The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • In praise of Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba

    In praise of Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba

    Lately, the profile of Senator Victor Ndoma- Egba, the Senate Leader rose again with the conferment of another national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) after having had the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR). However, not that his profile ever went down, it is just that within the Nigerian political class, people have come to acknowledge him as the life and soul of the Senate. Indeed, he is regarded as the most visible among his colleagues. What’s more, he is the most regularly seen lawmaker at the complex of the National Assembly.

    The Senate Leader is a rare breed, a patriotic silent achiever and one who believes in Nigeria’s potential and greatness. This seasoned lawyer believes in loyalty and has always guided his path in his endeavour, setting the pace for his extraordinary greatness.

    Senator Ndoma- Egba has assumed a well-deserved seat and a front player position and has developed to a strong legislative brand name that has made him a reference point.

    No doubt, his outstanding record of uncommon achievements continues to endear him to his constituents, Cross Riverians and most Nigerians regardless of the senatorial district he represents.

    He is a lover of people; he is always very passionate about the plight of his people and enjoys solving all problems.

    For him, the passion that drives a man defines his focus and agenda for life. He is driven by a well-defined passion to elevate the human condition of his constituents and many times he has spoken and done things in affirmation of his drive.

    For the Senate Leader, governance is steward for God; it is serious business and not for personal aggrandisement. It is also not for pleasing a group of friends at the expense of the people. His representation has always shown empathy for the plight of the people.

    According to his philosophy, political virtue must be inextricably bound up with the good of the whole community and cannot be reduced to individual’s success in gaining office and power. He believes that all men are equal by nature and should be so in society. Perhaps that is what defines his approach to governance and in public service. There are leaders who are utterly self-impressed, who regard political office as the pathway to a frontier where will and ego can proceed virtually unbounded. There are leaders who foot-loose in search of opportunity for self aggrandisement. There are leaders who are not noted for any strong passion or ideological direction.

    Senator Ndoma-Egba is a mobiliser and a motivational speaker, who has not for once wavered despite the many struggles he gets confronted with. He is likeable, amiable but blunt. He is a stickler for time, accountability and transparency.

    You will always be struck by his extraordinary warmth and kind disposition evident in his life through the great man who brought him up in the finest tradition of Christian charity, discipline and fear of God.

    Though in his 50s, the Senate leader does not look his age one bit. The only thing that could easily give him away is his grown-up children.

    Although he could be jovial, he is a no nonsense man when it comes to assignments and delivery on deadlines. But underlining his playful disposition is a seriousness that nobody dares take for granted. He is so good natured that the welfare of his constituents remains his primary duty.

     

    By Peter Willie

    Abuja

  • Many pains, few solutions to flood disaster

    Many pains, few solutions to flood disaster

    The recurring flood disaster along the coastal communities in the country has left no fewer than 25 million people displaced and devastated. Those living along the coastal communities of Rivers, Niger, Benue, Sokoto, Katsina, Lagos, Ondo, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, and Cross River states are gravely affected by the incessant flood menace which has made the governors to direct victims to leave their communities and providing makeshift relief for them.

    It is sad that the federal government has abysmally failed to explore proactive measures in tackling perennial flood in some disaster –prone northern states and blocked drains and water channels in the South- East and some states in the Niger- Delta region which has equally rendered many Nigerians homeless and helpless. No matter how government will provide relief materials cannot salvage the suffering dwellers of these affected communities. The worst is that property worth billions of naira has been destroyed by the flood.

    Although the warnings of climate change on flood disaster were issued to Nigerians by experts, our government never provided solutions. The continuous ravaging flood has put many Nigerians into untold hardship in which those in the coastal communities are grossly affected while the relief materials provided by some of the affected state governors are not adequately enough to cater for the people. Since the upsurge of the flood challenge, economic activities have been totally grounded without immediate solutions to it. Even some of the highland communities are gradually taken by the flood while death casualties have increased to 95 percent. The prices of goods and services and transportation are at geometrical progression.

    Torrential rains have caused havoc in some states of the federation, most especially in the North and Niger-Delta region. The problem with this mordant and corrosive flood disaster is that Nigerian leaders do not know how to contain disasters. The fact remains that the flood is rising on daily basis while the state governors of these affected regions are overstretched. The flood has brought the invasion of dangerous reptiles including crocodiles and snakes in many communities. The Presidential committee on flood led by Hadiza Mailafiya, Minister for Environment is yet to provide any panacea to the situation. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and some of the state ones are overstretched while the absence of surface drains and blockage of existing drains with municipal waste, refuse and eroded the soil sediments are the major cause of the dreaded flood. This flood is a Tsunami.

    Although the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had alerted that there would be an above normal rainfall in strategic parts of the country which might lead to flooding incidents in 12 states of the federation, yet nobody gave consent to that instruction.

    The menace of this incessant flood indicates the natural disaster which cannot be controlled by any government. For President Goodluck Jonathan to submit a supplementary budget to address the current plaguing flood disaster and victims of the affected states is a welcome development. The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) must take steps to clear waterways and tributaries which are silted and taken over by shrubs to allow for channels and easy flow of water to contain the ravaging flood in coastal communities. This flood has created untold poverty for many affected communities thus invariably sending wrong signals of hunger and strife in the next two years together as well as high profile criminal activities, if the government does not take urgent steps to avert the situation. Even wild animals are chasing away people from their homes while the rescue centres provided by the government are not adequate enough to cater for the flood victims. Deaths are being recorded in the so-called rescue centres while some flood victims who refuse to vacate their communities are being invaded by criminals. The only means of transportation in those affected flood communities is speed boats and local canoes.

    Lastly, only God can avert this unbearable and inevitable flood. The federal government must collaborate with other relevant agencies and international communities to initiate proactive and preventive measures to fight against future recurrence of flood disasters in the country.

     

    By Godday Odidi

    Apapa, Lagos.

     

  • NAFDAC needs new strategy to fight fake drugs

    NAFDAC needs new strategy to fight fake drugs

    SIR: “Health is wealth”, so says a popular adage. No man stays healthy throughout his life- time without taking ill. As we are human beings, our bodies malfunction, sometimes. So, hospitals exist for people with ill-health. Sadly, in Nigeria, the health sector like other areas of our national life has been devastated by inept and corrupt political leadership.

    In the past, after taking a cocktail of drugs for their illnesses, some people’s health condition deteriorated instead of improving. Others suffered a worse fate: they died from taking drugs prescribed for them by doctors, which they bought from reputable pharmaceutical stores. Then, merchants of death (sellers and importers of fake drugs) without scruples would manufacture fake drugs and import substandard noxious drugs into the country.

    But, the issue of fake drugs became a thing of the past when Professor Dora Akunyili came on board as NAFDAC Director-General. Smarting from the pains of losing a relative to fake drugs, Akunyili waged a relentless war against makers of fake drugs.

    During her stay in office as NAFDAC Director General, Nigerians could enter a drug store and buy drugs without entertaining any apprehension and reservation about the genuineness of those drugs.

    Since her exit from NAFDAC as is its Director-General, Nigeria has been witnessing a reversal of Akunyili’s achievements as to the issue of safe drugs and health products in the country.

    Bisi Lawrence, veteran journalist, vividly captures the current unsavory condition of NAFDAC and Nigeria’s drug industry in his column in the Saturday Vanguard of October 6. He wrote: “the news of prohibited and unapproved medicines had subsided before Dr Akunyili withdrew, and nothing occurred to bring it up noticeably again. But, silently, surreptitiously, all sorts of queer medicinal products began to be imported into the country. Vigilance was visibly relaxed, especially at the ports where we only import, rather than export products any way… it is said that they seem to quote false NAFDAC registration numbers sometime ago, but they seldom bother about such subterfuge any longer, they just put the articles out, stark and plain, just like that without any inhibitions. The rest is left to the man who believes he has bought a malaria remedy and winds up with a massive sore, or something more serious”

    He asked these rhetorical questions: “How safe are we now? Dora, where are you?”

    His questions and lamentations call into question Orhii’s commitment to ridding our drug – markets of illicit and harmful health products. We want see the current leadership of NAFDAC evolve better strategies to eradicate the menace of drug –counterfeiting and importation of injurious drugs into Nigeria. We look forward to an invigorated fight against drug counterfeiting and importation of fake drugs into Nigeria.

     

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye

    Obosi, Anambra State

  • Nigerians should not lose hope

    SIR:Despite the current challenges Nigeria is facing, like threats to security, social injustice, youth unemployment, political killings, labour unrest, bombing among others, there is hope and Nigerians should not lose hope of divine solution.

    Nigerians-at-large should pray to God to redeem and deliver our country, for, only God can redeem the nation from the present fears of insecurity and poverty. Only God could heal our wounds, so that, there would be peace.

    Prophetically, I want to assure Nigerians, that, with the prayers of the saints, at the soonest, all-will-be-well, as, God is ready to intervene and heal our land, if we humble ourselves and fear God.

    With the potentials available in the country, if we repent our sins and do the will of God, from the leaders to the followers, there is hope for Nigeria and Nigerians in all spheres. There is also greater tomorrow for Nigeria, if we pray fervently and put all hands on deck, to move the nation forward.

    Nigeria had faced many difficult situations in the past, but, God had always proved to be faithful. As the problems facing Nigeria presently are big, God will come to our rescue once we keep relying on Him.

    The current security challenges in the nation could be attributed to high level of corruption and bad governance on the part of the leaders. Because the people have lost the trust of those holding offices in government, the situation has created the environment where killings, poverty, unemployment, insecurity among others reign.

    Nigeria now desire political leaders that will turn our bad situation to better, and whose primary concerns are to build institutions and empower the people.

    Prophet Oladipupo Funmilade-Joel (Sekunderin),

    Lagos.

  • Kudos to Uduaghan

    Kudos to Uduaghan

    SIR: Many thanks to the ‘Warri boy’ as I always refer to the Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan for establishing the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) which has in no shall way sped up development in communities long forgotten in the state.

    Though the law setting up the commission was passed by the former Governor Chief James Ibori, the commission did not take off till the present administration set up structures which enabled it to function properly.

    DESOPADEC is funded with 50 per cent of the derivation fund that comes to the state every month. With this money the commission develops the oil producing communities . The commissions get about two billion naira for its activities monthly. What that kind of money, they are able to touch the lives of more people in the oil producing communities and the people are able to have a feel of the proceeds of oil that comes from their communities.

    Communities like Uzere in Isoko South LGA, Tebu, Kolokolo, Ughelli South among others which hitherto lacked good roads, water canals, electricity in some places, good drinking water, schools and some other social infrastructure are now telling different stories. Thanks to DESOPADEC.

    To avoid suspicion and the feeling that some communities are being cheated or marginalized members of the commission are drawn from the oil producing communities and they identify and execute the projects they want to do in the community.

    It is heart warming to note that through the funding, water canals have been built in the creeks leading to the communities for easy accessibility.

    • James Osaro

    Warri, Delta.

  • Osun students’ show of shame

    SIR: I was travelling to Ibadan from Osogbo on Tuesday October 9, when I ran into a traffic gridlock in from of the Osun State Secretariat at Abere caused by students of Osun State in tertiary institutions allegedly protesting non-payment of their bursary by the state government.

    Out of curiosity and seeing that I was trapped anyway, I got out of the car and joined the students in order to have first hand information. I took one of the leaflets they were circulating and looked round the banners they were holding. I was horrified. The leaflet was disjointed, full of grammatical and spelling errors, the kind you won’t even expect from a primary school pupil. It got worse when I tried to engage some of them in discussion as I discovered to my chagrin that they were talking gibberish, they were incoherent and cannot stitch together a grammatically correct sentence, apart from the incomprehensibility of their statements.

    They looked unruly and unkempt, with many of them speaking with coarse voices, as if under the influence of marijuana. They certainly do not look like the leaders of tomorrow. If anything, the thuggish looking boys that laid siege to Osogbo are promising wreakers of tomorrow, unless they are put to check now.

    When the governor appeared, they swarmed round his vehicle in clear breach of security, and demanded that he address them. The governor said he would only address them in his office, seeing that their presence had blocked an expressway and would disturb the peace and disrupt travels and economic activities. They refused. They had laid siege to the secretariat and sacked the security personnel at the gate. They then left the secretariat to arrest traffic at Olaiya junction, the major arterial road that links other parts of the city, thereby disrupting traffic movement and economic activities.

    We must begin to address the students question now before they birth tragedy. We have revelled on false assumption that those riff-raff are student leaders fired by the idealism of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel, Ola Oni and Eskor Toyo and Segun Okeowo and Segun Maiyegun. They are not. Their real grouse is the decision of the state government to pay the bursaries through the students’affairs department of their institutions and not through the students unions. It was the practice in the past for the meagre sum to be paid through Osun Students Association and this had become a gold mine of sort for their leaders. The money hardly gets to the intended beneficiaries. Why then should they hold the state to ransom because their corrupt source of freebies is being taken away? Student union leaders have become corrupt, if not more corrupt than politicians. We should see them as they are and not look at them with eye of idealism of the past.

    Secondly, we should define rules of engagement. The idea of misguided youths holding everybody to ransom must be checked. We must put in place a civilised protocol of protest. What happened in Libya recently when terrorists hijacked a protest and used that to murder the American ambassador and three others must be avoided. When Governor Aregbesola’s convoy was stopped, a terrorist could have slipped a bomb under his car (God forbid), killing many, including the students.

    Students are self accounting adults and cannot be above the law in any decent society. Constituting nuisance, disrupting public peace, molesting innocent people etc are not the hallmark of intellectuals.

    • Olayiwola Olawunmi,

    Osogbo, Osun State

  • Justice for the Uniport Four

    SIR: For anyone who has had watched the video of the barbaric and premeditated killing of the four students of Uniport, there certainly would be want of appropriate adjectives to describe the horror that took place in Aluu, the primitive community that so unfortunately hosts a few thousands students of the Eastern Nigeria university.

    When the news first broke out on October 7, many a Nigerian actually tended to treat it merely as one of those day-to-day instances of jungle justice that our pathetically insecure, unsecured nation has grown used to. As a journalist, I have covered bloody and gruelling events. But in my 22 years of active practice, I never witnessed such abhorrent savagery. Even Lucifer himself would be moved to tears!

    One can only wonder what type of unfettered evil took over the people who, in broad daylight, nay, in the presence of women and children, brutalised, dehumanised, denigrated and ‘destroyed’ four young, exuberant able bodied young men who had looked up to their community as a choice habitat, in the pursuit of their academic endeavour.

    Okay, the villagers’ allegation against the four boys was that they stole a laptop computer and three pieces of smart phone (which the has been largely pooh-poohed, anyway). But let’s go ahead to assume the allegation is true; did the students actually get the right punishment for their ‘crime’? These were ‘thieves’ who carried no single arm at the time of crime and arrest- not even a knife! These were ‘suspects’ who had been beaten, battered, stripped naked and made to walk round the community. And assuming they actually stole, were those actions taken not punitive enough? And this was a community that had a police post and with detention facility.

    Yet the villagers, (acting under the charge of their leader -the traditional leader inclusive- as we have heard on national news channels) were not satisfied. It was horrific to watch on video how characters bludgeoned the young, able-bodied persons with cudgels,heavy trunks and stones. The beasts would go on to collar them with tyres, douse them with petrol and set them ablaze.

    Nigerians have variously and severally reacted, condemning the Aluu murder in very strong terms. Nigerians must not allow those behind this dastardly act go unpunished. We cannot allow university students and our youths to be the sacrificial lambs in a state that continuously demonstrates a sickening incapacity to protect its citizens. For once, maybe opponents of State Police will now look at themselves in the face and have a rethink.

    We are waiting to see how our ‘so-called’ leaders will react to this incident: the presidency, the National Assembly, the hierarchy of our security agencies, the Civil Society organisations, religious leaders, the entire student body e.t.c.

    Our cry for justice will not be for Llyod Michael (a.k.a. Big L), Ugonna Ibuzor, Tekena Elkanah and Chidiaka Baringa alone, it will mean justice for thousands of innocent Nigerians killed by Boko Haram and armed robbers; for the Mubi massacre; for the Apo 6; for Dele Giwa, and for many other Nigerians who have lost their lives as a result of that monster Nigerian leaders seeming have no clues about how to conquer: INSECURITY!

    • Babs Daramola

    Ado Ekiti.

  • Tatalo on Ondo

    SIR: The Tatalo column in the Nation on Sunday is very educative. The problem is the writer’s sometimes dubious duplicity of principles and position. This contributor makes it a duty to read the column every Sunday and looks forward to meeting the masquerade behind the pieces to celebrate his brain and to caution his most times unpardonable non-definitive stand on major issues concerning the southwest Nigeria.

    Tatalo’s last week lead article on ‘Why we seek total integration-1’ reflects the ambivalent Tatalo in his typical fashion of trying to appease all power blocs and in the end not saying anything. Any avid reader of the column will agree that whoever he/she is a master of semantics. What is important is that Tatalo should not use the mastery of English language to befuddle the public on the Ondo State election.

    Tatalo in part 1 of that article (October 7) was ambivalent on the coming Ondo state election because he/she speaks from both sides of the mouth. Teaser includes the part he/she wrote that ‘A great political drama is unfolding in the oil and bitumen-rich and humanly endowed state of Ondo as presided over by the politically adroit Rahman Olusegun Mimiko…. This is why it would amount to a grave error of judgement and lack of political subtlety if the unfolding political drama in Ondo State were to be framed as a clash of will and wits between two titanic personalities or a duel unto death between a rampaging lion and a rampart Iroko. Yes, there is surely a bitter personality tussle somewhere. Yes, this is a power struggle between two of the most successful masters of political mobilisation thrown up by the post-military Yoruba nation. As a ringside observer and thwarted arbitrator, this writer can write a tome on a political romance gone very sour.

    As a matter of fact, why is Tatalo not bold to mention what makes the Lion rampaging and the dying Iroko rampart? Ruing over this Tatalo’s writing gloating, point is that no quality exists to make the Iroko one of the most successful masters of political mobilisation thrown up by the post-military Yoruba nation.

    • Engr. Wale Akinola

    Molipa Estate, Ijebu-Ode

    Ogun State.

  • The Mubi Polytechnic massacre

    The Mubi Polytechnic massacre

    SIR: This year’s independence celebration has come and gone, perhaps the memories may have gone for most of us but certainly not for the relatives of the over 40 students murdered in cold blood that Monday. According to reports, unknown gunmen went from room to room in Mubi, Adamawa State slaughtering students like goats while some others were sent to their early graves with gun shots. Asides the students, three other persons, including a retired soldier, a guard and father of a student, were reportedly killed as well.

    There has been outrage and condemnation since the tragic incident occurred. The executive roared in anger describing the act as barbaric, sad, tragic and shocking. From the Senate came a flurry of anger with some the members seeking to pass a vote of no confidence on the executive.

    It is not clear yet on the motives of the assailants or even who they are. One fact we must get correctly is that no reason is justifiable for this heinous crime. One of the leads being pointed at as to the possible cause of the butchery is the recently conducted student union election. Some officials believe that there were unresolved issues.

    If this case is a possibility, then it’s time we considered the dirty side of campus politics. Over the years, activities of students and sometimes managements of the institutions on campuses as regards student politics have been a source concern for many. Report of skirmishes and violent acts have trailed many elections in many campuses. Student-politicians as they are called go to any length to acquire power. Some kill, some maim while others soil their hands. In some instances, authorities of the institutions influence the elections.

    A begging question is – what did the authorities in the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi do when they learnt of a possible attack on the students? This question has become necessary as a report claimed that the management of the institution was fore-warned.

    What is the relationship between our institutions of higher learning and the security agencies? If indeed the authorities in the polytechnic were warned before the dastardly act, then we should expect answers.

    At a time the nation is facing grave security challenges, when people live in fear, security agencies must gear up and save us from further tragic stories. We cannot blame it all on the security agencies. It is a communal approach.

    The government must go beyond issuing statements. The lawmakers must also go beyond observing a one minute- silence. It’s time we reclaimed our land. We cannot continue to be at the mercy of men who do not value the sanctity of human lives. There should be a better understanding on the politicking on campuses. The level of relationship between higher institutions and security agencies must be raised.

    Perhaps what might be a little consolation is to bring the murderers to book and take adequate measures toward forestalling future occurrences. The government with the help of the students must cooperate in the area of security. These mindless killings no matter the reason must stop. We certainly cannot continue to watch while we are being reduced in numbers unjustifiably. Showing our indignation and anger aren’t enough. Let our actions match our tears; it’s our obligation to save lives.

     

    • Stanley Ibeku,

    Abuja.

     

  • Mimiko’s politics of mischief

    Mimiko’s politics of mischief

    SIR: The overwhelming Yoruba majority recognized and appreciated Pa (Chief) Obafemi Awolowo, but not all of the Yoruba people. Similarly, I am not surprised that the current Yoruba leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in spite of his efforts to unite the Yoruba race, has his own detractors.

    For a long time, the current Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, pretended to appreciate Tinubu and that he was a friend of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). The text messages from the Labour Party (LP) during the 2011 elections, painting the ACN and Governor Babatunde Fashola in black and red colours suggests otherwise.

    Although, the text messages did not bear the name of Mimiko, his current approach to politicking is revealing. That is not surprising; what is surprising is the attempt of Mimiko to create a bad blood between Tinubu and Fashola, by saying to the whole world that Fashola is a better administrator than Tinubu. I think the unsuspecting Ondo people should now see Mimiko for who he is – a confusionist.

    I don’t know the criteria used by Mimiko, but even if Fashola were a better administrator than Tinubu, was it not Tinubu who nominated and supported Fashola to be where he is? Thus, the emergence and success of Fashola cannot be divorced from Tinubu’s leadership qualities and vision. Mimiko is as confused as those who attribute all the achievements of General Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to General Babatunde Idiagbon. I always ask whether, as the Head of State, Buhari could not have frustrated Idiagbon if he was not party to the policy and its exercise.

    Similarly, Tinubu has more than what it takes to frustrate Fashola if he is not party to what he is doing. Was it not Tinubu who created the new local government areas, opposed by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo on political grounds, and the money he (Obasanjo) seized, released by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and used by the Fashola administration to transform Lagos State?

    Beyond that, if Mimiko loves Fashola so much, why did he allow his LP to campaign against him so viciously in 2011, with the aim of blocking his re-election?

     

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin.