The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • Tribute to Hugo Chavez

    Tribute to Hugo Chavez

    SIR: It is often said that some leaders were made while some were born. For Hugo Chavez the departed President of Venezuela, it can be said that he was made as he rose as military academy student to become the President of the oil-rich country.

    Born Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías on July 28, 1954, in Sabaneta, Venezuela, Chávez was the son of schoolteachers. Before becoming known for his reform efforts and strong opinions as president of Venezuela (1999-2013), he attended the Daniel O’Leary High School in the city of Barinas before going to the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences in the capital, Caracas where, he later said, he found his true vocation.

    He also found time to play baseball and to study the lives of the 19th Century South American revolutionary leader Simon Bolivar and the Marxist Che Guevara.

    In 1992, Chávez, along with other disenchanted members of the military, attempted to overthrow the government of Carlos Andres Perez. The coup failed, and Chávez subsequently spent two years in prison before being pardoned. He then started the Movement of the Fifth Republic, a revolutionary political party. Chávez ran for president in 1998, campaigning against government corruption and promising economic reforms.

    After taking office in 1999, Chávez set out to change the Venezuelan constitution, amending the powers of congress and the judicial system. As president, Chávez encountered challenges both at home and abroad. His efforts to tighten his hold on the state-run oil company in 2002 stirred up controversy and led to numerous protests, and he found himself removed from power briefly in April 2002 by military leaders. The protests continued after his return to power, leading to a referendum on whether he should remain president. The referendum vote was held in August 2004, and majority of voters decided to let Chávez complete his term in office.

    Chavez’s first decade in office saw Venezuelan GDP more than double and both infant mortality and unemployment almost halved. Poverty also plummeted (The Guardian reports that its “extreme poverty” rate fell from 23.4 percent in 1999 to 8.5 percent just a decade later).

    College enrollment more than doubled; millions of people have access to health care for the first time and the number of people eligible for public pensions also quadrupled.

    Unemployment dropped by 7.7% since the start of Chávez’s presidency. It dropped to 10% in February 2006, from the 20% high in 2003 during a two-month strike and business lockout that shut down the country’s oil industry. The World Economic Forum ranked Venezuela as 82 out of 102 countries on a measure of how favorable investment was for financial institutions.

    I join the Venezuelans and other eminent people all over the world including Chavez’s childhood friend, Diego Maradona in mourning with the immediate family

     

    • John Tosin Ajiboye

    Osogbo Osun State

  • Still on same sex marriage

    SIR: I have always felt that the arguments for homosexuality have been based on a bandwagon effect rather than on the test of the notion against nature’s processes, reason or logic. Counries that fail to adopt or have prohibited same sex unions are branded as backward and unenlightened but we fail to recognise that the fact that popular opinion favours a subject doesn’t make the subject right. Whatever society thinks should be juxtaposed alongside set moral standards or nature or any other established criteria, its weaknesses or strengths extracted and used to form healthy conclusions. I reckon that the proponents of same sex relationships have not considered this aspect in depth.

    Homosexuality and lesbianism are the only human process in nature that do not promote procreation. In elementary biology, we know that some lone cells procreate by binary fission i.e splitting of cells. Some other forms of asexual reproduction require only one body. Usually these bodies are so basic that such processes are not in themselves difficult or unnatural.

    We need to face the facts. Most of the fundamental laws of society were extracted from religious books and have been passed down from generation to generation. The frailties and flaws of human nature does not mean that these laws have failed.

    I have discovered with a heavy dose of irony that no professional commercial sex worker wants her child to be one, no matter how legalised the trade stands. Drug peddlers and baron keep their children away from the substance and will not support their consumption or use in spite of the legal stance in some areas. That is simply the evidence of a nature that God has created in man to instinctively and inwardly know and long for the truth despite being lost in perdition and perversion. No bad man wants a bad man-child. No woman want a bad girl-child. No homosexual except bold-faced liars want a homosexual child.

    Let me not be misunderstood here. As unnatural as I consider homosexuality, I don’t place it as a dangerous social problem. In fact I regard it as a “normal”problem classed with the likes of bad breath or body odour. For these latter groups, we do not create right groups and civil societies to cater for their special needs. We set them up to address their challenges and advise them on the necessary steps to take to eradicate or at least manage their problems. We do not use perfumes to hide body odour or candies to hide bad breath. Neither can we use laws to hide the truths about this sort of sexuality except we want to deny that we have a problem in our hands. If drug users can be rehabilitated in spite of its legal nature in some areas, if commercial sex workers can be taught to lead better lives, why can’t this group be rehabilitated and re-taught on the correct use of their organs?

     

    • Daniel Taiwo Ogunronbi

    Surulere Lagos

  • Fayemi’s EKSU lecture: My generation’s position

    SIR: Recently, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, delivered a lecture titled “Reflections on Values and the Building of A Successor Generation in Nigeria” at the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti where he talked extensively about the need to build a successor generation and the values befitting of such a generation.

    Going through the text of the lecture, I couldn’t but present the position of my generation – the younger generation. The truth is, my generation is not aware of any successor generation in the making.

    My generation knows three (3) generations in Nigeria:. The first is the real generation. This is the first generation of educated and prominent Nigerians, the generation of the likes of Herbert Macaulay, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikwe, Anthony Enahoro, Tafawa Balewa…This is the generation that worked for and witnessed the birth of the entity called Nigeria. This generation loved Nigeria and Nigerians so much so that it gave the next generation free education, first Television station in Africa, Cocoa House Ibadan and many more. This generation carefully planned for its young by ensuring that education became a right and not a privilege. Unfortunately, the military did not allow this generation to finish its good work.

    The second is the their generation. This generation rates itself as the best in everything while shrouding its activities in secrecy and creating the impression that my generation (the younger generation) is unfit and out-of-place. Ironically, this is the generation that the likes of Baba Awolowo gave all to mentor – the generation that goes to class in the morning only to return and find its room swept and its bed laid. This is the generation that enjoyed free education, had enough freedom to indulge in campus politics and from there found their different leanings whether as marxists, capitalists, socialists… This is the generation that Nigeria gave almost all to make comfortable, but is now giving out nothing to the generation after it, save hardships, stifling poverty, mental degradation…

    Reknowned playwright Wole Soyinka tags this generation a wasted one, but I’d rather call it a wasted and a wasting generation.

    My generation feels the hard sole of the boots of the members of this generation. Rather than mentor, they are taming my generation to act and think like zombies. My generation remains a boy at 30 because he still stays with his parents and because no one asks his opinions even in matters that solely concern him. Erudite Professor Jide Osuntokun during the lecture noted that the problem with his generation is that it plans for my generation without making us (youth) stakeholders in such plans.

    The question is, how would they know what my generation knows when they never ask or involve us? Instead, they mock us for attending ill-equipped schools which in fact were made so by the several unworkable greedily conceived policies of their generation.

    My generation has been left to founder and flounder. While the thugs among us are being rewarded by their generation, we, the good and cultured ones, watch helplessly, hoping hopelessly against hope that someday someone somewhere would remember and honour our talents, potentials and loyalty.

    Let us continue to question, challenge and reject the decision of their generation to keep rewarding the thugs among us while the cerebral ones are daily scorned.

     

    • Fola Davies

    Ikere, Ekiti State

  • Let ASUU be

    SIR: The Yoruba say no sane parent gives a stubborn child to a wild animal to feed-on. The parent would rather pray and work for the transformation of the child. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is a common legacy of all the universities in Nigeria, mounted to protect the interest of the academic staff. Whenever the Union secures a right, all the other staff unions in the system press for a similar right.

    Through ASUU’s pressures, many universities in Nigeria are better funded. Unfortunately, some administrators use the enormous funds at their disposal to build fanciful structures, and engage in expansionism, while failing to maintain properly the preceding structures. Some retired workers are not replaced. What is worse, some faculties have no sufficient lecture rooms and examination halls.

    In universities where ASUU has been compromised, the academic and other staffs become a pawn in the chess of the administrators. They experience such degradations as cut in salaries, illegal deductions, and denial of allowances. I don’t know how else a university academic staff can protect its dignity than through a well-positioned ASUU chapter. Those who are resisting ASUU have ulterior motives, and the overwhelming majority should shout them down.

    ASUU is badly positioned when its executive arm is composed of “academics” handpicked by a dictatorial Vice-Chancellor and his/her kitchen cabinet, surreptitiously imposed on the Union. Such a scenario violates ASUU’s Constitution. The handpicked executive members are silenced with unmerited promotions in some universities. Yes, they sell their consciences and neutralize the only protection (ASUU) owned by the academic staff.

    The situation is not different from what obtains in the larger Nigerian society: timidity and failure to oppose dictatorship and exploitation. The saddest question is: If a university community cannot save its union, what contribution can it make to Nigeria’s liberation from neo-colonialism? Those who equate ASUU with incessant strike play the union into the hands of its enemies. They are agents of Mammon; their stomachs are their gods; they commit Boko Haram.

    Repositioning ASUU is a collective responsibility; the excesses of both ASUU and university administrators cannot be properly addressed simply by removing the word “strike” from Nigeria’s dictionary. Strike must remain in ASUU’s arsenal if university administrators are to fear and respect it at all. Strike is ASUU’s teeth that it must use (sparingly) in encounter with horrible inhumanity. Not all ASUU’s strikes are reprehensible. What is more, most of its achievements have been through one strike or another. Those working against ASUU’s existence should remember posterity and nemesis. Let all rise in support of ASUU!

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin

  • An erudite judge takes a bow

    My Lord, Hon. Justice Okanola Akintunde Boade is a worthy ambassador of the Ministry of Justice of Oyo State on the bench. My first contact with Hon. Justice Boade was in 1990 and it was by accident. I was then a first year student of Law at the University of Ibadan. I came to the High Court here to depose to an affidavit. That morning, I saw the legendary Chief Fredrick Rotimi AladeWilliams, SAN of blessed memory alighting from his car and already dressed for court appearance. I followed him quietly to a courtroom to observe the matter he had on that day. The case, I later learnt, was a suit to challenge the removal of Hon. Justice T. A. Ayorinde as the Chief Judge of Oyo State. Chief Williams led others to appear for Justice Ayorinde, while My Lord, Boade, appeared for the Oyo State Government. He was then of the Ministry of Justice.

    That day, I was wondering whether My Lord was not attempting the impossible by daring to oppose Timi the Law in court. I marvelled when, at the end of that day’s proceeding, he was commended by Chief Williams for his spectacular performance.

    My Lord was a very versatile and very resourceful Counsel in the Ministry of Justice. One can safely argue that he was the most hardworking and most resourceful of his contemporaries at the Ministry of Justice. And if perhaps that assertion is debatable, it is unarguable that he is the most humble of his contemporaries. The perception that was established in the minds of all and sundry about Boade is undoubtedly that of a sincere, thorough, knowledgeable, incorruptible and a workaholic judge.

    My Lord does not belong to the category of Judges who attempt, at every opportunity, to mouth their incorruptibility which they themselves know is acutely suspect, rather My Lord Boade epitomizes it by his unblemished conduct, exemplary character and dignified carriage on the bench. My Lord did not only profess and preach strict adherence to the dispensation of justice to all manners of men without fear or favour, he actually practiced it without slightest deviation.

    Although my Lord Boade is retiring from the bench on the attainment of the statutory age of 65, it is evident that he is exiting when the ovation is loudest.

    The life of Eso, J.SC. has put it beyond doubt that a judicial officer can be more engaged actively after retirement and thereby put to shame those class of judicial officials who had falsified their age records in order to gain, deceitfully, extra years of service of the bench when it is even obvious to all that they have advanced well beyond the age prescribed by the law for them to give way. My Lord, I thank God for your life because it is not being said in hushed tone that you are over 65 years. And nobody can say that any of your colleagues younger than you in age had retired ahead of you from the bench.

    With the exit today of My Lord, Boade from the bench of Oyo State judiciary today, the state is left with 16 judges. This will further increase and compound the workload of our serving judges by almost 100% because our judiciary, by the provision of our High Court Rules, should have a full component of 30 Judges. We plead for understanding of our judges for this undeserved stress and burden which is not deliberate.

    The government of Oyo State under the leadership of Senator Abiola Ajimobi has, since assumption of office on May 29, 2011, not neglected any Ministry, Department , Agency and /any arm of the government in releasing to them the funds they require for capacity and infrastructure developments. I make bold to say that our judiciary is no exception. Allegations of stunted growth and decaying infrastructures at Oyo State judiciary should therefore be directed at the appropriate quarters. If the Oyo State Judiciary had been following and executing her budget strictly and transparently, the story of development here would have been otherwise.

    I am in full support of full financial autonomy for the judiciary as being canvassed by the Nigerian Bar Association because it will help to promote the independence of the judiciary. However, it needs to be clearly stated that agitation for that autonomy is not to place the resources of the judiciary in the pockets of Chief Judges.

    The current situation whereby some Chief Judges have turned themselves to Purchasing Officers and Contract Awarding organs is not only an aberration but totally against financial regulations and is criminal in nature. Similarly, it is a breach of financial regulations for any Chief Judge to expend, commit, pledge or donate any part of the fund of the Judiciary without the authorization of the Judicial Service Commission.

    By law, Chief Registrars are the Accounting Officers of the Judiciary and any practice that is contrary to that is illegal. Even, save for the day to day running cost, the Chief Registrar too are not empowered by law to expend the funds of the judiciary to execute capital projects without the approval of the Judicial Service Commission first sought and obtained.

    Those who framed the law as such are fully aware that judges which include Chief Judges are adjudicating officers before whom crimes of financial infraction and malpractices may be brought if it occurs within the judiciary they are serving and thus devised means of insulating our judicial officers so that the hunter too is not hunted.

    The present government is truly committed to embarking on infrastructural and capacity developments in the state judiciary to complement those embarked by the judiciary itself. We will surely enhance the conditions of service of our judicial officers including the magistrates and the supporting staff of the judiciary. Our target is to make our judiciary a model and indeed return her to her rightful position of the Pace Setter in the country

    Our retired jurists shall also be fully taken care of as well , as we shall put in place a system that will not deny them the fruits of their years of labour after retirement. Oyo State Government shall implement, upon the passage and assent of the 2013 budget, the provisions of the Judicial Officers Pension Commission Law, 2012.

    I congratulate Honourable Justice Boade on his retirement from the Bench. My Lord, you have played your part very glowingly and with distinction and particularly with strict observance of your oath of office. I know that posterity will judge you as having performed excellently. But before the posterity takes account of your good records, we are all gathered here to attest to the incontrovertible fact that you are an erudite and upright judge.

    The bench of Oyo State will surely miss you as your exit has created a big vacuum. The Bar will miss you more, but the greatest loser of your dignified bowing out today is the people and the government of Oyo State who did not have the privilege of having you as her Chief Judge to have enabled the state benefit from your wealth of experience and leadership qualities.

    I wish My Lord , Hon. Justice Boade a blissful life in retirement and a continuous service to our dear State, Oyo State in particular and Nigeria in general after retirement.

    • Being a speech delivered by the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Oyo State, at the valedictory service for Honourable Justice Okanola Akintunde Boade in Ibadan recently.

  • Nigeria too hasty congratulating Kenyatta

    Nigeria too hasty congratulating Kenyatta

    It is not clear what Nigeria thinks it stands to gain by speedily congratulating Uhuru Kenyatta on his election as President of Kenya. But hours after the Kenyan Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announced the result of last Monday’s presidential election, the Nigerian government rushed out a statement congratulating the winner and applauding the peaceful nature of the poll and the appeal for calm issued by Kenyatta’s main opponent, Raila Odinga. Waiting till today to issue a statement would not have hurt relations between Nigeria and Kenya. In the poll marred by equipment malfunction and slow and laborious counting procedures, Kenyatta won by 50.07 percent of the votes to Odinga’s 43.31 percent. Turnout was estimated at 86 percent, amounting to some 12,330,028 votes shared between Kenyatta and Odinga as follows: 6,173,433 and 5,340,546 respectively.

    Nigeria was among the first few countries to congratulate Kenyatta. But even if it felt the sanctity of the poll had been upheld, and Odinga’s promised court action would not affect the final outcome, Nigeria still ought to have been mindful of the dilemma Kenyans will be facing in the coming months as their president-elect and his running mate, William Ruto, go on trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague next month. The two leaders had been indicted by the ICC for crimes against humanity following accusations they had either instigated or fuelled the ethnic violence that racked Kenya immediately after the 2007 elections. Kenyatta and Ruto had backed the outgoing president, Mwai Kibaki, against Odinga, while more than 1,000 people were believed killed in the mayhem.

    Before last week’s election, Western nations had subtly hinted Kenyans would face a moral dilemma by voting Kenyatta as president in spite of knowing he would be facing charges at the ICC. Kenyatta and his supporters, however, felt the hints were an attempt to influence the course of the election. But whether there were attempts to influence the poll or not, there is absolutely no doubt that Kenyans failed to take into cognisance the embarrassment it would cause the country for their president to be put on trial in The Hague. That sort of humiliation had been exclusive to former presidents, top officials of governments, and private individuals. The trial of Kenyatta and Ruto may be the first time a president and his deputy will be facing the indignity of ICC trial.

    After failing in their quest to influence Kenyans to vote appropriately, Western nations have acknowledged they will squirm even more in the coming months in their relations with the Kenyan government under Kenyatta. By yesterday, none of them had issued a definitive congratulatory message to Kenyatta. It is not certain how they would word their messages when they get round to issuing them. Much worse, it is not only Kenya that will be embarrassed when their president goes on trial, even friendly nations will also be embarrassed. Why Nigeria does not indicate it feels queasy about the outcome of the election is hard to say at the moment. But perhaps it imagines Western fuss is merely an indication of the rampaging and seemingly inextinguishable forces of neo-imperialism. Or perhaps it considers that Kenyatta would probably be freed of all charges at the ICC trial, the sort of fait accompli the president-elect hopes his presidency would present to the court.

    It speaks volumes about the integrity of many African countries, Nigeria and Kenya in particular, that they are not discomfited by the kind of moral questions and moral dilemma the Kenyan presidential election has thrown up. More worrisomely, Kenya’s moral dilemma may in fact be a reflection of Nigeria’s sickening romance with postelection violence and the sanguinary indifference with which its leaders accommodate it. Kenya may have had a fairly peaceful election, but the election is not free of moral blemish. Indeed, the election is deeply and humiliatingly compromised by the upcoming ICC trial. By hastily congratulating Kenyatta, Nigeria once again shows how unprepared it is for African leadership; for leadership is not just a function of population or economic size, it is more importantly a function of the ennobling values a country projects.

  • Revenue allocation, federalism and state of the nation

    The issue of revenue allocation has remained a contentious and very volatile subject in Nigeria generating very strong reactions from each side of the divide anytime it is up for debate. Central to the issue is the whole question of over concentration of enormous financial resources at the federal government at the expense of other federating units.

    The current revenue formula in use is tilted in favour of the federal government, which takes a whopping 52.68 per cent of allocation from the Federation Account. The 36 states have a combined share of 26.72 per cent, while the 774 local government areas in the country take 20.6 per cent. Oil-producing states share 13 per cent in accordance with the principle of derivation.

    However, of late, there have been clamours for a review of the status quo by cutting the federal government’s lion share to make more funds available to states and local governments. State governors, through the Governors’ Forum, have led the clamour, claiming that development in their domain was being stifled due to inadequate funds. The financial realities in the states and local governments at present had made the need to review the formula very urgent. Without mincing word, the present revenue formula is not realistic.

    In fairness to all the states in the country, with, perhaps, few exceptions, most of them are making efforts, despite their limited resources to deliver the dividends of democracy to their respective states. In Lagos, for instance, the state government has continued its relentless pursuit of ambitious projects such as the redevelopment of the Lagos-Badagry expressway into a 10- lane road incorporating light -rail and BRT lanes, the expansion of the Ketu-Ikorodu road, the construction of more inner roads across the state, the Eko Atlantic City project, Independent Power Projects, construction of 16 Mother and Child Centres for easy medical access, environmental regeneration in addition to 1,960 other massive infrastructural renewal projects scattered across the state. This is, indeed, why allusion is currently being made to the evolvement of a new Lagos in many circles. But, in view of the reality of limited capacity to fund capital projects, most of the states in the federation have had to opt for the option of either borrowing from banks or raising bond from the capital market to finance capital projects. This is because the money they receive monthly from Abuja is barely enough to settle the salaries of workers as well as other overhead costs.

    Sadly, however, while most of the states are doing all they could to improve the standard of living of their people, same cannot really be said of the federal government which ironically corners the bulk of the country’s resources. This, of course, is not peculiar to the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. Succeeding federal administrations in the country have always left the country worse than they met it. From the ill- fated Shehu Shagari administration till date, the country has been wobbling and fumbling with no clear -cut sense of direction. Most federal roads are still bad, as they have always been; power remains evasive; major industries are folding up at an alarming rate; federal universities have become sorry sights while federal hospitals are not even good enough for senior government officials who would rather embark on medical tourism abroad at a great cost to the country. The rate at which federal infrastructure across the country rot away leaves much to be desired.

    The question then is: what does the federal government do with the huge state resources at its disposal via the favourable revenue allocation it gets from the system? If the federal government gets so much and yet is doing so little, where then is the justification for the current lopsidedness in the revenue allocation system ?After all, to whom much is given, it is said that much is expected but in the case of the federal government, the reverse is the case.

    Isn’t it time then for an urgent need to review the current revenue sharing formula in consonance with the needs of the other federating units? It is quite clear that of all the three federating structures making up the federation, it is the states and local governments that are really touching the lives of the people as they are the closest to them. The National Assembly needs to really emphasise fiscal federalism when it comes to the issue of constitutional amendment. The federal government should devolve more powers to the states or regions that make up the federation. Equally, some of the items on the exclusive legislative list of the current constitution such as customs, ports, police etc should go to the residual legislative list. For instance, the current trend of insecurity in the country requires state police that would normally be in a better position to curb crime using the community policing model. How can the governor of a state be held liable for the insecurity being experienced in his domain when the commissioner of police only reports to the Inspector General of Police and not the state governor?

    The federal government makes enormous financial gains from the Tin Can Island and Apapa Ports in Lagos and Calabar respectively from import and export duties but this is not supposed to be the case since these revenues should normally accrue to the Lagos and Cross River states’ governments who should in turn pay taxes of 20% of the revenues to the federal government. The collection of revenue by the Nigerian customs at these ports negates the principles of true federalism because these coastal states own these port resources and thus should not be deprived of the benefits accruing from its exploitation.

    True federalism implies a compromise between the extreme concentration of power (the current case in Nigeria) and a loose confederation of independent states, for governing people usually in a large expanse of territory. For instance, if we get rail into the Concurrent List and ensure the amendment of the Railway Act, it will not only be for the benefit of all the states and regions, but the country as a whole. In the same spirit of true federalism, it is also important to decentralize the control of power. Undoubtedly, without energy, every effort at development, including the drive will be hampered.

    In the spirit of justice and fairness, we need to reverse the status quo where the federal government holds as much power and influence as it currently does over the revenue sharing formula as well as other critical sectors in the country because it has little to show for it. We need to revert to the practice of true federalism in its true sense as it is being done in other advanced democracies of the world. Indeed, for us to reduce the pressure and tension associated with governance at the centre, this is the time to tilt towards the evolvement of a weak centre with stronger federating units. This is a main feature of a true federation.

    The solution to the myriad of problems currently confronting the country is to address the distorted federalism that the country currently runs. For us to move forward as a nation, grow economically, experience peace and attract the necessary foreign and local investments that would ensure real development, the restructuring of the polity to reflect true federalism is non-negotiable. The earlier we put an end to the current brand of federalism which the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, recently termed ‘feeding bottle federalism, the better for the whole country. The arrangement is grossly un-progressive and misleading. It should be discontinued.

    • Ibirogba is Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State

  • Nigerians in the hands of ‘selfless’ rulers

    Nigerians in the hands of ‘selfless’ rulers

    We have been hearing it for ages from our rulers (leaders?); we heard it last Christmas and also recently on the occasion of Prophet Mohammed’s (SAW) birthday. Very soon, we will again hear it during the Easter period.

    “Emulate Christ (or Mohammed, depending on the occasion) by sacrificing, being selfless and service-oriented…”

    True, Jesus Christ was an embodiment of selflessness, sacrifice and service. He provided genuine leadership by living these virtues before teaching them: “The former treatise have I made O Theophilus, of ALL that Jesus began both to DO and TEACH” (Emphasis mine, Acts 1:1).

    How long will our rulers who have a maddening propensity for material acquisition, accumulation and fiscal mismanagement continue to teach or admonish us on virtues they don’t possess? Are these not attributes they brazenly show disdain for by their gluttonous devouring of our common patrimony?

    When wills the day come that one would open a newspaper, turn on the TV (if there’s light) or listen to the radio and not read or hear about billions disappearing from government coffers as if money has wings?

    To worsen a situation that should attract an ecclesiastical address and a problem that has brought reproach to Nigeria, religious leaders continue to avail these rulers their pulpits or give them special space in the front pews. I am befuddled by the attitude of supposed spiritual leaders who allow these biblical hirelings to desecrate a place that’s supposed to be “the ground and pillar of truth”, knowing that these rulers (leaders?) are full of untruths!

    They are like the biblical thief (who has come to steal, kill and destroy). Or how do you describe one who is vested with the responsibility of effecting development but is busy plundering, destroying and ravaging lives through audacious and avaricious ‘kleptomaniacs’?

    Another thing I find most disheartening is the ‘dividend of democracy’, which Nigerians, gullible as ever, fall for. Is democracy not about providing good governance, development of men and materials (infrastructure), prudent management of our common resources and the freedom to checkmate deviants from assuming office through free and fair elections? Are all these not currently lacking in Nigeria?

    To return to the selflessness and service of Jesus Christ, who our thieving rulers continue to preach to us to follow his path; he fed multitudes that needed to be fed; he healed the sick that came to him; he protected the weak from strong hypocrites (the woman caught ‘in the act’); indeed, the Bible records that “he went about doing good.”

    Can we say that our rulers (leaders?) have not been anointed to do good to us, yet they ask us to pray for them (in their own minds to continue chastising us with snakes and scorpions)? What hypocrites and Sadducees our rulers (leaders) are!

    To whom much is given, much is desired. When we cede our powers to leaders at election, who later turn to rulers, we do so in the hope that they will improve our lot and not impoverish us by obscenely enriching themselves while asking us to keep ‘sacrificing and being selfless’ till we go to the grave.

    Things are not working in this country because those we ave entrusted with providing direction are not doing so. And ecause Nigerians are docile and weak from low self-esteem, that is why we will always have a recycle of the irresponsible, irresponsive, gluttonous, ravaging, destructive, insensitive, uncaring, unfeeling, go-to-hell-if-you-may class at the top, steering us to the precipice.

    Surely, the treatment meted out to King Loius XVI of France and his grandiloquent wife will one day be the lot of these rampaging rulers, since they seem to be irredeemably hard-hearted.

    By Fredrick Adegboye,

    Lagos

  • Misuse of pronoun

    PREFACE: Some readers are still confused about the correctional methodology employed in this column. The bracketed words/phrases are the correct entries and come immediately after the wrong ones. Corrections not parenthesized are self-explanatory. Occasionally, too, unambiguous attributions—which are informational additions—are contained in brackets. An explication with the first slip-up below: ‘testimony’ in the context here takes ‘to’ and not ‘of’ which precedes it. In another lexical environment: the testimony/testament (synonym of testimony) of—not ‘to’ this time round—the scholar.

    The March 2013 edition of Nigeria Political Economist, published by a friend of mine, Kenneth Ugbechie, formally welcomes us this week with three slips: “It is a thrilling testimony of (to) the triumph of the spirit….”

    “Zinox Computers, his trademark, have been deployed at (in) African Union conferences in Nigeria and the (The) Gambia.” For a knowledge society: government can also deploy soldiers along the border.

    “…we consume between 150,000 to 30,000 barrels of crude oil daily.” Since they will not read: between 150,000 and 30,000 or from 150,000 to 30,000.

    “Here is (are) the excerpts….”

    “Rights groups condemn Uganda election violence” Democracy: Ugandan election violence.

    “Alumni condemns crisis at UNILORIN” Alumni condemn, but alumni association condemns.

    “Attempts by the Federal Government to secure a loan from the IMF to fund the nation’s education system appears (appear) to have run into rough weather.”

    “Bureau de Changes, banks disagree on forex documentation” Get it right: bureaus/bureaux de change.

    “We have come a long way as we have withstood various crisis including….” Centenary celebration: various crises.

    “Lack of water, power mar Eagles’ victory party in….” Why the illiteracy? Lack of water, power mars….

    “These gang of thieves must have robbed unsuspected Nigerians blind.” Either: this gang or these gangs of thieves, depending on the number of gangs.

    “…its first assignments as a pointer to what lies in stock (store) for corrupt public officers….”

    “Abdusalami Abubakar is still congratulating himself for (on/upon) relinquishing something that should never have been in his possession to begin with.”

    “These are the type of people who have (had) at one time or other (another) brazenly attempted to run this country.” Thoughts on the Oputa panel: these types of people.

    “They also set the pace and their trendsters (followers) set about falling over themselves (one another) to prove their usefulness.” This is misuse of pronoun.

    “He opened up on his unceremonious exit from the esteem (esteemed) office amongst other explosive issues in this revealing interview.” Current trend: among other….

    “Former Super Eagles’ Captain (a comma, please) now national team head coach, Stephen Keshi, will add one more (a) feather to (in) his cap when.…”

    “And down through the centuries, there have been prophets and dreamers who treaded (trod) the path of these pioneers.” This is no sermon: tread–trod–trodden.

    “Africans must pull themselves up and put their acts (act) together for posterity to be assured.” Fixed expression: get your/their act (not acts) together.

    “The enforcement of that sentence against a teenage mother who had just delivered is certainly regretable.” On the move: regrettable.

    “…the average journalist usually burns his professional flag, forgets his own humble past once he or she (feminism in the media?) crosses over to the corridor of power.” Saturday people: corridors of power.

    “These terminations were made after NEXIM had undertaken screening exercise (must you add exercise?) both at home and abroad, conducted series (a series) of travels and trainings.” ‘Training’ is uncountable.

    “Commissioner wants more vigilante groups” Hello Rutam: vigilance groups.

    “In this regard, we applaud the inclusion of at least a month’s residency at (on) the main campus of the parent institution.”

    “…the possible platforms under (on) which President Jonathan may seek re-election.”

    “Ministerial nominees screening put on hold” This way: nominees’ (apostrophe vital) screening.

    “…he attempted to exonerate himself of (from) the presidential, open indictment for non-performance.”

    “…any government without a media (medium) will be empty.”

    “Previous (Prior) to this, women had been deemed not sensible enough to vote….”

    “The disgraceful end of Nigeria President Sani Abacha….” Get it right: Nigerian President.

    “Rather, the mobilisation of sophisticated naval vessels and armed-to-the-teeth military men to the Niger Delta are (is) being worked out in the name of protecting oil installations and oil workers.”

    “Now, as human beings, we live in either of two tents: content or discontent.” Simply either of tents (never ‘either of two’ which is indicative of illiteracy).

    “They have predictably denied this, pointing accusing fingers, in turn, at officials of the NNPC who allegedly collect bribes before loading marketers’ tankers.” Ending fuel scarcity: pointing the finger.

    “This will assist in ensuing that only candidates with the zeal for grassroot (grassroots) development eventually make it.”

    “Indeed, this formed one of the major plank (planks) of achievements rolled out during the first year anniversary.”

    “Our managers quarrel about the quality of their offices, furniture, air-condition, cars….” Get it right: air-conditioner.

    “The saying that many cooks spoil the soup is very apt here.” Basic knowledge: too many cooks spoil the broth, not soup

    “Though no incidence of violence or hooliganism was reported at the Kano launch….” Correct report: no incident of violence.

    “Indigenous contractors face the problem of acquiring sophisticated construction machineries which usually had to be imported.” ‘Machinery’ is uncountable in this context.

     

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    YOUR column a fortnight ago refers. Please, I am not the chairman of Academy Press, but Academy Limited. (Charles Iyoha/07033775454)

  • Nigeria is a lie

    Nigeria is a lie

    The leper said two things, one of them being a lie; he said after he had struck his child with his palm, he also pinched him severely with his fingernails.

    Recently, in a small family reunion I was invited, I watched as a father narrated a movie to the kids. Unknown to him, the kids had viewed the same film. He went about mumbling the story line, while the older ones feigned attention, one of the younger ones just blurted out:”Daddy it’s a lie”.

    My admonition is on the lies as told by our First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. I got a lot of cold knocks, but truth is, very little has changed from my submission. Primarily, that the president’s wife lied.

    My concern not being so much about her lying but the fact that Nigerians have embraced lies as a national past time, from the governed to those doing the governance itself.

    Lies are told about electricity. The whole pension administration is filled with filthy lies. We lie about education, which is why four students killed during a student protest due to lack of water in Nasarawa State University and then the president donates some millions for some water project.

    The cost of lies to our national development cannot be quantified. So it is fashionable that parents lie to kids, husbands to wife, wives to sisters, employers to employees, and how about those legislative lies on job creation.

    Telling the truth is just unthinkable; it has simply become a deviant attitude to be truthful. From the recent past, the truth of the third term remains fuzzy. Many have forgotten the plenty of naira notes on the national assembly table—It’s all been lied away.

    We will never find out who signed our budget only some four years ago. I have not forgotten the ‘god of men’ that visited the then president and could not tell the truth about his health status.

    I guess this writer should let sleeping dogs lie, and of course that itself is the problem, the dogs don’t sleep, they lie continuously. Babangida Aliyu says there was a one term pact, Jonathan says no, show me proof, reminding me of the lies of zoning and some signed documents. They just lie, telling us this, telling us that and doing very little if any in terms of tangible development.

    They lied about Chime of Enugu, and Chime then lied to himself. How about the current new improved, okay newly resurrected dame or what have the liars got to say about my brother Suntai, after that no-smile-carry-baby photo play and he’s coming back next week which never ends.

    The problem with all these lies is how they seem to become the truth after constant repetition; you know that caveat that if you listen repeatedly to a lie, it becomes the truth. One other effect is, it leaves us with a short fuse memory because it’s all too dramatic.

    When last did a public official tell the truth, I mean say it as it is, and have it on record as having said and stood by it. We just talk anyhow, most times without thought or regard to the consequences.

    I recall a visit to Bayelsa then as governor, Goodluck Jonathan told us that by the time he’s done with electricity in the sleepy oil state, generators would be a thing of the past—fat lie, till date the generators blare non-stop.

    When will we reach the stage in our national life, where truth will triumph, where lies are not necessary, or do we still remain a lie…only time will tell.

    By Prince Charles Dickson