The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Open letter to VC, University of Agriculture, Makurdi

    Open letter to VC, University of Agriculture, Makurdi

    Sir: I would like to congratulate you, Prof E. I. Kucha, on your appointment as the fifth vice chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi. Your appointment deserves a special mention and commendation because it is the first time Minda, the host community will be producing the vice chancellor of the great institution.

    Professor, you have been entrusted this responsibility at a very crucial time when the University is in deep coma and is gasping for survival. In medical parlance, coma is a state of extreme unresponsiveness, in which an individual exhibits no voluntary movement or behavior. The founding fathers of this university modeled it after Harvard and Oxford, and dreamt that like Harvard and Oxford,it will also attain glory as one of the best in Nigeria, Africa and the World. But unfortunately, today, the university is not even ranked among the top 10 universities in the country.

    Dear Professor, as you are aware that the academic standards of the university are declining day by day and the issue of cultism has assumed alarming proportions. The havoc being caused by violent cult activities has become a source of worry and concern to students, lectures, parents and the government. It is not that the situation is completely out of control; even today a lot can be done only if one has the determination and the will power to do it.

    Sir, the country and the good people of Benue State hopes that as the captain of the ship, you will rise to the occasion and take necessary steps to stem the rot, to restore the old glory of the university. The host community, Minda have high hopes and they believe that you shall not let them down.

    As you are well aware, the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi has produced brilliant graduates in the past. Today, the reverse is the case. I therefore, hope that unlike your predecessor,you will demonstrate greater courage and will to take necessary action to surgically remove the cancer of cultism and academic bastardization of the university and save the institution from slipping in to oblivion.

    Finally, I appeal to all stakeholders and the senate of the university to take time to learn from the honey bees. At theheart of hive,which house as many as 100,000 is the “Queen”. Each bee has a special duty to perform. Some are ‘Forager Bees’ who encounter the perils of the outside world in order ro collect food. ‘Guard Bees’ protect the hives from intruders. Some bees serve even as ‘Undertakers’; these are responsible for removing dead bodies from the hive. Others are ‘Water Collectors’ who bring in moisture to regulate humidity. In addition the, ‘Plasterers’ make a kind of cement to repair the hive, and ‘Scent Fanners’ station themselves at the entrance and fan the scent outward to signal the location of the colony to lost or disoriented one. The ‘Scout Bees’ keep the hive alert to opportunities and dangers from the outside world.

    From the above analysis, it is safe to ask: what is our contribution to the safety, progress, growth and protection of the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi? As bona-fide sons and daughters of this great institution,we cannot afford to sit and watch. The job of building the university will not be accomplished unless every one cooperates.

    • John Akevi,

    Nitel Qtrs. Bauchi.

     

  • Re: Hypocrisy of yesterday’s men

    Re: Hypocrisy of yesterday’s men

    SIR: I think Kingsley Ogbeide-Ihema spoke the mind of many people when he said “if you offer a fool the liberty of your silence, he would offer to himself the liberty of your consent”. I consider it appropriate to salute Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President for his well articulated rejoinder titled “Hypocrisy of yesterday’s men” in the Sunday edition of The Nation of February 3.

    It’s a pity we find ourselves in a nation where those who were once involved in the system now turn themselves into ‘messianic’ political icons and professional fault-finders. This group of yesterday’s men and women think that without them in government, the ship of leadership will derail.

    I was in school when one of those yesterday’s women superintended over the educational sector as minister. During her tenure, we saw the mass production of ‘dis-educated, mis-educated and uneducated’ graduates in Nigeria. Those who gained admission into the four walls of the university left with only one wall standing. Under her watchful eyes, the menace of examination malpractices reached an unprecedented dimension. Incessant strike action punctured our academic calendars to the extent that four years courses stretched up to five or six years. The result was that the general public lost confidence in public academic institutions completely.

    This woman who should have been banned from public office for life in view of her abysmal failure in the educational sector now claims to see what she could not see few years ago. Nigerians should not forget that she was a part of the federal executive council that spent over $16 billion on power, yet the only thing we got in return was darkness. Those who think I am wrong should please check their history books.

    • Ehi G.O.

    Benin City.

     

  • A most outrageous judgment

    A most outrageous judgment

    SIR: The option of fine of N750, 000 for a criminal crime of N23 billion fraud by Justice Mohammed Talba of the FCT high court against John Yakubu Yusufu of the office of the Police Pension Funds is worrisome.

    Yusufu is one of the eight civil servants accused of diverting about N32.8 billion.  Certainly, this sentence does not weigh balance with the offence committed.

    We all must realise that corruption is a monster that should be fought by all and sundry in this country. The message from Justice Talba is that corruption pays. If you must steal, steal handsomely.

    It is quite unfortunate that people still steal public funds with impunity without stiff penalty under the laws whereas somebody will steal a handset for instance and would be sent to jail for 10 years with hard labour.

    As in the case under reference, imagine the feelings of the Nigerian public especially the affected pensioners who have greatly suffered and some even died while waiting for their pittance pension after many years of meritorious service to the nation before their retirement.

    It is injustice! No doubt, our laws are defective just as our judiciary is questionable. There is an urgent need to amend the laws in such a way that the punishment will always be commensurate with the offence committed and in all other areas where amendment is necessary. The judiciary should also step up effort in the fight against economic and financial crimes or else…….

     

    • Alani Ayo

    Abuja.

  • The scourge of corruption

    The scourge of corruption

    SIR: Nigeria is in the prison of corruption. Corruption is Nigeria’s Achilles heels, its bane. It has eaten off the moral fabric of Nigeria, and it is asphyxiating the country, too. Corruption rears its ugly head in all facets of our national life.

    A Nigerian who is not corrupt is considered to be an abnormal human being. He is called a “mugu” – a sucker. We have a culture of corruption into which teenage youths are socialized. When parents hire surrogate candidates to write such examinations as UTME, SSCE and NECO for their children, they have unwittingly initiated and socialized their children into the culture of corruption.

    It is sad that our educational system has become dysfunctional owing to corruption. Rich parents send their children to Ghana and Europe for schooling as our cult-infested schools have become grounds for staging beauty pageant competitions and propagation of religious bigotry. Our economy is ailing and hemorrhaging from deleterious corrupt practices that are deftly perpetrated by those minding our financial chests and collective wealth. As Nigerians perceive occupying positions of power as opportunity to amass wealth by fair or foul means, our political leaders are helping themselves to our collective wealth.

    Monies that should be channeled into fixing our infrastructure are stolen by people holding positions of influence and power. So, our hospitals have morphed from consulting clinics to mortuaries. Poor people go to our hospital to die, and not to recover from their ailments. Our roads that are filled with craters are death-traps that cause the deaths of Nigerians daily. The dilapidated East-west road has remained an open sore in the psyche of our leaders. In spite of the humongous money injected into the power sector in the country, electricity supply has not improved. Electricity supply in Nigeria is like a maudlin lady with personality disorder, whose mood swings from being hilarious to being cantankerous. Manufacturing industries have relocated to Ghana where regular supply of electricity is guaranteed and assured. Their relocation of their industries to places outside Nigeria further compounds our unemployment problems. So, who is not unconscious of the fact that corruption is the polio that has crippled Nigeria?

    Until corruption is rooted out of Nigeria, Nigeria can’t achieve its potential in spite of its natural and human resources. Can Nigeria develop and become a great country when recruitments into the federal civil service, the Nigerian Army, FRSC, Immigration Services and others are characterized by bribery and corruption? People who are unsuited for jobs in some establishments have got jobs owing to the Nigerian factors of corruption, cronyism and nepotism.

    Sadly, the judiciary has become the cemetery of our hope for a better Nigeria with their questionable judgments. Last week, a High Court sentenced one John Yakubu Yusufu to two years imprisonment with an option of fine in the sum of N750, 000.00, for stealing N32.8 billion pension funds.

    Is it enough comeuppance for the crime he committed, which pauperized many retired police officers? People with Kleptomaniac tendencies will loot the treasury while in power knowing that the judiciary will give them a very light sentence when they leave power. The National Judicial Council and other regulatory bodies should address and tackle the rot in our judicial system. A corrupt judiciary spells doom and trouble for us. A stitch in time saves nine.

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye

    Uruowulu – Obosi, Anambra State

  • Who manages Nigeria’s image?

    Who manages Nigeria’s image?

    SIR: The above question was posed for debate on the occasion of the 50th birthday of Nigeria’s leading perception manager Yomi Badejo Okusanya (YBO). To tackle the poser, his outfit CMC Connect staged a colloquium for the citizens to jaw-jaw.

    To ex-military governor and one-time foreign affairs minister, Major General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd), “the promotion of material self interest by the elite and the ruling class to the detriment of the welfare of the people… is a threat to the management of the image of Nigeria.”

    Nwachukwu condemned what he termed “ the primitive acquisitive tendencies” of the “ leadership group” and “monetization of the politics” of our age and said they “ impede social development.”

    The retired General coupled these with the “violence all over the place,” and held that Nigerians are not treated well abroad because of our poor image; leadership group should work on it for a positive change; media should examine its strategy of reporting negative trends while not covering up criminality and impunity; they must strike a balance ; government alone can’t be saddled with managing the country’s image ; individuals should imbibe right values and be “ good” ambassadors of Nigeria abroad.

    The debate reignited can’t be a one – affair because of its inherent dynamics and the interconnectivity of perception and reality. As ex-Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party Audu Ogbeh said during his famous war of words with former President Olusegun Obasanjo “perception is reality.” So it is an on-going debate. We must agree with that dictum if we are to seriously address the image dilemma in Nigeria. What we see and hear and read in the media – local or foreign – has a powerful impact on our inflection and actions. And no matter the texture or nature of these reflections and actions, we must be careful not to fix our gaze in the direction of the media for blame. For, the journalist can’t but be faithful to his job: reporting what he sees faithfully.

    So the kernel of the dialectics at work is to “tamper,” as it were, with what goes on in the society, since what goes on in society is what the reporter sees to report. He can’t manufacture or concoct what is not there. True he sometimes exaggerates. But again you embellish what is on the ground. You don’t adorn what isn’t happening.

    Those who gathered at Muson Centre, Onikan Lagos to consider the issue as they honoured YBO were aware of this link between (mis)governance and image and therefore submitted that image management is not an abstruse enterprise disconnected from reality. In that case it must be said that what we refer to as reflection or image is noting but the totality of what the citizen derives (benefits) from his government. It is equally the reaction of that citizen to governance. Vice versa, it is government’s reaction to the citizen’s perception of its actions. Who manages this friction – laden intercourse? Or isn’t it more instructive and practical to ask: how do we manage the inevitable friction?

     

    • Banji Ojewale

    Ota, Ogun State

  • Governors’ hypocrisy on LG autonomy

    Sir: Let me start by referring to a newspaper report captioned, Reps, Govs’ rift deepens over Constitution review where the House Spokesman, Hon. Zakari Mohammed was quoted as saying that “This issue of Local Government autonomy as far as Nigeria is concerned is long over due, arising from our public sessions as true representatives of the people; our constituents do not agree with the current status where local government funds are being pilfered by governors at the expense of the people and chairmen who are seen as mere boys for the job. We would certainly not accept a situation where governors turned themselves into demi-gods in the name of Joint Account”.

    A cursory look at the House of Representative initiative to sound the opinion of the 360 federal constituencies on the amendment of the constitution indicate that Nigerians have come out in favour of political and fiscal autonomy to local government councils. There was also a general consensus that the so-called State/LG Joint account should be abolished while elected council officials will enjoy a minimum of 3-4 years tenure, that INEC take over the conduct of LG poll from state electoral commission, e.t.c.

    However, we were taken aback to learn that our governors have chosen to swim against the tide of public opinion, vowing to frustrate the aspirations of the people by intimidating their state of assembly members against the wishes of Nigerians.

    The question is, why is it that our governors are becoming autocratic, dictatorial, greedy and hypocritical? Hypocritical in the sense that what they don’t want the federal government to do to them as a second tier government is what they want done to the third tier. It was Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi who highlighted the hypocritical posturing of the governors when he stated that “ when all the governors spoke with one voice for a change, I got worried. But it sounds schizophrenic that governors are consistent in loudly advocating that the powers and financial allocation to the centre should be reduced, that the Federal Government should get off their backs, and yet, at the same time, they are not prepared to sanction and recognize the autonomous status for the third tier of government”.

    Senator Ike Ekweremadu in a recent paper on “Repositioning the Local Government System for Sustainable Development through constitution Review” wrote: “In 2002, the state governments brought a suit against the Federal Government for deducing first line charges for Joint Venture investments in the oil sector, Nigerian and National Petroleum Corporation priority projects, National priority projects and external department services. While the Supreme Court judgement favoured the state governments, it appears that most states are guilty of the same act as the local government in many instance, have continued to suffer Fiscal emasculation in the hand of the state government”.

    We are therefore calling on the members of federal and state assemblies to guide against any unwholesome influence to undermine the wishes of Nigerians. Anything short of granting autonomy to local government councils will amount to betraying the popular expectations of the People.

    • Jeff Nkwocha

    Warri, Delta State

  • The bizarre face of justice

    SIR: When honour and the law no longer stand on the same side of the line, how do we choose? Nigeria is like a Titanic heading towards an iceberg. The N750,000 fine against Mr. John Yakubu Yusuf who, in concert with other rogues orchestrated the looting of pensioners fund, is just one out of several bizarre sentences from our judges.

    How 176 criminal charges against an ex-governor were dismissed in less than two hours is still fresh in our memory. Today, the same convict while serving jail time in foreign land is still earning pension as ex-governor, an office he criminally captured, desecrated and looted. Good conscience and equity demand that a felon should not derive any benefit from his illegal activities and anything contrary is an anathema to the concept of an ideal society.

    Those forecasting a brighter future for Nigeria are either hallucinating or not paying serious attention to the cancer that is spreading like wildfire. There is no country that can survive judicial recklessness and corruption and Nigeria will never be an exception. We have seen in other climes how the judiciary saves many states from collapsing by upholding the sacred principle of checks and balances as last bastion of hope for the masses. But, here in Nigeria, our judiciary is gradually converting the temple of justice to an institution of horror and oppression where only the devilish interests of felons are nurtured.

    When erstwhile U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that the level of official corruption Nigeria is unbelievable, she was stating the obvious as someone who is privy to classified information or is there anywhere in this world apart from Nigeria where someone could plead guilty for stealing N23biIlion and only gets option of fine of 750,000 naira?

    Where a governor looted a state for eight years, pleaded guilty and paid three million naira fine? Where some few citizens congregate like pride of lions feasting and racketing state resources with impunity? Where someone set-up fraudulent Ponzi schemes not unlike Bernard Madoff of America and only gets six months sentence in hospital?

    Where strange “Plea Bargaining” is wholly adopted as an instrument of law for felons to escape justice? Where is it done in this modern world? Where?

    John Yakubu Yusuf did not only loot Police pension funds in league with others rogues, they orchestrated and embezzled social security funds meant to secure the future of fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews, aunts. In some climes, Yusuf action can trigger nationwide social unrest because a man with licensed weapons will not watch his family starved to death or face uncertain future. He will surely resort to self help and in the end the society pays dearly for sabotaging the future of a man.

    Yes, no country is corruption free. But the level of audacity and tolerance for criminal activities in Nigeria is very alarming and incredible. With a judiciary that is ever ready to romance felons, it is only a matter time before this country implode.

    • Akinola M.A.

    Verona-Italy.

  • Ikogosi should host next Gulder Ultimate Search

    SIR: Since inception, the Gulder Ultimate Search has been shot on nine different locations: Snake Island in Lagos played host to the first season while the second was shot on Obudu Hills, Cross River. Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) in Benin hosted the third season while Shere Hills, Jos –played host to the fourth. Awgu Hills, Enugu – followed; then Omodo Forest, Osun State; next was Omo Forest, Ogun State, Ososo Mountains, Edo State and Usaka Valley, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State for the fifth, sixth, seventh, eight and ninth seasons respectively.

    No doubt, the nine locations which have hosted the show so far are exquisite and parade a touch of Nigerianness. None of them, however, parade the uniqueness of Ikogosi Warm and Cold Springs in Ekiti. It is a fact that there are several hot and warm springs all over the world; not one of these springs features a marriage of a warm and a cold spring.

    At Ikogosi, there is a fusion of a warm and a cold spring, meeting, but not blighted by each other’s features. Despite fusing at some point, the cold spring retains its coldness whilst the warm spring retains its feature also. This is one feature or attribute no spring in the world possesses.

    With this uniqueness, it is only perfect and fair that the Gulder Ultimate Search 10 be shot in Ikogosi Ekiti. Two or three years ago, the Nigerian Breweries Plc and the Seyi Siwoku-led Jungle Film Works would have found enough reasons not to consider the spring owing to years of neglect that it suffered in the hands of successive administrations in the old Ondo and Ekiti states. The good news, however, is that there is now a newly improved Warm and Cold Springs Resort in Ikogosi Ekiti courtesy of the Kayode Fayemi administration.

    The Ikogosi Warm and Cold Springs Resort is the new tourists’ destination in Africa and the world over. It boasts of newly built chalets, VIP villas, multi-purpose hall, amphitheatre, conference hall, executive suites, a 60-seater and a 30-seater room for functions and meetings.

    Besides these, there is beautiful scenery made up of hills and valleys around the resort where the contestants could slug it out. Installed all over the resort are also closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, plus a perimeter fence, to ensure security. The resort is managed by a South African firm with expertise on local content, an ingredient that has made the show the toast of viewers in Africa and beyond.

    The newly improved Ikogosi Warm and Cold Springs Resort is a blend of architectural wizardry and nature’s benevolence. Nigerian Breweries Plc and Jungle Film Works will be doing Nigeria and Nigerians and the show a great disservice if they ignore the resort, the only one of its kind in the world that nature has deemed fit to bestow on Ekiti and Nigeria.

    • ‘Dimeji Daniels

    Ado-Ekiti

  • One year of Wada in Kogi

    One year of Wada in Kogi

    When former Kogi State Governor, Ibrahim Idris, was at the helm of affairs, he promised to leave a worthy legacy, hence his foresight in providing the people of Lokoja one of the basic amenities of life, which is water.

    The town that has the unique opportunity of having two of the biggest rivers in Nigeria, has now gone back to history of water shortage that has been giving the people of the town great concern.

    The greater water work project which gulped billions of naira when it was constructed has started witnessing lack of water supply to Lokoja town and its environs.

    The appointment of the water resources commissioner, whom everybody hope should live up to expectation of her office, has not been seen directing affairs of the ministry for some time now.This calls for her redeployment if she is found wanting in her sole responsibilities of giving water to the teeming populace.

    In another clime, provision of this basic amenity to the people should not be of priority to the government of the day for now, because other important things should be at front burner and not this that should have been provided.

    We call on the Kogi State government to make haste in ensuring the restoration of water to Lokoja town and its environs for the people to enjoy the basic amenities.

    The current heat been experienced generally in the country needs to be complimented with provision of water to help in reducing dehydration amongst the people of the town.

    The water board authority should as matter of urgency ensure that all the pipes are properly maintained to make it convenient for water to flow without any hindrance. also, protection should be given to all its facilities to stem the activities of vandals in our societies.

     

    Bala Nayashi, Lokoja

  • Delta kidnappings: A way out

    Delta kidnappings: A way out

    Despite the frantic effort of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to set up a combined military task force in Warri to combat incessant kidnappings in the state, kidnapping is growing at geometrical progression while victims bear the brunt. Kidnapping in the state is fast becoming a worthwhile business for some of the youths who feel it is the only way to make ends meet. Even Governor Uduaghan went as far as to set up another Delta Police Anti- kidnapping Squad (PAS) and purchased heavily armoured vehicles for security agencies in the state to combat the menace but to no avail.

    It is sad that an oil rich state is being put under the siege of ferocious kidnappers. this is preventing foreign investors from investing. Kidnapping is fast becoming a scientific crime that has spread into every nook and cranny of the state. The continuation of high profile kidnappings of prominent sons and daughters could be traced to political instability that has crept into the state with no definite solution. The incessant arrests of abductors are yet to bring a stop to kidnapping.

    Since 2010 when the menace spread to Delta State over 200 kidnappers have been apprehended while the head of the Delta Police Anti- kidnapping Squad, Dickson Adeyemi was accused and arrested alongside with his boys over aiding and abetting of kidnappers in the state.

    Some say kidnappings could be traced to unemployment among youths, greed, insider involvement, politics and ex-militants. But the fact is that kidnapping is a high form of criminality which is similar to armed robbery, raping, ritual killings and stealing. Statistics show that over 20 people have been kidnapped. Some of the recent victims are Professor Hope Eghagha, Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Chief Gregory Oke Akpojene, Markson Macaulay, the son of the present SSG, and Prof Kanene Okonjo, the mother of the Minister of Finance, among others.

    Last year, Dr Mrs. Ugboma, the mother of the popular comedian, Bovi Ugboma, was almost kidnapped but for the quick intervention of the police who were on patrol duty.

    Overtly, kidnapping could also be traced to the failure to tackle the emergence of insurgent Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, which has killed thousands of people with property worth millions of naira destroyed.

    Terrorism is gradually spreading to other parts of the country. In the South West, pipeline vandalism is becoming more pronounced while in the South East, kidnapping is a major profession of youths now. Yet security is being treated with levity despite the huge budgetary vote.

    Again, the unjust ban of motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada, is also causing incessant kidnappings without providing alternative means to Okada riders. rather the government is providing tricycles that are beyond the reach of ordinary okada rider on the street in the state. Some traditional leaders and politicians are behind the kidnapping spree. Most of the youths that resort to kidnapping as the only way to survive are the ones neglected by politicians.

    In a nutshell, Governor Uduaghan needs to hold comprehensive town hall meetings on monthly basis where all traditional rulers, elders, community leaders, security agencies, the 25 local government chairmen, stakeholders, industrialists, church leaders, NGOs, NBA, students, medical practitioners, traders associations, artisans and others should find a lasting solution to kidnappings in the state. Jailing kidnappers for 44 years would rather increase kidnappings.

    It is time for the state government to involve private- public partnership in curbing crime among unemployable youths in the state. The three-point agenda of the governor of which security and peace topped the list must be achieved to make the state centre of excellence

     

    By Godday Odidi

    Ajegunle Apapa. Lagos.