The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Taming the menace of kidnapping

    Taming the menace of kidnapping

    SIR: The growing level of insecurity in the country should be tamed without delay. Cases of robberies, terror attacks, rape, kidnappings and other wild crimes have become a daily occurrence.

    Just a few days ago, a gang of gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect kidnapped a 92-year-old elder statesman, Alhaji Shettima Monguno, at the Mafoni Jumaat Mosque in Maiduguri, Borno State, shortly after performing the jumat prayers.

    Before he regained his freedom, the kidnappers were said to have contacted the family of the former Federal Minister of Petroleum and demanded the release of some terror suspects being detained by security agents, as bargain.

    In a story, “Kidnapping: Nigeria’s Fastest Growing Industry!”, The Street Journal noted that the rate of kidnapping in Nigeria has risen considerably in the last 10 years as not less than 1,500 people were kidnapped on an annual basis thus making kidnapping more or less a new “cottage industry” in which the nation is fast catching up as the sixth worst country.

    Recent trends revealed that high profile cases usually generate media attention, as many remain resolved without attracting any publicity because the affected people prefer to quietly pay the demanded ransom quietly and just move on, as soon as the release of the victim is secured, leaving many victims to cope with post-kidnap trauma.

    We should be bothered that kidnapping is not only a criminal offence but a direct threat to national security going by its wide internal security implications and negative effects on public image.

    It is time we began realistic youth empowerment policies that will give direct benefits to targeted youths in the forms of Micro-Credit Scheme, Skills Acquisition Programme and Youth Empowerment through Agriculture, among others.

    Secondly, there is urgent need for security agencies to review the existing strategies in handling kidnap cases. The emphasis should be more of intelligence gathering. By so doing, it will be easier to nip such in the bud at an early stage of hatching. It is worrisome that many cities do not have Closed Circuit Television systems to monitor the movement of people in curbing criminality.

    There should also be a better engagement of telecommunication companies in the prevention and apprehension of culprits. With the just-concluded registration of Subscribers’ Identity Module cards, it should be easier to obtain the databases of the people – both the victims and their captors – for useful information.

    More than ever before, the people must be regularly sensitized on the antics of kidnappers and ways to evade such. The apparent cases of increased kidnapping further lend credence to the call for the establishment of state police. If we are serious about fighting crime, the federating units should be encouraged to run their own police within the existing law, to enable them protect the lives and property of their people.

    It is saddening that the cold war between the Federal Government and Lagos State Government has been attributed to the stoppage of the Lagos Safe City Project meant to provide 10,000 solar-powered closed circuit cameras in the metropolis.The laudable project was to be funded by the Lagos Security Trust Fund while the cameras were supposed to be managed remotely through a central security command unit.

    • Adewale Kupoluyi

    Abeokuta

     

  • Nigeria does not need foreign coach

    Nigeria does not need foreign coach

    SIR: Stephen Keshi helped save the Super Eagles with his recent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) championship win. Yet, news reportsrecently announced that the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) was planning to repay Keshi by cutting his salary in half. The NFF has since clarified that it has not slashed Keshi’s salary, only the salaries of his coaching crew and backroom staff. Even without the chop to his own salary, the interference in his staffing setup must taste overwhelmingly bitter to the man who has now twice led Nigeria to the AFCON championship. Outside of the injustice of the NFF not even consulting Keshi prior to the dismissals, the situation also speaks to the inequality between foreign—a term most typically used to refer to European—coaches and African coaches. Would the NFF have dared to do the same to a foreign coach?

    Perhaps related to its all too frequent allegations of corruption, the NFF is undeniably broke. So it may have been forced to cut salaries regardless of the national origin of its coaching staff. But, the fact remains that foreign coaches in both Nigeria and the rest of the African continent are typically treated preferentially over African coaches. After winning this year’s AFCON, Keshi temporarily resigned in February because of NFF pressure to work with either a foreign coach or a foreign technical team. Clearly, the belief that African coaches are not good enough on their own is prevalent across Africa. And this opinion is dead wrong.

    Most African countries do not have the economic resources to attract Europe’s premier coaching staff. The European coaches that are imported by African nations tend to be overpriced for their qualifications. Those countries that can afford to pay exorbitant sums for Europe’s finest often find that high costs are no guarantee of success. Eric Gerets—once considered one of the top right-backs in Europe—couldn’t lead Morocco past the first round of the African Cup, despite receiving one of the highest coaching salaries (Sh 25 million per month) in Africa. Yet, African states continue to operate under the mistaken assumption that an imported coach will revolutionize their football program and bring them to victory. Uganda, one of the world’s poorest countries, nevertheless insisted on paying Bobby Williamson KSh 1.8 million per month for nearly five years, even though his teams were never able to qualify for AFCON.

    The exorbitant salaries of foreign coaches would be better spent improving and increasing youth development programs; thereby strengthening a nation’s available talent pool. By adopting a bottom-up approach, countries would make their players more attractive for recruitment in top-quality foreign leagues. Ultimately, rather than pouring money into an endless train of questionable foreign leadership, African nations should be reinvesting in their own.

     

    • Clare Finnegan,

    New Jersey

     

  • Bring back the groundnut pyramids

    SIR: Before Nigeria’s independence in 1960, groundnut pyramids were synonymous with the success story of agricultural revolution in Kano State. Today, magnificent buildings have taken over the spaces once occupied by the pyramids.

    Groundnut pyramids can be described as the systematic way of arranging groundnuts in a large building, constructed in form of square or triangle which is specifically for that purpose.

    The formation of groundnut pyramids was the idea of late Alhaji Alhasan Dantata, a business magnate who was also a merchant of Kola-nuts, based in Kumasi, Ghana from where he shipped his goods to Nigeria by sea.

    In 1919, late Dantata returned to Kano at the height of the groundnut boom and became the most prominent Hausa trader to benefit from its commercial success and in five years of his involvement, he became a major supplier of groundnuts to the Royal Nigerian Company (RNC).

    Kano became famous in the world commerce following the magnificent groundnut pyramids during the Nigerians period of agricultural boom, especially in 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s and it contributed 70 percent of the region’s export earnings.

    Unknown to the youth of today, Kojut Muazugal Quarters, a high rise building in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State which served as the head quarters of the defunct Bank of the North now Unity Bank, was once the epicentre of the renowned groundnuts pyramid of the north.

    In the same vein, a wide expanse of yet to be developed land (polo ground) known be the haven for groundnut activities in the early 50’s has now been converted into a playing ground for the youth. A Kano State-based football club uses the ground as training pitch while political parties are not left out of the scramble to use the venue for rallies and other political activities.

    With the conversion of the ground nut pyramids’ grounds, a halt has been put to the dreams of the founding fathers of the region. Gradually, the charmed world of the nuts castles has disappeared. The glow which the pyramids once turned the ancient emirate to a Mecca of all sorts has vanished.

    To reclaim the lost glory of groundnut pyramids, the government must act fast by giving top priority to agriculture.To achieve this, the government should train the teeming unemployed youth in different facets of agriculture. Apart from being gainfully employed, it would reduce poverty in the land and ensure food security.

    Modern agriculture in northern Nigeria can serve as catalyst for development and also reduce migration to urban areas among young Nigerians residing in rural areas.

    Let the on-going transformational agenda in the agricultural sector of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration also bring back the groundnut pyramids.

    • Awunah Pius Terwase,

    Abuja

     

  • Afghan President, Boko Haram and peace

    Afghan President, Boko Haram and peace

    SIR: At a time the Nigerian government is considering granting an amnesty to Boko Haram jihadists, the president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai has reportedly offered a very important advice to the militants in Northern Nigeria: “Lay down your arms if you are true muslims and embrace the amnesty offered by the federal government”.

    He also said “Boko Haram should stop burning schools, mosques, churches in the name of Islam. You should not destroy your country if you are true muslims. You should protect lives because in Islam if you kill one, it is as if you killed the whole of humanity and if you save life, it is as if you saved the whole of humanity”.

    Drawing parallels between the activities of Boko Haram militants and those of the Taliban in his country, he acknowledged that the suicide bombing and other atrocities of the jihadist group were externally motivated, urging the insurgents not to allow external forces to get them to destabillize and destroy their country.

    Karzai timely advice to Boko Haram militants is a welcome development and the strongest case for peace made by a president of another country since this insurgency began.

    Like the Taliban, Boko Haram militants have both local and international support. They need to be isolated and denounced by all peace loving muslims. Leaders of muslim groups around the globe should add their voice in calling the Boko Haram militants to order and in undermining its support base.

    The insurgents should be made to understand the incompatibilty of their campaign with the cause of peace, unity, harmony and development in the country.

    Personally I disagree with Karzai that no religion preaches violence. This is clearly a mistaken notion of religion, and does not reflect the facts of history or the actual experiences of the people. Religions, particularly the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam preach both peace and violence. These faiths have at certain times in history used or advocated violence. We should not shy away from this bloody reality and instead we should thoughtfully engage and reconstruct it to further the cause of peace around the globe.

    Violence originates from human beings, not from religion. Violent expressions are human and reflect how humans sometimes do things. Human beings sometimes have used and still use violence to advance their cause including religious cause. Boko Haram militants should be persuaded on moral grounds to embrace peace and shun violence. There is an urgent need of some ‘mental detoxification’.

    Boko Haram insurgents and their local and international backers should be made to understand that they stand to benefit; that their religion or cause stands to benefit if they adopt peaceful, human rights compatible and civil ways of promoting their goals and mission.

     

    • Leo Igwe

    Bayreuth, Germany

  • Much ado about 45-years jail term for phone

    Much ado about 45-years jail term for phone

    SIR: There have been reactions – most of them misplaced or bordering on sheer sentiments and emotions – to the news of the jail terms handed down to the man who stole Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s phone.

    Because it involved a governor, many were mistaken in their belief that the governor has a hand in the number of years of imprisonment given to the man. To these set of people, the argument is that 45 years is harsh considering what was stolen.

    Yours sincerely holds different opinion about this issue. In the first place, people must know that neither morality nor emotion has basis in law.

    Judges arrive at their verdict based on the preponderance of evidence available to them.

    In criminal law, once a crime has been established beyond reasonable doubt, judgment must logically follow – sometimes mild, sometimes harsh depending on the mindset and philosophical conviction of the trial judge.

    Secondly, for every offence, there is a corresponding punishment. Besides, when an offender commits a crime, he may inadvertently have committed other crimes in the process, which might be probable consequences of the initial crime.

    Thirdly, part of what goes into sentencing includes history of an offender’s criminal record or history.

    Now to the real issue at hand. The criminal in question, many did not know, is a serial offender. This man started out as a police officer. He was however, dismissed from the force because he was involved in armed robbery. He was subsequently jailed for a number of years (not in the State of Osun) but he was said to have escaped from prison without completing his jail term.

    He continued plying his obnoxious trade until he stole the phone of the governor and was again caught in the act.

    Presumed innocent initially, a counsel was procured for his defence. During the period the counsel was taking brief from him, this same man attempted to rape the counsel, a woman!

    It was later discovered that while in possession of governor’s phone, he criminally made judicious and maximal use of the high profile contacts of the governor. For instance, he fraudulently demanded and got over N200, 000 from a first class monarch, Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, the traditional ruler of the governor’s town, Ilesha.

    He also duped many friends, human right activists and political associates of the governor of huge amounts of money running into millions before he was arrested.

    All these put together – an armed robber, a thief, a jail breaker, who almost added rape to his retinue of crimes – what do you think would go on in the mind of the judge before sentencing this hardened criminal?

    Differently put, if you are a judge and an offender with the above criminal background and record is brought before your lordship, what will you do?

    Yours sincerely dwelt more on the background of the offender to bring to the fore facts which were previously unknown to majority of those commenting or reacting to the jail term.

    One issue left unaddressed or sentimentally talked about is the role or not of the governor in this matter. The fact remains that the governor has no constitutional right to intervene with the judiciary.

    The same also goes for the judiciary. It does not interfere in what the executive is doing. This is an elementary feature of democracy called separation of power.

    Beyond this, for every offence, there is corresponding punishment. So, the governor could not have connived with the judge to change the law as it relates to punishment – either by increasing or reducing the imprisonment term.

    So wither the fault of the governor? What could he have done in the matter – plead with the judge to tamper justice with mercy? Plead for mercy on behalf and in honour of a criminal!

     

    • Abdul Fatah Omo Olofa

    Abule-Egba, Lagos

  • Open letter to Fashola

    Open letter to Fashola

    SIR: Lagos is known to be turbulent and aggressive, that is why security needs to be beefed up in every nooks and crannies of the state.

    We wish to state that about 60 of our members (Keke Napep drivers) were apprehended by policemen for offences they did not know about. They were detained in State CID (Panti) withsome in Area C Police Command in Surulere before being transferred to Special Offences Court (Task Force) in Alausa. This took place between April 22-26.

    On Friday, April 26, 21 of our members were arraigned before a female magistrate in a special offences court in Alausa and she gave a very stringent bail condition which non of the members could fulfil i.e two surety with landed property in Lagos, 10 years tax clearance of two surety; affidavit of support of means of livelihood and surety; affidavit to means of livelihood of the two surety and other requirements before the bail could be perfected.

    Sir, this association is now imploring you to use your good office to come to the aid of the drivers who knew nothing about what they are been persecuted for and their bail condition reduced to one surety and three years tax clearance.

    The drivers are suffering in silence. The 22 members are presently remanded in Badagry Prison and Panti State CID because of the non-fulfillment of the bail condition.

     

    • Rapheal Oladipo

    Secretary, Ojuelega Unit

    Keke Napep,

    Lagos.

  • No to military invasion of Azuzuama community, Bayelsa

    SIR: Following the killing of a number of policemen in Azuzuama Community in Bayelsa by armed militants, heavily armed soldiers have been deployed to the locality, where the events took place. According to press reports, houses of suspected militants responsible for the killings have been razed down by invading troops. Residents of the community have fled the town, with the memories of the carnage that the military invasion of Odi, also in Bayelsa state in their minds.

    This is a deplorable situation of onslaught on the democratic rights of working people and the poor. Instead of tackling the fundamental and underlying basis for restiveness and militancy which are mass unemployment and collapse of education, among others, the Jonathan-led regime has resorted to arm-twisting tactics of employment of brute force to quell the militancy. This is also what played out in Baga, Borno State where another military invasion against suspected Boko Haram elements have left hundreds of innocent civilians dead.

    The failure of amnesty in the Niger Delta with the renewal of militancy in the region foretells the end result of the current amnesty programme for Boko Haram militants. It also shows the limitations of military solution in resolving crisis thrown up by socio-economic conditions. Pro-working people’s organizations including the NLC and TUC in Bayelsa State must demand the withdrawal of the troops from Azuzuama. Mass organizations and Azuzuama residents must organize mass protests against the military invasion of the community.

    Above all, in order to end this era of sorrow, blood and tears under capitalism, working people and the poor in Azuzuama community and Bayelsa State needs to join and build the Socialist Party of Nigeria as a pan-Nigerian, genuine working people’s political alternative to bring into power a revolutionary working people’s government. By putting the commanding heights of the economy under democratic working class control, it will galvanize the enormous resources of society to put in place every necessary critical infrastructure and meet the urgent social needs of education, healthcare, etc. in ending the restive wave of kidnapping, militancy and terrorism.

    • Ayo Ademiluyi,

    Bayelsa State.

     

  • Of physics and economic growth

    SIR: If we have an economist, Dr.Ngozi Okonjo Iweala as the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinator of the Economy, then perhaps we should experiment with a physicist as minister of a related ministry with the job of chief creator of economic growth.

    I recall that in his Inaugural Lecture in 1973, 40 years ago, Professor Muyiwa Awe, first President of Nigerian Institute of Physics affirmed that physics is the proverbial goose that lays the golden eggs. Interestingly, Professor Awe was “Best Man” to the economist, now late, Professor Ojetunji Aboyade , who had served all Nigerian heads of government from Balewa to Babangida.

    Professor Aboyade referred to economics as the life blood of the nation. But which comes first? Physics or economics?

    On the technological chess board, mathematics is king, physics the queen and the diverse branches of engineering, the knights in shiny armour.

    Physics has given rise to a whole new range of technologies that have contributed trillions of dollars into the global economy. One of these is nanotechnology. World sales of Nanotechnology-enabled products by 2008 were estimated at $234 billion. This figure is expected by the US National Science Foundation to climb to $3000 billion by 2020, increasing the number of jobs in nanotechnology-derived industries from, 400,000 in 2008 to six million in 2020. Last year I read in the papers, Professor Segun Adewoye, secretary Nigerian Academy of Science, lamenting the fact that Nigeria is yet to have a policy on nanotechnology.

    If there are no golden eggs, there might be little of an economy to co-ordinate.

    Physicists have given rise to hydro-electricity, nuclear power, radio, television, mobile phone, microwave oven, laser CD and satellite and in the area of health-care as it concerns the imaging, screening, diagnosis and treatment etc. which many of our politicians and the elite go to “enjoy” outside the country.

    We must reinforce the notion in Nigerians particularly our elected representatives that physics is not only” the queen” but also the foundation of modern society.

    • Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth

    London, England

  • Jonathan partially right

    SIR: President Goodluck Jonathan was reported to have told the Labour leaders to caution the workers about stealing, when the latter told him to fight corruption seriously. Jonathan was partially right, because at times, those in government cannot steal without the cooperation of some civil servants, such as permanent secretaries and accountants. Some or many workers also steal and frustrate the positive efforts of some leaders.

    Nevertheless, if a leader, director, or head of department is honest and diligent, those under him or her can hardly getaway with stealing. Thus, it is crucial to have good leaders in government offices to minimize stealing and misappropriation of public funds. Good leadership was what the labour leaders were asking Jonathan to provide in himself and his ministers. That could put the legislature and the judiciary as well on their toes.

    Corruption shrunk drastically during the regime of General Murtala Mohammed, because he truly had zero tolerance for it. Ditto Generals Muhammadu Buhari and Babatunde Idiagbon declared War Against Indiscipline (WAI). Hardly any public official felt safe to indulge in corrupt practices during those two regimes. Hence I appeal to Nigerians to insist on having Buhari in 2015.

    The record of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also there for anybody to see. I would recommend him for the position of Vice-President, or Finance Minister, considering how he successfully managed the economy of Lagos State, despite his being denied allocation from the federation account by President Olusegun Obasanjo. What is more, he has been cleared by all the PDP-controlled anti-graft agencies.

    Any Igbo person who would like to contest for presidency in 2019 may not push to be Vice-President in 2015, because Nigerians may not tolerate anybody who will spend more than eight years in the presidency, either as President or Vice-President. Although Bill Clinton did well, his two-term Vice-President lost the bid to succeed him as America’s President. It is mother of selfishness and abuse of good luck to intend to stay more than eight years in Aso Rock, even as Secretary to the President.

    President Jonathan is incapable of fighting corruption or engendering peace and order, because his presidency is a product of destabilization and corruption. Reasonable Nigerians should not expect peace and progress in the absence of order and justice. Where corruption thrives from head to toe, any boast about positive transformation is empty and a sheer propaganda. We are told that everything will be okay in 2015. That means some deceptive measures have been designed to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians for another round of four wasteful years.

    All the negative campaigns against General Buhari must be dismissed for what they are: resistance to positive change. The opposition leaders that are decamping into the PDP should be regarded for what they are: opportunists who are not concerned about the good of Nigeria, but chop-I-chop.

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin.

  • Osun cleaner under Aregbesola

    SIR: As a resident of Osun, there is a noticeable difference in the condition of environment under the current government of Governor Rauf Aregbesola compared to what obtained under the Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led administration.

    In the last two and half years that Aregbesola has been in the saddle, much material and human resources have been invested in improving the state of the environment and sanitation. One recalls with relish that immediately after the governor was sworn in, he declared a state-wide 90-day emergency on environmental sanitation and waste management. This was to clear the Augean stable of a filthy and unhealthy environment that he met on the ground.

    Today, all markets across the state are cleaned every Thursday while general sanitation is held twice monthly. Street sweepers and highway managers have now become regular phenomena on our roads. This is complemented by the selfless efforts of the O’YES sanitation czars who are youth volunteers who joyfully render community development service while they are engaged as part of the O’YES scheme. In order to ensure a purposeful implementation of this environmental renewal programme, the government has encouraged the private sector participation (PSP). The PSP operators, working in tandem with the government, manage the many highway managers and the numerous refuse trucks that were purchased by the government. This, expectedly, has provided employment opportunity to many otherwise unemployed citizens of the state.

    The effort of the government to fight filth and dirt and thereby build a clean and healthy environment has, no doubt, yielded a positive return. The environmental sanitation drive as well as the distribution of treated mosquito nets to pregnant women, the young and the aged have helped in reducing the people’s exposure to the common tropical killer disease – malaria.

    Two programmes of the government, however, deserve special commendation – flood control and the beautification and upgrading of roads. Every citizen of Osun will recall the massive devastation that flood wrecked on many parts of the state during the raining season in 2010. However, the Aregbesola administration, in the last two years, has made sustained efforts to turn the situation around. In different parts of the state, extensive work has been on-going towards the dredging and de-silting of major rivers, canals and streams in the state. This timely intervention has brought great relief to the people of the state. It was something akin to a miracle when last year, despite the unprecedented national outlook of the cases of flooding, the State of Osun was spared. Thus, in addition to the prevention of damage to social and physical infrastructure, our people were spared the health hazards that usually come with floods.

    It is, therefore, a thing of joy that the Aregbesola administration recently scaled up the O’Clean Programme to O’Clean Plus. If the achievements of the O’Clean programmes are anything to go by, one can only foretell that O’Clean Plus will signal a better deal for our people.

    • Idowu Ajani,

    Osogbo, Osun State