The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Resolutions

  • I’m not talking about new year resolutions (2)

    Back to my laptop story, I am really grateful to this mentor of mine however I had to admonish myself. “It’s not enough to say thank you to him, you must show that you appreciate this gift by keeping and using it for the right purpose “. In other words, the gift was given to me to accomplish a task, therefore, in as much as I appreciate the gift, I must also recognize the responsibility attached to the gift and fulfill it, that way, the giver will indeed know that I appreciate his gift. What I am saying, in a nutshell, is that every gift given to you comes with a set of responsibilities. This applies to every aspect of your life. The new year,2019, is a new gift God(Life-giver) has given to you, it comprises days and nights (365 days)and you will be held accountable for how you use them. My concern is that many people are oblivious of the great responsibilities that come with the gift of a new day…talkless of a new year.

    I charge you to sieve the lessons you learned in the previous year, 2018 and make up your “wisdom kit” for the new year, 2019. I’m not talking about new year resolutions, this has become a catchphrase of the “egoistic”. In as much as I do not encourage wanton disregard for goal/s setting, I would advise, before setting goals for the new year, get a “wisdom kit”. A wisdom kit comprises the failures and successes of 2018, the benefits you learned from both; Outline them e.g Career success, disappointments, marital challenges, financial issues, sexual concerns, restored relationships etc. Let the lessons inspire you to desire a better deal this year. Wisdom is power! Do you know that what moves a car is fire? Cars are powered by fuels made from petroleum. Petroleum fuels are made from hydrocarbons: the molecules inside consist mostly of carbon and hydrogen atoms (with fewer other elements, such as oxygen, attached for good measure. People have been burning hydrocarbons to make energy for over a million years—that’s why fire was invented. But ordinary fires are usually quite inefficient…Car engines are much more efficient: they waste less energy and put more of it to work. What’s so clever about them is that they burn fuel in closed containers, capturing most of the heat energy the fuel releases, and turning it into mechanical energy that can drive the car along. The challenge of building a car engine(the heart of a car) is to get as much energy out of each drop of fuel as possible—to make the car go as far and as fast as it can. In this light, wisdom is the fuel that drives your heart, and the capacity of your heart to convert available wisdom into actionable goals will determine how far or fast you will run this new year. You need the fire of wisdom to move!!! Get wisdom, with it, comes long life and durable riches. Wisdom does not come from much reading or education; it comes from the throne room of Grace, the wisdom of all ages!

    A lot of people are bereft of understanding when setting goals, wisdom commands that your goals must be premised on a good foundation (dream). Therefore, first, ensure that the foundation is right. When your dream is right, then you can set goals to achieve the dream.  A goal given to God is a vision whereas the opposite of vision is ambition. Ambitious people are eaters of men…they care less about their fellow human beings. Their goals are born out of unmet ego needs, or a selfish desire to have the same level of success as their friends or need to ‘prove’ something to someone like their boss, family etc. Visionaries are selfless; they are the change agents that go out of their ways to pursue a good cause for the benefit of humanity. They sacrifice their comfort, time, money…and invest such in causes that will bring about transformations in the lives of people.

    Dear friend, drop your ambition for a divine vision and remember every vision God gives already has divine provisions prepared. Do not be in a haste to carry out the vision, seek the strategy and timetable from the God who gave you the plan. You need to be patient enough to access the divine provisions. A lot of divine visions have ended up being sponsored by hell (end up in misery) because the recipients of the visions were not patient enough to wait for their due seasons. One timeless strategy of visionaries is patience, step by step, they win the race. To everyone reading my thoughts, I say to you, be patient! Whatever it is you desire; Spiritual growth, business growth, personal growth, promotion, marital growth, financial growth…realise they come in due seasons. I am not saying you should become a lazy bone. In fact, there’s nothing more painful than seeing someone successfully achieved a goal which you tried to achieve but never did. Acquaint yourself with the giver of all blessings, do your best and respect time to deliver.

    Undoubtedly, the youths of today are fast, in fact, fast is a new intelligence! Thanks to the internet, the new school: On the other hand, the older generation is considered to be the “old school” that is, slow and steady. The word “Fast” has been misconstrued as a license for irresponsible lifestyle, small wonder, many of our youths do not invest in human relationships, and they are rude, uncouth and uncivil. Hmm…we need to go back to the basics: In my opinion, the old school is the original school; “slow and steady” strategy is a pearl of timeless wisdom that can never be relegated to be unintelligible. Society may glamorize youth and marginalize old age but an old soldier never retires.

    An old soldier never retires because they never stop fighting battles. The fighting spirit within the soldier never dies even though the battlefields may change. Needless to say, that life is a battlefield and most battles are fought in the mind. Even when a soldier retires from the military force, his scars do not disappear, they remain and remind him of the traumas and terrors of war. The old soldier will need to go through the process of emotional healing before he can live a meaningful life. What I am saying to you is that, whether you are a youth or not, focus on the good fight of faith…it’s worth fighting…  let the scars of 2018 remind you of the victories you have had and the victories that are ahead, put on your armor and brace up for the battles of 2019…great victories are ahead but you must fight! To have peace you must fight and you will fight because there are treasures in your life…don’t let your heart freeze!!! Remember, a right attitude wins always.

  • ‘80 per cent of our resolutions are negotiated’

    The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) is at the forefront of recovering bad debts. Its Managing Director/CEO, Ahmed Kuru, in this interview with Assistant Editor Nduka Chiejina, speaks on the corporation’s activities and other issues.

    How have you been dealing with obligors who are willing to pay back their loans but lack the capacity to pay?

    When the loans and facilities were purchased from the commercial banks, the underlining assumption was that there were collaterals covering those facilities; that is, security covering responsibilities. So, the underlined assumption is either you pay cash or we take over the assets and sell the business; it is as simple as that. We are not a bank; we are a recovery, intervention agency; so, the original assumption is that if you do not have the ability to pay, then you relinquish the assets, because when you took the money from the commercial banks, you gave them collateral as security. If you are willing to pay and you do not have cash, the honourable thing for you to do is to relinquish the assets, it is as simple as that.

    AMCON has been facing the challenge of reconciling procured collaterals. How do you reconcile with poorly-procured collaterals?

    Quite a lot of collaterals had issues because at the point when the facilities were transferred from the commercial banks, there was this understanding that if you go through the collateral documents and you find gaps, we are allowed to do what we call “Clawback,” that is, you can, send back the loan. If you remember, AMCON was asa result of the crisis of 2005 and by 2011, within a very short period, there was a need to make the exchange. Now what we do is, some of those cases where a lawyer can fine-tune and correct the deficiencies, we engage one to go to some of the registries to get to the root of some of those documents. But when you are challenged with the issue of non-availability of critical documents, to give you title, ownership and right over that property, and neither the bank nor the obligor is able to provide, we send back the documents. We work with our lawyers to find a way to correct some of those deficiencies that legally speaking, cannot be corrected.

    How do you manage politically-influential and well-connected individuals owing their banks?

    This administration has proven that there is no big man. I can tell you with every sense of responsibility. Despite the fact that 350 of our obligors come from 80 percent of our outstanding N5 trillion to N8 trillion from the big men, but it has not stopped us from doing what we should do. The only thing they (big men) do is sometimes personalise the issues, try to threaten you, make a lot of noise, go to court, get all manners of injunctions. But with this administration, anywhere they go to, the question they always ask them is:  “Do you have an obligation to pay?” “Have you borrowed ? Go and talk to AMCON.’’ This has given us a lot of courage to do what we are doing, and this “big man” theory has not worked as far as we are concerned. Any big man in debt, mention his name, I will show you the records to prove he is talking with us, if they can’t pay, we take their assets, and that is it. There is no big man that anybody has stopped us from doing what we should do.

    In reference to the politically-exposed people, could you be a specific about their percentage from the 80 percent you gave initially?

    In Nigeria, every big man is politically-inclined. Once you have a lot of money, that means you have the political goodwill. That also means, if you are not in office, you must have sponsored somebody to office. So, if you can’t use your position as a political office holder, you will have someone who is a political office holder you can talk to, isn’t it? However, with this setup, when it comes to what we do, what is important for us is to prove to you that you actually took the money from these banks and then you need to pay. It is not that people have not tried to influence AMCON, the thing is, with this government, you can’t risk anybody to intervene because everybody has seen the body language of the President. Institutions are getting stronger, because people are being allowed to do their job, thus you can go anywhere and you will still be referred to us. I have not heard nor has anybody called me to say be soft on this person or do not ask for your money, for the past three years.

    In conflict resolution, there is always a provision for resolution without going to court. How many out-of-court settlements has AMCON engaged in?

    I can tell you that any case going to court is always the last resort,  most of those cases that were in court have been there for a long time. We have been here for the past seven years. AMCON will try all manner of processes to find a resolution; the court is always the last process, because the court process takes you a minimum of five to 10 years. You would not want to go to court as a first default; it is always the last because we know that the court process is very long and painful. However, if all our efforts to resolve an obligation remain futile, since we cannot carry guns, then the only option is to go to court. Now we are looking for alternate deep resolution and mechanisms, even while we are in court, because sometimes, we could be in court of appeal, but we will still leave that window open. In quite a lot of cases we have consent judgment and I can tell you that the majority of our resolutions are based on interactions, discussions and not the court. The court-resolved process are not up to 20 percent of our resolutions; eighty percent of our resolutions are through discussions with the obligor, because that is the first and best thing to do. We go to court when all manners of resolution have failed.

    Given the sensitive nature of what AMCON does, people have suggested that there should be a special court for AMCON to handle their cases. What progress have you made in terms of this idea?

    I strongly believe that for AMCON-related cases, this initiative will help our resolution and make our winding down process very swift. My intention is to recover that money; and while I am not afraid to go through the court process, which is the last resort, but the process should be fair and prompt. The advantage of some of these special courts is that the turnaround time is very short and it doesn’t change the facts. If you have a situation where all the objective and main issue will be put together based on a process of practice, then it will shorten the process. The time you go to the Supreme Court and it says, go back to court of appeal and discuss, may make a case last up to 12 years and this organisation has just 10 years as its sunset period. So, the concept of special court is good because it doesn’t change the fact, it doesn’t change the law, it only accelerates the process and makes sure that there is a resolution. This is an intervention agency. It has a period, like General Sani Abacha of blessed memory did with the failed banks tribunal within a very short period, things are settled and closed.

    You once described AMCON as a child of circumstance. When is the sunset date for AMCON?

    The law says we should exist for 10 years, thus by 2024, we are supposed to have finished our assignment, but the law also leaves an open window which says that, if by that due date we have not been able to execute our assignment, the National Assembly reserves the right to give an extension. My view is, if by 2024 and I haven’t resolved this issues, I don’t see how they will be resolved after 2024, thus the target should be, whatever needs to be done within this time frame should be done, because the debt that has been with AMCON  for the past seven years has been with the commercial banks for five years or more before they were transferred. So, if the seven years are added, the average age of debt that is with AMCON is 12-13 years old. Now if you tell me in 15 years I cannot resolve a debt, how can an extension make a difference? So, as we are approaching that date, we should change our strategies to see how to use the instrumentality of the National Assembly to find a way to work on the process and close it. It is a child of time and necessity, it is not supposed to die habitually.

    Would there be any suggestions towards this end?

    Yes, the National Assembly, in fairness to them, is concerned about AMCON, the debt profile and every other thing associated with AMCON. Everyday, we discuss with the National Assembly on how to help us in this process, because we all understand that after 2024, it becomes a hopeless situation. We have to make sure we achieve a very heavy traction and  that by the end and time we are closing in 2024, we would have resolved all issues that need to be resolved.

    What is the total value of recoveries that AMCON has made so far?

    The recovery we have made so far is in the estimate of N300 billion; but you should understand that there is recovery and there is also resolution. These are recoveries, but some of them, we are still recovering, because, there is a resolution. For example you come to me saying, “I have a debt of N6 million; I will pay you in five years.” Now you have paid N6 million and the balance of N4 million is supposed to be paid in the next four years. In this instance, in my book, your name is still there but I have made a substantial recovery from you, so, a lot of them are on-going, they are also performing based on the agreement and the re-structured figure.

    What becomes of AMCON after 2024?

    Part of the things we are looking at is to find a way of ensuring that at the end of the sunset period for AMCON, the staff of AMCON are incorporated to get into the system, because AMCON staff are very young. They are less than 40 years old, they are well-trained and are sourced from all over the world, including financial institutions. So, they are assets which cannot be thrown away. Part of our strategy is to ensure that at the end of our sunset period, we should have a collation that will ensure they are moved to other agencies to make their contributions because they are well trained and they are national assets.

    As it is done in some other countries, debts recoveries are parcelled out and sold to private contractors in a well-modulated and organised way. Are you considering this?

    Yes, it is part of the strategy and we have been talking to a number of fund providers that specialise in buying distress assets. If this is achieved, we will go very far. It is part of the resolution. That is why I said, before 2024, you have to look at so many programmes.

    Have you ever recovered the entire debts owed by an individual or a company? If not, what happens to the difference?

    It is very obvious you cannot recover 100 per cent

    You have already made up your mind on that?

    Not that I have made up my mind, it has nothing to do with the mind; it is not a mind issue. If it is a mind issue, I want to recover 200 per cent, but it is not a mind issue, it is a reality. Some of the assets have been bad, some of the factories are closed, some of the machines are obsolete, some of the machines have been vandalised, so the evaluation is the point that they were given a collateral, but it is not the same thing today. The rate of interest that is on the liability is not proportionate to the depreciation if the assets, the rates of interest go up, depreciation goes down, so, there is the gap why this happens. You can wake up one day and say the book value is N20 billion, the security collateral is N10 billion, so I must be able to recover N20 billion, it is not possible, although what you could do sometimes, is after packaging to sell it, you can now look at an obligor if he has another line he is making money from, you discuss the gap and liability, you make him understand by having a sensible talk which can often lead to resolution. If anybody tells you it is possible to recover 100 per cent, it is not possible, because it is a distressed situation.

    The penalty for insider abuse is about N150, 000. Are there plans to change this law because it is said to be grossly inadequate to serve as deterrent?

    About six to seven weeks ago, there was a public hearing by the committee on banking and CBN made a presentation as to how they intend to amend the profit and improve the consequence of management law binding on the credit officers, not even on the debtors. This is because to borrow is not a criminal offence, not being able to pay the money borrowed is not a criminal offence, to borrow money from the bank is not a criminal offense, you can’t punish somebody for that. Not being able to pay the debt is also not a criminal offence, it is a commercial transaction. However, the process may be a criminal act, because if you study most loans that have gone bad. In getting the approval, you will find out that they did not comply with the policy of the financial institution. A lot of instances abound. There are some banks that are very good with credits, you can see all documents intact, but there are some banks you go to and you wonder how somebody can take a loan of N5-N10 billion with certain documents. So, to borrow money or not been able to pay money borrowed from the bank is not a criminal offence. Even if taken to the court, the court can’t take you to jail because you could not pay your debts. The court can only send you to jail when there are some abuses to certain things that will amount to criminality. With this, CBN is looking at the buffet to see how to make amends. If you remember the first tribunal, the focus then was on the banks, not on the debtors. If you focus on your debtors, they will make sure they do all they can. It will not eliminate it because we have bank credits all over the world, it minimises it to a reasonable rate. When banks say your ratio of non-performing loans should not be more than five percent, they are using the standard law because they know it is that five or 10 per cent that must go back, but when you have non-performing loans of 60 or 80 percent, then there is a problem somewhere.

    Who manages assets taken over by AMCON? Do you engage professionals to manage them?

    What AMCON does is that we look for professionals. AMCON is not wired to manage any business. What we do depends on the objective of taking over the business. If the objective is opportunity, we go for the professionals to manage that business just like we did for Arik and Delta State. We look for people that are professionals, you can never find an AMCON staff members going there to be CEO of those organisation because we are not wired to lead any business. We are financial people, but we insist that there must be proper corporate governance in place, and there are very few businesses that we have taken through these processes and they are doing very well. We do our work, people abuse us. They sayAMCON has taken over; AMCON will take over. But if you have a loan, and you are not paying, you do not have the ability to pay cash, and there is an underlining collateral, I will take it and sell it. This is the law, it is nothing personal. The law assumes that if you cannot pay, there is an underlining asset for me to take over, sell and recover my money. It is nothing personal. But you have an option to come with a programme to pay and if you fail, then I will sell it, it is the law, it is as simple as that, not that I will go take over a life business, but if there is a need to take over a life business, we will take it over if the obligor is not responding.

    Go to Ajaokuta and Delta, you will cry. If you go to Ajaokuta and see the investments at the time that Ajaokuta was set up, it was the best technology in the world because it was the first technology, that was set up and it is almost 80-90 percent completed.The sister to Ajaokuta is Delta Steel Company, Aladja now sold to a company called Premium Steel. It was commissioned last week by the Delta State governor. For me, it is a major achievement for this government.

     

  • It’s the 3rd quarter – So how have you fared with your resolutions

    The woman thing: You said no more then you set your eyes upon one “Small pin charger” and …

    It’s September, wow.  Wasn’t it just five-six months ago we were ushering in a new year?

    No, it was nine months ago!  Yes, the year is waxing old, in three months it will be over.

    But remember you made some new year resolutions for 2017.  This last quarter is a good place to give them a review, to see how you are faring.

    Or maybe you didn’t actually make any resolutions for 2017.  That’s ok, chances are you have made one or more resolutions sometime, some year so surely you can relate to these scenarios herein.

    All hypothetical of course – with no one in mind!

    Alright then.  So you noticed you were always rushing around in the mornings, you’re late for nearly everything, worse, you keep missing your flights!

    You resolve to get up one hour earlier in the mornings to have more time to get ready for your day.

    This went beautifully, until the onset of the rainy season midyear.  The next time your alarm ran, you woke up and noticed that the temperature in your room was really cool, almost chilly – it was pouring with rain!

    What, time to get up?  Who can get up in this weather? You decided that even God who made the season, and made it cold would understand.  And so you rolled over, covered yourself up really snug and – that was the end of that.

    Maybe it was the sight of your beer-belly as you struggled in vain to button your shirt that motivated you.  No More Lager, you resolved.

    And you started off really well indeed.  A couple of months later your good friends had a get-together and you went.  There, cans upon cans of beer went past you the whole time, but you kept your cool.  Then, a dozen or so green bottles were placed on the table in front of you.  You looked at the display of lager.  All the bottles were “sweating” in indication that they were perfectly chilled.  You looked at the people around you – everyone seemed to be having some, except you.

    You looked again at the row of bottles.  The bottles were still sweating and you started sweating too!

    Oh well you told yourself, just because this is a party and in order for me to celebrate with my friends, I’ll have one bottle ONLY and that will be it!!

    ‘The Federal Ministry of Health Warns that smokers are Liable to Die Young.’

    Eh! The Federal Ministry?  Of Health? That never knew if you were living or existing; brothering about your lifespan?!  Well, its not only that, but your cough is becoming really embarrassing now.  It’s time to quit smoking For Good.

    One week, eight days pass (i.e January 1st to 8th) I am eight days Dry, you rejoice. But suddenly your mood changes.  And (according to you)… there is only one cure for your moodswings – to light up a stick!  By the time you look again you’ve gone through several packets at a sitting.  More than before you even ‘quit’ smoking!  In frustration, you make a new resolution.  You ‘resolve’ to continue with your Fags!

    Afterall, you have proved that you can keep off of them for ‘over one week’ if you want to.

    Well, you did resolve that in the year 2017, you would lay off The Woman Thing.  You made up your mind you would apply the Obasanjoic ZIP UP and live your life all to yourself.

    No more girlfriends, woman-friends or lady friends for you.  Even to your ordinary Facebook friends you were aloof.  You simply kept yourself to yourself.

    If would have been great for you as a solo-man if not that it appeared that everywhere you turned were girls, girls, and more girls!

    Fine girls, lovely ladies, pretty girls – they even appeared to be “growing” finer every passing day.

    Along, the road – fine babes.  At work, pretty ladies.  Even in your place of worship – more fine girls.

    One day you and your friends went out together to where you would all watch a match.  Even in that all, or mostly all male gathering, you lifted up your eyes and … old boy, see correct “small pin charger”!

    Still, no way to way.  You must forge ahead.  For you, it is No retreat, No surrender (to babes!).

    Of course, at the last meeting you went to, it just had to be an extra fine girl that would be sitting beside you in the meeting room.  You could hardly concentrate on what was being said, she was so fine.

    Brother, didn’t you think that it would have been easier to just change your seat!

    What to do?

    What was to be done?  You decided to play it this way and leave it all to “destiny”.  Just this ONCE, you would ask just this ONE girl out.  If she refuses you, then all well and good, but if she accepts…!  If so, she will be my very LAST girlfriend.

    It’s no more up to me, you say. So you lean over and smile at her.  She SMILES broadly back!  You say h – she beams hi, back. You introduce yourselves, by the end of the meeting you have successfully set up another “meeting” of your own, quite apart from that official one…

    Its been just that One, only One and then ‘ One plus One.  Plus one plus… and on.

    Now its September!

    Now you don’t want to wait.  And resign yourself to fate You could be waiting for a new year to come to make the same old resolutions again.

    Or you could seize the day.  You could step up, and you would meet up.

    It’s all Good, have a wonderful public holiday!

    RESPONSES

    • Following Fashion Blindly

    –        Parents should not let children on Facebook to watch all manner of corrupt posts that lead them to indecent dressing.  The worst of it all is that some parents don’t watch what their wards wear.  Parents should be role models, monitoring and counselling children on what they wear, and watch on tv.  Kids should be denied phones until maturity.

    – Sylvester Ojogbane

    –        As richly endowed as our society is, if we have more “Aunty Mikkys” who, despite being as fashionable as the ones around would not compromise decency in dressing/appearance especially in public, we all shall be happy for it.  You spoke up for several homes against indecent dressing as a way of life.

    – 0807…409

    –        The campaign that you started by speaking out to those concerned against indecent dressing seems to be the most appropriate weapon to deploy on the emerging visual terrorism on our values and way of life.

    – BusariAlade

    –        Having been educated and resided in America for 25 years, I had seen enough indecent dressing!  But never in my wildest imagination and I think that African Women will ever copy westerners to this nauseating level.  It shows low self esteem

    – 0805…9696

    • Warm Water

    –        That same message on warm water was posted on my wall this morning!  I wished them success.

    – 0807…1409

    –        God bless you for bringing up the issue of medical quackery.  We are daily bombarded with do’s and don’ts till one is confused.  We would all be dead by now if all they advise were to apply.

    – Mike Akpan

    Reponses to 07055547031

  • NIGER Assembly passes 52 resolutions, 12 bills in two years

    NIGER Assembly passes 52 resolutions, 12 bills in two years

    Niger state House of Assembly has passed 12 bills and 52 resolutions in the past two years, the Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Information, Culture and Tourism, Honorable Shuaibu Liman Iya has disclosed.

    He said that 31 bills were received from 2015 to date out of which 19 were Executive Bills and 12 Private Members Bills.

    Iya who disclosed this during a media briefing to commemorate the second year anniversary of the 8th Legislature said that 58 motions were raised on the floor of the House while 52 resolutions were passed.

    He stated that out of the 12 bills passed, two bills have not been assented to.

    The Chairman of the House Committee on Information further said that 19 bills are still pending in the Assembly.

    He then debunked claims that the 8th Assembly is not a rubber-stamp to the executive, “we are not rubber-stamp, however, wherever we are a friction, we try to harmonize ourselves to ensure that there is no friction in the state. We take our time in analyzing budgets and other bills sent by the executive.”

    In his address, the Deputy Speaker, Honorable Hussein Ibrahim expressed dissatisfaction over the welfare of the staff saying, “I am not happy with the welfare of the staff, we are trying to lobby the executive to improve the welfare of the Assembly Staff.”

     

  • New Year Resolutions… unhealthy relationship habits

    IT’S about time to dump old habits and embrace new and productive lifestyle that fosters good relationship. The long and short of it is go ahead and plan-New Year, quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily, just plan because when you fail to plan, you have planned to fail.

    When you do not study, you have planned to fail when it’s time for examination. No miracle can change your fate if you fail to do the right thing! We by ourselves decide our fate to an extent. When you plan is one fate. When you fail to plan is another kind of fate. The former is a good fate because the result is success. The latter is a bad fate because the result is failure. Even the holy book says, ‘whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…’-hard work is the price you need to pay. ‘A hard working man will not stand before unknown men. He will stand before king’ so says the holy book.

    The one habit many need to confront headlong in this year also is laziness and indiscipline.

    God have a covenant with us to prosper us. A covenant is a supernatural agreement entered by God with mankind. This covenant is kept and honoured by God but human beings have a way of not playing their part.  After all, an agreement is between two people. And the two people must play their part to achieve a desired result. When God said, ‘whatever you put your hands to will prosper, ‘He meant it. The only reason why we fail to prosper the way we want is failure to uphold our side of the bargain (agreement).

    There is no dream too tall so don’t be afraid to plan, to set goals this new year. Whatever goals you set, God has a covenant to prosper us but be ready to keep your part of the covenant.

    Decide to keep good and profitable relationship/friendship this year. That is one way to working out your success. When you consciously surround yourself with people of great minds or rob minds with them, your career, work and life will be the better for it. Another way to interact with great minds is by reading. This year read any and everything. Henry ford puts it this way, read a lot. Think a lot. Work a lot.

    Here are some excerpts from the bestseller “my advice to business men is to read a lot, and think a lot and work a lot. I started that way. I kept on thinking and I’m still thinking. The habit of analysis, the habit to get under the surface things and at vital essentials, gives a man tremendous advantage over those of his competitors who do not do likewise…we study too much and think too little…a lot of people are crammed full of knowledge but they don’t know how to use it.

    “The Woolworth building was once a thought…thought is the parent of progress. Thought creates all. Everything springs from thought. Human beings are distinguished from animal by this one power, the power of thought. The immortals of this world are they who thought deeper or more brilliantly than their fellows…

    “The Tobacco King, James B. Duke, attribute is rise largely to a thought that came to him when he was a young man. “Why can’t I do in tobacco what John D. Rockefeller has done in oil? He asked himself. “And then,” he told me, “I started out to do it.” Note that: “I started out to do it.”

    2015 think! Think! And think! See you at the top soon! Because I’ve started thinking too!

  • Celebrities state their New Year resolutions

    Celebrities state their New Year resolutions

    At the turn of every New Year, most people all over the world take stock and re-examine their lives, celebrities inclusive. MERCY MICHAEL met some entertainers who spoke about their New Year resolutions   

    ORITSE FEMI – Music artiste

    To ensure all the packages I have planned for my people get to them.

    TIMI DAKOLO – Music artiste

    My New Year resolution is pretty simple; to stop working harder and start working smarter and to also get closer to God.

    BRYMO  – Music artiste

    To keep going against mediocrity in the music industry. Secondly, to work first and let success find me.

    SILVIA EDEM -Nollywood actress

    It is my belief that the New Year will be great; that it will bring about me doing great, big budget movies and making headlines, but all these desire can only be granted by God, hence my New Year resolution is to be more prayerful.

    OJB JEZREEL – Music producer

    My New Year resolution is to stay focused and do what I have been known for, you know as an entertainer we also get carried away with showing off, I want to do less of that. I want to keep it really simple. And the most important thing is to ensure my album is released by 2015.

    EFE OMOREGBE- Artiste relations manager

    I want to pay a bit more attention to myself. For years, I have been caring for others except me. So, in 2015, I will pay attention to me.

    ESSENCE – Singer

    I don’t do that at all, but if I were to make one, I would say it is to make more money.

    ALARIWO – Singer

    I want to get closer to God. A lot of people are singing rubbish and making money, but I will never join the bandwagon. In terms of work, there will be an album from me next year.

    SHOLA FAJOBI- Showbiz entrepreneur

    One New Year resolution I don’t want to make is about my smoking habit, because I have not been able to keep to it for over 10 years. But I know it has to do with will power and I pray God help me with all my desires this year.

    BIODUN KUPOLUYI- Publisher

    To be more hard-working and re-dedicate my life to doing good for man, my nation and my calling. I will also ensure that I vote in the coming elections in order to make a change, so that we can get out of this mess we are in. My weight is one thing I must also work.

  • Controversy over conference resolutions

    Controversy over conference resolutions

    The National Conference has ended its deliberation and adopted its resolutions. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the implications of the resolutions on the democratic process.

    After the brouhaha over a proposed draft constitution, the National Conference, which kicked off on March 17, 2014, ended last week on a conciliatory note. Delegates adopted the conference recommendations , in spite of the initial disagreement between the northern and southern delegates. The Chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd), managed to diffuse the crisis by mobilising zonal conference leaders to take a position on the controversial draft constitution.

    To calm frayed nerves, a minor amendment was effected on the third volume of the conference report. The word “draft constitution” was replaced with “resolutions of the conference as draft amendments to 1999 Constitution.” The two sides actually reached a compromise. Northern delegates had threatened to withdraw from the conference, if their southern counterparts insisted on the alleged draft constitution. They said it was a ploy to legitimise the alleged third term agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. The North also back pedalled on its demand that the resolutions  should be reversed. Delegates from the North had argued that all decisions taken, if not reversed, would worsen the plight of the region.

    The conference approved 19 out of 20 committee reports. The Committee on Derivation and Resource Control could not agree on the way forward, as members held divergent views on the matter. The report was the only one stepped down, because the controversy could not be resolved. The conferees advised President Jonathan to set up a technical committee to handle the issue.

    A political scientist, Dr. Friday Ibok, expressed disappointment over the failure of the conferees to address  derivation and resource control. He noted that the contentious issue had been settled by the 1960 Independence and 1963 Republican constitutions. He said the two constitutions specifically provided that the federating units should control their economic activities and finances, keep 50 per cent of all revenues and contribute 50 per cent to the Federation Account. They stated that  30 per cent should be shared among the regions, leaving 20 per cent to the Federal Government.

    Ibok said the law was changed in 1969 by the military administration when the crude oil from the Niger Delta became the mainstay of the economy. The change was effected by military fiat. According to him, the Southsouth has called for a return to true fiscal federalism, as was the case when cocoa, rubber, groundnut and cotton were the mainstay of the economy. “Their demand was based on principle of equity, justice and fairness,” he added.

    A member of the Devolution of Power and Resource Control Committee, Senator Anthony Adefuye, disagreed with Ibok’s position. He said the committee’s recommendation that the status quo be maintained on the 13 per cent derivation was because the affected states would be involved in the development of their mineral deposits.

    Adefuye said: “If we are to take a critical look at the figure, the Southsouth is benefitting enough, even at the 13 per cent derivation. Doing otherwise will be detrimental to some of the non-oil producing states, which will be getting less.”

    Reflecting on the logjam another delegate, Professor Auwalu Yadudu from Kano State, argued that the North was opposed to an upward review of derivation from 13 to 18 per cent because it is not in the interest of the country.

    Yadudu, a Professor of Law, said: “When you are negotiating, you must negotiate in good faith; you must carry everybody along in the whole process of negotiating, not only on derivation, but also on many other issues. The negotiation on derivation was not done in good faith because, if you are building a consensus on issues, you must be sure that you have carried everybody along. What we thought was a consensus was what Professor Gambari read, which others faulted. If they could find fault with what was read — and I have a draft of it, which was the basis of what he read – if they bring something else, the groups are entitled to say this is not what was agreed on.

    “The lack of good faith was evident in the sense that you re-wrote an agreement in the absence of other members of the committee and then, you went about getting signatures of people you are working with; everybody has signed except you. You do not do negotiations that way.”

    But, the conference made some far-reaching recommendations in the following areas: local government reform, creation of new states, state police, government sponsorship of pilgrims, rotational presidency/governorship, independent candidate and revenue sharing formula.

     

    Local government

    The conference resolved that functions of the local governments as contained in Schedule 4 of the 1999 Constitution should be transferred to the states, subject to the power of the  Houses of Assembly to add or reduce their functions. Nevertheless, Northern delegates are uncomfortable with this resolution that the local government administration should be transferred from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List. A lawyer, Mr. Ike Onyeama, said the conference decision was in line with true federalism.

    Onyeama explained that it is absurd that local governments are viewed as part of the federating units in the 1999 Constitution. He said it is against the spirit of true federalism. The conference recommended that state governments should decide on what type of local government it wants for the people under its jurisdiction. In fact, it also recommended that states have the right to create local governments.

    The lawyer said the contradiction within the system is a legacy of the military rule. It was the practice of the military to create local governments and even states. The military went on a frenzy of proliferating the local governments, and even took on itself the burden of its funding, just as it was funding the states from the Federation Account. The military  passed on this legacy in 1999, to the civilian government.

     

    Creation of new states

    The conference approved the creation of 19 additional states, with the Southeast getting four more states. Three states each were recommended for the five geo-political zones. The conference predicated its decision on the assumption that it would bring government nearer to the  people and accelerate development. But, Ibok disagreed with the logic. He said what they could have done was to recommend the merger of some states because many of them are not viable. His words: “What most of the states do is to collect monthly revenue allocation from the Federation Account to pay salaries of workers. Some have backlog of salaries to clear. How do you expect such states to carry out developmental projects? The best thing is to return to the 12-state structure introduced by the Gowon Administration. Proliferation of states is counter-productive. It is ridiculous to hear that the delegates have settled themselves by creating as many as 19 states in a fell swoop.”

    But, Onyeama viewed it from a different perspective. He said people have the right to demand for new states. The lawyer said: “In democracy, you can’t stop people from asking for creation of new states. He said the 36-state structure is lopsided. The North has 19 and the South 17.  Each zone has six states, except the Southeast, which has only five states. The National Conference proposal to create additional 19 states has addressed the imbalance”.

     

    State police

    The conference resolved that states, which can afford it, should establish their police. This was the practice before the advent of the military in 1966. Local police existed side by side with the federal police. A retired Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said that local police would perform better than the current centralised police structure. He noted that security cannot be considered in isolation, adding that it  should be viewed as part of the overall framework of governance. The ex-police chief said the ball is in the court of the National Assembly to provide the framework for the establishment of state police.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu shared this view. He called for the amendment of Sections 214 and 215 of the constitution to pave the way for the establishment of state police. He noted that the two sections give exclusive control of the police to the Federal Government. Ekweremadu said the police should be transferred from Item 45 of Part 1 of the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution to the Concurrent List to allow states to operate a policing system under approved guidelines.

     

    Sponsorship of pilgrims

    It was resolved that the Federal Government should no longer sponsor pilgrims and that pilgrims’ welfare board should only be allowed in states that want it. The conference decision was underscored by the secularity of the state. A traditionalist, Chief Fatunde Fayemi, queried the  recognition of two religions when the constitution says there is no official religion. He said all tiers of government are guilty of discrimination against adherents of traditional religion. “The decision to stop government from sponsoring pilgrims should not be restricted to the Federal Government. It should be extended to the state and local governments as well, he added.

    An Islamic scholar Sheikh Mustapha Daud, is in support of the resolution. He noted that, in the First Republic, regional governments were responsible for pilgrimage. He recalled that the first Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board was established by, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo when he was the Premier of Western later, the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, set up Pilgrims Board for the North.

     

    Rotational presidency/governorship

    The conference also recommended the rotation of the presidency between the North and the South and among the six geo-political zones. Similarly, it endorsed the rotation of the governorship  among the senatorial districts. Ibok said the rotation of public offices should not be a constitutional matter. Already, it has become a norm in politics, although it was not written in the constitution of political parties in the country. The political scientist said making it a constitutional issue will create the impression that the country is sacrificing merit and competence for trivialities.

    Onyeama agreed. He said the rotation of public offices should not be with the submission entrenched in the constitution. According to the lawyer, Nigerians should stop seeing themselves as northerners or southerners, Yoruba, Ibo, Hausa or Kanuri. “In electing people into public office, we should consider competence and the antecedents of the aspirants,” he argued, adding that it was the zoning of political offices that has brought NIgeria to where it is today. “I don’t care if the President and the Vice President come from the North or South, so far they can deliver the goods,” he added.

    But, Ibok said the conference decision may have been informed by the monopolisation of the highest office by a section of the country. He noted that the North had ruled for almost 40 years, compared to the South’s 15 years. The rotation, he said, will ensure equity and fairness among Nigerians.

     

    Independent candidate

    The conference equally made a case for independent candidates to stand for elective offices. Analysts say the proposal, if accepted, would deepen democracy. They said allowing independent candidates to contest election will broaden the choice option and enable more politicians to participate in the electoral process.

    Onyeama observed that there are many Nigerians who have better ideas on how to govern the country, but cannot come out because they do not belong to any political party. If the constitution permits independent candidates, people may consider the ability to perform, rather than voting on party basis, he said.

  • Conference reconvenes to adopt resolutions

    Conference reconvenes to adopt resolutions

    The National Conference will reconvene today to adopt the reports and resolutions of its 20 standing committees.

    Conference Chairman Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd) suspended plenary on July 14 after a rancour during the consideration of the report of the Committee on Devolution of Power.

    The consideration of the report of the Committee on Devolution of Power ended in a stalemate when the delegates failed to agree on the derivation principle and revenue sharing formula.

    This followed the disagreement and infighting among Northern and Southern delegates on the recommendation to devote five per cent derivation for areas ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgents.

    The delegates resolved to refer some of the issues on which they failed to reach a consensus to President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint a technical committee to advise him on what to do.

    They also failed to agree on what to do with the report and resolutions of the conference.

    While some delegates wanted the resolutions to be subjected to a referendum, which would lead to a new constitution, others said the resolutions should be forwarded to the National Assembly for debate.

    There were also others who said the resolutions should be forwarded to Jonathan to implement those that constitute policy matters while constitutional matters should be sent to the National Assembly to consider.

    The adoption of the resolutions is expected to be smooth. But it was learnt that some proposals, which Northern delegates felt uncomfortable with, may prove problematic for the delegates.

    The contentious resolutions include the proposal that states, which can afford it, should establish their police; that local government issues should be removed from the Exclusive List and placed in the Concurrent List; that the Federal Government should no longer sponsor pilgrims; that pilgrims’ welfare boards should only be allowed in states that wanted it.

    Other resolutions included scrapping of May 29 Democracy Day, reverting to the old National Anthem.

    Another contentious resolution was that Federal Government and the states that are will to should fund grazing reserves.

    Findings showed that geo-political zones held their separate meetings to articulate ways and means go about the adoption of the conference resolutions.

    The conference’s Assistant Secretary Akpandem James told our correspondent that arrangements had been concluded to ensure a smooth session.

    James also said arrangements were made to produce enough copies of the reports to go round the delegates.

  • What are parliamentary resolutions worth?

    What are parliamentary resolutions worth?

    Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN takes a look at the numerous resolutions passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, which have been ignored by the Presidency, and its implications for democracy.

     

     

    Apart from making laws, the legislature can pass resolutions on matters of public interest. But the executive may feel that such resolutions are not binding, thereby frustrating the legislative initiatives. The failure of the executive to honour the National Assembly’s resolutions has on serve occasions led to frictions between the two arms of the government.

     

    Critical resolutions

     

    One of the resolutions passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, which have been ignored by the executive, include the Senate’s resolution that the Director-General of the Security Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Aruma Oteh, be fired for not being qualified to hold her position. To underscore the imperative of the resolution, the National Assembly refused to appropriate funds for the SEC in the 2013 budget. It promised to approve the budget for the commission on the condition that the executive implements its resolution by removing her from office. Ms Oteh is still in office and SEC is still operating, despite the zero budget for the commission.

    Similarly, the Senate adopted a motion demanding the immediate sack of the Chairman of the Pension Reforms Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, for gross misconduct. Maina refused to honour the Senate invitation over the controversial N195 billion pension scam. Before the resolution was passed, many legislators accused the Federal Government of collaborating with Maina to perpetrate the crime against Nigerians. The Senate also asked the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, to appear before it to explain why the police failed to act on the warrant of arrest issued on Maina for repeatedly refusing to honour a Senate invitation over the pension scam. Maina never appeared before the Senate.

    The House of Representatives on June 19, 2012, following a resolution, invited President Goodluck Jonathan to brief its members on what steps his administration was taking to curb insecurity. The summon was issued few days after a crisis broke out in some northern states, following the bomb attacks at three churches in Kaduna. The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon Yakubu Barde (PDP/Kaduna Constituency). The President neither appeared before the House nor sent any of his aides to represent him. The position of the executive was that the House could not summon the President.

    The Lower Chamber of the National Assembly in July, 2012 passed a resolution, asking President Jonathan to withdraw the national honours given to former bank Managing Directors who had been convicted for their roles in the collapse of their banks in 2009. Had the President implemented this resolution, Chief Olabode George, former chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr Tafa Balogun, a former Inspector General of Police and Mrs Cecilia Ibru, former Managing Director of the defunct Oceanic Bank, would have been stripped of their national honours. George was convicted by a Lagos High Court in 2009 for impropriety committed as the chairman of NPA. Balogun was found guilty of money laundering charges in 2005 by Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako.

    The House of Representatives, before proceeding on a two-month recess in July 2012, condemned the poor implementation of the 2012 budget and resolved that the executive must achieve 100 per cent implementation before September. The lawmakers threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against President Jonathan. The Minority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), warned that “if by September 18, 2012, the budget performance has not improved to 100 per cent, we shall begin to invoke and draw up articles of impeachment against Mr President.” In December, the budget performance was about 50 per cent. The President is still in office.

    During the Obasanjo era, the House of Representatives adopted a motion that the National Stadium, Abuja, be named after the late Chief MKO Abiola for two reasons. The Assembly noted that Abiola’s contribution to the development of sports not only in Nigeria, but in Africa was unparalleled, such that he was referred to as “Pillar of Sports in Africa.” The lawmakers said without the sacrifice made by Abiola, democracy would not have returned to Nigeria in 1999. He was described as a matyr of democracy. For eight years, Obasanjo kept mute over the resolution.

     

    Are National Assembly resolutions binding on the executive?

     

    Legal scholars are unanimous in their views that the resolutions passed by the legislators are not binding on the President or the governors.

    A Constitutional Law expert, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), told The Nation that the resolutions are not mandatory on the executive. Resolutions, he said, are not laws and do not carry any sanctions, if the executive ignores them.

    Sagay said: “Resolutions are mere expressions from a strong body like parliament. The executive may honour them or ignore them. The legislators are constitutionally empowered to make laws, which must be enforced by the executive arm of government. Such laws are binding on the President and every Nigerians.”

    Another lawyer, Yusuf Ali (SAN), said resolutions are just pieces of advice. They are not binding on the executive. But the executive cannot ignore a bill, which has been passed into law by the legislature, he added.

    Ali said that the resolutions crafted in high persuasive language may likely compel the executive to honour it. “For example, if there was a disaster involving lives and property, and the National Assembly passed a resolution that the executive should send relief materials to the people affected or to declare a state of emergency in the affected area, no serious person will ignore that.

    “But a resolution that the executive should remove someone from office is not; it is a piece of advice. People may be emotive in passing resolutions on issues, but the President is not compelled to honour them.”

    Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) concurred. According to him, resolutions are not mandatory on the President or the governors. Resolutions are not laws; so they are not binding on the executive. Resolutions are mere expressions of personal feelings of lawmakers, he said.

    However, Akintola said the executive should respect the legislators’ views, if the two arms of government are working in the same direction.

    Ali also said that if the President is not willing to honour the resolutions passed by the legislators, he should let them know. The executive should not just ignore resolutions and keep quiet. There should be a way of communicating between the two arms to avoid the breakdown of communication and schism.

     

    Can the National Assembly enforce the resolutions?

     

    Akintola affirmed that the Assembly is empowered by the 1999 Constitution to summon any Nigerian, including the President, in the discharge of their constitutional mandate. He explained that Section 89 (d) gave an unfettered power to the National Assembly to summon anyone, especially, if the person is a public official.

    He explained that where the President cannot appear in person before the Assembly, he can send any of his aides who is capable of providing information or answering questions put to him by the lawmakers.

    But Sagey disagreed. He said, the National Assembly can’t summon the President. “They can invite people who are working with him that are competent or are in the position to answer questions on issues at stake”, he emphasised.

    Ali said it is part of the oversight functions of the National Assembly to summon the President to provide information on issues that the lawmakers feel are necessary. “Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters Senator Joy Emordi said that, they can’t summon the President. She said the House of Representatives erred when it insisted that he should appear, before them in person. She observed that by using the term ‘summon’, the House created the impression that it could issue a warrant of arrest on the President, should he fail to abide by the resolution.

    But another lawyer, Mr Illiya Idris explained that, whereas the House actually has the powers to ask anyone to appear before it on any issue, the summon must be backed by a bill. “My position has always being that unless the National Assembly is trying to make laws or amend laws and also expose corruption, they cannot just be inviting anybody indiscriminately.

    Idris said the powers of the House of Representatives or the Senate to investigate any person are not at large. He said that it is limited by Section 88 of the Constitution.

    A lawyer, Festus Keyamo, said the House cannot compel Mr President to appear before it.

    “ Section 308(1) & (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides as follows: ‘Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, but subject to subsection (2) of this section; no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against a person to whom this section applied during his period of office; no process of any court requiring or compelling the appearance of a person to whom this section applies, shall be applied for or issued.’

    What has upset Emordi was the choice of words by the parliament. She said: “The only concern is their choice of word and the impression they created. I would have preferred the word ‘invite’ rather than ‘summon’ because you use summon when it involves somebody on whom you can issue a warrant of arrest if he does not respond to your summon. Assuming the President fails to attend, what are they going to do?

    “Mr President is covered by immunity and there is no law that compels him to appear before them in person if his schedule does not permit him to do so. You don’t make a law that is not backed by sanctions”, Emordi said.

    Keyamo, pointed out that while the National Assembly can summon the President, it cannot enforce the summons. However, the action of the President in refusing to honour the summons may amount to ‘gross misconduct,’ which can trigger impeachment proceeding against the President by the National Assembly, he said.

     

  • Time again for New Year’s resolutions and knight-errantry

    Time again for New Year’s resolutions and knight-errantry

    A report in The Telegraph (London) newspaper says the average person will break their new year’s resolution in just under five weeks. That is not an inspiring record to recommend to those who routinely make resolutions every January, or those who will be joining the ambitious resolute group for the first time this year. Even more disturbing, Wikipedia has an entry that quotes a 2007 study carried out by Richard Wisemen from the University of Bristol involving 3,000 people. According to the entry, “88% of those who set New Year’s resolutions fail, despite the fact that 52% of the study’s participants were confident of success at the beginning. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, (a system where small measurable goals are being set; such as, a pound a week, instead of saying “lose weight”), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.” Clearly, the cards are stacked too high against Mr. and Mrs. Resolute.

    The risk of failure may, however, not be enough to dissuade many from venturing into the resolutions business, for according to the same Wikipedia entry quoted above, the roots of the popular culture go way back in time. The entry says: “The ancient Babylonians made promises to their gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts.

    The Romans began each year by making promises to the god Janus, for whom the month of January is named. In the Medieval era, the knights took the “peacock vow” at the end of the Christmas season each year to re-affirm their commitment to chivalry.”

    Another Internet entry suggests that the 10 most popular resolutions are as follows:

    1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends

    2. Fit in Fitness

    3. Tame the Bulge

    4. Quit Smoking

    5. Enjoy Life More

    6. Quit Drinking

    7. Get Out of Debt

    8. Learn Something New

    9. Help Others

    10. Get Organised

    Hardball would like to recommend resolution number seven for Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Ieala, the Finance minister who now seems determined to railroad us into more debts, and who, quite contrary to her first tour of duty under Chief Obasanjo, appears to be enamoured of romancing old and new creditor-suitors. Resolution number eight must naturally go to President Goodluck Jonathan because he has managed to give the impression that since he became president, he has been both generally risk-averse and even more gallingly averse to learning new things. Could we recommend to Governors Rochas Okorocha, Rotimi Amaechi and Liyel Imoke resolution three to assist them in the great Battle of the Bulge, that is, if it is not a bridge too far? When they leave hospital, Governors Danbaba Suntai and Idris Wada should fiercely embrace resolution 10 and put some oomph and order into their governments. Governor Rauf Aregbesola keeps saying he is wrongly described as a misanthrope. So he says. It’s his word against ours. But let him get a life; let him embrace resolution five.

    A columnist in this newspaper once described the exciting and often excitable Chief Obasanjo as someone who followed no one and someone whom no one followed. Well, thanks to New Year’s resolution, his day of redemption has come. Let him take resolution number nine, and stop being so preoccupied with himself. The reader guessed right that Hardball would have loved to use a stronger word than preoccupy. And the snotty Hardball himself; wouldn’t Mr Perfect make a wish? As usual, he waits for the list to be expanded before he finds a wish to fit his snottiness.

    Meanwhile the anonymous Hardball wishes his loyal and long-suffering readers a perfect and disciplined 2013, assuming the country is competent to provide the enabling environment.