The Nation Newspaper

Category: Comments

  • Enriching Futures: The Ayanfe Kristi example

    Enriching Futures: The Ayanfe Kristi example

    “We have a moral obligation to help those in need.”- Peter Singer.

    On Sunday, November 10, 2024, the Ayanfe Kristi Society of All Souls’ Anglican Church, Osogbo, Diocese of Osun, marked its 32nd anniversary with a heartwarming philanthropic gesture.

    Defying Nigeria’s education-for-the-privileged norm, Ayanfe Kristi empowered sixteen intelligent-but-indigent students – eleven from All Souls’ and five from other parishes – with cash awards. This generous act instilled hope in a society where financial constraints often dictate academic prospects.

    This charitable gesture, which has now become an annual event, aims to support deserving students’ educational pursuits. It aims to bridge financial gaps and demonstrate the impact of community-driven solutions.

    Ayanfe Kristi boasts a distinguished history of philanthropic excellence, marked by compassion and generosity. Consistently rising to the challenge, Ayanfe Kristi assists members in times of hardship, leaving a lasting impact on those around them.

    In a world where knowledge equals power and ignorance is strategically cultivated, Ayanfe Kristi’s cash awards initiative stands as a bold act of resistance. Empowering intelligent-but-indigent students, this visionary society challenges social immobility and fosters a brighter future. With each scholar supported, it extends a lifeline of opportunity, defying systemic failures that silence promising voices – one student at a time.

    Ivan Illich once remarked: “The absence of structural change makes charitable solutions worse than useless.” In Nigeria’s ongoing fight against hunger, Ayanfe Kristi’s noble gesture risks being a fleeting drop in the ocean. Amidst corruption and poor governance, they provide temporary relief, not a lasting cure. Like a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, this stresses the urgent need for systemic reform.

    Read Also: Gold trading picks up at Lagos Commodities and Futures Exchange

    Fellow Nigerians, meet Ayanfe Kristi, trailblazing a new path in education and challenging conventional wisdom. By investing in future thinkers, they urge leaders to rethink priorities. As Ayanfe Kristi asks, “Who needs more billionaires when you can cultivate a generation of thinkers?” This effort demonstrates that individual actions can spark collective transformation.

    To Ayanfe Kristi, I say, ‘Keep empowering minds, and watch as the future gets rewritten.’ And to our politicians, I say, ‘Take note: the future is watching, and it’s unimpressed.’ Personally, I wholeheartedly endorse this initiative, as I, too, am a product of the transformative power of human kindness.

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

  • Owa Obokun: Heritage, reality, aspiration (3)

    Owa Obokun: Heritage, reality, aspiration (3)

    Yorubaland’s royal institutions face significant challenges, threatening their traditional significance. Across the region, from Akure to Ikire and from Ikorodu to Idiroko, once-revered thrones have devolved into a chaotic game of musical chairs. Nowhere is this more evident than in Oyo, where the protracted search for a new Alaafin has become a seemingly interminable saga. The prolonged process has all the hallmarks of an endless marathon, with contenders awaiting divine intervention or a miraculous resolution to crown the next Alaafin.

    Elsewhere, while the ‘Emir’ of Iwoland’s relentless pursuit of power has diminished the throne’s value, the Soun of Ogbomoso’s sudden abdication of his throne to a ‘Daddy GO’ has left many questioning the nation’s moral compass. The killing of Olumojo of Imojo-Ekiti and Elesun of Esun-Ekiti also accentuates the urgency to address these issues. One may therefore be tempted to ask, ‘Will Yorubaland find its way out of this quagmire, or will the search for true leadership continue to elude its people?’

    Regarding the path forward for Ijesaland, Oba Afilaka urges the ‘Agba Ijesas’ (the kingmakers) to unwaveringly pursue unity with a view to ensuring that Ijesaland remains indivisible. According to him, “allowing politicians and wealthy individuals with questionable sources of income to dictate the selection process would have unintended consequences. This would set Ijesaland back decades, enabling those responsible to evade accountability and leave behind a legacy of shame.”

    For generations, Ijesaland has sought progress and development. To achieve this, Oba Afilaka recommends that the new Owa Obokun build upon the strengths of his predecessors, while adding new attributes. Specifically, he should “tap into Owa Owaluse’s vision and foresight that established Ilesa as Ijesaland’s capital. From Owa Ajimoko, he should inherit genuine love and devotion to Ijesaland. Owa Agunlejika’s humility, fairness, and justice – exemplified by his willingness to serve his chiefs and Ijesaland – are also essential qualities to emulate.”

    Beyond building upon Owa Aromolaran’s legacy, characterized by firmness and dedication to Ijesaland’s development, the next king should possess global networks that can benefit Ijesas and leverage connections for their progress. In today’s fast-paced world, Ijesaland needs a forward-thinking leader, not an ‘educated illiterate.’

    Haastrup proposes establishing Yoruba liaison offices nationwide to promote cooperation and unity. “To truly move forward,’ he emphasizes, ‘we must start anew, with a renewed focus on unity and collective progress.”

    Akerele, a US-based healthcare professional and pharmaceutical consultant is also an aspirant for the Owa Obokun stool. He emphasized the need for the next Owa Obokun to unify Ijesa people worldwide. “This unifier must blend modernity and tradition and bring together Ijesas worldwide under the ‘Ijesa Economic and development Summit’ to foster the overall development of our community, driving collective efforts for Ijesaland’s development.” Akerele’s vision aligns with Nigeria’s broader development strategies, tackling urbanization challenges, community potential and energy security.

    Taiwo Ajilore of the Loro Okoleka clan urged Ijesaland to learn from past mistakes, emphasizing, “Whatever is built on lies and falsehood doesn’t have a fruitful end.” Ajilore stressed the importance of thoughtful leadership selection, echoing the rigorous process involving Ifa and the 13 wise men. He advocated for prioritizing wisdom, cultural understanding, adaptability and diplomacy to overcome Ijesaland’s challenges and forge a brighter future.

    As Colossians 3:14 reminds us, love binds us “all together in perfect unity.” Essentially therefore, the next Owa Obokun must navigate traditional hierarchies effectively by balancing spiritual gravitas with pragmatic leadership. Since this role demands more than symbolism, he must redefine leadership as a beacon of hope for Ijesaland.

    Aristotle once noted, “Wealth and honours, in and of themselves, are not the ultimate goals of human existence.” As the Bilaro-Oluodo prepares to shape Ijesaland’s future, the kingdom craves substance over superficiality. It seeks the best leader, not the richest or poorest. So, will Bilaro-Oluodo author a new chapter in Ijesaland’s history or let the weight of expectation stifle potential progress? Will it provide selfless leadership and transformative progress or succumb to the allure of wealth and power?

    Read Also: Owa Obokun: Heritage, reality, aspiration (1)

    The sanctity of Ijesaland’s traditional institutions hangs in the balance. Already, rumors are circulating that the Expression of Interest Form for the Owa Obokun stool will attract a staggering N11 million. Ijesaland strongly rejects this proposition, as it would effectively auction the throne to the highest bidder. This approach would not only undermine Ijesaland’s interests but also serve only those seeking to manipulate the system for personal gain.

    Interference or imposition of a paramount ruler by the kingmakers or Osun State Government would be disastrous. This overreach would embarrass the government, expose its moral bankruptcy and reinforce the notion that ‘might makes right.’ As Thomas Hobbes aptly described it, this could unleash a “bellum omnium contra omnes” (war of all against all). Imposing an Owa Obokun would perpetuate patronage, entrench elitism and undermine democracy. This would be a blatant disregard for the people’s traditions and democratic values. It could unravel Ijesaland’s social fabric and spark social unrest.

    Biblically, such desecration of tradition mirrors the transgressions of Hofni and Phineas, who defiled the sacred altar while their father, Eli, turned a blind eye. Let’s hope the ‘Agba Ijesas’ and the state government would not repeat this shameful history. Otherwise, they risk incurring the wrath of history and the people.

    And that’s the closing argument!

    May divine light guide Oba Adekunle Aromolaran on his journey home, and may his memory be a blessing to Ijesaland!

  • Fostering partnerships and collaborative approaches to governance

    Fostering partnerships and collaborative approaches to governance

    By President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

     When I assumed office last year, I set out with a clear and unwavering vision – to strengthen Nigeria’s economic base and deliver positive growth and development for the benefit of all. Eighteen months later, the vision remains unchanged. In pursuing this vision, we have built upon existing foundations while introducing necessary reforms to adapt to our evolving economic realities. Our focus has been on strengthening what works, refining what needs improvement, and introducing new initiatives where gaps exist. We recognised that specific economic policies, though useful in their time, needed to be realigned with current global economic dynamics to better serve our national interests and the well-being of our people.

    We pursued this vision and embarked on bold and necessary economic reforms. Working with expert advice and carefully considering our unique circumstances, we implemented strategic policy adjustments to strengthen our economy. Removing fuel subsidies and unifying our exchange rate system were crucial steps toward building a more transparent and sustainable economic framework. While these decisions required short-term adjustments from all Nigerians, they were essential to redirect our resources toward productive investments that will yield long-term benefits for our people. These reforms have already shown positive results, setting the stage for sustainable economic growth and improved prosperity for all Nigerians.

    Building on these foundational reforms, we have expanded our focus to strengthen Nigeria’s global trade and investment position. Through strategic initiatives, we are enhancing trade facilitation, modernising our port infrastructure, and streamlining business processes to reduce trade barriers. Our commitment to creating an enabling business environment has resonated with the international investment community. The confidence in our economy is reflected in the significant surge in foreign direct investments. In less than two years in office, my administration has received over $30 billion in commitments from foreign investors. This achievement demonstrates that our policies yield positive results, making Nigeria increasingly attractive for domestic and international investors. More importantly, these improvements create new opportunities for Nigerian businesses to participate more actively in global trade.

    Read Also: Safety of waterways users remains paramount to our operations – NIWA

    Central to the success of these economic initiatives is the role of our strategic institutions and their dedicated personnel. Our vision required government agencies to proactively align their statutory responsibilities with the broader national economic objectives. Agencies needed to demonstrate initiative in identifying opportunities within their mandates that would best serve and advance our national aspirations. I am pleased to note that the Nigeria Customs Service is one of the agencies that has risen to this expectation, demonstrating how government institutions can effectively contribute to our economic transformation agenda while fulfilling their core mandates.

    This alignment is demonstrated in the service’s comprehensive modernisation agenda. Responding to our administration’s call for enhanced trade facilitation and economic growth, the service has introduced significant reforms, including the Advanced Ruling system and the Authorised Economic Operator Program. These initiatives align with global best practices and show how agencies can innovatively implement solutions that advance our national economic objectives while meeting international standards. Such reforms enhance trade facilitation and create a more predictable business environment that supports our broader financial goals.

    The results of these initiatives across the service’s core mandates have been encouraging. The Nigeria Customs Service has shown remarkable progress in revenue generation, enhancing the government’s capacity to fund critical national development projects. The service is strengthening Nigeria’s position as a trade-friendly nation through strategic reforms, particularly in export promotion and port efficiency. This has contributed significantly to our improved global ranking and ease of doing business. The service has also demonstrated that effective trade facilitation can coexist with robust regulatory compliance, as evidenced by its enhanced border security and anti-smuggling operations. These achievements affirm our administration’s belief that public institutions can effectively drive transformative change when adequately aligned with national objectives.

    While these results are encouraging, they represent only the beginning of what we can achieve through focused institutional reforms and alignment with national objectives. It is, therefore, fitting that this conference centres on the theme “NCS Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose.” This theme reflects our administration’s broader vision of fostering strategic partnerships and collaborative approaches to governance and economic management. It acknowledges that sustainable progress in today’s interconnected global economy requires us to strengthen existing alliances while building new ones, always guided by clear purpose and shared objectives.

    Let me assure you that our administration remains committed to supporting the Nigeria Customs Service in its modernisation and reform initiatives. We will continue to provide the necessary policy backing and enablement to strengthen the service’s capacity to deliver on its mandates. This includes support for technological advancement, infrastructure development, and capacity-building programs that align with global best practices.

    As you convene for your deliberations over the next few days, I urge you to build upon these foundations with clear cognisance of our regional and continental obligations. Your discussions should be timely and strategic, considering Nigeria’s role in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and our position as West Africa’s largest economy. Focus on innovative approaches to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new ones to advance our national interests within this expanding trade landscape. Your deliberations should chart a path for enhancing our trade processes and compliance frameworks in ways that position Nigeria to maximise the opportunities presented by regional and continental integration while maintaining robust border security. The outcomes of this conference should provide a clear roadmap for achieving these objectives in line with our national economic aspirations.

    To our international partners and stakeholders present today, your participation at this conference exemplifies the global dimension of our reform agenda. As Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria is determined to deepen its integration into global value chains and strengthen its position as a reliable trading partner. Our commitment to sustainable economic reforms, trade facilitation, and creating an enabling business environment is firm and irreversible. We see our international partnerships as crucial catalysts in our journey towards becoming a more competitive player in global trade, particularly as we position ourselves to harness the opportunities presented by expanding regional and continental markets.

    Distinguished participants, as we forge ahead with these partnerships and celebrate our progress thus far, we must focus on the journey ahead. Economic transformation is a continuous process that requires sustained commitment, innovation, and adaptation to emerging global trends. The Nigeria Customs Service, as a critical facilitator of international trade and guardian of our borders, will continue to play a fundamental role in advancing our national economic objectives. The success of our reform agenda significantly depends on the service’s ability to balance trade facilitation with regulatory compliance while fostering meaningful partnerships.

    As I declare this conference open, I encourage all participants to bring their expertise, insights, and innovative ideas to the discussions ahead. Your deliberations over the next few days should address current challenges and anticipate future developments in global trade. The collective outcome of your engagement will be valuable in shaping Nigeria’s trade policies and strengthening our position in the international trading system. I look forward to receiving the recommendations from this conference, particularly those that will enhance our trade facilitation initiatives while ensuring the effective administration of our borders.

    •Text of address by President Tinubu, GCFR, at the 2024 Comptroller-General of Customs Conference at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, November 13 as delivered by the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.

  • Zamfara: Now that cabinet reshuffle scare is past

    Zamfara: Now that cabinet reshuffle scare is past

    By Paul Musa

    The place of state governors in the socio-political development of Nigeria cannot be over-emphasised. The governors dictate the pace of politics and governance in the country.

     Against that background, it is customary for state governors to collaborate and maintain cordial relationship with federal cabinet ministers appointed from their states. This tradition, transcending party differences, is rooted in the belief that such cooperation is necessary to strengthen the state’s position at the federal level.

    Consequently, the common but implicit expectation is that the state governor, as the political leader, should rise above personal or political rivalries to work collaboratively with the minister from his state, whom the president entrusts responsibility as his representative at the federal cabinet.

    Unfortunately, this expected synergy has not been the case in Zamfara State where Governor Dauda Lawal and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seem to have made it their mission to undermine the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle. Ever since Matawalle’s appointment, the hostility from the camp of the governor and the PDP in Zamfara has been unrelenting. A content review of newspaper headlines for the most part would reveal a barrage of orchestrated attacks, all aimed at painting the minister in a negative light.

     What could be Matawalle’s perceived crime? Simple. Securing a ministerial appointment in President Tinubu’s administration and remaining a formidable political figure in the Northwest.

    The PDP’s actions escalated when the party was caught the whirlwind of rumours of a cabinet reshuffle by President Tinubu. This resulted in sponsored protests to pressure the president into removing Matawalle.     

    Read Also: Wike suspends FCDA Executive Sec Hadi Ahmad indefinitely

     Fortunately, these efforts proved futile and the minister was retained to continue his good works. And, not only did President Tinubu retain Matawalle in his cabinet, he let him keep his role as Minister of State for defence, a decision that has been hailed as a resounding vote of confidence in the minister’s capabilities, competences and loyalty.

     The president’s decision to retain Matawalle underscores his pivotal role, not just in the Northwest, but also across Nigeria. Matawalle has demonstrated capacity in combating banditry, a scourge that has plagued Zamfara and the wider north-western region for years. As a former governor of Zamfara State, Matawalle’s appointment reflects the federal government’s trust in his ability to address this critical issue and he has repaid that confidence with the felling of bandit kingpins including Halilu Sububu.

     Beyond his achievements in security however, Matawalle has also emerged as a staunch defender of the Tinubu administration. His swift and fierce rebuttal of former Minister Rotimi Amaechi’s disparaging remarks about President Tinubu is a testament to his unwavering loyalty. Matawalle’s defence of the president was not only a political statement, but also an affirmation of his alignment with the administration’s vision for a better Nigeria.

    While Matawalle continues to focus on his responsibilities at the federal level, the government in his home state appears to be distracted by its obsession with undermining him. This begs the question: when will Dauda Lawal commence his tenure as governor in earnest?

     As a state grappling with existential threats, including insecurity, poverty, and underdevelopment, Zamfara deserves better. The people of the state elected Dauda with the hope that he would tackle these challenges head-on. Instead, his administration seems fixated on shadowboxing with Matawalle, a minister stationed in faraway Abuja. This misallocation of priorities not only distracts from governance, but also raises concerns about the governor’s commitment to addressing the state’s pressing issues.

    Rather than antagonising Matawalle, one expected Dauda Lawal and his administration to recognise the strategic advantage of having a Zamfara indigene as a trusted member of the president’s cabinet.

    Matawalle’s proximity to the corridors of federal power offers an opportunity for the state to attract federal projects, secure interventions and other developmental initiatives. By fostering a mutually beneficial relationship, Dauda could leverage Matawalle’s position to secure great dividends for Zamfara, thereby amplifying his own achievements as governor.

    This approach is not unprecedented. Across Nigeria, governors have historically worked with ministers from their states, regardless of political differences, to advance their states’ interests. It is a pragmatic strategy that prioritises the people over personal grievances. Zamfara deserves no less. Sadly, Governor Dauda has been blindsided by vendetta.

    The people of Zamfara are undoubtedly watching and wondering when their governor will redirect his energy toward governance and who will blame them. The state’s challenges are too severe to be side-lined by petty political rivalries. Insecurity continues to threaten livelihoods, while infrastructure deficits and unemployment remain significant hurdles to development. These are the issues that should occupy Dauda’s attention, not a futile campaign against a minister who enjoys the president’s confidence.

    Governor Dauda must also consider the long-term implications of his actions. Political vendettas do not build legacies; impactful governance does. By focusing on his mandate and collaborating with all stakeholders, including Matawalle, he can leave behind a legacy of progress and unity.

    Now that the bid to ensure Matawalle’s removal as minister has gone with the dust, it is expected that the aftermath should serve as a wake-up call that the time to put aside political differences and embrace responsible governance is now.

    It is time to bring on board a model that prioritises the interests of the people of Zamfara over and above any political differences. The state stands to gain immensely from a harmonious working relationship between its governor and minister. With Matawalle as a trusted ally of the president, Zamfara is uniquely positioned to enjoy federal patronage and resources.

    The question now is whether Governor Dauda will rise to the occasion or continue down a path of political distraction. The choice is his to make, but the people of Zamfara deserve a governor that is focused on their welfare, not one consumed by vendettas. The clock is ticking, and the people are waiting. In Zamfara, it should be governance o’clock!

    •Musa writes from Kaduna.

  • Why the Coast Guard Bill needs to be rested

    Why the Coast Guard Bill needs to be rested

    •  By Musa Ilallah

    Let’s begin this by recalling that a bill to establish the Nigerian Coast Guard which has scaled second reading in the Senate and sponsored as a private member bill by Senator Wasiu Eshilokun (APC- Lagos), recently led the debate at the Senate’s plenary on the general principles of the bill. Leading the debate, Eshilokun said the bill sought to establish the Nigerian Coast Guard to be charged with the responsibility of securing maritime zones within Nigeria. The Bill seeks to establish a coast guard as a military service and a branch of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. You cannot establish a branch of the Armed Forces through a private member’s Bill of the National Assembly. It is a breach of due process.

    The expansion of the armed forces can and should be an executive function, with the consideration and approval of the Federal Executive Council. It is beyond the scope and capacity of an individual member of the National Assembly. Second, it is a gross duplication of existing institutions and functions: The coast guard is a clear duplication of the functions of the Nigerian Navy as stated in Armed Forces Cap 20, which is an amplification of S217 of the Nigerian Constitution, creating the armed forces and outlining what their responsibilities would be.

    The coast guard seeks to duplicate the Nigerian Navy, creating a parallel agency that will dissipate energy and resources. Coast guard promoters argue that unlike the Nigerian Navy, which is a ‘fighting force’, the coast guard is meant to be a civilian law enforcement agency, implementing maritime regulations and protecting natural resources and inland waters.

    The fact is that the functions being proposed here are already being fully carried out between the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Inland Waterways, NIWA, Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency, NIMASA and the Marine Police. Even the Nigerian Customs Service has a Maritime Division. An additional agency will do nothing to improve the situation; if anything, it will increase dysfunction.

    The Establishment Act of the Nigerian Navy already fully takes care of all the functions being claimed by the promoters of the coast guard. It will also duplicate and conflict with the functions of other players in the maritime sector – the Bill wants the coast guard to be responsible for the training of seafarers, which by the Merchant Shipping Act and NIMASA Act are clearly the job of NIMASA.

     The Bill also wants it to be involved in hydrography, despite the fact that the Navy is in charge of hydrography and that there was a recent presidential approval for the conversion of the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office into the National Hydrographic Agency, and the designation of the Nigerian Navy Hydrographer as the Hydrographer of the Federation.

    Read Also: NNPCL, Dangote sign agreement for 10-year gas supply

    The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) is tasked with the mandate of enforcing laws and regulations in Nigeria’s inland waters, which further renders a coast guard irrelevant.

    At this point when the federal government is trying to implement the spirit of the Oronsaye reforms, a coast guard is an unnecessary and wasteful venture.

     Third, it is a recipe for chaos and confusion. A Nigerian Coast Guard will compound existing challenges being experienced in the administration of Nigeria’s maritime environment. It will complicate the coordination, heighten unnecessary competition and undermine cohesion, leading to anarchy. The implication of this will be that bad actors in Nigeria’s maritime space will gain an advantage, with possible outcomes such as Nigeria being re-listed on the Maritime Piracy Index, which it exited in 2022 thanks to the efforts of the Nigerian Navy and other stakeholders.

    The Bill being pushed wants the coast guard to be headed by a serving Naval Officer, without considering what this would mean for the standard military chain of command. Fourth, it will inflict a significant additional fiscal burden on Nigeria’s resources.

    The promoters have not yet provided any cost estimates as to the full fiscal implications – establishment and operations – of yet another maritime institution.

    This is at a time when Nigeria is struggling to control public spending, and optimise the provision of resources to existing institutions. Instead of a new agency, with new spending to ensure take-off, the country’s scarce resources should be invested in strengthening and bolstering the functions and capacity of the Nigerian Navy and other existing stakeholders like NIWA, NIMASA and the Marine Police.

    Promoters of the coast guard say that a coast guard is ‘international best practice’, because the United States and United Kingdom have coast guards separate from the Navy. This ‘best practice’ claim is not correct. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) does not dictate how countries structure the administration and operations of their maritime environment.

    There are many countries in the world that do not combine a Navy and a coast guard.

     Also, in the case of the US, there are peculiar domestic legal contexts (like the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878) that necessitate the US having a separate coast guard for domestic functions – a situation that is very different from Nigeria’s own. As for the UK, the HM Coastguard is purely an unarmed emergency rescue service, staffed primarily by volunteers – nine of every ten members of the HM Coastguard are volunteers. Fifth, it is a worrying case of jumping the gun. Promoters of the coast guard have gone ahead to establish a website that suggests that the guard is already in legitimate operation.

    This posturing of false legitimacy even when a public hearing has yet to hold suggests a desperation that is out of place, and that should provoke deep thinking from all and sundry.

     The coast guard idea is one that needs to die once and for all. It is an idea that pops up every couple of years, and always falls apart upon scrutiny. It has now become a recurring waste of time, attention and the public resources used in resurrecting it every couple of years.

     Nigeria does not need a Coast Guard Service, and hopefully this attempt will be the last wild goose chase in this regard.

    The proposed Coast Guard and its recurring Bill should be allowed to rest in peace.

    •Ilallah, a public affairs analyst based in Abuja can be reached at musahk123@yahoo.com

  • LASIAMA and public infrastructure renewal in Lagos   

    LASIAMA and public infrastructure renewal in Lagos   

    • By Rasak Musbau

    In the fast-paced, ever-evolving landscape of Lagos, the role of public service is crucial in translating government policies into life-enhancing projects for the people. One agency that has been at the forefront of this transformation is the Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA).

    This agency has played a critical role in driving infrastructural renewal across various sectors, especially healthcare, education, and public safety. Through strategic facility management innovation and a commitment to sustainability, LASIAMA has been instrumental to enhancing the state’s infrastructure and public services.

    Under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the government has prioritized the modernization of public facilities to create a work environment that fosters productivity, efficiency, and better service delivery. LASIAMA, tasked with upgrading and maintaining dilapidated public infrastructure, has implemented an ambitious renovation program, focusing on key buildings that house essential ministries and public services.

    Notable among these projects are extensive refurbishments at the State Secretariat, Alausa. The renovation of key buildings has made these facilities more conducive to the work of public servants. Beyond this, LASIAMA has overseen the renovation of other significant public buildings, including the Local Government Service Commission, the Lagos Drivers’ Institute, and the Lagos Television Complex, all contributing to a safer, more productive work environment for public servants.

    However, perhaps the most significant aspect of LASIAMA’s work lies in its contribution to healthcare infrastructure, which is a top priority for the government. Healthcare in Lagos has seen transformative changes through LASIAMA’s intervention in upgrading facilities across the state. Central to this transformation has been the introduction of a standardized facility management structure at key health institutions like the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba and various Maternal and Child Care Centres (MCCs).

    Effective facility management in healthcare settings is crucial, especially given the growing demand for quality healthcare services. LASIAMA’s efforts in establishing a structured maintenance framework for hospitals and healthcare centres have helped to meet these demands.

    Read Also: NNPCL, Dangote sign agreement for 10-year gas supply

    The creation of a standardized facility management system ensures that hospitals like the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the Infectious Disease Hospital are equipped to handle not only day-to-day operations but also health emergencies.

    Each of Facility Management Companies now employs an average of 43 non-clinical staff, including cleaners, security personnel, and maintenance workers. This staffing structure is vital for both maintaining operational efficiency and fostering community engagement. These jobs also contribute to the local economy, as they offer stable employment opportunities for Lagosians.

    By focusing on improving healthcare infrastructure facilities, the government has ensured that these facilities not only provide quality healthcare but also maintain a clean, safe, and sustainable environment for both patients and staff. This alignment between facility management and public health goals has been transformative for the state’s healthcare delivery.

    In addition to creating jobs within the healthcare system, LASIAMA’s approach has spurred economic growth in other sectors as well. For example, partnerships with facility management companies have contributed immensely to maintaining public health infrastructure. These collaborations have led to more efficient facility upkeep, allowing healthcare workers to focus on patient care without being bogged down by logistical issues.

    The partnership with specialized service providers highlights the advantages of outsourcing facility management tasks. This approach allows the healthcare system to function more smoothly, reducing operational downtime and enabling healthcare workers to provide better patient care.

    One particularly impactful collaboration is at the MCC in Epe where the introduction of facility management services has not only improved the quality of healthcare services but also created employment opportunities for the local population. This is a prime example of how LASIAMA’s facility management initiatives have dual benefits: improving healthcare delivery while supporting local businesses and creating jobs.

    One of the notable outcomes of LASIAMA’s initiatives has been the creation of significant job opportunities for Lagosians. In addition to the non-clinical staff employed in healthcare facilities, the renovation and maintenance projects have generated work for tradespeople, including bricklayers, welders, electricians, and painters. These efforts have had a positive impact on the local economy, providing a steady stream of employment while improving the overall quality of public services.

    The state’s focus on infrastructural investment has not only enhanced the physical environment of government offices and healthcare facilities but also fostered a culture of accountability and efficiency within the public sector. By ensuring that government facilities are well-maintained, LASIAMA has helped to elevate the overall standard of service delivery, which in turn benefits citizens in their daily interactions with public institutions.

    In addition to its work in healthcare and public offices, LASIAMA has also made significant contributions to the education sector. Since 2019, the agency has completed major renovations in over 100 public secondary schools, including high-impact upgrades at institutions such as Aiyedere Ajibola Junior and Senior High Schools and Unity Junior High School. These renovations have focused on improving the learning environment, from general repairs and roofing to modernizing classrooms and common areas.

    To sustain these improvements, LASIAMA introduced a six-month structured maintenance program for 94 rehabilitated schools, providing ongoing support and creating jobs for local workers. This initiative underscores the state government’s commitment to improving educational infrastructure and creating an environment conducive to learning for Lagosian students.

    Recognizing the vital role of public safety in maintaining a thriving metropolis, the Sanwo-Olu administration has also prioritized the rehabilitation of fire stations across the state. LASIAMA has successfully overseen the renovation of 13 fire stations, including the reconstruction of two others, such as the headquarters at Alausa, which was transformed into a modern multi-storey facility. These upgrades have improved the working conditions of emergency responders and enhance the effectiveness of fire and rescue services, ultimately ensuring a safer environment for all Lagosians.

    The emphasis on sustainability is another critical aspect of LASIAMA’s work. In maintaining public health facilities, the agency has worked to incorporate environmental health and safety (HSE) standards into every aspect of its operations. Dedicated HSE teams ensure that all government facilities adhere to best practices, safeguarding both staff and patients. This proactive approach is especially important in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, where maintaining strict health and safety protocols have become essential for the continued delivery of quality services.

    The successes of LASIAMA in revitalizing Lagos’ infrastructure are clear, but the agency’s work is far from finished. As the city continues to grow and evolve, LASIAMA will play an increasingly vital role in ensuring that public facilities keep pace with the demands of a rapidly expanding population. With ongoing renovations and upgrades to public offices, healthcare centres, and educational institutions, LASIAMA is helping to shape a future where Lagosians enjoy the benefits of efficient, well-maintained public services.

    As LASIAMA continues to implement its infrastructure renewal strategy, it is clear that the agency will be a key player in achieving the ambitious goals of the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda—focused on health, education, infrastructure, and public safety. By modernizing public spaces, creating jobs, and improving service delivery across multiple sectors, LASIAMA has demonstrated that infrastructure renewal is not just about building or renovating physical structures but about building a foundation for sustainable growth and development in Lagos. This holistic approach to infrastructure management is setting new standards for governance and service delivery, ensuring that Lagos remains a thriving, world-class metropolis for generations to come.

    •Musbau is the Director of Public Affairs, LASIAMA, Alausa, Ikeja

  • In America: 2024, shaping up like 2016        

    In America: 2024, shaping up like 2016        

    This essay was first published in The NATION on January 16, 2024.           

    January 6, 2024, marked the third anniversary of the terror unleashed on the U.S. Capitol by a frenzied mob grimly resolved to cancel – pardon my employing the locution du jour – one of the most hallowed traditions of the American political system: The peaceful transfer of power to the winning candidate.

    In light of what happened to America under Donald Trump’s debauched presidency, it can be said that the tradition had remained in place mainly by default.  When it was put to a severe test for the first time the previous year in recent memory, it came out so bruised and battered that few will now cite it with confidence as an American tradition.

    Call it the Trump Effect: the erosion of values, the corruption of institutions, the suborning of the machinery of government, the capture of government and its underlying processes, the use of terror or threat of terror as an instrument of governance, demeaning high officials of the state by the use of coarse, vulgar language, utter disdain and disregard for the rule of law, and even common decency.

    On January 6, 2021, American lawmakers convened in the Capitol to affix the final seal on the election of Joseph R. Biden as the 46th President of the United States.  His opponent, Donald Trump, would have none of it.  He had laid the ground for an insurrection by leading millions of his Twitter followers to believe that the only way Biden could win – or Trump lose – was if the vote was rigged.

    Trump lost; ergo, the election had to have been stolen. The legislators were in effect convening to consecrate a theft, he declared.

    “Show strength” and “stop the steal,” he exhorted them as they stormed the Capitol. “That’s the only way you are ever going to take our country back.”

    For the next 187 minutes, America and indeed a global television audience watched in horrified disbelief as a surging, seething, murmuring, bilious crowd, men and women, veterans and enlisted persons, scrambled up the ramparts and raced up the steps to the landing, belting out blood-curdling imprecations, smashed windows and doors and impaled police officers with flagpoles and just about any object they could weaponise.

    There was no mistaking the grim resolve, the murderous frenzy with which they went about their mission.

    When they bellowed “Hang (Vice President) Mike Pence” over and over again, they were not posturing or grandstanding. They had erected a scaffold on the grounds, a noose dangling ominously from it.  Trump would say later that it was a pity they didn’t hang Pence.

    Read Also: EFCC arrests 11 suspected currency racketeers in Rivers

    From a private room in the White House, Trump watched the proceedings with glee, according to a former staffer. Not even the pleas of the First Lady and his oldest son could move him to try to restrain the demons he had loosed on the Capitol.

    As they slunk away, the insurrectionists performed one final act of obscenity:  They plastered the chambers with excrement.  That is the kind of company Trump keeps.

    You would think that this assault on every good thing America claims to stand for would call forth a groundswell of denunciation and recrimination.  Perhaps civil society was too stunned for words, too traumatized to make a concerted move?   Perhaps the outrage, then muffled, would gather momentum and translate into an insistent demand for an accounting, for justice, and yes, for punishment.

    You would think that the character who masterminded this brazen assault on the political and moral values on which America’s claim of exceptionalism rests would have by that very act disqualified himself from ever seeking any elected office.  And if he tried to muscle his way into the local School Board, he would be disenfranchised even if, unlike Trump, the fellow was not also standing trial on 91 criminal charges in various courts across the country.

    Civil society could find no coherent voice, no rallying point.  Even President Joe Biden, newly vested with political and moral authority, could not employ it to change the narrative.  He had consumed this precious capital in pursuing a bogus bi-partisanship and continued to do so even as Trump blockaded his legislative agenda at every opportunity.

    Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who had at first blush placed the blame squarely where it belonged, would declare that he would vote again for Trump if Trump secured the Republican nomination.

    Even before the insurrectionists dispersed, the shock, the horror of the siege was already dissolving.  With ample support from his ultra-right confederates, Trump wasted no time recasting the events of the day Trump as an excursion, and a patriotic one for that matter.

    And the new narrative has taken such a hold that, if you had not witnessed the insurrection as it unfolded and had no access to their iterations and reiterations across the media, you would have entertained some doubt about whether it transpired. 

    The police who lost six of their officers to the mob were being as denounced as bullies and human-rights abusers. The insurrectionists were cast as freedom fighters and patriots, and as tourists who just took a day off to check out the attractions and delights of Washington, DC.

    And even among those who witnessed it, many could be forgiven if they now doubt the evidence of their own eyes.  Such has been the slickness, the intensity of the recasting.

    If reality is so susceptible to manipulation at this stage before the full coming of Artificial Intelligence, wherein lies the future of society, of civilization?

    But it is not a sober, remorseful, penitent Trump that has achieved this improbable feat.  It is the good old foul-mouthed, race-baiting, misogynistic Trump, only more venal, more saturnine, more demagogic, and more sociopathic, driven by grievance and a lust for vengeance, not merely on those he says have corruptly employed the machinery of virtually on all institutions of state to persecute him.

    In frenzied speeches before fevered crowds, he has characterized not just those institutions but the entire American establishment as illegitimate, and doomed. And it is the singular mission of his second coming to dismantle it.  Perhaps he will refashion it after his own image later, but he is not letting on.

    That is how we came to the conjuncture where, almost all of a sudden, the principles and ideals on which the United States founded and nurtured a political system that has been the envy of much of the world for centuries increasingly count for less and are now held with little conviction.

    The Rule of Law became the rule of Trump, which could mean one thing one day, another thing the following day, and yet another thing the day after; in short, Trump’s caprice.  Trump tied up the judicial system in knots, the better to emasculate it.  The doctrine of “separation of powers” was exposed as the elaborate fudge it always was.

    It is early yet in the Election Year, and 2024 is not 2016.  Trump’s lock on the Republican nomination is so tenacious that it is almost inconceivable that he could lose it.  But it is not inconceivable that President Biden, whose support has slipped significantly among younger voters and minorities, could lose the race the way Hilary Rodham Clinton lost it to Trump in 2016.

    If that happens, Biden’s blank cheque underwriting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s genocidal war in Gaza is sure to be cited as one of the reasons.

    A Postscript

    In the end, the presidential contest was between Donald Trump and the incumbent vice-president, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden having dropped out of the race less than three months before the poll, following his dismal showing in a televised debate with Trump.

    Trump ran with seething contempt for everything on which America’s claim to exceptionalism rests.  Contending with Trump’s shameless lying and demagoguery was the easy part. Harris had also to battle against two deeply entrenched obstacles:  race, and misogyny. 

    The backlash that followed the election of the first Black president of the United States, Barrack Obama perfuses the polity still. America was not about to repeat the mistake. And America still cannot reconcile itself to a woman president.

    The twice-impeached Trump, and a convicted felon to boot, won handsomely.

    But let no one weep for Kamala Harris.  She ran a spirited, graceful race.  Not for her the coarse, vulgar abuse, the casual cruelty that undergirded Trump’s campaign.

    The real loser is America and its claim to exceptionalism.  The outcome of the election has rendered that claim vacuous through and through.  It can no longer be said that some things simply cannot happen in America.  Nothing in its founding documents and hallowed institutions, it is now obvious, inures it against a hostile takeover by a desperate reprobate and syndicated con artist.

    Something tells me that America will rue its unwisdom.

  • Understanding the triumph of Trump

    Understanding the triumph of Trump

    • By Zayd Ibn Isah

    In the early hours of November 6, Donald J. Trump marched out onto a stage in Florida, encircled by his personal advisers, key Republican figures, members of his family, and his closest friends. Even though the presidential race had yet to be officially called, it was already clear to all that Trump had been swept back into power. Basking in the certainty of his momentous triumph, Trump declared, “We’ve achieved the most incredible political thing. America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”

    “Unprecedented” was indeed the right word. It had been a fiercely contested race between Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party. Trump’s victory makes him only the second U.S. President to win re-election after previously losing to an opposition candidate. Moreover, he now has the distinction of being the first U.S. President to win two presidential elections against female opponents. In a sense, Trump has become the “stumbling block”—as we say in this part of the world—against the realization of a female-led presidency in the world’s greatest democracy.

    Initially, it was expected to be a contest between the incumbent President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. However, Biden ultimately withdrew due to health concerns. He fully endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, urging the Democratic Party to rally its resources and support behind her path to the White House.

    Harris entered the race bearing the weight of the Biden administration’s alleged shortcomings on her shoulders. Limited by Biden’s low approval ratings, she still had to position herself as a candidate who could offer the change voters were desperate for. Now, one might wonder if Biden himself would have stood a chance against Trump in his re-election bid.

    Curiously, Harris’s campaign team did not frame her bid as an attempt to set the precedent of becoming the country’s first female president. Instead, they emphasized that Trump’s first four years in the Oval Office had been disastrous, arguing that he could not be allowed back into the White House. The campaign presented Kamala Harris as a safer choice for America and the world at large.

    However, this strategy seems to have backfired. The Democrats’ swift replacement of an aging Biden with Harris may have deprived them of a more seasoned, battle-tested candidate capable of uniting broader support among working-class Americans.

    Read Also: NNPCL, Dangote sign agreement for 10-year gas supply

    It’s important to remember that after Trump left office in 2021, he was widely disgraced, having incited a mob of his supporters to violate the sanctity of the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn his electoral defeat by President Joe Biden. Trump also endured the trials of a 34-count felony conviction and other criminal indictments.

    Yet just three years later, he has seemingly achieved the impossible with an unprecedented political comeback. Not only did Trump easily dispatch his GOP rivals, but he also forced President Joe Biden out of the race, survived an assassination attempt, and ultimately surged ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris in a resounding victory that exceeded all expectations.

    This election felt less like an ordinary democratic process and more like a high-octane thriller. Trump emerged almost like a cat with nine lives in American politics. His landslide victory completes a political arc unlike any in 250 years of American history, prompting a reconsideration of the electorate’s judgment when he lost to Joe Biden in 2020. The same people who once told him, “Go away; you’re not good enough for America,” are now embracing him as a saviour.

    I don’t usually pay much attention to American politics; my interest was however piqued after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. What is so special—or controversial—about this man that would make someone want him dead? And why an assassination attempt on a U.S. presidential candidate in the 21st century, of all places?

    If this had happened in Africa, it might seem more “understandable,” given that our continent is often painted as a place where absurdities occur. Europe and America, by contrast, are seen as models of civilization and equality. Even here in Africa, it’s rare to hear of assassination attempts on a presidential candidate. The last notable incident was a bombing attempt on Muhammadu Buhari years ago by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

    That Trump still won the election despite everything he faced seems almost miraculous. This election served as a referendum on the Biden administration, and many factors may have contributed to Trump’s return. For one, Trump is a proponent of “America First.” He has always emphasized a strict policy on immigration, advocating for an America dominated by native-born citizens rather than immigrants, reflected in his controversial proposal to build a border wall with Mexico.

    Another factor is that America has increasingly interjected itself in the affairs of other countries, as seen in its involvement in the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israeli-Palestine conflict. While it’s understandable that America wants to retain its superpower status and protect democratic ideals globally, this sort of interventionism has cost the country substantial resources—something Trump appears unwilling to tolerate.

    Even more fascinating, yet surprising, is the overwhelming love and support Trump has enjoyed among some Nigerians living in Nigeria. Someone posted a video of people holding a victory march for him, and there’s even a local musician who sang a song in his honour. One wonders what they stand to gain from a Trump presidency so far away. Perhaps these supporters don’t realize that some of their compatriots who have “japa-ed” to the USA are already on edge, as the future under another Trump presidency seems bleak for them. Trump’s America could usher in mass detention and deportation of migrants as part of a broader immigration policy aimed at retaining resources for Americans alone.

    For Trump’s most faithful supporters, his victory is an emphatic statement that further solidifies his legacy in U.S. politics. For those who reluctantly voted for him, Trump’s promises aligned perfectly with the need to reform a government seen as out of touch with the economic and social needs of average Americans. Yet for other Americans and much of the world, still reeling in shock and disbelief, a second Trump term feels like the beginning of a horror film.

    Ultimately, the most straightforward explanation for Trump’s victory, despite the odds against him, is that a significant number of American voters were willing to overlook concerns about Trump’s past misdeeds due to growing dissatisfaction with the Biden-Harris administration. Now that considerable power has been handed back to him, what Trump will do in the next four years is a question that will dominate American political discourse and shape the country’s global influence.

    Is there a lesson to be learned in all of this? Trump’s return is a reminder that, even when the odds seem stacked against you, persistence and resilience can lead to success. President Donald Trump fought and emerged an undisputed winner, even when victory was dismissed by political pundits as a fever dream. For our politicians here, this serves as a reminder that incumbency is not a guarantee of approval for continued leadership.

    By failing to listen to the average American voter, the Democratic Party created an opening for Donald Trump to position himself as a man in tune with the people’s frustrations. Trump, an anti-establishment figure, has long defied the rules and traditions of American politics. In this age of social media, he enlisted the support of billionaire icon Elon Musk to amplify his views on the economy and immigration on Twitter (X). Both Trump and Harris even used podcasts and video livestreams to stay in touch with younger voters.

    Now more than ever, election outcomes are shaped by social media discourse. Politicians who listen to people’s grievances and echo their frustrations may end up positioning themselves as necessary messiahs or saviours with the solutions to set things right. And more often than not, when people tire of crying out without being heard, they wait to register their dissatisfaction at the polls.

    Ultimately, we hope the Donald Trump presidency ushers in the peace we all yearn for in the world. For Africa, this is a time for our leaders to put on their thinking caps and work toward independence from world superpowers to avoid another “shithole countries” comment from Donald Trump.

    •Isah can be reached at lawcadet1@gmail.com

  • Sycophancy and poor governance in Nigeria

    Sycophancy and poor governance in Nigeria

    By Oluwole Ogundele

    Good governance and self-sacrifice especially on the part of the leadership are inseparable in a neat way. The focus is on the common good or societal growth and development. Good governance is not about nauseating rhetoric as if the led are moronic. It is about moral integrity and profound commitment to high ideals. In other words, such fundamentals as transparency, accountability, probity, justice and equity are sacrosanct.  Good governance and politics are not exactly the same, even though they are related.

    Painfully, many Nigerians are yet to understand and appreciate the existential fact, that followers have a critical role to play in engendering good governance, a pre-condition for peace and progress in a myriad of ways. By this token, the ordinary people cannot afford to withdraw or retire into their shells, while most of our leaders (from one administration to another) were/are well known for defecating in the public space as if they had/have diarrhoea. Defecation in this context means insane greed/corruption, insensitivity, extravagance, and a gross lack of unalloyed patriotism.  This is in addition, to the weakening of the available institutions that ought to serve as checks and balances.

    It seems to me that more and more demons are let loose on our geo-political space. This explains the reason why a state House of Assembly in the southwest is planning an overseas trip while insecurity largely traceable to unprecedented material poverty ravages the land. This is our Nigeria laced with very thoroughly dilapidated roads.

    Humans (regardless of their geographical locations, skin colours, and types of hairs) are corrupt by nature. Corruption is a borderless social disease. Consequently, every serious society tries to deal with this menace through the lens of rules and regulations or laws. Certainly, there will be no peace and by extension, progress without respect for the rule of law. Nigeria can only ignore this at its own peril. Political office holders appear to be much more corrupt than the ordinary people basically because they are in charge of the distribution of the local wealth generated by the latter.

    Read Also: Niger Delta safer with NDDC, group assures

    But in Nigeria, most people assume that God must do everything for them. This is wrong because God is not idle. Although we as spiritual animals, need to pray hard, this does not mean that we have to be lazy in a wide range of ways. Nigerians like other members of the Homo sapiens group must be scientifically and technologically active in order to subdue the earth. All humans are supposed to be mini-creators.

    God has also given Nigerians the mental and physical capacities to curb the excesses of the political leaders. Praying without acting (especially when the political class members are busy casting caution to the winds) is tantamount to testing God. Neither the Bible nor Quran tells us to be quiet in the face of political recklessness and/or tyranny. Similarly, the Nigerian indigenous belief systems have a zero tolerance for bad leaders regardless of their ethno-religious backgrounds.

    The oppressed, exploited followers are also promoting bad governance through their popular but nauseating culture of sycophancy. They continue to eulogise (at every opportunity) clowns masquerading as leaders.  Succinctly put, a sycophant is a flatterer who is bereft of self-esteem, godliness, and moral integrity, as he targets a favour or wrinkled carrot from a political class member or members.  A sycophant is prepared to sacrifice idealism on the altar of insane materialism.

    Indeed, many Nigerians are chronic sycophants. The idea of good governance does not exist in their vocabularies of popular discourse. To them, the national ship could sink due to bad leadership.  Like a bunch of gorillas, all they want is food, no matter how poisonous to them in the long run. Sycophants are the gate keepers for the oppressors and exploiters of the led.

    The danger inherent with the Nigerian culture of sycophancy is that the political leaders are most probably going to continue to take the led for a ride. Methods of organising public events need to be revisited. Caution is often thrown to the winds by calling every Tom, Dick and Harry for recognition by a master of ceremonies (MC). Precious time is usually wasted on needless introduction and unmerited eulogisation of the political class members and their business associates, who have with the passage of time, put the country in a virtual state of siege.

    While nothing is wrong about respecting people in the public space, everything is disgusting in over-doing the act, as if seriousness and a sense of moderation have gone to the dogs. The rigmarole that often characterises the Nigerian social gatherings is most ridiculous.  Our abusers would never adjust to the realities of the country so long as we continue to celebrate them in uncritical ways. Are we saying that those who raped and are still raping mother Nigeria are from another planet? Such a very crude tradition is at variance with societal growth and development.

    Nigeria has a poor reward system. That is the reason why retirees do not get their gratuities several years after leaving public service. This discourages efficiency among those who are still serving. The narrative has to change in the interest of the common good. The real patriots are hardly celebrated. The current administration under the direction of PBAT inherited a comatose economy. The roads among other infrastructural facilities have collapsed. But despite this ugly situation, those leaders who shirked their responsibilities during their heydays are now heroes, in a country defined and ruled by weak followership or unbridled sycophancy. We should stop sending a wrong signal to the youth who are getting ready for leadership positions. Our tomorrow is engineered by the present.

    Where are the true patriots? Nigeria is promoting underdevelopment by referring to a bunch of grandstanders as patriots. Innocent followers are repaying the foreign loans (with poisonous conditionalities) taken by most of the past administrations. These were loans not used for development projects.  In other words, past leaders (with a few exceptions) unashamedly sold Nigeria’s future to the foreign world. Are we going to continue like this, and for how long? Nigeria is bleeding very profusely. PBAT should tell those irredeemable sycophants to be quiet because, at the end of the day they would abandon him.

    In sum, masters of ceremonies among other categories of people, have to moderate their disturbing, sycophantic tendencies and excesses, in order to pave the way for good governance across the board. Indeed, sustainable development will remain a mirage as long as those who dangerously short-change(d) Nigerians are still being celebrated all over the place. These spiritless praise singers are a component of the numerous crises in the land. Therefore, they should stop eulogising our abusers who have turned many citizens into paupers despite the abundant natural resources in Nigeria. We need to learn to integrate some of the finest values from the West and parts of Asia with the indigenous epistemologies, so as to craft a new, people-friendly socio-political and economic identity for Nigeria.  We have deceived one another for too long. It is time to get down to business.

    •Prof. Ogundele is of Dept. of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan

  • Siege on democracy and the rule of law

    Siege on democracy and the rule of law

    By Mike Kebonkwu

    The outcome of the United States of America’s presidential election and the victory of the Republican candidate, Donald Trump may be sending palpable wave of apprehension and jitters across the globe.  Bookmakers saw the result from the parties’ conventions; the American establishment is not ready for female president, certainly not a colour, or Afro-Asian American.  It was a good race for Kamala Harris; the American people have spoken.  It was not about the characters of the candidates that decided the election; after all, there is no saint in politics.  Trump the “bad boy”, erratic and unpredictable won!  Trump is a wheeler-dealer tycoon and a bully, who has scant regards for the rule of law; he is domineering and fixated on winning all the time.  He led the siege on democracy and the rule of law when his supporters stormed the Capitol Hill in an attempt to snatch victory from defeat, but the rule of law prevailed with judicial seal and endorsement. We congratulate Trump, a real warrior and the world should be prepared for a high and tempestuous tide. No friend, no foe! 

    Welcome to Nigeria’s political turfs with banana peels! The rich political elite have turned the country into a conquered territory, breathing on the necks of the masses. Public officials live like tyrants and emperors tormenting the citizens. Everything is viewed through opaque lenses of ethnicity and religion; while we politicize everything under the sun.

    It is in our nature to double talk, and we never speak truth to power because we are conditioned like indentured slaves to be subservient.  We would rather prefer to tell the leader that people are belly-aching for nothing; after all, the previous government did not do anything different; there is excuse for everything and nobody ever takes responsibility.  We are not to criticize government actions and failings because in the ferment of our unquestionable religious indoctrination and credo, authority comes from God. We live in the bondage of spiritual fetishism and the word we speak becomes us; the spoken word comes back to us in the ecclesiastical realm.  Whenever there is no light, we should say, ‘there is light’!   For carnages on our bad roads due to neglect and poor maintenance, we bind the devil. When official corruption is sinking the boat of the state we should pray for our leaders, ‘it is well’! This is what religion has done to us!  Our leaders have used religion to conquer and reduced us to zombies, unthinking lots with ashes on our heads; sleeping on religious grounds and praying God down for miracles.

    The battles for democracy were fought on the streets through legitimate protests by students, trade unions, market women and traders and through intellectual engagements by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) etc.  This right cannot be taken away lightly; there will continue to be progressive dialogue on the street to draw attention to areas of need of the people; it is our constitutional right.  To attempt to take away the constitutional right of the people to protest is a recipe for disaster and invitation to anarchy.

    The actions of the political elites and some institutions and agencies of government constitute serious threat to democracy and the rule of law.  The legitimate reactions of citizens exercising their constitutional rights to protests  poor living conditions as a result of  economic difficulties and hardship,  and demand for accountability and respect for rule of law does not constitute threat to the government and democracy. The crackdown and prosecution of lawful protesters is a greater threat to rule of law and democracy. 

    Nigerians have always exercised their constitutional right to protest in demand for good governance and economic freedom which is the only reason we are enjoying the semblance of democracy that we have today.  The judiciary was the spring board that stood firm during the most critical time of military dictatorship and did not shirk from its responsibility in defence of respect for the rule of law.  The courts and judges resisted attempts by the government to infuse the judiciary with fear and timidity as they insisted that government must respect orders of the court and respect the law of the land. 

    During the military dictatorship, the judiciary remained vibrant and unwavering beacons of hope, bold and courageous defenders of the rights of the citizens and rule of law. Our judges ranked amongst the best in the world in the judicial firmament and sought after, both at home and abroad.  We had the incorruptible Teslim Elias, Attorney General and Chief Justice of Nigeria, and also a former judge and president of the International Court of Justice. We also had Chief Bola Ajibola, Louis Mbanefo and a crème of others at the world stage; we had Kayode Eso, Mohammed Uwais, Chukwudi Akunne Oputa; not to talk about firebrand practitioners and advocates with persuasive oratory power like Bola Ige, Gani Fawehinmi, Rotimi Williams, both conservatives and radicals alike.  The judiciary resisted every attempt by the military government to oust the power of the court and stood firmly at the risk of their liberty and shining careers in defence of the rule of law.  In the mid-1980s, the boldness of the judiciary was restated in the case of Ojukwu V. Lagos State government when the imperial justices condemned the action of the government in disobedience to court order as executive lawlessness. There was no trade-off of justice with politicians or anybody for that matter for any consideration; pecuniary, filial, timidity or fear.

    Read Also: Ondo polls: YPP candidate denies stepping down

     This was the apogee of the judiciary and legal practice in Nigeria with appealing scholarship and learning; when you could refer to lawyers appropriately as ‘my learned colleagues’.  Today, we have fallen to the nadir of judicial mercantilism where appointment to office of a judge is more for political, filial connection rather than sterling qualities of merit and excellence in bearings. Only the poor are served the mess-tin of justice for stealing yam or goat because they are hungry.  Those who loot the treasury are elected or rigged into the National Assembly to go and continue to make laws for us. 

    The judiciary has been in the news lately for the wrong reasons.  Just the other day, some minors were brought to the Federal High Court along with adults over the “End Bad Governance” protest.  Ordinarily, the presence of those minors deserved immediate judicial revulsion from the Bench without any application or prompting; not to talk about their frailty and fainting due to hunger. After all juvenile court is to exercise jurisdiction to try minors and young offenders. If they were used for subversive acts in the course of legitimate protests, it is also because of ignorance imposed by the state that neglected their education.  

    To build democracy, the rule of law must be observed and the judiciary remains a critical stakeholder for that purpose.  The office of the judge is hallowed and elevated; the judge is placed next to God.  The office of the judge should not be denigrated lightly.  The judge wields the power of life and death.  This is the reason why he is referred to as my Lord in his sobriety. The judiciary has come under scrutiny by both the informed and uninformed laity that have passed harsh judgment on the institutions of justice delivery in Nigeria.  To enjoy his pristine position of reverence, judges and courts must shorn frivolities and all appearances of impropriety.   You cannot decree that people should not criticize the judiciary because one belongs to the crème la crème of the trade.  Anyone that goes nude in the market place will attract attention and comment; rotten meat will always attract flies! The Nigerian people have been under heavy yoke and they are not able to get justice even in the law court. 

    Forum shopping and bizarre rulings and judgment devoid of common sense confront us daily and nobody wants to speak up because we want to be politically correct.  Due to the respect one has for the judiciary, I will not be able to describe the actions and behaviours of some of these judges as judicial recklessness, rascality as well as perfidious.

    Rivers State typifies a notorious example which if not checked will have far reaching consequences that could derail democracy and rule of law in the country.  The recent judgment or ruling that withholds the federal allocation to the entire state in a federation is bizarre and it is capable of escalating the political crises in the entire country.  The judiciary should rise up to the occasion and stop the siege on democracy and the rule of law.

    •Kebonkwu Esq is an Abuja-based attorney