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Mr. President: Thumps Up By Suleyman bin Muhammad odapu
Ever since the
General changed his name to chief to lead Nigeria for the second time
but this time around as a
civilian head I have never seen something worthy to praise his
government. It will be on
record that this is the first time I am writing in support of a move by
the president, this is not to say that he had done nothing good but off
course, most of the little good things he has done are not worthy of my
ink. But today I have no option but to thumbs up for Mr. president. Some of
president Obasonjo’s predicaments are the issue of Local Governments
and the state of insecurity in the nation. Ethno religious crisis
,starting from the president’s heartland the Yoruba nation,during the
O.P.C crisis were northerners were slaughtered like cows in abertour
preparation for a millennium party,to the religious killings of kaduna
,religious carnage in the most peaceful state capital in Nigeria,Jos.the
ethnic clashes in Nasarawa,Benue and Taraba states and of course the
aftermath in almighty Kano.Niger-Delta you must not be told.in all these
mayhems the government have been setting up committees to look in to the
crisis to find the causes and proffer solutions to curb further
occurances,but not for once have the perpetrators been brought to
book,to serve as deterant to others.it is only natural that for any
crisis there must be sponsors and perpetuators.but in Nigeria
particularly in plateau state crisis come just like that. Plateau state
which changed it’s motor from the HOME OF PEACE AND TOURISM to that of
HOME OF CRISIS AND TOUR-RISK (touring plateau is a risk) has never known
peace since 7th September 2007 when Jos went boiling .the crisis in
Plateau is unique from
other crisis.it is a crisis nurturedand so when it finally manifested
it’s ugly face make ups can not beautify it and not even the Arabian
perfume could cleanse the ardour.that is why it spreads fast like light
and wide like the world wide web. I salute
president Obasonjo’s courage when in a nation wide broadcast Tuesday
18th may 2004,he
took a very decisive decision.the president told Nigerians that the
crisis in Plateau is threatening peace
in Nasarawa,Benue,Bauchi,Kaduna,Kano and Abia states. President
Obasonjo had made efforts to bring peace in plateau,he has met with
elders and leaders of plateau state but to no avail.And Finally in order
to save a power acquired on a platter of goldthe president made use of
the military imposed constitution of 1999 which gave him powers to
declare STATE OF EMERGENCY
declared state of emergency on Plateau state .suspending the state
governor chief Joshua Dariye(a man who is yet to pay plateau state
workers more than 8 months salary) his deputy and the state house of
assembly.this is a decision not allo presidents can take on a state has
has many retired generals and P.D.P chieftains.yet Obasonjo took the
bull by the horn.one should not be afraid of taken decisions,history
forgives wrong decision but never indecision,and this is not even a
wrong decision. The appointment
of rtr.gen.Chris Ali former governor of defunct plateau state as
the sole administrator of Plateau state is putting a round peg in a
round hole.my advise is simply,the problem of plateau is too many
retired generals, poverty caused by drunkenness and dariye’s inability
to pay salaries to workers.the new administration should look into the
issue of salaries, indigenization,perpetuators brought to book.if
government can unveil the men behind the crisis and punish them,PLATEAU
WILL BE BACK On local
government obasonjo made his stand clear this again is a hard decision
but we have to embrace it all.some state governors are making millions
out of the Local government they created Salaries like I
wrote earlier is one of the reasons why plateau people are in
crisis,what do you expect from a people who might not get their salaries
because of newly created local government and every day they see
refugees camped in their state capital? reversing decisions is not
weakness instead it is wisdom. some thing should be done quickly in
Nasarawa state I praise
Obasonjo today but please don’t tell the president that I did, because
I am not a contractor or politician seeking appointment. these are wise
decisions. Mr. president I rise my thumbs up. Suleyman bin
Muhammad odapu Writers
collevtive Mass
communications department Bayero
university,kano ***
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