Opinion

The Oracle: CSOs and the Media in Promoting Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria (Pt. 5)

Published

8 months ago

December 1, 2023

Eric

By Mike Ozekhome

Introduction

In the last episode, we concluded our hypothesis that Good Governance Needs Strong Followership, in the form of Civil Society Organisations; discussed the Typologies of Nigerian Civil Society Organisations; identified some Specific Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria; Questions and Concerns Raised by CSOs; discussed their Proliferation and Roles; NGOs (Non-governmental Organisations); the Nigerian State/Politics; and the Role of CSOs.

Today, we shall continue exploring the Role of CSOs (Civil Society Organisations); Ways & Means/Modalities of Creating an Umbrella body for them, and, finally, the Role of the Mass Media.

The Role of CSOs (continues)

USAID and other donors seeking to support the role of civil society groups in building democracy in Nigeria faces a daunting task. Given the challenges of supporting civil society with a sharply reduced budget, USAID had decided to focus its support in this sector in a manner that develops the ability of Civil Society groups to conduct advocacy (particular in regard to transparency and accountability) and to build civic awareness at the national level.
The Civil Society is on track and has made impact at the national level especially in the area of elections monitoring and peace building.

The Civil Society promoted greater gender equality through workshops and conferences that resulted in the development of a sub-group in both federations of woman leaders, called the National Women’s Commission. The Commission developed gender policy for labour unions and is currently working on action plans to implement and monitor gender policies in all labour organizations. In light of the gender policy, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has increased the percentage women of its staff to 30%.
In addition, the NLC elected its first women to national office as National Auditor of the NLC.

In the area of economic reform policy, the Civil Society is assisting in the development of a simplified manual to explain economic policy to labour unions. The Civil Society is also active in the development and advocacy for individual economic policies, including fuel policies and pension issues. Capacity building activities, address internal democracy and issues through workshops and for a on gender equality, information sharing, and consensus building.

Creating An Umbrella Body For CSOs: Ways And Modalities

Thinking about the issues in this way helps us to poses an actionable question instead of arguing in the abstract over which theory is correct. Most importantly how do shifting patterns of associational life help or hinder the realization of good society goal, and what can we do to revive the public sphere if we believe it is an important transmission mechanism between the two?

This question generates a rich agenda for public discussions, through a complicated one since there is no obvious consensus on the answers and the evidence is very muddy.

The associational life in general is the driving force behind the positive social norms on which the good society is founded. Things like cooperation, trust and reciprocity. So the logical policy is to encourage as much volunteering and voluntary action as possible even if some of it used for nefarious purposes. Somewhat magically in my view, these differences will work themselves out in the general scheme of things.

The light window for Civil Society access to national policy has expanded somewhat since 1999 as democratization has brought more actors into the policy making process and other levels of government have begun the long struggle to wrest power from the presidency.

Nonetheless, the window remains narrow, and only the groups who are able to impact the interests of the political elite in some manner will be able to see their issues on the national agenda.

First consideration must be given to the power imbalance between Civil Society groups. Civil Society has made important gains in the political space that has opened since 1999, but these groups remain largely marginal players at the national level. Legal frameworks are developing but weak. Elected officials are only remotely accountable to their formal constituents, and Nigerian politics remain dominated by the power struggles among the Big Men. Thus the typical tools of Civil Society influence legal challenges and raising public awareness through issue advocacy are for the short term likely to be useful for incremental change at best. Such change is still very important and deserving of support but Civil Society groups must also be able to tip the balance among the Big Men and state in order to have some influence. The trade unions have the powerful tool of strike actions, but these blunt instruments are difficult to organize, sustain or focus on more than a handful of issues in the absence of an umbrella body.

In the larger picture of Nigeria political development, the real solution to the dominance of the “Big Men” is the development of a stable balance of power among them, with most of their struggles fought within the contours of the political system, primarily through the vehicle of formal political parties. Thus the critical “next step” for the nations political development is the rise of a viable, loyal political opposition movement as has happened in African nations further down the democratic road such as South African, Kenya and Ghana.

Without such an opposition voters, do not have a viable alternative at the ballot box which is in part why Nigerians supported the military in the past. A strong coalition and opposition of civil society groups is the important vehicle for transparency and accountability in any democracy because it is an institutional actors with great interest in exposing the corrupt practices of the party in office and in balancing its powers.

An essential link in such a movement will be with united Civil Society groups. As governing and viable opposition parties battle for voter support , they will have to produce policies that better serve the interest of the public, and civil society groups will play important roles in informing the public and government whether those interest are being served.
The ideal competition among the Nigerian political parties to woo the favour of Civil Society groups and by extension, the voters, has begun to take some shape in national politics, but only in rudimentary forms lacking the deeper substance of serious public service. In the short term, therefore, civil society groups have only one remaining solution to correct the power imbalance between them and the Big-Man-Dominated state. They must build broad coalition among themselves and with actors in political society, particularly the political parties. Some groups may have limited success on their own at the national level based on the strength of their skills and good ideas, such as in regard to constitutional reform.

Technical support to improve the capacity of civil society groups to engage in issue advocacy and other activities that foster incremental changes remains control to any sound democracy promotion strategy, but it must be viewed through the lens of how they impact the political power structure of policy makers. Without vast financial resources civil society groups must turn to the numbers of people they can represent, sensitize and mobilize. Thus support should move into realm of building relationships among the united civil society groups and between civil society and the state, particularly in terms of the political parties.

The Media

Globally, the role of the mass media oils the wheels of evolving a sound democratic culture. The different between the media in Nigeria and other country might be on the nature of freedom limitations under which they operate. In dictatorial regime or in a fostering democratic system, the situations are usually different. In Nigeria media has played a great role in deepening democracy. The mass media or the press is acknowledged to be the “watch dog of the society” and the “fourth estate of the realm”. By way of definition, media consists of the main ways that large numbers of people receive information and entrainment, That is, through television, radios, newspapers and the internet. The basic ingredient of the mass media is based on the freedom of expression and the press guaranteed by the Constitution. The freedom of the press is usually entrenched in the Constitution of most countries of the world. The press is an important institution in any country, particularly, in democratic societies where transparency is the watchword. But in pariah societies where the government of the day is corrupt and commits various kinds of atrocities, a free press coupled with freedom of speech constitutes a torn in the flesh of the ruling class or government. In other words, the mass media essentially aims at promoting a democratic culture by engaging in constant watch on the activities of the government of the day. The government is usually investigated and findings brought to the knowledge of the public. Herein lies the relevance of the press in any democracy.

In Nigeria, for example, and concerning the right to capture and withhold information, the plenitude of the supposed right to retain information requires to be properly defined. This right should go beyond the voluntary refusal of a Journalist, Editor, or Publisher to willingly give out the source of his information. For purposes of modern day freedoms, this right should be made to cover forcible invasion of media houses by state security agents, and seizure therefrom, of manuscripts, hardplates, pictures, letters and telegraphic messages from informants. Interviews conducted with persons but who, given professional judgement, or the person’s preference would have had his/her name omitted from the final piece of information disseminated for public consumption.

The right to withhold information is but an aspect of a larger right given constitutional impetus by section 39 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

The constitutional right itself derives from the earlier theory of natural rights, which in turn, was an offshoot of the natural law theory. We do not intend within the amplitude of this paper, to give a jurisprudential analysis of human or civic rights, but it is sufficient to the state that the respect for, and inviolability of, human rights have been universally acclaimed, documented, and adopted by all civilized nations of the world. (To be continued).

Thought for the Week

“Society cannot exist without law. Law is the bond of society: that which makes it, that which preserves it and keeps it together. It is, in fact, the essence of civil society”. (Joseph P. Bradley).

Opinion

In Defence of the 18-Storey Ibom Towers and Gov. Umo Eno’s Audacious Housing Plan

Published

6 days ago

July 20, 2024

Eric

By Michael Effiong

In the last few days, I have been inundated by a barrage of questions “Why is your Governor investing in Lagos? What is the rationale behind a project like this in Lagos State instead of Akwa Ibom where it will create jobs and empower the local contractors? Why now when people are hungry? It has been questions galore all referring to the decision of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno to develop a real estate facility in Lagos dubbed “Ibom Towers”

As a trained journalist of over 30 years, I know that today’s media space is filled with misinformation, disinformation and outright lies which are then elevated to trending public discourse by various people for motives that are often not altruistic.
Even a group of Akwa Ibom indigenes decided to host an X (Twitter) Space on the issue. I was on that platform for over two and half hours but it was obvious that none of the speakers had taken time to conduct any research on the said project.
That was when I became very alarmed because the basic foundation for contributing to any intellectual discourse is research, I could not believe that the speakers could not just investigate the matter properly, have a full grasp of the issues before coming to the public forum to not only express their anger against the project but were even contemplating street protest!. They more or less confirmed what I used to consider a myth, that we hardly read as black people.

Anyway, I did not take the hullabaloo seriously until a very well respected senior colleague of mine called in the dead of the night. I was in a state of panic when I picked the call, thinking something major has happened to him or his close ones until he brought up the issue of the Ibom Towers.
I could not believe my ears, I begged for a few seconds to change my position and then went on to lay out the facts of this matter.
I explained that the project was not a bolt from the blue. In fact ,on May 29, 2024 when the Governor delivered his first anniversary speech, he gave a hint about the project.

According to the Governor while laying out his plans for the next 365 days “Government will be active in the commercial property market in both Lagos and Abuja respectively by converting our existing strategic facilities in those cities into commercial use for the benefit of our people. These planned investments in infrastructure will bring huge returns to our State and signpost our determination to play big in the thriving real estate business in those two major cities”

His next words where “You mean he had mentioned his plans in his speech?
I replied “Yes sir, I am quoting the speech verbatim? He then said ‘Even at that, why would your governor leave your state and go all the way to Lagos to buy land and build an 18-storey Towers?

I replied, “ Sir, I hope you are not sleepy because it is a long a story? He responded “You know how I dey carry Akwa Ibom matter for head, give me the full story, I am all ears”.

I then began my defence “ In the first place, the Governor has not come to Lagos to buy any land. The truth is that the 18- storey development dubbed “Ibom Towers” is a child of necessity and an intentional investment. We have a landed property in a very prime location, Victoria Island to be exact. That property used to be our Governor’s Lodge, it is now referred to as the Old Governor’s Lodge. It is a dilapidated structure that has not yielded any single kobo to the state.

“I am not a real estate expert, but as a layman, I would say that the Governor had four options. First, leave the property in its current state and just keep it in the books as a thing of pride, second, outright sale of the property, third, put the property up for lease and fourth, develop the property.

‘The Governor decided to be audacious, instead of doing the ordinary, he chose the tougher but more rewarding fourth option with the decision to add value to that landed property and develop it into a picturesque facility called “Ibom Towers”, this option would ensure that the state still retains the property as well as guarantee return on investment and the funds would be ploughed into critical infrastructure back home in Akwa Ibom in furtherance of his ARISE Agenda.

“Now this Ibom Tower is a development that will feature 30 meticulously designed apartments: Spacious one bedroom units, elegant two-bedroom units and lavish three bedroom units. That is not all, there will be an opulent 4-bedroom duplex penthouse that would have breathtaking views of the Lagos skyline.”

“The contractors handling this development have been given a very strict timeline because the Governor wants to make returns on this investment in good time. I have asked those opposing this development their best option for the use of that prime property. They all usually side step the issue and come up with extraneous matters. But I would not ask you the same sir.

I then continued “Interestingly, the Ibom Towers is part of the Governor’s overall Housing plan that covers all segments of the property market: Low, middle and high income earners.

“For example, a few weeks ago in Uyo, the Governor laid the foundation of the Ewet Luxury Gardens Estate. It is a high-end, commercial residential estate development. It will consist 32 units of 5-bedroom ensuite fully detached duplexes, 3 living rooms, 3 maid quarters, study/living room, fully fitted kitchen, laundry room and green area. It will be a gated estate with such shared facilities as tennis court, gym, swimming pool facilities etc.

“It was at that Ewet Luxury Estate ground breaking that the Governor spoke about the Ibom Towers. That Estate like the one in Lagos is aimed at making money for the state. The same template has been adopted for the Dakkada Luxury Estate that was begun by the last administration. So while he is thinking about making use of the property in Lagos, he is also doing the same at home.

“I must add sir that the Governor has not been oblivious to the need for affordable housing and even shelter for the poorest of the poor.

“The administration in its first year completed the 236-Units Grace Estate and the Governor has approved that 264 more units be constructed. He has also approved that 160 units in the Estate should be exclusively allocated to civil servants from Grade levels 1-8. The allocation will be via a draw which can be entered only once with N50,000. The houses will be given out free of charge.

“Then of course, the Governor has been making waves with his ARISE Compassionate Homes Initiative. This is a unique programme where rural dwellers with very terrible abode are given brand new 2-bedroom fully furnished homes complete with external kitchen, 24-hour solar power and water system free of charge. 200 units of the homes are currently being built. Some have already been completed and handed over to very elated beneficiaries. His target is to deliver 400 Units before the end of his first term
My colleague shouted “Really. That is so impressive ?” Knowing full well that I have caught his attention, I quickly added “ The Governor has done a lot in rural development, healthcare, entrepreneurship…

He cut me off immediately “That is okay, that is okay do not bother, so what is all the fuss about?

My response was “Sir, we would keep educating them to make them see reason but as you know one cannot always please the world”. I then reminded him of Evangelist Ebenezer Obey’s famous song “The Horse, The Man and His Son popularly known as Ketekete

“You are so right, you cannot please everyone all the time. Everything is clear to me now. I think he should ignore them and continue his good work. Sorry that I disturbed your sleep,? were his next words.
I responded thus: “I am always at your service sir, we will keep discussing the issues. One thing I know is that our Governor is a private sector- driven technocrat, he would be the last person to take an investment that will benefit his people to any other state. Thank you for calling me to clarify issues, thank you for your patience and love always sir” And I hung up!

Opinion

Hailing the Supreme Court on LG Allocation Judgment

Published

2 weeks ago

July 12, 2024

Eric

Prof Mike Ozekhome SAN, CON, OFR

The supreme court judgement today, July 11, 2024, directing the Federal Government to pay allocations due to Local Government Areas directly to their account thereby abolishing the old practices of State-Local Government Joint Account, is timely and courageous.

What the judgement has done is more like interpreting section 162 of the Constitution, which provides for a joint State-Local Government Account. In which case, money is normally paid to state governors’ accounts and then for them to disburse to the local governments for them to share. But what has been happening is that, as I noted in 2020,over three years ago, the state governors, have been behaving like ”bandits”, waylaing local governments funds along the way and thus impoverishing them leaving them with nothing to work, just a little for salary. And nothing to actually work for the people whom they represent.
I agree totally with the judgement of the supreme court to grant full financial autonomy so that money is released and paid directly to the 774 local government councils which constitute the third-tier of government,to develop their places because the LGAs are grassrooted and nearest to the people. Rather than allow overbearing state governors throw their weight around and muzzle the local governments and seize their purse,they will now allow LGs breath some air of freedom.

If you take a look at our situation, Nigeria is operating a very lopsided federation,more like a unitary system of government. Where the federal government is supposed to be a small government,it is controlling 67 items on the exclusive legislative list. That is why the federal government gets the lion share of the federation account , the lion share of the money that comes to the federation account to the tune of 52.68%. The states get 26.72% while the entire 774 local government councils in Nigeria get just 20.60% of the monthly allocation by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RLASMC.

The question is, what is the federal government doing with almost 53% of the national income? That is because it is a government that is behemoth.That is elephantine. A government that intrudes and intervenes in areas that should not concern it at all. What is the federal government’s business with licensing cars and trucks for states? What is its business with the Marriage Act, dealing with how people marry and wed in Nigeria and how they live together as husband and wife and separate or divorce? What is the federal government’s business with unity schools? A whole FG operating secondary schools? What is their business? Why is the FG not allowing states generate their own power, operate their own railway stations, if they have the capacity? Why should the federal government not allow states have their own police force? Even for the local governments to have their own police force as we have in the United States and other advanced countries of the world where even tertiary institutions have their own police?

The truth is that the federal government is overbloated and overpampered. That is why it is using too much money and make the centre become too attractive,eating deep into funds that ought to be meant for the states and local government areas. The states take not only that which belongs to the states, but also waylays at source that which is meant for the local government areas. No Nation grows that way.

So, I see this judgment as epochal,having far-reaching effect because money will now be made available directly to the local government areas who will no longer be subservient, like fawning slaves to state governors. In fact, the judgement even went further to say that no state government has the power henceforth to dissolve local government areas. This is because we have been seeing cases where inspite of the provisions of section 7 of the 1999 constitution that give autonomy to local government areas, states normally go ahead and dissolve local government areas ND appoint caretaker committees for them.This is whimsical and capricious.The Supreme Court has said this can no longer go on and that henceforth, no state government should ever be able to dissolve any local government area in Nigeria for any reason whatsoever and howsoever.

The judgement is salutary, timely and regenerative. It should be upheld by all governments and people in Nigeria for better democratic dividends.I see this as victory for our wobbling democracy, even if we are far removed from true fiscal federalism where the federating units control and utilize their God-given resources while paying royalty or tax to the central government. This case is one big plus for tested court room gladiator, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Attorney General of the Federation, who initiated the case at the apex court, invoking its original jurisdiction.Surely,to jaw-jaw is better than to war-war. God bless Nigeria.

Opinion

Telling the Nigerian and African Food Story to a Global Audience

Published

1 month ago

June 22, 2024

Eric

By Lydia Enyidiya Eke

Nigeria as the most populous black nation on earth is located in the heart of Africa and as a great country with unique culinary traditions, this great nation is known for her diverse and vibrant culture and people.

Nigeria, as one of the 54 countries in Africa is well known for her rich history and myriad ethnic groups, and equally known for her culinary strength.

These divers’ culinary strength offers a gastronomic tapestry that remains largely untapped by the global audience.

Since globalization fosters a growing interest in diverse food cultures, it is high time the world embraced the flavours of Nigeria.

A Culinary Mosaic

Nigerian cuisine is a reflection of its vast cultural diversity. Each ethnic group brings its unique ingredients, cooking techniques, culinary textures and flavour profiles to the table, creating a culinary mosaic that is both rich and complex.

From the spicy and oily soups, stews and sauces of the Yoruba in the southwest to the savoury soups of the Igbo in the southeast, and the aromatic dishes of the Hausa-Fulani in the north, and of course the seafood and vegetable delight of the south south as well as the lovely relishes of the middle belt, Nigerian food is a journey through the country’s cultural landscape.

Staples like jollof rice, with its tantalizing blend of tomatoes, peppers, and spices, have already started making waves internationally.

The same applies to the well-known dishes and a plethora of lesser-known culinary treasures waiting to be discovered.

These covers the 36 states of the federation. The popularly known egusi soup, also known as unity soup is a hearty melon seed soup that is eaten across the nation and continent.

What about the pepper soup and their spices, the same applies to the herbs, condiments and flavourings of bitter leaf soup, oha soup, groundnut soup, beans soup and many more.

Suya is another spicy grilled meat skewers, which equally offer a glimpse into the depth of Nigerian culinary artistry.

The Need for Global Recognition
Despite its richness, Nigerian cuisine remains underrepresented and basically under reported on the global stage.

This lack of recognition can be attributed to several factors, including limited exposure and the dominance of other culinary traditions in international media. However, the tide is changing. With the rise of social media and the global trend towards exploring new and authentic food experiences, Nigerian cuisine is poised for a renaissance.

Championing Nigerian Food through Digital Platforms

One of the most effective ways to bring the knowledge of Nigerian cuisine to the global audience is through digital platforms. These platforms are now diverse. They range from YouTube, to Instagram, Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Snapchat amongst others . Also included are food blogs, food websites and vlogs.

YouTube, in particular, has emerged as a powerful tool for sharing culinary traditions with a wide audience. Channels dedicated to Nigerian cooking, like the one I run, are playing a crucial role in this movement. By offering step-by-step DIY tutorials, we are not only teaching people how to cook Nigerian food but also sharing the stories and cultural significance behind each dish.

These digital platforms offer an interactive and engaging way to learn about Nigerian cuisine. Viewers from around the world can watch, comment, and even share their attempts at cooking these dishes, fostering a global community of Nigerian food enthusiasts.

Preserving Cultural Heritage
For many Nigerians living abroad, cooking traditional dishes is a way to stay connected to their roots. It is an act of preserving cultural heritage and passing it down to the next generation. By teaching the younger generation how to cook Nigerian food, we are ensuring that these culinary traditions are not lost in the face of globalization.
Moreover, sharing these recipes and stories with a global audience promotes cultural understanding and appreciation. Food, after all, is a universal language that brings people together. By inviting others to experience Nigerian cuisine, we are fostering a sense of unity and cultural exchange.

The Future of Nigerian Cuisine
The future of Nigerian cuisine on the global stage looks promising. With increasing interest in authentic and diverse food experiences, Nigerian food has the potential to become a beloved part of the world’s culinary repertoire. However, this will require continued effort in promoting and sharing these rich culinary traditions.
Initiatives such as food festivals, cultural exchange programs, and collaborations with international chefs can further boost the visibility of Nigerian cuisine. Additionally, support from the Nigerian government and private sector in promoting food tourism can open new avenues for showcasing the country’s culinary wealth.

As we look towards a future where cultures and cuisines are celebrated for their uniqueness and richness, Nigerian food stands as a testament to the country’s vibrant heritage. By telling the story of Nigerian cuisine to a global audience, we are not only sharing delicious food but also promoting cultural understanding and appreciation. Let us embrace the flavors of Nigeria and celebrate its place in the global culinary landscape.

For further about some Nigerian recipes and cooking tutorials, visit GOURMET GUIDE234 on YouTube, and the food blog GOURMETGUIDE234.COM where you can embark on a culinary journey through Nigeria’s diverse and colourful food traditions.