The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Lokoja and the centenary celebration

    The present administration has deemed it wise to celebrate Nigeria’s attainment of its 100th year of its amalgamation which it promised would be private partnership driven.

    The move by the federal government must be applauded in context of holistic approach of making less money spinning venture, where scarce resources are been spent for selfish creeds.

    When President Goodluck Jonathan was canvassing for votes in 2011 at a political rally in Lokoja, Kogi State he promised the people that Lokoja would play a greater role in Nigeria’s centenary celebration, by giving her special role considering the importance of the town to the country’s historical development.

    We would like to appeal to federal government to consider the building of the centenary city in the ancient town of Lokoja to accord her this important role, in fulfilment of the president’s promise.

    The decision to build the centenary city in Abuja is untenable, wasteful and unnecessary. Building it in Lokoja would go a long way to attract many would be visitors that would come into the country to see other parts of the country that played different roles in uniting this country.

    The many historical monuments in the ancient town of Lokoja would be added show piece to the centenary celebration, many would-be tourists would believe in our historical heritage when they criss-cross all the nooks and crannies of the country.

    We hope the federal government would see to the building of the centenary city in Lokoja for the overall success of the celebration.

    Bala Nayashi

    Lokoja, Kogi State.

  • Where is the room for youths?

    SIR: Youths of today do not have hope for tomorrow as we do not know where we are going from here. We have heard from our teachers that we are the leaders of tomorrow, but it’s hard to see the tomorrow on the horizon.

    Ibrahim Babangida and Muhammadu Buhari are still contesting for the presidency nearly three decades after leaving office. Governor Murtala Nyako, former Governor of Niger State in 1976, is governor of Adamawa State 36 years after. David Mark who was the military Governor of Niger State in 1984, 28 years after is the Senate President.

    Let us come together to do away with all these. Let the youths stand up and fight for our rights. Let us fight for the generation unborn. We cannot continue like this.

    • Muhammad Zainab Gulu.

    IBB University, Lapai, Niger State.

  • ‘Holding charge’ has no place under the law

    SIR: The intolerable high proportion of prisoners awaiting trial in prolonged prison confinement is a cause of concern. It is well known that well over 60 percent of prison population in Nigeria falls within the class of awaiting trial. Any person that is conversant with Nigeria prison knows that this class of people suffer more than convicts because they are subjected to unimaginable indignity, even when they have not been convicted of any offence.

    One then begin to wonder whether the presumption of innocence of the accused is tenable in Nigeria because it seems that in Nigeria the accused is presumed guilty until he or she proves his innocence.

    It is however important to note that most detainees are held on a ‘holding charge’ which is a system of bringing an accused before an inferior court that lacks jurisdiction to try him or her for the primary purpose of securing a remand order and thereafter abandon him or her in prison under the pretence of awaiting trial. The primary aim of the police is however, to obtain a remand order from an incompetent court and then keep the accused in prison on the pretence of awaiting trial. It is pretence because the accused cannot be said to be awaiting trial when he has not been arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction and his/her plea has not been taken.

    Stakeholders in the legal sphere have made a case for an effective criminal justice system that will tackle the menace of holding charge to decongest the prison and address the rights of the victims. However, little or nothing has been done in respect of this even in the face of several Court of Appeal judgments especially the resent case of AGUNDI V COP All FWLR (2013) PT 660 PG 1243, Where the court of appeal held that it is unconstitutional for a Magistrate court to take cognizance of an offence, remand a suspect into prison custody and make binding orders when the court lacks the requisite jurisdiction to entertain such matters.

    Although some state laws provides for this outrageous concept of “holding Charge”, it is worthy to affirm that those laws are void as they are inconsistent with the provisions of the constitution and Court of Appeal decisions which has guaranteed the personal liberty and fair hearing of an accused person.

    The lack of political will has robbed us of proper enforcement of landmark decisions of courts that primarily targets the reform of Nigeria prison and in fact the reform of our failing criminal justice system. Majority of inmates awaiting trial are accused of capital offences, yet their cases are still in magistrate courts that lacks requisite jurisdiction to entertain such matters.

    I submit that the three cardinal institutions in the Criminal Justice System – Police, Court and Prison should work toward the total eradication of the unconstitutional concept called “Holding Charge” as Justice Delayed is Justice Denied.

    • Tolulope Adekola

    Ilorin, Kwara State

  • Much ado about a pardon

    SIR: There has been such a hue and cry about the pardon of Chief Diepriye Alamieyeseigha, a lot of it unnecessary. Even the US was a bit hypocritical in its condemnation of the pardon considering that the country has a history of controversial pardons.

    For one, the popular President Clinton was roundly criticised for his pardon of Marc Rich whose ex – wife had contributed significant sums of money to Clinton’s campaign and his presidential library. Earlier in his career, Clinton had criticized President Gerald Ford for granting President Nixon a pardon in relation to the Watergate scandal. Clinton later tendered something of an apology to President Ford admitting that Ford was right. Clinton himself was to stumble later in his career.

    There is something to be learnt from the Clinton story. Who is to say that those crying the loudest now are not themselves in need of the pardon. Although nothing has been proved against him, the Farouk Lawan story should teach us a lesson how tables turn so easily in life. More than anything else, Alamieyeseigha is the beneficiary of some good luck, why sit in judgment over him?

    In a country where amnesty is granted to those who commit serious crimes, where revered leaders call for amnesty to be granted to religious extremists who daily blow up unarmed citizens, what moral authority do we have as a nation to condemn a pardon? Maybe we should pardon everyone and begin afresh as a nation.

    I wish that the amount of energy citizens put into condemning a pardon could be put into initiatives for reforming the justice system, particularly the criminal justice and penal systems. We have people who spend their whole lives awaiting trial, young men and women locked up for years on end for bogus charges preferred by prosecutors who have no intention whatsoever of prosecuting the matter. We have a prison system that is not designed to reform anyone but that ensures that the convict for drug offences becomes a murderer tomorrow; a system that hardens those who pass through it.

    Can we, by legislation, fashion a system that makes it difficult for a governor to steal even if he wants to? A system that makes all of the the state’s financial information and records as accessible to the janitor as they are to the governor? A system that plugs loopholes in public procurement laws, that reduces profligacy in government? Let more citizens come together to sponsor more bills like the Freedom of Information Act. Let’s propose ideas to make our court system more efficient, let’s demand that more judges who are worth their salt are appointed, that the Police Force be totally reformed. Let those who have finances sponsor those who have the knowledge and motivation and let’s work towards these goals. Let’s please stop wasting so much energy on just one case of pardon. Let’s quit being a reactionary citizenry.

    We talk about corruption and abuse of power but even in the private sector I see so much of these. From the clerk who demands or expects a tip to do his job to the bank teller who encourages friends and acquaintances to beat the queue, one experiences little doses of corruption and abuse of power almost on a daily basis. So before we shout ourselves hoarse condemning a pardon, let’s ask ourselves: are we really free of guilt? Does anyone really believe that Alamieyeseigha’s conviction was part of a war against corruption? That it was a deterrent to greedy governors? I believe it was more of a warning to governors not to get on the wrong side of the ‘oga at the top’.

    Let no one begrudge Diepriye Alamieyeseigha. Pardon is a beautiful thing. Should I stand in need of it, I hope to get one one day. I wonder if you don’t.

    • Soala Jumbo

    Port Harcourt

  • Still on the dismissed youth corper

    SIR: I have observed reactions to the ejection of Tolulope Ekundayo, a graduate of Zoology, Lagos State University, from the NYSC orientation camp in Ogun State for refusing to wear the Khaki trouser meant for youth corpers.

    I feel very proud to associate with her. In spite of our decaying societal values and high level of disregard for Biblical provisions, she stood firm on her religious belief to challenge the moral decadence in this part of the world. The issue of this dismissed youth corps member has once again brought to the fore the need for the incorporation of religious tolerance in the law guiding the NYSC scheme.

    To many, the decision of this corps member to stand her ground is uncalled for, old-fashioned and primitive. Some even argued that she could have complied for the duration of the programme, supporting their arguments with a Biblical injunction in Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account…” The decision of the NYSC authority did not come to me as surprise because many staunch believers may have at one time or the other paid dearly in situations similar to this.

    The focus here is not to criticise the decision of the camp officials because according to them, her action contradicted Section 3 sub-section (h) of the scheme’s 2012 bye-laws, but to address the inadequacies and the insensitivity of the law itself to our religious practice/belief.

    I see this as great injustice to this hapless lady or is it not the same NYSC that youth corpers dress almost like masquerades and nobody dares throw them out of the camp? Does religious sentiment now exist in the NYSC scheme?

    Some years back when I had my NYSC in Taraba State, I recollect that some female Muslim corpers were allowed to use head ties (hijab) to cover their hair instead of using the NYSC cap while some wore white trousers for parades when they were expected to wear a boxer-like short and white shirt. These sets of people claimed that their religious beliefs did not permit them to expose their hair or any part of their body. If consideration is given to this category of people, while can’t the same be extended to the likes of Tolulope Ekundayo?

    I will be doing great injustice if I don’t commend the NYSC for some of its religious initiatives for corps members. For instance, provision is made for recognised religious organisations to thrive within the orientation camp. In some permanent orientation camp, there are mosques and churches. Also, every Sunday is a free day for corpers throughout the three weeks orientation period. This is to allow the corpers perform their religious activities without any interference and the time for Jumat on Fridays is usually adhered to strictly with no activity interfacing with it.

    This area of dressing code may be another area which the authorities concerned may start looking into and consider making it optional. This will help strike a balance among the two religions and further help in advocating religious tolerance.

    • Ayo Afuwape

    Iworo Badagry

  • Poor service of Etisalat in Oke-Ogun

    SIR: The National Communication Commission (NCC) early last year (2012) threaten to sanction any mobile service provider whose service/network was not effective. The commission made good its treat when it fined GLO, MTN, Airtel and Etisalat twice last year for poor services.

    After the fine, GLO, MTN and Airtel services improved as these services providers made deliberate efforts to improve such. However, it is alarming that Etisalat’s service remains the worst since that time as no efforts is made till now to improve the service in Oke-Ogun especially in Saki-East, Saki-West and ATISBO Local Governments. Etisalat officials only made arrangement to erect more masts in Ibadan, Ogbomoso and Oyo being cities and abandoned other parts of the state especially Oke-Ogun area. Hence, their services are better in these cities but terrible in Oke-Ogun area.

    Is it that once services are better in the cities the NCC would think that the service is good across the state? It is on this note that we are appealing to Etisalat officials to extend their effort of improving services beyond the cities and let such get to Oke-Ogun kin particular.

    • Ogunremi Timothy

    Saki, Oyo State

  • US and Alamieyeseigha pardon

    SIR: I have read different comments on the state pardon granted D.S.P Alamieyeseigha et al. Section 175 (1) (2) (3) of our 1999 constitution that empowers the President to grant pardon to any ex-convict which says:

    (1) “The President may

    (a) Grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence created by an Act of the National Assembly a pardon, either free, or subject to lawful conditions;………….

    (2) The powers of the President under sub section (1) of this section shall be exercised by him after consultation with the council of State.

    (3) The President, acting in accordance with the advice of the council of State, may exercise his power under subsection (1) of this in relation to person concerned with offences against the army, naval or air-force law or convicted or sentenced by a court – marital”.

    From the above, there is no doubt that that the law permits the President to do what he did. While I am not supporting corruption, I was worried by the reactions and comments of US embassy in Nigeria and comments of State Department in Washington over the action taken by our President. I wonder if US government wants the President to seek her opinion about our internal affairs, because I can’t remember the last time the US President sought Nigerian government’s consent before taking any action in America.

    While I appreciate the work of US government in Nigeria, that is not the license for them to be intervening in our internal affairs.

    When former president Bill Clinton pardoned Fife Symington III, former Republican Governor of Arizona who was convicted of bank fraud, he did not consult Nigeria and Nigerian Embassy in US did not criticise him. Similarly, when Marc Rick, who was charged in 1983 with cheating the US of nearly $50million and doing business with Iran during the hostage crises, who was never tried having fled to Switzerland to avoid prosecution, was pardoned, Nigeria government did not complain.

    Therefore America government must mind her own business and stop undue meddlesomeness in the internal affairs of Nigeria.

    Like Nigeria, United States also have their own peculiar mess. For instance the US government is known for her politics of double standard in different parts of the world. The same US government that claims to be fighting terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan is also giving billions of dollars to rebels fighting Syria’s Al Assad government. It is now 10 years that US-led troop invaded Iraq but George W. Bush and Tony Blair who committed the crime against humanity in Iraq have not been prosecuted up till now.

    The same US government who is accusing Nigeria of corruption gave a soft landing to the ousted Yemen President, Ali Abdullah Saleh who looted his country and killed many people during protests.

    The US government is currently backing the Bahraini king who is killing people protesting against his government since 2011 after revolt in Egypt and Tunisia because of Bahraini oil money he is bringing to US.

    The call to Bill Gates by US State Department to cancel his scheduled visit to Nigeria on March 27 for charity work to end polio should be a wake-up call to Nigeria and other African countries to stop relying on aid from developed countries before doing what they ought to do. We must learn from other Third world countries like China, India, and Brazil that are developing without waiting for US aid.

    • John Tosin Ajiboye,

    Osogbo Osun State

  • Pardon for Alams and others a dangerous precedent

    Pardon for Alams and others a dangerous precedent

    SIR: The pardon granted by President Jonathan few days ago to Alamieyeseigha and others didn’t come as a surprise to us, and we wonder why it is for many both here at home and abroad. From the outset, we knew the character of the man the majority of Nigerians chose or elected to become their president in 2011 due chiefly to sentiments, and we didn’t mince our words in sounding the warning but as is often the case, no one listened; today we are reaping the fruit of our choice, the Presidency has been reduced to an ethnic affair.

    Why is it so difficult to understand that this administration is corruption personified? Issue after issue has evidently shown that this administration will never combat corruption; it will rather swim in it and shield corrupt officials. Even the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) indicted this administration when last year, it clearly stated in the Annual General Meeting of the Coalition against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) that the reason why the commission has become so ineffective and sloppy is due to lack of political will and support from the Administration.

    But let us be clear on this issue: the presidential pardon thing is not necessarily a constitutional issue but a crucial moral issue. The President has the constitutional powers to grant pardon, but he has chosen to abuse those powers. Regretfully, he has by his immoral abuse of his constitutional powers set a dangerous precedent for present and future generations of Nigerians who will now see nothing wrong with stealing, pilfering and looting of our patrimony and commonwealth; after all, they can always in the end get needless plea bargains, buy justice in the courts or get presidential pardons by simply getting close to the corridors of power. So the big issue really is not whether the President has constitutional powers to grant pardon; the real issue is whether he has the right to abuse those constitutional powers by making a mockery of the constitution and of our justice system, and granting pardon to hardened and unrepentant criminals who have raped our collectivity, and then try to make the pardon credible by including names of notable Nigerians who were persecuted under military juntas.

    On this issue, there is only one demand that we make on the President. He should advise his propagandist, Dr. Doyin Okupe to desist further from insulting the intelligence of the Nigerian people; the President is not our parent who by his whims and caprices solely decides what we want; in fact most parents don’t do that. Okupe must realise that the President and other public officials, elected or otherwise, are only first among equals; every Nigerian has an equal stake in this patrimony. We have no other demand to make on the administration on this issue because ultimately, it is up to the Nigerian people to decide what they want to do, and we hope they will rise to the occasion even if not for themselves but for their children and unborn generations.

    • Eneruvie Enakoko

    Conscience Reports,

    Onikan, Lagos

  • …Extend to Bode George, Tafa Balogun and others

    …Extend to Bode George, Tafa Balogun and others

    SIR: Whoever says President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is not conscious of the federal character principle when doing his things should check the list of those recently granted pardon to see how magnanimous the president was in ensuring that the beneficiaries were drawn from almost all the geo -political zones of the country.

    But the truth of the matter is that President Jonathan would still have to do more; if he could be so good to Alamieyeseigha, what precludes his goodwill from flowing to his contemporaries in the crime of money laundering and abuse of office?

    Mr. Tafa Balogun who was Inspector General of Police, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, former Governor of Edo State and Chief Bode George, former chairman of the National Ports Authority would have appreciated the goodwill more than the dead paraded on Jonathan’s list, after all, these individuals are still alive and kicking.

    The President may have forgotten that extending such gestures to them would be a good tactic of preparing towards 2015. If he is truly the president of all as he claims, then he should not have been selective in his choice of money laundering convicts to be pardoned, after all, ‘all convicts are equal’ or is it that Alams is more equal than the others?

    Chief Alameseigha’ pardon is no doubt a presidential endorsement of illegal accumulation of wealth; the whole scenario is a mockery of the administration’s fight against corruption which has been shown to be bogus in its entirety anyway. It has only shown that public officials who loot public treasury can freely succumb to the warm hands of temptation, all they need do is to steal as much as they can, strike some plea bargaining deal with the prosecution in the event of one, get some very light sentence (which substantial part is to be served in the hospital), go home and enjoy the loot for some years and thereafter apply for state pardon. All they need ensure is a that they are in the good books of His Excellency, once that is guaranteed, there would be no problem.

    One thing that should be kept in mind is that Alamieyeseigha’s pardon is just a gateway for others that are still being hatched in the nooks of the presidential villa. Tafa Balogun, Lucky Igbinedion, Bode George and others of their kinds may someday carry the day as Alams has done now.

    • Vincent Adodo

    Legal Aid Council, Ilorin, Kwara State.

  • Re: Omatseye’s ‘From spirit to flesh’

    Re: Omatseye’s ‘From spirit to flesh’

    SIR: Thank you Sam for your piece in The Nation of March 18. The Bible, its history and origins is reflective of the Church of Christ in many ways. First and most important is its divine inspiration. This applies as much to the Bible as to the Church. The Bible was made for the church and by the church- under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. We recall that no book was found and called Bible. Rather diverse manuscripts authored by men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit were found, compiled or even censored by other men far removed from the original authors by centuries, location and culture.

    During this compilation, there were often disagreement as to which manuscript should be accepted as inspired or not. The book of James drew such contention because of its assertion that “faith without works is dead”. This was perceived to be in direct opposition to the Pauline assertion that “salvation is by faith not by works lest any man should boast”.

    Now, if we believe that the Bible so compiled is without error- it follows that both the authors and the serial compilers- for this compilation was a product of more than one council- were all under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

    These compiling councils were of men of the church- at a time the church was just one. In sum, centuries after their authors had died, ‘select’ manuscripts were compiled into a Bible under the guidance of the Holy Spirit by the church.

    That same Holy Spirit continues to inspire the Church of God. So flows the concept of infallibility- that the Holy Spirit-inspired church will not fall into error- the gates of hell will not prevail against it…” The Head of this church is Christ- who Himself created a visible head in Peter upon which rock He built His Church under the bewildering promise (in spite of Peter’s many weaknesses) that the gates of hell will not prevail.

    I hope the concept of infallibility – once a man (in spite of his weaknesses) assumes the Petrine office is clearer.

    Did you say celibacy is not biblical? Kindly refer to 1 Corinthians chapter 7. Recall too that Christ at the start of His ministry was 30years old and completed same at 33. This was well beyond the traditional marriage age of the time and people. So we conclude that Christ’s celibacy was deliberate and to a purpose. The versed apostle Paul chose to emulate Him in the celibate life and goes on to say; “if you marry, it is good, if you do not marry it is even better…”

    Thank you again for this bold piece.

     

    • Dr Martins

    Jos