The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria

  • Jonathan under fire over Amaechi, Baga massacre

    Jonathan under fire over Amaechi, Baga massacre

    The Presidency and the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) came to blows again yesterday on the state of the nation.

    The ACN said Nigeria is “descending into despotism” with the manner the President is running its affairs.

    Besides, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) lashed out at Dr. Jonathan for not visiting Baga, the Borno State border town where many were killed when troops clashed with Boko Haram fighters.

    In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN said Dr. Jonathan was turning “from a democratically-elected President to an empror – a despot.”

    The party alleged that national institutions had been “bastardised and compromised just to get at a political enemy in an open quarrel with Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi”.

    But presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, in a statement last night, denied it all.

    He said President Jonathan “is a democratically-elected leader who is running a people-oriented, inclusive and progressive government”.

    He added that rather than despotism, under the President’s watch, “Nigeria’s democracy has been consolidated; the scope for human freedoms has been further expanded and there is respect for due process and the rule of law”.

    Besides the “personal battle”; the President is fighting against the Rivers State government, the ACN recalled that the government attacked former Minister of Education Dr. Oby Ezekwezili and the spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Yushau Shuaib, for raising issues on the state of the polity.

    In the statement, Mohammed said: ‘’The Jonathan Administration is anchored on a Transformation Agenda. But the only transformation that we can see is the one from a democratically-elected President to an Emperor, a despot.

    ‘’If the President is not prevailed upon to change course, Nigeria may be in for another season of anomie, reminiscent of the days of the maximum ruler who took the country to the brink before his sudden demise,’’ it said, adding: “The way President Jonathan is handling his political disagreement with a member of his party, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, has portrayed him as a leader who is willing to jettison democratic ideals and principles on the altar of personal ambition.”

    The party wondered why national institutions have to be “bastardized” and “compromised” just to get at a political enemy, specifically citing the role being played by the Ministry of Aviation, its parastatals, such as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the police, among others, in the Presidency’s clash with Amaechi.

    ‘’Like we said before, we are not perturbed by what is happening in the PDP. Our main concern is the fact that the party’s internal crisis is overheating the polity and threatening the country’s hard-won democracy. After the theatrics of the aviation agencies and their parent ministry, the EFCC has suddenly realised that the cost of the Rivers State’s plane was inflated by US$10 million while the police have sacked the secretariat of Obio-Akpo Local Government in Rivers. The question is: Who gave the orders for the police to sack the secretariat, and in the process take sides with the President in the political disagreement with the governor?

    ‘’Which are the other national institutions that will be drafted into this scorched-earth campaign against a perceived non-conformist party member? If the President can go to this length against his own party man, what will he do against the opposition? Why is it that a democratically-elected President cannot be challenged by anyone, whether or not he is a member of his party?’’ it queried.

    ‘’Also, the ferocity with which the Jonathan Administration went after a former Minister of Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, for claiming that President Jonathan frittered away the 67 billion dollars in foreign reserves which she said President Olusegun Obasanjo left behind in 2007; and the fate that befell NEMA spokesman Yushau Shuaib for daring to criticise the lopsided appointments in parastatals under the Ministry of Finance, are glaring actions of an administration that is bent on stifling Freedom of Expression.

    ‘’These anti-democratic measures will worsen as the 2015 elections approach. Therefore, all lovers of democracy must join us in speaking out against the Jonathan Administration’s descent into despotism. This is the only way to prevent a President’s desperation for power from torpedoing our country’s democracy. After all, a critical benchmark of a democratic society is the existence of a vibrant, free and independent media that will give the citizenry a platform to freely and vigorously debate current issues,’’ the party said.

    The ACN also expressed concerns at the growing propensity of the administration to stifle the freedom of expression and freedom of the press, citing the report by the media rights group Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), on the occasion of this year’s World Press Freedom Day on May 3, as a global testimony to the worsening press freedom record of the administration.

    ‘’According to the CPJ, Nigeria has become one of the worst countries in the world for deadly, unpunished violence against the press. Nigeria and Somalia are also the only African nations listed on the CPJ’s 2013 impunity ranking. Yet, the government has not relented in its attacks against the media: Gestapo-style arrest of Leadership journalists; Fines slammed on Liberty Radio in Kaduna over a listener’s opinion on the so-called Good Governance Tour; Arrest of two journalists of the Kaduna-based Al Mizan newspaper and the ban on a documentary on poverty in Nigeria, just to mention but a few.

  • Fayemi hails Adebiyi on retirement, 70th birthday

    Fayemi hails Adebiyi on retirement, 70th birthday

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has described the retired Anglican Bishop of Lagos West Diocese, Rev. Peter Adebiyi, as “a man of distinction, whose service to God and humanity is marked by integrity, hard work and genuine love for the people”.

    Fayemi spoke yesterday at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Osi-Ekiti, during a thanksgiving service marking the cleric’s retirement and 70th birthday.

    He said the virtues of the retired bishop earned him the Ekiti State’s brand ambassador.

    Fayemi presented a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) to the cleric. He said Rev. Adebiyi has consistently exemplified the integrity, honesty and courage Ekiti people are known.

    Fayemi said the cleric’s contribution to the development of the state and Nigeria cannot be over-emphasised.

    He urged youths to emulate the retired bishop, who he said stands out as a true representative of the state.

    Rev. Adebiyi thanked the governor, saying: “I am more than surprised by this demonstration of love. It is an honour to be recognised by one’s state government. I believe this will encourage other indigenes to put in their best in whatever they do.”

    Also in attendance were former Minister of National Planning Chief Ayo Ogunlade; former Sports Minister Maj.-Gen. O. Olutoye (rtd) and his wife; Commissioner for Education Kehinde Ojo; Special Advisers to the Governor, Bashorun Ayo Odetola and Chief Abiodun Akin-Fasae; and the Chairman of the State Teaching Service Commission, Chief Bayo Adeniran, among others.

  • Man tortured by police loses memory

    Man tortured by police loses memory

    He was in a coma for days; now he has memory loss. Today, Ganiyu Lawal, 59, who was allegedly hit on the head with gun butt by the police, neither knows where he is, nor recognises members of his family.

    Lawal was said to have been assaulted by policemen who invaded his 15, Odekeye Street, Puposhola, New Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos home on April 25.

    He was arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) over an alleged N4 million fraud.

    It was learnt at the weekend that Lawal regained consciousness after the surgery to remove the clot in his brain. But following the surgery, he was found to have suffered memory loss.

    Saheed, Lawal’s eldest son, told The Nation that doctors were working round the clock to restore his father’s memory.

    He said: “We are praying that he gets well. He does not recognise anybody, even his wife and his sister whom he is fond of. He is not saying anything sensible and he does not even know what happened to him or where he is, now. We just hope that his memory would be restored as the doctors have assured us. We cannot wait for that to happen”.

    Lawal was allegedly tortured over an alleged N4 million property fraud which the police said, was reported by a woman. But Lawal said the money was N2.5million.

    He was said to have passed out during a torture and was in a coma from April 25 to May 3 when he regained consciousness.

    Saheed said his father was rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) around 4am on April 25.

    The police, he said, thought his father could be revived to be taken back to SARS for further questioning, but when by 3:30pm that did not happen, they called his wife to inform her about her husband’s condition.

    Saheed said: “My mother got a call from a policeman that her husband was in LUTH. She called and informed me and I rushed there. When I got there, I saw my father lying lifeless. I also saw four policemen from SARS. He was brought in around 4:30am on Friday morning.

    “One of them who said he is the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) said that a woman reported that she was duped of N4million over a property. He said while they were questioning my father, he told them that the money was N2.5million and not N4million.

    “The IPO said after he had reported back to his superior officers on how far he had gone with the interrogation, he was asked to go and bring my father from the cell, stating that when he got there, he discovered that my father had passed out. That was when his journey to the hospital began according to him.”

    Saheed explained that his father is a property agent, who has been in business for over three years without a stain.

    “Since he started, he has not had any business problem with anybody to my knowledge. He is a gentleman; he runs away from trouble,” he said.

    The Nation learnt that the police are doing everything to ensure that Lawal survives.

    It was gathered that before Lawal was admitted, police were made to sign an undertaking to take responsibility for his medical expenses.

    As at April 28, the police had spent over N300,000 on him and also made arrangement to spend more if the need arose, to ensure his survival.

  • Police arrest fake ASP, launch manhunt for two others

    A SUSPECTED fake Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) has been arrested by the police in Lagos for alleged theft.

    The suspect, Marshal Oshigbemi, was arrested by policemen attached to Ilemba Police Division, Ojo for allegedly using fake identity, along with two others – now at large – to rob commercial sex workers and their customers of their money in brothels.

    The suspect, a 65-year-old father of 10 children, who hails from the Ukwani Local Government Area of Delta State, with his two accomplices, allegedly went into a brothel along Ilemba Road, posing as ASPs from the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) and arrested sex workers and the brothel’s manager for human trafficking.

    The fake policemen were said to have threatened to send them to jail if they refused to cooperate with them.

    It was gathered that the suspects allegedly collected N4,500 from the brothel’s bar man, and other sums from the sex workers and lodgers.

    An eye-witness said: “The suspect, with two others, came into the brothel, claiming that they were policemen from the State Criminal Investigations Department,Lagos. They said their victims should cooperate if they didn’t want to end up in their custody”.

    Another source said: “During their raid, I was curious because I did not see them come in any patrol vehicle. When I asked, they claimed that their driver went to buy fuel. I quickly called the Ilemba Police Division for policemen to come to our rescue”.

    Oshigbemi was said to be waving at a police patrol to further convince his victims that they were genuine when he was arrested.

    His accomplices who sensed danger immediately they saw the police patrol vehicles, however, escaped.

    Oshigbemi said he resorted to crimes to avenge his dismissal from the Nigeria Police in 2011, adding that he had no regret.

    Lagos Command spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said the suspect was not a policeman, but said a police identity card was recovered from him.

  • Commissioner decries poor project execution

    Lagos State Government has threatened to take over the drainage and channelisation of Ikota River project at Lekki Scheme 2 Estate from the Federal Government because of the poor job done by the contractor.

    The Commissioner of Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, who visited the project, said he would write the Federal Government on the matter.

    According to Bello, the state government has a duty to protect the lives of her citizenry, especially as the rains are here with their attendant heavy flooding.

    During the inspection, the commissioner found that contractor used 300 mm pipes instead of the standard 1.5 metres. “In future, this could lead to flood with lives and properties threatened,” he said.

    If properly done, on completion, the channel is expected to deflood Mobil road, Lekki Phase 11, part of Ogombo village, Lekki County home, Gedegede-Tapa, Etinrin resettlement communities and others.

    Bello also visited Agungi channel, Osapa-Lagoon channel at Beach Resort Estate and the Spars/NICON Junction in the Lekki area.

    He reiterated government’s warning to those who live on wetlands along the flood plain areas and near the lagoon to relocate to safer areas.

    Bello, however, pledged government’s preparedness to build channels and storm water drains to de-flood the state. He promised to tour Victoria Island channels and others before the rains.

  • Holiness ‘ll lift Nigeria, says church

    “Whatever one becomes in life starts and ends with God, the Creator of heaven and earth. We must adore Him at all times and consider His interest in all our thoughts, utterances and deeds. This is why our church is committed to preaching the virtue of holiness as a recipe for the nation’s woes.”

    Those are the words of Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya, (rtd), Grand Patron of the United African Methodist (Evangelical) Church, Cathedral, at Abule-Ijesha, Yaba, Lagos Mainland. It was at the weekend, during an encounter with The Nation, days after the dedication of the church’s “New Cathedral Building,” amid pomp.

    The dedication of the tastefully reconstructed church, which was chaired by Prince Arthur Eze, had the Ogun State-born business mogul, Chief Adebutu Kessington (Baba Ijebu) as Special Guest of Honour.

    Besides over 40 eminent clerics, including His Eminence, Dr S. Ola Makinde, Prelate, Methodist Church, Nigeria; Most Revd P. Udofia, Primate, African Church, Bishop Magnus Atilade; and Minister-in-Charge, Revd. Oladipo Timothy, it was a select gathering of distinguished achievers across all fields. They beseeched all to be close to God through their inter-personal dealings with one another.

    On the roll-call included: Former Senate President Adolphus Wabara; former Minister of Industries, Chief Nike Akande; her Minister of State for Education counterpart, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo; Senator Anthony Adefuye, a Patron of the church; Col. Daniel Akintonde (rtd); Rear Admiral Peter Ebhaleme; Senator Bode Olajumoke; Admiral Toye Shode (rtd); Idowu Sofola (SAN); Osile Oke-Ona of Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso (represented); Alaye of Odogbolu, Oba Adedeji Onagoruwa, and the Ebumawe of Ago Iwoye, Oba Adesina Adenugba.

    Leaders of the church – the hosts – including Diya, Adefuye, Chief Toyin Oyewoga, Elders Josephine and Folasade Diya, Olori Mojisola Abass, Chief Mabel Komolafe, Chief Kehinde Diya; Chief Cecilia Odunoye, Otunba Segun Dada, Chief Bayo Okunola, Chief Iyabode Anifowoshe, Dr Olufunke Adebajo (Matron), Chief Mrs Lanre Adeleke and Lady Evangelist Yetunde Thomas, among others, were on their toes, trying to make the outing memorable for guests while the celebration lasted.

    Apart from speeches by Diya and other leaders in the event’s planning committee, which centred on the need for continued dedication to the cause of spreading the crusade of Godliness among mankind, it was a special occasion for hearty songs of joy from every member of the church for enabling the completion of the multi-million-naira project.

    Elder Oyewoga, who chaired the building committee, advised all: “As we all celebrate this milestone, let us re-dedicate ourselves to the Lord, bearing in mind that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Let us resolve to glorify God in all we say and do.”

    It was the same message of Godliness to the congregation of the church in the last two Sundays in the sanctuary.

    Yesterday – as it was on Sunday last week – Revd Timothy minced no word in coming hard on people’s lackadaisical attitude to sane living and improved relationship with God as he admonished: “We all need to be closer to God in all ways because that is the only key to moving our nation out of the woods now.”

    He said the church was founded on the pillar of advancing the Word of God, adding: “Day by day, our binding duty here as a church is to cement our relationship with God in the interest of every member of the congregation and the larger society. We encourage everyone to run away from sins and pray for the country.”

  • 30m may lose means of livelihood in Chad Basin

    The Executive Secretary of Lake Chad Basin Commission, Sanusi Amran Abdullahi, has said over 30 million people living in and around the Lake Chad Basin may lose their sources of livelihood, if the prevailing negative effects of climate change in the region are not addressed quickly.

    Abdullahi spoke in Abuja at the just-concluded 58th sessions of the Council of Ministers of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.

    He said: “Climate change is real and the effects of climate change phenomenon abounds. The heat waves, the flooding, the draught and the southwards movement of the Sahara in the Sahel region are a few examples. We must make efforts to save the Lake Chad and the over 30 million of our people whose livelihood depends on the natural resources in the lake.”

    He urged member states to join hands in saving the region from climate change.

    He said: “Our salvation lies in looking inwards to find ways and means of mitigating the effect of climate change and imbibe the recommended mitigation measure suitable to our environment to stop the scourge of climate change that is causing degradation and water resources stress in our region, through proper planning and implementation of long term soil and water conservation interventions. This will guarantee our food security and alleviate poverty.”

    The Federal Government had expressed concerns over the receding waters in the Lake Chad Basin.

  • Of physics and economic growth

    SIR: If we have an economist, Dr.Ngozi Okonjo Iweala as the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinator of the Economy, then perhaps we should experiment with a physicist as minister of a related ministry with the job of chief creator of economic growth.

    I recall that in his Inaugural Lecture in 1973, 40 years ago, Professor Muyiwa Awe, first President of Nigerian Institute of Physics affirmed that physics is the proverbial goose that lays the golden eggs. Interestingly, Professor Awe was “Best Man” to the economist, now late, Professor Ojetunji Aboyade , who had served all Nigerian heads of government from Balewa to Babangida.

    Professor Aboyade referred to economics as the life blood of the nation. But which comes first? Physics or economics?

    On the technological chess board, mathematics is king, physics the queen and the diverse branches of engineering, the knights in shiny armour.

    Physics has given rise to a whole new range of technologies that have contributed trillions of dollars into the global economy. One of these is nanotechnology. World sales of Nanotechnology-enabled products by 2008 were estimated at $234 billion. This figure is expected by the US National Science Foundation to climb to $3000 billion by 2020, increasing the number of jobs in nanotechnology-derived industries from, 400,000 in 2008 to six million in 2020. Last year I read in the papers, Professor Segun Adewoye, secretary Nigerian Academy of Science, lamenting the fact that Nigeria is yet to have a policy on nanotechnology.

    If there are no golden eggs, there might be little of an economy to co-ordinate.

    Physicists have given rise to hydro-electricity, nuclear power, radio, television, mobile phone, microwave oven, laser CD and satellite and in the area of health-care as it concerns the imaging, screening, diagnosis and treatment etc. which many of our politicians and the elite go to “enjoy” outside the country.

    We must reinforce the notion in Nigerians particularly our elected representatives that physics is not only” the queen” but also the foundation of modern society.

    • Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth

    London, England

  • Lost in the global radar

    A bold foreign policy has become major mishap in the face of grave internal problems confronting Nigeria today. As they say in Latin, FUIMUS TROVES – we were once Trojans but TROY is no more.

    Though we recently hosted the South African President, the Polish Prime Minister, and even the Ghanaian President was in Uyo recently and we can still boast of an experienced foreign Minister who spent almost his entire public service life in the foreign affairs ministry, but the fire for which Nigeria was known in the foreign scene, has extinguished.

    In the past when Nigeria spoke the world noted and when Nigeria led the rest of Africa followed not because of population or resources but because of bold global foreign policy initiatives.

    But no more.

    It is either we lack the initiatives now or we are now hostage to our internal problems.

    In the global scene we have become very inert and supine.

    No doubt, we still attend regular global summits, regional meetings, presidential inaugurations, foreign burials, ceremonies and events but not in an active capacity but as onlookers, bystanders and mere back benchers.

    Passive is the word.

    Even Nigerian students who in the past, used to be very operative and dynamic on foreign affairs particularly on African affairs to the extent that they marched along with the government, have now been submerged with internal contradictions.

    Bad and negative stories have become part of our foreign exports.

    From 1960 till date, this country Nigeria has contributed in 25 peace keeping operations.

    In 1960 just before Nigeria’s independence, Nigeria signed a military pact with Great Britain so as to safeguard Nigeria’s security in the absence of full-fledged Nigeria army, Nigerian students demonstrated against the signing of the pact and the protests led to the cancellation of the pact by the Nigerian government.

    On February 13, 1961 on the eve of the African Summit in Casablanca, Morocco, France tested an atomic bomb which contained Plutonium and had an explosive force equal to 10,000-14,000 tonnes of TNT half as powerful as the Hiroshima bomb, in the Sahara desert in the French Polynesia.

    The radioactive fallout of the bomb affected people living in the remote part of the Sahara desert. The initiative on the protest against France was led by the Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912-1966). Nigeria expelled France ambassador to Nigeria, closed Nigeria’s ports and airports to French ships and planes. Sudan, Ghana, Egypt followed Nigeria’s step.

    In April 1964, the third battalion of the Nigeria Army led by Lieutenant Colonel Pam was air lifted to Tanzania to help President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania to train a new army following the dissolution of the Tanzania army after the mutiny.

    The arrival of the Nigeria troops allowed the British troops to depart. Between 1963 and 1965 world leaders were romancing not only our national leaders but the regional leaders in Nigeria as well. For example, Arch-Bishop Makarios of Cyprus (1948-1977) was a personal friend of the Premier of the Eastern Nigeria, Dr. Michael Iheonucura Okpara (1920-1984) while the Premier of the North Sir Ahmadu Bello (1909-1966) was so popular in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states that a few days before he was assassinated, he was given access to Prophet Muhammad’s very tomb. When the President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Francis Kofi Nwia Nkrumah (1909-1972) visited Nigeria in 1962, he slept in the personal house of his friend, Chief Obafemi Awolowo (1909-1987) in his Okebola’s residence in Ibadan. Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe(1909-1996) was a personal friend of the former President of Haiti, Francois Duvalier (1907-1971) alias Papa Doc. We all aware of the relationship between Balewa and the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. So loved was Balewa by world leaders that the day he was assassinated, there was a letter in his Babariga from Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia (1913-1978), the then leader of opposition in Ghana, alerting him that there was to be a coup in Nigeria. Even after the coup of 1966, General Gowon built personal friendship with other world leaders including Emperor Haile Selassie (1892-1975), Haman El-Hadji Diouri of Niger Republic, Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo (1935-2005).

    However it was between 1975 and 1979 that we had dynamism in our foreign policy. In 1975 there was a pre independence struggle in Angola. On one side we had the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA) led by Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto(1922-1979), on the other side was the Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola) (FNLA) led by Holden Alvaro Roberto (1923-2007) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola(UNITA) led Jonas Savimbi (1934-2002).

    Both the FNLA and UNITA were sponsored by the apartheid South Africa along with the Western world. In November 1975, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed (1938-1976) flew to Addis Ababa for the OAU conference and announced that “Africa has come of age it is no longer under the orbit of any continental power. It should no longer take orders from any country however powerful. The fortunes of Africa are in our hands to make or mar”. To the surprise of everyone he announced Nigeria’s recognition for the MPLA as the legitimate government in Angola. On February 4, 1976, he dispatched his then deputy General Olusegun Obansanjo along with Chief Ebenezer Babatope to reassure the Angolans of the support of the government. Nine days later he was assassinated on his way to the office in Ikoyi, Lagos and General Obasanjo who succeeded him soldiered on with the execution of very bold and dynamic foreign policy.

    In fact Nigeria’s foreign Minister at that time Major General Nanveh Garba(1943-2002) was so active during that period that my then boss Chief Abiodun Aloba alias Ebenezer Williams, Pioneer General Manager of Nigeria Herald dubbed him “the foreign Minister of Africa”. During those years Ikeja airport correspondents like Dapo Aderinola, Seinde Dagunduro, late Kola Adeshina, Toye Akiyode, Tayo Falade, Mike Edemeyo, late Richard Amayo, Femi Ogunleye, Francis Emelefoun, Andre Diojemao, James Bello, Bisi Oloyede, Babson Adeyemi, Kunle Egbeyemi, Jimi Aderiokun, Alhaji Adio Saka and others were in the super cadre among journalists for their daily coverage of world leaders visiting Nigeria.

    In 1976, there was the Olympic in Montreal, Canada; Nigeria led 22 African countries to pull out of the games because of New Zealand’s links with apartheid South Africa. The IOC had earlier banned South Africa from participating in Olympics because of its racial policy. Nigeria also pulled out of the Edmonton commonwealth games in Canada in 1978.

    In 1980 Olympic games held in Moscow, President Shehu Shagari refused to heed the America request to boycott the Olympic games in spite of the America delegation including the famous Muhammed Alli that visited Nigeria and begged Nigeria not to take part whereas Niger, Mauritius, Malawi, Liberia, Ghana, Gambia, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt and Gabon participated.

    In 1986, General Ibrahim Babangida led 36 African and Caribbean leaders to pull out of the Commonwealth games over the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s dealings with apartheid South Africa.

    The last time global focus was on Nigeria was when President Olusegun Obasanjo was elected President of the African Union, chairman of the Commonwealth and chairman Non-aligned nations in 2004. Since then our status has reduced.

    If we have been active, President Barak Obama of the USA would not have flown over our air space to visit Ghana on July 10, 2009.

    Dante (1265-1321) wrote in his book inferno” there is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we are happy”.

    • Teniola, a former Director in The Presidency lives in Lagos

  • Osun cleaner under Aregbesola

    SIR: As a resident of Osun, there is a noticeable difference in the condition of environment under the current government of Governor Rauf Aregbesola compared to what obtained under the Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led administration.

    In the last two and half years that Aregbesola has been in the saddle, much material and human resources have been invested in improving the state of the environment and sanitation. One recalls with relish that immediately after the governor was sworn in, he declared a state-wide 90-day emergency on environmental sanitation and waste management. This was to clear the Augean stable of a filthy and unhealthy environment that he met on the ground.

    Today, all markets across the state are cleaned every Thursday while general sanitation is held twice monthly. Street sweepers and highway managers have now become regular phenomena on our roads. This is complemented by the selfless efforts of the O’YES sanitation czars who are youth volunteers who joyfully render community development service while they are engaged as part of the O’YES scheme. In order to ensure a purposeful implementation of this environmental renewal programme, the government has encouraged the private sector participation (PSP). The PSP operators, working in tandem with the government, manage the many highway managers and the numerous refuse trucks that were purchased by the government. This, expectedly, has provided employment opportunity to many otherwise unemployed citizens of the state.

    The effort of the government to fight filth and dirt and thereby build a clean and healthy environment has, no doubt, yielded a positive return. The environmental sanitation drive as well as the distribution of treated mosquito nets to pregnant women, the young and the aged have helped in reducing the people’s exposure to the common tropical killer disease – malaria.

    Two programmes of the government, however, deserve special commendation – flood control and the beautification and upgrading of roads. Every citizen of Osun will recall the massive devastation that flood wrecked on many parts of the state during the raining season in 2010. However, the Aregbesola administration, in the last two years, has made sustained efforts to turn the situation around. In different parts of the state, extensive work has been on-going towards the dredging and de-silting of major rivers, canals and streams in the state. This timely intervention has brought great relief to the people of the state. It was something akin to a miracle when last year, despite the unprecedented national outlook of the cases of flooding, the State of Osun was spared. Thus, in addition to the prevention of damage to social and physical infrastructure, our people were spared the health hazards that usually come with floods.

    It is, therefore, a thing of joy that the Aregbesola administration recently scaled up the O’Clean Programme to O’Clean Plus. If the achievements of the O’Clean programmes are anything to go by, one can only foretell that O’Clean Plus will signal a better deal for our people.

    • Idowu Ajani,

    Osogbo, Osun State