The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • Hollow homily

    If as they say, it takes a genius to track a genius, then Hardball is proud to announce that he has acquired the genius to discern that our dear president, Goodluck Jonathan is imbued with the rare genius of delivering not-to-be-missed homilies at every occasion. That art seems to mature on him as he stays longer in office (you see why his followers want him for another term?). The snag, however, is that his homilies are remarkable for their especial hollowness. In other words, the president has become notable for speeches that are flat, bland and dramatically opposed to reality. To further illustrate, it is like the difference between a rubber bullet and a smoking, live, hot lead.

    Examples stream in daily but let us work with the most current release. Last Monday, in Ilorin, Kwara State, where Jonathan had gone to reconcile the PDP clan and embrace party returnees he had in a long treatise, admonished politicians to insist on people-oriented governance. His words: “We ask ourselves why you get yourselves into politics, you have to think about your people, not yourself. People who think about the people follow the people’s party and PDP is the only people’s party.”

    Those who know will tell you to think nothing of this statement because banality is the sauce of Nigeria’s political rallies. Hardball dared to attend one not long ago, a most noisy and riotous gathering termed a political rally and he did not know when the programme ended and the arena was getting deserted; he still awaited the grand entrée and the big soul-stirring speech. So not even with a president would you expect an inspiring talk at a Nigerian political convention; perhaps the crowd too is never the inspired type.

    But there must be a limit to even political inanity for as the president spoke, the entire country was almost shut down for lack of fuel power the activities of over 160 million subjects of his. It was as if he mocked the people when he talked to them about the virtues of a people-oriented government at a moment when many of them were trapped in filling stations for hours and even overnight. As the pump prices of products have doubled in most parts of the country spiraling instant inflation in prices of all other goods and services, especially transportation, the people are bound to wonder whether it was their president speaking or a clone.

    Power supply situation has got worse since the generating and distribution firms were supposedly privatised. Because the new owners are party cronies and carpetbaggers, they simply continued where the government power company stopped but more intent on milking the system than providing service. Now fuel to power generator is scarce, the weather is mercilesslyhot and the result is that the people groan under the most excruciating living condition worse than even during the civil war.

    And talking about war, more innocent Nigerians have been slaughtered in the last two weeks than in any two weeks of Nigeria’s history. As the president shuttles, playing his inane politics, the Boko Haram insurgents picked their moment to pound the northeast of Nigeria to pieces, overwhelming even the military and sending them fleeing. Now doesn’t it take some queer genius glibly about “people- oriented” government under this hale of assaults?

  • Building a better, stronger and united Nigeria

    The 2013 result of the Economist Intelligence Unit of Where-to-be-born Index, which attempts to gauge which country will offer the most excellent opportunities for a healthy, safe and flourishing life in the years ahead,  ranked Nigeria as number 80 out of 80 countries evaluated. This makes Nigeria the most awful country to be born in out of the 80 countries analyzed!  This is how low we have sunk in recent time. Contemporary statistics about the country, across major sectors, have been baffling. For instance, Nigeria remains one of the few countries lagging behind in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals while our ranking on the corruption index remains abysmal. Similarly, Nigeria is among the only five countries in the world with the existence of polio. This is aside being ranked third in the world in the prevalence of AIDS/HIV.

    With regards to public security, we are not faring better either.

    From all indications, these are not really the best of time for our beloved nation. How did things get to this level? At what point did we derail from the agenda of our founding fathers? Well, if we are to be frank with ourselves, we all (every Nigerian) have a part in the present sorry state of our dear nation. The usual style in various discourses on the state of affairs in the country is to lay the blame on the doorsteps of leadership. However, in as much as it is undeniable that the availability of a focus and visionary leadership is pivotal to the progress of any society, it is equally a fact that, in our case in Nigeria, the followership is itself a major concern. When we talk of corruption, for instance, the general tendency is to point accusing fingers to those in government. But the reality is that there is hardly a sector in the country where corruption doesn’t thrive.

    There is no point in passing the buck. We should stop the blame game. The way forward, is for every one of us to have a rethink. If some are building and others are pulling down, the building will definitely collapse.  No matter what happens, this is the only country that we can call our own. Politics, religion and ethnicity should not be used as platforms to divide us. It doesn’t matter where we are, we can get to where we ought to be if we are determined to build a stronger and united nation that will be the toast of coming generations. We can do it. We have the potentials. We have the resources. All we need is a strong resolve to start afresh. Let nothing divert or deter us from this noble course.

    Despite the myriads of our challenges, all is not gloomy with the country after all. It is cheering, for instance, that for the first time in our history , we have had the rare prospect of holding on to democratic governance for 15 un-interrupted years. With steady economic growth, a stable democratic government and broad support from development partners, the Nigeria of our collective dream and aspiration could be attained. However, to consolidate democracy, restore a functioning economy and promote sustainable economic growth, we need to strengthen the various organs of government and other institutions of governance. There is basically nothing about the country that is wholly peculiar. Several countries around the world have had similar or same experiences as Nigeria. The only difference is that while others identify their challenges and frontally work on them, we seem to cover up ours and keep on living with the pretext that they never exist.

    What does the future hold?  In spite of the misgivings and several hiccups, Nigeria, will yet rise again. Time after time, in one culture after another, human beings have proven their resilience; they’ve shown that great things are possible and that man is capable of incredible successes in spite of monumental odds. Nigeria and Nigerians must not be an exception. Even as we think and get perplexed and angry, about the events of the last five decades, we must not give up hope. It looks bad and ugly; still, we must not despair. We must keep focusing; keep doing the right things for our country. We must do all we can to escape the condemnation and damnation of history and posterity. We cannot be the people and the generation that gave up even as others fought to save their own countries. Nigeria is our country, it is the one we truly own. Let us be united in saving our nation. Our outward expression of unity will reflect our inward unity of purpose.

    On a lighter but serious note, it is no longer news that all the states in the country have beautiful slogans that showcase their peculiarities. For instance in Lagos, we pride ourselves as the “Centre of Excellence”. However, the truth is that, the whole country has sufficient human and natural resources to attain excellence in all ramifications. All we need is to properly harness these resources. In the North-east, Adamawa prides itself as the Land of Beauty because of its pleasant scenery. Nevertheless, beauty is virtually a visible feature across the country. If only we could strap up all the striking tourist sites across the country, Nigeria would attract greater investment and, indeed, be accorded much respect across the globe. In the North-west, Kebbi is renowned to be the “Land of Equity”. How wonderful would it be, if equity truly reigns supreme across the land? In the North-central, Kwara is regarded as the “State of Harmony”. If only we could eschew all forms of bitterness and other divisive tendencies, we could actually build a nation where harmonious interface is the order of the day.

    On a final note, for the sake of the coming generation of Nigerians, we need to build a united and stronger entity. Since providence has brought us together, despite glaring differences, it is of necessity that we brace all odds and embrace harmonious living. Nigeria has the potential for greatness, if only all hands could be on deck. We must therefore, go forward and upward in all ramifications. We are not a failed generation. We are not a degenerate generation. We are not an accursed generation. We are good people, Great Country. Let us all work for a better, stronger and united Nigeria for the things that unite us are deeper and more important than the things that can separate us. “To live in unity is good and pleasant. To live in disunity is scandalous”.

    One would like to close with the enduring  words of Gerald R. Ford, the 38th president of the United States of America, USA: “even though this is late in an election year, there is no way we can go forward except together and no way anybody can win except by serving the people’s urgent needs. We cannot stand still or slip backwards. We must go forward now together”.

     

    •Odutola is Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

     

  • Animal rights versus human Life

    SIR: I would like to suggest that a law be enacted to make it a punishable offence to slaughter an animal without a licence  particularly in the presence of children. under the age of 18 years.

    The way and manner students were recently murdered in northen Nigeria  by the Boko Haram would suggest  that the cruelty  usually meted out to animals is being transfrered to humans.

    We have never really had an animal rights  movement in Nigeria. It”s high time concerned people rise up in defence of animals. Even insects need protection. We need to respect the fact that we cannot create life.

    “Stop stepping on insects.! Would you like to be stepped upon by a giant shoe?” – so the saying goes to children in the western world

    In this way a more humane society is gradually built up.

    • Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth,

    London, England

     

  • Amosun and his people         

    SIR: Many people have made different comments on the passion and  zeal with which Senator Amosun, Ogun state governor, has carried on the business of governing the state since he took over about three years ago.

    Some, including foreign visitors, have often wondered how the governor has been able to do so much in a short period. A  visitor once marvelled at the extent of love  and admiration extended to  the governor where ever  he went,  including those whose structures were  affected by  the ongoing rebuilding process.

    Governor Amosun loves the people who in turn  reciprocate  and give him their understanding and love.  He has  well thought-out plans for the people of the state. His electioneering campaign took him and his team to every nook and cranny of Ogun. In the process, he met the people in their natural environment, obtained first-hand information on their needs, which is now assisting him in planning and providing for  these needs.

    Before his foray into politics, Amosun had been a cheerful giver, and had  through many philanthropic activities raised the standard of living of many people. He readily identifies with the people across board.

    In his determination to provide the good people of Ogun state the best possible, the governor invited individuals of proven integrity from various walks of life to team up with him. The positive results of their efforts abound across the state. The transformation currently going on is the product of a good team work.

    Prudent financial management has contributed immensely to move the state forward as  resources  are being judiciously used for maximum effect.

    The wife of the governor, Olufunso Amosun,  also came up with a programme that affects mankind in all facets of life. Through the Uplift Programme, the needs of the  aged, children, unemployed, market women and men are being provided for on a regular basis. There is hardly an  aspect of humanity that has not benefited from the scheme. This is a further  testimony to the true love that the governor and his wife have for the people of Ogun state.              A leader loves his people, the people trust their leader.

     

    • Bola Adeyemi

    Oyero Town, Ifo Local Government.

     

  • Showing concern for the sick

    There seems to be an upsurge in what is gradually becoming a social problem, going by the several reports of Nigerian hospitals holding patients hostage for their inability to settle treatment bills. This trend, which has been observed in both public and private hospitals, has elicited great concern among health watchers and stakeholders.

    This continued practice of keeping patients, against their wish, is not only a violation of national and statutory global human rights instruments; it is a serious embarrassment and international shame. While it may not be that easy to pinpoint to the exact degree of the problem, there are ample reasons to believe that it is now assuming a more frightening proportion. A cursory look at the ‘imprisoned’ patients shows that they are mostly the poor, the very sick, abandoned and neglected members of the society, cutting across all ages and gender. They are often times jobless and without any known means of survival. That is why the government should be alive to its constitutional responsibility by having a virile social security, to take care of the sick that cannot pay their hospital bills, the unemployed, the old people, the physically-challenged, the homeless and abandoned children, among others.

    Certainly, there is the need for hospitals to shield themselves against the encumbrances of unproductive debts, holding people in captivity because they are incapable of footing their bills is rather illegal since they have not committed any known criminal offence. In a country where only the wealthy can afford access to quality healthcare, the operation of a health insurance scheme would have readily be the most logical way to bridge this gap between the rich and the poor, but this has not been the case with our National Health

    Insurance Scheme that is virtually in disarray. The inability to adequately provide a good social health insurance in the country can be traced, among other reasons to the poor budgetary allocations to the NHIS and the non-passage of the Health Bill by the National Assembly. The health insurance package, as obtainable in other climes like the United Kingdom, the scheme is primarily funded through the general taxation system.

    Ordinarily, patients given medical treatment should realize that when they access medical treatment in any hospital, they are more or less into a contractual agreement, whether written or unwritten and

    as such, each party should legally fulfil its own part of the deal, meaning that there should be the provision that will clearly state the conditions or terms on which the service is being rendered. While it is appreciated that some patients are truly indigent and unable to offset their hospital bills, it is just fair that the interest of the hospitals should also be protected. Otherwise, they will soon run out of resources to effectively run the health institutions. Hence, individuals owe themselves the duty of paying for health care services the same way they pay for other goods and services.

    That was why Dr Osahon Enabulele, President of the Nigeria Medical Association insisted that this practice of detaining patients is not unethical. “This has nothing to do with ethical conduct, if anything at all, the bridge of ethics would have come into place if a patient came into the facility and was not attended to, especially if it was an emergency. This is certainly ethical bridge; the first responsibility is to save life. It does not bother so much on ethical issues. What I expect the professional to do as a way of sorting out issues like this is to go the extra mile to inform local authorities or the state government where the patients come from and put the case before them or even religious bodies and expect them to come to his aid”, he stated.

    To worsen matters, many wealthy Nigerians and political office holders  are addicted to travelling to the United States of America, Russia, Germany, Britain, India, South Africa and other foreign countries annually on medical trips, spending an average of between $20,000 and $50,000 per trip.  This lust for overseas Medicare is a manifestation of the fallout of the poor state of the nation’s health system. Hence, this should no longer be allowed to continue if we are serious about turning things around. Or, what stops the country from serving as a reference point in medical tourism? Last year alone, India was said to have earned over $250 million from fellow Nigerians that besieged the country, seeking better medical care, as its total projected earnings from medical tourism is said to hover between $1 billion and $2 billion.

    Nigeria, like other Sub-Saharan African nations, is still lagging behind in basic health indices. For instance, it leads in the world in malaria scourge by contributing 25 per cent to global burden and the second most burdened nation in terms of HIV/AIDS, as about three million Nigerians are said to be currently living with the disease. To this end, budgetary allocations to the health sector should be increased and spent judiciously in providing the necessary infrastructure. State governments – as a concurrent responsibility – should not consider health care provision a sole burden of the federal government to provide qualitative healthcare, by exploring the public-private partnerships. There can never be any sustainable development when a nation’s health sector is in shambles.

    Therefore, government should be more committed to addressing this decadence by discouraging public officials and political appointees from seeking medical treatment abroad. This could be very helpful and in view of the realities of our time, hospitals should be re-branded to vigorously have functional and sustainable social responsibility packages and other initiatives, which can be worked-out in the settlement of bills of indigent patients. That is where the role of non-governmental organizations, philanthropists and corporate organizations come in. They should be encouraged to do more for humanity.

    The NHIS should be repackaged to achieve better results while the passage of the National Health Bill should be expedited. On a final note, the relevant hospitals should investigate and carry out an audit on those patients that have overstayed and found to be truly incapable of off-setting their bills. Those who fall under this category be released without further delay while those who are able to pay, but could not do so at a go, should be allowed to pay installmentally after being released and after signing the necessary legal documents. Keeping them in perpetual bondage is definitely not the solution.

    • Kupoluyi wrote in from Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

  • Boko Haram and northern leaders’ responsibility

    SIR: Since the outbreak of violent attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents in 2009, the group’s mode of operation, style and pace have changed markedly.  Whereas, in the beginning, the attacks were wider in scope and directed mainly at government installations – which included the United Nations building and Police Headquarters in Abuja – they are now restricted to the fringes of the affected three States of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, with vulnerable civilian populations, especially school children, as targets.

    Military experts interpret the change to soft targets as a sign that the insurgents are retreating and that the war is about to end.  However, the opposition and critics of the government claim that insofar as the casualty figures, in human and material terms, are still rising, the war against Boko Haram is far from over.  Irrespective of political persuasions, Nigerians should be worried about the current security situation.

    It is frightening that within the last one or two weeks alone, as many as 200 defenceless and innocent people, including school children, have been killed by members of the Boko Haram sect.   Of these, women and children are the worst-hit.

    It is true that the Boko Haram operations are now restricted mainly to the three affected states.  There can be no doubt that their activities have paralysed the economies in much of the North.  Indeed, the negative effects of their atrocities cut across the entire country.  For the national economy to thrive, there must be uninterrupted flow of investments within and from international investors.  That flow is not possible in an unstable social and political environment such as the one that now exists in the affected states.  Apart from the US and some European countries that have issued travel alert to their citizens against travelling to Nigeria’s northern states, foreign direct investments in the states have dropped significantly.  The three states are now regarded as a pariah zone by international investors.

    It is true that Nigeria had, before Boko Haram, experienced insurgency, militancy or religious fanaticism.  However, none of these past experiences was as senseless as the Boko Haram insurgency.  When someone tried the other day to compare Boko Haram with the Niger Delta militancy, his error was glaring: while the Niger Delta militants were identifiable youths – Tompolo, Atake Tom, Boyloaf, etc – who made clear their demands, the Boko Haram insurgents are faceless operators with an unspecified mission, except that they want to Islamize the entire nation and obliterate Western education!

    The truth about Boko Haram is that those who knew how it all started would agree that it was politically motivated.  Unfortunately, the terror sect has grown into a Frankenstein’s monster such that even those who created it now distance themselves from its destructive activities.

    Northern leaders owe the nation the duty of helping to salvage the situation by virtue of their status as leaders of the various communities that produced the insurgents.  To claim that the young men (and perhaps women too) have outgrown their communities is unacceptable.  Boko Haram members, no matter their degree of indoctrination, still belong to the normal Nigerian extended families; they are under family heads, ward leaders and chiefs, and the insurgents are still subject to kinship discipline.

    If the Northern leaders are looking for an example to learn from, it is readily provided by elders of the South-south zone who took charge when the unrest in the Niger Delta was at its peak.  Leaders such as E.K Clark, Tony Anenih and then Vice President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, had to go into the hideouts of militants to preach the urgent need for peace in the region.  Based on their efforts, the militants accepted the amnesty deal and surrendered their weapon in 2009.   Northern leaders should take a cue.

    • John Udumebraye

    Port Harcourt.

     

  • Jona goes to Kwara

    The child is the father of the man”, coined English Romantic poet, William Wordsworth, in his poem, “My heart leaps up when I behold”.

    So, drawing from the Wordsworth poetic philosophy, you perhaps would begin to understand President Goodluck Jonathan’s innocent attitude to statecraft and state chores.

    With child-like zest, the commander-in-chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces would jump into the C-in-C’s suit, at festive and ceremonial occasions, smiling the smile, if not exactly talking the talk.

    Well, you could excuse the presidential diffidence for not exactly talking the talk. But even that cannot excuse Jonathan’s presidential hesitation to walk the walk of the C-in-C, particularly when presidential chores calls — indeed, shouts.

    Mr. President may not be a General, a Pharaoh, or a Nebuchadnezzar. But he is still president, who ought to be a rallying force, for a country and people in anguish.

    For the Northeast belt, it has been a particularly harrowing run in the hands of the blood-thirsty Boko Haram. At the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State, no less than 43 young Nigerians lost their lives; and scores of others, particularly abducted female pupils, are still missing.

    Then the following night in Adamawa State, a Boko Haram raid on Shuwa, Kirchinga and Kibla claimed no less no less than 32 lives.

    After in Maiduguri, Borno State, the epicentre of the rebellion, no less than 90 died from another round of Boko Haram attacks. The tragedy is though the military say they are trying their best — and indeed, there is no basis to doubt that claim — everybody seems to be steeling themselves for the next attack. What appears to hold the nation is the hope that less attacks would manifest; and not that the might of the Nigerian state would deter them.

    That sense of near-hopelessness, of mass anguish and pain, has propelled the political opposition to suggest to the president to visit the troubled areas and at least empathise with the people; and boost the morale of the stressed armed forces. But no dice! True, the opposition could make political capital from the suggestion. But that hardly detracts from its merit, does it?

    Whatever it is, the C-in-C decided to make a political sortie southwards to Kwara, to welcome partisan defectors, instead of north-east-wards to console the people and motivate the troops!

    Just as he wined and dined with his centenary guests when Boko Haram criminals were laying waste the cream of Nigeria’s future, the president and C-in-C is schmoozing with political defectors, while an integral part of the country burns! Talk of a Nigerian Nero fiddling while his country is ablaze!

    Reminds you, doesn’t it, of the Jerry Gana quip: if you’re commander-in-chief, command-in-chief well o? Incidentally, Prof. Gana is the president’s ally. Does he give him the private equivalent of that very public joke?

    President Jonathan must get serious. He must not give the impression that he enjoys the lollies of office, while just enduring the corresponding chores.

    That unfortunately is the impression he gives, by the way he handles the latest bout of the Boko Haram mess.

  • On University of Ibadan’s toilets

    SIR: Many people have reacted, negatively or positively, to the photo-documentary on University of Ibadan’s “dirty toilets” by one of the institution’s alumni, Ibukun Babarinde which recently went viral on the internet. Sonala Olumhense’s elegant write-up in The Guardian of Sunday, February 16, on the matter is well noted. He contended rather forcefully that during his studentship in the university, the facilities were exquisitely maintained. “I do not recall toilet facilities, in any hall, library or faculty that you hesitate to walk into.” The situation has not significantly changed.

    Stakeholders in the UI Project deserve some explanations on this matter. We cannot pretend that we have five-star toilet facilities in our halls of residence. However, the logic of absolute generalization is always not exactly clever. Although, they are aging, it does not mean that the toilets are not clean or cleaned. As a public institution and pride of Nigerian academia, we cherish the culture of maintenance. We continue to strive for excellence in service delivery and in the provision of functional physical infrastructure. Any visitor to our university will be impressed with the clean environment, and part of the reasons for this is that the cleaning service is outsourced.

    In the last three years that Prof. Isaac Adewole has been the Vice-Chancellor, he has shown a lot of commitment to students’ welfare. Added to this is the management’s dedication to improvement in the university’s teaching and learning environment. Specifically, he has done everything possible to restore the dignity of studentship in the halls of residence, laboratories, lecture theatres, etc. This has been a period of consolidation, in terms of the development and revision of academic programmes, and in the maintenance of infrastructure.

    The issues of toilets and other allied matters are of serious concern to the university management. It should be noted that a huge amount of recurrent expenditure is devoted each month to cleaning services in the 13 halls of residence as well as other residential, academic and administrative zones of the campus. Despite this expenditure and the outsourcing of the cleaning of halls, the quality of service may still not be satisfactory. Lamentably, the idea of cost-recovery is not a popular item before our student body and their parents/guardians. For instance, whereas a UI undergraduate pays N14,000.00 per session for on-campus lodging, other undergraduates pay between N70,000.00 and N100,000.00 at private hostels located in neighbouring areas of Agbowo, Samonda,  Bodija and Ojo. This means that a huge subsidy is being injected into maintaining those facilities on which there is a lot of pressure owing to high student population.

    We view the criticism of these stakeholders in good faith. It is a wake-up call for more work in the proper management of our facilities. Indeed, there is evident correlation between a clean environment and conducive learning.

    Having said this, we charge our alumni to apply themselves to cooperating with us in addressing the challenges of underfunding for which the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) recently went on strike. The path to meaningful legacy in higher education is working together. Working to expand the frontiers of knowledge is the responsibility of all. Seeking for the cooperation of our alumni to assist their alma mater is an article of faith in other civilized parts of the world. Regrettably, it appears that some of our alumni have not got the message yet.

    • Olatunji Oladejo,

    Director of Public Communication, University of Ibadan

     

  • Law School scholarship: Appeal to KWSG

    SIR: It has become a tradition, not to mention a norm, for state governments to, as part of their educational policy, assist their indigenous law students in the payment of law school fees. This acceptable tradition becomes necessary due to the humongous fee demanded by the Nigerian Law School which is currently over N300, 000. It must be noted that this career-threatening fee has cut short the dreams of many would-be lawyers in the country, leaving them frustrated, bruised and disillusioned.

    Having realised this, the Kwara State government under the leadership of Governor Fatah Ahmed has bought into the laudable idea through scholarship intervention to prospective law students. And this explains the reason for the disbursement of about N32million in 2013 to the 2011/2012 set, with a promise by the government to extend the same gesture to the 2012/2013 set.

    It is however unfortunate, not to mention surprising, that for over three months after their call, the Kwara State government has not deemed it fit to pay the 2012/2013 set. This development has not in any way helped the image of the government. It would be recalled that on June 4, 2013, one Olateju and others led a procession of law students (then on court attachment) to the Government House in Ilorin in order to press home their demand. The students were received by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Alhaji Mohammed Lade, who on behalf of the governor re-affirmed that the 2012/2013 set would be paid, even before the conclusion of their law school programme. The 2012/2013 set have since concluded their programme and have in fact been called to the prestigious Nigerian Bar, but shockingly the state government has failed to live up to its promise! This is not fair at all. The 2012/2013 set are not asking for too much; they are simply asking that the Kwara State government fulfil its promise. Besides, it would amount to discrimination for the government to give scholarship to 2011/2012 set and then abandon the 2012/2013 set.

    Bearing in mind the time-worn saying that it is better late than never, the undersigned would like to appeal to the state government, especially Governor Ahmed to, as a matter of urgency, settle the 2012/2013 set in the interest of all.

    •Alatise Taofeeq, Iyanda Ismael and Bakari Idris

    Ilorin.

  • What manner of celebrations?

    SIR: Youths are the lights and hope of all nations. Any developing nation that aims for the moon or any developed nation for that matter that wants to sustain its development must ensure the security and growth of the youths.

    Parents want their children to be great men and women in future. This is why they strive to give them the best education since they know that it is only through education that their aspirations for their children can be achieved.

    Now, imagine the trauma suffered by parents when the life of the children they are looking forward to seeing their greatness is cut short by insurgents. Most unfortunate is that while the young promising Nigerians were having their throat slit, our leaders were celebrating the centenary. This is worse than the case of man chasing a rat when his house in on fire.

    The question is: what are the leaders celebrating? Centenary or insecurity?

    Forty-seven Nigerian students killed in a day, and 24 hours later,our leaders are celebrating? A former head of state whose administration had insecurity and impunity as its emblem was among the 100 Nigerians honoured during the celebration.

    The issue is not whether Nigeria’s centenary is worth celebrating or not. My stand is that, the celebrations should have been postponed or even cancelled at least, to show respect to the memory of the victims of the Boko Haram attack and to show their parents that they are not alone during this trying times.

    Going on with celebrations when school children are being slaughtered shows that our leaders are not worth their salt. Would they be celebrating if their biological children were among the victims? It is high time our leaders showed human feelings and love to ordinary Nigerians.

    • Jamiu Idowu Esho

    Eruwa, Oyo State