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Pendulum: Wait A Minute How Did We Descend This Low

Published

5 years ago

April 13, 2019

Editor

By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, I know truth is always bitter, but the time has come when we must all confront our realities and say it as it is. Nigeria is in a big mess and there is nothing a million Buharis can do to change the horrible situation around. However, maybe, things may change slightly if Mr President is ready to change his own mind-set.

I read somewhere, in the last couple of days, that our dear President confessed that he is a very sad man, or to quote the source more appropriately, that the President said he is the “most unhappy” man on earth. I’m not sure if he actually used any of those words or if his Spin Doctors did so on his behalf, in order to save face, in view of the disgraceful and disappointing breakdown of law and order in virtually every part of Nigeria, especially in Northern Nigeria, a region that has produced most of Nigeria’s military and civilian leaders and some of the most powerful humans on earth.

More than ever before, Nigeria has not only become the poverty nation of the world, it has also become one of the most insecure nations of the world, a country that is perhaps one of the few dangerous places to live on Planet Earth. Almost every news out of Nigeria now is bad news. Human lives have become like that of chickens. Nigerians are being killed per minute, per second, and it is so bad, even our governments hardly bother to talk about it again, probably because they are ashamed of the colossal waste of human lives or, maybe negatively, as some suggest, because they simply don’t care. Most of those who inform us of the deadly massacres presently going on in our country are foreign journalists. Our government and our people have become desensitised and immune to the death of their fellow countrymen and women. If possible, I’m sure the government would prefer we just gloss over it and pretend nothing is happening. But these are fellow Nigerians being slaughtered like Sallah rams and it would be tantamount to promoting evil and wickedness to ignore the seeming genocide ongoing in our dear beloved country. What is worse is the culpability of those who were once so vociferously vocal in the days of President Goodluck Jonathan but have now suddenly gone funereally silent out of fear, compromise or comfort under this regime.

What I know is that if we do not make concerted efforts to chase away the problems of Nigeria, the problems will chase us all in different directions like locusts and we do not know how things will eventually end.

Nothing has brought this reality nearer home than the lamentations of some Northern elites in the last one week, led by the powerful voice of my dear friend and sister, Kadaira Ahmed, a famous television personality, and another unusual demonstration in London, anchored by my friend and Brother, Bulama Bukarti, a PhD student and analyst at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. These two Northern intellectuals protested in Abuja and London respectively, jettisoning their comfort zones to speak up against the haplessness, helplessness, and seeming hopelessness, of the Buhari government in tackling the menace of chronic insecurity. Both are known to be admirers and supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari. The fact that they came out publicly to demonstrate against the government at different locations is enough proof to those who thought only the “wailing wailers” are grumbling and groaning. Someone should tell the ‘demigods’ in Abuja and elsewhere that their devotees are no longer smiling. In fact, they are crying and weeping uncontrollably.

I will not bore you with details of how Nigeria appears to be haemorrhaging dangerously to perdition. The bad news is flying left, right and centre. Although government is feigning that the Nigerian economy is well, the reverse is clearly the case. The petroleum sector, which happens to be the chicken that lays the golden eggs is facing its own challenges. There are wild allegations of gross malfeasance against the NNPC. Meanwhile, the substantive Minister in charge of the Petroleum Ministry is the President himself. If it is true that massive corruption, in form of oil subsidy scams, still practically exists right under his nose, then there is hardly any hope for Nigeria. But this is not my main mission on this page today. I wish to make a few suggestions that can readily catapult our nation back to greater, loftier heights, almost effortlessly. Our problem is not as severe or malignant as it seems. Our unreasonable obstinacy and foolish attitudes are what have brought us to this sorry state.

President Muhammadu Buhari can lead us out of this perfidy by purging himself of his rigidity. First, he must accept that he is a leader of Nigeria, father of the nation, and not that of a section of it, and embrace every one of us. Unity would instantly eliminate many of our challenges. There is too much bitterness in the land. No nation can ever prosper when a large chunk, and the most productive and well-educated part of it, are treated as second class citizens. This is the main reason many people are clamouring for “restructuring.” The word means different things to different people. But I believe what needs to be restructured urgently is the pervasive oppression of fellow citizens in their own country. This has become highly amplified and too pronounced under this government. The jackboot mentality of the Buhari administration must wind down to a friendlier one. Not even kids can be brought up successfully under an atmosphere of fear, intimidation, bullying and downright commotion. Nigerians are not as bad as this regime tends to portray, but what can people do when they have brains and muscles but nothing to do with it.

The next thing to invest in without any shade of doubt is education. There are too many ignorant people all over the country. A properly educated citizenry would live and act more responsibly. They will be more employable and have better chances to think creatively about setting up their own businesses. In other to achieve this, both the Executive and the Legislature must rejig our unrealistic budgets. The Nigerian Presidential system, as presently configured, is just too profligate. Nothing has changed in the last four years to showcase the fabled frugality of President Buhari and his disciples. Rather the Presidency seems to have been on a binge, if we consider the atrocious budgets his government, ministers and their lackeys have been presenting. A conscious and substantial sacrifice must be made to drastically reduce public spending. The recent scenario where governments funds are being tossed in the air like confetti, and as if money is going out of vogue, leaves much to be desired. The government can’t be spending money so lavishly and expect that the ordinary citizens would become less attracted to material acquisition, by hook or by crook. The outlandish ceremonials and celebrations of this government appear contrary to promises made pre-2015. Its sincerity of purpose remains to be seen.

President Buhari needs to shake up his new cabinet as soon as he is sworn in next month for a second term. I’m not one of those who would subscribe to many frequent reshuffles, but it is obvious that this cabinet has not sparkled much since it was constituted in 2015. Apart from the few members who resigned for different reasons, none has been fired in a government bedevilled by abject incompetence. President Buhari should please replace those he removes eventually with more accomplished people. If he brings some deadwoods again, the result should be obvious to all in advance, nothing but monumental failure.

If I were President Buhari, I will worry less about controlling heaven and earth and face the main business I was voted to fix. One of the biggest afflictions of this government is its obsession and proclivity to be in charge of the different tiers of government. Buhari has spent the better part of four years fighting all manner of enemies, real or imagined. In the process, he dissipated too much energy and squandered resources on many fronts. He should try something different and allow all organs to function independently. If he pursues the same agenda like he did these past years, he will receive the same result and certificate of failure.

President Buhari should interact more with his people. He is just too aloof and standoffish. If he could travel round Nigeria and speak to Nigerians regularly during his re-election campaigns, he should not stop doing so now. Love can achieve what war can’t. It is unfortunate that he does not personally sympathise or empathise with the bereaved families involved in the disasters ravaging our country. There is no country where 10 dogs would be killed and life would continue as normal, not to mention 10 citizens. The President should make it mandatory for his Ministers and their aides to visit their States of origin regularly. It is totally unacceptable that they are all comfortably ensconced in Abuja while they claim to be the representatives of their people. Also, as they say, all security is local, so if the President won’t support State policing, for reasons best known to him and his advisers, he should ensure no head of security should be posted to unfamiliar terrain. Even if they are not posted to their own States, they should be sent closer home, to their Regions. The system of sending soldiers to crush Nigerians like millets is totally provocative and unhealthy. No Igbo soldier would go to Igboland and order his own people killed summarily. Since ethnicity and religion are too volatile in our country, the President should never send complete strangers to quell riots in any part of Nigeria.

Finally, I wish to respectfully suggest that President Buhari should find time to study what made the extraordinary and amazing Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola win the most remarkable election ever in the history of Nigeria. Abiola’s likeable personality, built on his love for humanity contributed in no small measure to his success. Abiola made strenuous and meticulous efforts at reaching out to different parts of Nigeria and their people. He employed people without any sort of discrimination on grounds of ethnicity, religion or sex. He created opportunities for people in different communities. He built mosques and churches. He established schools and donated classrooms and libraries. He gave scholarships, endowed professorial chairs and donated funds to all Nigerian universities. His emergence as a pan-Nigerian Presidential candidate was not a fluke. It was a destiny that he himself had helped to shape.

The life of that departed hero and martyr is worth studying when it comes to issues of uniting our country. We lost Nigeria the day June 12, 1993, was killed. With a man like Abiola in power, there would never have been the kind of stupidly irrational divisions we have today. Insecurity would never have been this rife because he knew how to create jobs and encourage entrepreneurship. Abiola would have paid attention to the continued unity of our people and the diversification of our economy. He would have worked hard on improving our institutions. Political systems can’t work well if the institutions are useless. Abiola would not have tolerated individualism above institutions. That is largely responsible for the failure we are experiencing today. Notwithstanding the cult following the President appears to enjoy in a section of the country, he and the people who surround him in power today don’t seem to have the commendable ambitions of an Abiola or indeed his antecedents and pedigree. Our current crop of leaders have simply displayed limited, myopic vision in handling affairs of the State.

It is not too late to pick useful tips from 1993. However, sadly, what I see today is a return to 1983. We can do better. Even, President Ibrahim Babangida’s electoral system can help us, despite his personal flaws. The Option A4 of that time was a stroke of genius. Our political parties have become too unwieldy. Two major parties should be the only ones that can contest Presidential elections while there may be smaller parties in the States and Regions to contest local elections. That has been the only impact and relevance of parties like APGA, Labour Party, Accord Party and others. Electoral reforms should take care of this.

I have disseminated many of my views in this missive consistently, but I won’t be surprised if this government chooses to stick to a failed system that leads nowhere. Whatever the outcome, let it be said that I played my part…

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Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway: Prioritize Existing Unfinished Projects, Peter Obi Tells FG

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

Eric

Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has advised the federal government to prioritize existing unfinished projects spread across the country instead of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.

Obi, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, stated that the project was a misplaced priority given the numerous unfinished roads throughout the country.

The former governor of Anambra State mentioned that the budget allocated to the Ministry of Works is insufficient for significant progress on the country’s various unfinished roads, much less their completion.

Obi therefore, advised that the government prioritize the existing infrastructural projects in the country before embarking on any new and colossal projects like the Lagos-Calabar super highway project.

“The Federal Ministry of Works 2024 capital budget of N892,461,262,656.00, additional funding from multilateral loan projects of N94,828,535,243.00, alongside other expected contributions from sources like the China-Exim Bank and the World Bank, will not be enough for serious work on all the critical roads, some of which I enumerated above, let alone their completion.

So, why embark on another huge project that will not be completed in the next 20 or 30 years?

“To do so will only exacerbate the problem of abandoned, uncompleted projects that are not contributing to economic growth and overall development.

“Therefore, while acknowledging the potential benefits of coastal superhighway infrastructure, I urge prioritization of our existing uncompleted projects. We must allocate resources towards repairing and completing existing infrastructure.

“In any development formula, the primary focus should be on completing and rehabilitating existing infrastructure rather than embarking on colossal new projects that may never reach completion within the next 30 years,” Obi said.

Back in March, the Federal Government began constructing the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, designed to extend through 9 states with two spurs leading to the Northern States.

Recall that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, had earlier described the project as a fraud.

“Umahi had announced that Hitech would fully fund the project, and based on this, there was no competitive bidding. He (Umahi) then said that Hitech could only raise just 6% of the money for the pilot phase. This smacks of deceit,” Atiku said.

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2027 Presidential Race: Opposition Parties Under Attack

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

While it is still a whole three years before the next general election in 2027, The Boss has learnt that opposition parties in the countries are being muffled to pave the way for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to, and retain power.

From the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to the Labour Party (LP), and down to the New Nigerian Peoples Paty (NNPP), crises have engulfed the rank and files, in what a source told this paper was the attempt and making of the ruling party, APC, to decimate, destabilize and make redundant the machineries of the opposition parties.

It is believed that by 2027, the apparatuses holding together the various opposition parties would have weakened irredeemably to the extent the country would seemingly nosedive into the inglorious one party state that every civil right advocate and democrats abhor.

It is alleged that all the crises in all the opposition parties are being engineered by the President Bola Tinubu-led ruling APC, with the hope of getting the fibres of their system weakened, thereby luring the members of the crisis-ridden parties into the APC.

Slightly one year after the last presidential election, the two major opposition platforms, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, have separately been embroiled in a crisis of confidence which has diminished their capacity to provide viable opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The crises in both opposition parties got to a head. The Labour Party led by its national chairman Julius Abure held its much-opposed national convention which was boycotted by its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi; its only governor, Alex Otti of Abia State; federal and state lawmakers elected on its platform, and the organised Labour.

In the Labour Labour, members have been embroiled in endless battle of supremacy with a faction led by Mr. Apapa steadily contesting the leadership of Julius Abure.

Consequently, the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, reverence as a leader in the fold, noting that whatever the party faces presently, that Nigeria’s problems are far bigger than the crises in his party.

The LP has been embroiled in crises — ranging from allegations of misappropriation of funds, and leadership tussle, to calls for the resignation of the party’s national chairman.

TheCable reported that “On March 27, the LP conducted a national convention in Anambra state where Julius Abure was re-elected as its national chairman.

Obi did not attend the convention, fuelling speculations that he may be mulling over ditching the LP for another platform.

Speaking during an appearance on HaveYourSay247, an interactive online session hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo over the weekend, Obi said he is confident that the crises rocking the LP will soon be resolved amicably.

“Whatever is happening in the Labour Party is so minute compared to what is happening in the country,” Obi said.

“So, for me, it is something we will resolve amicably, and it is not anything to worry about. Let us worry about the country.

“Let us worry about how the average Nigerian would be able to have a means of livelihood to be able to eat, that should be our worry.”

Obi said he has no interest in being the party’s leader but only to make sure things are done properly.

“I don’t see what I do in politics as being the leader of any place or not. My position is that just like I always say, I am not desperate to be president of Nigeria, I am desperate to see Nigeria work because I know it can work,” he added.

“We have a more desperate situation. Parties are just a means to be able to contest elections. What is important is that being a leader of a party does not reduce the price of food.

In the PDP, the shenanigans of former Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has practically kept the party in constant crisis with many observers concluding that the now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is working for the APC, and is just a mole in the PDP. Wike has denied the allegation, however,

But news filtered in last week as that the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NEC meeting on Thursday was not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

While political stakeholders concluded that the outcome of the Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan; every page of what finally transpired at the meeting pointed to the fact.

The much touted removal of the party chairman, who is believed to be a crony of the Abuja minister, Damagum, retained his seat, with his executives.

“It is very clear to everyone that a lot of money politics is being played to cajole many loyal members of the party, forcing them into frustration, and eventually it of the party. The option afterwards, will be the APC. This, will for all intent and purpose actualize the intended one party state as an APC agenda.

The Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso-led NNPP is not faring better either. The only governor under their ticket, Abba Kabir Yusuf, just had the confidence of their party on him withdrawn. He was fighting for his political life until suddenly it was announced the the APC in Kano has collapsed its structure into the NNPP.

“This is just another APC strategy to actualize their hidden intentions. Time will reveal the very sinister agenda they harboring,” an analyst said.

Much as 2027 is still three years away, but intrigues are in play to render Nigeria a one party state, and perpetuate the APC in power. The three other opposition parties are basically under attack to bring to pass this unpopular agenda.

Headline

Akwa Ibom Government, Governor Umo Eno Receive Top Honors at the 10th Wonders of the World Expo in Lagos

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2024

Admin

The Akwa Ibom State Government and Governor Pastor Umo Eno were recognized with Travellers Awards at the 10th Wonders of the World Expo in Lagos for their sustained enhancement of infrastructure, support for local talent, and dedication to investment in the tourism sector. The ceremony took place at the National Museum in Onikan, Lagos.

While Akwa Ibom won the Most Active Tourism State of the Year, Governor Eno was adjudged the most Tourism-Friendly Governor of the Year at the event that had Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Lola Ade John in attendance.

According to Amb. Ikechi Uko, Founder/Publisher of ATQ Magazine, the organizers of the event which is in its tenth edition, Akwa Ibom State won the top prize “in recognition of its valiant and resourceful efforts to drive and sustain domestic tourism by promoting the industry.

‘In 2023, Akwa Ibom was one of the states that hosted World Tourism Day (WTD ) events. The state also organized the famous Christmas Unplugged, which featured music, food, and cultures from all 31 LGAs as well as ensured friendly policies.”

While hoping that the Travellers Awards would spur Akwa Ibom to do more to dominate the domestic tourism industry, the organizers hoped that the state would gradually evolve into one of Nigeria’s top international tourism destinations.

That was not all, the state Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh was also recognized as one of the Top 100 Tourism Personalities in Nigeria for demonstrating exceptional leadership and innovation in the travel and tourism industry, while other Akwa Ibom indigenes and entity were also celebrated: Mrs. Ime Udo, Honorary Special Adviser to the Governor( Tourism) won Tourism Promoter of the Year, Favour Udo won Tourism Photographer of the Year, Loretta Effiong and Prince Uduak Sunday (Qua Tours) were listed among the Tourism Personalities of the Year and Ibom Air won Airline of the Year International.

In his remarks, Sir Charles Udoh, who represented the Governor at the event, thanked the organizers for the awards and noted that Akwa Ibom is certainly enjoying the golden era when it comes to tourism development. He stated that Governor Umo Eno is very keen on making Akwa Ibom a leading tourism destination with his programmes and policies.

He revealed that with the new Victor Attah International Airport nearing completion, the purchase of a ferry for the Oron-Calabar route, new developments along its coastline and the restoration work that will be done at all its major tourism sites, Akwa Ibom is well on the way to becoming the number one destination for all domestic and foreign tourists.

In her speech, Tourism Minister, Mrs. Ade John hailed the organizers for hosting the Expo, where practitioners were lectured by top experts while also rewarding those who have excelled in the past year.

She affirmed that her ministry is open to partnership with public and private sector operators, adding that tourism development can only be successful through collaborative efforts.

The event, which attracted leading and budding tourism professionals, also featured interactive and entertainment sessions.

Apart from Sir Charles Udoh and Mrs. Ime Udo, the Akwa Ibom State delegation, also included: Mr. Michael Effiong James, Senior Special Assistant (Lagos Liaison) to Governor, Mrs. Eme Bassey, Special Assistant to Governor (Lagos Liaison) and Akparawa John Offiong, Deputy Director ( Culture) Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

More photos below: