The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • Presidential pardon: Between lawfulness and expediency

    Presidential pardon: Between lawfulness and expediency

    Presidential spokesman, Doyin Okupe, yesterday confirmed that presidential pardon had been granted former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, and seven others. But the other seven, including the late Shehu Yar’Adua and Abdulkarim Adisa, and Oladipo Diya, et al, have not generated as much controversy as Alamieyeseigha has done. President Goodluck Jonathan was at a time Alamieyeseigha’s deputy. While the pardon came unexpectedly, it is, however, not too surprising that Alamieyeseigha is a beneficiary. First is the fact that the president is actually still close to the former governor, and both have sustained a good relationship.

    Second is the fact that since reelection politics began to build up late last year, all sorts of calculations have suddenly cropped up, and Jonathan is not unmindful of emerging trends, in spite of announcing last year that 2015 was still far away. And third is the fact that the president perhaps feels that he must from now on begin to gather those who would help him wage the stiff political battles ahead. This is why he manoeuvred Alhaji Bamanga Tukur through the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) mill to emerge as chairman, forced Chief Tony Anenih down the throat of the party’s Board of Trustees, and apparently needs Alameiyeseigha to take care of political business back home where revulsion against the former governor is hardly perceptible.

    The president followed the law in granting the pardon. It was done through the National Council of States, a rubber stamp body that finds it difficult to oppose the president of the day. Even though many commentators and civil society groups have expressed outrage, arguing that Alamieyeseigha’s pardon in particular subverted the fight against corruption, the fact is that the president has the right to do what he did, irrespective of the severity of the crime, and no matter how much the pardon affronts the country’s values. In fact the more severe the crime, the more important and meaningful the pardon. There is nothing that says the president should look for less severe crime to pardon. More importantly, Alamieyeseigha has served time and forfeited properties, and if the president felt the former governor deserves pardon, he has not overreached himself.

    It must be emphasised that Jonathan has not broken any law in granting the pardon that seems to offend so many, and it would be presumptuous of anybody to determine for him what kind of crime or severity of crime he can pardon. The problem, however, is that while it is lawful to pardon Alamieyeseigha, it is unfortunately not expedient. It is on the grounds of expediency that Jonathan’s pardon grates on the senses. The president has been accused of being unserious in his fight against corruption; he ought to have been mindful of taking any step that would reinforce that impression. He has been accused of showing poor judgement and poor timing in too many things; alas, he did not inspire long-suffering Nigerians with the timing of this pardon. He has been accused of refusing to consider the affairs of the country holistically; with this pardon, he has shown limited vision, preferring to see only in part, and blinded by private interest, insufferable opportunism and short-sighted goals. Indeed, this is a delicate gambit that is expected to have far-reaching consequences for the 2015 polls.

    Many activists may be tempted to compare Nigeria with China, wishing that corruption could attract capital punishment. But Nigeria is not China, and will probably never be, nor does the death penalty deter crime on the scale many angry people romanticise it, nor yet have the cathartic effect many imbue the drastic remedy with. The problem with the Alamieyeseigha pardon is the poor timing and poor judgement, both of which sadly indicate, far in excess of the inexpediency of the pardon itself, that Jonathan seems ill-suited for the lofty office he occupies.

  • Death and the seven hostages

    Death and the seven hostages

    The news about the supposed murder of seven foreign workers abducted in Bauchi State on February 16 by the Jama’atu Ansarul Musilimina Fi Biladis Sudan, otherwise known as Ansaru, is a most unusual one. The seven hostages – a Briton, Italian, Greek, Lebanese, two Syrians and one Filipino – worked for a construction company before their abduction and harrowing captivity. Their captors had warned that the hostages would be killed if there were attempts to stage a rescue operation. They reminded Nigerian and foreign security organisations of the raid on Ansaru hideout near Sokoto during which hostages Chris McManus, a Briton, and Franco Lamolinara, an Italian, were killed when a combined team of Nigerian and British forces staged a rescue attempt in March 2012. On Saturday, however, Ansaru released an internet video clip suggesting that the hostages had been executed because the sect feared Britain and Nigeria were on the verge of a rescue attempt. But while the British, Italian and Greek governments have tentatively confirmed the execution, the Nigerian government has been reluctant to confirm the killings.

    What is curious about the murder is not the announcement by Ansaru, which is simple and direct enough, even if somewhat puzzling, nor the confirmation by the three countries of their citizens’ murder. The curious irony is that Nigeria, where the abduction took place, gives the humiliating impression it is unaware of the fate of the hostages, whether they were dead or alive. While Nigerians sympathise with their government, they do not excuse its dispiritedness. The government may not be able to stage a daring rescue, and may even rightly be afraid of staging another fiasco, but it is expected it should at least be able to tell what has become of the hostages. It rankles that foreign governments seemed surer of the fate of the hostages, while Nigeria, where the crisis unfolded, watches quizzically.

    The Nigerian scepticism may, however, derive from the government’s conviction that Nigerian terror groups were not known to execute their hostages except during a rescue attempt. In addition, the government also probably suspects that Ansaru may in fact have contrived the supposed execution as a red herring to throw the government and adventurous rescuers off the scent of the terrorists. A few conspiracy theorists even believe that the foreign governments quickly confirmed the executions in order to give Ansaru the mistaken impression they would do nothing about the hostages since they were dead anyway.

    Whatever the final outcome, whether Ansaru is lying and foreign governments are conniving at the lie, or whether Nigeria is in a quandary, the only group certain to be embarrassed by the whole affair is Nigeria, which has been unable both to tame its violent sects and incompetent to fight them. Nigeria must hope that the hostages are really not dead, and that its wariness is justified. Any other outcome would be disastrous, for it would paint Nigeria as ignorant of happenings within its own borders. However, in the days ahead, the unpleasant truth about the fate of the hostages will be established beyond doubt. But whatever that truth is will not mitigate the appalling image Nigeria has cultivated and continues to nurture of its government’s unpredictability, dithering and slothfulness.

     

     

     

  • Police PRO misinformed on traffic wardens

    Police PRO misinformed on traffic wardens

    SIR: I read the comment of Police Public Relations Oficcer (PPRO) Frank Mba on the status of Traffic Waredens in The Nation newspaper on Saturday March 2.

    I want to use this medium to ask Frank Mba to provide documents that transfered traffic wardens from Federal Ministry of Works to the Police. I need to know, Nigerians are interested as well. They need to

    know!

    Mba should know that Nigerian Police do not give letter of employment; they recruit and train. The moment you pass out from the police college, your appointment is confirmed.

    I challenge him to show if he has any employment letter other than the service record in his file.

    He said traffic wardens are not part and parcel of the Police but the Police use the same measures to discipline the traffic wardens e.g. detention, orderly room trial just to mention a few. Traffic wardens are not part and parcel of the police but the last batches that were promoted in February 2006 attended their promotion course at Police College Ikeja, Lagos where they were lectured both on traffic and police duties. In January 2007, these traffic wardens wrote their confirmation exams along side with regular Police Inspectors. Only one question was asked on traffic duties; the remaining four questions papers were on police duties.

    Police have tailors, drivers, technicians working with them as specialists; they enjoy all amenities residing in Police Barracks. While policemen are promoted regularly, the reverse is the case with the traffic wardens.

    It is a shame that the P.P.R.O does not know the information or data concerning the office he is representing. Mba should go and read Decree 21 that established Traffic Warden Service in 1975 and the Police Act Cap 359 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.

    • Michael Akpanke

    Ipaja, Lagos State

  • Nigeria needs to turn a new page

    Nigeria needs to turn a new page

    SIR: Nigeria became independent about 53 years ago. Since then till now, certain selfish persons keep arresting her growth. Those who killed Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa and company arrested Nigeria’s growth. The civil war and the circumstances that led to it arrested Nigeria’s growth. The long years of military rule, and the military leaders, such as General Yakubu Gowon and General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), who prolonged it unnecessarily, arrested Nigeria’s growth. The civilian rule of President Shehu Shagari that perpetrated unbridled corruption arrested Nigeria’s growth.

    The annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election by IBB was a catastrophe whose negative effects are still fresh in the memory of many Nigerians. What is at par with that annulment of a free and fair presidential election was the truncation of rotational presidency that was instituted to redress past political summersaults. Yes, it is a big slur on General Olusegun Obasanjo who supported Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s opportunism.

    The saddest aspect is that many elites forgot where Nigeria was coming from (political destabilizations) and supported Jonathan because South-south had never produced a President, and rotational presidency is not in Nigeria’s Constitution. If we give rotational presidency among the six geopolitical zones a chance, that would have given Nigeria a new outlook of an orderly society. The most stupid argument against it is that some zones lack presidential materials, whereas the protagonists are yet to mention the zones that have no presidential materials or the super zones with impeccable presidential materials.

    Rotational presidency was a well thought-out measure in view of Nigeria’s ethnic peculiarities, borne of the fact that every society must establish an order that suits its peculiar circumstances. Saying rotational presidency is un-democratic betrays a shallow knowledge of what democracy connotes, namely, whatever a people accepts as good for its society. The All Progressive Congress (APC) planners should go by rotational presidency. Jonathan and some Igbo allies are only trying to scoop hot soup impatiently, without regard for Nigeria’s stability.

    The fact of perceived past injustices does not mean Nigeria must never open an orderly page. The northerners have never ruled Nigeria in isolation, but always with the collaboration of their southern accomplices. So, it is not totally true that the north has been exclusively dominant. More urgently, Nigeria requires a political order that is just to all the segments and can stabilize the country, i.e. rotational presidency. Nigeria requires turning a new page in 2015.

     

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin.

  • Attention, LAUTECH Vice -Chancellor

    Attention, LAUTECH Vice -Chancellor

    SIR: Since his appointment as the acting Vice Chancellor, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Prof. (Prince) Adeniyi Suleiman Gbadegesin has proved that the confidence reposed in him by the government of Oyo State is not misplaced. From the feelers from the institution, he has succeeded in clearing the Augean stable and restored the institution back on the path of fiscal discipline and sanity, which years of inept leadership has denied her. He has equally facilitated uninterrupted academic calendar through zero tolerance for workers’ strike, student unrest, which his administrative policies have checkmated. Among other things Gbadegesin has made efforts to introduce moral discipline on the campus by introducing dress code for the students of the institution. It is equally hearth warming that the crisis over the ownership of the institution has been nipped in the bud during his. tenure. All the above pointed to the fact that Prof. Gbadegesin is out to restore the lost glory of LAUTECH.

    In pursuit of this object however, the V.C is advised to direct his searchlight to the academic activities in some faculties as regards poor performances of some students which were actually caused by negligence and wickedness on the part of some staff of the institution. Of particular interest is the Department of Earth Sciences. Some of the allegation, which some students of this department leveled against the authority of the Department which the Vice Chancellor should investigate include delay in releasing the examination results of students, missing of students answer scripts, extortions through payment for field works, which the students many never go, unilateral withdrawal of students by the department, and sexual harassment. Some student also alleged that dearth of professors in this department has turned the only PHD holder and a long time HOD to a tin god and a dictator whose words are laws that cannot be challenged by the Senate of the university. The students allege that through his authority, many students have been expelled based on poor academic performances that are orchestrated with the connivance of some subjective academic staff of the department.

    The allegations may not necessarily be true in their entirety; this is because many students are not trust worthy, unserious, undisciplined and lazy. At times they look for excuses to justify their failures. Nevertheless, the allegations are worth investigating because there are many students in the department who have spent up to 10 years and whose fates hang in the balance unless the VC gives the matter urgent attention it required. The news emanating from the departments is not helping the image of LAUTECH. The earlier the department is sanitized the better.

    •Adewuyi Adegbite

    Apake, Ogbomoso.

  • From the cell phone

    For Olatunji Dare

    The issue of racism had been put to rest by Obama. America would be surprised to see another black man emerge as their next president. I urge all black Americans to resist any attempt by the whites to discriminate against them. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Dockyard Apapa Lagos

    The piece is kinetic. We have experienced Rosa Parks in Clinton. The other day he came to Nigeria, he wept for the people who languish in penury in the midst of wasteful spending of public money by the rulers. Clinton belongs to the bourgeois class but took sides with the poor in Nigeria. Rosa Parks is alive and dwells in our midst. What makes America think that a house built on hypocrisy will not fall someday? Thanks! From Amos Ejimonye, Kaduna

    Sir, what further evidence do we need to show that Clarence Thomas and his co-travellers in the Republican Party are intensely intolerant of African Americans and Latinos? It is very doubtful if the Republicans will ever surrender to the spirit of tolerance. The consolation, however, is that any political quisling who wants to become great by betraying his own people, will eventually end up a nuisance. In Nigeria, the infamous Association for Better Nigeria and the names of their hated leaders are often mentioned with derision. From Adegoke O. O., Ikhin, Edo State

    It is an exciting write-up, people must emulate Rosa Parks’ life style. Your pen will never dry in Jesus name. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State

     

    For Segun Gbadegesin

    God has heard your heart-felt cries and the Messiah will soon come. Anonymous

    I have always loved to read your column, and this one on institutionalised assault on human dignity calls for celebration of the column. However, your view on the clerics now preaching the gospel of wealth needs a review. Will the clerics preach the gospel of poverty while the state emphasises wealth creation? I think the church has done well over the years to encourage members to be creative, innovative and hard working; this has helped members\church. From Bolarinwa M. K. Ibadan

    Most Nigerians have lost their humanity. Their behaviours can be likened to that of a pack of hyenas, wild dogs and jackals going after an abandoned carcass. Anonymous

    All of us, the leaders and the led, must join hands to make life more meaningful. Anonymous

    My response is on your last paragraph “Who will save us from our home-grown inhumanity? No one except God Almighty. Anonymous

    I have just read your article on the ‘’THE NATION’’. Well, responding to the last paragraph, which ends with two questions: ‘who will save?’ And ‘who will offer the desperately needed change?’ Sir, without being religious in answering your questions, I strongly believe the one who will save us and also offer us our desperately needed change is Jesus, through Nigerians, because He is the governor among the nations. Believe me because change is coming sooner than we expected and all hope is not lost. From Caleb, Calabar

    As a nation we do not have a reading culture. The leaders may not even read your piece. Acculturation/alienation took place easily because we really did not have a culture. No documentation of any, even if they existed. From Omokhomion Ugofure, Ujemen Ekpoma, Esan West LGA, Edo State.

    Your piece on assault on human dignity indeed raises more questions than answers. By 2014, it would be 100 years that the colonial political blacksmith, Lord Lugard, created Nigeria. But since after that political marriage, the tales of woe have been increasing in tempo. Perhaps you wisely omitted mentioning the Ezu River corpses that our security agents unconvincingly swore are not the corpses of arrested MASSOB members. You can do even better by asking about the whereabouts of those MASSOB suspects…if ever you will get an answer! From Barr Paul Duru, Okwudor, Imo State

    Re: An institutionalised assault on human dignity. The change we desperately need will come from ‘the people’ at the least expected elections that will produce a leader/leaders that will banish poverty, provide jobs, maintain justice and equity, ban corruption among others. Then, the Institutionalised assault on human dignity will stop. All we need are leaders who will be disciplined, determined for good and focused. From Lanre Oseni

    The piece is interesting. Who will offer the change that we desperately need? Let us reframe to suit a class society: Who will offer the change the oppressed desperately need? The oppressed because the oppressors are comfortable with the social system. Thanks! From Amos Ejimonye, Kaduna

    To say Nigeria is on the brink of collapse is an understatement in view of the leadership style of the ruling party-PDP. In the last 14 years, the party has refused to live up to its responsibilities which has resulted in our home-grown inhumanity and devastating assault on human dignity. Therefore, the only alternative to survive as Nigerians is in the strength of prayers for APC to win the 2015 general elections. From Deacon J. O. Olabisi, Agege, Lagos

    An institutionalised assault on human dignity is the level of our tolerance for absurdities. As to who will save us, we are the ones to save ourselves, through the kind of parliament we choose. Given that a president is poor, a progressive parliament would push him beyond limit. But, what kind of parliament do we have – an anything goes type of national assembly. Alhaji ADEYCorsim, Oshodi, Lagos

    We see and hear terrible things in our society yet we remain silent. It is high time we started protesting, not only on fuel price, but also evil acts pervading the nation. God bless you sir. From Mike

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

    The President’s delay approach to Borno and Yobe states visit is logical and strategic because Boko Haram is a protest strike force against Mr. President by key Northerners just as the unfortunate death of Governor Yakowa ended Boko Haram protest operations in Kaduna State. From J. A. Solomon, Kaduna

    Dr. Doyin Okupe would have done the PDP and the presidency a great honour by keeping quiet over the matter of APC governors’s visit to Borno State. From Okunlola Kayode

    Since everyone was indoors, who did the president visit? Is it the state executive or the Council of Emirs? Those people affected by the insurgence of the Boko Haram were indoors. From Benard

    “Who will stop the gunman?” Sir, the joke is illogical, the army having burnt everything in the forest left nothing for the police to recover. But, on a serious note, how have we become so heartless? Are we really now destined for extinction? From Emma Mbah, Ore Ondo State

    Everyday, strange things happen in this country; happenings which are untraceable. A commissioner of police was shot in his home town and the killers disappeared. Let us wait and see if the IG will find his boy’s killers. If there is political undertone in his killing, I doubt if he would find the killers because there are pending political killings that have not been traced. Who else cannot be killed if the commissioner of police could be killed? On the presidential trip to Borno, why has it taken him so long to visit the state? His aide said his plan was stolen, what plan had he? Okupe said Kano needed more attention that was why he visited Kano first, what a presidential jokes. How many policemen followed him to Kano and Kaduna states? Visiting Borno and Yobe states alone, 3,000 policemen were deployed and he said Borno State does not need too much attention. Does he want the state to become Somalia before he acts? Nigerians are tired of the president who cannot act, who cannot take decisions on his own. Let him know that whatever he does now will either speak in his favour or against him. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Dockyard Apapa, Lagos.

    Thanks, Gbenga, I think with write-ups like this, President Jonathan and sycophants like Okupe will soon realise that power is gradually changing hands. From Austen

    The relevance of office is doing something to show your relevance. Anonymous

    Watching that man called Okupe abusing others on behalf of his boss makes me sad that there are very few intelligent people around Aso Rock. Shame! Anonymous

    Re: Who will stop the gunman? I read your article several times. If the police can do their work well, the riddle of unsolved killings and assassinations will be resolved. But if they continue to work as they are currently doing, we may never know who killed Bola Ige, let alone others who were killed like him and are still being killed. We may never know. From Iniobong Umana

    In your next analysis, do not forget to mention the involvement of Femi Otedola in the Farouq Lawan saga because it takes two to tango in a bribery scandal; there is always a giver and a taker. Anonymous

    Johnathan went to Borno, Yobe. It is a funny thing for our dear president to travel to two states with a whole battalion of soldiers and one million policemen to provide security for him where ordinary citizens are being killed daily. Congratulations my dear Dr. Okupe Doyin. History will not forget you. My dear amiable President, you made history. All the citizens that voted for our President were indoors for security reasons! Thanks. (Yoruba Ronu). THINK NIGERIA. Politicians always think of next election while statesmen think of the next generation. Anonymous

    True talk, but can we call that one a visitation or he went to create another panic? From Decorum, Ilesa

    Re: Who will stop the gunman? The insecurity situation in Nigeria is magnifying and multiplying daily and this makes us all to be living in borrowed robes! Whatever God had decreed would come to pass. Asadu was destined to die, that way. But when and how long would we be defenceless? May Asadu’s gentle soul rest, Amen! Quite unfortunate! From Lanre Oseni

    It is disheartening that President Goodluck Jonathan of all people is gradually metamorphosing to a dictator. We can read the handwriting of dictatorship if the EFCC or the ICPC goes after governors Rotimi Amaechi and Babangida Aliyu. If that happens, everyone would be convinced that he is not a democrat, and the Messiah Nigeria needs. Anonymous

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    Re: “Kalu can try again”: whatever we say about the process of quashing Orji Kalu’s ABSU certificate; it was a good lesson that a 20-year-old good not acquired properly could be found! There is no shame in decency; let Kalu repeat the classes, apologise to Papa Igbinedion. From Maiduguri to Abia is not a long distance, not to talk of now that he can do it within Aba in four years! When Kalu contested for governorship, would he have been happy if the mandate and success was stolen or made to have a ‘K-leg’ like this cancelled certificate? I commend ABSU Council for its courage. From Lanre Oseni.

    Why is it now that the process used for admitting Kalu into ABSU is faulty? Since 2002? Are they telling us that his degree certificate is a scam or what? Let’s not believe that the action was politically motivated to spoil the reputation of Orji Uzor Kalu in Nigeria’s politics rather than the school authority doing what is right to him. I am not holding brief for Kalu but things have to be done well in a way that history can vindicate us. The blame goes to ABSU for its negligence in the admission process. From Gordon Chika Nnorom.

    I just read your column “Kalu can try again”, and the first question I asked aloud was ‘I thought he was addressed as Dr Orji Kalu’ back then? If I remember rightly, you first earn a first degree, followed by a Master’s degree before you are awarded a Doctorate. So, how can a man without a first degree be awarded a Doctorate? This country and her institutions are tired, clownish and completely irresponsible. It boils down to having ordinary men, men without substance as heads of these institutions. Dr Orji Kalu, Dr Mrs Patience Jonathan …. Parading themselves as governor and permanent secretary… Nigeria is bleeding because the wrong people lead us. It is well. From John Adoke Onimisi, Ibadan.

    Let me not believe that the withdrawal of the degree of Orji Uzor Kalu was not a politically motivated agenda to spoil his reputation in the eyes of others. From Chika Gordon.

    In the larger picture, Kalu stands side-by-side with … And, pictures, they say, do not lie. What confronts us is the sad reflection of a people who relegate character in the choice of their leaders. From Kuteyi R.R.,Ondo.

    When Gowon was sacked as head of state, he returned to school and today, he is better known as Dr Gowon than Gen Gowon. Anonymous.

    The piece is thought-provoking. They say Kalu’s enemies are behind the withdrawal of his degree. Are we to believe that the university is in the throes of ‘dilettantism’? No. The problem is the social system which edifies self-interest. From Amos Ejimonye, Kaduna.

  • Cost of war between China and Japan

    Global economists are keeping their eyes glued to the Asia-Pacific region, where a bitter feud is brewing between two of the world’s most powerful nations over a small collectivity of islands in the East China Sea.

    The Chinese government argues that a treaty signed during the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) conferred ownership of the islands to China while Japan has long disputed these claims, and today argues that the islands are integral to its national identity.

    The argument came to a head last September, when a boycott of Japanese products led Chinese demonstrators to target fellow citizens who owned Japanese cars. Three months later, the situation escalated when when Japanese jets confronted a Chinese plane flying over the islands; no shots were fired, but the act of antagonism has set a troubling precedent between the military forces of both nations.

    What is the economic implication  of  a war between China and Japan if the crisis persist? Click the link below for a perspective on the issue.

    http://www.onlinemba.com/blog/economic-war-between-china-japan

  • Kaduna police assault on free speech

    Kaduna police assault on free speech

    Reminiscent of the first and only police-inspired ‘coup d’etat’ Nigeria has ever witnessed, the former governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Sani, had his freedom of speech brusquely abridged by the Kaduna State police last Saturday. The former governor, who is also a senator of the Federal Republic, was invited by the State Police Commissioner, Mr Olufemi Adenaike, to clarify some of the statements he made during a phone-in programme on Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna that same Saturday. The statements were innocuous and clear enough, but the police claimed they were bombarded with calls suggesting that the senator made threatening and inciting statements deserving of prompt police action.

    On July 10, 2003, Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Raphael Ige had led a detachment of some 200 mobile policemen to abduct former Anambra State Governor Chris Ngige, also now a senator, and kept him away from office for many hours on the pretext that he had resigned as governor. The treason collapsed the same day when no one of substance owned up to the plot to dethrone the governor. There were, however, a few civilian collaborators of the police in the state who tried to take advantage of the confusion. Ige was not only unexpectedly retired some three days later in unclear circumstances; he died in January 2004 probably from heart problems. What astounded the public was the brazenness of the plot and the amateurish manner the police led the putsch.

    Nearly 10 years after that unfortunate incident, it seems there are still some officers in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) who have learnt little from the mistakes of their predecessors. The police are of course constitutionally empowered to, among other things, take proactive measures to prevent crime, but there is nowhere in the constitution or police regulations that entitles the police or their proxies to take steps to abridge freedom of speech or any other freedoms vouchsafed to the people by the constitution. PC Adenaike claimed to be taking proactive steps by inviting and interrogating Senator Sani, but from his account of that ignoble incident, it is clear his defence is tenuous and vexatious.

    Hear him: “If you put yourself in my shoes, you are the commissioner of police of a state, and you start getting calls from concerned citizens of the state that somebody has made an inciting statement on the radio, will you go to burukutu (local brew) joint and start drinking? You have to make a move. All I did was to go to the radio house. And I met the distinguished Senator, and I said, ‘Please, I want to know what you said.’ He said, ‘No problem, let me finish.’ And I will come with you to the office. This is what has transpired. And I am surprised that people are saying many things. ‘CP has arrested him,’ that CP has orders from Abuja. The distinguished senator is not under arrest. The Senator is not under arrest! All we did was to find out what he said. And he said they were going to go on a peaceful demonstration. And I said, define what you mean by peaceful demonstration, considering that Kaduna State is a volatile state. I don’t what anything to happen in my domain. I am completely satisfied with what he has said. And he is free to go. There was no directive from anywhere. We were doing things on our own.”

    Senator Sani of course put the invitation in clearer perspective. According to him, all he said on the radio programme was that leaders of the yet-to-be-registered All Progressives Congress (APC) would embark on peaceful demonstration in Abuja if the party was not registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). How that became an incitement to warrant PC Adenaike’s imperious intervention is difficult to explain. The police commissioner also unbelievably pretended not to know what peaceful demonstration is, and needed the senator to provide the meaning. If he didn’t listen to the broadcast, couldn’t he wait until the end of the programme to secure the tape and listen to it? Why the rush? In addition, he also insensitively described Kaduna State as his domain. That he is entrusted with the responsibility of securing the state does not make it his domain. The way he used the word gave the impression he is actually a parallel authority to the governor, and even more powerful. But if anything, the state is really the governor’s domain. And though Adenaike struggled to distance Police Headquarters from his precipitate action, it is still important for police authorities to query the officer and invite him to explain what part of the democratic process and the constitution he finds difficult to understand, and show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.

     

     

  • Social media and students’ writing skills

    Social media and students’ writing skills

    SIR: Social media has made information and communication accessible to everyone irrespective of age, time, distance and many more. The world has become a global village with new technological advancement and the free flow of information and media content.

    The advent of social media has impacted on the way students communicate with one another especially in written form. Colloquialism is acceptable in spoken language but never in formal writing. Indeed, the way students communicate has changed completely because of the frequent use of social media like facebook, tweeter, 2go, BBM, Whatsapp, Badoo, and so on.

    However, these modern forms of communication that students use while chatting or interacting in social media is gradually influencing the way students write in the school. We have heard several reports or cases of such abnormal writing skills that have been developed or adopted by students due to their constant interaction in the social media. Terms such as laugh out loud or lot of love are being abbreviated to (lol), BRB to mean, be right back, UW to mean you welcome, U to represent you, letter D to represent the, R to represent are, and many other words and terms like that.

    Lecturers and teachers have reported a dramatic decline in the writing abilities of students. They do not capitalise words or use punctuation marks rightly anymore. Universities, polytechnics, colleges and even secondary schools are complaining about the trend of communication style being used by students via the use of social media.

    The opportunities that are inherent in the use of social media have been strongly abused especially by the students. Most students do not know the appropriate time to use social media. They use it even when their lecturers, teachers are in class lecturing or teaching and sometimes, lecturers would have to seize their phones and enforce punishment on such students.

    Consequently, the need for media literacy education becomes imperatives for children who are approaching adolescent age. This will give the children early and proper understanding of how to broaden their thoughts, skills, knowledge and provide them the opportunity to explore, learn and share his/her views with other people around the world.

    • Habiba Abubakar Yahaya

    IBB University, Lapai, Niger State.

  • Governance meltdown in Kogi

    Governance meltdown in Kogi

    SIR: The emergence of Governor Ichalla Wada in the highly doctored electoral heist of 2011 has aggravated adversely, the virus infected-politics of my dear state.

    As it stands today, if performance is the yardstick to measure a working state, Kogi State is at best, comatose. Keen watchers of the unfolding scenario have attributed the non-performance of the governor to the litany of court litigations against him, while others have traced the seemingly lacklustreness to the massive debt he inherited from his godfather predecessor, Ibrahim Idris. Why is it that the financial position of the state is still enmeshed in mystery? Or, is ex-governor Idris still in charge as being insinuated in some quarters? Wada should speak out.

    The infrastructures on ground, ranging from Kogi Polytechnic, Obajana Cement Factory, Kogi University and the once beautiful, “Confluence City” etc were conceived, initiated and executed by the ACN candidate in the last governorship poll, Abubakar Audu. Ironically, Capt. Wada, who many believe is a ‘very good man’ has hardly come to terms with what governance entails, or by extension, is burdened by the PDP’s impunity.

    Kogi is a vivid example of where nothing works: no well defined policy formulation and implementation; the 21 LGA’s are a shadow of what they should be because constitutional democracy is flagrantly abused; propagation and dissemination of poverty is at its summit; graduate unemployment is growing at geometric rate etc.

    In Borno State, Governor Shettima, inspite of the recurring Boko Haram insurgency has taken governance to another dimension. He underscored the importance of water supply by constructing 100 boreholes within his first 100 days in office. Adams Oshiomhole came like a whirlwind to sweep Edo clean of PDP’s corruption; he has since littered the entire landscape with enviable projects and restored in situ, the lost glory of the people.

    Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso just inaugurated “Kwankwasiyya pilots” where 100 Kano indigenes were sent abroad to study piloting. Inspite of the meagre monthly allocation of Ekiti, Governor Fayemi’s performance ratio far outweigh some oil producing states. Ekiti roads are a joy to behold.

    Governor Babatunde Fashola is doing the unthinkable; many thought Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had done all, but, alas, they were wrong.

    BRF’s road projects, housing scheme for low income earners; the total eradication of security threat miscreants; changing the entire outlook of Old Eko landscape to a masterpiece and his welfarristic programmes are a 21st century wonder.

    These laudable news from the less-endowed states calls for a sober reflection. The time has come for the administrators in Kogi State to brainstorm, think right, perform the required surgical operations and exploit maximally the varying opportunities for the benefit of Kogites or else posterity shall eternally write their names on the debit side of the balance sheet of political history.

    In case my memory fails me or I’m ill-informed on the state of things in Kogi, I want people who think they know to keep me abreast of the supposedly achievement(s) of Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada, since his assumption of office.

     

    • Anthony Oloniruha

    Kabba, Kogi State.