The Nation Newspaper

Category: Comments

  • It is better to light one candle than curse the darkness

    Talk about crying more than the Bereaved!

    That is a Chinese proverb as the title.  And the Americans have just their way ofsaying it: When the Going gets Tough, the Tough get Going.  This saying seems to be intrinsic in the heart of the average Nigerian, because even foreigners here cannot but remark how up and doing we can be in this nation.

    I once read an article in a foreign publication written by a former U.S envoy here.  She had said, among other things that there is no social security system in Nigeria, and so there, if you don’t fend for yourself, you would die.  Lagos never accepted a Lazy man is a given.

    With the economy not sound, and with the ever swelling army of unemployed youths, we just have to get going in these parts.

    But there is one created job I find really fascinating; it goes by the name of Cry – Die (Pronounced just like the Nigerian Cry-Cry Baby, replace the second Cry with Die!).

    Well, these are professional mourners, hired to cry at funeral ceremonies.  These mourners have been around for a long time, but it is now organized into a sort of cottage industry, end one need not make discreet enquiries any longer for their services.  You simply ask for the Cry-Dies; they have more or less become official; if undocumented, today!

    Largely in northern Cross River, and all around the states, the profession used to be done like a small gender-based industry (for women) – but trust the men to zoom in, and it is now a mixed caste that is regularly available.  What usually happens at many funerals is that the chief mourner and family members, get very busy receiving the Governor, his encourage and any other dignitary, during funerals.  Too busy to cry.  And so the work falls to these cry-dies.  At an instinctively chosen point during proceedings, they commence a moan, then a sustained cry, and then dramatically, they start hitting themselves and jumping while crying, mourning and wailing.  All the while, they would be lamenting the great loss of the ‘loved’ one who just passed away.  For them, the harder their wail, the better the pay…  Talk about crying more than the Bereaved!

    Sometimes though, in an attempt to give value for money, they end up overdoing it all and over-mourning.

    There was this burial where the cry-dies were hired to perform.

    Wailing the mourning, they launched into a howling dirge about the loss of the kind woman.  Who had passed away when people needed her most.And how kind she was.And how painful the loss.  And how much needed she was at this time…

    The organizers (real mourners!)came over to where the cry-dies were clutching themselves and wailing and in an angry whisper they said,  “the person who died that you are mourning is a MAN!!”.

  • The Ambodian story, two years after

    Lagos State is currently celebrating 50 years of her existence as a State created in 1967 and at the same time, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is due for a mid-term assessment having spent two years in the saddle as the 5th elected Governor of Lagos state.

    In the first few weeks that Ambode assumed office in 2015, not a few Lagosians expressed doubts as to whether Ambode would be able to match the performance of his predecessor, Raji Fashola. The reason for their apprehension was obvious as everything seemed to be turning upside down in the state.

    He got his baptism of fire in less than two weeks in office when about four major fire outbreaks caused by fuel tankers were recorded in different parts of Lagos State; there was upsurge in armed robbery, traffic jam in many parts of the city with attendant traffic robbery, kidnapping and other sundry crimes. As if these were not enough, there was water shortage in the State for about one month due to a major fault in the equipment of  the Lagos State Water Corporation. There were complaints in almost all sectors and Ambode received bashing left and right while he was accused  of ineptitude and incompetence.

    Instead of being disillusioned with the hydra-headed problems and knocks he received left and right, they became his energiser and he confronted the problems headlong. He gave succour to the victims of tanker fire incidents and took steps to prevent reoccurrence. He confronted th e problem of insecurity, traffic gridlock, decayed infrastructure especially roads, water, education and health infrastructures. In no time, Ambode found his bearing and gathered momentum as he set to work.

    In assessing the Ambode administration in the last two years, it is important to note that Ambode keyed into the Lagos state Development plan and this he reiterated in his inaugural speech when he said, “In the spirit of continuity, I have keyed into the Development Plan of Lagos State which are grouped into four; Social Development and Security, Infrastructural Development, Economic Development and Sustainable Environment”. This is possible because of the unbroken chain of progressive civilian admini strations in the state right from the Lateef Jakande era down to the Tinubu, Fasola eras which Ambode now inherited.

    Under his Infrastructural Agenda, a first time visitor to Lagos today may not appreciate the transformation that has taken place in the city and its satellite towns in the last two years as somebody who visited Lagos two years ago. What will give any visitor entering Lagos from the Ibadan end through Berger bus stop an inkling of the transformation that has taken place in Lagos is the new long world class pedestrian bridge which  has changed the face of that area previously known for its filth, rowdiness and traffic gridlock. Berger pedestrian bridge which is well lit, is an edifice befitting a megacity like Lagos.

    There is also the Ojota Pedestrian bridge, the Ajah flyover, the Abule Egba flyover, the Aboru/ Abesan link bridge which were all constructed and commissioned by Ambode. In conjunction with the Local governments, he has executed 114 road projects covering about 600kilometres in all the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas of the Statewhile at least, construction of two new  roads per LCDA are ongoing. Slip road and lay-by were constructed in Ketu-Alapere while a Segregated Bus Park was constructed in Oworonshoki. The Ajido-Imeke Link Bridge in Badagry was completed.

    A drive through the streets of Lagos at night will reveal that the ”Operation Light Up Lagos” is fully on stream as many areas that were hitherto in darkness have been lit up and everywhere is as bright as day. From Berger to Ikeja, Agege Motor Road, 7& 8 Bus Stop Inwards Murtala Mohammed Airport, Third Mailand Bridge, Lagos -Abeokuta Expresway, Capitol Road, CIPM Road-Alausa, College Road Ogba, Ile-Epo Inwards Ekoro-Abule Egba, Ipaja Road, Aboru/ Abesan link bridge, Abule Egba bridge, Ajah bridge and so many others are well lit. A noticeable feature of the roads constructed or rehabilitated by Ambode is that they all come with streetlights so this actually helped the light up project as this has also reduced crime and boosted night life once again.

    Ambode had rehabilitated and erected streetlights in 366 locations in the state. He upgraded Tafawa Balewa Square, Tinubu Square, constructed blocks of classrooms in primary and secondary schools as well as mini-water works such as the Mosan-Okunola mini-water works  to improve the level of water supply in the state. The removal of six round abouts along Lekki-Epe Expressway axis and replacing them with trafficlight alternation system has resulted in traffic flow in that area. The Construction of Bus Rapid Transport garage in Ikeja is ongoing.

    In the health sector, Ambode commissioned 20 Mobile Intensive Care Units Ambulances and 26 Transport Ambulances deployed across the various General Hospitals and 24 hour primary healthcare centres in the state. While more paramedic staff and medical coordinators were recruited, the General Hospitals were upgraded with manpower and equipment with standby generators purchased for each of them.

    Under his Social Development and Security agenda, Ambode re-organised th e civil service for more effective service delivery by realigning some ministries and scrapping others while appointing 19 new Permanent Secretaries. He ensured that the welfare of workers and pensioners is paramount and this is evident in prompt payment of salaries and other emoluments in a country where some oil producing states owe workers and pensioners as much as 8 months salary and allowances.

    To ensure the security of lives and property of Lagosians, Ambode moved boldly to purchase, launched and distributed security equipment to security agencies in the state in the month of November 2015 and May 2016. He purchased security equipment worth N6.8billion. These include, 100 4-Door Salon Cars, 55 Ford Ranger Pick-Ups, 10 Toyota Land Cruiser Pick-Ups, 15 BMW Power Bikes, 100 Power Bikes, Isuzu Trucks, three (3) Helicopters, two(2) Gun Boats, 15 Armoured Personnel Carriers, Revolving Lights, Siren and Public Address System, Vehicular Radio Communicators, Security Gadgets including Bullet Proof Vests, Helmets, Handcuffs, etc, Uniforms, Kits and Improved Insurance and Death Benefit Schemes for officers.

    Aside this, more equipment worth billions of Naira, have been bought for the security agencies and this has largely helped in reducing crime rate in the state.

    Recently, in order to encourage security agents to put their all in securing lives and property and if possible pay the supreme price, he presented cheques totalling N55 million to the families of officers who lost their lives in the Ishawo area of Ikorodu after an ambush by militants. Each family of the dead policemen and an army officer got N10 million each while an injured officer got N5m. Ambode’s effort and encouragement yielded immediate result as crime was reduced to the barest minimum. The Ikorodu bank robbers escaped through the waterways with a speedboat but  were apprehended few weeks after the incident while the prompt and professional rescue of the abducted Ikorodu school girls six days after they were kidnapped and the arrest of the  kidnappers was prompt and remarkable.

    Mrs Ruth Uche, the mother of three sets of twins whose husband absconded from home  was rehabilitated and reunited with her husband. Similarly, there was a lifeline for the 2015 baby of the year who was diagnosed with a heart defect and underwent surgery.

    To stem the tide of sexual and domestic violence in the state, the Governor convey a meeting with the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) with a charge to intensify sensitization against the dastardly act to give a voice to the victims and also bring perpetrators to justice. The Governor approved the use of the 112 toll free line report cases of rape, defilement, domestic violence, child abuse, neglect, maltreatment and other sexual assaults. Many destitutes and mentally deranged persons were rehabilitated and some were reunited with their families.

    The Economic Development agenda is the efforts of the Ambode administration in taking the state out of recession such that it has become a model for the Federal government in its bid to take Nigeria out of recession. Ambode has reflated the economy of the state by embarking on more capital projects and also created a conducive environment for small and medium scale businesses to thrive during the period of recession.

    For sure, space will not allow a comprehensive data of what Ambode has achieved in two years of being in the saddle. But he has demonstrated leadership, unusual passion, more than enough capacity and unmatched pragmatism. Apart from rekindling hope in many Lagosians, he has in his words, “demystified governance”. With this, there is every reason to believe that the next two years would bring forth greater tidings.

    • Akintunde, an economist, writes from Surulere, Lagos

  • Please don’t flash my line

    People always describe me as a ‘very good girl’; because I never flash anyone’s line.  So somehow, it is practically unfair that I am not a beneficiary of the Maxim – Do unto others as you want Done to You – no thanks to the hordes of flashers out there!

    I remember in the early days, when the GSM first came.  Flashers used to get me cheap, then. They really preyed on my curiosity, because each time   I saw a ‘flash’ on my phone, I would start serious speculation.

    • Wait, what if isn’t a flash, but network problem?
    • What if it is someone trying to pass a very important message across to me?!

    Essentially, these calls, in quote, were from numbers that I  didn’t know, and were not stored on my phone.

    After short moments of introspection, CURIOSITY would get the better of me and so, click would be my finger on call back mode.

    And time and time again, these calls by flashers would fall into a regular pattern, a pattern of inanity.  Here is a typical conversation.  Note that “inside” here means what I am thinking.  “outside” is what I actually say.

    Me:  Hello, I just saw your “missed call” on my phone.

    Flasher:  Hello good afternoon, Ma. Yes, do you know who is calling?

    Me Inside:  Actually, I AM THE ONE doing the calling.  And NO, I DON’T KNOW who this is!

    Outside: No, I don’t.

    Flasher:  Aah! This is… (A strange name)!

    I am – your father’s brother’s, in-law’s cousin.

    Me Inside:  Oh no, I’ve fallen for this (again)!

    Outside:  Ah ha Flasher:  Can’t you remember me, we met at …. (some lone forgotten event).

    Me Inside:  No, I don’t remember.  I fact, I know we DIDN’T meet!

    Outside:  (I say nothing).

    Flasher:  So how is everything?  Actually, I wanted to come and see you over something, but I didn’t know how we could meet. I don’t really know where you stay.  Or maybe your office?  Please, WHERE IS YOUR OFFICE?!

    Me Outside:  Yes, but what is it ABOUT?

    Flasher:  Eeeem.  Actually, I want to see you personally… please, just tell me when we could see?…

    Me Inside:  What is it Again!!!

    You can simply guess the rest.  And all this nonsense on my AIRTIME!

    The worst however are those flashers who admit that we have never met; that they obtained my number by whatever means and that they are calling (flashing) for an appointment to discuss something very important, but something that is BEST KNOW ONLY TO THEM!

    And then NOTHING I say can convince a flasher to disclose the nature of the matter that is for discussion.  So why don’t they just send texts!

    Mercifully now, phones have Truecaller, the most popular Caller ID App around, to spare one the brain fatigue as well as the airtime lost to flashers.

    The thing is though, I am still reluctant to use Truecaller.  The thrill I get from answering a call to discover it is a long lost contact, for me is priceless:  surely these flashers could let me have that small pleasure!

    But no, they just won’t let me, or my phone, rest.  Even some people I would never expect to do so, still flash my line for me to call them, Haba!

    Please Sir, please Ma, please Flasher please, Do not flash my line again.  Thank you!

    • Send your reactions to 07055547031 (sms only)

  • Travelling the same road all over again

    We have found ourselves on the same path; the more things appear to change, the more they remain the same or even worse.  To be doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result would be amnesia of the first order.  At independence, a leadership of ethnocentric bigots was unleashed on the nation that promoted nepotism and religion over national integration; a leadership characterized by graft and waste of unimaginable proportion.  This made the military to find justification and support to sack the corrupt political class in an exercise that was ill-executed that sharpened ethnic suspicion that eventually led to a bloody civil war.  With all their flaws and errors, it cannot be said of those young military officers that executed the coup d’état that they were not patriotic.

    The take away point from the aftermath of the coup is that the military are not good managers of men and resources in a political environment and governance.  Events later showed that the military engaged in the worst form of primitive acquisition and official corruption than the politicians they sacked. If you put the tally of the humungous worth (if you like), loots of the military heads of this country from Generals Obasanjo in 1977 to Abacha in 1999, you would discover that the military cannot stand on a moral high ground to clean our Augean stables.

    There is therefore, no basis and justification for anyone in his right senses to call, invite or in any way suggest to the military that it has a role in the political leadership of this country due to the failure of the politicians of today.  In any case, we should not even lose sleep over that because the military itself is fractious enough and incapable of acting with cohesion due to politicking and politicization.

    While it is obvious that the current bunch of political class that parade as leaders have not help the lots of this country, the solution to real change lies with the people; as men at times are masters of their fates.  It could not have been better put than the way William Shakespeare did in Julius Caesar: “At some time of their lives men have the power to control what they will become.  If we are under the control of others we must blame not the stars under which we were born but our own characters”.  He went on to say that, “So every bondman in his hand bears the power to cancel his captivity”.  I do not believe in the civil society organizations because they are not engaged in demanding for social re-engineering of our polity for the good of all.  I have since lost faith in the labour unions because they are self-serving, divisive and distracted and more concern with their check-off dues than the general good.

    The students’ movement made up of dynamic youths that should be the engine of change, trail-blazing in demanding accountability has no ideological base and intellectual capacity to propel the society.  One thing is certain, that is the fact that the political class is racing recklessly on a precipice and it is going to generate its own forces that would eventual consume it in a spontaneous demonstration like a whirlwind across the nation.  Look at the vast army of the unemployed, look at the huge number of under employed and those who have been driven out of job milling around refuse heaps so as to live by the day.  Those who manage to eke a living on the road sides and shanties are chased up and down by government officials who force heavy taxes on them that eventually drive them out of trade.  It portends an ill omen that we should not ignore because the repercussion will be like a tsunami.

    The present crops of political leaders appear like simpletons consuming the future of our nation. The youths should be reflective and act with circumspection before agreeing to be rented as placard carrying minions in defence of mediocrity, graft and incompetence. Whatever view anybody holds, it is incontrovertible fact that the 8th National Assembly is the worst in the annals of our political history; lacking in patriotism and moral character to drive a nation.  Instead of giving teeth to the fight against corruption which has become the nemesis of our nation, they are busy sitting on their high horses in the green and red chambers shooting down and dampening the vigorous spirit to pursue the fight. The fight may appear selective but it is a fight all the same that is worth our collective support.

    The fight against corruption is not a witch-hunt as some people would make us believe if there is evidence against those brought before the law; after all, ours is not a perfect society yet and I wonder if there is one anywhere in the world.  What is trending today is that the youths all over the world are championing the change they want in the 21st Century which belongs to them.  It is time for the Nigerian youths to take up the challenge and borrow a leaf from their counterparts in other countries.  The Arab Spring was triggered off by a youth and a fruit seller in Tunisia.  In France, Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year old man (youth) is comfortably at the driver’s seat piloting the affairs of his country.  For the old brigade, who still think they can hold this country to ransom, it is a race against time.  My advice to the ruling class is for them not to wait until this gathering storm brings with it a great hurricane the consequence of which is better imagined.  We should not take the unity of this country for granted, it is not cast in stone; great kingdoms and dynasties have broken up: remember Soviet Union. A word is enough for the wise.

     

    • Kebonkwu Esq writes from Abuja.

  • The NDDC/NLNG tussle

    Members of the Green Chamber of the National Assembly on May 9 defended the country’s national interest when it passed a bill which requires the payment of three per cent of annual budget of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, NLNG, into the coffers of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

    The amendment bill, promoted by Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, adjusts the Nigeria LNG (Fiscal Incentives, Guarantees and Assurances) Act. The House will now transmit the bill to the Senate for concurrence.

    In the new provision adds section 7b to the principal Act, which provides that “Notwithstanding section 7 or any other provision of this Act, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited shall pay 3% of its total annual budget to the Niger Delta Development Commission Fund as required by section 14 subsection 1 and 2b of the NDDC establishment Act, 2000.”

    Leading the debate on the NLNG Act of 2004, Leo Ogor, argued that with the untold environmental and health havoc wreaked on the people of the Niger Delta for decades, “the only way we can solve this problem is to bring relevant amendments to the Act because our people have suffered so much and I said that it is very important that we appreciate the enormity of the danger present in the region for us to act quickly and as a people, hold the NLNG responsible for unnecessary gas flaring using this amendment.

    “The amendment to this Act is aimed at redressing the great injustice that the NLNG has meted to the people of the Niger Delta region for almost 27 years now,” he said.

    “To partly or completely rejuvenate the environment, the NDDC establishment Act, specifically section 14 (2)(b), stipulates that three per cent of the total annual budget of any oil producing company operating onshore and offshore in the Niger Delta area, including gas processing companies like NLNG, shall pay the said percentage into the funds of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

    Surprisingly, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has raised its voice in protest against the proposed amendment. The NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, said that the move against the NLNG would have negative effects on strategic projects like the Brass LNG as it would discourage investors. Of course many stakeholders in the Niger Delta maintain that this line of thought flies in the face of reason and justice.

    The stakeholders remind those who care to listen that the Niger Delta had suffered for too long and it was imperative that development agencies, such as the oil companies, the federal, state, local governments, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the NDDC, must collaborate at different levels to drive a regional development masterplan for the region.

    The NDDC had always joined forces with key stakeholders in confronting the enormous challenges of making a difference in the lives of the people in the remote communities of the Niger Delta. One of such collaborations is in the construction of the 29-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe road, which it is undertaking in partnership with the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC.

    The N24 billion project illustrates the kind of challenges confronting the Niger Delta. It cuts through the swamps with 10 bridges and 99 culverts. The terrain is such that four metres of clay soil had to be dug out and then sand-filled to provide a base for the road. It shouldn’t surprise anyone therefore to learn that constructing a road in this tough environment costs twice or thrice what is required in other parts of the country.

    The NDDC Act states clearly how the commission shall be funded. Section 14[2] provides that “there shall be paid and credited to the fund established pursuant to subsection [1] of this section; [a] from the Federal Government the equivalent of 15 per cent of the total monthly allocation due to the member states of the commission from the federation account, this being the contribution of the Federal Government to the commission; [b] three per cent of the total annual budget of any oil-producing company operating onshore and offshore in the Niger Delta area, including gas processing companies; [c] 50 per cent of monies due to member states of the commission from the ecological fund…” and other sources such as grants and loans.

    The oil companies have also not been paying the three per cent of their annual budget as required by law. Records show that they deduct first charges before calculating the three per cent from the balance. Given the enormous impact of their activities on the environment, the oil companies are expected to be at the forefront in the critical task of urgently developing the oil basin that has suffered so much neglect in the past. It is, in fact, in their interest to develop the region where they operate in order to guarantee peace, which is very necessary for them to continue with their work.

    Among those that have expressed their frustrations over this state of affairs is the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson, who was obviously worried by the poor funding of the interventionist agency.

    He said: “The purpose of establishing the NDDC will be defeated if it is not in a position to undertake critical development projects in the Niger Delta; its purpose will be meaningless, if it will only award contracts for construction of classroom blocks and other jobs that may not have the capacity to impact the development of the area.”

    According to the governor, the major challenges in the Niger Delta were ecological and environmental and the realization of this fact should be reflected in the release of funds by the federal authorities. Sadly, this has not been so, thus limiting the capacity of the NDDC to fulfil its mandate of transforming the region that produces over 90 per cent of the country’s oil wealth.

    The Senate had since last year shown willingness to assist the NDDC to recover its outstanding funds.  The chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, noted that proper funding would help NDDC adequately address the sustainable development of the Niger Delta region, stating that the challenge of developing the region was enormous and that all relevant contributors to the NDDC must play their roles diligently.

    “Senator Nwaoboshi said that the committee was ready to do all it would take, including amending necessary laws, where necessary, to ensure full compliance by agencies statutorily obligated to contribute funds to the NDDC.

    The Nwaoboshi-led committee swung into action shortly after, summoning the defaulting agencies to provide the much-needed explanations. It formally opened an investigation into the non-remittance of statutory contributions to the commission by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG and Ecological Fund Office.

    After its investigative hearing on February 3, 2016, Senator Nwaoboshi said that both the NLNG and Ecological Fund Office had starved the NDDC of its statutory funds for more than 15years, describing the failure of the agencies to remit required funds as fragrant abuse of the law setting up the NDDC.

  • Federal allocation and Ayade’s magic

    There is outrage in Cross River following the disclosure of federal allocation to the state in the first quarter of 2017 by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun. As disclosed by the Finance Minister and reported by most media outlets across the country, Cross River State got N4.28 billion in three months. Only Osun State got something lower.

    A breakdown of the allocation translates to N1.4 billion monthly, an amount that cannot pay salaries of local government workers, talk less of paying the entire state workforce, which wage bill is put at over N5 billion.

    No doubt, the figure is an improvement from the previous allocations where the state consistently received zero allocations in the last three quarters of 2016.

    That is the reality facing Cross River, reality that is made more difficult to accept given that some of its sister states got close to N40 billion in the same period.

    It is amazing how in spite of such poor federal allocation, the Ben Ayade-led government is not behind in payment of salaries.

    If anything, the governor has commonized payment of salaries.

    Apart from payment of salaries, the Ayade administration has gone about diligently executing projects aimed at not only providing jobs to the teeming mass, but also expanding and improving the state’s revenue base.

    The Calabar Garment Factory, Ikom and Itigidi water projects, Calabar Monorail, the Calabar International Convention Centre are among some of the projects already completed by the Ayade-led administration.

    Other projects at various stages of completion include: the 21megawatt of power plant, the Calabar pharmaceutical Company (Calapharm), the Ogoja Rice Mill, Cocoa Processing Plant in Ikom, 145 kilometre-dual carriage highway that cuts across the five local governments in northern part of the state.

    There is also an ongoing road project being constructed to, for the first time, link Eastern and Western Boki, the Mbaobui road in Akamkpa amongst others.

    Several schools across the state have been given complete rehabilitation through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB); Primary Healthcare Centres have also been rehabilitated.

    He also expanded government with a view to putting food on the table for a greater number of people.

    All these achievements and others too numerous to mention, have been recorded in just two years in spite of the poor and lean revenue allocation to the state by the federal government. As we speak, the design for the Bakassi Deep Seaport and the superhighway is completed, even as the government still awaits the EIA approval from the federal authorities.

    How Ayade has been able to achieve so much with very little resources at his disposal remains a mystery. It is no wonder that some sections of the state call him a magician.

    Instructively, it is not what he is called or described in the state that is significant here. What is rather worthy of note is his die-hard resilience to bring about a difference in governance architecture by adopting a paradigm shift.

    Part of these dynamics is the governor’s call for a collective sacrifice from Cross Riverians, particularly his appointees. Much as it is difficult to swallow, virtually every of his appointee has come to appreciate the direction he is navigating the state and its economy towards.

    For instance, while his colleagues in other states travel with a large retinue of aides whenever they are outside their states, Ayade hops into the aircraft alone with his luggage in his hand. This is part of the cost-saving measures he has introduced, in addition to the collective understanding by his appointees and himself for their salaries to be halved. How much sacrifice can a leader make in order to appease his people?

    In addition to sustaining the momentum of ramping up the revenue base of the state, Ayade has looked inward to ensure that Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is improved upon. Those who should pay tax are made to pay their taxes with the strengthening of state’s revenue generation agency, Cross River Internal Revenue Service.

    In the same vein, the administration has exempted low income earners and the vulnerable in the society from paying taxes.

    His drive to enhance the state’s revenue base has however, often met with stubborn and belligerent resistance from some segments of the business public.

    The current withdrawal of services by Petroleum Tank Farm Owners, the Petroleum Tankers Drivers Association and others is one clear example.

    Unicem has over the years been paying road maintenance levy, which assists the state to maintain its road infrastructure. However, the effort to get operators of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry to act responsibly in similar manner is what has led to the withdrawal of services by the group.

    The question that is begging for an answer is: is it no longer worthy that what is sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander? If Unicem and other such entities are paying this levy to help the state stay afloat, what is wrong with the operators in the petroleum sub-sector doing same?

    Every day, thousands of trucks enter Calabar to lift petroleum products to several states. The damage done on the roads is incalculable.

    It is, rather ironic that elsewhere, such levies are compliantly being paid to state governments where tank farms are sited. So why the outrage from operators in Cross River?

    No doubt, this systemic institutional short-change has become a matter of deliberate effort to stifle our collective drive to grow our local economy.  So, paying a levy to ensure the state keeps the road motorable should not induce a call to arms. Rather, it is a time for all to pull together in one direction. Failing to do this, the fate that has befallen Apapa in Lagos, awaits us.

  • Celebrating ‘Spirit of Lagos’ At 50

    Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode once affirmed the metropolitan nature as well as the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural composition of Lagos when he said: “Let me assure Lagosians that the state is home to every tribe and ethnic group. We are all brothers in Lagos and it shall continue to be like that”.

    Ambode’s position is, of course, a true reflection of the nature of Lagos. Lagos is home to all. Subsequent administrations in the state, especially since the dawn of current political dispensation, have gone to limitless length to preserve the multi-ethnic status of Lagos. Indeed, the peace the state has enjoyed over the years is a manifestation of unrelenting efforts of the state government in accommodating various interest groups in the state.

    On a regular basis, the state government organizes stakeholders’ forums with leaders of ethnic/tribal communities in the state to rub mind together on how to make Lagos a better place for all. Specifically, the state government has a healthy relationship with the various ethnic and tribal groups in the state. The result of this robust relationship is the atmosphere of peace and harmony that reign in the state.

    Without a doubt, Lagos has continued to show the way forward in its commitment to an indivisible Nigeria where no one is denied opportunities for self-actualization on mundane considerations. The state’s primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities and, indeed, other such infrastructure remain accessible to all Nigerians without any discrimination. Through the instrumentality of the state Security Trust Fund, the state government has continued to ensure the safety and security of every Lagos resident.

    The public primary and secondary schools in the state have continued to open their doors to all Nigerians irrespective of tribal and ethnic affiliations. Since the inception of the now popular Spelling Bee competition among public secondary schools in the state, past winners that have emerged as ‘One Day Governors’ amply demonstrate the cosmopolitan nature of the state’s public schools.

    Traditionally, the hospitable disposition of Lagosians is legendary. It is a global legend that Lagosians are hospitable people who go the extra mile to accommodate visitors.  In Nigeria, Lagos remains a major melting pot where all Nigerians could feel at home, irrespective of ethnic and religious differences. There is no other state that has opened its doors to accommodate Nigerians of various shades as Lagos does. Everyone who resides in Lagos is traditionally referred to as a Lagosian.

    In Lagos State, excellence and competence remain major factors in the recruitment of its workforce. Apart from the Federal Civil Service, the Lagos State Public Service remains, perhaps, the only one in the country that employs its personnel without regards to ethnic and tribal factors. Today, the state public service has in its fold Nigerians that cut across the major ethnic/ tribal divides in the country. While some states in the country employ or even retrench based on ethnic considerations, Lagos State has simply continued its policy of absorbing qualified Nigerians into its public service.

    In Nigeria, Lagos remains a bastion of hope for thousands of people, especially youths, who aspire to fulfil their dreams in life. Lagos is a place where a ‘nobody’ could rise to become a noticeable figure in the society. Many have arrived the city-state without a clear-cut picture of what the future holds. But somehow, they eventually become a reference point in their chosen career.

    Many have linked this trend to the ‘Spirit of Lagos’ which is a metaphor for the never say die instinct of a typical Lagosian who is rugged, determined and relentless. Even in the face of adversity, he stands strong and refuses to give in to defeat or failure. The ‘Spirit of Lagos’ is the heart of Lagos and it is infectious. In Lagos, everyone is a hustler. Don’t ‘dull’ yourself, a euphemism for ‘the necessity for smartness’, is a popular cliché in Lagos. So, everyone that gets to Lagos naturally inhales the bursting Lagos air and suddenly becomes unusually inclined towards attaining success.

    And providentially, Lagos never disappoints! There is something for almost everyone in the city. No focused man stays in Lagos and wallows in hopelessness.  Another popular cliché in the city goes: “it is only a lazy man that stays in Lagos and has nothing doing’. True! Lagos offers everyone something. From the art to entertainment and from sports to tourism and across every sector, Lagos gives something refreshing to everyone.

    In Lagos, Ajegunle represents the undying spirit of Lagos. Ajegunle typifies the craggy Lagos neighbourhood where one might be tempted to ask as in biblical parlance – Can anything good come out of Nazareth? But just as the much vilified Nazareth paradoxically produced the Saviour, Ajegunle, has produced some of the nation’s most famous and iconic sporting and entertainment stars. From Ras Kimono to Majek Fashek, from Daddy Showkey to Father U-Turn, from Samson Siasia to Taribo West, Ajegunle has become a breeding ground for sporting and entertainment entrepreneurs in the country.

    There is, perhaps, no other episode, in contemporary time, that best depicts Lagos as a land of opportunity better than that of Olajumoke. Olajumoke’s story is almost similar to that of young David in the Bible who woke one morning as a shepherd boy only to end the day as the anointed king of Israel! In a narrative that could only find direct parallel in contemporary Nollywood scripts, Olajumoke, a mother of two, on a fateful day in February 2016 was going about her normal chore of a bread seller when she suddenly stumbled on famous photographer TY Bello’s set and before you could say Jack Robison, one thing led to the other and she is now a famous model.

    In only a few months, she became a brand ambassador for Payporte, and scores of other modelling deals with fashion brands like Salma Guzel followed. She has also been interviewed on CNN, and has become the most googled person in Nigeria. Today, Olajumoke’s story has become an inspiration to people across the country. The gist is that if an illiterate bread seller could suddenly become a celebrity, Lagos offers hope to everyone. In order to really align with her new found celebrity status, Olajumoke reportedly started a programme with Poise Nigeria, a Nigerian etiquette and finishing school where she is said to be taking courses in English Grammar and Communication, and also in Total Personality Development. That is the Spirit of Lagos.

    At 50, the future, no doubt, looks good for Lagos. With a re-engineered economy, improved infrastructure and political stability, Lagos remains a rising African city-state and a bastion of hope for the African continent.

     

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

  • Aregbesola: Giant strides at 60!

    Although democracy has become so acceptable in this part of the world that we now regard service as an established fact, it is important that lovers of good governance use the opportunity that Aregbesola’s birth anniversary presents to briefly reflect on the real definition of service to the people and what the people stand to gain from the presence or absence of it. For instance, why did Aregbesola leave his comfort zone in Lagos where all things were bright and beautiful to become a symbol of resistance to a system that was well-stocked with characteristic fancies and unusual features in Osun?  Why did he choose to become a story of courage to a struggling state which, pre-November 27, 2010, was fraught with false starts, painful groping and failing fortunes, indeed a system which wheel of progress was already on its way back to the bottom of the hill?

    When, in his essay, ‘The three types of legitimate rule’, Max Weber particularly pointed in the direction of charisma as an essential ingredient a leader must possess if he must succeed, he probably might have had the likes of Aregbesola in mind. But Weber’s option of courage amidst the tragedy and the savagery of primordial sentiments has again brought to the fore the way we are as a state and as a people. A few questions will suffice. Why have professional hoppers who derisively described Aregbesola an uneducated mind so lost memory of historical facts that this gentleman, noted for technical finesse and political astuteness, once had a stint as a teacher at Imesi-Ile High School in the 1970s? Why is this achiever, who has within a short period of six years set the ‘Land of Virtue’ on fire with his dreams, being tagged a ‘debtor-governor’ when, indeed, in the universal space called salary palaver, Osun is just a sample space for other states in Nigeria? Again, why are they equating his vision for Osun with a mission to Islamize the state even as the governor has consistently wondered why trying to be a good Muslim should be misconstrued for ‘conversion campaign’?

    Some crooked beings even go as far as referring to him as Bola Tinubu’s ‘Ajele’ (Sole Administrator) in Osun. Agreed, he is! So what? Well, the sad side of our Nigerian-ness is that there’s nothing one can do to immunize desperate politicians from wallowing in delusional insinuations. Be that as it may, it is a settled premise that Tinubu is a leader whose creative ingenuity and ceaseless potentials shine through by the day. Driven by pure interest and manifest integrity, the Jagaban Borgu is a principled, dependable and caring historian of sort who positively and masterfully replenishes his stock each day through his deeds and actions. It needs to be noted that, despite the “petty envy and outright jealousy by those that feel dwindled by his greatness”, Tinubu is one politician who cannot do any evil beyond his devotion to his political party and commitment to humanity.

    In any case, as ‘Ajele’ which the opposition has nicknamed him, Aregbesola is very proud of his relationship with the ‘Governor Emeritus’ of Lagos State, his leader and mentor. Little wonder many refer to him as the ‘Symbol’.

    An American politician, Benjamin Franklin, once remarked: “human felicity is produced not as much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen as by little advantages that occur every day.” One noteworthy reality is that politics is about the economy and economy is about the people. It is about prioritization and allocation of values. Put succinctly, politics is about the people. It is about generational prosperity and usefulness to humanity. Without being immodest, Osun’s developmental strides have presented Aregbesola as a worthy product of Tinubu’s school of politics. An activist whose primary concern is how to build a super system, not super human,  Aregbesola has happily and healthily given pleasure to others by ‘rambunctiously’ spearheading the technological transformation of Osun into “a developed, cleaner, safer and more beautiful state”. The man behind the ‘O’ Revolution in Osun is an outstanding politician of authority who has by his pursuit of causes with unblemished peculiarities shut the mouths of enchanters whose remit is in sounding like broken bottles for reasons not unconnected with selfish ambitions and personal gains.

    Mention his accomplishments! Is it in the education sector where, as at last count, a total of 55 new structures, comprising 20 Elementary, 22 Middle, and 13 High School 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? Or the Elementary School Feeding Scheme, (O’MEALS) which has also greatly reduced unemployment by absorbing no fewer than 20,000 food vendors, in addition to providing certain categories of pupils with highly nutritious meals on a daily basis? Or the 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? Have we forgotten the creation of additional 31 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), 3 Area Councils and two Administrative Offices for the overall purpose of bringing government closer to the people? Or the procurement of 25 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) and 100 Patrol Vehicles which has greatly helped in making Osun “the safest state in Nigeria”? Of course, the list is endless!

    Aregbesola’s intervention in the hospitality sector has also not gone unnoticed. For instance, Osun now has more than 400 hotels, out of which more than 15 are in ‘Category A’ (equivalent to a ‘3-star’ hotel). Before this administration came on board, the state could only boast of less than half of this figure. Added to these are more than 80 tourist attractions in the state. The establishment of Osun Microcredit Agency has also gone a long way in reducing unemployment as well as alleviating poverty in the state. Taken together, these  laudable initiatives have  helped  a great deal  in shoring up the state’s internal revenue base, particularly, at a time Nigeria  is painfully haemorrhaging from dwindling economic fortunes as a result of global oil glut.

    According to Woodrow Wilson, “a man has come to himself only when he has found the best that is in him, and has satisfied his heart with the highest achievement he is fit for.”

    So, which is easier to say:  ‘Aregbesola has no money in any bank anywhere in the world’, or to say: ‘he has not drawn salary since he became governor of the State of Osun’? Or that he has only two buildings: one in Egbeda, Lagos; and the other one in Ikeja-Lagos, given to him as ‘retirement benefit’ by Lagos State Government for serving as its Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure between 1999 and 2007? Of course, this is where plunderers who latch on the rebellious twists and turns of seeming adversity or perceived inadequacy of the moment to judge Aregbesola’s government are missing it. Today, we discuss Obafemi Awolowo in glowing terms, not because of the money he stashed in any local or foreign bank; or the number of houses he built. Rather, it’s because of his transparent commitment to the development of Yorubaland in particular and Nigeria in general.

    As ‘Ogbeni’ floats through the years ahead with grace and good cheer, may principalities and powers, assigned to rubbish our leader’s efforts, scatter!

     

    • Komolafe writes in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State.

  • Sokoto’s governance model

    Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance – Ban Ki-moon.

    Attaining development, as encapsulated by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals framework, is not by glitters of urban roads or gigantic structures as public buildings. All those may be good to have, but what is most needed is in governance is holistic take on all development indices for all-round progress.

    There is no gainsaying that the developmental challenges bugging developing countries like Nigeria is long diagnosed to be the result of poor leadership. Due to this paucity of good leadership, the concept of governance is narrowed to non-issues; things that add little or no value to the lives of the governed, or without sustainable benefits.

    It is therefore satisfying when you see a leader coming up with genuine, insightful and visionary ideas to turn around, not only the day to day course of life of his people, but also the face of the society. It is in this light that one finds the programmes and initiatives of the Sokoto State government under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as not only commendable but bold revolutionary interventions needed at this time.

    A recent close monitoring of the news coming out of Sokoto has shown a lot of calculated governance strides that Tambuwal is silently implementing which will certainly impact on the overall living condition of the people. These social intervention programmes that cut across health, education, agriculture and job creation is also not done without a lot of strategic thinking.

    Only last week, the state government signed a memorandum on N2.8 billion joint annual plan with the UNICEF. The work plan, from details in the media, will cover the very important sectors of health, education, water sanitation and hygiene.

    From his actions and words, Tambuwal has prioritized education as a tool for a more sustainable development. Sokoto, like many a northern state, is often listed among what is termed – educationally least developed states (ELDS). This negative ranking is tabulated based on enrolment ratio, the out of school children, school dropouts and other parameters.

    A state that is the nucleus of the knowledge-driven Sokoto Caliphate was unfortunately lagging in the area of education, especially for the girl-child. It was therefore revolutionizing for Governor Tambuwal to marshal out sweeping policies aimed at turning around the statistics. To this end, the state government is aggressively implementing its state of emergency declared on the education sector.

    The first of those bold steps was the announcement, early in the day, enforceable basic education. The government, in attempt to tackle the lethargic attitude of some parents to modern schooling promulgated punishment against parents who refuse to enrol their school-aged children in schools.

    To make it a carrot and stick policy, the administration went a step further by introducing incentives for parents who enrol their daughters in school, through a conditional cash transfer scheme to enable the parents support their wards through school. The state government, I gather is fast hitting its enrolment target of 1.2 million pupils that are hitherto out of school.

    As a surest path to development, the emphasis by the Tambuwal administration on education is not only commendable but exemplary to all his contemporaries especially from the north that is educationally lagging behind the rest of the country.

    By making education the mainstay of his administration, Governor Tambuwal has put Sokoto, once again, on the pathway to greatness. If this noble agenda is pursued diligently, beyond the rhetoric as in many government programmes, then it is safe for one to expect Sokoto shine among peers in nearest future.

    In another revolutionary intervention, the Sokoto State government is taking lead steps in harnessing the agricultural potentials of its vast state, in a match to a future without the easy petro-dollars.

    Also, in line with its policy of planning, the Sokoto government acted reasonably by not rushing into donating tractors or sharing out aimless grants, as many governments are wont to do. Instead, the

    Sokoto government started off with the unlikely step, Nigeria wise, by going after statistical data.

    The government has in place State Technical Committee on Immediate Framework for Agricultural Development charged with developing achievable target and masterplan for harnessing the agricultural potentials of the state.

    Following from this, farmers in Sokoto state are now hopeful of profitable hamper harvest because of the level of technical and material assistance they receive from the state government.

    Already, the government is counting the gains of its methodical investment in agriculture which has created over 27,000 jobs thus far.

    Under healthcare, for example, the state government, like in all sectors, set out with a strategy by having 33 professionals brainstorm to come up with the Sokoto State Strategic Health Plan 2016-2020. One of the fall outs of this is the identification of six general hospitals that are currently being upgraded into premier reference.

    Also, just as 2016 was coming to a close, Tambwal flagged off the Sokoto contributory health scheme where the government put down the seed fund of N100 million.

    Another beauty of the Sokoto model under Tambuwal is his practice of governance as continuum. Contrary to the usual practice in Nigeria of abandoning inherited projects, Governor Tambuwal went all out since his coming to ensure that all works he inherited have been completed by budgeting huge sums of money for that. The result today is the 500-units Kalambaina housing estate is fully completed and being occupied, while the 38MW Sokoto State Independent Power Project is also ready for operation.

    Taken together, the Tambuwal’s revolutionary ideas infused into governance in the last two years of Tambuwal’s stewardship in Sokoto are not only commendable strides but pointers to the fact that all hope is not lost in the search for truly purposeful leadership in these climes.

     

    • Ibrahim writes from Gwamna Road, Kaduna.

     

  • The Turkey I no longer know

    As the presidents of the United States and Turkey meet at the White House on Tuesday, the leader of the country I have called home for almost two decades comes face to face with the leader of my homeland. The two countries have a lot at stake, including the fight against the Islamic State, the future of Syria and the refugee crisis.

    But the Turkey that I once knew as a hope-inspiring country on its way to consolidating its democracy and a moderate form of secularism has become the dominion of a president who is doing everything he can to amass power and subjugate dissent.

    The West must help Turkey return to a democratic path. Tuesday’s meeting, and the NATO summit next week, should be used as an opportunity to advance this effort.

    Since July 15, 2016 following a deplorable coup attempt, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has systematically persecuted innocent people — arresting, detaining, firing and otherwise ruining the lives of more than 300,000 Turkish citizens, be they Kurds, Alevis, secularists, leftists, journalists, academics or participants of Hizmet, the peaceful humanitarian movement with which I am associated.

    As the coup attempt unfolded, I fiercely denounced it and denied any involvement. Furthermore, I said that anyone who participated in the putsch betrayed my ideals. Nevertheless, and without evidence, Erdogan immediately accused me of orchestrating it from 5,000 miles away.

    The next day, the government produced lists of thousands of individuals whom they tied to Hizmet — for opening a bank account, teaching at a school or reporting for a newspaper — and treated such an affiliation as a crime and began destroying their lives. The lists included people who had been dead for months and people who had been serving at NATO’s European headquarters at the time. International watchdogs have reported numerous abductions, in addition to torture and deaths in detention. The government pursued innocent people outside Turkey, pressuring Malaysia, for instance, to deport three Hizmet sympathizers last week, including a school principal who has lived there for more than a decade, to face certain imprisonment and likely torture.

    In April, the president won a narrow referendum victory — amid allegations of serious fraud — to form an “executive presidency” without checks and balances, enabling him to control all three branches of the government. To be sure, through purges and corruption, much of this power was already in his hands. I fear for the Turkish people as they enter this new stage of authoritarianism.

    It didn’t start this way. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came into power in 2002 by promising democratic reforms in pursuit of European Union membership. But as time went on, Erdogan became increasingly intolerant of dissent. He facilitated the transfer of many media outlets to his cronies through government regulatory agencies. In June of 2013, he crushed the Gezi Park protesters. In December of that year, when his cabinet members were implicated in a massive graft probe, he responded by subjugating the judiciary and the media. The “temporary” state of emergency declared after last July 15 is still in effect.

    According to Amnesty International, one-third of all imprisoned journalists in the world are in Turkish prisons.

    Erdogan’s persecution of his people is not simply a domestic matter. The ongoing pursuit of civil society, journalists, academics and Kurds in Turkey is threatening the long-term stability of the country. The Turkish population already is strongly polarized on the AKP regime. A Turkey under a dictatorial regime, providing haven to violent radicals and pushing its Kurdish citizens into desperation, would be a nightmare for Middle East security.

    The people of Turkey need the support of their European allies and the United States to restore their democracy. Turkey initiated true multiparty elections in 1950 to join NATO. As a requirement of its membership, NATO can and should demand that Turkey honour its commitment to the alliance’s democratic norms.

    Two measures are critical to reversing the democratic regression in Turkey.

    First, a new civilian constitution should be drafted through a democratic process involving the input of all segments of society and that is on par with international legal and humanitarian norms, and drawing lessons from the success of long-term democracies in the West.

    Second, a school curriculum that emphasizes democratic and pluralistic values and encourages critical thinking must be developed. Every student must learn the importance of balancing state powers with individual rights, the separation of powers, judicial independence and press freedom, and the dangers of extreme nationalism, politicization of religion and veneration of the state or any leader.

    Before either of those things can happen, however, the Turkish government must stop the repression of its people and redress the rights of individuals who have been wronged by Erdogan without due process.

    I probably will not live to see Turkey become an exemplary democracy, but I pray that the downward authoritarian drift can be stopped before it is too late.

    This piece was first published in The Washington Post

     

    • Gulen is an Islamic scholar, preacher and social advocate.