The Nation Newspaper

Category: Abuja Review

  • Fuel scarcity: A headache that won’t go away

    Fuel scarcity: A headache that won’t go away

    Residents of the nation’s capital are gradually getting used to what they do not like: fuel scarcity. It is now normal for people to wake up before dawn to queue up for the precious product but they often return empty-handed. GBENGA OMOKHUNU writes

    The scarcity used to be the exception rather than the rule. When petrol was hard to find, it was only for about a week or two. Now, residents are adjusting to life without fuel.

    Abuja residents have been experiencing the scarcity of fuel since December 2014. Since then, it was gathered, nothing meaningful has been done  to improve the situation.

    The fuel scarcity is biting harder as motorists in the city queue for hours at petrol filling stations in search of the product. It was observed that most of the filling stations which had fuel before the Easter break have since run out of stock.

    Many filling stations have resorted to selling in trickles, while major distributors restricted their business to night hours when they are sure to make more money from black market vendors. Black marketers took over Abuja with containers, which according to findings, majorly contain diluted PMS.

    Several commuters were stranded at different bus stops due to lack of commercial vehicles while the few ones that were plying the road jacked up their fares by 50 per cent, some by 100 per cent depending on where and how they got fuel.

    Hawkers of petrol in jerry cans cashed in on the scarcity and sold the product between N200 and N300 per liter, depending on the customer’s bargaining power. Many obscure filling stations, especially in Suleja, Kuje and on Zuba-Gwagwalada Road, sold the product between N110 and N120 per liter which is far above the regulated rate.

    Only petrol filling stations within the city and those owned by major marketers in other areas dispensed petrol at the stipulated N87 per liter. Even when they display the regulated N87 per liter the quantity of the fuel will not be equivalent to the price. According to those who spoke to Abuja Review the situation has gotten worse to the extent that many motorists had to sleep in petrol stations to hunt and wait till when fuel would be dispensed

    At the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega station on Olusegun Obasanjo Way, Central Area, long queues of vehicles were on three lanes, blocking the entire road and forcing motorists to drive against the traffic. This has also led to several accidents on that road due to the unfortunate situation.

    The situation was also the same at the Forte Oil, adjacent the NNPC mega station, where the queue stretched to the UAC fence early in the morning but later stopped selling.

    The ConOil and Total filling stations opposite NNPC Headquarters were also selling with long queues. The queue formed a circle round through the Bureau of Statistics Complex to the Unity Bank building back to NNPC Towers, Abuja.

    Also, ConOil station, NNPC franchised station and another private filling station on Olusegun Obasanjo way, were not selling. Most of the filling stations on Obafemi Awolowo Way were dried, except Oando at the junction of Wuse Zone 6, Mobil at Arab Junction and Eterna Oil filling station.

    However, the situation was not different with most filling stations on Airport Road, AYA, Maraba, Kubwa, Suleja and other neighboring towns. Most motorists said they were having difficult time at filling stations before they could get fuel to buy.

    Despite President Goodluck Jonathan’s directive to ensure that there is fuel not only in Abuja but other parts of the country, the directive appears not to be holding grounds with the situation of things presently.

    Many are of the view that shortly before and after the presidential election when Dr. Jonathan lost to General Muhammadu Buhari the fuel scarcity got out of control.

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Department of Petroleum Resources had attributed the situation to panic-buying.

    NNPC spokesperson, Ohi Alegbe, had in a statement cautioned motorists against panic-buying and stock-piling the products. He said there was enough fuel in the stock that could last for months. The DPR spokesperson, Saidu Mohammed, also said the queue was due to panic buying.

    Motorists on the fuel queue had a raw deal because sometimes, after the attendants had sold to a few people, the station would announce that they had run out of fuel.

    Many motorists without fuel in their car had to leave their vehicles at the station waiting and hoping to buy the next day.

    Residents called on the Federal Government to tackle the scarcity which has caused serious hardship to all.

    Some of them, who were lamenting outside Oando filling station in town where operators of the station refused to sell to motorists, also explained that most petrol stations have refused to sell fuel to motorists because of the fear of prolonged fuel scarcity.

    Mr. John Oku, one of the residents who spoke with Abuja Review, said he has been looking for fuel for the past two days without any headway, adding that he cannot afford to buy from black marketers.

    His words: “The truth is that nobody knows what is causing this scarcity in Abuja; most of the filling stations have stopped selling fuel, without any genuine reason. If you ask the operators, they will tell you that they do not have fuel and even when you see filling station selling fuel, you will queue for hours before you buy the product.

    “The situation is getting out of hands; people are suffering in the FCT because of some greedy petrol operators who are hoarding the fuel for no reason. The Federal Government should do something about it, because, it is spoiling the good report of ‘no fuel scarcity’ during this administration.

    “It seems President Goodluck Jonathan is not doing anything about this situation. Maybe because he did not win the poll.”

    Another resident, Mrs. Agnes Shekwo, said that the scarcity is seriously affecting the lives of the people, because, apart from using the product for vehicles, it is not available for residents to use to power the generator for businesses when there is power failure.

    “We need fuel to power our generators for us to effectively do our businesses. But since the scarcity of petroleum product, I have not been able to get fuel to put on my generator, and we hardly have electricity light in my area.

    “Last week, all the meat I kept in my freezer to prepare food in my restaurant got spoilt, because of power outage and no fuel to use in my generator. The Federal Government should call whoever is involved in the fuel scarcity to order. Because, the whole thing is getting out of hands,” she appealed.

    Abba Attahiru said: “We do not know what is causing the fuel scarcity but we just woke up one morning and started experiencing it since December last year. Nobody is giving us a true story of what is behind the scarcity. All the same as Nigerians we have been trying to cope. Suffering and smiling as usual. For me I think it is connected to the political problems we are having in the country because with the trend of things that is happening now, insecurity, among others and you know a lot of bodies have been showing their grievances. I think we have to put more efforts in making Nigeria a better place. Government should look at the suffering of the masses. Because we made them to be where they are today, they should try to resolve the crisis of fuel scarcity.”

    Mr. Patrick Odeh also lamented saying: “We were thinking that this type of thing will not surface again in Nigeria having experience free flow of fuel for the past two years. We just believe that it is artificial and then it will be dealt with appropriately. Government should do the needful. We have no reason suffering fuel scarcity in this country with all the refineries that are in place. And I am sure when Genera Muhammadu Buhari gets to power things will normalize”

    Authorities of the filling stations visited refused to speak with Abuja Review on the matter.

    Another concerned person, Mrs. Lamid Adeniyi said: “We do not know where we are going in this Nigeria. Our leaders should help us, we are really suffering. Everything is politics.”

    Everybody is begging the appropriate authority to find a lasting solution to the situation before it gets out of hand. Many are also hopeful that when General Muhammadu Buhari takes over the mantle of leadership as President Fuel scarcity will become a thing of the past.

  • ‘I’ll advocate for Abuja state status’, says Abuja South’s would-be Rep

    The newly elected House of Representatives member, Hon. Zakari Angulu-Dobi, representing Abuja South has promised to pursue the prolonged desire of natives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for Abuja to be recongnized as a State in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Angulu-Dobi who made this known while speaking with journalists in his hometown at Dobi in Gwagwalada area council of the FCT, advised residents of the FCT to have positive change in mind, that there will be job opportunities for any qualified resident and native of the FCT, that it is not going to game as usual, where opportunities were only given to those who have people in government,

    According to Angulu-Dobi, the members representing the FCT are also going to struggle to make sure that the FCT is recongnized as if it was one of the states in Nigeria and that all necessary opportunities given to other states, will also be accorded to the FCT.

    “We will also going to struggle in the National Assembly, that like in every city in the world where they have a Mayor, Nigeria should not be different. Let the truth be told. We are not saying that a Mayor should be given to Abuja just for only the indigenes. We are saying that as far as you are residing in the Abuja, you are qualified to be Mayor of the Abuja.

    “But let there be a structure that will take care of the state, and by doing so, it will give the opportunity to have mayoral council as a state legislative structure. It will also reduce the crisis and political problems we have in the FCT. Again, like coming Saturday, which is April 11, every other state will be exercising their rights to vote for a governor and members of the House of Assembly.

    “But, I want the country to tell me what Abuja people would be doing. Of course, nothing. So, is the country been fair to the people of the FCT? No. So, we want justice, equity and fairness to all and that is what we are seriously going to struggle for. Again, we are going to ensure that the programmes and policies of land allocation in the FCT, is reviewed. Reviewed in the sense that, the original inhabitants of the FCT are taking into serious consideration. They are given due respect, because this is their place,” he said.

    The lawmaker further said that if indigenes are to be relocate or resettled, they should be given adequate compensation, as it is required in the constitution, assuring residents of the FCT that he believed they are going to achieve their desires presently, because of the kind of President Nigeria has gotten, which he described as someone who is not corrupt and has the fear of God and love for the masses.

  • Scrap land-swap policy, natives urge Buhari

    The natives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the auspices of the Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA)  have appealed to the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to scrap the land-swap programme of the outgoing Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed.

    They said the swap deal was a conduit pipe for allocation of massive lands to cronies of the outgoing PDP-led federal government.

    In a statement by the President of the association, Pastor Danladi Jeji, the natives who congratulated the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President-elect, Professor Yemi Osibanjo on their victory in the March 28 polls, said the victory is a right step towards the fulfillment of the aspiration of Nigerians through the ballot box.

    The natives further appealed to the in-coming Buhari-led government to appoint competent natives of Abuja as Minister of the FCT and political aides, so that the incoming government will not have a crisis of confidence between it and Abuja original inhabitants, urging the federal government to ensure that all Nigerians have a say in the people-elected government.

    “The election of Gen. Buhari is the fulfilment of our aspiration for a people-centered government and we will offer maximum support to the incoming federal government which we are optimistic will have policies that will benefit not only original inhabitants of Abuja but also all Nigerians resident in the capital city. We also seek a total audit of land allocations by the Abuja Geographic and Information System, AGIS,” the natives stated.

    OIDA stated that the natives have fought and endured injustice for long in the administration of the outgoing PDP-led federal government, especially on the protracted issues of land-grab, demolition of native houses, non-development of satellite towns, marginalization in appointments, non-compensation of compulsorily acquired lands and massive sacking of whole villages for the appropriation of their lands by selfish politicians and their cronies in government.

    They urged the APC-led Federal Government to create a development commission to cater for displaced indigenous communities in Abuja. “The proposed Abuja Original Inhabitants Development Commission (AOIDC) should be statutory and derive its funding from 30% of all sales accruing from allocable lands within the FCT.

    “When established, AOIDC should deal with the lingering issues of relocation, resettlement and compensation for all project affected communities and persons. We have the confidence in the ability of your government to end these injustices,” OIDA said.

    The natives also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for accepting defeat and saving the nation from crises that may have occurred if the election had not been conducted according to international best practices. They wished him the best of luck in his future endeavours.

    “Formally welcoming the President-Elect and his vice to the nation’s seat of power, the natives urged General Buhari not to let Nigerians down considering the massive votes given to him by citizens from all parts of Nigeria including the natives of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,” Jeji said.

  • Natives seek ministerial slot in Buhari govt

    Abuja natives, under the Original Inhabitants Development Association (OIDA) have congratulated General Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in last month’s presidential polls.

    President of the association, Pastor Danladi Jeji, said that Gen. Buhari’s victory is a right step towards the fulfilment of the aspirations of Nigerians.

    He urged the new government to ensure that all Nigerians have a say in the people-elected government.

    Jeji added that Abuja natives are asking the President-Elect to appoint competent natives of Abuja as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and political aides so that the incoming government will not have a crisis of confidence between it and Abuja original inhabitants.

    He urged President Buhari to immediately scrap the land-swap programme of the outgoing minister of FCT, Bala Mohammed because according to him, it is a conduit pipe for the allocation of massive lands to cronies of the outgoing PDP-led federal government.

    Jeji stated this in a press release by ýOIDA’s media adviser Summer Sambo, who stated.

    ”The election of Gen. Buhari is the fulfilment of our aspiration for a people-centered government and we will offer maximum support to the incoming federal government which we are optimistic will have policies that will benefit not only original inhabitants of Abuja but also all Nigerians resident in the capital city.

    “The natives are asking the President-Elect to appoint competent natives of Abuja as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and political aides so that the incoming government will not have a crisis of confidence between it and Abuja original inhabitants.

    The Abuja native inhabitants want the immediate scrapping of the land swap programme of the outgoing minister of FCT, Bala Mohammed because it is a conduit pipe for allocation of massive lands to cronies of the outgoing PDP-led federal government. We also seek a total audit of land allocations by the Abuja Geographic and Information System, AGIS.

    “OIDA stated that the natives have “fought and endured injustice for long in the administration of the outgoing PDP-led Federal Government especially on the protracted issues of land-grab, demolition of native houses, non-development of satellite towns, marginalization in appointments, non-compensation of compulsorily acquired lands and massive sacking of whole villages for the appropriation of their lands by selfish politicians and their cronies in government. We have the confidence in the ability of your government to end these injustices.

    “The group urged the APC-led Federal Government to create a development commission to cater for displaced indigenous communities in Abuja. ”The proposed Abuja Original Inhabitants Development Commission (AOIDC) should be statutory and derive its funding from 30% of all sales accruing from allocable lands within the FCT. When established, AOIDC should deal with the lingering issues of relocation, resettlement and compensation for all project affected communities and persons.

    “The pan-FCT group also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for accepting defeat and saving the nation from crises that may have occured if the election had not been conducted according to international best practices. They wished him the best of luck in his future endeavours.

    “Formally welcoming the President-Elect and his vice to the nation’s seat of power, the natives urged General Buhari not to let Nigerians down considering the massive votes given to him by citizens from all parts of Nigeria including the natives of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

  • Cool cage

    Cool cage

    No one likes being in a cage. It restricts movement and leaves a choking sensation.

    But many Nigerians will really love to be in the kind of cage President Goodluck Jonathan said he has been in the past 16 years.

    Jonathan, through his good luck, was elected Bayelsa State Deputy Governor and thereafter became the Governor of the state. He was later picked among his peers to be Vice President to late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and thereafter became President of Nigeria.

    Even though he has not been able to freely move around the way he would have wanted in the past 16 years without security personnel watching over his shoulders, Jonathan was catered for by the various governments during the period.

    That was why he declared by himself during the Easter homage paid to him last week Sunday that he was one of the luckiest Nigerians to have gotten the privilege to serve the nation at the various tiers of government.

    Hear him: “This easter period coincide with when I’m leaving but I always say I’m one of the luckiest Nigerian. From 1999 I have been in the hands of government. I am yet to see somebody luckier than me. I was in the hands of governments for 16 years, not in government as a parliamentarian, because if you are in the National Assembly or State House of Assembly, you take care of yourself and you are in your house, I was in a cage being taken care of by the government.”

    “But I think it is enough and I am happy, help me to thank God for that. I will continue to thank Nigerians for giving me that privilege, I became Deputy Governor because Baylesans voted for me and governor then. I became VP because Nigerians voted for me and Yar’Adua. And Nigerians voted for me and Sambo. We have to thank all Nigerians. Wherever I will be I have to thank all Nigerians. Today is a glorious day for me,” he stated

    The cage Mr. President referred to, no doubt, must be a sweet one going by the fact that he recontested the 2015 Presidential elections in order to continue in office.

    Besides, some politicians will even be ready to spill human blood in order to occupy lesser public offices like ward councillor or chairmanship of a local government area, let alone office of a deputy governor and above.

    Now that Mr. President will soon have his freedom, Nigerians can only hope for the best for him.

    Holy Ghost fire against Jonathan’s betrayers

     

    Were you one of those who betrayed President Goodluck Jonathan especially in the period leading to the March 28 Presidential elections?

    Did you deceptively and wickedly divert, embezzle or misappropriate monies meant for his campaign fund? Or are you a close friend, presidential aide or top government official who has intentionally misled the president in anyway?

    If you fall into any of these categories, then you have cause to worry as your case is now going beyond the physical realm to the spiritual.

    The Aso Villa Chapel is now petitioning God to expose every deceptive and wicked person around Jonathan.

    In the Prayer Guide for Nigeria April 2015 edition printed by the Chapel, one of the prayer points for Saturday April 18th, 2015 reads “Ask God to expose every deceptive and wicked person around our President and the rest of our leaders who mean well for Nigeria. Esther 7:5-10, Proverbs 25:5.”

    To ensure that Jonathan and other leaders are not misled in the remaining time of their tenure, the church will also pray to God through Proverbs 24:3-6 for wisdom and wise counsel for the president.

    The prayer point for Monday April 20th, 2015 reads: “Pray that the President and each of our leaders at various levels would receive and use wise and Godly counsel from honest and God-fearing people. Proverbs 24:3-6.”

    These mean that all those who have been at fault will urgently need to reconcile the differences and ask Jonathan and God for forgiveness to escape the wrath of God.

     

    Campaign dance in church

     

    Those waiting to see more of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign dancing steps may not wait for too long if the President heeds the advise of the Aso Villa Chaplain, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba

    The pastor, who felt that Jonathan was not dancing like King David in the Holy Bible during Easter Sunday service in the Chapel, charged him to feel free and display his campaign dancing steps in the church.

    President Jonathan, who had admitted during the service that he was going to miss the Chapel choir after May 29th, did not dance to the satisfaction of the pastor when the choir rendered various gospel songs in English and local languages.

    The pastor counselled him that he will not be demeaned in anyway if he brings the campaign dance to the church.

    Looking at the President who was sitting in front of him on the first seat in the first row on the right side of the hall, the pastor said: “I saw your dancing steps during the campaigns. You should take that to the church too. Nobody will demean you for that.”

    In his gentle posture, President Jonathan, who was dressed in cream-coloured traditional attire and cream-coloured shoes to match, simply smiled to the pastor.

    Since the campaigns are already over, more Nigerians will definitely love to see more of the dancing steps.

  • Kuje residents bemoan prolonged power outage

    Residents of Kuje area council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have lamented the prolonged power outage in the council.

    Some of the residents who spoke with Abuja Review said that the power failure has almost crippled business in the council, mostly in Kuje town, appealing to the council chairman, Hon. Shaban Tete to  rectify the problem.

    Mr. Samuel Joseph, a resident of the council, lamented that his business has almost crumbled following the general power failure, which, he said, has lasted over five days. He said his woes were compounded by the fact that he could not get fuel to power his generators.

    “We are really suffering in this council,” he said. “This issue of light is a big problem. I operate a restaurant and bar, but we do not have power to cool our drinks and foodstuff in the freezers; now most of our things in my freezers are spoiling by the day, and there is no fuel in filling stations to use for our generators.”

    Another resident, Mallam Isah Yahaya, a vulcaniser, lamented that the power outage has crippled his job too, adding that since the power failure in the council, he has not been able to work and his business is suffering.

    “My business is really suffering, nobody knows what is wrong with the light. The only thing that we can remember is that the light went off almost immediately after the President and National Assembly election. We believe that most of the transformers in the council are bad and we are calling on the council boss to help us in the council,” he said.

    Speaking with a senior staff of the Kuje power distribution company, who pleaded anonymity, explained that the Kuje power source has dropped from 8megawatt to 4megawatt, which has made it difficult for the council to have appreciable power supply.

    She further said that most of the electricity transformers in council have become faulty, which has led to the inability to supply electricity light in the council, saying that the engineers in the company are working tirelessly on the transformers and other sources, in order to rectify the problem.

  • We remain committed to youth empowerment

    The chairman of Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Ibrahim Daniel has reiterated commitment of the council to provide skills acquisition for youths in the area.

    Daniel, in an interview, stated that apart from the many programmes to be organised in the council for such purposes, the council will also in conjunction with FCT administration create an atmosphere for job creation.

    “There is an empowerment programme we will do in conjuction with FCT administration. We will benefit from it and it will help them be creator of jobs.

    Although, within the council through the office of the first lady, we have trained them and we will also give them micro loans, to help them continue with the skills they have learnt and teach other ones.

    “We want to ensure that there is multiplying effect it. If we have had 15 people that have learnt the skill, now we have about 50 people. Those 50 people will also train others and within a year, we would have trained more people. We have done a lot. We have sent some of them to China were they went to learn some skills,” he said.

    On the various projects in the council, the chairman said some of the projects have been completed, while some are at the point of completion, thereby pledged the council’s commitment to complete them in due course, so that the residents will benefit from them.

    “We had initiated some projects when we came into office like the boreholes, road projects. We re-awarded Angwan Kashun Road, which has been completed. The Yangoji-Dafa Road also has been completed.

    “The Dabo-Bako township road is ongoing. The council has achieved about 60 per cents of the project. The contractor is waiting for mobilization, in order to finish the job. We are aiming to complete it within the second quarter of 2015,” he said.

  • Left to rot

    Left to rot

    Residents of Shadadi community in the heart of Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory lack almost every
    infrastructure they need. Worse, they cannot understand why it seems the authorities do not care. GBENGA OMOKHUNU
    reports.

    Do not judge Abuja by the glitzy high-rise buildings, nor the paved roads and the flood of streetlights on its upscale districts. Not that far away, lie communities which look abandoned, if not totally forgotten. Shadadi is one such community. It is located near the Kuje Area Council headquarters, in fact, only about 2km away, but that has brought it no dividends of any kind. The residents have no paved roads, nor do they have water fit for drinking. When they fall ill, there is no health facility to get treatment.

    Two questions Shadadi residents have been asking are: why does Kuje council leadership not want to help us? Why are we abandoned?

    The chairman of the council Hon. Shaban Tete has been in office for more than a year but has not responded to any of the requests made by the community residents. The people said they felt neglected by the leadership of the council. Can they get anything good from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership? Past leaderships of the council also neglected the community. The people said they want potable water, access roads, primary health care, among others.

    As for electricity, the residents of the community were left in darkness for over 10 years, despite endless complaints and appeals to past administrations of the council. After waiting in vain, the residents, through community effort, paid what was necessary before they their power nightmare ended.

    Sine the only transformer installed in the community broke down in 2002, the council has not repaired it nor replaced it.

    Mallam Yakubu Dan, a native of the community, said it has been abandoned by every council chairman. He said there were so many things that are supposed to be put in place by the government, but are absent in the community.

    Dan said since Mr. Samuel Estu Lanto, a former chairman of the council from 1991 to 1993 left office as the council chairman, development has ceased in the community.

    According to him, Lanto executed some tangible projects, but were not completed, thinking that governance was continuous.

    “He was wrong. He expected that successive administrations would continue with the projects and complete them, but the reverse was the case, because, up until today, they still remained the same way Lanto left them, mostly in Shadadi.

    “Some of the projects are road construction, rural electrification and bridging of the river that separates Shadadi and Lanto people. The bridge was started and got to an extent that Lanto’s administration could not complete. Other administrations would have completed it, but since then, nothing has been done.

    “Also, the issue of electrification, if you look at the entire Kuje, other nearby communities have been given electricity, but this community was denied electricity for over 10years. We called on the government to come to our aide, but they denied us our desire, until we made community effort to do it ourselves. We drew electricity line from Pasalli community and mounted one transformer through the community effort since last year, until PHCN gave us the electricity this year.”

    Another native of Shadadi community, Mrs. Joy Shema attributed the neglect of the community to the fact that the only council chairman that emerged from that community belonged to an opposition party, saying that probably that was reason why subsequent chairmen of the council who were members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have refused to anything positive in the community to improve the lives of the people.

    “It may be political, because, the party which many people support in this community is the All Progressive Congress (APC) and also, probably because of the presence of the former chairman of Kuje, who also belonged to an opposition party, that is why they have taken the decision not to consider this community for anything, thereby punishing the people for no just course,” she said.

    “We pray that the present chairman, Hon. Shaban Tete will be different because democracy is not supposed to be practised way most political leaders are doing it, that because certain people are not in your party, you tend to punish them as a leader. A good leader is supposed to work more for those who refused to vote for him, so that he could prove them wrong and show them reasons why they should have supported him, so that he could win their trust in future,” she said.

    Bakare Ahmed a resident of the community who also spoke with Abuja Review said that, on different occasions, when they went to visit previous chairmen of the councils to let them know about their plights in Shadadi, they will get such response that the people did not vote for the government in power, why then did they desire his assistance in developing their community.

    “The way some political leaders see politics, is wrong. They believe that if you are not in the same party with them or you did not give them your vote, they have nothing to do with you. But that is the wrong way to practice politics. When Lanto was chairman, it was not everybody that voted for him in this council. In fact, out of the 10 councillors, his party produced only three councillors and the opposition produced the rest and but he did his best to work in all the communities.

    “To a large extent this community has been neglected totally since after his administration. But to my notice, since we have made a request to the present administration, we hope that things will change for the better in this community, may be this time, it will be our turn. I want to appeal to the present chairman to critically look into our matter and come to our

    aide, because people in this community have been neglected for too long.

    “This community needs health care centre, portable water supply and access roads. I am appealing to. Hon. Shaban Tete to come and rescue us from this prolonged neglect by his predecessors and not judge his performance on party sentiments, but his desire to impact positively on the lives of the people of Kuje, irrespective of their political or religious affiliation,” he said.

    According to findings, only few spirited Nigerians have been visiting the community to support them and also left their spirit through various means.

     

  • Finding feeders for national football teams

    All has not been well with the nation’s football. Whenever Nigerians put their hopes in the teams, they are rewarded with the greatest disappointment.

    The teams have not been able to reach and maintain their rightful places on both continental and global stages.

    The senior national team, the Super Eagles, are not defending the trophy they won two years ago in South Africa because they could not qualify for the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Equatorial Guinea.

    This was a rude shock to many Nigerians.

    The team, last year, also performed woefully at the 2014 FIFA World Cup championship in Brazil.

    While many sports analysts believed that the crisis that engulfed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) played a great role in the lackluster performances of the national teams in recent times, others felt that the problem has to do with the lack of talented youths to take over from the tiring old legs.

    To this latter group, the solution to the poor outings by the national teams is in age-grade football competitions that will discover strong youthful talents to feed the national teams.

    Even though there are some existing age-grade football competitions in the country, analysts observed that they have not achieved the desired impact over the years due to their poor packaging.

    Also some of the young talents that have been discovered in the existing age-grade competitions have not been allowed to grow.

    According to the sports analysts, most of the past national football coaches have not helped matters as they have, during their tenures, largely relied on the big names among the Nigeria’s foreign -based players to prosecute their matches.

    So, the opportunity to discover new talents to take over from the tiring legs in the national teams was not really exploited fully.

    Despite failing to go far in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and unable to qualify for 2015 African Cup of Nations, credit, however, must be given to the Super Eagles coach, Stephen, for giving more young home-based players the opportunity to prove themselves.

    Going back to the drawing board and to chart a new course, President Goodluck Jonathan before the commencement of the last Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in the State House, Abuja, unveiled the President Cup to be competed for by teenagers in the country towards discovering talents.

    President Jonathan was decorated at the brief ceremony as the Grand Patron of the Cup by ex-international and football stakeholders, who initiated the football competition.

    Among the former players and officials in the delegation were Kanu Nwankwo, Peter Rufai, Taribo West, Emmanuel Babayaro, Garba Lawal, Austin Eguaveon, Shuabu Amodu, James Peters, Kadiri Ikhana, Manu Garba, Patrick Pascal, Anthony Chinasa and Kashimawo Laloko.

    Others include Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye; President of Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick; Darlington Anyanwau; Musa Uja; Auwalu Shekarau, Ike Neliaku; Ambassador Richard Ubohekong, and the Directors-General of Nigeria Television Authority, Shola Omole; and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Ladan Salihu.

    President Jonathan said: “We remember how you put Nigeria’s name on [the map of] footballing nations…you brought glory and pride to our nation. We are happy with you and of course these efforts to come up with a template, a platform that you will use to build the younger ones so that you can groom them, you serving as their role model so that they would take after you and also take our country to a higher level, is quite commendable.”

    “So on behalf of the government of the country, we thank you for your sincere commitment to continue to drive soccer to project football in our country, so that we will continue to be on top.”

    He went on: “One thing that all Nigerians know that brought unity to this country is the game of soccer. Whenever you people are playing, those of us who watch do not know the difference between a Moslem and a Christian, we don’t know the difference between a northerner and a southerner or an easterner or a westerner.”

    “We also see ourselves as Nigerians and that is the story; you have done very well for this country, we believe the younger ones will emulate you and also do what you have done,” he said

    On his part, Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo, who accompanied the ex-internationals, described the President Cup as a private sector contribution to football development which will hunt for teenage football talents through tournaments and nurture them for the use of national teams and other clubs.

    “You will recall that one of the cardinal highlights of our roadmap for the transformation of our sports is grassroots sports and some of the strategies for achieving grassroot sports development are the national schools sports festival, the President’s cup etc.” he said

    It is expected that this effort will not only turn around the round-leather game in Nigeria, but ensure that Nigeria maintain its top position at continental and global levels of the game.

    With this, it is also hoped that never again would Nigeria as a defending champion be eliminated at the qualifying stages and prevented from featuring at the next competition of any championship.