tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46165005449298971212024-02-07T04:34:16.544+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARYPALAVER TREE COMMENTARYKenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-66186267668140599292017-04-25T10:33:00.004+01:002017-04-25T10:33:56.786+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARIES: Resolving The Controversy Over JAMB — Niyi Akinnaso<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">By Niyi
Akinnaso<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the past few years, the Joint Admissions and
Matriculation Board has been in the eye of the storm, facing sharp criticisms
from the constituencies it was set up to serve, namely, candidates seeking
admission to the nation’s tertiary institutions; the parents and guardians of
the candidates; and the tertiary institutions themselves, especially the
universities. As a result, the Board’s cherished motto–Service and Integrity–is
under assault. In this essay, I examine the nature of the problem; X-ray the proposed
solutions; and suggest ways of accomplishing the desired change.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Haettenschweiler",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The problem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">JAMB has been facing three major problems, among
others. First, the exam body is empowered to perform functions beyond its
capacity. From processing admissions for only about 25,000 candidates, and only
for a few universities, when it was established in 1978, JAMB now processes
admission for well over one million candidates for all tertiary institutions in
the country.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has led to two major problems: One, many of
JAMB’s functions, including issuing letters of admission, put the Board in
direct conflict with the higher institutions, because they trample on the
authority of the institutions to recruit their own students and set their own
guidelines for admission. Two, JAMB has had to outsource major duties to
technical partners–banks, IT specialists, and other third parties–over which it
has little or no control.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, the failure of these partners to deliver,
often due to manpower shortage, power failure, and Internet connectivity
problems, automatically translates to JAMB’s failure. Without a doubt, there is
an infrastructure problem in this country, which makes online transactions
extremely frustrating. With poor mobile telephone networks and epileptic power
supply, it is difficult to get voice calls through not to speak of successfully
completing e-transactions. Yet, JAMB has adopted the online platform for the
entire registration process, leading to candidates’ frustration with banks, cybercafés,
Computer Based Test centres, and JAMB itself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Third, JAMB suffers from its own administrative
lapses, inadequate planning, and poor judgement, by developing or adopting new
policies, either shortly before a new admission cycle or even in the middle of
the cycle. For example, shortly after his appointment as Registrar only about
eight months ago, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede overhauled the entire registration
procedure, without giving enough room to test-run the new system, while relying
largely on technical partners. The result so far has been disastrous, including
the cancellation of the mock Computer Based Test, hours after candidates had
assembled in various CBT centres throughout the country.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Haettenschweiler",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Proposed solutions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are three possible solutions. One is for
the status quo to remain, that is, for JAMB to continue to conduct business as
usual, tinkering now and then with the process, hoping for better days to come.
JAMB itself seems to prefer this solution, judging by the spirited self-defence
offered by Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s Head of Public Relations, in response to my
proposal to modify its mandate (see <i>A
requiem for JAMB, The PUNCH, April 18, 2017</i>). Various steps taken by
JAMB, especially under Oloyede, to streamline the procedures of conducting the
Board’s business, were highlighted in the response.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is clear, however, that none of the reforms
undertaken so far by JAMB has produced satisfactory results, partly because the
scope of its assignment is beyond its capacity and partly because the Board
truly cannot reform itself. The reform that is needed should not be limited to
HOW business is conducted by JAMB. It should start with WHAT business is
conducted by JAMB. That’s why retaining the status quo is no solution at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another solution is much more radical. It
advocates that JAMB should be scrapped altogether. This is the position of many
academics, as advocated repeatedly by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
It is not just JAMB’s repeated failures at its assignment that motivated this
position. It also derives from resentment of JAMB’s encroachment on university
autonomy, especially the University Senate’s power to admit students into its
programmes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It will appear that advocates of this proposal
overlook the merit of a centralized examination system, which standardizes the
entrance examinations to all tertiary institutions in the country. It is
assumed that today’s tertiary institutions could conduct their own entrance
examinations at the integrity level that the premier universities conducted the
concessional entrance examinations before the advent of JAMB. Such an
assumption is challenged by endemic corruption in the society and rampant exam
malpractices as well as admission rackets within the tertiary institutions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Besides, today’s tertiary institutions lack the
resources to mount nationwide exams in order to widen the scope of their
applicants’ pool. The alternative is for prospective candidates to travel from
different parts of the country to a particular institution to take the entrance
exam into that institution. This, of course, will increase the travelling and
safety risks for such candidates. The depressed economy and the precarious
security situation in the country make such an alternative untenable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is what opened the door for yet another
solution to JAMB’s problems, which I proposed on this column last week. The
proposal seeks to limit the scope of JAMB’s duties to the conduct of the
Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, by restructuring the Board as the
equivalent of the College Board in the United States, which conducts the
Scholastic Achievement Test, popularly known as SAT. Prospective university
candidates sit for the SAT exam anywhere in the world and American universities
rely on the test results for admitting students into their programmes. Each
university sets its own cut-off point and decides on which additional
requirements will be needed for different programmes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The College Board has no say in the admission of
candidates to the universities and does not issue admission letters. Rather,
prospective candidates indicate the universities to which their results should
be forwarded, and the universities compete among themselves for the best
candidates, while the candidates weigh their choices among the various
universities to which they applied, and decide on which university or programme
suits them best.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this system, a candidate could be admitted to
two or more universities. Readers will recall the recent cases of various
Nigerian teenagers, each of whom was admitted to eight or more top American
universities. Among them was the spectacular case of Serena Omo-Lamai of Dowen
College in Lekki, who was admitted to 13 universities in the United States and
Canada.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The present JAMB policy which limits the
candidates’ choice of university to only one deprives them of their rightful
freedom of choice. Besides, no candidate should be compelled to apply to a
polytechnic or college of education if they do not want to attend such an
institution. JAMB’s argument that a candidate with multiple admissions deprives
others of admission is downright illogical as such a candidate would pay
acceptance fee to only one university. Their slot in the other universities
could then be given to other candidates after the payment deadline.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even in the recently concluded admission
exercise, vacancies left behind by previously admitted candidates, who chose to
go elsewhere or otherwise did not show up, were filled during the late
admission period by giving their slots to others. What is needed is a good
database that allows for the tracking of admission vacancies as they are filled
or vacated during the open admission window.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Haettenschweiler",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Desired change<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As indicated last week, JAMB cannot remain as it
is. However, rather than scrap it, JAMB should remain as the central body for
conducting the UTME, while the entire admission process should be left to the
tertiary institutions. In working out the details of the new mandate, the JAMB
Registrar is encouraged to study the operations of the College Board and
similar institutions worldwide. However, in order to achieve the desired
change, the enabling decree which established JAMB in 1978, and its subsequent
amendment in 1989, should be amended by the National Assembly to reflect the
modified mandate.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
Requiem For JAMB — Niyi Akinnaso<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No year has passed over the last five years
without a controversy or two over Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s
activities. Each year, the hue and cry over JAMB’s activities gets louder than
that of the previous year. It is probably loudest this year with the bungled
registration process and the delayed cancellation of the mock Computer Based
Test for the 2016/17 matriculation examinations (see JAMB: The plight of 2017
UTME candidates, The Punch, April 11, 2017). The present essay is,
therefore, as much a poem of lamentation over JAMB’s failures as it is a dirge
in anticipation of its clipped wings, if not complete elimination.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are at least two strong reasons why JAMB
should be scrapped or have its functions drastically modified. First, the
duties assigned to JAMB conflict with the role of the Senate and admission
offices of the nation’s universities. A central core of university autonomy is
the ability of the universities to design their own courses, hire professors to
teach those courses and admit students into the various programmes offered. It
is bad enough to take the admission process away from the universities. It is
even worse to proscribe post-UTME exams, which would have allowed the
institutions to better determine which candidates match specific programmes and
which candidates are frauds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the years, the universities have repeatedly
pointed out JAMB’s interference with university autonomy. The universities are
particularly uncomfortable with the requirement that JAMB and JAMB only could
issue letters of admission to the universities, polytechnics and colleges of
education, thereby reducing these institutions to clearing houses only.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, JAMB has never been able to discharge its
primary duty, that is, conduct the matriculation examination and process
admission, without a hitch. Admittedly, it has always been a victim of poor
infrastructure, especially inadequate power supply and poor internet
connectivity. It has been overwhelmed by larger and larger pools of candidates.
JAMB has also been a victim of poor planning, lax administration and lack of
foresight.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A key problem behind JAMB’s failure is the
unnecessary centralization of the admission process, which puts much more
pressure on the Board than it could cope with. Ever since it was created in
1978 and subsequently, given sweeping powers by Decree No. 33 of 1989 to
conduct the matriculation exams and also process the admission of students into
the tertiary institutions, it has been struggling to cope with this mandate. It
is now time to devolve many of those functions to the respective institutions
or scrap it altogether.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here’s what a modified JAMB mandate should look
like. It will function like the College Board in the United States, which
conducts the popular Scholastic Assessment Test, otherwise known as SAT. True,
students take this test from designated locations all over the world. The fact
is that the College Board does not process admission to any university.
Instead, students apply to various universities themselves, which in turn
receive their SAT scores and use them to process their admission, in addition
to institution- and course-specific requirements.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a result, a student could be admitted to as
many universities as possible. It is left to the student to choose one. This
often leads to a healthy competition for candidates as the universities
struggle to attract the best candidates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the United States, elite universities, for
example, go to the best high schools to woo candidates, sometimes working
through their alumni associations. They also offer scholarships or some form of
financial aid to attract students.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since every institution in Nigeria has a web site
and an active portal for e-transactions, prospective candidates should be able
to apply online to their institutions of choice. As in the United States, any
student can apply to as many universities, polytechnics and colleges of
education as he or she likes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This will increase the candidate’s shopping
possibilities for admission and eliminate the problem of processing a change of
institution form on JAMB’s website. Even more importantly, it will eliminate
all the problems that the Board has been experiencing with online registration
as this method will take the UTME registration completely away from it.
Besides, it will encourage the institutions to upgrade their computers and
expand their facilities in order to be able to cope with the number of
applicants who will take their exams in such institutions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Candidates will still have to contact JAMB during
the application process, but only to create a profile with their picture and
indicate in which institution they wish to take their examination. Students
will, of course, be encouraged to take the exam in the institution nearest to
them. Students should be required to indicate two possible institutions, at
least, to use as exam centres in order to prevent overpopulation in a specific
centre. JAMB will then process the choices and inform the institutions and the
number of candidates to expect. It will also inform the candidates ahead of
time about which specific institution to go for the examination. This will
assist JAMB in determining how many examination questions will go to which
institution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">JAMB’s primary duties will be limited to setting
up the exams; distributing related exam papers to the various institutions;
appointing examiners; grading the exams; and disseminating the results to the
students, via their online profile, and to all the institutions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each institution will thereafter decide on its
own cut-off mark for each course and directly admit students into its
programmes. The anxious wait on the part of the candidates between a
congratulatory message from an institution and the issuance of admission
letters by JAMB will be eliminated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Events within the past year also show that it is
critical for the Federal Ministry of Education to be properly educated about
university autonomy and the functions of each organ of the university. Much too
often, ministers give provocative orders to JAMB without recourse to the
universities. Unfortunately, the National Universities Commission, which should
champion the course of the universities either colludes with the ministry or
sits on the fence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A point of historical detail often missed by
government officials today is the military root of many education policies
crafted at a time when there were much fewer universities and when state
universities had not even come on board. That is why the question is often
raised today as to the propriety of a federal ministry of education dictating
to private universities and polytechnics about admission into such institutions
or of JAMB processing admission into private universities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, JAMB is dealing with a larger number of universities and a teeming population of students, without the necessary infrastructure and adequate manpower to cope. Nothing will be lost if some of those duties are given back to the institutions from which they were snatched by military fiat. Rather, JAMB will be relieved of a burden it couldn’t carry, while students will be weaned from unnecessary hassle and stress. Finally, the universities and other higher institutions will be happy as one of their primary functions will be restored.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Originally published (<a href="http://punchng.com/resolving-the-controversy-over-jamb/" target="_blank">ARTICLE 1</a>) and (<a href="http://punchng.com/a-requiem-for-jamb/" target="_blank">ARTICLE 2</a>) on THE PUNCH</i></span></span></span></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-24760536035120353642017-03-16T11:51:00.001+01:002017-03-16T12:12:27.582+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: What Exactly Do They Teach In Business School? — ‘Tope Fasua<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwadytJ3h1WIwGePjXt1m6UdV2Q04mIFm5TWCs6upCfVLYnL83uyPJfCYoptiQDbayeN2RM8JidD8FRssgXSJFceDCOWSYXbIH0p8DbCZNg3KLNJl2OQ5Nk7eYsX5Our8Vlkn7mzLiRoHb/s1600/0Business+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwadytJ3h1WIwGePjXt1m6UdV2Q04mIFm5TWCs6upCfVLYnL83uyPJfCYoptiQDbayeN2RM8JidD8FRssgXSJFceDCOWSYXbIH0p8DbCZNg3KLNJl2OQ5Nk7eYsX5Our8Vlkn7mzLiRoHb/s1600/0Business+School.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Image source: PREMIUM TIMES</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By
‘Tope Fasua</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaPTN_RfHG-_uCbC41h80ZK_1KaIN0L1BnJfwBs86Nj1MGdsiw3RHMMRUXuIYu4kBm40Oe3M8wUMl6w4F-qa9QaZeDsWboUAPhE898rdZKxtAo2QoZtrdGXjvd-yR9BwIv4BmeYSP4Yno/s1600/0Tope+Fasua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaPTN_RfHG-_uCbC41h80ZK_1KaIN0L1BnJfwBs86Nj1MGdsiw3RHMMRUXuIYu4kBm40Oe3M8wUMl6w4F-qa9QaZeDsWboUAPhE898rdZKxtAo2QoZtrdGXjvd-yR9BwIv4BmeYSP4Yno/s1600/0Tope+Fasua.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">…there is no executive course
in Harvard, Princeton, MIT or Stanford where you will not find at least a
Nigerian delegate, especially in the business departments… Were they taught
strategy at all? For if they were, how come almost none of them have deployed
strategies to ensure they don’t run into quicksand and have to demand for
government bailouts every two years?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was once close to a Director at a UK Hedge Fund
located at Mayfair on London. I used to visit their plush offices somewhere in
Saville Row and we’ll sometimes go out for drinks and dinner. The financial
markets were in upheaval then. Many of the stuff we were taught about efficient
markets and the wonders of derivatives were unraveling right before our eyes.
Arcane financial products like Credit Default Swaps, Collaterized Debt
Obligations, Mortgage Backed Securities and Structured Products in general were
gradually tanking in some of the big ‘uns. Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns
must have recently collapsed, so that must have been 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I recall going out for one of those dinners. I
met the CEO of the organization. Ivy league trained all the way. The team was a
bunch you’d want to observe silently. At least that is what I did. When you
meet people who have done greater things than you could imagine, you have to
shut up and learn how they’ve done it; study their personality in the hope that
you may learn something very tangible. I didn’t know the exact state of their
fund then, but I reckoned they must have something big up their sleeves because
here we were, having a blast in the middle of a global meltdown. Every downturn
throws up a new winner, I must have thought. Money never disappears in the
market; someone makes the money; others lose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These guys then made a move. One day I was
heading to Mayfair only to be told they had moved to Covent Garden. Larger
offices. I went to the new office and was wowed. Every room was themed after
one Golf legend or the other. They didn’t even have space for Tiger Woods. And
I didn’t ask. They had names on each door, of people you’ve never heard of
before. These guys are deep. The kind of education they got is certainly
different from ours. They attended proper schools like Eton and Harrow and
studied Classics. They know real money. Our local champions here don’t know the
colour of cool money really. I moved around the office, mouth agape. Covent
Garden was the place. For those who don’t know, it is a place of culture. It is
where you find the human statues on your way to work, and it’s a short walk
from opera houses, theatres and museums. These classy guys had chosen right.
What geniuses, I thought!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two weeks later the company folded up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As in they were gone! Bankrupt. They couldn’t pay
their debts. The leases on the offices could not be serviced. They couldn’t
meet up with the obligations on their fund as they fell due. The company became
one of the statistics in the global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009. I
started wondering; what do they really teach people in these fancy Business
Schools that we pay so much to attend? How do smart people make stupid
decisions?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">These days when I find myself around Victoria
Island </span><span style="color: #26282a; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 115%;">—</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Nigeria’s financial centre </span><span style="color: #26282a; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 115%;">—</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I think of the same thing. I
always imagine the brain capacity locked inside those plush offices, the
smarts, in looks and in intelligence. Then I wonder how they manage to lose so
much money from time to time, to the extent that they have to be bailed out by
peasants, when the government wades in and pumps in taxpayers money. VI is the
graveyard of many smart organizations, especially banks. Recent stories we hear
about some of the promising banks just boggles the mind. So, those very smart
guys couldn’t keep their hands off the till. No one thought it would be okay to
run an institution for 20, 30, 50 years?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I admit though, that I am the un-smart one.
Perhaps I missed the lecture where it was taught in business school, that the
trick behind being a billionaire is to gyp the system, to deliberately lose
money, to borrow and fritter into your personal account, because when you
borrow big enough, the government will step in, and with poor taxpayers’ money,
give you a mere tap on the wrist (or perhaps a bear hug and a pat on the head
for being such smart money-wasters), and you can then go and spend your heist
happily ever after. Guys personally become billionaires by sucking the
institutions they manage to death!</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">…I thought about another
philosophy that seems rife in Business Schools, especially in Nigeria; the idea
that Nigeria cannot get anywhere except it cajoles and courts foreign
investors. Most of our ‘intellectuals’ cannot utter a sentence without talking
about foreign investors and I worry, that at the base of this dependency lies a
certain feeling of inadequacy.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We will come to the Nigerian experience
presently. But first to say that this is almost a global phenomenon. Bankers
are basically the same everywhere, but the bitter experiences of the recent
past, the documentation of history and the angry voices of citizens have set
some of the banks in developed countries straight. Regulation has changed and
become more proactive. Someone could argue though, that the change only came
after they had bailed out airlines, car manufacturers and, of course, banks
that they deemed systemically important. In that era, the people who run
government conveniently forgot one of the core tenets of capitalism; that the
markets should shake out weak and badly-run companies in a process of Darwinian
justice. Instead what we saw was a privatization of profits, and socialization
of losses; the bigger your debt (or the bigger your stupidity), the higher the
chances that government will pick your bills.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And so these were my thoughts when we heard about
Etisalat’s inability to pay their debts of over ₦530 billion to 13 Nigerian
banks, and how those banks had set about liquidating and taking over the
operations of the company. In the first place, this is a company that earns
money daily. Its services are reputedly good but very expensive. I’m their
customer, so I should know. How could it have gotten itself into a situation
where it is unable to simply service its debts? Banks would not fret if there
is movement in their accounts. Etisalat is meant to be owned and run by
Emiratis, who are some of the richest people on earth. Where did all the money
go?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then I thought about another philosophy that
seems rife in Business Schools, especially in Nigeria; the idea that Nigeria
cannot get anywhere except it cajoles and courts foreign investors. Most of our
‘intellectuals’ cannot utter a sentence without talking about foreign investors
and I worry, that at the base of this dependency lies a certain feeling of
inadequacy. Yes, we have capital deficits, and could do much better with our
infrastructure, but how can we be so fixated on foreign investors when we empty
our own capital into foreign countries, after we must have stolen the country
blind anyway? When we aren’t sending money abroad either to buy irrelevancies
or to invest in other people’s countries, we prefer to hide our people’s money
from our people. We simply deprive our people from enjoying their own
commonwealth. We dig soak-aways and dump money there, we stuff overhead tanks,
and of late, we discovered that many of our ‘big men’ prefer sending the money
to their villages where they sneak into village huts to pinch little by little,
like rats, for their continued oppression of the people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How can we be expecting foreign investors to fix
our country? What are business schools teaching? Why are we not keenly
encouraging accountability and also local investors?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of late, what has become obvious is that these
so-called foreign investors have learnt never to bring any money into the cheap
asset they acquire in Nigeria. On one hand are those portfolio investors who
invest in treasury bills and cash out up to 16%, or Federal Government
bonds, or the stock market. Those trained in our business schools say we MUST
devalue the naira in order to keep attracting them! We listened for a while and
before we knew it, the naira became perhaps the trashiest currency in Africa. I
am still awaiting an explanation of that rationale. Why should an economy so
big also have the weakest currency in Africa? And if we say other African
countries have overpriced their currencies, why must it be Nigeria who gets to
be the guinea-pig by devaluing first?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, we saw how the guys that
bought our power asset under the Jonathan government complained about having no
capital to run their operations. In October 2015, they were bailed out with ₦213
billion. Apparently many of them had rushed there because there was a kill to
be made. People don’t invest in Nigeria except to make a kill. Not for them a
five or 10-year plan before breaking even. And so when they rushed in, they
soon realized that things would be tougher than expected. They sought bailout.
Nigerian people paid up. As I type this, their financial analyst friends have
started sensitizing the government that the power sector is about to collapse
and that these companies will need another ₦730 billion bailout. Nigerians will
also pay up. If they were SMEs, they can as well keel over and die as soon as
possible. No one will give a toss. This economic philosophy that rewards
criminals is simply insane. SMEs are statistically better run than these large
companies in Nigeria because managers cannot keep their hands off the cookie
jar.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Just last week, we learnt about
how bank directors in Nigeria were ‘directly’ responsible for 40% of the bad
loans sitting on our banks’ books (</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">₦</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">1.85 trillion). Insider dealing is rife. People take it for
granted these days. Nigerians have become more carefree than ever in these
matters, after all, serial bad debtors emerge as bank chairmen in Nigeria.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, while the going was good, these large
companies put our banks under immense pressure – of course with the connivance
of the banks. The deposits that innocent customers put in were swept enmasse
and lent to these guys at giveaway rates with little or no collateral; because
they are big. The best the banks will get from most of them will be a ‘Negative
Pledge’, which means simply that this big client is only promising that it will
not give its asset to any other bank without the lender’s knowledge. Big
companies borrow today at around 12% in Nigeria because they can arm-twist the
banks, while SMEs cannot get any funds below an all-in rate of 30%. It’s
no wonder why SMEs die faster, in spite of being more frugal with resources,
and big companies continue to survive. The big companies also dictate economic policies
because they have friends in high places. You can imagine the future we are
creating for ourselves, where careless borrowers crowd out honest managers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For Etisalat, the move made by the banks to take
over the company, sent the CBN and NCC into a flap. Meetings were urgently
convened and the banks placated. The banks probably wanted to make a point so
that the CBN will take it easy on them on other matters. You cannot ask them to
take it easy with Etisalat and then harangue them for other issues, can you?
Wink, wink.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What did the Emiratis do with the money? Someone
made a comment about their managers’ spending habits, their binges and the fast
lives they’ve been living, and so on. I’m not close to Etisalat and so cannot
verify. I note though that one of Nigeria’s corporate gurus, Hakeem
Belo-Osagie, is their chairman. Why do these gurus run companies aground and
make us pay for it? What was his oversight role as Chairman of the Board? Is he
not ashamed of himself? This is a person who every government in Nigeria
invites to every serious strategy session on the economy! And with all the
money Emiratis have, they too refused to bring real funds into Nigeria? Anyway,
I have some experience with them. They could be extremely generous, the Arabs.
But they are very bad debtors. My small company was once owed money by a Saudi organization
for two years! Another organization in the UAE has been owing my tiny company
just below US$2,000 for more than four years now. I’ve given up. Is this the
attitude the Emiratis brought in with their Etisalat foray into Nigeria?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We hailed Etisalat as much-needed foreign
investors when they came. Newspaper editors did features on them. They were
said to have brought in US$2 billion. But they must have remitted all they
brought, while playing with Nigerian money. While noting that many foreign
investors dine with Nigeria with a long spoon, and always make a note to
outsmart us (even though we shouldn’t be in a contest), the rest of them have
lately invested in businesses like real estate, where a drive around Abuja and
other capital cities will reveal several expensive ghost estates; overpriced
asset currently decaying where they stand. I visited a few lately and it’s
scary. I don’t know how Nigeria will resolve this problem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But it is not really just a foreign investor
issue. Just last week, we learnt about how bank directors in Nigeria were
‘directly’ responsible for 40% of the bad loans sitting on our banks’ books (₦1.85
trillion). Insider dealing is rife. People take it for granted these days.
Nigerians have become more carefree than ever in these matters, after all,
serial bad debtors emerge as bank chairmen in Nigeria. Our people simply cannot
be trusted with money. If the money is there, whether it is theirs to take or not,
they just take it. And they have no limits. These are comfortable people. But
until they ruin the organizations that they direct, they never stop. And this
is why many people in government and the public sector also snigger at us that
we private sector hacks should first deal with the log in our eyes before
putting the blame for Nigeria’s collapse on their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet there is no executive course in Harvard,
Princeton, MIT or Stanford where you will not find at least a Nigerian
delegate, especially in the business departments. We wear our degrees and
certificates like badges of honour. We judge people by those certificates and
hardly have any moment of introspection to question whether having those
certificates is what it really takes. So one wonders if these executives of
ours learnt anything worthwhile in those places. Were they taught ethics, or
the value of integrity? Were there perhaps courses on sustainability and how to
ensure that their organizations survive into the future no matter what? Were
they taught delayed gratification and the need to have moderation in anything
they do? Were they taught strategy at all? For if they were, how come almost
none of them have deployed strategies to ensure they don’t run into quicksand
and have to demand for government bailouts every two years? We are yet to
resolve most of the loans in AMCON, and their friends are pushing for AMCON 2
already? It takes bad genius to lose so much money, I believe.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">…what is more remarkable is
that in Germany, they don’t believe in this way of doing business. As a matter
of fact, this fairly recent and unsustainable phenomenon whereby people have to
live on loans (mortgage, business, credit cards etc.) is alien to Germany.
Wages have been stable for years in Germany…<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But I recall my own short Harvard experience. We
were told by the professors about Michael Jensen, one of the tough Harvard
professors who used to preach crass capitalism. He believed that the concern of
the managers of a company should be the maximization of profits, full stop. Not
for him all that talk of having a stakeholder view. Unfortunately for Jensen,
he was still teaching at Harvard when the dotcom bubble bust around year 2000,
and his undergrad students started pelting him objects whenever he wanted to
continue his rubbish talk. He had to resign from Harvard to go into private
practice. Maybe Jensen’s lecture is the type our executives attended very
attentively.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I take a better experience from the Germans.
Those people will rule the world one day – hopefully not through the instrument
of war. They have since enshrined the involvement of staff on the directorship
of their large companies to create controls. They are also giving serious
opportunities to women. Germany is the vocational skills capital of the world
as well. But what is more remarkable is that in Germany, they don’t believe in
this way of doing business. As a matter of fact, this fairly recent and
unsustainable phenomenon whereby people have to live on loans (mortgage,
business, credit cards etc.) is alien to Germany. Wages have been stable for
years in Germany without Germans feeling shortchanged but enabling the country
to produce goods and services cheaper than its European neighbours, thereby
crowding out other European economies. If you go to Germany today, best go with
your cash. They don’t do all that card business. People don’t understand why
you have to eat in a restaurant and pay with a credit card. It is in Germany
that one of the Tata billionaire brothers was fined for wasting food at a
restaurant. They abhor waste of any kind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most Germans rent houses till they die, and they
die happy. They don’t put themselves under unnecessary pressure or get into
trouble while trying to keep up with the Joneses the way the rest of us have
become; the way it is now taught in business schools, where its all about the
Top 50 Richest List, Richest People Under 40 Years Old, etc. and the companies
posting the highest returns. Certainly a lot is wrong with these business
school teachings and certificates, and we have a lot to learn from other
business models.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let me close by sharing this anecdote:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A
boat was docked in a tiny Mexican fishing village.<br />
A tourist complimented the local fishermen on the quality of their fish and
asked how long it took to catch them.<br />
“Not very long” they answered in unison.<br />
“Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?”<br />
The fishermen explained that their small catches were sufficient to meet their
needs and those of their families.<br />
“But what do you do with the rest of your time?”<br />
“We sleep late, fish a little, play with our children, and take siestas with
our wives. In the evenings, we go into the village to see our friends, have a
few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. We have a full life.”<br />
The tourist interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You
should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you
catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”<br />
“And after that?”<br />
“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and
a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers.<br />
Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly
with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then
leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New
York City!!! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”<br />
“How long would that take?”<br />
“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the tourist.<br />
“And after that?”<br />
“Afterwards? Well my friend, that’s when it gets really interesting,” answered
the tourist, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start
buying and selling stocks and make millions!”<br />
“Millions? Really? And after that?” asked the fishermen.<br />
“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast,
sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your
wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”<br />
“With all due respect sir, but that’s exactly what we are doing now. So what’s
the point wasting twenty-five years?” asked the Mexicans.</span></span><br />
<br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And
the moral of this story is:</span></div>
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</span><br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Know where you’re going in life, you may already be there!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">
</span><br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many times in life, money is not everything.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">
</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Live your life before life becomes lifeless”</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/?s=%27Tope+Fasua" target="_blank">‘Tope
Fasua</a>, an Economist, author, blogger and entrepreneur, can be reached through <a href="mailto:topsyfash@yahoo.com">topsyfash@yahoo.com</a>.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i>Originally published on <a href="http://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2017/03/15/what-exactly-do-they-teach-in-business-school-by-tope-fasua/" target="_blank">PREMIUM TIMES</a></i></span>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-31808446318313827202016-12-25T17:02:00.001+01:002016-12-25T17:02:55.933+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: NYSC As A Metaphor For Nigeria — Feyi Fawehinmi<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtRrlu2zNQAV0FyCerF6szBi8M8fhv8hn9drPIY1D5UC_utwQlAqr_Q0ty60jIuloYlqev0H_6xDDQWk6NR6wC3yuhQhjxZ7eHPXqYts1nqJj8Lga-KvFsYSoqBpgobBNwcQwJ9ntJ3ht/s1600/1NYSC+as+metaphor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtRrlu2zNQAV0FyCerF6szBi8M8fhv8hn9drPIY1D5UC_utwQlAqr_Q0ty60jIuloYlqev0H_6xDDQWk6NR6wC3yuhQhjxZ7eHPXqYts1nqJj8Lga-KvFsYSoqBpgobBNwcQwJ9ntJ3ht/s1600/1NYSC+as+metaphor.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>A batch of members of the National Youth Service Corps scheme</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme
has been in the news lately following the death of three ‘Corpers’ across the
nation. In most countries, tragic events like these would lead to a bout of
soul-searching followed by a rash of reforms to ensure such avoidable deaths do
not happen again. But Nigeria is not most countries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I dislike the NYSC programme and think it is a
waste of time and resources. But my reasons for not liking it are slightly
different – I think it is an unfair way for government to spend money.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let’s start from the beginning. Depending on who
you ask, there are between 8 and 10 million Nigerian children between the ages
of 7 and 14 who are not in school at all. Government doesn’t spend any money on
these kids as they are not even in the system. To be fair, primary education is
the responsibility of state governments but if these kids don’t get into
primary school at all, they cannot get into secondary school where the federal
government starts spending money on them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Federal Government takes over the funding of
education from the secondary school level. Taking the 2016 budget as our guide,
the amount spent on all the secondary schools in Nigeria by the federal
government comes to just under N40bn. The budget lists 104 secondary schools
that share this money. But between primary and secondary school, an estimated
7.2 million children, aged between 15 and 19 had dropped off, based on 2010
figures. The real problem appears to be crossing from Junior Secondary School (JSS)
to Senior Secondary School (SSS). In some states, only 16% of children cross
this hurdle.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can see the numbers are adding up. Millions
don’t enter the pipeline at all and millions more drop off along the way. The
whole thing looks like some kind of hunger games or survival of the fittest.
Based on 2013 figures, only 1.7 million candidates registered to write UTME
conducted by JAMB for admission into university. They were competing for just
400,000 places which meant that another 1.3 million students had to drop off.
And how much does the federal government then spend on the ‘lucky’ few hundred
thousand who make it into higher institutions? In the 2016 budget, a total of
90 higher institutions shared an incredible ₦325bn – 68% of the entire
education budget.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So to recap. If you are lucky enough to even get
into primary school at all, you have tried. Government will spend some coins on
you. If you are persistent enough to get through to secondary school, you get
more money spent on you by government. If you then make it to university at
all, government then opens the funding tap to educate you. And then, if you are
able to make it out of higher institutions, you then qualify for even more
spending via the NYSC programme. By university, the damage is usually done – if
you had not been properly educated through primary and secondary school, you’re
unlikely to make it up in university.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 2016, the federal government budgeted ₦67bn to
be spent on something like 260,000 youth corpers taking part in the NYSC
programme.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To make matters worse, the ₦19,000 the government
pays ‘corpers’ monthly is not means tested. Whether you are rich or poor, you
get paid the money. Whether you want it or not, you get it. Unsurprisingly, the
programme is now struggling given the crisis in the government’s finances. Why
do we do things this way?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is bad enough that government is pouring the
vast majority of the resources on the end of the education process after
millions of children and students have fallen away. It then adds insult to
injury by spending twice what it spends on secondary education on paying and
camping corpers for one year. Does it not matter that we are failing millions
of children who don’t even enter into school at all and those who fall by the
wayside? Money is not infinite which means that money spent in one place cannot
be spent in another place. Every naira spent is a trade-off of one need for
another. And the way we spend money on education says a lot about the kind of
country we are.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A lot of people do not want to take part in the
NYSC programme. That means there are people who will gladly give up the money
government is paying them just to get out of the programme. Yet, government
insists on paying them. There are some who don’t mind doing it, this is fine.
Surely the solution to this is to make the programme voluntary so that the
government is only paying those who really want to be there (and saving money
in the process)?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The NYSC programme is a metaphor for Nigeria.
Even when things are obviously in need of change, it is as if they cannot be
changed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Edmund Burke once said that a state without the means of some change
is without the means of its conservation. If you are unable to change things
even when it is obvious that they need to be changed, then you are condemned to
slow decay.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is Nigeria capable of self-correction? The
National Assembly is now talking about NYSC as a result of the recent deaths.
But what happens when things go quiet again? Will we just continue with the
programme as if it’s ok and does not need reform? Even saving half of the cost
of NYSC and pouring it into secondary education will do wonders.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A country that spends all its money on the few who are able to make it to the end of a brutal process while ignoring the millions who fall by the wayside is a country without the means of its conservation.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Originally published on <a href="http://guardian.ng/features/nysc-as-a-metaphor-for-nigeria/" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> Nigeria</i></span></span></span></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-44115692315428139282016-10-16T18:44:00.001+01:002016-10-16T18:44:13.287+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: Avoiding Job Scammers’ Trap — Ijeoma Thomas-Odia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwv9vTL0vk3T3OAN-2zMQCl4mI00EBe7QZkxsGkz8bmPBa04lvJAi21SFh1MI93nhKfrHRITVbqNvIUYqAJ4_k0v8fcieXWyB4lxX0sdUj4kqaqEm5u8NjGHOTqOMNLcn0z4MmkH4xsKN/s1600/1Jobs+Scam+Alert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwv9vTL0vk3T3OAN-2zMQCl4mI00EBe7QZkxsGkz8bmPBa04lvJAi21SFh1MI93nhKfrHRITVbqNvIUYqAJ4_k0v8fcieXWyB4lxX0sdUj4kqaqEm5u8NjGHOTqOMNLcn0z4MmkH4xsKN/s1600/1Jobs+Scam+Alert.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">NAIJAGRAPHITTI MONTAGE</span></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Ijeoma Thomas-Odia<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the desperation brought about by increasing
unemployment in the country, more people are beginning to fall victims of job
scams. And though this trend has been on for quite a while, concerns have risen,
as it is taking new dimensions, with the con men and women daily inventing
‘innovative’ strategies to lure their victims. It has gone so far that people
now receive invitation for jobs they didn’t apply for or are knowledgeable
about. People are inundated with all sorts of ingenious job proposals and
invitations that the undiscerning is easily hoodwinked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interestingly, experts are of the opinion that
there are more jobs available than those seeking them. They, however, caution
job seekers to be wary of scammers disguising as potential employers or
employment links, by being more alert and inquisitive. A job seeker, they said,
should have enough self-confidence and self-worth to avoid falling prey to
scammers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yemi Oyefolu, Business Manager, Human Resource
Services for Workforce group, explained that there are a lot of naïve people
out there looking for jobs and when job seekers become desperate, they are
susceptible to all kinds of scams. In addition, the current economic recession
in the country has heightened the situation, as the Labour market is over
saturated with the entrance of a large number of people that have lost their
jobs. Consequently, otherwise intelligent people have become vulnerable and are
easy targets of scammers, who appear to be thriving because of all these
factors.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“However, it should be noted that scammers do not
have any job to offer in the first place,” Oyefolu said. “They will only be
asking their victims to pay some money in a bid to get non-existing jobs.
Companies that genuinely give jobs don’t just place adverts asking people to
come for the jobs. There is always a procedure and structure in place to ensure
that people are employed. A lot of people are so blinded to notice these faults
and they just keep following and getting into the wrong hands, till they realize
there’s no job.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oyefolu explained that most licensed recruiters
have a guideline they adopt from the Ministry of Labour, and there is also the
recruiter’s licence every company needs to get, if they will be recruiting
staff.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The ones that have these licences will go by the
regulations of the Ministry of Labour, while the job scammers do not have such
licence,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, how can one go about identifying job
scammers?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“If you walk into a company and they tell you
they want to recruit you as a staff, the first thing you should do is to go to
their website,” Oyefolu explained. “Some companies will not openly come out
with their names, because they don’t want people to know they are the ones
recruiting, and which is understandable. But when such companies invite you for
an interview, you should observe from their procedures that they are a
reputable organization.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“As a job seeker, you are expected to ask
questions for clarity. You are also not supposed to pay any fee, as it is
against the law to do so. Recruitment agencies will not ask you to pay money
because they are getting money from their clients. It can only be a scam, if a
fee is involved from the job seeker.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He said most recruitment agencies would not come
out to say they are recruiting staff for a particular private company. So, it
is only after series of tests and interviews that the job seeker can begin to
discern, if it is for a financial institution or any other.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Oyefolu’s view, the present poor educational
standard in the country is mainly responsible for this unsavoury state. He
said: “We have all these half-baked graduates with little or no self-esteem or
confidence. So, whenever they see a shortcut they jump at it. You find people
saying, ‘If you pay me ₦10,000 now, I will get you a job’, even when they know
that such agents have no qualification, yet they fall for it. When a job
scammer takes even ₦5,000 from 100 people with the same request, then he has
made ₦500,000 and that is a lot of money. Some can go as low as ₦1,000 to get
more people to sign in, and then they make a lot of money.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Although there are genuine and decent jobs, but
then the way these are handled makes it look suspicious. For instance, you have
five job openings, but you send out invitation to thousands, while asking them
to pay a certain amount. This means if you don’t pay that money, no matter how
qualified you are, you can’t get the job.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the way out of the problem, he said, “The
Ministry of Labour should further strengthen their regulations. There are some
job scams that are syndicates and the Ministry is aware of them. Regulating
this sector cannot be achieved by an individual. It is only the Ministry of
Labour that can put the required structures in place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“For a recruitment firm like ours, you spend
about ₦200,000 to get the licence and then ₦2m to get an insurance, which
covers a fidelity bond that protects staff salaries or entitlements due to
them, as well as, ensures that a company does not engage in illegal practices.
If a company goes through all that stress to get these licences and follow the
law, then it also needs to be protected in a way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“So, the Ministry of Labour should be responsible
for clamping down on unwholesome recruiting processes, because this is bad
business for most of us who are in it legally, though at every forum, we see
government’s efforts in achieving this, but then it is not enough.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is particularly worried by this trend because
it is having a backlash on registered recruitment companies like his.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Such undesirable conducts hinder our work, because when you need people to apply for a position, and you send out job applications, sometimes there are no responses, especially when there are no details about such job. With this, we lose the client and money, which is affecting our business,” he said.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Originally published in <a href="http://guardian.ng/business-services/avoiding-job-scammers-trap/" target="_blank">The Guardian Nigeria</a></i></span>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-33312060342618443532016-08-26T06:28:00.003+01:002016-08-26T06:37:09.969+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: How Team GB Rose From One Gold At Atlanta ’96 To ‘Sporting Superpower’ At Rio 2016<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Twenty
years ago, Nigeria finished above Great Britain at
the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States. The
most surprising achievement was Nigeria's gold in football. Medals ·
Rank: 32, Gold 2, Silver 1, Bronze 3, Total 6. TEAM GB was ranked 36th in the
medal table, with just one gold, at the Atlanta Olympics
in 1996. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In Brazil, at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Great Britain finished 2nd with a total of 67 medals out of which 27 was gold while Nigeria finished 78th with one bronze medal.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKxgg2AlqBFqV9HUYj2QBFoXO36koBTIYVZT_TWMih8rA8FN0x8jLxopYQ_qyKa7cuRBuJqq_LMDpsmjCj7E1iusJgER-CSGgad5nr-hcI_5eF8f4OD6PzsoueEtbEC_xcE4YZe34fgp2/s1600/1Team+GB+-+Murray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKxgg2AlqBFqV9HUYj2QBFoXO36koBTIYVZT_TWMih8rA8FN0x8jLxopYQ_qyKa7cuRBuJqq_LMDpsmjCj7E1iusJgER-CSGgad5nr-hcI_5eF8f4OD6PzsoueEtbEC_xcE4YZe34fgp2/s640/1Team+GB+-+Murray.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18.4px; text-align: justify;"><b>Gold medallist Britain’s Andy Murray poses on the podium of the men’s singles gold medal tennis event at the Olympic Tennis Centre of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 14, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Luis Acosta</b></span></td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A nation showing
others how to plan for Olympic Games<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It has been an Olympic fiesta like never before
for Britain: their best medal haul in 108 years, second in the medal table, the
only host nation to go on to win more medals at the next Olympics.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Never before has a Briton won a diving gold.
Never before has a Briton won a gymnastics gold. There have been champions
across 15 different sports, a spread no other country can get close to
touching.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It enabled Liz Nicholl, chief executive of UK
Sport, the body responsible for distributing funds from national government to
Olympic sports, to declare on the final day of competition in Rio that Britain
was now a “sporting superpower”.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Only 20 years ago, GB were languishing 36th in
the Atlanta Olympics medal table, their entire team securing only a single gold
between them. This is the story of a remarkable transformation.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As that nadir was being reached back in 1996, the
most pivotal change of all had already taken place.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The advent of the National Lottery in 1994, and
the decision of John Major’s struggling government to allocate significant
streams of its revenue to elite Olympic sport, set in motion a funding spree unprecedented
in British sport.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From just £5m per year before Atlanta, UK Sport’s
spending leapt to £54m by Sydney 2000, where Britain won 28 medals to leap to
10th on the medal table. By the time of London 2012 – third in the medal table,
65 medals – that had climbed to £264m. Between 2013 and 2017, almost £350m in
public funds will have been lavished on Olympic and Paralympic sports.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It has reinvigorated some sports and altered
others beyond recognition.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gymnastics, given nothing at all before Atlanta,
received £5.9m for Sydney and £14.6m in the current cycle. In Rio, Max Whitlock
won two gymnastics golds; his team-mates delivered another silver and three
bronzes.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As a talented teenage swimmer, Adam Peaty relied
on fundraising events laid on by family and friends to pay for his travel and
training costs. That changed in 2012, when he was awarded a grant of £15,000
and his coach placed on an elite coaching programme. In Rio he became the first
British male to win a swimming gold in 28 years.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are ethical and economic debates raised by
this maximum sum game. Team GB’s 67 medals won here in Brazil cost an average
of £4,096,500 each in lottery and exchequer funding over the past four years.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>As determined by the Sport Industry Research
Centre</i></b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">At a time of austerity, that is profligate to
some. To others, the average cost of this Olympic programme to each Briton – a
reported £1.09 per year – represents extraordinary financial and emotional
value. Joe Joyce’s super-heavyweight silver medal on Sunday was the 700th
Olympic and Paralympic medal won by his nation since lottery funding came on
tap.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The funding is worth its weight in gold,” says
Nicholl.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“It enables us to strategically plan for the next
Games even before this one has started and makes sure we don’t lose any time.
We can maintain the momentum of success for every athlete with medal potential
through to the next Games.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The idea of marginal gains has gone from novelty
to cliche over the past three Olympic cycles, but three examples from Rio
underline how essential to British success it remains.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the build-up to these Olympics, a PhD student
at the English Institute of Sport named Luke Gupta examined the sleep quality
of more than 400 elite GB athletes, looking at the duration of their average
sleep, issues around deprivation and then individual athletes’ perception of
their sleep quality.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">His findings resulted in an upgrading of the
‘sleep environment’ in the Team GB boxing training base in Sheffield – 37
single beds replaced by 33 double and four extra-long singles; sheets, duvets
and pillows switched to breathable, quick drying fabrics; materials selected to
create a hypo-allergenic barrier to allergens in each bedroom.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“On average, the boxers are sleeping for 24
minutes longer each night,” says former Olympic bronze medallist and now
consultant coach Richie Woodhall.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“When you add it up over the course of a cycle it
could be as much as 29 or 30 days’ extra sleep. That can be the difference
between winning a medal or going out in the first round.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE9KhxP6rSTO7tMB4Lr8j4K0ZXeOdNdBBQ39xeXTEDWLc3aRf1Nxi12woR5JydrXIHEMnhv4MhQ3r6lTTPESWdGBzAeAMM8sMDNOf9sHOwFn1GcCKxO8JtseYPcoYivNywL3TM8-OUMegg/s1600/2Team+GB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE9KhxP6rSTO7tMB4Lr8j4K0ZXeOdNdBBQ39xeXTEDWLc3aRf1Nxi12woR5JydrXIHEMnhv4MhQ3r6lTTPESWdGBzAeAMM8sMDNOf9sHOwFn1GcCKxO8JtseYPcoYivNywL3TM8-OUMegg/s640/2Team+GB.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px; text-align: justify;">Members of the British Olympic Team take photographs with their medals after they arrive back from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, at Heathrow airport in London on August 23, 2016. Twenty years after a stinging Olympic failure, Britain has risen from the ashes to become a sporting “superpower”. Rival nations have been left confounded by Team GB’s cool performance with 27 golds out of 67 won in Rio which gave them second place in the medals table behind the United States. </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px; text-align: justify;">Justin TALLIS / AFP</span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In track cycling, GB physio Phil Burt and team
doctor Richard Freeman realised saddle sores were keeping some female riders
out of training.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Their response? To bring together a panel of
experts – friction specialist, reconstructive surgeons, a consultant in vulval
health – to advise on the waxing and shaving of pubic hair. In the six months
before Rio not a single rider complained of saddle sores.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then there is the lateral thinking of Danny
Kerry, performance director to the Great Britain women’s hockey team that won
gold in such spectacular fashion on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Everyone puts a lot of time into the
physiological effects of hockey, but what we’ve done in this Olympic cycle is
put our players in an extremely fatigued state, and then ask them to think very
hard at the same time,” Kerry told BBC Sport.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“We call that Thinking Thursday – forcing them to
consistently make excellent decisions under that fatigue. We’ve done that every
Thursday for a year.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Britain won that gold on a penalty shootout,
standing firm as their Dutch opponents, clear favourites for gold, missed every
one of their four attempts.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That hockey team featured Helen and Kate
Richardson-Walsh, in their fifth Olympic cycle, mentoring 21-year-old Lily
Owsley, who scored the first goal in the final. A squad that won bronze in
London were ready to go two better in Brazil.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“We’ve retained eight players who had medals
around their necks already,” says Kerry. “We added another eight who have no
fear.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“It gave us a great combination of those who know
what it’s all about, and those who have no concept at all of what it’s all
about, and have just gone out and played in ruthless fashion.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4A0bmhyphenhyphenQQW4AZaCXQ24pjKOUnnif_jZT2Tdeev1cUw4_EL3vD0qeaQBRe81CU899FMERcv23JR12Jf-L147OoyAq44ANuzt-NDC9Wg6R6uduEie2eE7Dfk63XtZ2egRd55a3NhcUezxY/s1600/3Team+GB+-+Amy+Tinkler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4A0bmhyphenhyphenQQW4AZaCXQ24pjKOUnnif_jZT2Tdeev1cUw4_EL3vD0qeaQBRe81CU899FMERcv23JR12Jf-L147OoyAq44ANuzt-NDC9Wg6R6uduEie2eE7Dfk63XtZ2egRd55a3NhcUezxY/s640/3Team+GB+-+Amy+Tinkler.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Great Britain’s 16-year Amy Tinkler during the women’s team gymnastics final in Rio</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“We get carried away with some of the hard
science around sport, but there’s so much value in how you use characters and
how you bring those qualities and traits to the fore. You see that on the
pitch. Leverage on the human beings as much as the science.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the velodrome, experience and expertise is
being recycled with each successive Games.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paul Manning was part of the team pursuit quartet
that won bronze in Sydney, silver in Athens and gold in Beijing. As his riding
career came towards the end, he was one of the first to graduate through the
Elite Coaching Apprenticeship Programme, a two-year scheme that offered an
accelerated route into high-performance coaching for athletes already in
British Cycling’s system.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Rio he coached the women’s pursuit team to
their second gold in two Olympics, his young charge Laura Trott also winning
omnium gold for the second Games in a row.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then there is Heiko Salzwedel, head of the men’s
endurance squad, back for his third spell with British Cycling having worked
under the visionary Peter Keen from 2000 to 2002 and then Sir Dave Brailsford
between 2008 and 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Expertise developed, expertise retained. A
culture where winning is expected, not just hoped for.</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“We have got the talent in this country and we
know that we can recruit and keep the very best coaches, sports scientists and
sports medics,” says Nicholl.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“It is now a system that provides the very best
support for that talent.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Funding has not flowed to all British sports
equally, because in some there is a greater chance of success than others.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Britain’s rowers
dominated the regatta, winning three gold medals and two silvers.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With 43 athletes they also had the biggest team
of any nation there. Forty-nine of the nations there qualified teams of fewer
than 10 athletes. Thirty-two had a team of just one or two rowers.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Only nine other nations won gold. In comparison,
204 nations were represented in track and field competition at Rio’s Estadio
Olimpico, and 47 nations won medals.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">British efforts in the velodrome, where for the
third Olympics on the bounce they ruled the boards, were fuelled by a budget
over the four years from London of £30.2m, up even from the £26m they received
in funding up to 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In comparison, the US track cycling team – which
won team pursuit silver behind Britain’s women, and saw Sarah Hammer once again
push Trott hard for omnium gold, has only one full-time staff member, director
Andy Sparks.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then there is the decline of other nations who
once battled with Britain for the upper reaches of the medal table, and
frequently sat far higher.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 2012, Russia finished fourth with 22 golds.
They were third in 2008 and third again in 2004.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This summer, despite escaping a total ban on
their athletes in the wake of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s McLaren Report,
they finished with 19 golds for fourth, permitted to enter only one track and
field athlete, Darya Klishina.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Australia, Britain’s traditional great rivals?
Eighth in 2012, sixth in Beijing, fourth in Athens, 10th here in Brazil.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As Team GB have risen, others have fallen back.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Rio, 129 different British athletes have won
an Olympic medal.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgV4dkuqUHuCGdeZnruHWvKJdQYcjQvSbxuTUZ9Lud87bsnDj7p1jnSNvRvoLQn3xcOto1jxV0PlOfOBRI5bmINOJSN6yRcpCWOONNmDw-YNEbg1oC6XOHB9Q50evq_oWyIbPLcuKOJDV/s1600/4Team+GB+-+Mo+Farrah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgV4dkuqUHuCGdeZnruHWvKJdQYcjQvSbxuTUZ9Lud87bsnDj7p1jnSNvRvoLQn3xcOto1jxV0PlOfOBRI5bmINOJSN6yRcpCWOONNmDw-YNEbg1oC6XOHB9Q50evq_oWyIbPLcuKOJDV/s640/4Team+GB+-+Mo+Farrah.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Gold medallist Britain’s Mo Farah celebrates near the podium for the Men’s 5000m during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 20, 2016. PHOTO: Eric FEFERBERG / AFP</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is a remarkable depth and breadth of talent –
a Games where 58-year-old Nick Skelton won a gold and 16-year-old gymnast Amy
Tinkler grabbed a bronze, a fortnight where Jason Kenny won his sixth gold at
the age of 28 and Mo Farah won his ninth successive global track title.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The abilities of those men and women has been
backed up by similar aptitude in coaching and support.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In swimming there is Rebecca Adlington’s former
mentor, Bill Furniss, who has taken a programme that won just one silver and
two bronzes in London and, with a no-compromise strategy, taken them to their
best haul at an Olympics since 1908.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In cycling, there has been the key hire of New
Zealand sprint specialist Justin Grace, the coach behind Francois Pervis’ domination
at the World Championships, a critical influence on Kenny, Callum Skinner,
Becky James and Katy Marchant.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“We have got the talent in this country, and we
know we can recruit and keep the very best coaches, sports scientists and
sports medics,” says Nicholl.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“It is a system that provides the very best
support for that talent. We do a lot in terms of people development. We are
conscious when people are recruited to key positions as coaches they are not
necessarily the finished article in their broader skills.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">“We provide support so that coaches across sports can network and learn from each other. That improves their knowledge expertise and the support systems they’ve got.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">It is an intimidating thought for Britain’s competitors. After two decades of consistent improvement, Rio may not even represent the peak.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;"><i>Originally published in BBC Sport</i></span></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-76206138055238685742016-08-15T15:56:00.001+01:002016-08-15T15:56:43.874+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: Rise Of Bollywood And The Decline Of Nollywood In Nigeria — Adegbenro Adebanjo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMNGu2n-NUGU5Wsmaa7v7LqcHHU_TT3YGoezPwLFl6yvwsY-LkvhacwCTTQTUwqe7qDGoA2S-3L7c6mpW6m5W_6w-OMZ5QpIelx9ZzqeZGimVZ8Y09ScxdPhUSMZMnpEIeWNAUCeiHZby/s1600/1Nollywood+in+decline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMNGu2n-NUGU5Wsmaa7v7LqcHHU_TT3YGoezPwLFl6yvwsY-LkvhacwCTTQTUwqe7qDGoA2S-3L7c6mpW6m5W_6w-OMZ5QpIelx9ZzqeZGimVZ8Y09ScxdPhUSMZMnpEIeWNAUCeiHZby/s640/1Nollywood+in+decline.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Adegbenro
Adebanjo<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the seventies and eighties before the advent
of Nollywood, Indian films had a cult like following in Nigeria. Its outlandish
scenes and sometimes magical and surreal themes and weird characters never
bothered its many patrons who were enthralled by its simple entertainment and
riveting love songs. And since there was no homemade alternative the film
houses which daily showed the Indian films, the precursor of today’s Bollywood,
smiled to the Bank. That was until the coming of Nollywood in the Mid-Eighties
which gained a foothold within a short time and signaled the arrival of the
Nigerian film industry. And with the popularity of Video Cassette Player and
its availability in many homes across the country, the Nigerian film industry
came into its own and Nollywood by the Nineties became, arguably, the fastest
growing film industry in the world spinning billions of Naira for different
layers of participants.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nollywood simply displaced Bollywood in the hearts and
homes of many Nigerians. And some incurable optimists infused with
nationalistic fervor began to equate it with Hollywood.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However there is a dangerous reversal in favour
of Bollywood. Nollywood is in decline and Bollywood is on the rise again in
Nigeria. I got to know about the return of Bollywood to the hearts and homes of
Nigerians from the home front. My daughter had for the past six months been
persistently insisting that I sit with her through a one hour offering of
Indian film on a paid channel. She would extol the virtue of the actors, the
dexterity of the script writer and of course their inimitable style and
setting. To her the best thing in home entertainment in the last one year or so
is the various Bollywood offerings, now the main stay of the leading pay
channels in Nigeria. Gradually and robustly the Indian films have made a return
and have taken over the Nigerian film market pushing the Nollywood to the
background.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there are a plethora of reasons why Nollywood
is in decline. The major one is that it has failed to adapt to the changing
times and cater to the taste and predilections of its patrons. The operators of
Nollywood are serving what they think the people want rather than what they
actually want in terms of entertainment. Nollywood across genres is stuck with
the old ways of filming and storytelling. There is no innovation, no new style
just a concatenation of boring stuff with very few exceptions. The Yoruba genre
is the worst in this regard. It is still trapped with tired and old actors with
stereotypical nuances who can no longer connect with the audience. Its tragic
film is melodramatic, its comedy farcical and its romantic offerings very
banal. The themes are repetitive and often times thoughtless with a bundle of
offensive contraptions and contradictions. And its attempt at sub titling would
have been hilarious but for the aspersion it casts on the intellectual capacity
of its drivers and the race from where it takes its bearing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Nigerian Nollywood industry will continue its
downward trend for there is no attempt by its leading lights and regulators to
halt the slide. By the day they continue to break with impunity all the known
rules of drama and treating viewers as those who will settle for anything
however mediocre. My daughter’s reason for not watching Nollywood is that all
the films are the same. When you have watched one you have watched all, no
innovation, no ingenuity just the same story line. She recounted a Nollywood
film where the main actor was shot in the head with blood oozing out only for
his legs to be bandaged and dripping with blood in the subsequent hospital
scene. The gunshot wound in the head in the preceding scene had miraculously
vanished. The director had apparently forgotten to tie the loose end. Of course
may be there was even no script, a regular practice in Nollywood where stories
are the product of whims and caprices of Producer/director. Such absurdity
would not occur in a Bollywood film.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a lot of persuasion I sat with her through
one of the offering from India and I was almost converted. The acting was near
perfect and the storyline very similitude with the event of actual life. What
more all the ingredients of drama were present. Good dialogue, suspense, hero,
song and more that made you sat glued to the screen. The rise of Bollywood
especially at this time of economic meltdown is double jeopardy for Nigeria.
Nollywood that should provide some cushion to the ailing economy through rise
in its sale and perhaps export earning is itself on the canvass. I am sure more
and more actors are getting less and less from their trade and some may even be
out of business by now. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let nobody plead lack of patriotism here. People
go for the best and a good advertisement cannot sell a bad product twice. The
Nigerian Film Corporation and the Censors Board, Actors Guild of Nigeria and
other stakeholders should be aware of the clear and present danger posed to
their trade by Bollywood. They should come together and rescue this once
vibrant industry from its steady decline into the abyss of irrelevance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
first step is to prescribe minimum standard for all films that will bear the
Nollywood imprimatur. There is also a need for retraining of all persons involved
in the film industry for if you continue to do something the same way you will
continue to get the same old result. And the era of a single man as director,
producer, editor and lead actor cum costumier belongs to the past.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If local consumers are rejecting Nollywood
offerings, its fate outside the shores of Nigeria is better imagined. Outright
repudiation of course. Nollywood must reinvent itself in order for it to bounce
back and return to winning ways.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Originally published in
<a href="http://www.premiumtimesng.com/arts-entertainment/nollywood-nigeria/208356-rise-bollywood-decline-nollywood-nigeria.html" target="_blank">PREMIUM TIMES</a></i></span></span>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-80224537667315774722016-08-14T16:15:00.001+01:002016-08-14T16:47:55.646+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARIES: Nigeria Riven By New Battles Over Scarce Fertile Land — Ulf Laesing; B’ Haram, Fulani Herdsmen Kill Over 3,000 Under Buhari — Gbenro Adeoye & Jesusegun Alagbe<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9JjfeOaZkEkqOJ3vkaITx92KjJShgsnV0QE1fwTidwW8XzYjDNk9oFLTp5neVd6GoVEOzaaGhyphenhyphenNBZMiUlxiBvh4VaGD0maXXO7MO150QEU2tLIW5ngeLaUrOzFDpG2RKC_LjKq9hz2gV/s1600/1Herdsmen+with+cattle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9JjfeOaZkEkqOJ3vkaITx92KjJShgsnV0QE1fwTidwW8XzYjDNk9oFLTp5neVd6GoVEOzaaGhyphenhyphenNBZMiUlxiBvh4VaGD0maXXO7MO150QEU2tLIW5ngeLaUrOzFDpG2RKC_LjKq9hz2gV/s1600/1Herdsmen+with+cattle.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18.4px; text-align: justify;">Cattle herdsmen sometimes have to flee Islamic militants/insurgency/cattle rustling</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>By Ulf Laesing</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Muslim herdsmen fleeing Boko Haram jihadists, fast-spreading desertification and more recently rampant cattle rustling in the north of Nigeria are clashing with
Christian farmers in the south, adding a dangerous new dimension to the
sectarian tensions and militancy plaguing the country.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thousands of people from Muslim Fulani tribes
have moved southwards this year, leading to a series of clashes over land that
have killed more than 350 people (SEE NEXT STORY), most of them Christian crop farmers,
according to residents and rights activists.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The fighting threatens to fracture the country
further by bolstering support for a Christian secessionist movement in the
southeast, which has been lingering for decades but gained fresh momentum late
last year when resentment over poverty and the arrest of one of its leaders
spilled over into street protests.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The conflict is also exposing a growing problem
that has attracted less international attention than Boko Haram and the
militants threatening oil production in the Niger Delta region.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fertile land is becoming scarcer across Africa's
most populous nation, and conflict over this dwindling resource is likely to
intensify. The population of poverty-stricken Nigeria is expected to more than
double to almost 400 million by 2050, according to the United Nations.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are no signs that the secessionists will take
up arms against the government like in the 1967-70 civil war that killed one
million people. But the clashes and growing resentment at the arrival of Muslim
herdsmen come at a time when many people in the southeast are complaining about
widespread poverty.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In one of the deadliest clashes, about 50 people
were killed in April when Fulanis attacked the village of Nimbo in the
southeastern state of Biafra, according to residents, rights groups and
lawmakers who visited Nimbo after the violence.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They said the attackers opened fire on villagers
and torched a house where a priest and his family were sleeping, with the
family only surviving by jumping out of a window.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"The Fulanis ... came in the town and shot
at any man they saw and killed him," said Joseph Obeta, another priest in
Nimbo, which is now almost deserted after hundreds of villagers fled during or
after the attack.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Obeta said if there was an independent state in
the southeast of Nigeria, it would be easier to prevent such violence.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"It would make a difference if the southeast
were on its own."<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He was echoing the sentiment of campaigners
lobbying for an independent Biafra. They say they want to stop the Muslim north
from dominating the Christian south of the West African country, which is split
fairly evenly between Muslims and Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They say the influx of herdsmen from the north is
part of a plan by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, a Fulani
Muslim, to turn Nigeria into an Islamic nation - an allegation vehemently
denied by the government and Buhari.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "haettenschweiler" , sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Crises<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fulani leaders say their communities have no
choice but to migrate southwards.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The precise numbers involved are unclear, but
thousands first moved to central Nigeria to seek new pastures and escape the
violence and insecurity of the Boko Haram insurgency.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Growing desertification - where fertile land
turns into desert for reasons including over-exploitation and drought - has
forced many further south this year, to more than 1,000 km from their homeland.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWycB4PsKpFgXuQpYJw91qSWUPDRMyKm7tWZRjtgmqlwQN3ddndSc2-axOAJr0i5Xc4ChGHk6n-RwiYUHwp9LfWdT09DhVo3iWY3id1ryUBQQPjTeL08yfUAZApI5Bo57AYWKLAJ29x9SX/s1600/1Cattle+obstructing+traffic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWycB4PsKpFgXuQpYJw91qSWUPDRMyKm7tWZRjtgmqlwQN3ddndSc2-axOAJr0i5Xc4ChGHk6n-RwiYUHwp9LfWdT09DhVo3iWY3id1ryUBQQPjTeL08yfUAZApI5Bo57AYWKLAJ29x9SX/s640/1Cattle+obstructing+traffic.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18.4px; text-align: justify;">Cattle herdsmen and their livestock obstructing traffic in Abuja Federal Capital Territory</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Fulani leaders say they are clamping down on
members who commit crimes but added that they often were themselves victims of
kidnapping, attacks or cattle rustling at the hands of residents of southern
farming communities.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"When they suffer maltreatment (in southern
areas they migrate to), they do not usually speak up or report to police until
when it becomes unbearable, then they will react," said Alhaji Gidado,
head of the Fulani cattle breeder association in the southeast.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Buhari said last week that he had ordered
security forces to "deal decisively" with violence between herdsmen
and farmers.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But he faces a host of other crises.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">His security forces are battling the Boko Haram
in the northeast - the president's priority since taking office last year after
making an election promise to defeat the jihadists.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Seven years into Boko Haram's insurgency that
spread from Nigeria into Chad, Niger and Cameroon, regional armies have retaken
most of the territory that had been seized by the group, though it still stages
suicide bombings.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The countries are in a final push to defeat the </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">hard-line</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Sunni Muslim group, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, but
lingering divisions in their joint task force are complicating that mission.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Buhari has also promised to crush militants that
have carried out pipeline bombings in the southern Niger Delta region and are
threatening to trigger a wider conflict that could cripple oil production in a
country facing a growing economic crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the problems created by Fulanis migrating
south, residents and rights activists said Buhari's previous pledges to tackle
the clashes between the herdsmen and crop farmers had not been backed up by any
significant security action.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe, invited by
the U.S. House of Representatives to give testimony in May about Boko Haram and
other crises facing Nigeria, said the Fulanis had been operating in "plain
sight" to stage attacks that were more brutal than the jihadist group.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "haettenschweiler" , sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vigilantes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Police have said they had increased patrols in
farming areas that have been affected by violence but local youth have
nevertheless taken up arms against Fulanis since the Nimbo attack.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"The Fulani people have been robbing, raping
women," said 28-year old Anthony Okafor, searching cars at a vigilante
checkpoint outside Nimbo. "That's why we are here."<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some residents said the youth, with their
outdated rifles borrowed from farmers, would be no match for the Fulanis, who
they said had assault weapons.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Officials worry poverty levels are rising in
rural areas, where there are few job opportunities outside agriculture, as many
scared farmers have abandoned their fields.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stanley Okeke, head of the government council in
Agwu, said production of cassava, a staple crop, had fallen significantly in
parts of Enugu state, to which Nimbo and Agwu belong.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">James Onyimba, leader of a community comprising six villages in Enugu, said many farmers were now sitting idle at home. "Farming is our main job. We don't have any factories," he added. "The problem of unemployment is getting worse."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 107%;">B’ Haram, Fulani Herdsmen
Kill Over 3,000 Under Buhari — Gbenro Adeoye & Jesusegun Alagbe</span></b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NXsGZO3K-RO4QDt4-pdoGlmUWDcxXgWruQZ4TT0mV3T9NGu0Rcu8Tg6Vd0ULasZZen0tAYSZuz41xX4F_Isqeioi5rFC9NHByJIqFMxAnssggseOdun57131FKUEZ247ydjGCn2GGMoV/s1600/3BH+suspects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NXsGZO3K-RO4QDt4-pdoGlmUWDcxXgWruQZ4TT0mV3T9NGu0Rcu8Tg6Vd0ULasZZen0tAYSZuz41xX4F_Isqeioi5rFC9NHByJIqFMxAnssggseOdun57131FKUEZ247ydjGCn2GGMoV/s1600/3BH+suspects.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Troops
arrest four Boko Haram Commanders in Borno</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Gbenro
Adeoye and Jesusegun Alagbe<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No fewer than 3,094 Nigerians have been killed by
suspected Boko Haram insurgents and Fulani herdsmen since President Muhammadu
Buhari assumed office on May 29, 2015, Saturday PUNCH (May 28, 2016) investigations
have revealed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Findings by our correspondents based on related
killings as reported by the media show that at least 2, 569 persons were killed
by the insurgents while 525 others were killed by the nomadic cattle herdsmen
in the period under review.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was also learnt that thousands of persons,
including women and children, sustained various degrees of injuries from the
attacks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Available figures indicated that the number of
persons killed by the suspected insurgents dramatically dropped after President
Buhari’s four months in office.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the last days of May 2015, following President
Buhari’s inaugural speech, the deadly sect reportedly killed 97 persons and
injured several others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In June, July, August, September and October
2015, the sect reportedly killed 368, 635, 431, 267, and 279 persons,
respectively.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But starting from November 2015, the number of
persons reportedly killed by the sect dipped with November 2015 recording 81
deaths; December, 136; January 2016, 104; February 2016, 90; March 2016, 26;
April 2016, 43; and May 2016, 12.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 2015, Nigeria ranked third in the 2015 Global
Terrorism Index, trailing Iraq and Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the index, on June 4, 2015, a female
suicide bomber in Maiduguri killed two people near a military checkpoint. On
the same day, 45 people were also killed in a Yola market, Adamawa State when a
blast ripped through the place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On July 1, 2015, suicide bombers attacked a
hospital in Kukawa, Borno State when Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo visited the
state, killing 118 people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also on July 17, 2015, 50 persons were killed
when suicide bombers attacked a Muslim prayer ground in Damaturu, Yobe State.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the worst Boko Haram attacks in the last
one year include an attack on Dalori village, some four kilometres from
Maiduguri, Borno State on January 30, 2015, where at least 86 people were
reportedly killed after an invasion by the insurgents.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On February 9, 2016, 60 people were reportedly
killed while 78 others were wounded when two female suicide bombers suspected
to be Boko Haram members, sneaked into a camp for internally displaced persons
in Dikwa, Borno State.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, the situation did not apply to the
casualty figures associated with Fulani herdsmen attacks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">June 2015 recorded 97 deaths arising from
suspected Fulani herdsmen attacks; September recorded three; October, 18;
November, 22; December, 28; February 2016, 300; April 2016, 55; and May 2016,
two.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last December, no fewer than 22 persons were
reportedly killed when suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked Kwata in Jos South
Local government area of Plateau State.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In February 2016, suspected Fulani herdsmen
attacked a village in Agatu, Benue State, reportedly killing at least 300
persons. The attack has been described as one of the worst ever witnessed in
the series of attacks by Fulani herdsmen.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In April, 2016, at least 40 persons were also
reportedly killed when suspected herdsmen attacked Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local
Government Area of Enugu State.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">About seven villages in Nimbo including
Ugwuijoro, Ekwuru, Ebor, Umuome and Ugwuachara were among the areas attacked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No fewer than 10 houses including a church were
also said to have been burnt in the attack.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the same month, suspected Fulani herdsmen also
attacked Dori and Mesuma villages in Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba
State, killing at least 15 people, according to the police. Although, residents
said more than 40 persons were killed and several houses razed by the
assailants.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the most recent attacks by suspected
Fulani herdsmen occurred on Friday, May 20, 2016, when two persons were killed
and six others injured following an attack on Oke Ako in Ikole Local Government
Area of Ekiti State.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">It was alleged that the
assailants had attacked their victims for refusing to allow the herdsmen use
their farmland for grazing their cattle.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;"><i>Originally published (STORY 1) in <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/nigeria-riven-battles-over-scarce-fertile-land-101104838.html?nhp=1" target="_blank">Reuters/Yahoo News</a> (Edited) and (STORY 2) in <a href="http://punchng.com/b-haram-fulani-herdsmen-kill-3000-buhari/" target="_blank">Saturday PUNCH</a></i></span></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-65000737038895886682016-08-12T13:05:00.002+01:002016-08-12T13:06:48.957+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARIES: Rethinking The Nigerian Youth — Douglas Imaralu; Where Are Africa’s Youths? — Zuriel Oduwole<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSTZPCDyxylmICIju_S5g5nZg-sjCtkIWyBRoZ2VMQjiTmy0bDJmYYZyDNqu7n0Q-lyjaV6Nl7IGjsBrEy7Eq2m-P4zi42s1xogmEMCG8nqUgfqOfeeAH9Ni10ZbBU86EKf8WKpTXSG50/s1600/1Iyinoluwa+Aboyeji.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSTZPCDyxylmICIju_S5g5nZg-sjCtkIWyBRoZ2VMQjiTmy0bDJmYYZyDNqu7n0Q-lyjaV6Nl7IGjsBrEy7Eq2m-P4zi42s1xogmEMCG8nqUgfqOfeeAH9Ni10ZbBU86EKf8WKpTXSG50/s640/1Iyinoluwa+Aboyeji.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18.4px; text-align: justify;">Iyinoluwa Aboyeji</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 24.0pt;">Rethinking The Nigerian Youth — Douglas
Imaralu<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
potential of Nigeria’s youth population is arguably contradictory: on one side,
pockets of shinning stars; on the other, a largely untapped resource. But there
is growing evidence that young people can be agents of change, when given a
chance. As we commemorate International Youth Day, this article explores the
implication of putting young people at the forefront of change and development
in this era of peak youth.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Douglas Imaralu<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When we talk about young people in Nigeria we
often talk about the vicious circle problems that get linked to youth:
unemployment, underdevelopment, political thuggery, ignorance, radicalization
and militancy – although there are pockets of shinning stars.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Nigeria, the median age of our population is
20.1. But this will not carry on forever, and we are not alone in that. We are
part of an interconnected world, which is passing a major statistical milestone
in human history this International Youth Day 2016. It is the last time in the
planet’s history that more people will be under 30 rather than older: right now
we are living in the era of ‘peak youth’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The total number of young people in the world is
starting to plateau. Today, we have the largest global youth population in
history, and this mass will remain for several decades before beginning to
shrink later this century. What does this mean for us here, and for the world?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, we need to change the way we think about
youth. The UN counts those 1.8 billion as youth because they are 15 to 24 years
old, but this definition is arguably not universal and is fast changing. The
transition to adulthood is being stretched in all countries. In Nigeria, young
people are still waiting to take the lead of growth and development, have a
decent job, place to live or their own family, and a say in policies that will
determine their future.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But the power of youth is that they are neither
dependent children nor fully independent adults. Young people are a vital group
facing huge personal challenges, challenges on which society collectively
succeeds or fails. Youth is not an age bracket; it is the passing from
dependency to independence. It is a transition full of potential – potential
that must be harnessed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second, we need to change the way we think about
what youth can do. This will happen within the lifetimes of many of us today.
World leaders, including our own President, Muhammadu Buhari, have set
themselves historic Global Goals to end poverty, inequality and climate change
by 2030, so this simple fact has huge ramifications. Without the Youth Power of
a generation that is 1.8 billion strong and will make sure those promises are
kept, that better world will not be achieved for any generation. We have seen
an example of what young people can do to change our country positively.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Take 25-year-old Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, whose
startup, Andela, recently received US$24 million from Mark Zuckerberg And
Priscilla Chan’s Fund to train African Engineers and what that could mean for
job creation in Nigeria, or Oluseun Onigbinde, who gave up a career in banking
five years ago to devote himself full time to making sense of the country’s
federal expenditures and its implication on growth and development.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Savvy in the use of data and social media,
Onigbinde founded BudgIT Nigeria, a website that provides budgetary facts and
figures an average Nigerian can understand. “Sometimes, it takes individual
citizens to lead the way,” says Bill Gates, in a speech delivered at the 2016
Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture at the University of Pretoria. “Onigbinde is no
doubt a thorn in the side of some of Nigeria’s elite. To me, he is an example
of what one person can do to make a difference,” Gates added, underlining the
impact young people can make when employed as an agency for change and
development.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally, we need to change our assumptions about
what young people want. So many of those stereotypes about young people in our
country come from assuming that what they want is either to change things in a
way that is a threat to society, or that they are so apathetic they do not want
anything at all. When my agency Restless Development asked young people to
survey thousands of other young people, we found that was not the case at all,
and that young people prioritized having a voice, they wanted a decent living
that contributed to their society, they wanted sexual rights to ensure their
health and freedom from discrimination, and they wanted to be able to show
leadership in preventing and solving our biggest challenges. But most of all,
they wanted to show they can, and are already, leading. I hear from young
volunteers every day that more young people need to the aware of the ambitious
but achievable Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But they also have
priorities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Indeed, it is important to consider the needs of
young people before formulating development policies. For Happy Zirra, a Global
Youth Ambassador advocating for access to education in Northern Nigeria with
the A World at School initiative, goals 2 (Zero Hunger), 4 (Education), and 5
(Gender Equality) are priorities. According to her, “government should also
make grants accessible to young people and their organizations to lead delivery
of the SDGs.” What this reemphasizes is the need to turn to the agency of young
people; to utilize their potential, priorities, and passion to deliver the SDGs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we change the way we think about youth, if we
change the way we talk about young people, if we change the way that all ages
can participate in our decision making, then, we will find that young people
will change our world – for the better. This moment of ‘Peak Youth’ can be a
historic opportunity for that positive change.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Douglas Imaralu is an
Atlas Corps Fellow/Partnerships and Communications Fellow at the US hub of
Restless Development, a global agency for youth-led development. He tweets from
@jefumare<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where Are Africa’s Youths? — Zuriel
Oduwole</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Africa’s
youths have all the tools at our disposal to tell a new kind of African story –
IPhones, Social Media, Internet as our canvas, so we have a very big voice</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Zuriel Oduwole<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hello and Happy Summer months to you all. I am
very excited but maybe a little scared as well, not because I don’t like
summer, but because of this – I am writing my very first editorial for any
newspaper or magazine anywhere in the world. So, I’m excited, and a little
scared at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some would wonder why I am scared. After all, at
the age of nine, I met and interviewed President Jerry Rawlings, who is kind of
still an enigma to many on the African continent, or that maybe by age 10,
I had started my Dream Up Speak Up Stand Up project to talk to Africa’s Girls
especially in rural areas about the importance of getting a good education, and
staying in school till at least 18. Or even maybe that by age 12, I had made my
first film that showed in 2 cinemas in Lagos, and also showed in Ghana, South
Africa, London – England and Tokyo – Japan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So why am I not writing about movie making or
public speaking, since I have spoken to more than 24,500 youths in 11 countries
or met more than 18 Presidents and Prime Ministers. Well, it is because I am
looking for Africa’s youth. Why, because they are the ones who can change the
future of Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A little bit about myself, so perhaps you might
understand why I’m looking. My dad is from Nigeria and my mom is from
Mauritius, so that makes me a Pan African child. I was born in Los Angeles.
This gives me a clear American perspective to things, and opens my eyes wider
to many global issues, especially how the rest of the world looks at
Africa, where my roots are from. So in all my projects and travels, I always
look at Africa, because I see it as a continent that is often painted in a
negative light, but I also see this as an opportunity for the young generation to
rescue it from this negative perception.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Africa’s youths have all the tools at our
disposal to tell a new kind of African story – IPhones, Social Media,
Internet as our canvas, so we have a very big voice. But when I run into some
youths, in Ethiopia, in Nigeria, in Ghana, in Tanzania, in South Africa, Ghana
and even in the UK, I see there are two kinds generally. Those who were born on
the continent, and just want to leave the continent very fast, and those who
were born out of the continent, and never want to visit the continent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am in Africa a lot especially Nigeria, and
I see a lot of these there. If I ask them for example where they are from – and
by that I meant their states of origin so we can maybe design something for
that region, the first thing they say is I’m from Chicago, or I was born in New
York. That means they don’t want to identify with Nigeria or Africa. So I ask
myself how did this happen. Yes they were born in Chicago or New York, but why
don’t they want to have anything to do with Nigeria, or Africa. Sometimes, when
I read the papers and see what Africa’s adults are doing like not wanting to
leave as Presidents when their time is up, or keeping things that belong
to everyone, then I understand a little why the global media say the
negative things about Africa, and maybe why these youths want nothing to do
with Africa. But still, where are the rest of the youths who would use the
power of social media to change the perception of Africa, one country at a
time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My parents always told me and my 3 younger
siblings when we were little that we were born in the US, but we must remember
where our roots are from, and at every opportunity, we must help when we can.
So when I am in Africa, I look for other youths, and somehow I expect them to
think like this also.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Like most youths, I like to play and have fun
too. I like movies like Madea and James Bond Series, I like music like Bruno
Mars and P-Square [only E-No Easy], and I enjoy my X-box games too. But I
know that I have a lot of other things to do aside of these things. Like
for example, I started a Foundation last December to help manage some of
my Education and Skills transfer ideas. Earlier this month, I was in
Lagos to teach kids in Makoko basic film making skills, and they loved it.
Last month, I helped open a library in Abuja in a government school, where
there was none before, and in February, I was teaching unemployed youths in
Namibia film making.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My parents are not special in any way, and
neither am I. But we all must find out what our roles are in society, and what
our missions are in life, and the best time to do so is when we are very
young, and the world still calls us youth. Because it means we have ideas, we
have passion, and we have fresh legs to run fast.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The question again is where
are Africa’s youth? Well, look around out there, from South Africa to
South Sudan, from Rwanda to Nigeria, from Kenya to Zimbabwe. Africa’s
youth are all out there. But Africa’s adults need to sometimes hold the
hands of Africa’s youths, and show where they can help, and teach
about real priorities and the things that matter the most, so that the
future of Africa – but for me especially the future of Nigeria, is indeed bright.
So, now, Africa’s youth are waiting for Africa’s adults, to lead. That way,
Africa would be the world’s leader in a few decades time, when the
youths are the new adults. We are Africa’s youth.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Originally published (<a href="http://guardian.ng/features/youthspeak/rethinking-the-nigerian-youth/" target="_blank">STORY 1</a>) and (<a href="http://guardian.ng/features/youthspeak/where-are-africas-youths/" target="_blank">STORY 2</a>) in The Guardian Nigeria</i></span></span></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-57462326411704702692016-07-29T18:01:00.000+01:002016-07-30T05:34:17.372+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: Road Accidents In Nigeria, Analysis And Discussion — Adeyemi Adedokun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 13.696px; text-align: left;">Infographic of RTA Nigeria, 2013</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Adeyemi Adedokun<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The above infographic visualizes the key areas in the
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Annual Report for 2013. In this article, we
shall be discussing these key areas, shedding more light on their significance.
Please note that there are some more important items in the report that could
not be included in this chart but would be referred in the article.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The total population used in this report is
believed to be 160 million people (as stated in the OECD/ITF report), total
road length of 194 thousand kilometres (as cited by Vitus N. Nkoji), and total
vehicle population of 10 million vehicles (as cited by FRSC Vehicle Inspection
and Certification Head). This translates to 825 persons per km of road.
According to World Bank ranking of number of vehicles per 1000 inhabitant in
2007, Nigeria ranked 143 with 31cars per 1,000 inhabitant. This is 2015 and
this figure is yet to be updated. Imagine what the ranking would be with
adequate data.</span></span><br />
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More vehicles on the road usually lead to more road accident as the risk of
accident is increased with exposure. The impact of exposure on traffic safety
is well reflected in the number of deaths and injury recorded on Nigerian
roads.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6,450 Nigerians lost their lives on our roads in
2013, which includes 4,552 men, 1398 women, 299 boys and 201 girls. The report
shows that men are almost four times more involved in road accident death. More
data from the report content shows that between 2009 and 2013, 30435 people
were killed in road accident in Nigeria (This is about the size of a European
city, e.g. Gyula, Hungary). Also, 28,480 men, 9,198 women, 1,520 boys and 859
girls, a total of 40,057 people were injured in road accidents in 2013. Looking
through the years, the report shows that 183,531 people were injured in road
accidents between 2009 and 2013, and the extent of their injury is unknown.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The numbers support the report that Nigeria is
ranked second-highest in the rate of road accidents among 193 countries of the
world. A report from WHO adjudged Nigeria the most dangerous country in Africa
with 33.7 deaths per 100,000 population every year. According to the report,
one in every four road accident deaths in Africa occurs in Nigeria. A
conclusion drawn by Nigeria watch states that next to Boko Haram insurgency,
road accident is the second highest source of violent death in Nigeria.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Discussion<br />
‘You cannot control/develop what you cannot measure’, Tom DeMarco. This we
believe, is the major reason why road accidents among other things in Nigeria
remains consistently high, despite several intervention from agencies such as
the World Bank and other organizations.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every standard report starts out with an official
national population statistics, with which the number of fatalities per 100,000
inhabitants is calculated. There seem to be several figures from different
sources, which is perhaps why the FRSC decided to be silent on this one. The
effect of this is seen in the report from the WHO, which concluded that Nigeria
records 33.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitant. This is ridiculously high by global
standard and totally untrue according to the report from the FRSC, but no one
has until now, publicly challenge this report and this is unfortunately the
information available to the world on Wikipedia. The Nigerian population
according to data from World Bank was 159.7 million in 2010. 6052 fatalities
were recorded in 2013 according to the FRSC report. Using the formula from
Indiana State in the US, this gives approximately 3.8 fatalities per 100,000
inhabitant. Fatality is a term for people killed in road accident either
immediately or within 30 days from the day of crash. This is still relatively
high in an environment where most accidents and fatalities are underreported.
The report has no information about the total road length in the country or
total vehicle population for adequate measurement and calculations, all which
had to be sourced from different papers and reports.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">70.6% of the total number of people killed in
road accident in 2013 are men. These are fathers, uncles, brothers, sons, and
friends to people. A report from WHO concluded that 3 out of every 4 road
deaths are among men. We are losing are men! Children are also not excluded
from this violent death, as a report from the FRSC stated that 1903 children
were killed and 8667 children were injured in road traffic accidents between
2010 and 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Underreporting of road accident is a global
problem, but this problem is more amplified in Nigeria where little or no data
is readily or easily available. The information available in this report seems
to have recorded only road accidents on the highway and inter-city routes. Some
routes were identified in the report published by OECD as black, due to high
number of recorded accidents. But what about accidents on routes within the
state? Like Ikorodu road in Lagos, Lugbe road in Abuja, intersections in
Kaduna, Wamba road in Nasarawa, bridge in Anambra, and so on within the states
where accidents are known to be frequent? Declaring these routes as black is
not a public knowledge as the information is not available to the road users.
Warning the public with data yields better result while treatment is being
applied for correction.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The accident severity index in Yobe is proof that
commercial vehicles constitutes the highest number of accidents and records the
highest number of deaths with 55.8% of the total recorded cases. The severity
index means that in Yobe, every 10 road accident gets 19.30 killed. There is an
urgent need for an intervention in the public transport system in Nigeria, as
this system is largely dominated by associations and communities of people with
very little or no safety education. No wonder why the first property every
Nigerian longs to acquire is a car. Private vehicles constituted (42.5%),
Government vehicles (1.6%) and Diplomat vehicles (0.1%).<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Speed violation is reported as the major cause of
fatal accidents, with 32% of total cases reported. But this offence that has
claimed and is still claiming several lives is only a 3 points offence in the
FRSC traffic offence and penalties, with a fine of ₦3,000 only. The Lagos State
government however seem to understand the effect of this matter and has placed
a fine of ₦50,000 only on the same offence. Alcohol, which is known as a top
accident cause globally, and readily available at almost every motor park
across the country (in different forms like ‘shepe or paraga’, local herbs
soaked in dry gin), is reported by the FRSC to constitute only 1% of the total
accidents in the OECD report. This is clearly a case of lack of measurement.
Nigeria by law allows BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) level of up to 0.5g/l, but
anything above that becomes Driving under Influence offence (DUI), which is a
5points offence with a fine of ₦5,000 only. According to International Centre
for Alcohol Policies (ICAP), BAC level between 0.2–0.9 mg/ml for a typical
person could cause mood changes, acting inappropriately, impaired coordination,
slowed reaction time and diminished response to pain. Even distracted driving
records only 0.4% of the total accidents reported, in a country that
constituted 76% of mobile internet share of web traffic in January 2015? Loss
of Control caused 17.1%, Dangerous driving caused 12.1% and Fatigue caused 2%
of fatal road accidents reported.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nigeria is Africa’s fastest growing economy. This
also means that our traffic and transportation problems are growing at a steady
rate, and requires all the help it can get. The FRSC is doing a decent job to
the best of their ability, just that their best might not be sufficient for the
growing road safety needs. FRSC members need more training and capacity to meet
the demand of enforcing the law. Other law enforcement agencies at both state
and federal level also need to trained and synergize with the FRSC.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
We have to set a national goal for our road transportation and safety, and also
develop a national policy to drive the goal. In 1997, Sweden set a goal called
‘Vision Zero’ that aims to achieve zero road accident death and fatal injury on
Swedish roads. The result of this vision has inspired several countries around
the world to adopt the goal and also to develop individual national policy.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nigeria needs a national policy for road safety
that will protect our children who are the future of the nation and other
vulnerable road users like pedestrians and old people from being violently
killed and injured in road accidents, a policy that will ensure that vehicles
that are not road-worthy are kept off our roads, a policy that will ensure the
development of transportation and road safety research, a policy that will
ensure that road safety education is part of our educational curriculum, a
policy that will ensure that road safety platform is not used to extort the
people but to educate, serve and prevent road accidents occurrence, and a policy
that will make road safety and transportation data available to the public.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our prayer is, very soon Boko Haram and terrorism
will be completely defeated. But if we fail to attend to safety needs on our
roads, uncountable number of Nigerians will continue to die and severely
injured daily for reasons that could be measured and controlled. This could be
you or me.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Adeyemi
Adedokun is an Intelligent Transport researcher at Linköping University,
Sweden. He is the founder of Accidentdata Nigeria, a road safety campaign
initiative that aims to use crowdsourced information to build a public accident
database and provide road safety education to Nigerians. He can be reached on
+46729037809, accidentdatanigeria@gmail.com and tweets @accidentdatang<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Views expressed are solely that of author and
does not represent views of www.naijagraphitti.blogspot.com.ng
nor its associates</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 24.0pt;">NEWS POST: Accident
Rate Still High In Nigeria, Says FRSC Boss<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;">FRSC V-SAT
Locations Nation Wide<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In November, 2014, Daily Trust reported that the corps marshal and chief executive of the
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi, has said that despite the
efforts of the corps to minimize road accidents in the country, the rate still
remains high. He revealed that about US$100billion is lost yearly to road crashes
by low and middle income countries. Oyeyemi emphasized that such huge losses
undoubtedly hinder economic and social development, and therefore, inhibit
national development efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Delivering a 16-page speech entitled, “Governance
and the Public Policy Process: The Contributions of the Federal Road Safety
Corps to the Transformation Agenda,” at the 2014 annual public lecture organized
by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka inside the Princess Alexandra Auditorium,
Oyeyemi said reports of crashes recorded in the country over the years remained
high, adding that victims of road accidents consisted mostly of young,
productive and energetic segment of the national population.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> “They are
either killed or injured in the Nigerian roads. We know from studies that low
and middle income countries unfortunately are the most vulnerable to road
traffic crashes. Currently, the sum of US$100billion being lost to road traffic
crashes every year is almost twice the total development assistance received
worldwide by developing countries,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Painting a graphic picture of the figures of road
mishaps in the country and the casualties, Oyeyemi said: “For the
avoidance of doubt, a total of 6,052 people died from road traffic crashes in
Nigeria in 2010, and by 2012 it was 6,092, while 6,450 died from road crashes
last year, 2013. However, as at the last week of November, 2014, a total of
4,643 people died from road traffic crashes throughout the country. This
decline is positive for the previous trend, but it remains high.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The economic and social costs that these human
losses have brought to bear on the nation are better imagined. But what is
clear is that though the aforementioned number of people unfortunately died
from avoidable road traffic crashes, the situation could have been worse
without the presence of the FRSC men on the highways to caution, enlighten and
enforce traffic laws on recalcitrant drivers while deploying rescue teams to
assist crash victims so that those who would have lived do not die due to lack
of prompt and efficient attention.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He regretted that Nigeria, with a total road
network of 204,200 kilometres, comprising 34,120 kilometres of federal roads,
30,500 kilometres of state roads, and 129,580 kilometres of local government
roads, was characterized by lack of coherent national road policy on
application of road standards.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“It also has limited professional and business
capacity, resulting in inefficient services. In addition, the country’s road
network lacks appropriate road design standards to keep pace with increased
vehicular traffic volumes and vehicle weights,” he said, adding that this
was in addition to the “lack of road markings, safety barriers and
signage, which contribute to the high crashes and casualty rate on all roads.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He appealed to state governments to fully buy
into road safety, demonstrating political will through the establishment of
state traffic agencies, while taking advantage of the FRSC training
institutions to train their personnel.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">“I call on all critical stakeholders, transport associations, insurance companies, government agencies, haulage and other professional associations to fully cooperate with all tenets of the national road traffic regulations, RTSSS, DSSP and other laudable programmes put in place by the FRSC to checkmate carnage on our roads,” Oyeyemi said.</span></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-38428093336966757172016-07-21T10:55:00.003+01:002016-07-21T11:01:00.229+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: Where Are The Youth To Lead Nigeria? — Niran Adedokun<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvOxbNQnTnklC_ZujMj8HQ-bfCK9lLY1uboivvIONYZanYaFts1jXraeMQB6zupfijRXHRQhpp23jdYACIK-9LZ7RivmSng0mCB-fomtYNkDq-rzQQjpgmV4D7ssog52lvttHhXoHVPhU/s1600/1Future+Leaders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvOxbNQnTnklC_ZujMj8HQ-bfCK9lLY1uboivvIONYZanYaFts1jXraeMQB6zupfijRXHRQhpp23jdYACIK-9LZ7RivmSng0mCB-fomtYNkDq-rzQQjpgmV4D7ssog52lvttHhXoHVPhU/s1600/1Future+Leaders.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Image
credit: YRNO</span></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Niran
Adedokun<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTGqbllVp0ppNzW5H8tMFYLd9F8b-31g-07w6YB71j3ydnuYW3X4jn365pKjJYNdhTQyN5SWJmPlzTC4_JdzNYdGUHAbwc3fAVj6J1E5y8PuiWglLB-xTAu7usg5oPHyrBGOhvxUzWpRM/s1600/2Niran+Adedokun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTGqbllVp0ppNzW5H8tMFYLd9F8b-31g-07w6YB71j3ydnuYW3X4jn365pKjJYNdhTQyN5SWJmPlzTC4_JdzNYdGUHAbwc3fAVj6J1E5y8PuiWglLB-xTAu7usg5oPHyrBGOhvxUzWpRM/s200/2Niran+Adedokun.jpg" width="177" /></a></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a debate currently going at the National
Assembly and in the minds of everyone who imagines that Nigerian youths have
consistently been denied access to high political office.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You would have over the years, encountered
allusions to how it was said by some politicians, shortly after independence,
that the future belonged to the youth and how those same politicians are still
holding the tiller piloting national affairs 55 years on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since return to democracy 16 years ago for
instance, Nigeria has at various times been at the mercy of one sexagenarian
and a septuagenarian. Both of them, having a second take at the slot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was negotiated
back to office by fellows of his gerontocratic communion from around the
country. He attained civilian presidency at the age of 63 relinquishing power
to his choice of successor when he turned 71.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Obasanjo mostly ruled Nigeria with the fistful
authority of an African patriarch, whose word is law and command is decree.
With him in power, the people’s desire for a younger leader grew like a deer
panting for water. And by some happenstance, since Obasanjo is not exactly
popular for deferring to public opinion, he was succeeded by a much younger man
who was succeeded by another younger man.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately, by the end of the administration
of President Goodluck Jonathan, a majority of Nigerians were ready to try the
leadership of anyone irrespective of the number of years they had lived.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In response to some suggestions that age was not
on the side of then Candidate Muhammadu Buhari, his supporters drew parallels
from the triad of South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, America’s Ronald Regan and
Britain’s Winston Churchill in the justification of the sense in electing
someone in the autumn of his years as President. With unusual passion and near
unanimity, Nigeria sought a Buhari Presidency, hinging this desire on his
legendary integrity, an aptitude, which was long lost in our leadership.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But even then, a great number of Nigerians
insisted that the country deserved a much younger leader. And one year into the
Buhari administration, members of the National Assembly are considering
legislating this into fruition.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A Peoples Democratic Party member representing
Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency 2, Tony Nwulu, recently proposed a bill
seeking to alter Sections 65, 106, 131 and 177 of the 1999 Constitution as
amended. This is to reduce the age qualification for the offices of President, Governor
and Senator from 40 to 30 years and 25 years respectively in order to open
public offices to younger people and expand the age bracket for political
participation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nwulu made copious references to jurisdictions
like the United Kingdom, France, Norway and several countries in western
societies where the age qualification for political participation is much
younger. He spoke about the need for Nigeria to expand the frontiers of
democracy and quality of political office holders by considering lowering the
barrier of entry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I imagine that advocates of the massive
recruitment of young people into active politics will hail this gesture, which
has already passed second reading and may soon become law depending on the
successful amendment of the constitution, but I consider this to be one of
those impulsive steps that Nigeria leaders take in total indifference to our
realities. Such leaders will always run themselves and society into a
socio-political quicksand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While it is true that the situation of the Nigerian
youth has progressively deteriorated over the years due to policy failures,
entrenched self-interests and incompetence on the part of successive leaders
who have undermined the competitive capacity of our society, to imagine that
lowering the age qualification for nomination to high political offices will
solve this problem is indicative of a lack of rigorous contemplation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first question to ask proponents of this
amendment is what happens to the academic and intellectual capacities of the
individuals who aspire to these offices? Do we still leave the basic
qualification at school certificate?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Secondly, do these lawmakers realize that a chunk
of our youths are still struggling to get out of higher institutions due to the
injuries that gaining admission and incessant strike actions inflict on them
during their tenure on campuses at about age 25 and 30? And those who are out
are still searching for a steady means of livelihood, jumping from one bus unto
a commercial motorcycle, perspiring all over, resume in hand in search of
increasingly diminishing employment opportunities. Do we want to surrender
political office to people who would see politics as meal tickets?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The only other possibility is that these offices
will be passed on to offspring of politicians and upper class Nigerians who
attain academic qualification at relative young ages. In which case, we
would be excluding the majority of Nigerian youths, handing over political
offices to the children of the same people who have destroyed the country.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyzS3wMc7ygRax-BmNPVVcQ25RhRjG5e5gxeZPfKlQaqesg8BjknzZey9-VXuqYyfBO4pRtwTv062p9QSjJd-GVRZ1dK7VK7m0VXm4uoadTFSrKFtd4Vy8pggtk9-krQpJeIby8lBmOrm/s1600/1Youth+%2526+Future.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyzS3wMc7ygRax-BmNPVVcQ25RhRjG5e5gxeZPfKlQaqesg8BjknzZey9-VXuqYyfBO4pRtwTv062p9QSjJd-GVRZ1dK7VK7m0VXm4uoadTFSrKFtd4Vy8pggtk9-krQpJeIby8lBmOrm/s1600/1Youth+%2526+Future.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Image
credit: SignUpGenius.com</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Were our lawmakers not too removed from reality,
they would realize that the fundamental needs of young people is a working
society where functional education is available and affordable, where attaining
gainful employment is not Herculean, where security is assured and prosperity
flourishes. They would work for a society where no one is discriminated against
on account of age, sex, religion or tongue. A nation where individuals with
industry, intellect and ingenuity can actualize and build castles of prosperity
without affiliations to Daura, Bourdillion, Otuoke or Ilorin.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When we erect such pillars of shared prosperity,
young people will not need the generous solicitation of lawmakers before
demanding their rightful place in the organogram of power in a society in which
they are an integral part. And this does not have to be in politics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Professor Wole Soyinka, who would later go on to
win the Nobel Prize for literature wrote his first major play, <i>The Swamp
Dwellers</i> at 24! This was followed by the hugely successful <i>Lion and the Jewel</i>
one year later and the oracular <i>Dance of The Forest</i> in 1960 when he was 26! The
same goes for Professor Chinua Achebe, whose magnum opus, <i>Things Fall Apart</i>,
was accomplished at age 28.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Professor Iya Abubakar had worked as visiting
professor at the University of Michigan before his 30th birthday. He was later
appointed Professor of Mathematics at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The same can be said of some First Republic
politicians. Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s book, Path to Nigerian Freedom, was
published in 1946 when he was freshly called to Bar. He set up the <i>Egbe Omo Oduduwa</i> one year later in his
late 30s. At age 30, Dr Nnamdi Azikwe had become a household name in most of
Africa while Sirs Ahmadu Bello and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa formed the
Northern People’s Congress in their 30s.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although we still argue over the auspiciousness
of the Biafran War, that secession attempt was led by 34-year-old Lt. Col.
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu who prosecuted the war with philosophical sophistication.
His opposite on the Nigerian side, Col Yakubu Gowon, became head of state at
32. Now, just a few of these men had any privileged hereditary neither did they
attain these posts for being young. They were qualified and flourished in a
society that gave them the best.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Any law reducing the qualification for political
participation is therefore, at best, self-serving. It gives its proponents away
as agents of the materialistic school of politics where access to power is
equal to flinging the door open for younger persons to plunder the
commonwealth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Were their views of politics in conformity with
Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarian school where power is an avenue for service and
seeking the happiness of the greatest number of the people, they would focus on
fundamental, progressive and futuristic appreciation of energies of the younger
generation than the tradition of allotment that currently defines our politics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dynamic laws are required in education, culture,
sports, science, law, innovation and entrepreneurship all with the potential to
jumpstart Nigeria into a position of respect within the global community and
inspire faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We should create an open society that encourages
a culture of debate over political fraternity that has crippled our leadership
selection process. But this age reduction initiative in the legislature is a
knee-jerk initiative which is not able to lead Nigerian youths to any better
future.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Follow
me on twitter@niranadedokun</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Originally published in <a href="http://punchng.com/youth-lead-nigeria/" target="_blank">The Punch </a></span></span></i>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-46121570845233784322016-07-19T10:55:00.004+01:002016-07-19T10:56:20.648+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: The Politics Of University Admission In Nigeria — Niyi Akinnaso<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEy2kXrjAvy0PUTlxpufrJXYKOo4eMcTPJaRwdgcHL5pnVXRUMJE7WvXFW6MwzhDqOeW_dDIXrYvZJF1wgkKXbaoZ7_-X5ZbrY2-NJdj_Jqil7aSrpfxcabeY6hGNGVeCeFepyxITJxoG/s1600/1University+admissions+in+Nigeria.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEy2kXrjAvy0PUTlxpufrJXYKOo4eMcTPJaRwdgcHL5pnVXRUMJE7WvXFW6MwzhDqOeW_dDIXrYvZJF1wgkKXbaoZ7_-X5ZbrY2-NJdj_Jqil7aSrpfxcabeY6hGNGVeCeFepyxITJxoG/s1600/1University+admissions+in+Nigeria.png" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Professor Niyi Akinnaso<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNpLTtw2w93zVd3W74nUm2zMp0pdSf900BzPZV4mufxGxpOi9nqkgBzNhLi02RKXJ65rA87A5yHMs_TR2-uuErlCOYK7SY_x1t1MOQ00ElGbgsUhiWROoqVoUNpbTysRMzTckqINKmo8R/s1600/1Professor+Niyi+Akinnaso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNpLTtw2w93zVd3W74nUm2zMp0pdSf900BzPZV4mufxGxpOi9nqkgBzNhLi02RKXJ65rA87A5yHMs_TR2-uuErlCOYK7SY_x1t1MOQ00ElGbgsUhiWROoqVoUNpbTysRMzTckqINKmo8R/s1600/1Professor+Niyi+Akinnaso.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Niyi Akinnaso</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I applied for admission to the university in
the 1960s, I knew nobody. There was no godfather or godmother. Neither my
parents nor my older siblings could assist me, because they were all stark
illiterates. As the first person in the entire Akinnaso lineage to ever go to
school, I was virtually on my own. Without any guidance whatsoever, I applied
for direct entry admission to the University of Ibadan and the University of
Ife, after passing the required General Certificate of Education (Advanced
Level) papers at the end of my first year of the Higher School Certificate
class. I was admitted by both institutions, each one acting independently and
without recourse to a superior authority. Ife, then, was a regional university,
while Ibadan was federal. I chose to go to Ife to read English. The rest is
history.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I told my admission story to a senior female
civil servant, who approached me last year for assistance in getting her
daughter admitted to study law at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko.
She listened attentively to my story and replied: “That was then, sir. The
country has changed. You have to know somebody who knows somebody in order to
get things done.” I’m sure she did not like my next statement: “It’s people
like you, who beg around, that caused the country to change”. She was not done:
“No sir, it’s the system”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There really is plenty of blame to go round, just
as there are many sharers of the blame, including the students and their
parents; the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board; the universities; the
Federal Government; and the society at large. But my focus today is the
government, which is now like that wild elephant, reported in the media
recently, which killed an admirer who wanted to take a selfie with it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Federal Government has been known to be the
enemy of quality tertiary education in this country. It has earned that
status by (1) over-centralizing the institutions, procedures and regulations
governing the activities of the universities and then starving them of the
resources needed to carry out those activities. Even where some resources are
available, such as the tertiary education funds, the procedures for accessing
them are again over-centralized.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a distinguished lecture, titled ‘Education
sector in crisis’, given by Professor Ladipo Adamolekun at the Joseph Ayo
Babaloa University in 2012, over-centralization was one of the three major
causes of the crisis in the education sector, the other two being
implementation failure – due largely to inadequate funding – and the
de-emphasis of the value of education, including quality decline in the
teaching profession.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Adamolekun gave five examples of over-centralization,
namely, the Universal Basic Education programme; the establishment and
operations of the unity secondary schools; the centralization of the labour
unions; the establishment of the National Universities Commission with its centralizing
functions; and the allocation of the lion’s share of the nation’s resources to
the Federal Government.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Adamolekun rightly traced these developments to
over 30 years of military dictatorship, which began its stranglehold on the
nation’s universities by federalizing erstwhile regional universities. Today,
however, perhaps the most controversial centralizing agency is the Joint
Admissions and Matriculation Board, empowered to conduct the Unified Tertiary
Matriculation Examinations and oversee university admission. Enough
controversy was generated recently between the Director of JAMB, Professor Dibu
Ojerinde, and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to send significant
ripples through the university system.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are three knotty issues. First, who or
which institution should admit students to the university? It normally should
be the Senate of the university, which often delegates the authority of
processing the necessary papers to the admissions office located within the
Academic Affairs Unit in the Vice-Chancellor’s office. That was the case when I
was admitted to the university.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, however, JAMB has taken over this
function, while the admission offices of the various public universities are
being used as clearing houses. After weeks of controversy as to how this
function should be performed, Ojerinde issued this clarification recently: “The
public and all tertiary institutions should note that admission will only be
approved by the board after appropriate screening of the candidates by the
institutions”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet, the Education minister still believes that
this does not “in any way affect the statutory role of the Senate of any
university or the academic boards of any tertiary institution conducting its
admissions.” It would appear that what the minister understands as the role of
the Senate is reduced to shortlisting. According to him, the universities will
shortlist the candidates, using the agreed guidelines and return the
shortlisted candidates to JAMB for verification of compliance to the
guidelines. JAMB will subsequently issue admission letters to the
shortlisted candidates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The said guidelines appear to be the minister’s
main target and it is the second knotty issue. According to him, the admission
exercise rests on the tripod of merit, catchment area and educationally
disadvantaged states. The last two criteria are intended to trump merit so that
low-scoring students from particular localities or states could be admitted.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is not only an affront to the Senate’s ability to control standards in its
admission; it also questions the business of the Federal Government in the
admission of students to state universities. What should my state government
care about admitting low-scoring students from another state because that state
is educationally disadvantaged? How is educational disadvantage measured and
who measures it? Wasn’t this kind of admission policy the killer of the unity
secondary schools, where standards plummeted because many under-performing
students were admitted?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The third and final knotty issue is university
autonomy. The Federal Government and two of its agencies, namely, JAMB and the
National Universities Commission (NUC), have killed whatever is left of university
autonomy. The truth is that it is JAMB which admits students, while the NUC
regulates everything else from the accreditation of courses to curriculum
guidelines and the classification of degrees. The Federal Government completes
the process by appointing Council members and ratifying the appointment of
Vice-Chancellors. Little wonder many a Vice-Chancellor spends substantial time
in Abuja these days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To the extent that Nigerian universities are run
like extensions of the ministry of education, to that extent will they continue
to rot away like that ministry where there is neither institutional memory nor
policy consistency. True, this problem is not peculiar to the administration of
President Muhammadu Buhari. Nevertheless, there are genuine concerns that his
administration has yet to have a grasp on education.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">This university admission is the administration’s second major foray into education. The first, the school feeding programme, has yet to take off. With the lacklustre handling of this year’s admission procedure so far, it is unclear what the future of education holds in the administration. Certainly, the present Minister of Education has yet to begin the bend in his learning curve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><i>Originally published in <a href="http://punchng.com/politics-university-admission-nigeria/" target="_blank">The PUNCH</a></i></span></span>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-48617251702566783292016-06-24T08:13:00.003+01:002016-06-25T03:59:24.707+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: The Myth Called Made-In-Nigeria — Bukola Adebayo<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3F2T297w1w6l8fjvkQXK4ST6mBSTJpHK5KYeYMrOF-HLWDg9sdl6_YvW5Z_o2uArBqHJPrv2I6ul3PqNFU4JF50uGgjV5e3iPqIGGkroC4nINPdG3KTHzUiuN7dkcbTB-jB-xyYYX-Ib/s1600/Kaduna+Refinery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3F2T297w1w6l8fjvkQXK4ST6mBSTJpHK5KYeYMrOF-HLWDg9sdl6_YvW5Z_o2uArBqHJPrv2I6ul3PqNFU4JF50uGgjV5e3iPqIGGkroC4nINPdG3KTHzUiuN7dkcbTB-jB-xyYYX-Ib/s1600/Kaduna+Refinery.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><b>Kaduna Refinery Image: Supplied</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b>Bukola Adebayo writes on the effect of
importation of raw materials on Nigerian economy, especially the manufacturing
sector</b><span style="font-size: 12.5pt; font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kudos to our
indefatigable manufacturers in Anambra State. One cannot help but marvel at the
ingenuity of finished goods that are churned out by designers and traders in
the industrial estate and market in Onitsha, the commercial capital of the
South-East.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shoes and suits from the
Ariaria market in Aba can be found in closets of top Nigerian celebrities home
and abroad. North or South, local manufacturing of finished goods such as beverages,
clothing items and other consumers products have increased tremendously.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apart from suits and
shoes, if one checks the labelling on many household goods and
confectioneries in most homes, one would see ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ or a
complimentary local address.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One is also likely to
find the addresses of local companies on many of the drugs used to treat
common ailments like diarrhoea, headache and malaria infections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, investigations revealed
that even though many of these products are said to be “Made-in-Nigeria”, they
are actually made abroad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Manufacturers, who spoke
with our correspondent said due to unfavourable policies, lack of
infrastructure and investment and the moribund state of the petrochemical
and agricultural sector, more than 90% of the raw materials they use are
imported from Italy, Germany, China and other countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For instance, the only
raw material that is sourced locally in the production of sachet water,
popularly known as ‘pure water’, is the water itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the Managing
Director, El-Elyon Water, a producer of sachet water in Ibadan, Oyo State, Mr.
Tola Adeniyi, 80% of the chemicals used in purifying water and the
petrochemicals used in producing the sachet are imported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Adeniyi said, “When
sachet water manufacturers increased their prices in January from ₦80
to ₦120 per bag, many thought it was informed by fuel scarcity. But the
increment came about because of scarcity of forex.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“You may wonder what
forex has got to do with sachet water. We import every other material used to
purify and package it. None of these chemicals are sourced locally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The raw material used to
produce the nylon and print materials are imported; the chlorine and other oxidizing
agents used to purify the water is imported. The prices of these raw materials
have increased by 30% and we can’t shoulder the cost alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is, indeed,
disheartening that Nigeria, the seventh largest producer of crude oil in the
world, is also one of the largest importers of petrochemicals, a byproduct
of crude oil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Speaking on the
challenges posed by the lack of raw materials in the packaging industry, the
Marketing Manager, OAK Group of Companies, producers of Lasena water and
plastics, Mr. Eugune Osigwe, warned that the prices of bottled water might
increase, as the cost of importing preforms, the raw materials used to
produce plastic packaging for water and other drinks, has increased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to Osigwe, one
tonne of the preform, which is imported from China and was ₦450,000 last
year, is now ₦520,000.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Osigwe said, “The plastic
and paper industry in Nigeria is 90% dependent on importation. Yes, there are
factories producing them, but where are they getting the raw materials? For
instance, the pre-chemical form used to make plastics are got from
petrochemicals, a by-product of crude oil. How many of our refineries are
producing fuel not to talk of the petrochemical used to make plastics? If the
refineries were working optimally, we would have no reason to import plastic
preforms. We would rather be exporting them to other non-oil-producing
countries.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apart from exporting
crude oil, Osigwe said, if the refineries were functioning, Nigeria should
be exporting rather than importing leather, alcohol, fertilizers and other
carbon based products .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He said many tyre and
leather manufacturing companies left the country when the hope of getting raw
materials locally dimmed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Leather is a crucial
by-product of crude oil. It can be used to make chairs, tyres, shoes, bags and
upholstery just to mention a few. With the crude oil reserves that Nigeria has,
it should be one of the biggest players in tyre and leather industry in the
world, but we are still importing artificial leather from China and Brazil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“It’s an open secret that
Nigeria imports fertilizers for its farmers, which is a disgrace. Nitrogen and
many chemicals that are used in making fertilizers are by-products of crude
oil. If the refineries were on, we should be exporting, not importing, fertilizers
to agric-based economies like Brazil and the United States. It would have been
be a source of forex which the country direly needs now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“More than 40% of the
chemicals and raw materials used in paint and print industry can be sourced
from crude, but we are still importing them. Oil has been a curse rather than a
blessing to this country.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Adeniyi and Osigwe have
every reason to be pained. Nigeria has indeed underutilized the resources that
abound in crude oil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apart from PMS, a
report compiled by Ranken Energy, a global manufacturer of petrochemical
products, states that over 5,999 items are made from petroleum by-products.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They include drugs,
cosmetics, detergents, perfume, insecticides, vitamin capsules, floor wax,
paints and dyes to mention a few.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A partial list of
products made from Petroleum (144 of 6000 items) </span></b></div>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;">One 42-gallon barrel of oil creates 19.4 gallons
of gasoline. The rest (over half) is used to make things like:</span></b></b></div>
<b>
</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDnfc7Dv1MWJf93mJ-VJrkD7b8TlAEFRZ_m2sP-Mgbj9HLbMBHVExA5RMm-GnnDJKVLP1u6R_0iXB-69aHoT0wyIxgkcuJhk-GgXllDPUPe1Nf72npRwyPidE9jAvTi-mcLIKswCyq5Ep/s1600/2Products+144+from+a+possible+6%252C000.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDnfc7Dv1MWJf93mJ-VJrkD7b8TlAEFRZ_m2sP-Mgbj9HLbMBHVExA5RMm-GnnDJKVLP1u6R_0iXB-69aHoT0wyIxgkcuJhk-GgXllDPUPe1Nf72npRwyPidE9jAvTi-mcLIKswCyq5Ep/s1600/2Products+144+from+a+possible+6%252C000.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Source: <a href="http://www.ranken-energy.com/products%20from%20petroleum.htm" target="_blank">Ranken Energy</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "haettenschweiler" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">70 % of
medicines are imported from India, China<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stakeholders were elated
when four pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria got the World Health Organization
pre-qualification to produce some essential drugs for West Africa and beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Experts in the sector proclaimed
that the certification was a guarantee that Nigeria had the capacity to
manufacture and export lifesaving medicines to West African countries and
Africa at large.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But no one was more
surprised when the Chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of
Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Okey Akpa, sent a warning to
Nigerians to prepare for scarcity of drugs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Akpa said that the
lingering shortage of foreign exchange had prevented drug manufacturers from
importing raw materials and chemicals needed to produce essential medicines
into the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to him, many
drug manufacturers have run out of their stock and are unable to replenish due
to dollar insufficiency.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Akpa said, “The only
thing to say at this time is to alert the nation to an impending risk and
threat to drug security in the country. This is going to happen if the current
level of scarcity of forex persists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“There is going to be
absolute drought of raw materials. This time, we are talking about critical raw
materials, what we classify as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Nearly every
manufacturer is using about the last batch of raw materials and what we
see and foresee is scarcity of medicines – essential medicines. When they are
available, the cost will go up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Akpa had every reason to
raise the alarm. Nigeria, with a population of over 170 million people, depends
on India and China for its drug supply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the former
President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Mr. Azubuike
Okwor, over 70% of medicines consumed in the country are imported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He blamed the moribund
state of the refineries for this situation. Okwor said local pharmaceutical
companies need not import if active ingredients used to produce medicines if
the refineries were working.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He stated, “On local
manufacturing of drug, a greater percentage of the active ingredients for the
local initiatives are all imported, and this is why we call for the creation of
a pharmaceutical commission to drive Nigeria’s journey towards local
manufacturing of pharmaceuticals replicating the giant strides that China and
India have made in these areas.”</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "haettenschweiler" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Much ado
about tomatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you have had any cause
to buy tomato paste at the market because of the ongoing tomato scarcity, there
is a great possibility that you are consuming a product whose raw material was
sourced in an Asian or European country but packaged in Nigeria.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the
Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Peter
Onwualu, Nigeria spends over ₦11bn on the importation of 65,809 tonnes of
processed tomatoes annually.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Though Nigeria is ranked
the second largest producer of tomato in Africa and 13th in the world, the
country is also the largest importer of tomato paste, the processed form of the
fruit from China and Italy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the Chief
Executive Officer, Erisco Foods Limited, Ikeja, a local manufacturer of tomato
concentrates, Mr. Eric Umeofia, the Federal Government loses US$1bn to the
importation of tomato products.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Umeofia alleged that 80%
of imported tomato products in the market were sourced abroad, and they
were also adulterated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He lamented that instead
of exporting packaged products, Nigeria was the destination for adulterated
tomato concentrates from Asian countries such as China.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Umeofia said, “More than
1,000 containers of packaged tomato paste come in through our porous ports and
borders every week. Nigeria is losing US$1bn to tomato paste importation
annually. These importers are mostly foreigners, and they have introduced
fake tomato concentrates into this country. Once you don’t produce and depend
on import, then you give room for fake items.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Indian businessmen went
to China and asked them to produce tomato paste at a reduced cost. Of course,
the Chinese did so by reducing the content of tomato and filled it up with
starch and added colouring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Our research over two
years found out that much of the tomato paste they bring into Nigeria is
poison. In China, they can’t eat the tomato products that are being brought
into this country. So, why are the Indians bringing it here? Because some few
government officials and regulators are aiding and abetting these practices,
Nigerians will be dying?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Umeofia described the
situation as unfortunate as 70% of tomatoes grown in the country waste due to lack
of storage facilities and infrastructure for processing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The tomato farmers in
Sokoto State suffer great losses every year because there is no facility to
store and process them; and the government supports importers rather than
helping local manufacturers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“We decided to go into
tomato refining and set up a factory with a capacity of 250,000 tonnes to stop
importation but we have been running it at a loss because imported ones
are still coming in. By now, we are supposed to be exporting tomato paste from
Nigeria. We have the capacity and all it takes to achieve it, if government
provides the right policies,” he noted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Umeofia called on
President Muhammed Buhari not to relent in his administration’s bid to ban the
importation of tomato products, which, he said, would encourage patronage of
local products.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to him, many
local manufacturing companies have shut down due to unfriendly policies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He said, “In 2015, we
almost closed down. We couldn’t sell our tomato products because the fake ones
were cheaper to buy. Because the President said no product that could be
made in Nigeria would have foreign exchange allocation, that was when our
business started to pick. Now, we have recalled all the workers we sent away
and we are now employing more. The import law is already having effect.
If Buhari bans the importation of tomato, we will be exporting tomatoes within
18 months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“If the Federal
Government and regulators give manufacturers 20% of the support they give
foreign investors, we would become one of the biggest exporters of tomato
products in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Do you know that the
tomato paste industry can create over one million jobs, from the farmers to the
engineers, the processors to the marketers? We need foreign investment, but
it’s only on technology, not on practical goods. The Made-in-Nigeria campaign
can only survive if importation is discouraged entirely,” he added.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDYkS-kCUOs9VqJXeV9b7JxrTJ6X7DZY-nP7J6GMn5eA2ECIwXx2Fx6n8j8a34Ko7mZE6uJbRcKwaEQ9d7bIow32g44fyZDsW92rvL6iSlk7fd716Sib6J_YBTvtSRpcwZuHSIzCl8Tf-/s1600/2Tomatoes+market+in+northern+Nigeria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDYkS-kCUOs9VqJXeV9b7JxrTJ6X7DZY-nP7J6GMn5eA2ECIwXx2Fx6n8j8a34Ko7mZE6uJbRcKwaEQ9d7bIow32g44fyZDsW92rvL6iSlk7fd716Sib6J_YBTvtSRpcwZuHSIzCl8Tf-/s1600/2Tomatoes+market+in+northern+Nigeria.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>This file photo taken on
January 15, 2016 shows a trader sorting baskets of tomatoes at the Yankaba
vegetables market in northern Nigerian city of Kano, on January 15, 2016. A
state government in northern Nigeria on May 24 declared a state of emergency
after moths destroyed swathes of tomato fields, threatening supplies of the
country’s leading staple food. Nigerian farmers describe the outbreak as
‘tomato Ebola’ after the deadly disease that devastated West Africa in 2014.
PHOTO: AFP</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "haettenschweiler" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">The myth
called Made-in-Nigeria food<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before oil boom, Nigeria
was one of the highest producers of grains, vegetables and food crops in
Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was a taboo to eat
food products that were not grown in the country due to abundance of
agricultural produce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The reverse is the case
nowadays. According to the Chief Executive Officer, Produce Extracts Limited,
Lagos, makers of locally produced wine, Mr. Linus Kotey, more than 80% of
locally produced soft drinks and beverages sold in Nigeria are made from
imported concentrates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kotey, a brewer of over
30 years of experience, spoke to our correspondent when she visited his brewing
company at the Lagos State Small Scale Industrial Estate at Matori. He
warned that manufacturers’ dependence on raw materials from abroad, especially
for food production, could collapse the Nigerian economy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kotey said, “Many of the
beverages and soft drinks sold in Nigeria are made from imported concentrates.
Manufacturers find it difficult to go through the chemical process of
converting fresh fruits grown in Nigeria into drinks. I use local pawpaw
and pineapple to make wine, but many brewers won’t do that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“What the manufacturers
do is to add water and sugar to the imported concentrates, pack them and
millions of Nigerians consume them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“That does not help the
foreign exchange and the backward integration of local contents. It is sad
because more than half of the fruits produced by farmers in the country go to
waste. Nigeria spends billions importing raw materials it can produce because
there is forex and manufacturers want to take the easy way. The truth is out
now because there is shortage of forex,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bread, noodles and wheat
flour products that Nigerians eat daily are said to be “Made-in-Nigeria”,
Kotey, a UK-trained biochemist says this label may be far from the reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the
industrialist, a significant proportion of the raw materials used in
manufacturing these food products are imported and poor manufacturing policies
from previous governments have allowed the trend to thrive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kotey said, “In the
brewery industry at the first regime of Buhari, the government banned the
importation of barley malt used to produce beverages because Nigeria had
sorghum, which is an alternative. The multinationals argued against it but the
government put its foot down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“I was a brewer and I was
on the government panel, the companies had to implement it. Nigerians were
drinking beer from sorghum and they didn’t know the difference. The policy was
overturned by the government that took over, as local farmers who had
geared up to produce maize and sorghum lost huge sums of money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“What the foreign companies
do now is that they use 5% sorghum from Nigerian farmers and import barley malt
for the rest and it is still called Made-in-Nigeria.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Besides poor policies on
the part of government, Kotey said Nigerians had also stopped eating local foods;
they show preference for staple foods whose raw materials, according to him are
sourced abroad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“There is ongoing food colonization
in Nigeria. I studied in Britain. Britons eat potatoes fried, mashed and baked.
They also grow wheat which they use to make pie or bread. They eat what they
grow. Why are we not eating what we grow? Now everybody is eating noodles,
wheat, semolina, bread and pastries. These are made from wheat that is
imported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“We are promoting the
agricultural sector of another country. What is wrong with eating fufu, garri,
yam flour, amala and yam in different forms? If Nigeria stops the
importation of wheat today, I can assure you that the agricultural sector will
bounce back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "haettenschweiler" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Chinese
ankara dominates at Owambe parties<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Nigerian textile
business was one of the most vibrant industries in Africa in the 1960s.Traders
from Ghana, Mali, and Cote d’Ivoire, among others, came to Nigeria to export
the high-quality African print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, the
once-flourishing industry has collapsed such that over 80 of the 100 textile
industries that used to dot the major cities of Kano, Katsina, Lagos and other
parts of the country no longer exist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the Nigerian
Textile Manufacturers Association and the Nigerian Textile Garments and
Tailoring Employers Association (NTMA/NGTEA), China and Korea-made fabrics have
dominated Nigerian market.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Director-General,
NTMA/NGTEA, Mr. Jaiyeola Olarewaju, stated that the policy by the previous
governments which lifted the ban on the importation of textiles led to the collapse
of over 70 textile companies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He said that despite the ₦100bn
pumped into the textile industry by the Federal Government, the sector had
failed to recover from the lifting of the ban on importation of fabrics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The Chinese textile
manufacturers are squeezing the local industry. The Chinese fabrics have taken
over the market. About 80% of the printed fabrics in the country are imported.
So, it is Asian countries that are enjoying the boom in the use of African
prints, not Nigeria.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“In 1997, we had about
136,000 workers. Now we have less than 20,000. Now that the government has
lifted the ban on importation, what protection is there for local textile
industries?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "haettenschweiler" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Way
forward<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nigeria is one of the
most attractive dumping grounds for exporters due to poor policies and porous
borders. The country still imports furniture, pencils, matches, tooth picks and
other consumer goods that it has the capacity to produce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to Kotey and
his colleagues, a majority of the products found in a Nigerian household are
imported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stakeholders who spoke to
the Punch correspondent called on the Federal Government to protect local
manufacturers by providing incentives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to Kotey, the
only way out is for the Buhari administration to ban the use of imported raw
materials for products that are available locally as it did in the 70s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He said, “There was a
time that multinationals were using local flavours for their beverages. We
must go back to that. If the government can insist that no manufacturer should
bring in raw materials that can be sourced locally, the economy will thrive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Those who want to still import
must be made to pay heavy duties and taxes for this. Gradually, manufacturers
will seek alternatives locally and we can reduce the pressure on the foreign
exchange available.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Originally published in
<a href="http://www.punchng.com/myth-called-made-nigeria/" target="_blank">The Punch</a></i></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-34859988307217368442016-04-30T12:22:00.001+01:002016-04-30T21:21:08.284+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: ABDUCTION NATION: Despite Death Sentence, Kidnappings Thrive<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQf7fzBSKJBK_D-rsZJiePHnZU-mDsRy-kJ195Pva55eU2cw63y5JXq8n9cftH-ZIF-olJOsQVDOZI_97PisMXnE3TZj1v_StQb3bH3HYAzblFiI1UsIgQqoawFPsU1y3fVYGWCUkn43j/s1600/1Kano+kidnap+gang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQf7fzBSKJBK_D-rsZJiePHnZU-mDsRy-kJ195Pva55eU2cw63y5JXq8n9cftH-ZIF-olJOsQVDOZI_97PisMXnE3TZj1v_StQb3bH3HYAzblFiI1UsIgQqoawFPsU1y3fVYGWCUkn43j/s640/1Kano+kidnap+gang.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">These seven suspects reportedly confessed to be involved in kidnapping</b></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daily Trust checks show that an average of 25
Nigerians are kidnapped every month, while 278 Nigerians have been abducted
between May 2015 and April 2016. Also, amounts ranging from ₦250,000 to
millions of naira have been demanded as ransom, bringing the total sum to
₦3.3bn.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rising wave of the crime across the country
has left many more afraid of kidnappers than armed robbers or even insurgents.
Gone are the days when only expatriates, wealthy individuals and petroleum
industry workers were the main targets. Today, anyone can fall victim.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The failure of security agencies at resolving
many cases has made matters worse, with many families caving in and agreeing to
pay ransom. While there are instances where the police rescue victims without
payment of ransoms, there are also many where huge amounts were paid to
kidnappers.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are also instances where the police claim
credit for rescuing victims without ransom payments, only for the families of
victims to counter the claims by publicly announcing how much they paid to
secure the release of their loved ones.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to reports, most of the kidnappers said
they engaged in it because they needed money to solve personal problems as they
have no job.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Victims suffer psychological trauma, lack of
trust, fear, torture and in some cases even rape, among others.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The 14th April 2014 abduction of about 276 Chibok
school girls in Maiduguri by the Boko Haram insurgents remains indelible even
as it drew world attention including reactions from US President Barack Obama
and other world leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The scourge of kidnapping has forced many states
to enact laws recommending capital punishment and long prison sentences for
those convicted of kidnapping.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This month alone 32 cases of kidnapping were
reported in Enugu, Kano, Cross River, Imo, Rivers, Kaduna, Abia, Kogi, FCT,
Delta and Benue states. Since kidnapping is not contained on the exclusive list
of the Nigerian Constitution, it is States Houses of Assembly that can enact
laws on it.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kidnapping was made a capital offence in 2009 in
Abia, Akwa, Ibom, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states to curtail the wave.
No kidnapper has however faced the death penalty since the enactment of the
laws.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before the Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben
Ayade, signed into law a bill that prescribes death penalty for convicted
kidnappers in the state, and before the Kogi State Executive Council under
former Governor Idris Wada approved death penalty for kidnapping and other
related criminal activities in the state, Governors Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa
and Adams Oshiomhole of Edo states approved the death penalty for kidnappers in
2013. The Delta State House of Assembly also passed the Anti-Kidnapping Bill
2013, imposing a death sentence on any person convicted of kidnapping in the
state, into law.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">How Nigeria would tackle the menace remains to be seen in the face of other socio-economic and security challenges, even as the nation is held to ransom by kidnappers.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyT6bWtA1x2JSsb7HJkAs9kuvkK3YckyhCfo-KA3fAjFk-oPJ8TDUr1Lv3LVHzsC1I83BM-dDe7DEOnXsric40kZlrt-EMISx0xOr9UWPMDK7WykkHF-dndq1vjfA9EsPI34drfc24tuI/s1600/2Ransom+value+of+kidnap+victims.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyT6bWtA1x2JSsb7HJkAs9kuvkK3YckyhCfo-KA3fAjFk-oPJ8TDUr1Lv3LVHzsC1I83BM-dDe7DEOnXsric40kZlrt-EMISx0xOr9UWPMDK7WykkHF-dndq1vjfA9EsPI34drfc24tuI/s640/2Ransom+value+of+kidnap+victims.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Most
of the kidnappers said they engaged in it because they needed money to solve
personal problems as they have no job</b></span><span style="color: #3b3b3b; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Deadly Kidnap Gang
Holding Kano To Ransom</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daily Trust reports that the Southern part of
Kano State has always been peaceful. Until now, when a gang of kidnappers have
begun operation in earnest. Called ‘Garkuwa’, Daily Trust checks revealed that
members of the gang are Fulani, from Senegal and Cameroon.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The group is organized to the point that they
have an emblem, showing a gun and sword crossed, usually on a white flag. It
was also gathered that they are in possession of sophisticated weapons, which
they deploy during their activities.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Garkuwa gang’s main targets are, ironically,
Fulani resident in Kano State, especially those who own substantial numbers of
cattle. Choosing to attack in the wee hours of the morning, about 2:00 to
3:00am, they arrive on motorbikes, and in large number. They always conduct
thorough surveillance on targeted communities and victims before striking. Such
operations, witnesses disclosed, are sometimes led by a female leader, also
said to be non-Nigerian from her accent and mode of dressing.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The female leader, according to a local who
encountered the group at Tarai village in Kibiya Local Government, is
merciless.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Describing the group’s modus operandi, another
source told Daily Trust that a number is given to a victim’s family member to
communicate with the kidnappers, without police involvement. “This usually
comes with a threat to harm - or even kill - the victim, if law enforcement
agents are involved,” the source said.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Garkuwa gang has been terrorizing various
communities in Doguwa, Tudun-Wada, Sumaila, Rano and Kibiya local government
areas. In the last three months, the gang has kidnapped about 100 people, among
them nursing mothers, children, and the aged, according to the District Head of
Tudun-Wada, Dankaden Kano, Dr. Bashir I. Muhammad.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The gang’s operations soon turned deadly, Daily
Trust also gathered, as they killed three youths in Tudun-Wada, Kibiya and
Sumaila in separate operations.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the District Head of Sumaila,
Danruwatan Kano, Alhaji Ibrahim Ado Bayero, about 15 persons were kidnapped
there. He spoke through a representative, Alhaji Ibrahim Ci-Gari, saying: “Last
week Saturday, April 16, the kidnappers stormed Matigwi village and took two
persons. They also returned to the same village two days later and grabbed the
father of a former member of Kano State House of Assembly, Alhaji Zubairu Masu.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The most disheartening part is that the
kidnappers have informants in most of our communities. That’s our major
constraint,” he said, adding that the trend is growing to alarming proportions.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Tudun Wada local government, 17 people were
kidnapped from Dariya, Nata’ala, Burum-Burum, Karafa and Gazobi villages, Dr.
Muhammad has confirmed. He said four people have so far paid ransoms to secure
release, but the rest remain with their captors.</span></span><br />
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Also, the Garkuwa gang demands for protection money, sometimes as high as two
million naira, so they will not be kidnapped.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dr. Muhammad also told Daily Trust that the
kidnappers recently sent letters to five people in his constituency, warning
them to either pay ₦2.5m each or be kidnapped. “Their victims include farmers,
tea sellers and all kinds of people,” he said, adding: “This is how the gang
has been terrorizing us on a daily basis.” He said people in his domain have
resorted to prayer, because the situation was a helpless one.</span></span><br />
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In Doguwa local government, the stepmother of a serving lawmaker in the State
House of Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Ibrahim Riruwai was kidnapped sometime in
March this year. “They were so bold, and told me that since I am an influential
figure in the state, I should pay sixty million naira ransom.” He later paid ₦2
million before she was released.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Riruwai said kidnapping has become rife in the
Southern part of Kano recently, and until something urgent is done, it will
continue.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also in early April, a nursing mother and her
baby were picked in Yar-Labi, while a pregnant woman in Burum-Burum village,
both in Tudun Wada local government. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The gang, led by their female commander, stormed
Kibiya town in Kibiya local government two weeks ago and kidnapped three
persons, including the wife of an ex-member of Kano State House of Assembly,
Alhaji Garba Shehu Famar. The two others, a mother and her son were later
released while the wife of the ex-lawmaker remains in captivity.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last week, the kidnappers sent letters to five
people in Tudun Wada town ordering them to either pay ₦2.5 million each or be
kidnapped, the chairman, Kano state chapter of Fulafulbe Development
Association of Nigeria (FULDAN), Alhaji Sanusi Baffa Dawakin-Tofa, confirmed.
He added that also in Diwa village, five people were kidnapped within the space
of 48 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dawakin-Tofa added: “From what we gather, the
kidnappers aren’t Nigerians. They have collected so much ransom money from
people in the various communities they have attacked.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The District Head of Doguwa local government,
Alhaji Aliyu Harazimi, said the Fulani residing in Falgore Forest have now
started relocating to Doguwa town, due to persistent kidnappings. “My people
have now resorted to self-defence. When the bandits stormed Kudara village
recently and kidnapped three, the residents resisted and engaged the kidnappers
until they ran for their lives. The trend has now subsided in Doguwa but we are
still praying,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Aliyu Isa Kibiya said the kidnappers are
heartless. “They ride in on motorbikes wielding sophisticated weapons. Even if
you flee, they would chase you and grab you,” he said, adding that apart from
kidnapping, the gang also steals motorcycles.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another resident of Sumaila local government,
Kabiru Idi Gomo, said the menace of kidnapping is massive in the area. “We’re
living in fears, as the gang operates almost on a daily basis,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also on Thursday, April 28, five more suspected
kidnappers, among them a notorious armed robber who has been trailed by the
police for two years, were arrested in Nata’ala village, Tudun Wada local
government.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, State Police
Commissioner, Alhaji Maigari A. Dikko said although he was recently deployed to
Kano, police records of people kidnapped in the Southern part of the state is
less than the 100 claimed by some locals. He said they recorded only 21 cases
from February to date, and 12 of them have been rescued. He also said 14 people
were arrested in connection with kidnaps, with six of them confessing their
participation.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
The commissioner explained to Daily Trust that four of the confessed
kidnappers were arrested in Doguwa, one each in Kibiya and Sumaila and Tudun
Wada local government areas. He said: “The kidnappers operate a syndicate and
from our findings some of them are from Niger, Kaduna and Bauchi states. They
only come to Kano on invitation whenever there is an operation. We have
deployed men to the affected places to end the problem.”</span></span></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-79228535130980927952016-04-21T04:46:00.001+01:002016-04-21T04:51:55.082+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: The President As Chief Diplomat — Reuben Abati<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;">EDITOR’S
NOTE:</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; line-height: 107%;"> Dr Reuben Abati was a
Senior Special Adviser on Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan. Dr Abati,
in this piece, gives an “Insider’s point of view” leadership and management issues
affecting the role of the Nigerian President in foreign policy and on why
Nigeria is considered the “Begin Again” country whereas other countries build
cumulatively toward their strategic objectives. Dr Abati appraises Nigeria’
foreign policy scene and observes “We [Nigerian leaders] may have thus reduced
foreign policy to individual heroism, which is sad, but institutions and human
capital within this arena are critical. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, once a
glorious institution is a shadow of its old self. The politicization of that
Ministry has done great damage. . . . Foreign
Affairs Ministry officials who want to be seen to be doing something will
always try to convince the President to embark on all trips. The dream of every
Ambassador on foreign posting is also to have his President visit, even if once
during his or her tenure. The resident Ambassador is happy, the Foreign Affairs
folks get quality eye-time with the President but the hosts look at us and
wonder what is wrong with our country signing the same agreements with the
emergence of every President and not being able to act.”</span></i></span>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKmAq_jgQUr-dD1HeVwIjqK1LMTJSppGjNGy0G-RqP3xAAm97x9CNPC3S75BwvtaRJgQtkbq0EnELKTtI8ep10tXdi1HWUKh4QeTmgJRR4HDPKOItiSOHXbOnRtb3TLJusoLix2zzAG5g/s1600/Preident+Buhari+%2540+Aso+Villa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKmAq_jgQUr-dD1HeVwIjqK1LMTJSppGjNGy0G-RqP3xAAm97x9CNPC3S75BwvtaRJgQtkbq0EnELKTtI8ep10tXdi1HWUKh4QeTmgJRR4HDPKOItiSOHXbOnRtb3TLJusoLix2zzAG5g/s640/Preident+Buhari+%2540+Aso+Villa.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">President Muhammadu Buhari speaking at an event at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo: Philip Ojisua</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Reuben
Abati (The Guardian, Nigeria)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I read an interesting article recently in which
the author, objecting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s frequent travels abroad
pointed out that Presidential spokespersons since 1999, including this writer,
have always justified such trips using essentially the same arguments. The
fellow quoted copiously and derisively from my State House press statements and
an article by me titled “The Gains of Jonathan’s Diplomacy”.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those who object to Presidential travels abroad
do so for a number of reasons: (a) the cost on the grounds of frequency and
size of estacode-collecting delegation, with multiple officers performing the
same function tagging along on every trip, (b) the need to make better use of
diplomats in foreign missions and Foreign Ministry officials who can act in
delegated capacity; (c) the failure to see the immediate and long-term gains of
Presidential junket, thus creating the impression of a jamboree or mindless
tourism, and (d) the conviction that the President needs to stay at home to
address urgent domestic challenges, rather than live out of a suitcase, in the
air. While these reasons may seem understandable, arising as they are from
anxieties about reducing wastage and increasing governmental efficiency for the
people’s benefit, I still insist that Presidential trips are important, and
that by travelling abroad, the President is performing a perfectly normal
function.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We may, however, complain about abuses and the
reduction of an important function to tourism for after all, in eight years,
President Bill Clinton of the United States travelled only 54 times – only by
Nigerian standards, but we must also admit that the President is the country’s
chief diplomat. In our constitutional democracy, he is the main articulator and
implementer of the country’s foreign policy. He appoints ambassadors who
function in their various posts as his representatives. He also receives other
country’s ambassadors. Emissaries from other countries or multilateral
organizations consider their visits incomplete without an audience with the
President, and it is his message that they take back home.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He visits other Presidents and he also gets
visited by other world leaders; an interaction that provides him an opportunity
to give effect to Section 19 of the 1999 Constitution which defines the
objectives of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy. In doing this, he is expected to
strengthen relationships with other countries, at government to government and
people to people levels in the national interest.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The President is also the country’s chief
spokesperson, and that is why what he says, or what he does when he is
negotiating within the international arena on Nigeria’s behalf is of great
consequence, and this is particularly why on at least two occasions recently,
Nigerians were inconsolably upset when their President chose a foreign stage to
put down his own country, and people. This clarification of the role of the
President as the country’s chief diplomat may sound didactic, and I apologize
if it comes across as pedantic, but this is necessary for the benefit of those
who may be tempted to assume that the job of a President is to sit in one place
at home and act as a mechanic and ambulance chaser. The concerns that have been
expressed however point to something far more complex, and I seek to now
problematize aspects of it.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the concerns often expressed is that the
trips that have been made by our Presidents since 1999 look too much alike. It
is as if every President that shows up, embarks on exactly the same junket to
the same locations, for the same reasons: foreign direct investment,
agriculture, security, co-operation, etc. etc. accompanied by a large retinue
that includes many of the same officials who travelled with the former
President and had prepared the same MOUs that will be signed again, with the
new spokespersons telling us the same story all over again.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nigerians are therefore not impressed with the
seeming conversion of the country’s foreign policy process into a
money-guzzling ritual. This, I think, is the crux of the matter. Whereas our
foreign policy objective talks about national interest, what constitutes that
national interest has been blurry and chameleonic in the last 55 years and more
so since the return to civilian rule in 1999. National interest has been
replaced majorly by personal interest and it is the worst tragedy that can
befall a country’s foreign policy process. We run a begin-again foreign
relations framework because every new President wants to make his own mark. The
second point is that he is compelled to do so because in any case, we do not
have a strong institution to follow up on existing agreements. The
international community knows this quite well, and more serious nations being
more strategic and determined in the pursuit of their own interests will
bombard a new Nigerian President with invitations to visit. They also know that
a new President in Nigeria is likely to cancel or suspend existing agreements
or contracts being executed by their nationals. The uncertainty that prevails
in Nigeria is so well known, such that the gains recorded by one administration
are not necessarily institutionalized.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We may have thus reduced foreign policy to
individual heroism, which is sad, but institutions and human capital within
this arena are critical. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, once a glorious
institution is a shadow of its old self. The politicization of that Ministry
has done great damage. When a President visits a country, and enters into
agreements that result in Memoranda of Understanding, it is expected that there
will be follow up action to be taken by officials either through Bilateral
Commissions (where they exist between Nigeria and the respective country) or
the issuance of instruments of ratification, leading to due implementation.
Nigeria signs all kinds of documents but so many details and agreements are
left unattended to. There is too much politics in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and too much rivalry between career foreign affairs personnel and the
politicians who do not allow them to function as professionals. This has to
stop, otherwise every new President has to start again and embark on trips that
should have been taken care of at the level of bilateral commissions or the
ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Career foreign affairs personnel are critical to
the shaping of foreign policy. They are the agents through which states
communicate with each other, negotiate, and sustain relationships. The only
thing they complain about in that Ministry is lack of money. It is the same
with the Missions abroad. Give them money, but there is always a greater need
for professionalism, which makes the diplomats of Nigeria’s golden era so sad.
The foreign policy process also works better when there is Inter-Ministerial
and Intra-governmental collaboration. The tendency in Nigeria is for every
department of government to operate as an independent foreign policy unit.
Government officials get invited to functions by foreign embassies, without
clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and they just troop there to
eat free food, but they never keep their mouths shut. Nigerian officials are
probably the most talkative in the world and with foreigners, they will offer
their mother’s life history to make them appear important. That is not how to
run foreign relations. There must be control, co-ordination, discipline,
clarity and sanctions.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every world leader wants to meet the Nigerian
President. Nigeria is a strategic market and a very cheap one too, a source of
raw materials and a dumping ground for finished products, with a consumptive
population. Our balance sheet in all our relationships is unbalanced even in
Africa, which we once described as the centerpiece of our foreign policy. We
have toyed with many slogans: dynamic diplomacy, economic diplomacy, concentric
circles of medium powers, citizen diplomacy, transformational diplomacy, what
else/- the Buharideens are yet to come up with their own, but you wait, they
will soon come up with something- really, the truth is that Nigeria’s foreign
policy process is not strategic or competitive enough.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Within Africa, it is driven by too much kindness
rather than enlightened self-interest, or deliberate search for sustainable
advantages. A Donatus mentality has seen Nigeria over the years looking out for
its African neighbours, donating money, supporting their causes, but Nigeria
has gained little from this charity-driven diplomacy. Many of the countries we
have helped to build openly despise us at international meetings, they struggle
for positions with Nigeria, they humiliate our citizens in diaspora, and when
they return later to beg for vehicles, or money to pay their civil servants or
run elections, we still oblige them. The attempt in recent years to review all
of this, and be more strategic should be sustained.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We must wield the carrot and the stick more
often. American Presidents don’t just visit other countries, they make
statements and often alter the course of history with their mere presence as
Kennedy did with his visit to Berlin in 1963, Nixon in China in 1972, Jimmy
Carter going to Iran in 1977, George Bush, visiting Mexico in 2001, and Obama
in Cuba in 2016. In the international arena, we give the impression that we are
ready to jump at any and every invitation in order to be seen to be friendly,
but we tend to overdo this. Foreign Affairs Ministry officials who want to be
seen to be doing something will always try to convince the President to embark
on all trips. The dream of every Ambassador on foreign posting is also to have
his President visit, even if once during his or her tenure. The resident
Ambassador is happy, the Foreign Affairs folks get quality eye-time with the
President but the hosts look at us and wonder what is wrong with our country
signing the same agreements with the emergence of every President and not being
able to act.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It does not help either that with every new
President, we talk about reviewing Nigeria’s Foreign Policy. We are probably
the only country in the world that is always reviewing Foreign Policy and
informing the whole world. That should be the routine work of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, with inputs
from the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), the
Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Presidential Advisory Committee on
Foreign Affairs.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We must never lose sight of a necessary linkage
between domestic policy and foreign policy. What exactly is in it for the
average Nigerian, for the Nigerian economy and for Nigeria? Do we have the
capacity to maximize gains from foreign interactions? Always, the real
challenge lies in getting our acts together and tying up the loose ends in
terms of sustainable policy choices, infrastructure, culture, leadership, and
strategic engagement.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>
<span style="line-height: 107%;">Originally published in The
Guardian under the <a href="http://guardian.ng/opinion/the-president-as-chief-diplomat/" target="_blank">"CROSSROADS"</a> Column</span></i></span></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-1193123760690052082016-01-24T15:49:00.002+01:002016-01-24T15:49:55.217+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: Lassa Fever: Let’s Replicate The 2006-2008 Intervention<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiqWonUmHJYbiOuWBYYET60gqetuuhVC22BzCFi-5nRAboPL9GJ7hagEiopgINNT_hrLFkiOKPR8VBrm2m_3_J5kJgE6npMW-xmA1kmnJWRvqFVVhnpBAeoxYFpERCmw20i4WMrVBIWPP/s1600/Dr+Gani+Enahoro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiqWonUmHJYbiOuWBYYET60gqetuuhVC22BzCFi-5nRAboPL9GJ7hagEiopgINNT_hrLFkiOKPR8VBrm2m_3_J5kJgE6npMW-xmA1kmnJWRvqFVVhnpBAeoxYFpERCmw20i4WMrVBIWPP/s640/Dr+Gani+Enahoro.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Dr. Gani Enahoro is Vice President, African Veterinary
Association and former President of the Nigerian Veterinary Association of
Nigeria. He bares his mind on the solution to Lassa fever outbreak.</i></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> “Luckily, there has been a preponderance of
circulating “Facts on Lassa Fever” in the social media, since this current
outbreak that has affected 94 patients and killed 43 in 10 states (up to 63 fatalities in 17 states as press time) as at 13th
January 2016, resulting in a Case Fatality Rate of 44%. This statistic
and precautionary measures all trace their source to the press release by the
Honourable Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole. A man I admire so much,
since I had close encounters with him during Alumni reunion programmes two
years ago as Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“This
public document included the listing of symptoms to watch out for, GSM numbers
to call, e-mail addresses for the internet savvy, pathogenesis and epidemiology
of Lassa fever, tracing its origin to rats of <i>Mastomys natalensis</i>- the hairless tail, multi-mammate rat, which is
prevalent in West Africa, as the hosts or reservoirs of the Lassa fever virus.
It also has an incubation period of 6-21 days with multi system failures that
would eventually lead to death.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The
objective of this volume of information is laudable and meant to increase
awareness through public education by warning and sensitizing people, but they
could sometimes also frighten the citizens about the dangers of Lassa fever.
Thanks to the advent of the social media, for making information dissemination
very easy, cheap and just a single click away.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“However,
beyond this hype and fears, there are fundamental issues and several questions
that need to be addressed going forward, if we must conquer the scourge of
Lassa fever, and by extension other viral haemorrhagic fevers.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“There
must be a change in the past strategies employed by the health authorities,
that has failed to stop the recurrence of this deadly zoonotic viral
haemorrhagic fever, tapping from the experience of Ebola that we have just
recovered from, and which seems to be our lot in West Africa and the successful
experience in taming the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza popularly called
Bird Flu.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Lassa
Fever has been with us since 1969 and is still regrettably being talked about
with more frenzy today with a case fatality rate almost thrice the 15% that WHO
considers a very bad situation. The reason could be that old and current
strategies deployed have been the same and ineffective. As a nation, we must
come out of the box and design a new and sincere approach to dealing with a
disease that is quite endemic in our region, rather than continue with the fire
brigade methods of raising alarm, daily blow-by-blow ministerial updates of
deaths on television, setting up one-sided committee, begging for international
donations and building professional silos around the outbreaks, as if an island
exist around diseases. At best, what those steps have given us was to unfairly
concentrate every effort in post infection management of patients and contact
tracing of those who related with infected people, rather than a holistic
multi-disciplinary approach that is more efficient, prudent and sustainable,
when all hands are on the deck.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The
animal-human interface that makes elimination of rats and rodents critical in
the case of Lassa fever has been completely ignored or played down, when the
committees are formed and when funds are deployed. No expert in that area of
competence has ever been found worthy of membership of Lassa Fever Committees,
even when an unwieldy number of 26-man omnibus committee of solely medical
doctors was formed in 2012.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The
failure of such one-sided panel beating of a very deadly situation is now
steering us in the face today with the current recurrence. It sounds more
logical that we should worry as much, if not more about the source of the
disease and how to control it alongside the care for those already infected, in
the hope that we could nip in the bud, exposing more people that could have
been infected in future. This is the missing link, which could be traced to
pecuniary benefits that may surround the funds that would be provided, under
emergency, to deal with the disease. I hope we are all learning from
Dasukigate, the infamous arms fund deal that has confirmed that blood money
does not stink in some people’s pockets, no matter their status in the society.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“For
every student of public health, the first lesson was that no dividing lines
exist between human and animal medicine, because more than sixty-five percent
of infectious diseases in man are traceable to their animal origins. It then
means that collaboration between these two specialties must be promoted at all
opportunities for the overall interest of the general public. I must appreciate
that just the one time this collaboration was tasked, Nigeria got better for
it, and that was during the two major outbreaks of Bird Flu in 2006-2008 and
recently last year, the vestiges of which we are still dealing with today.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The
trust in the competence with which the Veterinarians handled the animal
component of the disease has currently saved the public an almost equal hype that
Lassa has generated. As at January 13, 2016, it was reported that poultry farms
in Bayelsa, Plateau, Lagos, Kano and the FCT recorded severe mortality rates
due to bird flu. With all modesty, the bio-security and bio-safety measures,
introduced by the veterinarians kept the disease away from man in all the
cases. It should never be forgotten that person-to-person transmission of
mutated strains of HPAI virus is a possibility, with a case fatality rate (CFR)
up to 60-70%. This is a more deadly situation than the worst of Lassa
hemorrhagic fever outbreak known to history.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“At
the peak of bird flu scourge in 2006-2008, what helped most was, that early
recognition of animal and human components and the engagement of effective
communicators at the Federal Ministry of Information who managed the
information desk, and weighed the messages that should be passed to the public
through the electronic and print media. Relevant jingles and posters were all
over. Why can’t we replicate this beauty of multi-disciplinary intervention
when Lassa fever is concerned?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“A
more concerted effort is required inter-ministerial from the Federal Ministries
of Health, Agriculture, Environment and Information, if we sincerely wish to
deal with this scourge. The Pest Control Services section has always been
domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, just like the Department of
Veterinary Services, and not anywhere else. There are Veterinary institutions
like the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom in Plateau State,
which can boast of diagnostic facilities of a similar Bio-Safety Levels (BSL 3
or 4) that is available at Irrua, which can confirm Lassa or possibly Ebola
Viruses, such that samples from patients in Taraba would not have had to be
transported all the way to Irrua Specialist Hospital in Edo State for
confirmation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“This benefit can only come
from effective inter-disciplinary collaboration.”</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Newspaper Interview </span></span></span> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-80600953708000306522015-12-14T08:00:00.000+01:002015-12-14T08:00:53.322+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: Hard Road To Solving Power Problem<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHapEuL_RmP4aHjphPpiuMeKFu-rNcCHndTod2LhVHQGXzWyNRfX_GUpNcO-hvOfpx7YwXcERvJfjG8I2U2qyJKnCphCtsPqmq1XuypjoWF5HlaKdzR-pDe6aHGstLDxqsTwqOTdnuN9G-/s1600/1Minister+Fashola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHapEuL_RmP4aHjphPpiuMeKFu-rNcCHndTod2LhVHQGXzWyNRfX_GUpNcO-hvOfpx7YwXcERvJfjG8I2U2qyJKnCphCtsPqmq1XuypjoWF5HlaKdzR-pDe6aHGstLDxqsTwqOTdnuN9G-/s640/1Minister+Fashola.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Babatunde
Fashola at ministerial screening on Wednesday, October 14, 2015</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">By
Emeka Anuforo (The Guardian, Nigeria)</span></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
new Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola perhaps looked
more determined than ever last Tuesday when he was speaking to the press about
his 2016 agenda for power, housing, and road infrastructure.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
two-term former governor of Lagos, whom many Lagosians consider as ‘action
governor’ came to the meeting with some conviction that the electricity problem
can be demystified and solved after all. So he came up with a plan for
power that rests on key components: Strengthen the regulatory agency, National
Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), hold the GenCos and DisCos to their
contracts with citizens, and make gas available and expand the Transmission
Network. There is one more. MDAs at all levels as well as corporate
and private individuals must be prepared to pay their electricity bills, said
Mr. Fashola. With this road plan, the minister is optimistic that
power will improve. But has the minister appreciated the frustration
experienced by his predecessors well enough to answer the key question: How
soon will Nigerian start to enjoy electricity, at least, to a reasonable
extent?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Well
the former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali,
attempted the question in an interview recently.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">He
said the Federal Government would need an estimated 12,000MW of electricity to
achieve steady power supply.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">At
the moment, Nigeria is reported to be generating approximately 4,600MW at
peak hours and approximately 3,900MW at off-peak hours.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">As
the situation stands today, it remains uncertain if Fashola-led ministry will
generate that much before his tenure lapses.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">And
there is no need searching for the reason why this may not happen in the next
few years. The reason sticks out prominently: There is no gas in sufficient
supply.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Speaking
recently at a National Assembly inquiry into the power sector, NERC Chairman,
Dr. Sam Amadi, reiterated the gas challenge, attributing the low generation of
electricity largely to problems associated with gas supply.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">According
to him, the huge investments put into the National Integrated Power Project
(NIPP) by the three tiers of government, and the power plants so far built
under the scheme are largely idle because of inadequate gas supply.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
question of gas supply and the attendant problems also were the major subject
discussion at a forum of the National Association of Petroleum Explorationists
(NAPE) in July.<br />
At that forum, the NERC boss identified corruption, incoherence in gas-to-power
policy, low commerciality in gas supply to power, poor gas to power
infrastructure, incompetence in project management and lack of prudent public
sector investment as part of the biggest challenges of the sector.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“The
lack of gas supply necessary to fire available generating plants is the main
reason we don’t have at least 5,500MW of daily generation.”</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
problem of gas supply, he said, has manifested in two main forms: vandalism of
gas pipelines and poor project management of gas facilities.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">According
to NNPC, there were 3,700 cases of pipeline Vandalization in 2014.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“Due
to incessant repairs of the pipelines, there is now an issue of technical
integrity of these pipelines, further constraining supply of gas to power
plants,” said Amadi<br />
He also highlighted how the country lacks adequate capacity to process gas and
facilities to transport gas to power plants.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“This
inadequacy is itself a result of the structured disconnection between power
generation and gas business. Gas policy and regulatory framework until recently
were not consciously focused on power generation. So, the gas market did not
process enough gas for the power sector. Much of the gas produced goes to the
export market and other domestic industrial users,” he added.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Former
Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Ransome Owan
is in agreement with his successor.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Speaking
at Powering Africa Nigeria Summit held recently in
Abuja, Owan lamented what he described as the lack of concrete
gas supply agreements for the power stations.<br />
He said: “Even with over US$5billion invested in the NIPPs, they are
down as gas is not there to power them. The projects cannot come to a financial
close because there is not enough gas for the plants.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“The
Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) cannot sign their Power Purchase
Agreements (PPAs) unless they answer these two things: do you have gas and can
you evacuate power? The seller, which is the government, cannot answer the
questions.”<br />
He charged the federal government to live up to its responsibility in gas
supply to the power sector.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“To
have a sustainable gas sector, the risk should not be with the IOCs, the gas
transporters or the power companies. It is the federal government of Nigeria
because it has the army and the joint taskforce to protect the
infrastructure,” said the former NERC chief who also made a case for a single
gas regulator.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“To
gasify our economy, we would need to have a sector regulator to set a
foundation, the rules, and regulation for the market. This was done in the
power sector.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Also
speaking, President of the Nigerian Gas Association and CEO of Oando Gas and
Power, Mobolaji Osunsanya alleged that the NIPP was defective from
inception. “The NIPPs were designed to fail,” he said.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It
is difficult to disagree with Osunsanya because it makes little sense to builds
power plants so huge the way federal government did without being sure of gas
supply.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Former
Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo attributes the failure of gas supply to
those he described as saboteurs who stood in the way of government’s full plans
for the sector.<br />
In an interview he granted The Guardian in May, he urged the new
government to wield the big stick on those who disrupt gas to power
efforts including the pipeline vandals but observed that a lot more would have
been achieved if gas producers were sincere with the commitments they made to
the power sector.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“Commitments
were made to give us gas, but we haven’t seen gas. It is just as simple as
that. It is very painful. I blame a lot on vandalism. But I also blame the oil
firms and gas producers for what I consider to be hypocrisy. They have been
hypocritical with this whole issue of making sure that we have gas and bringing
us out of the darkness and so on.”</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">He
also accused the gas producers of exporting most of the nation’s gas and
diverting the remaining available quantity for the domestic market to the
industries, instead of the power sector where it is greatly needed.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">His
words: “The greatest undoing of the administration, and my greatest regret, is
that we lost the war against vandalism and we lost the war against inadequate
gas supply.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“These
turbines are ready to go. Some of them were operating at 30 percent capacity. I
think I feel so sad about this, because if we had gas going to these turbines,
every Nigerian would have been hailing President Jonathan today. But
unfortunately, there was no gas. When gas was produced, even more, you find a
preference by the oil companies to give gas to the industries instead of to
power generation. It is still happening today, whereas the profile for gas to
power continues decreasing, the profile of gas to industries increased.
Something is wrong.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“This
new government should take a cue and make sure that the petroleum sector does
what it ought to do to make sure that there is enough gas going to the power
plants. It is very critical. If the new administration does not do that,
Nigerians are going to keep suffering in darkness.”</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">He
expected that the new administration to fight vandalism and bring the vandals
to their knees. If we don’t do that, we are still going to have a problem.
Every two weeks the pipelines are blown up and it takes two weeks to fix them
is not good for the sector. Within 24-48 hours of fixing them, they are blown
up in other places to the point where the integrity of the pipeline is now in
question, and a lot of major works has to be done.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“I
think that it is scandalous that we produce over 5 billion scfs of gas every day
and we sell 4 billion scfs and return only1
billion scfs for local use. The one for local use is
preferentially given to industries and not to power, starving the power sector
of the needed gas to industrialize this country and I think that is a shame.”</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">He
called for action on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), noting that it would
liberalize the market, and make it easier for more gas to be available.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Apart
from the challenge of inadequate gas supply, there is a general consensus in
the sector that the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) is starving for
capital and cash flow – all of which originates from customers who are said to
be ill-informed, frustrated by poor reliability, poor power quality (low voltage,
voltage fluctuations), frequency and duration of power outages, estimated bills
and lack of meters.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Investors
say tariffs have not been cost-reflective for decades and has persisted
post-privatization. The need for a cost reflective tariff, a bedrock requirement
of the Power Performance Agreements has remained elusive for many investors who
have eagerly looked forward to it.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">There
are also calls for the outright privatization of the TCN.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The Managing Director of
the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr. Mark Karst, says the firm needs
about US$1 billion yearly to wheel 20,000MW of electricity by the year 2020.</span></span></span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-48274802657012592312015-10-29T09:02:00.000+01:002015-10-29T09:02:46.311+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: Why Some African Leaders Cling To Power, Whilst Others Walk Away — Christina Okello<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyhXMs7DIWI_COWDj0kGXJIb3nAoLaeUPJ_mbIRPYljkjrttN3zH6QhYQbsc2EHkouKd5ce4562AgdJD7p7_fUEoe_yFj9XeMo8j7VVJl7z4UneLnO7EungWqqVQ4_iLhe0bWVQXQh0xY/s1600/1African+Sit+Tight+Leaders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyhXMs7DIWI_COWDj0kGXJIb3nAoLaeUPJ_mbIRPYljkjrttN3zH6QhYQbsc2EHkouKd5ce4562AgdJD7p7_fUEoe_yFj9XeMo8j7VVJl7z4UneLnO7EungWqqVQ4_iLhe0bWVQXQh0xY/s640/1African+Sit+Tight+Leaders.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Congolese
President Denis Sassou Nguesso votes in the country's referendum on October 25.
Tanzanian leader Jakaya Kikwete at the UN General assembly, September 27, 2015.
Reuters/Montage</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>By Christina Okello </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Following
a weekend of elections on the African Continent, analysts are drawing parallels
between Congo-Brazzaville and Tanzania even before results are announced. One
leader is accused of tampering with the constitution to extend his grip on
power, whilst the other has been credited with respecting presidential term
limits.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
one corner, you see a political beast, greying at the temples, but still
fighting in the ring; whilst in the other, is a younger, sprightly politician
walking away.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
contrast drawn between Congo Brazzaville's President Denis Sassou Nguesso and
outgoing Tanzanian leader Jakaya Kikwete is striking. The latter has been in
power for over thirty years and is still vying for a third-term. Kikwete on the
other hand, after only ten years in office, is throwing in the towel. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-20/tanzania-s-kikwete-says-burundi-should-heed-president-term-limit" target="_blank">He's served his constitutional two-term limit, and says it'senough</a>. But why is it not the case for many of the continent's other
leaders who are seeking to overstay their welcome?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Congo
Brazzaville is the latest newcomer in a growing list of countries where
fiddling with the constitution for personal gain is becoming the norm: Rwanda
is heading down that route, Burkina Faso's deposed Blaise Compaoré tried to,
and Congo-Kinshasa's Joseph Kabila is keeping a firm eye on what's happening
next door for any tips.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2015-08-12-encouraged-by-burundis-example-other-african-leaders-plot-to-overstay-their-welcome" target="_blank">Each one has been buoyed by Burundi's example, where after abitter constitutional row Pierre Nkurinziza won a third term in office</a>, much to
the dismay of his critics, none of whom were dismayed enough to stop him.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Changing
the constitution to scrap presidential term limits didn't begin today. It's
been a continued predilection among African leaders since independence. Most of
the former colonies were not organized as democracies and are still figuring
out what it means. Yet undoing the foundations of what constitutes good
governance may be the wrong way of going about it.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ironically,
it was Sassou Nguesso who himself introduced term limits in the 2002
Constitution, only to jettison his ideals ten years later.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unscrewing
caps on term limits here and age limits there, is not anti-democratic per se.
But it's when there are no more screws left to unhinge and <a href="http://www.idea.int/americas/reelection-continuity-and-hyper-presidentialism-in-latin-america.cfm" target="_blank">you open the gateway to indefinite reelection as in some Latin American countries</a>, that's when alarm bells start ringing, <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201510220258.html" target="_blank">TransparencyInternational warns</a>.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shock
of democracy versus a constitutional coup</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Voters
in Congo-Brazzaville seemingly heard them loud and clear, as many shunned
polling stations on Sunday. Turnout was only 10 per cent, it was revealed
on Monday. Proof for the Opposition that voters had heeded their calls to
boycott what they described a "constitutional coup d'etat".</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On
the government's side, the referundum is "above all an instrument of
participative democracy."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
Bovid Atouta, an English teacher in the President's stronghold city of Talangai
told RFI he wasn't convinced.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"The
government needs to do much more. Fine, they're building roads, but what about
schools? The main university doesn't even have rest-rooms for students to use
and basic social services are lacking," he said in frustration.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">African
leaders have long dangled the illusion of stability to induce their populations
into complicit silence, and Brazzaville is no exception.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yet,
the real power grab comes not from the former French colony, but its colonizer
France, suggests Dr. Yves Ekoué Amaizo, head of the panafrican think tank
Afrocentricity.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whiff
of neo-colonialism</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"People
need and must stay in power in order to protect this relationship with the
former colonial power. Big companies like Total have vested interests and are
making big money," he added.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Total
this summer signed a 20-year deal to extend its drilling operations at three
major offshore sites in the Congo.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.rfi.fr/france/20151022-france-francois-hollande-congo-brazzaville-survie-sassou-nguesso" target="_blank">Meanwhile, French President François Hollande rattled featherslast week when he suggested that Sassou Nguesso had the right to consult hispeople</a>. A move hardly likely to reassure opponents of the referendum, who
see it as a ploy to extend the long-serving leader's 31-year rule.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Asked
why the former Marxist leader is hell-bent on clinging to power in comparison
to Tanzania's Kikwete, Amaizo told RFI: "Number one it's a francophone
country. Second, you have a lot of major ethnic problems in the Congo, which
means that the power which should be at the sub-regional level never took
place, and they even had a war because of that."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Indeed,
Sassou Nguesso was re-elected in 1997 at the end of a bloody civil war. But
strong leadership no matter how stable does not tackle the root causes of
poverty. Many Congolese still live on less than U$1 per day.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
situation in Tanzania is slightly different. First, it never experienced ethnic
conflict, Amaizo says.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"It's
true that Kikwete is supposed to leave, and he will leave," he told RFI.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"From
the outside it looks very nice but when you look closer, you'll see that the
person who is running as the opposition guy is <a href="http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/PeoplePower/Corruption-press-restriction-taint-Kikwetes-impressive-l/-/689844/2928110/-/hq3vphz/-/index.html" target="_blank">Kikwete's former prime minister and that same opposition guy was part ofthe ruling party, before joining the opposition</a>."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amaizo
suggests that Tanzania's political change is tainted by association.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">"You never get what we
call political change. If you want democracy to function you have to have
political change in Tanzania and that doesn't exist. The only difference with
Congo is that it's peaceful," he concluded.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Originally published in <a href="http://www.english.rfi.fr/africa/20151026-Why-some-African-leaders-succumb-temptation-cling-power-whilst-others-walk-away-Cong" target="_blank">RFI </a></span></span></span></i> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-30079046099695212542015-10-26T17:03:00.001+01:002015-10-26T17:03:48.941+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: How Nigeria’s "Middle Class" Work for Private Schools — By ‘Tope Fasua<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;">We
killed our educational sector in the last two decades. Totally. Even under the
military we still had an educational sector. Maybe we bit too much of the privatization
apple than is good for our health. Today, Federal Colleges/Unity Schools which
were attended by good students with high grades, have become uninhabitable. I
think their teachers are even on strike and no one noticed. Our public
universities are also being avoided like the plague. Those who can ‘afford’
these luxuries should not count themselves lucky. We are all sitting on a time
bomb, evolving a society of desperate souls. The other end of the spectrum is
total deprivation.</span></i></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNnEW5MvxZSMpikJGzR3uQuzduXCJ-QW84d9zolRbuuab770Y4R2Q62Q9fOjN6JN3kQv_MuTk1UauIi5Q_-gOrnXbvAps7CK0Uh1IM8XEbVrl3_EApRIZaAFflJcgga1sSjdDLGrz2h1c/s1600/1Private+schools+high+fees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNnEW5MvxZSMpikJGzR3uQuzduXCJ-QW84d9zolRbuuab770Y4R2Q62Q9fOjN6JN3kQv_MuTk1UauIi5Q_-gOrnXbvAps7CK0Uh1IM8XEbVrl3_EApRIZaAFflJcgga1sSjdDLGrz2h1c/s640/1Private+schools+high+fees.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Image
source: PREMIUM TIMES</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">By
‘Tope Fasua</span></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I was
with some very bright young men and a woman a few days back and we discussed
several hot topics. I came off with a ‘takeaway’ (thanks to Fashola), about a
much-misconstrued issue, more and more like a cliché, called the ‘middle
class’. We argued in part about how the Nigerian ‘middle-class’ was not enough
critical mass to swing an election and discussed extensively on how we, the
middle-class, can make the necessary impact by sharing our knowledge and
educating those considered as the ‘working class’ (the majority).</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">In fact
in Nigeria, that term ‘working class’ is seldom used. Even I had made the mistake
in the past of using another term to qualify that ‘class’. I think I used
‘lower class’, which is actually very derogatory and well… classist. Classism
is just the junior brother of racism. It is actually a dumber junior brother.
Why? Whereas it is impossible to change one’s race, and therefore a racist, in
all his hallucinations, somehow has a point about clear lines of demarcation
and differences; a classist doesn’t have even half a point, because what
separates class is usually access to money. Therefore a ‘lower’ or ‘working’
class today, could actually win the lottery, buy up a big house in Rancho
Cucamonga, and begin rubbing shoulders with Royalty. After all, in this world,
people are attracted to money as flies and maggots take to decaying carcasses!</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">But back
to my rumination on the matter of class. Because of my exposure to the
Freakonomics series, and to writers such as Malcolm Gladwell, I since stopped
taking anything for granted. Even before I read these out-of-the-box guys, I
had been schooled to look at things differently; never follow the bandwagon and
always seek out exceptions. I think that is what they call risk management.
Work towards achieving the best, but always remember that sometimes, good
things happen to bad people, and vice versa.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Before I
go on, I remember that given my experience as a parent, I always find it
laughable when I listen to some young Nigerian musicians talk about how they’ve
‘hammered’. Well, I’m not privy to the kinds of monies those guys can make
these days, but ‘hammering’ doesn’t make a man. A Nigerian parent will find out
lately that it requires a phenomenal amount of money to keep the family and
raise children in this age and time, especially where such a parent considers
him/herself as ‘middle class’. I will try and explain below, the kind of
expenses we bear in the course of a lucky lifetime, for an average Nigerian
middle-classer. And my argument is that these expenses are not sustainable and
that we should find a way of reorganizing our society and extricating ourselves
from them, for our own good.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Let’s
start with the school fees. A few days ago, someone on Facebook posted some of
the fees paid by some of the elite primary/secondary schools in Nigeria. It
caused a sort of outrage, especially among those who haven’t started paying for
their children at such schools. But because of the way our society has evolved
lately, it seems no self-respecting person who considers herself as middle
class will bother sending her child to public schools. So we are stuck with
these private schools. Since everyone seems to be begging on hands and knees to
get their children and wards into these schools, fees keep climbing every year,
such that they double in a couple of years.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">An
average private nursery primary school now charges at least ₦400,000 per annum per child. Some
charge less, but many of such don’t adhere to basic standards. For a family
with, say, three children, with each child spending like 9 years in kindergarten/nursery/primary
school, at this conservative estimate, and if the fees don’t increase over the
years, such a family will spend ₦10,800,000
in school fees alone on those three children just going through primary school.
This is different from other fees, uniforms, development fees, and of course
playclothes for children and feeding for the family. Let us not even consider,
for now, the other family pressures on a man/woman who considers him/herself as
middle class, as is so considered by extended family and friends.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">You can
begin to see the kind of outlays we are dealing with, in terms of how much
money MUST run through the hands of a middle class family in today’s Nigeria.
Consider for a minute, that our parents never had to go through this, for we
all, in my generation attended at least 80% public school up to the university
level. There is also a critical reason why some of our friends remain abroad
with their families. These kinds of expenses just don’t come up.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
secondary school. As the children progresses, so also do the school fees rise
astronomically. A cheap private secondary school in Nigeria’s urban centres
today will charge at least ₦600,000
per child per year. Some charge like 10 times this, but most charge like twice
that amount. The same family of three, assuming the lowest fees stated above, needs
to pay secondary schools, for their three children, a clean sum of another ₦10,800,000 in school fees. This very
average family is indeed just working class, not middle class. And it has spent
₦21,600,000 just paying school
fees for three children up to secondary school – assuming no hitches – and
preparing for the Big Kahuna – the University. In private Universities,
expenses take on a different life of their own. Triple what you spent in
secondary, for starters.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The fact
is that most families in Nigeria today, where one or both parents either have a
fairly well-paying job in say telecoms, banking, oil and gas, public service,
or where they are entrepreneurs, pay at least twice this amount (₦43,200,000), or thrice if they are
really upper class by virtue of their cash flows, legal or illegal
(N64,800,000). Now that is a whole lot of money. How did we arrive at this
point?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Before
we look at how we arrived at this point, let us consider the fact that children
raised in this manner have expectations. Because we put the ideas in their
heads. Summer abroad is nothing. Winter abroad as well. They don’t want to
understand the meaning of hard work. We the parents live vicariously through
them, and they know. They know that you use them as excuse to live large and
they often make you pay for it. These are also children that we cannot step
down from the posh schools they attend, into lesser profile schools because of
the shame and fear of letting them know.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Yet,
only five percent of us, or less, will be lucky enough to get that much
unfettered cash-flow going for a consistent period of time. The remaining 95
percent will have hiccups somewhere along the lines. It’s just a law of how
society works. It does not help that we live in the age of motivational
speaking where smooth talkers try to convince us that bad things only happen to
other people, not us. Good financial planning helps, but it all seems like a
gamble now. A good financial planner, having saved up a tidy sum, may decide to
increase the stakes and send the children to even more expensive schools, based
on their reputation and the caliber of big men who send their children there,
just like a gambler around a roulette table would up his wager.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Remember
that we would not send these children to school on empty stomachs. An average
Nigerian family should expect to triple whatever amount it spends on school
fees, to maintain the family – holidays, owambes, buying or building a house,
cars, clothes, families and hangers-on, ‘dash’ here and there, and for the men,
what Yorubas call “<i>afowofa</i>”
[self-inflicted] (ask your Yoruba friend, don’t ask me! Lol). At the end of the
day, an average working class family, needs a cash flow of at least ₦90,000,000 over a period of say 15
years. That is ₦6 million per
year. A middle class family (that buffer between working and upper class),
would need at least twice that amount (₦180,000,000)
or ₦12 million yearly, over the
same 15 year period. How will we not be desperate?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I had
written about this frightening phenomenon a few months ago, and titled the
article “The Origins of Corruption”. In my view, if we were seeking any true
cause of our desperation and corruption, in today’s Nigeria, we should look no
further. The emerging truth is that only public servants, with the advantage of
job security, plus unlimited ‘egunje’ that I know, who can afford to pay these
sums without batting an eyelid. Maybe those of us who are entrepreneurs will
one day fight back because we are getting the short end of the stick, but for
now ‘man get to survive!’ Most of my friends in the private sector, but for the
very few at the top, cannot begin to dream of how their children will attend
these elite schools, home or abroad. It just doesn’t come up. And for the top
dogs in the private sector, I have seen several instances where something goes
wrong – a fraud in the office, a layoff, a takeover, early retirement – and
they fall into immediate crisis!</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">We
killed our educational sector in the last two decades. Totally. Even under the
military we still had an educational sector. Maybe we bit too much of the
privatization apple than is good for our health. Today, Federal Colleges/Unity
Schools which were attended by good students with high grades, have become
uninhabitable. I think their teachers are even on strike and no one noticed.
Our public universities are also being avoided like the plague. Those who can
‘afford’ these luxuries should not count themselves lucky. We are all sitting
on a time bomb, evolving a society of desperate souls. The other end of the spectrum
is total deprivation.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">What to
do? I dunno. I ain’t the oracle. But I will suggest at some point, that we must
strive to #bringbackourpublicschools. Government MUST do all it can to pump
money back into those schools. They must become good again, and they must be
well subsidized, at least up to Secondary level. Missionary schools must come
back the way they were back in the day (Baptist Academy, Methodist Boys,
Anglican Girls, Loyola College, Ansar Ud Deen College etc). Shame on today’s
‘missionary’ schools who joined the bandwagon of filthy lucre!</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">This
process will be gradual, but will save us from this pit we have dug ourselves
into. Gradually, the working class, and those of us who deceive ourselves that
we are middle class, when we actually aren’t, should be able to return our
children to those schools where we don’t have to slave to death. This will
defuse a great tension in society, and would reduce the irresistible pull
towards corruption, crime and desperation in society. Hopefully the private
schools may slow down on the increase in their fees.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I think
it will also assist us to raise better, more patriotic children, not those
totally disconnected from our societies, who cannot wait for the term to break
so that they can skedaddle out of the country into neater, more plastic climes.
Those ones get trained at the most expensive universities in the world, up to master’s
level, only to start careers as Deejays, Dancers, Photographers and so on. Yes,
we really missed the bus! Our parents never had to go through this. We were all
trained in cheap public schools and we are good for it. But perhaps through our
lack of cooperation, we found each of us on his own. The future beckons…</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Failure to heed this, our
children will not bother about getting married again. The boys will hardly be
able to cope with further increasing expenses. Those who get married will have
just one child or none at all. And divorce rates will spike, as women become
disillusioned and ‘disappointed’ at their young husband’s inability to foot the
bill. Masculinity will reduce because that adrenaline rush of being able to
cope with these things will not just be there. Same sex marriages will
eventually get a foothold, even as same-sex relationships begin to blossom.
It’s an “easy” way out of this mess, yeah? Maybe the hardcore feminists will
get a taste of their heaven <i>sef</i>…</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>‘Tope Fasua, an economist and consultant, is CEO
of Global Analytics Consulting.</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Originally published in
PREMIUM TIMES Blogs</span> </i></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-17146185314719677052015-09-23T04:55:00.001+01:002015-09-23T04:55:09.460+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY: Behind Burkina Faso’s Coups, Is Every African Leader’s Unlearnt Lesson… <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZAf6TQyAKyHC7757UT95_guXlhBR2L79K49uS_7cYOr1ulRVbeQGTSybcAn4t-p2IkTDlU8l-mhxZvj5y0TyePfgVhGVYYnkmyVCIRGI3t023p5lmvDhX58o399sbX_PEbXwJeZv40wX/s1600/Africa+breaking+chains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZAf6TQyAKyHC7757UT95_guXlhBR2L79K49uS_7cYOr1ulRVbeQGTSybcAn4t-p2IkTDlU8l-mhxZvj5y0TyePfgVhGVYYnkmyVCIRGI3t023p5lmvDhX58o399sbX_PEbXwJeZv40wX/s320/Africa+breaking+chains.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>By Okore Scheaffer </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">African
presidents are known for their allergy to the word ‘limit’ in any capacity.
Many of them don’t clearly understand this five letter word that has cost most
of them a peaceful retirement. Creating not only a breed of entitled loathed
heads of state but also those with insatiable limitations.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Burkina
Faso is just one example among an array of states where the people have grown
wary and exasperated. Even with its economic growth, Burkina Faso remains at
the very bottom of the United Nations’ Human Development Index, making it one
of the world’s poorest states. Many university graduates struggle to find work
and often blame corruption for their difficulties. How many Africans go through
this?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Ousted
President Blaise Compaoré had cast his leadership on stone for 27 years after
the assassination of Thomas Sankara by ensuring he had a presidential guard of
an elite unit comprising of 1,300 soldiers loyal to him. He set it up to ensure
his own protection in the wake of the 1987 killing of his predecessor, and
close ally, Thomas Sankara during a coup which led to Mr Compaoré taking over.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
Bukinabes had had copious amounts of the repetitive change narrative that
wasn’t yielding fruits. It was time in 2014 to stand up for something new and
distinctive after an unchanging 27-year rule that seemingly wasn’t going to
come to an end. They had reached their limits. There’s always so much that
people can take and for how long. Most African leaders forget so spectacularly that
they are governing humans, not puppets.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">African
leaders tend to be oblivious to the fact that everything has an end even a good
thing. There’s a sense of ultimate, absolute and overall entitlement that
they’re filled with once they seat at the epicenter of power. They unanimously
disregard the source of their power and impose upon themselves the title of
savior whom no one can oppose.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
belief they religiously spread around is how their various states cannot
function without them and how they are the only one’s bequeathed with the
erudition of leadership. This is utter gibberish that by now many of them
should imbibe. No African state is immune to a coup and certainly no African
leader is irreplaceable.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It
is a sign of failure to assume that as a leader you are the only one fit to
steer forth a state. It is a lie that no one is buying anymore no matter how
cheap you’re selling. Burkina Faso represents most (if not all) African states
whose leaders ascended to the nucleus of power through gutter politics and
under table dealings.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
people you shield yourself against have grown too loud to be shut down, too
aware to be ridiculed and too impoverished to be side lined. It’s only a matter
of time before many other states go through the breaking point that others have
reached. Our problems are similar as Africans and our solutions will eventually
follow a similar trail.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Leaders
like Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo – Equatorial Guinea (35 years), José Eduardo
dos Santos – Angola (35 years), Robert Mugabe – Zimbabwe (34 years), Paul Biya
– Cameroon (32 years), Yoweri Museveni – Uganda (28 years), Omar al-Bashir –
Sudan (25 years), Idriss Déby – Chad (23 years), Isaias Afwerki – Eritrea (23
years), Yahya Jammeh – The Gambia (20 years), and Denis Sassou Nguesso – Republic
of Congo (17 years) are the longest serving in the continent.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It’s
humorous sometimes that the youngest continent has the longest/oldest serving
heads of state. But when the laughter dies down you start to see the disease
that’s eating into the fabric of leadership. That only in Africa do the leaders
believe they should only step down when death knocks their doors! It’s like
taking candy from a toddler, only this candy represents an entire continent
held hostage.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Pierre
Nkurunziza has successfully accomplished binding Burundi to his umbilical cord
while Mr. Paul Kagame is pushing for an extension of his term. I open my mouth,
raise my brows, throw my hands in the air and gasp. Clearly we aren’t learning
from history. One day all those who have been neglected by regimes will have
their say and that day, history won’t be negotiated on round tables behind
closed doors. Africans are breaking mental chains.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Originally published in SIASAPLACE.COM.
Republished here with permission.</span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">©
Okore Scheaffer @scheafferoo</span></span></span></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-60255262017922997382015-09-12T09:25:00.002+01:002015-09-12T09:27:05.130+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY – Wood Carving Endangered<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GKNzEplD0LXyvCV14oA4WAgD5_l7DZCotR0qGxYm8Vn_nltxn68nCOVOj5TeWaMjiFnIb9cY3kdDZXO2rHb71Xyt3gsGfmw45oo4G5EX4lt3I28gTOTfoWEICPRxAS6C5qZjX0lvDqAJ/s1600/1Wood+Carving+Endangered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GKNzEplD0LXyvCV14oA4WAgD5_l7DZCotR0qGxYm8Vn_nltxn68nCOVOj5TeWaMjiFnIb9cY3kdDZXO2rHb71Xyt3gsGfmw45oo4G5EX4lt3I28gTOTfoWEICPRxAS6C5qZjX0lvDqAJ/s640/1Wood+Carving+Endangered.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Queen Idia Mask Head (Image source: The Nation)</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>•We
need to save the Benin phenomenon for its cultural and commercial values</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It
may indeed be a sign of changing times that a land noted for its fascinating
sculptural treasures made in various media is reportedly facing a crisis of
sorts in the production of wood carvings. It is a cause for concern that Benin
in Edo State, which formed the core of a famous ancient kingdom, may be losing
its distinctive wood-carving capacity. This may well be true of carvings in
other media too.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">What
makes the development particularly deserving of attention is that it is the
wood carvers themselves that are sounding the alarm. A concerned university-trained
Benin sculptor, Mr. Festus Enofe, who provided a history of the problem, was
quoted in a report as saying: “Wood carving used to be carried out by Wood
Guild called Igbesanmwan, when it was under the control of the Oba of Benin.
Then, the carvers were working for the Oba. It was a part-time work, as the
carvers did their farming occupation to survive.”</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Enofe
said: “After the Guild era, when carving became commercialized, it was booming
– tourists were coming to Benin to buy carved works – but it has dropped now.”
He blamed this on, among other things, the lack of an enabling environment for
carvers. “There are no incentives, no encouragement to those involved in
producing artworks,” he said. For a country that aspires to gain from cultural
tourism locally and internationally, this is not the path to follow.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Other
factors in this narrative of decline, according to Enofe, include negative
taxes imposed on art patrons at the country’s international airports where
customs officials allegedly often seize contemporary artworks under the
mistaken impression that they are antiquities. Enofe also said:
“Religion is a barrier to artwork. These days, people tend to see carvings as
images of demons, which can attract bad spirits. It is an erroneous perception.”</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Perhaps
more fundamentally, another Benin sculptor, Mr. Emmanuel Uwumwonse, identified
a critical learning gap as a contributory factor endangering the wood-carving
trade. According to him, “When we started learning, we normally did it after
school hours, especially during holidays. We went to the workshop to work with
our father, to raise our school fees. These days, you hardly see children doing
that. Children no longer do so because they do not see any future in
sculpture.”</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Clearly,
modern conditions and consequences are at the heart of the problem. The economy
of culture has not been modernized in tune with new realities. The truth is
that the age-old traditional craft can no longer be realistically practiced in
the old ways. The practitioners need new perspectives and fresh approaches.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Furthermore,
the promotion of culture requires promotional space that is sustained by the
relevant authorities. The importance of an enabling environment for the craft
to thrive cannot be overemphasized.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Certainly,
it is not that carving has gone out of fashion, considering that art schools
and centres in the country still teach the skill and students still learn
it. The missing link is that the structures of cultural promotion are
weak and wobbly.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It
is counter-productive that the concept of Arts Endowment Fund remains largely
alien to official cultural managers at the various levels of administration in
the country. That is the right path to take. As things stand, the fortune
of fine art and artists, and by extension, the performing arts and artistes, is
unduly tied to narrow commercialism which stifles a desirable flowering of
talents.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It
is a noteworthy testimony to the rich artistic ambience of the old Benin
Kingdom that the internationally celebrated Queen Idia Mask Head, symbol of the
1977 African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) held in Lagos, is credited
to Benin sculptural tradition. The original artifact was among those carted
away by British invaders in the 19th century, and a replica had to be produced
for the festival.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Regrettably,
this richly creative tradition has been impoverished over time and may yet
further decline without urgent remedial steps</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Originally
published as The Nation Editorial</span></span></span></i></div>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-53662171739886015182015-07-01T06:22:00.001+01:002015-07-01T06:22:41.311+01:00Happy New Month!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXHu08fY5P7sSp9U6qRHteRUTJ4LPjsTeYrH6LTmVZHDgio9XoQnjEzV1aMD3ci2LLA7_RigBC-qVJ1dDXfnHU7Ydau36-srx8RKnOVbrFrBxguVBOHInTBZRENKLTMiDItpB9I_u6fDS/s1600/Happy+New+Month.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXHu08fY5P7sSp9U6qRHteRUTJ4LPjsTeYrH6LTmVZHDgio9XoQnjEzV1aMD3ci2LLA7_RigBC-qVJ1dDXfnHU7Ydau36-srx8RKnOVbrFrBxguVBOHInTBZRENKLTMiDItpB9I_u6fDS/s640/Happy+New+Month.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">May this other half of the year be more fruitful for you than the first half; Happy New Month!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-88773082316970937042015-05-04T11:58:00.002+01:002015-05-04T11:59:44.846+01:00Guest Blog Post: The Writer’s Wrestle —Femi Macaulay<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Hs0B1lDzHLgsWQIGboS-MSzyiC6uFXNamj8U7ooFY2cipuM9QlDyHvsmyas-uJ4HxMawid5j3n-TEgAKUa9otDYsKGMNWKOHhU0lmOI_03F3QtN_CDqC9pjz7JS6Z4IogTbzimj-8YsE/s1600/Tutuola.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Hs0B1lDzHLgsWQIGboS-MSzyiC6uFXNamj8U7ooFY2cipuM9QlDyHvsmyas-uJ4HxMawid5j3n-TEgAKUa9otDYsKGMNWKOHhU0lmOI_03F3QtN_CDqC9pjz7JS6Z4IogTbzimj-8YsE/s640/Tutuola.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Amos Tutuola (1920-1997) (Image source: http://www.werunthings.net)</span></span></div>
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<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: large;">by Femi Macaulay </span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">A
few days ago, my eyes were drawn to email on “the book no one would publish.”
It was one of the “eclectic excerpts” delivered regularly to my email address.
After reading it, I felt like sharing it. The thought-provoking excerpt is from
a 2015 book by Brian Grazer, <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">A
Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life</span></i>.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Commentary
to provide context: The first book of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known
to us as Dr. Seuss, was rejected by twenty-seven publishers before it was
finally accepted by Vanguard Press: “Being determined in the face of obstacles
is vital. Theodor Geisel, Dr. Seuss, is a great example of that himself. Many
of his forty-four books remain wild bestsellers. In 2013, <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Green Eggs and</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Ham</span></i> sold more than 700,000
copies in the United States (more than <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Goodnight
Moon</span></i>); <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The Cat</span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">in the Hat</span></i> sold more
than 500,000 copies, as did <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Oh,
the Places You’ll Go!</span></i> and <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">One
Fish Two</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Fish Red
Fish Blue Fish</span></i>. And five more Dr. Seuss books each sold more than
250,000 copies. That’s eight books, with total sales of more than 3.5 million
copies, in one year (another eight Seuss titles sold 100,000 copies or more).
Theodor Geisel is selling 11,000 Dr. Seuss books every day of the year, in the
United States alone, twenty-four years after he died. He has sold 600 million
books worldwide since his first book, <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">And
to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street</span></i>, was published in 1937.
And as inevitable as Dr. Seuss’s appeal seems now, <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Mulberry Street</span></i> was rejected by twenty-seven
publishers before being accepted by Vanguard Press. ..</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">“The
story of Geisel being rejected twenty-seven times before his first book was
published is often repeated, but the details are worth relating. Geisel says he
was walking home, stinging from the book’s twenty-seventh rejection, with the
manuscript and drawings for Mulberry Street under his arm, when an acquaintance
from his student days at Dartmouth College bumped into him on the sidewalk on
Madison Avenue in New York City. Mike McClintock asked what Geisel was
carrying. ‘That’s a book no one will publish,’ said Geisel. ‘I’m lugging it
home to burn.’ McClintock had just that morning been made editor of children’s
books at Vanguard; he invited Geisel up to his office, and McClintock and his
publisher bought <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Mulberry Street</span></i>
that day. When the book came out, the legendary book reviewer for the <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">New Yorker</span></i>, Clifton Fadiman,
captured it in a single sentence: ‘They say it’s for children, but better get a
copy for yourself and marvel at the good Dr. Seuss’s impossible pictures and
the moral tale of the little boy who exaggerated not wisely but too well.’
Geisel would later say of meeting McClintock on the street, ‘[I]f I’d been
going down the other side of Madison Avenue, I’d be in the dry-cleaning
business today. …’</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">My
mind went to Amos Tutuola. One defining moment in Tutuola’s life will just not
go away, it will never go away. The famous Nigerian writer who died in
1997 is considered the first African novelist in the English language “to
attract international attention” with the 1952 publication of his first book, <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Palm-Wine</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Drinkard</span></i>, by Faber and Faber
in London. In 1953, the book was translated and published in Paris as <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">L’Ivrogne</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">dans</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">la</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">brousse</span></i> by Raymond Queneau.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">A
writer noted: “Indeed, he could hardly have had more distinguished literary
godparents, because it was T.S. Eliot at Faber and Faber who recommended that
his first book, <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Palm-Wine</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Drinkard</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">and</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">His</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Dead</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Palm</span></i>-<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Wine</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Tapster</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">in</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">the</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Deads’</span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Town</span></i>, should be
published in 1952 and it was Dylan Thomas who gave it its first prominent
review, when he praised this “brief, thronged, grisly and bewitching . . .
tall, devilish story”.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Tutuola’s
early history: “When his father died in 1939, Tutuola left school to train as a
blacksmith, which trade he practised from 1942 to 1945 for the Royal Air Force
in Nigeria. He subsequently tried a number of other vocations, including
selling bread and acting as messenger for the Nigerian Department of Labour. In
1946, Tutuola completed his first full-length book, <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Palm</span></i>-<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Wine</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Drinkard</span></i>, within a few days.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Tutuola
was quoted as saying, “I was still in this hardship and poverty, when one
night, it came to my mind to write my first book <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Palm</span></i>-<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Wine</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Drinkard</span></i> and I wrote it in a
few days successfully because I was a story-teller when I was in the school.”
It is noteworthy that the novel has been described as “one of the most
important texts in the African literary canon, translated into over a dozen
languages.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
gripping image of a tormented soul struggling to escape the punishment of
poverty and creatively imagining the liberating power of letters is an enduring
metaphor for self-knowledge, self-recognition and self-belief. Tutuola never
fails to arrive whenever I reflect on the writing life and how it can change a
writer’s circumstances.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Stories
like these show why it is important to “keep on keeping on.” Sometimes,
like this moment, I ponder what Roger Rosenblatt calls “the craft and art of
writing” and wonder where it may lead me. I have just finished reading <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Unless</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">It</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Moves</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">the</span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Human</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Heart</span></i> by Rosenblatt, an
eye-opening book about teaching and learning writing. Speaking about writing
programmes in America, Rosenblatt said in his book, published in 2011, “Since
1975, the number of creative writing programs has increased 800 percent. It is
amazing… all over America, students ranging in age from their early twenties to
their eighties hunker down at seminar tables like this one in Iowa,
California, Texas, Massachusetts, New York, and hundreds of places, avid to
join a profession that practically guarantees them rejection, poverty and
failure.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">What
am I talking about? I’m thinking about the writing space and the publishing
environment in Nigeria. I’m thinking about how a writer can repel rejection, pulverize
poverty and foil failure. I’m thinking of the future of writing and writers in
a country that produced the United Nations, Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Book Capital 2014, Port Harcourt, the
Rivers State capital.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Femi Macaulay is a columnist at The Nation. Originally
published in The Nation.</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">NAJIAGRAPHITTI ADDENDUM</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Impact","sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Amos Tutuola (1920-1997): A Brief
Biography</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Know as the Nigerian writer who
gained world fame with his story <b><i>THE PALM-WINE DRINKARD</i></b>.
Amos Tutuola was born in Abeokuta, a large town in Western Nigeria. His
father, Charles Tutuola, was was a farmer. Tutuola heard his first folk stories
at his Yoruba-speaking mother’s knee. When he was about 7 years old, one of his
father’s cousins took him to live with F. O. Monu, an Ibo man, as a servant.
Instead of paying Tutuola money, he sent the young boy to the Salvation Army
primary school. He attended Lagos High School for a year, and worked as a
live-in houseboy for a government clerk in order to ensure his tuition at the
school. When his father died in December 1938, Tutuola had to end his studies.
He tried his luck as a farmer, but his crop failed and he moved to Lagos in
1940. During World War II he worked for the Royal Air Forces as a blacksmith,
and tried a number of other vocations, including selling bread, and
messengering for the Nigerian Department of Labor. In 1946 Tutuola completed
his first full-length book, The Palm-Wine Drinkard, within a few days – “I was
a story-teller when I was in the school,” he later said. Next year he married
Victoria Alake.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Excerpt from one of his books:</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">All kinds of snakes, centipedes and flies were living on every part of
his body. Bees, wasps and uncountable mosquitoes were also flying round him and
it was hard to see him plainly because of these flies and insects. But
immediately this dreadful ghost came inside this house from heaven-knows-where
his smell and also the smell of his body first drove us to a long distance
before we came back after a few minutes, but still the smell did not let every
one of the settlers stand still as all his body was full of excreta, urine, and
also wet with the rotten blood of all the animals that he was killing for his
food. His mouth which was always opening, his nose and eyes were very hard to
look at as they were very dirty and smelling. His name is “Smelling-ghost”. But
what made me surprised and fear most was that this “smelling-ghost” wore many
scorpions on his finger as rings and all were alive, many poisonous snakes were
also on his neck as beads and he belted hiis leathern trousers with a very big
and long boa constrictor which was still alive. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">p. 29</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The Palm-Wine Drinkard was published
in 1952 in London by a major British publisher, Faber and Faber, and next year
in New York by Grove Press. Dylan Thomas wrote in The Observer (6 July, 1952)
in his review “nothing is too prodigious or too trivial to put down in this
tall, devilish story.” The work was praised in England and the United States,
but Tutuola’s most severe critics were his own countrymen, who attacked his imperfect
English and presenting a disparaging image of Nigeria. After the storm had
calmed, the stage version of the novel was first performed in the Arts Theatre
of the University of Ibadan, in April 1963, with the Yoruba composer Kola
Ogunmola in the leading role.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">In the 1950s Tutuola wrote MY LIFE
IN A BUSH OF GHOSTS (1954), an underworld odyssey, in which an eight-year-old
boy, abandoned during a slave raid, flees into the bush, “a place of ghosts and
spirits”. Oumar Doduo Thiam saw in Presénce Africaine that the work is the
“expression of ghosts and of African terror, alive with humanity and humility,
and extraordinary world where the mixture of Western influences are united, but
one always without the least trace of incoherence.” Brian Eno and David Byrne
took the title of the book for their 1981 album.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">In THE BRAVE AFRICAN HUNTRESS (1958)
heroic women continue the theme of the quest. It has been said, that if Tutuola
had never written a line, he would have been a famous village storyteller. He
often told of dreams, the most basic source of archetypal images. Tutuola’s
language is uncorrupted by Western literary gimmicks, words are short and
simple, but the impact is fresh and poetic. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">After The Palm-Wine Drinkard Tutuola
never had quite the same success. He continued to explore Yoruba traditions and
its folkloric sources, and published such works as THE WITCH-HERBALIST OF THE
REMOTE TOWN (1981) and THE VILLAGE WICH DOCTOR AND OTHER STORIES (1990). In
these works ghosts, sorcerers, and magic continue their existence in the modern
world of clocks, televisions, and telephones. Throughout many of his
most productive years Tutuola worked as a storekeeper for the Nigerian
Broadcasting Company. In 1957 he was transferred to Ibadan, Western Nigeria,
where he started to adapt the work into the stage. In 1969 appeared the first
full-length study of Amos Tutuola, written by Harold Collins. Tutuola became
also one of the founders of Mbari Club, the writers’ and publishers’
organization in Ibadan. In 1979 he was a research fellow at the University of
Ife and then an associate of the International Writing Program at the
University of Iowa. In the late 1980s Tutola moved to back Ibadan. He died on
June 8, 1997.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; line-height: 115%;">Source: http://www.werunthings.net/amos-tutuola-1920-1997-a-brief-biography/ <span style="color: blue;"></span></span></span>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-61136072132201499672015-03-24T10:42:00.000+01:002015-03-24T10:51:46.607+01:00PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY – Examining The 2014 Nigeria National Conference<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Editor’s
Note:</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
The 2014 National Conference was inaugurated by the Nigerian President Dr.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on March 17, 2014 in Abuja, Nigeria. There were about
492 delegates that represented a cross-section of Nigerians including the
professional bodies group. </span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Conference was headed by retired Chief Justice
Idris Legbo Kutigi. Principal Officers Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd),
Vice Chairman Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi Secretary Dr Valerie Azinge.</span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Following a plenary session that lasted for weeks, the
Conference was broken into 20 committees. Main Committees: Devolution of Power
Committee, Political Restructuring and Forms of Government National Security;
Environment; Politics and Governance; Law,Judiciary,Human Rights and Legal
Reform. Social Welfare; Transportation; Agriculture; Society, Labour and
Sports; Public Service; Electoral Matters, Foreign Policy and Diaspora Matters,
Land Tenure Matters and National Boundary. Trade and Investment Committee,
Energy; Religion; Public Finance and Revenue Generation, Science, Technology
and Development Immigration</span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Prior to the conference, there were the
1987 Constituent Assembly, organized by the military government of President
Ibrahim Babangida, and the 1995 Constitutional Conference by the
Abacha regime but which did not produce any tangible result. The most recent
was the National Political Reform Conference of former President Olusegun
Obasanjo’s administration.</span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This blog presents to you a summary of
the 2014 National Conference (<a href="http://media.premiumtimesng.com/national-conference/wp-content/uploads/National-Conference-2014-Report-August-2014-Table-of-Contents-Chapters-1-7.pdf" target="_blank">Download Draft Final Report here</a>) from a reviewer’s point of view, an outsider's analysis of the Conference achievements and a newspaper’s
editorial on subsequent actions on the same conference. We also present to you
a link for downloading the draft Final Report adopted by delegates before they
disappear from the internet. </span></i></span></span></div>
<h3 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">Special Report – The Road To A Restructured Nigeria</span></h3>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">By Henry Umoru</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">WITH
his determination to expand the space for political and social discourse, to
determine the future of Nigeria and to create a new political direction
for Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan announced the setting up of the
Presidential Advisory Committee, saddled with, among others, the responsibility
of fashioning out modalities for a National Conference where Nigerians would brainstorm
on the future of the country as well as proffer solutions to knotty
national issues.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Senator
Femi Okurounmu was the Chairman of the 13- member body which laid the
foundation for the conference.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">At
the end of its three-month brainstorming, travelling round the country, the
Okurounmu Committee, in January 2014, submitted its 69-page report.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
decision to have the conference was unfolded during the President’s
independence anniversary broadcast where he, among other national issues
raised, said: “In demonstration of my avowed belief in the positive power of
dialogue in charting the way forward, I have decided to set up an advisory
committee whose mandate is to establish the modalities for a national dialogue
or conference. The committee will also design a framework and come up with
recommendations, as to the form, structure and mechanism of the process.”</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Prior
to the conference, there were the 1987 Constituent Assembly, organized by the
military government of President Ibrahim Babangida, and the 1995 Constitutional
Conference by the Abacha regime but which did not produce any tangible
result. The most recent was the National Political Reform Conference of former
President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
conference ended, but not well as the report that emanated from it was
thrown out by the Senate against the backdrop of the section which sought to
extend the term limit for elected government officials, tagged, “Third Term
Agenda.”</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Matching
his words with action, barely two months after the submission of the
report by the Okuruonmu Committee, Jonathan nominated a former Chief
Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Kutigi, as the Chairman of the National
Conference and his deputy, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Bolaji
Akinyemi. Consequently, the president rolled out 492 names as delegates.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">On
March 17, 2014, at the National Judicial Institute, NJI, Jonathan inaugurated
the National Conference.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
delegates were drawn from different sections of the society. They include:
Elder Statesmen (37), military and security (18), traditional rulers (13),
retired civil servants (13), Organised Labour (24), Organised Private Sector
(8), youths (18), women (24), political parties (10), Christian and Muslim
leaders (12), Civil Society Organisations (24) and Nigerians in the Diaspora
((8).</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Others
were People Living with Disability (6), Newspapers Proprietors Association of
Nigeria (2), Nigeria Guild of Editors (2), Nigeria Union of Journalists (2),
Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (2), socio-political/cultural and ethnic
nationality groups (90), professional bodies (13), national academies (13),
judiciary (6), former political office holders (24), Federal Government (20),
state governments and FCT (109) and former council chairmen (6). Government at
both the state and federal levels nominated most of the delegates.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">While
the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Accord Party, Labour Party, LP and All
Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, had representatives, the main opposition
party, All Progressives Congress (APC), pooh-poohed the idea of a National
Conference and did not send any representative.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Some
of the big names who were delegates include the South-south leader, Chief Edwin
Clark; Dr. Tunji Braithwaite; Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Alhaji Ibrahim
Coomasie; Chief Nosakhare Ishekure,the Chief Priest of Benin Kingdom; Mrs
Patricia Ogbonnaya; Prof. Jubril Aminu; Chief Richard Akinjide; Chief Olu
Falae; Erelu Olusola Obada; Gani Adams; General Ike Nwachukwu; Achike
Udenwa; Chief Olusegun Osoba; Nduka Obaigbena; Chief Raymond Dokpesi; Senator
Jim Nwobodo; Chief Mike Ahamba, SAN; Senator Azu Agboti; Chief Peter
Odili; King Alfred Diete Spiff; Prof. Jerry Gana; Gen. Jonathan Temlong; Alhaji
Ahmadu Adamu Muazu; Arc. Ibrahim Bunu; General A. B. Mamman; General
Alani Akinrinade (rtd; former Senate Presidents Adolphus Wabara, Iyorchia Ayu;
Ken Nnamani; Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN; Femi Falana; Commodore Olabode George,
rtd; General Zamani Lekwot (rtd); Gen Jerry T. Useni (rtd); Sen Daisy Danjuma,
Charles Edosomwan, SAN; Ambassador Hassan Adamu; Umar Ghali Naaba; Iyom
Josephine Anenih; Mohammed Umara Kumalia; Lt. Gen. Jerry Useni; Prof.
Iyorchia Ayu; Bashir Dalhatu; Gen. Salihu Ibrahim; Amb. Ibrahim Gambari; Air
Vice Marshal Mutari Mohammed; Emir of Askira and Alhaji Abdullahi Ibn Muhammed.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
Committees were as follows:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Delegates
commenced the assignment with 20 committees set up by the leadership of the
conference Devolution of powers, national security; environment; politics and
governance; political restructuring and forms of government; social
sector; transportation; science technology and development; agriculture;
civil society, labour and sports; public service; foreign policy and diaspora
matters; political parties and electoral matters; land tenure and national
boundaries; economy, trade and investment; energy; religion; public finance and
revenue; immigration and related matters as well as that of law,
judiciary, human rights and legal reform.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">After
weeks of brainstorming, with memoranda from the public, summoning of ministers,
heads of parastatals, government agencies, among others, delegates, through the
committees, churned out reports. The recommendations were subjected to debates,
voting, approval and adoption, with the conference, at the end of the day,
dealing with very thorny issues. After intrigues and compromises, delegates
came out with a 22-volume report and adopted about 600 resolutions.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
conference itself was a test of leadership on the part of Kutigi and Akinyemi.
The first major challenge they handled was the adoption of 70% majority vote
benchmark as the issue almost marred the exercise. The bone of contention was
whether voting pattern should be by two third, three quarter or 75% of
delegates.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Debates
were robust and almost resulted in fighting, but Kutigi and Akinyemi had firm
control of plenary; they did not give room for critics to achieve their
mischief on the rumoured secret agenda on the conference. Even when a delegate,
Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, raised a point of order that there were publications that
Akinyemi was lobbying northern delegates to smuggle in a new Constitution, in
their transparent manner, Kutigi asked his deputy to explain his own side of
the story. They understood the fact that they were leading people of different
ages and backgrounds.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">One
issue that proved contentious at the conference was the 13 percent derivation.
The conference could not agree on the increase of the derivation fund accruable
to oil producing states. The issue was referred to the president to resolve
through a technical committee to be set up for that purpose. Before the
delegates arrived at the conclusion that a technical committee be set up, it
could not be resolved by the delegates even with the intervention of the Elder
Statesmen Committee.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
elder statesmen came up with harmonized position of 18 percent derivation
resource control as against the present 13. 5 percent for exploration and
development of all mineral resources, not solid minerals as against the present
4.5 percent and 5 percent federal revenue for rehabilitation, stabilization
of and construction of areas affected by insurgency in the North East.
They had also recommended, as part of the consensus, that 50 percent of
money allocated to each state on derivation must go directly to the communities
from which the mineral resources are extracted.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Leadership
of the conference was able to handle the North – South divide by ignoring
distractive points of order when voting on reports and recommendations
commenced and it did not also give room for reversal of decisions reached.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
National Conference initially had a time frame of three months, but there was
an additional one month as it could not round off its work on schedule. It
concluded committee sittings and plenary sessions in mid-July after which
delegates went on a short break to enable the conference’s secretariat compile
the report.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">After
151 days of serious work, the conference, which started March 17, ended on
Thursday, August 21, 2014. The main report, which is in two volumes with
volume one made up of 528 pages, volume two, 906 pages, had the Draft
Constitution made up of 357 pages while the bill is 47 pages.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Initially,
the 357-page Draft Constitution, as produced by the Secretariat, did not
go down well with northern delegates who described it as a plot to introduce a
Third Term Agenda. At the end of the day, however, all issues were resolved
through consensus.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">After
receiving the report, President Goodluck Jonathan, in September 2014, approved
the composition of a Presidential Committee, with the Minister of Justice and
Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, SAN, as Chairman and
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim,
as Secretary.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
committee was saddled with the responsibility of studying and drawing up
the implementation strategy.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Its
terms of reference include studying the report of the National Conference;
articulating the recommendations therein and developing appropriate strategies
for its implementation and advising the Federal Government on all matters
necessary for the effective implementation.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">As
a follow up to this, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, last Wednesday,
approved the main report of the National Conference.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
Presidency, while describing the council’s approval as the first leg of
concrete steps aimed at implementing the conference report, however recalled
that, apart from the report, the National Conference had recommended to
government how to implement the resolutions.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">According
to Anyim, what FEC did was to approve that those modalities be adopted in
implementing the report, just as he stressed that recommendations and
resolutions which require constitution amendment and enactment of new laws
would be forwarded to the National Assembly for promulgation into law, adding
that he had been asked to compile, vet and make such recommendations available
to the President for onward transmission to the National Assembly for enactment
into law.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
SGF explained that agencies’ policy matters in the report shall be
referred to the affected agencies and the tier of government concerned for
action.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">With
the action of President Jonathan, analysts say he has shamed doubting Thomases
who have concluded that the report would go the same way of previous
conferences.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Restructured Nigeria</span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The National Conference
recommended:</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"></span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Anybody
aspiring to become the country’s President must be a degree holder.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">It
approved the rotation of Presidency between the North and South and
governorship among three senatorial districts of each state.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Creation
of 18 new states: The conference recommended the creation of 18 new states
(three per geo-political zone). The proposed states are Aba State to be created
from Abia State; Adada State from Enugu State; Amana State from Adamawa State;
Anioma State from the present Delta State; Appa State from Benue State and Edu
State from Niger State.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Others
are Etiti from the present South-Eastern Nigeria; Ghari to be created from the
present Kano State; Gurara out of Kaduna State; Kanji from Kebbi and Niger
states; Katagum from Bauchi State and Ijebu from Ogun State.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Other
expected new states are New Oyo from Oyo State, Akana-Anim from Anambra and Imo
states; Ogoja out of Cross River State; Oil Rivers out of Akwa Ibom State; Ose
from Ondo State and Savanna from the present Borno State.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Apart
from the 18 proposed states, the conference also recommended one new state for
the South East to make the zone have equal number of states with the other
zones except the North West which has seven.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">It
also recommended that states willing to merge can also do so based on certain
conditions.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
conference voted in favour of drastic reduction of number ministers to 18 from
the six geo- political zones of the country and not more than 30% of his
ministers from outside the Legislature. Reduce Cost of governance by pruning
the number of political appointees and using staff of ministries where
necessary. Presently, there are about 42 ministers with one coming from each of
the 36 states of the country and one each from the six geo-political zones of
the country.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
conference resolved that the Minister of Finance should be be presenting annual
budget to the National Assembly instead of the President as it is currently
obtainable. Under the new arrangement, both the President and the
ministers would be expected to appear before the National Assembly to render
account of their stewardship on quarterly basis.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Local
Government will no longer be the third tier of government. The federal and
states are now to be the only tiers of government. States can now create as
many local governments they want. The Joint State/Local Government Account be
scrapped and in its place the establishment of a State RMAFC with
representatives of LG and a Chairman nominated by the Governor. The Constitution
should fix the tenure for Local Government Councils at three years.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Conference
recommended for the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commission, SIECs.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">That
the sharing of the funds to the Federation Account among the three tiers of
government should be done in the following manner: Federal Government – 42.5%,
State Governments – 35% and Local Governments – 22.5%.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Recommended
the Modified Presidential System, a home-made model of government that
effectively combines the presidential and parliamentary systems of government.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Recommended
that the presidential power should rotate between the North and the South and
among the six geo-political zones while the governorship will rotate among the
three senatorial districts in a state.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">With
this, all the three senatorial districts would now have the opportunity of
producing Governors as against the present arrangement in some states where it
is close to a taboo for some senatorial districts of a Senatorial to think of
it, while that of the local government chairmen shall to be rotated within the
local government area. It thus means that while the Governorship would rotate
among the three Senatorial Districts in the states; Local Government
Chairmanship would rotate within the Wards of the local government area.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Delegates
also agreed that the President and his deputy should run on a joint ticket,
thereby rejecting the Committee’s recommendation that the President should pick
his deputy among the members of the National Assembly after he must have won an
election.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
conference agreed with the existing Bi-cameral legislature, but all
elected members of the legislative arms of all the tiers of government should
serve on part-time basis</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Recommended
that the immunity clause should be removed if the offences attract
criminal charges to encourage accountability by those managing the economy.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">On
independent candidacy, it recommended that every Nigerian who meets the
specified condition in the Electoral Act should be free to contest elections as
an independent candidate.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
creation of the Office of the Accountant General (Director-General) of the
Federation as a distinct and separate office from the Office of the Accountant
General of the Federal Government. The Office of the Accountant General of the
Federation shall oversee the accruals of revenue into and disbursement from the
Federation Account as and when due; and shall administer these funds as
required by the Constitution, while the office of the Accountant General of the
Federal Government shall oversee the accounts of the Federal Government.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Special
Courts to handle corruption cases should be established in the light of undue
prolongation in the trials and prosecution of corruption cases in the regular
courts. A non-conviction-based asset forfeiture law should be enacted with
broad provisions to deal with all issues of proceeds of crimes by the
anti-graft agencies and the courts.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">That
the Land Tenure Act should remain in the Constitution but be amended to
take care of those concerns, particularly on compensation in Section 29 (4) of
the Act to read “land owners should determine the price and value of their land
based on open market value</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">That
the old National Anthem be re- introduced.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The Conference
recommended that there will be no government sponsorship of Christian and
Muslim pilgrimages to the holy lands. It also resolved that churches and
mosques should begin to pay tax to government.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">It
was also agreed that hence forth anybody arraigned before the court by EFCC,
ICPC and by any law enforcement agencies, the accused person will be regarded
as guilty, unlike the present situation where he is innocent until proven
guilty.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">On
the issue of state police, as controversial as it appears to be, a decision was
taken that those who want it should have it.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
conference agreed that there will no sponsoring of Christian and
Muslim pilgrimages to the holy lands, just as it resolved that churches and
mosques will now pay tax to government.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">There
is <span style="font-size: small;">succour</span> for people living with disabilities as delegates voted that government
at all levels should grant allowance to them which will be equivalent of
government workers on grade level 06 as that would enable them employ aides to
assist them carry out domestic activities.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Recommendation
on the creation of a separate Foreign Service Commission was unanimously
accepted by delegates.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
long standing agitation for the creation of a Mayoral status for the
Federal Capital City was approved.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Two
additional area councils were approved in addition to the existing six area
councils with strong warning that all compensations be paid.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">It
was also approved that where the President dies in office, or he is
incapacitated, impeached or where he resigns, the Vice President shall operate
in acting capacity for a period of 90 days during which an election to the same
office would be conducted.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">According
to the delegates, the decision became imperative against the backdrop that each
zone was expected to run the full course of the constitutionally allowed tenure
without undue disruption; and it was also agreed that based on the adopted
zoning formula, when a president leaves under any of the circumstances stated
above, another president would be elected from the same zone where the previous
one came from.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Delegates
also voted unanimously for life imprisonment for those who engage in the
sale of fake drugs in the country.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Another
strong position taken by the delegates was that public schools taken over by
various state governments across the country forty two years ago would
henceforth be returned to the religious missions which were the original
owners.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Conference
adopted a recommendation to confer financial autonomy on State Houses of
Assembly as a way of freeing them from direct control by the executive. It was
also voted that for functionality, local government should be politically and
economically independent.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Conference also voted for
the complete abolition of the concept of plea bargain by the Federal
government, just as they frowned at the level of delay of cases in the nation’s
courts as this will enable criminal and corruption cases to run their full
course in contrast to the present situation where people accused of corruption
are set free after parting with a fraction of their looted public funds. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Originally published in Vanguard Newspaper</span></i></li>
</ul>
<h3 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">Analysis: What did Nigeria's National Conference
achieve?</span></h3>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">BBC Analysis; 26 August 2014</span></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some
500 Nigerian delegates have just finished five months of deliberations about
the political system and future of a country which has seen bitter conflicts
between its numerous ethnic, religious and linguistic groups. Analyst Abdullahi
Tasiu Abubakar looks back at what the National Conference achieved.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
the Nigerian government begins moves to implement the conference's resolutions,
many Nigerians are asking if the exercise was worthwhile.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Experts
question the viability of some of the decisions and the feasibility of their
implementation. The delegates, drawn from all parts of the country and
representing diverse interests, debated issues ranging from the contentious
revenue-sharing formula to the divisive political structure of the nation. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They
passed more than 600 resolutions and produced a 10,335-page report, which has
been submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan, who promised to implement them. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"We
shall send the relevant aspects of your recommendations to the Council of State
and the National Assembly for incorporation into the constitution," he
told the delegates' leaders.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"On
our part, we shall act on those aspects required of us in the executive."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>'More united'</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Their
chairman, former Chief Justice Idris Kutigi, said fears that the conference
would lead to the disintegration of the country had been dispelled.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"We
have held a National Conference and we are more united today than ever,"
he said. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Main recommendations from the
National Conference:</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Scrapping
the current system of 774 local authorities - this is intended to save money
and reduce corruption. States would be able to set up their own local systems</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Creation
of 18 new states - equally spread around the country. Also suggested that
states wishing to merge can do so if certain conditions met</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Revenue
allocation - proposes reducing share of national income going to the federal
government and increasing share for the states</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Modified
presidential system of government that combines the presidential and
parliamentary systems of government. The president should pick the
vice-president from the legislature</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Power
should be shared and rotated at all levels of government. Presidency should
rotate between north and south and among the six geo-political zones of the
country. Likewise, the governorship post should rotate among the three
senatorial zones in each state</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Head
of the northern delegates Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie said that whatever they did,
they "did so for one Nigeria". </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">His
southern counterpart Chief Edwin Clark said: "We came in, we came out and
we conquered."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr
Jonathan seems delighted by their words: "It is now very clear that as
Nigerians, we have devised a way of addressing and resolving our differences amicably:
We dialogue and dialogue until we agree." </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
while the president and the delegates revel at what they see as the success of
the conference, critics dismiss it as a diversionary tactic and waste of
resources. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">President
Jonathan (c) and conference chairman Justice Idris Kutigi (r) are pleased with
the results </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They
argue that conducting it just a few months ahead of general elections due next
year and in the middle of a crippling Boko Haram insurgency was irrational.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reports
about the insurgency and the Ebola virus that hit the country in July often
overshadowed the conference.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
outcome of the conference provides even more ammunition for the critics.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They
say it neither meets the expectations of those who want a restructuring of the
country, nor does it satisfy the yearnings of those who prefer reform of the
existing system. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>'Lofty intent'</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
is also a question of legality raised by some of the delegates. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many
of them, including Auwwalu Yadudu, a professor of law, have openly rejected an
attempt to turn the resolutions into a draft constitution. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr
Yadudu said the conference "cannot discharge or exercise a mandate not
conferred on it by law".</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">University
of Lagos lecturer Wahab Shittu concurs, arguing that the absence of a legal
framework has "made the lofty intent of the National Conference to be
illusionary".</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
even if legal backing is retrospectively provided for those issues that require
it and others integrated into government policies, as seems to be the plan now,
there are still issues of acceptability.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some
of the fundamental changes proposed by the conference, such as scrapping the
country's 774 local authorities and creating an additional 18 states, were
roundly rejected by many Nigerians. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
conference came as Boko Haram militants intensified their attacks </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">These
changes - like several others such as altering the revenue-sharing arrangement
and proposing a modified presidential system of government - require amendment
of the constitution, which legal experts say is a long and tedious process. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
is impossible to do it under the current government which faces elections in
the next few months, senior legal practitioner Tahir Shehu told the BBC. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Constitutional
amendment must be endorsed by the National Assembly and two-thirds of the
states' houses of assembly," he said.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"You
can't get that on any issue that has no clear national consensus. Scrapping
local governments will not be one of them — nor will creation of additional
states."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">These
are perhaps some of the issues envisaged by those who dubbed the conference a
"jamboree" to underline what they regard as wastefulness. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Right
from the onset, the reported 7bn naira (US$43m; £26m) budgeted for it - it is
still unclear how much was actually spent as the tenure was extended to enable
delegates to complete their work - was criticized by many Nigerians, including
President Jonathan's main rival in the last presidential election, former head
of state General Muhammadu Buhari. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I
do not think that at this time when governments are finding it difficult to pay
salaries of workers, it can afford about 7bn naira to waste on a
conference," he said. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mohammed
Haruna, the veteran columnist and former managing director of the New Nigerian
Newspapers, has reviewed various post-independence conferences and concluded
that "virtually every constitutional conference in this country has come
with a hidden agenda by its convener and virtually all of them have come to
grief".</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<![endif]--><h3 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL: Election 2015: Dubious Confab Report Approval</span></h3>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Punch Editorial Board; March 24, 2015</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">AMID the froth and fury of a
cut-throat election campaign, the Federal Executive Council last Wednesday
approved “the immediate implementation of the 2014 National Conference report.”
In what seems like a last-ditch gambit to gain electoral mileage as Nigeria
goes to the polls on Saturday, the bizarre order, coming just days to the
presidential ballot, should be taken with a pinch of salt.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In all probability, the
announcement by Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
on behalf of the cabinet, is a cheap political stunt and a blatant attempt to
deceive the electorate. Anyim said the recommendations and resolutions that require
constitution amendment and enactment of new laws would be forwarded to the
National Assembly for promulgation into law, while policy matters in the report
would be referred to the affected agencies and the tiers of government
concerned for action. As was expected, politicians have gone to town with it,
making outlandish promises, including the creation of new states. But turning
the strategic issue of restructuring to an object of a knee-jerk reaction to a
seeming plummeting political fortune is a disservice to the country.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is nothing altruistic
or patriotic about FEC’s feckless authoritative approval of a document that
holds so much hope for the country’s socio-economic transformation, but has
been sacrificed on the altar of personal political ambition. This is another
outrageous example of a political joke taken too far. The FEC statement lacks
power to convince those who had been canvassing the implementation of the
report since it was submitted in August 2014.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Instead, the President
consigned the report to the archives. What, for instance, does it cost the
President to trim his bloated cabinet, as recommended by the conference, when
he had the opportunity to do so after some ministers resigned last October, and
especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues? The President swore in
another set of eight ministers last week to fill the vacancies left behind by
those who resigned to contest elections.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On several occasions between
the inauguration of the conference and the end of last year, Jonathan’s
headline-grabbing statements had offered a ray of hope to Nigerians. Promising
the conferees that their work would not be a waste, Jonathan had assured when
the 22-volume report, containing over 600 draft proposals, was submitted that
“it is a new dawn in Nigeria and a new nation is at the door.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And shortly after this, the
President had set up another committee to study the report, articulate the
recommendations made and develop the strategies for the implementation. The
committee was also meant to advise the government on how to effectively
implement the report. Similarly, in his broadcast to mark the 2014 Independence
Day on October 1, the President reaffirmed that he would keep his promise.
“Every promise I make, God willing, I will see to its fulfilment. I assure you,
we shall implement the report,” he had said.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But apart from the
soundbites and fury, Jonathan seems not to be in a hurry to act on the report
and has never built a reputation for implementing any report. There were the
unimplemented reports of the Presidential Advisory Council headed by Theophilus
Danjuma, which recommended the reduction of the cost of governance; the
Presidential Committee on Review of the Reform Processes in the Nigerian Public
Service; the Public Awareness on Security and Civic Responsibilities; the
Stephen Oronsaye Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal
Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies; and the Justice Alfa Belgore
Committee on Constitution Review, which also proposed the devolution of power
to the states, scrapping of the office of the First Lady and autonomy for local
governments. There were also four different committees set up to probe the fuel
subsidy scandal without the government making any tangible use of their reports.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the signs that we are
a long way off from the implementation was the failure to transmit the report
to the National Assembly, which was also considering some amendments to the
1999 Constitution at that time. The Deputy Leader, House of Representatives,
Leo Ogor, said during this period that there was no such report before the
parliament. Things should have been handled differently if sincerity was in
adequate supply.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The failure to do so might
haunt the country for a long time. Today, Nigeria is further from being a
proper nation than at any other time in its history. Since the advent of civil
government 16 years ago, we have altogether missed our national goals in
critical areas of development. Because of our failure to restructure, the
component states that depend mainly on oil revenues are finding it hard to meet
their financial and security obligations.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even countries that have had
a long history of being unitary entities are evolving novel ways of devolving
power to their constituent units and cities for rapid economic development. In
the United Kingdom, which is an example of a unitary state, the central
government has ceded some powers to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
following constitutional changes in 1997 and 1998.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">No doubt, our federalism is
dysfunctional. <i>The Punch </i>editorial stance strongly supports the
restructuring of the skewed political system. When the conference was
inaugurated on March 17, 2014, we had warned, “We must not allow cynics’
narrative of failure to become an excuse for despair. Despite obvious
constraints such as the deep suspicion of the motives of President Goodluck
Jonathan, the controversial pattern of delegate selection and ambiguity over
its legal status, the conference has a good chance of being the take-off point
for the long overdue restructuring of this tottering political edifice.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">We will continue to stand resolutely for true
federalism as the only political arrangement for the country. But it is all
evident that Jonathan has failed badly to translate a credible and
painstakingly worked out report to a constitutional reform. He has missed the
golden opportunity to write his name in gold. Nigerians should reject the
uncanny bait and cheap electioneering gimmicks.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i>All opinion expressed in the above editorial does not reflect the opinions of NAIJAGRAPHITTI BLOG or its publishers.</i> </span></span></span> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></aside>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-90338871415887195772015-03-05T08:54:00.001+01:002017-08-18T09:59:21.524+01:00FOR THE RECORDS: Is There A ‘Nigerian Dream’? (LONG READ)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3CVDXTQxg1k0-p7QMaRpS5O9Bkb9NcYrnu8XQm49lv2UK6CTfIoTk7K6nqPszJzNnCNlu1IitekxLmBsP_Qoyx-0Jw8_sZKM0EwNBJ8ZITwbeTaStf5lpHJUBjHwTnke3qpHitwJ8OP-/s1600/Proverbs+Leadership+Quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3CVDXTQxg1k0-p7QMaRpS5O9Bkb9NcYrnu8XQm49lv2UK6CTfIoTk7K6nqPszJzNnCNlu1IitekxLmBsP_Qoyx-0Jw8_sZKM0EwNBJ8ZITwbeTaStf5lpHJUBjHwTnke3qpHitwJ8OP-/s1600/Proverbs+Leadership+Quote.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Leadership has great spiritual value</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is an old post which in light of the "tasteless" and puerile political campaigns we observe from the Nigerian political class in the run-up to the 2015 General Elections becomes relevant, thus we decided to re-post it for wider readership. We decided that we would reflect on the broader Nigerian political discourse and the quality of leadership in the Nigerian political space in the next few posts.</span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">By Kenneth Nwabudike Okafor</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, we are
going to consider one of those topical issues which affect CREATIVITY and
INNOVATION which I had promised at the onset of our journey — LEADERSHIP and
NATIONAL DREAMS.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let me ask this
question - is there such a dream as a ‘Nigerian Dream’? I am curious. I want to
know what people think, and believe.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had been
researching for this article when I came across a programme on a Chinese 24 hour
news channel. The programme put a spotlight on the story of Peter Scott of Burn
Design Lab in Seattle, Washington in collaboration with a US University and
partners in Kenya, working on a fuel efficient natural draught cooking stove
for millions across Africa. The cooking stove was reported to be designed to reduce
consumption of cooking fuel (firewood, charcoal, etc) and the noxious fumes
which accompanies the combustion of these materials.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I
googled Peter Scott and Burn Design Lab, and I came up with a heart-warming
story of one man’s dedication to solving problems other people, indeed
strangers to himself, are accosted by Mr. Scott is the Chief Executive Officer
/ Founder of BURN Manufacturing Co / BURN Design Lab is a 501(c)(3) non profit
corporation that creates customized biomass stove solutions to meet the cooking
needs of the developing world. Working with implementing organizations, we
develop sustainable stove dissemination systems that will appeal to cooks and
have a profound impact on deforestation, women’s health and global warming. I
wish them every success with the venture.</span></span> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And please, let
me quickly state that having worked in the field and in rural communities for
almost two decades, I do know there also numerous Africans, at home and in the
Diaspora, Nigerians included, trying to make a difference, working toward a
better life for their own and other people. I know many astute and dedicated men
and women, and I have worked with some of these same people in social
development. Over the course of this journey I would be highlighting their
endeavours and accomplishments as the need arise.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The point I want
to enunciate here is the sort of rare large heartedness and foresight that men
like Peter Scott and others before him, who have been moved out of their own
personal comfort zones and comparative wealth, to strive for a better life for
other peoples in other lands. Experience shows that this kind of drive is
usually underpinned by innovation and technological advances, the type that the
recipient lands do not possess nor can afford. If Mr Scott did not have the
benefit of technology, research funding and enabling environment, he would never
dream about and delve whole sale into the risky enterprise of solving other
people’s challenges.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Someone could
argue that Mr Scott comes from a ‘rich’ country so he can afford to dream. Is
this true? Do only the ‘rich’ dream? And why not the ‘poor’, too? Since a dream
is the yearning for a better and more prosperous future? Do the ‘poor’ not have
a better reason therefore to dream?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the years I
have worked in social development, working with communities to achieve better
quality of life through a plethora of development interventions, I have learned
one overarching lesson about the general population: citizen participation is
stuck between a low ebb and non-existent in Nigeria, with people near hopeless
and apathetic, for a rash variety of reasons. The chief reason is poverty – grinding,
rampant and crippling poverty. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As Dambisa Moyo,
the Zambian Economist and author of <i>Dead
Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There is Another Way for Africa</i>, stated
in her speech at the TEDGlobal 2013, "…Ninety percent of the world’s
population lives in emerging markets, and to them, the obsession with political
rights is beside the point, taking a backseat to food, shelter, education and
healthcare. When you’re earning less than US$1 a day, you’re far too busy trying
to feed your family to worry about defending democracy… What would you choose
if you had to choose between the right to a roof over your head and the right
to vote? "</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many people
would shout — THE RIGHT TO A ROOF OVER MY HEAD FIRST — in many communities I
have worked in.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So is there such
a dream as a ‘Nigerian Dream’? Or are we too ‘poor’ to dream? Does poverty stop
people from dreaming? Who can candidly answer this question, with wisdom and
insight?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are two
countries that have held an abiding fascination for me: United States of
America and China. One is too visible that its neighbours, friends and enemies
cannot ignore it, and the other has been daubed ‘the workshop of the world’.
What is it about these two countries?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I discovered
there are several reasons — including the results of robust levels of national
and individual CREATIVITY and INNOVATIONS.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can imagine
that even the respected Economist and social activist, Dambisa Moyo I referred
to above must mentally thank America every once in a while for the platform
that country has provided for her to reach out to the world, with a powerful
and resonant message against poverty in African countries. What would have
happened to her dream if she had been stuck in Africa? In particular Zambia? Or
even Nigeria, the faint hearted giant?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, I ask is
there such a dream as a ‘Nigerian Dream’?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before I tell
you about the positive parts of the insights I gained in my history lessons,
let me assure you that I don’t think either United States of America or People’s
Republic of China perfect. Far from it. United States of America has parts of
its history so dark and shameful that some Americans shudder at the thought not
to mention the past and ongoing social injustices against native Americans
first, then latterly African-Americans and other people of colour; the widening
gaps between the rich and the poor; and the continuing national hobby of living
beyond one’s means. Then, there is the exasperating but deadly obsession,
driven mostly by the NRA and fear mongers, with firearms which baffle non-Americans
and other foreigners endlessly. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On its own part,
China is so uptight about appearances and nuances that sometimes it does not
call a spade by that name. For instance the leadership of the Communist Party
of China would not like a presenter on State television to use the word
corruption; they would rather prefer the word <i>ills</i> instead. China is so anxious to be seen and thought as nice
and willing partners that they down play the fact that they have black sheep
like every other country. Yet Chinese nationals are involved in illegal mining
in Ghana, dumping substandard products in sub-Saharan countries and fishing
illegally in other people’s territorial waters.
On the mainland at the moment, China is wrestling with overcapacity in
its industries and some companies are even closing down. One of the side
effects of the overcapacity is harmful pollution and smog in several cities
including Beijing as well as the rise of blighted ‘cancer villages’. Urban air
pollution is a severe health issue in the country; the World Bank estimates
that 16 of the world's most-polluted cities are located in China. China is the
world's largest carbon dioxide emitter. The 2009 Chinese lead poisoning scandal
occurred in the Shaanxi province of China when pollution from a lead plant
poisoned children in the surrounding area and villagers have accused the local
and central governments of covering up the scandal.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No, I certainly
don’t consider America and China bereft of blemish and lapses. Now you and I
know I am not talking about perfect people and ‘utopia’ countries. Nevertheless,
Nigeria has a lot to learn from these and other countries.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">America has been
dreaming from the beginning. And China now is dreaming, dreaming while in
pursuit of ideals that would make it match and overtake America in certain
terms. But America dreamed first and showed how to dream.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the article <i>Keeping the Dream Alive - The American
Dream: A Biography </i>in TIME magazine of June 21, 2012, Jon Meacham wrote "On
Friday, May 1, 1931, James Truslow Adams, a popular historian, was putting the
final touches on the preface to his latest book. It was a curious time in the
life of the nation. Though the Crash of 1929 had signaled the beginning of the
Great Depression that was to endure for years to come, there was also a spirit
of progress, of possibility. On the day Adams was finishing his manuscript,
President Herbert Hoover pressed a button in Washington to turn on the lights
of the newly opened Empire State Building at 34th Street and Fifth Avenue,
which, at 1,250 ft., was to be the tallest building in Manhattan until the
construction of the World Trade Centre four decades later."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meacham
was referring to Pulitzer winning historian and writer, James Truslow Adams who
coined what would become of the most famous phrases in the world. In his work <i>The Epic of America</i>, J.T. Adams
(1878-1949) wrote, “<i>The American Dream</i>
is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller
for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It
is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately,
and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not
a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in
which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of
which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are,
regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The American Dream </i>phrase came to resonate with a
desperate people marching against economic adversity amidst a national
calamity.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Truth
be told, James Truslow Adams was actually following in the footsteps of men
like John Winthrop and the Puritan search for an earthly "city upon a
hill" in the New World to Benjamin Franklin's "The Way to
Wealth" aphorisms to Horatio Alger and the drama of the upwardly mobile,
Adams' phrase had — and has — the deepest of roots in the American experience.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was men (and
women, please) of the class and mould of John Winthrop and their pedigree that
led me to delving into a closer study of American history, to glean the ways in
which the American experience differs from Nigerian history. If you do same,
you would discover why America cannot be ignored in world affairs.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">John Winthrop was a
wealthy English Puritan lawyer and one of the leading figures in the founding
of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England
after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from
England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of the colony's first 20 years
of existence. His writings and vision of the colony as a Puritan "city
upon a hill" dominated New England colonial development, influencing the
government and religion of neighbouring colonies.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">In October 1629 he was
elected governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and in April 1630 he led a
group of colonists to the New World, founding a number of communities on the
shores of Massachusetts Bay and the Charles River. Between 1629 and his death
in 1649, he served 12 annual terms as governor, and was a force of comparative
moderation in the religiously conservative colony, clashing with the more
conservative Thomas Dudley and the more liberal Roger Williams and Henry Vane.
Although Winthrop was a respected political figure, his attitude toward
governance was somewhat authoritarian: he resisted attempts to widen voting and
other civil rights beyond a narrow class of religiously approved individuals,
opposed attempts to codify a body of laws that the colonial magistrates would
be bound by, and also opposed unconstrained democracy, calling it <i>"the meanest and worst of all forms of
government"</i>. The authoritarian and religiously conservative nature of
Massachusetts rule was influential in the formation of neighbouring colonies,
which were in some instances formed by individuals and groups opposed to the
rule of the Massachusetts elders.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Winthrop's son,
John, was one of the founders of the Connecticut Colony, and Winthrop himself
wrote one of the leading historical accounts of the early colonial period. His
long list of descendants includes famous Americans, and his writings continue
to be an influence on politicians today.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whatever you
think of America, the country was founded firmly on dreams. The first settlers
in the New World hoped for freedom of religion; in their home countries they
had been persecuted because of their religious and political views. Bad living
conditions in Europe and the hope for better living standards in America
attracted more and more settlers to migrate to the new world. The booming US
industry during the first half of the 20th century caused the myth "from
rags to riches". </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the same TIME
magazine article referenced above, Jon Meacham goes on to write, "Dreams of God and of gold (not necessarily in that
order) made America possible. The First Charter of Virginia — the 1606 document
that authorized the founding of Jamestown — was 3,805 words long. Ninety-eight
of them are about carrying religion to "such people as yet live in
darkness and miserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of
God"; 97% of the charter concerns the taking of "all the Lands,
Woods, Soil, Grounds, Havens, Ports, Rivers, Mines, Minerals, Marshes, Waters,
Fishing, Commodities," as well as orders to "dig, mine, and search
for all Manner of Mines of Gold, Silver, and Copper." Explorers in the
16th and 17th centuries sought riches; religious dissenters came seeking
freedom of worship. In 1630 layman John Winthrop wrote a sermon alluding to
America as "a city upon a hill," explicitly linking the New World to
the Sermon on the Mount. (Always shrewd about visuals, Ronald Reagan would add
the adjective <i>shining</i> to the image several centuries later.)" </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, critics
have described the <i>American Dream</i> as
an ambiguous concept, but at least it is an inspiration to a nation, and some
espouse its ideals. In depicting the American Dream, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote
a novel, <i>The Great Gatsby</i> while Arthur
Miller wrote the play, <i>Death of a
Salesman</i>. They, by their art, promote a social and cultural understanding
of the <i>American Dream</i>.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Then
there is China. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">China is a regional power within Asia and has been characterized as a
potential superpower by a number of academics, military analysts, and public
policy and economics analysts.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">For much of its very
old history China remained closed and arcane. The ancient Chinese civilization </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">—</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"> one of the world's
earliest </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">—</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"> flourished in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China
Plain. For millennia, China's political system was based on hereditary
monarchies, known as dynasties, beginning with the semi-mythological Xia of the
Yellow River basin (c. 2000 BCE). Since 221 BCE, when the Qin Dynasty first
conquered several states to form a Chinese empire, the country has expanded,
fractured and been reformed numerous times. The Republic of China overthrew the
last dynasty in 1911, and ruled the Chinese mainland until 1949. After the
defeat of the Empire of Japan in World War II, the Communist Party defeated the
nationalist Kuomintang in mainland China and established the People's Republic
of China in Beijing on 1 October 1949. Now the ancient China is a very
different country from modern China. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">The People's Republic
of China is one of the world's few remaining socialist states espousing
communism. The Chinese government has been variously described as communist and
socialist, but also as authoritarian and corporatist, with heavy restrictions
remaining in many areas, most notably on the Internet, the press, freedom of
assembly, reproductive rights, social organizations and freedom of religion.
Its current political/economic system has been termed by its leaders as
"socialism with Chinese characteristics". Since the introduction of
economic reforms in 1978, China has become the world's fastest-growing major
economy. As of 2013, it is the world's second-largest economy by both nominal
total GDP and purchasing power parity (PPP), and is also the world's largest
exporter and importer of goods. China is a recognized nuclear weapons state and
has the world's largest standing army, with the second-largest defense budget.
The PRC has been a United Nations member since 1971, when it replaced the ROC
as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. China is also a member of
numerous formal and informal multilateral organizations, including the World Trade
Organization (WTO), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Brazil, Russia,
India, China and South Africa (BRICS), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,
the BCIM and the G-20. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Critics may have
their say, but China was doing something that worked for its population. A
former US diplomat and interpreter, Chas W. Freeman writing in The Globalist of
November 6, 2013 under the caption <i>How
China Transformed Itself</i> , in acerbic tones only an American can muster,
said ‘China transformed itself by inventing
something I call "cadre capitalism".’ He went on to explain "C<i>adre capitalism </i>links local political
boosterism to entrepreneurship — and then links both of these phenomena to the
promotion of individuals to reach ever higher levels of the Communist Party
hierarchy. In other words, this process creates self-interested, selfish
partnerships between local officials and business people. They collude to
advance local political, economic and commercial interests over those of other
such partnerships elsewhere. This is what drives the so-called state-owned
enterprises to ferocious competition with each other and everyone else. Cadre
capitalism makes doing business in China quick and easy for those who
understand and participate – and hard for those who don’t. It’s a unique
artifact of Chinese culture. It can’t be exported as a model or borrowed
abroad. "</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have a dossier
of many illustrious men and women I can highlight his / her contributions to
the emerging Chinese Dream. Let me just refer you to Deng Xiaoping. This is the
man of whom the Chinese historian Mobo Gao has argued that "Deng Xiaoping
and many like him [in the Chinese Communist Party] were not really Marxists,
but basically revolutionary nationalists who wanted to see China standing on
equal terms with the great global powers. They were primarily nationalists and
they participated in the Communist revolution because that was the only viable
route they could find to Chinese nationalism."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the core of
the second generation leaders Deng shared his power with several powerful older
politicians commonly known as the Eight Great Eminent Officials (others include
Chen Yun, Li Xiannian, Peng Zhen,Yang Shangkun, Bo Yibo, Wang Zhen and Song
Renqiong who held substantial power during the 1980s and 1990s). Deng Xiaoping
was a politician and reformist leader of the Communist Party of China who,
after Chairman Mao's death led his country towards a market economy. While Deng
never held office as the head of state, head of government or General Secretary
of the Communist Party of China (the highest position in Communist China), he
nonetheless served as the "paramount leader" of the People's Republic
of China from 1978 to 1992. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Deng was
instrumental in China's economic reconstruction following the Great Leap
Forward in the early 1960s. His economic policies, however, were at odds with
the political ideologies of Chairman Mao Zedong. As a result, he was purged
twice during the Cultural Revolution, but regained prominence in 1978 by
outmaneuvering Mao's chosen successor, Hua Guofeng.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Inheriting a
country fraught with social and institutional woes resulting from the Cultural
Revolution and other mass political movements of the Mao era, Deng became the
core of the "second generation" of Chinese leadership. He is
considered "the architect" of a new brand of socialist thinking,
having developed "Socialism with Chinese characteristics" and led
Chinese economic reform through a synthesis of theories that became known as
the "socialist market economy". Deng opened China to foreign
investment, the global market and limited private competition. He is generally
credited with developing China into one of the fastest growing economies in the
world for over 30 years and raising the standard of living of hundreds of
millions of Chinese. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whose writings
do you think is influencing Nigerian politicians? Why are they are they so
greedy and misappropriating national wealth? </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am writing
this at the tail stream of the scandal involving the Nigerian Aviation Minister
over the illegal purchase of overpriced armoured luxury cars. And the
allegations and counter allegations were making the rounds, as bare-faced lies were
been told to a scandal-weary populace and the truth mercilessly trampled
underfoot by avaricious men and woman in the corridors of power.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John Winthrop
did not require armoured cars to write and cast his visions of a brighter
future for his homeland even when that land was not yet fully formed, but I
suspect that the message would lost on our politicians even the ones who
pretend they understood what Obafemi Awolowo was talking about. If the beleaguered
Aviation Minister had spent more time reflecting on what she and the
technocrats under her auspices could / should do to avert ‘acts of God’ inside
Nigerian airspace (which could be averted by foresight, technical competence
and sincere planning) then she may not have landed herself in such fine mess.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One might ask
what a serving minster with a retinue of aides and armed escort would need
armoured vehicles for? The motive may just be down to mindless consumption, the
sort that Thorstein Veblen<b><i> </i></b>condemned in his economic
treatise and detailed social critique of conspicuous consumption, as a function
of social-class consumerism in the <i>1899 The Theory of the
Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions.</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John Winthrop
had a dream about the shape and form through which his society even at nascent
stages should evolve and he wrote his musings and reflections down. He also
made it widely available to others, both like minds and dissenters. Can any
Nigerian please hand me a copy of the accessible writings of any of our
national dreamers? Any politician who has read the writings of the founding
fathers should feel free to raise their hands and say what they learned, and
how they are putting it into practice.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">America and
China are better off because a class of pioneers, dreamers represented by men
like John Winthrop and Deng Xiaoping came on the scene, men who were visionary,
reformist and astute, providing leadership and influencing others to toe their
paths. They did not make excuses, and promote myths / misinformation about
their tenures at the helm of affairs. When their course had run in full, they
left office, signed off on development plans and a hopeful future for
posterity.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The politicians,
public office holders and conniving technocrats who are leading Nigeria down
the path of infamy cannot dream; they foster a predatory state which is at odds
with its own citizens. Dreams for a country are realised through visionary
leadership, hard headed economic planning and intentional national development
strategy. At the individual level, you would require robust effort and
integrity to dream and accomplish your dreams or you would be deceiving
yourself building castles in the sky.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 2010, Freidrich Ebert Siftung
Foundation published a book-in-progress excerpt on Eritrea, the outcome was <i>Nation Building, State Construction and Development in Africa: </i><i>The Case of
Eritrea</i> report by Andebrhan Welde Giorgis. (Giorgis is an
independent consultant on international affairs, preventive diplomacy,
governance, peace and security. He is a veteran of Eritrea’s war of liberation and
held senior positions in government.) </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Writing an overview of Africa Today, Giogis
noted, "Half a century after independence, there is a general consensus
among Africa watchers, scholars and commentators alike that the prototype
postcolonial state in Africa is undergoing deep crisis. It has failed to
provide for the needs, promote the wellbeing, cater to the aspirations and
safeguard the security of the people. Dismal performance and inability to
deliver have led to its irrelevance and
alienation. Oblivious of the imperatives of the social compact, certain states
are at war with their own people. Unable to govern with the consent of the governed and
scornful of their will, they perpetrate their indefinite and despotic rule and
seek to achieve submission through repression and intimidation, creating a general sate
of fear and insecurity. There is also growing recognition that the postcolonial patrimonial
state has proved incapable of performing its fundamental functions, overcoming
its <i>crisis of legitimacy,</i> <i>delivery
</i>and <i>relevance
</i>and engendering revival. Unmindful of their
concerns and alienated from the people,
the prototype African state today is weak, insecure
and unstable. It is repressive, corrupt and dysfunctional.
As a result, nation building, state construction and
development remain essentially work in progress or projects for the future.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"The typical African state is noted more as a repressive, brutal,
corrupt, and inefficient entity than a mechanism for the promotion of the
collective well-being of its citizens. Consequently, the modern African state
remains largely irrelevant to the needs, interests, and aspirations of the people.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Despite its considerable resource endowment, Africa continues to barely
subsist at the periphery of the global economy and to cling to the margins of
general world affairs. A monopoly on political power and economic resources in
the hands of small minorities, brutal state repression and lack of rapid,
sustained and balanced development have driven the majority of African peoples
into the quagmire of widespread misery, worsening deprivation and deepening
despair. Afflicted by poverty, succumbing to preventable diseases and
vulnerable to premature death, mere survival has become a daily struggle for
the majority of Africans on the continent. Bereft of democratic legitimacy,
pursuing irresponsible politics of exclusion and presiding over dysfunctional institutions,
some states are failing or have already failed. The rectification of this
dismal state of affairs calls for deliverance of today’s African state from
itself."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ouch! How depressing!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For all you know Giorgis could have been talking about any other African country rather than
Eritrea. Eritrea has been stumbling along through more than 20 years of
independence; Nigeria has been at it for over half a century.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, I dare
ask, is there any such thing as a ‘Nigerian Dream’? With the surfeit of evidence
at our disposal, any notion of a ‘Nigerian Dream’ would seem tenuous, at best,
and should we continue lumbering in the direction we are headed as a country,
the present, prevailing Nigerian Nightmare would become irreversible.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In one of his
commentaries <i>The "Goodluck"
Called Nigeria</i> in Premium Times of October 22, 2013, Femi
Aribisala, Christian cleric and social commentator, observed "Where two or
three Nigerians are gathered, you can be sure we are busy running down our
country." I am hardly surprised this is case. I consider myself something
of an incurable optimist yet right now I feel a strong urge to run down some
public institutions and some public office holders down. Not by choice, but for
the pain I nurse, and the dream idling in my heart: <i> the dream of a prosperous and
productive country which will never again be referred to as ‘big for nothing’
by any man or woman dead or alive</i>. My deepest pang is that Nigerian leaders
as I perceive do not want to dream for me to pursue, and they do not want to
provide the enabling environment for me to pursue even the vision I have. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, I
wouldn’t despair; I am an incurable optimist, remember? Surely, our case is not
irredeemable.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I like what
summation Michael Nnebe, former investment banker and novelist, captures about
dreams and nations in his write up <i>Who
Are the Dreamers of Nigeria? </i>in Nigeria-world website of October 24, 2013.
He wrote "In recent times some of the most successful inventors and great
achievers have included many that have a dream about something big, and pursued
that dream fervently to the point they even dropped out of the most prestigious
universities in this world just to accomplish their dream. Bill Gates, Steve
Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg are just a few names. Dream is only the beginning;
good leadership is equally important if such dreams are to be actualized on a
higher level. Leadership is the ability of an individual to create a vision and
to motivate others to higher level of achievements. Every successful nation has
such dreamers in abundance, and it is not only in the private sector that
dreamers are needed. A minister, governor, or president with big dreams can
change the fortunes of his/her people just by having a lofty dream and
motivating the people below to greater accomplishments."</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">THIS
IS THE TIME TO BE BOLD, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. Let us pray, work together and
confront ‘dreamless’, uninspiring leadership and get Nigeria / Nigerians dreaming,
creating and innovating more. . . </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616500544929897121.post-55047368382478173892014-12-01T12:16:00.002+01:002014-12-01T12:17:40.481+01:00Welcome To The NAIJAGRAPHITTI Big December Giveaway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5BncuHgOiFUh9NBtyRqF38a0kqh3fR371T17P2hMqJEk4MxuxCfAiC5P9Vk8CbmmLhXRZgARlEJkmGQVrGatdFplA0JgMXcBs5cEPqe4yE7LpXCfHgivVYYhBHMu-VOPPM99SpnYQQbz/s1600/Big+Giveaway+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5BncuHgOiFUh9NBtyRqF38a0kqh3fR371T17P2hMqJEk4MxuxCfAiC5P9Vk8CbmmLhXRZgARlEJkmGQVrGatdFplA0JgMXcBs5cEPqe4yE7LpXCfHgivVYYhBHMu-VOPPM99SpnYQQbz/s1600/Big+Giveaway+Logo.png" height="224" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As part of najiaGRAPHITTI First Year
Anniversary celebrations, we had promised to have a month-long treat for
readers and commentators of the only <b>edublog on CREATIVITY & INNOVATION
in Nigeria</b>. That month-long treat starts today DECEMBER 1st!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are cash prizes, publishing
opportunities and gifts up for grabs. <b>Everyone who reads naijaGRAPHITTI must
be a winner!!!</b> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the key expectations of this
blog is that as a result of its activities Nigerians take up reading. We really
want you to read and enjoy reading for learning purpose. Honestly, even people
who are into funny business (those business that Nigerians are ashamed to be
associated with, you know) they expect people to read, so why not those of us
doing serious business. READING IS GOOD; READING TO LEARN IS BETTER.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We have the following prizes:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First Three Monthly Winners by December 30th (N20,000 cash prize
each) and publication of your personal photo of agreed size.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First Three Weekly Winners starting from December 15th (N10,000) (Note:
No Winners will emerge until December 15th)</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First 20 runners-up with High Quality naijaGRAPHITTI embossed
T-shirts</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First 250 next runners by December 30th with a copy each of
EXPLODING POTENTIAL book.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The rules are really simple to
follow. Please diligently read through and adhere to the following:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Every winner must comment on a minimum of 7 (seven) sections of the
blog.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Every winner must not submit any comment less than three sentences
to be eligible as relevant comment entry. </span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Every winner must comment on at least 7 (seven) articles in the
home page.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Every winner must describe in a separate mail their favourite
article in all of the blog in no less than five sentences or two
paragraphs. </span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Every winner must comment on at least 7 (seven) news stories of the
GRAPHITTI NEWS page for 7 (seven) consecutive days.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Every winner must comment with their full names and verifiable
email address.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Even when comments are made on the anonymous option - the comments
must be signed off with full names and verifiable email address.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="line-height: 115%;">The decision of the naijaGRAPHITTI Team shall be
final.</span></span></span></li>
</ol>
Kenneth Nwachinemelu David-Okaforhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01053567276751518164noreply@blogger.com0