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Tag: journey

  • Journey of the banker turned dramatist

    Journey of the banker turned dramatist

    Born on December 28, 1932 in Calabar, Cross River State, JAB Adu started his education at the primary section of Baptist Academy then located at Oil Mill Street, Lagos when his father relocated from Calabar to Lagos. From 1946 to 1951. He proceeded to St. Gregory’s College, Obalende, Lagos.

    He worked at the British Bank for West Africa, the B.B.W.A, now First Bank, PLC and later travelled to Britain where he studied Banking at the Westminster City College, London and graduated as an Associate of the Institute of Bankers (A.I.B) UK. His passion for drama made him to enroll at Morley College of Drama, South London.

    On his return to Nigeria, JAB Adu worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria from where he resigned to embrace full-time acting following his debut in Village Headmaster.

    In 1978, he wrote, produced and acted in the TV social drama series, Adio Family. He later wrote and produced the popular Bisi daughter of the River, based on the Yoruba legend of Olurombi. The film which was sponsored by the late M.K.O Abiola was shot on 35mm on celluloid on location in Lagos.

    JAB Adu was one of the script writers of the African Radio Drama Association (ARDA) that wrote the radio series, Rainbow City, which addressed issues of good governance, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. He was part of the BBC World Service as a script-writer and actor on the award-winning radio drama series — ‘Story Story’– Voices from the Market, as well as the BBC WST TV drama series ‘Wetin dey’.

    JAB Adu served on a ministerial committee to harmonise the functions of the Nigerian Film Corporation and the Nigeria Films and Video Censors Board. He also participated in the development and writing of a BBC WST TV drama series Wetin dey and also acted in it.

    JAB Adu who was awarded Member of the Order of Niger (M.O.N.) in 1978 also served on a ministerial committee to harmonise the functions of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB). He was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2008 edition of Zuma Film Festival for his contributions to acting, film production and leadership in the Nigerian creative sector.

     

  • A journey to religious tolerance, sensitivity

    A journey to religious tolerance, sensitivity

    Sunday Oguntola, who was one of the nine specialists that attended a one-week religion reporting workshop by Thomson Reuters Foundation in Central London, United Kingdom, recently, reports on his experience. 

    Everything within me revolted. It was a visit I shouldn’t be part of. When our trainers, former BBC Correspondent, Corinne Podger and Reuters Religion Editor, Tom Heneghan, hinted that we were to visit some religious centres in London, I welcomed the idea wholeheartedly.

    But when they said we were to visit a Mosque and a Jewish Synagogue, my religious bias stepped in. My faith community would interpret the visits as journeys to idolatrous centres. A person of my religious conviction was not supposed to associate openly, at least, with people from those backgrounds.

    Yet, that religious intolerance and insensitivity were what we had learnt to discard for days at the training. Nine select journalists from across the globe had been chosen by the prestigious Thomson Reuters Foundation to undergo training on how to use the media to disabuse religious sentiments, bias and discrimination.

    It was the inaugural workshop by the organisation on reporting religion. I was fortunate to be the one from Nigeria and one of the three from Africa. Participants came from South Africa, Egypt, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, India, Kosovo and Kyrgyzstan.

    At home with Judaism

    By the time I stepped into the expansive New North London Synagogue, I had convinced myself I wasn’t violating any religious code. If anything, I was instead helping the world become a better place. The urge to understand Judaism and fire questions at the extremely friendly Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg spurred me on.

    Wittenberg, who has been serving as a rabbi for 30 years, explained that Judaism is anchored on love for God, love for community and love for strangers. The Jews, he stated, feel a sense of obligation towards strangers because of historical maltreatments.

    The Rabbi went on to explain how the holy book of Judaism, Torah, is read facing the arks with members circling around. He said 98 percent of Jewish services hold in Hebrew, though there are always parallel passages. This, he stated, is because “Hebrew is the central point of Jewish identity.”

    It was question time and I eagerly asked what Jews have against Christianity. As a Christian, I have been intrigued that Jews do not revere Jesus Christ, one of their own, but feel more warmth towards Islam. Wittenberg smiled and explained: “Jews have been persecuted more historically by Christians than Muslims.”

    That struck me hard. The aversion was based more on historical incidents than current realities. And it was a valid reaction from the extremely persecuted Jewish community. I also wanted to know why Judaism is not strong in sub-Saharan Africa. The Rabbi explained that it was because only a handful of Jews were in North Africa and a part of Southern Africa after the First World War.

    The community, he shared, got smaller in the last 20 years because Jews moved more to Europe and America. A handful of them also returned home after the independence of Israel in 1948. I have also wondered why Judaism is not growing much.

    Wittenberg had a ready answer: “Jews do not look for converts. It is not a belief that everybody has to be a Jew. Because of historical persecution, it is forbidden for Jews to accept converts. Most of the conversions come from marital relations and even that is never compulsory but voluntary.”

    The Rabbi took us round the huge facility that boasts of a training centre and massive worship centre. The environment was friendly and it all felt peaceful. It was just my second stint with Judaism in less than four days. Earlier, The Global Pictures Executive of Thomson Reuters, Soraya Kherfi, had taken us through her journey to Judaism.

    Born by an Algerian Muslim father and French Catholic mother, Kherfi converted to Judaism ten years ago after 14 years of struggle. The free-hearted Soraya believes religion doesn’t mean much. “Religion is just part of history; one doesn’t go without the other. To me, religion is an identity linked to traditions. It’s more than praying five or seven times a day.”

    She explained that she was fascinated by Jewish obsession for saving lives and communal good. “As a Jew, you can go to any length to save lives,” she stressed. She said the inquisition in Spain when the Queen expelled Jews in 1492 was a major infraction the Jews have against Christians. I left the synagogue convinced that religion is just about personal prejudices shaped by one’s origin and background.

    Iftar at East London Mosque

    I wasn’t new to being in a Mosque. While growing up, I ‘prayed’ several times in a nearby mosque during Ramadan. Our Muslim neighbours dished out irresistible meals for breaking fast. We were all invited to have a bite and naturally pretended to be fasting the next day to have another fill. We attended mosques to pray afterwards as an obligation.

    But nothing prepared me for the cozy atmosphere at the East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre. The Community Cohesion and Special Projects Officer, Juber Hussain, a remarkable, lively young man, made us feel at home. Though only one of us was observing Ramadan, we all shared Iftar.

    Naturally, we were more interested in Islam and the challenge of terrorism. Hussain was very forthcoming. Al-Qaeda and ISIS, according to him, are “questionable strategies to build a central authority for Islam.” The lack of central authority, he admitted, has led to misrepresentation and misquotations by preachers. “There is a lot of chaos and many Muslims today are confused.”

    I wanted to know how he feels each time a terrorist group beheads or detonates bombs in the name of Islam. “I feel sad and depressed,” he began, frowning. “As an ambassador of Islam, I feel ashamed. A lot of our members call each time they strike that they (terrorists) are not representing us well.”

    ISIS and Al-Qaeda fighters, to him, are “inexperienced young men. According to the Prophet, they will appear in each generation. A lot of Muslims don’t know how to express their anger.”

    The London Muslim Centre is a classic example that religion is a good weapon if well channeled. You feel a sense of transparency and openness, unlike what obtains in some mosques in Africa.

    The visit to West Minister Abbey in Central London was routine to me. The service was familiar and the songs too well sung. For non-Christians, it is unexplainable how some tombs are found within a church. It’s all down to nothing but simple local traditions. Tradition is religion and religion is tradition.

    Paying more attention to religion

    As good as religion can be, it has been the greatest source of conflicts, violence and war in the world. This is because religion has been sidelined in global affairs for far too long. Heneghan, who has covered religion for over two decades, said: “Religion is the deepest feelings people have about their existence, origin and destination. It is an important aspect of humanity.”

    Relying on the Pew Research Centre statistics, the American said over 70 percent of the world’s population professes one religion belief or the other. Despite the huge religious community, Heneghan is worried that global authorities do not pay close attention, allowing fanatics to dictate the pace.

    Left uncontrolled and unattended to, religion becomes emotive, divisive, illogical, subjective and manipulative, he lamented. The foremost journalist urged participants to become agents of religious tolerance and eschew extremism in their reports.

    The director of Lapido Media Centre for Religious Literacy in World Affairs, Dr Jenny Taylor, lamented that “mainstream media has marginalised religion” despite the fact that Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism account for roughly three-quarter of the world’s population.

    According to her: “In terms of motivation and allegiance, religion is what drives people and the world, but we have sadly left out what drives the globe. Religion is the integral worldwide perspective of human beings. There is no other thing worldwide more powerful than religion.”

    The former journalist said the media must embrace religion literacy to save the world. “We need religiously sensible and sensitive world. We are doing a lot of damage because we don’t understand people anymore.”

    Wittenberg, on his part, said: “The pulpit is more powerful than the modern man wants to admit. It is what determines how people respond to situations among them.”

    So, aside from the media, global leaders must also take religion more seriously. It is the only force that has the potential to destroy or save mankind. With more sensitivity and tolerance towards other faith communities, religion can become a tool for global advancement. Terrorism, wars and violence that have become offspring of religious intolerance can give way to mutual respect and understanding.

    I never saw it that way. But thanks for Thomson Reuters for changing my religious worldview. No more sentiments or fears towards other religious communities. They are motivated by factors I might not have experienced. If I was born somewhere else to a different parent, I probably would have been in their shoes. It took only few days to come to this realisation. It took only a conference to embrace religion tolerance.

  • Adopted villages: The journey so far

    Adopted villages: The journey so far

    Notwithstanding its potential, agriculture has been hampered by poor growing conditions, limited resources, rising temperatures and other impact of climate change, making sustainable farming difficult. The good news, however, is that many affordable solutions are emerging to help farmers increase their productivity. One of these methods is a scheme in which  scientists adopt villages and promote best farming practices. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Push climate and rich soil make states in Nigeria well suited for agriculture. This notwithstanding, farmers still grow crops at the subsistence level.  For rural dwellers, building a better life takes energy, hard work and commitment day after day.  Most rural families have little land to produce sufficient food and poor knowledge of modern farming practice to improve yields. In fact, it takes them a lot to grow and produce nutritious food. One of them is Olayiwola Lawal. He is a member of a cooperative group in Akure, Ondo State.

    Earlier, he was struggling to survive. Somehow, his community was selected as an adopted village by the Federal College of Agriculture (FCA), Akure, under  the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP-Nigeria) initiative.

    Today, he has been taught how to raise fish. Lawal now raises fish as a source of income and protein.

    He does other things. He is among a number of Nigerians benefitting from the adopted villages and schools programme implemented nationwide to improve the availability of food in communities and  trained future farmers from secondary schools.

    Thus far, he has learned a great deal about improved farming practices.

    Adopted village is a scheme where research institutes, universities and colleges of agriculture are encouraged to adopt one village each and promote best farming practices and government’s policies.

    The basic idea is to ensure farmers benefit from best farm practices.  It is one of WAAPP-Nigeria’s funded projects in the country.

    Since his community was selected as an adopted village, extension specialists from FCA visit farms, providing services to ensure that farmers make good use of input.

    On the other hand, cooperatives help to promote the conditions for adoption by motivating the farmers to improve productivity.

    By fostering or adopting a village, the institution help farmers within a locality develop modern farming skills to earn income through small-scale sustainable agricultural projects, cottage industries and small enterprises.

    The programme addresses many of the most fundamental problems faced by rural people seeking to improve their quality of life.

    Traditionally, small-scale farming has been presented as unprofitable and particularly unappealing to the youth. But the approach is painting a different picture.

    Lawal sees WAAPP investment through adopted village programme not only helping to reduce poverty but assisting rural communities and transforming them into places where a new generation of farmers, fishermen and small business owners want to live.

    As he looks to the future, he sees farmers from the area moving into adjacent markets within Ondo State.

    Generally, smallholder producers within the WAAPP-funded adopted village programme are proud of helping to transform the various value chains, making it inclusive and efficient.

    Thanks to interventions, today many villages offer cottage processing businesses.

    Speaking with The Nation, the  Programme Manager, Abia State  Agriculture Development Programme (ADP), Mr Enyinnaya Elekwachi, said adopted village  approach  is  paying off in the  state.

    Through it, farmers learn to process produce into higher-value forms and increase income.

    To him, rural development is about building vibrant, inclusive communities that are self-sustaining which the adopted village approach represents.

    Generally, the projects foster entrepreneurial capacity of small farmers to help them achieve food and nutrition security and build thriving rural economies.

    For instance at Ibulesowo Community, Akure, the project was also able to facilitate cottage cassava processing factories and procurement of processing equipment and tools for flour and garri.

    The impact of this  is  a source of inspiration for WAAPP Nigeria and FCA to up scale the technology in other areas of Ondo and the South-west.

    Since many communities appreciate the value of fish both as an important food and source of proteins, vitamins, minerals and fats, WAAPP Nigeria is working through adopted villages to ensure fish farming through aquaculture is widely practiced.

    The Provost, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Dr Samson Odedina said his college is helping WAAPP Nigeria to promote the programme.

    He said the specific objectives of adopted villages and schools, are to enhance food security and market competitiveness, empower resource-poor farmers, enhance job and self employment opportunities for youths and women, augment sustainable natural resource management efforts of the communities.

    Through adopted villages, he said FCA is working with WAAPP Nigeria to get better tools into the hands of farmers, reduce the barriers between farmers and markets, and help farming families become a part of a functioning private-sector agricultural and food system.

    He said the college works with farmers in each adopted village.

    The college officers collaborate with farmers, through cooperatives. Farmers are providing incentives based on the adoption of the techniques in their villages.

    He said the college’s vision remains a prosperous rural Nigeria and the goal is to reduce poverty by enabling marginal farmers to make sustainable improvements to their well being through more effective management of resources.

    He listed the college adopted villages to include Eleyowo Community and Ibulesowo Community, Akure and Owode Community in Akure North local government area.

    The college also has three adopted schools, which include Ogbe High School, Oda road, Akure,Eji-Oba High School, Oba-Ile Akure and Aquinas College, Akure.

    The major activities are cassava value addition. So far, the adopted Village intervention activities have increased yield of small cassava farmers. The college adopted village programme has trained groups with equipment support to participate profitably and benefit from cassava-based value chains.

    Nationwide, more than 30 villages have been adopted. Direct farmer beneficiaries have exceeded 20,000. There are more than 20 secondary schools across the country which are participating with over 20,000 students’ enrollments.

    Just  last month, farmers in three adopted communities in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) got  get improved seeds  from the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) in collaboration with the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP-Nigeria) to enhance their farming activities.

    The three benefitting communities are Karshi in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Kawu in Bwari Area Council and Kiyi in Kuje Area Council.

    Speaking at the flag-off of the distribution in Karshi, ARCN’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Baba Yusuf Abubakar, said that WAAPP-Nigeria in 2013 mandated the council to establish agriculture research outreach centre in the three adopted villages and schools.

    Abubakar, who was represented by Prof Olusola Oni, said the programme is meant to facilitate the transfer and adoption of improved agricultural technologies to the farming communities in the territory.

    The Executive Secretary also noted that the overall goal of the programme is to improve the economic status of the farmers and better their standard of living.

    He said the improved seeds to be given to farmers in the three communities include about 5.7 metric tonnes of maize, rice and sorghum as well as 643 yam seeds.

    He called on the benefitting farmers to take advantage of the opportunity by following the recommended practice in using the seeds.

    Earlier, the programme coordinator, Mrs Catherine Alao, had assured that the council will monitor the benefiting farmers by visiting their farmlands on weekly basis to offer solution to any problems they might encounter.

    The ARCN’s Desk Officer in Karshi, Aminu R. Abdullahi, said the seeds would get to the serious minded farmers through their leaders in the community.

    The traditional ruler of Karshi, Alhaji Sama’ila Muhammed, who was represented by the Hakimi of the community, lauded the programme and assured the council of his community’s interest in its activities.

    Some of the farmers, expressed joy over the programme but pleaded with the council to continue to guide them on how to make proper use of the seeds for better results during the harvesting period.

    The development objective of WAAPP Nigeria,  is to strengthen the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) to contribute to technological  development, dissemination and adoption to boost  productivity . Over the years, the uptake of technologies emanating from NARIs by the farmers has been a major problem. Consequently, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) use innovation platforms in resuscitation of the adopted villages innovation platforms of the NARIs.  ARCN  has  increased  its facilitation to the Agricultural Research Outreach Centres (AROC) in NARIs adopted villages and schools.

    With adopted villages, many projects and cooperatives are being  funded  to provide inputs and other services to their members. WAAPP is implementing the concept of adopted Schools to disseminate improved agricultural technologies and farm practices in the secondary schools through the NARS. The main objective of this concept is to ensure that impact of agricultural research and training is felt in secondary schools.With   adopted villages spinning up everywhere, Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are now beginning to reopen and commence activities within the sector and the possibility of diversifying their product line is forthcoming.

  • APC’s bumpy journey to power

    APC’s bumpy journey to power

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) made history when it emerged Nigeria’s ruling party even before its third anniversary. Associate Editor Sam Egburonu reports on the party’s bumpy journey to power

    All Progressives Congress (APC) was one of the latest entrants into the 2015 power race in Nigeria. But at the end of the contest, it took the gold, a development that has continued to confound its opponents and observers.

    Registered as a political party on February 6, 2013, it was barely two years old when it won the Presidential and National Assembly elections, defeating older and more established political parties, including the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has been on the saddle for 16 years.

    So far, it seems all political indices combined to ensure its victory and success. For example, the party’s presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, won the keenly contested election with almost 2.6 million votes. The huge votes he garnered were obvious indications that Nigerians were tired of PDP-led government and were desperate for change. The result, which confirmed general acceptability, was cemented when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who contested on the ticket of PDP, willingly conceded defeat on March 31.

    This development has been described as rare because it was the first time in Nigeria’s political history that a sitting president accepted defeat willingly. It was also the first time an opposition political party unseated a governing party in a general election with every indication that power would be transferred to it peacefully.

    For the party (APC), its victory is further consolidated by the fact that it not only won the presidential election, but also got majority of seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives. It also won 19 governorship elections, leaving only seven to PDP.

    Though this success has been described by supporters and admirers as astounding and fascinating, there is no doubt that the party journeyed to power through a rather bumpy route.

    At the beginning

    APC was a child whose birth was informed by a troubled polity as politically dissatisfied Nigerians agreed that the defeat of the political octopus called the PDP in 2015 elections will require a gang up of the opposition. This assignment, which the progressive elements in the country considered the only viable takeoff for the desired rebirth of Nigerian socio-economic and political future, was the basis upon which leaders of some political parties conceived the idea of a merger that will result in the formation of a mega party. That marked the beginning of APC.

    The vision became concretised when Nigeria’s three biggest opposition parties – the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), merged to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The merger talks came to fruition on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 when Chief Tom Ikimi, as the chairman of ACN Merger Committee, told journalists in Abuja that the parties had resolved to uphold the principles of internal democracy.

    Reading a prepared text, Ikimi said: “At no time in our life has radical change become more urgent. And to meet the challenge of that change, we the following progressive political parties, namely, ACN, ANPP, APGA and CPC, have resolved to merge forthwith and become the All Progressive Congress and offer to our beleaguered people a recipe for peace and prosperity.

    “We resolve to form a political party committed to the principles of internal democracy, focused on serious issues of concern to our people, determined to bring corruption and insecurity to an end, determined to grow our economy and create jobs in their millions through education, housing, agriculture, industrial growth etc, and stop the increasing mood of despair and hopelessness among our people.”

    Intrigues and controversies

    Even before it was  registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), there were feelings that the powers that be were not comfortable with the emergence of APC in the political scene. As a result, the party’s route to survival and power was littered with bumps which created intrigues and controversies. In fact, these intrigues and controversies preceded the birth of the party.

    The first bump was the controversy over the acronym, APC. On March 14, 2013, while APC promoters were awaiting the approval of INEC to register the party, two other associations – African Peoples Congress and All Patriotic Citizens – also applied for INEC registration, adopting APC as an acronym. When these rival APCs unveiled their logo and emblem that day, the confusion surrounding the emergence of APC deepened.

    The heat that trailed the development was so much that many were ready to swear the emergence of the two other parties with the same acronym was PDP’s ploy to thwart the successful coalition of the opposition parties, ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    Also, after its registration, the young party lost some of its pioneer members as a result of what an insider cautiously described as “intrigues caused from within and outside the party.” For example, it could be recalled that most of the representatives of the merging parties who signed the merger resolution left the party soon after the emergence of the party. The resolution to merge as a party was signed by Chief Tom Ikimi, who represented the ACN; former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, the Chairman of ANPP’s Merger Committee; Garba Shehu, the Chairman of CPC’s Merger Committee and Senator Annie Okonkwo, who represented APGA’s faction. It is on record that   over a year before the party’s historic victory in the 2015 elections, Okonkwo, Ikimi and Shekarau left APC and joined the PDP. Some other prominent pioneer members also left the party, as a result of political intrigues or conflicting ambition.

    Defections

    Although APC lost some of its pioneer members who defected to PDP and other parties within the first two years of its existence, it seems one of the major developments that boosted the party’s rapid development within this period is defection from PDP.

    Perhaps, the first major defection that helped to establish the party as a major player against PDP was the defection of five serving PDP governors at a time. They were Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State and Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State.

    Their exit from PDP came also with the defection of 49 legislators who joined the ranks of the original 137 legislators in the APC. This development gave APC majority in the House of Representatives long before the elections. To crown the defections game in the House was defection of the  Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal. At that point, even a naïve political analyst could tell that the party had literally hijacked power from PDP at the Green Chamber. This reality was finally affirmed as the party seated 179 members on January 15, 2015, when the House resumed after a long recess.

    It is on record also that on January 29, 2014, 11 senators from the PDP also defected to the APC. They included Senators Bukola Saraki, Abdullahi Adamu, Mohammed Ndume and Danjuma Goje. Since these defections, PDP has been shrinking while APC had continued to gain weight and clout.

    Criticisms and controversies

    Notwithstanding the wide acceptance of APC by the masses across the country right from the day it was formed, the reaction of its leading opponents, especially the PDP, was first to dismiss it (APC) with a wave of the hand and later to prophesy its imminent collapse.

    For example, Dr. Dorncklaimz Enamhe, identified as an PDP chieftain from Cross Rivers State, was quoted as describing the merger as “a marriage that will head for divorce soon without any issue”.

    Enamhe was not alone in his expression of fear over the survival of the party as rumour mongers soon spread allegation that Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambitions would lead to early death of the party. This allegation became so pronounced at  the formation of the party that the secretary of the CPC Merger Committee, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla Obono-Obla, had to make a formal statement on it.

    As he put it: “I can assure you that the two leaders, Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and all the leaders of the opposition parties agreed that the parties should merge to rescue Nigeria from the pit and no Jupiter will change it.

    “Bola Tinubu is a democrat to the core; he was in NADECO; he was a senator; he was governor; he is a democrat; so he cannot impose his will on anybody; likewise Buhari. He has contested presidential elections, he went to the Supreme Court three times; he has been the most vocal voice for change in Nigeria; so they are not going to impose their wish on anybody”.

    Other top PDP leaders also underrated APC and so dismissed it as a merger that cannot be a threat to PDP. One of such leaders was the then National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

    Speaking with reporters shortly after APC’s registration, Tukur said rather derisively of the party’s emergence, ‘’It is beautiful. The more the merrier. Let me tell you, there is no polling in the whole Nigeria where you do not have one member of the PDP. The PDP is the only party in the country that fields candidates in every polling booth.”

    Factors that boosts APC’s chances

    Aside internal crisis in the PDP, which led to the implosion and the fact that the out-going ruling party tragically underrated APC at the onset, other factors that helped APC on its journey to power were its high level of preparedness to take over power, excellent campaign strategies it employed and the electoral reforms that made rigging more difficult.

    Perhaps the first sign of the high level of technical campaign strategies the party was poised to employ was the report as far back as February 2014 that it engaged the services of an international political consulting firm, AKPD Message and Media, “to boast its electoral chances in the upcoming elections’’.

    The AKPD is co-founded by David Axelrod, President Barack Obama’s campaign strategist and a former White House Advisor.

    Commenting on the firm then, APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, was quoted as saying: “As a party destined to bring change and succour to all Nigerians, APC is proud and excited to work with one of the foremost exponents of change in the world.”

    The Chicago-based firm was best known for its leading role in Obama’s presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012, adding: “We shall leverage on the firm’s skill, experience and expertise throughout the upcoming campaign cycle’’.

    Throughout the campaign cycle, the strategies employed by the party, especially its publicity, were indeed too matured and proactive for PDP to cope with.

    Dr Okechukwu Ogbonnaya, a political scientist, told The Nation, that the outcome of the Election was not only borne out of the urge to vote out a government but also a direct consequence of good campaign strategies and publicity of APC.

    “You can see that even when PDP resorted to hate campaigns and direct attacks on APC candidate, Buhari, the APC team, remained proactive, well-informed and issue-oriented. This confirmed to Nigerians that the party can be trusted to take the country to the next level. The result is victory for the young party.”

    Some observers have also said that more than all these factors, the electoral reforms, like introduction of Permanent Voters Card, Card Readers and Prof. Attahiru Jega’s rare courage, which made rigging more difficult, helped to make APC’s victory possible.

     

  • iREP 2015: Film journey into Africa’s richness

    iREP 2015: Film journey into Africa’s richness

    It was art. It was culture and tourism. It was Africa and Africa in Diaspora in self-dialogue. Like its four previous  editions, the just-concluded 2015 iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival (iREP) was a mega film feast of Africa’s richness. It sought to reinvent documentary filmmaking in the wake of digital media technology.  Evelyn Osagie reports.

    As the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in the United States (US) came to a close recently and the world looks forward to Hot Docs in Canada, Visions de Reel in Switzerland and Encounters, a South African International Documentary Film Festival, the just-concluded iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival (iREP) at Freedom Park, Lagos, would not be forgotten in a hurry.

     

    Building passionate growing audience for documentary films

    Half-a-decade ago, when Femi Odugbemi and his team set forth to host the first iREPRESENT Documentary Film Festival (iREP), they had thought to create a platform where the best documentary films from across the globe could be enjoyed. Little did they know that it would grow to become a major factor for growing the film genre across the continent.

    Today, like other film festivals across the world, what began as a passionate idea has not only shown that documentary has the power to create conversations, and highlight issues, it can bring diverse experiences and travel around history and cultures. “Over the past five years the festival has screened over 350 (full length, mid-length and short) films of diverse styles, languages and themes from over 40 countries of the world,” iREP co-founder, Odugbemi, declared at this year opening.

    He continued: “In the last four years, iREP has trained close to 200 young and upcoming filmmakers in the art of documentary film making and has built a passionate and growing audience for documentary films that are entertaining, impactful, penetrating and enlightening. We have formed an army of young filmmakers, who understand the form and are focusing on documentary as a creative platform of expression and intervention, and constructed platforms for training and skill development in the art of documentary via our workshops and conferences, especially for young filmmakers.”

     

    Reinventing documentary films in electronic age

    With the theme, reinventing documentary filmmaking in a digital space, it was apparent that the organisers had woken up to the fresh realities of the new age digital. In the bid to finding strategies to navigate the blurred lines criss-crossing and satisfying the ever changing mood of the digital world, these were the concerns explored by different films screened, presentations panel discussions and producers’ roundtable.

    For Odugbemi, digital technology presents a challenge and an opportunity to documentary filmmaking, observing that documentaries are personal and too important to be left in the hands of institutions. Such challenge and opportunity, he said, should be creatively and positively harnessed, adding that: “the thrust for a post-modernist self-aware documentary film culture must find a space for itself in the digital agenda and marry creative storytelling with timelessness of issues that are yearning to be told”.

    Speaking on New Values for Audience Development in a Digital Space, the Managing Director of Multichoice Nigeria Limited, Mr John Ugbe, said audience in the digital age is open to two screens that involve screen for watching content and giving feedback to the content provider on social media platforms.  He observed that quality content was paramount in the digital space, stating that a bad story remains a bad story.  He added that even with top-notch technical quality, if a story was not compelling, it would not make the desired impact.

    Importance of Digital Documentary and Citizen Journalism, which are currently trending on the social media, formed discourse at the session chaired by Prof Femi Shaka. The platform, the professor said, makes it possible for people to tell their version of stories in their society, saying Citizen Journalism is targeted at reforming the process of documenting events and history in a way that does not necessarily competes with professional journalists.

     

    Screening Africa to world screen

    Screening over 40 films curated around themes and issues in Africa, the four-day festival featured films addressing diverse thematic pre-occupations from United States (US), South Africa, Uganda, United Kingdom (UK), Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Germany, Cuba, Canada, France, Nigeria, and more. This eclectic selection, the organiser said, was deliberate. “Our goal is to prepare the participants for the opportunities of digital filmmaking in a broad sense. We believe that Documentary filmmakers must become more flexible and invent new ways of telling stories across multiple platforms and immersive formats,” the organiser said.

    The 40-minute documentary film, Olu Amoda: A Mettalic Journey, which celebrates artist and academic Olu Amoda, gave iREP’s audience an audio-visual chronicle of his metallic mission in expounding the language of sculptural expression. Teaming up with a young filmmaker, Joel Benson, veteran filmmaker and photographer, Tam Fiofori, explores the creative and expansive journey of Nigeria’s award-winning artist, Olu Amoda, as principally a metal artist for more than three decades.

    It also examined how he has chosen specific metal-materials for their shapes, textures and properties; and finds and uses objects to give them artistic relevance and infuses them with new meaning.

    It was not the first time the duo would be celebrating and documenting the life and work of one of remarkable Nigerian artists. Their 30-minute documentary, J. D. Okhai Ojeikere: Master Photographer was screened at iREP 2013. Both documentaries are akin to Annigoni: Portrait of an Artist (1995) Ai Weiwei Never Sorry (2012) and Beauty is Embarrassing (2012), three documentary films about the life and works of Italian portrait painter Pietro Annigoni, nonconforming Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and American experimental puppeteer, Wayne White.

    Katlehong (Life in Progress) by Irene Loebell tells the story of members of Taxido, a dancing group by dancer and choreographer Jerry Bongai Zwane. The 95-minute documentary zeros into the lives of three members of the group – Venter, Seipati and Tshidiso – spanning three years. The audience were drawn into the worlds of the trio full of dreams, hope, struggles and mistakes.

    “Life doesn’t end with a HIV-positive diagnosis” is the focus of Positively Beautiful by Diveena Cooppan screened during the festival. The documentary focuses on the lives of five South Africans – Ntuthu, Nomfundo, Thembi, Khaya and Zanana – living with HIV. It documents the determination to live their lives to fullest.

    Using the Haitian earthquake of  January 12, 2010 as a backdrop, the documentary, Poverty Inc. directed by Michael Matheson Miller, tells a captivating researched story of the consequences that follow donations in cash and kind often made to disaster victims by international NGOs, agencies and governments, especially when such aids are their only lifeline. It shows how such intervention cripples the costs of locally-produced Haitian’s goods, while advocating advocates that people be empowered instead of giving them hand-outs.

    The documentary travelogue, Badagry: A Journey Back in Time, transported the audience to the ancient town and its diverse historical sites. Directed by photographer and broadcaster, Wome Uyeye, the documentary trails a bus-load of Nigerian tourists on a daylong excursion to Badagry.

    Rwandan-German filmmaker, Lukas Augustin’s Unforgiven questions man’s ability to forgive those who have harmed him. The 75-minute documentary spotlights the Rwandan genocide. It conveys the story of the aftermath of genocide, including efforts made to reconcile victims. The audience travels back through the eyes of witnesses, sharing their pains and emotions.

    A Vote for A Goat by Jeroen Velzen, tells the story of three Kenyan students – Harry, Said and Magdalene – competing for Majaoni Secondary School’s top position. Each is convinced that getting the position would better his/her lot. For Harry, getting the position will some way better his family’s lot. Said is convinced her triumph would boost his self-confidence and ambition to go into the military and Magdalene feels winning would impact the female students’ population.

     

    Night of awards

    The festival also featured awards presentation to Prof Niyi Coker; Prof Awam Amkpa;International partner from Germany, Barbel Mauch, Manager of Freedom Park, Iyabo Abaoba; Jahman Anikulapo; Charles Okolo of The Guardian newspaper; Lolu Durojaiye and Eustace Estaghara, among others.  There were also training/workshops, involving a two-tier documentary filmmaking course on “telling” and “distributing” your story in the digital space.

  • Mark @ 67: The Journey so far

    Mark @ 67: The Journey so far

    To fully bring to the fore an understanding of the man Senator David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark the President of the NIGERIAN Senate since 2007, it is necessary to take a historical excursion of the man who has become a recurring decimal in the socio- political landscape of NIGERIA.

    Born in  the non-descript,  inaucous and obscure ancient community of Otukpo in the defunct Benue/Plateau  state ( Present day Benue state,)  on April 8, 1948 . Mark began his early education at St. Francis Catholic Practicing School, Otukpo between 1956 to 1961 . He proceeded to the NIGERIA Military School, Zaria.

    Thereafter, he was admitted into the prestigious Nigeria Defence Academy(NDA) and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in 1970 making him one of the 3rd sector officers to graduate from  the academy. ( Mark is a member of the 3rd regular course of the NDA).

    He had further professional military trainings in the United Kingdom, USA, and India . He later bagged a Bachelor Degree in Telecommunications Engineering between 1971 and 1976. From 1978 – 1979, he was at Command and Staff College, Jaji and between 1990 —1991 , he was at the National Defense University, Washington DC and later at the Havard University, Boston USA between 1991 and 1992.

    Mark has always exhibited leadership qualities and traits that constantly stood him out as a beacon among his pears. Till date, Senator Mark is remembered for his honesty, patriotism and orderliness. Decades ago as a young Major in the NIGERIAN Army during the administration of former Head of state General Yakubu Gowon  he headed the abandoned property, implementation committee after the 30 months old  fraticidal civil war. It was to his credit that GOWON administration implemented the Reconstruction, Resettlement and Reconciliation policy otherwise referred to as the 3Rs to reintegrate the defunct Biafrans into the NIGERIAN society.

    In 1984, providence bestowed on Mark as he was appointed Military Governor of Niger State where again he demonstrated uncommon leadership qualities in spite of daunting challenges.

    He left a positive footprint in the sand of time in that state. Till date he enjoys the citizenship of Niger state.

    As the then Communications Minister , Mark transformed NIGERIA Telecommunications (NITEL) with his hyper tech engineering skill when he introduced mobile phones and digital telephone system in the country. He reorganized NIGERIA Postal Service(NIPOST) and started the city coding system. Under his meticulous watch on NITEL, the Organisation built two ultra-modern digital earth stations in Lagos and Enugu. Unarguably, services improved and internally generated revenue increased and the Organisation became buoyant  and independent without having to rely on government for subventions.

    Perhaps, It is instructive to note that Mark’s uncompromising position that telephone subscribers then should pay their bills  or no services which earned him the wrath of not a few NIGERIANS who interpreted his position that “telephone is not for the poor”. He was vilified. But today what Mark saw decades ago is what is practicable in our country.  Under the Global Service for mobile telecommunications (GSM) no one uses the services without prepaid credit. Without any iota of sentiment  Mark is a man who saw tomorrow. He deserves commendation .

    The end of Mark’s robust military career ushered him a new beginning on another turf-Politics and opportunity to serve his fatherland even better on a higher pedestal . He has contested and won elections in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015 as a Senator representing his Benue South Senatorial zone. He remain the only NIGERIAN who so far enjoyed such good will.

    If Mark had a glorified career in the military, what he has achieved in the political turf paled to the insignificant his successful records in the Army.

    As a Senator, he gave quality representation to his constituents in sports, education, health, empowerment and scores of infrastructure. But as was discovered later his most superlative qualities were not realized until he was elected President of the Senate in 2007.

    From a long, tortuous and implacable position, the Nigeria’s Senate eventually assumed a model and rejuvenated status and a great deal of legislative stability under Mark’s leadership . He has put paid to the reign of instability which was the hallmark of the upper chamber between 1999 and 2007. Thus the Nigerian Senate which used to be a laughing stock in the comity of nations given its nature and activities, has gradually evolved into a virile, focused and stable parliament.

    Prior to Mark’s emergence as President of the Senate, the Red Chamber was an irritation to the vast majority of Nigerians. The Senate within this period was portrayed as an assemblage  of uncooperative  people as a result of lack of cohesion among members which often culminated in frequent change of leadership.

    It is on record that between 1999 and 2005, the Senate changed leadership five times, a situation that was viewed by many as a mockery of democracy. More so  that every state in the Southeast to which the presidency of the chamber was zoned at the time had a taste of the office before moving to the Northcentral in 2007.

    Thus by 2005, the impression had been created in the minds of most Nigerians that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a Senate President to stay beyond two years on the exalted seat. However, Mark’s emergence in June  2007 proved cynics wrong and changed all that perception as the Otukpo-born retired general turned democrat  has succeeded in registering his name in  the Guinness Book of Records as Nigeria’s longest serving President of the Senate since 1960 when Nigeria attained independence.

    Not only did Mark sustain his position without any threat as President of the Senate throughout his first term of four years in the office between 2007 and 2011, he was also unanimously returned upon his re-election in 2011, a development that was unprecedented in the history of Nigeria’s democracy. It is not only that Mark has sustained himself in the office upon his second coming, he has also not come under any threat of removal from his colleagues who hold him in high esteem. He equally extend more than equal respects to his colleagues. He calls them “ My bosses”.

    This reciprocal respect goes  a long way to affirm Mark’s uncommon sense of leadership in the Senate and the satisfaction it brings to members. But the question needs be asked at this juncture on how Mark has succeeded in warming his way into the minds of fellow senators and simultaneously fostering stability. The answer to this question is not far fetched.

    Upon assuming office in 2007,  one of Mark’s first commitments was to phase out the era of “banana peels” which were the characteristics of the Senate prior to his emergence. Before then, “Ghana-Must-Go” syndrome   real or imagined was a popular phenomenon in both chambers of the National Assembly. But today, memory of both “Ghana-Must-Go” as well as “banana peels” has completely disappeared in the Senate as Mark has repeatedly said that the Senate under his leadership would not condone any act of bribery and corruption in the course of discharging its responsibilities. He demonstrated this when in  December 2007 under late Musa Yar’Adua administration he caused to be returned to the national treasury the sum of N7Billion Naira  National Assembly unspent fund.

    This resolve has paid off as in the past eight years of Mark in the saddle, the Senate for the first time since 1999, free from frequent scams which cast aspersions on the integrity of the institution and consequently swept away some of his predecessors. Thus the Senate under his leadership has come to embrace the culture of decency, accountability, civic responsibility and indeed salvaged its hitherto soured image in the eyes of the public. This is bearing in mind that some of Mark’s predecessors had either been thrown out through impeachment or forced resignation as a result of “ indictment”, from anticipatory approvals scandal to bribe-for-budget scams respectively. However, in today’s Mark’s Senate, issues relating to “banana peels “ are better imagined than seen.

    Another factor that has helped Mark to provide a stable and dynamic leadership in the Senate is the combination of his wealth of experience, wisdom and brilliance in the administration of Senate as an institution. Mark brought into the office of Senate President a wealth of experience as a former military governor, federal minister and sitting senator spanning two terms of eight years before ascending the exalted seat. His prudent leadership also stemmed from his ability to develop and establish himself as an institution in legislative business. He is a master of legislative rules and procedures.

    Since he assumed office, Mark has never been caught in the web of indecision or ignorance over any issue that arises on the floor of the Senate. He always has an answer to every situation no matter how complex. He has so developed himself in the task of legislation to the extent that more often than not, he provides guidance to his colleagues in a perplex situation by educating them on proper procedures that should be followed in the course of handling issues under consideration.

    In terms of wisdom, Mark can best be described as a good student of King Solomon Institution. Though,  the Senate comprises only 109 senators, it is by nature a difficult institution to manage. This is largely because it is not a place the Senate President can unilaterally impose his will on senators as it is the case in the executive arm where the president’s position is not subject to any contention but rather has to be obeyed because he appointed members of his cabinet. Reverse, however, is the case in the Senate where all members were equally elected and the Senate President is only the first among equals.

    Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba confirmed this much when he said  that “ every word in a bill for instance, does not only have 109 interpretations, but also has 109 nuances in accordance with the number of senators in the chamber. Yet, whenever the Senate runs into a rowdy session and there are dissenting voices over the issues being considered, it is usually amazing how Mark deploys wisdom to end such a stalemate in a way that everyone will be satisfied at the end”.

    A good instance of this came to play on March 7, 2013, after three days of heated debate on  the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). The debate had polarised the chamber into two groups with Southerners supporting the provisions of the bill and Northern senators vehemently opposing some of them. Given the level of opposition to the bill by Northern senators, a conclusion had already been drawn that the bill would not survive the second reading. But by the time Mark called for a voice vote, to the surprise of all watchers, there was no longer any single dissenting voice as all senators and sundry chorused “ay” in support of its passage through second reading.

    How did he achieve this? In his remark  at the end of the debate, Mark had commended the senators for their contributions and described them as an army of patriotic, responsible and well meaning Nigerians who would not kill PIB in view of the vantage position posterity had placed them as well as the numerous benefits the bill possessed for the nation when passed into law. By these persuasive words, Mark had already gotten his colleagues committed as only anyone who wanted to be portrayed as an unpatriotic Nigerian that would sustain his opposition to the bill.

    Instances of how Mark had used wisdom to resolve impasse of different kinds in the Senate are numerous to mention.

    Mark’s rich leadership style is not only admired by his fellow colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus; senators from opposition parties also adore him. To buttress this point, an opposition senator, Senator Femi Lanlehin (Oyo South), in 2013 said:”I think the opposition by and large to which I belong has kept to the rule. And of course you ao buttress this point, an opposition senator, Senator Femi Lanlehin (Oyo South), in 2013 said:”I think the opposition by and large to which I belong has kept to the rule. And, of course, you are aware that the Senate has the majority membership from the ruling party which is the PDP. But despite that, in my own opinion and to the best of my knowledge, I think we have by and large been able to work together under the able leadership of somebody (Mark) who has a wealth of experience not only in the legislature but also in the executive arm of government. And he has also been a member of the Senate since 1999. So, we have benefitted very well from his wealth of experience and navigation of Senate through his knowledge. And so far, it has been good because irrespective of party affiliation. We are all here  to foster and protect the interests of our constituencies and the man who is from Oyo South, his needs are not different from the needs of those who are from Yobe East or Bayelsa North.”

    It must also be noted that it is not only within the National Assembly that Mark has provided stable and productive leadership. Through his prudence, the Senate under his leadership has at different times served as a stabilising force in the entire nation. To this end, Senate’s adoption of the doctrine of necessity on February 9, 2010, to end the impasse which heated the polity like a furnace, following the medical trip embarked upon by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua to Saudi Arabia in November 2009 without handing over to his deputy, then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, will easily come to mind. Through this bold, patriotic and responsive move by the Senate, the polity which had in the preceding four months been overwhelmed by tension, heaved a sigh as the vacuum in leadership was quickly filled when the doctrine of necessity conferred the power to act as president on Jonathan.

    In the same vein, the complementary role played by the Senate during the struggle to end the fuel subsidy crisis of January 2012 cannot be forgotten in a hurry.

    Mark, with the support of his colleagues, quickly moved in to douse tension and as well deploy powers within his reach to end the crisis through various interventionist techniques, dialogue and collaboration which all helped in no small way to end the crisis and restore peace to the hitherto troubled nation.

  • Osinbajo: New journey begins

    Osinbajo: New journey begins

    Wahab Shittu, a lawyer and former student of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, extols the qualities of the legal luminary and justifies his choice as the All Progressives Congress (APC) vice presidential candidate for next year’s election.

    Normally, I try to warn myself not to be taken for granted by the actions and shenanigans of the political elite in Nigeria, but the emergence of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) as the running mate to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on the APC Presidential ticket excites me greatly because of his antecedents as a man of principle/integrity and a first class brain. I am not a card carrying member of any political party, but when the news filtered out that he was being considered amongst an array of equally competent individuals as a possible running mate on the APC Presidential ticket, I knew that a fresh insight was about being introduced to the political space- an element capable of changing the political equation in our country forever. I have always been excited at the prospects of our politics being dominated by the power of ideas, power of action, and ability of the power of ideas and power of action to be galvanised into concrete policies and laws for the transformation of our country. The entry of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) indeed represents a positive beginning in the realisation of these ideals.

    I first came across Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) as a final year law student of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos in 1986. He was my lecturer in the Law of Evidence who made tremendous impact on the entire class for his sheer brilliance and mastery of the subject. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) would come to class armed with just a pen and take on the whole class for nearly three hours, making copious references to authorities and cases off head, with uncommon exactitude that can only be associated with his rating as a GENIUS. In no time, he won many converts and admirers including my humble self. So much was the impact of this extraordinary Nigerian on my classmates that when it was time for us to choose our supervisors for our final year projects, I had no difficulty zeroing in on the choice of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN). I wanted to tap from the anointing. No doubt Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) is an intellectual of great standing.

    The other attribute of this gentleman that one can readily recall is his integrity and humility in spite of his many accomplishments. He was also perceived as generally accessible by the students who could knock at his door even at short notice and be sure of being given attention and treated as human beings. I can confirm that he left the ivory tower to serve as the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Lagos State under the Bola Tinubu administration for 8 years with his integrity at the University intact and unblemished.

    What about the reforms that Prof. Yemi Osibajo (SAN) carried out as the Chief Law Officer in Lagos State during his tenure? Reforms that became a model of distinction for other states in the rest of the federation to emulate, for the enhancement of the quality of administration of justice in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Again, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) made his impact in the Justice sector in a manner that convinced the stakeholders that he is a candidate for higher responsibilities.

    This may not be a coincidence after all. I know on good authority that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) at birth received the blessings of the late sage, Chief. Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory. One of the old pictures adorning the sitting room of the Osinbajos is a picture taken with the Late Chief. Obafemi Awolowo cuddling the young Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) in his arms. This chemistry that he shared with Awolowo owing to the close relationship between the Osinbajos and the Awolowo families of Ikenne was later to be fortified by marriage in that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is presently married to a granddaughter of the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo named Oludolapo. Some have argued that the spirit of the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo may have had a hand in the choice of Osinbajo as the running mate on the APC Presidential ticket. Whether this spirit will catapult him to the seat of power remains to be seen.

     

    Who is Osinbajo?

    According to Who’s Who Legal Nigeria,  “ Yemi Osinbanjo is the senior partner at Simmons Cooper Partners. Yemi is a professor of law and a former attorney-general of Lagos state and commissioner for justice. He is also a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Yemi was educated at the University of Lagos, Nigeria (LLB, 1978) and the London School of Economics (LLM, 1980). He was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1979. He has authored several books on civil procedure in Nigerian superior courts, rules of evidence and justice reform.

    Osinbajo has 31 years of litigation experience including significant trial and appellate work. Yemi supervises the commercial litigation group at SimmonsCooper Partners (SCP), a leading commercial litigation and corporate commercial firm in Nigeria. With a multi-jurisdictional competence spanning Nigeria, the United States and the United Kingdom, SCP fuses sound legal counsel with superior advocacy, and personal and responsive service. SCP provides a very comprehensive and integrated range of litigation, transactional, advisory and several support services to a vast array of clients.

    Osinbajo  has conducted very important constitutional and precedential cases before the Nigerian Supreme Court. Some of these include fiscal disputes between the federating units and the federal government; disputes regarding the ownership and control of oil and gas resources; town and physical planning disputes between the federating units and the federal government; an international territorial jurisdictional dispute in the West African sub-regional court; shareholder disputes involving a multinational, private investors and state owned  investment  corporations and energy disputes arising from multinational participation in power projects in Nigeria. In other cases, Osinbajo  has advised and represented clients in a broad range of commercial and corporate issues including securities litigation, investments and divestments, joint ventures, oil block acquisitions, product liability, fiduciary duties of directors, intellectual property, and corporate valuations. He is also involved in statutory and regulatory appraisal representation before the legislature and federal and state agencies.

    While in public office as attorney general, Osinbajo  is credited with undertaking far-reaching significant judicial reform in Lagos State, addressing critical areas as judges’ recruitment, remuneration, training and discipline. In addition, he addressed access to justice for the poor by establishing appropriate institutions in the Office of the Public Defender and the Citizens Mediation Centre. In honour of his contributions to legal reform and the development of law in Nigeria, a compendium of essays on Nigerian constitutional law was compiled. The authors of these essays were senior lawyers and law professors with a foreword provided by a past chief justice of Nigeria.

    Osinbajo  is a member of the International Bar Association and the British Institute of International and Comparative Law and has served in the Nigerian Body of Benchers and the Council for Legal Education of Nigeria. He is currently an independent director of CitiBank Nigeria and an ethics adviser to the board of the Africa Development Bank. He has also served in various capacities within the United Nations Organisation. Yemi speaks frequently at several commercial litigation events locally and internationally. He is actively involved in the pursuit of legal education reform in Nigeria.”

    In the months ahead, and particularly in the build-up to the campaign for the 2015 Presidential elections, Osinbajo  may be missing in action in the courtroom as a brilliant advocate (a factor that is generally acknowledged) but if his well-known advocacy is deployed in enriching the politics of ideas and action, Nigerians should indeed be ready for a swell time. One thing that I can guarantee is that Osinbajo will never be associated with the politics of mudslinging, calumny and abuse in propagating the ideals of his political party. Given the fact that the candidates of the ruling party PDP are also tested gentlemen, one can say for certain that this time around, our elections and the campaign would be dominated by ideas rather than politics of abuse.

  • MARTINS OSAILE STARTS JOURNEY HOME

    MARTINS OSAILE STARTS JOURNEY HOME

    Late boxing promoter Martins Osaile will today start his journey home with a Christian wake keep at his residence in Ikorodu, scheduled for 9 Halal Estate Opposite AP Filling Station, Odongunyan by 4pm.

    Tomorrow, Friday October 17 his body will be cremated at the Omega Funeral Home, Goodwill Estate, Kings Avenue Ojodu Abiodun Berger by 10 am.

    In another development, Chief Jonathan Ogufere, President of the Association of Sports Veterans, Nigeria, has enjoined members to turn up in large numbers in Ikorodu, to accord their departed colleague a final farewell.

    He extolled the virtues of the “ man who fought for the oppressed and spent his life wishing well for boxing and indeed all sports.

    “ He was vocal to a fault and those of us who knew him well, knew he meant well. Sadly he did not live long enough to reap from his many battles for the well being of Nigeria’s sports” the Veterans boss said.

  • Nigeria @ 54: The journey so far

    SIR: Upon our attainment of political sovereignty on October 1, 1960, Nigerians from diverse ethnic cum social backgrounds heaved a sign of relief and expected that Nigeria would become a better country as imperialists handed the baton of leadership to Nigerian leaders. Their belief was that the leaders were filled with nationalistic fervor and zeal, and that they would put the country’s interests above their selfish materialistic and ethnic interests.

    But, soon after our attainment of political freedom, our disunity that is traceable to ethnicity and religious intolerance became manifest with devastating implications. Political parties were formed along ethnic and religious lines. In the first republic, AG was to the western region what NPC was to the north; and, NCNC was believed to be an Igbo Party. Those parties were not nationalistic in outlook. So, clannishness and ethnic rivalry eroded the foundation of our country’s unity. Not surprisingly, the Nigeria-Biafra War erupted, which claimed the lives of millions of people, and caused the depredation of the south-east.

    Again, the June 12, 1993 presidential election imbroglio nearly caused another civil war in Nigeria. It took the deaths of Sani Abacha, a maximum military dictator, and MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election,for Nigeria to be brought back from the precipice. General Abdusalami Abubakar hurriedly conducted a general election, which brought Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to power, and ushered in the fourth republic.

    Nigeria has not become a truly peaceful and united country, although we have enjoyed 15 years of unbroken democratic governance. We still view one another with hatred and ethnic distrust. In order to allay the fears of the minority group about their being dominated, and to erase the feelings of marginalization among them, the ruling PDP introduced the political formula of rotation of power among the six geopolitical zones in the country. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo benefitted from that unwritten political arrangement and initiative. He ruled for eight years.

    His successor, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua, died while in power. The doctrine of necessity was invoked, and it facilitated and paved the way for the emergence of Dr. Good-Luck Jonathan as president in 2010.

    President Jonathan inherited most of the problems that are afflicting us, today. But, has he done much to tackle them, effectively and decisively?

    Our educational system is in tatters with millions of unemployable university graduates roaming the streets.  Power supply, which is the chief driver of industrial development in any country, is erratic, here. Some major federal roads in the country are so rutted that they bring back memories of dilapidated thorough-fares in war-ravaged countries like Afghanistan, Cambodia and others. Now, well-heeled Nigerians seek medical treatment for minor ailments like headache and malaria in Europe and America.

    Nigeria needs fixing. But achieving national integration and unity and having a competent and patriotic political leadership are keys that will unlock our potentials and take Nigeria to a great height.

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye,

    Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State

     

     

     

  • Abia’s journey, Orji’s legacy

    Abia’s journey, Orji’s legacy

    As Governor Theodore Orji led his people to celebrate the state’s 23rd anniversary last week, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, takes a look at Abia State’s journey so far and reports that the ‘legacy projects’ of the outgoing governor, if preserved and put in proper use, are poised to lay fresh foundation for future socio-economic and political development of the state.

    Monday, August 25 to Wednesday, August 28, 2014 will remain indelible in the minds of Governor Theodore Orji and the people of Abia State. Throughout those days, and indeed, all through the week, the state government and the people rolled out drums to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the creation of the state.

    Created from the old Imo State on 27th August, 1991 by the then military government of General Ibrahim Babangida, the South-East state, with 2006 census population of 2,833.999, is one of the nine constituent states of the Niger Delta region.

    The celebration

    The colour, the dance and the joy that defined series of activities in Umuahia during the week-long anniversary reveal, according to a retired civil servant, Chief Nkemjika Udoka, “the notion most Abians share today – that in spite of criticisms, Abia, after over two decades of aimless crawling like a baby, has finally found her feet, a solid foundation to rest on in order to commence the journey for future progress and success.”

    Chief Udoka, who danced heartily with some women groups, during the Tuesday ceremonies at the Government House, Umuahia, told The Nation: “I am no longer in the service; but I was here when it all began in 1991, when we left Owerri (Imo State capital) to resume in Umuahia here. There were no offices. For over a decade when I was still here, the story remained the same. It continued and many of us, who have visited other states that were created at the same time with our state, were ashamed that we may celebrate our silver jubilee in rented and dilapidated offices. What we are seeing today, two years to the silver jubilee, shows that Abia is poised to wake up after all. That’s why an old man like me wants to dance today,” he said as he hurried off to acknowledge and join approaching Ohafia war dancers.

    For the people and their governor, Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, it is a period of camaraderie and stock taking as they approach the silver jubilee of the state fondly called “God’s Own state.”

    Legacy Concept

    The 23rd anniversary is described as unique for two reasons: Being the last anniversary the current governor, Orji, would host in that capacity, it is considered an end of a political era and the beginning of another and also a kind of send forth for the governor, or so to say. Secondly, admirers of Orji’s administration say his legacy projects have indeed laid a fresh socio-economic and political foundation for the state and will therefore be considered as the new dawn for Abia.

    The argument is that most of the basic infrastructural facilities needed for effective take off and administration of the state were not provided by the previous governments, thus leaving the state dormant and the capital look like an abandoned colonial village. Such basic facilities that remained mere illusion for over two decades in the life of Abia State included a functional secretariat, offices for ministries and parastatals, a befitting capital city, preliminary foundations for development of new cities, modern estates and projects that would launch and sustain new economic base for the state and her people.

    Given the absence of these elementary needs, it become clear to all that Abia needed a new beginning, a new foundation. It was his attempt to provide these primary needs, something that should have been done by the pioneers, that are referred to today as Orji’s legacy projects. If you ask him what he would like to be remembered for after his tenure as the governor, Orji, without hesitation would tell you, “I want to be remembered as a legacy governor.”

    So, what are these legacies the governor always harps on? Besides intangible but concrete legacies, like creation of conducive political atmosphere for unity, cooperation and progress, maintenance of peace through adequate security of lives and property; Orji refers to provision of the basic infrastructural facilities as the legacy projects.

    Talking about these projects, the Abia State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dr Eze Chikamnayo, said in a recent interview: “In the last inventory that we took on the achievement of Chief T. A. Orji administration, we had over 10,000 standing projects that we can point at on ground.”

    Amongst the most outstanding of these physical projects are the ultra modern International Conference Centre, Umuahia; the new governor’s lodge, the workers secretariat complex, relocation of the old market that was at the centre of Umuahia to a more spacious location, the sprouting Abia State Events Centre at the location of the old market, roads, housing estates and others.

    Commenting on the anniversary and Orji’s legacy, Chief Bob Ogbuagu, a nationalist and one of the founding fathers of Abia, reportedly described this period as “the finest hour,” of the state. He added, “I believe in what Ochendo is doing. He is not doing most of them for now but for the future. They are what could pass as foundational projects. I commend him for what he has been able to do so far.”

    The governor, in his fraternal message at the current anniversary also emphasised what he set out to achieve and what the anniversary meant to him and to the state. As he puts it: “This year’s Abia Day Celebration is particularly unique in the sense that it will herald the last I will celebrate with Abians in my capacity as their gubernatorial steward. It hurts to say goodbye, but the expediency of exiting when the ovation is loudest cannot be over- emphasised. The inauguration of any endeavour is as vital as its closing activities.

    “Today in retrospect evidently brings to life how I was made a trusted instrument to fearlessly drive the much -expected new dawn in Abia, which was desirous of prosperity and a new lease of life.

    “The responsibility was enormous with the capacity to make one’s mind skip a bit, especially in the reconciliatory reality of gaping infrastructural decay and political confinement, which had been the pathetic lot of Abia since creation. Application of the much expected template however ushered the needed new horizon.”

    Political horizon

    Besides physical infrastructure which many agree is primary in the running of the state and for future economic boost, the search for a better Abia has been articulated mostly in the area of politics. Many observers have contended that the political fortunes of Abia since its creation has remained a shame, largely. It has been a long tale of rivalries, quarrels and political intrigues that left the state and her people politically raped in the open gallery.

    Hon. Mao Ohuabunwa, a former member of House of Representatives and one of the key players of Abia politics since 1999, captured this development in an interview he granted some editors as part of the preparations for the anniversary. As he puts it: “Immediately we came in, less than a year, the former governor had a problem with the deputy governor. The polity was heated up and from that time, things no longer got better. In 2001, there were serious problems too. Then, we had the Abuja Group with Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, etc leading the bloc. There was Lagos Group, Taliban Group, Home-based Group, name it. There was serious factionalisation and that posed danger to the polity and governance. But today, we no longer hear of Abuja, Taliban, Lagos, Home, Mao Ohuabunwa or Chief Onyema Ugochukwu Group. Today, it’s one group, all running around the governor.”

    Given this achievement ahead 2015 general elections, most Abians who spoke to The Nation in Umuahia during the week expressed hope that Orji will employ the same strategy he used in uniting the once warring political foes in Abia to overcome the current debate over power shift.

    Already, chants of political battle can be heard loud and clear. So, concerned observers are asking: “Who would be the next governor of Abia State? Who will Ochendo back? How will the current debate between sons and daughters of Ngwa extraction in the Central and South, over zoning of the office of governor, be resolved? Are the other stakeholders in the North, especially Isuikwuato, Item, Nkporo, Alayi, Abiriba, Uzuakoli, Nkpa, Ugwueke and so on, also being carried along adequately to ensure peace, cooperation and a sense of belonging?

    As Orji prepares to leave office next year, concerned observers are saying he should personally ensure such pertinent questions are resolved while he is still on seat ahead 2015.

    This is so because it seems widely acknowledged today that part of what has been the challenge in Abia politics is application of wrong strategies and or philosophies by some of the past leaders, especially what an analyst summed up as “divisive strategy.”

    So, if today, the application of new templates, as governor Orji said, is changing the face and fortunes of Abia state, there are genuine calls for him to apply more of such strategies before 2015.

    As Prof. Obasi Igwe, the Guest Lecturer at 23rd Anniversary of Abia pointed out in his paper entitled, “Contemporary Development Strategy in Nigeria: The Abia State Perspective,” “Strategy conceived in terms of means and methods is both unnecessary and redundant without a socioeconomic and political vision, guided by an emotional love for your people, total awareness of their historical and objective conditions, and a patriotic zeal to become a significant factor in addressing them.”

    It would appear this is what was missing in Abia political strategy before the current efforts of Orji’s administration. Igwe also made this point when he said “Abia is at a crossroads. A lot needed to be done that was not done since its creation 23 years ago in 1991, until a few years back when Chief T. A. Orji, touched by utter neglect by those earlier trusted to assume their responsibilities, and with almost nothing in the coffers, started amidst divers additional challenges imposed on him, to do something to actually inaugurate the process of building up Abia State.”

    From all indications, it is evident that this is just the beginning of the journey for Abia greatness.