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  • Challenges before PDP chair Secondus

    Challenges before PDP chair Secondus

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Chief Uche Secondus has inherited many challenges. Can he reconcile aggrieved blocs in the opposition party? Can PDP bounce back to power under his leadership? Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the challenges that will confront the new leadership.

    Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Uche Secondus, an Ijaw chief from Rivers State and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, has achieved the ambition of steering the affairs of the main opposition party. But, he has also inherited the burden of leadership at this critical time.

    Secondus has served as the Organising Secretary and Acting Chairman before his current role. But, the position of chairman is more challenging. Can he unite the party? Can the helmsman reconcile aggrieved chieftains and blocs? Can PDP regain power in 2019 elections under his leadership?

     

    The leadership burden

     

    Between now and the presidential nomination, many challenges will confront the party under the new chairman. Southwest delegates are still aggrieved because of the rejection of micro zoning of the chairmanship to the region. The first critical task is the post-convention reconciliation, which is inevitable for the resolution of pre-convention and post-convention crises. Former Lagos State PDP governorship candidate Jimi Agbaje said: “The Southwest is aggrieved. It should be pacified.”

    Echoing him, a chieftain from Osun State, Chief Tunde Odanye, said reconciliation with the Southwest will restore its lost sense of belonging and erase a feeling of marginalisation.

    Secondus have four important issues to tackle in the Southwest. Around 3am last Saturday, Senator Buruji Kashamu from Ogun West, a loyalist of Senator Alli Modu Sheriff, was suspended, following his resort to litigation at the expense of the party.

    A party source said, if the Kashamu issue is not properly handled, he may play a spoiler’s role in future elections. “Kashamu is popular in his district and he has money to deploy to fight a battle,” a source, who feared that the suspended chieftain may become a willing tool in the hand of the ruling party, he added.

    Reconciliation with aggrieved aspirants, especially Chief Bode George and Prof. Tunde Adeniran, may be difficult at the initial stage, but it is not foreclosed. The onus is on the chairman and the reconciliation committee to reach out to the chieftains, their associates and supporters and pacify them to bury the hatchet and put the past behind them.

    However, a National Assembly member said if they chose to be passive henceforth, or leave the party, they may not be missed. “How relevant are they as leaders in their states? They are big names. But, do they have the winning formula?” the lawmaker asked.

    There are litigations hanging on the neck of the Southwest zonal leadership. The factional executive committee, led by Makanjuola Ogundipe, is still locked with Eddy Olafeso’s executive committee. How to broker peace through political solution is a  challenge.

    The fourth assignment in the zone relates to the Osun PDP debacle. It is polarised into two factions, making it impossible for the troubled chapter to harmonise its delegates. The crisis affected the compilation of the list of delegates from the state. Less than 15 delegates from the state voted at the convention. As pointed out by former National Caretaker Committee Chairman Senator Ahmed Makarfi, the new leadership will have to attend to the unfinished business of restoring normalcy and peace to the chapter. Other polarised state chapters that require urgent reconciliation, include Anambra, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Kwara and Nasarawa.

    Secundus litmus test will be nest next year when he leads his party out at the governorship elections in Ekiti and Oyo states. The results of the eletions in Ekiti where the PDP is the ruling party and Osun where the opposition clinched senatorial by-election, will determine the future of PDP under his leadership.

    More importantly, the PDP has to tackle the challenge of perception arising from the way it conducted its convention. A picture of acrimony painted by the exercise may be discouraging to would-be returnees, who may not want to retrace their steps to a crisis-ridden party.

    Defections also have implications. As new members arrive, there will be need for the harmonisation of party structures to accommodate their interests and ambitions. Thus, Makarfi urged Secondus and his executive committee to open the doors of the party to the returnees and ensure that they do not suffer from any disadvantage.

     

    Presidential primaries

     

    How will the party also handle its presidential primary without plunging into another round of  crisis? At least, six gladiators have indicated interest in the sole ticket. They are: former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Makarfi, former governors Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto), Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Sule Lamido (Gombe) and incumbent Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo.

    More aspirants are expected join the fray. A section of the party is even thinking that a reputable and competent northerner from the business world, who is acceptable to the North and the country can be drafted into the race, if that will make the PDP dislodge the APC in 2019 general elections.

    Will the governors, who have been accused of imposing a chairman allow a transparent, hitch-free, transparent and credible  presidential primary? Will the same allegation trail the shadow poll?

    The PDP’s  target is to bounce back to power? But, can it realise the dream? Makarfi said the NCC has laid a solid foundation for Secondus to build upon. He looked vibrant; agile with the strength of a potential presidential contender.  “We have laid a good foundation for the repositioning of the PDP,” he said in his valedictory remarks, advising the new leadership to consolidate on the gains.

    Acknowledging the division in the party, which has lingered, owing to the competition for party tickets in 2015, rancorous party congresses at the state level and the scramble for party offices, he said members should leave the door of dialogue open. He said for the culture of litigation to give way to conflict must be ready to make sacrifices and work harmoniously.

    Makarfi said the ball is in the court of the post-convention reconciliation panel, headed by   Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, to listen to the various grievances, ventilate them and reconcile them with the party. He also urged the new executive committee to always ensure a level playing ground for contestants in the future to avoid fresh problems while trying to resolve new existing challenges.

    The former Kaduna State governor urged the new leadership to widen the scope of participation by giving room for participation in the affairs of the party to women and youths.

    According to him, the establishment of a Students Loans’ Scheme by the PDP government to encourage students and reduce the number of out-of-school students , maight not be a bad idea in the future.

    He said the rate at which indigent students drop out in tertiary institution should give any government sleepless night.

     

    Jonathan’s relections

     

    Reflectin on the 2015 electoral tragedy that hit the party, former President Goodluck Jonathan  said the PDP can bounce back to power in 2019 poll, if its house is put in order.

    Dr. Jonathan, who urged party faithful to keep the hope alive, accused the APC of persecuting top opposition chieftains. He advised them to endure the pains and resolve to forge ahead with determination. He said the winners must promote a culture of inclusiveness by carrying along those who lost at the convention.

    The former president advised the party to put its house in order, maintaining that it can only regain power as a united family.

    He said: “PDP should remain at the forefront of leadership by example. I urge members to continue to support the party. PDP has become a strong voice, a reference point as the nation moves closer to another election season. It is growing from strength to strength. Defectors are coming back. There is a reunion.

    “PDP is the only stable party that has not changed its name and identity since 1999. It continues to make promises and fulfil its promises. Those who will win the election today must carry the losers along.”

    for Atiku,  who dumped the ruling party for the opposition, it is another home-coming. He said the PDP must cultivate Nigerians and convince them that past mistakes will not be repeated.

    The former vice president said: “We must work to earn the trust of Nigerians. If we get power, we should use it to work for Nigerians.”

    Atiku said the poor performance of the APC will make Nigerians vote for the opposition party in 2019.

    The former vice president said: “Under the APC, Nigeria is not working and our workers are not working. APC promised three million jobs and under the ruling party, Nigeria lost three million jobs. Under the PDP, Nigeria was united. Under the APC, Nigeria is disunited, more than it was during the civil war. APC promised restructuring, it has denied promising restructuring. PDP waged war against corruption; APC is waging war against the opposition.”

    Atiku lamented that, despite the party’s achievements in 16 years, it lost power because it made mistakes.

    He said: “We made mistakes, but we put our nation first. APC is blaming previous governments, instead of solving problems. Let the PDP get winning again so that it can get working for Nigerians again.”

    The BoT Chairman, Jibril, said the peaceful conduct of the convention meant that the PDP was on the march again and ready to return  to power in 2019.

     

    Avoiding the pitfalls

    of the past

     

    Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose echoed the PDP BoT chair. He said: “PDP is well positioned to take over the affairs of the country. There is nothing wrong in falling; not rising again is the problem. PDP will rise again. The convention shows that the PDP is well organised and ready to bounce back.”

    To the aspirants, he said: “We are voting for the PDP. In any contest, one will win, another will lose. PDP will be the ultimate winner. When the PDP returns to power, a bag of rice will come down from N20, 000 to N5, 000.”

    Senate Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu said: “Our religious and traditional leaders are worried about the suffering of the people, the jobless, the victims of Boko Haram attacks and youths trapped in Libya. The former president and vice president are bothered by the disunity in Nigeria.

    “I am proud of the 16 years of the PDP and what it brought; the telecommunication, justice to the Southwest through the election of Chief Obasanjo as president, justice to the minority ethnic group through the election of Dr. Jonathan, amnesty to the people in the creeks, debt forgiveness. But, today, we are in debt. It was 16 years of light. Now, it has been two years of darkness.”

    Former Special Duties Minister Kaiti Turaki said: “Today, PDP is more united and prepared to salvage Nigeria. We have learnt our lessons. We have appreciated our mistakes. Nigerians have had an opportunity to make comparison. They are now wiser.”

     

  • Cellgevity, Senior Citizens and their peculiar challenges (1)

    Among Nigeria’s Senior Citizens, CELLGEVITY is a new health defence word. The word stands for cell and longevity or longevity of the cell. In other words…extended lifespan. Thus, CELLGEVITY excites aging people who want remission for one health challenge or the other. I thought about it on November 29, that is two Wednesdays ago, as the health movement world-wide observed yet another SENIOR CITIZEN’S DAY. But I did not feel inwardly driven well enough to consider this event for a column until when, last Saturday, one of my acquaintances since the 1970s, who, like me, is a Senior Citizen, telephoned me to announce that a mutual acquaintance of ours, himself also a Senior Citizen now, had a stroke overnight. Then, I thought of the many health challenges a Senior Citizen, male or female, may encounter as the twilight years approach, and some of the many natural remedies available in Nature’s pharmacy or in proprietary forms which may help them overcome these nuances which may occur anywhere between the head and the toes. It is not out of place, therefore, to begin this exploration from the rave of the moment…CELLGEVITY.

     

    Cellgevity

    This product has to do with making the body’s master antioxidant most abundant in the body. To understand the role of this master antioxidant, GLUTATHIONE, in the body, we need a few minutes in the classroom. Mother Nature put antioxidants in our bodies to destroy free radicals which we inhale with air, ingest with food and water, or produce in our bodies when we convert food to energy and other things, or when our immune system, soldiers of our bodies, wage war on disease germs with these destructive molecules, or these germs hurl them at the immune defences, or when heavy metals which many of us do not deliberately remove from our bodies run riot against us.

    Modern anti-aging research is showing us that we can live much, much longer than we now live, free of disease and pain, if we have enough antioxidants in our bodys to neutralise these free radicals. These free radicals have been implicated in more than 200 diseases, many of them degenerative. They include cancer, asthma, glaucoma, diabetes and many more. Free radicals are unstable molecules which punch holes in our cells to steal electrons from them to stabilise themselves. As these cells are bombarded, as though they were planets bombarded by meteorites, their cellular walls break and their contents leak. They struggle to seal the leaks, produce little or no energy, become weak, vulnerable to disease germs, become diseased, prematurely aged and die. Imagine a cell hit about 100,000 times in one day! Somewhere else, I likened this scenario to a family whose residence is bombarded everyday for one month by armed robber assaults. Every member of that family would become psychically distressed, depressed and may even become insomniac or insane. Ultimately, the family would flee the apartment which would become inhabitable thereafter.

    As stated earlier, Mother Nature put some antioxidants into our defence systems to prevent free radicals from cutting our lives short. Anti-aging researchers have proven the value of antioxidants in this regard by feeding some animals with more antioxidants than they normally obtain in their regular forage and watching their lifespans grow, sometimes, by 100 percent. From this, it was concluded than man could live up to 150 years if, by the present knowledge, his diet was well stuffed with antioxidants.

    Thus, attempts have been made before now to improve the amounts of GLUTATHIONE, the master antioxidant, in the body. For Glutathione levels in the cells begin to decline and even fall remarkably from about the age of 40. Incidentally, this is about when many people begin to complain about one health problem or the other, which has led to the joke that after age 40, man enters into the second half of a football match of earthly existence, likening the creaks and cranks of this time to the tiredness of footballers in the second half of a football match.

    In the past, Glutathione was manufactured and sold as a dietary supplement. But it was observed that little or none of it reached the cell. For the digestive system interfered with it before it could be absorbed. Thus, the major option available for obtaining Glutathione was by consuming foods rich in all the amino acids, some of which are the components of Glutathione, in the hope that Mother Nature would make Glutathione out of them inside our bodies. But the fact that many people still came down with diseases showed that they weren’t producing enough Glutathione, or stress, anxiety, disease, heavy metals et.c were consuming large chunks of this master antioxidant, thereby creating a deficiency of it.

     

    Max Glutathione

    This company broke through the barrier with a new technology which is believed to have solved the old problems and makes Glutathione readily available in the cells, ascending to the literature review of CELLGEVITY, its prime Glutathione product. A crucial element in the production of Glutathione is the substance L-Cysteine. In other proprietary Glutathione products, it is so transformed by stomach acid that it is not easily available to make Glutathione in the liver for distribution to the cells. But Max International rapped it up in substances which protect it against stomach acid. The technology is called RiboCeine. It is said to solder together 13 ingredients which the cells require to produce Glutathione. These 13 ingredients are (1) Vitamin C (2) Broccoli (3) Turmeric Root Extract (4) Resveratrol (5) Alpha Lipoic Acid (6) Curcumin (7) Grape Seed Extract (8) Milk thistle (9) Selenium (10) Black pepper (11) Cordyceps (12) Aloe leaf (13) Quercetin.

    Incidentally, these are food supplements we consume on their own everyday. It has probably taken RiboCeine other ways and means technology to make them get the cell to produce an abundance of Glutathione. In the package, Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), a powerful antioxidant active in both fluid and fat media of cells, fights off oxidative stress and recycles other antioxidants. ALA and Glutathione synergically protect fluid (water) and fat parts of the cell against free radical attack and damage. Broccoli Seed Extract boosts antioxidant activity, prevents DNA damage, detoxifies the cell of toxins and even carcinogens (cancer causing substances). Turmeric provides Curcumin, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, activate enzymes which support detoxification. Resveratrol is well known in the French paradox story. The paradox is that French people eat a lot of fat but hardly get fat. This is because they drink a lot of red wine from red grapes, the skin of which is rich in Resveratrol, a fat dissolving and fat-burning substance. Resveratrol protects the heart and the blood vessels, a plausible reason why French people, according to studies, suffer less from heart and blood vessel related problems.

    Grape Seed Extract is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. It is about 50 times more powerful as an antioxidant than Vitamin A and E. Vitamin C is well known for its immune boosting activity and for supporting the production of collagen which gives form to all bodily structures. It supports wound healing and, at about 3,000mg daily, helps natural fluid drainage in the eye, thereby helpful in glaucoma, according to two-times Nobel Prize winner Dr. Linus Pauling, arguably the father of modern Vitamin C research. Quercetin, a bioflavonoid, is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune boosting.

    Some Senior Citizens I know who take Cellgevity say it has improved their energy potential apart from improving their well-being. One reader of this column said it was introduced to her by a two-times former minister who said the product took away his crutches.

    Arthritis is an inflammatory condition. As an anti-inflammatory, Glutathione can rescue the joint from arthritic damage. So much about Cellgevity.

     

    The Seniors

    I believe the Senior Citizen is a person not below age 50. The experience peculiar and general ailments. We can undertake a quick excursion from head to toe.

     

    Memory loss

    A Senior Citizen may easily forget names and directions. Some may keep the car or house key in their pocket and search for it hours on end, until someone helps out. They forget dates, too, missing appointments. I remember a couple dressed in party dress who arrived at the home of a friend of theirs one full week before his birthday party! What about spellings? They may be awful in this. On television, some oldies fail to balance their tenses, and are no longer smart in their word power. When it comes to this, there is need to protect the brain with improved blood circulation for more oxygen delivery and waste evacuation, apart from giving it antioxidant protection. We would have to return to Cellgevity for more glutathione supplies to the brain. Additionally, Ginkgo biloba is indispensable for micro blood circulation in the brain. Cayenne and Ginkgo biloba promote blood circulation to the brain. Lecithin ensures choline and inositol supply to the nerves of the brain. Grape Seed Extract, which is one of the few substances to easily cross the Blood/Brain Barrier, is an antioxidant and antimicrobial agent good for brain health. And Alpha Lipoic Acid? It has already been mentioned that it is one of the few antioxidants which function simultaneously in the fluid (water) and fat content of cells. The brain has a lot of fat content. We cannot depart from the brain station without mentioning Vitamin A and E, both antioxidants for fat media, and Lion’s Mane Mushroom which helps the brain to produce Nerve Growth Hormone or Nerve Growth Factor. This supports nerve energy flow in the nerves to keep the brain in particular young and active. The subject of a Nobel Prize Award to Italian Dr. Rita Levi Montalcini, who discovered that it helps in the regeneration of damaged nerves, it has kept this woman going well into her 104th year on earth…she still writes and read!

     

    Insomnia

    Recently, I was told of an 83-year-old woman who had sleep disturbances. What helped her were the proprietary product Calmful sleep and Chamomile capsules. Calmful sleep is a variant of Natural Calm, another proprietary formula. They are both Magnesium-leased but the quality of Magnesium which the body easily assimilates. There are many other recipes that can do the job. These may include Lecithin and Mag phos from the cell or tissue salts category. There is Bell’s Sleep and Relax tea, Melatonin, Ginkgo (if blood circulation to the brain is poor).

     

    Headaches

    There may be many potential causes. The blood may be thick due to dehydration. Water should be drunk about 30 minutes before a meal to provide resource for the production of Pancreatic enzymes which aid digestion in the intestine. Two hours after a meal or thereabout, water should be drunk for a flushing and dilution of absorbed nutrients. If there is no water for dilution, the blood may be so thick that, osmotically, it sucks up water from surrounding tissue, dehydrating them. In the brain, this causes the pain of headache. Indigestion may throw up gasses which, traveling in the blood to the brain, may disturb the brain cells. Digestive enzymes and fiber help out. I often recommend Pawpaw leaf juice or powder. The juice or powder contains enzymes which digest fats, carbohydrates and proteins. The leaf or powder also helps to stop bleeding by supporting the production of platelet cells in the bone marrow, which should be good news for people about to undergo chemotherapy or those going through it. Sometimes, I eat pawpaw fruit, pawpaw seed and take some pawpaw leaf powder as a meal. The effect on my bowels is tremendous.

    Ringing in ears

    This may present also as noises. The nerves can be calmed with Magnesium and Chamomile which blood circulation is improved using Cayenne or Alligator pepper.

    Blurry vision

    It is important to consult an ophthalmologist to determine the roots of any problem. Dr. William Bates shows in his book BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSES that not all cases of lens or refractive problems require eye glasses. This book teaches eye exercises that can be performed to improve vision, where the causes of trouble are not degenerative questions. Sometimes, eye problems are simply the outcome of nutritional deficiencies. Some oldies lack Vitamin A. Some people take the oil-soluble Vitamin A, but their bodies cannot easily convert it to the usable form. Some convert well but do not have enough Zinc in their bodies. Without enough Zinc in the eye, Vitamin A is not well utilised by the eye. Being someone who does not easily convert beta carotene to Vitamin A, I get round this by adding Zinc to my water-soluble (solubilized) Vitamin A. The eyes need about 18 antioxidants which include Bilberry (to protect the retina), Zinc, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamin B-complex, Selenium, Lutein, Zeazanthin, Astazanthin et.c. Some of them are combined in proprietary supplements such as Eye Max, Eye Max plus, Maxi Vision, Eye Promise, Optic Nerve Formula, Vision Saver, Bell’s 20/20 Vision (Vision Day and Night), Forever Vision et.c. It is important to check labels for dosages and array of ingredients to reduce eye tension, good daily dosages of Vitamin C are advised along the ophthalmologist’s prescriptions which may include Bitter Kola eye drops developed by ophthalmologist Professor Bukunola Adefule-Oshitelu. There is a huge role Cellgevity can play in vision health. I am not surprise, therefore by stories that it helped some cases of Cataract. The antioxidants in Cellgevity are well indicated for the eyes. I was diagnosed with glaucoma about 22years ago and, since then, I have not failed on regular bases to take many, if not all, of the ingredients which makeup cellgevity. For people who ask about cataracts, CATARACT CLEAR and VISION SAVER from Nature’s Gift for Life may be worth a try.

    The mouth

    Far too many questions than can be addressed here are sometimes involved in Senior Citizen health. The mouth may be smelling. The gums may be swollen and bleeding. The teeth may be loose in their sockets and falling off. Oral antibiotics help. These include Bitter Leaf juice, Basil juice, Pawpaw Leaf juice, Garlic, Onion, Clove oil, Oregano oil spray, Apple Cider Vinegar mouth wash, Cinnamon, Banana peel and Orange peel mouth cleaning. Activated Charcoal cleaning and Grape Seed Extract mouth rinses.

    The throat

    Swallowing difficulties should be promptly investigated. A growth or a lump may be developing which may result in a cancer if care is not taken. Phlegm buildup should not be treated lightly. Ditto tickling sensations and even unproductive cough. If coughing persists despite the use of medicines, the doctor should be consulted. Such coughs may be warning signals that the heart is enlarging or has enlarged. In this case, it pumps blood to the lungs for oxygenation but is unable to pump it out. Meanwhile, irritated, the lungs try to get rid of the irritant. This condition is known as Congestive Heart Failure. (For more information about this and other heart problems which yield to home remedies, you may wish to visit www.olufemikusa.com for the posts titled…How Healthy are your heart and blood vessels?). Sometimes, a throat problem may affect the wind pipes, resulting in upper respiratory infections. Sometimes while it may be worse, as in bronchiestasis where the wind pipes have lost motion capacity. Golden Seal Root may help clear infections as should Colloidal Silver, Oregano oil and many more. It should be noted, however, that nasal and throat infections which persist for more than 3months and tend to defile antibacterial medication may not be caused by bacteria but by fungi. This was the finding in a 2010 study which MAYO CLINIC carried out with thousands of patients.

    The stomach

    This is the domain of peptic ulcer, esophageal reflux, hiatal hernia, indigestion and, sometimes, the origin of bad breadth. If foods are miscombined, this may lead to indigestion. A miscombination may involve eating fruits over solid meal as is the culture of three-course meal. Fruits take about 30 minutes to digest, complex carbohydrates about two hours and proteins, such as beans and meat, much longer. Therefore, fruits, already digested, may decompose into acids while awaiting the digestion of more complex foods. This may cause acidosis, heartburn and such irritation to the stomach as may end up in peptic ulcer. Decomposition and fermentation of foods trapped in the stomach may cause gas buildup, some of which is evacuated through the mouth by way of burping and belching. The smell may be foul. In this type of stomach germs may buildup such as Helicobacter pylori, which is believed to cause peptic ulcer and found at the sites of ulcers. If this germ travel up the throat, they can cause infections and damage their. The situation may be worsened by the fact that many Seniors leave Sedentary lives. Digestive enzymes help Seniors a lot because, in any case, their bodies may not be producing enough of them and, despite this, they may be eating voluminously. I find that the proprietary product ACIDIC STOMACH AND ALKALINE BALANCE help this condition. Ditto Apple Cider Vinegar and Slippery elm.

    • To be continued.

  • Kogi’s confluence of challenges

    When Kogi State was carved out of Kwara and Benue States precisely on August 27, 1991 there were shouts of joy and great expectations. This is because it brought about the reunion of people who had shared historical roots and co-existed peacefully with the former Kabba province in the defunct Northern Region for more than 80 years. The state which is structured into 21 LGA’s comprises of three major ethnic groups i.e. Igala, Ebira and Okun (Yoruba) other minor groups include – Bassa Komo, Bassa Nge, Kakanda, Kupa, Ogori-Magongo, Nupe, Oworo, Gwari etc.

    Successive Military administrations of Colonels Danladi Zakari 1991-1992, Paul Omeruo 1993-1996, Bzigu Afakirya 1996 -1998, and Augustine Aniebo 1998-1999) in the early life of the confluence state tried to raise the hopes and aspirations of the people by initiating various developmental initiatives which on the long run had minimal impact on the socio-economic condition of the people. Successive civilian governments on the other hand, Abubakar Audu 1991-2003, Ibrahim Idris 2003-2011, Idris Wada 2012-2016, and presently Yahaya Bello 2016 to date also made attempts at turning around the fortunes of the state by initiating numerous developmental projects notably amongst which were those established by the first civilian governor late Abubakar Audu whose developmental initiatives had so far been unparalleled in the history of Kogi State.

    Kogi State is known to be a predominantly a civil service state with a greater majority of others engaging in farming and fishing activities. The only noticeable federal government presence in the form of Ajaokuta Steel Complex had remained in a state of comatose even after many years of its birth. The multi-billion dollars steel complex, the largest of its kind in Nigeria and Africa was established in 1971 on a 24,000 hectare land. This mighty industry has unfortunately been left moribund for a long period of time, but recently over the years, concerted efforts has been made by the Nigerian government to ensure its full capacity functioning. This industry is viewed as potential bedrock for the industrialization of Nigeria and beyond.

    The project was stalled, as government officials, during the military era, got bogged down with the international politics between the Western bloc and the then Soviet Union on the viability and desirability of owning an integrated steel plant by a third world country.  Coupled with this was debt-buying back syndrome under Sani Abacha regime.

    Over the years, the democratic culture in Kogi state had hung on shoestrings while the dividends of democracy have been so far out of the reach of the common man. The drunken state of politics was presumed to have been triggered by the years of misrule by the successive Peoples Democratic Party’s governments. This has been however rebuffed by stalwarts of the PDP at different occasions and fora.

    The inconclusive 2015 Governorship elections came about as a result of the sudden and mysterious death of Abubakar Audu the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was at the verge of winning the election; this development threw the state into a total political eclipse and uncertainty. The position of the APC executive at the federal level to abandon the running mate of Abubakar Audu in the person of Hon. James Faleke for the incumbent governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello led to serious political logjam and litigation that was eventually put to rest by the verdict of the Supreme Court which ruled in favour of Yahaya Bello. The political impasse however resulted in a clear fractionalization in the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State.

    The bitter feud between Governor Yahaya Bello and the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District Senator Dino Melaye is another challenge that ate deep into the fabric of good governance in Kogi state over time. This bitter power tussle culminated in the attempt by members of Senator Melaye constituency to initiate a recall process against him, a move which has become a test case for the recall process as entrenched in the constitution.

    Though Governor Bello had distanced himself from this recall attempt, Senator Melaye insists that the signatories to the recall attempt had the backing of the governor. Senator Melaye also alleged that the signatures on the recall list were either faked or belong to people outside his constituency (ghost signatories).

    Other major challenges that had affected good governance and people friendly initiatives in the state include; the impasse over unpaid salaries and allowances of lecturers of state-owned tertiary institutions. This situation led to the closure of the tertiary institutions for over six months. The effect of this closure to the education sector cannot be overemphasized, as both students and their parents were left in the dark over what the future holds for them. As if this was not enough, workers in the employ of the government have been in a running battle with the government over a backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, an allegation which the state government has consistently denied. The organized labour had also continually called out its members to embark on strike actions to press home their demands.

    Democracy and its development in most societies or economies are faced with varying challenges. Such challenges affect the benefits of democratic dividends by the people negatively. An attempt is made here to identify the confluence of challenges that have affected sustainable growth and development of Kogi State over the years. Some of the identified challenges include (but not limited) to the following, godfatherism, poverty amongst citizens, corruption, wastefulness, over bloated cost of governance, tribalism etc.

    These challenges are however surmountable if genuine attempts are made to address them proactively with the aim of bringing succor and renewed hopes to the expectant citizens who have yearned and aspired for progressive change and turn around in their socio-economic situations. To make this a reality, the government at the helms of affairs in Kogi state should adopt the following measures in order to bring smile to the faces of the people.

    The issue of corruption needs to be addressed thoroughly. A culture of accountability should be inculcated in the public service, starting with the removal of immunity of incumbent office holders, to make it clear that no one is above the law.

    It may be very necessary to hold an all-embracing stakeholders meeting to holistically address the various challenges militating against the entrenchment of democratic culture in Kogi state.

    The state government should address the issue of unemployment, poverty and human capital development proactively.

    A conducive environment should be created in order to encourage private business investments.

    It will be worthy of note to say that “Kogites” owe it a sense of duty to put their acts together no matter the side of the divide they may fall into. The things that unite the people are much more than those that divide them. We should begin to engage in far reaching consultations, political re-alignments, ideological re-births, social re-engineering, robust engagements and progressive initiatives. The government should also take proactive measures to address the agitations in the different senatorial districts and local government areas in the state. Good governance is not rocket science, dividends of democracy should not be one sided especially if the aim of government is to build an egalitarian society. Things can get only better for the good people of Kogi state, and this should be the collective responsibility of all Kogites. Let us all sheath the sword of political, ethnic and religious acrimony, and put on the robe of brotherhood, love, progressiveness and commitment to the task of rebuilding Kogi state and taking her to enviable heights. Mere good governance is not enough; it has to be pro-people and pro-active.

    I sign off with a quote from Narenda Modi; “Good governance is putting people at the center of development process”.

     

    • Matswamgbe is a legislative aide with the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa- Ikeja, Lagos.
  • Obaseki: Tackling challenges of governance in Edo

    Obaseki: Tackling challenges of governance in Edo

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki is one year old in office. Correspondent OSAGIE OTABOR examines the achievements, constraints and prospects of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration in the Southsouth state.

    Governor Obaseki came to power November last year with lots of promises. It was a smooth transition from one All Progressives Congress (APC)  administration to another.  As the preferred choice of his predecessor,  former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Obaseki enjoyed enormous support from the immediate  past administration.  The campaign slogan for the APC and Obaseki was :’vote for continuity’.

    Obaseki promised that his adminisration would no fewer than 200,000 jobs during his inauguration. He said a model will be put in place to reposition agriculture from being subsistent farming to commercial agriculture.

    He said agriculture is a money spinning vocation, noting that cash crops and domestic farm produce like oil palm, cassava, cocoa, grains, rubber, fruits and vegetables would be accorded importance.  Other sectors through which Obaseki hoped to create the targeted jobs include entrepreneurship schemes. He promised to attract investments for the development of industries, as well as  technical and vocational skills.

    Obaseki promised good governance through infrastructure, investments, enforcement of law and order. He assured the people of increased production capacity, socio-cultural development, provision of medium and small scale enterprises.

    Governor Obaseki’s action in the past one year has demonstrated that he knew where he wants the state to be in the next 10 years. He was among the team that drew the Edo Project plan for Oshiomhole’s administration even before the tribunal delivered judgment that kicked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of power.

    He said: “Eight years ago, we began our critical engagement with The Edo Project. It was clear where we wanted to be in the index of functional states in Nigeria. In spite of the myriads of challenges, we succeeded in building a strong foundation for the take-off of the state. Now is the time to build on that foundation. In three years time, we want Edo to be the most prosperous economy in the Southsouth. In seven to 10 years, we will be the number one economy in Nigeria. In 15 to 20 years, we want to be the number one investment destination in Africa.”

    Obaseki has identified institutional reforms, economic development, environmental sustainability, social welfare, arts culture and tourism as the six priority areas his administration would focus on, to channel development and economic initiatives.

    Within the first six months of his administration, several strategic dialogue workshops were held  on the six priority areas and workable plans were drawn  on how to achieve the plans. To show his seriousness about implementing the reports from the workshops, Obaseki gave a copy of the strategic dialogue to his commissioners for their perusal. The purpose was for it  to serve as policy guide for the commissioners on the steps and vision of Governor Obaseki.

    His popularity is hinged on the method he adopted in projects execution, response to issues and dealing with powerful individuals in the state, including his supporters and members of the APC.

    The governor had been described as a man of few words; Obaseki and   his  aides do not flaunt his achievements.

    To prune down the cost of governance, Obaseki reduced state ministries from 24 to 18 and  have about 460 political appointees. Many said his actions are not befitting the status of a governor, as he goes about with a convoy of three cars without sirens. Beside, he still uses the vehicles left by his predecessor. He has put in place methods to reduce waste and reckless spending.

    In the past one year, the Obaseki administration has embarked on building infrastructure. As part of institutional reforms, the physical environment has been uplifted. The new court building is expected to have 12 court rooms equipped with modern equipment that would record all court proceedings without judges taking down notes. The Block C secretariat building that was abandoned 42 years ago is being rebuilt, while renovation work is ongoing at the Civil Service Commission complex.

    A 75-seater fully computerised hall for training of civil servants is being built. The purpose for building the training hall, according to Obaseki was because “We cannot talk about development, if we do not have people who understand what to do to drive the development.”

    Obaseki said he constructed over 250 kilometres of roads and awarded another 100 kilometres. Many internal roads that were impassable for many years are being constructed.

    On ensuring law and order in the state, Obaseki signed into law the bill banning activities of Community Development Association (CDA) and subsequently inaugurated the Private Property  Protection (PPP) Committee headed by Mr. Solomon Arase. This had brought peace to many communities and land developers.

    Street trading and hawking in unauthorised places have been banned and those caught are made to pay fine or sent to prison custody after being tried at a mobile court. Heavy vehicular traffic that were usually experienced on major roads due to street trading have disappeared. Commercial drivers now park at designated places to avoid being arrested and prosecuted.

    Reforms have been carried out in the area of local government administration. The 18 local governments in the state that could hardly generate N10m as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) made N115m in the month of October. This was because Obaseki banned the use of private tax collectors in collecting revenue. Staff of local government  now  collect revenue through electronic ticketing.

    Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Jimoh Ijegbai, said the administration was working on a clear direction, on the goals for local governments in the state. Ijegbai stated that the goal is to ensure that local governments in the state do not depend on Federal Government allocations to pay salaries as well as have the ability to execute projects. He said monthly pension payment for local government retirees has been increased to N244m.

    In the health sector, the five star Benin Central hospital that was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari last year is yet to admit any patient. Obaseki said he is searching for private firm that will run the hospital because the state lacks the ability to run the place.

    Obaseki’s focus is, however, on primary health care and domesticating the National Health Insurance Scheme. He has set-up a committee to look at ways at remodelling all the primary health centres and make them functional.

    On assumption of duty,  he made it clear that he would separate governance from politics. He noted that government house was not a bank or a place to settle party issues. Political appointees were nominated from the wards to the local government level. As a way of boosting finances of the party, Obaseki made it mandatory for political appointees to pay certain percentages from their salaries to the party coffers. He ensured party discipline through the removal of some party executives in Oredo and other parts of the state, including the APC  Youth Leader,  Osakpamwan Eriyo.

    Speaking at a forum organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel in July, Obaseki said his administration has created 29,000 jobs and that his target is to create 50,000 jobs by the time he would be marking his one year in office. The Auchi Fertilizer Plant has been revived through a partnership with the Federal Government Initiative on Fertiliser.

    His critics described him as “Governor I will partner with you or I plan to do” said he talks as if he were still campaigning. They cited his recent thank you tours to local government areas in the state where they said all his statements were still promises without pointing to what has been done or being done in each locality.

    The critics condemned that the lack of concern for some projects like the Storm Water Project, Igbinaduwa road, Erediauwa road off Sapele road started by Oshiomhole but, yet to be continued by Obaseki.

    A tricylist operator who gave his name as Efe said some inner roads constructed under Obaseki were not up to the standard set by Oshiomhole. He said: “You see Oshiomhole putting walkway, solid gutter and street lights. Oshiomhole even demolished buildings or fences. But what we are seeing now are just tiny roads and small gutters under Obaseki.”

    A commercial bus driver, Lucky said his colleagues have been sent to prison or made to pay heavy fines for either flouting traffic rules or for irregular parking.

    To members of the APC, Obaseki’s insensitivity to the issue of ‘stomach infrastructure’ is a cause for concern. Chairman of the APC in Oredo Local Government, Godwin Alabi, who spoke on behalf of other members said provision of ‘stomach infrastructure’ for party members was part of Obaseki’s campaign promises.

    Alabi said: “I want to thank the governor for all that he has been doing. But, one thing I will not forget to talk about is stomach infrastructure for members.

    “This is part of your electioneering promises to the members of the party. I know with your able lieutenants and advisers that will be a thing of the past. Sir, I only tell you as a reminder.”

    A chieftain of the APC, Charles Idahosa, said party leaders are happy with Obaseki, but that they also “want sanity in stomach as there is sanity everywhere.”

    PDP Publicity Secretary,  Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said Obaseki has not lived up to his campaign promises. He said: “All what we are seeing are self glorification. His talks are still on promises and in campaign mood. He is still making promises. There is nothing concrete to what the governor is saying.

    “Security situation in the state has worsened under him, because he refused to disburse security votes. Pensioners have not been paid and they are still made to suffer. There is no project to commission after one year and his administration is nothing to write home about. This government is a disaster in its first year.”

    Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mr. Odion Olaye, said it was commendable for Obaseki to ask for loan to buy more buses for the Edo City Transport Services fleet. Olaye said the inner roads within and outside Benin City that have been constructed have eased transport flow. He said the union was happy and ready with Obaseki intervention in the transport sector.

    Chairman of Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Daniel Oghogho Eboigbe, said the body has not benefitted anything from the state government under Obaseki. He called on the governor to establish a body to buy agricultural products that are surplus, noting it would reduce waste.

    He said: “It is not impossible to have a egg powder factory in this state instead of allowing eggs to rotten away.”

  • Phantom 8: Tecno’s new flagship challenges competitors

    Phantom 8: Tecno’s new flagship challenges competitors

    The fast-rising global manufacturer of smartphone, Tecno Mobile, has unveiled a new brand, Tecno Phantom 8. At the unveiling at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, were ace actor Odunlade Adekola and popular tech You-tuber Eric Okafor, OLUFEMI BABALOGBON reports. 

    The device has 20 megapixels front and back cameras with 12 megapixel and 13 megapixels configurations. While reviewing  the phone with this writer, Eric Okafor, who is the founder of howtotechnaija.com, said “the refocus camera feature on Phantom 8 is a conversation starter. “My friends on social media suddenly aren’t shy to ask if I used a phone or an actual camera to take amazing portrait shots. Everyone wants to look good and that’s what Phantom 8 offers,”he said.

    Ace Nollywood actor Odunlade Adekola explained the optical power of the product from the perspective of a film producer. “The technology behind it is so wonderful. From the camera point of view, the refocusing part of the camera is beyond imagination and the battery is very strong,” he said.

    The dual-lens back camera enables the phone to achieve depth of field as identified by Adekola.  The main camera is a 12 megapixel SONY IMX386 sensor with f/1.8 lens and improved low light photography. Other features, which complement the power of the camera, include a TRI LED flash, 10X Zoom, Autofocus, portrait mode (refocus), Auto HDR, Night mode, Superpixel and smart filters.

    The portrait mode is found in the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. In the iPhone 8 Plus, the Portrait Mode is embedded with Portrait Lighting, which uses the camera sensors to light the subject’s face in real time. Both Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 8 have the dual camera feature.

    Techno Phantom 8 does not only match Samsung’s and Apple’s flagships in terms of camera technology, it also boasts of 6GB RAM, and 64GB storage. These are same specifications with Samsung Galaxy Note 8. However, Apple  offers 64GB as standard storage, with up to 256GB scalable storage without the need for MicroSD. That is currently unbeatable.

    Tecno Phantom 8 promises to offer the best experience in photography and design. The product couples form and functionality; presented in a slimmer and lighter metal rounded-edges frame. As a luxury product, it has a 3D diamond design at the back. The device has an appealing aesthetics and architecture. This is an attempt to measure up to Samsung Galaxy Note 8’s exceptional and futuristic packaging.

    Obviously the consumers were  expecting Phantom 7, but the company said it tasked its’ engineers to double up and produce Phantom 8. Reviewers said it is a bid to keep pace with  Samsung’s and Apple’s previously launched Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 8, respectively.

    Tecno Phantom 8 is targeted at upper-middle class. It comes in Champagne old, Galaxy Blue and Phantom Black. Tecno mobile is known for spotting global trends and producing local-driven solutions. The brand, with competitive presence in India, the Middlle East and Africa, has kept its market share on a positive gradient.

    Although an Africa and Middle-East brand, Tecno’s strategy of “think globally, but act locally”, positions it in the same niche with Apple and Samsung. Techno Mobile engages idea thinking and native intelligence in a bid to beat competition in its territories.

  • Midterm: challenges, opportunities

    It’s mid-term, with its burst and buzz of politics; and its cacophony of desires.

    The 2019 round of elections loom.  So do the 2018 dress rehearsals: the Ekiti and Osun gubernatorial polls.

    Former Vice President Abubakar Atiku has already fired, the president’s way, a jeremiad of alleged use-and-dump.

    So has Atiku protégée, Women Affairs Minister, Aisha Alhassan, got seared, bragging to the wrong folks, who promptly leaked that costly brag!

    Politics is, indeed, revving up!

    So, in the excitability of the moment, some insist on focus, full-trot, on 2019.  Hardly surprising, in a milieu of near-zero institutional memory, with political hustlers eternally looking for the next electoral scam.

    To such a lobby, there can’t be a future in the past, to parody country artiste, Vince Gill, in his album, I still believe in you.

    That you could see, as the vulnerable opposition tries to blot out the past, as prelude to avoidable future mistakes.  Aim?  To sucker the voter yet again, and assure needless future lamentations!

    But countering this view is another lobby that insists on the political rear-view, as a clear window into institutional memory — doing a rigorous analysis to situate the past, understand the present and generate ideas to shape the future.

    This would appear the spirit shaping a one-day conference in Osogbo, the Osun capital, fixed for Friday, September 15, looking at the political epoch of 2015: the electoral win that consummated the political entente between the Nigerian Northwest and Southwest.

    That alliance also led to the electoral sack of a sitting president and defeat of a federal ruling political party — the first time both would happen, in Nigeria’s chequered political history.

    Since independence, and post-Civil War era, the North had always shared power with both the South East and South-South political mainstreams.

    Indeed by 1979, scant nine years after the traumatic Civil War (1967-1970), Dr. Alex Ekwueme, had become Vice President under President Shehu Shagari. Joseph Wayas was also installed as President of the Senate.  That, like all others post-independence, followed the Northwest-Southeast-Southsouth power paradigm.

    Even in 1999, when President Olusegun Obasanjo emerged, it was an Army Arrangement (AA) — apologies to Fela — in spite of the Southwest political mainstream.  ”You want a Yoruba to right the Abiola annulment wrong?”, seemed to growl  the ‘owners of Nigeria’, real or apocryphal, “you’d have one: Olusegun Obasanjo.” Hobson’s choice!

    Since that epochal change, however, a lot has happened — biting economic blues, a natural follow-up to the past gravy of a few, gobbling up the future of the majority.

    Then, numerous crises, real and contrived, starting with the Niger Delta Avengers’ bombing campaigns, the IPOB secessionist agenda, and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) anti-”Islamization” crusade, which really appears nothing but vacuous cant by political losers, kicking back on the combustible religious front.

    Throw in the rather lethargic pace of the Buhari Presidency, the late formation of the federal cabinet, the Bukola Saraki-led Senate converting itself into internal but vicious political opposition, and a rather long bout of presidential illness, and you can imagine the high level of distraction the government has faced.

    Yet, how has it been, shorn of the acute frustrations of the magical lobby, stung that there is no Sesame Street in a polity, facing near-ruin, from decades of sleaze and collapse of state institutions?

    The Osogbo Conference, to be chaired by Chief Adebisi Akande, with its triad of star speakers, would hopefully offer a more rigorous view.

    Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, public affairs intellectual, long-term professor of chemical engineering at Howard University, USA before becoming pioneer Vice Chancellor, at Federal University Otuoke, FUO (2011-2015), tackles the first sub-theme: “The Southwest in National Governance: An Appraisal of the First Two Years”.

    The Southwest is clearly Nigeria’s bastion of social democracy (progressive politics, in local parlance), since the epochal free primary education policy of the Obafemi Awolowo era.  It would appear meet, therefore, that a signature Southwest programme, the schools feeding system, now running as pilot in 14 states after a federal adoption, emanated from Osun, despite its lean purse, and the vicious economic times.

    Dr. Charles Akinola, who as director-general,  Osun Office of Economic Development and Partnerships, runs the Osun social safety net policy, complete with the school’s feeding programme, will take the second sub-theme: “From Osun to Abuja: Investing in Social Infrastructure in a Recession”.

    The third sub-theme is about generating fresh ideas to fix the Nigerian political party system, atrophied since 1991, when Gen. Ibrahim Babangida started his old breed-new breed political experiment. That cut off the organic link between political parties and their members, and pushed the party as near-exclusive fiefdom of a few rich members.

    Since it’s a period of restructuring, can Nigerian political parties be rebuilt along federal principles?  Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi (Ekiti North senator 2011-2015), acute development economist and politician would speak on this theme: “Federalizing Political Parties to Conform with Local Needs.”

     

    Much ado about Ibadan Yoruba summit

    Across the other geo-political zones, there has been quite a response to the Ibadan political summit of September 9.  

    Though there are 2015 electoral losers in the region trying to claw back at relevance aka “restructuring”, and using that braggadocio as 2019 blackmail tool, federalism had been a Yoruba agenda since the Kiriji War (1877-1893).  

    The Kiriji Treaty, which the British midwifed to cement peace in the Yoruba country, was squarely built on guaranteed federalism, among  the Yoruba sub-ethnic groups, as opposed to Ibadan hegemony, that sparked the Kiriji War.  So, Yoruba federalism issued from protest against intra-Yoruba domination.

    Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in his Path to Nigerian Freedom (1949), with his rigorous federalist thinking, only codified the Yoruba distaste for domination, internal or external, but located such distaste in the emerging Nigerian federation.

    That the Southwest was in opposition for so long was because the Awo political mainstream stubbornly stuck to the federalist ethos, while the other regions cut power deals — until the current nationwide “restructuring” epiphany!

    So, let no one impute any extra meaning to the Ibadan conference.  Federalism has always been the pristine Yoruba agenda.

    But perhaps that calls to one of the themes of the Osogbo conference of September 15 — rebuilding Nigerian political parties on the federal principle, fired by local geo-political charter of demands?

  • ‘Osun providing templates for solutions to Nigeria’s challenges’

    The Special Adviser to Osun State Governor on Information and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, has said the Rauf Aregbesola administration had provided the templates that could be adopted for national development in many areas.

    Okanlawon spoke at the weekend in Osogbo, the state capital, at the installation of the first female Rotary President of Osogbo GRA, Olori Bola Akinyemi.

    The governor’s aide, who was among the awardees, dedicated his Achievers’ Merit Award to the people of Osun State.

    He said the residents deserved endless commendations and recognitions for providing the Aregbesola administration the atmosphere to use the state for development experiments, which had earned the state local and international commendations.

    Okanlawon said it was significant that Rotary Club, a global organisation that focuses on service to humanity, selected officials of the Aregbesola administration for recognition.

    The governor’s aide noted that the awards were meant for the people who had been supportive of the administration in its numerous development strategies.

    He said: “I am happy today for this recognition. However, I am happier that Osun is getting all the recognitions from all over the world due to the ingenious development ideas of Governor Aregbesola.

    “I am happy that the World Bank representative, who presented me this award on behalf of Rotary International, in the course of her presentation, made reference to the World Bank-backed YESSO programme, which was launched in 2014 in Abuja for the country.”

  • Why Buhari hasn’t solved Nigeria’s challenges, by cleric

    he General Overseer of Hour of Mercy Prayer Ministry Worldwide (Ori Oke Alaseyori) in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, Prophet Muyideen Kasali, has said increasing crimes and sins among Nigerians made it difficult for President Muhammadu Buhari to solve the nation’s problems.

    The cleric said he had also got a revelation from God that President Buhari might have completed his assignment as Nigeria’s leader in January, tactically referring to the sickness that has been keeping the Nigerian leader in foreign hospital since last year.

    The fiery, blind prophet spoke while getting the Ogo Agbojesu award of the Oke-Agelu Mountain Church at Iseyin in Oyo State.

    He said Nigeria must return to God to get out of its sundry challenges.

    Kasali said: “Though the President means well for the country, but sins are responsible for the various challenges confronting the nation. Even in sickness, President Buhari can still solve our problems. But the burdens of crimes and sins are making it difficult for him to achieve much.”

    On the President’s assignment, the cleric said: “God has revealed to me that the President may have completed his assignment as Nigeria’s leader in January (2017). Let us just return to God. If we do so and know who God really is, He would solve the challenges surrounding the President’s health.

    “President Buhari means well for Nigeria, but the devil has got hold of the country through many sins we commit. It is only in Nigerians that you would hear that somebody buried money like the dead.”

     

  • Lagos: Excellence in the face of challenges

    Lagos is a great state. It is great not because there are no challenges on the path to its dream. The lagoon and the skyscrapers that shade the setting sun to tint the skyline with gold lining at dusk are magnificent, but that is not what makes Lagos beautiful. What makes Lagos a Centre of Excellence is the peaceful coexistence of over 20 million excellent people of diverse culture, race, nationality, religion and social status who know that though they have to compete to achieve personal goals, only in unity would they achieve their collective dream of building one of the greatest cities of the world. Any other yard-stick devised to assess Lagos would therefore yield a result unacceptable to Lagosians.

    In these past five decades of its existence, Lagos has gone through different challenges peculiar to all cosmopolitan cities but it has always come out stronger and more determined to become one of the best cities anyone would desired to live in. Every city in the world including those in first world countries once in a while record ugly incidences, but such incidences do not determine how great they are, rather it is the way the systems respond that describe what they represent. Sophisticated cities in the western world with strict security networks still record terrorist attacks. World economic powers still exhibit to the world a perfect example of paradox by having destitute in street corners of their beautiful cities. Lagos has not arrived at its destination but it is certainly on the path of its destiny. A city of an intense dynamic mix of humanity in a race for success and opportunities would definitely have its downsides. It is therefore unfair for any sincere assessor to neglect the strength of Lagos and its huge successes to focus on its negligible weakness and challenges.

    To set the records straight, it is important to make it clear that Lagos is not infested by Boko Haram as claimed. To Lagosians in particular and Nigerians in general, this submission is laughable. It only shows that the source was embarrassingly ignorant of happenings in Nigeria, and not in touch with the true situation in Lagos. The report was not worth more than the paper on which it was printed. In this information age, where a dropped pin in Lagos makes sound in Los Angeles, it is an embarrassment to the intelligence of readers for anyone to publish a lie.  Lagos State is not treating criminality with kid gloves and Governor Akinwumi Ambode has always assured Lagosians of his readiness to sacrifice his sleep for their safety. Few months ago, when kidnapping was imported to the state, at the height of its escalation in some parts of Nigeria, particularly in the North-east and Niger Delta states with which it shares a coastline, the Lagos State government swung into action and arrested the situation. In the few recorded cases in Lagos, all victims were successfully rescued, most of the kidnappers were arrested and lots of kidnapping attempts were nipped in the bud before they could be carried out.

    Lagos State also shares the belief that human minds are the fundamental resources of any nation that wants to be great. Lagosians are enlightened, exposed and highly educated people who place premium on education and can sacrifice even their comfort to see their children through school. To fuel this drive, the state government has invested heavily in education through its free primary and secondary education scheme among others. However, we cannot deny the fact that there are several young people who migrate to Lagos from other states and neigbouring African countries in search of greener pastures. We are aware that most of them barely finished secondary school. We know it well that they could mount pressure on the system, but Lagos chose to show them care and make them believe that despite their limitations, their own Lagos success story is possible too. The report that Lagos has high drop-out of school pupils merely by advancing national average to represent Lagos is not only wrong but also a discouragement to our caring heart and accommodating spirit.

    Lagos has primary healthcare centres in every ward of the state and a General Hospital in all the Local Government Areas of the state. Health care is affordable, accessible and of high standard. Infant and maternal mortality has gone down drastically. Free medical care is available to the elderly and the very young. Health care delivery is improving, contrary to the report hinged on assumption and hasty generalization. Lagos as all its residents can confirm has witnessed huge infrastructural transformation.

    New inner roads are simultaneously being constructed, and many of the old ones have been rehabilitated in all the 20 local governments and 37 local development areas, to the delight of the residents who now have easy and better access to their homes and whose properties have appreciated in value. Through the construction of major road networks in most parts of the state, many communities have been linked and opened up for accelerated economic development. Lagos-Badagry express-way is witnessing a transformation that has never been seen in Sub-Sahara Africa.

    Lagos is the hub of African entertainment. The enabling environment and support for art and creativity qualify it to host Nollywood, one of the big three names in film and entertainment industry of the world. Greater percentage of new businesses and multinational organizations siting their operational base in Lagos attests to the fact that the state is fast emerging as one of the world’s biggest commercial centres.  Lagos is a state that rewards hard work, creativity and excellence; the reason why young Nigerian graduates are trooping to its shores, everyone knowing that his own Lagos Success story is also possible.

    Every system, no matter how efficient has critics and Lagos could not have been an exception. But irrespective of how and why critics arrive at their findings, Lagos city is striving and the future can only be better. Whether they could not access facts and correct information or they choose to ignore them to hurriedly arrive at their predetermined judgement, Lagos is rapidly growing and Lagosians have no reason to believe otherwise.  Although, the findings of critics are not the true representation of Lagos, their faults are pardonable. It could be a honest mistake born out of incompetence or lack of resources to analyze large data and process the pool of information required in research of such magnitude.  But if the study was to intentionally distort facts possibly for dubious motives, it calls for absolute condemnation from all well-meaning Lagosians.

    Expressing opinion in public domain is not the preserve of privileged individuals and prestigious institutions, not that of journalists or communication specialists of varied discipline alone.  It is the right of everyone.  We are all protected by our fundamental right to express views in public arena unfettered. But what distinguishes professional opinion molders are the expertise they can dispense through their knowledge and skills. Therefore, if they must truly provide moral leadership, Professionals are duty bound to constantly enhance their knowledge, sharpen inquisitive skill and jealously guide the trust people repose in them, operating with all sense of responsibility.

    The various achievements of the Akinwumi Ambode-led Lagos State government are a clear testimony that Lagos is flourishing and no opinion can constitute a destructive cog in the wheel of our progress.

     

    • Dr. Abdul-Lateef is commissioner for Home Affairs, Lagos State.

     

  • Challenges before Lagos council chairmen, by Ambode

    Challenges before Lagos council chairmen, by Ambode

    At the swearing in of 57 elected local council chairmen in Lagos State, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode charged them to replicate the achievements of his administration at the grassroots. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU highlights the challenges that will confront the new helmsmen. 

    Much is expected of the newly elected chairmen of local governments in Lagos State. The 57 chairmen belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). They fought vigorously for the tickets and during the council elections. They campaigned in their various councils and wards. They promised to complement the efforts of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the grassroots. In fact, many Lagosians voted for them, based on the performance of the governor in the last two years.

    Lagosians expect them to fulfil their campaign promises and live up to expectation. The belief is that, if more dividends of democracy are delivered by the local governments and local council development areas as the closest ‘tier’ of government to the the people, Lagos will be better for it. Describing the election as historic, Ambode, who voted in Epe, his home town, said it affirmed the importance of grassroots governance. Apparently reacting to the apathy that marred the exercise in some parts of the state, the governor said the refusal to vote was a disservice to democracy. “If you don’t participate, if wrong people are elected, they will bring bad result,” he added.

    Across the pre-existing 20 local governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), the exercise was generally peaceful. Contrary to the anxiety expressed by stakeholders ahead of the polls, there was no strife and rancour on a large scale.There was no thuggery and violence. Although there was a skirmish in a ward in Ojuwoye Council, Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni said police were able to restore order. There was no public molestation by security agents. There was no fear of insecurity on poll day. Security agents were at alert.The electorate were orderly in most of the polling booths. The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) headed by Justice Ayotunde Philips, was alive to its patriotic duty. Except in Agege and some parts of Osodi/Isolo local governments, polling officers and materials were available. Accreditation and voting were smooth. There was no dispute at the collation centres. The exercise was largely credible.

    However, the low turn-out in many polling stations was worrisome. Stakeholders who reflected on the apathy attributed the seeming apathy to three reasons. The voters’ unhappiness about the economic recession may have resulted into waning enthusiasm. Also, the heavy downpour discouraged many voters from performing their civic responsibilities. Southwest APC Women Leader Chief Kemi Nelson noted that many voters stayed in-door because of the rain. But, he said “despite the rain, which has affected the turnout in some areas, APC will win the polls.”

    Ahead of the exercise, the two major parties-the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-were engulfed with crises. While the leadership tussle in the PDP affected its preparations, especially mobilization for the polls, the APC was assailed by post-primary crisis. The APC National Legal Adviser, Dr. Muiz Banire, had criticised the selection process, saying that candidates were being imposed on the party. A court case instituted by an aspirant of the party at Ojuwoye Council led to a fresh primary. A party chieftain in the area said the apathy may be due to lack of unity in the fold. He added: “Some chieftains are still aggrieved. Some aspirants are not happy. So, mobilization was not like before. Our party should reconcile after the elections.”

    The acrimony in the two parties threw up the Accord Party and the Labour Party (LP). While aggrieved APC members used Accord Party as a borrowed platform, aggrieved PDP members contested on the platform of the LP. The transient change of political alliance may have become a permanent feature of Lagos politics in this dispensation.  In 2015, House of Representarives member Hon. Dauda Kako Are, who dumped the APC when he failed to get the re-election ticket, won on the platform of the Accord Party.

    There was jubilation at the Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja where the chairmen took their oath of office before Ambode. They were accompanied by relations, friends and political associates. They include 17 chairmen who were re-elected, long standing aspirants who have been on the queue for a long time and party loyalists who triumphed over the primary hurdles.

    The governor charged them to be hardworking and transparent in the management of resources at their disposal. He reminded them that they had assumed the reins at a time of great expectations, adding that they cannot afford to disappoint Lagosians.

    Ambode said: “The conclusion of the electoral process marks the beginning of real governance, which has been activated by your swearing in today. The people have by their votes discharged their responsibility. It is now your turn to discharge your part of the social contract you made with the people of your communities, wards and local councils.

    “You are assuming the mantle of leadership at a time when the people expect so much. As you settle down to the business of governance, you must bear in mind that the participation of the people in governance does not end with elections. The people must be carried along and given the opportunity to have a say in policy making process and implementation.”

    The governor advised the chairmen not to discriminate against anyone, irrespective of political, re;igious and ethnic leaning. He said the elections had come and gone, adding that they should now brace up for the challenge of administration. “The dividends of good governance must be fairly distributed to all people without prejudice to political affiliation =, gender, religious belief or ethnic background. We must cherish and nurture the cosmopolitan nature of our state because it is a key factor in our strength and prosperity,” Ambode added.

    The governor stressed the need for an inclusive grassroots administration where every stakeholder will have a voice.

    The Chairman of Lagos Island Council, Hon. Kamal Bashua, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, promised their loyalty and support for the Ambode administration. He also said they will build on the landmark achievements of the government at the local level.

    Lagosians do not expect a dull moment in council administration. They expect the chairmen to swing into action immediately. In accordance with the governor’s advice, they should wave the olive branch and reconcile with their co-aspirants who failed at the primary.

    For some of the chairmen and councillors, the battle is not yet over. Aggrieved candidates of opposition parties may challenge their victory at the tribunal. Thus, at the initial stage, their attention may be split between work and litigation.

    As the chairmen settle down to business, they will affect, as they are affected, by the forces of socio-political pressure. One of the challenges that will confront them is selecting a good team of supervisors. Instructively, the governor has given a guideline on ‘local cabinet composition.’ There is no room for an over-bloated cabinet. The executive council should comprise of the chairman, vice chairman, secretary to council and four supervisors. There should not be any appointment through the back door. However, while merit should not be compromised, appointments should reflect the push for reconciliation in a bid to prevent post-election politics of exclusion. Also, the beneficiaries of the appointments should see them, not as an opportunity to participate in any festival of looting, but as an opportunity to serve the people.

    The chairmen have a role model in Ambode, who in the last two years, has converted the state into a huge construction site. In the next four years, eyes will be on them and voters will hold them accountable. They should fulfil their campaign promises. If they implement people-oriented programmes in education, health and infrastructural development, they will be complementing the governor’s efforts at the grassroots. Besides, the day of reckoning will come in the future. If they fail to live up to expectation, their hope for re-election may be dashed.

    Creative financial engineering must be a priority for the chairmen. They should also embrace value engineering. This is a creativity method geared towards cost reduction, maximum productivity and efficiency. Apart from reliance on allocations from the federal and state coffers, the local government should also look inward. The chairmen should consider ways of boosting the internally generated revenue without inflicting pain on the people.

    The chairmen should not embark on white elephant projects which does not have bearing on grassroots development. Proper monitoring of the council chairmen by the House of Assembly and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs is desirable. Unscrupulous local party chieftains and opinion leaders fond of extorting money from the chairmen through blackmail, intimidation and threats should be resisted. Chairmen should also be weary of unscrupulous local contractors who are apostles of failed contracts.

    The PDP is waking up from slumber. It should resume its opposition role at the grassroots. The searchlight beamed on the APC council chairmen by the local PDP leaders will serve as democratic check. It is important for grassroots democracy to thrive. If the chairmen are put on their toes by the opposition, they are likely to refrain from impunity and justify the mandate given to them, knowing that they may be seeking re-election in four years time.