The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nothing

  • If we do nothing

    The amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorates in 1914 brought joy to the founding fathers of the Nigerian project. To cynics, the amalgamation was a mistake; it should never have happened. Whatever the case, our founding fathers were interested in a free and prosperous nation where all men can dream and pursue their own happiness. Hence, the 1960 independence from Britain reignited hope in the feasibility of that collective aspiration.

    But almost 55 years later, the labour of these men seems to be futile. Developments in the country strongly contrast the noble intentions of these heroes. In fact, if resurrection were possible, many of them certainly would be ashamed or embarrassed to return to Nigeria. But such revulsion is not out of place especially when one considers the darkness that hounds us as a people.

    The contemporary Nigeria is a comic spectacle of sorts. It is like the theatre of the absurd once propagated by Samuel Beckett.  Politician stash away money in foreign accounts. On their return, they amass an avalanche of chieftaincy titles. They dine with religious leaders, smiling cunningly to clicking cameras.  They face press men and wrap us in empty boasts, hollow plans and unending promises. They steal billions of naira and the whole matter dies down at the courts of law. But the poor who steals onion in the market becomes a candidate for detention, torture and dehumanization.

    Nigeria is a gripping drama scene. It’s exactly 325 days since hundreds of schools girls were whisked away by hounded, callous men. It took the government a while to admit that the innocent girls were kidnapped. As if to worsen a bad situation, the government has not only failed to rescue the poor girls, it has also abandoned them to their own devices. Their parents have wept and probably exhausted all the tears in their eyes. Every day, they wake up to the reality of a callous society; a society bereft of love. Somewhere in the inner recesses of their souls, they wish they were not Nigerians. They feel short-changed by a system that was supposed to protect everyone; the weak, the strong and the vulnerable.

    Tales of bloodshed dot our headlines every day. Mass carnage and human plunder are recurring decimals of the Nigerian story. Bombs and bullets are common denominators that contend with the soul of our nation. They strike us in the air, on the road and even while asleep. Our government has failed to protect us against these foul elements. We have seen scores of security men wasted in the face of this gory war. They were not properly armed. Even though security takes a chunk of our annual budgetary allocation, they lacked sufficient armoury to challenge the guerrilla-styled Boko Haram.

    What about massive stealing? A whooping N20 billion was allegedly missing from our coffers and when former CBN chief raised the alarm, we treated it as false. The presidency deemed it expedient to suspend him. So, revealing a crime is itself a crime? But then, that is the Nigerian theatre. What we have failed to realise is that Sanusi’s suspension is a tacit approval of corruption.

    And yet, President Jonathan tells Nigerians that he is an apostle of anti-corruption even after granting a controversial pardon to his master, Dipreye Alamiyesiegha. What a better way to endorse graft, I mused.

    The present Nigeria is certainly not the type envisaged by our founding fathers. They dreamed of a nation where all men and women, irrespective of their ethnic and religious affiliations, would find meaning to the essence of their existence. But today, that dream seems to have frittered away. Ethno-religious crisis has torn the nation apart, resulting in narrow politics and bloodshed. Our democracy currently totters on the fringes of collapse just like the global democratic recession popularised by New York Times’ Thomas L. Friedman. People choose certain candidates not on the basis of their content and merit but their ancestral roots and the type of god they worship.

    We are yet to get it right on education. Even though Nigeria prides itself as the giant of Africa, that title seems like an unmerited award when education is placed on the front burner. Since 2009, the government is yet to honour its own terms with the Academic Staff union of Universities (ASUU). That is a massive blow to any government that wants to maintain the trust of the people. As trust in government wanes globally due to years of broken promises, our government is giving Nigerians more reasons to hold back and never to trust in the credibility of the institution of government.

    In the face of these lingering crises, some persons have advocated for a break-up. They believe the amalgamation narrative was hasty and not well thought out. They believe Nigeria was never a single nation. But the questions remain: who and who will form these new divisions and how many are they going to be? Who becomes what under the new arrangements? How do we manage the power tussle and scramble that would follow such moves? Many of us are clearly not ready for these upheavals especially at this stage of our history.

    The challenges we face as a nation are enormous. And our current reality is an antithesis to the  lofty ideals of these founding fathers. Pushing for break-up is never the solution. It is even suicidal to evade the problems that currently stare us in the face. So we will have to take the appropriate step, the right move to reclaim the beauty of the Nigerian dream. A brighter tomorrow is possible if only we act today.

     

    Benjamin just finished Physics Education, UNIAGRIC

  • PVCs or nothing

    •It is inconceivable that PDP kicks against using the cards even after securing postponement

    This seems like the election that will change all elections in Nigeria. If this election holds eventually, it is poised to serve as a watershed both for Nigeria’s democracy, her electoral processes and even the structure and fundaments of the Nigerian state.

    We make this postulation based on the high-wire tension the 2015 elections have generated and particularly, the seeming desperation of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In the annals of Nigeria’s elections, it is not often that the party in power gets fidgety and shows obvious signs of panic suggesting the imminence of defeat. This is what Nigerians have witnessed in the run-up to this election.

    First, the presidency and PDP had to corral the rest of the country into shifting the long-fixed Election Day dates just one week before. Though they denied it, it was obvious that the party in power noticed a high-wave momentum; it feared defeat and the only option available to it was to force a postponement. It hid under the pretext of a weak security situation and the supposed unpreparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

    Having forced its way to secure a shift in the polls, why does the PDP and presidency seek to distress the process further by introducing more extraneous conditions? Barely a few days after the postponement of the polls was announced, the ruling party started calling for the rejection of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs)! All parties, and the National Assembly had agreed ab initio that the PVCs must be used for the elections.

    The reasons are as simple as they are obvious: the PVC is a digital and advanced method of casting ballot; it has biometric properties thus less susceptible to rigging; it is a permanent device as the name suggests and provides a permanent and easy to manage voters’ database, among other benefits. There was unanimity among all stakeholders that Nigeria must migrate from the old, unreliable, analogue and temporary voters’ card (TVC) to the vastly improved PVC.

    It is therefore troubling that the ruling party would begin to question the use of the PVCs after it had secured an adjournment which gives INEC ample time to distribute the cards – a matter that had been the sore point of INEC’s preparations and a major plank presented for the postponement.

    According to reports in national newspapers quoting a presidency source: “We are not comfortable with the card readers. For example, we have not seen any and we don’t know how it works? We have not even been told they would not fail. And if they fail what would happen? I think the issue of card readers must be re-examined.”

    While we agree with some of the concerns, especially as regards functionality of the card readers and the need to have carried out extensive test-runs, we must point out that all the parties would be affected equally. Secondly, if it is not borne out of bad faith, we do not expect the ruling party to embark on a media campaign in condemnation of INEC. There must be better ways to correct lapses in the activities of the nation’s electoral umpire. A periodic meeting of all stakeholders and INEC could be convened for instance, to thrash issues that arise as preparations get on to high gears.

    The Presidency and the ruling PDP, we must admonish, need to recognise that they owe the country a duty to see to it that an acceptable general elections are held as scheduled. The consequences of mismanaging this election are too grave to be contemplated. Let it be noted that it shall be on record that it was during the era of a certain President Goodluck Jonathan and his ruling party that a general election failed and the country imploded. History will be unkind to them.

  • Labour: nothing to show for 15 years of democracy

    •NLC calls for credible polls in 2015

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said despite the nation’s unbroken democracy in the last 15 years, there are very few dividends of democracy to show for the period.

    The umbrella union body noted that serial acts of impunity, abuse of human rights, harassment of the media, the disruption of peaceful protests, diminishing jobs, among others, had been the hallmark of successive governments at the centre.

    It urged the Federal Government to make democracy more benevolent and beneficial to Nigerians.

    In a communiqué issue after its National Executive Meeting (NEC) in Enugu by its President, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, the NLC said: “The NEC-in-session observed that although the nation has had 15 years of unbroken democracy, there is little to show as dividends of democracy. NEC noted serial acts of impunity, abuse of human rights, harassment of the media, the disruption of peaceful protests, diminishing jobs, etc, and urged the government to make democracy more benevolent and beneficial.

    “The NEC-in-session noted with concern the deteriorating security situation in the country, especially in the Northeast, where insurgents continue to pillage the land, and in the Southsouth, where unabated crude oil theft has all but left the economy prostrate. It, accordingly, urged the government not to relent in its effort at securing the nation.”

    The union said it had resolved to get employers of labour to maintain a group life assurance policy for their employees with a minimum benefit of three times the total emolument, in line with the provisions of the Pension Reform Act 2014, Section 4 (5).

    It decried the government’s delay in implementing the 33.3 per cent increase in pension payment approved by stakeholders and vowed to ensure its implementation.

    The NLC frowned at attempts by some officials of the Ministry of Labour to fragment industrial unions by creating false and illegal dichotomies.

    The umbrella union urged the government not to cause controversy in Labour circle.

    It hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for improving in the conduct of the elections.

    NLC said: “The NEC-in-session commended the INEC for its improved performance in the conduct of elections, but cautioned against the over-militarisation of election zones as it could be counter-productive and, accordingly, urged the government to take note.

    “The NEC-in-session called on the government to ensure that the 2015 general elections are free, fair, credible and acceptable.”

  • I have nothing to prove, says Ince

    I have nothing to prove, says Ince

    Tom Ince insists he does not have a point to prove as he prepares for a first full season in the Premier League with Hull City.

    Liverpool youth product Ince joined Hull as a free agent earlier this month, following the expiration of his contract at Blackpool.

    While the winger enjoyed a taste of the Premier League during a loan spell at Crystal Palace last term, he struggled to nail down a regular place in Tony Pulis’ resurgent team, making just five starts.

    However, Ince does not believe a lack of action at Palace puts any additional pressure on him to succeed with his new club.

    “I’ve not got anything to prove. I’ve been given a great opportunity to play again in the Premier League,” he said.

    “I enjoyed my time at Palace last year, I didn’t play as much as I would have liked, but to have that experience and to come here now, I’ve got a good pre-season under my belt and I don’t feel like I’ve got to prove myself to anyone.”

    Still only 22, Ince has the benefit of significant Championship experience, having initially left Liverpool to join third-tier side Notts County.

    “I’ve worked hard to get where I am,” he added.

    “I haven’t taken the route of playing academy football for that many years, I took a brave decision to go and play in League One, I played over 100 games in the Championship at Blackpool and to be where I am now, I’m privileged and it’s another step on the ladder to me.

    “So no, I don’t feel like I’ve got to prove anything to anyone, I just have to work hard for my team-mates and try to help Hull City.”

  • Jonathan has done nothing special for Ijaw, says Alamieyeseigha

    Former Governor of Bayelsa State Diepreye Alamieyesiegha speaks to reporters on the letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan. MIKE ODIEGWU was there.

    Have the Ijaw people benefited from Jonathan’s Presidency?

    We have given Goodluck Jonathan to Nigeria. He is no more an Ijaw man, he is a Nigerian from all tribes, he is like a father and leader to all the tribes in the country and he must be seen to impact in the lives of all the citizens of the country in terms of distribution of amenities. There is no special preference he has given to any Ijaw man. If you like, walk from Igbogene to Swali waterside, that is the capital of Yenagoa.

    You are residing in Yenagoa how many federal projects have you seen here. Every Wednesday at the Federal Executive Council meeting, we hear billions of naira being earmarked and distributed to other part of the country for projects but none has come to the state. The East-West road that is so important to us is still being poorly funded; where lies Goodluck being clannish or only benefiting his people?

    But these are things we can not go in the open and start discussing. He is our son, he is our brother. So, I expected President Obasanjo, who has unfettered access to Aso Rock at all time, to go to the president and give him advice as an elder and somebody who has been there before instead of making a show out of it by writing a letter.

    How did you feel when you read Obasanjo’s letter?

    I want to start by saying that this is a democratic government. Today it is President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday it was Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the day before yesterday it was Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. The office of the President of the country is an institution, it is not personified in terms of policies and programmes. The aggregation of our thoughts is that when the president was voted into power he had been mandated to execute state policies on behalf of the citizens.

    President Jonathan is not a super human, so if the country is drifting in the eyes of objective and patriotic persons in the country, they can come out and proffer better solutions after identifying the problems. But such criticism must be constructive and not laced with bias, hatred and sentiment. Such alternative views should be passed on with love and genuine intentions. Once it is perceived that such criticism has a hidden motives outside fairness, then it becomes questionable.

    The advice through a letter to President Jonathan no doubt is coming from a respected person who has ruled the country both as a military Head of State and a two-term President of a democratic government. Yes we can concede to him, he has the in-depth knowledge of governance, he has seen it all, and so a letter coming from him should not be taken on the face value.

    In my objective opinion, I will say President Jonathan and his aides should look at it and make a proper analysis of the content. But my grouse with the entire scenario is that the approach to writing the letter to President Jonathan is very mischievous and there is clear bias and sentiments in the circumstance which has caused it to generate some controversy.

    At least as a former governor, I will say that I have encountered Chief Obasanjo. The Obasanjo I know, when he was the president of this country had displayed all the things he is alleging against Jonathan even more than any other leader in the country. There is no issue he has raised in his letter that he did not do when he was at the head of government in this country, that is why am insisting that Chief Obasanjo is mischievous in his intent of writing the letter to Goodluck Jonathan and leaking it to the press.

    Chief Obasanjo’s character is that if it is not him it should not be nobody else, he is ‘Mr Know all’. He will call you for a meeting to come and brainstorm to proffer solutions to a problem, he will tell you about the problem and proffer solution without giving you room to make any contribution to what he invited you to, that is his character.

    What do you make of the aspect of the letter that concerns Jonathan’s reelection in 2015?

    It surprises me that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the one insinuating about the aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan come 2015. To be precise, on 18th of August 2005, then President Obasanjo called me into his inner office and asked me why I was supporting his Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubaker. He offered to give me whatever I would have benefited supporting Atku. He told me that if I didn’t work for him, it was possible he would give it to my deputy.

    He explained to me that he was not the oldest President in Africa that he wanted to continue for an extended tenure in office. He told me not to support a bloody civilian like Atiku Abubakar and that I should work with him to actualise his ambition. Today he is denying everywhere that he never wanted a third term in office.

    I am also very surprised that Chief Obasanjo is talking about drift in governance and development. In 1999 after Chief Obasanjo assumed office, he was only globe-trotting. It was Atiku Abubakar that was running the country, nothing had happened. Obasanjo did not achieve anything as a President during his first tenure all in the name of laundering the image of the country.

    In his second tenure when he realised that Atiku Abubakar had already put in structures all over the country to take over from him, he started fighting him. So, in his second tenure again, he did not achieve anything. He was busy fighting Atiku, Alamieyeseigha and the rest of other persons he suspected were not on his side.

    Today he is talking about Goodluck Jonathan training snipers or whatever he calls it and having a watch list, how many high profile persons have been killed during Goodluck Jonathan’s time compared to the long list of great men who were killed during his time as president of the country?

    Has he forgotten about Bola Ige? What happened to Marshall Harry, Dikibo, Funsho Williams? I can go on and on.

    If I may asked again, what is the rationale behind Chief Obasanjo copying two former military rulers and T J Danjuma in his letter. l am sure his reference to Dr Ekwueme is only an afterthought. Nigerians should underline this and study it. This is a food for thought for the citizens.

    But Obasanjo accused Jonathan of being clannish and presenting himself as an Ijaw President…

    This is an unfortunate statement coming from a respected leader like Obasanjo. Go and take statistic of Ijaw people working in the Presidency. When Chief Obasanjo was in Aso Roock, the spoken language in the Villa was Yoruba and it was done with impunity. Even in the security services, when he came, he appointed Musiliu Smith as Inspector-General; when he dropped Smith, he brought Tafa Balogun and Sunday Ehindero.

    The Director-General of State Service Mr Are was from his place. Apart from the Minister of Petroleum Resources who is from Bayelsa and married to a man from Imo State, what other office or top government position is anybody from here holding?

    Okay, just listen to me, the Vice President is from the North, the Senate President is from North Central, the Speaker of the House Representative is from the North, the Chief Justice of the Federation is from the North, the Inspector-General of Police is from the North, Comptroller-General of Customs is from the North, Comptroller-General of Immigration is from the North,Comptroller-General of Prison is from the North, National Security Adviser is from the North, Chief of Airstaff is from the North, Chief of Defence Staff is from the North, INEC chairman is also from the North. Which office is left or which other office is any Ijaw man occupying that Obasanjo should accused Jonathan of being clannish? With all of these, I want to say that this allegation is not necessary, unbelievable and offensive at this time when the country should be seen as one united entity devoid of ethnic bias.

    But can you really fault the entire content of the letter?

    No man is infallible. There is no man on this earth who knows everything about governance, even if you have tested power severally, one is still bound to make mistakes. Governance is a very complex thing, the office of the President if you are not careful, only those who want to tell you what you want to hear will have access to you.

    I can not say the content of the letter is entirely rubbish as a Nigerian. You should know that President Jonathan must step on some toes for him to achieve success in the reforms he is embarking upon. He has done certain things that only courageous people can do. The pains for the ultimate realisation of the Nigerian dream can only last for a while.

    We must concede that at least Jonathan has achieved some great feats, and for those things that he has done well, he should be encouraged and advised in the right way and with good intention and not staying outside to command him as if the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is your subject you can just sit anywhere to control. Leadership is like a relay race, Goodluck Jonathan should be allowed to run his race.

    Do you think that Obasanjo’s letter will affect Jonathan’s reelection in 2015?

    Obasanjo is not Nigeria. He alone can not tell the citizens what to do. Remember he lost election in his own village. That is how unpopular he is, even up till today or tomorrow, but Nigerians still voted for him.

    His disposition can not significantly affect the electoral fortunes of Jonathan. It is God who gives power, if God so desires that Jonathan continues in office, then his aspiration will come to fruition. Jonathan has done much more than any other president has done. Let us support and encourage him instead of trying to pull him down by whipping up sentiments.

  • Nothing contests my time with my family

    Nothing contests my time with my family

    Ever dashing Prime Time Entertainment and Prime Time Africa Tv Presenter, Dayo Adeneye is a delight to talk to any day. Soft spoken he maybe, Dayo Adeneye, keeps a private lifestyle despite his conspicuous TV screen appearances. After a successful Grammy coverage in USA, he returned to Nigeria to mourn Goldie, a friend and artiste with whom he had worked so closely. He had to celebrate his birthday, on a day that coincided with Tuface’s wedding in far away Dubai. For him and his business partner, Kenny Ogungbe, their absence was a controversy not needed! Family-loving Dayo Adeneye tells why family comes first and more. He spoke to PAUL UKPABIO.

    It’s wonderful to see you at home, so involved with your family, we posed to Dayo Adeneye a.k.a D-One. He shot back: “My family comes first. I don’t put any job ahead of my family. You can ask my wife over there (points at her). I don’t leave this house until 10 am and by 4-5pm, I am back. I don’t care if you call me, ‘come and pick N20 million,’ I will tell you wait till tomorrow. My children know that too.
    “Sometimes, I come back home before they get back from school. Look, my philosophy is that ‘you don’t have to struggle.’ I deserve to have an amazing life. Won ni toba fe lowo laye, mase sole (If you want to be rich in life, don’t be lazy) but then again, the Yoruba also say, Kirakita ko dola (Struggles don’t guarantee wealth). I believe my God knows what I need and He awould take care of my needs.
    “I don’t need to work 18 hours a day. You don’t have to work 18 hours, 24 hours a day when you find your calling. When you are within the purview of your calling, it would be easy. God would make a way. He is an omnipotent God, He is God of abundance, He would give me everything I need. So, I make out time for my children. They are here, you can see them right here with me; at 5pm I am at home. Weekends, I am at home with them, Saturdays, Sundays, I am home with them. So, I don’t joke with my children even though I travel quite a bit. I travel a lot but we are on Skype everyday. I talk to them everyday. I talk to them every morning and they understand that this is what I do. This is what Daddy does”.
    And just as he spends much time at home with the family, D-One, as he is fondly called, cherishes his marital relationship. He is also quick to tell you, that his wife has been a blessing to him. Caroline Adeneye (Nee Negbenebor) a Bini princess, is his charming wife.
    “Ha, that’s my Oga on top! I hope you noticed I didn’t say ‘my oga at the top’, I said ‘my oga on top! ‘That’s because when I wake up in the morning, she tells me, ‘wear this trouser, wear this shirt, wear this shoe. This looks better, this looks trendy, eat this, eat that, it will make your day better’. And I thank God for her. I am grateful to God that I met this woman. I thank God that I married her; there have been nothing but blessings in my life. Blessings upon blessings since I married this woman. I mean, my life has been tremendously blessed. She is a plus to my life.
    “After Baba God, it is her. I mean she has done wonders in my life. I can leave this house for six months and when I come back, I know my house will remain intact because I know she will take care of everything and she will not bother me with phone calls saying ‘Omo need eleyi (I need this), diesel ti tan (diesel is finished) or “I need school fees etc,’ she would take care of everything. And that makes me proud to call her my partner”.
    Dayo Adeneye who has won style awards in time past believes that being a snappy dresser earned him the recent Best Dressed Television Personality Award.
    “I have always been like that, my pictures from secondary school can testify. I like the good things a lot; I like good shoes, I like good clothes, I like good cars. I have always had taste for good things of life”.
    D-One on set may instantly appeal to viewers at home as a brash, loud extrovert. What with the top range entertainers that get featured on Prime Time different entertainment programmes. However, meeting the same person at home is quite a different ball game.
    “Well, most people are surprised that I am a very shy person despite the fact that I am in entertainment; I am on radio and TV. I think that is also good for me because I am a very reserved person. I am a very private individual and I like to keep to myself a lot. But my wife is very outgoing and she loves people, she mingles with people. When I celebrated my 50th birthday recently, as at the day before the party, I had nothing of such in my mind. But people kept calling and saying ‘we are coming over to your house, we are coming to celebrate with you.’ So, we had no choice than to light stoves, like Nigerians will say. To light stove and buy drinks. But I am grateful to God. I think I have friends and people like to come and celebrate with me. I am grateful that I have the love of friends and family.
    However, we have to celebrate everyday. Everyday is a Friday, everyday is your birthday, everyday is Christmas. Don’t wait till Easter, don’t wait till Christmas to celebrate. Every single day is your birthday. When you wake up in the morning, thank God, give God all the praises and celebrate like it could be your last”.
    The favourite TV Presenter has also in recent times featured in Nollywood movies. Asked if he was about to dump his radio and television jobs, D-One replied: “You know what they say ‘when you find your calling, you never have to work a day in your life.’ I actually started with acting in the days of ‘Palace.’ So, acting is a part of me, it is part of entertainment. It is something I enjoy, whether it is Radio, TV, Sports, I do the things that fulfil me in life. I don’t do anything for money. It is part of my philosophy in life, whatever I do, I believe, just be the best at it. And I go to schools, I go to secondary schools, I go to universities and I give speeches and I give lectures.
    Whatever you do in life, be the best at it. And whatever it is that I have to do, it must be something that I enjoy. I have been a teacher, I was a teacher for seven years. I left a tremendously good paying job to be a teacher because I just felt I have some knowledge to impact. And I dare say I was one of the best teachers in the State of California because my students won just about every award that was there to be won in the State of California. Right now I feel I am one of the best in what I do on Radio and TV. When I feel I am no longer happy doing it, I will move on to something else. But for now, it is what I do and I enjoy it. I have interests in other things; I do real estate. I do other things but for now, entertainment gives me the best motivation. Being able to help young people actualise their dreams whether it is singing, becoming an actor or actress, gives me joy, that gives me fulfilment. But the moment I get bored with it and I feel I have to move on to something else, weather it is politics, will move on to it. I do the things that make me happy, I don’t do anything for money”.
    At the end of the day, when all that concerns his life has been fulfilled, what would Dayo Adeneye love to be remembered for? “That rings in my head every morning when I wake up; what would I be remembered for? I don’t want to be remembered for how much I left in my bank account. I don’t want to be remembered for how many houses I have. I don’t want to be remembered for how many cars I drove or the brand of cars I drove. Nobody remembers you for those mundane things. If they ask you which kind of car did Late Pa Awolowo drive in those days, would you remember? But everybody will tell you Awolowo gave free education in the Western Region; everybody will tell you Nnamdi Azikiwe was the first president of Nigeria, they will tell you what Tafawa Balewa stood for. That is how I want to be remembered. I dare say that if they write the history of entertainment in Nigeria, you will at least leave one paragraph for Kenny and D-One and that gives me
    fulfilment. To feel that I have contributed my own small quota to the development of this country and that makes me happy.
    “I want to live long. I want to see my children marry and have a feel of the character of my grand children. We have contributed our own small quota but there is a lot more we can do given an enabling environment, there is a lot more we can do. But you know how the country is, you can talk and talk. Without money you can’t get anything done but even with the limited resources, you can see what the entertainment industry is today. The Idris Abdulkareem of this world, the Banky Ws, the Tiwa Savages of this world, all of them had to return to Nigeria. Even D-Banj would tell you he had to return home. So, we thank God that we contributed our small quota to that industry. Once government understands that and creates an enabling environment, we can do more”.
    The show biz personae used the opportunity to clear the air on why he was conspicuously absent at Late Goldie Harvey’s funeral and of course the much trumpeted absence at Tu face Idibia’s wedding in Dubai.
    “Well, the plans were already in place actually. I had appointments before we left Nigeria. I had scheduled meetings with some clients based in Atlanta, Anguilla and in Canada. And you know white people, even on your worst day, the show must go on. Even if your mother dies and they gave you that day, you have to be at the meeting. If you don’t make the meeting, it could be in the next six months before you get another schedule. So, I actually left herself and Kenny behind in Los Angeles to go for those meetings when I heard she had passed on. And I practise a philosophy, I don’t cry over things that are obvious. As close as we were, I didn’t cry. Yes, I didn’t sleep for five nights but I didn’t cry. Because I was happy that Goldie fulfilled her life, she did what she wanted to do in the very short time that she lived. At the age of 13, she had started dressing like Madonna and she said to her father, ‘Daddy, I am going to be a star’.
    “On Tuface however, I must congratulate him and his better half Annie. but their wedding day was also my birthday in Lagos! I couldn’t go because a lot of people started calling me, my uncles, my friends that they would be coming over to my house. Of course, I had the invitation from Tuface, he told me personally that he wanted me to come. I wish them nothing but the best in life. But I just couldn’t travel”.

  • ‘I started business from nothing’

    Mrs Aanuoluwa Akerele, Chief Management and StrategicOfficer, Weorthscripe Event & Leisure Company, is among the new breed of successful young entrepreneurs who are making it in the travel and tourism industry.

    She noticed the lack of quality services for people in the market, so she started a business of her own to provide those services. She knew in practice what kind of assistance would be needed.

    Now her own company works with several organisations, helping them to, among others, find jobs, start businesses, access leisure facilities. Since its inception, the company has soared to the top of the industry. Like every entrepreneur, she has been tough, and says that for her success means “finding alternative ways of overcoming the crisis”.

    “It all started in 2010 when I asked God for the line of business in which I would be productive and effective,” she said.

    How much did she start with?

    “I started the business without money. I found clients who wanted cruise and sold the idea to them.”

    How much is the business worth now? She said the e-business has grown to a million-naira enterprise.

    On what one needs to start? Mrs Akerele said one needs a computer, internet connectivity and a basic ticketing and reservation knowledge. She said starting the business is easy and quick compared to others.

    “It is quick and easy so long as you have the basic requirement and ready to work.

    On what it takes to run a successful cruise business, she said: “You need to be prayerful, committed, passionate, focus, patient to keep at it and getting required knowledge. Cruises and excursions have soared to the top of the industry.”

    She said this is because cruises are among the cheapest ways to have a holiday on a ship. Her targets are high demand vacation destinations.

    At present, Mrs Akerele said Europe seems to be the highest sort-out holiday destinations. “But in my company, we are working at promoting Africa. With as much as N200,000, we can do you a seven-day budget holiday to two countries in East Africa. For example, Kenya/Kigali hotel and tours inclusive.

    She said individuals hoping to become leisure centre managers should always ensure that they are offering the highest level of professionalism to their customers.

    “It is also important to maintain high levels of integrity throughout the day. Right now, the market is robust for travel agents who want to make more profit and gain highly satisfied customers,” she said.

    She is striving to bring in people who haven’t cruised before. She provides a suite of branded travel and leisure products and services to its business partners. These include cruise, resort, air, car, hotel, tour/experiential vacations, golf, ski, spa, wine, shopping/merchandise, entertainment, and more.

    She is leveraging on the increasing interest in cruising across the globe, especially to exotic destinations.Ports around the world are expanding or upgrading their infrastructure to serve the cruise market, and open the door to new and innovative areas.

    She is driving young people to become self-employed.

    She has the following pieces of advice for them: They should imbibe the three Hs: hustle, honesty and humour. It is vital to hustle to get the job done, but it is also important to remain honest since this helps to build trust and mutual respect between managers and customers. Humour is important since it will help to motivate staff and provide a welcome atmosphere to customers, she added.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Nothing is impossible

    Nothing is impossible

    The last decade has marked Africa’s highest level of growth in history. Businesses have experienced increasing returns on their investments, proving that investing in Africa today can yield high returns compared to most regions around the world. Although foreign investment is still low, a collective decision by Africans to take advantage of this opportunity can stimulate the push required to bring the region into the forefront of the global economy. We have the knowledge, skills, know-how and capital to build a new future for Africa and by investing in our people, we can make large strides towards eradicating poverty and closing the development gap.

    Creating a business climate that will attract investment also requires the creation of an environment where human capital can flourish. Businesses need people who are empowered, well-educated and can think critically in an environment that is stable, peaceful and values diversity. The continent needs healthy, curious children and youth who have the stimulation, education and training needed, starting at an early age, to become change agents and entrepreneurs capable of driving economic and social growth. For these reasons, I am a founding member of the Global Business Coalition for Education, which is focused on enabling businesses to support efforts to achieve education for all.

    I first became interested in a career in business when I was still in primary school. I remember buying cartons of sugar and selling them to make a small profit. Even at that age, people told me I had a flair for business – but without the literacy, math and interpersonal skills I learned in school, I would not have been able to tap into this talent. It is therefore sad to see so many young children in my country, Nigeria,who are not able to gain these basic skills at an early age.

    The current statistics paint a gloomy picture. According to UNESCO 2012 figures, over 10 million school-aged children are not attending primary school in Nigeria – and this number has increased over the past three years. The number of out-of-school children in Nigeria is approaching 20 percent of the world’s total and makes up over one-third of the 30 million children in sub-Saharan Africa who receive no education whatsoever. In Africa as a whole, another 21.6 million children are out of lower-secondary school.

    While getting every child into school is vitally important, the quality of education they receive must also be addressed. In Nigeria, for example, we see children pass through school without learning the basic skills expected from primary level education. I recently read a study conducted by USAID in two states in Northern Nigeria last year indicating that nearly 70 percent of primary three students could not read a single word of simple text. This is yet another reminder that the potential of our country and region is in jeopardy if we fail to have every child in school and learning.

    My company, Dangote Group, continues to address issues on education through our corporate social responsibility efforts and the Dangote Foundation. Dangote Academy, for example, has two programmes for vocational and management training. The vocational program provides a one-year scholarship for technical and vocational skills training for students from polytechnics around Nigeria. This year, we absorbed 87 percent of the students into our existing operations. But we know more needs to be done – singular efforts cannot change the trajectory of a nation, let alone a continent. Our governments need to make education and learning a priority. Educational budgets must exceed their current numbers. Civil society must continue to hold government accountable and as the private sector continues to drive growth, businesses need to support these efforts strongly. With the Global Business Coalition for Education, I am committed to bringing more national and global businesses together to support efforts to expand educational opportunities across Nigeria.

    Without a global push to achieve universal education by 2015, supported by the Secretary-General and his newly-appointed Special Envoy, Gordon Brown, we will remain a continent that will fail to unlock our potential and instead continue to be bound to conflict, poverty and limited development. Repeating the growth of the previous decade will be impossible without ambitious investments in the people of Africa. Quality education is the right of every child and the obligation of every country. Businesses cannot be bystanders – we must do our part to be active, collaborative, and supportive participants.

    On my desk I have a mounted quote that says, “Nothing is impossible.” That is how I feel about the future of the African continent. Nothing is impossible if we make sure every child – and adult – has the opportunity to unleash their potential through an inclusive, high-quality education that prepares each individual to succeed and propel Africa into the league of global economic champions.

    • Aliko Dangote is the President/Chief Executive of the Dangote Group. This article was first published byFinancial Times of London in its global perspective special report tagged:This is Africa

     

  • ‘Nothing wrong in borrowing’

    ‘Nothing wrong in borrowing’

    At the last count, eight states Lagos, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Yobe, Kwara, Bayelsa and Delta, had borrowed from the capital market to fund some infrastructural projects, raising fears about the sustainability of their debts. But the Director-General, Debt Management Office (DMO), Dr Abraham Nwankwo, says there is nothing wrong in states or the Federal Government borrowing, as long as it is within acceptable limits.He spoke to with Group Business Editor AYODELE AMINU on a wide range of issues on the sidelines of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meeting in Tokyo, Japan. Excerpts:

     

    Some states have gone to the capital market to borrow. Given that most of them have low internally generated revenue (IGR) and rely on federal allocation and oil, can they sustain these debts if something happens?

    The issue of borrowing is global. Borrowing is for regions, countries both developed and undeveloped. It is for states, provinces and households. So, first of all, let me make it clear that it is specifically wrong, politically and methodically to single out states and start talking about states borrowing or not borrowing. We have to say that whether as an individual, family, school, organisation, company or country, you have to borrow responsibly. So, let me make it clear that there is nothing that makes borrowing by a state sinful in itself. Every economic agent should borrow responsibly. In the case of Nigeria, of course states borrow within acceptable limits .There are rules and guidelines and states follow those rules and guidelines. First of all, no state in Nigeria can borrow from the capital market without following the process of borrowing from the capital market.There are guidelines that apply to every government entity that wants to borrow from the capital market and those rules have been there and are still there and they are being enforced by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) through the investment and security Act as amended. There are terms and condition for any entity whether private or public that wants to borrow from the capital market. So, it is for SEC to ensure they monitor states or make sure that whoever wants to borrow comply with the various specifications in the investment and security act 2007. Hence, the procedures, which private companies that wants to borrow from the capital market undergo is the same with that of the states in the hands of SEC.

    Secondly, in the case of states because they are government’s entities and sub-nationals, they have additional regulations and monitoring guiding them as contained in the fiscal responsibility law in the debt management office Act. And based on the authority given to the DMO and the authority given to the minister of finance in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, states are also enforced to comply with additional requirements beyond what is already provided in the Investment and Security Act. So, linking states’ability to service their debts with their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), of course, is the prudent thing to do and that is what is being done. That is why the guidelines allows no state to borrow in such a manner that its total debt service on a monthly basis is more than 40 per cent of its monthly allocation from Federal Allocation. What is taken into account is the fact that the money is essentially oil revenue. So, as a state, it is expected that your total debt service should not be more than 40 per cent of Federal Allocation money. This means that the idea of sustainability of oil revenue has already been factored in. Everybody must realise that it has been taken into account that oil revenue is volatile and unstable. What this means is that for states that already have internal generated revenue now have a buffer. The rule has been made such that every state must depend not 100 per cent on oil revenue. This is to account for the volatility and vulnerability of oil revenue. So, if you have internally generated revenue, it is being neglected and considered as a back up. The second way to look at it is that every year, DMO conducts a debt sustainability analysis and takes into account that oil revenue may drop to as low as $30 per barrel. It is on this basis that the DMO has an idea of the total debt owed by the country and looks at it and consider what could happen if oil revenue were to drop to as low as $30 per barrel.

    This means the way we manage our debt or control it is such that the vulnerability or volatility of oil revenue is essentially taken care of. The second thing is beyond the figures – that is the value added. This is what I believe every country and states should be focusing on. What value do you generate in terms of productivity, growth and employment with the use of financial resources whether borrowed or not?

    From the guidelines, I can say Nigeria’s method meets the best standard in the world. But in addition, over the past few years, effort is being made so that emphasis is not placed only on the statistics. Emphasis should be on using resources effectively and efficiently so that you can use it to generate maximum growth, employment and eradicate poverty.

    When you look at the discussion going on at the IMF/World Bank meeting, you can discover that all over the world, countries are battling with issues of debt sustainability and the like. But you can say that Nigeria is relatively lucky because even before the global financial crisis started Nigeria has been on path of reform since 2004. We continued on that path of reform up till the time that the global crisis set in and that is why despite the global crisis, the country has not been badly impacted like other parts of the world. Because if Nigeria had not been on the path of reform in 2004, when the crisis set in 2008 up till about 2001, it means that with the turbulence in the oil market it is possible for us to now be experiencing the serious impact too. But go and look at the statistics, we will see that even despite the turbulence our growth still averaged about seven per cent. There are few countries in the world that did better than Nigeria in terms of growth and stability during this turbulent period. The country has been minimally volatile and vulnerable. It continues to maintain stability and growth.

    The lesson to take is that Nigeria is not isolated from the global turmoil but because it has continued to maintain a path of reform its economy is stable. What it means is that we should take advantage of the situation and continue with the ongoing structural reforms by intensify the processes.

    Despite the period of growth and rising price of crude oil that the country is touted to be enjoying, why then are we still borrowing?

    Can you tell me any country in the world that do not borrow? It is like saying that because Mitsubishi is producing and making sales it should not borrow. The economic fact is that for any country or business that is doing well it should be able do what can ensure its expansion and that includes borrowing. It would borrow to build more factories to give it a competitive edge and make it dominate the global market. That is the rule. In the history of the economy of the world, borrowing, I must say, has played a significant part. Developed countries, such as United States, Germany, Japan and China are not left out in the exercise as every economy is looking forward to expanding its business and that means it must seek for fund through borrowing. So, we must not look at borrowing as an absolute thing but relative to something.

    So, is that why Nigeria is embarking on another borrowing come next year?

    Nigeria is not borrowing next year.Borrowing is done on a medium term based on the development project to be executed. That is why there is a budget to help decide how the available resources can be used to execute these projects. We should be praising the government for coming up with this medium term expenditure framework

    How sustainable is the cost of servicing these debts?

    When you talk of debt sustainability it has to do with solvency and liquidity. In fact, that explains why we do debt sustainability analysis every year. It is the duty of the public including the media to get a copy of the report and see whether the solvency and liquidity ratios are okay or not. After looking at, it we must ask ourselves this question; what is the relation between our total debt – both domestic and external with our revenue generation? These two things would lead to liquidity ratio and answer these questions. Every year, we do debt sustainability analysis, which includes solvency and liquidity ratios.

    So, if we are not going to service our debt, then it means we won’t borrow. Nigeria borrows at fixed rate and that makes it easy to service our debt. Once we go to the bond market, we borrow at fixed rate. So, upfront you know how much you are going to pay because it is fixed. You don’t borrow free. Even for external loan, where borrowing is done on concessional terms, you still have to pay service charge and commitment fee, which is very low. But it is these combinations that make it possible to know if you can service your debt. But the issue is, do we have the framework for managing our debt?

    But it appears the private sector is being crowded out?

    What do you mean by crowding out of the private sector? Crowding out means you have a market where private sector is borrowing and the government too is borrowing. Before now, in Nigeria, there was no bond market, it is the government that tried to develop the market. So, there is no justification for accusing the government of crowding out the private sector when in actual fact the bond market was not in existence until the government started it. There was no way a three- or 10-year loan could be got before now until the government created the bond market, which has made it possible to get a 20-year money from the market. It is wrong and mischievous to say that the government crowded out the private sector when in actual fact there was no bond market until the government developed it.The government is retreating by reducing its borrowing from the market since the past three years if one looks at the statistics.

    But it seems that the objective for which the borrowing is done hasn’t been realised going by the fact that the projects are not feasible on the ground?

    We don’t have to make conclusions if we have not done our investigations on this. If your revenue is less than your expenditure, then you have to borrow.That is why there is a budget. But before the budget gets approved, stakeholders including the media and civil society organisations are called together to look at it. After then, it goes to the National Assembly which considers the Appropriation bill before making it an Act. They would have looked into the budget to see the expenditure and the revenue before taking action on whether to approve or not. At the end of the day, why would anybody say there are no feasible projects if the budget contains the expenditure both capital and recurrent? And the same budget tells you the difference between the two to decide how much to borrow. You can’t come back and say, you don’t know where the bond money goes to.

    But there is always a contention between the National Assembly and Executive on the execution of projects for capital expenditures. So, why do we have 50 per cent implementation of the budget?

    I know you are aware that in certain years the money meant for capital expenditures were returned. Every year, we know that every penny allocated for capital expenditures, which was not spent is returned to the treasury. If you are not able to spend, you should be able to account for what you did not spend. Secondly, on the issue of capital budget implementation, Nigeria needs to improve on it and that is why measures are being put in place to make this possible. Last year, for instance, I am aware that all Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were tasked to start execution of projects in advance to make a significant implementation of the budget feasible. They were told not to wait until the funds were available. This is to encourage them to make preparations so that when the fund is made available, they can commence the implementation straight off. There are corrective measures that have been put in place to ensure that there is higher implementation of the budget.

    Secondly, we must realise that the budgetary process is not completed until some months into the year, sometimes up till April. So, when you are talking of budget implementation in Nigeria, it is done for nine months and not 12 months as expected. That is why this year, the1 government is committed to working with the National Assembly to ensure the process is completed on time so that the implementation can start in January of the New Year.

    If the budget is not fully implemented after borrowing by the government, don’t you think this could have consequence?

    I think there is no linkage. Of course, when you borrow there is a cost on doing so. Each year, you also look at the revenue generated and expenditure to be made even without borrowing at all. If what is expended is not up to what is set aside for projects, would it not be returned to be used the next year? I must say that borrowing is the way of helping you to boost your cash flow.

    Shouldn’t we have a penalty for non-implementation of budget, especially by the MDAs?

    I would not answer you either yes or no because it is not as simple as you think. But you can come up with that proposal so that Nigerians can look at it and decide whether it is good for them or not.

     

  • Nothing is impossible

    The last decade has marked Africa’s highest level of growth in history. Businesses have experienced increasing returns on their investments, proving that investing in Africa today can yield high returns compared to most regions around the world. Although foreign investment is still low, a collective decision by Africans to take advantage of this opportunity can stimulate the push required to bring the region into the forefront of the global economy. We have the knowledge, skills, know-how and capital to build a new future for Africa and by investing in our people, we can make large strides towards eradicating poverty and closing the development gap.

    Creating a business climate that will attract investment also requires the creation of an environment where human capital can flourish. Businesses need people who are empowered, well-educated and can think critically in an environment that is stable, peaceful and values diversity. The continent needs healthy, curious children and youth who have the stimulation, education and training needed, starting at an early age, to become change agents and entrepreneurs capable of driving economic and social growth. For these reasons, I am a founding member of the Global Business Coalition for Education, which is focused on enabling businesses to support efforts to achieve education for all.

    I first became interested in a career in business when I was still in primary school. I remember buying cartons of sugar and selling them to make a small profit. Even at that age, people told me I had a flair for business – but without the literacy, math and interpersonal skills I learned in school, I would not have been able to tap into this talent. It is therefore sad to see so many young children in my country, Nigeria,who are not able to gain these basic skills at an early age.

    The current statistics paint a gloomy picture. According to UNESCO 2012 figures, over 10 million school-aged children are not attending primary school in Nigeria – and this number has increased over the past three years. The number of out-of-school children in Nigeria is approaching 20 percent of the world’s total and makes up over one-third of the 30 million children in sub-Saharan Africa who receive no education whatsoever. In Africa as a whole, another 21.6 million children are out of lower-secondary school.

    While getting every child into school is vitally important, the quality of education they receive must also be addressed. In Nigeria, for example, we see children pass through school without learning the basic skills expected from primary level education. I recently read a study conducted by USAID in two states in Northern Nigeria last year indicating that nearly 70 percent of primary three students could not read a single word of simple text. This is yet another reminder that the potential of our country and region is in jeopardy if we fail to have every child in school and learning.

    My company, Dangote Group, continues to address issues on education through our corporate social responsibility efforts and the Dangote Foundation. Dangote Academy, for example, has two programmes for vocational and management training. The vocational program provides a one-year scholarship for technical and vocational skills training for students from polytechnics around Nigeria. This year, we absorbed 87 percent of the students into our existing operations. But we know more needs to be done – singular efforts cannot change the trajectory of a nation, let alone a continent. Our governments need to make education and learning a priority. Educational budgets must exceed their current numbers. Civil society must continue to hold government accountable and as the private sector continues to drive growth, businesses need to support these efforts strongly. With the Global Business Coalition for Education, I am committed to bringing more national and global businesses together to support efforts to expand educational opportunities across Nigeria.

    Without a global push to achieve universal education by 2015, supported by the Secretary-General and his newly-appointed Special Envoy, Gordon Brown, we will remain a continent that will fail to unlock our potential and instead continue to be bound to conflict, poverty and limited development. Repeating the growth of the previous decade will be impossible without ambitious investments in the people of Africa. Quality education is the right of every child and the obligation of every country. Businesses cannot be bystanders – we must do our part to be active, collaborative, and supportive participants.

    On my desk I have a mounted quote that says, “Nothing is impossible.” That is how I feel about the future of the African continent. Nothing is impossible if we make sure every child – and adult – has the opportunity to unleash their potential through an inclusive, high-quality education that prepares each individual to succeed and propel Africa into the league of global economic champions.

    • Dangote is the President/Chief Executive of the Dangote Group