A President Under Fire.

By dele momodu

Fellow Nigerians, this must be the worst of times for our President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, who’s facing a barrage of criticisms from members of the opposition and society at large. This time last year, it would have been unimaginable that Mr President’s romance with the highly sentimental and emotional people of Nigeria would soon go up in smoke. I have never seen any man waste so much goodwill in so little time. The transfiguration of Mr Transformation has been too rapid and total. Historians and psycho-analysts will surely examine and determine how a man who waltzed around the cities and some villages of Nigeria as a Messiah only last year has virtually become a pariah in his own country within a twinkle of an eye.

Here was a man who ran one of the most blistering political campaigns ever known in this part of the world. The money expended on the PDP rallies would have erected a few Burj Khalifa’s in Dubai. One would have expected such a man, who held so much promise of a breath of fresh air, to have urgently settled down to tackle the myriad of problems afflicting Nigeria and Nigerians. But that was not the case. The Jonathan who was sworn in on May 29, 2011, was ostensibly different from the one who seemed to be a man of the people during his whistle-stop campaigns. In short, Nigerians were short-changed. The new Jonathan behaves more like a Minister of Foreign Affairs, the way he circles and traverses the earth like an astronaut. It is as if our latest President came determined to break the record set by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

For a man who inherited too many liabilities, one expected to see a visionary and selfless leader who would speedily put some austerity measures in place, by cutting government prodigality and profligacy to the  barest minimum, embark on aggressive infrastructural development, revamp our educational institutions, provide job opportunities, create an enabling environment for business, attract local and foreign investments, clean up our over-polluted environment, deflate the convoluted political class, and above all, try to lead by example.

It does not bear repeating that no one has ever been luckier in life. In 13 eventful years, our President has been permanently in power as Deputy Governor, Acting Governor, Governor, Vice President, Acting President and President. Theoretically, he was well-prepared and sufficiently groomed for power. Those claiming that he has been in power for only one year are misinformed. He has been in full control since the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. If my Arithmetic is good enough, President Jonathan has in reality spent more than half of a normal term. Under his tenure more oil money has flowed in. What more could one ever ask again from God and one’s country? This amazing largesse from the Creator was enough to humble any soul and inspire him to higher ideals. But we found a President ever willing to maintain the status quo, not minding that this same system had failed his predecessors.

But to whom much is given much is expected. Many Nigerians had invested all their hopes in a man of humble beginnings who should understand the excruciating pains the ordinary citizens have endured. They did not expect a replacement of one oppressor with another. The people had pinned their hopes and aspirations on a man who appeared meek and expected him to perform sporadic miracles. Nothing less would assuage them. But early into the Jonathan presidency, the signs were ominous. It was obvious the President was not prepared to rock the boat and that all he wanted was to mark time and enjoy his full terms in office with as little discomfort as possible.

However, acutely frustrated Nigerians would not accept this. Too many things were going wrong at the speed of light. And there were many questions begging for answers. To compound the President’s headache, some irritants, called critics, waged an unrelenting war against him on social media which was supposed to be under his firm control. It was one of the weapons he used to portray the image of our own Obama. His spin-doctors even told us he was technologically savvy. But that was then. The times have changed and his opponents are getting on top of the game. They have launched a sustained attack on him and his weak policies. The new strategy is to pummel him into his corner and ensure a comeback is practically impossible when the next election comes.

Unfortunately for Jonathan and his media team, since nothing concrete has been happening in government, the presidency has had no cogent defence against its vociferous accusers. He has not helped matters himself by wasting money and frittering resources away with reckless abandon. His budgets have revealed a leader who spends more on a few politicians than the larger populace. The feeding allowance to the first family sounds like a fairy-tale. Nobody in this world would believe our leaders earn far more than President Barack Obama, his cabinet and American legislators.  In addition they receive more emoluments than any soul on earth. What makes matters even worse is the lack of visible performance on all fronts which has earned his government notoriety and opprobrium.

In a fit of panic or whatever, he has had to jazz up his public affairs department by employing our big Brother, Dr Doyin Okupe, a gifted propagandist who’s expected to help bully his aggressors. He’s to join the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and Special Adviser on Media, Reuben Abati to form a formidable team against invaders. How far they can go remains to be seen but there’s no doubt that Dr Okupe has raised the tempo of media action in Aso Rock. His strategy is to use attack as the best form of defence. But it is not going to be that simple.

It would be nicer if we are attacked with details of performance and not a rehash of the same old government excuses. We’ll love to know how many kilometres of roads have been upgraded to international standards with all the money allocated to the Ministry of Works over the years. We should be told how much it has cost the nation to upgrade our power generation to a paltry and unambitious 4,000 megawatts, probably less than what would power an Olympic games’ village.  It would be nice to see how the President has launched a revolution in the Education sector. I would personally love to know the political philosophy that drives the vision of our President. Who are his heroes and role models? What books does he read for stimulus? Where does he hope to take Nigeria at the end of his first tenure? What has he done to warrant the prediction of a compulsory victory at the next polls, whether we like it or not, as gleefully announced by Dr Okupe? Does he see Nigeria only in terms of turn by turn and his qualification only on the basis of place of origin and zoning system?

Rather than provide answers, the handlers of the President have become completely paranoid. And there is nothing as dangerous as a neurotic government. It sees enemies where none exists and disregards genuine advice when it is offered. Won’t I be a beneficiary of good and responsible governance? As for me and my house, we don’t have anything personal against anyone. We just want a good country where many things work well. We do not want our intelligence insulted by government agents who think we don’t deserve the good things we see in other places. They should descend from their high horses and talk to us with respect.  Leaders of nations that are doing well won’t talk down on critics. They accept criticism as an integral part of democracy.

Every statement they issue these days is an attack on perceived and imaginary enemies.  Their querulous disposition is understandable and pitiable but it won’t help their boss who certainly needs more friends than enemies. This is a President under intense fire from every angle within and without. The man who purportedly brought Facebook to Nigeria, as gleefully suggested at a colourful ceremony, has totally absconded from his favourite medium. As a matter of fact, he has broken the world record as the most abused leader in ancient and modern history. His unrelenting critics have taken over the social media where they are daily firing darts at him. And the impact is being felt in the Presidential villa. It seems so bad that Reuben Abati issued a release this week in which he called social media critics “unintelligent and mischievous.” He also said the intelligent ones are wasting their time to promote unproductive tendencies. It is a sign that the heat is on if my Brother is sounding this tough. 

Leading the group of opposition politicians and critics on Twitter is Mallam Nasir El Rufai with over 100,000 passionate followers. I plead guilty to coming a distant second with nearly 54,000. We have a few other young but politically-conscious Tweeps like Japheth Omojuwa with 36,000, Kayode Ogundamisi aka Canary with 22,000, Chinedu Ekekeee with over 9,000, Babatunde Rosanwo with over 11,000, Patrick Obahiagbon the bombastic grammarian and former member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, with over 19,000, Dino Melaye former member Nigeria’s House of Representatives with over 12,000, Femi Fani-Kayode former Minister with nearly 5,000, Tolu Ogunlesi journalist, satirist and international award winner, with over 21,000, Tokunbo Afikuyomi with nearly 2,000, Rosemary Ajayi with over 1,000, Kathleen Ndongmo with over 6,000, Funmi Iyanda with nearly 15,000, and several other influential bloggers. I must mention that Linder Ikeji has become a household name who has combined general interests with politics on her soar-away blog.

It is noteworthy that despite the relative brouhaha caused by social media in Nigeria, it is morning yet on creation day. The social critics need to fully mobilise our huge population nationwide. The erratic pace of telecoms is a dampener but things are picking up. Apart from Nasir who has crossed the 100,000 mark on Twitter, no politician has come anywhere close. As small as our community of social critics looks, its impact is being felt in powerful circles. The fuel subsidy crisis went viral as a result of the social media explosion. It is only a matter of time before elections in Nigeria would be largely influenced by technology. Those who hope to keep our people perpetually in bondage are clearly missing it.  The youths hold the key to our future. When they make up their minds about change, nothing can stop them. 

The Nigerian ruling elite is so far lucky that our showbiz community is not overtly political like their American counterparts who used their stupendous influence and reach to cause the miracle of a Blackman becoming the most powerful leader on earth. Just imagine what would happen with a combined mega-force of Don Jazzy at 401,000 followers, D’banj at 306,000, Peter Okoye of P Square at 165,000, Wizkid Ayo Balogun at 332,000, Banky Wellington at 235,000, Davido at 137,000, Naeto C at 141,000, Eldee the Don at 205,000, Sound Sultan at 102,662, Tiwa Savage at 153,816, Basketmouth at 111,339, M I at 184,372, Dare Art Alade at 99,423, and so many others.

I dream of that day the showbiz community and the advocates of reform decide to work together. The change we crave will happen like magic. 

Critics, Cynics and the President.

Simon Kolawole Live!

When a presidential spokesman begins to react to beer-parlour gossips about his principal with a full-page newspaper article, then you know the rumour mongers are in good business. Some of the title-tattle Dr. Rueben Abati was responding to last Sunday had been on the shelves for years. While I was still trying to digest Abati’s apologetics, President Goodluck Jonathan joined the fray. Speaking at a conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), he described himself as “the most criticised president in the whole world”. He said of the criticisms: “Sometimes I ask: Were there roads across this country and Jonathan brought floods to wipe them out? Or, we had power and I brought hurricanes to bring down the infrastructure? Were there massive irrigation projects in the North where agriculture can thrive and massive farms, and Jonathan brought drought to wipe out these farms under two years?”

Abati’s apologetics and Jonathan’s rhetoric can only point to one fact: criticism is getting to the president and his team. There is no need to be in denial. So I am tempted to ask: is the heat in the kitchen getting too hot for the president? What exactly is going on in his mind? Why does he think he is the most criticised president in the world? Does he think the criticisms are unfair? Does he think anybody would be president of Nigeria (and any country for that matter) and would not be criticised? Has he done, or is he doing, anything worthy of criticism? Can the president determine the kind of criticisms that he should get from the populace? Is criticism in itself bad? Really, it is one thing for the president to grumble within his circle that he is being unfairly criticised; it is another thing for him, or his spokesperson, to go public with the complaint.

I can’t say for a fact that Jonathan is the most criticised president in the world, but I know that the age of social media has not helped his cause at all. Past presidents and heads of state have been severely savaged by critics, but this was done primarily in the newspapers and at village squares. Now, almost everybody has access to mobile phones and the internet, meaning they can give vent to their feelings via SMS, BBM, twitter, facebook and blogs. It would therefore be impossible to determine the most criticised president. I do know that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo got far more than a fair dose of umbrage from Nigerians during his eight years in office (I think I filled my quota of Obasanjo-bashing to the brim and had to borrow space from others). I do know that the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was ruthlessly pummelled, even on his sick bed. To determine who goes home with the trophy will therefore be pretty difficult. But, for the benefit of argument, let’s say it’s Jonathan.

If I were to advise President Jonathan, I would tell him he has not seen anything yet. Criticism—informed or ill-informed, fair or unfair, constructive or destructive—comes with the presidential package. The critics come in different packets. There are those criticising Jonathan because, by nature, they must criticise. That is what they are very good at. They are perennial critics. That is how they maintain their prominence in the media. There are also those criticising him because they are not benefiting from his government. If he gives them “something” today they would stop talking. (Conversely, there are those praising Jonathan because they are getting “something” from his government. If the pepper soup stops flowing, they will become public affairs analysts.)

Furthermore, there are those who believe that Jonathan usurped power by failing to abide by the “zoning formula” of his party. They, therefore, can never see anything good in him. They will criticise him till the world comes to an end. This category is not really bothered about his performance in office, but it helps if it is poor. You also have people who just hate him. Simple. They just cannot stand him. If Jonathan loses one of his arms in the service of Nigeria, they will ask: what is he still doing with the other arm? Everything he does must be wrong. Every word he utters must be condemned. What’s more, you have the opposition parties which, by definition, must oppose him. It is part and parcel of democracy. They will stop being opposition the day they start praising him. That means they are digging their own electoral grave.

But there is a final category: there are those who genuinely criticise Jonathan out of love for Nigeria. They are worried about the Nigerian condition. They want action. They want progress. Some have given up on Jonathan’s ability to deliver the goods as promised in his campaign; others are still giving him a benefit of the doubt. Meanwhile, they will continue to criticise him for as long as there is no steady power supply, for as long as we are importing fuel, for as long as insecurity persists, for as long as unemployment is pervasive, for as long as corruption is not treated as leprosy. This is the trick: Jonathan should not fall into the mistake of grouping all his critics together. He will be missing the point if he regards anyone who raises any issue with his administration as an enemy.

Of course, people criticise him with different motives, even though we may all be saying the same thing and using the same words to express our feelings about the performance of the administration. But does the motive really matter? The president should respond to all criticisms—whether good or bad—with unrivalled performance in office. If he performs extraordinarily well, nobody can argue against it. If we have 24-hour electricity, if our schools are back in top shape, if the federal roads under his care are first class, if the corrupt persons in his government are flushed out, it would be difficult for us to deny these things. That is the best way to shame his critics.
The president ended his speech at the NBA conference thus: “I can tell this noble audience that before I leave, I will also be the most praised president.” That is the spirit! Action will speak louder than words.

And FourOther Things...

NNAJI’S SUDDEN EXIT
The exit of Prof. Bart Nnaji as Minister of Power came to me as a shock. He was often accused of having a conflict of interest because he was a player in the power sector. Everybody in the world knew he was the owner of Geometric Power before he was made minister. I thought the modalities had been worked out when he accepted the job but this obviously wasn’t the case. For transparency sake, Geometric should not have participated in the privatisation programme with him as minister. Going forward, we must resolve issues around conflict of interest properly in appointing private sector players into government.  

THE $15M QUESTION
Another twist has been introduced into the alleged $15 million bribe said to have been offered to the former EFCC chairman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, by the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori. Weeks after Delta Sate made efforts to reclaim the money, declaring that it was from the state treasury, a businessman named Chibuike Achigu has surfaced to claim the cash, saying the money was meant for PDP campaign in 2007. Reminds me of one Ochuko who surfaced from nowhere in 2003 to claim that he, and not Ibori, was the person who was convicted for stealing roofing sheets. He, like Achigu, said he was not aware of the media brouhaha until he woke up one morning. What a coincidence!

SSS SCANDAL
Who leaked the details of key SSS officials, both serving and former, on a website last week? The personal details of about 60 operatives were published. The leaked information contained names, bank details and addresses of operatives, including those of the DG, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong. Who did this? There are suggestions that it was the handiwork of a Boko Haram sympathiser in the service. Whether it is true or not, there is a clear indication that national security is being breached every day. And we seem to be helpless. Should we be scared then? Shouldn’t we?

THE CHEVENING EFFECT
I was privileged to address the 2012-13 Chevening Scholars last Thursday at the British High Commission in Abuja. Having benefited from the scholarship in 2005 and having enjoyed the honour of taking a Master’s degree from the University of Sussex thanks to the generosity of the British government, I always feel pained that the process of selection for Commonwealth scholarships by the Nigerian government has not been as transparent as anyone would expect. The Chevening process is very open and competitive and I hope we would learn from this and change our ways.The coinage is obviously clumsy but certainly not malicious. It is only fair for me to clarify the issue here.

Putting Nigeria First.

Mike Omeri and The Editor THISDASY Newspapers Ijeoma Nwogwugwu

Some may say Nigeria does not give the people much cause for devotion to national symbols. But the Director-General of the  National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri, is one Nigerian at the vanguard of building patriotism and optimism in the midst of the seemingly dispiriting atmosphere, writes Vincent Obia

Nigeria is generally passing through desperate times. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of things to inspire hope in the world’s biggest abode of black people. From the land that flows with abundant natural resources to a citizenry that Mother Nature has richly blessed with knowledge, talent, and strength, the country certainly shows great promise. But how can this be fulfilled?
The Director General of National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri, was in his element last week as he reeled off attitudes and behaviours Nigerians must imbibe to aid fulfilment of the country’s enormous promise. One of such fundamental attitudes, he says, is acting with a unity of purpose.

To try to imbue in the citizens a sense of common aspiration, NOA is leading a campaign to make the second stanza of the national anthem the official prayer at public functions. But in a country where religion is such a hot topic, some have criticised the initiative as reducing prayer, which ought to be led by the Spirit, to another national pledge or mere routine recital. However, Omeri defends the campaign.

“Even the Almighty God who handed religion to us wrote the Ten Commandments. If you look at the second stanza of the national anthem, it is the sum total of the aspiration of Nigerians for their country. So why do you begin to say other prayers when there is a prayer that addresses the issues: how you want your country to be, God’s direction on how we can be our best so that we can have peace and justice, and how the youth can achieve their aspirations based on values,” he says.

“So we are not saying people should not pray. People should pray in their mosques, churches, and shrines. But where you are in a public gathering and you are trying to speak with one voice to God, we advocate that we, as Nigerians, should be able to speak one language that God Himself recommended. It is a Christian prayer, it is a Muslim prayer. All the things in that second verse of the national anthem are the things Muslims and Christians ask from God.”

Omeri believes adopting an official prayer for the country neither deviates from religious precepts nor hurts religious sentiments. 
“I don’t know what we are doing that is a deviation. If you go to church, pray for Nigeria in the manner that you want to, if you go to the mosque, pray in the manner that you want to. If we meet together, let us look for things that emphasise our national unity. Let us stop this idea of dividing ourselves along religious lines even before an occasion starts. People think of the bond within religions, ethnicities, etc.

“The National Assembly has one prayer. Some people would say, how has that helped us? But are the thieves, corrupt politicians, and others in this country not going churches and mosques, why have the prayers not helped them? If we are used to doing certain things in a particular way and we are not getting results because we are talking in Babel of voices, why can’t we talk together as Nigerians?

“So it is not that we don’t want prayer. We want prayer and that is why we are saying we should have one prayer,” the NOA boss says.
He also speaks on the agency’s position on the adoption of distinct symbols like anthems and coat of arms by some states of the federation.

“If you have a symbol,” Omeri says, “it must not be given more prominence than the national symbols. Even in the America that we are copying, every American respects one national flag. People can have state songs and other symbols that are unique to them, but it is not right for people to have flags and emblems and give them recognition far above the national symbols. There is one Green White Green, there is one coat of arms with the two white horses, with the red eagle, and the river depicting Rivers Niger and Benue.

“The national anthem is the primus inter pares. This is the fundamental representation of the independence of our country, the strength, power and authority of our country. So it should be given prominence.

“In fact, I have seen a lot of flag displays that are wrong and I don’t blame the people because they lack adequate information on how to display flags. If you have two or three flags, the Nigerian national flag must be given prominence, that is flown higher above the other flags. If they are two countries’ flags, they are equal. But you cannot bring a state flag or an organisation’s flag and give it the same status as the national flag.

“The pole for the Nigerian flag should either be higher, or the flag is put in front. If the flags are on one line, the Nigerian flag should be on the right. All these are information we will bring to the knowledge of Nigerians so that they know really the position of the flag.”

However, Omeri does not see the question of respect for national symbols as something that must be enshrined in the constitution, but a key civic obligation that should naturally be adhered to. He says Nigerians must learn to trust and respect the leaders they have elected for themselves.

“Let us trust our governments at all levels and exercise our political rights and civic duties. Let’s support the processes being put in place to make sure that people’s votes count. The challenge is to educate Nigerians to be more aware and to discharge their responsibilities to the country.

“If Nigerians understand and accept the transformation agenda, they would drive it as a basis of change for development. Understanding the processes of the transformation agenda is a challenge.”

In May, NOA launched a campaign, “Do the right thing: transform Nigeria,” which aims to encourage Nigerians to take more active and sincere part in the development of the country through participation in various sectors of the economy. What with the growing public attitudes bordering on honesty and integrity, like return of forgotten items, Omeri is happy with the general response to the transform Nigeria campaign.

But he is disappointed with the labour movement in Nigeria over its seeming inconsistency on the question of sanitising the fuel subsidy regime. Labour had sued for a probe of the fuel subsidy management to unearth and prosecute illegal dealings that had cost the country several billions of naira in fraudulent subsidy payments. That quest was part of labour’s agitation when it led a nationwide strike in January following the federal government’s removal of fuel subsidy. In a curious u-turn, however, a key branch of the labour movement, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, a fortnight ago stopped fuel supply to Abuja and its environs to protest federal government’s refusal to pay subsidy claims by some oil marketers alleged to have engaged in underhand deals and fleeced the country.

Omeri says, “I’m surprised that labour would now say government should not do what they had initially encouraged the government to do. But there is no force that would intimidate or stampede government into not implementing the report. What belongs to Nigerians must be given to them. A few people cannot sit down and feast on our common wealth.

“It is negative for labour, because they were the ones who said there should be probe. Government is doing that, and they are saying something else. They are confusing the people.”

NOA, under Omeri, is expanding the platforms of interaction with the citizens in leaps and bounds. The Civic Responsibility Volunteer scheme is one of its strategies for engaging the youth on a platform that is neighbourhood based. It is a process that entails bringing together young talented Nigerians and fresh graduates on purpose to provide them avenues to practicalise their knowledge while waiting for formal employment.

The agency is also collaborating with the private sector and the Consumer Protection Council in the war against fake and substandard items by trying to give Nigerian consumers the right to return substandard goods to their sellers within 28 days of the purchase. Omeri says, “The private sector is happy with it, especially local manufacturers, because it would eliminate fakes. We are still collaborating with the Consumer Protection Council to take the campaign further. We just made initial statements; we need to proceed with advocacy, to explain to traders, manufacturers, government, etc.”

He believes, “National orientation is not a teacher-and-student affair. National orientation is an embodiment of the values that are original to us; values that have been handed down to us, and we are handing them over. It is an all-encompassing project that is targeted at every citizen, from the president to the federal executive council, governors, the media, etc.

“Our reporting should be value-based, aimed to rescue our country and set it on the right part. Let us criticise constructively, let us set the agenda for development.”

It is evidently not easy to achieve NOA’s targets under Nigeria’s current cheerless socio-economic and political circumstances. But many agree that Omeri’s sociability is a virtue that would help him to break the religious, ethnic, gender, and generational divides to get the agency’s message across to most Nigerians. A simple folk, Omeri takes the attitude that people should be treated with open camaraderie – in contrast to the standoffish mien of most government officials in this part of the globe. This habit of his also came out clearly in the course of this Encounter.

Breaking the Curse of “Feeding Bottle Federalism”.

Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

By Uche Anichukwu
The breast milk is so central to child survival that the world set aside a week to mark it. Yet every breastfeeding baby knows it is only enjoying a rented facility. Beside the fact that it gets to a point when either the mother or the “landlord” begins to grumble, there also comes a time when even a bucket-full would not quench its hunger. The feeding bottle comes handy, followed by solid food as the child is eventually weaned off.

Unfortunately, the irony in Nigeria’s case is that ever since Gowon’s Regime threw away the core federal principle of fiscal federalism and replaced it with what Senator Ekweremadu correctly described as “feeding bottle federalism”, our states have become overindulged adults permanently on exclusive breastfeeding. The Federal Government became the “Big Daddy” who confiscates all that belongs to his children and doles out to all, the hard working and the indolent alike. Therefore, we are left with states in the mould of what Ndigbo call “Agadi ekwe nka” (every-year-young) and “Nwakpuda” (a child that refuses to grow despite adequate nutrition).

However, it was never the design of our founding fathers. Their reasons for opting for federalism cannot be faulted. To Chief Awolowo, “the constitution of Nigeria must be federal...any other constitution will be unsuitable and generate ever-recurring instability which may eventually lead to the complete disappearance of the Nigeria composite State”. Dr. Azikiwe opined that Nigerian’s prosperity lay in the heterogeneity of both the composition and endowments of a federal structure for the unleashing of the energies of the federating units for national development. Sir Ahmadu Bello reasoned that federalism provided the “only guarantee that the country will grow evenly all over. We can spend the money we receive, the money we raise, in the direction best suited to us”. True to their collective dreams, those days of true federalism up to the fall of the First Republic have remained reference points in massive development across the nation as the regions sort to outdo one another in human capital, infrastructural and industrial development serviced by proceeds from palm produce in the East, cocoa and rubber in the West and groundnut in the North.

Therefore, contrary to the usual proclivity to blame the discovery of oil for our woes, I beg to argue that our trouble actually began when we enthroned  “feeding bottle federalism” by cutting down on the percentage of accruals to federating units on the basis of derivation principle. As we moved from 50% derivation at independence to 45% between 1969 to1971, 45% (excluding offshore proceeds) from 1971 to 1975, 20%(excluding offshore proceeds) from 1975 to 1979, 0% (zero percent) from 1979 to 1981, 1.5% from 1982 to 1992, 3% from 1992 to 1999, and 13% from 1999 till date, we created more shareable/free monies for all, irrespective of their inputs into the economy/federal purse. That explains why the component states could afford to abandon agriculture.

In his back page piece (Thisday, March 4, 2012) entitled “Federal Allocation and Our Future”, Simon Kolawale laments that “eternal reliance on oil revenue has done a lot of damage to the federation”. He asks: “Why do we need to stretch our brain to dream of building our own Microsoft and Apple when we can look up to Abuja for the flow of petrodollars every month? Why should Bauchi bother to tap its tourism potential? Why should Bayelsa dream of feeding Africa with its FADAMA rice when there is a fat FAAC cheque to be collected in Abuja monthly? Why should Aba be developed into our own Taiwan or Japan? There is no such incentive. The only incentive I can see in Nigeria is Federation Account”. So, we can now understand why a state governor that should be a chief wealth creator for his state can afford to throw away his thinking cap and sleep for a whole moon only to complain that the free money he is getting from a self-imposed Santa Claus at the centre is not enough.

In particular, I read an interview granted by a Governor who claimed that enthroning fiscal federalism in the ongoing constitution amendment would further impoverish his region. I laughed because his region fared much better under fiscal federalism in the First Republic, but has retrogressed gravely since the coming of free oil money that only oiled a few elites and abandonment of agriculture that provided both mass employment and foreign exchange for the entire region. The same region he was talking about had so many bourgeoning industries and remained West Africa’s textile headquarters for long owing to the foundations laid in that golden era of our federalism. Today, the factories have parked up under “feeding bottle federalism”, while the warehouses now mostly serve as worship centres.

I will only agree that fiscal federalism will put some states, including my own State, Enugu, through temporary crucibles. But it will certainly challenge the federating units to put on their thinking caps, mobilize their abundant resources and unleash quantum potentials. I always marvel at the data on the nationwide distribution of mineral resources once published by the Raw Material Research and Development Council. I summarised the number of mineral resources in each state as follows: Abia-19, Adamawa – 13, Akwa Ibom - 11, Anambra – 8, Bauchi- 35, Bayelsa - 4, Benue- 32, Borno-        23, Cross River  - 28, Delta  - 12, Ebonyi - 8, Edo-  11, Ekiti - 13, Imo - 8, Jigawa - 10, Kaduna  - 13, Kano - 20, Katsina  - 23, Kebbi – 10, Kogi – 14, Kwara -12, Lagos - 6, Nassarawa - 15, Niger -17, Ogun -         11, Ondo - 6, Osun -10, and Oyo- 13. Others are: Plateau - 16, Rivers -5, Sokoto -10, Enugu - 11, FCT - 10, Gombe - 11, Taraba – 18, Yobe - 15, and Zamfara - 8. These are exclusive of our rich farmlands and tourism potentials. Now, show me which state is poor. Yet everything lies prostrate or illegally exploited.

Even at that, I would advice those who think the wellbeing of their people, North or South, depends on the quantity of oil or other mineral resources to think twice as modern economies are knowledge-driven. For instance, bereft of oil and other mineral resources, South Korea is the World’s 13th largest economy and 3rd in Asia. Without a single drop of iron ore, Korea’s steel company, POSCO, has risen to the top of global steel industry. Korea’s GNI per capita of almost USD20,000 is poles apart from Nigeria’s GNI per capita of USD1, 180 (World Bank, 2010) despite our plenteous oil resources.

Indeed, oil and mineral resources can only be blessings if well and competitively managed. The UAE is an example of an oil rich nation that has prospered through competitiveness fired by fiscal federalism. Dubai, just a federating emirate (like Osun state), accounts for an infinitesimal quantity of the UAE oil output compared to the heavily endowed Abu Dhabi Emirate. Dubai’s oil is also running out. But don’t worry for them because rather than begrudge sister emirates, Dubai’s leaders have built it into the beautiful financial, commercial, and tourism bride of the Middle East, with suitors flocking in from all parts the world to indulge in her bubbling business and tourism capacities.

Therefore, I think that our enemy is not the fiscal federalism many seem paranoid about. Rather, it is “feeding bottle federalism” that erodes true federalism and national prosperity, allowing the Federal Government to confiscate and share our resources in manners that promote laziness among component states, enthrone bad and uncreative governance, massive corruption, underdevelopment, poverty of the masses and opulence of a few. I see no reason we should not seize the opportunity of the ongoing constitution review project to break the curse.
• Uche Anichukwu is a public affairs analyst

How to deal with corrupt leaders, by Falana, Fasuan.

By Sulaiman Salawudeen.

Mr. Femi Falana (SAN

There will be an end to Nigeria’s corrupt leadership when the banking system is made sufficiently effective to curtail unscrupulous transactions.
Structures will also have to be in place for Nigerians to identify and shame the leaders who compromise standards.
Speaking with The Nation on phone during the week, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) recalled that last year, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spent N1.7 trillion on subsidy without any supplementary appropriation or statutory warrant while only N245 billion was actually budgeted.
Falana said it is urgent for citizens to mobilise and “ensure that appropriation laws are implemented to the letter.
“Last year only, N245 billion was budgeted for subsidy but a whole N1.7 trillion was eventually appropriated. How the ministry of finance came about that scandalous figure continues to challenge our feelings,” the lawyer said.
He noted further that “our traditional institutions, universities and national honours committee should equally discontinue a trend of awarding questionable honours to corrupt leaders.”
According to him, such institutions themselves will equally have to be exposed and shamed.
Falana said: “Recall that Ekiti State University (EKSU), early in the year honoured three distinguished sons of Africa: then Vice President but now President of Ghana, John Dramani Bahama; Emeritus professor of history, Prof. Tekena Tamuno; and UNIDO’s Director-General, Dr. Kandey K. Yumkella. “Who would question the awards to these most distinguished and eminent sons of the continent,” he asked.
Meanwhile, in his comments, Chief Deji Fasuan, retired permanent secretary and redoubtable social critic, said: “Corruption is so frustrating and pervading. Nigeria is the 2nd most corrupt country in the world. No aspect of our national life is spared.”

The Flood Disaster Caused By Camerounian Dam.

LEADERSHIP EDITORIAL

The deluge ravaging several parts of Nigeria was worsened penultimate Saturday (August 25, 2012) by the release of water from Lagdo Dam in northern Cameroun by the Camerounian authorities, which led to the submerging of many riverine settlements in 11 local government areas of Adamawa State in the north-east geopolitical zone of Nigeria. At least three people were reportedly killed and thousands of families displaced. About 3,000 internally displaced persons have been camped across the state and are receiving relief materials.
As in many aspects of our national life, the Adamawa flood has been attributed to negligence. The minister of water resources, Mrs Stella Ochekpe, confirmed this while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council  (FEC) meeting. She said that successive governments have failed to construct a buffer dam in Adamawa.
It is a shame that while Nigerian governments spend billions of naira on inconsequential projects from time to time, they have often failed to attend to sensitive and important projects such as this, knowing full well the risk such failure to act poses to the citizens who live there.
The report that the Camerounian government notified the relevant Nigerian authorities prior to the decongestion of the dam and the failure of the Nigerian stakeholders, notably the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Adamawa State, to evacuate the people before the unfortunate incident is a big blow to our sense of humanity. In other climes where value is placed on human life, an emergency camp would have been constructed for the people before the catastrophe.
Mrs. Ochekpe’s pledge that President Jonathan’s administration was ready to conduct a feasibility study as a preamble to constructing a buffer dam should be translated into action now. The federal government must find a permanent solution to the Lagdo Dam-inflicted flood by constructing a dam in Adamawa State that will reduce and manage the volume of water released annually from Lagdo Dam. Also, water channels that link Nigeria with the dam should be dredged.
Traditional rulers have a big role to play in emergency communication. They should be mobilised to sensitise their various communities on the implications of certain bad habits that may lead to flooding Besides, a warning of every environmental issue should be extended to them. Nigerians will not forgive the policy-makers of today if they allow the Adamawa flood or any other flood ravaging the country to repeat itself next year or anytime in the future.

Yoruba nation and the Nigerian project.

By Bisi Oladele.

Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade

Last Thursday, Ibadan, the political capital of the Yoruba, received unusual visitors in a historic meeting. Bisi Oladele examines the agenda of the ethnic nationality towards re-inventing a new political, economic and cultural framework for Nigeria as a nation

Demands of Yoruba nation 
The General Assembly is pushing 15 proposals:
•A new Nigeria consisting of a federal government and six geo-political zones operating federal and regional constitutions respectively’
•A single legislative list which will be the Exclusive Legislative List consisting of only thirty items’
•The Westminster model of parliamentary government.’
•Value Added Tax, Sales Tax, Stamp Duties and other taxes – except Customs and Excise Duties, Petroleum Profit Tax and other levies associated with mineral resources- should be levied, collected and retained by the regions and an agreed percentage remitted to the central government on the basis of responsibilities. Petroleum Tax should be levied and collected by the Federal Government while 25 percent of oil revenue receipt by the Federal Government should be remitted to oil producing regions.’
•A regional and state police force structure’
•The establishment of a constitutional court with jurisdiction over inter-governmental cases and petition from elections to the National Assembly’
•That all public officers who currently enjoy absolute immunity be made amendable to court processes on charges bordering on commission of crimes’
•An informal role for traditional rulers in the political structure’
•The removal of the registration requirement for political parties. In addition, prior to elections, political parties must maintain self-financing status’
•The adoption of the open-secret ballot system for voting in elections’
•All election petitions must be expeditiously disposed of before the swearing-in of the declared winners’
•The abrogation of the Land Use Decree’
•Constitutional Affirmative Action provisions for the inclusion of women in public affairs, i.e as members of the Executive, National Assembly, Judiciary, civil service, etc’
•An awareness of the role and significance of civil society organisations in the polity as the core of national civic education at all levels.

The venue was historic. So was the meeting as well as the coalescence of the progressives, interestingly across party lines for the pan-Yoruba summit. The convener, Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade (Rtd), carefully chose the floor of the Oyo State House of Assembly, where the motion for Nigerian independence was moved in 1956 by the late elder statesman, Chief Anthony Enahoro. The venue was also the floor where the first Premier of Western Nigeria, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, got approval for his legendary policies that stood him out as a great leader of his time.  It was at the same venue Yoruba converged again last Thursday, 27 years after Awolowo’s death, to voice their concern for what they described as the quasi-unitary constitution and declared their determination to pursue self-determination through regional government. 
The one-day summit was tagged: “Yoruba Assembly.” True to its name, the meeting witnessed assemblage of governors, political leaders, traditional rulers, leaders of thought, distinguished professionals and representatives of Yoruba in Kwara and Kogi states as well as Yorubas in the Diaspora.
Though it was dominated by Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leaders, some Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) leaders also graced the occasion and were given good voice, signalling that Yoruba are willing to work together to revive the glory of the Yoruba nation. Former Speaker, House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and Dr Dejo Raimi were among the two top PDP leaders that addressed the gathering.
 General expression of bitterness and accommodation of dissenting voices at the meeting conveyed the fact that the Yoruba are unanimous in condemning the present lopsided structure of federalism in Nigeria. They also unanimously rejected fiscal federalism as is currently practiced and gave the verdict that the current system of government in Nigeria is unitary in disguise. The Yoruba leaders also agreed that the Yoruba nation has almost fully lost her capacity to mobilise her resources to develop the region and the people as obtained before and shortly after independence.
In the Yoruba agenda, endorsed by stakeholders on Thursday, the nationality is seeking a self-governing, autonomous Yoruba region. It demands the right of Yoruba in the current South-west states to live under a regional government within the Nigerian federation with right to negotiate with other nationalities along the laid down principles of federalism, justice and equity.
It stated further that the region shall have its own constitution that shall not be inconsistent with the constitution of a true Nigerian federation and that the region shall run its internal affairs except in areas which all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria “at a properly constituted constitutional conference, agree should be under the aegis of the federal government. “The demands also include the freedom for all Yoruba, outside the current South-west, to join the current South-west by choice. It also calls for creation of state for the Yoruba in Kwara and Kogi states as they currently occupy 14 local governments.
The agenda also affirms the right of other nationalities to form their own regions and all nationalities, including foreigners to live and work in the Yoruba region.
Asides the above, the Yoruba are pushing for fiscal federalism, effective anti-corruption crusade and revival of the core Yoruba values, particularly the concept of ‘Omoluabi.
To achieve these and many more, the Yoruba are pushing for regional integration among the current South-west states, setting up of a regional anti-corruption agency, promotion of the Yoruba language, promotion of merit system in the affairs of the country and creation of state police. In all, the Yoruba nation is asking for self determination through regional autonomy. In all, the general assembly is pushing 15 proposals. 
The debate and agreements
Aa all-encompassing and progressive as the proposals look, it is normal to expect criticism of parts of the whole agenda as exemplified by Dimeji Bankole’s disagreement with creation of state police. The assembly was also unable to address the challenge of choosing and supporting a particular individual as the new leader of the Yoruba as in the days of Awolowo. But the fact that was obvious at the meeting was that Yoruba, in spite of political differences, are unanimous in rejecting the current operation of federalism in Nigeria. They also strongly believe that the current system inhibits the ability of the Yoruba to tap their capacity to grow beyond the current level and that there is an urgent need to renegotiate the co-existence of the various ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria.
With the new move by the ethnic nationality, the world is obviously waiting for the reaction of other nationalities that make up the country as well as that of the Federal Government of Nigeria which is holding power in trust for all Nigerians.
Considering similar voices coming from the South-east, South-south and the North, it may be safe to conclude that Nigeria is closer to a national conference where these issues will be discussed for continued co-existence.