The Nation Newspaper

Tag: beyond

  • Still on Chibok and beyond

    Riddle over the abduction of about 200 school girls from Chibok, Borno State will for quite sometime, continue to dominate public discourse locally and beyond. In the last couple of days, there has been heightened international attention on the matter especially given the spate of protests over the abduction and the inability of the government to secure the release of the girls.

    At the last count, no less than four world powers and international agencies have indicated interest to assist the federal government in its efforts to get the girls freed. Leading these countries is the United States which promised to give Nigeria all required support and assistance to save the abducted girls and bring the reign of terror unleashed by Boko Haram on parts of the country to an end. Britain and China have pledged to deploy high resolution satellite imaging capabilities to locate the girls’ whereabout.

    With this renewed interest, expectations are very high that respite will come the way of the girls in the days ahead. But this hope will have to confront some of the challenges that have trailed the abduction. There is the issue of time lag. It has taken about three weeks since the incident. This time frame is enough for the insurgents to conceal whatever information that would have been of help in facilitating the search and rescue operation.

    Unconfirmed reports that the girls have been ferried out of the country pose another challenge. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has boasted he will sell off the girls or marry them out as war booty. If this happens, deploying satellite imaging to locate a concentration of girls of the magnitude under estimation may prove futile.

    Even then, there are still issues with the actual number of the abducted. The military, apparently dissatisfied with conflicting figures emanating from the school authorities and the Borno State government had to saddle that government with further dissemination of information on the matter. They may have also been piqued by the reluctance of the state government for full disclosure in respect of the actual number of students registered and their gender.

    Matters were not helped when it was discovered through the intervention of the West African Examination Council WAEC that there were indeed male students enrolled in that school. That apart, the inability of the authorities to supply or publish the names and photographs of the girls for proper documentation did not go down well with the federal government. The excuse of the host government was that such was against the religion of the girls which was presumed to be Islam. And when eventually a list of the names came out from the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN northern chapter, the 180 names released had only 15 as Muslims while 165 were Christians. This may have fuelled speculations that there is more to the abduction than ordinarily meets the eyes. It may have also accounted for the reaction of the wife of the President who had heaped the blame of the mishandling of the incident on the Borno State government. She was even reported to have suggested that the abduction was contrived. Many have picked holes with the conduct of Mrs. Jonathan on this singular issue. She may not have given the issue the finesse it required especially given the conflict between what she was doing and her husband’s approach to the matter. The undefined roles of first ladies either at the federal or state levels on state matters may have further earned her criticisms. And when she wept alleging they wanted to kill her husband and make her a widow, she must have incurred the anger of many who felt such posturing was unedifying of the wife of our number one citizen.

    But then, some of the doubts surrounding the abduction can only be ignored at the expense of the overall success of the rescue operation irrespective of the number of countries involved. There is no doubt that information emanating from the Borno State government left room for suspicion. There were issues with the number of those abducted, the gender composition of those registered for the exams and their religion. And as it turned out, they were mainly Christians. That puts to serious question the claim that information about the girls could not be made public because of their religion and the purported fear of stigmatization. It is trite to say without knowledge of the actual number of girls abducted it will be difficult to say when they have all been rescued.

    Even then, further disclosures from WAEC that it wrote the Borno State government on the need to transfer the students to safe centres but were told that adequate security would be put in place at Chibok is also a key issue. It would have been helpful for that state government to give account of the type of security it put in place to ensure the safety of the girls. These are very potent issues irrespective of the sentiments and anger that have trailed the abduction.

    Many would want none of these details but quick action to have the girls released. That is how strong the sentiment had been. But beyond this sentiment, is the underlying need to take a critical perspective of the matter so as to enhance the overall success of the rescue operation. Besides, terrorists want maximum impact for effect. It would appear that objective has been achieved by the insurgents through the selective kidnap of girls pursuing western education they deem evil. That was why Shekau had to come on board to further ruffle the sensibilities of the public by threatening to humiliate the girls. The shock and emotions elicited by that threat have achieved the objective of the terrorists. To underscore this point very poignantly, the media was awash shortly after with news of the abduction of another eight girls or so in another part of the same state.

    The point here is that the terrorists went for the girls because of the impact they intended to create since killings and destructions have more or less become very familiar news.

    Given the attention this singular abduction has generated, the terrorists may have now discovered that this is one area they have made real success and may begin to focus on it so as to get even with the authorities in their weird endeavour. We may witness more of the abduction of school girls and children if adequate responses are not made to beef up security around schools. They may begin to focus on the more vulnerable to create public discontent and discredit the government.

    The abduction has sufficiently aroused public sympathy on the unmitigated evil which Boko Haram has been. The pledge of other countries for logistic support to secure the release of the girls and combat terrorism is most welcome. Nigerians of all hue have also been sufficiently aroused to the dangers posed by the insurgents. That is why we have seen a plethora of condemnations from all political divide not only against the abduction but the Boko Haram insurgency.

    A common string running through all these sentiments is that apart from freeing the girls, it is high time terrorism is wrestled to the ground. And that is the real issue. President Jonathan has promised that this singular abduction will see the last of insurgency in the country. That is heart-warming provided the promise is matched with the necessary and sufficient capacities to stamp out these purveyors of hate, awe and terror.

    The heightened interest against terrorism provides the needed ambience for Jonathan to fully deploy needed military arsenal; smoke out the insurgents and quash all their activities in the north-east. He has been made to take the blame for insufficient action or inaction. He must now do the needful and rise or fall together with its outcome.

  • ‘APC already looking beyond this election’

    ‘APC already looking beyond this election’

    Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) Director of Publicity and Media Mr. Segun Dipe spoke with Sulaiman Salawudeen on the chances of the party at the governorship poll.

    The Ekiti State governorship election is slated for June 21.

    What are the party’s chances?

    We in the All Progressives Congress (APC) don’t see it as ‘chances, but a very good opportunity to retain power in Ekiti State. We know we have done everything we need to do to n is to rule Ekiti for unbroken 10, even 15 terms. We have done the registration of our members across the nation. In Ekiti alone, we have no less than 300,000 membership. This large turnout of people in Ekiti State showed the enthusiasm with which people have accepted the APC and the government of the day led by Dr. John Kayode Fayemi. We are prepared and even if they want to conduct the election today, we will always go there and sweep every part of the state.

    You speak with unusual confidence?

    I like what you have said. I speak with confidence, but I am not boastful. Confidence builds up from assured preparations. What should we do as a party that we have left undone? We don’t just say we are planning, we do the planning for every one to see and feel. Our preparation started from having a governorship candidate who, as the sitting Governor, has done so commendably well that praises and commendations come tumbling down on him from those who matter not only in Nigeria but across the world. The best preparation we have made for the party is the excellent performance of Governor Kayode Fayemi himself. Let me add that he is a promise keeper; he made promises and he had kept all of them. He has fulfilled all that he said he would do and for that we are very confident of the support of the people of the state.

    The performance of Dr. Kayode Fayemi is a good foundation for us to build on. Secondly, we also have APC which is the happening party in Nigeria today. Let me repeat myself somehow, when you are at the top, you become the topic and as you can see, APC is the topic in Nigeria today. The fear of APC is the beginning of wisdom.

    APC is the party to beat and it is a party you cannot beat. So, we are there to serve the people well. People want to enjoy the dividend of democracy the way they are doing now. We started by identifying the development needs of the people. In the first four years, we made developmental landmarks, now we are giving them the prospects and they want to continue to enjoy it. So, we are confident about our performance which will give us the stake, come June 21, 2014.

    The APC has alleged that President Jonathan is planning to use federal might in the coming election in Ekiti. Please throw more light on that?

    We have all the evidences to prove that case and so it is not an allegation. The President the other day accused some governors of abusing him, rather than focussing on the development of their states. But we know that it is the President who has been shortchanging the states. It was lately discovered that the federal government has been underpaying Ekiti to the tune of N500 million every month for the past six months. This is a policy of deliberate plans to stiffle enemy states with the ultimate scheme to underdevelop them, using the evil federal might. How do you develop when you are impoverished of the very tool — capital — with which to develop. Remember also that the Ekiti State Chairman of their party, the PDP, has said there is nothing wrong in using federal might in Ekiti. This is why they have been staying in Abuja. If they want to sneeze, Abuja; if they want to sleep, Abuja; if they want to eat, Abuja. Anything, everything they want to do, Abuja. For the past two months, all those who call themselves aspirants have moved their very homes to Abuja. They so much believe in federal might. They think they can use force to enforce error in Ekiti in the coming election. But we in APC believe in the might of the people and the ultimate might of God. We are set to win the June 21 election and no robber, however stubborn and armed would be able to reverse the will of the people this time around.

    But the opposition has criticised Fayemi for faking performance?

    If by faking, we can drive on good roads today and the roads are certified for having the quality to last a minimum of 10 years; if by faking we have renovated all 18 secondary and one tertiary health institution in the state today; if by faking we have sustained the payment of N5,000 monthly lifeline to 25,000 elderly individuals for two years; if by faking we have reconstructed and renovated all the 183 secondary schools across the 16 councils of the state; and many more compelling initiatives, including health, agriculture, tourism, job creation, and many more, then faking has indeed become a commendable and enobling act. With the faking, Fayemi has received the 2012 Leadership Governor of the Year and a one-time Justice of the World Court recently honoured him with the 2012 Senior Citizens Care Foundation Excellence Award. If these recognitions came with faking, let us just rally round and support Fayemi to continue to fake. I am sure by the time the Governor concludes his second four-year term, the so-called opposition would join the band to celebrate the achiever that he (Fayemi) is.

    What are your fears as the election approaches?

    Yes, we have fears regarding the unnecessary involvement of Abuja in the election. We notice the tendency to see the Ekiti election as an extension of next year presidential election. We are wary of the so-called federal might and we have been saying that we should be allowed to do our thing in Ekiti. There shouldn’t be any intrusion that can create resistance from the people. That is the only fear that we have. If it is the people going to the poll to cast their votes without any violence, we don’t have fears about that. If it is about votes and votes counting, we always say that election is not just about voting, it is about counting of the votes. If the votes are properly counted and properly announced, we don’t have fears about that. But, if there is intrusion of the ‘federal might’ and they are trying to create artificial crisis, we are concerned about that. So, we are warning that they should not turn Ekiti into a centre of violence. They should allow Ekiti people to vote for their own candidate.

    But, the opposition has accused the APC of foisting violence in the state?

    As you have rightly put it, they are accusations and so they would remain. Other parties would look for loopholes, gaps and gapes to criticise us. We are very conscious of that. We are the topic in terms of performance. Everybody is seeing and everybody is hearing about our performance. We are not leaving any stone unturned. The job of governance is going on. We are not politicising governance. We are governing well in Ekiti and luck is shining on us because the other political parties are not organised. Well, I would say they are entitled to their opinion. I should say it is the opposition that is behind the violence in the state. We know particularly that Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, who defected from our party, has been trying to create crisis in the state. He has been trying to create artificial crisis in the state, so that he can latch on that. We assure the people of the state that Ekiti would continue to enjoy dividend of democracy under the administration of Dr. John Kayode Fayemi (JKF).

    What do you mean when you say the opposition is not organised?

    They are not only disorganised, they are upside down. They don’t seem to know their right from left and people don’t see them as serious also. Do your findings and you will know what I am saying. They just cannot get their acts together at all. So, we are working and we are conscious of what we are doing.

    What is your advice to the people?

    My strong advice is that our members should always conduct themselves peacefully. We should always allow peace to reign. We should always look up to the government of the day as a performing government. We should always trust the government. If it says it is going to do anything, we should always believe that it is going to do it. We should continue to enjoy the dividend of democracy. We should not get derailed. We should not go and try anything that we have not tested. We have tested APC and we have seen what APC is doing. We should not go about fighting ourselves; we are all Ekiti people who are one from Ilejemeje to Ado Ekiti and to the far corners of the state. We are all homogenous people of Ekiti, we should not allow ourselves to be treated as thugs by anybody. We should allow APC to lead us well and continue to develop the state. The sky is our footstool; Ekiti will always come up to the top and rise to the challenges. We should allow the government of the day to continue because it fulfils its promises to the people.

    But, in some quarters, people are still complaining about the APC?

    We have a contract with the people that we would do A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H and we have done all that. What would they complain about? We are all human beings and we know that we cannot have it all. Even a wife in a house complains even after the husband might have fulfilled his promises. Every human being is an Oliver Twist. We know the people. Having seen a performing government and governor, they would always put in more requests. But we are equal to the task and having fulfilled the eight-point agenda, the next thing is for us to move on and set another bar for ourselves and make sure we cross the hurdle. Where the people raised their concerns, let them build their hopes on a performing party. After all, we have had political parties in the past that people cannot even look forward to doing anything. So if they have APC that gives them things to enjoy, it is normal for them to say that they want more and we are ready to do more for them.

  • ‘Aregbesola ‘ll rule beyond 2014’

    ‘Aregbesola ‘ll rule beyond 2014’

    Osun State Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Mr. Ajibola Bashir, explains the giant strides recorded by the Aregbesola administration in economy, education and job creation. Besides, he speaks on APC’s preparation for the August 9 governorship election. He spoke with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN.

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola promised people of Osun State free and qualitative education in his inaugural speech in November 2010. How has government been able to fulfil this promise?

    Within the first 100 days in office, the Aregbesola administration conveyed Education Summit under the chairmanship of Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka where far reaching decisions on how to achieve qualitative education were taken. Before the advent of this administration, Osun State used to be 34th out of 36 states in the ladder of passing external examination. Today, Osun is eighth. That astronomical improvement was due to government intervention in education.

    Secondly, the National Bureau of Statistics had reported that Osun State had the highest number of primary schools in the country. Also connected with the administration of education in the state is the School Feeding Programme of pupils which is revolutionary in nature. More than 2,000 students in Grade 1-4 in public schools are being fed daily. They take protein with seasonal fruits to maintain their mental capability. In recognition of this feeding programme, Governor Aregbesola was invited to speak at the United Kingdom Parliament to talk on the mechanism and the advantages of the programme.

    In line with the communiqué of the education summit, the schools in the state were reclassified and consolidated to achieve government’s goal on provision of qualitative education. To this end, government engaged the services of 51 Chartered Accountants to audit the public schools. There were startling revelations emanating from the auditing exercise. In some schools, there were teachers and there were no students in large number to teach. In others, there were students, no teachers to teach them. At a particular school, it was found that only one teacher was teaching chemistry, mathematics, physics and biology. The teacher is a graduate of Physical Education. The education infrastructure in Osun State before the advent of Aregbesola’s regime was nil not in comatose.

    How has the present government improved on provision of education infrastructure in public schools?

    We have to build large schools to accommodate large number of pupils. Towards this, a N10 billion bond was raised. About 54 model schools with befitting facilities are being constructed simultaneously. The commissioning of the model schools will begin in the next two weeks.

    Towards the realisation of this education revolution is the evolution of Opon Imo which has received the best award of e-learning device in the world. Opon Imo is a device that put on a single tablet all text books, lesson notes, past questions and answers that are necessary to prepare students for West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE).

    Are there incentives introduced by government to motivate students in their studies?

    The state government provides free school uniform for almost 800,000 students in public schools. We have increased grants to schools per pupil by more than 1,000 per cent. The state government pays West African Examinations Council (WAEC) fees for all Senior Secondary School (SSS3) students. We have increased bursary and scholarship for students of Osun State origin in tertiary institutions. The state government pays N100,000 each to Law and Medical students to encourage and support them unlike what obtained in the past. All this have started yielding results.

    The gestation period to realise the benefits of government intervention is still on. In years to come it will reflect in the quality of students and high level of quality students from public schools. The philosophy of our education policy is emergence of total person in terms of learning and culture.

    Why is the education reform policy generating controversy especially between the Christians and Muslims in the state?

    There is no controversy between Christians and Muslims. The education reform policy is not generating controversy. The controversy on whether Hijab has to be allowed or not in public schools pre-dated our administration and our intervention in education. It is mischievous, erroneous and fraudulent of anybody to attribute the education reform to the controversy over hijab. There is litigation on this matter. Court has directed that the status quo ante be maintained. But some political interests are hiding under religious camouflage to discredit the education reforms programme of this administration and to cause confusion in the education sector.

    There is this erroneous impression and misconception that Osun State is taking over mission schools. All mission schools had been taken over since 1975. The only thing that was left was the names of the schools which were not changed. The management, funding and staffing of the schools were taken over by the state government.

    The allegation that the re-classification of schools is causing hardship to students in terms of distance is fallacy. In few instances where there is problem of distance especially in the urban areas, scholar buses are provided to take the students to the nearest point to their schools. The re-classification became fully implemented in October 2013, a term is gone. That the education reform has become a burden on students is a deliberate mischief being perpetrated by our traducers and their supporters in the tiny section of the media. After consolidation of schools, we now have 1,950 schools in the state.

    Anyway, landmark achievements are greeted with scepticism but over time it becomes an issue to be celebrated. The free education programme introduced by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1955 received knocks initially but Awo is revered today because of the free education programme.

    Do you think the opposition to state government’s education reform has political undertone?

    Yes it has political undertone. There is synergy between the opposition parties and the religious organisations that are opposed to our education reform programme. The statements by the religious groups are identical in wordings with that of the opposition parties. Can you imagine religious organisations asking parents not to honour governor’s invitation on the recent incident at Baptist High School, Iwo. They want to constitute themselves into an opposition to government. It goes beyond the boarder of protecting religious interest.

    How has the government being able to tackle unemployment in the state?

    The government approach in tackling unemployment are many folds. Within the first 100 days in office, 20,000 youths were employed by O-YES-a volunteer programme. In the second phase, another 20,000 have been employed. Though not full time employment, O-YES programme created a platform to take the youth from the state of hopelessness. We pay them N10,000 monthly allowance. Through O-YES some of them have been absorbed into civil service and teaching, some have been trained in phones and laptop repairing, some of them are gainfully engaged in agricultural practices like poultry, fishery and piggery. Those running down the programme are callous. These men of yester years were in government for seven and half years, they didn’t do anything. The Federal government they are relying on to win election has copied our O-YES programme in form of SURE-P. They should bury their heads in shame.

    We have also addressed unemployment in other ways such as : through provision of N2 billion Quick Intervention Fund for farmers; vehicle loans for Osun indigenes who are drivers in Abuja at a single digit interest rate; procurement of vehicles for commercial drivers in Osun; 3,000 tailors engaged in sewing school uniform; 3,000 people engaged to prepare meals for students. We offer them interest free loan to acquire utensils to serve as local caterers. Employment of teachers through TESCOM and SUBEB; and many artisans are engaged in market, road, school and hospital construction.

    The National Bureau of Statistics ranked Osun State second in tackling unemployment in the country and the best in Human Development Index. Put together we are the best run government in this country.

    INEC has fixed August 9 for the governorship election in Osun. How prepared is APC?

    We are fully prepared. APC is the party to beat in Nigeria. We have delivered on our promises. In 2011 people voted for APC. It is only in Osun that PDP lost presidential election in Southwest. It is amazinging to hear that Iyiola Omisore who lost his ward and Local Government in 2011 elections now saying he will rule the state and that he will capture Osun for the PDP. Omisore claimed the election was rigged but never challenged the result in the tribunal. The one that went to tribunal, that is, Wole Oke lost at the tribunal level and the Court of Appeal. They are certified election riggers. Omisore’s first election was declared null and void in 2007 by the Court of Appeal. He can’t win ward election, but want to rule the state. Someone rejected by his people at the ward and local government levels now boasting to rule the state is a comedian.

    The membership registration exercise shows that Osun is a pace setter. The State of Osun has decided to go the way of APC. Within 24 hours, 100 forms sent to each registration unit were exhausted. We have 3,010 polling units That is to say over 300,000 members were registered on the first day.

    As a party, APC is the party in control. We know they would engage in thuggrey, unleash security operatives to harass and intimidate and to steal Peoples mandate, our people are well prepared to thwart their evil machinations. We don’t have any doubt at all that the government of Aregbesola will continue beyond 2014.

    What would you describe as the strength of Governor Aregbesola’s administration?

    This administration has made the people to be the centre of development. When people is the source of your strength, you don’t need any other strength again. Human being is the focus of our development programme The gamut of our development programme is about elevating the people. All our programmes are about the people.

    One of the main projects being considered under the regional integration by the Southwest states is the construction of Western rail line. How will it be financed?

    We have received Memoranda of Understanding (MoU)from prospective investors. Already being considered are the routes to be covered, financial requirements and structuring right of way. We are going to unveil our mission soon. It will be financed through Public Private Partnership (PPP). The clearing house for the Regional Integration is Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) located at Cocoa House, Ibadan. It is being financed by all participating states in Southwest except Ondo State that has not being meeting with us. The rail project will open Southwest for serious development, local manpower development and employment generation.

  • Beyond Agbim’s mistakes

    Football is not played by the children of the elite. It is a game that kids of the down-trodden embrace at the grassroots. In fact, parents get angry whenever their kids sneak out to play the game. Most times, they flog them when they return, especially those who want their wards to be educated. But the lure of the game – and the passion for it – keeps some of these kids playing until such a time when their parents will give up trying to stop them.

    Soccer is the cheapest game to administer. At the grassroots, most of the kids improvise by constructing weird round objects which they kick around until, prominent indigenes visiting the villages buy them balls.

    Several names have been given to these balls, such as Peter’s ball, Felele (rubber ball), hazard (medicine ball) e.t.c. it is always a spectacle watching kids play the game with stockings. So, whenever Nigeria has a game across the national teams, we are introduced to new talents (boys and girls), whose background we don’t know, but who with time become greats. They become bread winners of their families and serve as models to other children at the grassroots.

    It is for this reason that I feel bad anytime our national team’s coaches pick players on other grounds than merit. Our coaches must look at the bigger picture of projecting only the best and not think through their pockets while their choices.

    It has been quite interesting reading how some Nigerians have situated Nigeria’s predicted 3-1 victory over Bafana Bafana on Sunday to goalkeeper Chijioke Agbim’s heroics as if he was chosen by providence and not competence. If he was picked on merit, then he ought to have shown us why he is the best among the equals.

    For there to be such massive cry for his substitution means that he was certainly the wrong choice for the job whether or not he does well in subsequent matches. And the coaches must bury their heads in shame because we deserve only the best for the Super Eagles. Need I say that one of the reasons we have tottered in FIFA’s monthly rankings rest with our coaches’ inability embrace excellence and abhor mediocrity?

    The overwhelming condemnation that dogged the goalkeeper’s first two outings, including the veiled smack from the team’s coaching crew, underscored the fact that Agbim was rusty, having barely played two domestic league games. This obvious lapse raises the issue of the parameters used in picking players for the national teams.

    I shudder when I read comments that suggest that we are slow starters in competitions that the current coaches have prosecuted. It says a lot about their competence because if we start with a loss in Brazil, for instance, we are doomed. We have wobbled and fumbled into the quarter-finals because we have coaches who specialise in doing television analysis on foreign leagues when Globacom Premier League matches are played. They rely on views expressed by scouts and agents who have vested interest in those they recommend. A win over South Africa does not mean that the team is back to winning way. For a change, our coaches must watch the domestic games when they return. They must have weekly records of how the players have fared. It won’t cost the coaches anything to ask the LMC to send them match reports, if they are too big to go to the body’s office to fetch such vital documents.

    Do our coaches see what their contemporaries are doing in those foreign league matches shown television? Whenever big games are played, you see national team coaches at the stands watching their lads to see how well they play for their teams. Not so for ours. When they are not junketing around, they are taking holidays or possibly becoming incommunicado. No one can talk to them because they guided the country to lift the Africa Cup of Nations. Their word is law. We only get the required shock therapy whenever FIFA releases its monthly ranking and we keep experiencing a steep slide down the ladder.

    Frankly speaking, winning the Africa Cup of Nations on February 10 in South Africa is no big blessing. Nothing has changed with our football. It is still the usual blind chase. The only difference with Garba Manu’s Golden Eaglets is that he picked very talented players who are now the toast of European clubs.

    We are told that Alampasu is being courted by Juventus FC of Italy and I say hurray. Italy is the home of some of the world’s best goalkeepers. If that is where Alampasu has opted for, he is in the right direction.  Italy’s tradition with world class goalkeepers is legendary. They include such greats as Dino Zoff (1974-82), Giovanni Galli (1986), Walter Zenga (1990), Luca Marchegiani (1994), Guanluca Pagliuca (1994-98) and Gianlugi Buffon (2002 till date). Or did we not see how an Italian goalkeeping upstart Victor Mannone stopped Manchester United’s players’ three penalty kicks in the second leg semi-finals game at the Old Trafford Stadium on Wednesday, when Sunderland qualified for the finals against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium March 2? So, who are those pundits querying Alampasu’s movement to Italy?  Please tell us something else.

    Again, the team’s captain Mohammed is in Beskitas of Turkey. Our coaches should tell us why he is not in South Africa? Two of the coaches played for Nigeria at the senior level as teenagers. So why are they scared of taking risks on the 2013 Golden Eaglets? Must Nigeria always win competitions? Did our coaches think Mohammed would be the smallest in CHAN? Can’t they see smaller boys enjoying the exposure of playing on such a big stage for the first time?

    Another Eaglet, Chidera Ezeh, is a Porto FC of Portugal junior star. This is a very good move for Ezeh, especially to a club where Jose Mourinho won both the UEFA Champions League and Europa Cup.  Andres Villas Boas also won the Europa with Porto. I want to predict here that Ezeh will be the first Eaglet to force his way into the Super Eagles through his exploits in Portugal, like Nwankwo Kanu did. There is also Nwabili, who has joined Manchester City, like Kelechi Iheanacho.

    It really hurts when one hears knowledgeable people say that Iheanacho’s move to Manchester City is wrong on grounds that the club doesn’t have a history of nursing talents. Is there any club in England that doesn’t have a thriving nursery for young boys? These Nigerians think that Manchester City is a yesterday club. They have also forgotten that the new investors have pumped colossal cash into the system, based on a template produced by some of the best technocrats in that business. I won’t blame them. They think Manchester City plays in the Nigerian league where such details are ignored.  Take a bow Garba Manu for reinventing our football. Let no Eagles’ coach lay claim to these boys when they blossom. I digress.

    This writer’s angst over the calibre of players in the CHAN Eagles is that good ones have lost the biggest opportunity to storm Europe to showcase their talents. They are now at the mercy of shylock scouts and agent who connive with unscrupulous club managers to secure slavish contracts for unsuspecting players, eager to change their environment on the platform of seeking greener pastures. What a pity.

    At the CHAN tournament in South Africa, we have been reduced to a one-man squad and that is where our problems will begin. The Moroccans will man-mark Uzoenyi. They will ask a big player to outmuscle him. If that happens (God forbid) the CHAN Eagles will totter. Perhaps, they will depend on divine intervention (mother luck) or the typical Nigerian fighting spirit to scale the hurdle. May God help us today against the Atlas Lions of Morocco.

    South Africans lack the talent to match us. So, when Agbim shines in such a game, it shows the level of his game. The CHAN Eagles in South Africa are raw diamonds. The only polished star is Chrisantus Uzoenyi, who did well in the early matches prosecuted by the current technical crew as an Enugu Rangers player. Uzoenyi was discovered by Gateway FC in Aboekuta before he moved to Enyimba where he was benched, until Enugu Rangers came to rescue him from the grips of some of our bad coaches who cannot identify good players.

    He was taken to Europe to play Rennes in the France Ligue 1 for six months. The impact of Uzoenyi’s short sojourn there is evident even though he didn’t play for any club in the last three months. I won’t be surprised if Uzoenyi is following the regime given to him while he was with Rennes to keep fit. That is the whole idea of professionalism that we are talking about, where every detail is situated in the club’s handbook, which we have chosen to call Code of Conduct and all hell is let loose by our players.

    It is obvious that the European coaches have impacted greatly on the way Uzoenyi plays. His interplay is swift and his finishing incredible despite his diminutive stature. He returned to Nigeria recently but couldn’t get any club. This qualified Uzoenyi to play in CHAN. He is our best.

    Today against Morocco, the clarion call isn’t Agbim but the need for the coaches to raise Nigeria’s profile in FIFA by beating the North Africans decisively. Years back, the Moroccans were difficult nuts to crack. Not anymore, especially with Nigerians’ movement to European competitions and our dominance of the age grade tournaments.

    The coaches may not admit it, but Agbim’s howlers have taught them a few lessons. This slip will guide them when picking Nigeria’s World Cup squad to Brazil.

    I have seen the pack of teams left. I’m angry that we would struggle to lift the trophy, when we would have lifted it with swagger, reminiscent of how the Golden Eaglets ruled the world in the UAE. By the Eaglets’ third game in UAE, it was obvious that they would be the world champions. The Eaglets were discovered from the nooks and crannies of the country. Manu threw away fixations and combed everywhere to find the talents. Nigeria deserves more than what our coaches have showcased at CHAN.

    Good luck CHAN Eagles, despite my reservations. Some of our players can use this platform to get contracts with South African clubs or other African teams where football is real business. Up Nigeria!

  • Beyond Shekau’s death

    The reported death of Abubakar Shekau, leader of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram is bound to generate considerable interest within and outside the shores of this country. The Joint Task Force JTF had last week announced his possible death as a result of injuries sustained in a clash with Nigerian troops.

    According to the JTF, “Shekau might have died between July 25 and August 3 in Amitchide, Cameroun, after being mortally wounded in an encounter at the Sambisa forest”.

    Since that report, opinions have been torn between optimism and disbelief as the JTF could not provide credible evidence to substantiate its claims beyond relying on intelligence reports. Its position is not remedied by the position of some defence officials who have described the announcement as hasty. The officials also queried why it took the JTF so long and the eve of their departure to make the purported death public.

    For the unnamed defence officials, the confirmation of such a report would involve a thorough scrutiny including substantive evidence from the Cameroonian side which the announcement by the JTF fell short of.

    The news of the purported death of Shekau should be of considerable public interest in more ways than one.

    First, it would signal a very significant success in the fight against terrorism that has in the past couple of years, held this country to its knees. Lives and properties of inestimable value have been lost in the process. It has also come with challenges that have thrown to question our corporate existence as one indivisible country that guarantees co-habitation among its distinct units. The death of Shekau will no doubt demoralize his supporters and change the tempo of the terrorism engagement. It will also be a huge moral booster for the military and the Jonathan regime that have told whoever cares to hear that they are winning the war on terrorism.

    Besides, it will equally enhance the confidence of the international community in the country’s capacity to take its destiny in its own hands. This is more so when it is realized that even the United States of America US had labelled Shekau and two other Boko Haram figures as “specially designated global terrorists” and placed the sum of $7 million on Shekau’s head. Thus, his death will be of considerable interest to the US especially given that those responsible for it might make claims to this hefty sum of money.

    Expectedly, the US has swung into action to ascertain the facts of the matter. Its State Department Deputy spokesperson, Ms Marie Harf believes the death of Shekau if it is true, will set back Boko Haram operations and remove a key voice from its efforts to mobilize violent extremists in Nigeria and around the world. What is evident from all these reactions is that though the death of Shekau will gladden the hearts of many, it is by no means the end of the war on terrorism. Equally evident is the fact that the report is still viewed with subdued caution.

    Reservations on the matter are therefore to be expected. More over, this is not the first time such a report on his death is making the rounds. With the hindsight of a similar report that turned out false, not many would want to buy the latest one until it is proven beyond all reasonable doubt. Osama Bin Laden, the world dreaded terrorist leader was severally reported to have been killed at the Afghan mountains by the US when the man was enjoying himself in his palatial Pakistan residence. All these finally came to limelight when he was hunted down and bombed at his mansion in Pakistan where he lived with his wives and children. So it is not out of place if the latest report on the death of Shekau is being viewed with studied caution. It could turn out a ruse. Shekau could be somewhere savouring the escapades of his foot soldiers. He may not even be part of the fighting force if he is real.

    But Minister of Information, Labaran Maku would want us to resolve the doubts created by the unsubstantiated report in favour of the military. His position is anchored on the fact that the killing of Shekau ought to be a logical progression of events since the onslaught against the insurgents started with the declaration of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. He said if the military was successfully prosecuting the war against terrorism, then there should be no reason to doubt its claim on Shekau’s death. Such a report he said, should give us more confidence on the capacity of the military to tame the monster.

    The optimism of the minister is not out of the way. There is no doubt that the killing of Shekau or the eventual defeat of the terrorists will gladden the hearts of our people who have suffered immeasurably since the terror war commenced. It is the wish of every fair-minded Nigerian that this senseless campaign be subdued. Thus, the killing of its leader would send the signal very clearly that the terrorists are being smoked out of their hiding places and the battle will soon be over.

    Yet, such confidence in the capacity of the military to win the war cannot be earned when claims on successes are bandied without substantive evidence. We will be happy if Shekau is either arrested or killed given that he is the brain behind all the atrocities that have been committed in the last couple of years in this country in the name of terrorism. It will also gladden the hearts of many if terrorism can be brought to an abrupt end now.

    But such optimism must be anchored on credible and verifiable successes by the military in the battle field and not speculations that may turn out to be false. That appears to be the point of departure when the minister wants us to resolve scepticisms arising from the inchoate information on the purported death of Shekau in favour of the military.

    The dangers in accepting Shekau’s death in the absence of very credible evidence far outweigh its temporary gains especially if it turns out to be false. For one, it will give the military a false sense of success that may end up obfuscating its overall calculations on the war. It is more promising to have a correct picture of the battle on the ground than celebrate successes that may soon turn out pyrrhic. Calculations anchored on such inaccurate information may turn out very disastrous.

    For another, even defence authorities are not enthused by that report for the same reason of unreliability. There are insipient suggestions that the JTF released the information at the eve of its departure and after a message purportedly by Shekau to position itself for credit in the event he is eventually confirmed dead. All these do not imbue confidence in the overall credibility of the report.

    Before now, we were told by the amnesty committee that it had signed a ceasefire agreement with Boko Haram represented by Shekau’s deputy. Even when Shekau in his usual video message repudiated that report, the committee still insisted that the ceasefire agreement was real. But the JTF came out some weeks ago to tell the nation that Shekau’s deputy has just been killed in a battle in Borno. These contradictions do not help matters. Neither do they give confidence that the latest report should be trusted in the absence of credible evidence. It is therefore pertinent that the military should avoid dishing out information they are unsure of. That is the way to earn public confidence and enhance overall credibility in the very difficult engagement the military has embarked upon.

  • Akwa Utd look beyond Makwada

    Akwa Utd look beyond Makwada

    Akwa United central defender Hamza Onwuemenyi is confident they would beat Makwada FC in their Federation Cup round of 32 tie on Wednesday.

    United have been in closed camp preparing for the match, and Onwuemenyi believes they have done their homework well and should see off the Adamawa State side.

    He admitted they may not have lived up to expectations in the first round of the league, and that they have vowed to make up with a good run in the Federation Cup.

    “We’re looking forward to victory against Makwada as we have prepared very well for them,” he told supersport.com.

    “We’ve been in Oron for the past week perfecting our strategies, and I feel we are ready for the best out there. I don’t know much about Makwada, but they must be good to have reached this stage and we won’t underrate them. However, we are more experienced than them, and I don’t foresee any upset as we are focused on forging ahead.”

    Onwuemenyi added: “The first round of the league didn’t work out as planned, and we have been working on our mistakes so we could do better in the second round and also make progress in the Federation Cup. We want to make an impact in the Federation Cup and with due respect to Makwada, we are looking beyond this stage.”

    Akwa United beat non-league Yarma Light in the round of 64, while Makwada eliminated Grays International.

    The Uyo side were knocked out last year by third tier Dynamite Force of Benin in the round of 32.

     

  • Beyond emergency rule

    Should President Goodluck Jonathan have declared a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states in response to the protracted and horrendously bloody Boko Haram insurgency that had practically paralysed the north? The debate rages on fiercely despite obvious overwhelming nationwide public support for the measure. Yet, it is an exchange that is largely theoretical and can only generate more heat than light. I really think that the President had little option. The situation had degenerated almost irredeemably in the north and decisive action was called for. Indeed, irritated by the President’s inconsistent vacillation between tough talk and pacifying the mindless terrorists through the offer of amnesty, many had queried Jonathan’s leadership competence.

    They saw him as irresolute, weak, ineffectual and seemingly clueless. To worsen matters, the Boko Haram naturally perceived the reticence of the Federal Government as a sign of weakness. The extremist sect was thus encouraged to step up the tempo of its violence – seizing women and children, escalating its attacks on security agents and increasing the venom of its mostly irrational rhetoric. It surely would come to a point when any state worth its salt as the legitimate custodian of the monopoly of instruments and methods of coercion within a given territorial jurisdiction would be forced to defend its integrity and authority.

    As the President rightly put it in his well- written even if intemperately delivered address to the nation, the insurgents had virtually declared war on the Nigerian state. He thus had the constitutional and moral responsibility to restore normalcy, protect lives and property and maintain the cohesion of the nation. It is, of course, plausible as has been argued with considerable force in some quarters that the President could have taken all the actions in the three states without formally proclaiming emergency rule. However, I guess his military strategists wanted to score a massive psychological advantage over the insurgents by maximum show of force.

    Again, by its very nature, the envisaged scale of military operations in the affected areas would necessarily involve the curtailment of some basic rights which would only be tenable under emergency rule- a departure from normality. It is also not impossible that in the run up to the 2015 election, and President Jonathan’s undisguised ambition for a second term, the strategy in opting for emergency rule in the three states was to seize the opportunity to emphatically assert his authority and showcase the immense powers of Nigeria’s imperial presidency to overawe potential opposition.This seems to be a throwback to the regressive era of the Obasanjo presidency and a sad commentary on the state of democratic development in contemporary Nigeria. However, this does not obviate the fact that deployment of massive force had become imperative to rein in the insurgents and restore normalcy in the North. There must first of all be peace and security before democratic structures and processes can function for the benefit of the people.

    However, to argue that the tough measures that President Jonathan has taken to contain the Boko Haram insurgency are necessary does not mean that this entire situation could not have been avoided if the country had been steered in a completely different direction over the last 14 years of civilian rule. In other words the degeneration to emergency rule in parts of the north is a culmination of the failure of the Peoples Democratic Party to guide Nigeria aright since 1999. This is not just a failure of the Jonathan presidency. It is a result of the incompetence and lack of vision of successive governments in control of power at the centre since the inception of this democratic dispensation. The inevitability of emergency rule almost one and a half decades after the exit of the military is clear evidence that Nigeria’s malformed federal structure has virtually broken down under the watch of the PDP and there is the urgent need for the country to try leaders and parties with alternative ideas at the centre in the next polls. In the last election, many Nigerians claimed that they voted for President Jonathan and not the PDP. Now, it is obvious that the difference between the two is that between six and half a dozen. Both have sorely failed the nation as the sheer anarchy across the country today demonstrates.

    Now the people of the North East are forced to live with all the negative consequences of emergency rule including abridgement of human rights, possible military excesses and the conversion of democratic structures into nothing but hollow shells in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. The large scale military action attendant on emergency rule will further affect the economy of the region negatively. Innocent lives will almost inevitably be lost and thousands of people displaced. The situation in the north further reinforces Nigeria’s unflattering negative image as an insecure entity headed dangerously in the direction of state failure. Surely, those responsible for the deterioration of affairs in the country to this extent must be made to pay the electoral price for their incompetence and irresponsibility. They must not be allowed to beat their chests heroically and claim the imposition of emergency rule as an achievement when their actions and inactions are responsible, in the first place, for the deplorable security and socio-economic situation in the country that fuelled the insurgency.

    For instance, is there any excuse why we have maintained the archaic and ineffective security architecture that has rendered most of our communities vulnerable to sundry criminal elements including religious extremists, cultists, armed robbers and kidnappers? Why do we still maintain a system where state governors are Chief Security Officers only nominally and lack the capacity to effectively secure lives and property within their respective jurisdictions? If we had more effective, decentralised policing at state level, couldn’t many of these criminal gangs have been nipped in the bud before they became veritable monsters? Why haven’t we since 1999 been able to organize a national conference to enable the component parts of the country re-negotiate a more acceptable pact for our mutual and more harmonious co-existence? Why have we not fundamentally restructured a federal system that, for instance, prevents the northern states from developing their rich solid mineral endowment for the benefit of their people?

    Why have we continued to implement the same ineffectual economic policies that promote growth without development, under-develop agriculture, undermine manufacturing and breed the mass youth unemployment that fuels criminality? How do we explain our inability since 1999 to generate up to 5000MW of electricity despite the colossal amounts that have been hurled at the power sector and the negative implications of this for the economy? Of course we can go on and on raising pertinent questions about the total mismanagement of Nigeria that is at the root of insurgency and the current unfortunate but inevitable state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. Emergency rule will most likely restore law, order and stability to the affected states in the North. The massive deployment of irresistible force may ‘persuade’ the terrorists to be more amenable to dialogue. However, emergency rule or all the force in the world cannot lead Nigeria in the direction of fundamental, positive change that can liberate her potentials and result in rapid development, peace and stability. If Nigeria continues to be run the way she is currently administered, we will only be postponing the evil day of a more virulent, more insidious insurgency that will be even more difficult to contain.

  • Beyond bounds

    Beyond bounds

    An exhibition of paintings, mixed media and fine stones by a female artist, Chinyere Ofodile-Okanume will open on Saturday, March 23 at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos. The exhibition tagged Beyond Bounds will feature 30 recent works, though the artist has been practicing art for the past 13 years. She’s one of those artists who have been able to combine marriage and career. This exhibition, which will run till April 5, is her second solo show since her last outing in 2006.

    When asked why the long gap, she said she went to discover herself and come out different.

    According to her, with Beyond Bounds “I try to express myself by being creative in so many ways, not just the conventional way of painting with oil, acrylic or water colour. Though, this is my first time working with stones, I still make the works appealing to the eye,” she said. Some of the works include Journey of life, Irony of life 1&2, Friendship, Togetherness, Last sacrifice, Scarcity1&2, Empowerment, I better pass my neighbour and I did not do it, Home alone. She explained that the strong message of the exhibition is to be yourself and be creative.

    One of her works, Journey of Life (measuring 5 x 3), which has red and black roses, shows the road people must pass through irrespective of age, gender, position, qualification, rich or poor. The red roses depict blood of our loved one who were killed either by bomb blast or plane crash and this has been happening in recent times.

    She said that ‘we’re all affected directly or indirectly noting that the black rose represents unpleasant journey some people go on. Many go on a very long journey, while some go on short ones. But it is not our making to decide.’ She also gave an insight on Empowerment, which is a mixed media painting with fabric, local mat, and textured canvas with impasto colour as background to create a form. It’s about job creation for the youths who are the leaders of tomorrow. She said a lot of youths still wait for paid job, which is not forth coming, so they need to be empowered to help themselves and the country at large.

    I Better Pass My Neighbour, (measuring 3×4) a stone painting with black, white and grey fine stones. The work depicts the present PHCN situation in the country. The black stone depicts darkness, as some areas have been in darkness for years, while the grey stones depict low current. Some areas are satisfied with the low current rather than being in darkness, while the white stones depict full current (areas with light). This situation brought about the rise in numbers of those using generators, such as I Pass My Neighbour.

    Another of her works, I Did Not Do It represents an innocent child that has been scolded but with the innocence on the child’s face you’ll know he did not do it.

    She has done various paintings on canvas over the years but now coming out with the mixed media, fine stones etc. She said all the works to be exhibited are new and it took her about six years to assemble these works. Chinyere added that she tries to go beyond being a female artist so as to compete with other male artist. She said she tries to break barrier. She has been involved in group exhibitions within the last six years. She is greatly influenced by her environment and what happens around her influences her paintings.

  • Ondo State is beyond Ukeh’s fantasy!

    Ondo State is beyond Ukeh’s fantasy!

    Our attention has been drawn to the vain and vacuous opinion essay, entitled: “Between reality and fantasy in Ondo guber” written by one Onuoha Ukeh on page 55 of Daily Sun of October 5. Reading through it, makes one to shudder at the lack of intellectual depth, thoroughness, balancing of unquestionable facts and figures and an unbiased perspective which should be the hallmark of the writings of a seasoned journalist. In fact, Ukeh’s lopsided essay, skewed in favour of the attention-and-sympathy-seeking governor Mimiko is a sad commentary on the quality of robust thinking expected of a public affairs analyst. One, who has failed, and woefully too, to substantiate his jaundiced opinion with credible empirical evidence. Even a paid piper should know which tunes to dish out at the village square of communal brain storming, meant for the good of all.

    For instance, he stated that: “I do not foresee an upset in the election. I do not foresee a change coming in Ondo state either. I only see a major opposition party talking tough, without making much effort to prove that it is a better alternative.” He added that: “In a free and fair election, it will be difficult to defeat a Mimiko in Ondo,” He went ahead to list the areas his Mimiko has achieved to include education sector, health, security and most laughable commerce!

    Obviously, he is not from Ondo State, nor has he visited there for an objective assessment and therefore, does not know where the shoe pinches us. He needs to be enlightened on Mimiko’s far below-the-par performance as a governor with the bare facts on ground. We know him for who he truly is-a profligate and prodigal son, whose antics we can no longer tolerate, if we want the indigenes to join the fast-moving train of the ACN–led progressives in the South-West geo-political zone.

    For instance, is Ukeh aware that over the past three and a half years Mimiko has not commissioned a single road project, and not even one in his home town, Ondo? That is, in spite of the whopping sum of N660 billion that has accrued to the state from the Federation Account during his tenure? Doesn’t he know that Akure where he built a water fountain lacks drinking water for the residents of the state capital, despite the N38 billion, his predecessor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu left in the coffers? Isn’t that fantasy in the realm of impactful governance? Has Ukeh not heard that the rural communities of Ondo state are groaning over lack of potable water and the impassable roads compared to that of the neigbouring Osun and Ekiti states, even after the N20 billion so far released from the N50 billion borrowed from the capital market? Has Ukeh not learnt that in spite of the much-touted Abiye Mother and Care Hospital in Akure, which he promised but characteristically failed to replicate in other Senatorial Districts, several hospitals and clinics scattered all over the state lack qualified medical personnel and quality drugs?

    Ditto for public primary and secondary schools in the state, lacking in solid buildings, state-of-the art laboratories and libraries,as well as the requisite number of qualified teachers. Yet, billions of tax payers’ money has gone down the drain in the name of wasteful Mega School projects. Otherwise, useful industries on ceramics, glass and tomato-paste production which he promised and for which huge sums have been allegedly expended are all lying prostrate across the state and you talk about commerce and industry?

    Truth is, the ill-informed Ukeh has rubbed salt on our open wounds and must listen to our total rejection for a self-aggrandizing governor whose pride of achievement is the building of market stalls and sinking of bore holes, inexpensive projects meant for local government councils. Here again, Ukeh made a controversial statement by comparing the successful re-election of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state based on the parameter of sterling performance to what to expect in Ondo state come October 20. Contrary to Ukeh’s assertion, ACN’s “talking tough” will translate to votes for Barrister Akeredolu. For him to have stated that:” I have not seen anything that should sway voters to the (ACN) party” and that “ACN’s desperation to capture Ondo State …is because somebody wants to extinguish the Mimiko light in the South West politics” is a complete disservice both to his conscience and his self esteem.It stands logic on the head. Facts do not lie.

    Indeed, nothing could be more insulting for any Nigerian journalist who knows his onions not to have seen the monumental transformation that the ACN-led administrations in Lagos , Ogun, Osun, Edo , Ekiti and Oyo states have brought to bear on the quality of life of their people in less than half a decade. And that covers virtually all sectors of the economy; including solid infrastructure as visible in the motorable roads, water supply, environmental protection, healthcare delivery, education and transportation.

    These are the praise-worthy indices of good governance which respected Barrister Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s ACN –led leadership is about to replicate in Ondo, for it to reclaim its lost glory to become the true Sunshine State . These, he has encapsulated in his well-received CREED FOR ACTION, the in-depth and well thought out manifesto made public as far back as April 11,while throwing his hat in the ring for the gubernatorial campaign. So sad, that while many respected media practitioners have hailed the verdant vision with the acronym of AKETI, Ukeh is still lost in the dark. Again, he and his ilk need to be educated on this.

    Simply put, AKETI stands for his envisioned policy thrust on the cardinal administrative features of Agriculture, Knowlege, Entrepreneurship, Technology and Infrastructure. These are the noble capsules of life-changing governance which would percolate to the grassroots. Specifically in agriculture, he has promised to shift the current over dependence on oil revenue to the development of intermediate and finished products from abundant cash crops such as cocoa, coffee, cashew, kolanut, cassava, cowpea and yams. Others include timber, oil palm and rubber. With the plan to establish a modern sea port, most of these would be processed to international standards, to earn the state and the nation the much sought after foreign exchange from agriculture, as it was during the First Republic, under the memorable tenure of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. It is for this reason that the ACN is clamouring for the full integration of the South-west geo-political zone, going by the increasing demand for true fiscal federalism.

    As it was such Knowledge delivered in a qualitative and free platform that made the old Western Region the envy of others. Akeredolu, unknown to Ukeh, has convinced Ondo people that education will be free and compulsory at the primary and secondary school levels. That all tertiary institutions owned by the state government will attract greater funding. Emphasis will be for sound and sustained human capacity development. Unlike Mimiko who blatantly refused to employ one additional teacher or pay them the agreed minimum wage in three and half years, Akeredolu will not only employ more of them to equate with the UNO/UNESCO standard of teacher-to-student ratio, but get them trained frequently and pay them well to produce the best of brains as Ondo State was well known for since the sixties.

    On Entrepreneurship and job creation, Akeredolu has promised 30,000 jobs within the first 100 days in office. It would interest Ukeh that even now, over 10,000 Ondo youths have so far filled their forms in this regard. Unfortunately, Mimiko, who Ukeh is praising to the highest heavens promised 3,000 jobs within the same time frame but deliverance remains a pipe dream. Why is this difference? The truth is that those youths have seen what Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Dr.Kayode Fayemi,who reclaimed their rightful mandates from the PDP have done in their respective Osun and Ekiti states in term of job creation.

    Of course, these would go hand in hand with more empowerment in Technology, as Akeredolu wants Ondo State to toe the lines of India , Cuba and the United States to establish its own Silicon Valley . Products of these will eventually apply their knowledge to build solid Infrastructure that will take the take it to greater heights in solid mineral/oil and gas development, tourism and the aforementioned agriculture. With these, Akeredolu will not behave like Mimiko, whose stock-in-trade is to rush to Abuja, cap-in-hand every month end for huge monthly allocations which he cannot account for.