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Tag: Abdulsalami Abubakar

  • IBB lauds Tijani Babangida’s accomplishments

    IBB lauds Tijani Babangida’s accomplishments

    Former military president, Ibrahim Babangida has hailed the contributions of one of Nigeria soccer stars, Tijjani Babangida, saying he is proud of what the former Ajax Amsterdam winger has achieved in life.

    Babangida will on Saturday be a special guest at the Inter House Sports competition of Al Amin International School, Minna, founded by the ex-Nigerian leader.

    The man fondly called “IBB” and another former Nigerian Head of State, Abdulsalam Abubakar, on Friday had a private audience with the ex-Super Eagles star ahead of Saturday’s event, africanFootball.com reports.

    “I was truly humbled with what the two former Nigerian leaders said of me when I met them. They said they are very proud of me and so are other Nigerians,” the soccer star told africanFootball.com.

     

  • Insurgency: Don’t leave fight to government alone – Abubakar

    Insurgency: Don’t leave fight to government alone – Abubakar

    Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), has urged Nigerians not to leave the fight against insurgency to government alone, stating that all hands should be on deck in finding solution to the problem.

    He implored Nigerians to support government and security agents in the ongoing war against terror.

    The former head of state spoke on Wednesday after declaring open a strategic stakeholders’ security meeting organized by Abdulsalami Abubakar Institute for Peace and Sustainable Development Studies (AAIPSDS) and Pan-African Strategic and Policy Group (PANAFSTRAG) at Maizube Farms, Minna.

    He said, “We can’t leave solution to insecurity to the government alone or for our leaders alone to fight this menace.

    “Our country today is bedevilled by all types of insecurity, from kidnapping to Boko Haram and all sorts of terrorism. This is an issue that should involve every Nigerian. We all must assist the government and security agencies to find solution and the way forward on how to curb this menace.

    “That is why we have come together to brainstorm and come up with lasting solution. We have invited retired and serving military personnel, the traditional rulers, who are the one in grass root and people from Northeast, who are at the receiving end of terrorism to share their experiences to help us look at the issue in totality and come up with lasting solution.”

     

  • Buhari, Abdusalami’s committee meeting in Aso Rock

    Buhari, Abdusalami’s committee meeting in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with members of the National Peace Committee for the 2015 General Election headed by former Head of State, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd).

    President Buhari and ex-President Goodluck Jonathan signed peace pacts ahead of the March 28 presidential elections at the instance of the committee.

    Tuesday’s meeting is coming a few days after Jonathan paid a secret visit to Buhari last Thursday and another meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo last Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    In attendance at the Tuesday meeting are – Buhari, Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III; the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh.

    Others are – the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan; the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Dr. Mathew Hassan Kukah, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs. Priscilla Kuye; and Senator Ben Obi.

    The meeting is still in progress at the time of filing this report.

  • 2015: Abdulsalami charges Nigerians on peace

    2015: Abdulsalami charges Nigerians on peace

    As the 2015 general election approaches, a former head of state, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), has urged Nigerians to maintain the existing peace and tranquillity in the country.

    Abubakar gave the advice in Gombe on Tuesday.

    He said; “The most expensive commodity in Nigeria now is peace. So I appeal to Nigerians as we go into 2015 elections, we should do our best  to maintain the peace and tranquillity in this country.

    “So I appeal to all because all of us have a role to play in maintaining the peace in this country. So we must approach the elections with all sense of responsibility.”

    He reminded politicians that: “election is not a do or die affair. In any competition, there is a winner and when a winner emerges, the loser should please accept and know that there cannot be two winners at the same time.

    “After all, in Nigeria, governance is for four years. Before the twinkling of an eye, it will come and go.”

    While assessing the nation’s 15 years of democratic rule, Abdulsalami said there is always room for improvement as nation building is a continuous process.

     

     

  • Honours for Abubakar, Fashola, Dangote, Ahmed

    Honours for Abubakar, Fashola, Dangote, Ahmed

    Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar; business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and his Kwara State counterpart, Abdulfatah Ahmed are among eminent Nigerians billed for the Hall of Grace (HOG) induction and award ceremony.

    HOG magazine’s Managing Director Rupert Ojenuwa said the award, which holds every four years, “is targeted at celebrating patriotism and hard work”.

    In a statement at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, Ojenuwa said: “The induction ceremony is unique in the sense that it is a celebration of hard work, commitment and dedication to excellence in public service and in selfless service to humanity as has been profoundly displayed by the inductees.

    “We are inducting all our past awardees into the HOG Hall of Fame during this event in September. Top on the list of the awardees are the recipients of the Governor of the Year award, including Fashola of Lagos State (2011), Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam (2012), Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko (2013) and Govenor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State (2014).”

     

     

     

    He said Dangote would be conferred with the prestigious Pride of Africa Award while other eminent Nigerians who will get HOG Award include wife of Lagos State governor, Dame Emmanuella Fashola and Mr Ben Bruce of Silverbird Group.

    Other recipients are: Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Babatunde Fowler; Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of SIAO; Chairman/CEO of Slot Group, Nnamdi Ezeigbo; ace broadcasters Kenny Ogungbe and Dayo Adeneye of Primetime Africa; medical practitioner Prince Akintunde Ayeni; Nollywood stars  Mike Ezeruonye and Chika Ike, among others.

     

  • I’m troubled by Nigeria’s challenges, says Abubakar

    I’m troubled by Nigeria’s challenges, says Abubakar

    Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has said he is worried about the various challenges confronting Nigeria.

    The former military leader spoke yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the inauguration of the city’s renovated general hospital.

    He said: “As someone who has watched our country triumph over a civil war and several other crises and had the privilege of supervising our country’s return to democracy, I am troubled by the challenges that currently confront our country. However, I have no doubt that our country will overcome these transient challenges and take its rightful place in the league of prosperous nations.

    “Indeed, acts of good governance, as demonstrated by your government’s youth development efforts and today’s opening of this beautiful edifice as well as the entrenchment of equity and justice can hold the promise of restoring our people’s faith in this country. It can strengthen our preparedness to work together to build the Nigeria we all desire and deserve.

    “While congratulating the beneficiaries of this modern edifice on the joy of today, I urge you to make the best use of the facilities through effective patronage to meet your health needs. It is only in so doing that you can justify the government’s huge investment in the scheme.

    “Let me call on governments at all levels to continue to implement programmes and projects that will elevate our people and provide them with sustainable standards of living.

    “Your determination to put this hospital back to shape is a clear confirmation of your love for the people of Kwara State and the determination to positively affect their lives.

    “Furthermore, your efforts to create Shared Prosperity in your state and that of other state governments, which have shown a commitment to improving the lives of their people, is a silver lining in the cloud hovering over our country at this time.”

    Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said his through administration’s “surveillance efforts, advocacy programmes and targeted interventions, such as free medical care for expectant mothers and under-fives, we have reduced maternal and child mortality and created in our people the need to better take care of themselves and their environment through simple everyday measures”.

    The government noted that state’s primary health systems had been better equipped with modern facilities and infrastructure with the supplies of drugs and equipment to 43 primary healthcare centres.

    He said: “The reasons for this programmatic emphasis are obvious. First, a functional health system ensures the welfare of our people by keeping them in good health and providing access to quality health care, when required.

    “Second, it is an incontrovertible that we cannot improve our people’s human capital unless they enjoy optimum health and can actively participate in socio-economic development.

    “At this point, it is pertinent to note that aside from the structural renovation and installation of modern medical equipment, the ultramodern general hospital boasts qualified and committed medical personnel who can compete favourably anywhere in the world.

    “It is appropriate to also mention that the hospital will complement health services rendered by the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Sobi Specialist Hospital and other health facilities in the state.”

     

  • Don’t play politics with insecurity, says Abubakar

    Don’t play politics with insecurity, says Abubakar

    •Fashola, Anyanwu, Dangote, Momoh speak at The Cable launch

    Former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar yesterday warned against politicising insecurity, saying it could worsen the situation.

    He urged politicians to put the country first ahead of party interests.

    Gen Abubakar spoke in Lagos at the launch of The Cable online newspaper, published by a former ThisDay Editor Simon Kolawole.

    “I appeal to politicians and all Nigerians to always put Nigeria first. I appeal to them to forget their differences when issues of security or Nigeria are at stake. Don’t play politics with security.

    “Perhaps our politicians can learn some lessons from America. Whenever there is an election, they identify themselves as Republicans and Democrats.

    “As soon as election is over, they identify themselves as Americans. I understand that politicians will always be politicians, but politics should not be destructive,” Gen Abubakar said.

    There was a discussion on the theme: “Nigeria at 100: Reflections on the future” by Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Senator Chris Anyanwu, Chief Executive Officer of Channels Television Mr John Momoh and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Mr Segun Ogunsanya.

    ThisDay publisher Nduka Obaigbena moderated the session. Dangore Group President Aliko Dangote sent a recorded message.

    Fashola questioned the country’s contributions to the “successes” in the telecommunication sector.

    “We can talk of telephones, but where is the Nigerian telephone?”

    Fashola said while the political class shares part of the blame for the country’s woes, it does not exist in isolation, but reacts to the prevailing societal values.

    “How many politicians do we have in Nigeria? Let us do a math. Is it an average of 72,000 politicians that is a problem to 160 million people? Did they put themselves there? How many of you voted?” he asked the audience.

    The governor added that the “country has laws aplenty”, but where systems do not work, laws would not be obeyed.

    “If you want change, go and be the change you want,” he said.

    On insecurity, the senior advocate said the police is blamed for being inefficient when it has not been well equipped.

    “Have we given them the tools before coming to the conclusion that the police force is irredeemable?”

    Senator Anyanwu, publisher of the now rested The Sunday Magazine (TSM), said she dreamt of a time politics would no longer be “insular”, and everyone could run for public offices wherever he lives, irrespective of his state of origin.

    “We have to tap into the strength of our diversity. When someone from Lagos can go to Kano and become a governor; until we get to that point, we cannot become the giant of Africa,” she said.

    Momoh said Nigeria is a combination of the good, the bad and the ugly, adding: “It is the degree to which you put together those components that makes a great nation.”

    He said values have “taken a plunge,” and there is “crass materialism,” with people of shady characters being accorded recognition both in the media and the political space, and even ending up making laws and being voted into other public offices.

    The media chief said politics should be made less attractive. “Make it possible to work without pay. If you make political offices less attractive, the real people will step up.

    “There is need for us to reset, go back to the basics and make sure we’re on the right path to development.

    Ogunsanya said Nigeria does not need 100 years to develop. He urged the government to focus on good governance and infrastructure.

    The Airtel chief said the successes recorded in the telecoms section within a few years in which there is now about 130 million subscribers show that rapid development is possible.

    “If we can do these in a few years, I don’t this we need 100 years to turn the country around. The government, the civil society, the business community – if we come together, nothing can stop us, Ogunsanya said”

  • And Jonathan wept

    And Jonathan wept

    It looked like a classic case of raw emotionalism as President Goodluck Jonathan, ironically, made what may be considered an insensitive statement in connection with the death of Capt. Yusuf Sabo Sambo, who was Vice President Namadi Sambo’s immediate younger brother. The late Capt. Sambo, aged 58, died in a car accident in Abuja on April 27. Reports said his car ran into a tree and burst into flames; and that he was survived by his wife, three daughters and 10 siblings. Really sad!

    He was described as a seasoned pilot who had worked for the former Nigerian Airways and the Presidential Air Fleet. According to Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Malam Umar Sani, who announced his death, “He has since been buried at the Apo cemetery, Abuja, according to Islamic rites. He was buried in the presence of former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and several other dignitaries and sympathisers.”

    Perhaps expectedly, Jonathan, accompanied by his wife, Patience, showed up at the vice president’s official residence, Akinola Aguda House, to offer his condolences. Not surprisingly, he said all the soothing words, stressing particularly that “death is a journey everybody must make.” Sounding like a priest at a funeral service, he added, “We are all mere mortals. All of us are from the Earth; we must all go back to the Earth. We do not know the timing of this journey all of us must make. This world is a place where we come to play our different roles. He (Yusuf) left too early. Maybe he left when the ovation is loudest. He left at a time we needed him most. But there is nothing we can do.”

    However, it was certainly unexpected of Jonathan to introduce thoughtlessly exaggerated language in the context. He was quoted as saying that the day Capt. Sambo died was one of the saddest days for the country. It was a good example of a vacuous utterance, and it is easy to imagine that many Nigerians, faced with such information, are likely to be confused, not knowing whether to cry or laugh.

    Surely, Jonathan could have expressed his sorrow without sounding tragically theatrical. His unguarded statement, not to call it ridiculous, can be effortlessly identified for what it is, particularly against the background of the horrendous incidents of April 14 and 15. Nigerians most likely regard those days as by far sadder for the country, and incomparable with Capt. Sambo’s exit.

    Specifically, those dates refer to the Boko Haram bombing of Nyanya Motor Park in the federal capital, Abuja, which consumed at least 75 lives and injured 164 people; and the Islamist group’s   abduction of over 200 students at the Girls Senior Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, most of them still missing. Sadly, in both instances, Jonathan did not speak of these evident tragedies, which were unmistakably of greater social significance, in such superlative terms as he did in the case of Capt. Sambo’s death.

    The president’s absurd expression at the vice president’s residence showed how not to weep.

  • Hospital named afterAbdulsalami

    Hospital named afterAbdulsalami

    The Niger State government is to name a hospital in Lapai Local Government, Gulu, after former Head of State Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar.

    This is in recognition of the meritorious service rendered by Abubakar to the state and his contribution in ushering democratic rule in 1999.

    Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu described Abdulsalami as a distinguished officer, gentleman and a statesman, who has brought honour to the state.

    Thursday’s ceremony, which is coming ahead of the 71st birthday of the former head of state in June, is in keeping with the tradition of the government in honouring former leaders.

     

  • No surprise Nigeria stagnated for decades

    No surprise Nigeria stagnated for decades

    Much more than the mileage the Jonathan presidency hoped to achieve with the emblazoning photograph of past Nigerian rulers wearing their medals and displaying their centennial award certificates late last month, the picture actually tells a far more poignant and iconic story. There were seven of them: Abdulsalami Abubakar, Muhammadu Buhari, Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo, Shehu Shagari, Ibrahim Babangida and Ernest Shonekan. Smack in the middle was, of course, President Goodluck Jonathan himself. Given his predilection for sham celebrations, it is surprising he did not seize upon the same argument of the centenary to award himself a certificate of honour. In any case, Dr Jonathan was the only one in the pictures published on March 1 newspapers not brandishing a certificate. Others dutifully wore their medals and/or displayed their certificates, thereby indicating their concurrence with the queer and questionable philosophy behind the centenary as well as the disgraceful rational for picking the honourees.

    The photograph, though powerful and resonating, nevertheless tells the very depressing story of futile uniformity and lack of rigour. It tells the story of former rulers whose unquestioning perspective and fondness for the meretricious led them to embrace a project as wasteful as it is truly and totally mendacious. None of the seven questioned the ideological basis for the centenary, nor joined issues with the financially oblique accounting system that made the celebrations possible. None of them was politically conscious enough to appreciate the centenary’s distortionary effects on our history and identities. There was none of them with enough sagacity to disprove the base and conflicting logic that underlined the compilation of the list of honourees, thus indicating that the former rulers were insensitive to their own individual legacies and unable to disambiguate legacy as a word and concept.

    The group photograph of former rulers should illustrate the power and glory of Nigeria, of our best men and leaders, of the rich custodians of our politics, culture and essence. Instead, the group photograph illustrated something so surrealistic it is a miracle the country has not collapsed under the weight of their collective obscurantism. They had no idea what our history says, of how we were humiliated and traumatised with a lasting injury by colonialism, of how Lugard’s foundational rule and years of self-misrule combined to misshape our values and enthrone a vicious form of mental and economic slavery. It was therefore okay by them to celebrate, and to carry out that sickening exercise in company with one another, the liar with the perjurer, the tyrant with the murderer, the inept with the experimentalist.

    The photograph inferentially tells the numbing story of how and why the country decayed so badly for decades, and by their admission, now needs revolutionary work to salvage, if indeed, as one of them said, it can still be salvaged. If they could not question Dr Jonathan’s frivolity and rebuff it, if they did not understand the history of the country they led for decades, and if they were unable to share its pains and sorrows, how indeed could they fashion brilliant and workable plans for its development and greatness? How could they make it the pride of the black race? To participate in Dr Jonathan’s revelry, they must have gone to extraordinary lengths to muffle their consciences, and to shut the tap of remorse which a clear mind and ample soul sometimes lead a decent man and patriot to demonstrate.

    The photograph of the eight men reminds us how our country was ruined. Gowon dishonoured his word and rendered it impotent; Shagari’s stolidity and indulgence clogged the national arteries until we choked; Buhari had little or no appreciation of the rights and freedoms of man, and how man is ennobled by these attributes; Babangida was the inappropriate watershed between the age of innocence and the age of vice, as he gave birth to the worst in us; and Shonekan was the bemused and amoral inheritor of a stolen legacy. Abubakar’s misguided and messianic reign produced the highly schizoid Obasanjo who had, and still has, no capacity for differentiating between truth and falsehood. And Obasanjo archetypically begat meddlesomeness in such a manner that the country’s ruin was complete under his predecessors.

    Yes, it was just one simple photograph published in newspapers. But, alas, it told a million sad stories, unknown to the former rulers who lined up quizzically for the photograph on February 28, and perhaps unfeeling.