The Nation Newspaper

Category: Hannatu Musawa

  • #BringBackOurGirls- The musical

    No words… the echo of a silence thus twirls. ‘Tis the vanishing future of Nigeria’s pearls. Does pain have a voice or a shape…, doth it curls? Our teardrops form an ocean of sorrowful swirls. As a people we demand that Sambisa unfurls. Oh give us our children, just bring back our girls! ******** “’Alas, verily,’ may the World stop and see, The tragedy, agony that has befallen on thee! As the narrator observing from a tree, I foresee: A people so shattered, sinking deep undersea. A nation, a giant forced down on its knee. A potpourri of millions; almost one seventy. For nearly three scores, thy homeland was free. Despite the debris, thy children could ‘be.’ Lest, an evil committee rose from within the country, Lead by a mad man on a murderous spree. With bombings, killings as the group’s solemn decree, They ventured into schools and with girls they did flee. The horror of such violation done so blazingly, Has shaken the World to an utmost degree. The blood that’s been shed, now almost daily, Has got to be stopped with every guarantee. Through protest and dialogue thy stand in esprit. Demand thy girls back home…, make thy desperate plea. It has split up thy struggle, now thy no longer agree, To focus on the insurgents, who are the real enemy!” ******** No words… the echo of a silence thus twirls. ‘Tis the vanishing future of Nigeria’s pearls. Does pain have a voice or a shape…, doth it curls? Our teardrops form an ocean of sorrowful swirls. As a people we demand that Sambisa unfurls. Oh give us our children, just bring back our girls! ******** “’By my troth,’ the trembling doom of a fate in despair, Has become our reality in this torrid affair. We were taken at night in a manner unfair, By the boogie-men we have all come to beware. We are the girls of Chibok, we cry out, we declare; Will none of you save us once more to breathe air? We just wanted to learn and have knowledge to share, ‘Tis why we went to school for exams to prepare. How could we have known, we were never aware Those men in those trucks were prepared to ensnare? Now, who knows where we are? We’re not here, we’re not there, We are million miles away from our parents who care. We have no more freedom under their constant glare, We have not much hope in this burden we bear. Has the world deserted us, thrown our lives in midair? Will nobody protect us from this ghastly nightmare? Will we ever recover, will we ever repair? …Not if we are left in this evil men’s lair! As day’s turns to months, our hopes do impair. Maybe one day we’ll be home… That’s our ultimate prayer!” ******** No words… the echo of a silence thus twirls. ‘Tis the vanishing future of Nigeria’s pearls. Does pain have a voice or a shape…, doth it curls? Our teardrops form an ocean of sorrowful swirls. As a people we demand that Sambisa unfurls. Oh give us our children, just bring back our girls! ******** “’Declare, O ye’ Mutants existing in Nigeria’s domain, Renounce Western Education or your kids will be slain! Since our name you profane and reject our campaign, We declare a ‘Fatwa’ in which violence will reign. Your sons, we will maim if they discard our strain. As for your teachers, we slice their jugular vein. Your pastors we will torture in a form inhumane. Your precious civilian JTF? Their blood we will drain. Muslims who abstain from our chain will feel the pain. The soldiers and police; we will behead outright, plain! Informants and snitches; we will kill again and again. In all of your villages, we will unleash acidic rain. Now, we’ve entered your schools and your girls we detain. We will marry and sell some, the rest with us they remain. We will train and convert them and wash out their brain. By the time we aredone, freedom they will never regain. With Al-Qaeda we train, surplus funds we obtain, And we’ve mastered the skill of ‘guerillalegerdemain.’ Before we weren’t this ruthless, in peace we maintain, It’s just now that our leader, Shekau…, is insane!” ******** No words… the echo of a silence thus twirls. ‘Tis the vanishing future of Nigeria’s pearls. Does pain have a voice or a shape…, doth it curls? Our teardrops form an ocean of sorrowful swirls. As a people we demand that Sambisa unfurls. Oh give us our children, just bring back our girls! ******** “’What art thou’am I seeing…? I don’t understand! Were children taken right out of our hand? The news spoke of girls and exams that were planned. Kids were apparently abducted by that lunatic band. The whole nation was shocked, the transgression was grand, So we looked to the government to, at last, take a stand. But the reaction was bland, the response was offhand, So much so that the parents were forced to take command. For two weeks no results from our army unmanned, They weren’t prepared to venture in that no-mans-land. So out of frustration and anger we manned, Small groups of protesters to shout our demand. If our government won’t stand for the girls in this land, We will expose its inept and negligent brand. We will stand for our girls; we will offer our hand, We will ensure government pays for its stubborn withstand. So through protests and writings our voice did expand And with some viral tweeting, BBOG was fanned. Our target is to hold our government in remand, Because they have the duty to protect Nigeria’s gland!” ******** No words… the echo of a silence thus twirls. ‘Tis the vanishing future of Nigeria’s pearls. Does pain have a voice or a shape…, doth it curls? Our teardrops form an ocean of sorrowful swirls. As a people we demand that Sambisa unfurls. Oh give us our children, just bring back our girls! ******** “’Do as thou wilt,’ but it is sad that you blame us straight For what these goons are doing to our mortality rate! As an administration that rules over a country so great, Do you think that we don’t care for each person, each fate? You don’t hold the monopoly to mourn as you often inflate, Everyone feels the pain of our girl’s incarcerate. All officials in government are parents, who can relate To the agony felt in Chibok in this awful desecrate. Yes it’s true we were late to give an update, But the accusations you’re slinging are pure out of hate. There’s no doubt many of you where you conjugate Have sincerity of purpose in your form and irate. But few of you standing have an ulterior trait, Where you politicize each issue as you dictate your debate! If you weren’t being insincere, why not offer your weight, Support our troops to deflate the terrorist estate? Our commitment is to this nation; it predates the negate Of insurgents and protesters who thrive on misstate. We will bring back the girls and strive to re-instate The honor and valor of our Nigerian State!” ******** No words… the echo of a silence thus twirls. ‘Tis the vanishing future of Nigeria’s pearls. Does pain have a voice or a shape…, doth it curls? Our teardrops form an ocean of sorrowful swirls. As a people we demand that Sambisa unfurls. Oh give us our children, just bring back our girls! ********

  • Bigger threat to humanity

    AS we watch man threaten its very existence with its inhumanity to itself, our focus is very dangerously taken off a bigger peril. While we plant bombs and launch arsenals in a bid to win unwarranted wars, a silent war against the human race is being declared by an even bigger threat to humanity.

    An ongoing epidemic of the Ebola virus is spreading throughout West Africa. The world’s deadliest Ebola epidemic is currently ravaging many communities in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, among others. So far, the World Health Organization has reported a total of 888 Ebola cases, including 539 deaths since February this year. In a statement, the organization expressed how dire the situation has become by labeling it a ‘precarious’ one which had surged at an unprecedented rate. Figures released by WHO in April indicate that there have been 157 suspected cases, including 101 deaths. Essentially, what we are witnessing is the slippery slope that has the potential of leading to the most severe outbreak of Ebola ever recorded in recorded history, both in the number of cases and fatalities.

    With news that a man in Lagos just died from the virus, the impact of Ebola has just become all too real to Nigerians.

    The man was a Liberian who had been quarantined when he arrived in Lagos on Sunday, July 20 with symptoms of the Ebola virus. His death is the first recorded case of one of the world’s deadliest diseases ever in Nigeria.

    In Liberia, there have already been 21 cases, including 10 fatalities, of which five have been confirmed as Ebola. Mali has seen nine suspected cases with tests showing that two of them did not have the virus. Also, one death has been recorded in Ghana since the outbreak started. Various organizations, including the US Center for Disease Control, European Commission and ECOWAS, have been donating funds and have mobilized personnel to help counter the outbreak.

    Heads of West African governments have met under WHO auspices and have agreed on a coordinated regional strategy. However, much more is needed in terms of effort, cooperation and funds and much more is required from every single person living in the West African region, in terms of awareness.

    Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire). The virus is named after the Ebola River where one of the first recorded outbreaks occurred. Bats are believed to be largely responsible for the Ebola virus. Studies have shown that the virus was originally transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission, with fruit bats of the ‘Pteropodidae’ family considered to be the natural host. The largest-ever outbreak was in 2000-01 in Uganda, with 425 cases, about half of whom died, according to WHO estimates. From the time the virus was identified in humans, pharmaceutical researchers have been unable to develop an effective drug or vaccine to combat the disease.

    The treat of Ebola cannot be underestimated by any of us or by the governments within the region of West Africa. It is a ruthless killer; one of the world’s deadliest viruses, killing up to 90 percent of those infected. Much like so many other incurable and harsh diseases before it, the public seems to be somewhat carefree about learning the facts of it at a time when it can be controlled. Granted, at this very point, the Ebola virus is a huge threat to all of humanity but, at this time, it is also a threat that can be brought under control because the epidemic is still in the early stages.

    We must protect ourselves from Ebola. And we can do so by first knowing the facts about the virus and doing everything possible to prevent its spread. We must empower ourselves with knowledge of the symptoms to look for and our government must immediately start a nation-wide awareness scheme.

    The disease itself is contracted through contact with infected blood or through the exchange of body fluids from an infected person or animal. Early symptoms of the disease include, fever, headache, chills, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, backache, and joint pains. Later symptoms include bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, bleeding from the mouth and rectum, eye swelling, swelling of the genitals and rashes all over the body that often contain blood. It could progress to coma, shock and eventually death.

    Presently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for the Ebola virus but anyone infected must be admitted into hospital as soon as possible if they are to have any chance of survival.

    The view of Ebola from Nigeria is extremely disturbing. The news that the virus has reached Ghana, where a single US citizen was reported to have been infected, is one that Nigerians and the government needs to take very seriously.

    Presently, there has only been that single case reported in Ghana, but that one case is all the warning we need! The question now is; exactly how prepared is Nigeria to prevent and combat this scourge, in the event it needs to? Is the Federal Government equipped enough to forestall or limit the Ebola plague if indeed it needed to do so? The fact that the Federal Government is currently inundated with a profound level of insecurity in the nation, primarily by murdering, blood thirsty, evil and crazy insurgents; does it have the wherewithal to preempt such a potential plague? Proactively, other countries across West Africa have already begun bracing themselves against the spread of the epidemic, with countries like Senegal closing the border it shares with Guinea. Liberia and Guinea are now currently doing all they can to try and control the virus from spreading further.

    While Nigeria has not reported a case of Ebola, the Federal Government through the Minister of Health, Oyebuchi Chukwu, recently admitted that there is a real threat to Nigeria judging by the rate at which the virus has been moving.

    The Minister said, despite the threat, preemptive measures, such as the production of information leaflets, have been taken by the Federal Government. If so, that measure is just not adequate enough in preventing the entry of the deadly virus into the nation’s borders. It is outrageous to think that the mere sharing of leaflets is adequate enough to fight an uncompromising killer like Ebola.

    The problem of our porous borders must be addressed, not only to combat security but monitor the influx of disease as well. A ferocious awareness and sensitization campaign, giving the public information on the risk factors and protective measures of Ebola, through mainstream media, social media, in hospitals, schools, markets, industries and government offices must be launched with immediate effect.

    The awareness campaign has got to be educative and shocking, particularly in pointing out that the virus is highly infectious and has no known cure or vaccine. Furthermore, the government should ensure that health workers and practitioners have all the information they need in addition to providing them with extra protective gear such as gloves.

    While we ponder on the sub-regional scourge of the Ebola virus, its fatal effects, the current threat to Nigeria and the ,realization that there is no known cure for the disease, halting the spread of the virus must involve every Nigerian.

    Everyone should be alert, involved and be on the lookout for any signs of the disease. Everyone should do their bit by learning more about Ebola, protecting themselves, ensuring that their environments are cleanly maintained and also improving on personal hygiene, like washing hands often.

    We must all maintain methods and practices of disinfection, cleanliness, observation of contacts, rodent control and precaution in any interaction that requires the exchange of bodily fluids.

    Infection can occur through eating fruits that have been contaminated with by bats with the virus. As a result, it is vital to wash every fruit before eating. Likewise, the creative manner in which some Nigerians devour bush-meat has to be carried out with utmost caution, because if we have learnt anything from these kinds of diseases, it is that their natural reservoir is usually wild animals, especially wild monkeys and wild rodents.

    For now there has been only one reported case of Ebola in Nigeria; one hopes it stays that way. One also hopes the spread of the virus in other West African countries can be brought to a complete halt. As individuals, we each have a responsibility and duty of care in disease control. Let us invest our time into learning about the Ebola virus, let us each make an effort to stop its spread.

    So, while man-kind faces the threat to its very existence through the self-inflicted bombs, missiles and wars it imposes on the human race, it would be worth our while to unite and battle the bigger threat currently to humanity… the threat of the Ebola disease.

  • Breaking the taboo

    POPE Francis’ strong condemnation of the sexual abuse of children by some rogue Catholic clergy and his apology to the sufferers of the abuse must be greatly commended at every level. Last week, during a Mass held for six victims of priests’ pedophilic abuses at the Vatican, Pope Francis addressed the subject of sexual abuses by some Roman Catholic clerics and declared that bishops who tried to sweep allegations of sexual abuses under the carpet would be held accountable by the Roman Catholic Church.

    Child sexual abuse is one of those murky taboo subjects cloaked in veils of secrecy, deception, intimidation, shame and disgrace. The offenders exist in all societies, come from every culture and practice all religions. It does not just exist in the Catholic Church; it occurs in familial establishments, school institutions and is often cultivated in relationships that are based on trust.

    It would really be naive, even reckless, for any community or establishment to think that their families and institutions are totally immune from the threat of child sexual abuse. It is vitally important for communities to acknowledge the existence of child sexual abuse in order for that knowledge to serve as a deterrent and help in the reduction of this transgression. And that is exactly what Pope Francis did.

    The eradication of child sexual abuse is a subject that I am extremely passionate about and committed to. For the past couple of weeks, I have wanted to write on this topic. Recently, I was presented with a brief where a six-year-old was brutally sexually assaulted by her uncle. Apparently, the uncle had been a frequent visitor to the house where his niece lived and, on many occasions, he was left in the house with the little girl and a nanny. It wasn’t until the little girl’s mother had sacked her old nanny and hired a new nanny that the new nanny informed the family that, whenever they were out of the house, “uncle” would take the little girl into the room and lock the door. Upon thorough investigation, the girl’s mother discovered that the uncle had been molesting her little girl and other little girls in the neighborhood for a long time.

    It seems so out-of-order and malevolent for a family member to carry out such an abominable violation upon his own kin.

    But the truth is, often, child abusers are trusted people known to the child. It is that closeness and position of trust, which the adult has, that makes the abuse much easier to carry out. That familial situation provides a sort of convenient cover for the abuser.

    It really is heart-breaking to know that there are people that feel compelled to carry out such monstrous acts against young children. The horror, trauma, and damage that pedophilia inflicts on a young child is not a faith-based problem; it isn’t a western or developing world problem; it is a problem within every single society.

    Here in Nigeria, there are so many cases of child abuse; I have dealt with them for over ten years. And it is unfortunate to note that, from my experience and observation; the incidences of child sexual abuse have greatly risen and have become more brazen in the last four to five years. In my past articles, I have spoken of a little girl that I met sometime in the year 2000, when I was involved with a charity which helped women and children that were being abused. The little girl was four years old at the time I met her. I was alerted to the family of this little girl after her mother found out that she was a victim of sexual abuse. While I now deal with cases of such nature regularly, at the time I dealt with that particular case, I was relatively new to matters that were so horrific. I was naturally shell shocked and shattered to know of the ordeal that this little girl had gone through.

    In that specific case, from the age of three, this girl had been systematically and violently raped by a young family friend in the compound where she lived. At the time we came across her case, she was four and had already become psychologically traumatized and damaged. When we took her for medical tests, it was further revealed that this four-year-old little girl had contracted HIV from the young man who consistently raped her. Although we had a deep desire to help her and her family in every way we could at that time, we unfortunately lost contact with the family because they were displaced during a sectarian skirmish where they lived. In the aftermath of the conflict, we tried to get in touch with the family to no avail.

    I never saw her or her family again and was never able to find out where they went or what eventually happened to them.

    Whenever I think of the pain and distrust I saw in the little girl’s eyes, whenever I remember the sad, tortured look on her face and her damaged little body, I wonder what eventually became of her…, and my heart breaks! If that little is somewhere out there today, she would now be 18 years old. If she was able to survive the conflict and heal from the trauma, I hope that she has access to the treatment available for her to live a healthy and productive life.

    There is really no simple reason why some adults molest and sexually abuse children, although some would tend to argue that pedophiles are plainly insane. I don’t agree with this position because it gives them an excuse and is a sort of cop out for them. If we argue that people who have an unhealthy appetite for young children and carry out their warped desires are insane, then, the very fact of that insanity makes them not culpable for their heinous acts. I totally believe that adults who abuse children are completely aware of their actions and have an absolute understanding that what they are doing is wrong.

    For me, there is no debate in this; otherwise, why would they go to great lengths to cover up their acts?

    It doesn’t matter whether child sexual abuse is carried out by Bishops in the Vatican in Italy or by ex-governors in Nigeria, in all of our communities, we cannot ignore the occurrence of child sexual abuse. Those in positions of authority; be it an older family member who touches a young relative in the wrong manner, a teacher who immorally crosses the line with their students, religious leaders who hide under the clandestine nature of their institutions to molest children or even aged, abhorrent, venal ex-governors who habitually espouse prepubescent lassies under the insincere rationalization of creed, all play a part in breaking down inhibitions on how elements within societies eventually come to view very young children as sexual partners.

    The challenge for every community is to confront it head on, so that communities can identify methods of  ombating or reducing its occurrence and dealing with it when it happens.

    As a mother, I believe it is vitally important for every single parent to speak to their young children about the dangers that come from the faceless pedophilic predator that may lurk around us. In order to protect our children, we must have good communication with them, talk to them regularly, listen and observe their behavior to see if there is any change. If in the unfortunate situation a child has been abused, that child most likely would be too afraid, ashamed and embarrassed to talk about it. In that situation, it is the responsibility of the parent to detect the physical and behavioral signals that accompany the victim of child abuse.

    An abused child may lose appetite for food, regress to infantile behavior, such as bedwetting or excessive crying, become afraid of the dark, have recurrent nightmares or disturbed sleep patterns and have an unusual interest in or knowledge of intimate matters. They may also begin to express affection in ways inappropriate for a child. In a situation where children show adult-like sexual behavior, it is usually because they have been exposed to it by someone else. Children tend to copy and repeat adult behavior.

    A parent should also notice if a child has unexplainable vaginal or rectal bleeding, venereal infections, torn or strained underclothing and other signals, such as disruptive behavior, withdrawal or delinquent conduct or even if they are unusually failing in school. Once any of these behavioral patterns become noticeable, a parent needs to be on alert and make further, necessary enquiries.

    A child can be abused no matter their gender. As parents, we must safeguard the interests of our children, boys and girls, because every child has a right to be protected, to be safe, to maintain their innocence during childhood and to be free from abuse.

    It is the obligation of each and every one of us adults to protect children from the harm of one of the worst crimes against humanity. The starting point for the protection has got to be breaking the taboo of speaking against child sexual abuse, just like Pope Francis did.

  • Exit of the Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero

    Exit of the Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero

    With news that Alhaji Ado Bayero, the Emir of Kano, passed away in the early hours of Friday the 6th of June 2014, the country lost a great leader and an even greater man. As we mourn his passing at the ripe old age of 83, we also reflect on the impact he made in his position as the Emir of Kano. He was, without doubt, one of the most successful and respected figures in the country.

    As a leader and a monarch, he was very much respected and the human qualities and unassuming way in which he conducted himself set him apart as a leadership role model for the entire country.

    Alhaji Ado Bayero was a point of pride and distinction for his subjects and many Nigerians who appreciated his intelligence, humility and the wisdom which he imparted throughout his reign. He was a person who believed strongly in freedom and fairness and he stood for those values with tenacity and fortitude his whole life. He always rose above the struggles that so often drag us into the doldrums of loathing, hostility and gloom.

    He stood above all that. It is fitting that just last year the late Emir of Kano celebrated his Golden Jubilee on the thrown. That milestone gave his subjects and well-meaning Nigerians the opportunity to show him appreciation and it provided an avenue for his memory to be etched and carried into the future.

    That milestone gave those of us who were not present during his ascension to the throne an opportunity to learn more about the man behind the monarchy. 51 years ago, when the young Mallam Ado Bayero was summoned back to Nigeria while on a French course in France, little did he know the mammoth role that destiny would bestow on him.

    Upon the passing of Emir Muhammadu Inuwa, his uncle, Alhaji Ado Bayero was appointed the new Emir of Kano. Mallam Ado Bayero was born on the 15th June 1930 at the time that his father, Abdullahi Bayero, had been on the throne for four years. Mallam Ado was the eleventh child of his father and the second of three born to his mother, Hajiya Hasiya.

    He trained vigorously in religious studies and latter enrolled in contemporary school. After graduating in 1947, he then took up employment with the British Bank for West Africa, now the First Bank of Nigeria. Alhaji Ado Bayero left the bank to begin his career with the Kano Native Authority in 1949.

    While working for the Native Authority, he attended a number of clerical and administrative courses in Nigeria and abroad. In 1952 he attended the Clerical Training College, Zaria. He then took a course on Local Government in the United Kingdom. In 1953 he became the Chief Clerk of the Kano Town Council.

    He contested and won the election to the Northern Regional House of Assembly in Kaduna on the ticket of the Northern Peoples’ Congress (NPC) in 1954, and he made his inaugural speech in the House on 3rd. March 1955. In April 1957 Ado Bayero resigned his seat in the House to take up an appointment as the Police Chief of the Kano Native Administration Police. He was appointed Nigeria’s Ambassador to Senegal in late 1962.

    With such a glittering career in his past, the Emir was well poised for the role in which his popularity was unassailable; the role that he has upheld for 51 strong years before his passing. He was an Emir who was widely recognized as a true patriot and a man of great humility and justice. In reflection of those qualities he had, Alhaji Ado Bayero, had often been called to play numerous mediating roles all over the country.

    His Golden Jubilee last year was not only a celebration of his throne, but it was an affirmation of his place as a national leader. People of different tribes all over Nigeria trooped into Kano last year to show their admiration for him and their respect for the job that he had done.

    During last years’ Golden Jubilee celebrations, all reservations over the security challenges that plagued the north and even targeted the Emir himself were drowned out by the people’s enthusiasm to celebrate such a deserving leader. In the lead up to the Jubilee, enormous crowds headed towards Kano, residents packed the streets in order to get a glimpse of their Monarch.

    Witnesses to the emerging crowds spoke of well-wishers of all ages who seemed genuinely moved by that milestone in their history. That he ruled over the exceptional and complex people of Kano for 51 years, given the cocktail of challenges and turbulence this country has gone through, while maintaining the respect and love of his subjects, was a testimony to the great Emir that he was.

    The people of Kano have, from time, proven themselves to be a resilient, independent, entrepreneurial, creative, hardworking and ingenious people. They have never opted for second best and have never been ones to suffer fools gladly.

    I know this because I see it in my daughters, sons, nieces, nephews and one side of my father’s family, who are all proudly from Kano. With the likes of the late, great Mallam Aminu Kano, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, Alhaji Maitama Yusuf, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, Sheikh Jaafar, amongst so many other great Kanawa, Kano people have always been ready to stand up for what they believe in and reject what they don’t.

    And even though, their hospitality, warmth and sense of tradition has always provided a balance to their spunk in nature, had the Emir not ruled over them with the honor and grace he has, they would not have celebrated him in the way they did last year or mourn him in the way they do so now.

    Through this and by any accounting, his reign and his life have been successful. As we head into an uncertain future as a nation, one hopes that the qualities and legacies of leaders such as the Emir of Kano should be imbibed by all. May we, as citizens, learn from people like the Emir, behave in the manner the Emir did and lead in the way the Emir showed us. His leadership and the leadership of others like him revive hope.

    As the good people of Kano celebrate and salute the life of their leader and father and mourn for the loss of a man who has truly proven himself, many of us will join them in prayers and sorrow.

    To all who loved and respected him – his subjects, staff, neighbors, colleagues, admirers, friends and family, especially my step mother, Hajia Asiya Musa Musawa (Nee Ado Bayero), my little brother Mohammed Musawa and my cousins Zainab Sanusi and Darman Sanusi – I say:

    “MAY THE ALMIGHTY REWARD YOU AND HELP YOU TO APPLY ENDURANCE AND APPRECIATION IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME… …INDEED, OUR SPIRIT, POSSESSIONS AND FAMILIES ARE MAGNIFICENT GIFTS WHICH GOD HAS LOANED US FOR A PERIOD AND HE TAKES THEM AWAY AFTER THE TERMINATION OF THAT PERIOD. GRATITUDE BECOMES NECESSARY WHEN HE GIVES, AND PATIENCE IS MANDATORY WHEN HE TAKES… …MAI GIRMA, ALHAJI ADO BAYERO, SARKIN KANO, YOUR EMIR, BOSS, NEIGHBOR, FRIEND, COLLEAGUE, BROTHER, FATHER, HUSBAND AND SON, WAS FROM AMONG THAT GREAT GIFT WHICH GOD ALLOWED YOU TO ENJOY IN A WAY THAT WAS FORTUNATE AND GRATIFYING.

    ALTHOUGH YOU LOVED HIM, HIS PLACE IS WITH HIS MAKER NOW. AS HE HAS GONE HOME, IT IS YOUR DUTY TO SHOW PATIENCE IN HIS DEATH AND GRATITUDE FOR HIS LIFE… …MAY THE ALMIGHTY AUGMENT YOUR RECOMPENSE, BE KIND IN YOUR MISFORTUNE, FORGIVE THE DECEASED, ENCOURAGE YOU WITH ENDURANCE AND GIVE YOU PEACE. I PRAY YOU HAVE THE FORTITUDE TO BEAR HIS HEAVY LOSS!” As the people of Kano close the chapter of a man and Emir that was truly great, “I PRAY THAT GOD FORGIVE AND HAVE MERCY ON THE SOUL OF ALHAJI ADO BAYERO AND MAKE HONORABLE HIS RECEPTION.

    MAY ALLAH KEEP HIM SAFE AND SOUND, PROTECT THE PLACE WHERE HE HAS RESTED AND MAKE HIS ENTRANCE WIDE; BLESS HIM FOR HIS GOOD DEEDS AND SURROUND HIM WITH A GARDEN FILLED WITH BEAUTY.

    MAY HE RECEIVE THE GENTLE BLOW OF A COOL BREEZE, BE WASHED WITH SNOWFLAKES, ICE, SLEET, WATER AND EVERYTHING PURE AND CLEANSED OF SIN AS A WHITE CLOTH IS PURIFIED PERFECTLY.

    I PRAY ALLAH ADMITS HIM TO PARADISE AND MAY HIS GRAVE BE SPACIOUS AND FILLED WITH LIGH…; AMIN.” It is with pride that I as a Nigerian thank, salute and mourn the exit of the Emir of Kano, Mai Girma, Alhaji Ado Bayero, whose life and legacy will be remembered in time to come…

  • Eagles come out supreme at World Cup 2014

    Eagles come out supreme at World Cup 2014

    The FIFA World Cup is here again. The lenses of the planet will be centered on South America for the next month as the football elite descend on Brazil, the host country. As Brazil gears up for the glitz and glam of the World Cup, riots, strikes and civil disturbances in the host nation over the World Cup are the latest manifestations of the tensions that exist behind the glamour of the beautiful game. The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place in Brazil from today, the 12th of June to the 13th of July 2014. It will be the second time that Brazil is hosting the competition, the previous being in 1950. Brazil was elected unchallenged as host nation in 2007 after FIFA decreed that the tournament would be staged in South America for the first time since 1978 in Argentina, and the fifth time overall.

    With the start of the World Cup just hours away, the pomp and pageantry associated with this epoch event has been eclipsed by civil unrest and metro strikes by the Brazilian citizens.

    While poor Brazilians are protesting against excess funding and overspending on the tournament instead of investing in social amenities such as health and education and other necessary development projects, union leaders are demanding for wage increases, and threatening to resume a metro strike if their demands are not met. They are also calling for staff threatened with dismissal for their involvement in strike-related disturbances to be reinstated.

    An earlier five-day stoppage had caused wide-scale traffic chaos, with fears that a repeat of the disruption could prevent fans and employees from attending group stage matches during the sporting event. If this continues, it could severely disrupt the opening encounter between hosts Brazil and Croatia at the Itaquerao stadium or Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo. Presently, traffic in much of the city has come to a standstill, with FIFA officials subjected to four-hour car journeys from the airport to their hotels.

    Owing to the hosting of this epic event, Brazil has seen over a year of protests against bad governance and perceived excessive spending on the World Cup. Apparently, Brazil is not entirely ready for this World Cup, and a good deal of the population still wants no part of it. This was definitely not what SeppBlatter, FIFA President, envisaged seven years ago when FIFA awarded the tournament to Brazil; when Blatterbegan his insistent campaign to spread the glory to regions of the world that aren’t necessarily prepared for such a spectacle. However, Brazilian President DilmaRousseff, has maintained that her country is ready on and off the pitch for the football World Cup, rejecting criticism of overspending, saying, “the tournament would leave a lasting legacy of infrastructure.”

    Another major occurrence overshadowing the 2014 FIFA World Cup is the allegations on SeppBlatter of corruption pertaining to the Qatar World Cup bid. Undoubtedly, Blatter is a quintessential and “poster child” ofAfrican leaders with a “stay put” mentality, never wanting torelinquishtheir hold on power. The 78-year-old president has been mired in rapacious corruption charges since he assumed office in 1998. In reminisce of African leaders ‘stay-put’ mentality, he is canvassing for a 5th term in office amidst numerous corruption scandals. There has been increasing calls as more of FIFA’s leading sponsors such as Sony, Visa, Adidas and Coca-Cola have joined the call for an investigation into allegations that Qatar bought the 2022 World Cup with millions of dollars-worth of bribes under Blatter’s stewardship.

    However, Blatter has claimed that the current allegations of corruption around the Qatar World Cup bid are being driven by “racism and discrimination”. The FIFA president has also claimed there is a plot “to destroy FIFA”. Furthermore, in a manner similarto African leader’s penchant for tenure elongation while in office, Blatter has raised the issue of the two controversial reforms before the FIFA Congress — votes on term and age limits for the FIFA president and executive committee members. His stance is that age limits for sports administrators “is a form of discrimination”. This is indeed a blatant attempt at eliciting justification for his continued stay in office.

    Turning our attention to the Super Eagles of Nigeria, what are our prospects in the 2014 FIFA World Cup? Nigeria is undeniably a soccer powerhouse in Africa and packed with football enthusiasts, only debuting in the world’s most followed competition in 1994. Taking an odyssey down memory lane, Nigeria qualified for her first FIFA World Cup when the esteemed competition was hosted by the U.S.A in 1994. The Super Eagles pulled a successful first ever World Cup run and were deservedly ranked fifth in the FIFA World Rankings during that period; thus, becoming the highest ranked African nation ever. After beating the likes of Bulgaria and Greece, and narrowly losing to Argentina, the Super Eagles progressed to the second round of the competition finishing first in their group. This was the “golden era” of the Super Eagles as they were still basking under the euphoria of winning the African Nations cup in Tunisia earlier that same year. They went into the competition as African champions, and they sure weren’t a disappointment. They soared elegantly like the Eagles they were and the likes of Emmanuel Amuneke, Daniel Amokachi, the ‘late great’ RashidiYekini, Finidi George, Samson SiaSia, et al, shown as bright as the stars they were. Sadly however, the Super Eagles dream of reaching the finals and probably winning the competition was halted by Italy (the eventual silver medalist), in the 102nd minute of extra-time, when they were awarded a penalty after a one-all draw during the round of 16. I remember the moment we conceded that goal vividly and I can honestly say that it was one of the most excruciating and depressing moments I have had as a Nigerian.

    In 1998, when the FIFA World Cup was held in France, the Super Eagles returned to the tournament again with high hopes of surpassing its performance in the United States. Most of the 1994 squad was retained, infused with some of the victorious players that won gold in the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. Many thought that with four more years of experience in the kitty, Nigeria could build upon its 1994 run and progress into the quarter-finals and beyond. As the competition commenced, the Super Eagles managed a massive upset, defeating favorites Spain 3-2 in a pulsating game. The team came from behind twice to pull an important victory from Spain. With another win and aloss, the Eagles progressedthrough the group stage and looked primed to break their previous run. Unfortunately, akin to what happened in 1994, the Eagles fell to an excruciating defeat when they were walloped 1-4 by Denmark.

    Consecutively, the Super Eagles also qualified for the 2002 World Cup, jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan. With most of the ’94 and ’98 World Cup crop of players getting to retirement ages, Nigeria enlisted the services of a new crop of younger players, injecting a new sense of optimism and vibrancy in Nigeria. However, a replication of the previous successes, albeit minimalcouldn’t be reproduced as the Super Eagles were drawn in an extremely tough group. The Eagles couldn’t spread their wings and soar in thatcompetition. A loss to both Argentina and Sweden and a barren draw with England in the group stage meant we had to exit the tournament without proceeding to the knockout stage. Subsequently, the 2006 World Cup held in Germany recorded the absence of the Super Eagles as wefailed to qualify to be one of the representatives from Africa via technicalities of having an inferior head to head record with Angola.

    The first and only FIFA World Cup tournament held on African soil thus far saw the participation of the Super Eagles. Alas! The 2010 World Cup held in South Africa was once again a disastrous outing for the Super Eagles, reminiscent of the 2002 tourney. The Eagles performance was dismally low as we finished last during the group stages. As a result of the below par performance, an infuriated President Jonathan banned the Super Eagles from partaking in international competition for two years. However, five days later, the government rescinded its ban, but FIFA ultimately banned the national team from international football tournaments indefinitely due to reasons of political interference.

    Eventually, the ban was provisionally lifted and the case was dropped. The Super Eagles, having qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil commencing in a few hours’ time and on the backdrop of being the champions of Africa, with a young squad which includes Chelsea star, John Mikel Obi, Liverpool star, Victor Moses, the ever dependable OsazeOdemigwe, the deputy captain and the best Goal keeper in the French League, Vincent Enyama, and a no-nonsense coach that steered the Eagles to victory in the African Cup of nations earlier this year, a former player and captain of the golden era Super Eagles, “the big boss” himself, Steven Keshi. If there was any individual that can do it, Steven Keshi is the man capable of taking the Eagles all the way.

    Presently in a group perceived to be “weak on paper” comprising Iran, Bosnia and Herzegovina and our customary opponent in every World Cup tourney, Argentina, the Eagles are widely expected to well and have a strong chance of progressing further than the group stage. With the caliber and quality of players, and an imposing coach, the prospects of the Super Eagles are looking quite bright.

    Hence, can the Africa champions finally break the jinx of surpassing the round of 16? Will we pass the group stage? Can we go all the way to the final and possibly comeback home with the trophy? Will our other African teams excel in the game? Is 2014 going to be the year for Africa? I think even the predictive prowess of the late Paul, the psychic octopus who hit the headlines during the last World Cup by picking the correct results throughout the game from his tank in Oberhausen, Germany and his equally psychic cousin, Ollie,would have probably struggled to hazard a guess.

    No doubt in the next four weeks all eyes will be on Brazil. The world will be watching and cheering on their national teams as they dribble, kick, shoot and perform all manners of exhilarating football theatric. And eventhough I will not be in Brazil to cheer our boys to victory, I will certainly be rooting for our beloved Super Eagles from the comfort of my home. “Go Eagles Go…!”

    May you make history with a victory! May your wings open wide so you can fly high and come out supreme at this World Cup of 2014!

  • #BringBackOurGirls (Week Three)

    #BringBackOurGirls (Week Three)

    As I watched the campaign to #BringBackOurGirls take a life of its own on a global scale, I breathed a sigh of relief. At last the tragedy that had befallen Nigerians and over 223 families living in Chibok town, Borno State was being acknowledged by a force greater than our government.

    After about two weeks of being shell shocked over the Chibok tragedy, many Nigerians all over the world began expressing outrage over the lack of information about what efforts were under way to secure the girls’ release. Our fury on the abduction of the girls was amplified by the perception we had that the authorities were not doing enough concerning the process of bringing back the girls safely to their families.

    So out of frustration we united as one in a vociferous outcry, stood up in great numbers, took to the streets via protest marches in different parts of the country and abroad and used social media to get our story out. And we managed to tap into a huge reservoir of public attention.

    As the story went viral, reactions to it dribbled over from Twitter, Facebook and blogs to the classic media, with basically all major TV stations picking it up. Finally, the world was aware of our missing girls! And as we continue the campaign, until there is a resolution or some breakthrough, henceforth my articles will be dedicated to the movement to see our girls safely back home and I will focus solely on this issue in order to continue in the struggle to #BringBackOurGirls.

    Now that the effort of Nigerian civilians and youth has ignited awareness and a global call for action, the question is, ‘what next’. How can our government and we, as a people, capitalize on the momentum and the awareness generated by this campaign to #BringBackOurGirls so that, like the Kony 2012 campaign, the impetus does not fizzle out? Nigeria is literally melting down.

    The government’s attempt so far to stop the spread of terror, especially in the North Eastern part of the country has, not only exposed the defects within our security structure, but has allowed thousands of innocent civilians to be butchered, massacred and executed by an irreverent group resolute in shedding the blood of innocent people. With all the turmoil we have seen and the innocent blood that has been shed, this violation where over 200 young girls are taken from their hostels by such depraved scum has pushed us to the very brink and we have completely reached the end of our tether.

    This has got to be the point in which we say “enough is enough”. This has got to be the beginning of the end of this insanity. From the onset, the official response to this latest transgression appears to have been weak, to say the least. Right from the start, the authorities have downplayed the scale of the abduction in a manner that has been understandably interpreted as a failure of the government to treat it with the seriousness it deserves.

    Now that the whole world is demanding to #BringBackOurGirls, we are not yet home and dry. There is no doubt that, before any foreign assistance is called upon, the Nigerian government has primary responsibility of bringing our girls back. More than any other time, this administration has no choice but to pursue a measured and assertive course in ending this terrible terror in Nigeria. Because the longer this threat lasts, the greater the threat it poses beyond Nigeria and beyond Africa.

    As a starting point, the government must take full responsibility and stop shifting blame by implying that the parents of the girls are somehow culpable, in that they have not been open in giving the identities of their missing children. I have spoken to a relative of one of the girls that is alleged to have been taken and I asked why they were not willing to cooperate with the government. What they told me was that, they had been warned that if they pursued the girls or gave information about their children and the abductors came to know of this, their children would be killed.

    One can understand how, as parents, they would be sceptical of cooperating with a government that they believe does not have the will or capability of rescuing their children and protecting them. Like it or not, even with the threat that goes with the exposure of information that we are desperately clamouring for in this case, the government, to a certain degree, has got to shed the cloak of secrecy that it has so far draped on this crisis.

    Because by being overly secretive, all the government has done so far is alienate itself and created an information vacuum, leaving many casting doubts on what, if anything, has been done to rescue and #BringBackOurGirls. The silence has also created an avenue for confusion to reign; where dissimilar accounts and conspiracy theories have popped up all over the place.

    A round the clock information source should be set up immediately to give out adequate information, which would not compromise the security operation that is being carried out to rescue our girls or ensure their safety. The whole world is increasingly becoming emotional over the abductions and people are desperate to know the true situation, efforts and measures that have been taken in ensuring that our girls are brought back home safely.

    And it is only through the responsible and steady flow of information from government that public anxiety will be reduced. Though it has come under a lot of criticism, in my opinion, the recent pronouncement by the President, setting up a committee to #BringBackOurGirls is a step in the right direction.

    Now, that committee must get to work immediately of getting as much information as possible from the parents of the girls, teachers in the school, residents in the village, witnesses to the incident and anybody that is directly connected to the incident. The committee can humanize the victims of the Chibok tragedy by compiling the identities of the girls and ascertaining how many girls were taken and how many have returned so far.

    Let us know the exact amount of girls that were abducted, the amount that escaped and can be accounted for, and the amount of the yet to be rescued girls in addition to statements of what and where they were taken by the girls who managed to escape. With accounts that the girls may have been taken out of the country, any rescue operation may have to take extra measures.

    Given that the group which took responsibility for the abductions has been declared a terrorist organisation, legal steps should be taken by the government in obtaining adequate warrants that would satisfy cross border detention of anyone culpable of these crimes. This may mean that the proper authority in Nigeria would have to reach out to the world’s largest international police organization (INTERPOL) to work together to #BringBackOurGirls.

    INTERPOL may issue notices to all member countries that the girls are missing and it may ask police in member countries to look for the abductors and search for our girls. Amidst all this chaos, the silence from the Chad, Cameroun and Niger governments is so deafening one would not have thought that we have representatives and ambassadors in each other’s countries. Let’s not forget that Chad, Cameroun and Niger share a border with Nigeria around the area where these atrocities are taking place.

    In fact several times in the past, accounts of bands of terrorists relocating to the neighboring countries to remobilize and rearm has been reported. In order to rise to the challenge of our porous borders and cross border insurgency, a Multinational Joint Task Force composed of soldiers from Chad, Niger and Nigeria was put in place.

    If the accounts of our girls being taken over the border are true and if the pathetic state that our borders are in is enhancing the flight of the insurgents, then this is no longer an immediate Nigerian problem; this is an immediate problem of every country that exists within the region of West Africa. There is an urgent need for the government, together with the Multinational Joint Task Force to give a press conference, the challenges they face and steps needed in order to quell this monstrosity.

    Reports that, despite the outrage at these abductions and despite the fact that security has allegedly been stepped up in the areas of concern, about 8 more girls were abducted solidifies the need for the government to relocate all the families living in the danger zones with immediate effect. Most of the families that are left in the most dangerous areas are poor and don’t have the option of relocating or the means to do so.

    The families of our missing girls need to be relocated at the expense of the government until there is a response to bring their daughters back. My greatest fear, which has already began to be played out in Nigeria, is that the focus of this campaign will somehow be lost on the cutting room floor of the prejudices and power-hungry tendencies that consumes almost every African society.

    Whispers of “It’s this one planning to bring this one down…, No it’s those ones scheming to destroy these one’s” is already polluting the air. For God’s sake, we should stop making this issue a political, ethnic or religious one on the expense of the lives of our Chibok teenage girls. Children’s lives are at stake here and every Nigerian regardless of political affiliation, ethnic or religious differences should make every effort in unity, in seeking for the rescue of these innocent teenage girls.

    At every point, until our girls are found, we must remind ourselves that our focus has got to remain steadfast on the rescue of the girls. There is a time and a place for everything and this is not the time for Nigerians to politicize or tribalize this issue. No matter ones view or theories on all the sundry concerns that surrounds the awkward and mottled tapestry of Nigeria, this one matter has got to be about bringing our girls back home safely.

    There are so many steps that the government should take; amongst which setting up an enquiry panel which will investigate how over 200 students could so brazenly be taken from a hostel in a state that is already under martial law should be paramount. But for now, the focus must remain on getting our girls back.

    So, despite the fanatical rambling of a raving lunatic that has nothing to show for effort other than an out of control, trembling right hand, completely misguided ideology and sins that only Allah can adequately give dire punishment for, the kidnap of #TheChibokGirls is not about religion.

    In spite of veiled implications via an astounding public meltdown of a first lady, the mass abduction of young girls is not about a conspiracy against a president. Even with the finger pointing along political, ethnic and regional lines, we cannot allow the threat of the trafficking of 223 of our young girls to be manipulated in the interest of party, tribal or regional lines. By giving this atrocity a reason, we are acknowledging and giving an identity to it and playing right into the kidnappers’ arms.

    No, our focus has got to be about just our girls and on bringing them home safely. Time is the merciless enemy. And as the clock ticks, the plight of our girls grows ever more desperate. It is imperative for the government to step up and assert its authority against this horror. For those of us in the public bleeding inside, we will utilize every tool available to us including the awesome power of the media because all that matters at this stage is for us to ensure that they #BringBackOurGirls.

  • The failure of a people

    It is with great anguish and heavyheartedness I’m penning down this article on the yet to be rescued abducted teenage Chibok girls. As a parent and a Nigerian, a human, it is difficult for one not to feel a profound sense of responsibility in voicing out ones melancholy and distress over the thus far unconvincing developments at all levels in the country, pertaining to the rescue or freedom for the kidnapped Chibok girls. About a fortnight ago, Nigeria was yet again hit with the dreadful news of the abduction of teenage girls from their secondary school in Chibok, Borno State, less than 24-hours after the massive dastardly Nyanya bombing that took the lives of over 75 innocent Nigerians who were going about their daily activities in the early hours of the morning. The girls; about 230 of them and mostly young teenagers were rounded up at gunpoint after alleged militants overpowered a military guard assigned to a boarding school in Chibok. They were preparing for their final school exams. This has got to be a completely new low for a nation fiercely battling to get one breath of air. Of course, there is no one that has not been deeply disturbed and tortured by this tragic affair. Of course, there have been mumbles here, and mumbles there; the odd statement from this corner, another one from that corner. Private discussions and lamentations at the highest level as to what can and should be done has taken place. There seems to be a great bewilderment and confusion as to what can be done. But the truth is there is not one Nigerian who has not profusely failed in this instance! We have failed as a people in the most disgusting and pathetic manner. At this point, when I remember the faces of the parents of those little girls and as I sit here writing this piece, haunted by the faces of those girls, there is not one bone in my body that is not ashamed to call myself a Nigerian today! Why should I sit here in Nigeria and be bombarded by the American disgust with the racist views of an American bigot via the world media because it is important to the history and evolution of America, and not tell America that my own children have just been kidnaped; allegedly violated in the most deplorable manner via the same media. If there is one incidence that should have united us with a single voice, it is the tragedy of the Chibok girls. What have we done so far to tell the world in the most critical manner that the Chibok tragedy is not acceptable? We speak about this being the government’s responsibility. There is no doubt that it is the responsibility of our government. But for me, as a Nigerian, it goes beyond that, it is my responsibility too. In saner climes, which has not abandoned its conscience, all hands would be on deck, regardless of government inefficiency and security agencies ineptitude, for a concerted effort in ensuring that there is the required amount of pressure on those at the helm of affairs who are responsible for bringing back our girls safely. Was that not what we did when the issue of the fuel subsidy reared its head? We stood as one and told the government what we were willing to accept and what we would not accept. Is the increase of fuel subsidy more important than the safety of our children now? During the 2011 “occupy Nigeria protest”, irrespective of party affiliation, and religious and ethnic differences, the government was practically shut down and was forced to review the demands of Nigerians. We all stood with one voice, simultaneously replicating such protests nationwide. Why haven’t we, as a people, demonstrated and replicated such unity, cohesiveness, patriotism or just humanity in this instance? There is a saying in the Hausa language that goes, “the pain of one person’s daughter is the same as the pain of another person’s daughter”. This is true. We may not all be the parents and children in this particular incident, but the truth is that this incident has a direct effect and a very dangerous implication on each and every one of us. There is not one of us out there; not one, that is not someone’s parent or someone’s child. So, whether we like it or not, this tragedy is each of us and each of us is this tragedy. While we go about our normal daily activities, lamenting about this issue privately, we are setting an extremely dangerous precedent. If we allow this incident to fade away, we continue to break down our inhibitions and just like kidnapping and robbery; we are breathing life into another abomination that has no place in any society. If we turn a blind eye, we are giving this depraved transgression an identity. There has just not been enough public outcries over the tragedy of the Chibok girls. Where are the voices of Muslim rights groups? We call ourselves righteous, but where is our voice when it really needs to be heard? Is it only when we are wrongly stereotyped that we lend our voices? Why the silence and pretense that there is not an issue that needs to urgently be addressed amongst us? Where is the voice of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)? One would expect that they should ordinarily be vociferous in this instance as they have always retrospectively been during other terrorist acts. Where are the women rights groups? Is it only when top female public officials are to be probed for corrupt practices that they lend their voices in crying foul and playing the gender card? Where are the voices of women groups in the North? Is it only in cases such as the banning of Hijab’s in public schools in Lagos that they muster or elicit public outcry? Where is the voice of the National Association of Nigerian Students? Are our girls in Chibok not also Nigerian students? Where are the voice of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and its sister body ASUP, should they be only concerned with “saving the University system” and increments of their remunerations? Where are the myriad of Civil Society/Pressure Groups across the length and breadth of the country? Are they not supposed to be engaging and compelling the government on a regular basis in ensuring that they resolutely bring back our girls safely? Where is the voice of our regional elders? Is it only on matters concerning resource control that they are interested in? Where is the voice of the National Assembly? A special round-theclock- committee should have been set-up solely for our missing girls, liaising with the executive and security outfits, vociferously championing and canvassing for the safe return of our missing girls. Where is the voice of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC)? Is it only when it involves the increment in P.M.S or subsidy removal that they become more active and activists? Where is the voice of columnist of the various media houses we have in the country? As I write this, I feel like a hypocrite because it has taken me over two weeks to speak out, despite the fact that I am a mother myself. I have the audacity to spew my venom and criticize others in my weekly column, but I didn’t have the courage or the benevolence to speak out loudly before now. Other columnists and bloggers can write as if there was no tomorrow but have failed to bring enough moving and arousing articles and op-eds capable of enkindling emotions amongst Nigerians, demanding for the safe rescue of our girls. Where is the voice of our traditional rulers? Where are the voices of the plethora of NGOs scattered across the country? Where are the voices of Nigerians in the Diaspora? Where is the voice of the Nigerian? These are voices needed now more than ever before. There must be a consorted and unending effort to safely bring back our girls. Point blank and period! Rather than snippets of protests, there needs to be a synchronized and simultaneous peaceful protest nationwide, demanding for prompt action in bringing back our girls safely. As we continue to exist, we must all remember that these abducted girls could be any of our daughters. She could be your sister, your niece, your cousin or your grand-daughter. She could be a distant relative of yours or a friend of your child. Anyone of us could be undergoing the pains and sorrow actual parents and guardians of the Chibok girls are going through right now. If you have done nothing, look to your conscience and earnestly ask yourself, why you have not attempted to or be involved in a collective cohesive nationwide effort and public outcry for the safe rescue and return of these girls in even the smallest way. We should all be ashamed and disgusted with ourselves. And as for the media; for the past 2-weeks after the abductions, the media has not been able to whip-up enough public sentiments and vociferation against the abduction and government’s incompetence in ensuring or assuring us that our girls would be rescued and brought back safely. From print and visual, the media should concentrate on major developments pertaining to rescue efforts the government has failed to carry-out so far. What should be on our screens, papers and websites consistently should be the call to rescue our girls from the hands of these dastardly vagabonds. Round-the-clock programmes and forums should be organized and designed, solely discussing and sensitizing the populace on possible peaceful steps and measures to take as a people, so as to ensure that the government is compelled to bring our girls back safely. It’s obvious that the lackluster response from all of the above comes down to fear. The action of this rabid collective is something that we have never seen before. Nobody is willing to be identified as the loudest and leading voice. While it is understandable, it is also unacceptable. There must be a voice. And that voice must be one voice; the voice of humanity, the voice of unity and the voice that will again speak out to say “enough is enough!” The voice should find its courage and involve a committed citizenry — every man, woman, and child, every religious and traditional ruler, political parties and politicians, civil servants, professionals and entrepreneurs, religious institutions, civil society groups, nongovernmental organizations, elder statesmen and former leaders — in a vociferous concerted effort, regardless of religious or ethnic differences and political party affiliation, compelling and demanding that the government and our security apparatus should do all it takes to bring safely back home our girls. As I pray for the return of our girls and I offer my voice, my pen and myself for this cause, I bow my head in utter self-disgust and shame and admit that I have failed those little girls and their parents… And so have YOU!

  • Two dead, scores injured in Lagos free for all

    VIOLENCE broke out in Ikorodu, Lagos state yesterday following a clash between two groups of hoodlums. Two persons are feared dead in the mayhem. Several others were injured, some seriously. The free for all fight started at about 8am at the Idi Iroko and Ogoloto bus stops on the Ikorodu/Lagos road. Many commercial vehicles, their drivers and commuters were trapped in the fracas. As people scampered to safety and motorists tried to drive out of danger a heavy traffic built up on the road. The confusion lasted about three hours. Eye witnesses said trouble started when police, acting on a tip off, stormed a suspected fortress of bunkerers to apprehend them. A man was allegedly shot dead by the police during the raid. Witnesses said the victim was a sand digger and not a bunkerer. This, it was gathered, angered those who knew the victim, especially a group of hoodlums. They decided to vent their anger on those engaged in illegal bunkering activities in the area. Dangerous weapons like broken bottles, cutlasses and knives were freely used by the hoodlums during the clash. Commercial vehicles which ran into the hoodlums were vandalised while their passengers jumped down and ran for their lives. In the process, some of them were injured as the hoodlums descended on them. A combined team of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Operation Mesa (OPs MESA) and police from the Ebute Police station arrived the scene and tear gassed the hoodlums view a view to dispersing them. They later stationed themselves at strategic positions to forestall further fight. All the injured persons were treated at OAK Hospital located at Agric bus stop along Lagos road, while the remains of the deceased were deposited at the morgue of Ikorodu General Hospital.

  • Blurred lines

    Blurred lines

    In proper democracies, the driving force of opposition political parties is not only to wrest power from the ruling political party, but also to exhibit its democratic tendencies and principles, especially while carrying out its internal processes. The emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) into the political space in the country was a welcome development to many disillusioned, exasperated and also discerning Nigerians, who craved for change or a credible and capable option to the party ruling since 1999. When, the merger of opposition parties morphed from a dream into a real phenomenon last year, it was literally as if Christmas had come early for many Nigerians. People who, like myself, had toiled with every ounce of strength we had since 2003, to see that Nigerians were given an alternative choice for their future, rather than to perpetually be lumped with only one political brand, felt relief and saw real hope for the first time in this republic. However, it is with a heavy heart that many of us who had such high hopes for the APC have had, to a certain extent, those hopes somewhat deflated. And for any of us, who have had the best interest of the APC in our spirit to say this in such an open manner shows the level of frustration we have been grappling with. I suppose it might be easier to not say anything and pretend that all at home is well, but what would be the point of that if we really want, not to only succeed, but present ourselves as the real truth to Nigerians? With the recent conduct of the ward congresses of the APC, where in most states a one-day exercise is yet to be completed three weeks in, one wonders if at the end of the day, it won’t come down to Nigerians having to make a choice between two sides of a rusty coin. Disappointingly, the conduct of the ward congresses has been marred by controversy, irregularities, postponements, snatching of ballot papers and the alleged imposition of candidates and officials. These are real issues that bother Nigerians, issues that people say are indicative of the ruling PDP, of which the APC is offering an alternative to. But if, at the very foundation of our party, we are unable to have an uneventful congress in the states and conclude them without the kind of incidence that is being witnessed, then exactly what makes us different than what we criticize the PDP for? Newspapers and the social media, since the start of the exercise have been awash with reportage of the appalling imposition, manipulation, rigging and poor planning of the congresses. For instance, the Rivers State chapter of the APC held a parallel ward and local government congress, to protest alleged injustice and discrimination in the party. Also, citing election irregularities, APC cancelled the results of 30 wards out of the 212 in Bauchi State. In several reports from the states, allegations were made of those who emerged winners from the congresses as having done so through a culture of imposition. In Ebonyi State, the APC stated that it would probe irregularities recorded during the ward congresses across the 171 wards in the state. These headlines were what flooded the country during the conduct of the ward congresses of the party. And the stories go on. Events of the ward congresses have thus brought to the fore the shenanigans across political parties in the country. At least the ruling PDP is already widely known for its imposition, consensus and impunity. However, if the APC, the only major alternative to the PDP cannot organize an acrimony-free, fair and credible ward congress, how then will it effect the muchdesired change Nigerians desire? Whether some of these allegations are true or not or whether they were instigated by fifth columnists that have been injected into the APC to wreak havoc, this state of affairs does not augur well for a party that many have great hope in. In almost all the states, there have been issues and disenfranchisement; some more than others, some rather small. But it is when the smallest things are ignored that they pile up to become huge, big problems. APC must stay aware of these tinny details in order to keep on top of our game and take us to that level of achievement we aspire. It is only when we address and solve each small issue as it arises, that we will be able to smooth out a lot of rough bumps in the road ahead. And that road ahead, while we know it’s going to be rough and bumpy, at least from our side, it will be much less dramatic. As part of this machinery that consistently prides itself in being progressive, for due process, fairness and openness and boasts of its democratic credentials, the events of the ward congress elections across the states are unacceptable. If we want to show Nigeria and the world that we are committed to doing things differently from the way PDP has been doing them in the last four elections, then we have to do them… differently! In the 2011 elections, the deplorable events that happened within the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), which led to the collapse of a party many had hope in, left it with only the Nasarawa State government. The events that led to the desolation of CPC in 2011 were not an accident of fact, neither were they completely due to fifth columnists that were thrown in the mix to confuse the party. The downfall of the CPC exposed the lower side of the party and gave credence to the blurred lines between the CPC and PDP. In most instances then, the party was no different from its main rival, the PDP in terms of imposing candidates, cancelling results, lying and cheating. Whatever it was that the CPC accused the PDP of in 2011, the CPC was much more guilty of itself. Now, three years on, the biggest mistake the APC could make would be to adopt the manner in which the CPC selfdestructed and handed the states to the PDP on a shinny silver platter. One would have thought that the manner in which the ACN and ANPP conducted itself to gain control of some states in the South West and North East respectively would have been a better option for the APC than to allow the ugly underbelly of the 2011 ghost of CPC to take it down. The truth is, most Nigerians have had enough. People need change. I am no longer sure that people actually know what kind of change they are looking for, but they just need change! Every day in Nigeria, you see people walking along the streets with a blank look on their faces. Nobody seems to really know what direction this country is going in anymore. Maybe that was why the merger of the APC galvanised the polity in a manner that we have not witnessed in this country, maybe since the election of two great Nigerians; Chief Moshood Abiola and Alhaji Bashir Tofa. Sentiments and jokes aside, Nigerians yearn for governance that is committed to transparency, the rule of law, accountability, respect for democratic tenets and equality. These are the ideals that the APC was birthed to represent; these are the ideals that the APC must represent in order to succeed. Unfortunately, most of these ideals are indeed lacking in the APC ward congresses across the country presently taking place. And if that is the manner in which the APC will continue to conduct itself, then one shudders to imagine what will happen come the party primaries. It truly might literally be a ‘do or die affair.’ And if what happens during the party primaries remotely resembles anything that happened during the 2011 CPC primaries, then we best be poised to witness a plethora of antiparty activities and the handing of the legislative and state elections to the PDP, yet again on a shinny diamond platter… Geronimo PDP Carry Go! As a party of progressive hope and change, if we want the change that we profess to bring to Nigeria, then we must become that change ourselves. A hitch-free, fair and credible election via our ward congresses would have gone a long way in convincing some Nigerians who are still in-between parties, that hope is not lost because the APC is here to offer positive change. One of the things I appreciate about being a part of the APC is to accept responsibility for our failures. And from what I can see, “something is wrong here.” It is easy to ignore these small, subtle warning signs. But if we do, then we miss the chance of easily solving a small problem before it becomes a big problem. The fact that aspirants and politicians, who should have no business with the executive members, are squabbling about the executive positions of the ward, local government and state, to the extent that we have been unable to complete ward congresses in the party in several states, is a problem that the party has to address seriously. The direct interest of aspirants as to who emerges in the congresses is indicative of an intention to manipulate the party primaries. The APC cannot allow that and must find a way to impede such practice. The APC should champion a good old political shindig where aspirants emerge via the people’s choice, not because their lackeys occupy the executive positions through a questionable congress. The APC should make every effort, to reassure Nigerians of its determination to offer a credible and capable option to the PDP. And that reassurance must start now, as it lays its very foundation. A healthy democracy demands this and the majority of discerning Nigerians are already looking forward to an APC filled with representatives who are truly progressive and democratic, capable of delivering on their promises of change and good governance. Anything short of this is unacceptable to me as a member of APC and every Nigerian that wants positive change for the nation. Unlike the CPC in 2011, our greatest prayer should be that the APC, in 2014 and 2015 should not resemble the manner in which the PDP does its business, while we unobtrusively look on like some lame headless horsemen. If it does, then the APC has effectively blurred the lines of any ideals that may differentiate it from the PDP. And, in the end, should the PDP conduct its business in the way its been accustomed to, then he APC would have no moral right to complain…. Because it did exactly the same within its internal structure. May the APC stand alert to bring real progressive and positive change that some of us know and believe it has the capacity and intention to bring to Nigeria.

  • The chicken before the egg

    Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The answer to this age old conundrum had baffled scientists and riddle lovers for centuries. The challenge has always come from the fact that a chicken can only come from an egg, but an egg, on the other hand, has to be laid by a chicken, and that chicken had to have come from an egg…you see what I mean? Well, sometime ago, a group of scientists cracked the ‘SHELL’ of this riddle by ‘FRYING, BOILING AND UNSCRAMBLING’ (pun intended) the mystery to give a fully ‘POACHED’ answer to one of the world’s oldest riddles. Their answer was… (drum roll)… the chicken came first before the egg! In a bid to find out more about how animals make eggshell, the scientists researched the process in microscopic detail by programming the ingredients that they thought chickens use to make egg shells. By the time the results came up, it revealed the presence of a particular protein in a chicken’s ovaries, unidentified by the researchers, which acts as the tireless builder on an eggshell. Without this protein, the eggs would not exist. This, in their opinion, meant the bird must have come first. Which came first questions, such as that of the chicken or the egg may not seem such an important one to ask or find a solution to. Especially in our society where the majority are living under such poverty that the only fact most Nigerians care to know about chickens and eggs is how to attain and eat them. But like most occurrences in life, almost everything happens as a consequence of something else and sometimes certain outcomes can only be guaranteed by the function of a certain criterion. Much like the fact discovered by the scientists that an eggshell cannot be created without a certain protein produced in a chicken; it is a fact that in order to conduct a free, fair and people representative election in Nigeria, certain measures must be put in place by INEC. Recently, the Independent National Electoral Commission, said it has detected and removed multiple registrants from the Ekiti and Osun States voters registers, ahead of the governorship elections in the states. If that is the case, although it may be late for the Ekiti and Osun elections coming up in June and August respectively, there may be an absolute need for INEC to conduct a credible nationwide voter’s registration exercise. Even with the statement of Professor Jega, that “the consolidation and de-duplication of the biometric register of voters have been completed and the voters register now has integrity that surpasses the register with which 2011 elections were conducted,” quite a few of us would beg to differ. By making this statement to say, “The voters register now has integrity that surpasses the register with which 2011 elections were conducted”, which gives a veiled admission that the voters register wasn’t credible, it would follow that using that same voter’s register to be used in the 2015 elections won’t be credible either. Fifteen years since the birth of our fourth republic, it is no secret that our democracy is but a shambles in Nigeria. And as we charge towards ‘Nigeria 2015’, the crucial questions we need to ask ourselves before any discussion of a credible election are, what is the worth of democracy to us and what framework do we hope to pursue in order to progress it? The answers to these are basic and will not take a team of scientists centuries to decipher, as with the chicken and egg conundrum. With a lifetime of military rule, repression and poverty, the worth of democracy to a Nigerian is priceless and the framework needed to progress it lies with the conduct of an election that allows every eligible voter in Nigeria to pass their sovereign verdict on each person that seeks public office. But can that truly be possible given this repetitive lack of preparation from INEC. The prospect of an authentic process, amidst the present arrangement looks very slim and unlikely. It is one thing to promise credible elections and another to conduct it. Any credible election must be predicated on several fundamentals, with the most important being an authentic voter’s register that will represent genuine voters. By Professor Jega’s own admission now, the current voter’s register is allegedly tainted. By law, the commission is obligated to compile, maintain and update, on a continuous basis, a National Register of Voters, which shall include names of all persons entitled to vote in all elections. With talk that the general election may hold early 2015 despite all these inadequacies and more, the prospect of a free and fair election is looking like a nonstarter. If, by law, the election has to be conducted at least 150 days before the May 29th handover date, then by all means we should strive to meet that deadline. But in the event we are unable to, then we have to consider amending the law so that the handover date can be moved to a time that will accommodate the preparations that are needed to conduct a credible process. If the commission is committed to an earlier election date, it would mean that there would only be three to four months to register eligible voters, prepare a credible Voters Register, print ballot papers, secure ballot boxes, disseminate the proper information so that the Nigerian public know the precise number of polling booths to be used and the number of voters registered in each ward and do every other thing that has to be done. And unless we are 199% committed to doing this, then it is unlikely that we will be ready for very early 2015 elections. The importance of a credible election has honestly got to outweigh a desire to meet up with some handover date deadline. It has become urban legend that a majority of those presently in political office did not fairly win their elections. If this is true then we must know that we cannot grow beyond the point that we are stuck now if we do not have the power to elect competent leaders to care for us, lead us and help us and sack them when they don’t. The type of subversion and violation of process we saw in past elections is most definitely unacceptable this time around. Nigerians cannot depend on the hoary and corrupt stencil of conducting elections that was used in the past and if it means that the May 29th date set for the swearing in has to be moved further ahead in order to ensure a credible process, then so it should be. But to advance moving the election closer to this end of time when we may not be ready somehow doesn’t seem right. It exhibits an apparent apathy to the formidable and apocalyptic issues facing the preparations for the elections. The 2015 election is incredibly valuable to the future of Nigeria; it may be the turning point we have been waiting for. Everything possible must be done to get it right. Eggshells are very strong yet very smooth and lightweight; I guess it’s due to the ingredients inside chickens that make eggs. Since it has been found that the egg is the result of the combination of specific ingredients in the chicken, this notion serves as another example of the importance for INEC to combine the compulsory prerequisites of an election if they are to be strong, smooth and credible. An election is like an egg; it can be fragile and can turn out to be a ‘GOOD-EGG OR BAD-EGG’ (pun intended), based only on the ingredients the chicken or INEC use to produce it. Never again will I underestimate a chicken, its ability to produce something as fascinating as an egg and the significance of the chicken and egg poser and neither should INEC. I hope that I am not ‘EGGSAGERATING’ or being offensive by ‘EGGSPLAINING’ about INEC in the same way I would a chicken, but I also hope that INEC does not ‘CHICKEN-OUT’ come 2015, but instead ‘EGGSERTS’ itself to hatch an ‘EGGSTREMELY’, ‘EGGSTRAORDINARILY’ and ‘EGGSCEPTIONALLY’ credible electoral ‘EGGSCERCISE’… If it was to happen, it would be an ‘EGGSCEEDINGLY EGGSCITING EGGSTRAVAGANZA’. (ALL PUNS INTENDED!)