Tag: hail

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday praised Prof Wole Soyinka , the first recipient of the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership. He described the honour as well deserved and urged Nigerians to emulate the virtues of the late Chief Awolowo.

The award was instituted by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation.

Dr. Jonathan, who was represented at the ceremony in Lagos by Vice President Namadi Sambo said: “Let me say that Chief Obafemi Awolowo to who this award is instituted after, was a foremost nationalist and great patriot of this country. Prof Wole Soyinka, who has emerged the first winner of the prize is not only a literary icon and global phenomenon but blessed with immense leadership qualities.

“The inauguration of leadership prize at this time in the history of our nation is very timely. The objectives of the prize tallies with my administration’s emphasis on quality leadership under our transformation agenda.”

President Jonathan said Chief Awolowo worked tirelessly for the development of the country, which according to him, succeeding generation has continued to benefit from.

He said the selection committee of the foundation, chaired by former Commonwealth Secretary General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, made the best choice by selecting the literary giant as the winner of the award.

He said Prof Soyinka is an epitome of all that Awolowo stood for. “Throughout his life, he was committed to the greatness of the country and did not renege on those principle he held dearly to. This stood him out among his contemporaries.”

As a political party leader, leader of the opposition in the federal parliament and vice chairman of the federal executive council, he demonstrated uncommon leadership. He served faithfully and today many politician endeared themselves to the philosophy he lived for by laying claims to his political philosophy,” Sambo said of Chief Awolowo.

Prof Soyinka, in his lecture, titled: Winding down history: religion, and nation, power and freedom, hailed Chief Awolowo for his religious tolerance.

He expressed regret that people are being killed and maimed in the country in the name of religion.

Chairman of the occasion, Gen. Yakubu Gowon described Prof Soyinka as a worthy son of Africa who has demonstrated over time, the quality for which he was honoured.

Citing those qualities that stood him out, he said like Chief Awolowo, who was in his cabinet during the period of national emergency , the literary icon has been on the side of the people in moments of great national challenges and did not let the people down.

“Like Awolowo, who was there during the period of the Civil War and ensure government did not borrow money to execute it, our literary icon has ensured that the Nigerian masses are given what they desire by putting the authorities on their toes to wake up to their responsibilities.”

Daughter of the late sage, Mrs Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu said Prof Soyinka has demonstrated over the years rare courage, doggedness and commitment to the best interest of the people on whose behalf he continues to advocate.

“For us the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation , the Awolowo Prize for Leadership bring us another step closer to actualising the mandate articulated in our founding philosophy including the aspiration to ensure that Chief Awolowo’s deep concern for our nation, Nigeria under God , shall continue to be of leadership relevance.”

At the event were Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, his counterparts from Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, Rauf Aregbesola, Osun; Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti; Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo; and Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State. Others included Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Prof Adebayo Williams, Prof Itse Sagay, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mrs Nike Akande, Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, Chief Olabiyi Durojaiye, Dr Frederick Fasehun, Odia Ofeimun, ACN chair Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Supo Sonibare, Prof Ibidapo Obe and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke.

Former Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida has described the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as good development.

Also yesterday, Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha, described the APC as a child of necessity because Nigerians are tired of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s failure to address their needs.

Gen. Babangida said the merger of political parties into one formidable force has vindicated the two party system his military administration introduced in 1992.

Speaking to reporters yesterday at his Minna, Niger State residence, Babangida recalled that he was criticised when he introduced the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC) during his government’s political transition programme.

Babangida, a card-carrying member of the PDP said: “I was a very good advocate of two party system. When I introduced two party system, you people said I am a soldier, now you have seen why I went for two party system. I am happy for the emergence of APC. It is a welcome political development’’.

On the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) leadership crisis, which led to the formation of the PDP Governors’ Forum, the former leader said the crisis was elite and media-induced. He lamented that instead of mobilising and enlightening the masses on the programmes and policies, political leaders are struggling for power without carrying the masses along.

The former leader cautioned political leaders saying: ‘’we cannot continue to dissipate our energy talking about appointments, when you don’t allow the ordinary man to be involved.

‘’The ordinary man does not know what is happening, you have not been able to ginger the ordinary man to believe in a course to fight for unless we achieve that, we still have a lot to do’’.

Reacting to former United States President Bill Clinton’s statement on the squandering of the nation’s oil wealth, Gen. Babangida said: “You don’t need a foreigner to tell you about the waste in the oil sector, you (media) write it yourself and they read it’’.

Okorocha told reporters yesterday that his decision to be part of the merger of opposition parties was because the PDP of which he was a founding member has disappointed the people of the Southeast and Nigerians.

He said he had nothing against President Goodluck Jonathan but against the PDP.

Okorocha said the APC would promote internal democracy, which he said is missing in other political parties. “In the APC, the people’s view and opinion will be respected, there won’t be imposition of candidates as it is done in other parties”.

He added: “There is an urgent need for change, Nigerians are tired of the PDP which is no longer what it used to be after failing to address the needs of Nigerians. The APC has become a child of necessity, capable of providing the much-needed change in the Southeast geo-political zone and the entire country.

He said the crisis rocking the Nigerian Governor’s Forum was caused by panic by the PDP to checkmate the APC, adding that the emergence of the merger, which he hinted was the first of its kind in the political history of the nation, was a wake up call for the PDP. “The PDP has formed their own Governor’s Forum to weaken the existing one all in a desperate bid to checkmate the APC but I can tell you that we have PDP members who have already joined APC. By the time it will be made public, it will shock the PDP”.

The Action Congress of Nigeria in Osun State yesterday hailed the recommendation of the National Judicial Commission, asking for the sack of Justice Thomas Naron, the Chairman of the state Elections Petition Tribunal in 2007.

Naron’s election petition panel handled the petition filed by the then candidate of the ACN, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, against the declaration of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the winner of the April 2007 governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In a statement by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Barr. Kunle Oyatomi, the party said the decision of the NJC had proved to the world that the call log published by the media at the tail end of Naron-led tribunal sitting was true.

The party described the decision of the NJC as a one that gave dignity and honour to the judicial system in the country, adding that the NJC recommendation had vindicated the party many years after the Thomas Naron-led tribunal judgment.

The ACN said the decision of the NJC was not a surprise to it as it believes that truth will always triumph over lies regardless of time, adding that the NJC had through its decision restored the confidence which many people have lost in the judiciary.

The party said: “We welcome the decision of the NJC in good faith and see it as a good development in the nation which has hitherto lost its glory in the judicial process and dispensation of justice.”

Also, Barrister Ajibola Basiru, a lawyer in the legal team of the petitioner, Mr. Aregbesola, described the NJC’s recommendation against Naron as commendable, saying issues connecting the defence counsel in the case, Barrister Kunle Kalejaiye SAN, should not be swept under the carpet.

Basiru, who is Commissioner of Regional Integration and Special Duties in the Aregbesola cabinet, said the recommendation of the NJC had vindicated the petitioner’s legal team’s professionalism which Naron and Kalejaiye put to test with their “unholy interaction.”

Speaking through a telephone interview, Basiru described the recommendation as courageous and capable of bringing sanity to the judiciary which is the last hope of the aggrieved and the oppressed.

He said Oyinlola and his men had been exposed as being fraudulent and building their administration on lies and falsehood.

Basiru, who is Commissioner of Regional Integration and Special Duties in the Aregbesola cabinet, said the recommendation of the NJC has vindicated the petitioner’s legal team’s professional which Naron and Kalejaiye put to test with their “unholy interaction.”

Lawyers yesterday lauded the court judgment ordering the Federal Government to pay N37.618billion to Odi community in Bayelsa State.

Odi community was invaded by soldiers, acting on the orders of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, 14 years ago.

Justice Lambi Akanbi of a Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, awarded the damage in his judgment on the N100billion suit filed against the Federal Government.

The judgment is coming few months after the former President in Warri, Delta State, defended his deployment of troops to Odi.

Lawyers, who spoke in separate interviews, described the judgment as a warning to public office holders not to take laws into their hands.

They called for Obasanjo’s prosecution, saying the judgment would assuage the pain and trauma the people have gone through.

Those who commented on the judgment include professors of law, Taiwo Osinbajo and Itse Sagay, (SANs), as well as constitutional lawyer, Dr. Fred Agbaje.

Osinbajo said the judgment was a good development because it has vindicated the people, who were treated unfairly.

He said: “I think it is a good development. It shows that the rule of law has prevailed.

“That action by the Obasanjo administration was extra-judicial killing of unarmed people.

“I am sure the judgment will be a pointer to our leaders to be mindful of their actions and reactions while in office because they will be made to account for it.”

To Sagay, the court was protecting the right to life of a people.

“To kill innocent people is a crime against humanity. What the court did was to hold the Federal Government responsible and I think that is a signal to public office holders to avoid human rights abuse.

“It is a commendable decision and will serve as a deterrent,” he said.

Sagay, who said the massacre was a genocide, noted that Obasanjo has immunity under the law because he acted when he was president.

He said: “Obasanjo is protected under our laws because it was an action he engaged in while in government.

“But it does not stop the International Criminal Court (ICC) from prosecuting him on crimes against humanity.

“He is not protected under international law.

“So, the ICC can try him for genocide or crime against humanity if it wants to.”

Agbaje described the judgment as the best thing to have happened to the government.

He, however, raised issues with the judgment sum, which he said should have been higher than N37.6billion.

The lawyer said Obasanjo should be tried for committing genocide.

Agbaje said: “It is both timely and expected, except that the judgment sum is low compared to the trauma and loss of lives and properties the people of Odi suffered.

“If I have my way, such punitive measure should be paid personally by Obasanjo.

“The greatest lesson for the government is that evil doers in government have no hiding place.

“The judgment is a lesson to the executive arm and security agents that when next they are sent on a mad mission, they should use their senses rightly.

“The summary of my talk is that the likes of Obasanjo must be made to face trial.

“He should face trial just like Charles Taylor is facing at the ICC.”

Former Federal Capital Teritory Minister Mallam Nasir el-Rufai yesterday wept at the public presentation of his book, “The Accidental Public Servant”.

He said he was overwhelmed at the outpouring of encomiums on him by the various speakers.

“I don’t know what to say because I have written a book in which I said all I wanted to say,” el-Rufai said before his voice was drowned in emotion.

Former Lagos State Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu commended the author.

Tinubu, who was represented by the National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said men like el’Rufai are needed to drive the development of the nation at this time.

He said: “For every accident in life, one must pause to appraise the situation. Many talk about their accident in life but very few dear document it and share it in such a bold, blunt and daring manner like el’Rufai has done in this book.”

Former Head of State General Muhammadu Buhari said it was time for the government to dedicate a greater percentage of its budget to education if the nation must develop.

Buhari said: “When I said at a lecture that the late Sarduana was spending 43 per cent of the northern budget on education, El’ Rufai corrected me that it was 46 per cent.

“The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was spending more that 55 per cent. You can’t go wrong. All we get now is only two or five per cent on education and the rest on security.

Chief Presenter of the book and Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola noted that the event was significant as it was at the instance of a former public official who no longer has favours to dispense.

Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said the book captures the issue of values and efficiency in public service.

The Book Reviewer, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, said el’Rufai had transited from a political activist to a statesman.

He said: “He cares more about what happens in the country. The content of the book is not something that can be said by someone whose objective is to return to power.

“It is a book that talks about serving under three masters – Abdusalami, Obasanjo and Yar’Adua.

“We are the same anywhere in Nigeria, East, West, North and South. Impunity is the biggest national problem and not insecurity.

In attendance were: Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi represented by his Deputy, Tele Ikuru, Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, former Chief Justice of the Federation, Mohammed Uwais, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Prof. Dora Akunyili, Prince Tony Momoh, Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Almakura, Niger State Governor, Muazu Aliyu Babangida, Senator Chris Ngige and Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo.