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Tag: Feedback

  • Feedback

    Feedback

    Last week’s twin articles on the imperative of economic rationality brought a gale of reactions. This morning we published some of them to facilitate the process of economic recovery in the land. Of particular interest are three reactions from former students of three different generations, two of them now professors in their own right.

    Greetings sir…….What happens when “the imperative of economic rationality” is faced with the logic of economic irrationality?  Olufemi Macaulay, Lagos.

    A pro-establishment, if progressive, genius laying bare the ugly facts albeit throwing a veil of diffidence over some galling outcrops of our unforgivably bald and stark traits, particularly elite brigandage and delinquency. The constraints are well-known and the heroic exactions noted as well. Enjoyable read, if a tad lacking the old supreme linguistic fancy footwork. Happy Sunday, old savant.  Professor C.A, Unilag. (Name deliberately withheld by the columnist in view of the impending Oro Festival in Lagos).

    ……and a peep from abroad

    Thanks so much for sharing sir. These are great insights into Nigeria’s structural conundrum and its confounding corollaries. I don’t envy Tinubu at all. The politicians who preach austerity are obscenely ostentatious. Nigerians who want to eat omelettes loathe chicken farming. Bandits are banishing farmers from their farms. The youth who can be the foot soldiers of our agrarian revolution are fanning hatred on the social media.

    Read Also: Foreign mercenaries involved in planned protests, says IGP

    The Supreme Court’s ruling on LG autonomy, the 150% minimum wage increase, and the Emergency Food Program are steps in the right direction. Immediate food relief is a sine qua non of political stability as we try to figure out a more sustainable food strategy. The government must heed your warnings about the anti-state economic saboteurs who can scuttle the emergency food program. These mountebanks must be exposed, shamed, and emasculated.

    I am not naïve enough to think it is going to be easy reining in these unpatriotic anti-state moneybags, but the government only needs to make an example of one or two of them for the other to retreat somewhat. Remember how Buhari/ Idiagbon humiliated the junketing Ooni Sijuade and Emir Ado Bayero for visiting Israel? Nigeria needs a revolutionary policy shift akin to FDR New Deal, as enshrined in the Social Security Act of 1935 that helped America to clamber out of the Great Depression. To redeem Nigeria, Tinubu  needs his own 3Rs: Relief, Recovery and Reform.

    •Dr Tunde Olusesi, New York.

  • Expert advocates functional feedback mechanism

    Expert advocates functional feedback mechanism

    Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the government in Ebonyi State have been advised to provide adequate and functional feedback mechanisms. 

    A communications expert with the State Accountability, Transparency, and Effectiveness (State2State) Activity, Nneka Acholonu Egbuna, gave the advice in Abakaliki at an orientation workshop on Communication Strategy for Priority Ministries and the Internal Revenue Service. 

    The workshop is part of the working relationship between USAID and Ebonyi State Government and Civil Society Organisations.

    It is geared towards transparent, accountable and effective governance for improved service delivery in three priority sectors, including Education, Health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

    She told participants that ways of getting feedback included maintaining active social media channels for their organisations and also by providing contact details in all their messaging.

    Egbuna said having feedback channels would help the MDAs to get important feedbacks in real time that would help them to improve on their services and also checkmate fake government agents where necessary. 

    Read Also: Tinubu to NPC board: start work now, I won’t tolerate non-performance

    She said the objective of the workshop was to acquaint information officers with the state’s communication strategy and its implementation action plan.

    The Special Assistant to the governor on ICT, Tony Nwizi, said the orientation would deepen the knowledge of information officers on how to better explain the activities of the government in the chosen sectors to the public.

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ebonyi State, Comrade Samson Nwafor, thanked  USAID and the State Team Lead for considering Ebonyi State for the orientation.

    One of the participants, Sylvester Egede, thanked the organisers of the programme, saying they would put into practice all they had learnt at the workshop.

  • Feedback on ERGP positive, says Udoma

    The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) has attracted positive responses from the public, indicating that there are many opportunities for investment in Nigeria beyond the oil sector, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, has said.

    He spoke on the sidelines of the just concluded 2018 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank in Washington D.C., United States.

    He words: “At the moment, the focused labs are being conducted in agriculture, transportation, power and gas, manufacturing and processing. The response has been very good. We are looking forward to organising an open day in which we will share the results with the Nigerian public, that should be in the next one or two weeks. So, that is going well and I am very encouraged by it,” he told newsmen at the meetings.

    The focus of the ERGP, he said, is to generate more revenue and revive key segments of the economy. “As you are aware, we have the tax amnesty to try and increase the tax revenues being generated. We are looking at some of our excise duties and so the focus is to generate more revenues. Our problem is not a debt problem, our problem is a revenue problem and so we are focused on generating much more revenues,” he said.

    On what he was taking away from the meetings, Udoma said: “What I am taking away is that one, there is a lot of interests in Nigeria, two there is a lot of support for Nigeria, three, the global investors acknowledged the positive developments that are going on and they acknowledged that we are on the right track. We just need to accelerate a bit on some of our measures. We have a lot of measures in the ERGP and we need to accelerate on them. They are happy about our foreign exchange reserves, which are growing, about the market system that we are using for foreign exchange management. So, there is a lot of positive signals coming out of here for us to take away and we are encouraged,” he said.

    On economic growth, he said the country targets seven per cent growth by 2020, a figure, he said, would make him comfortable. “Our target is seven per cent by 2020, that will make me comfortable, above seven per cent will make me even much more comfortable. And that is why we are working so hard. Even though we are working so hard, the rate of growth is still too slow. So, we will like it to pick up and that is why there is a need to work hard. They say the result for good result is more hard work and so we are poised to continue  to focus on the various measures on the ERGP. We believe that we are already seeing some positive results and we believe that we will get it,” he said.

    Continuing, he said: “I think the key is revenue, we just have to make sure that we have a broad based growth, that we are growing in agriculture and other areas within our control. I think that is what we are trying to do, that is the best measures we can take. In terms of inclusiveness of growth, as you know, this is a government that is committed to making sure that we carry everybody along. And that is why we have the social investment programme in which we have committed N500 billion every year in the budget, the school feeding programme, the government enterprise and empowerment programme (GEEP). So, we have a number of programmes to make sure nobody is left behind.”

    Udoma said judging from the series of meetings he has been having with private investors, it was evident that investors are interested in Nigeria. “Many of the investors I have met have shown interest in the investment opportunities we are creating through the initiatives and reforms in the ERGP and are desirous of coming to explore them. They have seen that this is the right time to come to Nigeria. They have seen how committed government is towards improving the business environment, in removing constraints to investments, in diversifying the economy, and in partnering the private sector on infrastructure development.

    “I am very encouraged by the fact that these positives development in Nigeria are being recognised. The positive developments about economic recovery and growth plan, the things that we are doing to encourage investment, make Nigeria more investment friendly, I’m happy that all those are being recognised. And the fact that the economy is out of recession and is growing again is also being recognised and the fact that growth is not dependent solely on oil. That there is growth in agriculture and other areas, so it has been a positive meeting for me,” he added.

  • Budget: Presidency awaits feedback from MDAs before assent

    Budget: Presidency awaits feedback from MDAs before assent

    The Presidency is yet to assent to the 2017 budget because it is awaiting feedback from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the bill passed by the National Assembly, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    The government has asked ministers to study the budget to determine the extent of adjustment, alteration and tampering.

    The government is said to be trying to avoid a repeat of the padding of the budget as the case in 2016.

    The National Assembly on May 11 passed the 2017 Appropriation Bill and raised the estimate from N7.28 trillion proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari in December last year to N7.44 trillion.

    Although the Assembly exercised its constitutional right, the government was not expecting that the Appropriation Bill would be raised up.

    But the Presidency has asked ministers and the agencies under them to “go through what was passed.”

    The Presidency made the budget available to ministers last Tuesday and Wednesday.

    The MDAs have about a week to go through the document.

    It was gathered that the Presidency does not want to rush into signing the budget without verifying the proposals approved by the National Assembly.

    A source in the Presidency said: “There is no problem about assent to the 2017 budget; the Presidency is only awaiting feedback from MDAs.

    “The last time I checked, the feedback was still coming from ministers and the agencies. But the government is tidying up the process.

    “This is to show you that everyone is involved in the process. We want to make the budget as transparent as possible.”

    A top government official also said: “Actually, the budget was given to ministers to check the details to avoid a repeat of the padding of 2016. The purpose is to ensure that the proposals of the government for 2017 were not significantly tampered with.

    “At the end of the day, the government will evaluate the aggregate of the adjustments made to the budget before deciding whether or not to sign it into law or draw the attention of the National Assembly to significant alterations.

    “If the aggregate of alterations is less than five per cent, the President or the Acting President (as may be directed) will then sign it into law.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “The analysis of the budget by MDAs is also good for the records in comparison with past budgets.

    “On assent to the budget, I can tell you that this government is one. It can either be President Muhammadu Buhari or the Acting President as may be directed. There is no problem at all contrary to insinuations.

    “We are all hopeful that the President will be well enough within the next one week or two to sign the budget. Otherwise, the Acting President will assent to the document.”

    Buhari presented the budget to the National Assembly on December 14, 2016.

    It was learnt that two significant aspects of the budget are sxciting to government officials.

    The aspects are Clause 11 of the Appropriation Bill which provides that the budget will run for 12 months, starting from the date it is signed into law and the allocation of 30 per cent to capital expenditure.

    By implication, the budget cycle may run from May to May.

    Other highlights in the budget are  Statutory Transfers ( N434 billion);  Debt Servicing (N1.8 trillion); Sinking Fund for Maturity Bonds( N177.5 billion);  Recurrent Non-Debt Expenditure (N2.99 trillion) and Development Fund for Capital Expenditure, exclusive of the capital expenditure in statutory transfers for the year ending Dec. 31, 2017(N2.2 trillion).

    The crude oil production benchmark for the budget is 2.2 million barrels per day with foreign exchange rate at N305 to the US dollar.

  • ‘Patients’ feedback can improve a health facility’

    ‘Patients’ feedback can improve a health facility’

    Kunle Thomas specilalises in getting a healthcare facility to serve patients better. He tells OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA how patients’ observations and  responses can redesign patient experience pathways, delivering bespoke training and further strengthening feedback mechanisms to the overall benefits of all stakeholders.

    How often do you leave a hospital premises, feeling dissatisfied, or have a burning desire to call attention to an observation, yet no satisfactory place to do so? In the country most health facilities boast of  dusty ‘Complaint’ box for patients and other visitors to the facility to catalog on a piece of paper, their impression and tuck same in. Other more sophisticated ones have a booth or stickers on the walls. At the booth, the personnel may be missing or unperturbed. Most of the times, the numbers are rubbed off or incomplete, or out rightly not connecting. To experts and industry watchers these are not too good for a 56 year old Nigeria.

    There is the country now a vibrant and growing company dedicated to supporting General Practice (GP) practices, hospitals and other health and social care organisations in creating real and dynamic partnership with patients and service users, their families and caregivers.

    Shedding light on this, the Principal Consultant/CEO, Kunle Thomas said in line with the motto of his outfit, Patient Experience Academy, ‘Making Patients Partners’, we provide bespoke solutions for patient and public engagement and help create or strengthen organisational  values in which positive experience for both patients and staff can be created and embedded.

    Thomas said his firm believes constructive patient engagement and partnership would enable clients to deliver patient-centered services. As evidence shows that this results in improved health outcomes, increased efficiency and better working relations for staff in the healthcare sector.

    An excellent grasp of clinical and non-clinical issues that may affect patient experience is a key strength of Patient Experience Academy – one of our founders is a GP with very keen interest in patient experience and the other is a patient experience professional with vast experience of working with clinicians with the aim of putting patients first.

    Thomas shed light on this, “There was a time patients on admission were not eating in a particular health facility. We conducted a research to find out why, and we could not find the underlying reasons because the food and every other guide were intact. After the study, we asked for light refreshment to be served. To our amazement, the zip cellophane with which the meal were packed was hard to rip open. So we got the reason why patients were rejecting the food- if we the healthy ones cannot easily open a pack how much more the invalid. There and then, we asked the supplier to change the packaging. And believe me, there was a drastic change as the in-patients eat their food and asked for more.”

    On how the government and private health facilities can benefit from his firm, Thomas said, “We are a specialist consultancy and training company with the overall aim of supporting health and social care organisations in making patients partners, hence our motto. Quality healthcare cannot exist without positive patient experience; the skills required in achieving that have, to a large extent been overlooked in traditional healthcare teaching.

    “Our services are designed to support clinical and managerial staff working in GP practices and NHS organisations – including hospitals and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). We look forward to working with Healthcare watchers, health-related third sector organisations, Councils and the private health and social care sectors. Our specific services include: Consultancy and servicing of interim contracts – this may cover areas such as the development of patient experience or patient and public engagement strategies, the management of 4 Cs (complaints, concerns, comments and compliments), setting up and supporting patient groups, training and bespoke workshops on patient experience and engagement, including the provision of resource packs, project planning and implementation – this could be for creating a culture shift or emphasise the need for staff to treat patients as they would want to be treated, provide support in the setting up of patient groups, consultations – advice, support and coordinate consultations for obtaining feedbacks and views of patients or local communities on specific issue(s). Can also help plan patient-centered events for engagement purposes. We also work with local Healthcare watch organisations, supporting them in establishing constructive, ‘critical-friend’ relationship with health and social care organisations in their local communities – through training and advisory service. Specific areas may include complaints and advocacy, PLACE (Patient-Led Assessment of the Care Environment) inspections and awareness of ‘Protected Characteristics’ as defined in the Equality Act 2010. It is high time the country has Health Service Ombudsman,” explained Thomas.

    He said, “How patients are being treated also matter and there should always be a mechanism for the facility to evaluate same. It is not always about negative complaints. Some patients may even want to compliment. Some may want to just call attention to a development so as to be addressed. Nigeria healthcare should evolve to that level where people will spend about 40 minutes to an hour in a facility and be able to give their feedback, voluntarily either by way of punching on some dots on a screen or writing comments in an open space and which will be reviewed by the hospital. There is a difference between a concern and formal complaint.”

  • Contributors’ clinic

    LET us welcome DAILY NEWSWATCH to this column. Its August 27 edition goofed three times with its headlines: “NANS commends Fashola over (for) LASU fees”

    “AFDB (AfDB) grants $150m to Ebola affected (Ebola-affected) nations”

    THE NATION of August 27 comes next with this schoolboy mistake: “It was restored few (a few) weeks ago at N65 and it will take effect from September 1.”

    “…he said PDP does (did) not need Wike to win election in Rivers.”

    “The once popular Ejinrin seaport near Epe, Lagos State, which was once a beehive of activities from slavery to….” No oddity please: hive of activity, preferably, or beehive of activity (not activities)!

    “Among the dignitaries at (on) the occasion were….”

    “Okada riders, police clash set community on fire” A rewrite: Okada riders’, police clash sets community on fire”

    “Anambra seeks citizens’ input on (into/to) 2015 budget”

    “Residents of Ogun community seek organisation’s probe over (into) human rights violation”

    “Kwarans are no longer their brother’s keepers….” Fixed/stock expression: brother’s keeper (no matter the plurality)

    “…ethnic and political lines with the wealth of the state in the hands of just a few individuals.” Going by the context of this extract, it should be ‘few individuals’ and not ‘a few individuals’.

    “Dangote pays half year (half-year) bonus”

    “If that has (had) been the case over the years….”

    The Guardian front and inside pages of August 23 nurtured falsehoods for the second time in four years: “The new cases are people who had secondary contacts with late (the late) Patrick Sawyer….”

    “Eko Bridge repairs starts (why?), Lagos urges caution, cooperation”

    “Voters registration: Mimiko calls for deadline extension as protests mar exercise” This way: Voter apathy/registration

    “How to restore confidence in (to) Police Force, by Tsav”

    “Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development hereby invites stakeholders to the grand commissioning (inauguration or unveiling) of the 100,000 MT (100,000-MT) silo complex and flag-off (launch) ceremony….”

    “Congratulations to an outstanding public officer, accountant per (par) excellence and a man of integrity….”

    “…on your selection as one of the most exceptional accountant-general in the federation.”  Get it right: accountants-general

    Finally from THE GUARDIAN under review: “There seems to be international conspiracy (an international conspiracy) in (against) Ebola outbreak.”

    FEEDBACK

    USAGE HINTS:  “Beggars must not be choosers”, meaning “a person who is hungry and has no money to buy food should not complain when he is offered bread and cheese instead of roast lamb and new potatoes, with apple tart and cream to follow. He is in no position to argue with his benefactor and should be grateful for anything he is given”, is the standard proverb (not “Beggars can’t be choosers”).

    Similar proverbs are NEVER LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH; HE WHO PAYS THE PIPER CALLS THE TUNE.

    “To have one’s cake and eat it” or “to eat one’s cake and have it” means “to have the advantages of two things or situations when doing, possessing, etc. One of them would normally make the other one impossible’. Mr. Andrew is engaged to one of the sisters but he would like to have his cake and eat it and go out with the other sisters.

    -Ize or –ise? The ending –ize and – ization are generally preferred to – ise and – isation in the 21st century usage, hence “sensitize”, like Womanize (not –ise), capsize (not –ise), hospitalize (not –ise), humanize, dehumanize, capitalize, doctorize, Russianize, Americanize, Africanize, Nigerianize, militarize, democratize, globalize, demonize, is the preferred form (not “sensitise”).

    Every user of English should keep abreast of the current tendencies and influences in the language.

    Lest we forget, CELEBRATER or Celebrator is reserved for someone having a good time while “celebrant” is reserved for someone who conducts a religious rite. If  “celebrator” becomes overworked/overused or becomes obsolete, then “celebrater”, the original word, will take over (Look it up in The New International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary of The English Language, page 214 and The Associated Press STYLEBOOK, page 36).

    “Inquire” is the preferred spelling, NOT “enquire” and “inquiry” is preferred to “enquiry” (DICTIONARY OF USAGE, page 91). Besides, in American English, the general preference is to use “inquiry” (GOOD WORD GUIDE, page 99). The debate continues. Well done, brother! (Bayo Oguntunase, Language activist, Adoro62@yahoo.co.uk)

    MR. Wabara, I have always enjoyed your every Sunday tonic—Wordsworth. Keep it up. I wish to draw your attention to our discussion on the word ‘about’ in one of last month’s editions. You inadvertently repeated what was required to be corrected as the correction. Secondly, one of your contributors to that edition should have said, ‘about 1,720 or 1,700’…rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 (sic) would have read rounded up or down to the nearest 10 or 100. And this: 1,729 or 1,700 (to the nearest 10 and 100 respectively). For instance, 1,755 can be rounded up to 1,800 (not 100). Thank you. (Surveyor J. O. Amayo, Benin City, 08051646227)

    THE next two contributions by Mr. Kola Danisa (07068074257) are from THE NATION of August 24: “Over four months after their abduction, the girls are yet (have yet) to be located.”

    “Liberia is (has) yet to return to….”

    DR. Stanley Nduagu (08062925996) sent in the next faulty extract from Aba: “The Nigerian nurses as endangered specie (species)” (Nigerian nurses and midwives’ advertorial) ‘Species’ is both singular and plural. The word ‘specie’ has no place in English language.

    More knowledge-based, well-researched, therapeutic and constructive contributions are welcome.

  • Celebrant or celebrator?

    DO you know that ‘celebrant’ does not refer to only an officiating priest at a religious event, which informs usage of ‘celebrator’ by some purists?  According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, International Student’s Edition, North Americans also use ‘celebrant’ in reference to a person who is celebrating something, for example at a party. But for British Standard English sticklers, ‘celebrator’ is the word for secular applications while ‘celebrant’ is exclusively for spiritual ceremonies.

    An outpatient (name withheld) of my language clinic from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, sent a short messaging service last week in declaration of the erroneous belief that ‘to all intents and purposes’ is the only correct expression, according to his dictionary. That is the challenge when you restrict yourself to just one dictionary, possibly a Michael West version. I used to be a victim until I was harassed and embarrassed thrice by some eagle-eyed readers of this column! Thereafter, like Baba Bayo Oguntunase, the English language restless and restive activist, I have never stopped procuring and accessing as many dictionaries and reference books, including online portals, as possible. In fact, this week I will head for Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos, to borrow Uncle Bayo’s World Book Dictionary. Back to the subject: both ‘for’ and ‘to’ all intents and purposes are right, going by my multifarious sources.

    National Mirror of August 14 circulated a few misapprehensions: “Chieftain berates clamp down (clampdown) on PDP by APC” Noun: clampdown; phrasal verb: clamp down. What morphology has joined let no medium put asunder!

    “They have a record five former heads of states (state) that are member (members) of (the) National Council of State.”

    “Firm sensitizes students on (to) digital migration” This same error of last week again by yet another medium. That is the dilemma of press releases sent by corporate bodies that are slothfully used by assistant editors without editing or perfunctorily done if at all!

    “Students brace for cooking competition across campus (campuses) in Nigeria”

    “The finalists will enjoy an all-expense paid (sic) four day (four-day) of….” Get it right for the umpteenth time: an all-expenses-paid trip/programme….

    Lastly from National Mirror under review: “…to publish book on world class (world-class) Nigerians”

    THISDAY STYLE of July 27 fumbled: “Her dream to create awareness by liberating and unleashing the powers that lay (lie) dormant while….”

    THISDAY Back Page Headline of July 25 goofed: “Assasination attempt on Buhari?” Robust journalism: Assassination

    Wrong: flower vase; Right: vase

    Wrong: to be forewarned is to be forearmed; Right: forewarned is forearmed

    THE NATION ON SUNDAY of August 10 was indecisive in its application of comma, among other linguistic atrocities: “APC spokesman, Lai Mohammed (another comma) released from detention”

    “He was diagnosed for (with) EVD after two days and three days later, he died.” (THE NATION ON SUNDAY COMMENT, August 10)

    “…used the opportunity to speak on series (a series) of issues about himself and Nigerian football.”

    “Last Sunday (a comma) artistes gathered in Lagos under the aegis of CORA to celebrate, interact and rub minds (exchange ideas)….”

    “Action was taken immediately and the trouble-shooting chairman was suspended and a caretaker committee set up. “ If a trouble-shooting chairman is suspended in a crisis, what would happen to his trouble-making counterpart? In the interest of grammatical orderliness, a trouble-shooter is a person employed in conciliating and arbitrating between parties in conflict.

    “In their heydays, most of these citizens were active people.” (NTA Channel 10, Lagos, August 8) Not just a broadcast! Also, strive after correctness: heyday.

    “We were given half-hearted political freedom, while the reigns of our economy were tied tight to her majesty’s apron. No strings? And of course ‘reins’ not ‘reigns’, in this context.

    “Pomp and pageantry.…” (Saturday VANGUARD, August 2) Nigerian sub-editors are incurably lazy. Just because a word or phrase is in vogue, nobody cares a hoot about its acceptability. There is no familiarity (tradition) or mass appeal in the literate use of the English language. The above headline is Nigerian English. Standard version: pomp and circumstance or pomp and ceremony or just pomp.

    “The board comprised of a DSP and ASP….” Gently dump ‘of’.

    “We grief for him and his family.” (NIGERIAN TRIBUNE, August 8) I grieve for the English language!

    “It is no exaggeration therefore to assert that the Nigerian child is an endangered specie considering….” Certainly, the Nigerian (and indeed any other) child cannot be a specie, but a species.

    “Rate of misses worry (worries) pilots, controllers” The discord here worries me so much. Proximity of verbs should not confuse journalists.

    “What follows are some of the salient provisions of the budget as it dispenses some soothing balm on the festering sore of the economy.” ‘Soothing balm’ is sheer vulgarism! What is balm for?

    “Last but not the least.…” Apart from being almost a cliché, the formal expression is ‘last but not least’.

    “We won’t handover to anyone picked by fraud” It is only a fraudulent sub-editor (or his production colleagues) that will use a noun in place of a phrasal verb! I shall hand over a second culprit to a grammatical jury empanelled by me!

    FEEDBACK

    IS it right to say “…3 a. m. in the morning”? (THE NATION ON SUNDAY, August 10, 2014, Page 3, 1st Paragraph, Tatalo Alamu) (Mike Aiyemo, Abuja, 08052355655) From the columnist: It is utterly wrong. Ante meridiem is the time between midnight and midday.

  • Feedback

    Feedback

    RE: OBJ at 76

     

    Sir,

    As usual, I have read your offering today and by now, I guess you must be tired of hearing how brilliant it is. But there is an error of fact which is rather strange with your column so I think you need to correct it. Mr John Dara did not, and so could not have said, he “managed the improbable success of Chief Otedola in beating Alhaji Lateef Jakande in the Lagos governorship elections conducted under General Babangida’s transition programme.” Because that is not true.

    If I recollect very well, it was actually Jakande who helped Sir Michael Otedola to power and this what how it happened: In the course of the 1991 governorship elections, Otedola was the candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC), having defeated Mrs Oluremi Adikwu by a narrow margin at their primaries. But the Social Democratic Party (SDP) could not produce a candidate after an acrimonious primaries between Chief Dapo Sarumi (then heavily backed by the late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua) and the late Prof. Dapo Agbalajobi, (sponsored by Jakande). At the end, the duo were disqualified by the Prof Humphrey Nwosu-led National Electoral Commission (NEC). In the new primaries that followed, Mr Yomi Edu, another protégé of the late Yar’Adua, won the SDP ticket.

    So the gubernatorial contest in Lagos State was then between Otedola of NRC and Edu of SDP. But following this development, Jakande called on his supporters to vote for Otedola against his party’s candidate and even though the NRC had only two members while SDP had 38 members in the State House of Assembly, Otedola won the election on the strength of support from Jakande. That was what happened.

    While I know Mr John Dara played a major role in Otedola’s campaign, especially with regards to the NRC primaries, as far as the election proper was concerned, I think it is necessary to set the record straight that Jakande actually helped to put Otedola in power.

    Olusegun Adeniyi

     

    Sir,

    My late father warned me never to open my mouth too wide when talking with journalists, but the urge to share some of my behind-the-scene political maneuvers sometimes make me forget this fatherly counsel.

    I’d sent you an SMS in reaction to your March 6, 2013 write-up on “OBJ at 76”, pointing out minor inaccuracies about my relationship with the late Dr. Saraki and the role of Alhaji Jakande in the election of Sir Michael Otedola in the 1991 Lagos State governorship elections. I now have to elaborate on the text message in reaction to the comments of Segun Adeniyi which you shared with me.

    I’m uncomfortable with the ‘thorn in the flesh of Saraki’ bit because it’s not relevant to the Obasanjo story. My conflict with the late Dr. Saraki started in 2002 when I ran for the office of the governor of Kwara State. I reconciled with the old man after the 2005 National Political Reform Conference in which we both played key roles not only as delegates, but especially as bridge builders between the northern and the Niger Delta delegates, proposing compromises and reaching out to elders and leaders to avoid stalemates. Although I politely turned down his subsequent invitation to become a Sarakite, I developed more respect and admiration for him and for his political acumen. We maintained a good personal relationship till his death.

    Segun’s comments on the Otedola-Jakande part of your write-up, which you shared with me, is essentially in agreement with my earlier text message to you in which I said Otedola won that election “ with the clandestine help of Jakande”. However, Segun’s impressive recollection of the events of that period inadvertently exaggerated the role of Jakande and demeaned the remarkable role of John Dara and the then Michael Otedola Campaign Organisation (MOCO).

    I have managed several political campaigns over the years, and as a Fellow of the Certified Institute of Marketing Communications in Nigeria, I consider the Otedola Campaign as one of the most daring and well-managed political campaigns in Nigeria’s political history. Many analysts had superficially explained Sir Otedola’s unusual victory as being a product of luck or the ‘mystic’ in his name (Otedola literarily means ‘conflicts and intrigues turn to wealth’).

    I was privileged to be the Director General of the Campaign Organisation. I wrote a formal Campaign Plan with a detailed Situation Analysis. We anticipated the crisis in Lagos SDP which was a localisation of the PSP vs. PF rivalry in SDP nationwide. We built on the ‘strength’ of Otedola as a ‘Christian from rural Lagos’. We ran an in-depth campaign in rural Lagos. We had a ward-by-ward, polling booth-by-polling booth, church-by-church and mosque-by-mosque campaign network. There was a great campaign theme “That Lagos May Now Excel”(which later earned Lagos the ‘State of Excellence’ appellation). The theme was backed with bold and colourful visuals.

    We also did a formal Influence Channel Analysis. We identified the then out-going Military Administration of Governor Raji Rasaki, the Church, the Press and any disgruntled faction of SDP(among others) as critical success factors. When Agbalajobi was initially declared winner, we were already having partnership discussions with Sarumi. When subsequently, Yomi Edu became SDP candidate, we mobilised MOCO members to join Agbalajobi ‘s supporters to protest the ‘injustice’ and to widen the schism in SDP. We kept to our script and offered to partner with the aggrieved Jakande group. John Dara and Sen. Tony Adefuye initiated the dialogue that resulted in the deal. The intricate negotiations took place at the V/I residence of the late Prince Dapo Sijuade.

    There were many heroes of the Otedola Campaign and victory: Late Chief Baruwa (Olori Eleyo) of NRC, Late Alh. Baruwa (then Chairman of SDP), Late Chief Babs Akerele, Dr. Charles Fadipe, Dr. Segun Ogundimu, Late Dr. Segun Oyefule, Alh. Umaru Shinkafi (who gave money and facilitated police support), church leaders who moved out the votes, pressmen like Sina Ogunbambo, Yetunde Arebi, Kunle Oyatomi and all MOCO members who saw the future with me. It was a well coordinated teamwork.

    We remain grateful to Alh. Lateef Jakande for his (mutually beneficial) assistance, and to Gen. Raji Rasaki who was arguably more critical to our success than anyone else (he nominated Otedola’s running-mate, blocked the SDP last-ditch rigging effort in the expansive Ojo LGA, and helped in several other ways. Above all, God made it happen.

    I’m not ready yet to write my memoirs, may be it will be titled “The Contributions of a small role player in Nigeria’s political development”. It will feature stories that may moderate public perception of some important political developments and players. For now, let’s wait, ‘make I reach where I dey go’. And by the way, Mohammed, leave me and my Baba alone o.

    John Dara

     

     

     

  • Feedback on ‘Achebe’s personal history of Biafra’

    Feedback on ‘Achebe’s personal history of Biafra’

    In keeping with my promise last week, here are some of the scores of reactions my piece of October 24 on the subject above generated in texts and emails.

     

    Sir,

    Thank you very much for balancing the story objectively. We need more of your likes to educate our people on what really happened in that Civil War. As you are aware, our people, for lack of reading their history books, can believe anything, including the fact that goats in Nigeria had eight legs before the Civil War! As for Prof Achebe, Olatunji Ololade summed his self-propelling lies thus, “There was an elder.” I cannot agree more!

    Kayode A, Abeokuta.

     

    Sir,

    Your article on Achebe’s Biafra story was well written. Those of us Igbo who lived here before and after the war understand you. Both sides have certainly erred and strayed. What we need to learn is the futility of resorting to violence and murder as a method for redressing wrongs. Peaceful demonstrations and powerful articles like yours and powerful speeches and lectures like Azikiwe’s in the pre Independence period are, in my view, better. The newspaper articles and the action of the Save Nigeria Group urging the observance of the Constitution regarding the succession of Yar’Adua by Jonathan proved that this method can work. And it is a more civilised way of dealing with such issues.

    Dr. Ekweani, Kabala Hospital, Kaduna.

     

    Sir,

    You missed Achebe’s point. I’m neither Igbo nor northerner nor a fan of both people, but, my dear, we need to say the truth. And you are the one not saying the truth not Achebe. Why didn’t northern officers stop at killing Ironsi and Igbo army officers? Jan ’66 coup saw less than 35 casualties, but July ’66 coup saw well over 300 victims. Was that not enough revenge? Why oh why, did they go ahead to kill civilians in such large numbers and expect the Igbo to stay calm for the sake of one Nigeria? Your article justifies the murder of countless innocents. This is one area anti Achebe writers, including you, glossed over. If hatred for the Igbo wasn’t a factor, why didn’t Gowon institute policies to assuage Igbo feelings? How on earth did you expect a tribe that lost 30,000 souls in massacres across the North not to opt for secession?

    Tonye Kalango, Port Harcourt

     

    Sir,

    I read with dismay and I found it very nauseating reading miles of inaccurate nonsense you wrote about Chinua Achebe and the Civil War. I don’t like distortion of facts which is your trade mark. You exhibited a stunning ignorance of what happened during the war. Yoruba and Northerners both hate Ndigbo. Why don’t you leave us alone to go as Biafrans? You hate us and you still want us to be in Nigeria. I believe you are confused and your confusion emanated from a deeper ignorance different from what Achebe has written in the nice book, “There was a country”.

    Collins Ewenike, Imo State.

     

    Sir,

    For the first time you are writing southern issue without your acidic bite. Thanks for not joining our Yoruba brothers to shout down peoples account as if they have skeletons in their cupboard. Ojukwu failed the Igbo by not writing his account before he died. Please beg Gowon not to make the same mistake again. We, the new generation Igbo, need as much information as possible on the Civil War so that when the time comes in the near future we will not suffer the same fate again.

    Andrew Udeze

     

    Sir.

    Your piece of 24/10/12 got it all right. However, you equally allowed the manipulation of historical events to affect you, which reflects in your write up. You may note that Anthony Enahoro’s proposal for independence in 1956 was in 1953, which Sir Ahmadu Bello sought for its amendment with the clause “as soon as practicable’. The eventual motion for Independence was proposed by Chief S. L. Akintola in 1959. The Yoruba nation, in its desire to erase the contributions of Akintola, conspired to ensure that all his landmark inputs were obliterated from historical events. Sir, please crosscheck this area of your work and don’t allow students of political history quote you in error.

    Mohammed Adebayo Ameenu

     

    Sir,

    Thanks for the refreshing angle on the one of the causes of the Civil War. Achebe has only succeeded in opening a can of worms, and creating disaffection between new generations of Nigerians.

    +2348034058476

     

    Sir,

    Your fact on Igbo triumphalism and their celebration and gloating at the death of Sardauna is very true, as I recall as a seven year old in Makurdi, a recorded popular song in Igbo with the lyrics ‘ewu ne barkwa’ ( meaning a goat is crying or gloating). Regrettably that’s what the Igbo still think and call all Northerners. What puzzles and annoys me is why would an icon like Achebe today remind me of the sad era of me running for cover with my siblings whenever Makurdi came under Biafran bombing? History is okay but Nigerians, especially the Igbo, should let the sores of that period of the life of the nation go.

    Adoga Anyebe

     

    Sir,

    I can’t understand what Achebe wants to achieve by raking up an old wound with so much hatred at a time this nation has so much present day challenges to surmount. What Nigeria needs today is how to heal old wounds so as to move forward. I suppose Achebe is familiar with the saying that if you cannot improve on the silence it is better to keep quiet!

    I think Achebe and some members of his generation with long memory for hatred are part of the problem with Nigeria. Period!

    Dr Festus Aisabokhale

     

    Sir,

    I hold you in a very high esteem, and your critique on Achebe’s latest offering, ‘There was a Country’, has only reinforced my respect for you.

    You pointed out, from your perspective, the lapses inherent in the work without abusing the author. There is no doubt that Achebe is human, and therefore he is not infallible. The good thing about this work is that it has opened up the debate for a soul searching exercise, and even the healing of the wounds of the past.

    It is right for those that do not agree with Achebe to state their own perspectives, without resorting to inflammatory statements or abuses. I do not share the view of some commentators that we should bury the past and forge ahead. The holocaust is still being discussed in the Western world, in spite of being a very sensitive issue.

    If, as you pointed out, Achebe glossed over the murder of innocent military officers of Northern extraction by Major Nzeogwu and other conspirators, then you have towed the same line of argument as Michael Hollman, one of the first reviewers of the book, who stated that the book is ‘partisan in perspectives’. I was uncomfortable to learn from you that Achebe did not acknowledge the contributions of nationalists like Herbert Macaulay and Bode Thomas to our independence. However, the lapses inherent in the book do not detract from its importance and relevance to our fledgling society. For once, both the generation that did not witness the Civil War and those that witnessed the brutal conflict are engaging themselves in intellectual exercises; some in the right direction, others, unfortunately, in the wrong direction.

    Erasmus Ndulue.

     

    Only well informed and respected columnists like you and Duro Onabule, would serve as guides to ensure the youths do not stray from the path of probity. Abusing Achebe and demonising his tribe, simply because his views were seen as ‘being partisan’ will not help matters. We need other perspectives to balance the stories of our unfortunate past. As you rightly pointed out, ‘The truth of the Civil War was that there were rights and wrongs on both sides’.

    Another critic, Clem Baiye, in Tell of October 29, even pointed out that Achebe did not address the issue of the opposition of the minorities in the Southeast to the secession of Biafra in his work. It is however simplistic and reductionist for most commentators to dwell solely on Achebe’s comment on Awolowo’s role during the war. Those commentators turned a blind eye on Achebe’s observation of Awolowo’s meticulousness in managing the affairs of Action Group, as pointed out by Clem Baiye in Tell.

    Having said that, I have placed an order for the book, and your critique will surely serve as a guide for a student of political history like me.