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  • Of pythons and cobras

    It was the legendary Williams Shakespeare who wrote: “There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries.” This saying, I think, fittingly describes the fate of embattled leader of the now proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu.

    Kanu’s was a swift and dramatic twist of fate. You could say it was by conspiratorial factors of expediency. Crunch line is: he has gone barely overnight from being a courted ally in the portals of power to a disavowed fugitive from the law. To boot, his separatist group is effectively delegitimized. Yet, with little less bluster against the existing order and some moderation in his crusade, these outcomes were avoidable and his avowed mission even negotiable to certain limits.

    Secession bid is no pastry item in any nation of the world – not even in the most liberal states. Whereas the United States constitution envisages and prescribes modalities for new states to join the union, for instance, it provides no legal route for any state already in the equation to opt out. And so, that country fought a four-year civil war in the 1860s to rebuff a secessionist bid by so-called Confederate States.

    And only this last week, Spanish civil police hounded Catalan leaders who insist on staging an Independence referendum come October 1. Catalonia is one of Spain’s wealthiest regions, with its capital being the famous Barcelona, and Catalans have argued that they put more into the Spanish treasury than they get back. The region has a functional separatist government and parliament in place, but cutting completely lose from Madrid is a red line Spain would not permit crossing.

    This common predisposition may have to do with the apparent link between secession and territorial integrity. Hence, when Nigeria fought her civil war in the late 1960s against Biafra secession, it wasn’t by any means peculiar. But then, Kanu, for valid reasons, believes the matter isn’t closed. He had steadfastly pushed his separatist cause and was of sufficient consequence that all South-East state governors, on August 30, huddled at a roundtable to reason with him and rein in his nihilistic swagger. With the critical level of ethnic passions being lately stoked across our evidently imperfect Nigerian nationhood, sobriety and level-headedness are crucial to working out redress measures in an atmosphere of mutual security of citizens. Only that the IPoB leader didn’t seem to have these as his strongest character traits.

    But, of course, the hard-knuckled military also made matters worse with its so-called ‘python dance’. The South-East governors had slated another parley with Kanu for September 15 to discuss his separatist agitation. Before that date, however, the Army rampaged in with security drills in Kanu’s home state of Abia – handing him a convenient lever on which to toss off further dialogue with regional leaders on his zero sum worldview.

    I hold that the military was tyrannous and provocative in the extreme by jumping the gun on the advertised timeline for its Python Dance II operations (September 15 to October 14), and by rolling out in Kanu’s backyard rather than in the whole South-East as touted. Even if the IPoB leader and his followers truly constituted a security threat, it locates Nigeria in democracy’s backwaters that fully-armed soldiers swarmed in to tackle restive civilians who avowedly were non-arms bearing. Addressing such challenge should have been for the Police. In effect, if this country had tailspinned into ethnic violence, which Information Minister Lai Mohammed said the government moved to head off with its handling of the IPoB issue, the military and not Kanu and company would have been the trigger.

    Besides, lessons are hardly ever learnt from history in this country. Soldiers swamping civilian communities in hunt for alleged offenders have never yielded desired results, have they? And that is because residents only see the hunted persons as being persecuted and provide them communal shield to burrow underground. If South-South militant commander Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) has eluded security dragnet thrown out since 2015 in the search for him, Kanu will not be fished out in the present hunt, never mind the braggadocio by security sources that they know where to get him.

    But while the military deserves full knocks for its oxymoronic dance of the python, Nnamdi Kanu had as well become a menacing cobra in the Nigerian nationhood grass. The cobra is a poisonous snake that fans out the skin at back of its neck to make itself look bigger than it really is. And like that reptilian species, Kanu had gained such enormous traction for his separatist crusade that he assumed a potency defying all restraint – including temperance admonitions by elders and political leaders of the South-East whose interest he championed.

    And so, it seems the separatist warrior only found a tidy excuse in the military drills to dump a dialogue with regional leaders that he could hardly forebear in the first place. In his public statement just before the scheduled re-consultation, he said he would not be available because of more pressing commitments, like attending to his followers who were injured or bereaved in encounters with the invading soldiers. Oh, really! You would think that was some chore he could delegate to his fanatical lieutenants if he considered the impending parley sufficiently important. Kanu as well alleged a plot by soldiers to eliminate him en route the meeting in Enugu. But also, he could have demanded a public guarantee of his safety by the state governors to cover his round trip. Political expedience would have bound the governors to give that public guarantee, and indeed restrain the military from the alleged plot if truly one existed.

    Rather, Kanu grandstandingly shunned the meeting where it eventually happened that South-East governors unanimously banned the activities of his movement in their region. Ethnic emotions are charged presently and there is some giddy disposition of sympathy for the IPoB leader, but it is extremely moot that he singularly loves the Igbo more that the governors collectively do. Besides, if he had somehow found his way to the parley, it is highly unlikely the hammers would have fallen so definitively on his group.

    My guess is: Kanu shunned the September 15 dialogue because his vision of Biafra had turned the corner down the crimson road, almost irredeemably beyond the prospects of armistice. He gave that much hint when he said in his public statement that IPoB, “through the instrumentality of the Directorate of State headquartered in Germany, will be meeting to vote on the viability or otherwise of continuing our struggle in this non-violent manner.” He as well advised fellow Igbo who do not share his manic quest for secession to immediately proceed on self-imposed exile. Well, it is Kanu who himself is on exile now, and I doubt he can do much worse hereafter than he has done hitherto.

    But let’s be clear: it is human agents who fade out, ideas never do. The Biafra quest is a symptom of gross injustice and inequity in the present Nigerian federation. The late Dim Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu once passed this way, before Kanu and contemporary co-travellers came by to follow his light. Unless the injustice inhering in our federation is urgently redressed, an even more virulent Kanu is at the door.

    Please join me on kayodeidowu.blogspot.be for conversation.

  • Morocco in ECOWAS?

    If one is to judge by the fact of geographical location and strict definition, Morocco unequivocally is not supposed to aspire to the membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an organization evolved to cater for the social, economic, political and cultural interests of the countries in the West Africa sub-region.

    This is obviously because Morocco, majorly an Arab country (99% Arab-Berber) is located in the farthermost part of North Africa. But there are examples of such deviation in international relations and multilateral interactions. For instance, in pureness, the Commonwealth of Nations ought to be made up of Britain and its former colonies. However, three countries – namely Cameroon, Mozambique and Namibia were not directly and fully colonized by Britain and yet, they are today, members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Cameroon became a member of the Commonwealth in 1999, though largely a French colony. However, its membership can be understood from the historical fact that the Western part of the country was administered by the British as part of Nigeria when it was entrusted to it by the United Nations. If Cameroon’s connection with the British empire is traceable, Mozambique’s connection is very remote for purely, Mozambique was a Portuguese colony. It became independent in 1975. Mozambique geographically is surrounded on all its frontiers by Anglophone countries which were supportive of the liberation of the country during the liberation struggle. Indeed, at the peak of the struggle, the Commonwealth of Nations played significant role in restoring normalcy to the country as it dissolved into political and socio-economic chaos in the wake of Portugal’s hasty departure. It was this role Mozambique leveraged upon to join the Commonwealth of Nations. In the case of Namibia also, during the colonial era, Namibia then known as South West Africa,  was entrusted to South Africa for administration as mandate by the League  of Nations in 1918 with the sponsorship of Britain as a legal intermediary, which implies that South Africa was just a surrogate in Namibia. This indirect nexus partly gave Namibia the leverage to also join the Commonwealth in1995. In spite of this incongruence, Britain still remains eternally unchallengeable as the hegemonic leader of the association. It is this it sets to rejuvenate with a view to re-establishing itself on the world stage following its exit from the European Union.

    The ECOWAS was birthed in 1975. Its broad aim is to promote economic self-reliance in the sub-region through cooperation and development in the fields of industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, commerce, monetary, finance and in social, political and cultural matters. Although the organization’s treaty was initially signed by 15 countries, they were however, later joined by Cape Verde thereby bringing the membership to 16 countries. Mauritania withdrew in 2000 thereby bringing the number to 15. Strictly defined, all the 15 counties are located in West Africa as portrayed by the name of the organization. Indeed the founding fathers of the organization did not envisage that the organization would grow beyond the sub-region. Of the 15 members, eight are Francophone countries; two are Portuguese speaking while five are English speaking out of which four are former British colonies. Morocco is at the verge of becoming a member; Tunisia is also eyeing the organization and Mauritania also wants to stage a comeback. Apart from being instrumental to the formation of the organization, Nigeria is the most populous of the member countries and also has the biggest economy. The economy of Lagos State is even bigger than the economies of some of the member countries. Apart from harbouring the headquarters of the sub-regional body, Nigeria has also been playing prominent roles in the organization in its pursuit of economic cooperation, development and the resolution of debilitating political conflicts. Indeed Nigeria is a power point and of course the leader of the sub-region.

    If the focus of the sub-regional body is economic self-reliance through cooperation which is equally envisaged to lead to economic integration of the sub-region, the questions then are these: why should Morocco, a North African country be interested in the organization? Should the organization accept its membership? No doubt, every country in the international system has the latitude to legitimately pursue its social, economic and political objectives on any platform it feels it can achieve those objectives. ECOWAS will unarguably assist Morocco to further expand and develop its economic objectives. Morocco is said to have the fifth largest economy in Africa; it has a record of steady economic growth; its tourism sector is well developed and is of course second to the country’s phosphate industry. Beyond this, at a point it was also, the first African country by the Economist Intelligence Unit quality-of-life index, ahead of South Africa. Its agricultural sector which employs about 40% of its population is also growing. Indeed, Morocco will obviously want to build upon all these and of course the ECOWAS is one of the platforms the country can explore to pursue and achieve this goal of economic expansionism.

    However, as the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Lagos Branch has observed, should Morocco be finally admitted, Morocco’s economic gains shall certainly be the economic losses of the poor West African countries. As the association has argued, Morocco’s association with the European Union is enough to damage the economies of the countries in the sub-region.

    Apart from the economic agenda of Morocco which the countries in the sub-region have the free will to prevent because of its likely pernicious effects, this Moroccan move, one suspects, is also an attempt to whittle the leadership and influence of Nigeria in the West African sub-region. And on this, it is not unlikely that Morocco is a surrogate of France a country that has not been very well disposed to the dominance, power, influence and leadership of Nigeria in the sub-region.

    France and Morocco of course have historical antecedent. To be sure, in 1911, France did conquer Morocco after the Agadir crisis. In 1912 after the Morocco and Agadir imbroglio, the Treaty of Fez was signed which balkanized Morocco into French and Spanish protectorates. France ruled its own protectorate for 44 years. In 1956, Morocco became free from French rule and also later recovered most of its territories from the Spanish colonizers. Today the links between France and Morocco are still there. For example, millions of Moroccans live in France. According to the country’s 2004 census, nearly 69% of literate people can read and write French. In fact most of government and official transactions are done in French. France is also the major trade partner and creditor of Morocco. France also has very significant investment in Morocco. With Morocco in ] ECOWAS and with its impressive economic statistics, therefore, it may become a rallying point for the Francophone countries in the organization and of course a country to look up to for succour and politicking within the organization instead of Nigeria. The support Morocco’s membership has received so far seems a product of French connection.

    Apart from this, Morocco’s membership may inferentially create unhealthy rivalry between it and Nigeria and thereby weaken the unity and the integration goal of the sub-region. This will further sustain the hegemonic influence of France in West Africa and also its other neo-colonial agenda. The kind of polarization its membership can import to the organization is typical of the country’s avoidance of the Israeli Prime Minister when he came to address the organization recently. On the strength of the foregoing, Nigeria and other members of the ECOWAS should realise the fact that, it is not in their best interest to admit Morocco and also the itching Tunisia to its fold more so that they are North African states. Doing so also will of course be tantamount to a deviation from the original conception, vision and goals of the sub-regional body by its founding fathers.

     

    • Dr Adebisi writes from Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo State.

  • The Rivers run golden: (Concluding Part)

    I can authoritatively say that it was only when the PDP defectors joined the APC that victory was finally secured at the centre.

    Before continuing with successive indigenous governors, this column will briefly look at how women have been faring in Rivers.

    Rivers had its only woman ruler of Bonny Kingdom, Queen Kambasa in 1500 AD. A warrior Queen, she personally led her well-trained army to conquests.

    …Forward several centuries to the present; today 2 women sit as Rivers Representatives in the National Assembly, Abuja.

    Chief Melford Okilo appointed Mrs. Constance Saranwiyo as the first female state Commissioner. And Rivers has had a female Commissioner of Works! She is Okpete Ovai (2003-6). She has a Master’s Degree in Engineering.

    Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo from Degema is a Nigerian gem and distinguished lady. She attended Queens College Lagos and UCH, Ibadan. She is a medical Doctor and has served various governments at high level, severally, with many UN projects executed as well. She is the Deputy Governor, the only female in the entire south-south.

    Sir Peter Odili (contd) as previously said, Odili constructed the ultra modern Government House Complex in Port Harcourt.

    A wealthy man, Dr. Odili had (has) flourishing private hospital in PH, and also married an Ibo lady from a wealthy family (the Nzenwas); a lawyer who is a Supreme Court judge today. Sir Peter is a loving and faithful husband to Justice Mary.

    Politically, Odili was hoodwinked and lied to by the then President to contest the presidency. One other thing is that political killings during his administration were too frequent for any comfort.

    He was a lover of the youth-I saw physically where women gathered crying loudly in the streets- tears of joy when, thanks to the amnesty program, militants ‘came out’ from the creeks in thousands. The youths, who were long assumed dead by their families, laid down their arms in Nigeria’s great amnesty program. It is just sad today to see that all glory for the amnesty program is given to late President Yar’ Adua.

    Odili rehabilitated and engaged thousands and thousands of youths. I daresay he brought some cure to Nigeria’s great problem of massive unemployment as well as restiveness, youth depression and even suicide.

    Odili reconstructed and modernized the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital – that was where a Princess was born, yes, I am a Port Harcourt person (Duncan Mighty’s Lyrics, too bad he ‘forgot’ to call my name in his song)!

    Finally, politically, Odili groomed a successor in his former aide and House Speaker, Rotimi Amaechi but like a number of other governors, he messed up the handover and bowed out on a sour note.

    Sir Celestine Omehia He lasted only 5 months but still initiated the Rumuwoji Market and Eleme roundabout flyover. These were redesigned and completed by the Amaechi administration.

    Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Politically, he saw hell as result of fallout with the powerful President Dr. Jonathan. He was Chair of the influential Nigerian Governors Forum; it was split in 2 by the central government. In frustration he decamped from PDP to the APC and spearheaded the Buhari presidency campaign. That campaign had tried 3 times unsuccessfully for the presidency. I can authoritatively say that it was only when the PDP decampess joined, that victory was finally secured for the APC.

    Amaechi too had it rough from the outset. Months after the primaries President Obasajo had unilaterally foisted Sir Omehia on Rivers as Governor- a man who never even contested (the courts upturned the action). And even Sir Peter Odili had asked Amaechi to walk out of his house! Amaechi had to go on political exile to Ghana, his safety not being guaranteed at the time.

    Amaechi cannot be described as the most organized of people. Notwithstanding he did fantastic work in the educational sector, and his work in early childhood education was trail-blazing.

    The highlight of his achievements was initiating the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Program GPCDP. The former Garden City has become a mere shadow of itself. As governor, Amaechi correctly recognized that road transportation was not the modern transport solution, but his monorail project was overly ambitious by far, and it is at standstill right now, hanging over Port Harcourt city.

    Amaechi completed the Ada George Government’s Okrika Ring Road and named it after Rufus Ada George. He completed Odili’s flyover at the Eleme roundabout. Today he serves as Nigeria’s Minister of Transport and his emphasis is on rail. That is the greatest irony, when practically no one living in the whole of the Niger Delta has ever seen a train even till today! Finally, politically: it is situational irony that he could repeat the mistakes of his predecessor. He battled his erstwhile chief of staff to a standstill. History repeats itself; that man is governor today. Worse, Amaechi is now battling everyone of note in Rivers APC. It is sad telling that his story today is also a sour one in Rivers State.

    Chief Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike Son of a reverend minister, the mantle is now on Nyesom Wike to lead Rivers State at this onset of its next 50 years. Wike is from Obio Akpor L.G.A-reportedly the richest one in Nigeria! At the onset of this 4th republic, Wike served as its L.G.A Council Chairman, from where he became Governor Amaechi’s Chief of Staff (2007-11).

    He was appointed Minster for Education. He is the 6th elected Rivers Governor.

    As Education minister, he established the federal polytechnic of Oil & Gas in Bonny. He also built the faculty of Law at Uniport. Vice President Osibajo has now named the man Mr. Projects. Dr. Jonathan has said that Wike has a large heart. However, his many and public fights with Rotimi Amaechi would not have many believe that! Beautifully though, the regime has taken upon itself the completion of all uncompleted but viable projects of its predecessor – notwithstanding their highly publicized political differences.

    Indeed Wike has completed more than 150 road projects statewide, including 3 federal roads; others are in various stages of completion. Just last week he commissioned the reconstructed General Hospital, Abua. The London based NewsAfrica says-Wike Works Wonders!

    Still, there are many challenges. The oil companies are flaring gas as mindlessly as ever. Just last month, Eleme road, a major highway was closed to traffic. Currently, Azumini road is in a bad state. Wike is completing the Andoni Opobo Unity Road. He is not leaving project monitoring to anyone, he does it himself (I’ve seen this myself, quite accidentally. I was returning to PH once from Yenagoa to take a flight. Then his convoy came quietly by. Shortly ahead, I saw him inspecting the road, no pressmen, just some aides).

    Wike is maintaining Amaechi’s Greater PH City Development!   Wike ran his ticket with, and has a female Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, the first female Deputy in the Niger Delta! Well, some people may point out that there was a female deputy governor in the last days of a past administration in a neighbouring state. But I will stand by own opinion. Or is it correct to still call someone who likely shares a birthday with Chief E.K Clark; a woman!

    Methinks even in a biology test, such a one would not pass the requirement of being called a woman, No!!

     

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  • Removing politics from pencom

    Sympathizers of Mrs. Chinelo Amazu Ahonu have persistently criticized as illegal, her disengagement by the federal government before the expiry of her tenure as Director-General of Pencom. Facts were either ignored or twisted to give credence to a convenient interpretation of the Pension Reform Act 2014 to buttress this argument. It was further argued that Amazu was doing an incredible work at Pencom and her sudden exit was negatively affecting the stability and progress of the agency and the pension industry.

    Thus, when recently on the eve of President Muhammadu Buhari’s return from medical vacation, the federal government announced that the second set of nominees to the executive management offices of Pencom should report to work in acting capacity, supporters of Amazu re-launched their media offensive to push forward the narrative of illegality of the government’s decision to sack her and called for her reinstatement.

    Of course, the federal government’s directive is yet to be realized in view of the Senate’s position that the nominees could not assume duties until they are confirmed by it.

    At the outset of Amazu’s disengagement, two cases were instituted at the Federal High Court, Abuja by individuals and organizations of Igbo extraction, challenging the legality of her disengagement and nomination of first, Mr. Aliyu Abdulrahman Dikko (from North-West) and later, Mr. Funsho Doherty (from South-West). It was argued that, should Amazu’s disengagement remain, her replacement must come from the South-east zone. While we await the argument of lawyers and the verdict of the court in these cases, there is a compelling need to present another perspective to the conversation, especially in the light of persistent publications on the subject.

    Amazu’s sojourn in the pension commission presents an interesting trajectory of controversy and impunity from entrance to exit. Readers following developments in the pension industry from its inception in 2004 would recall the controversy surrounding her appointment as Company Secretary and Legal Adviser on director level, despite the fact that she lacked the requisite experience for that office and grade as stipulated in the Public Service Rules. She served as Director in the agency until December 2012, when she was appointed by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration as Acting Director-General following the exit of the pioneer executive management led by Mr. M. K. Ahmed. This was also done in defiance of the Federal Government Public Service Policy introduced by the President Yar’Adua administration, mandating the retirement of directors who served for eight years in office.

    Amazu continued in office as Acting Director-General and Sole Administrator of Pencom from December 2012 to December 2013 when Jonathan appointed her as Executive Commissioner and Acting Director-General along with other three Executive Commissioners and Alhaji Ahmed Muazu as Chairman. The controversial amendment of the Pension Reform Act to lower the qualifying experience for appointment as Director-General of Pencom was done in 2014. It is common knowledge that the amendment was done to pave the way for Amazu’s appointment as substantive Director-General, which was consummated in October 2014. Since then, she continued in office until April 2017, when she was disengaged by the Buhari administration along with the managements of other Federal Government parastatals.

    Indeed, it was reliably related that when the Federal Government’s disengagement order was issued to the affected agencies, Amazu refused to vacate office until she was forced out by State Security Services operatives. That was the beginning of the resistance against her disengagement, which is being advanced in the media and the law courts as well as in political and sectional circles. This resistance has persisted without minding the fact that the personality involved indeed thrived in impunity. Certainly, those who live by the sword, die by the sword.

    What specific progressive projects and policies introduced and executed by Amazu for Pencom or the pension industry have been jeopardized by her recent exit as alleged by her supporters?

    It is claimed that she introduced a yearly World Pension Summit for Africa, which the officials confirmed were hosted by Pencom at a huge cost for the three years it was held. Furthermore, operators in the industry vehemently complained that they were forced to participate at the summit for high fees denominated in foreign currency. That was in addition to forcing the administrators to contribute huge sums to a social responsibility project for the procurement of a machine for the treatment of prostate cancer.

    Some of her legacies itemised include some staff welfare programmes, introduction of the micro-pension scheme for the informal sector and opening of zonal offices in the six geopolitical zones. However, the zonal offices were said to have been established by the pioneer executive management and that Amazu merely performed the commissioning ceremonies for the offices. There were also staff recruitment exercises undertaken by her for which the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Character had severally queried its lop-sidedness in favour of her state of origin.

    Yet operators were frustrated by Pencom’s inability to finalise and issue revised regulations and guidelines during her superintendence since the enactment of the 2014 Act. The regulation on investment of pension fund was only issued in April 2017, on the eve of her exit from the agency. Why was Pencom unable to resolve the issues inhibiting the opening of the transfer window, which the pension industry and contributors had been waiting for since the time of the pioneer executive management? Amazu’s inability to resolve the challenges obviously necessitated the regulatory action taken by the agency on First Guarantee pension fund administrator.

    Finally, it is safe to leave the legality of Amazu’s disengagement for the court to decide since the issues have been presented before it. However, it should be noted that the Pension Reform Act gives the President the power to remove any or all members of the Pencom executive management in public interest. Where the whole team was disengaged, it does not require a lawyer to realize the illogicality of the argument that the next Director-General must necessarily come from the South-east. The argument would have been valid had there been occasional vacancy in Pencom created by exit of any individual member of the executive team, because the President would be compelled to appoint a replacement from the zone of the exited member in order to maintain the federal character principle stipulated in the Pensions Act.

    In addition, Section 106(4) of the Act gives the President the power to appoint an entirely new board for the agency in the event that a new board has not been constituted more than six months after the dissolution of the previous board. It is a known fact that the boards of all agencies of the Federal Government were dissolved in 2015, which was almost two years by the time Amazu was relieved of her appointment.

    The Federal Government must, therefore, not succumb to the ethnic and baseless clamours for the reinstatement of Amazu. Indeed, Nigerians must give credit to the pioneer executive management of Pencom for laying a solid foundation for the agency, such that the career staff are currently smoothly and competently navigating the tides of politics and ensuring regulatory stability in the pension industry. That is the sort of institutional stability we should focus on, evaluate and customize for adoption by other public institutions in Nigeria.

    • Bajulaiye is a public affairs commentator based in Abuja.

  • Akarigbo Remo, Taiwo Alimi and I

    I think it was Giotto di Bondone that once said “the human heart is a frail craft on which we wish to reach the stars”.

    How true!

    Many years ago while the Akarigbo of Remo stool became vacant following the ascension of Oba Moses Awolesi to the higher realm, I innocently cracked a joke with my professional colleague and friend, Taiwo Allimi that I could emerge the next Akarigbo.

    To me it was just a joke, but to Taiwo, it was one taken too far; considering the fact that I only came to marry in Sagamu from Ijebu Igbo and he was so goddamn serious about it that he said he would commit suicide if that happened. He was then rooting for socialite Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo who eventually emerged and became an Akarigbo whose personality and reign have become benchmarks for subsequent successors.

    At the time of this banter between me and Taiwo, I was  oblivious of the fact of history that I indeed had some root and claim to the Akarigbo stool, a fact also unknown, at that time and perhaps till now, to my friend who is a celebrated TV personality and a serial Commissioner in Ogun State. But, history ! No wonder a dictionary defined it as “the continuum of events occurring in succession, leading from the past to the present and even into the future”.

    I owe this discovery first to my maternal uncle, Otunba (Senator) Olabisi Durojaye who is so versed in family history and rendition of totems or cognomen as to shame the best of Yoruba poets and traditionists like Yemi Elebuibon and the just departed author of a once-popular Yoruba literature book “Nwon ro pe were ni”; and another uncle, Jas Adekunle, who is the Olotu Omoba Akarigbo, now 77, who at age nine in 1948, according to family sources, accompanied his father to visit their relation in Ijebu Igbo and through who the Liyangu family link was re-established when Sonariwo sought interest in the throne.

    Through them, some of us who are of the Arowosugbo royal family of Ojowo in Ijebu Igbo now know that we are also princes and princesses of Liyangu Akarigbo from the Adeuja section of the dynasty.

    This Life, as my column implies, can be truly a combination of fun, fantasy and reality. Now, I know that humans, especially the Yorubas, don’t talk platitudes or in vain. For example, whenever sons and daughters of our royal family of Arowosugbo (the wealthy one rich enough to cultivate the forest) assemble in any gathering, the favourite song always rendered goes thus: “omo Arowosugbo, e ku bibi’re; lapa iya o, lapa baba re, e ku bibi re”, a song that testifies to the fact we descend from respectable families on both parents’ sides.

    Hitherto, I thought my princeship derived only from my Olokine paternal lineage in Ojowo; now I also know I am a descendant of the Liyangu Royal Family of Sagamu, Remo from where Akarigbo Sonariwo emerged, before the mantle now fell on another  prince from the Torungbuwa (well-mannered from heaven) branch, Babatunde Ajayi, whose acceptability since he was unveiled, testifies to his popularity and aptness for the exalted stool, an Ilufemiloye, if you care !

    Thank God, I have now discovered an important chunk of my roots especially at a time Sagamu is again gifted with another Akarigbo in the mould of a lawyer and an accountant and an insolvency and restructuring expert, on whose broad shoulders the traditional, cultural, socio-economic future of Remoland rests.

    Oba Babatunde Ajayi, the brand-new Akarigbo of Remo has arrived on the centre-stage. He’s coming in as a greenhorn in traditional matters but his foray and achievements in the business world is possibly going to throw him up as an undiscovered expert in royal duties.

    Between Taiwo Allimi and I, I think there’s this unanimity of opinion that Akarigbo Babatunde Ajayi stands sufficiently suited for the demands of his high office, in the assurance that he is coming on the throne with more than 20 years experience as a big player in the private sector where they well realise that the only place where success comes before work, is in the dictionary.

  • Courage to Fly

    Do you remember this hit song – I believe I can fly by the R&B maestro, R. Kelly? This song reminisce my first experience on board (aircraft) from Lagos to Warri. It was very frightful. I held on to the young man beside me as if my safety depended on him. Of course, we became good friends afterwards and… that’s a story for another day. The terrifying experience prompted me to seek advice from my doctor who explained to me that just like most phobia, flying phobia is psychological. It’s one of the most common phobias. It happens unconsciously when a person has negative mental associations when in flight. Furthermore, to overcome the phobia, the affected person needs to be guided by a psychologist to rewire his/her mental associations with the experience, that is, enable the brain trigger a new experience and learn to say ‘yes I can fly’. Meanwhile, my mental remodeling is in progress.

    Personally, I believe this flying phobia also relates to the race of destiny, many people are terribly afraid of becoming high-fliers in their careers and professions. If you are in this, I would like to take you through a mental remodeling. The race of life is highly individualistic , so beware of being lost in the crowd. Maybe you have noticed that eagles don’t flock, they soar as individuals, even airplanes don’t tow each other. Someone said ‘ Those who walk, walk together, those who run, run with a few but those who fly, fly alone’. Even in a team, there are star players! Note this, you are responsible for the outcome of your life, so you must make quality investments of time and available resources to be fit to fly. It’s time to stretch your wings and develop the muscles to be fit for the sky.

    The story of airplanes is connected with man’s dream of flying, if you ask an average student, who invented the aircraft? Of course the answer would be; The Wright brothers. I wonder, what the Wright brothers were thinking about when the idea came, possibly the sight of birds aroused their minds. In otherwords, to be a high- flier in life could mean to take off from a place of mediocrity, irrelevance to attain heights of relevance, great influence and excellence in life. That is reaching unto to your desired heights of success in life.

    Do you know that heights are relative? The sky is the limit for some, while it is the starting point for someone like me. Defining heights is totally dependent on how big your faith in God is! Now, let’s learn  how to fly. Imagine a bird in flight; have you observed that only the wings are prominent? Yes, the most obvious adaptation for flight are the bird’s wings. I opine that the wings of the bird symbolise courage. ‘’Courage also called fortitude is the capacity to meet the anxiety which arises as one achieves freedom’’…Rollo May. In the words of Nelson Mandela; ‘’ I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it’’.

    Courage is indispensable in flight. It fortifies you against the fearful turbulence of the whirlwind which blows across seasons of life. Economic storms can adversely affect your profit after tax however, a courageous entrepreneur will see opportunities to thrive and possibly diversify. It’s amazing to know that the economic recession in Nigeria has led to the rise of ‘made in Nigeria’ products such as Akamu and Garri, well sealed with fancy packs, talk about creativity! You don’t have to stay on the ground with complainers, team up with the courageous in flight! Learn to always spread out your wings of courage and soar, no matter the weather. Stedman Graham stated “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.’’ We can’t be kind, generous, merciful, true, or honest without courage.

    Also, noteworthy is the fact that the eyesight of birds is said to be the best of all vertebrates. Excellent eyesight and coordination guide birds to fly safely. To fly and achieve your dream in life, you need a vision. You must have a vision to see that you have wings to soar and make a positive impact in life. When you set out to make an impact, you will end up making a name! But when you set out solely to make a name, you’ll end up making a noise. Make sure you set out with a worthy purpose in mind and remain focused. Myles Munroe clarifies that ‘purpose is when you know and understand what you were born to accomplish whereas vision is when you can see it in your mind by faith and begin to imagine it. So be a visionary!

    An important hint; Discover your God given talents which ultimately defines who you are. What are you doing currently with your gifts and talents? Learn to use your talent to help and develop people. The reward of using your talent is that it multiplies. Whatever you do not employ, you forfeit, whatever you don’t use, you lose. I challenge you to wisely use your faith, mind, human virtues, vitality, energy, mentality, relationships…and watch them grow. Each day is a gift, make good use of today.

    Resolve to join the league of the high-fliers in your field. Be of good courage! You cannot control the Nigerian economy, but you can control the state of your mind. Be aware of the environment you have control over; your mind-space and there are no limitations in the realm of the mind. ‘’I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky, I think about it every night and day, spread my wings and fly away …’’           R. Kelly. Courage is a right attitude that wins always. Please send your comments to segilola2012@gmail.com. You can also follow on twitter @mindscopenaija

    Listen in to Mindscope with Segilola every Monday on Eko89.7Fm at 1:10pm.

  • Where and why I disagree with apostles of restructuring

    On this recurring issue of restructuring, I still maintain my stand that before anything else, our minds and attitudes must first be restructured. If we do not attend to that first, all other efforts at restructuring will be an exercise in futility.

    The average Yoruba person is guilty of what they call “inunibini”, which an English dictionary, inappropriately to me though, define as “persecution”. “Pull them down” syndrome is another malaise of which the average Yoruba person is afflicted.

    The average Ibo is greedy and selfish and will be ready to do the damnest, for the sake of money. Yorubas call such attitude as “wobia” or “anikan-jopon”. I do not know what description to give to a person who, for love of money, can sacrifice his wife or child for rituals!

    Of course, the average Hausa/Fulani man is unmistakable for having domineering spirit. “Nwon feran lati ma je gaaba l’enia lori”, was the refrain from a concerned citizen while pointing at the character flaw in the typical Hausa/Fulani man.

    To be fair, some Yorubas, Igbos and Hausa/Fulani have character traits that conform with the best anywhere; but if the truth must be said, there’s no way we can forge ahead as a nation if we don’t subsume all the retrogressive flaws in the majority of our people.

    The world hates the truth and I’m holding myself ready to be assailed with all manner of attacks and loose talks for stating what is obvious about our people, but, no matter.

    It is only when we first address these failings and flaws that we can be talking of restructuring. As we are with our mindsets, even the Constitutions that make America and Britain great in all spheres of human endeavour will fail here were they to be operated by our people whose character traits I drew attention to here.

    When a Yorubaman sees his mate or subordinate showing great promise, he seeks to pull him down instead of pulling his energies in the direction of helping the other person achieve exploits. The Igbo person is willing to dispossess the other person and corner everybody’s commonwealth; and it is only then you won’t hear him talk of marginalisation or such like thing.

    For the Hausa/Fulani person, nothing satisfies him unless he dominates his environment and everything therein, even if he hasn’t got the mental and intellectual endowments for leadership.

    When it is self before others, we will always be at the rock-bottom of development and that’s what makes the huge, fundamental difference between we in Nigeria and the developed nations we are quick at referring to. Nigerians rank among the most ingenious and intellectually endowed in the world and we are achieving exploits universally but because of our system in this country, operated with the character-flaws in our three major tribes, those of our achieving compatriots abroad, will fail if they come back to function amongst us.

    If we restructure our minds and attitudes first as I’m insisting, if there’s anything else to adjust to let us have fair and equitable distribution of our resources, and feel a high sense of  belonging in the nation,  it won’t be difficult for a meeting of minds, to address any grey area and find solutions to them.

  • Aregbesola and armchair critics

    Everything has got its own time and season.  The season of politics in Osun State is here. Contestants are warming up.  New alignments are being forged. In other places, old ones are being resuscitated. Forces are gathering all towards the 2018 governorship election.

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s tenure is gradually coming to an end.  Dozens of aspirants are targeting this number one seat. All these contestants want to outdo one another in the ascendance to the throne game. One weapon they have and which they are using is propaganda.

    They will perform more than the incumbent if given the opportunity to serve. They have now turned virulent critics of the Aregbesola government.

    They brazenly alter statistics, fabricate figures which are non-existing and justify what ought not to be, all in the name of wanting to give the administration of Aregbesola a bad name in order to hang it.

    But the people of Osun do have very good memory.  They do not suffer from rampaging collective amnesia trait of these politicians. They know.  They see. They also feel what Aregbesola did and is still doing in the state.

    One of the supposed governorship aspirants recently said the state of education in Osun is in a bad shape. He noted that there was a disconnect in the provision of infrastructure and economic development, promising that he possess the magic wand to synergise the two and fix the education.

    Hear what he said: “My governorship ambition will aim at turning the state’s fortunes around, especially in ‘moment of crisis’ which its education had found itself. Osun State is in a moment of crisis as its educational sector is also in bad shape and the quality is no longer there.

    “The infrastructure and economic development will change if given the opportunity to govern the state. Osun is in a critical position; it must not be left in the hands of charlatans. If you’re a governor or aspiring to be governor and you say you have six points agenda or nine points agenda, its rubbish, I’m very sure of that”.

    Another aspirant was milder in his criticism. He opined that Aregbesola performed very well but made certain mistakes that he would correct if elected governor.

    But if a calabash isn’t broken, do we employ someone to still fix it? One of Aregbesola’s critics cited above was fortunately part of the education summit called by the governor in 2011 to fix the education sector ran a ground during the seven years of misrule of the administration before Aregbesola.

    This critic was not a governorship aspirant then and he did not see that education was in shambles. Even at that, he was privileged to serve in the summit with the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

    The outcome of that brainstorming at the summit produced the template with which the government tailored its restructuring. And today, the state has witnessed tremendous improvement in all ramifications as far as education is concerned in the state.

    The criticism must have stemmed from the utter lack of knowledge of performance charts and attention to details commonly exhibited by those who do not want to see anything good attributed to the Aregbesola administration.

    Before one goes to reel out statistics on physical performance in the education such as provision of infrastructure, let us take a cursory look at the performance of the student of the high school in the state in the last three edition of the external examination,  West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    These past records and statistics of students supplied by WAEC in the past years have shown that there is significant improvement in percentage of overall results of the student compared to the 2010 performance pre-Aregbesola era.

    To start with, a comparison between pre and post Aregbesola administrations will put nail to the coffin of mischief makers. In 2007, the state registered 36,171 candidates for WAEC examination out of which 2,483 representing 6.86 per cent had credit pass in five subjects, including English and Mathematics.

    In 2008, it was 37,715 candidates with 3,813 pass, representing 10.11 per cent. In 2009 it was 39,676 candidates, with 5,545 pass, representing 13.98 per cent. In 2010 it was 43,216 candidates, with 6,777 pass, representing 15.68 per cent. If you put these four years together, you will get an average of 15.68 per cent.

    Put side by side the above four-year performances with that of Aregbesola’s administration when government started sponsoring candidates for WAEC in 2011, one would glean the wide gulf in performances of both governments.

    That year, 2011, and the first year of test of Aregbesola’s government, the state fielded 53,293 candidates, had 11,672 pass, representing 21.98 per cent.

    In 2012, government fielded 51,463 out of which 11,431 passed, representing 22.21 per cent. In 2013, it also fielded 47,013 candidates, recorded 9,301 pass, representing 19.78 per cent.

    In 2014, government sponsored 47,672 candidates, 9,316 of them passed, representing 19.54 per cent.

    Taken together,  the average performance for Aregbesola’s first four years was 20.88 per cent. Compared with the average performance (13.26 per cent) of the three years that preceded it, the percentage improvement in performance during Aregbesola’s tenure is put at  an impressive 57.46 per cent.

    Thus, those who said Osun is declining are not being honest. The above data will show that their claims are totally unfounded. The performance of pupils has not gone down under the watch of Aregbesola.

    This significant improvement in performance was nothing other than an outstanding result brought about by careful and strategic planning by the administration. The percentage of performance has kept improving since then. One therefore was miffed by the spurious claims of critics about education being in bad shape in the state. This same education sector!

    Coming to infrastructural improvement,  it is in this same education sector where, as at last count, a total of 55 new state-of-the-art structures, comprising 20 Elementary, 22  Middle, and 13  High schools have been added to existing structures while a total of 82 school blocks, comprising 1,534 classrooms across the state have been refurbished by his administration.

    The same Aregbesola administration established the Home Grown School Feeding Programme (O’MEALS) which, apart from providing pupils in Elementary 1-4 with highly nutritious meals every school day, has also succeeded in reducing unemployment by absorbing no fewer than 3,000 food vendors?

    Another innovation of the Aregbesola administration is Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) which, with its mopping up of more than 40,000 youths off our streets and productively engaging them, has succeeded in reducing the scourge of unemployment among our youths.

    Aregbesola has also performed creditably well in bringing government closer to the people, especially through the creation of additional 31 Local Council development Areas, 3 Area Councils and two Administrative Offices.

    On security, with the procurement of 25 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) and 100 Patrol Vehicles among others, he has greatly helped in the making Osun one of the safest states in Nigeria.

    Without security, can there be any development? Those who easily can find a disconnection between infrastructure and development in Osun must have been living in a wild jungle.

    The above is just a tip of the iceberg of the development that occurred under Governor Aregbesola, which his most avowed critics could not even deny.

    The conclusion one can draw from these aspirants turned critics is that because they wanted Aregbesola’s job, then they must malign him to curry the support of the people.

    This kite will not fly any time any day again as the people of the state are abreast of what the governor has done for the state.

    No amount of lies will ever deceive and stop them from following the people’s governor.

     

    • Owolabi writes from Osogbo, Osun State.

  • Etiebet @73: Trip to triumph

    He has never been an adherent of the original religion of his nativity in that Christianity, accompanied with Western education and other alluring social amenities, had distinguishingly pushed African traditional religion and some other indigenous practices to darkening corner of relics of history. Although it gained acceptability around the neighbourhood of his birth place at Ikot Ekpuk in present day Oruk Anam Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom, more than a decade before he was born on September 15, 1944. Though his first change agents –family, local church and Government School Ikot Ibritam – had already laid foundation for his firm footing in Christian faith, the authorities at Holy Family College, Abak, where he studied from 1958 to 1962 and obtained his West Africa School Certificate, were not pleased with the name, Obot, which denotatively translates Nature, and connotatively means Destiny. And so, upon his baptism in Catholic Church that owns the school, even without having the Damascus experience like the Biblical Saul, his name changed to Paul. Obot’s first name was changed to Donatus, but for the love of originality and nativity, he could not dump his maiden name in dustbin of history, hence his name, in full, remains Donatus Obot Etiebet.

    The Etiebet household was well-heeled, at least, regarding socio-economic rating around their immediate community yet the family was not alienated from ignorance of modern method of means of making meaningful livelihood. His mother was said to be the first woman in the area to have owned and rode Raleigh bicycle, which was then in that rural hinterland, akin to today’s Roll Royce. With older siblings, particularly his brothers, relatively reigning in robust resources, the then young Etiebet, positioned ninth in his mother’s womb, might have had some sort of rare advantages.

    Notwithstanding his family’s substantial means of living, it could be deciphered that he, like others around him there and then, was not fed with silver spoon but with wooden spoon, and plates and pots made of clay, as those were standard kitchen utensils at his place at the time. It is also not newsworthy that in his elementary school days, he walked barefooted; after all, it was a uniform thing.  Pampering privileges by parents was uncommon as it was perceived as a measure of spoiling children. So, his bourgeois background did not give him immunity from prevalent socio-cultural practices that were antithetical to Western civilization and constituted clog in the wheel of progress.

    Etiebet’s innovative adventurism and sterling strides in private entrepreneurship have no linkage of happenstance. Recognising that destiny lies more in hands of individual persons than reliance on fate of good luck or bad luck presumed to be associated with names, he sharpened his pencil even in the hands of his creator by not resting on oars of his natural brilliancy and silly comfort of his family local championship, but stayed steadfast to his scholarly adventure. He got his Higher School Certificate (HSC) after studying at Immaculate Conception College in Enugu between 1963 and 1964. From 1966 to 1969 he was at Imperial College of Technology, University of London in England, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Technology. He got M. Sc degree in 1971 in Applied Geophysics from University of Western Ontario, Canada.

    Today, besides his age, Etiebet has got to his apogee. Having his hands on a number of voluminous ventures has handsomely paid off for him in volumes of vital returns. When millions of money was millions of miles away from many Nigerians, Etiebet had made milestones through his mogul and ingenious enterprises and made his way to the then mean number of guild of men muscling in millions of money.

    His political pedigree is of presidential clout as he has been romancing and struggling with the powerful at the highest echelon in Nigeria. Remaining unscathed in a murky system is a testament of his strength of character. Etiebet’s exceptionalism lies more in building himself to pinnacle before getting into public office and coming out without traces of pillaging public purses. One of the physical signatures of his affluence, Etiebets Place, a magnificent skyscraper in Lagos, was completed in 1992, a year before he was appointed Secretary of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in the Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government.

    He is as an active citizen in the universal human community, but in fairness to his proud ancestral identity, treating him as a village boy peering with men and women in the global arena would be fittingly apt. His illustriousness on account of his inventory acumen and political prowess has given his native Akwa Ibom imposing national identification at a time the state was apparently in obscurity in Nigeria’s map. At a time lobbying for creation of states was only result-oriented when prosecuted by few privileged persons that had the means to ply with military politicians, he played a role, albeit, in privy, along Ime Umanah and few others, materialising in the creation of Akwa Ibom State on September 23, 1987 by Ibrahim Babangida.

    It is, however, worrisome that, perhaps owing to political differences, succeeding political leaders in his state since 1999, including those he had played a father-figure factor to, never deemed fit to accord him befitting recognition. Happily, it deserves pointing out that Governor Udom Emmanuel, who appears the only democratic governor in the state that is not in the category of his benefactor’s deeds is exceptional for not exhibiting enmity of any kind towards Etiebet but personally holds him in high esteem notwithstanding their different political persuasions.

    When this piece was scripted, it was not clear whether the governor has made any formal arrangement to accommodate Etiebet sharing in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Akwa Ibom. Nevertheless, as he turned 73,  the Iroko tree of many branches, has uncountable reasons to roll out drums with his true loved ones to celebrate his coming out from dimness era and environment with triumph to recognition beyond national boundaries.

  • Again, Saraki to the rescue

    This is an interesting but difficult times in Nigeria. Interesting because even with the agitations, tension and threat of break-down of law and order, the economy is officially said to be picking up as the nation is now said to be out of recession.

    However, in the present week, the major issue dominating public discourse is the issue of the clash between the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the military. The clash came on the eve of the departure of President Muhammadu Buhari to the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. The activities and utterances of IPOB has been considered treasonable and confrontational to the state, thereby creating tension in the land.

    While the IPOB men were making claims and issuing abuses in their bases in the South-east, there is the fear that the problem in the South-east may create backlash and fallouts in other parts of the country where ethnic/religious attack may ensue. Thank God that the issue has been managed.

    However, the crackdown on the IPOB by the military which held an exercise code-named ‘Operation Python Dance’ has also created some human rights crisis. There are some videos containing gory scenes in circulation. All these are capable of creating another public relations crisis for the country, at a time our President was to address the world.

    This is the background for a press statement issued by Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on the situation in the South-east. While the focus of the media has been on one sentence in the 10 paragraph statement, perhaps we should first do a contextual review of the entire statement so that we can have a holistic view of its real import.

    The opening paragraph vigorously canvassed the need for calm and restraint across the country. It was an appeal for all and sundry to refrain from actions, utterances and insinuations that could aggravate the crisis. The statement then moved on to address the people in the South-east states to ensure they maintain peace in their areas and not foment any chaos as “crisis will not benefit anybody but would only expose innocent people to unwarranted danger.”

    The third paragraph commended and encouraged other Nigerians for not allowing the crisis to escalate and lead to widespread violence across the country. Therefore, it was a statement aimed at promoting peace, calming frayed nerves, recommending good conduct, dousing tension and urging restraint. The same statement also appealed to the media and users of various media platforms not to use the media to promote hatred, division and conflagration. Saraki used the statement to call for responsible and patriotic use of information in the various media platforms. This was to caution people against the danger of replicating the Rwanda situation where some irresponsible elements used the radio to promote the Hutu Versus Tutsi crisis.

    A fifth paragraph then commented on the need to follow due process at all times and in all circumstances, even when we are challenged by irritable situations like the IPOB confrontation against the military. Saraki said there was need for the government to follow due process in outlawing the group so that bad precedents are not set.

    The next paragraph commended the military for their efforts in restoring peace to different parts of the country. He also advised the military to always rise above any provocation while addressing internal conflagration. He went on to canvass the need to strengthen the Police and put it in a position to always handle civil situations or effectively support the military during any civil crisis so as not to overstretch the latter.

    The Senate President further promised that the National Assembly would institute an investigation into the crisis with a view to sifting the facts from the fiction. The statement promised a fair, bare-it-all conscientious investigation while also promising that the federal legislature will be ready to address all issues agitating the minds of the people. It also urged Nigerians to always direct their grievances to the right channel.

    In the end, Saraki urged all leaders of thought at different levels to continue to engage with their followers “on the need to maintain peace and be our brothers’ keepers”.

    While this speech on the whole is commendable, bold and useful, the several commentators have put a spin on a sentence where the Senate President advised against arbitrary proscription of IPOB and recommended following due process in taking the decision.

    Viewed from all angles, Saraki’s statement has saved the nation. The statement in which he positively affirmed that he knows the President would do the right thing to ensure that the due process is followed in proscribing IPOB is now being given different interpretation. Some mistook it for a support for IPOB. Some said it will encourage IPOB. Others said it weakens the hands of the military. Yet, the fact remains that President Buhari and the government has given a right interpretation to the statement by immediately reversing the earlier decision that was not in line with due process while commencing measures aimed at complying with the provisions of Section 2 of the Terrorism  (Prevention) Act 2011 by the Attorney General of the Federation making recommendation to the President to proscribe IPOB. The President had reportedly signed the recommendation and the AGF is set to take it to the Federal High Court so that a judge can make the declaration which will then be gazetted.

    It took Saraki’s reminder for the government to quickly initiate the process. The initiation of the formal process and the fact that a senior member of the government, in fact, the number three man, helps to save the nation the embarrassment that it would have been confronted with at the UN. A group of protesters had wanted to latch on to the unilateral categorization of IPOB as a terrorist organization as an indication that government was clamping down on the opposition. There were some online commentators around the UN which had planned some form of protests on this issue.

    What calmed down the protesters and took the sail out of their winds was the publications that government had initiated the formal process of proscribing the South-east based group. Also, the military had quickly latched on to the Saraki statement to make a clarification that it has not proscribed IPOB as it said only government could take such a decision following the laid down procedure by the law.

    This is a demonstration of the political sagacity and acumen which this administration needs to use, exploit and explore at every point in time. The Senate President with his statement has demonstrated ability to take risk of being misunderstood, the need to dare to be different in the face of difficult situation and the need to speak like a leader in steadying the ship of state. His statement like many others he had issued in the past has helped to address a major problem and it takes wisdom to think through such an issue and proffer a solution.

    This definitely would not be the first time the Senate President was bailing out the government. We remember when Buhari first travelled for his medical check-up in London earlier in the year. While many politicians and government officials went to see him in London but they simply returned and kept mute so as not to run against the mills of public opinion, Saraki was the only one who spoke out. He stuck his neck out by saying the President was okay and there was no cause for alarm. His affirmative statement was so re-assuring that it calmed frayed nerves and doused tension across the country.

    After that, Saraki ensured that the senators who were planning to make noise about the continued absence of the President by raising the issue for discussion on the floor of the chambers were all pre-empted as the Senate President simply reported to his colleagues on his visit to the President.

    The same Saraki had in October 2015, pulled his weight behind all the 36 ministerial nominees of the President and ensured they all were cleared by the Senate despite the petitions and outcry against the nominations of some of them.

    I can mention many instances, in which both his private and public interventions have helped to stabilize the present administration. However, space will not permit. My final submission is that a politician like Saraki needs to be encouraged and supported not vilified and criticized like some may want to do.

     

    • Abubakar writes from Kafanchan, Kaduna State.