Ambush
of the Local Government Councils.
By
(GAMJI)
This is what I will refer to in this article as “Ambush of the Local Councils”. It is gratifying to note that this Olusegun Obasanjo that has been diametrically opposed to anything that has to do with Sovereign National Conference, is now albeit making a turn-around and setting up a panel that will tinker the existence of local councils. Details
Ghana and Nigeria: Stay Out of Liberia. By Jonathan Boakai
(GAMJI)
Liberia has a right to a democratic and peaceful society, free of war lords, occupation, and exploitation! So we don't need Ghana and Nigeria coming to continue the long reign of terror for their personal friend and their supporter, Charles Taylor! The only, single solution for our country is the removal of Taylor, NOW! Details
Big Rift Between President Obasanjo and His Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar. By Chika Onyeani
(GAMJI)
On the surface, it appeared that their relationship had been smoothened, but secretly Obasanjo, as I said earlier, doesn't forget and hence he secretly poured all kinds of funds into Adamawa State, where the Veepee hails from. The thrust of the whole campaign was to ensure that the PDP was humiliated at the polls by the rival ANPP. Obasanjo wanted to ensure that not only did the Adamawa governor loose, but the senators also lost to ANPP. He wanted to inflict the same kind of defeat at the Veepee as he had suffered at the hands of his own Yorubas, thereby diminishing the Veepee's stature in the country and his ambitions for 2007. Details
(GAMJI)
Today Olusegun Obasanjo is the President. And up till now nobody has been able to tell Nigerians what the man promised the voters to get re-elected. This is why many are rejecting the ballots as true reflection of the voters’ choice. But nobody has any concrete evidence to prove the claim, at least before a court of law or election tribunal. Details
That Wumi Akintide’s Neurotic Exercise - A Yoruba Déjà vu. “…Post Mortem on Biafra” Comparing Two Biafran Leaders…” By Peter Opara
(GAMJI)
To every Yoruba including those that I count as friends, who think like Wumi Akintide as on the title/subject of his write up, this for you. I will here expose Wumi Akintinde for what he is, a warped mind, a hypocrite and one afflicted with the worst kind of Oju-neuro-yorubaitis – Ojukwu induced neurosis. Details
An Open Letter to President Obasanjo: Nigeria Can Be Great. By Reno Omokri
(GAMJI)
Sir, I have a lot of faith in you because of the way you have been fair to all sections of the country, but you need to go beyond that, by opening up your mind to the best Nigeria has to offer, and listen to them. I know you have a good judgement, pick and chose, but listen to people, you are not supposed to be and can not be an epitome of knowledge. Details
MID-WEEK
ESSAY: On Fuel Price Hike -
and Why We Are Where We Are
In Ibadan, I visited an elderly relative in her home last week. There was no electricity in the home during my entire visit. NEPA had “taken light”, but during the course of my stay, she showed me a wrong bill from NEPA – for N227,000 – even though she lives in a modest home (not a factory), and in any case she was away in Lagos for that very month of the bill. Details
also read: STAR ARTICLE: Flaws in Petroleum Products Pricing. By Mobolaji E. Aluko, Ph.D.
Obasanjo and Kwanta Kwanta Politics. By Audu Zango
(GAMJI)
Professor Aminu is fast losing his respect and acceptance despite a previous good record of service because he continued to follow a corrupt and murderous regime, which stood for what he didn’t believe judging by his sayings (refer to his interview in Naija net before he came back from United States of America). He astonished a lot of his well wishers when he initially accepted defeat in the last elections but then was cajoled to renegade on his earlier stand by his masters in the PDP. Details
Free Market Subsidies Removal And Privatization The Examples In Nigeria America and Europe. By Paul I. Adujie
(GAMJI)
Well meaning Nigerians should continue to thoroughly examine the way the world works and activities of other countries, particularly those countries that are quick to make all kinds of prescription for Nigeria and other Africans, such examination would reveal, what many Nigerians already know and say, the concept known as free market is a myth. Details
Politics in Nigeria has for sometime now been characterised by the “dog eat dog” syndrome. It is where outsmarting the others has become the rule. There is the common goal and competition of how much politicians could milk the Nigerian state and who enters the stable with the biggest bowl. Their priorities in life exclude the highest priority of self-actualisation. Details
(GAMJI)
Two was the new issue raised by General Muhammadu Buhari that no winner of the self-succession election in 1964 and 1983 had completed the second term. General Buhari ought to have appreciated or he should have been told that the political environment today had changed, thanks to the fundamental restructuring that President Obasanjo working with Lt. General TY Danjuma as the Minister of Defense had effected in the armed forces since 1999. This is why the kind of violent military coup that ended the second term of Prime Minister Balewa in 1966 and of President Shagari in 1983 would not occur to end the administration of President Obasanjo during his second. Details
Jibril Aminu Through the Optical Lens. By Babayola Muhammadu Toungo
(GAMJI)
I am told that Jibril Aminu once theorised that most Nigerian leaders defy the basic law of optics. That is to say, whereas the nearer an object is to the observing eye, the bigger it appears; the closer you get to many a Nigerian leader, you find him more diminutive in calibre, character and stature. Et tu Prof.? Details
A Sinister Plot to Rehabilitate Chief S. L. Akintola: A Response to Ogunronbi's Article. By Michael O. Folorunso
(GAMJI)
Chief S. L. Akintola's contributions or/and legacies seem to be all that we are been fed with going on to two years now. One thing we can all agree with was that S. L. Akintola died in a hail of bullets, as bad as it might seem, S.L. Akintola fought back very bravely against his assailants, but his defense was a little short. S. L. Akintola died unceremoniously, and his bullet riddled dead body was displayed like the carcass of a dead animal for the public to see. Details
Response to Aliyu Tilde’s "The Fallacy of Carrying a Carmel and its Load". By Okey C.I. Anyanwu
(GAMJI)
Among other very important issues and persuasive arguments in the article, paragraph seven caught my attention, as it pertains to relations between the regions (states), and the federal government, and the implications for Nigeria's continued existence as a nation. Paradoxically, the power and influence of the federal government has been both, the anchor of Nigeria's continued existence as a nation, as well as its most profound vulnerability. Details
Fuel Price Increases and the Interest of the Masses. By Olatunde Afuwape
(GAMJI)
For argument sake, let us look at the reasons advanced by the Government and the opposition for and against the increase. The major thrust of the arguments for the increase were anchored on the following points: Details
(GAMJI)
I think it is a little hasty to go straight ahead with the production of identity cards without developing a comprehensive National database of the Nigerian citizen. For ID purpose, the sensible way forward is to start with the introduction of a National birth certificate that will hold the most critical ID information on an individual, that is the date and place of birth including information on parentage. Details
(GAMJI)
Development-conscious societies are constantly restructuring, updating and equipping their educational institutions with modern technologies, but Nigeria is still lagging too far behind in acquiring the rudimentary technologies for its educational institutions. Details
Virginity and Health Related Tests in Nigerian Schools: What Must Be Done. By Patrick Iroegbu
(GAMJI)
It is a widely known situation out there. And it is also a burning open chitchat in Nigeria that people in position of authority act more than their professional authority is allowable. In many cases, I had witnessed and also heard testimonies of students from Girls Schools and Vocational Institutions who had been examined for pregnancy by their school matrons (school moms) and counsellors. Details
Obasanjo's Government Thrives on Dubiety and Illegality (2). By Mike Onwukwe
(GAMJI)
Nigeria and Nigerians as at today are a punching bag of device. Nigerians deserve a persuasive and convincing explanation for the current fuel hike and not the IMF jargons being peddled to make a splash by State Officials. Details
Check It Out. By Dr. Wunmi Akintide
(GAMJI)
That simply means Kano is larger today in population than Lagos and Ibadan metropolis combined. If you believe that crap, I, sure, have an island to sell to you in the Pacific. The whole idea was to skew the revenue sharing formula all in favor of the North as a block. That is what it is. If Obasanjo’s new Government would allow all state governors wanting to create new Local Governments to do so, you can be sure that Kano would probably go up to 100 Local Governments with every hamlet becoming a Local Government. Details
Democracy Under Assault. By Chidi Peter Eze
(GAMJI)
Between October 1, 1960 and July 29, 1966, Nigerians witnessed the leaderships of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Gen. Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi. These leaders were patriotic and had Nigeria and Nigerians first and foremost in their minds as reflected in their policies and actions. Detail
(GAMJI)
Nigeria is so blessed. For instance, it has just emerged triumphantly from a “most peaceful election,” a feat most unprecedented. Indeed, all its problems are over. And so, for several weeks, its lucky children, the great beneficiaries of the “most peaceful election,” Details
FRIDAY DISCOURSE WITH DR. ALIYU TILDE
The Fallacy of Carrying A Camel And Its Load
(GAMJI WRITER)
Were governors in the North, for example, blessed with the drive and initiative of the Sardauna, their states would not have stayed behind, dependent and underdeveloped three and a half decades after his demise. The pride of the Sardauna would have driven them closer to ingenuity than to dependence. Details
Now What? What Do Nigerians And Nigeria Do Now? By Paul I. Adujie
(GAMJI)
All well meaning Nigerians, at home and overseas, should begin to seriously seek solutions to the problems that we are so good at analyzing and commenting on, so expertly! We should progress from diagnosis of policies issues to providing solutions with our expertise, our money, our connections, with our lobby and clout with whomever and start from whatever levels we are individually. Details
World Bank and Nigerian Poverty: Where Mr. President Goofed. By Abdulrahman Muhammad Dan-Asabe, Ph.D.
(GAMJI)
All Nigerians have the obligation to support this administration in its drive to bring our country out of the woods. In doing so however, it is our collective responsibility to draw attention to policy measures and utterances of our “leaders” that may boomerang on us, by which time, those responsible for such utterances or policies would have retired into their own private comfort. Details
(GAMJI)
Recent news report (Vanguard of 6/18/03, by Emma Ujah) about the sale of Mv Abuja the only ship owned and operated by Nigeria Unity Line (NUL) for a paltry sum of $3million dealt another disastrous blow on the much touted anti-corruption stand of the Obasanjo regime. The report among other things stated that the said vessel was bought in 1995 at the princely sum of $16.5 million at a time another ship built by the same company, was bought by Glob Pacific Inc. of Bremen, Germany at $9.5 million. Details
At this juncture in the misery-laden history of Nigeria, is it not necessary to ask ourselves, why is it that some Nigerians have ceaselessly been calling for a restructuring of the Nigeria state? Are the proponents of sovereign national conference spoilers and troublemakers? Are these Nigerians less patriotic than other Nigerians who support and prefer the status quo? Details
(GAMJI)
Taking a telescope view on this issue, is this what Nigerians deserve from their new brand President? – A man who is fast becoming an enigma. His personality is undefined. Thrice, he has been our President in a nation of One Hundred and Twenty Million people. Nigerians have submitted their sovereignty to be replaced with the sovereignty of Mr. President. Details
Mass Action: Its time for Action. By Dr. Abubakar A. Muhammad
(GAMJI)
Mass action is a peaceful, acceptable, down to earth protest against an illegal hegemony, against oppression, against the break up of law and order that the current imposition of rule by the PDP represents. Because the rights of the people have been raped by the “419” elections they have every right under our constitution to resist and topple the illegitimate government that Olusegun Obasanjo represents. Details
(GAMJI)
The sheer size of the police force makes a centralized authority absurd. As we know decentralization comes with power delegation and role specialization, which results in quicker decision and operation process. The economic and population dynamics at the present time demands a more sophisticated and highly mobile police force. Details
Misplaced Priorities and Claptrap Policies. By D. S. Dauda, MD.
(GAMJI)
In its most recent survey on standards of living within the last year, the World Bank indicated that at least seven Nigerians out of ten live below the poverty line...Thus we find that consequent to the aforementioned World Bank survey, which was released last month, the president, who apparently does not believe in its veracity, is constituting a survey team of his own and committing a whopping 200 million Naira just to prove the World Bank wrong! Details
Nigeria and Igbo people. By Emeka Njoku
(GAMJI)
Most
true Igbos are happy that Ojukwu is alive today even if we do not agree
with his partisan political involvement and antics. However,
Obasanjo: A Danger to the Genuine Interest of the Yoruba Race. By Olatunde A. Adio
(GAMJI)
The genesis of Obasanjo’s messianic complex since he handed over power in 1979 could be traced to what happened during or after the civil war in 1970. The fact that he received the instrument of surrender from the Biafran government, had always given him a false notion that he is superhero. Details
At the Mercy of a "Born-Again" Leader. By Ihas Idriess
(GAMJI)
Nobody
is talking of NEPA, for Nigerians now consider NEPA as not worthy of the
mental stress to discuss, as there is a constant decline in power, yet our
irrational leaders have all the time been claiming to have worked so hard
and have increased the power generation, funny! Details
(GAMJI)
Surely, Nigerians are doomed when their ‘elected’ leaders’ primary concern is how to periodically jack up the prices of a commodity so critical to the survival of the average Nigerian only for the purposes of sustaining big and bloated government, its interests, structures, and para-statals. Details
A one time Fulani minister of Education once saw an extraordinary vision of a true Nigeria and went ahead to proclaim that the problem of Nigeria was due to the mad rush for certificates by Nigerians from the south. Details
Between the Fanatic and the Heretic: The Farcical Comedy of the Wasted Generation and the Generational Dimensions of Nigeria's Travails. By Orok Edem
(GAMJI)
Though, I am yet to hear of Soyinka, being directly involved in an incident associated with cult violence on campus, this hero worshipper of theirs Bode Ogunlisi, a classic member of the confused generation, narrated a story as to how Soyinka, broke into the premises of the then Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation and destroyed government property, with an aim to inciting the public to destroy the then ‘nascent democracy’. Details
(GAMJI)
In Northern Nigeria for example, there is clearly high literacy rate, even noticeably higher than the literacy rate in the Southern parts of Nigeria, the fact that the North did not embrace Western World education or Western European definition of education, simply does not change the fact that most persons in the Northern parts of Nigeria can Read and Write in Arabic, and being able to Read and Write is sufficiently accepted definition of being a literate person, unless we are to say the Germans, the Chinese, the French and the Japanese etc are all illiterates as they conduct their lives not in English? Details
The Debt: What Nigeria Government owns to the Parents of the Deceased National Youth Service Corps Members (NYSC). By Murtala Bala Habu, III
(GAMJI)
NYSC members regardless of the school one graduated from, all Yoruba corps members should be posted to the Northern part, Igbo to the southern part, Hausa to the Eastern part and it should be on rotational basis. Minority groups should choose other geographical areas to serve and not their home states. Details
(GAMJI)
Even ANPP and AD knew that PDP has been using the machinery of the state to entice people in their respective power base in the last four years. If PDP clears the entire 30 states of the federation, I would not be surprised. PDP is in control of an octopus Federal Government that controls all, without exception. Details
"Further on Babangida and misrepresentation....a rejoinder to Wunmi Akintide's article". By Reno Omokri
(GAMJI)
Reading through Wunmi Akintide's article "Two of a kind" A snippet on Ibrahim Babangida......." one could immediately tell that he has a great deal of admiration for the man Babangida, and he wanted to convince the rest of us as to why we should likewise join him in his admiration. He took precious time to feel his article with words such as "IBB is a genius" "IBB's human relations was first class" and the "army is loyal to IBB". What Wunmi did not do is to tell us why with facts and examples buttressed by logic why IBB is any of these things. Details
(GAMJI)
Therefore, bad system and policies, as we all know, are bound to produce chaos and hardship in a society. The present fuel price hike could lead to social unrest and the attendant sociopolitical and economic problems if the issue is not resolved. Details
Community of Interest or Community Interest: Teaching or Avaricious Control. By Dr. Linus Abouya
(GAMJI)
There is little doubt that our educational system leaves much to be desired. While it is always easy to point to government who is rightly in charge of admonishing the affairs of the polity and who will always find an excuse to wriggle out of potentially trapping situations; it cannot be denied that the teaching profession is responsible for the education of the country. Details
Nigerians and the Need for a Vibrant National Assembly. By Mohammed Bala
(GAMJI)
Some nasty and outrageous deliberations were made during the time of the former National Assembly, to the dismay of the electorates. The issue of forged certificates by the first Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Salisu Buhari, who later resigned and prosecuted, was an eyesore and a disgrace for not only the Law makers, but to the Nation as a whole. Details
The Tragedy of Ignorance and Delusive Commentary. By Chidi Peter Eze
(GAMJI)
To the average Yoruba man or woman, Ojukwu is a rebel who led Ndiigbo to a civil war and does not deserve to live. Ndiigbo fought Nigeria in a war that almost tore her apart, so they do not deserve anything in Nigeria other than crumbs of the national pie. There is no doubt this statements reflect the policy of the Yoruba people and their ruling elites. Details
(GAMJI)
Awolowo had no soft spot for despots in uniform, and he said so loud and clear, but he got along fairly well with IBB. IBB’s Dodan Barracks was the last place Awolowo had visited to specially thank IBB for being so supportive of him in his last Birthday celebration on Earth. Being good to people is natural with IBB. He does not have to work hard at it like others have to specially do. Details
NIGERIA: The Test of Judiciary Independence and Democracy. By Dr. George Inyang
(GAMJI)
Since independence, the so-called three main tribal groups have been at loggerheads and holding the rest of the Nigerians as captives with their endless selfish struggle to dominate and rule others and loot as much as possible. The people from the West would prefer a society where they lead and dominate as a bunch of self-serving, demagogues whose only concern is the protection of their ethnocentric instinct and interest. Details
An
Imperial President and His Praetorian Guard. By
(GAMJI)
In their audit of the Nigerian military in 2002, MPRI reported, inter alia, that "78 per cent of the Army equipment is non-operational. The training of the troops had been virtually halted. All the 22 Mig 21, 15 Jaguar warplanes and two of the eight C-130 are grounded". The report also stated that "the Navy had 19 admirals for only nine seaworthy vessels". Details
WEEKEND MUSINGS WITH DR. NOWA OMOIGUI
(GAMJI WRITER)
And, now we come to the aspect of the Minister’s speech that upset Orok Edem and provoked his rejoinder http://www.gamji.com/NEWS2453.htm, which in turn set the stage for this investigational epilogue....Based on this author’s review of the subject matter, therefore, barring a full exposition of convincing counter-arguments by the government, one substantially concurs with the concerns raised by Orok Edem. I recommend that the Naval Base issue be revisited by a panel of Nigerian Naval Officers, former and current, the MOD, and/or the appropriate committees of the National Assembly – after which the Executive arm of government should retrace its steps. Details
FRIDAY DISCOURSE WITH DR. ALIYU TILDE
BluntPoint (2): Poverty of Heroes
(GAMJI WRITER)
Ige in the grave must be asking these questions: Where is his president friend – Obasanjo – to pursue his cause and console his family? Where is the “fire for fire” Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Tafa Balogun, to track his killers? Where is the justice ministry he once headed to diligently prosecute them? Where are his SAN colleagues and other members of the Nigerian Bar Association to protest the complacent attitude of government? Where are Afenifere, the Alliance for Democracy and the entire Yoruba ‘nation’ for whom he spent his talent and resources elevating above other ‘nations’ in country? Details
(GAMJI)
There is also a group of “bolekaja” critics whose motive is every other thing but the nation’s interest. These critics have an axe to grind with the person of Obasanjo and in some cases, his ethnic origin. Therefore, in addition to their use of every negative adjective on the president, it’s not unusual for them to extend the expletives to his hapless “kinsmen” and his race in entirety. Details
Recalling Nigerian President. By Umaru Dembo, mni
(GAMJI)
Further more , if we look at plans of the Oduduwas, we would find that if the continuance of Obasanjo on the throne ceases to be feasible, then they have a loose federation or a confederation which can allow the Oduduwas to have their own country, this means there will be plans of both self-success ion and declaration of independence of part of the Nigerian state by the Yorubas which the afenifere had been talking of. Details
Obasanjo's Government Thrives on Dubiety and Illegality. By Mike Onwukwe
(GAMJI)
The PDP as epitomized by President Obasanjo is a showcase of dubiety, debauchery and double standard. This article is not to cajole him. There is nothing in this regime that is transparent, the regime is plainly duplicitous. Details
Justice is Blind: Whither Nigeria? By Ritchie Ejiofor
(GAMJI)
During the Babaginda and Abacha romance with militocracy there was similar repeat of history where the judiciary was used to scurry the hopes of the oppressed. The whole drama involving the Association for better Nigeria (ABN) and Abiola court victory over the interim national government buttress this fact and this is now history, a history we have continuously been inundated to deal, a country where anything is possible! Details
Chasing Shadows: Trousers Ban in Abia. By Ike Anyanike, Esq.
(GAMJI)
In a letter released on June 10, 2003, under the hand of Ijiomah Okoh, head of department of Administration on behalf of T.O. Orji, the Chief of Staff to the governor, the governor's office warned that it has noted with shock the indecent manner females wore trousers to the government house, thereby portraying the house in bad light. The directive effectively banned such attire by females and further threatened to publicly disgrace any woman flouting the directive. Details
Constitutional Amendments Are Better Than National Conferences. By Paul I. Adujie
(GAMJI)
The trouble is that, the advocates of national conference are so LOUD! Perhaps that is clear and is the reason that the presidency may yield to the pressure and blackmail? I hope that political expediencies do not act to subvert our constitution and our laws! Some Nigerians instead of making the system and process work and fine-tune itself, they rather engage in quick fixes and unnecessary tinkering! Details
Danger Signal--As Obasanjo Starts Second Tenure. By Umaru Dembo, mni
(GAMJI)
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo made a broadcast to the nation to say that a Technical Committee would be set up to look at the restructure, this will really be a wound in the Constitution, and the very hard structure which will take Nigeria to a confederation is not what Nigerians need now. Details
(GAMJI)
The influence or pressure of ‘polygamous household’ and extended family system, and pressure to meet family obligations, which are more in Less Developed Countries, are some of the causes of corruption. Details
MNN's True Federation Charter For The Federal Republic of Nigeria. By Movement for New Nigeria (MNN) Forwarded by Emmanuel Uzo Obi
(GAMJI)
We, the members of Movement for a New Nigeria (MNN), hereby propose a working document for restructuring the Federal Republic of Nigeria into a true federation. Details
2003 Events: Is Political Sharia Prematurely Dead? By Lawal Karmanje
(GAMJI)
My hunch is that neither corruption/social vices has been eliminated, nor morality level uplifted nor social justice is practiced. Like the social and economic life, the political life of Islam is based on sound spiritual and moral foundations, and is guided by divine instructions. Details
The Road Map To Ending Corruption in Nigeria. By Abdulrahman Muhammad Dan-Asabe, Ph.D.
(GAMJI)
Your Excellency Sir, let me refer you to Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman’s Oga pata-pata theory on corruption – that if the ‘Oga pata-pata’ (overall head i.e. the leader) is not seen or perceived to be aboveboard by his/her followers, then there will be no incentive for the followers to aspire to be patriotic. This is the gospel truth and should be your starting point in your fight against corruption.Details
Are Developing Countries Truly Sovereign Nation-States? By Priye Torulagha
(GAMJI)
Perhaps, the solution to the "developing world" syndrome where nothing seems to work or go right due to the colonial heritage and utter mismanagement, is for each of these former colonies to organize national conferences where the indigenous stakeholders can candidly discuss ways in which to reinvent themselves politically as legitimate nation-states. Details