The Nation Newspaper

Tag: leadership

  • Culture, democracy and leadership

    Culture, democracy and leadership

    Let  me state clearly  from the onset  that  I believe democracy is a form  of  government that has outlived its usefulness in the modern world as we know it  today. I  do not buy the arguments of those who say the worst  form of  democracy is still  better  than a dictatorship. That  is just  plain  nonsense to me and it is not because  I am  angry  with democracy  as an ideology. It is because day in day  out,  we see good examples of why there should be a better way for human beings to govern themselves  than this  present   process   of periodic elections that   throw up leaders  who  are strangers to those who elected  them   into power even  before  they are sworn  into office. As  at  this week  the newest  president in the world is Cyril  Ramaphosa  the man   who  is taking over from disgraced former president of S Africa , Jacob  Zuma,  who  should face charges of  corruption immediately  and whose party should  be punished or admonished  for putting up with him  for  so long,  but  whose  party  has such a solid majority  that it will always win elections in that  nation  no matter  the quality  of leadership   it offers to   S Africans.  That is democracy  and that is a shame indeed  for any such ideology  which  conscripts  citizens  to the servitude  of avoidable poor  and bad leadership.

    Today  however  I  look at events in Nigeria  where the ruling   APC   has now admitted  that  it has dissent within its  fold and has now drafted  its most gifted  political  strategist  to  put its house in order in order  to  be  battle ready  for 2019  elections. Which   to  me   is  a great   distraction and a costly  diversion   of   talent  that  has been  hitherto ignored in  governance    and   is now being used    belatedly    for  a   fire   brigade  exercise.  We  also  look  at the USA where the president is on trial  as it were because he dared to say  that  a man  working for him  is a good man  even though  allegations have surfaced  that  he was a wife beater  who molested  his   two  divorced  former wives  We  also  look  at  Russia  where  a  presidential  election is to take place with  no one in doubt    that the winner will  be the incumbent  president  Vladmir  Putin who  is being  vilified   in the US   for  helping the current  US   president  Donald  Trump  win the 2016  presidential  elections in the   US.

    We  look  at these  nations  and their  democracies   in the context  of my  resentment against  democracy, its workings  and failure, in spite  of the laudable  objectives  of politicians in these  nations.   I  am  not blaming the inadequacies  of democracy  on leadership but on the environment of democratic  values  especially  emerging   political  cultures    and expectations tied symbiotically  to  a game of numbers   and  elections that  have  in many instances undermined  political stability and humanity without  which no political system  can  survive. Let  me   first  attempt   to highlight  the political  values   in these  nations driving their democracy   in  the directions they  have now found themselves.

    In  Nigeria  a  political  culture  of rigging at  elections is  a way  of life while the economic culture is corruption  and the sociological attitude  to work  is well  steeped in nepotism  and ethnicity. In   the  US   the political  culture is that of  ‘winner  takes all ‘ which  creates a no  prisoners taken approach   to the use and exercise  of power  without  consideration  for   the feelings or even  the existence  of losers  at  periodic  elections.  The  economic  culture  is laissez  faire capitalism  which  widens social  inequalities brazenly  till  the next  elections  and the sociological attitude  nowadays is  sexism or more  appropriately  sexual    harassment.  In  the UK  the cabinet  system  makes  the PM  first  amongst  equals and that creates leadership  competition which  can  at   times   be disruptive but the Parliamentary  system ensures great  accountability  and transparency. The  economic  system is rooted in social  insurance   and human rights  hold sway even at the expense  of state  stability  and security.  Again  like the US  sexual  harassment   is the major sociological  pursuit   of the moment along with  gay  rights and sexual equality.  How   all  these political   and socio –  economic considerations   and values  make or mar  the practice of   democracy  in these   nations  is what  I will  examine next.

    In  Nigeria  the present government  got  into power on an  anti-corruption platform  accentuated  by the discovery, on getting power that its predecessor  party  in power  had looted the nation’s treasury blind. The  new president had health  challenges,   which given  his age, were really  not unexpected  but he recovered but not early  enough for the   Catholic  bishops to tell  him to his face during a visit  that he has frittered  away  his goodwill  capital.  But  the government   from  the beginning  really  never  got   its  bearing  right as it was derailed by a  palace  coup  at the start  by a member  of the party who  became the President of the   Senate, the No.  3    position  in our democracy.  That  political  wound has been  untreatable   and I think   that would be part  of the reconciliation  assignment  of former Lagos  state  governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu  for the APC  on the eve of the 2019  presidential  elections.  But  that too  is like a political hemlock   to a leader  who  should be  in the forefront  of leading the nation    at  the next elections.  For  now crisis  management is a priority  for the ruling  APC. That  can  only mean that it has lost sight of the more  nagging issues  like  restructuring  and the killing of Nigerians  by  herdsmen  which  has made a   beleaguered   state  governor  to ask  his people  to arm  and defend themselves  if the central   government  can not do so  against  well  armed  herdsmen. This  issue  will  overshadow  any  fence mending in the APC because it is the party in power  and  its best  captain should  be deployed  to  nip  a   problem  with  high potential   to foment a civil  war  from going in that direction,  rather  than a protracted mend  fencing  which is like  closing the stable doors after  the horses  have bolted.

    With  regard  to the US  I  want to treat  their  democracy  on a comparative basis  with  that  of  Russia since  the US intelligence  community  has developed a rare paranoia   and sees Russia  lurking behind  any action  of   the US president  and has said Russia  aided his election  in  2016, which is something that annoys him  no end.  But  really  the US Intelligence  community  has short  changed itself  professionally  by playing  second fiddle to  Russia  on election  hacking. Sexual  harassment  too is fuelling   that  Russian  fiddling allegation.  But  it   also shows a moral  depravity heightened  by  Trump’s  background and unexpected victory. Surely  there  can  be no sexual  harassment in the fact  that his three former  wives  camapiagned  for  him. That  gives him a right to applaud  his aides  competence while  condemning sexual  harassment  in any  form.  Anyway  a political culture that makes great noise over sexual  advances  several  years  old is an unserious  and malicious  one. That  is what the US   has  become in spite  or despite the election of  Trump  and that is a sorry  situation indeed  without  much   political   value   or  respect  for  transparency  and    justice  as expected  in any democracy.

    At  the other  end Russia  is mocking the US’ political  and intelligence  establishments . Russia  under  Putin  is getting more  religious  and the Church  and the state  are partners on moral  values  while American  politics is dominated  by gay rights  and sexual  harassment. In  addition  Russians  are proud  that the mighty  Americans  cannot  manage their  elections  and insist  that  Russians intervened   to  elect  an  American  president with  all  the wealth  and technology  that  the Americans claim  to be at their  disposal. They  wonder what  sort of morality  Americans have,  given  the pursuit of gay rights and sexual  harassment.  So  who  has the better  democracy  between  the two worthy  of emulation?  Of  course  any  African  or Arab  will  favour  the Russian democracy  on  its    anti gay rights    posture  alone which is an anathema  in their  culture. Of  course  Americans  will scoff at that, while comparing   gay  rights with  civil   liberties but that  is an  insult  to such  people  and really  the Americans funeral. Once  again  long live  the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Court orders PDP to obey verdict on Ogun leadership

    Court orders PDP to obey verdict on Ogun leadership

    The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to recognise the Adebayo Dayo-led executive in Ogun State.

    Justice Mohammed Idris held that the state executive’s tenure will not expire until May 2020.

    He nullified congresses that were held in violation of a court order, in which a chairman was purportedly elected to replace an interim executive committee in the state.

    The suit was filed by a member of PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju, Ogun State Youth Leader Femi Alao, “national delegates” for Sagamu and Ijebu North local government areas, Idris Muniru and Chief Tuke Omotara, Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Badejo Abiodun and Chairman of Sagamu Local Government Area, Kola Akinyemi.

    They sued for themselves and on behalf of “PDP Ogun State delegates to the National Convention”.

    The defendants include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, Tunde Odanye, and others.

    The plaintiffs urged the court to hold that there was a subsisting and binding judgment and orders of the Federal High Court in Lagos and Abuja, delivered and issued on June 24, 2016 and on August 10, last year.

    The plaintiffs averred that by virtue of the court verdicts, they were entitled to attend and participate in PDP conventions.

    They urged the court to restrain the PDP Caretaker Committee in Ogun State from usurping the plaintiffs’ functions as “authentic officers of the Ogun PDP Executive Committee”, led by Chief Adebayo Dayo.

    Justice Idris, in his verdict on Friday, dismissed the defendants’ objection on the ground that the plaintiffs are beneficiaries of the judgment delivered by Justice Ibrahim Buba in another suit.

    Justice Buba had held that the tenure of the Adebayo Dayo-led executive still subsists until May 2020.

    Affirming the judgment, Justice Idris directed INEC and the PDP (first and second defendants) to obey Justice Buba’s orders.

    The court also nullified the congresses held in defiance to Justice Buba’s judgment and orders.

    Justice Idris held: “The decision of a court of competent jurisdiction is binding on all parties concerned until set aside by either the Court of Appeal or the same court that made the order, if found that it was made in error.

    “I am not in agreement that the decision of my learned brother Justice Buba is in conflict with the decision of the learned law lords of the Supreme Court.

    “All objections are overruled. Parties are bound by the judgment of this court, delivered by Buba J., and everybody should obey a judgment of court until set aside.”

    The court nullified the appointment of Odanye and others as Ogun State PDP Caretaker Committee members, saying their appointment was contrary to Justice Buba’s judgment, which affirmed the Adeboyo Dayo-led exco.

  • Leadership, statecraft and other witches

    SIR: The late Professor Chinua Achebe in his book “The trouble with Nigeria”, had rightly attributed the challenges of Nigeria to leadership failure. Leadership of any kind is a very serious business that should at best be left in the hands of real serious minded people. Leadership especially political leadership is a tool to make positive change in the society.  The absence of visionary leaders in a nation leads to outright doom, tragedies, catastrophes and challenges such as the current and past challenges Nigerians are experiencing.

    Recently in Calabar, a high tension wire sparked and fell down and burnt down houses, killing three people, a male student of Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH) and a young nursing mother and the baby. This is not the first occurrence of such negative incidence in Calabar. Similar tragedy had occurred in Calabar, in a football viewing centre, killing several youths and injuring several others as well. When tragedies of this nature occur, accusing fingers quickly point to witches and wizards by religious gate keepers and their blind followers.

    Nigeria as a country and Nigerians as citizens still have thousands of hectic bridges to cross.  Businesses are crippled due to lack of electricity. The generators they use pose health challenges to Nigerians. On daily basis, we keep hearing and reading stories of cancer and other epidemic and disease outbreak. To an average Nigeria it is the handiwork of witches and wizards.

    The state and federal roads they ply and drive their rickety cars are nightmares. There are countless instances of negligence of leaders that have direct dire negative consequences on Nigerians too numerous to mention here.

    In Nigeria, hardly can you go to any religions gathering without hearing frog noises and frog songs about witchcrafts and vain prophecies on materialism. With the proliferation of religions centres here and there, and their noises and songs including their vain prophecies about ephemeral and transient things, there is nothing to point to as breath-taking and earth-shaking invention which has a direct impact on humanity worldwide. Were Mark Zuckerberg to be a Nigerian, he would have been going from one religions centre to another seeking for solution to unemployment. He would probably have been selling water in sachets as a graduate or driving Keke Napeb, insulted and harassed by touts for tax and other levies. Zuckerberg would have been on his way out of Nigeria seeking for hope in other countries.

    March 2013, millions of Nigerian graduates where gathered across all the states of the federation by visionless leaders for immigration job recruitment where 19 graduates died in the midst of the stampede that occurred due to uncontrolled crowd. Was it witches and wizards that caused their death? Who then are these witches and wizards?

    Accepted the military messed up the and institutionalized corruption, the advent of the democracy in 1999 would have been a period of massive infrastructure revolution but it has been a case of total failure on the part of these political sinners and masquerades parading themselves about in corridors of power.

    Nigerian leaders are still living in dark shadows of ephemeral and vain pursuit; that is why we have nothing to show and prove to the whole except corruption in high places, fast food and religious centres sprawling and springing up here and there making foolish noise about witches and wizard. Nigeria is really in the bottom of the whole among comity of nations. Religious gate keepers in Nigeria have passively accepted evil of political sinners by closing their mouth against the evil perpetuated by political sinners who patronize them for prayers. With their silence, evil has taken over and has resulted in what Prof. Soyinka described as ‘’vicious circle of national stupidity”.

     

    • Udom Dominic Bassey,

     Calabar.

  • Leadership perversion

    Nigeria should not be a poor country, but one of the richest countries. It is the sixth-largest producer of crude oil, with huge reserves of mineral and agricultural riches beside manpower. It should be boasting very high global living standards but for the leadership perversion it has unfortunately experienced. This country, where abundant varieties of crops grow irrespective of farming care, and limitless opportunities exists to provide services by honest means, is characterized by poor living standards. All these, has subjected the nation to ridicule.

    Over the years, poverty has risen to unacceptable and frightening level with capacity to threaten the corporate existence of the nation. Evidently, there has been a failure of development for the most part, but the problem is not so much that development was not really on the agenda in the first place. I’m of the opinion that the agenda which will promote the greater good of the greatest number has never been on the leadership initiative. The point about perverse politics and departure from the development ideal is proved so poignantly by the rising poverty far above levels of ten years and significantly by the unceasing trend of seemingly unbridgeable gap between the rich and the poor.

    Those opportune to watch Television commercials (TVC) of most African countries portraying their nation’s images to the world on satellite TV would notice one common thread, the emphasis is now on promotion of tourism and investment drive, but unfortunately, anytime you see something on Nigeria you are taken back to images of ethnic colouration. Our penchant of allowing charlatans to dictate our commonwealth is beyond imagination at a time intelligent people are studying and aligning with global trends and seeking the best for their people.

    In my years of leadership and governance study, I’ve taken the pains to research on political and economic systems; why some fail and others succeed. During my university years, it was the norm to belong to ideological camps. If you find five students, there is the probability of four of them leaning to the left. From that period – the 1990s – till date I’ve been fascinated with China probing why Socialism/Communism failed in the erstwhile Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, but it is still in place, with modifications, in China.

    It is instructive to note that China – during the global economic crisis of 2008-2010 – proposed to bail out Europe from its years of depressing economy, but the complex challenge in accepting such an offer was more ideological than economic. Should European nations who cherish the “freedom” that capitalism and free enterprise brings take bail out money from a socialist regime? That was the dilemma.

    So how did the Chinese get it right on leadership? From the inception of communist rule in 1949 led by late Chairman Mao Zedong, China has in place a deliberate process of leadership grooming and selection. The grooming of its next generation of leaders started as far back as 2007. The new set of leaders – which is the fifth generation – is already in power. The next generation that would take over in the next ten years is already work in progress.

    Under the Chinese model, the process of grooming of leaders has two dimensions: First is the active participation of young persons in existing governance structures, particularly on matters which directly affect them. This takes place through appropriate representation of youth bodies and young persons in agencies of government and public enterprises. Secondly is a deliberate grooming through the political and administrative systems, for youth participation in politics and administration now and for the future.

    The crux of my argument is this: Leadership selection and grooming is planned and serious nations embark on it to ensure continuity of socio-economic and political progress that serves the common good. China, even though some will say runs a political system that is not “democratic” in western sense, still has lessons to teach Nigeria on leadership. Why is this huge country courted by the west though it runs an “oppressive” socialist system? What is China doing right that we can learn from? With a large rural population, what are some of the lessons in poverty reduction we can imbibe from China?

    Nigeria has a lot to learn from the Chinese experience and one of these lessons is never to miss a chance to excel when opportunity knocks, China did not. Why did I say this? Following the 9/11 attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York in 2001, the United States of America went on a vengeance mission to destroy the base and launching pad of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Because of its unparalleled military might, it believed that this would be quick and decisive, but it turned out to be a long and protracted war lasting over eleven years with billions of dollars down the drain.

    During this period, it neglected domestic affairs, especially the state of its industries and economy. This was the opportunity China cashed in on hence the Chinese manufacturing resurgence; China suddenly became the new hub of manufacturing activities with most countries – including American companies – trooping there to manufacture goods at cheaper rates because of the abundance of cheap labour. Today the Chinese economy is the second largest in the world, next only to that of the US. We should not forget that they were able to do this because of purposeful and disciplined leadership structure.

    To get a further handle on this, I’d like to quote from an interview granted Time magazine by late Lee Kuan Yew, former Singapore leader who transformed an underdeveloped colonial outpost with no natural resources into a “First World’ Asian Tiger.

    The Singapore elder statesman said; “Chinese leaders followed American lead in putting people in space and shooting down satellites with missiles. Their culture is 4,000 years old with 1.3 billion people, a huge and very talented pool to draw from. They have raised their expectations and aspirations, every Chinese wants a rich China, a nation as prosperous, advanced and technologically competent as the USA, Europe and Japan. This reawakened sense of destiny is an overpowering force.” This overpowering force is what is propelling this huge nation forward.

    Would anyone say we don’t have such overpowering force in Nigeria? We do, it’s just that our leaders always fail to make good use of opportunities just like they failed to positively exploit the opportunity presented by the high global oil price of 2011-2014.

    A rising power on the international stage in the post-global economic crisis, China, manages its power transition well to carefully match its philosophy of life. The west will see this as “undemocratic” and a stifling of citizen’s rights, but the flipside of the coin points to the fact that anything in life taken to the extreme oftentimes turn out problematic. Excessive and unbridled freedom also has its own drawbacks that is why leadership grooming and selection is needed; a leadership that will be in tandem with a nation’s uniqueness. If Singapore and Malaysia had followed the laid down “economic blueprint” of the Bretton Woods institutions they wouldn’t have been the success story they are today.

    Another lesson for us is power continuity. It doesn’t depend on who’s in power as laid down policies continues because they are for the national interest. The rise of Xi Jinping – the current president –   and his compatriots was built on a combination of political acumen, and ideological dexterity. They are graduates of the best universities in the country with specialties in Political Science, Political Economy, History, Law and Economics. What’s the lesson? The university plays a fundamental role in leadership grooming.

    I will end with this: a friend recounted a story to me which speaks volume of the leadership lacuna in Nigeria. A group of volunteers from the US paid an unscheduled visit to a Local Government Chairman in one of the South West states where they wanted to site a project. To their dismay and consternation, they found the chairman and his councilors drinking beer in his office at 11 am! The volunteers did not leave with a good impression about Nigeria.

    Are these the type of “leaders” we have “groomed”?

  • Factional transport union threatens to take over leadership, branches in Ogun

    Factional transport union threatens to take over leadership, branches in Ogun

    •Police, state govt disown factional group

    There was anxiety yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, and other parts of the state over a likely outbreak of violence following alleged plan by a group to take over the leadership of the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) in the state.

    The Ogun State Police Command, which also admitted it uncovered the plot, warned against throwing the state into a “pandemonium” by any splinter transport union.

    The command said it would deal decisively with such group.

    Addressing reporters in Abeokuta, the leader of the group, Lateef Yekini, claimed that his group was in possession of the original certificate of the association, adding that he was set to resume work this first week of the year.

    Lateef claimed that the tenure of the current leadership of the association, Alhaji Shamsudeen Apelogun, had ended.

    It was learnt that Apelogun’s tenure would have lapsed last Sunday but was returned for another five-year tenure after the amendment of the union’s constitution.

    Lateef said it was his turn to lead the union after the stipulated constitutional tenure of Apelogun.

    The union leader said his boys would take over all the branches in the state this week.

    But the police, through its spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said it recognised only transport unions and groups that were backed by the law.

    Oyeyemi said the police uncovered alleged move to create chaos in the state by factional groups within the transport unions but assured the residents that the command was committed to maintaining peace and order.

    He said: “The command wishes to reiterate its commitment to maintain peace and order as well as protect lives and property of the good and law-abiding citizens of the state.

    “The transport unions that passed through the normal legislative procedure and legally recognised in the state are: the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employee Association Of Nigeria (RTEAN), Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association Of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) and Articulated Motorcycle Riders Association Of Nigeria (AMORAN).

    “Anybody or group claiming to be a faction of any of the above-mentioned unions with the aim of causing pandemonium in the state will face the full weight of the law.”

    Also, the state government warned against any attempt by the Yekini-led group to disrupt the existing peace in the state.

    It warned = the faction to stay away from the motor parks across the state.

    In a statement through the General Manager of Parks and Garages, Ayo Ogunsolu, the government said it recognised ACOMORAN, led by Shamsudeen Apelogun.

    Also, ACOMORAN’s Secretary Kayode Showunmi said the union had no faction.

    The union leader noted that Yekini was no longer a member.

    Showunmi said Yekini lost his membership since 2011, following his problem with the union.

    He said the state and Federal governments recognised and related with Apelogun as the Chairman of ACOMORAN.

     

  • Factional union threatens leadership

    THERE was anxiety in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, and elsewhere yesterday following alleged plans by a group to take over leadership of the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) in the state.

    State Police Command has warned the splinter transport union against throwing the state into violence.

    Addressing reporters in Abeokuta, leader of the group Lateef Yekini claimed that his group is in possession of the original certificate of the association, saying he would resume work this week.

    Yekini claimed that the tenure of the leader, Alhaji Shamsudeen Apelogun, has ended.

    It was learnt that Apelogun was given another five-year tenure after amendment of the union’s constitution.

    But Yekini insisted it was his turn to lead, declaring that his boys will take over this week.

    Ogun Police Command spokesperson Abimbola Oyeyemi, said it recognised only transport unions and groups backed by the law.

    Oyeyemi said the police uncovered move to create chaos but assured that it is committed to maintaining peace and order.

    Oyeyemi said: “The Command wishes to reiterate its commitment to maintain peace and order as well as protection of lives and property of the good and law abiding citizens of the State.

    “The transport unions that passed through the normal legislative procedure and legally recognised in the state are; National Union Of Road Transport Workers  (NURTW), Road Transport Employee Association Of Nigeria (RTEAN), Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association Of Nigeria  (ACOMORAN) and Articulated Motorcycle Riders Association Of Nigeria  (AMORAN).

    “Anybody or group claiming to be a faction of any of the above mentioned unions with the aim of causing pandemonium in the state will face the full weight of the law.”

    Also, the government warned the Yekini-led group not to disrupt peace in the state, asking it to stay away from parks and garages in the state.

    The government, in a statement through the General Manager, Parks and Garages, Ayo Ogunsolu, said it recognisedACOMORAN, led by Shamsudeen Apelogun.

    ACOMORAN Secretary Kayode Showunmi said the union had no faction, explaining that Yekini is no longer one of them.

    Showunmi said Yekini lost his membership in 2011 after his problem with the union.

    He said the state and federal governments recognised and relate with Apelogun  as chairman of ACOMORAN.

     

  • ‘Judiciary needs committed leadership to thrive’

    ‘Judiciary needs committed leadership to thrive’

    The challenges facing the Judiciary are not insurmountable. Speakers at the 10th Annual Business Luncheon (ABL) of SPA Ajibade & Co. said through a committed leadership, things can get better. JOSEPH JIBUEZE reports.

    Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Opeyemi Oke, has blamed lawyers for encouraging corruption in the judiciary.

    He said lawyers close their eyes to acts of corruption rather than reporting culprits to the appropriate authorities for sanctions.

    She spoke at the 10th Annual Business Luncheon (ABL) of SPA Ajibade & Co, with the theme:  Commitment to Leadership.

    Justice Oke, who co-chaired the event, emphasised the need for partnership between lawyers and the judiciary.

    She also highlighted strides the judiciary is making in Lagos state under her stewardship in stamping out ineptitude and misconduct amongst its staff.

    The CJ blamed the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for not doing enough to stamp out corruption in the judiciary.

    “The leadership of the NBA really needs to sit up because most of the problem that we are having in the judiciary, in respect of performance and so on, the root or the foundation of the vices actually are implanted by the members of the Bar.

    “It is the members of the Bar that come to the court environment to conduct their businesses and also tempt our workers especially those in the administrative cadre.

    “I cannot imagine why a lawyer who knows his right from his left will want to give a sort of brown envelope or some gratification to a registrar of the court so that they can take your file for assignment.

    “It’s high time that members of the Bar looked inwards and try to raise the standard of discipline among the members of the Bar,” she said.

    Justice Oke said it was regrettable that the Nigerian culture of showing appreciation had been bastardised among court workers, who now demanded gratification to do their job.

    She reiterated her commitment to sanitising the judiciary and solicited lawyers’ support.

    The luncheon, which held last December 14 at the Metropolitan Club in Victoria Island,  focused on the need to improve the legal industry and the administration of justice .

    In addition to celebrating a decade of the concurrent run of the ABL, the firm held a tripartite celebration to mark its 50th anniversary, and the launch of its first published book titled: A Review of Contemporary Legal Trends in Nigerian Law, which was authored by associates and partners in the Firm.

    The book, published by LexisNexis, provides up-to-date advisory information on recent laws, regulations and policies as well as analyses of contemporary developments to the various legal sectors that would be of interest to foreign investors and local practitioners.

    The first co-chair, former Supreme Court Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, spoke on ways in which legal practitioners can uphold leadership in their capacity as lawyers to ensure the continued prestige and respect of the legal profession.

    He expressed regrets that 90 per cent of the appeals going before the Supreme Court nowadays are on technicalities rather than substantive issues of law.

    This trend, he said, was a proof that the country’s jurisprudence is on a progressive decline.

    “When you get to the Court of Appeal, when you get to the Supreme Court and when you look at the index of the law reports, you’d find that 90 per cent of reported cases coming before our highest court are all about technicalities and procedure, nothing, absolutely nothing about substantive law.

    “The judges are not to blame, because it is what the lawyers put forward that the judges will consider.

    “The Nigerian Bar must be resourceful and dynamic. Jurisprudence must be nurtured and developed. The dearth of legal textbooks must be removed.

    “We must rebuild the legal profession if legal contemporary trends are to be the father of future legal trends. We must begin to put higher values on legal learning. We must be bold and daring enough to strengthen, assist and encourage younger lawyers in every form.”

    The firm’s Managing Partner, Dr. Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) reflected on its journey through the years and discussed ground-breaking plans for the future, which includes fostering a partnership with the judiciary and recommending ways to improve efficiency.

    He assured the “reformist Chief Judge” that she had a ready partner in the law firm in her quest to maintain the highest standard of ethics and discipline in the judiciary.

    The firm’s founder, Chief Simon Peter Ajibade (SAN), relived how the firm was established and reflected on the changes that have occurred in the legal profession over the years.

    He said he was impressed with what the firm he started in 1957, seven years after being called to the Bar, had become.

    Ajibade, a former Attorney-General of the Western State, recalled with nolstagia his early practice days in Ibadan with Justice Ayoola and his brother.

     

    Partners’ recommendations

    Three partners in the firm highlighted significant topics in their areas of practice and the role SPA Ajibade & Co is playing to support desired improvements in the legal industry.

    Partner and Head of the Intellectual Property Department, Mr. John Chike Onyido, addressed the legislative and adjudicatory shortcomings regarding intellectual property litigation in Nigeria.

    For example, in the area of Copyright Law, he contended that the locus of foreign copyright owners to institute actions for infringement before the Courts merited review and clear interpretation of Section 41 of the Copyright Act.

    The section, he noted, empowers the Minister to certify by means of an official gazette particular countries who are signatories to international treaties/conventions along with Nigeria, and who accord reciprocal protection to works by Nigerian authors first published in Nigeria.

    He added that loopholes in the Act have been exploited by some to escape liability for copyright infringement instituted by foreign authors.

    He also discussed the Court of Appeal’s decision in the case of Microsoft Inc. v. Franike Enterprises Ltd..

    He argued that the decision was issued per incuriam (through or characterised by lack of due regard to the law or the facts) in view of the fact that the Copyright (Reciprocal Extension) Order 1972 actually listed the appellant’s country of residence as one of the countries whose authors are eligible for copyright protection in Nigeria.

    He pointed out that the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction to entertain intellectual property matters under the 1999 Constitution and the Federal High Court Act were less than optimal.

    According to Onyido, they require further amendments to broaden their scope and reach to accommodate the protection of trade secrets and commercially sensitive information.

    Partner and Head of Real Estate and Succession Department, Mr. Olayimika Olasewere, discussed issues encountered by practitioners and their clients in dealing with the Probate Registry.

    He suggested how the whole process could be simplified by redesigning the Probate Forms and Letters of Administration Forms to ease confusion and difficulties in the filing process.

    The firm, he said, had taken the initiative to design a set of forms, proposed as templates for the official form for grants of probate and letters of administration in Lagos State.

    The forms, he said, are simple to use, structured and organised with the purpose of aiding both the applicants and the probate staff to provide, understand and put to use, the necessary information.

    The improved forms may be made available in electronic format on the court’s website for ease of access, he said.

    A litigation partner in the firm, Mr. Kolawole Mayomi, presented three proposals and recommendations for improving the speed and efficiency of commercial dispute resolution practices in Nigeria.

    These are: an amendment Section 286 of the 1999 Constitution to abolish the right of appeal from jurisdictional challenges between the Federal and State High Court; and block-time scheduling of trials, based on counsel and the court’s assessment of how long a case may take, as a panacea to the frustration experienced in the frequent and often long adjournment of cases.

    “This approach will help build up a proper costs practice in Nigeria, rather than the present nominal costs approach, particularly where a long-scheduled matter is sought to be peremptorily truncated by a flippant application for adjournment on the morning of the hearing,” Mayomi said.

    Another recommendation he made is the deliberate placing of arbitration-related matters and applications on judicial fact-track order to enhance Nigerian’s standing as a viable seat of arbitration.

  • Buhari and leadership burden

    More than ever before, Nigeria is in the news for many unprecedented challenges and problems that are of near-complete crisis proportions. Gloom and penury deepen daily among the generality of the people. The masses are the victims of the greed and utter rascality of successive governments as well as their agents. However, this current administration under the direction of President Muhammadu Buhari cannot claim that it was totally ignorant of the level of recklessness before it took over in 2015. This administration promised the Nigerian masses, a change from decaying standards of morality and socio-economic retrogression to a truly modern, civilised milieu central to the promotion of robust, fine-grained human essence in all its ramifications.

    Most Nigerians trusted the Daura-born general, based on his antecedent performance as military head of state between December 1983 and August. 1985. During the above period, Buhari and his charismatic deputy- Tunde Idiagbon, gave Nigeria a new national orientation defined by uncommon discipline including unalloyed patriotism. This was the reason why Nigerians, having been severely debilitated by hunger and all kinds of socio-economic dislocations, voted for Buhari, the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate in 2015. Nigerians do not need endless stories and excuses about how PDP government messed up the economy before the coming of the current administration. Action is badly needed now!  In other words, Nigerians would want to see a president who is sincerely prepared to speak and act with messianic fervour. A near-complete fiery political leader, reminiscent of Sango-the Yoruba god of thunder and lightning. That is, a political leader that is capable of sending shivers down the spine of every criminal in our land.

    This country does not need ethnic chauvinism and/or religious bigotry. Religious extremism, no matter how carefully disguised and unbridled ethnic consciousness, are just a tool of desperate politicking. The Nigerian masses must understand, appreciate and appropriate this drama which is full of lies and deception. This is the reason why politicians continue to use circumstantialism of ethnicity and religion to oppress and exploit the people. Nigerians are merely experiencing a class struggle between the rich and the poor.  The target of the political class is to maintain the status quo at all costs. Poverty has no geographical, religious and ethnic boundaries. The Nigerian politicians are chronic Machiavellians.  Our president has to prove to us, that he is not one of them, by stepping on toes no matter how big, in order to rescue the Nigerian masses from untimely death. Currently, there is an increase in deaths from hunger and illnesses. Nigeria is now an unprecedentedly suffocating collectivity.

    President Buhari must work harder than hitherto in order to redeem his image which is now heavily skewed towards negative history either by errors of commission or omission. In the 21st century, the wife of the president of a country, has acritical role to play in politics embedded in social engineering. Nigeria can only be an exception at its own peril! Therefore, I’m pleading with you to extend the space of Hajia Aisha Buhari to more locations beyond the kitchen and of course, the other room.  As a matter of fact, I’m not aware of anybody in this administration who has keyed to your anti-corruption fight more than our cerebral, beautiful and courageous first lady.  Mr President Sir, your failure in politics is part of her agonies!  Similarly, your success is a component of her pride forever! Aisha, who occasionally (most probably)in frustration, becomes a whistle blower deserves a pat on the back. Her latest effort was about the rot in the Aso Rock Clinic where (according to newspaper and television reports) over three billion naira has been spent recently, without any tangible results. She could not hide her utter displeasure at this national disgrace.  How sickening!

    Up to now, nothing concrete has been heard from the official quarters. By 2019, the masses will have an opportunity to tell this government that they are not a bunch of fools.  No amount of travelling to overseas countries for support in fighting terrorism can solve the Nigerian problems.  Solutions will necessarily come from within. Despite the need to internationalise, the government must appreciate the fact that charity begins at home. Adamawa State has been serially attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen in recent times. Currently, a sense of gloom pervades the Nigerian landscape as if there is an interregnum. This is succinctly put, unprecedented in the Nigerian political history.

    Those suspected Fulani herdsmen, who are proud of killing and maiming innocent farmers in their villages across the country are President Buhari’s greatest enemies.  This is because they make him lose popularity with the people very rapidly. Time will tell! These notorious Fulani herdsmen and their sponsors must do a rethink because they are among other things, giving Buhari and indeed, the entirety of the country, a bad name.  Nelson Mandela remains in the consciousness of South Africans and humanity at large, not because of his wealth and/or power, but rather the political ideals which he stood for when he was on this side of the divide. We are no longer in the Stone Age period characterised by maximum crudities.  No civilised country today around the world supports open grazing of cattle among other ruminants.

    Young Nigerians are now being sold as slaves in Libya and Italy largely because there are no hopes for them at home. The parents of these young Nigerians, are either retirees without pensions or government workers with several months of salary arrears yet to be paid. Sometimes, they are children of poor artisans whose businesses are in a coma because of the hostile economic environment withinwhich they operate. The rich-poor gap is getting wider daily. Indeed, Africa’s biggest democracy is on the threshold of disintegration due to mediocre, people-insensitive leadership. The DSS, SSS, ICPC and EFCC must begin to dance together in order to rescue the country from the cancer of corruption with all its debilitating effects.

    I feel that there is need for a cabinet reshuffle. Additional new ministries are also useful so as to gain greater efficiency. The President should drop the idea of new minimum wage of N56000 for now. He should ensure that the current minimum wage of N18000 is paid regularly, until such a time, when the economy would be able to realistically cope with a higher wage. The issue of minimum wage must not be politicised. How can a government that is owing workers up to 12 months’ arrears in some states (at N18000 per month) be talking of N56000? This is a gimmicky idea! The President needs to convince Nigerians, that nobody, no matter how close to him, is untouchable. This is the hallmark of good leadership.  President Buhari has to call the bluff of those clever rogues, who are hell-bent on damaging his hard-earned reputation as an incorruptible, no-nonsense leader. It is not too late to begin to change the current narrative of “business as usual!”

    Again, the President must caution those state governors or emperors who fail to pay their workers and pensioners as of when due. Their action or inaction in this regard, is an invitation to anarchy. The blood of those workers and pensioners who have committed suicide as well as those who have died, because of dire poverty, is on the governors’ heads and those of their nuclear families, for mindlessly promoting hedonism and self-indulgence. This is my message to President Buhari as we enter the new year-2018.

    • Professor Ogundele is of Dept. of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan.

  • Leadership, apologies and progress

    Leadership is all about taking decisions and accepting responsibility for their consequences both expected and unexpected. Brave leaders  own up to their actions and inactions as the case may be and move on with  the grave task of leadership, which  in most circumstances  is a lonely  job in which  at times, a bad decision is better  than none,  on some weighty  and important issues. Making apologies for decisions taken earlier is an acceptance of responsibility for such decisions and it is a mark of what we may call mature  and responsive  leadership. A  leader  who does  not accept responsibility for  errors when  obviously  palpable and clear,  cannot  be a  good leader. Even  though  some leaders  believe   fervently  that as at the time they  took some decisions they  weighed  all  the options  and  the context  and could  not be liable for any failure. It is in the light of   what   the inputs into leadership decision  could  be and how  weighty and relevant  or even important to the outcome of such decisions, that we look  at  the topic of today.

    We  therefore look  at events in Nigeria  and Peru  where  two  apologies  by political  leaders surfaced this week.  In  Nigeria where there is an ongoing and biting fuel  scarcity  which  has turned  the normally joyful Xmas Yuletide celebrations into  a nightmare  for the average Nigerian family,the  Nigerian President Muhammadu  Buhari  apologized  to Nigerians for the seasonal  hardship  which  he said would end in   a few  days  time. In   Peru  a former  Head  of State  Roberto   Fujimori  apologized from his sick bed  after  he was given a pardon  by the incumbent President  Pedro   Kusczinsky  who just escaped  being impeached for  corruption,   allegedly  because  of the support  given to him against  impeachment   by the Fujimori’s  supporters  in Parliament. Thirdly  we  look  at events in Russia  where  Alexei  Navalny, the leading but disqualified  opposition  leader seeking to replace  President Vladmir  Putin asked the  Russian  President who  is seeking another term as an  Independent   presidential  candidate   to  apologise  for  misleading the Russian  people  instead  of  seeking  a new  presidential  tenure  of office.

    In  both  Nigeria  and Peru the  two  leaders  were clearly accepting responsibility  for present  and past  lapses. In  the   Russian  scenario it is obvious  that  the call   for  apology  was like a dog barking at  the moon  and clearly an  exercise  in futility.  We  now  look at  the context  of the three  in terms of leadership  accountability  and what  motivated  the apologies  and the import of this for the three political  systems in terms  of human  and societal   progress  in these  nations.

    In  the  case of  President  Muammadu Buhari’s  apology  to  Nigerians on the fuel shortage and   the   attendant  household  hardship,  it is obvious  that  the Nigerian president is accepting   responsibility for  the fuel  shortage. This  is an informed  apology  because  the president was a former Head  of State as well  as Oil  Minister  and knows  where  the shoe pinches Nigerians on the shortage,  as well  as the problems  that have made the shortage an  annual  event  which  in the life  of this Administartion   led to fuel  price  increase  from 86  naira   to  145 naira  sometime. Some  skeptical   Nigerians are predicting that  the present shortage will  culminate   in a fuel  price increase but  I beg  to  differ on that  possibility  and my ammunition and defence is  the presidential apology to Nigerians on the hardship  by their presiden. That apology is at once   responsive and full  of empathy. It  therefore  cannot be shattered   by the greed  of Independent  Marketers , fuel price   manipulators , professional supply disrupters and all  those powerful  interests who  have turned  our oil discovery  and ownership  into  the ultimate   resource  curse  that  has made  Nigeria   laughing stock in the world as  an   oil  producing nation,  whose  citizens queue  up  annually  at  Xmas   to  look  for oil  to  power  their vehicles  and generators and even  to  cook  their meals   even  as  their    nation  is famously awash  with the black  gold.

    In  Peru   the  scenario  is different from  our situation. The  apology  is being made  by a fallen  president who  is serving  a 20 year  jail  term  for human rights abuses  that led to  the death and disappearance   of  opposition  leaders  during his presidency. But  Fujimori  to a large extent was  a successful  leader. He  defeated  the Shining  Path,  a terrorist group  similar  to our own  Boko  Haram,  and  created  political  stability in  Peru but  made  powerful  enemies in the process. The  defeat  of  Shining Path  made  him the envy of his political  opponents who invoked  human  rights  abuses massively to dent his image prosecute him and have him jailed. This strategy  is not dissimilar to that  of some Nigerian  leaders playing politics with  the defeat  of  Boko  Haram  and insisting that  no more funds  should be used to annihilate  the notorious terrorist group. Powerful  vested  interests similar to those that incarcerated Fujimori  are actively at  work  too on Boko  Haram.  Anyway  I have  no doubt that  Fujimori’s  apology will be accepted as he is dying  man and  even  though his  party helped the incumbent Fuji  president to  avert  impeachment in  Parliament,  no  one stands to gain  from  the Fujimori   grace to  grass  predicament,   which  is a lesson  for any real  or budding political  dictator  in any political  clime.  The  scene  from  Russia  is also  interesting and instructive. The  opposition  leader   Alexei   Navalny   admitted on CNN recently that he could  be killed  anytime   and I admire his bravery  on that score.  But  he is a political  lightweight  and Russia,   like China is a sham  democracy in terms of political leadership   participation  and   elections. Putin   as  leader   in  Russia  has played the game of political  self – succession very  well  and quite brilliantly   and has  outlived two  US  presidents. Now,  he    is being accused by the US political  system  of imposing a third   through  election  hacking,   which  Putin denies. Putin was in office from 2001  to 2008, the two  term tenure  of   President  George Bush. He  served a four year term  as PM   thereafter   and  put a surrogate in place as  president  who returned as PM  when   Putin  was  elected president again in 2012.  It  was the role of Hillary  Clinton in making that  2011  presidential  election  campaign   difficult  for  Putin  that earned  Hillary, who was Secretary of State  then, the eternal  hatred  of  Putin  together   with   her boss   Barak  Obama. And that  was responsible  for the massive even though denied Russian  interest  in the 2016 US   presidential  won  by  Donald  Trump. Putin  does not need  to apologise  in any way  to the Russian people  whose elites this week  gathered enough signatures  to  make him stand for president as an Independent candidate. Russians  are  proud  of Putin  for standing up to  the world  and the US  after the collapse  of the  Soviet  Union in 1991  which  Putin  described as the greatest  tragedy  of the 20th  century. A  leader  who invaded Crimea, Ukraine and  took  a military  base in Syria  to help oust  the dreaded ISIS  in the Middle  East  does  not offer  apologies  to his people  for fuelling their national pride, sovereignty  and  patriotism. Putin  may  have flouted   international  law  and may  be a culprit  at the comity of   nations  including the UN,   but  he is at  ease and at home with his primary  constituency, which  is the Russian  people.  That  to me is a mark  of  strong leadership  that  offers no apologies as  charity  should always begin at  home in any political  system. Once  again, long live the Federal Republic  of Nigeria.

  • Leadership, labour and sustainable development

    The pursuit of sustainable development is the essence and singular objective of governance and the objective of every institution and organization within the state. This is the nation-building process which the entire people are engaged. The people could be classified into two broad classes: the political class represented by the government; and the people, represented by labour.

    The leadership initiates the nation-building process, by exhibiting a sense of nationalism and thereby inspiring the patriotic zeal of the citizens, with the singular objective of mobilizing them to build the nation. This is the basis of the modern state and the philosophy upon which the Nigerian nation was founded and the spirit with which her independence was fought. History reports the fact that Nigeria’s independence is result of the collaborative efforts of the nationalists and trade unionists.

    In the struggle for independence, strikes by trade unions facilitated the activities of nationalists. Strikes by organized labour, were justified and geared towards ending the exploitative socio-economic order of the time. At this time, there was popular nationalistic fervour to terminate colonial rule by all means. The objective was to create and optimize local opportunities for the benefit of Nigerians. The quest for self-rule was thereby considered fundamental to development; trade unionism was therefore popularized and strikes were therefore legitimized. For this purpose, blackmail, subversion and any action that could undo the imperial order of the time was justified. The attainment of independence notwithstanding, strikes have remained a re-occurring decimal in our national life and have indeed, assumed the benchmark by which the existence of trade unions and the performance of their leadership is measured.

    Several decades after independence, Nigeria is yet to be launched on the path of sustainable development. The political class is yet to achieve a common nationalism while the citizens are yet to be organized into a productive workforce. The reason is that the political class has been distracted by the inordinate quest for power. The non-recognition of this lapse and the failure to step into the gap by labour is the bane of our national development. The political class has since independence failed in developing the human capacity to run a productive system. This class abandoned economic development, which ought to be the objective of politics, for the inordinate quest for political power. Post-independence    labour leadership ought to have made the difference by generating ideas that could transform Nigerians into a productive workforce. Regrettably, labour activism has been focused on self-serving, unproductive and economic destructive activism, as it was during the colonial era.  This is excusable. In the light of the limited education of the labour leaders of the time, there were no viable options to strike actions. At this time, industrial unions were restricted to, and led by a class of citizens to whom the derogatory term, ‘Labourers’ aptly applied. By virtue of the limited education of the labour leaders of the time, there was no apparent alternative to populist mob actions, as these leaders could hardly engage intellectually.

    The gain of political independence notwithstanding, the resort to strike actions by trade unions did not abate. Due to the ideological war between the West and Eastern nations, labour leaders pitched tent with deviant, belligerent and ‘subversive’ socialist ideologues of the East. Part of the gains of this alignment however, is in the intellectual enrichment of trade unions vide the educational scholarship offered to labour leaders and which was extended to young and impressionable intellectuals. Thus, industrial activism was introduced to ivory towers through the activities of impressive adventurous young academics who enjoyed the benevolence of socialist ideologues. This explains the transformation that has taken place in trade unionism since independence, which period witnessed large scale unionization and admission of impressive academics and educational associations into organized labour fold.

    Current unionists and industrial activists are therefore well-informed and intellectually grounded. This notwithstanding, industrial activism has not transcended the boring and disruptive strike actions to something intellectually engaging, constructive and development-oriented. The resort to strikes is not only a betrayal of the level of sophistication of present day unions, it is also disruptive of our socio-economic development process. The labour leadership has not been able to overcome this lapse, because of the lack of understanding that the burden of leadership actually fell on her after independence, as the politicians got distracted with the inordinate struggle for political power to the detriment of economic development. Thus, while considerable enterprise is engaged in developing the electoral process, there isn’t a commensurate effort at establishing sustainable development systems that guarantees the socio-economic well-being of citizens.

    Sustainable development demands the mobilization, processing, deployment and access to the national human and natural resource potential for the optimum benefit of the citizens. There is need to evolve the systems required to institutionalize this process, which organized labour is most suited to do; and to define and prescribe the kind of leadership required to drive and sustain it. To be able to provide the requisite leadership, labour leadership need to appreciate the fact that the people (labour) is indeed, the centre and main object of development. Organized labour leadership ought to understand that;

    First, that the major national handicap is in our inability to be organized into a productive workforce; and the failure of our politics to produce the leadership type that appreciates the above imperative; and the imperative of developing and evolving a social system and infrastructure required to facilitate the mobilization and processing of ideas into consumable products and services which are accessible by citizens.

    The foregoing should constitute indispensable factors in labour activism if organized labour is to play its leadership role in moving the citizens out of the current survivalist mode. Industrial activism must transcend its current agenda of organizing simply to scramble for resources for personal and group survival. The current state of its social sophistication demands that labour leaders re-construct the narrative of industrial activism, if it is to live up to its high premium. They need to appreciate the fact that labour which constitute the human capital of a nation, transcends those who earn fixed wages to everyone involved in the processes of;  Ideas, creativity and innovations, which are products of human intellectual enterprises, which deserve rewards; Production and processing of innovations and creative ideas, which are done through human entrepreneurial investments and engagements; The process of determining the volume and quality of production and the needs; and, the ability or capacity of the people to consume the benefits of the products and services.

    All of the above processes demand adequate incentives and motivation. This is by the development of appropriate process and scheme to harness and enable the citizens to engage in the four processes of; generating ideas, deploying resources to process or produce the ideas, ensure that the products are consumed; and to develop the capacity to consume the products of the activities at the various levels.

    The integrity and importance of industrial activism, therefore, is the extent to which it is committed to sustaining the above processes. The importance of these processes is that every citizen is involved in at least one or several of them, either as an inventor, a creator, innovator; producer, processor; or consumer. Leadership responsibility involves ensuring that citizens are incentivized and motivated to participate in these processes and thereby ensure sustainable development. This is the most and only viable way of empowering the citizens, sustaining economic development and thereby rendering industrial unions useful in the nation-building process. This is the leadership required at a time as this; and labour leaders have no choice if they are to remain relevant.

    • Iyoke, legal practitioner was a member of 2014 National Conference.