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Tag: sound

  • ‘Sound education, values necessary for nation building’

    Speakers at the convention of Meadow Hall Foundation (MHF), a corporate social arm of Meadow Hall Group, have stressed  the need to intensify human capital development in the country. They also underscored the role of values, and the need to pass same to coming generation for nation building.

    The two-day convention which held at City Hall, Lagos and Meadow Hall School, Lekki, the following day, had as its theme: Transforming our society through education.

    A lead discussant and former minister of education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, identified low productivity and lack of competitive advantage as two key challenges affecting development in Nigeria. To drastically transform a society therefore, Ezekwesili believes a wholesome education is essential. Solutions, according to her, are hinged on improved human capital development, as well as quality and affordable education.

    Ezekwesili, who recalled that Nigeria became an independent republic few years ahead of Singapore, lamented that today, the former is far ahead of Nigeria economically.

    “Education is the take-off point in fixing our society,” Ezekwesili began.

    She continued: “A composite education is a productive education. For nation building and society transformation, it is essential for teachers to pass down the three C’s-Competence, which looks at mental capacity and the ability to complete tasks; Character, which stresses the importance of values, and Capacity that looks at steadfastness and the ability to push through.”

    Ezekwesili explained that the quality of education system in any society can only be as good, as the quality of teachers, praised the foundation for its various initiatives such as the Graduate teacher trainee programme; the Free teacher professional development programme; the Mentoring programme, as well as the School adoption programme, which to her, are all geared toward improving teachers’ worth.

    Fela Durotoye, CEO, Gemstone Group and a board member of the foundation, noted that any society determined to transform itself must have a solid education rooted in values. Besides, these values must be passed on to the coming generation in order to increase their cognitive abilities. Durotoye said  the wealth of any country is tied to the level of intelligence of the people which education drives.

    Keynote speaker and Special Adviser to Lagos State on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said the state has mapped out strategies to make education affordable across varying cadres.

    He said: “As a state, we are committed to increasing access to knowledge for everybody in Lagos.”

    He continued: “Government is at present improving education in the state through three key initiatives: Code Lagos, Ready set work and Digital library.

    “Code Lagos, hopes to equip up to 1 million Lagosians with the ability to code by 2019. In an age increasingly centered on technology, code learning helps develop thinking and problem-solving skills that could benefit Lagos’ youth in the future. The ‘Ready set work’, focuses on improving the quality of the final year students in Lagos State tertiary institutions; ensuring they have the necessary skills to function in the workplace.

    ‘’Lastly, the Lagos State government will launch a website called educatelagos.com; a portal open to everyone, giving them access to primary and secondary textbooks, and education videos totally free. We want Lagosians to have the skills to compete in a global world.”

  • Sound and fury

    By now, Justice Walter Onnoghen should be sitting pretty as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), but what happened to the Judiciary towards the end of last year seems to have stalled his confirmation for the exalted seat. It is given that the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court (JSC) takes the CJN seat on the retirement of the incumbent. This has been the practice for ages, but in 1972, the military deviated from the tradition to appoint the late Dr Taslim Elias, the commissioner of justice and attorney-general of the federation, as CJN. Perhaps, in order to avert a recurrence in future, the framers of the 1999 Constitution stipulated the criteria for appointing the CJN in the social contract.

    The Constitution made the CJN’s appointment a matter of seniority among JSCs. In one word, it became a turn by turn thing depending on who is next in the hierarchy. As the most senior JSC when CJN Mahmoud Mohammed retired last November 10, Justice Onnoghen should have automatically stepped in as CJN, in accordance with constitutional provisions. But there was a snag, which is not of his own making. Justice Mohammed was leaving at a time the Judiciary was virtually on trial for certain indiscretions, with two JSCs caught in the web. The homes of Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro were among the houses of some judicial officers searched by the Department of State Service (DSS) following allegations of corruption.

    Ngwuta has been arraigned, but Okoro is yet to be brought to court. Some Federal High Court judges have also been arraigned, while arrangements are on to bring some other judicial officers to court. This was the setting when Mohammed was leaving. Faced with a judiciary already tainted with allegations of corruption, President Muhammadu Buhari was probably in a  dilemma in keeping with the tradition on the appointment of the CJN. What do I know about this most senior JSC? Is he corrupt? Can he be trusted not to stain the exalted seat of CJN? What are his antecedents? These and many more posers would have weighed on the president’s mind. To avoid making hasty decision, he named Onnoghen acting CJN in line with Section 231 (4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

    Appointment into the Supreme Court is not a small matter, not to talk of who becomes the CJN. Elsewhere, appointment into the Supreme Court is treated with all the seriousness it deserves. Some countries do not follow the book as we do on the matter. They go for those who have what it takes to do the job. Such people may not even share political affiliation with the appointing authority. The most important criterion is : can the person do the job? Being the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court must be peopled by men and women of honour who will not compromise their stand because of filthy lucre. What we have heard about our judiciary in recent times is distressing, too too distressing. If the last hope of the common man is really like that, what hope is there then for the hoi polloi?

    Should the president be blamed if he decides to bide his time before appointing the CJN because of these distressing stories about the Judiciary? All we want is a judiciary that will serve the people and uphold the scale of justice without looking at the faces or the standing in life of the parties before it. The CJN plays a key role in the judicial set up because he is the numero uno, the leader of the Bench and the father of other judges. As a father, he must give direction to others. Can a CJN with a soiled hand play such a role and redeem the Judiciary? The answer is no. Onnoghen’s turn to become CJN came at a critical juncture in the life of the Judiciary. But, who knows, fate may have thrown him up as CJN at a time like this in order to sanitise the Judiciary.

    This is why I am not taken in by the noise being made by those trying to stampede the president to confirm him. The president, I am sure, will eventually send Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation, but that will be after he is satisfied with the investigation on the acting CJN. Let us face the truth, if we are in the president’s shoes, will we just send Onnoghen’s name to the Senate just like that because he has been recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC) without probing his background in the light of the mess in the Judiciary? The president has not said he would not appoint him and he did not breach the Constitution by naming Onnoghen acting CJN. And Onnoghen’s three-month acting tenure will not end until tomorrow. As I write this on Tuesday evening, I am sure that the president will act on the matter between now and today.

    Those who feel that the president is delaying unnecessarily should sheathe their swords. The president will send Onnoghen’s name to the Senate before Friday for confirmation and he will only be doing so because he is satisfied with the outcome of the investigation on the acting CJN. Onnoghen has a Herculean task ahead of him. He has to cleanse the Augean stable once he becomes the CJN and automatically, NJC chairman. He has a lot of work to do as CJN to change the people’s perception about our judges. Long before the DSS’ raid on some judicial officers, many Nigerians had nothing good to say about many judges. Many senior lawyers will dismiss this claim, saying there is no proof of such allegations. They will talk like that because they are in it with those judges. But we all know that there is no smoke without fire.

    If a poor man goes to the market square or a bar and paints a picture of what he went through before a judge, then he must know what he is talking about. There is no poor man who will just wake up and accuse a judge of misconduct if he did not experience such in court. We should not be sentimental about Onnoghen’s appointment. It is not an ethnic, religious or political thing. All the president wants is the best for the country. His administration is fighting corruption and he needs a strong and an incorruptible judiciary to wage the war. If the Judiciary is corrupt, it will make nonsense of the anti-corruption war.

    This process will strengthen Onnoghen and make him a better CJN. I wish other CJN went through the same process. May be that would have helped them in leaving behind a worthy legacy.

  • Sound and silence

    Sound and silence

    There is a time to speak and a time to be silent. When former President Olusegun Obasanjo spoke about what was said about him in a 2010 book, it was clear that he considered silence inappropriate.
    It is intriguing that his reaction to the contents of the book came after six years, but this in no way weakened the significance of his strongly worded response. It is thought-provoking that the hot aspects of the autobiography were not publicised until now. This may be a reflection of Philistinism, particularly among the country’s media workers who are supposed to be knowledge workers.
    Obasanjo said in his statement: “Kabiyesi, I believe that I should set the record straight for posterity and to caution you from engaging in unedifying rumour-mongering and untruth.” His reaction to claims by the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, Ogbagba II, was unmistakably loud.
    Obasanjo’s response: “The extract from your autobiography, “Awujale: The Autobiography of Alaiyeluwa Oba S. K. Adetona, Ogbagba II”, published by Mosuro Publishers 2010, pp. 187-195, which I attach to this letter was presented to me for my attention. Your assertion in the publication was a tissue of lies and untruths.”
    This was a subtle way of calling Oba Adetona a liar. But it may well be that Obasanjo is more deserving of the label. At the centre of the claim and counterclaim is Globacom Chairman Mike Adenuga who Oba Adetona claimed was unfairly treated by Obasanjo because of his relationship with the then Vice President Abubakar Atiku, with whom Obasanjo had a serious conflict.
    Oba Adetona said in his autobiography: “The kernel of the matter really, as I told him, was his disagreement with Abubakar Atiku, his deputy, and they had taken the matter almost life-and -death level. Mike Adenuga was a pawn in the crisis…”
    Obasanjo’s defence is food for thought: “Kabiyesi, the total sum of what you have put down in those pages of your book is that I dislike Mike. Maybe I need to remind you that if there was any iota of truth in such a position or mindset, Mike would not have been granted the mobile telephone licence which made him a billionaire. It was my prerogative as the President so to do.
    He continued: “You may also be reminded that in the first round of the auction which Mike did not make, the country earned $285 million for each licence. The country earned only $200 million from the licence transaction with Mike and in the subsequent transaction with Etisalat, the country earned $400 million. It was a deliberate action on my part that a Nigerian should own one of the licences. Anybody else but Mike could have been that Nigerian.”
    On the question of lying, it is interesting that Obasanjo said: “The invitation to Mike to contribute to the building of the Library block of Bells University was issued to him by the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Julius Okogie, who never told me about inviting Mike to so contribute until Mike pulled out. And that I have not and I will not talk to Mike about it should convince you that I know nothing about its genesis.” It is curious that Obasanjo claimed to know nothing about the invitation to Adenuga to help build a structure in the university he founded.
    Oba Adetona’s version: “It was in Ota that he solicited for the construction of the Administration Block of his university, Bells University in Ota. Mike agreed and Carchez Turnkey Projects Ltd handled the project for him… However, the construction project at Bells University slowed considerably while Mike was in exile and a few solicitous calls from Obasanjo to Mike while he was in exile did not change the pace of work. On his return from exile, the school Bells University had the temerity to write to him seeking for a meeting to discuss the continuation of the project. When I got to know, I offered to be in attendance at the meeting and sent word round that I would be in attendance. I had the intention to lambast all of them. They must have sensed it because up till now, the meeting has not been held!”
    Also interesting is Obasanjo’s claim that Adenuga approached him, asking to be considered for a national honour. He said: “It is of interest to me that Mike did not tell you that when he wanted national honour, he came to me and I did not react until Babangida recommended him and said, “Of all those I have helped, Mike is one of the most appreciative.” Is this account true? Does this give a reliable insight into how Adenuga was made Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) in 2012?
    How much did Obasanjo achieve while he was President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007? This is how Oba Adetona answered the question in his book: “All the enormous goodwill which Obasanjo carried into office was squandered with a performance that left him with a second term short of tangible achievements. Eight years in office was ample time to put electricity on a very strong footing. Eight years was enough to put down a strong foot against corruption and make a clear difference. Eight years was adequate for orderliness and the rule of law to triumph in every facet of our society. These were the basis upon which I gave him my support for the office. Some new State Governors have shown how much good can be achieved in a shorter time.”
    Obasanjo’s answer to that answer: “Kabiyesi, if I have squandered all the goodwill I had, you would not have contacted me on behalf of All Progressives Party, APC, to receive them in 2014 and you would not have been personally present when I received them as I demanded. I probably have greater goodwill today internally and externally than I had in office.”
    As things stand, Oba Adetona and Adenuga need to respond publicly to Obasanjo’s sound. This is not a time to be silent; it is a time to speak out.

  • NOLLYWOOD YET TO SOUND WELL

    NOLLYWOOD YET TO SOUND WELL

    WITH the first-of-its-kind international platform given to Nollywood at the just concluded Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) where eight Nigerian films were selected for the festival’s city-to-city programme, the Nigerian motion picture industry is fast redefining itself and it is just a matter of time before we hit the much anticipated mark.

    Apart from some shortcomings which were personal to each of the films, one deficiency that was identified with all the Nigerian films was in the area of sound. This has never been so aggregated, and I think that, knowing the resolute nature of the New Nollywood (which in my estimation is a mix of adventurous old and new folks), we would soon achieve clean sound, the same way we have managed to ‘match’ Hollywood in the area of cameras and other equipment.

    Knowing how much our noisy environ has contributed to this problem, the Nigerian government, developmental agencies and other investors who feel that Nigeria really needs to diversify from oil should begin to rethink their intervention by taking another look at the importance of a film village, for example, while ADR (Automatic Dialogue Replacement) option, a process of re-recording dialogue in the studio in sync with the motion picture, still suffices.

    Apart from fund and the extra time needed for this ADR, I am tempted to think that the actor, who may be in a hurry to enter the next production set, could be the challenge for this option.

    I had listened to an ADR dubbing of Clem Ohameze’s voice (whose case may not be that of hurrying into another set) in a recent production. And as much as the voice sounded the same, it was a husky contrast to the other lines, making a joke of the film in the end.

    We have ignored this aspect of our ‘technical life’ for too long, refusing to be cautioned from home, until strangers spit it to our face like a refrain to different songs.

    Wonder why a Nigerian film had not won the Sound category of the AMAAs until last year being the 11thedition? It is because we took that area for granted. Whatever was the motivation for the producers of ‘Fifty’ to have created a sound department, comprising three experts; Meltem Baytok, Foley artist, Simon Price, Supervising sound editor and Nick Roberts, ADR mixer, was commendable and deserving of that award.

  • IMAGINE IF WE SOUNDED BETTER

    IMAGINE IF WE SOUNDED BETTER

    I’VE heard so much about this western media agenda of trying to debase black people or anything from the third world like ours and I think that the earlier we stop making excuses, the better. You don’t deck yourself in dry raffia and walk the edge of a fire set by your supposed detractor only to say when you are torched, ‘that has been his wish for me; to see me burnt.’

    I’ve always known the phrase, ‘If you can’t beat them join them’, and I think that Nigeria and Africa in general has got what it takes to be the best people in the world.

    It is amusing to think that the West which has exhausted their story ideas would reject the African entertainment if we do it right.

    Until the result of our showcase (irrespective of how hard we had knocked ourselves over our selected movies) start to trickle in before we appreciate the impression we have created to the world. The effect would be that, even for the films that didn’t make it to TIFF, there would be a gravitation of content search towards Nigeria and Africa in general. Several movie buffs said to me at TIFF that it was their first time seeing a Nigerian movie, and apart from some reservations regarding some of the technical areas, I saw in them a people who are ready to see more of these films.

    While some have queried why we think Nollywood needs Hollywood when we can sufficiently sell our stories to the over 170 million people in Nigeria who would appreciate them better, I am of the firm belief that we need to break boundaries if we must be at the top of the art and business of filmmaking.

    Apart from ‘glocalising’ our art, we can’t even be talking of subsistence filmmaking at this point in time, when the need to move from total dependence on oil is wisdom. In other words, how much can we make from 29 cinemas and just 147 screens even with our population? Indeed, we need the Netflix and Shoreline Entertainment of this world, as well as the cinemas in South Africa, America, China and India, if only for want of a Nigerian product to export. So, it is not about underrating the Nigerian audience when people advocate to play on the global stage. It is doing business and doing it well.

    It is on this note that the producers of ’76 have made us proud by inking that distribution deal with Shoreline Entertainment, which is one of the success stories of our sojourn to TIFF. And I bet, if ’76 sells well, it would further open up the market for other Nigerian filmmakers who aspire to make a film for the world.

    Suffice to say that while we still battle piracy and shortages that come from DVD type of distribution, online and the cinema outlets remain the surest path to take, and how wide we are able to explore those, the better.

  • Silence and sound about corruption

    Nobody needs to be extraordinarily bright to know that the Senate has become a source of noise designed to silence citizens who are enthusiastic about the war against corruption. 

    Vice President Osinbajo chose this year’s Anti-Corruption Day to appeal to citizens to opt for sound over silence regarding matters of corruption in particular and change in general. The appeal is to ensure that the war on corruption is won by the society at large, rather than just by President Buhari and his team and to prevent noise makers opposed to the emphasis on identifying and punishing thieves of state from seizing the nation’s political narrative from those committed to fighting corruption. Making the war on corruption a national task may require a roadmap by the government that citizens can intellectually and emotionally identify with, apart from pre-election identification of voters with the manifesto to dismantle the culture of corruption and impunity that has almost impoverished majority of the population.

    Nobody needs to be extraordinarily bright to know that the Senate has become a source of noise designed to silence citizens who are enthusiastic about the war against corruption. For senators who got elected largely on account of Buhari and APC for change to suddenly become obsessed with legislating against citizens willing to carry the message of enough is enough to venal political office holders and public servants must worry lovers of good governance. As if by design, senators on a war path with advocates of freedom of speech seem to have distracted many citizens from the real job at hand. Instead of being encouraged to speak against corruption by members of the party elected to fight corruption, the country’s opinion leaders have been sucked into a struggle against senators who have sworn to kill free speech by labelling complaints against corruption as frivolous criticism. The noise by authors of anti-frivolity bill has increased what appears like silence on the part of warriors against corruption.

    The Vice President’s call for citizen democracy is appropriate. Citizen journalism, facilitated globally by social media and other advances in communication technology, is a major factor in the enhancement of participatory democracy in the modern world. The impression given by the chairman of the House of Representatives’ Media and Publicity Committee, just as the myopia of senators on the side of a new law to gag citizens, seems to have no tolerance for citizen journalism. Freedom of speech does not exist just for professional journalists; it is constitutionally guaranteed for all citizens.

    But to the mind of the house chairman of media and publicity, the legislature owns freedom of expression which it can give to whomsoever it wants whenever it finds it convenient to do so: As chairman House Committee on Media, I must say that we cannot close space for free speech. We would like to ensure that there is free speech. And the only thing we try to enjoin is that journalists, who are trained, who know the ethics of journalism, should also join the social media activity so that we can differentiate between the grains and the chaff. I think that is most essential, but we should not leave it for just those who think they can just post anything. Ideally, I think it is very important that we allow free speech. With time, we will get to the level that we can regulate. For now, I think Nigerians will rely on them. We came on the platter of change and it was this social media that brought us to power and we are making effective changes on that; I think we should live with that. Ideally, I think it is very important that we allow free speech. With time, we will get to the level that we can regulate.

    Like Bala Ibn Na’Allah, the mind behind the bill to gag the media and citizens, Abdulrazak Namdas is a member of APC. The signals emanating from the ruling party in Abuja are enough to silence the average citizen. With two leading members of President Buhari’s party of change–Na’Allah feeling compelled to end citizen’s participation in modern democratic governance through citizen journalism via the social media and Namdas’ readiness to wait for a more appropriate time to regulate basic human rights, it should not be surprising that citizens are not as vocal as they were during the pre-election campaign for change. Conflicting signals from the ruling party are capable of confusing well-meaning citizens. If a party that rode to power on the promise of change and with the support of the social media operated largely by citizens from all professions now feels emboldened to gag those who use the media to blow whistles about bad governance, appeals from those in charge of the levers of power should be made to members of the ruling party to show consistent commitment to democracy and desist from threatening vocal citizens with primitive laws.

    It is futile to set out to regulate citizens’ use of modern communication technology to make comments about how they are governed. Social media has added value to democratic spirit and culture all over the world. Indeed, social media has expanded citizens’ rights to hold and express opinions without hindrance and interference. Beyond the traditional role of the journalist as watchdog in democracies, social media has made it possible for citizens (ultimate owners of sovereignty) to also function as watchdogs. Na’Allah’s quick move to enact a law to muzzle the media and Namdas’ willingness to postpone creating a law to exclude non-journalists from exchanging ideas on the social media point to the same unease of APC lawmakers with democratisation of the process of signification. Reduction of the power of mediation between sender and receiver of messages characteristic of traditional media and increasing empowerment of citizens to contribute to political communication is an inevitable aspect of modern democracy. The research wing of the ruling party needs to re-educate lawmakers about the futility of any government opting to control or regulate the use of social media and the internet. What needs to be regulated or controlled is the propensity of rulers to use power to control citizens rather than to enrich them. With the internet and social media, there is no more hiding place for political or business leaders who operate or plan to act unethically. All politicians and citizens are already well protected by existing laws against treason, defamation, and libel.

    The president himself can also help to encourage citizens who want to support the anti-corruption drive and other projects that can bring positive change to the country. Citizens need to know more about the soft war against corruption. Citizens deserve to know more than mere presidential declaration that thieves of state are already returning money to the nation’s coffers. It is salutary that President Buhari had discussed openly with Nigerians in Iran the efforts of his government to make corrupt individuals return some of their loot. But there are many concerns on the minds of citizens at home. For example, citizens are eager to know how much the government has collected from corrupt men and women; percentage of what is returned to what is stolen; who are the individuals being given the special advantage of corruption amnesty (as opposed to those bound to face open trial); and what agency is in charge of warehousing of returned loot?

    There is no doubt that it is, in the final analysis, only citizens that can assist any party in power to succeed in bringing change to a polity, more so one that had been hobbled for decades by venality of people in power. But such citizens need to be convinced by those in the legislature and the executive that the party in power is ready ‘to play ball.’ APC lawmakers’ eagerness to regulate free speech and the executive’s preference to be general (rather than specific) in talking about proceeds from an informal corruption amnesty to selected persons are likely to create doubts in the minds of vocal pro-change citizens. Citizens who voted for President Buhari and his party in preference to the PDP that has been in power for sixteen years had shown that they are ready for the sacrifice needed to bring change. It is the people citizens had voted into power that have to reassure voters that they too are ready for the inconvenience that a Change Manifesto can create for lawmakers and those in other arms of government.

  • All banks sound, stable, says CBN

    All banks sound, stable, says CBN

    •Naira strengthens

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has defended the stability of the banking system, saying no Nigerian bank is “experiencing stress.”

    CBN’s Director of Communications, Ibrahim Mu’azu, assured the banking public that the Nigerian banking system is sound and that all banks are in compliance with both the regulatory and prudential requirements.

    Meanwhile, the naira yesterday strengthened by 2.1 per cent to N235 per dollar on the unofficial market. The local currency became upbeat after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) moved to enforce documentation requirements on bureau de change (BDC) operators prior to dollar sales.

    The CBN had asked BDC operators to submit accounts showing their dollar usage at the start of each week before they can access future sales, a move traders say was aimed at curbing speculation.

    The naira had fallen sharply on Wednesday, a day after the apex bank unexpectedly cut interest rates to stimulate lending. The currency was quoted at the pegged rate of N197 on the official interbank market on Thursday. “It has been observed that a good number of bureaux de change purchased foreign exchange from the central bank without rendering returns on their utilisation,” the CBN said.

    The CBN has introduced currency controls to stop the naira weakening, defying calls to further devalue the currency hard hit by the plunge in global crude prices.

  • Teachers stage ‘walk for sound health’

    The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Oshodi/Isolo, Lagos branch, staged a walk to keep themselves fit for the tasks ahead of them.

    The teachers, who adorned themselves in green polo attire, were led by the Chairman of the state wing of the union, Mr Adesegun Raheem.

    He said the exercise tagged: ‘walk for sound health’, would help prevent untimely death resulting from lack of regular exercise by teachers.

    “We discovered that most deaths that occurred to teachers are as a result of excessive stress; we feel that the cheapest way to reduce this is through exercise because it is not all of them that understand the importance of sound health to their health mentalities. That is why we introduced a monthly walking scheme as a form of exercise to keep them fit,” he said.

    According to him, the fitness and sound health of a teacher will ultimately tell on students’ academic performance.

    “This in turn will help improve their teachings in schools which will in turn improve academic performance,” he added.

    He called on the government to improve on its welfare package to the teachers. He also called for a total revamping of the education system.

    “The best way to improve the society is through education and this is possible by investing in teachers through improved welfare package.  The learning environment must also be looked into for improved education system,” he said.

    Chairman, Oshodi/Isolo branch of the Union, Mr Salawu Adams, said: “We discovered long time ago that as our teachers grow old, their health deteriorates; hence the unions’ decision to organise a monthly walk for health exercise to help maintain sound health for our teachers, to watch their weight and body system for them to be able to discharge optimally in their various schools.’’

     

  • Sound bites from Rivers governorship petition tribunal

    The Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal has been full of drama since the 1st Respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), opened its defence on September 17.  The electoral body was said to have flown 20 out of twenty-three Electoral Officers involved in the election into Abuja to testify in its defence. They were reportedly lodged at Awala Hotel, Wuse Zone 11. Six of them came to the court to give their testimony.

    INEC’s lead counsel, Mr. Ikpeazu (SAN) confidently called in the Electoral Officer for Obio/Akpor Local Government Area as his first Defence Witness (DW1), who was led to adopt his witness deposition, in which he repeatedly claimed that the election was free and fair. However, the situation changed almost immediately under a firebrand cross-examination led by Chief Olujimi SAN. Under cross examination, the EO denied being aware that Card Reader was meant to be used for the April 11 Governorship Election. When pushed further, the EO maintained: “I am not aware that card reader was to be used for the Governorship Election in Rivers State.” The credibility of the witness was battered when in response to Olujimi’s question he claimed that the election in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area took place the same day, April 11, whereas it is on record, even from INEC’s documentations, that at least election in two wards were rescheduled for the following day, April 12.

    INEC called it a day after this witness and applied for adjournment till the following day. With the disappointing response of that single witness, the entire “election” in Obio/Akpor LGA had been successfully discredited. The 19 other Electoral Officers were immediately flown back to Rivers State. On September 18, when the matter was called up, Ikpeazu was reported ill and asked for further adjournment to Monday, September 21.

    On Monday, when the tribunal resumed, the counsel to INEC called in some witnesses who testified as Youth Corps members, who claimed to have “conducted election” at the polling units. Unfortunately, all the witnesses, who claimed to have been trained for the job, denied being aware of clear guidelines for the election, one of which is to the effect that where the card reader fails, the election should be postponed to the following day, a directive that is clearly written down on the electoral manual for the election. A Deputy Director from INEC, in charge of ICT, had also given evidence for the petitioner in that regard. The climax of the drama was at the point when Chief Olujimi under cross-examination requested one of the witnesses to read out a portion on the Electoral Manual, but the lady claimed that her sight had failed her and the entire tribunal burst into laughter, as spectators were heard whispering Prof. Etu Efeotor. Ikpeazu urged the tribunal to order the police to maintain order. Prof. Efeotor was the Rivers State Collation Officer for the March 28 Presidential Election, who could not read out collation figures because according to him the figures were “written under special circumstances”. Even when the Tribunal ordered the witness to read, she simply refused to. It was the provision which directed that where the card reader failed or was unavailable till the time fixed for the close of accreditation, election should be postponed to the following day.

    INEC had planned to call 50 witnesses in six days and many were wondering how the evidence of 50 polling units Presiding Officers, assuming INEC is able to call such number, would assist their case when higher authorities who monitored the elections at a general and wider level had testified at the tribunal to say that the election did not hold as prescribed under the law. They contended that if the POs were able to prove compliance, it is only as it relates to their respective units, maximum of 50 polling units, which would be very insignificant in a State of over 4,442 polling unit. They expect that the Resident Electoral Commissioner that superintended the election should be brought to testify as to the conduct of the election. Regrettably, it is not likely that the legal team is willing to take the risk of fielding the REC or any senior INEC officer.

    Wike
    Wike

    Expressing their deep concern, many seem to be suggesting that it is a very bad case for Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP.

    This seems to be the general view and atmosphere for both the petitioners and some of the respondents’ counsel, but whether the tribunal will agree with them is a different issue. One of the lawyers of PDP simply put it this way, “the APC has tried, their evidence is overwhelming. We will try our best and leave it to the court. It is not a do-or-die, but honestly, to me, they have proven their case but I am not the tribunal.”

    • Eleba is of the SNP Online News.

     

  • Buhari advised to unveil sound ecenomic policies

    Buhari advised to unveil sound ecenomic policies

    •‘Gani’s legacy intact’

    Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko at the weekend urged President Muhammadu Buhari to initiate a well-defined economic policy.

    He advised the Federal Government to pursue its privatisation policy with the aim of interest to promoting the interest of the masses.

    Mimiko spoke during the sixth Gani Fawehinmi Annual Memorial Lecture and Tribute at the Cultural Centre, Akure.

    The event was attended by dignitaries and human rights’ activists who included the former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, the National  Chairman, National Conscience Party (NCP), Dr. Tanko Yinusa and the Chairman of the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation, Comrade Ayodele Akele.

    The governor said the President should pursue his anti-corruption crusade without favouritism or intimidation.

    Mimiko, who enjoined the President Buhari-led government to fashion out a clearly defined  economic policy said his administration would fight poverty through its Caring Heart programmes of qualitative education, healthcare and urban renewal.

    He extolled the virtues of Fawehinmi, saying he left behind an indelible legacy.

    According to him, Fawehinmi’s core essence was to uphold human rights, liberate the masses and use the instrumentality of power to lift them from poverty.

    He said his administration embarked on programmes aimed at liberating the people from poverty by giving equal access to the children and wives of the rich and the poor.

    The governor said: “The children of the privileged and the less privileged learn under the same roof in our mega schools. People have transferred their children and wards from private primary schools to our public mega schools.

    “The wives of the privileged lie side by side in the same ward with the wives of the poor because they cannot get such better service elsewhere.”

    He stressed the need for public servants to demonstrate capacity and reinvent themselves for service delivery.

    In his lecture, entitled: ‘Socio-economic Challenges in the Contemporary Nigeria’ a human rights activist, Mr. Femi Aborisade, attributed poverty to politics.

    He said: “Poverty can only be abolished by politics. Buhari needs to fulfil his campaign promises as encapsulated in his ‘covenant with Nigerians’”.

    Aborisade urged the Federal Government to rename the headquarters of the National Human Rights Commission after Gani Fawehinmi and establish a Freedom Square in Abuja in his honour.

    The chairman of the occasion, Musa, described the late legal icon as an energetic and a patriotic Nigerian, who devoted his life to the Nigerian project and liberty of the masses.