It is public knowledge that President Muhammadu Buhari did not make the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday.
For three consecutive Wednesdays, the president did not show up for the FEC meeting and Nigerians have begun to ask questions with some offering answers that suits their interpretations of the occurrence.
Those genuinely concerned have advised the President to take his time and rest so that he would fully recover before continuing with task of governance , but some with selfish intentions, have advocated a drastic measure that would suit their interests, calling on the President to resign.
Information Minister Lai Mohammed, not one to shy away from giving an accurate report of the condition of the President, has explained that there is nothing to worry about and that the commander-in-chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces has only decided to take a rest from official functions on the advice of his doctors.
While addressing State House correspondents after a meeting of the FEC on Wednesday, Lai said the President only chose today to rest on that particular day and recalled that he was in his office the previous day.
“He is taking his doctors’ advice so that he can fully recover,” the minister said.
The President’s wife, Aisha, who is also in a position to know equally, dismissed fears expressed in certain quarters saying the President’s condition is nowhere near the pitiable state some would want us to imagine.
The wife of the president is equally know for her frankness and sincerity even when the matter is about her family members and she did not hide it when she felt that those who contributed to the success of the current administration were being left out.
At that time, she was applauded because her views appeared confrontational, but now that her candour is giving a positive image of the President, many have tend to ignore her verdict.
But aside the two, recall also that on Tuesday, it was reported by many Nigerian media organizations that the President was in office and that he even met with the minister of justice as well as the managing director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
This report which has not been controverted by any of the organs of the media that carried the story, is now being questioned on the basis that no picture of the said meeting was made available to the public, forgetting that not all functions within the villa are for press coverage.
When the president did not turn up as expected at the FEC meeting as reported, the cynics got a slice of what they were hoping for and could no longer be appeased. For the president to have preferred to listen to his doctor’s advice is for them, enough proof that he is on life support.
But what an irony. These are the same people that will not let their loved ones do anything contrary to a physician’s advice.
For as long as one can remember, it has been the better side of caution for people not to question the advice of their physician even if it all other issues point to the contrary.
Is it therefore not surprising that some would now be expecting Baba to defy his doctor just to prove a point?
A one day break, by all standards is usually not too much to allow for an employer to grant an ailing staff. One wonders why the case of Buhari should be different.
Much as Lai Mohammed’s explanation has sufficed, there are others who would want to subject it to further scrutiny in order to rubbish the fact and logic in the statement just to stretch forth their earlier position and bad wishes for the president.
It is well known that there are some who are praying for the worst to happen to the Nigerian president in their calculation that they stand to benefit if there is a change of guards at the villa. They were the ones that sponsored all sorts of reports about the president when he was in the UK. They forget that power belongs to God and He alone can give or take.
In further attempts to heat the polity, some have come up with mischievous comparisons between what happened between 2009 to 2010 when then president Umaru Yar’Adua took ill and was flown abroad for treatment and what is happening now.
Commentators like Femi Fani- Kayode seeking for an occasion tried to draw more parallels between the two dispensations.
But how mischievous can some people be.
The situation under question is neither similar not comparable to what happened in the Yar’Adua era in the sense that there is no concealment in the present circumstance and Nigerians are fully aware that of the President’s condition having himself admitted to them on his return from the UK that he had been never been this ill.
Another thing is the veracity of all the facts in the narrative. When the President was in the UK, he called several persons to either felicitate with them or condole with them over the loss of loved ones. Though he spoke with like former head of state, Yakubu Gowon are not known to condone frivolity that it can be imagined that they could have been manipulated to act to a script. Later, he was placed on speakerphone while speaking to a live audience in kano through the governor’s cell phone. Even Fani-Kayode would admit that was not the voice of his brother.
When he came back, the whole world saw him walking on his feet via live television and spoke with the presence of mind that registered how sound he was. So there is nothing hidden about it.
It has been stated previously that the president is human and like all mortals is subject to certain vagaries that affect every living being which include the tendency to fall sick
But in a reassuring way, President Buhari has been able to show that he remains the man for the job as he has despite the distractions kept his eye on the ball and has not allowed the challenges to affect his passion to steer the affairs of the nation in such a way that would benefit the common man.
It was while all these were going on, when people were saying he is being fed through a tube that the exchange rate improved in favour of the naira and it was during this period that the whistle blower policy became effective to the extent that millions of dollars and other hard currencies were recovered in the apartments of those who looted the economy during the previous administrations.
Within this period also, the Boko Haram had tried in vain to re-launch their heinous activities and recapture territories to use as their operational base but were defeated and further degraded.
Also within this period, fuel supply remained at a constant and at a stable price. This is worth mentioning because there was a time when even with a ‘healthy’ president around, product availability and price kept playing see saw with Nigerians.
Also within the period, power supply increased to over 3,000 megawatts while efforts to consolidate and improve on generation have been fruitful.
Good evidence that the president is much in control of his government is the fact that all his men are working as a team and have continued to give their best with all sense of responsibility. Compare this with what happened during the contrived interim national government (ING) and you will get the picture that there is coordinating factor.
Another fact that cannot be ignored is that the president’s body language has been very much present in all walks of life. This is manifest in the re-orientation of the average Nigerian to work hard and avoid corrupt tendencies.
This obviously has stayed the hands of many from corruption and introduced a new regime in the country where abstaining from corruption and exposing same has become the rule rather than the exception.
With such advantages of having the Buhari persona in command, it did not matter to many that he was absent as the FEC meeting. The activities of government have been at a full swing that his absence at the federal executive council meeting is not being noticed as it has become an insignificant development overlooked by well meaning Nigerians for the general good.
Category: Opinion
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Buhari absent at FEC but present in governance
Odoma, a public affairs commentator contributed this piece from Abuja. -
Significance of Buhari’s second term posters
Within the past one week, it can be observed that an array of positive comments on the president has been unleashed by a mass of right thinkers which has overshadowed the erstwhile few negative reports about his health.
From an incoherent echo of alarmists who tried to raise unnecessary concern over the president’s health, the narrative about the true condition of the number one citizen’s health has hit the airwaves with a reassuring thud that has confirmed that President Buhari is nowhere near the negative reports but closer to the fit and fiddle enigma Nigerians have always known him to be.
Vacuous and laughable reports that tend to suggest that the president is finding it hard to eat and drink have been overtaken by provable reports of his presiding over meetings and attending to official matters.
Driving the narrative a stretch further to indicate that the Nigerian President has grown past the stage of being hoodwinked by a cabal, an intervention from people who ought to know, who have taken the narrative to the next level, to wit that not only is the president healthy, but that he is ready to offer himself to serve Nigeria for another four year term at the expiration of the current tenure which ends in May 2019.
Championing this new vista that offers hope and light to Nigeria is the former governor of Rivers State and current minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi who has offered point blank that not only is the president healthy and carrying out his functions dutifully, but that he is ready to go for another term.
Place that side by side with the assurance from the leader of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Olumba Olumba, who said the president would definitely outlive his tenure then the bigger picture unfolds.
But of utmost importance is that during the week, posters of the president urging him to run for a second term have appeared in many parts of the country like Kaduna, Abuja, Lagos, port Harcourt and Makurdi to mention but a few.
What this implies is simply that the citizenry have appreciated the efforts of the president who though being human and has been constrained by few instances where he was indisposed, has unarguably given Nigerians his best.
This point is not lost on Nigerians who flout the gains made in the degradation of insurgents thereby improving the security situation in the county as worthy of commendation and the blow dealt on corruption and wastages leading to the recovery of trillion of naira within a short period and the rescue of the economy.
Those like Femi Falana who try to make political capital out of the few instances the president has been indisposed are oblivious of the fact that a larger percentage of the populace feel pained that some citizens would wish Nigeria to go back to its dark says of infamy where insurgents take hold of territories, kill at will and after the government of the day.
They are also at a loss how some that witnessed the orgy of looting of the past administration would have the guts to cast aspersions on a man who had nothing to gain but yet offered himself to serve the country.
Nigerians still can’t believe that the foundation for waste and squandermania, lack of vision and plan for the economy, would be preferable to some to the current situation that offers hope and confidence.
Some of the posters are a sight to behold, they not only call on Nigerians to think of their future but have even thumb-printed in the image of ballot paper for the president.
Others are simply a chant for him to continue his good works while some are reminders of what makes the Buhari personal tick.
A closer observation of these outings would reveal that much as they are simplistic, they carry weighty messages that should be appreciated by the average Nigerian.
Most strikingly is that they are obviously personal interventions not sponsored by money bags, but glaringly coming from an array of individuals who appreciate the effort of the president and would want him back.
This of course is the background to the popular support revived by the president in 2015 and what this means is that his popularity has joy waned.
Some of the persons who have offered to do this for the country should be identified and encouraged.
But most importantly, the message in the posters should not be lost; Nigerians have not had a true and sincere leadership as they are having now and would want it to continue, hence Buhari must be encouraged to run again run for the Presidency in 2019.Obiorah is a public affairs commentator writing from Abuja.
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Buhari: Time To Rally Round The President
When you look at the number of churches and mosques that bestrode the land, one can easily concede that Nigerians are very religious and godly people. But the conclusion might be the worst mistake anybody can make.
The hearts of majority of Nigerians are far from anything religious. And the evidence is not far-fetched It explains why evil dominates the land. It is reason, in spite of the overt subscription to religiosity, violent crimes besiege the land. It explains why Nigerians are very corrupt and even steal from their own farms monies they don’t even need in their lifetime.
It is reason why Nigerians have taken over the throne of God Almighty and believe they have the power to determine life and death. It is these same arrogant convictions and the usurpation of the power of God Almighty that make some Nigerians feel a leader ought not to fall sick and recuperate from illness.
There is so much inexplicable and needless fuss about the health condition of President Muhammedu Buhari. When he was away for treatment in London for 52 days, all manner of speculations polluted the land. Some said, he was dead; others said he is severely sick and incapacitated to continue in office.
Just any other odd thing was said about Buhari’s sickness. Surely, others may have prayed in their secrecy that he dies because one man’s misfortune is another man’s fortune. Very ungodly Nigerians keep pulling satanic strings against themselves, the nation and its leaders.
There is nothing spectacular about anyone falling sick. It does not matter whether you are a leader, a lawyer, market woman or bricklayer. Even doctors who treat others also fall sick and sometimes, even die from ailments they have used their talents to save the lives of others. It is precisely the mystery and divinity of life.
Only God Almighty has the power to decree life and death. It is only Him who knows every phase of your life; that is when to rise to stardom; when to ascend the leadership ladder; when to fall sick and when to recover from the illness and for how long.
The current anger in the land now is because President Buhari says he needs more time to recuperate from his ailment. And to some perverse Nigerians, it is an indication that he is gravely sick and should have willingly vacated office. They are more interested in the power which resides in Buhari. They are not concerned about his recovery. Despite their religiosity, morality has not thought them to pray for sick souls. They eat, drink and sleep on evil thoughts. And in this satanic lifestyle, they curry followership.
Ekiti state Governor Ayodele Fayose who also tags himself a Pastor predicted the death of President Buhari at the peak of the 2015 electioneering campaigns. And some debauch Nigerians who share his odd vision about life, feel Buhari’s ailment is eventually his death. So, they are happy and whisper it from ear to ear.
But President Buhari never concealed the fact that he was severely sick for the first time in his life. When he returned to Nigeria after treatment in London, he informed Nigerians that he would still go for follow-up medical checks , which is normal with anybody gravely sick as he admitted. He also said, he needed enough time to recover and re-bounce back to his healthy self. Nigerians heard it. But some evil-minded ones felt he has no such rights because he is President of Nigeria. Haba!
Last week, President Buhari told Nigerians he would no longer be going to the office, but remains at home, in his official residence in the villa, and only performs necessary functions, as he needed rest. Obviously, the tasking routine of office denied him this rest since he came back after treatment. He made it clear that all the files requiring his attention would be brought to him at his official residence at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
No doubt, Nigerians, political jobbers, businessmen and all manner of people deprived the President the needed rest when he came back after treatment. They besieged him daily and very mindless of the fact that he is still recovering from sickness. These same Nigerians take two months leave in their offices to rest after treating malaria fever. But Buhari does not deserve it.
There is wisdom is what Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai disclosed about the necessity of President Buhari to rest and recover fully. He said, the pressure of governance does not come from official files or the memos a Governor or the President peruses daily; but from the rigours seeing people and holding discussions. It exalts an incredible strain on the body and soul. Nigerians have subjected President Buhari to this treatment, regardless of his condition and the President says, it’s enough, his health first and some people have filled the rumour-mill with every garbage.
What is so extra-ordinary about such declaration that some Nigerians are making a mountain out of a molehill? Has government ceased functioning because President Buhari is recuperating from illness? Framers of the Nigerian Constitution and elsewhere in the world are not fools to make provision for deputies to chief executives. They envisaged that the chief executive and in this case, President Buhari could fall sick, proceed on annual leave or even travel out for whatever reasons, but a vacuum should not be created.
For the 52 days he was in London for medical vacation, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo acted on his behalf. He is back and still Nigeria’s President and since he has no enough strength to face the ardous task of governing Nigeria minutely as required, the Vice President would continue to do a greater percentage of the official duties. It means, he shall only attend to extremely very sensitive and important official matters. So, where has he erred to warrant the bashing and evil propaganda by some devilish Nigerians?
Has Vice President Osinbajo complained President Buhari is inaccessible to him? Or he is unable to relate with him on state matters. Can someone be bold enough to clear the air? Why invoke the Constitution at this point? If Buhari becomes so incapacitated to continue in office, the Constitution does not say he should be forced to relinquish power. He has to do it willingly and Buhari is one leader who is largely very honest with himself and Nigerians. He will not spend a minute of delay, once the circumstances suggest that he can no longer continue in office.
Nigerians stop idling over mundane issues. So, the time has come for President Buhari’s loyalists to act; to stand up and to defend a leader who is unjustly and unfairly maligned by power mongers and ethnic champions. They should stand up and put an end to the madness of those playing politics with the President’s health, as if falling ill is the exclusive reserve of the President. The Nigerian Constitution does not say when the President falls sick, he should vacate power.
On the flip side, the power mongers should rather be happy that President Buhari has minimized the extent of state engagements. And in his place, the Vice President is actively functioning and performing as they claimed. The same vagabonds in power claimed President Buhari is running a Northern agenda in the Presidency and did everything at their disposal to vilify him. But today, the reason of Buhari’s plea of time to fully recover from his ailment has increased the visibility of Vice President Osinbajo. Should this not make them happier hence Osinbajo has the opportunity now to also promote a Southern agenda.
Nigerians should begin to be serious with themselves. They should learn to engage and dissipate their energies on worthwhile ventures. They should copy the positive attitudes of citizens of other nations. It does not mean the number of years German Chancellor Angela Merkel has remained on seat, she has not fallen sick. But have Germans ever made an issue out of it because their leader is sick?
It is so sad and irritating to realize that despite the extent of the endowment of Nigerians, some deliberately make themselves the laughing stock of the world. President Buhari is still loved by the Nigerian masses and no matter the ill-feelings power mongers nurse against him, it will not obliterate this passion for him. The power vermins can only wish and invoke satanic prayers against him, but God Almighty will not give His blessings to it. It is time for Nigerian masses to rise up in defence of President Buhari against the swords of these vultures and locusts of power.
Tarka, an elder-statesman writes from Tarka Local Govern[truncated by WhatsApp]
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Senate: Nigeria’s number one enemy
Among the functions of the Nigerian senate is to scrutinise and pass bills into law, and also, an oversight of the conducts of government officials.
For the avoidance of doubts, Nigerian senators (I stand to be corrected) are the highest paid Senators in the whole wide world, in terms of salary, allowances and what have you. It’s also safe to say, they are the most nonfunctional set of senators in the whole world compared to their remunerations.
Nigerian senators spend more time out of the Lawmaking chamber than they actually do making laws in the chamber, They are also the most useless among the two chambers of the NASS (Senate and HoR) in Nigeria.
Their precedent has always been self-serving and to always enact policies and pass bills that are anti-people while blocking bills and policies that are pro-people
They are also the most useless among the two chambers of the NASS (Senate and HoR) in Nigeria.
Their precedent has always been self-serving and to always enact policies and pass bills that are anti-people while blocking bills and policies that are pro-people.
Senators ideally, are supposed to be in the house to represent their people, be the voices of their people and make sure they make laws that favour their people by enacting laws and passing bills that actually benefit the population as well as block policies that aren’t good for Nigeria as a country and the majority of its populace, but the reverse is always the case with our lawmakers, it’s almost as if they are there for themselves and their immediate families, they only go there to enrich themselves and their cronies, make it hard for serious government appointees and public servants to function properly, a double whammy given their own non-functional state.
The 2015 election ushered in a new era in the history of Nigerian politics, a new party with a different ideology than we have had in the past, new leadership. A party built around people with integrity, we were all ecstatic after the 2015 elections, in which for the first time since 1999, we were able to wrestle power from the party of vampires and yam eaters, a party that was built around thieves and killers.
To many of us, having someone like General Muhammad Buhari as the President and C-in-C of Nigeria was all a Nigerian could ask for from God, and having members of the ruling Party APC as the majority in the National Assembly was a plus for us, as we thought in our wildest imagination, the President wouldn’t have difficulties governing and bringing the necessary CHANGE APC as a party promised Nigerians.
Alas, we were all wrong, it was only a wild imagination, we were duped. For the record, most of these lawmakers rode on the back of the CHANGE APC promised Nigerians, they rode on the popularity of President Muhammadu Buhari to win their elections, only to go to the house and become the biggest stumbling block to his policies that are supposed to make life better for the Nigerian populace.
It all started when the 8th senate was convened, The current senate President who I supported by the way at first for the position of the number three citizen of Nigeria, until he connived with PDP, the party that has inflicted so much pain on Nigerians and went against his own party that brought him to power.
The All Progressive Congress by the way interfered in the leadership tussle of the National Assembly after people like Bukola Saraki persuaded them to do so to avoid a divided house among the APC lawmakers who were supposed to be the majority and take control of the house, only to go ahead and rebelled against the party by betraying them and aligning with PDP lawmakers in the National Assembly to criminally amend some of the constitution of the National Assembly to become the senate President.
I was one of those who were rooting for Senator Bukola Saraki to become the Senate President because of his vibrancy and public engagements, but after what he did to the party that gave him a lifeline; urging them to interfere only to go ahead and double cross them, I like million other Nigerians became enraged.
Such level of treachery shouldn’t be condoned in a party that promised Nigerians, a departure from the past, a dream I together with thousand other youths helped sold to Nigerians. We felt betrayed, to make matters worse, included in the deal the senate president signed with the opposition was making their man the deputy senate president, that was the beginning of complications for the APC in the upper chamber, it then mean, whenever the senate president is not around to preside over the house, then a member of the minority party will be presiding over lawmakers from the majority, a slap in the face to the President and the Party itself. Such is the level of ridicule Bukola Saraki exposed APC to.
Mr Saraki as it stands is a compromised individual, because he will have to impress the evil members of PDP to Remain Senate President and will equally have to make it hard for APC to achieve anything meaningful as long as he remains the Senate President, because helping APC in achieving its objectives means stepping on the toes of PDP as a Party and it’s lawmakers, who will do anything humanly and inhumanely possible to make APC fail and look bad, which means, As long as Bukola Saraki remains President, APC as a party and Nigeria as a country can kiss having any meaningful policy that needs legislation before getting executed goodbye.
Personally, I would’ve argued that there are Senators that are Pro Nigeria and are trying to make a difference in the National Assembly, but it’s hard to argue in support of that, it’s crystal clear all the senators are there for their own selfish reason and not to represent their people, it can be succinctly put that no Senator is there to improve the living condition of ordinary Nigerians, because none of them have been able to show they are different, non of these Senators have been able to even attempt going against the current leadership to show they are not happy with the way things are being done, instead, the few that tried, got compensated with juicy committees appointments and the rest as they say, has been history ever since, it then means, their actions have not always been about the populace but about themselves.
The ones that won election and went into the Senate by riding on APC and President Buhari’s popularity and by deceiving people that they are activists, happened to be worse than their PDP rogues they even met there, they have been the biggest supporter of the current leadership that have made sure no meaningful bill is passed in the house, their rewards can be seen in their constituency allocations, where they have the largest chunk in their respective states, pretty sure, if you go to their constituencies, you won’t see half what was allocated to them.
Even honourable Gudaji Kazaure that a lot of Nigerians admire because of his courage in always saying the truth as it is and being one of President Buhari’s biggest supporter in the House of Representatives, came out during the budget padding saga in which Abdulmumin Jibrin Exposed the fraud in the house and said they know the budget padding fraud is true but they are still behind the Speaker, It then means, even the most courageous Members of this 8th Assembly are protecting their own interest first and foremost, Nigeria’s interest comes after, even if we should believe Nigeria’s interest comes first for you, if you aren’t doing anything in the Nass to convince us, then you aren’t making any difference.
To make matters worse, The senators aren’t doing the work that took them to the Upper Chamber, they have refused to pass the bills that the President sent to them to make the fight against corruption a little bit easy, they have refused to also sponsor bills that will make life of an average Nigerian better, they are also bent on frustrating the appointees that are doing their job excellently.
One of those instances, is the confirmation of the Acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, the Senate who Nigerians have no atom of respect for nor confidence in by the way, believes the Acting EFCC Chairman has dirt on him, hence the reason they are rejecting his nomination.
This is the Second time President Buhari is sending Magu’s name to the Senate for confirmation, but in both instances, he was rejected because the senators whose leadership and some members are undergoing trials for corruption-related allegations and offences and numerous others under the radar of EFCC feels Magu, who is been doing an excellent job so far is not fit for the job, who are they kidding.
To me personally, I don’t care about what Magu does or doesn’t, the fact that Majority of these Senators think Magu is not fit for the job means he is the man for the job, that alone is convincing to me, being rejected by the senate is the only credibility a nominee needs, even though, to some extent, the Presidency should share in the blame for not handling the issue properly, the DSS is answerable to President, even though, I am aware, the issue of the conflicting report the DSS sent separately to the Presidency and the Senate was addressed by the Presidency, as Ibrahim Magu wasn’t found wanting in the alleged report, and Senator Bukar Mustapha representing Katsina north senatorial district also asserted after the screening brouhaha that the decision of the senate to reject the acting EFCC Chairman wasn’t based on the DSS report, it then means, the senate acted on their own volition, it’s their own way of frustrating the fight against corruption which is the number one problem Nigerians have been facing and are still facing.
The second being the invitation of Col. Hamid Ali by the senate for his plan to impose import duty on vehicles purchased through the land border from 2015, agreed, its the senate’s duty to summon the Custom boss to appear before it to explain why such measure is being taken, even though it’s obvious the custom are doing their job, I can argue for the fact that the policy is too sudden and will make life difficult for a lot of Nigerians so the process of executing such policy should be made in such a way that there will be enough time frame for every Nigerian to meet up with the payment and provisions should be made for Nigerians to pay through banks and register online without hassle, but the truth is, every car owner is required to pay custom duty no doubt, we are so used to doing things illegally it’s now alien to us when we are asked to do the right thing.
Instead of the senators to focus on pressing issues and the main reason they are inviting Col. Hamid Ali, they are so bent on humiliating and frustrating the custom boss because he doesn’t wear the custom uniform, the move which is being spearheaded by Senator Dino Melaye who we all know always acts like a street tout thereby being an embarrassment to our upper chamber, is seen by many as having ulterior motive.
Who knows, Dino melaye with his penchant for Exotic cars might be doing that because unlike in the past where he can manoeuvre his way out of not paying customs duties on his toys, is now required to actually pay for them now, therefore, he most exerts his pound of flesh.
The custom Boss has explained to them that it’s against the ethics of the military as a retired Army officer to wear another uniform, a Paramilitary one for that matter.
This man has been doing a tremendous job, generating revenue for the Federal Government of Nigeria, second only to the NNPC, restructuring the customs for better service delivery, we have seen the customs revenue generation shoot up like never before since he assumed office, but The Senate having a different agenda, using the uniform issue as cover to try to frustrate the Custom Boss into quitting his job, we must understand, Nigeria Customs needs Col. Hamid ali more than he needs the organization, and the Hamid ali We all know won’t mind quitting the job if this harassment continues, which will be highly unfortunate for Nigeria, but I hope not, because that will mean the Senators getting what they really want.
It’s obvious this 8th senate, the senators that are supposed to be the biggest supporters and enablers of the CHANGE APC promised Nigerians, are like their predecessors in the past, the biggest Enemies of Nigeria, these ones are even worse, because, during GEJ, when David Mark was the SP, at least GEJ was having his way, we could argue that he was clueless and his policies weren’t sound, but at least the senate was on the same page with the executive.
These ones are bent on frustrating President Buhari, it’s been two years plus into this government and the senate hasn’t helped the President achieve anything tangible. Such a shame.
Nigerians need to wake up before we Allow this golden opportunity go to waste, we have someone of the calibres of President Buhari whose personality is Strong enough to Propose sound and revolutionary policies and we know for a fact, he is going to enforce and execute them for the benefit of Nigerians, if we allow these set of lawmakers thwart his plans for us without achieving anything tangible, then we can be rest assured that we will regret it forever, because finding an incorruptible person with a strong personality and sense of patriotism that is acceptable by both the masses and a reasonable number of elites who the masses have confidence in like President Buhari will be an impossible task, this is the right moment for us to go against the status quo, the only person I know who is willing and capable of stopping the institutionalisation of corruption is President Buhari.
We as ordinary Nigerians equally have a part to play in this whole situation, it’s left for us to actually do something or sit back and do nothing and let the opportunity go to waste
Meanwhile, 2019 might seem far from now, but when the time comes, God’s willing, Nigerians will be able to fumigate the entire system to weed out these crop of politicians who are bent on dragging us back, SAK was an honest mistake on our part, by 2019, the Goats will be separated from the yam. No man or woman will ride on the popularity of any individual ever again. The electoral system is better than it used to be, there won’t be room for rigging, Hopefully, more progressive and competent people will come out to participate in the election.
Mu’awiyyah Yusuf Muye
writes from Abuja and Can be reached on twitter @MP_Muye
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Is The National Open University Back To The Dark Ages?
A ubiquitous trend in all human species and societies is a constant desire for change – change from bad to good, and good to better. It is a desire that has fueled decades of development and propelled advancements in science, medicine, technology, arts etc. Change however is not always progressive. There exists the propensity for change from good to bad due to leadership challenges. And it breaks the heart that the change currently being experienced at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is one that threatens to undo years of progressive developments at the institution.
The federal government in February 2016 rejigged the leadership of the nation’s flagship open and distance learning institution by appointing Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu as Vice Chancellor, taking over from Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe. This was immediately challenged by a civil society organisation, alleging that the move ran contrary to the National Open University Act (2004), which mandates the federal government to consult with the University Council before removing or appointing a Vice Chancellor.
The National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, was established formally in 2002 as the flagship tertiary institution for Open and Distance Learning in Nigeria. Since its establishment, the institution has engaged the services of NOUN iLEARN, a harmonised Learning Management Portal that allows for online instructional delivery through the combination of audio, video and text mediums.
Without the iLEARN platform, the relationship and synergy that exists between the students and the knowledge bank as provided by the university management through the lecturers are shattered. And this transcends academics. Other aspects of the university operations made possible through the iLEARN technology are condemned to stone age realities. Unfortunately, this is what currently obtains at NOUN as decisions taken by the VC have plunged the school into an operational chaos that is having a devastating impact on the students.
The iLEARN platform serves as the digital soul for the smooth running of an ICT-compliant National Open University. Without it, students are subjected to long trips to and from the school to physically do things that should be done remotely. The workload of support staff and admin officers are tripled as they have to attend to long queues and manually fill forms and file papers. Removal of the iLEARN platform basically strips NOUN of all its ICT components and that is what the leadership of Professor Abdalla Adamu has done.
Apart from operations, iLEARN provides NOUN students with dedicated support lines and staff who answer student’s questions on all matters of interest from admission to graduation. The service ensures students can reach to the school via multiple social and digital media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, BBM, blogs all coordinated and linked to a dedicated call centre with 5 personnel per time. Before the questionable decision to stop the service, students called in from all part of the world to make enquiries on NOUN through iLEARN.
Now students must visit the institution to make enquiries. Without the synergy and connectivity that iLEARN provides, students no longer have valuable and immediate feedback on issues affecting them and the management is left winking in the dark as well.
It gets even worse
Professor Abdalla’s insistence of doing things his own way even when all available metrics point to better solutions has left NOUN with a broken student-tutor interaction system. Due to the VC’s decision to strip the school of ICT framework provided by the iLEARN platform, students now rely more on self-learning and have been cut out of interacting with tutors where they could ask questions and get guidance on studies.
Currently, there are no engagements or interactions of any sort between students and tutors. In the bid to help themselves, they must constantly source for tutors to tutor them face to face – which is against the vision and spirit behind the establishment of the institution.
It doesn’t end there
In the catalogue of retrogressive taken the current VC to undo 15 years of development at NOUN is the decentralisation of the university portal. Before now, nou.edu.ng served as NOUN’s only website and a centralised portal that guided students’ and visitors alike for correct information while providing the school with the benefit of being well placed according to webometrics ranking.
This has since changed under the new VC. NOUN now operates multiple websites with portals that have barely worked for 48 hours, leaving students stranded at different stages of their payment and registration processes. This has also opened students and the institution to security challenges as sensitive information are entered into different websites in a world of cyber and information attacks. The cost of operating multiple websites also raises the question of whether the VC’s decision makes any economic sense.
These and more are what students of the National Open University are currently dealing with. Learning has been made cumbersome, and even basic processes such as payment of fees, registration and taking exams have become so stressful that a lot of students have been demoralised and frustrated.
Things may yet get worse if the current trend is not checked. A fully functional and operational NOUN is in the best interest of Nigeria’s human capital development. As such the relevant authorities must come to the aid of the labouring students of the school by compelling the VC to reverse the damaging policies so instituted.
Ahmed Abdullahi
writes from Lagos
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The Necessity for enhanced Pension corruption battle under President Buhari
Last month, April 2017, the news was everywhere on how security agencies showed up at the premises of the Pension Commission, PENCOM, Headquarters. That this happened a little after the erstwhile Director General of the commission, Mrs Chinelo Anohu- Amazu, was sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari raised a lot of suspicion of fraud. The popular guess was that some whistle blowers might have embraced the new trend of exposing sleaze in government. Nevertheless, as most Nigerians anxiously awaited the names of those involved in the story, they felt disappointed when the Department of State Services, DSS stated that its operatives did not raid the Pension Commission (PENCOM) Office but were there to guide against a situation where sensitive documents would be tampered with ahead of the resumption of the new management. For me, this was a good move on information management by the DSS but be that as it may, to most Nigerians, there is rarely smoke without fire as there exist many opinions that the fraud in the Nigerian pension system has not ceased. If so, then the big question is how long will it take Nigeria to get it right on pension reforms especially in a country where pensioners still conduct regular protests on unpaid pension allowances?From experience, the fraud in the pension system has been huge embarrassment for the nation. Far more worrying is that when we thought Nigeria was almost reducing corruption in the pension system through what was largely termed a good reform process that focused on almost eradicating sleaze, it was suddenly aborted under very controversial circumstances. Emphatically, the greatest progress in pension reform happened in 2013 under the former Chairman of the then Pension Reform Task Team, (PRTT), Mr Abdulrasheed Maina. No doubt, at that important moment in Nigeria, Mr. Maina demonstrated ability to institutionalize the fight against corruption in the pension system through many innovations and strategies that assisted his team to recover 1.63 Trillion naira and delist about seventy thousand ghost workers from only about five pension institutions that were investigated. The outstanding ninety seven pension institutions and outfits that the Pension Reform Task Team declared had multiple trillions of naira awaiting recovery of stolen funds were not investigated before the Task Team members were forcefully removed.The story of Abdulrasheed Maina and his task Team on pension team has been told in diverse versions but what still stands as unchangeable truth is that it was immediately, Maina announced to State House correspondents at Abuja in 2013 that his team had uncovered that up to N3.3 trillion pension fund was stolen by what he described as Pension cabal and would soon publish names of the agencies alongside the people involved in the scam that his problems began. So, if really Maina’s remarks that mullti trillions of naira of stolen pension funds were yet to be recovered, then that means what we might have considered excellent performance by the Pension task team in recovering about 1.63trillion naira might just have been a scratch on the surface of pension fund theft in Nigeria. For any objective observer of a corrupt society, the conclusion would be that Maina spoke too soon and that could have been why the conspiracy against him became untamable and deafening with accusations of sorts.So, when the news surfaced that operatives of the security agencies arrived at PENCOM house to halt any move by some persons to remove some documents, what seemed apparent was that there could be a possibility that the pension reform has travelled back to the pre Abdulrasheed Maina days and that the old dirty fraud schemes which his Task Team tried to confront might have reemerged in the pension system. Afterall, the forces that unjustly pulled down Maina and his Team are yet to be rigorously investigated. In fact, the strange thing about the Maina led Pension Task Team is that it was disbanded over baseless allegations despite the reality that it was recovering from private pockets trillions of naira for the Nigerian government.Indeed, if the truth be told, the original story of Maina on embezzling 195 billion naira though now publicly refuted by his major accuser, Senator Kabiru Gaya was cleverly crafted to cause false information gain acceptance and provide reasons for his removal. The effort of Maina’s enemies to play on gullible Nigerians was considered largely successful with the assistance of a section of the media. For this set of Nigerians, castigating Maina was a perfect weapon of distraction from fighting corruption. Also, for some persons in government that were enjoying the pension loot directly or indirectly, calling Maina a criminal for recovering stolen fund was a ploy to influence perception against him. Of course, these ignoble Nigerians succeeded but with Senator Gaya recent disclosure, the people that spread the story against Maina then, were not interested in the facts; they were interested in removing Maina because he was fighting against their selfish interests. Sadly, those against the corruption battle in the pension scheme were very skilled in their acts to the extent that it was not difficult for them to blow out of proportion what was highly reconcilable difference between the Senate Committee and the Pension Task Team.Consequently, Maina and his Task Team received slaps from many quarters. Specifically, the mass media played huge role through various means especially in the use of the press to adversely influence public opinion, thereby creating a dent to the character of Maina, by painting a picture of him as a ‘corrupt man’ who embezzled public funds for his personal advantage. Even the Nigerian Government which the Maina led Task Team helped to redefine the complexion of pension reform and recovered money for removed him from office without any justifiable reason. Even those that instigated Maina’s removal seemingly emerged victorious at the end of the day they would have felt happy and free from probe when relieved of his job. The only gain for Maina was his narrow escape from an assassination attempt.Beyond the flimsy accusations that almost ruined Maina’s reputation and nearly put him at a disadvantage, the truth is that even though the media dubiously delivered her verdict of sorts on Maina, the decision of the past government to remove him was a weak unprogressive decision. Indeed, with the new facts on the 195 billion naira fake accusation on Maina, it is very clear that all those that pressurized the government to terminate Maina’s work had contrast interests against the Nation’s fight on corruption. Otherwise, it would have just taken simple common sense of the Senate Leadership under David Mark to realize the absurdity of the position advanced by the Etuk led Senate Committee against Maina. Unfortunately, as at then, nothing else mattered than removing Maina, thus the position of the Senator Etuk led Committee probably provided a perfect platform to make the Senate ignore worthy evidence.Maina’s story is a good example that truth is like a banana peel that will always find its way to the top of the river no matter how suppressed. Thus, it is good to now read from one of the Senators, that acted as the Committee’s Deputy Chairman which discredited and demonized Maina that what the 7th Senate Committee did was not far from engagement in anti facts or use of half truths. If so, then Nigerians and their leadership have a task to decide fairly on whether or not Maina’s led Task Team still has a role to play in the anti corruption fight on pension reforms. However, what remains obvious is that Nigerian pensioners cannot be suffering from delayed payment of allowances whereas trillions of naira relating to stolen pensions funds are still in the personal treasury of the pension cabal. The necessity of enhanced action on stolen pension fund recovery by the Buhari administration cannot be overemphasied. Perhaps an investigation into what killed the Maina led Pension Task Team will offer new useful lessons.Ademola Olaniyi, a retired Civil Servant writes from Abuja -
Goodluck Jonathan Must Return to Keeping the Golden Silence
Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues – Holy Bible, Proverbs 17:28 NIVIn the months that followed his loss of the 2015 Presidential Election, former President Goodluck Jonathan maintained a silence that has now been proven to be golden. His measured silence in the aftermath of his loss was interpreted by some as a confirmation that he is not as clueless as he was reputed to be in the years he was Nigeria’s number one citizen. For the period of time he kept sealed lips about his disastrous presidency, he gained something akin to a cult following with several calls for him to be honored internationally.A new book that chronicled Goodluck Jonathan’s epic loss of election as a sitting president, “Against The Run of Play”, authored by the Chairman of This Day editorial board, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, has however removed every iota of doubt that the former president is not only clueless but will end his days on earth with his persistent diminished mental capacity. He could have left the narration of what went down to boot him out of office to another key player in his government and the world would have continued to worship him as opposed to the demystified simpleton he has confirmed himself to be.The revelations Jonathan made in the book are far from being explosive being that the enlightened population of the country were already in the know of what he is now passing off as the equivalent of a memoir, only that he possess not the capacity to undertake such tasking engagement to save even his own life. Even those without inside knowledge of the government could have successfully hazarded guesses as to the series of bungles that was the Jonathan Presidency.Even at that, it was a chance for the former President to acknowledge his failure and tacitly apologize to Nigerians in the hope that they will forgive his celebrated shortcomings. He instead engaged in his usual ego trip and blame game in which everyone else except himself was responsible for what went wrong. Nothing confirmed his cluelessness more than this singular attitude, a man who was never and is still not willing to take responsibility when the buck stops at his desk.By his own admission, the Jonathan Presidency was toxic to the point of threatening global stability and world peace. It is the only plausible reason for former US President Barack Obama, ex-British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande would have backed President Muhammadu Buhari to win the election against a man who had amply demonstrated that he thinks in narrow terms that are restricted to his ethnicity and religious sect.Nigerians must not give up on curing the delusion that made Jonathan conclude that the anti-corruption efforts equal an harassment of his family, friends and associates. We have been traumatized sufficiently in the recent months with the mind boggling amounts in foreign currencies being uncovered at different locations across the country or being recovered from individuals that turn out to be related to Jonathan in one capacity or the other, which makes almost all the cases of mind boggling corruption reported in recent times to have the imprint of Jonathan – all over them.If this shameful outing, like the failed bid to revive a comatose PDP, is another of the re-branding efforts towards 2019 then it has failed woefully on a scale that should make the former President ask his spin-doctors for a refund. He should similarly ask for refund from the spiritualists who are deceiving him with vision of a 2019 return to Aso Rock since he is more likely to end up in jail for the thefts that took place under his watch than to again bear the title of “Mr President”.Jonathan’s temerity in brazenly attempting to rewrite history and exonerating himself of wrongdoings is possible because of the false convention of allowing the immunity granted Presidents to subsist, even after they leave office. The former president had counted on this when he allowed the monumental perfidy that was the legacy of his administration. With the favour he has done in clarifying the extent of his intellectual prowess, albeit using third party to get the job done, the free counsel to him is to return to maintain the code of silence. If he ever has to pen a literary work again, it should be; “How Not to Govern a Great Nation”.Okanga writes from Agila, Benue State. -
ASUU and JAMB: A Choice Between Progress and Retardation
Two institutions profoundly depict the choices before Nigerians as the world moves onto the next phase in advancement. There is the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Both typify our chance at progress or retardation. The choice to be made should be guided about the driving forces of either option.JAMB has been innovative. It migrated to the digital platform way ahead of other government agencies. It was before its time in adopting online application. It moved away from Pencil and Paper Based Test to Computer Based Test. It implemented an array of other measures that cemented its position as a leader in embracing change. The end result is an organization that has shortened the wait time from sitting for its entrance examination from over three months to just a few hours.On the opposite of the spectrum is ASUU, which has earned itself a reputation that places it on similar footing with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and that is not referring to our university lecturers as not better than motorpark touts even though they are known to descend into unprovoked unruliness. ASUU has largely proven to be allergic to innovation and evolved to be less relevant than it was at twilight of return to democratic rule in 1999. It had largely retained the combative and confrontational approach that might have been useful under military rule but has no place in the current dispensation that promotes collaboration over conflict.It is understandable that ASUU has no interest in catching up with the rest of world – its members, university lecturers, have not done much to explore the open source digital educational tools and platforms that are powering the contemporary classrooms. Asking them to contribute to that pool of resources would be asking for too much since they cannot give what they do not have anyway.What provokes head scratching is the venomous passion with which they are insisting on keeping the rest of the country at their own level of Information and Communication (ICT) illiteracy. Even if they have not made the necessary sacrifice to upgrade their tech skills they have no right trying to block the wholesale adoption or application of ICT for processing candidates that are coming into higher educational institutions as they recently tried to do with JAMB. Naturally, teachers that with cyberphobia would loathe the fact that JAMB is a catalyst for populating campuses with tech savvy youths, but even if JAMB were not to play this role nothing would stop the eventual arrival of digital natives – the generation to whom tech savviness is second nature, from showing up on campuses.At this point the best ASUU can do is to throw the Chairman of its University of Ibadan Chapter, Dr Deji Omole under the bus and distance itself from the shallow arguments he put forward in condemning the changes and innovations made by the current JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede. The funny reasons included trying to brand the cost of registration for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination as prohibitive when it costs less than the amount an undergraduate spends on one glorified handout called textbook; if a candidate cannot afford the registration fee for the entrance examination then buying 16 handouts in a session would be a living nightmare.To call for the scrapping of JAMB over the postponement of a mock examination is disingenuous and exposes the quality of analytical skills of those behind ASUU, which indicates there may be no skills at all in the first instance. The Collins Dictionary online defines mock examination as “an examination, esp in a school, taken as practice before an official examination”. Dr Omole and his ilks in ASUU must therefore note that the “mock examination” he was ventilating over was not the one that would be used for admission, its purpose was to give willing first time candidates a feel of the actual examination with all the attendant benefits. His failure to understand this basic concept raises questions that are better not posed in this instance because of the damning answers they will provoke.For teachers that have been known to run cash-for-admission rackets, there is no confusion as to where the call for the scrapping of JAMB is coming from. What they are overtly asking for is to declare an open season for corruption where university applicants would become fair game for exploitation. The corruption around university admission as currently known would be a rehearsal compared to what is to come when there is no regulatory body to enforce both the process and standard for university intake.Granted that it is a trade union and not a professional body, which does not justify artisanal reasoning and behaviour, ASUU were nonetheless has the responsibility to be forward thinking and do the needful towards nudging university education in Nigeria onto the path of progress. JAMB has shown leadership in this direction and the least the union can do is to reform its members to be empowered to teach the improved quality of undergraduates that gain admission on the strength of the world class entrance examination that JAMB conducts.Nigerians would therefore do well to side with JAMB while putting ASUU in its place as a busy body that is out to usurp the role of another and would do anything, including calling for the demise of its object of interest, to have it way. Should this happen, higher education would have suffered an immeasurable setback would only profit ASUU to the detriment of Nigerians. So should we scrap JAMB or sack the reformists that is working tirelessly at the place? It is a path we must never tread.Agbese is a trained educationist, Oil Gas Expert and contributed this piece from the United Kingdom. -
Nigerian Army and Lessons From the Human Rights Desk
Anywhere in the world, the military is dreaded by the civil populace. Rightly or wrongly, the army as an institution particularly is more dreaded than the other arms of the military on the assumption that it is peopled by personnel who are craggy and rough in interactions with the civil society. Ask most civilians their impression of soldiers; they would reply without hesitation that soldiers are crazily brutish, wicked and inhuman.Whatever negative impressions the people might have on the army, it is understandable based on the nature of the job they are confined to perform. But an increasingly civilized and democratic world with its attendant shortcomings, ironically crave for a decent and civilized army.The civil society is not satisfied to be dismissed by soldiers as “bloody civilians,” but craves for a breed of the army that is civil, friendly and professionally responsible. Agreed, it is no easy task, taming a people whose training and language is tied to artillery. And in nations where the leadership of the army is weak or simply forgets its foibles soldiers could quite be hated for their abrasiveness. Soldiers could be wild and go berserk at the slightest provocation by venting their spleen on civilians.That is precisely the portrait of the Nigerian Army (NA) the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai inherited in the country. It is common knowledge that Gen. Buratai met an army that was thoroughly disoriented, devoid of professional splendor and very antagonistic to the civil populace.However, ennobled by the circumstances of the culture of change as propagated by President Muhammedu Buhari, the Army Chief was convinced of the necessity to give Nigerians the finest breed of soldiers they would proudly embrace. Gen. Buratai knew that under proper leadership guidance, Nigeria could parade the best breed of soldiers in the world who would be professionally competent in military assignments and exhibit a seamless army/civil relations.And in just more than a year of his leadership of the Nigerian Army, the Army Chief has accomplished what seemed impossible very amazingly. Nigerian soldiers no longer garb the image of personnel that abuse and disrespect the laws of the land; stir humanitarian crises and recklessly violate the human rights of Nigerians.Yet, this breather is coming at a time Nigerian Army is facing series civil-oriented in most parts of the country. It is undeniable that the army passing through one of its toughest times in the recent history of the country. With an increasing presence in performing special assignments that should ordinarily remain in the purview of civil security agents, Nigerians would have had a truck load of cases on human rights abuses by soldiers.It is facing the anti-terrorism campaigns in Nigeria’s Northeast; armed banditry and cattle rustling in the Northwest; militancy in the Niger Delta and herders/farmers clashes in the North central among others. It has made the presence of soldiers in many communities in Nigeria.The COAS disclosed recently during the 2017 defence of Army budget before the National Assembly that Nigerian soldiers have been deployed to 32 out of the 36 states of the federation. But in spite of this overwhelming engagement of soldiers on special assignments, the narrative has changed for the better in a changed government and a changed army under the supervision of Gen. Buratai.Coming this far to grab excellence was not a tea party for the Army Chief. But as a soldier good for achieving his targets, the Army Chief immediately introduced reforms and innovations in the art of soldering especially on internal insurrections. He preached strict adherence to the ethics of professionalism, respect for civil authorities, transparency and accountability. He made it clear that he would not spare erring soldiers who violate the rules of engagement during special assignments or abuse the rights of civilians.To demonstrate seriousness and commitment to this cause, Gen. Buratai established the Human Rights Desk at the Army Headquarters in Abuja and replicated it in major divisions of the Nigerian Army. By implication, aside beckoning the civil society to approach the army over unlawful abuses of their human rights; soldiers too knew they could not easily get away with such crimes as done in the past.The effect has the near zero-level incidence of human rights violations and abuses. Nigerian soldiers have perfectly mixed and domesticated with all civil communities where they are deployed on special duties. While on special assignments, they make friends with civilians and traditional rulers of the host communities, a trick which dissolves the phobia about soldiers and strengthens support to soldiers to execute their assignments splendidly.In the Northeast where they defeated rampaging terrorists, soldiers have thereafter made the states at the heart of terrorism their second home. They have voluntarily engaged in the construction of roads and provision of other social amenities in communities to facilitate the return of internally Displaced Persons to their ancestral abodes. While on special assignments to checkmate militancy in the Niger Delta, soldiers would usually mix up with host communities and strike mutual understanding and support. Free medical services would also be rendered to host communities. And soldiers would sometimes stray into the task of rescuing victims of kidnapping, whom they reunite with their families at no cost. All these projects are funded from the army budget as a humanitarian gesture to Nigerians.And soldiers are determined to sustain this cordial civil/army relations and humanitarian gestures. Just recently, events preceding the launch of “Operation Harbin Kunama II” (scorpion bite) by the Nigerian Army headquarters Division 3 Jos, Major Gen. Peter Dauke led soldiers to conduct a one-day free medical treatment in Burra town and communities in Ningi LGA of Bauchi State. And hundreds of locals trooped out and benefitted from the free medicare.Again erring officers were not spared. For the first time, soldiers respect and respond to court summons. The NA instantly punished some officers who physically assaulted a cripple. Such instances are many and have continued to this moment. Even yesterday, the Nigerian Army’s 23rd Amoured Brigade based in Yola, Adamawa instantly probed the incidence of an attack on the headquarters of the Assemblies of God’s Church in Luggere Ward , alleged to have been committed by some men in military uniform. The Brigade spokesman, Major Adamu Ngulde explained that the Army never sent out any of its personnel to the church; but nevertheless probed the incident to unearth the truth.The repackaged and re-indoctrinated Nigerian Army under Gen. Buratai has earned it applauses far and near. Nigerian soldiers are now taunted as the best soldiers in respect for human rights, humanitarian gestures and cordial civil relations.Country Representative of Global Amnesty Watch Foundation, Mrs. Helen Adesola led a team of professionals to Maiduguri to inspect facilities of the Army and the foundation came out with a sound verdict. It applauded the Nigerian Army as superfluous, as it poured endless accolades and encomiums. The foundation was excited that the Nigerian Army had gone beyond the scope of their normal official duties to render various forms of assistance such as provision of electricity and construction of roads to host communities. It was happier to discover that in spite of the delicate nature of the terrorism war in the region, Nigerian soldiers had no cases of human rights violations.No society or institution is devoid of deviants, who have a penchant for breaking rules. But that Gen. Buratai has demonstrated yawningly his unpreparedness to shield erring officers from discipline; Nigerian soldiers have learnt to exhibit the highest standards of respect for the human rights of Nigerians. Therefore Nigerian Army seems to have reinvented the slogan that if the police is your friend; they are unarguably everyone’s friend at the moment. May they sustain this spirit. It is the wonders of the Army’s Human Rights Desk.Abutu esq is a human rights monitor and contributed this piece from Asokoro, Abuja. -
Ilaje: Dichotomised by oil resource benefit control
I feel highly compelled to bring up this passionate and sensitive issue in Ilaje-land, Ondo State.
My passion in this subject is hinged on who the Ilaje people and race represent and why we cannot allow our dignity and pride to be swept aside by the troubles from oil resource benefit control – who takes charge?
I do not intend to put forward any baseless logic or philosophy; but rather, establish that sound judgment, formidable and coordinated reasoning, good sense, quality sacrifice and attention be shown and of course, given to the little fire of division which started burning some years ago, due to struggles over who takes charge of oil resource benefit control in our Land; but to which no one seems to be roughened and of course, push by whatever means to extinguish it.
I state unequivocally that the Ilajes are a dignified race with a great sense of decency and respect for one another, strong communism ideology, highly diligent, equity-minded and other great qualities.
With all sense of responsibility, I would like to point out unmistakably that, it is an irony for a people bound by one language (dialect), one purpose, one culture, one occupation and exposed to the same geographical terrain, to be involved in and confronted by the issues and troubles of (dichotomy) division due to localization and concentration of oil deposits in a particular geographical area; when we are one and the same people – not different from ourselves.The subject of dichotomy relates more meaningfully to things that are opposed to each other or entirely different from each other, but this is not the case with the Ilaje race. We are one and the same race irrespective of our political divide and locations within our geographical structure. Unfortunately, though, recently the issue of dichotomy has become thorny in our flesh and is gradually assuming a terrifying dimension which could break our common unity and undermine the dignity of the Ilaje people if not checked.
It must be mentioned at this point that, the oil resource deposits in Ilaje-land is one blessing among several which should be for the benefit of every Ilaje people within the geographical coverage of the Ilaje people in particular and the country in general. For the purposes of administration and representation, therefore, equity and fairness demand that every true-born of the Ilaje people and race be duly involved in the management of our resources and not restricted only to those from whose community or particular area the oil resource or other resources are being exploited. The fact that oil deposits are found in a particular community now, does not suggest that same and other natural resource deposits are not available elsewhere within the Ilaje geographical coverage area if prospected for exploitation.
We all must understand that before now, we had lived together as one people and stood for a common course; we, therefore, should not allow the God-given oil deposits tear us apart and becloud our sense of good judgment for better administration and management of the benefits which accrue from the resource deposits. Right now, our agenda and focus should be how to get a credible, unfeigned, trustworthy, committed, proactive and foresighted representation and leadership from Ilaje-land: Mahin, Ugbo, Aheri and Etikan, in no special order, which would truly be the eye, ear and mouth of the Ilaje people; and equitably spread the good that comes from the oil resource. It is high time we all understood that, the present (dichotomy) division where only the people from the community, town or village where the oil resource is being exploited are appointed to represent the entire Ilaje people will continue to divide us and reduce the strength of togetherness, which can only stem from a unified majority of the Ilaje race.
It is pitiable and of course, pathetic to find that the same people of Ilaje decent could be referred to or treated as unknown or strangers by their kith and kin when it comes to benefitting from the issues of oil resource appointments, representations and the likes. It is even more worrisome to imagine that, we kick against ourselves and protest, so as to undermine development in other areas of our own Ilaje-land; as appointments or representations of other Ilaje kindred from other areas of Ilaje-land are seen in some quarters amongst the Ilaje people as likely to shift focus and attention from communities where oil resource deposits are being exploited. How true could this assertion be? Are we not one anymore? Does not a place in Ilaje-land belong to all Ilaje people irrespective of your community? Is Igbokoda, our Local Government Headquarters or any other place in Ilaje not for all Ilajes, even if it is developed with the oil resource from other communities?
I would like to assert that the blessing of oil resource in the Ugbo Kingdom today, should be seen as the blessing of every Ilaje person in Ilaje-land and not only for the Ugbo Kingdom, with due respect and all compliment to our Royal father and Olugbo of Ugbo Land; as the pendulum of natural resource discoveries could shift in some years, maybe 50, 100 or 150 years to come, to another destination and Kingdom in the same Ilaje-land.Right now, our focus should be how to administer this God-given resource through quality representations at the Federal, State and Local government and community levels by people of unquestionable and impeccable qualities from the entire Ilaje-land: Ugbo, Aheri, Etikan and Mahin, in no special order. If rightly asked, so far, have we truly gotten quality representations at the Federal, State and Local government and community levels? What impacts have the representations we have had made on the lot of both old and young in Ilaje-land?
Moreover, how many developmental and credible empowerment projects are on the ground in Ilaje-land for the betterment of our people? How many medium and high level academic, technical/vocational and professional institutions are available in Ilaje-land to aid manpower development and promote socio-economic growth? To what extent have we been able to leverage on our natural resources of water, scarce land, an abundance of fish, oil, etc to reduce the rate of poverty amongst our people? What have we done about most of our children who are out of school and have taken to pushing of trucks, wheel-barrows and some form of self-help jobs, because of poverty? What have we done about the physical development of our environment from Ugbo to Mahin, Aheri to Etikan?
What is the general state of infrastructure in the whole of Ilaje-land? What have we been able to do to reduce teenage-pregnancy problems among our little girls and promote sustainable girl-child education? Men and brethren (women inclusive), the future of the Ilajes and Ilaje-land as a whole should be topmost on the mind of every Ilaje son and daughter; from all rulers to the ruled, all technocrats to the artisans, all high and mighty to the very least of our people.
It does not matter what advantage (s) anyone or community has, going by the Acts which established the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC); the agenda on the table of Ilaje-land and her people should be: What do we do as a people to move our race and course forward among other races on earth? How do we better the lots of the average Ilaje person and our entire people with our God-given resources, including oil now in the Ugbo Kingdom? How do we reduce the level of poverty and promote a better standard of living in Ilaje-land with our resources? How do we promote a better environment and improve on the level of infrastructural development in the towns and creeks of Ilaje-land? Etc.
ILAJE, we must not allow selfishness, politics of whatever sort or who-has-the-preference syndrome becloud our sense of good judgment for what is good for the entire Ilaje race. We remain one indivisible people and must not allow the issues of oil tear us apart.
At this juncture, I throw an open challenge to our leaders and all men of good-will in Ilaje-land, to rise up and be counted for honour as we all agree to change the subject of “who-owns-what” in Ilaje-land, to “How do we use the resources in Ilaje-land (water, scarce land, oil, fish and other aqua-blessings, etc) together for the benefit of all and sundry?”
This clarion call for balance in the administration and appointment of representatives and leadership goes to all our Obas, Chiefs, Elders, Professionals, Technocrats and well-meaning Ilaje people; and knowing the enormous challenges inherent in the future before us and the developmental issues confronting our people and the entire Ilaje-land, all dissenting voices and views on oil resource dichotomy in Ilaje-land should be harmonized into one; and a common and more robust approach adopted to accommodate other Ilaje kindred who hitherto have been shut out of the circle of appointment and leadership occasioned by dichotomy dust. Moreover, we all must support and push for a change in the existing legislation which gave legal backing to the existing structure, for a more inclusive structure and of course, better credence to the common reform we intend to pursue as a people.
I, therefore, submit that this is the only way to move our race forward as a people, rather than continue with the war of “who-owns-what” which has promoted and will continue to promote unnecessary hostilities among ourselves, to climax in destruction and division of the entire Ilaje-land and people.
By Adm. Irinyemi T. W. Stephen