Category: Opinion

By Godswill Iyoha Iyoke

When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, there is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person” Job 22:29.

Nigeria may just have arrived at where most nations, the most recent of which is Singapore, took off on their developmental flight. Thanks to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the global leveler and development catalyst of the age. The vicious global virus has become the impersonal headmaster. Our own Singaporean Lee Kuan Yew. Just as low human capacity and infrastructural poverty mocked Singapore at independence, so is Nigeria being mocked by inadequate infrastructure, with global reputation as poverty capital of the world. With the pandemic many Nigerians are apprehensive of worsening socio-economic conditions. To the CBN Governor, Godwin Emiefele, the pandemic is; ‘opportunity to turn tragedy to opportunity’. It couldn’t have been said better. Truly, the ability to reverse the course of tragic situation and turn it around for good remains a test of character and integrity of good leadership in the context of nations. The star nation in contemporary history, in this respect, is Singapore; whose leader raised and steered her from a hopeless state of economic disability to stardom in the elite club of developed nations within a short span of 3 decades. Nigeria may not be positioned to produce a strong-man Lee Kaun Yew, but Covid-19 is facilitating the enabling circumstances for the achievement of the same results as the Singaporean statesman. Economically disabled at birth due to lack of natural resources and basic infrastructure, the seemingly hopeless peninsula was transformed to a national entrepreneurial complex by the determination of the strongman and disciplinarian statesman.

In contrast with the Singaporean experience is Nigeria; a populous, spacious and naturally endowed maritime state, still struggling to define the essence of her statehood. While Singapore in 30years became a respectable and prized premier industrialized nation and economic development hub, Nigeria at 60, is akin to a game reserve that is littered with the carcasses of prized wild-lives; while socially degenerating as a weak, despised and vulnerable third-world country, as she battles with birth-pangs.

It is the wish of many that Nigeria’s story be as thrilling as Singapore’s. This couldn’t be, on account of their divergent historical and socio-political circumstances. While at independence, Singaporeans were guests of pervasive poverty, Nigerians arrived the situation in the euphoria of a resourceful nation abounding with prized natural and human resource endowments. Sequel to this was the activation of a political process characterized and dominated by intrigues. While the emergent Singaporean leadership embarked on a policy of human capital development and deployment, Nigeria’s has been one of continuous political engineering process aimed at the distribution of social and economic benefits. Thus, while Singapore achieved rapid development through a consistent process of human capital development and wealth creation, ours is a development process characterized by political intrigues and manipulative schemes for economic control.

Nigeria’s under-development is not due to ignorance of the problem or of solutions, but rather a consequence of distracted political leadership. Politics is essentially the process of mobilization of ideas, identification of existential problems and the processing of the leadership to solve identified problems. Ours has increasingly degenerated into the process for the recruitment and elevation of persons in quest of fame or fortune into leadership by motley crowds of unemployed and ill-motivated citizens, lacking in national etiquettes. The consequence is a patronage-driven system that overlooks citizens while looking up to foreigners to facilitate national development. It has evolved into a system that neglects the people while paying inordinate premium on projects. It’s a degenerative and unpatriotic system that defers to foreigners for aids while being indifferent to citizens’ efforts and local resources. This is why the society is getting increasingly fractured as social mobilization suffers, as leaders prioritize politics over development.    It is a judicial system that prioritizes resolution of political/electoral disputes and intra-party conflicts over and above socio-economic development matters.

As the Covid-19 debacle has shown, poverty is equally life-threatening as the Corona virus. Regrettably, we neither cultivated the discipline to manage the spread, nor do we have the financial resources to comfort citizens. This is because of the lack of systemic capacity to grow a productive, wealth-generative economy. This is despite robust constitutional guides, institutions and policies. This is the tragic outcome of our erroneous developmental philosophy, misconceived jurisprudence and dysfunctional judicial system that waits to gratify the interests of politicians over and above socio-economic matters, which are the pre-occupation of citizens. Regrettably, the ineffectiveness of the Nigerian State, quite curiously, is due to the failure of the judiciary to evolve a functional and economic development-oriented jurisprudence. From the experience of Asian nations, strong judiciary is sine qua non in the evolution of socio-political systems that create wealth, overcome poverty and assures over-all national development. This resolves the puzzle of the transformation of Singapore and other Asians, within brief historic periods, into business hubs. This is the way to go, if we are to overcome Nigeria’s unimpressive image of a morbid landscape of an unmanaged game reserve and relentless predators.

As uninspiring as ours had been, the leadership of the CBN has shown that the narrative can be changed. The job has been made easier for the CBN. As a leveler the Covid 19 pandemic is demystifying the technological advantage of advanced economies, while exposing the vulnerability of the under-developed. While the pandemic is locking down national economies and reconstructing the concept of globalization, science and technology myths are being broken; national boundaries and interest are getting more defined; citizens closed in and nations become much more citizens-centric and nationalistic.

Only self-sufficient nations stand a chance in the post Covid-19 world. Nigeria could be said to be standing with the rest of the global community at the pre-18th century industrial age of Europe and post-independence Singapore. Nigeria enjoys a head-start, in the circumstances. As aptly posited by the CBN Governor, our circumstances offer us the opportunity to turn things around. Truly, this is Nigeria’s finest moment as she has all it takes to overcome her current challenges and to sit respectably amongst the comity of nations. Agriculture has remained the undisputed base of industrialization; and Nigeria is rich in diverse agricultural produce and therefore has bases for sundry industrial products. We are also endowed with resourceful human capital that is easily deployable towards enhancing existing industrial capacity and oil resources to run the machines. Enriching our local human resources is a complex of experienced elusive-Eldorado-seeking returnee Diasporas. They will also bring along with them acquired industrial discipline, to the resource-rich, but hitherto despised homeland of ours. With post Covid-19 political alliances would be a buyers’ market for industrial machines. Endowed with enterprising citizens, rich landmass and sundry agricultural produce, industrial activities along the agriculture value-chain process would facilitate our much-talked-about developmental process.

In his recent paper the CBN Governor, pointed out about 8 areas of focus, which include; SME Finance and Venture Capital. With the return of despised or neglected Diasporas and economic refugees, closed borders, restrictive visas and strict immigration regulations and sober and introspective public functionaries, conditions are ripe for development-inspiring reforms. Most critical in this respect is the legal and institutional discipline to sustain the developmental process. They are such reforms as would activate the other tiers of government, while simultaneously mobilizing the citizens productively. It should be a customary-oriented and nationalistic development process that guarantees the achievement of the following objectives;

1. Legalization and institutionalization of economic development policies and processes;
2. Activation of existing agencies and institutions;
3. Mobilization and organization of citizens into the economic process;
4. Integration informal sector into the economic planning and development processes.

As historical records show, global plagues are usually followed or trailed by global economic changes and change in socio-political mindsets. While the globe is on lock-down, nations are warming up to lead. Meanwhile the rules of leadership have changed, from the use of lethal armament to economic resourcefulness. Covid-19 has ignited the fire of nationalism and is bellowing the embers of patriotism. The facilities are available and plenty in Nigeria. Let’s therefore arise and begin to build.

The Managing Director, New Africa Holdings Limited, Alhaji Ismaila Isa Funtua, in this piece, extols the virtues of the late Chief of Staff to President  Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari

By Ismaila Isa Funtua

Sometime early 1987, Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua, MD, as we fondly called him, brought an intimating CV to our office at the Democrat newspapers, Kaduna. The owner of the CV graduated from two of the world most famous universities, Warwick, and behold, Cambridge universities.

The CV was intimidating not only because of its academic high flying colours, but more so, the profiles of the universities attended. It recorded three degrees, two Bachelors, Sociology and Law and a Masters, also in Law.  That Curriculum Vitae bored the name of one Abba Chima Kyari, an Ox-Bridge Alumni.

Weeks later, a rather tall, but slim black man, with two Kanuri marks on his face, came to our office. He was introduced as Mallam Abba Kyari. He was in white and red cap, (Dara), a mode of dress he maintained almost throughout his life.

He had come to assume duty as the Deputy Editor, Democrat (daily) and was to work under an equally indefatigable journalist, Mallam Abdulkarim Albashir, the Editor. Mallam Albashir was later to be promoted to the post of Editor-In-Chief, while Abba Kyari replaced him as Editor (daily). Mallam Mamman Daura introduced late Abba to Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua.

Gausu Ahmad, Editor Weekly Democrat was “drafted” to the Democrat stable by another veteran, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim, ex- D-G of NTA and FRCN and now the Makama of Ringim, Jigawa State. Gausu was at that time working with the defunct Concord Press Limited, as Editor Sokoto State Community Concord.

Initially, Gausu was reluctant to join the Democrat newspapers as he was reportedly “tired of jumping” from one newspaper to another.

He, however, sought to know who Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua was from the late Adamu Ciroma. Ciroma described Mallam Ismaila Isa as an “extremely competent” person. Thus, Gausu Ahmad was persuaded to join the Democrat newspapers.

At the first appearance, Abba wore a stoic and aristocratic looks. Deep down and at close encounters, however, he was a very humble and humorous person with a lot of passions and love for the down-trodden.

His sense of humour came out easily when he told stories and engaged in inter-ethnic jokes with the MD, Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua, the latter being a Bakatsine (Katsina man) and Abba, a Kanuri. Abba would also tell stories and jokes about Fulani and Tivs, especially the Tor Tiv Palace.

By the time Mallam Abba joined the Democrat newspapers, the weekly edition was already in operation.as it had been relaunched months earlier. Late Mallam Abdulkarim Albashir, late Gabriel Abutu, Mr Vincent Ozomaya (Production Manager or PM), Ladi Adamu, (woman Editor) and Gausu Ahmad worked to resuscitate the old Democrat newspaper.

There was also our Chief Sub, Pat, from the old Bendel State. The orientation of the paper was however changed from its partisan leaning to a more professional journalism under the new leadership of Mallam Isa and Albashir.

At the planning and later staff recruitment level, Mallam Albashir, Mr.Vincent Ozamaya, (PM),  Ahmad Rufae Mahmoud(Chief Account), late Gabriel Abutu (Chief-Sub) and  Gausu Ahmad  would travel to Kuru, Jos, to meet Mallam Ismaila Isa, who was then undergoing his MNI course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPS), for  strategizing and planning for take-off.

Read Also: The Abba Kyari we knew

 

The Democrat newspapers were resuscitated from the rested weekly newspaper that was stillborn at the eve of the collapse of the Nigeria’s Second Republic. For the paper was launched on Friday night 30th December while the military struck the next night, 31st December, 1983.

The defunct New Nigerian newspaper wrote a Candido comment titled “Charles Sharp was here”, sarcastically comparing the event to the launch of the New Nigerian, whose founder, the late Premier of Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, was assassinated barely two weeks after the launch of the paper. Coincidently, both newspapers were launched by the same Charles Sharp, a British print media veteran.

So the old Democrat operated fledgingly until it fizzled out after one or two years. The “new” Democrat, therefore, had the task of not only restoring the confidence of a disappointed audience, but also to compete with the then dominant New Nigerian Newspapers.

Above all, the “new” Democrat set out to create a niche in the southern media space. This was however, a no mean task and herein lies the role of Mallam Abba Kyari.

With his Cambridge intellectual background, legal mind and a high sense of mission and commitment, Abba gave the daily edition a fresh look, both in design and content. He was very particular about foreign news and would make sure that Mallam Bello Bashir Gwarzo monitored all the major international radio stations to write foreign news and briefs.

Abba would also insist on the best headlines, layout and design for the paper, often with high intellectual touch. With him, it was never a routine journalistic reporting and commentaries, as with other papers.

Indeed, Abba always aimed at perfection in whatever he did. He helped to ensure that the papers took liberal stance. His legal background saved the Democrat newspapers from many possible libels and unjustifiable criticism against any government officials, despite some critical editorial comments published by the papers.

This was also a good testimony for ex-President Babangida’s tolerance and liberal attitude towards the press.

Mallam Abba helped mentor many junior staff who later became editors and managers in their various media and other organizations.

Two examples were Bello Bashir Gwarzo, who later became Managing Director of The Triumph Newspapers in Kano, late Gabriel Abutu who became editor, Democrat Weekly.

By any standard, Abba Kyari was an enigma. He embodied the attributes of an aristocrat, a professional, a technocrat and yet deep down, he was humble and passionate.

The weekly edition specialized in human interest stories, covering all parts the country, sports and good cartoons created by Abubakar Shekara, currently Director of Press to Governor Tambuwal, of Sokoto State. Its sports pages were a great fun, being edited by a weird genius, Suleye who worked with passion.

With the arrival of Mallam Abba at the Democrat newspapers, the senior editorial staff ventured into a new routine of consultations with some senior veterans. Now and then the MD, Mallam Isa, would arrange meetings with the late Adamu Ciroma and Mallam Mamman Daura.

The duo would provide the senior editors some insights into journalism and the workings of newspaper industry, in particular. Late Adamu Ciroma in an orientation lecture to the staff of the new Democrat newspapers provided the basis for the editorial policy of the Democrat newspapers. Mallam Ciroma told the staff how they, at the New Nigerian stable, set up a mechanism for measuring public opinions and checking proprietorial pressures.

He explained that whenever they noticed government showering praises on them, then they knew that they were tilting too much toward government and away from the people.

On the other hand, when they heard the opposition praising the papers, they realized that they were being too critical against the authorities. In either case, they retraced their steps and tried to balance.

It was thus, the Democrat newspapers browed a leaf and operated a balanced editorial policy. The papers were also equally helped by the unfortunate descend of the New Nigerian newspapers at that time. The New Nigerian newspapers were turned into utter government megaphone, thus, alienated the readers.

It was the era of the excruciating effects of the Federal Government Economic Structural Adjustment Policy (SAP). Thus, readers simply deserted the New Nigerian newspapers in favour of other newspapers. The loss of the New Nigerian, therefore, became the gain of the Democrat.

Mallam Abba Kyari’s relationship with colleagues and juniors was simply that of comrades. Whenever our MD, Mallam Isa was around, a rich meal would be brought to office. The MD, Together with Albashir, Kyari, Gausu, Mahmoud, Abdulhamid Baba Tunde and Tunde Mohammed, we would have feasst, cracking jokes as one happy family.

But Abba never stayed in one place for too long, not even in his office. He would go up to the production, the paste up and other sections, overseeing the work while other editors remained in their offices.

He would ensure that the work was done properly. He would never accept failure or laziness, but was never oppressive or unjust against junior staff.

Mallam Abba was a loyal staff, a dependable leader and a reliable friend. Little wonder, President Buhari trusted him so much against all criticism by the uninformed and the mischievous.

Indeed, to demonstrate the level of trust the President had on his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, Buhari directed all minister to clear with Abba before coming to him for their problem.

There were all hues and cries against the directive. Buhari’s reason only became clear after the demise of Abba Kyari. The President described him as a loyal and trusted friend for over forty years.

We also continue to hear and read eulogies, accolades and all types of praise being showered at the late Abba from across regional, ethnic and religious divides throughout the country.

This was after he was much maligned by the uninformed and professional critics. Had Abba been an ordinary mortal, he would have been swept away. Typical of him, he persevered and triumphed at the end.

It was Alexander Pope, I think, who once said: “The natural tendencies of men, so slow to praise and so quick to blame, makes the discovery of ideas more difficult than of the high seas and oceans.” That exactly was the metaphor of Abba Kyari.

For him, it was a triumphant exist during a plague, which according Islamic principle is a martyrdom for a Muslim. May Allah (SWT) multiply Abba Kyari’s good deeds many folds, forgive his short-comings and admit him, out of His mercy, into Aljannatul Firdausil aala.

 

• Funtua is the Managing Director, New Africa Holdings Limited, Kaduna, Nigeria, Publishers of The Democrat.

By Chijioke Njemanze

On-going efforts by humanity to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic have been multi-faceted.  From Nigeria to South Africa, from London to France, from Spain to Italy, from China to the United States, lockdowns, social distancing, use of face masks and hand gloves, washing of hands and use of sanitisers are some of the remedial actions taken to curtail the spread of the disease while the world scrambles to find  a vaccine and ultimately, a cure.

Equally, people are struggling to come to terms with  giving up their hyper active lifestyles to  stay confined within their houses for extended periods of time to stay safe and protected from the scourge of the virus. With four weeks into the lockdown, the possibility of  many more weeks to be spent in “captivity”, is giving rise to, among many issues, the feeling of  boredom, restlessness and anger, commonly referred to as  “cabin fever” .

With everyday life as we know it now practically at a standstill, people have come to rely on telecommunications as the panacea to combat both the challenges brought about by COVID-19 virus and Cabin Fever, which is equally on the rise. Taking a line from Globacom’s recent television commercial that says, “Data is Oxygen”, I can deduce that the company had predicted the future because telecommunications today is providing the necessary oxygen to keep us going on many fronts in these very trying times.

A picture of President Muhammadu Buhari holding a teleconference with some of his ministers confirms the pivotal role being played by telecommunications in our nation currently, an activity that was not publicly known to have been in place at the government before now.  No doubt, telecoms has brought sophistication in the way our government runs activities now.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) popularised its telephone numbers through text messages sent to Nigerians while lives and property are being secured through emergency telephone numbers. With telecommunications, therefore, distance is no barrier to reaching the agency in moments of emergency.

Furthermore, telecoms is also playing a key role in easing the pains of people in isolation centres and their families. Coronavirus patients quarantined in isolation centers are not allowed to receive visitors. They are, however, allowed to keep in touch with their families and friends through telecommunications. I got a rare peep into one of the centers when former Ogun State Commissioner for Sports, Barrister Bukola Olopade, who tested positive to the virus, posted a video of how he was faring. He even availed us of the experiences of the people in his ward, including foreigners, whom he interviewed.

It is also possible that there has been an upsurge in the use of telecommunication services by individuals and organisations since the deployment of the stay-at-home panacea to curtail the spread of the virus. Professionals working from home must have been consuming a lot of data to perform their tasks and meet their obligations.  Suffice to say that one cannot but use telecommunications in the current dispensation not just to stay in touch with family members, friends and loved ones, but also to carry on daily activities such as commercial and business transactions, entertainment and even educational endeavour.

One key area in this regard is the enabling of online financial transactions. Internet banking, mobile banking apps as well as Point of Sale (POS) transactions have been on the upward trend this past decade. But their value has never been emphasized as much as it is being done now. With banks, offices and shopping malls and even mom and pop stores being mostly closed to regular businesses in compliance with the stay-at-home order, people have had to rely on online channels to carry on their financial  transactions. This is only  made possible by reliable internet connectivity.

Telecommunications has enhanced financial transactions during this lockdown when cheque clearance is on hold in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. My uncles and aunts in Abeokuta, Ogun State, who before now had resisted online banking by refusing to collect their ATM cards were compelled to register for the ATM cards the other week in order to access their money locked in the banks and pay for their electricity and other necessities, such as television subscriptions, purchase of drugs at pharmacies, etc.

Four  weeks into the lockdown, even though  I feel secure from the dreaded virus my cabin fever quotient is on the rise as a result of being confined to the four walls of my house. However, my smartphone, PC and my mobile service provider, Glo, have been wonderful allies. As if to ameliorate the effects of cabin fever on customers like me, Glo has gone ahead to offer what they aptly call a “Stay Home” data plan, which gives me an extra 20% bonus on the data plans I buy. So, I have no qualms in staying in touch with families and friends all over the world, bonding with them either through video calls or live chats as well as voice calls.  Indeed, telecommunications has got people talking and safely socialising.

Religiously, homes are being transformed into churches and mosques with the faithful having services streamed into their living rooms. On a weekend recently, ministers and workers of an international ministry, to which I belong, had their annual conference online and members followed their General Overseer’s teachings on the television, as well as through online streaming. In addition, I have been accessing soul lifting messages, hymns and gospel music on the net to deepen my faith during these trying times. Ingeniously, my network Glo had to come up with a special “Sunday Data” plan, offering me 1.25 GB for just N200.

In education, telecommunications has given me unfettered access to tons and tons of information online, while my son, Emmanuel, a final year private university student has been catching up on his studies and has even concluded his project online during this period.  A neighbour whose kids are in private primary and secondary schools confided in me that it is now that Nigerians fully appreciate the benefits of telecoms.  He explained that his kids have monopolized his official laptop and the only one at home, to do their school work, as their schools teach and send lesson notes online. There is also the ease of  uploading and downloading videos, music and streaming news. I for one have not missed, for one day, my favourite newspaper and magazine columnists despite the fact that I could not go out to buy the physical newspapers and magazines since the lockdown started. My experience during this lockdown has been very pleasant as videos open without buffering, with little or no downtime on Glo’s  extensive 4G network.

It left me thinking that while we are all saluting the front line health workers for endangering their lives in the fight against the dreaded Coronavirus, it is also important for us to acknowledge the role of the Management and staff in keeping the Glo mobile network functioning  smoothly thereby preserving one’s sanity levels during these difficult times. Courtesy of reliable internet services offered by the likes of Globacom, many like me have become more sophisticated in their consumption of telecoms products and services.