Category: Opinion

By Bello Imam

Despite Kogi State’s continued denial of the reality of COVID-19 in the state, the deaths of Kogi State Chief Judge, Nasir Ajanah, and the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Ibrahim Atadoga, in quick succession have exploded the myth that the state is free of the virus.

The deaths have also triggered mass apprehension over the state’s inexistence COVID-19 response and placed the state on the cusp of an imminent disaster. Justice Ajanah died on Sunday from complications arising from COVID-19. Justice Atadoga also died from complications arising from COVID-19, even though there were attempts to conceal the cause of his death in deference to the state’s official denial policy.

Justice Ajanah’s death, which officials grudgingly conceded was related to COVID-19, has finally exposed Kogi’s elaborate attempt to downplay or entirely deny the impact of the disease on the state. Justice Atadoga died barely 24 hours after he was hospitalised at a private health facility. There is no testing centre in Kogi State, and even the isolation centres are a shadow of what they should be.

Sources close to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Lokoja, the most equipped tertiary health facility in the city, disclosed to The Nation that many cases suspected to be related to COVID-19 in the state were first referred to that health institution, before being transferred to Abuja. But the state government, through the Commissioner for Health, consistently usurps the functions of the FMC by interfering with the COVID-19 protocols for declaring patients COVID-19 related. Up till last week, the state had not officially admitted the presence of any COVID-19 patient, except its shambolic reference to the Kabba incident, which led to a brief total lockdown in that part of the state.

The sources also disclosed that doctors at the FMC operate under a cloud of intimidation masterminded by the state government, leading to their reluctance to declare any patient COVID-19 related. Even the Chief Medical Director of the FMC is said not to enjoy the freedom of work, having been subjected to extensive intimidation for referring COVID-19 cases to Abuja. Instead of referring cases to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) COVID-19 isolation centre in Abuja, which the state government frowns at, patients were often left to their fates.

The tragedy unfolding in Kogi, a top source revealed, is so dire that contracting COVID-19 has become uncharacteristically a death sentence. The government, it is suspected, is reluctant to take responsibility because of costs attached to it. It has become to them a liability because they are expected to pay all the bills regardless of the number of patients. There are no proper isolation centres, so a diagnostic facility built by former governor, Idris Wada, which can barely isolate four people and has no electricity or water supply, is the replacement the government chose. Another 8-bedded staff clinic was used to supplement the diagnostic centre.

The sources explain that one other reason the government appears averse to embracing the reality of COVID-19 in the state may not be unrelated to the costs attached to contact tracing. Already the state government is paying only 80% of staff salaries. Sources disclose that the government would be in a quandary if it accepts responsibility for tackling the spread of COVID-19, as it would be unable to pay salaries. An emergency room at the FMC has been closed for over two weeks because patients presented with COVID-19 symptoms, but the room was not disinfected. Three matrons and a nurse have died from what is suspected to be COVID-19.

The consequence is that residents in the state are unaware of the danger COVID-10 poses to them, nor are facemasks used. Since early COVID-19 symptoms closely resemble malaria symptoms, many deaths are chalked of as malaria, but there has been an increased number of mysterious deaths. Many people do not even go to hospitals before they die, and those that do simply go to private hospitals. The state has no official record of COVID-19 infection and death despite the rapid community spread of the disease. Medical sources within the state attribute the deaths of both judges to the state’s lack of COVID-19 response infrastructure.

Scores of ordinary Kogites infected with the disease are feared to not have access to any treatment. In early May, the state had a public falling out with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) rapid response team on COVID 19 led by Doctor Andrew Noah, which it accused of trying to coerce the state into admitting the presence of the disease in the state. The NCDC officials were shabbily treated and hounded out of the state. They were in Kogi State to assist the state with the necessary infrastructure for handling COVID-19 cases.

According to sources, Justice Atadoga, for instance, was initially treated for acute malaria, but barely hours later, his case worsened before he was transferred to a medical facility. Though doctors diagnosed COVID-19, the state would not officially admit it. He died hours after admission. Because the state has not admitted the presence of the disease, and the governor declined to wear a mask until Justice Ajanah died, there has been no effort to do contact tracing and isolation, not to talk of treatment in the state. Doctors insist that there is already a community spread in the state, but there are no facilities on the ground to handle what is threatening to be an explosion.

Healthcare workers in the state, though unable to publicly confront the state government, have appealed to the federal government to urgently overrule Governor Yahaya Bello, whom they accuse of living in denial. They call for the establishment of testing and isolation centres in order to stave off an unfolding tragedy. They insist that scores of COVID-19 related deaths in the state are recorded as deaths from malaria and other pre-existing conditions, thereby exposing the state to untold sufferings and risks.

By Emmanuel Aziken

When early in the life of the 6th Senate the presiding officer, Senator David Mark jovially recognized Senator Joy Emodi as the Joy of the Senate, it easily stuck with both senators and staff.

That was because of the value addition her integrity, radiance, and person brought to the Senate.

Indeed, few politicians draw foes together as Mrs. Emodi easily does. An intriguing recent case was when she buried her deceased husband last September that two famous political rivals, Senator Chris Ngige and Senator Uche Ekwunife bumped into each other in the forecourt of her Onitsha residence.

The amazement was that when Mrs. Ewkunife’s attire got entangled in Ngige’s walking stick the two ‘enemies’ had to help themselves out!

Before she was conferred as the Joy of the Senate, Mrs. Emodi had won popular adulation at home after she was honoured with the title of Adadioramma, meaning a beloved daughter that has done well!

Indeed, Senator Emodi’s political and affable dispositions were first manifested at home.

Her enchanting beauty and brain, however, do not diminish her reputation as an astute and dogged politician. The whisper here and there about her is that she “fights her political battles like a man.”

It was based on her grit and grace that she became the first woman elected to the Senate from the Southeast.

In the Senate she served in a number of committees but no duty showed her prowess more than her chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Education.

Mrs. Emodi who was first trained as an educationist before her training in law brought much succor to the sector. Not just in labour matters but also in redressing many of the issues in the sector.

It was no surprise that a number of universities including the University of Abuja and the Nnamdi Azikiwe University honoured her with doctorate degrees.

One reason given was her selfless pursuit for the payment of the foundation funds many of the new generation universities were denied.

The disqualification of her second term election in 2010 upon a motion brought by Chief Alphonsus Igbeke was one of the judicial riddles that beclouded the polity in 2010.

That event was, however, not seen as a blight to her persona as not long after, President Goodluck Jonathan picked her as his Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters.

The flair that Dr. Emodi brought to bear in that office against the background of the difficult relationship between President Jonathan and the House of Representatives as led by Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has been much reported.

Mrs. Emodi as a liaison officer between the presidency and the legislators was reported to have used a mix of her maternal instincts and sound political judgments in projecting the administration’s legislative agenda.

She was also the one who went round the legislators and especially House members sometimes “cautioning” and sometimes “begging” them not to boo the president ahead of budget presentations.

It was, however, not an easy task especially given the also difficult pressures on the president from some members of his kitchen cabinet.

A number of them preferred the old way of doing things, believing that money answereth all things leaving Mrs. Emodi to manage a number of crises arising from their lucre fueled interventions.

Eventually, something had to give way and in the face of the determination of the kitchen cabinet to assert itself over the legislature, Mrs. Emodi was removed as National Assembly adviser.

That action in 2013 marked a watershed in President Jonathan’s political odyssey.

President Jonathan after the removal of Senator Emodi was not able to enter the National Assembly again to present the budget as he in the next two years had to send Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to do the duty.

That was because of the hostile environment that the National Assembly had become for him and the inability to get anyone to calm the atmosphere for him.

Mrs. Emodi today remains a reservoir of political wisdom from whom younger politicians regularly consult. As she has aged she is not only imparting political skills but also fallen back on her first love of education having established the Brickhall School, Abuja, for the academic and lifestyle grooming of the younger ones.

Born on 23rd May 1955, Chief (Mrs.) Emodi has marked her first birthday since the decease of her husband last year.

She may be without him, but she has the company of her beloved children and the multitude of captivated well-wishers like this correspondent who say Happy Birthday to the ‘girl’ who has done the community and country good!

• Aziken is publisher of GWG.NG

Nnedinso Ogaziechi

In the quest for a better political inclusiveness of women in Nigeria, there are mountains to climb and valleys to descend into. There are constructed myths in the Nigerian political field.

There is a subtle socio-religious interpretation of leadership being a male thing. So the indoctrination starts from the cradle where there is virtually a different type of song in different languages at the birth of a boy or a girl.

In most cases, at the naming ceremonies, the presiding elder uses leadership superlatives to pray for the boy child while for the female, the prayers are for her to grow into a woman, get married and have children.

If the fatalism of Africans is anything to go by, the gods would grant as the requests are made and the affirmative chorusing of Amiin, Isee, Amen, etc. seem like a stamp of approval by the society for the gods to grant the prayers.

So the sense of entitlement to leadership of the average male in a society like Nigeria is constantly re-enforced in all sectors; socio-cultural, religious, economic and political. I

n other words, the female child in Nigeria has a lot of odds against her in terms of getting gender parity especially in the political field.

However, the underdevelopment indices in the country speak eloquently to the near-absence of women in politics especially as it concerns elective positions.

The Roundtable conversation with Hon. Nnenna Ukeje shed more light on the challenges the average woman faces in relation to active partisan participation in politics.

The moment a lady leaves school, she has the burden of trying to get married and have her kids because her biological clock is ticking. After that, she faces  the task of raising her  kids and has to decide whether to combine her career with raising her kids or doing one after the other.

Men do not have these problems. She chose to combine politics with being a mother even though it came with great challenges but this is where the female capacity to multitask gets admirable.

Women are able to bear and nurture children and wards, keep a career and still manage to be politically active contributing to development of communities and the nation. Her experience has been rewarding.

Nocturnal meetings is one big feature in Nigerian politics and in a way, it is one of the scary aspects of partisan politics in the country and many willing and competent men and women get scared and discouraged from engaging in politics.

Hon. Ukeje feels that women should not shy away from those meetings even though there are huge inconveniences.

To her, any woman interested in political participation must be willing to meet men at the barricades literarily because monopolizing the political space means raising the bar all the time and woman must not back down as that strategy of exclusion would get an added push if women continue to shy away from nocturnal meetings where in most cases very crucial decisions are taken.

In her view, visionary leadership must stem from a conviction by an individual to contribute to his or her society and in doing so, one must take certain decisions that can enhance political participation in ways that women for instance do not seek for men to willingly hand over power.

Her sojourn in politics has taught her that determination and commitment are key to contributing to your society. While women continue to advocate for certain fundamental changes, they can use their mass appeal to galvanize from the grassroots.

Women must start to engage in politics with a view to changing the system positively. You can only change a system from the inside and the centuries of socio-religious conditioning makes it a Herculean task for women to be easily allowed by men to lead even in instances where they are more qualified than most men.

The RoundTable conversation sought the professional views of a Registered Psychotherapist, Chinna Okoroafor who explained the sense of entitlement to leadership is traceable to how we raise our children and that has hit to change.

Sociologically, sons are groomed to lead at an early age and are given leadership roles for instance, it is not unusual for some parents to handover the leadership among  siblings to a younger male child even when there are older female children.

In some cases, the house chores are left to the females who from cradle is prepared to ‘obey’ male authority and be ready to serve them.

All the training most girl children get is how to make themselves likable and subservient to male figures in the society.

According to her, power of any hue is painted as the mark of authority and masculine strength and as such, men see political power as the only means of asserting their masculinity whether they are mentally equipped or not.

The different religions equally headed by men do not make it any easier as the clerics quote from their books to support the argument that women are the weaker gender in ways that often infer mental weakness.

Because of the wrong social conditioning, men often perceive leadership as a proof of masculine strength and therefore tend to crave it through political participation which in any case defines socio-economic leadership too.

Most men she said, feel very insecure to be led by a woman even when the woman has better leadership skills, education and knowledge.

She insists that very often, the men who struggle for power even when they lack capacity often have inferiority complex and tend to use political power to fill the void they feel, reason most of them go to great lengths to access political or economic power.

In the struggle to exclude women is the eternal struggle to assert masculinity do you often hear them saying, “ how can a woman lead men”, an argument she said is often not based on the key  leadership qualities that develop nations.

As a professional in behavioural patterns, Chinna suggests that an awareness about these socio-religious and cultural nuances and the fact that women are often the enablers of these behavioural patterns must be addressed by women themselves.

She insists that the essence of leadership is for a better welfare of the people and that women being the victims of bad political and economic decisions by the man must wake up with the power of education not because they are better but for a better collaborative effort at making the society much better.

She believes that women now are better educated  than before and must make sure their education counts in making the society better through active participation in politics.

To her, it’s important also for women to change the way they raise the children not that both genders are the same physiologically but the capacity to lead has not been scientifically proven to be gender sensitive.

Any human with the right knowledge, education and capacity can provide leadership. She made reference to the outstanding work being done by women leaders across the globe at the pandemic period.

Hon. Nnenna and Chinna are of the same opinion that Nigerian women must with experience and capacity must  be ready to match with the men ideas for ideas in the political space.

They can break the wall built by a mentality that even fellow women helped to instill in boys who always grow to be men in power.

Are Nigerian women ready to step up and ‘meet’ men at the metaphoric  ‘nocturnal’ meetings meant to be a bar too high for women to scale? Hon. Nnenna and a few other women have shown by example that women CAN.

Our dialogue continues…

By Nike Yetunde Ijaiya

Since the Coronavirus pandemic intruded into human private and public space, a lot has been said about its highly contagious and deadly nature. We have been told about how it spreads from person to person by touch, and droplets of infected persons. The best solution, for now, we are told, is prevention through social distancing, wearing of face masks and proper personal hygiene. The lockdown, meant to contain the spread of the pandemic, has adversely affected so many critical areas of human existence, from global to national and individual economy, businesses, health, education, worship, international relations, family life and politics not to talk of loss of lives in thousands.

As the effects bite harder, citizens became worried of their means of livelihood and hence the clamour for re-opening of the economy, after all people must eat to be strong to face the pandemic. Leaders of churches and mosques joined in the clamour for worship places to be re-opened for prayers. Amidst this loud noise, re-opening of schools was the least heard. No clamour. Is it out of fear of the pandemic in schools? Is it because parents are comfortable with having their children at home? Both are possibilities and rightly so. As it is, the fear of Coronavirus may be the beginning of wisdom judging by its records in the US, UK, Spain, and other epicenters of the pandemic. Parents are quiet and schools are equally docile in the matter that concerns their existence. We are being told that Covid-19 would not disappear in one day and we just have to live with it like the other viruses (HIV, Ebola) and protect ourselves, meaning self- preservation.

Out of fear, can we lock down our schools indefinitely or delay the re-opening much longer while waiting for the pandemic to subside? It is a heavy decision for many reasons. Shutting down schools for much longer would have grave consequences on our nation and communities. Frustration, youth restiveness and crime rates would increase; the educational system would lag behind international standard, etc. When the lockdown is fully withdrawn and workers return to work, who would look after the children at home?

However, only healthy people can go to school. Markets should not be compared with schools when it comes to the spread of Covid-19. With the situation in our schools at all levels most especially the public ones, which are in the majority, social distancing is impossible. Nursery and primary school pupils cannot be expected to do it or wear face masks throughout the day. The secondary school ones may be more cooperative but what about the overcrowded classrooms? Adolescents are said to be rebellious to control. What about the hostels in tertiary institutions?

What about the teachers, caregivers, non-teaching staff? Are they not entertaining fears? It is only fair that they do because of their own safety and that of their family. Caution and more time to plan are necessary before re-opening of all educational institutions if only because teachers are adults that could become victims. Even though the students’ age groups are said to be least affected by the pandemic according to the US data shown by the CNN recently, it is not yet confirmed whether they could be carriers or not. Everything should be done to ensure that our schools do not become epicentres of the pandemic and our teachers turned to ‘front-liners/victims’ without the ‘armour’in the fight against it.

In spite of this fear, something has to be done for schools to resume. Of great significance is the re-opening of our educational institutions. If you destroy education, you destroy humanity. So it is time for all well-meaning Nigerians to speak up on the side of education especially to assist the government on possible strategies to adopt in the re-opening of schools without upsurge in the spread of the pandemic. In Nigeria, the challenges of our public schools are worrisome already without the Covid-19 pandemic, from overcrowded classrooms to poor sitting arrangement, stuffy classrooms, poor infrastructure, poor hygiene, shortage of classrooms and teachers. There are classes with 50 to 150 students especially in big towns and cities. Pupils are sitting on mats and bare floors in some schools. How do we manage that in the face of the pandemic? How many states established new secondary schools in the last 10 years to accommodate the population explosion from UBE schools?

When schools re-open, will it be business as usual? With the pandemic on rampage, it should not be. Will class size remain the same in large schools? Will sitting arrangement be the same of two, three or more children sitting on the same bench and managing one desk or table? Will classroom arrangement be the same, neck to neck, with the teacher squeezed to the narrow space left in front? Will pupils still sit on the floor and observe social distancing? Can we be sure that children would observe self-preservation? With all the education given on the pandemic, how much of it can we say reach the children? How many parents understand the pandemic beyond collecting palliatives? How much of the pandemic do teachers take time to understand? Equally important is our school curriculum- should it remain the same in the light of the new global challenges? I think a new order would eventually emerge that our much criticized school curriculum would not be able to match. Technology would play its part but possibly much stronger. What would be the role of parents and teachers when schools re-open? Would the methods of teaching be the same?

A number of private schools tried online lessons for their pupils. It worked mainly because the parents are city-dwellers where internet facilities are available and they could assist their children. What about public schools, illiterate parents and rural dwellers? In any case online lessons cannot take the place of face-to-face teaching in the education of young citizens and so inevitable.

The PTF has been considering some strategies along the line of staggered re-opening of schools. It is high time the ministries of education, schools, parents, the public and teachers’ unions assisted the government on suggestions. Parents and education workers would no doubt have apprehension or reservations considering what happened to some health workers. They need to be assured. Among possible strategies to consider along the line of staggered/ gradual approach as suggested by the PTF, is starting with SS3 students who are due for public examinations. But a systematic approach may be necessary to adopt:

First, the ministries of education may need to call for accurate data on number of students/pupils per class to determine the sitting arrangement in the face of social distancing. It would also help to determine whether there is a need for staggered classes as per morning and afternoon shifts. Towards that end, each school including the tertiary ones, can be mandated to prepare a draft of how they would manage social distancing and other aspects to prevent any spread of the pandemic. Second, before the students resume, teachers should receive thorough orientation on Covid-19 to allay their fears and to take precautions seriously as well as for information on what to do if they suspect a case. Third, when the students resume, presumably SS3 students first, the first few days should be spent on the same orientation on Covid-19 pandemic. There should be no assumption that they know.

Meanwhile the State Covid-19 Committees would have to be actively involved in monitoring developments in schools. There could be sub-committees at the LGA level for prompt action. This strategy would help to build parents’ confidence that their children and homes are safe from the pandemic.

In addition, schools would need some palliatives (not just food): more good teachers, classrooms, chairs and desks, sanitizers, soap, regular water supply, face masks, wash-hand bowls, towels, clean toilets etc. These are simple things that should normally be provided in schools. Large classes and schools have to be de-congested. More public schools need to be established in the nearest future. These call for serious emergency funding of education just like the health sector.

• Prof Ijaiya is a former deputy vice-chancellor, University of Ilorin.

By Tokunbo Ogunsami

In the 21st century, rating effective leadership is now based on leaders’ possession of ‘soft skills’. Leadership today is no longer rated by intimidating or swaying charisma like that of Adolf Hitler. Soft skills, according to Joana Marques in ‘Leadership Today’ include purpose, morality, values, vision, authenticity, empathy and emotional intelligence, spirituality, and trust among others.

Proponents of liberal systems such as democracy agree to the importance of teamwork and collective responsibility. They believe that individuals in a group or organization should work in collaboration and be allowed to be a part of the decision-making process after which every individual becomes responsible for the decision taken by the group or organization: good or bad.

If you have witnessed any event of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) where the Executive Chairman, Muhammad Nami and his Management team were in attendance, you would have noticed a demonstration of emphasis on collective ownership of the decision-making process. Nobody, not even the Executive Chairman, takes the glory of the job well done. And the Chairman does not shift the blame to any of his team members should anything go wrong. That is leadership at its best.

After witnessing Nami’s leadership approach in an FIRS event recently, a Leadership Coach, Linus Okorie, noted that he was inspired by how Nami introduced and interacted with the FIRS Management team. It was a brief show, but it demonstrated the relationship between Nami and each member of the FIRS team. The Executive Chairman knows each member of his team to their third names. He had given each of them a fun name to reflect their behaviours during Management meetings. There is one he called, the Class Prefect, the other, he called, the Accurate Timekeeper, etcetera. Nami presents the members of FIRS Board and Management as a team where everyone is important irrespective of the position one occupied.

“This shows teamwork. This is great and commendable”, Mr. Okorie noted before commencing his presentation on effective leadership.

To build a team with team spirit might sound simple, but it involves intricate details. You need to get the right people together and influence them to give their best for the achievement of the overall objective of the group or organization. This is where the current leadership of FIRS has scored high points and it is manifesting in their outputs in terms of revenue collection despite the COVID-19 challenges.

Nami has two things working for him: purpose and humility. It does not matter the type of organization you have been appointed to or the level of responsibility you have been charged with, leaders of whatever category must learn to have purpose. It is this that will galvanize all cooperating factors for goal attainment.

Today, there is some level of public confidence with the FIRS unlike what was obtainable in the Service a few years ago. This is because someone who has his agenda clearly defined has taken over the leadership position. Nami took over in the organization fully prepared and had his vision marshalled out at the outset.

Second, the FIRS Chairman is an unassuming tax professional. He believes that everyone has a part to play and he works to bring out the best in everyone. No matter the level of knowledge they have acquired, you hardly catch a good leader using his intelligence to flog his followers; instead, he uses his wealth of knowledge to build-up followers.

Reports coming out from the revenue authority have confirmed that Nami has been able to bring the staff together to work in one direction.

It is instructive to note that Nami was inaugurated with a Board. This means that no single person, not even the Executive Chairman, takes certain far-reaching decisions alone.  The Board has to sit to take decisions on critical issues like project funding, staff recruitment and promotion.

Second, Nami has taken the initiative to re-build the FIRS structure consisting of six Groups headed by Coordinating Directors. The structure was not like this in the recent past. This is making decision-making process in the FIRS to be goal oriented. And it is also good to learn that the Management of the Service sits to take decision on how the organisation is run. A good example is how the FIRS took some decisions during Coronavirus lockdown.

The FIRS as a tax agency interfaces with the taxpayers to get them to pay their taxes. With the impact of COVID-19 on businesses across Nigeria, it became certain that peoples’ livelihood had been affected; so the FIRS needed to provide some palliative measures to cushion the effect of the pandemic. There was the need also to continue engaging the taxpayers so that the tax revenue would not drop too drastically.

A statement by the FIRS noted: “During the lockdown, on 31 March 2020, the Management of FIRS in a virtual meeting, committed to provide palliatives to support the taxpayers pull-through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic even as the Service struggles to raise revenue for the country”.

The palliative measures include: Taxpayers can now take advantage of the FIRS simple, user friendly and robust e-filing process to submit their documents online instead of visiting the tax offices. Dedicated email addresses for each of the offices are available on the FIRS website: Late Returns Penalty (LRP) has been waived for taxpayers who pay early and file later. Supporting documents can also be emailed to the dedicated email addresses or submitted later to the tax offices by those who are not able to use the email facility; Remittance of VAT on or before 21st of every month has been extended to the last day of the month; Taxpayers facing challenges in sourcing for FOREX to offset their liabilities are hereby given the option of paying in Naira at the prevailing Investors and Exporters (I & E) FOREX window rate on the day of payment.

Others are: The period to file PIT returns for Foreign Affairs, Non- Residents, Military and Police has been extended to the 30th June 2020 and Field Audit, Investigations and Monitoring visits have been suspended till further notice.

The Service also launched a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and took measures to ensure the safety and well-being of staff, taxpayers, stakeholders, and visitors.

It is pertinent to acknowledge that to get a workforce of about 10, 000 people drawn from various inclinations across the country to think and work together in one direction cannot be a tea-party.  It takes the leader who is ready is to listen to his followers to lead effectively.

Another courageous action that the Nami-led FIRS took was the peaceful retirement of staff who had reached and passed their time for retirement. It was a courageous decision because previous administrations attempted to do it but they lacked the will to do so.

But on the realization that his dream of building a FIRS system that would guarantee career progression would be hampered, those directors that had served up to eight years and above had to retire peacefully. Nami consulted the FIRS Management and Board and upon their approval, he effected the staff retirement. This action has been applauded by staff because it brought relief and hope to them that they are more likely to be promoted when they are due.

It is no surprise that within a short period in the office, Nami has been able to get the FIRS back on the trajectory of growth. Since his assumption of office late last year, the Nami-led FIRS has been able to take some far-reaching decisions and recorded a number of remarkable achievements starting with the hosting of the FIRS Management Retreat and also Group Retreat for the first time since the past seven years.

• Olufunke Caleb, a Human Development Specialist, writes from Kubwa, Abuja.

By Ibidapo Balogun

The vast majority of Nigerians commemorated the second year of June 12 being named Democracy Day with the dignity and respect we have come to respect from the Nigerian people. In their collective wisdom, the people understand the need to maintain and advance our democracy because they clearly see that it represents the path to sustained good governance. They see it as the path Nigeria must take to improve their daily lives. They want us to go faster forward and never backward. However, for all general rules there is always some exception.

In this case, that exception is the PDP. Their mouths remain full of vinegar and minds fully infected with the bitterness of losing what they thought was their birth right. In thinking they owned what is completely the people’s mandate, they held to a greatly corrupted notion of democracy. With their original notion of democracy a stupendous miscue, their subsequent actions in governance would be even worse. Given so much time, opportunity and resources, they produced so little that was good. And whatever they found that was good they wasted or pilfered.

Yet, these people boasted they would reign over Nigeria for 60 years regardless of what they did or did not do. Thankfully the people proved them wrong. This once braggart party has degenerated into a covey of whiners. However, they have not changed in their disregard for democracy. They hate it and will always despise it for they care nothing about government for the people. Their goal is to return to office in order to sequester all of the nation’s spoils for themselves.  Anything short of this robber’s dream makes them so fundamentally unhappy that even their tears cry.

Like every other country, Nigeria must grapple with lethality of the coronavirus and with the economic fallout of the necessary public health measures taken to contain that viral lethality. This matter is not a game for children or the irresponsible. Lives by the hundreds of thousands may well be at stake; also, is the future of the nation.

Whether the acrid songbirds of the PDP like it or not,  this government has done as well as  any government can in fighting COVID-19, particularly given our resource base and public health care system. PDP had 16 straight years to improve the health care system but did nothing but preside over its crumbling. The PDP should be the last to make noise or case blame save if it finally does the right thing by blaming itself.

Thus far, Nigeria has fared better than any comparable nation in terms of population. With over 200 million people we have roughly 2/3 the population of the United States. Yet, that nation, with its better health care system, has lost nearly 120,000 people to the disease. We have lost less than 400. Brazil has a population equal to ours. That nation has suffered nearly 900,000 cases and over 20,000 deaths. Despite being of the same size, we have less than 20,000 cases.

We cry for all those we have lost for that is what loved ones do for those who have departed. However, we also must thank God for his mercies in sparing us from the worse of this disease. We must also acknowledge that this government has addressed this dire emergency with seriousness and sustained commitment even to the point of taking actions that were necessary but not necessarily popular.

On Democracy Day, President Buhari addressed the country to commend Nigerians for their investment in democracy and to enumerate the challenges that lie ahead and to maintain hope, particularly in the wake of COVID-19. This present national emergency demands strict observance of personal hygiene and safety measures initiated by government to contain the virus. All must join to make this successful. Instead, the PDP offers nothing but petty animosity and vague criticism. But what is missing is the most important thing. They offer no alternative solutions because they have none. They are of bankrupt mind and cold heart. They have nothing new or better to suggest. Thus they shout and criticise loudly in hope their volume might obscure that they are bereft of productive ideas and policies. The only thing in which they exhibit creativity is the many ways they invent to siphon from the public treasury. Thus they have a most difficult time understanding President Buhari because he is neither on the take nor on the prowl for personal gain. He sees public funds as meant for the public good. Try as they might they will never understand him because they only have fleeting and disdainful relationship with integrity.

The PDP shamelessly embarked on unfounded criticism. In one of its most blatant infraction against the truth, they claimed President Buhari had no democratic scorecard to present. Forget for the moment the fact that they could so freely publish such a claim undermines their very premise. The press and the airwaves are as free as they have ever been if not freer. Papers are not scared to report what they want. TV stations do the same. People can speak in any number of ways without fear of reprisal. Opposition criticism of the APC and the government has been protected for we realize that democracy requires opposition, differing opinions and debate. We were once in opposition and we remember how the PDP hounded us. We will not do the same for it is counterproductive and weakens the very sinews of the democracy we seek to nurture.

Under the present administration, the press is unencumbered. President Buhari has demonstrated tolerance in the face of harsh criticisms. For sure, he has done much better than the vengeful and cruel Obasanjo who harboured ill toward those who criticized him privately let alone publicly. Those in the PDP must be afflicted with amnesia or think the rest of us have been.

Civil society has been unrestricted and going about their various missions, which have proved useful in deepening democracy. This applies to those groups supportive of the president and those opposing him. The courts have been discharging their responsibilities without hindrance. The courts issued verdicts based on questionable legal reasoning to overturn clear APC victories in both Zamfara and Bayelsa governorship elections. If President Buhari were not a man with democratic scruples, such things would be impossible just as they were impossible when the man from Ota rode roughshod over the land.

The PDP even attempted to excoriate President Buhari, for not giving due place to Bashorun Moshood Abiola in his broadcast. What? How vast the hypocrisy. For the 16 years they occupied the federal government, the PDP turned their back on June 12. They belittled the day and adamantly opposed making it a national holiday. Obasanjo would not have been president but for June 12. However he blanched at the very thought of making it a holiday. In his vainglory, he was stricken with angry paroxysms at the very mention of Abiola’s name. It was President Buhari who had the fortitude and political courage to give this event the place in our history that it deserves. This shows a key difference between Buhari and the PDP. He will do the best he can to do what he believes is right. They will only do what profits them no matter the wrong it may be.

President Buhari was also the one who posthumously bestowed on Bashorun Abiola the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, the highest honour in the land, reserved for presidents. No PDP president lifted his finger in this direction. Thus, if the PDP wants to levy honest criticism, let it clean its own stables instead of flicking dirt at the president for doing the honourable thing they were afraid of doing.

The PDP alleges that the president blamed recent killings in parts of the country on COVID-19 restrictions. This is not what he said. The president accurately said the evil insurgents were trying to take advantage of the restrictions to cause more violence. With law-abiding people under some from restrictions of movement, both terrorists and criminals increased their wicked activities. This is just a fact. Facts such as these give rise to a complex balancing of public health and security concerns that the federal government must closely monitor and adjust as is needed. This gives no rise to simplistic answers and crude mischief. The president has said the security agencies will pursue the perpetrators and bring them to justice. Moreover, the security agencies and public health officials are cooperating to optimize the delicate balance of the two concerns.

Nigeria has work to do in perfecting our democracy and in bringing meaningful economic prosperity and relief to the majority of the people. However, in the last five years, his administration has performed admirable and with progressive purpose. The president has not shied from tough issues. He has confronted the nation’s challenges particularly insecurity, corruption and the economy. This he will continue to do on behalf of and for the benefit of the people. This is the true import of his Democracy Day message. As for me, I see nothing wrong with that. May president Buhari continue to work with honest and patriotic commitment to construct a better Nigeria and may well meaning Nigerians stand with and help him. May the PDP at some point come to recognize what democracy truly means. Now, what a day that shall be!

• Balogun, a Political Affairs Commentator, writes from Lagos