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Tag: Thank you

  • Gov Ishaku’s “Thank You” Visit to Council Areas

    Gov Ishaku’s “Thank You” Visit to Council Areas

    It was the week of Easter holiday. But for Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, it wasn’t time for a holiday at all. It was rather time to double the tempo of work to cover lost grounds. So he decided to embark on a “thank you” visit to Northern Senatorial zone in the state to meet with political stakeholders. The visit had been long overdue, encumbered by the series of unnecessary litigations that had trailed his victory in the governorship polls of April 2015, exactly two years ago. And as it turned out, it was Governor Darius Ishaku’s busiest week as he met in three locations with representatives of six Council Areas in the zone.

    The trips came on the heels of the April 7, 2017 dismissal by the Supreme Court of the last of the court cases over the governorship election – the one sponsored by David Sabo Kente, for lack of merit. That court verdict became the icing sugar on the cake of victory for Governor Ishaku and his legion of supporters in and outside the state. So, on Friday April 14, he headed for the interactive stakeholders meetings which was an opportunity to interface with his supporters in the zone, to thank them for their support and solidarity in the elections and during his travails in the courts where he battled with those who were determined to get the courts to support their false claims to the gubernatorial seat in the state.

    Zing was first on the Governor’s itinerary. Governor Ishaku told the large gathering of party leaders and supporters that he had come to thank them for their support for him and solidarity with the party during the elections and the court cases.  He urged them to continue to support his efforts to ensure lasting peace and promote development. He also promised to grade and smoothen rural roads, especially those leading to major markets in Lama and Yakoko, to ease movement of farm produce from the farm gates to the markets. The zone is well known for yam production.

    Karim Lamido which combined with Lau Council Area to welcome the Governor was next on Saturday April 14. The meeting which took place in Karim was a carnival of sort. Men, women and youths representing various political interests and socio-cultural groups lined up the roads in the town to receive their political idol in the person of Ishaku. It was a long procession of singing, drumming and dancing all the way to the venue of the event. At the event, chairmen of the councils in the zone, political party leaders and other men and women of the moment had the opportunity of addressing the meeting on the needs of their people. The most frequently mentioned subjects are the roads leading to their councils’ headquarters and a bridge across Lau River.

    Governor Ishaku was, as usual, frank and courteous in his reaction to these requests. He told them that the roads would be reconstructed by his administration. That assurance drew loud and wild jubilation. What Governor Ishaku could not promise, however, was a bridge across the river. He told them that he was not on a mission to deceive the people and, therefore, could not guarantee a bridge across the river during the present tenure of his administration because the cost of the project is beyond the financial scope of the government as of now. In addition to the roads, Ishaku also promised to add more boreholes – about 150 more which would be evenly distributed among the senatorial zones.

    In Karim, Ishaku also visited the dry season rice farm centres where he expressed satisfaction with the bumper yields from the farms. He promised government’s support for the farmers to produce more rice which is the main crop in the area.

    In all the areas visited, Governor Ishaku made sure he visited traditional rulers before his meeting and interaction with the people. Even in the palaces, his message was the same – the promise to guarantee peace and to develop the state. He also sought the support and co-operation of the traditional rulers in the efforts to sustain peace now being enjoyed in the state. He urged them to fish out trouble makers and strange visitors on a mission to cause trouble in their domains.

    Ardo Kola was the venue of the next meeting which was also attended by stakeholders from Jalingo. Most speakers at this centre hailed Governor Ishaku for his achievements in road construction, the gigantic water projects in Jalingo, the Green House project which has already created over 200 jobs and has the potential to create 500, the street lights that have transformed Jalingo into one of the most beautiful cities to behold at night and for the general state of sanitation in the town.

    But this feeling of satisfaction did not stop stakeholders from Jalingo from playing Oliver Twist. They came with a shopping list which included improvement of rural roads. Alhaji Sule Labaran, spokesperson for Jalingo requested for an overhead bridge in the town which Governor Ishaku said could only be done if the finances of the state improved. He also requested for the improvement of the sanitary condition of the main abattoir in Jalingo. Ishaku promised to do even more than they had requested in the case of the abattoir. He said the abandoned new abattoir project in the town will revisited and completed by his administration.

    Beyond the requests for amenities and the assurances from the governor to do his utmost best to meet these requests, the visits were also a proof of the unassailable strength of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, the ruling political party in the state. The turn-out of members and supporters was huge and their commitment to ensuring that the party retained its control of the affairs of the state beyond 2019 was palpable. The 4+4 posters which were many and very visible at all the meeting venues say a lot about the future of the party and the politics of the state. It is an expression of their determination to ensure that Ishaku’s mandate is renewed after his first four years. More significant was the resolve by party leaders and elders to remain united behind the party and Governor Ishaku.

    But even with such a busy schedule during the week, Governor Ishaku did not forget to identify with the people on the occasion of Easter. His office released an Easter goodwill message reminding the people of the state of the lessons of Easter which is sacrifice and tolerance that manifested in the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He urged Christians in the state to apply these lessons to their daily living and in their attitude towards other people and the state generally. “Taraba is for all of us and as such, we must work for its progress for our common good, irrespective of our religious, cultural and traditional backgrounds”, Ishaku said.

  • Music artistes pay Ambode ‘thank you’ visit

    Music artistes pay Ambode ‘thank you’ visit

    •”We’ll increase Lagos GDP through entertainment” -Governor

    You would think a mid-day concert was about to take place at the Lagos State Secretariat when music artistes of different genres livened up Alausa on Tuesday. But they were there to say ‘thank you’ to a man who has given them a sense of belonging in the state’s social sphere.

    The artistes, who were full of praise for the state’s helmsman, were among those that performed at the One Lagos Fiesta (OLF) last December.

    They include Queen Salawa Abeni, Adewale Ayuba, Tiwa Savage, Adekunle Gold, Sir Shina Peters and Sound Sultan.

    Others are Folarin Falana (Falz), M.I Abaga, Patoranking, Obesere, Tony Tetuila, Dr Sid, Idris Abdulkareem, Aramide, CDQ, Sulaimon ‘Atawewe’ Adio, Reekado Banks, Humblesmith and Dammy Krane.

    The OLF, an annual end of the year revue put together by the State Government, held simultaneously in five different locations across the State from December 24, 2016 to January 1, 2017, and it was adjudged to be very successful with participation of A-list artistes from different genres of music.

    Ambode, while receiving the artistes, revealed plans of his administration to promote talents and leverage on the vast economic opportunities in entertainment, tourism and arts sectors to grow the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state.

    He noted that the creative industry remained a veritable platform to grow the economy, and that government would tap into it and use it to positively engage the bulging youths in the state.

    The governor, who thanked the artistes for their partnership with the State Government, said the OLF was a platform put together by his administration to majorly create awareness about the potentials inherent in the entertainment industry, especially in using it to grow the economy and positively develop talents that abound in the country.

    He said, according to statistics, the state recorded the lowest crime rate during the period of the OLF, saying that the artists contributed significantly in keeping the city secured and scale up the international rating of the state as a safe place.

    According to the governor, “We have a bulging youth population dynamics in Lagos. 66 per cent of our population are below the age of 35 and if two third are of below 35, it means there is an economy in that age bracket that government is not seeing. The OLF was used to test run how to bring people together.

    “The issue now is beyond OLF, how do we now take that opportunity to become a catalyst for this partnership? On my part, I want to reiterate my commitment. This is an area I love which is underutilized for the societal development of the country.

    “Government is now willing to use your industry to grow its GDP because so far entertainers are working, we would have more visitors coming to Lagos; they will stay in our hotels; they will buy clothes; they will go out in the night and buy our drinks and the ultimate thing is that more taxes come in for the state.

    “So, there is a concentric cycle around the energy of entertainers and so what I want is a structured framework. What is it that we should do as government to grow the industry? Why should we go and be doing video shoot in South Africa for instance? I want a win-win partnership not just to use artistes and dump them till another December. I want a year-round partnership that is built around a framework,” he said.

    Governor Ambode also tasked artistes to come up with a structured framework to grow the economy, while government will provide infrastructures and initiatives to help the sector.

    “The challenge for our artistes now is to come up with a framework of how government can intervene. We are willing to support and we are willing to draw up a programme to support you but how do you want to fuse into that to make Lagos the entertainment hub in Africa? That is the challenge but I want to thank you for honoring us,” he said.

     

  • Sean Tizzle enters New Year with Thank You

    Sean Tizzle enters New Year with Thank You

    Coming off his soon-to-be release extended play (EP) Moving Forward volume 1, versatile musician, Sean Tizzle welcomes the New Year with Thank You.

    Though he has been off the music radar for some time working underground, Sean made a comeback mid last year with Hit and Run employing the craftsmanship of Canadian singer, Tory Lanez on the track.

    A source from the singer’s camp said Sean realised that God has been faithful to him, so he had to say Thank You. The visuals to Thank You which was shot in the United States and directed by Africalabash was also released the same day with the song.

    The album, Moving Forward volume 1, is expected to drop on January 20.

  • OBJ: Thank you, Na’abba

    Sir: Last week, former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Na’abba, was constrained to label ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) as one of the most corrupt leaders Nigeria has ever had.  Early this year, some members of the National Assembly poured similar invective on him. All of this venom, which is undeserving of a ‘statesman’, was in response to unstatesmanlike remarks he made about the lawmakers regarding opening up their accounts to public scrutiny and the raging controversy over budget padding in the House of Representatives. But even before these, ex-President Obasanjo had become the butt of insults for his rank popularity for rash utterances and conduct unbecoming of an individual of his status.

    When Obasanjo launched an onslaught against Jonathan by writing open letters and publicly denouncing him and his government, it was perceived to be the height of insensitivity to the noble ideals that dictate the engagement of national leaders with one another. Ironically, it is those very people that stood on the side-lines and cheered OBJ that are now agonizing over his bitter jibes! Anyway, it must be observed that the world over, and as we have seen in the case of other past Nigerian leaders, former heads of states strictly abide by and unwritten creed, an esprit de corps if you wish, of never publicly denouncing or interfering in the affairs of incumbents. Even when it becomes absolutely necessary, it is done with such decorum that shouldn’t scandalize the person or office of the incumbent. This is because no matter the degeneracy of incumbents, the very sanctity of their offices must be respected and protected by patriotic citizens, irrespective of their position in society. But not so for Obasanjo who carries on his obnoxious campaigns with so much bile; casting aspersions on individuals without any respect for the institutions they represent.

    I strongly believe that public officers must always apply the most dignified level of conscientiousness and diligence in running their affairs, especially in the highly tricky matters of finance. Those who betray this trust must be made to face the full wrath of the law. Therefore, if the National Assembly is indeed a cesspit of corruption as OBJ has continued to shout on rooftops, it must be prosecuted strictly within the ambits of the law. No more, no less. Moreover, OBJ has the right to quietly summon heads of anti-graft agencies to Otta and reveal his evidence to them. And as a father and elder, he could have quietly summoned Saraki and, or, Dogara and cautioned and advised them appropriately. Such are the ways and methods of real statesmen who are genuinely concerned about the well-being of the polity and the individuals at their helm.

    No doubt, occupying public office in Nigeria comes with too many temptations that very few can resist. Stealing from the public till, taking bribes, nepotism, etc, have been perfected into pleasurable pastimes in government. Incidentally, Obasanjo first ruled Nigeria as a maximum ruler. Those years of military dictatorship witnessed some of the most spectacular pillaging of our national treasury. He also holds the distinction of once more leading Nigeria for a record eight years; a period when the war on corruption had not been put on the front burner of national policy and public discourse as today. These, and his saint-like posture, must have compelled Na’abba to challenge him to disclose the source of his wealth; which echoed earlier sentiments by certain powerful voices in the National Assembly. As a man who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives when OBJ was president, could Na’abba’s claims be completely unfounded?

     

    • Chris Gyang,

    Jos.

  • Thank you, Mbu

    Thank you, Mbu

    On Tuesday night, I was shocked and jumped to the stage at the Convention Centre of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos Island when I was announced the winner of the Alade Odunewu Prize for Columnist of the Year at the prestigious Nigerian Media Merit Awards (NMMA). It was an honour I least expected.

    Thanks to my Editor, Gbenga Omotoso, for allowing me write on this space. But I say a bigger thank you and 100 gbosas to Joseph Mbu, an Assistant Inspector-General of Police. You wonder why? I will tell you. Of the four entries I submitted for the category, the piece ‘Time to deploy Mbu to Maiduguri’, an open letter to the then Inspector-General of Police, MD Abubakar, was found outstanding by the Panel of Assessors led by the chairman of the Mass Communications department of the University of Lagos, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye.

    As Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mbu was law unto himself. Not even the then governor and now Minister of Transporation, Rotimi Amaechi, was too big for him to haul abuses at. So, I am thanking Mbu because he inspired the piece.

    The piece first published on January 24, last year is reproduced here for you to form your own opinion.

    As the year rolls to an end, I pray that peace shall be the lot of the Niger Delta. Never again will characters who love to promote division get the priviledge of being in positions of leadership in this region. Those who are still there wrongly will lose their seats soon.

    Please here is the award-winning piece. Enjoy:

    My dear IGP MD Abubakar,

    It is with great pleasure that I write you this letter. I am also writing with the hope that you will not see me as one of those medddlesome interlopers who will not mind their own business.

    Really, the issue at hand is my business. It is the business of all of us who wish this country well.

    Not a few told me not to bother writing you on this matter, because, as they say, your hands are tied. They say if you have your way things will not be the way they are, but that you are being controlled by powers you dare not challenge despite being the number one cop.

    I, however, told them that I will write before it is too late.

    I write about one of your officers, Joseph Mbu, who is the Rivers State Police Commissioner. Mbu is wasting away in Rivers. Sincerely, his services are not needed there. They are needed in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, where Boko Haram insurgents are giving the people and the government a hell of a time.

    Like Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka said last week, an officer like Mbu should not be in a peaceful environment in Rivers. He is needed where the action is and where else is action better than Maiduguri, which is the capital of insurgency in Nigeria.

    Hardly does a day pass without bombs being thrown in Borno. Life means nothing to the insurgents. An average life in the area does not look more than a chicken’s life to the insurgents. Blood looks like water and can be spilled anyhow. This is where Mbu can dsiplay his dexterity. Here he will prove his brilliance. He will show us that his training was First Class and we will all bow for his intellect. Keeping him in a place like Rivers is like asking him to separate two chickens fighting. Mbu is more than this, IGP Abubakar.

    Since he got to Rivers, Mbu has been in the news. It is either he is complaining that someone did not get a permit before holding a rally or that a permit was issue for one reason only for it to be used for another. He looks the other way when groups loyal to the Presidency hold political events and send out his attack dogs when those oppose to the Presidency hold events.

    One wonders how many cartons of tear gas carnisters have been expended in Rivers since Mbu join. There is hardly a day that his men do not have to use tear gas carnisters to disperse anti-presidency elements. Teachers who were undergoing an orientation programme were even tear-gassed and accused of attending a rally without police permit. It is believed that rubber bullets are also being deployed by Mbu to deal with the enemies. Mbu said his men fired no rubber bullets at anyone. But Senator Magnus Abe, who Mbu said he saw only once and cannot recognise, is a life example that rubber bullets were fired.

    At this juncture, I must point your attention to the fact that the situation in Rivers is a very funny one. Governor Rotimi Amaechi is called the Chief Security Officer. But the truth is Mbu is the Chief Security Officer. Or better still he performs that function on your behalf. I must also let you know what is being said about you in regard to what Mbu is doing in Rivers. They say he is acting a script you gave him on behalf of some forces in the Presidency.

    With due respect to your office, you made a mistake in posting Mbu to Rivers. Like I noted earlier that is not where he is needed. For a man who is ‘foul-mouthed’ like Mbu, he will be able to instil fear in Boko Haram insurgents. They will so fear him that they will turn in their weapons without him lifting a finger.

    Rivers does not need him and now is the time to end his reign there and take him to where his services will best be appreciated.

    Failure to rid Rivers of Mbu will be like a confirmation of the belief that this administration has no respect for the rule of law and that you are a spineless IGP, who is ready to do the biddings of the Presidency just to keep his job. But let me remind you sir, no matter what your tenure will expire one day, just like the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan too. Nothing can best confirm this to you than the pictures of former occupants of your office which occupy a prime spot in the police headquaters. If they did not leave, there will be no IGP Abubakar.

    This is a time to tell the truth about the illegal conduct of the Police in Rivers; it is uniformed gangsters, ambushing democracy. The rights and the protection guaranteed to Nigerians by the Constitution should not be taken away by the police. Any attempt to do this must be resisted. The Constitution gives Nigerians the power to associate freely without any need for police permit.

    The police in Rivers under Mbu are redefining what ‘minimum’ force means. If using rubber bullets amount to ‘minimum’ force, then IGP, I ask: what is maximum force? I guess, the use of life bullets.

    If minimum force landed Abe in hospital, maximum force would have sent him or any other person who dare query Mbu’s men to early grave?

    IGP , the police must watch it as the next general elections draw near so as not to burn the country and kill democracy. If things continue the way they are, then this country is in danger. People must be free to associate. The fact that they belong to a party opposing the president should not affect their rights to associate, discuss and advance their positions. Rights should have no affiliation.

    On behalf of CP Mbu, I end this letter with a plea: the people of Maiduguri or Bama or Damaturu in Yobe State will be glad to have this fine officer who is being wasted away in Rivers, where he is clearly not needed. He told a Senate delegation he has done so much (damage?) in Rivers. I assure him he will do better in Borno or Yobe.

    And a quick one for you sir: softly, softly.

     

  • Thank you, Amuneke

    I’m excited that we didn’t have a sports minister when the Golden Eaglets retained the FIFA U-17 trophy, beating Mali 2-0. The absence of a minister and indeed ministers in the Muhammadu Buhari administration has given us a clearer picture of what happened in Chile. Now we know those to credit the feats achieved in Chile.

    No minister stormed the players’ dressing rooms to deliver political messages. No minister to whisper to the President that the NFF people were causing problems. No minister to promise the players voodoo match bonuses that could lead to crises.

    No minister to start any wahala. I was thrilled watching our players celebrate their feats on FIFA’s ceremonial podium, devoid of politicians in flowing Agbada. The focus was on the players, the coaches and Nigerians at the stands waving Nigeria’s flag.

    Nobody (state governors, senators, representatives, ministers et al) is raising the players’ hopes about what to expect from President Buhari. Pundits have kept sealed lips, unable to decipher what package the President would unfold on November 29. But there are hints of what Buhari could do, going by his promise to ensure that the pioneer Golden Eaglets who won the maiden edition of the U-16 championships in China in 1985 get their rewards which he directed the state administrators to implement. They never did.

    In Nigeria, governance isn’t a continuum; otherwise, why has it taken 30 years for those heroes to get a reassurance that their labour in China in 1985 wasn’t in vain?  Purists are excited that Buhari has promised to fulfill his pledge. So, if Buhari could offer such mouth-watering packages for the 1985 squad, one wonders what would happen to these new champions. The flipside is that the Nigerian economy, 30 years ago could accommodate such grandiose exercise. Things have gone bad. Anyone expecting anything fabulous is wasting his/her time. I will be glad if the players get scholarships. I will be excited if Buhari institutes a life insurance policy scheme for the players to secure their future. Who will take the late Kingsley Aikhonbare’s reward? How I wish he was alive to reap the rewards of his sweat. His family should keep track of this development. Aikhonbare was the kid defender who wore a white head band in our matches in 1985. I expect that all the promises made on November 29 will be kept to avoid a repeat of the China’85 experience.

    I sat through the Eaglets’ seven games leading to the victory over Mali. And I was convinced that Emmanuel Amuneke learned a lot as a Barcelona FC player. I saw a Nigerian side play with different tactics per game. I was marvelled at Amuneke’s ability to read matches and make spot-on changes. I noticed most significantly that the Eaglets’ spine was built on the sharp reflexes of goalkeeper Udoh, the midfield mastery of Funso Bamgboye and the ruthless finishing in front of goal by Victor Osimhen. Little wonder Osimhen is the highest goalscorer in the history of the competition with 10 goals.

    How can you forget about Kelechi Nwakali? many would have asked? Nwakali is a class act. Every cup winning team needs a talisman to come with something special when things are going awry. And Nwakali provided the difference. Or how else can you describe the spectacular free kick which he took to equalise the goal which the Mexicans had scored early in the first half? Nwakali’s curly kick wasn’t expected. But when the ball rested inside the Mexicans’ net, the Eaglets rose to the challenge and gave their opponents a lot to remember with a 4-2 victory to qualify for the final game.

    Nwakali was the pivot of the Eaglets, a worthy captain, a fighter and one boy who reminded me of the late Mudashiru Lawal, with his sensible play and his ability to take responsibility when the chips are down in any game. I wasn’t surprised that FIFA’s technical committee adjudged Nwakali as the best player in the tournament. Nwakali sat deep in the Eaglets’ defence when we were under pressure. Yet, he had the presence of mind, skill and mental alertness to join the team’s attacking forays. What shocked me most was Nwakali’s strength. He ran throughout our matches such that he formed a synergy with Bamgboye to give the Eaglets the verve to rev their attacking forays.

    Unfortunately for Bamgboye, he isn’t as clinical as Nwakali but he would have been the best player but his penchant for bagging cards. Bamgboye needs to work on his tackles and he must have learned not to be childish. He had no business trying to use his hand to punch the ball into the net against Brazil. That silly act cost Bamgboye the semi-final game as he was promptly sent off. How could I have forgotten Chukwueze? Chuwkueze’s great vision, power and knack for scoring goals with long range shots was vital whenever it seemed that the opposition held Osimhen from bombing them with goals. Osimhen was a marked man in Chile and, expectedly so, having scored in every game the team played. To score 10 goals from seven matches isn’t an easy feat.

    I also saw Lazarus run the right flanks with ease. When he lost the ball, I marvelled at the way his colleagues covered up. It was seamless and showed that Amuneke knew is onions. It has been a long time since I saw a Nigerian shoot the ball with his left leg with such accuracy and power like Anumudu did against Brazil. He collected the ball from his mate, pushed forward, looked up and saw that he could drive the ball beyond the goalkeeper. I was amazed that Anumudu shot the ball so hard without a high back lift. The ball zoomed into the top corner of the net. It was sweet. A befitting way to send the Brazilians home empty handed.

    Except for the game against Croatia, which the Eaglets lost, they played the best brand of football in the other six matches. The loss to Croatia was a wake-up call. The players thought all they needed to beat the Croatians was to show up on the pitch. That defeat prepared the boys properly for other matches. They never underrated anybody and stuck rigidly to Amuneke’s game plan.

    I was particularly happy that Amuneke fielded Orji Okonkwo as Bamgboye’s substitute in the semi-final game, which showed that his team had depth-in-strength, with no player being indispensable. Okonkwo’s thunderbolt told the story of a crop of boys well grilled in all the rudiments of the game – scoring goals from well-taken kicks has been a rarity in our national teams. I hope the other national team coaches watched our matches in Chile. If they didn’t, it would pay the NFF to get them the match tapes. They could also talk with Amuneke for tips on how to prepare a World Cup winning squad of equally skillful players.

    Thank you, Amuneke for discovering Osimhen, the gangling youth who bestrode the pitches in Chile and left behind great goals that many would cherish. It isn’t a surprise that he broke the competition’s goals record. Osimhen scored in every game.

    Did you see Osimhen’s first goal against Mali in the final? Only the late Rashidi Yekini could shoot the ball with such power and accuracy. Unlike the late Yekini, Osimhen appears to be more skillful. I wish Osimhen can be humble and strive to be better than the late Yekini.

    We are busy celebrating the Eaglets’ feat. Not many people are talking about goalkeeper Udoh’s exploits for the team. If you truly watched the early minutes blitz by the Mexicans, you will appreciate why Udoh deserves special mention in any discussion on the Eaglets. If Udoh was as ineffective as Chigozie Agbim, we won’t be talking about Nigeria’s fifth FIFA U-17 World Cup victory. I feel strongly that Udoh deserved to win the FIFA Golden Gloves, not the Malian Samuel Diarra.

    Diarra is a very good goalkeeper. He made the final look like an equally matched game despite the fact that the Eaglets outclassed the Malians in the second half. In spite of that, Udoh stands tall in my reckoning of goalkeepers. I felt that FIFA chiefs didn’t want Nigeria to sweep the individual awards on that day. But is that a crime, if we truly deserve all the awards?

    Having anaylsed the Eaglets’ conquest, need I talk about how far they can go in the beautiful game? Our players don’t know how to manage success. Soon, many of these players will elope to Europe and some funny countries in search of the proverbial green pasture. They will soon fall into the hands of shylock agents who will sell them into slavish contracts. Soon many will be answering different names to evade the prying eyes of soccer watchers.

    Soon, these kids who left the country for Chile unsung will be driving the best of automobiles. They will be the toast of night clubs. They will be the “happening boys” seen with the best girls in town. These distractions will soon affect their form. If they are in clubs, they won’t return to training until sometime next year. This last two months is for show-off. They have to be seen. Their coaches now adore them. They allow them do what they like in camp. They train when they like. They select matches that they will play. The aggregate of these juvenile acts is the reason many of them don’t grow to their full potential.

    One of the players’ fathers didn’t have a generator to watch the Eaglets’ games. But such a boy will return to his father’s house, buy the generator and, of course, get his own apartment where he will boogie till dawn -indiscriminately. He will buy a car or cars and the noise from the musical set inside the car(s) will be deafening.

    Another reason for the dwindling form of our age-grade players is the plethora of FIFA agents in the country. These people bring into the country all manner of scouts to confuse these boys. Sadly, these gullible boys get swayed because they are either paid peanuts in their clubs or not paid at all.

    NFF men need to standardise these academies and ensure that the FIFA agents work in tandem with the federation. The devious acts of agents, scouts and players’ indiscipline are chiefly responsible for the lack of graduation of our age-grade stars to the Super Eagles.

    I’m happy that NFF chieftains have worked assiduously to field players within the age bracket. Majority of the Eaglets I saw in the seven games that Nigeria played looked like kids. I was impressed that they came from academies that we know. What is equally exciting is the fact that no Globacom Premier League player made the squad. If we address the excesses of the agents and scouts, we would have more of these Eaglets rise to be Super Eagles stars and world beaters.

  • A time to say thank you

    Many women and youths had to stand for hours at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja penultimate Saturday night. Every space surrounding the oversubscribed tables and seats in the hall was taken up by those who could not sit. Still, there was a spillover of guests outside.

    The event was the appreciation dinner in honour of All Progressives Congress (APC) women and youths across the country who defied the rain and sunshine to cast their votes on March 28.

    It was an event for President Muhammadu Buhari to say thank you to them for the role they played in his victory at the polls.

    Even though President Buhari was away in South Africa for the 25th African Union (AU) Summit, his wife, Hajiya Aisha Buhari hosted the women and youths to a lavish dinner attended by wives of state governors on the APC platform.

    For easy movement, most of the women and youths were conveyed to the venue in their hundreds in large capacity buses owned by the Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company (AUMTCO), an agency under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

    While the groups from the various states wore the same attire, ‘Aso Ebi’ many others appeared in their best attires.

    But the criteria for accessing the security gates and entrances at the Villa were the special invitation cards printed for the event.

    The hall walls, tables and chairs were decorated in blue and white colours while the chairs and tables were marked for the delegates according to each state of the federation.

    Unlike the scarce sitting and standing spaces, there were enough variety of foods and drinks to satisfy the guests.

    There were also plenty souvenirs to go round.

    Aisha Buhari said: “Here we are today celebrating the victory of our great party, celebrating the peaceful handover of power from one democratically elected President to another.

    “When we started our campaign, we knew that it was not going to be easy for us but with the team work, it is a success story now.

    “I want to thank all Nigerian women and youths for the crucial roles you played towards the success of the last election. I am very much aware of your steadfastness during the electioneering campaigns up till the elections proper.

    “I wish to acknowledge your efforts which contributed significantly to our success story. An occasion like this will naturally offer us an atmosphere to interact and reflect on how to play more supportive roles to our government at all levels for the benefit of our people.

    “Remember we were voted by the people and so we are going to work for the people and government is of the people.

    “In line with the philosophy of my husband, President Muhammadu Buhari, this administration is an open one and it is for all Nigerians as he said he belongs to every Nigerian and also belongs to nobody.

    “I simply cannot thank you enough for the love, contributions and sacrifices during this journey. Many have lost their lives and many found themselves in difficult situations, particularly victims of insurgency.

    “It is with heavy heart that I recall their sufferings during this period. Yet, many of them were determined to cast their votes in anticipation of a change in their lives.” She added

    The National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not fail at the event to charge the new administration to go beyond saying thank you to the numerous women and youths who made the victory possible.

    Tinubu, who was represented by Senator Babafemi Ojudu, in his remark titled ‘The change is about them,’ said that every woman and youth in the rural and other parts of Nigeria must not be forgotten.

    The Nigerians, the new government must not forget, he said, include that woman in the creek of Niger Delta who paddles her canoe night and day in search of her livelihood; the woman in Kotonkarfi who fry Kose to provide for her children; that woman in the deep forest of Igbo land who rides her bicycle with her hoe on her shoulder to cultivate cassava to send her children to school; that woman in Ado Ekiti, who toils hours in the market selling Gari to train her children; the Gwari woman who with her pot nestled on her shoulder walks kilometers daily in search of water; the mothers of missing Chibok girls who continue to live with the agony of the loss of their daughters; and the millions of ordinary Nigerian women who defied the elements and queued for hours to cast their votes for APC.

    “This change is about them , it is for them, for their children and their future. We must therefore do everything possible not to disappoint them. This change must not be aborted. You must defend it so that together we can say we have fulfilled our covenant with our people.” He added

    No doubt, the lives of all Nigerians will definitely be affected if the lives of women and youth are touched.

     

    Renewed onslaught against Boko Haram

     

    The third week of President Muhammadu Buhari in office has continued to expand the international campaigns against the deadly Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

    He took the case, last week Sunday, to the 25th Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in South Africa.

    Sensing that the noose is closing in on it, the sect appears to be carrying out fresh desperate attacks.

    Apart from attacks in Northern parts of Nigeria last week, Boko Haram struck at unusual terrains.

    It carried out twin suicide bombings in the Republic of Chad last week Monday, killing about 34 persons and injuring more than 100 victims.

    There was also an attack by the sect in Niger Republic last Wednesday night, killing about 30 civilians.

    Chad and Niger have been in the forefront of collaboration efforts with Nigeria to eliminate the sect from the sub region.

    In response to the attack, Chad’s military had claimed that it carried out series of air strikes against Boko Haram bases in Nigeria, causing heavy human and material damage to six of the sect’s bases.

    But Defence Headquarters in Nigeria countered that there was no Chadian military airstrike in Nigeria.

     

  • Thank you, Awujale

    Thank you, Awujale

    Oba Adetona has done what is expected of a traditional ruler of repute

    Oba Sikiru Adetona, The Awujale of Ijebuland, deserves commendation for the candid remark he made during President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to his palace on Thursday. It is not all the time that we have traditional rulers speak truth to power. I met the Oba for the first time at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School in the early ‘70s. I cannot remember what exactly he came for then, but I remember he told the story of how he became Oba and also mentioned something about appreciating whatever gift his children gave him, despite the fact that he is blessed himself. When you deduct about 40 years from the Oba’s age, you would know he must have been extremely young then. And he was extremely handsome, too. Even at his age, he is still any lady’s man, no pun intended. But these are not matters for today.

    The Awujale deserves commendation not just for the frank speech but because of his consistency in such matters. The president had gone to the palace in continuation of his tours to traditional rulers in the southwest. I said it about three weeks ago when the president was in Lagos to meet some traditional rulers, that none of the Obas would dare tell their subjects to vote for the president or any other person for that matter because it is wrong to do that. One is even at a loss as to why the south west has suddenly become a tourism centre for the president at this point in time. President Jonathan seems to have made a fetish of such tours as if the Obas would, at the snap of a finger, order their subjects to vote for him. In Yorubaland, gone were those days.

    The Yorubas respect their monarchs; but the respect is reciprocal. Any Oba that makes the mistake of asking his subjects to vote in a particular way, and especially for President Jonathan, knows he is courting trouble. A prominent traditional ruler in Yorubaland, who only said something suggestive of supporting General Ibrahim Babangida after his annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, knows what he went through in the hands of the Yoruba people. As the Awujale noted, the Yorubas are too sophisticated to be led in the nose on who to vote for during election by any Oba. “In Ijebu here, it is not possible for any Oba, not even in Yorubaland, to go out and say vote for this, vote for that; that person is looking for trouble. But give them the opportunity to present their programmes so that people can make up their minds on what to do. I think this is a very sound democratic principle and that is what I have decided to do, to give you the opportunity of meeting with the people”.  It couldn’t have been better said.

    Then President Jonathan did what he knows how to do best: gave himself pass mark on road infrastructure. He said railway is back; but didn’t say what type of railway. He also said his administration has tried “both in the tertiary level, or what we call health tourism”, etc. Then he assured that if reelected, he would implement the report of the National Conference.  Earlier, when responding to a demand by the Dagburewe of Idowa, Oba Yinusa  Adekoya, who spoke on behalf of the Ijebu Traditional Council, President Jonathan said he would take the appointment of an Ijebu in his cabinet “very, very seriously” if reelected.

    If the president went to 30 palaces in the southwest and all of them made a similar request, he would promise to do something for them all yet, we all know that the constitution is clear on how ministerial appointments should be made. In several other places, President Jonathan had promised heaven on earth things that he could not do in the best of times when crude oil was selling at good prices.

    Perhaps the icing on the cake as far as President Jonathan’s visit to the Awujale’s palace is concerned was the monarch’s admonition to his subjects to vote in only people with the genuine interest of the people at heart; honest people with integrity and the fear of God. “Each time I have cause to talk to our people, I have always told them, in the churches and mosques that when you’re going to vote, make sure you back your sons and daughters who will give something back to you; not the ojelus (looters). Those who will be honest with you, who know the way of God; those are the people you should vote for; not those who will give you two, three spoons and mortgage your future. It is not right”. This is what, in Yorubaland, is called oro sunnukun (food for thought). I wonder how the president and his entourage would have felt at the point the Awujale was making. Clearly, they must have been disappointed if their visit was to get his royal endorsement.

    Oba Adetona’s speech reminds one of the visit of President Jonathan to the revered Oba of Benin,  Omo N’Oba Erediauwa, during the Edo State governorship election in July 2012. The Benin monarch was as candid as he could be when he was reported to have told the president to allow the wish of the people prevail in the election. As the Awujale rightly noted, the coming elections are about the most tension-soaked we are having in about 55 years. Although no one has used the expression ‘do-or-die battle’ as former President Olusegun Obasanjo did in his time, the point is, this is the real do-or-die battle. But why? Why?

    Even the Moroccan king, HM King Mohammed V1, was not left out of our dirty political tricks. That country’s authorities had to say the monarch declined a telephone conversation with President Jonathan because the monarch too realised the implications of such conversation at this point in time. “The king has actually declined the request of the Nigerian government because it is part of the internal electioneering” (in Nigeria), a statement from the Moroccan authorities said. Yet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja last Monday denied that the Moroccan monarch turned down such a request. It insisted that the president spoke with the Moroccan monarch. “This information is absolutely not correct as the president did in fact speak to the Moroccan monarch … both leaders spoke extensively over the phone on matters of mutual interest and concern”, the ministry said despite the Moroccan authorities’ denial that any such conversation took place. The ministry said it would respond after getting a directive from “higher authorities to do so”. But it was President Jonathan himself who responded, days after, that he never had any such conversation with the Moroccan monarch!

    So, what happened? An investigation had been ordered and we await, as usual, its findings. But to show their disgust about the whole thing, the Moroccan authorities issued two statements within 24 hours and crowned what it called “unethical practices” (diplomatically avoiding to say that the Nigerian government lied) with the recall of its ambassador in Abuja for consultations. Although the same Ministry of External Affairs said the conversation (that the president said never was) was not to confer any political advantage on the president and his party, Nigerians know better. What else could it have been all about, especially given the Moroccans’ claim that “there has never been a telephone conversation” between the two leaders?

    Does this not show to what extent we are prepared to ridicule the country just for the sake of elections? If we must wash our dirty linen, should we do that in public? So, there is none of our institutions that would not be rubbished all for these elections? Now, it is the turn of the foreign affairs ministry, the most unexpected quarters.

    However, by now, it ought to be clear to President Jonathan that no monarch can get him more than his (monarch’s) own vote, that is if the monarch is so pleased to. But hold it, what could have been responsible for the president’s newfound love for Yoruba monarchs? Could it be because they are believed to have ‘authority’ on their tongues or in their staff of office?  All said, the Awujale deserves praise for living to the high standards expected of monarchs of repute like him. Little wonder he is one Oba that receives the prostration of countless other Obas. Oba Adetona has done what many spiritual fathers would not do.  Kaabiyesi o!

     

  • Thank you Gov. Fashola but…

    SIR: I like to express my gratitude to Gov. Babatunde Fashola’s administrations in Lagos State for constructing the two kilometers Amikanle Road starting from Bunker petrol station through Aiyetobi area. I am commending the governor because this is the first time in 15 years of democracy that the Lagos government is giving consideration to our rural community.

    I am however piqued that the road constructed leads to nowhere and appears not to be useful to the six communities making up Amikanle. We, the residents of the area thought the road would have passed through Yetkem Road and terminate at White House. That is the road motorist and commuters ply while going and coming from their place of work. The construction road, as it is, ends at a gully going to command Secondary School. The anomaly in the road provides justification for participation paradigm in development study.

    The participation paradigm is based on the assumption that the common people are intelligent and can be active agents of change. Development efforts should then be based on people’s capacity to articipate and contribute actively in the task of transforming their society. It emphasizes that development should evolve from the people as opposed to trickle down belief in which ideas aboult development emanates from government circle and the pass down the ladder to the rural people. If this approach has been exploited by Lagos State Government before the construction, the government would have benn told of what to do. The most worrisome Is that even the less that one quarter kilometer road that passes through Baale Amikanle’s palace to link Alaso community was not captured in the project. Whereas the people of Alaso had submitted application to that effect to the infrastructural unit of the state Ministry of Works in 2006. Whole the road project is a sign of government presence, it is however, a mark of government non-recognition or lack for the people it governs. And this is why the road is already peeling off three months after completion

     

    • Dayo Willaims

    Alaso Community, Amikanle, Alagbado, Lagos .

  • Thank you, Tony Nyiam!

    SIR: When President Goodluck Jonathan announced the constitution of a Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference and Dialogue in his independence anniversary message, many Nigerians saw it as an opportunity to discuss and renegotiate the basis of our existence as one united and indivisible nation built on principles which give and confer equality, respect and dignity on all. Many also saw it as an opportunity to ventilate their disappointment at the way they and their ethnic groups, particularly the so-called minorities, have suffered neglect, marginalisation, oppression and suppression over the years. They believed that given an opportunity to be heard would put their case on the front burner of national discuss with the hope that a lasting solution would be found to their case. To some southern minorities, this may well be a last chance to right the wrongs of the past and put a stop to further agitations for fair treatment.

    The ugly incident on Monday October 28, during the meeting of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference and Dialogue in Benin City, Edo State, may have surprised not a few Nigerians both in the country and in Diaspora including foreigners. It was expected that the committee would listen to all Nigerians who have something to say irrespective of age, gender, level of education, social status, or ethnic origin as promised by conference committee chairman, Senator Okorounmu. The incident in which a state governor like Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, could be shouted down by even a conference committee member, Col. Tony Nyiam (rtd), for making contributions not agreeable to him, reinforces the stand of those who say the conference has a hidden agenda behind it and, therefore, unnecessary at this point in time.

    If the conference committee would not listen to all persons no matter what they have to say and no matter how bitter, unreasonable and idiotic such contributions may appear to be, then there is a pre-conceived, pre-arranged and pre-determined end which the committee is working towards. Is it a situation of working from the unknown views of Nigerians to the known outcome by the Jonathan administration? What interest or agenda was Tony Nyiam executing in Benin City when he so violently, along with hirelings from Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states, shouted down Governor Oshiomhole, a situation which put an abrupt end to the meeting? Is this a tip of what to expect when the conference eventually gets under way?

    Governor Oshiomhole’s views which, he pointed out, were “my personal views’’ may well represent the views of discerning Nigerians who believe there are more pressing issues to be addressed by the government. True, patriotic Nigerians must appreciate where Tony Nyiam comes from, and, is coming from to situate his “command’’ outburst in Benin City last Monday. He was appointed into the conference committee to execute and defend an agenda which he inadvertently revealed that Monday. Rather than condemn him, Nigerians must thank Tony Nyiam for exposing unto us the “Conference Book of Revelations.”

     

    • Blessing Yakubu,

    Yenagoa, Bayelsa State