The Nation Newspaper

Category: Opinion

  • Herdsmen foul holidays

    Herdsmen foul holidays

    Happy New Year, dear readers! As I wrote last in 2017, the Christmas holidays usually have no dull moments for me. Thankfully, the roads are better, so I drove without much hitch all the way to Enugu, on December 21. Last two holidays, travelling was hellish, while last year, I left middle of December, before the rush.

    The Onitsha-Enugu end of the expressway, neglected under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s government, has one track rehabilitated, thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari, and Minister for Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN. The Ore part, in Ondo State, has also been rebuilt; so it is again possible, to travel from Lagos to Onitsha, in six hours, without over speeding.

    We entered the village, on the 23rd, and that’s when the party started. Well, not party in a Lagos sense. But in terms of hearty welcomes, expansive smiles, unencumbered playing space for the children, and excited well-wishers and umunna, who came to sample my initial offerings, for their keeping the home front, since the last holidays. By next day, the village was filled up.

    Same 24th, with my adorable spouse, Rita, I went to Amaokpara, Ihitenansa, Orsu, Imo State, to witness the installation of my friend, client and model mentor, Chief Gabriel Onyema, as a High Chief and Ohamadike of Orsu clan. At that ceremony, the entire ndi-eze, in Orsu local government area, stated that after a careful sifting, they selected Gabriel and one other compatriot for the special recognition for 2017.

    Reading Chief Onyema’s profile, was Honourable Jerry Alagbaoso, of the House of Representatives; a distinguished recipient of the rare honour, some years ago. Gabriel’s profile lit large. A devout catholic, chartered accountant, tax consultant, business mogul, distinguished Rotarian, patron of tens of association, with several chieftaincy titles; his most adorable quality, was his humility and extravagant charity.

    Back home, the Christmas Day, was also for the local church bazaar. You must shed material weight to gain spiritual height. Feasting with the Lord must precede the communal commensality. Most likely, the local church leaders, after several failed bazaars, decided to host the bazaar on Christmas day, so as to pry the purse of returnees. Predominantly a catholic community, Ogwofia’s sons and daughters, usually gather in several hundreds, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Ogwofia.

    The fruit of that gathering is an ultra-modern church both in aesthetics and comfort. With altar calls for variants of the blessed and the willing worshippers dancing in thanksgiving to the altar, the Christmas lunch is delayed. But only the younger generation complain. For the older generation, they savour the opportunity to see friends and relations, who they may not meet again until the next cycle.

    My siblings and I agreed to dedicate 26th, (hopefully annually) to honour the memory of my parents. In memorial, we inaugurated Michael and Bernadette Amalu Foundation, at a Mass in the local parish. The foundation will offer charity, trainings, and scholarships, to the best of our ability. As I said last time, my siblings and I are of modest means, so the budget isn’t huge. However, the parish priest, Reverend Father Bob, was elated at our modest efforts, and during the homily, espoused the philosophy and theology of charity.

    After mass, the ceremony continued at our family home. With food, drinks and music, our guests and some of the beneficiaries, who could come were entertained. We also gave a few gift items to those present and for those who are unable to come, through the leaders of the local Saint Vincent the Paul, the society that selected the beneficiaries.

    The 27th was designated Ogwofia day, by HRH, Igwe Tom Inyiama, Ogwugwu Ebenebe 1 of Ogwofia, and the Ogwofia Development Union (ODU), led by its President-General, Dr. (Engr.) Hilary Okafor. The ceremony was to celebrate culture and raise funds for security. With a bounty promised by Chief Chris Okafor, (Ogbakokpo), retired central bank denizen, a few of the community musical groups entertained.

    In his address Dr Okafor, listed the achievements of the union, and their challenges, particularly security. The funds is to support the local vigilante. As I advised, the Divisional Police Station, for the old Imezi-Owa, and the neighbouring Obelagu, should enjoy some support, as the federal government underfunds police, even as it vehemently resists state police.

    The Igwe gave a rundown of the many achievements that has been recorded under his reign. From a block of classroom, to a town hall, to quarters for the medical personnel, the achievements are quite impressive. He also transparently explained his role in receiving and disbursing the compensation paid for the community land, appropriated by the state for a Free Trade Zone.

    However, between the state actors and their imposed consultants for the community, there is a huge gap between what was allegedly paid as compensation, and what was transmitted to the community account. Various representation by concerned community leaders, indicate the need for them, to account. As many pointed out, the alleged missing money, is too huge to ignore. So I am hoping they will give a transparent account, without much push.

    I reserved the 28th and 30th exclusively for my brother and friend, Uchenna Eze, who got married to Uchenna Enebe. The first day, we went to the bride’s place, Obeleagu Umana, for Igba Nkwu. The wining and dining came after confirmation of the completeness of the drinks and other items by the bride’s family, vis-à-vis the list earlier forwarded. With satisfaction etched on their faces, the ceremony started.

    The 30th was preceded by a church service, at the Assemblies of God, in New Haven. In his homily, the reverend thanked God that at the appointed time, and for the appointed damsel, our friend and brother is on the wings of cupid. The reception which I had the honour to chair, was few in words, but heavy in dancing and feasting. Uchenna’s mother, who had waited anxiously all the while, took gold amongst the dancers.

    On the 29th, I hosted the executive and some members of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in Imezi Owa Ward II. The chairman, Anthony Onu, and the local government leader, a former chairman of Ezeagu local government, Chief Joe Mmamel, were present. Good-will messages, came from leaders of the senatorial zone, including former Governor Sullivan Chime. I thanked members, and encouraged them to engage in politics for development, and not for personal aggrandizement. The 31st and the New Year, were for family engagements and village meeting respectively; and by the 2nd, I was on our way back to Lagos.

    Regrettably, my crossover excitement was marred by the unconscionable, inhuman and despicable slaughter of Nigerians, in Rivers and Benue states by callous cultists and herdsmen. Of course the federal government must bring the herdsmen to account, as they did to the cultists from Rivers. After all, the primary essence of government is the protection of lives and property.

  • Getting into election mode

    If you cared to visit the official website of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), you would find conspicuously displayed a timer counting down by the seconds to the opening of polling units nationwide for the 2019 general election. That timer is, perhaps, meant by the election management body to help with its own readiness for the crucial outing. But it should by all means be of more relevance. The timer should put every Nigerian on readiness alert and sensitise all stakeholders to respective responsibility towards ensuring the triumph of true democracy at the impending poll. After all, the commission has always said elections succeed by way of collective commitment and input from all stakeholders, and not by its exertions alone.

    INEC last week primed the nation deeper into election mode with its announcement of schedules of activities leading up to the national poll on February 16th, next year, and the state poll on March 2nd. And with the expiration of the tenure of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area councils coinciding with the general election cycle, the commission as well fixed polling into the councils for March 2nd and last week unveiled the schedule of preceding activities.

    Among other timelines, party primaries for presidential and national assembly elections as well as that for governorships and state assemblies are to hold from 18th August to 7th October, this year, while primaries for FCT area council poll will hold from 4th September to 27th October. Electioneering campaigns for the national elections will begin 18th November 2018 and must cease by 14th February 2019, while campaigns for governorship and state assembly elections are to run from 1st December 2018 to 28th February 2019. Also in line with relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), campaigns for the FCT area council poll will run from 2nd December 2018 to 28th February 2019.

    Speaking on the schedules of activities, INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu made clear it was an advisory to engender certainty in the electoral calendar and enable all stakeholders to prepare adequately. In other words, it wasn’t a nod for political players to jump the gun on indicated timelines or get more desperate in their aspiration for the offices, as the commission expects “full adherence to the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.”

    Last week’s statement followed after INEC’s announcement in March, last year, of scheduled dates for the 2019 national and state elections. Even though Nigerian law does not enshrine specific dates / days for major elections as one would find in other jurisdictions, the commission had taken an administrative decision to fix national elections henceforth for the third Saturday of February in an election year, with state elections holding two weeks after.

    Given the unduly quarrelsome temperament of the Nigerian political elite, the early scheduling obviously makes ample room for judicial resolution of litigations bound to arise from elections before the May 29th inauguration date for eventual winners. Yakubu urged political actors to eschew bitterness and conduct their activities with decorum as they canvass support from the electorate, adding: “The 2015 general election was a watershed in the history of our democracy. The commission is determined to build on this legacy by ensuring that our elections keep getting better.”

    Just as with delivering success on election days, making ready for elections shouldn’t be the preoccupation of INEC alone but that of all stakeholders including policy makers, the political parties and voters. And the optimal effect of last week’s announcement of schedules should be for all concerned to undertake a reality check on respective duty line towards ensuring creditable poll on the dates appointed by the electoral commission.

    Global best practice prescribes, for instance, that all laws to govern the processes of any election must be finalised and given effect not later that six months before that election. This is to enable all actors, the electoral body and political parties in particular, to get conversant with the provisions and where applicable do a test run. The implication for us is to the following effect: with Nigeria going into a general election in February, next year, it is necessary that all further amendments to the 1999 Federal Constitution (as amended) pertaining to the electoral process and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) are concluded and activated not later than mid-September 2018.

    In practical terms though, it remains to be seen how up to speed the national and state assemblies as well as the presidency are in meeting up with this projection. Besides, the Ken Nnamani-led constitution and electoral reform committee submitted its report to the presidency last year and it is unclear to what extent its recommendations have been taken on board. INEC’s announcement of the schedules last week should serve as wake-up call to get earnest with the pending amendments.

    Without the permanent voter card (PVC), an eligible voter is utterly irrelevant to choices that will be made at the forthcoming elections and is at best an idle commentator or indeed mere observer. The electoral commission last year mainstreamed its continuous voter registration (CVR) process so that eligible voters could at convenience walk into designated centres to update their registration status and take custody of their PVC. Last week’s announcement of the schedule of activities should nudge intending voters yet dallying to urgently act as expected.

    I sense this could be an issue because, even as a long-ago INEC insider, I yet receive stray enquiries from eligible voters seeking direction on how to obtain their PVC, or in some cases transfer their voter records. The procedure for voter transfer is spelt out in Section 13 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended); and though the law stipulates a deadline much further down the road, anyone to whom the measure applies need, as they say, make hay while the sun shines. In like regard, eligible voters yet to register or ascertain their registration status should take an early chance with the continuous registration to acquire their permanent voter card.

    Political actors typically tend to be law unto themselves. But there really is much that can be done within the law to get the full benefits of INEC’s early outing with the schedules. Whereas electioneering campaigns remain illegal until November, for instance, political parties could articulate their policy initiatives, with specific implementation strategies, and put same in the public domain for interrogation and buy-in by voters. Actually, Nigerian politics has suffered for too long from empty sloganeering and it is about time voters had concrete programmes and other deliverables by office seekers to guide their choices.

    And by the way, primaries have perennially constituted Achilles heels of sorts for most political parties. Just to be clear: primaries are intra-party elections, but ones that must nonetheless be validly contested by willing actors under the watch of INEC. The timelines indicated by the electoral commission in its schedules ideally should guide office seekers to begin packaging their candidature for party electors who are required to make informed choices on flagbearers, and not that party linchpins should impose candidates who could later get ousted by the courts even after winning the general election.

    The effect of INEC’s announcement of the schedule of activities should be for every stakeholder to get in election mode as would facilitate successful outcome of the forthcoming general election.

    Please join me on kayodeidowu.blogspot.be for conversation.

  • Public service and inspirational leadership

    Universally, public service is the institution that drives activities of government.  It operates with professionals and non- professionals from whom it demands a special aptitude, training, language, discipline and culture. It is the major instrument used by government to implement its policies, programmes and plans. No wonder many refer to it as the engine room of governance! Hence, for any government to do well, it must be backed by a virile and visionary public service.

    In envisioning a public service peopled by leaders, we are mindful, as Robin Sharma observed that: “Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It is about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers.”

    The Lagos State government under the leadership of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode fully recognizes the enormous value that knowledge and soft skills training bring to bear on the attainment of the strategic objectives of the government and the state’s public service. This is why it has always been in the vanguard of advocating for the institutionalization of essential training programmes that benefit the most strategically-placed officers in the public service.

    Indeed, it is a truism that high performances have been known to increase in organizations that expose their human capital to leadership development through training programmes that help boost the dynamism, effectiveness and efficiency of the workforce.

    The need for ensuring and assuring the efficiency and effectiveness of public institutions has never been greater than now. In a dynamic age of constant changes, it is widely agreed that institutions must have clearly-defined missions that are relevant to the needs and aspirations of its stakeholders. Following this, the human capital at the helm of leadership in these institutions must have the courage to envision a future that realizes the attainment of the defined mission of the institutions. In order to actualize the vision, however, leaders must be trained to possess both the hard and soft skills that are fundamental for success.

    The Anglia Ruskin University clearly articulates the benefits of strong leadership skills as follows: “In order to make the most of your proficiency in the workplace, it is important to develop your leadership skills. Whilst talent and a good work ethic will take you to a certain level, learning how to lead will get you to the top of the tree. If you can demonstrate that you know how to lead, you will often be rewarded with a position that carries more responsibility, the ability to delegate and, of course, a good salary. Those who can lead know how to make important decisions that affect both themselves and people across the business, without deferring to anyone else. This is an absolute necessity for getting ahead within business – as long as you can prove the decisions you made were the right ones…”

    That observation is profoundly true as it relates to the benefits of leadership skills for the leader. I also wish to briefly comment on how the possession of the right skills will positively impact on the effectiveness of institutions.

    Leadership is the most influential and critical element of all businesses. Effective leaders have the necessary tools and skills to inspire and impact their teams allowing firms to run competently and smoothly. A good leader must understand the mission statements, objectives, action plans and goals of the organisation to be able to lead the workforce into realizing them.

    Indeed, only strong and trained leaders can envision the right and appropriate future for organisations. Where leaders do not possess the attitude, aptitude and skills that are relevant for the times, they become fundamentally flawed in any attempt to craft a beneficial and compelling vision for their organizations. And, as we all know, in the absence of vision, the people perish as the institutions become rudderless and their journey becomes one without a map.

    Trained, visionary and, therefore, strong leaders will also beneficially impact their organisations by being able to inspire the people in the organization to enthusiastically buy into the vision crafted by the leadership. There is no effective leadership without a mobilized and enthused followership. A strong leader who resolutely believes in the vision of the organisation will magnetically attract followers who will join the movement to fulfil the mission and realize the vision. This calls for the presence of excellent communications and relational skills in the leaders of organisations.

    In today’s world, a strategic leader must be able to act as a communication champion and a sense giver rather than just as an information processor. He must be able to use key elements of effective listening and understand why listening is important to communication. He must also be able to utilize candour to appropriately improve communication effectiveness, and recognize and apply the difference between dialogue and discussion. Additionally, he must be equipped to incorporate metaphor and storytelling into leadership communications, select an appropriate communication channel for the message and effectively use social media and non-verbal communication. Furthermore, and perhaps, most essentially, he/she must be able to effectively communicate during times of stress or crisis.

    Trained leaders also know how to manage their own and other people’s time effectively. Being able to do so is critical when it comes to making the most of the leader’s time in the office and not becoming overwhelmed. Furthermore, it also ensures that the trained leader’s team completes everything it is supposed to do.

    Furthermore, benefits that leadership skills can bring include the ability to resolve conflict, the ability to negotiate effectively for the benefit of the organisation, the aptitude to innovate and the skill to communicate quickly and effectively.

    It is in view of the foregoing that the Lagos State Civil Service has always been in the forefront of innovation and dynamic effectiveness in the nation and the Ambode administration is dedicated to the maintenance of this noble position in the country. It is for this reason, among others, that diverse trainings have been approved and organized for the benefits of the critical and invaluable human resources in charge of the institution of the public service. The overall goal is to build a crop of public officials who could efficiently assist the government in proffering possible solutions to complicated problems.

    At present, the state government’s focus on training and re-training of its workforce is steadily yielding results. Consequently, the vision of achieving a Lagos State that is managed by a dynamic and competent public service is progressively being attained. This is what makes Lagos a model to others and this is a convention that the Ambode led government hopes to preserve and exceed.

     

    • Dr. Oke is Lagos State Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions.
  • Benue: A ‘Satanic’ Affliction Upon A Race

    Benue: A ‘Satanic’ Affliction Upon A Race

    BY Audu Entonu

    Certainly, these are not the best of times for Benue people. There is pain, sorrow and lamentations on the land.  A land once purified by the blessings and peace of our ancestors has become a killing field. The bloodbath is abhorring and the cries so loud and trenchant. Everybody is feeling the pains now, especially, in Tiv land and indeed, all Benue.

    Unfortunately though, those who are indifferent, hardened and unsympathetic to the mood in the land are Benue’s political leaders cum gladiators’, led by the Executive Governor of Benue state,  Hon. Samuel Ortom and  his clique of power mongers. They are unperturbed and undaunted by preserving invented schemes that have made people of the state permanent guests in the kingdom of sorrows. Insofar as it service their personal political interests and lubricates a repulsive ego of triumphalism on the political turf, all is fair.

    So, they are mindless and irreligiously non-challant   to these afflictions,  the unconscionable pursuit of power has wrought on the people with the harvest of tears. Religion is key to our lives as Africans. But most times, we use it in negation in the quest for power.  It keeps reminding me very sadly about the days preceding the ascension of  Ortom  to the seat of Governor of Benue.

    He wielded and flaunted assorted platitudes ensconced in very touchy Biblical verses. He spoke of visions and revelations from God Almighty about crowning him Governor of the state in his life. He covenanted with the people, through God that he would rule the state with the fear of God.

    He wailed on the streets and in every community at campaign fora;  he cried loudly while standing on the sacred altars of God in churches, reeling  out tons of afflictions of his people, whom  God has promised to mandate him with power to remedy.

    However, if all prophecies as proclaimed by Governor Ortom were false, cooked or contrived, at least, the rough guess of enthroning him Governor of the state has come to pass. Ortom has been Governor of Benue state for nearly three years today.

    But I am baffled and nervous that the Governor has not solved even one of the afflictions of his people, which he claimed, God ordained him to resolve.  And he does not appear worried at this glaring violation of the covenant with his people or how his actions offend God and the multifaceted failures of his administration.

    At best, Governor Ortom has overlooked these afflictions; aggravated the severity of some of them and created fresh ones with killer venom and devastations. Peace has deserted the land he holds sway as Governor.

    Alien afflictions of the people have reached frightening new fathoms and what we hear at organized and partisan fora is the necessity of Governor Ortom continuing in office.  He bought this idea from day-one in office. So, he has unceasingly sold the seed of discord, violence and bloodbath to impoverish the people economically and psychologically with infinite sorrows. This is practiced ploy to divert attention from his concealed, but deviously explored plots to perpetuate himself in power.

    Its common psychology that when you destabilize and devastate a people,  with killings or deaths, they have no time to think about politics. They are plunged in an endless orgy of mourning and bemoaning of their beloved lost ones.

    And so, the “smart” politician like Ortom would seize the opportunity to bandy another round of dubious prophecies alleging it emanated from God to stealthily grab the mandate again.  To him, the sacred name of God Almighty is an effective tranquilizer on the people,   to blend and raise a political platform of deception of people.

    This has been the brief history of Governor Ortom’s political sojourn in Benue state.  And it is easy to decipher from the outset when he ventured into the governorship race in 2015. The manner of his rejection and eventually ouster through a failed nomination as flagbearer of the PDP, his original political party on which platform he contested governorship was a key eye opener to Benue people. But they ignored the signs of God directly speaking to them.

    Governor Ortom dissatisfied and irretrievable bent on actualizing a satanic ambition to rule Benue, defected overnight. And in less than 24 hours, the equally cursed political goons of Benue; souls who drink and eat from the same shrine of darkness like Ortom handed him the APC party nomination ticket on a platter of gold.  His new handlers subdued and undermined all other viable contestants to embrace Governor Ortom.

    The manner of this emergence was very ungodly. And God  exposed  Ortom  to emerge the  APC governorship flagbearer through this style  to allow the people sense the evil of tomorrow. But once again, Benue the people took no special notice by faulting this process and rejecting him at the polls.

    They overwhelmingly voted him at the polls and consciously planted a King  Pharaoh to rule over them. At daybreak, the people realized the terrible mistake and attempted to fight back to reclaim their mandate.  But the dark forces again prevailed with interventions and eventually a court verdict foisted Governor Ortom on Benue with a legal seal.

    And it did not take long before the people started harvesting the results of their tenacious disobedience to God’s command and signs. Therefore, Ortom has manifested everything God only in words; but everything Lucifer in actions in the administration of the state.   What we harvest in Benue under Governor Ortom is endless bloodbath, massacres,   sorrow and pains in varied and sophisticated forms.

    I know Ortom’s supporters are likely to still insist that God anointed him King over Benue. But truly God Almighty, we ask you in tears rhetorically and in humble supplications’ that if Ortom was Your true messenger, why had he to cheat or apply criminal schemes to ascend to power in 2015?  Now, we are saddled with afflictions!

    Oh God Almighty, when will these afflictions end in our land?  Have we wronged or hurt You so deeply that you cannot forgive us?  Why are You still consenting to the afflictions Governor Ortom has imposed on Benue people?

    Today, Oh Lord our God, hundreds of your children starve to bed; their children cannot go school; we cannot afford medical bills for common ailments such as malaria fever and people are dying quietly because of sufferings. And life is generally, very bleak and meaningless to us because the man, who claimed You anointed him Governor has deliberately refused to pay our salaries.

    Oh Lord, it is a Biblical injunction You handed down to us through the Prophets that a labourer deserves his wages. In Benue under Governor Ortom, we labour day and night, but he does not consider us worthy of our wages.

    As if these afflictions to Benue people, akin to what King Pharaoh did to the people of Israel in Egypt are not enough, Governor has persistently increased this yoke of burden on us. The Governor arms our youths against the visitors in our midst.  His armament of the Livestock Guards and Civilian JTF, which he sustains with monthly stipends, is worrisome. It  is just a decoy to blur suspicion, by  getting  these idle youths infused and familiarized with remote communities in order to use them for the 2019 elections.

    Again, like civil servants, he has refused to pay them the paltry N15,000 monthly stipends for months. And an armed hungry youth is like a lion and a potential risk  to his community and sponsors. So, they probably,  went berserk, instigating the killings which have become another dark chapter in our beleaguered history.

    Least, I be misconstrued! The killing of Tiv peasant farmers by herdsmen is condemnable and unacceptable. No sane society can condone such acts of aberrations’. Again, no amount of provocation is enough to justify the crude and gruesome termination of the life of a neighbor or any other human being. It offends both religious and secular laws.

    But the snag in the whole absurd drama is the determination of Governor Ortom to blur the truth; to lie to the people of Benue and to mortgage his conscience for political expediency in his satanic lust for political power. He turns around to shed crocodile tears, boasting of dying for his people. These are all fake posturings to curry undeserved sympathy from Benue people still ignorant of the intricacies of the grand designs  behind the scenes.   Or ask me,  did  Governor Ortom ever weep when the same youths he armed differently used the weapons to wipe out his personal aides and notable indigenes of the state from Benue Northeast, to Benue North West and Benue South? What has he done to curb recurrence?

    We shall be fooling ourselves, if we seem to perceive the current crisis; the killings, the tensions and other acts of lawlessness entrenched in the state, without rumination on these deep insights.  Governor Ortom is not new to public administration, having started as a council chairman. He is so versed in governance and security protocols to have armed any militia for a genuine purpose, as law enforcers, without the consent, collaboration and guidance of the appropriate security authorities.

    The result is what we regrettably have today on our hands- the senseless bloodletting. Let Governor Ortom be bold enough to tell Benue the truth and confess his sins against the people, as propelled by weird political ambitions.

    Entonu is a retired staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

    He sent in  this piece from Otukpo, Benue State.

  • Trump and Nigerian migrants

    Trump and Nigerian migrants

    Recently I was a witness to a heated debate on the report by the authoritative New York Times, which quoted President Donald Trump of USA as making disparaging remarks about Nigerian immigrants living in USA. The debate took place at the popular Staff Club of the University of Ibadan, that redoubtable intellectual citadel of the country. Here I will like to say, that the club for years has been noted not only for relaxation but as a veritable spot on the campus for robust in-depth discussions of both current local and international affairs. The authoritative newspaper reported that President Trump said that Nigerian immigrants after coming to USA would never return to ‘their huts’ and many of the discussants despite the denial of the report by the White Officials in Washington said many unprintable things about Trump for this reported unguarded statement. A minority group among the discussants, while they showed disdain for Trump, felt that we should look beyond the insults by Trumps that abodes in Nigeria are huts. This group argued that we should rather focus on the reasons why young Nigerians and other youths from Africa now flock to other countries, which in some cases are poorer than their own countries in search of better life.

    Personally I think Donald Trump with his worn-out slogan of making ‘America great again’, will eventually bring down his country. I have a feeling that the great global power and influence attained by the USA after Second World War would soon be a thing of history as a result of the misadventure and irrational policies of USA under Trump towards other countries of the world. China is now poised to take over from USA as the greatest power in the world. In fact, the recent book titled Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff who studied the chaos in Trump’s White House for almost a year is convincing many people in USA that the mental state of President Trump is slipping. This is frightening and it is a pity that that the USA with all its might and greatness is under this unstable personality.

    Since inception of mankind, migration of people from one place to another has always been an important human endeavour. We read in the Bible how Abraham was told in Genesis 12 to leave his country, his relatives and father’s house and go to Canaan. Since that time we read stories of people moving from one place to another place. Recently Pope Francis told the world that in Judeo-Christian tradition, the history of Salvation is essentially the history of migration. Many reasons have been proffered to be responsible for migration of people. In recent times, religious, political and economic reasons are the main ingredients responsible for people to leave their God-given abode to go and settle in an alien abode.

    The religious persecutions in Britain in the 17th century made the Puritans known as the Pilgrims to migrate to the new world now the USA. They were transported in the ship known as ‘Mayflower’ which sailed from Plymouth in England in 1620. As for economic migration, we have many examples in history. The Irish potato famine known as the great famine or the great hunger which ravaged Ireland with mass starvation and diseases led many people in Ireland to migrate to USA between 1845 and 1849. This singular event was responsible for the present sizeable population of Irish descendants in USA. The Jews, the Italians and other citizens of European countries also fled to the Americas as economic refugees. The founding of Australia started in 1788 when 11 British ships carried convicts to new colony of New South Wales. This movement was triggered off by economic problem in Britain at that time. Colonialism despite the gloss put on it by its perpetrators was geared to move people around for economic benefits of the people of the colonising power. To me colonialism is nothing more than economic migration in disguise. Migrations as a result of political upheavals and wars are very common in human history. The two great world wars saw a lot of migrations of people all over the globe. During the Second World War, many Europeans fled Nazi Germany to Britain and USA in order to flee from Nazi atrocities. After the war, many of the Nazi supporters during the war fled and migrated to Latin America especially Argentina. Migration of people with attendant refugee problem as a result of many political upheavals in Africa is an intractable problem now facing United Nations Organization in many parts of Africa.

    In its colourful history, USA has always welcome millions of migrants from other parts of the world especially from European countries. Apart from the blacks, who originally came to USA against their wishes in slave ships, other nationalities came to USA on their own to escape religious and political persecutions and to seek better life. It is on record that the family of Trump’s mother originally came from Scotland. As written above, there is nothing wrong for people including Nigerians to migrate to other countries. What is troubling in case of Nigeria and other African countries is the alarming rate at which African youths who are the future of the continent are leaving in droves to other countries in search of the so-called green pastures. Some of them, especially Nigerian youths both males and females, take horrendous risks to leave their countries. Presently, we are witnessing dehumanizing treatment given to our youths at the slave market in Libya and the untimely and needless death suffered by our youths in Mediterranean Sea.

    Nigerians should not have been made to suffer this demeaning agony if our leaders present and past, had been less selfish and had vision to manage judiciously our God-given resources for the future generation. In recent times, Lew Kew Yew did this for Singapore, and Mahathir Mohamad did the same thing for Malaysia. Nigeria should be an El Dorado for its citizens especially the youths because the country is well endowed. When most African countries attained independence in the 60s, there was hope for black people all over the world. Many black people outside the continent especially those in USA planned to come back to Africa so as to escape racism and discrimination which were their lots in the hand of the white people. Many of them wanted to revive the vision of Marcus Garvey who in the 20s advocated the movement of the black people from The Americas back to their roots in Africa. W. E. B. Du Bois, another black human right leader in USA relocated to Ghana when the country attained independence to live permanently.

    The above dream of black people in diaspora evaporated because Africa did not live up to their expectations, as soon after independence, many African countries were wracked with political instability, economic dislocation, ethnic strife, religious warfare and other vices that had tied Africa down. African countries despite their endowments could not provide decent standard of living for the people. Some of them became virtually bankrupt and depended on aids from other countries most of which are less endowed. The lofty dream at independence was replaced with nightmare and African youths now go for better lives outside the shores of the continent. This prompted Henry Louis Gates Junior , the well-known African American historian to write that if slave ships are now brought back to Africa, many youths would willing enter the ships to go and serve as slaves in USA instead of staying in their countries which are nothing but hell to them.

    The present economic situation in Africa is dire. It is pathetic and things have to change for better as we Africans cannot continue to waste the most vibrant segment of our population who are dying daily in their efforts to escape economic scourge in Africa. It has to be said however, that Nigerian migrants despite the fact that most of them do not return home as Trump was quoted as saying, are making significant contributions to the development of USA because of the enabling environment which unfortunately is absent in Nigeria. The pity is that no one can see any serious effort being made by our rulers to improve the enabling environment in the country so as to encourage our people in USA and other places to come home and replicate the good things they are doing in those places.

    • Professor Lucas writes from Old Bodija, Ibadan.

  • Why APC, PDP cannot fix economy

    The Nigeria of today is certainly not the Nigeria of 1960. Nigeria in 1960, had 15,703 primary schools with 2,912618 enrolled; 883 secondary schools with 135,364 enrolled; 29 vocational/technical educational institutions with 5037 enrolled; 315 teachers’ training with 27,908 enrolled; and three colleges of technology, one University College. In the 1997/98 academic year, Nigeria had 39,377 primary schools with 23,809000 enrolled; 6000 secondary schools with 6,05600 enrolled; 58 colleges of education, 45 polytechnics, 122 technical school and 40 universities with 983, 000 enrolled. Nigeria now has over 150 universities (NUC, 2017) and produces over 300,000 graduates in the year. So, the Nigerian educational system has grown tremendously in quantitative terms and has produced many educated/learned people. Nigerians have also been travelling abroad to virtually all nations to acquire education in various areas of knowledge. Nigerians have learnt a lot in about 57 years. Nigeria is a more knowledgeable nation than she was in 1960s. Sadly, Nigerian politicians have not changed; indeed they are worse than they were in 1960s. This article explains why the PDP which ruled Nigeria in the period 1999-2015 and the APC which has been ruling the nation since 2015 cannot fix the economy and promote democratization.

    Nigeria needs political parties because the political groups in Nigeria remain political machines and political machines who seize power. President Dwight Eisenhower (1956) of the United States, reflecting on the issue of a political party, said, a political party deserves the approbation American, only as it represents the ideals, the aspirations and the hopes of Americans. If it is anything less, it is merely a conspiracy to seize power. About 20 years later, Daniel Boorstin (1973), American historian, again reflecting on the issue of a political party, said, a political party is organized for a purpose larger than its own survival; a political machine exists for its own sake, its primary purpose is survival.

    I agree with President Eisenhower and Boorstin.

    Political groups in Nigeria do not represent the ideals, the aspirations and hopes of Nigerians; they exist for their members. Politicians at the local government, state and federal levels get into government and become very rich people in three months. In view of the millions of barrels of crude petroleum sold daily for over five decades, over 70 per cent of Nigerians are very poor. Nigerian politicians would claim that the nation is doing well. They would not accept the well-known bases for assessing the performance of a government – the state of the economy measured by the levels of employment/unemployment, productivity and inflation, and peace and harmony. Also, Nigerian political machines would not accept globally accepted reports like the UNDP Human Development Report, because they would clearly reveal that they are political machines and conspiracies with no plans to develop Nigeria. They would rather cling to the reports of less known bodies like Fitch and deceive the ignorant people that Nigeria is rated BB-, BC+; Nigeria has the highest GDP growth in Africa that will trickle down one day; Nigeria built roads and bridges, dams!

    Political machines connive with foreigners to deceive the ignorant people to adopt programmes which though have beautiful names, lack growth elements and do not promote growth and development. Nigeria adopted the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1986 when the military government of Ibrahim Babangida was ruling the nation. All governments, including PDP and APC governments since 1986 have continued to implement SAP. That is PDP implemented SAP in the period 1999-2015. The APC has been implementing SAP since May 2015. SAP has three principal elements: mandatory foreign exchange market (FEM), sale of public enterprise and liquid assets to the rich nationals and foreigners and, adoption of deregulation (laissez-faire economics or market economic philosophy or profit consideration, individualism) as the basis for assessing the performance of public projects and activities. African SAPs were introduced to Nigeria and other African nations in the 1980s by the World Bank and IMF. The original document (Bellow, 1986) claimed that the Nigerian SAP has four main objectives: to: restructure and diversify the productive base of the economy, achieve fiscal stability and positive balance of payment, set the basis for a sustained balanced non-inflationary or minimal inflationary growth, and, reduce the dominance of unproductive investments in the public sector.

    However, the analysis of the Nigerian SAP in the book entitled, “Understanding why Privatisation is promoting unemployment and poverty and delaying industrialization in Africa (Ogbimi, 2007), showed that the Nigerian SAP lacks growth elements and could not achieve any of its claimed objectives. SAP is merely promoting unemployment and poverty and delaying industrialization. Consequently, SAP has completely sapped and destroyed the Nigerian economy and impoverished the people. All that is left of Nigeria is a sapped majority of people and a destroyed Naira. There are also a few economists, accountants, bankers, lawyers, others in government and business who do not understand the science needed for increasing productivity and transforming an agricultural economy into an industrialized one, who daily repeat the financial clichés associated with SAP and the stock market.

    An important warning to all Nigerians is pertinent here. Margaret Thatcher, a former Prime Minister of Britain, once said that to destroy a nation, you first destroy her national currency. She was speaking in relation to the experience of Germany when the nation implemented the German SAP 1919-1923. Germany lost WW I in 1918 as the leader of the Axis powers. The Allied powers demanded $33b from Germany as war reparations. Germany could not pay. Germans were forced to implement the German SAP principally characterized by the mandatory forex market (FEM). The German Mark exchanged 4.2 units to the US$1 in 1919. In 1920, 63 Mark exchanged for one dollar. The Mark further depreciated in 1921; it exchanged 200 units to the dollar. The Mark depreciated catastrophically in 1922; it exchanged 2000 units to the dollar. In 1923, the Mark collapsed; it exchanged 4.2 trillion units to the dollar and stopped being a national currency (Stolper, et al., 1967; and Glahe, 1977). The Germans and Germany were seriously humiliated. But the strong will of the Germans saved them. They abandoned SAP in 1923 and printed another currency which the value was one trillion Mark, reverting the exchange rate to 4.2 units to the dollar.

    In the book on privatization above (Ogbimi, 2007), it was demonstrated that a nation operating mandatory FEM experiences increasing speculation and decreasing productivity. Also the currency experiences increasing devaluation till confusion sets in the nation. The German experience is sufficiently instructive.

    Nigeria’s planning has always been devoid of growth elements. What Nigeria needs is industrialization, not mere capital investment/Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs), not privatization, not mere erection of infrastructure, not entrepreneurs. Industrialization is promoted through learning – education and training. The Nigerian economy has been stagnating hence it is experiencing mass unemployment. Only mass education, mass training and mass employment can save the Nigeria of today.

    • Prof Ogbimi is of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

  • Blackmailers at work?

    Nigerians, effectively without buffer, were steamrollered in an acute pang of fuel drought nationwide that spanned the recent Yuletide and New Year crossover seasons. And it was all down to idle shenanigans of invidious blackmailers. What cheek! Meek shoals paddling in shark-infested waters couldn’t have fared much worse.

    Most citizens spent much of what should have been a restfully festive period in rabid hunt for gasoline at dispensing stations that did anything but dispense the essential item – notably, including outlets owned by the state oil pot, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Not a few persons had to abandon the indulgencies of the season in endless wakes for nocturnal vending of fuel at outrageous tariffs they could ill-afford, but were nonetheless compelled to for basic existentials. Now we have it on privileged insight that the ordeal all derived from “some of our compatriots (who) chose this period to inflict severe hardship on us all by creating unnecessary fuel scarcity across the country.” Really!

    President Muhammadu Buhari, in his New Year Address early last week, deplored the impudence, vowing to “get to the root of this collective blackmail of all Nigerians and ensure that whichever groups are behind this manipulated hardship will be prevented from doing so again.”

    Prior to the presidential address, recrimination raged between NNPC and fuel marketers on who takes the rap for the persisting scarcity. The state firm accused marketers of holing-in or diverting their supplies instead of dispensing stuff to the public. The marketers, in turn, insisted their tanks were empty owing to inadequate feedstock from NNPC, which had since October 2017 become the sole importer of petroleum products.

    Some costlines were thrown in to push the respective narrative. NNPC berated marketers for cutting out of importation and called out members of one of the unions, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA), as owing some N2.7billion in payment arrears to its subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC). The group, for its part, alleged advance payment by its members in excess of N90billion for product cargoes that NNPC had yet insufficient consignments to deliver.

    But President Buhari in his New Year Address headed up, impliedly, with the verdict that marketers contrived the crisis – and that, for a cheap motive as blackmail – “given that NNPC had taken measures to ensure availability at all depots.”

    True, you only need look at Nigerian marketers in drought seasons for the quintessential Shylock at work, if you wanted to see one. Even among that species, fuel marketers hold a luminous frontguard. Most of them habitually hoard products at the flimsiest expectation of official price increase, which they jump the gun to implement anyway through nocturnal vending to a desperate public at rip-off rates.

    But the New Year verdict by Mr. President, who happens to be the substantive petroleum minister, just didn’t seem to address all matters arising. It did not explain, for instance, why most NNPC outlets, just like other marketers, lacked fuel to dispense to harried motorists at the height of the scarcity. Neither did it clarify the economics of long-term product availability at the official price cap of N145 per litre, even when NNPC Group Managing Director Maikanti Baru had said the prevailing landing cost was N171.40/litre.

    We must make haste to admit that the intricacies of official fuel-pricing template do get arcane for sideliners. Still, some basic elements of the mix simply don’t add up in the present circumstance.

    It is trite, for instance, that domestic consumption of fuel in our country is fed nearly wholesale with imports because local refineries have perennially failed to make substantial input despite pledges by successive administrations, including the incumbent, to effect drastic turnaround. Marketers jointly accounted for some 60 percent of those imports while NNPC supplied the outstanding, until when they cut out owing to adverse headwinds.

    DAPPMA helmsman, Dapo Abiodun, last week articulated the marketers’ stance. “In the past, marketers brought in about 60 percent while NNPC brought 35 to 40 percent. But by the month of October, marketers completely stopped importing because there was no more subsidy. We couldn’t sell for profit, and we had to stop importing. The burden for 100 percent importation now fell on NNPC,” he said.

    Common logic is that this turn must have foisted a supply gap that NNPC must be hard pressed to bridge. But the state firm insisted it was doing quite fine. Baru told journalists penultimate weekend: “We have sufficient products that will last us for the next 30 days and we keep bringing in 50 percent over and above our normal consumption into the country. And vessels have been lined up.”

    Marketers, however, argued otherwise. “You can imagine a situation where NNPC was importing in part and marketers were importing in part, and suddenly NNPC begins to import 100 percent,” Abiodun said. He didn’t rule out incidents of product diversion to neighbouring countries where fuel officially sells at much higher rates than in Nigeria, though, and that is not counting other factors like panic buying that typically characterises times of scarcity.

    Field oversight by legislators suggested that neither NNPC nor the marketers come clean of complicity for the fuel drought. Speaking early last week, Senate petroleum downstream committee chairman, Kabiru Marafa, said: “We visited NNPC zonal depot in Gusau to find out the quantity of fuel supplied to the depot and we noticed short supply of the commodity…We question the NNPC on this issue, because (Baru) said they had doubled the quantity of daily supplies of the product, but it is not available to the public. Another unfortunate thing is the attitude of filling station owners who sell this commodity to the public: they are involved in one or two malpractices. In fact, out of all the filling stations we visited, only two have complied with government directives…”

    My take here is: the president’s verdict that marketers alone were to blame was too dismissive and, indeed, cavalier. You can’t foreclose, of course, that he had privileged information to inform that verdict. But it could also well be he has been listening only to a one-sided narrative – that of NNPC. Regrettably, such does not offer much hope of government addressing the fundamentals of the recurrent crisis. Supply shortfall regarding any item invariably serves as nursery for sharp practices in its dispensing. If you do not ensure unbroken adequate supply, you would never be able to staunch the sharp practices.

    Then, we need ask about the economics of long-term viability of the present pump head price. Baru left it all in the political realm when he said: “The landing cost moves with the CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) price of PMS (petroleum motor spirit). As of Friday, the CIF price was in the neighbourhood of $620 per metric tonne. At the official exchange rate of N305 to the dollar, the landing cost should be N171.40 per litre…However, Mr. President has directed that we should maintain all the parameters to ensure that it is sold at N145/litre, and that is why we are selling at the depot at N133.28.”

    2018 is an electioneering year and the Buhari administration, obviously, would be hard pressed to avoid risking the political cost of raising fuel price at this time. In any event, it is unlikely Nigerians would by any stretch of accommodation accept such increase with the prevailing standard of living. But the seeming alternatives are that we would have frequently recurring seizures in supply, or the economy would be monumentally mortgaged with “under-recovery costs” unless there is an economic (as opposed to political) design to the pricing template.

    • Please join me on kayodeidowu.blogspot.be for conversation.
  • Open letter to President Buhari

    Open letter to President Buhari

    It would have given me utmost pleasure to begin this letter with the pleasantries requisite of a letter to such an authority as you, but I’m afraid this is coming from quarters of turmoil – from a place where there has been so much disregard. I cannot but exude the disregard currently going on in this part of the country.

    Dear President, there has been so much disregard for lives in Benue State that one would wonder whether there are still political figures who superintend over our security and well-being. Armed Fulani herdsmen ambushed us while we were in jubilant yuletide spirits and butchered us like chickens: children, women, even pregnant women. Others were left with terrible injuries.

    Perhaps, I should have directed this letter to my governor, Samuel Ortom to combat this crime from his internal security resources. I also could have written this letter to the youths; that like aggrieved youths elsewhere; they could take up arms, block all access roads to the main towns of Benue, and destroy all government property in site until something is done. But I choose to write to you not just because of my respect for authority but also because I trust your efficiency. I know that your route would do in one way what others would do in seven.

    You obtained my trust in your efficiency with security issues with your clampdown on IPOB. This group’s activities climaxed at a time when you were being tended to on your sick bed. Upon your return, you needed just split seconds to commence a military operation that saw the calm of the situation in weeks. Soon, you proclaimed this group a terrorist organization even before the court did!

    Our dear President, your increased concern on the issue of cattle rustling also marks you off as a no-nonsense man. You have always shown great concern and put in high security measures to combat cattle rustling. In the fight against cattle rustling, you have even launched technological solutions! Your efficiency is in no doubt.

    What baffles me then, (and there are many others like me), is your go-slow attitude towards the perennial herdsmen attacks at the backdrop of your security efficiency. The issue of herdsmen attacks precedes your administration. But unlike other security challenges you inherited, you have put in a Spartan spirit and fought them to naught. Why then, are we yet to enjoy the dividends of a president who is hard on security challenges?

    I am not oblivious to the condemnations you have made concerning the recent massacre. Well done! But I daresay the response I have seen so far is not in tandem with the massive murder of over 50 unsuspecting, innocent people! Your body language on this issue does not synchronise with that of IPOB, cattle rustling and other security challenges under you.

    Trust is what, if lost, can never be completely regained. Your initial silence on this sensitive issue of national security has caused irreparable damage. You have lost many die-hard supporters including the author of this letter. The handwriting on the wall, as it appears, is clear enough for everyone to read: you belong to everybody but you belong more to others.

    Yes, you have condemned the killings now, but what you have done is sever the country only to mend it afterwards. What we are yet to ascertain is whether you are mending it genuinely. If you prove this fear right, you would become the real threat to the strength and unity of this country and not IPOB, Niger-Delta Avengers or Boko Haram.

    This seemingly licensed herdsmen attacks has implications other than national strength and unity. The growth of agricultural productivity in Benue State and the country at large has been impeded as a result of these lingering attacks and yet, you are the chief advocate of economic diversity. Politically, the votes of Benue State were instrumental to your victory in 2015 and our dissatisfaction with you has negative implications on your 2019 bid. But of course you can choose to ignore that, and we would be glad to excuse you.

    But what we cannot excuse, Dear President is the security of our lives. If we lose everything in this world, we have our lives to hold unto. You have a responsibility, as the chief security officer of this country to protect all her citizens and not a select few. Thus, I make a fundamental appeal that you back up your verbal condemnation of Benue killings with actions as swift and passionate as you did other security challenges. Commence a military operation in Benue and other affected states the same way you did against IPOB. Arrest and prosecute those behind these killings. This is a pressing issue of national security and we cannot stand the reality of your words being mere lip service. Please do something!

    In spite of my dissatisfaction, the debris of my predilection for you is yet to completely fizzle out. Thus, I would top up my demand with an advice. Please sir, renounce your position of grand patron of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association. You are the president of Nigeria and the grand patron of us all. No position supersedes this in Nigeria. This will enable you not just to be objective in issues like this but to reclaim some of your public trust.

    Also, in the interest of fairness, justice and security, declare Fulani herdsmen a terrorist group and ban open grazing across the country. These people have been security threats not just in Benue State and in the Middle Belt region but all over Nigeria. They have since attained equal status with Boko Haram and should be treated as such.

    Dear President, these conditions may be tough, but I know you to be tougher. Even if you have suddenly become soft, you should be toughened by the realization of what you are: the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria with the primary duty of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians.

    I wish you a positive contemplation of this letter.

    • Ortese wrote from Makurdi, Benue State.
  • A handshake across the Niger

    A handshake across the Niger

    On December 5, 2017, three wise men came from the East. They had come to see me at the State House, Abuja. Who were they, and what message did they bear? Surely, not gold, frankincense and myrrh. Those are gifts for Divinity. The three men were Igwe Cyprian Madu Nevobasi, Igwe Omeluenyi of Aguneese, Ezeani 111 of Mmaku Kingdom, in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Chief Emmanuel Okeke, and Hon U.S.A Igwesi, a former member of the House of Representatives.

    Of the three people, Hon Igwesi was the only person I’d known, right from his days as a Federal lawmaker. Soon, the Igwe unfolded the reason for the visit. He would be celebrating the 14th anniversary of his coronation with a grand Ofala Festival on January 2, 2018, during which some people would be conferred with chieftaincy titles. One of them would be my principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the other would be myself.

    Shock is a very mild word to describe what I felt. Chief. Who, me? We all have dreams, desires and aspirations in life. But for me, being a Chief is not part of it. Not at all. Chief. Who, me? It was incredulous.

    The Igwe handed me two official letters of invitation. One for the President, and one for me. He said I could always represent the President, since state matters may not permit the country’s number one citizen to attend personally.

    Why me? As the question was running through my mind, the Igwe explained: “My traditional cabinet nominated you, because we have been watching how you serve the country, and our President with passion. President Buhari is God-sent, to bring enduring change to our country. And from the way you serve him, we believe you are deserving of a title from Mmaku Kingdom.”

    My visitors left, and my dilemma began. Chief. Who, me? I am a church person, and may play greater roles in the Lord’s vineyard in the future, as God gives the grace. Can you combine that with chieftaincy? But the Igwe had told me it was purely a ceremonial affair, with nothing ritualistic involved. And before he left my office, he had even prayed. It was a Christian, and not a traditional prayer.

    Encouraging.

    And then I remembered! On June 1, 2015, when I resumed as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, I’d met President Buhari at Defence House, which was then his temporary abode, before he moved to the Presidential Villa. How did he welcome me? Jocularly, he had said: “Chief Adesina, welcome to Sambisa House.” We both laughed. Chief? Well, just some fun. That was what I thought.

    Then, in October 2015, we had travelled to India. And as he does in most of his official trips, the President found time to meet with the Nigerian community in that country. As he recognized members of his entourage, the President called me “Chief Adesina,” and we all laughed. He was to repeat the same thing a couple of times in the next two years, all lightheartedly. Now, come has come to become.

    Didn’t know President Buhari was also a prophet.

    I began consulting. The first person I expected to baulk was my wife. An Akure princess herself (she is nee Adesida), I expected her to say a resounding no, based on Christian convictions. If she rejected it, ‘who born me’ to accept the title? Our women are often our bosses. But curiously, she only raised one or two qustions, and seemed satisfied with my answers. The Igwe’s prayers had worked!

    Next, the Adesinas, both at home, and in the Diaspora. No dissenting voice. And next, my local church pastor, at the Foursquare Gospel Church. He was very practical about it: “Whether we like it or not, you have become a political figure in the country, and you may not be able to avoid things like this. As long as there are no rituals, and it is purely a ceremonial title, you may take it.”

    The final consultation was with the President. The visit of the three wise men from the East and the chieftaincy nomination had been widely published, and the President, an avid newspaper reader, was well aware, before I met him. The glow in his eyes when I told him about the event gave him away. He gave his blessings. He also gave me another blessing, which I won’t disclose here, lest some people ask for their share. Lol.

    Every Christmas, the President encourages all Christians round him to take time off, and be with their families. He bade me goodbye, saying till after the New Year holiday, since the event was billed for January 2.

    On New Year day, I prepared to leave Lagos on an afternoon flight, with my prospective Lolo (that’s the title for wives of chiefs), her younger brother, Dr Niyi Adesida, and my childhood friend, Tayo Oladapo. Others were to come on morning flights the next day, from Lagos and Abuja, respectively. And then, a spanner was almost thrown into the works.

    When we checked in for Enugu, the airline officials had shaken their heads. Flights had not gone to that city for about a week, they said, because the weather had been consistently bad. My son, an airline pilot, had also hinted me about it the previous day. But we hoped the weather could have a change of heart, seeing it was the first day of a New Year.

    Two hours after the scheduled time, the flight to Enugu was eventually cancelled, due to poor weather. Every airline did the same. The next alternative was to go through Owerri, and do three hours journey by land. But all Owerri flights had left for the day. The potential Chief was about to be stranded in Lagos.

    My Secretary at the State House, Rosemary Ezeugoh, had gone ahead to Enugu on December 30. I phoned her, and she contacted the ADC to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, an old friend, who had also promised that he would be fully involved in the ceremony, and be my host. The ADC, Nnadozie Peter, who turned out to be a very decent and cultured police officer, encouraged us to proceed to Port Harcourt, and that he would meet us with a security convoy.

    We changed our tickets to Port Harcourt, landing by 4.10 p.m. Journey to Enugu would normally be about five hours, but with the outriders and escorts, we made it in three hours, and ten minutes. Of course, you know where our hearts were throughout the journey. In our mouths! But God was gracious and faithful.

    Gov Ugwuanyi (fantastic man, I must add), hosted us to dinner. Don’t mind that he is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor, he also invited Mr Osita Okechukwu, a core Buharist and Director General of Voice of Nigeria, who came with his wife. Perfect display of politics without bitterness.

    D-Day. January 2. Mmaku is about one hour drive from Enugu. The governor insisted that myself and my entourage must ride in his convoy, as he would attend the ceremony. It was a God-ordained decision from the governor, as all those who were to have accompanied me had been stranded in Lagos and Abuja. Delegation from my former office, The Sun Newspapers, made of Steve Nwosu, the deputy managing director, Abdulfatah Oladeinde, editor of the Sunday paper, Femi Babafemi, editor of the Saturday paper, as well as my old friend, Shola Oshunkeye, waited hours on end, till their flight was cancelled. The same happened at Abuja end, with many would-be guests going back home in disappointment. The only guest who made it from Abuja was my friend, Mohammed Akwu, who had driven all the way with two others. Can’t we have what aviators call Instrument Landing Systems at Enugu Airport, in which case planes could land in the most severe weather? Something to discuss with Senator Hadi Sirika, Minister of State in charge of Aviation. Nigeria must keep pace with the rest of the world.

    Mmaku was agog. The Igwe was resplendent in his traditional regalia and accoutrements. I had also dressed in Igbo attire. I didn’t look bad in it, or what do you think? Many movers and shakers of society were at the Ofala ground. A red letter day for Mmaku, if ever there was one.

    First to receive us earlier in the day was His Royal Highness, Eze Barrister Igwesi Obi Igwesi, Chinwaeze 11 of Obuoffia and Omuoha 1 of Omuoha, in his own palace. He and his traditional cabinet treated us to an impressive reception, during which he applauded President Muhammadu Buhari, and the change he is bringing to the country. His words:
    “Before now, we Igbos were suspicious of President Buhari, but we have now seen his programmes, and have no choice but to embrace him. I urge other Nigerians to support him beyond 2019, if he intends to seek another term.” Beautiful! I tell you, wise men still come from the East.

    All the way from Osun, my state, was the Alaagba of Agba Kingdom, Oba Rufus Ogunwole, who added his royal touch to every place where I was received. He came with his chiefs. May the Oba reign for long. Amen.

    Installation time. President Buhari was given Isi Mmiri Mmaku, which, freely translated, means, Fountain of Support. I received the insignia of the title on his behalf. Then, my wife, Adenike, was made Lolo, and shortly after, entered the Nwanne Di Namba (A Brother from Another Land). And that was your’s truly. It still sounded like a dream.

    I thank all my friends from the East who came to honour me. Deputy Senate President, Dr Ike Ekweremadu, Elder Ekeoma E. Ekeoma and his wife, Ngozi, who came with three other friends, Ezinne Ojukwu, who represented her father, Chief Ojukwu of Ekesons Motors, Rev Austin Epunam, who represented Chief Innocent Chukwuma of Innoson Motors, Dr Kelechi Nwagwu, Ichie Tony Onyima, former managing director of The Sun Newspapers, Ismail Omipidan, Chidi Nnadi, Uche Nnamani, Marcel Alozie, Bethel Obioma, all of The Sun, (Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, Publisher of Sun and New Telegraph had given me two full pages of congratulatory adverts), Chooks Oko, Oge Nnenne Edoh, Ifeoma Ogukwe, and many others I can’t mention for space constraints. I appreciate you all.

    About a month ago, the thought of ever being a Chief never crossed my mind. So, why am I one today? Because it is good for our country. The fact that the offer came from outside my Yoruba ethnic stock was very significant. It is good for national unity and cohesion. Nigeria will remain one country, where in the words of our National Anthem, peace and justice shall reign. Again, though tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we shall stand.

    Also, the title was offered by a kingdom that recognizes the good job President Buhari is doing for the country. I was honoured because I am deemed to be serving him well. It would have been both impudent and imprudent to have said no.

    And finally, the title was unsolicited. I never met Igwe Nevobasi, till he visited my office. And the fact that such a prominent figure came personally to inform me of the nomination, was humbling and remarkable.

    My final words. Be careful what people call you. It may as well come to pass. President Buhari had always called me Chief. It has become prophetic. Also, I worked at The Sun Newspapers for 13 years, starting as founding editor, and rising to become Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief. I had always written to defend the cause of the Igbos in Nigeria. When they seemed to be making political mistakes, I had also pointed out the danger. It got to a time that a number of newspaper readers from the East began to address me as Nwanne Di Namba. And what title have I got today? The same. I had opened my mouth in amazement when the title was eventually unfolded by the Igwe. Mind what people call you. The biblical Nabal was foolish, because his name meant foolish. Simon meant a reed, an inconstant, untrustworthy fellow, tossed about by the wind. Jesus changed the name to Peter, which means The Rock. He became a pillar of the early Church. Mind what you are called. It may well come to pass.

    Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity

  • Save us from herdsmen

    Mr. President,

    Sir, permit me to begin this letter without the requisite official protocol due to the urgency of its thrust.

    I write you today with a bleeding heart knowing full well that last year and indeed the Yuletide period was a total waste for the people of Benue State as regards the relationship between farmers and herders in spite of the effort of Governor Samuel Ortom.

    Before I will draw your attention to the bloodbath by the Fulani herdsmen and the incessant/senseless killings of our people permit me to remind you of the following sir:

    *Sir, you came into office on the drum-beat of change.

    *We exalted you without blemish, and invested in you, what I love to call “Messianic Investment” this I believe was what saw you through the many unsuccessful campaign attacks; ranging from dictatorial past, extremism, and certificate saga etc. We created a mime and sang “Even if Buhari presents a NEPA bill, we will still vote for him.”

    Majority of us just wanted change at the federal level, believing that if Buhari controls affairs at the centre things will get better. All we wanted was for government to work for us or at least what most of us expected: transparency, prudence, probity and responsiveness. To us that still believe, hope and pray for a better Nigeria we knew and trusted that you were ready and capable to usher in a new Nigeria.

    As an agent of change and a patriotic citizen, I have been having sleepless nights the way and manner my people, our people are been killed since you took the baton of leadership.

    Mr. President Sir, Since the inception of your administration more than 500 Nigerians have reportedly been massacred by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue State alone. Also, during this festive period a fresh clash between the Fulani herdsmen and local farmers has resurfaced and has left no fewer than 100 people dead. While it took President Muhammadu Buhari less than 24 hours to condemn the January 2 genocide in Benue, many Nigerians read you condemn the attack in Rivers and Kaduna States respectively on your twitter handle.

    Mr. President so many Nigerians have lost their lives over this time in their homelands, and the president is yet to address this. This has only served to fuel claims that the president’s response to crimes committed by the herdsmen is controversial and highly condemnable.

    Many Nigerians have said the sole reason why the Fulani herdsmen are killing our people is because “the herdsmen want the land, they want to push our people away, so that they can get the land and rear their cattle as they want, that’s all.” Nigerians hope that you react to the news of these herdsmen, there is need to understand that your silence comes with many direct and indirect implications, most of which threaten Nigeria’s unity and breed instability.

    Here are some of the implications of the president’s silence: it may fuel ethnic conflict since the President has not mentioned anything on an incident that left over 500 persons dead. These criminals may find it hard to understand the gruesomeness of their acts. Also, this could lead to deadlier reprisal attacks and, in this way, Nigerians are further divided along ethnic lines.

    Also the president will continually look biased: Just as the president continues to talk tough on the secessionists and militants, the Fulani herdsmen from his own ethnic division are ‘spared.’

    It is also surprising that the weakness of the security forces is further exposed and show they are in disarray. A few believe that this is so because you come from their ethnic stock.

    These are the questions many are asking:

    *Why is the president silent on Fulani herdsmen that are killing people? None of them has been prosecuted.

    *Is this a setup or gang up or what? How can the federal government just keep mute about this genocide?

    *The herdsmen are as evil as Boko Haram. What exactly do they stand for?  Why are they destroying innocent lives and property?

    Why is it seeming as if until you came to power that we never heard of herdsmen? Suddenly, they have become a huge bone on our collective throats. Suddenly, herdsmen have become sub-terrorists fitted with all kinds of weapons including AK 47, GPMG, etc.

    Until now, the herdsmen we knew merely carried short sticks with which they hit and directed the movement of the cows. At other times, they had bows and arrows and catapults with which they warded off wild animals wanting to prey on their cattle. Not anymore. The herdsmen of today are sometimes more armed than soldiers in “Operation Lafiya Dole or Operation Egweka”.

    How long shall we suffer in the hands of these people called Fulani herdsmen?

    For too long, they have behaved as if they own Nigeria, apparently because nobody, not even the military has been able to rein them in. In all the cases of their mindless attacks on innocent Nigerians in Benue State, none of them has been arrested, arraigned or jailed for wanton killing. The security men would rather look the other way while the herdsmen wreak havoc in various communities across the land. Every day, we are assailed with ill reports of how Fulani herdsmen are launching ferocious attacks on our people, sometimes unprovoked, on the indigenes of communities where they graze their cattle. And this is across board. No part of Nigeria (except Boko Haram-ravaged parts) is spared. They operate with vexatious brazenness.

    These same herdsmen are from faraway lands, sometimes even outside Nigeria. So how can the pursuit of their own business interest be used to despoil the future and livelihood of others, while the state watches!

    These herdsmen, who sit atop a billion naira business, do not pay tax to government. But the poor woman who roasts plantain by the road side is harassed by local government tax collectors on payment of all kinds of rates and taxes.

    Without statistical backup, I dare say that Benue State has suffered most in the hands of these herdsmen. It dates back to the days of former governor of the state, Gabriel Suswan.

    Mr President, you must realise that the way you handles the menace of the Fulani herdsmen will eventually become a campaign issue as 2019 beckons.

    • Chir Msugh Iorwase Armstrong Makurdi, Benue State.