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Pendulum: An Evening With John Mahama On My 59th Birthday

Published

6 years ago

May 18, 2019

Editor

By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, to say I love the former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, is an understatement. Many have asked me what is so unique about this phenomenal African leader and that if he is that good, why did Ghanaians sack him from the Presidential office. My main reason for my adoration of this quintessential gentleman and iconic African statesman is simple and straightforward, I have a soft spot for cerebral and visionary politicians of which Mahama is one without any doubt. Incidentally, on the occasion of my 59^th birthday on Thursday, I had the pleasure of also enjoying the company of another leader of the same ilk, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s Vice President, who I also have tremendous admiration and respect for, as we were attending the same event in Lagos with President Mahama. More on that shortly.

I have had the privilege of accompanying President Mahama to speaking engagements in several continents and he never failed to deliver. Each time I have heard him speak, many times extempore, I have been amazed at the depth of the knowledge of whatever topic he is required to discuss and the accurate facts that he is capable of reeling off without reference to any notes. Not only is the delivery perfect, his eloquence is given greater fillip, force and effect by his diction, articulation and measured cadence.

To say Mahama is an accomplished orator is to state the obvious. His words have the ability to appear as if they are touching the core of your being, not just because of what he says, but how he says it. Mahama is indeed a rare breed of a leader.

In the last one week, we’ve traversed Europe and Africa, with Mahama speaking in England, Rwanda and Nigeria. In between, we had visited the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, in Kinshasa at his invitation. I’m therefore also honoured by the privileged company that President Mahama has allowed me to keep not just in this period but since our bond grew.

I had the opportunity of hosting Mahama in Lagos, on May 16, 2019, on my 59th birthday. Rather than celebrate myself, I chose to showcase a man who has earned the reputation of being my friend, Brother, leader, mentor, inspiration and much more. We have bonded well since our friendship gained momentum shortly after President Buhari’s official visit to Ghana in September 2015. At that time, our acquaintance had been renewed with vigour and I am surprised, as I am sure President Mahama is too, that our relationship has blossomed to such a degree that it has done in such a short time. I respect his brains and propensity for uncommon projects and accomplishments. I also have great admiration for his integrity and loyalty. His unwavering focus and commitment to the cause of his people is worthy of emulation.

Former Presidential spokesman, Ogun State Deputy Gubernatorial candidate and eminent world Scholar, Dr Reuben Abati, anchored a super interactive session with Mahama. Abati, who spoke impromptu, reeled out a remarkable resume of Mahama to the admiration of all guests.

And Mahama did not disappoint and made the evening worthwhile for all. He gave a good account of his extraordinary stewardship in Ghana and admitted that he didn’t know why he was voted out, but was determined to bow out gracefully, and without bitterness or rancour, as a Democrat who believes the voters should be allowed to exercise their franchise, even if as in this case, he believes they had been misled by unfulfillable promises. As Mahama said, it is sometimes necessary to give the voters an opportunity to test a rival leader so that there can be no regrets that such an untested leader was the leader who could have solved their problems and the best leader that the country never had. Indeed, once that leader is put to the test it might become obvious that the much maligned and vilified former leader was in fact an excellent leader and the choices which previously appeared fuzzy might thus become stark and clear-cut.

On Thursday, our day started at the Lagos State University (LASU) Convocation ceremony where Mahama gave a landmark summary of the challenges facing education today and the way forward. The Vice President, Professor Osinbajo was in attendance even though he was to preside over a Federal Executive Council meeting later in the day, an expression of his love for education, considering he was a renowned University lecturer who had also had a stint teaching at LASU. The Chief Host was of course the irrepressible Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

Mahama’s passion for education is not in doubt. He believes that education in every form is the way to advance the African continent and its people and properly compete with the rest of the world. He embarked on a transformation of the Ghanaian educational landscape as part of his vision of a Ghana that would really claim to be first class and developed country. As he disclosed, to his captive session at the interactive session held with a cross-section of Nigerian professionals on Thursday night, in about five years, he increased the level of education of Ghanaians and the educational facilities and institutions in multiples.

I wish to publish excerpts from that great and well-received speech from Mahama who was the distinguished Chairman of the occasion. Please, enjoy.

“Your Excellency Professor Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Your Excellency Akinwunmi Ambode, Governor of Lagos State, Chancellor of the Lagos State University, Justice Adesola Oguntade, Vice Chancellor Professor Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun, Members of Convocation, Faculty and Students, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Let me take this opportunity, Your Excellency, to extend my congratulations to you and President Muhammadu Buhari on your re-election for another four-year term by the people of Nigeria.

The sustenance of the democratic journey on our continent can only be through the holding of elections, and not only that, but how efficiently we are able improve the conduct of the polls with each passing election.

Nigeria has obviously had its challenges and tests, but yet again, here on our continent, we are observing a more acceptable way of challenging the outcome of an election, a resort to the law and the courts, rather than violence – and I congratulate the people of Nigeria for that choice.

I have over the last two years, continued an agenda I began while in office as President, telling the story of Africa’s economic transformation at various global platforms and across the continent, and also talking about how we can and should grow and sustain democracy on the continent.

We can and will bring about development faster to our people through the enhancement of democracy in our countries and the choices open to us. 2018 saw 27 elections across the continent and this year has started recording higher numbers as well. South Africa just completed their election, and over the weekend I am heading to Malawi to join other former heads of state and election observers for their elections.

What it means, Your Excellency, is that we can make the AU Agenda 2063 a reality if, as individual countries, we begin to grow the dividends of democracy to impact on the economic and social well-being of our people.

Professor Vice Chancellor, many thanks to you for your kind invitation to chair this auspicious lecture to be delivered by His Excellency Professor Osinbajo on how Africa Centres of Excellence can be veritable catalysts for nation building and development. Let me place on record my appreciation to Vice Chancellor Fagbohun and Professor Peter A. Okebukola for the visit you paid me in my office in Accra to personally invite me for this event.

In accepting to play the role of Chairman for the 23rd Convocation Lecture of the Lagos State University, permit me to share a few thoughts on the topic in order to set the tone without takin the wind out of the sail of our eminent guest lecturer. And there are many questions begging for answers as to whether our universities are acting as centres of excellence for nation-building?

Are our Universities providing leadership, best practice, research and support for sustained development of our countries?

To be able to live up to the definition of Centres of Excellence, African Universities must move away from the colonial system of University education which concentrated on the grammar school education in humanities and classics.

I believe African Universities must focus on science, technology and innovation. African Universities must concentrate on courses and programmes that are relevant to their environment and that can assist the sustained progress of our societies.
Universities must influence the communities in which they exist. They must not be isolated ivory towers where academic pomposity is exhibited.
Attention must be paid to the funding of University education. Universities that are not adequately funded for teaching and research, cannot achieve the status of centres of excellence.

Since collaboration is an important aspect of the concept of Centres of Excellence, African Universities must closely collaborate with each other.
In fact, good African Universities must begin to spread their wings across the continent. Such universities would have multiple campuses with different specialisations spread in multiple countries. That way, knowledge, expertise and experience can be more easily shared and/or transferred. An example is the UNISA campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

African Universities as Centres of Excellence can help bridge the gap created among African countries as a result of the artificial demarcation of the continent by the colonial powers at the Berlin Conference appropriately dubbed the “Partition of Africa” of 1884-85.

They can help bring about the necessary cohesion so essential to nation-building and the eventual Union of African States.

A focus on science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurial development will also provide the needed catalyst for development. Of course, this focus will not mean a neglect of the humanities and philosophical discourse, which are essential for the generation and exchange of ideas and which also contribute to development.
§ African University centres of excellence must provide the generation of visionary leadership that is needed for economic transformation of Africa.
Finally, African Universities must have academic autonomy, if they are to serve as centres of excellence for our nations progress. The political establishment must resist the temptation of meddling in academic appointments and other administrative functions of the universities. In Ghana, recent attempts by the political establishment to interfere in academic affairs of the University of Education Winneba and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology have created tension and disruption of academic work.

Ladies and gentlemen, permit me to congratulate the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Faculty, Management and Students of the Lagos State University on the occasion of your 23rd Convocation and for the recognition of LASU as the Best State University in Nigeria by the National Universities Commission.

I also want to encourage you, to give greater meaning to your University’s agenda to change the attitude and orientation of not only your students but Nigerians generally and turn them into great leaders.

Your Excellency, Thank you.”

Related Topics:Dele momodu President John Mahama

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Celebrating the Legacy of Massad Boulos’s Leadership at SCOA Nigeria

Published

6 hours ago

December 14, 2024

Eric

By Magnus Onyibe

Recent media criticisms questioning the breadth of experience and business acumen of Mr. Massad Boulos, the incoming Senior Adviser on Arab and Middle East Affairs to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, are not only misguided but also dismissive of the remarkable track record of both the man and the companies he has been instrumental in nurturing.

For instance, SCOA Nigeria PLC, where Mr. Boulos serves as Managing Director/CEO, is far from being just another company. It is a formidable force in Nigeria’s industrial and economic landscape. With roots spanning over four decades, it holds the distinction of being the first European automotive assembly plant in Nigeria.

In the 1970’s, SCOA Nigeria PLC made a name for itself by assembling Peugeot 404 and then 504 pickup trucks at its assembly plant at Apapa, Lagos and service center at its Lapal House facility on Lagos Island. Today, the company continues this proud legacy, assembling, distributing, and marketing M.A.N trucks and buses, power generators, tractors, agricultural equipment, industrial equipment and other heavy-duty construction and mining machinery critical to Nigeria’s key sectors.

SCOA Nigeria PLC’s clients include some of the most prominent and respected names in Nigeria’s construction industry, such as Julius Berger—widely regarded as the nation’s leading construction firm—Lafarge Africa PLC, a major cement producer, the Chagoury Group, renowned for developing the prestigious Banana Island, a premier residential enclave in Lagos, the DANGOTE Group, and many others.

Beyond trucks, SCOA Nigeria PLC is a trusted supplier of concrete, road construction and mining equipment, partnering with leading infrastructure companies to drive Nigeria’s development. For example, Julius Berger relies heavily on SCOA’s equipment for large-scale projects, including the 376km Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway and the 43.6km Lagos-Shagamu stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kano Highway.

Similarly, Hi-Tech Construction, currently working on the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Lagos-Badagry-Sokoto road network, depends significantly on SCOA PLC for the machinery and technology required to execute these ambitious projects, aimed at enhancing connectivity and trade across Nigeria’s southern, central, and northern regions.
Similarly,SCOA PLC has also been instrumental in the development of Eko Atlantic City, a groundbreaking urban project built on reclaimed land from the Atlantic Ocean. This visionary initiative, designed to address Lagos’s urbanization challenges and promote sustainable development, has been made possible in part by state-of-the-art machinery supplied by SCOA. Notably, Eko Atlantic City is set to host the United States Embassy, projected to be the largest of its kind globally upon completion, further underscoring the strategic importance of this landmark project.

In fact, SCOA Nigeria PLC’s impact extends beyond Nigeria’s shores. As a member of the FADOUL Group – one of the largest and most successful family-owned businesses in Africa – its influence spans across West and Central Africa. The FADOUL Group, established in 1966, operates numerous successful enterprises, employs over 20,000 people, and is valued at over $1 billion, with hundreds of millions of USD in assets. This legacy highlights the scale and scope of the operations under Mr. Boulos’s leadership.

Contrary to unfounded claims in certain media outlets, the suggestion that Mr. Boulos is not a billionaire is both baseless and misleading. As President-elect Donald Trump rightly described, Mr. Massad Boulos is a “deal-maker,” a characterization grounded in fact. His proven ability to negotiate and execute complex international transactions has facilitated significant partnerships between Nigerian, German, and French businesses, delivering substantial value and mutual benefit.
As a Non-Executive Independent Director of SCOA Nigeria PLC since 2012, I have witnessed firsthand Mr. Boulos’s instrumental role in driving the company’s success. His ability to navigate the complexities of international commerce, exemplified by the supply of a significant fleet of trucks to Lafarge Africa through a tripartite arrangement between a logistics firm, GPC and Union bank plc, has earned him widespread recognition and respect.

Mr. Boulos’s leadership has not only been vital to SCOA PLC’s achievements but also to the broader international business successes of the FADOUL Group. This is precisely the kind of experience and strategic vision he brings to his new role as Senior Adviser on Arab and Middle East Affairs to President-elect Trump.

As noted in a press release by Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance Transition Spokeswoman, attempts to smear Mr. Boulos’s reputation are part of a broader effort by opposition elements to undermine President-elect Trump’s nominees. The truth remains that Mr. Boulos played a pivotal role in mobilizing the Arab-American and Middle Eastern-American vote, contributing significantly to the Trump-Vance victory—an achievement that underscores his political and organizational acumen.

Efforts to denigrate Mr. Boulos’s qualifications and achievements are not only futile but also a disservice to the facts. Mr. Boulos’s expertise and accomplishments are well-suited for his new role, where he will undoubtedly deliver impactful results on behalf of President-elect Trump and the United States.

Magnus Onyibe is a Non-Executive Independent Director and Chairman of Audit Committee, SCOA Nigeria PLC

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Timi Frank Condemns Tinubu’s Silence over Wike’s Massive Illegal Demolition of Houses in FCT

Published

22 hours ago

December 13, 2024

Eric

Former National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Friday, in strong terms condemned the deafening silence of President Bola Tinubu over illegal mass demolition of houses by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Frank who made this condemnation in a statement in Abuja, urged the President to urgently call Wike to order and halt the demolitions or suffer the repercussion of the oppressive tendencies of the FCT administration during the 2027 presidential poll.

Frank said: “Mr. President, say, so much has been going on with FCT since Wike took over as Minister of the FCT. In the process of acting sycophantically to impress you, he is demonstrating that he is performing minister, he is inflicting pains for Nigerians. that it’s causing more pains to Nigerians in FCT. That Wike is terrorizing the FCT.

He lamented that the actions of the Minister have resulted in immense loss and pain for the owners of the demolished houses.

Frank said: “It is shocking and unacceptable that President Bola Tinubu has maintained a deafening silence on this matter.
“As the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is his duty to protect the rights and welfare of all citizens. His silence on this issue is a clear indication of his administration’s endorsement of illegality and disregard for the plight of ordinary Nigerians.”

Frank also condemned comments credited to Senate President Godswill Akpabio who on Thursday said during a motion meant to halt demolitions in FCT moved by Senator Ireti Kingibe, that the Senate cannot stop Wike from demolishing houses in the territory because they are court-ordered.

“Invariably, it means that the resolution of the Senate urging Wike to stop demolitions pending its investigations is dead on arrival, therefore the more reason why the President must wade in and urgently stop the illegal and anti-people actions of Wike,” he said.

He accused Akpabio and his ilks of allegedly being among the beneficiaries of Wike’s land grabbing posture in the name of cleaning and restoring the FCT masterplan and called for something to done urgently to stop the ravaging bulldozers of the FCTA.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, however reminded that President not to be unmindful of the fact that it is him and not Wike that will be on the ballot in 2027 because Wike’s action in making enemies for him is enough to make him lose the election.

“From all indications, it does appear that Wike is carrying out the demolitions with the approval of the President which explains why the President has been mum the face of these tyrannical, dictatorial and illegal demolitions being carried out by Wike in the FCT,” he said.

He accused Wike of being vindictive by taking out his anger of losing his political battle with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State on innocent and law-abiding residents of the FCT through demolitions and disruptions.

He described a situation where Wike will tell house owners after demolition of their property to go to court and follow the law, as inhuman when he knows they will not be able to get justice under judicial system he has done all he can to compromise.
He declared that the present demolition exercises by Wike and the inability of house owners with genuine title documents would further scare away foreign investors that the President is making efforts to attract to the country.

“How will investors come to Nigeria when they know they cannot get justice in the event of breaches,” he declared.

Frank added: “It is most unfortunate that Wike is presently administering the FCT like his personal estate even as the President remains silent. The evidences are there everywhere, how Wike has been pulling down houses and taking over lands from companies, private owners and business people, and thereafter reallocate the same plots to himself via proxies, his family members, cronies and political associates.

“We urge the President to take immediate action to address the suffering of the victims of these demolitions. The President must intervene to ensure that the rights of these citizens are protected and that they receive adequate compensation for their losses.

“We equally call on all Nigerians to join me in condemning the actions of the Minister of FCT and the silence of the President on this matter. We must stand together to demand justice and protection for the rights of all citizens.”

Comrade Timi Frank is the ULMWP Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East

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Buhari Polarized Nigeria Along Ethnic, Religious Lines – Ozekhome

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2024

Eric

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof Mike Ozekhome, has insisted that former President Muhammadu Buhari should be blamed for his successor, Bola Tinubu’s preference to appoint persons from his ethnic Yoruba language group to key government positions.

Ozekhome, while delivering an address at a symposium on human rights organised by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) held in Abuja on Wednesday, claimed that the Buhari-led administration polarised Nigeria along ethnic and religious lines.

The rights activist noted that it is not surprising that President Tinubu was following a similar trajectory since it was tolerated by gullible Nigerians when Buhari was at the helm.

“When I hear today the northerners complain that Tinubu has ‘Yorubanised’ Nigeria, with so many Yorubas in the highest places in Nigeria, they are indeed making a point. But the question I would ask is: where were you when Buhari, for eight years, literally ‘northernised’ every position in Nigeria? You were either a northerner or a Muslim,” he said.

“I cried, I cried, I wrote and wrote. I wrote tons of articles. One of the 50 books which I presented on my 67th birthday was titled: ‘How Buhari Mismanaged Nigeria.’ Some people called it ‘na we,’ this is our man, and even if he is riding roughshod over all of us, it doesn’t matter.

“Hear no evil, see no evil because he is our man. Even if it is not benefitting us, the fact that he is our man is sufficient. Once it is no longer our man, we must also take up arms. No country grows like that.”

At the event under the theme; “Unity in Diversity: Embracing Freedom, Equality, and Dignity for All,” he warned those in positions of authority against compromising the unity of Nigerians in pursuit of tribalism, ethnicity, and sectionalism.

He described the 1999 constitution (as amended) as flawed, adding that there is a need for a new constitution with inputs from Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic and religious differences, on the way forward for the country.

“We need to redefine ourselves, not the present system where thieves are rewarded with doctorate degrees,” he said.

The Commission’s Ambassador-at-Large and Head of Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Ambassador Dr. Duru Hezekiah, emphasized that this year’s theme presents a significant opportunity, drawing attention to the complexity of human rights linked to the multicultural and multi-ethnic composition of over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages spoken in Nigeria.

He remarked that recurring ethnic and religious conflicts have threatened Nigeria’s national unity and stability, noting that the diversity of Nigeria’s population offers both challenges and opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding, which can promote national unity and cooperation.

According to him, the one-day symposium, held on Wednesday, 11th December 2024, consequently offers a singular opportunity to acquire knowledge and reinforce ties with other stakeholders to promote “Unity in Diversity: Embracing Freedom, Equality, and Dignity for All.”

Additionally, he mentioned that the occasion signifies the official swearing-in of IHRC’s new officials: Ambassador Dr. Malami Shehu Ma’Aji (MFR), who was appointed IHRC Special Advisor on Intergovernmental Affairs for the Africa Region, with Chief John Paul Ochemba serving as IHRC Advisor on Special Monitoring Mission Nigeria, and Dr. Kingsley Nwokoma as IHRC Commissioner in Nigeria, all of whose appointments were duly approved by the IHRC Secretary-General, Prof. h.c. Rafał Marcin Wasik.