The Nation Newspaper

Tag: agree

  • Who wouldn’t agree?

    SIR: Bishop Hassan Kukah needs no introduction. In a country where religion has turned commercial and superficial, he brings a refreshingly new perspective. I still remember, very vividly, his contribution to the national dialogue on sales of national assets. He argued that our national assets are not in oil and gas but in the skills, capabilities and motivation of the citizens.

    Who wouldn’t agree?

    A few days ago, at the ordination service of five new catholic priests in Abuja, he added his respected voice to the raging fire of viperous and vituperative hate campaigns orchestrated by self-styled, self-appointed leaders of ‘ethnic nationalities’. He called where we stand today ‘the crossroads of shame’ and invited his followers to champion a new narrative and replace hate with love.

    Who wouldn’t agree?

    He spoke of our resources and opportunities, our conquests and triumphs, our learning and diversity. At every turn he asked a very interesting question – ‘my people, what has God not done for us?’ We have been blessed beyond measure – arable land, sun in season, amplified optimism, warm heart, hardworking people, and wealth than nations covet, just under the ground we match. Who wouldn’t agree?

    When you see a hungry man, be charitable. When you see a man that has food but still hungry, be curious. When you see a man that has food but is hungry and begs for food, be alarmed. When you see a man that has food, but is hungry, begs for food and prepares for war, call for deliverance. Nigeria happens to be the fourth man. Who wouldn’t agree?

    The dictionary defines wealth and prosperity in similar terms. The Nigerian experience challenges the appropriateness of that and calls for a subtle distinction. Wealth is what you receive. Prosperity is what you make from what you received. One is passive. The other is active. You may win a lottery and become wealthy but you need more than luck to create prosperity. Nigeria is richly blessed of God. Nigerians have not turned the blessings to prosperity. Who wouldn’t agree?

    At this juncture, an easy escape is to point at leadership. A common rhetoric is that our leaders are corrupt and irresponsible. Every society creates the leadership it deserves. Our leaders are corrupt to the extent the followers excuse and celebrate corruption. So long as we define success in numbers and revere those with the highest toll without consideration for the means of ascent, for so long will our leaders be motivated to steal. If you fetch ant-ridden firewood, lizards will be your guests of honour. Who wouldn’t agree?

    The rising spate of regional / ethnic agitations reflects the common man’s anger for the failure of the Nigerian state to convert wealth to prosperity. This is tragic. But what is more tragic is the deliberate hijack of this righteous anger by elites of diverse agenda but one goal – to shield the true enemy and perpetuate or at least extend the common misery. Imagine if our collective energy is directed at corruption, poor governance, nepotism, mediocrity and all social constructs that keep us away from the prosperity that is within reach. Wouldn’t that herald our glorious future? Who wouldn’t agree?

    My problem is not the hardworking Adamu in Obolo-Afor diligently providing for his kith and kin. Your problem is not Emeka in Zaria legitimately exchanging service for money. Our problem is not who stands or kneels to pray to his God. Our problem is the mediocrity we accept and celebrate. Nigerians should rise; not against Nigerians but against corruption in all forms and shades.

     

    • Onyeka Onyeibor,

    Lagos.

  • West African capital market regulators agree on information sharing

    West African capital market regulators agree on information sharing

    The economic integration of the West African sub-region moved a step closer with capital regulators of the sub-region forming an association known as West Africa Securities Regulators Association (WASRA) to support the integration of the capital markets within the sub-region.

    Addressing reporters yesterday during  the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abuja, the Director General, Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Alhaji Mounir Gwarzo said capital market regulators in the sub-region have not had a close collaboration and close interface within the Commissions in the past.

    Based on this, the sub-regional regulators have looked at corporate entities that are listed in more than one jurisdiction “so we can have interface either in terms of financial literacy or in terms of enforcement to see that countries come together and share information.”

    Since information is critical to the capital market and the association, Gwarzo said they “looked at the issue of information and agreed that we are going to form a team within our own jurisdictions who will have a close interface with the various jurisdictions particularly as it relates to some companies that have dual listings so that whatever they do anywhere, that information is shared among us, we think this is good for the market and also good for investors.”

  • Aggrieved Lagos Assembly aspirants agree to move for party’s victory

    Aggrieved Lagos Assembly aspirants agree to move for party’s victory

    The 241 aspirants for the Lagos State House of Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who were aggrieved over the conduct of the primaries have met with the leadership of the party and agreed to put their differences behind and work for the general interest of the group in the general elections.

    At their meeting with the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the aspirants thanked the party leadership for the opportunity given to them to express their displeasure with the way the candidates for the House were elected at the primary. Chairman of the group and immediate past leader of Ifako Ijaiye Local Government Legislative House, Hon. Niyi Fadare, thanked Tinubu for finding time to meet with the group.

    Fadare, who contested for the Lagos House of Assembly in Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency I, also commended Tayo Ayinde, one of the Lagos governorship aspirants, who initiated the idea of addressing the problem as a group. According to him, Ayinde held several meetings with the group, urging all them to bury the hatchet and join hands with other party members to work towards victory for the APC in the forthcoming general elections.

    On his part, Tinubu lauded the spirit of sportsmanship displayed by the aspirants and urged them to close ranks to ensure victory for the party at the general elections, adding that the party is big enough to take care of their respective interests.

    The National Leader urged the aspirants to get involved at different stages of campaign activities from their various constituencies to the national level, saying that all members of the party cannot hold elective and appointive positions at the same time.

    Dr Ibrahim Qazeem, from Somolu constituency 2, who is secretary of the forum, assured the National Leader of the readiness of all the aspirants to work towards  the success of the party at different levels of election come February.

    Hon. Jimoh Olufunke, from Ojo constituency 2, noted that the idea of coming together as aggrieved aspirants has given them opportunity to get to know each other better and to better appreciate the challenges facing the party in the state.

    Tinubu urged them to continue to operate under the umbrella of forum, saying that he would always be available to guide them whenever his input is needed.

  • N215m-a-year demand: Lazio set to agree with Onazi

    N215m-a-year demand: Lazio set to agree with Onazi

    Recuperating Super Eagles midfielder Eddy Onazi is set to be offered a new deal by Serie A outfit Lazio to fend off interest from English Premiership sides.

    Onazi was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool prior to the World cup but of late Sunderland, Everton and Southampton are rumoured to be keen on the services of the 21-year-old.

    He presently earns a meagre  200,000 euros (N43m) per year making him the lowest paid Lazio first team player.

    Calcio Mercato reports that Onazi wants 1m euros (N215m) a year and Lazio president Claudio Lotito has already met with his agent Jonathan Barnet.

    Lazio are ready to pull all the stops to keep the midfielder, who won the Coppa Italia in 2013 and made 29 appearances last season.

    Since making his debut in 2012 he has so far made 45 appearances with two goals, in addition to his 21 caps for Nigeria, where he won the Nations Cup and played all of the country’s games at the World Cup before injury forced him out in the Super Eagles’2-0 loss to France in the round of 16 .

  • Al Arabi deal: Standard Liege agree 8m Euros deal for Imoh Ezekiel

    Al Arabi deal: Standard Liege agree 8m Euros deal for Imoh Ezekiel

    Standard Liege have announced that the club have struck a deal with their Qatari counterparts Al – Arabi over the transfer of Nigeria international Imoh Ezekiel.

    The financial terms and duration of the contract the 20 – year – old will sign probably this weekend have not yet been disclosed.

    But it is understood that the product of 36 Lion will append his signature to at least a three – year deal, with the Belgium champions set to pocket 8 million Euros as transfer fee for agreeing to do business with Al Arabi.

    “Being with Standard has filled me with good memories and I cannot thank the club enough.

    “When I came to Europe, other clubs never gave me a chance to play. But Standard Liege gave me an opportunity, a chance to show myself and my talent, for me that will stay with me forever,” Imoh Ezekiel told the official website.

    “I owe everything to Standard and I really appreciate everything they have done for me since the first day I got here.

    “I will always have Standard Liege with me wherever I go.”

    In his two – and – a – half year stay at Standard Liege, Imoh Ezekiel netted 32 goals in 91 appearances in all competitions.

  • Pillars agree Kabiru Umar loan deal

    Pillars agree Kabiru Umar loan deal

    Nigeria Premier League (NPL) champions Pillars have agreed a season-long loan deal with Heartland striker Kabiru Umar.

    “Kabiru Umar has joined Kano Pillars on loan for a season,” disclosed Pillars spokesman Idris Malikawa.

    Umar, who has already begun training with Pillars in Kano, has also been registered by the Kano outfit for next year’s CAF Champions League.

    The striker, who has been capped at ‘B’ international level by Nigeria, has also featured for Enugu Rangers and was widely linked with a return to the Enugu club before Pillars snapped him up.

    He is seen as a direct cover for Pillars star striker Gambo Mohammed, who is likely to return to Turkey during the winter transfer window after a series of trials there last summer.

  • Israel, Hamas agree on ceasefire

    Israel, Hamas agree on ceasefire

    Israel and the Hamas movement which governs Gaza last night agreed a ceasefire to end a week of violence in which nearly 160 people have died, Egyptian and Hamas officials said.

    The ceasefire was announced by Egyptian Foreign Minister Kamel Amr alongside United States secretary of State Hilary Clinton is intended to come into effect at 19:00 GMT (21:00 local time), the officials say. Similar predictions on Tuesday failed to produce a deal.

    A bomb exploded on a bus in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, leaving three people needing surgery.

    At least 13 people were killed in Gaza.

    As usual, the talking started before the killing stopped. Since Hamas took over internal control of the Gaza Strip from their Palestinian rivals Fatah in 2007, there have been many spasms of cross-border violence. All have been followed by ceasefires. All have fallen apart, and every time Israel and Hamas blame each other.

    The reason is that the ceasefires have been, to paraphrase a spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister, sticking plaster solutions. They cover up the fundamental problem which is that Hamas and Israel are in what amounts to a constant state of war. For months on end it can be a cold war, until it runs hot – and deadly – again.

    There is a strong chance that a new ceasefire would eventually fall apart too, unless it brought with it a major change in the political equation between Israel and the Palestinians, especially those in Gaza

    This time round, both sides have been trying to change the rules of the game by attaching conditions to a ceasefire. Israel wanted Hamas not to rearm, and not to fire over the border. Hamas wanted Israel to stop assassinations and to stop the blockade of Gaza.

    That’s the kind of deal that might even work if they made it. But for that to happen both sides would have to make big concessions to their enemy.

    The details of the deal are not yet clear, says the BBC’s Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen.

    Israel’s demands included an end to hostile fire of any kind from Gaza and international efforts to prevent Hamas from re-arming. For its part, Hamas wanted an end to the blockade on Gaza and targeted killings by Israel.

    Israel has accepted the deal, according to a statement released from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    Mr Netanyahu consulted with US President Barack Obama before agreeing to the ceasefire.

    Mr Netanyahu accepted Mr Obama’s “suggestion to give a chance to Egypt’s proposal for a ceasefire and so give an opportunity to stabilise the situation and calm it before there will be need to apply greater force”.

    For the truce to hold, “the rocket attacks [from Gaza] must end and a broader calm must return,” Mrs Clinton said.

    “Now we have to focus on reaching a durable outcome that promotes regional stability and advances the security, dignity and legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis alike,” she said.

    Israel launched its current offensive a week ago with the killing of Hamas military leader Ahmed Jabari.

    Militants fired more rockets at Israel, while Israel renewed its naval artillery bombardment of Gaza late on Wednesday.