The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Ilaje youths deserve fruits of amnesty

    Ilaje youths deserve fruits of amnesty

    SIR: Ilaje land is an oil producing area of Ondo State. There are three kingdoms: the Ugbo, Mahin and Aheri/Etikan. As an oil producing area, the youths have been left unemployed due to the hazards caused by the oil exploitation and exploration in which both fishing and farming businesses have become a thing of the past.

    The federal as well as the state government have done their bits by considering the interests of the people especially by providing some jobs for the youths.

    However, it has become a nightmare as the leaders in the said areas have not been allowing the youths to taste the dividend of democracy as per the allotted jobs.

    The most recent is the issue of security of pipelines which came from the federal government. More than 5,000 jobs were allotted to Ilaje land but these were hijacked by our leaders who are in the corridors of power. They gave recognition only to militant groups – those who once carried arms against the government but ignored other groups. Amongst the latter group is Mahin coastal youth which was registered for the interest of the youths in Mahin Kingdom.

    Our worry is that the leaders are benefiting in quite a number of ways; so also the militant groups who are the sole beneficiaries of Amnesty Programme. We are confronted with questions such as; must youths be rebels before they could be heard? Must those who benefit from amnesty be allowed to hold the other youths down? Why should the group alone enjoy the benefits?

    Our dear President, the time has come to intervene in this matter so that peace can reign in Ilaje land of Ondo State.

    • Ebuteiwa Vincent&Egbukuyomi Segun

    Ilaje Land

     

  • Still on Police College, Ikeja

    Still on Police College, Ikeja

    SIR: On Friday, January 18, President Goodluck Jonathan paid an impromptu visit to the Police College Ikeja. My only regret is that the President did not spare few seconds to walk across the little gate that separates the College from the Police Barracks. He would have seen the nauseating environment under which our policemen and women live.

    Nigerians expect him to undertake more of such unscheduled visits to other national institutions on the verge of total collapse. But this would work only if his government would see the media as partners in progress. Asking why a television station was allowed access to film the rot at the College is like leaving the message and chasing after the messenger.

    It has been argued that the decay at the College did not just start today. And that this government cannot be blamed for the decadence. So, tell me: who should we hold accountable? Since 1999, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been in control of government. The party also controls both houses of the National Assembly. So shouldn’t we hold it accountable and responsible for the deterioration of many of our national heritages and values?

    It has also been argued that poor funding is responsible for the sorry state of the police training college. In 2012, for instance, four hundred and ninety six million naira (N496m) was reported to have been budgeted for the College. While this is appalling, it is obvious that the police itself lack proper maintenance culture. Look at their barracks. Look at the vehicles they drive and how they handle them.

    There is a Deputy Inspector General of police in charge of these training colleges. How much supervision and managerial competence has he shown in this instance? There is a Ministry of Police Affairs in charge of police matters. There is the Police Service Commission. There are also various committees of the National Assembly that are expected to have oversight functions on these institutions. All these superstructures are there sucking public fund while the institutions under their watch are rotting away.

    Only last year, former Commissioner of Police, Plateau state, Emmanuel Dipo Ayeni, during his pulling out parade from the Nigeria Police force, had cause to lash out at the police institution he served for many years. According to him, “The way the Nigerian Police force is operating today leaves much to be desired not because its personnel are not professionally competent but due to some dangerous chemistry that has been badly mixed against the soul of this vital organization.” He dismissed the reform in the Nigerian Police force as “extremely cosmetic” incapable of taking the police force to the next level.

    Such calls are wake up call for us to sit back and take a second hard look at the country and what can be done to save it from imminent collapse.

     

    • Pascal Chimezie

    University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

  • All hail King Eagles

    All hail King Eagles

    SIR: As we bask in the euphoria of the heroic victory of the Super Eagles in the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, it is important that we spare sometime to distil and reflect on the lessons inherent in the entire episode particularly the resilience of Coach Steven Keshi and his faithful soccer ambassadors.

    Interestingly, the Super Eagles and their handlers we celebrate and eulogize today were yesterday caricatured, derided and called names. Nobody gave them an outside chance of even qualifying from their group let alone winning the cup. They were harangued and variously described as “Super Chickens”, “Fatherless Eagles” and “Wingless Eagles” etc.

    Thank you King Eagles for freeing us from the suffocating grip of negativism and cynicism. We are really grateful to you for a gift so precious, something to love and cherish and something different from the misery and despair we feel from the daily dose of stolen billions, armed robberies, kidnapping and other myriad of social malaise.

    What is more, you and your dedicated handlers refused to be detracted by the barbed and irritating criticisms of pundits and analysts. Rather, these criticisms fired your spirit which has produced the result and handsome dividend we are celebrating today.

    For the Super Eagles it has been a triumph of determination over cynicism. While the rest of us wallowed in despair, the King Eagles and their handlers waxed stronger in faith and spirit. Their avowed intent was to win the African Cup. Happily, they have achieved their supreme objective and nobody can deny them the glory which richly belongs to them and by extension, to all Nigerians both detractors and supporters.

    What is really important now is for all of us to emulate the worthy examples of our glorious soccer ambassadors. This is reminiscent of John Kennedy’s inaugural address as President of the United States in which he passionately enjoined his people not to think of what America can do for them but what they can do for their country.

    It is important also to stress that people imbued with sense of character like Steve Keshi has demonstrated, are like possessed creatures, men and women in the thrall of belief so powerful that they ignore all else including criticisms however barbed and discouraging. This is similitude of what Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world”. Yes indeed!

    Our newly crowned kings of African soccer have shown the way. All we need do now is to fall in step to move Nigeria forward. Nigeria has what it takes to be a great, prosperous, peaceful and a happy nation.

    • Chief (Hon) David Attah,

    david.attah@yahoo.com

  • Why is life so cheap in Nigeria?

    Why is life so cheap in Nigeria?

    SIR: There is no faith that does not recognise the sanctity of human life. The two great religions of the world, Christianity and Islam- for sure, certainly do. A mutual refrain in the two great books is: You shall not kill. It is therefore sacrilegious to take human life. This is on the side of morals.

    In our case, the contrary seems to hold sway. Our actions and inactions reflect the antithesis of the sanctity of human life. It seems praxis to flout God’s order of ‘You shall not kill’.

    A group of people are busy throwing bombs all around and attacking all places including places of worship in the name of religion. It is sheer delirium touting the reason of religion given that both Christians, Muslims, atheists and anybody are their targets.

    It will also be foolhardy to believe the economic angle. How will the death of hundreds of people on the streets of Kano, Zaria, Bauchi bring about a positive turn-around in Nigeria’s economy?

    Arguably, road mishaps remain the cause of the highest number of Nigerians. Statistics by the highly reliable Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) showed that most road accidents were caused by each or a combination of these factors: bad roads, reckless driving, over-speeding, over-loading, drunkenness et al.

    Why it took successive governments so long to find a solution to the slaughter slab that Lagos-Ibadan road was, is difficult to fathom considering the enormous resources at the disposal of the Federal Government.

    But, if government is intent in killing as many citizens as possible, why should we also be a willing accomplice? It is sad that the drivers themselves are ready and willing tools in the hands of the ‘devil’ to reduce the population of Nigeria. You need only a cursory attention at activities at our various parks and garages and you will be confounded by the assemblage of hawkers of an assortment of alcoholic drinks of various names and makes some under the guise of herbs.

    Same goes for cops who, under the influence of alcohol, pull the trigger. Only God knows how many lives have been lost due to ‘accidental discharge’.

    Can we count the number of Nigerians who have lost their lives in the hands of armed robbers, kidnappers, rapists, assassins and the likes? How can we describe robbers who forced hapless victims to lie on highways for them to be mauled by approaching vehicles? What do we call armed robbers who after dispossessing their victims of their hard-earned valuables still went ahead to wipe out the family?

    Nigerians’ proclivity to cheapen human life is inexorably tied to the incredibly high level of insecurity in the country. Any flimsy, mundane, even stupid, reason can draw cudgels, machetes, guns and other deadly weapons from any group of people against the other in a cult, gang, religious or tribal feud and before you know it, many heads would have rolled. Mere Street squabbles, beer parlour arguments, bus banter among others easily degenerate into violence, blood and deaths.

    Amidst all this grand madness, Nigerians descend on places of worship almost 24 hours every day to call on the same God that they have refused His simple injunction not to kill. If we attach a modicum out of the prodigious respect we attach to religion to regard to life, Nigeria will be a better place to live in.

     

    • Laitan Akinwunmi

    Ifako-Ijaiye

    Lagos State

     

  • NJC’s decision on Naron, others most welcome

    NJC’s decision on Naron, others most welcome

    SIR: The Committee on Justice on behalf of the House of Representatives hereby expresses delight over the suspension and recommendation of compulsory retirement of Mr. Justice Thomas Naron of Plateau State High Court and Justice Archibong of the Federal High Court.

    Although this action should have been a normal exercise of in-built disciplinary mechanism for the judiciary to cleanse itself, previous leaderships of the Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC) have condoned too much and spared so many corrupt judges to the detriment of the judiciary. It is in this light that we commend the person of the Chairman of the Council, Justice Mariam Mukhtar, GCON. Nigerians now believe her declaration a few weeks ago that internal mechanism would be utilized to tackle corrupt judges.

    As it takes two to tango, we call on the equally new leadership of the Nigeria Bar Association to take a cue and utilize its own internal mechanism to send strong message to very senior lawyers who are used as conduits in soiling the judiciary. By reining in its own, the NJC’s action constitutes a strong challenge to the NBA.

    Furthermore, we believe the investigation of Justice Abubakar Talba must be comprehensive involving every official that handled the matter. Nigerians want to know among others, why the convict was charged under the worn-out Criminal Code rather than more recent laws of EFCC, ICPC or money laundering laws. This seems like deploying one-edge sword or gun powder in a modern battle when you have bombs in your arsenal.

    This Committee has been singing it for long that the EFCC and ICPC alone cannot fight corruption in this land; it is the duty of every person and every institution. The new NJC has begun its own, the NBA must not be left out. We salute the Chief Justice of Nigeria and assure her of support of the House in her future actions in this direction.

    • Tunde Akanbi

    Ilorin

  • It’s Anambra North’s turn for governorship

    It’s Anambra North’s turn for governorship

    SIR: In the interest of fairness, equity, egalitarianism and justice, the next governor of Anambra State should come from Anambra North Senatorial zone. Since the new Anambra State came into being in 1991, no person from Anambra North Senatorial Zone has ruled the state.

    Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, who ruled the state between 1991 and 1993 hails from Anambra South; Dr Mbadinuju, who also ruled the state from 1999 to 2003 is from Anambra South; Dr Chris Ngige from Alor in Anambra Central Senatorial Zone, was in the saddle of leadership in the state between 2003 and 2006. The current governor, Peter Obi comes from Anambra Central. He has been ruling the state since 2006.

    Proponents of strict adherence to democratic ideals and ethos insist that the contest for the governorship post should be open to all people in the state. They argue that it is undemocratic to shut out people from outside Anambra North from the next governorship contest.

    But, in order for us to achieve peace and unity and attain great economic and technological heights, we should evolve democratic ideals and ethos to suit our cultural peculiarities. Imitating the western models of democracy sheepishly and foolishly won’t augur well for our development. Rather, we ought to adapt western models of democracy to our cultural and social realities in order to guarantee peace and progress in our home state of Anambra.

    In order to ensure the continued existence of Nigeria as one indivisible entity, northern interests and other kingmakers helped Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to become president in 1999 on the ticket of the P.D.P. to assuage the South-west, whose son Chief M.K.O Abiola, was denied the post in 1993 after he had won the June 12, 1993 Presidential election.

    So, in the interest of fairness and continued unity and cohesiveness of Anambra State, it is imperative to give the people of Anambra North the political platforms on which they will actualize their dream of producing the next governor of the state in 2014. The zone has seasoned and tested politicians who can lead the state to greatness if they’re offered the opportunity to lead the state. Among them are Joy Emodi, Margery Okadigbo, Oseloka Obaze and other great politicians.

     

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye

    Uruowulu-Obosi Anambra State.

     

  • ACN, Ogbomoso North needs Ajimobi’s attention

    ACN, Ogbomoso North needs Ajimobi’s attention

    SIR: This piece is a clarion call on the ACN leadership, and particularly, the governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi to wade into the crisis rocking the party in Ogbomoso North before it is too late. This call becomes imperative because of the disunity, over ambition and personality clash among the leading members of the party. The show of shame between two members of executive council which culminated in fisticuffs on Thursday February 20 and disrupted the meeting calls for urgent attention. As the hotbed of politics in Ogbomoso zone, and with the overbearing influence of the PDP, failure of the party to unite could jeopardize the prospects of the party in Ogbomoso zone.

    Four important factors are responsible for the problem rocking the party in Ogbomoso North. First, there is no leader in Ogbomoso North ACN that can serve as rallying point and provide effective leadership for the party. The decisions that affected the party in Ogbomoso North are being taken by leaderships of other local governments in Ogbomoso zone, which often times are not in the best interest of the majority members of the party. Secondly, the factionalization of the party is so entrenched that any appointment or patronage is distributed on factional basis, while members who belong to no faction are disregarded and excluded from any appointment or patronage. Consequently, the loyalty of party members is not to the party but factional leaders. Therefore, unity has eluded the party. Third, the chairmen of the caretaker committee appointed since the inception of this government are alien to the party. They were not in the party before and during the last election, which would have afforded them the opportunity to know in and out of the party. Consequently, they cannot unite the party but rather finding means of consolidating their power by courting the friendship of the dominant factions to the detriment of the party. Fourthly, very few among those who have been given appointments at the state level attend party meeting at ward or local levels. Instead of coming together to provide effective leadership to the party, they are behaving like the lords of minor and are parochial.

    With the situation of ACN in Ogbomoso North, it cannot go into election and make any meaningful impact because many party members are disillusioned. Therefore, the leadership of the party in the state is advised to wade in because a stitch in time saves nine.

     

    •Adewuyi Adegbite,

    Apake, Ogbomoso.

  • Walter Carrington and African-Americans

    Walter Carrington and African-Americans

    I think Ambassador Walter Carrington was right when he urged US blacks to trace their roots. This call has become imperative in view of the incontrovertible fact that all blacks are sons and daughters of Africa whether they choose to hide under the nomenclature of African-American. I understand the feelings and reasons though some may not understand.

    It’s a pity that at this age, some African-Americans still live in irredeemable delusion. They try to separate themselves from Africa and even prefer to be called Americans. Most times when we tell them to trace their roots, they say to us that they can’t because of insecurity. Yet they live in a nation where agents of sudden deaths invade schools, home and movie-theatres with automatic guns to kill and destroy. How are these agents of doom different from armed robbers and even kidnappers which sometimes carry out their nefarious trade in Africa?

    If we tell them to trace their roots, they will be quick to submit that Africa is nothing but a garden of injustice. Yet they forget that America would have been the most dangerous jungle in the world if not for the selfless sacrifice of the likes of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Marcus Garvey, Jesse Jackson and W.D. Dubois. These men were African-Americans and they laid the solid foundation for justice, equality, peace and progress in America. Some of them even forgot that if not that their forefathers were stolen out of Africa via slavery, they would have been home with us.

    Tell them to trace their roots; they will say Africa is under the spell of corruption. Yet they live in a nation that is home to looted funds from Africa. Most of them even live in rented apartments and work in companies which belong to corrupt African leaders. Yet, they forget that if we must defeat the force of corruption, the ‘West’ must stop being a virgin soil on which looted funds are kept safe and invested.

    Tell them to trace their roots, they will say oh no, development is far from Africa. Yet they forget that America was once imprisoned by under-development. I know, no matter how hard Carrington tries to appeal to them to trace their roots, many will never care to listen him.

    I want to place on record that whether they trace their roots or not, Africa will one day rise above its current challenges. In this month of Black movement, let us remember to always say silent prayers for African-Americans and indeed Africa.

    God bless Africa.

     

    Godfrey Ehi,

    Benin City, Edo State.

     

  • Open letter to Aregbesola

    Open letter to Aregbesola

    The plan by the Osun State government to move students of Ikeji-Ile High School SSS (Classes) I – III to another school should be given a second thought in order to save the Ikeji-Ile community and the students from hardship.

    Time was when there was no post primary school in Ikeji-Ile Ijesha (presently in Oriade Local Government Area). This made the indigenes that were yearning for higher education to embrace Ipetu-Ijesha Grammar School and the Local Authority Secondary Modern School located in Ipetu-Ijesha after the completion of their primary education.

    Unfortunately, because this period was when the availability of commercial vehicles in this area was sparse, coupled with the poor financial standing of the farmer-parents, indigenes, which made the tedious daily journey to and from the schools (about 13 kilometers) hard.

    This tradition was passed down by several generations of Ikeji-Ile Ijesha indigene-students until succour came in 1976 when the then Military Governor of old Oyo State, Major General David Jemibewon, established Ikeji-Ile High School, with the first set of students coming from various cities and towns of the federation .

    The public announcement of this long expected creation of a saving grace in the name of a grammar school was welcomed with spectacle which culminated in mass street dance by the entire indigenes.

    However, the community saw in the establishment of the school a great relief from the pains and anxiety of parents anxiously waiting and praying for the safe return of their loved children from the neighbouring community schools without coming home hurt from scuffles along the roads (which usually ensued then over frivolities).

    While the likes of High Chief I. O. Akinmokun, late Pa J. O. Oluwatudimu, late Chief George Esan, Chief Olabode Akinyele (an ebullient principal of several notable secondary schools), late Chief T. A. Awe, High Chief I. O. Morakinyo (the current Orisakeji of Ikeji-Ile), Pa Philip Fagunleka and Mr. Olubayo Ijaseun, among others, provided firm leadership, the community rose into action like a wounded battalion to contribute ‘hugely’ as to the capacity of each one to put the gargantuan edifice that was the pride of the community in place and which is still standing there today anyway, but with dilapidated structures. The community also procured for the school a brand new Toyota Coaster Bus which was the envy of all the schools within Ife-Ijesha axis of the then Oyo State; being one of the first to acquire that wonder-on-wheels as against the then popular Austin/Bedford Lorries which most of the secondary schools in the state were noted for.

    In October last year, a Save-the-School letter for the rehabilitation of the school buildings together with adequate provision of teaching staff and security personnel was written to the state government by the Old Students Association; a copy of which was acknowledged by the Governor’s Office.

    It is based on efforts of the community and the old students that I appeal to Governor Aregbesola to have a rethink on the ‘rumoured’ proposal to move some students of the school to Ipetu-Ijesha that has about five government owned secondary schools as well as private ones.

    What could be ideal at the moment is for government to set in motion machinery to rehabilitate the decaying infrastructure within the school and to expedite actions in providing the school with adequate qualified teachers. With these in place, one can be rest assured that many Ipetu-Ijesha parents as well as those in other neighbouring towns will again start to send their children to Ikeji-Ile High School; which was the practice during our time there because we were always on top in academic, sports, debate and cultural competitions, among others.

    Therefore, I join other well meaning sons and daughters of the community both at home and in the Diaspora to appeal to our Ogbeni Aregbesola to live up to being the first true Omoluabi of the state by sparing us the pains and anguish of subjecting our children to the unpleasant voyage of trekking several kilometres on daily basis to and from Ipetu-Ijesha all in the name of becoming educated citizens of the state.

    Osun a dara!!

    ‘ ‘

    By Samuel Oloyede Oriowo,

    Ikeji-Ile, Osun State

     

  • The President should sign the budget now

    SIR: When President Goodluck Jonathan presented the 2013 budget proposal to the joint sitting of the National Assembly in October 11, 2012, everybody was happy that the 2013 budget will be signed on time so that there can be full implementation unlike previous years.

    It is unfortunate that as at today, the 2013 budget has not been signed by the President due to differences between the executive and the legislature which they both claim is in the interest of the general public.

    Some of the issues said to be causing delay in signing budget include: personnel cost, capital cost, the exclusion of the budget of Security Exchange Commission (SEC), and the inclusion of constituency projects by the National Assembly. There is also issue of oil price benchmark. While the executive had predicated the budget on $75 per barrel of crude oil, the National Assembly increased it to $79.

    Since the both parties are claiming to be working for the interest of the Nigerian people, there is need to shift grounds, reach a compromise so that the Nigerian masses they are trying to favour will not suffer too much before they settle their disagreement.

    The National Assembly must know that this is not the time to flex muscles; they should refrain from misusing their power of appropriation in forcing into the law, huge allocation for constituency projects for the 360 federal constituencies and the 109 senatorial districts. Lawmakers must be reminded that it is the duty of the executive to articulate and implement governments’ programmes and projects and if they are really sincere about executing projects in their various constituencies, they should reduce their jumbo pays so that they can use the part of it to execute their projects.

    On its part, the executive must also be sincere about its plan to better the lot of people by moving fast to sign the budget.

    Since Arunma Oteh, the embattled Director General is not bigger than SEC or the whole of Nigeria; she should be removed as a matter of urgency so that the staff of SEC and Nigeria Stock Exchange as a whole will not suffer the consequences of the exclusion of the SEC budget.

    Moreover, the unconstitutional N4billion allocation for the construction of First Ladies’ Mission House in Abuja must be removed from the budget and the money allocated to more important projects. The so called project is nothing but waste and misappropriation of public funds.

    On the oil benchmark price, since both parties must have considered average price in the international market, I suggest that they both shift ground and adopt $77 per barrel price.

    Nigerians want result not disagreements, therefore the differences between Presidency and National Assembly must be resolved urgently and amicably so that the budget can be signed this month for Nigerians to start enjoy its benefits.

    God Bless Nigeria.

    • John Tosin Ajiboye

    Osogbo Osun State