The Nation Newspaper

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  • See their world

    See their world

    Life is replete with contrasts. One man’s meat is another man’s poison. Someone’s problem can be a solution to another person. To an average worker in Lagos, traffic jam is an issue, a major deterrent to productivity however some people see this challenge as an opportunity to make fast sales. So while the car owners are stuck in traffic, traders in bottled water, Gala, battery chargers etc run to make ends meet. Of course these traders can never pray or hope that traffic jam will be wiped out from our major roads. Hmmm….man must survive! This line of thought inspired me to think deeply about the word- Empathy.  The common definition of empathy is putting yourself in other people’s shoes. Without empathy we would eat one another like carnivores. The world is filled with hurting people today because empathy is reeling. Last year I was privileged to attend a training on emotional intelligence facilitated by the renowned life coach, Lanre Olushola, and he elucidated that empathy is seeing with the eyes of others. According to him, the four elements of empathy includes; 1. See their world 2. Appreciate people as human beings 3. Understand feelings and 4. Communicate understanding.   I would like to delve into each element starting with the first;

    1. See their world; This means see other people’s pain. To do this, you need to be on top of your own pain. Don’t allow your pain to hold you back. People who are full of themselves see only their own pain. Also clear the log in your eyes. The hard truth is that we all have logs in our eyes little wonder the good book admonishes ‘first get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.’ It’s easy to see other people’s mistakes and weaknesses. Most of us have difficulty seeing ourselves clearly(blind spots analysis will help). Hence to see their world, you must not be judgmental. Desist from making snap judgments about people and events. Empathy suspends judgment, it takes you off yourself. I remember vividly an experience I had early this year. I have a good rapport with most of the security men on my street. One day while stepping out of my gate I noticed that the security guard next house was unusually quiet. Even though I was in a hurray I took a few minutes to greet him and find out why he was despondent. I was shocked when he burst into tears and told me he lost his wife during childbirth that early morning. I froze! I saw the pretty young woman a few days ago before she travelled to the village to deliver her first baby. Oh..I cried uncontrollably and had to summon courage to wipe my tears and comfort Musa. What a tragedy! I could barely concentrate at work, while returning in the evening I stopped by at his gate and called him. I gave him some money to send to his mother at least to take care of the baby. This man could not hold back his tears while thanking me. I was greatly moved with compassion. A few months later, one Monday morning as I stepped out of my gate I realised I had misplaced my wallet. I searched every where I could think of, even the dustbin. I was totally confused. I was running late for my Monday meeting…lo and behold Musa came out of his gate to empty his bin and saw me agitated. He moved closer and asked ‘madam wetin happen?’ I quickly explained my ordeal. He asked me further ‘how much you need to enter transport to your office’ I answered but I was astonished at Musa’s response. He ran inside his room, came out and gave me the cash with an extra incase of price hike. I was speechless..of course that was a big respite. Before I could say thank you, Musa left to continue his routine. After the day’s work I was eager to repay Musa’s money and as soon as I got to the gate I called him and Musa looked from his window, before I could open my mouth to talk he quickly interjected and said ‘madam no worry, I no go collect the money…Walahi…I give you!’ Hmmm…what a joy to know that a little act of kindness I sowed into the heart of Musa a few months back will be repaid at such a critical moment. I was amazed as I held the money and appreciated Musa. We must learn to put a memorable picture in the minds of people. In the words of Lanre Olushola ; never leave a bad taste in people’s mouth regardless of age, gender, intellect, religion or status.
    • Continued online
  • Omorotionmwan’s futile efforts to wrestle against Obaseki’s achievements

    Omorotionmwan’s futile efforts to wrestle against Obaseki’s achievements

    Our attention has been drawn to the rendition of falsehood by a certain Josef Omorotionmwan, which was published on page 31 of a national daily (not The Nation) of Thursday November 30, 2017, with the title ‘The Obaseki Administration: Wake and See What?’

    While Omorotionmwan’s insidious motive to turn truth is on its head is evident right from his faulty start, we are compelled to correct his tirade that was designed to misinform the good people of Nigeria and Edo State and cast aspersions on Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    To begin with, Omorotionmwan’s intemperate criticism of an administration that has been adjudged transparent, goal-oriented and committed to the welfare of the downtrodden, shows a clear lack of capacity to appreciate the hallmarks of good governance.

    His philosophy of good governance must have been formed in the era when public good was subordinated to the interests of a few individuals that converged to exploit the majority of Edo people and shared our common patrimony that ought to have been used to build enduring infra and superstructures for robust socio-economic growth and development.

    For the first time in the history of party politics in Nigeria, Governor Godwin Obaseki appointed his 192 Special Assistants from the 192 wards in the state and they were all nominated by their respective wards and screened by the All Progressives Congress (APC) party structure in the state.

    Today, the 192 aides are integral part of the decision making and execution machinery of the APC-led government of Edo State. So one would wonder what Omorotionmwan meant by the expression ‘leaving the party behind and planning to buy them at the appropriate time’ in his article. It is either his memory has been held hostage by senile forces or he derives pleasure in dispensing falsehood.

    It is ridiculous to even contemplate that APC as presently constituted in Edo State can be bought by anyone. Against all odds, including the deep pockets of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), members of the APC dislodged PDP from Edo State, not for bread or butter, but because we were committed to the redemption of Edo people from a cabal that foisted poverty on our people  due to their excellent skills for grand looting.

    All the organs of the All Progressives Congress-led administration in Edo State are working together daily, to deliver the real dividends of democracy to Edo People.

    When Omorotionmwan claimed in his article that: ”In scoring Obaseki’s administration abysmally low, we are not unmindful of the fact that all the feats recorded in its favour are easily achievable by any of the 18 local government councils in Edo State,”  it is unclear what achievements he was referring to.

    The ‘Wake and See’ sobriquet of Obaseki was coined by the Edo people who still marvel at the pace at  which road and other developmental projects are being delivered across Edo State. Could the local council have embarked on a N200billion Benin Industrial Park project? Could the councils have embarked on a 60,000 metric tonnes Fertiliser and Chemical Plant?

    Omorotionmwan’s reasoning is pure treachery to say the least, which must not stand, amongst right thinking men and women.

    He claimed that The Government House has become a trade post for Obaseki’s friends from Lagos and elsewhere. Omorotionmwan surely hates Edo State and her people so much, that he wishes we do not make progress through collaborations and partnerships with the private sector, bilateral and multilateral institutions that are driving economic growth in other climes.

    He wants the OBSERVER Newspapers to remain as it is even when he does not buy copies of the newspaper himself. He abhors the planned reforms for Edo Broadcasting Service that will transform the media house into a world-class institution that will make it compete with the British Broadcasting Service (BBC) in educating and mobilising our people towards growth and development. It is his desire that we retain near moribund enterprises as they are, without injecting a lease of life into them.

    Omorotionmwan does not have to turn himself into an uninvited interloper in the relationship between the former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Governor Obaseki, over the Central Hospital project in Benin City. Such old tactics of inciting people against themselves does not work even for low intelligent people, how much more, clear headed and visionary leaders like the governor and his predecessor. Oshiomhole has reiterated times without number that both leaders (himself and governor Obaseki) are one, share same vision to transform Edo State, though their leadership styles may be different.

    Obaseki’s rising profile locally and internationally was earned through hard work and dedication to duty as well as his respect for constituted authority.

    That he is an astute manager of men and material resources has been acknowledged even by members of the opposition political parties who have in many fora, owned up to the fact that only an efficient manager like Obaseki could have steered the state safely through the turbulent condition created by the terrible recession from which the country is now emerging and still embark on delivering ambitious developmental projects like he has done in the last one year.

    We are however not entirely at sea as to what would have driven Omorotionmwan to such desperate measures of dispensing outright falsehood just to get the attention of Obaseki’s government. He may, like some other indolent actors in the polity, have been hugely disappointed by Obaseki who as a matter of policy does not distribute Edo people’s collective patrimony to the kinds of ‘politicians’ who Omorotionmwan suggested in his piece to have been shut out of Government House.

    For the umpteenth time, we wish to remind Omorotionmwan that being a politician does not render anyone incapacitated and unable to earn an honest living through hard work.

    If Omorotionmwan will only acknowledge Obaseki’s sterling performance when he is paid money that he has not worked for, then Obaseki is willing to make do with the approval of the over  four million other Edo people who toil daily for their livelihoods.

    For the records, Governor Obaseki, in one year, has  done what several governors could not do in eight years. He has delivered several road projects across the state, the Edo Fertiliser and Chemical Company is up and running, he has flagged off the construction of the Benin Industrial Park, the Benin Science and Technical College, 75 mass transit buses have been procured to change the face of intra-state transportation in the state and thousands of jobs have been created in the various sectors.

    The Edo Development and Property Authority has commenced the implementation of reforms that will restore sanity in the state-owned housing estates while several public schools are in the process of being reconstructed in the coming months. The design of the 20 new mini stadia in Edo State has been done and on completion, will serve as platforms for discovering and developing sporting talent across the state. Space will constrain me to mention several other developmental efforts for which Obaseki is now fondly called the Wake and See Governor by his people.

     

    • Osagie is the Special Adviser to Governor Obaseki on Media and Communications Strategy

  • Taking Nigieria to the next level

    When in 2006, the former Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, came with the slogan, ‘Eko o nibaje’ the slogan did not make so much sense to me. It didn’t sound captivating as a campaign slogan.

    However, in May 2007 , he won election and took over from his former boss, Senator Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu. No sooner did he take over than the slogan started to make sense and meaning to me. His immediate predecessor having left a visible legacy of transformation of Lagos, the man Fashola quickly showed that he was a man who had come to work, he embraced the transformation agenda of Asiwaju and assiduously working to improve on it. He began to show that Lagos must not only remain the center of excellence in the real sense of the word but also ‘must not spoil’. He started to make the impossible possible. Recall the dreaded traffic situation of some parts of Lagos before he took over as governor; Oshodi, Mushin, Ojuelegba, CMS bus stop, Iyana Oba, Mile 2, Agric after trade fair, to mention only a few. Fashola initiated action plans that eventually made these areas notorious for horrible traffic congestions, have free flow of traffic. Yes, the traffic jams in these areas magically disappeared and decency and discipline returned to these roads. I remember hosting one of my cousins who came back from abroad and he passed through Oshodi. He couldn’t believe what he saw – free flow of traffic all through. Testimonies upon testimonies continued to mount on how traffic situations at other locations equally drastically improved.

    Recall that refuse dumps dotted almost every corner of Lagos. When Fashola took over, those refuse dumps and heaps started to disappear.

    When Mr. Akinwumi Ambode took over, he continued with his predecessors, legacy. Today ‘filthy Lagos’ has given way to beautiful scenes and sceneries. Also, some parts of Lagos especially bus stops that used to be homes for touts and destitute now look like some places in European cities. The roundabouts that used to look like dirty scrap sites are now beautifully adorned with beautiful landscapings, lush green grasses and flowers. Trees that make the environment look fresh and airy have taken over.

    Just two months ago, for the first time since the BRT came into operation, I boarded one of the buses. From the time I boarded to the time I reached my destination, I had an exciting experience that made me to exclaim, “Is it what I have been missing”. I saw a replica of European buses-neat and air conditioned interior. In fact I have had to abandon my car and started patronizing the BRT bus since then.

    What about roads? This man transformed Lagos roads. You cannot count the beautiful dual carriage roads at every part of Lagos. Then the big one, the Lagos Badagry ten-lane road which he started and was still under construction before he left office, will be another interesting landmark achievement Fashola initiated.

    Fashola made Lagos the real centre of excellence and also made visible impact on water, security and health.

    When in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him as the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, I jumped up in joy. It was at that point I was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that President Muhammed Buhari means well for this country. For President Muhammed Buhari to appoint Fashola to be in charge of three ministries, gave credence to the fact that President is indeed out to rescue this country. That singular act by the president made me or should make us know that he is not sectional as people now suggest. I remember leading a delegation as the President of Catholic Young Men Association (CYMA), now known as Catholic Brothers United (CBU), to her Excellency, the then First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola at State House Marina in her capacity as a Patroness of CYMA now CBU. In my speech/address to her, I acknowledged the good works of her husband (Fashola) and wished and prayed for the time when “Eko o nibaje” will be taken to the next level – “Nigeria o nibaje”. Her Excellency then laughed over this comment. For me that comment made in 2012 was not only a desire but also prophetic. Today it seems that that comment is becoming a reality. As a minister, in charge of works, we are beginning to see the hands of Fashola in Nigerian roads, despite the current recession in the country. Road constructions and rehabilitations are now on going.

    There is marked improvement of power. I remember being in my residence at Maryland, Lagos about three months ago and there was power failure, the neighbourhood was immediately greeted with tumultuous shouts – shouts of surprise and disbelief that light could be on for a period of almost two weeks uninterrupted as against the regular shouts of joy we are used to when NEPA brought light after days or weeks of blackout. Everywhere in Nigeria now, it is generally known that power availability has improved tremendously.

    Even though we are not yet there, we’re heading to the time when if there were to be a power failure, it would be unusual as is obtainable in developed countries. I am convinced that by the time Buhari would have completed his two terms as the President of this country, we would be there. We should applaud Fashola for this feat and also applaud Buhari for choosing him.

    Power as the most vital sector in this country is beginning to witness positive changes which will eventually translate to positive changes in other sectors and areas. Then and only then will one boldly say that ‘Eko o nibaje’ would have been taken to the next and higher level – ‘Nigeria o nibaje’. Yes, it is my firm belief that the foundation of ‘Nigeria o nibaje’ would have been laid by the time Buhari completes second tenure as the president of this country.

     

    • Uba is a former president, Catholic Young Men Association (CYMA) now known as Catholic Brothers United (CBU).

    vingeorge2000@yahoo.com

  • Davido noble heritage

    Davido noble heritage

    Some are born great; some achieve greatness; while others have greatness thrust on their shoulders. David Adedeji Adeleke a.k.a. DAVIDO, have all the above attributes bestowed on him by the grace of God, noble heritage, discovery and optimal utilization of his God-given talent in music and entertainment industry generally.

    The Raji Ayoola Adeleke dynasty of Edeland, where DAVIDO hails from has come a long way in the social, political and economic transformation of its immediate community Ede, Osun State and Nigeria in general. The esteemed family of DAVIDO has many enviable legacies behind it. It has the rare record of been among the two families in Nigeria that has produced three Senators over a period of time. Late Senator (Papa) Raji Ayoola Adeleke (the patriarch of the family), Late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, the First Executive Governor of Osun State and Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke. This achievement is worthy of inclusion  in Nigeria Hall of Fame and THE GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS. A no mean feat. This is not to leave out the billionaire outstanding business personality of the family, Dr. Tajudeen Adedeji Adeleke, the father of DAVIDO, among other eminent sons and daughters of the family.

    That is the setting in the dignified family, where DAVIDO comes from. By all standard, he is very proud of that lineage and has thus given a good account of himself as a worthy ambassador of the family, through his selfless endeavours in the music industry. He has proved to be a force to be reckoned with at a tender age, through diligence and commitment. DAVIDO continues to be a shining light to the youth Nigeria, affirming that hard work does not kill. He prides himself at all times as a good son of late Dr. Mrs. Veronica Imade Adeleke (The Queen of the Heart) and Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, both of whom, gave him and the other children, good parental upbringing, which he has sustained to the glory of God. DAVIDO is holding the family flag high without stain. He has not allowed success to go into his head, rather he makes humility and Godliness his watchwords.

    Members of the Adeleke family of which DAVIDO is an illustrious son, are achievers in their own right. For the benefit of the members of the public, who may not know, DAVIDO paternal grandmother, late Madam Adeboyin of blessed memory, was one of the outstanding IYALODES – (Women Generalissimo), that Edeland has ever produced. Merit, discipline; fear of God and fairness to all manners of people, are some of the hallmarks of the Adeleke family. Hence, DAVIDO imbibed the attributes of equity, open-handedness, honour and integrity from his heritage. Even in the hot political front, the motto of the family has been and still is, POLITICS WITHOUT BITTERNESS AND VIOLENCE. This, Late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke of blessed memory, amply demonstrated during his lifetime. None of the members of the family of which DAVIDO is a member will hurt a fly. DAVIDO is an epitome of patriotism, good heart; forgiving spirit and philantrophism.

    The hip-hop rave of the moment – DAVIDO, believes so much in the bond of friendship and fraternity. He holds dear to heart, his peers and always think good of them. To DAVIDO, friendship should be jealously guarded and nurtured. His incursion into the music industry was through God’s grace and has since carved a niche for himself.

    Despite his father’s fabulous wealth, DAVIDO is marching on, making a statement, that self help is the best help. One thing you cannot take away from him, is  dedication and  commitment to whatever cause he believes in. Despite his success in the music industry at a tender age, DAVIDO saw education as an important factor, upon which careers are built. He successfully completed a degree course at BABCOCK UNIVERSITY.

    Success to DAVIDO means more hardwork, with a view to giving back to the larger society, particularly the under-priviledged. No wonder, DAVIDO has saddled himself with the responsibility of awarding scholarship to some students in BABCOCK and ADELEKE UNIVERSITIES through his hard- earned resources.

    Factors that contribute to whom we are in life, include but not limited to instinct to compete for success and the desire to be self-sufficient in the crave for glory and recognition. In most cases, the yardstick set by DAVIDO in attaining success, was his resolve to perform exceedingly well through discipline, while not forgetting, that he owes a lot to maintaining his family core values of integrity and nobility. He has raised the bar for success beyond others’ expectation, telling the world, that he has the potentials to go far beyond where he is today, without been in competition with anybody or cutting corners. DAVIDO’s philosophy is  premised on making life more abundant to all.  With the awards of Africa  and Worldwide Act of the year 2017, bestowed on DAVIDO in London recently, and which he dedicated to the sweet memory of his late mother Dr. Veronica Imade Adeleke, he has confirmed his supremacy  and hold on the Hip-Hop music genre.

    The traits of total commitment to friendship, comradeship and fellowship by DAVIDO to people of different colours, tribe, religion and nationality, is of paramouncy to him.

    DAVIDO is of worthy character, raised in the way of truth, honesty and resilience. He is a star that has done his family proud at a tender age. He remains focused in making a great success of his talents in the music industry without let or hindrance. DAVIDO has proved beyond all reasonable doubts, that he is   worthy in character and would do everything possible to be a shining example to the youth. DAVIDO is definitely above board and beyond reproach.

    As you add another year on November 22, 2017, your Redeemer liveth, He shall prosper you with good health and wisdom in abundance.

     

     

    • Wrote from Ede, Osun State
  • The ember months’ myth

    The ember months’ myth

    Earlier this month, five persons died and many others were seriously injured in an early morning multiple road mishap at the famous Kara Bridge, just by the Lagos end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Viewing the gory scene of the tragic event through various media platforms was quite distressing. Three of the victims reportedly died instantly while the other two died in the hospital.  Reports had it that about 55 people were involved in the accident, 40 men and 15 women.

    An account of the incident revealed that a tanker laden with 33,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) rammed into a stationary truck carrying brewery products. The resultant oil spill on the road resulted in the multiple crashes involving some trucks and cars. Conservatively put, not fewer than 16 vehicles, comprising eight trucks and eight vehicles were involved in the multiple crashes allegedly caused by the spilled diesel on the road.

    As if the lives that wasted through the gruesome incident weren’t enough for that day, reports had it that two other people died in another accident which involved a collision between a truck and a train in the Fagba axis of Lagos State, on same day. So, it was a rather busy day for men and officials of the Lagos State Emergency Agency, LASEMA, who had to move immediately from that incident on the Kara Bridge straight to Fagba for rescue operation.

    Characteristically, many have tried to establish a connection between these bloody incidents and the usual ‘ember’ months’ tragic jargon.  The so-called ‘ember’ months, which refer to the last four months of the year from September to December, are naturally regarded as tragedy-prone period. This belief is so entrenched in the consciousness of the people that various religious groups and other relevant institutions regularly organize special prayer sessions and seminars with a view to minimizing ember months’ havoc.

    The reality, however, is that the so called ‘ember’ months are not really spiritually jinxed as many might want to swear they are. Tragedy occurs in ‘ember’ months just as it does in every other month of the year. Ascribing needless spiritual and mythical undertones to tragic happenings during the ‘ember’ months could just be the usual Nigerian way of trivializing issues. Rather than clothing the ‘ember’ months in a garb of gratuitous mystery, the pragmatic way of explaining dreadful events during these months is more human than mythological.

    The truth is that there is usually an increase in the tempo of public, private and corporate activities during this period.  Religious bodies are equally not left out of the frenzy of the season as they organize various events during the period. The ‘ember’ months are always the busiest on our roads for obvious reasons and the tumultuous air of festivity do not really help matters. It is a period when people are in so much haste to make all the money they have not made since the beginning of the year. Hence, commercial drivers, who usually embark on five trips per day, capitalize on the aura of festivity to go for 10 trips. This, naturally, comes with its fatal consequences. It is only logical that when there is a mass exodus of people from one place to the other, there is bound to be a measure of uncertainty and disorder.

    The bottom line, therefore, is that tragic occurrences are bound to happen during the ‘ember’ season because of the intensity of human activities. In a bid to be part of the various end-of-year activities slated for the period, a lot of people throw caution into the wind by disregarding critical safety issues. Vehicles are driven irresponsibly. Alcoholic drinks are consumed with reckless abandon while social outings are organized as if tomorrow will not come. The atmosphere, during the season, is often filled with unusual allure and jollity. It is in the midst of this hilarity that avoidable human blunders that result into diverse kinds of misfortunes usually occur.

    Hence, it is imperative for everyone to, first and foremost, have a changed perception of the ‘ember’ months. Hence, conscious efforts must be made to disrobe the months of every garb of unfounded mysticism. It is only when we are convinced that the dangers associated with the months are human rather than mythical that we could really make considerable progress in averting disasters during the months.

    Therefore, enforcement of existing laws and attitudinal change is central to making any progress. Sadly, law enforcement agents are also involved in the mad ‘ember’ months’ rat- race. In a bid to make some ‘extra’ buck to furnish special festive ‘necessities’ , they usually engage in treacherous compromise that encourages lawbreakers to go un-punished. The result, of course, is the continuation of avoidable circle of pandemonium and sorrow.

    Consequently, as we march towards the end of the year, we must modify our views on the ‘ember’ months. We must not get involved in any pointless extra-ordinary end of the year ‘rush’ that could endanger our lives, and indeed, those of others. Those who have to organize social events to correspond with this period should do so bearing all safety precautions in mind. Commercial drivers and other road users must respect the sanctity of the human life by observing required road safety measures.

    Perhaps, more importantly, relevant government agencies must step up enlightenment campaigns as well as enforcement strategies to guarantee that ‘ember’ months’ crashes and other related tragedies are reduced to the barest minimum. In this respect, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, should be commended for their various ‘ember’ month’s safety strategies, in Lagos and adjoining states.

    However, there is a need for them to intensify efforts in this direction while more appropriate government agencies should also come on board the ‘ember’ months’ re-orientation and re-awareness project. Presently, the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy is embarking on an ‘ember’ months’ responsiveness campaign across the state. The objective is to change the attitude of the people towards these months and offer key safety tips.

    As it has been previously affirmed, it is critical to re- affirm that tragic happenings during ‘ember’ months are promoted by reckless human actions. It is only in living modestly and responsibly that we can avoid the dangers and hiccups that are generally associated with ember months. If only we could rid ourselves of our usual ‘ember months’ excesses, we would discover that nothing is actually wrong with the months.

     

    • Ogunbiyi is of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

  • Ingratitude towards Nigeria

    The political events in Zimbabwe which culminated in the eventual removal of Comrade Robert Mugabe as the President of that country after 37 years in power, expectedly elicited a lot of comments in the print and electronic media all over the world. Our political commentators in Nigeria did their best to educate Nigerians on how Mugabe, who started well got derailed and turned a once prosperous country into penury.

    Of all the articles written in the print media on the unfortunate situation in Zimbabwe in Nigeria, the one that I enjoyed most was the one written by the erudite Emeritus Professor Jide Osuntokun in his column in The Nation of Thursday November 23. In his piece, the Professor brought home vividly to Nigerians, the ingratitude of Zimbabwe under Mugabe towards Nigeria, the country that identified closely with Zimbabwe during its grim fight for independence through huge financial and diplomatic support. Despite this support which more or less forced Britain under the imperious Margaret Thatcher to accelerate the process of independence of Zimbabwe, the eminent and well informed Professor told Nigerians the following facts:  That Zimbabwe under Mugabe had always ridiculed Nigeria in The Herald, the newspaper bought for his government with Nigeria’s hard earned money and that Zimbabwe always opposed Nigerian candidates nominated for international posts. He told Nigerians further that throughout Mugabe’s 37 years rule, no street in Zimbabwe capital of Harare was named after any Nigerian leader or the country and this is different with regard to Kaunda and Nyerere who had streets named after them in Harare.

    The above depressing report about ingratitude towards Nigeria is not limited to Zimbabwe alone. Many other African countries helped by Nigeria at critical stages of their nation building had also paid back our country with astonishing ingratitude and hostility. Despite our difficulties at home, Nigeria has been very generous to other African countries through military, financial, political and diplomatic support.  Cases in which Nigeria goodwill and brotherly gestures towards fellow African countries were met with ingratitude are many and few will be highlighted in this piece.

    A few years after becoming an independent country, Nigeria even under a conservative Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, sent Nigerian troops to East Africa to save and stabilize the regimes of Nyerere of then Tangayika, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya and Milton Obote of Uganda from rampaging force of John Okello that had toppled the Arab-dominated government of the then Zanzibar. Later it was the same Nyerere who benefitted most from the intervention of our troops that supported the dismemberment of our country through his recognition of Biafra during our unfortunate civil war. He also influenced Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia to do the same. It is interesting to note that despite his miscalculation, Nigeria treated him with magnanimity when University of Ibadan, the premier university, gave him an honorary doctorate degree after the civil war.

    In Southern part of Africa from Angola to the Republic of South Africa, the role played by Nigeria in the attainment of independence by the countries in this part of Africa is highly significant. At the height of the struggle, Nigeria, despite its location which is far from these countries, regarded itself as a frontline state in order to be part of the liberation struggle of these countries. Emeritus Professor Osuntokun has talked about Zimbabwe. With regard to Angola, the recognition of MPLA of Agostinho Neto and the huge financial support given to the party by the Murtala / Obasanjo regime went a long way to help the party to rout the Portuguese colonialist in the country’s liberation war. Despite this, Angola has not shown any particular warm attitude towards Nigeria. At best it has been passive towards Nigeria that did so much for its liberation from Portuguese colonial oppression. The role of our country in the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa was heroic and well known but after the dismantling of the heinous regime, South Africans have nothing but disdain for Nigeria and many of our people living there are subjected to all manners of indignity and ridicule.

    Coming nearer home to West Africa, Nigeria has left no stone unturned to help its West African neighbours. Nigeria is responsible for 70% of the budget of ECOWAS which it helped to form with the Republic of Togo. Nigerian troops had been massively deployed to bring sanity to trouble spots in the region like Sierra Leone, Liberia and Gambia at a very huge cost to our economy. While one can say that there is no open hostility towards Nigeria from countries in West Africa, one is disturbed about the recent moves of some of the countries in the sub region to support the application of Morocco to join ECOWAS. This is a design to whittle down, for reasons best known to these countries, the influence of Nigeria in the ECOWAS.

    The above examples are not exhaustive. Since independence, Nigeria has been involved in numerous United Nations Peace Keeping operations in Africa and beyond starting with the operation in Congo in 1960. The Technical Aids Corps (TAC) programme in which Nigerian professionals are sent to other African countries has gone a long way to help develop the manpower needs of many African countries. Nigeria has also extended its generosity to black countries outside the shores of Africa. We remember Yakubu Gowon’s generosity to Grenada in the Caribbean when he paid the three month salaries of the workers of that island country. It was the time ‘ money was not our problem but how to spend it’.

    On any rational scale, Nigeria has not shirked its responsibilities to other African countries and it deserves respect and praise from other African countries. I am not unaware that resentment to Nigeria and Nigerians especially in Southern part of the continent stems from the unnecessary overbearing and criminal tendencies of some of our compatriots living in that part of Africa. For Nigeria to earn its well-deserved respect, Nigerians living abroad especially in Africa should refrain from engaging in activities that can blight the image of our country. At home too, we should get our acts together. Reports of mind boggling corruption and other unwholesome activities no doubt lower our esteem in African continent.

     

    • Professor Lucas writes from New Bodija, Ibadan.

  • Kogi’s confluence of challenges

    When Kogi State was carved out of Kwara and Benue States precisely on August 27, 1991 there were shouts of joy and great expectations. This is because it brought about the reunion of people who had shared historical roots and co-existed peacefully with the former Kabba province in the defunct Northern Region for more than 80 years. The state which is structured into 21 LGA’s comprises of three major ethnic groups i.e. Igala, Ebira and Okun (Yoruba) other minor groups include – Bassa Komo, Bassa Nge, Kakanda, Kupa, Ogori-Magongo, Nupe, Oworo, Gwari etc.

    Successive Military administrations of Colonels Danladi Zakari 1991-1992, Paul Omeruo 1993-1996, Bzigu Afakirya 1996 -1998, and Augustine Aniebo 1998-1999) in the early life of the confluence state tried to raise the hopes and aspirations of the people by initiating various developmental initiatives which on the long run had minimal impact on the socio-economic condition of the people. Successive civilian governments on the other hand, Abubakar Audu 1991-2003, Ibrahim Idris 2003-2011, Idris Wada 2012-2016, and presently Yahaya Bello 2016 to date also made attempts at turning around the fortunes of the state by initiating numerous developmental projects notably amongst which were those established by the first civilian governor late Abubakar Audu whose developmental initiatives had so far been unparalleled in the history of Kogi State.

    Kogi State is known to be a predominantly a civil service state with a greater majority of others engaging in farming and fishing activities. The only noticeable federal government presence in the form of Ajaokuta Steel Complex had remained in a state of comatose even after many years of its birth. The multi-billion dollars steel complex, the largest of its kind in Nigeria and Africa was established in 1971 on a 24,000 hectare land. This mighty industry has unfortunately been left moribund for a long period of time, but recently over the years, concerted efforts has been made by the Nigerian government to ensure its full capacity functioning. This industry is viewed as potential bedrock for the industrialization of Nigeria and beyond.

    The project was stalled, as government officials, during the military era, got bogged down with the international politics between the Western bloc and the then Soviet Union on the viability and desirability of owning an integrated steel plant by a third world country.  Coupled with this was debt-buying back syndrome under Sani Abacha regime.

    Over the years, the democratic culture in Kogi state had hung on shoestrings while the dividends of democracy have been so far out of the reach of the common man. The drunken state of politics was presumed to have been triggered by the years of misrule by the successive Peoples Democratic Party’s governments. This has been however rebuffed by stalwarts of the PDP at different occasions and fora.

    The inconclusive 2015 Governorship elections came about as a result of the sudden and mysterious death of Abubakar Audu the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was at the verge of winning the election; this development threw the state into a total political eclipse and uncertainty. The position of the APC executive at the federal level to abandon the running mate of Abubakar Audu in the person of Hon. James Faleke for the incumbent governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello led to serious political logjam and litigation that was eventually put to rest by the verdict of the Supreme Court which ruled in favour of Yahaya Bello. The political impasse however resulted in a clear fractionalization in the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State.

    The bitter feud between Governor Yahaya Bello and the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District Senator Dino Melaye is another challenge that ate deep into the fabric of good governance in Kogi state over time. This bitter power tussle culminated in the attempt by members of Senator Melaye constituency to initiate a recall process against him, a move which has become a test case for the recall process as entrenched in the constitution.

    Though Governor Bello had distanced himself from this recall attempt, Senator Melaye insists that the signatories to the recall attempt had the backing of the governor. Senator Melaye also alleged that the signatures on the recall list were either faked or belong to people outside his constituency (ghost signatories).

    Other major challenges that had affected good governance and people friendly initiatives in the state include; the impasse over unpaid salaries and allowances of lecturers of state-owned tertiary institutions. This situation led to the closure of the tertiary institutions for over six months. The effect of this closure to the education sector cannot be overemphasized, as both students and their parents were left in the dark over what the future holds for them. As if this was not enough, workers in the employ of the government have been in a running battle with the government over a backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, an allegation which the state government has consistently denied. The organized labour had also continually called out its members to embark on strike actions to press home their demands.

    Democracy and its development in most societies or economies are faced with varying challenges. Such challenges affect the benefits of democratic dividends by the people negatively. An attempt is made here to identify the confluence of challenges that have affected sustainable growth and development of Kogi State over the years. Some of the identified challenges include (but not limited) to the following, godfatherism, poverty amongst citizens, corruption, wastefulness, over bloated cost of governance, tribalism etc.

    These challenges are however surmountable if genuine attempts are made to address them proactively with the aim of bringing succor and renewed hopes to the expectant citizens who have yearned and aspired for progressive change and turn around in their socio-economic situations. To make this a reality, the government at the helms of affairs in Kogi state should adopt the following measures in order to bring smile to the faces of the people.

    The issue of corruption needs to be addressed thoroughly. A culture of accountability should be inculcated in the public service, starting with the removal of immunity of incumbent office holders, to make it clear that no one is above the law.

    It may be very necessary to hold an all-embracing stakeholders meeting to holistically address the various challenges militating against the entrenchment of democratic culture in Kogi state.

    The state government should address the issue of unemployment, poverty and human capital development proactively.

    A conducive environment should be created in order to encourage private business investments.

    It will be worthy of note to say that “Kogites” owe it a sense of duty to put their acts together no matter the side of the divide they may fall into. The things that unite the people are much more than those that divide them. We should begin to engage in far reaching consultations, political re-alignments, ideological re-births, social re-engineering, robust engagements and progressive initiatives. The government should also take proactive measures to address the agitations in the different senatorial districts and local government areas in the state. Good governance is not rocket science, dividends of democracy should not be one sided especially if the aim of government is to build an egalitarian society. Things can get only better for the good people of Kogi state, and this should be the collective responsibility of all Kogites. Let us all sheath the sword of political, ethnic and religious acrimony, and put on the robe of brotherhood, love, progressiveness and commitment to the task of rebuilding Kogi state and taking her to enviable heights. Mere good governance is not enough; it has to be pro-people and pro-active.

    I sign off with a quote from Narenda Modi; “Good governance is putting people at the center of development process”.

     

    • Matswamgbe is a legislative aide with the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa- Ikeja, Lagos.

  • Impunity, immunity and leadership problems

    There is a growing harvest of street fights by members of the security forces lately.  The sights are as ugly as they are national embarrassment; hoping that we are not arming hooligans to maintain law and order. It has gone from inter-agency to intra-agency brawls all the way; members of the armed forces against the Nigeria Police, the Federal Road Safety Corps against the Police, EFCC against the DSS.  It has reached a crescendo where members of the Nigeria Police Force now turn their guns against one another and drag themselves on the street because they are attached as security details to politicians in opposing camps.  It is simply nauseating and sickening.  Impunity has become the signature tune of government officials and members of the security forces and even the paramilitary.  It takes just to be on uniform of any kind, even Boys Scout to preside of the ordinary citizen like a lord and abuse the law flagrantly.  This is how far impunity has gone and it beats ones imagination how we got to this point.

    Wherever we get the mentality that service in any capacity in government places one above the law is a grave concern.  I am not aware that the office anybody occupies makes him an outlaw or above the rule of law.  There is a growing trend in the abuse of power amongst the ruling elite that when they are out of government they still employ the coercive power of the state for personal aggrandizement and trample on the law of the land.  We even rationalize their lawlessness and abuse of office by saying that having served in a particular capacity in government, the law does not apply in equal force to them; this is nonsense!

    Our political leaders and head of government institutions and agencies have because of the office they once held, placed themselves above the law by using sheer force to ward off invitation and lawful arrest to answer for alleged malfeasance while in the office. One wonders if we are operating a democracy that is based on the rule of law or rule of might and strongmen.  If Nigeria is to overcome the problems of corruption and bad leadership, there should be equal subjection to the rule of law irrespective of office occupied.  The law should not be respecter of any person where we have viable state institutions.   Bracton, the Philosopher once held that, “The world was governed by law, human or divine, and held that the king himself ought not to be subject to man but subject to God and to Law because the law makes him King”.

    I watched with disappointment the confrontation between agents of the EFCC and the Departments of State Services when the former, armed with a search and arrest warrants on the former directors of the DSS and the National Intelligence Agency were prevented from carrying out their lawful duty.  It turned into a street brawl as between rival gangs than agency of government that should enjoy some synergy and cohesion.  Incidents of this nature are becoming so rampant with this administration that one wonders if anyone is actually in charge.  Recall a few weeks back, the convoys of the minister of transport and that of the governor of Rivers State engaged themselves in a free for all fights leaving trails of blood and tears.

    Government officials are taking impunity to another level that if care is not taken, could lead to a spontaneous revolution as in Tunisia where the mistreatment of a fruit and vegetable seller sparked off the Arab Spring.  Convoys of government officials have scant regards to other road users and indeed, they drive so recklessly as if they have appointment with death.

    The former directors of the DSS and NIA do not enjoy constitutional immunity by any means.  Assuming they do by an unwritten rule or laws which I am not aware of, having left office, they are subject to the law just like anyone else.  That is how a society and a democratic society should be run.  The former Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Barde, some former service chiefs and generals have had their days with the EFCC and the heavens did not fall; why not the former directors of DSS and NIA?

    The rivalry between the DSS and EFCC in particular appears to be more of personal clash between the heads of the two agencies than inter-agency rivalry.  Ibrahim Magu may be brash and not very cosmopolitan, but he is enthusiastic in carrying out his job and indeed enough irritant to the corrupt politicians.  The fight against corruption should be seen as a work in progress and we should not allow our resentment to an individual because of his method to kill the momentum.  The competition between the two agencies is uncalled for and to be seen to be working at cross purposes when they are both under the presidency is an eloquent testimony of the president’s inability to coordinate and control his appointees.  It is a clash one too many to be tolerated and I am not sure the two agencies are adding value and good public relation to the presidency in the way they are carrying out their duties.  If as claimed, the operatives of the DSS were acting on instructions from above, it would be a height of executive recklessness for anyone to use his official position to stop the agency of the same government you are serving from doing their job.

    Heads of agencies and government officials are not clothed with constitutional immunity; only the president, vice president, governor and deputy governors are so clothed.  Even at that, Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution that confers immunity on the mentioned officials did not make it a life time conferment.  They can be proceeded against whenever they ceased to occupy the offices so described.  It was therefore impunity taken to the extreme for the past heads of DSS and NIA to employ the force of arm to enjoy the status not conferred on them by law and prevent the EFCC from arresting them for questioning.  The world is watching President Buhari to act fast on these two agencies and he does not have all the time in the world.

    Our leaders appear to be suffering from ego neurosis; believing that they are beyond the ordinary citizens and supposed to be worshiped because they occupy government offices; and out of office, they should be revered even when there are obvious cases of abuse of office against them.  We have leaders whose examples are responsible for the socio-economic and political problems we are facing today; corruption, nepotism, poor attitude to work and other official engagement. There is no Nigerian official who will honour official function without going late to that occasion.  The constitution did not confer life immunity on any leader or head of government agencies; this impunity must stop.

  • Mugabe not alone in Africa

    Mugabe not alone in Africa

    The world had literally come to a standstill for the two weeks ended on Saturday November 25. It is not a threatened world war or a worldwide political or civic disorder; rather, it is the story of a country tucked in Southern Africa that has held the world hostage for about 15 days. Even the Boko Haram story in Nigeria was demoted to a mere gossip notwithstanding the fact dozens of our country men, women and children were mercilessly slaughtered by these dare-devil extremists.

    Robert Mugabe who had held sway for 37 years and at age 93 has literally bedevilled the world. What is the short story of this enigma? He was a nationalist, suave, daring and committed during the Zimbabwe colonial era. He confronted Ian Smith, the notorious colonial master of Rhodesia. For his guerrilla struggle, he was kept behind bars for 11 years. Relief came in 1980 when Northern Rhodesia became the independent Republic of Zimbabwe and Mugabe appointed prime minister. He did not at first show his fangs until he later converted himself President of the Republic.

    Once adjudged the food basket of Southern Africa with more than 50% of the arable land owned and developed into large plantations by white settlers who have in fact become Zimbabweans, Mugabe’s ruthless land policy soon landed the unfortunate country into food chaos and economic disaster. He probably meant well with his land redistribution policy, but it was executed with vindictiveness and sly that the country soon ran into troubled waters.

    Robert Mugabe, unyielding, self-assured, and always-right, literarily ran the country aground. Moving from one economic and financial chaos to another, the country lost hold of her national currency which in any case has become useless. In all of this, Zimbabweans were reticent, if flabbergasted. Unable to raise a finger, they suffered the agony of a vanishing past.

    The African countries around Zimbabwe looked on and were unable to dialogue with the all-knowing Mugabe.

    Sometimes along the line, he saw himself creating a dynasty with his new wife succeeding him. Even though there is constitutional provision for succession, he ignored this and continued to work and hope to die in office, having nothing to do with resignation or retirement. With all these, the armed forces and the people looked on helplessly.

    With the above, can one conclude that Robert Gabriel Mugabe was a lone-ranger among African leaders? No, he was in good company. Near us in Nigeria, we have Togo where the incumbent president and his father have both spent 50 years on the political throne. The Gambia was recently ruled by a political clown, a sergeant who believed he was destined to be king of a country of less than three million people for life. We have Uganda whose fast talking President took over from Idi-Amin about 25 years ago. Both Idi-Amin the slave dealer and his successor have held Uganda in slavery.

    The story is not different in Angola where freedom fighters graduated into oppressors after the demise of the colonialists.  Liberia under Doe or Taylor is not different from others. Reprieve came to neighbouring Ghana only when J.J. Rawlings lined up eight political leaders and shot them to death. After this, Ghana became a liberal democracy.

    One can see from the above that Robert Mugabe has been in good company all along. The exceptions in African are Lesotho, Nelson Mandela’s South Africa and Nigeria.

    One must continue to ask the question, must African countries undergo this incessant political turmoil before they settle down to civilized governance or must we undergo such violent political surgery as occurred in many countries?

    It must be admitted that both the military and civilian population of Zimbabwe behaved well and out of fashion with the trend with other African countries. The political and professional dexterity displayed by the military is un-African, considering our experience on the continent. For about a week, the military was alleged to have taken over without spilling blood and without social dislocation that go with such practice elsewhere in Africa.

    The military manoeuvred the recalcitrant Mugabe and egged him-on for almost a week before the old man agreed to step down. As of the time of writing this report, Robert Mugabe continued to be a free man without the harassment of the military or the reprisal of the civilian population. Indeed most Zimbabweans are sympathetic to the old fox. Remembering his fight for independence and the land he grabbed from the white population, they seemed to have forgiven him for the atrocities he allegedly perpetrated in his past 37 years in office.

    Africans particularly Nigerians must learn from the behaviour of the Zimbabwean military and civilian population to learn to accommodate each other to enable our country move ahead. Zimbabwe is a lesson in modern political history.

     

    • Chief Fasuan, MON, writes from Ado Ekiti.
  • Omatseye wrong on Peter Obi

    Omatseye wrong on Peter Obi

    Ikemba Nnewi, the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, had a way of putting it. To those who doubted his place in the heart of the Igbo people, he had a way of asking them for a common test – test of popularity.

    It is simple. Let us meet at Ogbete Market in Enugu, Otu Nkwo Market in Onitsha or Ariaria Market in Aba. Walk through one path, while I walk through the other. Let us compare the outcome. To all those to whom that challenge was thrown, I don’t recall of anyone who picked it up.

    I recall this in the light of what Sam Omatseye, versatile writer and one of the most respected and influential public figures in the Nigerian media today, wrote of Peter Obi, a few days ago. Why should anyone bother? That Omatseye’s position on national discourse, is captured in the A-list, is not only as a result of his deep, cerebral and high intellectual offering, he is also the chairman, Editorial Board of The Nation, one of Nigeria’s most influential newspapers today.  So, in essence, the public is concerned and needed to be fed correctly for the good of the society.

    You can now see why whatever comes from him, cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand. And because every human is susceptible to errors, errors of all kinds – misstep, misinformation, or and misjudgment, he could be acquitted, in the event that his assessment of Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, is a genuine error and not borne out of mischief.

    Whilst capturing his views on the Anambra governorship election of Saturday, November 18, and the loss of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Osaeloka Obaze, the writer, saw it as the death-knell on the political coffin of Obi, seen as the main sponsor of the candidate, and by extension, the one that ran the election.

    In a short post at the bottom of his main offering in his regular Monday column, entitled Obituary, he had this to say: “For Peter Obi, the soft-spoken former governor, is Obituary in Anambra State politics. Willie Obiano’s victory is Obi’s political death knell. He installed Obiano, but now Obiano is presiding over his funeral. Obi, a decent man though, is now a statesman without a state. He is in a state of what Buddhists call Bardo, or Catholics call limbo. Will he look like the characters in the Booker-winning novel, Lincoln in The Bardo by George Saunders, where Abraham Lincoln meets with his son in the Afterlife? Obi’s candidate could not even flatter him with a second position. Obiano buried him in a landslide. Adieu, the girl-voiced warrior.”

    No doubt, the last part was meant to mock. I don’t know if his title of Obituary was also a coinage from Obi, as in Obi-tuary. Perhaps not. But what is evident from his conclusion is that he must have read and relied on the other side so much that he forgot that politics is like a coin with two sides.

    Certainly, Obi would be sad, just like thousands others, who supported Obaze or any other of the candidates outside Obiano, but to assume that he is dead politically and that there would be an obituary, is far outside the mark in all ramifications.

    First, Omatseye, in that outing, was referring to Okwute Ndi Igbo (The rock). That appellation did not just fall from heaven. It was earned, not elsewhere, but the political turf. Instructively, Omatseye, was kind enough to acknowledge the role Obi played in making Obiano. But that is not all. The making of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), could also be attributed largely to his immense capacities, beyond what is known in the open.

    Many, including those who are believed to know, would readily swear that APGA cleared all the states in the entire South-east after the 2003 governorship election. But while all other candidates fell by the wayside, or offer, at best, some very feeble resistance, Obi, was the only one who could recover his mandate. If that alone was not a big feat, that he was able to return to power after surviving an impeachment hatched and executed by the all-PDP Anambra State House of Assembly, remains a big imprimatur of his capacity and ability.

    Now, the biggest, appeared his tenure interpretation battle, he unseated an existing governor, Andy Uba, in just 11 days, which saw him, returning to power after 2007 governorship election, after winning a major battle at the Supreme Court.

    Certainly, all these could not have been forgotten so quickly so soon. They cannot also be the trait of one whose political nunc dimitis, would be sung so quickly, because “he” lost one election, in which he was not even a candidate. It is quite saddening that Omatseye, appeared to have glossed over them in such a haste.

    Besides, we are talking about one of the 8,000 richest men in the world of tens of billions of people. That feat also did not come by quitting because of one disappointing outing. The stuff with which many in Obi’s class are made goes beyond the superficial. Rather, it is a function of a potpourri of several variables and factors, including occasional failures and disappointments.

    Rather than weaken men like Obi, disappointments of any hue, seem to energise them and cause them to go back to the drawing board to re-strategise, as has done in his political career so far and as could even be gleaned from his engagements since the election.

    In fact, few hours after the result of the election was officially released, Obi, was already in Lagos, keeping to his speaking engagements. The reaction of the audience at each of those for a in no way suggested one, who was pummelled to submission or whose political obituary was being marked.

    There are so many factors that gave rise to what happened in the Anambra election in question. Recall that a coalition of civil society organisation, with a lot of experience in election monitoring, led by Clement Nwankwo, Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), did not mince words in describing it as the worst since 1999, because of the role money played in buying voters.

    Of course, before long, all other factors will continue to emerge to tell the true story of whatever transpired during the event.

    But, beyond that in four years, Obiano, who is being celebrated today as Obi and Chris Ngige, were once celebrated, would join the league of ex-governors. What then happens, when he would no longer have the resources to cajole civil servants, induce town union executives or threaten traditional rulers, when he would have lost the proverbial palm frond, which the goat usually goes after?

    Obi never minced words as to the reason for wanting Obiano out. This was a man who made show of his frugality and distaste to any form of wastage in government, being assailed with stories and perhaps, evidence of wanton and needless reveling in government. This was a man, whose penchant for saving became almost legendary, witnessing the resources he claimed to have left for the state so massively dissolved into official inanities. This was a man who had promised that he was going to be in the forefront of removing the governor, if he misbehaved, fulfilling his promise, out of his convictions. What else would make a man move?

    Yes, he may have miscalculated. He may have misread his compass and the barometer in gauging the feelings of Anambra people, but to say that the same people would forget so quickly the impact he made in their lives, is indeed to misunderstand the Anambra, nay, the Igbo man.

    They have spoken in this instance; they will also speak in other instances, in which Obi will be a player. That is when the likes of Omatseye will know the mistake they have made.

     

    • Igboanugo, a journalist, writes from Abuja.