The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Excitement as Akwa Ibom welcomes Richard King

    Akwa Ibom indigenes organised a resounding reception for Prof. Richard King in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, reports Kazeem Ibrahym.

    It was a carnival of sort last Friday when a socio-political organisation in Akwa Ibom state called the Divine Mandate Organisation at their secretariat on Ikot Ekpene Road hosted presidential aide and governorship hopeful in Akwa Ibom State, Prof. Richard King.

    While the reception was going on, there was gridlock at Ikot Ekpene Road, making it difficult for vehicular movement for some hours. The residents came out in their large numbers to receive the Okuku of Idua Clan in Eket and Obong Ikkike of Uyo, Prof. King has it is fondly called.

    Prof. King, who was a member of the 2007 and 2011 Presidential Campaign Team that produced President Goodluck Jonathan, arrived the venue with his wife, Lady Laurel King acknowledging cheers from members of the public.

    The youths, market women, elders and political stalwarts also came out in their large numbers to pay homage to one of their own. Different political groups such as Akwa Ibom Redemption Movement (ARM); Akwa Ibom Frontline Youth Movement (AYFM); Prof. King Solidarity Group (PKSG); King Vision Project and Ibom Advancement Forum for Prof. King, all stormed the venue to welcome Prof. King whom they described as the man of the people.

    Even though political campaigns have not started nationwide, some of the youths carried placards with Prof. King’s name boldly written on it while urging him to heed the clarion call of the youths by contesting the 2015 governorship seat in the state.

    As one speaker spoke after the other, the situation was not different. They all pleaded with the presidential aide not to disappoint the Akwa Ibom people by not contesting the 2015 governorship election.

    The don, who is the authorized author of Presidential Campaign materials viz: (1) The Dr. Goodluck Jonathan That I Know (2007); and (2) Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan: A Personality Profile (2011), first point of call on arrival was the commissioning of Divide Mandate Organisation House.

    The Coordinator of the organisation, Chief C. H Isong, in his speech stated that the people of the state were proud to welcome home an illustrious son who had answered the call to serve the nation in many capacities at the national level.

    He commended Prof. King for being a good ambassador of the state and thanked him for all the benevolent works and goodwill he extended to the people of the state in Abuja.

    Prof. King in his remarks thanked the people for the honour done him and his wife Laurel. The don said he was overwhelmed and encourage by the remarkable reception.

    He pledged that he would continue to serve the people no matter where he finds himself.

    The don noted that the period of his absence was a period he used to gather more inspirations as to how best to keep contributing to the welfare and development of the state.

    His words: “In spite of our impressive developmental journey and the far-reaching achievements made, there is need for us to address some pertinent issues that are indices of the remaining accomplishments.

    “There is therefore an urgent need for us to reorder our stance in the very near future especially as the political climate is gradually changing ahead of the 2015 elections. Akwa Ibom state belongs to the people.

    “Consequently, the people are at liberty to take decisions that are for the overall interest of the state. I am here today to inform you that there is a forthcoming Era of New Hope in the state and I am inviting you to key into it.

    “Henceforth, you will have no reasons to compromise the strength of this coalition. Let us remain united and focused in all things including socio-economic development and politics.

    “We must be resolute in taking decisions that will positively affect us and generations yet unborn. God is with us and the platform has been set. Nothing stops us from forging ahead and achieving our goals.”

    Prof. King who later addressed reporters at his Osong Ama residence, cleared the air on the much talked about issue of his state of origin.

    The state of origin of Prof. King has been debated widely in the media. It was alleged his father hails from Delta-Igbo but the don dismissed such claims with the wave of hands, saying he was not perturbed when “outsiders” say he was not from Eket.

    He noted that no Eket man had joined to say he is not from Eket because they know where he comes from.

    His words: “Nobody from Eket has ever said that I am not from Eket. You don’t go to another person’s place and determine the citizenship of the people there. The people carrying the propaganda are people from outside Eket.

    “There is no other indigene of Eket that is more Eket than myself. I am the son of Chief John King Usoro and I am Professor Richard King. I am from Oton Awo of Ikot Ebok in Idua Clan. I am a title holder in Idua clan.

    “I am a title holder in Eket. What else do you want to hear? Do you want me to take you to where my father was buried? Maybe you would like to see the grave of some of my ancestors; maybe you may have the ability to speak with them.”

  • Xmas, New Year postponed

    IT is a big scam. And of an industrial scale. Daily, people break pipelines to steal oil. Big vessels, that only the rich can either afford to buy or lease, take the stolen crude abroad. And refineries abroad accept to process the stolen crude without minding that they are blood oil.

    Politicians, soldiers and many other bigwigs have been fingered as having hands in this scam. Yet, the region is policed by the army, a development, which has made many conclude that the army top brass is deeply involved.

    For this scam, some men had to make sacrifice. Their fate was not one they decided themselves. Their choice of career and their area of operations foisted a wicked fate on them. And their Christmas was postponed. So will their New Year.

    Men of the Bayelsa State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had to work on Christmas day. They will work on New Year day too. They cannot afford not to. The country has a lot to lose, if they do not.

    Bayelsa, where they operate, is one of the Niger Delta states where oil theft is rife. Hardly does a day pass without oil being stolen, either through the pipelines or other means.

    The country between 300,000 and 400,000 barrels of oil daily in the oil-rich region.

    It is to curb this that these men had to forgo their Christmas holiday and will also not enjoy the New Year break with their families and friends. They were busy all through the Christmas combing the creeks and the swamps to ensure oil was not being stolen.

    Their commandant, Mr Desmond Agu, said the directive to have their holidays forfeited was fallout of concerns that the holidays might provide a cover for oil thieves to relocate to the creeks and continue their nefarious activities.

    Agu said: “Oil thieves and pipeline vandals, including vandals of public installations may go back to their evil ways thinking that we have gone on holidays.

    “But the good news for Nigerians and bad news for vandals is that we are going to intensify our patrol during this period to protect oil installations and public facilities. No leave, no transfer. Nobody will leave this command because we have to be on parol 24 hours.”

    One issue that came up at the House of Representatives borders on the fact that the NSCDC is not well-funded. Instead of the Federal Government spending more money on this agency saddled with pipeline protection among other functions, it gave contracts to ex-militants to watch the same pipelines for which the men of the NSCDC are being paid. The House of Representatives at a point suggested that instead of giving contracts for pieline surveilance, the NSCDC should be better funded to do this well. Nothing has been done along this line.

    Yet, things are not getting better in terms of curbing oil theft. The seriousness of the oil theft issue can better be understood if what the country loses. This year’s budget has had to be reduced by about $0.3m because of oil theft.

    Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala gave Nigerians a shock of their lives a couple of times in 2013. From proclaiming that Nigeria is broke and may soon default in its regular financial obligations to confiding in the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Appropriation/Finance on July 16, that Nigeria is losing 400,000 barrels of oil daily, Nigerians have had to sit on the edge anytime the Minister makes a pronouncement. Her pronouncement on oil theft got tongues wagging. But, it has not got the government to better equip the NSCDC, whose men in Bayelsa and, perhaps, in other places had to forgo their Christmas holiday and have also been told not to think of New Year holiday.

    Well, for these men, holidays are what you make of them. Enjoy them whereever you are.

     

  • Niger Delta in the eye of a historian

    The second edition of Trade and Politics in the Niger Delta (1830-1885), written by the late Prof Kenneth Onwuka Dike and a novel by his son Emeka, The Inverted Pyramid, have been presented in Lagos. JOSEPH JIBUEZE reports

    Before the Niger Delta was officially defined, the ‘delta of the Niger River’ was called Oil Rivers because it was a major producer of palm oil.

    The area, which was the British Oil Rivers Protectorate from 1885 to 1893, was a centre of competition for domination by European powers.

    According to the book, Trade and Politics in the Niger Delta 1830-1885: An introduction to the Economic and Political History of Nigeria, the Niger Delta was not only economically attractive because of palm oil, but due to its strategic location.

    Its navigable waters, the author wrote, became so important in the economic history of modern Nigeria.

    The 288-page book, written by renowned historian, the late Prof Kenneth Onwuka Dike, discusses European imperialism in the scramble for influence in the Niger Delta.

    Its 11 titled sections, focus on history of the Niger Delta, slave trade, development of oil trade, treaties and alliance agreements, the Niger Company, the rise of consular power, the slave revolts, ‘the rise of Jaja’, among others.

    In the forward, historian Gareth Austin wrote that the book broke new ground in focusing on the “era of legitimate commerce”.

    “In so doing, the book also shifted the spotlight from Whitehall to Bonny, so to speak: from the deliberations of government ministers in Europe to the interaction of African rulers and British consuls in the Delta itself. Thereby, Dike defined issues, and blazed trails, which the subsequent generation of scholarship pursued,” Austin wrote.

    According to the reviewer, Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Prof Bola Akinterinwa, Trade and Politics “is written as a prolegomena to the making of modern Nigeria.”

    President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, while presenting the book in Lagos last week, said the region has always played a crucial role in global trade and commerce.

    “Our Niger Delta has always been a resource base, providing an easy access to the Gulf of Guinea from the hinterland for the purpose of obtaining and supplying of needed manpower and commodities to support the industrial revolution in Europe.

    “One can, therefore, understand that this region was very attractive to rival powers in Europe.

    “The scheming and competition by European powers was made easier by the diverse socio-political entities in the resource-rich Niger Delta, which enabled these foreign powers to play various ethnic groups against one another.

    “The eventual outcome of the unequal relationship between the European powers and the Niger Delta communities was the infamous event in Berlin, Germany in 1885,” Jonathan said.

    The Berlin Conference was where the major European powers carved up Africa for colonisation, and Britain was given the area of Nigeria.

    Jonathan said the late Dike, who became the first Nigerian Principal and then Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, as well as founded the famous ‘Ibadan School of History’ “provided us with the first positive African narrative and affirmation.”

    He added: “The summary of life and career of Prof Dike shows that he was a great son of Nigeria and Africa. He was a bold and pioneering scholar, cultural nationalist and a far-sighted institution-builder and administrator.

    “His intellectual choices and especially his determination to break free of the ideological and intellectual stronghold of British colonialist historiography is an object lesson to us today: that in the midst of the challenges of nation-building that can sometimes seem so overwhelming and generate pessimism, the ultimate positive resolution is the choice and assertion of an affirmative national perspective grounded on firm historical knowledge of the signal accomplishments of our forebears and ancient Nigerian civilisations, as well as the achievements of the contemporary Nigerians.

    “Nigeria and indeed all nations are inextricably linked in global trade and politics. The awareness should invoke a collective sense of our history, even as we take forward the never-ending task of nation-building.”

    Akinterinwa said while the author explored trade and politics in the Niger Delta from 1830 to 1835 in the book, there was need for further research.

    “Without iota of doubt, the publication of Trade and Politics in the Niger Delta is a strong foundation for research. It is an eye opener, but what is the situation of politics in the Niger Delta as at today?

    “The sovereignty that the traditional chiefs had and enjoyed in the period considered by Prof Dike, is it still relevant today? Will there be a role for traditional rulers in Nigeria to as a whole to pay in the near future?” Akinterinwa asked.

    According to him, the book is not only worth reading, it is a desideratum for further study of trade and politics beyond 1885 in Nigeria, West and Central Africa.

    The late author son, Emeka, whose novel The Inverted Pyramid was also launched at the event, said the two books are about Nigeria.

    “The common theme of Nigeria that runs through both books becomes the glue that cements them together and makes them both important parts that make up a whole. You cannot hope to understand the challenges of present day Nigeria without understanding her economic and political history…

    “The two books then tell different tales but at the same time depict the two sides of the same coin called Nigeria, its past and present.

    “Just like one needs both sides of the coin for it to be of value, so we need both sides of the story to fully understand the entity we call Nigeria with the hope that if we better understand this entity then we can have a brighter and better future.

    “We are at a critical point in our evolution as a nation, so it is important that we fully understand our problems so we can proffer credible solutions,” he said.

    A Ghana-based Catholic Priest, Dr Isidore Bonabom, who reviewed the novel, said it is an attempt to respond to African situations “in an honest and courageous way.”

    The event was chaired by retired professor of social dentistry and former Pro-Chancellor, University of Uyo, Frank Okoisor.

  • Winds against Akpabio’s Senate ambition

    The plan of Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio to represent the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District at the National Assembly in 2015 is causing tension among the people of Abak Federal Constituency, who have pleaded with the governor to have a re-think and not distort the zoning of the political offices, writes Kazeem Ibrahym

    The gathering was meant to celebrate one of their own but later turned a political meeting. The people mainly the youths and women from Abak Federal Constituency came with different brands of motorcycles to catch a glimpse of the yearly event.

    Abak Federal Constituency is made up of three Local Government Areas of Abak, Etim Ekpo, Ika. The event, tagged: “a get-together party for Ekerete Inyang”, the Managing Director of Ekinyang Petroleum, came with all the fun and excitements.

    The people rose in unison and pleaded with Governor Godswill Akpabio to jettison his senatorial ambition and allow a credible aspirant from Abak Federal Constituency to represent the people at the National Assembly as a senator for the Ikot Ekpene senatorial district seat.

    This, they argued, would not distort the zoning formula currently in place at the district. Dr. Alloysius Etok from Ikono Federal Constituency is presently the senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

    Akpabio commonly referred to as an “uncommon transformer” is hoping to move from the Government House to the Red Chamber of the National Assembly when he completes his tenure on May 29, 2015.

    The governor had told The Nation when asked what he would be doing after the expiration of his tenure in 2015 and he said he would want to be a senator. The governor is pursuing this ambition vigorously by telling his people that it is already a done deal.

    Only time will tell if forces from Abak Federal Constituency would allow the governor to coast to victory in the face of the current melee.

    The governor said: “Beyond 2015, I always imagine that with democracy prospering in Nigeria. I will see myself as a senator in 2015. I have actually been approached by my people and I have accepted their request that I should not just retire immediately. I had wanted to retire but they insisted that I should not retire. So, I will be contesting for the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and God willing, Godswill will be done.”

    Speaking on the rationale behind the yearly get-together, Inyang, explained that although the annual get-together party for this year has suddenly turned into a political rally, where the people of Abak Federal Constituency have declared their demand for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District seat.

    He stated that Abak Federal Constituency is the only constituency that has not produced a senator in the history of the state. According to him, Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency where Governor Akpabio is from had produced three senators in the persons of Late Chief Raymond Umoh, between 1963-67; the late Chief Nsima Akpabio between 1983-84 and Chief Emmanuel Ibokessien between 1999-2003.

    Inyang explained that the unfolding political scenario has made it imperative for the people to use this forum to create awareness among the grassroots people and to equally declare their demand for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District seat in 2015, stating that such demand is not negotiable.

    While commending the people of Abak Federal Constituency for being united for the task ahead, he urged the people to shun money politics and be prepared to mobilize support for an experienced man from the area, who has contributed his quota meaningfully to the development of the area and a man that has what it takes to attract meaningful development to the area.

    Corroborating Inyang’s stance, the Managing Director of Bleadway Petroleum, Prince Benjamin Mboho, stated that Abak Federal Constituency has been marginalized, especially in the areas infrastructural development and representation in the senate.

    Mboho advised the people to be steadfast for the task ahead, saying it is the right of Abak Federal Constituency to produce a senator in 2015 since other federal constituencies in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District have had their turn respectively.

    His words: “We know that from the history of the state we have been cheated in terms of representation at the senate. So we are warming up to take our turn in 2015. We shall continue to use every opportunity given to us to tell our people that it is the turn of Abak Federal Constituency to produce a senator. Our people are more enlightened now and we are going to make sure that every votes that comes out of Abak Federal Constituency count.”

    When asked what happened to the earlier endorsement of the governor by stakeholders of the district to go represent them at the senate in 2015 based on his outstanding perfromamce, the National President of ABEK KED, a Socio-political Organization, Augustine Edem, said the people of Abak Federal Constituency were not against the governor.

    His words: “When you talk about endorsement/compensation, I always ask people what has Governor Godswill Akpabio lost? You only compensate somebody when he losses something. The governor has done creditably well. He is representing three senatorial districts as a governor, Uyo, Eket and Ikot Ekpene senatorial districts. It is the duty of the three senatorial districts to come together to appreciate the governor. We have better positions. A minister is there, an ambassador is there and other positions. That is where the governor should go as a representative of Akwa Ibom from Ikot Ekpene senatorial district.”

    In his response, the governor, who spoke through his State Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, stated that all the stakeholders in the formal Abak division unanimously agreed and resolved to nominate Akpabio to go and represent them at the senate in 2015.

    Umanah, who is also an Abak man, explained that the people pleaded with the governor to accept the offer considering his outstanding performance to the people of the state, saying those voices wanting the governor to jettison such ambition were hired by failed politicians in the district to cause confusion.

    He said: “Those are the voices of a ranting and hired noisemakers by failed politicians to cause confusion. Those who are making such noises are not from formal Abak division. All the stakeholders in the formal Abak division in a motion unanimously pleaded with Governor Godswill Akpabio to represent them at the senate in 2015 having performed creditably well and looking at his rising political profile nationally.”

  • Jonathan has done nothing special for Ijaw, says Alamieyeseigha

    Former Governor of Bayelsa State Diepreye Alamieyesiegha speaks to reporters on the letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan. MIKE ODIEGWU was there.

    Have the Ijaw people benefited from Jonathan’s Presidency?

    We have given Goodluck Jonathan to Nigeria. He is no more an Ijaw man, he is a Nigerian from all tribes, he is like a father and leader to all the tribes in the country and he must be seen to impact in the lives of all the citizens of the country in terms of distribution of amenities. There is no special preference he has given to any Ijaw man. If you like, walk from Igbogene to Swali waterside, that is the capital of Yenagoa.

    You are residing in Yenagoa how many federal projects have you seen here. Every Wednesday at the Federal Executive Council meeting, we hear billions of naira being earmarked and distributed to other part of the country for projects but none has come to the state. The East-West road that is so important to us is still being poorly funded; where lies Goodluck being clannish or only benefiting his people?

    But these are things we can not go in the open and start discussing. He is our son, he is our brother. So, I expected President Obasanjo, who has unfettered access to Aso Rock at all time, to go to the president and give him advice as an elder and somebody who has been there before instead of making a show out of it by writing a letter.

    How did you feel when you read Obasanjo’s letter?

    I want to start by saying that this is a democratic government. Today it is President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday it was Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the day before yesterday it was Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. The office of the President of the country is an institution, it is not personified in terms of policies and programmes. The aggregation of our thoughts is that when the president was voted into power he had been mandated to execute state policies on behalf of the citizens.

    President Jonathan is not a super human, so if the country is drifting in the eyes of objective and patriotic persons in the country, they can come out and proffer better solutions after identifying the problems. But such criticism must be constructive and not laced with bias, hatred and sentiment. Such alternative views should be passed on with love and genuine intentions. Once it is perceived that such criticism has a hidden motives outside fairness, then it becomes questionable.

    The advice through a letter to President Jonathan no doubt is coming from a respected person who has ruled the country both as a military Head of State and a two-term President of a democratic government. Yes we can concede to him, he has the in-depth knowledge of governance, he has seen it all, and so a letter coming from him should not be taken on the face value.

    In my objective opinion, I will say President Jonathan and his aides should look at it and make a proper analysis of the content. But my grouse with the entire scenario is that the approach to writing the letter to President Jonathan is very mischievous and there is clear bias and sentiments in the circumstance which has caused it to generate some controversy.

    At least as a former governor, I will say that I have encountered Chief Obasanjo. The Obasanjo I know, when he was the president of this country had displayed all the things he is alleging against Jonathan even more than any other leader in the country. There is no issue he has raised in his letter that he did not do when he was at the head of government in this country, that is why am insisting that Chief Obasanjo is mischievous in his intent of writing the letter to Goodluck Jonathan and leaking it to the press.

    Chief Obasanjo’s character is that if it is not him it should not be nobody else, he is ‘Mr Know all’. He will call you for a meeting to come and brainstorm to proffer solutions to a problem, he will tell you about the problem and proffer solution without giving you room to make any contribution to what he invited you to, that is his character.

    What do you make of the aspect of the letter that concerns Jonathan’s reelection in 2015?

    It surprises me that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the one insinuating about the aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan come 2015. To be precise, on 18th of August 2005, then President Obasanjo called me into his inner office and asked me why I was supporting his Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubaker. He offered to give me whatever I would have benefited supporting Atku. He told me that if I didn’t work for him, it was possible he would give it to my deputy.

    He explained to me that he was not the oldest President in Africa that he wanted to continue for an extended tenure in office. He told me not to support a bloody civilian like Atiku Abubakar and that I should work with him to actualise his ambition. Today he is denying everywhere that he never wanted a third term in office.

    I am also very surprised that Chief Obasanjo is talking about drift in governance and development. In 1999 after Chief Obasanjo assumed office, he was only globe-trotting. It was Atiku Abubakar that was running the country, nothing had happened. Obasanjo did not achieve anything as a President during his first tenure all in the name of laundering the image of the country.

    In his second tenure when he realised that Atiku Abubakar had already put in structures all over the country to take over from him, he started fighting him. So, in his second tenure again, he did not achieve anything. He was busy fighting Atiku, Alamieyeseigha and the rest of other persons he suspected were not on his side.

    Today he is talking about Goodluck Jonathan training snipers or whatever he calls it and having a watch list, how many high profile persons have been killed during Goodluck Jonathan’s time compared to the long list of great men who were killed during his time as president of the country?

    Has he forgotten about Bola Ige? What happened to Marshall Harry, Dikibo, Funsho Williams? I can go on and on.

    If I may asked again, what is the rationale behind Chief Obasanjo copying two former military rulers and T J Danjuma in his letter. l am sure his reference to Dr Ekwueme is only an afterthought. Nigerians should underline this and study it. This is a food for thought for the citizens.

    But Obasanjo accused Jonathan of being clannish and presenting himself as an Ijaw President…

    This is an unfortunate statement coming from a respected leader like Obasanjo. Go and take statistic of Ijaw people working in the Presidency. When Chief Obasanjo was in Aso Roock, the spoken language in the Villa was Yoruba and it was done with impunity. Even in the security services, when he came, he appointed Musiliu Smith as Inspector-General; when he dropped Smith, he brought Tafa Balogun and Sunday Ehindero.

    The Director-General of State Service Mr Are was from his place. Apart from the Minister of Petroleum Resources who is from Bayelsa and married to a man from Imo State, what other office or top government position is anybody from here holding?

    Okay, just listen to me, the Vice President is from the North, the Senate President is from North Central, the Speaker of the House Representative is from the North, the Chief Justice of the Federation is from the North, the Inspector-General of Police is from the North, Comptroller-General of Customs is from the North, Comptroller-General of Immigration is from the North,Comptroller-General of Prison is from the North, National Security Adviser is from the North, Chief of Airstaff is from the North, Chief of Defence Staff is from the North, INEC chairman is also from the North. Which office is left or which other office is any Ijaw man occupying that Obasanjo should accused Jonathan of being clannish? With all of these, I want to say that this allegation is not necessary, unbelievable and offensive at this time when the country should be seen as one united entity devoid of ethnic bias.

    But can you really fault the entire content of the letter?

    No man is infallible. There is no man on this earth who knows everything about governance, even if you have tested power severally, one is still bound to make mistakes. Governance is a very complex thing, the office of the President if you are not careful, only those who want to tell you what you want to hear will have access to you.

    I can not say the content of the letter is entirely rubbish as a Nigerian. You should know that President Jonathan must step on some toes for him to achieve success in the reforms he is embarking upon. He has done certain things that only courageous people can do. The pains for the ultimate realisation of the Nigerian dream can only last for a while.

    We must concede that at least Jonathan has achieved some great feats, and for those things that he has done well, he should be encouraged and advised in the right way and with good intention and not staying outside to command him as if the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is your subject you can just sit anywhere to control. Leadership is like a relay race, Goodluck Jonathan should be allowed to run his race.

    Do you think that Obasanjo’s letter will affect Jonathan’s reelection in 2015?

    Obasanjo is not Nigeria. He alone can not tell the citizens what to do. Remember he lost election in his own village. That is how unpopular he is, even up till today or tomorrow, but Nigerians still voted for him.

    His disposition can not significantly affect the electoral fortunes of Jonathan. It is God who gives power, if God so desires that Jonathan continues in office, then his aspiration will come to fruition. Jonathan has done much more than any other president has done. Let us support and encourage him instead of trying to pull him down by whipping up sentiments.

  • For Mr President’s language not to die

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has identified Ijaw language as one of the 43 per cent of the languages spoken in the world that are endangered, writes Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt.

    The event was unique. It attracted top officials of the Bayelsa State government, film producers and the lovers of Ijaw motion picture in the state. The event was the premier of three best Ijaw films where the people of Bayelsa State demonstrated that they are not relenting on their effort to project the Ijaw identity and to promote Ijaw language and culture through films.

    The ceremony, which was tagged “Promoting Ijaw Language and Culture through Films”, was the first of its kind in the Bayelsa film industry. No wonder it attracted government officials, stakeholders in the Bayelsa film industry, up and coming artists, producers and lovers of Ijaw motion picture who came brainstormed together on how to foster unity amongst Ijaw film makers, how to provide training and education for Ijaw films and how to make Bayelsa a film- making destination.

    They also deliberated on how to research into the development of Ijaw films, how to provide marketing platform for them and generally how to exploit the viable Nigeria movie industry for cultural preservation and export, job creation, poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

    Speaking at the occasion of the Dinner night and premier of three best Ijaw films, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson who was represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Culture and Ijaw National Affair, Dr. Felix Tuodolo, said the governor is happy about the growth and success of an Ijaw in the movie industry.

    He said it is because of the encouragement of the Ijaw-born producers and actors in the industry that motivated him to support the Ijaw Motion –Picture Project with the sum of N250 million.

    “Governor Seriake Dickson has on several occasions emphasized the importance of culture to his people. Early this year, while speaking at an occasion during the world culture day at Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, the governor commended Bayelsans who have impressively contributed to preserve the culture of the Ijaws. The governor has expressed concern at the speedy rate the culture of the Ijaws was fading among other cultures in Nigeria.

    “As a move to preserve the culture of our people the governor has announced that a centre for the study and preservation of Ijaw language will be established in the State. He therefore, told Bayelsans and the entire Ijaw people never to be discouraged but to strive assiduously to protect and project the rich culture of Ijaw. He has also promised to set up a film city in Yenagoa.

    “I want to inform that culture is the identity of a people without going too far, since this administration came on board; the governor has used culture to promote the Ijaws to the outside world. The last two years has shown Dickson as a man who is proud of his culture. Through culture Bayelsans have raised their ego as a people. The state has received some feats and accolades at both the national and international level,” he said.

    The President of IMPP, Dame Timi Zuofa, who is also the producer of one of the films premiered, said the dearth of Ijaw movie spurred her to produced a classic Ijaw film tilled: “Ogbolokuro” with the aim of reviving the dying culture and language of the Ijaw people.

    She said the project is borne out of a passion to promote Ijaw Language and culture that is gradually being extinct through the Nigerian Movie Industry that is fast becoming a viable option for cultural preservation and export.

    She noted that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) estimates that at least 43 per cent of the 6000 languages spoken in the world including Ijaw, are endangered.

    Zuofa said according to UNESCO index, the Nigerian Movie Industry is the biggest export outside oil, “The movie industry is the largest employer of labour and the highest non-oil export foreign exchange earner that contributes up to 5% of Nigeria’s GDP. In recognition of the foregoing, the Federal Government, for the first time Nigeria’s history, recently announced a $200m Entertainment Industry Fund and a N3billion grant, this gesture has been proudly replicated in the state by the Seriake Dickson’s Administration.

    She however regretted that despite their effort in the movie industry, the Ijaw film is yet to be recognised.

    “It is however shocking to note that in spite of these commitments, the Ijaw, with its plethora of youthful vibrant and creative talents is yet to benefit from these opportunities. The evident is in a recent report by the Nigeria Export Import Bank (NEXIM) which revealed that in 2010 for instance, the percentage of films produced stood at:44 percent English, 31 percent Yorba, 24 percent Hausa and 1 percent Igbo. The Ijaw Motion –Picture is indeed, an ambitious project that would gulp an estimated N100bn

    She said while the producers are acknowledging the genuine efforts of Governor Dickson to save the Ijaw Language from extinction as epitomized in the creation of the Ministry of Culture and Ijaw National Affairs, that IMPP must also make certain sacrifice to achieve a better goal.

    The President recount that the award of scholarships to 110 teachers to study Ijaw language at the State University (Niger Delta University), the institution of a N 250 million Movie Fund in the last AMAA event, and the recent announcement of a whooping N200 million music Fund, show that Governor Dickson effort to support the Ijaw Motion- Picture Project’s Struggle to preserve the Ijaw language and culture through films is achievable.

    The Chief Executive officer of Annog Creation, a movie production company, Mrs. Ann Bekele who is also a producer and Ijaw move actresses said her major concern is how the government could recognise the effort of those who have invested their energy and resources in making what the movie industry in that was.

    Mrs. Bekele who is the Vice Chairman of IMPP, said the sudden death of her partner, Favour Ogosi, has encouraged her to put more effort in the struggle to promote Ijaw identity in the industry but regretted that the effort of the late Ogosi made the industry popular in Bayelsa State was yet to be appreciated, especially the state government.

    “My concern is about the late Ogosi, he can still be rewarded through his helpless family. This is a man who gave all for the growth of movie industry in Bayelsa State.”

    The highpoint of the occasion is the premier of the three best Ijaw films which include Ogbolokuro, produced by Timi Zuofa; Sacrifice-the Oru by Martins Zidebegha and Bolou-Owei by Lakemfa. There were also cash donations by the guests to support the project.

  • Excitement as GOtv berths in Calabar

    Residents of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, this week welcomed the services of GOtv, who launched in the city using the latest generation Digital Video Broadcast Standard DVB –T2, alongside four other cities.

    Mrs Elizabeth Amkpa, General Manager GOtv Nigeria, said in Calabar that after successful launches in Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Enugu, Benin, Aba, Owerri, Kano, Kaduna, Onitsha, Asaba, Uyo and Abuja, the new DTT (digital terrestrial television) service, GOtv decided to roll out its services to five additional cities this festive period. The cities are Akure, Calabar, Ogbomosho, Oshogbo, and Ife are launched with a new bouquet, GOtv Extra.

    Amkpa said, “GOtv Extra is a new bouquet being launched in Nigeria and has been created to showcase the best of GOtv. GOtv Extra offers the greatest selection of local channels made in Africa for Africa as well as the best international channels for as low as N1,500 per month.

    “We at GOtv are constantly innovating to ensure we continue to deliver the best possible digital television to Nigeria. We come from a solid corporate background and family in which MultiChoice has a proud legacy of 20 years of providing the best digital television to Africa. Thus, not only are we passionate about digital television, but we are passionate about Africa – which is why GOtv is the home of great channels – made in Africa for Africa.” said Mrs Elizabeth Amkpa, General Manager GOtv Nigeria.

    “GOtv is delivered to homes in Nigeria via the use of the latest DVB-T2 technology, which guarantees a one-off migration to the digital age. With the use of DVB-T2 technology, GOtv gives subscribers a dramatic improvement on the dividend of terrestrial frequencies. DVB-T2 technology standard allows for no less than 21 channels per frequency. With GOtv, Nigerians can experience the digital television revolution in the comfort of their homes because GOtv delivers a selection of exciting channels in great picture and sound quality.

    “GOtv subscribers will have access to an exciting selection of channels containing news, children’s programming, documentaries, series and movies which are carefully selected to cater for a variety of different tastes and family viewing needs at a very affordable price.

    “The channel lineup includes Africa Magic, M-Net Movies Zone, Africa Magic Yoruba, Africa Magic Movies, Blackbelt TV, Telemundo, Televista, Vox Africa, Sony Entertainment Television, E! Entertainment, SuperSport Blitz, SuperSport Select 2, CNN, NatGeo Wild, Disney Jnr, Nickelodeon, MTV Base, Sound City, TBN, Islam Channel, Lagos TV, NTA I, Silverbird TV, AIT, and Channels.

    “GOtv subscribers are encouraged to make use of the GOtenna (outside) for optimal signals. With the GOtenna, customers should expect uninterrupted viewing and excellent picture quality.

    “We encourage subscribers to take advantage of the GOtenna that is provided to ensure increased signal strength and better protection against mobile phone and car interference.”

  • Delta, not a rich state, says Okubor

    Dr Festus Okubor is the Chief of Staff, Delta State Government House and former commissioner for Health and Information and one-time Head of Protocols in the Chief James Ibori administration. In this interview with OKUNGBOWA AIWERIE, he speaks on the challenges facing Delta State , the PDP zoning policy and the quest by the Anioma group to clinch power come 2015.

    Nigeria appears to be drifting towards a two-party state, what do you think this portends for our democracy?

    It is good for our democracy, quite frankly. If you look at the historical perspectives of our political development, you will find that Nigeria has thrived better politically when we had a two party system. If you remember the days of SDP and NRC, our politics was more robust and choice making was easier for the voter. Rivalry was keen between both parties, but today we have one dominant party and so many small parties that cannot meaningfully impact the political landscape .Like you have noticed there seems to be a natural drift towards a two party state. I think that is good for our country and that’s the way we should go.

    Let us come to Delta State; you have served in various capacities since 1999 what do see as developmental challenges facing the state.

    Well, the first challenge is economic, funds. A lot of people believe Delta is a rich state but if we break it down to lose cash Delta truly is not a rich. If we look at what we get in a month and what we statutorily pay as wages and bills you will know that what is left for real economic development is very tight to manage.

    The second challenge is that the terrain of Delta State makes infrastructural development very costly. It will cost four to five times, or sometimes more to construct a kilometer of road in Delta than to construct the same length of road in other parts of the country.

    The other challenge is the demand for infrastructure to be sited in different places. My attitude is that you are asking me to build roads because you know I am building roads, but you must understand that I do not have the resources to build all roads at the same time. Another challenge is the availability of technical manpower in the civil service .It is the civil servants that will have to supervise projects commissioned by elected officials.

    Today we are complaining that the size of the civil service and the wage bill is high, but we still require more manpower because the economy is growing, the developmental pace is getting more aggressive so you need more hands to supervise them and you do not have funds to expand the available workforce to supervise and mange some of these projects. Not just in sheer numbers but in technical competence .So the need of manpower technical ability is a challenge to development in the State.

    The Anioma people, your ethnic stock to which you belong, potentially stands to benefit from the PDP zoning policy in the race for the 2015 governorship race, are you worried when critics ridicule your party’s zoning police as undemocratic and that the police breeds mediocre?

    I see such comments as irresponsible. It is only those who have short memories who will not remember how Delta State was in 1999. In 1999, in Asaba you could stand at the Inter-Bau roundabout and physically count the number of cars that ply the roads, you cannot do that today, same with the number of hotels, and roads. A lot has happened under the PDP administration, if you go to any other State at the same stage of development with Delta State, you cannot compare them to this State.

    So for anybody to attempt to pooh-pooh the policy of the party is a joke. He is not being realistic. The issue of zoning is an internal arrangement of political parties .It is a deliberate policy. You need to look at the society and say what the problems are. I say that in Nigeria there is an element of over politicking, while in other climes after an election people are prepared to wait three months before the tenure of the incumbent winds down before raising issues of performance or a lack of it, but in Nigeria the day you are sworn in as Governor your critics begin to denigrate your policies.

    So the PDP has looked at the peculiarities and decided to deal with the problem and decided that in an over politicised and highly ethno-conscious society where you are looking at a democracy where numbers become important it may not be right to say let the forces of democracy and numbers determine everything. You will find a situation where only one group ,which may be a religious or an ethnic group, will have a dominant number and then enforce their continuous leadership in that State. This is a recipe for disaster.

    If you have a society where there is a wide misuse of power, zoning is the best policy. In another 20 years, the situation would have changed because most communities will have had a strong base politically to continue to thrive. A time will come when it may not be important where an office holder comes from, but at this point in time it is important to evenly situate power, infrastructure, institutions so that we can move in unity. Zoning is PDP studied response to address the fear of dominance. When other parties make light of it, my view is that they are careless for the peace and stability of the State .They are uneducated on the political process of achieving peace and growth in a society.

    But this criticism is actually from some PDP members at State and national levels.

    For me, I believe in merit. I believe one should be able to compete with anyone from everywhere .But because of the understanding of the terrain, this principle has come to be in place. Whether it is in the family or the larger society people take positions based on the strength of their group. If within PDP people who have grey hairs are in the majority, we will begin to say those who must be governors must have grey hair, but that does not take away the fact that the party has an understanding that politically, decently, gently make to come to pass.

    Do you subscribe to insinuations that the Anioma people do not a clear strategy to clinching power considering the avalanche of eminently qualified persons angling to be governor?

    What you need to realise is that you are talking about an elective position in a democracy. If I am permitted to use the Bible language, “everyman that pisseth on the wall is qualified to be governor” and so if they say it is people from Isoko, for instance, it is not unexpected that every Isoko man that “pisseth on the wall” will show interest. It is a democracy and not an autocracy, you cannot tell anyone not to have an interest. It is a personal decision, but ultimately the Isoko man is not going to be governor of only Isoko people so only the Isoko people cannot decided who the next governor will be. You will still come to the congress of the primaries of the entire State and only one person will be picked.

    Perchance, the gubernatorial position is ceded to an aspirant of Delta North extraction, they by themselves cannot install their own are there any efforts to reach out to other ethnic groups nursing interest to soft pedal?

    I am not impressed with this question because Delta North cannot produce the governor of Delta State. Is there any state called Anioma? We are talking of the governor of Delta State, it will be produced by all Deltans. It is not in the position of anyone group alone to do it. The basis for seeking power is the political party. It is the party that will go for the elections. It is not any of the ethnic groups in Delta that will seek power. PDP cuts across every village in this State. There will be no problem for winning the election for whoever the candidate the party brings forth at anytime.

     

  • Panic grips Edo community property owners over judgment

    Property owners on a disputed land between Iguomon and Ikhuenbo communities in Edo State might lose their properties if Ikhuenbo carried out full implementation of a Supreme Court judgment.

    The judgment delivered in February 2008 dismissed the appeal filed by Iguomon community against the lower court judgments which ceded the land to Ikhuenbo.

    A move by Ikhuenbo to take possession of the said land last month after securing a court warrant led to the demolition of over 15 houses. Occupants of the affected buildings were surprised when bulldozers rolled in the community and started the demolition.

    It was gathered that the land dispute between both communities has spanned over two decades as it was first instituted in 1987. An Edo State High Court gave judgment on the case in October, 1997 and the Court of Appeal in December 2000.

    A ruling of an Edo State High Court in 2011 found some leaders of Iguomon guilty of contempt charges and sentenced them to two months imprisonment.

    After the demolition of the 15 houses, residents of Iguomon took to the streets of Benin City to protest the action of Ikhuenbo alleging that they want to be pushed out of their ancestral land.

    Some women said they were at home when they heard gunshots from policemen to scare them away before the demolition began.

    A leader of the community, Ogbeide Steven said they are owners of the land recognised by the Benin Monarch.

    He said: “We saw Iguomon came to our community to destroy houses over boundary dispute. Over 15 houses were demolished so far. They said they have judgment over the land but we are still in court. They want to take all our community. We are second in command in the whole of that community. We don’t want to take laws into our land because of our property destroyed by Iguomon.”

    “There is shrine there put by Oba Ewuare. We have 20 shrines in that land. The map they are holding indicate that the land in question in not in dispute and We don’t know where they get their map from.”

    Counsel to Ikhuenbo community, Mr. Olayiwola Afolabi said Ikhuenbo has right to demolish the buildings because of the judgment of the Supreme Court.

    He said they have already taken possession because they have a warrant.

    According to him, “They are disobeying the order of the highest court in the land. We know the land in question. We are enforcing the judgment of the Supreme Court. We have gotten a writ of possession. We are going to demolish any house on the land in dispute. The day we went there, they were shooting and Police recovered arms from them. They know what to do but the judgment is final.”

  • Joy as Ita-Giwa takes Christmas to Bakassi camp

    Theirs has been a tale of sufferings and sorrows. Since they were allegedly forcefully ejected by Cameroonian gendarmes in March this year, the almost 4, 000 displaced persons from the ceded Bakassi peninsula presently camping in St Marks Primary School, Akwa Ikot Edem in Akpabuyo local government area have hardly had cause to smile.

    The circumstances clearly does not place them in a position to fully appreciate the celebratory atmosphere of Christmas, but the people managed a smile when one of their own, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa decided to take the celebrations to them.

    It was all fun and excitement as the displaced persons seemed to momentarily forget their pains and indulge in the happiness of the moment.

    There was food, drink, games, music, dance and other activities to ensure the displaced persons had a good time.

    The former Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Ita-Giwa, said besides providing a happy atmosphere for the people, the gesture was intended to prick the conscience of Nigerians that an entire community of people were subjected to inhuman conditions through no fault of theirs in the camp, while the rest of the country celebrated in the comfort of their homes.

    She said, “Cross River is very busy with the carnival and something occurred to me that a lot of people are in this camp with no light, in an uncompleted school hall. We have almost four thousand people here out of no fault of theirs.

    “Although we come regularly to see them, we decided not to allow them languish while we celebrate in Calabar. We thought we should give them the spirit of Christmas that despite their horrible conditions let them also celebrate Christmas.

    “We wanted to use this opportunity to remind us that we are all in our comfortable homes but there are about 4, 000 who since the month of March this year have been languishing in this place till today with no hope. It is not their fault they were ceded. It is not their fault they were born Bakassi people. Should we let them suffer?

    “I want this to prick our conscience. That is why we brought food and music to make them at least momentarily forget their sorrows and to make Nigerians to try once and for all consider these peoples case and resettle them.”

    She charged the Federal Government to act on the report of the Plight of the People of Bakassi Committee which was submitted months ago.

    “We appeal to the president who set up a committee call the Plight of the People of Bakassi Committee headed by the Vice President Namadi Sambo and they sat for several months and went for fact finding missions to Dayspring and went back and submitted report stating that these people must be immediately resettled at Dayspring and that immediate welfare must be provided for the people and immediate arrangement must be made for the empowerment of these people so they can go and work.

    “Mr President, as a Niger Delta man, should ensure that the report of the committee is immediately acted on as these people are suffering. He should implement the report of that committee so that these people would be resettled.

    “The struggle is continuous but the Lord who helped Mandel to struggle and succeed after his years in jail that same God will help these people succeed. He would bring these people out of slavery, sufferings and living in uncompleted buildings someday.

    “It is getting to one year they have been living as refugees in their own country and this is most unkind. This country must try and ensure they are resettled,” Ita-Giwa said.