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NNPC: Why Luman's Reform Will Fail. By Ifeanyi Izeze The crucial question is: At what point do the fleet of sacked group managing directors usually become bad administrators? We must ascertain the specific point in the life cycle of their career whether before, during or after assuming the position of the group managing director as this may be a useful pointer to even the new helmsman on the familiar path he is going to thread on his way out of the organisation. Details
This Cry About Dora Akunyili As Information Minister. By Segun Imohiosen My take here is that consequentially, it is not really an error to have Akunyili at this point in time as the Information Minister taking cognizance of her pragmatic approach to issues. Details
Obj/Atiku Reconciliation: Good Omen for Nigeria's Democracy. By Hajiya Hafsat M. Zanna One is therefore happy that Obasanjo himself has realized the need to work towards finding a lasting solution to our present situation. One of such things is to bring back to the fold experienced and dependable associates like Atiku Abubakar who has what it takes to move the country out of the doldrums. Nigerians have not the slightest doubts that Atiku, if given the chance is capable of transforming the country into a real giant of Africa. Details
Tighten Our Belt This Year Again? By Farouk Martins Aresa Tighten our belt this year again, hell no. You tighten your belts. Every year many leaders come to us with the same advice to tighten our belts because there are tough times ahead. It sickens and insults most Nigerians because we have memories of nothing but hard times during the reigns of these vultures. They are getting richer, accumulating more and burgeoning out of their belly with unnecessary fat while they tell us our reward is in heaven. Details
Budget 2009 and Powering Nigeria. By Abubakar Atiku Nuhu-Koko An important question to ask is: How far will the 2009 budget lead the country in the long and arduous journey of revamping the parlous power sector? Furthermore, I cannot locate in the 2009 budget proposal how much contribution is expected from the private sector under the professed and proclaimed public partnership with the private sector in revamping of the comatose power sector (i.e. Public Private Partnership - PPP mantra). This aspect is not emphasized or clearly stated in the 2009 budget proposal so far. Details
Right-Of Reply To Mohammed Haruna’s Jonathan Ishaku’s Misreprentations. By Jonathan Ishaku It is interesting that in his response to my rejoinder, Haruna, once again, cleverly side-tracked all the issues raised by the Jos crisis. I have therefore been very hesitant in writing again; I am reluctant in engaging in mere sophistry. Given the great challenge we collectively face with the frequency of ethno-religious in this country, it is my belief that any media argumentation that does not help in advancing solutions to the crisis is sterile and counter-productive; a cruel entertainment fit only for the credulous. More so, I hate rejoinders that tend to insist on one’s point of view; it is a disguised form of tyranny which erodes the public’s right to form independent opinion. Details
Muslim Hausa Hegemony and Jos Crisis. By Nafata Bamaguje Many in the media have severally commented on the recent Jos mayhem, but in the spirit of political correctness virtually none has broached the touchy issue of real and perceived fears of Muslim Hausa domination by the Jos indigenes. Their grievances have been variously dismissed as irrational, unpatriotic, irredentist, unconstitutional, unnationalistic or retrogressive. The Zango Katafs, Kafachans and other Middle belt peoples who have similarly revolted against Muslim-Hausa hegemony would certainly disagree. Details
The Mercenaries’ Saga In The Jos Crisis. By Khicingwe W. Simji So far, the Federal Government has not seen it prudent to even question the embassies of the countries whose citizens are presently in detention. Not even the National Assembly, with its new-found zealousness in setting up a Fact-finding Committee into the Jos Crisis, has seen the necessity of querying the two embassies. The truth is; there is a stealthy underhanded conspiracy, by those who should know, to deny the reality of the Jos violence as a product of a wicked and premeditated plot to plunge the entire Plateau State, in particular, and the nation, in general, into chaos. Details By Les Leba To be fair, President Yar'Adua may be excused for his suspicion of CBN’s sudden turnaround in its monetary policy framework after earlier assurances and promises that the Nigerian economy was treading the path of recovery and development under expert professorial guidance. The issue of redenomination, as canvassed by Soludo, may also have smelt foul to Mr. President, seeing that billions of naira of public funds had just been expended in designing, producing and promoting the acceptance of new currency notes and coins! Details
Between States and local Governments. By Muktar Garba Maigamo I strived very hard to justify the rationale of state as compare to local government by administering a set of open-ended questionnaires in our local community. But to them they see state as only duplication of power and functions of both federal and local levels. When asked between the governor and the chairman, to them their chairman is their governor why? Details
Between NDDC And Politics Of Mismanaging Public Fund? By Ifeanyi Izeze As at today, the only federal government’s, road to addressing the infrastructural and human development issues that gave rise to the current militant confrontations in the Niger Delta region runs through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). However, it is an understatement to say that the road itself is in a state of total disrepair and also seems to have commenced gradual lethal infection of whatever good intention (if at all) the federal government had when it announced the creation of the Niger Delta Ministry.Details
An Open Letter To The American Embassy In Nigeria. By Asabe Murtala As a stakeholder in the film industry in Kano State, my attention is accurately drawn to the uninformed intermingling between the U.S. Embassy and some of our colliques in the industry. For sure I know the embassy would not in any way, under Her Excellency Ms Rennie Sanders, the American Ambassador in Nigeria, help in promoting disrespectful attitudes towards constituted authority and the rule of law. This is of course the last thing the U.S. Embassy could do, as far as my understanding of this great nation is concerned. Details
The single biggest constraint, even in the justice sector, affecting the work of the court is the limited public awareness of its role. Government, legal practitioners, employers of labour, trade unions and employees have a narrow and consequently inadequate understanding of the court; its role and working practices. Details
Cyber Crime: Another Dimension. By Muktar Garba Maigamo Though one can say, with certain degree of complements that EFCC under Ribadu succeeded in stemming the tide. This crafty activities has now resurfaced in a more advanced ways as the fraudsters introduced a more sophisticated ways of swindling the public. Details
Kano: A Confluence Of Justice And Injustice! By Arch. Mohammed Ibrahim Khalil Justice, particularly to those who subscribe, profess and adhere to the Islamic religion, is the conscience of the society so much that its dispensation is more of an article of faith than an exigency. It is within this context that, in a manner of speaking, Kano was literally in Kaduna last week in the pursuit of justice at the Court of Appeal and when subsequently delivered it was accepted as such. While the court decision that upheld the election stabilized the government in Kano to a very large extent, it must be admitted that it also consoled and left the opposition with no alternative than to put all that had taken place during and after the election behind it. Details
The Task Before the Minister of Health, Professor B. Osotimehin. By Dr. Felix S. Odaibo The timing and circumstance surrounding Professor Osotimehin's assumption of the job of Minister of Health demands that he prove his mettle even more than it has ever been for any other Health Minister of recent memory. The immediate News that greeted his appointment was one of surprise and disappointment amongst Nigerians. The general impression is that there is a better candidate for this job. Details
Demolition Of Oshodi Market: Perspective For The Poor. By Bosah Chinedu The demolition that was meted to Oshodi is not new as several other parts of Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country had witnessed similar exercise. Two days later, Iba market was equally demolished. Oshodi market used to be very rough considering the fact that hundreds of thousand of people contest for all available space. Details
The report of the Human Rights Watch on the recent ethno religious cleansing directed at Muslims in Jos North LG has clearly revealed that the genocide and carnage was directed by the Governor of Plateau state, who instructed the police to shoot people that were protesting the rigging he orchestrated. The report clearly showed that the police and sometimes the army personnel entered people’s houses and killed many innocent people. The worst of the barbaric acts was the killing of pupils at school, children, mothers, protesting youth and NYSC members. Details
Dr. Lukman needs to provide the lead to optimise the political fortunes that oil and gas bestowed on the country. Again, this calls for close collaboration and coordination between the petroleum ministry, its minister and the foreign affairs ministry and its minister and above all, the Presidency. Here again, his age, his tenure as Nigeria’s former minister of foreign affairs (1989-90), OPEC experiences and exposures become excellent assets to deploy. Details
Comments and Reflections on Aminu Baba's Rejoinder on the Jos Genocide. By Samuel Zalanga The sectarian crisis in Jos was a terrible and horrendous situation for anyone that has carefully followed what happened during and after the crisis. Contrary to the way some people have characterized it, however, my opinion is that it is terrible and horrendous because human beings with human dignity died for no good reason. I find people who feel bad about the situation because the people killed were Muslims, Christians, Minorities, or whatever as innocently shallow in their conceptualization of the situation. People are human beings first before they are Muslims or Christians, Minorities or Hausa-Fulani. Details
The North: Underdevelopment, Poverty and Leadership Questions. By Abubakar Atiku Nuhu-Koko Comparatively, this is exactly direct opposite of what happened during the immediate past eight (8) years (1999-2007) in Nigeria. That is to say, paradoxically, the period 1999-2007 represented and witnessed both glorious and equally, inglorious years of plentiful oil windfalls bonanza and equally speaking, concomitant mind boggling embezzlements and looting sprees ever witnessed in the history of governance in Nigeria. Details
How true! How many times have I stated here that we are nation that is data averse. We do not like numbers and it shows in everything we do or say. I have often asked that if we were to ask the Benue State Commissioner of Health to name the top five killers in Benue what would the answer be? I am not trying to question the effectiveness of this Commissioner, but to illustrate a point. If we cannot list the top five killers, what is the basis for health policy in the State? What is the policy addressing? Talking about setting government records ablaze: should we not be moving in the area of conducting government business electronically? Sorry - there is no reliable electricity supply in an oil exporting nation like Nigeria, and yet no heads are rolling... Details
On the Notion of Culture and Colonialism as Impediment to Economic Models of Development and Democracy in Africa – with a Comment on Didactic Obama-Truce-Culture Approach. By Patrick Iroegbu (Ph.D) African nations’ poverty cannot get solved by adopting western institutional frameworks and patterns that are culturally unaligned to African development indicators and realities. Leaders cannot militarize and marginalize the pragmatism of culture and think that western institutionalized cultures will serve the case of poverty. Not minding how one may accept or analyze it, the institutions of democracy are alike that of money and free markets that have not been alone to the western creations. Details
Healthcare Cost Hardly Kills Generous Business. By Farouk Martins Aresa
A Perspective Of Hajj 2008. By Suleiman Haruna Talking of branding, I speak vehemently when I say that Nigeria can take advantage of hajj to brand itself before the congregation of five million; in locations visited, in transportation, in accommodation and at the pilgrims shed at Jeddah, not to mention the pilgrims themselves in what they say about Nigeria, and what they wear and use. Making a positive statement and impression about Nigeria before this congregation can only improve the nation’s image and win us more friends. Details
Yar’Adua and His New Team. By Zayyad I. Muhammad Now that President Yar’Adua has finally put behind him the legitimacy issue that has trailed his government since its inception. And has brought on board his best choices as new Ministers, thus asserting full authority and put a strong personal stamp on his government, but has Mr. President made the right selection that would make a difference? Details
Ribadu’s Dismissal: The PSC Is Right. By Abdu Isa Kofarmata When the dismissed DCP Nuhu Ribadu was at his peak during the dictatorial regime of Olusegun Obasanjo, he arrogated to himself the master of all. Common sense was completely lacking in the way and manner Mr. Ribadu conducted himself and the affairs of the commission he was heading, the EFCC. Tryon Edwards opined that, common sense is, of all kinds, the most uncommon. It implies good judgment, sound discretion, and true and practical wisdom applied to common sense. This negates the opinion of Voltaire, who suggested that common sense is not so common. Details
Rethinking On The Vision 2020. By Abubakar Jimoh Let Nigeria learn from the economic giants like Japan, Australia, America etc that from their initial stages blessed with key leaders who dedicated their efforts and everything they could to serve their respective fathers’ lands of which the same subjects are always be the major struggle of their successors update. Unlike mostly Nigerian erroneous political style, that almost everyone struggles by all means to occupy political seats without a definite objective backing their ambitions other than selfish motives. Details
Perspectives On Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption War. By Akintokunbo A. Adejumo Initially, the EFCC was pulling in the notorious “419” fraudsters and fraudulent bank officials, and everybody was happy. The moment Ribadu, probably spurred on by President Obasanjo himself, decided to shine his torch on several corrupt state governors, he started having problems with some sections of Nigerians. Details
Whose Vision Is It Anyway? By Uche Nworah I should have known better not to check in any luggage from Lagos. By the time we arrived, there were already 2 other airlines on ground, whose passengers were waiting for their luggage in the small but overcrowded arrival hall. To describe the scene at the airport as very chaotic that Wednesday afternoon will be like one stating the obvious. Details
The Exigency to Educate Nigerians – Our Only Hope to Radically Reform, Transform, and Re-Invent a Competitive 21st Century Nigeria. By Emakoji Ayikoye If we continue to ignore the exigency to educate Nigeria's children in the midst of our vast wealth, the 21st century would witness the irrevocable failure that will make us and our children the shame of the black race. Should we continue to neglect our higher institutions of learning as in the last few years, we would have succeeded making slaves out of our children in the 21st century.Details
EFCC: Between El-Rufai, Ribadu and Selective Application of Jungle Justice (1). By Jibo Nura However, looking at EFCC and its mode of operation from a broader legal point of view, one would come to realize that it is of doubtful legality. For the process of its establishment is not just legally wrong but also constitutionally misleading under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, which Cap. E1 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 refers. Details
"No Justice, No Peace": A Reflection on the November 28, 2008 Riots in Jos, Nigeria. By Sunday Agang My gut reaction to the song was how can there be peace in Nigeria when ordinary citizens know that because of the twin evils, negligence and corruption of our leaders, they are not going to get justice? However, I was comforted knowing that in heaven there is justice. St. John tells us that he “saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne…. The dead were judged according to what they had done…” (Rev 20:12). Heaven is no respecter of position in society. Details
El-Rufai Vs. EFFCC: The Facts Speak for Themselves. By Julius Emere Given the way great effort is being made to ridicule, humiliate and discredit the former FCT minister Nasir el-Rufai without regard to the wonderful job everybody said he did in four short years for this country, I have formulated here a code of how to serve Nigeria and get applause. Details
Governance and Nigeria’s Weak Institutions: Is the 2020 Project Achievable? By Victor E. Dike The Vision 2020 trumpet has been rising to a deafening pitch as Nigeria is aspiring to joining the league of the first 20 industrialized economies in the world by the year 2020. Is the 2020 project achievable under the current dismal state of the nation’s institutions and infrastructure? Nigeria cannot become a member of this enviable club without the necessary structure. This paper, therefore, examines the challenges facing the Nigerian economy and avers that Nigeria’s 2020 project will remain a dream without first resolving its longstanding institutional and infrastructural constraints. Details
Nigeria Venturing into Nuclear Age: Precautionary Measures Are Necessary. By Emeka Chiakwelu As a strategist, patriot and scientist, this paper seeks not to discourage Nigeria, who has come of age. But to elucidate the incessant vulnerability associated with this technology to Nigeria's policy makers and bureaucrats. Such a project associated with a danger of this magnitude proportion cannot treat in nonchalant mannerism akin to Nigeria's structural and institutional weakness. Nigeria needs a steady power supply and nuclear technology can play an active role in supplying reasonable quantity of energy to Nigeria. Details
Coca Cola and the Nigerian Muslims. By Muhammad Mahmud When I first saw the gigantic 36.5ft Christmas tree erected by the coca cola Bottling company at the national theatre, iganmu, Lagos, on the pages of newspapers, what came to my mind was why should a “national” theatre be Christianized by a business institution which is not even supposed to have a religion going by the maxim that “a company has no religion”. But I quickly reasoned that although Muslims are in the majority there, Lagos has a substantial number of Christians to prompt coca-cola into such act presumably to woo more customer. There is nothing wrong about that provided that the company cared to extend such compliment or its kind to the Muslims, I thought. Details
Dangote Cement Factory Contract Setbak Myopic. By Farouk Martins Dangote had said his goal was to see the price of cement at reasonable price in Nigeria but the way to do it is to encourage local production which he rightly embarked on. It is very difficult what exactly went wrong through the pages of newspapers but it is no secret that the Government gave import licenses to some other businessmen including Otedola which might have generated some bad blood. In Nigeria we call it bad bele. Aresa
ICRC or Competition Commission? By Abubakar Atiku Nuhu-Koko On Wednesday, 03 December 2008 a fellow columnist, Mr. Godwin Erapi wrote a column in Business Day newspaper with the heading: ICRC: yet another bureaucracy? The piece raised a number of pertinent issues, questions and concerns following the formal inauguration by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (UMYA) of the Board of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) on 27th November 2008. The ICRC is the latest addition to the burgeoning public bureaucracies in Nigeria, coming just after the creation of a new Ministry for the Niger Delta and the de-merging of the ministries previously merged by President Obasanjo in the twilight of his administration in 2007. Details
Perspectives On Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption War. By Akintokunbo A. Adejumo When the Obasanjo Administration took the bold step, never before taken in the history of Nigeria, to establish the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its counterpart, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) through several Acts, the majority of long-suffering and very angry Nigerians saw it as a way forward in curbing the excesses of those professional political charlatans and opportunists who somehow manipulated themselves into power, usually with the sole intention of plundering the treasury. Details
Lifting the Veil of a Chameleon. By Bosah Chinedu Nothing describes Femi Kuti hit song known as “wonder” when I read Joe Igbokwe’s articles captioned “PDP is the problem of Nigeria” published in the Nations newspaper of Thursday November 13 2008 and Guardian November 14 2008. The said article was his reaction to Prof. Ahmed Alkali-the PDP spokesman who was also reacting to those who hold the opinion that the activities of PDP are the reasons why we have so many problems and rather Nigerians should commend PDP. Joe Igbokwe was correct when he made it clear that the PDP have done more damage to our economy but was wrong when he claimed that PDP alone as a political party was to be blamed. Yes, to a large extent and degree but AC, ANPP, PPA etc., have equally contributed their quota in the decadence that is confronting Nigerians. Details
Jonah Jang: A Seed Of Dissention In Plateau. By Saleh Ibrahim Bature When the first and second genocide attempt of the Hausa Fulani settlers by the so-called indigenes of Plateau State struck their ugly blows in 2001 and 2004, very few were convinced that the palliative measures put in place by declaring a state of emergency in the state by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo could bring everlasting peace between the feuding groups. In the same vein, so also the election of Da Jonah Jang in April 2007 as the Executive Governor of Plateau State. Details
Saratu Ali's Rejoider on the Jos Genocide: What Yar'Adua Must Do. By Aminu Muhammad Baba Among her insinuations is that all the religious uprisings are caused by the Muslims. What particular report did she rely upon in arriving at this unkind and wicked conclusion? I’m sure even her CAN mentors would not agree with her on this allegation. For all I know, and this is one of the detrimental weaknesses of our current crop of leaders, none of the reports, if any, of the various investigative commissions, was made public. The only one we can objectively and authoritatively rely and refer to is the proceedings of the public trial following the Zangon Kataf crisis. Details
Machiavellian Election, Machiavellian Judgement. By Bosah Chinedu The Supreme Court judgement on the 2007 presidential election delivered on December 12 2008 as far as I am concerned is a judgement that reflects its time-nothing more, nothing less. It would have surprised me if the judgement had gone the other way round. Why? It is because the Judges and the ruling elite are not in any way under pressure of the suffering masses. Details
Nigeria: Hausa-Fulani’s Burden of Leadership. By Abdullah Musa The transformation of the political structure of Nigeria has not yet given us an acceptable living condition. We are at home with riots, killings, maiming; and we have our share of IDP’s (internally displaced persons). Can we say that we heard the last of crisis after the recent one in Jos? Nothing on the ground seems to suggest that. Of more importance to me is the fact that Nigerians seem to stick to their past, however ugly and unrewarding it might be. Details
Shekarau On Ribadu’s Dismissal. By Muhammadu Aminu, OFS The comments of people like Shekarau are not in anyway surprising. I live in Kano, I supported Malam Ibrahim Shekarau in 2003, I know how well he has justified the mandate he won in 2003 courtesy Buhari's SAK declaration. It is unfortunate Shekarau choose to destroy what made him popular - his superficial integrity and Buhari. Details
Banks And Money Laundering. By Les Leba For the majority of Nigerians who now live on less than $1 a day, banks are those architectural masterpieces which dwarf other less elegant and sometimes conservative and decrepit structures on major highroads all over the country. A visit to a bank is as auspicious, intimidating and unlikely as a stop over for lunch in Aso Rock by any one from the critical mass of impoverished Nigerians. Details
Banking Of Public Funds, Corruption & Double Speak! By Les Leba Many years from now, historians may conclude that the most obvious defining features of the first nine years of third Republic so far was the art of ‘double speak’ or in plain language, the penchant for insincerity and deception. Today most Nigerians are no longer in doubt that whenever government expresses its intensions to pursue noble ideals for the common good, in reality, the people would expect the direct converse of such propaganda. Details
Lessons from NigComSat and Our Technology Policy. By Ndubuisi Ekekwe Our nation wants to stand with giants and demonstrate our arrival in the space technology. But instead of doing it with pride by tasking our universities and research agencies through provision of resources to advance our space industry, we chose the easy way out. Simply, we hired Chinese for N40 billion to design, develop, manufacture and launch satellites with fanciful name NigComSat (Nigerian Communications Satellite). Except the name, there was nothing Nigerian about the whole experience. Details
Maurice Iwu’s INEC, Maurice Iwu’s Politics. By Benedict Okereke By ever comparing Nigeria’s electoral system, more so, as symbolised by the 2007 elections supervised by him to the near-perfect US electoral system as manifested in the November 2008 elections, Iwu can be likened to that kind of leader who believes that the led must either be blindfolded or brainwashed and told that snow is black not white, that coal is white not black and expected to be towed along. Details By Chido Onumah The Ribadu saga has become a national obsession, and rightly so. Corruption remains the greatest challenge of the Nigerian State. You can feel its fangs in everything that has gone wrong in Nigeria, including the bloody incident in Jos. Details
When Will Nigerians Get It Right? By Shehu Mustapha Chaji Most Nigerians, even those in position of authority do admit that things are not right. Even with abundant human and natural resources , poverty, illiteracy, corruption, lack of adequate social amenities just to mention a few are some of the features all over the country. Problems bedeviling Nigeria and Nigerians have made every Nigerian with exception of those in authority to become critics without the sincerity of providing alternative solution and the attempt to put things in order. Details
The Future of Igbos Under Delta State Presidency. By Gabriel Nwanze On the side of the Igbos from Delta and Rivers States, various accusations that range from negligence, favouritism ... are traded. Igbos from these areas have said time and again that the generality of Igbos never officially appreciate or celebrate their sons and daughters when appointed in office, or when remarkable achievements are made by them. A good example is the appointment of Sir Mike Okiro as the Inspector General of Police, being the first Igbo man to occupy the position since after the civil war. Details
Jonah Jang: The Milosovic of Jos. By Ahmad Salisu The Jang administration fixed Thursday deliberately when the result is announced on Friday and the avoidable crises erupted there is ample opportunity to the killers to entrap the Muslims in their Friday prayer mosque and their respective wives and children helpless in their homes. Details
Supreme Court’s Poor Judgment. By E. Terfa Ula-Lisa, Esq. The Judiciary as headed by the Supreme Court ought to have nullified or cancelled the elections of 2007, which everyone but everyone had termed patently flawed for non-compliance with the Electoral Laws. The Supreme Court had an opportunity to set the country on a path to the true Rule of Law by ordering a government of National Unity in the interim dominated by Outstanding persons not interested in elective positions to recalibrate and bring sanity to the electoral process, they failed. Details
Yes, Yar’Adua, Let The Immunity Clause Go! By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye Unless, this is merely another of those statements he usually makes to grab the headlines and circulate the misleading impression that some form of governance is going in Abuja, after which nothing more is ever heard about the matter again, last week’s call by President Umar Musa Yar’Adua on the National Assembly to expunge the irredeemably iniquitous Immunity Clause from the Nigerian Constitution, most surely, ranked, in my opinion, as the most significant thing the man had uttered since he assumed office in May 2007. Details
On Ledum Mitee's Committee's Report. By Okachikwu Dibia Niger Delta development abhors unemployment because when the people consistently study, criticize themselves and make their own corrections, they will develop along the areas where they have natural comparative advantages using their TALENTS polished by their own education. This process will make good sense because it is from the true people of the region to the true people of the region by the true people of the region. Going through the Ogoni Bill of Rights, this is what I see and not what the committee appears to have recommended. Details
FRSC: The Hard Road Ahead. By Chigozie Chikere Mr. Osita Chidoka should use the first quarter of 2009 to show that he is still sensitive to the pains of many Nigerian families who have at one time or the other lost a loved one to reckless driving and motorcycling. He should ensure, as he has always done, that the legislation on drink-driving, and the January 1 deadline for Motorcyclists’ Personal Protective Equipment bear the stamp of authority. Details
Yea! Yea! Our Naira Is Falling. By Farouk Martins Aresa Many of us have congratulated Professor Soludo on the stability of the naira which had been on a free fall until he skillfully applied his economic brake. If that stability was good for the naira, this falling trend cannot be good now. In fairness to him, he attempted to peg one hundred naira to a US dollar but was overruled by powers above him. We could have capitalized the temporary stability of the n aira on basic infrastructure needs. Oh yes, we could have and could have but for inconsistent government policies: Jakande’s 1981waste to power and Lagos underground transit. Details
Budget 2009: Dead On Arrival. By Les Leba In spite of a lot of movement but no real action in resolving the Niger Delta issue, there is no assurance that vandalisation, militancy and illegal bunkering will permit any output increase above the current inconsistent level of two million barrel/day. In addition, OPEC, the oil export association to which we belong has suggested further cuts in production by its members in order to prop up falling prices. A reduction of up to 10% may be on the cards and this may present serious challenges for our revenue expectations next year! Details
Power Sector Crisis: From Emergency Declaration to Strategic Action Plan & its Implementation. By Abubakar Atiku Nuhu-KokoFurthermore, on Thursday June 19, 2008, the National Economic Council (NEC) gave support and approved financial backing for President Umar Musa Yar’Adua’s plan to declare a state of emergency in the power sector. The NEC, which is chaired by Vice president Goodluck Jonathan and comprises the 36 States Governors, the Minister of FCT, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and Ministers of Finance and Planning also approved the release of a total amount of N628.29 billion ($5.37 billion) to be invested to resuscitate the crumbling power sector from the Excess Crude Oil Account. Details
Hausa/Fulani “Settlers” in Plateau State: What You Don't Know. By Mahamman Adarawa It is unfortunate that even after conducting a flawed election and using the opportunity provided by protest against the rigging to commit ethnic cleansing against Hausa/Fulani and Muslims, Jonah Jang and his government officials are still talking about “settlers” and "foreigners". The fact that they are not sober or reflective on the crimes they have committed and no one is calling them to order just showed the decadence in our political and judicial system. What it shows is that retired military officers and political office holders are at liberty to commit and even boast about their crimes. Details
Recent Jos Crises: Is My Dream Shattered? By Balarabe Yushau The residents of Jos have again found themselves in mayhem the consequence of which hundreds of lives have been lost and property worth billions of naira destroyed. As typical of any crises, most of the victims of these crises do not even know or have anything to do with the root cause of the problem. For instance, my friend as well as neighbor was just sleeping in his house on that faithful Friday when people came into his house and burnt him and his entire house to ashes. I know him very well as apolitical and also not that religious. In fact, his first wife was from Anaguta tribe though he was Hausa – just to show how detribalized he was. Details
Some Thoughts On Affordable and Social Housing in Nigeria. By Akintokunbo A Adejumo With a population estimated at over 140 million and rising, it is practically impossible to provide affordable housing for middle and low income Nigerians who constitute the bulk of the population, without a viable long-term mortgage lending scheme and a review of the Land Use Act. Long-term financing - mortgage financing and mortgage-backed securities - do not exist in Nigeria at the moment or exist in the rudimentary state at best. At present, a typical home buyer will have to make a down payment that range between 20% to 50% of the purchase price and then pay off the loan balance within 5 years. Details
The Bastardisation of our Education. By Abubakar Jimoh The current mass failures recorded in Senior Secondary Certificate Examination conducted by West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) where about 80% of the candidates that sat for the examination could not come out with minimum of five credits since the year 2001 to date. The major cause of the failure, so far could be traced to the government negative response and lackadaisical attitudes towards public schools in the country. Majority of the successful candidates, about 20% were confirmed to be candidates of various private schools mostly owned by the political administrators. Details
A permanent solution to this problem should include investigating and neutralising the Christian terrorist militia that takes opportunity of demonstrations to commit ethno religious cleansing. In addition proactive measures in flash points of riots and arson in the North like Kano and Kaduna states should be taken. The criminals should be apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law to prevent further occurrence. After rendering justice, political and social factors that led to the criminality should be taken in to consideration for long-term solution. Details
Revisiting the Jos Religious Crises: Religion or Poverty? By Suleiman Dankano, Ph.D. Governor Jang enough of your sermonizing while Plateau State is dying. The prophets must speak up against injustice, against the king and against politicians. Enough of the prosperity messages from our Pentecostal churches; preach the word, chastise the corrupt and prophesy against the king. Enough is enough. Details
JOS! Cover up of a Nigerian Genocide. By Kayode Ogundamisi Till date all the southwest governors keep mum on the massacre. The Lagos state governor whom I admire a lot but whom this days keep himself away from any Yoruba event as if identifying yourself with your race this days is a sin, was consulting with Nigerians in London whilst his Yoruba kinsmen are mourning in Lagos and other part of the South West. Details
Another View of the Jos Genocide. By Muhammad Lawal Ishaq The start of the riot went as planned by the Plateau State government and those in support of the agenda that led to the fixing of the election. Soon report of mass killing by “some people in police uniform” began pouring in from areas densely populated by Hausa/Fulani and Muslims. Such areas early affected include the 100% Muslim populated Unguwan Rogo and Unguwan Rimi. Others were Rikkos, Behind Katako Market, Nasarawa, Congo Junction etc. The Muslims in Tudun Wada, an area not far away from Kabong was also among the early casualties as all the Muslim settlements in the area were burnt down and some totally demolished after many of them were killed mercilessly by “men in uniform with guns”. Details
The Trails of Brother Ribadu. By Joshua Ocheja The pertinent question here is how did all go wrong in a jiffy for brother Ribadu? If you ask me I will say he was scapegoat of a (him). No doubt about his performances while at the helms of affairs at the nations anti corruption agency, by world standard he was fit to govern any country. But he goofed! Don’t ask me how? The paraphernalia of office blinded his sense of reasoning, taking into cognizance that Mankind is govern more by their feelings than by reason. Details
North: Another Decade Backward! By Kabiru Inuwa Tsakuwa The city of Jos has negatively changed from being a center of hospitality to the centre of ethnic/religious and political conflagrations. Gone are the golden days of yore when many people eagerly troupe to Jos in yuletide periods from many destinations to celebrate Sallah and/or Christmas with their families. Details
Kano: Of Criticism and Condemnation. By Saka Raji Audu The aftermath of such negativity is not usually palatable. It normally ends one in frustrations. The ongoing travails of the ex-chairman of the Economic/Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu is a classical case for any one to reminiscence about. During the heydays of the former President Obasanjo, the popular Nuhu Ribadu was used as EFCC boss to wrongly or rightly bring down some selected prominent politicians in his crusade against financial crimes. Perhaps, Ribadu was doing well in his financial crime war until the man that hired him decided to also make use of him for some dirty assignments. Details
Nigeria, Trade And Economic Diversification. By Abubakar M. Sambo The advantage of South Africa over Nigeria is in terms of industries. Most of these industries in South Africa engage in the production of finished goods for exports. They exports items like machines and equipments, Bonbons, caramels and candies, sardines, black tea, coconuts and foot wears to Ecuador, while Algeria exports sardines, Bananas, polyester, Roses, sanitary napkins, tampons and scopolamine. Details
Nigeria payment of foreign debt: The Largest Transfer of Wealth in Modern Time. By Emeka Chiakwelu The billions of dollars that Nigeria paid was larger than the donations the rich nations will be providing to poor countries in a period of ten years. The money paid to the rich nations of Paris Club and London Club of Creditors would have found its best use in Africa, if not in Nigeria. Details
What Hope? By Adelaja Adebanjo Nigerians always sit and watch always hoping that some greater power will come and save them from the abyss. While they have been fortunate in the past, I think that by now God must be tired of us, he must believe that there is no point helping a people that do not want to help themselves. Details
Still on Volunteerism in Managing Disaster. By Sa’adatu Ovosi Recently Nigeria faced another human-induced disaster that culminated to destruction of lives and properties in Jos Plateau State after an election. During the crisis everybody looked towards intervention of established agencies like the police, army amongst others for search and rescue mission. What about individuals and groups? Can they play any supportive roles in such an emergency? Details
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