The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

Benjamin Kalu: The power of focus, triumph over distractions

If not for the good and protection of the unsuspecting members of the public who may be hoodwinked into believing the series of invidious hogwash deliberately written against my principal, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu in the media recently, I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid for a rebuttal because the purveyors would certainly feel dignified with a response.

For starters, I had taken a position earlier to ignore those claptraps as they didn’t speak to any significant issue of social or economic importance or development which has been the drive in our political trajectory. But consequent upon the delugeness of the onslaughts and the need to correct the wrong narratives, I am persuaded to change my position.

Besides, I have been inundated with calls from various quarters of the society for my reactions and, naturally, when calls reach a crescendo, showing sufficient predilection for a response, anyone would be compelled to budge. And this is it.

First. It was an opinionated piece title “Kalu’s Quest To Promote Regional Agenda As House Deputy Speaker” authored by one Dayo Akinwale published in Thisday Newspaper on July 1, 2024 wherein he spewed unprovoked hate and animosity, painting the Deputy Speaker with an ethnic brush.

The second piece ensued from one Mbaukwu Ihedigbo. Apparently coming from a known background, the minion, understandably an e-rat, propelled by his affinity with the powers-that-be in Abia State, danced naked on Facebook through a piece titled “The Urgent Need to Halt Hon. Ben Kalu’s Political Maneuvering and Why Governor Alex Otti Should Be Vigilant”.

Read Also: Edo 2024: PDP’s Ighodalo meets with EU delegation to Nigeria

Yet, on a dramatic turn and in quick succession, one Adebiyi Omotosho Dan collated the publications in his article titled “Local Boy Gone Bananas: Kalu’s Descent into Controversies” published on Opera news on July 12, 2024.

What a tittle-tattle from a bunch of delusional ignoramuses who obviously deserve our collective pity.

To my chargrin, Dayo struck the cord of infantilism when he fathomed and justified his diatribe with Kalu’s consistent efforts to advance the cause of Ndi Igbo and catalyze the development of the eastern region.

Worst of it all is that a reputable national newspaper like ThisDay tolerated Dayo’s unabashed indiscretion when he submitted that Kalu’s advocacy on the release of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was a sin.

One would have thought that Dayo who is understood to be a parliamentary reporter, covering the proceedings of the House of Representatives would have picked up a better faultline like incompetence and tell the world that Kalu was not fit for the job but no, he took the unsavory route, plunging himself into pettiness and rabble rousing in abject ignorance and crass idiosy, displaying his tremendous hatred for Kalu.

He did not punctuate on the self embrassing, delusional punchline afterwards but elatedly ethnicized the piece, thereby casting a slur on the sanctity of journalism profession. For anyone who knows his onions in the noble profession of journalism, truth, substance, accuracy and objectivity are the cannons as well as the golden rules. Put succinctly, they are the hallmarks of journalism, anywhere. But Dayo chose to dance naked on the pages of the newspaper with some celebratory air, unabashedly.

But it is gratifying to read him eulogize the legislative acumen, the oratory prowess and adept intellectual sagacity that define the political persona of Kalu. Even Kalu’s political opponents will agree that those are the distinct features that have made him a deputy speaker extraordinaire.

Read Dayo: “No one ever doubts the competence and capacity of the Deputy Speaker, even his political adversaries doff hat for him. Despite being a second term legislator in the House, he is well grounded in the legislative processes. The Bende-born lawmaker is also a delight to watch whenever he presides over the plenary. He’s a beauty to watch”.

Yes, Kalu may not be your regular politician but he’s surely your passionate leader that is promoting patriotism and and typifying nationalism, not ethnicism or parochialism. Kalu’s passion for the oneness of Nigeria is overt and unassailable. In his legislative duties and responsibilities, he has equally shown remarkable zeal and zest. No ethnic jingoist or tribal enthusiast would embark on a sprawled advocacy to relaunch his region into the mainstream politics for national cohesion and integration. No ethnic bigot would wear Nigeria and the embroidery of diversity. No tribal activist would spread appointments to accommodate the heterogeneity of Nigeria. But that is Kalu in his pure Nigerianness. He did it. Kalu would rather be championing secession and similar preachments with his position if he was pursuing a regional agenda. Far from it. The deputy speaker is a nationalist. A pan-Nigerian and this is exemplified by the preponderance of his engagements across the federation.

And then, you ask, what is wrong in appealing to the authorities for the release of his kinsman who has been in the gulags for years? You also ask, what is wrong in Kalu preaching peace and amplifying the message of love amongst Nigerians? You also ask, what is wrong in Kalu calling and galvanizing his people to support the party in power? You ask again, what is wrong in Kalu inviting Nigeria to his native town of Bende in Abia State during the unveiling of his pet project, Peace In South East (PISE-P) to declare the restoration of peace and treat his august visitors to the hospitality of Ndigbo? And what is wrong in the appeals for non kinetics as a measure to quelling youth restiveness and addressing insecurity and the concomitant sociological effects and disparities?

This must be Kalu’s array of misdemeanours that elicited anger in Dayo and his co-travellers and catapulted them to the path of infamy and perfidy. Dayo’s journey to the wide plains can only find summary in one word: Ignorance of the ethos of his journalistic calling. And this suffices.

Equally, the lackey from Abia, my home State went suicidal in his wailing and wilful attempt to create a deceitful social media narrative that Kalu was plotting to take over the government house by 2027.

Referring him as an agent provocateur may be appropriate just to describe his clomping around, struggling to be noticed, at least for his nuisance value. This is why I was reluctant, ab initio, to rebut.

Ihedigbo’s headache is that Abians and indeed, Nigerians have fallen in love with Kalu’s legislative prowess and technical competences. His worry is that individuals across the State have decided to group themselves in solidarity to his growing political profile and influences. So, for him, this is all about 2027 elections and for that, Kalu should be checked and stopped before he outwits and outflanks Governor Otti from the government house.

Of course, this alarm may be a sundry display of youthful exuberance but, for me, it is of cataclysmic impudence. Anyone who is very familiar with Kalu’s style of politics will attest to the fact that he has never been inebriated by the strength of the federal politics. He might be an opposition in Abia from Abuja but it is not in his totems to distance himself from issues that will contribute to the growth and development of his home State. Recall that he always attended important meetings of State during the administration of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu who was PDP. In the present regime, Kalu I’d also giving his unflinching support to Governor Otti. So, to have one street urchin line up some combustibles, ostensibly to injure the wall of relationship and destroy the affinity that exists between Otti and Kalu is to play the Devil’s advocate. And people like him should be kept far from the corridors of powers with serious alacrity as a way of containing their toxins.

For purposes of recapitulation, Kalu has a job in Abuja that he is passionately and diligently discharging. He is not talking politics. He’s talking governance and that is his lot for now.

It is needless to tell these mischief makers and alarmists that while they were basking in the euphoria of their unbridled, ignoble and ludicrous fantasy of gossips, Kalu was busy with state matters, engaging with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja, presiding over the plenary sessions, chairing the meetings of the Constitutional Review Committee in Lagos and attending the south east stakeholders meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State for the good of the country.

Now enter the Omotosho Dan guy from Opera news. For a better understanding of his role, call him a middlesome interloper. His swift chronological compilation of the publications and their torrential timelines gave him up as a mercenary. He wears the toga of a man recording many slips of his enemy but I got news for him: Kalu’s colleagues are pleased with him and he clearly understands that his position is a privileged one. The deputy speaker does not see himself as anybody’s boss but a servant-leader unanimously called by his contemporaries to serve them.

Dan also needs to understand the age-long rules of the House and the constitutional provision that in the absence of the speaker, the deputy speaker presides. And it also suffices to inform that speaker Abbas has explicit confidence in Kalu to run the affairs of the House in his absence with the support of the members.

Incidentally, these haters and wailing wailers (apologies to Mr. Femi Adesina) completely forgot the place of divine grace in Kalu’s geometric rise in politics.

Maybe, it will be right at this juncture to tell Dan that Hon. Cyril Hart did not stage a walk-out. You call it a walk-out when one leaves one’s seat in the course of an argument. But in this case, Hon. Hart resumed his seat after baring his mind to the deputy speaker at the plenary. He remained there until the gavel went down on the issue at stake. It was after the motion had been referred to the appropriate committee of the House that he left his seat. This was the case and nothing more. Maybe, I should also tell Dan that, procedurally, a matter of personal explanation has its time and does not happen midway into the proceedings or be allowed to take the place of matter of privilege. But Kalu as the presiding officer was fair on his colleague to have allowed him to speak under personal explanation instead of privilege at the time. Maybe, I should also go a step further to tell Dan that the lawmaker has since apologized and reconciled with Kalu as revealed by the deputy speaker at the plenary on Thursday last week. Maybe, I should also tell the writer that when a member at the plenary that same day demanded an unreserved apology from Hart for his conduct that painted all the first timers with the same brush, Kalu pleaded with him to allow the sleeping dog lie. That is the application of emotional intelligence. That is leadership. That is Kalu.

Of course, he doesn’t see himself as a demi god or a man on infallibilities. No. Kalu is human and therefore not immune from flaws and frailties. He also needs the support of his immediate colleagues, all and sundry to succeed. Success is what should matter to us all and not this orchestrated plan to pull him down.

As the days go by, watch him deliver on his mandate in another appreciable dimension.

•Nwabughiogu is the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.

July 25, 2024
Still on the Jos tragedy

Sir: In the annals of Nigerian history, events in Plateau State have made often made some of the more horrific headlines. This proved the case yet again when a two-storey school building belonging to Saints Academy in the Busa-Buji area of Jos, the state capital, collapsed, killing about 22 people and injuring many others including students on July 12.

Buildings have freely collapsed in the past to bury helpless and hapless people in rubble. Lagos State has been an epicentre of collapsed buildings as has Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, which has witnessed many episodes of what is a nightmare for masons who typically escape the squalor of their villages to make a risky living from building in the cities.

With quack contractors who have no qualms about lowering standards, and complicit regulators who have no compunction about looking away when their palms are generously and sufficiently greased, many of those who labour as builders always sit on ticking bombs until everything literally comes down burying them alive.

Read Also: No need for protest because I’ve heard your call – Tinubu tells Nigerians

According to experts drafted from the University of Jos, the collapse, which a survivor of the collapse described as ‘seeing the ground open to swallow them’, was as a result of a compromise to the physical integrity of the building. It means substandard materials were used and inferior labour and supervision employed in the building.

Today, Nigerians are unanimous in their agreement that corruption which corrodes good leadership is the force behind many of their problems. At the level of everyday Nigerians, corruption milks minutiae of daily events. The lecturer who asks students to pay to pass with either money or sex, the contractors who use inferior materials to build, and the students who alter their results to gain undue advantages are all complicit.

While those who have occupied positions of power in Nigeria must come under the fiercest scrutiny, the fact that they always pooled from Nigerians should provoke a deeper reflection. Since it appears that this pool is fetid, no saints can be found in Nigeria. If children who offer a glimmer of hope that a desperately stranded country can find its course are forced to eat the fruits of corruption right in the place where they are being formed to confront a deep malaise, hope is far away.

The school children, and all those who lost their lives in the tragic incident, deserve to know from wherever they are that building standards in Nigeria are enforced to ensure the safety of the living. The knowledge is the least that can be given to Nigeria’s latest victims.

•Kene Obiezu,

keneobiezu@gmail.com

July 24, 2024
A premature protest

Sir: The planned August 1 protest is ill-timed to say the least.

President Bola Tinubu is the latest to attempt to steady this desperately stranded ship. Having assumed office just over a year ago, the president has eschewed the volatile vindictiveness that was the trademark of his predecessor. His valiant attempts to unite the country as a necessary precursor to development is commendable. His appointments have shown that he comes prepared to deal a fair hand to every part of the country.

It has not been easy in a country that is ill at ease and Nigerians are entitled to their frustrations about the grinding cost of living in the country. Indeed, democracy invariably gives priority to the voices of those who live under it, recognizing in their rights, especially their right to free speech, its most important building bloc.

However, it appears that there are among Nigerians many who neither appreciate the intractability of their country’s problems or the ingenuity needed to fix them. The ignorance of these Nigerians is especially evident in their failure to acknowledge the fact that it would take time to fix their desperately ailing country. In fact, time is the ultimate curative in the pot of medicine needed to resuscitate Nigeria.

Should disgruntled Nigerians blame their woes which are many years in the making on a man who has barely had time to settle in office? Nigerians desire and demand a miracle worker, but experience has shown that politics abhors a miracle worker. Time oftens exposes politicians who pose as miracle workers because as soon as patience runs out, there is nothing left.

Nigeria has a legion problems to contend with, but President Tinubu is not one of the legionnaires. The least Nigerians can do for him is to give him time, especially as he is showing a fairness that previous Nigerian presidents were famished for.

Read Also: ‘Give me more time’ – Tinubu begs Nigerians

It is telling that since Nigeria returned to democracy, former soldiers have done 16 years as president out of a total of 25 years. President Tinubu, ex-presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Musa Yar’adua who have no military background have split the other eight years between them. But of this trio, President Tinubu is perhaps the only true democrat at heart. He was once exiled for advocating for democracy in the country, and he is unlikely to deploy the kind of force Muhammadu Buhari tragically unleashed on protesters in October 2020 at the Lekki Toll Gate.

While the government must at every juncture reiterate the right of protesters to protest, those who protest must heed their counsel that Nigeria deserves better. There are no good leaders without good followers, and good followership means courage and forthrightness. Courage necessarily means a willingness to admit difficult truths one of which is that the president has not had enough time to fix Nigeria’s many problems. Who even says that he is the one to fix Nigeria’s difficulties?

Nigerians will fix their country when they are ready to have a country that works. President Tinubu is but one person despite the enormous constitutional powers at his disposal as president. But he remains but a single person. He is not the permanent secretary in the ministry who has continued to steal and stash away millions of Naira of public funds. Neither is he the director who leads the syndicate siphoning all government contracts or the contractor who refuses to execute government contracts despite being mobilized for same. Is President Tinubu the do-nothing state governors who still receive the adulation of their people despite their chilling ineptitude the local government chairman who continues to steal whatever little funds reach him.

It is not the responsibility of President Tinubu to fix the mind-sets of Nigerians who have concluded that there is no redemption for Nigeria and are doing all they can to hasten the demise of the country.

As long as he remains the first citizen of the country, it will be unconscionable to absolve him of rightful blame, but it will also be unjust to apportion unnecessary blame to him. If Nigeria is to find its way out of the current doldrums, it will require layers and layers of accountability springing from the grassroots and cooling all the way to the highest office in the country. Without this, it will be impossible to fix Nigeria, even for a saint.

•Ike Willie-Nwobu,

ikewilly9@gmail.com

July 24, 2024
Makinde’s antipathy to LG fiscal autonomy

Sir: It was a shock listening to Governor Seyi Makinde on his stand on the recent judgement of the Supreme Court which financially liberated all the local councils from the stranglehold of the state governors.

Makinde, in presenting his opposing view to the judgement, set up two committees to review the judgement and to come up with recommendations.

Although there is nothing wrong in setting up committees by a governor to chart the next cause of action for the development of his state, it’s not only laughable but also ridiculous to see a governor trying to review the verdict of a court whose decision constitutionally binds all.

The last time I checked, the role of a governor in the Nigerian constitution has not been changed from executing the laws that were created by the state’s legislative arm. Interpretation of law is still the responsibility of the judiciary. So, why did the governor believe he could hijack the role of the judiciary by trying to interpret the law after the Supreme Court had made its final judgement on the issue of LG financial autonomy known? Was the governor proposing to challenge the decision of the apex court?

Makinde maintained that the judgement created a constitutional lacuna that will throw up different challenges at the local government level. He said that the Supreme Court judgement “is not a silver bullet that will wash away Nigeria’s problems.”

What I understand is that the law is meant to correct abnormally in the land and initiate normality for peace and progress to reign. I think it is incumbent on Mr Governor to clarify his belief that the Supreme Court judgement lacks influence to wash away Nigeria’s problems.

I think it’s imperative to inform the governor that the consequence of his move could be fatal as the constitution frowns at disobedience to court decisions and disrespect for judicial officers.

Here is a note of warning to the elected chairmen and Heads of Local Government administration. Makinde, as governor of Oyo State, enjoys immunity that protects him from being prosecuted while in office. But they (chairmen and LG officials) have no immunity to protect them in case there is misappropriation of LG funds. It’s on this note they need to be very careful in whatever transaction they make in their various local government areas.

The elected chairmen are accounting officers – though they are excluded from signing cheques and vouchers, they authorize all payments – while the Heads of LG administration and the Directors of Finance in the local councils are signatories to the accounts of the LGs. These people should understand that if there’s any attempt to do the governor’s bidding and go against the directive of the Supreme Court, they may face full wrath of the law.

Read Also: No need for protest because I’ve heard your call – Tinubu tells Nigerians

Apart from being protected by immunity, Makinde is never a signatory to the financial transactions of the local councils. He may not have a case to answer if there is any discrepancy or incompatibility between transactions and finances of the local councils. Hence, all the 33 local government chairmen in Oyo State are advised to desist from allowing themselves to be used to undermine the apex court judgment.

Does the governor still believe that the LG councils cannot function well unless they’re under surveillance? The performances of LG chairmen during the time that they depend financially on state governors are yet to be noticed because they (the chairmen) have no freedom to perform their duties to the fullest as a result of financial restrictions designed by the governors. Must the LGAs be left to suffer while the tradition continues?

Enough damage has been done to the LGAs across Nigeria; this is the reason the federal government took it upon itself to fiscally set free the chairmen from the governors’ hold for smooth and unhindered development at the grassroots. The governor should accept the judgement and allow the third tier of government to function without interference.

•Ademola ‘Bablow’ Babalola,

babalolaademola39@gmail.com

July 24, 2024
Rice only

Rice is on the front burner in the country, not only because of its inflation-induced high cost but also because the Federal Government announced that it will send 740 trucks of rice to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Under the arrangement, each state and the FCT is expected to get 20 trucks carrying 1,200 25kg bags each, which are to be distributed to the most vulnerable people.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, explained that sending the trucks of rice was part of the government’s moves to tackle hardship in the country.

However, a survey at the weekend was reported to have shown that only Kano State had received the consignment of rice in the northern part of the country; and in the South-West, only Oyo said the trucks had arrived.

In the South-South, only Akwa–Ibom, Rivers, and Bayelsa states were reported to have confirmed receiving the bags of rice. According to the report, “Delta State government said the rice had not been received as of Friday noon while Edo and Cross River States’ officials did not respond to inquiries.”

It is curious that only rice is involved in this arrangement. It brings to mind the food programme introduced by the Governor Umo Eno administration in Akwa Ibom State, in March, “to intervene in the high cost of food in our state.”

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Initially, under the so-called Akwa Ibom new deal, a state agency would sell 10kg bags of rice, beans and garri once a month to the vulnerable people in the state social register. The food subsidy scheme was later reviewed, and it became a free food programme under which the state government would give out 5kg bags of either rice, beans or garri.

During an enlarged State Executive Council meeting where the governor signed the bill establishing the agency into law, an attendee made a striking observation. The curious attendee had wondered how the state government selected the three food items to be sold by the agency, arguing that beans was the only protein in the list while rice and garri were carbohydrates. He, therefore, suggested the inclusion of eggs, another protein source.

Governor Eno said no to the idea. “Poor people don’t eat eggs,” he replied authoritatively. It was unclear if he had conducted a study on the diet of the poor in the state before arriving at such a conclusion. Eggs are considered nutritious, and have proven health benefits.

The Federal Government should be told that vulnerable people don’t eat rice only, and shouldn’t be made to eat rice only. There are other staple food items that are today beyond their reach because of food inflation in the country. The authorities should go beyond the provision of rice, and consider providing other food items as well.

July 23, 2024
Keep on keeping hope alive

Sir: Pessimism is a negative emotion of the mind – if not checked and controlled, could lead to many negative things that adversely affect the individual holding and radiating it in the community. Covert and overt activities of a pessimist result to bitterness, anger that poisons the adrenalin gland. A pessimist fantasizes hopelessness in (the place full of hope) and opportunities, such that he can knowingly or unknowingly bring chaos, which may provoke break down of law and order.

It is on this note, I advise Nigerians to keep hope alive and be patient to see how the eight-point’s agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR unfolds.

We have a listening president that listens with a view of joining forces with us to proffer solution. Campaign of calumny on persons of leaders and the government is not a solution to matters – it can only trigger off violent protests and vandalism. What do we gain to instigate street urchins, motor park boys, innocent youth to run amock and vandalize government building buildings, installations and property? Bring in your ideas and let government collate them for action. My own suggestion to the government led by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is – prioritise food infrastructure/welfare over road infrastructure and other infrastructural development, for now.

I consider food infrastructural provision and that of welfare to be the panacea that will bring calm to the raging storm. Funding of agriculture that the government is currently doing is good – for long term solution. The atmosphere and homes of ordinary Nigerians are charged with bitterness, hunger, inflation and disease while government appointees, politicians and elites are merry making and ready to dance macabre dance on top of the graves of poor Nigerians.

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We are not in famine but in the season ravaged by inflation. Inflation is a global economic phenonmeon; no country in the world of man is immuned to the scourge of inflation. The United States of America, United Kingdom etc, have experienced inflation. The youth should not allow disgruntled politicians, misguided and mischievous persons to instigate them to act of rioting and vandalism. Remember, those who allowed their heads to be used in breaking coco-nut, do not stay alive to eat of it.

Use of creative ideas remaains the best way of going about revolutionary change. Martin Luther King brought radical change with idea, Confucius through his Confucianism brought revolutionary change in China, late Pa Obafemi Awolowo brought democratic socialism – as a radical political idea in Nigeria. Bring out your own ideas, and stop violent extremism.

•Osung Edet, DSP (rtd),edetosungedet@gmail.com

July 23, 2024
Nationwide protest not the solution

Sir: The bold economic policies introduced by the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have led to a hike in inflation; making it difficult for people to meet their basic needs. The Head Line Inflation Rate rose to 34.19% in June 2024 from 33.95% in May 2024. It has also resulted in large foreign exchange losses for businesses, among other issues.

However, given the state of the economy when the government took office, these measures were necessary. There was a need for transformational, big-bang changes in economic policies, often referred to as ‘’shock therapy’’. The planned protest is unnecessary, as the government is fully aware of the short-term pains the Nigerian people are experiencing and is working around the clock to alleviate it. It is therefore important to highlight some of the major interventions and achievements of the present administration.

The federal government introduced a wage award of N35,000 for federal civil servants, pending the implementation of a new minimum wage. Some state governments followed suit and paid wage awards to civil servants in their states at different rates. The good news is that a new national minimum wage of N70,000 has been approved by the federal government and will be implemented once passed by the National Assembly signed into law by Mr President. The new national minimum wage represents a 133% increase from the current national minimum wage of N30,000. While it could have been more, considerations of affordability and sustainability were taken into account.

The government also made conditional direct cash transfers targeted at millions of households to improve their standard of living. Thousands of metric tons of foodstuffs have also been distributed to alleviate hardship. Many doubt the effectiveness of these interventions; therefore, it is important for the government to conduct independent audits on the efficacy of these intervention programs from time to time.

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To deal with the soaring prices of foodstuffs, President Tinubu approved the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes for the importation of certain food commodities, including husked brown rice, wheat, maize, and cowpeas, through land and sea for 150 days. He also approved the importation of 250,000 metric tonnes of wheat and maize, respectively. These measures are not intended to undermine the efforts of domestic farmers but to address the issue of scarcity that has led to soaring prices. Many believe that the government should have acted earlier.

The student loan scheme launched by this government is laudable. It will enable children from poor families to attend tertiary education, thereby increasing their chances of having a bright future and making them more useful to society instead of becoming miscreants and a burden and security risk. The introduction of a consumer credit scheme is another great achievement of this administration. This will help stimulate household consumption and the economy as a whole.

The clearance of a $7billion forex backlog by this government has led to increased foreign investor confidence, which is very commendable. The government has also been able to stabilize the exchange rate to a good extent and reduce the arbitrage between the parallel market and the official market. Exchange rate stability is important for businesses as it facilitates proper planning. The government should ensure that this stability is sustained.

The removal of the fuel subsidy, though causing hardship for Nigerians as transportation has become very expensive, has helped free up resources for the government to invest in critical areas of the economy, infrastructure, and security. It has also reduced pressure for borrowing. In the long run, fuel price is expected to decrease as domestic refineries commence production. The government should ensure that domestic crude is supplied to these refineries.

While protests are not the solution to Nigeria’s challenges and therefore unnecessary, there is still room for improvement on the part of the federal government. It should demonstrate care for the plight of the people through its actions and words. The government’s achievements should be properly publicized, emphasizing their importance. Just as the government has intervened in the food crisis, it would also be beneficial for the government to do all it can to reduce the cost of transportation, as it is a major driver of inflation.

•Kenechukwu Aguolu,Abuja.

July 23, 2024
Bago: Legacy of the farmer governor

Sir: In a nation where agriculture serves as the backbone of the economy and food inflation rises to 40 percent, the importance of visionary leadership in the agricultural sector cannot be overstated. Niger State’s governor Umar Bago, has emerged as a shining example of a leader who not only understands the significance of agriculture but also takes bold steps to revolutionize the sector for the greater good of the state and the nation at large. Bago’s unwavering dedication to transforming the state into a food basket for Nigeria is not just a lofty ambition but a well-thought-out strategy backed by concrete actions.

In his wisdom, Bago prepared 250,000 hectares of land spread across the 25 LGAs for cultivation and sourced 1000 tractors from the famous John Deere Ltd. in an effort to mechanise food production in Niger State. To the delight of Nigerlites, 500 of these tractors have been delivered to the state and the other half are expected to be dispatched anytime soon. Youths including women are being trained in the operation of tractors, harvesters, tillers, warehousing, packaging, and other farming techniques and are being deployed to various local government areas of the state to partake in the agricultural mechanization agenda of the farmer governor.

Through the Niger State Agricultural Mechanization Revolution for Food Security Emergency Initiative, Niger State is currently experiencing a transformative agricultural revolution that is delivering tangible advantages to farmers, consumers, and the broader economy. Noteworthy among these initiatives is the establishment of the special Agro-processing Free Zone, spanning 3000 hectares of land. Within this zone, 1000 hectares are designated for greenhouse cultivation, another 1000 hectares for dairy and meat processing facilities, and the remaining 1000 hectares allocated for general agro-processing activities.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the governor’s approach is his hands-on involvement in farming activities through the Niger-Food initiative. As a farmer governor, he leads by example, working side by side with farmers, sharing their challenges, and celebrating their successes. I’m particularly thrilled by the tripartite agreement on food production between Niger Foods, Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), and Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Niger State Chapter which systematically lured teachers into agriculture and food security.

Read Also: Expert eyes $10tr global green industry for Nigeria

Governor Bago’s vision goes beyond just increasing food production; it encompasses a comprehensive strategy to transform the agricultural sector into a modern, efficient, and sustainable industry that can meet the challenges of the 21st century. By strategically investing in infrastructure and enhancing market accessibility through a comprehensive roadmap of road construction and reconstruction projects including the Kontagora-Rijau, Minna-Bida dual carriage way, Bida-Zungeru Federal Road Project, Lemu Township Road, Minna-Kontagora, Bida-Zungeru, Lapai-Mokwa, and Minna-Suleja road initiatives, significant opportunities will emerge for farmers in Niger State. As one of the largest cattle-rearing states in the country, it will see improved livestock transportation.

Governor Bago’s commitment to making Niger State a powerhouse in agricultural production and feed the nation as a whole has not gone unnoticed though. It fetched him the prestigious Nigeria Excellence Award in Public Service and Leadership Governor of the year 2023 award. It has also secured him a seat in the Presidential Food System Coordinating Unit which was created to address the soaring prices of commodities and food crisis in the country. To prove his nomination into this presidential unit as a square peg into a square hole, Governor Bago gave out 50,000MT of foods to be sold at 50% discount in designated areas across the 25 LGAs of Niger State which are from Niger-Food dry season farming that’s initially meant for export.

As we commend Governor Bago for his bold decision to feed Nigeria, we are reminded of the power of visionary leadership in shaping the future of our nation. His story is not just a story of a farmer governor but a story of a leader who dares to dream big, who takes risks, and who works tirelessly to turn those dreams into reality. It is a shining example for leaders across the nation to follow.

•Adamu Bello Mai-Bodi, Azare, Bauchi State.

July 23, 2024
Dangote Refinery: A plea for caution, by Olowu Kuta

I am very proud, as I always do at home and abroad, to call myself a citizen of Nigeria, the blessed land of my forebears. From the bottom of my heart, I pledge to continue to be proud of Nigeria, come rain, and come shine because there is no other place on this planet earth to be called my natural home other than here.

I am also happy to say that my antecedent before and after I ascended to the throne of my ancestors as the 13th Olowu of Kuta in September 2012, has not contrasted with my love for and belief in Nigeria, both of which were recognised by the Federal Government of Nigeria in May 2023 when the then President Muhammadu Buhari conferred on me the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

In view of this national honour and my status as a royal father, I find it much more obligatory to share my view on the ongoing travail of the Dangote Refinery, a major private investment that sits on 2,635 hectares to produce and export petrol and ultimately saving Nigeria foreign exchange.

This unprecedented stride, to my senses, would reverse Nigeria’s reliance on other countries for petroleum supply. I read that we import about 90 percent of the petroleum products we consume locally. I also read that Nigeria imported 11.3 billion dollars in refined petroleum products in 2021 alone, making us the 18th largest importer of the products globally.

One can then imagine how excited I was when the news came out that the Dangote Refinery, construction of which started a decade ago and completed with $19 billion, would commence production at the end of the third quarter of 2022 and would reach full capacity in the first quarter of 2023.

I was more excited realising that hundreds of jobless Nigerians, especially our agitating youths would be employed by the 65000 barrel-per-day plant.

I was engrossed in that state of ecstasy and indeed expectant of the implementation of that promise, when suddenly I began to see an alarming sign of a danger to that prospect.

It first sounded like a joke and also appeared like a bad, protracted dream to me until I read that the date of the take-off had been shifted forward due to some logistics, particularly some grey areas that needed to be cleared with the sector regulatory authorities.

I was practically down when I read a report alleging that the head of the Nigerian Mainstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed made a complaint over the quality of products from the refinery.

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The CEO was reported to have complained that the diesel produced by the refinery contains a very large amount of sulphur content which, according to him, is harmful to vehicle engines, hence the continuous reliance on imported products with its predictable consequence on the young refinery.

At this juncture, I am stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. However, as a royal father, who must not be fair only but must also be seen to be fair, I have the responsibility to call on the government to aid the nationalist objective for which the refinery was built.

Nigeria, our great nation, emerging as the highest private petroleum exporter in Africa, is not a status and prestige we should throw out of the window. I, therefore, crave the understanding of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on this, for the feat will certainly add to the profile of his administration as that through which Nigeria attained that enviable height among the comity of nations.

This administration cannot afford to be seen as putting before prospective investors, unfriendly policies to discourage them from looking to the direction of the country for enterprises that could create jobs for the yawning youths.

President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, in his part, should be more open to further dialogue with the government through the NMDPRA to save his dream project from this seeming impasse.

There is no doubting the fact that several Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, have attached Aliko Dangote’s name to the monopoly of our nation’s economy, allegedly using his proximity with successive administrations to sustain his dominance of the economy evidently with his multi-sectoral investments, for instance, in cement, sugar and salt.

I think with his current experience over this multibillion-dollar refinery, it is high time he reviewed that identity by complying with the demands of the government if only for the sake of national interest.

To my understanding of elementary finance, it makes no economic sense for an investor of that magnitude to be operating below his investment capacity level as the refinery is unfortunately experiencing the disappointment and indeed pains of those of us who had seen a bigger picture of the project that, we had hoped and still believe, would end the perennial fuel crisis the nation has endured for about 50 years.

Owing to the current fuel challenges being faced in major cities of the country, we are impatiently looking forward to the August date on which the refinery is expected to supply the Nigerian market. We don’t want anything that would push the date forward again.

Finally, the federal government should look into the recent findings, through testing, made by members of the House of Representatives led by the Speaker, Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, disclaiming the allegation that Dangote diesel contains high sulphur levels.

To be double sure, the government can take a step further by conducting an independent investigation to ascertain the right quality of Dangote products and compare them with those imported by marketers.

We should be mindful of the fact that the success or otherwise of this refinery will spill over to Dangote’s interest in revamping our moribund steel industry. We shouldn’t throw away the baby with bath water.

Mr president as the father of the Nation and an undisputed patriot that we all know please save this Refinery now as many onlookers are already insinuating the current imbroglio to wrong political calculation on the part of Aliko,

Clarification of the Refinery as a Major critical National Asset that must be jealously protected despite the fact that it’s privately owned is my humble opinion.

God bless the Federal Government of Nigeria. God bless our patriotic President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.

– Written by Oba Adekunle Makama Oyelude CON, the Olowu of Kuta, Osun State, Nigeria.

July 22, 2024
In celebration of a remarkable journey: Olatunji Dare at 80

By Gbenga Omotoso

I am really excited to be the Lead Speaker on this important occasion put together by an important organization in celebration of the birthday of a Very Important Personality (VIP). I do not know how the Guild of Editors chose me for this all-important task.

Am I the most qualified to do justice to the theme of the day, “Same craft, changing times – the columnist as societal conscience”? I do not think so; there are many literary criticism experts who can do a good job of this theme. Incidentally, some of them are sitting right here in this hall.

Nevertheless, I thank The Guild and “The Nation” for this rare opportunity.

I may claim not to be an authority in dealing with the matter at hand, but I cannot in good conscience insist that I do not know the subject of this gathering well enough to say a few words about him. In other words, permit me not to dwell only on the writings of Prof. Olatunji Dare, one of Nigeria’s best-known journalists, journalism educators, and public intellectuals who, no doubt and by all standards, has remained the conscience of the society. I would like to look at our man beyond his art because he has had so much influence on many of us in the course of being a teacher, a mentor, an uncle, an adviser and a father-figure.

To Dare, identifying with young and ambitious people comes naturally. He would never allow them to get stranded – no matter the situation. I remember when “The Nation” made its debut on July 31, 2006, Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh and I launched a desperate search for writers. Many shunned us because they did not want to write for an unknown newspaper. They were not sure of the fate of the newspaper at a time when many publications could barely fend for themselves. Not Dare; he signed up immediately, saying: “Go ahead and use my name in whatever way you think will be of benefit to the newspaper.” What a relief for us! We went ahead to advertise that the respected Journalism teacher would be among the various frontline writers we would be parading. Besides, he took on the title of Editorial Adviser. He plays that role till date, using his deep experience in the trade to advise us on critical and sensitive stories.

Needless to say, many who were familiar with his writings switched their loyalty to “The Nation”. Dare wrote under the column “At Home Abroad” in which he treated various subjects that were topical in a manner no other columnist had done – in a humorous, hilarious and simple manner that drew attention to the column every week. But in his writings you would easily appreciate the complexity of the thoughts that resulted in the final work.

In Dare’s hands, words are like clippers in the hands of a barber; he can weave them together in a unique manner to deliver a fantastic submission week after week. He also wrote in very serious language to speak truth to power whenever the need arose. But some readers who could not comprehend his satire did not find it funny and they said so. The writer would laugh and urge them not to take offence. But he was not happy at being sometimes misunderstood because of his style. I understand why this is so. Dare, as a communications teacher, would not like to be charged with being esoteric and unable to communicate in a manner that many will understand. In other words, he would not want to be accused of talking to himself.

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However, to the subjects of the articles, either in military uniform or in flowing “agbada”, they were like a bullet that went through a tiny hole and tore its way out to inflict the maximum pain. They did not find them funny at all.

As I was saying, we found some frontline writers, among them Mohammed Haruna, the “Northern Star” who also drew substantial readers to the newspaper by making it representative of the Northern part of the country. Then, for several weeks, Mohammed Haruna’s column, “People & Politics”, did not appear in the paper. He was away on a rather long journey. I decided to fill the gap. Dare suggested the title of my column, “Editorial Notebook”. After some six or so weeks, Mohammed Haruna returned. I surrendered the column and announced that “Editorial Notebook” was rested. Prof. Dare called from his base in Illinois, United States, to advise me not to drop the column. “You can do it once in two weeks,” he counselled. I do not regret taking that advice as the column went on to win awards.

Reflecting on Prof. Dare’s journey, it is evident that his legacy is one of dedication, innovation, and compassion. His impact on journalism and the lives of those he has mentored is enduring. On this special day, we express our deepest gratitude for his guidance, support, and the invaluable lessons he has imparted.

Born on July 17, 1944, Prof Olatunji Dare began his academic journey studying Physics, a testament to his profound intellectual curiosity. However, his path took a transformative turn as he ventured into the world of journalism, where he has excelled.

I once wrote an article on the occasion of Prof. Dare’s birthday 10 years ago. Permit me to quote some paragraphs from that piece. “If Osoba is the Aremo (the chosen one, the favourite) of reporting in Nigerian journalism, Prof. Olatunji Dare is the Jose Mourinho (the Special One), the master satirist. To him, humour comes naturally. But many do not know that Prof. Dare was a Physics teacher.

“I have gained immensely from his amazing talent. In fact, to him I owe the name of this column. Dare finds it so easy to write on any subject, making something out of nothing and spicing it all up with a huge dose of humour, forcing you to laugh in a country where there is little to provoke even a smile.

“Like the late Baba Alabi, Dare detests errors. You dare not second guess him. He will reprimand you severely. But, ironically, he believes a newspaper is a miracle. “Every time a newspaper hits the newsstand, I know a miracle has happened,” says the professor, “because in the course of production, a thousand and one things could have gone wrong.”

“Many have written about Dare’s resolute stand on the June 12 debacle, how he refused to join The Guardian team that went to burnish the late Gen. Sani Abacha’s ego for him to reopen the newspaper, which he shut down in a senseless show of power, how their week was incomplete without reading “Matters Arising” and how he quit Rutam House.

“None has, however, recalled that Dare actually wore a lush beard for months – in protest against all that he went through. It is a tribute to his forgiving spirit that Mrs. Maiden Ibru, the publisher of “The Guardian”, was at MUSON Centre last Thursday when Dare was being honoured.

“Mrs. Ibru spoke of how great and influential the newspaper was, ascribing it all to the presence of many, including Dare. That was a remarkable tribute.” End of quote.

Indeed, no tribute will be complete without the dramatic exit of Prof. Dare from Rutam House. After the Abuja mission had been completed, a management meeting was summoned. It was resolved that those who were supposed to go to Abuja but refused should not partake in the fruits of the trip. In fact, I learnt, Prof. Dare was specifically named by proponents of that proposal. As the management was contemplating on who and how to break the news to Dare, he tendered his resignation letter. It was shocking. “Since I didn’t participate in the resolution of the crisis,” he was quoted as saying, “I think it will be unfair to those who did if I benefit from the gains of the trip.”

If this is not courage, I wonder what can be so called. Such is Dare’s stubborn disposition to the principles he holds dear.

Then he lost friends and relations as well as livelihood as the June 12 struggle continued. As the Abacha terror machine remained on the prowl, Dare left for the United States from where he continued to speak truth to power and torment his traducers.

The full story of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s barber-chair transition that culminated in the June 12 chaos is well captured in the book, “Diary of a Debacle (Tracking Nigeria’s failed Democratic Transition, 1989-1994)”, authored by Dare. He derides Babangida who he has not forgiven for his odious role in the tragedy and scorned to no end the Interim National Government (ING) headed by Abiola’s kinsman, the late Chief Ernest Shonekan, whose acceptance of the odd job, many said, foreclosed any bold attempt to restore Abiola’s mandate. All those who played one ignoble part or the other got thoroughly spanked by Dare at the least opportunity. He lashed the late Arthur Nzeribe whose rogue Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) threw a spanner in the works. Abimbola Davies, Justice Bassey Ikpeme and many others got scurrilous and bitter recriminations from Dare.

Going by his reputation. Dare deserves all the accolades that may be showered on him by those who still hold dear all the values the wordsmith represents – humility, hard work, courage in the face of daunting situations, generosity and trust. These are some of the hallmarks of a true “omoluabi”, which he personifies.

For nearly a decade, he served as editorial page editor and chair of the Editorial Board of “The Guardian”, where his award-winning and wide-ranging weekly column, in turn satirical and serious, attracted a wide appreciative national audience.

You will agree with me that his weekly column for “The Nation”, now in its 14th year, is of the same vintage and has drawn high praise for its insights, elegance and felicity of style.

Dare’s career has been distinguished by numerous achievements and sterling contributions. No fewer than two university students have found in his satirical writing the subject of their M.A. theses. It has also featured in courses on Stylistics in programmes in the English Department of some universities. To mark his contributions to journalism and to public discourse in Nigeria, 20 of his contemporaries, colleagues and former students on three continents in July 2014 presented a festschrift on his 70th birthday titled “Public Intellectuals, the Public Square & The Public Spirit: Essays in Honour of Olatunji Dare.”

Unlike many of today’s commentators who were never groomed in the art of reporting, Dare has been a reporter, filing reports from several parts of the world. His works have been published in “West Africa”, “Newsday”, and “The Seattle Times”.

In 1995, he was awarded the Louis M. Lyon Prize for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism, by the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University, in recognition of his steadfast commitment to journalism’s best practices.

Dare left Nigeria in 1996 to take up a faculty position at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois. He was honoured with the Hammet/Hellman Grant for Courage in the face of Political Persecution, presented by the global rights body, Human Rights Watch.

In summer 2000, he served as an editorial writer for “The Seattle Times”, based on a competitive fellowship awarded by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Previously, he had conducted journalism workshops in Zimbabwe, Ghana, and across Nigeria.

Dare’s numerous prizes include the Nigerian Media Review award for Informed Commentary, the Faculty Award in Teaching Excellence as well as the Faculty Award for Excellence in Scholarship from the Slane College of Communication and Fine Arts, and the President’s Prize for Meritorious Service from Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois, where he was a full professor until August 2015 when, on his retirement, he was named Professor of Journalism, Emeritus.

He was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Nigeria Media Review in 2018. Dare earned the first-ever First Class (summa cum laude) degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, where he subsequently became senior lecturer in journalism. He also holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, in New York, where he was the prizeman in Editorial Writing, and a Ph.D. from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, with twin concentrations in International Communication and Public Policy.

A much-travelled journalist, Dare has reported from more than a dozen datelines on three continents and interviewed several statesmen of global stature. Only a few reporters can match the list; it is long: Former President of Togo Gnassingbe Enyadema; the late Nelson Mandela of South Africa; Jonas Malheiro Savimbi, the Angolan revolutionary, politician, and rebel military leader who founded and led the National Union for the Total Independence; Helmut Schmidt, the former West Germany Chancellor; the late Mathieu Kèrèkou, former President of Benin Republic; Kenneth Kaunda, former President of Zambia who served as the first president of Zambia from 1964 to 1991; Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India.

Dare interviewed also Salim Ahmed Salim, former OAU Secretary General; F. W. De Klerk, former South African President and Mangosuthu Buthelezi, former leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Premier of KwaZulu Natal Province and one of the prominent politicians of the apartheid era.

In “The Columnist’s Agenda”, my contribution to “Nigerian columnists and their art”, edited by Lanre Idowu, another distinguished journalist and publisher, I wrote: “A good column should be like a soothing balm, giving hope where there seems to be hopelessness. In it must be found the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. It must be exciting. It must be humorous, with a sting in the tail. And it must give the reader, always, something to remember.”

I then went on to name some of the great columns ever run in Nigerian newspapers, among them Olatunji Dare’s “Matters Arising”. I wrote: “It was one of the longest running columns in “The Guardian”. Many years after it stopped running, many are still enamoured of the column’s style – witty, breezy, yet deep and, sometimes, hilarious, full of satiric punches that evoked tears and laughter at the same time.”

It is difficult, even for the best of critics, to pick Dare’s best articles. Indeed, some stand out. In “Thoughts on birthday gifts”, published in “The Guardian” of August 13,1991, Dare writes: “An unfailing dependable source tells me some enterprising young Nigerian journalists have placed an order for a specially designed pocket mirror, to be presented to the Minister of Information, Chief Alex Akinyele, on his next birthday … .” The late Chief, with his trademark moustache, was always dandy, fashionable. He was arguably easily the most recognizable of all public officials of his era. This article won the prize for Informed Commentary at the First Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME).

Nor would anybody forget “The vanishing Calabar man”.

Readers of “The Nation” may have noticed that “At Home Abroad” has not been as regular as it used to be. I was moved recently when Prof. Dare confided in me that he might rest the column. “I have said all that I should; let others have their say,” he told me.

I disagree sir. You once told us that you would continue to write for as long as we felt you were making sense. You still make so much sense. Please, keep the flag flying. Should this be impossible, we will surely show understanding.

Happy 80th birthday sir. May your day be filled with joy and celebration, and may you continue to inspire us all with your wisdom and kindness. Here’s to many more years of health, happiness, and cherished moments.

Omotoso is Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy

July 22, 2024