The Nation Newspaper

Category: Opinion

  • Chime: The hawks at it again

    Enugu State has always had politicians who play politics in very unique ways that almost always attract national attention, either due to the roles played by the key actors or the hilarity that their acts arouse.

    It was more verbal than physical wars between the candidates themselves and also supporters of Chiefs Jim Nwobodo and Chukwuma Onoh during the battle for the governorship of old Anambra State. That was during the 1979 and 1983 general elections. In those days, different camps composed songs to denigrate the other. Their media interviews were spiced with all kinds of inelegant words. But there was no bloodshed, just occasional flexing of muscles by their distinct supporters. The election that ushered in Okwesilieze Nwodo as the first civilian governor of the new Enugu State was full of its own intrigues, climaxing in the former being donned in the same campaign uniform as his elder brother, Joe who had been disqualified with Hyde Onuaguluchi. It was a tragic-comedy that threw up mundane issues as electioneering progressed.

    Then came the period of Chimaroke Nnamani, the Ebeano godfather and an ardent lover of political sloganeering. This was an era when opposition elements were hounded out of the state. Those who dared to visit came with truck-load of soldiers and policemen. Ask the Nwodos, Nwobodos and others.

    Enugu began to breathe fresh air with the coming of Sullivan Chime as the governor of the State in 2007. The political temperature in the entire state has remained calm since then. There is accommodation of opposing views. Yet, the development under his charge has been so unprecedented that even his political rivals acknowledge that fact. But some people, for obvious reasons, have seized the opportunity of his absence to try to portray Enugu State as a place where nothing works at the moment. For those of us who live here, nothing can be farther from the truth. One has read a lot of jaundiced articles that have no bearing with what is on ground in the State.

    I am not a civil servant here neither am I a political appointee. But I know that they receive their salaries promptly and regularly. Road projects are on-going in both the urban and rural areas. Aside the roads, other projects are being executed. There is an acting governor who is in charge and who presides over the state executive council meetings and gives all approvals and directives.

    Yet, some mischievous politicians from the state working in concert with some hired hands in the media have been sponsoring reports to suggest that the Acting Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi is not the one calling the shots. Has he told anybody that? If, as we are told, he approves payments for contractors, chairs state executive council meetings, supervises on-going contracts and gives all due approvals, so who else is running Enugu State? This is a clear case of some interested politicians out to cause unwarranted anxiety, crying more than the bereaved. We must show this fine gentleman some respect that he deserves. Just like his boss, Onyebuchi abhors the limelight. It is an insult to suggest that he is not the one calling the shots when in truth, he is.

    Some even go to the ridiculous level of calling on the Enugu State House of Assembly to either impeach Chime or make Onyebuchi an Acting Governor! What has he been ever since the governor left? As a lawyer, I have gone through the Nigerian constitution and I see no place where

    Chime went out of line. As the constitution stipulated, he transmitted a letter to the House of Assembly to the effect that he was proceeding on vacation and that his deputy would act in his absence. From reports, he also announced same to the state executive council. Either out of sheer ignorance or outright mischief, some persons with hidden agenda have even made allusions to when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was out of the country and the National Assembly came up with the Doctrine of Necessity. There is no relationship between the situation then and what it is in Enugu today.

    The difference is that Chime transmitted a letter to the state House of Assembly that his deputy would act in his absence. For those of us living in Enugu, especially citizens of the state, we do not lose sleep over those sponsored stories in the media which are aimed at painting a hopeless picture and to get the House to act rather unwisely. If things go bad in our state, we the people will be the first to experience it and shout out. If the government is no more delivering services to the people, we will be the first victims to feel the pains.

    For those who go to the extreme case of wishing a man dead because of the lure of power, I urge them to have a rethink. That is not the way to play politics. Only God will determine when each and every one of us will die. As for the newspapers, I sometimes pity them. How do readers take a newspaper seriously when it publishes that a man is feared dead on the strength of what one mischief maker posted on the internet? The other day, one national newspaper published the falsehood that Governor Chime’s brother, sister and children had travelled abroad because his “health” was “unstable.” Yet, both Jide Chime and Mrs. May Oji, the governor’s siblings as well as his children were all in Enugu at the point of the report. I was dumb-founded when I saw May at the church that same Sunday that the newspaper published this story. It reminded one of the slip made by many newspapers which reported the death of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe some years back when he was at his Onuiyi Haven in Nsukka. Those who control what get published must do their papers and all of us a lot of good if they cross-check the information at their disposal before they present fiction as facts. Of course, I can predict that those behind such false stories concerning Chime will not relent because it serves their narrow interests to present Enugu State as one where nothing works at the moment. We have heard that the sponsors have set up a team co-ordinated by a media aide to one of the former governors with a charge to continue to publish lies in order to create an impression that governance has broken down in Enugu State. Today, they write articles with pseudo names and send same to their contacts in the media houses. Their sole goal is to encourage an unwholesome act from both within and outside. Fortunately, that is the sharp opposite of the situation on ground.

    •Ezekiel Nwafor, a lawyer and public analyst, contributed this piece from Enugu

  • From Ekiti with testimonies

    Mr. Kayode Fayemi, the executive governor of Ekiti State who assumed office more than one year ago, first made many promises to the people of the state. One of those promises which seems to be more cogent and striking now is the provision of adequate security for the people. To make certain his resolve to ensure that everybody is properly secured in the state, the governor has just established what he termed the Ekiti State Peace Corps.

    Inaugurating the corps at the Jibowu Hall, Ado – Ekiti, the state capital recently, Governor Fayemi reiterated his commitment to peace, unity and security in the state. For this reason, he told the people that part of the plan for the establishment of the Peace Corps is to complement the efforts of security agencies in fighting crime. To the governor, for the state to be in secured hands for the yuletide, the level of security in the various communities and at the grassroots, should be topmost in the agenda of the government.

    Before the advent of the yuletide, the administration of Fayemi had promised the entire citizens of the state, that their lives and property would be safe for the celebrations. This assurance indeed encouraged more people to travel home to Ekiti for the Christmas and New Year festivities. While constituting the Peace Corps, the governor made it pointedly clear in his new year broadcast to the state that no nation or society can thrive when there is chaos or insecurity of lives and property. And Ekiti is no exception.

    He said: “It is common knowledge that a society thrives more and attracts higher economic growth when there is peace.” As people trooped home to savour the peaceful ambience of Ekiti State, they equally saw how the rural areas and communities have been transformed. “I think his commitment to the total transformation of the entire state is genuine and total” was how Emmanuel Akanji, who just returned home from Ivory Coast after three years, put it. “To me, this was the best yuletide celebration in my village in the last twenty years. You could see the old people and retired civil servants, the governor has touched their lives through his many-people and grassroots oriented programmes exhibiting hope and enthusiasm. The joy and peace on people’s faces showed that there is hope, a very big one for that matter, in the horizon for the people of Ekiti State,” Akanji said.

    “And more will come,” Ade Babatunde, a young graduate from Oye declared in his assessment of what is in the offing for the people. Even the governor in his New Year message to the state looked into the future and declared that 2013 would be totally dedicated to creating more jobs for the teeming youths. “It is Ekiti’s year of employment and consolidation.” In order to actualize this dream, the governor has proposed the creation of the Ministry of Rural Development and Empowerment. The purpose is to create room for more jobs especially in the local communities and hamlets.

    It was in giving acclaim to the many concerted communal provisions by the state government that the Speaker of the State House of Assembly Adewale Omirin publicly declared that the administration of Fayemi has truly delivered the dividends of democracy to the people in the implementation of 2012 budget. This is the sort of declaration that is hard to hear elsewhere in the country where leaders are rather busy pillaging the state coffers and making the citizenry more impoverished day-in-day-out.

    Ekiti State was a beehive of activities this past yuletide because this cankerworm called kidnapping was never recorded in the state. It is on record that the state government worked round the clock with all security agencies to ensure that peace was paramount in all the nooks and crannies of the state.

    The newly revived Ire Burnt Bricks Factory and the Odua Enterprise Centre which were opened last year, have also offered employment to so many youths. This has not only helped to expand the resources of the state, it has equally helped to control youth restiveness. A lot of youths are fully employed and have been contributing immensely to the revenue base of their families.

    By taking factories and industries to nearly every rural place in the state, the governor has smartly succeeded in stemming crime, thereby assuring returnees that the people at home cannot be of any harm to them. When the home front, like it is usually said, is in peace, the whole town can go to sleep with their whole eyes closed. That is Ekiti of today where crime has been reduced to its barest level because the level of transformation is all –encompassing.

    The new plan to build more affordable houses for the people is equally warming the hearts of residents. This year, about 5,000 of such houses will be in place, in addition to more that have been constructed. The idea, like the governor has often reiterated is to save residents from the hands of shylock landlords and dubious property developers in the state.

    The governor even promised to embark on this massive project through a Public Private Partnership arrangement. Once that is done, more indigent citizens will be offered their own sanctuary, thus reducing the number of people precariously hanging at the mercy of dubious landlords in the society.

    Making health one of his priority areas, the governor through the state Health Commissioner, Professor Olusola Fasubaa recently distributed drugs worth over N33.3million to hospitals and health centres across the state. This was done in order to keep the Unified Drugs Resolving Fund Scheme (UDRFS) in the state alive and active. Fasubaa assured the people that the primary concern of the state is to constantly ensure the success of the state’s free health care scheme. All the hospitals renovated previously for this purpose are now in full operation to cater for the sick and the aged.

    At the moment, the government has made it clear that the issue of health will remain uppermost in the scheme of things. There are plans to build new general hospitals at Ilawe and Oye, while about 20 old ones will be renovated as soon as possible. In addition, about 35 basic health centres and dispensaries will be upgraded to save human lives.

    The governor signed the prohibition of smoking in public places Law 2012 in the state to further consolidate his hold on the health sector. To him, a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. And because many people who smoke in public are either ignorant of the hazards they pose to people or have blatantly refused to come to terms with the danger they constitute to others. Whichever way, the governor says this has to end.

    The truth of the matter is that while people travelled for Christmas and the New year, they were confronted by many innovative developments in the state. The Ikogosi Tourist Resort, on its part, served as home away from home to many holiday makers. The governor has even made a promise that with time, Ekiti State will serve as the most attractive holiday destination in Nigeria. Ikogosi has a natural allure and warmth that can never be equaled in Nigeria.

    As Ekiti people savour the prospects of 2013, it is proper for the people to catch in on the economic prospects in the state to make the year a glorious one for themselves. Ekiti State is geared towards a new dawn both socially, economically and otherwise. As the governor keeps himself busy with more new projects, it is time to give him the deserved support and encouragement. Together, the whole people can do this.

    • Olaniyi writes from Oye.

  • From the Cell Phone

    For Segun Gbadegesin

     

    The late Most Rev. J. A. Adetiloye was the second bishop of Ekiti Diocese and not the first. Rt Revd Bolanle Gbonigi served in Akure Diocese and not Ekiti. Anonymous

    Ajimobi has failed the people of Oyo State. He lacks ideas to carry along component units that make up the state. From Ismaila, Kaduna

    Good if the state governor will think over the lecture and members of ThinkOyo will always tell the governor what he wants to hear except the truth. Anonymous

    Thank you sir for the historical essay on the late Primate Adetiloye. I am particularly excited reading about Sir Herbert Macaulay’s father to whom history has not been kind. This has reinforced my passion for Yoruba race to develop a hall of fame for our heroes. I am happy that the Yoruba Education Trust Fund I proposed some years back to Dr. Fredrick Faseun has since taken off. Equally sir, Yoruba or Oodua hall of fame for heroes is hereby proposed. I will be grateful sir if I could be invited for formal presentation. I used to be an active journalist. I wish you a happy New Year sir as I am too eager to read your book. From Gboyega Amoboye, Owo

    Thank you for the serial publication of the lecture delivered on the ‘Responsibility of citizenship: the youth in focus’. The lecture was well packaged. My remark is on the summary of the lecture that the destiny of the state or the nation is in the hands of the youths I quite agree, but are you talking of the youths who are not empowered for the challenges of tomorrow through provisions of enployment? Or who are not going through the proper channels of democracy and good governance? I am sorry. The only notable and unifying orientation and practice among Nigerian youths of today inrrespective of ethnic and class are political thuggery, yahoo plus, kidnapping, exam malpractices, Europian football leagues and all sort of social vices. So I wonder why our leaders should rely on tomorrow they have emptied and paralysed today. If we should put the nation’s destiny in the hands of the youths, the youths should always be carried along in all socio-economic and political activities in the country, change their orientation, empower them with jobs and make our educational institutions functional. From Fola Afolalu, Ado Ekiti

    Re: Responsibility of citizenship: the youth in focus-3. The final write-up on the above titled subject was encouraging for those who are development-minded. Both the leaders and citizens need to be up and doing. The cooperation between the government/leaders and citizens in Oyo State will however, require the LED seeing the leaders ‘shedding weight’. If I were the Governor, I would be transparent enough on the commissioners and legislators’ pay and the sacrifice as donations therefrom. Then if I am taxed in a way, I would gladly accept and pay! Let us cooperate altogether. From Lanre Oseni

    If jobless population has reached 50% of Nigerian population, FG will face Ajaokuta steel company quickly, the largest uncompleted company was left aside during IBB regime when he wanted to change the Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja. Ajaokuta is now a source of campaign for politicians both state and federal. Ajaokuta is on the throat of government, swallow it no vomit. From John Onimisi, Kogi Central

    It was speculated that most of the celebrated figures that drafted American Constitution had slaves that were Yorubas. Some of the slaves enlightened their masters of old Oyo Empire’s System. Hence The Kabiyesi becomes Presidential, The Ogbonis as Senators and The Oyomesi As House of Reps. The Aare OnaKakafo, The Balogun, The Bashorun, etc are visible in America system. The Religion aspect is not missing. Please take a closer look, America copied us. We can impeach the Kabiyesi with all his power, but the America President can watch his own impeachment on TV. From Cardinal Wole Arogundade of Sinners Redemption Assembly, Abuja

    Responsibility of citizenship: The youth in focus (2), back page of The Nation 28-12-2012. Whose speech please? Anonymous

     

     

    For Dare Olatunji

    Oh Lord as we celebrate this year’s season of goodwill forgive us our trespasses and provide us a right course in our affairs. Amen. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! From Mohammed Haruna

    It seems to me that our leadership suffers from brain wave. They must be seen to be working even if to build mobile schools for the nomads while the others are left undone. The fact of the matter is that the think tanks of the government are Nigeria by name but they are much distanced from the real Nigerian situation. They are bent on stuffing drugs down the throat of a man suffering from malnutrition instead of giving him good food. From Steve A.

    That was a good one on ‘Benito Aderemi’. Hope the government will take steps to fix the epileptic petroleum refineries. From Niyi Taiwo

    They will ban wheat because they cannot think of investing in generic research towards getting cultivate of wheat that can thrive in Nigeria. Wheat grow well in north of India with similar climate conditions. Are you aware sir that even if Nigeria is the largest cassava producer, it is the largest domestic (not industrial) consumer? Be kind sir to hint the minister that the success of his ministry is in reduction of food prices and not in eliminating a fertilizer cartel. From Ade

    Dare, please help me tell Okonjo-Iweala not to go overseas for the borrowing. Tell her to call a meeting of all governors and ministers without the knowledge of the EFCC. I am sure only two or so of the governors and ministers have more than five times the amount she is looking for. From Sabia Esit Eket, Akwa Ibom

    May all the good things from God continue to hunt you until you are located where ever you may be in 2013 in Jesus name! Happy 2013. From Renner Tiebiri

    Good one uncle Dare. I think Nigerians should expect the best from Goodluck Jonathan, he will try his best but as he said Nigerians should play their role dilligently. From Lanre, Magboro

    Re: The year that was 2012. The year 2012 started on a bad note of deceit and ended on destruction of lives. 2012 was a wasted year economically, developmentally and industrially. The political assessment by loud mouthed Doyin Okupe is a ruse. The PDP led Federal Government is a big failure in all sectors of the economy, see how much we are paying for petrol and electricity now. The government has said nothing on this. What a shame, the government is overdue for better replacement. No employment, roads, security, electricity supply and visible infrastructure development. May God lead us aright and free us from this mindless administration. Enough of unfulfilled promises! From Pastor Odunmbaku

    Re: The year that was 2012. Year 2012 was more catastrophic than of mixed feelings – fuel-price increase, resistance achieved N97. Quick-wins by FG on price increase did not show, flood and other disasters, Air-mishaps-DANA/NAVY, Boko-Haram attacks, kidnappings, sickness of government functionaries, rumoured deaths, etc., and the year ended with petrol fuel scarcity with attendant arbitrary price increases-N110 to N120, up to January 2013. With all the aforementioned ills and horrors, solutions to moving forward are: kill corruption and enforce our existing laws. It is quite unfortunate for Nigeria. From Lanre Oseni.

     

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

     

    Gbenga, they are stone-hearted. They will not listen. Olorun a se idajo, even to their unborn generation. Ride on. Anonymous

    The President can afford to be slow in decision making in as much as he is no longer shoeless and his household is in affluence, while majority of us remain shoeless and in abject poverty. He will always remain on top of the situation when no one so close to him is hit by the bombers or touched by the kidnapers. From Daramola. Lagos

    Amen my editor. The little problem is that our rulers (not leaders), do not cherish solemn prayers. They prefer the shout of ‘HOLY GHOST FIRE!’ above their heads. Well, let us hope they will be able to handle the ‘fire’ when it comes. My pity goes to a President who surrounds himself with free-loaders and mind benders who ‘protects’ him from the true feelings of his people and brazenly cons him to believe that even genuine critics of his actions are political opponents after his job. But, it is said that: history, like electricity current, has no feelings. Let us hope he remembers that. Compliments of the Season! From Olu.

    Sir, your piece on ‘A prayer at Christmas’ is God sent to Nigeria and the world. Merry Christmas! God bless. From Nnamdi Azubuike

    Compliments! I join you in praying not for a new dress or bicycle but for our corrupt leaders who loot the treasury and live in presidential mansions, receive treatments abroad, spend billions on food and refreshments, Boko Haram, kidnapping, corruption, exam malpractice, professional courses reserved for those who could afford it etc. I further join you during this Christmas to pray for justice, truth, love, against many that go to bed hungry, some feeding from dustbin, the homeless in Jesus Name. Amen. From Abang, Joe

    Happy New Year Mr. Gbenga, may we witness more years to come in peace. Terrorism, kidnapping will never stop until injustice is put to a halt. PDP National chairman said our leaders ignored him, Andrew Azazi may his soul rest in perfect peace said it was injustice that brought insecurity in the country, but instead, our leaders scolded him. A true talker will find it difficult in this country because when you are saying the truth people will take you as their enemy, with justice, corruption will go forever, with justice insecurity will vamoose, with justice terrorism will say bye to our land. Mr. Goody, you have been called upon to wake up in 2013, Mr. Goody wake up now because whatever you do now will speak against or in your favour in future. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa Dockyard Lagos

    Re: A prayer at Christmas. The last two paragraphs of your write-up catches it all. Once justice is displayed, the right people rather than thieves, thugs and money bags, go and win elections; Nigeria will be on the right path. May we help ourselves as Almighty God had helped us enough. From Lanre Oseni.

    Yours ‘A prayer at Christmas’. There has been no Tiv/Idoma clash in Benue in the last 10 years. What we have is Tiv farmers/Fulani herdsmen clashes. From John Tyav, Makurdi

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

     

    Sir, you’ve made the point concerning Chief Stanley Okeke’s unnecessary worry over fuel subsidy in your article of January 6 titled: “Anti-subsidy suit: Another ABN show?” Nigerians like him do not want food on ordinary Nigerians’ tables. They loathe financial/economic equality; they develop hypertension once they see anyone outside their cabal making financial progress. There’ll soon be a government in Nigeria that’ll be most unfriendly to such Nigerians as Chief Okeke. If they think it is impossible, they should wait and see. From Kayode Sopein, Abeokuta.

    Re: “I insist, Sambo must have his N13bn palace” (your column of December 30 refers). It is not a joking matter if an allegation of N13-N14billion to refurbish, remodel and furnish the VP’s official residence is true. Whether for religious or cultural taste necessity, the amount should be reduced to N6billion. Such things should often not be told the public as ordinarily, many would faint or die when they hear such information. People are suffering. In a decent nation devoid of poor attitude and corrupt tendencies, N14billion, if well managed, would create small-scale industries that would employ about 15,000 Nigerians. I want to believe that Vice President Sambo did not make the request for refurbishment and remodelling requiring the amount in question (N14bn). If then he was not misquoted for the taste, the National Assembly should approve not more than N6billion for the whole project. I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year. From Lanre Oseni.

    One measure of intellectual rigour is the ability to avoid the temptation to use men as mirror for truth. The title of your essay on Sunday December 30 made me wonder whether you were aware of this principle. It would not be correct for anyone to say the misdeeds of Jonathan reflect his religion. I am a columnist like you, but I won’t do that. From Ola.

    Tunji, you no go kill people with laughter with your sarcastic caption “I insist, Sambo must have his N13billion palace”. His religion and culture must be reflected. I can’t agree less … I enjoy your column a lot. Thanks From Barr. Felix Ogbadu, AIG (rtd).

    Thanks for your irony in “I insist, Sambo must have his N13bn palace”. Nigeria is in trouble since we have no leaders. From Dan.

    What a seriocomical piece you had on December 30. May God deliver us in this country. Anonymous.

    I am sorry you will be attacked with abusive responses because many Nigerians do not understand satire pieces. From Ayo Ojeniyi.

    My dear Tunji, thanks for your satire on our N13bn palace for our VP. You made me laugh in the New Year. I pity my country, Nigeria. Thanks. Anonymous.

    Honestly, Tunji, I think the problem we are having in this country is not corruption but ignorance; ignorance in the sense that they have no human feeling to their high taste in government. Anonymous.

    Re ‘My man of the Year? Let subsidy fraud step forward’ (December 23). Your choice is incontrovertible. And I am satisfied with it. Since January 2, 2012 the issue and the problems of unresolved panels, probes, fuel scarcity and illegal fuel price hikes by some major and independent marketers, persist. Is this a country at all? Nothing other than corruption – oil issues dominated Nigeria in 2012. I fear for our own type of democracy. From Lanre.

    With ‘Corruption’ as your ‘Person of the Year’, (Nation December 23) you have identified the worst sin Nigeria is saddled with. Have a swell time. From Bayo.

     

  • Nation-branding in nation-building: Celebrating a nation at 100

    Nation-branding in nation-building: Celebrating a nation at 100

    On January 01, 2014, Nigeria will be 100 years old as a nation but the pervasive question remains: who are we and where are we heading? Granted, the celebrations may have different meanings to different people; what with some saying there is no cause for celebration while others are saying that the celebration is not about accomplishments but the enactment of a ritual.

    The first school opines that the celebration is a waste of scarce resources, or at best a way of siphoning money. This school of thought is of the opinion that Nigeria still totters among the comity of nations and being a toddler at 100, the milestone should be spent taking stock and bemoaning the failed leadership that got us to this sorry-state.

    The second school sees the anniversary celebration more as an opportunity to celebrate our existence as a nation given all the rough paths we have travelled in the last 100 years. This school cites the two coup-d-tats of 1966, the Nigerian Civil War and the periods of Military interregnums and failed attempts at democracy that dogged the last 100 years while concluding that despite these great socio-political tremors, it is a miracle that we are still together as a nation. This school enthuses that nations that went through less of these trauma have disintegrated or are still at war. They cite Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, USSR, and Myanmar. Nearer home in Africa, they cite Somalia, Liberia, Sierra-Leone, Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and a host of others.

    The first school, which I call the school of reflection, takes a birds-eye view of what obtains in other nations and the path nations have taken to greatness – sacrifice, knowledge, imagination, the will to act in the interest of the greater majority, the building of strong systems rather than strong individuals and god-fathers, the prevalence of justice, equity and fair-play – and sees very few good examples in Nigeria. Borrowing from man’s existential quest at conquering his environment, this school enthuses that Nigeria is off the mark as electricity is about individual generators here and not about a process that works, water is plenty here but none good enough to drink; land is abundant here but not enough is cultivated to guarantee food security; and the roads are available but not good enough for safe passage. This school therefore concludes that celebration should be about accomplishments and not survival.

    The second school, which I nick-named the ritualistic school, sees more a need to decree our greatness through role-playing as opposed to reality. Taking a cue from the early man’s penchant for rituals which seeks to conjure reality through stylised plays, as seasons and cycles come and go, while little or no explanation is given as to the reason for the difference  in seasons and cycles, and the celestial rather than the existential is appeased and faith become more about inertia than action.  To this group, everything falls or rises without human intervention but by a divine unction, akin to the big bang theory.  This group concludes that the path to greatness is in celebration.

    While the school of reflection and the school of rituals are at each other’s throat regarding Nigeria’s 100th anniversary, the nation Nigeria must yet prepare for the future and in preparing for the future use the opportunity of the 100th anniversary to begin to reposition our nation by rising up to the challenges of building a modern nation state, one which is audacious in its quest at greatness and competitive within the comity of nations.

    The second question then is what path are we taking in our second attempt at nation building? Because in 100 years of our existence, the world has moved on from the agrarian age that precipitated the exportation of slaves from Africa to the New World, the industrial age which led to the signing of treaties which ceded authorities of our erstwhile traditional institutions to the British Colonial powers, to the age of Crude Oil which came just before our independence, to the information age which came in the wake of globalisation.

    I am asking this question against the background of a constantly changing global order. What this implies is that our strategy must change in alignment with what is happening around us. This is where knowledge comes in. We need to observe global trends and ask questions as to our place in it. We need to develop our educational system and make it more oriented to our development needs as opposed to being just about certification. This is where imagination comes in, as without conception, there can be no accomplishments. This reminds me of the space-race. Starting with the United States and Soviet Union, with each acquiring the knowledge required at conquering the space and putting their imagination to work, it did not take long for success to come. Today, every ambitious nation has caught the space bug with each either sending men into the orbit or launching a satellite. Today, the world is different because of this out-of-the-world knowledge and imagination. So where does this leave our own dear Nigeria?

    Indeed, I have heard people say it will take centuries for us to catch up with the developed world, but my response is always that it does not take time, it takes will; the will to get on the road, the will to get our hands dirty, the will to act! But what defines will, if not imagination, what defines imagination, if not knowledge?

    Let’s look at the Asian Tigers, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore and the others in comparison with Nigeria. In 1960, we were all classified as Third World nations but by the 1980’s the tide had started to turn what with the designation changing to emerging nations for the Asian Tigers and Nigeria still keeping the tag “Third World”. By the 1990’s the Asian nations had taken the path of sustainable growth and were in fact, almost at par with the developed world on the prosperity index and today, the talk is no more about the Asian Tigers but about Brazil, Russia, India and China – what has been rightly termed the BRIC states. Even with the current global recession, these states are still recording quarter-on-quarter growth and are fast catching up with the so-called developed world. What these examples point to is that it does not take centuries to catch-up, it takes a virile strategy based on knowledge and imagination and above all it takes collective will.

     

    The Path to Nation Building

    A friend once said to me that the path to greatness is arduous when a nation emerges outside of the consent of its constituent societies. The friend goes further to reveal that before 1776 there was an American society with affinity and engagements although under British rule unlike the Nigerian situation where a nation was decreed based on British administrative convenience rather than the agreement of the constituent societies. He enthuses that it was the collective agreement of the American society acting under the leadership of George Washington that led to the defeat of the British overlords and the adoption of a collectively created constitution in the quest at having an immutable union. In the Nigerian situation, there was first a Nigerian nation before attempts at forging a Nigerian society, hence the constant bickering about federal character and  fights over the sharing of the national cake as opposed to a collective agreement at baking a bigger and better cake as was the case in the American context.

    Although critics are quick to point out that despite the collective resolve at forging a nation in the American context, there was a near succession by the agrarian South from the Union leading to the war with the industrial North in what was known as the American Civil war from 1861 to 1865. Critics went further to assert that if this can happen about a 100 years after agreeing to come together, then Nigeria may be on the right path to nationhood. The risk at taking this standpoint is that it is always easy to cite the wrong examples. Back to my friends point, nations rise to greatness on the platform of a collective agreement. Again critics will point to diversity of cultures and religion, in the Nigerian context, as being the bane behind the failure of a collective agreement citing more homogeneous settings like China where a collective agreement was easy and national cohesion and development had moved apace. Again this appears    a wrong thesis as culturally heterogeneous communities too had also forged a collective agreement which has survived the test of time. America being a good example, the United Kingdom being another and under the current world order we see a further boost for diversity as a platform for progress in the coming together of disparate states to form the European Union with a single monetary union in mainland Europe. Back to my friend’s assertion that for progress to happen, societies in coming together to forge a nation, must have a collective agreement and this collective agreement can happen under a homogeneous or heterogeneous cultural and religious setting. All it takes is sincerity of purpose, a good sense of history and the will to agree to work together for the common good. What this essentially means is that in the Nigerian situation, development and progress can come through despite the heterogeneity but the constituent societies must, outside the whims and caprice of Lord Lugard, Sarah Shaw and their British masters, forge a collective agreement which will chart a way forward for a bigger and a better union.

    • Okusaga, a company executive writes from Lagos

  • Time to put out the fire of Boko Haram

    Time to put out the fire of Boko Haram

    If the report that Christians are killing Muslims in the north is true, it is most unfortunate. I hope it is not true; it can’t just be true for what we know. Only last week, the Kaduna Roman Catholic Arch-bishop told his congregation that Christians have no choice but to forgive these unprovoked Christian killers in the North and he is right. He even went further to declare that they are forgiven.

    I could even hear every Bible preaching Christian leaders all over the nation echo Amen. He spoke the mind of Jesus and the mind of all believers.

    The temptation to avenge oneself under the circumstances that northern christians meet themselves is real. It takes the grace of God, and restraint to refuse the temptation, and thank God, that Grace is ever sufficient even in this case.

    It is time for the government to do something for the displaced Christians in the northern part of Nigeria. It is time for other Christians from the south to do something for these brothers to ease their frustration. After all, we all are our brothers’ keepers.

    God will only fight for us if we let him. When we begin to fight for God, He hands off. We can no longer look the other way if we want God to intervene in Boko Haram case. He is about to intervene – I may add – but he expects us to do our part.

    President Goodluck Jonathan must do more for those displaced by the raging crisis now. Something similar to the campaign to all Nigerian to rally and help displaced persons by the flood needs to be done by the President for these Nigerians.

    He may choose not to say it’s for Christians but the Muslim community in the North is not suffering what the Christians are suffering. We have to be forthright; we must admit the sufferings of the Muslims in the north is largely, self-inflicted.

    The President must act now. It is better for a religious war not to start, for, when it starts it may never end. Religious wars are fought by fanatics who will not compromise on their belief. There is a limit to human patience and endurance in situations like we see in the north. The killers want this country to split, and the President must check the situation now.

    I am of the very strong opinion that all the Christian governors must come with a united front to ameliorate the pains of the displaced Christians in the North. They owe Nigeria this much, it is time like this that you reveal your Christian identity not when you round Christian leaders for prayers and donating huge sum of money which these leaders do not need. Give your substance for this course, it is the good ground.

    I also call all governors to donate just one month of their security vote for this purpose. It is a worthy sacrifice that every patriotic governor must make. It is an opportunity to spend a month of your security vote for the security of this country.

    Another step the president can take to end this Boko Haram menace is to declare a state of emergency in the affected states. If the president does not want to declare a state of emergency on these states for whatever reason, let all security votes for such state governors be diverted to settle displaced persons and combat terrorism in that state. If a state of emergency is declared in the states and a military officer is appointed to administer the state for six month with a mandate to do everything within his power to root out terrorism from the state, a lot of funds will be available to combat terrorism. For example, salaries of legislatures from the state, salaries of all the numerous commissioners, apersonal assistants, permanent secretaries, and other political appointees can be diverted to develop the state and empower the youth making Boko Haram less lucrative for recruits. Much excess will be eliminated in six months to justify the exercise at least in the eyes of ordinary citizen.

    Christian churches in the south must discover ways to assist the displaced brethren in the North now. We too can no longer look the other way. Special collections need to be collected in aid of our displaced brethren in the North. Christian organisations, denominations, charity organizations must contribute to help our brothers and sisters at this time. If the government won’t mobilise the nation to this cause, Christian leaders in collaboration with Red Cross, UNICEF, and other such bodies must rise up to this occasion before it becomes a genocide similar to the one of Rwanda.

    A refugee-like programme ought to be set up in safe states for displaced persons in the North to enable them start their life all over again. A robust budget to enable these people rebuild and start their life is needed and Nigeria has enough resources to do so. We must act now to save Nigeria from total collapse, more so when it is now apparent that God is about to put an end to these empty boasts of Boko Haram cowards and its allies.

     

    • Dr. Olukoladen is Prelate, Southern Nigeria Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Yaba. Lagos.

  • Kwankwaso and Kano’s opposition politics

    It’s not without reason that a section of opposition in Kano State is hell-bent on deflecting attention from the groundbreaking transformation, currently going on in the state. Given their notorious straw-clutching antecedent and their apparent desperation to claw themselves back to reckoning, the last ditch resort to underhand tactic, shouldn’t, however, come as a surprise to any discerning mind. Indeed, politics is not only all about service delivery, but the public perception of it as well. In both, it doesn’t bode well for the members of this disgruntled group.

    Since his return to the government house, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has been churning out one noteworthy development project/programme after the other. As a matter of fact, the general consensus in Kano, and even beyond, is that the current political leadership is not only doing fabulously well, but the man at the helm of affairs, is raising the bar to a greater height. Thus members of this group of opposition face the principal advantage of being caught napping on the two significant fronts.

    Today in Kano, these politicians are not only humbled and prostrate but completely paralysed. The Kwankwaso’s second coming to power has sounded the death knell on them, with astounding performance. And going by the beautiful, well thought-out plans he has in the 2013’s budget, the year is obviously earmarked for their political funeral.

    By all means, the last one and a half years, have not been the best of times for Kwankwaso’s detractors. The manner their political stock has plummeted to the lowest ebb, while his, skyrocketed to high heaven, is a case study for the pundits.

    It’s within the period that the good people of the state got the opportunity to make significant comparisons. They could easily put side by side, prudence and profligacy, tangible infrastructure revival and mere abstract moral suasion propaganda, and more importantly, sincerity of purpose and make-believe illusion.

    In 2003, when Kwankwaso left the government house, following the year’s major electoral upset, it was evidently clear that the new occupants were not prepared for the nature of the job in their hands. Perhaps, this was because they never, in the first place, even envisaged nicking it.

    There was something, however, chiefly remarkable about how Kwankwaso tactfully handled his post-electoral defeat politics. The shrewd manner he opted to quietly observe proceedings from the sideline, until the right time for him to stage a comeback had all the hallmarks of political genius. This is, however, in sharp contrast to the disgraceful, amateur manner the current opposition are going about their newly found political misfortune.

    Yet, just like their non-readiness for the power —thrust upon them on the platter of gold- formed the basis of their tragic handling of it, when they held sway for eight forgetful years—their lack of preparedness for parting ways with the so-called trappings of office has now proven to be their major undoing.

    It could easily be recalled that in the build up to 2011 elections, when the cards were clearly stacked up against them- as some of them were already packing their bags to desert the sinking ship—these political apprentices were still burying their heads in the sand of complacency. They thoughtlessly anticipated the politically conscious Kano people to endorse failure for another term, while Kwankwaso – a politician they completely wrote off – was busy baking a gargantuan humble pie for them. His colourful ideology based campaign, his sense of humour –which they mocked at their own peril – and exceptional mobilisation skills, helped to tip the tide in his favour. Today, to the chagrin of his detractors, Kwankwaso has his reputation as the new undisputable doyen of Kano politics well sewn up.

    Thus from the day one, they couldn’t hide their desperation to set the tone of political discourse with their usual mischief. They create much ado about nothing around issues. For instance, when the people are savouring the ancient city is now well illuminated from set to dawn, with functioning streets lights, they wanted the spot light, eternally cast on the little money expended to fuel generators for that service.

    Ironically, these carping lots have, failed to see the folly of whining over the cost of diesel purchased to illuminate the streets, forgetting that Kano people are not oblivious of the fact that billions of naira was squandered to put them in total darkness during the eight years of locust, they put behind them.

    They have similarly tried the same filthy tactic on virtually every good policy or project initiated by the governor. When within few days of his second coming, beautiful blocks of classrooms started adorning the landscape of the state like magic, their fault-finding machine launched sustained attacks on it. Since it’s, however, difficult, to tell the people that raising structures like that at a time when 150 to 200 pupils were packed in a classroom like sardines , was not a cheering development, they tried to dismiss the buildings as UBE-supported project. But what stopped them from accessing the fund meant for the state under the programme, during their days?

    Is it that they didn’t want part away with counterpart cash or they dreaded the scrutiny of supervision that comes with it?

    Again, they comically made the locations of the buildings an issue, querying why the new upstairs classrooms “are so conspicuous for people to see?” as if that would prevent students from using them.

    But before the needless title-tattling they created around the matter died down, Kwankwaso had already put more slices of humble pie on their table –thereby making the battle of wills untenable for them.

    The cheering news of the 501 indigenes of the state selected as the first batch of graduates to be sponsored for Masters Degrees in different fields abroad resonated across the country. The development, undoubtedly, drew the attention of the entire nation to the visionary and purposeful leadership that’s now making a difference in state.

    Before then, the establishment of the North West University (NWU), by the state government, which had got the NUC’s approval, had already caught the eye.

    So going by the prolific manner the government keeps churning them out, it’s becoming increasingly hard for his traducers to summon up much enthusiasm.

    Within a year, the Kwankwaso administration has succeeded in improving the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), from N500 million to N1.3 billion.

    And for the first time in history, 75 per cent of the state’s budget goes to capital expenditure, leaving only 25 per cent for the recurrent. This is an improvement from last year when we witnessed a fiscal budget which provided for capital projects to about 67% and recurrent expenditure of 33 per cent.

    Indeed, so much is currently happening in Kano today especially in the area of infrastructure revival that small pieces like this one, will not be able to accommodate. And at the pace governor Kwankwaso is moving, it’s easier to face a moving train than to attempt to deflect attention from his achievements.

    • Baban-Sumayya wrote in from Kano.

  • A senator’s questionable charity

    Charity is good. It is preached in both the Bible and the Qur’an. So is it preached in local cultures across Africa. As Africans, we are groomed to imbibe charity as entrenched in our communal lifestyle where everyone functions (or is expected to function) as his brother’s keeper.

    It is lofty, beautiful and worthy of emulation. It has been commended by many non-Africans.

    In fact, we are trained to consider oneself wicked when you live in plenty without giving to the needy in one’s neighbourhood, family, church or even, work place. Hence, charity has grown to become the minimum standards in our giving and caring lifestyle as Africans.

    Yet the gifts doled out by Senator Smart Adeyemi to some people, including politicians in his Kogi West Senatorial District on Sunday, December 30, 2012 represent the wrong way typical Nigerian politicians miss the point in leading citizens aright.

    As reported by Daily Sun of Monday, December 31, 2012, the senator donated 15 vehicles for commercial purposes and 17 sport utility vehicles (SUV) to party leaders.

    One, it is surprising that a serving senator can flagrantly donate vehicles worth average of N32 million at once. This is an informal way of confirming that our National Assembly members have unfettered access to enormous funds that should ordinarily be channelled to developmental projects such as provision of water, electricity, good roads, good schools, hospitals and so on.

    With the little I know about Nigerian politicians, they spend daily on retinue of aides and on countless citizens that approach them for various forms of assistance. They are not alone in this solicited charity; other middle-class and wealthy Nigerians contend with it willy-nilly on daily basis. And it is unpublicized. So, if a politician comes out and makes a donation of N32 million in a single giving, in addition to his daily routine charity that sometimes runs into millions of Naira, he is communicating to the public, particularly the masses, that the only reasonable business in this country is politics.

    Two, should a serving public officer desire to make such huge donation, not minding that he would be stirring bitterness in the heart of his ‘less lucky’ constituents and insulting the sensibilities of the largely poor voters by whose mandate he got to the Senate, he could have channelled the huge sum to other noble projects that will bring joy to many homes and plug some of the shortfalls in government’s responsibilities.

    Calculating each bus at a conservative estimate of N800,000, the senator must have spent N12 million on the vehicles. If an SUV costs N1,200,000 each (very conservative estimate), the total cost of the 17 vehicles adds up to N20,400,000. That shows that Senator Adeyemi must have spent not less than N32,400,000 on the publicized charity.

    According to the report, 32 people benefited from the largesse as a vehicle went to each person.

    But many of the hungry constituents, angry unemployed youths in Kogi State and in Nigeria at large as well as many concerned Nigerians who do not think like politicians, would easily reason that in spite of the insult on our sensibilities, the distinguished senator could as well considered noble projects if he actually meant to do true charity for his people.

    In Kogi State where buildings in many public schools are derelict, N5 million would be enough to construct a block of three classrooms. That means the huge sum would have been enough to build or renovate at least, six blocks. If the senator constructs a block in six different schools across the constituency, he would reach more people and rebuild the destiny of many more children.

    By analysis, a block of three classrooms would accommodate 120 pupils (40 in each class). If he puts 120 pupils in a better condition of learning in just one school, it shows that he would bring joy to 600 families with his five blocks.

    Otherwise, Senator Adeyemi could have built three cottage hospitals in communities without public hospitals in his constituency. With N10 million, the lawmaker will put up a befitting cottage hospital that will bring healthcare to the doorsteps of thousands of his constituents.

    Following another path, the senator could employ many graduates as teachers into public schools. With monthly N20,000 allowance, the N32 million will be enough to pay 120 graduates for one full year. Taking this option, joy and financial empowerment would enter 120 families with the multiplier effect of over 3,000 pupils that would benefits from their service in schools.

    There are other noble options.

    Anyway, it is clear that Senator Adeyemi’s charity was not the actual charity but a gift to thank his supporters and to sustain their loyalty to him in preparation for coming elections. It is just that the publicity revealed the inner working of the mind of Nigerian politicians.

    These acts show why many employed and unemployed youths care less about our values as Africans or career as they abandon all for partisan politics. The gains are enormous but the effects are on us all, manifesting in material growth for individuals but economic woes for the country. It partly accounts for why our taps are still dry, why standards of education get lower and healthcare in parlous state.

    In other climes, the rich and the not-so-rich coordinate their charity towards lending a helping hand to both the government and individuals, particularly in the areas of healthcare and education. This restores hope to many children from poor homes and offers help for those unable to afford huge bills for treatment of complex ailments.

    It would be good for our politicians and moneybags to borrow a leaf from those climes so Nigerians would no longer look like special specie of humans living in their own unique world. We need to change our thinking and concentrate more on things of value than mundane things that do not bring about common good.

    • Oladele, writes from Ibadan, Oyo State

  • Edo Property Tax Law: Ujamaa in Oshiomhole’s mind

    Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his recent property tax drive reminds me of Ujamaa – African Socialism – one of the three papers which Julius K. Nyerere published during the period of his release from government office. ‘Ujamaa’ can be translated as ‘familyhood’.

    In Oshiomhole’s estimation, as against the capitalists’ disposition, in a socialist society, it is the socialist attitude of mind, and not the rigid adherence to a standard political pattern, which is needed to ensure that the people care for each other’s welfare.

    In the individual, as in the society, it is an attitude of mind which distinguishes the socialist from the non-socialist and it has nothing to do with the possession or non-possession of wealth because, destitute people can be potential capitalists-exploiters of their fellow human beings.

    One thing that unfolded recently, when Oshiomhole signed the property tax bill into law was the fact that socialist millionaires are a rare phenomenon in our modern day society. For socialist Oshiomhole, the haves should provide for the have-nots. For the capitalists in our society, no way; they immediately mobilized the have-nots to protest the law. Have you seen a big man or his children protesting on the streets of Nigeria?

    In Oshiomhole’s search for solution to meet the development obligations, he wasn’t going to turn on the poor to raise money for the Edo projects. The poor needs support. Therefore, Oshiomhole’s government will never, under any excuse evolve policies that would affect those classified as poor. What Oshiomhole is determined to do is that those who are rich were born equal like you and I. That they have become rich is a matter of economic history and luck.

    One of the most important resources of Edo State is land. This land is God-given. Nobody can say he brought land from heaven. While majority of our people are living on 50ft by 50ft, and the old traditional face-me-I-face you, there are others who live in 10,000 square meters, such a large expanse of land. What we are saying is simply that, individuals in such kind of houses cannot pay same taxes. That will mean furthering the inequality gap.

    You can’t take so much land and not want to pay tax on it. This new law simply states that all our poor people who live in high density area will not pay anything.

    Oshiomhole says he won’t take blood from a sick person to treat another person. So, if anybody tells any villager that Oshiomhole government asked them to pay property tax, it is a lie. The tax has nothing to do with them. ‘Market women are my people, I know where they live. This law is not about them. It is meant for those who have choice houses in certain parts of the state. For example, I am looking for a land where I will build my house in GRA, but I must be ready to pay the appropriate tax once I get one. That is the spirit that goes with this new law and it is expected that the rich will comply in order to help the poor’, Oshiomhole promised.

    Again, for Oshiomhole, if you have a plot of land in Edo measuring over 100″ by 100″, you must pay a token annually to take care of those who have-not. So also if you invest as much as N10 million in such vast land, you also assist the poor to survive.

    In Oshiomhole’s ideal society, it ought to be so organized that it cares about individuals, provided he is willing to work, no individual within that society should worry about what will happen to him tomorrow if he does not hoard wealth today. Society itself should look after him, or his widow or his orphans. This is what traditional African society succeeded in doing-both the ‘rich’ and the ‘poor’ were completely secure in African society but today, the reverse is the case.

    We don’t need to read Karl Marx, or Adams Smith to know that neither the land nor the hoe actually produces wealth. We also do not need to take degrees in Economics to know that neither the worker nor the landlord produces land. The law is basically designed to ensure that those who take so much land pay a little more so that government can build the state and provide for those who have no property. This law is not for tenants, it is not for Churches, it is not for traditional family houses, it is not for mosques, it is not for palaces, burial grounds, and owner occupiers, but it is for the rich who have choice houses in certain parts of the state.

    Above all, the resources that will come from this process will be used judiciously to rebuild Edo State.

    The spirit behind the property tax law is simple; for a better and ideal society- we take care of the community and the community takes care of us. Even the elders, who appeared to be enjoying without doing any work and for whom everybody also appeared to be working, had, in fact, worked hard in his younger days. The wealth he now appeared to possess was not his personally; it is only ‘his’ as the elder of the group which had produced it. He was its guardian.

    Oshiomhole’s first task therefore, must be to re-orient the people to regain our former attitude of mind. In traditional African society, we were individuals within a community. We took care of the community, and the community took care of us. We neither needed nor wished to exploit our fellow men.

    And in rejecting the attitude of mind which colonialism brought into Africa, we must reject also the methods which go with it. One of these is the individual ownership of land. Besides, it never occurred to anyone to try to claim land but now that we have one man, occupying 10 plots of land and yet, acquiring more at the detriment of the society and its citizens; they should pay something to develop the community in the form of property tax.

    The law does not know if you are a rich man. It expects the rich to behave responsibly, because they benefit more. They have greater stake if the system collapses. According to Karl Max, if there is confusion, the poor like the prisoner will have only his chains to lose, but the rich man will carry his house, cars and his estates. But the poor man will just run. He does not have anything. So, the rich must understand that they have a greater stake.

    • Prince Cephas sent in this piece from Benin City, Edo State.

  • Nigeria in AD 2070

    In 2070, Nigeria will be the world’s leading economy, overtaking the United States and China. This projection is made possible by extrapolating from present trends and through a critical assessment of the country’s potentials and resources. Our nationalists had a vision of a great nation, with a commanding presence in world affairs. This is what has been termed the mega-vision and it will be realized about 60 years from now based on the following parameters – tourism, the arts, fashion, entertainment, mining, agriculture and sports.

    Tourism: By 2070, tourism will replace oil and gas as the country’s chief revenue earner. At high gear or focus will be the carnivals – Abuja carnival, Lagos carnival, Calabar Xmas carnival, CARNIRIV, etc; the festivals – Osun-Osogbo, Igue, Ofala, etc; the game reserves – the Yankari National Park, the Gashaka/Gumti Game Reserve etc; the waterfalls – Gurara, Ofejiji, Owu, Ijesha Erin etc; the palm-fringed waterfronts and beaches; the splendid peaks of Somorika, Idanre, Olumo, etc; the Naija 7 Wonders including the Obudu Ranch Resort, Sukur Landscapes, Benin Moat, Kano Walls, etc; the UNESCO slave-routes, especially the Badagry and Calabar sites and the larger-than-life creative personalities such as Fela Anikulapo Kuti. We need only a policy of Re-Africanization to be the world’s next cultural and creative wonder.

    The Arts: Nigeria is custodian of sub-Saharan Africa’s artistic wealth, so stated British ethnographer Bernard Fagg. Even modern Nigeria has not been devoid of artistic vitality. Our poets are legion and the country has been described as a singing nest of poets. Our writers scripted Nigeria into history, so said poet Odia Ofeimun. Nigeria has black Africa’s only Noble Prize Winner in Literature, Wole Soyinka, whose forte is drama. Our visual artists are among the best in the continent and several art movements are in existence, such as uli, ona,etc. Our artists have painted or sculpted the Nigerian Paradise – the expressiveness of music and dance, the warm and vivid colours shown even in dress, the radiant light and dynamism of forms, the curvaceous women as well as the abundance of flora and fauna. The African century will witness the explosion of creative expression that will dazzle the world.

    Fashion: African fabrics are among the most colourful and vibrant in the world. Lagos is the fashion capital of Africa and the current rave are Ankara-based designs. It is available as gowns, skirts, tops, camisoles, trousers, hand-bags, slippers, shoes, belts, throw pillow-cases, curtains, etc.

    With appropriate government support, Ankara and other local fabrics can take over as the preferred choice of Nigerians, when they have been persuaded to strip off their slavish western suits and other wears. Our fashion houses can take advantage of opportunities in the rest of the continent, among diasporan blacks and in the global community. The global market has already been prepared by some western fashion houses which specialize in ethnic wears. A rich sea-change in dress aesthetics is in the making. We shall be the generation that makes the cultural turnaround to an African modernity.

    Entertainment: In the 18th century, Olaudah Equiano from Igboland told his English audience – ‘we are almost a nation of poets, musicians and dancers’. By 2070, Nigeria will be an exporter of rhythm, particularly music and dance, to the rest of the world. The hip hop phenomenon will be sidelined, to be displaced by more rootsy and folksy music. The Rhythm and Blues (R &B) category has come to stay and it will be incorporated in the musical inventory. The opera will be domesticated as pioneered by Hubert Ogunde, Nigeria’s Nollywood will overtake America’s Hollywood as the world’s largest centre for film production. Due to the nature of our film delivery, movie stars will inevitably become music stars with a wide fan base as in India and will be reference points in fashion, taste and manners.

    Mining: The Nigerian soil is inlaid with precious and priceless metals and minerals. The Niger-Delta abounds with oil and gas, though off-shore production has become important and prospects exist in parts of the North. Bitumen is buried in Ondo State, iron ore in Kogi and gold deposits in Zamfara. Edo North is crammed with minerals such as limestone, gypsum, granite, mica, calcite, etc. Some other states especially in the North, are sitting atop fantastic mineral wealth. The crippling centralization in the country has made it impossible for states, in partnership with the private sector, to proactively exploit and benefit from their mineral resources.

    Agriculture: By 2050, Nigeria will become a major food exporter, with enough surpluses to cater for the needs of drought-stricken African countries. Nigeria has vast arable lands and diverse ecological zones propitious for the production of a variety of food crops. Agri-business, Agro-industry and Agro-forestry will be properly integrated into the production systems. The country will recover its former capacity in the production and export of cash crops such as cocoa, cashew, palm produce, rubber, groundnuts, kolanuts, etc. Farm mechanization will concentrate on the local manufacture of tractors, threshers, harvesters, etc. Rain-fed agriculture will largely give way to irrigation. Crop residues and indigenous grasses will be used for production of biofuel such as ethanol. The rural poor will become the new brides in the programmatic utilization of the ecological wealth of the rural areas for transformational development.

    Sports: Nigeria will be among the world’s leading sporting nations in 2070. It will win the World Cup before 2040, as much local enthusiasm and local talents are generated in the game of football. Football will be run as a business and football academics will groom stars. Sprints, table tennis, volleyball and basketball will also be priority areas. There will be planned sports development from the grass-roots and coaches from far and wide will be engaged.

    Apart from crippling centralization, the cost of governance, cost of doing business and operation of fiscal federalism are challenges. Anyone advocating the creation of more states has an intent to collapse the republic. We should indeed insert a constitutional provision for state contraction rather that state creation. The present bicameral legislature at the centre is unnecessary burden on a struggling nation. Nigeria is ranked 131 out of 185 countries in the global competitiveness index, blameable on corruption and infrastructural deficits. It was a constitutional oversight to have adopted America’s structural arrangements, without the complementary fiscal regime, under which each tier has its taxable areas in line with its responsibilities. Currently our states and local governments are sinking holes into which the national wealth disappears through personnel costs and corruption. Without a new constitution, Nigeria cannot meet its challenges.

    • Omoifo is a poet and essayist writes from Benin City.

  • Guns, terrorists and United Nations

    Guns, terrorists and United Nations

    Sometime in September, at the UN Headquarters, in New York, Nigeria was again at the centre stage of multilateral diplomacy. The occasion was the Second UN Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs). The Conference ended on a cheerful note when 193 countries agreed to the adoption of a new UN Programme of Action on illicit small arms. Notably, in the process leading up to the Conference and its final days, our Permanent Representative to the UN, Professor Joy Ogwu, a world renowned disarmament expert was at the helms of affairs as the President of the Review Conference; and she made us proud!

    In plain language andstripped of those occasionally bewildering diplomatic language, on the evening of Friday September 7, after several failed attempts spanning 10 years, the international community took concrete steps to confront the crisis of over 850 million illegal firearms in circulation around the world. It was a day the world once again said “Yes to”Gun Control”; and “No” to illicit arms in the hand of robbers, warlords, terrorists and deranged people who wreak havoc across the world. Imagine the heart rending tragedy in an elementary school in New Town, Connecticut where most innocent children were massacred at a period the world was singing joy to the world! Imagine the unacceptable terrorist activities of Boko Haram against people who are worshipping their God in their Churches or Mosques.

    Somehow, the epoch making event in New York did not attract much media attention.Perhaps because New York is far and out of the radar of ordinary people preoccupied with the stress of daily living. The event also did not attract much attention due perhaps to the fact that beyond disarmament experts few people can connect a UN disarmament Program to a good night sleep and their personal safety on a daily basis. And then that misperception that the UN and its array of agencies are mere talking shops. What with civil war raging in Syria and veto being whipped up now and then in the Security Council! So of what use is another “piece of paper” from the UN – one can hear people asking. Of course the UN works. It works for us all, as a forum to proffer solutions to every conceivable issue from the depth of the ocean to outer-space. Think of child care, women development, climate change, poverty eradication, peaceful use of outer space, etc.

    So when the world gathered in New York in September, to try its hand again at ridding our world of illegal firearms and emerged with an outcome document it deserves close attention of all. Really it should also be of interest to every man and woman on the street in all corners of our world which has become unacceptably violent and certainly need re-inventing. Today most people sleep with only one eye closed due to the activities of robbers, kidnappers, marauders and terrorists. Before our very eyes, Mali with an enviable history and a hitherto shining example of democracy in West Africa has been balkanized by a terrorist group armed to the teeth with lethal weapons; a development threatening to roll-back the democratic gains of immediate past decade in our sub region.

    Certainly, the successful outcome of the Small Arms and Light Weapons Conference could be adjudged as one of the major events of year 2012 in the field of disarmament for one simple reason. It has implication for the common quest to reduce violence, for a more peaceful world and security at national and personal levels. The document reminds us that illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects continues to sustain conflicts, exacerbate armed violence undermine respect for international humanitarian law, aid terrorism and illegal armed group and facilitate increasing levels of transnational organised crime as well as trafficking in human, drugs. There is therefore need for a bold initiative to confront the problem through gun control.

    At national and international level, the programme of action called for adequate laws, regulations and administrative procedures to prevent circulation of illegal arms and tighten access to guns. There are recommendations for improved intelligence work and appropriate national institutions. International arms transfers are expected to come under tighter control. Customs, INTERPOL, security agencies, NGOs and ordinary people are also expected to report suspicious characters and activities. Implicitly we all have roles to play to combat illicit trafficking of arms.

    States are of course expected to lead the crusade. They have the primary responsibility for preventing, combating and eradicating small arms trafficking. This is a crucial aspect of the gathering in New York in the concerted effort to wrest guns from the hand of criminals and terrorists.

    As delegates rose up on that faithful evening there was a feeling of satisfaction that the world has finally taken a bold step to come to grips with what has come to be accepted as the new weapon of mass destruction. It was a watershed in a long and difficult history of curbing illegal arms and weapons.

    This particular conference was certainly another fitting tribute to Nigeria’s diplomacy and foreign policy posture. Coming not too long after a brilliant performance as a member of the UN Security Council, the outcome of the conference was another good outing for the Nigerian Mission to the UN in New York and our team of diplomats who worked tirelessly for and must have put in sleepless nights for the success of the conference. Equally significant was the performance of our Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Joy Ogwu who demonstrated uncommon and admirable diplomatic skill to secure the endorsement of over 193 countries. It was also of course a proud moment for the leadership of our foreign ministry led by Foreign Minister Olugbenga Ashiru and the supporting team of officials from the headquarters in Abuja. We must also not forget that the successful conclusion of the small arms conference tallies with the commendable commitment of President Jonathan’s administration to tackle the security challenges at home and its foreign policy posture for enduring peace and security in the ECOWAS region which recently received the support of the Security Council in form of the approval of ECOWAS initiatives to tackle the challenge in Mali including through an intervention force.

    No doubt the Programme of Action on Small Arms is another evidence that the UN as our common home and can serve humanity well if the will is there. And now that we have a Roadmap in our hands, to prevent guns from falling into the hands of robbers and terrorists, we must all rise to the challenge.That is the “heart of the matter” which must also be a “matter of the heart” for us all for that good night sleep we all deserve; and rest of mind to as we faithfully worship our God in our various churches or mosques.

     

    • Amb Olukanni is Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Australia