The Nation Newspaper

Tag: change

  • Of pain, gain and change

    “The details of the 2016 national budget reflect nothing more than a continuation of the wasteful allocations of the past 16 years”.

    In this period of good tidings, it is generally assumed that the beginning of another year should ignite the feeling of hope across the world. Unfortunately, you rarely see the jollity or good feelings of the season on the face of the average Nigerian. Instead, he bears a melancholic, plastic smile on the face; in spite of everything around him, he wants to feel and seem happy. But repressed concerns and emotions surface into the consciousness now and then. For him, the rude joke of belt-tightening has gone beyond ‘be careful’ as they say in the suburb. Ironically, in this period of joyful bloom elsewhere, all that surrounds him is a pall of gloom. It becomes manifestly clear when he realises that the 2014 celebration, though low-keyed with the crumbs he could muster for the family, was far better than the no-budget reality that gnawed at him last year. The people on our streets are not smiling even when the government has not officially declared any austerity crisis. The pain and anguish of a deflated economy are already biting without anyone knowing when its reality would be officially made public. Yes, it is an era of change with a promise of a brighter tomorrow. What confounds the citizen is the possibility of not seeing that tomorrow if nothing urgent is done now, to save him from becoming a casualty of the present economic strangulation. Crudely put, this country is wobbling on its legs!

    As I write this, I can only imagine the number of families that celebrated Christmas last week in the mood of a horde mourning the death, not the birth, of Jesus Christ. It is not just about those who could excuse the tragedy on a curious ‘presidential order’ that civil servants be paid salaries on the eve of a 5-day long public holidays. It is more about that commoner on the street who forages for faith daily in a society that has lost its humanity due to the raw greed of the privileged few. It is not just about the pain that aggravates the heart of the one who was used to drawing infectious laughter out of the harsh faces of few beneficiaries from his generosity both far and wide.  This year, he just could not do anything while being rendered useless by the asphyxiating economic conundrum in which the country has found itself. It is more about the unmitigated gloom that most families have been thrown into, in a season of imprisoned hope.

    And so, when President Muhammadu Buhari drew applause with his inspirational canticles on the floor of the National Assembly during the presentation of the 2016 Budget, many had thought that the three-volume documents would be spared the perennial repetitive streak that has turned the annual ritual into a waste of precious time by all. But if feelers are anything to go by, then President Buhari would need more than elevated language to convince anyone that The Presidency is not about to shift into higher gear towards exceeding the benumbing profligacy of the immediate past tenants. Yes, Buhari may not have watched idly like Jonathan did when he stamped his presidential imprimatur on the illegal sharing of billions of Naira to apologists, hangers-on and unscrupulous aides by the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki. Maybe he wouldn’t have tolerated the callous rape of the treasury by all manner of characters hanging around the corridors of power in the guise of protecting a weakling whose main interest was returning to office by all means possible. Well, those who participated in the heist are facing the odd music being played by the orchestra of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

    Having said this, some seven months into the life of the Buhari government, we are not exactly sure if anything significantly different has changed in the way Abuja is doing things. It is one thing for Buhari to wax poetic about how deeply sorry he was to see the anguish on Nigerian faces as they forage for faith in a challenging economic terrain. It is definitely another bitter pill to swallow when we woke to the shocking reality that the details of the 2016 national budget reflect nothing more than a continuation of the wasteful allocations of the past 16 years. Simply put, there is something unnerving about a budget that seems to appropriate more money for The Presidency to service the luxurious tastes of a few individuals in an era of recession. Unless Buhari convinces Knuckle-headed me that he never saw the breakdown of what Aso Rock would gulp next year before rushing to the National Assembly to wow us with his “I feel your pain” lyrics, then I align with those who have refused to be overoptimistic about that three-tome disaster called a budget!

    In case none of his aides has been bold enough to tell him, there is a world of difference between saying the right things and doing what ought to be done to instil sanity into a system that is corrosively corrupt. How can a Buhari, an epitome of frugal living, justify the allocation of a whopping N3.6bn for the purchase of posh BMW cars for his office in the 2016 budget? Why must the State House change cutleries in a yearly ritual that gulps millions of Naira of taxpayers’ sweat? We thought that era of sickening madness had gone with the Jonathan mistake. What we did not bargain for is the report that the present change agents, whose Aso Rock residence was refurbished shortly before moving in in May last year, would be needing N387m to renovate a guest house; N47m to furnish the guest house; N27m to buy computers and N764m to provide recreational facilities. If we labelled Jonathan reckless for cornering N944m for his foreign and local junkets in 2015, why shouldn’t we cry daylight murder if Buhari now plans to hug the skies in 2016 with N1.4bn only? And what’s that thing we hear about the appropriation of N189m to purchase tyres for vehicles?

    To be fair to Buhari, he has drastically cut down on the gluttonous allocation for food in the last ten years or more. But The Presidency budget is not just about bread and butter alone. There is little or less to cheer in a budget that projects to spend N29bn, about N5bn more than what Jonathan spent last year, on certain fussy sub-heads. It is not just about the bloated figure but also about the list of spend. Besides the questions hanging over the planned purchase of exotic vehicles to mostly political appointees, it beggars belief and logical reasoning that Mr. Buhari’s palatial residence would be needing N326m for wildlife conservation and the purchase of exotic animals. Pray, wouldn’t Jonathan be laughing his head off especially when we took him to the cleaners for daring to spend common N24.6m on the same subhead last year? Like I wrote in a piece last year, I still cannot fathom any cogent reason why they keep on changing ‘canteen material and kitchen equipment’ every year in Aso Rock. Now, we are being told that N89m would be needed in 2016 to change cutleries; about five million naira more would be added to the N11m spent last year in the Vice President’s office to buy foodstuff and catering services; N12m for recreational materials and N30m to purchase tool boxes, car jacks and diagnostic machines for Buhari’s bulletproof cars! If care is not taken, I may abandon this thankless job and take up appointment as an apprentice motor mechanic in Aso Rock!

    I’m personally pained that the mistakes of the past have crept into this latest experiment at budgeting, thereby exposing the government to ridicule. It is either someone had failed to do his job with the seriousness it required or the government has refused to take the feelings of the common person seriously. You can only attract condemnation when you come out with a budget that ingloriously assumes that it is perfectly cool to spend a whopping N27m on buying C-caution sign triangles, fire extinguishers and cables. Do they think something better couldn’t have been done with N114m instead of wasting it on the upgrade of internet infrastructure in the State House?

    I perfectly understand that the State House needs to be heavily protected especially with the state of general insecurity in the land. Yet, one wouldn’t mind if the drafters of this bogus budget can explain why they need N100m for ‘Active Devices for State House Network’ and another N35m for security appliances, licenses and computer anti-virus software. How much of these gadgets were purchased last year and why should they crop up in the 2016 budget again? Now, what kind of ‘All-eye” surveillance project would be costing the Office of the National Security Adviser to install at N8.7bn with another N9bn going into what this paper tagged an esoterically-named “Stravinsky Project” in this budget of humongous figures?

    We may go on and on about the fundamental errors in the Buhari budget. In fact, some persons may even justify the appropriations. However, what is not in doubt is that The Presidency has failed to lead by example in its campaign of change by failing to cut down on its excesses and needless longing for impudent prodigality. In his budget summation at the National Assembly, Buhari said: “I know the state of our economy is a source of concern for many, worsened by the unbridled corruption and security challenges we have faced in the last few years. Fellow Nigerians, the confidence of many might be shaken. However, I stand before you today promising that we will secure our country, rebuild our economy, and make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger than it has even been”.

    Quite a number of persons would naturally doubt how these lofty ideals can be achieved if this unproductive tradition of profligate spending is yet to be nipped in the bud right under the nose of a President with a knack for simple if not rustic living. There is nothing reflective of Buhari’s hyped love for Spartan life and moderation in this budget! Nothing at all to show that we have changed for the better. Should the rot persist, then that would be the greatest pain, the deepest disappointment for the masses in this experimental journey of change. Will Buhari call for a re-jig of The Presidency’s appropriations for 2016 to reflect the pain he claims to feel for the suffering masses? Now that’s a tall order.

  • ‘Key into Buhari’s change mantra’

    Lagos State Man O’ War Commander Charles Mba has charged his men to key into President’s Muhammadu Buhari’s change agenda.

    Doing this, he said, would help bring the president’s wish into fruition.

    He spoke at the swearing in of the executive for the Mushin area command.

    Mba called that Man O’ War played a “pivotal role” in the war against indiscipline when Buhari was military leader, adding that the organisation’s rebranding has started to at achieve such feat again.

    On the appointment of the executive, he said: “The set of people constituting the new executives are going to lead the area command into the new drive we are pursuing.

    A testament to this is the course we did for them where they passed excellently.

    “Apart from this they are people with visions, well enlightened and also well educated.

    Among them we have one working in one of the foremost banks in the country. I know they won’t want their names stained,” he said.

    The newly appointed area commander Ojo Olayinka, on his part, promised to empower his men, make them independent and also help change people’s negative views about the organisation.

    He said: “My administration will look at empowering members. Before now, I discovered that most of our members struggle to make ends meet, which makes some people see us as bunch of irresponsible people. We are coming on board to change this perception”.

    “We will empower them in the area of education and business ventures. In the area of education, we will give out scholarships to deserving members, through university level. Even if you don’t win the scholarship if it’s a token we can give we have a plan to give support them”.

    He noted that the organization would partner with the two local government under his jurisdiction, Odi olowo and Mushin local government in a bid to carry out this and other plans of his, urging those finanicially boyant to extend their hand of generosity to support their programmes.

  • Osinbajo: more evidence of change will show next year

    Osinbajo: more evidence of change will show next year

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said more evidence of change will be announced by President Muhammadu Buhari in a 2016 budget to be presented to National Assembly tomorrow.

    The Vice President spoke yesterday in Dutse, Jigawa State capital while receiving over 3000 People Democratic Party (PDP) members into the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Osinbajo, who was represented by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, explained that “more evidence of change would be realised when the president presents the 2016 budget estimate to the National Assembly”.

    He added: “Parts of the change seen so far are 130 bills introduced in the House of Representatives within this period of APC administration. This has never happened in the past.

    “We were the first to leave the PDP to APC as result of the insecurity in the North east. The then PDP government showed no committed atitude. There is no justification to anyone in the Northeast to remain in PDP.”

    The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said members of PDP were trooping to APC nation wide, “but the Jigawa own is unique”.

    “Those decamping in to our party are doing so because of the government and quality leadership by President Muhammadu Buhari, governors of the party and their teams in their respective states,” he said.

    Governor Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar said among of the defectors are 18 serving local government council chairmen, 190 councillors, two former members of the House of Representatives, former commissioners, members of the House of Assembly and others.

  • Electricity fixed charge: Where is the change?

    Sir: The affable minister of power, works and housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has explained to Nigerians why it is necessary to jerk up the tariff for electricity. But he didn’t talk about the fixed charge which all Nigerians have been  kicking against since the privatization took place. The fixed charge is now seen as Federal Government-regulated fraud. It makes the DISCOs not to be serious with the business of improving power supply, as cheap money enters their pockets on a monthly basis. I give an example : If 50 million Nigerians are using pre-paid meters, they pay N750 to the DISCOs monthly, that is N750 x 50,000 000.

    A consumer who wants to recharge his or her prepaid meter with N4,000  gets  units worth N3,250 as N750 is forcefully deducted from the amount presented for the recharge. If there is equipment failure such as a broken down transformer for six months, whenever the affected consumers want to recharge  after restoring power, the fixed charge must be paid for the six months that power was not supplied. Is this not fraud? If not that many Nigerians don’t know their rights, this can be argued in the court. Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said that consumers should not pay fixed charge if they didn’t have light for 14 days in a month. How do consumers prove to the cashier in the bank that light was not supplied for 14 days?  It is now very obvious that Nigerians are paying for staying in darkness!

    The  fixed charge was imposed on Nigerians by the PDP-led government in favour of its cronies who acquired the DISCOs. The regulatory body, NERC, was appointed by the former regime to be in an unholy alliance with the largely ineffectual DISCOs to perpetrate the fraud. It is strange that the APC -led government is still maintaining the status quo. Then where is the CHANGE? The fixed charge should please be abolished or embedded in the tariff to propel the DISCOs to be serious.    Some of the DISCOs have formed the habit of switching off power so that they pay less to the GENCOs at the detriment of consumers who pay outrageous estimated bills and unholy fixed charge. It is imperative that the honourable minister looks into these issues dispassionately before approving the new tariff.

     

    • Terry Andrews Odisu,

    Warri, Delta State.     

  • Varsities should be change agents – Buhari

    Varsities should be change agents – Buhari

    Visitor to the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), President Muhammadu Buhari, has called on Nigerian universities and other institutions of learning to reposition themselves and encourage education for sustainable development.

    Buhari made the call at the 27th Convocation of the university recently.

    Buhari, who was represented by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Julius Okojie described universities as potential, powerful agents of change and urged them to take the lead in championing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address education-related issues for national development.

    He said the SDGs are a new set of goals, target and indicators that the United Nations (UN) member states have collectively agreed to use to frame their agenda, aspirations and political policies over the next 15 years.

    The president also enjoined universities to be at the vanguard of the fight against corruption and eroded ethics which constitute a major component of the social ills.

    Reiterating government’s stand on “zero tolerance to corruption,” Buhari urged managers of higher institutions to continue to be prudent, transparent and accountable in the management of both human and material resources.

    “Government is determined to fight corruption at all levels, including corruption in our tertiary Institutions.  We cannot speak of effective and efficient funding of the education sector if our universities are mired in curses, confusion, fraud and lack of institutional vision,” he said.

    The President charged the graduands to take advantage of various economic programmes of the Federal Government relevant to them and turn themselves into employers of labour.

    He said: “Since the increased advocacy for entrepreneurship and its inclusion in the curriculum of universities by the National Universities Commission and its partners in the university system, higher institutions should henceforth strive to graduate students who are entrepreneurs and employers of labour.”

    He called on all stakeholders in the education sector to ensure crisis-free campus and stable calendar, while charging FUTA to take the leadership in cutting-edge research and capacity-building at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

    Meanwhile, in separate addresses, the trio of the Chancellor, Dr Rilwanu Adamu, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Dr Mohammed Shata and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adebiyi Daramola urged the graduands to follow the path of honour, integrity and faithfulness as they continue in their journey of life.

    The ceremony also witnessed the investiture the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Adamu as the fourth Chancellor of the university.

    He was also conferred with a Honorary Doctorate of Management of the Institution during the event.

    Out of 4,435 graduands who were conferred with diplomas, first and postgraduate degrees at the ceremony, 28 undergraduates bagged first class, with Osakpolor Eki-Obakpolor of the Physics Electronics department emerging best graduating student with a cumulative GPA of 4.84; while the university graduated 73 doctor of philosophy (Ph.d) degrees, 743 Masters degrees, 829 postgraduate diplomas; 2,675 first degrees and 115 diplomas.

  • Challenges before Buhari’s ‘change agents’

    Challenges before Buhari’s ‘change agents’

    Nigerians expect the incoming ministers to hit the ground running by executing the policies of the Buhari administration in their respective ministries. The expectations from the administration are very high. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI and Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN highlight some of the challenges that would confront the new ministers.

    Given the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari rode to power on the waves of the ‘change’ agenda, there is high expectation among the populace that it is not going to be business as usual. Indeed, since the administration came into power on May 29, Nigerians have challenged President Buhari to fashion out a broader vision that would truly transform the economy to start creating jobs for the teeming youth population.

    Against the background of the expectations, the President reiterated that part of the reason why he did not appoint ministers immediately he took office was to put new rules of conduct and good governance in place before they come on board. He read out what could be termed the rules of engagement during the two-day retreat for the incoming ministers, when he told that they are expected to drive the change agenda the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) promised Nigerians during the electioneering campaign.

    But, what manner of change should Nigerians expect in the coming months? Stakeholders have tried to chart the way forward, by setting an agenda for the new cabinet.

     

    Need for clear road map

     A United Stated States-based Nigerian, Dr. Kole Odutola, wants the new administration to first prepare a clear road map that will guide its journey. Odutola, a lecturer at the University of Florida, said: “A nation on its knees needs all hands on deck. The most important agenda is the road map for Nigeria. A quick period of stock taking is imperative to determine how to get to the next destination with the lean resources at our disposal.

    “Our thinkers need to decide how to fashion out a workable, sustainable development plan that can be applied from the community level to the national level. As we think about production at the national level, we also need to work on creating an integrated system that can kick start economic development without compromising our environment.

    “In short, cottage industries must be assisted to produce items that can feed into what industries may need. Tourism must be designed around the culture of local areas. Regional targets must be set for agriculture based on ecology of the place. I see a concentric circle of urgent activities revolving around security, economy and re-education of the generality of the people.”

    Odutola wants the APC-led administration to adopt the crisis-management approach, by asking the following questions: “Where are we now? Where do we want to be? What resources do we need to get us to the Nigeria of our dream?” He said the Nigeria of his dream is one where the citizenry would live in an environment where they can fully realize their potentials; a society that creates room for citizens to pursue their personal, intellectual and spiritual growth.

     

    Health

     Due to the fact that it has been neglected over the years, the health sector is almost comatose. It is a sad commentary about the affairs in the sector that political office holders are usually flown abroad each time they catch cold. This is mainly because they failed to make provisions for equipping the nation’s hospitals and making them what they should be.

    Public office holders and other Nigerians who travel overseas for medical checkup and treatments annually do so because of lack of confidence in the system in place at home. During the ministerial screening, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and one of the new ministers, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said about one to three billion dollars is spent yearly on medical tourism abroad by Nigerians, because of the dearth of medical facilities in Nigeria. Adewole said the missing link in the country’s health sector is poor funding and infrastructure. He said would have been cheaper getting treatment in Nigeria, if the country had standardised and well-equipped hospitals. The irony is that many Nigerians who travel abroad end up being treated by their compatriots working in foreign hospitals. Given the dwindling resources available to the various tiers of government, including the Federal Government, how is the country going to develop the much-needed infrastructure in this sector?

     

    Petroleum resources

     Under the former ruling party, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was described as a cesspool of corruption. It would be interesting to see the company chart a new direction under the present administration. This is particularly at a time when the collapse of the price of oil in the international market has put Nigeria’s economy in dire straits, because over 70 per cent of the country’s revenue comes from that sector.

    The charge that the country does not know how much of its oil is produced daily by the multinational oil companies and has to rely on the same multinational joint venture partners to come up with a figure at the point of export leaves much to be desired. The incoming minister must come to terms with the above, which borders on the corruption within the system. The administration must also come to terms with the reality of the country’s dwindling revenue from sale of crude oil, by proffering long-lasting solutions, which would include diversification of the economy from crude oil resources.

    President Buhari has hinted in an interview in the United States that the NNPC will be divided into two successor entities under his administration. The President, who stated this in an interview in Washington DC during his four-day visit to the country, explained that the decision would form one of the key steps of his reform of the country’s oil and gas sector.

     

    Security

     The biggest security challenge facing the nation at the moment is the Boko Haram insurgency. In this regard, experts say the administration must begin to fashion out how to support the communities, to keep them away from Boko Haram. It is also expected to work towards providing jobs and economic growth, to stabilize the region in the long run.

    Beyond security, legal luminary, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) said all eyes are on the new ministers particularly those that will be posted to the ministries of Works and Transport; Education and Justice.

     

    Works

     According to Akintola, the Minister of Works will be judged by the way and manner he quickly fixes deplorable highways like Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and the Onitsha-Owerri-Port Harcourt Highway.

    Akintola said: “The Abuja roads are in state of disrepair. If nothing is done it will be difficult to move freely in the Federal Capital Territory in the next five years. If you see the traffic gridlock in Apo, Nyanya and Gwagwalada, you will think all Nigerians are living in Abuja. I suggest the Buhari administration should embark on underground rail system in Abuja to minimise the traffic jam in the city. The Minister of Works has a lot to do; he has a job caught out for him.”

     

    Education

     On education, the legal practitioner described the decay in education infrastructure in public schools as unprecedented. He said the over centralisation of education system in the country is responsible for the decay.” It is wrong to centralise education; the Federal Government should only set standard. Every state should be allowed to operate the system that is convenient to them. There should be devolution of power. Education is in shambles.” He advised the Minister of Education to come up with measures that will restore the old glory of education in the country.

     

    Judicial reforms

     Experts believe that there is need for judicial reforms to drive the change agenda, because efficient justice delivery is central to the nation’s economic growth and development. Continuing to do things the same way and expecting a different outcome, they say, amounts to wishful thinking.

    The justice machinery, reputed to be the last hope of the common man, is squeaking under the weight of the growing number of cases yet to be sorted out and other problems. The criminal justice system has endured prolonged delay in the administration  of justice, congestion of courts, inadequate infrastructure and lack of access to justice by the poor, a majority of who cannot afford the services of lawyers, the congestion of prisons with the daily influx of accused persons or suspects awaiting trial, the persistent issue of the holding charge, arrest of suspects’ relatives in place of suspects, the use of torture by the police to extort extra judicial confessions and allegations of corruption against judicial officers.

    In addition, some of the country’s laws are outdated and out of tune with modern trends. Some of them are nothing but mere relics of colonial legislation that ought to have been reformed long time ago. Most of the laws brim with anachronistic provisions that take no cognizance of the changes and developments that have occurred over the years.

    The experts say the envisaged judicial reform requires both cultural and systematic change in the delivery of justice. This, they added, should include repealing/amendment of antiquated laws, enactment of modern laws to meet the needs of ever changing socio-economic conditions, court modernization and restructuring, legal reforms and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, training of judges, court personnel, and lawyers, students and civil society; and improved access to justice. The starting point for these programmes should be a clear plan that focuses on activities that have a high probability of success and that provide immediate benefits.

    Although justice is most of the time, a matter of finding the appropriate rules for settling disputes, resolving grievances and trying the accused persons with basic fairness, no justice system can be worthy of that name unless it provides for judges who are independent of the state which appoints them and operate without any pressure to decide cases in favour of government.

    In addition, certain offences like corruption, terrorism, kidnapping, election fraud, etc., should be designated as serious crimes and should attract severe punishment without option of fine. There should also be a time limit of 12 months for criminal trials to ensure speedy dispensation of justice. In cases where the accused does not have counsel when a matter is called, the state should appoint a counsel to represent him before the adjourned date. It is further suggested that various tactics employed by parties to judicial proceedings to delay and undermine the justice system, should be sternly deprecated.

    Former Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Ikeja Branch, Mr Monday Ubani, and Akintola emphasized the need for reforms in the judiciary. They called on the new Minister of Justice to introduce policies that will transform the sector.

     

    Finance

     Ubani wants the Minister of Finance to give diversification of the economy a priority. He said the fall in oil price has proved that it is dangerous to run mono-economy. “We should invest on agriculture which was the main stay of the Nigerian economy before the discovery of oil. We should embark on exploitation of solid minerals. Nigeria is endowed with solid minerals like bitumen, coal, gold which have not been tapped. The multiplying effects of economic diversification include more revenue for the government and job opportunities for the unemployed graduates.

    Ubani said liberal industrialisation policy will attract both local and foreign investors to invest in the economy. According to him, security and power supply situation must be assuring for the investors to make Nigeria their destination. With the establishment of small and medium scale industries, the problem of unemployment that is responsible for high level of crime will be addressed.

    He advised President Buhari to assemble a crack economic team that will come up with policies to rejuvenate the economy, improve the standard of living and put food on the peoples’ table.

    The new ministers are: Chris Ngige (Anambra); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers); Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano); Aisha Alhassan (Taraba); Ogbonaya Onu (Ebonyi); Kemi Adeosun (Ogun); Abubakar Malami (Kebbi); Hadi Sirika (Katsina); Adebayo Shittu (Oyo); Suleiman Adam (Jigawa); Solomon Dalong (Plateau); Ibe Kachikwu (Delta); and Osagie Ehanire (Edo). Others are: Audu Ogbeh (Benue); Udo Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom); Lai Mohammed (Kwara); Amina Mohammed (Gombe); Ibrahim Jibril (Nasarawa); Khadija Bukar Ibrahim (Yobe); Omoleye Daramola (Ondo); Anthony Onwuka (Imo); Geoffrey Onyema (Enugu); Dan Ali (Zamfara); James Ocholi (Kogi); Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna); Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia); Muhammadu Bello (Adamawa); Mustapha Baba Shehuri (Borno); Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto); Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa); Adamu Adamu (Bauchi); Isaac Adewole (Osun); Abubakar Bwari (Niger); and Pastor Usani Uguru (Cross River).

  • Making a change in your problematic children (2)

    DEAR Reader, Greetings to you in the most precious name of Jesus Christ! I count it a great privilege to bring God’s Word your way again today. It is my earnest prayer that God would grant you the wisdom required to handle your God-given seed, in Jesus’ name. Last week, I started this teaching by explaining the causes of problematic children. Today, I shall be discussing The Solutions to the Problem of Rejection.

    I want you to know that every problem has a solution, and every question has an answer. As overwhelming as the foregoing problems of children may be, they are not without solutions in the Word of God. The Word of God says: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13). No matter the problem you are facing right now concerning your children, there is always a way out.

    One man in scriptures who knew the meaning of the word ‘rejection’ was David. Out of all his brothers, he was the least loved. He was even forgotten when Samuel came to anoint a king for Israel. But David had a secret: the more he was rejected by men, the closer he got to God. In other to overcome this rejection as a child, you need a strong relationship with God. This is the best way to deal with the problem of rejection, for there is no other way out. The Word of God says: When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up (Psalm 27:10).

    As parents, our aim must be to help our children out of whatever problems of rejection they may be having, and let them have a strong relationship with God, because only God can give them true comfort. For instance, the man of God, Larry Lea, who has a flourishing church in America today, faced severe rejection and depression at 17. His father, who was very wealthy, had given him a posh car, and the entire second floor of their home was his. His mother was a Christian, who did her best to bring him up in the fear of the Lord, but there was a certain emptiness inside him that money could not fill nor satisfy. That feeling of emptiness became so severe that he lost his mind, and was committed to a psychiatric home. At a point, he knew he was at the verge of insanity, when something happened.

    In his psychiatric ward he caught sight of a crucifix, with the inscription, INRI. He grabbed it, wondering what INRI was. But soon his eyes fell on other crucifixes in the Catholic chapel next to his ward. He picked them and began running, and the Catholic nuns pursued him, solving the mystery of INRI for him, saying, “It’s not Henry, it’s Jesus.” When he got back to his ward, he knelt down and cried out for Jesus to help him. Instantly, he heard a voice that not only told him he had been saved, but called him to preach the Gospel. That was the end of rejection, depression and insanity in his life. Are you in that same situation today, God who did it for that man of God will do it for you too! He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).

    How to get your child into a personal relationship with God: By prayer

    You can pray for your child, breaking the power of satan over his/her life, bind the spirit of rejection, depression or rebellion, and cast them out of your child’s life. Pray that the scales on his eyes would drop off, so that he can see what the devil wants to do to him. I will also pause here to tell you the story of a great man of God, Novel Hayes. He recounted how his daughter was possessed by the spirit of drug addiction and rebellion. She had done all manner of terrible things, which brought pain to his heart and shame to his ministry. But he would not give up praying intensely for her. God delivered her in a very dramatic way.

    One day, as she slept, a huge man appeared in her room: he was twice the size of an average man. He said nothing, did nothing, just sat on her bed. Then he stood up and left her room, walking down the hallway and the curious youngster followed him. But, she was startled when he turned and walked through the wall. It was then that it occurred to her that this was no ordinary man, but an angel. That encounter ended her years of rebellion. Somebody once said that the devil has the “gift” of patience; he never wants to give up. So, Christians must also persevere in prayers of deliverance for any rebellious child.The most effective kind of prayer is the one that is anchored on the Word of God. God has made several provisions for the deliverance of our children, as the Word of God says: But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children (Isaiah 49:25).Having located the scripture, go to God in prayer, presenting your case to Him.

    The Word of God says: Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob (Isaiah 41:21).Secondly, plead the Blood of Jesus and use the name of Jesus to pull down satanic strongholds in the life of the child. The Word of God says: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10). Also, Revelation 12:11 says: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Do this in faith, refusing to doubt, and you will see that mountain levelled out of the life of your child forever. Prayer changes things!

    Are you a boy or a girl, facing the problem of rejection? You need to pray your way out of that mess. You remember the story of Jabez? The Word of God says: And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested (1 Chronicles 4:9-10).

    It doesn’t matter who has rejected you or placed curse(s) on your life; the God, Who did it for Jabez is ever ready to do it for you, when you call on Him in prayer. Jabez did not keep quiet; he called on the God of Israel, and He answered him. God’s Word says: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrew 4:16). You have been given a free ticket to approach the throne of grace for God’s help and this is one of such times where you need it the most. I see the help of God coming your way today, in Jesus’ name!

    It takes salvation to access the help of God and to be able to pray, and receive answers to your prayers. You need God’s help to handle your children? You can say this prayer in faith and be born again: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Still in Immunity Mode months into a change regime

    Ogunye demonstrated in a jargon-free interpretation that the election of Senators Saraki and Ekweremadu as president and deputy president of Senate was based on forged rules and thus need to be declared null and void, if deliberations under existing leadership of the Senate are to have integrity.

    Democracy is more than a political system; it is also a moral system. It is a political system which is characterized not by particular procedures, such as regular elections of government, but primarily by being based on certain fundamental moral principles. In a genuinely democratic society, the government’s policy must accord with those principles. And, furthermore, all social institutions must also be established and conducted within the same moral framework, which invariably includes equality, freedom, and respect for the rights of the individual.-A. V. Kelly

    By immunity in this piece, I do not mean the formal protection against arrest and prosecution of president, vice president, governor and deputy governor which those who occupy these positions enjoy in our country and which makes leaders of the executive branch of government the most powerful and protected political office holders in the world. I mean the general lack of respect for laws, rules, and conventions among those accorded legal immunity by the constitution and those that are not covered by such protection. In other words, I am using immunity in the sense of an individual’s or group’s belief that he or she can do anything without being answerable to the principle of equality before the law.

    It is intriguing that despite the fact that majority of Nigerians voted for General Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the belief that the new president and his party would be in a better position to right the wrongs of the past under the regime of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the culture of business as usual is still thriving two months into the Buhari presidency. For example, the recent lucid analysis by Jiti Ogunye of the conduct of lawmakers in the National Assembly, particularly in the Senate illustrates how the culture of immunity and disregard for laws, rules, and conventions reigned on June 9 in the hallowed chambers reserved for regulating the lives of the nation and its citizens through establishment of the ‘Dos and Don’ts’ that in normal situations sustain modern polity and civilisations. Ogunye demonstrated in a jargon-free interpretation that the election of Senators Saraki and Ekweremadu as president and deputy president of Senate was based on forged rules and thus need to be declared null and void, if deliberations under existing leadership of the Senate are to have integrity.

    Even after the police have revealed in their own investigation that the rules cited by the Senate for its conduct on June 9 are products of forgery, senators in support of the outcome of the election still find it comfortable to warn the police and other security agencies against allowing themselves to be used to harass the Senate, senators, or their spouses. Put in other words, the senators are warning the police not to do their work: investigation and detection of crime and presentation of suspected criminals to the court of law for trial. Instead of showing qualms, senators involved in the election of officers in June now show bravado as they threaten law enforcement officials for attempting to perform their lawful duties. This attitude from 48 PDP senators and 35 APC senators signal disaster for change, if the other branches of government – the executive and judiciary – fail to act in defence and protection of the rule of law.

    Stealing of the country’s patrimony, particularly crude oil in the millions still took place until July 3, according to President Buhari’s recent statement. This is an indication that the lawlessness that characterised the last government was still in vogue even after a new president had been sworn-in. The courage of politically connected oil thieves during the last administration to engage in illegal bunkering even months after their principals had vacated power shows how ingrained the culture of impunity has become. What this signals is that there are collaborators in all sectors of the polity, including the nation’s security system who are still ready to work with economic saboteurs even under the nose of an anti-corruption federal government.

    Furthermore, using the media to deceive citizens through blatant lies that were a past-time of the administration in the last four or so years has not abated even two months into the new administration. For example, nobody in the country including those in power can say with certainty the exact location of the $15 million that was smuggled toward the end of Jonathan’s government to South Africa to ‘buy arms’ with which to fight the Boko Haram insurgency. As recent as last week, the South African High Commission was unable to confirm if the money had been returned to Nigeria. The South African envoy’s encouragement on July 23: “So, I advise you to check with the agency from where the money was released for the arms acquisition deal,” implies that the location of the money still remains unknown after several months of claim by the Jonathan administration that the funds had been returned to Nigeria.

    As we write this piece, many citizens are rejoicing that the crisis in the House has been settled with Dogara’s acceptance of the list of APC nominees for offices other than that of the Speaker. People are forgetting fast the issue that the election of House Speaker and Deputy Speaker was conducted outside the framework of the laws that guide such elections in the House. Many of such enthusiasts are saying that we need peace in the House to be able to embark on the crusade of change. How realistic is the optimism that the crusade for positive change can be facilitated by House officers who finally agreed to a compromise after being given a deadline to ‘do the needful’?

    It is not that actions and statements referred to in the paragraphs above had taken place in Nigeria that is a novelty in a country that had for decades become the poster child for political and bureaucratic corruption in the world. What is worrisome is that such unwholesome acts as conducting election in the federal legislature with forged rules; senators’ threatening of the police for planning to enforce the laws of the land; and solidarity messages from supporters of lawmakers purported to have used rules not known to the law smack of a growing tolerance for impunity under the nose of a regime of zero-tolerance for corruption.

    It is not the capacity of President Buhari to fight corruption with sincerity and vigour that is likely to be a problem, given his own strength of character. What is scary is the capacity of a Senate led by leaders elected on the basis of forged rules to constitute a stumbling block to Buhari’s efforts to clean the Augean stables the president has inherited from the preceding administration. A Senate with 83 senators that passed a vote of confidence in someone elected about one month ago and with the temerity to warn the police not to ‘harass’ their members seems to have sufficient numbers to frustrate policies and bills designed by the president and his party to fight corruption. It is not out of place to think that the current senate leadership is in a position, if adequate care is not taken, to disrupt good governance by instigating crisis that can disrupt the change agenda.

    The matter of election of senate leaders must not be left to compromise among party members, more so that police investigation has revealed that the election of such officers took place on the strength of forged Senate Rules. The executive and judiciary must not shirk in their own responsibilities on a matter that has been politically unsettling since June 9. This is the most appropriate time for the Buhari presidency to insist on equality before the law. If indeed there was forgery of Senate rules, those behind such forgery, regardless of their position in the polity and society, should be brought to book immediately.

    Citizens who want their mandate on change to be put to good use need to stand firm and give support to the executive and the judiciary when they act to protect the country’s constitution, especially its commitment to the rule of law, without which democracy cannot deliver good governance. Citizens must not leave protection of the moral system that subtends all viable democratic systems in only the hands of office seeking lawmakers.

  • Buhari’s tools for the needed change

    The aura of electoral victory that heralded the emergence of President Muhamadu Buhari cannot be waved away with a stroke of the hand. It was a victory birthed by the groaning of a people desirous of a change. The change movement meant different things to different people. Yet in all the differences, they agreed on one thing – that Buhari was the man for the job.

    The elections and the inauguration of the new government were only the first steps in the quest for a changed nation. The president, having received the mandate and trust of Nigerians, must therefore display  and act with the acumen and wisdom needed to lift the country out of its current and existing doldrums and guide it towards a promising and rewarding future. This is a task that requires prioritisation and effective delivery.

    Consequently, President Buhari needs to be tactical in his approach, prioritise his tasks and focus his strengths on sectors capable of creating domino effects on the other sectors with minimum inputs. There are three major sectors capable creating the needed effects in the national life: Education, Agriculture and Power.

    A country’s educational sector is the bedrock of its national life. It is the essential foundation on which every other sector can be built and established. Like a strong defensive midfielder is a key factor for the success of any football team, a strong educational sector is the only factor for a change in our national life. Education drives invention, patriotism, loyalty, competence and excellence.

    Most people rush to associate Nigeria’s problems with corruption, yet incompetence plays a greater role in the nation’s woes. Most graduates are semi illiterate and the country has the highest rate of out of school children in the world. Other populous countries around the world, such as China, India, Pakistan and even the US, focus on technical and vocational education. Yet, technical and vocational education is dead in Nigeria.

    Agriculture and power go hand-in-hand because they are the root of the collapse of the country’s economy. Nigeria’s discovery of petroleum led to a reckless neglect of the agricultural sector. Before drilling and exploration, we had planting and harvesting. The nation was driven on the inflows from the sale of agricultural produce. Nigeria currently produces the top ten most sought-after crops in the world on a subsistence level. We have failed to harness our agricultural prowess and sacrificed its abundance on the altar of sweet crude. We have replaced the pyramids of groundnuts with tank farms, silos and barns with petrol stations and tanker garages. Now, the country is on a food importation binge because our production is low and it is still crude and undeveloped.

    And Power! Electricity is a key driver for any economy. After the deregulation of the power sector and the billions of petro-dollars sank into it, there appears to be no end in sight for the country. Even though the generating companies seem to have been working to capacity, the discos seem not to have been ensuring that all the watts of power generated are distributed for use due to their own economic advantage.

    Good education, agriculture and power sectors will fix this country, they will combat terrorism, corruption, incompetence, greed, lawlessness, lack of patriotism and other social vices. Revamping these sectors will ensure an equal distribution of development across every regions.

    If PMB is going to succeed, his administration must focus on these sectors and make them his priorities. He will need to select the right persons to head these sectors and support them with the political will to drive the change.

    Based on the resume, precedence and performance at the ministerial screening, it would not be wrong to conclude that the president’s only requirement is to ensure that these sectors are assigned to nominees with deep experience and rich technicality and not as political compensations. Only a thoroughbred academic and administrator should be appointed minister for education, successful farmers and policy makers appointed as minister for agriculture and transparent and technical individuals as minister for power and steel.

    Per analysis of the resume and precedence of the ministerial nominees, Professor Isaac Adewole seems to be the most qualified for the job of revamping the education sector. His performance at the Senate screening was a glimpse into his cerebral power. In the same vein, Malam Audu Ogbeh is the perfect fit for the agriculture sector. He is a successful farmer with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by everyday farmers. Finally, Zainab Ahmed’s precedence with NEITI qualifies her for the power sector. A brief look into her activities in NEITI revealed that she is a respected name in the global EITI for her transparency, zero tolerance for corruption and technical capacity.

    President Buhari has the brightest chance to set Nigeria on the path to greatness once and for all. One can only pray that he gets his priorities right and appoint the right hands for the required job.

    • Dr Adedayo. A .Yusuff,

    Lecturer, Tshwane University of Technology,

    Pretoria, South Africa.

  • Making a change in your problematic children

    Dear Reader,

    You are welcome to Family Forum, a column for your marriage fulfilment. I shall be teaching on Making a Change in Your Problematic Children throughout this month. Today, I shall begin with The Root Causes of the Problems of Children.

    I want you to know that children, like most adults, are often products of their environment. Also, problem children are products of a problem-filled environment, which the enemy is very quick to take advantage of.

     

    Causes Of Problematic Children:

    Parents’ Reactions To The Way They Were Brought Up

    Some parents, in reacting to the way they were brought up under strict discipline, tend to be lenient and inconsistent in disciplining their own children. On the other hand, those reacting to their parent’s leniency tend to be strict and inconsistent in disciplining their own children. It is an unending cycle, from one generation to another that causes deep resentment on the part of the children. The Word of God says: Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged (Colossians 3:21).

    These parental reactions tend to build walls between them and their children. It could cause a lack of respect, inability to confide in parents, bitterness whenever there is an attempt to discipline the child even when the child is clearly wrong, and not be able to receive counsel from them. In most cases, the child’s reaction to this inconsistency in discipline is what leads them to cultivate unwise friendship outside the home, secretiveness and in extreme cases, rebellion.

    Homes Where There Is No Peace and Harmony

    Children are products of what they see much more than what they are told. Being exposed to violence, irrational behaviour, and inconsistency in their parent’s relationship makes them unbearable to harsh realities without the maturity to handle them. Some parents are so consumed with their own problems that they do not pay adequate attention to their children; thereby, leaving them to their own devices. This lack of attention and affection from parents causes the children to become violent, take laws into their hands and become hardened.

    Some children take advantage of the disunity between their parents to manipulate situations to their advantage. When they find out that it works at home, they will try it outside; thus, inevitably becoming schemers.

     

    The Problem of Rejection

    Instability in a child’s personality is also often caused by wounds of rejection. Some children are rejected even before they are born, on the grounds of: a child comes too soon after the last one, when there are already many children in the family; the wrong sex preference, or when they have some physical defects. Children also feel rejected by parents, who verbally, physically or sexually abuse them. They also react to peer rejection. Such rejections could be on the grounds of being affluent or snobbish, poor and badly dressed, insecure, domineering, or when one has some exaggerated physical features such as big ears, nose, mouth or the like.

    Some rejections are also as a result of negative comments from school teachers, such as being told that they will never make it or succeed in life. Others are church-related hurts from Sunday school teachers. Lack of love, especially from parents is probably the hardest blow.

    It is important for you to know that these rejections lead to various reactions from the child. He or she might easily be lured into the arms of someone who promises love, but who ends up taking advantage of him or her lustfully. This is more rampant among the girls. A child, in seeking a sense of self-worth, would try all manner of attention-getting devices. Many spend their lifetime trying to be somebody else as a result of this rejection. In most cases, this leads to their being double-minded, unstable and having dual personalities (saint at home and beasts outside).

    Rejection also causes paranoia in some children. This is a mental illness in which someone believes that other people are trying to harm him or that he is much more important than he really is. This might cause children to want to attack before they are attacked; make them suspicious of the intentions of others and often become either full of pride or hatred. Rejection as a result of physical defects or dullness at school, might lead to a hatred of self, inferiority complex and insecurity, which might lead to rebellion, resentment, self-pity or cause deep-rooted depression and escapism.

    Other reactions to rejection include: reading (where the child projects himself into one of the principal characters in the story), watching television soap operas (in an attempt to forget hurtful pasts), going to sleep and not wanting to get up in the morning, resorting to drinking alcohol and/or drugs. Others are self-blame or accusation, fear, death wishes, becoming judgmental or always finding faults (a child who is criticized will become judgmental), distrust and disrespect, hardness (he feels that this way nobody will hurt him again), promiscuity and possessiveness (not wanting to lose a good friend and eventually end up being rejected for being over-possessive).

    It takes your accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour to be able to handle your children. That is what being born again is all about. If you want to be born again, say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).