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Playing Maradona with Statistics. By Jideofor Adibe, PhD, LLM Following reports that Col (retired) Kangiwa Umar, the radical former military Governor of Kaduna State (August 1985 to June 1988) turned down an offer for a ministerial appointment; I sent him a text message disagreeing strongly with his decision. I argued that rejecting the appointment was wrong because social critics like him needed to prove that they can not only talk the talk but also walk the walk. Details
Et Tu - See Ebele Play Us Wayo. By Farouk Martins Aresa Et tu, Ebele? Many of us were expecting reinvigorated, mean and efficient cabinet from Ebele, what we got is so disappointingly “same old same old”. But it could be jealousy because some of us were neither made part of the cabinet nor members of PDP. Those of us that voted for change have to wait a little bit longer or consider our votes lost. There is no doubt though, that most of us are happy and celebrating especially if we are not from Northeast, Southwest or Lagos State in particular with a double cross. Details
Let Us Reform or Disband this NTA. By Dr. Anthony A Kila There is an open sore on the airwaves of Nigeria and since about a decade ago, thanks to technology, from Nigeria to the airwaves of practically the whole world. The sore is in the form of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). It is an open wound that hurts millions of Nigerians within and beyond the shores of Nigeria and it needs urgent healing; there is no other way of saying it, this NTA as it stands today needs to be either thoroughly reformed or completely disbanded. Details
Understanding Islamic Finance. By Shafiu Ibrahim Abdullahi The argument that Islamic banking is an agenda to Islamize Nigeria is not true because doing the same did not Islamize other countries that introduce the system before us. As ethical financial arrangement I am confidence that Islamic finance will help Nigeria in reducing the notorious problems of economic and financial scams that Nigeria is commonly associated with. But before all these, CBN and other relevant agencies must educate the Nigeria public first about this novel scheme. Details
Islamic Banking: Our Democratic Dividend. By Ma’aruf Tijjani Secondly, the Muslims are compelled to observe Sunday as a rest day when they have nothing spiritually to attend to as compared to Friday when they go out for Friday congregational prayers. We have been denied a work-free Fridays and were forced to accept Sunday as same thinking that we don’t deserve a no-work Friday. We tolerated this because we can forge ahead and that working on Fridays doesn’t make it impossible for us to hold our congregational prayers. This is another spiritual national sacrifice. Details By Salihu Moh. Lukman In the context of the Nigerian reality, we are dealing with adjustment of minimum wage from N5,500 to N18,000. Given empirical reality as it obtains in the federal civil service, we are dealing with a reality of an increase from the region of something around N10,000 to N18,000. In the states (with the exception of Lagos) and private sector organisations, we are dealing with basically increase from N5,500 to N18,000. Part of what needs to also be recognised is that the difference in earning between workers earning the minimum wage and the next level may just be N100, certainly not up to N500. Details
Nigerian youths and the masses will soon explode, and when they do, the lives of all those so-called leaders......the Emirs, Obas and Chiefs, the politicians and all, will be in danger and still Nigeria will disintegrate. The disintration of Nigeria is inevitable, Boko Haram or not, MEND or not, MASSOB or not, OPC or not. The sooner these leaders in Nigeria call for SNC or equivalent Conference of ethnic peoples in Nigeria to discuss and decide how Nigeria would be peacifully disintegrated, or form Confideration, the better, and lives would ne saved. Details
Engaging The State. By Abdullahi Musa There are lots of things wrong with the Nigerian nation. The current rulers think force will solve all political problems. I do not believe it will. As it is desirable for citizens to learn to engage the State peacefully through dialogue, then those in power should learn to really understand, and give room for the actualization of people’s aspirations. But the ruling elite seem uncomfortable opening up for new blood to enter the system. They prefer to keep on recycling the same materials, as if the nation is divided into castes: ruling elites, and subservient masses. Details
Engagement With Boko Haram: The Invalid Method. By Najeeb Abdulhamid Gambo Let me quickly make it clear to you that as I am penning this piece, I am still not clear about who this Boko Haram are? Are they in reality the students of the late Muhammad Yusuf or some sort of undercover group in the name of Boko Haram? Be that as it may, I still want opine that the military operation in Borno will not serve as a panacea to this perplexing problem. Details
Are Revolutions Really Worth The Hassle? By Jideofor Adibe, PhD, LLM Unfortunately the process of de-Nigerianisation – many otherwise ‘proud Nigerians’ by birth consciously or unconsciously renouncing their Nigerianness or subordinating it to other primordial identities – appears to be increasing at an alarming rate. If Jonathan’s presidency can resolve the crisis of the nation state, that will be an incremental progress that can be worth more than any revolution. Details
Mental Health Stresses and Migration: Celebrating Nigerian Immigrants to Connect. By Patrick Iroegbu This paper has worked through the challenges and implications of the isolation and misunderstanding that migrants face in a new place. It has also shown that the traditional approach of using ethno-cultural communities is still unequivocally important and renewable. Equally, the paper argued that mental challenges may stem from ignorance or the inability to relate and contribute to, or maneuver through, interracial and intercultural terrain. Details
Let the Local Governments Start Working. By Zayyad I. Muhammad The local government system in Nigeria is not working. The reason being that, some states government overwhelming control the third tier of government through the operation of the unpopular joint accounts, in addition to massive bribery, extortion, embezzlement, graft, nepotism and political patronage prevalent in the system. Details
Jungle Justice On Creators Of Poverty Not On Poor People. By Farouk Martins Aresa Obiageli Ezekwesili cannot be remembered for being one of the first in the government to echo our voices that governors were diverting local government funds into pockets. She raised the ire of governors threatening jungle justice, to sue her and asking OBJ to call her to order. She was lucky, her boss stood by her but they almost gave her a wound to nurse. Details
Changing Perceptions As Nigerian’s Milestone. By Ogwu Paul Okwuchukwu The messages emanating from Nigeria appears mixed. In one hand, we are witnessing some positive news and in another hand, we are confronted with some serious and dangerous trends in our match towards nationhood. It is important we find a way of harnessing and utilising the positive feelers and news from Nigeria. In addition, we need to tackle the obvious negatives that are not only capable of destabilising our cherished nationhood but are also capable of endangering and mitigating the positives. Details
The Nigeria of My Dreams. By Chido Onumah I have been told not to blame the current generation; that Nigerian youth have never had it so bad; that when my generation marched against military dictatorship, we went to school for free, we had three square meals in school, and many of us had jobs when we graduated. I empathize with our youth. Their feeling of frustration and alienation is justified. They have been duped and betrayed, not only by the Nigerian State, but by an opportunistic generation. Details
The Iniquity Of Greed. By Dr. Anthony Akinola Many Nigerians would want to go into politics today, not because they want to serve their nation but because they want to be rich. The salaries and allowances our elected politicians corner to themselves would amaze their counterparts even in the truly rich nations of the world. A senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria earns more money than the President of the United States of America. The Nigerian politician wins regular lottery in corrupt practices or shady deals. Details
The Nigerian education sector has over the years being facing serious problems of producing “half baked” graduates or what others termed to be “educated illiterates” in various fields of human endevour. What inspired me to start thinking of writing about this debatable and disturbing phenomenon was the recent pronouncement by the executive chairman of the Kano State Universal Basic Education, Malam Yakubu Adamu that about 75% of the teachers in the state primary schools across the state are not qualified to teach. Details
The Nigeria Police: A Victim of Its Own Method. By Suleiman M Jimoh For a security outfit which is supposed to protect Nigerians but has only professionalized in robbing, maiming, raping and killing of the citizens that pay the tax to fund it, it still expects them to dish out information to it when even armed-robbers are more trusted. The brutality, incompetence, corruption and criminality have made the Nigerian populace to see them more as an enemy than a friend. Details
Sanusi And The Myth Of Islamization. By Suraj Oyewale The introduction of Islamic banking, critics allege, is a grand attempt to Islamize Nigeria. The Islamization cry is not new in Nigeria. Some revisionists on the internet quote with reckless abandon a statement allegedly made by the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, that they(Muslims, Northerners) will not relent until Qur’an is dipped into the Atlantic Ocean, literally meaning Islam will be spread from the beginning to the end of Nigeria. Details
Peace: Boko Haram Demands More Than Ebele Security Vote. By Farouk Martins Aresa Terrorists cannot shoot their way into Aso Rock. Oh no, not in Nigeria. The two most prominent terrorists clamoring for attention in Aso Rock are MEND and Boko Haram militia. The history of terrorists taking power by coup, blackmail and threat are not new. A bill in the last Joint Houses of Thieves gave pension rights to past military leaders, in essence legalizing past military coups. When some dare devils forced their ways into power and were rewarded, there are others watching and waiting for their turns. General Buhari is closer to the truth. What is the difference between military coups, armed robbers and terrorists taking over by tulasi? Boko Haram may have started out as religious fanatics, their financiers today are not, but they are adopting them locally to wield power. Details
Boko Haram: The Terrorists Are Coming. By Aliyu Aliyu First of all it was the Niger Delta Militants brandishing sophisticated foreign made weapons, blowing up pipelines and other infrastructure vital to the nation’s development in the creeks of the delta. Then we started to hear about kidnappings of foreign expatriates and families of wealthy stakeholders in the region, the situation even degenerated to kidnapping of albinos who were later discovered to have little or nothing to pay for their ransom so much that their captors who wouldn’t agree to utterly loose out of the situation resorted to asking for recharge cards from their victim’s family as ransom for their release.
How to End Boko Haram Fire-Back. By Muhammad Ajah Whether Boko Haram is a terrorist or religious group is not a case to debate. Whatever nomenclature that has been ascribed to the group, the problem is that it has become a thorn on the flesh of Nigerians: government and the governed alike. If it is believed to be a terrorist group, then it is easy to conquer them because as one of the past Inspector General of Police would hold, operation fire for fire was the best option to fight criminals. They can easily be detected and crushed because they really have no spiritual backings. But if the group is believed to be a religious one, I am afraid they can be bought over with material inducements or defeated completely except when their demands are met. Details
This time around Nigerians are faced with a new problem in the form of terrorist jihadist militants going by the name of Boko Haram which means Western Education is forbidden in the Hausa dialect. Details
Bombing Nigeria, Bombing Our Senses. By Leonard Karshima Shilgba, PhD An important insight into the heart of the problem, which provides a glimmer of solution, is the fact that the group abhors western education. Although Boko Haram agents have been bombing Nigeria every so often, we Nigerians must not allow our senses to be equally bombed. An important weapon against their menace is quality education in the northern part of Nigeria, a part of the country that is fast breeding illiterates whose only value to society is no value; rather, the children of northern Nigeria have nuisance value for groups such as Boko Haram. Details
Yoruba Religious Freedom Model For World Peace. By Farouk Martins Aresa The real myth about Nigeria is that in spite of our differences, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and a mixture of other ethnic groups are all related. It may be difficult to understand by the way ethnic riots break out which are mainly for political and economic dominance. The history of Yoruba is assimilation and accommodation of other Africans. Even going by the history of Hausa and Igbo that may not be flattering to Yoruba, Hausa history claim one of their sons was “illegitimate” Yoruba. Igbo claim they were the original owner of Yoruba land. Somewhere in their histories, they admit their relationships. Details
Neither Speakership Nor Chairmanship, Just a Yoruba Nation. By Anthony A Kila In a country wherein elites are obsessed with political zoning and power sharing, it is natural and even understandable to see politicians and pundits engrossed in discussions and analysis about how the Yoruba nation (insipidly and annoyingly called South-West in Nigeria) was treated in the recently concluded power sharing arrangement process. Geographically, occupation of the offices considered the seven most important positions look like this Details
Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria and A Grateful Nation. By Paul I. Adujie Exuberance, elation and unrestrained joy, overflowed upon reading that A Federal High Court in Lagos, Nigeria awarded monetary compensations and damages in favor of some Nigerians who were arrested and detained unlawfully and arbitrarily!... The important thing here is not the money. Instead, it rather that a groundbreaking or landmark judgment or verdict was rendered in favor of a group of hapless Nigerian citizens who were singled out for unlawful, and arbitrary arrests and detentions, based primarily on the fact that these Nigerians are Muslims or that they are adherent of Islam or a particular religion. Details
Hyper Inflated Prices Begat Embittered Militia Hunting Us. By Farouk Martins Aresa Nigerians love life, it is unusual to recruit Nigerian as a suicide bomber. Family’s purchasing power find causes in slums of recruits for Boko Haram, Niger Delta, OPC, MASSOB, or Arewa. Believe it or not, the same family purchasing power drives pen and armed robbers into politics. If super inflated price all over the Country is killing middleclass, you can imagine what it is doing to disenchanted grassroots. Details
Institutional Building for National Development. By Ogwu Paul Okwuchukwu For us to get started in our quest for solid national development, we need to build sustainable and strong institutions. We need strong institutions for service delivery, government efficiency, strong policy and programme implementation. We also need to build capacity divorced from our individual, regional, religious and personal aggrandisement in order to encourage public and private sector sustenance. We cannot grow or achieve much if we depend on individual genius and personality cult and passion to run our public institutions. Details
A Time To Reform. By Nosa James-Igbinadolor The reality of terrorism and other anti-state violence is the exploitation of the inherent weaknesses in the operational capacity of the security services in order to demean the authority and vitiate the legitimacy of the government of the day. A weak security infrastructure certainly means a weak government. What is not in doubt to those of us who study and analyse security organisations and intelligence operations globally is that the Nigerian security services especially the police are not fit for purpose. They are operationally deficient, institutionally weak and structurally decayed. Details
“Education, education, education”. By Dr. Anthony Akinola The truth of the matter, forget about their corruption, is that no government is rich enough to fulfil all the educational aspirations of its people. The privileged among us must contribute their quota in making education available to all. Those who have benefitted from education and are now comfortable must remember to "plough back" into society and their former institutions. This has been one culture that keeps the great educational institutions of Europe and America at the very top. The culture of wanting to make our former schools, colleges and universities better than we left them, must be embraced by all. Details
Of Achievers and "Performing" Public Officers . By Tony IshiekweneYou see Nigerians routinely blabbing about one local government chairman or governor as been an "achiever" or he is a "a performer" just because he constructed some very poor, shabby roads or a market stall, as if he has by so doing performed wonders of extra-ordinary nature. Just because the leadership of Nigeria at all levels have given the people "stones" to eat instead of Bread and decent meals, well funded schools, hospitals and infrastructure, the little they do, at largely over-inflated costs- whilst carting away more than 50% of the budgeted costs, are praised to high heavens. For goodness sake, these public officers are been paid to do exactly that, or even more. Details
Ministers; Kerosene; And A Puny Federal Government. By Abdullahi Musa Did Nigerian women vote? What did they vote for? Did they vote so that they will be able to see the beautiful face of Diezene Alison Madueke on television and in newspapers? A Diezene who does not use kerosene to cook her family’s meals, or does not even cook at all? Was Diezene not the Minister for Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the ministry that owns and directs the NNPC? The very same ministry that makes us laughing stock to the world, when we are shown with plastic containers waiting for unavailable kerosene, which even when found will be immediately used only to return for further humiliation? Details
What Nigeria Stands To Benefit From Its Sovereign Wealth Fund. By Shafii Ndanusa Abuja, Nigeria Due to the inappropriate nature in the management of Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account, it became obvious that the issue of transparency and accountability is at the heart of the debate for the establishment of the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund. To address issues relating to this, Nigeria has decided to subscribe to the Santiago Principles in the management of its Sovereign Wealth Fund. Details
Another Take on June 12. By Jideofor Adibe, Ph.D. There is often a tendency to present June 12 as the greatest political wrong in our political history. This is wrong. While the annulment was wrong and condemnable, the truth is that it was only one of several wrong things that happened under the military. For instance both the First and Second Republics were terminated by military coups and people who won elections under those dispensations were wrongfully denied the opportunity to serve out their tenures – just as Abiola was denied his mandate. Details
Obasanjo: A Re-Reading. By Jideofor Adibe, Ph.D. I have always been very fascinated by the Obasanjo character. As a younger man in the late 1980s, I had accompanied the political activist and publisher Chief Arthur Nwankwo to one of the nocturnal meetings at Obasanjo’s Ota Farm. It was my first and only encounter with the Ota farmer. But I was very impressed. I recall he was wearing a rather cheap trousers, his shirt was wrongly buttoned and he was walking around bare feet. His Raleigh (or so it seemed) bicycle leaned against the wall of the modest one storey building in the farm. I was just too full of admiration for a former Head of State that embodied such simplicity. Over the years I have been both his ardent critic and a passionate admirer of some of his attributes. Details
The Folly of Nigerian Governors. By Dr. Anthony A Kila When it comes to utterances and conducts, Nigerian politicians have often displayed a level of audacity that verges on recklessness. The recent request, or is it suggestion, by Nigerian Governors asking the Federal Government to remove subsidies on petroleum products is one of those statements that one reads then asks is it true? Did they actually say that? After which, one cannot but sadly observe that such utterance lacks normal political prudence, it is at odds with popular feelings, economically controversially and hence conclude that it is pure political folly. Details
Now That Jaiz Has Been Given The Green Light. By Shafiu Ibrahim Abdullahi In the final note, the last may not be heard concerning the controversy on the introduction of Islamic banking into Nigeria. Some vested interest who out of their own agenda or ignorance have already started moves to ensure that Islamic Banking do not see the light of the day. Sanusi Lamido himself have to watch out because some of these moves are coming from his personal enemies who may not necessarily be anti Islamic banking, but to prostrate any good work that he wanted to achieved in order to settle previous scores. But some among these groups oppose to Islamic Banking are doing so because of Islamiphobia that continue to becloud their faculty of reasoning. Details
The Poverty of Rhetoric and the fight against terrorism in Nigeria. By Omoba Oladele Osinuga Esq. The activities of Boko Haram have been known for quite a while now. Reports of the group’s activities have appeared in the media and on the internet since 2009. The question we need to ask is that what level of preparedness and response do our security agencies have to combat the threat of Boko Haram? The menace and threat of this group presents is ipso facto a security and law enforcement issue however our lack of preparedness and response takes their menace and threat to a different level. This threatens the very existence of the Nigerian State. Details
Northern Nigeria, And Perpetual Problem Of Indolence And Sycophancy. By Auwal Hassan It is no doubt that Northern region of Nigeria produces prominent, famous, and notable leaders of Nigeria whom they fought & succeed for the gaining of Independence of our blessed country Nigeria. Among them are Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Sir Ahmadu Bello (The Sardauna of Sokoto), Dr. Yusuf Maitama sule (Dan Masani Kano) Malam Mudi Speaking to mention but few. All above mentioned had contributed immensely towards the success of the Independence and Development of the Northern region of Nigeria. But today the situation is sad, Indolence Popular in Hausa known as (MAULA) and Sycophancy also Known as (FADANCI OR DIGA MAI) have become rampant in Most of the activities of our contemporary Northerners an Obstacle which we have not Inherit from our fore fathers. Details
AG: EFCC & ICPC See No Evil- Do No Evil- Loot No Evil. By Farouk Martins Aresa Economic and Financial Crime Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices are government agencies that are created to prosecute corrupt felonious fellows in Nigeria. Their last boss Adoke dropped what some of us consider a bombshell during confirmation recently reiterating what most Nigerians have suspected all along that they are used to chase, harass, drop charges and negotiate with those that step on toes and looters. Putting it bluntly, they shake down opponents with illegal money and those out of favor.
Going by Adoke, they will never have the required manpower in a Country where many lawyers are looking for jobs, to really accomplish anything substantial. The solution to crime, as far as they are concerned, is simply take some of the ill-gotten gains and send it back to the treasury where it can easily leak into some pockets on its way. They may still be looking for money collected from Tafa Balogun or Abacha’s hard currencies located in a house guided by police and soldiers that suddenly disappeared. Details
The next war in Nigeria may have nothing to do with Boko Haram or Niger Delta, but all to do with labor and productivity. Currently the federal government of Nigeria and the states are in a logjam on who is responsible for the non implementation of the new minimum wage for public sector employees. The federal government and labor organizations claimed that they reached an agreement in principle that binds all state government to pay the agreed wage increase which seems substantial when you consider the paltry allocation each state gets from the federal purse. Details
Myths And The Struggle Of Socialists For Power In Nigeria. By Dr. Abayomi Ferreira Nigerian Marxists parade some mythical concepts as essentials for the socialist transformation of the country. This writer wishes to discuss the myths and determine their loci in serious political work in Nigeria. We are of the view that undue devotion to the myths amounts to wastage of intellect, resources that are already scarce and energies. Indeed, we estimate that such long-standing posture on our part is adverse to the interests of the working and other exploited classes for which we pose to work. Consequently, we want to assess the situations to enable us expend our limited resources on what will advance the work for the socialist transformation of Nigeria. Details
Kano: Inevitability Of Instability. By Mustapha Salisu The peace and stability of Kano State are being threatened ironically by the new state administration that is choked by hatred and vengeance. Barely three weeks in existence, Kano is very tense and one can easily smell it in the air. One of the greatest threats to the peace and stability of Kano is emergence of a new TERRORIST organization formed and sponsored by the state government called ASKARAWAN KWANKWASIYA meaning Kwankwaso Militia (POLICE)! Details
I’ll Be the First Victim of Revolution in Nigeria. By Adamu Muhd Usman I relish Obasanjo’s courage and boldness in speaking his mind, I have to commend him for contributing in national issues but I will condemn him in so many atrocities he committed to Nigeria and Nigerians. Obasanjo was a civil authoritarian and a great exploiter of humanity. Details
Vision 2020 And The Challenges Of Road Infrastructure. By Hadi Y. Al-Hassan Lastly, since investment in national roads could be utilized to implement the objective of our national growth and development as encapsulated in Vision 20:2020 Programme, government should establish special intervention fund similar to that of Banking and Textiles sectors, among others. This will ensure availability of funds which would accelerate road sector development and consequently promote regional, national and international trade and competitiveness; thereby enhancing efficiency in the movement of goods and services both internally and from external markets. Details
Past, Present And The Future. By Gbite Martins If you ask many considered educated people in Africa, especially black countries, whether they prefer government by one person that will change the lives of his or her people for better and permanently or rotational governments that keep failing their people, my presumption is, most of them will choose the latter as they were taught. Details
Liberated Hausa Talikawa Came To Our Rescue. By Farouk Martins Aresa Who do we call when Igbo and Yoruba get into one another’s face? As many of us were growing up, there was no ethnic group more modest, down to earth and more sincere than the Hausa. Unfortunately, many of our children will hear that almost as a fairy tale. In fact most Hausa or Kanuri are very contented until stirred up by religious passion, oil, in pursuit of social or economic control, as in Maiduguri or Jos. They tap unemployed pool of uninformed and unskilled talikawa. Their leaders’ affinity with foreign religion as a badge of honor makes them relevant. It is the easiest way to power and looting. Details
So Who Speaks For The Other Victims? By Solomon Iliya Since the gruesome murder of Dele Udoh, a promising Nigerian athlete, by a police man at a check point in the late 70s or early 80s (if my memory serves me right), we have had a plethora of incidents where police men shot unarmed citizens and after the initial hue and cry, nothing has come out of it. The police force has a very interesting defence each time one of their own shoots an unarmed citizen. It is either you hear that it was ‘accidental discharge’ (if it happens in public) or it is that the dead person was ‘an armed robbery suspect’ (when it happens behind public gaze). So who speaks for these other victims? Details
A Manual for a Sovereign National Conference in Nigeria. By Leonard Karshima Shilgba, PhD What service does Nigeria need from her legislators at this time? At this time, the foundation for national survival, national cohesion, and national development has not been laid yet. Now is not the time for self-deceit; now is not the time for pretence; it is certainly not the time for the usual menu. The menu must change, and the music tune must be altered. It is a necessary choice else the necessary thing would evolve. Details
Improving Legislative Participation In The Budget Process In Nigeria. By Hon. Yusuf Shittu Galambi It was only end of May, almost half way through the financial year that the Nigerian 2011 budget was finally assented to by President Goodluck Jonathan. In the eye of the Nigerian public, the budget process has being one gruesome and less beneficial exercise. This is more so because since 1999, the executive and the legislature have every year flexed muscles on various aspects of the budget. When eventually passed the intent of the budget is hardly met. Details
FOI and the Travails of Nigerian Journalists. By Muhammad Ajah The FOI law, analysis shows, seeks to provide public access to official records and information in line with public interest and protection of personal privacy. It also protects serving public officers from adverse consequences for disclosing certain information without authorisation and equally establishes procedures for the achievement of those purposes and related purposes thereof. Section 10 of the law stipulates a penalty of 3 years imprisonment for any officer or head of government who “tries to either willfully destroy any records kept in his/her custody or attempts to doctor or alter information before they are released to any person or entity requesting it.” Details
NYSC: Enough of This Yuguda's Campaign. By Ifeanyi Izeze How could anybody have expected the Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda to have been so insensitive and off- guarded in his statement in the public equating the horrific butchering of ten NYSC members serving in his state to the alleged “attack” on him in 1979, when undergoing his one year national youth service in Ibadan, Oyo State? Details By Solomon Iliya A few days ago, I saw what was in my opinion one of the greatest goofs by no other personality than the IGP, Mr Hafiz Ringim himself. How else do you explain a statement by the IGP that when some journalists asked him questions over the inability of the police force to handle issues of terrorism in Nigeria and he said he wondered why they have not asked the British why they have not sorted out the problem of terrorism in Northern Ireland all this while? Can you believe the man? Details
Yes, We Do Need A Bicameral National Assembly. By Jideofor Adibe, Ph.D. I agree that the jumbo pay of the legislators is simply obscene. To put this in perspective, the 11 Members who were suspended by the House leadership but reinstated by the courts are reportedly being owed 10 months salaries and allowances amounting to N120m each. This sum is the equivalent of about twenty years’ of a Professor’s salary or more than three times the annual salary of the British Prime Minister who earns £142,000 pounds per annum. Details
On That Attack On Our Emirs and Their Future Roles. By Ahmed Rasheed Makarfi the only CPC Governor in Nigeria, Mallam Al-Makura of Nasarawa state. Al-Makura, according to the said Daily Trust report, had during his inaugural address, appreciated the role of traditional rulers in the change process which he urged all and sundry o support for the development of the state, but warned that “however, in order not to fall into disrepute, they themselves must steer clear of partisan politics” Details
Political Decisions And Agricultural Development In Nigeria. By Idris U. Dankaka So many factors could be associated with the collapse of agricultural sector in Nigeria but the most important one is the conflicting political decisions. The problem of lack of continuity and frequent change of government policies pessimistically affect the country’s most important sector (Agriculture). Details
Nigeria Has No Bad Armed Forces But Bad Officers. By Farouk Martins Aresa The first time the Commander-In Chief of the Armed Forces said there were no bad soldiers but bad officers, some of us did a double flip because it came from no less a man than a general that became the head of state in a democratic setting. We all know that was OBJ talking as the head of the Army and leader of “elected” government. He also alerted us to the fact that Nigerian Police were recruiting creeps that became armed robbers. Praise or knock the man, we got that much out of him. Details
Is this the Democracy Nigerians Fought For? By Muhammad Ajah The way Nigerian politicians twist the laws to fit their selfish interests marvels me. Why is it that every Nigerian politician thinks that he or she is the best for any position, a position that is definitely tenured and a position which was occupied by predecessors? One of the greatest problems that is militating against our progress as a democratic nation is inability to first protect our laws and secondly enforce it on all categories of the citizenry. Details
International Criminal Court And Election Violence In The North. By Sulaiman Abdussamad Elections in Nigeria are formidable and protests and contestations in the aftermath form part of it. More so in sharply polarized elections like the ones we just had. What began as political riots unfortunately turned violent with rioters targeting members of the opposition and some vulnerable Christians. Reprisal attacks were also launched against Muslims in areas dominated by Christians. Scores of homes, churches and mosques were torched, people hacked to death and lots more forced to flee their homes. This is certainly intolerable and condemnable. Details
Buhari Vs Jonathan: A Forensic Dance Of The Witches. By Ifeanyi Izeze There are serious issues here: What makes Buhari and his party think that INEC will exactly seal the data capture machines and ballot papers used in the alleged fraud and stupidly hand them over to the CPC to use at the tribunal to prove that the same INEC who is the major defendant in the case committed fraud? Details
Recognising the Rights of Victims and Enforcing Their Fundamental Human Rights in the midst of Nigeria's Legal Order playing catch up to Social Unrest and Conflict. By Omoba Oladele Osinuga Esq. There may be those who say the government has performed its duty to the victims by its recent monetary compensation of 5 Million Naira to families and next of the kin of the victims of the recent violent unrests and riots. However whilst this gesture is laudable, it is unfair, disproportionate and an unreasonable assessment to quantify the potential earnings of the victims, the irreplaceable loss to the families and the human value and economic cost of the loss of young promising graduates to the country. More so the money spent on their education, well being and upkeep by their families cannot be refunded neither can what the economic and human cost loss to the government in the development and training of the young Corpers both in education and in the public service, NYSC. Details
CBN Governor Should Work for Real People. By Anthony A Kila Even when joyful, it is always advisable to keep one’s eyes open. The recent inclusion of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Lamido Sanusi, on the celebrated list of the 100 most influential people in world has filled many of us with pride and joy but a closer look at the achievements of his administration has also shown us that there is a missing trophy in the collection of the CBN Governor. He is still yet to win the Prize for being the people’s banker. Details
It is Time to Form a Yoruba Nation. By Anthony A Kila The political aspiration of the voters of the Yoruba region is to have a state that provides free education, free health care, massive infrastructural development, and an environment that allows trade and industry to flourish all in a vibrant intellectual milieu yet capable of partying. They are after all the masters of owanbe. These aspirations should form the paradigm upon which the elected governors and legislators of the Yoruba regions should build their policies and programmes. They should aspire to these ideals when thinking of the ideal government for their voters. Details
Short Changing the Ndigbo: Victims and Perpetrators. By Anthony A Kila Like many of the Ndigbo elites you read and hear in the media these days, I agree that yes the Ndigbo are being politically shortchanged but therein ends our limited area of convergence. Unlike those Ndigbo sociopolitical and partisan leaders, some of us do not believe that the perpetrators of such bad service are some alien anti Ndigbo group or party to be fought by strong Ndigbo elites on the pages of newspapers and on TV. For some of us, the worst offenders against the interest of the people are above all these same Ndibgo elites. Details
Robbing Sanusi To Pay Aganga With Foreign Reserve. By Farouk Martins Aresa You want US dollars and pound sterling? Work hard for it with your sweat; sell your goods and services at international market, then collect. Please forgive some of us for being so hard headed. We just don’t get it. How anyone can float hard currency that the Country does not print for every Sanusi and Aganga to buy anything they want anywhere in the name of freedom and democracy beats us. Details
Nigeria: For Post-Independence Nigerians. By Leonard Karshima Shilgba, PhD We need a president who will stop importation of steel products by reviving the steel plants in Nigeria. We need a president who will not just pour money into the revival of textile industry in Nigeria, but who also will support commercial production of cotton to feed those industries. We need a president who will guarantee output gain by farmers through product market sourcing and strategic compensation on harvests. We need a president who will support the provision of infrastructure both for our mental health (education) and physical welfare (health). Details
Post-Election Violence: The Socio-Economic Implications. By Abubakar Jimoh In an attempt to analyze class division and struggle in human society, a German political philosopher and revolutionist; Karl Marx observes that the history of all hitherto existing human society is the history of class struggles. Class struggles would emerge from the feeling of social inequality, preferential treatment before the law, social recognition; all these are found in our socio-economic, political and religious institutions today in Nigeria. Details
Towards A More Integrative Party System. By Anthony Akinola Regardless of our legendary dishonesty, the idea of “zoning” or “rotation" has been, for decades, an integral part of our political discussions and calculations. However, its positive implications for integration have not been fully digested. Most tend to look at it from the pedestrian level of sharing political offices but it is more than that. This writer has clung to the idea of a formalised zoning arrangement, particularly at the level of the presidency, not least because of its positive implications for the electoral behaviour of Nigerians and the development of the party system generally. Details
Nigeria: The Prospects of One Party State. By Abdullah Musa From the little history that I know, which is also common knowledge to many, no party that had ever held power at the federal level in Nigeria lost any election which it organized; adding the word ‘independent’ to INEC notwithstanding. Details
The present political crisis is as a result of the dominance of a few privileged persons in the polity and economy. It is only when the mass of the people are drawn into political activities that the political process will be viable and reshaped. And that could only be possible with party or parties run democratically and have programs that defend the economic interest of the vast majority; a party that rejects neo-liberal policies and programs, creates job through massive investment in infrastructure and such that will have the working class in the driving seat. Details
PDP Zoning : What Goes Around, Comes Around Or IBB, Zoning and matters arising. By Adamu Muhd Usman Zoning, is an art of shifting power between the north and the south, it is the zoning of the office of the President and other political offices to the various geo-political zones in a bid to balance the political equation and solve the political arithmetic. The former senate president late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo once said “It takes political sagacity to fathom the political arithmetic”. Rotational Presidency or zoning as the case may be was designed, orchestrated, and schemed towards curbing the hues, cries, and agitations of marginalization by some geo-political zones and to bring about peace and stability in our polity. Details
Zoning: The Fire Next Time. By Jideofor Adibe From all indications the issues raised by the PDP’s zoning and power rotation arrangements during the party’s acrimonious presidential primaries are far from resolved. At that time the anti-zoning lobby advanced several arguments why zoning and power rotation arrangements were either not good for the country or should not be a hindrance to Jonathan contesting. The zoning proponents too had their own arguments. In the end Jonathan contested and won. In theory that would have resolved the zoning controversy. Details
2011 Election and the Orka Agenda. By Aminu F. Hamajoda Back in 1990s, the core of Gideon Orka’s speech was preceded by an intense focus on the ‘Hausa –Fulani Hegemony’ discourse by the southern press, in beer parlors and group lamentations in the middle belt and the south. Orka summarized the theme of the discourse in his startling coup speech by saying; ‘Our history is replete with numerous and uncontrollable instances of callous and insensitive dominatory repressive intrigues by those who think it is their birthright to dominate till eternity the political and economic privileges of this great country to the exclusion of the people of the Middle Belt and the South. They have almost succeeded in subjugating the Middle Belt and making them voiceless and now extending same to the South’. Details
Is Nigeria A Sick Nation? By Saleh Ibrahim Bature Let me begin with these posers - Does Nigeria need any American intelligence report or Muammar Gaddafi’s prognosis, no matter how silly they sound, to know that our country is slightly, but dangerously moving to the precipice. The problem with Nigerians is that we have a rather paternalistic view of our country’s ability to remain as an indivisible entity, despite the reality on the ground. We often take too much for granted. In the last twenty five years of its rowdy existence as a nation, Nigeria has known no peace. The list of crisis we have witnessed in the recent past is endless. Our history within that period is replete with tribal sentiment, hatred, intolerance and bloodbath. Details
Army/Police Clash. Which Way Forward. By Solomon Iliya While the nation is trying to get into the euphoria of a successful election and inauguration of the new government, we were greeted with the sad incident of a policeman allegedly shooting a soldier over a minor argument and the reprisal that followed leading to the death of a DPO, DCO, and some other policemen. One would have thought that in the spirit of interagency cooperation such incidents are a thing of the past, but sadly it is on the rise. So what happens to the rest of us who do not know the difference between the rifle and the gun or any of such things when people who ought to be protecting us are busy annihilating themselves? Details
Speakership Crisis: Dangers of Religious Politics in Nigeria. By Muhammad Ajah But many people of the southern Nigeria do not look at this fact from a common man sight. They believe that northern Muslims dominated the nation’s leadership. They do seem to forget that the longest serving Military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon is a staunch Christian. Or they claim that his names are Hausa or Islamically inclined. Details
The North, Its Agriculture And Jonathan’s New Mandate. By Shafiu Ibrahim Abdullahi To my knowledge Jonathan has not put in place any concrete master plan for the transformation of our agriculture, what we have in the last one year is short outbursts and promises to calm minds given during conferences and interviews. To have a grasp of the non importance of agriculture in Jonathan agenda, just have a look at his 2011 budget, the percentage given to the sector and the areas where the amount is to be spent will tell you more about his government. Details
Tragedy Of A Service Year. By Suraj Oyewale This brings us to the question, should NYSC be scrapped? When similar debate erupted in 2007 when the Directorate was hit by acute lack of funds to continue financing the programme, I lent my voice to the debate. In my article titled ‘The NYSC Debacle’ published by several newspapers in July 2007, I opined that the “programme (should) be made voluntary and employers should be compelled not to make presentation of NYSC discharge certificate mandatory in their recruitment exercises. Let graduates who wish to participate in the exercise register their interest immediately after graduating and those who do not wish to participate in the exercise should be issued certificate of voluntary exemption. This way, the number of people being mobilized for the programme annually will reduce and the problem of insufficient funds will be solved.” Details
PHCN is Killing Us! By Mallam Gandu On several occasions, when the agents of darkness aka PHCN strike, it takes me quite a lot of effort to control the sudden wave of psychological stress that overwhelms me. If it happens while I am at home with my family, after soothing my own stress, I find myself carrying the burden of having to calm down one or more of my family members who is over-reacting to the momentary torture we were being subjected to. Details
Welcome On Board With President As you begin a new term in office, it is important, to see your victory as a victory for all Nigerians, not as victory for one side of the country. You must not see the north as an enemy to dealt with; due to the violence that greeted your announcement as President elect. But, you must do everything within your powers, to assuager the fear of the northern against your presidency; especially by calling your kinsmen and the so called militants to see your victory not as a conquering of the almighty northern political machinery but, as victory for all Nigerians. The outburst of people like Asari Dokubo, and his demonizing comments against the north, without your disclaimers, will send a wrong signal to people in the region that, he Asari has your blessing Details
Shekarau, Kwankwaso, and the N4 Billion Hotel Bill Question. By Suleiman Uba Gaya Last Monday, Daily Trust carried on its front page, a story told by the Transition Committee appointed by Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, Kano Governor-Elect, to the effect that the outgoing administration of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau has spent a whopping N4 billion on hotel bills in the course of eight years of its stewardship. Sadly, some readers just swallowed hook, line and sinker, the story without even according the accused, the benefit of doubt. With the hatred Kwankwaso openly exhibits against Shekarau, which led him in 2001 to demote the latter from the position of permanent secretary to classroom teacher, worse allegations shall be expected. Details
Shekarau and His Post-Election Critics. By Saka Raji Audu Naturally, as human being, Shekarau like any other politician has his own weakness because no one but God is infallible. But whatever is Shekarau's undoing, the fact still remains that he has diligently played his role since in Shakespeare's words, "life is a stage where every one plays his part." This is why critics of Shekarau could always have says while the truth will eventually have its way. Details
Governor Rochas Okorocha And His Herculian Task Of Imo State Governance. By Nwimo Udoye Let’s not forget the eradication of Okada in Owerri. Now, one precious Igbo Keke driver carries 5 passengers at a time in relative safety and comfort, instead one Okada rider on a dangerous two-wheel bike, with its attendant congestion of Owerri traffic and other chaos and vices Okada transportation culture wrought on Owerri residents. Even in the Imo villages now, Okada is no longer a full time vocation, a major psychological reversal and shift; and gain for Imo people from the anti Okada campaigns. Details
Jonathan and the Crisis of the Nation-State. By Jideofor Adibe, PhD, LLM My personal opinion is that the acrimonies and violence that followed the presidential polls in some parts of the North are reflective of the crisis in our nation- building project. There are several salient issues here: Details
Nigeria: The Prospects of One Party State. By Abdullah Musa We all know it that Nigeria is a not a united country. No country with population diversity, and differences of religion such as ours, can ever hope to achieve a unity of an England for example. I thus believe that if we want to enjoy more semblances of peace in the future, we have to amend the Constitution to build-in safeguards for future election losers: this should be possible even if it is the governing party that loses. Details
PDP Needs Vigorous And Credible Opposition. By Farouk Martins Aresa Presidential, unlike parliamentary system is winner takes all especially if the same party controls the Senate and the House. In order to get a credible opposition, we must move forward, not backwards to what many of us had wished for: voting for opposing parties at the State and Federal levels to curb abuse of power. Details
Our Democracy Project: The Journey so Far. By Jideofor Adibe One, Jega had two things coming into the elections – one worked in his favour, the other against him. His predecessor in office, Professor Maurice Iwu, had organised a sham in 2007 which any breathing goat would have no difficulty dismissing as non-election. The baseline for comparing Professor Jega’s efforts was therefore extremely favourable. But Jega also came with an over rated credibility tag, which raised expectations beyond realistic limits. Details
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