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Tag: survive

  • Why Al-Makura must survive

    Why Al-Makura must survive

    When Governor \Murtala Nyako was removed from the Government House, Yola, without any form of resistance, I was tempted to believe that the 2015 general elections (including the presidential poll) might be a walk over for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). One was forced to ask if the All Progressives Congress (APC) has any strategist. The House met, hatched the conspiracy, effortlessly got the numbers and executed the scheme. All the APC could do was whine and warn.

    The PDP aim was very clear- snatch Adamawa from the opposition party and plant doubt in the minds of voters on the readiness of the APC to take over from the ruling party at the federal level. Boni Haruna and Buba Marwa who had just defected to the PDP were out to prove that they call the shots in the North Eastern state.

    The success in Adamawa emboldened the PDP strategist to move into Nasarawa, being one whose legislature is equally controlled by the party. However, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura would not give way so easily. He understood the political terrain and sought to strike at the PDP soft underbelly. The party has been unpopular in Lafia, the capital town, since the late Senator Haruna Abubakar pulled out in the first stanza of this dispensation.

    Throughout the period that Governor Abdullahi Adamu ran the state affairs, he knew it was suicidal to attempt a popularity walk on Lafia streets. In the hands of a charismatic politician like Al-Makura, that was a potent weapon. The Lafia people were incensed that the PDP was seeking power through the back door. They, whether engineered or not, swung into action, sweeping through the streets. That was enough to set the alarm that the delicate peace in the state could be ruptured should the PDP insist on applying the Yola formula in Nasarawa.

    The message could not have been lost on the 20 desperate PDP state lawmakers. While they got their brief from the Abuja overlords and would not easily lose the benefits promised, they knew they had people at home to contend with. They moved away from Lafia, illegally congregated in Abuja and Karu to hatch the plot, but found time, under heavy military cover, to sit in the official House of Assembly to pass the resolution mandating the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-member panel to investigate the allegations against Governor Al-Makura.

    The legislative rascality following the panel’s sitting and dismissal of the 16 counts must end at that point. The constitution leaves no room for the legislature in determining composition of the panel, deciding the mode of sitting or the outcome of the deliberation. In the same way that what constitutes gross misconduct is left entirely to the legislators, the composition is the prerogative of the Chief Judge. If any of the concerned parties felt strongly about any of the issues, the court is the place to go. Refusal to accept the panel’s verdict amounts to legislative rascality and any attempt to force out the governor through extra-constitutional means would mean an open invitation to anarchy.

    However, the APC should learn some lessons from what has transpired in Adamawa and Nasarawa States. It is not enough to lambast the federal ruling party for adopting anti-democratic style of governance. The party should have a political think-tank to advise and assist any of its governments in trouble. Truth be told, if the PDP believes it could remove any of the APC governors, thus weakening the opposition, it would do so. But, if it knows that such measures would come at a heavy price, it would be forced to think twice.

    It should be noted that the ruling party has so many of those who sold out the Abiola/SDP victory in 1993/94. Many of the leaders do not care if Nigeria burns. All that matters to them is the pecuniary benefits they could rake in at any point in time.

    Unfortunately though, the APC has failed so far to demonstrate that it has in its ranks people who understand the sociological make-up of Nigeria, its political behaviourand a machine that could proactively engage the ruling party. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has always said power is never served a la carte. It comes after a fierce struggle. But, his party is yet to demonstrate its understanding of this principle. Worse still, very little is being done to show the basic distinction between the two major parties. If tomorrow, Iyiola Omisore, having lost the Osun governorship election, seeks a space in the APC, he would be found one in the party’s highest organ.

    The party must redefine its goals, mobilize people along the line of the goals and assure its supporters and all who think the PDP is an unmitigated disaster that the APC has what it takes to win elections and run a good government.

    At the moment, the APC has a duty to follow the development in Nasarawa, Edo, Rivers and Borno States keenly and do as much behind the scenes as is being done in the public sphere.

    Above all, Al-Makura received the votes of the people- he must survive. Nigeria must survive.

  • Nigeria: Learn this lesson and survive

    Nigeria could soon break up. As things stand today, if anybody thinks that Nigeria is not about to break up, he is deceiving himself. I don’t mean secession by this or that nationality. I mean actual dispersal of Nigeria’s many nationalities. Anybody who takes time to observe all the quiet goings-on in the political life of our country now can easily see it. It is self-evident; it is not rocket science.

    But I believe that Nigeria can be saved – that Nigeria can survive, and go on from there to prosper in the world. The country called India offers us a very useful lesson. If we learn that lesson and use it, we can save our country.

    First, here is the background. India was, like Nigeria, created by the British. It was the largest British protectorate in Asia – in the same way that Nigeria was the largest British protectorate in Africa. Both Nigeria and India contain very many nationalities (otherwise known as “linguistic nations” in India) – Nigeria contains nearly 300 nationalities, India about 2000. At the independence of India in 1947, India was a “federation” designed by the British overlords. The British had created the Indian Federation merely for “administrative convenience”; the states or federating units of the federationwere arbitraryblocks territories based on administrative convenience – without any deference to the nationalities. The nationalities were grouped or split irrationally.

    Like the India of 1947, the Nigeria of 1960 (at independence) was also a federation designed by the British for administrative convenience – without deference to the nationalities. The nationalities were grouped arbitrarily into three Regions, and some nationalities were split up along the boundaries of the three Regions. When many nationalities cried out against this irrational treatment, the British rulers answered that they were not willing to change anything – and that Nigerians themselves could tackle the problem after independence. Since independence in 1960, the Nigerians (civilian politicians and military dictators) who have controlled the powers of the Federal Government, have just followed the example of the British – by creating states for administrative and ulterior political considerations, and by irrationally grouping and splitting our nationalities. Therefore, the Nigerian federation of 2014 is, unfortunately,still almost exactly like the Indian federation of 1947.

    Worse still, as Nigerian rulers have created smaller, weaker and poorer states, they have reasoned that these states are too weak to hold much power or responsibility, and they have consequently grabbed all power, all resources, and all resource control in our country, and heaped everything in the hands of the Federal Government. The Federal Government has therefore become a sick and unrestrained monster, mud-swimming insanely in limitless power and money, barging into everything and anything according to its whims and caprices, dragging all efficiency down, generating corruption, distorting electoral and judicial processes all over our country, and breeding hideous poverty. With the poverty grew crimes, insecurity, various species of conflicts, and now, terrorism. Today, most Nigerians have had enough – and Nigeria is about to implode.

    Parts of India (the far northern provinces which became Pakistan and Bangladesh) broke away soon after 1947. After that, the rest of India continued to shake; many nationalities wanted to break away. Today, Nigeria is shaking, and many nationalities want to break away. But Indians took action and saved their country. We Nigerians can save Nigeria too – simply by doing what the Indians did.

    Here is what the Indians did. Many Indians began to advocate that their federation should be restructured in such a way as to show respect to the nationalities, and make the nationalities happyto be members of the Indian federation. Most of the biggest politicians opposed this, claiming that it would only lead to the breaking up of the country. The Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, threatened that if it was adopted he would resign. But the proposal grew more and more popular, more andmore intense. Finally, by 1953, the country accepted it. Nehru did not resign. A National Commission was set up to look into the matter and to advise the country.

    The Commission recommended the following: First, that the nationalities should be respected, and that no nationality should be split by any boundary in the federation. Secondly that the larger nationalities should each form a state. Third, that the small and contiguous nationalities in various parts of the country should negotiate among them and form states (no nationality was to be pushed into any state; the nationalities that agreed to form a state would negotiate the constitution of their state, thereby respecting the integrity and rights of every nationality). Fourth, that a lot of powers should be devolved to the states from the Federal Government to make the states strong, and that, in revenue allocation, the states should receive much more than the Federal Government.

    The process of devolution resulted in the following list of “exclusive” powers for the states: public order; police; education; local government; roads and transport; agriculture; land and land revenue; forests; fisheries; industry and trade; state Public Service Commissions; and Courts (except the Supreme Court of India).It also laid down a”Concurrent List”, on which the states and the center wouldboth have power to make laws. This list includes criminal laws and their administration; economic and social planning; commercial and industrial monopolies; shipping and navigation on the inland waterways; drugs; ports; courts and civil procedures. The Federal (or Union) Government was given powers over such subjects as defence, foreign policy, inter-state commerce, the Supreme Court, etc. In revenue allocation, the states were given a percentage much larger than that of the Federal Government. Today, it is 85% for the states and 15% for the Federal Government.

    An Indian scholar and statesman, S.D. Muni, has described the effects of this careful restructuring as follows: “The elaborate structure of power devolution has combined with the linguistic basis of federal unity to facilitate the management of cultural diversity in India and to help mitigate pulls towards separatism and disintegration”. Muni adds thatboth at the federal and state levels, Indians are dedicated to “a consciously followed approach to preserve and promote the cultural specificities of diverse groups”, and that that “has helped such groups identify with the national mainstream”. Finally, the health of the whole structure has been greatly helped by the fact that Indians have consciously remained loyal to the integrity of their democratic institutions and to democratic politics.

    That is it. Surely we Nigerians are able to take these same steps and save our country. In the coming National Conference, we should restructure our federation along the same lines. We should establish effective measures for upholding democratic politics in our country, the integrity of our elections, and the handling of our public accounts. These steps will surely benefit our country, our states, our nationalities, our institutions, and all of us Nigerians. They cannot conceivably hurt any Nigerian nationality or group. Therefore, hopefully, no Nigerian nationality or group will, at the National Conference, put up a resistance to them. I fear that if any nationality or group resists these measures at the National Conference, Nigeria might quickly evaporate on the spot. I fervently hope not.

  • ‘Small businesses must adapt to changes to survive’

    ‘Small businesses must adapt to changes to survive’

    Dayo Shittu-Balogun, a RIBA (UK) registered architect with over ten years, is the Creative Director of Home Royale, a company established 30 years ago with a vision to bring beautiful, design-led pieces to Nigerian homes.

    Home Royale currently operates from two locations -one in Opebi, Ikeja and the second on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. Originally trading under the name ‘Things Remembered Nigeria Limited’, for Dayo, design is a lifestyle.

    A director with passion for good design and home life as the core of her identity and through Home Royale, she has continuously sought to make a synergy between the two an accessible ideal.

    Dayo has spent the past two years fine-tuning the vision her mother, the original founder (her mother, Mrs. Deola Omikunle) of the company had 30 years ago.

    On her overall assessment of the business environment in Nigeria in relation to her company’s line of business, Dayo said “the challenges are many but the opportunities are vast. In terms of the operation of the business, we obviously face the same challenges that any other businesses face in Nigeria – infrastructure, power supply, security- which means our costs can sometimes be out of kilter with our income. Frustrating as these challenges are, we cannot afford to keep whining about them. We have to adapt and sometimes evolve parts of our business to make things work within this environment.”

    She stressed that considering the fact that Home Royale is not the only outlet in the sales and distribution of quality products in the gifts/home-ware market in Nigeria, the company has continued to do things differently in order to win a reasonable share of the market in this area of specialisation.

    As the company’s Creative Director, she has been working on a range on scales of projects including interiors.

    “This design expertise is a huge capital asset and competitive advantage that the company holds. Design is part of our identity,” she added.

    “Home Royale has been around for over 30 years, and in this time we have evolved and matured as a business, streamlining our offerings and developing confidence in occupying a niche area of the market. We are now in a position where we can be really selective about what we offer. We source exclusively from companies and suppliers who have design at the heart of their business. Some of our suppliers are also very selective on who represents their brand and this works really well for us.”

    Home Royale, she stressed, has also integrated with a wider business portfolio. “We own a sister company that deals in the catering and hospitality sector from whom we are constantly learning and synergising ideas with.”

    Speaking on the advent of the ubiquitous online shops and outlets in the country in recent times, Dayo explained that her organisation is putting everything in place to ensure easy access to its goods/services across the country.

    According to her, “Home Royale is launching an official website before the end of the year which we are extremely excited about. It will be our online platform for engaging our customers and keeping them abreast of the ‘goings on’ at Home Royale, including events and special offers.

    “For a business such as ours, it is in our DNA that we maintain a sustainable and consistent quality of service on whatever platform we choose to trade. Having said all of that we are very proud of the quality of electronic interaction between us and our clients, as such this goes a long way in helping us widen our reach. Thankfully by word of mouth and through our wider network we are able to fulfil orders from all over the country.”

    Concerning the Federal Government’s call for Nigerians to always patronise ‘Made in Nigeria’ products, the Creative Director while noting that it is a right policy however stressed that “At Home Royale, we are all for this, and in fact we are desperate to see this play out in our business. Through our years of experience we have learnt that our heritage has immeasurable value on the international stage. For example, we have seen some incredible things come out of the fashion industry in recent years and we are keen to see this level of quality and creativity replicated in our sector.

    “We pride ourselves on being Nigerian with an international outlook which means that we are always on the hunt for products that represent our heritage with an international level of quality. We have met some interesting Nigerian home-ware designers whose products are recognisably ‘Nigerian’ but who are not necessarily based in Nigeria or producing locally. We are in talk with some of them and hopefully should be showcasing some of their work in our stores soon. As a creative organisation, we are also in the position to contribute to these ourselves and as such we are not resting on our laurels- we are working on an own-brand of products. It is challenging but we are determined to keep things as local as possible in terms of production.”

    Based on her company’s visible success in its operations, Dayo shared her expert opinions and suggestions, “We have been in the business for a few decades and have seen our customers mature. Consumers are savvier than they used to be because the world is a smaller place and it is difficult to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes. It is a phenomenon that is global and not only peculiar to Nigeria. People are looking and are willing to buy added value and this is why we have worked hard on differentiating ourselves within the marketplace. For us it is really about maintaining our niche and for that reason we are constantly creating ideas and also being responsive to customer needs.”

     

  • Nigerians must unite to survive, says Tinubu

    Former Lagos State governor and national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has called on all Nigerians to see the nation’s diversity as a strength to make a better country.

    He made the call while receiving the award of degree of Human Letters, Honoras Causa given to his mother, Alhaja Habibat Mogaji, the Iyaloja General, by the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria during its 50th anniversary convocation yesterday.

    According to Tinubu, “We are one! From north to south, we are one! In pursuit of a better future for our children, we are one! In our love for humanity, we are one! In our hatred of injustice, we are one. In our belief that Nigeria can guide its people out of poverty and into prosperity, we are one! As Nigerians, we are brothers and sisters. While others may try to pull us apart, let us lock our lives together in effective union. If we dedicate ourselves to this task, we shall survive the current storms to enter a new and brighter day.”

    He thanked the university for reaching across to the South West to honour his mother, noting that the lesson from was that in spite of our differences, we have a lot in common.

    The former governor added, “What stirs me today is that this northern university reached its hands across hundreds of kilometres, across the so-called regional divide to honour a woman from Lagos. By this, you demonstrated your firm belief that we are one. You shall not draw back your hand empty. As you have extended a hand to this woman of the Southwest, she and all that she represents extend a hand to you in a familial embrace that cannot be broken by transient setback or idle chatter.”

    He emphasised the need to unite and work together, saying, “I am here to affirm that we are one. You have talents, skills and assets that will enrich my life. I have talents, skills and resources that will enrich yours. We must value each other. We have more in common than we have things that separate us.”

    Tinubu who expressed gratitude to his mother for his upbringing and political tutelage said, “I have to tell you that being the president general of the market women is a rewarding but tough position. It was probably the second toughest job she had. The toughest was that of being a parent for she is my mother. So today, I stand here on behalf of my mother to say thank you for this esteemed honour. If not for her 96 years and the wear the years has put on her physical being, she would be standing here today to say these things for herself.”

    The Asiwaju observed that although his mother was not physically strong as before, her mind and spirit are as agile and focused as ever. “My mother has been a patriot, a true believer in this joint enterprise we call Nigeria. Her belief in the purpose and destiny of this nation has never been doused by the difficulties we have suffered on the road of nation building. This remarkable woman has always seen beyond the events of the day into the horizon of a better and greater future.”

    He applauded the contributions of the university to education in the country, saying it is a revered institution, “ABU deserves its reputation for excellence for it has stood as a monument to knowledge and public service that has brought together Nigerians from every corner of our vast nation to mould them into some of our brightest minds and major players in society.”

     

  • Kano 2015: Can PDP survive the onslaught?

    Kano 2015: Can PDP survive the onslaught?

    It is more than one year since the last general elections were held in Kano State. The next is not due until 2015. In the last elections, the opposition parties were torn apart by internal crises. Now, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change(CPC) are glued to the drawing boards. How far have the opposition parties gone in effecting reconciliation within their ranks? Correspondent KOLADE ADEYEMI examines the strengths and weaknesses of the political platforms in the hot race for power.

     

    THREE major parties are locked in fierce combat in Kano State. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) have begun intense mobilisation, almost three years ahead of the 2015 general elections. Across the local government areas, party leaders and chieftains are oiling their party machineries.

    Since the PDP bounced back to power last year, it has been waxing stronger. Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso, many believe, has won the hearts of the people through popular programmes across the 44 local government areas. This is evident in the numbers of projects he has commissioned in the last 17 months.

    However, the ANPP that was displaced from power has critisised the administration, claiming that Kwakwanso has not performed as well as his predecessor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau. The party recalled that the former governor had shown exemplary leadership, which his successor has failed to build upon.

    For the CPC, the two parties have failed the state. It contends that only a third force can reposition Kano State for excellence.

    Kwakwanso is an experienced politician who had endured the pains of losing power before regaining it. Will he hand over to a PDP governor in 2015 or ANPP or will the CPC succeed in pulling the rug off the feat of the ruling party?

    The strategy the governor is adopting is to remain in the consciousness of the people by consolidating on the performance of his administration. Recently, the governor awarded scholarship to 501 graduates for post-graduate studies. Explaining the motivation, he said the decision was meant to boost capacity in the state.

    The CPC is not threatened by the power of incumbency. The party is putting its house in order. Instructively, CPC lost in its bid to govern the state in the last 2011 general elections due to leadership tussle within the fold. Now, the party leader, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), who was also its presidential candidate, has reconciled aggrieved members of the party in the state.

    A leader of the party iin the state, Kabiru Sani Abdullahi, said it is now united. The national ex-officio member of the party, added: “The CPC is very much alive in Kano. It is a party to beat in the state and in an opinion poll, it was adjudged as having the highest number of supporters in Kano. For us to test our strength, let Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso conduct the local government election. Then, PDP will realise that the CPC is firmly rooted in Kano.”

    “We have been able to handle our crisis within the party and Dr Mohammed Mahmud is the Caretaker Chairman of the party in the state. We have been able to bring together all the warring factions, except one, the Haruna Danzago faction. His disagreement with the party will not jeopardize our chances, because people are aware that the Danzago faction is being used to foment trouble. He defected from ANPP to CPC. So, what is happening is not a surprise .

    “We constituted a Caretaker Committee, headed by Dr Mohammed Mahmud Abubakar, a former Minority leader in the House of Assembly, who reconciled all the feuding parties. Now, we are in the process of forming various committees that will help to galvanize support for the party from the wards and at the Local Government level.”

    Mahmud elaborated on the reconciliatory moves. He said his first assignment was to invite elders of the party, governorship, senatorial, and House of Representatives aspirants, the Assembly leadership, and local government and ward leaders to a peace meeting.

    “At the close of the day, we spoke and identified the grievances of all parties, reconciled them and mapped out strategies on the way forward. as The CPC is intact and we have no faction”, he added.

    Recently, there were indications that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was also coming up. ACN leaders, including Dr Baffa Baba Dan-Agundi, former Minister of Labour Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, and Abdullahi Gwarzo are trying to restructure the party, in preparation for the 2015 elections.

    “We have our own substantial supporters. So, we should not be regarded as a write off. We can also make a significant impact in some areas in the state. We have started touring the local government areas in the state to rekindle the support and interest of the public and the electorate”, saod Dan-Agundi.

    In ANPP, prominent politicians showing interest in the governorship include the deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Abdulrahaman Kawu Sumaila, former Governor Kabiru Gaya,now a senator, and the party’s flag bearer in last year’s election, Malam Salihu Sagir, who was the flag bearer in the 2011 general elections.

    Already, Kawu, who represents Takai/Sumaila Federal Constituency, has started a subtle campaign to drum support for his ambition.

    Kawu, who has been a member of the House of Representatives for three consecutive terms from 2003 to date is no doubt a grassroots politician. He is never far from his people. Recently, President Goodluck Jonathan conferred on him the national award of the Order of Federal Republic (OFR), in recognition of his service to the polity.

    Kawu is not a bench warmer in the parliament. His speeches on the floor always focus on the plight of the 19 northern states, especially the security challenge.

    The legislator has sunk many boreholes to ensure stable and potable water supply for both human and animal consumption in his immediate constituency.

    If eventually Kawu declares his interest in the race on the platform of the ANPP, he will receive massive endorsement.

    To date, Kawu has awarded over 300 scholarships to indigent students in his constituency and beyond to enable them pursue their academic careers, a gesture that has endeared him to the heart of the beneficiaries.

    Kawu is the toast of the youths in the state. He has started consultations with party elders and other stakeholders . But observers believe that the race will not be a walk over for him.

    Already, the ANPP’s Elders Committee Chairman, Alhaji Ammani Inuwa, has endorsed Kawu. He even urged him to declare his interest in time, promising to rally the support of the elders for him.

    Besides, Kawu is a regular commentator on Kano State affairs on radio and television. He currently sponsors a weekly political programme, ‘Kasuwan Bukata (Political market)’ on the Wazobia Radio. There, he compares the Kwakwanso administration and that of his predecessor.

    He will face big wigs at the primaries. One of them is Senator Gaya. The former governor had to withdraw from the race last year, following the advice of the party elders led by the former presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), Alhaji Othman Bashir Tofa. The aim of the party elders was to streamline the contestants. At the close of the day, Salhu Sagir Takai, who was former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau’s anointed candidate, emerged as the candidate.

    Apart from Senator Gaya, other aspirants were Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, Mohammed Kankarofi, a former Permanent Secretary, Sani Lawan Kofar Mata and Shekarau’s deputy, Abdullahi Tijjani Mohammad Gwarzo.

    The emergence of Takai did not go down well with most of the members. In annoyance, they defected to other parties. For example, Kofar Mata dumped the ANPP for the PDP and Gwarzo defected to the ACN where he emerged as the candidate. But he lost to Kwankwaso.

    Party members believe that Senator Gaya has an edge in the race. He is the most senior elected federal lawmaker from the state on the platform of ANPP.

    Takai has not been politically active since he failed to displace Kwakwaso at the Appeal Court. But he was recently on air to sympathize with victims of the floods that ravaged some parts of the state.

    He is yet to express interest in the race. Party sources could not confirm whether Shekarau will still back him, if he declares his interest.

    But if Shekarau decides to throw his weight behind Takai again, it may likely lead to fresh crisis, which could spell doom for the party.

    The battle is about to commence. Time will decide the winner