OPINION

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OPINION

N-POWER: The Little Thing that Matters, By A. Jimoh

It is two years since the first batch of beneficiaries of N-POWER were enrolled and it has been a story of success. Yes, Success. In a very long time, and perhaps the very first time, that a government social intervention programme is working so seamlessly.  I have chosen to highlight the success of N-POWER because among the numerous social intervention programmes of the current administration, it is the one I have followed carefully and have close relations who are beneficiaries. In addition, having witnessed how similar programmes- conceivably in name only- were run by previous administrations, it becomes easy to compare and contrast. To get an insight of the success of N-POWER, it is pertinent to provide background on similar programmes ran by previous government since the return of democracy in 1999.

Starting with the Magnus L. Kpakol-run National Poverty Alleviation Programme, NAPEP, of Obasanjo-Atiku’s administration, it was anything but poverty alleviation programme. The programme which was to provide succor to the unemployed merely became an avenue for the boys to chop. It was just money meant for politicians’ hangers-on. I recall that in most local governments across Kogi state, all was needed to be eligible for enrollment was to be a political thug. List of beneficiaries were concocted where a single person could be collecting the allowance of 15 non-existent beneficiaries. The poor and unemployed for which it was intended never got it. The tricycles popularized by the programme in some states were shared by politicians to their undeserving supporters.

Then entered the Jonathan’s Subsidy Reinvestment Programme, aka SURE-P. It was ostensibly intended to cushion the harsh economic effect brought about by the increase in fuel price. However, many of us know how the story ended. It purely became a pocket money for the boys. The head of the programme, Elder Christopher Kolade, a man who knows that a good name is better than ill-gotten wealth, resigned when it became clear to him that the fund was just a branch of corruption in a government that was notoriously corrupt. Like its predecessor, the programme hardly reached those for it was supposedly crafted.

When the idea of N-POWER was muted, it was no surprise that many people had a misgiving about it. The background provided above gave the foundation to some of those doubts. However, others were just about mischief making.  Supporters of the rogue party who were ousted from power mocked the programme hoping it would failed like its predecessors. It turned out most of those who doubted it, genuinely and mischievously, are current beneficiaries of the programme.

The very first right decision the Buhari-Osibanjo administration took was to shield N-POWER and other social intervention programmes of their administration from politicians both at the federal and state levels. Involving politicians as intermediaries in the scheme could have made it dead on arrival, as it would have been a programme to enlist columbines, thugs and the most unqualified.  Having noticed that they were edged out, our politicians known for their anti-people tendency did not give up the fight to corner the programme to themselves or made it abolished completely. In the very first budget that fund for the programme was listed, for all the budget entries, it was the one the Danjuma Goje-led senate budget committee found unfit to be in the budget. They ‘advised’ the executive to remove it under the guise that oil price was down and the economic was in recession. The National Assembly did not see the morale to cut down the 130 billion Naira in the budget allocated to idle NASS members. However, the Buhari administration could accept anything but not this and so the fund was retained.

Then the recruitment phase came. It was another masterstroke decision to make it fully online without any third party intervention. It was so transparent. Countless testimonies from beneficiaries confirmed the transparency of the process. Staying far away from Nigeria, I applied for people who had no access to good internet. Majority of those are today beneficiaries. However, those who discredited the programme and refuse to apply, hoping it would fail are regretting their folly. The online recruitment process also prevented politicians from harvesting from where they did not plant. During the application, a family member alerted me that forms were being distributed by unscrupulous people to fill in their data with a promise of N-POWER slot. I told them pointblank that application was wholly online and that anyone doing that was a fraud. Those who did not listen but believed their politicians are today licking their fingers.

Today, about 500, 000 qualified Nigerians are enrolled in the programme receiving a steady flow of stipend without any interference. It is called alert. Many have built entrepreneurship from the alert and acquired skills that even after the expiration of their tenure in the scheme, they will sustain a continuous inflow of income. I have seen many in the N-Agric programme displaying fishpond, fruits and vegetable farms, poultry farm etc. of their own. I have seen many who did not before the programme realize they had good teaching skills until the N-POWER programme. Therefore, the scheme has helped to unlock talents and put many on the path of career. Besides the 500,000 beneficiaries, there are those in the N-build, a sub category of the N-Power, who are being trained with trade and artisans’ skills.

The N-POWER is a scheme with a difference. The provision of smart devices to beneficiaries enhances their service delivery and assists them in personal skill development. There are countless of testimonies available from beneficiaries, some of them very emotional, on how the scheme has helped them moved away from poverty line and bequeaths them with skills that will forever remain useful.

The scheme may have enlisted 500, 000 Nigerians, but it indirectly caters for two million people or there about. For every Nigerian who is an income earner, even a bachelor or unmarried woman, he/she has at least two other people directly under his or her responsibility. This is a fact in Nigeria anyone can do research on. For instance, three close relations whom are beneficiaries of the scheme have eight dependents to whom they are directly responsible for their well-being. One of such person is not even married, yet he has his mother and the daughter of his late brother to look after. This is the chain benefit of the stipend from N-POWER.

Does the scheme solve the unemployment cum the poverty problem? The answer is a definite no. However, it has cushioned the effect of the two and it must be appreciated. N-POWER is the proverbial little thing that matters. If previous administrations had taken similar stride by temporarily employing jobless graduate and bequeathing them with skills, in the last sixteen years, at least 4 million graduates would have benefitted directly from such scheme.

While the Buhari’s administration should be commended for this initiative, the office of the vice president would be specially recognized for the competent and professional way it has handled the scheme. For many, both within and without, the scheme should be a failure like its predecessors. However, the quality of people, both young and old, from the boardroom staff, logistic staff, desk officers to field staff, who work for the scheme has made it to be one of the most successful of all intervention programs. I have on many occasions spoken to the helpline staffs to make inquiry for a friend’s wife who had her data mixed up and for most of the times, the response was explicit and devoid of impoliteness. Corruption, incompetence, irresponsibility and lethargy in government service would be greatly reduced if any government at any level can build such a dedicated staffs into it civil service.

Again, while the federal government is commended for its many short-term programs at alleviating poverty, it must also find a perennial solution for the incidence of poverty among the populace. I suggest that the success of the N-Power programme especially in skill development can be internalized in our academic programme in order to graduate students with skills. In addition, government at state and local government levels should do more in job creation and social intervention program.

This now brings me to drop a word for the ruling All People Congress (APC).

For a party to be successful and build trust, it must put its entire elected representative on the same pedestal. The party must make its entire elected members realize that party manifesto is not for the federal government alone to implement. It is preposterous that majority of its governors are working at cross-purpose with the federal government. The profligacy, lack of vision and sheer wickedness of most of the state governors are major contributor to the poverty in the land. The Federal Government cannot be making sincere effort at reducing poverty while state governments are working aimlessly at spreading same. It is unbelievable that some of the beneficiaries of N-power could not even get a placement at their state and local government of assignment. Elsewhere some unscrupulous state and local government officials were demanding for bribe from beneficiaries before they are confirmed.

Rather than buying weapons and drugs for thugs in the name of empowerment, states should make similar sincere effort at job creation and skill development like the apex government. Such synergy with the central government will go a long way in reducing the incidence of poverty and social vices. Aside Osun state, I have not seen any other state with any robust socio-economic and job creation program that benefit the people.

For me, N-POWER is a success story so far. Although it is not yet uhuru, we have however moved a step ahead.

  1. S. M. Jimoh can be reached on @anehi2008@gmail.com and on twitter @anehi2008.
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OPINION

Never Again! By Babafemi Ojudu

Quote me: the coming Presidential election will be the cheapest ever in the history of our country.

This government will not loot the treasury or empty the Central Bank to buy votes. Money meant for arms will not be diverted to buy prayers from pastors and Alfas. INEC officials are not going to be paid to manipulate figures in favor of The President and his party. Security men will do their job as stipulated by the terms of their engagement. Above all, voters will be allowed to vote according to the dictates of their conscience.

About this time in 2015, the nation was awash with cash, both in local and foreign currencies. Money meant for arms, for infrastructural development and for the provision of good life for the people was diverted and shared out among the big shots in the ruling party. A bit of it trickled down to the people and everyone had a big party.

I recall that President Jonathan relocated to Lagos with the intent to capture Lagos and the South West by all means. With boxes of dollars to boot, his residence in Marina became a Mecca for those seeking free money. He was merrily scammed.

All manner of Oodua associations sprang up. Every one scrambled to share from the largesse and our President became a ‘donatus‘. I remember some fellows I know who came up with an ‘Association of White Witches.’ Soon after they had collected their share, the Black Witches also surfaced to pick theirs. Elders who once were politically influential but now expired and no longer relevant quickly dug up their old credentials and queued to have their share.

Obas, Obis, Emirs were not left out. Beads to validate their claims to royalty became scarce in the market. Alfas, Imams and all manner of people laying claim to have direct access to God were contracted from within and abroad. A northern political big wig got a multi-billion naira contract to go to Sudan, Egypt and Morocco to bring in some more marabouts. At the end of the day, the people’s will prevailed.

I am using this opportunity, therefore, to inform our compatriots who daily troop to my office with proposals asking for loads of money to organize rallies and do one thing or the other to perish the thought.

This government will not dip its hand into government coffers to run a campaign. It is not done in sane societies and it shall not be done under the Buhari regime.

Let us follow the example of the farmers who are taxing their members N100 each to support the president.
So far we have about 800 support groups. On their own, they are mobilizing resources to organize rallies and produce souvenirs. This, many are doing even when Mr President has not announced his campaign council.
Like a guerrilla army, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is surfacing in market places, doing street walks and entering the homes of the disadvantaged and listening to their challenges, get first hand information on what is important as valuable to them.
The PDP is jittery. They are not used to this kind of campaign and they don’t know how to respond other than throwing. The few gentlemen among them are so frustrated to the point of throwing tantrum. Never knew a man like Dogara could go saucy. The season is bringing out the worst out of hitherto reasonable folks.

We are teaching them a new mode of campaigning, a new politics.

If you believe in President Buhari go out there and raise fund for your activities. This President has made up his mind not to deploy Nigeria’s resources to buy votes.

Change is certainly here. It is real.

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OPINION

NASS: House Of Lords And Clowns? By Ayobami Akanji
People must not do things for fun. We are not here for fun. There is no reference to fun in any act of Parliament – A.P. Herbert
It started like a scene out of an action movie – the Climax. The scene where the “Boss” gathers all his proteges, revelling in their plenty ineffectiveness in their last attempt to finish the “Actor”. They rush out in Jeeps, strapped to the teeth waiting to meet death already prepared. The fight starts with them “beating” the actor and at times even forcing him to do their biddings, only for him to outsmart, outmuscle and “out-tact” them when things needed to get done. This best describes what comes out of the National Assembly lately.
However, the relationship between the Executive and Legislature embodies a central link in ensuring a smooth running of the federal government, and by extension consolidating the Nigerian democracy.
They can either grant or refuse potential Presidential authorisations, and this enthrones a sign of a politically positive relationship.
The National Assembly does this without much problems especially as seen in the past three and a half years when the leadership of the Legislature has been at odds with the political position of the President. Of course millions of Nigerians bore the consequence of these actions, like it is said – when two elephants fight the grass suffers.
A cursory look at certain events will lend credence to this argument; the budget debacle took a toll on infrastructural development activities nationwide, almost dragging the country back to recession. The recent why “I Cut” the budget oozes of the covert shenanigans in holding the nation to a stand-still for the interest of a certain bloc – the intention of which is to switch the angst of the populace on the current administration.
These ‘leaders’ would then be portrayed as owners of the economic wand to grow and make Nigeria great again; unknown to them the country is already on the path to the Next Level of economic inclusion and prosperity.
Nigerians just witnessed the ugliest public display of crass opposition from members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when the President came to present the 2019 budget to a joint session, they behaved like children denied of candy. While the President was reeling out the achievements of his administration in the past three and a half years, there were boos and jeers from a section of the House. We applaud the President’s civility and respect for the leadership of both chambers.
These recalcitrant lawmakers should understand that it’s permissible to dislike the person who is President, but you don’t denigrate the office of the President on the platter of opposition.
However, whenever persons of leadership in the National Assembly has an issue with the law, the institution tends to be used against the Executive arm, and by extension, Nigerians.
The other time, it was a worried leadership of the National Assembly that convened what it called “emergency executive session”. It was the first time since the inauguration of the 8th Senate that such a session held.  It is instructive that despite the atrocities committed on a daily basis in States like Taraba, Zamfara, Benue and Plateau, the National Assembly never thought of an “emergency executive session”. Ditto for the bad state of the economy then. Thank God the Executive weathered the storm; the insecurity has been largely contained and we are out of recession.
It is also note worthy that no emergency session has been convened on corruption which is the very reason why Nigeria is where it is today.
Billions of dollars vanished, growth has been stunted, huge funds traced to accounts of individuals yet no “emergency executive session”.
According to the CBN, MTN, in cohorts with banks, unlawfully repatriated dividends worth $8bn between 2007 – 2015; the apex bank said it was illegal because there were problems with the certificate for capital importation (CCI).
The action of members of the National Assembly can be likened to a child who was given a stick of biscuit by his dad. He becomes protective of this stick to the point of being enemies with the one that gave him the stick. He becomes irritated when anything he deems inimical to his biscuit appears and shows his irritation by crying his lungs out. It’s very easy to be enemies with the National Assembly if, like the child above, you threaten their “biscuit”.
Few months ago, members of a dreaded gang of sons of the devil who rained mayhem on the town of Offa were arrested. It was the best answer to questions of police’s efficiency. More than 30 people were killed. 22 suspects were arrested Prebendal interests were at their ululative best, screaming “media trial” and “witch hunt” from both sides of their mouth, despite the fact that the Senate President and Governor Ahmed of Kwara State didn’t outrightly deny knowing the devils. They chose to fight battles they single-handedly brought upon themselves with institutions of the State. They were the first to complain about how a member was bringing the House into disrepute just because he called for investigations into allegations of fraud against the Senate President; but they use this same Chamber to fight personal battles. They rule with severity, suspending anyone who dares to as little as raise a voice of opposition to their impunity.
They should be called “House of summons” as anyone threatens their biscuit is “summoned to come explain”. They earn ridiculous allowances but have nothing to show for it. They criss-cross political geography, trying hard to sound pro-people, forgetting the nascent role they played in bringing us here. They’re a select group of “honorables” but with different corruption cases hanging around their necks. They like to flex power and pass votes of no confidence on a man who has spearheaded the arrests of daredevil criminals. Mirrors are good. Had they looked at their images, they would see the stark opposite of who is in the mirror.
The National Assembly isn’t a blanket for buffoonery. There exists a small group of truthers who are committed to seeing the progress of the country. They have been intimidated, harassed, hounded and humiliated but still choose to trudge the path of justice. These ones have a special place in history. We don’t and won’t take their sacrifices for granted. They should keep the fire burning. Nigerians are solidly behind them.
The kid gloves are off, the current Commander-in-Chief is a battle-tested war General. He has led and fought wars, commanding men to victory.
He has seen what is there to be seen. Tell me. What will the buzz of a bee do to the roar of a lion?
 Akanji, is a political strategist, writes from Abuja.
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OPINION

Politics Of Absolutism: To Love Or Hate Buhari? By Isa Mubarak
It is no secret that I love President Muhammadu Buhari. I am not unaware of his many weaknesses and flaws. And because of this fact, I’m able to employ an objective mind in my critique of his politics and policies. I love him without glorifying him, something that is difficult for many to grasp in this highly toxic political milieu that is characterised by politics of absolutism. Politics of absolutism dictate that a leader is either absolutely right or absolutely wrong. This absolutism has blinded us greatly in our judgement, we either praise everything done by a leader or criticize everything done by a leader. We either totally love or totally hate a leader. The Buhari situation has proved that, loved by many and hated by many. I am strongly against Politics of Absolutism!
Leaders are humans, and we must critique them with this fundamental understanding. This is what I find troubling among our social media ‘political analysts’. Their absolutist views and short term memory loss. There was a time that we have to be frisked with metal detectors before we were allowed into our places of worship. There was a time 2000 people were massacred in a single town (Baga). There was a time we wake up to news of Bomb blasts every single morning.
There was a time massive looting, corruption and oil theft was at it’s peak. But unfortunately all have been forgotten, we now call Buhari ‘incompetence?’ – I guess ‘incompetence’ is now subject to interpretation – forgive me for loving the man who changed all that. Indeed, short term memory is an actual thing. I must also accept that there are new challenges in his government (herdsmen and co) but I am confident that since he defeated the aforementioned, he will defeat anything.
We all voted for Buhari for different reasons, you may have voted for him to make 1$ = N1. Some may have voted for him simply because they were fed up with GEJ. Some may have voted for him because they want Jobs. But most of us voted for him because of his stance against corruption, his integrity and clean slate. Fight against corruption may be very difficult, but, we belong to the school of thought that strongly believes that once corruption is defeated every other thing will surely fall in place. And we still firmly believe that.
According to NPC, Nigeria population now stands at 197million, there is no point insulting Buhari and Buharist. I am not going to vote for a young man simply because he is young, or vote for a woman simply because she is a woman. I vote my conscience. Pick a candidate of your choice, infact, you can choose to run all by yourself or vote any one you believe in. But don’t try to impose your political leanings on people who don’t share your sentiment or insult them. That is the height of political immaturity. The beauty of democracy is the ability for us to have different political choices.
Elections are not won on the internet, get your PVCs and stop being bitter about Buhari exercising his rights as a citizen. Next year, feel free to vote against him if you wish. Again, leaders are human, and we must critique them with this fundamental understanding. This is Buhari – flawed and problematic; courageous and visionary; wise and mature; fearless and vulnerable. He inspires and provokes. He’s messy. He’s a mess. But he is fully human and inspite of it all, he’s too amazing.
©. Isa Eneye Mubarak
isamubarak66@yahoo.com
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OPINION

Buhari At 76: Why We Love This President, By Femi Adesina

“That’s him, that’s him,” the two old women, wrinkled and bent with age, exclaimed. You could see wonderment and fulfillment in their eyes. And as if on cue, they both began to cry.

It was in Bauchi earlier this year. President Muhammadu Buhari was visiting to commiserate with the people on the ravages of windstorm, which had destroyed many homes and other property. As he waved at the tumultuous crowd, the two women saw him, perhaps for the first time in their lives. And so great was their satisfaction, their pure joy, that they began to cry.

That is the kind of emotion that courses through millions and millions of Nigerians when they behold their president, the honest man (mai gaskiya), the man of integrity, man of accountability, one who’s word you can take to the bank. The man who loves them, and they love and trust in return.

Don’t misunderstand me. Not all estimated 196 million Nigerians share this sentiment.  Not possible. There are those who are passionately opposed to the president. They are a very vocal minority, who abhor his integrity, hate his sense of accountability, and even want him dead. But we are not talking about those who Fela Anikulapo-Kuti called “opposite people.” On this day of his 76th birthday, we are talking of the teeming masses who love Buhari, and who can go to the ends of the earth for him.

Why do they love Buhari? Or better still, why do we love Buhari? The old, the young, men, women, boy, girl, the strong, the infirm. Why do we love the  tall man from Daura? For many reasons.

I have said it before, and say it again. It will take awhile before Nigeria will see another political leader with such ability to pull an unsolicited and uninduced crowd like Muhammadu Buhari. Anywhere he goes, he doesn’t have to procure the crowd. They turn out in their numbers to see and hear him. They will trek from Africa to China, walk from Cape Town to Cairo, all to see, hear and cheer the man they love.

Why?

Many reasons. He is an honest man. My father, that stern educationist, who ran the home and the schools he administered with an iron hand, used to tell us: “Honesty is the best policy.” That was true over 50 years ago when he drummed it into our ears, and it is still true today. And will remain true tomorrow, and forever. That is why we love Buhari. He is an honest man, who will tell the truth to his own hurt.

At a recent meeting with governors, while discussing the seemingly knotty issue of minimum wage, the president told them to level with him. He said he knew that general elections were by the corner, “but I don’t like to lie to anybody. I will still like to tell Nigerians the truth, and nothing but the truth, as to what we can truly afford to pay.” Consultations are still ongoing.

Some people will give you fibs, just because they want to hoodwink you, and get your votes. They will announce that they’ve increased the salaries of fictitious workers, even when truly they are owing many of their employees. But not President Buhari. Nothing for him is a matter of life and death. Truth is the best thing in a man’s keeping. Make yourself an honest man, and there is one rascal less in the world. That is why we love the man.

Accountability. I will never forget a promise Buhari made to the crowd at a campaign rally in Lagos in 2011, when he ran with Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain Assembly. Two honest men. “Every kobo that comes into the treasury will be used for the good of Nigerians.” That’s the accountable man, who would not dip his hands into the treasury for private gains, who will not line his pocket at the expense of the people. That is why we love him.

Just over a week ago, I met a man who was an accountant at the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), when the then Gen. Buhari was chairman. Executive Chairman, who could do anything he wanted, since the place was awash with billions of petrol money.

“I told him his salary would be N200,000 monthly,” the man recounted. “He said it was too much, since he still drew pension from public coffers as a retired General and former head of state. I don’t know how he calculated it, but he said he would rather be paid N84,000 monthly. And that was what he earned.”

Yet some people say don’t follow this honest man. Till he has one tooth left in his mouth, and is bent double over his walking stick, we will, no matter what they say. Honesty is still the best policy. Today, tomorrow, and forever.

See all the positions he has held in this country. Governor of North-east, then made  up of what is now six states. Minister of Petroleum for over three years. Head of State for 20 months. Chairman of PTF for many years. Yet he remains a man of modest means. That is why we love him.

In the early days of this administration, when oil prices had crashed to as low as 39 dollars per barrel (from as high as 115 in preceding years, stabilising at over $100 for a long time, yet we had no savings, no reserves), it was usually a spectacle to see the president and the then Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, seated and apportioning funds for the week. Depending on what was in the coffers, they prioritised spending, just like traders with low capital base.

Nigeria had been run into a hole. No reserve for the rainy day, and we were being badly beaten by the rain. Yet salaries must be paid as at when due. At least 27 states could not meet their obligations, till President Buhari gave them a lifeline. And then, one day, a counsel was given at a meeting: “This is the time to ideally cut the strength of the federal civil service by at least half, as we may not be able to carry the load for long.” It made a lot of fiscal sense. But to the president, it was nonsense. “If it lies within my powers, I will ensure that no single person loses his or her job. Yes, it may be the right thing to do, looking at the state of our finances, but I won’t do it,” President Buhari said.

And you say we shouldn’t love this president? We will love him till Africa and China meet.

A confederacy has arrayed itself against the honest man. A crooked confederacy. Anybody that is anybody in the pantheon of questionable character is there. Are Nigerians fools? After their eyes have been opened, will they willfully afflict themselves with blindness again? Not on their lives! The country will never go back to the slave market. Not after we have known prudence, experienced accountability, and we are inching out of the morass in which we were soused and marooned.

For more than five decades, mere lip service was paid to diversification of the economy. But we remained a mono-product country. Oil. So, whenever the price of oil crashed in the international market, we simply crashed with it. Now gradually, and inexorably, we are on the road to a diversified economy. Wonders are being done in agriculture. Mining is flexing muscles. Manufacturing is showing prospects. All in less than four years.

What of infrastructure? The sum of N2.7 trillion spent in two years. The roads are roaring to life. The rail is snaking in. Power is powering back. Wonders are being unfolded in different parts of the country. And we shouldn’t love this president? We will, no matter what the naysayers say.

Hear pensioners rejoice: This is the best administration we’ve had since the advent of Contributory Pension Scheme 14 years ago.

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State spoke at a meeting of governors with the president last Friday. He said since the creation of the state, this was the first time pensioners were being paid, adding that pension liabilities have been cleared by about 40%. Just because there is a president that cares.

Former Nigeria Airways workers. Railway workers. Former Biafran policemen. And many others, have had their pensions paid. And we shouldn’t love the ‘birthday man?’ They should tell it to the marines.

When you have a heart for men, it is God himself that keeps you alive. We have seen a practical demonstration in President Buhari. From the brink of death early 2017, there is now an unmistakable glow in him, evidence of good health from the inside. It is God at work. No wonder wicked people came with the idiocy of Jubril of Sudan. Otiose. Hollow. Products of addled minds. That was why we ignored them, till the President himself responded to a question from Nigerians in Poland two weeks ago.

And you know what? Our love for this President is at no cost. No charge. Whether we work for him, and for him, or we don’t, the real cost of our love is no charge.

Do you know that classic song, No Charge, made popular by Shirley Caesar and Sonia Spence? It told the story of a small boy who decided to charge his mum for all that he considered favours he had done her.

“For mowing the yard, five dollars

And for making my own room this week, one dollar

For going to the store, 50 cents

And playing with little brother while you went shopping, 25 cents

Taking out the trash, one dollar

And for getting a good report card, five dollars

For raking the yard, two dollars

Total owed, fourteen seventy-five.”

The woman looked at her son, standing there expectantly. Then she collected the paper from him, and wrote on it:

“For the nine months I carried you,

Growing inside me, no charge

For the nights I sat up with you

Doctored you, prayed for you, no charge

For the time and tears, and the cost through the years, no charge

When you add it all up, the full cost of my love is no charge.”

For millions upon millions of Nigerians who love this President, it is an unconditional love. The full cost of our love is no charge. Happy birthday, Mr President.

.Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity 

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OPINION

Jumia Travel’s Bait-And-Switch Marketing, By Gimba Kakanda

Somebody has to do the Lord’s work and warn Nigerians about this systemic exploitation of customers, which our business environment has enabled and sustained, by that online travel agency called Jumia Travel. I don’t want them to get away with doing this again, and again, with neither an apology nor damages for such violation.

I patronised Jumia Travel for reasons other than being a local enterprise, albeit founded by non-Nigerians, that required our collective patronage. I prefer dealing with agents with a known address, identity, and track records, not websites whose owners I don’t know. And a friend of mine, Zahrah, was about to head to court with Wakanow.com having been similarly betrayed by the platform. Even though I had not been exactly pleased in my purchases via Jumia I kept the faith. But what they did to me yesterday, December 15, has shattered any benefit of the doubt that I had harboured since our last unpleasant encounter.

About three months ago I booked Abuja – London flight on the platform, and made payment via online transfer as instructed by their agent. A few hours later, their agent called and explained that the rate had increased. I transferred the added amount without protest. Why? I was almost late for school, with registration deadlines staring me in the face, and there was neither time nor energy to start booking process anew.

My experience yesterday was a deja vu, and I accept the blame for being the first Nigerian to “carry last,” twice bitten. I booked a London – Abuja flight on their platform and received an email quoting what to pay, which I did. I spoke to one of their agents and confirmed the amount before doing so. Then, as if practising from an old bait-and-switch script, I got a call from the agent, saying the rate had increased and that I had to add over N100,000. For a split second, it seemed like a prank, only that she was calling from Jumia!

I found the model suspicious, for it seems like a deliberate ploy to mislead and attract customers. You don’t run a business by making the few who believe in you appear like idiots. This Mavrodi School of Business idea might have worked and had gullible believers in the Nigerian system like me trapped, but it’s established that every scam has an expiry date.

Angered by this brazen undermining of my intelligence, I asked the agent for an immediate refund, forwarded my bank details, and waited, refreshing my mailbox every 20 minutes to confirm notification of refund. I took to my social media platform and shared my grouse. Of course being a beneficiary of this ancient and state-approved impunity, they didn’t respond until it began to attract engagements.

I woke up today, December 16, to an infuriating email from them – that my money won’t be refunded until 3 – 5 working days. My day was ruined before it even began, and my rage was because we didn’t really have a transaction. I only wired money to them out of trust, and what a sensible partner would’ve done was reversing it immediately they confirmed their rate had changed, and noting I was unwilling to continue with the scam.

If I had nothing to book another flight, the consequences would’ve been a tragedy I don’t even want to imagine. It’s devastating that despite attempts to regulate business in the country, some of us are wired to embrace such infractions with a defeatist mindset.

In a reaction to one of my tweets, a Twitter user questioned my intelligence for falling for Jumia’s advertised platform. A Nigerian is, by such disturbing orientation, expected to distrust an enterprise valued at over a billion dollars and, even more importantly, the largest e-commerce platform on the continent? I don’t know.

The critic’s reasoning would’ve made more sense if I had no any history of patronising Jumia. In fact, last September, about a week before I booked my ticket to London, I bought a 4-terabyte hard disk, impressed by the purchase of a similar item on the platform a month earlier. So it’s unfair to conclude that one was merely gullible by trusting such platforms. What has happened is an everyday story and experience of Nigerians, and that’s expected isn’t the national pastime of blaming the victim, but an institutional response to correct it.

Gimba Kakanda is a postgraduate student of International Relations, London School of Economics, and tweets from @gimbakakanda

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OPINION

A Dozen Reasons For President Buhari’s Re-Election, By Garba Shehu

On Monday December 17, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is seeking re-election for a second term of office, will be marking his 76th birthday and, in his own words, “still going strong.”

His age is no longer an issue in this campaign because by the will of God, not by any design, his main challenger is equally in the same age bracket. This election in February next year then comes down to what each candidate will offer.

There are many reasons why President Buhari deserves to be re-elected. I shall speak to a dozen of them here:

He is the best ever President we got so far and here are my reasons: In his character, President Buhari is a well-behaved man. He is globally recognised as an honest leader, working very hard to cure a wounded nation by righting past wrongs.  He leads from the front, that is, leading by example. He is self-confident and has a calm demeanour. In carrying out his duties, he is never impulsive; he does his duty with self-assurance and confidence.

A typical example was his handling of the theft of 105 girls from a school boarding house by the Boko Haram terrorists in Dapchi, Yobe state. Amidst sobbing, lamentation and sorrow, he stood there before the principal, distraught parents and students to give assurances, in a sharp and unbroken voice that “your girls will be brought back” (and so were they, with the exception of Leah Sharibu who, God willing will equally return).

He likes to attack problems from their roots. Few of our leaders are endowed with as much patience. He doesn’t lose his calm and composure and knows when to fight and when not to fight. When there broke a huge uproar over the assertion before the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby and Her Majesty the Queen of England by the former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, that Nigeria was “fantastically corrupt”, President Buhari’s calm demeanour was on display. When an apology was offered, all he said was “I want no apologies. What would I do with apology? Return our stolen money.” With that, he grabbed, not only the moral high ground but the international news headlines as well.

When the President is confronted with a rankling criticism as had happened many times, he never loses his calm. He delivered a joke in response that blighted what would have been frightening episodes. One great asset he has, is his good sense of humour especially while tackling criticism or attack on his person. Many have derisively called him “Baba Go-slow”, in a clear misunderstanding of his calm demeanour, which is not a sign of inactivity but an underlying ability to think hard without losing one’s cool.

Unlike one or two of our past leaders, he has no aura of being a messiah or a saviour. President Buhari would never be seen in public breaking the code of dignity by, either slapping someone or seizing a horsewhip from a policeman to flog an audience member.

On the many occasions I have reflected on how hard my job is, I try to think of the President. One needs to put oneself into his shoes, carrying the responsibility of more than 200 million people on his shoulders, yet he is a man who maintains a steady, level headed approach towards solving problems; he remains calm and focused on his goals.

With Muhammadu Buhari as President, Nigeria is in very safe hands; he knows what is good for the country and its people.

When he won in 2015, one of his main pledges was fighting terrorism, criminality and banditry. He met the tragic situation of perpetual fighting between farmers and herders in the Middle-Belt, spreading southwards, up to the coastal states.  He sought the help of state governors for a solution but they offered very little, if any.  They were and are still divided over the issue. He pushed the police, the army and other security agencies very hard for the solution. Today, and notwithstanding the visible hands of politicians in it, he has brought the entire situation in the Middle Belt under control.  He has ended the fighting which would have brought Nigeria to destruction.

A further reason for the President’s re-election is the success he has recorded fighting terrorism. If numbers count, bombings and killings have drastically been reduced under the Buhari administration.

Specifically in the North-East, the Nigerian Armed Forces have scaled up their act pushing the Boko Haram terrorists to the very fringes of the Lake Chad and with the on-going revitalisation of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, MNJTF, the ability of the terrorists to launch attacks and retreat into neighbouring territories is being addressed.

Arising from the successes achieved, the El-Kanemi Warriors Football Club has returned to their home base in Maiduguri. Emirs of Askira, Uba and other towns have returned to their palaces. Public secondary schools have resumed in 2016, two years after closure. All roads leading to and out of Maiduguri have been reopened.

Sambisa forest has been retaken; Arik Air and other airlines now operate scheduled flights to Maiduguri. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said 2017 marked the most peaceful Christmas. Of the many who were taken against their will by Boko Haram, about 20,000 terrorists have been released, including 106 Chibok girls, 105 of the Dapchi school girls, Police women and University lecturers.

Under the Buhari administration, three Air bus helicopters and another three Dauphin helicopters were provided for the Air Force; 18 new aircraft acquired and 13 previously unserviceable planes reactivated. In addition, 12 Super Tucano aircraft are also on order from the United States.

The administration has set up a Naval outpost in the Lake Chad and established the 8 Task Force Division in Monguno to further strengthen the 7 Division and the Operation Lafiya Dole in the North East.

Another reason for his re-election in his undeterred commitment to rid Nigeria of systemic corruption. Grand Corruption, by which leaders will ask the Central Bank to bring out money to be shared across the table has by now been abolished.

The new whistle-blowing policy has so far yielded N13.8 billion from tax evaders and N7.8b, USD378 million, £27,800 recovered from public officials.

The increased oversight of ministries, departments and agencies has been addressing the issue of poor remittance by the MDAs; the Presidential Initiative on continuous Audit has flushed out 54,000 fraudulent payroll entries with savings of N200 billion.

The administration has expanded the coverage of the Treasury Single Account, TSA which implementation now stands at 92 per cent. By this, the administration has a comprehensive overview of cash flows across the entire government. It has ensured the deployment of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) system to verify the basis of payments to beneficiaries and vendors and has created the Assets Tracking Managing Project to allocate, identity, assess and evaluate all the measurable and un-measurable assets on real time basis.  A central Asset Register to keep a record of all government assets is now in one place, the Ministry of Finance.

In 2016, the President enlisted Nigeria into Open Government Partnership and a National Plan of Action (2017 -19) is already in place. This aims to deepen and mainstream transparency mechanisms and citizen’s engagement in the management of public resources.

In addition, the creation of Efficiency Unit to spearhead the efficient use of government resources and ensure reduction in recurrent expenditure has brought about savings of about N34 billion from travel and transport in 2016, and N10 billion in 2017.

In the oil and gas sectors, NNPC has been publishing its performance chart monthly and the administration made a saving of USD 1.7 billion by negotiating down accumulated cash call arrears in its joint ventures.

Without any controversy, President Buhari is deservedly christened as the champion of infrastructure. This administration has demonstrated a single-minded commitment to upgrading Nigeria’s transport, power, housing and health infrastructure.

Two major rail projects have been completed and commissioned: Abuja metro light rail and the Abuja-Kaduna rail. Lagos-Ibadan is due early next year. Lagos-Kano has been signed and Lagos-Calabar and Port Harcourt-Maiduguri are being negotiated.  About 500 roads are being constructed and hundreds of kilometres of roads are being rehabilitated.The second Niger Bridge is under construction, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano expressway is being constructed while Lagos-Ibadan as well as the East-West road, Lagos-Port Harcourt expressways are being expedited. Federal spending on works has grown from N18.1 billion in 2015 to N394 billion in 2018. The Abuja Airport runway was reconstructed within a six week period. Several water projects long abandoned have been completed and more than 70 ecological fund projects have been awarded and completed.

Power sector has witnessed a phenomenal growth within this period. Generation capacity has increased to 7,000MW; transmission capacity is now up 8,000MW and distribution 5,222MW from 2,690MW.

Under President Buhari, 30 per cent of the budget allocation is for capital spending, an unprecedented allocation of N2.7 trillion was made for infrastructure in 2016 and 2017 fiscal year.

Obviously, there is so much the nation can gain from the President’s long term thinking when it comes to the diversification of the economy.  He has promoted agriculture, solid minerals and manufacturing to the point that the economy is increasing its resilience even as it grows and consolidates.

His policies have brought down inflation by about half of what it used to be three years back; external reserves have grown and exports in 2017 were about 70 per cent more than what they were in 2016. Agriculture grew by 180 per cent last year; raw materials export by over 100 per cent and there was 27 per cent growth in manufactured goods. Six million new tax payers were added to the tax base. Ease of doing business report has moved Nigeria up by 14 places; tax revenue in 2018 is projected at N2.529 trillion, that is 42 per cent increase over the 2017 figure.

Under the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, 16 moribund and under-performing blending plants have been revitalised, producing 12.7 million bags of NPK Fertilizer in 2017.

Landmark initiatives in the promotion of the economy include the stabilisation of the currency, the Naira making for a predictable exchange rate; the merger of the official and unofficial rates in the markets, helping in the stabilisation of the microeconomic environment; the achievement of agriculture and national food security and driving industrialisation through the Small and Medium Enterprises in line with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP. This administration invented and is implementing the biggest ever social investment programme on the continent, feeding 10 million children in school and engaging 500,000 graduates, now going up to one million, in nation building.

As a compassionate leader and administrator, President Buhari approved N54 billion for the payment of 33 per cent of outstanding pensions arrears and claims, with some of these going back to 2010 when the minimum wage was increased to N18,000. Under this scheme, 3,542 pensioners in the liquidated Delta Steel Company have been placed on pension; 9,216 of NITEL pensioners are now pay rolled; Retired Biafran Police officers dismissed by the Federal Government in 1971 have been paid; those of the New Nigerian Newspapers and many others have received gratuities and are now placed on pension.

The compassionate side of the President has equally given so much to state governments in distress. This was to enable them meet salary and pensions obligations. Most, if not all have received Budget Support Facility, Paris Club refunds, Infrastructure Loans, Loan Restructuring Facilities with the Central Bank and other commercial banks, and a reduction in their monthly debt service burden.

In just under four years, President Buhari has shown clearly that he can steer Nigeria above politics, religion and ethnicity. He has delivered on all promises: security, economy, corruption and infrastructure. We have a strong leader with a mass appeal who is seeking a renewal of his mandate in accordance with the Constitution.  He is one of the most influential leaders in today’s world, considering how he brought OPEC and non OPEC Oil producers to cut their losses and bring up fallen oil prices.  He is leading the continent in the war against corruption. President Buhari is a gift, not only to Nigeria but to Africa and the world. He deserves a second term to consolidate on-going achievement.

HappyBirthdayPMB

Garba Shehu is the Senior Special Assistant to President on Media & Publicity.

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OPINION

Oyetola Will Surely Deliver; But…. By Abiodun Komolafe

I have had the privilege of reading Gboyega Oyetola’s Inaugural Speech as Governor of Osun and I can confirm that he meant well for dear state.

In the well-crafted speech, Oyetola promised to run “a people-friendly government which focuses on growth, creation of jobs, social protection, inclusive governance and sustainable upgrade in the standard of living of our people.” He assured Osun workers of their welfare, prompt payment and prioritization of their salaries and pensions “bearing in mind the financial inflow of the state.”

A healthy state is a wealthy state! While vowing to “build on the progress already achieved by past leaders as “the defining hallmark of” his “intervention in governance”, Oyetola also promised a participatory administration that would “promote equitable and value-based developmental education that emphasizes competence and character.”

Kudos for a well-written Address which input, in no small way, did reflect the personality traits of the governor! As good instinct would have it, the governor did not parrot the speech. Rather, it was a speech that was written for; and by him.

Lots of promises and lots of expectations! But, can Oyetola deliver on these lofty aims and ideas? He surely can and will deliver; going by his educational attainments and professional background, I have no doubt in my mind that he is eminently qualified to lead the state from where it is to where it ought to be. The governor is not a novice; he can handle and deliver. Also standing in his favour is his untainted grassroots pedigree, one whose dignified mien and capacity to freely hold conversations with the people, irrespective of their political status or racial inclinations is not in doubt.

Talk about religious piety, Oyetola is an unpretentious Muslim who has managerial skills and an interpretive understanding of social relations. Though a time-tested administrator who will never suffer fools gladly, he has an amiable comportment, not a garrulous physique that has the capacity to intimidate or scare people of other, even similar, religious inclinations. Besides, he is one good manager of people who understands the politics of the Board as well as the nitty gritty of the intrigues of human management. So, he has what it takes to excel. Above all, he is a successful family man who, in all modesty, is conveniently comfortable.

However, it is a statement of fact that the technology of politics is riddled with tales: some fairy, some real; and its path is strewn with thistles and thorns: some, intentional; some, conspiratorial; others, deliberate. Facing the reality of our time, this is where the governor’s creative ingenuity comes to play. After all, in a democracy, the process bears more weight and it’s as such more valued than the outcome.

First is the issue of praise-singers whose partisan concerns are only meant to satiate the saintliness of the time and wandering heroes who embellish fake and false narratives just to draw unmerited attention and curry favour. Oyetola needs to dine with these sets of people with the proverbial long spoon for his administration to make any meaningful impact. This step will not only allow the benefits of public programs to reach their target recipients, it will also help to improve on the allied ancillary issues that have for long been threatening our communal togetherness.

Broadly speaking, this is an age when ‘mere talk’ is no longer fruitful. In line with the distinctiveness and the diversity of opinions therefore, the governor also needs to nurture a cosmopolitan worldview on volatile religious and allied issues because, whatever the governor says or does, Nigerians will surely ascribe meanings, which, if not properly handled, may put his government in precarious situations.

Oyetola needs to be proactive, independent-minded and firm, especially, on issues that are capable of catalyzing investment decisions and energizing the economy of the state. I have argued in some of my previous interventions that one major challenge of our Nigerianness is the collapse of feedback and reward system. In my considered opinion therefore, the governor should create a Feedback Department and put certain sets of responsible government officials in charge to handle feedback.

For instance, I have always wondered why a ruling party that has done so much to uplift the welfare of the people could be searching for less than 1000 votes on September 22, 2018. Of course, the more reason trailblazing programmes like ‘Ogbeni Till Daybreak’, which, on a good day, ought to have predicted the direction of the election before the party in power almost lost the plot, should be reviewed and re-energized with a view to serving the purpose for which they were originally conceptualized.

In politics, professional hawks and sycophantic hangers-on, who are always motivated by personal greed to rattle the government for attention, will always ply their trade but it is the duty of the governor to consistently demonstrate leadership by compassionate and inspiring example.

Let me state here that money, said to be the wheel of the gospel has also been identified as the root of all evil. Thus, Oyetola will be doing posterity the greatest good if he can avoid throwing money at problems. For example, a community in need of, say, ten boreholes, will get better values for their request if those boreholes are sunk – and are seen to have been sunk – unlike when huge sums of money are given to some faceless, dishonourable leaders in whose pockets such monies usually find a haven.

Last but not the least is the troubling issue of entitlement seeking. In my view, this dangerous and unprofitable razzmatazz must not find a space in Oyetola’s government. Truth be told, there are ‘Agba Osun’ and there are ‘Agba Osun.’ While the former refers to those “highly vulnerable seniors who lack guardian support”, the latter comprises the cult of rapacious ten per centers, the 10-for-10 kobo elite, none other than a tiny section of the electorate who prefer commercial prosperity to political liberty and latter-day democrats whose primary constituency is their pocket.

May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Osun!

*KOMOLAFE writes in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)

 

abiodun KOMOLAFE,

O20, Okenisa Street,

PO Box 153,

Ijebu-Jesa, State of Osun.

 

 

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OPINION

The Ajibola Basiru We Know, By Rasaki Adejare

According to the dictionary definition, illustrious can be defined as a well known, respected , and admired for past achievements.

For someone to be illustrious, such person must be eminent, distinguished, acclaimed, noted, notable, noteworthy, prominent, pre-eminent, foremost, leading, paramount, pretigious, important, significant, influential, lionized, renowned, famous, famed, well known, respected, exalted, venerable, august, highly regarded, well thought of, of distinction, of repute, of high standing, splendid, brilliant, remarkable, outstanding, great, noble, glorious, grand and lofty.

In my vantage position as the National President of Osogbo Progressive Union who has gotten the opportunities to assess AJIBOLA BASIRU from far and close ranges, he perfectly fits in the dictionary definition of illustrious as itemised above.

Rasaki Adejare Shiyanbola JP.

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OPINION

An Open Letter To OAU Vice-Chancellor, By Kazeem Israel

Mr. Vice-Chancellor Sir,

It is no gainsaying that I have always done all I could to engage you personally as regards happenings in the University community most especially issues relating to the well-being of students.

As usual, I write you this letter with all sense of humility, patriotism and without any malice, bitterness, anger or personal antagonism despite the fact that on many occasions, you have repeatedly infringed on our fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended), African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with some of us being victims of your high-handedness all in a bid to maintain a reasonable level of silence within the rank and file of students in the face of anomie we have found ourselves.

Sir, it is pathetic that upon your assumption of office as the Vice-Chancellor of the University with the belief that you were divinely anointed, you embarked on a dismal journey of silencing all form of opposition and subject a reasonable number of students into serious hardship in response to their refusal to be gagged. It is instructive to note that I write you this open letter as one who has cried out on many occasions on issues affecting students and staff of the University at great personal peril and the aim of this letter is to take this issue into the public space for the general public to be aware of the wave of illegality being blown on OAU campus and to also cause you to reverse your decision on the suspension of Students’ Union activities in the University which is against all known laws.

Sir, I have in the last two years of your administration studied you with keen interests and I have come to realise that you are basically testing the patience of the mass of students in the University thereby mistaking the silence of students as regards the appalling state of things to mean acquiescence which has caused you to act in scant regard for the dignity of students in the University community ranging from the suspension of students’ activists who dare to speak up without recourse to Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) and Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

In view of your past activities, most especially the way and manner you colluded with the deluded and paranoia administration of the last Union leadership, one can easily deduce that you intentionally acted the way you did in order to set the Union on the path of destruction. It would be recalled that I personally wrote to you during the course of the pandemonium caused by the #2.5million which you disbursed for the last Union executive without parliamentary ratification that you should cease disbursing money without parliamentary ratification in order for us not to descend to a state of anarchy and that you should investigate how the #2.5million was spent, but, it is so appalling that rather than yield to the content of the letter, you choose to disburse another tranche to the executive council till the fracas reached its peak.

It is very obvious that you have been able to escape public scrutiny through manipulation and mis-representation despite the fact that what we were bedeviled with as a Union were caused by you. It is a sad commentary on University administration, governance and democracy that despite the fact that the blind eyes you turned to the reality of the issues confronting the Union then caused us to be where we are today, you have, at the slightest opportunity advised students to keep praying for Union activities to be restored as if it is a spiritual dealing expected to fall from the heavens. This in itself is an insult on the collective intelligence of students in the University.

Sir, you must be reminded that the continued suspension of Union activities on campus is a derogation of our godly and Constitutionally recognized Right to Freedom of Association and Assembly which derogation is a contravention and an assault on the provisions of Article 9, 10 and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 1981 a Treaty-turned-Act which does not accommodate derogation in any form and Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended). As a matter of fact, based on the authority of the Supreme Court in Abacha V. Gani Fawehinmi and other plethora of cases, you cannot find any justifiable defense either in the provisions on derogation, Section 45 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) or in the powers conferred on the University management, Section 34 and other similar provisions of the University of Ife Law 1970 and Obafemi Awolowo University (Transitional Provisions) Act 1975 because of the doctrine of pacta sunt servanda.

Interestingly Sir, you would recall that you became the Vice-Chancellor of the University through the coordinated struggles of both students and staff of the University against the emergence of the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ayo Salami, but, it is quite embarrassing that your emergence has signaled a clampdown on dissent and students’ unionism from the suspension of Great Ife Students’ Union to the suspension of students’ activists to the extent that you employed a new method of suspending students’ activists (deactivation of e-portals) without being invited to face any panel which is a gross violation of the Right to Fair Hearing as provided for in Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) and Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights as well as a plethora of High Court rulings deprecating such act based on the protection given to the principle of fair hearing and presumption of innocence of the accused.

Sir, it cannot be over-emphasised that the essence of students’ unionism on campus is to protect the interests of students and bring about radical change by consistently engaging those in the position of authority while proffering way-forwards to societal ills and most importantly, demanding for the proper funding of the educational sector, but, it is so shameful, preposterous and incredulous that you have always mistaken our demands for something else and also denied us the benefits of fair hearing despite the fact that the Constitution guarantees this right with numerous decisions of Courts affirming same without taking any sincere attempt to ever look at our grievances and also solve the problems that led to them in avoiding future occurrences.

Meanwhile, as the University’s Vice-Chancellor, you have continually poke a finger in the eye of the law while placing yourself high above the law neglecting the fact that the University itself is a creation of the law and is expected to act within the purview of the law. Ironically, you have consistently punished students that have chosen to act in total disregard for the strange laws that appear inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution being introduced in the University which include placing ban on the gathering of students and criminalising articles that do not suit your perception.

It is very important to note that by suspending Union activities on campus and describing the gathering of students as illegal, you have been able to show the extent to which your administration holds with disdain, the recognition of the fundamental rights of students in the University which is not expected in a University that prides itself as an incubator of knowledge. The irony of the suspension of Great Ife Students’ Union was that there was no need to suspend the Union, but, to simply punish those that were involved in the fracas as the suspension of the Union in itself is a clear violation of students’ right and this has also not stopped students from organising themselves to discuss issues as it affects them and to also interfere on issues relating to the general well-being of students which you have consistently answered by slamming students concerned with suspension.

Sir, you need not be reminded that Freedom of Association and Assembly, Freedom of Expression and Right to Fair Hearing are expressly internationally recognized rights, and, as re-echoed by the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, William Stuart Symington in October this year while delivering a convocation lecture at the University of Ilorin when he noted that injustice and disregard for the rule of law are worse than stealing of public funds, you are ordinarily painting a bad image of the University amongst the comity of Universities and you are basically at the edge of taking us back to the ugly days of the military where Vice-Chancellors would do everything possible to kill dissent and gag a larger percentage of students all in a bid to produce zombies as graduates.

Though, you may not take me serious because you have misrepresented some of us to be never-do-well which you have always echoed at different occassions, but, it is very important for me as a student who holds you in high-esteem and who have been adhering strictly to the University matriculation oath sworn to in good faith and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is the groundnum ever since I was matriculated to write you this letter in order to intimate you that what you perceive as peace does not represent peace as a volcano has already being gathered within the rank and file of students in the University which might erupt and consume everyone sooner than later. It is interesting to note that students are gradually losing patience and in avoiding a situation whereby the academic calendar that is being stabilised by your administration would not be truncated, it is expected of you, Sir, to recognise and show respect for the rights of students in the University. Sir, we live by the Credo of the Spanish Civil War that; it is better to die on one’s feet than live on one’s knees. The truth remains that, as a student and like other students too, I am not comfortable with the situation of things in the University.

Sir, I have not written this to embarrass you or drag you into the mud, but, as a student who has exhausted all internal remedies, I write this with no expected verbal response but for you to see reason(s) to correct the irregularities in the University. I sincerely hope that this letter would meet you well and that, it would cause you to, as a matter of exigency, necessity and urgency recognise students’ rights as it is legally justifiable and expedient.

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” – Evelyn Beatrice Hall (1906).

Ever Obedient Yours,
Kazeem Olalekan Israel (GANI)

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OPINION

Re: Sokoto PDP Flag Off: Gainers And Losers. A Rejoinder To Abu Shekara, By Usama Dandare

I read with adore an article with the above caption published on Page 43 of Daily Trust of Tuesday, December 11, 2018, written by one Abu Shekara, the Director General, Media and Public Affairs to Sokoto State Governor, on the recent PDP flag off campaign launched in Sokoto last week. I initially intended not to respond to that academic suicide but for the emphasis education, I think it’s imperative to set the records straight.

In the said piece, Abu Shekara opined that the campaign rally left an impression that portend a number of implications for the political landscape of the Northwestern region and the nation as a whole. Which according to him gainers and losers emerged in the aftermath.

Like a clever monkey who always dances when given some banana, Mr. Shekara attributed the major gain to the PDP basking on the euphoria that a mammoth crowd stood at Kangiwa Square venue of the event for over six hours, wanting to catch a glimpse of the event. This in all ramifications is more or less a blatant lie, I was in Sokoto when the flag off campaign was held and didn’t notice any of such crowd that Abu Shekara was pointing at. In fact, I didn’t even knew there was an event of sort going on in the state until a friend of mine informed me that Atiku Abubakar was holding a campaign rally at Kangiwa Square. I quickly rushed to the said venue to see things for myself and to my dismay, all I saw were thugs carrying all sorts of weapons and destroying people’s vehicles who they perceived to be opposition members while others were busy selling hard drugs at the main entrance of the square. I had to parked my car at a nearby building belonging to FOMWAN for fear of being attacked and trekked several metres to the venue. And alas I saw, I saw an empty field with half filled canopies and some jobless youths roaming about while others were busy playing football. If what I saw was what Abu Shekara meant by “an unprecedented crowd”, then I am sorry but he need to see an ophthalmologist for cross-examination.

Mr. Shekara always cited Governor Tambuwal as an individual who stood to gain more from the gathering but unknown to him, Tambuwal only succeeded in blowing away his last remaining political goodwill by hosting a corruption tainted Atiku Abubakar in a state that’s yet to heal from the scores of perpetual corruption inflicted upon it in the last three to four years due a gross maladministration. The event also highlighted Tambuwal’s imminent political demise as he failed to galvanised support for his unmarketable commodity. His showing at the rally has indeed casted no doubt that he’s not in control of Sokoto politics as people are seen going about there daily activities while the rally was been held.
Over the last three to four years since Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal became Governor, not much can be said about his achievements as governor of the state. For the most part, until people began to complain, the Governor was always out of the state. The local governments today has been made moribund, and we haven’t seen or heard anything interesting going on in Sokoto State.

Another personality who Abu Shekara claimed to have gained more from the jamboree was Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, the former state governor who currently cannot deliver even his own local government. One would be left in doubt if Bafarawa received a rousing welcome at the occasion, this is someone with little or no electoral value, a man who in 2007 was overwhelmingly defeated despite the power of incumbency and a man whose greed made him to field his son as the PDP flag bearer for Isa/Sabon-Birni federal constituency in 2015 but was unable to secure the seat for him. If not for Abu Shekara’s lack of reasoning, how do you expect an expired politician who failed to impose his son on only two local governments to deliver 23 LGAs for the PDP. I think something must be wrong with this guy upstairs.

To Abu Shekara, APC is the main loser considering the fact that the Sokoto flag off was an exhibition of the kind of support and popularity the PDP is currently enjoying in the state which according to him can be measured with the mammoth crowd that greeted the occasion. I still wonder if Mr. Shekara really understand the full meaning of ‘mammoth crowd’ but however, the PDP outing can only be compared to the reception given to Sowore in Kano, as far as crowds go.

Abu Shekara ended his verbal masturbation with the usual attack on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, insisting that Nigerian masses are without argument, worse off in the last three years than they can ever recall. It’s baffling or sometimes laughable to see Governor Tambuwal or any of his foot soldier accusing the Buhari government of underperformance, it’s hypocritical and absolutely deceitful for any Tambuwal supporter to accuse someone of underperformance. This is a government that claimed to have spent over N400billion in the last four years without a single visible project to show on ground, a government that cannot pay tuition fees for students not to mention of any infrastructural development. No wonder, they called Tambuwal a ‘silent achiever’, a leader whose achievements cannot speak for themselves must be named a silent achiever.

Just like Abu Shekara said: “there is a limit to how far a people can be taken for granted.” We also the people of Sokoto State would not allow any unproductive politician to toy with our future again, we are patiently waiting for Tambuwal at the polls to hand him the greatest surprise of his life. A monumental electoral humiliation awaits him and his cohorts come 2019 general elections. Only a fool make same mistake twice and I believe the good people of Sokoto State are not fools and will never be.

Instead of testing his vocabularies on national dailies and writing blatant lies, it will be very logical for Abu Shekara to use that avenue to market his boss by telling us what they have done in the last three years and what they are planning to do for the future. Governor Tambuwal would not be judged by the number of crowd he rented to dupe Atiku but by what he has done for the masses.

Usama Dandare, a social commentator write from Sokoto.

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OPINION

Should Government Stop Working Because Of Election? By Zainab Adewale-Cole

It’s something we have become accustomed to in Nigeria, months before any election, the government stops in its strides and all energy is channeled towards the election. For 16 years, when PDP ruled Nigeria, unwritten bank holidays were awarded to civil servants and in some cases, contractors.

Government projects almost always came to a halt as everyone looked in the direction of the cookie jar. Its that time in every four years when Nigerians get to enjoy the largesse that has eluded them in the last three and a half years. It is the national cake and here’s an opportunity to stake a claim, who dares pass up on that.

But in the last few months, the script has been rewritten, the narrative is changed and so is the body language. The people who have mastered making big money once every four years have to town with their propaganda machinery and the expectation of response appears to be pissing them off.

Away from the shenanigans, let’s x-ray the government of the day and their reaction to the 2019 election. Like every beer parlour politics, some Nigerians have hammered the government for two things. First, for refusing to campaign like they had expected. These people generally expected the ruling campaign to begin massive campaign rallies across Nigeria, once the campaign season opened on 18 November but they were taken off guard when President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo continued their obligations to the people.

The VP have made two campaign stops, one in Abuja and the other in Lagos, but it was no more than door-to-door campaign. It cost him, his principal and their party, no dime. Yes, I mean no dime at all. While Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have embarked on three campaign rallies, the ruling party is acting like its unaware of the season we are in, the question is why should it bother.

The government pretty much believes that the work it has done in the last three and half years will speak for it at the polls, this is not to say they will not campaign at all. But what is most staggering the chatter that the government should stop working.

How can a responsible government stop work because election is around the corner? For example, many people especially the opposition have labelled TraderMoni a vote buying scheme because the Vice President is still embarking on monitoring and on the-site assessment of the scheme but they don’t see the ongoing construction of rail and roads as vote buying, they don’t see the bridges that are constructed as vote buying.

The truth is that Nigerians can’t tell the difference between a government dedicated to achieving its goals and the government that plays politics with everything including our livelihood. PDP insinuating that President Buhari not campaigning means he wants to rig the election is a big joke. It only exposes how PDP has operated over the years and how they expect others to behave.

I think Nigerians should open their minds and understand that no reasonable and responsible government will halt activities for its selfish gains. The government owes it to us to keep working until it hands over to a new government and wins a re-election. In any case, Babatunde Fashola has continued to boost electricity in Nigeria, not minding the forthcoming election.

Let’s hope this is the start of greater things to come for Nigeria.

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