BENIN — FORMER Honourable Minister of State for Works, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi , FNSE, KSC, JP, was clearly the star attraction at the 42nd Founder's Day Lecture at the University of Benin where he presented a paper Entitled : HARD TIMES FOR THESE TIMES :THE THINK FACTORY GUIDE TO ACTION were he spoke on Corruption, Niger Delta and the way forward, also made some suggestions and Recommendations on the way out of hard times. Concluded by saying "Our Nation like most nations in the word have experienced, or are experiencing recession. This is not the first time we are faced with this kind of monumental challenge. Winners don't quite and quitters don't win. We need to apply wisdom and come together as a nation to focus and develop appropriate strategies to the economy on sustainable path of economic recovery and growth. "
HARD TIMES FOR THESE TIMES: THE THINK FACTORY GUIDE TO ACTION
The Visitor, University of Benin
His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari GCFR
President, Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
The Chancellor
His Highness, Mai Martaba
Muhammad Sanusi II CON
Sarkin Kano
The Pro Chancellor and Chairman, Governing council
Senator Effiong Dickson Bob
The Vice Chancellor
Professor F.F.O. Orumwense, FNSE
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration)
Professor Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
Prof. Abiodun Falodun
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Ekehuan Campus)
Prof. S. E. O. Aduwa-Ogiegbaen, JP
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The Registrar
O.A. Oshodin (Mrs)
The Bursar
Dr. Baba Bila, FCNA
The University Librarian
Dr. (Mrs) Evelyn Omoluabi Idiodi; CLN, MNIM
Members of senate
The Provost, College of Medicine
Deans and Directors
Heads of departments
Distinguished guests
Gentlemen of the Press
Parents and Guardians
Ladies and Gentlemen
Greatest Uniben students.
The Vice-Chancellor sir, I feel delighted to be accorded the honor of being the Guest Lecturer for this 42nd Founders’ Day Lecture. Honestly speaking, I consider it a rare privilege and I am indeed very grateful for this gesture of goodwill from you to me.
1.0. The Concept of the Title
The lecture is entitled “Hard Times for These Times: The Think Factory Guide to Action”. We all know that the Nigerian Economy is in grave peril. The implication is that in these times, we are facing economic hardship – hard times – which tend to put our lives in serious peril. It is therefore timely for us to brainstorm and pull ourselves up by our bootstraps in order to power out of the current National Economic Recession. No doubt the Universities constitute a think tank –factory – comprising people who research into areas to find solutions to problems and come up with new ideas. It is indeed part of the objectives for setting up Universities. Consequently, for times like these, I mean the hard times in which we are, we need to fall back on our citadel of education to generate new
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ideas that would free us from the claws of Economic Depression and recession plaguing us as a nation at present. Such ideas emanating from experience, Research and Teaching, should be robust enough to help solve the grave economic problems we are beset with. I humbly feel that this lecture, as it’s entitled, is quite apt for these times of great hardship – Hard Times.
During Victorian era (1837–1901) in Britain, there was a similar period of economic hardship; economic cycle with a thorough and such economic situation motivated Charles Dickens to write a novel entitled “Hard Times”, the novel that was published in 1854. In the book it is said that those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it; it’s a guide to navigation in perilous, hard times as these times. History proves nothing because it contains everything. It is a great dust heap. It appraises the past to enable us judge of the future.
1.1 Introduction:
1.1.1 Brief History of the University of Benin
On November 23, 1970, the Mid-West Institute of Technology (MIT) was founded. The Institute was situated at Ekehuan Road, in the very location of the present Ekehuan campus of the University of Benin. There were relatively few Universities in Nigeria at that time. With rapid growth in population, the then Bendel State Government recognized the need to establish a full-fledged University. Prior to this development, effort was made in 1967 to set up a University as a University campus of University of Ibadan, but it was frustrated by an act of God - the Nigerian civil war.
After the civil war, the then Midwest Government, led by Col. S.O. Ogbemudia, in March 1970, promulgated an edit establishing the Mid-West Institute of Technology (MIT) with three faculties namely: The Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, The Faculty of Science, and the Faculty of Engineering. The temporary site for the MIT was former Mariere College – a teacher training college. The Iyaro campus accommodated the Faculty of Science. The first Rector of MIT was
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Prof Glyn Philips (1970-1972). On July 1, 1971 the Midwest Institute of Technology was accorded the status of full-fledged University by the National University Commission (NUC). The University was established vide edict No. 3 of 1975 which took effect in December 1974. It may interest you to note that the first Dean of Faculty of Engineering was Prof. Smith. The first Dean of Faculty of Medicine was Prof Hardock; an Englishman and the first Dean of Faculty Science was Prof Wright, also an English man. More importantly, the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof Kenneth Hill, was appointed in 1972. Further , Late Chief D.R Oduaran was the first Registrar of the University of Benin and the first Bursar was Mr G.A. Aghahowa of blessed memory.In 1973, the substantive Vice-Chancellor took ill and went home for treatment but died there. In his position, Prof. John Harris, the then Librarian, who hailed from New Zealand, was appointed as
the next Vice-Chancellor, being the most Senior Professor in the University at that time.
From the above, it is evident that November 23, 1970 was a Monumental Moment for the University of Benin; that the Institution had a humble beginning. It is particularly interesting to note that the oxygen of sustained academic research and excellence in teaching has really breathed life into the University, leading to turnover of graduates that are well fitted for the Nigerian economy. Sure, it’s in reminiscence of the experience of time long past that the Management and Council of the University of Benin resolved to establish the Founders’ Day on which occasion distinguished Alumni would always be called upon to give a lecture on a subject matter that echoes back the great transport of joy felt when the University was founded. As I give this lecture today, that historical defining moment that took place several years ago is being reenacted. The Vice-Chancellor sir, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, today marks 46 years of the existence of this great University. – the implication being that the University was established exactly November 23, 1970 albit as Mid-West
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Institute of Technology at the outset. In the 46 years of its existence, as it were, it is marking the 42nd Convocation anniversary. We and the generations yet unborn will ever commemorate the University of Benin Founders’ Day. It may interest you to know that I, Chris Ogiemwonyi, entered the University in 1970 as a pioneer student and left in 1974 with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Physics. I am proud to say that I have applied the knowledge gained in this University to serve our nation in several capacities, culminating to being appointed a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This happened after 34 years of meritorious service to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I therefore encourage the graduands who will be convocating on Friday, November 25, 2016 to adhere strictly to the motto of the University – “Knowledge for Service” – in all their future endeavours so that they can help to remodel the Nigerian political economy. It is
a great responsibility you owe this University, your Alma Mater and to our great country, Nigeria. You all will be accountable for this onerous responsibility.
Clearly, the motto of the University of Benin – “Knowledge for Service” – should depict the character of our alumni.
In 1952, China enacted an educational policy to the effect that all courses taught in their Universities should find usefulness in their industries; otherwise such courses should be jettisoned. After about 50 years of its implementation, China has become the 2nd biggest global economy next to the United States of America.
Thus the Key Question Here is How Do We Translate Classroom Teaching to Deal with the Problems of Our Economy?
We are already neck deep in economic recession and still tethering on the brink of economic depression. We therefore need to follow a well, thought-out educational policy that will foster a total departure from excessive emphasis on memorizing and cramming. The situation on the ground calls for thinking outside the box as the NUC Secretary advised in a colloquim held on Tuesday,
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November 1, 2016. Consequently, the solutions to the “Hard Times for These Times” lies in the synergy among the Think Tank [University], and the Government, and the business communities in the country.
By and large, the economy is adrift, whirling through recession towards the brink of depression even without our full realization. One of the key indicators of depression is lingering unemployment and steady decline in real Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
1.1.2 What is Recession?
Recession is defined as a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales.
Again, recession has been defined by Oxford Dictionary as “a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters’’. It is generally an economic decline and is typically accompanied by a drop in the stock market, increase in unemployment rate, and a decline in the domestic market. Recession can also be viewed as an economic decline in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for two or more consecutive quarters. GDP is the market value of all goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time.
In economics, a recession is a negative growth for two consecutive quarters. It’s also a business cycle contraction which results in a general slowdown in economic activity. Macroeconomic indicators for recession negatively affect GDP, investment spending, capacity utilization, household income, business profits; and generally result in high inflation, increased unemployment rate, and so forth.
1.1.3 Types of Recession:
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Four types have been identified which include:
1. Boom and Bust Recession
This kind is often preceded by previous economic boom. It’s short-lived most times.
2. Balance Sheet Recession
This sort is often characterized by profound decline in balance sheets arising from firm’s assets and poor liquidity. It often lasts for a long time.
3. Depression
This variety is a prolonged and deep recession. It is characterized by very sharp fall in output and high rate of unemployment.
4. Supply or Demand Side Shocks
This category is frequently marked by sudden rise or fall in commodity prices e.g. crude oil can cause this type of recession. In the Nigeria’s case, we are
experiencing sudden low revenue. In addition there has been shortage in supply of oil due to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).Again, a country is said to be in recession when there is 1.5-2% points rise in unemployment within 12 months. No doubt, Nigeria’s unemployment indicator has exceeded this mark.
2.0 Nigerian Political Economy Nigeria is a middle income, partially mixed economy and emerging market, with potentials to expand in finance, service, communications, technology and entertainment sectors. It is ranked as the 21st largest economy in the world in terms of nominal GDP, and about the 20th largest in terms of Purchasing Power Parity. Last year, it was the largest economy in Africa. The Nigerian economy has been adversely affected by external shocks, particularly in the fall of global price of crude oil. Growth slowed down sharply from 6.2% in 2014 to an estimated 3.0% in 2015. Also, Inflation increased from 7.8% to an estimated 9.0%. The sluggish growth is mainly attributed to a slowdown in economic activity which has been adversely impacted by the inadequate supply of foreign exchange and aggravated by the foreign exchange restrictions targeted at a list of 41 imports, some of which are inputs for manufacturing and agro-industry.
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The 2016 Nigerian economic outlook shows very slow economic recovery as some of the reforms newly implemented begin to take effect and measures are being put in place in order to boost the economy. One of such measures include increased spending on infrastructure. Some specific reforms pursued by the new administration to lay a foundation for renewed growth are commendable; some of the key reforms include: 1. enforcement of the Single Treasury Account to block financial leakages. 2. the rationalization of the public sector in order to cut the cost of governance; 3. enforcement of tax compliance; and 4. preparation for zero-budgeting that started in 2016; and increasing the ratio of capital to recurrent expenditure. Security remains another major challenge, especially in the North east part of the country and the Niger Delta area. While the military has stepped up the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency, the humanitarian situation has continued to deteriorate. The number of internally displaced persons is estimated at over 2 million. Concerted efforts have been made by the Government and concerned international bodies have continued to explore additional ways of improving the situation in all affected areas. As it were, some of these measures are good in themselves but they appear to be type of crisis management introduced when we are already in recession. We should look forward to preventive measures as soon as we come out of the present recession. Factors that caused Recession in Nigeria. Various factors may give rise to recession. They can be enumerated as follows: 1. Poor leadership (Inability of the previous administration to save). 2. Oil price drop 3. Nigeria’s over-dependence on foreign products. 4. Corruption 5. Mono –economy ( over dependency on Oil and Gas) 6. The activities of militants and pipeline vandals 7. Unstable monetary policies 8. Unemployment I will briefly discuss them one after another.
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1. Poor Leadership:
Good leadership entails ensuring that the existing structures within the Government Agencies and Parastatals are adequately well equipped. Empowering as well as building such institution within the system and not within individuals.
Having a prudent financial and saving culture. This is most eminent in terms of Nigeria’s foreign reserve which has been poorly depleted over the past years especially. 2. Oil price drop: The dwindling oil price in the international market over the past few years have caused panic all over the world. At one point this price fell by more than 70 percent compared with June 2014 levels (when it was at $160 per barrel). Although Prices have recovered a few times since the last year, and now appear to be bound by a range of $40 to $50 a barrel. It caused a lot of economic imbalance in the Nigerian economy which is currently a Mono- Economy since Nigeria depends mainly on revenue from petroleum for her Economy sustainance. 3. Nigeria’s Over-Dependence on Foreign Products: Nigeria’s over dependency mostly on imported goods and services for survival has direct negative impact on its economy. We also observed that Nigeria rarely exports even primary unfinished products, solid minerals, agricultural products; but largely imports most finished goods. However, the ideal thing is to export processed products. These lopsided foreign trades have a lot of negative effects on the Nigeria economy, which include: i. increase in unemployment. ii. Widening of disparity between our current and those of advanced economies. iii. growing national debts. iv. over dependence on foreign markets, and technical known- how. 4. Corruption:
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The need to be accountable to the responsibilities assigned to government officials, political appointees, public and civil servants which require that they follow due diligence in managing our funds, rather than siphoning the funds for individual benefits has been brazenly disregarded. Incidentally, these corrupt practices ruined the economy. 5. Mono –Economy (Over Dependency on Oil and Gas): The discovery of Oil led to the neglect of other economic products. Various successive administrations since 1960 have been relying on this product, to which they pay much attention at the expense of other natural resources. Agriculture that used to be the main stay of the nation’s economy before the discovery of petroleum was relegated to the background and has been unable, to date, regain its lost glory even with several programmes initiated by some of the past Administrations.
Other areas that require urgent attention includes: 1. Solid Minerals 2. Power 3. Infrastructures
As a matter of fact, there is an urgent need for the Federal Government to begin looking into diversification of various sectors of the economy so as to attain solid economic growth. The fallen price of crude at the world market has orchestrated the devaluation of the Naira and given rise to increased inflation. 6. The Activities of Militants and Pipeline Vandals. Pipe line vandalization by militants has led adverse effects on daily oil production. It also caused production downtime because damaged pipelines and facilities have to be fixed up or repaired. There is also the problem of breach or poor implementation of agreements between Oil companies and their host communities. These international Oil companies (IOCs) entered into memorandum of understanding (MoU) with host communities as part of corporate social responsibilities on their side. These MoU’s cover policies on employment, students scholarship, skill acquisition programmes, provision of basic amenities such as: roads, water, electricity , schools, clinics, markets, training, and empowerment programmes for farmers. 7. Unstable Monetary Policies:
The Central Bank of Nigeria should provide condusive monetary policy that will attract both domestic and foreign investors. Polices that would ensure that genuine manufacturers can easily access foreign exchange; and encourage others
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to source raw materials locally.
Nigeria can only come out of the recession if the Naira is truly devalued, and there is no longer dependency on the Bureau de Change (BDC). 8. Unemployment: Unemployment contributes sparingly to the economy because unemployed persons spend less. Consequently, making the government to borrow more money because of low revenues and high spending. Rise in unemployment rates correlates highly with increase in crime rate, poor living standards and suchlike.
3.0 Strategies for Triumphing over the Hard Times. The fact that the Nigerian Economy has collapsed is no longer news but the news is how to revive this ailing economy. The Federal Government needs to urgently implement a combination of short, medium and long-term solutions to reflate the economy because the current harsh ship has caused so much hunger and anger in our country and the prompt nature of these solutions are very key. Short Term Economic Solutions.
1. Conflict Resolution: As it is commonly said, in the absence of peace there can’t be any meaningful form of development. The Federal Government should as a matter of urgency intensify her dialogue with people of the Niger Delta region using the Governors as the arrow heads.
2. Government Borrowing: Support Government borrowing effort with a proviso that borrowed funds be tied to Economic Developments via viable projects that would yield Long Term cash inflow to the Nation’s economy. Medium Term Economic Solutions.
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1. The medium term solution should be targeted towards growing the economy by diversifying products that meet international standards so that they can be stable in international markets. In so doing, there must be intervention funds to entrepreneurs while the fund must be well monitored to avoid the kind of ailing scenarios we have experienced in the past. Diversification of the economy is a necessity if we must experience economic revamping. When the economy is diversified, Nigeria’s growth will no longer be determined by the prices of crude oil. The frail nature of the Nigerian economy can be attributed to its being petroleum based. The instance the global oil price plummets, the economy of Nigeria begins to wobble. This nub can be corrected by the development of other sectors.
2. Encourage the export of Nigerian products and strengthen the manufacturing sector, this will not only create employment for the unemployed but will also go a long way in helping the economy.
3. Encouraging acquisition of skills will go a long way in solving Nigerians unemployment challenge. Both the government and the individuals should work hand in hand to reduce unemployment. Another alternative to solving unemployment issue in Nigeria is through self-actualization. Embracing the
opportunities offered by the internet is a welcomed idea in solving Nigerians unemployment challenges. Long Term Economic Solutions: This should border on how policy and investment environment can encourage investors noting that though the present economic situation is gloomy it is believed that things will work well if we all can make sacrifice, reduce cost of governance to enhance development. What we need to do by way of moving our Nation forward comprises the following: 1. Strong institutions: The biggest problem that bedeviled our economy is corruption and one of the ways to tackle corruption is by putting in place strong institutions that will ensure proper implementation and interpretation of our laws. 2. Devaluation of the Naira: Why is there a black market BDC in Nigeria? Why does the country have two dollar rates? This is supervised corruption and main reason why the Naira remains in free and turbulent fall. Central Bank continues to play games with Nigeria, refusing to fully devalue the Naira. A rate duplicity is maintained with the current interbank dollar rate at N305 while the parallel market sells this at N425. This dual rate is corruption and set up to favour
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the cabal who have been dashed billions of dollars via CBN subsidized dollar sales. The dual rate also maintains a competition for dollars which hikes the price at the parallel market with rebound effects on the interbank rate. Nigeria can only come out of the recession if the Naira is truly devalued, and there is no longer pressure on the Bureau de Change (BDC).
3. Reduce security vote: It must be mentioned that waste must be cut in the government. The security vote must be reduced both at the federal level and at state levels.
4. Scrap Import Ban List, Open the Market
The CBN’s import ban list has been described as impartial to the economy. The import ban lists have always been set up in Nigeria’s history to promote the monopolies.
4.0 Some Imperatives.
In what follows, I outline and briefly examine the imperatives
4.0 Some Imperatives.
In what follows, I outline and briefly examine the imperatives for revamping the economy.
1. Promote “Made In Nigeria” Goods
There are reasons why Nigerians do not patronize made in Nigeria goods. These include reliability. The Federal government must update the standardization boards. All manufactured goods must have warranties that are enforced, with customers being 100% protected by the government.
2. Strengthen and Decentralize The Police
Insecurity has cost Nigeria billions of naira in economic loses from the northeast, now a humanitarian catastrophe and a drain to the economy, and continues to do so in the Niger Delta. The fastest and best solution to the continuous breakdown of law and order is stronger and local police. The establishment of Local Police Force is becoming an imperative.
3. Re- define a Vision for Nigeria
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I do not know the vision of Nigeria so far and one wonders if the current government has one. What does Nigeria want to be? We know the vision of Dubai and Dubai took itself there. Does Nigeria want to become a tourist center? Does Nigeria want to become the West and Central Africa central manufacturing capital? Does Nigeria wish to become the food basket of Africa? Does Nigeria wish to become the information technology capital in the world? Or does Nigeria wish to become a combination of these or some of them and others.
4. Niger Delta and the Way Forward
Various avenues and platforms have been put in place to develop oil producing communities and the region. Such measures include the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which has its headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, 13% oil derivation fund paid monthly to oil producing states, social corporate responsibilities to host communities by Oil Companies, and the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme. These intervention platforms have done little to address the economic and developmental challenges of the region. Consequently, it is important that the following measures be adopted:
a) the Federal Government should put an action plan in place to address the problems of environmental pollution and gas flaring in the region;
b) the Federal, States, and Local government councils in the region should site viable and meaningful infrastructural projects in oil producing areas and the region. This will help address the anger the people have towards the government;
c) the Federal Government should work out a political solution to increase the current 13% oil derivation fund;
d) the Federal Government should vigorously pursue its economic diversification efforts;
e) The NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, and the Niger Delta Amnesty programmes should be repositioned to fulfill their mandate. Corruption should be eliminated from their operations;
f) the 13% oil derivation fund should be judiciously used by the state governments to bring meaningful development to oil producing areas of the states’ and
g) Oil Companies should be alive to their social corporate responsibilities in their host communities, MOU'S should be properly implemented. Host
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community leaders should put their people's interest above personal financial gains, they should work for the implementation of signed MOU' S.
5. War on Corruption.
The establishment of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other
Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the Code of Conduct Bureau and its Tribunal is a laudable start on the war against corruption.
Indeed, an effective war on corrupt Economic Policies has to be fought on, at least, the three axes of:
(a) Prevention,
(b) Detection, and
(c) Sanctions and Restitutions.
A law compelling all banks to report to both the appropriate Federal and State Boards of Inland Revenue/Tax Authorities, as well as the law enforcement agencies any deposits, transfers or withdrawals of funds in excess of a specified amount (e.g. N5 million) by any individual. Such a law should provide for the automatic State confiscation if it turns out that the sources of such funds are proved in a court of law to be illegitimate or are connected with illicit money laundering.
All schools should return to the teaching of moral education to instill in our children the spirit of stewardship, while adults live exemplary lives, reflecting truth, kindness, dignity of labour, and integrity. Furthermore, our education institutions should include in their curriculum courses that would enhance Financial Education and Financial IQ Growth and Development
6. Role of our High Institutions:
High institutions should establish consulting units managed by outstanding professors cum professionals. Universities/Polytechnics should aspire to changing lives through the opportunities that they provide and the knowledge they produce. They must be empowered to providing access to everyone with the ability to benefit from a higher education, regardless of their background or means. There must be collaboration between our Academic Institutions, Private and Public Institutions in order to ensure Effective Knowledge Transfer to uprising future generation.
7. Provision of Infrastructure: The government should as a matter of urgency prioritize the provision of infrastructure i.e. be very concerned with infrastructure that will generate mass employment and job opportunities.
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Examples are power, construction of roads, railways, and housing and finally stable electricity in the country.
8. Leadership: The previous federal Government was weak and the MDA’s displayed high level of opaqueness. For the economy to wake up we need strong leadership in the various arms of Government- Executive, legislative and Judiciary.
9. Low crude oil price and Low oil Production output : These two factors contributed significantly to where we are today.
10. Huge appetite for foreign products: This unfettered appetite for foreign products is a huge drain on our foreign reserves. We need to quickly grow local substitutes
5.0 Recommendations
Given the high level of economic hardship being currently experienced, the University and other institutions need stimulus policy that would revive the system and reposition the nation back to its status as it was 16 months ago. It should be noted that the fall in oil price and production are not the only cause of Nigeria economic recession. Yes! Oil only account for 15% of Nigeria GDP. An economic recession is measured on the basis of GDP growth.
There are other external factors to be taken into consideration:
1. We must start building bridges between the academia and the relevant sectors of our economy. Synergizing our high institutions and the government and non-Government sectors is vital to our economic development.
2. Government overdependence on foreign consultants should be reduced. To begin with, we should encourage Nigerian consultants to have joint venture relationship with foreign consulting firms. The period for JV relationships should be defined. It should not exceed 3-5 years.
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3. One major factor that caused our “Hard Times” is corruption. Are we on track or is it still growing?
4. Crude price: Fall in price of crude oil has caused a decline in oil revenue. As a holistic approach, there is need to summon courage to do the needful by passing the petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
5. Judiciary: our judiciary, like the other segments is sick. May God help us out. Is the sting operation a wakeup call?
6. Diversion of Nigerian economy. The ill of the single economy is a lesson. We must grow other sectors.
7. Looted funds: a special account to be established. Today there is no transparency in what is being returned and who has returned. There is so much secrecy.
8. On budget consideration, we should strive to have more on capital than re-current. Move from 20%/80% capital /recurrent to 40%/60% and eventually 80% CAPEX and 20% OPEX.
9. Put in place and ensure implementation of better Macro-Economic policies.
10. Ensure transparency & Accountability in both public and private sector of the economy.
11. Government agencies that are potential cash cows should be properly funded and more effectively managed.
12. Sales of national assets should be discouraged.
13. Reduce cost of governance in all ties of government.
14. .Curb our unfettered spending on unnecessary programmes and initiatives that are being funded by the use of foreign loans.
15. Check the excesses of economic predators trying to buy up government economic assets.
16. Create employment for our disenchanted youths and graduates.
17. Make refineries to work in full capacity.
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18. Improve our tax collection system as obtained in developed countries .
19. Encourage and promote export oriented businesses.
20. Reduce Security Vote.
21. Get the right minded individuals to manage key areas of our economy.
22. Promote made in Nigeria goods.
23. That NDDC should be under the Ministry of Niger Delta for effectiveness.
CONCLUSION
Our Nation like most nations in the world, have experienced, or are also experiencing recession. This is not the first time we are faced with this kind of monumental challenges. Winners don’t quit and Quitters don’t win. We need to apply wisdom and come together as a nation to focus and develop appropriate strategies to reposition the economy on sustainable path of economic recovery and growth.
6.0 Bibliography
1. Shi’skin, Julius (1 December 1974) the Changing Business Cycle
2. What is the difference between recession and a depression. Saul Eslake Nov.2008
3. Kesselman, Mark, et al
Introduction to Comparative Politics. Houghton Mifflin Company Boston 2004
4. Olson, Mancur. Power and Prosperity. Basic Books: New York 2000
5. H. Craig Petersen and W. Cris Lewis, economics, South-Western Publishing Co. 1988, P.99-109
6. Foucault, M (1991), Governmentality, trans. Rosi Braidotti and revised by Colin Gordon, in Graham Burchell, Collin Gordon and Peter Miller (edj), The Faocault Effect: studies in Governmentality, pp87-104.
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Saturday 26 November 2016
Thursday 24 November 2016
Oyegun’s Traducers Are Plotting Against Buhari In 2019 –Ogiemwonyi
— Nov 24, 2016
Chris Ogiemwonyi is a chieftain of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC). The seasoned Engineer retired after 34
meritorious years as Group Executive Director of the NNPC. The
politician who contested the Edo APC Governorship ticket broke his
silence on many national issues in this interview with PATRICK OCHOGA
You participated in the Edo June 18th, 2016 Governorship primaries.What lesson did you draw from it?
The Edo Primary of June 18 th has come and gone and I have since returned to my Oil and Gas consulting business. Talking about lessons learnt from the primaries, one thing was very prominent and that was the role played by a seating governor and I have since realized that the seating governor has an overwhelming influence on who succeed him. He has about 60% role influence. Secondly, looking at the various primaries within and outside Edo State, I can see the high level of opaqueness, that is, the more you look the less you see. There is a mind-set of who will win the primaries from the onset and that is why today people are clamouring for an Independent candidacy and I pray that our politics will evolve to that level so that people who have the capacity can come out as an independent candidate.
Like you said earlier, the primary election has come and gone. What
should be the focus for the new governor, Obaseki as a stakeholder in
the Edo project?
It will be difficult to talk about the new government that is barely two weeks; the only thing one can say is to wish the governor good luck, and a good tenure. To access the state therefore is to look at what is on ground today, we must look at the last eight years of Adams Oshiomhole, in doing this we look at the various projects he embarked upon, including the Red Roof schools, the Benin Water Storm project, Roads etc. But I strongly feel that it is not sufficient for a state that is so endowed like Edo state, one had expected that wealth and job creation, industrialization, sports, Agriculture, solid minerals exploitation etc will be given much attention but today we don’t have much of those. Youth unemployment is very high, hunger is everywhere. During my campaign, I visited Afuze for example and what I saw there was pitiable. Again, another issue about the previous government was that most of the big projects were hardly advertised. I come from an industry where we believe in value for money (audit), big contracts are usually advertised. But in Edo State, am told contracts are hardly advertised, cost of projects are hardly disclosed and these are some of the things bothering the minds of Edo people. The issue of education is very pertinent, I have heard the opposition saying we have only five Physics teachers, 10 Chemistry teachers in Edo state. What is more important is not the frame but the content; no matter the numbers of Red Roof buildings what is important is the content. So in that situation students can do well. We believe that these are areas Godwin Obaseki will address and I have no doubt at all that Godwin will do a better job, realizing his noble family background and the industry he is coming from.He is well read, we hope the ills of the previous governor will be on the front burner in the Obaseki’s administration.
Some of your party leaders opposed to the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun are calling for his resignation. What is your take?
You will recall when I joined APC in November 20, 2014, I said two individuals caused me to join the party. The two being Gen. Buhari and Chief John Oyegun for their respective individual characters. Chief John Odigie – Oyegun has been a first all his life. A brilliant and principled public servant, he is well read, an economist from a premier university who spent all his years in the public service. A man who at the tender age of 36 rose to the position of Permanent Secretary at the Federal level, taking charge of key Federal Ministries. He challenged the money bags in the then Edo State and their collaborators in Abuja to become the first Executive Governor of Edo State. This is a man who could have clinched key Ministerial position in Gen Abacha’s government but instead opted out as NADECO Secretary in exile. For 16 years that PDP was in power, Chief John Oyegun was wooed and cajoled to join “the biggest party in Africa” but he refused to bulge and abandon his progressive position in partisan politics. So having Oyegun as the national chairman of APC is a blessing, I don’t know what Nigerians want; we have this ‘pull him down syndrome’. Who are the people calling for his removal? They are some over ambitious APC chieftains; some of them are not well read. Oyegun is a quiet and amiable gentleman with capacity to work. The Nigeria media must not join these people in flying kites; some of them have resorted to all sort of propaganda so that Mr President will take action against Chief Oyegun. We urge President Buhari and APC as a party to be weary of these overzealous politicians that want to destroy the APC. What they are doing today is not really aimed at Oyegun, rather they are throwing stones at Mr President and that is because before they get to Mr President they want to get Oyegun out of the way, they see him as a buffer for Mr President and ultimately for 2019. We are barely two years into the Buhari-led administration and they are already fighting ahead of 2019. Their desire is to discredit Oyegun so that their plot against Mr President can work, so it is not Oyegun after all they are fighting but President Buhari.
There is pressure on President Buhari to reshuffle his cabinet over alleged non-performance. How do you respond to this?
Nigerians are too much in a hurry, asking Mr President to remove a minister that has served just less than 18 months is unfair. When I was Group Executive Director in the NNPC, I went for a meeting with the Algerians, little did I know that the Algerian minister had a Ph.D in Gas Engineering and his been there for 12 years, he became an authority when you talk about gas but we don’t do that in Nigeria. You put a man in office and under one year people start fighting to remove him. For me, Mr President has a good team, my advice is to realign their portfolios. Today, people are talking about many lawyers in his cabinet, what Mr President should do is to look for core professionals and move them to their related ministries, that is square peg in square hole. People are speculating that Oshiomhiole is coming in; he definitely can do well as labour minister considering the fact that he was once a strong unionist as NLC President. People should be appointed in such a way that they can add value. Look at the two ministers of Health being core medical personnel. So, Mr President can look inward and see how he can rejig and realign ministers to ministries related to their fields of study.
What are your perspectives on the economic recession and possible way out?
Truly, we are in a recession caused by several factors. Firstly, was poor leadership by the previous government; Oil price drop, Nigeria’s over-dependence on foreign products, corruption, mono –economy (over dependency on Oil and Gas), the activities of militants and pipeline vandals, unstable monetary policies, unemployment are all contributing factors. Corruption grew like an oak tree and we allowed it to grow. Today, we import all kind of things into the country including tooth picks. Now, the question is how do we come out of it? On a short term, I recommend to Mr President that we should quickly resolve the Niger Delta issue. Recently, some Niger Delta leaders met with Mr President but I want to differ because I feel the governors should be the arrow head of such meeting because they know the people.
Secondly, what we need to do by way of moving our nation forward comprises the following: By putting in place strong institutions that will ensure proper implementation and interpretation of our laws, it must be mentioned that waste must be cut in the government. The security vote must be reduced both at the federal level and at state levels, promote “Made in Nigeria” goods; we should encourage new businesses by lowering our interest rates, tackle job creation through agriculture and solid mineral development. We must as a matter of urgency encourage all tiers of government to embark on road construction to ease transportation of goods and services.
On the medium and long term, the rail way sector should be developed.
Do you subscribed to the sales of our National Asset as part of solutions in tackling the current recession?
We hear people talk about selling of nation asset and people are pointing at NLNG, am completely opposed to the sale of our asset, there are alternatives. If you look at the NLNG model today is a 51% IOC and 49% Federal Government Joint Ventures. Instead of just selling my take is that government should go and borrow with good interest rates. Borrowing is not bad but it should be well utilized. This is where good leadership with clear vision comes in. And that is why we are lucky with President Buhari and his zero tolerance to corruption. With President Buhari we can borrow, and tie the funds to capital projects.
What is your view on the anti-corruption war of President Buhari?
There is corruption everywhere, even the cook you send to the market, driver you send to buy fuel are all corrupt. We allowed it to grow to a cancerous stage; we just have to quickly strengthen the security agencies especially the EFCC. I have also heard that people are saying it is one-sided and only targeted at the opposition. Look at cases of the Judges, corruption has eaten into the very fabric of our nation, today, the EFCC is not doing badly, if I have my ways I will expand EFCC to be like a ministry and as such have EFCC Czar in all the States just like we have Commissioners of Police, we just have to expand it, the cases before the commission are too many. The Judiciary again is not helping matters; I think there should be legislation where no case will exceed 6 months. And the EFFC boss Mr Magu should be confirmed to immediately give him confidence.
Having spent 34 meritorious years at the NNPC how will you described the reform in that sector under the NNPC Boss, Maikanti Baru?
Once the leadership is properly placed, the tendency is that the Company will run well. I must commend Mr President for appointing Dr Baru, He is a fantastic Engineer, courageous and fearless, he went through the various sectors of NNPC unblemished. Many of the issue confronting NNPC, like the restructuring, the PIB, JV funding, With Baru we can go to sleep, I see a better NNPC under him; For once, this is a round peg in round hole. I will urge government to do is to support him and allow NNPC to run as a business outfit. The only issue we are yet to address now is the refineries; government should also have the will power to do a complete deregulation in the downstream, once we do that the issue of fraud and corruption in the downstream could be eliminated. I also think that we should start having local refineries because if you see what we are doing, we take crude out and refine in some neighbouring West African Countries which are brought back as refine products, we need to put in place modular refineries just as it was done in Niger Republic.
Leadership
You participated in the Edo June 18th, 2016 Governorship primaries.What lesson did you draw from it?
The Edo Primary of June 18 th has come and gone and I have since returned to my Oil and Gas consulting business. Talking about lessons learnt from the primaries, one thing was very prominent and that was the role played by a seating governor and I have since realized that the seating governor has an overwhelming influence on who succeed him. He has about 60% role influence. Secondly, looking at the various primaries within and outside Edo State, I can see the high level of opaqueness, that is, the more you look the less you see. There is a mind-set of who will win the primaries from the onset and that is why today people are clamouring for an Independent candidacy and I pray that our politics will evolve to that level so that people who have the capacity can come out as an independent candidate.
It will be difficult to talk about the new government that is barely two weeks; the only thing one can say is to wish the governor good luck, and a good tenure. To access the state therefore is to look at what is on ground today, we must look at the last eight years of Adams Oshiomhole, in doing this we look at the various projects he embarked upon, including the Red Roof schools, the Benin Water Storm project, Roads etc. But I strongly feel that it is not sufficient for a state that is so endowed like Edo state, one had expected that wealth and job creation, industrialization, sports, Agriculture, solid minerals exploitation etc will be given much attention but today we don’t have much of those. Youth unemployment is very high, hunger is everywhere. During my campaign, I visited Afuze for example and what I saw there was pitiable. Again, another issue about the previous government was that most of the big projects were hardly advertised. I come from an industry where we believe in value for money (audit), big contracts are usually advertised. But in Edo State, am told contracts are hardly advertised, cost of projects are hardly disclosed and these are some of the things bothering the minds of Edo people. The issue of education is very pertinent, I have heard the opposition saying we have only five Physics teachers, 10 Chemistry teachers in Edo state. What is more important is not the frame but the content; no matter the numbers of Red Roof buildings what is important is the content. So in that situation students can do well. We believe that these are areas Godwin Obaseki will address and I have no doubt at all that Godwin will do a better job, realizing his noble family background and the industry he is coming from.He is well read, we hope the ills of the previous governor will be on the front burner in the Obaseki’s administration.
Some of your party leaders opposed to the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun are calling for his resignation. What is your take?
You will recall when I joined APC in November 20, 2014, I said two individuals caused me to join the party. The two being Gen. Buhari and Chief John Oyegun for their respective individual characters. Chief John Odigie – Oyegun has been a first all his life. A brilliant and principled public servant, he is well read, an economist from a premier university who spent all his years in the public service. A man who at the tender age of 36 rose to the position of Permanent Secretary at the Federal level, taking charge of key Federal Ministries. He challenged the money bags in the then Edo State and their collaborators in Abuja to become the first Executive Governor of Edo State. This is a man who could have clinched key Ministerial position in Gen Abacha’s government but instead opted out as NADECO Secretary in exile. For 16 years that PDP was in power, Chief John Oyegun was wooed and cajoled to join “the biggest party in Africa” but he refused to bulge and abandon his progressive position in partisan politics. So having Oyegun as the national chairman of APC is a blessing, I don’t know what Nigerians want; we have this ‘pull him down syndrome’. Who are the people calling for his removal? They are some over ambitious APC chieftains; some of them are not well read. Oyegun is a quiet and amiable gentleman with capacity to work. The Nigeria media must not join these people in flying kites; some of them have resorted to all sort of propaganda so that Mr President will take action against Chief Oyegun. We urge President Buhari and APC as a party to be weary of these overzealous politicians that want to destroy the APC. What they are doing today is not really aimed at Oyegun, rather they are throwing stones at Mr President and that is because before they get to Mr President they want to get Oyegun out of the way, they see him as a buffer for Mr President and ultimately for 2019. We are barely two years into the Buhari-led administration and they are already fighting ahead of 2019. Their desire is to discredit Oyegun so that their plot against Mr President can work, so it is not Oyegun after all they are fighting but President Buhari.
There is pressure on President Buhari to reshuffle his cabinet over alleged non-performance. How do you respond to this?
Nigerians are too much in a hurry, asking Mr President to remove a minister that has served just less than 18 months is unfair. When I was Group Executive Director in the NNPC, I went for a meeting with the Algerians, little did I know that the Algerian minister had a Ph.D in Gas Engineering and his been there for 12 years, he became an authority when you talk about gas but we don’t do that in Nigeria. You put a man in office and under one year people start fighting to remove him. For me, Mr President has a good team, my advice is to realign their portfolios. Today, people are talking about many lawyers in his cabinet, what Mr President should do is to look for core professionals and move them to their related ministries, that is square peg in square hole. People are speculating that Oshiomhiole is coming in; he definitely can do well as labour minister considering the fact that he was once a strong unionist as NLC President. People should be appointed in such a way that they can add value. Look at the two ministers of Health being core medical personnel. So, Mr President can look inward and see how he can rejig and realign ministers to ministries related to their fields of study.
What are your perspectives on the economic recession and possible way out?
Truly, we are in a recession caused by several factors. Firstly, was poor leadership by the previous government; Oil price drop, Nigeria’s over-dependence on foreign products, corruption, mono –economy (over dependency on Oil and Gas), the activities of militants and pipeline vandals, unstable monetary policies, unemployment are all contributing factors. Corruption grew like an oak tree and we allowed it to grow. Today, we import all kind of things into the country including tooth picks. Now, the question is how do we come out of it? On a short term, I recommend to Mr President that we should quickly resolve the Niger Delta issue. Recently, some Niger Delta leaders met with Mr President but I want to differ because I feel the governors should be the arrow head of such meeting because they know the people.
Secondly, what we need to do by way of moving our nation forward comprises the following: By putting in place strong institutions that will ensure proper implementation and interpretation of our laws, it must be mentioned that waste must be cut in the government. The security vote must be reduced both at the federal level and at state levels, promote “Made in Nigeria” goods; we should encourage new businesses by lowering our interest rates, tackle job creation through agriculture and solid mineral development. We must as a matter of urgency encourage all tiers of government to embark on road construction to ease transportation of goods and services.
On the medium and long term, the rail way sector should be developed.
Do you subscribed to the sales of our National Asset as part of solutions in tackling the current recession?
We hear people talk about selling of nation asset and people are pointing at NLNG, am completely opposed to the sale of our asset, there are alternatives. If you look at the NLNG model today is a 51% IOC and 49% Federal Government Joint Ventures. Instead of just selling my take is that government should go and borrow with good interest rates. Borrowing is not bad but it should be well utilized. This is where good leadership with clear vision comes in. And that is why we are lucky with President Buhari and his zero tolerance to corruption. With President Buhari we can borrow, and tie the funds to capital projects.
What is your view on the anti-corruption war of President Buhari?
There is corruption everywhere, even the cook you send to the market, driver you send to buy fuel are all corrupt. We allowed it to grow to a cancerous stage; we just have to quickly strengthen the security agencies especially the EFCC. I have also heard that people are saying it is one-sided and only targeted at the opposition. Look at cases of the Judges, corruption has eaten into the very fabric of our nation, today, the EFCC is not doing badly, if I have my ways I will expand EFCC to be like a ministry and as such have EFCC Czar in all the States just like we have Commissioners of Police, we just have to expand it, the cases before the commission are too many. The Judiciary again is not helping matters; I think there should be legislation where no case will exceed 6 months. And the EFFC boss Mr Magu should be confirmed to immediately give him confidence.
Having spent 34 meritorious years at the NNPC how will you described the reform in that sector under the NNPC Boss, Maikanti Baru?
Once the leadership is properly placed, the tendency is that the Company will run well. I must commend Mr President for appointing Dr Baru, He is a fantastic Engineer, courageous and fearless, he went through the various sectors of NNPC unblemished. Many of the issue confronting NNPC, like the restructuring, the PIB, JV funding, With Baru we can go to sleep, I see a better NNPC under him; For once, this is a round peg in round hole. I will urge government to do is to support him and allow NNPC to run as a business outfit. The only issue we are yet to address now is the refineries; government should also have the will power to do a complete deregulation in the downstream, once we do that the issue of fraud and corruption in the downstream could be eliminated. I also think that we should start having local refineries because if you see what we are doing, we take crude out and refine in some neighbouring West African Countries which are brought back as refine products, we need to put in place modular refineries just as it was done in Niger Republic.
Leadership
Friday 18 November 2016
Ex-minister Urges Nigerians To Be Patient, Prayerful
Recession: Ex-minister Urges Nigerians To Be Patient, Prayerful
— Nov 18, 2016 12:52 pm
A former minister of labour
and productivity, Dr Hassan Lawal, has urged Nigerians to be patient
and prayerful while President Muhammadu Buhari strives to fix the
economy.
Lawal made the appeal on Friday in an interview with News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the maiden Keffi Polo Tournament in
Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area of the state.
“ The policies and decisions being undertaken by the APC-led administration under President Muhammadu Buhari would soon end the economic recession that has brought hardship to the people.
“ I want to use this medium to appeal to Nigerians to be more patient
and prayerful as President Buhari strives to fix the economy so as to
improve the standard of living of the people.
“Sustained prayers by the adherents of the two major religions in the country will definitely assist the president, other elected and appointed leaders to overcome both economic and security challenges hindering the growth and speedy development of the country.
“Nigeria is passing through a phase as most developed countries of the world today also passed through this phase.
“I believe that no condition is permanent, the economy will develop and the hardship will no longer be there as lots of blessings will come to the country,” he said.
Lawal also appealed to the people of the state and Nigerians to bury their differences and unite for the overall development of the country.
The former minister stressed the need for Nigerians to be united and live in peace with one another, adding that “ without peace and unity, socio-economic development will continue to elude any society.’’
“History has shown that countries that make progress are those whose communities live in peace with each other,’’ he added.
He also commended Alhaji Ahmed Wadada, a former House of Representatives member, for the establishment of a polo ranch in Keffi,
Lawal said the project would bring development closer to the people of the area and the state at large as well as create jobs.
“The establishment of a polo ranch in Keffi by Hon. Wadada is a very good development not only for Keffi but for Nasarawa State and Nigeria at large.
“We are very happy and proud of Hon. Wadada for establishing the polo ranch in Keffi. (NAN)
“ The policies and decisions being undertaken by the APC-led administration under President Muhammadu Buhari would soon end the economic recession that has brought hardship to the people.
“Sustained prayers by the adherents of the two major religions in the country will definitely assist the president, other elected and appointed leaders to overcome both economic and security challenges hindering the growth and speedy development of the country.
“Nigeria is passing through a phase as most developed countries of the world today also passed through this phase.
“I believe that no condition is permanent, the economy will develop and the hardship will no longer be there as lots of blessings will come to the country,” he said.
Lawal also appealed to the people of the state and Nigerians to bury their differences and unite for the overall development of the country.
The former minister stressed the need for Nigerians to be united and live in peace with one another, adding that “ without peace and unity, socio-economic development will continue to elude any society.’’
“History has shown that countries that make progress are those whose communities live in peace with each other,’’ he added.
He also commended Alhaji Ahmed Wadada, a former House of Representatives member, for the establishment of a polo ranch in Keffi,
Lawal said the project would bring development closer to the people of the area and the state at large as well as create jobs.
“The establishment of a polo ranch in Keffi by Hon. Wadada is a very good development not only for Keffi but for Nasarawa State and Nigeria at large.
“We are very happy and proud of Hon. Wadada for establishing the polo ranch in Keffi. (NAN)
Wednesday 9 November 2016
An American Tragedy By David Remnick
The
election of Donald Trump to the Presidency is nothing less than a
tragedy for the American republic, a tragedy for the Constitution, and a
triumph for the forces, at home and abroad, of nativism,
authoritarianism, misogyny, and racism. Trump’s shocking victory, his
ascension to the Presidency, is a sickening event in the history of the
United States and liberal democracy. On January 20, 2017, we will bid
farewell to the first African-American President—a man of integrity,
dignity, and generous spirit—and witness the inauguration of a con who
did little to spurn endorsement by forces of xenophobia and white
supremacy. It is impossible to react to this moment with anything less
than revulsion and profound anxiety.
There
are, inevitably, miseries to come: an increasingly reactionary Supreme
Court; an emboldened right-wing Congress; a President whose disdain for
women and minorities, civil liberties and scientific fact, to say
nothing of simple decency, has been repeatedly demonstrated. Trump is
vulgarity unbounded, a knowledge-free national leader who will not only
set markets tumbling but will strike fear into the hearts of the
vulnerable, the weak, and, above all, the many varieties of Other whom
he has so deeply insulted. The African-American Other. The Hispanic
Other. The female Other. The Jewish and Muslim Other. The most hopeful
way to look at this grievous event—and it’s a stretch—is that this
election and the years to follow will be a test of the strength, or the
fragility, of American institutions. It will be a test of our
seriousness and resolve.
Early on
Election Day, the polls held out cause for concern, but they provided
sufficiently promising news for Democrats in states like Pennsylvania,
Michigan, North Carolina, and even Florida that there was every reason
to think about celebrating the fulfillment of Seneca Falls, the election
of the first woman to the White House. Potential victories in states
like Georgia disappeared, little more than a week ago, with the F.B.I.
director’s heedless and damaging letter to Congress about reopening his
investigation and the reappearance of damaging buzzwords like “e-mails,”
“Anthony Weiner,” and “fifteen-year-old girl.” But the odds were still
with Hillary Clinton.
All along,
Trump seemed like a twisted caricature of every rotten reflex of the
radical right. That he has prevailed, that he has won this election, is a
crushing blow to the spirit; it is an event that will likely cast the
country into a period of economic, political, and social uncertainty
that we cannot yet imagine. That the electorate has, in its plurality,
decided to live in Trump’s world of vanity, hate, arrogance, untruth,
and recklessness, his disdain for democratic norms, is a fact that will
lead, inevitably, to all manner of national decline and suffering.
In
the coming days, commentators will attempt to normalize this event.
They will try to soothe their readers and viewers with thoughts about
the “innate wisdom” and “essential decency” of the American people. They
will downplay the virulence of the nationalism displayed, the cruel
decision to elevate a man who rides in a gold-plated airliner but who
has staked his claim with the populist rhetoric of blood and soil.
George Orwell, the most fearless of commentators, was right to point out
that public opinion is no more innately wise than humans are innately
kind. People can behave foolishly, recklessly, self-destructively in the
aggregate just as they can individually. Sometimes all they require is a
leader of cunning, a demagogue who reads the waves of resentment and
rides them to a popular victory. “The point is that the relative freedom
which we enjoy depends of public opinion,” Orwell wrote in his essay
“Freedom of the Park.” “The law is no protection. Governments make laws,
but whether they are carried out, and how the police behave, depends on
the general temper in the country. If large numbers of people are
interested in freedom of speech, there will be freedom of speech, even
if the law forbids it; if public opinion is sluggish, inconvenient
minorities will be persecuted, even if laws exist to protect them.”
Trump
ran his campaign sensing the feeling of dispossession and anxiety among
millions of voters—white voters, in the main. And many of those
voters—not all, but many—followed Trump because they saw that this slick
performer, once a relative cipher when it came to politics, a marginal
self-promoting buffoon in the jokescape of eighties and nineties New
York, was more than willing to assume their resentments, their fury,
their sense of a new world that conspired against their interests. That
he was a billionaire of low repute did not dissuade them any more than
pro-Brexit voters in Britain were dissuaded by the cynicism of Boris
Johnson and so many others. The Democratic electorate might have taken
comfort in the fact that the nation had recovered substantially, if
unevenly, from the Great Recession in many ways—unemployment is down to
4.9 per cent—but it led them, it led us, to grossly underestimate
reality. The Democratic electorate also believed that, with the election
of an African-American President and the rise of marriage equality and
other such markers, the culture wars were coming to a close. Trump began
his campaign declaring Mexican immigrants to be “rapists”; he closed it
with an anti-Semitic ad evoking “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion”;
his own behavior made a mockery of the dignity of women and women’s
bodies. And, when criticized for any of it, he batted it all away as
“political correctness.” Surely such a cruel and retrograde figure could
succeed among some voters, but how could he win? Surely, Breitbart
News, a site of vile conspiracies, could not become for millions a
source of news and mainstream opinion. And yet Trump, who may have set
out on his campaign merely as a branding exercise, sooner or later
recognized that he could embody and manipulate these dark forces. The
fact that “traditional” Republicans, from George H. W. Bush to Mitt
Romney, announced their distaste for Trump only seemed to deepen his
emotional support.
The
commentators, in their attempt to normalize this tragedy, will also
find ways to discount the bumbling and destructive behavior of the
F.B.I., the malign interference of Russian intelligence, the free
pass—the hours of uninterrupted, unmediated coverage of his
rallies—provided to Trump by cable television, particularly in the early
months of his campaign. We will be asked to count on the stability of
American institutions, the tendency of even the most radical politicians
to rein themselves in when admitted to office. Liberals will be
admonished as smug, disconnected from suffering, as if so many
Democratic voters were unacquainted with poverty, struggle, and
misfortune. There is no reason to believe this palaver. There is no
reason to believe that Trump and his band of associates—Chris Christie,
Rudolph Giuliani, Mike Pence, and, yes, Paul Ryan—are in any mood to
govern as Republicans within the traditional boundaries of decency.
Trump was not elected on a platform of decency, fairness, moderation,
compromise, and the rule of law; he was elected, in the main, on a
platform of resentment. Fascism is not our future—it cannot be; we
cannot allow it to be so—but this is surely the way fascism can begin.
Hillary
Clinton was a flawed candidate but a resilient, intelligent, and
competent leader, who never overcame her image among millions of voters
as untrustworthy and entitled. Some of this was the result of her
ingrown instinct for suspicion, developed over the years after one bogus
“scandal” after another. And yet, somehow, no matter how long and
committed her earnest public service, she was less trusted than Trump, a
flim-flam man who cheated his customers, investors, and contractors; a
hollow man whose countless statements and behavior reflect a human being
of dismal qualities—greedy, mendacious, and bigoted. His level of
egotism is rarely exhibited outside of a clinical environment.
For
eight years, the country has lived with Barack Obama as its President.
Too often, we tried to diminish the racism and resentment that bubbled
under the cyber-surface. But the information loop had been shattered. On
Facebook, articles in the traditional, fact-based press look the same
as articles from the conspiratorial alt-right media. Spokesmen for the
unspeakable now have access to huge audiences. This was the cauldron,
with so much misogynistic language, that helped to demean and destroy
Clinton. The alt-right press was the purveyor of constant lies,
propaganda, and conspiracy theories that Trump used as the oxygen of his
campaign. Steve Bannon, a pivotal figure at Breitbart, was his
propagandist and campaign manager.
It
is all a dismal picture. Late last night, as the results were coming in
from the last states, a friend called me full of sadness, full of
anxiety about conflict, about war. Why not leave the country? But
despair is no answer. To combat authoritarianism, to call out lies, to
struggle honorably and fiercely in the name of American ideals—that is
what is left to do. That is all there is to do.
More on Donald Trump’s victory: Amy Davison on Trump’s stunning win, Evan Osnos on Trump’s supporters, and Benjamin Wallace-Wells on who is to blame.
Tuesday 8 November 2016
The great Zik of Africa!
*The day Zik didn’t die*
Posted By: Olatunji Dareon: November 08, 2016 THE NATION
Zik-gate, as my inventive Rutam House colleague Emeka Izeze called the widely circulated but false reports of the death of the legendary Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe 27 years ago this week, has got to be the most scandalous episode in Nigerian journalism history. It left mud on the faces of all of us journalists, those who proclaimed categorically that he was dead, and those who merely hinted that he might have departed.
At 85, Nigeria’s former president stood splendidly erect, and in full possession of his faculties. His voice had lost some of its resonance, but his speech was not slurred. His hearing was acute, and he could see much more clearly with the unaided eye than some people half a century younger. By some accounts, he was at the time engrossed in writing four books.
This was the man whom not just one or two newspapers but the entire Nigerian news media proclaimed dead and awaiting burial.
Rumours of Zik’s death started swirling on Wednesday, November 8, 1989, apparently triggered by enquiries from a BBC correspondent about his condition. By Friday, the rumours had gained so much traction that two newspapers published speculations about his death.
If any doubts lingered about Zik’s condition, they were dissolved by the newscast the NTA beamed to its fabled 30 million viewers the following night, almost one-half of it a moving depiction of Zik’s life and times.
The newscast, a marvelous production featuring footage and archival material that captured Zik’s illustrious career, as well as moving tributes by those who knew him well, plunged the country into mourning.
By Saturday, November 11, virtually every newspaper had the story of Zik’s reported death as front-page lead, in type size and headline vocabulary that sought to do justice to the great man’s memory. Even those newspapers that left some room for doubt still felt obliged to refer to Zik in the past tense. The obituaries were adulatory, as indeed they should be.
The Saturday papers that cared at all for sources searched no farther than Zik’s “associates,” many of whom had not seen him for several years. They cited no family sources, nor Zik’s personal physician, nor yet his protective private secretary of more than 40 years, the spectral and pleasantly disobliging figure everyone called “Mr Okolo”.
In one of the Saturday papers, a letter purporting to be Zik’s “last correspondence” bobbed up. In a fit of what can only be called misguided journalism, Sidi Ali Sirajo’s New Nigerian that was forever railing against “misguided heroism” cited not a single source for the reports that covered its entire front page.
“Zik’s death,” it pronounced sententiously, had left Nigerians “benumbed,” but apparently not before they had reached a “spontaneous consensus” that he deserved a full state funeral. The closest the paper came to naming a source for its sweeping assertions was a perfunctory reference to “political pundits.”
The first editions of the Lagos- based Sunday newspapers printed Friday night and trucked to the more distant parts of the country the following morning, carried the same news about Zik, with updates and embellishments. One enterprising Sunday newspaper even carried an editorial befitting the occasion.
At the convocation of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, in Kuru, near Jos, the assembled dignitaries reportedly observed a moment of silence in honour of Zik’s memory.
The whole thing had begun with a “letter of condolence” that Dr Kingsley Mbadiwe had sent with accustomed magniloquence to the Federal Government on the “passing” of Zik. For good measure, he also sent a copy to the NTA. That letter, plus a statement issued on behalf of the “National Committee for the Transition of Dr Azikiwe” by four prominent Nigerians, was all the NTA had relied on for its categorical pronouncement on so weighty a matter.
Out-of-work politicians saw an opening and moved in swiftly. A First Republic legislator and former stalwart of the Zikist Movement, Chief RBK Okafor, panting as if he had sprinted all the way from Nsukka to Rutam House in Lagos, narrated breathlessly how he had cradled his “beloved Zik” in his arms and how, even as his life ebbed, the great nationalist had said to him: “Chief RBK Okafor, my political son, remember that I am a Pan-Africanist and should be given a Pan-African burial,” or words to that effect.
When the tale appeared in cold print, Okafor denied it vehemently. He forgot that Ebube Wadibia, The Guardian’s resourceful and street-smart news editor, had caught him on audiotape word for word. It turned out that Okafor had not seen Zik in several years.
Nor were desperate politicos the only groups with eyes on the main chance. At the airport lounge in Lagos, a person claiming to be a doctor told a Newswatch executive with critical solemnity that he had just come away from performing the autopsy on Zik and signing the death certificate. That disclosure won him instant celebrity.
By lunchtime on Saturday November 11, reports of Zik’s death had fallen apart.
While television network news on Saturday showed Zik alive and well in his living room talking with Colonel Robert Akonobi, the military governor of Anambra State and a team of journalists, in many parts of the country the Sunday newspapers were still proclaiming solemnly and unequivocally that Zik was no more.
Zik, it turned out, had been watching the newscast at his home in Nsukka with his vivacious wife Uche, thinking that it was his birthday tribute until he heard “And may his great soul rest in peace.” Not many octogenarians would have survived this excellent example of the actionable tort that Americans call “wanton and intentional infliction of mental and emotional distress.”
What went wrong?
Dr Azikiwe was of course not the most accessible of eminent Nigerians. Still, how was it that, for more than 36 hours, the entire news media and the government’s information machinery and the security apparatus could not establish his condition?
Zik-gate showed how narrowly the news media cast their net and how vulnerable they were. It was as if they had resolved not to let the facts get in the way of a “good” story.
If they had checked and re-checked, they would have saved themselves a shameful outing that they will never quite live down.
And if a government obsessed with “national security” had swung into action with all the resources at its disposal as the rumours spread, a national embarrassment would have been averted.
Can Zik-gate happen today?
I think not. There are far more news sources, and the media have become more enterprising and sophisticated.
Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe lived on for another seven years. He said he was in no hurry to leave this beautiful planet.
Those who had declared him dead and were organising his burial died well before him.
Monday 7 November 2016
Removal of Oyegun, satanic, Says Coalition
By Ken Edokpayi
The on-going
political scheming by a section of the national leadership of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, to see to the abrupt removal of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun
as the authentic national chairman of the party has been described as “satanic,
undemocratic and potentially capable of causing greater mayhem to the unity and
strength of the ruling party.
Speaking
to newsmen in Benin City, the Edo State capital recently, under the aegis of
the Coalition for Edo Integrity, Elder Nathaniel Egbeobauwaye, who is the
national coordinator of the body, maintained that those who have been toying
with the call to pile pressure on Chief Oyegun to resign as the APC national
chairman were unmindful of the deeper crises into which their ill-conceived
motive would land the party, even as he cautioned such prime movers of the
“satanic moves” to borrow a didactic leaf from the sister-party, the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, which is today battling for its very soul and survival
because of improper, selfish and undemocratic processes engineered by some of
its leaders who wanted to effect leadership changes in the former ruling party.
In
his words, “those who are about town lobbying people to chorus anti-Oyegun
slogans to pressure him to resign as national chairman should read carefully
the party’s constitution on the removal and resignation of a national officer
of that calibre. They should have known by now that the party’s national
chairman cannot be harassed or blackmailed to resign or removed from office,
except by the pronouncement or resolution of the party convention or emergency
National Executive Council meeting of the party. This is an exact replay of what
happened to ex-President Jonathan when some PDP national leaders opted for the
removal of Alhaji Bamaga Tukur as national chairman. So, President Buhari must
deal cautiously with this untoward agitation for Oyegun's removal.
Describing
the agitators as fifth columnists, who were strategizing against the president
ahead of 2019 elections, Egbeobauwaye maintained that as issues stood at the
APC national leadership, there were no major, life-threatening crises ravaging
the party that would have warranted a hurried rethinking or suggestion that the
national chairman should resign. He, therefore, cautioned the chief
campaigners of the anti-Oyegun moves to save the party from degenerating into
avoidable legal mess, like the intractable one threatening the unity and
cohesion of the PDP at the moment.
The
national coordinator condemned in strong terms the excesses of the APC deputy
National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank, for allegedly being used and prompted
by some national leaders of the party to haul insults on Chief Oyegun, treating
him with disrespect and insubordination, insisting that such ugly developments,
instigated for ulterior motives, were capable of destabilizing the party beyond
the dubious imaginations of perpetrators.
On the wild rumour that the out-going Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, was being touted as a replacement for Chief Oyegun as national chairman of the APC, Elder Egbeobauwaye opined that if the national leaders of the party were looking for ways of settling Oshiomhole or engaging him in the government at the federal level, “they should not divest our own Edo south senatorial district, of its rightful, legally-earned position for someone who is just quitting an 8-year plum job and is strongly in dire need of a vacation.”
On the wild rumour that the out-going Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, was being touted as a replacement for Chief Oyegun as national chairman of the APC, Elder Egbeobauwaye opined that if the national leaders of the party were looking for ways of settling Oshiomhole or engaging him in the government at the federal level, “they should not divest our own Edo south senatorial district, of its rightful, legally-earned position for someone who is just quitting an 8-year plum job and is strongly in dire need of a vacation.”
He
pointed out that considering Oshiomhole for any position should not be by
gate-crashing him into anywhere, “especially,” he said, “as Edo north
senatorial district where he is from, already has a plethora of representatives
at the national level in terms of the party administration, especially in the
National Assembly, where the district has a Senator and two legislators who are
all principal officers propped up by the party. As it stands with
the arrangement, Edo south senatorial district
has just two positions: national chairman and a minister of
state. And that number should not be depleted.”
The
national coordinator, Coalition for Edo Integrity, emphasized that those who
make negative bones about the position held by Edo south senatorial district
indigenes in the scheme of party affairs should not forget in a hurry the
population and voting strength of the district, a district that, he maintained,
holds over 57 percent of the total population of the state, “which should
reflect in the degree of patronage it should still receive from the party in
terms of appointments.”
Elder
Egbeobauwaye, therefore, cautioned against the plot by a section of the
national leadership of the party “to embarrass or blackmail our son, our father
and our leader out of the position of the national chairman of the APC,”
insisting that the Edo South senatorial district, and in fact the people of Edo
State, were solidly behind Chief Odigie-Oyegun.
It would be acknowledged that Chief
John Odigie-Oyegun has been a first all his life. A brilliant and principled
public servant; A man who at the tender age of 36 rose to the position of
permanent secretary at the federal level, taking charge of key federal
ministries. He challenged money bags in the then Edo state and their
collaborators in Abuja to emerge the first
executive governor of Edo state.
This
is a man who could have, quite easily, clinched key ministerial position in the
General Sanni Abacha's government, but instead opted to become NADECO’s
Secretary in exile. On his return from exile, he joined the Alliance
for Democracy (AD) party and financed Edo AD
even though he knew it was not a mainstream party, again a move he made on
point of principle. For sixteen (16) years that the PDP was in power,
Chief Odigie-Oyegun was wooed and cajoled to join “the biggest party in Africa” but he refused to bulge and abandon his
progressive position in partisan politics.
It
is, therefore, ludicrous and laughable, for anyone to think that at this point
in his life Chief Odigie-Oyegun would depart from his hard-earned, established
ways of principled life to settle for inducement crumbs, as peddled by his
faceless detractors.
The
Navigator Newspaper
Friday 14 October 2016
The spiritual side of Aso Villa
Reuben-Abati
People tend to be alarmed when the Nigerian Presidency takes certain decisions. They don’t think the decision makes sense. Sometimes, they wonder if something has not gone wrong with the thinking process at that highest level of the country. I have heard people insist that there is some form of witchcraft at work in the country’s seat of government. I am ordinarily not a superstitious person, but working in the Villa, I eventually became convinced that there must be something supernatural about power and closeness to it. I’ll start with a personal testimony. I was given an apartment to live in inside the Villa. It was furnished and equipped. But when my son, Michael arrived, one of my brothers came with a pastor who was supposed to stay in the apartment. But the man refused claiming that the Villa was full of evil spirits and that there would soon be a fire accident in the apartment. He complained about too much human sacrifice around the Villa and advised that my family must never sleep overnight inside the Villa.
I thought the man was talking nonsense and he wanted the luxury of a hotel accommodation. But he turned out to be right. The day I hosted family friends in that apartment and they slept overnight, there was indeed a fire accident. The guests escaped and they were so thankful. Not long after, the President’s physician living two compounds away had a fire accident in his home. He and his children could have died. He escaped with bruises. Around the Villa while I was there, someone always died or their relations died. I can confirm that every principal officer suffered one tragedy or the other; it was as if you needed to sacrifice something to remain on duty inside that environment. Even some of the women became merchants of dildo because they had suffered a special kind of death in their homes (I am sorry to reveal this) and many of the men complained about something that had died below their waists too. The ones who did not have such misfortune had one ailment or the other that they had to nurse. From cancer to brain and prostate surgery and whatever, the Villa was a hospital full of agonizing patients.
I recall the example of one particular man, an asset to the Jonathan Presidency who practically ran away from the Villa. He said he needed to save his life. He was quite certain that if he continued to hang around, he would die. I can’t talk about colleagues who lost daughters and sons, brothers and uncles, mothers and fathers, and the many obituaries that we issued. Even the President was multiply bereaved. His wife, Mama Peace was in and out of hospital at a point, undergoing many surgeries. You may have forgotten but after her husband lost the election and he conceded victory, all her ailments vanished, all scheduled surgeries were found to be no longer necessary and since then she has been hale and hearty. By the same token, all those our colleagues who used to come to work to complain about a certain death beneath their waists and who relied on videos and other instruments to entertain wives (take it easy boys, I don’t mean nay harm, I am writing!), have all experienced a re-awakening.
Everyone who went under the blade has received miraculous healing, and we are happy to be out of that place. But others were not so lucky. They died. There were days when convoys ran into ditches and lives were lost. In Norway, our helicopter almost crashed into a mountain. That was the first time I saw the President panicking. The weather was all so hazy and he just kept saying it would not be nice for the President of a country to die in a helicopter crash due to pilot miscalculations. The President went into a prayer mode. We survived. In Kenya once, we had a bird strike. The plane had to be recalled and we were already airborne with the plane acting like it would crash. During the 2015 election campaigns, our aircraft refused to start on more than one occasion. The aircraft just went dead. On some other occasions, we were stoned and directly targeted for evil. I really don’t envy the people who work in Aso Villa, the seat of Nigeria’s Presidency. For about six months, I couldn’t even breathe properly. For another two months, I was on crutches. But I considered myself far luckier than the others who were either nursing a terminal disease or who could not get it up.
When Presidents make mistakes, they are probably victims of a force higher than what we can imagine. Every student of Aso Villa politics would readily admit that when people get in there, they actually become something else. They act like they are under a spell. When you issue a well- crafted statement, the public accepts it wrongly. When the President makes a speech and he truly means well, the speech is interpreted wrongly by the public. When a policy is introduced, somehow, something just goes wrong. In our days, a lot of people used to complain that the APC people were fighting us spiritually and that there was a witchcraft dimension to the governance process in Nigeria. But the APC folks now in power are dealing with the same demons. Since Buhari government assumed office, it has been one mistake after another. Those mistakes don’t look normal, the same way they didn’t look normal under President Jonathan. I am therefore convinced that there is an evil spell enveloping this country. We need to rescue Nigeria from the forces of darkness. Aso Villa should be converted into a spiritual museum, and abandoned.
Should I become President of Nigeria tomorrow, I will build a new Presidential Villa: a Villa that will be dedicated to the all-conquering Almighty, and where powers and principalities cannot hold sway. But it is not about buildings and space, not so? It is about the people who go to the highest levels in Nigeria. I really don’t quite believe in superstitions, but I am tempted to suggest that this is indeed a country in need of prayers. We should pray before people pack their things into Aso Villa. We should ask God to guide us before we appoint ministers. We should, to put it in technocratic language, advise that the people should be very vigilant. We have all failed so far, that crucial test of vigilance. We should have a Presidential Villa where a President can afford to be human and free. In the White House, in the United States, Presidents live like normal human beings. In Aso Villa, that is impossible. They’d have to surround themselves with cooks from their villages, bodyguards from their mother’s clans and friends they can trust. It should be possible to be President of Nigeria without having to look behind one’s shoulders. But we are not yet there. So, how do we run a Presidency where the man in the saddle can only drink water served by his kinsman? No. How can we possibly run a Presidency where every President proclaims faith in Nigeria but they are better off in the company of relatives and kinsmen. No. We need as Presidents men and women who are willing to be Nigerians. No Nigerian President should be in spiritual bondage because he belongs to all of us and to nobody.
Now let me go back to the spiritual dimension. A colleague once told me that I was the most naïve person around the place. I thought I was a bright, smart, professional doing my bit and enjoying the President’s confidence. I spelled it out. But what I got in response was that I was coming to the villa using Lux soap, but that most people around the place always bathed in the morning with blood. Goat blood. Ram blood. Whatever animal blood. I argued. He said there were persons in the Villa walking upside down, head to the ground. I screamed. Everybody looked normal to me. But I soon began to suspect that I was in a strange environment indeed. Every position change was an opportunity for warfare. Civil servants are very nice people; they obey orders, but they are not very nice when they fight over personal interests.
The President is most affected by the atmosphere around him. He can make wrong decisions based on the cloud of evil around him. Even when he means well and he has taken time to address all possible outcomes, he could get on the wrong side of the public. A colleague called me one day and told me a story about how a decision had been taken in the spiritual realm about the Nigerian government. He talked about the spirit of error, and how every step taken by the administration would appear to the public like an error. He didn’t resign on that basis but his words proved prophetic. I see the same story being re-enacted. Aso Villa is in urgent need of redemption. I never slept in the apartment they gave me in that Villa for an hour.
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