The Nation Newspaper

Category: Opinion

  • As Oloyede Demystifies JAMB’s UTME/ CBT Puzzle

    Nigerians should shout aloud, with thumps up in the air for Professor Is-haq Oloyede, the current Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB). I say everybody should shout loud praises to him. Wait a minute! Why am I sounding like an incensed Pentecostal Pastor, whose tithe basket caught the biggest “fish” ever, minutes before the commencement of the evening session of “signs and wonders?”
    It is not exactly so; but it’s something close to it. Hurray! the JAMB registrar has shamed critics again; he has silenced skeptics. He has left the professional exam fraudsters and their allies jobless and lurking everywhere on the corridors of the educational sector in Nigeria speechless. Oloyede conducted a seamless and near 100 percent successful Computer Based Test (CBT) for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) in spite of malicious opposition to it.
    It is in the character of those who reap from the decay in the education sector to always vehemently oppose any innovation or the application of reforms that would sanitize the system. Therefore, they attacked the JAMB registrar and threw all sorts of defamatory missiles at him. They called him names and sued for his crucification.
    Shockingly,  a faction of ASUU, particularly the Ibadan Zone was part of this conspiracy. They wrote memos, petitions and probably, resorted to voodoo to attack Professor Oloyede.  When the antics failed to create the damage and halt the sanitization of JAMB exams, they laughably called for the sack of the JAMB registrar, a tested performer, whom they maliciously brand as incompetent.
    Even without JAMB’s independent Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure to anchor this laudable innovation of CBT, Professor Oloyede, a university teacher and administrator per excellence, worked out a perfect synergy with private ICT centers proprietors and superintended over a near hitch –free CBT exams.   And come to think of it, over 1,736,571 candidates sat for the exams, which were segmented in batches across the nation in a span of one week in 642 centers.
    The JAMB boss developed a water-tight and sensitive ICT security alert system that detected exam fraudsters who connived with JAMB approved operators of  CBT centers. They were watched in the central control room, caught and penalized together with fraudulent candidates accordingly.
    In addition, candidates’ widely applauded the conduct of the CBT as smooth and easy-going. They were full of praises for JAMB, as the online business of UTME has speeded every process   of the exams.
    While veiled opponents of sanity in the conduct of exams in Nigeria hid their faces in shame, independent observers equally joined candidates in eulogizing JAMB for the conduct of a perfect exam. The Joint Action Coalition on Education (JACE) deployed its officials who monitored the conduct of the CBT in all the 36 states of federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). And they returned a verdict of excellence on JAMB generally and Professor Oloyede in particular.
    A statement by JACE Southwest Zonal Co-ordinator,  Mr. ​Ayokunle Adumashin conveyed it in floating details.  It stated;  “From our observations: ​​The examination was orderly and met set standards in all in the centres monitored by our coalition. The few incidents recorded, were largely issues pertaining to human factor and not caused by systems or process.
    ”​The examination showed the imperative for continued investment in broadband penetration and stability in addition to improving on power supply situation in the country. The suggested improvements would totally eliminate the few glitches recorded,” it pontificated.
    It is my conviction that those who have sworn to pull back Nigeria in the regime of “Change mantra,” as enunciated by President Muhammedu Buhari  cannot be prevented from venting their spleen and anger against anyone, like Professor Oloyede,  who is determined to create a difference. But they are powerless to halt the moving train of “change” and the positive whirlwind shall continue to blow in institutions manned by competent hands, who share the same vision with Mr. President.
    We are an unfortunate people. In Nigeria, we all know,  the desire of candidates to cheat in every exam, whether conducted by JAMB, WASSCE or the universities is given a boost by parents desperate to see their children acquire certificates they cannot defend the knowledge certified by the certificates’. There are exam leakage  syndicate all over Nigeria . And  shockingly, it is a means of livelihood for the crooks. Even with the implementation of the CBT, we have noticed how some operators of ICT centers dubiously connived with candidates to compromise the sanctity of the exams.
    But thanks to JAMB’s  surveillance and alertness. These fraudulent characters were secretly detected by the security devices JAMB installed and today, the few candidates yet to receive their results are those caught up in the exam fraud scam, which is being further investigated by JAMB. It has continued to release results of centers and candidates absolved from complicity after investigation. It will not surprise me, if tomorrow another band of veiled antagonists to sanity in Nigeria’s educational sector attempts to blackmail JAMB and Professor Oloyede with it.  It is the sad narrative of our debased lives.
    As expected, these parasites have begun subtle campaigns, alluding to JAMB tinkering with the idea of dumping the CBT for the analogue Paper and Pencil Test (PPT) for the UTME. But JAMB has refuted it as untrue, false and extremely misleading. The CBT mode of exams has come to stay and the black hearts can jump into the Lagoon, at their peril.
    Rather the JAMB boss and JAMB board are further modifying the  CBT mode to make it much easier and  friendly to erase the technophobia that gripped some candidates in the 2017 edition of CBT exams.  They are determined to consolidate on the gains recorded in the last exercise.
    A recent statement by the JAMB boss, Professor Oloyede at  Arewa House, Kaduna, during a  strategic planning retreat on monitoring and supervision of 2017 UTME,  divulged the decision of JAMB’s  board  to henceforth adopt the use of the eight keys,  instead of the traditional mouse for computers.
    He informed;  “From the general feedback on the adoption of the Computer Based Test mode, we have noted the challenge of computer low level literacy of some candidates, especially with the phobia for the mouse.”
    “This has been responsible partly for the call by some people for reversal to the Paper and Pencil Test mode. In order to ensure equity and level playground for all candidates taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, the Board has designed a system that will allow candidates use only eight (8) keys without the use of the mouse,” Oloyede expatiated.
    But we must accept the unalterable truth that the entire world and knowledge are  ICT driven now. Nigeria in the 21st century, cannot afford to continue to run its educational system on the analogue mode. ICT –driven CBT has several advantages to the educational system and the candidates tested through it.
    First, the online registration is more accurate and leaves low incidents of errors; it checkmates exam fraud; no issues of impersonation;  it ensures the quick and almost instant release of results to candidates, who get it in the comfort of their homes through online channels.
    And above all, the CBT will provoke the intensity of ICT education at the lower rungs of the educational system to compel schools to properly teach their students the use of ICT in readiness for JAMB’s CBT to proceed for higher education.  These are the pluses ICT/ CBT have  impinged on our economy, education and national life as a  nation.
    In foreign countries, the whole process of learning is done online.  E-learning has replaced paper and biro or chalk and blackboard. There is no university overseas that still subjects students to the primordial system of learning as some debased Nigerians insist on retaining.   We should be grateful to Professor Oloyede and by implication, the innovations brought by JAMB in education.
     We now know that  the CBT which seemingly appeared  impossible is not just do-able, but perfectly too. All universities in Nigeria should emulate his example and kick-start the process of thinking of how to administer knowledge through e-learning.
    Of course, I know Professor Oloyede is not new on the game. He faced stiff opposition as Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin,(Unilorin) when set out to introduce  e-learning techniques.  He was stoutly opposed.
    But  I know him as a man who is never afraid of trial and he ventured into it  and came out successful, like the JAMB case has demonstrated. Today, Unilorin sits on the pioneering seat of universities in Nigeria to adopt e-learning and has continued to attract unprecedented public patronage. Those in doubt, should spare a day and take a trip to Unilorin where Oloyede also introduced the CBT exams and it’s working perfectly. Once again, thumps up for Professor Oloyede. He is my perfect role model.
    Kolawole PhD  writes from the Institute for International Strategic Studies, Abuja.‎

  • Kwara @ 50: Celebrating Abdulganiyu Folorunso Abdul-razaq

    The story of Kwara State and that of Alhaji Abdulganiyu Folorunso (SAN, OFR), the first Commissioner of Finance of the state at creation in 1967 are intertwined. The story of the North Central state is incomplete with without the man who worked from inception with others to give the state a direction and set it on a path of modernization and deep rooted development that will make it a model state and justify the purpose of its creation.

    Realising that government cannot do it alone especially with the challenge of the need to educate the young people of the state who will serve the critical manpower need of the state, the Mutawalli of Ilorin invested his personal resources to set up Ilorin College, as a private school to provide quality secondary school education in 1967.

    He got the late Tai Solarin to work with him to set a template for a school that will produce students that will be worthy in learning and character. Ilorin College, now Government High School Ilorin following the takeover by the Kwara State Government was the first private secondary school in the state and the North Central.

    As part of the activities to celebrate Kwara State at 50, the old students of Ilorin College, Ilorin, (ICI) now Government High School came together to honour and celebrate Alhaji Abdul-Razaq who they described as a pathfinder, a motivator and an enabler of success many of them have become today.

    Alhaji Abdul-Razaq who is also a former Chairman of the Body of Benchers and one of the living legends of legal profession in Nigeria led by his wife, Alhaja Raliat and his eldest son, Dr. Alimi Abdul-Razaq hosted the old students to a reception to celebrate the school and the founder.

    The very elated National President of the ICI/GHS Old Students Association, Alhaji Raji Afolagbe, a former Commissioner of Education and Human Capital in the state said the school had contributed greatly to the educational advancement of Kwara, North Central and Ilorin in particular. He also said the founder, through his generosity and community service provided great opportunity for many people in the state to have access to quality post-primary education which was not easy to come by then with the establishment of the College in 1967.

    “The dream of the founding father was to have a seed and a seed that is in quantum that are of quality. His dream was to have a school that will blossom and will go places. And today that dream has come to pass.

    “He’s a man of big vision. He was our role model. He was someone we looked up to. He had lot of students that he was paying their school fees despite the fact that he established the school. In fact, let me tell you what he did, he approached some of his friends to give out scholarships. He even had some companies he approached for scholarship. All you just see is that Baba has gotten a scholarship for you and you don’t know how.’’

    The National President also said the greatest achievement of the school is the quality of the old students who have gone ahead to contribute to the socio-economic development of Nigeria and wherever they sojourn on earth adding that many of the old students flew in from Europe and America to be part of the golden jubilee.

    In his own remarks, the first registered student of the school on nominal list who was also the first Senior Prefect and a retired Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Mumini Abdulmalik noted that the founder of the school inspired him and generation of students to success.

    “He taught us hard work, integrity and honesty and these are all hallmarks of his own professional and public service career. Ilorin College now GHS prepared us well for life, “he said.

    In the words of Alhaji  Saka Isau (SAN), also an old student and former Attorney General of the state and former Secretary to the State Government,  the foresight the founder  had was unparalleled.

    “At the time the whole area of North Central that was the first secondary school. He gave some of us poor people the opportunity to attend secondary school and today, you can see us. I was Attorney General and former Secretary to the Government of Kwara State. He is my role model. I decided to study law because of him.”

    The SAN who is of the opinion that the standard of education has not dropped said, “Honestly I do not agree that the standard of education has dropped. The problem is with the individual students that are not putting effort like they should. I am telling you sincerely, the kind of teachers they have now we didn’t have it then. If you go to Government High School they have graduates who are teachers and we never had that privilege during our time. Most of our teachers then were also secondary school leavers who were probably writing A’levels and seeking admission to University.”

    In his address delivered by his eldest child, Dr. Abdul-razaq, the founder identified policy inconsistency and lack of political will on the part of governments in Nigeria as major problems facing the educational sector. The founder said for Nigeria to have quality education, policies must match vision of development for the society.

    He implored the old students not to relent in contributing to their Alma mater, “Let me admonish you to continue to give back to your alma mater. And because government alone cannot shoulder the burden of education in our contemporary times, I wish to appeal to all old students of this institution to develop a more positive disposition towards contributing to the development of the school.

    “Fifty years in the life of an institution such as ours is certainly an occasion for joy and celebration. You came in as boys and girls, you saw, and you conquered. I am proud of the great feats and accomplishments of some of you, in your respective careers and callings. As a father and proprietor, this is a source of joy to me.”

    The Abdul-Razaq family closed the reception for the old students with presentation of recognition awards to many of the distinguished ex-students by the wife of the founder who was the first administrator of the school.

    As the state celebrates its golden jubilee, we also celebrate a man whose contribution to the growth of the state through education is unequalled.

    • Ajayi lives in Lagos
  • Group commends Army over coup alert, establishment of fort Buhari

    Group commends Army over coup alert, establishment of fort Buhari

    The National Committee of Yoruba Youth has commended the Nigerian Army for the implementation of the approved Order of Battle 2016, with the establishment of Fort Muhammadu Buhari Forward Operation Base, an Army Unit in Daura, Katsina State.

    The group in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its President, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji, said the establishment of the Army unit, will further enhance security in the country, particularly in the Northern part, where there have been growing security concerns, owning to the activities of armed gangs, Cattle rustlers and some remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents, who might desperately be working their ways, back into the society.

    The group also applauded what it described as the unequaled patriotism of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, over his recent revelations, that some politically exposed Nigerians are planning to infiltrate the Army, in order to truncate the nation’s democracy.

    “We salute the sense of patriotism of the Chief of Army Staff and the entire Army leadership, for their sense of patriotism and commitment to the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria. Their recent revelation has strengthened our beliefs, as Nigerians, that Nigeria is safe hands and the military should no longer be seen as a threat to our democracy.”

    The group also admonish Nigerians, to disregard the mischief that some persons have tried to attach to the clarion alert by General Buratai, stating that Nigerians must collectively arise to sustain the gains, that Nigeria has made under democracy, particularly the untiring commitments of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, towards restoring Nigeria back to the path of greatness.

  • Olonisakin: Celebrating A Shining Defence Gateman

    Every nation in the world strives for peace. A country at war with itself consciously and conspicuously plots its own ruination. It is the singular reason a leader of any nation hold the protection of lives and property of citizens very sacrosanct. The multiplicity of security agencies, even in Nigeria attests to the seriousness attached to security issues. A peaceful and serene nation-state differentiates it as a habitable human environment from the jungles populated by wild beasts.

    Insecurity problems of a nation erupts naturally and unexpectedly because of the innate capacity of mankind to deliberately stir trouble or instigate crisis. But the state has the enormous powers to contain it, because it is empowered by laws.

    However, what has remained an insurmountable problem is the ability of leaders of nations to put the right persons with the requisite experience to head and pilot the affairs of sensitive security outfits. Often, inordinate influences blindfold the leader, who picks his security chiefs without consideration to merit and competence.

    But one could confidently say, Nigeria is a dozen times luckier with President Muhammedu Buhari on the saddle. He foraged the mass of officers in the Nigerian military and independently opted for the best crop of officers to head the different arms of the Nigerian Armed Forces. That President Buhari is able to contain the precarious and already exploded insecurity situation he inherited in Nigeria is a reward for his handing over the jobs to military experts, celebrated for their inclination and attachment to success or victorious actions.

    The pedigree of all of President Buhari’s Service Chiefs smacks of a team packaged to deliver on assigned mandates. And one glaring such epitome of the Buhari leadership instincts for excellence is the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin.

    Perceptively, his office is not only large and saddled with enormous responsibilities, but it can be rightly qualified as the mother of all the Armed Forces of Nigeria. He is what novelist Jeffery Archer would theatrically describe as the “First Among Equals,’ but has never been consumed by the aura and paraphernalia of his office. His mission and focus from the outset was how to serve his fatherland land perfectly, by bringing out the best in available material and human resources at his disposal to curb the numbing insecurity threats in Nigeria.

    Commissioned into Nigerian Army (NA) Signal Corps as 2nd Lieutenant Signal Corps in 1981, Gen. Olonisakin demonstrated his passion for the Army in the various positions of responsibility he held before his elevation to the position of CDS. An officer who consistently adorns himself in friendly, youngish and inviting outlooks was appointed CDS by President Buhari in July 2015. Before this time, he served as Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Nigerian Army and also, Commander, Nigerian Army Corps of Signals. Superintending on these two sensitive positions in the Army was testimony of his express understanding of military ethos and his choice was endorsed naturally by President Buhari.

    An African proverb says, “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.” Much as his appointment satisfied his inner yearning of reaching the zenith of his profession, it also came with a heavy burden. He was saddled with the task of coordinating Nigerian Armed Forces in the era of unprecedented insecurity threats in virtually all parts of the country. But as an indefatigable professional soldier, who is not given to failure he set out to work in alliance with other Service Chiefs.

    Gen. Olonisakin was confronted with a military that had a serious assignment, but was held down by debilitating inadequacies. Lack of weapons to battle Boko Haram insurgency or other acts of terrorism and pending salaries and allowances combined to dampen the morale of troops. While Nigerians groaned in pains, the military reneged helplessly in containing the situation. He vowed that the narrative must change.

    He first ensured his Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Buhari secures weaponry for the armed forces. The CDS also inspected military formations across the country and instantly knew that pending salaries and allowances must be cleared and the tempo of prompt payment of entitlements sustained thereafter.

    A team player to a fault, Gen. Olonisakin’s postured himself before the other Service Chiefs as fraternal brothers battling the same cause in the service of humanity, rather than his subordinates’. He never barked orders, but devoted time to explain to men and officers of the Armed Forces new policies or the essence and benefits of alternative measures, as military presence in Nigerian communities soared.

    The CDS had just one refrain, he constantly repeated whenever he officially addresses troops on special assignments. He preached observance of professionalism, discipline and transparency in Nigerian military’s engagement with the civil populace.

    What astounded his subordinates infinitely was his flexibility and eagerness to accept worthwhile suggestions, reforms or innovations that were capable of improving the Nigerian military, from officers heading the various arms without hesitation. He is not bossy by nature and orientation and could even discard his own idea to embrace a superior argument during security meetings.

    His was a stamp of what is good as against the authoritative seal of bosses. It has been the pillar of his success in effectively superintending on the land, air and sea operations of the Nigerian military without hitches. It has posted the pleasant positive results whether in quelling Boko Haram insurgency; militancy in the Niger Delta; armed banditry or violent herders and farmers clashes in Nigeria.

    Through this outstanding exhibition of leadership qualities, he earned the trust and confidence of his subordinates heading the different arms of the Nigerian military, who freely sought his counsels on any issue and ensured his directives are implemented to the fullest.

    Gen. Olonisakin’s patriotic leadership began to rob positively on Service Chiefs in African countries, especially the West African sub-region, who occasionally also craved for his proverbial wise counsels to surmount insecurity problems in their countries.

    The CDS does not need to blow his trumpet, but most Nigerians have come to adjudge him as the best CDS Nigeria has ever produced in recent times. Men of substance are known by their performance in tough times. His flouting knowledge of military strategies and subordination to civil authority has earned him amazing international clout, which he has harnessed for the benefit of Nigeria. ECOWAS Defence Chiefs and indeed, in Africa look unto him as a revered role model .

    Elsewhere on the international front, Gen. Olonisakin’s influence is deepening as even the United States which before his assumption of duties imposed several embargos on the Nigerian military has promised to work towards assisting Nigeria in the special areas of training, intelligence sharing, capacity building and hardware. This was revealed by the Commander of the United States African Command (AFRICOM), General Thomas Waldhauser during a recent visit to the CDS in Abuja.

    It is a confirmation of his professionally honest, truthful, accountable and progressively excellent leadership of the Nigerian military. And the accolades have kept pouring in from scores of countries around the world. Thus, Gen. Olonisakin is a proud member of the few in the league of drivers of the “change mantra” of the President Buhari administration. He is truly a shining Nigeria’s defence “gateman.”

    Okanga writes from Agila, Benue State.‎

  • NYSC scheme: Modern day slavery logically instituted

    NYSC scheme: Modern day slavery logically instituted

    Greetings to my esteemed readers, while have been inside the confine of my room, ruminating on my school experience while I was an undergraduate on campus, my ups and downs, my dreaded nightmares, my vision and mission outside the school curricula even as I forge into the world beyond the four corners of the school and beyond the scope of my studies, I found it imperative to digest, carefully, the reasons I should embark on serving my fatherland. Eventually, I found none.

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was established by Law on 22nd of May, 1973 by the then Military regime under General Yakubu Gowon after 30-month civil war that ravaged the country, the said bloody civil war emerged from disunity, misunderstanding and cultural differences of Nigerians. The Gowon-led administration set up an investigation panel which later suggested this scheme should be introduced in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the civil war.

    The major purpose of this scheme is to foster national unity, inculcate the patriotic spirit in our young and promising graduates, build inter and Intra-ethnic relationship between youths from diaspora who are brought together to serve their fatherland. This scheme is meant to empower graduates to be self-dependent via exposure to skills acquisition programs, integrate them into the society of common man. This scheme has its root in solving national problems through the youths who are crops of a different institution but were posted to different ethnic societies to study the environments and proffer a lasting solution to the prevailing problem devoid of the language he/she speaks, devoid of cultural barrier etc.

    Now is something that saddens one’s heart to see this scheme as it has become national impediments to teeming graduates, it is totally sardonic, demonic, satanic to see different employer of labor base their employments yardsticks on this rotten scheme that has wasted precious time of youths who are supposed to have invested the year spend in serving their father land on something fruitful.

    The scheme that subject graduates to 3 weeks program that has no multiplier effects on entrepreneurship skills of our youths, a year program that will not expose our youths to problem solving skills, a scheme that majority of our graduates from different works and fields of studies are subjected to majorly “teaching profession” that apparently halves of this young mind has no idea and ethics of impacting knowledge in learners, now this phenomenon contributed more crisis in the teaching profession.

    Average secondary school management all over the country underemployed staffs all because they knew another crops of graduate will be churn out to serve their fatherland using this opportunity to fill vacant teaching seat ditto organizations and promising companies who ought to be employers of labor, rely on the manpower (corps member) supply by the government yearly, this indirect employment that cost the Federal government N19,800 but cost the company #0.00 turning the corps member to  a slave who has no wages for service render but subjected to his master decision.

    NYSC has done more harm than good it intend to serve, if your mates are mobilized to serve their father Land but due to issues or complications with your results you do not mobilize with your collogues, people tend to look at you as an unserious fellow, you will be the household name among your equal, did you know Mr. A was not mobilized?, your parents will start asking some nauseating question like when will you be going for your youth service, if unfortunately you have carried over in any of your courses, what will come to the mind of average student is “am not going with my mates” NYSC indirectly becomes another way our government colonized our youths then disperse them to different region to serve the so-called fatherland.

    Permit me to quickly talk about the allowance given to this youths, average youth are posted to a region he has no relatives, he will be forced to integrate and strife with conflicting cultural practices, unknown myth, Taboos  in a new society he/she found himself, he will have to get an apartment, probably where he/she will be posted to might not be a walking distance he/she will have to transport himself/herself down to his PPA, feed himself, cater for basic needs with just N19,800!

    How on earth did you want me to serve my father Land under unfavourable atmosphere and unsmiling economic  comatose?, some who were to serve the nation relentlessly were busy serving the nation in a well-furnished, exotic fleet of car with factory fitted air condition, national recognition, expensive goods etc., are they not serving the same country?, After a year of the slavery sentence with hard labor, the promising youth who are expected to be the nation’s future , investors and leaders are sent home with zero account, no compensation to invest in their dream careers, what a country we live in.

    Most institutions are interested in book banking education as opined by Nyere, knowledge-driven, performances base on reading and assimilating abilities, no room for practical questions, no place for innovation and creativity, just on NUC curricula which are practical on papers but theoretical in practice. This scheme was established to provide a remedial remediation to the loop holes and lapses in the Educational sectors.

    If truly we wish to change the country, we need to change our orientations towards this scheme, it should be a voluntary scheme not mandatory, it should not be made rudiment/yardsticks for employment but can be an added advantages, serving corpers should be pay reasonably, accommodation should be provided, a skill acquisition program should be included in the curricula of this scheme that at least a member can depend on to cater for his family after serving the country. Life impacting Conferences, seminars should be organize for all corpers, corpers should be encourage to serve their father land at will not on compulsion.

    Finally readers, let us learn to be an apostate of old traditions, let new innovations, yearly improvement in this scheme, as it is one of the grass root the youths can be truly prepare for the future. The future of this nation depends on these ill-treated potential-full graduates.

    By Adebo Adegboye David (Adewebs)

  • CDS Olonishakin and Nigeria’s Rising Military Profile In Africa

    Without any attempt to flatter, a dispassionate assessment of the appointees, President Muhammedu Buhari has made in sensitive areas reflect his innate persona and leadership qualities. They are usually honest, strict, thorough, focused and brutally blunt in the performance of official duties.

    Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin is one such appointee of the Buhari administration who is an exact replica of President Buhari’s disposition towards leadership. As CDS, it means his input and influence is required by each and all arms of Nigeria’s Armed Forces to wit: the Nigerian Army (NA) the Nigerian Navy Service (NNS) and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to achieve the highest level of national security and the field operational competence of the military.

    By implication, the failure of any arm of the armed forces in any assignment is a direct shadow of his leadership failure; much as their success infinitely illustrates his leadership dexterity and co-coordinative capabilities . Gen Olonishakin is not just conscious of this leadership burden on him, but is mindful of it in his interactions with the various arms of the armed forces at all times. He is also aware that Africa looks unto the Nigeria’s military as source of inspiration and where Nigeria fails, it is a loud statement about the presumed failure of the entire continent.

    It is public knowledge that the Nigerian military is facing its most engaging moments, in the history of the country. Assorted internal crimes of a violent nature have taken over the space of reason and sanity in some polluted souls. The excitement of indulgence in violent crimes and deliberate economic sabotage have unavoidably heightened insecurity on land, air and the waterways in Nigeria. Constant security vigilance by the Nigerian military have been the saving grace. But fortunately, the Nigerian military under the current dispensation deployed on any rescue mission, after failure of regular or civil security to combat such felonies, always prove their mettle beyond doubt.

    And in the near two years the present breed of Service Chiefs were elevated to such positions of service, the Nigerian military has proved in soul and spirit of its messianic mission. It has redeemed and reclaimed Nigeria from dark forces and every step of this success is largely the sterling leadership qualities and engagement of the tripartite arms of the Nigerian military by the CDS.

    For instance, a glimpse into the operations of the Nigerian Navy Service headed by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, especially in the Niger Delta region, reveals the worth and relevance of a military structured and elected for success under a competent CDS. The extent these military officers stake their necks or make uncommon sacrifices to secure Nigeria’s oil wealth is exceptional. .

    They are daily in the creeks of the Niger Delta and the high seas battling dangerously armed sea pirates, illegal oil bunkers’/thieves, illegal arms and ammunitions importation racketeers, criminal outings of militants groups in the region and economic saboteurs’. They protect and shield Nigeria’s sovereign waters from becoming the havens of criminals and other unapproved invasions by external forces or enemies. When the Nigerian Navy tackles these criminals on the high sea, the Nigeria Airforce under the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar supports the efforts with airstrikes where necessary, a perfect illustration of the smooth synergy among the Nigerian military.

    Providing responsive leadership in Nigeria is a herculean task. But the CDS has thrown his hat into the ring, which is responsible for the strings of victories of the various outings of the military under his watch. The NNS battles, arrest of suspected criminals and handing them over to prosecuting authorities and the recovery stolen vessels of crude oil and destruction of illegal refineries is a classic statement about the CDS, Gen. Olonisakin’s leadership efficacy of the Nigerian military.

    If Nigeria is rapidly regaining some economic strength from the recession, it is a consequence of the proactive and relentless actions of the military in protecting the oil wealth of the nation. It is mainly secured against the criminal activities of some unscrupulous elements by the Nigerian Navy.

    While working for excellence, the CDS ensures military officers are placed on the highest altitude of retraining on all aspects, including intelligence gathering to keep them fit for operations at all times. And this is a constant routine, as exemplified by plans in the offing for the Nigerian Navy to again harness the benefits of external collaboration to better discern and tackle the ever evolving challenges of global maritime security.

    For instance, the Nigerian Navy Day 2017 celebration slated to hold June 1st is planned to coincide with the arrival of the latest engineering masterpiece of the Indian Naval warship, code named INS Tarkash in Lagos. The warship is a modern frigate commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 9, 2012, which boasts of a crew of 300 and a high-density capacity of weapons and sensors to jointly conduct military exercises with Nigerian Navy after the Navy Day. It is a loud statement about the CDS’s continuous exposure of Nigerian military to modern knowledge and expertise in warfare.

    Nigerians are living witnesses to the horror, torments and pains inflicted on the people by the Boko Haram insurgency. The agonies and scars Boko Haram Terrorism deposited in many families and on Nigeria are relics that would eternally invoke psychological pains to millions. But under a competent Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai and the active support of the office and skills of the CDS, the counter-insurgency campaigns recorded a resounding victory within record time as directed by President Buhari.

    The CDS, Gen. Olonisakin has always been an integral part of the planning and execution of the strategies and tactics that humbled and eventually defeated Boko Haram insurgents . He consented to the exchange of resourceful ideas with foreign countries on combating acts of terrorism and ensured the knowledge exchanges between the Nigerian military and its foreign allies is ultimately utilized.

    Under the CDS’s watch, the different arms of the military enjoy a seamless synergy and field operations harmony in the collective aspiration to battle terrorism that ruined Nigeria. While Buratai’s ground troops moved against terrorists with fearlessness and calm mien, aiming at targets with military precision, the Nigerian Airforce complemented the efforts with airstrikes on Boko Haram abodes and hideouts.

    Gen. Olonisakin re-oriented the Nigerian military to perceive their special assignments as collectively working for national security, the preservation of Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This inculcated values ensured the operational co-operation among troops, which was very instrumental to the reclamation of most of the Nigerian territories annexed by Boko Haram terrorists.

    The capture of the hitherto dreaded Sambisa forest by Nigerian troops was movingly dramatic. While land troops advanced at the target, air force fighter jets secured the airspace against external interference with the military operations by Boko Haram terrorists foreign allies.

    There is no gainsaying, grounds troops blocked sources of food and ammunitions supply to terrorists in Nigeria. The e Nigerian Air Force also prevented such supplies through the air. This perfect working harmony and blend of operational ideas collectively yielded the respite and peace Nigerians enjoy from the defeat of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs).

    And in most instances, the CDS went the extra-mile to supervise operations, ensure adherence to orderliness, much as he emphasized professionalism of troops on special assignments. And where there were problems or noticeable lapses, he would not hesitate, but move swiftly to dialogue with other Service Chiefs for immediate solutions who perceived themselves as members of one family. Gen. Olonisakin partnered with all and sundry, including the media, to create the enabling environment for the military to thrive excellently and made every stakeholder believe all are battling to secure national security.

    The CDS’s Vision on assumption of duty as enunciated was “To ensure a well -motivated, trained and equipped Armed Forces that is responsive to national security commitments.” And he has lived his vision in the near two years of his leadership of the Nigerian military as CDS.

    Today, Africa and the world celebrate Nigeria for wriggling out of very complex insecurity problems. These were insecurity problems that had he potency to explode into a major national crisis, as experiences in countries with less of such problems have indicated. But the Nigerian military eclipsed the doomsday on Nigeria and the credit goes to President Buhari, the CDS, and his Service Chiefs for the wonderful and commendable outing.

    It explains whey Africa has not lost hope in its recovery into a prosperous continent and the Nigerian military is often pleaded to assist on special military expeditions in African countries. This has been re-echoed by the recent visit of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General (SRSG) for UNMIL (United Nations Military In Liberia). Mr. Farid Zarif to Nigeria’s CDS , Gen. Olonisakin at Defence Headquarters Abuja, requesting assistance of Nigerian military to assist Liberians transit peacefully to another democratic government. Mr. Zarif endearing described the anticipated presence of the Nigerian Military, as serving as deterrence and enthroning psychology comfort in Liberians.

    Angula, who is an Oil and Gas  expert writes from the United Kingdom.‎

  • Understanding AI, TI Conspiracy against multicultural, multiethnic Nigeria  

    A common thread runs through the world empires that rose to their prime and later collapsed, military decline. Not taken in isolation and not a sole factor, military decline or a gradual degradation and subsequent destruction of the military of these civilizations spelt their doom. In modern times foreign powers that are interested in destroying a targeted country simply set out about destroying its army and the collapse of other vital institutions and the country becomes a matter of domino effect.
    This process have been perfected to an extent that the population of the targeted country, who are most likely to suffer, are the deceived into applauding the destruction of their country. This is because the destruction of their military, contrary to being cataclysmic, is usually subtle; and where one would expect hostile entities driving the process, seemingly innocuous entities drive the process of destroying armies – hiding their destructive agenda behind the façade of being responsible international organizations.
    Nigeria has been under sustained attack, which it has remarkably weathered well. But there is a limit to which the resilience can last, which makes it crucial that citizens are enlightened to understand what their country is going through and how they should not be brainwashed into becoming facilitators for the destruction of their country with a concept that is locked on “destroy the military and the country is gone” principle.
    At the forefront of the war on Nigeria’s corporate integrity and future is Amnesty International (AI). On paper and on the storefront, AI is that respectable organization that polices the adherence to human rights of the world’s citizens. It mounts pressure on governments and corporate organizations to overhaul or reform their approach to human rights issues especially in the areas of free expression, incarceration, conduct during war and other crises. It has been at the forefront of the discontinuation of the death sentence even if the convict were a murderer; to AI death sentence is nothing short of state sanctioned murder.
    Given the unfettered access it has to the corporate media, the treatment its frequent scathing reports against certain countries get is the dream of every PR practitioner, AI is able to launder its image in a way that has left large swathes of the earth’s population swearing by its name each time they perceived they have been wronged or their rights trampled upon.
    Yet it is not all as it seems. Amnesty International has its ugly side. Its reports have proven to be more  subjective than objective and is influenced more by what fate has been decided for a country or its leader than by the genuine desire to improve on the quality of freedoms its citizens enjoy. In implementing this kind of brief, particularly in the middle, AI has been known to look away when its favoured side is involved in committing the atrocities. By the way, the atrocities are in most cases the product of its interference in the affairs of the countries that are in crisis.
    Often times Amnesty International issues slew of reports demonizing the country, its leader and army with the goal of securing forceful intervention from coalition countries. Once it gets the coalition countries the excuse they have been waiting for to invade a sovereign country it reverts to carrying on as if that country never existed. Libya is a testament to this modus operandi. The travesty is that the process of sacking the supposed leader who is killing his citizens often kill more of those same citizens; the aftermath of the misplaced interventions kill even more.
    In Nigeria, Amnesty International, possibly in reaction to client feedback, modified its approach. Its strategy, from the much that have been seen, is to continually issue reports aimed at forcing the army into a position where it is constrained in its operation against Boko Haram terrorists it is fighting in the northeast of the country. Each time the military make gains in the counter-terrorism operation AI issues reports that amount to threats and blackmail of human rights abuses charges against the troops, which leaves them demoralized and allowed Boko Haram fighters to recover and launch more deadly attacks.
    The same strategy applied to other insurgents and separatists that Nigeria’s security agencies are containing in the southeast and destructive militants in the south-south. There have been instances when it went to the extreme of harassing the Nigerian state on behalf of looters of the public tills that are in incarceration.
    Some Nigerians finally woke up to the reality of Amnesty International’s subversive activities in Nigeria, after finally realizing that the nation’s military was not lying in its previous refutals of that organization’s several reports of human rights violation. The citizens were taken by surprise when Amnesty international fought back when they demanded it leaves Nigeria in view of its activities. That episode seemed to have forced the human rights campaigning organization into hasty retreat even though it did not boot it out of Nigeria like protesters wanted.
    AI’s clients simply dusted up and introduced another respectable looking organization, Transparency International into the project against the military in Nigeria. The anti-corruption organization wasted no time in delivering a report that promptly accuse  accused the army of being rotten beyond measure even though the incidents upon which it based that conclusion have been overtaken by events. The military services of 2017 were accused of shady deals transacted two decades ago.
    The accusation, it turned out, was a preface . The real chorus to the chant to destroy Nigeria came as Transparency International whipped out the collective hymnal, more like a manual, and repeated demands that Amnesty International once made to immediate past US President, Barack Obama. The crux of the matter is to prevent the military in Nigeria from buying arms. It became a matter of finding just any excuse to keep the army away from fighting terrorists: human rights abuse, repression, corruption and they will likely at some point accuse the Nigerian Army as not being gender balance just so there will be something to justify why Islamic State affiliated terrorists will get weapons and the Nigerian Army could not get same.
    The foregoing may appear as something that calls for concern, which is rightly so. The greatest concern comes when one realizes that Amnesty International and Transparency International will soon be exploiting Nigeria’s multi-cultural and multi-ethnic configuration, according to details that were leaked from their collaboration. It is a phase of the assault on Nigeria that the two group’s operatives in Nigeria have promised their handlers would not fail to unravel the country. The argument is that their international credentials would make Nigerians easily believe any manipulated stories they are fed by either of the entities. Implementation of the agenda has reached an advanced stage as seen in the issuance of the military corruption report, on which Transparency International collaborated with Amnesty International’s staffers.
    The only thing left to stop this wrecking train is for Nigerians to abandon difference along religious and ethnic lines since it is the next stop on the route that Amnesty and Transparency International have chose to make Nigeria implode by first rendering its military inefficient​.

    Ainoko, a peace and conflict resolution expert writes from Barnawa, Kaduna.‎

  • Patriotism of the Nigeria military 

    A recent research by a UK risk analysis firm, Maplecroft published by CNN. showed that growing levels of conflict, terrorism, and the toppling of regimes in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as political violence in East Africa, are driving a rise in political instability not only in those sun continents, but worldwide. ‎

    The report showed that since 2010, one in ten of the countries surveyed have experienced a significant increase in the level of short-term political risk which ‎ includes “governments asserting control over natural resources, regimes being ousted by popular uprisings and the expropriation of foreign investors’ assets.”‎
    This is a confirmation of the fact that  the level of political instability affects the business environment in countries and the extent of its negative impact is according to the level of the severity of the situation in that area.
    Not surprisingly,  Syria and Somalia, which have become notorious for political upheavals currently have the worst business an investment climates in the world as nobody wants to enter or do business under a highly risky and volatile environment.

    The rest of Africa has not fared better as there have been scores of regime changes, attempted coups and other forms of political activism that have given rise to fear and trepidation in the last decade leading to malnutrition, hunger and starvation ‎
    Recently, the Nigerian Army Chief, LT. General Tukur Buratai raised an alarm over a possible coup in the country and warned officers and men in the military  who have been meeting with politicians in apparent attempt to stage a coup, to perish any thought about a possible regime change in the country and to be loyal only to the Nigerian State.‎
    This intervention has cast the Nigerian military, hitherto seen as hungry for power and desperate to grab power in a different light, it has revealed another aspect of the military institution showing that its men and officers are patriotic, selfless and progressive minded.
    It has also put a lie to the claim that they are self serving and lacking in civility who always prosper in at atmosphere of chaos.‎
    The Nigerian military has proven that it’s support for democracy, the deepening of the rule of law and strengthening of all democratic institutions in the country are not just values it believes in but ones it is prepared to go any length to uphold. ‎
    This is against the backdrop of the fact that an incursion into the country’s political space would have been beneficial to few in the ranking of that institutions who would have distributed top political positions to themselves and used other plum positions to settle a section of the restive civilian populace as was the practice in the past.
    But the Nigerian military this time around, chose to look beyond personal gains and assessed the impact on the entire nation and seeing the effect another round of uncertainty would have on the ranking of Nigeria among the comity of civilised nations, the confusion it would bring into the Nigeria political space and the attendant hardship on the populace  due to the instability that would be entrenched, chose to act in the most patriotic manner by exposing the intentions of a few rotten eggs within its fold. ‎
    It is said that Nigeria would have advanced further than this in both democratic experience and the shaping of its destiny if not for the first military incursion into politics in 1966.
    Like most adventures of that nature, not only did the coup not help solve the problems it identified, it further raised suspicions among the various components that make up Nigeria and the ensuing 30 month civil war which shook Nigeria to its  foundation. ‎
    Subsequent attempts at regimes changes have also had their negative impacts. Then overthrow of Yakubu Gowon by Murtala Muhammed gave cause for middle belt officers led by Bukar Dimka, to try and stage a counter coup leading to unnecessary bloodshed and tension within the country.
    The coup that brought Buhari in as head of state in 1983 was sacked unceremoniously with another that brought in Babangida in less than two years worsening the political climate then.‎
    So the nature of coups the world over especially in Africa and Nigeria has not been palatable.
    They serve to weaken democracy,, usher in dictatorship, destroy the business climate, introduce fear and in the end leave matters worse than they were.
    That is why this recent revelation by the military on the attempt by few to take us back to those dark ages and the effort it has so far made to check such adventure must be commended. I‎f  other countries and indeed Nigeria had in the past  had such early warning signs from their military such incidents would have been averted and the world would have been the better for it.

    Within the  period of this administration alone, the Nigerian military has fought fierce battles to keep Nigeria one by degrading and weakening the base of insurgency in Nigeria.
    It has sacrificed many of its  gallant men and women as well as officers to achieve that. ‎
    It has also  lived up to the promise of the current administration to rescue the 276 school girls abducted in Chibok, Borno State in 2014  and has succeeded in rescuing alloys half that number so far with indications that it would more in that direction in the not too distant future.
    Within the same period, the Nigerian military has also succeeded in reoriented  its personnel to interact and interface with the civil populace in a manner that is a fresh breath away from its previous image of an institution that is intolerant to orderliness and decorum
    Add to this its recent donation to Nigeria, this exposure of a coup and the stern warning for men and officers to steer clear of politics and you will see a refreshing, highly professional and patriotic institution emerging.
    Nigeria must do all it can to sustain this attitude in the military and support the emerging culture of its officers for the country and it’s democracy  to grow to a stage where Nigeria would become a reference point for good governance, strong institutions and infrastructure development .‎
    ‎
    ‎‎Ugo, peace and conflict resolution expert writes from Canada Water, United Kingdom.

  • Boko Haram: Of Sugar Coated Lies and Poisonous Potions

    The most dangerous level of lying is when the liar becomes addicted to manipulating the truth to an extent that he begins to believe his own lies as the truth. According to Vladimir Lenin, “A lie told often enough becomes the truth.” Therein lies the danger to the society because history is forever distorted when such lies, presented as truth, go unchallenged as the future generations would read perverted accounts of events and would be non the wiser for it. It is this concept that convener of ENDS (Every Nigerian Do Something) terrorist sympathizer, Perry Brimah, sought to explore in his treatise that claimed that Jonathan defeated Boko Haram while President Muhammadu Buhari mopped up.

    It is no surprise that Brimah got the brief to market evil as good. He has a track record in managing spin albeit unsuccessfully. His resume includes presenting fanatical members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) as victims and martyrs that are being oppressed by a repressive Federal Republic of Nigeria. The only problem? The group is an outlawed entity that a competent Judicial Panel deemed as militarized and radical. So is his brand of truth that it sought to misinform about a judicial panel.
    Except he can prove otherwise, the essence of Brimah’s latest venture is to wrongly credit the disastrous government of former President Goodluck Jonathan with defeating an insurgency he helped aggravated. Given the mind boggling tales of malfeasance that surface daily about that dark era, Brimah’s lies fall in the realm of the ultimate insult. It is even more irresponsible that he unskillfully tried to mask the lies with a generous dose of half truths and those truths that cannot be wished away.
    The truths in this case include his account of the initial blame game and ethnic biases that dominated the early days of Boko Haram becoming feral. As he noted, Jonathan was indifferent to the extent that he concluded the terror group was a creation of Nigerians in the north and they can kill themselves for all he cared. It was in the same period that the then opposition leader and now President Muhammadu Buhari expressed concerns at the way innocent people were being caught in the crossfire on the few occasions that the Army Jonathan commanded fought the terrorists. This truth does not however offer any mitigation for the half lies that followed.
    For instance, Brimah, defender of human rights and freedom of the people, rues the decision of Jonathan to only impose a limited “half-baked” state of emergency in Borno state when he finally roused from his self induced slumber to act. The version emergency rule that this activists had wanted was for an elected governor to be sacked by an equally elected president. It was a misadventure under one time President Olusegun Obasanjo, which the law courts have put to rest as illegal. The implication of his preferred approach is that the Convener of ENDS absolutely has no regard for the constitution and would rather it is discarded to pave way for the hounding of people that are not in his good book.
    Another half truth is presenting the refusal of the United States’ Barack Obama to sell military hardwares to the Jonathan led Nigeria and further blocking other countries from doing so. One, the Armed Forces under Jonathan barely followed rules of engagement, which resulted in accusations of human rights abuse, a justification that Brimah’s ally, Amnesty International explored to pursue the blockage of arms sales to Nigeria. The problem of human rights abuses created under Jonathan was to remain a burden for the military until the government of President Buhari was able to reverse the trend. Two, the pervasive corruption and pathological theft of state resources on an industrial scale under Jonathan was another justification for the US blocking arms sales. Although many of us criticized the US at that time, with the benefit of the what is known as “Dasukigate”, Nigerians and indeed the world now knows better.
    That the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, circulated pictures of hardware supposedly purchased by the Jonathan government is something for which he should separately stand trial. First, the pictures were mostly photoshopped jobs of images stolen from the internet; if these hardware were procured as stated he should tender them as evidence in his ongoing trial instead of challenging the jurisdiction of the court and seeking technicalities to explain the theft of $2.3 billion. Secondly, which competent NSA would openly advertise his latest acquisition when that would provide the needed information to his enemies, which would help them modify their attack strategies?
    The lies won’t stop coming. Why should we praise the clueless one for attempting to solve a problem he worsened in the first place. In the almost six years he could have done something meaningful he did not: he could have at least prevented the terror group from going ballistic like it did even if he did not stamp it out. Instead, as Brimah himself admitted, he was exploiting Boko Haram as a political tool for regional suppression and as a constant subhead for stealing money. At some point, when it became clear that he would roundly lose any election, he was hinted to have considered using Boko Haram as cover not to hold elections – he later proved this by using it as a cover to shift the polls in the hope that he would recover some ground before votes are cast. To justify the postponement of the elections, the army that was largely demoralized under him was for the first time ordered to fight and show some result for PR benefits. The proof? Boko Haram usually returns to any town or village the Jonathan commanded Army liberated.
    By the way, these tales of liberated places under Jonathan came at a price higher than paying $350 per night to mercenaries who would normally be standing trial in their home country for committing crimes; we also paid the price of suffering the indignity of leaving our affairs in the hands of people who would find a way for the crisis to persist so that they can continue to get paid.
    As for the stories of the places that Brimah considered as liberated under Jonathan, one only needs ask why he refused to do a victory lap to the place and why IDPs did not immediately return there. He should also explain why the military under President Buhari had to liberate these places a second time. Had Jonathan won the election, would he have bothered about the mopping up that Brimah is now dismissing as inconsequential. If a mopping up is not done and the liberated places demined would it have qualified as defeat of the terror group?
    It is comical that Brimah, who is one of those chanting the anthem that Boko Haram cannot be considered defeated, has now changed gear to claim that they were defeated under the previous government. This double standard on an unprecedented scale.
    While we may be already accustomed to Brimah’s penchant for distorting facts to suit his current brief, this treatise of his should put Nigerians on alert because like the gathering of clouds that precede storms, articles like this from Brimah indicate that there is a major offensive in the offing against the state. His article is the poisonous potion intended to numb the public consciousness to the realities of the dark days that his hero, Goodluck Jonathan, brought Nigeria to the precipe. Beyond the now, the article is further intended to poison history and archives so that future generations will be fed lies.
    We must therefore not encourage Brimah, or any other person for that matter, to continue repeating lies to the extent that they begin to sound like the truth. What is needed is to call him out on this distortion of the Boko Haram defeat story. We must call him out on any future manipulation of truth he may get the brief to carry out.

    Kolawole PhD, a University teacher contributed this piece from Keffi, Nasarawa State.