The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kaduna

  • Kaduna budgets N198b

    Kaduna budgets N198b

    Kaduna State Governor Mukthar Yero has presented a budget estimate of N198.7 billion to the House of Assembly, with water supply taking the lion share of N24 billion.

    Yero said the state would generate about N29 billion internally, while internal and external loans would amount to about N60 billion.

    Education and health were allocated N14 billion and N10 billion in the budget, tagged: “Budget of peace and continuity.”

    The governor said: “Recurrent Expenditure is pegged at N74,263,005,298. This represents N37.76 per cent.

    “Our Capital Expenditure is put at N124,415,887,120. , representing 62.24 per cent.’’

  • Remembering Yakowa

    Remembering Yakowa

    The Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Indoor Sports Hall, Kaduna, was filled to capacity, even though the event was not for any sporting event. People had gathered to remember a man who many regarded as a man of the people and a quintessential politician who passed away one year ago.

    As if that was not enough, the auditorium of St. John’s Catholic Church witnessed what must be the largest congregation ever in its history. Even the car park that was converted to an emergency church hall could still not accommodate the people who came to give thanks to God for the life of the late Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, former governor of Kaduna State, who died on December 15, 2012 in a helicopter crash in faraway Bayelsa State.

    All roads leading to the two venues on both days were heavily manned by security operatives. There was plenty to eat and drink as people from all walks of life paid tribute to the fallen hero. The Presidency was not left out, neither were some of his colleagues in the Nigeria’s Governors Forum (NGF).

    For two days (December 14 and 15), Kaduna literally stood still in memory of the late Yakowa popularly known to many as Nakowa de Kowa, Hausa for man of the people.

    First was a memorial lecture organised by the family at the Yar’adua Hall. This was followed by a memorial thanksgiving service at St. John’s Catholic Church where the late Yakowa worshipped. Speaker after speakers extolled the virtue of the late Yakowa with some calling him a perfect gentleman, a bridge builder, a humble man; and a consummate gentleman, among others.

    Friends, political associates, business partners, his loyalists, his bosses and even his enemies alike, gathered to sing praises of the first Christian to occupy Sir Kashim Ibrahim House as a governor and died leaving an indelible mark in the annals of the state’s history.

    Ja’afaru Makarfi, the state chairman of the Jama’atu Nsaril Islam (JNI) described the late Yakowa as “a perfect gentleman who rose from the bottom of the ladder to the top and consulted with everybody both high and low. We knew him as somebody who was committed, honest and God-fearing. He was a very good listener and therefore he was loved and respected by everybody. He made sure that all the religious leaders were in constant touch with him and we enjoyed the benefits of our discussions. That kept the state safe and sound.

    “Let me say that Sir Patrick Yakowa was in his prime. But no matter how much we loved him, God loved him most. One thing that is certain is that we shall die because we are wearing the gown of death.”

    On his part, Bishop George Dodo, the state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said that “Yakowa was someone who was very much conscious of who he is before God and the fact that he will give account of his actions. When one is in position of leadership and remembers the oath one took, such a one will always want to ensure harmonious co-existence.

    “Yakowa started something beautiful even though it was the first time for a Christian to occupy Sir Kashim Ibrahim House. Yakowa was a blessing to Kaduna State and the Nigerian nation.”

    However, for Ebonyi State Governor, Martins Elechi, Yakowa was not just a bridge builder, he was the bridge and the only way to immortalise him is for politicians and leaders to emulate his qualities.

    Elechi, whose short address drew constant applause at the event said: “One of the contradictions of death is the certainty of its occurrence and the uncertainty of its timing. Yakowa went about doing his duty like every one of us, but only God knew the time of his calling. I want to, on this occasion, commend his family, the government and the entire people of Kaduna State for their courage and everything they did to put behind them so timely, the sadness of his passage and to turn to a new future with renewed courage and vigour.

    “He came on the stage to govern a state that is very great in diverse ways. He came on stage quite prepared; he knew the problems and he knew how to tackle them. No wonder, he is called the bridge builder. He tried to bridge the gap between ethnic groups as well as the misunderstanding between religious groups. He saw the poverty raging among certain classes and he set up an agenda that will improve on the well-being of the people. No wonder he was called a bridge builder.

    “In fact, he was that bridge itself. I knew him during our interactions at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum as a consummate gentleman, very calm and unrattled by any circumstance. He is a man to be emulated. What is important is not recounting the good qualities he had, but trying to emulate the things he did and the way he did them. It is by trying to put on stage those qualities he stood for that we shall best immortalise him.”

    Chairman of the occasion and a personal friend of the late Yakowa, Munir Ja’afaru said that Yakowa’s character has kept him alive even in death.

    He said: “Death is a reality from which none of us can escape. It roars every day, every hour, every minute and every second. It has been observed that some have died, but their characters have kept them alive while others are alive, but their evil deeds have destroyed them. 2015 is just around the corner.”

    PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur said he first met Yakowa as Minister of Industry when Yakowa was a Permanent Secretary in Kaduna State, pointing out that even after leaving office, they have kept in touch. He further said that “Yakowa was a good man who will always be remembered for his positive attitude towards reconciliation, peace and generosity.”

    The governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda believes that the late Yakowa was “a bridge builder, a lover of humanity, a man of God and someone who lived fighting for unity in Kaduna, unity in the northern Nigeria and the unity of Nigeria. We shared several things in common; one of which is that we must work for unity in diversity”.

    Senator Nenadi Usman, the Senator representing Yakowa’s senatorial district in the National Assembly said: “He came, saw and conquered. If Yakowa had not been humble, he would not have been a governor in Kaduna State. It is not an easy thing to be a Federal Permanent Secretary and a Federal Minister and come to be the Secretary to the State Government if you are called to serve.

    “It takes great humility to do that. If he was not humble enough to know that sometimes, the way up is down, he would not have been SSG, Deputy Governor and he would not have been a governor. That is a huge lesson for us all who are leaders to imbibe.

    “To many of us from our own part of the state, we felt that his sense of justice was so much that we felt cheated because we felt he was not doing enough for us. He was jovial to a fault. No matter how serious an issue is, he always makes a joke about it and he was always laughing.”

    Matthew Hassan Kukah, a Catholic Priest of Southern Kaduna extraction and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto said at the time Yakowa died, he was becoming very unpopular with his people who felt that he was not doing enough for them. Kukah said: “I am looking forward to the day when a governor will be elected in Kaduna or other parts of the federation on the basis of his merit. I was among the first people to hear of this Nakowa that became popular.

    “Yakowa came as a symbol and God does not make mistakes. It is interesting that nobody has ever challenged Mandela. What he did when he was campaigning was that he will build one million houses; but at the time he left office, he had not built 200,000 houses. There are certain leaders that come and their achievement is not measured by the material things. At the time Yakowa died, he was becoming very unpopular among his people.”

    Making reference to his sermon during Yakowa’s burial last year, he said: “I said in my sermon that President Goodluck Jonathan has done for us what Fredrick De-Clark did for the people of South Africa and that Yakowa has done for us in his own little way what Mandela did for South Africa. One of my critics responded saying what nonsense. How can you compare Yakowa with Mandela? Interestingly, you can see that today. We are observing Mass for Yakowa while Mandela is being buried.”

    Yakowa’s widow, Dame Amina Yakowa said the day her husband died was the darkest day in her entire 60 years on earth. She recalled that “on that fateful day of December 15, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. when I received the news of the death of my husband, my first request to God in prayer was His sufficient Grace. This Grace that He has given has sustained me and the entire family throughout the year.

    “That Saturday was the darkest day of my life and it seemed as if the life of the entire family had come to an end. Our light was completely put out. It was like a wall shielding us had collapsed. But God reminded me that He is present, active and in charge. The past year was the most challenging in my entire 60 years of existence. It was full of physical and emotional trauma.

    “Something very simple could easily trigger a painful wave of emotion. But in every one of these situations, God was always there for us. I now understand why God said we should give Him thanks and praise in every situation. The story of the life of my husband while he was alive is well known.

    “He was God-fearing and a good husband, father, grandfather, in-law, brother and friend. He was simple, decent; sincere and dedicated to his faith. In the course of his career, he was upright; he was a man of conscience who believed in justice and fairness. He was accessible and related with everyone irrespective of religion, tribe or race. Little wonder he was fondly called NAKOWA.”

    Mrs. Yakowa further said that Yakowa’s “tenets and legacies live on and will continue to remain with us. He loved God so much so that he never did anything to compromise his faith. So, we are confident that he is resting with the Lord. “Yakowa preached peace, unity and development throughout his life, and believed that politics is a call to service from God; hence his belief that it should be played with the fear of God.

    “I salute those politicians who still believe that politics can still be played the Yakowa way. However, many politicians today view politics as completely detached from godliness and for their selfish interests. They do all kinds of ungodly things to acquire power and not really for the people’s interest. My message to such politicians is that no matter how long they cling to power, only one thing is certain; death and of course the  judgment of God .

    “Yakowa made history in his life, Kaduna State and the country. He represented the kind of leader Nigerians needs today; a leader that was accepted by people across ethnic and religious boundaries. One thing is certain; Yakowa did his best in terms of achievement for Kaduna State. He would have loved to do more, but God had other plans for him. He sowed a good seed that my family will forever reap bountifully from as can be attested to by the tremendous goodwill we have enjoyed since he went to be with the Lord.”

    Among those who attended the memorial lecture were the governors of Bauchi and Ebonyi states, Isa Yuguda and Martins Elechi respectively, National Chairman of the ruling PDP, Bamanga Tukur, Deputy governors of Anambra and Kano states, representatives of the governors of Kogi and Cross Rivers states, Minister of State for Works, Bashir Yuguda, Senator Nenadi Usman and Deputy Chairman of the SURE-P and Gen. Martin Luther Agwai.

    Others were Interim Assistant National Secretary of the All Progressive Congress, Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hakeen Baba-Ahmed; President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Dr. Ephraim Goje, wife of the Gombe State Deputy Governor, religious leaders, traditional rulers and former commissioners in the Yakowa government, among other.

    However, at the thanksgiving service which took place on Sunday, December 15, were the wives of the governors of Lagos, Ogun, Kogi and Benue as well as the deputy governors of Kwara and Gombe states.

    Also, the Deputy Governors of Bayelsa and Anambra states joined that of Kaduna state at the thanksgiving service as well as Yakowa’s political associates and traditional rulers from Southern Kaduna, among others.

  • Kaduna’s untapped black gold

    Kaduna’s untapped black gold

    It is one of the world’s greatest plants, some of it believed to be present in every single tablet taken by man.

    This plant which has the potential of giving Kaduna State all the money it needs for development without recourse to the Federation Account, is today totally neglected like other area of agricultural production.

    At the moment, the farmers in the state are producing about 500,000 tonnes of ginger whose production in the state is believed to have started in 1927. Even though the ginger produced in Kaduna is believed to be the best in the world, unfortunately, the farmers are benefiting little from the production. It is also believed that the government has not encouraged mass production of ginger in the state.

    Investigations revealed that lab experiments presented at the 97th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer, by Dr Rebecca Lui and her colleagues from the University of Michigan, revealed that gingerols, the active phytonutrients in ginger, kill ovarian cancer cells by inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) and autophagocytosis (self-digestion). On the other hand, ginger extracts have been shown to have both antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects on cells.  Interestingly, Liu and her colleagues believe that ginger may be of special benefit for ovarian cancer patients because cancer cells exposed to ginger do not become resistant to its cancer-destroying effects. In the case of ovarian cancer, an ounce of prevention—in the delicious form of liberal use of ginger—is an especially good idea.

    Ovarian cancer is often deadly since symptoms typically do not appear until late in the disease process, so by the time ovarian cancer is diagnosed, it has spread beyond the ovaries. More than 50%of women who develop ovarian cancer are diagnosed in the advanced stages of the disease.

    In addition, a research presented at the Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, a major meeting of cancer experts which took place in Phoenix, USA in October 2003 revealed that gingerols, the main active components in ginger and the ones responsible for its distinctive flavour, may also inhibit the growth of human colorectal cancer cells. Similarly, ginger, according to research can not only be warming on a cold day, but can help promote healthy sweating, which is often helpful during colds and flus, while its anti -vomiting action has been shown to be very useful in reducing the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, even the most severe form known as hyperemesis gravidum, a condition which usually requires hospitalization. Studies have however shown that ginger root brought about a significant reduction in both the severity of nausea and number of attacks of vomiting in 19 of 27 women in early pregnancy (less than 20 weeks). Unlike anti- vomiting drugs, which can cause severe birth defects, ginger is extremely safe, and only a small dose is required.

    The Nation investigation revealed that in the second republic, Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa as governor of the state conceived several industries spread across the state to tap the abundant resources. The Kachia Ginger factory was one of such industries. The company which was commissioned by the Gen. Tanko Ayuba government before handing over to civilian government in 1992 never commenced operation. Unconfirmed report have it that a Belgian company had agreed to invest in the plant in the year 2000. The investors were said to have taken the next available flight back when on arrival at the Kaduna Airport the day the Sharia crisis which threatened to tear the state apart was just beginning. The factory was expected to mopped up all the ginger produced in the area for processing. The planting season for ginger according to some farmers spoken to in Southern Kaduna usually begin in April, lasting till the end of May, while harvest usually begin from September ending around November. Even though there are a few large scale farmers of the produce in the state, the crop is mostly produced in Kachia, Kagarko and Jaba local government areas of the state.

    James Kura Garba, a traditional title holder in Jaba land was once quoted as saying that one of the major problems with ginger farmers in the state is the fact that they hardly get any encouragement from government; no incentives and lack of the basic requirements for modern production of ginger. He said a ginger farmer needs to have fertiliser, herbicides, insecticides, in addition to tractors, the right pricing templates, etc. In spite of that, he said, “we still cultivate ginger. What I am saying is that we can produce on a major commercial scale if we get the right assistance. Right now, ginger farming is at its lowest because foreign entrepreneurs who see Ham ginger as the best in Africa, have stopped coming. This is because of the perceived insecurity in Northern Nigeria. The price has discouraged production. The current low patronage by major foreign buyers calls for serious concern. Many of the buyers entertain fears because of insecurity in the North. A bag of ginger used to sell for N18,000 two years ago. But today that same bag sells for between N4000 and N5000.  Imagine the difference. To the best of my knowledge, this is where I know that ginger is being produced in Nigeria commercially. Maybe it is the soil, or climate, culture or a combination of others things. But, it is only in Ham or Jaba land that you see real ginger farms. I understand that it is cultivated in other parts of Africa. I heard that research has placed our ginger as having very high quality compared to what is obtained in other parts of Africa. I once travelled to Melbourne, Australia, where ginger is produced. The way they produce their ginger is different from the way we farm here. There, they produce ginger by irrigation. So you can afford to have fresh ginger round the year. But, here we cannot afford to do that because we do not have small irrigational dams and related facilities for that kind of intensive farming”. He appealed to the government to help small scale farmers with dams in Southern Kaduna so that we can have the production of these viable crops round the year. We have hundreds of perennial streams just flowing away unutilised. If we have dams for irrigation, agricultural activities will get a big boost. Youths will be employed. It will lead to fishing, and even tourism. Southern Kaduna is much endowed with both human and natural resources, and the streams are just one of them. So, if government builds these dams, it will really boost economic activities here”.

    At the moment, only Belfins, a local company owned by a retired Army General and located in Kafanchan is processing ginger in the state and possibly, in the country. Belfins cannot however buy up the large quantity of ginger produced in Southern Kaduna, thereby leaving the farmers at the mercy of people from outside the state who come to buy the produce in large quantity for export. General Yunana Nom who owns Belphins however believe that there is low production of the commodity in the state. He was quoted by a National daily newspaper as saying that “when there is a flood, it affects ginger farming, but also make the price of ginger attractive in some places. Once the prices are attractive, farmers will produce plenty the next season, and at the end of the cultivation, the price crashes again.”

    But Adamu Marshal, Secretary of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) and a small scale farmer of ginger believe that with a good market, the people will be encouraged to engage in mass production of ginger. He told The Nation that “most farmers of ginger are doing so to train their children in school and once they are able to cultivate what they need to pay their children’s school fees, they feel contented. But if they know that there is somebody out there who will pay them good money, they will be willing to farm more. But as things are at the moment, you find out that someone will put in about N15,000 to farm ginger and what comes will not be enough for him to take care of himself and his family. It is really very discouraging”. Marshal said further that attempt was made to ensure good pricing for the commodity when some youths were encouraged to take their produce to Lagos by themselves. But along the line, they got discouraged. Today, most of those benefiting from the ginger we farm in Kaduna are from Kano and Lagos because they buy it and export”. An agricultural expert, Shedrack Madlion told The Nation that the Kaduna ginger has a combination of all the three qualities of ginger which makes it the best in the world. He however lamented that despite the huge benefit as an economic crop derivable from ginger, there is nothing being done to make it beneficial to the people and government.

    When The Nation visited Kachia, already harvested ginger was seen in large quantity being prepared for shipment to Europe and America. It was gathered that one Sola was representing the company that bought the ginger that were being cleaned up and bagged ready for shipment. Although this reporter was directed to one of the men supervising the workers, he claimed that he was also a worker and not the Sola. He also refused to comment on the purchase and processing of the raw ginger for export on the pretext that speaking will be detrimental to them. Apart from the Kachia point where ginger were being cleaned up ready for shipment, it was gathered that those who are buying the ginger are spread across the nook and crannies of the villages in southern Kaduna to buy up the commodities directly from the farmers. It was also gathered that before now, ginger used to be sold at a central point known as the Wallijo ginger market. That market no longer exist and government both at the local and state level has done nothing to encourage the farmers of this commodity. Trucks were seen in large numbers leaving the bushes and villages with the commodity.

     

  • Jonathan unveils Nigeria’s first unmanned aerial vehicle

    Jonathan unveils Nigeria’s first unmanned aerial vehicle

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday unveiled the first indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, code named Gulma UAV.

    It was designed and produced by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF).

    Speaking at the event, which took place at the NAF Base in Kaduna, President Jonathan said indigenous initiatives remain indispensable in achieving notable greatness by any nation, adding that the government will encourage the private sector to collaborate with NAF to produce the unmanned aerial vehicle in mass for commercial use.

    He said: “As I said in my Independence Day address, our nation is made great by the big and small efforts of regular citizens. Indeed, indigenous initiatives remain indispensable in achieving notable greatness.

    “Our importance on the global stage suggests that we must continue to produce leaders in science, technology and engineering and invest more in creating new ideas. We must not forget the lesson of this encouraging moment in our nation’s history and that as Nigerians, we are capable of great deeds.

    “In the same manner, we must not forget that ahead of us lie challenges that we must surmount. We must remain focused on our common national purpose.

    “The unveiling of our country’s first indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is a landmark moment in our nation’s history. Beside its diverse military applications, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle provides mankind with a range of benefits in disaster management, power line surveillance, law enforcement, telecommunication, whether monitoring and aerial image mapping, which is also rapidly becoming an important tool in news coverage, environmental monitoring and oil and gas exploration.

    “Considering the potential impact of fixed benefits and versatility, I cannot, but say how proud I am of the men and women of our armed forces. Apart from their commitment to the protection of our sovereignty, they are helping to keep our nation ahead in military science and technology and keep their civilian counterparts on their toes

    “In the years past, we have launched the first indigenous vessel developed by our Navy and various armoured and operational vehicles developed by the Nigerian Army. To all of you, I say thank you. Your collective efforts have opened a new vista, innovation and opportunity for our nation.

    “Today, as we stand in appreciation of the gallant men and women of our Air Force, we are reminded that hard work and diligence can break many barriers. I specially commend the Chief of Air Staff and all the officers and men of the NAF for this pioneering achievement, which will strengthen our nation and enhance our role in peace keeping and conflict prevention.

    “With only a few weeks to our centenary celebration as a nation, this achievement is a shining ornament and the icing on our 100th anniversary cake. I congratulate all Nigerians, who are surely and steadily beginning to manifest the new awareness of self-reliance and global competition.

    “When we apply the objectives of the transformation agenda, it was in the firm belief that Nigeria possesses to place it at the forefront of global prominence in technology and in the economy.

    “I am proud to see that the Nigeria Air Force has keyed into this vision and has today underlined its commitment to record greater achievements. It is our fervent hope that this stride by NAF will mark a turning point for indigenous technology in every sector of our national life, thereby rapidly facilitating our match towards a prosperous Nigeria.”

    The Supervising Minister of Defence, Labaran Maku, said the development of surveillance aircraft by NAF at this crucial moment in the nation’s history is a bold statement of the government’s resolve to provide security for the people.

    He said the Gulma UAV potentially affords the Armed Forces immense opportunities in intelligence gathering and combating crime, especially in the light of the nation’s security challenges.

    Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Alex Badeh said the decision to acquire the UAV technology was motivated by its growing versatility as a prime tool for enhancing success in virtually all military and security operations.

    He said: “To truly harness the full potentials of the Gulma UAV, there is need to consolidate on the achievements already made. The Air Force requires the assistance of the Federal Government in infrastructure and human capacity development.

  • Yero: I prefer to go slow, steady

    Yero: I prefer to go slow, steady

    Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Yero yesterday reacted to criticisms on the slow pace of the administration, saying it was to ensure meaningful development.

    “I prefer to go slow and steady, instead of rushing and crashing,” Yero said in Kaduna at a Town Hall meeting.

    The governor said as a leader, he needed time to “study the situation of things, know the needs of the people and assess available resources before embarking on any project.”

    “It is always important to go slow and steady and make progress, instead of rushing and at the end of the day crashing.

    “So I prefer to be slow, steady, observe and get meaningful contributions,” he said.

    He assured the people that the administration would not disappoint, as it was committed to ensuring meaningful development in all parts of the state.

    “I will like to assure you that we are studying the situation, and Kaduna State is not a state that you will rush, there are so many challenges that we need to look at critically, understand and move forward.

    “The most important is how to add value and that is the changes we are looking at to add value.”

  • Kaduna State Pre-season tourney: Ranchers Bees, Kaduna Utd battle 15 others

    Kaduna State Pre-season tourney: Ranchers Bees, Kaduna Utd battle 15 others

    Sixteen clubs are expected to battle for this year’s Kaduna State pre-season tournament which kicks off today and ends on December 7.

    According to the chairman of Kaduna State FA, Abdulkadir Magaji Kapaka, 15 clubs from the state and two teams from outside will participate in the competition.

    He said the six-day competition was put together to keep the teams in shape ahead of the new season.

    The teams from the state are Kaduna United, Ranchers Bees, DSS FC, Kaduna Bees, Bakoji Stars, Boro United, Kaduna Academy and Standard FC.

    Other teams from Kaduna State are Strikers FC, Future Africa, Nasara FC, Future Africa, Southern Empire, Mutunci Academy and Adex FC Kafanchan.

    The two teams from other states are Niger Tornadoes of Minna and Spotlight FC of Katsina.

    ” The pre-season tourney is to help the clubs prepare for the coming season. Some clubs have not played any competition since last season’s league matches. This tourney will help the clubs assess their team very well. It will also allow them to select good players that can compete well for their clubs. Some will use the tourney to blend old and new players together. I want to wish all the participating teams the best. I must also thank our sports loving Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero for all he is doing for sports development in the state,” Kapaka said.

  • Combating polio in Kaduna

    Combating polio in Kaduna

    AISHA got the virus when she was just two. Now at three, she cannot walk normally. The wild polio virus left not just the girl in agony; her parents are also devastated. For they had hoped she would bring them out of poverty when she got older and brgan to make money.

    Aisha’s parents were apparently among parents who resisted the polio immunisation programme, believing that it was aimed at controlling the number of children one gives birth to. Muhammad Bello, Aisha’s grandfather was quoted as saying that before she got the virus, they never felt any need to take their children for routine immunization, but today, Bello has seen the need after his grandchild got knocked down by the virus. He said “we never felt the need to get our children immunized, but now, I will do my best to mobilize our community”. Her mother, Zainabu was also quoted as saying that “I do not really understand what happened. Aisha felt sick for weeks and got a high fever. Her legs have now started to get very weak and she has a hard time trying to stand up. The doctor said it was too late, she may get polio, but we needed to confirm. In the past, we always refused vaccination because some of our neighbours told us the oral polio vaccine could cause sterility. Now, we know that it is not true and we can see the consequences. From now on, I will commit myself to be part of the social mobilization team”. That was in May 2012 and two weeks later, the little girl was confirmed to be infested by the virus, thus becoming one of the 30 polio cases in Sokoto state as at May, 2012.

    Today Aisha has joined the growing list of persons affected by the virus in a country regarded as one of the most entrenched reservoirs of wild poliovirus in the world. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria is the only country with ongoing transmission of all three serotypes of polio virus such as wild poliovirus type 1, wild poliovirus type 3, and circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2. Interestingly, states in the northern part of the country are the main source of polio infections elsewhere in Nigeria and in neighbouring countries. For example, Nigeria or northern Nigeria is reported by international organisations as being the main source of polio in countries like Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Uganda, Kenya and other countries stretching from West to Central Africa and Horn of Africa. These countries have been classified as importation countries because they have stopped the transmission of indigenous wild poliovirus can be affected by importations of the virus. In addition, Nigeria is one of the three countries globally still considered as polio endemic nations, the others being Pakistan and Afghanistan. Incidentally, while Afghanistan and Pakistan are neigbours, Nigeria’s immediate neigbours have all eradicated cases of polio. Fresh cases of the disease in these countries have always been traced to states in northern Nigeria. But many states in the north have embraced polio, but it is generally agreed that a lot still need to be done if the disease is to be eradicated in the country. It is believed that the country is presently on the right track to stop fresh transmission of cases. But one thing that has been of concern to health workers and Nigerians is the fact that the same set of people seems to be immunized regularly, while several areas are ignored. So far, the country has recorded 52% drop in polio cases, 63% reduction in vaccine rejection while the number of states with ongoing circulation of the virus has reduced from 11 during the same time last year to nine. As at the last count, Borno, Yobe and Kano account for 72% of all polio cases in Nigeria so far this year while 3 percent of local government areas in the country  have recorded polio virus so far this year. Similarly, there has been a reduction of the polio genetic clusters in Nigeria from 8 to 2 while no Wild Polio Virus Type 3 case has been detected in Nigeria so far this year, last case 11 months ago.

    Be that as it may, The Nation gathered however that in some of the states of the north, principal officers of government and even key health officials have shown dislike for the polio eradication initiative. The Nation was told that in one of the states, the Director incharge of Primary health care is not positively disposed to the polio eradication initiative, while in another, the Secretary to Government is against the idea. It was also gathered that in some of the local government, refrigerators meant for the storage of the polio vaccine are taken away by highly placed local government officials. Available information had it that due top efforts of the state government, Kaduna recorded no case of polio for 30 months beginning from 2009 and when the government was beginning to beat its chest that the state was polio free, 10 new cases were reported in the state in 2012. Some officials of the state health ministry said that those fresh cases were traced to Zamfara state. But other believed that the set back was as a result of some children that were missed during the immunization exercise. But since the beginning of 2013, the state according to the officials has not recorded any case of polio. The state government has said it was determined to ensure that state is polio fr4ee and has deplored all machineries to ensuring success. This explain why the Deputy Governor, Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga had to abandon the comfort of his office in July to go in search of two children who reported missed out in the polio immunization exercise in Zangon Kataf local government area of the state and ensure that they were administered with the vaccination. James Swam Kazzah, Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor said that idea behind that visit was to determine whether the two children in the community who ‘missed out’ during the earlier immunization exercise had been recovered and rightly immunized to forestall any emergence of the dreaded polio virus in not only the local government but the entire state. He noted that like the Biblical analogy of leaving behind 99 sheep to search for one missing sheep, Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga left his comfort zone to trek long distance through bushy farmlands and muddy footpath to identify these two children for the sake of polio eradication in Kaduna state.

    Late Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa had, while launching the first quarter polio immunization in 2012 said that “If Nigeria is to join the rest of the world in becoming polio-free, we all must allow our children to be vaccinated, and the responsibility of such task, to a greater extend, rest on the shoulders of our Local Government chairmen, traditional and religious leaders. As such I am calling on all the Interim Local Government Chairmen, traditional and religious leaders, to have a stronger engagement with stakeholders through increased commitment and accountability to the fight against polio. I have also directed all Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries to henceforth join hands with their respective Local Government Chairmen in ensuring the success of vaccination campaigns”. This tends to have yielded result as no incident has been reported across the state in 2013. The government under Yakowa initiated an award for the best local government in polio eradication. The government, Yakowa had said “has made polio eradication initiative a top priority in the health sector”, adding that “in our fight against this disabling disease, the Kaduna State Government had spent huge resources in 2011 in the area of immunization, advocacy and control of the polio menace, with a view to retaining the polio-free status of the state. We are also committed to sustaining the state Task Force on Immunization meetings in order to ensure coordination of the polio eradication initiative. I have also directed all the Local Government Councils in the State to ensure regular meetings of the Local Government Task Force on Immunization and engagement of stakeholders, especially traditional and religious leaders in the campaign against polio in their respective areas. It is the combination of these efforts that made Kaduna State polio-free since 2009. The success achieved was a result of the commitment made, by both the Government and also by other stakeholders in the state, particularly our traditional and religious leaders. “In order to ensure that Kaduna State continues to be polio-free this year and beyond, the Kaduna State government has decided to identify and honour people who have positively influenced and advanced the polio eradication initiative in their respective domains. I will like to draw your attention to the fact that even though we have been free from polio since 2009, the fight against polio in Kaduna State is not yet over. This is because Kaduna State is surrounded by polio infected states. I have also been informed that there are still some children that have missed the routine polio immunization administered by both parents and caregivers. I therefore wish to charge those that are going to be decorated today as Polio Ambassadors to continue to support the polio eradication initiative in their respective constituencies, so that Kaduna State continuously remains a polio-free State and even assist in the eradication of polio in our neighbouring state”.

     

     

     

    The world Health Organisation however believes that with concerted efforts by government and other stakeholders, Nigeria has the capacity to eradicate polio within nine months. WHO Country Director in Nigeria, Dr. David Okelo, was once quoted as saying that, “Nigeria has made a lot of progress in the fight against polio; we have done 95 percent of the work due to the efforts of traditional and religious leaders. We have just a fraction left so let us finish the job as quickly as possible. “Government should mobilize communities and leaders to finish the remaining part in the next six to nine months. We need to finish polio and move on to other problems such as cholera, high maternal mortality and other child killer diseases. We can do it and we should do it.”  Many believe that the governors of the north have not shown serious commitment to the polio eradication campaign. But at one of the meeting of the Northern States Governors Forum, they resolved to strengthen the state task force on polio eradication in each of the states by making it more functional; sustain the quarterly interaction of governors with their traditional rulers and to prevail on Local Government Chairmen in the Northern States to continue to support Polio Programmes particularly through sustained enlightenment campaigns. Interestingly however, apart from the regularly National Immunisation Day exercises, there is little being done by the various states to ensure acceptability of the vaccine as fresh polio cases have been reported in a few states.

    Even though there are few countries where people still carry the disease and in Nigeria where vaccine rejection has become common, there is still a global fight against the disease. As part of the global campaign, hundreds of scientists, doctors and other experts from around the world in May, 2013 launched the Scientific Declaration on Polio Eradication declaring that an end to the paralyzing disease is achievable and endorsing a comprehensive new strategy to secure a lasting polio-free world by 2018. At the launch, over 400 signatories urged governments, international organisations and civil society groups around the world to do their part and put an end to polio.

     

     

    with the aim to protecting the world’s most vulnerable children and future generations from this preventable disease. They also call for full funding and implementation of the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018, developed by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). However with polio cases at an all-time low and the disease remaining endemic in just three countries around the world, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative had estimated that ending the disease by 2018 can be achieved for a cost of approximately $5.5 billion. Dr. Walter Orenstein, professor and associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center at Emory University and former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Immunization Program was quoted as saying that “we have the tools we need and a time-limited opening to defeat polio. The GPEI plan is the comprehensive roadmap that, if followed, will get us there”. On his part, Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta, founding director of the Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health at Aga Khan University ad one of the doctors that has signed a declaration calling for the eradication of Polio by 2018 globally noted that “securing a lasting polio-free world goes hand in hand with strengthening routine immunization. We need all countries to prioritize investments in routine immunization”.

    The declaration, part of which The Nation obtained online, emphasizes that achieving polio eradication requires efforts interrelated with strengthening routine immunization which is a new focus of the GPEI plan, pointing out that as the last cases of polio are contained, high levels of routine immunization will be critical. In the same vein, it noted that resources and learning from polio eradication efforts can be used to strengthen coverage of other life-saving vaccines, including for children who have never been reached with any health interventions before. Professor Helen Rees, executive director of the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, who signed the declaration believe that as long as polio exists anywhere in the world, it threatens children everywhere. According to him, “by pursuing in parallel all of the steps needed to reach eradication, including the introduction of inactivated vaccines, countries have a complete path to eliminate polio’s threat.”

    Investigations revealed that those who signed the declaration were drawn from 80 countries and is being promoted by more than 40 leading universities and schools of public health and medicine are promoting the declaration on their websites, including that of Nigeria’s Redeemer’s University. As at the time the declaration was signed in May, 2013, only 16 cases of polio had been reported globally with India, long-regarded as the most difficult place to eliminate polio, said not to have recorded a case in more than two years. This perhaps explains why Dr. David Heymann, head and senior fellow at the Chatham House Centre on Global Health Security and a signatory of the declaration believe that “eradicating polio is no longer a question of technical or scientific feasibility. Rather, getting the most effective vaccines to children at risk requires stronger political and societal commitment. Eliminating the last one percent of polio cases is an immense challenge, as is the eradication endgame after that. But by working together we can make history and leave the legacy of a polio-free world for future generations.”

    However, polio survivors in Nigeria have joined the campaign against the virus. Karima Usman, a 38-year-old Nigerian mother of three, is one of such people who has decided to take up the task of convincing parents take their children for vaccination against polio.  According to her, “no one used to go from house to house giving OPV [oral polio vaccine] when I was small. That is why I got polio. Now, OPV is available – but some parents are not letting their children take it.I got involved in this work three months ago and I will not rest till every parent agrees to get their child vaccinated. Most people get convinced easily when they see my condition and realize what poliovirus can do. But then there are some who are totally non-compliant due to spread of misinformation and myths and don’t even come to the door to talk to me. I don’t give up. I get off my tricycle and walk on my hands and go inside their houses to talk to them.”

    Like Ms Usman, Auwal Bawa, Captain of the Katsina state Para-soccer team is another polio survivor who has d4ecided that it was time to join the campaign for the eradication of polio in Katsina state and in Nigeria. According to him, “I tell people that my ability lies in my mind. And it is the mind that they need to listen to and accept OPV and not false rumours”. Melisa Corkum of the UNICEF communication office in Nigeria said that “Polio survivors are recording a success rate of 70 per cent on an average over the last three polio immunization rounds. In other words, they are able to convince seven out of every 10 parents to accept OPV for their children which are remarkable. As the number of cases of polio has decreased over the years, the PSGs serve as a stark reminder of what the virus can do – and help in overcoming non-compliance.” In Sokoto, there is Fatima Aliyu, a mother of two and a polio survivor who has also joined in the campaign to ensure that every child in Sokoto is immunized. It is imperative to say that Sokoto is one of the states in the country struggling with non-compliance. In her words, “I call all men to support their wives to bring out their children for immunization. Would we have come out to support this programme if the vaccine had any side effects?”

     

  • Number of Nigerians studying in the UK trebles

    Number of Nigerians studying in the UK trebles

    According to new statistics, the number of Nigerians studying for a degree in the UK has trebled in just eight years.

    Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in the UK (HESA) shows that 17,640 Nigerians enrolled to study at UK universities during 2011/12 compared to 5,385 for 2003/04.

    Nottingham Trent University, based in Nottingham in the East Midlands in England, now has nearly double the number of Nigerian students compared to two years ago. For the academic year 2013/14, 64 Nigerians enrolled at the university, compared to 38 in 2011/12.

    Among those to enrol were siblings Olufunmilayo Odeyemi, 19, Fehintola Odeyemi, 21, and Olurotimi Odeyemi, 23, who were all born and raised in Kaduna.

    Olufunmilayo is currently studying for a degree in product design, while Fehintola and Olurotimi have both graduated with degrees in architecture.

    They all undertook a foundation course at Nottingham Trent International College, which is based at the university’s campus in Nottingham city centre, to give them a good ground for their degrees.

    Olufunmilayo, known as Funmi, said: “The best thing about studying in the UK is that you get to meet so many different people. “It’s a real experience and I have learned much more than I ever imagined. Not only that, but I love football and have been to watch my favourite team, Manchester United, play in the Premier League.”

    Older sister Fehintola said: “The lifestyle is very different in the UK compared to Nigeria. What you say, how you dress and the way you interact with people is very different from home. It has been a real experience.

    “I plan to do a masters degree in architecture which will lead to me being qualified with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Once I have this, I would like to come home to Nigeria and move to Lagos to work in an architectural firm.”

    Selma Toohey, international recruitment officer for Sub-Saharan Africa at Nottingham Trent University, said: “We’re seeing increases in the number of students from Nigeria coming here to study, which is really encouraging. In the past we have had many students applying from Lagos, but now we’re seeing more come to us from other parts of Nigeria, such as cities and towns in the north like Kaduna.

    “More people are realising that studying in the UK is a realistic option and many find it to be a real benefit to experience living in another culture while studying for their degrees.”

  • Kaduna and the quest for peace

    Kaduna and the quest for peace

    The 4th Conference of the Forum of Cities in Transition holds recently in Kaduna, with the aim of finding solution to the conflicts that have threatened the state and the country at large, reports Tony Akowe in Kaduna

    Dialogue remains the most potent tranquiliser that heals human heart from anger and hate. When two conflicting groups agree to sit on a round table, the anger on their mind becomes absolutely solemn and gradually fizzles out with every round of meetings”. With the above statement, Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero sets the agenda for the 4th conference of the Forum of Cities in Transition. The idea of hosting the conference in Kaduna was to afford the state and indeed Nigerians the opportunity of sharing experiences with other countries and cities that have undergone conflict.

    For several years, Kaduna metropolis and indeed the entire Kaduna State has had to grapple with ethnic and religious conflict that threatened to ground the state to a halt. These conflicts have no doubt divided Kaduna metropolis into two with the Muslims dominating the northern part of the metropolis while Christians dominate the southern part. Even though there are still areas within the metropolis where you have a mixture of the two religions, there is no doubt that the people of such communities are living in what could be regarded as peace of the grave yard.

    The state governor, Mukthar Ramalan Yero, has on several occasions voiced out his frustration at such development, saying that it does not augur well for development of the state for the metropolis to be allowed to be so divided. The governor harped on this at one of the syndicate sessions which he personally attended to press home the efforts of the state government to ensure that the people live in peace and put behind them, those things that create such conflicts.

    The Director of the Forum of Cities in Transition, Prof. Padraig O’Malley, said the Forum was formed to bring together cities across the world that has gone through series of conflict which has negatively affected their development. He said that 92 international delegates from other continents and 12 African countries are expected to attend the conference which will take place at the Musa Yar’adua Indoor Sport hall, in Kaduna.

    Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who was the guest speaker at the opening ceremony of the conference, was not happy that despite government efforts, ethno-religious and sectarian crisis has continued to polarise Kaduna and other major cities across the country thereby undermining socio-economic and political development of the nation. The former Nigerian leader argued that the social strand which binds the diverse people of the country together has been put under severe stress by series of ethno-religious and sectarian crisis, but was convinced that the overwhelming attendance at the conference was not only a testimony of government initiative for a durable peace, but an affirmation of our collective resolve to install unity in diversity for which we are known.

    In his words, “It is my fervent hope that this conference will ensure comprehensive sharing of ideas and experiences such that those cities in transition will find their way to a better future where reconciliation will further be enrooted for succeeding generations. Kaduna is no doubt one of the most complex and diverse places in the country with different ethnic and linguistic groups, sharing a broad spectrum of religious affiliations and tendencies.

    The management of these complexities and their diversities has for the greater part of history provided a dynamic framework for the peaceful coexistence of all Nigerians. In the last few years, the social strand which bind the diverse people together has been put under severe stress by series of ethno-religious and sectarian crisis. These crises has polarised Kaduna city as well as other cities in the country and has undermined economic development in the country. I have no doubt that this conference will mark a turning point in the efforts of government to ensure that these cities are united from its polarity along sectional, cultural, ethnic and religious lines”.

    He noted that “it is therefore heart-warming to realise that the Kaduna conference is aimed at establishing Kaduna as the hub for peace and reconciliation not only for Kaduna and northern cities in conflict, but for the nation at large. In order to actualise this noble objective, I want to impress on the organisers of the conference to set up a follow-up committee at the end of the conference to ensure sustainability of the commitment to be made by participants geared towards sustainable reconciliation where people of vast ethnic and religious affiliations in this country can live together in harmony. This, will among other benefits inculcate us with the international community with investment opportunities. We must get back to those times when out tribe and religion were instrument of unity and peaceful coexistence. Therefore, this conference should be seen as a clarion call for us to rise up and shoulder the task of ensuring the much desired peace in Kaduna and the country in general. I therefore appeal to our communities to continue to live in peace with one another as there can be no meaningful development without peace”

    Governor Yero, on his part, said the state government was determined to address causative factors responsible for conflicts in the state, pledging his personal commitment to fairness, equity in the administration of the state, adding that his government was committed to fairness and equity and regards all residents of the state as partners in the Kaduna project. He said “as you are already aware, Kaduna State is a potpourri of Nigeria’s huge diverse ethnic, religious and cultural groups. The state is a mini Nigeria with representation from virtually all the over 250 ethnic groups and the two main faiths in the country. Due to its strategic location at the central part of the country, Kaduna has become home to citizens with diverse backgrounds. For decades, the various groups- Muslims, Christians and millions of people speaking various dialects, lived side by side peacefully and in harmony. That was the sweet memory of Kaduna city, until recent struggle for both political and economic space compounded by mundane ethnic jingoism, lead to series of wanton destruction of lives and property. Aggression during crises in the city was based on dangerous ethno-religious profiling trends, where minority groups are targeted for attacks simply by reason of their faiths or mother tongue. This unfortunate situation has visibly divided the city as citizens now reside in selected locations according to the deity they worship or the language they speak. This is an unacceptable descend to an abyss of human retrogression, which our administration is committed to reverse. I believe that while plurality of ethnic and religious groups could lead to conflict, such misunderstandings must be managed through sustained dialogue and acceptable civil mechanism. Diversity and pluralism are known to be the basis of cosmopolitan and complex societies such as ours. It is only where ethnicity and religion are made means of narrowing people’s participation in politics, economic, and social spheres that crisis of monumental proportions become manifest”.

    A worried Yero, who said that the government was determined to ensure that everyone in the state live in peace with one another, added, “to address the numerous causative factors of conflict in multi-ethnic, multi-religious society such as ours, this administration has remained firm in ensuring that the people of Kaduna State are availed with equal opportunities in all spheres of human endeavors. I am personally committed to leading the diverse people of the state with absolute fairness and equity. To us, all sections of the state are equal partners and none shall be given more or less of its fair share. This administration has prudently managed the resources accruable to the state. We have strived to cut down on wastage and to seal all loopholes that may lead to corrupt diversion of public funds. This has since gained us a positive rating from the notable Fitch Rating Agency, which rated the economic outlook of Kaduna State as B+ with bright prospects. Already, we have started benefitting from the impact of this rating, with influx of foreign investors into the state, expressing their willingness to invest in various sectors of our economy. We have remained focused in implementing deliberate policies aimed at reducing poverty and high rate of unemployment among youths and women in the entire state. To curb youth restiveness in our communities, the state government has commenced training in various skills for over 6000 youths selected from all the 23 Local Government Areas.

    ” Furthermore, in our bid to reunite the people of the state, this administration has already provided platforms for the diverse people to regularly engage in dialogue. We have initiated Peace and Security forums where people from diverse backgrounds meet to ventilate all shades of opinion on matters affecting the state and in the end their resolutions are collated and documented for government use. Presently, the peace and security meetings are being held in virtually all communities in Kaduna State. Some communities have held successful sessions that culminate in signing of peace agreements, where people of diverse backgrounds that are living together, agreed to unite against future breakdown of law and order in their area. These are heartwarming developments and we are working hard to ensure that we reintegrate our people, so as to reenact the past, when we all lived together as one, irrespective of tribe or creed”.

    Interestingly, the conference drew participants from 16 countries across the globe which include four African countries and some cities in Nigeria. Although there was no official communuique at the end of the conference, The Nation can reveal that the delegates made specific commitment to ensuring the maintenance of peace in the countries and cities while a Nigeria Forum for Cities in Transition was formed.

    Yahaya Aminu, the governor’s Chief of Staff who was chairman of the Local Organising Committee said that in the recent past, there had been disagreement and conflict which often degenerate violence, which has left some scars and negative impact on Kaduna State, pointing out that this scar has left the communities in the state divided, especially within Kaduna metropolis with certain areas being inhabited by followers of particular religion and tribes.”

    Aminu said that what is needed in the state at this point in time is reintegration, trust, confidence and harmony of the various communities for the state to develop. He said further that Kaduna “is not the only city in the world that has this kind of experience. There are other cities that have similar experience, probably worse”. He said however that the state decided to host the conference because it was in line with the fundamental objective of the present administration. Aminu also said that the essence of the conference however is to make commitment by the participating cities and identify important values and activities that are of benefit to the people that ensure peace and to carry out activities that will promote peace in the cities.

  • ‘PDP will be defeated, if opposition unite’

    ‘PDP will be defeated, if opposition unite’

    Second Republic Kaduna State Governor Balarabe Musa spoke with Correspondent TONY AKOWE on the proposed national dialogue, 2015 elections and the chance of the opposition at the polls.

    The Advisory Committee on the National Dialogue is going round the country. What is your position on this?

    I have already stated my position and rejected the committee. However, I am presenting my critique to the National dialogue being organised by President Jonathan that will offer a credible alternative national conference. I will not submit my memo to the committee because I rejected them. I am calling for their rejection by Nigerians. In any case, they are already going against their terms of reference because they were established to discuss and recommend to the President the modalities for the conference. They are not supposed to receive memo because that is supposed to be received by the conference when it is established. This is just a committee and, if they can go this far and go beyond their terms of reference, what happens?

    Don’t you think that rejecting this conference will be counter-productive?

    Yes, and what will happen if, for some weak reasons, we accept this committee and the conference. what will follow? The consequences on Nigeria will even be worse because nobody will call for a democratic and popular national conference again. People will go for the alternative which is the Sovereign National Conference because we have a problem. The country is not working; Nigerians are fighting one another and they cannot sit, discuss and resolve the problem amicably. In spite of what anybody will say, Nigeria will not disintergrate, but will continue. Of course, it is possible for Nigeria to disintergrate but after a prolonged period of instability leading to the destruction of everything of value, including human being and property. That is when nothing is left for anybody to lay claim to, then Nigeria can disintegrate.

    But the instability within the regions will continue because the units Nigeria disintegrate into will continue to fight one another. They are neigbours and they will be hostile to each others because there has been a high level of integration politically and economically among these people. People will say that the Soviet Union disintegrated and nothing happens. In their case, the Soviet Union had reached a high level of development and because of that, the disintegrated units could go on. But that is not the same with Nigeria and I can say that the disintegration of Nigeria will take us back to the stone age or the pre-colonial status .

    Niger State governor has consistently said the North can survive without the rest of the country if it breaks up. What is your opinion about this?

    This is true of the north, this is true of the Southwest, this is true of the Southsouth. The only zone that may have problem is the Southeast. All these zones can survive, but at what cost? At the price of going back to pre-colonial status? If the north, the southwest and southsouth think they can survive because of oil and gas, they will not. We have been having a federal system of government in Nigeria for a very long time. We ought to have recorded high level of socio-economic development in those areas. But have we? In what way is the Southwest more developed than the north except in this 40 years of gap in educational development. But these 40 years gap in educational development, what has it done for the south west? Do you see a higher level of development in terms of industries? What type of industries are available in the Southwest, if you take away Lagos, that you don’t have in the North? So, the whole of Nigeria is grossly underdeveloped and it will be very painful and expensive before we can pick up. We should know that because of the strategic position of Nigeria and, with the resources of the country, once we are balkanised, imperialists will regard us as a hunting ground and will prevent our progress. As I said, if we had developed enough like Russia, Yugoslavia, among others, whose different parts have developed enough to carry on, things will be different.

    There is this controversy about whether Jonathan should contest the 2015 election or not…

    As far as I am concern, I don’t care if he runs. What I can tell Nigerians is that if they don’t want Jonathan to run, they should make sure that his party does not nominate him. And, if the party nominates him and you still don’t want him to run and succeed, all you need to do either to vote for him or against him. But don’t mess Nigerians up because it is a simple thing. We say we are in a democracy and in a democracy, it is the votes that decides.

    So, since your protest for or against Jonathan is causing insecurity and instability in the country; if you are really patriotic and you care, leave that issue until the date of voting. If you don’t want Jonathan to be President of Nigeria in the 2015 election, don’t vote for him, but organise against him. So, for now don’t heat the polity.

    Do you think that the opposition, as presently constituted, has what it takes to unseat the PDP in the 2015 elections?

    No, they don’t.

    Why do you think so?

    Take strategically the issue of inspiration. Is there a high level of inspiration at the moment in favour of the APC? No. Majority of Nigerians don’t see the difference between the APC and the PDP. In 1993, there was clear inspiration towards the SDP, which was a forced merger. People had confidence in Abiola. Do we have such high level of inspiration now? Secondly, let us talk about the power structure in the country. The APC controls 11 states, while the PDP controls 25. Then, let us go for resources for campaign because since there is no high inspiration in favour of APC, which can reduce the cost of campaign, it means that they will have to pay for the campaign, just like the PDP. How much resources do they have compared to the PDP. But APC has a tremendous chance and I hope they can use it.

    What is that chance?

    The PDP has been discredited and nobody wants them right now, even within the party and the evidence are quite open. The APC can capitalise on this and let Nigerians know the difference between what the APC stands for and what the PDP stands for at least, in terms of the programmes and objectives filed by the two with INEC when they were looking for registration. At the moment, nobody knows the aim and objectives of the APC apart from being an opposition to the discredited PDP. What about the programme and objectives which will show the distinction which has already been filed with INEC? Let us have it and use it to compare.

    Let us not make the mistake of the PPA in 1983 at a meeting in Benin. We had a meeting of the leadership of the parties under the leadership of Azikiwe, Awolowo, Waziri Ibrahim and a faction of the PRP, when we insisted on the programme and objectives of the PPA. Some of the governors then said we had eminent people in the group and so, we should elect them and allow them to continue with the work. That was not good enough and that was one of the things that made us failed in 1983 to choose between Zik and Awolowo.

    The APC may be making the same mistake by assuming that because PDP has been discredited so much, they can take things for granted. In addition to bringing out what they stand for, they should open up and show us that they can unite this country and accommodate others. At the moment, the APC is limited to the ACN, the CPC, the ANPP and the APGA. Is that enough? There are credible political parties even among those that don’t control a local government. In any case, where is Labour? Can’t the APC make the compromise and have Labour go with them?

    So, the APC should keep its doors open?

    But definitely, the APC has a chance; but it depends on how they utilise the opportunity. Let them not make the mistake the CPC made in 2011. According to our estimate, the CPC would have won at least 12 states in the north simply because of the bankruptcy of the PDP and they would also have been able to win one or two states in the South. Even, if they don’t, they would have been able to get the required one third for national spread to avoid a second ballot. If the second ballot became necessary, the CPC could have won by the require majority, but they ended up with one state because of the mismanagement of opportunity. They thought they could do it all alone because of the popularity and integrity of one man. So, the APC should learn from that. They should learn that they are not the first merger to contest the Presidency of the country. There has been three others in the past and the only one that succeeded was that of the SDP. Even then, because of the composition of the SDP, the same leaders of the party led by Chief Anthony Anenih sold the Presidency to the NRC. I know everything about it because I was part of the whole struggle and how it happened.

    What we know is that the Babangida government annulled the election.

    Do you think that the present INEC has what it takes to deliver quality elections in 2015?

    It hasn’t because it not independent. This has been shown clearly that it is not independent and some of us don’t expect the INEC to be independent. First, the INEC under Jega asked for the money they needed to conduct a free, fair and transparent election leading to a legitimate government and they were given that money without any deduction at all. Did they conduct a free and fair election? Since then, have they conducted free, fair and transparent election? In some places, the opposition defeated the PDP not because of the power of their votes, but because of what I can call balance of terror.