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  • GEJ vs. SLS!

    GEJ vs. SLS!

    By now, Nigerians must be sufficiently alarmed at latest turn in events over the ‘missing’ $49 billion. By this, I do not mean the frenetic pace of book reconciliation said to have brought the figure to $10.8 billion, or even the more shocking attempt by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to pass off the $10.8 billion as routine “expenses”. Rather, I am talking of the reported altercation between President Goodluck Jonathan and the rambunctious Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

    The story is that the President ordered – on phone – the CBN governor to hand in his letter of resignation. The latter, who had all along indicated his intention to proceed on his terminal leave effective March, had, according to the reports yet to be denied by the authorities, pointedly told the President that he would not be stampeded out of office. As if to give flesh to the story, the CBN governor would later be reported as convoking a ‘family meeting’ where he told his staff that he would now be staying put until the very last day of his term – in June!

    Understandably, opinions would remain divided over the question of whether Sanusi’s continuing stay in the office was still tenable in the aftermath of the finding by the reconciliation team that the ‘missing’ money was nowhere the $49 billion claimed in Sanusi’s September letter. Now, I have also heard that the letter was actually leaked to embarrass the President. The argument of course continues to go forth and backwards on the propriety of the government banker ‘squealing’ on the same government.

    Let me state that these are unusual times. It requires extraordinary times for the government’s top banker to write to the President alleging a whopping discrepancy of nearly $50 billion in the nation’s finances without the benefit of a formal acknowledgement of the latter for nearly the whole of three months. And more extraordinarily – we have since found out that the top banker didn’t even get his sums right before putting pen to paper on a subject that should ordinarily be within his remit!

    More intriguingly, now that the letter marked – KIV by the President– has now become the hot potato in street corners, the President appears to have resolved to kick the butt of the inveterate squealer – as against those of the outrageously inept, figure-juggling gate-keepers in the NNPC!

    No doubt, there is a tribe out there who would swear that Sanusi was disrespectful to the person and the office of the President. To this tribe, I guess it’s no use seeking to persuade them – or anyone for that matter – to be sober in their appraisal of the situation; not now after what is perceived to be Sanusi’s latest insolence against the person of the President. I guess its part of the notion of the Nigerian Presidency as the most powerful one on the face of the earth – something I describe as the Kabiyesi syndrome. It sums up to the notion of an all-knowing, unchallengeable institution, an illusion that continues to be sold and bought by many Nigerians.

    In this, I was drawn to re-read the typically illuminating piece by my brother and colleague, Segun Ayobolu with the title Transformational Power of the Nigerian presidency published December 28 last year. Although the subject was on the potentially transformative power of the office when properly deployed; he drew clear examples from the nation’s recent experience to illustrate how it has often been deployed more like a force for evil – rather than good. Today, when Nigerians talk about the power of the number one office, they hardly ever do so in the sense of the intendments of the constitution but in the context of wilting institutions or what is now the penchant by the incumbent to press state institutions in the service of ignoble causes. Yet, it is to the credit of the framers of the nation’s constitution that they actually inserted enough safeguards to guard against arbitrary use of power and to ensure that actors play by the rules.

    Much as the President’s ego may have been ruffled by the Sanusi indiscretion, he and his advisers ought to know that he cannot remove the CBN governor by executive fiat. I don’t think there is any dispute as to where the ultimate power resides. The CBN Act is explicit enough. Section 11(2)9F): “A person shall not remain a Governor, Deputy Governor or Director of the Bank if he is removed by the President – provided that the removal of the Governor shall be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed”.

    Now, the danger of the misadventure of the past week is that the aura and authority of the office may have been damaged irreparably. More worrisome is that the two outsized egos would not give up until one side is thoroughly vanquished. And just when you begin to wonder what the whole fuss is about, you are reminded that it is not about getting people to account for the $10.8 billion which the creative fellows in the NNPC insist we pass to their imprest account, or the needed overhaul of the shambolic public finance system under which a corporation does as it pleases with the commonwealth.

    No; it’s as simple as GEJ vs. SLS!

    Where do we go from here? If you ask me, I’ll just say that the President blew the chance big time. Sanusi’s suspension – an extra-constitutional step by the way – may please the presidency’s hounds so ready to draw blood. May we also remind them there is something described as the rule of unanticipated behaviour in power relations? How about stoking a fire you can never accurately predict the extent of its conflagration?

    Have I canonised Saint Sanusi? Far from it. If you ask me, I think the whole thing smacks of disorderly conduct on his part. Why would the man not disappear after the extravagant goof if not for the mortal sin of impudence? So, he does not want to be disgraced from office? Since when did hubris become a badge of honour? And where is honour here: staying put when you are clearly unwanted? Since when did Sanusi begin to worry about his legacy of double standards? Is it now that his hypocritical posturing is being laid bare as his exit nears?

  • Comments

    Comments

    For Olatunji Dare

     

    Without doubt, former President Obasanjo and his political son, the incumbent President Dr. Jonathan have foibles of which no quarantine could purify them. That apart, there is so much that is bad about the best of both men and so much that is good about the worst of them that it does not behove one of them to criticise the other. May God give Nigeria leaders with good morals soonest. From Adegoke O. O., Ikhin, Edo State

    Dare, Obasanjo’s letter should not be used to divert the truth. I think what Obasanjo is calling for is the abrogation of the land use decree which gave him half of Ogun State lands on a platter of gold. If he calls for adjudication on corruption let us start from there and corruption will leave Nigerian shores. Thanks! Anonymous

    Dare, one gets peeved to read about an elder politician ‘railroading’ his ‘boys’ to presidency as claimed in “December 2013: A month in missives” with Obasanjo on Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Jonathan. What does such an act make of Nigerians and the electoral process than a pack of fools electorally supervised by corrupt and inept bodies? And yet the media knew Nigerians’ votes were in Obasanjo’s personal choice, competent or otherwise, but chose to lump into the ‘fools’ pack instead of protesting against such electoral malady. And what has the scrutiny of passports at the airport got to do with OBJ’s claim that Jonathan has a watch list? That is too cheap a proof. Jonathan’s response to Obasanjo’s letter was cautious and deserves commendation and not condemnation. Sanusi Lamido’s issue is most nauseating; considering his egoistic demeanour. And Iyabo Obasanjo’s case remains blurred from truth. From Lai Ashadele

     

    For Segun Gbadegesin

     

    Some of the issues you raised in your write-up “The centennial of greed” are the issues that would have been discussed immediately after the civil war but the elders lacked the foresight. From Ogo, Delta State

    I just finished reading your essay titled “The centennial of greed”. You said it pointblank. Thank you. Anonymous

    Segun, really interesting, your “The centinnial of greed (1)”. The only problem is that you seem to have left a truly critical question. What do you think caused the civil war? Until the rest of the Nigerians wake up to this aboriginal conspiracy by Lugard and his northern cohorts to dispossess the south, and address the issue with candor and fortitude, l am afraid we may spend another centennial running around in circles. From Marizu Ogbuehi

    Great write-up on “The centennial of greed”. Britain destroyed us from the start and religion is helping to sustain that destruction. From Archibong, Calabar

    Re: The centennial of greed. Greed did not come to Nigeria with the arrival of Lord Lugard, it was an attempt to civilize us and give us a near modern governance. In the process, southern protectorate proved to be civilized and got less. North cooperated and got big. We tasted governance and began the struggle to share the headship of number one. Our not valuing the centennial celebration lies in the same number one. Remove corruption today and Nigeria will appreciate centennial celebration. In that respect, I bow to late Gani Fawehinmi and Papa Jakande. The present crops are ‘jeunjeun’. From Lanre Oseni

    Your article will be of great importance if all Nigerians will have access to it. But the problem I see is that, hatred has been planted in the heart of every individual right from birth by our forfathers, even among different groups, ethnics, religions, e.t.c. From Bamaiyi T. Kaduna

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    Re: ‘Missing link on Okoh’s homily’. Your comment shows how narrow you can be in your write-ups. Why do you comment on areas that you lack knowledge? You don’t know anything about salvation. Prosperity was a blessing to Adam. He lost it to Satan. It was reclaimed in salvation. Tunji, you will win our minds when you write on matters that bring peace, that encourage it; certainly not on things that take peace away and put this country on fire. There is room for improvement. Anonymous.

    The Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh should be criticised for the unbalanced ‘sermon’. It is a confirmation that we are in an age of blandness, of superficiality, of submerged vigour and of atomized thought. Today, many worshippers’ relationship to public morality has diminished to a vanishing point. May God touch the hearts of our leaders for a positive change in due course. Anonymous.

    Thanks, Tunji, some of our religious leaders have turned their churches to political platforms for the President. Anonymous.

    My understanding of your Sunday write-up is that peace without justice is peace of the graveyard. In some churches, the front pews are reserved for the rich and powerful. They don’t speak truth to the front pews. So, Okoh’s incomplete sermon is not surprising to me. More grease to your elbows for your Solomonic writings on Sundays. Anonymous.

    Your article on January, 5 was super, articulate and direct to the issue at stake. You made my day with your write-ups a la carte. You went beyond religious bigotry. From Comrade Rufus Olusesan, Lagos.

    Thanks for telling it as it is to the Rt Revd. Okoh, the head of the Anglican Church in Nigeria, “Missing link in Okoh’s homily”. I won’t forget his extremely provocative, myopic, undemocratic call for the proscription of ASUU during the varsity teachers’ strike … From Gab A. Uche, Umuahia.

    Tunji, well-done. You have said it all. Anonymous.

    Dear Tunji, to preach only what pleases our leaders is a sign that our emancipation remains a mirage. Without fear or favour, I want all the churches to stand by the truth, just as the Catholic Church stood boldly against evils like gay or same sex marriage, abortion, paedophile and inordinate lifestyles of some men of God amid the prevailing hunger, abject poverty and penury in the land. Our religious leaders have the capacity to help reverse the nation’s seemingly gloomy future at the pulpits. From Collins Obodo, Kubwa, Abuja.

    I feel you; most of our men of God shy from telling our leaders their wrongdoings in government because of what they will get from the politicians. The funniest thing with them is that they see politicians who rigged elections and engage in other vices and would grant them space for thanksgiving in their churches. What a country! From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

  • A ‘Marshall Plan’ for Africa’s employment challenge

    Unemployment, independent of any other factor, threatens to derail the economic promise that Africa deserves. It’s a time bomb with no geographical boundaries: Economists expect Africa to create 54 million new jobs by 2020, but 122 million Africans will enter the labor force during that time frame. Adding to this shortfall are tens of millions currently unemployed or underemployed, making the human and economic consequences nearly too large to imagine.

    Thus, even with the strong economic growth we have seen over the past decade, job creation in Africa remains much too slow. Africa needs a comprehensive, coordinated approach akin to America’s “Marshall Plan” in Europe after World War Two. That effort focused on building infrastructure, modernizing the business sector, and improving trade. By the end of the four-year programme, Europe surpassed its pre-war economic output.

    We can, and must, do the same for Africa. Entrepreneurs, politicians, philanthropic foundations, and development organizations — such as the World Bank, International Finance Corporation and USAID — must all work together to solve the unemployment crisis and make Africa an engine of growth. If we are outrun by the employment challenge, Africa will be a drag on global growth and resources for generations to come.

    Africa’s Marshall Plan should prioritize three interdependent “pillars” of development, which all work together to form a virtuous cycle of growth: policy reform and a commitment to the rule of law; investment in infrastructure, and a commitment to developing Africa’s manufacturing and processing industries. This virtuous cycle forms the heart of Africapitalism: the public, private, and development sectors all coming together, united in a single objective of creating jobs and social wealth.

    First, we need enlightened government policies that help reduce administrative and operating costs for investors and businesses. We must streamline licensing and permitting processes, reduce import duties and tariffs and ease visa restrictions, among other reforms. Such policies would do much to attract investment, increase entrepreneurship and ultimately generate jobs.

    Enlightened government policy in Kenya and Nigeria has already helped to advance the information technology and financial services sectors. Microsoft’s pilot project to expand broadband access in Africa depends on government policy that frees up unused “white space” in the TV and radio broadcast spectrum. Financial services reform across several African nations, starting with Nigeria, enabled United Bank for Africa to grow into a pan-African financial institution. The government’s privatization programme has attracted billions of dollars of private investment to develop Nigeria’s power infrastructure.

    Governments and the private sector must also commit to strong, transparent institutions to help boost confidence in Africa’s business climate. African nations such as Botswana, Rwanda and Liberia have made tremendous progress in this area, though in some countries, war and civil unrest continue to take a toll. Sustained economic and job growth requires creating a safe and reliable environment for capital — including strong civil and legal institutions, corporate financial transparency (such as efforts by the Nigerian Stock Exchange to improve the quality of financial reporting for listed companies), accountable, democratically-elected politicians, and modern, open and transparent markets (like the new commodities exchanges that Heirs Holdings, Berggruen Holdings and 50 Ventures and its partners are creating at African Exchange Holdings). Aggressive advances on such policy fronts will help support the development pillars of infrastructure investment and industrialization — both of which are vital to creating employment on the continent.

    The second pillar of Africa’s development programme must be infrastructure investment, particularly in power and transportation, without which business cannot function. Today, more than 70 percent of sub-Saharan Africa lacks access to electricity and every one percent increase in electricity outages reduces Africa’s per-capita GDP by approximately three percent. Access to affordable electricity is essential to unlocking the continent’s growth potential — reducing costs and enabling business growth, including home-grown businesses that create jobs and sustainable local economies.

    Transportation infrastructure promises to have an equally transformative impact: roads, railways, waterways and airways are the backbone of a thriving commercial economy. The African Union should encourage and embrace transportation projects that first connect African nations to each other, and then to our global trading partners. Projects like the toll road between Entebbe and Kampala, and the Kenya-Tanzania highway will facilitate greater trade of agricultural and manufactured goods within Africa. Consider that today in Nigeria, 65 percent of our produce spoils for lack of storage infrastructure, and is difficult to export to other African markets for lack of rail and road infrastructure.

    Major multinationals like Diageo, Wal-Mart, Barclays, and Microsoft are ramping up African operations in spite of infrastructure challenges. In some cases, they even build their own infrastructure. Stronger policy and physical infrastructure would bring more investment from those who cannot or refuse to bootstrap it. It would also help small and mid-sized enterprises grow faster, and these companies are the engines of job growth in any economy.

    Africa’s third development pillar must be building our manufacturing and processing industries. Africa lacks the capacity to process and refine its own natural resources. Raw materials such as oil, cocoa and gold are shipped overseas, where they are processed into high-margin products and often re-imported into Africa — costing both jobs and hard currency. For example, Nigeria exports raw crude oil and then imports expensive gasoline, when the country should be able to refine the oil itself, supplying not just its own market, but also other markets across Africa. This inability to create finished goods at home, and trade them with other African nations, drastically limits the continent’s growth potential, and thus its ability to create businesses, jobs and wealth within Africa’s own domestic economies.

    I believe we can solve Africa’s employment challenge, but only if we focus on these three development pillars with great urgency, and accelerate current investment and business trends. Many of Africa’s stock markets are delivering stellar returns, while institutional, retail mutual fund and private equity capital is flowing rapidly into African markets. Many multinationals and African conglomerates are investing heavily in Africa. Despite such investment and economic growth, however, Africa is not creating nearly enough jobs. According to demographics, time is not on our side. But with a coordinated jobs plan for Africa, we can secure a productive, economically independent future for the continent and its people.

  • President Jonathan’s 11th private jet!

    President Jonathan’s 11th private jet!

    The presidency has made a proposal for an upfront deposit of N1.5billion for a brand new private jet, what will become the Presidential Air Fleet’s (PAF) 11th aircraft. This figure is contained in the details of the 2014 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan through the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

    The Federal Government has budgeted another N1.52b for the maintenance of the 10 aircrafts currently in the PAF in 2014 and it is now set to spend just about that amount on a new one. This prodigious squandering of tax payers’ money is reckless and irresponsible.

    The PAF already boasts of two Falcon 7X jets, two Falcon 900 jets, Gulfstream 550, one Boeing 737 BBJ (Nigerian Air Force 001 or Eagle One), and Gulfstream IVSP. Others are one Gulfstream V, Cessna Citation 2 aircraft and Hawker Siddley 125-800 jet. The combined estimated value of the PAF is about $390.5m (N60.53bn).

    According to industry experts, it costs a minimum of 20 percent of that figure to maintain them annually. So we’re looking at about $58.57m (N9.08bn) yearly for maintenance. Private jets are money guzzlers either in the air or land.

    The proclivity of this administration for frivolous spending is well documented and has been severely criticised in the past for the colossal amount of embezzlement, rip-off and wastage that has been the hallmark of this government. The rationale behind this new aircraft in the PAF must be condemned in hash tone.

    Apparently to hush the cacophony of voices that will rise in opposition to the proposed new jet, the presidency in their usual deceitful manner, have made part payment for what can best be described as a completely unnecessary toy of comfort to an already bloated Nigerian PAF. If he can’t travel in any of the ten jets in PAF’s possession then there’s absolutely no need for an eleventh except if he needs a new one every time he flies to match the strip of his outfit.

    At a time we would think the numerous editorials and Op-Eds have served their purpose on the insensitive frivolity that the spendthrift of the inept leadership of the Jonathan government now symbolises, then came this new proposal. We must continue to resist their recalcitrance. This lavish lifestyle must be curbed.

    The squandermania in government is extended to the large entourage that accompanies Mr. President on his foreign trips; one can only imagine the millions spent on hotel bills and estacodes that accrue for the government officials. According to reports, world leaders are stunned at the strangely large number of hangers on Mr. President’s entourage. The recent trip of President Jonathan in the first week of January this year to Kenya and the hullabaloo about his entourage is apt.

    It is shocking that the same people who have budgeted millions for this new flying toy are aware that the country has no national carrier as I write. It is shameful that the PAF is about the third largest fleet of aircraft in the country with a total of 10 aircrafts, coming closely behind Aerocontractors with 12 and Arik Air, the largest commercial airline in Nigeria with a fleet of 23 aircrafts. Nigeria happens to be one of the few countries in the world with such a large PAF. It is ridiculous that this is happening in an aviation sector that is dominated by foreign airlines. Nigerian carriers are going under due to cash constraints. Countries with visionary and focused leadership like Malaysia, Ghana, South Africa and a host of others across Europe maintain only one aircraft in their PAF.

    As the much publicised take-off of the proposed national carrier before the end of the year failed, it won’t be out of place to make a case for the government to seriously consider converting the PAF to a national carrier, retaining one or two for use by Mr. President and his co-travelers. The private jets can form the hub of the charter aircrafts.

    What better example can be set by a national leader like British Prime Minister, David Cameron, did in 2010 when he slummed it out to fly from London to Washington in business class of a commercial airline. He was caught on camera swanning around the world in hired jets. He flies around the world on British Airways! Had it been in Nigeria, security risks, flight delays are few of the sundry reasons government officials would give for not flying commercial airline. The U.S President, Barack Obama reportedly pays for his food, ours spend almost a billion naira to entertain himself and members of his government yearly.

    It amazes many Nigerians who watch in utter disbelief the gross absurdity and profligate nature the government of the day has gone about every business of governance. It leaves us in quandary how an administration headed by a former university don, one who had the humblest of beginnings – walking barefooted as a schoolboy – as well enunciated and trumpeted when he begged Nigerians for votes in the months leading up to the 2011 elections, turned the country’s ‘plunderer-in-chief’. To see him frivol the Nation’s resources in a manner that betrays his humble personae and upbringing is no betrayal of an innate part of him he cunningly hid from us.

    This government has embarked on some ridiculous white elephant projects like mere renovation of official residences with billions. We can recall the uproar that greeted the N2.2billion allocated to the construction of a plush banquet hall, last year, with the lame excuse that what the country had was way smaller than what other tiny African countries boast of.

    In this part of the world, only citizens are asked to cut costs, make sacrifices; the pains of today are incomparable to the joy of tomorrow are some of the ‘blues’ we get daily from government. In the same breath, political office holders to our chagrin take their spending to absurd heights. Sacrifice is a language that the over 60 percent impoverished population must understand while our leaders continue their obsession with living in opulence. They sacrifice nothing. In these circumstances, how do you convince the various Labour unions who are waiting on the flanks to embark on strike to press home their demands that there are no funds to meet their grievances? Downturn in government’s finances would be a hard sell in a situation where the presidency is competing with individuals for private jets.

    It is lamentable that at a time when we still haven’t seen the infrastructural dividends promised with funds freed up from the partial fuel subsidy removed, the president is more concerned in splashing billions on banquet hall, renovation of residential apartments and covert medical tourism trips abroad.

    President Goodluck Jonathan should take a break from his aimless globe-trotting in his PAF and use his multi-million naira bullet proof motorcade, to navigate round Nigeria all year round to feel the pangs and yearnings of ordinary Nigerians. This way the presidency can bring governance closer to the people.

    This squandermania in the face of limited resources extends to the federal bureaucracy that has brought about an increase in the number of ministries from 21 to close to 40 with the number of ministers jumping in equal quantum or even more.

    President Joyce Banda of Malawi will be of immense help in taking our freeloading political office holders through a crash course in government prudence. As a friend of Nigeria, she will oblige.

    Ilevbare is a public affairs commentator. Engage him on twitter, @tilevbare. He blogs at http://ilevbare.com.

  • APC and a collapsing PDP

    APC and a collapsing PDP

    The PDP never expected the All Progressives Congress (APC) to become the behemoth that it is today. It unwisely underrated the resilience and resolve of the founders of the party to collapse their differences and face a common foe-President Goodluck Jonathan. It never imagined that the ACN which they regarded as a South-West party or, as they called it then, “Tinubu’s Party”, would later become a national party with such formidable influence within the polity. The APC, an amalgamation of ACN, CPC and ANPP, had gained a very wide acceptability, national acclamation and popularity within a very short period of its existence.

    Deceived by the failure of the ACN and the CPC to work together in the 2011 elections, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was under the illusion that it was going to enjoy the monopoly of the political space till eternity. Unfortunately, the party was witnessing its own funeral ceremony at a time it thought it was immortal. Jonathan’s men, who deceived him into believing that “there is none holy as their boss…”, are acting as the undertakers with Bamanga Tukur and Olisa Metuh leading the funeral procession.

    When General Muhammed Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, Chief Tom Ikimi and Alhaji Bello Masari saw that the Nigerian state was sliding into anarchy, directionlessness and was losing its moral balance, they decided to come together to save the sinking ship. The product and outcome of their efforts was the APC that is now spearheading the struggle for our national revival. These men must be commended for resolving whatever differences they had against themselves and making the national recovery a major project above their personal and individual aspirations.

    Though the PDP attempted frustrating the merger and the registration of APC by INEC, by sponsoring some phoney people to also present their own “APCs,” for registration in order to create a registration dilemma for INEC, the electoral body, however, saw that it was all a game of “Esau and Jacob”. It went ahead to register the authentic and original APC led by General Buhari, Asiwaju Tinubu and Ogbonnaya Onu and the APGA faction of governor Rochas Okorocha. Since the party was registered, Jonathan and his men have never slept well. And it is very likely, without claiming any prophetic power, that they will never sleep well again.

    Exhibiting obvious political immaturity and showing lack of experience to manage crisis situations, Jonathan chose the wrong time to cause disaffection and division within his party. Gullibly swallowing Tukur’s vulnerability theory, Jonathan, himself a captive and hostage of power, mishandled the PDP crisis. A more strategic and calculating person would know that it was not politically expedient for him to allow the crisis within his party to escalate at a time that the APC was growing in stature and influence. But not Jonathan and Bamanga Tukur: their response and approach to the issue of the seven aggrieved governors smacked of nothing but irresponsible arrogance that had caused more damage to their party and their ego. On his part, Jonathan could not stand or tolerate the guts of people like Sule Lamido, Murtala Nyako, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Aliyu Babangida who belonged to the founding team of the PDP. He was not receptive to people telling him the history and philosophy of the party.

    Since his intention was to hijack the party, the crisis provided him the avenue to ease them out by frustrating all reconciliatory moves. If it was not his original plan to get rid of these people, why should it be difficult for a man ruling a multi-ethnic state like Nigeria with all its problematic dimensions and conflicts, to resolve an ordinary dispute with just seven party men who felt the Chairman of the PDP was derailing the vision of the party for the nation. Jonathan’s failure to manage the PDP crisis was a serious deficit to his capacity to rule a complex nation like Nigeria with the expected efficiency and wisdom. How can we trust a man who could not fix his problem with only seven men to manage the destinies of millions of Nigerians that are craving for national redemption. Every citizen wants to credit their president with some initiatives but in our own case, how do we glorify a president who is tolerating the excesses of his party chairman because he claimed to be the only one that can ensure the invulnerability of the president? Should it be the chairman of a party that should be protecting the president of a nation or the other way round? The simple truth is that Jonathan’s desperation for his party ticket in 2015 has exposed him to all sorts of ridiculous manipulations by his aides. The man could no longer decipher truth from falsehood and sycophants from loyalists. It is a very dangerous ambition that makes the president of a nation to expose himself to admonitions from every Tom, Dick and Harry whose intentions and love for the president are far from being noble.

    The APC was too swift to appropriate the loss of PDP to its advantage. The APC leaders saw the crack in the PDP and decided to move in fast by lobbying the seven aggrieved governors, popularly known as G7, to switch to APC. They went to Rivers, moved to Kano, went on another pilgrimage to Sokoto before journeying to Kwara. Their next trips took them to Niger, Jigawa and Adamawa. All these efforts were not in vain as five (5) of the seven (7) governors had since joined the APC with the other two keeping their joker to their chests. Those who moved to APC were Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Abdullahi Ahmed (Kwara), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State.

    Not long after the governors’ defection, 37 members of the PDP in the House of Representatives defected to APC thereby giving the APC a simple majority in the House of Representatives. The PDP was so incensed that it quickly took the case to court, asking the court to declare their seats vacant not knowing that another court had already restrained the leadership of the House of Representatives from declaring their seats vacant. According to media reports, many PDP senators and members of the House of Representatives would likely defect to the APC this January.

    Both Jonathan and Tukur are now confused as to what action to take against the defectors and how to stem further defections. The APC, which they thought would become the butt of gossip centres and beer parlours, in and outside Aso Rock, has now become a consuming fire that is sending them scampering in different directions, looking for fire brigade remedy that can reduce the impact of their political tragedy.

    Aside from the legal action, the PDP and the Presidency have now resorted to begging, persuasion and appeals to stem the tide of defection. The Senate leadership, led by the Senate President, David Mark, had been saddled with the task of convincing the about-to-defect Senators not to go. Suddenly, Tukur and Jonathan have realised that a political party is an institution and not a village association. Why should two men appropriate the structure of a political institution by running it as if it is their personal estate and creating the impression that other members of the party are irrelevant? Why did it have to take the defections of party members for Tukur and Jonathan to realise that a political party is part of a political process that is system-driven and should not be manipulated in order to protect the ambitions of certain individuals? The defections are a serious embarrassment to the PDP leadership, hence its desperate attempt to nip subsequent ones in the bud.

    The picture of grim, over the collapsing PDP was well captured in this graphic lamentation by one of the founding members of the party, Alhaji Sule lamido, Governor of Jigawa state: “We are today witnessing the de-construction of what appears to be the final collapse of our dear party, the PDP, under the inept and imbecile National Working Committee (NWC), led by Bamanga Tukur…I am short of words to express my pain. It is agonizing to see the party built in every home, in every village, town and cities all over Nigeria with lots of sacrifice, being destroyed.”

    The response of Jonathan’s men, those who pushed their oga to his present predicament, was a consoling prophecy, nay prayer, or better still, a curse ; that the APC will soon collapse. Let us listen to the Doyin Okupe rhapsody: “The APC boat is destined for the Red Sea and in fact, I remember that when we went to Israel, we prayed to God to remove all the people troubling Nigeria. So, by what is happening now, I believe that God is working quietly to gather these people for destruction. By the time Jonathan defeats those giants, God will take all the glory and people will know that the APC is heading for failure.”

    When a man with no antecedents for prophetic expertise begins to revel in spiritual anecdotes and allusions about their activities while on pilgrimage to Israel, and concludes that the exodus of PDP members to APC was a collection for destruction by God, such a man is suffering from pilgrimage fatigue, prognostication illiteracy and heretic delusion. All these are serious ailments that only God himself can ‘rectify’.

    But the APC needs to be very careful so that Okupe’s wishful thinking will not end up haunting the party. It is a good thing that disenchanted and frustrated PDP members are flocking the APC because it is convenient for them. I am only worried about the post-storm debris and how to manage this sudden convergence of the assorted; those who are defecting are coming with their own aspirations and ambitions which the party leadership has to align with those of the original members.

    We are in a very critical stage of a strange struggle against political principalities and everybody must be ready to sacrifice personal political ambition for our national survival. This is not the time to be rigid about ambitions but a time to offer oneself for a liberation battle. We are under siege by a power-drunk bunch that is not prepared to sacrifice anything for national stability. If those in APC, including the defectors, begin to engage in power war because of political offices, where then is the justification for the vilification of the PDP? The beauty of having a party like APC as a viable alternative to the PDP can only manifest in the willingness of the leadership of the APC to jettison their individual aspirations for our national revival. The desperation for membership should not turn APC into a political dump site where just anybody having a grudge against Jonathan or Tukur would run to in order to settle a score. It is exciting seeing the PDP depleted but let those who are coming to the APC know that the sharing of the spoils of war can only come after the battle must have been won and lost. At this stage, both old and new members must be ready to make concessions, trade positions, reach some compromises, offer some sacrifices and operate on consensus.

    The real spoils of war can only come when the jackals in power have been pursued to the bush where they naturally belong. The APC cannot savor the euphoria of its triumph until the PDP has been finally laid to rest.

  • Comment

    Comment

    For Olatunji Dare

     

    I thoroughly enjoyed reading “The Mandela Files”. Please give us a book on it. From Gbenga Demola-Ojo

    Please sir, I want a prompt reply however short it may be. Is it true that the Nigeria’s position against apartheid was one of the reasons Murtala Muhammed was killed? Anonymous

    Buhari, you are the Mandela of our time, save our nation, we love our country Nigeria, our country is greater than any of her citizen, do your best. Lord will support you with good health, long life and all you need to get there. Long live Buhari! Anonymous

    All these problems encountering in our ‘Great Country’ will not do us any good, especially our great and bright future. Anonymous

    Re: The Mandela files (3): Encounters. All the moments in your three series showed late Mandela to be unruffled not even when freedom plan was not in De Klerk’s plan, five years after the Eminent Persons Group as at 1990. Mandela is a troubadour-traverse taught us one thing ‘COURAGE’ in whatever hard, tough and or harsh circumstance(s) one finds oneself. May his soul rest in peace. From Lanre Oseni

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

     

    Letter writing should not be the focus but the issues in the letters. Anonymous

    Take it or leave it, Obasanjo is a master, Jonathan has been floored. He will keep sprawling and staggering in confusion, making more mistakes. That punch sure hit target. From Henny, Awka

    Sir, corruption was more rife under Obasanjo than it is now. If you want me to text to you some corrupt practices under Obasanjo as reported by newspaper headlines, I will do so and you see that they are mind boggling. Some past news headlines reported: 1. EFCC begins probe of Obasanjo 2. Quiet probe of OBJ begins 3. Obasanjo spent 1.2 trillion naira excess crude oil money on power sector 4. OBJ’s rail project-35 billion dollars, 250 million dollars paid with nothing to show for it 5. Ajaokuta privatization scam, 5.6 billion dollars spent and it was sold at 500 million dollars, etc. Anonymous

    Dear Sir, a good leader ought to address very weighty and salient issues and allegations raised in the Obasanjo’s letter for the benefit of the nation. Anonymous

    Letters are the instruments of expressing one’s feelings. Our leaders who are writing letters are expresing their concern concerning the happenings in the country. The president should not take those letters as a fun rather he should take them as an opportunity re-ajust his stand. The president should consider the writer of any letter to him as his best friend not his enemy. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos

    Al Mustapha lacks all manner of military ethics to be inviting Gen. Obasanjo to a public debate. From Sqn Ldr Olufemi Francis, Marina, Lagos

    Mr President is talking and acting like a baby politician. I wonder how he became the President in the first instance! I blame all those pastors that turn their pulpit to political rally podium. Jonathan should stop dividing Nigeria in line of religion and tribe. Please tell him to listen to Obasanjo before it is too late.

    Thank you sir, I read this piece and I was a bit dissapointed in the President’s jibe at Obasanjo in a church before the people of God. Obasanjo should not reply him, we the electorate are watching and patiently waiting for him at the polls in 2015. APC will rule Nigeria. Anonymous

    The President is right, the country belongs to us not the greedy politcians like Obasanjo. Let Nigerians decide their future through the national confab. Anonymous

    Sir, your power of letters is an interesting piece, it is indeed a season of letter writing. All the bobajiro of jibitiland and ogbologbo of jandukuland will tremble on reading this article. I was reeling with laughter on reading the article. Keep it up. Happy Chrismas and prosperous new year in advance. Anonymous

    Your note Dec 26th refers: To say Obasanjo has his own flaws is to say the least; he is constantly displaying his crisis everywhere. However, all good thinking Nigerians are sure that ninety per cent of Obasanjo’s comments are obviously true of our beloved country’s leadership under Jonathan – corruption, ethnicism, greed, ineptitude, abuse, to mention a few of Jonathasn’s characteristics . The altercation between them is a reflection of our ‘leaders’. Anonymous

    The President’s comment on politicians at the cathedral church of the advent, Lifecamp, Abuja was very normal and in order because the President has all the constitutional right to make any comment in any place in his country. So it was not any fury. From Hon. Ubong

    Gbenga my brother, compliments. God bless you for making my day with your comment: The President’s fury. You reflected my exact mood as I listened to the President on NTA Network News last night. I felt relieved after reading the well crafted two paragraphs. Thank you. Regards! From Ayo Akinyemi

    This is season of letters revolution over leadership control. It is the beauty of democracy but let not feud truncate our democracy, let presidency and Obasanjo embrace peace in the interest of 160 million Nigerians. Where there is crisis in leadership, development is always set back. We believe all these letters should be an eye opener for Nigerians against the backdrop of where our leaders are taking Nigerians to. Well, time will tell. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia

    Let Jonathan stop the sermon, heed advice, respect elders, work on those tips, tackle corruption, remain focused on state challenges. Tell him to stop abusing his father’s age mate Obasanjo as any river that dares its origin will surely dry up. Let Baba too ‘Sidon De look and stop advising Almighty sitting President.’ Anonymous

    Jonathan is attacking political opponents in church to attract affection and sympathy of Christians as he did before and to escalate religious dishamony. He always plays divisive politics. From Adam Descky, Abia state

    I agree with President Jonathan that Nigeria does not belong to any politician he himself inclusive. He however left out one thing: politicians who think they own Nigeria ought not to do which is imposition of incompetent leaders on us particularly as Vice-Presidents for they may by goodluck become presidents. Anonymous

    All we expect from our President is to deliver on his mandate and see if we the masses will not vote for him irrespective of religion, ethnic or regional inclination. Afterall, poverty does not know zoning or progressive. From Mangs P., Jos

    I think the President is wiser than his teachers. He should keep it up. From Nnabuko, Suleja

    Re: The President’s fury. The church has been turned to platform to settle political issues, because church leaders are after money and appointment. From Osa Uwanomhen

    The President is neither whinning nor whimpering, but he is rather admonishing and advising as the true mature leader he is. We have not yet come to terms with the exceptional qualities of the President we currently have. History will vindicate him, and history will also indicate on which side of the Jonathan era we stood; whether as patriots or villains. Anonymous

    To describe Mr President Jonathan Goodluck as “whining and whimpering” is too much for any news paper to publish. Everybody, high and low should think and write responsibly. For a former head to be writing a letter to “his boy president” is infradignitata. The content of the letters from the “father and son” will nail the political coffin of the guilty. Truth is no respecter of persons. From Dele Oluwatade

    I was expecting such letter but not from the former President like Olusegun Obasanjo because he was “the kingmaker”. To the best of my knowlege all the allegations written in that letter were true picture of what is going on in the country. The President’s reply did not exonerate him unless he allows all concerned security agencies to conduct details investigation and make their “finding” public. Look at what is going on in the ruling party now you will come to the conclusion that he is the cause; he could not manage human being. My appeal to eligible voters in year 2015 is to vote wisely. From, Prince O.Y.O. Ayodele, Social Commentator, Akure, Ondo State

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    A church that ought to be an hospital for sinners has now become a museum for the saint. Anonymous

    Tunji, Baba o! Your “The President’s pets” was the only soothing relief to end the year. E see sir (thank you). From Akpan, Calabar.

    Sir, your comment is another wonderful satire if I am right. You always make my Sundays enjoyable. May God bless your mind and hand to continue to enlighten us the more. Happy New Year in advance. Anonymous.

    For our government to propose N34m for feeding animals only in 2014 is a clear indication that our leaders don’t have regard for the citizens. Anonymous.

    I have read “the President’s pets” (Nation December 29). Totally trite. Anonymous.

    Tunji, I was going to church when I stopped to flip through the papers just to see your humorous, creatively crafted write-up. I laughed till I didn’t go to church again. Anonymous.

    It is sheer waste of resources to feed animals with tax-payers money when there is necessity for money to invest in meaningful projects that could create jobs and change the lives of citizens for good. It is very unfortunate and unacceptable venture. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

    It is really unfortunate that the president is being attacked from all fronts, particularly by a few Yoruba renegade, Hausa Fulani stock despite the fact that this president has come to navigate or tread a path never navigated by any past president. Not even the one who … his tribesman, a sitting minister just because he wanted to be a regional leader. And this myopic Tunji is talking about money budgeted for two animals in Aso rock Villa. You wait for it; we will tell what is spent now by purported progressive governors on reptiles in their states. Anonymous.

    Nigerians should not be bothered about the activities of the president because, to him, opportunity comes but once. So, his idea is, let me use it as I want. He has forgotten if he does not use the opportunity wisely, the opportunity will dump him for a better opportunist. The president now values beasts more than humans. He should cast his mind back to when he had no shoes. History is on the side of the oppressed. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

    Tunji, what other evidence do you need to believe that those ruling this country are (?) Nigerians are in for some testy times. Lord have mercy! From Simon O.

    Tunji, I just re-read your October 27 article titled “Cars Stella may still ride”. Events have proved you right. Kudos. Merry Christmas and happy 2014. From Valentine Ojo, Maitama, Abuja.

  • COMMENTS

    For Olatunji Dare

     

    I thoroughly enjoyed reading “The Mandela Files”. Please give us a book on it. From Gbenga Demola-Ojo

    Please sir, I want a prompt reply however short it may be. Is it true that the Nigeria’s position against apartheid was one of the reasons Murtala Muhammed was killed? Anonymous

    Buhari, you are the Mandela of our time, save our nation, we love our country Nigeria, our country is greater than any of her citizen, do your best. Lord will support you with good health, long life and all you need to get there. Long live Buhari! Anonymous

    All these problems encountering in our ‘Great Country’ will not do us any good, especially our great and bright future. Anonymous

    Re: The Mandela files (3): Encounters. All the moments in your three series showed late Mandela to be unruffled not even when freedom plan was not in De Klerk’s plan, five years after the Eminent Persons Group as at 1990. Mandela is a troubadour-traverse taught us one thing ‘COURAGE’ in whatever hard, tough and or harsh circumstance(s) one finds oneself. May his soul rest in peace. From Lanre Oseni

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

     

    Letter writing should not be the focus but the issues in the letters. Anonymous

    Take it or leave it, Obasanjo is a master, Jonathan has been floored. He will keep sprawling and staggering in confusion, making more mistakes. That punch sure hit target. From Henny, Awka

    Sir, corruption was more rife under Obasanjo than it is now. If you want me to text to you some corrupt practices under Obasanjo as reported by newspaper headlines, I will do so and you see that they are mind boggling. Some past news headlines reported: 1. EFCC begins probe of Obasanjo 2. Quiet probe of OBJ begins 3. Obasanjo spent 1.2 trillion naira excess crude oil money on power sector 4. OBJ’s rail project-35 billion dollars, 250 million dollars paid with nothing to show for it 5. Ajaokuta privatization scam, 5.6 billion dollars spent and it was sold at 500 million dollars, etc. Anonymous

    Dear Sir, a good leader ought to address very weighty and salient issues and allegations raised in the Obasanjo’s letter for the benefit of the nation. Anonymous

    Letters are the instruments of expressing one’s feelings. Our leaders who are writing letters are expresing their concern concerning the happenings in the country. The president should not take those letters as a fun rather he should take them as an opportunity re-ajust his stand. The president should consider the writer of any letter to him as his best friend not his enemy. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos

    Al Mustapha lacks all manner of military ethics to be inviting Gen. Obasanjo to a public debate. From Sqn Ldr Olufemi Francis, Marina, Lagos

    Mr President is talking and acting like a baby politician. I wonder how he became the President in the first instance! I blame all those pastors that turn their pulpit to political rally podium. Jonathan should stop dividing Nigeria in line of religion and tribe. Please tell him to listen to Obasanjo before it is too late.

    Thank you sir, I read this piece and I was a bit dissapointed in the President’s jibe at Obasanjo in a church before the people of God. Obasanjo should not reply him, we the electorate are watching and patiently waiting for him at the polls in 2015. APC will rule Nigeria. Anonymous

    The President is right, the country belongs to us not the greedy politcians like Obasanjo. Let Nigerians decide their future through the national confab. Anonymous

    Sir, your power of letters is an interesting piece, it is indeed a season of letter writing. All the bobajiro of jibitiland and ogbologbo of jandukuland will tremble on reading this article. I was reeling with laughter on reading the article. Keep it up. Happy Chrismas and prosperous new year in advance. Anonymous

    Your note Dec 26th refers: To say Obasanjo has his own flaws is to say the least; he is constantly displaying his crisis everywhere. However, all good thinking Nigerians are sure that ninety per cent of Obasanjo’s comments are obviously true of our beloved country’s leadership under Jonathan – corruption, ethnicism, greed, ineptitude, abuse, to mention a few of Jonathasn’s characteristics . The altercation between them is a reflection of our ‘leaders’. Anonymous

    The President’s comment on politicians at the cathedral church of the advent, Lifecamp, Abuja was very normal and in order because the President has all the constitutional right to make any comment in any place in his country. So it was not any fury. From Hon. Ubong

    Gbenga my brother, compliments. God bless you for making my day with your comment: The President’s fury. You reflected my exact mood as I listened to the President on NTA Network News last night. I felt relieved after reading the well crafted two paragraphs. Thank you. Regards! From Ayo Akinyemi

    This is season of letters revolution over leadership control. It is the beauty of democracy but let not feud truncate our democracy, let presidency and Obasanjo embrace peace in the interest of 160 million Nigerians. Where there is crisis in leadership, development is always set back. We believe all these letters should be an eye opener for Nigerians against the backdrop of where our leaders are taking Nigerians to. Well, time will tell. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia

    Let Jonathan stop the sermon, heed advice, respect elders, work on those tips, tackle corruption, remain focused on state challenges. Tell him to stop abusing his father’s age mate Obasanjo as any river that dares its origin will surely dry up. Let Baba too ‘Sidon De look and stop advising Almighty sitting President.’ Anonymous

    Jonathan is attacking political opponents in church to attract affection and sympathy of Christians as he did before and to escalate religious dishamony. He always plays divisive politics. From Adam Descky, Abia state

    I agree with President Jonathan that Nigeria does not belong to any politician he himself inclusive. He however left out one thing: politicians who think they own Nigeria ought not to do which is imposition of incompetent leaders on us particularly as Vice-Presidents for they may by goodluck become presidents. Anonymous

    All we expect from our President is to deliver on his mandate and see if we the masses will not vote for him irrespective of religion, ethnic or regional inclination. Afterall, poverty does not know zoning or progressive. From Mangs P., Jos

    I think the President is wiser than his teachers. He should keep it up. From Nnabuko, Suleja

    Re: The President’s fury. The church has been turned to platform to settle political issues, because church leaders are after money and appointment. From Osa Uwanomhen

    The President is neither whinning nor whimpering, but he is rather admonishing and advising as the true mature leader he is. We have not yet come to terms with the exceptional qualities of the President we currently have. History will vindicate him, and history will also indicate on which side of the Jonathan era we stood; whether as patriots or villains. Anonymous

    To describe Mr President Jonathan Goodluck as “whining and whimpering” is too much for any news paper to publish. Everybody, high and low should think and write responsibly. For a former head to be writing a letter to “his boy president” is infradignitata. The content of the letters from the “father and son” will nail the political coffin of the guilty. Truth is no respecter of persons. From Dele Oluwatade

    I was expecting such letter but not from the former President like Olusegun Obasanjo because he was “the kingmaker”. To the best of my knowlege all the allegations written in that letter were true picture of what is going on in the country. The President’s reply did not exonerate him unless he allows all concerned security agencies to conduct details investigation and make their “finding” public. Look at what is going on in the ruling party now you will come to the conclusion that he is the cause; he could not manage human being. My appeal to eligible voters in year 2015 is to vote wisely. From, Prince O.Y.O. Ayodele, Social Commentator, Akure, Ondo State

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    A church that ought to be an hospital for sinners has now become a museum for the saint. Anonymous

    Tunji, Baba o! Your “The President’s pets” was the only soothing relief to end the year. E see sir (thank you). From Akpan, Calabar.

    Sir, your comment is another wonderful satire if I am right. You always make my Sundays enjoyable. May God bless your mind and hand to continue to enlighten us the more. Happy New Year in advance. Anonymous.

    For our government to propose N34m for feeding animals only in 2014 is a clear indication that our leaders don’t have regard for the citizens. Anonymous.

    I have read “the President’s pets” (Nation December 29). Totally trite. Anonymous.

    Tunji, I was going to church when I stopped to flip through the papers just to see your humorous, creatively crafted write-up. I laughed till I didn’t go to church again. Anonymous.

    It is sheer waste of resources to feed animals with tax-payers money when there is necessity for money to invest in meaningful projects that could create jobs and change the lives of citizens for good. It is very unfortunate and unacceptable venture. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

    It is really unfortunate that the president is being attacked from all fronts, particularly by a few Yoruba renegade, Hausa Fulani stock despite the fact that this president has come to navigate or tread a path never navigated by any past president. Not even the one who … his tribesman, a sitting minister just because he wanted to be a regional leader. And this myopic Tunji is talking about money budgeted for two animals in Aso rock Villa. You wait for it; we will tell what is spent now by purported progressive governors on reptiles in their states. Anonymous.

    Nigerians should not be bothered about the activities of the president because, to him, opportunity comes but once. So, his idea is, let me use it as I want. He has forgotten if he does not use the opportunity wisely, the opportunity will dump him for a better opportunist. The president now values beasts more than humans. He should cast his mind back to when he had no shoes. History is on the side of the oppressed. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

    Tunji, what other evidence do you need to believe that those ruling this country are (?) Nigerians are in for some testy times. Lord have mercy! From Simon O.

    Tunji, I just re-read your October 27 article titled “Cars Stella may still ride”. Events have proved you right. Kudos. Merry Christmas and happy 2014. From Valentine Ojo, Maitama, Abuja.

  • The Patchwork Nation

    The Patchwork Nation

    In 2005, the National Intelligence Council, an independent group that advises Washington’s director of central intelligence, published a report that raised the specter of “the outright collapse of Nigeria.” It echoed an earlier council report on global trends through 2015 that was pessimistic about the future of the so-called giant of Africa.

    The findings struck a nerve. They were repeated ad nauseam in Nigerian newspapers, over the airwaves and in beer parlors throughout the land, inflated with each retelling to the point that many Nigerians actually came to believe that the United States government was predicting their nation’s imminent collapse.

    Regardless of its accuracy, the anxious chatter reflected the fears of many Nigerian citizens that their country, which promised so much at independence 53 years ago, has delivered so little. Despite its great wealth, Nigeria today has a worse rate of infant mortality than neighbouring Liberia.

    Much of the problem lies in the sheer ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity of this patchwork country — a legacy of the British Empire. It is common to talk about the “largely Muslim north” and the “largely Christian south,” a characterisation that is itself something of an oversimplification (there are plenty of both Muslims and Christians in either region), but a deeper problem is the existence of some 350 competing ethnicities.

    Just three groups (the Hausa/Fulani, the Igbo and the Yoruba) comprise roughly 70 percent of the total population of nearly 170 million people. All the rest are minorities.

    In the years before independence in 1960, the smaller tribes all expressed fear of domination by the three largest ethnic groups once, as one early nationalist put it, the “restraining and liberalizing” hand of Britain was removed. In an effort to address those fears, the British appointed the Willinks commission to examine how best to reorganize the soon-to-be liberated country. But its report, published two years before independence, hardly helped their cause.

    “It is seldom possible to draw a clean boundary which does not create a fresh minority,” the commission concluded.

    The result, in any case, was the creation at independence of three, semi-autonomous regions for the three main groups — and for the minorities the subjugation they had foreseen and feared. The worst affected groups were those in the oil-rich Niger Delta, which accounts for at least 80 percent of the country’s foreign exchange earnings. The problem was displayed most brutally in 1995 with the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, an environmental activist and author, for demanding a more equitable share of his patrimony.

    The struggle between the Big Three groups for dominance led to civil war and long years of military rule, which finally ended in 1999. In the process, the role of the federal government was strengthened while the three regions (and a short-lived fourth) were dismantled, first to form 12 states, then 19, then 21, then 30 and, finally 36.

    In other words, and no doubt unwittingly, the country is gradually breaking up into the smaller and smaller ethnic-centered units that the Willinks Commission feared. As presently constituted, they are almost all dependent on their monthly allocations from the federal administration (i.e. oil earnings), but this is only because of the suffocating powers vested in the central government.

    There is no reason why the states should not be able to form alliances for their mutual interests — except that this is forbidden by the Constitution, which also forbids the states from even counting the people they are supposed to be governing. Only the federal government can conduct a census, only the federal government can generate electricity, only the federal government can run the railroads. … The list is a long one.

    The result is a dysfunctional country that nobody cares about, except the cabal that milks it for all it is worth. Meanwhile, things fall apart, as the late Chinua Achebe presciently titled his famous first novel, published the same year as the Willinks report.

    The most obvious manifestations of the slow slide to disintegration are the Islamic fundamentalists in the “largely Muslim” north, and the Niger Delta militants in the “largely Christian” south. But the lawlessness includes widespread kidnappings and armed attacks on both commercial and private vessels off the country’s long coastline, apparently without any response from the navy.

    Unfortunately, President Goodluck Jonathan, who is fixated on retaining his post until the 2015 election — to the exclusion of all else — appears to believe that we will somehow muddle through. The irony is that Mr. Jonathan himself is a member of a Niger Delta minority. His own Ijaw people launched an armed struggle against what they saw as an illegitimate government in the wake of Mr. Saro-Wiwa’s execution. Evidently, things look very different when you’re in the driving seat.

    That Nigeria will have to restructure is not in doubt, but it is a great pity that we are about to miss an opportunity to do so in a peaceful, constructive manner. There are good reasons why Nigeria should stay together. With its natural wealth and gifted people, it has the potential to become a serious presence on the world stage, one of the few African countries with the wherewithal to do so. But to do this it needs to devolve power to all its component parts, thereby giving them a stake in its future.

    The alternative is a great fracturing into yet more African countries, each with its own flag, national anthem and seat at the United Nations, but doomed to survive on the goodwill of others.

    As the late Nelson Mandela put it: “The world will not respect Africa until Nigeria earns that respect. The black people of the world need Nigeria to be great as a source of pride and confidence.”

  • Comments

    Comments

    For Dare Olatunji

    There can be false and crooked ways to achieve right goals. The virtue of prudence implies that both the end of human action and the means for its realization be in keeping with the truth of things. The lesson in “Redeeming Bode George” is that what was immorality a decade ago may not be immorality today. But is truth still constant? From Adegoke O O, Ikhin, Edo State.

    So confused and frustated is OBJ after instigating the so-called rebel G-7 governors on the futile bid to destablise PDP. He failed woefully and thousands of OBJ can’t stop GEJ’s second term bid; let it be drummed into the ears of OBJ. From Eugene, Enugu.

    Great piece. A damning CIA Report was responsible for the treason trial that sent Mandela to life imprisonment in the first place. Anonymous

    Re-The Mandela files-2. Mandela in America. Despite accusations against late Mandela, he remained and remains a hero worldwide. Which freedom did anyone or a community win with peace? Blood had always been let! Even the slavery of triangular era from Africa to India to Europe and America. Did they not shed our forefathers’ blood? MANDELA lives forever for South African Blacks. May his soul rest in peace, Amen. From Lanre Oseni.

    Dare, the issue of Mandela being member of a communist club at the time he was fighting for independence of South Africa might be true though your piece confirmed Madiba denied it a few times he was asked about membership of the group. A look back at those times reveals two contending international political groups, the Democrats predominantly Western world in membership, and the Communists led by Russia. Since Apatheid in South Africa was a British colonial weapon of suppression, backed majorly by Western countries, some freedom fighters like Mandela might be tempted to join the communist club, the opposition to Western political group, to shore up support for their struggle; a likely human tendency in such a circumstance. But if Mandela denied being a member of such a body, then his word should be taken for it, with suspicion from a few doubting Thomases, based on his clout. From LAI ASHADELE.

     

    For Segun Gbadegesin

    Naturally, character moulding should start from the family but the family lives in a community or society. In a badly divided society, given the gap between the rich and the poor, we cannot run away from the fact that prudence in the Machiavellian sense is what appeals to the average man. How do we harmonize the internal sense of what is good and bad with some of the external factors that make survival the basic law everywhere? If the society is unjust, can the individual be just? The dillemma is that you cannot change society if you don’t change man. From Adegoke O O, Ikhin, Edo State.

    There isn’t anything special in the OBJ’s letter. Its simply vintage Obasanjo. During his regime, a minister could even sell the whole nation with Obasanjo lookin the other way so long such minister continued to do his bidding. But disagree with him, then you can be sure he would send EFCC to you as though he never knew you were corrupt. Then the undiscerning Nigerians would hail him for fighting coruption, whereas he knew exactly what he was doing. To me, the remark Jonathan made in praise of Mandela together with his refusal to be dictated to by OBJ are the two major reasons for that letter. Such letter, we know, couldn’t have been written in the first place, had Jonathan allowed him to continue ruling the country by proxy, even if his administration was to be worse than what it is presently.That’s the angle we should look at the Obasanjo’s letter to understand exactly where he is actualy coming from, the weighty content of the letter notwithstanding. From Emmanuel Egwu

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

    It is good that Obasanjo made the letter public himself. Is he not the man that foisted on Nigerians the lethargic Yar’Adua and Jonathan through a sham election? Do not expect an illegal government to tackle corruption, provide light, fight unemployment, guarantee security, ensure infrastructural development. Now Obasanjo wants to bring either Lamido or Babangida Aliyu in 2015 and that is why these two have not defected to APC. More troubles ahead for PDP as Obasanjo is now set to enlist more foot soldiers against a corrupt, rudderless and visionless government of Jonathan who has refused to do his bidding. From Samuel B/C

    Why are you people from some section of the country writing against Jonathan? Is it because he is not the member of APC? Please I want you to write about the leaders of APC because they too have their own shortcomings. Your views may not be the views of Nigeria. Anonymous

    There are two leaders worthy of immitating in Nigeria for their honesty, transparency and concern. President Obasanjo and Govenor Muazu Babangida Aliyu. The ball has been set rolling; it is left for our president, emirs and the National Assembly to take action before the wind of change catch up with us……From Mallam. S. Doma.

    Obasanjo vs Jonathan: Obasanjo should leave Jonathan alone. If he can’t advise him, he should stop heating the polity. During his tenure, has he forgotten what he did in Odi, in Bayelsa and in other places? We are celebrating Mandela today. Mandela had the chance to do more than two tenures, but did one and said ‘No‘ to tenure elongation. He should keep quiet if he can’t give useful advice to him. Akeju Emmanuel, Benin-city.

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    Re: Nigeria’s many managers. It is not all the time that ASUU is right in its obduracy. The manner it was going, it might overtake our NLC. Why? The government respects the teachers too much. And respect should beget respect. There was no way N1.6trn could be dropped at a go as ASUU wanted initially. ASUU wanted to be paid the five months of ‘workless’ period! And is that what the students are being taught; that they could be paid without working? To me, if they are eventually paid such, it is fraud! My economics mentioned productivity and not redundancy. I suggested to a professor friend, ‘Go on phased payments, which resolved the hitch eventually. In a deadlock like that, what did our traditional rulers do? And past heads of state, in concrete terms? However, all said and done, two of the arms of government – legislature and the executive- need to cut sizeably their pay and expenses borne by the government. If done, there is enough to fund our tertiary institutions. From Lanre Oseni.

    May God replenish you for nourishing my soul over the year with your insightful and intellectual articles. Thank you so much , Tunji. From Dennis Tuedor, Ughelli, Delta State.

    I agree with you that many people are not asking for their right. The problem is that the oppressed lack class consciousness in a class society. That is why they have decided to wait for divine intervention. Yes, it is another name for fatalism. From Amos Ejimonye, Kaduna.

    In regard to columns 1 and 3 of your ‘Nigeria’s many managers’, may I note that your in-house man, Wordsworth, says the phrase Is simply ‘white elephant(s) and the dictionary says so. And you may also wish to confirm the difference between bother and border (on). Anonymous

    Chief Wike was behind the prolonged ASUU strike because he left his responsibility as supervising minister of education to join issues with Governor Amaechi over his (Wike’s) governorship ambition when he should be thinking of solution to the ASUU strike. President Jonathan should fire Wike now to save the education sector as well as allow him concentrate on his ambition. No one should take Nigerians for granted. From Gordon Chika Nnorom.

  • Revitalising Nigeria’s museums and monuments

    Museums and monuments wherever they exist, are repositories of knowledge and information where high profile treasure troves are being kept and adequately preserved to serve as archives of cultural heritage for tourists’ attraction or for students of history to use as a symbol of reference. They equally serve as outfits for showcasing the identity and cultural heritage of a certain creed, in such a way that one is not often subjected to the rigours of research in knowing the genuine identity of a certain clan, race or ancestral root of one, at a given time.

    Knowing the complex nature of Nigeria as an entity which comprises so many regions, tribes and their respective pedigrees, one is compelled to believe that the National Commission for Museums and Monuments must be headed by a man who is intellectually versed and proficient to steer its affairs properly.

    With what had transpired in the last four eventful years at the National Commission for Museums and Monuments under the stewardship of Yusuf Abdullah Usman, the commission had recorded some monumental feats and at the same time protected, preserved and promoted Nigerian antiquities not in a manner of school-master disputation but through consultation, engagement and buy-in of all shades of stakeholders. This is critical as culture is a social product that can only be preserved and promoted with the involvement of the people.

    As a former Director of Monument, Heritage and Sites, former Curator of some National Museums and Head of the Ethnography Unit of the Commission, Usman on assumption of office envisioned the pressing need to host a retreat to diagnose the challenges facing the management of our national heritage resources in general and the commission in particular and come up with some salient points to be addressed, all toward revitalizing the sector.

    The historic retreat, which was in line with the quest for a paradigm shift with culture spearheading developmental initiatives through optimum utilization of resource, brought all the Directors and their Deputies, Unit museums Curators and that of Institute of Archeology and Museums Studies Jos. (IAMS).

    The immediate result of this intellectual exercise was the convening of a workshop involving past managers of the commission such as former chairmen, board members, Directors-General, Directors and unit heads as well as university lecturers to review the law establishing the commission in order to strengthen the legal and administrative framework for heritage management in the 21th century. The outcome of this review is currently receiving the attention of government before submission to the National Assembly for legislation.

    To promote museums practice, sensitize stakeholders on its importance and capture the attention of policy makers, a series of exhibitions need to be carried out to expose the cultural richness of Nigeria. The commission under Usman’s leadership did just the same as it held exhibitions in three major European cities of London, Stockholm and Frankfurt and U.S cities of Houston, Virginia and Indianapolis which helped to modify Nigeria’s image outside oil.

    At home a series of exhibitions were also carried out by all of the Commission’s 45 museum outlets with a new focus to serve as educational resource centres. The themes include Integrity and Sacrifice: the life and time of Late Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, in Bauchi; Nigerian Art in the Circle of Life in Lagos; Kano City Walls and Gates: Past, Present and Future, in Kano and; Slavery and Slave Trade in Calabar. Meanwhile the construction of four National Unity Museums planned after the civil war and abandoned several years ago after those of Ibadan and Enugu have been continued with that of Maiduguri nearing completion.

    As a way of combating looting of archaeological and heritage sites and illicit trafficking of antiquities community museums are currently under construction in Ogbomosho, Shelleng, Orumba and Oke Surulere. My findings also indicate that research was given a new impetus as results publicized in four new publications. These are: Mapping of Archaeological Sites, Ethnography for Development, Selection and Installation of Traditional Rulers and Kola nut as Symbol of National Unity. Three new journals are also ready for public presentation early next year.

    Out of Usman’s penchant for establishing a firm presence of the commission in Abuja, he submitted formal request for the construction of National Museum in Abuja in addition to securing grant of a new office accommodation in Abuja and movement of part of the headquarters close to the seat of power at the federal secretariat.

    To achieve diversification and specialization of museums in Nigeria, two museums for Nigeria’s foremost archaeological sites have been established in Nok and Igbo Ukwu, the later with the support of Kaduna State government. Similarly a Natural History Gallery has been set up at National Museum Jos, a Rock Art Interpretation Centre in Birnin-Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State and a Craft Museum in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom. Meanwhile Christian Missionary Museum in Calabar and an Islamic Art Museum in Ilorin are in the offing.

    To properly manage heritage sites in Nigeria and enlist more sites into the world heritage list, the commission had vigorously effected a review of management plans and inauguration of management committees for Osun- Osogbo and Sukur World Heritage Sites. Dossiers on Oke Idanre, Surame, Oban Hills and Kano Walls are undergoing review before submission to UNESCO while 100 new sites have been selected for national listing.

    Knowing the inescapable fact that the giant feats recorded by the commission can only be consolidated by improving staff welfare for productivity to prevail, Usman effected the payment of transfer claims on a continuous basis in addition to lending credence to the payment of death benefits and repatriation allowances also on a continuous basis. He also established a special committee to address complaints on promotions and ensure prompt and up to date promotion of staff. Staff Training within and outside the country has more than doubled while the Commission’s training arm, the IAMS in Jos now enjoys enhanced salary scale of CONRISS.

    No doubt NCMM has enjoyed enhanced visibility in the last four years. Many organizations, states and local governments are approaching the commission for support to establish museum, notably the Nigerian Air force, Custom Service, the Police, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service, etc.

    It was Usman’s contention that all that he had achieved and the turbulent waters he had traversed in giving the commission a new vista was as a result of the firm support and goodwill he had enjoyed from a crop of dedicated and hard working staff, the President through the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, the National Assembly, sister parastatals and various communities in the country.

    Usman, has indeed brought a breath of fresh air to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments which had endeared him to the majority of those who had worked under him and the President who had given him the task. The giant strides recorded in the commission so far is concrete evidence while the prestigious Award of Excellence conferred on Mr Y. A. Usman by the Fiscal Transparency and Accountability Initiative is an eloquent testimony.

    • Preye, a culture expert, wrote from Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja.