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  • Boko Haram, Jonathan and Northern Elders

    Boko Haram, Jonathan and Northern Elders

    On 4th May 2014, Abubakar Shekau, the  Boko Haram leader, proclaimed:

    “I am going to marry out any woman who is twelve years old, and if she is younger, I will marry her out at the age of nine. I am the one who captured all those girls and will sell all of them.  Slavery is allowed in my religion and I shall capture people and make them slaves. We are on our way to Abuja and we shall also visit the South. I am going to kill all the Imams and other Islamic clerics in Nigeria because they are not Muslims since they follow democracy and constitution. It is Allah that instructed us, until we soak the ground of Nigeria with Christian blood, and so-called Muslims contradicting Islam. We will kill and wonder what to do with their smelling corpses. This is a war against Christians and democracy and their constitution’’.

    It is self-evident that Mr. Shekau is not only a dangerous, barbaric, sadistic, bestial, delusional, homicidal, misogynistic, paedophilic, psycopathic and sociopathic vampire and cold-blooded murderer all rolled into one but his words adequately reflect the sheer ruthlessness and callousness that has seized the Haramite mind.

    There is no doubt in my mind that he is possessed by the most vicious and cruel demons and that he has a bloodlust that is second to none. Even Al Qaeda have condemned the latest atrocity committed by Boko Haram in Chibok.

    Yet despite their sheer depravity they appear to have a few friends at home who insist on speaking for them. Permit me to give just one example.

    The Northern Elders have said that the Federal Government ‘’should pay billions as ransom to Shekau and release all detained Boko Haram members’’ and that there must be ‘’no foreign forces in Nigeria”. They have also demanded that ‘’force should not be used’’ in securing the freedom of the abducted girls.

    These demands are repugnant. It is the same people that did not want troops to be deployed to the area in the first place.

    It is the same people that did not want a state of emergency to be declared in the north. It is the same people that have been urging the government to negotiate with Boko Haram for the last three years.

    It is the same people that have consistently asked that Boko Haram should be treated lightly and that they should be offered amnesty even though they have slaughtered no less than 10,000 innocent people in the last three years.

    It is the same people that are suggesting that Boko Haram is actually a creation of the CIA, MOSSAD and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

    It is one of these northern elders that referred to Boko Haram as ‘’freedom fighters’’ who are simply ‘’fighting for justice’’ only last year. It is another that said that members of Boko Haram ought to be treated ‘’in the same way as the Niger Delta militants’’ and that they should be rehabilitated, resettled and paid large sums of money only last year.

    It is another that said that ‘’muslims should only vote for those that would protect their interests’’ and that he would see to it that ‘’sharia law is implemented and applied throughout the whole country’’ in 2001.

    It is another that said that Nigeria was created by the British and granted independence by them in 1960 on the clear understanding that ‘’a northern muslim would always lead the country’’ in 1994. It is another that said that if the north does not have it’s way on the voting formula at the Constitutional Conference he would lead his people ‘’out of Nigeria and into the Camerouns’’ just over a month ago. It is another that said that they would make our country ‘’ungovernable’’ if a southerner was elected into power in 2011.

    It is another that said, only a few weeks ago, that our country ‘’would burn’’ if Jonathan or any other southerner contests for the Presidential election in 2015. It is another that told us last year that ‘’poverty was the root cause of Boko Haram’’ and that the south was receiving too much money whilst the north was not receiving enough. How much more of this can we be expected to take?

    Just three weeks after the Haramites have abducted almost 300 young school girls at Chibok, burnt down their school and kept them as sex slaves, just a few days after they abducted eight more at Warabe Village, Borno state, just two weeks after two bombs went off in Nyanya, Abuja killing a total of 150 people between them and just three days after no less than 350 innocent people were slaughtered by the terrorists in Gamborou Ngala, a border town with the Camerouns, these northern elders are saying that force must not be used against them. This is unacceptable and their suggestion must be treated with the contempt that it deserves.

    I do not know what it will take for the Nigerian people to accept the fact that Boko Haram is the greatest evil that our country has ever had to contend with and that there can be no dialogue with such demons. I do not know what it will take for these northern elders to accept the fact that evil is evil, that you must never negotiate with terrorists and that their ‘’gentle way’’ simply cannot work.

    The truth is that until every single one of the Haramites is hunted down, brought to justice and despatched to hell there will be no peace in our country. We must also eliminate those who secretly encourage, fund and protect them.

    I have always viewed those that suggest that Boko Haram should be treated with kid gloves with the utmost suspicion. It is either that we live in a secular state where the rule of law prevails, where beasts have no place and where murderous animals are treated like the savages that they are or we shall have no country at all.

    All this talk about ‘’not using force’’ must stop because it is nonsensical, it is counter-productive and it presents a very real threat to our desire to continue to live as one nation. Those that abduct, rape, kill and enslave children do not deserve to live.

    Those that say that ‘’force should not be used’’ should give up them their own daughters in exchange for our missing girls. After they have done that they can be as gentle as they like with Boko Haram.

    In all this President Goodluck Jonathan has much to learn and I would be the last person to endorse what I consider to be his inexplicable restraint and obvious weakness in the fight against Boko Haram. Mr. President has failed to protect the lives and property of the Nigerian people and no responsible, self-respecting and rational human being, including those that consider themselves to be his friends, should shy away from telling him so.

    We expect far better from him and if he fails to deliver he would not only have betrayed his mandate, violated his oath of office and let down the Nigerian people but he would also play right into the hands of his critics. These include the American Senator John Mcain, who told the world that ‘’no government exists in Nigeria’’ and Senator Hilary Clinton, who said that the Federal Government of Nigeria had ‘’squandered their oil wealth, allowed corruption to fester and now they are losing control of parts of their country.’’

    These are timely admonitions from the Americans but they made their own fair share of blunders as well. For example one wonders why it took the Obama adminstration up until early this year to formally recognise Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation despite repeated calls to do so earlier by many prominent Nigerians including Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the President of CAN. When Senator Clinton was Secretary of State, the State Department refused to label Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation even though they had butchered thousands of Nigerians. Perhaps if they had done so more lives would have been saved.

    There is no doubt that our Government has handled this matter in an unacceptable manner but the Americans must carry their own fair share of the blame.  For Jonathan, the words of Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje are instructive. On 9th May 2014 he wrote:

    ‘’we warned Jonathan. We called for action against Boko Haram and we screamed until our voices went hoarse. Now the people who advised him against taking strong action and called for dialogue, the very people that said it was caused by poverty, the very people that promised that traditional rulers would resolve the matter, the very people that encouraged him to vacillate and do nothing or little, are the ones mocking him. Well that is why leaders must exercise leadership. The buck stops at his table. The credit or the failure goes to him. I hope he learns!’’

    A word is enough for the wise.

  • Tragedy of massacre politics

    We kneel and pray for the safe return of the over 230 schoolgirls recently abducted from Chibok, Borno State by the terrorist group, Boko Haram. We applaud the pledge by foreign nations to help find the girls and perhaps stop the Boko Haram menace. Our civil societies hold press conferences to pressure the government to rescue the girls. Our politicians hurl empty broadsides at each other over the incident for political capital.

    Sadly, much of this populist energy is a reductionism of Chibok, a catastrophe foretold. Chibok is only a metaphor for our country’s long history of violence in the form of abductions, kidnappings and massacres. It is an allegory of the morbid harvests arising from political chicanery and corruption. To stop the bloody cycles of violence and win against terror, we must have the political will to stop corruption, organise citizens’ resistance and enforce laws to put paid to the bloodletting. But first we must do critical self-analysis.

    Wikipedia lists 25 massacres in Nigeria since 1966. I think that is a conservative figure. Two of the massacres were in southern Nigeria and executed by soldiers on defenceless citizens. On October 7, 1966, Murtala Mohammed, who later became Nigeria’s military head of state, led federal troops to round up and shoot some 500 defenceless males in cold blood in Asaba, Delta State. On November 20, 1999, hundreds of men, women and children were massacred by soldiers on the orders of yet another head of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo, as retaliation for the alleged killing of some security agents by some Niger Delta militants. These are clear examples of how state power is perversely used on citizens.

    The other 23 massacres are in northern Nigeria and executed not by soldiers but civilian religious zealots who routinely massacre southerners, particularly the Igbos and Christians, destroying homes, schools and churches for reasons as trifling as crises in foreign Islamic countries or allegations of blasphemy against Islam. The Kaduna riots of 2000, Jos riots of 2001, Miss World riots in Kaduna in 2002, Yelwa/Kano riots of 2004, Mohammed cartoon riots in Maiduguri in 2006 and various Jos rampages have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent citizens in the name of God.

    In 1980, Maitatsine, a virulent Islamic fundamentalists sect led by Muhammadu Marwa, a radical preacher from northern Cameroun, embarked on one of the bloodiest religious rampages in Nigeria’s history in Kano. Some 5000 people died; churches, mosques and homes were destroyed with thousands displaced. Marwa was killed in a confrontation with the police. His followers under his successor, Musa Makaniki, went on killing sprees near Maiduguri and in Kaduna in1982, killing over 3000 people.

    Another 1000 were slaughtered in Yola with 60,000 made homeless. Hundreds more were murdered in Makaniki’s home state of Gombe. He was arrested in 2004 and was allegedly set free after several years by a judicial panel of enquiry for lack of evidence for complicity in the riots.

    But Maitatsine was only to give way to a more virulent monster of religious extremism in the form of the Jamâ»atAhl as-Sunnah lid-da»wawal-Jihâd (The Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad) with the Hausa nickname of Boko Haram, meaning Western education is sinful. Mohammed Yusuf founded the group in Maiduguri, Borno State in 2002.

    In 2009, Yusuf was arrested and killed in police custody following Boko Haram’s clash with security forces investigating allegations that the group was arming for attacks. That clash claimed over 700 lives. The police was accused of the extra-judicious killing of Yusuf whose successor, Abubakar Shekau, who has since exploded the group’s activities into full blown terrorism using guns, bombs and suicide bombers. He is believed to have the support of international terror cells.

    Boko Haram has executed horrendous bestiality and war crimes. It operates with impunity and disdain for security forces in the northeast region and Abuja. From 2010 until today, Boko Haram has executed over 15 horrific massacres, murdering over 5000 innocents and still counting, razing down towns, villages, schools, churches, mosques, displacing thousands of people, robbing banks and businesses as well as raping and kidnapping girls and women.

    This historical recount is to put the issue of massacres in perspective and to prod questions. What has leadership including northern elites and elders done to stop the carnage? Why do fanatics find it easy to raise massive followership and raise armaments in the face of security operatives? In the decades of bloodletting, what deterrence structures have been put in place? Why have citizens from both the north and south not risen against massacres by both governments and religious extremists?

    Several answers. The civil war and military rule have inured citizens to bloodshed. Leadership itself engages in massacres and citizens sometimes even applaud the massacres. Extreme poverty and deprivations among citizens that are caused by elite corruption and insensitivity have provided a huge army of young, hungry, uneducated and jobless youths to enlist willingly with religious extremists. The northeast has the largest swath of the extreme poor and it is no surprise that it is the most violence-prone region.

    Our leaders and elders treat massacres with shrugging indifference, after all they and their families are mostly immune from the blood and destruction. The presidency’s reaction is also inexplicably unhurried. It sets up investigative committees while thousands of citizens are being murdered. Like President Shehu Shagari did with the Maitatsine in the 1980s, setting up the federal government commission of enquiry under the chairmanship of Justice Aniagolu so too has President Jonathan set up a committee of enquiry over Boko Haram.

    Hours after the Boko Haram bombing of Nyanyan killed 74 people and injured 124 others, President Jonathan was at a political rally in Kano.Two weeks after the Chibok girls’ abduction the presidency offered no official statement. And it took nearly four weeks after the Chibok abduction before northern elders visited the president in Abuja to advice against use of force to get out the abducted girls and suggest two options to secure their freedom: Payment of ransom or release of some detained members of Boko Haram as swap for the girls. Outrageous.

    The Nigerian peoples have also, until now, played the role of impotent docility in the decades of bloodletting. We pray that the citizens’ protest marches across the country and the world in the “#Bring Back Our Girls” movement would change the strange citizens’ apathy over corruption, misrule, violence and oppression. Our leaders may also have to rethink their pact with the devil and galvanise the political will to stop corruption and callous indifference to the misery, ignorance and poverty of the greater majority of their people. The northern elders will particularly do well to find urgent options to the grinding poverty in the north by using state resources to provide education, jobs, opportunities and social amenities.

    We must act now and fast. If not, Boko Haram may just be the small wave heralding the tsunami waves that may consume all including the ruling elite. Not only must we pray that the Chibok girls are rescued unharmed, we must stop the cycles of bloody violence through elite fairness to the people. A word is enough for the wise.

  • Passage of Otedola: Nostalgic reflections from a political son

    Passage of Otedola: Nostalgic reflections from a political son

    Till eternity, a usual concern of any enterprising journalist, remains putting on his/her thinking cap, brainstorming on story ideas. Such was the lot of this writer while on the Features Desk of The Guardian Newspapers, Rutam House, Lagos, in 1986 when he ran into a roommate during his undergraduate days at the University of Ibadan. After the usual pleasantries with Olaitan Ogidan, who hails from Epe in Lagos State and is now the Chairman of Eredo Local Government in Lagos State ,we dovetailed into our career prospects, during which I told him one of my bit, was,fishing out newsmakers, who have impacted greatly in their society through quality contributions. Ogidan who was a proud ambassador of Lagos State in our university days because of the huge student’s bursary award, could not think of any other person beyond his locality, Epe, than Sir Michael Agbolade Otedola. But when he now advanced the reason to justify his choice, I immediately fell in love. Ogidan told me of a renowned medical practitioner who could have ended up as a fisherman in Epe but for the intervention of Sir Otedola, who around late 1970s began a scholarship scheme for indigent students. Sir Otedola was to be dragged into partisan politics by his people in Epe Local Government in Lagos State, whose lives he has touched in various ways apart from his scholarship scheme for indigent students. When former President Ibrahim Babangida later midwifed two political parties, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1990, Sir Otedola opted for the NRC. I had at that time moved over to the Political Desk of The Guardian as a Senior Correspondent and was shocked at his decision to join the NRC, because it was already a forgone conclusion in the politics of South-West that SDP will have a field day. When approached, Baba Otedola as he iwas fondly called said he was in politics to make a difference and firmly believe that his credentials will sell him to the public. In any case, he pointed out that his advent in politics was to offer to a larger society, the drive that made him to better the lot of over a thousand indigent students whom he had offered scholarships. He said he was not desperate and if he did not win the election, he will regard his campaign expenses as the extension of his scholarship scheme, as he owes no individual or a group, any financial indebtedness. To actualize his ambition, he set up a powerful political structure – Michael Otedola Campaign Organization (MOCO) and the slogan of MOCO was “that Lagos State may excel”. This structure traversed all the wards in Lagos State and campaigned vigorously, articulating the Manifesto of the NRC. Otedola also had a massive support of the Christians in Lagos State, as that was the first time a very serious candidate who is a christian was contesting for the governorship in Lagos State. Sir Otedola brought in a kaleidoscope of colours, exhibited the expertise of a printing magnate, utilizing colour posters. Balloons pumped with helium gas were hoisted all over Lagos, a demonstration that gave this campaign more attraction. His advanced age at that time was no barrier as he campaigned vigorously with the agility of a younger mind and he was quick to educate those capitalizing on his age as a deficit, that the government house is not a boxing ring where he required too much energy to survive but a place for an intelligent mind to perform. When the NRC primaries were conducted, Oetdola won convincingly and his then Co- contestant in NRC , Chief (Mrs) Oluremi Adikwu, like a good sportsperson accepted defeat and congratulated him. As fate will have it, the two political gladiators in the SDP at that time, Late Prof Femi Agbalajobi and Chief Dapo Sarunmi fought themselves to a standstill and Babangida’s administration had to disqualify them. Chief Yomi Edu later emerged the candidate for the SDP and the true meaning of Otedola (rift has become a source of blessing) was spelt out during the Governorship election in Lagos State on December 4, 1991. It was a delightful drama at nearly all the pooling booths as the majority of voters will queue behind the SDP House of Assembly candidate when the open ballot (option A4), votes are to be counted and like an enthusiastic crowd at a very charged football competition, will shift to queue for Sir Otedola of the NRC when votes for the governorship candidates were to be counted within the next 30 minutes. Sir Otedola’s emergence brought into Lagos State politics a unique dimension where the executive was led by one party and the opposing party was dominant in the legislature, a ratio of 20 SDP to 4 NRC. Within this short period, Sir Otedola was able to commence Jubilee Housing Scheme for mass housing of Lagosians and Jubilee Transport to ease transportation difficulties. Critics of Sir Otedola opined that he was slow and could not move Lagos at a very fast tempo expected of him. Sir Otedola did not take their criticism in bad faith, remarking that he has to exercise prudence in the way government fund is being spent, which necessitated a careful scrutiny of memo and prayers before approval . However, when he has finally got a very good grinding in government and was moving at the jet speed required of him, the military struck. Technocrats who were sent to Germany for training in a scientific approach to housing where thousands of housing units could be achieved in a record time and reasonably affordable prices, just came back from training for execution before the military intervention. If there was one Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of Sir Otedola, it was to ensure that he was not a kobo richer when leaving the government and he followed this principle religiously. When there was protest in Lagos State, organized by the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) to protest the annulment of the June 12, 1992 Presidential election, the military authorities asked him to call the people to order. Sir Otedola told the military that he had employed dialogue with Lagosians and had also counseled them on the need to avoid violence but cannot fold their hands if they were fighting injustice. To him, his exalted position as Governor of Lagos State meant nothing to him than the interest of his people and the need to ensure justice. A few days before the military took over, Sir Michael Otedola, myself and a then Director in the Ministry of Environment were having a three day stay in London, before proceeding to Shanghai in China for an international conference on Aquapolisis. A day to our departure, Baba Otedola asked me and the Director to proceed to Shanghai to represent him at the conference, joking that London is closer to Lagos than China in case anything happens. Three days later we heard on CNN that the military had taken over. When he returned to his hometown, Odoragusin, his spacious compound and modest house which had no major transformation than ordinary re-painting, could not contain the overwhelming crowd that held a carnival to receive him. His people rejoiced that he has come back alive with his integrity. The rousing reception accorded him was not unexpected as he was a man of the people who fully identified with the ordinary people. His wife, Lady Doja Otedola had through the Better Life for Rural Dwellers trained and empowered women in several trade and agriculture. A father of successful children and several grand-children, Sir Otedola, after partisan politics, did not forget to continue relating with his political associates, monitoring their progress. One of his sons, Mr Femi Otedola, a chip of the old bloc and one of the most successful and philanthropic Africans, has taken over his father’s scholarship scheme for indigent students and enlarged further the list of beneficiaries. I consider myself lucky to have come across this accomplished statesman, who till his translation from mortality to immortality on Monday, May 5, 2014 remained humble, caring generous in assisting people but prudent in his spending. Sir Otedola was 87 when he passed on to glory. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. •Ogunbambo was Otedola’s Chief Press Secretary when he was Governor of Lagos State.

  • Who’s behind INEC’s impunity?

    Who’s behind INEC’s impunity?

    That’s a big question only the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega could answer. Serious national issues like the tragic resurgence of Boko Haram terror strikes and their kidnapping of the young female students of a secondary school in Chibok, Bornu State appear to distract attention from the tussle between the electoral agency and the FRESH Democratic Party, over the latter’s de-registration. This has been the subject of many newspaper editorials in the last several weeks. The tussle centres on the refusal of INEC to recertify FRESH after the party got a court ruling that revalidated its deregistration by the election umpire. INEC’s many spurious claims in attempting to give backing to its continued anti-judgment stance are so flimsy, it begs for the injection of rational thinking to help us understand the ‘unspoken’ why’s involved. It is public knowledge that the commission on December, 6, 2013 invoked a section of the Electoral Act 2012 (as Amended) to delist parties that failed to win at least one legislative seat at either the state or National Assembly. A total of 28 parties including FRESH, were affected. Some parties dragged INEC to court to challenge its powers to deregister them and lost. Despite this setback, FRESH still went ahead to an Abuja Federal High Court 5 presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, who not only ruled against the order, but vacated the entire Electoral Act 2012 (as Amended) because it infringed upon the rights guaranteed by section 22 of the 1999 constitution. But that is as far as INEC would let it go, as this obviously will not deter the commission from its bid to usurp the legitimacy of the FRESH Party and other de-registered parties. ThisDay editorial of 8 April 2014 titled “INEC, FDP and the law” said: “The pertinent questions that arise are: what is INEC’s motivation for violating a subsisting court order to restore a political party to its former status? … Why must the electoral commission resort to self-help on the issue? …INEC will need to provide more compelling evidence to justify its present action… the current posturing by the electoral commission is inconsistent with its avowed duty to strengthen democracy and due process in the country”, while National Mirrors editorial of Wednesday March 26, 2014 titled ‘INEC and FRESH Democratic Party’ said “… this newspaper thinks there is a deliberate attempt on its part for mischief…”. After three previous failed attempts at democratic governance, coupled with the bitter memories of governmental impunity from both democratic and military governments in Nigeria, there can be no doubt in anybody’s mind that INEC’s contempt of court and confidence in its ‘untouchableness’ is rested on higher powers. It is absolutely impossible for the commission to sustain this, if the ‘oga’s-at-the-top’ do not have vested interest in this recidivism, or are not in agreement with the new bureaucratic obstacle INEC is placing before the Fresh Party and the other de-registered parties; the disobedience of a standing court order which it has not challenged in a higher court of law, despite INEC’s claim to the otherwise. Obviously, the lease of life and recognition which the emerging opposition is beginning to enjoy due to the failings of the ruling party, is an obvious precursor to full blown absorption into mainstream politics, which will by extension makes them truly fullfledged opposition parties who can upset the apple cart in the near future. The growing dissent and lack of faith in the ability and efficacy of the ruling party as vehicle for the expansion of the Nigerian dream, has engendered a growing army of politicians and electorate who are seeking new vehicles to fulfill their mandate. This is what FRESH and some of the de-registered parties offer, and government must stampede them out to forestall this possibility. ‘Decommissioning’ them, in the words of an editorial, became the only way to checkmate this drift, and who is better to do it than INEC? But unfortunately, His Lordship, the Honourable Justice Kolawole did not fall for the trick. By vacating the Electoral 2012 (as amended), and accepting FRESH party’s prayer that the Act offended Section 22 of the Constitution which guarantee freedom of association, the Justice threw a spanner in INEC’s de-registration wheel. This discomfiting path which INEC has chosen to tread brings vividly back to mind the modus operandi of the military juntas in stifling out what they considered to be political miscreants. This return to our ignominious past cannot produce any development, as neither Nigerians, government nor INEC will be the better for it in the long or short term. Nigerians are still battling to untangle ourselves from the painful shackles of authoritarianism which the military interregnums put us under. The three decades of ‘militarianism’, which left dark scars in the psyche of many of us seems to be rearing its head again. Government and its agencies deploy their machinery and force in enforcing submission, and as in this case with FRESH, even a court order cannot bring them to accept that things cannot always go their way. In today’s global village and international politics, more so when Nigeria’s un-flattering reputation precedes her, one thing we can be sure of is that the world is abreast of this rape of the rule of law. INEC’s hope that Fresh and the other de-registered parties will acquiesce and seek re-registration is certain to meet a brickwall, as fillers coming in show that the possibility of that is not an option as the de-registered parties are gathering for a long drawn battle. If INEC has chosen not to pursue an appeal of the verdict, opting rather to disrespect the court order, then it seeks to establish a precedent that could become a dark watershed in our political history, and another defining moment which posterity would hold on to in judging our generation. •Oligbo wrote from Abuja

  • Comment

    Comment

    For Olatunji Dare

    Dare, what pains me about most of our columnists is their penchant to harp on the negative side of every issue without suggesting the way out. Should conferences stop holding simply because the previous ones did not produce much results? Are economic indices not computed by the whites based on their preferred parameters? Was HIV in Africa before? Could it not have been exported to Africa by the same whites through their unusual sex habits? Who are the manufacturers of fake products, Africans? One would have expected you to provide solution to every problem you discussion in “Economic Summitry: Getting Back To Basics” rather than tread the negative terrain usual of our columnists on issues. Nothing is gained from spotted problems without offered solutions. As long as Africa’s economic advancement is tied to advanced countries, so would status quo remain. Preach that and see what next. From LAI ASHADELE

    Re-Economic summitry: Getting back to basics.  Economic, political, social or/and religious summits have nothing wrong with them only if the affected country and its leadership have been up and doing to his citizens before  hosting whatever summit! That, however, was/is not the case for African leaders aside Morocco, South Africa, Ghana and Senegal. And I do not know whether questions about what other country participants read about the host(s) are always asked especially regarding corruption, poverty, illegalities/illegitimacy, need for African honest oneness etc.  Quite unfortunate that Nigerian government now has one or two World Bank former workers who take delight in deceiving the government that there is any merit in Nigeria hosting a World (AFRICA) Economic Forum. From Lanre Oseni.

    I love your article, it has a meaning. Keep it up. From Chief Oloro, Ilupeju-Ekiti.

    Sir. Your article is special  to me. Good health to you. From Ayodeji Ado-Ekiti.

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    Re; The Power of Protests. Funny Tunji. Were you aware that the state government and the commissioner for education failed to act on the letter from the Minister of Education for relocation of WASCE candidates to Maiduguri or safer places? The first time a man from the minority is leading the country and the Yoruba press cannot give him a breathing space, the reason being that Jonathan is not Fashola of Lagos State. We expect more of this from you people … Well done. Pastor Vincent Chiagoro, Enugu.

    Although I hate Jonathan’s government, the removal of oil subsidy is long overdue, my brother! You journalists should not play politics with fuel subsidy matter at all. Anonymous.

    The protests are good; we should continue the exercise against bad governance. Also, it is a welcome move for foreign nations to indicate interest in rescuing those girls abducted from the hands of Boko Haram sect. Our security agents should cooperate with the foreign countries to get result in the country. It is for our good to have peace in Nigeria; so, all hands must be on deck to find a lasting solution to insecurity and other social vices plaguing our country because investors do not like to invest in places where security cannot be guaranteed. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

    Dear Tunji, today, Nigeria is a country of lions being led by a sheep while Boko Haram consists of a few sheep led by a lion. From Reuben O., Port Harcourt.

    Re: The power of protests. There are two events so far that President Goodluck Jonathan would never take for granted when either he leaves or retains his presidency: Increasing fuel pump price by clandestinely removing subsidy and treating kidnappers of any type and terrorism, with kid gloves. However, there are many kitchen cabinet members who are more guilty than Jonathan. Such members think less by pretending to have come the second time to alleviate poverty! The others think only about giving out fund to prosecute elections. The kitchen cabinet I know of worldwide would have resolved the Chibok girls’ abduction before the intervention of the world powers. Accepting to help by the U.S. , U.K., France, etc., remains Nigeria’s fault of hardly rewarding  meritorious brains either militarily or, socially, politically and or economically. Sacrificing merit for mediocrity; this is the result. From Lanre Oseni.

    But how much is fuel sold in other Nigerian cities? Here, in Ogbomoso, it is N110/N115 per litre. What other subsidy are we talking about? From Simon Oladapo.

    Thanks, Tunji. I strongly believe we workers have no leader. Our elected leaders in NLC are politicians, and you know, nothing good can come from them. From Oloyede, Ondo.

  • Who’s behind INEC’s impunity?

    Who’s behind INEC’s impunity?

    What’s a big question only the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega could answer. Serious national issues like the tragic resurgence of Boko Haram terror strikes and their kidnapping of the young female students of a secondary school in Chibok, Bornu State appear to distract attention from the tussle between the electoral agency and the FRESH Democratic Party, over the latter’s de-registration. This has been the subject of many newspaper editorials in the last several weeks. The tussle centres on the refusal of INEC to recertify FRESH after the party got a court ruling that revalidated its deregistration by the election umpire. INEC’s many spurious claims in attempting to give backing to its continued anti-judgment stance are so flimsy, it begs for the injection of rational thinking to help us understand the ‘unspoken’ why’s involved. It is public knowledge that the commission on December, 6, 2013 invoked a section of the Electoral Act 2012 (as Amended) to delist parties that failed to win at least one legislative seat at either the state or National Assembly. A total of 28 parties including FRESH, were affected. Some parties dragged INEC to court to challenge its powers to deregister them and lost. Despite this setback, FRESH still went ahead to an Abuja Federal High Court 5 presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, who not only ruled against the order, but vacated the entire Electoral Act 2012 (as Amended) because it infringed upon the rights guaranteed by section 22 of the 1999 constitution. But that is as far as INEC would let it go, as this obviously will not deter the commission from its bid to usurp the legitimacy of the FRESH Party and other de-registered parties. ThisDay editorial of 8 April 2014 titled “INEC, FDP and the law” said: “The pertinent questions that arise are: what is INEC’s motivation for violating a subsisting court order to restore a political party to its former status? … Why must the electoral commission resort to self-help on the issue? …INEC will need to provide more compelling evidence to justify its present action… the current posturing by the electoral commission is inconsistent with its avowed duty to strengthen democracy and due process in the country”, while National Mirrors editorial of Wednesday March 26, 2014 titled ‘INEC and FRESH Democratic Party’ said “… this newspaper thinks there is a deliberate attempt on its part for mischief…”. After three previous failed attempts at democratic governance, coupled with the bitter memories of governmental impunity from both democratic and military governments in Nigeria, there can be no doubt in anybody’s mind that INEC’s contempt of court and confidence in its ‘untouchableness’ is rested on higher powers. It is absolutely impossible for the commission to sustain this, if the ‘oga’s-at-the-top’ do not have vested interest in this recidivism, or are not in agreement with the new bureaucratic obstacle INEC is placing before the Fresh Party and the other de-registered parties; the disobedience of a standing court order which it has not challenged in a higher court of law, despite INEC’s claim to the otherwise. Obviously, the lease of life and recognition which the emerging opposition is beginning to enjoy due to the failings of the ruling party, is an obvious precursor to full blown absorption into mainstream politics, which will by extension makes them truly fullfledged opposition parties who can upset the apple cart in the near future. The growing dissent and lack of faith in the ability and efficacy of the ruling party as vehicle for the expansion of the Nigerian dream, has engendered a growing army of politicians and electorate who are seeking new vehicles to fulfill their mandate. This is what FRESH and some of the de-registered parties offer, and government must stampede them out to forestall this possibility. ‘Decommissioning’ them, in the words of an editorial, became the only way to checkmate this drift, and who is better to do it than INEC? But unfortunately, His Lordship, the Honourable Justice Kolawole did not fall for the trick. By vacating the Electoral 2012 (as amended), and accepting FRESH party’s prayer that the Act offended Section 22 of the Constitution which guarantee freedom of association, the Justice threw a spanner in INEC’s de-registration wheel. This discomfiting path which INEC has chosen to tread brings vividly back to mind the modus operandi of the military juntas in stifling out what they considered to be political miscreants. This return to our ignominious past cannot produce any development, as neither Nigerians, government nor INEC will be the better for it in the long or short term. Nigerians are still battling to untangle ourselves from the painful shackles of authoritarianism which the military interregnums put us under. The three decades of ‘militarianism’, which left dark scars in the psyche of many of us seems to be rearing its head again. Government and its agencies deploy their machinery and force in enforcing submission, and as in this case with FRESH, even a court order cannot bring them to accept that things cannot always go their way. In today’s global village and international politics, more so when Nigeria’s un-flattering reputation precedes her, one thing we can be sure of is that the world is abreast of this rape of the rule of law. INEC’s hope that Fresh and the other de-registered parties will acquiesce and seek re-registration is certain to meet a brickwall, as fillers coming in show that the possibility of that is not an option as the de-registered parties are gathering for a long drawn battle. If INEC has chosen not to pursue an appeal of the verdict, opting rather to disrespect the court order, then it seeks to establish a precedent that could become a dark watershed in our political history, and another defining moment which posterity would hold on to in judging our generation. •Oligbo wrote from Abuja

  • Passage of Otedola: Nostalgic reflections from a political son

    Passage of Otedola: Nostalgic reflections from a political son

    Till eternity, a usual concern of any enterprising journalist, remains putting on his/her thinking cap, brainstorming on story ideas. Such was the lot of this writer while on the Features Desk of The Guardian Newspapers, Rutam House, Lagos, in 1986 when he ran into a roommate during his undergraduate days at the University of Ibadan. After the usual pleasantries with Olaitan Ogidan, who hails from Epe in Lagos State and is now the Chairman of Eredo Local Government in Lagos State ,we dovetailed into our career prospects, during which I told him one of my bit, was,fishing out newsmakers, who have impacted greatly in their society through quality contributions. Ogidan who was a proud ambassador of Lagos State in our university days because of the huge student’s bursary award, could not think of any other person beyond his locality, Epe, than Sir Michael Agbolade Otedola. But when he now advanced the reason to justify his choice, I immediately fell in love. Ogidan told me of a renowned medical practitioner who could have ended up as a fisherman in Epe but for the intervention of Sir Otedola, who around late 1970s began a scholarship scheme for indigent students. Sir Otedola was to be dragged into partisan politics by his people in Epe Local Government in Lagos State, whose lives he has touched in various ways apart from his scholarship scheme for indigent students. When former President Ibrahim Babangida later midwifed two political parties, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1990, Sir Otedola opted for the NRC. I had at that time moved over to the Political Desk of The Guardian as a Senior Correspondent and was shocked at his decision to join the NRC, because it was already a forgone conclusion in the politics of South-West that SDP will have a field day. When approached, Baba Otedola as he iwas fondly called said he was in politics to make a difference and firmly believe that his credentials will sell him to the public. In any case, he pointed out that his advent in politics was to offer to a larger society, the drive that made him to better the lot of over a thousand indigent students whom he had offered scholarships. He said he was not desperate and if he did not win the election, he will regard his campaign expenses as the extension of his scholarship scheme, as he owes no individual or a group, any financial indebtedness. To actualize his ambition, he set up a powerful political structure – Michael Otedola Campaign Organization (MOCO) and the slogan of MOCO was “that Lagos State may excel”. This structure traversed all the wards in Lagos State and campaigned vigorously, articulating the Manifesto of the NRC. Otedola also had a massive support of the Christians in Lagos State, as that was the first time a very serious candidate who is a christian was contesting for the governorship in Lagos State. Sir Otedola brought in a kaleidoscope of colours, exhibited the expertise of a printing magnate, utilizing colour posters. Balloons pumped with helium gas were hoisted all over Lagos, a demonstration that gave this campaign more attraction. His advanced age at that time was no barrier as he campaigned vigorously with the agility of a younger mind and he was quick to educate those capitalizing on his age as a deficit, that the government house is not a boxing ring where he required too much energy to survive but a place for an intelligent mind to perform. When the NRC primaries were conducted, Oetdola won convincingly and his then Co- contestant in NRC , Chief (Mrs) Oluremi Adikwu, like a good sportsperson accepted defeat and congratulated him. As fate will have it, the two political gladiators in the SDP at that time, Late Prof Femi Agbalajobi and Chief Dapo Sarunmi fought themselves to a standstill and Babangida’s administration had to disqualify them. Chief Yomi Edu later emerged the candidate for the SDP and the true meaning of Otedola (rift has become a source of blessing) was spelt out during the Governorship election in Lagos State on December 4, 1991. It was a delightful drama at nearly all the pooling booths as the majority of voters will queue behind the SDP House of Assembly candidate when the open ballot (option A4), votes are to be counted and like an enthusiastic crowd at a very charged football competition, will shift to queue for Sir Otedola of the NRC when votes for the governorship candidates were to be counted within the next 30 minutes. Sir Otedola’s emergence brought into Lagos State politics a unique dimension where the executive was led by one party and the opposing party was dominant in the legislature, a ratio of 20 SDP to 4 NRC. Within this short period, Sir Otedola was able to commence Jubilee Housing Scheme for mass housing of Lagosians and Jubilee Transport to ease transportation difficulties. Critics of Sir Otedola opined that he was slow and could not move Lagos at a very fast tempo expected of him. Sir Otedola did not take their criticism in bad faith, remarking that he has to exercise prudence in the way government fund is being spent, which necessitated a careful scrutiny of memo and prayers before approval . However, when he has finally got a very good grinding in government and was moving at the jet speed required of him, the military struck. Technocrats who were sent to Germany for training in a scientific approach to housing where thousands of housing units could be achieved in a record time and reasonably affordable prices, just came back from training for execution before the military intervention. If there was one Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of Sir Otedola, it was to ensure that he was not a kobo richer when leaving the government and he followed this principle religiously. When there was protest in Lagos State, organized by the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) to protest the annulment of the June 12, 1992 Presidential election, the military authorities asked him to call the people to order. Sir Otedola told the military that he had employed dialogue with Lagosians and had also counseled them on the need to avoid violence but cannot fold their hands if they were fighting injustice. To him, his exalted position as Governor of Lagos State meant nothing to him than the interest of his people and the need to ensure justice. A few days before the military took over, Sir Michael Otedola, myself and a then Director in the Ministry of Environment were having a three day stay in London, before proceeding to Shanghai in China for an international conference on Aquapolisis. A day to our departure, Baba Otedola asked me and the Director to proceed to Shanghai to represent him at the conference, joking that London is closer to Lagos than China in case anything happens. Three days later we heard on CNN that the military had taken over. When he returned to his hometown, Odoragusin, his spacious compound and modest house which had no major transformation than ordinary re-painting, could not contain the overwhelming crowd that held a carnival to receive him. His people rejoiced that he has come back alive with his integrity. The rousing reception accorded him was not unexpected as he was a man of the people who fully identified with the ordinary people. His wife, Lady Doja Otedola had through the Better Life for Rural Dwellers trained and empowered women in several trade and agriculture. A father of successful children and several grand-children, Sir Otedola, after partisan politics, did not forget to continue relating with his political associates, monitoring their progress. One of his sons, Mr Femi Otedola, a chip of the old bloc and one of the most successful and philanthropic Africans, has taken over his father’s scholarship scheme for indigent students and enlarged further the list of beneficiaries. I consider myself lucky to have come across this accomplished statesman, who till his translation from mortality to immortality on Monday, May 5, 2014 remained humble, caring generous in assisting people but prudent in his spending. Sir Otedola was 87 when he passed on to glory. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. •Ogunbambo was Otedola’s Chief Press Secretary when he was Governor of Lagos State.

  • Comment

    Comment

    For Olatunji Dare

    Fayemi’s performance would speak him for his second term despite the language of do or die affairs to intimidate him for the coming election. From Gordon Chika Nnorom 

    Mr Dare, I can see that you are an All Progressives Congress (APC) sympathiser. You can’t see anything bad in Fayemi’s government because you belong to them. Be it known to you that Fayose footprint is still in Ekiti. Try to be rational in your comment. Fayemi government has bad side too. From Femi, Ekiti.

    “Be the change that you wish to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi. I have made your every Tuesday “AT HOME ABROAD” my breakfast, today’s Ekiti= “The PDP’s morbid obsession” must be read by all Ekiti ketes in around world because to be forwarned is to be armed. I have been expecting Mr Vice-President to deny it and he hasn’t, so he really meant what he said. no wonder Mr Adesiyan Jelili was made the Minister of Police Affairs while another South Westerner was made Minister of State of the Ministry of Defence. Is it another Boko Haram in the making in Ekiti and Osun states? From Pastor Oyeniyi Ajibola,Ayedun Ekiti.

    To me as a Free-born of Ekiti State, bringing out  Ayo Fayose again by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is an embarasment and a big insult to any decent Ekiti man or woman. From Kayode Adu.

    Re-Ekiti: The PDP morbid obsession. Sir, being a Professor and an International Lecturer, I expected you to do a better analysis of Fayemi and Fayose. Perhaps Michael Opeyemi Bamidele and other gubernatorial candidates, their pros and cons rather than advertising the sitting governor for retention. We learnt intellectualism from you and your write-ups. You do not have to refer to a candidate as a ‘nonentity’ all in a way to drag him into mud. But who knows tomorrow? None. What will you write if he wins eventually? Rigging, already insinuated. There shouldn’t be foothold anywhere in today’s politics. That was the same page where all columnists promoted somebody in Ondo election of 20/10/2012 and ridiculed Mimiko’s achievement! Alas Mimiko won convincingly. Republicans win and Democrats win elsewhere at different times in U.S.A. Why regional-ethnic politics in 21st century. Peace for 21st June. From Lanre Oseni.

    A good article sir,it is time they start paying for their short comings. From Anonymous

    Dare, in Southwest political history, the Ekiti State bit is more tolerable than that of another where a Christian governorship aspirant from all indications had a visible chance of winning an election but was murdered in cold blood; a matter that has remained in the closet like that of an Attorney General of Federation of Southwest extraction. Politics, in Southwest after the political fathers’ pre-Independence period has lost decorum so much that service to the people, which is the true grain of political leadership, has been relegated to the background in exchange for self service. In some states, taxes are collected publicly by selected “boys” of the “masters”; without accountability to the state. Candidacy to even Senate Chamber, in some cases, was zoned unchallenged to the “master’s” wife. So, why limit blames to Ekiti? What of judicial compilicity in installing governors? Dare, we need God’s intervention.  From Lai Ashadele.  

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

    I went through the article,’The road to Sambisa’ with a painful heart. The poor is always treated with contempt and disdain. God will arise to the rescue of the poor children. Those rented ‘mothers’, dressed in gifted robes were looking for food for their poor and helpless children. They are not sincere. A heartless and shameful outing. From Ubong Andy, Akwa Ibom.

    Thank you for keeping alive the abduction of the girls seeking to be educated. But we seem to have forgotten so soon those who died seeking to be employed. The organisers of the interview have smiled to the bank while thier sponsors are in thier offices. Can this happen in South Korea? From Anonymous

    The president himself created insecurity for himself all over Nigeria. He does give a damn, he pitches people agaist themselves. He plays politics of vengeance. A leader who does not consider the interest of his country first is always having problem.  The president felt unconcerned and went to Kano dancing while mothers were in the Sambisa forest searching for their abducted chilldren. President Jonathan caused problem for himself, he should face it. From Hamza Ozi Momoh Apapa Lagos.

    I read your editorial of May 1st. Nigeria has survived and shall continue to survive all man made imposibilities on the Federal Governement and President Goodluck Jonathan! Because God’s hand is on the land the truth shall prevail at the end of the storm. The governor of Borno State owes a lot of explaination to the nation,likewise the principal of that school in Chibok. Its indeed a show of shame by the Borno women chasing shadows in Abuja instead of Borno and Kaduna headquarterts of the North! Or to the Sultanate where Islam is watching over the perpetrators of inhumanity to man in the name of Islamic religion.From Anonymous

    If it is true there was a rally in support of the President’s run in 2015, the show should be called worse than shame. The organisers are criminals and may be part of the Soka Ibadan criminals. Infact, the President if he has human feelings, should sack all his lieutenants singing his praises if any at the wrong times. From Foluso

    When nothing tangible is happening, shameful things happen, its just a matter of time.From Anonymous

    Sir, you are right. It is a show of shame, we should rescue the girls before  campaign and if government  fails then they should all quit . From Anonymous

    .Sir, If this country continues like this there will be war very soon.BOKO Haram is mixed up with retired members of armed forces of which the contry has been relegated. The cry of people who fought for this nation’s civil war and now neglected has caused a great harm untill those people are properly catered for war is on the way. The prayers of dead soldiers wives and their childrens will not let this country be in peace. From Anonymous

    “Re- Show of Shame in Abuja’’ Going by the attire worn by these women rallying for Jonathan it shows they are from the southern part of the country. Do they think Jonathan will retain the presidency with votes just from the southern part of the country ? I am not surprised anyway for the President himself behaves like the president of the Ijaws and not as the president of the entire nation. God bless Nigeria. From Anonymous

    Good day, your comment on editorial notebook today speaks my mind. Let us keep up the campaign  for the release of our daughters. May God save us from this inept government. From Leke, Minna

    Dear Gbenga, The road to Sambisa: It is with sadness, I comment on the  fate of missing Chibok school girls. I pray that God will touch the hearts of their abductors, and make dem release these innocent girls. Their situation reminds me of the days of Biafra, where the conquering Nigerian soldiers ‘captured’ innocent Ibo (Biafran) girls, and converted them, as their spoils of war and  wives, with no payment of dowry or consent of parents. No person in Nigeria, the government of the day, military command, not even the vociferous Human/Civil Rights and International community condemned the irreprehensible act. Today, 2014 Nigeria,  Boko Haram has re-enacted d same scenario. Lesson and moral story: what goes around, comes around, and those who fail to learn from history, repeat history!. Thanks. From Chukwuma Dioka. Owerri, Imo State.

    Sir, show of shame is gross under statement. It is the height of insensitivity, the organisers and participants are heartless, clearly the women amongst them are not mothers and will never be mothers, they are heartless. I feel so pained just like the President. My feelings have nothing to do with whether I like Mr. President or not. How much could they have been given to kill their sensibilities? What a time? Iweep for Nigeria. From Timi Owei

    The President Goodluck Jonathan campaigners are not just insensitive but God less and irresponsible. What it potends is that they don’t have respect for human life. I wish the abducted  girls were children of our lawmakers,appropriate action would have been taken to free them. From Anonymous

    I am so grieved  about those  “mothers“ who are  NOT mourning with those of us in grief.Are these ones mothers ,sisters or Aunts? Greedy and shameless people ! Also, unwise males joined them in the show of shame in Abuja. From Solomon.

    The greatest shameless thing that can be displayed by our leaders after all the innocent blood shed is for President Goodluck Jonathan to contest re-election in 2015. From Comrade Ibrahim

    Sir, come to think of it, since Boko Haram hits and run out through the border to neighbouring countries it is easy to get the countries to cooperate. The answer is close our borders while the search last. I do business with one of our neighbouring countries but for the 200 girls I will close my business. Thanks. From Anonymous

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    Dear Tunji, your opinion today (Sunday) was very apt. It was ex-President Shehu Shagari who told the opposition parties of his time that ‘if you can’t beat us, join us’. I think for so long, organised Labour had complained about bad governance to no avail. I think that they have decided to heed Shagari’s call and joined “Any Government in Power (AGIP)! Thanks. From Chukwuma Dioka, Owerri, Imo State. 

    It is a pity that Nigerians have become slaves in their fatherland. Our leaders cannot speak boldly again because the ghost of their deeds is haunting them. The leadership of the NLC has become weak and redundant. It cannot fight for the masses again, but itself. They deceived us during the fuel subsidy. There are no convincing words coming out of the labour leaders; instead, they were showing us where they stood with the president. Emulate the comrade governor and stop … From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

    He once told us that corruption is not Nigeria’s major problem. Now, he has said that poverty is not the country’s major challenge. I think Mr. Jonathan is right. Or, how could anyone fault him? On this, knowing quite well how he went to school bare-footed and suddenly found himself in a position where he could squander money? Did he not tell Nigerians in Kano how he doled out cash to get the presidency in 2011? How can a man under whose watch government officials keep stealing billions and moving freely, with the law appearing incapacitated know what poverty is all about? As far as I am concerned, Jonathan’s administration is one of the tragedies that have befallen Nigeria. This is why all lovers of democracy and good governance should ensure that it is banished from Aso Rock in 2015. From Ifeanyi O. Ifeanyichukwu, Abuja.

    The charge of docility against the present crop of Labour leaders ties with the insinuation that some Labour leaders of the recent past owe much of their personal wealth and political ascendancy to the exploitation of their positions while in office. While seemingly fighting fir the masses, some of these so-called activists are believed to have negotiated some underhand deals with government officials . Some are perceived as beneficiaries of the sleazy oil sector. Thankfully the inimitable comrade governor is still alive with some of his close associates to clear the air on what basically the perception of progressive corruption in the ranks of Labour leaders. From Kuteyi R.R., Ondo.

    It is very painful that the present NLC/TUC leadership are ‘sidon look’. Many things are going wrong and they are doing nothing; it is very unfortunate. They don’t have a fighting spirit against the backdrop of Nigerian workers’ welfare. They should have emulated the past leaders in terms of doggedness in fighting for workers’ wellbeing. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

    Someone once observed that a staff of authority in a wise man’s hand is nothing more than a wood in the hand of a fool. No organisation can rise beyond the quality of its leadership. Labour has gone the way of everything Nigerian; standards have simply collapsed!. From Simon Oladapo, Ogbomoso.

    After reading your recent write-up about we Nigerians celebrating the outstanding growth of our economy, I felt so sad that due to politics and some other issues that relate to insecurity, such huge achievement like this seems to be under-reported, maybe especially by well-meaning Nigerians who have not given up, believing the caucus of ‘nothing good can come from Nigeria. In fact, I am surprised and glad reading your column instead of glancing through it. Maybe they are blind, except when there is casualty done by insurgents. From Styl-cef Ussr.  

  • Int’l workers day and it’s Import for all

    Int’l workers day and it’s Import for all

    ‘If you think by hanging us you can stamp out the Labour Movement the movement from which the down-trodden millions the millions who toil in want and misery, expect salvation. If this is your opinion, then hang us, Here you will tread upon a spark, but here and there, behind you and in front of you, and everywhere, flames blaze up. It is a subterranean fire that you cannot put out with all the seeming invincible powers at your disposal’.- Augustus Spiof, leader of the Labour Movement charged for the killing of policemen at Hay Market protest and one of four convicted for murder and hung…

    As workers all over the world celebrate international workers’ day for this year, there could be no time more auspicious for us to reminisce and reflect on how we have fared so far in the historic social struggle for those who produce the wealth of nations and individual capitalist to also have a clear voice in how the sharing of the pudding goes. This necessarily reminds us of Karl Max declaration of ‘generational struggle of classes, whereby one class tends to dominate and juxtapose itself with another class. It is also a stark reminder of the working class consciousness of the class nature in production, distribution and domestication of wealth amongst wealthy nations and individuals. This awareness clearly strikes at the very chord of labour solidarity and why a veritable trade union organization must not only symbolize its bias for proletariat class struggle but must at all times reflect its ideology of socialist’ restructuring of society and its means of economic production.

    In appreciating the intrinsic dynamics, we trace the advent of organized labour movement to the efforts of certain workers in Canada and United States of America (USA) who held peaceful strikes and rallies to demand an eight hour work day and other improvements in their working conditions. Barely two days after commencement of the rallies. Chicago Police killed several demonstrators at a clash between workers and scabs hired by the capital owners against the protesting workers in that city. A rally that was subsequently held in Hay Market square to protest the killing was forcibly interrupted by the police, a bomb was thrown and several policemen were killed while dozens in the crowd were injured.

    It is instructive that though none of the eight Labour leaders arraigned after the unfortunate Hay market incident threw bombs, the eight leaders of the Chicago workers’ movement were convicted of culpable homicide and while four were to be hanged, one died In prison custody while three were given life imprisonment, but were later amnestied and given freedom. It was in commemoration of these gallant leaders of the first notable organized labour movement and struggle of all workers for better conditions in history, that May 1 was declared an eight-hour holiday in 1889, by the International Workers’ Congress in Paris. May 1 is also celebrated as the traditional European Spring holiday of May Day, thus making it a national public holiday in more than 80 countries, but only in some of those countries is the public holiday officially known as Labour Day or some similar variant. In the other countries, the public holiday marks the spring festival of May Day.

    By laterally adopting the first Monday of September of every year as Workers’ Day, the gamut of bourgeoisie and entire ruling class in America tried to downplay the event of Hay market and thus in 1894, it was established as a federal holiday by US President Grover Cleveland to support the Labour Day that the Knights and American Cowboys favoured. And in 1955, the Catholic Church dedicated May 1 to Saint Joseph, the worker Saint, who for the Church, is the patron Saint of workers and craftsmen, thus underlining the symbiosis between society, the church and the state (government and its apparatus).

    Just as May 1 was chosen as the date for International Workers’ Day by the Socialists and Communists of the Second International to commemorate the Hay market affair in Chicago that occurred on May 4, 1886, the date was first declared by the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) Government of Kano State in 1980 under Governor Balarabe Musa and became a national holiday in Nigeria on May 1, 1981.

    This year, the theme for the International Workers’ Day has been tagged, ‘All People Matter’ to underscore the commonality in our humanity while Joint Action Front, a coalition between Civil Society and Labour in Nigeria has declared it a national Day of protest against commercialization of Education in Lagos State and elsewhere in Nigeria where education is being priced out of the reach of the ordinary Nigerians whom the governments still find it difficult to pay eighteen thousand minimum wage and a declaration against kidnapping of girl-child by insurgents and government’s lackadaisical approach to many national concerns.
    The role of organised labour in the emergence of Nigeria as a Nation-state cannot be over emphasised, from the days of the railway workers under Pa Imoudu. In contemporary Nigeria history cum democracy, the names of Comrades Frank Kokori, Ayodele Akele, Comrade (Senator) Uche Chukwumeraje , Senator Femi Kila, Venerable Folorunso Oginni, Babatunde Ogun, Adegboyega Otunuga, Sowore and Malcolm Fabiyi of NANS to mention but a few.

    However today, inspite of the multifacet sacrifices to enthrone a “government of the people, for the people and by the people’, – Democracy, leaders of organised labour are being held to a large extent responsible for the arrested development the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Thabo Mbeki a former president of South Africa was widely quoted.

    As workers, first and foremost, and as members of the international solidarity of Labour Movement, the occasion calls for serious reflection on our struggles to make ends’ meet and evolve a workable Model for nation building. This would require a collective resolve to discard our opportunistic past by appreciating the fact of the class struggle that necessitated the May Day in the first instance, This, without doubt, is a struggle for survival and betterment of the Working class, the same class that not only produces the wealth, but serves as a major pedestal for building the Empire the Capitalists call their nation and their own world. It is only a revival of this consciousness that could lead to a responsible Labour leadership that refuses to trade the workers’ workplace interest and cognate collective interest away.

    This becomes vital when viewed against the backdrop of dangers and deficiencies suffered by an average Nigerian worker in an environment devoid of social security arrangement, lack of basic social infrastructure and responsible leadership that accounts for performance as a correlation between the national economy and people’s real living standard. Only within this mix shall we justify the optimismfor the triumph of labour over capital as expressed by the about-to-be-hanged Labour leader cited at the start of this piece.

    Gambo is the PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER of PENGASSAN
     

     

     

  • Comment

    Comment

    For Olatunji Dare

    Sir, your piece on What is boko haram? Today makes my day! I had ruminated in my mind severally what we can call this Boko Haram It started like a child‘s play when a group of well grounded lslamic faithful asked anyone (in the North ,in their town) who was a true muslim to surrender their Western-education certificate(s) for tear. As a scholar and a one time muslim l was suprised to my thigh. From Anonymous

    Sir, your article in The Nation news paper of Tuesday, April 22, was well thought out. The issues contained therein were so germane for every sane person to articulate. It was thought provoking and quite in consonnance with the character of the President Jonathan’s led Federal government. How on earth could a president who has sworn to protect the lives and properties of the citizenry would not show any consciousness to the plight of his people when an incident like the one in Nyanya befalls his state and would not deem it fit to put off a PDP unity rally in Kano, only to get there and join issues with Governor Kwankwaso just because he has told him it was improper to go ahead with the rally. From Anonymous

    Mr. Dare, Happy Easter. I think you need to ask President Jonathan what the present Boko Haram is and ask former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff what the pioneer Boko Haram was. These two gentlemen can give you clear answer If you press hard. Or if it is difficult to meet either the easiest person to ask is the Director General State Security Service. From Senator Zannah

    Sir, if you can do a little research, I read an interview granted by Balarabe Musa sometime in 2012 on Boko Haram and other views of Abubakar Umar. Both of them gave semblance definition of Boko Haram. From Anonymous

    What is Boko Haram? Dare, leave President Jonathan alone, can’t you as a journalist investigate who are behind the Boko Haram and publish their names? Is Borno, Yobe and Adamawa the only states in Nigeria? Now that Fulani herdsmen have started, is it the President who sent them. The Federal government asks Boko Haram to come out for talk they refused, what will president do?”A child who does not want his parent to sleep he too will not sleep” From Anonymous

    Thanks for your writeup today sir. To say the least, its now seems questionable whether President Jonathan truly got a PhD because most of his actions lack the integrity of true academic scrutiny. And that calls to question too, the subminimal performance of most academics that have graced public space. Professor Attahiru Jega is towing same line. I suggest you do a peer review of your brothers in public office for the sake of your class. Thank you. From Engr. Bode Enikuomehin, Ibadan,Nigeria.

    Sir, I just want to appeal to you to stop referring to Boko Haram as Islamist because they are not Muslims and have nothing to do with Islam. From Hamza.

    Sir, If President Jonathan had cancelled the trip to those places, the opposition could’ve been quick to conclude that he is a cowardly President. To me Boko Haram will go with time nothing is permanent except change. From Chikwelu, Abuja

    Mr President can’t do more than what he’s doing presently even if he’s given ticket to rule for life, instead Nigerians will continue to see the worst. He should step aside. Period! From Anonymous

    Dare, why are some of you columnists pretentious on Boko Haram’s beastly acts, its source and reasons behind its founding by heartless politicians; a great number of them in a political party you have your sympathy with? Is Nigeria the only country where terrorists are operating? Is Syria not worse off and has Assad stopped attending to governance of the country in spite of his merciless killing of Syrians? So because sponsored beasts invaded Nyanya, President Jonathan should engage in theatricals by cancelling official engagements and mourning the dead in pretence? Did Lagos State governor visit the site or close shop when there were serial boat mishaps with many dead? Must life stop because of mishaps that cannot be undone? There were pictorials of President Jonathan visiting Nyanya survivors in hospital. See The Sun newspaper. April 21 2014 back page. The Nation did not cover it possibly to justify your criticisms. Why? From LAI ASHADELE

    Re-What is Boko-Haram? Boko Haram is a club that has survived and is surviving as a result of politicians and political disunity as a result of envy. Now that they are uniting to combat it, it is looking a bit late. From Lanre Oseni.

    ‘What is Boko Haram?’ is a question begging for answer. They killed Muslims who do not support their irrational mission. The issue of President Jonathan is just like the parable of a king made a slave, and of a slave made a king.Needless to say more. From Yinka, Oshodi, Lagos

    Sir, you should have included Olatunji Dare in your roll call of persons to be used as parameters to rebase Nigerian image. How many people in this geographical expresion have head enough to understand you? You are talking to the DEAF, but dont be discouraged. From Anonymous

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    Tunji Adegboyega, God bless you for your treatise on page 13 of The Nation on Sunday of April 27 titled: ‘A tale of two empathisers’. You’ve made today (Sunday) a great one for me. Anonymous .

    You see, an uncle of mine came back from Mubi, a town in Adamawa via Borno . He told us how travelling in the north-east states (especially those under emergency rule) are not the best of places to visit. After he had regaled us with stories of how a journey that should not take more than three hours stretched beyond 16 hours, with all manner of security checkpoints, one naturally wondered how come 234 school children could still be abducted without the security agents being aware. Obviously some people are exploiting the situation. Jonathan lacks a proper understanding of the demands of the office he occupies; that is why less than 24 hours after that national tragedy, he saw nothing wrong in having a nice time with his friends in Kano. Come to think of it, it was broadcast on national television. From Simon Oladapo, Ogbomoso.

    I am not at a loss like our leaders whom we failed to scrutinise and now we are worried. Jonathan’s presidency remains what is called “an intolerable and clumsy presence of accidental power – power got suddenly, got by chance and got anyhow, or call it NEPA (National Embarrassment and Public Annoyance). Redemption or succour can’t be achieved except we want to deceive ourselves. From Akin Malaolu.

    The question I ask is, even if the Nyanya bomb blast was detonated by those who want to make Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan as some lazy people usually say whenever anyone asks why Mr. President is displaying embarrassing ignorance in showing credible leadership, shouldn’t he have shown respect to the people who died at that unfortunate incident? Did Nigerians vote for Jonathan to be playing politics ceaselessly or to solve the problems that are giving them sleepless nights? What is Mr. President truly up to? His excitement in Kano is pregnant with so much meanings; only time will. From Ifeanyi o. Ifeanyichukwu, Abuja.

    Re: A tale of two empathisers. What you failed to know is that power has grade levels. From local governments to state houses and then to Aso Rock: the higher the power, the lower their pity-level. At Aso rock, there are too many Nigerian and international things to attend to and fulfil, hence Nyanya or 234 students’ abduction would be simultaneously handled with rallies! After all, why must the opposition be threatening the sitting power? At all cost. Mr. President must run Usain Bolt’s race to retain his seat. Clearly not minding this worldly affair, a head must be merciful, have humane touch and do the right thing that shows passion. In spite of all odds, Governor Shettima spoke and showed humaneness on the matter. From Lanre Oseni.

    Thanks my brother for your April 27 writing; very emotional. From Valentine Ojo, Abuja.

    One only hopes the merciless people in government read your article. May God almighty uproot them all in 2015 general elections. From Segun Odeyemi, Ibadan.

    Insurgency is a serious issue that all hands must be on deck to find a solution to instead of the war of words over the sect’s activities. It has become a national embarrassment and is uncalled-for. The security agencies should not leave any stone unturned in combing the forest to rescue the students. No one knows the condition of those girls now; only God can come to their rescue. The sect’s activities should be seen as a national crisis. From Chika Nnorom.

    Dear Tunji, I can only continue to admire and appreciate you for essays every Sunday. “After the marathon fasting” (April 20, 2014) hit the nail on the head …

    Tunji, please ask Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor to declare one week of fasting for all Nigerians over the emergence of satanic Boko Haram in Nigeria. All should wear black for one week and pray to God thrice a day. He should forget about denominations or religion or Yoruba prejudice over Jonathan, but call on all believers in God Almighty; then he will see the hand of God raised to help this nation. From AEE, Uyo, AKS.

    Dear Tunji, I am one of your ardent fans, because most of your comment are synonymous with me. The comment of April 20was very apt and I want you to please let our beloved church leaders know the consequence of keeping silent in the face of the present misrule of the PDP because if the nation burns, there won’t be members again to give tithes and offerings. From Ik