The Nation Newspaper

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  • COMMENT

    COMMENT

    For Olatunji Dare

    I read your backpage article…. and I laughed my head off. May be the documents contained a new plot to take over the world. Sometimes we are lost at what to do when international companies fail in their service agreements.I hope UPS has access to this publication.From Ernest

    Re-Beware, sender: A UPS experience. Quite interesting a story, it was. Whatever US might have had as her motive, we know you have an International repute. Let’s thank them that at last, it was released. In some climes and in a particular clime, it would have been tampered with, shred clearly, with impunity! From Lanre Oseni.

    Your UPS experience seems to me to be unbelievable ! I can just believe it . Are you sure UPS is telling the truth ? If it is true,you must consider legal action for a redress .Take legal action against UPS and join Border protection Agency. Its not for pecuniary gain but to let them know as human, you have your rights. Thanks. From A Lawal,Lagos

    There was every posibility that you would have been invited by the Custom and Border Protection Agents for questioning, possibly with some form of impunity measures also conducted on you, was there anything incriminating found in that your parcel. Now that nothing of such was discovered therein, I think its still proper you institute a court action against them for obvious reasons.That they may invoke the so-called National Security issue and all that as a cover or defence shouldn’t serve as a deterrent at all.You would be suing the UPS oragnisation and not the American government. The Border and Security Agents can only be joined in the suit to complete the circuit. Aside claiming damages for the breach of contract it is also expected that you should in the process be  able to find out exactly whether such embarasment was specifically meant for you or has truly become the new general practice with sending out  such document through UPS these days. From Emmanuel Egwu

    For Gbenga Omotoso

    The reason why soldiers commit crime and escape, stands on the fact that their names and numbers are not sewn on their uniforms. If this can be mandated, it will deter them. Anonymous

     

    For Segun Gbadegesin

    Sir, you have said it all, Governor Aregbesola owns the key to the development of osun. Ogbeni no shaking.From Jacob Viashima

    The governorship election in Osun is so crucial to the presidency because of one major reason: PDP has lost credibility in all the Hausa states and therefore desperate to win in all the states in South West in order to enhance its victory at all cost in 2015, it is a straight fight between the PDP and APC, and therefore we need to be very very vigilant to thwart all calibrated measures designed by the PDP to manipulate the outcome in favour of Omisore. Anonymous

    Governor Aregbesola is of man by God. I have never met him before, I don’t think I wil ever meet him in my life but, God almighty wil protect him to save Nigeria in the future. I’m praying earnestly that Allah wil make him Nigeria’s president after his second term. From Zakariyya Adam, Minna.

    Sir, kudos to your analysis of the governorship candidates in Osun state, it is a good write-up, I dont think Osun will rubbish themseslves as Ekitis, we are watchng with keen interest. From Chief Akeredolu Tayo, Odooro,Ikole local government.

    For Osun people tomorrow their destiny remains on ability to exercise franchise properly, police same and shun intimidation like Imo State. From Ugbo Umeoha, Enugu.

    On a fine day in an ideal and utopian society where intergrity  and respect for societal norms are held in high esteem with special premium for the rights and priviledges of the masses  Governor Aregbesola should win election convincingly. This of course is predicated on his unequalled and unparalleled achievements over a shortwhile of his leadership in Osun state. From Chief Obinwa Akanwa,Port Harcourt.

    Your piece “A clear difference”is quite intresting, and to me it is very unconvincing. I am not convinced because you are not being objective in this particular piece. Are you suggesting that Governor Aregbesola has no flaws throughout his almost four years in office. There is a difference between performance and personality. From Ojo A Ayodele.Emure-Ekiti.

    It turns out to be as you authoritatively prophesised in your Friday 8/08/2014 Titled: A clear difference Thanks for your objective projection of the outcome of  2014 Osun Governorship Election, devoid of journalistic sentiment. From Na’ali Mohd,Lafia.    

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    Re: How they bleed Nigeria. With the weighty content in the above subject-matter, I would want to believe that the Federal Government, the National Assembly and the Secretary to the Federal Government would either be retroactive by replying you, invite whoever the culprits are to assuage the unimaginable pain such wastage in delay as well as depreciation of Nigerian livelihood! Otherwise, I dey laugh and still dey laugh o. That write-up is such a responsible government must not take with a pinch of salt no matter the hatred for you! Pain! Pain!! Pain!!! Is the word for thestory of the abandonment. On the Osun election result, Ogbeni Aregbe won, so, who had the militarisation favoured with no thuggery and no death and no ballot boxes snatched? Let us all be open-minded in all we do and see. Commend what is good and condemn the bad. From Lanre Oseni. 

    INEC has declared APC governor Aregbesola winner of the Osun State election. A glorious second term begins. Anonymous.

    God bless you Mr. Adegboyega for the write-up. I wish all the media houses and civil society groups can take this up against the PDP (Jonathan) government as it was done during the fuel subsidy removal protest, the aviation saga, etc. and currently Chibok girls’ abduction, so that Nigerians can forever ‘quarantine’ the PDP come 2015. Meanwhile, I congratulate APC for its victory in Osun; they should adopt grassroots policies/strategies as other elections draw near. Once again thanks and God bless. From Ndubuisi M. Nnam, Makurdi.

    PDP is an assemblage of all kinds of dubious characters. The threat by Nebo is an empty one; those involved must either be PDP members or their sympathisers. Jonathan’ll not make any comment on it. His priority now is 2015 and nothing more. From Alhaji Adeboye Lawal.

    My greatest surprise is that you are wondering whether the Federal Executive Council monitors the  money approved for projects. Was it not in this same country that a sitting minister of works took over N300bn to construct roads and the nation’s roads became worse under his watch? That same man is currently one of the three most powerful and influential characters in the ruling party. All you need to get away with any crime is to belong to the ruling party  . If there’s one word to describe this country considering how the leaders treat the citizens and resources, that word is waste! From Simon Oladapo.

    It has been in our leaders’ character to abandon projects and equipment. Now that Prof Nebo has cleared power equipment that was abandoned at the port for years, it is clear indication that Nigerians would soon see regular power supply because of his vision and mission It is a welcome move to ensure that there is regular power supply. Kudos for that; let all Nigerians that there will be light at the end of the tunnel as clearance had made over the issue. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and allow him fulfill the promise he made when he was appointed power minister. From Gordon Chiika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

  • NIPR’S strategy for professionalism, sustainable democracy

    NIPR’S strategy for professionalism, sustainable democracy

    There is a plan being implemented by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), with an eye to repositioning and rebranding the body. The intent is to claw, generously, back the past glory of the organisation.  The plan in question is predicated on ridding the profession of quacks, helping the image of Nigeria by projecting the country’s bright side to the world for a better understanding.  It’s an exercise that is taking a cue from the slogan; “Good people, Great nation”. In its effort to cleanse the profession of quacks, the NIPR intends to liaise with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to prosecute errant individuals, governmental organisations and multi-national corporations – in consonance with Section 19 of the NIPR Act, which “criminalises quackery, impersonation of public relations practitioner and false entry into the register of members”.

    For the president of the NIPR, Dr. Rotimi Oladele, the democratic dispensation of the Fourth Republic offers an ample opportunity of an expansive political space for some sorely-needed reflections and crafting some strategies on the way forward for the NIPR.  With more than ten thousand members, nation-wide, Oladele believes that the NIPR is well-positioned and equipped to, for instance, project the image of Nigeria in the congress of nations.

    Indeed, as Oladele said, the past 15 years – since the birth of the Fourth Republic – has been characterised, in the mass, by a plethora of less cheerful developments:  if it’s not the daily menu of corruption in high places, it’s the blood-curdling stories of kidnapping or abduction of highly visible public officers; if it’s not the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east of the country, it’s the plucking of airplanes from the sky with attendant colossal loss of life and destruction of property; if it’s not the scorched earth policy at Odi, in Delta state – as a veritable example of impunity – it’s mindless, if flagitious, degradation of the environment – water, land and air – by oil drilling companies, and much to the destitution of the people living at the country’s treasure base; if it’s not election-related violence, it’s amongst others, disastrous explosion or destruction oil pipelines, ritual killings, vandalisation of public infrastructure, rascality on the part of elected officials, tax evasion, inexplicable falling standard of education, burgeoning youth unemployment.

    Put tersely, all manner of developments that fuel political, economic and social insecurity, such that, almost advertently, direly-required foreign direct investment (FDI) and tourism-sourced forex, which are needed for economic growth are discouraged. These negative developments could be helped, stupendously, Oladele thinks, by the NIPR.  The first assumption, in his argument, along that line, at a recent retreat, in Lagos, for state chapter Chairmen and Secretaries of the NIPR, is for every Nigerian in a leadership position to offer service and be responsive to the needs of the Nigerian nation-state on the bases of transparency and accountability, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as altered).  The second is that by 2019, by which time it would have been two decades into the fourth Republic, there ought to be a new Nigerian system of good governance as a basic thrust of a sustainable democratic dispensation. The third assumption is that there’s a need for a people-focused development in the steeling of security, provision of infrastructure and eating, generously, into youth unemployment, as in Lagos state, say – in justification of tax payers’ money, the hope and confidence of the voters who were behind the coming into office of the leader who has pressed such salubrious developments, in the first place.

    And, for the NIPR, the Fourth Republic springs an auspicious tide with which it has to swim. Oladele calculates that, henceforward, the NIPR would, through painstaking and meritorious intervention, be seen as one of the major and strategic forces engaged in refurbishing Nigeria’s image as an influential power in both African and world affairs.  Besides, the NIPR would endeavour to maximise its law potentials to record some gains by giving itself a well-deserved facelift. To that end, it would embark on prosecution of  unrecognised actors on its turf, strive to improve upon recognitions accorded its practitioners, improve upon training services and research, enhance professional market share for its members, particularly in promotion to top management level in public and private sectors and active collaboration with local and international associations, like Nigerian Institute of Marketing, International Public Relations Association (IPRA), Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the United Kingdom, African Public Relations Association (APRA) etc.  The NIPR is desirous of regaining its firm grip on the oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy, where, in the past, it was quite gratifying that its members were top decision-makers and the creative hands behind headline grabbing annual general meetings (AGMs). Oladele, for one, says not only is it gratifying that a fellow of the NIPR – Major-General Chris Olukolade is the Director of Information, Nigeria Defence Headquarters, but, as well, an assuring testament concerning the intent of the NIPR to rebrand itself. Equally gratifying is the trend in having state ministries of information and strategy, manned by seasoned public relations specialists with proven record of information dissemination and control, crisis management and control and applied human psychology.

    Through the Olukolades, who are captains of corporations, government agencies, chambers of commerce, industries, mines and agriculture etc. the NIPR hopes to influence government policy towards a rebranded Nigeria to use what it has to get what it needs. There might be a need to have a template, in which the country’s sports men and women, police and military officers and professionals, who have excelled in international assignments could form a a ready reserve for the shaping a new Nigerian image. It’s a long-term plan that promises to capital intensive and involve a lot of exercise in a new national orientation.

    It would need public officers – including the President, Vice-President, ministers, commissioners, permanent secretaries, members of the National and State assemblies, local government officials, representatives of political parties, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Nigerian Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, tertiary institutions, professional organisations, market leaders, captains of quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange  (NSE) and any identified public or private body that has a public relations department or unit.  The intent is to ensure that whoever speaks for such strategic bodies, as a public relations officer, is a certified member of the NIPR. That, too, would apply to the country’s foreign missions.

    The NIPR, said Oladele, has specialised programmes that encompass effective intelligence gathering and information management that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can buy into – even after it would have indoctrinated would-be Nigerian envoys at its Foreign Service Academy (FSA) in Badagry.  Through such a long term, capital-intensive programmes aimed at professionalism, excellence and sanitising the NIPR. The Institute believes that Nigeria’s democratic dispensation would be better for it, in that the core institutions of good governance – all three tiers of government and the press – would have been augmented, as a result, and recognised as co-pilots in the advancement of Nigeria’s democratic dispensation.

    The NIPR’s confidence, in all this, that success is certain, is freighted on the zeal and commitment being shown by Oladele in running the affairs of the institute. Indeed, a vote of confidence was cast in him during the Lagos retreat. With almost nil in the body’s purse, when Oladele assumed office, not so long ago, its activities are fast attracting public good will and financial in-flow.

    At the Lagos retreat, Oladele told participants from nearly all the states of the federation that the era of the NIPR relying on government aid was over.  A nominee at the National Conference, in Abuja, Oladele said the NIPR, under his captaincy, would strive to have as many districts, in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, for instance – as is the case with some highly visible professional bodies, like the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

     

    •Uzuakpundu is a Lagos-based journalist.

  • A case for project management as career enabler

    Just like any new kid on the block, the rave of the moment with respect to career development is project management as manifested by the increase in the number of Project Management Professionals emerging every day and the demand for qualified project managers. Clearly, the many benefits such as cost savings, time management and customer satisfaction from project management application have made the profession a key part of business process in the modern economy. The practice around the world now is to have project management office with the responsibility of overseeing and managing value driven projects that will not only deliver on their objectives but also deliver on the business strategic objectives.

    Regardless of your industry or mission, project management is the value driver that helps your organization gets the most out of its performance. The value driver from project management is unequivocally applicable to individuals who seek to stay ahead in their chosen careers. Project management cuts across all industries and sectors regardless of your specialization. If you are keen to stay competitive and add value; think project management. Project management processes (tools and techniques) are deployed by qualified individuals with a desire for global best practice and superior performance.Looking for ways to stay ahead of the pack in today’s competitive and chaotic global economy, companies are turning to project management to consistently deliver business results

    When tailored to an organization’s strategic objectives, culture,project size and complexity project management brings value by improving- the execution of strategy through repeatable, reliable performance and standardization; the integration and team bonding within the organization through elimination of “silos” and better communication and collaboration; the learnings and process improvement that a projectized organization undergoes as it explores new products, processes and markets; management of stakeholder expectations leading to acceptable deliverables and proper articulation of project requirements and objectives that are signed-off before committing resources.

    Leading organizations across sectors and geographic borders have been steadily embracing project management as a new way of working, in fact as the right of way of working and as a way to control spending and improve business results. The practice of project management is crisis-proof as the profession became more prominent during the last financial recession, as practitioners, both suppliers and contractors discovered that adhering to project management methods and strategies reduced risks, cut costs and improved success rates—all vital to surviving the economic crisis.Keeping the project on track requires a strict management of metrics and project goals that extends across the project team and out to suppliers, contractors, the client and the stakeholders

    Implementing project management across the organization helps create a strategic value chain that gives companies an edge over their competitors, particularly in high-risk sectors and markets. Being able to deliver projects on time, on budget and within scopeoften determines whether a company will get the next job or whether its new product hits the market.A strong project management discipline brings exceptional value to the business. Tying project results across the portfolio to key business objectives drives the value of project management for the organization, provides direction and creates positive impact across the organization.

    Despite the seemingly benefits of project management practice, quite a number of people and organization are still unaware of the profession in Nigeria. The dearth of project management knowledge is a factor contributing to project failure in both private and public sectors. If only government and executives will give more attention to the application of project management processes, only then can they increase their chances of project success. At first the application of project management process might be less than optimal as it is in every new endeavourbut as the organization project management maturity model improves, the organisation begins to see an immediate impact both in business results and employee engagement.As the practice of project management matures—from the portfolio level on down to individual projects—the connections between organizational project management and business value become clearer.

    Lastly, individuals who are qualified project managers will continue to reap the benefits of their profession in terms of job satisfaction, contribution and reward that others can only dream of. So why not join the train and uplift your organization project rate success and fast track your career.

    •Mr. writes from Lagos

  • COMMENT

    COMMENT

    For Segun Gbadegesin

    Re-Misplaced optimism. National Conference under President Jonathan had come and gone. It ended abruptly based  on regional and ethnic interests of resource control or/and allocation jerk-up! Quite unfortunate. Despite that, the whole exercise could not be in futility as useful deliberations were achieved. The questions now are who will summarise and legalise the deliberations at the confab? Who will sieve and sort the agreed issues- Referendum or the National Legislators? The future is bleak for Nigeria only if all the deliberations at the confab are dumped in the waste-bin. Some  optimism abound if all Regions and geo-political zones and ethnic groups try and listen to understand  each other on any/all issues at hand. From Lanre Oseni.

    Re: “Misplaced optimism?” You have said it all. When the Presidennt acceded to the yearnings and requests of well-meaning Nigerians to hold a national dialogue to discuss all the various problems and challenges that we have faced including the restructuring and the entrenchment of true federalism into our Constitution plus the contentious resource control, little did we know that the out-come and optimism are going to be a failure going by what took place at each session. This, definitely, show that we are just forcing ourselves to be together and whether we like it or not, there is a limit to our resistance to go apiece in future. Already, latest developments and happenings in the country have pointed to this direction. What remains now, is for the National Assembly members to be patriotic enough to jettison any selfish and ethinic leanings and look at the report that is going to be presented very soon passionately, in the national interest. Niccolo Machiavelli said: “Where the fear of God is lacking, the state must either fail or be sustained by the fear of the ruler which may substitute for the lack of religion. But since rulers live only a short while, such a state must vanish as soon as the abilities that sustain it have vanished.” From Prince Adewumi Agunloye

     

    For Olatunji Dare

    I have  been your avid reader  for about 30 years now and thank  God Almighty for your worthy life. You have been a rare gift and blessing to Nigeria, Africa and humanity. I have learnt and lowe a lot to you and pray Him to grant you more years of fruitful service to mankind. Happy birthday Sir. From Okwong E. Otloro Esq, BL, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    Reading your piece today,one cant help but marvel at the pedestrian postulations which tend to emanate all too frequently,from our governments mouth pieces. If the issues were not so severe,one would be tempted to guffaw at the absurdity of it all! Well knit together Sir. From Mazino Obaro Ikime.

    Dr Dare, your article on ‘When success breeds terror’ is an evidence of the availability of clinically and analytically polished writers who can scientifically demolish any postulations before they mature to a sinister hypothesis ‘a la’ Maku. Maku  in Yoruba means ‘abiku’ and  interpreted in english means ‘do not die’. His presence is shaky, unreliable and cannot be trusted. There is therefore a correlation between his name and his political activities. He always swings his head from left to right making any presentations like someone afraid of his own shadow.  From Mike Oyeleke

    Re-When success breeds terror.    At this stage, I think Mr Labaran Maku is overdoing things! He should allow the military men and the intelligence to talk about the hinderance in curtailing and quashing the Boko Haramists rather than relating the incongruence between successes achieved by  Mr President and their attendant insurgences. Such do not just add up. Maku should stop forcing himself to talk. From Lanre Oseni.

    Good day Sir my name is Isa Husaini a former staff of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). I appreciate your various articles in The Nation newspaper, please keep writing. Best regards.

    Forget about Maku, from transitions of governments to another in Nigeria we have such clowns and court jesters who always cry more than the bereaved, their problem is their stomach and the kind of society Nigeria has turned to. Anonymous

    Prof, I really enjoyed your piece of 15/07/14. Infact it glitters my soul and made me to understand the  implications of our Minister for Information hypothesis. The  minister would have been better off if he had enumerated the achievements of  this regime directly, without employing any  research jargon like correlation in his thesis. Anonymous

    Professor Olatunji Dare, First and foremost,let me and my family congratulate you on your 70 years birthday, more years to your age in Jesus Name Amen. The truth of the matter is that unemployment rate is high in Nigeria, for this reason Labaran Maku is working hard to save his job by satisfying his boss through his outspoken  propaganda agenda that all is well in Nigeria,when Nigerians were suffering in the land of plenty against the backdrop of insurgency and other social vices.Why must it be so, inspite of resource at our disposal to cushion insecurity lapses in the country. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia

    Dare, if a green horn in journalism analysed what Maku said on Boko Haram striking with a bomb blast per achievement of government the way you did in  “When success breeds terror”, one would take his analysis for being a novice in journalism. Simply put what Maku said is easy to diagnose and that is that for every government’s achievement, Boko Haram’s sponsors urge them to strike to cover up Nigerians’ appreciation of such a landmark. Happy 70th. birthday to you and more glorious years ahead. From Lai Ashadele.

    Labaran Maku and cohorts are in a state of confussion. Whenever something happens they will resort to name calling forgetting  that a competent government does not complain.  Labaran Maku and his pay master are introducing divide and rule in to the Nigerian political system. It is today that will determine Labaran’s tomorrow. Whetever he does today will shape or mar his future. From Hamza Ozi Momoh Apapa Lagos.

    I commend you for the piece “when success breeds terror”.I have never ever taken Maku’s talk as a solution to our problems.They are at best inflamatory and self serving, after all, he recently confirmd his interest in governing Nasarawa State after adorning the state with campaign billboards many months ago. Anonymous

    Dear Prof, as you mark 70 years and move further in the journey of life, may God grant you good health, long life and prosperity. May He also increase the pool of your wisdom and knowledge where your admirars will continue to tap. Happy Birthday sir. From TemItope Vincent, Akure

    Happy birthday sir and best regards. From Isa Husaini retired NAN staff.

    It appears you deliberately input and gave interpretations quite at variance with Maku’s intent in that his remarks.All I think the information minister was trying to say was that Boko Haram and their backers were actually out to make whatever moderate achievements the government has recorded look non-existent in the eyes of the general public and the world,hence the incessant bombing and killing of innocent Nigerians and the destruction of property worth billions of naira every now and then all over the place in the country,by the sect.As a highly respected writer and columnists of note your comments on issues -be it of national or international appeal or importance- are expectedly weighty.And I think it should be in the interest of the nation that the kind of impact such coments would create on the people and the nation be properly weighed first, before coming up with them,if only to avoid heating the polity unnecessarily. From Emmanuel Egwu.

    Your When Success Breads Terror is as witty as it is funny, and as critical as it is funny. Keep the fire burning, Dare. From Kayode Imoga.

    Professor, happy birthday to you sir, good health, long life and prosperity, your star shall not dim nor fade foreva, lgba odun, odun kan ni o, Amen. from Prince Lat Ogunmade, a veteran journalist

    I am a great fan of yours; have been since you used to write a column in a magazine (Newswatch? Can’t remember). Today being your day therefore, I decided to send my humble but best wishes your way for a very fun filled day and a continous fulfilled years ahead, in Jesus Name.Amen. Happy birthday Sir. Igba odun, odun kan o. Oluwa a je ki e pe fun wa o. Amin.

    From Abdulwaheed A.Zakari,Osogbo,Osun State.

    Dear Prof, happy birthday sir. Wishing you many more prosperous and productive years ahead. Sir, where can one obtain the book launched in honour of your 70th birthday? Anonymous.

    May I request that in the wake of the unfolding extra-judicial seige and onslaught on  the only vibrant oppositn political party in the country, the(APC), you gurus of the Fourth Estate should kindly counsel the leadership of that party to write to the United Nations, All western countries, China & Russia, alerting them to the illegalities of the rulling party and  the dangers they constitute not only to democracy but to the survival of Nigeria as a united entity. Pls do and urgently too. From a rtd Career Ambassador.

    Sir,happy birthday to you and many happy returns of the day.Bye and remain blessed. From Ijaiya   Shefiu

    Prof. Dare, permit me to join your teeming admirers across the globe to congratulate you sir on your 70th birthday celebrations. I pray you ‘ll live for another 40 or so years so that mankind can benefit more from your deep fountain of erudition, wit and sagacity. May we continue  to benefit from your insightful impact on our society. Happy celebrations. From a rtd career Ambassador.

    Congrats as you turned 70 years on July 17. May our troubled polity spring forth now, a million you to overwhelm its troublers, for a true and genuine transformation of the greatest number. Anonymous

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    I totally agree with your opinion on ‘The new cement war’. Singularly, cement grade cannot be blamed for building collapse; there are other factors involved. I personally think someone initiated the move so as to ‘capture’ the market for the time being. From John Benue State.

    Your write-up on ‘The new cement war’ was an apt one to expose the effort of the Federal Government in giving undue protection to a particular major stakeholder at the expense of other manufacturers. Nigeria, we hail thee! Anonymous.

    The truth of the matter is that cement business has been monopolised period! The government should have a rethink on its policy on the 32mpa grade cement in the interest of all Nigerians. It seems the cement sector has been hijacked by one person with the support of SON. And, on Prof Olatunji Dare, he is a man that came, saw and conquered as far as journalism is concerned. An accomplished journalist and writer par excellence; he has set the pace in journalism that others should emulate. Congratulations and more happy years. From Gordon Chika Nnorom. Umukabia, Abia State.

    Yours is the most sensible and enlightening analysis on the cement palaver since it started. I fully agree with you that government should do a rethink. Cheers. Anonymous.    

    Re: The principled satirist. Prof Olatunji Dare is well known, having followed his write-ups in The Guardian newspaper then. His most recent write-ups are in ‘Home from Abroad’ in The Nation newspapers every Tuesday. No one disputes his fact of being principled. At 70, he is so strong not to have missed his Tuesday write-ups despite his commitments in the USA. You could not add in your column his detailed account on ‘June 12’, MKO Abiola, IBB/Abacha debacle. So concise and refreshing it was when he refreshed our memories on June 10. Nigeria is not gaining as it should because brilliant and eminent people like Chief Ajibola Ogunshola and Prof Dare who ordinarily should have been invited to Aso Rock Villa as special advisers have been politically ignored! I wish Prof. a longer and more prosperous life, peace and continued successes. Amen. Congratulations. From Lanre Oseni. 

    Your write-up on Olatunji Dare refers. Exactly, life begins at 70! As Prof Dare begins the journey of life, may God grant him journey mercies for the rest of his life (Amen). From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

  • Towards free and fair election in Osun

    Towards free and fair election in Osun

    The Osun election is about to commence in the next few days. The preparation has long been undertaken by various political parties and various interest groups.  Attention is now shifted to Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) a body assigned to conduct elections in the country. But the disturbing news coming out of the last month gubernatorial election in Ekiti State about the alleged electronic rigging of the said election make for proper investigation by independent bodies and media men in order to avoid future occurrence if the allegation is true. Rigging of election in Nigeria has been a recurrent decimal, but the scientific aspect is new to some of us. However, there was this study titled “System Integrity Problem” where allegations by Bev Harris said that Debold Software was designed to facilitate fraud. The software is said to keep two Microsoft Access data tables of voting results. The two tables are identical copies of votes collated from all polling stations and one could be hacked and altered to produce fake election result without affecting spot check reports derived from the first result. Some of these malpractices have raised its ugly heads in some states in the United States of America.

    Other reports have it that with new technology, ballot papers can be sexed in a way that the result, regardless of actual voting, can be predetermined. It is further revealed that “through a combination of invisible and disappearing inks, “such fraud is feasible.

    The new Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun in a radio interview by Unique Radio, dismissed such scientific rigging by saying that all old ink in their stores have been thrown away. Nevertheless, one can recall a Zimbabwe newspaper story by Nasini CEO, Lucia Mordi that wrote “From our findings so far, we are 99.9 percent convinced the election was rigged via ballot paper. A special watermarked ballot paper was used to give President Mugabe a resounding victory. The ballot paper had a water X against Mugabe’s name such that if ink is placed on the paper, the substance on the paper will react and remove the ink and activate the watermarked X into print”. We must therefore not dismiss the allegation that there is a scientific rigging device in existence in Nigeria.

    Our business as the conscience of the nation is to ask the question; is this true and if it is true, we must also find out the company and country that produces such ballot papers. There is also the need to raise the question on the culpability of INEC in the allegation. The battle against scientific election rigging must be fought with totality, for if we neglect to fight, we are simply sitting on the keg of gunpowder and the implication on Nigeria’s future is that we shall not be able to change our leader through constitutional means, that is through the ballot boxes and the danger is that while other African countries are making progress in democratic process, we are likely to be descending into  the state of anarchy and consequent upon this is political instability and the effect on the economy that may make life worse for the citizens to live normal lives.

    It is the responsibility of everyone of us to gear towards the means by which we can ensure that the people’s vote count and we can only succeed if we express our opinion now that the election is about to come. Section 120 of the Electoral Act 2010 enunciated that it is an offence for anybody to sell, buy or have more than one Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC). The provision of this Electoral Act can only be meaningful if every one of us maintain vigilance and report any culprits to the law enforcement agents and to follow it up and see that law take its effect on the violators. The opposition party in the state is so desperate that some of them have been arrested for buying voters cards, not only that, a form was designed and given out to would-be beneficiaries of financial assistance for members who must give their voter’s card, pin number and swear  an oath to keep mute over the arrangement. Thus far, the case has become an open secret in the state but the law enforcement agents are yet to apprehend those behind the pin number collectors even though the Electoral Act, section 120, sub section c and d make it an offence. It is hoped that INEC must ensure that those who are caught with PVC must be prosecuted so as to serve as deterrent to others.

    However, where the umpire is seen to be compromising its position, we must not keep quiet but raise our voice over such occurrence.

    The State of Osun is ready for the coming gubernatorial election but we need to ask if the INEC is fully prepared for the election? INEC’s readiness in terms of voters’ card distribution in recent time has led to brick back between the body and the political party in power in the state. The good news is that the umpire has come out denying the allegation of discriminative distribution of PVC in the state. It is important to serve warning to INEC on the Osun election. The people know who they want in power, if by omission or commission the election is manipulated to favour a wrong candidate, the people will react, no matter the number of soldiers and policemen that may be brought for the election. We must remember that President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that no one’s blood is worth his political ambition, we must not just take the statement literally but take the words into our hearts; bearing in mind that those who shed the blood of the innocent in order to prosper in this life if they ever succeed, it is temporarily, as posterity will one day catch up with such people

    On the using of soldiers for election monitoring, only those that are benefitting from the usage are praising INEC and the president over it. However, we must not tolerate illegality for the sake of political exploitation. It is the police that are constitutionally assigned to be involved in election process as they are the body that are to see to the security of lives and properties in the country. The military can only be involved when there is an internal crisis that is beyond the control of the police or where there is external attack. But a situation where the Presidency laid a siege over a state such as it was in Ekiti during the 21st June election is highly condemnable. What I saw in Ekiti before and during the election, where nearly 40,000 military men were deployed to monitor election is dangerous for the survival of our democracy. We must get it right by now so that we would not continue to use the soldiers for elections in the foreseeable future. To do otherwise would amount to riding on the tiger’s tail and will certainly end up in its stomach.

    The Second Republic was truncated by the foolishness of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) under Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari’s administration that muscled the oppositions to the extent that both the police and the soldiers were freely used to rig the 1983 General Election; at the end of the day, they claimed that their popularity and acceptability had earned them “landslide victory”. But the puerile victory was short-lived. Within three months after the so called landslide victory, the very soldiers they used chased them out of office and for the next 16 years, the military did not only send the politicians to jail, some of them ran to exile; others died in the prison and some became bankrupt till date. Now, our politicians are yet to learn from history and from the look of things, it appears that history may repeat itself if care is not taken.

    Stomach infrastructure has become a new political terminology in Nigeria. It used to be called egunje before but every day we, as a people, descend in value and we ridicule our ourselves before the comity of nations. In our 1999 constitution, bribery and corruption is an offence. The Electoral Act, section 130 states as follows; (a) A person who corrupt by himself or by any other person at any time after the dates of an election has been announced,  directly or indirectly gives or provides or pays money to or for any person for the purpose of corruptly influencing that person or any other person to vote or refrain from voting at such election, or on account of such person or any other person having voted or refrained from voting at such election, or (b) being a voter, corruptly accepts or takes money or any other inducement during any of the period stated in paragraph (a) of this section, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of #100, 000 or 12 months imprisonment or both. Laudable as the law provides but the impunity at which politicians go about influencing voters as if there is no law that frown at such practices, leaves much to be desired.

    Just few days ago, the newspapers reported that the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, said that as they gave the Ekiti electorate rice and N10, 000 to secure their votes the same practice will be repeated at Osun to secure their party or candidate’s victory come 9th of August. We ought to be thoughtful about the desecration of our value system, as we threw caution to the wind each time we are aspiring for political office, the tendency will be there that we may eventually be robbing the people to build self empire. Nigeria is rated as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, and yet our leaders never give a thought to the future implication and we are today worse for it. Perhaps, that explains why we live by the River Niger and yet we are washing our hands with spittle, but it cannot continue like this. It is either we change through persuasion or we snowball into revolution. We must let our vote count and stop unnecessary “stomach infrastructure syndromes”. Let’s build a future where our children will be proud of, through honest and fair engagement in the course our nation building.

     

    •Obaditan is a political analyst and legal practitioner 

  • Why Aregbesola will win

    Why Aregbesola will win

    Friday, May 24, 2013. 35 governors gathered to vote for the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF). With the initial postponement and intrigues that surrounded it, it was going to be a night of long knives. With the Presidency interested in the outcome and with Governor Rotimi Amaechi determined to give it another shot in spite of his open confrontation with the President, it was going to take more than ordinary determination to navigate the treacherous waters. It would take grit, uncommon courage and the ability to outfox the henchmen of the Presidency.

    At the entrance of the venue of the election, all the governors were mandated to submit all their mobile phones. But one man particularly suspected there was going to be foul play so he sneaked in a pen camera. He recorded the vote counting surreptitiously until when Governor Godswill Akpabio noticed they were being secretly recorded. When controversy sprang up on the actual winner of the contest, he released the video to the public. The man who exposed the lie was Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Governor of Osun State.

    Controversy is his middle name. For nine months, he operated solely without commissioners. He renamed Osun State and gave it a new nomenclature called ‘State of Osun.’ He fashioned a new educational policy and called it reclassification of schools. In one fell swoop, schools were merged and bedlam ensued.

    In spite of the unending controversies and despite the appointment of an Osun State indigene Jelili Adesiyan as the Minister of Police Affairs, it is my carefully considered opinion that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola will win the August 9 election. Here’s why I think he will trump Otunba Iyiola Omisore, the PDP’s candidate.

    Omisore’s poor candidature. Iyiola Omisore is not Peter Ayodele Fayose. He lacks the charisma of Fayose. He is not a Jimi Agbaje. He lacks the character of Agbaje. He doesn’t have the mass appeal even though he has the notoriety. While you cannot deny that he has a semblance of structure having been the Deputy Governor of the state and also a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, his major Achilles heel is that he has been successfully tainted by the accusation of involvement in Bola Ige’s murder. This is one accusation that has refused to go in spite of his protestations. In addition, his campaign is a poor caricature of Ayodele Fayose’s. Whoever is his campaign director needs to get fired as he has run one of the most bizarre and lacklustre campaigns ever. His efforts to align with the masses fell flat – his handling of two roasted corn cobs in both hands, his ride to a campaign venue on an ‘okada’ and his absurd combination of two different ‘Ankara’ materials as cloth are images that have defined his campaign. He has not successfully exploited Rauf Aregbesola’s obvious weaknesses.

    When it was time to debate Ogbeni, he didn’t show up. That was an opportunity to redeem himself but he failed to utilise it. Ayo Fayose challenged Kayode Fayemi for a walk on the streets of Ado-Ekiti but Iyiola Omisore claimed he didn’t come for the debate because he didn’t want Ogbeni to beat him up. Is it any wonder that the President has not attended any rally in Osun State even up till now? The President must have read the handwriting on the wall and there was no point dissipating energy in the wrong direction. PDP lost it when the ticket was given to Omisore because he is irredeemable. If he’s banking on federal might, he got it wrong this time because you can only rig successfully where you are popular. In fact, Ogbeni will be gifted this election not because of his superlative performance but primarily because of Omisore’s poor candidature.

    Disunity in the PDP house. No situation exacerbated the looming disunity in Osun State PDP than the statement credited to the Minister for Police Affairs that he will beat Senator Isiaka Adeleke when he leaves office. Adeleke claimed he was assaulted during a party meeting and he subsequently defected to APC. Fatai Akinbade, a former Chairman of the State PDP and a man who served three different times as commissioner under three different military regimes also defected to the Labour Party. Former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola has not come out openly in support of Iyiola Omisore despite belonging to the same party. In fact, he was even courted by the top echelon of the APC. As a former National Secretary of the party and also a former governor of the state, his body language speaks volumes. Oyinlola is a prince of Okuku, the capital of Odo-Otin Local Government Area, one of the 30 local government areas in Osun State. It is instructive to note that Odo-Otin is one of the three local government council areas with the highest number of 15 wards in the state after Osogbo and Iwo.

    Ogbeni Aregbesola’s above-average performance. In spite of his controversies, only a blind man will ignore Ogbeni’s performance. He has built mega schools, many of them super infrastructures with commendable appurtenances. He has constructed over 20 inter-city roads and more than 15 intra-city roads. This is apart from some very ambitious dualisation projects embarked upon. The free festive inter-city train ride from Lagos to Osogbo has become a constant feature of his administration. I was informed that he has built 74 primary health centres all over Osun State. He has increased IGR in Osun from N300m to N1.6b and has not been known to borrow from any financial institution, save for the Islamic bond he took. His O’Meals project is laudable. Love him or hate him, there’s no denying the fact that he has improved the face of governance in the state.

    Ogbeni’s massive campaign network. Ogbeni has embarked on a blitzkrieg of a campaign. Maybe due to the lessons learnt from Ekiti’s recent election, he has left no stone untouched. This is the first time I’m seeing an incumbent campaign as if he’s the under-dog. He has run a very good campaign so far- both terrestrially and on social media. Going by his student unionism antecedents, one is not too surprised that he has at least two former student leaders in his cabinet and they are both active in running his campaign. Most of the controversial issues raised have been either effectively addressed or well mitigated by this team. When the issue of religious fundamentalism came up, they released the video of Bishop David Oyedepo’s visit. Ogbeni has been photographed genuflecting to Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye. He attended a major night vigil organised by a white garment church. He has been dancing ‘skelewu’ at all rallies to show he can connect with the populace. He has run his campaign without Bola Tinubu being visible, so the issue of the overbearing influence of the APC leader has been largely well managed. Ogbeni runs the best propaganda machinery in the South-West and the effect can be seen in how he has successfully diverted attention from his controversies while making Omisore seem to be the controversial one.

    I therefore have no doubt that he is going to win the governorship election of August 9 in a landslide.

    • Adeyinka writes from Lagos
  • COMMENT

    COMMENT

    For Segun Gbadegesin

    Re-Misplaced optimism. National Conference under President Jonathan had come and gone. It ended abruptly based  on regional and ethnic interests of resource control or/and allocation jerk-up! Quite unfortunate. Despite that, the whole exercise could not be in futility as useful deliberations were achieved. The questions now are who will summarise and legalise the deliberations at the confab? Who will sieve and sort the agreed issues- Referendum or the National Legislators? The future is bleak for Nigeria only if all the deliberations at the confab are dumped in the waste-bin. Some  optimism abound if all Regions and geo-political zones and ethnic groups try and listen to understand  each other on any/all issues at hand. From Lanre Oseni.

    Re: “Misplaced optimism?” You have said it all. When the Presidennt acceded to the yearnings and requests of well-meaning Nigerians to hold a national dialogue to discuss all the various problems and challenges that we have faced including the restructuring and the entrenchment of true federalism into our Constitution plus the contentious resource control, little did we know that the out-come and optimism are going to be a failure going by what took place at each session. This, definitely, show that we are just forcing ourselves to be together and whether we like it or not, there is a limit to our resistance to go apiece in future. Already, latest developments and happenings in the country have pointed to this direction. What remains now, is for the National Assembly members to be patriotic enough to jettison any selfish and ethinic leanings and look at the report that is going to be presented very soon passionately, in the national interest. Niccolo Machiavelli said: “Where the fear of God is lacking, the state must either fail or be sustained by the fear of the ruler which may substitute for the lack of religion. But since rulers live only a short while, such a state must vanish as soon as the abilities that sustain it have vanished.” From Prince Adewumi Agunloye

     

    For Olatunji Dare

    I have  been your avid reader  for about 30 years now and thank  God Almighty for your worthy life. You have been a rare gift and blessing to Nigeria, Africa and humanity. I have learnt and lowe a lot to you and pray Him to grant you more years of fruitful service to mankind. Happy birthday Sir. From Okwong E. Otloro Esq, BL, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    Reading your piece today,one cant help but marvel at the pedestrian postulations which tend to emanate all too frequently,from our governments mouth pieces. If the issues were not so severe,one would be tempted to guffaw at the absurdity of it all! Well knit together Sir. From Mazino Obaro Ikime.

    Dr Dare, your article on ‘When success breeds terror’ is an evidence of the availability of clinically and analytically polished writers who can scientifically demolish any postulations before they mature to a sinister hypothesis ‘a la’ Maku. Maku  in Yoruba means ‘abiku’ and  interpreted in english means ‘do not die’. His presence is shaky, unreliable and cannot be trusted. There is therefore a correlation between his name and his political activities. He always swings his head from left to right making any presentations like someone afraid of his own shadow.  From Mike Oyeleke

    Re-When success breeds terror.    At this stage, I think Mr Labaran Maku is overdoing things! He should allow the military men and the intelligence to talk about the hinderance in curtailing and quashing the Boko Haramists rather than relating the incongruence between successes achieved by  Mr President and their attendant insurgences. Such do not just add up. Maku should stop forcing himself to talk. From Lanre Oseni.

    Good day Sir my name is Isa Husaini a former staff of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). I appreciate your various articles in The Nation newspaper, please keep writing. Best regards.

    Forget about Maku, from transitions of governments to another in Nigeria we have such clowns and court jesters who always cry more than the bereaved, their problem is their stomach and the kind of society Nigeria has turned to. Anonymous

    Prof, I really enjoyed your piece of 15/07/14. Infact it glitters my soul and made me to understand the  implications of our Minister for Information hypothesis. The  minister would have been better off if he had enumerated the achievements of  this regime directly, without employing any  research jargon like correlation in his thesis. Anonymous

    Professor Olatunji Dare, First and foremost,let me and my family congratulate you on your 70 years birthday, more years to your age in Jesus Name Amen. The truth of the matter is that unemployment rate is high in Nigeria, for this reason Labaran Maku is working hard to save his job by satisfying his boss through his outspoken  propaganda agenda that all is well in Nigeria,when Nigerians were suffering in the land of plenty against the backdrop of insurgency and other social vices.Why must it be so, inspite of resource at our disposal to cushion insecurity lapses in the country. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia

    Dare, if a green horn in journalism analysed what Maku said on Boko Haram striking with a bomb blast per achievement of government the way you did in  “When success breeds terror”, one would take his analysis for being a novice in journalism. Simply put what Maku said is easy to diagnose and that is that for every government’s achievement, Boko Haram’s sponsors urge them to strike to cover up Nigerians’ appreciation of such a landmark. Happy 70th. birthday to you and more glorious years ahead. From Lai Ashadele.

    Labaran Maku and cohorts are in a state of confussion. Whenever something happens they will resort to name calling forgetting  that a competent government does not complain.  Labaran Maku and his pay master are introducing divide and rule in to the Nigerian political system. It is today that will determine Labaran’s tomorrow. Whetever he does today will shape or mar his future. From Hamza Ozi Momoh Apapa Lagos.

    I commend you for the piece “when success breeds terror”.I have never ever taken Maku’s talk as a solution to our problems.They are at best inflamatory and self serving, after all, he recently confirmd his interest in governing Nasarawa State after adorning the state with campaign billboards many months ago. Anonymous

    Dear Prof, as you mark 70 years and move further in the journey of life, may God grant you good health, long life and prosperity. May He also increase the pool of your wisdom and knowledge where your admirars will continue to tap. Happy Birthday sir. From TemItope Vincent, Akure

    Happy birthday sir and best regards. From Isa Husaini retired NAN staff.

    It appears you deliberately input and gave interpretations quite at variance with Maku’s intent in that his remarks.All I think the information minister was trying to say was that Boko Haram and their backers were actually out to make whatever moderate achievements the government has recorded look non-existent in the eyes of the general public and the world,hence the incessant bombing and killing of innocent Nigerians and the destruction of property worth billions of naira every now and then all over the place in the country,by the sect.As a highly respected writer and columnists of note your comments on issues -be it of national or international appeal or importance- are expectedly weighty.And I think it should be in the interest of the nation that the kind of impact such coments would create on the people and the nation be properly weighed first, before coming up with them,if only to avoid heating the polity unnecessarily. From Emmanuel Egwu.

    Your When Success Breads Terror is as witty as it is funny, and as critical as it is funny. Keep the fire burning, Dare. From Kayode Imoga.

    Professor, happy birthday to you sir, good health, long life and prosperity, your star shall not dim nor fade foreva, lgba odun, odun kan ni o, Amen. from Prince Lat Ogunmade, a veteran journalist

    I am a great fan of yours; have been since you used to write a column in a magazine (Newswatch? Can’t remember). Today being your day therefore, I decided to send my humble but best wishes your way for a very fun filled day and a continous fulfilled years ahead, in Jesus Name.Amen. Happy birthday Sir. Igba odun, odun kan o. Oluwa a je ki e pe fun wa o. Amin.

    From Abdulwaheed A.Zakari,Osogbo,Osun State.

    Dear Prof, happy birthday sir. Wishing you many more prosperous and productive years ahead. Sir, where can one obtain the book launched in honour of your 70th birthday? Anonymous.

    May I request that in the wake of the unfolding extra-judicial seige and onslaught on  the only vibrant oppositn political party in the country, the(APC), you gurus of the Fourth Estate should kindly counsel the leadership of that party to write to the United Nations, All western countries, China & Russia, alerting them to the illegalities of the rulling party and  the dangers they constitute not only to democracy but to the survival of Nigeria as a united entity. Pls do and urgently too. From a rtd Career Ambassador.

    Sir,happy birthday to you and many happy returns of the day.Bye and remain blessed. From Ijaiya   Shefiu

    Prof. Dare, permit me to join your teeming admirers across the globe to congratulate you sir on your 70th birthday celebrations. I pray you ‘ll live for another 40 or so years so that mankind can benefit more from your deep fountain of erudition, wit and sagacity. May we continue  to benefit from your insightful impact on our society. Happy celebrations. From a rtd career Ambassador.

    Congrats as you turned 70 years on July 17. May our troubled polity spring forth now, a million you to overwhelm its troublers, for a true and genuine transformation of the greatest number. Anonymous

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    I totally agree with your opinion on ‘The new cement war’. Singularly, cement grade cannot be blamed for building collapse; there are other factors involved. I personally think someone initiated the move so as to ‘capture’ the market for the time being. From John Benue State.

    Your write-up on ‘The new cement war’ was an apt one to expose the effort of the Federal Government in giving undue protection to a particular major stakeholder at the expense of other manufacturers. Nigeria, we hail thee! Anonymous.

    The truth of the matter is that cement business has been monopolised period! The government should have a rethink on its policy on the 32mpa grade cement in the interest of all Nigerians. It seems the cement sector has been hijacked by one person with the support of SON. And, on Prof Olatunji Dare, he is a man that came, saw and conquered as far as journalism is concerned. An accomplished journalist and writer par excellence; he has set the pace in journalism that others should emulate. Congratulations and more happy years. From Gordon Chika Nnorom. Umukabia, Abia State.

    Yours is the most sensible and enlightening analysis on the cement palaver since it started. I fully agree with you that government should do a rethink. Cheers. Anonymous.    

    Re: The principled satirist. Prof Olatunji Dare is well known, having followed his write-ups in The Guardian newspaper then. His most recent write-ups are in ‘Home from Abroad’ in The Nation newspapers every Tuesday. No one disputes his fact of being principled. At 70, he is so strong not to have missed his Tuesday write-ups despite his commitments in the USA. You could not add in your column his detailed account on ‘June 12’, MKO Abiola, IBB/Abacha debacle. So concise and refreshing it was when he refreshed our memories on June 10. Nigeria is not gaining as it should because brilliant and eminent people like Chief Ajibola Ogunshola and Prof Dare who ordinarily should have been invited to Aso Rock Villa as special advisers have been politically ignored! I wish Prof. a longer and more prosperous life, peace and continued successes. Amen. Congratulations. From Lanre Oseni. 

    Your write-up on Olatunji Dare refers. Exactly, life begins at 70! As Prof Dare begins the journey of life, may God grant him journey mercies for the rest of his life (Amen). From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

  • COMMENT

    COMMENT

    For Olatunji Dare

    Dare, “Once upon another commonwealth games” relieved me of pressure as I read it along because there are some funny bits, especially towards its tail end. For example, your feeling cheated by government for claiming that it triggered boycott of the games instead of The Guardian. It is funny because if the accolade was given to Guardian, it would still have been reported as championed by Nigeria. Another funny side is your bringing the issue to the general public exactly 30 years after. I thank God for sparing your life to tell us what confused us then. How I wish I were Jonathan, I would have given all the Guardian staff connected with the globe-stirring action next to the highest national honour immediately; for your achievement. Those were the days of true journalism unlike now that most mediamen are tied to aprong string of their corrupt political masters. God save us, Amen. From Lai Ashadele.

    If Nigerian Government actualy boycotted Common-Wealth Game consequent upon The Guardian editorial, it was still proper to be refered as d Nigeria-led boycott, and not The Guardian. The newspaper merely presented its well-argued case on why d country shouldnt participate in the game,and never forced the government to boycott. The decision to participate or not to was still on the government to decide.That it eventually opted to withdraw from participation  shouldn’t then mean that the credit should authomaticaly go to The Guardian newspapers, if the whole matter is logically followed – From Emmanuel Egwu

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

     

    An elegy for Brazil: it is not true that Brazilians did not walk out of the stadium.They did, the commentator mentioned it. You always look for the exit door when you face shame. It is natural, don’t make it look like a Nigerian spirit. From Emma, Lafia

    The introduction of armed forces into the politics of Nigeria of today has alter the political calculation in the country. Nigeria will remain in darkness as long as politics of stomach infrastructure  persist. Long live Federal Republic of order from above. Long live amala politics. From Hamza Ozi Momoh  Apapa Lagos.

    In your elegy you wrote and I quote “The Super Eagles went on strike to force the government to pay their appearance fees.” Bad leaders plus followers equals systems failure! Anonymous

    Re-2015: A Lexical analysis-The new method of rigging is Stomachstructure which is not strange in Nigeria Politics  starting from NPN ERA.It is unfor tunate that our power drunk politicians can never have a change of heart. It is a bad omen for the future of this country. From Past odunmbaku. 

    How can a country like Nigeria under the vicious grip of unrepentant and kleptomanic  cabals of election riggers and looters ever learn? Our leaders are demonic and thrive in impunity.They even dare God. Our  sitiuation appear hopeless especially with the type of masses we have as shown in Ekiti State. From Chief Solomon Egwuenu, Delta State

    Nigeria will learn when people like you the media show patriotism in your write up about her.when you learn to stand by our leaders and support them in times of nation trials irrespective of where he comes from. Anonymous

    Gbenga, your write up . Lexical analysis. On point of correction, Tom is not a short form for Thabo Mbeki to the best of my knowledge. Secondly, Thabo Mbeki was not rejected by African National Congress (ANC), Thabo Mbeki ran into trouble with ANC during the second term and that necessitated temporary replacement before the election that brought in Jacob Zuma. From Chief Olabode Majekodunmi. Abeokuta

    I enjoyed your lexical analysis of 2015. One little fox, however: you mentioned Barnabas (who was rather the “son of encouragement”) instead of “Barabas”! From Brother Ame A. Aba.

    The Brazilian/German encounter may be shocking to many, for me there is nothing spectacular about the result of that match. That is football for you! Talking about patriotism: an average Nigerian is a self-centred animal, the fault being in our nature. We have not yet arrived at nationhood-The Gods are to blame. From Moyosore Aladetohun, Iyana Ipaja.  

    Why were they crying as if winning is their birthright. There is nothing Nigeria should learn from then. We crashed out from round 16 we did our best.  From Patrick, Abuja 

    Having had about the passion of Ekiti people for education,I  thought free, qaulity education would have  earned governor Fayemi a second term in office, but he seems to be elite minded only to learn in a bitter way that the so-called poor are equally stakeholders in the state and are the majority he need to remain in the state house. He should be more realistic if the opportunity comes again just like it did to Fayose. From Uzoma, Owerri.

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    It is good to praise achievers so they can do more, instead of showering encomiums on never-do-well leaders. Ajibola Ogunshola deserves encomiums for lifting The Punch newspaper when it was about going under. Ogunshola demonstrated leadership worthy of emulation for making Punch readable worldwide. Happy birthday, Chief Ogunshola. Congratulations! From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

    Re: Ajibola Ogunshola at 70. Why I admire Chief Ogunshola so much is because of his unassuming nature. He goes about unnoticed despite his societal stature. This is an example of a leader  Nigeria needs. An actuary could do a lot with mathematics to turn things around hence, extremely few people venture into specialising in the course. Not even many universities include Actuarial Science as a course. The thinking  level is equivalent of that for Geology, Medicine and Surgery! To have been able to turn The Punch around from the grave is consequent upon his actuary science and personal discipline qualities. I join millions of Nigerians in wishing Chief Ogunshola a happy 70th birthday. From Lanre Oseni.

    What makes a man a good leader is his integrity and straightforwardness. Chief Ogunshola has proved to the world that a leader without integrity has no business being a leader. Our leaders are stealing our money because of lack of integrity; politicians trying to differentiate stealing from corruption because of lack of integrity. Integrity makes a man; without it you become nothing. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

    Good day, Tunji. I read your article “Ajibola Ogunshola at 70: The actuary who brought The Punch ‘back from the dead’ joins the septuagenarian club tomorrow” (i.e. July 14). In the first place let me congratulate Chief Ogunshola for clocking three scores plus 10. Also, let me commend you for going down memory lane on progress so far made towards uplifting Punch by Chief Ogunshola. This is a man who knew every individual in the newsroom by his or her full names. He is a crisis manager of great dimension. I could recollect as a former Punch chief crime correspondent and later assistant editor, Chief Ogunshola would say “Musa, come and see me in my office in Lagos”. He would want to know what your individual problems were and how to enhance efficiency in the organisation. He however felt very sad when I resigned my appointment with the company in 1989. The Punch has produced great writers; Tunji, you are one of these. Others are Kunle Fagbemi,  Prince Dayo Adeyeye (now Minister of State for Works), Lateef Ibirogba, Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Innocent Adikwu, Demola Osinubi, the current managing director of Punch. I praise the magnanimity of Chief Ogunshola for making the late Chief James Olubunmi Aboderin realise his dreams, even if post-humously, as his eldest son Wale is now chairman of Punch Nigeria Ltd. Congratulations, Chief Ogunshola and well done, Tunji. From Abubakar Musa Abuja.          

     

  • Comment

    For Olatunji Dare

    Dare, “Once upon another commonwealth games” relieved me of pressure as I read it along because there are some funny bits, especially towards its tail end. For example, your feeling cheated by government for claiming that it triggered boycott of the games instead of The Guardian. It is funny because if the accolade was given to Guardian, it would still have been reported as championed by Nigeria. Another funny side is your bringing the issue to the general public exactly 30 years after. I thank God for sparing your life to tell us what confused us then. How I wish I were Jonathan, I would have given all the Guardian staff connected with the globe-stirring action next to the highest national honour immediately; for your achievement. Those were the days of true journalism unlike now that most mediamen are tied to aprong string of their corrupt political masters. God save us, Amen. From Lai Ashadele.

    If Nigerian Government actualy boycotted Common-Wealth Game consequent upon The Guardian editorial, it was still proper to be refered as d Nigeria-led boycott, and not The Guardian. The newspaper merely presented its well-argued case on why d country shouldnt participate in the game,and never forced the government to boycott. The decision to participate or not to was still on the government to decide.That it eventually opted to withdraw from participation  shouldn’t then mean that the credit should authomaticaly go to The Guardian newspapers, if the whole matter is logically followed – From Emmanuel Egwu

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

     

    An elegy for Brazil: it is not true that Brazilians did not walk out of the stadium.They did, the commentator mentioned it. You always look for the exit door when you face shame. It is natural, don’t make it look like a Nigerian spirit. From Emma, Lafia

    The introduction of armed forces into the politics of Nigeria of today has alter the political calculation in the country. Nigeria will remain in darkness as long as politics of stomach infrastructure  persist. Long live Federal Republic of order from above. Long live amala politics. From Hamza Ozi Momoh  Apapa Lagos.

    In your elegy you wrote and I quote “The Super Eagles went on strike to force the government to pay their appearance fees.” Bad leaders plus followers equals systems failure! Anonymous

    Re-2015: A Lexical analysis-The new method of rigging is Stomachstructure which is not strange in Nigeria Politics  starting from NPN ERA.It is unfor tunate that our power drunk politicians can never have a change of heart. It is a bad omen for the future of this country. From Past odunmbaku. 

    How can a country like Nigeria under the vicious grip of unrepentant and kleptomanic  cabals of election riggers and looters ever learn? Our leaders are demonic and thrive in impunity.They even dare God. Our  sitiuation appear hopeless especially with the type of masses we have as shown in Ekiti State. From Chief Solomon Egwuenu, Delta State

    Nigeria will learn when people like you the media show patriotism in your write up about her.when you learn to stand by our leaders and support them in times of nation trials irrespective of where he comes from. Anonymous

    Gbenga, your write up . Lexical analysis. On point of correction, Tom is not a short form for Thabo Mbeki to the best of my knowledge. Secondly, Thabo Mbeki was not rejected by African National Congress (ANC), Thabo Mbeki ran into trouble with ANC during the second term and that necessitated temporary replacement before the election that brought in Jacob Zuma. From Chief Olabode Majekodunmi. Abeokuta

    I enjoyed your lexical analysis of 2015. One little fox, however: you mentioned Barnabas (who was rather the “son of encouragement”) instead of “Barabas”! From Brother Ame A. Aba.

    The Brazilian/German encounter may be shocking to many, for me there is nothing spectacular about the result of that match. That is football for you! Talking about patriotism: an average Nigerian is a self-centred animal, the fault being in our nature. We have not yet arrived at nationhood-The Gods are to blame. From Moyosore Aladetohun, Iyana Ipaja. 

    Why were they crying as if winning is their birthright. There is nothing Nigeria should learn from then. We crashed out from round 16 we did our best.  From Patrick, Abuja 

    Having had about the passion of Ekiti people for education,I  thought free, qaulity education would have  earned governor Fayemi a second term in office, but he seems to be elite minded only to learn in a bitter way that the so-called poor are equally stakeholders in the state and are the majority he need to remain in the state house. He should be more realistic if the opportunity comes again just like it did to Fayose. From Uzoma, Owerri.

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    It is good to praise achievers so they can do more, instead of showering encomiums on never-do-well leaders. Ajibola Ogunshola deserves encomiums for lifting The Punch newspaper when it was about going under. Ogunshola demonstrated leadership worthy of emulation for making Punch readable worldwide. Happy birthday, Chief Ogunshola. Congratulations! From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

    Re: Ajibola Ogunshola at 70. Why I admire Chief Ogunshola so much is because of his unassuming nature. He goes about unnoticed despite his societal stature. This is an example of a leader  Nigeria needs. An actuary could do a lot with mathematics to turn things around hence, extremely few people venture into specialising in the course. Not even many universities include Actuarial Science as a course. The thinking  level is equivalent of that for Geology, Medicine and Surgery! To have been able to turn The Punch around from the grave is consequent upon his actuary science and personal discipline qualities. I join millions of Nigerians in wishing Chief Ogunshola a happy 70th birthday. From Lanre Oseni.

    What makes a man a good leader is his integrity and straightforwardness. Chief Ogunshola has proved to the world that a leader without integrity has no business being a leader. Our leaders are stealing our money because of lack of integrity; politicians trying to differentiate stealing from corruption because of lack of integrity. Integrity makes a man; without it you become nothing. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

    Good day, Tunji. I read your article “Ajibola Ogunshola at 70: The actuary who brought The Punch ‘back from the dead’ joins the septuagenarian club tomorrow” (i.e. July 14). In the first place let me congratulate Chief Ogunshola for clocking three scores plus 10. Also, let me commend you for going down memory lane on progress so far made towards uplifting Punch by Chief Ogunshola. This is a man who knew every individual in the newsroom by his or her full names. He is a crisis manager of great dimension. I could recollect as a former Punch chief crime correspondent and later assistant editor, Chief Ogunshola would say “Musa, come and see me in my office in Lagos”. He would want to know what your individual problems were and how to enhance efficiency in the organisation. He however felt very sad when I resigned my appointment with the company in 1989. The Punch has produced great writers; Tunji, you are one of these. Others are Kunle Fagbemi,  Prince Dayo Adeyeye (now Minister of State for Works), Lateef Ibirogba, Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Innocent Adikwu, Demola Osinubi, the current managing director of Punch. I praise the magnanimity of Chief Ogunshola for making the late Chief James Olubunmi Aboderin realise his dreams, even if post-humously, as his eldest son Wale is now chairman of Punch Nigeria Ltd. Congratulations, Chief Ogunshola and well done, Tunji. From Abubakar Musa Abuja.          

     

  • Bisi Onabanjo on my mind

    Bisi Onabanjo on my mind

    For those of us who had our secondary education in Ogun State between 1978 and 1983, late Chief Victor Olabisi Onabanjo remains a folklore hero. The man became the first elected governor of a young state which was just 44 months old in October 1979 and realised that his victory at the polls was as a result of popular support for his party, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

    One of the cardinal programmes of his party was free education. While there are many enduring landmark edifices built by the Onabanjo administration in its four years, three months tenure, as a direct beneficiary, the education programme is still the area where one continues to have the most appreciation of the ingenuity of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his lieutenants. In a place like Ogun State where education was and remains a major industry as the people have by then had close to two century exposure to Western education, the UPN captured the heart of the people with its creative investment in establishment of new schools, building of new education infrastructure, supply of free textbooks, notebooks and other instructional materials, while tuition fees were abolished in secondary schools.

    The quality of teaching in Ogun state was so high that some of my mates were from Lagos, Oyo and places that are now in Edo and Osun States. People from neighbouring states came to get good education in Ogun State and benefit from the free education policy. Incidentally, when I returned to live in Ogun State in 2011, I found that one area where the erosion and compromise of the Onabanjo legacy was more evident is in the area of education. Over the years, schools in Ogun State had suffered serious neglect. The infrastructure had collapsed. Quality of teaching had become prostrate. Teachers were disenchanted and teaching had become a second profession to them. As a result of these negative developments, students themselves have become disoriented.

    These are the challenges that the present administration in Ogun State headed by Senator Ibikunle Amosun had to contend with since its inception on May 29, 2011.

    Incidentally, the first item in the administration’s Mission to Rebuild Agenda is Affordable Qualitative Education.

    With its meager resources, the present government, like that of Onabanjo, abolished tuition fees in all its 1,491 primary and 473 secondary schools. Also, an audit of number of pupils and students in public schools were taken and textbooks, notebooks and instructional materials were supplied to each of them as we enjoyed under the Onabanjo administration. The Amosun administration also initiated a programme in which it gradually began the renovation and reconstruction of blocks of classrooms in the schools as well as supply of new furniture in those schools. To enable it pay for the cost of these infrastructural facilities, the government entered into negotiation with the Universal Basic Education (UBE) and Education Trust Fund (ETF), in which it paid the backlog of its counterpart fund dating back to 2008 so that it can access the fund due to the state which had been lying fallow.

    That is why one would see new buildings and furniture in some primary and secondary schools with the inscription ‘SUBEB 2008/ 2009’, yet they were built by the current administration with the money accessed in arrears from UBE for the year inscribed on them as directed by the relevant federal intervention agency.

    However, with the extent of rot inherited by the present administration in the area of infrastructure, it is not uncommon to still see some school buildings that are not in good shape. Definitely, renovation and reconstruction of classroom buildings is a work-in-progress that will take a few more years before normalcy can be totally restored.

    As it was in the Onabanjo era when new schools were built to accommodate the growing number of students, the Amosun administration is on the verge of completing 15 model secondary schools with each of them having a carrying capacity of 1,000 students. The model schools are being constructed in preparation for the return of schools originally owned by missionaries.

    Again, government has introduced the unified examinations in primary and secondary schools in which all pupils and students write the same examinations, centrally administered and paid for by the government. The implication is that tutors are forced to cover their syllabus, the quality of teaching automatically improves and level of performance of students in internal and external examinations continues to grow higher. In any case, government has religiously paid the WAEC fees of final year secondary school students while those in technical schools enjoy the same privilege.

    The students are further motivated by the reward of a foreign leadership training that the foundation run by wife of the governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, gives to the 20 students with best WAEC results selected from the 20 Local Government Areas.

    These progressive policies explain why enrolment in Junior Secondary Schools has jumped from 174,820 in 2011 to 214,837 while that of the Senior Secondary Schools has moved from 146, 737 to 162,536 in the last three years.  The performance in WAEC has also improved by over 100 percent from what it used to be in 2011. Similarly, the Higher Education Performance (HEP) rate has moved from 18 percent in 2011/12 to 49.8 percent in 2012/13.

    Today, teachers in the state have never had a better deal. Schools now get money for running cost. They get 27.5 percent Peculiar Allowance and 13th month salary allowance. They are due to get the recently approved car and housing loans of between N500, 000 to N2 million and N1 million to N5 million respectively, depending on the salary scale. The loan will enable some of them to purchase comfortable apartment flats in the AAK Degun MTR Estate, Laderin in Abeokuta, specifically built by the government for public servants. Since 2011, Ogun State’s teachers have been participating in different all-year round training programmes aimed at improving their competence. No wonder, Ogun State has been carting away majority of the awards in the National Teachers Awards being given by the Federal Government. The state government also gives similar award to further motivate the teachers.

    The seven tertiary schools owned by the state are not left behind. They get improved monthly subvention paid regularly to enable the school authorities meet their financial demands. The government has introduced policies aimed at overhauling the system. Infrastructural, education and transport facilities aimed at repositioning the schools and returning them to the prime position they occupied in the immediate years following the exit of the Onabanjo era.

    Despite the propaganda by some opposition elements, I make bold to say the state government has not approved any request for increment in school fees in these higher institutions since 2011. Rather, since 2011, it has directed an across-the-board reduction in fees while also insisting on operation of a cashless policy aimed at institutionalizing financial discipline in the school.

    It is for the above reasons that each time one reviews the developments in the Ogun State education sector, one is tempted to conclude that there is a re-enactment of Onabanjo’s golden years.

    • Olaniyonu is Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ogun State