The Nation Newspaper

Category: Opinion

  • Neglect, misuse, abuse: Banking deformation and survivalist environment

    Neglect, misuse, abuse: Banking deformation and survivalist environment

    By Godswill Iyoha Iyoke

    As posited by a sage: “where purpose is unknown abuse is inevitable.” Banking is a very critical and indispensable socio-economic infrastructure in the national development matrix. The knowledge of this critical element is very important; and this knowledge transcends mere information. There seems to be lack of philosophical understanding of the concept of banking and its evolutionary history. This lapse in the concept of banking is responsible for its neglect and misuse and abuse, the façade of wealth and opulence around it notwithstanding. The apparent oasis of wealth and opulence around bankers and the sector, amidst desert of poverty, want and misery has attracted due attention, but undue vilification of bankers and the banking sector.

    It is quite tempting and seemingly justifiable to blame bankers in the light of unfolding realities; such as the reports of 767 manufacturers shutting down operations in 2023, while 335 others became distressed within the same period. While the season is witnessing low industrial productivity, even primary agricultural produce are unaffordable, due to the lack of access to finance. The implication is low or inactivity along the developmental processes of ideas, innovation, creativity; production distribution and consumption.

    Finance is the major incentive or motivation for people to engage in creativity or innovation, manufacturers to produce; and for distributors to take products to capable consumers, whose patronage incentivizes the virtuous circle of development. Bankers are the lubricating agents, whose enterprise is a major factor in the entire development process.

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    While the nation’s development has remained stagnant or retrogressive, the converse has been the case for bankers and the banking sector. This has not always been so. Times were, when the banks were fewer. Then, the existing banks could be classified into three broad categories of the ‘Big-international banks; the national banks and regional banks.  The big ones were Standard Bank (now First Bank); Barclays (now Union) Bank; United Bank for Africa; International Bank for West Africa (IBWA). The big banks had their roots overseas, the regional banks such as, African Continental Bank, ACB was strong in the Southeast; National Bank of Nigeria had string rots in the Southwest; New Nigeria Bank that was native to the former Midwest, was founded immediately after the Nigerian civil war; while Bank of the North was owned by the northern states. While the big banks enjoyed the patronage of big business conglomerates, multinationals and manufacturing industries, the regional banks were identifiable with government accounts and local contractors, who enjoyed government patronage and indigenous people, who saw the banks as theirs. While the regional banks exploited government patronage to secure and maintain liquidity, the multinational banks invested in rural branches through which they mobilized deposits through the savings account of locals, who didn’t borrow, but were content with the little interests they earned on their savings. At these times, private bank ownership was strange, unpopular and uncommon.

    Then came the merchant banks in the 80s, which dealt in ad hoc and short-term financial transactions. These banks took short-term deposits and provided short-term credits to finance short-term commercial transactions, particularly in support of business people in distress. As merchant banks’ short-term deposits yielded faster and bigger returns, they extracted higher interest charges on short-term credits. Consequently, for better pay and career prospects, professional bankers and fat accounts in commercial banks, were poached by the merchant banks. This continued to deplete the liquidity and treasury of the retail commercial banks; and consequently impoverished and distressed them. This situation of retail commercial banks strengthened the merchant bankers, which therefore secured retail commercial banking licences and increasingly took over the spaces hitherto occupied by the retail commercial banks. Thus, emerged the new generation banks, which were commercial in outlook, but merchant in spirit and operations. Thus, the retail commercial banks could no longer provide long-term credit and financial support services for entrepreneurial activities; as the emergent new generation banks, targeted and took over the fat accounts of corporations and governments for their deposits. Consequently, the moneys that hitherto circulated freely as commercial and entrepreneurial lubricants got hoarded and transformed into merchandize, that were traded for higher financial returns. Thus, moneys were taken off the financial systems, hoarded in bank vaults to be traded for treasury bills, inter-bank lending, forex trading and short-term business support services.

    Consequently, sectoral development lending services were abandoned. Thus, banking business became elitist and the financial services sector deformed as they no longer supported business and entrepreneurial activities. However, rather than fundamental reform policies, the government resorted to the establishment of token intervention institutions and initiatives, such as Community and Peoples’ Banks were born and various rural development and women empowerment programs.

    The lack of philosophical understanding of the fact that true banking is community and people-based is responsible for the failure of various ‘reformatory’ policies of the apex bank and development policies of the government. Some of these policies accentuated the problem as they eroded those fundamentals of banking and transformed banks into an elitist institution. For example, the licensing requirement for commercial banking that demands cash deposits consigns the business as exclusive preserve of the wealthy. The robust development policies and programs of the government, such as NEEDS/SEEDS; NIRP; ARP; ERGP, etc., were undermined by the dysfunctional banking systems and dependency palliative programs of the government. While the policies and regulations of the apex bank became more elitist, the economic policies and programs of government created a dependency culture. Thus, instead of resort to banking support, impressive innovators and creators are left to await government interventionist support programs, such as N-Power, Government Enterprise & Empowerment Program (GEEP), ‘Trader-moni’, etc.

    Banking and financial services sector, which were supposed to be community and people-based got alienated from the people, thereby transforming themselves into self-serving institutions of their shareholders. This was however, a default situation, which is consequent upon the reality of the emergent survivalist socio-political culture. While this situation was founded upon the harsh Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) of past governments, the more recent universal reform banking policy of the apex bank worsened the situation. This policy is responsible for the indulgences by commercial banks in investing bank deposits in on and off-shore non-financial products, such as real properties; while depriving the local economy of the much-needed economic lubricant. This was totally is in dissonance with the entire concept and discipline of commercial banking.

    To facilitate the inclusive development and ensure social protection objectives of the state, there is need for holistic reforms of the banking and financial services sector. Retail commercial banking need to be reinvented while classifying and redefining merchant banking. While the CBN should remain strictly as a regulator, commercial banks should be left to manage development funds, according to prudential guidelines stipulated by the apex bank. The banks have invested in robust technological infrastructure. However, the absence of supportive fiscal policies and protective legislative framework for banking business is a major handicap to a functional banking and financial services sector. Until these are in place, there is no moral right to question the survivalist indulgences of bankers, no matter how inimical they could be. After all, personal survival is a cardinal rule of staying alive and living well in the jungle.

    • Iyoke, Esq. is legal practitioner & public interest advocate.

  • Igho: From broadcasting to community leadership

    Igho: From broadcasting to community leadership

    By Dele Olowu

    While you gaze elsewhere, Peter Igho arrives suddenly at the unexpected destination. Or so it seems. Only recently Peter Igho was elected president of the Urhobo Leadership Forum Abuja. ULFA, for short, is a solidarity group intended to provide advocacy support for the Urhobos of Abuja. Again in 2009,

    President Yar’Adua surprised many when he trawled Peter Igho and named him Director General of the National Lottery Commission. At the time, it seemed rather like a mismatch. And here is why. Peter Igho had for several years been a central figure in popular television, his Cockcrow At Dawn series, being the most revolutionary and most thematically successful production of its era. Cockcrow At Dawn along with a cluster of several other productions had created a natural niche for him in the television world. In appointing him to the lottery space therefore, President Musa Yar’Aua appeared to have dragged Peter Igho out of his turf, and thrown him into unfamiliar waters.

    But Peter Igho surprised doubters and affirmed the optimism of those who have always acknowledged his inner resilience and strength. Peter Igho brought a new energy into the lottery industry and transformed it from an anonymous federal department, to a robust national commission with branches all over Nigeria. Before Peter Igho’s emergence, the department was regarded with little respect, even from industry practitioners. These days however, the fear of the National Lottery Commission has become the beginning of wisdom. Success in the National Lottery Commission has enlarged Peter Igho’s reputation for delivery and capacity to thrive even in untested spaces.

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    Even so his work on television remains his opus and tends to dominate his persona. This persona contains important northern regional features which may fool the unwary into believing that Peter Igho is not in touch with his native cultural roots.

    Peter Igho was born in Jos, went to school there and his first significant stray to the south was when he attended the University of Ibadan in 1969. It was here we met and became friends. He was my first close contact with the social network of the north and its elites.  Peter looked like a northerner, spoke impeccable Hausa, consumed Hausa menu and was perfectly at home in the northern milieu. Even his work in television was sometimes overtly populated by exciting visuals from the region. Nothing has popularized the visually exciting rock formations of the Plateau or that of the Oesop falls better than Cockcrow At Dawn did.

    However, in spite of his deeply appreciated exposure to northern culture, Peter has remained a very expressive Urhobo. The permissive pluralism in the Igho home, enabled parents and children to speak impeccable Urhobo and excellent Hausa at the same time. In Peter’s own unique example, he speaks not only Hausa but is also fluent in Ibo, and Yoruba.

    The crowning glory is his mastery of the Urhobo language which he deploys with great dexterity, proverbs and all. In addition, he has over time, evinced multiple Urhobo enthusiasms. For example, in June 2015, touched by the decrepit education infrastructure in parts of his homeland , Peter Igho, through the funding support of friends and colleagues built a block of primary school classrooms  in Kokori, Ethiope East in Delta State. Many will recall that during the handover ceremony, there was such jubilation particularly by the young lads and girls, it was evident leadership did not require to do much to earn our people’s gratitude. 

    Peter Igho has been concerned with escalating Urhobo consciousness across the land. At great personal cost, he crisscrossed the whole of Urhoboland and produced a documentary which covered all the 24 kingdoms of the jurisdiction. This brought him into close contact with the leading lights of Urhoboland and would inevitably have given him a more acute understanding of the problems and dysfunctions in his homeland. When His Royal Majesty, Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1, the Ovie of Uvwie, decorated Peter Igho,  by investing him as the Okobaro of Uvwie, it was acknowledged that the honour had not come too soon.

    Peter Igho’s election as President of the Urhobo Leadership Forum, in a manner of speaking, places the shoe on the right foot. Peter Igho has had several years of preparation for the universe in which he must now place himself. Into this universe, he  brings the reach he has built over the years; he brings the reach of the creative world in which he exercises full sovereignty; a world in which the demand for realism imposes a delicate  obligation for believability. 

    Peter Igho also brings in an experience of the corporate world, with its imperative of balancing needs against resources. Most importantly, Peter Igho also brings the universe of other ethnic nationalities and a rich understanding of how Urhobos can continue to live with other sub-nationals at this time in a fair balance. 

    The mandate given to Peter Igho, like the obligations shouldered by the Urhobo Leadership Forum is crucial.  Before his election, Peter had engaged elites, rural dwellers as well as some traditional authorities. I met Peter and some members of the ULFA in the Abuja residence of one of them. His Royal Majesty Air Vice Marshal (Rtd) Ararile, the Orosuen of Umiaghwa Abraka kingdom. The monarch has been a product of the best legacies of the military and traditional governance. Not surprisingly he is a man of great wisdom. From the exchange we had, it emerged that the monarch himself also a member of ULFA, recognises increased challenges of Urhobo and Nigerian society and the raised demands placed on all  leadership categories. Expectations are high all around and groups like the Urhobo Leadershio Forum must raise the level of play.

    The forum has considerable pedigree, its pioneer president being the well-known Senator Fred Brume who nurtured the Delta Steel Company Aladja into maturity.

    Board of Trustees are Ambassador Dede, chairman, Mrs Grace Ikpiwhere deputy chairman, Professor Vremudia Diejomaoh, Olorogun Jonathan O Esin and Okakuro Bright Igbako, secretary.

    Membership of the Forum, which was registered in 2012, is drawn from Urhobos resident in Abuja, persons who have attained high levels in their respective careers in the public and private sectors and are of high integrity.

    Peter Igho takes over from Jonathan O Esin , under whom the Forum grew in quality and strength.  He succeeded in widening the recognition of ULFA at home and abroad and in attracting new members young and old, among other considerable achievements.

    Peter Igho comes in amidst raised hopes in circumstances of challenge and stress.  The economy is in bad shape and citizens must work out ways to eke out a living. In all this, we must live in peace with our neighbours. The Forum is one of several solidarity groups and work in full regard with the UPU. However many of these solidarity groups seem to be in recess, leaving uncovered territory for the Urhobo Leadership Forum to wade into.  Under Peter Igho, it should  grow the voice required to match this opportunity.

  • Zacch Adedeji: Revelation of Tinubu’s team

    Zacch Adedeji: Revelation of Tinubu’s team

    By Arabinrin Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello

    Zacch Adedeji’s emergence as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) marks a turning point in Nigeria‘s tax administration. He came on board with extensive experience, knowledge, and influential networks to steer the organisation towards unprecedented success. Following a remarkable track record in financial management and strategic planning, Adedeji has embarked on a mission to revolutionise tax administration in Nigeria.

    The recent strategic management retreat convened by FIRS is a testament to Adedeji’s commitment to change. This wasn’t just a meeting; it was a platform for reimagining tax administration in Nigeria. The retreat served as a platform to chart a new course for FIRS, transitioning it from its traditional role to a dynamic, customer-centric institution equipped to meet the demands of the modern tax landscape.

    Adedeji’s mantra is clear: taxpayers come first. He is determined to streamline processes, embrace technology, and provide clear guidance to taxpayers at every step of the way. By making tax collection more accessible and understandable, he is ensuring a culture of compliance and cooperation.

    FIRS has set high goals and plans under his leadership, aiming to collect a staggering N19.4 trillion in taxes this year. To realise this goal, he has assembled a team of high-caliber professionals, endowed with technical expertise and a shared commitment to excellence. This team is tasked with implementing approaches to revenue collection, leveraging advanced technologies, and data-driven insights to optimise tax compliance and minimise revenue leakages.

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    Adedeji is not afraid to shake things up. He’s pushing for an “emergency fiscal bill” to be presented to the National Assembly, providing much-needed clarity on the government’s fiscal direction. This move demonstrates Adedeji’s commitment to creating a more stable and supportive environment for businesses to thrive.

    FIRS has extended a lifeline to taxpayers by granting full relief on accumulated penalties and interests for outstanding tax liabilities. This gesture, reflective of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to supporting businesses, will alleviate the financial burden on taxpayers and foster a more conducive environment for tax compliance.

    Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves have also experienced a boost, reaching $34.416 billion, marking the highest in nine months. This surge, closely monitored by tax authorities like Dr. Adedeji, signals a positive development for the Nigerian Economy. With a stronger economy, tax collection will improve, and revenue goals will be met.

    The leadership at FIRS now represents a new dawn in Nigerian tax administration. As the management continues its journey towards achieving its revenue targets and fostering economic growth, one thing is clear: with Adedeji at the helm, the future looks bright.

    ● Arabinrin Aderonke, an award-winning investigative journalist and 2016 Finalist, CNN African Journalist Award, currently serves as Technical Media Assistant at the Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS

  • Between Osun PDP’s aspersion and Oyetola’s compassion

    Between Osun PDP’s aspersion and Oyetola’s compassion

    By Jimoh Olorede

    After election into power, politicians in Nigeria should demonstrate commitment and concentrate on governance with intent to deliver on their electioneering campaign promises to the electorate. It’s however unfortunate that many Nigerian politicians believe everything is politics, thus play ‘politics’ with everything.

    It’s regrettable that Nigerian youths, whose number takes the largest chunk of the nation’s voting population, lack the courage and wherewithal to interrogate elected politicians on the implementation of their manifestos for which they were voted into power. The problem with the youths is simply that some have actually killed the goose that lays the golden eggs by sacrificing their future gains just to satisfy their present needs.

    Nigerian politicians also mischievously deprive the youths of the wherewithal to challenge them in order to perpetuate their hegemony over them and their continuation in power. Osun State, just like other parts of the country, seems to exemplify this scenario. If not, the youths and other discernible minds in the state should have engaged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led-government on how it spent the hefty sum of N141.48bn it received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) in the year 2023, which was an average of N11.79 bn per month, according to data from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

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    Instead of concentrating on democratic dividends delivery, and ameliorating economic hardship in the state, the PDP led-government has since assumption of power, shifted from electioneering campaigns to calumny campaigns exerting all its efforts and determination to cast aspersion on the immediate-past governor of the state, Adegboyega Oyetola, who is now a Minister of the Federal Republic. 

    In what appeared silly and petty, Osun PDP, in the last couple of days, has rented the media space and electromagnetic broadcast waves in the state and even beyond, with disparaging and damaging unfounded narrative about Oyetola in an attempt to discredit his personality in the psych of unsuspecting members of the public.

    Alleging Oyetola of arrogating the authority of Mr. President in Osun State and offering him as a sacrifice for the inability and failure of governor Ademola Adeleke to alleviate poverty and ameliorate people’s suffering in the state is dramatically absurd!

    Also, alleging the Minister for Marine and Blue Economy of hijacking Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria’s (SMEDAN) programme in the state is an ignorance-exposing and effrontery-showcasing affront that revealed the party’s chairman’s shameless boldness. For PDP and governor Ademola Adeleke’s information and education, SMEDAN is an agency of the Federal Government, and Oyetola must have been invited by the Director General of the agency, Charles Odii, to his agency’s recent programme in the state for reasons of inter-agencies’ collaboration and policy synergy.

    Bemoaning the former governor Oyetola for taking rice, even if it’s true, from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and distributing same to the needy residents of Osun State to cushion post-subsidy removal effect and people’s economic hardship, is the height of Adeleke led-government’s insincerity. The governor must be trying to outwit us and gaming with our collective intelligence in the state by casting aspersion on Oyetola’s compassion and advancing his genuine intervention as an alibi for his failure to equitably distribute federal government palliatives released to the state.

    It’s amazing that the selfless and compassion-driven Oyetola inherited a throat-taking humongous debt to the tune of over N154bn on his assumption as governor of Osun State in 2018, and with his fiscal discipline, expertise and prudence, he repaid over N99bn within four years while concurrently maintaining recurrent expenditure and statutory obligations of his government, and left over N14bn in the coffers of Osun when exiting in 2022 for governor Ademola Adeleke’s fortunate inheritance. 

    Apart from the N141.48bn received last year, 2023, also last month, governor Adeleke received a huge sum of N8.6bn from FAAC, according to NBS on the distribution of revenue allocation to state governments for the month of January, 2024 shared in February, 2024. Also, according to figures obtained from the 2024 approved budget, Osun State, among others, is projected to get N99.09bn in 2024, under the current revenue-sharing formula, as statutory federal allocations to the coffers of the state governments will increase by 69 per cent to N5.54tn in 2024, as reported by the press.

    It’s no gainsaying, as its veracity is easily obtainable in statistics, that governor Ademola Adeleke had received just in six months what it took the whole of Oyetola’s four-year tenure to receive from the federal government (FAAC). So, the governor should rather be busy with business of governance and stewardship to justify the largesse received from the federal government and the generosity of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu instead of drawing the name of the President in the mud. He should tell the citizens of the state how he has been administering the affairs of government regarding his management of the huge resource allocations from the federal government, and jettison his plans, as discovered, on international borrowing to the tune of N12.36bn for the State’s 2024 budget.

    The governor and his party as an entity are herewith advised in the interest of Osun State to shun bitterness and vendetta evident in their malicious campaigns of calumny against Oyetola. As state’s helmsman, Adeleke should concentrate on contacts building and lobbying of relevant agencies of government at national level, Oyetola’s Marine Ministry’s juicy and high-profile agencies inclusive, for development facilitation in the state.

    *Dr. Olorede writes from Oderinde’s Compound, Iragbiji, Osun State.

  • Lessons from a country called Rwanda

    Lessons from a country called Rwanda

    By Ijeomah Arodiogbu

    As one who has always indicated interest in matters concerning foreign affairs, I was recently a guest of the Foreign Policy School of the Nigeria Institute for International Affairs in which I had the opportunity to engage with a number of career diplomats on matters affecting the nation’s foreign policy thrusts, particularly that of the Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

    Also, on the 6th to the 10th of this month, I was a keynote speaker in a Pan African Conference hosted in Kigali  Rwanda. The conference which had as it’s theme: Leadership and role of alternative dispute resolution in tackling conflicts in Africa was well attended by a coterie of leaders of thought, policy makers , diplomats and civil servants from all across Africa with the intent to deploy alternative dispute resolutions to a number of conflicts within the African continent.

    In both experiences I was fortunate to understand the why’s of certain conflicts and happenings in our sphere, particularly from what the prisms of today’s realities would portend. Let me state that Nigeria as a nation remains in luck or as our religious ministers whether they be of Islam or Christian faiths would put it- God must surely love this nation otherwise this nation should have long ago become embroiled in another civil war, with the horrors this time around making the Nigerian Biafran war a child’s play.

    I wish that we borrow copiously from Rwanda’s past as a nation; it’s challenges with its colonial reification of identity and narratives which in turn created an avenue for mistrust and then went on to inspire the horrific genocide of 1994.

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    These narratives which were spun by either the Hutus or the Tutsis were a carryover of what the academics have termed as colonial durabilities in which vestiges of colonialism endures despite the fact that such a nation may have long gotten it’s independence and is in charge of its own affairs. Such a legacy helped create these narratives of misinformation which is similar to what we have in Nigeria where many have discovered that misinformation and lack of the right information portends a huge risk for society and nations.

    A look at most of the views canvassed by those who parade themselves as opinion leaders are at best jaundiced views or corridor views. While we see most people who attempt to talk about the Nigerian situation lack background information or knowledge of where we really are or where we are coming from. Yet they paint such a situation in dire colours, yes things are indeed ugly but is the situation beyond redemption as they posit with the effrontrey of the priests of Baal, the answer is a resounding no!

    Elections have come and gone and even those who knew from the onset that there was no way they could have emerged victorious have continued to act as if they have an ordained right to lead Nigeria and no one else, such untrammeled facism is what has led to the cooking of such narratives of doom.

    To them the Nigerian nation may burn to the ground it bothers them not, they are not bothered if they put the country  on the path of self destruct, their ambition trumps all of that.

    My journey to Rwanda helped me connect the two situations: Rwanda’s past, leading to the genocide and Rwanda’s present state under the leadership of Paul Kagame which gives me much hope.

    Present day Nigeria can indeed much learn from the two situations that have befallen Rwanda with the understanding that either of both choices remains ours to choose and to live with.

    Whether we want a war torn country with wounds that will take time to heal{ Now that is if we survive a second civil war) or we want a country where we passionately put Nigeria first, understanding our differences whether they are ethnic, partisan or religious and subsuming such differences under the national panorama. In terms of nation building, the Nigerian lump of leaders most especially those in the opposition can borrow a leaf too.

    The strong sense of patriotism and nationhood which Kagame has bequeathed to the people of Rwanda as well as the set of values in reshaping their orientation.

    What I witnessed in Rwanda may have predated the genocide, but making them work becomes a responsibility of the people. Nigeria can borrow from that and consonance with the great local and foreign policies of the PBAT renewed hope administration. Nigeria will rise to its leadership position in the African continent and earn the desired respect for Africa in the committee of Nations.

    Nigerians of all works of life must learn to work towards the common goal of national progress and development, by building strong institutions,  investing massively in human capital and education, fostering tolerance and ensuring a culture of accountability between those leading and the led.

    Looking at it from the angle of healing, reconciliation and uniting the country, Nigerians can yet again learn from Rwanda, which has turned itself from a country of ethnic loyalties to one where the only loyalty is to the nation. One would wish this for our nation but with the caveat that the nation must also meet the aspirations of its citizens. Yes we may have fought a gory war in the past but that was 54 years ago, can we continue to dwell on some of the mistakes of the past, a huge chunk of the causative factors being the egos of two young officers, no!

    Like I have always said, every ethnic group has had it worst under this arrangement called Nigeria, with several episodes of ethno-religious violence in the past, such events, such as the Odi Massacre, Zaki Biam, Asaba, June 12 are wounds fresh from the past but we cannot dwell under these periods forever, we must foster that dialogue between the ethnic groups that make up Nigeria Including the promotion of a culture of forgiveness and understanding.

    Looking at it, Rwanda’s political system under Kagame shows that there is need  for a succession system rather than a succession plan. Rwanda’s virile policy on  youth development is enhancing  leadership and will cement Rwanda’s role as a behemoth in the nearest future.  Nigeria surely needs this.

     Our nation can also learn to use the multi track approach to transform a system from a state of dysfunctional violence into a state for peace through a multi track approach.  This has helped Rwanda to grow.  Using leadership to deal with root causes/ relationship/ symptoms interwoven rather leaving any  aspect  out. We must merge these with the other 4 ingredients: survival, identity, wellness and freedom/justice. These we must imbibe in governance. 

    It is therefore easy to equate the present day successes in Rwanda: is it the economy,.education, security, innovation or wellbeing of it’s citizenry with the present leadership model of Paul Kagame. However we.must note that these things did not just  fall from heaven, no , there are choices taken by the leadership and people of Rwanda, years ago!

    As Nigerians, many African nations also look up to us as Africa’s  big brother; thus it can only lead  when it effectively implements sustainable  best practices in governance and peace models.

    The choice remains ours…

    • Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu is the National Vice Chairman, APC SouthEast Zone.

  • OAU women on the move (3)

    OAU women on the move (3)

    In this final part of a survey of developments at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, within the context of the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024, the main focus is on the first ever female Chairperson of any Labour Union in the university, Professor Folasade Hunsu. Below are excerpts of her interview with Nuances.

    Nuances: Professor Hunsu, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

    Hunsu: I’m Professor Folasade Hunsu, a Professor of Literature and Women’s Studies. I’m also the Chairperson of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), OAU Chapter. Indeed, I’m blessed to be the first female Chairperson of any Labour Union in the 63-year-old university. Largely, I can describe myself as a humanist activist interested in the defence of the vulnerable, the marginalised and the oppressed in the society – male, female, young and old. Thank you, sir.

    Nuances: Thank you. March 8 is International Women’s Day. What do you think the significance of this Day is for Nigeria?

    Hunsu: For us as a nation, this Day helps us to raise awareness about the challenges women are facing. More importantly, it tries to celebrate women as daughters, as wives, as mothers, as cousins, and in whichever other capacities they are functioning in their relationships with us. We also have this Day to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of exceptional women who have performed well in the public sector, education sector, in businesses, organised corporations and the like.

    Nuances: Thank you. As a person of influence in Obafemi Awolowo University, what are the measures you think the university has put in place to promote the interests of women?

    Hunsu: The first thing I’ll like to say about Obafemi Awolowo University is that it is a woman-friendly institution. The university is the first federal university to have a gender policy, and presently, as I speak with you, there is an aspect of this gender policy, which is the Sexual Harassment Policy, which the university has domiciled and which has been very effective in the administering of the affairs of the institution. Also, the university has shown some measure of seriousness in the way it has addressed the problems of our female students and staff. For each faculty of the university, we have an official we call the focal person. Across the university, these focal persons are women whom girls, our students, could go to if they have any problem. They are also people who ensure that women are fairly treated at the faculty level.

    In addition, OAU has been generous in terms of allocating space to women and women’s needs. For example, we have crèches located in strategic places all over the university. We have crèches in the Central Market, the staff quarters, and around the primary and secondary schools, so that it would be easier for nursing mothers to work and also take care of their children. This is a commendable demonstration of the open-handedness and seriousness of Obafemi Awolowo University in the treatment of women and women’s issues.

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    Nuances: Thank you. How effective do you think these measures have been?

    Hunsu: Well, largely; but we still have a lot to achieve. For example, we would like more of our female students who are living off-campus to be accommodated in the university hostels. We would also like them to have increased access to security so that the cases of rape, of theft and harassment would reduce. And, we need to ensure more gender-sensitive employment processes in which men and women are given a fairer chance.

    Nuances: Are there any additional measures that you think the university could put in place?

    Hunsu: Yes. It would be a good thing if the university could provide some form of funding in the form of scholarships for needy female students, so that they won’t be exposed unduly to predators. We should do more for our girls through the work study arrangement. In terms of employment and admission, it wouldn’t be a bad idea if we could have a quota for women. Lastly, though the make-up of the university Management right now is fair enough, with 3 women as Principal Officers out of a total of 7, women should be encouraged more to occupy the positions of Heads of Department and Deans of Faculties.

    Nuances: Thank you. Now, Obafemi Awolowo University academic staff members are believed to be rather radical and very mercurial; and here you are, as a woman, emerging as a Labour Union leader on this campus. How did this happen?   

    Hunsu: When I was in the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), I was with the Gender Committee and then when elections came in 2013, I was put up for election into the position of Vice-Chairperson. I duly won the election and served under Professor Peter Akinola for around 6 months, before the election was unjustly annulled and the tenure was abruptly terminated by the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU. This exposed me to the dynamism of union leadership. I’m immensely grateful to the Elders of CONUA who, within just about 5½ years of the formation of the Union, identified me as a candidate suitable to occupy the position of Chairperson, after Dr. Niyi Sunmonu who went on to become the National President of our Union. This is a demonstration of the Union’s gender sensitivity and commitment to inclusivity.

    Saying that Ife people are radical and the like stems from the fact that they’re cerebral; they’re people who think; they’re critical of administrations and people who occupy elective positions. They would hold you accountable and put you on your toes. And I think it’s a plus for us in OAU. So, the aluta spirit is an Ife thing. It makes you aware; it makes you ever-conscious, because we’re a forward-looking and forward-moving university, which has enabled me to be a female Chairperson of a Labour Union in the institution.

    Nuances: Thank you. But, does this in anyway conflict with your domestic life?

    Hunsu: Not at all, because my husband is very supportive of me in this position. In fact, when I was invited to contest for the position of Chairperson of CONUA, I consulted him and he gave his nod. So, there are times when he would release me, and say “Don’t worry”, when I need to fulfill some obligations at the home front and I concurrently need to perform some roles as the Chairperson of the Union. Moreover, my children are grown up. So, I’m kind of free, so to speak. Even my position as a religious leader hasn’t conflicted at all with my union obligations. I’ve been able to strike a balance between being a Union Leader, a wife and a mother, by the grace of God.

    Nuances: What have been your specific achievements in these 8 or so months during which you have been Chairperson of CONUA-OAU?

    Hunsu: Within a few weeks of our inauguration, we were able to secure a 6-plot permanent site for the Union’s secretariat on the university campus. We have also facilitated the successful take-off of the cooperative, thrift and credit society of the Union to promote the savings and investments culture among our members. In addition, we have drawn up a systematic directory of members of the Union, which has helped us in attending to welfare matters of members promptly and effectively.

    Nuances: Thank you very much. Now, what do you envision for OAU between now and International Women’s Day 2025?

    Hunsu: One, I look forward to seeing OAU mentor women more, particularly towards having the first female Vice-Chancellor of the university before long. Two, in terms of employment, we should engage more women between now and IWD 2025. Three, to solve the accommodation problem of our female students, the university should endeavour to accommodate more of our female students. Four, better security should be provided for the female students staying off-campus.

    Nuances: Alright. Do you have any closing remarks for us, Ma’am?

    Hunsu: Well, I would say that it’s been a good thing serving in a university staff union in my capacity as the Chairperson, and I’m delighted that I’ve inspired more women to participate in union activities. I’ve enjoyed the support of the men in OAU; and as a woman-friendly university, if I had the opportunity again to choose where to work, I would choose OAU over and over again. Thank you, sir.

    Nuances: Thank you very much, Comrade, for your time.

    Professor Hunsu has good company in Dr. Monica Orisadare, an Economist, who is the first National Treasurer of CONUA and a former Director of the Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies at OAU.

    The full array of Directors of the Centre and their tenures include: The Founding Director, Professor Simi Afonja (1996 – 2004), Professor Bisi Aina (2004 – 2006), Professor Sumbo Abiose (2007 – 2009), Professor Funmi Soetan (2010 – 2014), Professor Simi Adeyinka (2014 – 2016), Professor Oluwatoyin Mejiuni (2016 – 2018), Dr. Monica Orisadare (2018 – 2021) and Dr. Olufunmilayo Banjo (2021 – date). Dr. Banjo, the incumbent Director, whose academic specialisation is in Demography and Social Statistics, continues to build on the solid foundation laid by all of her predecessors and is, steadily, expanding the visibility of the Centre on the global intellectual map.

    It is important to note at this point that another female, Professor Oluyemisi Obilade, who is a former Vice-Dean of the Division of Students Affairs at OAU, was subsequently appointed the first female Vice-Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. Likewise, Professor Adenike Kuku, a Professor of Biochemistry at OAU, has been appointed as the first female Vice-Chancellor of Kings University, Ode-Omu, Osun State, immediately succeeding the pioneer holder of that office. Moreover, Professor Funmi Togonu-Bickersteth, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at OAU, has proceeded to become the Pro-Chancellor and Chairperson of the Governing Councils of the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, and the Federal University, Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, sequentially.

    Currently, Professor Olubola Babalola, is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at OAU and she has had the distinction of being the first female Professor of Quantity Surveying in Africa; Dr. Olukemi Fadehan is the University Librarian, and she assumed the office at OAU after a successful tenure as the University Librarian of the University of Lagos; and Mrs. Oluwatoyin Abogan is the University Bursar and an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). It is commendable that the incumbent Vice-Chancellor of OAU, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, has reposed so much confidence in these women of substance.

    Professor Simi Afonja, the Matriarch of Gender Studies at OAU, must feel quite fulfilled looking back now and seeing the little footpath to gender consciousness she created very many years ago grow into today’s highway to gender equity. Indeed, “Great oaks from little acorns grow.”

  • Restoring the Federal Civil Service Commission as professional gatekeeper

    Restoring the Federal Civil Service Commission as professional gatekeeper

    On the 13th of December 2023, HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the newly reconstituted Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), and gave a marching order to the Commission to “competently facilitate the transformation, reorientation, and digitization of the federal bureaucracy to enable, and not stifle, growth and enhanced private sector participation in the development of the Nigerian economy, in full adherence to the renewed hope agenda of his administration.” The FCSC has since interpreted this mandate as a charge to interrogate a fundamental question: What has the FCSC failed to do to institutionally gatekeep the federal civil service and safeguard its professional integrity, dynamics of efficiency and structural parameters despite many years of consistent and sustained administrative reforms in Nigeria?

    To answer this question in a resolute way demands first the admission that given the institutional degeneration of the FCSC itself in the wake of the system-wide decline of the public administration system in Nigeria, it does not have the requisite structural and institutional parameters, to complement any forthright system-wide reform to reform the civil service reform and thereby participate in bringing to fruition the Renewed Hope Agenda of HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. This therefore requires a concerted reflection outside the box in measure that will instigate the critical injection of fresh and innovative ideas, insights and models of performance that are potent sufficiently, to compel the repositioning of the federal civil service in terms of its operational capability readiness, redoubled managerial acumen and policy professional policy professionalism that could add up to become a game-changing event for the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government. This is the mandate of the renewed FCSC.

    And in pursuing this fundamental mandate, we must never forget to situate the FCSC within the context of the ongoing service-wide reforms, especially the performance bond-enabled central policy and service delivery coordination framework of the Presidency and the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The FCSC reforming the reform mandate is essentially a complementary task whose significance adds to the overall health of the federal public service system in Nigeria. And in complementing this ongoing reform, the FCSC is compelled to focus on the broader picture of reforming the reforms to encompass the rehabilitation of the public service in Nigeria. To clarify: this larger challenge faced by the FCSC involves answering the loaded question: Who is a Nigerian public servant? This of course looks like a very simple question. However, we begin to see how complex it is when we place it in the context of how majority of Nigerians see the public service and public servants—politicians, the police, immigration and customs, the fire system, national electricity, education boards, and many more.

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    How have a large majority of Nigerians encounter public servants in these ministries, departments and agencies? The answer is simple: Nigerians encounter bureaucratic inefficiency aggravated by bureaucratic corruption. And the Ease of Doing Business Index demonstrates this from year to year. It is difficult to clear your goods at any of Nigeria’s ports. It is a traumatic experience to get the police to be your friend. Nigerians pay for electricity they do not enjoy, and they are even bullied by overzealous officers in the process. Let us not even talk about the police and the politicians. Long story short: the perception of public servants by Nigerians is bad. The public service has become bureaucratic because there are so many impediments and obstacles that have prevented the system from becoming creative and innovative in rethinking its own internal operations, processes and procedures that would have made for optimal functioning.

    When any ordinary Nigerian visits the federal secretariat in any state of the federation, the lack of inter-sectoral collaboration, for example, or the near-absence of technology-enabled system’s capability ensures that such a Nigerian is frustrated in making simple administrative transactions. And that terrible perception reflects badly not only on the capability readiness of the FCSC to efficiently gatekeep the professionalism of the system, but also the systemic efficiency of the public service to backstop the government’s policies that lead to good governance. And so, attending to these institutional debilitations demands a focus on three general and systemic components around which reform reflection and action must converge.

    First, there is the urgent need to challenge and reengineer the traditional Weberian— “I-am-directed”—bureaucratic tradition which essentially rides on outdated administrative practices, analogue operating system, red-tape bureaucratic culture and poor stewardship with regards to the consideration given to, and the rights of the citizens as the customers who consume public services. In other words, the old Weberian system around which the Nigerian public service system still revolves crucially undermines bureaucratic efficiency. It will therefore be a wrong choice of operational mechanism to hinge the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration. Reforming the reform of the Nigerian public system therefore implies rethinking the basis of its institutional efficiency to get service delivery done effectively.

    Second, reform must confront the low organizational intelligence quotient (IQ) of the public service workforce and especially its top echelons. This has not only impacted on the essence of public spiritedness and professionalism of the public servant, it has also triggered the breakdown of public service values that makes the public service all over the world a noble calling. The root cause of this decline in the vocational spirit of a public servant can only be redressed by a consistent, coherent and strict metrics of re-professionalization.

    Third, bureaucratic efficiency must be connected with the ultimate objective of achieving an effective and efficient democratic service delivery that defines what good governance is for Nigerians. And this demands that the public service must be compelled to become a performing and productive institution that holds its workforce to metrics of performance accountability. And a culture of structural performance can only take off when reforms reduce the series of systemic constraints that limits the effectiveness of the system to deliver public goods to Nigerians. We have a good example in how the President himself has got all the key governance players in the government to sign on to a performance bond with a dedicated policy coordination backend. 

    Fourth, a key component of performance management for productivity is a functional competency-based human resource management practices which, in the case of the Nigerian public service system, are already compromised. Two structural issues are responsible for this compromise. The first is the collapse of internal control mechanism, and the second is the rampant bureaucratic corruption aggravated by the lack of the culture of deferred gratification.

    The consequence of all these institutional weaknesses is the bloated and inefficient status of the administrative system that allows it to keep generating redundancies and ad hoc structures and units of government agencies that compete with the existing bureaucratic structures in order to achieve what is often taken to be a flexible administrative arrangement unencumbered by administrative codes, rules and regulations. There is also the unfortunate replication of these parallel structures across each state of the federation. The result is the explosion of the cost of governance in ways that burden the capacity to allocate needed funds to critical governance projects to speaks more to the infrastructural needs of the citizens than mere overheads.

    Records and information management controls have also become so porous that they are routinely manipulated to perpetuate bureaucratic corruption and the offloading of undesirable elements on the system. This is where the FCSC itself becomes a significant part of the general problems of the federal civil service in Nigeria. This is because the vision of the competent, patriotic, efficient and productive public servant comes from a rigorous determination of that administrative persona by the institution charged with the responsibility of gatekeeping public service professionalism. The FCSC remit is to gatekeep the sustenance of a meritocratic public service system that is founded on a strategic and competency-based human resources management that replaces 1000 mediocre officers as is, with just 100 competent self-motivated public managers with the knowledge and expertise to get the work done. To transform the public service into a meritocratic institution and re-form its professional standard and value orientation therefore demands a cultural adjustment programme and attitudinal change through putting in place due process, rules and regulations that privilege compliance and value-based strategies. All these could then be deployed into the series of entry level processes and procedures that are meant to safeguard the quality of those to be saddled with the responsibility of transforming Nigeria’s productivity profile and the performance of her democratic governance.

    I need to add quickly that public service meritocracy as a diversity management strategy must be institutionalized in a manner that is able to undermine the tendency of the federal character policy to allow unqualified candidates from slipping through the cracks into the system. Employing civil servants on the basis of ethno-cultural diversity of Nigeria is not tantamount to employing just anyone to fill up quotas. This is where the FCSC and its competency-based HR practices steps into the breach to counter these tendencies. However, restoring competency-based HR practices and the merit system will eventually be meaningless if the intended reforms fail to address the wage and compensation policy dimension of meritocracy. This is one of the crucial sources of bureaucratic corruption. This consideration led to a very robust conversation with the Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, whose insights during the meeting, was not just reassuring but also seminal in its solution contents.

    Thus, once these entry-level requirements are undermined by corrupt practices, from patronage to nepotism, it becomes very difficult to control the influx of newly employed officers who are in the civil service, for instance, because there is no employment elsewhere for them, and whose attitudes are circumscribed by political arrogance and whose objective is to engage in transactional practices that profit them at the expense of the system. Reforming the reform of the Federal Civil Service therefore commences at point of putting in place a more rigorous, firm and incorruptible entry-level assessment tests and integrity screenings. The reform vision is that the FCSC will deploy the tests to pre-screen new recruits into the workforce in ways that increase the integrity of the system and its professional capacity.

    This is just the first in a long series of reform efforts targeted at challenging and transforming the current perception of who a civil or public servant is and who she should be. The FCSC is therefore saddled with the objective of reprofiling the professional status, ethical character, and administrative competence of who is eventually recruited to the civil service in a way that fast track the fundamental goal of building a new generation of public managers that Nigeria urgently requires to jumpstart the optimal performance of democratic governance. It could only be terrifying that as the entry procedures stand at the moment, that our background check on new entrants in the civil service does not scrutinize them for any criminal tendencies or activities.                

    It is then the intention of the FCSC to translate these series of testing, due processes, and regulations into a streamlined digitized standard operating protocols which will be deployed to recalibrate the mainstream structure of the overall processes that attend the career and professional growth and progression of civil and public servants, like staff induction, confirmation of appointment, promotion exercises, disciplinary procedures and appeals, and the general enforcement of the codes of conduct and of ethics. In this regard, one of the most immediate courses of reform actions that the FCSC is commencing is the modernization and digitization of the core operations. The most obvious will be the transition from the existing analogue testing mechanisms to the computer-based tests (CBT) to manage the forthcoming 2024 promotion exercise that will hold in the third quarter of the year.

    The Commission will be rolling out several other technology-enabled innovations that harness digital technologies to facilitate effective due processes, from recruitment to promotion exercises. For instance, there is already in the works the installation of an online recruitment portal that will be accessible to all Nigerians, and which will enable eligible candidates to pre-fill recruitment form and update same from time to time ahead of advertisement for recruitment into the Federal service. In addition, eligible candidates will henceforth undergo computer-based tests (CBT) and oral interviews with results collated and released real-time. The FCSC is currently negotiating an outsourcing contract with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and JAMB as technical partners with a view to taking advantage of their infrastructure, networks and experience to enable online accreditation, CBT examinations and promotion interview for officers in the Federal service starting with the directorate-level officers. Other reform packages, like those that will deal with the FCSC’s need for an enhanced staff capacity and an institutional capability, will be unveiled at the right time consequent on getting the buy-in, sign-on and endorsement of the FCSC’s principal, HE, the President of Nigeria. 

    And this brings us squarely into the significance of this maiden monthly seminar series initiated to constitute a space for sustained learning and sharing discussion that open up contributions, from experiences and practices, on how key reform issues and problematics could be interrogated and benchmarked for their functional deployment in Nigeria. This is why today’s topic is important: “The Institutional Framework and Procedure for the Conduct of Directorate Level Exercise: Guaranteeing Integrity, Transparency and Accountability of Standard Practices.” It jumpstarts our discussion into how FCSC could itself be made ready, in operation and practices, for the mandate that was set for it by Mr. President. And it seems only logical to commence with a deep analysis of some of the critical first-level issues and risks that could be anticipated in the planned transition from an analogue to an online and computerized assessment processes and procedures. This will then eventually be followed by further technical conversations, I mean both those dealing with the transitioning of the due processes, and those articulating and interrogating further reform issues.

    I have no doubt that the FCSC is a critical player in the efforts of the Federal Government to deliver on its mandate to make every Nigerian enjoy the dividends of democratic governance through a Renewed Hope Agenda anchored on the capacity readiness of the federal bureaucracy to achieve efficiency in the implementation of the government policies. However, the efficiency of the public and civil service depends solely on the reprofiling of who a meritocratic, efficient and patriotic public servant is. This is where the FCSC fulfils its constitutional mandate, and the hope reposed in it by Mr. President, to articulate and emplace a reform architecture that repositions the federal civil service as the engine room for making the public service an effective instrument for service delivery to Nigerians. The FCSC mandate starts with the collective and committed efforts of all members of the Commission to first reflect on the ideas, models, insights, paradigms and direction of the proposed reforms before they are implemented and monitored for successes. And that begins with this monthly seminar series as one of the measured mechanisms that will restore the lost glory of the Commission.     

    (Being Address at the Maiden Edition of the FCSC Monthly In-house Seminar Series held on Thursday, the 21st of March, 2024 at the Commission’ Premises)

  • Rain II

    Rain II

    That damned frozen chicken all but spoilt my re-entry to Nigeria, something I had longed for with passion almost from the day I left the country three years before. It set me thinking of what was in stock for Nigeria in the coming years. But more than that I went over what I knew or thought I knew about Nigeria over the last couple of years.

    I arrived in Britain at a time when that country was in the midst of unprecedented economic, industrial and political turmoil which not only caused the fall of the Conservative government led by Ted Heath but caused power cuts and the adoption of the three day working week strategy and unleashed a series of strikes which caused refuse to pile up uncollected and all forms of transport to be at least suspended. The situation was dire as inflation was raging furiously and painfully. The incoming Labour government of Harold Wilson tried to repair the situation but improvement was slow and not particularly steady. Throughout those dark days, the government concentrated on increasing trade with overseas governments including Nigeria In order to find a cure for what ailed the economy. All major contracts won by British firms in any part of the world was announced with some fan fair tinged with relief. Each contract was celebrated because it guaranteed work for a certain number of British workers for so many months or years. All those thus employed paid tax to the government and of course contributed something to the Gross Domestic Product and the overall well being of the country as a whole. The reverse of this was also true from the point of view of countries which awarded contracts won by British firms as this amounted to the exportation of jobs to the detriment of the growth of the local economy and a reduction in GDP. To my consternation, many of the contracts gleefully announced by the BBC were awarded by  the Nigerian government and I understood it to mean that Nigeria was subsidising the British economy to some significant extent. It was acceptable if the contracts were for sophisticated goods and services which were to be of future benefits to Nigeria but not if the contract was for the supply of frozen, long dead chickens which added little or no value to the Nigerian economy. On the contrary, the importation of items such as frozen chickens was an insult to the economy as it contributed nothing to growth. Had genetically improved chickens which could be use to improve the availability of better stock been imported, there could be lasting contribution to the economy. Instead very good money was being thrown at dead chickens.

    For most of the time I spent in Britain, a messy civil war was raging unchecked in Lebanon. A detailed documentary on the war aired by the BBC showed to my shock that a lot of the money which was used by one side in the conflict to buy arms and ammunition came from Nigeria, proceeds from pools betting which was the preserve of Lebanese promoters operating in Nigeria at the time. All those rather silly men and they have to be men, who were looking for ways and means of making a quick buck through the patronage of the Kora were doing no more than exporting money which was being used to buy weapons to prosecute a war which many of those punters were not even aware of. Since then, the Lebanese have been eased out of that business which to all intents and purposes can be likened in economic terms to the importation of frozen chickens, a sterile exercise leading to an economic dead end. To give a full report, it has to be said that some of the money which was being incinerated in Lebanon came from the proceeds of the insurance business in which the Kora were also active participants at the time.

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    After a great deal of thought, I came to the conclusion that the Nigeria I grew up in and was comfortable with was dead. A couple of weeks after I left Nigeria an unexpected war broke out in the Middle East and as I discussed in an earlier article, one of the unexpected outcomes of that brief war was a humongous increase in the price of crude oil. With Nigeria being one of the largest producers of crude oil in the world, the country’s coffers was buried under a deluge of petrodollars. Virtually overnight, the country became rich, much richer than our rulers could contemplate and suddenly the problem of how to spend all that money became huge and pressing. Up till then we had been managing a genteel poverty which allowed us to eat rice only once or twice a week. Indeed rice was reserved for festive occasions and preparing available rice for the pot was a rather laborious process and a disincentive for eating it often. First, it was imperative to remove the stones which came with rice through keen visual inspection. This process served to remove the stones which were big enough to be seen easily but since there were other smaller stones which made it imperative for the rice to be panned in the way of mining prospectors separating gold from sand. Then, the rice was ready for cooking. At that time, none of the rice eaten in Nigeria was imported but that was before all those petrodollars began rolling into our coffers. By the end of the seventies, we ate nothing but rice imported from South East Asia and the rice produced locally was abandoned even by the poor amongst is. That is when rice merchants came into their own and we soon had a minister whose portfolio included managing the process whereby rice was imported into the country. By that time the rain had started to fall all around us and many had begun to shiver from the cold draught which accompanied the rain from which we should have started to seek shelter.

    I stayed in Lagos for a few days after my return to Nigeria and took that opportunity to look around the city which had changed quite considerably in my absence. It was noticeably noisier, stuffier, smellier, dirtier, hotter and uglier. True, there were some flyovers where there were none before but I did not consider them an aesthetic improvement as one of the casualties of their existence was the majestic Marina which had been buried under tons of grey concrete. I was distraught when I went up to the tea shop in the UTC and found that the view of Apapa wharf across the lagoon which I had found enchanting only three years before had been blocked completely by one of those infernal flyovers. I felt deprived and helpless as I stared rather mournfully at the simple repast with which I had thought to give myself a welcome back home from exile, a productive exile it has to be said but an exile all the same. It was immediately apparent to me that whatever fascination I had for that city by the lagoon was lost and lost forever, never to return. The result was another period of exile which this time has stretched to close to half a century and is never likely to end. Being close up with all that concrete reminded painfully of the reports of an armada of ships carrying cement to Nigeria at the beginning of the oil boom. There were so many ships bringing in cement that their arrival meant a blockade of the port. But those ships were a scam as many of them did not come bringing any cargo of cement but the situation was so chaotic that they were paid for their non-existent cargo! The rains had begun.

    The University of Ife had honoured me with a fellowship and I could not wait to return there, to begin a career which was to consume forty-four years of my life from that point. As I made that journey to Ife, for the first time since my return, I smiled with genuine pleasure as I got onto the brand new Ife – Ibadan road which had been built within the short period of my absence. I smiled and really felt like jumping for joy because the old road was, to put it mildly, a death trap. Just before I went off to Britain, the Federal minister of Works, no less, had been involved in one of the frequent accidents that plagued travellers on that road and was very lucky to have escaped with his life and limbs. Rumour had it that the new road was built to celebrate the minister’s lucky escape. Unfortunately, if the intention was to make the road safer, that aim was thwarted. The road was so well built that it invited it’s users to race along it with joyous abandon. That invitation was accepted by so many of those driving on it that high speed accidents were distressingly frequent from the point of view of fatalities, no improvement was achieved. Thirty-five years after it was built, the necessity to dualise it was finally acknowledged and this was duly done but the work done on the dualisation exercise was so shoddy that the new portion became practically impossible to use even as it was being built and portions of it have now been abandoned to the pot holes which have taken them over. Those portions of road tell the sad story of what had happened to Nigeria within the period during which the rain started falling on us with a vengeance and now. The old colonial road was replaced by the new road in 1975 at a time when clouds were only beginning to gather over Nigeria. That road was not just well built but showed an honesty of purpose which made it possible for a good road to be built. The other side of it which was built early this century was in itself a massive disaster. By then the rain was sheeting down on us with fury and all attempts at setting a standard had been abandoned. All engineering principles had been thrown out of the window and what was built was a pale shadow of a road, all standards having been lost along the way. In spite of a criminal lack of maintenance the portion of the road built in 1975 is holding up much better than the one inflicted on the long suffering public thirty years later. And the builders of that terrible road have not been moved to shame. They have pocketed their fat fee and that is all that matters. People like me who are unhappy about this have simply been pushed into expressing an impotent fury which cannot be compatible with good health. That, in a country where the healthcare system is on life support, is not a good idea.

  • Impressions from Nigeria’s outing at UNEA 6 and Tinubu’s delegation

    Impressions from Nigeria’s outing at UNEA 6 and Tinubu’s delegation

    By Olufemi Idowu-Adegoke

    The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) is the world’s highest-level environmental decision-making body, with a universal membership of all 193 UN Member States. It was created in 2012 due to decades of international efforts ­initiated at the UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972, aimed at creating an effective system of international environmental governance. The assembly meets biennially to set priorities for global environmental policies, develop international environmental laws, and serve as the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

    The Sixth Session of the Assembly (UNEA-6) with the theme “Effective, Inclusive, and Multilateral Actions to Tackle Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss and Pollution”, was held from Monday 26th February to Friday 1st March 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting was attended by more than 7,000 participants from 182 UN Member States, including 170 Ministers, 17 High-Level officials, Environmental Conventions Executive Directors/Secretaries, MultiStakeholder Groups, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and other Environment Stakeholders.

    UNEA 6 ended on Friday, 1st March 2024, with 1 ministerial declaration, 1 decision, and 15 resolutions. The resolutions covered wide-ranging areas including sound management of chemicals and waste,  sustainable lifestyles, fostering national action to address global environmental challenges,  combating sand and dust storms, environmental aspects of minerals and metals, the circularity of a resilient, low carbon sugar cane agroforestry, international efforts to combat desertification and land degradation,  just to mention a few.

    The delegation of Nigeria was led by the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who appears to be carving a niche as the international environmental ambassador in Tinubu’s administration.  This writer was able to see the report on Nigeria’s participation at the assembly which clearly showed an intensive and strategic high-level engagement showcasing the leadership position of Nigeria in the African continent, especially in the ECOWAS subregion.

    Nigeria has been at the forefront of promoting Nature-Based solutions (NBS) as an important approach to addressing socio-environmental challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and disaster risk reduction. NBS refers to  “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems” including afforestation, mangrove restoration,  urban greening,  wetlands management, agroforestry, and so on are less technology-intensive and sits better with the traditional livelihoods of the people.  This approach offers a cost-effective pathway to address global environmental, economic,  climate, and societal challenges.

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    In the spirit of promoting NBS, the Nigerian delegation at UNEA 6 was very visible at events that speak to this important strategy of addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.  Nigeria co-chaired with Costa Rica the intergovernmental consultation on NBS and at.UNEA 6. The report of the consultation was presented with the Nigerian Minister of State for Environment playing a leading role as a keynote speaker.  On the same day, Dr. Salako participated as a panelist in a high-level side event put together by the Global Environment Facility with the theme “Scaling up investment in Africa to tackle the triple planetary crisis.”  At each of these events, Minister Salako showcased Nigeria’s contributions to address the global environmental challenges citing specific examples like the afforestation and mangrove restoration by the National Agency for Green Wall and the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project.

    Since the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity held in Montreal Canada in 2022,  Nigeria has been demonstrating leadership in mobilizing the ECOWAS subregion and Africa to work in unison for the implementation cum adoption of some of the targets of the conference especially the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity framework which aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions Treaty.

     It is generally agreed that to address biodiversity loss, there is a need to increase investment in nature protection by between 500 and 900 billion USD per year. For this reason,  a commitment was made at COP15, in Montreal, to deliver at least 20 billion USD per year in international biodiversity finance to developing countries by 2025, and at least USD 30 billion a year by 2030. Unfortunately,  the world is currently completely off track to achieving this commitment.

    Against this background,  Nigeria at COP28 in Dubai last December led 3 other countries,  Samoa, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, to launch a Ministerial Alliance for Ambition on Nature Finance (MAANF). The Alliance would work to champion the importance of meeting a central financial pillar of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: the commitment to increase international biodiversity finance to developing countries.  At UNEA 6, Minister Salako, as the Chairman of MAANF, was able to convene the first meeting of the alliance with 9 other countries participating.  It was a kudos and thumbs up for Nigeria as the pathway for achieving the objectives of the alliance was presented and debated.

    The Minister of State for Environment delivered the national statement of Nigeria on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR on the 4th day of the UNEA 6. The national statement was used to demonstrate the nexus between the renewed hope agenda of the current administration, the 8 presidential priorities, and environmental sustainability.  It highlighted the commitment of Nigeria to a low carbon, climate resilient,  high growth circular economy that is gender sensitive and equitable.  Nigeria, through the well-crafted and well-delivered statement, was able to demonstrate progress being made in her nationally determined contributions, the energy transition plan, the net zero emission target, and the circular economy roadmap  The Nigerian Sovereign Green Bond, the first in Africa, was put forward as an innovative climate financing mechanism being successfully implemented in the country.  The statement also highlighted the leadership role being played by Nigeria in the ECOWAS sub-region and the African continent to mobilize countries to adopt and implement multilateral environmental agreements like the Kunming/Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions Treaty.

    The UN Science Policy Business Forum on tracking financial flows to nature-based solutions was another high-level side event of UNEA 6 where Nigeria was able to put itself forward and convey its irrevocable commitment to nature-based solutions.  In a similar vein, the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People and the CITES side events on sustainable forest management where  Salako participated as a keynote speaker and panelist presented the opportunity for Nigeria to be showcased as a responsible and important member of the global environmental movement working alongside others to implement multilateral environmental agreements to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change,  biodiversity loss and pollution.

    A lot more still needs to be done by Nigeria considering its position as the most populous black nation on earth and the largest economy in Africa.  UNEA 6 was an opportunity for stocktaking, showcasing our strengths,  exploring new opportunities and partnerships, and projecting for the future. It is hoped that Nigeria will continue to invest massively in climate actions, biodiversity restoration, and conservation,  the 4Rs of waste management, and pollution control to play her part in the healthy preservation of our planet.

    ● Olufemi Idowu-Adegoke, Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Environment, wrote from Abuja

  • Your Gateway to Full restoration

    Your Gateway to Full restoration

    By Ven. Henry Adelegan

    Text:  “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always…..” John 11:41-42

    From our text, Lazarus’ situation was an obviously hopeless case. He had been in the grave for four days and was already stinking in the grave before Jesus Christ arrived. At His arrival, He requested to be taken to where the hopeless situation was and asked that the stone be rolled away. He lifted up His voice of praise to God. He thanked God for always hearing Him. Immediately, power descended, the Scent of water came down, fresh life came to the rotten body, the stench of decomposition received the aroma of God and the dead came alive – there was full restoration of life, laughter, smiles, joy and destinies. Please note dear beloved in Christ that Praise has the capacity to bring lives back to normal, restore broken families, upgrade educational status, lift up businesses, upload ministries and restore the glory of nations that have been classified as dead back to life and reckoning. Nothing decomposes, suffers decay or dies in praise. Are you in a seemingly hopeless situation? Have you been written off by people and the society, I have a good news. The information is that nothing dies in praise. It doesn’t matter for how long you have been in that untoward situation or position, something great will happen through praise. If praise is your lifestyle, full restoration over delay, decay and decadence shall be your heritage. I am confident that Nigeria shall rise again. The battered economy of our country shall bounce back. God is going to assist our security architecture and our space shall be safer. All that are beating the drums of war in our land shall be disappointed and Nigeria will not break because nothing dies in praise..

    Besides that beloved, when praise becomes your lifestyle, your full restoration over threats, humiliations and embarrassments shall be your heritage. Are you in an embarrassing health, matrimonial or financial situation? Are you being harassed by certain powers to bring you down, physically or politically? Are you experiencing situations that are asking where is your God? I have good news for you – all those situations are small pies in the face of praise. In 1 Samuel 17, Goliath stood against the army of Israel. He threatened and humiliated them for days. But the moment David, a man of praise, came into the scene, He knew that Goliath was a goner in praise. True to his words, Goliath fell with just a stone. Beloved, when praise becomes your lifestyle, testimony over the Goliaths around you shall be your heritage.

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    Kindly be informed brethren that when praise becomes your lifestyle, full restoration over bad health shall become your heritage. Are you feeling unwell, have you been informed that your ailment is terminal, please note that it is never over with a believer who is committed to praise. Praise is therapeutic. When the people raised praises to God shouting “Hosannah to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord”, Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem and chased away buyers and sellers from the temple (Luke 19:36-46). As you are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16), powers that are buying and selling inside your system shall flee in the face of praise. When genuine praise becomes your lifestyle, victory over sickness and afflictions becomes your heritage

    Not only that, when praise becomes your lifestyle, full restoration over lack, shame and disgrace becomes your heritage. The multitudes following Jesus Christ were hungry but there was no food and shame was imminent. The story changed when Jesus took the five small loaves of bread and two fishes, He praised God; and as He was breaking, they were increasing. The multitude were fed and had leftovers of 12 baskets of fragments (Mark 6:40-42). Beloved, nothing decreases in praise and when praise becomes your lifestyle, victory over shame is your heritage. In addition to that, when praise becomes your lifestyle, victory over powers blocking your way to God’s promised land becomes your heritage. Have you been trying to make a headway in life? Are things quite difficult for you? I have good news for you because those powers cannot withstand praise. When the Israelites were marching to their Promised land, the ancient walls of Jericho withstood them but with a loud shout of praise after traversing the walls seven times, the walls were brought down.

    Finally, when praise becomes your lifestyle, full restoration over reproach, condemnation and vile remarks becomes shall be your heritage. In 2 Samuel 6:15,16 when David returned to Jerusalem with the ark of God singing songs and dancing, Michal, his wife reproached him and she was judged by God. It doesn’t matter what you may be passing through now, you are going to end better, greater and stronger in the name of Jesus. Please remember that whenever you come to a tough situation, stop complaining or grumbling, give a tough praise. When you see gross darkness, bring gross light by giving God gross praise. You can get God cheap with praise. Don’t give attention to that threatening family or national situation, scorn the mountains in your life and watch God level them up as you exalt Him. That thing which the devil thinks is enough for you not to praise God, let it be the very reason for which you are praising God. Remember that when praise becomes your lifestyle, full restoration in all facets of life becomes your heritage.

    Prayer: Lord, give me grace to make praise my lifestyle and give me victory over issues of life in Jesus’ name.