The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • Day Americans saw Obudu Ranch Resort and wept

    Day Americans saw Obudu Ranch Resort and wept

    It was just a 30-minute flight from the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar to the Bebi Airstrip in Obudu. But for the 30-man delegation from the State of Maryland, the United States of America, it seemed like eternity.

    Led by the Secretary of State, John MC Donough, the Maryland delegation had arrived Cross River State three days earlier to cement the Sister State programme entered into by both states.

    The historic Friendship Agreement was entered into by both states on July 23, 2012 in Annapolis, the capital of Maryland.

    So before the short flight to Obudu, the Maryland delegation was given a tour of Calabar and taken to places like the Slave Trade Museum, Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort, Marina Resort, The Palace of King Eyo Honesty, Sure-foot American College, Destiny Child Centre and Obudu Ranch Resort.

    The tour was an eye-full for them. At Tinapa for instance, they were pleasantly surprised by what they saw. Not in their wildest imagination had they expected to find such a complex in Nigeria. They were spellbound.

    Indeed, the Deputy Secretary of State, Rajan Nata was so overwhelmed by Tinapa and the prospects it holds that he vowed to personally lead the efforts to market it in the US.

    He also offered some marketing tips that should be adopted locally so that Tinapa can fly.

    So, when the flight took off from Margaret Ekpo International Airport for the Bebi Airstrip, the delegation was eager to see Obudu, the crown jewel of the tourism offering of the state.

    When the plane landed at the Bebi Airstrip, the delegation was driven to the foot of the Ranch from where they took the cable car to the resort.

    At the Resort, they were given a grand tour of the facility including the Presidential Mansion built by the Senator Liyel Imoke administration.

    Interestingly, in the Maryland delegation was a Nigerian, Mr. Sylvester Okereke. Okereke is the chairman of the Nigeria/Maryland Sister State Project.

    What he saw in Calabar and Obudu was too much for Okereke to bear and so he succumbed to emotions.

    With all the negative things being written about Nigeria in the international media, the delegation, particularly Okereke, was taken aback by what it saw.

    Speaking about his experience, a sobbing Okereke said: “I vow to help in any capacity I am needed to showcase the hidden, undiscovered riches we have in Cross River.”

    On why he got misty-eyed, he said: “I was deeply broken and wept after seeing the few places I saw. I was like, ‘God thank you.’ A flashback on Psalm 49:20 flooded into my mind.”

    Psalm 49:20 reads: “A man with valuable possessions but without understanding is like the animals that perish.”

    The partnership between both states covers such areas as Agriculture, Health, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Education, Tourism and Investment.

    At a private dinner with the delegation, the state governor, Senator Liyel Imoke expressed the hope that the partnership will soon begin to yield dividends for the peoples of both states.

    The friendship agreement affords Cross River State the opportunity to tap into Maryland’s experience and technology to position itself as a preferred destination in all spheres of development on the continent.

    According to Special Adviser Inter-Governmental Affairs, Mr. Joe Edet, “the partnership creates a platform that will be effective, transparent and strategic in ushering in the deliverables of this relationship in the state”.

    Edet further stressed that, “today, global cooperation is crucial to social and economic vitality and this sister state relationship will help to enhance economic development because no country or state can survive on its own without some sort of support, assistance or co-operation from dependable allies”.

    The leader of the delegation and the Secretary of State of Maryland, John MC Donough said the delegation was in Cross River on a mission to strengthen relations between the two states following the signing of the Friendship Agreement earlier in the year in the United States.

    Their visit, he said, was a fact finding mission, to look into areas of partnership, co-operation and capacity building.

    He said such a bilateral agreement would be of benefit to “the two sister states”.

    The relationship opens doors for Cross River to have access to Maryland’s companies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and citizens through high level government connection, thereby promoting huge foreign investment in Cross River.

    Special Adviser Tourism Development, Mr. Wilfred Usani said the partnership will develop the slave trade route in Calabar, which was a gateway to about 30 percent of slaves from the West African sub region to America and Europe.

    During its visit to Sure-foot American School, the Maryland team gave assurances of its assistance under its educational, technical and capacity building programmes.

    At Destiny Child Centre, a pet project of the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Obioma Liyel Imoke, which accommodates 96 street children for rehabilitation, the team assured the Centre of its cooperation, support and assistance.

    Under the agreement in education, Cross River will have access to many educational, technical and innovative resources and opportunities in the area of Hitech and ICT, Curriculum Development especially in science, Engineering and Technology to lift its standard of education.

    It is also expected to benefit from scholarship for indigenes of the state to study abroad under the student/staff exchange and training programme and curricular development.

  • As Lagos hosts the National Sports Festival

    As Lagos hosts the National Sports Festival

    The Soviet Union’s successful landing of man in space was one of mankind’s extra ordinary achievements of the last century.

    Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin feat, outstripped the Americans and an irked President John F. Kennedy rallied his agitated nation and quickly proposed the launching of the Saturn, at that time the most powerful rocket, to challenge the Russians’ lead in the probing of the galaxies.

    With its strident space and earthly innovations challenged on the moon, and on the other planets, Russia by the middle of the 60s avoided that decade’s Cultural Revolution, the R & B, Soul Music and sneaked investment into its sports industry. Leading a cultural revival of its people Russia, pursued the domination of the world through the instrument of Sports.

    Decidedly, the Union of the Soviet Republic at once, invented the SPARTAKIADA. While the Super Power rivalry continued from the outer space innovations, veering into the control of the air waves, to the domination of the waters of the earth; the Soviet Republic at last mobilized its large land mass along with its equally massive and very strong athletic peoples. In no time, extending the same programme to its satellite states, of East Germany, the Balkans; Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, with Cuba on the Pacific, the Communist bloc overran the US and the West on the strenuous turf of the Olympics.

    This was the period, where Cuba mesmerised in the Olympics, and produced the unbeatable Stevenson, Olympic Heavyweight champion who until his retirement refused any dollar enticement to relocate to the West. His socialist stance, denied mankind another of those “Fight of the Century” remarkable in this period with those memorable fistcuffs starring, Mohammad Ali, the Greatest. If Ali’s encounter with Joe Frazier is taped as Thrilla In Manilla and with George Foreman in Kinshasha, tagged; Rumble In The Jungle. Imagine at their prime, what would have been the Ali Vs Stevenson clash copy sound like….? The final stand of the last two Mohicans or the collision of the super Galaxies.

    The SPARTAKAIDA is what is known in Nigeria as the National Sports Festival. Introduced to Nigeria, in 1971, by General Henry Adefope after he was invited to the Moscow Youths Sports Festival, Lagos is hosting for the third time, since the Festival’s inauguration in 1971.

    The Sports Festival, essentially is a perennial Festival involving designated Olympic Sports, which is programmed to support the development of the Youths, especially from the Provinces to the State, with the finals going to the National stage, as we are about to witness in Lagos, from the November 2? to the 7th of December 2012.

    Below, therefore, is a sketch of Nigeria’s leading Sports States as they prepare for the games. With what we have seen on our tour, juxtaposed with the leadership and the philosophies guiding those states, we would venture to predict that Lagos State perhaps is the most conditioned and the best prepared to win the festival.

    Mention is also given to those states, like Osun, Enugu, Ogun, Abuja Capital Territory, Nasarrawa who though may not win it are faithful to the concept of the founders of Spaitaikada.

    Lagos

    As the host of the festival, Lagos is expected to win. The host’s greatest boost is that the governor is a product of Secondary Schools Sports. Presently, he is a nail-biting competitor in both football and tennis.

    An alumnus of Igbobi College, which before the war produced Nigeria’s greatest school boy all-rounder of all time, late Sydney Asiodu. With such a rich tradition to lean on, Fashola without firing a shot is already taller than his colleagues. The Igbobian winning philosophy will always come to play. Already as part of his modernisation programme for Lagos, the governor quietly restored the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere. No surprise that budding athletes are on their own embarking on individual training and working with others. and the city of Lagos is exercised and ready to go.

    Not known to rest on his oars the sporting governor went all the way to build another stadium at Agege. With that masterstroke he mobilised quite a large number of his downtrodden but athletic-leaning masses.

    With visible centers for hours of practice, under the watchful eyes of the best coaches, we predict that Lagos State, even without hosting the Games would have been the best prepared state for the 2012 National Festival.

    Enter the Port Harcourt boys

    The Rivers contingent to this game will give it all, pomp and pageantry, thrill and extravaganza. Yes, everything that Eko for show brings to the game, especially in the opening ceremonials would be returned in good measure by the Port Harcourt boys and girls.

    We have picked the leadership advantages of Fashola in the quest of Lagos to win the impending festival. In presenting the equally tested squad from Rivers State, we acknowledge the sterling pedigree of a state active in sports development, lacing their possibilities with a leadership that is as formidable as the Eko Leviathan.

    If there is a state that will rock it for Lagos, it will be Rivers. They are defending champions and the Port Harcourt Brigade wants to prove it. They can win it hosting or not hosting. Their swimming squad of last time is still around and better. Remember, whichever state dictates the pace under water, is coming home with the overall. Significantly, of all the states, in the former Eastern Nigeria, Rivers State has the most organised sports administration. As a result, the state is in position to poach athletes from all the adjoining states, where conservative governors and policies have pushed sports to the doldrums. Apart from swimming, the state will do well in wrestling, and the combat sports of Judo, Karate and Taekwando.

    Win DELTA Win

    Delta is the only state with an articulated sports policy and it is capable of snatching victory from Lagos.

    Recently, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, appointed a chairman of an independent Delta Sports Council, divorcing it from the slow bureaucracy of the former Ministry of Social Development. That was a ground breaker policy.

    Uduaghan’s courageous separation of the Delta Sport Council from corrupt ministry officials is encouraging and should be ordered for similar councils all over the country. With a Sports Council that reports directly to the governor, that independence can be used to reach, and mobilise Nigeria’s most conditioned athletic region to conquer Nigeria and the world.

    A state that is home to the likes of Jay Jay Okocha, National Team Coach, Stephen Keshi, former Captains, Sunday Oliseh, Thompson Usiyen, Victor Oduah, Nduka Odizor, first African in the Wimbledon finals, has no business contesting the leadership of Nigerian sports with less endowed groups.

    Why is it that capital since the creation of the state Asaba has not had a working stadium? Why since the 1st Delta State Sports Council Festival in 1998, have we not had any visible state organised sports festival?

    If there is any state that will give Lagos a run for their money it is Delta. The coaches and athletes will do it, in spite of the absence of a visible, inspiring leadership. When it becomes an issue of pride and tradition, Win Delta Win is a frightening mantra. And those other states can bet on that.

    Enugu

    The state is coming to Lagos with the high morale. This contingent has never had it so good. A new helmsman, the Commissioner of Sports, first of all, sorted out Rangers FC and then proceeded to organise the first school sport festival that returned Enugu to the productive prospects the state is now enjoying.

    Enugu athletes are tomorrow headlines, and even if the state fails to make the top listing, the state is seeing a new era in the management of sports and Nigeria, after Lagos should watch out.

    These first three states are the leading contenders with Edo coming in, far fourth. This is very unfortunate for Edo which, by tradition, should be in the topmost bracket.

    The North, inspite of the upsurge of Boko Haram could spring some surprises. We expect Kaduna, Plateau, and Niger to register in hockey, handball, cycling and the long distance races.

    – Okocha is a former Director of Sports, Delta State.

  • I will not be in church this Sunday

    I will not be in church this Sunday

    I write to lament the despicable commercialisation of the gospel in Nigeria. Just as it worries my conscience, like an incurable headache, to note that we live in an era where men play God in the affairs of men. Oh what a pity!

    Some of our ‘so-called’ men of God lead their victims into spiritual ‘Zombification’ and ‘Christianic’ slavery in view of Pentecostalism. It is now a tradition for some blind students of the Bible masquerading as ‘pastors’ to interpret the scripture in a way and manner that suits their intellection. While others in sheer display of incurable monomania for conspicuous opulence armed themselves with the verbal weapon of ‘My God is not a poor God’, to dispossess their congregation of their hard- earned money in the name of offering and tithing.

    As at today, the establishment of churches is no longer anchored on the need to show the way to salvation, but on the need to escape from the dreaded disease called starvation and poverty. That is why sermons on giving remain prevalent in our churches. They tell us to give to God richly but unfortunately, what we give to God suddenly end up in their personal bank accounts. So, why will they not own private jets, lucrative business empires and waste away in opulence? They justify their unquenchable quest for private jets in the name of evangelism. Truth be told, they lie because this jet will never fly to Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Somalia for evangelism. But they will never stop flying to America and Europe in search of hard currencies under the cover of evangelism.

    I do not know whether God will bless them for taking the gospels to places where the gospel is deeply rooted and leaving behind places where the gospel is yet to blossom.

    When the Catholic and Methodist Churches were in the service of providing education to our people, it was done on the basis of service to humanity with affordable fees, but when our Pentecostal pastors began to provide education, even church members who donated to the establishment of such schools, cannot afford to send their wards to the schools due to high cost of fees.

    If I were the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), I would have channelled the fund for the purchase of that private jet, which he calls a gift to procure modern security gadgets for the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to effectively fight the growing insecurity in our churches in some parts of the country. If I were the CAN President, I would donate such funds for the improvement of humanity, but he chose to fly on a private jet while some of us walk on foot for evangelism.

    Let’s not forget the word of Abd-ru-shin in the Grail message which states “He who makes no effort to grasp the word of the Lord aright burdens himself with guilt.” Therefore, do not let them deceive you.

    By Ehimare G odfrey

    Benin City.

  • Worrying spate of killings

    Worrying spate of killings

    The orgy of callous killings and reckless destruction of property in Nigeria is becoming alarming and unbearable.  With the continuous bombing, kidnapping and killing across the country it is difficult to have any meaningful development.

    The insurgence of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram has almost crippled the country with the government not being able to exercise its sovereignty to protect the lives and property of its citizenry.  It was estimated that over 1,200 people have been killed by the sect since it began attacks against the Nigerian government in 2009.

    More worrying is the recent killings in the academic community. Before now this is a sacred place for intellectual propagation but has turned out to be unsafe haven. The recent massacre of about 40 students of Federal Polytechnic, Mubi in Adamawa state by unknown gun men is barbaric. While the outrage over this callous massacre is yet to settle, four students of University of Port Harcourt were lynched and set ablaze by a mob in Aluu community for allegedly stealing laptops and mobile phone. The emotional and psychological pains inflicted to their families and loved ones could better be imagined.

    All these happenings have dented the image of the country in international circles.  This underscores why many Nigerians experience unnecessary embarrassment with airport and immigration officials of developed countries.

    Sadly, when wicked acts like these are perpetrated we only hear that investigations have been ordered. Who are those doing the investigation and how many culprits have been brought to book to serve as deterrent to others who might be tempted to commit similar offences.

    Evil thrives when those who are supposed to speak keep mute for one reason or the other. Is high time the religious leaders and traditional rulers speak out, caution as well as admonish their followers and subjects on the dangers of shedding innocent blood.

    Our clergy men and monarchs have the crucial task of preaching against killings in their sermons and during village or town hall meetings respectively.

    We must not allow the law of jungle justice to replace our rule of law and hard earned democracy. Investigations of killings must be thorough and quick and Nigerians told the outcome. This will not only strengthen our justice system but also restore people’s confidence in the government and institutions.

    Most importantly, there is urgent need for re-orientation of people on the value of life. We should understand our diverse religious, ethnical and cultural differences and refrain from taking laws into our hands if we must exist as one peaceful nation.

  • The Aregbesola train phenomenon

    SIR: We all enjoyed the recent Salah celebration and the usual merriment that accompanied it. This time around, it was also complemented by a long holiday (Thursday-Sunday), which made it a restful period for many. As an indigene of Osogbo, who is resident in Lagos, I have for the last 10 years made it a habit to celebrate the Eid ul-Fitr back home. The festival was always attended by the hustle and bustle of festivities; meeting of friends and families both from home and abroad. It afforded an annual opportunity to renew old ties, check on relatives and generally unwind after a year of work-filled sojourn in stress-filled Lagos.

    However, there was a new twist to this year’s Salah feast, which made an impression on me. From my place at Igbono area, I had gone to Owode-Ede on Thursday to see an old friend of mine – I had arrived by road early on that day. My good-natured friend gave me a Salah-before-Salah treat because he hadn’t seen me for a while. I decided to take my time to relax with him and his family. At sundown I finally took my leave and headed home.

    On getting to the Ola-Iya intersection, we ran into a heavy traffic that set tongs wagging regarding the cause of the traffic, which was unusually congested. The question that dominated discussion was whether ‘Aregbe Train’ had arrived. Those with sufficient knowledge of its movement confirmed that the train had indeed arrived at the Old Garage Railway Station. At a point when I could no longer bear the traffic situation, I got down from the Korope bus I had boarded from Owode-Ede and headed on foot towards Old Garage. I discovered that the cause of the traffic was not the Aregbe Train as we were glibly led to believe. Rather, the traffic situation was occasioned by acts of lawlessness on the part of the commercial bus drivers who parked their vehicles right in the middle of the road to load them with passengers.

    But the traffic congestion did have something to do with the Aregbe Train; the passengers in question, whose presence occasioned the lawless conduct of the commercial bus drivers, were the people conveyed from Lagos to town by Aregbe Train. And they were not few. In fact, it was the fact of their very large numbers that attracted commercial buses to the scene to convey them to their various destinations, for a fee of course!

    I quickly recalled that the Aregbe Train was a free train ride launched earlier in the year without much fanfare. It surprised me that it could have become such a phenomenon within such a short time. Ironically, most of the people that came by the train were actually not Osun indigenes, which Ogbeni had intended it for. They were people from Ajase, Offa and other neighbouring towns in Kwara State. This in fact explains why commercial buses were able to cash in on the quick-profit opportunity, which would not have been available had the passengers been people from Osogbo and its environs.

    The Aregbe Train had not only created Salah succour for passengers; it had also created money-making opportunity for bus drivers. Come next Salah, I might give a try myself. Coming by bus wasn’t cheap!

    • Lukman Adeyemi,

    Surulere, Lagos

  • Saraki: a true senate leader

    SIR: Martins Oloja, Editor of The Guardian, broke to me the news of the passage of Dr. Abubakar Olushola Saraki-the Waziri of Ilorin. Martins knew my close relationship with Dr. Saraki. He was in my office in 2003 when Saraki phoned me in the Presidency to confirm the removal of his son, Dr. Bukola Saraki by President Olusegun Obasanjo as his Special Assistant. “Don’t worry Eric” Dr. Saraki assured”I will make Bukky a Governor”,which he did. Dr. Saraki was a man of few words.

    The demise of Dr. Saraki has now reduced the number of 95 senators who were elected in 1979 and still alive,to less than 22. We still have Dr. Joseph Wayas, the then Senate President, Senators Ameh Ebute, Uba Ahmed, Onyeabo Obi, Cornelius Adebayo, Mohammed Girgiri Lawan, Donald Dick Etiebet, David Omueye Dafinone, Banji Akintoye, Ayo Fasanmi, David Oke, M. Onukun, John Wash Pam, Nosike Ikpo, George Daniel, Joseph Ansa, Tony Anyanwu, Ahmadu Alli, Jubrin Salihu, George Baba Hoomkwap and Kunle Oyero.

    The departed include Senators Mahmud Waziri, Jaja Wachukwu, Hassan Zuru, Obi Wali, F.J. Ellah, Ayoola Adeleke, Lere Adesina, Ademola Adegoke, Ibrahim Dimis, Jallo Waziri, E.O. Akpata, F.O.M. Atake, J.O. Umolu, J.S. Tarka, Umaru Bama, Idrissa Kadi, Victor Akan, Barkin Zuwo, and Emeka Echeruo.

    Others who are no more include Senator A. Muazu, Ibrahim Kolo, Femi Ayantuga, Abayomi Durosinmi, Adeyiga Ajayi, Sikiru Shitta-Bey, Mubashiru Abiru, Jonathan Odebiyi, Kayode Ogunleye, S. Sogbein, D. A. Ladega, Abraham Adesanya, C.L. Adeoye, and Cyrus Nunieh.

    After the Senate election in 1979, the ruling party, the NPN, zoned the post of NPN senate leader to Senator Joseph Tarka to satisfy the yearnings of the people of the middle belt.

    But Senator Tarka, an old parliamentarian, schooled in the first republic opted out of the job because he could not know the difference between the Senate President and NPN Senate leader, which is a new innovation in the country at that time. He thought the post would create a clash. The post was not called Senate Leader; it was NPN Senate Leader, meaning the leader of all the NPN Senators. Dr. Saraki became the natural choice after Senator Tarka bounced out.

    In an election conducted by the then clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Gidado Idris (GCON),on October 9,1979, Dr. Saraki as the NPN Senate leader moved the motion for the election of Dr. Joseph Wayas as the Senate President and John WASH Pam as the deputy Senate President. Dr. Wayas defeated Senator F.O.M. Atake, then of the UPN by 53 to 42 votes while Senator Pam of the NPP defeated Senator Sabo Barkin Zuwo of the PRP by 51 to 43 votes.

    In moving the motion, Dr. Saraki said, “Today, in this Senate we are making history. We are all elected here for a purpose. The foremost is that we are here to ameliorate the poor conditions of our people. We are all Nigerians and 95 of us were elected to come to this Senate to make laws that will govern eighty million Nigerians. We are blessed with vast land, we are surrounded by rivers, streams and lakes and yet millions of our people have no water to drink, and again we also import some foodstuffs. Today, we are here in this Senate to make the conditions of our people better. In the process of doing this, we have to follow the Constitution which says we should have a President of the Senate from among us”.

    It was Senator Tarka, in the spirit of nationalism, who persuaded his colleagues that the Senate represent the country and not just any political party, that the toga NPN Senate leader be dropped from Dr. Saraki’s title to that of Senate leader.

    And from that day till the Army sacked the Senate on December 31, 1983, Dr. Saraki was referred to as Senate leader-the last national post he held till he died.

    Dr. Saraki was colourful. Tall, handsome and magisterial. He conducted himself as Senate leader with dignity and decorum. He was particularly fond of Senators Mammud Waziri, Dr. Wayas,Senator Wachukwu and Senators Abraham Adesanya and Odebiyi. He had a large heart for all the Senators.

    I knew him through Alhaji Lai Mabinuori of Daily Times in 1976. Dr. Saraki was a realistic leader of men, a master of the games,who understood the importance of ideas. He assumed his responsibilities fully. After losing the Presidential nomination of the NPN to Alhaji Shehu Shagari at Casino Cinema,Yab,Lagos in 1978, Dr. Saraki told me and Tony Idigo of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he lost because” I don’t understand national politics. I will go back to Kwara”

    He never left Kwara State and from there he called all the shots. Were Kwara state to be a country, Dr. Saraki would been like Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore or Muhammed Alli Jinnah of Pakistan.

    Surely,he will be missed.

    • Eric Teniola, a former Director in the PRESIDENCY now lives in Lagos.

  • Delta scholarship with human face

    SIR: When the religious community, the Enugu Diocese of the church of Nigerian, Anglican Communion, zeroed on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for an award for his efforts at developing Delta State and empowering its people and by extension humanity, some people were sceptical.

    But as he continues to selflessly enrich and build up the lives of all its citizens by relentlessly pursuing his administration’s Three-Point Agenda, it shows the award is one, well deserved.

    The release of N269million as scholarship grant to 47 first class graduates in the state shows one of Uduaghan’s commitment in building human capital in the state and instilling academic discipline in higher institutions.

    In the words of Dr. Uduaghan, “we have embarked on this scheme to help develop human capital, to encourage our youths to work hard in their studies, we believe funds should not be a hindrance to the education of our youths. This is why we are committed to fund this scheme as long as I remain the governor”.

    Thirty six graduates benefited from the scholarship scheme in 2010 academic year. That is not all just as 343 children of deceased civil servants and 99 physically challenged students were also awarded scholarships. Other scholarship scheme in the state, include payment of financial assistance to 883 Delta State students in the Nigerian law school and the student’s special Assistance scheme which over 18,000 students are benefiting from.

    My prayer for this man is that God should continue to uphold him even as I reiterate that he deserves the support of all Deltans to actualize his policies and programmes in the state.

    • Mike Odeh,

    Port Harcourt

  • The United Kingdom G8 presidency in 2013

    One year on from the Olympics, the eyes of the world will again be on the United Kingdom next summer, as we host the G8 at Lough Erne in Northern Ireland.

    Some people ask: does the G8 still matter, when we have a G20? My answer is “Yes”. The G8 is a group of like-minded nations who share a belief in free enterprise as the best route to growth. And as eight countries making up around half of the world’s entire GDP, the standards we set, the commitments we make, and the steps we take can help solve vital global issues, fire up economies and drive prosperity all over the world.

    Lough Erne 2013 will be focused on three ways in which we can support the development of open economies, open governments and open societies to unleash the power of the private sector. Advancing trade, ensuring tax compliance and promoting greater transparency.

    First, trade. There is no greater stimulus for growth in the world economy than trade and no more important battle than the fight against protectionism. As the G8, we have a collective responsibility to drive forward trade liberalisation. I am already leading EU efforts to finalise a free trade agreement with Canada and to launch negotiations with Japan and America over the next year. I want G8 leaders to seize the opportunity of the discussion at Lough Erne to agree how we will accelerate progress across our ambitious trade agenda. To take just one example, the EU and US together make up nearly a third of all global trade. And an ambitious deal between the two could provide an enormous boost to jobs and growth adding over £50 billion to the EU economy alone.

    Second, taxes. People rightly get angry when they work hard and pay their taxes, but then see others not paying their fair share. So this G8 will seek to maintain the momentum generated by the G20 on information exchange and the strengthening of international tax standards. We will look to go further including, for example, on tax havens by improving the quality and quantity of tax information exchange. And we will work with developing countries to help them improve their ability to collect the tax that is due to them too.

    Third, transparency. The G8 has a long history of advances on development – and this G8 will be no different. The UK is meeting our commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of our gross national income on aid from 2013 – and we will be holding other countries to account for their promises too. We will also be leading the way in the battle against hunger with a special event on food and nutrition a few days before the main meeting, to follow up on this year’s Olympic Hunger Summit.

    But I believe the UK’s track record on aid gives us the legitimacy to use this G8 in a radically different way by supporting what I call the “golden thread” of conditions that enable open economies and open societies to drive prosperity and growth for all. These include the rule of law, the absence of conflict and corruption, and the presence of property rights and strong institutions.

    Transparency and accountability are vital for this. Too often, development at the G8 has been about rich countries doing things to poor countries. But at Lough Erne, we in the developed world will concentrate on issues that involve us putting our own house in order and helping developing countries to prosper. Take the issue of mineral wealth. We need to make sure that, for developing countries, this is a blessing not a curse. So the UK is leading efforts in the EU to require oil, gas and mining companies to publish key financial information for each country and project they work on. And I want this G8 to drive greater transparency all around the globe so that revenues from oil, gas and mining can help developing countries to forge a path to sustainable growth, instead of fuelling conflict and corruption.

    These defining advances in trade, tax and transparency could lay the foundations of long-term growth and prosperity for generations to come. But to achieve them we also need to cut through the bureaucracy of traditional international summits.

    So Lough Erne 2013 will return the G8 to its roots. The original leaders’ fireside chat which inspired today’s G8 gatherings took place at the Chateau de Rambouillet in 1975, organised by the then French President in response to the need to address worldwide economic problems. They held searching discussions, and issued a succinct declaration just 15 paragraphs long.

    Nearly forty years on, we will go back to those first principles. There will be no lengthy communiqué. No mile long motorcades. And no armies of officials telling each other what each of their leaders thinks– or should think. Instead we will build on the approach taken by President Obama at Camp David this year: one table and one conversation with G8 leaders holding each other to account and ensuring that good intentions really do become vital actions to advance growth and prosperity across the world.

    I look forward to welcoming my fellow leaders to Lough Erne and to showcasing Northern Ireland to the world as a modern and dynamic part of the United Kingdom that is open for business, with huge potential for investment and tourism.

    Northern Ireland’s transformation over the last two decades was made possible by the courage of so many people across all sections of its community. Their determination and leadership has inspired the world. And we must show the same resolve to make sure this G8 delivers growth and prosperity for the United Kingdom, for Nigeria and for the world.

    • David Cameron is Prime Minister of United Kingdom

  • Westerhof’s distressing allegation

    Westerhof’s distressing allegation

    Mr Clemens Westerhof, a former Nigerian national team coach, has said that Nigeria’s perennial underachievement in soccer competitions could be due to corruption in sports administration, myopia of officials and lack of patriotism. Having served as technical adviser to the Super Eagles for five years, the Dutchman is amply conversant with the goings-on in sports administration. According to him, unqualified players were sometimes selected into the national team after paying a bribe of about $15,000 (about N2.8m) to team selectors. He did not specify the period when such sordid considerations prevailed in the national team, nor did he mention names of the corrupt officials and players involved.

    All Westerhof said was that, “We had a situation where we had the wrong people in the wrong places, even in the (Nigeria) FA. We had cases where players paid $15,000 (about N2.8 million) to the coach and say ‘I want to play for the national team’ and the coach would accept. They bought their way into the national team, and it was an unbelievable situation, very sad. I know these things.” Even if he released names, the affected officials and players would deny the allegations and challenge him to substantiate his claims. It is unlikely he would succeed in proving his allegations.

    Indeed, a few former coaches have disagreed with Westerhof and argued that such practices were alien to the national team selection process. But a few players have agreed with him, claiming that there were even instances when good players were inexplicably dropped from the national team in favour of out-of-form players. Like age cheating, which has become the leitmotif of age-grade sporting competitions, corruption in team selection, whether past or present, may prove difficult to substantiate. But there is hardly a Nigerian who doubts that the malaise in sports administration runs too deep to enable the country achieve any degree of consistent success in sporting competitions.

    Can anything be done to remedy the situation? For now, it is doubtful. In fact, for something to be done, the country will first have to investigate Westerhof’s claims and do a thorough appraisal of sports administration during and after the Westerhof years. The will to carry out that kind of sanitisation can only come from a disciplined and structured system, one that is itself based on merit, competence and justice. Secondly, the Nigerian system will also have to be one that is capable of periodically sanitising itself. The morass in nearly all sectors of national life – electricity, petroleum, civil service, et al – does not give anyone the confidence that the nation has set targets for itself, targets that would drive change, engender higher standard of living and lead to a better society.

    What happened in sports administration over the decades, as Westerhof revealed, is merely a reflection of the decay afflicting the entire body politic. Change will not come piecemeal, or from bottom up; it will come when the political will to drive change is imbibed at the topmost level of leadership.

  • So, who is telling the truth on Boko Haram?

    So, who is telling the truth on Boko Haram?

    The Islamic sect, Boko Haram, is taking a much huger toll on us than the killings, arson and maiming that have become its trademark. While we are still grappling with burying hundreds of the sect’s victims, rebuilding places of worship, reconstructing ethnic and religious relationships, and peering warily into a future that is looking increasingly gloomy, the sect has both directly and indirectly created a unique trouble for everybody. So far, we have passed the stage of arguing over whether to negotiate with the sect or not, for it seems we have argued ourselves into a stalemate, with the government more evidently at sixes and sevens than the rest of us. Now, we are at the stage of arguing over whether we are actually negotiating with the sect’s representatives or not, and not trusting what we see or hear. Self-doubt has begun to gnaw at our national kidney.

    After many months of handwringing, unsure whether to fight the sect or not, the government finally decided to fight, even if half-heartedly. Then when it discovered that winning the fight goes beyond the mere determination to fight, the government, like a whirligig, again began to contemplate dialogue; and the sect itself, with its hoary sense of humour snickered as it baited the government. Finally, a few weeks ago, after the sect announced its readiness to enter into dialogue, presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, acknowledged that some forms of negotiations were going on. He had asserted, with the kind of confidence that pleases newspaper reporters that, “I can confirm to you that talks are ongoing at the background. But the talks are not the kinds being envisaged by Nigerians. I know that some Nigerians are expecting that a venue should be chosen and a banner would be placed there indicating that the Federal Government is holding dialogue with the group there. That is not the kind of talks we are talking about here. The ongoing talk is a back-channel one in which those who know members of the group are talking with them on behalf of the government.”

    Abati’s confident assertions supposedly put us out of misery. But the relief was short-lived. Soon, the president himself, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, weighed in with an even more vigorous counter of his own. Said he dismissively: “Government is not in dialogue with any of group of people, not the least Boko Haram. They (Boko Haram) are still operating under cover. They wear a mask. They don’t have a face. You don’t dialogue with people you don’t know. We don’t have anybody to dialogue with. There is no dialogue going on anywhere contrary to reports that have been carried in the media.” Whaoh! If Abati doesn’t have egg on his face because of his self-effacement, on his behalf, we solemnly bear the pain. But who’ll break the logjam and set the record straight?

    Enter knight-errantry. Enter Dr Junaid Mohammed, the knight in shining armour, sweeping pugnaciously into view, arms flailing, eyes blazing hot, and tongue speaking daggers. He confirmed that the president was not telling the truth on Boko Haram dialogue, and that in fact dialogue was already taking place between the sect and government. Hear the eloquent Jonathan tormentor: “This government (the Jonathan presidency) has been having underground talks with Boko Haram, and if the President says he is not negotiating with the sect, he is lying. What the government is trying to do with the Boko Haram matter shows the highest display of hypocrisy and dishonesty.” Few people call a spade a spade as acerbically as Junaid.

    Should we decide to cast the deciding ballot, how would we vote? All three gentlemen ought to know the truth; but all three have chosen to tell colourful stories. Somewhere between them lie the unvarnished facts, and perhaps it is only Boko Haram that is not misrepresenting the reality. The winner in all this, it is obvious, is Boko Haram, a sect that repeatedly sets a cat among the pigeons, our pigeons, frightens us out of our wits, and causes the power elite to find fact and fiction indistinguishable.