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Wolves’ stars turn to national duties

After their exit from the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup, Warri Wolves’ top stars will turn to national team duty ahead of the AFCON 2017 and All African Games qualifiers.

The quartet of goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, right full-back, Solomon Kwambe, central defender and club captain, Azubuike Egwuekwe as well as striker, Gbolahan Salami, return to the Super Eagles’ camp to join their colleagues.

All four players started Saturday’s match against AC Leopards with Salami scoring a brace in the 3-1 victory.

Ironically, Egwuekwe’s clearance from a pull-out went into Akpeyi’s net to earn Leopards the all-important away goal.

The Eagles play Chad on Saturday, June 13 as the race for the 2017 Afcon begins, in Kaduna.

Wolves’ third goal scorer, Oghenekaro Etebo and Freeborn Omofoman also return to boost the Samson Siasia-tutored Under-23 side.

Etebo and Omofoman are key players in the Dream Team.

June 8, 2015
Athletes’ disposition to national assignment

Today as I reflect on the outcome of the International Friendly match organised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the Super Eagles against their counterparts from Uganda, I can’t help but comment on how our athletes and national team players have over the years lost the ‘fighting and biting’ attitude that differentiates the Nigerian from all other peoples of the world.

Slowly but steadily we have seen our national team players reduce their zeal for the nation and also lower their steam and hunger for the nation as can be seen in the way they carry out their duties on the field of play.

While from a professional point of view it can be said that the team that played against Uganda were a new one and, secondly, the team had only one training session on the morning of the match, as such the players did not have sufficient time to blend and understand themselves before the game. Nevertheless, I am of the strong opinion that the team failed to show the needed character.

One would have expected that the Nigeria team would at least show a fighting attitude rather than the laissez-faire attitude that was displayed on the field. I appreciate the introduction of some new players into the team and I feel strongly that the future of the Super Eagles is very bright if only the players can decide to redouble their efforts and work as a team with the needed fighting spirit.

We need to also appreciate the fact that despite the various challenges faced by the NFF they were still able to put together international friendly matches for their teams. This is commendable and I feel that all the players at the various national teams should consider playing for their country as a great honour and privilege instead of merely seeing it as the norm.

Another thing of interest to me is the depth of our technical crew and in looking at this, I would want to ask what coaching qualification they possess; are they well certified to perform the duties and roles they are now performing? Do they understand that coaching is beyond showmanship?

However, it is instructive to state that the essence of friendly games is not to win but to identify the weaknesses of a team with the aim of correcting observable mistakes in a real game situation. Also, it affords the technical crew the ability to see the inherent skills and talents of their respective players, that is why during friendly matches both teams will have to agree on the number of players to be substituted.

Coming back to Nigeria, I am convinced that the team is already in Nelspruit, South Africa for the match against the Bafana Bafana. This match must be taken very seriously as it has the capacity to either propel the team’s image and brand recognition and also that of redefining the future perception of Nigerian football.

A renowned football administrator once confided in me that no matter how good you are as a sport administrator if the players for any reason decide not to play, the entire structure will be affected. That is why it is said that the sport administration destiny of any administrator is on the feet of the players.

Finally, I want to encourage the various national athletes to have a rethink and possibly vow to be more committed in honouring future national assignments, while the administrators should also be seen to be doing their best in adequately preparing athletes for major competitions. The coaches are also not left out, they must be seen improving themselves on contemporary techniques of coaching.

March 28, 2015
‘National Confab report not enough to endorse Jonathan’
Chief Niyi Akintola(SAN) is a former deputy speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly and member National Conference. In this interview with ADEBISI AONANUGA, he speaks on the conference and why the Southwest could not present a common agenda, among other issues.
- Briefly itemise the demands Yoruba at the last National Conference and their current status?
  Let me say that there was no concrete agenda by the Southwesterners before we left for the 2014 National Conference. I am saying this against the backdrop of the fact that we went there as a divided house. Forget about the claim of some people that we had an agenda. There was sectional agenda, no doubt, but we must appreciate that our interests in Yoruba land as at today are not joint but several as it used to be. There was a meeting at Iperu Remo in Ogun State that was supposed to have been attended by credible representatives of the states in the Southwest to aggregate our positions that we will take to the conference. Only Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, governors of Oyo and Ondo states were present, out of all the governors in the region. Many of the opinion leaders were absent. Invariably, the credible opinion leaders of the various segments of Yoruba nation were not at that meeting where supposedly the decisions to present the common front were taken. So, by the time we got to Abuja, it was a divided house. Sincerely, we never really got there as a united geo-political zone. Of course, there was a paper that was taken away from Iperu meeting that was meant to be foisted down the throat of every Yoruba man which was resisted.
  
  As a matter of fact, Governor Ajimobi warned those present at Iperu meeting that they had no mandate to think, speak and take decisions on behalf of the people of Oyo State without consultation and consent of his people. He used the analogy of chief Imams and told them that the mere fact that there were learned scholars in Islam at Ilorin should not qualify one to be imposed as Imam of Ibadanland. He said that certainly, Ibadan people will want to appoint of one of their own as their own Imam, meaning that the fact of having elders sitting at the Iperu meeting does not necessarily means that what was being said there would be acceptable to the elders in Ibadan. In a nutshell, he told them clearly that there must be wide consultations among the people of Yorubaland before any decision was taken. He even reported back to us in Ibadan that his counterpart from Ondo State was not allowed to speak as he was regarded as a small boy who knew very little of Yoruba needs. To that extent, our own mandate from Oyo State was clear and direct. It was to go there and protect the interest of Oyo State and it has nothing to do with party politics or political affiliation. For instance, over 50 percent of the delegates from Oyo State were apolitical. Of the remainders, leaders like Senator Rasheed Ladoja, Brig-General Raji Rasaki, and the likes belong to Accord party and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) respectively. All of us spoke with one voice on what we considered to be the best interest of Oyo State people.
  
  The situation wasn’t different with the delegates from Ondo, Lagos and Ekiti states. For instance, on the issue of regionalism, the people of Lagos State said Gedegbe leko wa, meaning that they are on their own. Quite unfortunately, we no longer have the likes of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Chief Bola Ige, and co. For example, Ige knew everybody that was somebody in Yorubaland up to Kogi and Kwara States. We don’t have that kind of leaders that have community value across the region again. Things are changing, everybody is becoming a local champion in his own area of birth or influence and we must appreciate that. Take, for instance, the delegates from Ekiti State, led by my teacher, Professor Akin Oyebode, who said that they were not ready to be going to Ibadan to take instruction again.
  
  But he who understands the political arithmetic of Yorubaland as at today will know that power has even moved away from Ibadan to Lagos. We must accommodate, respect and appreciate our differences, including the changes that are taking place. We had crisis there because we didn’t appreciate our difference and individual state challenges.
  
  In summary, from what you have said, there was no Yoruba agenda contrary to what is being peddled around?
  
  There were but there were disagreements along the line. There were also conflicts of interest in the entire Southern part of the country. We had agreement in terms of restructuring but interests were at variant. Take for instance, the issue of Land Use Act. Southwest didn’t buy into the idea of removing Land Use Act which the people of South east and Southsouth wanted. Those of us from Oyo, Osun, and Ekiti states never believed in the Southern solidarity nonsense which they call Southern Solidarity movement because it has not paid the people of Southwest in any form. If there has been any benefit of the movement, the marginalisation of Yoruba wouldn’t have been this pronounced. Not even under Abacha did we have it this bad and rough.
  
  Today, the financial sector of the country is in the hand of just one ethnic group, so also the power sector of the economy. Unfortunately, when they are trying to satisfy the constitutional requirement by picking one minister from each state, they ensure that they pick only technocrats who have no community value from the Southwest. Though these are highly gifted world class people in their own right and various disciplines and we are very proud of them but they have no political education like their counterpart from the Southeast. If you are in doubt, check the ministries being headed by these Southwesterners and the parastatals under them, compare and contrast these with the ministries being headed by their Southeast counterpart, the parastatals under them and the appointments made therein, the outcome will be too obvious to you. So, what friendship do we have with the Southern Solidarity Movement that is not bothered about our interest apart from using and dumping us?
  
  Again, some people put up a paper over state creation and they were recommending another state from Ogun State as the only state proposed from the Southwest region when it was thought that only six states would be created. How can anybody who understandS the geographical arithmetic, and knows the political arithmetic of Nigeria and Yoruba land think of creating a state in Yoruba land without mentioning Oyo State first considering the size, population and other criteria? That is another area of disagreement. Ondo State does not agree with most of the things that emanated from Iperu axis because they have their own interest to protect. So, we didn’t really aggregate our interest before leaving for the confab but we all believe in restructuring the country.
  
  Along what line?
  
  Along the independence of each state, devolution of power and parliamentary system. The people from the Iperu meeting came there with regionalism and parliamentary system which delegates from Oyo, Ogun and Osun keyed into but which Ondo and Lagos states didn’t believe in. Ekiti was in between.
  
  What is the status of regionalism?
  
  It failed.
  
  So, what did Yoruba bring back from the confab?
  
  Of all the Yoruba states, Ondo State was the most prepared but generally, we didn’t have that cohesive front. There were those that wanted us to toe the line of South South people which some of us resisted. Our position from Oyo State which Lagos State supported was that if you want resource control whole sale, it must be all embracing. It must include tax, VAT, charges from the ports, and collections from the borders, which some people were not comfortable with.
  
  What was the outcome of the resource control?
  
  Stalemate. It did not scale through. The status quo remains. We didn’t get parliamentary system, and full decentralisation. State police scaled through. We also have decentralisation of the court system where we recommended creation of state Court of Appeal. Local government should not be a tier of government in a federal state. The type of what we are having today was a creation of the military. That is why we have a state with 42 local governments as against another with more population having 20.We liberalised it. A state can create as many as 1000 if it can sustain them. If the recommendation is implemented, this country will not remain the same. It will improve greatly. The issue of corruption was tackled headlong. We are having so much at the centre which everybody is scrambling for. Statistics shows that over 80 percent of the landed property in Abuja belongs to the civil servants. In fighting corruption, we have concentrated so much on political exposed persons without looking the way of civil servants that are the source and master minds of corruption. We have had a situation in this country where N20billion was found in the account of an NYSC director who died in a plane crash. America and Europe are saturated with the houses of your generals, serving and retired.
  
  What was the level of success of the conference?
  
  I will say we achieved between 55 and 60 percent in relation to Yoruba demands and it is not correct to say that we didn’t achieve anything.
  
  How do you juxtapose your rating with the position of Afenifere, using the implementation of the confab’s report to endorse Jonathan on behalf of the Yoruba?
  
  Give it to Mimiko. As for the confab, he was the most proactive governor from the region. Mimiko knows and goes for what he wants as a pragmatic man. But I disagree with him for using the confab as a yardstick to endorse one presidential candidate over the other. We should not forget that in 2011, we were railroaded into voting for Jonathan without any demand. I am guilty of it too. We canvassed for him without a charter of demand placed before him unlike our Southeast counterpart, who was more than represented at the federal level. Southeast has Secretary to the Federal Government who coordinates practically all the appointments to the parastatals. Southwest was short changed down the line in terms of appointments. Look at the financial sector, Minister of Finance, and virtually all the heads of parastatals under the ministry go to the East just as it happens in the power sector. Every institution that works today was established by a Yoruba man. For instance, television was first established by a Yoruba man and they took it away from us, ensuring that no Yoruba man gets there, until I made it an issue at the plenary session of the confab after which Sola Omole was appointed to head NTA. BPE was the brain child of Kekere Ekun. They used and dumped him after establishing it. Uncle Fola Adeola was the man who wrote paper on pension, Pension Board has now become the drain pipe which they siphone our money, hardly can we find a Yoruba man there today. In fact, Onagoruwa was removed unceremoniously as DG. Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) was the brain child of Wole Soyinka. It was established only for Oyo State. I don’t know anywhere in the world where Road Safety issues licenses and plate numbers except in Nigeria. We are not asking for too much. We are only asking our compatriots across the country to allow us to do our own things in our own way and they are denying us. Take for instance, if the dream of our forefathers about Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) was allowed to materialise, we would have been at par with China today. Imagine if Mathematics is being taught in Yoruba Language. In 1982/83, we were to have metroline even before South Africa; it was scuttled by the General Muhammadu Buhari regime. If not for the resilience and pragmatics approaches to infrastructural development in Lagos by Tinubu and Fashola, we would not have that bridge across the Lagoon that links Admiralty Way and Victoria Island and the 10 lanes road to Badagry. We wouldn’t have heard Lekki today because some people somewhere did everything to frustrate those projects hiding under federal might. In fact, at a stage, a minister came from Abuja to stop Lagos-Badagry project. I don’t believe that having the Speaker would have improved our lot. No, it doesn’t follow. Bankole was a speaker; the road leading to his home town was not tarred. Olubunmi Etteh was a speaker, her home town, Ikire, had a gully that was killing people every day. The roads are still bad there. It doesn’t follow, it depends on the personality. That was why I advocated the inclusion of technocrats that have community value. Technocrats like Okonjo-Iweala, not a technocrat that is out of touch with his own people. Look at the financial sector, SURE-P, CBN, budget and planning, Stock Exchange, and Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), they are filled with easterners. That we are not well represented in the government shows that we are not as political literate as our people from other zones. It is very sad that we don’t have leaders to coordinate us like our brothers from the East. Of recent, there were altercations between former CBN governor, Charles Soludo and Okonjo-Iweala, the people that matter in that region came in and said look, the two of you should stop the altercations and we never heard anything from them again. No leaders and no media to defend Yoruba interest again. Before, Tribune used to do that but it has abandoned that role unlike what the Sun Newspaper is doing for the East. Do you know that the MD of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, is more prosperous, three times than a governor or a minister? All l have been saying is that the Yoruba in government must draw a line between their political interest and the interest of their people back home. They should stop behaving as if they have all the solution to Nigeria’s problems. They should start behaving like their counterparts from other zones.
  
  How do you see the roles of the monarchs in this dispensation?
  
  We have passed through this route before. The Yoruba monarchs have a lot of issues. Some of them don’t see eye to eye. A lot of ego issues. Of course, some of them are pragmatic, highly cerebral and well informed. They need to appreciate and respect each other’s differences. Most of the obas take decisions to spite each others. In any case, how many of them have community value? When you talk of traditional rulers that have community value, Awujale is a deity that every Ijebu person obeys, respect, adore and he doesn’t do anything without consulting his people. Alaafin is on ground “gidigba” among his people up to Oke Ogun. And Olubadan is surrounded by the elites called the CCII, who call the shots. But when you have a republican oba that is highly republican but doesn’t have the followership, then you will appreciate the Yoruba monarchical challenges. Our society is a bundle of contradictions and is characterised by illiteracy: be it political illiterate, economic illiterate, social illiterate, and legal illiterates. That is why you find supposedly educated person but a legal illiterate saying somebody without a university degree should not contest when constitution ordinarily requires aspirant to be educated up to, not necessarily need to pass the exam or produce the certificate.
  
  Are you still maintaining your position about the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) that they are one of the forces that can protect the Yoruba?
  
  I respected the then OPC as it was. You will recall that the respect and the encouragement we gave the body during the years of the locust otherwise known as Abacha era. The OPC then was not exposed to the lure of political patronages. The OPC then was highly principled, focused on the ideology of Yoruba nation, and believed in the concept of “Omoluabi”. The OPC of today is not the same as the OPC of the yore. The present day OPC is factionalised. The leadership has tasted the forbidden fruit and the body is now the OPC of anything goes. It is my prayer that the body will retrace its step to the path of honour and gain the respect it commands among various Yoruba national among Nigerians extraction irrespective of their political lineage and ideology. The recent happening among the ranks and files is very saddening and no Yoruba man of impeccable character should be proud of the development. The fault really did not emanate solely from the leadership of the body but rather the blame should be put at the door step of Yoruba political elites whom on gaining political ascendancy with political power, money and influence started inciting the OPC members and indeed erstwhile benefactors started treating them like lepers. This ingratitude on the part of most Yoruba political office holders infuriated the leadership of OPC. Frustration now set in and the leadership, to have it back on this political office holders, seceded to depart from the path of “Omoluabi”, which was the set goal of the movement at its inception. It is rather unfortunate that most of the political office holders turned out to be ingrate and forgot where they were coming from. They started maligning friends at the expense of the older ones thereby turning many former friends into sworn enemies and the resultant effect is what we are now witnessing in Yorubaland. It is simply a matter of failed leadership at all levels.
  
  What is your advice to the people of the Southwest?
  
  Yoruba should stop playing God over the affairs of Nigeria. I think it is time Yoruba people start behaving like their counter parts from other zones who will sacrifice anything for the common people of their region. We should not go to vote blind folded. We should play the game the way it is being played by other zones because we can’t be the only sane person in the midst of six mad people or the only virgin in the maternity ward. Again, we should learn to talk less and stop revealing our strength and wining strategy until when it is right to so do. For those that do the dirty jobs, they should appreciate the fact that there is a thin line between honour and dishonour in Yorubaland and once you cross it, you are a goner. If anyone is in doubt, he should go and learn from those that went against the wishes of Yoruba nation during the Abacha regime. The people concerned are still fighting the battle of their lives for relevance. My brothers and kinsmen, Governor Ayodele Fayose and Femi Fani-Kayode should thread softly in carrying out their national assignments. They have the right to hold different opinions from that of their compatriots, but they should thread softly in carrying out their assignments and pursue same within the concept of “Omoluabi”. They should stop selling their kinsmen cheaply because they may not be able to buy them back at a very high price.
  
  With the way things are, the marriage between the South and the North seems not to be working. Why is it difficult to divorce?
  
  My brother, the life span of Nigeria is not up to 20 years unless we change our ways. Except there is total devolution of power, and decentralisation of powers, the marriage will collapse. It is not the question of marriage between the North and the South, even among the Southerners, there is injustice, and lack of respect for each other differences. The problem of Nigeria is not caused by the North but rather it was caused by the structure which we are operating at present. There is too much injustice and where there is injustice, there can’t be peace. Unfortunately, our political leaders don’t read. It was over centralisation that killed the old Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Sudan. It is over centralisation that is killing Britain, even the state of Texas is asking for its marriage to be dissolved in USA.
  
  At every slightest opportunity, you say that you can’t contest election. Why?
  
  Yes, for now l can’t. Apart from the fact that I don’t have enough money for such venture, I am too blunt even against myself. I am a realist. I believe in what it is as against what ought to be. Many elites out there are living in self-denial and they play the ostrich most of the time. For instance, most of those who fraternised and benefited immensely from Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, General Olusegun Obasanjo and Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu are now turning out to fight the same system that brought them to limelight. The question is: why must you smell something you can’t swallow? When you are benefiting from the system, you are not asking questions only for you to cry blue murder when the same method is being used to shortchange you. I hope I have answered your question.
March 24, 2015
National food safety workshop ends

A four-day national training workshop on food safety supported by the United States Government, through its Agency for International Development (USAID) has ended in Abuja.

The training was organised in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. It follows the inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Food Safety and the National Food Safety Management Committee by the Federal Government in January.

USAID Mission Director in Nigeria, Michael Harvey said the training was part of the U.S. Government’s long-term effort to support the National Food Safety Management Committee as it puts in place a strong food safety regime to boost Nigeria’s export market, as well as the agriculture sector. “We are pleased to have USAID and the US Department of Agriculture work together with Nigerian counterparts to hold this workshop,” he said.

The workshop involved case studies quality management systems, risk analysis, food safety modernisation act, and monitoring and evaluation procedures.

The workshop’s participants represented th si geo-political zones.

Since 2013, the U.S. Government, through USAID and the US Department of Agriculture, has worked with Nigerian food industry stakeholders in the public and private sectors, and with development partners to revise the national food policy and develop an implementation strategy.

These efforts have laid the foundation for the work of the recently inaugurated committees that are charged with ensuring that food safety systems in Nigeria are on par with international best practices.

Interventions supported by the US Government will improve food safety, thereby helping Nigerians avoid food-borne and food-related illnesses.

March 20, 2015
Which National Conference Report is Jonathan brandishing in South-West?

Fragmented pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, recently endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term, pinning their support on the president’s assurance to implement Yoruba agenda at the last National Conference. Group Political Editor, Emmanuel Oladesu, reports that the declaration is generating ripples in the South-West geo-political region.

The decision of a section of the polarised and fragmented pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid is still generating ripples in the South-West geo-political region. The elders have resolved to mobilise support for the President in Yorubaland, based on his promise to implement the report of the 2014 National Conference, if re-elected at the general elections.

Question mark on endorsement:

But, other prominent Afenifere leaders and critics, who were taken aback, have raised some puzzles: Which aspect of the ‘Yoruba Agenda’ is contained in the National Conference Report that has warranted the uncritical endorsement of a leader that has marginalised the South-West for six years? Is the support for Dr. Jonathan’s re-election bid by some acclaimed Awoists motivated by pecuniary motive? What is the ideological basis for the inexplicable fraternity between frontline progressive and anti-mainstream politicians and their conservative rivals at a critical election period? Would Afenifere, led by the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin and Senator Abraham Adesanya, have endorsed the President under the current circumstances? Is the President a fan of advocates of radical economic and political restructuring? Why has the Commander-In-Chief not made the conference report implementation a campaign issue in other zones?

At a conference in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, with the theme: ‘National Conference, 2015 elections and the Yoruba Nation,’ Afenifere chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo said: “We are supporting Jonathan because of the consistency of the Yoruba to have this country restructured so that it can develop. People are calling for change. I want a change in the constitution of Nigeria. Only a change in the constitution can truly bring about the change we need.” The host, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who is the Southwest Coordinator of Jonathan/Sambo Campaigns, said the President will implement the conference report. When it is implemented, he said it will create room for each state to own its own constitution, prison service, police, create its own local governments, build airports, seaports and railways.

Also, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) founder, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, and its Coordinator, Otunba Gani Adams, said the implementation of the report will enable the South-West to actualise the Yoruba dream of a prosperous South-West. To make this possible, he urged the people of the region to vote for the President. While Fasehun described the President as the answer to Nigeria’s problems, Adams said that six million members of the group will vote for Dr. Jonathan at the polls.

To further legitimise the controversial endorsement, there was a follow-up conference at Ibadan; the political headquarters of the South-West. It was attended by the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) chieftains led by its President, Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo, and many Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains. At the meeting were Adebanjo, former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel, former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, Dr. Doyin Okupe, Chief Olu Falae, Alhaji Yekini Adeojo, Chief Isola Filani, and Mr. Tony Uranta. Participants endorsed the President for re-election, saying it is in the “enlightened interest” of the Yoruba race.

Adebanjo, one of the delegates to the conference, maintained that Jonathan is committed to the restructuring of the country through the implementation of the confab’s report. Echoing him, Chief Olu Falae, another delegate, said: “Throughout the conference, Jonathan did not try to teleguide us. He said he will implement the report of the conference in the first year of his second term of office.” The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Jumoke Akinjide, said the President had already commenced the implementation of the report by setting up an inter-ministerial committee of which she is a member representing the South-West.

To many Yoruba, the endorsement may not shape the voting pattern at the general elections. Many stakeholders perceived it as another futile attempt to spite the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who has fallen out with the factional Afenifere chieftains since 2003. Ahead of the National Conference, the former governor of Lagos State described the conference as a decoy and Greek gift, predicting that it will lead to nowhere. When it was inaugurated, many Southwesterners were reluctant to show interest in the conference proceedings. There was only a semblance of re-awakening of interest in the region when Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Dr. Amos Akingba and Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) accepted to participate as delegates.

Besides, Yoruba, according to stakeholders, believes that the Buhari/ Osinbajo ticket will restore its sense of belonging. The thinking is that, if the President is re-elected, no Yoruba can occupy any of the first seven leadership positions in the country. This in contrast with the consequence of power change, which will pave the way for the ascension of a Yoruba into Vice Presidency. Thus, many observers point out that the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has favoured Yoruba by picking his running mate from the South-West. Besides, many people are wondering what has happened between last year and now when the leader of the factional Afenifere, Pa Rueben Fasoranti, cried out over the marginalisation of the zone in the distribution of federal appointments and social amenities.

According to observers, many questions are begging answers: Has the marginalisation been halted? Has the inequality been addressed? Apart from the piecemeal rehabilitation of Lagos/ Ibadan Expressway, what other important federal project is on-going in the South-West? When did the President, who described some Yoruba leaders as rascals, change his perception? How sincere is the President now that he is using the conference report as a carrot?

Gap between expectation and reality:

Former Afenifere Secretary Mr. Ayo Opadokun said that the premise for the endorsement by Afenifere is faulty, stressing that explanation by the chieftains were unjustifiable. He conceded to pro-Jonathan campaigners in Afenifere, the right to their freedom of association. But, the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) Secretary said the report being brandished by them does not reflect the popular yearnings of the Yoruba. Emphasising the curious gap between expectation and reality, Opadokun added: “The Yoruba Agenda did not see the light of the day at the conference. The agenda was defeated. It was not upheld on the floor. So, I don’t know what they mean when they are saying that the President will implement the report.”

A delegate to the conference, Falana, chided the 13 Afenifere chieftains who endorsed the President for peddling falsehood and confusing the public. Apart from Pa Rueben Fasoranti, Adebanjo, Olaniwun Ajayi and Chief Olu Falae, other chieftains include Chief Seinde Arogbofa, Chief Duro Duyile, Chief Iyiola Omisore, Dr. Segun Mimiko, Prof. Akin Onigbinde, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Okunrounmu and Mr. Jimi Agbaje. Falana said all the positions canvassed by Afenifere at the conference, except state police, were rejected. To that extent, he said the chieftains made fraudulent claims, stressing that what the conference achieved had nothing to do with ethnic champions. The lawyer said the Yoruba Agenda, which encompasses restructuring, regional autonomy, parliamentary system; unicameral legislature, devolution of power, fiscal federalism and resource control, special status for Lagos, and the removal of the Land Use Act were rejected. “For them to now come out and say that the President will implement the report is fraudulent. I am challenging them publicly to tell us which among the agenda is contained in the report,” he fumed.

Falana lamented that, after receiving the report, the President set up another technical committee to study the recommendations.

“The President received the report, promised heaven and earth and said he will send a bill to the National Assembly. He set up another committee of seven headed by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke to make recommendations on the report,” he added. Falana said Afenifere leaders were trying to trivialise delegates’ collective success at the conference.

A critic, Joseph Amoru, said Afenifere chieftains have acted in bad faith. “Okurounmu called for a Sovereign National Conference in 2002 at the National Assembly. It was shut down. But, he agreed to preside over a non-sovereign national conference,” he said, adding that Yoruba will not take the President’s endorsement seriously in the South-West.

Adebanjo’s colleague in the defunct Action Group Youth Association and Afenifere Deputy Leader, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, also objected to the purported endorsement. He said the pan-Yoruba group should know that Yoruba will not vote for an incompetent leader. He said his colleagues spearheaded the endorsement without sparing a thought for the future, adding that they are not leaving behind worthy legacies. Fasanmi said, if any Awoist has urged the people of South-West to support the President, he has mocked his antecedent as a fighter for a better Nigeria. He said since their leader, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, never supported any inept leadership, his colleagues have not done justice to his memory. “The purported endorsement is unfortunate, illogical, embarrassing, and misleading. What legacy do we want to hand over to the next generation?

Fasanmi challenged Afenifere to list the achievements of President Jonathan in the South-West that could warrant their endorsement of his candidature. He said the Federal Government has marginalised the region in the distribution of appointments. “They said they are supporting Jonathan because he has promised to implement the National Conference report. Jonathan cannot implement it. It must go to the National Assembly. When Buhari wins, APC legislators in the National Assembly will do the job,” he added.

Revisiting Yoruba Agenda:

Since 1991, Yoruba and their compatriots across the federation have been in the vanguard of the demand for a Sovereign National Conference. The goal is to discuss the basis for peaceful co-existence in the heterogeneous country. In a document by the Pan-Yoruba Assembly titled: Yoruba Agenda for 2014 National Conference, Yoruba canvassed a federal and democratic country built around certain fundamental values. These include the sovereignty of the people, respect for human rights, equal political, economic and social opportunities for all citizens; equity, justice and fair play on the basis of politics and national unity; and transparency and accountability as the basis of governance.

According to the document, the South-West Obas and leaders set up the Yoruba Agenda Committee to collate Yoruba positions and prepare the Yoruba Agenda for last year’s conference. Highlights include:

Political restructuring:

Yoruba called for the restructuring of the federation into six federating zones and regions, with each region exercising the power to create states as allowed by the regional constitution. The states will be responsible for the creation of local governments. Any ethnic group or groups in a state wishing to align with any other state or region shall be allowed to do so, if confirmed in a plebiscite by the affected people.

Regional autonomy: Yoruba proposed a new Nigeria made up of a Central Union/Federal Government and six regional governments, based on the six geo-political zones. But, the proposed Southwest zone must include Yoruba outside the imposed artificial boundaries, including Yoruba in Edo, Delta, Kwara and Kogi. Thus, there must be federal and regional constitutions.

Parliamentary system: In the view of Yoruba leaders, a return to the Westminister model of parliamentary democracy will lead to a cut in the cost of governance and reduce acrimonious campaigns and bitter struggle for power. The implication is that, at the federal level, there will be President and Prime Minister and at regional level, a governor and premier.

Unicameralism and part-time legislature: According to Yoruba leaders, a unicameral legislature at the centre and the region, with part-time legislators as members, will reduce the cost of governance.

Fiscal federalism: This revolves around the agitation for a just and equitable taxation system that will make the federating units equal and coordinating at the federal level to eliminate the current “rentier syndrome.” To Southwest, ideal resource management makes true fiscal federalism and resource control more compelling. The implication is that a substantial part of the proceeds accruable from every region will be domiciled in the region and an agreed percentage contributed to the centre by the federating regions for the responsibility of the Federal Government.

Self-determination:

Yoruba also proposed the right to self determination on and up to the right to secede. Based on this proposal, Yoruba leaders have always reiterated that the unity of Nigeria is negotiable.

State police: Yoruba demanded for state police. Its argument is that security, including policy, has its environmental dimension as language and culture play a role in criminality and crime control. Also, it is illogical for state legislature to make laws which the state executive lacks the power to enforce because the police is centralised. However, the terms of cooperation between the federal and regional police should be clearly defined.

Decentralisation of elections: All elections shall be organised and conducted by regional, zonal electoral commission in the regions. The commission shall be composed of representatives of contesting political parties, religious bodies and civil society groups.

Status of Lagos: In view of the enormous pressure on the infrastructure of Lagos and because of the fact that Lagos will continue to be the economic nerve-centre of Nigeria and West African region, there shall be an appropriate budgetary provision that is part of the first line charge in the Federation Account for Lagos.

Immunity: The immunity of President, Prime Minister, regional governors and premiers and their deputies from court processes during their tenure of office should be circumscribed and made only to cover civil processes. These public officers should be made amenable to court processes on charges bordering on commission of crimes. Where a prima facie criminal case has been established against a holder of any of these offices by a court of competent jurisdiction, such officer shall vacate office, until the proceeding is concluded. His or her deputy shall hold the position in acting capacity, until the matter is concluded.

Defective lobbying:

However, despite the pre-conference parley between Afenifere and some compatriots from the South-South Peoples Assembly (SSPA), it became increasingly difficult for “Afenifere delegates” to convince other delegates to reflect deeply on agenda. A delegate said, despite Afenifere’s sustained agitation for true federalism in the media, the conference presented a different ball game.

Giving insight into the clash of interests, a delegate to the conference said, right from its inauguration, there were indications that the government was not interested in a Sovereign National Conference. He stressed: “There was a clash of agenda at the conference. The Federal Government had its own agenda, which was to divert attention and convey the impression that it was a listening government. The conference was to keep some people busy. Another agenda, may be, was to re-introduce the proposal for a seven-year single term. But, it could not scale through.

“Then, the President knew where he was going. He made the conference a South-West affair by appointing Senator Okurounmu as the head of the pre-conference advisory committee. Then, he made Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi the deputy chairman of the conference. During the conference, he started courting delegates from the South-West, especially Afenifere members, who have been critical of his government. To spite Tinubu, who personally objected to the conference, Afenifere members started fraternising with the President. So, apart from pursuing Yoruba agenda, it can be said that they were also pursuing anti-Tinubu agenda.

“But, the Afenifere chieftains at the conference, as old as they are, have never participated in any similar conference before. They have not served as members of any constituent assembly or constitutional drafting committee before. Therefore, they lacked that lobbying skills. They believed that the Yoruba Agenda is so beautiful and appealing, but they lacked the skill to persuade delegates from other zones to buy into it. To get things done in that kind of conference, there is the need for behind-the-scene negotiation and lobbying. Even, delegates from the South-West, those who opposed Awo in his life time who were part of the conference, did not take Afenifere delegates seriously at the conference. They held contrary views.”

The only proposal that scaled through was the state police. Falana said Afenifere cannot take credit for the marginal success.

Collapse of agenda:

It is an understatement. In the 763-paged National Conference Report, delegates rejected regionalism, re-affirming the states as the federation units. To delegates, regionalism is old fashioned. But, the report conceded to any group of similar and contiguous states the right to create self-funding Zonal Commission to promote economic development, good governance, equity, peace and security in accordance with the constitution. Already, APC states, through the South-West Integration Agenda or Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, have put in motion development initiatives. On page 201 of the report, it is stated that “Conference maintained that geo-political zones should not be the federating units of our federation.”

The Conference also rejected parliamentary system proposed by Afenifere. It called for a modified presidential system, but the elements do not significantly differ from the model already being practiced. The suggestion that ministers and special advisers should come from the parliament under the proposed home-made modified presidential system will be difficult to implement.

On resource control, the Conference asked the Federal Government to set up a technical committee to advise it on the sensitive matter. The only allusion made to it was that the percentage of revenue allocation to oil-producing states should be reviewed.

Other issues – special status for Lagos, power decentralisation, regional autonomy, unicameral legislature and political restructuring – did not see the light of the day.

Which way forward for Jonathan in Southwest?

A group, ‘Concerned Yoruba,’ said that the promise by President Jonathan to implement the report is a gimmick. There is no pro-Yoruba conference report to implement, said the group, which comprises of Mr. Felix Adenaike, Adetowo Aderemi, Tokunbo Ajasin and Kayode Oyediran. Dismissing the post-conference summit at Akure and Ibadan as a fraud, the group added that the summit was very presumptous, misleading and delusional.

The group has two grudges against the Jonathan administration. It is irked by the reluctance of the president to make the confab report implementation a campaign issue. Also, the president has not taken any concrete action on the report beyond the setting up of a diversionary inter-ministerial committee to deliberate on the report. The group said Yoruba will not vote for the president because of the dummy.

Falana shared this line of thought. The lawyer said the electoral battle transcends ethnic jingoism. He also said that those who will vote in the South-West will not look up to Afenifere for direction and guidance.

“As far as elections are concerned, most of the voters are young. They have no nexus whatsoever with these ethnic or faith-based organisations,” Falana stressed.

The legal luminary predicted hard electoral times for the ruling party at the centre. He noted that, for the first time in 16 years, PDP leaders, who have boasted that the party will rule for 60 years, were running from pillar to post. He said two things may continue to work against the party. These are the growing enlightenment among voters and the consequence of media scrutiny of the candidates. “The critical segment of the media has since dismissed President Jonathan for unprecedented incompetence, grand corruption and official impunity. This is the reason why the President was in Lagos to extend largesse to some selected leaders of interest groups,” Falana added.

The Concerned Group also doubted the success of the fronting by Afenifere for the PDP. It said that, while restructuring of Nigeria is desirable for the stability and survival of Nigeria, other problems militating against the welfare and development of the country cannot be ignored. According to the group, these problems include endemic and pervasive corruption, a culture of impunity and the debasement of the institutions that undergird the nation such as the police, judiciary and the armed forces. “These problems have worsened steadily during the Fourth Republic, particularly under the current administration. The best interest of the Yoruba, and indeed, all Nigerians, dictate that it should be arrested and reversed before it is too late. This is the change being sought,” it added.

March 8, 2015
Minister: Kashimbila Dam ’ll add 40mw to national grid

The Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam will add 40 megawatts to the national grid, Minister of Power Prof. Chinedu Nebo has said.

He noted that the power generated from the dam would serve Taraba, Benue and Plateau states.

Nebo said the hydro power components of the dam and turbines were in place for power generation.

He spoke to reporters at Kashimbila in Tarko Local Government Area of Taraba State during a tour of the dam.

Nebo was accompanied by the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe and her Culture, Tourism and National Orientation counterpart, Mr. Edem Duke.

He said President Goodluck Jonathan had approved a contract, which would put in place transmission sub stations and lines.

Nebo said: “Just because of this hydro power plant, the transmission infrastructure that will be put in place will strengthen Taraba State, moving to Benue State and Plateau State so that we will have a reliable electricity grid in this part of the country.

“For now, that is what it has been designed for. Remember that the initial plan was 10 megawatts. Then it went up to 20, to 30 and to 40. So it is maximisation of our available resources. I will say for now, 40 megawatts is ample for the volume of water that flows in this area.

“So, evacuation is not going to be a problem. This is why we want to make sure that immediately the hydro power is ready with the transmission on course, it will not take much to do it. There will be no stranded power here at all.”

December 29, 2014
‘Why I’m in race for National Assembly’

The immediate past Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, is aspiring to represent Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives. In this interview, he unfolds his agenda. He spoke with RAYMOND MORDI.

Why are you aspiring to go to the National Assembly?

That is what our people demand of me. As from 1999, Ejigbo axis has not been considered to pick the ticket for the House of Representatives. And we believe that we should break the jinx. Ejigbo axis is crying for representation and crying against marginalization. And we are trying to encourage our brothers from Isolo axis to also support Ejigbo zone to represent the whole constituency in the House of Representatives this time. We have always supported our brothers from Isolo in the past. And we think that more than 15 years after, it is high time that our brothers in Isolo also supported Ejigbo to represent the whole constituency in the House of Representatives for fairness and equity as well as in the spirit of brotherhood.

What electoral value do you have to fit in?

I have been active in the constituency more than 10 years now. I have been Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Lagos State. I have been Chairman of LCDA, Ejigbo. And I have put in place a lot of revolutionary activities and programmes that have enhanced democracy like monthly rendering of account like public hearing and increasing the number of community based associations from 15 to 76 which made it easy for people to participate in the governance of the Local Government. Also, I have committed myself to activities through which I promised things like free uniforms and free meals. It led to the end of an era where parents provided chairs and desks for their wards. Construction of three new primary schools so as to expand the access of various communities to qualitative education is part of my credentials. Provision of free GCE forms to over 1,500 school leavers and provision of another set of JAMB forms for 1,500 school leavers are also on record.

In the area of health, provision of free drugs for all our Health Centres, construction of three new Health Centres for easy access to healthcare were among other programmes executed towards the attainment of Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). The list of my modest achievement in office is endless.

What quality do you possess to guarantee you party ticket?

Well, I think the party is interested, first and foremost in equity. There is Federal Character principle in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that says that, in the choice and election of people into power, people must take cognizance of the importance of Federal Character. And I think that is one major factor that our party should look into in considering this. The second issue is performance which is subjective. But, I believe that the party at the highest level would determine the level of performance of each of the aspirants. But if you look at my antecedence, I have corporate experience. I am a journalist who rose from sub-editor to editor and publisher. I have been a politician all my life right from my school days. Then Chief Press Secretary to the Lagos State Governor, then Chairman of a Local Council Development Areas. People will see that I have a record of performance and service. And I believe this would be part of things to be considered. Number three is when you look at representing the people at the National Assembly, you would also want to have somebody who knows his onions and who is part of the nationalist struggle for years, which essentially, I am. And the final point is, even in my manifesto which I am offering, is not what everybody is offering. I insist there would be quarterly constituency forum whereby I would be coming home to give feedback on accountability. In each ward, I am going to have constituency office so as to further engage those at the grassroots level. I am saying that there would be a bulletin to get information. I would also invest in reducing the cost of parents sending their children to school by providing Scholar’ Busses, donations for drugs regularly and then free uniforms for indigent pupils and students in our schools.

And to show my commitment to my party, every month, I will give N50,000 to each ward, and N100,000 to each Local Government. These will show a vision of how to be a better representative of a party.

How sure are you to defeat opposition’s candidate at the poll proper?

I believe our party is very strong in our constituency. There is nothing on the ground that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has shown as evidence of performance. And I believe that what our Local Government has done would make our people to vote for our party.

December 5, 2014
‘National Assembly’s not for all comers’

Ogbuanyinya Jideani is the president of Anambra North Professionals Assembly and a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this interview with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE, he talks about the issue of integrity in the electoral process and the insurgency in the country.

Your group recently released a study on Electoral Process Integrity in Nigeria. What was it all about?

It has to do with honesty, observance of the rule of law and the supremacy of the will of the people in the steps taken by political parties and the IndependentNational Electoral Commission (INEC) towards the presentation of candidates and the election of the people’s representatives.

Can you be more precise?

Elected executives such as governors and their deputies, the President and Vice President, as well as members of parliament, are supposed to be choices made by the electorate, the people of Nigeria, to represent them and carry out duties and functions on their behalf. Now, where the political parties by the process of selecting their flag bearers present persons of dubious or questionable character, the people are short-changed because their choices are now limited.

How can this be checked or stopped?

It is the people again who should take the parties to task, and hold them accountable for their actions. The people could through various associations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) urge the parties to present credible candidates and ensure that questionable characters are not allowed to partake in the leadership of the country at any level. For instance, I read that several people petitioned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reject the candidacy of several persons, including the candidacy of the former Minister of Aviation.

That’s Mrs Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi . What’s your take on that?

Oduah is no longer Mrs. Ogiemwonyi; I think she refers to herself now as Princess Stella Oduah. In ordinary and common circumstance every person is free to aspire to any position in the country, but her case is totally different and I do not want to go into that now.

Why do you say her case is totally different. Is she not qualified to run for Senate?

No, she is not qualified to run for Senate or any elective position in Nigeria for that matter. If you remember; she was indicted by an investigative panel set up by the Federal House of Representatives, which recommended her sack as Minister of Aviation. Secondly, she was also indicted by a presidential panel of inquiry, which confirmed that she was involved in illegal dealings with money not budgeted for, while she was Aviation Minister. If you remember, it was also alleged that she forged her certificates and lied to the Senate during her screening as minister. It was also reported that the American government denied that she went to school in their country. I don’t know the veracity of all of these, but this is a lot of baggage and that’s probably why the President asked her to go. So, how will a sane political party present such a person to represent them in the Senate?

How do you see the current state of the insurgency?

I don’t think what we have in Nigeria could be properly regarded as insurgency. We have a full-blown civil war brought about by known Salafist Jihadists by the name of Boko Haram. We have to tell ourselves the truth and affirm that there is sabotage by military insiders and support –- tacit, covert and overt — by political and religious leaders.

Where do we go from here?

We need to adopt the approach provided by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) on the soft approach to countering violent religious extremism. Has anybody educated the young people growing up in most part of the Northeast that Nigeria belongs to all its people? That no one has the right to take up arms against the government and people of Nigeria; that violent extremism does not represent Islam; that Nigeria is multi-cultural and multi religious country and that every Nigerian has the right to choose how he or she should worship God. When we tell ourselves the truth, then a military victory and rehabilitation of victims and repentant jihadists will bring the so-called insurgency to an end.

The police invaded the National Assembly recently. Does this reflect the level of democracy in the country?

Of course, it reflects our level of democracy. The National Assembly complex is a public place and subject to reasonable security measures. Every Nigerian should be allowed access to the complex. That said, the conduct of Alhaji Waziri Tambuwal and his motely crowd was very disgraceful. There is no reason for them to behave like thugs and miscreants. The entire episode was brought about by the lack of leadership in the APC. When Tambuwal defected and joined the APC, he became a member of a minority party in the parliament and he should not have sat tight and continued to claim the seat of the Speaker of the house. As a minority member in the parliament, if he is desirous of leadership position, he should aspire to the position of “Minority Leader”. But, because of a culture of theft and claiming and holding unto that which you are not entitled to or things you have not legitimately acquired, Tambuwal kept on fighting to remain the Speaker and the APC leadership did not call him to order.

Why did you refer to this as theft?

It is theft and criminal when you take or keep that which is not yours or does not belong to you. It is thievery as Stella Oduah was said to have done, when you say you have studied and acquired educational qualification, which you did not acquire. We have a saying in the Olu parts of Eastern Nigeria that “Mma na abo ka a na ama onye ori”. This, when loosely translated, means: “… a thief’s personality is susceptible to dual identity — first as she would want to present herself and secondly upon the discovery of who she really is…” That sums up the relationship between those without character who want to represent the our people in the Senate and the people whom they seek to represent.

December 5, 2014
Summit pushes for national cocoa database

Stakeholders in the cocoa industry have urged the Federal Government to establish a national database of cocoa resources.

Rising from its just-concluded cocoa summit in Abuja, the operators said there was a need for the government to work with agribusinesses and farmers if it is to implement a transformational    agenda that will have an industry wide impact.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the event, the stakeholders said this would only be possible if there is a comprehensive database of all stakeholders in the cocoa industry.

The world cocoa econometric analyses, the summit observed   showed an estimated supply deficit of over one million tonnes by 2020, offering tremendous opportunity for the Nigerian cocoa sector to earn foreign exchange and improve the nation’s economic balance sheet.

To seize the opportunities, however, the summit maintained that the sector needed a national cocoa policy that will support accelerated action to enable farmers improve production.

To this end, it said the government must be ready to support farmers with various interventions and help businesses improve processing operations.

The summit called for a national policy on cocoa that incorporate all critical activities across the value chain.

To make the policy functional, it advised the government to constitute a team comprising representatives from the ministries of industry, trade and investment and agriculture and rural development and the cocoa private sector.

The policy, it added should also provide for special incentives for companies and individuals involved in large scale cocoa backward integration of at least 50 hectares.

To drive local consumption of finished cocoa based products, the summit implored the government to develop a template to promote   local cocoa consumption.

The summit appealed to the government to set up a stakeholder advocacy group to network with ministries, departments and agencies (federal and states), the national assembly and the presidency to gain support for cocoa related activities.

The   stakeholders recognized the challenges of the cocoa value chain and urged the government to set up of Cocoa Development and Investment Corporation to coordinate all the activities in the cocoa value chain. Such a body, it reiterated should be private sector operated but public sector enabled, like the proposed Cocoa Corporation of Nigeria.

It also urged the government to establish a National Cocoa Development Fund to provide critical funding for the proposed Cocoa Corporation of Nigeria and for cocoa related research.

November 21, 2014
The time for national unity is now
Nigerian political parties and politicians have over the years been linked with nepotism, tribalism, political intolerance, political violence, love of public office, maladministration, mismanagement of the economy, embezzlement of public funds, and breakdown of law and order. As a result, insufficient attention has been paid to the major responsibility of achieving nationhood through cohesion and integration. But attention must now be paid to them because investigation has shown that the above mentioned factors have been the bane of meaningful growth and development of our country, Nigeria.

The lack of nationhood has definitely contributed to our slow level of progress and it is high time we began to champion the task of nation building because tribalism, ethnicity, sectionalism, partisanship, religiosity, federal character and zoning among others are inflicting pains on the people and this pain is becoming more difficult to endure. The Ibos are marginalized; there is dispute over land and borders; politicians are always fighting in the interest of their state, local government, constituency and the region; there is also stereotype about one tribe or the other among the different ethnic groups.

These have serious impact on the cohesion and integration of the diversities of cultures and ethnic groups as well as the relationship among those who make decisions, laws and policies that affect us. It is for this reason that frantic effort must be made by every Nigerian to discourage these vices. This is not to say that tribe and ethnicity does not matter in our society but we need to look beyond them in steering the ship of our country. The evolution of an attitude that shows we are all one begins with knowing how debilitating the promotion of ethnicity and tribalism are.

At this point in our national life, the call for national unity and achieving nationhood may not be a novelty but political parties and politicians cannot afford to shut their ears to this important call because there must be a paradigm shift from the way the affairs of government is run and how the people are mobilised. We need to move away from the old ways of doing things. This is the 21st century, things must not remain the same nor the way they have always been. Nigerians are one regardless of our tribe, culture, tradition, region and religion.

Sectionalism, tribalism and nativism no longer thrive in modern societies. We all know what is right but we hardly make an effort. We have the capacity to support one another and breakaway from the past but we are always resistant. Though it may be difficult to shift away from the aforementioned factors that impede the progress of Nigeria due to fear but becoming aware of the success it brings to us as a country will make Nigerians evolve over time.

The problem posed by disunity in Nigeria should be a source of concern to politicians who also double as leaders of government because Nigeria is experiencing a setback on account of tribalism, ethnicity, sectionalism, zoning and federal character. But it is also important to state that government alone cannot foster national unity. It is the collective responsibility of every Nigerian.

Nigeria really needs to be united as well as become a nation, and to say that these factors mentioned above does not impede our progress is to close our eyes to the realities on ground. Disunity is causing us a lot of problems especially in forging ahead. All the tribes, ethnic groups, regions and sections of our society are suffering from the consequences of disunity and hence, all hands must be on deck to ensure that Nigeria becomes united and achieve nationhood. There is no gainsaying the fact that its benefits are immeasurable as it will lead to a steady pace of progress among others.

For the first time in the history of our country, Nigerians showed the possibility of achieving unity in what was tagged ‘the freest and fairest election’ in which the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola and his running mate, Baba Gana Kingibe were voted as president and vice-president respectively by majority of Nigerians irrespective of tribe, region, ethnicity and religion. This is just to draw our attention to what we were able to achieve through unity even though the election was later annulled by General Ibrahim Babaginda. Many Nigerians made a remarkable decision on June 12, 1993 and this is an indication that such feat can be attained once again in the history of our country, Nigeria.

It does not matter if it is going to take years to achieve unity and nationhood. We can make it if we all work hard at it; we must not give up until every Nigerian begins to have an outlook of one Nigeria. No tribe or ethnic group is superior to the other; hence, equal opportunity should be given to all the tribes and ethnic groups in Nigeria.

Furthermore, it is saddening to know that some ministries had from independence been headed by individuals from certain region or state. This is a case of blatant tribalism. In the same vein, some tribe and ethnic group do not feel a part of Nigeria because they have been side-lined. They feel unimportant. A notion they have due to the nonchalant attitude of Nigerian leaders. The citizenship of such tribes means nothing to the ruling class and this ought not to be.

No doubt, togetherness will help us achieve more as individuals. Although, it’s an assertion based largely on the writer’s opinion, investigation and studies but I think it’s true. It pays to serve the interest of one another—becoming your brother’s keeper. It is a widespread believe that united we stand, divided we fall. We can hardly achieve more as a country if tribalism and sectionalism continues. Countries that have become united have proven that it is the path of progress. There should be no disparity on the basis of tribe and ethnicity in governance. Thus, government have a big role to play in championing the course of national unity and nationhood which is yet to be achieved after 54 years of independence.
- Aregbeshola is the author of Nigerians Political Parties and Politicians: Winding Road from Country to Nation.
November 14, 2014