The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • Darah urges voters to vote wisely

    Former Special Adviser on Public Communication to Delta State Governor, Prof G. G. Darah, has outlined the qualities the next senator must possess. In an interview with The Nation, he said anybody who wishes to represent the people of Delta Central District, must be honest and ready to serve the people.

    Darah said: “I expect that the most qualified and the most experienced persons should step forward and offer themselves for leadership. In the last 14 years of the experiment of democratic rule of elected government, the electorate has also come to identify some weaknesses and failures and they will want to change them for the purposes of a more effective representation. For Delta Central, the most experienced, the most courageous and the most honest politician, who already has his or her own means of livelihood and who has attained a fulfilled life and is ready only for service, who want to devote his time to the service of his people or her people, those are the only ones that should step forward”, Darah opined.”

    The politician warned that anybody who has material acquisition as his immediate motive should perish the thought because the people will reject such an individual.

    “If the person is going there because he wants to amass wealth or because he wants to build hotels in Abuja, or buy properties oversea, that person would be rejected or should be rejected by the electorate. I want to say that the drive or the motivation is very important. We want individuals who would say, yes, I was a general in the Army, I was a Professor, I was a businessman in Lagos, I have shown people that I can do it, I am going to offer the people my experience to improve the lives of the people of my senatorial district, yes there is altruism there; but if it is somebody who wants to become richer materially, and to extend his estates, Delta Central does not deserve that kind of punishment.

    “That senatorial district, which is populated solely by Urhobo nation, has always been known for the quality of patriotic leadership. A politician without patriotism is like a weapon given to a mad man to operate. It will become a weapon of mass destruction. But patriotism is the only oxygen that makes a politician to be a public spirited citizen. Here, patriotism means putting your nation above personal interest. The problem we have in Nigeria is that people go into politics and leave patriotism behind”, he said.

    The by-election to fill the vacant seat in the Senate, following the sudden death of Senator Pius Ewherido, is to take place on Saturday, October 5.

    The Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dame Gesila Khan, said this at a meeting with stakeholders in Ughelli. She said that the election would be held in 1,263 polling units, 85 registration areas and the eight local government areas in the senatorial district.

    Khan said: “The Senate has formally notified the commission of the vacancy in Delta Central senatorial district. Consequently, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC headquarters, has directed the Delta State office to commence the process of conducting a by- election into the senatorial district.

    She added: “The publication of personal particulars of candidates and last date for submission of names and addresses of party agents would be September 28, while publication of final list of candidates nominated for the election, will be September 30, 2013; last date of campaign, October 4, 2013 and possible run-off, October 9, 2013.

    “ In accordance with the proposed time table for the election, the last date of primaries by political parties for the nomination of their candidates and submission of the list of candidates for the election has been fixed for September 25 and 26, 2013 respectively”.

    While reiterating the preparedness of the electoral umpire to do the right thing and live up to expectation, Khan urged all participants to eschew violence and be peaceful. “INEC is not unmindful of the publics’ high expectations. I, therefore, assure the people of Delta Central senatorial district that the commission will leave no stone unturned to ensure a free, fair and credible election.

     

  • Education: A tale of wobbling sector

    Education: A tale of wobbling sector

    As Nigeria celebrates its 53rd independence anniverary, its education sector lays prostrate. AUGUSTINE AVWODE examines the effects of underfunding on the critical sector.

     

     

    Perhaps, nothing illustrates more graphically, the dire state of education in Nigeria, even as it celebrates its 53rd independence anniversary, than the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which enters its fourth month today. ASUU’s action is predicated on alleged Federal Government’s refusal to implement the agreement between it and the union. Polytechnic lecturers, who started theirs two months before ASUU began its strike, also claimed non-implementation of agreements and lack of infrastructure in their institutions.

    Since it attained independence Nigeria has always expressed a commitment to education, with the belief that the best way to accelerate national development and growth was by overcoming illiteracy and ignorance. However, in the last four decades, specifically from the mid- 70s, education has been characterised by the lack of adequate funding, poor and deteriorating infrastructure, and insufficient teaching and learning materials as some of the major problems bedeviling the sector. This has resulted in a free fall for the sector, which should be the backbone of growth and development. It is rather lying prostrate, pleading for attention for the relevant authorities.

     

    Challenges

     

    Experts have noted that the biggest challenge facing education is inadequate funding. They blame government at all levels – federal, states and local governments.

    Speaking to The Nation at the weekend, former Vice Chancellor of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology ( LAUTECH) Prof. Babatunde Adeleke, said inadequate funding remains the greatest threat to the education sector in the country.

    He said underfunding hampers intensive and extensive research programmes; provisions of better infrastructure; and lack of good teaching and learning environment. He said the strike embarked upon by teachers has done much damage to the sector.

    Adeleke warned that the nation faces dire consequences, if the trend is not reversed as soon as possible. “Without sincere support and sincerity of purpose in pursuing the best ideals for the education sector, we will continue to have problems. The first and perhaps, the greatest challenge facing Nigeria and making it difficult for the provision of quality education, which is capable of bringing about sustainable development is inadequate funding by the federal, state and local governments. I cannot remember when last the Federal Government met the UNESCO recommendation of 26 per cent of national budgets for education.

    “Nigeria needs a lot of financial support to take us to where we are supposed to be. In the country today, we have over 100 universities; but if you look carefully you will discover that there is the issue of under staff. Our research activities are not the best. If you take a head count of qualified lecturers, that is, those with PhD and above, you will discover that the system is highly under staffed. As long as there are no good research programmes going on, the possibility of producing enough Ph, D holders, to effectively man the universities will continue to constitute a problem”.

    A senior lecturer at the Department of English Language, the Obafemi Awolowo University Dr Chijoke Uwahomba, said Nigeria is not making any progress in the sector. “In terms of policy articulation and implementation, we are not making any progress, we are just wobbling. Any progress; we have made is as a result of the patriotic zeal of committed Nigerians to give their best to Nigeria.

    “For instance, during the Babangida regime, when the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), was introduced, many people left Nigeria for greener pastures because the currency lost its value. The reason was simply because the salary was not competitive. That was how the idea of brain-drain came in.

    “If we look at the education sector generally, you will discover that government, over the years, has paid only lip service to the sector. That is why a landlord in Lagos always finds it difficult to give out his house to teachers. Let us ask ourselves why teachers, at all levels, are always going on one strike or another, from primary to tertiary levels? It is so because the government has not taken it as a serious business”.

    Also speaking to The Nation, Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education Prof. Hope Eghagha, said the challenges in the education sector have been fundamental. He, again, mentioned funding and infrastructure. He, however, argued that more Nigerians now have access to education than it was 50 years ago.

    “There has been increase in access to education, both in primary, secondary down to the university levels. The numbers of universities have risen from 9 in the 60s to over 100. But that also has its own challenges”, he said.

    Eghagha bemoaned the quality of education.“In terms of quality, we have a huge challenge. The quality of teaching, and the quality in terms of participation and response, which we get from students, is a thing for concern. So, when we look at all these things – funding, infrastructure, quality of teaching, response or the level of participation by students, we have serious challenges in our education sector. And, that is why, when people talk about standard, they are referring to the quality of response, quality of materials and the totality of the product that come out of the system. But people forget that there has been a huge leap from 1978, when the Joint Admission Board was established and now. Every year, we have over 1,000,000 applicants trying to become undergraduates”.

    According to Adeleke, the quality of education in the country is determined by many things. He argued that except attention is paid to the products coming from the primary and secondary schools, the quality of graduates will continue to be a matter of concern. He identified the primary and secondary schools as the stages where the greatest problem are encountered, which results in poor quality of graduate.

    “Unless we focus our attention on the primary and secondary, the quality of the final product, coming out of the university system in Nigeria will continue to be poor”.

     

    What future for

    education

     

    The question is what does the future hold for education in Nigeria?

    Eghagha said there are many things that must be looked into, if the future must be made bright. “The first is the quality of teaching. Then the issue of funding and the issue of infrastructure. The future in 10 years, certainly, will not be the same. There is the need to improve the quality of teaching. Any student who goes through the primary, secondary and the university without access to the computer, will not be marketable in the future.

    “So, there is need to improve the gadgets for learning, increase funding so that we can buy teaching aids, equip laboratories and ensure that teachers teach well. In other words, the inspectorate division has to be reinvigorated so that teachers can be made to teach what they are paid to teach. I must emphasis that the reward of education itself is knowledge. The idea of compelling people or students to read just to sit for exams is to say the least, obnoxious and retrogressive. It will not serve the overall objective of freeing the mind from the shackles of ignorance.

    “So, if all of this is taken into consideration, in the next 10 years, to get ahead, to be anywhere near where we should be, we need to increase funding, build infrastructure and maintain them, then the welfare of the teachers is very important, pay them the salary that can take them home, as they say. Imagine a principal on level 16, who cannot afford some of the basic things of live, how will he be able to put in his best”, Eghagha asked.

    He said incessant strikes is not good for the system and advised ASUU to find an alternative dispute resolution as the long time effect could be very damaging to the system.

    “In any society, paralysis, like the strike that is on now, is not good for its development. It is my view that strike should not be part of the menu of the universities and colleges of education. With strikes, education itself can be truncated; there could be negative consequences, if there are interruptions. We live in a global village, the people in Canada, U S A and Great Britain are following us; and when a Nigerian graduate shows up, they immediately pick him out. “, Eghagha said.

    Chijoke said the future of education may be in jeopardy, except the government does the needful without wasting any further time. “We are talking today now, students have been indoors for three months, and you know what that means for the system. Already, we have graduates that are not employable, who cannot construct correct simple sentences. If the future of education must be secured, if we must avert a bleak future, the government must stand up and do something today to salvage the current impasse. If it continues to play the “it does not matter card”, the future of education is bleak in Nigeria”, he said.

     

  • What is Nigeria celebrating at 53?

    What is Nigeria celebrating at 53?

    On October 1, 1960, the future of Nigeria was bright. But, 53 years after, there is gap between expectation and reality. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the country’s snail-like movement to progress, despite its rich human capital and abundant natural resources.

     

     

    Many Nigerians living in the towns and cities may not have the opportunity to listen to President Goodluck Jonathan’s live independence broadcast today. It is not because they cannot afford television sets. As usual, electricity is beyond their reach due to power failure. Those taking the advantage of the independence holiday to travel will endure the hardship of a boring journey on the roads, which are death traps. From this week, many people will transfer their ailing relations from the public hospitals to private clinics in sorrow because another strike is imminent in the health sector.

    Already, confused and restless university students are at home, owing to the prolonged lecturers’ strike. There is no end in sight yet. This week, the polytechnic teachers will also resume their suspended strike for welfare package. Also, their counterparts in the Colleges of Education are threatening to down tools. The fear of the future that has engulfed the tertiary students is heightened by the awareness of the soaring number of unemployed graduates roaming the streets in search of elusive jobs. According to the embattled governors, it may be difficult to pay salaries in some states because of the sudden drop in monthly allocations from the federal purse.

    Across the six geo-political zone, there no peace. In the North, the Boko Haram sect is on the prowl. The state of emergency has not restore normalcy. In the Middlebelt, the Ombatse Group has intensified killings. The brands of terrorism in the South are armed robbery and commercial kidnapping. Corruption, according to Transparency International, has not abated among public office holders. Rather than making the transformation agenda to work, the preoccupation of those in power is the 2015 calculation. This is the story of Nigeria at 53.

    It has been a tortuous journey from 1914. Crisis of development have continued to assail the fragile federation. At independence, Nigeria emerged as a country of many nations struggling for relevance. The sustaining power was the subscription to federalism by the leaders who built on the foundation laid by the colonial masters.

    On October 1, 1960, the future was bright. World leaders acknowledged the enormous natural endowment, quality and quantity of its population, and vast opportunities available to the former British Colony. The three premiers have laid examples of transformational leadership in the Western, Eastern and Northern Regions. Also, the colonial masters predicted that, by the mid seventies, Nigeria would become a medium ranking world power playing enviable roles in the comity of nations and shouldering continental responsibilities in times of peace and war.

    The 1966 military coup deepened the distrust and suspicion among the unequal regions. Legitimate authorities gave way for dictatorial leadership. The mistake of the first military ruler, Major General Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, who foisted the unitary system on the country through his controversial unification decree marked the beginning of the journey to gloom.

    From the initial three regions, the country gave birth to 36 dependent component units, following state creation by successive military governments. But the structure did not change the feelings of primordial sentiments by the unwilling partners.

    Fifty three years after flag independence, the rich country is in pains. Its oil is both a blessing and curse. The natural resource is domicoied in a region. Ironically, the zone is struggling with poverty. But majority of its citizens wallow in poverty. Life expectancy has dropped abysmally in Nigeria. Basic amenities, including portable water, electricity, medical facilities, and roads, are in pitiable state of disrepair. The only prosperous people are those in government, who have cornered state power and appropriated public resources.

    Many analysts described Nigeria as a big contract up for grab. In their view, government has become the greatest corrupter of society. “There is a disconnect between the government and the people”, observed Ayo Opadokun, the Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), who blamed the leadership for lack of vision.

    Apparently piqued by persistent challenges of nation-building staring the forced union in the face, international agencies have repeatedly warned that, by 2015, the federation may break up. The signs, observers contend, are the inherent strains, which tend to predispose the country into failure or fragility. “Our nation has been moving backwards at a disheartening speed”, said former university don and politician Dr. Femi Okunrounmu. Education, he said, lay prostrate, industries are on the slide, owing to arrested growth, electricity is a tall ambition and agriculture, which was the mainstream of the economy, is utterly neglected.

    ‘Our clean cities have become slums. Infrastructure has collapsed, roads are now death traps, killing more people annually than the dreadful diseases like AIDS and malaria. Corruption is on the increase daily. More than 60 percent of our people have no access to pipe borne water and medical facilities. Our country is a country of imports and moral values have collapsed, making us the object of scorn and derision in civilized circles’, Okunrounmu added.

    Many youths entertain much fear about their future. There is a correlation between mass unemployment and soaring crime rate which the country has ignored to its peril. “Government has neglected development planning”, said former Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing Alhaji Femi Okunnu. The elders statesman lamented that this omission had widened the gap between expectation and reality.

    Former Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters Chief Philip Asiodu Asiodu chided the successive administrations for lack of vision and intellectual bent, adding that the civil service of yesteryears, which generated ideas and policies for the executive arm had gone to sleep.

    Okunrounmu pointed out that countries whose visionary leaders embraced that culture of planning for the future have reaped the benefits. He pointed out that the Asian countries, including India, Singapore and Malaysia have left Nigeria behind in the march of development,

    although they are not more endowed than Nigeria. “They became the Asian Tigers because they have good leaders”, he said.

    It is an understatement. India became independence in 1947. But by 1997, when it marked its golden jubilee, it was a celebration of achievements. “India has transformed itself into a fast growing economy and achieved a considerable breakthrough in agricultural production. In 1991, electricity generation had reached 80,000 mega watts, which could not still meet their industrial, agricultural and domestic needs and most of the power generating equipment were manufactured in India”, Okunrounmu added.

    Every decade, India has always

    struggled to make a point. In

    1969, only 22 years after its independence, the country launched an indigenous rocket into space. In July 1980, she became the sixth member of the World Space Club after launching an indigenous satellite. In 1974, and later in 1988, India detonated her own nuclear bomb. At 50, the country had developed an advanced computer industry, exporting computer and software to other developing and developed countries.

    However, unlike India, which had been blessed with visionary leaders—Mahatma Ghandi, Jawaharlai Nehru, Indra Ghandi and Manmohan Singh, corrupt coup rulers, who sacked elected leaders, a who shoved aside the committed and patriotic leader have bestrode the Nigeria’s corridor of power since January 15, 1966.

    Apart from plunging the country into a protracted civil war, the soldiers of fortune prolonged the tortuous journey to civil rule, jettisoned merit in favour of expediency, ruled without peoples’ consent, annulled the most credible and unifying election and created a club of rich military elite, who persistently threaten the country with their ill-gotten wealth.

    In a paper titled” “Nigeria in search of true federalism”, a political scientist, Prof. Dipo Kolawole, lamented that the military has damaged the federal structure, adding that it has been difficult to repair it. He pointed out that the practice of unitary system is incompatible with the Nigerian reality

    Kolawole, former Vice Chancellor of University of Ado-Ekiti, also observed that the power-loaded and financially strong central government has reduced the component units into weak, unequal 36 states and obviously ineffective 774 local governments..

    But more worrisome to Okunrounmu is Okurounmu corruption in high places.He accused the leaders of crass opportunism and greed, stressing that they have wrecked havoc on the national treasury as huge sums of money budgeted for developmental purposes ended in their personal bank accounts. Frowning at their corrupt tendencies, the politician said the over $300 billion , which according to World Bank, had been stolen by them, could have solved the power problem, if properly channeled.

    ‘After looting the treasury, they are given GCFR, which is understood to mean the Grand Corruptor of the Federal Republic’, he fumed.

    Other critics have objected to the practice of presidential system, claiming that it is too expensive to run. Eminent lawyer Prince Bola Ajibola advocated a return to the parliamentary system. He said that, apart from its cost-effectiveness, it will foster accountability.

    “The nation only exists for the political class, which is not more than one percent of the population’, he lamented.

    Former university don, Prof. Itsey Sagay (SAN chided the lawmakers for awarding fabulous salaries and allowances to themselves while most Nigerians cannot afford the basic needs of life. He also flayed them for ignoring the wish of the people for a thorough overhauling of the 1999 Constitution.

    However, the greatest headache of Nigeria at 50 is democratic consolidation. Thus, Prof.Tunde Makanju, a sociologist at the University of Lagos described the fifty years of independence as fifty years of problematic elections. Unlike neighboring Gnana, which had successfully stabilised its democratic process, Nigerian election, in the words of Ajibola, is a tragic comedy. Thus, while the country has achieved civil rule, democracy is still unattainable. Again, the implication is that the country is under the spell of illegitimate rulers.

    Former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu, who described the electoral malaise as the greatest challenge, bemoaned the spate of electoral malpractices rocking the periodic polls, saying that it has cast Nigeria in the mould of an immature nation. He said the giant of Africa has failed to lay an example of electoral probity on the continent.

    ‘A rigged electoral system often turns simple, routine voting in other countries into do or die violence bordering on civil war. This rigged electoral process has also succeeded in imposing few illegitimate leaders at the top to dominate the bottom millions at the base. This has further deepened distrust between the leaders and the led.

    ‘The patent lack of fairness in the system has led to the consolidation of ethnic politics, with each ethnic group that has a shot at power thinking it is its turn to milk the common patrimony. A lack of social infrastructure, well entrenched in developed countries and welfare states, has led to grinding poverty, which has often led to the corruption of voters and prostitution of the vote. For as little as N500, unscrupulous politicians often buy voters cards off very poor and ignorant citizens’, he stressed.

    But, is the hope lost for Nigeria at 50? No is the answer by Tinubu. The country only needs to act fast, he advised.

    The first step, he said, is the reform of the electoral system to ensure electoral probity. His contention is that, reforms would usher in an atmosphere of free and fair elections.

    “There is urgent need for a new generation of leaders that would clear the cobwebs of decadence and political scavengers. This new generation of leaders must take our dear country to its manifest destiny. If this happens, we would have laid the foundation for rapid socio-economic growth and development for the next 50 years’, he added.

    Makanju called for a serious assessment and stock taking by the stakeholders. He said they should devise a method of moving the country forward.

    But Okunrounmu canvassed concrete solutions. He called for stiff penalty for financial corruption and rigging. “We should stop adulating our corrupt leaders. We should start shaming them publicly”, he said.

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola called for the reassessment of politics and values, urging the political class to return to politics of principle and ideology. Apparently criticising the lopsided federalism, he also warned that a nation that is not erected on truth and justice cannot attain progress.

    But, Kolawole said that, for Nigeria to have a true federalism, the fiscal policy must reflect equality of rights, equality of obligations and equality of access to positions. He also said that power must be more decentralised to reduce the attraction of the centre.

    While endorsing the above suggestion, the leader of ‘The Patriots’, a group of elder statesman, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, said the solution to the ills of Nigeria can only be solved when a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) is convened. So far, this has been elusive.

     

  • Can’t Nigeria diversify its economy?

    Can’t Nigeria diversify its economy?

    MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE  writes on the importance of the diversification of the economy to Nigeria in its search for economic growth, development and stability.

    Since independence, Nigeria has evolved from agro economy to oil economy. The abundant mineral resources , including limestone, lead, zinc, iron ore, coal, and uranium copper, bitumen have made significant contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    In the early sixties, the regions took advantage of their economic viability to project the country to heights that attracted the envy of other counties, not only in Africa, but across Asia, Europe and the Caribbean.

    But, with the discovery of oil, the country gradually shifted from agriculture and other allied products to the oil,which has now become its undoing in its quest for economic stability.

    House of Representatives member Hon. Lanre Odubote said: “Talking about Nigeria’s economy, since we got independence in 1960, it is quite unfortunate that we are still where we are today. If Nigeria has been able to get its act together, it would have been one of the economically advanced countries in Africa. Unfortunately, the military incursion distorted our philosophy, struggle and aspiration.

    “By the time we deviated into what I call unitary system of government, instead of federalism, where there will be competition among the units or states, this was not so. That is where we started missing the point. Now, we are moving into an area where we have one single source of revenue, which is oil. By the time we moved to oil, instead of the agricultural sector, which was the benchmark of our economic development at independence, we killed the dream of our founding fathers.

    “For instance, it was through agriculture that the Cocoa House at Ibadan was built; the Independence House in Lagos and other landmark structures were achieved through agriculture. I really want to say that the oil economy has been a curse to the country and not a blessing it was supposed to be”.

    Pro-National Conference Organi-sation (PRONACO) chieftain Comrade Linus Okoroji said Nigeria has gradually denied itself the blessing, which nature has bestowed on her.

    He said: “Look at all the mineral resources that are all over the country, today nobody is talking about them. They have rather concentrated on oil money and everybody is thinking in that direction. Those who leave school are now only interested in working in the oil sector as if that is where they can only earn a living. “This is because the government has not encouraged the development of the other sector. States of the federation have abandoned their mineral resources and they now look up to the federal government for their monthly allocations.

    “This trend must change because the oil will dry up some days and it will be too late to cry then. The government must go into mechanized farming, build infrastructure that will assist other sectors to grow.

     

    Agriculture

     

    This is one of the oldest sectors of the economy that has supported the country’s growth. In the First Republic, the groundnut pyramid in the North contributed to the development of the northern region. The region’s abundant hide and skin was equally of immense value. In the West, cocoa, rubber boosted the region’s economy while palm products in the East were handy to help their growth. If government can channel enough resources into agriculture, the economy will pick up again instead of depending of crude oil for its major income earner. In the northern part of the country, the land remains is largely arable and is still lying fallow. Yet, government has continued to push the people to the wall by over concentrating on petroleum for its revenue. Through Fadama agriculture, farming all season can be achieved. So it is no longer the tradition that people would have wait for particular season of the year before they could plant their crops. Through the export of cash and food crop most states of the federation would not need to get too bothered about federal allocation of efforts are geared in this direction.

     

    Fisheries

     

    The country is blessed with two major rivers; Rivers Niger and Benue, which flow throughout the year. There are other inland water ways which can supply fish, crabs and other sea foods. The country can tap into this area and made huge money, which it can use to sustain other sectors of the economy that are begging for attention. A lot of unemployed graduates and other job seekers, are already tapping into fish farming as a way to earn a living. The government on its own can look into this area, create the enabling environment for investors to tap into. This will enhance the economy.

     

    Telecommunication

     

    The sector used to suffer from the absence of competition in the past. But with the deregulation of the NITEL, other private communication outfits came into the sector. This has not only help in increasing the volume of trade in the country but has assisted in opening avenue of information through which public policies are explained. The telecoms is a money spinner for the advanced economy and this could also help in the Nigerian situation. The sector has provided employment opportunities for Nigerian. Those engaged in the sector are ranked among those who earn good wages in the country, apart from oil workers. The country will make progress, if the sector is made to grow beyond the position it is through public and private partnership. Most of the fish that are produced are not well preserved; locals who engage in fish farming have no reservoirs where they could store the quantities that are not immediately needed for sale or consumption. The country has lost millions of money in the process.

     

    Real estate investment

     

    Real estate investment is one of the lucrative businesses in the country. The sector comprise of two major properties; the low end and the high end. The low end is for low development, which is driven by investments from individuals and corporate bodies, mostly in form of residential buildings. The high comprised high valued investment. The sector has redefined the face of investment in the country; it attracted most of those who invested shares which crashed due to unstable economic policy. The sector has widened the scope of investment for those in the public service through government monetisation policy, which had increased the volume of cash in their hands.

     

    Manufacturing

     

    Manufacturing sector includes cement production, detergent, beverages productions, toiletries, textile etc. The industry engages Nigeria’s skill and unskilled personnel. The sector has made unquantifiable monetary contribution to the economy since independence. It has helped mopped up the labour market that has been infested with an army of unemployed youths. This sector is still begging for government intervention, this could be achieves through the provision of the basic amenities that can help build the industry. The textile industry, for instance, is dying because of government policy, which has made most of them to close shops. The industry has laid off many employees, who are still roaming the streets in search for employment. The provision of good road, stability of the power sector and provision of pipe borne water will bring life to the manufacturing industry.

     

    Finance and insurance

     

    Financial institutions have attracted both local and international investors. Though capital flight is common here, the volume of money, which still circulates in the economy is encouraging. Government has not completely left the sector in the hands of private or foreign bodies. However, government’s constant intervention through its fiscal policy has driven many banks aground while some have merged. When the country was passing through financial crisis, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), which has brought some level of sanity to the financial system. Stakeholders still believe that government needs to do more to encourage interested investors in the sector. The financial institution, if well positioned, will redouble its income earnings for the country.

     

    Mining and extraction

     

    The abundant mineral resources in the country have not been adequately tapped. Unfortunately, the industries which would have been making use of the mineral are fading aware for lack of access to the products. For instance Niger State is very rich in gold yet they have not been well utilized, the coal in Enugu State is gradually taking the back stage as all attention now shift to petroleum products. In the country some of them include; granite, colimbite, marble, tin, phosphate, zinc, kaoline, clay, tourmaline asbestos, etc. If these resources are utilized the through the establishment of companies that make use of them. The country stands to benefit if these resources are embrace and used adequately.

     

    Transportation and aviation

     

    These are critical sectors that can yield revenue to the government, if they are properly organised. Their impact on the economy has been felt the world over. These include air, water and roads transport.

     

  • Boko Haram, Ombatse, militants on prowl

    Boko Haram, Ombatse, militants on prowl

    Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the security challenge and its debilitating effects on the polity

    This year’s budget is a special one. Over one trillion naira was budgeted for defense. The goal is to stem insecurity nationwide. But this objective has not been achieved. Never has insecurity of this magnitude threatened Nigeria’s existence since the end of the civil war.

    No state is insulated from terror. The key strategy of government has been to shore up the capacity and of law enforcement agencies for prompt response to emergencies. This also includes the implementation of the key recommendation in the 2006 Presidential Committee Report on the Reform of Administration of Justice, with regards to the police and prisons, targeted at improving the welfare and operational capacity of law enforcement agencies.

    In this decade, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has suffered a major setback , due to widespread insecurity and inconsistencies in policy decisions. Foreign investors have been discouraged to invest, despite the vast economic opportunities.The telecommunication giants have suffered sustained attacks on their critical infrastructure in the North. There have been persistent attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta. The kidnapping of foreign nationals in the region is also a disincentive for foreign investments.

    In the North, the dreaded Boko Haram sect is on the prowl. Poverty in the geographical zone seems to have worsened as many business enterprises have shut down operations due to carnage. If concerted efforts are not intensified by the government, security experts warn that the North may be cut off from trade and commerce.

    So far, the security strategies employed by the military are not yielding substantial results. Experts have suggested that tackling the security problems goes beyond rhetoric or partisanship. It requires political will.

    Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police Mr Young Arebame said the Federal Government should be held responsible for the security challenges. He alleged that the Federal Government has failed to put in place an effective and efficient police system.

    Arebame noted that the allocation to the police in the annual budget, which is grossly inadequate, shows the value that government places on life.

    His words: “Without security, nothing works and nothing will work in Nigeria, for as long as we relegate the police to the background in security matters. For goodness sake, how do you send your troop to the war front with bare hands and expect them to win? Are we not deceiving ourselves going abroad to look for investors? Who will come and invest in an insecured environment?

    “The stability of a nation is dependent on the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation’s police because it is the sole responsibility of the police to provide security and safety for all and sundry.

    “Before the civil war, Nigeria Police was among the highest paid. As a result, it attracted other professionals like bankers, teachers and career civil servants to enlist. Today, well to do Nigerians would not encourage their wards to join police because they regard it as profession meant for drop outs and street urchins.

    “Cosmetic approach or buck passing will not solve the problem. Lagos is working because the state government spends heavily to equip the police and pays them allowances . People are happy working and living in Lagos. If the Federal government wants to secure the country, it should be ready to spend.”

    On the poor state of the police, the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar said: “We do so much with so little, even with nothing. This is the only country in the world where you go to a police station and there is no water, there is no light, there is no vehicle, no communication equipment and the police is expected to perform miracle. This is the only country that you see policemen on the street fighting armed robbers, fighting terrorists without bullet proof jackets, working in the rain without raincoats and he still stays there. I don’t know of any other country.”

    Former Commissioner of Police for Federal Capital Territory Mr Lawrence Alobi said a nation that underfunds its police is likely to face internal security challenges. He said that many agencies are collecting funds for doing nothing. Such funds, he suggested, should be channelled towards the procurement of equipment and facilities for the police.

    Making a case for the state police, Arebame noted that 400,000 policemen are grossly inadequate for a country of over 140 million people. The establishment of state police will complement the efforts of the federal police and enhance capacity, not only to fight crime, but to protect lives and property.

    He said as long as Nigerian Police is unitary, intelligence gathering will remain a farce. That is what we have seen in Borno, Yobe and other states being terrorised by Boko Haram. Those who know them are not the one policing the states.

    He cited the case of the late Lawrence Aninih, the kingpin of the underworld, who terrorised Edo State. “Aninih was captured when a Benin police officer was sent there. He achieved this feat because he was familiar with the terrain and the Benin culture”.

    The Federal Government had declared a state of emergency in Bornu, Yobe and Adamawa states. But the measure has not reduced the violent activities of Boko Haram. A section of the sect has even rejected amnesty.

    Last year, President Goodluck Jonathan could not even celebrate the independence anniversary at Eagles Square, Abuja because the sect members threatened to bomb the venue.

    Sources said that many federal legislators, ministers, and special advisers are afraid to spend their weekends in the troubled states. They stay in Abuja.

    But the Federal Capital Territory has also come under attack by the terrorists. What therefore, is the way out?

    Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan said the issues can be discussed at the national conference. “The issues can be discussed at the conference. For example, some people are fighting. They say they want this or that. If we get there, we will discuss all these issues”he added.

     

     

  • Power outage ruins economy

    Power outage ruins economy

    Two years after President Goodluck Jonathan had promised to stabilise power supply, Nigerians still groan in darkness. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the effects of the erratic power supply on the socio-economic life.  

    The quantum of power consumed in a country by the citizens is considered a good indicator of the country’s socio-economic performance. Erratic power supply is perhaps, the greatest paradox of life in Nigeria, a country blessed with various sources of energy, including crude oil, natural gas, hydro power, coal and solar energy. The blackout is unprecedented. Business enterprises rely on generator 24 hours daily to power their machines. Those that cannot afford extra budget for diesel have closed shop and laid off their workers.

    The crux of the matter are the inadequate generation, inefficient transmission and distribution of power. Nigeria’s installed power generation capacity of 6,000 mega watts is grossly inadequate to cater for the needs of over 140 million people.

    Former Minister of Power Professor Bart Nnaji has attributed the problem of power outages to inadequate gas supply to thermal power plants. He said the gas supply to these plants is one of the major problems in the power sector.

    Investigations reveal that four power stations are currently losing 977.5mega watts to non-availability of gas. For instance, the plant built by the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) at Olorunsogo loses 337.5mw. The second station at Olrunsogo owned by PHCN currently loses 152mw due to gas supply shortage. Similarly, the NIPP, Sapele Station loses 112mw; PHCN Geregu Station, 276mw and PHCN Ugheli station, 100mw. It was gathered that some power stations lack gas supply infrastructure while those that have gas supply facilities do not have gas to fire the plants.

    Apart from gas supply constraint, the Olorunsogo Power Plant is not in good shape. The N30 billion plant with installed capacity of 304 works in fits of its eight turbines. Six have broken down.

    The project, which was commissioned in 2007, worked for three years. Then, the turbines stopped functioning. Other complaints were lack of spare parts. The operating manuals were in Mandarin without English translation. The plant was built by a Chinese firm. Nigerians running the plant spoke of their frustration at the hands of the Chinese, who were to teach them how to maintain the plants. The Nigerian team could also not access the agreement to know their responsibilities.

    Amid controversy over gas shortage to fire local plants, the Federal Government has entered into agreement to supply Ghana between 80 and 123 million standard cubic feet of gas per day to power its generating plants.

    The agreement to supply gas to Ghana was entered into by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) about 12 years ago as part of its commitment to West Africa Gas Pipeline Project (WAGPP) as directed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. But he made it clear that the project was subject to satisfactory supply to the domestic market, including the power plants.

    Experts in the sector have criticised the government for exporting Nigeria’s gas to Ghana to shore up her power generation capability and also boost the country’s industrial sector to the detriment of Nigerian economy. But the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison -Madueke, countered by saying that Nigeria has about 150 million cubic feet per day surplus supply potential, which she said could add 500mw to the current generating capacity on the national grid.

    The minister explained said: “Based on our ongoing supply development effort. We expect to have over 2.5 billion cubic feet per day of gas supply destined specifically to the power sector, supporting significant additional capacity by 2014. By 2020, we would be looking at a a supply capacity of about 10 billion cubic feet per day for the power sector, in line with Mr President’s target of 40,000mw”. The NIPP that was conceptualised as a fast track project to make up for the shortfall in the nation’s power need was mired in controversy and avoidable delays. The project suffered a three-year halt as a result of the House of Representatives’ probe of $16billion allegedly spent on power projects by the Obasanjo regime. The probe necessitated the suspension of the funding NIPP projects by the late Yar’Adua Administration. The effects of the suspension include the huge variation costs of the projects; increase in compensation paid for acquired land and accumulated demurrage.

    A lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Frank Okafor, has identified underfunding, policy inconsistency and corruption as factors responsible for unstable power supply in the country.

    Okafor said: “We have not spent enough on power supply. We have tried to tell lies on what we spent. During the late Yar’Adua’s regime, it was claimed $16 billion was spent. Sources said it was $6.3 billion . This was later corroborated by the Accountant-General of the Federation and a panel set up by the government.

    “South Africa started having problems with power supply last year. They needed 10,000 mw more. They have started implementing it. It’s going to cost them $14 billion. In our own case, the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) would cost us about $1,000,000 million per mega watts.. Compared to South Africa’s figure, ours will cost half of that.

    “In the sector, money is in dollars and it costs a lot. We have to accept that first and foremost. When you have not spent enough, definitely, you would not have enough to show. I quite agree that we could have gotten more than what we have now from what we have spent.

    ‘We should also understand that power sector is unlike road construction where you can make use of one lane, pending the completion of construction. Power supply involves generation. Transmission, distribution and reticulation-all of them work simultaneously. If there is a shortfall in any of the four legs, then, there will be no light”.

    Noting that the Federal Government promised to generate 6,000mw in 2010 and 10,000mw this year, Okafor lamented that it is still generating less than 4,000mw.

    He added:“The fact is a number of the power stations are old, although there are new ones under construction. It’s like when you are building the new ones, you are more or less replacing the old ones. If you refurbish some old stations and say I have done it. Now, I have 4,000mw from it and there are two new ones being commissioned, which will add up to 6,000mw. By the time you are commissioning the new ones, two or three of the old ones have gone down. It’s like water entering a leaking tank.

    “We will not be able to meet our target, unless privatisation ushers in new power plants from Independent Power Project. From new power plants, you can say this plant can give me 2.000mw for the next five years and it will be a reality. Look at Kainji dam built in 1968, if you just change a rotor there and say it will give you 2,000mw it’s a lie. An old machine remains old no matter the amount of rehabilitation or renovation. The old machines can never meet our target.

    “If a developing country like Brazil can generate 100,000mw, why not Nigeria priding itself as giant of Africa>

    “Already, South Africa is in Congo to build a hydro plant, which they intend to transmit through High Voltage Distribute Transmission. Nigeria lacks the capacity for implementing long-term development plans. No nation survives without long term development plans.We are almost at 2020, have you seen anything on ground to say there is plan pointing at 2020? They keep telling us that the power generation will hit over 20,000mw by 2020.

    “As regards Brazil, they have a very high potential for hydro power and they took their time to train their people. They built power plants and export power to neighbouring countries.

    Okafor said it is high time Nigeria considers renewable energy as panacea to incessant power outages. These renewable energy sources like solar, wind, coal, biomass and small hydro are good even though not cost effective but they should be encouraged. Nevertheless, we still need big generating plants to run our steel plants and manufacturing industries. Solar energy is good but it cannot be converted into electricity.

    The erratic power supply has forced many companies to close shops and relocate to neighbouring countries. An economist, Oluwatosin Oyetayo of The Bells University, Ota, said Nigeria is not conducive for business because the entrepreneurs have to source for their own energy by spending heavily on diesel.

    Oyetayo regretted that the country has lost the small-scale industries that are supposed to serve as the backbone of the economy. “They are supposed to fill in a gap in the supply chain. In the alternative, we start importing and encouraging small business to grow in other countries. Nigeria has become a dumping ground for goods produced in neighbouring countries”, she said.

    A source close to the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) disclosed that 5,000 industries have closed down since 1999, due to harsh economic policies and poor infrastructure. The Kano Chapter of the association alone had lost 86 industries due to similar reason.

     

     

     

  • Will Nigeria disintegrate in 2015?

    Will Nigeria disintegrate in 2015?

    Will Nigeria break up in 2015 as predicted by some foreign agencies? Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the factors that can enhance peaceful co-existence and national survival.

     

    Few years ago, a foreign body aroused Nigerians to the reality that the country stood the risk of break-up in 2015. The warning and advice were dismissed with a wave of the hand. Also, in 2009, the former American Secretary of State, Senator Hillary Clinton, peeped into the future, warning that Nigeria may become a failed state because of soaring corruption.

    “The most immediate source of disconnect between Nigeria’s wealth and its poverty is a failure of governance at the federal, state and local levels. Lack of transparency and accountability has eroded the legitimacy of government and contributed to the rise of groups protesting the injustice and challenging the authorities of the state”, she submitted.

    Another organisation, ‘Fund for Peace’, had listed Nigeria among the failed states. In the list are war-torn Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Chad, Afghanistan, Congo, Ivory Coast and Haiti. In the last decade, peace has eluded these countries.

    In 1994, a former university don, Prof. Adebayo Williams, dissected the polity. He said there are frightening memoranda and manuals for disintegration flying all over the place. “What we are witnessing is a man-made disaster of epic proportions. The Nigerian State has, so far, become a compelling and comprehensive failure”, he submitted, adding that the consequence may be the price for the failure of leadership.

    Opinion is divided on the categorisation of Nigeria as a failed state. Some scholars, who believe that the problems confronting the country have been exaggerated, explained that, Nigeria is not yet a failed state; it is a fragile state. However, they agree that state fragility is a prelude to state failure.

    Currently, the Nigerian federation is faces a most challenging test of survival. Ethnic militant groups are threatening its existence. In the North, the Boko Haram sect is on the prowl. The members are demanding a Muslim state. In the Middlebelt, the Ombatse Group is unleashing terror. There is no solution in sight. In the Southeast and Southsouth, militants and kidnappers have made life unbearable for people. In the Southwest, there are armed robbery and pockets of kidnapping are on the increase.

    The next presidential election will hold in 2015. Ahead of the poll, the struggle for power between the core North and Southsouth is generating tension. The North is demanding for power shift, based on an inexplicable agreement between President Goodluck Jonathan and certain Northern elders. The oil-rich Southsouth has fired back, saying that, if power returns to the North, there will be no oil money to run the country. The implication is that the militants will come out to disrupt mining activities in the coastal region.

    The federating partners have grudges against the centre. Thus, they are in stiff competition for power and relevance. The debate is also focusing on the unresolved national question-citizenship and indigeneship, secularity of the state, state and community policing, revenue allocation, devolution of power, restructuring, rotation or zoning of presidential power, corruption, and national conference.

    Past indications have combined with the present realities that Nigeria was erected on a faulty foundation. When the colonial masters forcefully lumped the diverse tribes and nations, their opinion was not sought. Since 1914, it has been an uneasy marriage. The first strain on the emerging colonial federation came with the threat by the Northern delegates to the constitutional conference to split. They shouted “arabah”. But the British authorities persuaded them to remain and benefit from oil.

    Apart from the peculiar struggle for power among the contending regional leaders, Nigeria gave birth to a promising the First Republic anchored on true federalism, regional autonomy and fair revenue sharing based on the principles of derivation, need and national interest. The only dark side of that epoch was the lack of national outlook and festering of ethnic interests above the national interest. But the situation reflected the image of Nigeria as an amalgam of incompatible, diverse and antagonistic social formations. The Premier of Eastern region, Dr. Nnamidi Azikiwe, told his Northern counterpart, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello: “Let us burry our differences”. Bello replied: “No, let us understand our differences”. The Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, had said: “Nigeria is a geographical expression”.

    The coup of 1966 terminated the delicate marriage. But it also compounded Nigeria’s woes. The military rejected the federal principle and foisted a unitary system. The army mirrored the polity, its ethnic bias and cravings for power in regional interest. Thus, under the military regime, the country nearly disintegrated when it was plunged into a three year civil war. In post-war period, the North, more or less, consolidated its control of the federal power, until 1999, when the regions renegotiated for power rotation.

    Many believe that Nigeria is not hale and hearty, despite its huge natural deposit. The sixth largest producer of oil in the world is going backward, unlike the Asian countries, which took off on the same pedestrian foundation like it almost six decades ago. The manufacturing sector is gone. Churches and residential buildings are not sprouting up from the industrial estates. The army of unemployed youths is now a liability instead of asset. Yet, profligacy, theft and graft are peculiar to the privileged few in government. Disturbed by the trend, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) led by Hon. Wale Oshun, said that “Nigeria is at crossroads”.

    Efforts at resolving the national question through constitution amendment have failed. Dismissing the 1999 Constitution as a ruse, the late Chief Rotimi Williams said the document, which is actually a military decree, lied against itself, when it opened with the preface: “We the people”. Another lawyer, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), described it as a rebellion to true federalism. Citing two defects of the constitution, he said it is wrong for the Federal Government to have input into the creation of local government, adding that it is also wrong for the governors, who are the chief security officers in their states to rely on the Abuja-based Inspector-General of Police for maintenance of law and order.

    Since the police is beyond reach, governors have been giving support to vigilante groups. ethnic militia and other para-military forces. Irked by this development, a lawyer, Kola Awodein (SAN), said these “emergency and quack security men”, who lack proper training and structure, are dangerous. But what has also dented the image of the police is its inability to resolve high profile murders. When eminent Nigerians, including former Justice Minister Chief Ajibola Ige, Alfred rewane, Harry Marshall, Abiye Sekibo, Funso Williams, Iyalode Bisoye Tejuoso, and Ayo Daramola were killed, foreign investors started to doubt the prospects of a safe atmosphere for business.

    Ethno-religious crises have aggravated the security challenge. So far, the state of emergency in the troubled states have not halt the killings. Non-indigenes have left for their regions of origin, having lost relations and property. This has generated bad blood. Even, wealthy indigenes cannot visit home because f the fear of kidnapping.

    Many political scientists have warned that the inability of the country to resolve the challenges of nation-building and development, especially identity, integration, legitimacy and distribution crises, may not augur well for national unity. At issue is whether the development of a national outlook is possible. “Nigerians see themselves, first as indigenes of their tribes, sub-tribes and ethnic nations. There is no sense of attachment and belonging outside your region of origin. A President is perceived as the Northern President, Southwest President and Southsouth President. There is loyalty to the regions, and not the centre”, said Boniface Ayodele, a political scientist.

    Closely related is the integration crisis. This relates to forging cohesion among the tribal units, who differ on sensitive national issues. But far more challenging is the legitimacy crisis, which is triggered by the abuse of the ballot box and lack of performance by the government. A peaceful, free and fair presidential election won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola was criminally annulled, drawing the country to an edge. But in this dispensation, democracy has been mocked by the assault on the ballot box. It is a tragedy, said Ayodele, that many unelected governors and parliamentarians have invaded the corridor of power, thereby creating a disconnect between the government and the governed. The testimony was the confession by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua that the election that brought him to power was severely flawed.

    How has the country resolved the distribution crisis, in a mono-product economy where oil is the main source of income? should the national cake be shared among the component units’ among the producers and non-producers of oil? Which formula for distribution will foster equity, fairness and justice and minimise the complaints of the “marginalised” and “minority”?”

    The offer of amnesty to the restless Niger Delta youths have only temporarily doused the tension. There are still cries of despondency in the Niger Delta. When militants strike occasionally, the oil will cease to flow. One of the measures being adopted now is the PIB, which has become a bone of contention between the goose that lays the golden egg and the North. Former Lagos State Governor Lateef Jakande said it is ironic that the oil-rich region has suffered monumental neglect and deprivation in the past. He blamed the government for not doing enough for the Niger Delta. “This is injustice”, he said.

    For long, citizens have been denied of comfortable living. In the last 14 years, lack of electricity has crippled business operations, especially by artisans. The cost of doing business has gone up because people have shifted to generators as the alternative source of power. Efforts to fix the electricity has not succeeded. Generally, government seems to have lost the infrastructure battle. Roads are full of potholes. Schools are on their knees because education is underfunded. Nigeria is the only oil-producing country without a functioning refinery. Poverty is on the increase.

    Government has also failed woefully by its inability to diversify the economy. Thus, if there is oil theft or disruption of mining activities in the Southsouth, Nigeria will be held to ransom.

    A group, Transparency International, has listed Nigeria among the most corrupt countries in the world. Reflecting on this classification, activist priest Dr. Mathew Kukah blamed the elite for the cankerworm. “Greed will always stand on the way of national interest”, he said. In fact, corruption is the greatest problem. Frontline social crusader Dr. Tunji Braithwaite lamented that the resources for development have been carted away by those in power, making infrastructural development to suffer.

    During his visit to Ghana, United States President Barack Obama pointed out that corruption could progress. In an obvious reference to Nigeria, he said: “No country is going to create wealth, if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves or police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top or head of the port authorities is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy; that is tyranny and now is the time to end it”.

    The anti-graft bodies are in dilemma. While it is relatively easier to fight corruption outside government, it is difficult to curb corruption in the corridor of power. It appears that the government has become the greatest corrupter of the society. In the past, critics alleged that the anti-graft bodies were used by government to intimidate and witch-hunt perceived foes.

    There is no evidence that efforts are being made to resolve the multiple crises. The preoccupation of those power is the 2015 polls. More attention, energy and resources are devoted to the scramble for power than productive governance and commitment to national survival.

    To the stakeholders, disintegration is not the answer. They are of the opinion that the restoration of true federalism, with its elements of regionalism, state police, devolution of power and restructuring, may save the country from doom. “We need to convene a Sovereign National Conference to discuss the basis for peaceful co-existence”, said Chief Ayo Adebanjo, an Afenifere chieftain. A legal luminary, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), agreed with him. “We need the conference now more than before”, he said.

     

     

     

  • Is Nigeria still giant of Africa?

    Is Nigeria still giant of Africa?

     Nigeria celebrates her 53rd independence anniversary tomorrow.  Can  the self-styled giant of Africa really claim this title?

    It is an appellation Nigeria has worn with pride. Political leaders, diplomats and commentators have over the years described Nigeria as the “giant of Africa”. Its size is intimidating. Its population surpasses other sub-Saharan African countries combined. The people are talented, creative and immensely productive. Nigeria is also blessed with an abundance of natural resources.

    But that seems to be the end of the story. Over the years, the country has failed to convert these potentials to real advantage. Thus, local and foreign analysts have described the country as, either the ‘sleeping giant’ or “former giant” of Africa.

     

    Deceptive appellation

     

    Political scientists say, given the present realities, Nigeria cannot lay claim to being the giant of Africa. They argue that, notwithstanding the availability of opportunities, which could have been explored to establish the country firmly as the leader of the African continent, successive leaders have woefully failed to leverage on those opportunities.

    Former Information Minister Prof. Sam Oyovbaire said, based on some indices, Nigeria could claim to be the giant of Africa. But the reality of the 21st century, that claim can be disputed.

    “Certain indices, such as population, size and, in recent time, natural resources of the nation, if considered, we can talk about being a giant of Africa. But, if you use other indices, such as the level of poverty, the growth rate of the economy, the number of children that are in school or that are out of school, the quality of healthcare delivery, and other basic things of life, like the provision of water, stable power supply, accommodation and many other things, then, I can tell you that Nigeria is not a giant like as a country, say like South Africa.

    The political scientist said appellations could be deceptive, adding that “the reality in Nigeria is that we are yet to arrive at that stage where we can legitimately claim to be the giant of Africa.”

    Oyovbaire said that the genesis of the tag could be traced to Nigerians’ penchant for titles, which make them feel big or important. He however, hopes that in the future, if the right things are done, Nigeria can become the giant of Africa.

    “I really don’t think we are giants, in terms of contemporary realities. But in terms of futuristic potential, oh yes; but then, there is also the problem of commitment to ensuring that these things come to be. We have failed in the aspect of the critical value that leadershProf Sam Ibodje of the Department of Political Science, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, agreed with his colleague. He said the appellation was wrongly acquired.

    The poliltical scholar argued that certain criteria must be used to assess Nigeria before describing it as “the giant.”

    “To talk about an individual being a giant, for instance, in a comity of individuals, there must be certain criteria to be used. In the case of a country, those criteria could be in terms of the size of population, the strength of the economy, the level of political stability and the role that the country is playing in the international community.

    “The truth is that you can be a giant by population, by size and by natural resources. Yet, you can be a sleeping giant. If you consider the case of Nigeria, by size, it is a giant, by population it is a giant, by natural resources it is a giant. But, unfortunately, I have to agree with people who described the country as a sleeping giant as we are not wielding the necessary influence in the comity of nations”, he said.

    The Executive Secretary, ‘Never Again Group’, Mallam Moyo Jaji, said if Nigeria is the giant of Africa, then, it must be a giant with clay feet.

    “I dont think we can continue to arrogate to ourselves, the appellation of being the giant of Africa. What are we going to celebrate on Tuesday? Independence or dependence? An economy that is generator driven, a nation mired in insecurity, a country with waning influence, that cannot tame Boko Haram, and with high incidence of kidnapping for ransom, with high poverty rate and with high maternal mortality rate. A country with dilapidated infrastructure and afflicted with the scourge of corruption. No, were are not the giant of Africa. If we are, then it is with clay feet”.

    However, Prof Elochukwu Amucheazi of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) disagreed with the notion that Nigeria no longer merits appellation. He argued that, all things considered, Nigeria can rightly lay claim to it.

    “Who is a giant? Does Nigeria not have the features of a giant? The size is there. The population is there. The natural resources are there. We are blessed with abundant human resources that is very enterprising. We have played prominent roles in bringing stability to other countries in Africa, even helping some to gain independence. So, what exactly are we talkining about? From all indications, Nigeria is the giant of Africa. How many other countries have played the roles Nigeria has played across the continent? Is it easy to keep over 350 ethnic nationalities together? We must commend where it is necessary”, he said.

     

    Failure of leadership and followership

     

    Many have blamed poor leadership and followership for the country’s woes.

    Prof Ibodje said, everybody must take the blame. He said that, Nigeria is populated, not by those who see themselves as citizens, but those whom he called “people”. He argued that while citizens in any country will always strive for the good of the country and its development, ‘people’ will always go after what they can get out of the system by plundering the resources that ought to have been used to develop the country.

    “While citizens use the natural resources in the country to build and seek its growth and development, people actually predate on the available resources and deny the country the opportunity to grow as a result of their activities.

    “Once you act like a predator on the resources of your country, which are meant to develop the country, you are not a citizen but just a person. So, Nigeria has people but not citizens. Let me emphasis that citizens are committed to rendering selfless services to their country to ensure that there is growth and development in the country. And in fact, they do not care whether they are going to be beneficiaries of such contributions or not.

    “Their main purpose is to see their father land play prominent roles in the comity of nations as a result of the growth and development that has taken place in it. And that is what is lacking in Nigeria.

    Oyovbaire blamed poor leadership. But he did not restrict it to any particular individual. He called it a ‘generation of leadership’.

    “Without doubt, I think our leaders should be held responsible. But I will not say it is this particular person or that. It is a failure of a generation of leadership. Either before, during or after military interventions in the affairs of Nigeria, its leadership should be held responsible for not fully giving fillip to the opportunities that come the way of Nigeria to be indeed, the giant of Nigeria,” he said.

     

    Other challenges

     

    Besides the ‘home made woes’, there are also external challenges from neighbouring countries, who are frantically trying to challenge the claim to such a claim. Recent developments in neighboring African countries, indirectly but without doubt pose very big challenge to the status of Nigeria as a role model to other African countries, particularly, the West African region.

    As an example, it is a known fact that Nigeria has been struggling to conduct credible elections since the return to democratic rule in 1999. It is on record that there is no election in the country that has not been controversial or disputed. But when Ghana conducted presidential and parliamentary elections, it was immediately hailed by the international community as a model for Africa.

    Ghanaians went through three rigorous rounds of voting, which resulted in the opposition’s victory and the transfer of power from one government to another without a single loss of life. But, the 2011 presidential election in Nigeria, though considered fairly better than the previous ones, resulted in high scale violence in the North. Many people lost their lives, including ad-hoc staffs of the electoral umpire, who were youth corps member.

    What about the inability of Nigeria to properly manage its natural resources, especially crude? Investors in this critical sector are shifting attention to Angola and Ghana. People point to the comatose nature of the refineries in the country and the continued dependence on importation of refined product for domestic use as a minus.

    The failure of the authorities to fix the energy sector, which people say is jinxed, is another sore point. Though efforts are being made to address it. While South Africa, Egypt, Ghana and other Africa countries can boast of adequate and uninterrupted power supply, Nigeria can only generate between 2,500 to 3,000Mw of electricity as at today.

    As Nigeria celebrates her 53rd independence anniversary tomorrow, the question many will continue to ask is when will Nigeria truly live up to the appellation of being the ‘giant of Africa’?

     examines the challenges facing the country.

  • My govt will be transparent, says Ngige

    My govt will be transparent, says Ngige

    All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, has promised to ensure trans-parency and accountability, if voted into office on November 16.

    He also promised to fight the infrastructure battle in the state. The flag bearer said the local governments will become huge construction sites, astressing that more roads will be constyructed at the grassroots.

    Addresing supporters at his campaign office in Awka, the state capital, Ngige said that he will not disappoint the people, if given the mandate to rule.

    He said: “Our party has a rich antecedent. The works of our governors are visible. I have been the governor of the state before and I did not disappoint the people. This time again, I will not disappoint the good people of Amanbra State”.

    The politician is expected to formally flag-off his campaign on Saturday. The campaign director, George Moghalu, said that APC will run a scientific campaign and attract votes from the nooks and crannies of the state.

    Ngige stands tall among the various candidates competing for the State House. Apart from serving as the governor of the state for about two and half years, he is also a senator representing the Central District. The communities that savoured his developmental projects when he was the governor are rooting for him. The APC flagbearer has been endorsed by many groups, associations and societies on merit.

    APC has also put its house in order, ahead of the poll, more than other parties. It is not certain that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has settled the crisis generated by its choice of candidate. Also, the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is still battling with leadership crises.

    Moghalu said that Ngige is the best among a the candidates, pointing out that, having been tested, he can be trusted by the people.

    Exhuding confidence, the flagbearer told th crowd of suppporters that he will not betray them. he has not betrayed or failed them in the past.

    He, however, assured all that he will continue to spend his time, money and energy to provide the basic amenities that will make the change they desire come to fruition, even as he disclosed that he is regarded as the truly-trusted and tested choice of the Anambra people because he has not disappointed them at any point of his career, political or otherwise.

    On the double candidacy of the opposition, he said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) promised to stop one of the candidates, positing that his party, All Progressive Congress (APC) will take up the issue if INEC does not live up to its assurance.

     

  • Group hails Oshiomhole over Edo North development

    Group hails Oshiomhole over Edo North development

    A group, Edo North Professionals’ Forum, has applauded the role of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in the development of the Edo Central District, The group also assessed the performance of Senator Domingo Obende, who represents the zone, urging him to live up to expectation.

    In a letter to the governor signed by its Coordinator, Muhammed Alaoye, and six local government coordinators, the group expressed the desire “to champion the socio-economic development of Edo North Senatorial District and reposition it for greater participation and political relevance”.

    Alaoye said: “It does not require a special skill or intelligence to recogniee the effort of Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, towards rebuilding Edo State, with particular reference to Edo North. But the senator representing the district must also rise to the challenge of assisting the governor in the administration’s bid to confront the political and socio-economic challenges confronting our people”.

    The coordinator said that there can be no progress, if the elected representatives fail to work harmoniously, share ideas and cooperate together, while finding solutions to pressing socio-economic and political challenges.

    He warned against self-centered and lack-lustre representation and leadership, saying that it could impair growth and development.

    Alaoye added: “The problem of the senatorial district is inextricably tied to the poor quality of leadership. The district’s fortune has continued to plummet.This dearth of quality leadership cannot be divorced from the poor recruitment process called party primaries. The consequence of poor choice at the polls is the election of wrong persons into public management offices. No country, state, senatorial district or local government can rise above the level of it’s workforce, especially at the decision-making or business of law-making or be it leadership at any level”

    “What Edo North deserves at this critical point, especially so, when Governor Adams Oshiomhole would be rounding off his tenure, is a crop of leaders that are endowed with the gift of steady application, imbued with the ability to control events, rather than drift with the tides and, who in the range of vision and depth of conception, tower above their contemporaries. Edo North needs a senator of iron resolve, indomitable courage and sharp intellect. Men of proven integrity should also come out to assume positions of responsibility.

    “Mr. Governor Sir, you owe it a duty, just as we collectively do, at this particular point in our political history, to fish out patriotic and right-thinking citizens to man positions of responsibilities in Afenmai, and by extension, Edo State.”