge which was commissioned on the 29th of May. Aside from its aesthetic values to the landscape of the Lagos, it is a testimony of the governor’s passion to alleviate the sufferings of the people. As it is said, he who wears the shoe knows where it hurts, the new bridge will be best appreciated by Lagosians who live and work in that axis. It is a technological miracle that connects two worlds divided by water.

    Only a thinking governor can come up with such cerebral idea to build a 1.38km bridge to connect Ikoyi-Alexander Street to Lekki- Admiralty which is the best and only way to ease the perpetual gridlock on that route. By providing an escape route from the notorious traffic on that road, this bridge will go a long way in helping people save several hours spent in traffic which can be invested into more productive ventures.

    It must also be said that the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge is a pace setting initiative by Fashola as it is the first cable suspended bridge in Nigeria and the entire West Africa sub-region. The central bridge is an engineering masterpiece which has a full length of 466m. The length of its Cable Bridge which is the suspended section is 170m and the height of its pyron is 87m from water level navigational requirement. The clearance average is 9m above high water level. The width of the bridge, which is the carriageway, is 8m by 2; its walkway is 2.0m by 2; road works at Ikoyi end is 338.7m while road works at the Lekki end is 311.5m.

    Traffic management in a big city like Lagos poses a big challenge, which is why Fashola should be commended for this innovation. He also deserves some kudos for his efforts in reducing traffic congestion in other parts of the state too. At the moment, the Mile 12-Ikorodu road is being upgraded to accommodate BRT lanes and other service lanes. The light rail project from National Theater, Iganmu to Mile 2 is also nearing completion and work is going on day and night at ten lane Badagry expressway which is the mother of all road projects in the state.

    Fashola’s commitment to keep Lagos moving also becomes clear when one considers the benefits the new Traffic Radio 96.1, which was also commissioned on the same day the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge was opened. There is no state in this country where there is a radio station dedicated solely to traffic matters where people can also make enquiries before driving out of their homes and offices.

    With these innovations, governor Fashola has once again showed his commitment to keep Lagos on the fast lane and we must appreciate his efforts.

    • Lukman Adewale,

    Igboefon, Lekki, Lagos

     

     

  • Still on Malam El-Rufai’s daughters

    SIR: You recently announced to the world, with irredeemable frustration, that your two daughters are unemployed despite  your noble quest to get them a job.   Of a truth,  your daughters will be proud of you in view of the fact that they have a father who takes it upon himself to get them a job.

    I do not know why you went public over your daughter’s plight but I hope you appreciate the fact that you have said nothing new. Good that you had the courage to comment on one of the greatest challenges rocking our society. You would have won my admiration and respect if you had told the world that you once had the chance to make a difference but failed to commit to job creation.

    It’s on record that you served in a Federal Executive Council that invested over $16 billion on power and the only profit we got was darkness. If your council had fixed the power sector, I believe that the industries which could have absorbed your daughters would by now have abound  everywhere in Nigeria. I think you forgot that you were a part of the executive council that advocated entrepreneurship training to graduates and students few years ago. Your council told us not to wait for white collar jobs. They said we should go into farming, call-cards sale, poultry, barbing, fashion design, e.t.c all in the name of  entrepreneurship. Now you claim your  daughters have no job forgetting the gospel of  entrepreneurship. If your daughters can’t go the way of entrepreneurship, then why tell us to go that part few years ago?

    You claimed that you chaired the BPE with efficiency. If indeed you were right, the privatization programme under your watch would have given birth to industries that could have absorbed your daughters. I do not want to believe that you have demolished the industries that could have employed your daughters.

    Certainly, its clear that you are not only a part of the problem but the very problem we all talk about. If I were you, I would toe the path of silence at times. If you must speak, speak wisely and do not forget yesterday.

    I urge Nigerians to be careful with their ears otherwise people who are worst than the devil will lead them  astray with sanctimonious stories . When we hear the likes of El-Rufai, lets be bold to ask them what their legacy was, when they were in power.

    • Ehi O. G.

    Benin City.

    Edo State.

  • Name Osun airport after Sir Adesoji Aderemi

    SIR: Osun State in the last two and half years has witnessed transformational development. The on-going physical developments are having salutary effects on the lives of the populace. One of such remarkable project is the Osun Airport. Though some critics say that the airport development should not be a priority for the state, I however affirm that we should join the league of other states like Gombe, Akwa-Ibom, Katsina etc. that have benefitted through the services of airports. Every state in Nigeria is in a hurry to catch up with 21st century. Osun should not be an exception. We should be seen as a people who mastered their moment.

    The issue however is the naming of the airport after the late acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Basorun M.K.O Abiola. The naming of the airport after him leaves Osun bare, as if there are no worthy indigenes – living or dead that could be accorded such honour.

    One of such notable personality of Osun origin, that Osun airport could be named after is our own late illustrious father and distinguished traditional ruler of his time – Sir Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi – K.B.E, Ooni of Ife (1930 – 1980). Sir Aderemi was the first indigenous governor of the old Western Region. Alayeluwa Adesoji Aderemi was during his lifetime, excellence-personified. He made royalty a thing of pride. He exuded aura, dignity and intellectual prowess particularly during the London Constitutional Conferences that heralded our independence.

    He remains up till date, the only indigenous governor of his era that no administration, either at state or federal levels, have so considered fit of a befitting immortalization in whatever form. Sirs Akanu Ibiam and Kashim Ibrahim – indigenous governors of old Eastern and Northern regions respectively, have been honoured and immortalized by their people and government through one landmark edifice or the other. But here we are, our own revered late Sir Aderemi of blessed memory, remains uncelebrated; un-immortalized, so many years after his glorious transition.

    Even, in his native Ile-Ife – The Source – nothing worth-while has been done to immortalize this great son of Yoruba race, nay Nigeria. This is why it is important that a gargantuan project like the on-going Osun Airport, should, as a matter of long overdue honour, be named – Adesoji Aderemi Airport. It is not too much to do so.

    The late Chiefs Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola, both of whom are great sons of Nigeria, had a university each named after them. So is Olabisi Onabanjo in Ogun State. If we cannot rename Osun State University after the late Aderemi, please let us give him the honour of having the Osun Airport named after him.

    Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola should also go a step further by renaming Osun College of Technology, Esa-Oke after the late Cicero, Uncle Bola Ige; the Osun State Polytechnic Iree, after late Chief S.M Afolabi, Osun College of Education, Ilesa after late Sir. Odeleye Fadahunsi and College of Education, Illa-Orangun after Chief Adebisi Akande while he lives.

    The late Chief M.K.O Abiola, we shall remember forever and for good. I am, like many other Nigerians, a great admirer of the late philanthropist and business mogul, and will even recommend that our country be renamed after him. Osun State government should get something else to honour him in death as we did, with our massive vote during the ill-fated June 12, 1993 Presidential election.

    • Olumide Lawal

    Ede, Osun State.

  • Kudos to Mrs Amosun

    SIR: Permit me to use your medium to commend the effort of the wife of our amiable Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, who saw the need to take care of the senior citizens in the state by distributing 500 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards across the 20 local government areas.

    At the launching ceremony of the scheme held in Abeokuta, the First Lady stated that it would reduce the rigour, and other challenges encountered during the distribution of food and commodities to the aged across the state.

    Also worthy of note, is that the Welfare Card was donated to the state government by leading financial institution, Ecobank Plc, in line with the proposed cashless policy.

    There is no doubt that the distributed ATM cards would help beneficiaries access their monthly stipends quicker and easier. By this laudable intervention, they are now able to withdraw money without embarking on long trips to the state capital, which hitherto was the case.

    This great gesture by Mrs. Amosun is not only worthy of commedation and emulation, but will also cut avoidable cost incurred on transport, as well as contribute positively to grassroot development of the Gateway State.

     

    • Taiyese Ebunlomo B.

    Abeokuta.