The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Goodluck Jonathan

  • When GEJ finally gave a damn

    When GEJ finally gave a damn

    The usually somnolent Presidential Villa in Abuja spurted into damage control last week when several Nigerian newspapers, quoting an online magazine RichestLifestyle.com, reported that Dr Goodluck Jonathan ranks sixth among the wealthiest African heads of state, with a personal net worth of U.S. $100 million.

    The report thus elicited from on high what a barbarous assault on the Judicial Branch that same week had failed to elicit. It also moved an apparently incensed Dr Jonathan to lapse       into an absurdity that was entirely lost on him.  If the publication was not retracted, he would file lawsuits against the first publisher of the alleged libel and all media organisations that republished it.

    Where?

    In the same courts, in the desecration of which he has connived, by act and omission?  The  very courts he has eviscerated out of raw partisanship?  It is preposterous that Dr Jonathan would effectively, even if temporarily, oust the jurisdiction of the courts out of self-interest,  and then threaten to use the authority of the same courts to affirm his self interest, namely,   the reputation he is asserting.

    The whole thing was clearly an over-reaction that proved nothing and settled nothing.  And it is emblematic of the utter humourlessness at the top, as I will demonstrate presently.

    To return to the publication that sent Aso Rock into a tizzy:  In absolute terms, the amount  reported as Dr Jonathan’s personal net worth might seem staggering, especially when most Nigerians live on no more than two dollars a day.  But when compared with the reported net worth of the Top Five in the League of Africa’s Wealthiest Rulers, it is piddling.

    President Eduardo dos Santos of Angola tops the League with a personal net worth, or “known wealth”, of $20 billion, according to NewsRescue.com, which seems to be domiciled in Nigeria. The Moroccan monarch, Mohammed V, comes a distant second, with a personal net worth of just $2.5 billion. Thereafter, the graph falls precipitously, with Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea at third place with a personal net worth of $600 million.

    This last has got to be a huge undercount.  Mbasogo’s playboy son, known simply as Teodorin, blows close to that amount every year in his escapades in the most notorious fleshpots of Europe and the United States.

    Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, on the saddle for just one year, comes in fourth, worth some $500 million, followed by the wily and durable Paul Biya of Cameroun at fifth, reportedly worth $200 million.

    Only then does our JEG figure in the League, tied for sixth place with, of all people, the hugely concupiscent King Mswati of the landlocked, hardscrabble state of Swaziland, with Idris Deby of Chad ($50 million) and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe ($10 million), after nearly three decades in office and in power, bringing up the rear. Mugabe seems to have been tucked into the mix as an afterthought.  They never miss a chance to tweak what is left of Uncle Bob’s moustache.

    Personally, I am even more enraged than Dr Jonathan can possibly be, though for an entirely different reason.

    He is clearly not in the league of Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Folorunsho Alakija, or even  Femi Otedollar – beg your pardon again, Ote$, beg your pardon one more time, Otedola. Even after former police chief Tafa Balogun was dispossessed of sizable  chunk of his gazillions, he may still well be worth close to, if not more than the amount over which they are working themselves into a froth in the Villa.

    In Nigeria, it is no longer news that even middling “civil servants” and customs officers  now tote up their net worth in the hundreds of millions of naira. That kind of money is no more than pocket-change to the syndicate of wheelers and dealers and smugglers who control the petroleum industry.

    How then can it even be newsworthy that the man who sits atop Nigeria’s re-based economy, the largest in all of Africa and 16th largest in the entire world (take that, South Africa), with a run-away annual growth rate conservatively estimated at six per cent, to say nothing of a Transformational Achievement Index in the stratosphere:  how can it be newsworthy then, it  is necessary to ask, that the President of such a country has a personal net worth of just N100 million, unless the purpose is to canonise him for modesty and restraint and prudence, the rarest attributes in our clime?

    How can it be deemed equitable that Uhuru Kenyatta, who took charge in a Kenya with a struggling economy just a year ago, should have a personal net worth five times that of our own JEG who has been running Africa’s most prosperous economy for the better part of six years?

    Dr Jonathan’s inveterate critics will put down his puny personal net worth to lack of ambition or imagination or enterprise – or indeed, all three – on his part. And the gullible as well as the unpatriotic, whom we shall always have amongst us, just might believe them.

    It is at these – the inveterate critics and their gullible and unpatriotic followers, especially the  unpatriotic —that Aso Rock should have directed its indignation when it finally chose to give a damn, a mistake it must now be regretting.

    It should have stuck with its practice of not giving a damn in matters of this kind.  By breaking its own code, it has merely emboldened all kind of meddlers to wade into matter and stir things up.

    Instead of applauding Dr Jonathan’s forthrightness, some of these people are taunting him, saying that it is not enough to deny that he has personal assets worth $100 million. If Aso Rock disputes that figure, they say, why won’t it supply the correct one and lay the matter to rest?

    That was exactly what President Mobutu Sese Seko did in the 1980s at a point in his crisis-ridden reign in Zaire, now Congo DR, when the news media were saturated with reports that he had stashed away a personal fortune of $500 million in coded offshore bank accounts.

    Not so, he said at a news conference.

    How much was he worth, then?

    Only $25 million, he said, adding that, after 25 years of selfless service to the people – who, he once said in a moment of exasperation, had forfeited his confidence—he did not consider $25 million an unjust recompense.

    At a million dollars a year, that was a great bargain for the people of Zaire.  The matter never came up again.

    The challenge Mobutu faced is exceedingly courteous compared with the one that some of the unpatriotic elements, aforementioned, have launched. They say if Dr Jonathan still has enough faith in the courts he has locked up to repair there for redress, they will meet him there with iron-clad proof that he is worth a great deal more than the $100 million he is kvetching about and that the reputation he is claiming rests on shaky ground.

    Strong stuff, indeed.

    All because Dr Jonathan decided for once to give a damn.

    But all is not lost. There is an authentic Nigerian formula he can employ to get out of this unforced error.

    Accused in the 1960s of pocketing £3,000 — the equivalent of a cabinet minister’s salary for a year then –in what came to be known as the Ijora Land Deal, Dr Kingsley Mbadiwe responded with the bonhomie that became him so well.

    The money about which his detractors were working up so much fuss, he said, was “chicken feed in an elephantine mouth”.

    Loosen up, GEJ.  Take a vacation.

     

  • Conference, road safety and national development

    When President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated the National Conference and gave them the task to accomplish, there were lots of skepticism as to whether the conference can end peacefully or reach any meaningful conclusion. Though Nigerians are still praying for the adoption and implementations of the recommendations of the National Conference, the fact however remains that the National Conference was a huge success and a step in the right direction. There is without doubt, a fresh air in the atmosphere that Nigeria as a nation is heading towards a greater height in true federaralism, unity and peace as a result of the resolutions of the National Conference.

    It is a tru-ism that there are many crises in all the sectors of the Nigerian economy calling for more proactive actions. There are challenges in the Security sector, Health sector, Transport sector, Agricultural sector, Power sector, External Relations, Youth Unemployment, Religious and Tribal crises among others.

    The Success of the recently concluded National Conference is a clear pointer to the fact that unbiased and result-oriented conferences can be used to regularly resolve all the crises in all the sectors facing challenges in Nigeria to foster the growth of the Nigerian economy. The absence of such proactive action is mainly responsible for the non – accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals and will also make the accomplishment of the Nigerian vision 20:2020 difficult if at all possible.

    For over two years now, I have used several medium to advocate for an annual or at worse biennial National conference on Transportation. This proposed conference is to bring all the Stakeholders, Decision Makers and Observers together to regularly resolve the crises in the sector as well as formulate proactive policies for the coming years.

    There is no doubt about the fact that there are crises between the Federal Road Safety Commission, State Ministries of Transport, Vehicle Inspection Unit, Motor Vehicle Licensing Authorities, Nigeria Police Force, State Traffic Management Agencies, Driving Schools, Local Government Authorities and other Stakeholders in one way or the other, while the rate of road accident and fatalities keep increasing in the country.

    Furthermore, there are several draconian laws and regulations at the Federal and State levels that need to be re – addressed and amended for the good of Nigerians and the Nation as a whole.

    Many things are wrong with several sectors in Nigeria and the earlier they are addressed, the better for the development of this great nation. For example, as at today, it has not yet been resolved who regulates the Driving Schools in Nigeria, the Federal Road Safety Commission or the State Governments. Nigeria recently ranked 191 out of 193 countries with the worst case of road crashes and fatalities. And we are yet to take proactive actions practically to drastically reduce the high rate of accidents and fatalities in Nigeria.

     

    Why on earth should the Nigeria police Officers leave their primary jobs to be helping State governments to arrest Motorcycle Riders or prosecute offenders of State government traffic laws, arresting Drivers not using seat belt, looking for expired Driver Licence with little or no attention to the security of Nigerians in their domain if it is not for personal financial gains?

     

    Current and potential Farmers have heard too much theories about how good and rewarding Agriculture is but what stops the Federal Ministry of Agriculture from approving 5 model Farmers in each State of the Federation, finance them, monitor them, create local and international markets for their produce so that the whole nation can see how truly profitable and rewarding farming is and how it’s used to generate employment by the model Farmers. This demonstration will encourage other Farmers and prospective Farmers to courageously step into the terrain and enjoy the local and international markets already created and widened to accommodate more Farmers and generate more benefits for job creation and growth of the economy.

     

    What is wrong if it is agreed that any vehicle with factory – fitted tinted glass must always have their windows down whenever they are moving on the road since the glasses cannot be replaced. Criminals are even the fastest to get police permission to use tinted glasses. What then are we talking about? A conference deliberation on effectively proffer solution to this problem.

     

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is boasting that their fertilizers are being distributed adequately to Farmers but is anyone talking about the effects of the fertilizers on the health of the Consumers of the produce of these Farmers?

     

    This year alone, road accident has killed far more than the number of people killed by Ebola all over the world from 1976 to October 2014, thereby making road accident far more deadly and calling for more attention than the dreaded Ebola Virus disease.

     

    If we are really sincere and committed to reducing the rate of road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Transport must be organizing an Annual National Conference on Transportation and the resolutions must be taken seriously for implementation by the Federal, State and Local Governments, their Agencies as well as other Stakeholders concerned in the overall interest and development of Nigeria.

     

    The Federal Ministry of Power is saying that 4,500 megawatts of electricity will be available in Nigeria this year. But has the same ministry carried out a need – analysis to determine which Town or City in Nigeria needs more regular electricity to make sufficient impacts in manufacturing, production or service delivery that will make significant impact in direct and indirect employment generation in the country? So that more megawatts can be channeled to these identified towns or cities instead of political talks of improved megawatts to the whole country at once. What is the benefit of improved megawatts of electricity to villages whose Inhabitants go to farm in the day and only use electricity to sleep (at least for now)? Regular conference on power will address these issues and more for proactive measures.

     

    Happenings in the micro – finance sector is a far cry from the original vision as announced at the inauguration of the micro finance policy by the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a ceremony which I personally attended.

     

    The Micro Finance Companies’ system can be likened to that of shylocks. The Beneficiaries of their loan facilities are groaning and their businesses are not experiencing real growth through the loans because they have become cows being milked by the Microfinance Banks.

     

    Many things are currently wrong in the Nigerian banking and finance sector. It is only an all – encompassing finance conference comprising all the Stakeholders that can proffer real and lasting solutions in the interest of national development.

     

    There are many facts that the Governments may not know until regular result – oriented conferences are organized by the Federal Ministry of Finance where Stakeholders and other interested parties bare their minds.

     

    We are always fast in participating in International Conferences where our local situations cannot be deeply resolved but failing to use the same conference strategies to effectively address our local challenges. This year alone, Nigerian Governments and Agencies have attended several international conferences but how many have been organized by the Government Ministries to proactively solve the local problems and boost national development?

     

    In Nigeria, how many Government Officials, Officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Airforce, Police and Civil Defence) and the Federal Road Safety Commission attended or passed through Driving Schools training to obtain their Driver Licences? Very few if at all there is any. Is this what obtains in other Countries? We should stop deceiving ourselves in the war against road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria.

     

    The multiplicity and clashes in the functions of the Federal Road Safety Commission, State Government Agencies and Driving Schools can easily be resolved through regular result oriented national conferences to enhance safety on Nigeria roads.

     

    The Nigerian Governments (Federal and States) are boasting and celebrating that Ebola Virus Disease is no more in Nigeria. They should however remember that Goliath has brothers. While Ebola is not yet completely dead globally, Marbug virus disease, Sarin, Rye ergot, Swamp fever, Smallpox, Typhoid, Anthrax, Botulism, Plague, Mail attack and Tularemia which have ravaged nations in the past and many yet to be mentioned biological attacks or disasters can manifest anytime and anywhere.

     

    Instead of celebrating one victory, there is a need to call for an urgent disaster prevention and management conference to strategize well ahead of time in line with the principle of hazard perception, prevention and control.

     

    In 2001, the United States anti – terrorism authorities played a “war – game” called Dark winter to determine the nation’s readiness in case small pox were deliberately released by aerosol methods in three States. Within 2 – weeks, the small pox spread to 25 States and 15 other Countries thereby making their vaccine supplies of 15 million doses inadequate but increased to 45 million doses before it was successfully checkmated. All these were done to ensure their readiness to effectively handle the perceived hazards. It is time Nigerian Governments (Federal and States) to wake up from their slumber and be more proactive in the handling of all the pressing issues in Nigeria, including Unemployment, Road Safety and Electricity among others.

     

    In a nutshell, the success of the recent National Conference in the midst of divers opinion is a pointer to the fact that sectoral conferences can be used as a strong weapon for resolving the logjam hindering the performance of the various sectors and the overall national development.

     

    hen President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated the National Conference and gave them the task to accomplish, there were lots of skepticism as to whether the conference can end peacefully or reach any meaningful conclusion. Though Nigerians are still praying for the adoption and implementations of the recommendations of the National Conference, the fact however remains that the National Conference was a huge success and a step in the right direction. There is without doubt, a fresh air in the atmosphere that Nigeria as a nation is heading towards a greater height in true federaralism, unity and peace as a result of the resolutions of the National Conference.

    It is a tru-ism that there are many crises in all the sectors of the Nigerian economy calling for more proactive actions. There are challenges in the Security sector, Health sector, Transport sector, Agricultural sector, Power sector, External Relations, Youth Unemployment, Religious and Tribal crises among others.

    The Success of the recently concluded National Conference is a clear pointer to the fact that unbiased and result-oriented conferences can be used to regularly resolve all the crises in all the sectors facing challenges in Nigeria to foster the growth of the Nigerian economy. The absence of such proactive action is mainly responsible for the non – accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals and will also make the accomplishment of the Nigerian vision 20:2020 difficult if at all possible.

    For over two years now, I have used several medium to advocate for an annual or at worse biennial National conference on Transportation. This proposed conference is to bring all the Stakeholders, Decision Makers and Observers together to regularly resolve the crises in the sector as well as formulate proactive policies for the coming years.

    There is no doubt about the fact that there are crises between the Federal Road Safety Commission, State Ministries of Transport, Vehicle Inspection Unit, Motor Vehicle Licensing Authorities, Nigeria Police Force, State Traffic Management Agencies, Driving Schools, Local Government Authorities and other Stakeholders in one way or the other, while the rate of road accident and fatalities keep increasing in the country.

    Furthermore, there are several draconian laws and regulations at the Federal and State levels that need to be re – addressed and amended for the good of Nigerians and the Nation as a whole.

    Many things are wrong with several sectors in Nigeria and the earlier they are addressed, the better for the development of this great nation. For example, as at today, it has not yet been resolved who regulates the Driving Schools in Nigeria, the Federal Road Safety Commission or the State Governments. Nigeria recently ranked 191 out of 193 countries with the worst case of road crashes and fatalities. And we are yet to take proactive actions practically to drastically reduce the high rate of accidents and fatalities in Nigeria.

     

    Why on earth should the Nigeria police Officers leave their primary jobs to be helping State governments to arrest Motorcycle Riders or prosecute offenders of State government traffic laws, arresting Drivers not using seat belt, looking for expired Driver Licence with little or no attention to the security of Nigerians in their domain if it is not for personal financial gains?

     

    Current and potential Farmers have heard too much theories about how good and rewarding Agriculture is but what stops the Federal Ministry of Agriculture from approving 5 model Farmers in each State of the Federation, finance them, monitor them, create local and international markets for their produce so that the whole nation can see how truly profitable and rewarding farming is and how it’s used to generate employment by the model Farmers. This demonstration will encourage other Farmers and prospective Farmers to courageously step into the terrain and enjoy the local and international markets already created and widened to accommodate more Farmers and generate more benefits for job creation and growth of the economy.

     

    What is wrong if it is agreed that any vehicle with factory – fitted tinted glass must always have their windows down whenever they are moving on the road since the glasses cannot be replaced. Criminals are even the fastest to get police permission to use tinted glasses. What then are we talking about? A conference deliberation on effectively proffer solution to this problem.

     

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is boasting that their fertilizers are being distributed adequately to Farmers but is anyone talking about the effects of the fertilizers on the health of the Consumers of the produce of these Farmers?

     

    This year alone, road accident has killed far more than the number of people killed by Ebola all over the world from 1976 to October 2014, thereby making road accident far more deadly and calling for more attention than the dreaded Ebola Virus disease.

     

    If we are really sincere and committed to reducing the rate of road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Transport must be organizing an Annual National Conference on Transportation and the resolutions must be taken seriously for implementation by the Federal, State and Local Governments, their Agencies as well as other Stakeholders concerned in the overall interest and development of Nigeria.

     

    The Federal Ministry of Power is saying that 4,500 megawatts of electricity will be available in Nigeria this year. But has the same ministry carried out a need – analysis to determine which Town or City in Nigeria needs more regular electricity to make sufficient impacts in manufacturing, production or service delivery that will make significant impact in direct and indirect employment generation in the country? So that more megawatts can be channeled to these identified towns or cities instead of political talks of improved megawatts to the whole country at once. What is the benefit of improved megawatts of electricity to villages whose Inhabitants go to farm in the day and only use electricity to sleep (at least for now)? Regular conference on power will address these issues and more for proactive measures.

     

    Happenings in the micro – finance sector is a far cry from the original vision as announced at the inauguration of the micro finance policy by the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a ceremony which I personally attended.

     

    The Micro Finance Companies’ system can be likened to that of shylocks. The Beneficiaries of their loan facilities are groaning and their businesses are not experiencing real growth through the loans because they have become cows being milked by the Microfinance Banks.

     

    Many things are currently wrong in the Nigerian banking and finance sector. It is only an all – encompassing finance conference comprising all the Stakeholders that can proffer real and lasting solutions in the interest of national development.

     

    There are many facts that the Governments may not know until regular result – oriented conferences are organized by the Federal Ministry of Finance where Stakeholders and other interested parties bare their minds.

     

    We are always fast in participating in International Conferences where our local situations cannot be deeply resolved but failing to use the same conference strategies to effectively address our local challenges. This year alone, Nigerian Governments and Agencies have attended several international conferences but how many have been organized by the Government Ministries to proactively solve the local problems and boost national development?

     

    In Nigeria, how many Government Officials, Officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Airforce, Police and Civil Defence) and the Federal Road Safety Commission attended or passed through Driving Schools training to obtain their Driver Licences? Very few if at all there is any. Is this what obtains in other Countries? We should stop deceiving ourselves in the war against road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria.

     

    The multiplicity and clashes in the functions of the Federal Road Safety Commission, State Government Agencies and Driving Schools can easily be resolved through regular result oriented national conferences to enhance safety on Nigeria roads.

     

    The Nigerian Governments (Federal and States) are boasting and celebrating that Ebola Virus Disease is no more in Nigeria. They should however remember that Goliath has brothers. While Ebola is not yet completely dead globally, Marbug virus disease, Sarin, Rye ergot, Swamp fever, Smallpox, Typhoid, Anthrax, Botulism, Plague, Mail attack and Tularemia which have ravaged nations in the past and many yet to be mentioned biological attacks or disasters can manifest anytime and anywhere.

     

    Instead of celebrating one victory, there is a need to call for an urgent disaster prevention and management conference to strategize well ahead of time in line with the principle of hazard perception, prevention and control.

     

    In 2001, the United States anti – terrorism authorities played a “war – game” called Dark winter to determine the nation’s readiness in case small pox were deliberately released by aerosol methods in three States. Within 2 – weeks, the small pox spread to 25 States and 15 other Countries thereby making their vaccine supplies of 15 million doses inadequate but increased to 45 million doses before it was successfully checkmated. All these were done to ensure their readiness to effectively handle the perceived hazards. It is time Nigerian Governments (Federal and States) to wake up from their slumber and be more proactive in the handling of all the pressing issues in Nigeria, including Unemployment, Road Safety and Electricity among others.

     

    In a nutshell, the success of the recent National Conference in the midst of divers opinion is a pointer to the fact that sectoral conferences can be used as a strong weapon for resolving the logjam hindering the performance of the various sectors and the overall national development.

     

  • Don’t beg me, do the needful, Obasanjo tells Jonathan, others

    Don’t beg me, do the needful, Obasanjo tells Jonathan, others

    Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo returned from a trip to South Africa on Sunday and told President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President, David Mark, and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to do the “needful” and stop inundating him with appeals for forgiveness.

    Obasanjo in a statement at his Hill top mansion on Presidential Hill Top Estate, Abeokuta, said he has neither left the PDP on whose platform he governed the country for eight nor has anybody offended him by virtue of his membership of the party.

    The former Chairman, Board of Trustees of PDP,  who was South Africa over the South Sudan’s increasing insecurity and violence, said he almost cut short his stay there following “the avalanche of news, cacophony of appeals and pleadings from some quarters of PDP,” at home.

    He said appeals are evidential manifestation of  “misunderstandings and misrepresentations” of facts.

    Obasanjo who also stated he  had had occasion to make his stand on vital matters affecting party known to Jonathan, Mark and the Party Chairman, that issues of principle, morality, honour , integrity, commitment and character which to him are paramount, said he could  not “accept that the Zonal leader of my political Party and, worse still in my zone, will be an indicted drug baron wanted in America.”

    Obasanjo said: “during last week when I was in South Africa as the Chairman of AU Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan and while with my fellow Commissioners, we were deliberating on how to help that new country out of its problem of security and violence, I received avalanche of news and cacophony of appeals and pleadings from some quarters of PDP leadership.

    ” There are misunderstandings and misrepresentations which some of those appeals and pleas manifested; hence this explanation from me. Talking of inviting me back to PDP is wrong and it is a great misrepresentation as I have never left PDP and I will never leave PDP.

    ” I have said it before and I will say it again, I rose to become the President of Nigeria on the platform of PDP and for that reason alone, I will remain a card-carrying and ward-active member of PDP for as long as I have to be a political party member.

    “Secondly, nobody has personally offended me as a result of my membership of PDP.  If, however, anybody or group feels offended by my continued membership, I will offer an unreserved apology but continue to remain in the Party.

    ” I have had occasions to say to the President, the Senate President and the Party Chairman separately that I have no quarrel with any individual or group in the Party.  There are, for me, issues of principle, morality, honour , integrity, commitment and character which are paramount.

    “For instance, as a former President of Nigeria, the Chairman of West Africa Commission on Drug and a member of Global Commission on Drug, I cannot accept that the Zonal leader of my political Party and, worse still in my zone, will be an indicted drug baron wanted in America.

    “How do I explain that to friends outside Nigeria?  This is only one of the many issues that I have pointed and still pointing out.

    “I have national and international standard to maintain and reputation to keep and sustain.  For these reasons, I opted to remain active only at the ward level of the Party till the leadership does the needful.

    “But under no condition will my commitment to Nigeria be diminished.  And, for me, it is commitment to Nigeria first and any other commitment can only follow in second or third place. Where any other commitment is in tandem with what I see and understand as commitment to Nigeria, such other commitment will share a pride of place with Nigeria.

    “I must hasten to thank the President, the Senate President and the Chairman of PDP with whom, at their instances, these issues have been discussed and laid to rest.  My interest and commitment to Nigeria go beyond partisan politics.

    “Today, Nigeria needs all hands on deck to deal with our pressing problems of security including the issue of Chibok girls, widening inequality, infrastructure, impunity, corruption, poverty and youth education, skill-acquisition, empowerment and employment.

    “These are issues of concern to most Nigerians.  We all need to join hands to move Nigeria forward.  I don’t need to be begged for that.

    “Rather, I beg and appeal to those who are begging me to realize that we must put Nigeria’s interest above politics – party or personal – otherwise, we will all be judged at the bar of history if not the bar of current affairs.

    ” In addition, we must preserve, sustain and deepen democracy and democratic practices,” Obasanjo stated.

  • Jonathan restates commitment to education

    Jonathan restates commitment to education

    PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has restated his commitment to integrating the nation’s education sector through his transformation agenda.

    Jonathan said it was important for the nation to have more quality universities in the country, stressing that it would increase ‘asset of the nation’ and contribute to nation building.

    Speaking at the maiden graduation ceremony of the Baze University, yesterday in Abuja, Jonathan commended the school administrators for contributing to the education sector.

    “We use this opportunity to assure the university of continuous support of this government towards realising the peaceful and development of this country,” he said.

    The president, who was represented by the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, assured of continuous support for the sector.

    He expressed optimism the school will maintain standards that would add up to national development.

    Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd.), asked the federal government to do everything possible to reintegrate the Boko Haram Islamic sect into the society before elections.

    Gowon said the peace and unity of the nation cannot be overemphasised.

    He stated that building a democracy involves peace and ensuring quality education.

    According to him, despite activities of the insurgent, northern education persisted.

    “Christianity and Islam are very much needed to further unite Nigeria to avoid dangers that may prevent Nigeria from maintaining its unity,” Gowon added.

     

  • Jonathan congratulates Malala, Satyarthi

    Jonathan congratulates Malala, Satyarthi

    President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated the joint-recipients of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, Pakistani girl-child education activist, Malala Yousafzai, and Indian children’s rights campaigner, Kailash Satyarthi.

    He described them as worthy recipients of the prize in view of their globally-acclaimed and courageous advocacy against bigotry, discrimination, oppression and extremism even in the most difficult of circumstances.

    In a statement by his spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, Jonathan enjoined them to draw greater strength from the global honour and recognition.

    He urged them to “carry on their brave advocacy for the rights of girls, women and oppressed persons with renewed vigour and impetus.”

    The president assured that he will continue to do all within his powers to promote “safe education for all children and the empowerment of women, while vigorously protecting young children from forced labour and human trafficking.”

     

  • Jonathan, Zuma open talks over botched $15m arms deals

    Jonathan, Zuma open talks over botched $15m arms deals

    …Obasanjo, Mbeki move to avert diplomatic impasse
    …FG may not release list of those who ferried cash to SA

    Following tension over the $15million botched arms deal, President

    Goodluck Jonathan and his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma have opened up talks to avert diplomatic row.

    Also, ex-Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Thabo Mbeki were said to have stepped into issues surrounding the arms deal.

    But there were strong indications that the Federal government will not release the names of those who ferried the $9.3million to South Africa for “strategic security reasons.”

    According to a highly-placed source in government, who spoke in confidence, the arms deal was being “treated at the presidential level” to avoid a diplomatic row.

    The source said: “The two leaders have discussed extensively in the last one and a half weeks on the arms deal and why the matter had to be handled at the diplomatic level.

    “The key point in their talks is that the two nations should not allow the issue to degenerate to a diplomatic row. I can tell you that Jonathan and Zuma have struck some understanding on how to treat the matter maturely without rubbishing the integrity of any of the two countries.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “The federal government insisted that the deal had nothing to do with fraud or money laundering as being alleged. But it is not opposed to any investigation by the South African Government or agency.

    “The South African Government has pledged due process and fairness in managing the ongoing investigation. Certainly Nigeria is interested in having its cash back and this demand might require deeper diplomatic understanding.”

    It was however gathered that ex-Presidents Obasanjo and Mbeki have waded into the matter to avert what a source described as “diplomatic impasse.”

    Another source said: “Obasanjo and Mbeki who initiated Nigeria-South

    Africa Bi-National Commission in 1999 are worried that the arms deal might affect the robust economic relationship between both countries.

    “They do not want the situation to degenerate into a diplomatic row because for some time, there had been some distrust between the two nations arising from the disagreement on the late Muammar Ghadaffi; the election of the Chairman of AU Commission; Yellow Fever Vaccine debacle and deportation of Nigerians; the trial of Henry Okah; and the latest arms deal. The two former Presidents have decided to reach out to Jonathan and Zuma any moment from now.”

    But there were indications yesterday that the Federal Government is not ready to disclose the identities of the Israeli and Nigerian who ferried the controversial $9.3million cash-for- arms-deal to South Africa.

    A security chief said: “For strategic security reasons, we will not disclose the identities of these individuals. Apart from the insurgents being interested in them, some Western countries who lost the arms deal to those we engaged in South Africa might target them for business isolation.

    “There is no way a nation will expose those helping it to danger because of ‘crucial arms deal.’ The Anti-Terrorism Act allows the nation’s security agencies to take decisions in the overriding interest of the country.”

     

  • Ijaw youths slam Jonathan, Clark over summit snub

    Ijaw youths slam Jonathan, Clark over summit snub

    MEMBERS of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) were left fuming at the weekend as President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Dame Patience and other Ijaw leaders shunned the World summit organised by the IYC.

    The summit was to bring stakeholders together to create employment and train youths of the region to be employable.

    A very angry leader of the IYC told our reporter that the president made a “tactical blunder by ignoring the people who have been holding fort for him all these years.”

    The leader fumed: “The president attends less important events than this IYC youth summit but fails to show up and make his case with his people.”

    IYC President, Comrade Udengs Eradiri, who was unable to conceal his disappointment, still solicited support for the president.

    He said: “Much as he has done some things in the Niger Delta, we are not satisfied; we have no jobs, our roads are not completed and things are not happening as they should in the Niger Delta.

    “In as much as we are happy about what the amnesty is doing, there are just about 30,000 captured. We have over 10 million young people in the Niger Delta. Look at the ratio of 10million Niger Delta youths and 30,000 amnesty beneficiaries.

    “The amnesty is just one area. What are they going to do for education, economy and job creation? Those are the things we expected the President to come here today and highlight.”

    He called on Nigerians to support the President’s re-election’s bid.

    “The President should just continue without us wasting money and running here and there. For the next four years, we will see progress. Four years is not enough to solve Nigeria’s problems.

    “But we are saying he is our President let us help him get the full eight years. That is what we are canvassing with the other ethnic groups.”

     

  • Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon set to block supply routes for Boko Haram

    Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon set to block supply routes for Boko Haram

    Following unrelenting attacks by Boko Haram, the Federal Government has sought collaboration with ‘critical’ neighbors to block all arms and ammunition supply routes of the sect.

    The affected neighbors are Chad, Niger Republic and Cameroon, who were part of mutual talks facilitated some months ago by France.

    Out of the three neighbors, Cameroon had engaged Boko Haram in many bloody encounters.

    But the response of Chad and Niger Republic to the insurgency in Nigeria had been rated as “very, very, low.”

    It was gathered that the “slow response” of Chad and Niger Republic informed President Goodluck Jonathan’s shuttles to the two countries.

    The latest of such shuttle was Jonathan’s trip to Niger Republic on Tuesday with key security chiefs.

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, claimed that intelligence reports have confirmed that Boko Haram members had been using Niger Republic and Chad as transit and supply routes for arms and ammunition.

    Some of the hardware include Armoured Personnel Carrier, sophisticated guns, RPG rockets, and explosive devices.

    The reports also indicated that through the transit routes, Boko Haram had been having contacts with Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb(AQIM), the Taliban, the Ansar, and ISIS among others.

    Another key discovery was alleged trans-border recruitment of members, cutting across Chad, Niger and Cameroon, by the sect.

    It was learnt that security experts are of the opinion that only a total blockade could force Boko Haram into submission.

    The highly-placed source said: “Nigeria is seeking the collaboration of other neighbors to mount total blockade against Boko Haram.

    “This will involve blocking all their transit routes and interception of  supply of arms and ammunition by the sect.

    “The increasing rate at which Boko Haram gets logistics from sponsors and backers outside the sub-region made the new thinking imperative. Without blockade, the war may drag for a while.”

     

    “There are allegations that some of the Boko Haram leaders are living in some neighboring countries. And it is from these bases that they had been coordinating attacks on Nigeria.

    “The blockade option is one of the solutions being considered by the affected nations.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “With the Tuesday session in Niger Republic, the tempo of counter-insurgency will soon change.”

    Another source added: “This is not the first time Nigeria will adopt such an option. During the Civil War between 1967 and 1970, the Federal Government used the same tactics against the defunct Republic of Biafra.

    “At a point, a member of the then Federal Executive Council suggested starvation to force Biafrans to surrender. Basic supplies, especially food and Medicare, were denied the Igbo who had seceded.”

    The source however said: “Our neighbors had been cautious because of the fears of reprisals from Boko Haram.

    “But Nigeria has been impressing it on them to collaborate with it to fight the insurgency which may eventually spread to them.”

    END

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Jonathan, others for IYC summit

    Jonathan, others for IYC summit

    President Goodluck Jonathan will, tomorrow, lead Niger Delta governors and heads of oil multinationals to Effurun-Warri, Delta State, to find solution to the unemployment in the region.

    The event is the rescheduled World Summit, organised by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), which has “Partnering for Prosperity and Sustainable Development” as theme.

    IYC spokesperson Eric Omare said the summit was necessary to take the success of the amnesty programme to the next phase.

    Omare said over 1,000 delegates, including youths, government officials, women groups, community and religious leaders are expected to attend the event.

    President Goodluck Jonathan would be joined at the summit by the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, who is the Mother of the Day. Chief E. K. Clark is the Father of the Day.

     

  • Jonathan, the Anglican

    For anyone wondering about President Goodluck Jonathan’s religious roots and the foundation of his moral life, the man gave a helpful clue on September 30 when he received a “Primatial Award of Excellence in Christian Stewardship” from a delegation of the Anglican Communion, led by Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    In a revelatory moment, Jonathan said: “I grew up as a member of the Anglican Church…I have been a part of the church from the beginning. I attended the Anglican Primary School as a pupil. So I have to be very grateful to the Anglican Church that brought me up. I am what I am today because of the Anglican Church.”

    If Jonathan sounded like a proud product of Anglicanism, then the questions should arise as to what he was taught in that framework, if he was taught anything, and whether he is practising what he learnt, if he learnt anything.

    However, from the testimony of Primate Okoh, who probably should know about these things, it would appear that the Anglican Church is equally proud of him and his representative status. Listen to Okoh’s words in justification of the unprecedented award: “By this award, we affirm that you, as the leader and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has shared, allocated, distributed the resources of Nigeria fairly, equitably, and judiciously to the East, West, North and South of Nigeria, to all, including the traditional religionists, Muslims and Christians alike, to men and women, to the youth and children, including the Almajiri. This is the essence of this award. Congratulations. May God honour you.”

    Against the backdrop of such a glowing tribute, Jonathan must deserve hearty congratulations. What is more, Primate Okoh should be thanked for highlighting Jonathan’s perceived solid achievements in office, even though it looks like the alleged successes are not generally appreciated. Or more precisely, they are generally unrecognised.

    Now that Primate Okoh has supposedly shown just how fair-minded Jonathan has been, and possibly continues to be, it may not be out of place for the reportedly numerous beneficiaries of his non-discriminatory goodness to reciprocate. So, in the days ahead, specifically, considering the approaching 2015 general elections in which Jonathan may likely seek re-election despite his current game of calculated suspense, it shouldn’t be surprising if other recognisers come up with their own fancy awards in aid of the presidential second-term project.

    Just imagine how colourful and reinforcing it would be for Jonathan to be given awards by the representatives of the categories defined by Primate Okoh: “the East, West, North and South of Nigeria…including the traditional religionists, Muslims and Christians alike…men and women…the youth and children, including the Almajiri.” It would be a carnival of highly favourable publicity and praise, which Jonathan would, no doubt, enjoy.

    It is interesting that, in his remarks on the occasion, Jonathan made thought-provoking comments which, ironically, he may not have fully grasped in terms of their relevance to his presidency. Jonathan said: “But God has a reason for everything. I believe whatever is happening to Nigeria will be very temporary.”

    He probably doesn’t realise that his administration, warts and all, is one of those things “happening to Nigeria.”  Who knows how many people are praying that his time in office would be “very temporary?”