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Politics

Nigeria and the politics we play!

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Politics

Nigeria and the politics we play!

By Abiodun Komolafe

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Nigeria and the politics we play!

 

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The founding fathers of politics in Nigeria came with some ideals girding them. To begin with, one would discover that almost all of them were lawyers while those who were not lawyers were people with discernible convictions. Also, political parties or organisations at the time were always with a sense of direction, to the extent that no two parties were the same in their aspirations and/or the philosophies they believed in. Without doubt, the whittling down of these qualities gave rise to the mumbo jumbo being witnessed, currently, in Nigeria’s political firmament. Unfortunately, Nigerians felt unperturbed.

Once upon a time, Nigeria was not used to having fraudulent people, especially, in her decision-making positions. But how come they have now become thorns in her flesh? Take for instance, when political hoodlums realized that they could help themselves through the instrumentality of terror and violence, they hijacked the process and created for themselves a vibrant specific political space with juicy benefits to boot. Unlike the First Republic where hoodlums were put into their positions according to the dictates of the social stratification and the ranking of social statuses, these days, the texture of our politics has become so frighteningly rough and evil-permeable that a gangster can nurse the governorship ambition of a Nigerian state. These are issues Nigeria’s political class ought to have addressed long ago. But they couldn’t! Well, it’s not that they didn’t understand how to go about resolving them. It is frustratingly annoying that they’re also products of the confusion. Hence the difficulty in speaking to them!

 

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When Obafemi Awolowo was arrested and eventually sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for treasonable felony, had Nigeria’s activists woken up to their calling and suppressed the trumped-up charges, Awolowo would not have been unjustly imprisoned. Of course, Nigeria would most certainly have escaped the mess into which she was eventually – and, conveniently, too – plunged. Awolowo went to jail and Nigerians went about their daily activities as if nothing had happened. As fate would have it, only the grace of Gowon saved the sage!

When Adisa Akinloye and ‘men of like minds’ from the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN) went on a spending jamboree in London, Awolowo was the first to warn Nigerians of the economic calamity waiting to happen. Again, Nigerians behaved as if they were untroubled. Instead of sitting up to salvage the situation with unrivalled dexterity, the then President Shehu Shagari-led government chose lampooning the ‘old man’ as a hobby. Regrettably too, Nigerians ignored the warning! Since the old man had no power; and, since the society was gullible, economic depression had its way! Not long after, ‘austerity measures’ hit the country like a plague. Still, the society did nothing! Of course, that sounded the death knell for a government that was already on edge! Tantalizingly, ‘austerity measures’ have kept expanding, in different sizes and colours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the Wole Soyinkas of this world founded the Pirates Confraternity, there was a set academic standard which must be met before a prospective candidate would become initiated. That’s why conversations with any member of the Confraternity at the time were always laced with impressive delicacy and skill. Again, that was then! Gradually, the low-life popular culture of hooliganism took control and ‘Fadeyi Oloro’ usurped the functions of the 70-year-old Confraternity!

When on February 1, 1971, Adekunle Ademuyiwa Adepeju was shot and killed at the University of Ibadan (UI), the then General Yakubu Gowon’s regime was almost brought down because no calamity of that magnitude had ever befallen Nigeria’s university system before that time. To a typical Hausa man at the time, it was merely ‘nufin Allah ne’. So, ‘life continues!’ The Ibos simply thought that it was a Yoruba boy who was killed. Since the 23-year-old undergraduate was not from their tribe, ‘life’ also ‘continues.’ That’s not all! Half of the Yoruba population were not even as knowledgeable as to have understood that no Nigerian, let alone a university student, should be killed. But the elite shouted and Gowon was scared! Unfortunately however, after a time, some never-do-wells emboldened the Head of State. They advised Gowon to merely apologise to the nation, condole with Adepeju’s family on the loss, and assure them that government would look into it, which the junta did! But what has become of the Student Union Building named after the fallen hero? It is doubtful if students of this prestigious university still remember that a Kunle Adepeju was mowed by an unknown police officer in Nigeria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time it was in Nigeria when academic journals from Nigeria’s foremost universities were being accorded international recognition. Now, one even wonders whether Nigeria’s academics even have the time to sit down, think and write, let alone get them published in internal journals. The worst part of it is that lecturers are now promoted as professors, not based on their publications, what they do, or international recognition. No! It’s because they have been around for too long, marking time in the Departments; or belong to a cult; or something like that!

In 1972, the Nigerian Students Loans Board was established with the core mission of catering to the financial needs of Nigeria’s indigent students. At the end of the day, the rich and the elite hijacked it for their children while those for which it was originally intended were left gasping for breath. Unfortunately, those children who illegally benefitted from our commonweal have not even deemed it fit to give back to the society, which is one of the worse things. They are either in the UK, USA or Canada, making merry, thereby forgetting their humble beginnings. As such, the opportunity they had was never reproduced so that other people can have what they had.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I have argued elsewhere that a tyrant is a tyrant to the extent that people believe the man is using the frontiers of his ambition and power given to him legitimately. That’s when a tyrant can be seen to be acting. But then, what is missing, centrally, is the control. The tragic truth is that, due to lack of control, those who hitherto had no business in politics came into it and impose their own values. The depth and impact of this tragedy can be felt from our mystifying and super-lifting an individual, simply because he spends a token of our commonwealth to build a substandard road for us, and commissions it with nearly the same amount of the cost of construction. What’s more? Every new and incoming government campaigns on the anvil of the most heinous crimes and dysfunctions of the incumbent government with a view to securing the votes of the masses. However, if one doesn’t have the understanding of the dynamics of power and how it relates to human beings, one is most likely to be offered a seat on the table of mammon in a way that’s likely to make one become a tyrant. And, as we know, when warped values become part of the majority, it becomes a problem.

May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!

 

 

 

 

 

*KOMOLAFE wrote in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)

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Politics

Nigeria: The Changing Governance Story

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Nigeria: The Changing Governance Story

Today, however, Nigeria is home to the largest single-train refinery in the world, with the capacity to process 650,000 barrels of crude per day

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Nigeria: The Changing Governance Story

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Temitope Ajayi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sahara Weekly Reports That Tracking many stories of remarkable progress currently taking place in Nigeria can be a challenging task. This is so because these important stories are lost to some who daily indulge in the cacophony of adverse reports. These negative news often dominates the headlines.

 

 

 

 

Nigeria: The Changing Governance Story

 

 

 

 

 

With a 24-hour news cycle that tends to focus mainly on distasteful narratives, several Nigerians have been made to accept the view that nothing good is happening in their country.

Those who rely on the mainstream media and social media as the only sources of news and information they consume are the worst hit by the cycle of misinformation that portrays our country as descending rapidly to the edge of the precipice. However, the reality is different: the country is making progress in leaps and bounds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Late Swedish physician and Professor of International Health at Karolinska Institute, Hans Rosling, his son, Ola Rosling, and daughter-in-law, Anna Rosling, extensively dwell on this subject in “Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think,” a book published in 2018. In the book, the authors demonstrate that most people are made to hold the wrong notion about the state of the world because the media project data, analyse trends and select stories to make people assume that things are getting worse around them. The authors assert that a majority of people view the world as poorer, less healthy, and a more dangerous place to live in than it actually is. In other words, many people believe they are living in a worse period in the history of mankind because of misinformation.

 

The same situation the Roslings describe in their book is at play in Nigeria, where individuals, interest groups, activists, analysts, self-serving politicians, and opposition elements constantly project and amplify negative stories.

It is as if we are in a race with those who can say the most horrible things about our country. Yet, we have an abundance of good stories to tell the world. We seem so numb to the good news that we are dismissive of breakthroughs and innovative trends. For instance, we downplay the significance of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and its possibilities to reflate the economy.

 

Many people forgot so soon that we had been importing petroleum products for over three decades because the state-owned refineries are moribund. Our national economy bled, and the country was in a fiscal cul-de-sac for those years as a result of subsidy payments on petroleum products.

 

Today, however, Nigeria is home to the largest single-train refinery in the world, with the capacity to process 650,000 barrels of crude per day. Cynics do not see this as a breakthrough.

 

Nigerians who are 60 years old and below started seeing modern rail infrastructure in 2016 when the All Progressives Congress-led administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the standard gauge rail system, beginning with the Abuja-Kaduna route, later Lagos-Ibadan and then the Warri-Itakpe.

 

The national rail modernisation project is progressing with Kano-Katsina-Maradi and Kano-Kaduna standard gauge rail projects at different stages of completion. The contractor working on the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri narrow gauge recently announced the completion of the Port Harcourt-Aba section. While the Federal Government is rallying stakeholders to promote economic integration across the country, the Lagos State Government recently launched two metro rail lines -Blue and Red Rail lines – as part of the state’s elaborate master plan to build a modern and efficient megacity. Like Lagos State, there are visible signs of remarkable, quantifiable progress in several other states, including Kaduna, Kano, Akwa-Ibom, Rivers, Kebbi, Borno, Gombe, Oyo, Ekiti and Ogun, among others.

 

A few weeks ago, the President Bola Tinubu-led administration embarked on the construction of the 700 kilometres Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway that will connect nine coastal states in another bold move to bolster economic growth further and open up the country to productive economic activities.

 

While it may be very easy for critics and other armchair analysts to ignore these developments and their significance to remaking Nigeria, there is no gainsaying that these projects and many more that are ongoing or about to be instituted across critical sectors are the core of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Indeed, it is hard to process why the so-called critics and cynics can not see the Lagos-Calabar Highway project as a clear demonstration of the President’s commitment to harnessing the potential of our renascent Blue Economy.

 

Despite what is bandied by the most vociferous critics

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Wike’s Loyalist Nwanosike Leads Thugs To Disrupt PDP NEC Meeting

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Wike’s Loyalist Nwanosike Leads Thugs To Disrupt PDP NEC Meeting

 

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Samuel Nwanosike, the chairperson of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Thursday, reportedly led thugs to disrupt the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja.

Nwanosike, who is the chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, is a loyalist of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Among many other things, a potential sanction for Wike was expected to take the front burner at the party’s NEC meeting over allegations of anti-party activities.

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However, Nwanosike reportedly tried to force his way into the venue and came along with hoodlums. His intent, it was gathered, was to create chaos and halt resolutions by the NEC.

 

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APC Vanguard condemns purported sacking of Ganduje as attempted civilian coup …recommends full investigation

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APC Vanguard condemns purported sacking of Ganduje as attempted civilian coup ...recommends full investigation

APC Vanguard condemns purported sacking of Ganduje as attempted civilian coup
…recommends full investigation

 

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A political interest group in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the purported sacking of the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Umar Ganduje.

The group under the umbrella of APC National Vanguard described the sacking as a political coup orchestrated by desperate individuals outside the party who are envious, and felt threatened by Ganduje’s rising profile.

It said that the attempt to sack Ganduje as the National Chairman of the APC is a direct assault on the democratic principles and what the party stands for.

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The group said: “We understand that such calls and attempt to illegally sack the chairman can only be contemplated by anti-democratic forces and those who seek the fall of the APC party.

“It is most unfortunate that they are hiding behind the façade of being democrats when in reality they abhor the very tenets of democracy, which is why they are keen on using crude tactics to cause disarray, and unsettlement within our prestigious party.

“We warn those outside the APC party who desperately want to rejoin the party to do so in the most honorable and civilized manner. Resorting to devilish, demonic, and dubious means to achieve their goals is not only unacceptable but also undermines the principles of democracy and fair play.

“It Is a clear violation of our party’s constitution and an affront to the democratic principles upon which our great nation is built. We stand firmly behind Alhaji Ganduje and affirm our unwavering support for his leadership.

“His dedication, integrity, and commitment to the ideals of the APC have been instrumental in our party’s success and growth. His Excellency, Alhaji Umar Ganduje, has been an exemplary leader within the All Progressives Congress.

“Under his leadership, the party has made significant strides in advancing its agenda, promoting good governance, and delivering on its promises to the Nigerian people. His rising profile is a testament to his dedication, hard work, and commitment to the party’s ideals.”

The group called on Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State to call his dogs to order. It said: For those that have hired themselves out as mercenaries to threaten Nigeria’s democracy and causing strife within our noble party, you should be ready to face the sword of justice soonest.

“The governor needs to understand that oppression of the weak is the bane of Justice and Democracy in any country. We implore him to step down if he has nothing in his head other than witch-hunting, and playing divisive politics in Kano State.

“He should hand over government to a competent hands if he’s not ready to embrace following due process of justice, other than using rascality, impersonation, and manipulative tactics to fight opposition.

“We call on all members of the APC, at all levels, to rally together in support of Alhaji Umar Ganduje and to condemn this act of political sabotage.

“Our unity and solidarity are paramount in these challenging times. It is only by standing together, hand in hand, that we can overcome any attempts to divide and weaken us.

“In conclusion, we reiterate our condemnation of the purported sack of His Excellency, Alhaji Umar Ganduje, as the National Chairman of the APC. We expose the legal loophole in the alleged suspension, highlighting the fact that those who addressed the press conference are not card-carrying members of our party.

“Which in regards of this revelation makes the purported suspension null and void, and would have no any effect on the National Chairman.

“We further express our happiness at the good news that, the Ward and Local Government Executives having identified the persons involved in this unfortunate situation, have already prepared to charge them to court for impersonation and calculated attempt to embarrass and dent the image of the Party and that of the National Chairman.

“We also issue a stern warning to those outside the APC who seek to rejoin the party, urging them to do so in a manner that upholds honor, civility, and the democratic values we hold dear.”

 

APC Vanguard condemns purported sacking of Ganduje as attempted civilian coup
...recommends full investigation

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