The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • Audacious hope for Middle East peace

    It is a mark of how slim the chance of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become that the talks about talks that are soon to begin in Washington are the most hopeful development for some years. Few expect substantive progress to emerge from the discussions. There is little sign that the Israeli government will accept its 1967 borders as a starting point for negotiations, as Palestinian leaders have been insisting; in the occupied territories, it continues to build illegal settlements that it aims to annex to Israel as part of any deal.

    What has brought the parties to the table is not so much the prospect that talks might succeed as the advantages to be won by taking part. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must appear to engage with the Palestinians if it is to deflect international pressure to end its obstructionism. The Palestinian leadership receives a concession in the form of prisoner releases, and anyway has few alternative venues in which to press its demands. Meanwhile, having made the cause of Middle East peace his own, John Kerry, US secretary of state, needs to show some return on his frenzied diplomacy if he is to move it further up the agenda of his boss, President Barack Obama.

    It would be easy, therefore, to wax defeatist about Mr Kerry’s initiative. Certainly, without strong backing from the White House, he is in no position to offer the leadership in the Middle East that Mr Obama once promised but has failed to deliver. Still, a glimmer of hope is a precious thing. Historic change has sometimes been wrought from inauspicious beginnings, and, if Mr Kerry can lift the air of futility that now surrounds the peace process, even modest steps towards agreement could conceivably mark the beginning of progress that will one day come to look unstoppable.

    If that faint prospect is to be realised, others must do all they can to nurture it. Mr Obama’s capitulation over Israeli settlements – which he criticised in his Cairo speech in 2009, only to veto similar criticism at the UN Security Council in 2011 – has weakened his voice. But the squeals of protest in Tel Aviv that followed the EU’s recent decision to cut a small amount of European funding for Israeli entities on occupied Palestinian lands reveals a government sensitive to criticism from foreign quarters.

    Israel’s friends must use all their influence to ensure that this chance for peace, hard-won but slender, is seized.

    – Financial Times

     

  • NEITI: NNPC, Okonjo-Iweala splurging in our crude oil

    Readers of this column would conclude that Hardball has become rather morbidly obsessed with the goings-on in Nigeria’s oil industry and the quick response is: wouldn’t you be if some fellows are draining your life-blood and splurging around in it? This is the picture that has emerged in recent years concerning Nigeria’s rich hydrocarbon assets: we see an image of adults engaged in ceaseless and relentless mud fights without any intention whatsoever to quit messing around and clean up the mess. It is as if they have been in the mud so long that they have become encrusted in it.

    The recent report of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives (NEITI) is yet another ugly signpost. NEITI’s 2009 – 2011 oil and gas physical and process audit report turns out even more damning than the previous ones. The total sum of N273 billion ($8 billion) is at stake having not been remitted to the Federation Account. Between the petroleum ministry, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and sundry subsidiaries, this amount cannot be accounted for. Broken down further, more than 136 million barrels of crude oil estimated at $10.9 billion was lost to theft and sabotage in the period under review. Another highlight is a total payment of N3 trillion (supposedly as subsidy) to importers of refined petroleum products.

    It is always a long woe tale that Nigerians reap from her oil sector: every audit reports, whether from NEITI, National Assembly committee panels, Auditor-General’s office, or independent reports, the results have been the same, confounding sleaze, rampaging corruption, sheer brigandage and inefficiency. Speaking at a presentation ceremony (yes, they celebrate these sordid figures) of the report in Abuja last Monday, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, only made light of this grave national issue: “I am glad that the chairman (of NEITI), in his remark, clearly stated that there is a remarkable improvement between the past and today. So we will get there,” chimed the NNPC big man.

    No sir, we will never get there; we will get nowhere with you and your ilk splurging in the muck of our oil industry and the reason, Hardball states, is that you are not working and you have no intention to work. When was the last time NNPC issued an annual report of its financials? Just last year, when the influential The Africa Reports was preparing its Top 500 African Companies, it could not get figures from NNPC. Here is the magazine’s damning comment in its February 2013 issue: “…many of the corrupt, inflexibly and badly managed state-owned enterprises are improving their ways. While some remain opaque – notably the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation which would arguably show as one of the largest companies in Africa but does not submit information to our researchers…”

    Because we have opaque leaders running opaque governments, naturally, state-owned firms will operate under a heavy cloud of opaqueness. This is why in a continent in which NNPC operates, Algerian, Angolan, Moroccan and South African oil firms are quoted as leading the charge. SONATRACH, the Algerian oil mogul will spend $80 billion in the next four year to further grow her burgeoning oil estate. This will include four brand new refineries in four years at the cost of $14 billion. SAMIR, the Moroccan giant recently opened a new distillation unit in its existing refinery with a capacity of 4 million tonnes of refined products per year; and South Africa’s petrochemical conglomerate, SASOL is planning to build a pioneering gas-to-liquids plant in the US state of Louisiana to take advantage of the shale gas revolution. Examples of serious people doing serious work even in Africa, abound.

    You see why Hardball says we will never get anywhere with people like Mr. Yakubu and his quick-fingered bosses splurging in our oil? They can’t even give us basic annual accounts of their transactions! What a pity.

  • Child marriage is crime against humanity

    SIR: Oliver Gold Smith said, ‘Law grinds the poor and rich men rule the law’. That is the case in Nigeria. Education is progressing to a level at which it becomes a game exclusive for the rich and robbers. As if evil is pleasant, as if the people pray for pain and poverty, a greater burden and evil is being introduced, to drain and dry the value of the poor.

    Child marriage, basically for underage girls, is a baseless issue which overtly opines that the essence of the existence of the female folk is to be used and overused or misused by the male folk at will.

    It is irritating that despite hard facts about the evils of child marriage, such as hard evidences of medical implication, many of the people’s representatives prefer to allow child abuse, female oppression, female abuse, in term of child or early marriage.

    There are several cases of Vesico Virginal Fistula (VVF) in Nigeria.

    Nigeria is said to record the highest cases of VVF in the world. The minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina revealed that Nigeria has the highest cases of VVF in the world with an ‘estimated’ 400, 000 to 800,000 cases of which 20,000 cases added annually.

    Why then, should some people fail to consider the well being of the young girl and risk their health by making them liable to becoming victims of VVF? No good reasons for this other than selfishness, Wickedness and heartlessness. Even in slavery, this was extremely unpleasant, infact, not practiced, and only in slavery can people be treated against their comfort, according to the owner’s wish. Children are not commodities, they are not disposable valueless-valuables, but assets worth protecting no matter their sex.

    There are claims that the law makers did not legalise child marriage in their recent resolution; that something similar to child marriage has been in the constitution; that the people should be grateful to the law makers for creating awareness and that many of the critics should not speak as if it is a new thing in the constitution. These claims seem correct- the law makers only refused to delete that law. But, must we retain evil because we did not initiate it? Is it compulsory that only those who make a law or initiate something can alter it? Must we continue everything that was done in the past?

    Concerning error, is it not because we are involved, is it not because it is in us, is it not because we agree with it and because we love to practice it, that make us to conclude that error should remain?

    Child Marriage affects mostly the female (and the poverty stricken frustrated parents). So it is still an aspect of the many evils of ‘a blind patriarchy system’ which still sees female as a property just for man comfort.

    Child Marriage is a crime to humanity. If we discuss the issue according to custom or culture of some people and conclude that it must be allowed, why did we not allow human sacrifice even though it used to be part of the custom of some people?

    Child marriage is a crime to childhood, womanhood and humanity. It is not as if the marriable or the mature are finished or scarce, it is not as if the underage will not attain the proper age so what is the essence of child marriage?

    •  Kuye Samuel O.

    University of Lagos

     

  • From the cell phone

    For Segun Gbadegesin

     

    Elder Gbadegesin, on behalf of the over 50 million Nigerian youths, I offer appreciation for your piece. Our parents have toed every ignoble path, tainting the pedigree of almost every household without caring what the community or their families think about it. Well, the bad eggs of the younger generation are fast learning. Anonymous

    After going through the ordeal of Pastor Uzoechina in the hands Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar as published on Page 5 of The Nation of July 26, I am inclined to believe that Nigeria is a nation under a curse. Who will save Nigerian children from Hausa/Fulani child abusers? As a father, how would one feel if his daughter is held captive by no less a personality than Etsu Nupe for months? Can you help publicise the calamity that has befallen the young girl who should by now be in school? From Eyo Bassey, Calabar

    Your piece on youth rights…was to the point. We ignore our cultural heritage and adopt foreign ones. We fool ourselves into believing that we are hip. We can never fully appreciate the foreign cultures we embrace. At the end, we are neither African nor European. Any wonder we can never get anything right? Very sad. From C. Y. Nwanodi, Port Harcourt, Rivers State

    Some young academics may quote your statement that “70% of our elite don’t allow their children to speak Yoruba in the house”. It is not “about 70%”. As a senior academic, some will beat their chests with confidence as they quote a figure from you. I suggest you review the statement before the actual presentation. Rights have been known to have been trampled upon by some traditional faiths. There are festivals in which women are not to be seen on streets even during the day, like some Egungun outings. A few years ago, l was being driven to a church function dressed as an Anglican cleric, l ran into an Egungun convoy and the people following gave my car a thorough bashing with their canes, despite my slowing down. They did not do so to other cars passing. Traditionalists must respect others’ right to practise their faiths unmolested, and the thugs following Egungun should be outlawed. From Canon Professor Babajide Lucas (rtd)

    Sir, your insightful treatise is the needed tonic to rejuvenate a society that is head and neck deep in crass materialism. It is only a poor man that his idea of service to the electorate is to steal them blind. The future of the youth is being stolen under their noses, albeit with their help. From Ter Akaa, Gboko

    For the benefit of non-Yoruba-speaking readers like me, translate your Yoruba proverbs into English. You have been doing a lot of disservice to us and to yourself because we cannot comprehend your opinion. Thanks! Anonymous

     

    For Olatunji Dare

     

    Nice write-up. Every word penned is true! I wonder when (if ever) the world would be rid of racism. From Raphael

    White men would always see black men as inferior beings because of colour. But they have forgotten that the soul of a white man is not different from that of a black man. If they are so passionate about themselves, they should have restricted their movement to their country. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa Lagos

    Your article on the verdict on Trayvon Martin shows that no society is perfect; racism which could be likened to tribalism or religious bias still remains a big problem. Anonymous

    I read your piece on the Zimmerman and Trayvon case; it was well written. I think the jury was biased. They freed him because Trayvon was a black man. I almost got into a tweet fight on Twitter because of this case. I had to block the other party. May God help us. Anonymous

    Thank you for an incisive article which I think Americans should read. It captures that inner ‘turmoil’ that every black person experiences in America. Send it to HuffingtonPost Online which enjoys wide readership. From Funso Famuyiwa

    The Trayvon Martin verdict. The judgment by five Americans in which none favoured Martin was clearly a colour-bar! However, like we used to say, leave the judges and Zimmerman to God. When the police, the real security operative, halted Zimmerman’s chase of Martin, it should have ended in further scrutiny. That was not to be. Finally, let all Blacks worldwide develop their countries to enviable standards, that will halt unnecessary migration to the US, UK, France, Canada, Germany, Japan and others. Then, colour-bar, colour-kill, colour-judgment and coloured justice will end. Quite unfortunate for Martin and family. From Lanre Oseni

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

     

    I hail your assumptions. It was just as if you were there. I am sure you assumed right; you know the heart of men. Anonymous

    Why the noise about the 2015? Will Obasanjo or Babangida decide for me who to vote? I blame Jonathan for running from pillar to post for whaterver reason. He should just do his job. An average electorate knows who to vote for come 2015. Except by rigging, God’s choice will emerge president in 2015 by popular vote. Amaechi’s over-ambition will kill him. So, he should be careful. Obasanjo or anybody can not stop Jonathan, only the electorate can decide his fate in 2015. Thank you. From Owowo Abeokuta

    The piece was wonderful. No sane person will doubt you. I like Obasanjo for his courage. From Chief Harry Ihebinike

    Really? Your ear is to the ground, indeed! But, truth or fantasy, Obasanjo should not be disappointed about the turn of events in Nigeria, afterall, he staged the whole scenario by choosing a seriously challenged man medically to succeed, and suggesting a hardly prepared Vice. He who sows the wind reaps the whirlwind. From Charles Dare

    Tell us the snippets from the Governors’ visit too. Anonymous

    The write-up was a great one. The actors in would not have behaved differently. You have a penchant for presenting serious national issues in a light manner. My guess is that Obasanjo would one day knock at your door and start a warm relationship with you. But, please, do not have dinner or dance with him! From Deji Fasuan

    A man or woman who forgets the source of his or her strength will definitely go bankrupt. The president has abandoned the man who brought him to power for those I will call one-day politicians. Obasanjo is a strategist whose political shadow commands respect across the country. I believe the president should by now understand the likes of Edwin Clark and their cohorts, who are fanning the embers of war every second. In this life, whatever you are blessed with, take it and embrace it. The so-called president’s new friends are fishermen-trained militants not politicians. The earlier the president knows this, the better for him. From Hamza Ozi Momoh Apapa Lagos

    I must commend you on your write-up. I am proud of you as a Nigerian. Well done! Keep it up! May Almighty Allah continue to be with you, Ameen. Anonymous

    You are a genius. I am saying this because, for a long time, I have not seen a narrative like yours. While reading your piece I felt as if I was listening to Obasanjo live. When Obasanjo was elected in 1999, I used to dream of talking one-on-one with him. Did you actually listen to their conversation? From Abubakar Tanko H., Abuja

    Is your write-up true? If so we need to be careful and pray for Nigeria on 2015 and beyond. I pray God will make our leaders to be sincere and face facts. Anonymous

    How I wish this is the true discussion of Obasanjo and Jonathan. I enjoyed the Editorial Notebook. As for Jonathan, his wife, PDP and 2015, I dey laugh! From ND, Owerri

    President Jonathan, Nigeria is an egg in your hand and a breakable glass which a stone must not come near; and whatever happens you must consult our big leaders. Selfish politicians are deceiving our leaders in power not to pay homage, respect and regards to the democrats and Nigeria at large. For example, Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu are PDP states in the Southeast. The President should make peaceful cosultations, even in the Southsouth to start with. Obasanjo, please help keep this country from breaking. From John Onyeakolam, Abia

    Thank God, for somebody like Obasanjo. As an elder statesman he has said it all, k-leg is now straight. Please, they should leave Amaechi alone. From Hon. Pastor Obadiah Victor

    The president has played into the hands of Obsanjo just like the Egyptian president played into the hands of the military in Egypt. You cannot eat your cake and have it. The president is fighting Obasanjo by proxy and pretending as if all is well between them. The president is manipulating himself politically by fighting his political mentor. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa Lagos

    Thanks for your piece on those high profile visits. I think Baba Iyabo has said it all, and correctly, too. For there to be peace and reconciliation, there must be tolerance. Jonathan should try to tolerate Amaechi and his men to give peace a chance. If peace returns to PDP before 2015, Jonathan will win. From Chris Emeka-Izima, Abuja

    From the look of things, that is to tell you that Jonathan should forget about 2015. From Ekorian Odeniyi, Lagos

    Re: “Jonathan visits Obasanjo.” Your write-up and sources of information about Mr. President’s closed door meeting with Obasanjo looks too puerile for Nigerians to believe. From Nuhu, ABU Zaria

    Re: “Jonathan visits Obasanjo.” Even though Nigerians are not privy to what transpires between the two leaders, I hope they will be kind enough to tell each other the truth. And I hope they realise that the challenges in the land far outweigh every other issue. Nigerians are really suffering. 2015 is still some two years away. Let President Jonathan give Nigerians the full dividends of democracy. We do not have to die of hunger before 2015. From Ojo A. Ayodele, Emure Ekiti

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

     

    Re: ‘Clinging to the serpent for help’: Your article and indeed the salient points raised therein are undoubtedly the hardest truth anyone can ever imagine. You succeeded in driving home the truth as never before. Those retired generals have practically nothing new to offer considering their odious, corrupt and inept administrative/political past. May you really be blessed as your comments and analysis on various issues remain a must-read for every discerning mind, including yours truly. More ink to your pen. From Godwin Akpa, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    Tunji, thanks for your article ‘Clinging to the serpent for help’. The governors did not go to seek help for democracy from Generals Obasanjo and Babangida. They went there to seek support from them to help them fight President Goodluck Jonathan. From Sunny Ehi, Festac Town, Lagos.

    Uncle Tunji,yYou don’t want Nigerians to ever forgive IBB. Anonymous.

    Tunji, you are on target again. Indeed, those northern governors behaved like a man who, instead of taking his sick child to a doctor took him to an undertaker. OBJ and IBB can only qualify as undertakers in matters of like nature. Anonymous.

    ‘Clinging to the serpent for help’ should not really bother true democrats because birds of the same feather flock together. Members of the conservative political class met some elders of their class who are retired soldiers interested in politics and not democracy. They are very well disposed to the PDP. The governors met them so that they can intervene in PDP problems and not in search of solutions to democratic challenges. From Alhaji Adey Corsim, Oshodi, Lagos.

    T.A., thank you for the comment on IBB and OBJ ’saviourism’. From Imeh Abia, Uyo.

    So, IBB and OBJ have become beautiful brides that made five governors to visit them to seek intervention over the feud between the presidency and Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State so that it does not truncate our democracy. It is a welcome move but what do the former leaders have to offer? From Chika Nnorom,Umukabia, Abia State.

    I agree with your analysis of the recent happenings in Nigeria. Birds of the same feather flock together. Those governors are as visionless as the retired generals. It was an insult on our collective memory/ intelligence. If Nigerians do not take collective and drastic steps, the present democratic project will simply act as a channel that will speed up our descent into the abyss. The choice is ours to make, yours as well as mine. Keep up the wonderful work you are doing. .From Okougbo Omonua Ighodalo, Abuja.

    Tunji, I disagree with you on the visit of the governors to IBB and OBJ. You had nothing against Gen Abubakar because he handed over power to the civilians as he promised. But the symbol of democracy, M.K.O. Abiola died while he was in the custody of the general’s regime under unfathomable circumstances. The antecedents of OBJ and IBB in no way disqualify them as statesmen in matters concerning our nationhood. Paul contributed greatly to growth of Christianity, yet, he was hitherto the greatest persecutor of Christians. OBJ and IBB will continue to be relevant in our national life. Remember, nobody is totally good or totally bad. From Barr. Moronkeji.

    Re: Clinging to the serpent for help’. You were partial in excluding retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar from the three retired generals. They all worked together in deciding the dos and don’ts of the national legislators as well as the five visiting civilian governors, even among the remaining 19 other PDP governors that will determine Nigeria’s 2015. They are all selfish; including those you tagged ‘progressives’! Why is one of the ‘progressives’ not a leading light in the Labour Party? However, trouble yourself less, as the five governors met already with Mr President on 27/7/2013 to shame you and the opposition. From Lanre Oseni.

    Sir, your write-up is the bomb. ‘Clinging to the serpent for help’’. God help you richly for saying the truth plainly. Thanks. From Joe.

    Hello Tunji, it’s me again; appreciating your ‘Clinging to the serpent for help’. And to add that the generals are saviours who cannot save themselves. . From Biodun, Ibadan.

     

  • Lawmakers and jumbo pay

    SIR: The remuneration of members of National Assembly has been a top secret since the inception of democracy in 1999. The management of National Assembly and the leadership of both chambers have consistently frustrated any effortsmade to ascertain the actual remuneration of members. Requests and efforts by civil society groups, spirited individuals and newspaper houses to bring to fore, the pay package of these people have continued to suffer setbacks,even after the passage of the Freedom of Information Act which made it compulsory for such information and others to be available at the public domain on request.

    Presently, the reason for withholding this vital information from the public is staring all of us in the face.The wind has blown and we have seen the hidden rump of the fowl. The Economist, a United Kingdom based weekly magazine, has revealed and adjudged members of the National Assembly to have received and still receive so much undeserved money as salaries and emoluments of 116 times more than the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person and also more than legislators in developed and wealthier nations, thereby making Nigeria the most expensive democracy in the world.

    In the face of glaring abject poverty, dilapidated infrastructure and diseases to mention but a few, it is incredible and heart breaking to note that one single Senator and member House of Representatives takes home N61,330,560.00 and N48,195,647.00 annually respectively in both salaries and allowances. This is happening in a country where majority struggle to survive on less than one dollar per day.A country where a meager N18,000.00 minimum wage has become an unresolved issue in government/labour relations.

    People have seen that holding political offices as the easiest way to acquire illicit wealth. That was why politics has become a do-or-die-affair in Nigeria. In other climes, dog does not eat the bone hung on its neck. But the reverse is the case in Nigeria. If those expected to be ardent custodian of our national till will pillage it to suit their whims and caprices, the nation is doomed.

    Are we cursed or are we the cause of our misfortune and predicament?With little or no people oriented legislation to show, these people have dead consciences to have appropriated so much to themselves to the detriment of majority.

    Nigeria has consciously failed to measure up with other countries of the world in growth and advancement in human capital and infrastructural developments compared to her abundant natural and human resources because those in positions of authority have woefully failed to live up to their responsibilities. Nigeria has equally become one of the poorest nations in the world despite these huge resources obviously for lack of vision, selfishness and the high level of misplacements accorded priorities in the country. The question is who will save Nigeria?

    The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission is called upon to quickly review downward this undeserved jumbo salaries and allowances of members of National Assembly. The economy cannot sustain this legislative profligacy. When has the job of legislating in an air-conditioned chamber become more tedious than that of school teacher who is yet to receive the agreed N18000.00 minimum wage in many states of the federation?

    Finally, it is high time Nigeria considered Parliamentary system of government because it is more transparent and less expensive to run. Unfortunately, the same members of the National Assembly who are the drivers of constitution review and amendment initiative did not find it attractive for inclusion in the process.

     

    • Sunday Onyemaechi Eze

    Zaria, Kaduna State

     

  • When ‘Yemoja’ came to Ibadan

    Yemoja’ stopped by in Ibadan last week and Ile Oluyole came to an abrupt stop, almost imploding. It was as if the 1.3 million inhabitants of the ancient city had been looking forward to the coming of that Yoruba deity of motherhood and fecundity. It was a mass of people perhaps starved of some essential maternal succor that thronged to a little house at Isale Asaka, Foko area of Ibadan city, the capital of Oyo State last week. News had raced through the metropolis mid-afternoon of last Tuesday that a ‘mermaid’ had come a-visiting and it required the intervention of the State Police Command to contain the situation.

    As Hardball later discerned, the curio was sooner trampled under the stampeding feet of a rather curious crowd yet nobody sighted the object and none could tell the true story. But the story as it turned out, is simple and straight forward: a fishmonger, Mrs. Ramotalai Adeyemo, had found a strange creature packed among a row of frozen fish as she opened a carton of her ware. Of course, this could not be a fish: this jelly-bodied thing with numerous ‘hands’ must be a portent, a visitation from another world. News of it did not only fly swiftly, legends grew wings and the city was agog in a matter of hours. The first two people who tried to snap shots of the long-dead, frozen creature claimed their mobile phones shattered mysteriously. Thus the first taboo was quickly established: snap it at your (phone’s) peril.

    It was soon pronounced to be omo Yemoja, supposedly a baby mermaid. But Yemoja is not exactly a mermaid; it is the goddess of motherhood in Yoruba traditional religion still worshipped by may devotees in Osun, Osogbo. On the first day, though hardly anyone else saw the creature apart from Ramotalai the fish seller and a few in her compound, yet everyone in town had a description of it. One account was that though it was a small creature initially, it kept growing bigger and had the characteristics of a fish from waist down and that of human in the upper body with mouth, nose, eyes and long hair to boot. It was even said to have spoken to Ramota, urging her not to expose it and promising to reward her financially.

    Then there was the tussle for the custodianship of the creature. A Muslim cleric nearby who Ramota ran to initially had offered prayers and made ablution. An Osun worshipper insisted that the creature was on a mission to uplift Ramota financially if only she would heed the message which had been long in coming. While all this went on and the crowd was getting restive, the traditionalists weighed in and headed to the police seeking permission to lay hold of the creature, threatening cataclysmic flooding of the city if they were denied possession. The police fearing that the city might implode pulled in Ramota.

    Even the ‘area boys’ were not left out, unable to sight the ‘mermaid’ all day and having an inkling that the creature may well be a harbinger of great wealth, they broke into Ramota’s house in the night and ransacked the place obviously in search of omo Yemoja. By the following day, the State Command of the Police eventually got hold of the little creature and it turned out to be an octopus, they announced. But it looks more like a squid because it has more than eight tentacles from the photographs made available.

    Thus ended most anti-climactically, the story of the visit of ‘Yemoja’ to Oluyole, but the lesson not to be missed is that our towns and cities across the country are in ferment; too many unengaged and disoriented people seeking purpose, meaning and direction. It’s a long road to travel yet.

     

  • Ogun, pay my pension deductions

    SIR: After 14 years of meritorious service and voluntary resignation in December 31, 2012, from the employment of Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board I have not been paid my pension which was deducted from my salary.

    I need this money to start a small scale business pending the time my gratuities will be paid.

    I have written letters for the refund; till date, there has been no positive response.

    My pension administrator is SIGMA PENSIOSN LIMITED.

    I am using this medium to appeal to the Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State to please act swiftly and use his good office to save my soul and others involved.

    • Babajide Olusola Olanrewaju

    Ogun State

     

  • The Annual General Meeting (AGM) – A fable

    Once upon a time; in fact this fable is set in this present age of corporate governance, due process and shareholder power. This story is of this age in which the shareholder is akin to the voter: but though the shareholder like the voter, has all the power to change boards and governments, that happens only on paper. The company board, like government, is a monster that eats up the mass of people which brought it to power. So power (let’s not delude ourselves) still lies with the wielder and not the voter or the shareholder. The men of power would first violate the vaults and treasuries and fortify themselves so that when they cough the shareholder and voter will catch fever.

    But sorry this is not about business ethics or philosophy, it is a simply fable about a mining conglomerate, let’s call it OPL 1000 Plc. OPL mines and sells a fuel product that is in hot demand across the world; let’s call the product, HOT PROVIDENCE (HP for short). Ordinarily, OPL ought to refine this product to maximise benefits before shipping but out of sheer mental laziness of the board the product is sold in its raw, crude form to other companies and even countries that refine and make about ten times the profits that OPL makes. But not to worry, OPL has the product in stupendous reserve under the ground, enough to last several generations which explains why OPL couldn’t be bothered to begin puttying about with this grimy product. And the base logic is: if a company has a winning product that is in hot inelastic demand, a product in which it could ship out about two million barrels each dawning day, then it can afford to, sit pretty and reap its bounties. Such a product can safely be called providence isn’t it? You now see why they called their product what they call it?

    Now dear readers, there is a small ruckus at OPL. It is worrisome enough that management cannot be bothered with the tacky business of refining in spite of the age-long protestations of the shareholders, now OPL loses thousands of tanker-loads of HP to thieves everyday. How could that be, people have been wondering considering that OPL is as good as a state? OPL is as good as any garrison and it is as powerful as any state. It has access to any force or agency in the land and has the cash and sass to press them to use. How then does it happen that thousands of tankers just fade into the horizon daily in this day of hi-tech metering and GPRS?

    OPL 1000 was at this sorry pass when it had to hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM). The board suspecting it would be an AGM like no other, did their best to circumvent the shareholders: they deliberately mixed up the date, they picked an impossible venue, sent out notices at the last minute and made announcements in near-moribund newspapers. But a crowd of shareholders thronged the venue all the same prompting the managing director to try some filibustering. He spoke for hours on end going from company’s financial algebraic to Afghanistan politics. The people were weary but not out. It took one shareholder to set it off:

    Shareholder: Mr. Chairman, you have told us that our company loses thousands of trucks of our products daily. Why is that so considering that you have all the security personnel you need at your command and what are you doing about it?

    Chairman: We have set up a committee to catch the thieves and we have also asked our neighbouring and foreign companies, even our customers to help us fight the menace.

    As if rehearsed, most uncharacteristically, the crowd of shareholders rose in rowdy protestation. How can trucks grow wings!? Why don’t we get neighbouring companies to run OPL?! Why don’t we get the foreign companies to do your job? Enough is enough!!

    Moral of the fable: Everyday is for thieving board members, one day for the shareholders.

     

  • Archbishop Tutu and a ‘Homophobic God’

    SIR: I am writing to draw the attention of the general public particularly our religious leaders to the recent bold and thoughtful pronouncement of the retired archbishop of Cape Town and Nobel Prize Laureate, Desmond Tutu. Speaking at an event organized by the UN to promote gay rights in South Africa, Tutu said categorically that he would never worship a ‘homophobic God’ and that he would prefer going to hell to going to a homophobic heaven. “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place,” Tutu said. He compared his campaign against homophobia to that against apartheid in South Africa.

    Tutu’s statement is coming at a time of rising waves of homophobic attacks, persecution and killing in different parts of Africa. An anti-gay legislation is awaiting the signature of the President in Nigeria. Gay activists have been murdered in Uganda and Cameroun. Homosexual act is a crime in many African countries, and many gay people are languishing in jails across the region. The moves to tighten the laws against homosexuality have the strong backing of Christian and Muslim leaders.

    I hope some Christian and Muslim leaders in Africa would emulate Archbishop Tutu and begin to openly denounce and dissociate themselves from the ‘popular’ reverence and worship of a homophobic ‘God’ in the region

    • Leo Igwe

    Dept of Religious Studies

    University of Bayreuth, Germany

     

  • Why nothing works in Nigeria

    SIR: Nigeria is touted as the giant of Africa. The truth is, Nigeria has the potentials to become the true giant of Africa; it is not a giant. For all our human and material resources, Nigeria is mired in economic stagnation and technological backwardness. Nigeria’s woes are not unconnected with inept, corrupt and incompetent political leadership.

    We have not got our politics right since we became a politically independent country in 1960. Official corruption has ruined Nigeria. So, nothing works here. From education to health, to electricity, to infrastructural development, it is the same sad tale of rot. Monies set aside for the execution of capital projects are pilfered and stolen by political leaders supervising such projects.

    Can Nigeria become an industrialized country when such things as good roads and steady supply of electricity which are given in other countries are in a deplorable state here?

    Nigerians roads are death traps despite the fact that billions of naira are voted and budgeted yearly for the construction and rehabilitation of roads; the Benin – Ore road and other roads are death traps. These roads are marked by pot – holes and craters. Drivers get involved in road accidents while swerving to avoid entering the craters on our roads. Some of the roads in Nigeria, an oil- rich country, cannot hold candle to the ones in war – ravaged countries like Cambodia and Afghanistan. But, our political and religious elite with ill – gotten wealth own private jets and seldom travel by road. Now, the number of deaths caused by road accident outnumbers those resulting from malaria and HIV/AIDS infections. Nigerian roads are now killing – fields.

    I am a victim of the Nigerian bad road – network. On February 24, I was involved in a fatal road accident on the Umunnachi stretch of the Old Awka – Onitsha road. It was a multiple accident caused by a fast – travelling lorry with faulty brake, which claimed lives of some passengers on the buses involved in the accident. My right hand was trapped between the body of the bus and a deep gutter.

    In Nigeria, almost everybody lays claim to being a devout Muslim or Christians. We talk excitedly about God, Allah and Jesus, and pray fervently to God for break-through in our endeavors. Yet, we fail the simple test of love, daily. We wear the mask of religiosity, and fake piety to deceive others into believing that we are with love and moral scruples. Nigeria is a failed or failing state because most Nigerians are morally vacuous and spiritually arid. That’s the reason past leaders had stolen Nigeria blind.

    But, are our leaders not products of a society with warped values and perverted agents of socialization? Schools, which are agents of socialization, are breeding grounds for future leaders. Those that passed through the portals of our educational institutions are expected to possess exemplary character and deep learning. But, can we say that of them? Today, in our schools, lecturers trade grades and scores for sex and money. And, religious activities and staging of beauty pageants have replaced researches and scientific inquiry on our campuses. So, our universities graduates are not morally and educationally equipped to tackle the leadership challenges of the 21st century.

    Can our economy grow in a milieu of corruption, ethnic bigotry, religious intolerance, violence, blood-letting and over-bloated bureaucracy? It takes a competent, dedicated, and selfless leader for a country to ascend to the summit of economic prosperity and technological advancement. Those strutting their stuff on our political arena and calling the shots are ethnic chauvinists, religious bigots and perverted cradle-snatchers.

    So, bad leadership is at the root of our national woes. We practice democracy, which pre-supposes that sovereignty rests with the people. But, inveterate election-riggers, king-makers and other selfish interests subvert our collective will and impose their leaders on us.

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye

    Uruowulu – Obosi

    Anambra State.