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Tag: Turkey

  • Abia partners Turkey

    Abia partners Turkey

    In a bold step aimed at growing the state’s economy, the Abia State government has started a business relationship with the Republic of Turkey, with a plan to draw from the country’s industrial and technological experiences to develop its local potentials.

    The relationship which began with the visit of the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and some of its key officials to Turkey in September last year, was taken further last week with the hosting, by the Turkish Embassy in Nigeria, of a session for businessmen and women from the country and Abia State.

    The event, held in Abuja on September 27 did not only afford Abia State the opportunity to showcase its potentials and market itself to international audience, it provided avenue for physical interactions and exchanges between businessmen/women and intending investors on both sides.

    Ikpeazu told the gathering that he was fascinated by the story of Turkey steady economic growth and wants his state to benefit from the Turkish experience in growing its small scale industries (SMEs) to the level where the SMEs now serve as the hub of the country’s industrialisation.

    “We are a young state with growing economy, dominated by SMEs. We that felt the best thing was to learn from Turkey how they were able to manage and grow their SMEs into a major economic hub on which the country’s economy revolves,” he said.

    IKpeazu identified some of the business advantages of the state to include its location, serving as a confluence state between the South-south and South -east regions of the country and located within 30 minutes’ drive from the capital cities of the major oil producing states of Rivers and Akwa Ibom, aside from being an oil producing state itself.

    “Beyond that, our strength lies in our ability to make things with our hands. We boast of over 50,000 shoe and garment making enterprises. We believe that our people can learn from the Turkish experience.

    “The emphasis, during my last visit to Turkey, was how to deploy Turkish technology to produce beautiful shoes and dresses. Our interest is that, in days ahead, flowing from this friendship, we will begin to experience the fruits of the collaborative efforts between our businessmen and investors/businessmen from Turkey.

    “We are very energetic and resourceful people. We are working to ensure that Abia becomes the first state in the country where businesses will enjoy uninterrupted power supply, and thereby becoming a new destination for investment in the country.

    “Yes, of course, the beautiful thing is that we have critical manpower. Our people are not completely ignorant of what it takes to make shoes and dresses. So, what they need is the technical input which we intend to get from Turkey now.

    “What we expect is that the Turkish people will teach us how to use these machines and produce on a large scale. The first incentive is that our story, trajectory of development has a socio-cultural bearing with what our people believe in.

    “Under our watch, we will ensure secure and peaceful business environment by providing security, peaceful political environment. We will allow you easy access to whatever you require to set up and grow your businesses as you want, he said.

    Ikpeazu said is state is currently working to ensure that any business seeking to set up in Abia, can access land and related requirements within 14 days.

    The state’s Director of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Office, Austin Ufomba, in a presentation, highlighted the state’s comparative advantage; identified the numerous natural resources that abound in the state and also, touched on its various investment opportunities.

    Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Hakan Cakil lauded the initiative between his country and the Abia Government. He was enthusiastic that the relationship will yield positive results.

    He noted that it was the first time the embassy would witness such a showcase by a state government in the country, describing it as a brilliant idea that would serve to benefit both Nigerian and Turkish businesses.

    “Abia State has rich natural resources and we have a very dynamic private sector in Turkey and the Turkish private sector has a growing interest in Nigeria. So, we hope that in the coming months or years, Turkish private companies will invest in different areas in Abia. “We are doing our best to encourage more of our companies to come to Nigeria and do business. There is need for us to turn the potentials of the countries’ friendship to opportunities for enhanced business relations and bilateral trade,” Cakil said.

    At the event were the state’s leading politicians and businessmen including the immediate past governor, now Senator Theodore Orji and Senator Enyinanya Abaribe. Members of the Aba Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other businessmen/women from within and outside the country were at the event, which afforded them the opportunity to explore business opportunities with their Turkish counterparts.

     

  • The tragedy in Turkey

    Turkey is the example of a largely Islamic country that has successfully reconciled democratic modernism with its Islamic tradition.This fact goes back to the deliberate action of Mustapha Kemal, the Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey on the ashes of the collapse of Ottoman Turkey after the First World War. General Kemal had come to the conclusion that the degenerate Ottoman Porte with its lavish palaces filled with wives and concubines from European subjects of Turkey had weakened the empire and that a non-hereditary regime fashioned after the victorious Allies that had seen the defeat of turkey was the way forward.He therefore designed a constitution that was to guide the Turkey of his dream and he made the Turkish military the guardian of the Turkish democratic secular constitution.He banned any external symbolism of Islam such as the kaftan and the hijab characteristic of Muslim men and women before his revolution. He wanted Turks to dress like Europeans and distance themselves from the Middle Easterners who were their subjects before the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire by the Versailles peace treaty of 1919.He wanted Turkey to emphasize its European geography even though the larger part of its territory is in Asia. This is why he bridged the straits of Bosphorus and Dardanelles with a feat of engineering to link the two parts of Turkey.This tradition had prevailed in Turkey since then and the military had jealously guaranteed the kemalist heritage and political order of separation of mosque and state until RecepTayyip Erdogan became Prime Minister and now president of Turkey. Erdogan decided to cut the military to its size and to remove the institution from most of its privileges as guardian of the secular state of Turkey. He decided to showcase the Islamic tradition of Turkey without apologies to anybody. He apparently sees himself as some kind of a reincarnation of the last Ottoman Sultan. He is determined to concentrate all powers into his own hand. He has been largely successful because until recently he has built a strong economy in Turkey and embarked on large-scale reconstruction works that has modernized the infrastructure of the country. With the help of its NATO allies, he has built a formidable military second to none in its area. Turkey has the largest army among its European NATO allies and its proximity to Russia makes it of vital importance to NATO and the United States. Erdogan had also hoped the European Union would accept Turkey as a member and the country’s application for membership has been pending for a long time. This is because some members are not too comfortable admitting Turkey a country of 80 million Muslims into a largely nominally Christian European Union. Some members also feel that Turkish democracy is superficial and not ingrained. The Turks have also not been able to resolve the ethnic problem tearing Turkey apart by pitching the forces of Turkish nationalism against that of the Kurds who form substantial portion of the Population of Turkey. The Kurds are an ancient people who are largely Sunni Muslims divided among Syria, Iraq, Turkey and Iran with the ones in Turkey being the largest segment.Refusal of Turkey to grant them a large measure of autonomy has led to a guerrilla war for decades and urban terrorism for longer before the current campaign of the ISIL (Islamic state of Iraq and the Levant). To compound the problem of Turkey, the wars in Iraq and Syria has led to substantial gains for Kurdish nationalism in both countries. The Kurds virtually now have their own state in northern Iraq while they are virtually free with their own army in Syria. These events have had considerable impact in Turkey where there is exponential rise of Kurdish nationalism to the chagrin and irritation of Erdogan and his fellow Turkish nationalists. He has had to intensify bombing of Kurdish guerrilla in the Kurdish mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan and northern Syria to the irritation and anger of the United States that has been propping up Iraqi Kurdistan against the forces of the Islamic caliphate and possibly as a counter-weight to the Shiite dominated Iraqi government in Baghdad that is now influenced by Iran. It is a complicated picture and jigsaw political puzzle. Added to the mix is Russia that is fighting on behalf of the Basher’s regime in Syria because of not wanting to lose a strategic naval base in a country that had been an ally of Russia since the Union of Socialist Soviet Russia’s days. Because of American pressure, Erdogan has had to allow American Air Force to use a military air base in Turkey against the caliphate forces in Iraq and lately Syria. Ordinarily Erdogan wanted the fall of the Shiite regime In Syria to the point of being tolerant of the caliphate before he was made to take a stand against them. He had earlier asked Turkish Air Force to shoot down a Russian plane that was menacingly bombing dissident forces near the Syrian-Turkish border.

    This is the political and complicated background of the situation in which Erdogan had to negotiate. His abrasive nature did not prepare him for compromise either with democratic forces or youths manifesting discontent with his rather draconian social programmes or building malls in parks favoured by young people or with the democratic Kurdish demands for autonomy and language rights.On top of this, he had to contend with the military that was increasingly worried by the outward Islamic tendencies of the Erdogan regime far away from the secularist tradition of modern Turkey. Furthermore was the disagreement with one of his previous supporters – the Islamic cleric  Muhammad Fethullah Gulen, founder of a movement called Cemaat with tremendous influence in academia, the civil service and the press as well as the military that tended to hark back to Turkish Islamic roots and tradition and supposedly championing the interests of the ummah in Turkey. Following a break with Erdogan, Gulen had gone into exile in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. But he still had a large following in Turkey.

    When there was an attempted coup d’état in Turkey recently, Gulen was fingered as the spiritual inspirer. The coup itself failed because the Turkish critical mass of students, ordinary people and the political elite including the opposition parties and Kurdish democratic forces rose against it by blocking military vehicles on the roads and challenging soldiers at the expense of their lives. Inability to kill Erdogan proved the undoing of the coup plotters. When the dust of the abortive coup settled, Erdogan struck back firing in one swoop about 100,000 civil servants, academics, teachers, judges, military and police officers and putting pressure on the press where he suspected there were gulenists. He also at one point accused the American CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) of complicity in the coup simply because America did not accede to his request to extradite Gulen to face trial in Ankara. It is surprising that he had expected America to send Gulen back to what would have been judicial lynching. Because of this, Erdogan has embarked on politics of brinkmanship playing the Russians against his long term friends and NATO member, the United States. He has gone to Moscow in a widely publicized visit to Vladimir Putin just to demonstrate his independence of the United States and its European allies who though supporting Turkey are a little apprehensive of Erdogan’s heavy post-coup high handedness. This has however been misconstrued by Erdogan for lack of sympathy for him personally and secondly for Turkey whom he has thought he personifies.

    There is now some form of a return to reality. In a recent statement by the same Turkish Prime Minister who had said America was behind the abortive coup, he is reported to have recently said the United States and Turkey remain eternal allies thus eating his own words.

    Turkey’s role in its area is just too important to be trifled away through emotional outburst or by playing the game of the enemy of my enemy is my friend as it tried to do with Russia, a foe of the USA. But the fact remains that Russia’s national interests in the Caucasus are directly in conflict with those of Turkey. Turkey is also a stabilizing force in the tender box of the Middle East where it has influence in the Sunni dominated region which is in contention with Shiite Iran and its influence in Iraq, Yemen Syria and among the Hezbollah in Lebanon. Turkey for years has also had some rapport with the Jewish state of Israel in spite of recent break in diplomatic ties which were restored on the eve of the attempted coup which made some to suspect that that may have had some influence on the minds of the coup plotters. It is therefore in the interest of peace in the area for stability to return to Turkey. But this will not come easily because of Turkish domestic problems which are almost unsolvable and added to this is the spreading suicide and terrorist campaigns within Turkey associated with either the so-called caliphate and or Kurdish guerrilla forces. With this in mind, it will be suicidal for the Turkish state to cut itself loose from its NATO security rampart no matter what Erdogan may feel or want. Above all the temperament and ability of Erdogan to compromise with his enemies and to bow out when the ovation is loudest and watch for a peaceful democratic succession may be in the overall and long term interest of Turkey.

  • Aftermath of the coup in Turkey

    In the night of July 15, Turkey went through the most catastrophic tragedy in its recent history as a result of the attempted military coup. The events of that night could be called a serious terror coup.

    Turkish people from all walks of life who thought the era of military coups was over showed solidarity against the coup and on the side of democracy. While the coup attempt was in progress, I condemned it in the strongest terms.

    Twenty minutes after the military coup attempt surfaced, before the real actors were known, President Erdogan hastily blamed me. It is troubling that an accusation was issued without waiting for the event’s details and the perpetrators’ motives to emerge. As someone who has suffered through four coups in the last 50 years, it is especially insulting to be associated with a coup attempt. I categorically reject such accusations.

    I have been living a reclusive life in self-exile in a small town in the United States for the last 17 years. The assertion that I convinced the eighth largest army in the world – from 6,000 miles away – to act against its own government is not only baseless, it is false, and has not resonated throughout the world.

    If there are any officers among the coup plotters who consider themselves as a sympathizer of Hizmet movement, in my opinion those people committed treason against the unity of their country by taking part in an event where their own citizens lost their lives. They also violated the values that I have cherished throughout my life, and caused hundreds of thousands of innocent people to suffer under the government’s oppressive treatment.

    If there are those who acted under the influence of an interventionist culture that persists among some of the military officers and have put these interventionist reflexes before Hizmet values, which I believe is unlikely, then an entire movement cannot be blamed for the wrongdoings of those individuals.

    No one is above the rule of law, myself included. I would like for those who are responsible for this coup attempt, regardless of their identities, to receive the punishment they deserve if found guilty in a fair trial.  The Turkish judiciary has been politicized and controlled by the government since 2014 and, consequently, the possibility of a fair trial is very small. For this reason, I have advocated several times for the establishment of an international commission to investigate the coup attempt and I have expressed my commitment to abide by the findings of such a commission.

    I’ve witnessed every single military coup in Turkey and, like many other Turkish citizens, have suffered during and after each one. I was imprisoned by the order of the junta administration after the March 12, 1971 coup. After the coup of September 12, 1980, a detention warrant was issued against me and I lived as a fugitive for six years.

    Right after the February 28, 1997, post-modern military coup, a lawsuit asking for capital punishment was filed against me with the charge of “an unarmed terrorist organization consisting of one person.”

    During all of these oppressive, military-dominated administrations, three cases accusing me of “leading a terror organization” were opened and, in each case, I was cleared of the charges. I was targeted by the authoritarian military administrations back then, and now, I face the very same accusations projected in an even more unlawful manner by a civilian autocratic regime.

    I had friendly relations with leaders from various political parties, such as Mr. Turgut Ozal, Mr. Suleyman Demirel and Mr. Bulent Ecevit, and genuinely supported their policies that I found to be beneficial to the larger community. They treated me with respect, especially when recognizing Hizmet activities that contribute to social peace and education.

    Even though I distanced myself from the idea of political Islam, I praised the democratic reforms undertaken by Mr. Erdogan and AKP leaders during their first term in power.

    But throughout my life, I have stood against military coups and intervention in domestic politics. When I declared 20 years ago that “there is no turning back from democracy and secularism of the state,” I was accused and insulted by the same political Islamists who are close to the current administration. I still stand behind my words. More than 70 books based on my articles and sermons spanning 40 years are publicly available. Not only is there not a single expression that legitimizes the idea of a coup in these works, but, on the contrary, they discuss universal human values that are the foundation of democracy.

    Emancipating Turkey from the vicious cycle of authoritarianism is possible only through the adoption of a democratic culture and a merit-based administration. Neither a military coup nor a civilian autocracy is a solution.

    I openly call on the Turkish government to allow for an international commission to investigate the coup attempt, and promise my full cooperation in this matter. If the commission finds one-tenth of the accusations against me to be justified, I am ready to return to Turkey and receive the harshest punishment.

    The most important characteristic of the Hizmet movement is to not to seek political power, but instead to seek long-term solutions for the problems threatening the future of their societies. At a time when Muslim-majority societies are featured in the news for terror, bloodshed and underdevelopment, Hizmet participants have been focusing on raising educated generations who are open to dialogue and actively contributing to their societies.

    Since I have always believed that the biggest problems facing these societies are ignorance, intolerance-driven conflicts and poverty, I have always encouraged those who would listen to build schools instead of mosques or Quran tutoring centers.

    Hizmet participants are active in education, health care and humanitarian aid not only in Turkey, but also in more than 160 countries around the world. The most significant characteristic of these activities is that they serve people of all religions and ethnic backgrounds – not just Muslims.

    Despite receiving threats, I categorically condemned numerous times terrorist groups such as Al Qaida and ISIS who taint the bright face of Islam. However, the Turkish government is trying to convince governments around the world to act against schools that have been opened by individuals who did not take part in the July 15 coup attempt, and who have always categorically rejected violence. My appeal to governments around the world is that they ignore the Turkish government’s claims and reject its irrational demands.

    Indeed, the Turkish government’s political decision to designate the Hizmet movement as a terrorist organization resulted in the closure of institutions such as schools, hospitals and relief organizations. Those who have been jailed are teachers, entrepreneurs, doctors, academics and journalists. The government did not produce any evidence to show that the hundreds of thousands targeted in the government’s witch hunt supported the coup or that they were associated with any violence.

    It is impossible to justify actions such as burning down a cultural center in Paris, detaining or holding hostage family members of wanted individuals, denying detained journalists access to medical care, shutting down 35 hospitals and the humanitarian relief organization Kimse Yok Mu, or forcing 1,500 university deans to resign as part of a post-coup investigation.

    It appears that, by presenting the recent purges as efforts that target only Hizmet participants, the Turkish government is in fact removing anyone from the bureaucracy who is not loyal to the ruling party, while also intimidating civil society organizations. It is dreadful to see human rights violations occurring in Turkey, including the torture detailed in recent reports by Amnesty International. This is truly a human tragedy.

    The fact that the July 15 coup attempt – which was an anti-democratic intervention against an elected government – was foiled with Turkish citizens’ support is historically significant. However, the coup’s failure does not mean a victory for democracy. Neither the domination by a minority nor the domination of a majority that results in the oppression of a minority nor the rule of an elected autocrat is a true democracy.

    One cannot speak of democracy in the absence of the rule of law, separation of powers and essential human rights and freedoms, especially the freedom of expression. True victory for democracy in Turkey is only possible by reviving these core values.

    English translation originally published in Le Monde on August 10.

     

    • Gülen is an intellectual, preacher and a social advocate.
  • Making a fortune from turkey farming

    Making a fortune from turkey farming

    A Lagos-based mini-livestock entrepreneur, Mr. Lamson Opeyemi, has earned himself fame and fortune from rearing turkeys. Turkey farming, according to experts, is a higher income yielding venture than other forms of poultry farming, especially chicken rearing. DANIEL ESSIET reports

    In the Southwest where he grew up, turkey meat is a delicacy eaten mostly by the rich. Perhaps that was what caught the attention of Mr. Lamson Opeyemi,  who saw the near exclusivity in the consumption of turkey as a good investment opportunity.

    He seized the rare opportunity to venture into the busniess, apparently to earn income from meeting the culinary needs of the rich, most of who prefer turkey meat to chicken’s.

    For most Nigerians who prefer the bird, its unique nutritional values are, perhaps, too tempting to ignore. But, for Opeyemi, the income from turkey farming remains the attraction. He has since been smiling to the bank with proceeds from each season’s sale, especially during festive periods, such as Christmas, Easter  and Muslim festivals.

    However, setting out for the business was not easy for Opeyemi. Apart from the start-up capital, he spent time and resources learning its rudiments. “The initial cost included getting a male and female turkey for production as well as a pen to house the birds ,” he said.

    For instance, the average start-up cost for the business, besides structures is N478, 000. Also, acquiring a 200 day-old turkey, known as  poults, at  N350 each, translates to about  N70, 000. The cost of feeding each poult to maturity is put at N2, 040  X 200  for  26 weeks (182 days) is  N408, 000.

    However, Opeyemi was not deterred. He has been able to recoup his investments within six months, even making profits, particularly after Christmas and New Yaer sales when demand is usually high.

    Interestinly, the poultry meat from turkey, the fertilised eggs, feathers and the droppings are all marketable, according to the budding entrepreneur.

    Sharing his experience in the busniess, Opeyemi said all that is required to raise turkeys is  to tenderly love and care for them, especially in the first four weeks of their life span when moratlity rate of the birds is high.

    According to him, the average mortality rate of turkey is six to 10 per cent . He said part of the care involves  raising turkey  under  a roof  rather  than the free range system where  a rearer or farmer needs one acre of fenced land to raise  200-250 adult free roaming turkeys.

    Also, feeds, according to him, should be given in feeders, not on the ground. Turkeys, he said, require clean water supply all the time.

    Opeyemi said if the birds are well fed, they start laying eggs from when they are about five months, though the male take a longer period of about eight months to mature.

    He has peices of advice for aspiring livestock entreprenuers. First, would-be farmers must create time and be involved in nurturing the birds. This, according to him, is neccessary for the farmer to reap bountifully from the agribusiness venture.

    That is not all. The innovative farmer also recommends following low-cost practices. He said to get to where he is, he followed selective mating, selection of eggs, simple incubation techniques, early care of chicks, preparation of feed mixture and health care.

    He also invested his time and resources in research to ascertain the health risks, feeding regime and even market for eggs and meat from turkey.

    Opeyemi explains: “Turkey rearing starts from day old, which should be kept in a brooder house under appropriate temperature for about five weeks. Then the birds will be separated into different houses, one for the males that are fast growers; the second pen/house for females, which grow slowly.”

    He said the birds may stay there till maturity, which is 20 weeks before the farmer can sell them for money or leave them for production of eggs. He also said the fertilised eggs are hatched at another farmer’s hatchery on payment “You don’t need to have your own hatchery before you can produce day old turkey,” he said.

    Opeyemi is not done with his recipe for being a successful turkey farmer. He admonished those wishing to venture into the business that adequate feeding of the turkey  is key.

    Hear him: “The feeding of turkeys is very important, as the amount of feed it takes to make one pound of meat on the fowl makes the difference. If you intend to put eight pounds of meat on a turkey in eight and half weeks, it will take 13 pounds of feed. During this period, the turkey exceeds any other fowl in growth.”

    To make good money within the first year, Opeyemi suggested starting with 200 birds, made up of 112 females, 56 males and 32 extra males. The extra males are to make up for the shortfall that may arise from the mortality of the birds.

    He, however, said with an investment of N600,000 in buying day olds and feeds, a farmer can make up to N500, 000 within six months.

    A farmer and consultant, Mr. Gbenga Boluwajoko,  said  turkey business generates more income than other poultry farming.

    Boluwajoko, a crop and animal farmer in Ibadan, Oyo State, said the business he started with N50, 000 has grown by more than five times.

    But it has not been a  savoury experience for Opeyemi, Boluwajoko and, indeed, other investors in the turkey farming. For them, the fear of disease outbreak is the beginning of wisdom. Listen to Boluwajoko: “I gave someone to help me brood 265-day old turkeys and there was a transfer of disease from a near-by farm and we lost all the animals. So, I discovered that it is better to be in charge.”

    His advice: “Do it by yourself or be involved to some extent. Then go for training or buy an ebook from practical farmers if you are far from the person who will train you.”

  • Turkey, Trump, Nigeria—And the global jungle of democracy

    The  recent   failed  coup in  Turkey has  shown  vividly  that  the  world’s  democracies  are  not safe  or  immune  from military  coups and take overs which  were the norm in the world in  the sixties  and  seventies. Just  as the emergence  of  Donald  Trump  as the presidential candidate  of  the Republican  candidate has  shown  that  democracy in even  the most  sophisticated  democracies  in  the world can degenerate and  decay in  terms  of the  language of political  participation and  the rhetoric  of the  quest  for  power. This  is brutally and glaringly true in  spite  of  the  fact  that  Hillary Clinton made  history this week as the first woman to  be nominated  to contest for  the presidency of the US on the platform  of the Democratic  Party.

    Both scenarios  in  Turkey  and  the US  provide  the food  for thought today  and  the approach  I have  adopted  to  illustrate  them  is both historical  and  comparative.  I  will  also  look  at  the situation  in  Nigeria   where  past   arms  purchases  have   opened  a canker worms  of  corruption  and  even  the present   army  chief  is  under  the searchlight  in  the   public    domain   for  the purchases  of  houses  in  Dubai   while   still   a serving  public  official.   It   is  my intention  to  show   through  these  issues  that  democracy  is under  stress  globally  and has  become a jungle  of  sorts  given the  challenge of  militant  Islam   or  Daesh as well  as the dwindling  available   resources  of  even  the richest  economies  and democracies  to  provide  the necessities  of  life  that their  citizens  have come to take for granted and  which  immigrants  from  hostile  places  have come largely  uninvited  to share  and consume.

    Turkey  provides  a unique  example  after  my  heart  of  a democracy  that  works when  the leadership  is strong  and bold  and the economy is strong and buoyant  and the people have  confidence  in their  government.  Indeed  that was  the  reason the coup  failed  because  the Turks  took  to  the streets, faced tanks and dragged   tank  drivers  and  soldiers  out  of their war  tanks  and stripped  them  of  their  uniforms.  Indeed   the  streets  were  littered  with discarded uniforms  and  boots of  soldiers who fled  nakedly  and in borrowed  robes  to  escape  the anger  and indignation  of  a  democratically  charged  and  alert  electorate. That  to  me is  the face of  modern  democracy.  When  people are  motivated  to secure  their  democracy  with their  lives  in the face of  violence  that seeks  to trample  or  destroy it, right  before  their eyes.

    Yet  Turkey  has  a history  of  success  of  military  coups  that  the Turks  have come  to  expect as a  way  of  life  and political  culture   until  the  present President  Recep  Tayyip  Erdogan  came to  power. Erdogan,   in  our    time has become a case  study  on  how  to  tame  military  intervention  in  politics  and  has my  admiration  in  this  regard in  the way  he  handled  the  last  coup.  Even  though  he  seems  to  me  to   have overreached himself  by  arresting  over  6000 people  on the coup  thereby   virtually  turning his  nation  into  a  huge  garrison  of  sorts,  a situation   which  places enormous strain on  Turkey’s   security   resources  and     apparatus  at   a time when  the ISIS/  Daesh   threat  is ever  present  and  dangerous.

    Erdogan’s  survival  strength  did  not   however  come  out  of a  vacuum. He  and  his party  have  won  three elections back  to  back  in  Turkey  whose secularity  is guaranteed  by  the  army  according  to  the constitution  handed  down  by  Kemal  Ataturk  who established  modern  Turkey  from  the rumps of the collapsed  Ottoman  Empire  which   bestrode  Europe  at  the time  and reached  as  far  Austria   in  Europe   before  its  collapse.  Erdogan  may  not  be a  Sultan  of  the Ottoman  Empire  but  he  has dreams of  their  splendor  which  he has realized  by  building a 1000  room  Presidential  Palace  in  Istanbul, Turkey’s  capital  and  in  the way  he has  successfully  changed the constitution  of  Turkey  recently  to  a presidency  with himself  as the  first  president.  Obviously  Erdogan  is sitting tight  in  Turkey  and has  turned  the tables  on the military  which  did not reckon  with  the populism  and charisma  he has  acquired  in three  election  victories  as well  as his   bravery  and boldness  to stand up  and protect   his well  earned    democratic  political  stature  and popularity. He  has    definitely   taught  the generals in Turkey   a  huge   lesson   that even in  the   rough   and  tumble  of   democracy, might  is not  always  right.

    In Nigeria  the present President  Muhammadu  Buhari  has been  bold  in his anti-corruption  campaign  which  he   has  embarked  on  single  mindedly  in  spite   of  diversionary  tactics of  even  those  with  whom  constitutionally  he  shares  power.  But  he    is  still  admired  for  his anti – corruption  drive    even  though  the  economy  is performing dismally  with  a falling currency  against  the  dollar  and dwindling oil  resources occasioned by  the   blow  up   of  pipelines by  militants in  the oil  rich  delta area.  But  Buhari’s  rise  to  power  is another romantic  political  story   similar  to that of  Erdogan  in Turkey  but  in the opposite  direction in terms  of ascendancy  and  history   Buhari was  military  leader  ousted  from office  by  his  soldiers  in a  military  coup 31  years   ago. He  then  went into  political oblivion only  to  surface as  a politician  who  contested  presidential  elections and lost  serially.  Until  2015  when  his party   the   APC, marshaled  by a former  governor  of  the  nation’s  commercial  capital  won  a landslide  victory  in  the 2015  `presidential  election. Buhari  who  had been  suspicious all along  on  why  the  Boko  Haram was winning  the war  against  a vastly  superior  Nigerian  army,  ordered  a probe  of  arms  purchases   and that  threw  up  a frightening revelation. Past  arms funds  had  been  diverted  to other  purposes   other  than  the Boko Haram War  and  the  presidential  campaign  of  the ruling  PDP  had   been  largely  funded from  funds  meant  for  arms purchase  to  fight  and  defeat  Boko  Haram.

    For  a military  man  turned  politician  like  Buhari, the  die  was  cast  as he said  at  his inaugural  address  even  though  as at  then,   he did not  know  the level  of stench in the  Augean Stable  handed   over   to  him  by  his predecessor. Only  a man  with  Buhari’s  antecedents  can take on  the  military in  Nigeria  given  the  level  of  corruption on  diversion  of arms  purchase  funds  by  past military  chiefs  and the present clamour   for  the  probe of  the  present army  chief  who  has been quite  successful  though,   on  ousting the menace  of  Boko  Haram  from  the battle   fronts  and driving them into  the desperate  survival and lethal  retreat    tactic  of  using small  girls  as  suicide  bombers.

    Like  Erdogan, Buhari  is bold,  has charisma and  Nigerians  trust  him because of  his integrity. But  the  Achilles   heels   of  his administration  are  the weak  economy,  the huge  rise in petrol prices  he brought  on  board as well  as  lop  sidedness  of  government  appointments  in  favour of the North in  a nation in which  the federal  character  is  in  the constitution to prevent  such discrimination. It  is such   lapses  that  his  administration  need  to  focus on urgently, as  these  are  issues  that  those caught  red  handed in looting the treasury   especially  in  the military  can exploit  to  cause  confusion.  Fortunately  the  image of  the  Nigerian  military  is in  tatters as at  now that  revelations on  arms  funds  diversion  are  in  the public domain   and  the situation  of a military coup  is just  unthinkable  for  a military  in  utter disgrace  for using  money  meant   for war   for  personal purposes  not  only  now,  but in the past. That  is  the jungle  our  own  democracy  is in right  now and we depend on commitment  and charisma  of  Buhari  to  get us  out  of  the woods  God  willing.

    With  regard  to the US,  the  call  by  the Republicans through their candidate Donald  Trump  that his  opponent in the race  Hillary  Clinton  should  be  jailed is  both  chilling  and  frightening  and  shows  that  the division  in the  US political system is  deeper  than  envisaged. But   democracy  is a competition  for  power  and it  has its rules,  ethics and  protocols. It  is like sports  in  which  the  loser  must  congratulate  the  winner  and life  goes  on. It  is not  a matter of  life  and death.  Hillary  Clinton  may  have  had  her  faults  and could  even  have  been  extremely careless on  her  handling  of  her  mails as Secretary  of   State   as  the  FBI  boss,  said    but  she  is  certainly  not  a criminal.

    Nevertheless   the   historic  emergence  of  Hillary  Clinton  as the presidential  candidate  of  the  Democratic  Party  this week  is  most  welcome  more  so  as  the language of  her backers  at the Convention has been civil  and  tolerant even though  everything hinges on  Hillary  contesting on the legacy  of the Obama Administration.  This  is  a  legacy    whose  failures  especially on  foreign policy, the economy  and security are  fuelling the  Trump  campaign  and  has sustained  it  so  far to  the chagrin  of those  Americans  yearning  for  some  decent language  and  politics  in  this  unique  2016 presidential  campaign  and  elections.

    Undoubtedly    and  decidedly,    Donald  Trump  has  created  a  vengeful  presidential  campaign   for  the US   presidential  election  of  2016  and the  American  political  system  is  facing  its stiffest  test in terms  of stability, security   and  tolerance  for  decades.  How  it survives in  the face of such do  or  die  rhetoric with  the emergence  of  a man like  Donald  Trump  who could  be its  next  president  if  he wins, will be    most  interesting to  watch,  behold   and     even    analyse,   as it  unfolds   till  the elections in  November.  Why  or  how  the  divided  Americans     of  today,   steeped  in democracy  for  ages as they   are,   have not themselves seen the looming political  chaos   and  danger   awaiting them  in the emergence  of  Donald  Trump in this  presidential  campaign  certainly  beats  my  imagination.  The  fact  that  even Obama  concedes  that  a  Trump  victory can  only  be averted by  the Democrats by fighting  desperately    for their  political  life  in  this campaign   shows  clearly  that  the die  is  cast  for  the  sanity of  American  politics  between  now  and the presidential   elections in  November 2016.

    Once  again  long  live  the  Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Turkey and the rest of us

    Uncivilianised societies, sovereignty belongs to the people and is only entrusted to whoever is in leadership, or whoever seeks to be there. That is amessage the latest experience in Turkey reinforces. The country presently is in search for inner peace after a failed army coup penultimate Friday left some 250 persons dead and more than 1,500 injured. Since that misadventure, PresidentTayyip Erdogan has unleashed a frenzied crackdown on whoever was faintly suspected of having any link to the plot. At the last count, more than 50,000 people have been rounded up, sacked or suspended from work, including hundreds of judges that were disrobed and 21,000 teachers who had their licences withdrawn. A three-month Emergency that would allow the president to by-pass parliament in enacting laws and suspend basic human rights has also been imposed on the country.

    By the middle of last week, 99 generals and admirals – a significant lot of Turkey’s top brass – were formally charged; amidst indications that the country was contemplating restoring capital punishment that it dumped in 2004 to shape up for desired membership of the European Union. The EU has since warned that such revisionism would not be acceptable to the bloc.Erdogan’s crackdown has so beenfierce that an alarmed global community spoke up against using the failed insurrection as a blank cheque to uproot opposition in disregard of the rule of law.

    But it was an unarmed Turkish populace that took back their country when renegade soldiers assayed penultimate Friday night to topple the civilian order. In some counterplay to the 2010-2011 Arab Spring, ordinary Turks defied a curfew order to face down and thwart the coup attempt by rifle-wielding soldiers in armoured tanks. They threw themselves in front of approaching tanks and climbed atop military carriers to resist the attempted take-over, overwhelming the soldiers and compelling them to surrender. Strategic locations in that country were scenes of dramatic power play. Outside Ataturk airport in Istanbul, civilians lodged themselves under the wheels of tanks to stop the soldiers from advancing; and on the strategic Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, some 100 rebel soldiers laid down their arms and gave in to advancing civilians and police officers loyal to the government.

    The renegade soldiers, who calledthemselves the ‘Peace Council,’ had said they were trying to overthrow the government to ‘protect human rights’ and restore democracy that had been bastardised by Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party(AKP). The five hours of chaos began when two busloads of the soldiers barged into the headquarters of the state-run TRT news agency, took news off the air and replaced it with a stream of weather forecasts.After launching the coup, the Turkish military imposed a curfew, telling civilians to stay indoors. But the people defied the curfew, hit the streets and rolled back the coup.

    On the back of the showdown, Erdogan,who was on vacation in the resort town of Marmaris when the army struck, urged the people to stay the course. On Saturday morning,the president used Twitter to call on his supporters to prevent any additional military action, saying: “We should keep on owning the streets no matter at what stage, because a new flare-up could take place at any moment.” He surfaced in Istanbul some hours later, blaming the doomed coup on a “parallel structure” – a familiar reference to FethullahGulen, an Islamist cleric and longtime foe of the president who lives in self-imposed exile inPennsylvania, United States.Erdogan warned that members of the military behind the plot to oust him would “pay a heavy price for their treason.”Prime Minister BinaliYildirim subsequently elaborated, saying though the death penalty was abolished in 2004, the country may consider legal changes to deter such coup happening again.

    President Erdogan isn’t by any stretch an exemplary model of a democrat. He has been in power for decades: he was the mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998, and he served as prime minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014, when he became president and immediately began pushing for constitutional changes that would confer the hitherto ceremonial office of president with executive powers. He is reputed for intolerance of opposition and faces repeated criticisms by rights groups and Western allies over brutal crackdowns on anti-government protesters. Under his sleigh of hand, the liberal media space in Turkey, including the social media, is effectively endangered. But regardless of serious imperfections in the Turkish electoral system, Erdogan is a legitimate custodian of the people’s mandate, which it is the people’s prerogative to withdraw or preserve through the ballot box under a constitutional arrangement.The attempt by soldiers to abort that mandate was completely off mark and simply unacceptable,and the Turkish populace accordingly thwarted it.

    It is a universal moral that military intervention is no longer acceptable under any conditionfor effecting a change in constitutional order. That much point was wellmade by President Muhammadu Buhari in his statement on the Turkish coup when he said: “The removal of a democratic government by force is no longer acceptable… The ballot box doesn’t require violence to remove any government perceived to have lost its popularity and public support.” In any functional democracy, it is the people’s prerogative to post and depose from power. There is no difference even for our context here in Nigeria. Military intervention is no more a viable option, and it was quite laughable when some Niger Delta militants raised the alarm recently that they were being approached by some military elements for collaboration in a putsch. That alarm, for all it is worth, might really be false; but it bears saying that such an idea is invariably doomed, and anyone faintly contemplating it should just perish the thought.

    The Nigerian democracy is gradually coming of age. With the experience of the 2015 general election, the average Nigerian now knows that it is within his remit to appoint or disappoint politicians in powerif his vote is made to count. Now, the vital catch is: if his vote is made to count. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must continue to build on its processes for delivering credible elections, and be held fullyaccountable for infractions detracting from that end. But the political class must as well grow out of its historic disreputable mould. Political players must realise that the true path to power lies no longer in abuses or skillful manipulation of the electoral system, but in convincingly baiting voters whose ballots add up to a legitimate mandate. That is the kind of mandate that people would keenly rise to defend against military interlopers.

    Feedback – Re: The Power Crisis

    Hi, Robert. Just read your piece on the power crisis. I agree, like most Nigerians, that the present situation isn’t good enough. But hopeless? I think not. Fact is, nearly 70% of our present generation capacity is gas powered. Some old PHCN hands had recently criticised this, but I also disagree. If we have gas in abundance, doesn’t it make economic sense that we use what we have for our benefit?

    Now, coming to the ‘Avengers.’ Recall that we hit the 5000mw mark sometime before they began their reckless binge? An upbeat Fashola had then promised that the nation ’ll be doing 7000mw by December!

    Bottom line: the media should assist in the fight against the prodigals who are bent on destroying their own country, and also help educate the ever yelling crowd who are either ignorant or are just plain political hecklers. Regards.

    —Olu.

  • Turkey, Trump, Nigeria—And the global jungle of democracy

    The  recent   failed  coup in  Turkey has  shown  vividly  that  the  world’s  democracies  are  not safe  or  immune from military  coups and take overs which  were the norm in the world in  the sixties  and  seventies. Just  as the emergence  of  Donald Trump  as the presidential candidate  of  the Republican  candidate has  shown  that  democracy in even  the most  sophisticated  democracies  in  the world can degenerate and  decay in  terms  of the language of political  participation and  the rhetoric  of the  quest  for  power.

     Both    scenarios  in  Turkey  and  the US  provide  the food  for thought today  and  the approach  I have  adopted  to  illustrate  them  is both historical  and  comparative.  I  will  also  look  at  the situation  in  Nigeria   where  past   arms  purchases  have opened  a canker worms  of  corruption  and  even  the present   army chief  is  under  the searchlight   for  the purchases  of  houses  in  Dubai in  the public  domain. It   is  my intention  to  show  through  them  that  democracy  is under  stress  globally  and has  become a jungle  of  sorts . Given the  challenge of  militant  Islam as well  as the dwindling  resources  of  even  the richest  economies  and democracies  to  provide  the necessities  of  life  that their  citizens  have come to take for granted.

    Turkey  provides  a unique  example  after  my  heart  of  a democracy  that  works when  the leadership  is strong  and bold  and the economy is strong and buoyant  and the people have  confidence  in their  government.  Indeed  that was  the  reason the coup  failed  because  the Turks  took  to  the streets, faced tanks and dragged   tank  drivers  out  of their war  tanks  and stripped  them  of  their  uniforms.  Indeed the  streets  were  littered  with discarded uniforms  and  boots of  soldiers who fled  nakedly  and in borrowed  robes  to  escape  the anger  and indignation  of  a  democratically  charged  and  alert  electorate. That  to  me is  the face of  modern  democracy,  when  people are  motivated  to secure  their  democracy  with their  lives  in the face of  violence  that seeks  to trample  or  destroy it right  before  their eyes.

    Yet Turkey  has  a history  of success  of  military  coups  that Turks  have come  to  expect as a  way of  life  and political  culture until  the  present President  Yaccip  Erdogan  came to  power. Erdogan  has become a case  study  on  how  to  tame  military  intervention  in  politics  and  has my  admiration  in  this  regard in  the way  he  handled  the  last  coup  this week. Even  though  he  seems  to  me  to   have overreached himself  by  arresting  over  6000 people  on the coup  thereby virtually  turning his  nation  into  a  huge  garrison  of  sorts  and which  places enormous price on  Turkey’s  resources at  a time when  the ISIS  threat  is ever  present.

    Erdogan’s  survival  strength  did  not come  out  of a  vacuum.  He  and  his party  have  won  three elections back  to  back  in  Turkey  whose secularity  is guaranteed  by  the  army  according  to  the constitution  handed  down  by Kemal  Ataturk  who established  modern  Turkey  from  the rumps of the collapsed  Ottoman  Empire  which   bestrode  Europe  at  the time  and reached  as  far Austria  before  its  collapse. Erdogan  may  not  be a  Sultan  of  the Ottoman  Empire  but  he  has dreams of  their  splendor which he has realized by building a 1000  room  Presidential  Palace  in  Istanbul, Turkey’s  capital   and   in  the way  he has  successfully  changed the constitution  of  Turkey  recently  to  a presidency  with himself  as the  first  president.  Obviously  Erdogan  is sitting tight  in  Turkey  and has  turned  the tables  on the military  which  did not reckon  with  the populism  and charisma  he has  acquired  in three  election  victories  as well  as his   bravery  and boldness  to stand up  and protect his well  earned  political  stature  and popularity. He  has    definitely   taught  the generals in Turkey a  huge  lesson   that even in  the   rough   and  tumble      of   democracy, might  is not  always  right .

    In Nigeria  the present President  Muhammadu  Buhari  has been  bold  in his anti  corruption  campaign  which he   has  embarked  on  single  mindedly  in  spite   of  diversionary  tactics of  even  those  with  whom  constitutionally  he  shares  power.   But  he  still  admired  for  his anti  corruption  drive    even  though  the  economy  is performing dismally  with  a falling currency  against  the  dollar  and dwindling oil  resources occasioned by militants in  the oil  rich  delta area.  But  Buhari’s  rise  to  power  is another romantic  political  story   similar  to that of  Erdogan  in Turkey  but  in the opposite  direction in terms  of ascendancy.

    Buhari was  military  leader  ousted  from office  by  his  soldiers  in a  military  coup . He  then  went into  political oblivion only  to  surface as  a politician  who  contested  presidential  elections and lost  serially.  Until  2015  when  his party   the   APC, marshaled  by a former  governor  of  the  nation’s  commercial  capital  won  a landslide  victory  in  the 2015  `presidential  election. Buhari  who  had been  suspicious all along  on  why  the  Boko  Haram was winning  the war  against  a vastly  superior  Nigerian  army ordered  a probe  of  arms  purchases   and that  threw  up  a frightening revelation. Past  arms funds  had  been  diverted  to other  purposes   other  than  the Boko Haram War  and  the  presidential  campaign  of  the ruling  PDP  had   been  largely  funded from  funds  mean,t  for  arms purchase  to  fight  and  defeat  Boko  Haram.

    For  a military  man  turned  politician  like  Buhari  the  die  was  cast  as he said  at  his inaugural  address  even  though  as at  then  he did not  know  the level  of stench in the  Augean Stable  handed   over   to  him  by  his predecessor . Only  a man  with  Buhari’s  antecedents  can take on  the  military in  Nigeria  given  the  level  of  corruption on  diversion  of arms  purchase  funds  by  past military  chiefs  and the present clamour   for  the  probe of  the  present army  chief  who  has been quite  successful  though on  ousting the menace  of  Boko  Haram  from  the battle   fronts  and driving them into  the desperate  survival and lethal  tactic  of  using small  girls  as  suicide  bombers.

    Like  Erdogan, Buhari  is bold,  has charisma and  Nigerians  trust  him because of  his integrity. But  the  Achilles heels of  his administration  are  the weak  economy  and the huge  rise in petrol prices  he brought  on  board as well  as  lop  sidedness  of  government  appointments  in  favour of the North in  a nation in which  the federal  character  is  in  the constitution to prevent  such discrimination. It  is such   lapses  that  his  administration  need  to  focus on urgently, as  these  are  issues  that  those caught  red  handed in looting the treasury especially  in  the military  can exploit  to  cause  confusion.  Fortunately  the  image of  the  Nigerian  military  is in  tatters as at  now that  revelations on  arms  funds  diversion  are  in  the public domain   and  the situation  of a military coup  is just  unthinkable  for  a military  in utter disgrace  for using  money  meant   for war   for  personal purposes  not  only  now,  but in the past. That  is  the jungle  our  own  democracy  is in right  now and we depend on commitment  and charisma  of  Buhari  to  get us  out  of  the woods  God  willing.

    With  regard  to the US,  the  call  by  the Republicans through their candidate Donald  Trump  that his  opponent in the race  Hillary  Clinton  should  be  jailed is  both  chilling  and  frightening  and  shows  that  the division in the US political system is deeper  than  envisaged. Democracy  is a competition  for  power  and it  has its rules  and  protocols. It  is like sports  in  which  the  loser  must  congratulate  the  winner  and life  goes  on. It  is not  a matter of  life  and death.  Hillary  Clinton  may  have  had  her  faults  and could  even  have  been  extremely careless on  her  handling  of  her  mails as Secretary  of  as  the  FBI  boss  said    but  she  is  certainly  not  a criminal.  Donald  Trump  has  created  a  vengeful  presidential campaign for the  presidential  election of 2016  and the  American  political  system  is  facing  its stiffest  test in terms  of stability, security  and  tolerance  for  decades.  How  it survives in  the face of such do  or  die  rhetoric with  the emergence  of  a man like  Donald  Trump  who could  be its  next  president  if  he wins , will be the  real  seventh  wonder  of  the world .  Why  or  how  the  divided  Americans      steeped  in democracy  for  ages as they   are   have not themselves seen the looming political  chaos   and  danger  is what  baffles  my  imagination .

    Once  again  long  live  the  Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria .

  • Democracy feeds Turkey to fascism

    Democracy feeds Turkey to fascism

    From all indications, Turkey seems marooned at a dark crossroads today. A failed coup last Friday has  not only exposed the rump of military generals but also the darker side of a democracy entrusted to an intolerant hawk, Tayyip Recep Erdogan.

    Since triumphing over the putschists Saturday, the Turkish president has been acting in a manner that gives a new poignancy to the fascism German playwright tried to describe sarcastically several decades ago. Once a state loses confidence in the people, proposes the bard, it should then not hesitate to dissolve the citizenry.

    At the last count, no fewer than a record 50,000 persons have been summarily rounded up in a country of less than 80 million people.

    Addressing his nation Wednesday, President Erdogan did not sound in the conciliatory tone of someone intent on fixing the fissures the coup has inadvertently brought to light. In declaring a three-month emergency rule, he preferred the gloating words of a conqueror determined to in fact escalate the witch-hunt against the remaining opposition, real or imagined. For effects, he left no one in doubt that he is desirous of resurrecting the death penalty earlier abrogated in 2004 as part of a pre-condition for Turkey to be admitted into the European Union.

    Signs that all is still not well in Turkey despite the coup’s crash on Saturday were evident Tuesday. Even as officials were still counting the cost of the Friday/Saturday mayhem, a car bomb exploded in central Istanbul, killing 11 people instantly with many more badly injured. The following day, there was another lethal bombing in Mardin province. Predictably, the authorities quickly point a finger at an opposition party, PKK.

    And there precisely lies the peril to liberty in Turkey today and a clarion call on the rest of the world not to look away. Given the peculiar evolution of Turkey as a nation in which the military is more or less cast as the Praetorian Guard, there is no denying that the country truly needs a muscular president to scare adventurous generals away. But that sort of strength is not just about the weight of the biceps but more of the generosity of spirit. That is, the will to still accommodate, to tolerate those unwilling to view life through your own lens. A critical virtue obviously in deficit today. And what makes the prospects even more unthinkable is Erdogan’s bringing religion into an already toxic mix.

    Though Turkey is 99 percent Muslim (of the Sunni affiliation), her founding fathers were however generous enough to conceive a secular state with a view to removing any possible sectarian threat to her continued harmony and balance.

    But with his ascendancy in the last fifteen years, Erdogan has nudged his Justice and Development Party (AKP) to drag the nation more towards Islamist extremism. To further seduce the mullahs, he once described the EU as “a Christian club.” To the discomfort of moderate elements who would wish Turkey’s original architecture of secularism be preserved.

    At the boom of artillery fire last Friday in Turkey’s two key cities of Ankara and Istanbul, the initial interpretation was that a coup was underway. Happily, people’s power prevailed so dramatically that military’s otherwise awesome might was made to look so feeble. Though at a huge human toll: no fewer than 250 were killed and thousands suffering varying degrees of harm in a grim encounter that dragged from Friday dusk till Saturday morning.

    In one instance, we saw footage of a brave Turkish youth jumping on an armoured tank and punching the soldier on duty. In yet another was an epic reversal of role: a civilian was shown whipping the back of a group of subdued soldiers lying face down on the highway.

    But if as much as 50,000 could be linked to that coup as Erdogan’s action so far has suggested, then we honestly can no longer call that a putsch. What actually confronts Turkey today ought to be seen properly as an uprising, or what the Arabs call “intifada”. It is only a manifestation of deep fracture in the Turkey’s democracy as presently constituted. To pretend otherwise is to live in denial.

    Previously, allegations of coup plot were often parlayed to witch-hunt of Erdogan’s perceived opponents within and outside the military. But the current episode, apparently on account of its actuality, has broken past records. Already, a hundred of generals and admirals have been charged. Thousands of rank and file soldiers, said to have been tricked to the streets with the lie of “routine parade” by their superiors, would be made to face a scrutiny that potentially carries a death penalty.

    The growing casualty list also includes 1,577 university deans ordered to resign beside 21,000 teachers and 15,000 education ministry officials. Just as vocal journalists and independent media houses are being hunted down. Paranoid still, Erdogan has barred access to the WikiLeads website in continuation of his old tactic of crude censorship of the social media and manic obsession to control people’s minds. (Ironically, when guns started booming last Friday, it was the same social media Erdogan resorted to while in hiding to incite supporters to troop to the streets and confront the coupists.)

    By the time the purge is over, one then wonders how many people would be left in Turkey for Erdogan to rule over. It is for these reasons that those who have Erdogan’s ears like the United States (which leads the NATO to which Turkey belongs) must impress it on him that he cannot continue like this.

    It is reassuring that the US has so far not succumbed to Erdogan’s blackmail that his arch political opponent and American-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, be extradited to Ankara to face trial over alleged involvement in the failed coup plot. Rather, Washington is insisting on strong proof of complicity before entertaining such request.

    In retrospect, the Turkish president has proved to be too intolerant and would not mind burying an entire town led by the illusion of tranquility, even if it is that of the graveyard. Memories of the Cizre massacre are still fresh. In the city of Cizre, hundreds of young people were burned to death in basements in what readily recalled the ghost of Hitler’s gas chamber against the Jews decades ago. So much that even the United Nation has called on the Turkish government to establish an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the killings.

    Through intimidation, Erdogan has stampeded the congress to pass obnoxious laws granting him sweeping powers to hunt down opposition elements, particularly those with sympathy for the long-suffering Kurds. Earlier, he fired the moderate AKP prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, who was critical of the proposed constitutional changes.

    But the budding fascist in Ankara needs to be made to understand that the peace of the graveyard is not sustainable. At best, he would have only succeeded in delaying a civil war.

  • Deputy Mayor shot in Istanbul

    Deputy Mayor shot in Istanbul

    A report from Istanbul said an unknown assailant shot Cemil Candas, the Deputy Mayor of Sisli District of Istanbul in the head on Monday.

    The report said that the mayor was in a critical condition.

    It stated that gun shots were heard soon after the assailant entered the office of the victim.

    The report stated that it was not immediately clear whether the incident was linked to Friday’s abortive military coup in which more than 200 people were killed.

    It said that Turkey remained in a state of high tension, though the government said it had the situation fully under control.

  • Buhari condemns Turkey coup

    President Muhammadu Buhari has joined other world leaders in condemning the abortive coup attempt in Turkey by a group of rebel army officers and men.

    The coup resulted in the reported death of more than 100 people.

    Reacting to the tragic events in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, President Buhari said that he was deeply saddened by reports of a violent attempt to dismantle constitutional authority and disrupt the democratically elected government of Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey.

    “The removal of a democratic government by force is no longer acceptable. Violence can never solve any problem but only complicates them and sets back the progress of democratic societies,” he said.

    He also noted that President Erdogan is one of Nigeria’s close international partners and sincere supporters in its current war against terrorism, adding that all should resist the “destabilization of democratic countries through coups d’état in the 21st century.”

    Democracy, he said, provided peaceful options of changing governments through the ballot box.

    He said: “The ballot box doesn’t require violence to remove any government perceived to have lost its popularity and public support.

    “Despite its limitations, democracy is still better and more durable than a violent change of government.” He added

    The President praises the courage and immediate response of ordinary citizens who in face of guns and tanks defied the rebel soldiers and forced them to abandon their mad quest for power.

    President Buhari called on the President of Turkey to pursue reconciliation and offer Nigeria’s support to the government and people of Turkey in their hour of trial.