The Nation Newspaper

Tag: politics

  • Politics of Omehia’s portrait and entitlements

    Last week the news was everywhere that Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike had restored  all the  entitlements  and benefits  of  Sir Celestine  Omehia  as a former  governor of  the  state. Indeed I was very happy that my uncle can now enjoy his entitlements like other past governors who have served the state.

    While I was still excited about the news, the governor took Omehia to the Government House, where he raised his portrait and hanged it among other past governors. That means visitors to the Rivers State Government House can now see the portrait and identify Omehia as the past governor of Rivers State. Of course, Wike will be described by Omehia and his loyalists as a man who is kind to their master. But most of us who saw what happened during Omehia’s electioneering campaign in 2007 and what happened when the Supreme Court gave Amaechi the mandate to become the governor will know that Wike is playing politics with my uncles (Omehia and Amaechi).

    I am putting this on record for the sake of my uncles and to avoid unnecessary hatred among their loyalists which the politics of portrait and entitlement is about to cause.  Like me, Amaechi and Omehia are  from Umuordu village in Ubima community of Ikwerre Local Government Area and  as far as I am concerned, Omehia does not need the entitlements to survive but Wike only enjoys the benefit of using my uncles for his political advancement.

    In 2007, former President Olusegun Obasanjo put a spanner in the works of Amaechi’s governorship plan with his novel K-leg declaration thereby temporarily denying him the opportunity of contesting the election of that year as a governorship candidate on the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP). To consider Ikwerre people for the vacant job, Omehia was considered for the job and most of us from Ikwerre ethnic nationality,  particularly Ubima community threw up ethnic sentiment and   supported Omehia as our brother. But Wike, who was described by Amaechi then as fearless, bold, and reliable political ally, kicked against Omehia’s candidacy.

    Just like Okrika is in the eyes of APC in Rivers, Obio/Akpor was hell for Omehia. Wike did not give Omehia a breathing space to campaign in his area. Because of Wike’s ‘hatred’ for Omehia, he vowed  to ensure Omehia would not become the governor of Rivers State. He promised Omehia that his supporters were going to vote for the PDP and get victory in the court for Amaechi .

    Omehia  sent some elders to Wike to persuade him to cross over to his camp but he refused. Eventually, Omehia served Rivers State from May 29, 2007 to October 26, 2007.

    Because of Wike’s contributions to the struggle that led to Amaechi’s victory at the Supreme Court, he became the first to be appointed into a political position in Amaechi’s  government as the Chief of Staff in 2007.

    One thing Omehia should not forget in a hurry is that most of the decisions against his administration, especially the alleged recovery of missing government properties and the order that all the past commissioners who served under him should return their official vehicles were all masterminded by Wike. It was Amaechi who pleaded with Wike not to enforce the witch-hunt. Apart from chasing those who served under Omehia, Wike also ensured that none of Omehia’s supporters got contract or appointment. We need to know that when Wike was working with Ameachi he had more power than the governor because the governor trusted him so much more than any of his cabinet members.

    In the 2011 election, Omehia went back to political field to try his luck. At that time he came under the platform of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), his worst enemy was Amaechi’s campaign director, Wike.

    In Obio/Akpor Local Government where I covered the 2011 election, Wike personally ensured that Omehia did not have reasonable votes in all the wards . APGA party agents and Omehia’s supporters were brutalised by hired thugs. Some of the APGA party agents who escaped can attest to what they saw in 2011  under the supervision of Wike.

    So, who is deceiving who over the politics of entitlements and portrait? Uncle Omehia, you are a man of high sense of decency, the few times I have interacted with you showed that you are a decent man. Who knows what Wike has in mind for doing what he is doing? Just be careful; if Amaechi who trusted him so much could fall out with him, then you an old enemy must be careful.

  • Our Girls;  Beyond politics- EducareTrust @ 21 begs YOU to start a ‘Youth Inspiration Centre’ in your ward

    Our Girls are still missing since April 15th 2014 and Boko Haram is more vicious.

    EducareTrust@21, is a miracle, often broke, interspersed with life-saving donations. When a child visits EducareTrust (ET), she puts down her head-tray of groundnuts, enters ET, uses a computer, book and keyboard, meets others and after we have bought her groundnuts and leaves with a smile. Donor agencies ask ‘How do you measure ET success?’ and hate my answer ‘The Smile’.

    Be warned. The NGO road is ‘t-rough’, tough and rough, especially for a youth NGO which cannot charge fees. Not all NGOs have access to CSR corporate Nigeria which centralises CSR activities in HQ, neglecting young customers at local level. Nigeria is full of unsung heroes. Educare Trust survives because of the good in people like you. We have had support from the Zard Group and thousands including donor agencies. Their positive effect is immortalised in the smiles of the youth and on our Honour Boards and photographs in ‘Educare Trust Heroes Gallery’. Appreciation to Alhaji Wahab Musa, Mr. Simeon Ekanem for the early days and staff members: Manager Solomon Iguanre, Taiwo Ogundimu, Faith Christopher, Martha Olumekor and many others up to Chinedu Osadebe, Comfort Olorunmota, Mrs. Akpeji and Raphael Afeyodion today.

    Some provide professional services free like Mr Tony Aneni and Baker Tilly Nigeria, Funso Ogunleye Esq, Funsho Adegbola, Arc Okorafor, Arc Onadeko. Many professionals and pensioners give guidance like Dr. Tunde Oni and late Aunty Beatrice Ajayi. Some give expertise or a skeleton, Insectaria, computers, Newsletter publishing and Aquarium building like Prof Oyediran, Prof Fawole, Mr Adepeju, Prof Aken’Ova, Mr Dax Kumapaye, Dr Kayode Sogo. Some give funds, newspapers or antivirus CDs like Dr Pat Alabi and Dr Toks Abiose. Some a book from bookshops at home or abroad or wall posters like Dr Kehinde Ayeni, Mr. Mosuro, Prof & Mrs Ekpere and  Chief Berkhout. Some represented us like Mrs Funsho Adegbola, Mr Moshood-current administrator, Mr Kunle Marinho, Ms Sade Young, Mrs Yemisi Marinho, Ms Bisi and Nike Osuntokun. Some give regular funds like Chief Lekan Are, Chief Oshobi, Dr Agbaje, Folake Ojo, Mrs Tolani Akinkoye. Some sent funds or material in memory of loved ones, like for late Engr. Sina Ojo and Prof M O Odejide. Some give life-changing contributions like Dr Raymond Zard, Mr Wazdi Zard, Mr Ogie Alakija, Dr John Abebe, Mr Okunola, Alhaji L Fagbemi SAN, Prof Mrs Olurin, Chief Kola Daisi and Chief Adebayo Akande. Some have given us space to guarantee our existence like Engr. Niran Fafowora, Toyin Marinho, Fr. Richard Omolade and Yanju Adegbite and so many others. Thank you.

    At a dinner meeting with the PZ Board under PZ Chairman Professor Edozien, I spoke of Nigerians requiring and providing a Youth Centre in every ward, as permanent community ‘value added’ and better than multi-billion HQ ‘T-shirt’ transient CSR. One year later Educare Trust received a ‘change’ miracle- a Youth Centre by PZ-Cussons Foundation with Mrs Yomi Ifaturoti as Secretary. A delegation kindly led by Chief SPA Ajibade and ET Past Chairman Mr Ogie Alakija in 2010, led to a visit by Chairman Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo and myself to Governor Adebayo Alao Akala who ‘donated’ land by Oyo State Government as PPP.

    After visits to four sites, a plot on Concorde Lane, Old Ibadan Airport, Samonda GRA Ibadan was allocated ‘free’ with Educare Trust paying N3.5m in normal levies. PZ-Cussons Foundation built the Youth Centre ground floor as CSR. It is a template for copying. It took a difficult nine months, and 400+ visits to the secretariat by Daniel Henshaw and visits by Educare Trust members Arc. Okorafor and Arc Onadeko, who supervised the project, Dr Akin Sodipo, Funso Adegbola, Yanju Adegbite. Thanks to all and Ministry officials.

    In contrast many fellow landlords were hostile to having a Youth Centre. ET suffered a smear campaign.

    It has been a bitter-sweet five years – the backbiting and the building. Anyway the Educare Trust/PZ Youth Inspiration Centre was commissioned on May 10, 2012 by the Chairman of PZ-Cussons Foundation, Professor Edozien with Mrs Ifaturoti and others including BOT Chairman, Justice Babalakin, Prof Akinkugbe, Prof Oyediran, Prof Mrs Olurin, Chief Kola Daisi.

    ET members then built the first floor. We are grateful to former Chairman Mr. Ogie Alakija, Dr Zard-Life Patron, both major donors and Yomi Salami. Arc. Okorafor, Financial secretary, and Arc Onadeko, our member and Dr Okediran, our Treasurer must be recognised because of their 21 year commitment of professional skills pro bono towards the project and completion of “UPSTAIRS”, The ‘A-Z Hall’, named for Mr Alakija and Dr Zard and because the Hall will take care of ‘everything’ and opened on 20th June 2015 by Alhaji Olalekan Alli, former SSG, representing Governor Ajimobi.

    This ET story must stimulate you to struggle financially, physically to create ‘youth space’ in every community/ward, VIP or poor. Please visit Educare Trust, behind Ventura, Inside Samonda GRA, Sango-UI, Ibadan. Nigeria’s youth will only become crime and violence free if we all support ‘change’- Beyond politics start ‘A National/State/LGA PPP Policy Of One Youth Centre/Ward’-each named after the area.

    Nigeria needs 10,000,000 individuals each donating N500-1000 -5,000 each/month to Red Cross/Boy Scouts/Educare Trust/Youth Centre – A little from a lot.

    ET and Youth centres are multi-person adventures. Since 1994, ET has reached millions. If you benefited from ET, please give back ‘cash or kind’. At 21, Generation Next must take over ET. Your Educare Trust needs YOU!

    ‘This ET story must stimulate you to struggle financially, physically to create ‘youth space’ in every community/ward, VIP or poor. Please visit Educare Trust, behind Ventura, Inside Samonda GRA, Sango-UI, Ibadan. Nigeria’s youth will only become crime and violence free if we all support ‘change’- Beyond politics start ‘A National/State/LGA PPP Policy Of One Youth Centre/Ward’-each named after the area’

     

  • Participate actively in politics, Lagos SSG, ex-lawmaker tell Muslims

    Participate actively in politics, Lagos SSG, ex-lawmaker tell Muslims

    Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mr Abdul Lateef Tunji Bello and a former lawmaker cum Chief Imam Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr Abdul Hakeem AbdulLateef yesterday said active participation in politics by religious people will help develop the country.

    The duo spoke at the Ramadan lecture organised by the Ansar-Ud-Deen College, Isolo Old Students’ Association at the school hall, Isolo, Lagos.

    Bello, who chaired the event, urged members of the National Assembly to fear Allah in going about their legislative duties.

    “With the present situation in the National Assembly, I will advise them to fear and respect Allah, moreso, Ramadan preaches piety and peace,” he said.

    The Lagos SSG hailed the alumni for contributing to the nation’s development.

    Dr AbdulLateef wondered why office holders make promises on their inauguration day without fulfilling them.

    While speaking on Muslims as drivers of development in the present day Nigeria, he said Allah created Muslims as the best community for mankind, adding that the present situation of the country is caused by leaders who do  not fulfilling their promises.

    “Back then, we build houses without burglaries and walls but today, it’s not possible which is an evidence of insecurity. There is nothing that happened in this country without being stated by Allah in the Quran. Nigeria is the only blessed country in the world; our weather is balance, everything is available but with bad leaders.

    “Our leaders make us have Boko Haram today. Why did they not fulfil their promises? Why not give them good education and provide their needs; Nigeria is in trouble and all we need is to participate in the politics,” he said.

    The Chief Imam added: “Allah has warned us that He will not change our situation except we change from our wayward attitude. We have used our personal ambition to destroy collective good.

    Dr. Abdul Hakeem Abdul Lateef urged parents to train their children  well and good ambassadors.

    Earlier in his address, National Present of the alumni, Dr Umar Oluwole Sanda implored Nigerians to pray for leaders to follow the righteous path.

  • Separation of powers, politics and the violence

    Three  incidents  from the US, Nigeria’s National  Assembly  and  that of the Benue State, as well  as the death  sentence  of the Islamic  court  based in Kano State  provide  the background for the topic of the day. In  the US  a 21 year old white man shot  dead nine people at a bible study in church   famously  used by black  people  in  Charleston  in the state  of South  Carolina. In  Nigeria’s House  of Representatives legislators  fought over the election  of key  legislative  officers leading to the postponement of  the  session  to  July 21  to allow  tempers  to cool   down  by then.  Before  that we watched in horror  as legislators in Benue  state  House  of  Assembly wrestled in the  House  before  a prime time TV  audience over  the same issue of election  of their legislative leaders.

    These  three events throw up  constitutional and historical  perspectives from their environment and culture  all   at  once. Separately  each  on its own  brings   in some concepts  and  ideas on governance, social  cohesion  and  democracy  in practice as well  as a cost benefit  analysis of that  prevailing world  ideology as at  this moment  in time. The  violence  in  Nigeria’s  legislature invite another look at the concept  of separation of power  derived  from the  presidential  system  of  checks  and  balances  which  we  borrowed  from  the Americans.  The  slaughter  of blacks  in South  Carolina   once  a slave colony  inspired by the   Confederate  flag at the Capitol in Columbia in that state   and  reluctance  of the state  governor   to  bring  it down  even as a mark of respect while  burying the victims, raised  serious  issues on the rule of law and  the morbid  impact  of racism in interpreting the law in such  an environment. Similarly  the  sentencing in Kano cannot  but bring to  mind   vivid fears on the rise  of a situation similar  to   that of ISIS in  Iraq  and Syria which  can  also  be seen  as a ploy  to placate Boko  Haram when indeed  all  hands  including that of  the Sharia  judicial  system in Nigeria and Kano  especially, should  be on deck  to put an end to  Boko  Haram as  announced  by  the president   determinedly  when  he assumed  office recently.

    Starting  with  violence  in our legislature I want to take that on from the perspective expressed by the presidency  that the president will not intervene  just as it was made clear  by the same source that he did  not interfere  in the intra party politics leading  to  the emergence  of the Speaker and the President  of the  Senate. That  to  me is an expensive  mistake  on both issues. This  is because the presidential system thrives  on a principle of  checks  and  balances  and is predicated   on  majority  rule.Since  the president  is  from the ruling  APC he is  the leader  of the party  and not the Chairman or the NWC  of the party and  he  should  be interested in those members  of his  party  aspiring for      legislative honors and  leadership. This  is because  his party  has  the majority  in our legislature. To  do otherwise   as  the  presidency  is doing now is to  be seen like the  proverbial  ostrich  with its head buried in the sand. In  the presidential  system of checks  and  balances the three arms  of government, namely, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary are independent  but  they intertwixt  and intertwine in checking the excesses  of each other in governance. In  fact  the independence  comes into play once the  three arms are in place after elections by the electorate and  appointment  of judges. The  executive should  not interfere once the leaders of the legislature are in place after their election. It  should not then  have folded  its hands while the election of legislative leaders of its party was being done only to frown later at the way and manner it was done  and the emergence of  the leadership the legislative  elections threw up. Again  the  presidency  looked  like the cat  that would eat  fish from a pond without getting its paws wet.  Such  indifference can  be counterproductive in politics as the president is seeing right now as he prepares to   announce  his  much  awaited  list  of  ministers  which  he  has kept very  much  close  to  his chest. Without  mincing words I say  that it  is the duty of a majority party in the legislature to ensure  that it is not taken by surprise in legislative elections and that is the duty of the leader which  in the case of the APC in  Nigeria  is the president   on  whose  the table the buck stops in a presidential system  of checks and balances  such as we run in Nigeria today.

    Similarly in South  Carolina many people believed that the Governor should have brought down the Confederate Flag  which  represents  racism, slavery and  secession  in  American  history and  which the 21 year old white  racist murderer said inspired  his hatred and murder of the nine black  worshippers which included a state senator and preacher,  whose  funeral  the US president was preparing to attend. The  governor   of  the state claimed her hands were tied as she had  no power to bring down a flag which had inspired a mass murder   called  the  Charleston  Massacre which  the governor too had condemned very  eloquently. Legal  experts  have however disagreed  with the governor   citing a precedent  in another  state with such a problem  which  invoked  a legal  provision  that the  flag  could be brought down  for washing for some days and that  could be invoked at least  to  allow the funeral  of the hapless victims  of  the Charleston  Massacre and put the racist  murderer  to shame.  Obviously  the S Carolina  governor  was  making out as if  the law was an ass  on the flag  issue  when indeed it was her racist sympathy that was at play and not the law  being any ass, willingly or not.

    Undoubtedly the killing in S Carolina  came  about  because a black president is in power in the US  and  even President  Barak Obama has admitted that  racism is still a problem in his  nation fondly called  God’s  Own country. Which   really  is unfortunate  and  very  sad.  However  the charismatic  US president was  to give the eulogy  at  the funeral  of the slain preacher and senator  Clementa  Pickney in   Charleston   in S Carolina and  I bet that would  be another classic on the wickedness   and futility  of bringing back racism or  any form of discrimination by the backdoor  of violence  in  today’s  modern society especially in  the US, the  global  promoter and champion  of democracy  and  human  rights.

    It  is in such  light  that one should see the death sentence   for  blasphemy   by the Islamic Court  in  Kano  on the nine people in the state.  My  own  plea  here  is for mercy  and clemency.  In  South  Carolina  the families  of the victims  said  they forgave the killer of their  loved  ones. That  is to show the superiority  of love, mercy and tolerance over hatred and violence. These  are virtues that all  religions preach and not only Islam  and  Christianity.  Pardoning  these people  in  Kano  would send a strong message  to ISIS  and  Boko  Haram – which both Saudi Arabia, the champion  of Sunni Islam and Iran, the Shiite  champion are  fighting both in their regions and internationally –  that  blind and reckless  violence  has  no place in this modern world  we live in   today. That  simply  is my plea on this matter- even in this era of post election violence which we have  just  averted and the new phenomenon of legislative   trickery   and violence which we thought we had put behind us. Again, long live the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

     

    Editors Note;   We  apologise for the error of calling late Senator Abubakar Sola Saraki a Senate President in his time.  He was indeed a  Senate Majority Leader. The mix  up on George  Bush instead of Jeb Bush later in  the  column is  also  regretted.

  • Law making: The politics, duels and dramas

    The book Nigeria Fourth Republic National Assembly: Politics, Policies, Challenges and Media Perspectives provides profound but incisive insights into the first eight years (1999-2007) of the Fourth Republic National Assembly. It critically appraises the eras of all the five Senate Presidents and four Speakers, focusing essentially on their leadership dexterousness and the challenges, intrigues, brinkmanship, debilitating drama, power play and nights of long knives and consensus-building approach that characterized the two Chambers during the period under focus.

    A 400-page book, it appraises the Senate and the House distinctly. In the Senate, the book examines the issues that surround the leadership instability that was the lot of the upper chamber especially between 1999 and 2005. Thus the metaphoric banana peels perceived to account for the musical chair are put in context and perspective.

    The book is indeed remarkable and profound in the manner it captures in the most chronological manner the plots, the politics, duels and dramas that dovetailed into the impeachment of Evan Enwerem and Chuba Okadigbo and resignation of Adolphous Wabara as Senate President at various times.

    Besides, the impacts of the leadership instabilities on the integrity of the nascent Senate are also provided extensive analysis in the book. But the book goes further to discuss rather robustly on how Anyim Pius Anyim and Ken Nnamani who respectively succeeded impeached Okadigbo and Wabara who resigned over N55m bribery allegation made determined efforts to restore the integrity of the Senate. The book acknowledges that the Senate under Nnamani’s watch provided more sustainable pillars towards ensuring the stability of the Senate upon which his successor, David Mark consolidated to deepen his 8-year success story.

    The book provides detailed account of how Salisu Buhari, the first Speaker in the Fourth Republic National Assembly  was forced to resign after seven weeks on the saddle over educational and date of birth certificates forgery as revealed by the media, especially The News Magazine. His successor, Ghali Umar Na’Abba’s pursuit for legislative independence which brought his leadership in sustained collision course with the Presidency culminating in the House decision to commence impeachment process against Obasanjo in 2002  is also elaborately captured in the book.

    The book establishes that budgetary process; wrong interpretation of the constitution and Presidency’s determination to influence, weaken and brawl beat the parliament to its advantage constitute key sources of the conflict. The battle Aminu Bello Masari, the third Speaker in the Fourth Republic House and Ken Nnamani embarked against Obasanjo’s third term project is extensively discussed including the fall of Patricia Etteh and the rise of Dimeji Bankole, the fourth and fifth Speakers respectively.

    In eleven chapters and several distinct segments, the book in addition critically evaluates media coverage of the National Assembly based on Social Responsibility media theoretical framework, cornerstone of media practice in democracy. It discusses the theory broadly and its application in Nigerian context. It establishes fundamentally the intrinsic partnership that should exist between the parliament and the  mass media in the promotion of democracy and nation-building using advanced democracies represented by the United States and United Kingdom as case studies.

    It puts in context and perspective the nexus between National Assembly and the media in the first eight years. The book identifies media strengths, gaps, failings and challenges in the coverage of the National Assembly, offering perspicaciously realistic suggestions on how to mitigate the challenges, in so doing, advancing media role in parliament.

    Written in simple, concise, palatable  and elevated language tinged with edifying illustrations, the book is essentially engaging and particularly scholastic;  a rich and authoritative reference material on National Assembly containing records of all lawmakers from 1999 to 2015. It is incontrovertible, the first detailed painstaking work on Fourth Republic National Assembly and accordingly relevant to lawmakers, other policy makers; students and researchers on politics, parliament and journalism.

  • Wanted: More women in politics

    Wanted: More women in politics

    The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, Lagos State Branch last week held its 2015 Law Week with stakeholders using the forum to advocate the participation of more women in governance, reports ADEBISI ONANUGA

    Women lawyers, their male counterparts, activists and other stakeholders in the justice sector gathered in Lagos last week to review the positions of women in decision-making positions and suggest ways on how they can realise their potentials in contributing to national development.

    The occasion was at the 2015 Law Week lecture of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, Lagos  State Branch held at the Louis Mbanefo Rotunda Hall of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Kofo Abayomi, Victora Island. The main lecture of the Law Week with the theme:  “Women in Power and Decision Making”, was held under the chairmanship of the former National Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dele Adesina.

    Former Chairman, NBA Ikeja Branch, Monday Onyekachi Ubani, who delivered the lead paper, extolled prominent women leaders such as Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, Magaret Ekpo and Hajia Gambo Sawaba in Nigeria of recent past. He also noted that women of the modern Nigeria who found themselves in position of power and decision making, particularly in their professional callings,  have always proved their capabilities and performed exceedingly well.

    Ubani listed some of those in that category to include Prof. Grace Alele Williams, Prof. Adenike Grange, late Prof. Dora Akunyili, Dr. Ndi Okereke Onyiuke, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwezili, Folorunsho Alakija, Hajia Bola Shagaya among others. He remarked that their steady advancement in contributing to the socio-economic development of the country has impacted tremendously on the national polity. He said successive governments  responded positively to their achievements in many ways particularly through establishment of Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and its parastatal, National Council of Women’s Society (NCWS).

    “The role of these women have no doubt lifted the pedigree and profile of Nigerian women as hard working, disciplined, thorough, creative, enterprising and productive. Their enormous contribution to national development is gradually engineering re-evaluation of the role and capabilities of women in public capacities in positive light”, he noted.

    He  lamented however that despite the tremendous achievements of women, there still exist disparities between men and women in terms of access to socio-economic opportunities including participation in politics, noting that this makes it extremely difficult  for them to fully realise their  potentials. He regretted  that despite that women constitute the greater number of registered voters in any election ever held in Nigeria, they are yet to experience full representative positions. He emphasised that the role women play during the electioneering campaign and voting processes demands that they take pre-eminent positions in governance, considering their contributions and sacrifices to the success of various political parties in every election.

    Ubani emphasised the need to reserve certain quotas for women in appointment into political and decision making positions, including political parties, which he noted is fast gaining recognition and acceptance around the world. He said  that much advancement has been made in this respect in Europe  and Western countries and in African countries like South Africa, Rwanda, Liberia.

    He remarked that with the  crisis of leadership that have bedeviled  Nigerian society since independence and against the backdrop of the outstanding performance   of women in public capacities, there seem to be a growing consensus that women could fill leadership gap in providing the much desired  good governance in Nigeria.

    “To consolidate on the current gains, women leadership organisations, government and relevant stakeholders should continue to advocate for the revision of legislations to favour  the protection of women from abuse, empower them economically and politically especially through the strengthening of  affirmative action  and allocation of quotas for women in politics and decision making positions”, he advised.

    Adesina,  who chaired the lecture also lamented the relegation of women to the back door when it comes to political power and position of authority. Whereas, women, according to him, have shown that they can make a difference in the society and take the front seat in positions of authority and decision making processes, Adesina argued that women are entitled to power and authority as much as men noting “quite often, decisions made by women enjoy better painstakingness and greater maturity. Women in position of power and authority can be more calculating, systematic and strategic” stressing that it would be wrong to measure the potentials of women simply by their sex.

    To support his views, Adesina listed women who have occupied positions of authority in the legal profession to include former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mariam Muktar, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, Justice Atinuke Ige, Chief Folake Solanke (SAN), Chief Priscilla Kuye (SAN), Chief Hairat Balogun among others. He described them as “ living legends of the legal profession, of high integrity. Enviable nobility and mentors to both men and women”. He urged women to rise up and assert their position in all areas of endeavour and that the talk about women liberation must be matched with works of liberation stressing “ the law has recognised the equality of all persons. Any culture or tradition that is contrary to the stipulation of the law is illegal, null and void”.

    Activist and President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin remarked that women have always been marginalised by men in the control of public life, noting that one role out of  50  roles given to women to play is seen as a priviledge, Okei-Odumakin also lamented that even when women gained opportunities to contest elections, they are repressed through votes by men.  She pointed out that over time, women had demonstrated greater capacity for delievery than men in positions of authority and decision making. She, however, identified factors militating against women in occupying position of power to include financial power, the need to conquer fear, lack of support from fellow women among others.

    “Women must support their fellow women to achieve because if we don’t believe in ourselves, men can never believe in us”, she  advised, urging them to use their numerical strength to vote out men so that they can put themselves in positions of authority and decision making.

    In a goodwill message to the association,  Partner, Jackson, Etti and Edu Law Firm, Uwa Ohiku  also identified some internal barriers militating against women and preventing them from making achievements. Ohiku noted that body language of women most time tend to present them as weak and timid persons and not articulate and vocal on issues.  She urged women to shed the toga of timidity and speak out on issues where and when necessary instead of leaving it all to the men.

    Earlier in her welcome address, the chairperson of FIDA in the state, Eliana Martins had explained that the theme was chosen to explore the obstacles  and opportunities for women participation in all spheres of public and private life; address the challenges of legal reforms in eliminating all kinds of discrimination against women and project programmes that would encourage women’s access to decision making and participation in leadership among others.

    Noting that the occasion coincided with the Day of the African Child, Martins  said FIDA joined the celebration of the day with the rest of the world, adding that the association was mindful of the several challenges affecting the total well-being and development of the child. She explained that this was why FIDA planned a schools outreach as part of the activities of the Law Week to engage several children and young adults on the theme, “Emerging Issues on the Protection, Respect, Promotion and Realisation of Children’s Rights”.

  • Politics solely for material gain

    The Nigerian political landscape has continuously manifested a dangerous pandemic. That is the intractable struggle for power sorely for material gain. Among the present contenders for power the constitutional admonition in section 14(2)(b) “that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government” is of lesser import. Instead the majority of the power-mongers are ensconced in an unconscionable struggle for power at all cost, even at the detriment of the very survival of the nation itself. This political disease is akin to the dreadful Ebola virus, which is highly contagious and with infinite capacity to annihilate.

    Unfortunately instead of isolating those already infected by the disease, we have reminiscent of the Liberian Ebola virus export to Nigeria, Mr. Amos Sawyer, carelessly allowed the intermingling of the contagious and the innocent, thereby expanding the carriers of that deadly affliction. The result is that as the 2015 elections approach, our country may already be experiencing her death pangs, unless a miracle happens. What with the multiple symptoms of this dreadful disease, with corruption as the most manifest. Another is the polarization of armed insurgency; while the most recent is the demoralization and demystification of our national army. Now, unless a miracle happens to stem the pandemic, the next manifestation may be total anarchy.

    As I said, the root symptom of this political disease is corruption. Unlike other successful democracies, ours have become not significantly different from a conundrum of organized robbery. From local council administrators to governors, to the presidency, there is total lack of accountability, which democracy espouses. Tragically, whether in the public or private sector, there is no substantial difference. And like the Ebola virus which spreads without warning; despite the pretences and fraudulent claims of the political actors, the recent West African School Certificate examination has shown manifestly that our educational foundation is a travesty of the false claims of huge investment in that sector.

    So, while those in authority set up a special purpose vehicle, called State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to improve our education; for many of those entrusted to deliver the dividends, it is actually a conduit to steal the nation blind. So, instead of the fund intervening to gift our nation qualitative and sound primary and secoundry education, those entrusted with the intervention funds, cynically use it to better their personal lives. Thus the recent WAEC results show that just a little above 30% of the candidates have been successful in their exams, meaning that we are merely training those who will be permanently incapacitated to take to the different professions, and will as an alternative take to all manner of economic shenanigans to ‘succeed in life’.

    Of course the effect of corruption is also at the root of the failed national infrastructure that we perennially lament about. So whether it is the bad roads that wreck our lives and our cars; the supply of darkness in exchange for electricity bills by companies protected by institutional authority; the dreadful public hospitals, that see health providers engaging in a relay of strike actions, like those contending for medals or the fake but yet regulated products that you unsuspectingly buy for huge costs at your own detriment, the simple cause is corruption. Most probably for every kobo of our loss, one public official or a private citizen has seized a reward, in one form or another. And in several of those cases, the institutional authority set up to protect the citizens, despite the private accumulation of bribes in lieu of service, also deep their hands again into the state funds as salaries and emoluments.

    Corruption is also at the root of the latest manifestation of our endangered polity, that is, the despondency of our army in the face of armed insurgency by members of the Boko Haram. If truly as the protesting wives of the army officers and men recently claimed, their spouses are not supplied with efficient fighting ammunitions and machineries, and yet they are ordered to the war front, to defend our country, the reason can only be a result of corrupt tendencies within our defence establishment. Indeed, the Boko Haram insurgency, like her predecessors in the country, is a product of politics sorely for material gain. As has been claimed without substantive contradiction; those who started the armed groups that eventually metamorphosed into the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents, where merely desperate to keep power as the means to personal aggrandizement.

    The road to our political redemption can only come from our political actors making a determined effort to practice democracy as other democratic nations across the world do. To attempt as we are currently doing to pretend to be practicing democracy, while we ignominiously ignore the universal tenets of democracy, is only an invitation of ruin into our lives. For the sake of clarity for our practitioners who are either hard of hearing or are completely ignorant of what they signed up to, democracy can only thrive in an atmosphere of accountability. That is the defining content, when we define democracy as government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

    Luckily for us, the demands of democracy are not rocket science. Even our constitution, with all its challenges, contains the basic requirements of an accountable society. Indeed between chapters 2 and 4 of the 1999 constitution as amended, the basic requirements of a republic “based on the principles of democracy and social justice” is clearly provided. What has been lacking is the political will to enforce the provisions of the laws. Unfortunately instead of our political actors struggling to have the opportunity to outdo one another to promote such a society, we are entrusted with a class, who see politics only as a means to criminal aggrandizement.

     

    *This articles was first published last September 2

     

  • Buhari, policy and politics

    Buhari, policy and politics

    I am increasingly finding him to be one of the outstandingly perceptive, strategic and bold players on Nigeria’s contemporary political scene. It is not just the unique red cap of his teeming ‘Kwakinsaya’ fans in Kano that is unique; he can often offer fresh and brutally frank perspectives on political developments. I refer, of course, to former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State who is now a Senator of the Federal Republic. Yes, Kwankwaso’s dexterity in political manoeuvring should not be surprising. The trained water engineer is no novice in the game. He was elected as the member representing Madobi Federal Constituency of Kano State in 1992 and later emerged Deputy Speaker of the House on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party in the lower legislative chamber.

    Kwankwaso was elected Governor of Kano State in 1999 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but lost his bid for re-election in 2003. Between then and his successful return to office as Kano State governor in 2011, Kwankwaso had served as Defence Minister in the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as peace envoy to the Sudan. Kwankwaso played a major role in thwarting former President Goodluck Jonathan’s attempt to intimidate and hijack the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF) as well as the ruinous rebellion against the attempt to undemocratically impose Jonathan as presidential candidate of the PDP for the 2015 election.

    It is thus unsurprising that in a  characteristically brutally frank interview, one of the most analytical I have read so far on the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as President of the Senate through an alliance with the opposition against his own party, Kwankwaso came out literally spitting fire.

    As far as Kwankwaso, one of the G-5 governors that defected along with Senator Bukola Saraki from the PDP to the then fledgling All Progressives Congress (APC) is concerned, the latter’s alliance with the PDP to control the leadership of the Senate is a serious threat to the effectiveness and efficacy of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. In his words “You see, first of all, the President will face a lot of irritations in the sense that these people must be very angry with themselves, they must be very angry with Nigerians and, therefore, will do everything possible to put all kinds of hurdles on his way. I can always read their mind. I was one of them. I was part of them. I was part of the party but we had to leave the party because of this attitude”.

    Even after his emergence as Senate President in a deal with the PDP that saw the election of the latter’s Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President, Bukola Saraki claimed cynically that he can never go back to the PDP. From his words and stance, it seems that Kwankwaso is a man of firmer principle and less likely to go back on his words. Of course, I cannot claim the ability to read the minds of both men and so cannot swear that they are not already playing out even in the infancy of the Buhari presidency the politics of 2019 succession. But the reality is that, to all intents and purposes, Saraki is back in the PDP while Kwankwaso remains firmly in the APC.

    The ruthlessness with which Saraki pursued his Senate presidential ambition at the expense of his party shows an alarming gargantuan political appetite. Yes, this is no crime. But if a man can pursue his personal interest with such ferocity even at the expense of the cohesion of a platform he helped to build, is it illogical to assume that he will most likely harbour an even greater hunger for higher political office?

    If utilising the immense influence and resources of his powerful office as number three citizen to slow down the Buhari administration, weaken the APC and thus strengthen his own chances for election in 2019 on the platform of a rejuvenated PDP, will he resist the temptation? Can he not utilise the power of his office to mobilise the opposition PDP and other opportunistic APC members to achieve this purpose? Perhaps this is the danger Kwankwaso is referring to when he talks about the emergent ‘Tambulawisation’, of the National Assembly, which itself remains a moral burden for the former opposition party?

    Yet, I am not convinced by Kwankwaso’s lame defence of President Buhari’s role, even if inadvertent, in the setback suffered by the APC in the National Assembly leadership elections. According to Kwankwaso “I think that the position of Buhari was that the party should handle it. I don’t think that he wants to put his fingers there. I am not sure that his fingers are in it but what I know is that I am not sure if he is happy that members of our party could not be loyal to it…I am not sure if Buhari is a happy man even though he did not put his fingers but he was expecting that members of the party would be loyal to the party”.

    President Buhari has contested for the country’s apex position three previous times before his current triumph. He ought to be too experienced in politics and the intrigues of power by now to have taken such a disinterested stance on such a critical issue as his majority party’s control of the National Assembly leadership. Yes, he was absolutely right in declaring from the outset that he would be the president of everybody but nobody. That was rightly meant to send a clear message that he would not be beholden to special interests to the detriment of the common good.

    Yet, there is also a limit to which this admirable rhetoric can be pushed. President Buhari did not emerge in his present prestigious position from the moon. He contested on the platform of a party that campaigned and laboured for his victory. He promised to implement the manifesto of the party and is, first and foremost, beholden to his party. To do so effectively, he ought not to have washed his hands off the fidelity, commitment and loyalty of the party’s choice of key leaders of the National Assembly.

    Kwankwaso gave some cogent reasons why the APC failed so abysmally in its first test of producing the leaders of the National Assembly as the majority party in the legislature. This included the desire of the G-5/G-7 group to see one of them occupy any of the strategic positions, the perceived marginalisation of the n-PDP within the party and the ‘conspiracy’ against the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu by those who resented the perceived dominance of his tendency within the party.

    This contention of interests is not necessarily a negative development or situation. The President should simply have utilised the moral authority and unsurpassed influence of his office to ensure the emergence of an APC National Assembly leadership team that would be a ‘team of rivals’ and act as effective checks and balances among contending forces.

    In a way, it seems that President Muhammadu Buhari has not overcome his diffidence or seeming indifference to politics that characterized his first coming as military Head of State in 1983. At that time Buhari and his deputy, Brigadier General Tunde Idiagbon simply concentrated on the war against corrupt politicians, the War Against Indiscipline campaign and the attempt to address the economic crisis. They were completely indifferent to the political implications of their decisions. Their more politicised junior colleagues capitalised on the resultant disconnect with society to remove the regime from power and usher in an unprecedented era of corruption from which the country is yet to emerge.

    From all indications, President Buhari and his Vice – President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, are methodically and systematically working with competent experts   towards finding solutions to the country’s protracted problems. We should soon begin to see admirable results in terms of brilliant policy teams as well as effective policy implementation. But in the President’s preoccupation with policy, he cannot afford the kind of apathy to politics that characterised his attitude to the National Assembly elections. Brilliant policies must be complemented by luminous politics or the result could be abysmal failure.

  • Cleric urges Christians on politics

    the Catholic Bishop of Kano Diocese, Rev. John Namaza, has urged Christians to participate in politics and transform the country.

    Rev. Nasmaza, who spoke after inaugurating 16 brothers and 16 sisters into the prestigious knighthood of St. Mulumba at St. Louis Catholic Church, Bompai, Kano, said Christians should be courageous and have faith in God to accomplish their mission in life.

    He said: “Christians are expected to be courageous. They should be people of faith, who trust in God. We should remember that we are Nigerians and we should be our brother’s keeper, to enable our nation prosper.

    “Christians should be people, who have the courage to enter the political arena and transform it by doing good in order to develop the country and promote a society that is God-fearing.”

    Bishop Namaza advised the knights of Mulumba, who were elevated to the next rank, to live their lives according to Christian principles, adding that they should be united and support the church.

    He enjoined them not to relent in their efforts in supporting humanity with their resources, to promote peace and progress.

  • Don’t play politics with projects, group warns Obiano

    Don’t play politics with projects, group warns Obiano

    A Human rights group in Anambra State, Intersociety, has warned parties, governments and individuals in Anambra State to stop playing politics with projects.

    The group was reacting to claims by Governor Willie Obiano that he completed 50 per cent of the Nkpor-Amawbia old road.

    A statement by Intersociety’s President, Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi said former Governor Peter Obi started and completed the road before Obiano was inaugurated.

    The statement reads: “We at Intersociety observed the last asphalt of the road at Nawfia-Omuokpu-Amawbia section in early 2014 and that between Enugu-Ukwu and Nawfia in late December 2013, Peter ‘Okwute’ Obi fought hard to complete the road, particularly following APC and Ngige’s scornful use of it as one of their campaign weapons against him and his APGA party.

    “At Intersociety, we also fought for re-asphalting of the failed portions of the road with several letters and offline messages and information to Obi”.

    Intersociety expressed happiness that they were part of the group that monitored the progress of the reconstruction and had to bring routine progress of work to the government.

    They said Obi’s government had to re-asphalt some portions of the road, expand small drainages and submitted that the project was 100 per cent completed by Peter Obi’s administration.

    The group said: “Therefore, the present governor’s public pronouncement of completing most of the Nkpor old road project is statistically incorrect”.