The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • Why corruption thrives

    SIR: If there is a single phenomenon to which almost every failing of Nigeria is attributed, it is corruption. Corruption exists in almost every facet and level of our society.

    Corruption is variously referred to as the bane of the country’s development, a hydra-headed monster, a cancerous cell, the worm eating up the fabric of the society etc. The rich, the poor, almost everyone rail against it. But with all the negative attention and repeated vows to stamp it out, corruption sadly has not only continued to survive in the country but in fact thrive.

    Most persons would say that government is not doing enough to combat it, or the anti-corruption agencies are inefficient. But are these the whole truth? I don’t think so. The question is: who really should be most eager to end corruption? People in government and even leadership of the anti-corruption agencies are not so adversely affected by corruption. So they actually don’t have much incentive to fight it; the fight is not really theirs. On another hand it would be extremely naïve to expect those who benefit from corruption to lead the fight against it. This leaves us with the majority who suffer its consequences. These actually are those who should take up arms against corruption. The fight should never be left in the hands of government alone.

    Experience shows that the average government will not seriously bother itself with fighting corruption unless it is prodded by citizens bearing its brunt. The people’s body language matters a lot, it determines the priority government would place on the fight against the monster. Where the people are tolerant of it, government also tend to look the other way. But where they take an uncompromising stand against it, government equally sits up. So, though the federal government wields the powers and resources of state with which to fight corruption, it may need a kick at the backside from Nigerians to effectively deploy it. But before this can happen, Nigerians must first reject corruption in its entirety.

    Before one destroys something, he must first convince himself that it’s no longer of use to him or he wants nothing from it. As long as there still exists some belief or hope that it might still be of service someday, it will be difficult to act decisively. Corruption despite all the verbal attacks it receives has continued to wax strong because majority of those suffering its consequences and who should be most eager to see an end to it hope (consciously or subconsciously) to somehow, someday, also benefit from it. We celebrate and shield individuals whose source of wealth is shady with the intention of benefitting from their often ill-gotten wealth.

    It is not uncommon, for instance, to hear suffering Nigerian youths while discussing corruption make comment like, “my guy forget that thing, if you get there you no go thief? Me if I reach there I go collect my share o!” He perhaps forgets that the overwhelming majority of the citizenry (including most likely himself) will never get to the position where they can dip their hand in the public till. The point here is that when it comes to corruption we tend to speak from both sides of the mouth. While it is condemned on one hand, on the other, we still hope and ‘pray’ to benefit from it. The result is a conflict of interest which manifests in the indecisiveness with which the fight against the monster has been so far prosecuted.

    To effectively fight and reduce corruption to the barest minimum, Nigerians, especially the majority suffering untold hardship as a result of it must reject it absolutely. An uncompromising stand against corruption by the majority will send a strong message to whoever might consider tampering with public fund; it will also set government on its toes. Very importantly, we must critically consider who we honour. When only real men of honour and integrity are celebrated, even the not-so-honourable would want to act with some honour.

     

    • Nnoli Chidiebere

    Aba, Abia State.

  • Atiku and the new PDP

    SIR: I admire former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as a man who is free from delusion, who understands things as they are and as a man who has good thoughts whenever he speaks. That is the reason why I hold the view that there is no other Nigerian better-positioned to understand and lead this faction of PDP, (nPDP) .

    The purported largest party in Africa is unlikely to achieve in the six decades it plans to ride the Nigerian horse without opposition, which is what it has been unable to do over the last decade of steering the country’s ship of state. The seven PDP governors led by Atiku are a potent opposition which is operating from inside the ‘purported largest party’ PDP itself. What a fantastic good fortune for Nigeria.

    It is unlikely that the All Progressives Congress, APC will give the old PDP the contest of a lifetime in 2015; but now, with the nPDP, it is virtually assured that 2015 will be a fight to remember; that is if all of us are not consumed by the actors and Nigeria does survive it.

    We are aware of doomsayers who predict that 2015 is the end of all contests. Especially, since criminals have taken centre stage, mouthing threats against the corporate existence of Nigeria, which curiously, President Jonathan has neither condemned nor dissociated himself from those behind it. Nigeria had in the past weathered fiercer storms and so, we shall wither this political storm too.

    But, there are definitely good omens too that have sprouted for Nigeria since the new faction of the PDP declared their opposition to the so called largest party in Africa. Actions like these are capable igniting the rare questions of purposeful leadership and development that come with occupying the highest political office in the land including those at the state and local government levels.

    A careful look will tell us that the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar’s leading of the G7 of the nPDP is borne out of his desire to protect Nigeria’s democracy and his belief in total adherence to the rule of law rather than his ambition to be President. Atiku it was, who paid a costly price for his desire to legitimately succeed Obasanjo at the end of 2007.

    The country’s (Nigeria) return to democratic rule did not itself come on a platter of gold. Atiku was among those who fought the ruthless military regimes into submission not minding the severe consequences that went with it.

    Nigeria needs dedicated, focused, well-meaning leadership devoid of all sentiments be they regional, religious and ethnic in a bid to take us out of delusion to actualize our dream of being among the most prosperous nations in the world.

    The lack of direction and purpose exhibited by the occupiers of the Villa is a source of worry and concern for most Nigerians. The incredible determination and foresight displayed by the nPDP is a remarkable and a positive new twist in Nigeria’s politics, which has finally delivered the breath of fresh air President Jonathan, has failed to find in the wide expanse of our blessed land.

    It is now the hope of many that at least the larger PDP will reform, even if it is against its will to do so.

    This is good for Nigeria.

     

    • Lami Ladan

    Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja

  • Lagos and revival of Nigeria’s football

    Recently, the city of Lagos was agog, as the final of the 68th edition of Nigeria’s oldest football competition, now christened the Confederation Cup, took place at the Teslim Balogun Stadium amid pomp and pageantry. Since the Lagos State government began to host the final match of this annual football competition about four years ago, it has brought in lots of innovations aimed at restoring its lost glory. For instance, the state government usually uses the occasion to honour past heroes of the competition, both living and dead. In the last edition, 10 of such personalities, including ace broadcasters’ whose colourful radio commentaries brought glamour to the completion in time past, were honoured. Included in this year’s honour list are late Ishola Folorunsho and late Earnest Okonkwo, two ace radio commentators whose unique style of radio commentary added colour and grandeur to the competition. Others in this year’s honour list include legendary footballers such as, late Muda Lawal, former Super Eagles Coach and Jogo bonito exponent, Joe Erico, former Super Eagles coach, ‘Wonder Boy’, Paul Hamilton, 1985 FIFA U-17 World Cup winning coach and Sebastian Brodricks-Imasuen.  Others are Dominic Iorfa, Joe Erico, Josiah Dombraye, Toyin Ayinla, Stanley Eguma and ace broadcaster, Walter Oyatogun.

    According to Lagos State Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Development, Wahid Enitan-Oshodi, “The essence of this honour is to appreciate the outstanding performance of some players who had featured in the Federation Cup”. The long term objective is to motivate the present crop of players that their efforts in the competition will not go unnoticed even after they had retired. Without doubt, the role being played by the Lagos state government in the revival of football, and indeed other sports, in the country, is a reflection of the sporting personality of the state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola.

    The earliest impression of the state governor, painted in most media reports was that of a sports loving individual. He had been photographed in sporting attires playing active football even after his election into office. Consequently, it was clear from the outset that sports loving Lagos youths are in for a great time. When one realizes that sport has moved beyond the level of recreation, which it used to be in time past, to one with a mega-buck earning status, the efforts of the state government in encouraging the youth to take active part in sports will be properly appreciated.

    Globally, football has become a money spinning sport. The organisation and management of football in Europe, for instance, is a multi-million dollars venture with all the teams running other sports related businesses. Indeed, all sorts of professionals-doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, grass men, scouts, etc-are employed by the various teams in their drive for soccer glory. Football, in Europe, has gone beyond the mere recreational activity that it is in Nigeria. As a result of the excellent manner it is managed in Europe, youths across the continent have found in football a means through which they could use their talents to escape poverty. Young players such as Gareth Bale, Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabrigas, Christiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi among others – thanks to football – have become multi millionaires before they clocked the age of 21.

    Ironically, in Nigeria, what we have is the exact opposite of what operates in Europe. The once exciting Nigeria local league, that produced household names like Segun Odegbami, Adokie Amaesimeka, Christian Chukwu, Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini among others, has become a shadow of itself. Hitherto widely followed teams such as Stationery Stores, Spartans of Owerri, Rovers of Kano, Abiola Babes, Leventis United, etc have gone into extinction while popular European clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, AC Milan etc have been in existence for over 100 years. Unlike in Europe, where the clubs are purely run as business ventures, clubs in Nigeria are mostly run by governments on a non-profit basis. Unfortunately, football administrators in the country are mostly only interested in fighting over the paltry funds that come from government rather than creatively and passionately evolving strategies to lift the game. This is why, some of our footballers travel to less known footballing nations such as Bangladesh, Sudan, and India among others to further their careers.

    There was a time when Nigerian footballers were the toasts of the soccer world. Then, we used to have up to six nominees among the 10 footballers for the annual African Footballer of the Year Award. Indeed, the high point of the country’s dominance in African football was when Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Ikpeba and Kanu Nwankwo won the title in successive order. Other sports such as lawn tennis, table tennis, wrestling, volley ball, basketball etc are not exempted from the rot that currently pervades the nation’s sporting landscape.

    If we are to offer the teeming youth in the country an opportunity to fulfil their God-given potentials, we must change our attitude to sports. If we could go as far as the World Bank to get a tested professional to manage the Ministry of Finance, then we need a thorough-bred sport personality – someone whose whole essence revolves around sports – to take charge of the Sports Ministry. Equally, a complete overhaul of all sporting facilities in the country is needed. Since it seems those saddled with overseeing the nation’s prime sporting facilities are overwhelmed with the enormity of the responsibility, government can resort to the PPP model.  Similarly, the private sector needs to take more active part in the project to restore the nation’s lost glory in sports. All over the world, the initiatives and funds that drive sports come from the private sector. With the needed private sector drive, moribund school sports competitions across the country could be resuscitated.

    Finally, governments across the country should focus on sports development at the grassroots.  Lagos State is leading in this regards with the recently inaugurated Lagos State Sports Endowment Fund which is geared to take sports to all parts of the state. The state government has also resuscitated competitions such as the Principals’ Cup among secondary schools, the School Sports Festival, the State Sport Festival, the U- 13 Soccer Championship, the U-15 Swimming Competition, Governor’s Cup, the International Squash Racket Competition, MTN Street Soccer, Oba Cup, among others.

    Additionally, it has embarked on sports and recreational infrastructural development which has transformed the popular Campos Square in Lagos Island into a mini stadium with a seating capacity of 5,000, multi-purpose hall for all outdoor court games, FIFA Star 2 Artificial Turf, and administrative offices/equipment stores as well as the Agege Stadium into a sporting facility with a FIFA standard playing turf and a seating capacity of 15,000.

    It is only in doing this that we can discover new sports heroes and deal with the identical issues of job creation and youth restiveness in the country.

     

    • Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

  • Nation-building: The missing link

    If there is one incontrovertible point that the recurring and destructive challenges of Nigeria have proved in more than half a century of its existence as an independent entity, it is the disturbing view that its bereavement of good leadership is the cause of our backwardness and poverty.

    To be sure we do not lack the raw ingredients to brew to transform us into an eminently prosperous society. We have them aplenty, indeed a surfeit of these. There is a landmass that triples a host of vastly developed European nations put together. This implies that size isn’t essentially the issue. There is more to owning a treasure.

    We also have enormous foreign-currency magnetising resources, chief of which is crude oil. This has proved, over the decades, near inexhaustible. But it is deceptive wealth as it hasn’t led us to the Promised Land. Again what we deduce here is that it is not enough to possess seemingly bottomless wealth. What do you do with it? Who handles it? In whose custody is it for optimum utility?

    Next we have the putative advantage of population. One out of six black men on planet earth is probably a Nigerian. Our population is more than that of the other nations of the entire West Africa sub region added together. A breakdown of the statistics indicates that most of these Nigerians are vibrant young men and women ready to work productively for the fatherland but they are either forced straight into crime or idleness which eventually leads them into anti-social activity and parasitism! On this score also, we discern that to have large human resources is not the magic wand for the greatness of a nation. Something in the form of a direction must come along.

    Matching this dynamic population input in the mix is a rich potpourri of our cultural diversity coupled with an impressive array of such tourism destinations as Yankari, Obudu, Ikogosi etc. etc. that can spin us hard currency, local and foreign investments and jobs if the industry finds its way into the hands of a visionary and committed leader. But one more time, as it is with the other resources we have mentioned, something vital is missing and making the system malfunction tragically.

    Ditto for politics. We can truly boast of fulfilling all the righteousness of the political process: periodic elections, party formation, party primaries, going on the hustings to campaign, voter registration, massive media enlightenment on polling conduct etc. etc. Yet the majority of the people don’t enjoy the dividends of democracy for who all these mammoth motions and rituals are performed.

    Again the sad refrain: something is missing!

    What is the problem and where is it? Certainly the problem is not in our stars. It is in the calibre of leadership.

    Dr. Michael Oladele-Cole, a prominent Nigerian industrialist, is as concerned as we are on this sore point. He declared recently: “More than ever before in the history of its existence, Nigeria needs an urgent solution to the many leadership challenges besetting it which are threatening the nation’s economic infrastructural and ethical revolution.” And Catholic cleric George Ehusani has added: “We need a shift in leadership focus sustained by transparency and accountability where civil society will engage the political leadership in balancing policy objectives against concrete acts of governance.”

    And speaking on Channels TV during an interview, Adetokunbo Obayan, a leadership consultant said: “The reason we are where we are as a nation is not accidental. It is because the holders and occupiers of many of our platforms of leadership have relatively failed. They failed to understand what leadership is and they failed to deliver leadership.”

    Some compatriots may question the stand of these gentlemen in putting wholesale blame at the doorstep of leadership for the woes of the country, and not also on the followership. We believe however that the problem is located in both spectrum of society but a slightly heavier weight of the burden is one of the leadership. There is a massive leadership problem which the country has been struggling with from its very inception. And it is getting worse.

    The country’s political elite has failed thus far to provide that calibre of leadership which the country needs to free its genius. At every turn in the political life of the country, leadership has been abysmal right across the board, to the extent that the ethical and moral decline has degenerated so terribly that a systematic collapse confronts the country.

    This situation makes the question of leadership so desperate that the search for a suitable leader to unbottle that genius in us needs some creative new approach.

    We are broadening the search for the appropriate leader who can, not only pull Nigeria from the brink but also put it on track for economic development and modernity.

    Media is our tool in this business. Our advocacy is uniquely designed to investigate the potential of a prospective leader and propagate him via radio, television and documentaries, basically from the achievements. The key factors that will be isolated and all-encompassingly searched and propagated are the perceivable content of the individual’s thought processes manifested in his activities, and the moral-ethic background to his delivery.

    We are informed on this path because the role of politics in identifying a potential leader has over the years been long on selfish interest and hopelessly short on moral/ethical values of the individual. Most of our leaders are railroaded onto positions of leadership without any demonstration of ability to comprehend the problems of our societies on the basis of which they could fashion a sustainable plan. Less than one per cent of the leaders Nigeria has ever had drew any plan for the country’s development.

    All of this should change if the country is to progress. We must scout for that leader who has not only demonstrated a capacity for creative thinking; his resource management capability should be in evidence from his work. And when we find such leader or leaders we must present them powerfully to the Nigerian public, the political parties and the international community.

    We are confident that we can make an impact with this approach because our experiences as journalists and political consultants have taught us one great lesson that leadership of a country like Nigeria should transcend narrow partisan politics, but the truth of Nigeria’s political experience is that most of the politicians engaged in party politics are parochial in thinking, limited in experience and bereft of the fundamentals of ethical moral discipline. This is the bane of their failure in governance especially at the federal level.

    We call on all Nigerians to join us in this noble mission to identify committed and selfless leaders who will help to release the chained genius in the bottle of Nigeria’s bottomless resources. Less endowed countries have struck gold and elevated their society through the sheer inputs of good leadership. We shall begin to identify some of the potential leaders who measure up to this identity in the days ahead.

    •Obafemi and Ojewale, promoters of WriteConsult, sent this article from Lagos.

     

  • When the foundation cracks

    SIR: What happens when the second becomes the first choice? When backup becomes the main? What happens when there are cracks in the foundation? Who is to be blamed for the collapse? Do we blame the builders or the people who were in the building?

    Take a look at the public schools. The primary and secondary and especially the universities, what do you see? Forget public opinion, what do you see?

    I see people pointing accusing fingers, talking of half-baked graduates, corruption and an environment that does not foster learning, with the same eyes of scrutiny we gaze at the power, health, aviation, banking and agricultural sector. We see damage in our country like a worm eating deep into a rotten apple.

    It’s settled that something is wrong with our country but our children must go to school. Maybe they would be a beacon of hope to our light that’s dimming fast. We want the best for our children but why is it that the best education, as far as I can tell in primary and secondary school is reserved for those with enough money? By enough, I mean a lot of money.

    Parents with their children in private universities look on their children with pride. Why shouldn’t they? They never went through strikes, lecturers who miss classes, sexual harassment and the corruption in the system. The private university students receive the ‘elite’ education.

    The lecturers are there on time, their equipments are relatively up to standards, minimal sexual harassment and alas no strike.

    They seem to be receiving the best education, but is it really so?

    That aside, all the systems in this country are corrupt, do we agree to that? How and why we do not know and how to fix it eludes us. We make desperate attempts like a patient on life support or a boxer punched to near collapse but staggering to deliver a final punch.

    We should take a look at our Nigerian undergraduates, what is wrong with them? We hassle around and agree that a student must have the zeal to learn as well as a natural intelligence but here is the bone of contention: a student in a private university and a student in a public university, what is the difference in the education they receive?

    Why should well-meaning parents place their children in private universities and not public universities? Maybe they must have heard of lecturers who expect students to pay money for “hand-outs” to pass, students who buy results or students who through “connections” pass and get into the university.

    These parents proclaim: this is why public schools and universities are low grade. Such will never happen in private school and universities.

    Nevertheless, I know of students, multitudes of intelligent students who did have the opportunity for this ‘elite’ education (excluding those who have the means but found the rules to stringent), some of us ignorantly believe they cannot achieve this greatness except they are placed in private universities, ranging from N400,000 to a million naira and even more.

    Is this really the best effort we can come up with to redeem education? How is the average Nigerian supposed to get that amount of money?

    We fail to remember that private universities are just a decade old. We forget that some of our countries heroes, legends, renowned scholars and freedom fighters are products of these universities we so blatantly criticize and chastise. It is these universities that have enabled us get to the point of enlightenment, where we can openly speak out about the deficiency in our nation riddled with deficiencies.

    Are private universities fixing the linking roof of our educational system or are they rushing students through university and draining their parents’ incomes?

    The world is getting smaller and information is not scarce. The government dampens our effort but not our spirit.

    Here is the crux of the matter. We should zoom in on the Nigerian student, forget the restraints, and focus on the bigger picture. Forget the stereotypes and the government, the rules of society and exceptions; forget his social class, religion, and tribe. He was never given the opportunity to choose anyway. Focus on his natural intelligence, inquisitive mind, ambition, zeal and willingness to work hard.

    • Temitope Iwalaiye,

    Lokoja, Kogi State

  • Ladoja and Ibadan flyover

    SIR: Former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, has done everything humanly possible to carry out sustained criticisms on Governor Abiola Ajimobi over the Mokola flyover bridge recently inaugurated by the present administration in the state.

    At the commencement of the construction of the flyover bridge in December 2011, the former governor had described the project as a welcome development, saying that he dreamt of constructing it while he was governor of Oyo State.

    However, as Ladoja watched the flyover bridge springing up and changing the face of Mokola, an area that had hitherto been held captive by perennial traffic snarl for a very long time, he headed for his arsenal and took up arms against the initiator of the project, Governor Ajimobi.

    Thus, while virtually everybody in the state was commending the construction of the flyover bridge, Ladoja has been very busy spreading his campaign of calumny to every nook and cranny of the state.

    But the question is: what moral justification does the former governor have for demonizing such a laudable project which he had all the opportunity of actualizing but which he dreamt of throughout his reign as governor and never actualized?

    Besides, I agree with a group in the State called Oyo Development Initiatives (ODI) which queried that, had Ladoja spent the N6 billion he allegedly pocketed from the sales of the state shares on the construction of flyovers which he had dreamt of during his administration, flyover construction would have been the least of Governor Ajimobi’s concerns now and he would have channelled the money used in constructing Mokola flyover bridge to other development projects yearning for attention. Let’s even, for the sake argument, say that the Mokola flyover cost was inflated by the Ajimobi government, but Ladoja allegedly pocketed the N6 billion of the state money, which was twice the said cost of the bridge and which could have built two of such bridges!

    I therefore wish to appeal to the good people of Oyo State to stop listening to Senator Ladoja as he is whipping up unnecessary sentiments to deceive them and return the state to the era of violence and brigandage which characterized his administration.

    One thing I know for sure is that the Oyo State of today, pull-him-down politics and the politics of destruction have no place again. Ladoja is surely living in the past. When the time comes, he and his cohorts will know that they have no place in Oyo politics again.

    • Dauda Alayande,

    Aperin, Ibadan

  • Nigerians, guilty as charged

    SIR: Ordinary Nigerians cannot be blamed for how some universities have become encaged by a power-mongering and egocentric cabal. Ordinary Nigerians are not culpable in the murder of General Murtala Muhammed and the overthrow of the Buhari/Idiagbon regime. Civilians are not to blame for the Civil War of 1967-1970, or for the annulment of the freest and fairest presidential election of June 12, 1993. But civilians, including many lawyers and university professors, are to blame for accepting the nomination of Professor Attahiru Jega as make-up for an equitable electoral reform proposed by the Electoral Reform Committee of Justice Muhammed Uwais.

    Ordinary Nigerians must take full responsibility for the truncation of rotational presidency, by allowing themselves to be deceived by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, General Olusegun Obasanjo, Edwin Clark, Anthony Anenih, et al. I personally monitored the 2011 elections, and I saw that Nigerians voted for Jonathan, undoubtedly because they wanted good luck for themselves and their children. But, for how long shall a people allow themselves to be deceived? Don’t they know that a snake cannot give birth to a young without the venom? Jonathan was fielded by the same cabal that has been exploiting Nigeria and impoverishing the masses since independence, and so, how can you expect to harvest sweet orange from the seed of sour orange?

    In order to confuse the people, President Jonathan displayed a train running from Lagos through Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ilorin, etc. Now, let hungry Nigerians go inside the train. Alongside fixing of the train, he spent extravagantly on his election campaign and Nigerians were not sensitised, rather they derided General Muhammadu Buhari for having no stolen money to prosecute his presidential campaign. Poverty has done too much damage to the reasoning faculty of too many Nigerians; it has created immorality and inhumanities.

    Leadership problem couples follower-ship problem to make Nigeria a miserable whole. The late Hubert Ogunde once told Yoruba people to ronu (think); to reflect on their political place within Nigeria. Radical positive political change is imperative, and it is beyond the Peoples Democratic Party (old or new)!

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin.

  • Corruptitude: Ballad of our nation

    There is my country? Who has seen my Nigeria? Who knows where my people have gone? Who will tell me, where to find my kith and kin? Who will show me where I can find the soul and the spirit of my nation? Where are you, my origin, my country and my people? I am searching everywhere and all over- in the streets, in the alleys, in the winding and pothole infested roads, in the towns, in the villages, in the forests – for my country, the old Nigeria.

    I cannot find my country.

    Oh yes, I see my country now, I feel my country on the streets, along the highways, in the print media, on the television screens, in the honourable houses, in the corridors of power, in the seat of government, in the state houses, among the first and the last ladies, in the party conventions. In all these, I see my country; I see my nation, in the utterances of our leaders. I see my nation, in the impotence of our population. I see my Nigeria in the open display of illegal and laundered loot, acquired at the expense of the sick and the dying. Blood money and gore wealth, plundered from the carnage of democracy and the carcass of governance. Arise O corruption, Nigeria’s fall attain. I see my nation with tomorrow’s hope dashed, today’s optimism buried and yesterday’s achievement interred. I see my nation, harvesting today the seeds of the sorrows sown yesterday, saving a little harvest for the greater painsof our tomorrow.

    But, this is not the Nigeria I grew up in, certainly not the Nigeria that nurtured me. No way, this is not the Nigeria that made me what I am. The Nigeria I see now is not my country, can never be my country. It is not the place I can call my own. This is not the country for which, in 1960, I was ready to live and even die for. Not the country, no, no, it cannot be, it is not!

    The yellow “danfo” bus came charging down at top speed, against the traffic, and directly facing our lane. Headlights flashing at 12 noon, I thought this must be the end of the world. Who is after this driver? What is pursuing him? Just before the expected crash, the vehicle swerved right and swerved left leaving my body on earth, and my heart in my mouth about to be spewed into heaven. When I opened my eyes, I was still alive, but the danfo was gone. I checked my heart; it was still beating, so I swallowed it. I touched my bones, they all appeared intact. The wetness I felt down below, thank God, was not blood. The danfo gone, I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when this time, the three sons of thunder: Madness, Mayhem and Pandemonium, came blasting through the slow moving line of vehicles. Three automatic self-driven black land cruisers came charging down the same lane the danfo had just passed. The three drivers Rasaki (RSK), Lamidi (LMD) and AbdulQuadri (ABQ) were each hanging out of the left side of their vehicles, while the on the right side of each vehicle, hung out a uniformed devil, gun cocked, eyes the colour of red hot iron, nostrils breathing lava, mouth foaming magma, and a voice, which sounded like a volcanic eruption. The other occupant in the vehicle later told me the uniformed man barked out an order “KI-LIA-DI-WEY”!

    The FGN number plated land cruisers which blazed through the same lane as the danfo bus, made me realize that it was normal to violate the law. The lawlessness of the “danfo”driver was in obedience to government sanction and desire to break with impunity the laws the government swore to defend.

    Has Nigeria gone on a journey, a temporary journey, perhaps a journey away from the essence and embodiment of Nigerian? Is this a journey of no return to the grave of disintegration? Is this the failed hundred year amalgamation journey on a one-way ticket, non-refundable, non-reroutable trip of self-inflicted suicidal annihilation?

    The wedding ceremony was billed for 10 in the morning. Only the officiating minister, came to time, his time! The two families, including bride, groom and entourage, came also in their own respective times. The choir came last, but the pianist was nowhere to be found. Rumour had it that the “pianist-for-hire” was at the Friday night disco jam session till the early hours of the Saturday wedding morning. He needed to wash with “holy water”, the stench of beer before entering the house of God. More important, he needed to gather himself together. He eventually came, just half an hour later. He was there bodily, but not in spirit. The officiating minister had to wrestle the tune of the first song, from the pianist. The tune he chose for “my soul shall praise the king of heaven” had nothing to do with the song, at all. The tune he chose reminded me of the tune of Fela’s “Jen ko ku”!

    Church over, it was time for the reception. Before then a well-dressed man nearly lost his life’s savings as a smartly dressed person fished through the folds of his flowing agbada to retrieve the envelope containing the cash spraying, less the ten naira he dropped as church collection. Gratitude for the warning given by the officiating minister, everyone was on the alert. The men wrapped their agbadas tightly around their frames, while the women tucked their crisp naira notes between the bosom and the brassier. The cost for hiring the ultra-modern reception hall equaled the 30 month gross salary of a Professor with over 35 years of meritorious service and close to the 70 year retirement age. In the hall, I was drowned in sea money, but not a drop could I take, taste or drink. I sat on a chair rented for the equivalent of my two weeks’ salary, rested my elbows on a table hired for the same amount as my pay for one week’s work. I listened to music from a band that charged 10 months of my salary. The cost of “have this for coming take aways” would have paid my salary for 17 days. (Note all salaries at the rate prior to Federal Government ASUU agreement, the same agreement, which if implemented, will render the Federal government impotent)

    It was time to dance. Sweating foreheads waiting to be swiped with “naira- kerchiefs”, hands up raised in celestial hallelujah, floating angelically above suggestive bodies gyrating to background music from the depths of Pentecostal praise worship.

    Naira o o o, Naira x2.

    Naira you don win o, Naira

    Patapata you go win for ever, Naira

    Godliness and mammon competing for the soul of a nation. Righteousness trashed by materialism in the battle for the character of Nigeria.

    Corruption has become our national attitude, our national anthem, and the ballad of our nation. Every aspect of our life – from the home, to the school, to the work place, to the seat of government, and in the corridors of power, – is polluted with corruption. Is honesty an iroko tree in the mangrove swamps of Nigeria? Is probity a rare commodity in the halls of our National Assembly? Is integrity an unwanted stranger in our government houses? Is corruption the blood that runs in the arteries and veins of our ministries?

    “Corruptitude” is corruption’s absolute and final stage, the ultimate, the concluding phase and the point of no return of corruption. It is a point when we assent to the corruption perpetuated by one of our clan because he is our kin, and consent to the corruption by others, because we pray and wait for that future date, when God Almighty answers our prayer for the chance and opportunity to excel in committing even greater and more damaging acts of fraud, depravity, perversion, and immorality. We now have a country, where corruption is the national anthem, where corruption has become our attitude, and “corruptitude” our national ballad, in every ramification!

    Yet, I hear another song of Nigeria. In the morning, I hear it, above the blaring horns. In the afternoon, I hear it, louder than the screaming sirens. In the night, I hear it, piercing the noise of generators. I hear it above the riot of party politics. I hear the voice of Nigeria of old, the silent voice of sanity, the quiet voice of probity, the mumbled voice of honesty, the calm voice of decency, the still voice of honour, the hushed voice of reason, the tranquil voice of integrity, the serene voice of virtue, and the soothing voice of godliness. I hear it, the voice of my old Nigeria. We must not let the voice of today drown the voice of the past. Only then can our prayers be answered.

    • Prof Tomori is a retired university teacher and administrator

  • Nigeria: The search for survival

    A few weeks ago, Oronto Douglas, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, made the following pregnant statement: “As President Jonathan continues to rally all patriots and leads the charge in rebuilding critical Infrastructure (roads, rails, airports etc) and ensure access to education for millions of Alimajiris and other Nigerians, as he focuses attention on building and strengthening institutions (INEC, EFCC, ICPC, CBN, NASS etc) for the good of our people and our democracy, it is important that a “we the people” agreement be midwifed by all Nigerians for the good of Nigeria”.

    Naturally, millions of Nigerians got from this statement the impression that President Jonathan was at last about to take themost important step which we had all long expected of him. Rebuilding critical infrastructures, widening access to education, and strengthening institutions – all are routine jobs of any ruler in a modern country. Beyond such routine concerns, every country has, at given times, its unique and critical problems to tackle. In Nigeria, our unique and critical problem today is to ensure that our country will have a chance to survive at all. Making sure that Nigeria will have a better chance to survive is an order of priority infinitely higher than all the routine tasks of government. And the only way Nigeria will have a better chance to survive and prosper is to settle the nationalities problem – to structure our federation in ways that show respect to our various nationalities, and to empower the federating units of our federation to serve their citizens much better than now.

    No serious person who is interested in the welfare and future of Nigeria today can fail to see that Nigeria is descending rapidly towards some final collapse. After decades of manipulation and distortion, what was originally a Nigerian federation has become an undefinable monstrosity. An enormous, ponderous and unruly Federal Government controls all the essence of power and resources, and progressively makes nonsense of the states. In the growing chaos, the persons elected to the Nigerian National Assembly have resolved to themselves that they are not in Abuja as representatives of their constituencies and states. They are adding to the political and constitutional disorder that is wrecking our country. In Abuja they give most of their energies to two main pursuits – namely, grabbing bigger and bigger shares of the national cake for themselves, and erecting for the National Assembly a separate “sovereignty” of its own, a separate sovereignty derived not from the people of Nigeria but from the legislators’ own wilful designs. Apparently, even the political parties that sponsored these legislators for election into the National Assembly have lost all ability to make them support or oppose anything in the deliberations of the Senate and the House of Representatives – with the result that one hardly ever notices party positions among these political merchants. And, to the shock of all concerned observers, their National Assembly is proceeding, even in this hour of greatly heightened disorder and uncertainty in our political system, with their plan to further strengthen the powers of the “federal” authority and to further destroy the states, by turning the Local Governments into adjuncts of the Federal Government.

    In these dark hours in the history of our country, there is still one source from which Nigerians ought still to be able to expect salvation. That source is the presidency of Nigeria. And that is why, when Oronto Douglas, one of the most influential officials serving the presidency, made his statement about a “we the people agreement” some weeks ago, a whole lot of Nigerians thought we were, at last, about to begin to get constructive leadership from President Jonathan towards properly restructuring and reordering our stumbling country. But it has been weeks since then, and nothing has come from President Jonathan. To many Nigerians, President Jonathan’s presidency is becoming one of the most painful experiences ever.

    Over four years ago, when some influential Nigerians seemed to be raising objections to replacing our deceased President, Yar’Adua, with his Vice-President, Jonathan, very many Nigerians at home and abroad insisted that the Nigerian Constitution should be obeyed. Very many of us then happily, and even proudly, welcomed a Jonathan presidency. We did so for two main reasons. First, we were glad that the Jonathan presidency had finally killed the unspoken assumption by some of Nigeria’s most influential leaders that a Nigerian citizen from a minority nationality did not qualify to be president of Nigeria. And secondly, we were excited that this first minority man to become Nigeria’s president was from the Delta in particular. The peoples of the Delta have been the most consistent and persistent warriors against the excessive powers being heaped on the Federal Government, and against the excesses of federal authority. Countless youths of the Delta have sacrificed their lives for that cause. So, naturally, when one youth from the Delta providentially became our president, we were certain that an era of change had dawned in our country, and that we would quickly begin to see the return of our country to a sane and sensible federalism. Instead, what we have seen for over four years is just another Nigerian president sunk in the lure of rabid federal power. We are forced to confess now that President Jonathan has shamed many of us who supported him. He has chewed up our support of him and spit it back in our faces.

    In the circumstance, those who desperately desire that Nigeria should survive and succeed must now begin to search for hope in the whole spectrum of Nigeria’s political life. In my humble opinion, there is only one reliable corner where a ray of hope seems to be arising today. And that is in the new political grouping known as APC – All Progressives Congress. I say this because I have found some welcome perspectives in the statements and behaviour of this party – apart from the well-known progressive and federalist credentials of some of its leaders. For instance, the communiqué of a recent convention of Progressive Governors belonging to the APC stated that the convention “discussed constitutional amendment extensively”, rejected the National Assembly’s plans concerning local governments as capable of weakening “the fundamental principles of our federalism” and of tilting Nigeria “towards a unitary state”. It declared that “the issue of Local Government Administration – – – is within the purview of the federating units”, and that “Federalism is the basis of our sovereignty”.

    And then, some days later, one of the captains of the group, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, while speaking at a Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture in Lagos, made a very clear and compelling case for true federalism for Nigeria. I find this speech of his so important that I intend to focus on it in my column next week. But on the whole, if this fledgling party continues to provide leadership in the all-important issue of true a federation for Nigeria, it will become the party to be supported by all who sincerely want to see Nigeria become orderly, survive and prosper.

  • Jonathan and challenge of leadership

    Like the Biblical King Nebuchadnezzar, intoxicated by power, equalled himself with God to the point of calling the bluff and disregarding danger warnings by some prophets in Israel and later paid heavily, I first noticed signs of arrogance in our President in the wake of the new petroleum price regime. Believing he was going for real consultation with the clerics and possibly consent to their genuine advice, President Jonathan bluntly told members of the National Council on Inter-Religious Affairs, (NIREC), who had gathered at his instance in Ilorin to deliberate on the planned increase in petroleum pump price, that he was ready to be stoned after the increase and would be glad to return home. I recall the clerics, including traditional rulers, told our President, albeit unanimously, that no matter the propriety of the increase, the timing was absurd. And, true to his words, the president went ahead to approve the new price regime and almost collapsed the nation, thereafter.

    To those who had seen him as an amenable leader, who would humbly accept sincere, though bitter truth and stand with the ordinary Nigerians, this was the first sign that the future was pregnant. Now, many years after, the same lack of tact in handling party affairs, has put the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in disarray. With the events of the last three weeks, particularly the emergence of the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led faction of the PDP, (nPDP), it would be a shock surprise to still find anyone pretending that all is well with the PDP, or, perhaps, that where there were issues, they would simply fade away with the passage of time.

    While one could possibly hazard a guess as to why things seemed to have come to a head in the face of the coercive rather than diplomatic leadership style of the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led National Executive Committee (NEC), it has remained a huge surprise to everyone in the know of goings on in the party that those who should know better, the presidency and PDP elders, for instance, are still acting as if all is well.

    Probably thinking everyone would swallow the morsel of uninspiring leadership provided by Tukur, without saying a word as often the case, the presidency, now, coming round this delusion, has began a high-octane all-out war. But if this exemplifies the lack of tact or visionary leadership by party leaders, their greatest undoing is the sustained needless and clever-by-half pillorying of real and imagined party members opposed to the 2015 plans, using the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other sundry agencies.

    Today, as they say, the cookies have terribly crumbled. As everyone could see, the poor handling of this supposed mere belly ache has helped it to grow without inhibition into a malignant cancer, delicate and potentially hard to handle, without eating the humble pie by first admitting mistakes of poor approach to a subject matter to which every party member has a right of opinion, good or bad. Or, a genuine reconciliatory move as opposed to the Greek handshake and fake smile that have characterized the much publicized peace overtures by the party leadership. Unfortunately, while the presidency has maintained that it had no hand or that it was not providing support to the apparent illegal ostracization of party members by the Tukur-led executive, or sparked off the fire of attrition in the party, evidences contrary to the position have gradually, but steadily been emerging in the last few months.

    Interestingly, the current balkanization of the party can very easily be traceable to the unbridled 2015 ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan. Shockingly too, even when presidency’s imprimatur are all too clear in the lingering crisis, it has continued to push on its 2015 agenda even when it obviously hurts unity in the party and economic development of the nation. Not only has the presidency equally cleverly spurned moves aimed at bringing peace in the party where it does not favour its plans, but also enjoyed the company of foxes, who only tell him what it wants to hear.

    Like Rivers’ Governor Rotimi Amaechi, whose crime Tukur leadership says included among others, an alleged vice presidential ambition and gutsy questioning of the president’s second term ambition, not a few Nigerians have expressed displeasure at the manner the presidency has handled issues in the last three years. But for excelling in no small measure in sustained media fireworks painting dreamy and illusionary achievements in a government that is yet to fix power supply, curtail corruption in public offices, heavily dependent on importation, failed in arresting deteriorating standard of education, encouraged lawlessness, among others, it has done well also by cupping up some ridiculous fantasies, simply wishing Nigerians were still living in the past where sweet-coated promises still made sense, as opposed to what eyes can see or what can be felt in money-worth road network, effective legal system, improved health sector and general public good.

    Curiously, while all these presented call to duty, the presidency, seemingly blinded by ambition, has continued to wage war against those who paved the way for peace resulting in the many smooth transitions that has taken place at the presidency after the death of former President Umaru Yar’Adua. Now, beyond the Rivers crisis, NGF and Boko Haram challenges, presidency is adding one form of battle or the other to its heavy list, everyday. Whether this is a tactics of those who currently enjoy good perks by the presidency to remain relevant in the scheme of things is anybody’s guess, but more than anything else, the presidency has shown it enjoys wielding the big and strong stick rather jaw-jawing with party stakeholders.

    Hurting as this obviously is, it would seem, the presidency has declared war on some party members even as it has used the court to shutdown the National Secretariat of the nPDP in Abuja and Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. With prominent members of the old PDP, possibly including the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambawal, about nine governors, and 57 Senators, including strategic party members identifying with the nPDP, presidency has let loose its attack dogs on its enemies of their 2015 programmes. Only recently, the president sacked the Minister of Youths and Social Development, Alhaji Adbul-kadir Inuwa because of his closeness to the governor of Sokoto State, who is opposed to his second term ambition. Ironically, it turned out as one of the most damaging public actions of the current administration. According to presidency sources, the minister was allegedly sacked because the former minister could not supervise a rancour-free election by the National Youth Council of Nigeria, a Non-Governmental organisation that is not an integral agency under the direct supervision of the former minister!

    But if Inuwa’s sack points to dictatorial vestiges in a supposed democratic regime, sending the EFCC and police after people like Senator Dr Bukola Saraki, former governor of Kwara State, Abubakar Baraje and others, is, perhaps, ambition taken too far. Like most inexplicable moves, not a few people were shocked that Saraki is being invited for questioning by EFCC on the same issues for which he had been cleared!

    While other political parties are joining ranks and reaching out to aggrieved members, PDP is busy demonizing and dividing its house. The Nigeria Police Force under the current dispensation is increasingly being converted to a mere ‘armed brigade’ for hunting down opponents and perceived enemies of the president’s second term project. Only last week, a few days after its illegal withdrawals of security details of Senator Saraki and Baraje, the Inspector General of Police contemptuously sent his boys to prevent Governor Amaechi and his visiting former speakers from entering into Government House.

    • Barakat writes from Lagos