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Filling the gap
- Government’s plan to engage retired doctors is laudable
At last, the Federal Government has dropped the denial mode to accept that the ‘Japa’ syndrome is taking a toll on the nation’s healthcare system. ‘Japa’ syndrome is “used to describe the act of escaping, fleeing, or disappearing quickly from a situation, often in a hasty and urgent manner.” With specific reference to Nigeria, it is used to describe the exodus of Nigerians for greener pastures abroad.

Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, a medical doctor, had embarrassingly claimed in April 2019 that Nigeria had surplus doctors, and government was not bothered that they were leaving the country in droves for greener pastures abroad. Failure to attend to the situation then accounts for its degeneration.

In that year, right under Ngige’s nose, Saudi Arabia was in Abuja to recruit doctors, with young and old physicians reporting at the recruitment centre.

The number of Nigerian doctors in the United Kingdom is estimated at 11, 000, while the United States, by 2020, had about 3,895. Canada and Australia have also thrown their doors wide open to Nigerian-trained doctors.

It has assumed such a disturbing dimension that even West African countries are now destinations for our healthcare specialists.

Speaking at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives (HoR) probing into the trend, Professor Emem Bassey, who is chairman of the Chief Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals, said: “Some African countries are beginning to poach from Nigeria. The West Coast is looking for our specialists. So many people are now going to places like Sierra Leone and Gambia, and the wage they earn is about $3,000, $4,000. It is about three to four times what they earn back home.”

So, one obvious reason for the emigration is remuneration. The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) have consistently cried out about their poor wages. At a point when the Coronavirus-19 pandemic was raging, the hazard allowance paid the caregivers of various categories was a paltry N5,000. Governments in the country have a duty to urgently check this trend. This is not a task for the federal executive alone, the legislature that has power of appropriation, and agencies charged with wage allocation, have to cooperate to ensure that the system does not collapse.

At the sub-national level, too, healthcare professionals have to be given special attention in the interest of the sick. Doctors and nurses had embarked on industrial action in many states, thus leaving poor patients at the mercy of quacks. Many people have died prematurely as a result of this.

But enhanced remuneration may not be enough to stop the drift, as the facilities in most of our hospitals, including the so-called centres of excellence, are grossly inadequate. As Yusuf Gagdi, chairman of the HoR Committee on Health said at the public hearing, “I admit there is a lack of advanced medical facilities in our health sector. This is a fact, and we must, as a government, pay attention to that.”

Read Also: Japa syndrome: Stakeholders seek action on rehabilitation, reformation, mental health

The reported plan to re-engage retired doctors may be one way to repair the damage in the sector. In recruiting the retired doctors, though, care must be taken to leave out the aged and tired. Those who retired long ago, and may not be familiar with recent developments and technology in medicine should be left out, except a refresher course is organised for them. It should however be realised that this is only a short term measure. It is an opportunity to revamp the system, turn our moribund tertiary health institutions to genuine centres of excellence and make our secondary hospitals attractive to doctors, including consultants.

Primary health institutions are also comatose. Most people, even in cosmopolitan cities avoid them, rather, flocking the general hospitals. The trend must be reversed if more Nigerians are to have access to health care.

As Professor Bassey pointed out, government would be acting in error if attention is paid to doctors only. Emoluments of all categories of professionals in our hospitals should be reviewed. And, in doing so, it must be comparable at least to what is applicable in the West Coast of Africa that has suddenly become attractive to our health personnel. To achieve this, government must live up to the promise to earmark 25 per cent of the budget to the health sector. It is important, too, that medical colleges be expanded and fully equipped to admit more qualified students. At the moment, they are too restrictive.

It is only when these measures are taken that the resolution of the House of Representatives that a state of emergency be declared in the sector would be meaningful.

‘Health is wealth’ is an axiom. But, life has become so short that life expectancy in the country by 2020 was put at 52.89 years. The figure has probably dropped with the worsening employment situation, inflationary trend and the unenviable attainment of the status of the world’s poverty capital.

A health summit comprising all stakeholders in the industry should be summoned to draw up the plan for progress. Professor Alli Pate who is the Minister of Health has a duty to ensure that the sector is saved in this his second sojourn in the ministry.

Indeed, to save the country’s health system is a task that must be done. Recruiting retired doctors is only the first step in that direction.
October 15, 2023
Agenda for Ogun’s new cabinet
- By Kunle Somorin
On August 3, 2023, the Ogun House of Assembly confirmed the nomination of eight commissioner-nominees who were earlier screened based on the adoption of the report of the Committee of the Whole House chaired by the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo.

On September 12, the House further confirmed the nomination of nine more commissioner-nominees as part of the individuals who will constitute the second-term team in Governor Dapo Abiodun’s cabinet. Those confirmed in the second installment included a former two-term member of the Assembly and a former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon. Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo; Mr. Sofela Adebola Emmanuel; Hon. Ilori-Oduntan Olufemi; Engr. Oluwagbenga Dairo; Hon. Bolu Owootomo; Mr. Oladimeji Oresanya; Hon. Balogun Ademola; Engr. Taiwo Oludotun and Mr. Fagbayi Sesan.

On October 9, the House screened three additional commissioner-nominees sent to it by Governor Abiodun in what seemed like the final tranche of nominations. The three commissioner-nominees screened this time were Mr. Olatunji Odunlami, former Commissioner in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development; Mr Wasiu Isiaka, former Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Ogun Internally Generated Revenue, and Mrs Funmi Efuwape, immediate-past Commissioner in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

It brings to 20 (one was dropped at the screening) the number of commissioner-nominees screened and confirmed by the state legislature as submitted by Prince Abiodun.

Also, one of the earliest observations both insiders and bystanders would notice in the governor’s incoming cabinet is the retaining of the core base of those who assisted him in bringing his vision to life during his first term as governor. The idiom, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” comes to mind in the way His Excellency has gone about his choice team.

It also means that, characteristically, the governor was not ready to play politics with the consolidation of the gains of the previous four years in the state.

With post-election litigations over and the governor’s re-election duly affirmed by the Ogun State Governorship Election Tribunal on September 30, and the formal inauguration on Friday, 13th October, high expectations of the people of the state, majorly because of the standard set by Gov Abiodun in his first term, demand that the commissioners-designate hit the ground running immediately after their swearing-in.

Already, it is to their advantage that they have keyed into the governor’s vision, and they should make that advantage count by rolling their sleeves and getting the job done. Many have attested to the fact that Gov Abiodun has increased the appetite of the Ogun people towards good governance. Thus, the tremendous success of his first term has become the yardstick for measuring growth and development in the state.

The governor himself has said, “We will continue with the same vision of providing focused and purposeful governance. We will push our frontiers as the industrial, educational, and religious capital of Nigeria. We are fast becoming the food basket in the southwest, so we have a lot to be thankful for. Please let us keep our eyes on the ball.” This is a huge commitment to which the people will not only hold him but also scrutinise the collective effort of his team’s ability to deliver.

Also, while hosting members of the Ogun State Community Development Council and the State Cooperatives Federated Limited who were on a felicitation visit to him on his victory at the polls, the governor reiterated his administration’s position to continue to ensure that it fulfills all its campaign promises to the people, just as it did in his first term.

Crucially, the commissioners-designate should be up to speed with the developmental policies of the administration to consolidate the ISEYA Mantra, because even before they are assigned portfolios, the governor has been recording some giant strides through the use of his Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework that yielded so much result in the previous term and is expected to further boost the confidence of stakeholders in the ability of government to deliver.

Since his reelection, Prince Abiodun has been meeting with both local and international private sector actors and has even commissioned economic projects such as the 150 million standard cubic feet Ibefun Natural Gas City Gate. He had a strategic economic meeting with the biggest conglomerate owned by the Egyptian Government, National Service Project Organization, with the North African organisation expressing its readiness to invest in the agricultural sector of the state.

There are also huge projects from the first term that the cabinet must assist the governor to deliver. One such is the Tongeji Island Project, which would host a $3 billion crude oil refinery in a PPP arrangement with some international oil conglomerates. The project has the potential to deliver a 400,000-liters-per-day refinery to boost the energy supply and provide over 10,000 direct jobs while boosting the state’s internally generated revenue.

Also, there is the Kajola Dry Port, cited at the Kajola Free Trade Zone, aimed at making cargo shipping to the state seamless and creating job opportunities for the people of the state.

These projects and many others are going to be Prince Abiodun’s legacy projects and strategic financial reforms, as well as a renewed commitment to quality service delivery are required to ensure the kind of seamless financial policy implementation needed to bring them into fruition for the overall socio-economic development of Ogun State.

It is known that the state’s 2023 Budget relies heavily on and is being financed significantly by the internally generated revenue from the Ogun State Internal Revenue Service, Bureau of Lands & Survey, other ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as other funding sources which include statutory allocation, excess crude, value added tax and capital receipts.

To be able to complete these very important projects, therefore, the state will have to further expand its revenue base by exploring new opportunities in the informal sector through accurate data gathering and necessary enforcement while blocking envisaged leakages.

It is in line with this huge task ahead that Gov Abiodun said the 2023 budget is a holistic constitution of the people’s needs and judicious application of the limited resources to areas that bear on the welfare of the citizenry. “This budget is reflective of what the people of Ogun State want. I can assure you that on our part, we will ensure the implementation of the budget. Through this budget, our people will enjoy the full dividends of democracy,” he said.

For emphasis, no fewer than 203 inputs (representing 95 per cent of demands) made at the citizens’ town hall meetings held across the four divisions of the state were incorporated into the budget proposal for 2023. There are other reasons why the governor said that delivering on the provisions of the 2023 budget is crucial to the growth and development of the state. Therein, the state government has given utmost priority to capital project investments in education, health, housing, agriculture, and infrastructure sectors for the growth and development of the state and the well-being of its inhabitants.

In 2022, the government delivered on its promise of embarking on the construction of Agro-Cargo International Airport at Ilishan-Remo in which the first phase was commissioned in the first quarter of 2023, while the other phases had reached advanced stages of completion. Other major projects are also receiving adequate attention across all sectors in order to ensure accelerated growth and even development across the three Senatorial Districts of the state.

It is obvious that embarking on the delivery of these promises and the completion of such significant major projects require strategic partnerships and collaboration. Ogun, therefore, needs an enabling environment for industrial growth, manpower development, and creativity to thrive. That is why the administration of Prince Abiodun introduced measures to attract foreign and local investments.

Prince Abiodun, therefore, needs the support of his new cabinet members to ensure that policies and programmes in their various portfolios are geared towards promoting efficiency and effectiveness in fund allocation and utilization. They should constantly remind themselves that the ultimate goal is “Building our future together”.
- SOMORIN, former Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, writes from Abeokuta
October 15, 2023
Certificate saga: When Atiku’s ambition begets malice
- By Jimoh Olorede
Nigerian child born thirty years ago (1993) who, by now, might be a father or mother, knows that the ‘Self-actualization Priority Need’ of the former Vice President, and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, is utmost attainment of the Nigeria’s presidency seat. There’s no gainsaying in this given the fact that Atiku Abubakar has since 1993 been eyeing the topmost political seat of Nigeria’s presidency, when he contested presidential primaries in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and lost to Moshood Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe.

Serially, in 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023, he contested on the platform of Action Congress (AC) and lost to Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007; he came to PDP, contested presidential primaries and lost to the then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011; he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014, contested presidential primaries and lost to Muhammadu Buhari in 2015; he returned to the PDP in 2017, contested the 2019 presidential election and lost to the immediate-past President, Muhammadu Buhari; and in 2023 presidential election, he, as usual, contested against Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC and lost. What a political journey of an ambitious 76-year old man!

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is glaringly desirous and ambitious in attaining presidency. Of course, nothing is wrong or bad in this. In fact, it’s his constitutional right to pursue his presidential ambition, and any other genuine ambitions whatsoever.

However, the way and manner Atiku goes about the pursuit of his ambition, by not only instituting a litigation, but also by his adversarial disposition, shows the former Vice President is not only ambitious but also malicious in his bid to wrestle power from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In his malicious bid to harm the personality and dignity of his main opponent, Tinubu, Atiku has been on hater-recruitment mission since aftermath of the February 25, 2023 presidential election which brought Tinubu to power as duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

For instance, recently, during his October 5th World Press Conference, which he called and addressed in Abuja after the release of Tinubu’s academic records to him by the Chicago State University (CSU), Atiku said: “I am calling on all well-meaning Nigerians, leaders of thought, our religious leaders, our traditional leaders, our community leaders, our political leaders, and in particular, Governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP and, the leaders of every political party in Nigeria, and, indeed, every single person who loves this country, as I do, and who wishes nothing but the best for the country, as I do, to join me in this campaign to enshrine probity, accountability and the basic principles of justice, morality and uprightness in our country and in our government”

Read Also: Saint Atiku as moral exemplar? (1)

Apart from recruiting haters to join his malicious mission, the former Vice President has also been mischievous in his self-interpretation of the Chicago State University (CSU) Registrar, Caleb Westberg’s deposition as well as the academic records released to him. Neither the CSU nor its Registrar said Tinubu forged his certificates. According to Westberg, the authenticity of a student’s academic records is in the academic transcript, and not necessarily the certificate which might be contracted to a third party for issuance.

A recent report by the disinformation team of the British Broadcasting Commission (BBC) quoted the authority of Tinubu’s former school, CSU, as saying: “We are confident and always have been in the veracity and integrity of our records regarding Tinubu’s attendance and completion of graduation requirements.” So, with this authenticity declaration of Tinubu’s studentship and successful completion and graduation of same by his school, Atiku Abubakar’s allegation of forgery is clearly self-defined with a malicious intention, and of course, spurious.

Asking the President to resign and vacate presidency on the basis of his certificate, which is a sole jurisdiction and determination of the Supreme Court, obviously flagrantly amounts to contempt of the highest court of the land, not only for preempting the decision of the apex court, but also by Atiku’s mischief in the application and usage of the academic documents released to him by the CSU, when he told the Illinois Court that he would use the discoveries in pursuit of his appeal at the Supreme Court in Nigeria.

But few days after the release of Tinubu’s academic records to him via his legal team, he called and addressed a World Press Conference in clear contempt of the highest court of the land. Also worrisome is the way some armchair lawyers in Nigeria are turning the media into a court of law and adjudicating the CSU matter on Televisions and newspapers. These supposed professionals, of course, do not need or expect an Engineer to tell them the implications of their action.

Alhaji Abubakar’s spin-doctors and media handlers should let him know that the way he pursues his self-actualization needs, as propounded by Abraham Maslow, exposes his power lust, which portrays him as maliciously ambitious and ambitiously malicious.
- Dr. Olorede, a don and media scholar, wrote via oloredejimoh@gmail.com/08111841887.
October 15, 2023
How Israel dropped the ball on Hamas invasion
- By Anatoliy Maksymov
For the first time since 1973, Israel is officially at war. Unlike previous times, the enemy came from the Gaza Strip, from the inside of the country.

The Hamas group attacked Israel. For a moment, its militants gained control over several settlements, captured hundreds of Israelis and citizens of other countries, and killed about a thousand soldiers and civilians.

All international observers and experts are still trying to figure out how one of the world’s best intelligence services happened to miss this invasion. After all, as it became crystal clear during the first day, the Tzahal was utterly unprepared for fighting on such a scale. Or – maybe – the intelligence blew the whistle, but nobody wanted to listen?

Israel and Hamas: a game of attrition that became a habit

The two sides have been fighting almost non-stop since at least the 1990s. The full-blown fighting started in 2007 when Hamas seized power in Gaza and overthrew Yasser Arafat’s Fatah party. Israel is the number one target for Hamas. According to their ideology, it should be destroyed – Hamas wants to “throw Israel into the sea.”

Over many years of confrontation, the Israelis have grown accustomed – insofar as possible – to missile and terrorist attacks and to attempts by certain terrorist groups to enter Israel through various tunnels. Many thought it would be this way in the future.

War benefited everyone as long as both parties got to keep their power. Ironically, this was one of the few instances where certain right-wing Israelis and Hamas fanatics saw eye to eye.

The fact that Israelis grew accustomed to this behavioral pattern along with the traditional celebrations and the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War left their army unprepared for large-scale combat operations and delayed the mobilization of reserve soldiers and their subsequent regrouping to the south of the country, closer to the Gaza Strip. Therefore, the residents of towns and kibbutz near the Gaza Strip were left virtually defenseless against the terror of Hamas.

Hamas never acts on its own. It is part of the Iranian “proxy forces,” which also includes the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement in Yemen, Hezbollah in Iraq and Lebanon, as well as other terrorist and paramilitary groups. Without Iranian funding and organizational support, launching thousands of rockets at once would have been impossible for the combatants from Gaza, as they simply don’t have enough resources.

How the invasion happened

The Hamas attack began on Shabbat (Saturday) on Oct. 7 at 6 a.m. with a massive missile attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. Most people, particularly the soldiers, were either resting or in a different region of the country, such as on the West Bank of the Jordan River or in the Golan Heights (for instance, the artillery and 26 battalions of the Tzahal). The missiles arrived as far as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the central and eastern parts of the country accordingly.

That’s when more than a thousand well-armed terrorists headed to Israel by land, to the great surprise of the still sleepy country. They broke through the protective barrier around the Sector, in some places simply tearing it down with bulldozers. The army’s response came overdue – in the afternoon, the “Nakhal,” “Golani,” “Maglan” and other brigades began to approach Gaza. The urban combat started, followed by the airstrikes on Gaza.

Read Also: Israel’ll not stop fighting until Hamas loses military potential – Foreign ministry

However, it wasn’t possible to chase them back immediately – they were too numerous. They hid in cities, drove on the roads, received reinforcements from Gaza, and attempted sea landings.

Israel’s society, where almost every citizen served in the army, is now bombarding the authorities and intelligence with questions about how it was possible in the first place, for armed men to break through the most controlled border in the Middle East, where every centimeter is covered with motion sensors and cameras.

There are no precise and unequivocal answers yet, but certain conclusions can already be drawn – in particular, the ones about the policies of the current government of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The most spectacular failure since 1973?

Israel had already lived through something similar in October 1973. Then Arab countries attacked during a holiday, like this time. And like this time, Israel was utterly unprepared for battle, suffering defeat after defeat during the first days of war.

This level of unpreparedness comes as a great surprise in a country that boasts several highly skilled intelligence services led by the legendary Mossad. But neither Mossad (although it was supposed to monitor Iran and Lebanon) nor Shabak (a local analog of FBI) nor Aman military intelligence raised the alarm.

However, another opinion was voiced – the intelligence tried to blow the whistle, but Netanyahu’s office chose not to listen.

The thing is that many armed forces members, representatives of intelligence, and former reservists sided with the protesters when “Bibi” was trying to push his legal reform – the one taking several important powers from the Supreme Court – through the Knesset.

Netanyahu did not forgive and did not forget. At that time, the story ended with an open clinch with the power block.

Moreover, it is known that Netanyahu even refused to read intelligence reports – just like his dear American friend Donald Trump.

Another reason is that the political ambitions and objectives of the Netanyahu government are concentrated in the eastern part of the country, not in the south.

Tzahal was ordered to protect the construction of illegal settlements on the West Bank of the Jordan River and the Golan Heights. As a result of the 1967 and 1973 wars, Israel seized these territories along with East Jerusalem.

The whole world considers this an occupation. Only Israel did not leave this land, as it happened with the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza. On the contrary, the settlers – Israelis who live in small settlements surrounded by Palestinians, in difficult living conditions and with challenged security – have become the base of the electorate of Netanyahu and his ultra-right-wing ministers. Further development of settlements became their ideology.

It was believed there was no threat from the south – the Hamas were “pacified” and did not want a big war, and the “Iron Dome” would handle the shelling.

As it turned out, it was nothing more than wishful thinking. Some international media have already written about the fact that the planning of this attack started two years ago. While Israel was handing out money to Palestinian workers, they were giving it to Hamas, which in turn stole billions of dollars in international aid given to the Sector.

All the funds “collected” this way were used to purchase weapons and pay for the work of Iranian instructors. The WSJ publication reported that since August 2023, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been developing the final details of the attack and gave the “green light” to the terrorists during a meeting in Beirut.

And so, as Hamas paragliders landed and 3,000 rockets flew overhead, Gaza’s elite commandos raced toward the border and pounded it with tractors, explosives, and brute force. They attacked the headquarters of the “Southern” command and jammed their communications, preventing attempts to call for help. All other militants terrorized civilians and took prisoners.

This is how Netanyahu’s geopolitical gambit failed

In recent years, the Gaza Strip has experienced a period of relative calm. This has allowed Israel to shift its foreign policy focus from solving local security issues to developing diplomatic relationships with its neighbors. As a result of this shift, Israel has signed the Abraham Accords, which are agreements aimed at normalizing and restoring diplomatic relations between the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and Israel. These accords represent a significant step towards reconciliation and improved relations between Israel and the Arab world.

Despite these positive developments, Saudi Arabia has yet to join the treaty, insisting that the issue with the Palestinians be resolved first. However, there has been progress made in this regard as well. Israel has even established contacts with Iran, a country that has long been considered its sworn enemy.

It is highly probable that this issue will be forgotten for an indefinite period. The entire Arab world once again showed their support for the Palestinians in their fight against Israel.

Netanyahu’s grand political gambit has failed.

He will most likely win the war, but like Golda Meir’s situation in 1973, he may lose his office. And Israel is going to live through the difficult weeks and years of recovery and investigations into who exactly is to blame for the events that occurred.
- ” This article was first published in www.kyivpost.com
October 15, 2023
How China achieved a technological revolution
- By Ayman Omar
China‘s gross domestic product (GDP) increased from 360.86 billion U.S. dollars in 1990 to 1.21 trillion dollars in 2000 until it reached 17.96 trillion dollars in 2022. The size of the Chinese economy has grown by about 49 times since 1990 and about 15 times since 2000, and it is the second-largest global economy after the United States.

China’s remarkable advancement in the technology sector contributed to its economic growth. A report by Harvard University released in 2022 noted China’s technological progress in several vital fields, such as artificial intelligence, electronic chips, quantum computing, biotechnology, wireless information science and green energy.

This technological boom had few parallels in countries worldwide in recent decades, akin to the First Industrial Revolution and its significant changes in various aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life. Indeed, the technological revolution that China is currently undertaking is a prelude to the fourth industrial revolution. This tremendous and rapid technological development can provide a role model not only for developing countries but also for developed countries. Many lessons can be learned from this rapid technological boom in China.

First, it invested in scientific research. China has allocated substantial financial resources to support innovation, inventions and technology development, especially in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and others. China has significantly increased spending on research and development over the years, with its total expenditure on research and development (R&D) exceeding 3 trillion yuan (about 418.2 billion dollars) in 2022, up 10.1 percent year on year, constituting 2.54 percent of its GDP.

Second, it invested in digital infrastructure. Advanced technology needs infrastructure and a digital economy to attract investments and progress in technological development.

Third, China changed the structure of its economy. The country entered the world of technology and built an advanced digital economy, which quickly paved the way for it to reach global leadership in advanced technology. From 2016 to 2022, the scale of China’s digital economy increased by 4.1 trillion dollars, with a compound annual growth rate of 14.2 percent. China’s digital economy amounted to 7.1 trillion dollars in 2021, ranking second after the United States.

Read Also: China-Africa cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative

Fourth, it encouraged startups and pioneered innovation. China created an entrepreneurial environment that encouraged innovation and inventions, leading to the emergence of many startups in advanced technology. China ranked second globally with 301 unicorn companies, or startups valued at more than 1 billion dollars in 2021, with 74 new companies added from the previous year.

Fifth, China enhanced economic growth and increased GDP through advanced technology. China has used advanced technology in manufacturing and increased its reliance on e-commerce, which has improved economic growth, increased GDP and created new job opportunities.

Sixth, it invested in green energy technology. China invested in green energy to avoid environmental problems such as global warming, acid rain and environmental pollution to achieve sustainable development and address environmental challenges.

Seventh, China boosted technological security. It expanded technology security by developing cybersecurity strategies and protecting critical and sensitive information.

Eighth, it established many research laboratories. The East Asian country created laboratories in artificial intelligence, information technology, space technology and biotechnology. One of these laboratories is the Baidu Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, considered one of the world’s most important and largest artificial intelligence laboratories.

China’s unique experience has led to its advanced position in several high-tech fields. This will boost economic growth and improve living standards, establishing it as a global center of technological expertise.
October 15, 2023
Ogunbanjo: Father of modern corporate law practice
- By Joseph Onele
Last weekend, the news was received that Chief (Dr) Christopher Ogunbanjo OFR,CON, peacefully transitioned into eternal glory, surrounded by his beloved family, in his centennial year and barely just a couple of months to his centenary birthday. Chief Ogunbanjo was born in the Parsonage of Epiphany Church, Erunwon, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State on Friday, December 14, 1923. A son of a clergyman, he had his early education at St Philips School, Aiyetoro, Ile-Ife, Osun State from where he proceeded to Oduduwa College in 1936. He would then go onto to Igbobi College, Lagos in 1938 and left in December 1941 after obtaining the Cambridge School Certificate with exemption from London Matriculation. He passed the LLB Laws Degree of London University in 1949 and was to the Bar in Lincoln’s Inn in 1950. He became a Barrister-at-Law and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in August 1950.

Capturing how prominent Chief Ogunbanjo’s influence was in the 1950s and 60s, Chief (Dr) Olusegun Oladipo Osunkeye CON, OFR, FCA, in Essays in Honour of Chief (Dr) Christopher Ogunbanjo OFR, CON @95, noted that for prospective investors intending to set up business in Nigeria during that time, the gateway to entry would normally start with making enquiries from Barclays Bank DCO and Bank of British West Africa and those two banks would readily give the name of Chief Ogunbanjo because of the confidence they have had in him, his integrity, competence, thoroughness, and professionalism. Chief Ogunbajo would go on to distinguish himself as the father of modern corporate law practice in Nigeria – a title best used for a trail blazer cum founder of the pioneer indigenous commercial law firm in Nigeria which competed favourably with the corporate law firm of Irving & Bonnar at that time.

Chief Ogunbanjo would also earn the coveted title of “Captain of Industry’’ – perhaps for his role as a founding member of the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (Life Patron since 1987) and Honorary Life Vice-President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry since 1979 and for his sterling reputation for pioneering/nurturing indigenous industrial ventures in Nigeria, given the economic genius he was.

Beyond earning an illustrious reputation for promoting education, research and a peaceful society geared towards adding benefit to all, Chief Ogunbanjo would go on to serve in various capacities including as the first chairman of the Nigerian Council for Management, Education and Training, the governing body of the Centre for Management Development (1972-76). He served as the chairman of the Study Group on Industrial Policy set up by the federal government to examine industrial development in Nigeria (1984). After this, he would go on to serve as the chairman of the Consultative Committee on Company Law to advise on a new Companies Decree promulgated in 1990.

As aptly captured in the words of Hon. Justice Mohammed Bello GCON – former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Chief Ogunbanjo “kept alive his concerns not just for an industrialised and economically progressive Nigeria, but also where peace will reign among the diverse interests and ethnic orientation of the people of our beloved country.” To know Chief Ogunbanjo was to know an extraordinary and patriotic Nigeria dedicated to an industrialised, economically developed and progressive Nigeria with peace being at the centre of such lofty and detribalized pursuits.

Chief Ogunbanjo’s passion for Nigeria’s economic growth and development would explain why he wrote extensively on the Nigerian economy. Some of his thoughts in this regard would form a collection of papers found in two books, to wit: Nigeria’s Economic and Industrial Development – Which Way Forward? (1983); Nigeria – The Search for Economic Stability (1986).

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Honoured home and abroad as evident in his 1981 decoration as Officer Orange Nassau by Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands and 1982 conferment with the National Merit Award of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), in 1986, he was honoured with the title of Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management and in 1987, he was awarded the Doctor of Civil Laws (D.C.L) by Obafemi Awolowo University. The University of Lagos would follow on in 1988 with the award of Doctor of Laws (LL.D) and in 1990, he was equally honoured by home grown University – Ogun State university, Ago-Iwoye with the title of Doctor of Sciences (D.Sc) – a proud moment for the illustrious son of the Ogun State.

A seasoned legal luminary and distinguished figure in Nigeria’s legal and business communities, whose multifaceted roles as an industrialist, corporate lawyer and philanthropist would leave indelible impressions in these important fields as he empowered and mentored numerous professionals from Nigeria and beyond. Perhaps, one of the best credits ever given to chief was by Mr Asue Ighodalo, founding partner, Banwo & Ighodalo, chairman, Nigerian Breweries Plc, chairman, Board of Directors, Sterling Bank Plc, chairman, Levene Energy Group Limited, when he opined: “…I had the unique privilege of undertaking the mandatory law firm attachment with the firm of Chris Ogunbanjo & Co. It was … the leading commercial law firm in Nigeria at the time… I enjoyed the six weeks I spent there. I liked the firm, the people, the quality of the work and the exposure. Once I completed my law school exams and I was called to bar, I asked if I could come back to work in the firm. I worked there for about six years, they were six wonderful and professionally fulfilling years. I was exposed to everything about commercial law. Chief Chris Ogunbanjo was a great boss, a fantastic person, and very generous in imparting his deep knowledge and wide exposure. I was exposed to complicated transactions. We worked in an atmosphere of intellectual intensity, where everybody was primarily responsible for their work, and my time there was indeed a blessing. I really want to thank Chief Ogunbanjo for the experience, and my friend Tokunbo for the opportunity. That was the greatest influence on my career, and I am truly grateful for it.”

Ever desirous of giving back, he would go on to start The Chris Ogunbanjo Foundation with a passion for touching mankind and positively affecting lives through championing of ideals that bind us together.

To know Chief Ogunbanjo was to know an unwavering beacon of courage, moral integrity, and dedication to his beloved country. His impactful life was best characterised by an exceptional commitment to selfless causes, extraordinary of life of service to his community and people, as well as a sterling reputation for promoting best business practices and unblemished reputation.

Highly decorated and honoured recipient of several prestigious chieftaincy titles, including Olotu of Ijebuland, Larinja of Egbaland, Gbadero of Lagos, Lerinja of Egbaland, Baba Oba of Ijebu Imusin, and Baba Oba of Erunwon Ijebu, Chief Ogunbanjo was also well known for championing causes close to his heart and dedicating himself to grassroots community development as well as advocacy for peaceful co-existence between Nigerians from diverse backgrounds.

Until his death, he was the patron, Nigerian/America, Chamber of Commerce, patron, Nigerian/British Chamber of Commerce, grand patron, Ijebu-Ode Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture; life patron, Christian Charity Band of Nigeria; chairman and trustee, Ogun State Development Trust Fund, amongst others.

His legacy, best exemplified by his invaluable contributions to worthy causes, economic growth, and development, modern corporate cum commercial law practice, as well as peaceful co-existence amongst Nigerians and Africans at large, will continue to stand the test of time and championed by all those who have had the chance to drink from his ever-flowing fountain of knowledge, as well for generations to come.
- Onele is a lawyer and can be reached via thejosephonele@gmail.com
October 12, 2023
China-Africa cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative
- By Charles Onunaiju
From October 17 – 18, about 53 African countries along, with more than 100 countries from other parts of the world and 30 international organizations will converge in Beijing, the Chinese capital for the third forum of the Belt and Road International Cooperation. The third international forum of the Belt and Road (BRI) will mark the 10 years’ anniversary since the initiative was outlined by the Chinese leader, President Xi Jinping in speeches at Kazakhstan and Indonesia in 2013.

The Belt and Road Initiative underwrites in practical terms the historical turning point of the contemporary global community where the imperatives of communication and cooperation among peoples and nations are the defining trends of the time. To give concrete effect to this contemporary trend, the BRI set out to procure and provide the practical means to drive communications and cooperation among nations and peoples. While the Chinese wisdom systemized this process and identified the concrete and effective mechanism to actualize the means, the trend of broad cooperation and communication was nonetheless, the objective trajectories of mankind’s evolving historical process.

Therefore, any meaningful and utilitarian development of the BRI as the concrete expression of the emerging trend must proceed from a global ownership of the process through “extensive consultations, joint contributions and shared benefits; which happens to be the defining creed of the Belt and Road framework of international cooperation. The Belt and Road mechanism is characteristic of five interlocking essentials – policy coordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial cooperation and people to people bonds. While these five policy pillars have universal applications and derive from the existential reality of globalization, it clearly mirrors Africa’s substantive dispositions to integrate into the mainstream of the globalization process and access both its benefits and also contribute to enriching the process.

The Belt and Road Initiative is the concentrated expression of globalization in its broadest sense of accommodation, inclusion and participation and carries Africa’s fervent historic wish and will. And in the past 10 years, since the Belt and Road process hit the ground running, Africa has witnessed the most impactful revolution in infrastructure construction and facilities connectivity. Sea and Airports construction and rehabilitation, modern railways overland, road and bridge construction, power plants, industrial and special economic zones, stadia, water treatment systems, hospitals and schools through China-Africa cooperation hugely enhanced by the Belt and Road mechanism are common features in the continent.

The original framework of Africa integration through infrastructure connectivity and coordination of industrial clusters articulated at the historic meeting of the African heads of state and government in Lagos in 1980 and the historic document it produced in the “Lagos plan of action” which was openly vilified by western dominated financial institutions, take a life of its own as an idea, whose time has come and is now powered by China-Africa cooperation and energized by the Belt and Road mechanism..

In West Africa, through the engagement of the Belt and Road process, key infrastructure projects spanning highways, ports, energy infrastructure are remarkably taking shape.

In Nigeria, Lekki deep sea port, that would serve as maritime logistics hub in the sub region is up and running and is expected to cut by significant margin the time and cost of doing business. Ghana’s first gas processing plant and its associated gas pipelines has been completed through the Belt and Road partnership where China offered by financial and technical contributions. The gas plant would ensure effective utilization of natural gas for improving and expanding Ghana’s economic activities.

On highway infrastructure within the sub region, the Belt and Road partnership plays critical and pivotal roles. For instance, the upgrade of 1,228km existing railway between Bamako in Mali and Dakar in Senegal at the cost of $2.2 billion is underway and China has played vital role in financing the railway upgrade through a $1.24 billion loan with Senegal, payable at 2% annually in 30 years and $1.49 billion agreement between China railway construction corporation and Mali.

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The project will increase trade through transportation of goods and form an important new link between the two countries and facilitate Mali’s access to the sea, which benefits Mali’s gold mining sector. Also, through collaboration with China under the Belt and Road partnership, the 4,500km trans-Sahelian highway no 5 (TAH5) has been completed. The lines run from Dakar in Senegal to N’djamena, Chad. TAH5 is part of trans-African highway, which is a 60,000km network of nine highways crisscrossing the continent as envisioned by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in 1971. In addition to providing an alternative seamless route from Senegal to Chad, the highway’s will allow countries on the route of TAH5 to tap into the markets in West and Central Africa, thereby promoting effective regional trade and integration, a key enduring feature of pan Africanism. Historically, Africa has consistently put on notice that its path to prosperity would be paved through trade and industrialization and not aid and humanitarian sympathies. The Belt and Road mechanism has given concrete expression to the abiding vision of African countries to boost trade investment and industry. At the 2018 summit of the heads of states and government of the Forum on China-Africa cooperation (FOCAC), President Xi Jinping proposed a permanent trade mechanism to drive the access of African products to the Chinese huge market.

The China–Africa economic and trade expo was established with a permanent site at a central Chinese province of Hunan and holds every two years. China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for the past 14 years in a straight row and currently Africa’s agricultural products enjoy significant concessional access to huge Chinese market. In a report by the Atlantic council, a US think tank released in March with the title “China in Sub Saharan Africa: Reaching Beyond natural resources”, it noted that “over the past two decades, China has emerged as the leading trading partner with and investor in the region as the US and the EU have seen their share in sub Saharan Africa trade and investment dwindle. In short, China has become a main source of development finance, technical assistance and even loans for the region presenting itself as a viable alternative to the World Bank group and the IMF in the region.

In the White Paper published by the state council information office of the PRC, just a week before the 3rd BRI in Beijing, it observed that “the BRI is a long term, transnational and systematic global project of the 21st century. It has succeeded in taking its first step on a long journey and continuing from this new starting point, the BRI will demonstrate greater creativity and vitality, become more open and inclusive and generate new opportunities for both China and the rest of the world”.

As African leaders converge in Beijing with other world leaders for the 3rd BRI forum, it should look beyond the glamour of summitries, digest and dissect the intricate layers of BRI, contribute to enriching the mechanism and engage in policy coordination and alignment that delivers value to Africa’s existential requirement of economic recovery and growth.
- Onunaiju is research director, Centre for China Studies, Abuja.
October 12, 2023
What moping and drifting Nigeria must do to be saved
- By F. E. Ogbimi
Nigeria has been a moping and drifting nation since it gained flag-independence. Nigeria started with implementing 5-Year National Development Plans after independence in 1960. She implemented the national plans till 1985. Then the World Bank and IMF introduced the African Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) to many African nations including Nigeria in the early 1980s. Nigeria began to implement SAP in 1986. Nigeria claimed to have stopped implementing SAP in 2021 in view of the prevalent elements of SAP in the economy and returned to 5-Year National Development Plans with the adoption of 2021-2025 National Development Plan. The government may not see the need to tell her illiterate citizens why the nation returned to national plans. But the act of changing from National Development Plans to SAP and back to National Development Plans suggests that Nigeria is moping and drifting, notwithstanding the confidence with which some managers of the economy talk about vogue programmes they are forcing the nation to waste time implementing.

We all know Nigeria is much worse off today than in 1986. A World Bank study in year 2000, entitled “Can Africa claim the 21st century,” found out that Africa was much poorer in year 2000 than it was in the 1970s. Nigeria cannot make progress till the nation changes its conception of how a nation grows and develops. Nigeria has always been measuring GDP growth. The Obasanjo administration measured 5 % GDP, the Jonathan administration measured 7% and the Buhari administration was in recesion all the time.

I have carried out analyses of the national plans and the SAP and found out that they lacked growth-promoting-elements and could not promote sustainable economic growth and industrialization and development(SEGID). European nations, the United States of America, Japan, Korea and China were poor agricultural/artisan nations for many centuries. They became productive and rich nations after they achieved the modern industrialization. This historical evidence suggests that industrialisation is the solution to poverty, mass unemployment and related security problems. Today, many other nations are moping and drifting. Sri Lanka, Argentina and Peru are some other moping nations. The reason for moping is, there has not been clear intellectual direction for promoting national development for developing nations to follow. The technologically advanced nations achieved their enviable status through accident and intuition in some cases; only few cases were planned. History therefore suggests that all poor agricultural/artisan nations must strive to achieve industrialisation to eliminate poverty and related problems.

Economists and other Western social scientists and their friends – accountants, bankers, lawyers, administrators, etc., lack a sense of history and do not understand the science that underlies industrialisation. So, they cannot plan for industrialisation. Yet, they have been the technocrats in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of our governments over the years and managing the economy. This explains why Nigeria has been moping and drifting since independence. No one solves a problem he does not understand.

Today, Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world. Politicians do not readily build nations. European and Asian kings ruled their nations in abject poverty 2000-3000 years before industrilisation overthrew them and freed the people. Politicians (kings, soldiers, civilians, etc.) cannot be trusted. Nigerians must not leave Nigeria for politicians to ruin. What should the people do? The national economy is by far more important for all Nigerians than politics. No nation is great because it has a set of great politicians or a sophisticated political system or because it is a capitalist or communist nation? Nations are great because they are industrialised, wealthy and produce many types of goods and service including military wares. Again, all rich nations are industrialised. No agricultural/artisan or commodity-producing nation is wealthy.

First, let us understand the problem of development. Again, history shows that agricultural/artisan nations are poor but they become productive and rich when they achieve the modern industrialization. We can say that industrialisation is the primary basis of economic democracy (mass participation in the economic sphere of a society). Industrialisation transforms all aspects of life of a society. It is economic democracy that builds nations not writing beautiful constitutions and frivolous elections for electing lame duck prime ministers and presidents.

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Industrialisation is achieved through learning. It is an advanced critical state of scientific knowledge, skills and competences/capabilities in a society. Industrialisation is the economic status in which a society begins to apply theoretical science in solving problems including production. Only about 10 per cent of Nigerians participate in our so-called money-elections (symbols of political democracy). Industrialisation is most rapid when all citizens are mobilized and everyone is uplifted when a nation achieves the modern industrialisation. It is because Western intellectuals do not understand the science of economic development that their focus is all on constitution writing and organizing expensive elections.

Industrialisaion is a capability-building process. Industrialisation is achieved through learning (education, training, employment and research). Education, alone, co-exists with mass unemployment and poverty. The experience of Africans and Latin-Americans over the centuries demonstrated this clearly. In all learning processes, the learning rate determines how soon the learning person or society achieves a desired target like speaking a language or achieving industrialization. High learning intensity or rate leads to rapid progress and low learning intensity leads to slow progress.

Learning has never been a priority in the affairs of Nigeria. Ignorance has limited the developing world to education alone rather than integrated learning (education, training, employment and research). Now we all know why Nigeria has been moping, drifting, stagnating and why our nation is the one with the largest number of poverty-stricken people in the world. European and Asian kings neglected education for 2000-3000 years. There were no public educational systems in Europe for about 2000 years. That is why European and Asian development experience were very slow and chaotic.

Our focus must be on industrailisation (economic democracy) not constitutionalism, not frivolous and expensive elections (political democracy), to save Nigeria. Nigeria’s failure will continue, if we continue to emphasize politics and abandon the economy for politicians and foreigners to loot.

Promoting industrialization is the most important factor for arresting/eliminating mass unemployment, poverty and insecurity. Our industrialization theory suggested that mobilizing all Nigerians for learning (education, training, employment and research) will lead to industrialization in a few decades. During the learning process, there will not be idleness, no mass unemployment, poverty and insecurity will be eliminated speedily.

Japan mobilized all her citizens for learning 1886-1905 and achieved industrialization. China mobilized all her citizens for learning in 1949 and achieved industrialisation early in the 1980s. There is hope for Nigerians and Nigeria.
- Prof Ogbimi writes via fogbimi@yahoo.com
October 12, 2023
ECOWAS rules to protect pastoralists discourage investments in modern livestock farming

By Jane Ezirigwe

A common sight around West Africa is to see cattle grazing freely, even in major cities, on highways and in airports.

Every year, about 300 million head of livestock (mostly cattle) move across West Africa. Based on seasonal factors, they leave their usual grazing areas in search of water and pasture.

These practices, called pastoralism, or transhumance, go back millennia. They helped maximise land use in dry regions.

In a bid to support these practices, the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) drew up regulations in 1998 and 2003. All ECOWAS member states were to apply the regulations.

As an expert in food and agricultural law, natural resources development and international trade, I examined the regulations to see what effects they might be having on investments in the livestock sector.

My findings show that livestock productivity has not improved in the region since the introduction of the new rules. Cattle productivity has fallen and milk production has improved very minimally. Clashes between farmers and herders have increased, along with insecurity. Elites take advantage of the regulations to exploit poor herders.

I conclude that the regulations may be discouraging meaningful large-scale investments such as ranching that could increase productivity, create jobs and ensure peace in the region.

Movement of livestock across West Africa

ECOWAS is the only regional economic community in Africa with specific regulations governing transhumance. The regional body is made up of 15 states.

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Its regulations aim to improve livestock productivity and food security, enhance the environment and reduce poverty.

The regulations allow free movement of livestock across the borders of member states under certain conditions. For example, herders must possess the ECOWAS International Transhumance Certificate, and a minimum of two herders must accompany the herds. The herders must be at least 18 years old.

Member states are obligated to apply the regulations. But they’re not doing so uniformly. Some coastal states don’t allow the herders into their countries. For instance, Benin Republic recently banned the entry of foreign herders into its territory. Togo and Côte d’Ivoire control the number of herders that enter their territories annually.

For its part, Nigeria is moving towards more sedentary cattle farming. Several states in Nigeria, such as Benue and Oyo, have also banned pastoralism.

These countries have restricted the movement of herds because of negative experiences such as farmer-herder clashes, cattle rustling and other forms of criminality.

Impact of ECOWAS transhumance regulations

ECOWAS regulation allows transhumance to exist in a form that is inimical to other business investment options – like ranching – for livestock production in the region.

Investors want profit, safe environments and certainty in rules. Pastoralism, on the other hand, encourages cheap labour and other practices that put large-scale investment in livestock at risk.

Bad business environment

Transhumance has been commercialised – and criminalised – in ways that produce a negative environment for the livestock business.

Movement of herds has contributed to conflicts between farmers and pastoralists, gender-based violence, insecurity and other forms of criminality.

Traffickers, smugglers, bandits and drug peddlers capitalise on livestock movement to commit crimes.

Proliferation of arms, terrorism, kidnapping and drug use have also increased in the guise of transhumance.

In Nigeria, for instance, it has been alleged that Boko Haram insurgents disguise themselves as pastoralists to convey improvised explosive devices to attack communities.

Limits modern methods

I also argue that the ECOWAS regulations, by allowing herds to move around the region, discourage investment in modern methods of livestock production. This is because the cost of production in transhumance is low. Land and fodder are free. Labour is cheap and exploitative. All this makes other business models, such as ranching, relatively unattractive by comparison. It affects their profits and investment risks.

Some countries which practise pastoralism, such as Mongolia and Tibet, restrict it to arid regions.

What should be done?

The practice of transhumance in West Africa should be gradually phased out. By this I mean a gradual – and then finally a total – ban on herder movements across borders.

This is because it is not an efficient use of land. About a third of West Africa’s land area is used for agriculture. Two-thirds of this serves as rangeland and pastures while one-third is used for crop production. Designated rangelands should be established in semi-arid areas of the region. Pastoralism should be restricted to these rangelands.

In my view conflict will be reduced if transhumance is restricted to arid and semi-arid regions. This in turn will make ranching more attractive, making room for large-scale investments that could create jobs and improve food security.

In the immediate future focus should be given to:

• The strict implementation of the International Transhumance Certificate. The certificate usually contains particulars on the composition of the herd, the vaccinations given, the itinerary of the herds, and the destination of the pastoralist. The responsibility of issuing the certificate rests on the country of origin. This should reduce incidences of criminal elements disguised as herders.

• Limiting the number of cattle that people can have in a moving herd. This will help avoid herds straying, and resultant conflicts.

• Introducing new rules requiring the use of ear-tags. This would help with traceability when cattle are stolen or when they destroy farmlands.

•Ezirigwe is Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Ottawa, Canada. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. https://theconversation.com/ecowas-rules-to-protect-pastoralists-discourage-investments-in-modern-livestock-farming-213493″

October 12, 2023
How United States is fuelling the crisis in Middle East

By Disu Kamor

In an assault on the occupied Gaza Strip in May of 2021, Israel deployed hundreds of bombs, missiles, and shells, killing over 240 Palestinians and wounding more than 1,900 others. More than half of the dead were civilians, according to the Israeli think tank Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Centre. The vast majority of the weapons used during the military assault were either made, funded or subsidized by the U.S. and in the aftermath of what majority of U.S. media referred to as “military incursion”, humanitarian projects, multiple hospitals and water treatment facilities and dozens of schools were all destroyed.

Although it was the former U.S. President Jimmy Carter that first referred to Gaza Strip (what used to be Gaza City is now Gaza Strip due to land theft by Israel), as “world’s largest open air prison”, the blockade of the Gaza Strip by land, air, and sea (by Israel and Egypt), has made the Strip, the same size as Cape Town or Detroit, the most densely populated areas in the world. To restrict Palestinian movements, in 1995, Israel built an electronic fence and concrete wall around the Gaza Strip, virtually ending interactions between it and other Palestinian territories. In 2001, Israel bombed and demolished the Gaza airport, only three years after it opened.

In the midst of all these, United States stores its largest stockpile of weapons in Israel and makes them readily available to Israel, which Israel has used at least twice. Also, the U.S. maintains some military personnel in Israel, which periodically conduct exercises with Israeli occupation army — most recent of which was this past July. In addition, it provides at least $3.8B to Israel annually as military aid. Immediately there first Hamas rocket fell on Tel Aviv during the current crisis, President Biden offered “iron-clad” support to Israel, while tacitly urging it to respond to Hamas’ “enough is enough” attacks with the same “shock and awe” strategy it, the United States, used in Iraq.

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In breath-taking statements, the United States officials, from the Congress to the State Secretary, condemned Hamas “terrorist attack” on poor Israel. As usual, the routine statements apply the principle of cause and effect to immediately justify Israel’s need to “defend itself” in a manner that de-contextualizes Palestinian militancy, thereby depriving the latter of any semblance of legitimacy. The nursery rhyme from Israel’s strongest ally was once again: Israel must defend itself. And Hamas must bear responsibility for the “unprovoked” attack on Israel and Israeli civilians. These statements rarely, if ever, consider Palestinian violence to be the effect — only the cause.

But let us be clear about something. Hamas is never the issue, or the problem here. Hamas was only founded in 1987, as an organization to resist occupation that was already close to two decades old when it was founded. The problem is Israeli illegal occupation of Palestine which is nearly 60 years old, Israel’s inhumane treatment of the Palestinians, expansion of illegal settlements, settlers violence and provocation, desecration of holy sites, denial of right of return, and policies of apartheid and oppression with absolutely no consequences or accountability. These are the problems. Once there is no occupation, there will be no resistance to occupation. But no one should delude himself that the oppressor is entitled to peace from the oppressed.

Everyone agrees that Israel is in violation of international law. This is not an ethnic issue; it is not a religious issue or even a difficult legal issue. The legality of settlements and the right of return of refugees are basic principles of international law.

When an honest person applies the basic principles of justice, equity and fairness to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, you get unambiguous answers about who is right and who is wrong. Nevertheless, the problem is that when it comes to enforcing the law, the mechanisms of international law are weak. The United States vetoes international law despite international public opinion and on countless occasions, has vetoed UN resolutions acting, alone and lonely, against the international consensus on the solution to the conflict.

Although nothing that Israel does is called terrorism by the United States and its Western allies, prior to these “enough is enough” attacks by Hamas, 49 Palestinians were killed during the three-day Israeli assault on Gaza between August 5 – 7, 2022, 17 of whom were children, and in February of this year alone, 30 Palestinians were killed in cold blood by Israeli occupation forces and settlers. Israel has refused to cooperate with any international investigation, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the US sanctioned the officials of Hague-based court for opening the door to a probe into alleged Israeli war crimes. Crimes that these Western countries that are queuing up to condemn Hamas, with their supine media, refuse to highlight, talk less of condemn.

The U.S. spent many years organizing different roadshows it called “Peace talks” between the Israelis and Palestinians, but as a dishonest peace broker, the only purpose the “peace talks” served was to provide opportunities and excuses for Israel to steal more lands. The periods provided the clearest proof that U.S is irredeemably compromised and incapable of acting with integrity. No country attacked Israel since the 1973 Yom Kippur war, and none today would dare – given its military strength, nuclear arsenal, and close ties to America and the West. The justification of Iran’s threat to Israel’s existence, which Israel and United States uses to continue to arm Israel, is therefore a lie. Iran has not attacked any of its neighbours in the last 200 years, even though United States has incited, sponsored and armed many neighbours against it, including Iraq in the 80s. In comparison, Israel is occupying territories belonging to at least three countries, and the U.S. according to the words of late Rev Martin Luther King (Jnr), “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world”. The late Rev made this claim in the light of the vivid images depicting the carnage inflicted on Southeast Asian civilians by America during the Vietnam War, which saw hundreds of thousands dead.

The U.S. remains the most important destabilizing force in the entire Middle East region, and its role and dominance in this region for decades continue to represent a major threat to peace and security in that region and the world.

Peace is possible in the Middle East and Israel has a choice. Going around persuading some Arab rulers to normalize relations with Israel is not going to normalize relations with the Arab street. The choice that Israel has is of accepting Palestinian rights under international law and jettisoning its exclusivist, racist and imperialist ideology, and militarism. The choice to secure its people’s future in a shared Israel/Palestine as equal sovereign nations to live in peace each seeking its own destiny. This is also the international consensus on how to resolve the problem. If it continues its present policy of ruthless repression of indigenous Palestinians and denying them self-determination, it will only continue to cultivate an intensified and unyielding native resistance which U.S. vast military power will not be able to repress. The vast U.S military power which could only spend 20 years and billions of dollars to replace Taliban with Taliban in Afghanistan.

• Kamor is chairman, Muslim Public Affairs Centre.

October 12, 2023