The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria newspaper

  • Can new minister turn mining sector around ?

    Nigeria’s new Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite is promising a strong continuation of progressive idealism towards the transformation of nation’s mining sector. In this piece, Assistant Editor, Jide Babalola writes on how positive impact can be made for job creation, increased revenues, more investments and other economic multiplier effects for the benefit of government, investors and the citizenry.

    Optimistic projections have never been a problem in Nigeria’s bedevilled mining sector but with several hardly acknowledged but extremely potent challenges, there has been lots of motions but little movement towards actualising plans to boost the mining sector’s current 0.4% to an annual $27 billion (about N 9.7 trillion) contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025. With government’s huge financial burden, declining revenues from oil, the need to move beyond being a mono-economy, utilise dormant potentials, rapidly create new employment and the need to usher in positive economic multiplier effects, solid minerals development has become a paramount necessity for the Nigerian economy.

    Its challenges harbour huge potentials for quick wins that can benefit the federal states and local governments as well as the entire citizenry. Thus, it was heartwarming for many with analytical mind that days ago when he resumed as Nigeria’s new Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite expressed idealistic passions about the possibilities of achieving a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s mining sector. His predecessor, Mr. Kayode Fayemi was identified with such fervent passion for the sector and indeed, the ruling party’s manifesto, the Buhari administration’s Change/Next Level Agenda all bubbled with huge enthusiasm for the sector. Nonetheless, after the visionary outlines laid out under Fayemi’s ministerial leadership before he returned to the governorship seat in Ekiti, Nigeria seems too far from actualizing lofty year 2025 targets identified under the “Roadmap for the Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Industry.”

    Today, the Nigerian mining sector still reflects the perplexing realities honestly stated under the Mining Roadmap developed during Fayemi’s tenure: “Nigeria’s minerals and mining sector is still largely underdeveloped despite its glorious past and abundance· of mineral resources for development, including high-value metallic minerals, industrial minerals, and energy· minerals.”

    Identifiable progress made in the sector between 2007 and now include the passage· of a new Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (2007), a Nigerian Mineral and Metals Policy (2008), creation of a modern Mining Cadastre system, the refinement of the tax code, and the expansion in airborne mapping of the country to sharpen knowledge of the mineral endowments. As important as these progress steps have been, Nigeria can and should do· more. Officially-acknowledged multidimensional challenges that Nigeria’s mining sector continues to contend are euphemistically identified as “geosciences data and information, industry participants, stakeholders, institutions, governance and other enablers of the sector.”

    To the layman, illegal miners, mischievous government bureaucrats/operatives, illegal alien buyers of untaxed solid minerals are among the most visible challenges of the sector. While several government officials, including a minister may be striving patriotically to achieve excellence, some bureaucrats and even, security personnel who are supposed to ensure law and order in mining areas may be compromised. “Vicious illegal miners and officials who surreptitiously arrange the overlapping of mining title through deliberate ‘mistakes’ in defining Title both represent the most potent twin threat that can ultimately sabotage the genuine vision of government and private investors,” a businessman, Alhaji Adamu Mani told The Nation.

    Nonetheless, Nigeria’s new Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite seems upbeat, expressing idealistic passion that resonates very well with the high expectations of stakeholders.

    Speaking with reporters shortly after he and the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development , Okechukwu Ogah were sworn in last week, Adegbite, the immediate past Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Ogun State made clear that among others, he is targeting a 40% increase in job creation an aggressive revenue increase and improving the lots of many citizens in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s goal of lifting 100 million people out of the clutches of poverty within ten years.

    But are these doable or not? While Nigeria’s long and painful history of mining began in 1903 when the British colonial government created the Mineral Survey of the Northern Protectorates, the discovery of oil truncated attention for mining development while prevalent official corruption further held it back until the current administration came in with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the ‘Roadmap for the Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Industry’ (Mining Roadmap).

    Before then, the 2014 Annual Survey of the Frasier Institute had ranked Nigeria as one of the 10 least attractive jurisdictions in the world for mining investment. The Mining Roadmap particularly acknowledges security challenges in the mining sector:

    Adegbite’s first case study or ‘low-hanging fruit’ may be the likes of the Baba-Tsauni Mining Project located in nearby Gwagwalada  Area Council – a potentially-vibrant enterprise with capacity to generate thousands of new employment, expanded tax base and other economic multiplier effects.

    The Buhari administration’s economic development blueprint named the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) focuses firmly on such objectives. This explains the reason why the Federal Government convened the ERGP Focus Lab in May 2018, contracting Malaysian investment experts, including those who laid out the directions that transformed Malaysian economy, to come and help transform Nigeria’s core economic sectors such as agriculture, transportation, power, gas, manufacturing and processing (including solid minerals).

    According to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the ERGP Focus Labs pooled public and private sector participants’ resources towards laying firm commitments for US$ 22.5 billion and creation of 513, 000 jobs between 2018 and 2020 while laying a foundation for the inflow of US$39.12 billion investments and creation of about 716, 079 jobs between now and 2025.

    “The Focus Labs help us to translate high level plans into detailed operational activities, involving close collaboration between government agencies, the private sector and civil societies. The Focus Labs also break down silos and force key stakeholders to work together in an intensive environment with specific deliverables and timeline.

    “This initial set of labs was conducted in three selected areas of agriculture and transport, manufacturing and processing, as well as power and gas; the main aim is to unlock private investments commitments in these critical areas and create jobs for Nigerians. Our target was to mobilise at least $25 billion or its equivalent in Naira, in private investments,” the Vice President had stated on its opening day.

    In a subsequent statement, the then Ministry of Budget and National Planning noted that the initiative produced 67, 200 man-hours of effort within a six-week period· and involved 180 organisations including the relevant ministries, government agencies, authorities and private sector companies.”

    Also, 20 syndication meetings were held with subject matter experts, including senior government officials, corporations and entrepreneurs during the period.

    In recognition of the Baba-Tsauni Mining Project’s capacity to unlock development bounties, including two thousand new jobs, eight thousand secondary employment, a brand new school and a decent structure to replace a wobbling health centre for the Baba-Tsauni community in Gwagwalada local government area of Abuja, a  letter dated May 25, 2018  was issued, as agreed at the Lab, confirming the sanctity of mining  title covering 236 cubit units or 49.3km square, in favour of Iron Ore Mining (IOM) Limited who are leading the consortium working on Baba-Tsauni Mining project alongside the Wiesbaden, Germany based Julius Berger International which had expressed preparedness to mobilise mining equipment worth millions of dollars.

    However, the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) held back till date, basing its decision on issues emanating from a previous letter of 2017 which contained ‘a mistake.’

    At the Focus Lab, attention had been focused on resolving the “Error in the title of Mining Lease11675” which resulted in inability of project owner (IOM) to commence operation even though its Baba-Tsauni Mining Project received a mining lease that was granted back in 2011 to mine lead and zinc minerals for the period of 25 years. However, in 2017, the project owners received a letter from the Mining Cadastre Office, attempting to amend the Mining Lease due to an internal mistake within the MCO.

    Thus, because of this ‘mistake’ and subsequent lengthy ‘discussions’ and contradictive legal arguments since 2017, the Baba-Tsauni Mining Project remains on a spot even, with seven years previously spent on exploration and the current beneficiaries are illegal miners who audaciously encroach on the area.

    Specifically, two decisions were made: the Minister was asked to affirm the Mining Lease of IOM Limited, to resolve the unduly lingering problem and avert potential loss of an initial $36 million investment along with some 2, 000 possible new jobs as well as negative international investor perception that may hurt other sectors. Secondly, it was decided that the Mines Police should enforce the letter that was issued and eject illegal encroachers on the project site

    With a truly enabling environment devoid of intrusive or disruptive influences of government, communities and illegal operators, strong communication strategies between the nation and the international community and between all stakeholders can foster benefits sharing, as well as agreeable and accountable development of solid minerals and the mining sector towards engendering long-term opportunities including jobs, inclusive economic prosperity and vastly increased revenue prospects for the nation.

    All these are feasible with the type of leadership and commitment being promised by the current dispensation.

  • Goldberg Larger wears new look

    To sustain the spirit of celebration and cultural heritage, Goldberg, the premium quality beer which has become a cultural staple for pleasure-seekers for years, has launched a new golden look that speaks to its respected status in the beer community as a cultural symbol.

    With its refined, classy look, Goldberg was relaunched on August 9, 2019 at the finale of the brand’s talent hunt show, Ariya Repete, at the Ikeja City Mall, Lagos with the theme, “The Mark of Respect.’’

    For years, Goldberg has retained its spot as the regional mainstream brand for South West Nigeria. Like the traditional talking drum, Goldberg has commanded attention at weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other parties across the cities in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo as well as Kwara. From its towering look of effervescence to the lingering bitter-sweet taste, this larger beer from the leading brewer, Nigerian Breweries Plc, is brewed for quality enjoyment.

    Goldberg represents a cultural heritage and excellent craftsmanship. It is also a common find in any cultural gathering such as festivals where oral poetry tradition is celebrated. Its panegyric element is synonymous with the Yoruba’s oral tradition which is passed down from one generation to another to preserve history and culture. To bridge the gap between tradition and modernity, Goldberg’s new look appeals to the next generation of consumers who share the values of respect, enterprise and dignity.

    It is for this reason that Goldberg earns the title of “Omoluabi’’ which conveys the value of good character, respect, enjoyment, dignity and integrity. Over the years, Goldberg has stayed true to its core value of reverence and quality enjoyment which makes it different from other mainstream beer brands in Nigeria. As a beer that treasures tradition, Goldberg has a competitive edge of restoring the true communal spirit as the toast of socialites in the South West region. Indeed, Goldberg is an iconic beer that has defined and still redefines the cultural landscape for beer consumers who cherish and relish traditional values.

    The Senior Brand Manager, Goldberg and Life, Maria Shadeko, in her remarks noted the distinctive elements of the Goldberg brand that has made it a market leader in the beer industry and how the new look will impact on the consumers. ”Goldberg beer is an ideal complement to consumers who place value on tradition, respect and culture. With its new look, Goldberg offers more than just high-quality taste for pure enjoyment but an enhanced visual delight which will make it the choice larger beer for every connoisseur.’’

    Speaking to the new theme, Shadeko added that ”with the new theme ‘mark of respect’, we will be speaking to the excellent craftsmanship and impeccable quality of Goldberg, elevating its credentials to a position of reverence and admiration. While ‘Omoluabi’ encapsulates the ethos of the Yoruba people and their values of “Respect, Enterprise, Dignity” (R.E.D), of which enjoyment is a manifestation.”

    It’s been an eventful year for Goldberg Larger. 2019 has seen the brand unveil a new brand ambassador, successfully sponsor the 2019 edition of Ariya Repete as well as re-invent itself in a new and exciting way. With a new label, a new crown cork and a newly formulated larger which promises a great tasting experience, Goldberg seeks to further establish itself as the market leaders.

  • What do men want?

    What do men want? This was a question that rose and hovered precariously inside the theatre hall of the Creative Arts department of the University of Lagos last week when artistes mounted the stage. The title of the play: What Do Men Want, drew curiosity from many people.  As the audience sat quietly glued to the stage, the two actresses used the opportunity to banter on the nuances of their man called Kunle.  Kunle is a polygamist, a seasoned womanizer with the propensity to have his fill with other women outside his matrimonial home.  He never stays home; he never cares for his women.  He only comes home when he feels the urge to sleep with any of them.

    Typical of most men who neglect their homes, Kunle got married to the first wife; a woman of substance who loves him to the hilt.  But Kunle does not stay long enough to share with her or the kids.  The woman would cook his favourite foods to keep him close to his family.  Kunle would come home, merely eating the food as if it is a poison.  The wife would device a new strategy to keep him home.  Yet, Kunle would never relent.  His eyes and attention keeps rooming outside to see if he can have more women to himself.

    Then he comes across another woman called Susane.  Susane herself needs a man desperately to call her own.  She has been lonely for a while and the moment Kunle comes into her life, she immediately succumbs to his amorous entreaties.  Thus, there are two wives in the home.  The older wife initially refused to accept her.  Confusion, hate, quarrel, arguments take over the home.  The usual squabble between women holds away in Kunle’s home.  He begins to indulge in alcohol using all sorts of drugs to sleep with his women.  That normal love life, serious love-making sessions that usually keeps a woman closer to her man is not there.  Yet Kunle keeps moving from one woman to the other.  At this point, the two women at home become friends, working on water-tight strategy to win their man back.

    The younger wife is the most perturbed.  “Oh Kunle Kunle, why won’t I have you to myself?  Why have you suddenly turned an elusive husband?”  She suddenly breaks down and cries herself to stupor.  But the first wife yells back; “why do you worry yourself?  How did you even get his attention?  How many times was he making love to you in a day?”  She is curious, too eager, but out of envy, to know.

    “Four times in a day,” Susane says.  “Are you an animal?”  The first wife yells at her.  “Four times in the morning?  “Anyway, Kunle is good at it early in the morning.  If he does not want to do it, just grab him and tickle him to submission.  That is the only time when he can do it well”.  Then the women begin to giggle with excitement, savoring the memories of Kunle.

    Then the phone rings.  Susane picks it.  There is a noise in the background as she screams, her voice trembling in the process.  ‘Oh, it cannot be true.  No, no, no”, she screams hysterically scrambling to her feet.  She scratches her hair, breaking down in tears.  “What is it?” the senior wife asks her.  “It is Kunle, he is with another woman”, Susane fires back in deep agony.

    Susane does not wait to listen to her senior colleague who tells her not to go and fight Mama Sidi.  Mama Sidi is Kunle’s latest catch.  A woman with plenty of children who runs a beer parlour Mama Sdi knows how to hook young men; Mama Sidi is said to have used juju on Kunle.  “No, not juju”, the older wife says.  “She does it better than any of us two”.  Oh what do men really want?  The two women exclaim at the same time as the audience applauds.

    But Susane hastens to Mama Sidi’s store to fight her.  There she is beaten silly by Mama Sidi’s children.  She comes home bruised, crying and complaining.  Here the play ends as the women turn to the audience asking in high tone” what do men want?”

    Women often ask this question same way men also do.  So, what must women do to keep their men to themselves alone?  The play explored the possibilities of studying the psychology of men to understand them better.  “All my life I have been trying to understand what Kunle wants”, the older wife said to her junior counterpart.  “But why don’t we work hard to stay on our own”, she quickly asks. “Is it possible?” Susane answers in return.  How can we do without them (men)?”.  In the meantime she is pregnant waiting for her man to come home to keep her warm.  Who can do that if not a man, a man she loves from the bottom of her heart.

    Do men want good food without good sex?  Or do they want sex without good food?  Do they really wish to have both in good doses all at the same time?  What is it in the other woman that is better than the next?  Is it fat or slim or busty women that a man wants around him?  Why is it that one woman is not enough for a man at a time?

    All these came up in the process of discharging the play on stage as the people sat quietly sipping the wisdom of the man-woman day-to-day affair.  The play was written by Adelarin Awotedu and produced by Sola Adenugba of the Livetheatre Lagos.  The two actresses were Diana Agbede and Maryann Ivy, two artists who really did justice to the nuances of the play and what it is meant to convey.

  • 14 years of NHIS

    Fourteen years after the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) took effect in Nigeria, the programme is still at infancy. As the acting executive secretary of the scheme, Mallam Attahiru Ibrahim, pointed out in Abeokuta, less than five per cent of Nigerians are enrolled till date. The coverage is quite poor when compared to the coverage in other countries, including a neighbouring West African country, Ghana.  It is also a far cry from the lofty ideal of the scheme expressly stated when Act 35 of the National Assembly that provided its legal foundation was promulgated in 1999. The vision, as stated on the scheme’s website is to make adequate, affordable healthcare available to the largest number at the earliest possible time.

    Going by the executive secretary’s disclosure, the government has failed in attaining its objective so far. The scope remains so limited that, at five per cent, it could be said that it is yet to take off. Although it has been so far limited to federal public sector workers, many even at that level have shunned the service for a myriad of reasons. Healthcare providers have been discriminatory in dealing with enrollees because bills are allegedly caught up in the red tape for which the public service is notorious. Many enrollees end up paying from their purse to access good care at the hospitals and thereafter pursue refund. Such tales have made the scheme unattractive to potential enrollees in state and private institutions. Some states have since started making efforts to establish independent health insurance agencies, even though none has fully taken off.

    It is even less attractive to the informal sector. Realising the fact that the scheme could not be adjudged a success unless the teeming artisans, traders and self-employed professionals embrace it, the NHIS is encouraging the establishment of small scale community-based bodies along geographical and occupational lines. These could be affiliated to the scheme for support. This is a lofty idea if it could be elevated beyond the drawing table. We call on the Federal Government to ensure that these groups take off soon. To make a success of the plan, state and local governments, traditional rulers and religious leaders should be enlisted to propagate it.

    Health is wealth. For a people renowned to be very poor, only a viable health insurance scheme that ensures effective and efficient delivery would do. We therefore call on all stakeholders, including the governments, the NHIS board and management, care providers and health management organisations, to wake up to their responsibilities. Many people have been driven to quack healthcare providers and peddlers of concoction where there are no proper diagnoses or referral system. The result has been untimely deaths and irreversible complications. Even many pregnant women are left to the care of illicit health care peddlers with alarming concomitant effects on babies and mothers. This is partly responsible for Nigeria being one of the countries with the highest child and maternal mortality rates. The trend must be checked.

    The new health minister has a duty to personally supervise the scheme, given its immense benefits. If Nigerians are to embrace it, all scandals associated with the scheme must cease as it is an indication that officials in charge are self-serving. The President, too, should not be seen as promoting indiscipline as in the wrangling between Professor Isaac Adewole as health minister, and the suspended Executive Secretary of the NHIS. It is time the private sector and labour unions are represented on the scheme’s board. When represented, they will support it and mobilise their employees and members, respectively, to participate. The Lagos State Security Trust Fund is an example of a state established agency that has succeeded beyond expectations because of private sector participation. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) also, at inception, was left in the hands of individuals that Nigerians had confidence in. The appointment of Professor Wole Soyinka as chairman; and Dr. Olu Agunsoye, whose integrity was considered impeccable, went a long way in creating a solid foundation for the organisation.

    The government should consider this in reviewing the structure and management of the NHIS. The National Assembly committees saddled with oversight function over the agency have a duty to urgently conduct public hearing on the scheme, with a view to amending the 1999 Act. Twenty years after promulgating the law, and 14 years into operating it is sufficient to garner experience for review. The public hearing expectedly bringing together all operators and the civil society will serve to sensitise the public to embrace the scheme.

  • Why Nigerians really need to pray harder against their enemies

    Why are we expecting a healthy society when all of these (and many more) ‘enemies’ are being made daily because we do not do our jobs as we should?

    In Nigeria, it is a well-known secret that the churches and mosques are filled to capacity with hypocritical worshippers. Perhaps I am chief, I don’t know. I do know though that more than ninety-nine point nine-nine-nine per cent of these worshippers go to pray for, among other things, ‘financial breakthroughs’. This means they pray that unmerited, unexplainable and unworked-for riches should suddenly fall into their laps. They also go to pray for divine healing. This means that in spite of their eating habits, the heavens should see to it that they stay in perfect health.

    Above all, this given percentage of Nigerians referred to above goes to pray for protection against all their enemies, big or small. The enemies may include their landlords (so he would forget the rent), their creditors (to forgive their debts), their debtors (to repay their debts), or that their favourite witches should die, die, die! Certainly, these are noble prayer requests. To my mind, however, I think this list comes down to this: they need to pray harder against their enemies. That is where the root of Nigerians’ problems really lies.

    I once gave a ride to a young, female university graduate around nine in the morning in one of the cities in Nigeria and naturally, I asked her where she was off to. She said, ‘to church’. And this was a working day, a Monday. What was she going to do? She obliged me. ‘To pray’ she said. I asked her what prayer remained for Monday that Sunday did not take care of. She said ‘more prayers’. What about her job? She said, ‘they would understand.’ What about night vigils: aren’t those for mop-up prayers? I certainly know how to ask questions, no? She replied that ‘enemies were always around, so one cannot rest.’

    At that point, I left off asking anything more. As it turned out, the young lady believed enemies were behind her not getting a good job, her not being married yet, her not having a car yet (a few years after graduation), etc. I forbore to point out to her that these powerful enemies were also likely to be behind her not being able to stay at her job and she must go around praying during office hours. I also did not point out to her that she needed to really pray against the enemies she was making that very hour she was not being in her office to serve them.

    Anyway, a light bulb went off in my head on that matter. It struck me that Nigerians really need to pray against their enemies o. Since they are always going around praying, work is being neglected. In the morning hours of weekdays, people ‘have gone to pray’. At noon times, people cannot rest in their houses because others ‘are praying’. Throughout the night times, innocent people cannot sleep because the guilty ‘are praying’ into loud speakers, presumably against enemies that are standing in the way of their breakthroughs and perfect health.

    It then occurred to me that Nigerians have an awful lot of enemies to pray against. I therefore decided to assist them by drawing up a list for them. So, if you are a Nigerian, you need to pray against:

    — people whom you have offended by ‘swallowing’ the money that should have been used to tar the roads leading to their houses. You must pray against them; they are dangerous people;

    — people whom you have offended because you have pocketed the money released for the electrification of their village or district. They are worse than cobras and must be bound spiritually;

    — people who accuse you of raising their electricity bills so that you can pocket the difference. They are liars that must be consigned to darkness;

    — people who know that you are part of a syndicate that extorts huge sums out of clients who come to conduct normal businesses in public offices are dangerous people who can’t recognize a business deal when they see one. They must be prayed against;

    — people who hate Police/FRSC/Civil Defense/army check points must be checked spiritually;

    — people who know you kidnapped their files and demanded ransom before releasing them from under office carpets need to be prayed for, or their souls will rot in hell;

    — people who know that you allow road contractors to bribe you into confirming their shoddy work, (and think this is why we have such deplorable roads), really need the whole spiritual works, to bind, gag and send them to oblivion!

    — people who know that you own a registered company through which you regularly take contracts from your office (where you are employed) are your enemies and should be prayed against;

    — people who know that you take money from the country for contracts you don’t execute or you execute shoddily need to be prayed against;

    — people who know you’re just drawing a salary you don’t deserve in your office, since you hardly show up there for more than a few days in the month, must be out of their minds. Pray against them, man;

    — people who know you’re just collecting money from your office as a worker for work you don’t do are not good people. They need to be prayed against;

    — people who think that the police are fraudulently collecting what they call ‘mobilisation fee’ (before they can respond to people’s emergency calls) are those whose heads are not correct. They deserve to be locked up spiritually;

    — people who think that it is wrong to kill other human beings in order to perform a money-making, power-making or client-drawing ritual must be bound until you perform an exorcism on them;

    — people who go around thinking you swallowed their pension money really need to be prayed against;

    — people who think they are the victims of your armed robbery or kidnapping or human parts-selling enterprises need cleansing prayers. They are enemies;

    — people who think they are victims of police ‘stray bullets’ also require serious prayers;

    — even cows, goats and sheep that believe you have illegally built your cities and houses on their free patch must be seriously prayed against…

    Clearly, all Nigerians are the enemies that we must pray hard against. Only a handful have managed not to be someone’s enemy; and I think they are dead. The sober question, however, is why have Nigerians gone around making so many enemies for themselves? I think a more appropriate question is, why are we expecting a healthy society when all of these (and many more) ‘enemies’ are being made daily because we do not do our jobs as we should?

    I think the answer is in the word ‘corruption’. On account of corruption, nearly every Nigerian now believes in cornering as much resources as possible to their corner, and it does not matter how it is done. No public agency runs for the sake of doing the ‘greater good’, only the private good. That’s why you are told in a public agency to ‘do the needful’ or ‘do what you’re supposed to do’ or ‘play ball’. Your failure to do that makes ‘you’ an enemy that must be prayed against.

    What strikes me most in people’s prayers is that they hardly pray to be helped to do right by their neighbours. No, no, it’s others who need that help. Obviously, though, Nigerians need a lot of help to apprehend the meaning of the word ‘altruism’ or ‘patriotism’. Perhaps, when we begin to pray for our enemies, maybe the spirits of these words will come upon us and lead us to do right by each other. Did you say Amen?!

    ***This reworked article was first published on 17/9/2017

     

  • Too many languages, too many states, too many universities, too many churches?

    In his inimitable way, it was Chinua Achebe that once proposed the absurdity behind the series of questions that form the title of this piece. What did Achebe say? In the context of the debate on the language question in African literatures, he said some people were bemoaning the fact that we had too many languages in Africa; they were complaining that we should do something about this fact that of all the regions of the world, Africa has the largest number of languages. What are we to do in response to such complaints, Achebe asked? Do we abolish some of the languages? And so to those who say that we have too many states, too many universities and too many churches, should we adopt the Achebe irony or conundrum and say abolish some or most of these churches, universities and states! And while we are about it, remember, compatriot, that as the most populous nation on the African continent, indeed the nation with the largest number of black people in the world, we can also say that we have too many people? Abolish some or most of them?!

    I confess that the thoughts that set me on the path of the reflections in this piece began with the number of states that we have in Nigeria, this being 36. Compared with many other countries of the world in terms of population and land area, we clearly have too many states such that the number imposes an excessive burden on governance. We have a population of about 200 million with a land area of 356,667 square miles. In comparison, look at the stats for the following countries, all with land areas and populations vastly bigger than ours: China, population, 1.386 billion; land area, 3.705 square miles; number of states, 26. India, population, 1.353 billion; land area, 1.269 square miles; number of states, 29. Brazil, population, 211 million; land area, 3.288 million square miles; number of states, 14. USA, population, 327.2 million; land area, 3.797 square miles; states, 50. How in the world would a Chinese or an Indian, each from a country with a land area and a population more than 400 % that of Nigeria not wonder why we have 36 states when each of their countries, China and India, have only 26 and 29 states respectively? And Brazil, with a land area into which you could fit about six or seven “Nigeria” with only 14 states! Yes, you could argue that much of Brazil is the Amazon rain forest, but isn’t much of southern Nigeria also forestland and much of the north unpopulated savannah?

    The examples of China, India and Brazil go to the heart of my reflections in this piece because in each of these three cases, what we see very clearly is the fact that number, by itself, is not a curse but a challenge: you can either make the best of it or, conversely, make the worst of it. This is true whether you are talking of land area and population as administrative units, or of the number of languages spoken and written in a region of the world or, indeed, the number of universities that a country can sustain for the education of its peoples. I cannot and will not pronounce on number in relation to churches beyond suggesting that it would do our economy and politics a lot of good if we had as many factories – large-scale, medium and small-scale – as churches! The same thing applies to population, especially as Nigeria happens to have one of the fastest growing populations in the world. Nigerians in general seem excited and proud of the looming probability that in the next half a century, we might become one of the four or five most populous nations in the world. But for good reasons, there are Neo-Malthusians among us who have nothing but great fear and dread for that future in which every seventh or eighth human being will be a Nigerian. To them, at 200 million, we seem already overwhelmed by the numbers, especially of the youtth demographic; how in the world will we be able to cope with a billion plus?

    In case the real point I am making here is (still) unclear, let me now make it plain and simple, deliberately. Numbers and numerology, I am suggesting, should not, in and of themselves, either frighten us or gladden our hearts and stoke our national pride; rather, they should drive us towards greater rational planning for the present and the future on the basis of social justice, progress, security and peace. We might invoke here the historic example of childbearing and childrearing: at one stage in our history and the collective history of mankind, it was, all things considered, a very good thing to have as many children as possible. As a matter of fact, for most of my childhood and young adulthood and in every part of Nigeria, this was the collective wisdom: the number of children a family had was a window, an index on the future prosperity of the family. But gradually, have we not seen that ancient “wisdom” wane? However, at the same time and in other countries and regions of the world like Japan and Scandinavia, don’t we hear of concerns that population growth is falling behind the economic and social needs of the country?

    In this discussion, among all the cases mentioned and briefly discussed, no cases seem as pressing and also as confounding as the number of states in Nigeria (with calls still being made for the creation of more states) and the number of universities (with new federal and state universities still being created every year). If it will ever be possible to bring rational planning in furtherance of social justice and progress to the threat and/or the appeal of numbers in Nigeria, these two cases of number of states and number of universities should serve as pointers toward that goal since both cases seem the most pertinent to our opening Achebe conundrum: if you have too much of anything, do you simply get rid or abolish much or most of it? Let us briefly explore each case one after the other beginning with the number of states in the country’s political and administrative structure.

    Have we reached the number of states that we should have? If so, what do we say to those who are still clamoring for the creation of more states? If not, how shall we know that we have reached the adequate number of states when we achieve that goal? These questions are asked neither by those seeking the creation of more states nor those who are against the creation of any more states. The  reason for this is plain: nobody and no country in the world has devised the means by which to determine the number of states, the right number of relatively autonomous administrative units it can or should contain. In most of the nations of the world, it is by trial and error, by give and take and, above all else, by the application of rational planning that a number, a figure is chosen as the most adequate.

    And of course, the issue of the number of states that we should have in Nigeria is closely tied to the so-called national question which, in popular national discourse or parlance, is known as restructuring. In the context of this discussion, restructuring comes into play with the number of states in Nigeria precisely because every single state of the 36 that we now have is a mini-state, with an executive governor who is no less than a mini head of state, complete with all the material and symbolic appurtenances of power. Please remember, compatriots, that at one stage in the political history of this country, governors were ceremonial heads of their regions with no real power beyond whatever they could command as respect for their offices and persons. That is gone and the governors are now powers unto themselves. Some of them have the most exorbitant and decadent pension packages in the world. Thus restructuring, if it is to win more supporters to its cause, must break completely from the present linkage of state creation and number of states with the present system of mini heads of states known as executive governors. Permit me to put this across even more bluntly: let the governors be now known as regional administrators and take away all the trappings of pomp, majesty and decadence that we associate with them and you will see how the cause of restructuring will become immensely more popular. And why would this happen? It will happen because the colossal savings that would result from this kind of radical-democratic restructuring would be available to meet the presently denied needs and demands of the people.

    I hasten to add that I am not suggesting that merely by calling a governor an administrator we can achieve hitherto unheralded wonders. There is nothing in a name, a nomenclature; the substance is in the apparatus, the machinery of governance and administration. You can break Nigeria, the whole country, into administrative units around six or eight regional hubs. Again, let us emphasize that there is no magical number being suggested here, six or eight being expedient suggestions derived from the first two stages in the breakup of the old three regions, but without the military-autocratic project that transformed ceremonial governors to tin gods resplendent in the babariga that they traded for their uniforms. I repeat: it is not the number of states or administrative units that matters, it is the relationship of number to social justice and to the dignity of every single Nigerian, irrespective of religion, ethnicity and region.

    The configuration is a completely different when we come to the number of universities. We can learn much by comparing the number of universities with the number of churches. At one stage, it did seem as if the logic of university founding and creation in Nigeria was based on Enoch Adeboye’s famous call for a church to be built within the distance of five minutes of walking in all Nigerian cities and towns. But a hard break, a sharp halt has descended on the relentless formation of new private and/or denominational universities. Many are failing and some have folded up, succumbing to the law of the marketplace. There is reason to think that this will also apply to the federal and state-funded universities, many of which came into existence side by side with massive cutbacks in the public funding of our state-owned universities. Parents, proprietors, students, lecturers, professors, government, the elite as well as the mass of ordinary Nigerians in their millions, everyone now knows that number has nothing to do with qualitative and relevant education. This “knowledge” has, so far, produced a very negative, despairing effect, one of the most notable consequences being the sending of their children to Ghanaian universities by Nigerians, both those who can easily afford to do so and those who have to spend lifetime savings or dip deep into family heirlooms to do so. I suggest that there is a negative dialectic involved here, one in which out of such sad “knowledge” will come a movement for the rescue and the transformation of the institution of higher learning in our country.

    I confess that I feel a very strong impulse to conclude on an attitude to life that, as most of those who know me closely are very aware, has been a sort of guiding principle of my conduct and my life for at least the last four to five decades. That principle is this: less is more. For the number of states in Nigeria, I hold staunchly to this principle. But for the number of universities, I hold that more can and should be more if qualitative and relevant education is the goal – but with room for a bit of “irrelevant” education for those who demand it and will go to any length to find it!

    • Biodun Jeyifo

    bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

     

  • Aremo Segun Osoba @ 80 – recollections of a reporter

    Aremo Segun Osoba, two-time governor of Ogun state and quintessential journalist  is currently enjoying  political renaissance  and limelight, making him a comeback kid at age 80.  Journalism gave him name recognition, an important factor in seeking political office while political instinct to back a winning candidate in the Ogun state governorship  election, that saw the triumph of Prince Dapo Abiodun, has revived the swagger of his journalism days. But even in victory, Aremo Osoba remains locked in combat on many fronts  –   intra-party in All Progressives Congress,  intra-ethnic in Afenifere, and inter-personal in legal tussle with fellow Egba man, Dr. Femi Okurounmu – apparently revving up his adrenalin for the last showdown.

    In the days preceding  Aremo Osoba’s  July 15th, 2019  celebration of his 80th  birthday, the media had been  awash with his reminisces  as well as excepts from his memoir, Battlelines : Adventures  in  Journalism and Politics.  The book title captures his battles in the Newsroom and much later, on the political turf. His battle lines on the political front remains unending. But this reporter is here interested in recalling memories of  Aremo  Segun Osoba’s  Newsroom battles in the Daily Times. My first encounter with Mr. Segun Osoba. as he was then,  was in the summer of 1973 when, as a mass communication student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, I had a vacation job  with the  Daily Times newspaper, before subsequent full time employment between 1976 and 1977.  He was the Deputy Editor, Daily Times. What strikes you on first meeting  the dashing Segun Osoba of those days was his panache – trim build, stylishly dressed, gregarious  and of course, the swagger. He walks jauntily into the Newsroom, carrying an aura with him. He was simply a charmer.  And I think that contributed to his battles at the Daily Times.  The Editorship of the Daily Times was a coveted prize which pitted him in battle  against the graduate class.  At the time, Alhaji Babatunde Jose who ruled at the Daily Times with imperial authority as executive chairman, had brought university graduates into the Daily Times, a very bold move then, when the main qualification for journalists was the secondary school certificate.  But that innovation led to battle lines being drawn between Town and Gown –  the non graduates versus the graduates. I remember  the pioneer graduates in media practice of that era to include Prince Tony Momoh, Areoye Oyebola, Idowu Shobowale and Femi  Sonaike, both of whom later became  Professors  of Mass  Communication, Dr. Hezy Idowu, wordsmith Gbolabo Ogunsanwo, Martins Iroabuchi and Doyin Aboaba, later Dr. (Mrs.) Doyin Abiola.

    On the non graduates corner were Alhaji Jose himself,  Segun Osoba, Alhaji Odunewu, a celebrated Columnist,  Peter Osugo, Pa Alabi, a master sub-editor  and production guru, and irrepressible Chief Ola , the News Editor, with his permanent company of a big bottle of stout. They were all thorough, on-the-job trained professionals. So, the battle lines were not so much about competence but more of ego – the educated versus the ‘illiterates’, the arrogance of the graduate class and its putdown of others. I want to believe that Segun Osoba was in the eye of that storm largely due to his persona  – his confident carriage was offensive to many of the graduates. The attitude was like :  Who does he think he is ?  Osoba was a field man, go-getter journalist who assiduously cultivated the power elite, raking in exclusive stories and scoops. He flaunted  his journalistic exploits to counter and blunt the arrogance  of the graduates who were not  field men, but mostly on the sub editing desk or features unit. The battle lines were also a clash of style. While Osoba, the crack reporter,  was a man about town, virtually all the graduates were rather subdued in persona – no boisterousness about them, which was the Newsroom culture. You won’t find them at the journalists’ watering hole, the New Can Can, opposite Times office at Kakawa Street in Lagos island.  Oyebola, who was a teacher before Alhaji Jose drafted him, could not shed his  provincialism of the village teacher, Dr. Idowu (PhD)  exhibited  professorial aloofness, Prince Tony Momoh, though friendly,  projected a royal distance from the crowd.  Doyin Aboaba, still single then, seemed to carry a burden  and generally looked distracted.  The one who came closest to matching Segun Osoba  in terms of vibrant presence was Gbolabo Ogunsanwo, handsome, with an engaging smile, an eminent columnist, unarguably Nigeria’s  most successful editor to date who took the Sunday Times, of which he was editor, to an unprecedented  circulation of 500,000 copies weekly. But, sadly, Gbolabo Ogunsanwo’s brilliant career crashed at the battle lines in the Daily Times  as he became, perhaps, the biggest fall guy in the tsunami that swept away many of the graduates in the epic battle for control of the Daily Times in the late 1970s and eventual takeover of the newspaper by the federal government.  Segun  Osoba, an establishment loyalist, was properly aligned in the battle line formation and survived the tsunami to later become Editor and Group Managing Director of the Daily Times. Thus, in his adventures in journalism, Aremo Segun Osoba  broke through the battle lines  to victory.

    • Dr. Olawunmi, a Public Affairs Analyst and Daily Times Alumnus, is former Washington Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Email : olawunmibisi@yahoo.com Phone :SMS ONLY : 0803 364 7571

  • ‘How my husband was killed trying to rescue his friend from kidnappers’

    Few of the people who were aware of the affinity she shared with her husband had given her any chance of survival when her husband, Jude Nwandu, a politician and businessman, was shot dead by kidnappers in 2010. But nine years on, Hon. Hope Chinyelu Nwandu, an ex-councillor, who is now an enterpreneur, has overcome the trauma of losing the man after her heart. The native of Oraukwu Kingdom in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State is not only the president of the association of widows in the state, she is also the founder of one of the most popular non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the state.

    Asked how she overcame the trauma of losing her husband as a 35-year-old, Hon Chiyelu Nwandu said although she faced series of battles after the ugly experience, it became the motivation for her to form an association for widows and step up on her popular NGO, Youth Awareness as a Weapon to Fight Aids and Violence (YAWAV), which she said is meant to help the vulnerable and down trodden in the society

    She said: “Before I started National Coalition for Concerned Widows some years back, I had registered Youth Awareness as a Weapon to Fight Aids and Violence (YAWAV). My focus then were orphans and vulnerable children, and that was as far back as 2006.

    “My records are still with State Action Committee on Aids (SACA), World Bank, Federal Ministry for Women’s Affairs and Social Development.

    “The purpose was not to acquire wealth but to make sure those sets of persons were given a sense of belonging. Most people saw them then as people without hope, people whose ends had come and people who had nothing to give or contribute to the society.

    “I was propelled by my husband, who was my back bone in everything I did then (tears rolled down her cheeks), but it is well.

    “Since then, I have not looked back in making sure that vulnerable people are catered for. We have to be our brothers and sisters’ keepers.”

    Nwandu, said she decided to also fight for widows in the society because of the kind of trauma they go through at the hands of their husbands in-laws. The fair complexioned lady said her aim is to stop those barbaric treatments meted out to widows, adding that the death of her husband really opened her eyes on what women suffer at the hands of their in-laws.

    She said: “I started my NGO before I became a widow. Then, my targets were orphans and vulnerable children. I know what it takes to search for school fees.

    “So, when I lost my life wire (husband), I told myself that there was need to galvanise the widows to fight together in order to stop some of the maltreatments most of them suffer at the hands of their husbands’ people.

    “That was how the Association came into being, and by the special grace of God, we have gone a long way in Anambra and beyond.

    “Our target is to take the campaign to all the nooks and crannies of this country, to stop such barbaric acts from our people who either accuse the widows of having a hand in their husband’s death or denying them their rights in different families, based on some senseless allegations.

    “Such acts had traumatised a lot of widows in the society, especially those who have no one to speak for them.”

    Asked how life had been since the demise of his right hand man, the mother of two paused for a moment and fought back tears amid pin-drop silence. She then fetched a white handkerchief from her bag to wipe the tears that rolled down her cheeks. Then there was a wry smile indicating the acceptance of her fate before she declared that it has not been easy.

    She said she had gone through a lot of pains during and after the death of her husband, because she was left alone by his people to shoulder the responsibilities of her husband’s burial.

    She said: “After losing my husband in 2010, life became so miserable. He was murdered by kidnappers on March 9, 2010, but the family accused me of killing him, even when one of the victims came out to relay how he too almost lost his life. I was six weeks pregnant. I was confused. The war from my in-laws was unbearable. I was left to fund my husband’s burial all alone. My life has not been the same since then.

    “I have really suffered. Even those who ordinarily would say a word to you when your spouse was around would come up to challenge you and accuse you of so many things.”

    “Getting anything from anyone becomes difficult unless those who are real human beings. The death of my husband really made me to understand that situations differ. It also opened my eyes to distinguish between the good and the bad.”

    Any plans to re marry?

    She beamed a smile as she thought of the right answer. Then she said: “Since I lost my husband, it has not been easy being a single mum to my two wonderful kids—a boy and a girl. They are the reason why I am struggling.

    “Those who know me well know that I was too close to my husband. He was the back bone of my NGO. After his death, I was advised to re-marry. But after the birth of my son, I was consoled.

    “The love I had for my husband really made me to stay back and fight for his right. I was able to secure the place where I buried my husband.”

    “After the pressure from my husband’s family, no fewer than six suitors came to ask me for marriage. Some promised to build a house for my son, just for me to accept their proposal, but I was too close to my late husband, and getting married again will affect my children. I have to endure all the suffering for the sake of my children.

    Asked about acquaintances, she said: “They are legion. They continue to come on a daily basis, but it’s left for you to accept anybody or not. I don’t rebuff them because doing so is a form of disrespect. So, what I do is to give them the opportunity of trying their luck each day, and life goes on. If you give men such chance, they will mess you up.”

    “I’m nine years into this journey. I can’t re-marry again. I have built a house in the village for my children. I have to stay strong for them”

    Asked about her challenges and regrets, she fought back tears again before she opened up: “I have kids and they are missing their father, especially my son. But I try my best to make them fill comfortable. My regret is not going to stop my husband from going after the kidnappers with police in the bush in Nimo on that fateful day.”

    She narrated the events that led to the killing of her husband by dare devil kidnappers on that day, saying that her hubby lost his life for the sake of his friend.

    She said:  “He (husband) was bent on having his close friend freed from the kidnapper’s den and that was how he lost his life when those hoodlums opened fire on the police squad. We were in the house on that day when my husband’s phone rang, and it was his friend (Odinigwe) from Nri in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state. He told my husband that he had been kidnapped and taken to somewhere in Nimo.

    “The reason for calling him was that my husband dropped him off on that day. In fact, they kidnapped him thinking that the man had money. Then my husband contacted the police in Neni who mobilised to go and save him. When he told me, I could not stop him from taking the police to the location he described for my husband for their ransom.

    “When he got to the area with the police, he followed them into the bush. When the uniformed men tried to stop him, he insisted on following them.

    “When those miscreants noticed they were security operatives, they opened fire and it became a gun duel between them and my husband was killed in the process. He was a defenseless man. But his friend was rescued.

    “He wanted to do it for his friend without knowing that death was knocking.”

    She said that after the incident, her in-laws started accusing her of being the brains behind the death of their son.

    “I knew that the thought that occupied their minds then was that we didn’t have a son; we only had one little daughter. Also, most of them didn’t know I had taken in again and the pregnancy was just six weeks old.

    “They left me with the responsibility of shouldering the burial of my husband, and it was a way of punishing me. But God wiped away my tears few months later with a son.

    “Being a widow is not an easy task, especially, with the situation in the country. I got married at the age of 28 and lost my husband at the age of 35. My marriage was to be an enjoyable one, but satanic forces did not allow it to be. That is one of my greatest regrets.

    “Since then, my life has not been the same.”

  • Stray bullet kills graduate

    A graduate identified simply as Chijim has allegedly died after he was hit by a stray bullet fired by some policemen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    The deceased was said to be preparing for mobilisation for the mandatory National Youth Service when the incident happened penultimate Monday.

    Sources said he walking along the road when the unidentified policemen allegedly fired shots indiscriminately into the air.

    Read Also: Stray bullet kills APC leader at Oshodi

    One of the shots hit Chijim.

    He died on the spot.

    A source said the policemen claimed it was a case of accidental discharge.

    “Apparently aware of the reactions trailing their action, the policeman who fired the shot said it was an accidental discharge and ran away with other members of his team.

    “Family members of the deceased are crying out for justice as nothing has been done by the police authorities in the state to bring the culprits to book,’’ added the source who did not want her name mentioned.

    Police spokesman, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni however told The Nation reporter in Port Harcourt that he was not aware of the incident.

  • Three suspected notorious robbers nabbed

    The police have arrested three robbery suspects, Ayomide Babatunde, 30; Tunde Shabi, 37, and Femi Adeolu, 27, described as specialists  in taking their victims to ATM machines to withdraw money from their accounts.

    They were arrested by the Lagos annex office of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

    The suspects are also  said to be ex-convicts.

    They  were arrested after they allegedly attacked some persons including a woman and transferred millions of naira from their victims’ bank accounts using their ATM cards and handsets.

    Besides,they are alleged to have snatched their victims’ cars which they drove to  Cotonou in Benin Republic to sell off.

    Ayomide who claims to be from Ekiti and a father of   three children said he could not go beyond secondary  school on account of the death of his father.

    “To be able to fend for myself, I became  an estate agent but I was arrested when I joined Aye confraternity due to unending bloody clashes with rival cult groups,” he told his interrogators.

    Read Also: Suspected robbers cart away valuables in Oyo schools

    “I was eventually charged to court and sent to prison.

    “In the prison I met Ola, Tunde and others. We formed a car snatching gang when I came out of the prison.

    “We had three pistols, one Beretta pistol and two locally made short guns. I bought the guns in Cotonou,Benin Republic, when I went there to sell the stolen cars. It was our receiver in Cotonou that helped us to buy the guns.

    “I have operated more than five times. Our first victim was a woman. In March 2018 we were trekking along Kola in Alagbado area of Lagos and saw one woman who wanted  to enter her house. We then followed her and robbed her. We collected her bag , phones and two ATM cards.

    “We first took her to ATM gallery and forced her to withdraw money for us. We also collected his pin number and transferred one million to the gang’s bank current accounts.

    “We drove off to Cotonou in her Toyota Highlander Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and gave the car to our standby receiver simply addressed as Oga Azeez  to sell for us.

    “When she wanted to shout we calmed her down. We also held her hostage for 12 hours to enable us do another transfer of one million naira.

    “We drove to Oju-Ore (Ota,Ogun State) along Idiroko road to while away time. “The purpose was to allow for 12 hours before another transfer could be done. We however succeeded in transferring another one million naira.

    “I gave five vehicles to Gani who is one of the receivers we have in Cotonou. We stopped at Atan, a  community  after the popular Winners Church and waited for another 12 hours before making another transfer of one million naira.

    ”When we searched the woman’s  bag we saw only N50,000 cash. We transferred the sum of N2million  to our members  who are still in Kirikiri prison.

    “I gave N600, 000 to the owner of the account we used in transferring the money. We gave N200, 000 to the person who went to withdraw the money in prison. We shared the remaining N1.2 million. I did not save a dime because of my life style; I slept in hotel with women almost on a daily basis

    “I sold the Toyota Highlander SUV for N600,000, Formatic Benz-N900,000; Toyota Camry car , N300,000; Toyota Camry( big daddy) car N500,000; Lexus SUV 350; N600,000; Toyota Muzzle N600,000; Toyota Corolla N400,000, among others.’’