The Nation Newspaper

Category: Soji Omotunde

  • Indeed, things are falling apart

    IT is becoming very evident today that in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), things are falling apart as the centre is no longer holding. A political party in power for 14 years, dominating and reigning over a nation denigrated by the many more years of military misrule is now integrated into the crisis it implanted through its unfocussed administration.

    What has been the benefit of democracy to the federation under PDP? Absolutely nothing. A nation once on the pathway of greatness has been dumped into the valley of failure and letdown. Today, hardly is anything working. Nigeria remains down infrastructural. Power? Education? Agriculture? Jobs? Security? Just name it; it has been a story of lost glories. Notwithstanding the opinionated fabrication of some ministers that ought to be rolled off with the nine fired last week, the economy has collapsed.

    Nigeria is not where it should be today because of lack of leadership of value. The government in power will only be narrating figures on performances, and not the reality of impact on the lives of the citizens. Few months ago when President Goodluck Jonathan was marking his administration’s mid-year, he had nothing to deliver than a presentation of worthless publication that no serious Nigerian bothered to analyse.

    The undependable environment here has been discouraging economic growth. Viable and serious foreign investors would prefer even a less endowed country to a place of deteriorating infrastructure, absolute corruption and security uncertainties. Today, many remarkable manufacturing companies had discarded Nigeria for Ghana or other smaller neighbouring countries. This is why the once-flourishing textile industry in the country is dead. Today too, many of those in power would crave their children attending schools in Ghana than here at home where institutions are shut down for months simply because of strikes over government laxity in education development.

    Now, in several parts of the nation, not many would sleep with both eyes closed. Where Boko Haram terrorists are not slaughtering the innocents, kidnappers or armed robbers would be stealing the peace and joy of the undefended. Those who pretend to be contended with what is going on are chiefly those seizing opportunity to steal the good of the land.

    From 1999 till now, civil rule has been much in name only as democracy. The afflictions that have drowned the country have not manifest good governance of the people by the people for the people. Rather, it has been civilian rules of few elite for the personal benefits of the scanty. Corruption has been so deeply embedded to drag the masses down to penury in the midst of plenty.

    Beyond being partisan, PDP has not made positive and hopeful impacts on the nation that could make it a worthy political party beyond its pride assertion of being the biggest party in Africa. Many joined the party, not because of its rational or cogent ideology, but just because it is the big party that can enforce itself to retain power through manipulations. After all, one of its yanked-off national chairman once boasted that the party will rule Nigeria for 60 years – whether or not it performs creditably, and whether voters devote to it or not.

    The fact is that this ailing nation is blessed with quality and prudent personalities; yet, apart from in few states, the valuable ones are hardly the ones in power controlling the affairs of the nation. Ongoing crisis in PDP is a demonstration of the caliber of leadership aspiring self-actualisation in governance instead of focusing on committed service to the people.

    Why the reality is that Nigeria belongs to all and everyone has the right to aspire to the highest office in the land, the quality of leaders and what they have to offer must be the core objective of voting them into office rather than ethnic indigenization or geographic locality. Non-compliance to rules of commitment has been the source of Nigeria’s consistent depressing tales. In developed democracies, leadership is based more on what office holders have to offer to the people. Whenever there is an error of making the wrong choice, retaining failure on ethnic basis would never be the portion of a focused nation determined to make progress.

    The current siege by President Jonathan on Governor Rotimi Amaechi and other perceived political enemies is most disproportionate to moving the country forward. Patriotic Nigerians and lovers of freedom must be opposed to any self-centered struggle that can crack the nation. Egocentric brains pushing a non-performing president to enforce his way back to office for second term by all means are the actual adversaries of the nation. Muhajedeen Asari-Dokubo and his likes threatening to dislodge Nigeria if Jonathan is not returned to power lack insight. It is obvious they are being sponsored to act on behalf of ambitious individuals instead of in the interest of their nation. What is not being fathomed is that intimidation to put everyone in the pocket of destructive militants cannot mobilize voters. Rather, desperation can only make people stand up to halt any drift to sectional tyranny.

    If Jonathan does not want to allow restoration of peace in PDP and the nation’s polity, then those pushing him are working to his eventual discredit. They must be functioning to turn Nigeria into a Syria. The way PDP has largely seen itself as winner of elections is through manipulation of mandates. But let them now know that a Robert Mugabe cannot have the privilege of his unending reign in Zimbabwe in Nigeria. After all, General Olusegun Obasanjo, with all his autocratic tendencies by means of his undemocratic military background failed to enforce himself on this nation as a third term president.

    Believe it or not, with the on-going crisis in PDP, God might have already started His work of change. It is unlikely the failed party will have one voice again. The faithful God will do what is best for the people, not what is desired by a desperate leadership. For leaders not ruling with the fear of the Lord, the land will be downgraded and become disillusioned. President Jonathan moved from being shoeless to becoming number one citizen not by his power but by the grace of God. The way he eventually emerged as President was not through the likes of silly talks and threats of Niger Delta militants. The time he spends on the throne is also not what matters; it is the legacy that he will leave behind as a leader that will determine how he will end. General Sani Abacha is not being honoured by his northern brethren today because of his ruinous tenure which was even of no benefit to his own people.

    Truly, virtually all parts of this country want political power at all cost for personal aggrandisement and not for the general good of the society. The main motivation is because of oil money. But the ignorance is that Nigeria would not be able to fund this pricey system of government when oil resources run out as that is when this delusion we are leaving will be dawn on both politicians and the masses.

    PDP’s alleged zoning of power has not worked, and it will never work as long as leadership is not about quality in performance. Alternative big political parties are emerging so that people can make the choice they want. Already, voters are becoming wiser choosing those who execute well in the states. Governors Babatunde Fashola and Adams Oshiomhole are unarguable examples. The gubernatorial elections coming up next year in Ekiti and Osun states will also further proof the true hearts of the people who are tired of the nation’s failure and want apparent positive impact of governance in their life to be retained for completion.

    For now, let President Jonathan concentrate on his tomorrow by reviving the nation that is falling apart under him. If not, and he is only desperate to contest in 2015, let him know that Nigerians would prepare for a do-or-die election, tougher than ever experienced

  • 23 states in the dreamland

    Why is Nigeria being entrapped about 2015 elections when in 2013 hardly had good performance impact manifest in the life of the masses? Rather than focus on genuine transformation of a declining nation, the struggle now is about retaining power at all cost.

    Although President Goodluck Jonathan is yet to declare if he would be running or not for the second term, but he wants to capture 23 states. It is hard to understand what gives the audacity to think that a burdened political platform could survive when it is working more on self-disintegration. It is even more dispiriting seeing those not working to fulfill their campaign promises to the level that could encourage people to retain their confidence but are heard just bragging to win the votes that were never cast in their favour.

    At the ruling People’s Democratic Party’s National Executive Council meeting last week, the president was reported to have recalled that the PDP was once in control of more than 23 states, but regretted that the party had lost some of those states. But he never revealed how some of those states were purportedly declared won in the past. Rather, he challenged party members to ensure that the number of states to be won in 2015 did not go below the present 23. What a dream!

    For a party that has been meshed in internal crisis for a while now and has nothing to show for its 14 years in control of the nation’s affairs, this ought not to be a season for cheap talks. Would it not have been prudent to seek why indeed it never won 23 states in reality? Must the party not seek for the heart of fidelity to query its Board of Trustees Chairman Tony Anenih for boasting to fix victory for the party just the same way it has been winning before? It is as if they could not see Nigerians growing to the level of rising in perseverance to protect their votes. To think rigging will favour the party again must be working in ignorance of the mind and state of the people being misruled.

    We have hardly heard any of the presidents produced by the PDP in the last 14 years being apprehensive with the inflationary trend in country. Or any of them compassionate about poverty in the blessed land of milk and honey. They always pretend that all is well as if they are waiting until people start eating from the dustbins (apology to Umaru Dikko).

    In the PDP of today, diverse conflicts are splitting the party. There is the contention of divide-and-rule against the North. In South-West, the party keeps degenerating as the zone is sidelined by those in power. Even in South-South, tension keeps building up as Jonathan is not considered as the best of them that can continue to rule on their behalf. Afterall, the ordinary East-West road project has remained a contending issue.

    Poor performance of the party is evident across the nation. Largely, struggling for power is destroying the structure. What we mainly see is that corruption is at an all time high just as insecurity is like having air in the open sky.

    Mending the self-torn umbrella is now the challenge that even the leadership could not handle since the leaders are the source of the tribulations. Satisfying self interest above serving the people has resulted in administrative cluelessness. This might be why more and more of the politicians are struggling to take over power. If President Jonathan can come out today to say he will not run for the presidency in 2015, the wild wind engulfing the party will go down.

    But the truth is that many Nigerians are fed up with the infractions in PDP, with many becoming battle ready to vote out the party in 2015 if there could be an alternative. People are indeed waiting for a more credible political platform to emerge. And this is why the challenge for the opposition is to convince the people that they have better contenders than the failed ruling party.

    To move the nation forward therefore would not be through restriction to picking a president from a particular ethnic or tribal zone. Neither would it be ruling in 23 states. Afterall, no region in the country would claim not to have tasted the sweetness of national power, except that hardly had any ended with much viable benefits to their own people.

    What committed Nigerians are interested in are efficient and dedicated leadership, transparency, accountability and impactful governance.

     

    FEEDBACK

    Re: A nation beyond paper-growtheconomy

    Soji, if one may ask, what type of body chemistry runs through our once shoeless Otuoke man? Is he trying to say from his personal experience where the shoe pinches the masses in Nigeria where life is dull, dry and drab almost to the point of psychosis? Let millions of Okupes and Abatis continue to massage Oga’s ego and even praise his inanities. One thing is clear: PDP has reached its bus stop come 2013.

    – Soji Oloketuyi, Igbemo-Ekiti

    Help me tell Senator Ike Ekweremadu to be bold and raise the issue of fiscal federalism in the Senate house, because that is the only solution left to solve Nigeria’s intercontinental mess we found ourselves today. From KC, Egbaland

    To me, PDP has no vision. It has no direction, no manifestoes or even a constitution that governs its activities. What the party seems to use in running its affairs is the will of anyone of its members that occupy Aso Rock. When Obasanjo was in the saddle, it was difficult to separate his decisions from the laws governing the PDP. Today, the party is ever ready to crush any of its member that dreams of indicting interest to contest for the presidency because it is Mr. Jonathan’s exclusive birthright which the party must enforce at all costs. If you are in doubt, ask Rotimi Amaechi.

    From O. Ifeanyichukwu, Abuja

    Nigeria is a nation at perpetual risk for survival from the notorious practice of ant-trust journalism by ACN storytellers like you. Nigeria is a nation beyond paper-growth OYES unsustainable employment generation you are celebrating. Being a progressive is not just being loquacious. That is the bitter truth. 234803740982

    Mr. Soji, you wrote very well. Good governance is the answer for economic growth. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia

    Soji, let Dr. Doyin Okupe stop crying the wolf where there is none. Rather he would concentrate on how he will lead PDP marauders in mending their already tattered and fetish umbrella come 2015. From Magaji, Warri, Delta State

    Let Akpabio and Jonathan know that we are no numskull. They shall not win election in 2015, no matter the threat from people like Asari. I am from Imo and from day one I never voted for Jonathan; I voted for Buhari. Please tell them that this country will split if Jonathan wins – which I know shall not be possible. 2348038643922.

    To insist on extracting formal commitment or endorsement before election other than nomination form (or impeachment) amounts to democratic irresponsibility. So also, if anyone willingly made a commitment but reneged without explanation, needless to say he who celebrates benefitting from a fraudulent process is worse than Satan and doom awaits him. What a disaster! The country is under the firm grip of those morally and religiously bankrupt. Let us work hard to reverse the trend while we seek for divine intervention. From James.

    Soji, come out to contest as president. Nobody from Yoruba will dare it. Ebele is still the outstanding candidate. Mind your comments on issues. 23448165124180

    May God destroy dictators and enemies of progressive Nigeria. From Salman Farisi

    Opinion poll will reveal that GEJ doesn’t enjoy the support of true southerners as he has been ascribed. Now in desperation, Amaechi has been suspended. What would these hawks not do? Shame on them. From Prince Godwin

    Thank you Mr. Omotunde for your well expressed view. Nothing can happen without God’s awareness. He will allow anything evil to happen so as to teach us a lesson in goodness. We are learning from PDP’s machinations as the party is pushing on to 2015 to lose power which they have not utilised well since 1999. Maybe God now wants change in power for Nigeria’s real transformation. The way He will do it will not be the way of man. From Tony

    PDP is unconscious sicklier with endemic sickle cell running the blood capillaries. It is humble to accept that defeat is from God and not from mankind. From Musa

  • A nation beyond paper-growth economy

    Let me repeat a statement I have made severally in this column: not all Nigerians are fools. Many are not also strangers in the land who are ignorant of the situation they are today compared to what their condition used to be. So, to be telling lies as intrigue to deceive the people is shortage of wisdom as the truth must surely emerge at the right stage.

    Opposition parties might be working to pull a president in power down. That is not strange to politics across the world – even in advanced democracies. After all, United States President Barack Obama’s emergence for second term was through a sweating struggle against the Republicans. It was evident that it is hardly easy to retain power under democratic dispensation when all politicians desire to attain power to accomplish their missions. Otherwise, they will end up as failures no matter their visions.

    Today, our President Goodluck Jonathan is not having a restful mid-term tenure essentially because of his focus to retain power rather than satisfying the peoples’ will. He might not have declared his political desire publicly, but only the blind in the spirit would not see his desperation and diversion of focus to 2015. The Nigerian Governors’ Forum debacle and the consequences of the loss of his candidate in the election among the governors are evident of the heart of the presidency.

    My conclusion is that the president is in political dilemma today basically because of his advisers and aides pinning him down to failure. They are not helping him with all their reckless and senseless responses to critical national issues. Last week, for example, Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the President, Dr. Doyin Okupe, was more abusive in his response to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s comment about leadership and good governance.

    Okupe became erratic that the opposition national leader claimed that Jonathan administration was drawing the country backward. Instead of facing the raised issues, he kept boasting that the current leadership had done more than any other in the country’s 52 years of nationhood. He only admitted that no administration has been abused like the Jonathan administration, except that he lied that the administration was being lied against than any other. Like his fellow aides to the president, abuses might just have further been degrading his boss that defending what in reality are not working in his favour.

    If things are not working, viable solutions should be acknowledged from all slants to makes them work. It goes beyond merely defending the indefensible. I remember the president once told chieftains of his party that democracy would have collapsed in the country without their party. He said the intention of the opposition was to sink the PDP by imaging it as a horrific party. He accused the opposition of adopting ‘philosophy’ of “when you say the wrong thing one thousand times, it becomes the right thing.”

    In shielding his failed party which has been ruling for 14 years without making positive impact on the nation, he said that though PDP controls the Federal Government, it operates a system that allows the opposition to fly higher than the ruling party. His words: “They abuse us more, but we allow it. And it is the PDP that is handling the affairs of the country; that is stabilising the democracy in the country.”

    Castigating the opposition parties for being critical is nonsensical. Nobody is talking about party but achievement. To many, the present administration has been non-performing. The mid-term report was more of paper work painting than visible realities. There is suffering in the land; insecurity everywhere. Poor people are getting poorer. Yet, corruption keeps draining without discernible reversal of criminalities.

    It has been that Mr. President keeps shooting himself in the foot with the temperament of his advisers and aides who would not let him know ongoing realities in the country. They keep lying in order to impress him. Impressing the people should be with fulfillment of promises. Many voted Jonathan as a person and not necessarily to a ‘people deceiving people’ party. But it is untoward that his priority has been to perpetuate PDP’s grip on power in the nation. What the people want are results and not slackness, casualness or paper works by ministers stating economic growth that are not having impact on the life of the masses.

    If ongoing disruptions and distractions in PDP are sustained by those in power, there is the tendency of eventual collapse of the country. What will manifest by earnest criticisms is the fact that without PDP the way it now operates, democracy will not only survive but strive in Nigeria.

    Paper-growth economy being promoted by ministers is of no value to the people as long as they remain in poverty. Many Nigerians have nothing to hold on to today because they feel there is no future for them and their children. There is nothing people will accept as meaningful governance when they can hardly be inspired by good and effective leadership surrounded by honest patriotic advisers.

     

    · FEEDBACK

    As it is, yes Uncle Soji, just as it is. When has it become law for a federal minister to monitor state performers? Was there any special grant outside the meager allocation from Abuja to Lagos that would warrant Labaran Maku to monitor? The minister felt he could play on Mr. Fashola (SAN), the pacesetter intelligent to collect money and praise him. Fashola has done well for Lagosians, he doesn’t need praise singer for anything. From Engr. Adekoya, Port Harcourt

    Soji,  people like Labaran Maku has short memories. He said he fought government as student because he did not know government works. Now he knows; that’s why he is being like those he fought in his student days. Very soon, we will graduate from booing him to throwing rotten eggs and tomatoes at him to show our dissatisfaction. Shame on Maku. From Iormough Belamo, Makurdi, Benue State.

    My reply to Maku is for him to simply look at the number of PDP governors that come to Lagos to understudy Fashola’s projects and programmes. Plateaus State is doing it right now in waste management. A government official in my state once described Jang as being second only to Fashola in terms of performances. He is the yardstick that the PDP governors used to measure their achievements – not Maku’s assessment tours.- 2347042325266

    Sir, when you wrote “Opon-Imo…, is the first of its kind initiative in Nigeria, Africa and possibly the World,” I can’t agree less. Ogbeni deserve a big commendation for his purposeful governance. From Isola Olalere, Ondo.

    Interestingly, I do loud it on Radio Kwara interactive programme each time I called upon as a discussant that some brains among the governors deserve an encomium which Ogbeni falls among the grassroots governors with unique initiatives. Keep it up. The progressives appreciate your performances. On Maku, what do you expect of his category to say about an idealist like Fashola? During his tour to Kwara State for projects inspection, I challenged Federal Government on allocation formula through SMS that some governors have the minds to do more than this, but their allocation is insufficient. What did he say? Kasa! From Comrade Ishowo Olanrewaju.

    This PDP ‘misinformation minister’ if clinically examined must be suffering from somnambulism. Let him and Oga continue to be living in Paradise by doctoring their (not Nigeria) nocturnally prepared marking scheme. ‘Won a ba eru won ni bode’ by God’s grace with their tattered fetish umbrella come 2015. From Soji Oloketuyi, Igbemo Ekiti.

    Sir, I disagree with you that Maku has lost the correct spirit of journalism which is truth and truth alone. Even though he worked as a journalist, check out the records and you will understand  why he talks too much, telling stories, sometimes of events that does not exist. As a trained historian, he is always trying to create his own history, and in the process, misinform Nigerians. It is shame that after practicing as a journalist, he will go down as the worst Information Minister in Nigeria. FromTony, Kaduna.

  • Creative Ogbeni’s education revolution

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar got it right vividly last week when he joined the State of Osun people in his wife’s town of Ilesa to launch of Opon-Imo.

    He was quoted: “Our greatest asset in this country is not oil; it is not cocoa; it is not cassava or groundnuts. And I respect all our farmers and their contributions towards our development. Our greatest asset is our people, the Nigerian people. We have to educate and train our teeming young population if we seriously hope to develop this country.”

    From experience, he believes education and training will open doors of opportunity to students and help in rebuilding the nation. “Only education can guarantee the future of our young people. The education of our children and the overall development of our human capital is something that we can all agree on, irrespective of our political parties or platforms. We may disagree on how and where. But very few people would ask why we should give our children quality education,” he summarized approvingly.

    Undeniably, one of the issues depressing Nigeria’s development today is the waning state of education. That people now prefer sending their children to school in Ghana is a pointer to failure locally. But I have become excited with the move taken by the governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, which was authenticated by Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, as step to revolutionize the education sector.

    The innovation of Opon-Imo (the Tablet of Knowledge), a standalone e-learning tablet that provides the high school pupils with the contents required to prepare for school leaving examinations manifests the optimism of practical transformation. To radically democratise access to learning, regardless of means, location or status, 150,000 of the tablets are being distributed to all government high school students across Ogbeni’s state.

    Opon-Imo, a portable electronic device, which is controlled through its touch screen interface, is the first of its kind initiative in Nigeria, Africa and possibly, the world. As informed by the governor, it will tackle the learning problem using contemporary ICTS, indigenous content, and taking into account socially-embedded factors. It is a mobile learning tool pupils can utilize in multiple at home, in school and any other location and fitting for a country like Nigeria with unreliable networks because the customized content will work regardless of data networks.

    With 56 tutorials and e-textbooks covering 17 subjects, there are also more than 40,000 practice questions and answers, seven extra-curricular books capable of tracking pupil’s academic progress. To make it more usable, beyond being powered by electricity, independent powering communal solar charging systems have already been installed in all the schools as a resourceful initiative in a nation stressed with awful power system.

    Apart from bringing the schools closer to the students and serving as “a silver bullet to the learning challenges,” Ogbeni affirmed that the project aimed at building a knowledge-based society and digital-drive economy will ultimately work towards the development of the nation. This benefit will even be beyond saving the state an estimated annual textbook procurement cost of N8.4billion ($53million). What a unique novelty.

    Just like Atiku counselled, notwithstanding political parties or platforms, Ogbeni has shown commendable inventive way other states and the central government can integrate into in order to transform this nation in reality. Also in the same manner Asiwaju Bola Tinubu applauded Ogbeni, he has indeed been performing as a man of “principle, determination, optimism and progressivism who always believe in achievements and transformation.”

    With the Opon-Imo creativeness, it is established that Ogbeni governing in ways that are not usual has “all it takes to perform wonders because he is a tested and trusted administrator who knows his onions.”

     

    Please, boo misinformation minister more

    What a pity that Information Minister Labaran Maku has lost the correct spirit of journalism which is based on the truth and truth alone. He now acts and talks the way of typical Nigerian politician, fabled in sham and fickleness.

    Why things have not been working in the country was because of the insincerity of those in power. They strive to impress themselves instead of dedication to pleasing the people who they used to attain power.

    In the exertion to satisfy the President, and not Nigerians, Maku was gallivanting at the 2013 Ministerial Platform of the administration’s mid-term report. He bragged that the Federal Government intervention in road and transport sector were unprecedented in Nigeria’s history. To him, the work on rail and water are so marvellous. “We have never seen anything like we have seen since 1960” on the jobs being done. Really? He claimed that since Tafawa Balewa administration in the 60s, no government was able to fulfil promises as much as GEJ’s. Na wha o!

    As he was over-shooting himself, as if those he was talking to were dumb and blind, he lashed Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola as a non-performer who merely generates 80% of the state revenue from federal infrastructure. According to him, “most of the projects in Lagos State where taxes are being collected are federal projects;” adding that “Lagos State does no significant thing other than environmental sanitation.” What an imprudent assertion?

    And that was how he fell to the hands of the thousands of participants at the event – comprising his erstwhile media colleagues, civil society organisations officers, MDA officials and members of the public who couldn’t see any sense in his cacophony. They all booed him just the same way he is now being booed all around for his inanity, folly and senseless talk.

    Even an adversary of Fashola with wisdom cannot rebuff the impact of his performance on Lagosians.

     

    FEEDBACK

    Re-Please, make Nigeria indivisible

    Sir, I agree with your piece. I must say that any government which fails to recognize the welfare of her subjects as primary duty deserves condemnation avalanche. Nigerian governments need to improve their service deliveries to the common people. May God bless Nigeria with good leaders. From Comrade Ishowo Olanrewaju, Ilorin.

    Soji, the dog that will get lost can, and will never listen to its owner’s whistle. Tell me, who can atone the sin of election abracadalists? The whole scenario is a game of sanctimonious hypocrisy. From Soji Oloketuyi Jnr, Igbemo Ekiti.

    “The nation that once had the potentiality of greatness has been stagnant for too long” was your last statement. You are not a young boy. If you’ve been watching Nigeria’s event with objective mind, you’ll know where our problems are from.

    I’m not happy with today’s Nigeria, but the ‘gully erosion’ that has devastated our lives actually has its origin.

    From Amadi Ibeleme

    Thanks Soji for your piece. Those still hoping on Jonathan to use federal might on Amaechi are living in fool’s paradise. The governor’s supporters in Rivers State are more than his rivals. But let GEJ know that the game is up. From Wenenda, PH

    Sir, not only that am I pleased with your write up, I also want to encourage you for good work. NGF election was monitored online by Nigerians. So, who are those fooling the president? From Solomon Vambe, PH

    Gov. Akpabio has a character issue. Can you ask him what practice he was into before entering politics? His real character came out when he couldn’t check that Yobe and Gombe governors’ names were on the list, that original date was cancelled and Gov. Jang’s name was added with a biro. What a shame is that in democracy? From Tony

    I wonder aloud whenever I saw or hear Akpabio behaving on telly. Are his subjects in Akwa Ibom so daft that none of them can call him to order? Yoruba has a name for his likes: omo aijobe to’ja epo sara. Thank you. From Samuel Oke Aro

    Thanks for your article on Amaechi. I am from South-South and I know I won’t vote for Jonathan in 2015. 2347057483717

    PDP and GEJ are shooting themselves in the combined foot and making way for the opposition. From Utah

  • Please, make Nigeria indivisible

    Please, make Nigeria indivisible

    Today in Nigeria, 2015 has become detraction. Those in power are hardly working for the people any longer, but more for themselves. The focus of the remaining two years of tenureship is now more on power retention.

    It as if accomplishment of electoral promises and attainment of people’s desires are no longer of value. The nation is now filled with desperation for occupying political seats rather than working to put smiles on the face of the depressed people whose vote brought them into power. Insecurity is everywhere and the poor are getting poorer. As it were, politics is bringing in strenuous tensions, making distress to envelope the land the more.

    Ahead of the so-called Democracy Day last week, it was as if people were waiting for official announcement to confirm the death of Nigeria as a nation. But thank God that on that day, President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President David Mark were reported as declaring Nigeria as indivisible, talk less of dying, despite the escalating challenges.

    Making public presentation of his mid-term report in Abuja after which some of the ministers had rolled out heartening financial indicators, which among others was that Nigeria has become the highest investment destination in the continent, the president said contrary to the position of the opposition parties, he had achieved so much in the two years of his administration.

    Mr. President self-applauded his administration’s performance. He challenged the media to use his 234-page report as a confirmable tool for any objective assessment. “I plead with all of us, especially those who want to assess and write about it to develop criteria because without a marking scheme, you cannot mark anybody’s paper. Develop your own, compare with previous governments. Develop your marking scheme and mark us.” Perhaps he is unaware of the numerous online hands now placed on websites to respond to virtually all criticisms in the media.

    In seriousness, Mr. President ought to know that Nigerians need no marking scheme to know that under him, the rate of unemployment has gone up, security of lives and property and the welfare of the citizens have receded discouragingly. In truth, what scoring format does one need to know that despite the ostensibly inspiring economic figures rolled out by the ministers, the average Nigerian is worse off today than before PDP took over power in 1999?

    The core basis of the nation’s afflictions has been that most of those who find themselves in leadership position hardly lead by example. The realism is that good leadership deficit has constituted the greatest clog in the wheel of national development and progress.

    As an opposition party said, “performance is like a pregnancy that cannot be hidden.” Other than swelling corruption and desperation to retain power at all cost, how much of practical performance in power, security, job creation and vital infrastructural developments is already making impact on the life of the people today?

    It is non-performance that is pushing desperate aggression and the fight of imaginary enemies much more within the ruling party. With sincere and wise people on the president’s side, the battle with Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi should not be as dismal as it is. Perhaps they are blind to see the unnecessary conflict thinning the integrity of the president while Amaechi is being lifted higher.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who preferred to be part of Jigawa State May 29 show than being with the president in Abuja called for change in leadership. He was quoted: “You know you can help somebody to get the job, but you cannot help him to do it. If somebody cannot do the job, we have Sule Lamido who we are confident can do the job.”

    Before this, Obj who reigned and ruled over Nigeria in totality of more than 13 years, had earlier condemned the increasing level of indiscipline in PDP leadership. Although THE GUARDIAN editorial reminded us how he contributed to the foundation of the indiscipline, the newspaper also recollected:

    “To say that PDP “lacks sufficient discipline” may well be the least that could be said of the party that has ruled Nigeria for 12 years, with very little to show for it. Poverty in the land is acute and widespread, corruption is endemic, critical infrastructure decrepit and insecurity of lives and property prevail in a huge magnitude. The PDP-led government has also not found solution to the problem of epileptic power supply. The situation deteriorates by the day without much hope of a respite.”

    With this contention, how then can Nigeria be saved from being dragged to primitivism? If the Bible says that a soul that sinneth shall die, why can’t the present leadership focus more on cleansing the nation from impurity so that it will not finally disintegrate?

    It will be in the nation’s interest if political office can become less attractive and corruption eliminated. It is clear today how politics is fuelling corruption. The desperation to occupy political office is largely to loot, plunder and embezzle. Politicians are not seeking for power to serve anymore. From federal to local level,

    the few in power corner the resources of the land and leave the masses with the crumbs.

    When there is leadership error, the common man will suffer the consequence. If sincere steps are not taken to correct the ills in the system – starting from the top, there might not be restoration of the people’s confidence in government. Ultimately, when citizens are not given desired measure of goodness of the land and assured of protection, the country will be pushed to crumple.

    As those in power might be pretending not to know, many Nigerians are not blind and are not foolish. People are aware of the level of corruption, insecurity, insincerity, joblessness and poverty. They will become totally disillusioned if the leadership failed to resolve the afflictions.

     

    FEEDBACK

    Re-Amaechi God-given victory.

    Let PDP work hard for magical change of electorate minds before 2015 elections. Otherwise, the leaders’ colossal self-inflicted damage will ruin them. The NGF election exposed their shoddiness in handling credible elections. The president is rattled and more errors are bound to be committed. Please let us watch the video tape of the election and compare it with Gov. Akpabio’s doctored voters’ register or endorsees. INEC should borrow his style to save cost. From James, Jos.

    Dear Sir, I concur with your piece on Amaechi’s God-given victory. Nothing to add or subtract. Sentiment and desperation are ample words in Jonathan’s dictionary. Victory is really God-given. As for Akpabio, his first name is Godswill. By this he should know that God gives and takes. Your write up actually made my day. May you continue to inspire us with stimulating and thought-provoking mind. From Dr. Apelologun, Ilorin.

    Hello Sir, that is a wonderful write up. Akpabio should know what Chibuike means in Igbo language.

    – 2348033339232

    “The nation that once had the potentiality of greatness has been stagnant for too long” was your last statement. Pres. Jonathan might not have done well. But if in those past long years those whom ACN are trying to take us to had governed well, this nation wouldn’t have been in this sorry state. That you and ACN are trying to package us back to Egypt is gravely unfortunate. You are not a young boy. If you’ve been watching Nigeria event with objective mind, you’ll know where our problems are from. From Amadi Ibeleme

    Mr. Soji, your write-up in The Nation is a perfect fact of what happened and what is going to happen. Thank you and God bless. From Chris Ukpere, Abuja.

    Your piece spoke my mind. – Akibu Hassan, Ijebu-Ode

    Dear Soji Omotunde, Sir, not only am I pleased with your write up on Amaechi’s God-given victory, I also want to encourage you for good work. This election was monitored online by Nigerians. So, who are those fooling the president? From Solomon Vambe, PH

    If you are an apologist of Amaechi, just tell us. You do not know the man called Amaechi, but we know him well. You are a Yoruba man that shut your mouth during OBJ’s misrule and wants to use Amaechi against GEJ. It won’t work as it will only dig his grave politically. – 2348055331902

     

     

  • Amaechi’s God-given victory

    Amaechi’s God-given victory

    RIVERS State Governor Rotimi Amaechi must celebrate his re-election victory as Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) with humility and gratitude to God. This is because he who God has blessed, no President can curse. No force can change what God has decreed. In the midst of tension, the one God has ordained as most appropriate in the prevailing circumstance has won.

    Amaechi’s victory is in actuality against all odds. The presidency working through Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio strained 19 governors to sign an open endorsement before the elections; but as God will have it, the governors voted with their conscience and returned Amaechi to office. Akpabio is now showing the world the pre-signed document where Governor Jonah Jang’s name was written as winner ahead of the election.

    Amaechi’s political triumph has been a wonder of light, freedom and democracy above forces of darkness, despotism and dictatorship. Right from the episode of his aspiration to become state governor, he had been confronted with serial injustices, humiliations and embarrassments – just as it was in his desire for a second term as NGF Chairman. But in all, it has become perceptible that God has been favouring him. The irresolvable contention between Governors Ibrahim Shema and Isa Yuguda was not an error but occurred in order to pave way for him. On the other side, Plateau State Governor Jang who emerged at the dying moment when the two were forced to step down rightly lost to gain the position which he was not prepared for.

    Yet, even as Amaechi has won the polls, the war is not over. The battle line for 2015 is being drawn and the hand writing is becoming clearer for people that have been blinded by sentiment and power. This is a test case on how 2015 will look like when forces of darkness will no longer comprehend the light of day. The governors, including those who voted against the winner might as well begin to see the non-viability of their contentious forum.

    In reality, the NGF brouhaha is not profiting Nigeria anything. It is sad that PDP government has continuously wasted much of the nation’s time and resources in politicking than in growth and development. The forum, with Akpabio’s haughty carriage and other governors playing the devil’s advocate for the president has polluted political atmosphere across the land with detraction to securing power and position becoming the priority.

    For Amaechi and the opposition, as 2015 approaches, more battles might be brewing which is bound to be dirtier. If Niger-Delta (ex-) militants and their leaders could be mobilized to protest publicly against Amaechi, requesting that he should step down as governor, the future of the nation, even if Boko Haram is extracted, is becoming unguaranteed.

    Just like the opposition is trailing, Amaechi might need to use this opportunity to accomplish the vision for his mission. If not, the desperate presidency with its massive manhunt tools will incessantly work to pull him down the same way the nation is being dragged down. The target would be to deprive him and his people of enjoying the rest of his political life just like the masses today are hardly benefitting from the reward of democracy under the ruling party.

    The merry-go-round Akpabio and his pro-Jonathan colleagues should realize that Nigerians are becoming wiser politically. Not many would because of ethnicity or regionalism still want to align with failure in 2015, even with the desperation to hold on to power. Just like some PDP governors denied the pro-Jonathan NGF candidate of their voting rights, many Nigerians in the South would not just vote for a failing southerner if there is a trustworthy achieving northerner in the competition. More and more, Nigerians are yearning benefiting from the good of the land above wasting their voting values on the basis of ethnicity.

    This was why the progressive governors might have read the minds of the people by securing victory for Amaechi. The outcome is an indication that there is still light at the end of the nation’s dark tunnel.

    The likes of Akpabio displayed how he has been governing the people of his state by false pretences. A leader who would always prefer to satisfy an individual in transitory power instead of commitment to selfless service to the people might not receive anticipated personal recompense at the end of the pursuit.

    So thrilled that he was empowered as Chairman of a desperately-created PDP Governors Forum to tackle Amaechi, Akpabio has manifested himself as a typical wolf in sheep’s clothing. He hardly knew how not to throw stone as a resident in a glass house. After his group failed to satisfy the master’s personal political desire, he attempted to turn issues upside down by declaring the election which he engineered as invalid. He said Amaechi ought to have stepped down before the conduct of the election, adding that there was no way an incumbent could be in office while an election was being conducted. It was as if he has forgotten that in Nigeria, like he experienced when seeking for his second term as governor, incumbents do not leave office before elections.

    If also he is still standing on his contention of rigging, emanating from the voting and verification of only 35 governors in attendance, then democracy still has a long way to go in Nigeria. The list he had prepared ahead of the election can never stand as authentic voting pattern. He might have counted the vote before it was casted. Whereas, he ought to know that some of those who signed on the list never did it on their minds but just to please him and his boss. Election is a game of numbers. All manners of manipulations used to be done during general elections, and might be thought as the way out in 2015 might not work again.

    If Amaechi who was eventually voted for by most of the governors had had been declared the loser, Nigerians would have been greatly thwarted. Akpabio needs to be taught that God will always do what He wants to do, no matter what, because power belongs to Him and He gives it to whom He wants. Evidently, Akpabio needs some education to know why he could not even deliver despite all the threats and arm- twisting. Let him understand why he and his team gambled and failed.

    Indeed, the reality of the NGF election is that it is a technical knockout for anti-Amaechi politicians. After several months of intrigues and politicking, the president failed to convince his initial candidate to step down for a newly-chosen one, and could not also convince his party governors to vote for his even tually chosen candidate. This inconsistency means that he has been weakened politically by the result of the election. He picked the wrong battle and was not ultimately honoured.

    It is distasteful that Mr. President, the number one citizen could not gather enough support within his own political party to defeat his perceived opponent. He should now be much more bothered how votes from South East and South-South will return him to Aso Villa in 2015. The fact is that nothing seems to be working in this regime. South-South is only supporting him because he is their son; not much practical benefit with impact on the life of the people.

    We must imbibe the lesson that the political future of Nigeria is greater than that of any individual. Nobody can become the authentic president of Nigeria without the support of majority of Nigerians. Most Nigerians has been crying in all corners that President Goodluck Jonathan is not performing pleasingly. It does not matter his address to the nation this week granting self acclamation for achievbements, what will impress the people is the level of positive impact of his practical performance on their lives.

    The wisdom might be for him to put sentiments and desperation aside so that he can move Nigeria forward. The nation that once had the potentiality of greatness has been stagnant for too long.

     

  • Diverting the nation to final bus stop

    Nigeria of today is in perceptible disarray. There is so much confusion and discouragement indicating that the nation is being dragged to the end of its journey. The desperation to retain power at all cost is diverting the essence of fulfilling the promise of transforming the nation. As goal posts keep shifting, developments keep degenerating. It is as if the only things being transformed rapidly are the private pockets with looted funds from the national treasury, leaving the masses to perish in penury.

    The problem afflicting the nation is the non-commitment of the chosen few in leadership who tend to be holding the electorates in hostage. Concentrating on nation building has become pettiness while ambition and corruption are prioritized. When on May Day the labour leaders requested the President to fight corruption harder, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s response was the current trend counter-attack as he told the workers to advise their colleagues to stop stealing. He might have forgotten that those stealing downstairs are following the pattern at the top.

    An article by Dutch journalist and writer Femke van Zeiji, titled “Mediocrity overtakes corruption to wreck Nigeria” published in The Guardian few weeks ago recapitulated the factual situation of the nation. “Nigeria is the opposite of meritocracy: you do not earn by achieving,” she wrote. “You get to be who and where you are by knowing the right people. Whether you work in an office, for an enterprise or an NGO, at a construction site or in government, your abilities hardly ever are the reason you got there. Performing well, let alone with excellence, is not a requirement, in fact, it is discouraged.”

    The lady who lives and works in Nigeria must have experienced the trauma stalling the country from moving forward. To her, “it would be too threatening: showing you are more intelligent, capable or competent than the ‘oga’ at the top (who as a rule, is not an over-achiever either) is career suicide.” She could see the drift of the nation’s failure from “an attitude that trickles down from the very top, its symptoms eventually showing up in all of society, from bad governance to bad service.” Her conclusion was that frustration of unrewarded excellence is making Nigeria to become a “pretty cumbersome place for anyone striving for perfection.”

    Not long ago, President Jonathan acknowledged openly that corruption in Nigeria is not a serious issue, daringly certifying that a good 80 per cent of what Nigerians consider to be corruption are actually not corruption cases. Perhaps, he said so to denounce the critics in self-defence. Yet, hardly could any impactful development be seen of the enormous budgets that are annually approved for execution since he assumed office.

    Indeed, those in power might be defending their ineptitude, cluelessness and disloyalty to those whose votes were manipulated to get into office by lambasting their critics as colleagues in despotism and fraud. The reality of the state of the nation today is unhidden as corruption is crushing depressingly on the life of the underprivileged, lowly and poor majority.

    Only last week, a report of Save the Children International, a non-governmental organization disclosed that among 176 nations, Nigeria is rated 169th worst place to be born. It also stated that being the 12th highest country where babies die on their first day after birth, Nigeria has become one of the riskiest place to be born on earth. The conclusion was that the agonizing story is based on the poor health circumstances of mothers. Many more Nigerians are today being confronted with early death due to hunger and diseases.

    Of course, the colossal corruption in Nigeria at all levels as alleged by United States of America’s Department of State last month cannot but strengthen destitution in the land of abundance. Documenting major financial scandals of 2012, the department’s report presented to the US Congress by Secretary of State John Kerry estimated official money lost to “endemic corruption and entrenched inefficiency” at $6.8billion (N1.067trillion). Among others, the world was also reminded of the stealing of N32.8billion Police Pension Fund, fraudulent contracts, embezzlement and laundering of N75billion by a former Minister and the many ex-governors arrested and charged for fraud committed while in office.

    It is not strange declaring that though Nigerian law provides criminal penalties for official corruption, the fact that the law is not being implemented devotedly, fraudulent practices are being engaged with impunity across the land. Supposed anti-corruption institutions have proved to be tools in the hands of the authority to deal with fellow corrupt officials they disagree with on personal issues.

    Even when the commissions and the judiciary arraign criminals, there is hardly confidence in concluding the cases justifiably. The consequence has been a criminal nation begetting criminal citizenry. Today, there are multitude criminal cases inconclusive in trial: oil thieves, fuel subsidy scammers, and much more. After boisterous arrests, followed by few days of detention, if at all there is arraignment, bail would be granted and that might just be the end as adjournments would be mounting upon deferments. Were the cases of ex-Delta State Governor James Ibori who pleaded guilty abroad after escaping from home and militant leader Henry Okah convicted for bomb blasting in Abuja handled here at home, penalties of their criminalities would not have manifested as it was. Afterall, many of the ruling party’s former governors like Ayo Fayose, Adebayo Alao-Akala and Aliyu Akwe Doma who were once arraigned for fraud are walking free today upon inconclusive trials.

    It is pitiable that the crops of Nigerians who have now morphed into the leadership class are more interested in personal attainments than rendering faithful services to the people. The nation is under untrustworthy political class who make promises that are never fulfilled. Million jobs are assured, but more million people are remaining jobless – rendering enormous talented human resources wasted and discarding them to criminality.

    Resolving power challenges keeps dragging with government propagandists defending electricity output of 4,500 MW for use by 160 million Nigerians as remarkable achievement. Pledges are made to build more cash reserves, but such reserves are reportedly being pocketed by the very few privileged, leaving the nation in mounting indebtedness. Let’s recollect how Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili’s disclosure was turned to battle of personalities.

    The way the country is being administered is as if the political elites are essentially telling the masses that they are ordinary Nigerians deluded about the nation’s state of affairs. They relegated the masses as the foolish and elevate themselves as the sane.

    The reality is that Nigeria is being detracted from moving forward through terrorism, kidnapping and fraud – all resulting from embedded corruption. Disasters keep crawling across the land. People in poverty are being used as tools in the hands of the wicked.

    The fatal challenges of Boko Haram disparaging the nation today are being faked as religious when in actuality it is largely more about power tussle. Last week, detachment of riot policemen and security officers heading to dislodge the shrine of Ombatse, a deity of Eggon people in Nasarawa State were murdered. Same time, many casualties emerged in Agatu Local government Area of Benue State after attacks. This was happening when the issues of the many lives lost in Baga, Bama/Banki and Marte were still unresolved.

    Yet, life cannot continue the unpleasant way it is. The failing leaders should know that their time will soon be over. The haven of rogues undermining the economic development of the country will soon be forced to vomit all the swallowed good of the land. This is because people are anticipating for change.

    For Nigeria not be extricated as a nation, this time of wasteful challenges is surely for meaningful change in governance. This is why the wise who love the people should not allow the craving for 2015 elections to detract since it will not just be about voting for change of personalities or about tribalism. It will be about reformation of a decaying nation. Now then should be the time to focus more about change in attitude, in character and in conducting sincere and purified business of government.

     

  • Ekiti Deputy Governor in restful sleep

    DEATH is a debt which everyone owns to pay. One and all will experience physical termination as an inevitable part of human life. Life comes from God as a gift and it is only God that has immortality.

    Death is an enemy that confronts people no matter who they are. Although it is very potent to contest with it, but what should be done is to take heart whenever it hammers. This is because human beings are utterly powerless to prevent or overcome it when its fated time comes. The mightiest efforts to defend selves from ultimately being in the grave eventually end in failure. In short, everyone is bound to die physically. Yet, death is not the end; it’s just the start of a new beginning.

    Mrs. Olufunmilayo Adunni Olayinka, the Deputy Governor of my Ekiti State has done her bit and gone to rest. Her departure, though painful, I see it as at her time. It was reported by our weekend paper that few hours before her death, her Osun State counterpart, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, visited her in the hospital and prayed with her. But the following evening, a text was sent by a member of the Olayinka family informing her of the death of the Deputy Governor like her who was a good close friend.

    So distraught was Mrs. Laoye-Tomori by the news that her cell phone fell off her hand and was not herself any longer – sweating and looking blank. During a commiseration visit to the family of the deceased, it was reported that she wrote in the condolence register: “Indeed, the news got to me as a cruel, rude and painful shock. When I visited and prayed with her barely 24 hours before her sojourn to the great beyond, there was nothing to suggest that Olufunmilayo would be leaving so soon.”

    I hardly lament over death as long as the deceased lived a fulfilled life, no matter the tenureship on earth. This is because how one understands the value of the journey of life is what really impacts the way one lives. This is why I consider earthly life as cheap until one gets to the place of eternity.

    But in this instance, I was hit virtually the same way as Mrs. Laoye-Tomori, more because of the family members and friends Mrs. Olayinka left behind. The day I saw most of the leading newspapers carrying on the front page the photograph of her weeping parents being comforted by Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his wife, tears rolled off my eyes. I felt sad not because of the departed since I know prayer can no longer work for her, but for the rest of us she left behind. My consolation only came with my belief that death is not the end since there is another sphere.

    But where exactly is what that other sphere is? What happens when one dies? Would the accolades people give over the dead so that they can be seen or reported as sympathisers and well-wishers add to the value of a spent life? The vital question that always bothers me is whether it is the age when one dies that matters or if the person will go to heaven or hell?

    There is an invisible spiritual part of human life that exists apart from the physical body. God lends us a part of Himself while we are alive, but for those who accept it, that part returns to Him when we die since it was on loan from Him. It is not an immortal human soul, but rather a spirit from God.

    One can imagine the pain, the struggle and the heartbreak with the cancer that took away our beloved sister who worked as a devoted Deputy Governor in the on-going transformation of Ekiti State. Some people know ahead of time when their death will occur. Terminal illnesses, when diagnosed ahead of time, allows a person to set his or her affairs in order, make relationships right, and say goodbye to loved ones. But we learnt that Mrs. Olayinka did not fear that cancer would terminate her sojourn here on earth because she had placed her life in the hand of her creator.

    Although incurable infection might give a chance to gradually adjust and make peace with death, as much as possible, not everyone has this chance. Many deaths occur suddenly and can, and often do, strike without warning. No one knows what tomorrow will bring forth. The only thing that can be counted on is today. The solution is to always be prepared for a place of eternal life where there will be sustainable peace and joy.

    As earlier stated, death is not the end. It is just a brief interlude. When people die, they go to sleep. They do not go immediately to heaven or to hell which are places of reality. They rest in the grave until the resurrection morning. In this order, the death of a child of God is a restful sleep. With the right spirit and soul, the length of days spent on earth hardly matters, but a glorious ending is what will determine the place of ultimate destiny. This is because a soul is not something that one has as human being; a soul is what we are. It is our thoughts, feelings and purposes.

    If we go back to how God created man, death could be seen as the reverse of the creation. Unrighteousness of man brought forth death. The comforting hope for children of God is that death is not the end. In more than 50 places, the Bible talks about death as a sleep. This is why the reassuring thing about somebody like Mrs. Olayinka is her being a devoted Christian is with the good news that death is not the end for her.

    This is why we should therefore have the comfort that until the resurrection morning, our loved one is simply resting in the peaceful sleep of death. She is no longer tormented by looking down at the trials and the tribulations that we are going through on planet earth and especially in this our troubled nation. She is now resting and the last thought she had when she died will just continue when she resurrected.

    Hence, let those of us who are still alive weep for ourselves as the challenges ahead are enormous. According to 1 John 5:12, “he that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” It is only those who see Jesus coming in the clouds of glory that might have live a fulfilled life that will guarantee fullness of joy.

    Let the consolation of Ekiti State people be that God has taken Mrs. Funmilayo Adunni Olayinka to keep him company up on His throne. It is our hope that the truth about death will relieve our fears and burdens and allow us to enjoy life to the fullest while we still have it. For those of us who believe in Jesus, in Him we have hope for resurrection and eternal life.

    The conclusion of the whole matter: “Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecc 12:13)

  • The stone shall roll away

    The stone shall roll away

    In the effort to build up a note in line with the theme of The Redeemed Christian Church of God’s this Easter Let’s-Go-A-Fishing programme, I stumbled on a message that I found very significant to the situation of Nigeria. Since it is not debatable that the justification of Christianity is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I could see the relevance of resurrection to the afflictions confronting the nation today. With this reality that goes beyond religion affiliation, I was convinced that there is still hope for this nation if only the right thing is done in accordance to the will and purpose of the indubitable creator of earth and man who remains the authority in heaven.

    According to the message, the tomb where Jesus was laid on Good Friday is now a completely different tomb… it requires a different type of watchman. It does not need a cemetery caretaker or a company of Roman soldiers assigned to protect the dead, but an angel from the realms of light and life. The servant-angel appeared first; then his Master was later seen.

    Implication? This is the signal that a new time has come; an era where heaven and earth are now joined, because Jesus Christ, the Saviour has risen. The wall of separation has fallen; God has reconciled Himself to sinful men; the sacrifice of the Son has been accepted by the Father. This is the supreme Easter truth.

    Last week, reminders of the factual state of the nation were again revealed. First, it was the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur who declared Nigeria to be under attack. Tukur said: “Today, there is fear everywhere. Churches are being burnt. Mosques are being attacked. United Nations building bombed; motor parks are being bombed. People cannot go to motor parks again to travel for the fear of being attacked. Security installations, such as police stations, prisons are being burnt down and inmates released at will. Nobody knows the next target of attack.” Correct disclosures.

    Also at the 5th Bola Tinubu Colloquium, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and others lamented the dying of the nation. “Let’s face it. This nation is on the brink. There are those who don’t understand this, who won’t accept this. I feel very sorry that they will wake up and find out that we have fallen over the brink. It is not what we envisaged during our struggle for independence”, Soyinka was quoted as saying.

    CBN Governor Sanusi Lamidi Sanusi who took over from Soyinka as chairman of the event argued that it was wrong to assess a nation’s economy in isolation of the wellbeing of the people. “What is destroying this country is that people are corrupt and doing nothing. We need to be asking, as civil society, what are we doing?” For him, “we are a country which has absolutely no regard for merit and competence.”

    In Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s view, Nigeria is drifting apart because “we have leadership that is dividing us more and more every day”. The birthday celebrant insists we must question ourselves in Nigeria, since no nation has fought a religious war and survived it.

    Indeed, the afflictions confronting the nation today is killing the nation, which is why the opportunity of this season of resurrection must be seized for revival if the nation is not to be lastingly scattered. In the gospel, the story is that it was very early in the morning while it was still dark, that the women went out on a task of love to complete the anointing of of their Lord’s dead body which was earlier hastily done after He was crucified.

    They witnessed the death of Jesus; they had also earlier witnessed His passion for them. Now, it was time for them to give to Him, even if in death, their own passion – their own service of love. As they arrived at the tomb, they were faced with a predicament, one that they had not thought of before they set out: Who would roll the great stone away from the entrance of the tomb?

    As they arrived, they discovered the stone rolled off the tomb and were afraid that grave robbers might have disturbed the resting place and the body of the Lord. Suddenly, an angel appeared to them, sitting quite contentedly upon the stone, with a miraculous story to tell and an even greater mission: “Don’t be distressed. You’re looking for Jesus who was crucified and died? Well, He’s not here. He has risen! Go inside the tomb and see the place where they laid Him.” And they went inside and noticed that the grave was exactly as it would be if the body was still lying inside. But there was no body. The angel continued, “Go tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before them to Galilee. There you will see him, just like He told you.”

    Now they remembered, after all, the Lord had told them about this so many times that He would rise from the dead. And indeed, He has risen.

    The visions that at are being revealed about Nigeria must not be taken for granted if anyone must show sincere and true love for the restoration of the dead glories of the nation. Tukur could hardly comprehend where we are heading to as a nation. But he said since nobody can even explain what is happening now and nobody knows the next target of attack, the nation “must come together to fight the common evil as there is fear everywhere.” Just in matching approach, Soyinka believes that with the discovery of some cells in the plan to blow up Lagos, it has become clear that the security dilemma we are facing right now is not just regional. “It is national, it is a humanistic problem.”

    I concur with them for the gospel truth that the nation is in menace more so as our President seems not to know what to do and how to handle the stone blocking true transformation for advancement. That Nigeria still remains a country in spite of battles being confronted is entirely by the grace of God. If the purpose of God to be fulfilled is retarding in the hand of poor leadership, the same God might just be giving an opportunity for the obstacle stones to be rolled away that His glory might be witnessed again in the land.

    The stone at the tomb was not rolled away so that Jesus could leave the tomb; but that the women and everyone else could see that He had been resurrected and was no longer confined by a grave. It was also because Jesus knew that the sinful flesh of the people could not fathom the power of God that was His as God’s only begotten Son.

    What are the stones preventing us from seeing the resurrection power of God in our lives? Perhaps it is the life of unrighteousness, filled with overwhelming corruption and desperation for things of the world, instead of prioritizing Him, that might have been preventing the nation from God’s intervention.

    Yet, there is no doubt that the stone can be rolled away for us the people. Instead of allowing the nation to descend into a second round of destructive civil war, restoration of the corporate existence of the nation is possible.

    If politicians are failing to protect the country but only focusing on 2015, pushing to remain in power, Nigerian masses must be awake to imbibe the wisdom of God. One of the ways might just be as counselled at Tinubu Colloquium that youths who are the future of this country must wake up from slumber and take their destinies into their hands through making the right choice that complies with the will of God and wipe away the wicked killing their nation.

    Also, for as many with power to pray, they should do so unrelentingly for God’s mercy and intervention to roll away the stones of affliction and save us as a people.

  • Alams’ pardon and ‘sophisticated ignorance’

    The once-friendly international community is frowning at Nigeria. Even the faithful members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party are not convinced to defend the decision of the National Council of State to pardon some convicted personalities of corruption and other offences.

    More of the anger has been on the former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Dipreye Alamieyeseigha (popularly dubbed Alams to save pronunciation or spelling error) who was among the beneficiaries of an ill-timed presidential pardon. He was convicted of corruption after undergoing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission under of its former chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

    President Goodluck Jonathan was Alams’ deputy when the latter was governor of Bayelsa State. Apart from the former governor, other people who were listed as beneficiaries of the pardon were Gen. Oladipo Diya, who was the Chief of General Staff during the reign of military dictator, Gen Sani Abacha, former Managing Director of the Bank of the North, Shettima Bulama, who was also found guilty of fraud and former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, the late Gen Musa Yar’Adua. Also said to have received the pardon was the former Works Minister, the late Maj.-Gen Abdulkareem Adisa, who was found blameworthy in the alleged coup d’état that landed Diya in prison.

    The rationale used by Jonathan in presenting the list of the convicts to the council for pardon is being queried beyond the land. Alams jumped bail in Britain, such that if he goes there today, he might be arrested and prosecuted for the corruption he perpetrated in Bayelsa State.

    Opposition political parties, civil rights groups, lawyers and the organised labour essentially condemned the pardon granted to Alams and also frown on the defensive statements credited to the Special Adviser to the President on Media, Dr. Reuben Abati and Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe. While Abati described those criticizing Jonathan over Alams as suffering from “sophisticated ignorance,” Okupe was quoted as saying the President had “no apologies” for exercising his constitutional powers of granting the pardon. Both positions are not helpful to our politically beleaguered President.

    Other defenders however had argued more sensibly by saying that it is not a question of whether the presidential pardon is proper or not; it is a matter of whether the President had exercised his powers in a lawful manner in granting pardon, not just to Alams, but to the other persons concerned. Some even contented that since granting pardon to a convicted criminal is a constitutional right of the president, he has discretion to use it as he likes.

    The pardon to Alams was another proof of one of the contradictions of the present administration. The decision was a setback to the nation’s battle against corruption. Granting state pardon to convicted felons who committed crimes against the state could not be in the interest of this administration and the country. In this kind of climate of cluelessness, such pardon would make sense if only given for political offenders – and not criminality.

    The decision to pardon a condemned corrupt leader has cast doubt over the sincerity and earnestness of the government’s purported anti-corruption campaign. It contradicted the spirit of the war against fraud. If presidential power is implemented in a rationale lawful manner that will renovate the nation’s unproductive awkward attitude, not many would question it.

    It remains the responsibility of the President to disclose the sequence he relied upon to grant presidential pardon to a man who was caught red-handed, not even in Nigeria but in UK and admitted to the charges. The issue of whether former President Olusegun Obasanjo used Ribadu to witch-hunt Alams is trivial and inconsequential. If he was witch-hunted, wasn’t he found guilty of the charges of corruption? Yes, he was and then he of his own accord pleaded guilty. Or are we now saying he never committed the offence? Are we also saying that the foreign security officers that met huge amount of money in his personal house in London were not saying the truth? It will become fruitless attempting to take the people on a ride on the platform of grammatical “sophisticated ignorance.”

    It’s factual Alams was a victim of Obasanjo’s political butchery; but he was a convict. It is also true that the problem with Nigeria is that virtually every politician is a thief, but the only difference between the likes of Alams and others is conviction. Alams deprived his people to enrich himself. If the much money found on him was spent on the state, he will be honoured by the people.

    Not that any Nigerian leader – from the military era down to the present crop – is better than Alams. Alams stole oil money from his backyard; others far and wide stole – and are still stealing the same oil money and continue to walk the terrain free. But was he repentant of what he did? Where has he openly admitted and confessed to the sins he committed? Although it’s God who can only judge, pardoning an unrepentant criminal will only send out wrong signal to would-be criminals.

    If Mr. President is granting pardon to the likes of Alams as part of his strategic plans to contest for second term, he might just be making things worse for himself. He cannot afford to be a motivator of corruption and expect people to honour him with their valuable votes. He should be more concerned with what history will say about his tenure when administrative mock-ups finish.

    Nigerians won’t forget that the N6 billion donated to build a church in the president’s Otuoke village was not because of the donors’ love for the work of God but just to please him so that they can take from him. Such colossal donations are with expectations of being rewarded with bigger contracts on which money will be obtained but the project will either not be executed or will be poorly implemented.

    At a time we want investors to come and help grow our devastating economy, we are discouraging them by propelling corruption in the same territory being pummeled by kidnappers and terrorists. To protract this poignant trend show we are still far behind as a country with viable potential to be great, but today is where there are no jobs, where graduates are roaming the streets selling pure water and where valuable lives are being wasted.

    This might be why there is wisdom in Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka’s response that he wouldn’t mind keying to the bandwagon of the ignorant persons as tagged by Abati. And like the global literary guru, I also will happily love to be counted among such Abati’s “sophisticated ignorant” whose supplication is to clean the nation of the filthiness that is not allowing it to move forward.

     

    Feedback

    Re-APC: Really, what’s in a name? The controversy generated over the registration of APC by INEC should not be a surprise to any right thinking man. The PDP-led Federal Government is composed of men/women of doubtful characters. The PDP has never won and will never win any good election in this country; hence it is jittery over the registration of the formidable opposition parties called APC. INEC and other agencies are under the control of PDP and this is why this country can not witness any good election. Only good political revolution will solve Nigeria’s political problems. To grant a convicted thief state pardon is the height of corruption and dishonesty in governance. What a shame?

    – Pastor Odunmbaku

    As It is Omotunde, what have those other parties coming together against PDP done differently in their states? After all, were (or are) they not part and parcel of PDP? Some of them are worse!

    – Owuna Coe, Akwanga.

    Dear Soji, the controversy beclouding the APC shouldn’t warrant the merger parties to seek for a new bearing, but rather than to ensure that the satanic arrangements of the sponsors of the proxies APCs die off, especially as PDP/INEC have a hidden agenda to hijack and manipulate the electorate again in 2015. Thus, it is the right time the progressives seek for the best. Without cynicism, the country’s masses are for APC being the alternative towards change and seemingly the mandamus mandate is on the side of APC. And it must prevail!

    – Comrade Sylvester Ukusare, Warri.

    Please tell leaders of APC that it is only a pair of Adams Oshiomhole and former Kano State Governor Shekarau as Vice President that can send PDP/Jonathan out of Aso Rock power.

    – Okon Edet, Oron, AKS.