The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • Lamorde, EFCC brain box exits

    Lamorde, EFCC brain box exits

    Sir: Sunday morning, l was jolted from sleep by the sad news of lbrahim Lamorde’s passing.

    The departed was with the EFCC from the beginning, and was part of the trio of Ribadu and Magu whose activities made the EFCC the dreaded organisation for the corrupt and saboteurs of the nation’s economy.

    While Nuhu Ribadu held sway as the executive chair of the EFCC, Lamorde was the quintessential Director of Operations who handled and co-ordinated the field operations of the commission. He was the tried, tested and trusted ally of Ribadu, who in turn relied  on Magu of the Economic Governance Unit for effective investigations of the earliest high profile cases of corruption in that era. The departed was the “engine box” who spoke sparingly but was polite, effective and efficient. Warm, unassuming and accessible, Lamorde worked seamlessly with Ribadu as if both were Siamese twins.

    The early structures and personnel of the EFCC were put in place by himself and a few of the earliest pioneer staff of the commission under the leadership of the irrepressible Ribadu. The agency’s image soared and the fear of EFCC was the beginning of wisdom.

    When Nuhu Ribadu was eased out in controversial circumstances, Ibrahim Lamorde never betrayed the cause. He remained the silent investigation and intelligence officer committed to the war against corruption.

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    The departed was to return to EFCC after the inspiring stint of Farida Waziri as EFCC chair. He was brought back to the agency and appointed chair by the Jonathan administration. Again, he served diligently and effectively. The Buhari administration opted for Magu and Lamorde was redeployed back to the police where he served in the intelligence units and was serially promoted first as AIG and later to the position of a Deputy Inspector General before his dignified exit from service.

    I recall my last encounter with the deceased at his private residence at Abuja on a courtesy call. He was quite receptive and warm and seemed to be enjoying his retirement peacefully.

    During the encounter, we exchanged banters. He was without airs as usual, and actually walked me to the door as l made my way out after about one hour robust conversation.

    Many who encountered him will attest to his simplicity and sonorous voice, almost feminine voice.

    Lamorde was kind and gentle. He was courteous, accessible and accommodating. He made friends with the high and mighty.

    A man of few words, the departed was more of action than words.

    Adieu, lbrahim Lamorde, former chair of EFCC and a damn brilliant police officer.

    •Wahab Shittu, SAN,Lagos.

  • Attention, Oba Ghandi; Soun of Ogbomoso

    Attention, Oba Ghandi; Soun of Ogbomoso

    Sir: I applaud your royal majesty in attracting more glory to the ancient town of Ogbomoso and its environs. We pray most fervently that your labour shall yield the most rewarding dividends that will make generations of future of Ogbomosos and neighbouring people to remember Oba Olaoye Ghandi for good.

    This is to draw your attention to some market unions or trade associations that have formed themselves into illegal cartels for orchestrating upward manipulation of price goods in the town. To be factual, these associations are creating more harm than good to the socio-economic growth of Ogbomoso. Because, they would come together to determine what prices beans, gari, elubo, edu, palm oil, charcoal, agriculture products etc. should be sold and to determine that nobody in a particular market should take goods from any other person except members of their association. This in most cases lead to price gouging, anti-competitive conduct and some commercial issues that certainly contributes to the extremely high food prices, other commodities and services. The actions of these associations or a group or combination of businesses are affecting in diminishing free market competition is wrong and most unacceptable especially in town like Ogbomoso, with rising poverty, population and inflation.

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    As a matter of fact, trade unions and market associations should know that they should promote commerce and not destroy trade. They are vital and important to business; they are important to the wellbeing of the society but there are limitations on what they should engage in. One of the most important limitations is the control of supplies or affecting trade and commerce in a manner that reflects in price.

    Recently, Oba (Dr.) Adesimbo Kilade, Jilo III, the Osemawe of Ondo due to the high cost of food items and commodities in his domain as a result of the abnormal traders activities declared Ondo markets free and open for every legal traders. Likewise, couple of weeks ago, Alayeluwa, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, the Owa-Obokun of Ijesa directed that no individual must be compelled or forced to join any trade association before he or she can engage in legal businesses of their choice. The cry of joy and pleasant remarks that followed the declaration by both Osemawe of Ondo and Oba Aromolaran is proof that people are extremely tired of the excesses of trade or market associations.

    Kabiyesi, the people of Ogbomoso too are tired of the abnormally high cost price of goods and services due to the monopolistic activities of many trade or market associations in the town. The citizens’ exploitation of fellow citizens through business or trade manipulation is a crime against humanity and God which these so-called trade unions are less concerned. There is no doubt, if we do not prioritise that, it will continue and it would affect the growth and development of our town. The purpose of competition regulation is to unlock the market and enable it to behave the way it should and let price be negotiated between a seller and a buyer, which is always the surest way to arrive at the fairest possible price.

    We call on your royal majesty to look into the plight of the people of Ogbomoso and if possible sir, you can use your good office as Osemawe and Oba Aromolaran did in their respective domains on abnormal activities of many trade unions and market associations in order to bring comfort to the people.

    • Sunday Ogunkuade Ogbomoso.

  • Ensuring that our children are safe online

    Ensuring that our children are safe online

    Sir: In today’s interconnected world, children are increasingly exposed to the vast landscape of the internet from a young age. While the digital realm offers boundless opportunities for learning, creativity, and social interaction, it also harbours numerous risks that can pose threats to children’s safety and well-being. From cyberbullying and online predators to exposure to inappropriate content, the online world presents challenges that parents and caregivers must navigate to ensure their children’s safety.

    As children immerse themselves in the online world at increasingly younger ages, the need to safeguard their digital experiences has never been more critical. While the internet offers unparalleled access to information and social interaction, it also exposes our young ones to a multitude of threats that can have lasting repercussions on their physical, mental, and emotional health. Cyberbullying, for instance, has become a pervasive issue, with harmful messages and malicious behaviour leaving deep scars on impressionable minds. Likewise, the anonymity of the internet provides fertile ground for predators seeking to exploit and manipulate unsuspecting children, posing a grave danger to their safety and well-being.

    The unrestricted flow of content on the internet means that children are exposed to a wide array of material, not all of which is suitable for their eyes and ears. Explicit imagery, hate speech, and violent content can seep into their digital spheres, leaving them vulnerable to harmful influences and desensitization to violence and inappropriate behaviour. Left unchecked, these online hazards can have profound effects on children’s development and shape their attitudes and behaviours in ways that may not be immediately evident.

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    In the face of these challenges, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a promising solution to protect our children and foster a safer online environment. AI technology offers a multifaceted approach to addressing the complexities of child online safety, leveraging advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities to mitigate risks and empower parents and caregivers.

    One of the most impactful applications of AI in child online safety lies in content filtering and moderation systems. Traditional methods of filtering content often fall short in accurately identifying and blocking harmful material, relying on manual review processes that are slow and prone to errors. AI-powered filtering systems, however, excel in analysing vast datasets with unparalleled speed and precision, enabling more effective identification and removal of inappropriate content before it reaches young users.

    AI-driven parental control tools provide parents with the means to manage and monitor their children’s online activities more effectively. Features such as website blocking, time limits, and activity monitoring empower parents to set boundaries and enforce responsible behaviour, fostering a safer and healthier digital environment for their children. Also, AI algorithms can analyse usage patterns and detect potentially risky behaviours, such as excessive screen time or interactions with unknown users, alerting parents to intervene and address concerns promptly.

    In the realm of cyberbullying prevention, AI technologies play a crucial role in identifying and addressing instances of harassment and abuse. By employing natural language processing (NLP) algorithms, AI can analyse text-based communications to detect signs of bullying behaviour in real-time, enabling platforms and moderators to take swift action to protect victims and address perpetrators. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants offer children personalized guidance and support on staying safe online, engaging them in conversations about internet safety and empowering them to make informed decisions.

    As we harness the potential of AI to protect our children online, it is paramount to address ethical considerations and privacy concerns associated with its implementation. Safeguarding children’s privacy rights and ensuring responsible use of personal data are essential principles that must guide the development and deployment of AI technologies in child online safety. Transparency, accountability, and adherence to strict guidelines and regulations are imperative to building trust and confidence in AI-driven solutions.

    AI technology holds immense promise in safeguarding our children’s digital well-being and creating a safer online environment for them to explore, learn, and connect. By leveraging AI-powered content filtering, parental controls, cyberbullying detection, and educational resources, we can empower parents, educators, and policymakers to protect our youngest digital citizens effectively. However, it is essential to approach AI implementation with care and foresight, ensuring that our efforts to safeguard children online are not only effective but also ethical and respectful of their rights and privacy. Together, let us navigate the digital frontier with vigilance and compassion, ensuring that our children’s online experiences are enriching, empowering, and above all, safe.

    •Wale Bakare, <wale@webfalainitiative.org>

  • Pattern of lawlessness

    Pattern of lawlessness

    Three recent cases in which the country’s security agents unlawfully caged journalists had one striking thing in common. In each case, the journalist involved was reported to have been “abducted” by security agents. This is disturbing, particularly its frequency.

    The latest case involved Madu Onuorah, the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Globalupfront, an online medium. “About ten fully-armed policemen stormed his residence in Lugbe, Abuja, in two Sienna buses,” the medium’s management said in a statement following the May 22 incident, which was said to have happened “in the presence of his wife and children who fruitlessly demanded from the police why they were arresting the head of the family.”

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    The police seized his phones, “thereby completely cutting him off from communication with people, including his family members,” they said, adding, “He was not even allowed to contact his lawyer or any of his relations before he was whisked away to the Lugbe police station by the stern looking operatives.”

    A subsequent statement said he was released on bail on the night of May 23 “by Enugu State Police Command who requested the Ebonyi Police to abduct him for them.”

    Before this was the case of another journalist, Daniel Ojukwu, who works for the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).  FIJ said Ojukwu “was abducted by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector-General of Police” on May 1. When he was located at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Lagos, he had been “held incommunicado for three days, with no access to legal representation.”  He was later transferred to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) in Abuja, where he was further detained for five days before his release on bail.  He was accused of violating the Cybercrime Act.

    Before this, in an oppressive operation, agents of the Nigerian military invaded the home of Segun Olatunji, the then General Editor of FirstNews, an online medium. They took him away from his Abule-Egba home in Lagos State, on March 15.  The military denied knowledge of his whereabouts. They flew him to Abuja blindfolded, and detained him for two weeks under harsh conditions before eventually releasing him following public and professional outcry. Olatunji said they asked him about certain stories published in FirstNews, concerning the Chief of Defence Intelligence and the Chief of Staff to the President.

    This pattern of lawlessness by the country’s security agents against journalists is condemnable. The authorities should not encourage it by their silence and inaction. 

  • Democracy, governance and credible elections (2)

    Democracy, governance and credible elections (2)

    Let’s come to the issues of recruitment and selection. All over the world, leadership is what changes history. Think of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, led by leftist revolutionary Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, aka, Vladimir Lenin, and come to terms with the fact that followership are just extras in a movie! Or, was it ‘the people’ or a determined leadership comprising few people like Awolowo, who made the deserved changes during the Action Group days? Was it ‘the people’ who built Ghana’s Volta Dam as a testimony of tenacity and human courage for which Kwame Nkrumah was ultimately sacrificed?

    In Nigeria, what’s the position of training a cadre? Mhairi Black was 20 years and 237 days old when she was elected into the British House of Commons but she has been involved in politics since the age of 12. Gordon Brown who eventually became the British Prime Minister was already distributing leaflets for the Labour Party at the age of 13! In our clime, politicians are not there because they are interested in politics but because it’s a survival kit. Most of the taxi drivers in Ghana have converted their cars from Petrol to GAS (LPG). With good leaders in the saddle, shouldn’t Nigeria have attained this feat some five years back? Since cassava is grown in large quantities, shouldn’t there have been ethanol plants that could turn cassava into ethanol?

    Yes, we can have all the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) in the world but an election starts from the ease of registration, ease of changing the registration and allied stuff. With these in mind, why has it been cumbersome for people to be registered in Nigeria? Of course, this wasn’t so in the past! More importantly, to change one’s registration at that time when there was no technology wouldn’t take more than two days! Tragically, Nigeria is now a different story entirely! Consider the amount of disenfranchisement going on in our universities and you’ll pity dear fatherland! The optics of the situation are so bad that even with technology in place, a student who registered at Osun State University in Osogbo but who is now on the post-study compulsory year-long national service in Calabar cannot vote. With technology, it should be easy for such a soul to change his or her registration! But that’s not so here! At every step, a man who registered in Katsina State but has now secured a job opportunity in Ogun State shouldn’t find it difficult to change his registration within two minutes. After all, aren’t we now sending money from Oyo State to Abia State via the telephone in seconds?

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    Keiichiro Hirano, in ‘At the End of the Matinee’, remarked: “People think that only the future can be changed, but in fact, the future is continually changing the past. The past can and does change. It’s exquisitely sensitive and delicately balanced.” Beyond any doubt, change is in the possibility of time and the total resolve of the critical mass of the population of a given society is what makes a change to come. For change to happen in any society, the governance aspect must be headed by a man or woman of understanding who can see the vision through. What’s more? The flow of change must be smooth and seamless; otherwise, social hiccups are capable of disorganizing any society. Well, were this dispensation to be headed by one nincompoop somewhere, one would have been sensing danger in the foreseeable future. But President Bola Tinubu is one king of the street who has an advantage of street wisdom. He is also an enigma who has mastered the business of governance. As fate would have it, these have mushed together to project the leadership structure for this administration.

    Much is expected from Tinubu because he already has a track record of being a progressive. He commendably fought the Olusegun Obasanjo regime on the basis of a sensible federalist position. And now that the starting gun has been fired, it only remains for him to take control of the ladder. Now that history is right therefore before him, Nigerians expect the president to demonstrate his commitment which is laudable to a federalist state. The president must first and foremost see himself as a patriotic, original Nigerian who is above tribal, religious and clannish sentiments.

    Tinubu’s government is expected to dust the Uwais Report which so far has attacked all forms of elections and democratic deficits in Nigeria. Since governance and credible elections are interwoven, that the Report has continued to gather dust has only shown that successive governments were not interested; and that’s too bad for democracy.

    Unlike countries like Brazil, Australia, Argentina and Seychelles where voting is mandatory, it is because Nigerians have switched off that voter turnout in Nigeria has successively become pathetically low. In the aforementioned countries, a defaulter could be fined the equivalent of the minimum wage but do our leaders even pray for mandatory voting in Nigeria? Unlike what obtains in sane climes where elections are permanent campaigns of sorts, elections in Nigeria are just four-yearly rituals.

    In the normal manner, Nigeria should by now be thinking about Diaspora voting, for Nigerians abroad cannot be contributing more than $20b to the country’s economy annually without having the right to vote. Remove $20b from Nigeria’s Balance of Payments and current accounts and one doesn’t need to be an econometrician before understanding that NGN would by now have been standing at N1,800.00 to the dollar. Again, if Diaspora voting could happen in Kenya, why has Nigeria remained an effort flying in the air?

    Tinubu’s government also needs to fight for a living wage to act as a reflationary stimulus to attract investments. In doing that, it should go to the Awolowo school of thought which saw the living wage as an investment thing. Besides, it’s time Nigeria went back to the past in terms of a constitutional rearrangement that’s based on production, not consumption, to prevent the roads of governance and elections from being tarred with sharing, for he who controls the government controls the cutting of the cake. Nigerians are suffering and are finding it difficult to breathe. But, since the poor on this part of the globe are not organized, they can only cry but their voices won’t be loud enough to attract reasonable attention.

    Have we forgotten that majority of the adherents of ‘dìbò kóo sebè’ (vote and collect money for a pot of soup) political arrangements are the uneducated and the unlettered? Of course, when this class is obliterated, it means that the country is growing. After all, we all know what that means in a country like Nigeria where the poor must be kept perpetually poor! The notorious truth is that there will be no peace until the masses get back their society for, when the people are not gainfully employed, they will be engaged, of course at a cost that governments across board don’t seem to understand. Obviously, that’s what’s giving the government some leverage; and that’s what has paved the way for all sorts of mix. That’s what the fracas in Rivers State is all about! That it is about good governance is just a rumour in the Tea Room!

    Lastly, let it be noted that a country that allows a people who formed themselves together for the reason of the security of the stomach has already opened the door to terror and associated consequences. Therefore, unless Nigeria goes back to the spirit of the 1963 Constitution, the country will continue to be a familiar figure in labour loss!

    May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!

  • Abiodun: Double portions from a tripartite covenant

    Abiodun: Double portions from a tripartite covenant

    By Kunle Somorin

    Sometimes, destiny has a way of playing a fast one of mortals or giving them a reason to tie their journeys to certain events, past or future. Whether many subscribe to it or not, there are things we identify with or are identified by that tell some stories about our personality. For instance, some people believe that when it rains during a funeral, the deceased is most likely heading to paradise. Others attach coincidental accomplishments to the “good legs” of a newborn or a newlywed. 

    I hadn’t given many of those interpretations much thought until recently when I stopped taking the birth date of one great Nigerian for granted. On May 29, 2019, Prince Dapo Abiodun was first sworn in as the chief executive officer of the Gateway State. Coincidentally, May 29 happens to be the governor’s birthday. These days, I can’t help but tell myself that this illustrious man was born on political transition day for a reason!

    Though not many will agree that he’s the best governor the 48-year old state has had, but most are in agreement that he’s one governor that has fought more battles than his predecessors in the hands of one of them. Many more will say he did his very best, brought panache, élan, commitment, focus and through fortuitous circumstances achieved inclusive governance in the face of daunting challenges and intimidation. So far, he has provided answers to opposition from within his political party and outside opposition outside his party have been tamed with a carrot and stick mentality and genteel assemblage of forward-looking politicians and inveterate technocrats in his cabinet in a manner that has changed the face of governance in the state, permanently.

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    The Dapo Abiodun administration’s systematic approach to governance, which saw him lay a solid foundation for the implementation of deliberate policies, programmes and projects within the first six months in office, has led to predictable yet unprecedented success in the socio-economic transformation of the state. Within five years, his clear template and deliberate action plan on how to transform the state by implementing the “Building Our Future Together” agenda, has yielded unprecedented results.  His five developmental columns of I-S-E-Y-A: Infrastructure; Social Development and Well-being; Education; Youth Development, and; Agriculture and Food Security are unmatched by any state governor in Nigeria.

    From the dismal public infrastructure he inherited roads: rural and urban, water, electricity and housing, the song changed the deleterious landscape on Ijebu-Ode-Mojoda expressway to Epe in Lagos State, the Sagamu Interchange to Abeokuta will make most governors in other states green with envy. Even the intra-city roads from Ilaro to Ilara, Ajebo to Ajenbadele, Odeda to Odogbolu, Iwopin to Iwoye, Iperu to Ipokia, Sango- Ota to Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode to Ijoko, Igbesa to Igbogila, the story has been that of transformation.

    By prioritizing the construction and rehabilitation of roads. From the day he was sworn in – his birthday – the governor made a solemn vow to the people of Ogun that infrastructure, especially good road network, was crucial to his administration’s investment drive. That is why roads across the state are being aggressively constructed and rehabilitated. This also led him to establish the Ogun State Public Works Agency (OGPWA). Within the past five years, the governor has either completed or is working on roads in all of its 20 local government areas, spanning almost a thousand kilometres and mainly Federal Government (Trunk A) roads.

    An accomplished businessman, Prince Abiodun was always keen on exploring the opportunities presented by Ogun’s geo-location. To him, the state’s proximity to Lagos and its gateway status to the West African market through Benin Republic should propel the state into economic prosperity. He established investment agencies, such as the Ogun State Enterprise Development Agency (OGSEDA), to provide entrepreneurial literacy services, capacity development and access to start-up capital to support Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

    These, most times, in in line with his late dad’s directive before he came into office and in consonance with the “tripartite covenant between me and God, on one part, to serve Him and reciprocate His faithfulness through the journey so far by being a tool to bring the greatest good to the greatest number of Ogun State people, regardless of creed, gender and political affiliation. On the other part, it is also a covenant with the good people of Ogun State.”

    Five years may not amount to much, yet DA’s Midas touches are everywhere. The governor that has triple internally generated fund from N50bn to N150bn is making good on his promises, distributing social infrastructures evenly in all parts of the state, whether assessed via senatorial districts, or the well-known ethno-geographical classifications, namely Remo, Ijebu, Yewa and Egba, which we know as “RIYE”.  In housing, for instance, close to 4000 units of flats have constructed in Kemta-Idi Aba, Kobape in Abeokuta, Ilaro, and Sagamu, beside the avant-garde, urban regeneration buildings across our Government Reserved Areas and the Muhammadu Buhari Estate in the State capital. Also, the administration is changing the landscape with urban renewal and blazing the trail in public transportation with compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. Of course, the agro-cargo airport is an icing on the cake.

    Recently, when many states were experiencing protests as a result of the high cost of living crisis, Prince Abiodun was unfazed by any risk of a spillover into his state. While there were protests elsewhere, the people of Ogun State were receiving a very unique kind of Valentine’s Day present, as the governor rolled out palliatives worth over ₦5 billion to reduce hardship during the current cost of living crisis and to better the lives of people. Prince Abiodun his government was not oblivious nor insensitive to the challenges being faced by the citizens and would leave no stone unturned to ensure that succour came to the people. He also appreciated the perseverance, patience and understanding of all residents in the state, assuring them that the present economic situation is just a transient phase that will soon pass.

    Having traversed the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, I know the long way social interventions go in the lives of people. When I served as his official spokesperson, I was surprised by the foresight, diligence and effectiveness with which the governor goes about impacting the lives of Ogun people. The provision of a minimum of five exercise books for all 850,000 students in public primary and secondary schools, as well as a one-off N10,000 education support grant for at least 100,000 pupils and students in public primary and secondary schools in the state, is already extraordinary. Then he announced the provision of N50,000 each to all 27,600 of its indigent students in tertiary institutions nationwide as an education grant! He didn’t stop there, food palliatives, such as rice, vegetable oil and other items are being provided for 300,000 households across the state. Part of the initiatives is the commitment of N500 million towards the offsetting of the backlog of deductions from civil servants’ entitlements and additional N1bn quarterly gratuities to retirees inherited from the previous administration. There is a reason why Ogun State is peaceful!

    Prince Abiodun has hacked the cheat code of good governance at the sub-national level and has demystified quality leadership in such a way that makes his shoes already heavy for his predecessor. What’s more, he has been able to do so just five years out of the eight years of two terms the constitution permits him to spend as a governor. Only God knows how unmatched his legacy will be by the time he bows out on May 29, 2027… Again, on his birthday!

    Born on 29 May 1960 to the late Dr. Emmanuel Abiodun and Mrs. Victoria Abiodun in Iperu Remo, Ogun State, Prince Abiodun comes from the royal family of Iperu. He attended the prestigious Christ’s School Ado Ekiti and later St. Joseph’s College, Ondo before earning a 1986 BBA in Accounting from Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, Georgia. He has also been a serial entrepreneur and Chairman of the board of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) before winning against all odds the governorship election of Ogun State in March, 2019.

  • Who needs multiple identity cards?

    Who needs multiple identity cards?

    • By Oladele Oladipupo

    Sir: All over the world, identity card plays an important role not only that but also serves as a means of identification. In most of the developed countries such as the United Kingdom(UK) and the United States of America(USA) they possess only one major identity card which they use in their day to day transactions.

    Recall that during the administration of former President Muhamodu Buhari, the federal government initiated the policy of linking the National Identity Number, NIN with telephone numbers. The reason the federal government gave was that it would assist the law enforcement agencies in tracking down the criminals. In the process of trying to link the NIN with the telephone numbers, most Nigerians wasted their valuable time and resources. Recently, it was reportedthat the National Identity Management Commission(NIMC) had announced plan to launch three new national identity cards for citizens across the country. The three new national identity cards as planned by NIMC include a bank enabled national identity card, a social intervention card and an optional ECOWAS national biometric identity card.

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    I think it is time for our policy makers to put on their thinking cap and do the needful. Obviously, right now the country is facing many challenges that require urgent attention such as insecurity, erratic power supply, ailing economy, unemployment and infrastructural decay. As far as I am concerned, the idea of printing three new national ID cards should be discarded right away because we do not need new identity cards.

    To be candid, the masses in this country are really suffering, most Nigerians are going through hell, our economy is in comatose state and people can hardly feed themselves. We have four refineries in this country and for the past 10 years the federal government had spent billions of naira on the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) but up till now none of the refineries is working.

    Now, the federal government has just announced an increase of electricity tariff from #65kwh to #225kwh. Where do we go from here?

    We do not need three new identification cards. In order for the country to forge ahead, let us adopt the NIN as our single and authentic identity card for now. There is no basis for the government to print new cards. The resources that are supposed to be used in printing new cards can be channeled into infrastructural development and provision of jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.

    •Oladele Oladipupo,

    oladeleoladipupo@gmail.com

  • Still on Mariga and the fate of the girl-child

    Still on Mariga and the fate of the girl-child

    • By Ike Willie-Nwobu

    Sir: Recently, a prominent face of northern patriarchy zoomed himself into the Nigerian experience in the form of Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly. As part of his constituency project, the speaker had planned to sponsor the wedding of about 100 girls in Mariga Local Government Area where he comes from. The wedding was fixed for May 24 until outrage, public and piercing, forced him to abandon his plans.

    Given the inherent impunity of Nigeria’s ruling class, the speaker may have conveniently ignored social media hounds but for the timely intervention of Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, a lawyer and Minister of Women Affairs who petitioned the Inspector General of Police and made efforts to procure a court order to halt the mass marriage.

    Might Sarkindaji be genuinely out to make a difference having read the mood but what difference can early (and possibly forced) marriage make in the life of vulnerable orphans?

    If marriage was all the Speaker could give girls rendered vulnerable by gender and the vagaries of life, then he should return to the classroom for intense lessons on gender justice and equality. If he thinks girls are only good for marriage, then nothing is left to the imagination about the direction the NSHA under him will take on issues that affect the girlchild.

    The mentality that values women and girls by how marriageable they are is an age-long predation of patriarchy, one tied to the commoditization and exploitation of women.

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    What about education, especially in STEM courses where girls might have been excellent under the right conditions?

    At a time when the foundation of many marriages is creaking with the roof threatening to cave in, why does marriage still overshadow conversations about the welfare of women and girls?

    Nigerians love public spectacle, but often lack the stamina to see issues through. But this must be different. At stake is the welfare of more girls than the small sample in Mariga which would have been married off but for the timely intervention of Nigerians. That is the power of vigilance. The embarrassed Speaker may have beaten a hasty retreat, but it is suspected that he cannot wait for the minister to return to Abuja where the Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN) will be waiting with its team of five Senior Advocates of Nigeria and others to contend with the minister.

     Pray, MULAN, what choice has the loss of parents to banditry left vulnerable girls than marriage? None, absolutely. It is shameful

    A country that offers nothing but early marriage to its girls is a country stirring its death broth.

    The speaker even had the cheeks to express his disappointment in the minister of women affairs for choosing to believe “social media reports”. His colleagues in the NHSA should be disappointed in him. But history suggests they won’t.

    As for the girls who have lost everything to banditry and the brutal bandwidth of predatory patriarchy, this is yet more blows. But survive they will for they are survivors whose ‘g’ resonates in girls as in grit, grace and greatness. They owe it to themselves and their dead parents to make small steps and find signs of life in a world that is as hostile as it is hypocritical.

    •Ike Willie-Nwobu,

    Ikewilly9@gmail.com

  • Anambra and lingering injustice in return of schools

    Anambra and lingering injustice in return of schools

    Sir: Peter Obi’s return of schools to their rightful and original owners in 2011, may have been commendable, he nonetheless erred in that handover by bypassing private school proprietors, who were victims of the seizure of schools by Ukpabi Asika in 1970.

    Among the people, who established schools in the Eastern Region (part of which is today’s Anambra State) were Chief M.C Awgu, founder of New Bethel College, Onitsha and Basden College, Isulo; Chief Belonwu, founder and proprietor of Holy Cross College, Umuawulu; Sir P. E Chukwurah, founder of Our Lady’s High School, Onitsha; H.R. H Igwe M.A Onwuzu, founder and proprietor of Eastern Academy, Onitsha; Chief E. I Oli, founder and sole proprietor of Merchants of Light School, Oba; Chief E.S.N Mbakwe and Chief T. Morah, co-founders and proprietors of Notre Dame High School, Abatete; Chief B.C Nduka, founder and proprietor of Okija Grammar School; and countless others.

    The proprietors of those private schools lost the ownership in 1970 when the government of Ukpabi Asika took possession of them. Against the background that the Nigeria-Biafra civil war had just ended, and given the fact that it would be foolhardy to take on government on the matter, the schools’ proprietors kept their cool and let sleeping dogs lie.

    Between 1970 and 2011, when Peter Obi ordered the return of seized schools to their original owners, Anambra school system had suffered colossal damage. The schools were no longer centres of academic excellence. And most of the schools were beset with moral crisis what with teachers and parents aiding and abetting examination malpractice among the students during such examinations as SSCE and NECO. And the quality of education, which students in those schools received, was abysmally poor.

    Then, as part of his efforts and plan to reposition schools in Anambra State, and redress the wrong, which was done in 1970 by the Ukpabi Asika led-government, Peter Obi as the Anambra State governor in 2011 returned 1040 schools to their rightful and original owners – the churches.

    The schools, which were returned to the Anglican and Catholic churches, were given the princely sum of N6 billion for their maintenance. Willie Obiano, who succeeded Peter Obi as governor of Anambra State, doled out N4 billion to the schools, which were returned to the churches. And the current governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, is known to have given financial largesse to those schools to ensure that their culture of academic excellence and tempo of growth are sustained.

    But there is a lacuna in this matter. Almost all the private schools founded by Anambra natives which were appropriated by the East Central State government in 1970, are still in the possession of the Anambra State government. And, to make matters worse, compensations were not paid to those private schools’ proprietors.

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    So is the Anambra state government’s continued ownership of those schools not a clear case of daylight theft? As what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, Anambra State government should handle the lingering matter of seized private schools in the same way it handled the matter of seized mission schools. The principle of fairness or equity demands that compensations should be paid to those whose schools were unjustifiably taken by the government.

    More so, it is saddening to note that many of the founders and proprietors of the seized private schools took ill and died because they were heartbroken by the government’s rash, insensitive, and injudicious action, then. Today, the children of the deceased private school proprietors cannot reclaim their parents’ properties owing to the Anambra State government’s hard line position on the matter. The government’s disposition to the matter is not harmonious with the tenets of democracy.

    So I urge the Anambra State government to do the needful in this lingering and vexed matter.

    •Chiedu Uche Okoye,

    Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State.

  • DSS and rule of lawlessness

    DSS and rule of lawlessness

    A society dies by instalment when the rule of law gets desecrated or spurned. That is why there must be vigilance against violations, and any violation called out whenever it occurs. There was reported violation of the rule recently in Ogun State when suspected operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested some persons being tried before a court, against an instruction by the trial judge.

    Two defendants who were arraigned before an Ogun high court sitting in Ilaro, Yewa South council area, were seized by persons believed to be DSS operatives penultimate Monday for their suspected instigation of unrest in Agosasa community, Ipokia council area. The defendants, named Fatai Isiaka and Samuel Oyero, were standing trial for alleged arson following Obaship tussle in Agosasa community that resulted in violence in which property estimated at millions of naira were destroyed and one person killed. Following the crisis, a notable community member reportedly accused the defendants of instigating the violence in which weapons were reportedly used on innocent locals, in their bid to install a candidate different from the person approved by the Ogun State Government as community monarch.

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    The defendants were standing trial in a case titled “The State vs. Awode Oladosu & 13 others” over which Justice A. A. Shobayo presided. No sooner had the day’s proceedings ended than the two defendants were reportedly manhandled within the court premises and whisked away by the suspected DSS operatives, according to the defence counsel. Confirming the arrest, Principal Registrar of the High Court and Sectional Head of High Court in Ilaro, Omololu Olusanya, decried it as disrespectful to the rule of law because the judge had ordered the operatives not to make any arrest within the court premises, but that was what they did with the two persons. According to him, the operatives did not wear any outfit that identified them as from the secret police but they were so identified because they had approached the judge before the court session began that they had arrests to make, upon which the judge instructed them that it must not be done within the court premises. “But they refused that advice and carried out the arrests within the premises,” Olusanya said.

    The DSS has not disclaimed the operatives, while the two men are said to currently be in its Ogun State command’s custody in Abeokuta. But media outlets cited anonymous sources saying the men had spurned prior invitations by the security service and had proven elusive, which was why they were tackled down at the court. But you could ask if it wasn’t contemptuous of court – not only to arrest suspects for offences they were already standing trial, but doing that within court premises against a judge’s express directive. Rule of force must never override the rule of law.