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Tag: succeed

  • Learn about humans to succeed 2017.

    Learn about humans to succeed 2017.

    I once had a friend who worked with a Telecoms firm.  She was well paid with good perks, and unfortunately she was always in and out of squabbles with her boss. She was a HR manager’s nightmare. For some reason she would or could not do her job, and would not let anyone else do it. I can’t count the number of times I helped draft response to queries, and counsel/coach her on managing her boss.

    Then it dawned on me. You see my friend is a super extrovert, and she was hired to do a super introvert’s job. She loved meeting and talking to people, yet her job gave her no avenue to do that, her only contact at work was her computer, talk about a square peg in a round hole. She was intensely dissatisfied with the job until she was asked to leave during a downsizing, and she has gone into other things.

     The year is about ending, with all the good and bad, challenges and victories. In another couple of weeks people will have made their new year resolutions and have all their pistons firing, ready to go. However, one tool we all need is the ability to study ourselves and other people so that we can be the best we can be, and help others succeed. Something called Emotional Intelligence.

    So what is emotional Intelligence? It is the ability of individuals to recognize their own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour. Coined by Daniel Goleman Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. It is generally said to include 3 skills:

    1. Emotional awareness, including the ability to identify your own emotions and those of others;
    2. The ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problems solving;
    3. The ability to manage emotions, including the ability to regulate your own emotions, and the ability to cheer up or calm down another person.

    Arthur Miller, lifelong trainer and consultant has stated that one in two people in the U.S are in the wrong job. This increases job related conflicts and stress both in the workplace and in the employees home or family life.  Furthermore, of the several reasons for underperformance in the workplace, poor fit of the individual to the job (being in the wrong job) and, interpersonal problems/ bickering in the workplace, are a result of temperament differences.

    How? You might want to ask.

  • ‘Why I want to succeed Fayose’

    ‘Why I want to succeed Fayose’

    Segun Agbalajobi, a London-based mental health expert, is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State. In this interview with BISI OLADELE, Agbalajobi unfolds his plans for the agrarian state. 

    As a Nigerian in the Diaspora, why do you want be governor of Ekiti State?

    Many Nigerians in the Diaspora  are fed up with the way things are being run in Nigeria. We want to  apply our brains, experience gained through working abroad, our knowledge of how things are being done in the right ways and more importantly, using our hard-earned resources to contribute our quota to moving Nigeria forward. As for me, I align with any Nigerian with good intention to contribute to the development of the country. This is no time for procrastination.

    Why are you so particular about becoming governor, not any other elective position?

    I want the number one job in the state to be able to operate from the top to the grassroots.  I want to address the lack of amenities and insecurity in the state. The incumbent governor, Ayo Fayose, is said to be performing wonders. I do not believe that. I was in Ekiti and saw things for myself. His performance is an assumption.

    Since when have you been nursing this ambition?

    The journey, for me, started when I searched around for a befitting place to live in Nigeria, especially in Ekiti State. I carried out my findings, but the result was the same everywhere I went; the situation was very appalling. I made up my mind that, rather than complain about the bad situation like that of Ekiti, it is better for me to operate within the system. I contacted those that matter and the journey began. Since then, my ambition and messages have been spreading from London to Ekiti.

    What is the governor doing wrongly that you want to do properly?

    Let me say that I commend Governor Fayose for his ability to hold  on to power but the state must move on. It is my intention to transform Ekiti into a model state. I do not understand what the government is doing with the state’s budget. I went to visit Ero Dam but the place is completely empty. There were no activities going on. This is supposed to generate electric power. I believe that there are more to the roads the present governor claims to be constructing than meets the eye.

    Do you think you actually possess the experience to govern a state like Ekiti?

    I have more than enough experience. I started from the grassroots, from the scratch, as a support worker in this country, rising to the top. Through my job, like some other Nigerians in the United Kingdom, I contribute to policy formulation in the health care sector. I did not just come to England. I have acquired better knowledge and contributed to developments in the United Kingdom aside my academic attainments.

    What are some of the programmes that are missing in the state which you intend to bring on board?

    I intend to focus on agriculture, water, social infrastructure, health and power among others.

    On food/agriculture, massive investments will be injected into food production. Farmers’ cooperatives will be encouraged. Agricultural subsidies in terms of seeds, tools, equipment, grants and soft loans will be provided. Farming will never again be at the mercy of rainfall. Irrigation will be made popular among the peasants farmers.

    On water, many of the diseases ravaging the lives of our people, particularly children, are water borne. Despite the official huge investment on water resources, many still have no access to clean, potable water. This will be tackled accordingly.

    On social infrastructure, the rural areas where the majority of Nigerians reside are completely forgotten. Many lack basic amenities to enable them live a decent life. For an example, it is the absence of clean pipe-borne water in our towns and villages that has led to the upsurge of many fake ‘pure,’ bottled water businesses springing up indiscriminately everywhere.

    Health institutions shall be encouraged to flourish and they will not pay water and electricity bills.

    How will you describe the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari?

    I feel great and happy today to publicly acknowledge the singular deed of President Muhammadu  Buhari who deliberately and significantly included Ekiti State in the rail route of the proposed Abuja–Lagos rail project. The decision of President Buhari is frontally insightful and utmost exhibition of genuine desire for the overall development of Nigeria. It is a decision by a president who comprehends the agricultural potentialities of Ekiti and the usefulness of a railway passing through the state. I wish to call on the people of the state to show gratitude to the president not only by supporting his policies but by offering him prayers at all times.

    On the President’s war against corruption, I want to urge him not to be distracted with the cacophonies of unwarranted criticism being hurled against some of his polices which are aimed at uprooting the bastion of corruption in Nigeria.

    The president is on the right path and should remain focused and unperturbed in his drive against corruption. What we are witnessing is the fact that corruption is trying to fight back, which should not be. He has laid his hands on the wheel, he must not look back until the fight against corruption is won and corruption is buried in Nigeria.

  • Why abductors succeed, by Police boss

    Why abductors succeed, by Police boss

    Kogi State Commissioner of Police Abdullahi Chafe has called for a value reorientation among Nigerians to reduce the allure for what they consider the ‘good life’.

    This, according to him, could bring kidnapping in the state to its minimum.

    Chafe made the call in Lokoja at the weekend when he received members of the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi council, in his office.

    He urged parents and other opinion moulders to be steadfast, noting that many kidnap cases were done with the connivance of the families of victims to extort money.

    “Most of the kidnapping we have are local; local in the sense that it is majorly conspiracy from insiders. They equally resorted to picking up elderly people whose children are doing well outside the state to get money from them,” he said.

    He explained that kidnapping and robbery have reduced by 70 per cent as a result of efficient collaboration between the government and the police, saying large cache of arms has been recovered from hoodlums.

  • ‘Why a technocrat should succeed Oshiomhole’

    ‘Why a technocrat should succeed Oshiomhole’

    Osamede Umweni is the Coordinator, ‘Edo Professionals,’ a group advocating for good governance in Edo State. He spoke with reporters in Lagos on the succession battle in the Southsouth. Excerpts.

    What are the factors that will shape the next governorship election in Edo State?

    I will say that the factors are subjective to each individual in the state. What I will are the factors, to me, are good governance and a capable successor to the outgoing governor.

    We have men, who are angling to become the governor of the state.

    We need someone who wants the good of the state and who is ready to move the state to the next level. Someone who is not selfish but patriotic. These are the factors that will shape the election in a few months from now.

    What are the qualities you expect from Oshiomhole’s successor?

    First, Oshiomhole has done well. If you want to measure him, I think he has passed. The next occupier of that office is someone who will surpass the foundation already laid in Edo State because governance is a continuous process. So, we need a pragmatic leader, a successful individual, who had excelled in his chosen field. One who has track record that can take the state to the next level. We do not need a failure as the next governor.

    There are speculations that Godwin Obaseki is the adopted candidate of the governor, which has left to a cold war between the governor and his deputy. What is your take?

    If a governor, who has been in the saddle for eight years, who looks at his achievement, he would want a successor that I prove on those achievements. As it is, Oshiomhole has not come, publicly to say he is supporting an aspirant. Oshiomhole, as a governor and individual has a right to support any aspirant to be governor, but it depends on the electorate to decide whether or not they want such an individual as their governor.

    Concerning Godwin Obaseki, he is the aspirant that I am rooting for. I have known him for 16 years now. In the course of our dissection, I could see the zeal and passion in him when I was discussing the Edo Project with. When he was made chsirmN of the economic team of Edo state, I felt that it was a good development. He has been successful in his professional life and he has been able to bring in revenues for the state and also helped in managing the state resources efficiently. When he decided to throw his hat into the ring, I felt it would be good to support his ambition. I know he has what it takes to move the state forward from where Oshiomhole has stopped. I think he is the best.

    Are  you not worried that this may affect the APC’s chances during the election, if the feud is not resolved?

    I am not worried because the APC is the ruling party. The various aspirants are going round the state meeting with delegates and leaders of the party ahead of the primary. As soon as the primary is conducted, the candidate will emerge and everyone will fall in line. I believe that the primary will be free and fair but all that is happening is politics. In the coming weeks, everything will be stabilized.

    What is the position of Edo Professionals regarding the elections?

    Edo Professionals is a non partisan body, which is formed for the advancement of our professional life and people in the state. The organisation was formed to chart a good course for ourselves and for our people.,it is basically a non partisan group, and not political group.

    Does that mean that this group is not averse to the emergence of a PDP governor, who can build on the legacies of the governor?

    As the coordinator of the group, I only have one vote but members are free to support any candidate of their choice. On the long run, the people of the state, who are the electorate, will be the ones will determine the next governor of Edo State.

    Why are you rooting for a technocrat to succeed the governor?

    I have noticed that states that have professional politicians in Nigeria do not fair well in governance. They hardly work for the people. What they do is to satisfy their personal interest. We keep saying that there is looting of the treasury, it is because we have professional politicians at the helm of affairs. When you have a sound technocrat at the helm of affair, he rejigs the state and makes it better for the people. We need someone who is successful in his profession to add value to the state.

    What are the legacies of Oshiomhole which has become a legacy that must be defended by the next governor?

    I am sure that if you have been in Benin city some eight years ago you would have wept by the state of the roads in that state. We had an administration for eight years but there was no meaningful progress in that state. There was nothing to talk about then in Edo state. In areas of infrastructure, there was nothing on ground, the monthly allocation from the federation account, was shared among private individuals. But now, Edo State is a state that has received transformation, salaries are being paid as at when due, pension are being paid.

    I can see see transformation in Edo State. The state has been able to raise the internal revenue. The governor has raised our financial base to a good level, infrastructures are all over the state. To me, he has performed compared to the past PDP administration.

  • Lawmaker backs Kachikwu to succeed

    A MEMBER of the Imo State House of Assembly representing Oguta constituency   Hon Henry Ezediaro has urged Nigerians to support the ongoing reform in the petroleum industry to end the perennial fuel scarcity in the country.

    Ezediaro who also chairs the House Committee on Petroleum and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), made the call during an interactive session with journalists in Owerri, the Imo State capital, expressing  optimism that the current policies introduced by the Petroleum Minister, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, will rid the industry of the powerful cartel that has held it to ransom for years.

    He noted that though Nigerians are currently bearing the burden of the high price of petroleum products, especially Premium Motor Spirit, the development in the industry will guarantee permanent solution to the problem of fuel scarcity.

    He said, “The cartel are fighting very hard to sabotage the efforts of the Petroleum Minister and the APC government but all well-meaning Nigerians are aware of their antics. It is therefore my passionate appeal to Nigerians to show understanding and patience because I have implicit trust in the ability of Kachikwu to turn the industry around.”

    Speaking further, he said, “Those calling for the minister to resign maybe probably sponsored by the same cartel eating fat from the age-long fraud in the petroleum industry but I am optimistic that the industry will bounce back and our refineries will begin to work again. Some of those criticising the Minister of Petroleum today are the same people that are sabotaging the refineries so that they continue to import petroleum products from where they are milking the country dry. So we should be patient with the minister and support the ongoing reforms in the industry.

    “Another thing that Nigerians should also know is that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to seeing the problem of fuel scarcity resolved as quickly as possible to save Nigerians from the prevailing hardship but things must be done differently to get the desired result. All we need is to support and be patient with the APC government. Now the refineries have suddenly started working and it is a thing to rejoice over because very soon the issue of fuel scarcity will be a thing of the past.”

     

  • ‘How young lawyers can succeed’

    Young lawyers can succeed by specialising in an aspect of the law,  former Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) President, Boma Ozobia has said.

    Speaking during a mentoring programme organised by her firm, Sterling Partnership and GE Nigeria, she said young lawyers can plan their career path ahead.

    The event, which held at the Lagos campus of the Nigerian Law School,  exposed the students to  career options available to them.

    Introducing  the eighth edition of the programme, Ozobia noted that the profession is so wide that everyone can succeed.

    She can develop interest in a particular area and seek to pursue a career in it.

    Speaking on how to become a litigator,  Mrs Miannaya Essient (SAN), said: “I have learnt from experience that you have to put in your best at all times. You have to be confident, polite and accept responsibility whenever anything goes wrong.

    “You must understand the Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanisms of Arbitration, Mediation, Negotiation and  Conciliation. You must have specific skills of fluency in both written and spoken English, appreciate and analyse issues and  above all must appear very clean at all times.”

    Justice Candid Johnson of the High Court of Lagos State spoke to the law students on “a day in the life of  a  judge”.

    He gave nsight into what it takes to be a judge and why the revolution in Lagos Judiciary has become a model.

    Other speakers include Ifeoma Obasi, who spoke to “a day in the life of an in house lawyer” and Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo who spoke on challenges of combining teaching and law practice.

    Managing Partner of Sterling Partnership Solicitors, Mr. Isreal Aye said: “Our aim is to better equip these aspirants to the bar using this unique platform to educate, inspire and prepare them for what lies ahead post call.

    “The Sterling code in every project is to ‘Create Value”. Hence,  I consider this to be Sterling’s intervention to add value to the individual aspirants to the Bar and the legal profession as a whole.

    “In a nutshell we prefer to be a force for change by taking an active rather than passive stance,” he said.

    Mr. Chuka Eze of GE said: “I believe that the students will find the programme motivating because the mentors cut across almost every aspect of legal practice, namely, the bench, the bar (including an SAN), in-house counsel and the academics.  Hence every student should be able to see a representative of his career aspiration in the mentoring panel.”

    Eze also spoke on how he moved from general practice to being an in-house counsel.

    “Drawing on my expensive, having recently moved from general law firm practice to in-house practice, I compared general law firm practice and in-house practice and highlighted the highs and lows of in-house practice.

    “One low point of in-house practice for me is the fact that I do not directly make money for GE, unlike when I was in the law firm and bill for any work done for a client.

    “Another low for me was that in-house practice takes me out of my comfort zone as an oil and gas lawyer as I am now required to answer any legal question that the company may have.

    “Also as an in-house counsel, you are always required to participate in lengthy meetings/calls that you have nothing to contribute in.  You can also find yourself lonely as an in-house counsel.

    “This is because unlike in law firm where you enjoy the company of other  lawyers with whom you discuss legal issues with, you may find yourself as the only lawyer in a company with no other lawyer to discuss legal issues with.

    “The highs for in-house practice is a better work-life balance.  Unlike in law firm practice where the focus is satisfying the demands of the client no matter what it demands of the lawyer, in-house practice is better organised with reasonably respected working hours.

    “In –house practice improves the business of the lawyer as the lawyer does not only consider the legal issues, but also looks at the bigger picture, which is how the legal issue fits into the overall business objective of the company.

    “In-house practice should ultimately make the lawyer a better person as it cultures the lawyer’s manners in the areas of emailing, speaking, communication, and other useful soft skills.

    “In conclusion, I was of the view that neither general law firm practice nor in-house practice is better the other, but that the preference for each person depends on the person’s motivation in life.”

  • ‘How lawyers can succeed’

    How can lawyers succeed? Justice Chinwe Iyizoba of the Court of Appeal believes it is by hard work.

    The justice, a former senior Law lecturer who served as Anambra State Attorney-General, spoke at the Second Career Development Seminar of the National Association of Catholic Lawyers (Lagos Archdiocese), with the theme: Retooling your practice.

    According to her, some lawyers who appear before the Court of Appeal do not master their cases, to the extent that some do not know the date a notice of appeal was filed.

    Her words: “How could a full fledged lawyer come to the Court of Appeal to argue a case and he does not have at the tips of his fingers things he needs to do about that particular case? This is what has happened in this age when there has been some de-emphasis on advocacy – you bring your file, mention the date you filed and you adopt.

    “You find that some lawyers are no longer reading. Sometimes they pick up the files without bothering to go through it. Can such a lawyer make any progress? It’s difficult.

    “On the question of advocacy, it is true lawyers can come to court and adopt their brief. But that doesn’t prevent you as a good lawyer from studying the brief, knowing it inside out, and after you have adopted your brief, you talk to us in a few minutes, telling us what the case is all about.

    “Do you know that occasionally when counsel is given that opportunity, they pick up the brief and start reading it, which means he’s not familiar with the facts of the case. He doesn’t know what the case is all about. The fact is that in all professions, if you are good, you will be noticed. And if you are good you will go places.”

    Justice Iyizoba urged young lawyers to undergo on-the-job training after Law School before setting up their practice. “You can’t get there without passing through pupilage, and building yourself by working hard to excel,” she said.

    Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Augustine Alegeh (SAN) said lawyers can boost their practice by exploring emerging areas of law that have been ignored.

    According to him, electricity law, which he said can be a gold mine, entertainment law and sports law are areas lawyers can develop skills in and make money from. To him, every lawyer must not practice oil and gas law. “It is important that we look at other areas we can key into.”

    He urged lawyers to make sufficient contacts to follow through in building their client base. They must also “package” themselves well, including having customised email addresses, as some companies “spam” mails sent through regular email providers.

    Lawyers must also reassess their approach to work. “Concentrate on developing your advocacy, drafting and communication skills. You also need research skills – ability to find the right information,” Alegeh said.

    The NBA president urged lawyers to take advantage of the Stamp and Seal Policy since every legal document in Nigeria must bear the seal to be authentic, which means that foreign lawyers must go through their Nigerian counterparts to authenticate legal documents.

    He said lawyers must avoid all forms of corruption, adding that if they build their practice based on relationships with judges, their business could suffer when the judge is transferred.

    “So, let us develop practices that are based on law, on our knowledge and our expertise, not on our relationships. We cannot deny having relationships. We cannot deny giving gifts, but the gifts should be reasonable,” he said.

    A former Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) president Mrs Boma Ozobia, in a keynote address, said lawyers can only give what they have. She said it was unfortunate that some lawyers earn less than when some drivers are paid.

    Ozobia regretted that about 80 per cent of paid legal work from Africa goes to foreign law firms; African lawyers share the remaining 20 per cent of revenue they should earn. “So, we should position ourselves to get a share of the cake,” she said.

    According to her, increasing number of lawyers should not be a problem compared to Nigeria’s population. “Yet, so many of our colleagues are struggling to make a decent living,” she said.

    On how lawyer can retool their practice, she said it involves having a business plan. Law firms, she said, should be run as businesses, and must function even if the principal is not there. Lawyers must also adopt business development strategies, plan for succession, and design exit strategies.

    “The most important tool is you: You have got to know your onion,” she said, urging lawyers to set targets and work towards achieving them, even if they work for others.

    A lawyer must also consider who his target clients are, which determines where he sets up shop. “You have to understand that you sell your services,” she added. While looking for clients, he should identify key influencers who will help make the introductions. “Don’t make the mistake of taking everything that comes,” she said.

    Self-discipline is also required. “You won’t see me in any aso-ebi party. It’s either you buy aso-ebi or you buy books. You have to make choices as to where you apply your income,” she said.

    Ozobia said a lawyer can also charge “refresher fees” where litigations last so long, so as not to subsidise old cases with new ones.

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Anthonia Akinlawon, urged lawyer to think outside the box and to realise that every facet of life has a legal framework governing it which can be harnessed. “You must understand strategic thinking,” she said.

    The association’s president, Geraldine Wey, said while striving to excel, lawyers must maintain “impeccable standard of ethics, integrity and honesty.”

    The seminar’s organising committee chairman, Rudolf Ezeani, said the theme was chosen based on the need for lawyers to align thzeir careers with the changing times.

    How can lawyers succeed? Justice Chinwe Iyizoba of the Court of Ap-
    peal believes it is by hard work.

    The justice, a former senior Law lecturer who served as Anambra State Attorney-General, spoke at the Second Career Development Seminar of the National Association of Catholic Lawyers (Lagos Archdiocese), with the theme: Retooling your practice.

    According to her, some lawyers who appear before the Court of Appeal do not master their cases, to the extent that some do not know the date a notice of appeal was filed.

    Her words: “How could a full fledged lawyer come to the Court of Appeal to argue a case and he does not have at the tips of his fingers things he needs to do about that particular case? This is what has happened in this age when there has been some de-emphasis on advocacy – you bring your file, mention the date you filed and you adopt.

    “You find that some lawyers are no longer reading. Sometimes they pick up the files without bothering to go through it. Can such a lawyer make any progress? It’s difficult.

    “On the question of advocacy, it is true lawyers can come to court and adopt their brief. But that doesn’t prevent you as a good lawyer from studying the brief, knowing it inside out, and after you have adopted your brief, you talk to us in a few minutes, telling us what the case is all about.

    “Do you know that occasionally when counsel is given that opportunity, they pick up the brief and start reading it, which means he’s not familiar with the facts of the case. He doesn’t know what the case is all about. The fact is that in all professions, if you are good, you will be noticed. And if you are good you will go places.”

    Justice Iyizoba urged young lawyers to undergo on-the-job training after Law School before setting up their practice. “You can’t get there without passing through pupilage, and building yourself by working hard to excel,” she said.

    Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Augustine Alegeh (SAN) said lawyers can boost their practice by exploring emerging areas of law that have been ignored.

    According to him, electricity law, which he said can be a gold mine, entertainment law and sports law are areas lawyers can develop skills in and make money from. To him, every lawyer must not practice oil and gas law. “It is important that we look at other areas we can key into.”

    He urged lawyers to make sufficient contacts to follow through in building their client base. They must also “package” themselves well, including having customised email addresses, as some companies “spam” mails sent through regular email providers.

    Lawyers must also reassess their approach to work. “Concentrate on developing your advocacy, drafting and communication skills. You also need research skills – ability to find the right information,” Alegeh said.

    The NBA president urged lawyers to take advantage of the Stamp and Seal Policy since every legal document in Nigeria must bear the seal to be authentic, which means that foreign lawyers must go through their Nigerian counterparts to authenticate legal documents.

    He said lawyers must avoid all forms of corruption, adding that if they build their practice based on relationships with judges, their business could suffer when the judge is transferred.

    “So, let us develop practices that are based on law, on our knowledge and our expertise, not on our relationships. We cannot deny having relationships. We cannot deny giving gifts, but the gifts should be reasonable,” he said.

    A former Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) president Mrs Boma Ozobia, in a keynote address, said lawyers can only give what they have. She said it was unfortunate that some lawyers earn less than when some drivers are paid.

    Ozobia regretted that about 80 per cent of paid legal work from Africa goes to foreign law firms; African lawyers share the remaining 20 per cent of revenue they should earn. “So, we should position ourselves to get a share of the cake,” she said.

    According to her, increasing number of lawyers should not be a problem compared to Nigeria’s population. “Yet, so many of our colleagues are struggling to make a decent living,” she said.

    On how lawyer can retool their practice, she said it involves having a business plan. Law firms, she said, should be run as businesses, and must function even if the principal is not there. Lawyers must also adopt business development strategies, plan for succession, and design exit strategies.

    “The most important tool is you: You have got to know your onion,” she said, urging lawyers to set targets and work towards achieving them, even if they work for others.

    A lawyer must also consider who his target clients are, which determines where he sets up shop. “You have to understand that you sell your services,” she added. While looking for clients, he should identify key influencers who will help make the introductions. “Don’t make the mistake of taking everything that comes,” she said.

    Self-discipline is also required. “You won’t see me in any aso-ebi party. It’s either you buy aso-ebi or you buy books. You have to make choices as to where you apply your income,” she said.

    Ozobia said a lawyer can also charge “refresher fees” where litigations last so long, so as not to subsidise old cases with new ones.

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Anthonia Akinlawon, urged lawyer to think outside the box and to realise that every facet of life has a legal framework governing it which can be harnessed. “You must understand strategic thinking,” she said.

    The association’s president, Geraldine Wey, said while striving to excel, lawyers must maintain “impeccable standard of ethics, integrity and honesty.”

    The seminar’s organising committee chairman, Rudolf Ezeani, said the theme was chosen based on the need for lawyers to align thzeir careers with the changing times.

     

  • Why I want to succeed Oshiomhole, by Obaseki

    Why I want to succeed Oshiomhole, by Obaseki

    do State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Godwin Obaseki has said that he joined the governorship race to build on the foundation of sustainable development laid by Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

    Paying tribute to the governor, Obaseki, a financial expert, described him as a sincere politician bubbling with passion for development, adding that he has succeeded in transforming the Southsouth state in the last seven years.

    The Benin-born technocrat said it is important that Oshiomhole should be succeeded by someone who understands the vision, developmental designs and the motivation for the paradigm shift in governance.

    The aspirant spoke with reporters in Lagos on his ambition, plans for the state and challenges of governance in the post-Oshiomhole era.

    He said  the state will need an administrator who is a democrat, who has experience and who can steer the affairs of Edo without lowering the standard set by the governor in this challenging period.

    Obaseki said: “In the last seven years, Edo has been blessed by an accountable government, a government that has done a lot in terms of infrastructural development. There is need for a successor who has an understanding of how to continue the development started by the governor; someone who is a democrat, someone who can manage resources now that the oil price is going down; someone who has experience, capacity and ability to manage men and materials.”

    The aspirant said the gamut of infrastructural projects undertaken by Oshiomhole, especially the 15-kilometre drainage system in Benin, the state capital, is unprecedented, adding that Edo people who will not accept the lowering of standards will continue yearn for more refurbished schools, quality teachers and other social amenities when the governor takes a bow.

    Justifying his fitness for the job, he said: “I have worked with the governor for many years. I have been part of every major policy decisions of the Oshiomhole administration in the last seven years and I understand why the decisions were taken; why, where and how they were funded. The governor has laid the foundation. It is important that somebody who understands the design should build on it.”

    Obaseki said if elected as governor, he will use the Information Communication Technology (ICT) to govern Edo and extend the pace of infrastructural development to include productive activities that are germane to job creation.

    He said Edo should also embrace the reality of diversifying into agriculture, stressing that the 200 million hectares of land are good for huge commercial agriculture.

    Obaseki dismissed the boasting by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to bounce back in the state as a ruse, adding that it is a figment of imagination. He said: “The PDP is a sinking party in Edo. Which faction of the PDP are we talking about? The PDP has its challenges. It should spend time to attend to its survival. The APC has done well. It is loved by Nigerians. The government of Oshiomhole has done well, It has worked for an unprecedented change in Edo.”

  • When Buhari’s war can succeed

    Every nation has its share of patriots and traitors. They manifest in human vessels as the forces of good and evil, which define the character of a nation. When patriots are in control, a nation prospers with dignity: when traitors are in charge, the people are destroyed. The Nigerian corruption scenario has become a global case study of how a nation can be a stark contradiction of lack in the midst of plenty.

    Over the course of the last three weeks, the barrage of claims and counter-claims coming from those being tried for corrupt practices in the arms procurement scandal shows that our great nation had been under the yoke of traitors for years. This is why a change in the status quo in virtually every sphere of our human endeavour is an imperative, if Nigeria is to emerge as a strong socio-economic force in the near future.

    Like Rev. Chris Okotie said at his Household of God church on Sunday, 17 January, 2016: “I urge Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign which aims to rid this country of the People’s Democratic Party’s legacy of a government of the corrupt, by the corrupt, and for the corrupt.” Indeed, there is a great need to support the present government in its corruption battle and nation building efforts. Since Nigerians voted for change, we must begin that great process individually and collectively with a change of attitude for the better by being genuine patriots, knowing that only all-inclusive change can transform Nigeria.

    It is a mirage for us to expect any dramatic change from President Muhammadu Buhari’s government if we remain detached from this anti-corruption war. Moving the nation forward is a collective task and not the solo effort of any particular leader or political party. Every Nigerian has a role to play in the quest to move the nation forward. We cannot appoint a leader as we always do and leave him to his own devices. We must hold our leaders accountable; we must compel them to walk their talk. Whatever President Buhari and his party promised must be delivered if they are to govern with peace of mind.

    If our elected leaders go off tangent at any stage or become complacent, it is the duty of Nigerians to call them to order. Once our leaders know that they must deliver on their promises or get sacked at the next polls or even impeached, they’d sit up: That’s one of the duties of patriotic citizens. This anti-corruption tsunami is a wake-up call to over-ambitious politicians and office holders, and an admonition to government to sustain the momentum. Everybody must become an anti-corruption fighter.

    Corruption is a global scourge, and pen thieves abound everywhere; look at the tsunami sweeping through FIFA headquarters for an attestation of this. But what differs between the Nigerian scenario and other climes like Europe and zero-tolerant nations like North Korea are obvious. For a start, those nations do not celebrate ill gotten wealth; neither does their economic legal system exculpate culprits with weak punitive measures. The economic system does not operate an open door policy which makes the perpetration of economic and financial crimes as easy as a, b, c. Neither do ex-convicts bask in the klieg-lights and media glory of social soirees with men and women in government. The populace ensures this.

    Demanding the heads of looters will not impede corruption, not if the system celebrates them. To realistically begin to curb corruption, plugging the channels that looters exploit is the best step forward. Rev. Okotie also posits that re-ordering the value system is the foundation upon which a corruption-free and equitable Nigerian society can be built. Let’s start there. Reports have it that CBN is to publish the list of suspected looters: They should also publish details of contracts and expenditures.

    Over and above the anti-graft battle is the need to rally together a united front and a cohesive nation at this time of low morale and an obvious national economic downturn: The corruption racket has taken a toll on the nation and the challenges of instability making rounds in the nation are the drumbeats of discontent; the Boko Haram insurgency in the north, the militancy in the south-south, Biafra agitations in the east, kidnappings across the nation, serial murders and ritual killings, proliferation of arms and IED’s and trafficking and laundering.

    As the anti-corruption war heats-up, still languishing at the back end of all these socio-economic crossroads is a traumatised nation with citizens who need a chance at redemption from the numerous challenges that coxswain their opportunities at attaining their best potential. This is what must go alongside the corruption battle and economic restructuring; reconciliation of old troubles.

    In closing, let President Buhari heed Okotie’s admonition never to relent or compromise because Nigerians are behind him. Your Excellency, Mr. President, you must fight to make Nigeria right. You have no choice. But your fight against corruption, injustice and for the rule of law must be fair to all. Unlike your predecessors, you must finish strong and leave a great legacy. Then, indeed, Mr. President, will your fight be right for Nigeria as indicated by the Pastor-politician

     

    • Elakhe, a member of the Fresh Democratic Party (FRESH), wrote in from Lagos.

     

  • Making Nigeria succeed or fail is our choice

    Since the victory of General Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential elections, I have taken time now and then to brush up on my readings on development. I have focused, not so much on the development stories of particular countries, but mostly on the broad issues of development – why some countries succeed and others fail.

    I have read, re-read, and looked up the reviews and commentaries on the following books, and I urge leading citizens of my country to find one or two of them and, at least, browse through them: Guns, Germs & Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond; Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed also by Jared Diamond; Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity & Povertyby Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson; The Elusive Quest for Growth by William Easterly; and The Wealth & Poverty of Nations by David Landes.

    Each of these distinguished authors offers own profound thoughts on the question that is most important to Nigeria today – the question of whether we Nigerians will make our Nigeria a success or a failure. Altogether, the summary of the studies and thoughts of these authors is that we Nigerians are absolutely able to make our country succeed and to make it fail. To put it in another way, we have all we need to make Nigeria succeed brilliantly; and we have all we need to make Nigeria fail disastrously. The choice is entirely in our hands, and we are free to choose either way.

    Needless to say, various factors beyond human power are important  – factors such as geographical advantages or hardships, ethnicity, ethnic culture and history, availability or non-availability of natural resources, a country’s ethnic/cultural homogeneity or diversity, religious homogeneity or diversity, etc. But, in the final analysis, the ultimate determinant of whether a country shall succeed or fail is the choice made by its people, the institutions they set up, and the integrity or non-integrity of their operation of those institutions.

    For instance, being located in a desert makes development difficult for a country – but it does not make development impossible. The small state of Israel is a desert country, but its people have made it one of the most productive small countries in the world, agriculturally and technologically. Having two or more different nationalities (each with its own homeland) in a county makes stability and development difficult, but it does not make them impossible. Switzerland in Europe has no less than four nationalities, but it is one of the most stable, and one of the richest, countries in the world. Being richly endowed with natural resources is good for development, but it does not guarantee development. Nigeria is one of the richest countries in natural resources in the world, but it has been relentlessly declining, with the masses of its people becoming poorer, since independence. The key – the secret – in each case is the choices made by the people and their loyalty to those choices, and the institutions they give their country.

    In short, Nigeria has been declining since independence and becoming less and less stable, and over 70% of our people live in absolute poverty today, because we have been making the wrong choices, setting up the wrong institutions, and denying integrity to our institutions. The biggest of the wrong institutions is our federal government. Essentially, because we have hundreds of ethnic nationalities, our best choice was a federal structure. However, we ought to have borne in mind the danger of having too many states and too many state governments – and thereby putting too heavy a load of administrative costs on our country. (India with a population of about one billion at independence, carefully carved itself into 28 states, and gave most of the burdens of development to the state governments).

    Unfortunately, it suited the purposes of some our most influential policy makers to carve our country into smaller and smaller states, so as to transfer more powers, resources and assets to the federal centre. That paved the way for horrific inefficiency and corruption at the centre, turned our states into impotent entities forever at the mercy of the centre, destroyed most development energy at the state and local government levels, and plunged our country into deeper and deeper poverty. The old regional responsibilities and assets (like universities, export crop management, some crucial highways, control over schools and school curriculum, etc) that were transferred to the centre mostly floundered and perished.

    Those who controlled the centre arrogated to themselves the prerogative of deciding who would rule the states, and election rigging by federal agencies (INEC, police, secret service, and even the military) became part of our political culture. Similar relationships developed between each state and its local governments. Federal agencies, as well as the departments of the federal government, eminent institutions like the Central Bank, the state and local governments, all lost integrity. Leadership whims, caprices, and impunity, ruled over our country. We ceased having a country worth the name. Most observers began to say that our country was a failed state that somehow kept standing – a failed state that would soon crumble.

    Then a new day appeared to dawn in Nigeria. With the election of the new government, optimism and hope rose over our country. Understandably, most of our people are eager to see Buhari crush corruption. Buhari’s former stint at ruling our country, and his general reputation and body language, fuel the anti-corruption expectations. But, hopefully, Buhari understands that to crush corruption fully and abidingly in this country, we must reorder and revamp the institutional roots and fabrics of our country. The wrongly chosen, distorted and corrupted institutions are the roots of our country’s problem. Redraw, restructure, and straighten up, our institutions and, not only will corruption perish, our whole country will begin to rise again.

    But, of course, our country can continue to decline – and can decline until it crumbles. Whether our country revives and survives, or whether it continues to decline until it perishes – both depend on the choices we make in the next few years. That means that Buhari can lead us in ways that continue the decline one way or another. For instance, he could choose to revive and reinforce the ambition of northern domination of Nigeria, reinforce the accumulation of power, assets and  resource control in the hands of his federal government, and make the states more in number and weaker in stature – he couldeven adopt the insane proposal that the number of states be increased to 54! He could, out of loyalty to a section of the country and to a political party, sustain the culture of election manipulations. He could focus solely on the prosecution of proven treasury looters and ignore the inherent loopholes in the structures of governance which make such blatant theft possible. He could do all or any of these and more – and pave the ultimate path to Nigeria’s disappearance. But he could guide and lead us in totally different ways, and give our country a new lease of life.

    To build or kill Nigeria is our choice.