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Crude Oil Price Crash and the Diversification of the Economy. By Jide Ayobolu President Muhammadu Buhari has already diversified the Nigerian economy, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has claimed. He pointed to Nigeria’s exiting of recession as proof that some other critical sectors like agriculture and mining were now contributing significantly to the economic base of the nation. Details
My Recollection of the Late Mallam Abba Kyari. By Abdullahi Usman And, unless he went on to learn how to drive after leaving UBA in June 2001, Mallam Abba might very well have spent his entire 67 years sojourn on this planet without learning how to drive a car. Details
COVID-19 Pandemic and the Days that Follow! By Abiodun Komolafe I have argued elsewhere that the palliative gesture of governments in Nigeria has shown that they have no idea at all how hungry the people are; how many people are indeed poor and the peculiarity of each of the federating states. Details
COVID-19 In Nigeria: Palliatives Without Relief. By Comrade Chinedu Bosah The adage that ‘one cannot learn how to dance at old age’, best fits the Nigerian ruling elite who failed in normal period and will fail the more in an emergency situation. The relief materials being distributed to a very tiny part of the population cannot provide relief. Details
The Minister [Aviation] needs to understand that for obvious reasons, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has less inherent authority to respond to pandemics than governors. In order words, the Governor of a state and his people are closer to each other and are at the receiving end of the pandemics. Details
COVID-19 Aftermath: The Brewing Crisis. By Nathaniel Dortie Is there life after Covid-19 for Nigerians? Please fasten your belt because the ride will be rough. Our leaders must, as a matter of necessity, quickly go to the drawing table, to prepare the economic palliatives necessary to keep the economy afloat. Cognisance must be given to the substantive role of the informal sector because it is this base that employs majority of Nigerians. Details
The ontology of access to education has changed from access to the physical structure of learning in the schools and extends to access to modern instruments of teaching and learning. Hence, demands for access to quality education been a key component of sustainable development goal SDG 4 should equally include the provision of digital infrastructures for online learning in our schools. Details
In an era of information explosion, driven by the tools and technologies of the social media, so many experts have crowded the public space to the extent of muffling official views and authoritative positions. Details
Reducing the Cost Of Governance. By Anthony Akinola Agitation or call for reduction in the cost of governance has been rather perennial. I wrote on this very topic sometime in the 1980s for the London-based West Africa magazine. I had then called for a reduction in the number of senatorial seats per state, which then was five. I had also called for a reduction in the number of ministers and advisers – all these in the Nigerian Second Republic. Details
Revisiting a National Political Debate. By Edwin Madunagu I declare that the Nigerian Left, struggling within and outside the Political Bureau, played a critical role both in the debate and in the process leading to the report whose highest point was the recommendation of socialism as successor social system for Nigeria. I also declare that, in particular, the Nigerian Left recorded a clear victory not only on the issue of traditional rulers and traditional rulership, but also on state and religion, state creation, the role of Labour, the role of Women, and state support for the Weak and Vulnerable, etc. Details
The Imperatives of a Post-Coronaviruse Nigeria. By Anthony Akinola However, in Nigeria, the global crisis has merely provided our politicians with an opportunity to want to score cheap political points at the expense of the other, and time for those who had grouses with their government to want to embark on a crippling strike action. Details
“Corona” Unlike Ebola-a Call for Caution and Way Forward in Nigeria. By Dr. Bukar Abba Zarami Nigeria has an estimated population of 200 million people, 5.4 million is elderly (greater than 65 years), a reported doctor to patient ratio of 1;2500, but in reality, it is around 1;5000 due to brain drain. This means a single doctor caters to a population of 5000 people against the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of one doctor to 1000 people. We also have low availability of oxygen equipment and mechanical ventilators in our hospitals. The average Nigerian State has less than 15 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds (ICU is a place where critically ill patients are managed). Approximately about 50% of ICU beds have mechanical ventilators. I doubt if the whole country has up to 500 mechanical ventilators. Details
Abdullahi has been denied his salary and other allowances since December 2017, threatened, blacklisted, arrested and sued. All of this for acting professionally and responding patriotically to the call of the Nigerian government asking citizens to join the fight against corruption by blowing the whistle on corrupt practices and other forms of wrongdoing in the country. Details
The Ugly Spectacle of Street Begging. By Anthony Akinola On the contrary, in Nigeria, government at the local, state and federal levels lacks the moral justification to reproach begging in the streets. There are very many vulnerable Nigerians, including the physically challenged and extremely poor, who are abandoned to fend for themselves. Details
What is in Pronunciation? By Professor Abdussamad Umar Jibia This is how we have been tolerating southerners in our country. Once you are a Northerner, you have no right to speak English. The only sin of Dr. M. T. Liman, Abatcha’s minister of Education, for example, was speaking with Northern accent. Of course he said many unsavory things about Lecturers but his predecessor Prof. Nwabueze did worse. At the end of the day M. T. Liman was nicknamed, “empty–lay-man” by some Southerners and some Northerners foolishly echoed. Details
Petrol Price Reduction: A Greek Gift. By Manwu Samuel From the foregoing, it will be a wise thing, for Nigerians to start preparing their mind for another period of fuel scarcity as a result of increment in the pump price. But the question is: if the government is planning to increase petrol price after some months why reduce it or is the reduction a kind of coronavirus relief measure for the populace which will not attract another indirect hardship on the citizens sooner or later? Details
Beyond The COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Nigeria: A View from MPAC. By Abdul-Warith Solanke Muslim Public Affair Centre, MPAC Nigeria warns Lack of a coherent and special social protection initiative specifically to deal with the individual economic challenges of Nigerians may work against the fight against the spread of the Corona virus infection. Details
Sixty Years, Sixty Voices: Essays on Nigeria at 60. By Chido Onumah The aim of this project, therefore, is to produce a book of 60 essays on Nigeria—60 Years, 60 Voices – Essays on Nigeria at Sixty—by young Nigerians, the critical change agents, to help the country understand and sharpen its focus on those issues that hold the key to our collective survival as a people. Details
Coronavirus and the Casual State. By Anthony Akinola These temporary measures have had to be taken in the national interest and have had nothing to do with relations, cordial or otherwise, between nations. Nigeria may have been rather casual in all of these. Flight restrictions have neither been made, nor testing and quarantine measures taken with the seriousness the crisis demands. There seems to be an assumption on the part of the Nigerian government that banning flights from some countries reflect bad relations-a very naive assumption in the face of current crisis. Details
Road To The House. By E. Francis Waive. Book Review by Dr. Otive Igbuzor The monograph, Road to the House is the story of why and how a Pastor and a General Overseer of the Church of Anointing decided to go into the murky waters of politics in Nigeria. Details
Alternative Views On Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. By Lawrence P. Ganchok Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as a Presidential candidate will have given any other candidates in Nigeria bloodied noses. The usual accusation on him would have been the usual-he is Fulani, a Northerner, born to rule, his degree is in Islamic Shariah etc but never for charisma, leadership qualities, international connection and recognition or pragmatism. Details
The Unfair Use of the $500m Loan That Must Not Be Allowed To Happen. By Abdulkareem Mohammed Already, the burden of debt is getting heavier on the Nigerian nation and its citizens. And to crown the burden with any inappropriate usage of loan(s) must not be allowed to happen. The judicious use of any loan is an inalienable rights of citizens to demand from the leadership. Therefore, I hereby humbly submit that the Federal Government’s intention to utilize $245m of the $500m for an “ultra-modern media city” at Ogijo Ikorodu in Ogun state is grossly unfair, unjust and inappropriate. Why? Details
Revisiting Jokolo’s Continuing Unjust Incarceration: In Retrospect By Abdullahi Usman A situation where the government would insist on applying an outdated primitive colonial practice of banishing deposed traditional rulers to remote areas, very far away from their places of domicile, should have no place in modern day Nigeria, and must simply be done away with, without further delay. Details
For us in Nigeria, we are not impeded by any lack of appreciation of our development crisis. Rather, we are constrained mainly by the politics of approaches and choices we take to push through our reform projects. For this reason, we often disagree or vacillate while trying to generate ideas in the planning stage or we waste time and resources in the implementation stage to compound our challenges. Details
“Insecurity” in Nigeria: What can the Left do? By Edwin Madunagu Having said all this, what can the Nigerian Left do on the current state of “insecurity” and “threatening state of failure’’: generalized violent attacks on the masses by Boko Haram, “Islamic State”, armed robbers, kidnappers, “bandits”, cattle herders, political thugs, armed agents of the state, etc? The fundamental demand that should be made on the Nigerian state is that everything should be done within the Constitution to protect the masses – at no extra cost to them, but rather, with a substantial reduction of their current existential burden. Details
Using Technology to Boost Agriculture. By Jide Ayobolu President Muhammadu Buhari recently in Abuja pledged that the Federal Government will sustain the deployment of Geographic Information Services (GIS) and other similar technologies to help farmers achieve increased production. Details
A Barrier to Progress: Nigeria’s (Un)Just Law and Order. By Najib S. Kazaure The foundation of our staggering deficiency of law and order is a dysfunctional criminal justice system that begins with a force. Despite having a police force whose job is to serve and protect citizens, our record of security is a far cry from standard expectations. Rather than rely on the police for safety and security, wit, planning, and communal support are the tool kits many Nigerian possess soon as they leave their houses. Details
Repositioning the cocoa industry for maximum economic growth. By Jide Ayobolu Nigeria could perhaps take a closer look at the success of Ivory Coast, Ghana, and others, and consider emulating and hopefully repeating their success in the processing of cocoa beans into chocolate and other products to earn more money. The Government has taken note of this and, along with the Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN), has set out a 10-year action plan to boost the agriculture sector. The Buhari administration wants to revive agriculture even more so as a result of the massive drop in crude oil prices, which has negated the country’s economy. Details
Strengthening the ease of doing business. By Jide Ayobolu Over the last three years, Nigeria moved up 39 places from 170 to 131, on the World Bank Doing Business index. During the same period, the World Bank has recognised Nigeria as top 10 most improved economy. Some key reforms implemented since 2016 included the automation of companies’ registration by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and facilitating the legal frameworks for the operation of credit reporting bureaux. More so, the use of movable assets as collaterals for loans in Nigeria. Details
Now That The Courts Have Spoken. By Babayola M. Toungo Politicians are a funny bunch. While they crisscross their constituencies canvassing for votes from the electorates, the post-electoral reaction of the losers indicate their lack of faith in the sanctity of their constituents’ choices. They, most often than not, go through the motions of ‘connecting’ with the electorate in order to justify whatever shenanigans they have up their tricky sleeves. Details
Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad: Not Too Young To Lead. By Babayola M. Toungo The appointment of Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad as the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) brought out the knives from those who never, ever see good in any appointment made by President Muhammadu Buhari into any public office. To these group of people anyone appointed into any office by the president got appointed because of nepotism and not because he has the requisite qualification to be so appointed. Details
Nigeria: From Egypt to Egypt? By Abiodun Komolafe Sentiments apart, Muhammadu Buhari is a good man and Nigerians have to appreciate God for a man of his ilk as Nigeria’s president. He has done ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘and the other’, all in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. Forget the fact that the government, which he heads, is now sitting, comfortably, on a huge debt profile of not less than N24.4 trillion; and not a few Nigerians are concerned and palpably worried. Details
Of IPPIS and ghost workers. By Jide Ayobolu The implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) in Nigeria has unveiled about 60,000 ghost workers in Federal government payroll. The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami disclosed this at the 29th convocation lecture of the Federal University of Technology, Minna in Niger state. Details
Now that Amotekun is lawful. By Professor Abdussamad Umar Jibia The Amotekun initiative was followed by different reactions from different quarters. Surprisingly, even the Yoruba were not united in their support for Amotekun. Prof Wole Soyinka did not waste any time in telling President Buhari that he was the one that brought about Amotekun by failing to do his job of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians. Femi Falana defended the idea of Amotekun but advised each of the state governors to submit a supporting bill to his state house of assembly to provide an enabling law. Details
Scrutinizing the National Security Roadmap. By Jide Ayobolu The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, said if the county did not end the almajiri system of education, it would “come back to bite us big time”. He underscored the need for all stakeholders to join hands and tackle the challenge of the almajiri phenomenon before it became one of the regrettable security threats. Details
Routing Corruption, Ravaging Scourge of a Nation. By Abdulwarees Solanke In 47 years of Nigeria’s nationhood, the public service in the country has metamorphosed from an elite institution of efficient service delivery, with well-trained, competent personnel, responsive to public needs and demands to that of a bloated work force, with complement and corrupt elements until the return of democracy in 1999. Details
Reenergizing the Digital Revolution in Nigeria. By Yau Isa Garba I have been an ardent visitor to the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) in Dubai, UAE. But I must confess that this is the first time I am attending the eNigeria summit. To say the least, I am impressed and reenergized seeing such a platform that is heralding our dear nation further into the digital era. Details
NIPOST, FIRS and Stamp Duty Collection. By Abiodun Komolafe It is neither a bad idea for the Federal Government to take measures aimed at bolstering the total revenue accruable to its purse, nor was it ignoble or less productive for its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to compete and struggle to outdo one another. However, all competitions for relevance by the MDAs must be done in accordance with the stipulated laws of the land. A case in hand is the Stamp Duty collection which, if not well-managed, may set two prominent agencies of the government on the warpath. The cost of collection is the issue here! Details
Education: PMB not leading by example. By Prof Abdussamad Umar Jibia When I saw [Wada] Nas in Buhari campaign train, it gave me more courage to continue to support the General. At least there will be some level of sanity in the Education sector. The good old days in which an almajiri like me was in the same class as the governor’s child shall be back. The practice of Government officials taking their children abroad while killing our local universities or to private schools while leaving our public schools to rot will soon be over. Wada Nas died along the way but my confidence in Buhari as the best person to solve the problems of the Nigeria’s education sector remained intact. Details
Government, Private Sector and Civil Society: How Can We Change Together? By Otive Igbuzor, PhD Every society has the capacity to develop and all societies strive for development. The trisector model consisting of the government, private sector and civil society is crucial for the development of society and this should be done in partnership. The government needs to improve in policy making, transparency and accountability and citizens’ responsiveness for better service delivery. The private sector should focus on the production of goods and services while working to spur innovation, make long term investments in infrastructure and create more decent jobs and employment opportunities beyond narrow focus on profits. The civil society will need to make better decisions and hold government and leaders accountable for their actions. If this is done, then the trisector will help us to attain the change we need. Details
Money Politics: Nigeria’s Delicate Delicacy. By Abiodun Komolafe When we talk about money politics, we are talking about how money influences and affects our political engagements and participation. To be sure, a robust understanding of the basics of the negative effects of money-politics gives meaning and intelligibility to the greed and Modus Operandi of most governments. When people, who are apathetic to democratic ideals, development and Public Administration, come together as a formidable force, it then becomes problematic for the society. Details
Fixing Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit. By Jide Ayobolu It is therefore very alarming and worrisome that when President Buhari became came to power, he noticed a very wide infrastructural chasm; it is not that the previous government did not embark on infrastructural efforts, but the work done did not match the inflow of funds during the period in question. And, infrastructural development has a formidable nexus in actual development of any nation state. Details
Mass Murderers Encouraged By Our Apologists Of Crime Culture. By Farouk Martins Aresa The reason people from the richest countries leave and come to Nigeria we hate so much, is because Nigeria is the easiest place in the world to make money; as long as you can hold your nose, they say. Those of us who think otherwise must accept we are cowards that cannot face the Vagabonds in Power and vultures sucking our blood, deny us riches of our land in exchange with Europeans, Americans, Asians and Arab for mirrors. Aided by Apologists of Crime Culture. Details
See Me See Wahala: Cannot Go Hostipals Or Enjoy Loot Abroad Again O. By Farouk Martins Aresa You are a Nigerian, a politician and militrician and never looted, abi? Look, I want to live the rest of my life in peace, they can take back their loot. I do not care for money anymore, this is just too much trouble. Can you imagine an African and a Nigerian for that matter, that has money he cannot spend abroad because some thugs are waiting to beat him up or at least harass him? It is worse than hell, my broda Details
Jibia: A week of bloodbath and what we expect of Government. By Prof. Abdussamad Umar Jibia President Buhari seems to underestimate the level of crime taking place in deep areas of Katsina State. Even people like me who are not security experts know that the approach of Federal Government cannot work. How can a Commander-in-chief who has ordered his Army to rout criminals wherever they are allow a Governor to provide a hideout for the same criminals in the name of reconciliation? As things are, Zamfara state serves as the base for the bandits where they resort to after launching attacks in Katsina state. Details
Kidnappers Will Face Death Penalty At Home As Drug Peddlers Abroad. By Farouk Martins Aresa Look, Nigerians have been known for soft crimes like 419 outside the country for some time by British and American Police profiles; but not hard crimes. When a Nigerian was pointed out as a suicide underwear bomber, we were surprised because we were not known for self-destructive crimes. Soft crimes has become ancient history. Even African neighbors are now typecasting Nigerians as infecting their countries with crimes that were un-African just a few years ago. Details
Munguno and the Ban on “Street Urchins” By Professor Abdussamad Umar Jibia The move by the Katsina state Government, I would like to believe, was done in good faith. Governor Masari deserves our commendation for it. He has abandoned the futile waiting for Northern Governors Forum or the Central Government to take a decision. I, however, had my humble observations which I didn’t want to make public immediately for two reasons. One, to avoid the wrong notion that I m against everything coming from Government, especially Katsina state Government. Only days ago I criticized the Governor for his approach to security. Two, and more importantly, to wait and see the details of what the Government has in mind. Details
Western Nigeria On The Verge Of Submission Or Secession. By Farouk Martins Aresa Kidnapping for ransom with impunity and ethnic suzerainty has divided brothers and sisters into different hamlets and villages turning their Chiefs, Emir or Igwe into President of nations. People are calling for regional police to check incessant deadly assaults across state lines. We already have Sharia Police, so regional police cannot be a big deal. Indeed, Nigeria used to have Special Constables locally years back Details
How Buhari and Masari allowed Katsina to become a killing field. By Professor Abdussamad Umar Jibia If you judge me as an opposition writer you are not being fair to me. I supported Buhari when he needed support. As a non-political person I never joined his party or any other political party. But since the time he joined politics in 2003 I made sure I voted for him and mobilized those I could mobilize to vote for him. My hopes, like majority of Nigerians, were thus high when he won the 2015 election. My prayer along with others who went on hajj the previous year was answered. Jonathan was defeated. The killing of innocent Muslim Northerners was thus over. Details
Economic Salvation Is In Your Pockets Not In Foreign Land. By Farouk Martins Aresa There is hope O! Some youths, at the risk of their lives, belled the cat. They invaded a police station with petrol cans demanding the release of their colleagues unjustly detained. Police relented for fear of their dear lives. These are not armed robbers, hooligans or thugs, they are just as mad as hell as in Arab Spring. Why not your Looters in the States and Capital Houses? Details
Fourth Republic at 20: Imperatives of the Next Level. By Abdulwarees Solanke Nigeria’s experience in democratization since the first republic shows that ours had been one of unnecessary muscle-flexing among tiers and arms of government when all should play complementary roles without prejudice to the norms of checks and balances, given the enormous challenges confronting the nation. Between the Federal and State governments in many instances, there is power or jurisdiction contestation while the local governments often claim subjugation under the states. Details
Still on NIPOST’s Core Mandate. By Abiodun Komolafe To begin with, Nigeria is an interesting country which drama will not stop amazing the world. The interestingness of her Nigerianness derives its oxygen from the fact that previous governments have been known to spew out policy statements and ideas as if they are going out of fashion. In most cases, these policy pronouncements and rhetoric are more for political effects than their stated, intended objectives and projections. However, the Muhammadu Buhari-led government has chosen to be different and the results are already showing! Details
Sustainable Development Stories: Accepting A TRUST. By Abdulwarees Solanke Certainly, it is our responsibility as media content providers and distributors in Africa, Asia and more to tell compelling and impactful stories about our continents’ strides which would galvanize all stakeholders to commit themselves and indeed ensure the attainment of the 17 lofty sustainable development goals within target. But how do we tell these stories? Such stories must be told creatively and engagingly for the governments to appreciate and respect the mass media as partners in progress and not just as mere watchdog of the society. Details |