I obviously took it for granted as a naive young school pupil that the military uniform will perpetually remain the costume of our presidents. I therefore kept visualizing with all sorts of armed forces uniforms as my attire. Needless to say that things took a turn for the better and now in the civilian era. Many people will argue that we were better off during the military era than during the civil regime. That is a topic for another day. However, looking critically at Nigeria since the new civilian era started in 1999 with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo flagging it off, the country seems to have moved 2 paces forward and 5 backward.

Yes it’s true, now our courts are empowered. Our votes are counting (or are starting to count), our debt has been written off (even though we’ve started borrowing on a massive scale again) and we have a booming telecommunications industry. However, the rate of corruption has increased, politicians are greedier and the economy has fallen like a pack of cards. And though this country has reached a ripe, full age of 50, it’s still been run like a jungle by those who are willing to kill it just to enrich their pockets, build their empires and serve their selfish agendas.

“A battle lost or won is easily described, understood, and appreciated, but the moral growth of a great nation requires reflection, as well as observation, to appreciate it.”  said Frederick Douglass

If we must grow as a nation in all aspects then we must take responsibility for who we allow to become our next president.

Nelson Mandela said,

“Safety and security don’t just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.”

Abraham Lincoln said,

“No man is good enough to govern another man without that others consent”

Whoever emerges as our leader in 2011 does so because we have deemed him good enough to govern us by giving him our consent actively or passively.

Such thoughts make me reflect on the choices before us as a Nation with regards those who have indicated interest to run for the highest office electable in the most populous black Nation on earth. I’ll chronicle the few that I know and their achievements or lack of it while still asking myself the question: Out of all these, who should be our president in 2011?

1. President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan

Present position: Incumbent President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Geo-political Zone: South-South

Age: 53

Religion: Christian

Political Party: PDP

Goodluck Jonathan was deputy governor in Bayelsa state. He became governor when the governor (Diepreye Alamieyeseigha) was impeached on grounds of corruption. He was later nominated as running mate to Late President Umaru Yar’adua and b came Vice President in May 2007. Due to Yar’adua’s prolonged chronic illness, hospitalization and absence from Nigeria, Jonathan was made Acting President by the National Assembly Saudi Arabia and eventually was sworn in as President at the demise of his former boss. Since then, Goodluck Jonathan seems to be clawing at whatever chance he has to getting re-elected as president on the platform of PDP – his current party. Already, he has shown his ineptitude in a few circumstances. Case in point is the bombing in Abuja on Independence day. He publicly declared that MEND wasn’t culpable as if he was familiar with their plans and strategy. He has sinced unleashed the wrath of the army on MEND and other Niger Delta militant groups.

President Goodluck Jonathan has been unable to present a sustantial score card for the while he’s been in office. corruption is touted to be at an all time high in Aso Rock and it doesn’t seem like it’ll abate. Already, it’s being rumored that PDP delegates are being bribed at least N2million ($13000) to swing the vote at the primaries in his favour. The race for him is not getting easier at all as all the Northern presidential aspiratnts have appointed a consensus candidate in the person of Atiku Abubakar who has a strong following and enjoys good support. Also, news of his botched attempt at bribing Lagos-based Pastor Tunde Bakare (find details here) and the Save Nigeria Group is losing him points with regards his moral capability to take the country forward. It is also worthy of note that Goodluck Jonathan currently has no known testimony or achievements in favour of his leadership ability or capablity. Note that GEJ has the power of incumbency in his favour and may play his advantage unfairly.

2. Alhaji Abubakar Atiku

Present Position: None

Previous Position: Vice President (1999-2003)

Geo-political Zone: North East

Age: 64

Religion: Muslim

Political Party: PDP

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was in the PDP, moved to AC to contest against Musa Yar’adua in 2007 and returned to the PDP in 2009 under controversial circumstances. His only good deed among Nigerians seems to be his fight against his boss’ 3rd term agenda (Olusegun Obasanjo). In fact, some believe he did so only because he had plans to be president and not because of a love or devotion to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. News has it that he had his hand in many shady pies as Vice President especially while presiding over the National Council of Privatization (NCP). As a result, many feel he has no moral credentials to represent this country as its No. 1 citizen. However, Atiku has been nominated by the Northern People Leaders Forum led by Adamu Ciroma as the consensus candidate of the North in PDP, the ruling party.

President GEJ therefore has a very strong opposition at the primaries. In fact, for the first time in the history of the party, there’s no clear cut direction or indication of who will pick the parties presidential candidate ticket.

3. Nuhu Ribadu

Present Position: None

Previous Position: Inspector General of Police in former administration

Geo-political zone: North-East

Age: 50

Religion: Muslim

Political Party: ACN

Ribadu who was in exile for a few years as a result of the role he played as EFCC chairman against corruption confirmed reports that he may run for president in 2011. What wasn’t clear initially was what platform he’ll run on. Eventually, he declared to run for president on the platform of ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria). The former anti-corruption crusader enjoys a massive support from youths and middle income professionals who feel th only way to go in the next elections is to vote in not only an a leader that is not corrupt, but one that is incorruptible. Ribadu’s time as EFCC boss was untainted by corruption. He may have left some corrupt public officers untouched, but he investigated most and charged them to court. He even got a few jailed.

Young people feel that one who isn’t afraid to jail corrupt officials at whatever level is qualified to lead this country. However, some reports say that he is a bit high-handed and dictatorial in his style of leadership. Having known only military or paramilitary leadership by experience, some fear that his tenure if elected president may amount to some kind of monarchy. Others feel what we need as a leader at this point in Nigeria is someone with those same qualities.

Anyway, some Nigerians seem to think he’s driven by personal ambition alone considering the fact that he declared to run on the platform of ACN, a party known to be majorly controlled by Bola Ahmed Tinubu who Ribadu investigated as Chairman of EFCC while the erstwhile governor of Lagos state was in office and was reported to have said Bola Tinubu’s money laundering crimes were of an international proportion. Why not choose another party they ask? Why cavort with those you consider criminals? Anyway, I guess politics isn’t black or white?

4. Muhammadu Buhari

Present Position: None

Previous Position: Head of State (1983-1985)

Geo-political zone: North West

Age: 68

Religion: Muslim

Political Party: CPC

Buhari is a name that has been ringing in almost all geo-political zones of the country. The retired general seems to have credibility with the old by reason of experience and the young from history. His government waged war against corruption and staged a campaign against indiscipline termed – War Against Indiscipline (WAI). He had a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and it was effected Nationwide. People haven’t stopped wondering what Nigeria would have become if he had been Head of State a little longer instead of the ‘evil genius’ who ousted him after just less than 2 years in a coup d’etat.

Buhari has contested for the No. 1 office of this country on the platform of ANPP(All Nigeria People’s Party) twice and lost each time to the PDP candidate for that position – First, Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 and Late Umaru Musa Yar’adua in 2007 under very controversial circumstances. For instance, He was said to have totaled over 6 million votes in the 2007 elections against Yar’adua’s 24 million votes. Even the former president, Yar’adua admitted that the election was very flawed and local and international observers reported it as one of the worst held elections with wide spread rigging and stuffing of ballot boxes especially by agents of the ruling party, PDP and INEC.

Buhari challenged the results of the election and was declared the loser under controversial circumstances by the Supreme Court after 3 courts had ruled in his favour and 3 others against him. It seemed the apex court simply took a safe route out of the appeal by retaining the status quo. Rumor has it that Buhari has a very high level of discipline and morality. He is known to be uncorrupted and incorruptible. No known scandal has been even remotely reported against this former General either while serving in the military or while serving in Obasanjo’s government as Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). He was said to have refused salary as Chairman PTF because according to him. He was already earning a pension from the federal government and wouldn’t want to be paid twice by the government.

Buhari is very popular among grassroots in the North and that popularity is growing even in the South west. “Mai Gaskiya” as he is known in the North meaning “The honest one”, has a chance of clinching the presidency this time with support from notable leaders like Pastor Tunde Bakare and courting from ACN and some other parties. PDP is taking his candidacy seriously this time around and are hoping that his lack of stolen wealth will be a strong factor in weakening his run for presidency.

Buhari however, is regarded by many as high handed and an Islamic fundamentalist who’ll never be able to govern without an ethnic and religious bias.

5. Donald Duke

Present Position: None

Previous Position: Governor, Cross River State (1999-2007)

Geo-Political Zone: South South

Age: 49

Religion:

Political Party: Labour Party (uncertain)

Donald Duke is a fine gentleman who can be referred to as one of the arrow heads for change in Nigeria. His stint of 8 years as governor of Cross River state witnessed a complete overhaul of the state and record breaking achievements. It took my getting to calabar to appreciate his vision and execution of it. Calabar in my opinion is the cleanest, greenest and most organized city in Nigeria. His creation of Tinapa Free Trade Zone and transformation of the Obudu cattle ranch with the introduction of cable cars speak volumes on his ability to move us in the direction of a New Nigeria.

He is very popular with the youths and technorats alike. He represents the change they desire. Donald Duke is likely to run for president on the platform of Labour party. However, he may need to battle Dele Momodu (Publisher of Ovation magazine) at the primaries to get the ticket. One can’t help feeling the odds are heavily stacked against him even if he wins the candidacy with Labour party even though there’s no denying his capability to progressively and radically effect change in the Nation were he given the helms.

The question on people’s mind though is, “Does he have the fortitude to combat and eradicate corruption?” He doesn’t seem to have had a history doing so but who can tell?

6. Dele Momodu

Present Position: None

Previous Position: None

Geo-political Zone: South West

Age: 50

Religion: Christian

Political Party: Labour Party (uncertain)

Dele Momodu is a journalist/publisher known to almost all as his OVATION magazine is a brand that is second to no other. Many people were surprised at his declaration to run for the office of president of Nigeria debunking their expectations that he’ll start on a lower rung of the ladder, that is National Assembly or even Gubernatorial office.

Dele has shown exceptional leadership qualities in the private sector by building an international brand over the years from scratch. He fought for democracy during the MKO Abiola era, was arrested and had to go into exile to escape being charged for treason. He was reported to have helped in creating and running Radio Freedom which became Radio Kudirat after the wife of the late mogul, Chief Abiola was murdered. He has learnt the ropes of politics and has made immense contribution through his many articles and columns in National Newspapers.

Dele Momodu enjoys the support of the elite and youths alike. He also represents the young generation and without doubt has proven himself morally capable over the years. The questions on the minds of many however is, “Does Dele have the structure and platform to achieve his dreams?”, “Should he run for a National Assembly office first or governorship?”, “Can he move directly from private sector straight to president without holding any public office or serving in any public capacity?” “Is he actually doing the first things first?”

7. John Dara

Present Position: None

Previous Position: Special Assistant in the Ministry of Defence (1999-2003)

Geo-political Zone: North Central

Age: 50+

Religion: Christian

Political party: National Transformation Party (NTP)

John Dara is known to many within the PDP by reason of the roles he has played and his stand and values. He has been involved in politics for over 30 years and has seen contributed immensely at ward, local government, state and national levels over time. He’s been relevant across the last couple of republics and has fruits to show for his labour. He has managed campaigns successfully, some of which are for Sir Michael Otedola in Lagos, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 and even Prof. Jerry Ghana in 2007. A former PDP power broker, John Dara has walked the corridors of power and is very experienced in the politics of this country. A baptist by conviction, John has walked in and out of public office with his head held high. No news however remote has been said about him in relation to corrupt practices or the like.

He was special assistant to General TY Danjuma during the Obasanjo government from 1999 – 2003. Danjuma was then the Minister for Defence. John Dara was said to be the back bone of the ministry at that time.

John Dara believes he’s going to upstage popular candidates in this election as experience has taught him that many times the underdog takes the day because he’s usually dismissed as not been a worthy opposition. He’s sure that the “stone which the builders rejected will become the chief of the corner”. He has managed and supported candidates over the while who have disappointed the polity and has decided to take responsibility to be the “change that we want to see”.

Can this geo-political northerner and geographical south-westerner change the metrics of the current direction of the politics of presidency or should he just collaborate with a stronger group and negotiate relevance in the new government?

8. Ibrahim Shekarau

Present Position: Governor of Kano State (2007-2011)

Previous Position: Governor of Kano State (2003-2007)

Geo-Political Zone: North West

Age: 55

Religion: Muslim

Political Party: ANPP

Ibrahim Shekarau’s declaration for presidency came on the heels of Gen Buhari’s exit from the party. Many Nigerians feel Kano state has not undergone any transformation enough to warrant that the CEO of the state for the past 8 years be vying for a more responsible position. News of his performance has been neither here nor there. Ibrahim however has quite some support and the machinery of ANPP with enjoys quite a following in the north.

Many believe Ibrahim Shekarau may not be the transition we need in 2011?

9. Professor Pat Utomi

Present Position: None

Past Position: Special Adviser to the President

Geo-Political Zone: South South

Age: 54

Religion: Christian

Political Party: SDMP (Social Democratic Mega Party)

He contested in 2007 for the seat of president of Nigeria on the platform of African Democratic Congress (ADC). He has shown himself impeccable over the years from government to government. His knowledge on economic strategy and policies has been invaluable to several state and federal government administrations up till now. He’s recognized on sight in most countries of the world and regarded by the west as one of the top 20 statesmen for progressive and positive change in Africa.

None can boast of a leadership resume as robust as his. None can present a pedigree as high as his. None has yet brought a railing accusation against his person. In fact, if Nigeria was a country that considered accountability and international repute/acceptance, Prof. Pat would be one of the most popular candidates running for the office of president. Personally, I feel his presidency would be the best thing to happen to Nigeria at this time.

However, some fear that he lacks the moral stance to push for true federalism being from the oil-rich south-South region. If he pursued that angle, it may be perceived as seeking interest for his region alone.

Prof. Pat Utomi hasn’t declared for the race this time yet, but promises that he’ll do so as soon as the party has finalized their strategies. There is absolutely no doubt however that Prof. Pat is one of the arrow heads of change for a new Nigeria in Nigeria. Whether the people will put their confidence in him by voting is another question.

Of note are some likely contenders who haven’t declared yet but may declare for the race depending on factors still under consideration. Among these are Attahiru Bafarawa, Usman Muhammad Bugaje, Pastor Chris Okotie (he has declared already) among others.  These officers in the chess game of Nigerian politics are simply watching the scene to see if they’ll be required to move out of their current positions to save the Queen(Democracy) and defend the King(Nigeria).

Very many years ago, when Africa was simply geographical statistics to Europe; when the land was divided and passed from on european Nation to the next as gifts regardless of the diversity of those who lived in that geographical region, the church stood alone as a body that had a singular role of developing and building the region.

Missionaries from different parts of the developed world stormed the then jungles of Africa bringing with them a message of salvation through Jesus Christ and education as an essential tool for development.

In times when the colonial masters and native government of the African people couldn’t be bothered about the responsibility of education, rather, they were encumbered with acts of milking the land dry of its rich resources and making gains by that, selfless missions started schools to educate Africans and teach them how to read and write.

So focused where these missions, that they shouldered funding almost completely, getting no funds from the colonial masters or the native leaders in the building of the school structures or payment of the teachers who actually doubled as missionaries then.

With time, the schools moved from single class schools to multiple class schools. Curricula were drawn up and very soon, africans started competing on almost level grounds with European students all around the world.

Teaching the African man to read was the first step in the direction of his liberation and that responsibility was taken on by the church.

Now, there are schools everywhere in an african country like Nigeria. Government has gotten involved though on a paralytic level in education. The church has shirked its responsibility and is focused on making profit especially now that churches have millions of naira come in by way of offerings, tithes and other giving vehicles or projects from the upwardly mobile professionals and middle class citizens who must attend church because religion is a culture.

The church now is involved in financial blessing seminars and faith conventions featuring night vigils with prayer requests of financial abundance and prosperity at the expense of National development.

Church members have grown a thick skin against the deep poverty that is eating the land and have turned their face away from other members who are in church to come in contact with their “angel” (who will probably provide their next meal). Loads of young lads and ladies have no one to pay for their education and are stuck as a result at secondary school education and forced to go do manual labour. Some are even jobless

Yet, in most churches in the land, the congregation gathers, enjoy worship with scintillating music and dancing, listen to the word, pray and go home while the Nation regresses in illiteracy and bondage. Pastors now live a “larger than life” life especially in an environment where “God gives the power to get wealth”. A large percentage of them can not give proper account of the monies that they spend as they have an unhindered access to the church account and spend at will.

The church is sleeping is why a Nation’s government is killing innocent citizens in the niger delta and not much noise is being made about it. After all, the vice president dines with the leadership of the church associations regularly and they wouldn’t want to corrupt the goodwill that is between them till date. 

Loads of youths have dreams to be successful in the arts (music, graphic arts, dancing etc) and even sports but lack an enabling environment and a platform to launch and the doors of the church are locked from monday during the day to friday during the day with so sort of empowerment going on. 

How long shall this neglect and wickedness continue. If this nation, Nigeria must develop, the church must take it’s rightful place again in taking responsibility for the building of this nation academically, spiritually, financially and even politically.

Our values are flawed because the church is sleeping. LET THE CHURCH ARISE AND LET THE ENEMIES OF NIGERIA BE SCATTERED.

A while ago, I was given an assignment by The Future movement to go and deliver the future in Ekiti state. Funny, isn’t it? Now, my state of origin is Ekiti state. I hail from Ijero town in Ijero-Ekiti Local Government. My grandfather has a house in Ekiti State and though he lived majorly in Lagos and got a chieftaincy title in Mushin, he was taken to Ekiti when he died and buried in Ijero.

I gave you that info to let you know that the probable reason for sending me to Ekiti state may have been because of my affiliation to the state. Also, it may just have been coincidental as Ekiti state was due to hold re-run elections and it was timely that the future had a voice in ensuring that peace and equity reigned supreme in the Land. The major contestants in the election re-run are Dr Kayode Fayemi of Action Congress Party and Engr. Segun Oni of the People’s Democratic Party.

So, here was I being told to return to my place of origin to impact them positively. What was my assignment? My assignment was to get illustrious and notable sons and daughters of Ekiti state to grant a 30-sec recording where they highlighted the following:

            i. Your vote is your voice

            ii. Say “No” to violence

            iii. We are all one Ekiti family

            iv. We must deliver the future

As my worthy companion and partner on the trip I had Christian Love, a foremost change agent with respect to the emergence of a New Nigeria. Of course, I also had the blessings of Fela Durotoye, Deoluakinyemi, Femi Onagoruwa, SEGA (Segun Awosanya), Yinka Banjo, Akuns and Deola Kayode among others.  

Fela got in touch with Mr Dare Babarinsa who is from Ekiti and spoke to him about our project. He agreed to lend his voice and face to our recording and promised to link us up with some of our prospects. We had a camcorder recording of his message at his office about 1 week ago and he did link us up with a good number of prospects. We sent text messages to them and proceeded to Ekiti to make the historic recordings.

The first person who responded to our gesture was the former governor of Ekiti state – Ayo Fayose. I was shocked at his warmness and frankness. I half expected something else, but was pleasantly surprised to find that he was a humble man. He asked to meet us up where we were and truly came to meet us there. We were on the way to Ado Ekiti and had just gotten to Iyin Ekiti.

He found out where we were in Iyin and drove down to meet us there. He didn’t have elaborate security either. Just a couple of armed mobile policemen. I requested after greeting him that we go somewhere comfortable for him and he wished it away saying where we were was comfortable enough for him even though we were on the highway with bushes all around us.

He led us straight through a path in the bush and he told us he was ready. Our crew was almost disorientated but we put ourselves together and he gave us a spirited message of non-violence and peace. We exchanged pleasantries and he expressed his hope at meeting us again soon. He then appealed to us to ensure we involved the grassroots in our recording. He advised us to speak with market women and okada riders and not only known and respected personalities in the state.

So started my sojourn in Ekiti state on a mission for the future and immediately the team’s morale was boosted. We were certain that we’ll succeed on this quest. A few minutes later, a phone call came in from Senator Ayo Arise…

      ”Hello Sir, my name  is Busayo Akanro and I’m from the future.”

catch the rest later.

I had been given a mandate by the future movement to go and set the ball rolling with respect to organising a political debate between the political aspirants of the annulled April 18, 2007 elections. Elections had been annulled in 10 out of 16 local government council areas by an Appeal court and a re-run had been ordered. The election rerun in the state is billed to take place on the 25th April, 2009.

As a result, the whole of the nation has it’s eyes fixed on Ekiti and the re-run elections. What will be the outcome? Will the sacked governor return or will a new governor be sworn in? The question on everyone’s lips “Oni or Fayemi, who will it be?” Well, back to the purpose of my trip. I was sent to a particular Pastor who had a passion for seeing a new Nigeria emerge and another interesting young man who lived for the ideals of a new Nigeria.

I set out with so much unknown yet so much anticipation. I had prayed and was sure that God will direct my steps and put a smile on my face when I returned to give the report to the uture movement. I arrived Ekiti about 2pm yesterday afternoon, after a four and a half hour journey and after waiting for two hours at the bus park. I met with my young friend after a couple of phone calls and we both went to meet with the Pastor at his church’s new building site.

About a dozen people were engaged in one activity or the order, dirtied from sand, mud and dust, they were either pushing wheelbarrows laden with construction materials or mixing with spades or carrying head pans “pon-pon” filled with mixed concrete to pour in the mould that was made for the foundation of the building. The Pastor himself was dressed in very old clothes I discovered as he approached to welcome me and his hands very dirty with mud. He smiled as he welcomed me warmly and hesitated at my stretched out hand, showing me his mud covered ones and asking if I didn’t mind. I said I didn’t and locked his right hand in a very strong handshake despite the the dried dirt on it. Afterall, I was at home and was meeting with my own kin.

Immediately, I launched into the agenda of my visit and he came up to speed quite quickly with it. Anyway, according to him, it had been a burning desire on his heart so it seemed to be happening at the right time. We discussed together the factors we needed to take up immediately with regards to the seminar/debate. In a few mins, we had set out deliverables and he had assured me that if I was going to wait till the next morning, he’d give me an update on the reaction and decision of other key stakeholders he would be speaking with yesterday evening. I instantly assured him that I’ll be waiting till the next morning ofcourse. I had vowed to take responsibility for the political state in Ekiti and needed to begin to relate even more closely with its people as well as stay in the state a little more than before.

I left his place after we spent several minutes discussing the polity of Ekiti state and was picked up by my Auntie who serves as the chairman of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives-Ekiti Branch and we drove to her house where I spent the night. I was treated to a very large and delectable meal of pounded yam and efo riro soup with eja kika and beef.

Shortly after I loaded up with the food, my friend Kunle Alashi came calling and we had a good discussion on many aspects of life. I spent some time feeling the vibes of politics in the state while discussing my mission to my Auntie. She gave me some insight into why she preferred “the devil we know to an angel we don’t know”. Those were her exact words in referring to the two major gubernatioral aspirants.

I slept soundly feeling very strongly the fresh and very cool breeze of the country. I almost didn’t get out of bed excepting the fact that I had an appointment by 7am. I met our Pastor friend again and he gave me updates on the situation. Needless to say that he gave some very encouraging news and promised to tie up the loose ends by the end of the week. He set up a small committee to work with me on the project and I the feeling of excitement at the success of this project was thick in the air as I discussed it with them.

I was told that I had to make another trip to Ekiti by next week to tie up the loose ends and that what was most important now was getting the consent of the aspirants to appear for the debate. By and large, I left Ekiti this morning in high spirits dreaming about the program and its resultant success and ofcourse the effect of that success on the people of Ekiti state.

Enlightened followership would have been created and the middle class who usually don’t take  responsibility by voting will have been encouraged to vote. The title of the seminar/debate is “Your vote,your voice” and the name of this gracious Pastor friend is Tunde Afe of the House of Faith Church, Ado Ekiti. I’ll write about updates of this meeting as they happen and I believe another Barack Obama scenario is in the making. Ekiti state will be the pilot and the rest of Nigeria will surely follow. God bless Nigeria. God bless Ekiti State.

Hi guys. It so nice to have me back again aint it? I can hear some of you screaming “when will that guy write an article again?” It’s 11:48pm and I don’t want to sleep before I send this post. I got sent this link while I was networking online. I decided to check it  out immediately especially  because it was sent to me by one of my mentors.

One of Nigeria’s journalists of renown, Reuben Abati’s name  jumped out at me as I got to the site. I discovered it was a link to an online Nigerian newspaper. The fact that that the article was posted in the weekend edition also piqued my curiosity even more. This piece will be interesting, I told myself.

It was an insight into what the erstwhile Economic and Financial Crimes Commission chairman, Nuhu Ribadu thought about corruption and it’s effects in Nigeria and how from a trailblazer point of view, they tackled corruption without fear or favour during the Obasanjo administration.

He also gave a highlight into what life as a deposed and disgraced public servant and super policeman is now. The first ever policeman to charge sitting governors and senators to court over corruption and even send one to jail. The first cop to investigate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and charge his daughter to court over corruption. The first cop to jail a sitting bank MD and handcuff  and jail a police Inspector General. He suddenly has become Public Enemy No. 1 because the current political proponents and crooks are out to deal with him for his selfless service and commitment to the eradication of crime in his Motherland.

Never before have I been this touched and impressed about the testimony and resolve of a Northern Nigerian. In fact in the discussion, he pledged his life to the fight against corruption. Hear him,

I swear by the Almighty that wherever there are people who are trying to make Nigeria a better country, I will be among them. Walahi.”

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu thus qualifies as a Hero for me and as a voice and face of The Future Movement and ultimately a New NIGERIAN. Three happy cheers for him. HURRAY! HURRAY!! HURRAY!!! What are you doing to take responsibility?

Please find the full article below.

I Saw Ribadu In Rwanda
By Reuben Abati

I RAN into him at the reception lobby of the Hotel Des Milles Collines in Kigali. He had just arrived and was trying to check into the hotel: Nuhu Ribadu, the erstwhile Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission who lost his job under rather controversial circumstances, and who is regarded as having been unfairly treated by the Yar’Adua government. I hugged him. He had lost nothing of his humility, his sense of humour and his humanity. He didn’t look like a man who had just been rough-tackled by the unpredictable Nigerian state whose moral compass is subject solely to the whims and caprices of whoever is in charge, and not necessarily principles and values.

The following morning, we sat together on the same long table, and I slipped a note to him. I wanted an interview with him for The Guardian. It is about time he told his story at great length. He read my note, and picked up his pen. I noticed that he is a Southpaw, and I chuckled remembering how so many southpaws tend to find themselves in the hot corners of history. In his response, he had said “we would discuss.” We were both attending a conference organised by UNECA in collaboration with UNDP to assess the efficiency and impact of anti-corruption institutions in Africa. There were anti-corruption chiefs in attendance from various African countries.

Ribadu wouldn’t grant an interview, but he was ready to discuss. “I think it is better for me to remain silent now”, he says. “I am using this period to reflect on what we did. You know when I took up the job in 2003, I resolved that I will try my utmost best. And walahi, I tried. I took the assignment seriously. Maybe I failed, but at least we proved that it is possible. So, I have been thinking and trying to figure out what further should have been done or could have been done differently.” We were soon asked to introduce ourselves. When it was Ribadu’s turn, he told the meeting: “I am Nuhu Ribadu, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria, currently recuperating from a bloodied nose”. The hall cracked into laughter. But the other anti-corruption chiefs and operatives would not laugh later when Ribadu took part in a country case studies panel.

There has been so much speculation about Ribadu’s whereabouts in the Nigerian press. But the fact is that he is currently a Senior Fellow at St Antony’s College in Oxford University in the United Kingdom, working with Professor Paul Collier, the leading authority on African economies and politics. St Antony’s College has become the sanctuary for many progressives who get into trouble in the developing world. Ribadu stays in a residence that was recently vacated by Anwal Ibrahim, the embattled former Prime Minister of Malaysia whose only offence was that he fell out of favour with his boss, Mahathir Muhammed. “Such a nice man”, Ribadu says. “he left me his plates and cutlery and kitchen utensils.” One of the persons Ribadu met on arrival at St Antony’s is John Githongo, the Kenyan newspaper columnist and anti-corruption campaigner who had to flee from Kenya in 2005, after he discovered that the majorly corrupt persons in the country are his own colleagues: Ministers and the big men of Kenyan society. Githongo got their confessions on tape, but they told him bluntly that they are the ones milking Kenya dry. One fateful day, Githongo packed his bags and fled to London, from where he sent a letter resigning his position as Permanent Secretary for Ethics and Governance in Kibaki’s NARC Government. He has now returned to Kenya where he enjoys massive media and civil society support, and his book, written by Michela Wrong and titled It’s Our Turn To Eat will be released in London on February 23. It will go on sale in Nairobi the same day.

Unlike Githongo, Ribadu did not run away immediately he discovered that he had fallen out of favour. He stayed and tried to fight the system. He was sidelined and sent to a course he didn’t ask for in Kuru near Jos. Behind his back, they gave his job to someone else, without regard to the security of tenure. Then, they demoted him in what looked like a routine administrative exercise, but the political undertones were writ large. When he tried to resist the system, they shoved him out of the graduation hall at Kuru, and his employers, the Police sent him to Siberia: what Nigerians would call the Ogbugbuaja treatment. Ribadu got lawyers and again tried to fight back. He refused to report for duty. He refused to wear the uniform of the new rank.

One day, assassins trailed him and pumped bullets into his car. Having served in the Nigeria Police for more than two decades, he could spot a warning shot if one was fired in his direction. So, Ribadu succumbed to the logic of Bob Marley’s lyrics: “He who fights and runs away, will live to fight another day.” He is not likely to come anywhere Nigeria for a while. Those who do not like his face and his work have effectively driven him out of town. But he is a determined man. “What has happened to me is just a temporary setback”, he concludes. “I am a fighter, I don’t give up. I don’t believe the people who think they have dealt with me will have the last laugh.”

Like Githongo, Ribadu is spending his period in exile to think and write. “I am working on two books”, he told me. The working title for the first book is “The Problem of Corruption in Africa: The Nigerian Experience.” He explained: “You know corruption is the biggest problem we have in Africa. It is so central to the problems we have. But to fight corruption, the biggest man in government, the President or the Prime Minister must be honest about it. That is where it starts. Americans talk about Obama. We need change in Nigeria more than America does. What I discovered is that we have a challenge to give power to ordinary Nigerians, to ordinary people, to take it from the politicians. And we don’t have time. Change is important.” He didn’t have a working title for his proposed second book. But he offered an outline of its posssible contents.

“When I look back, I realise that some of the people who liked what I did also have issues with some of the things we did. I plan to do a second book to address some of their concerns. I intend to show for example that we deliberately went after grand corruption because that is where the problem is. We interrogated the Governors, the Senate President, the Vice President. I put a Bank Director, Bulama in handcuffs. The moment we did that, the banks knew immediately that there were no sacred cows. We needed to send a strong signal that corruption will not be condoned and the cleansing process had to start from the stop. The day I took the job, I knew that it could end up like this. I knew that I could be victimised or dismissed or killed. It could have been worse. That I am alive today is by the Grace of the Almighty and I am grateful. But my position is that some people just have to make the sacrifice to save our country. I swear by the Almighty that wherever there are people who are trying to make Nigeria a better country, I will be among them. Walahi.”

Another objective Ribadu intends to achieve in the second book is to comment on a number of case studies. “People go about saying that Obasanjo used me to go after his enemies, Obasanjo didn’t use me, in fact may be it is the other way round. If you check, you will notice that the people we went after were actually Obasanjo’s people. Alamiyeseigha was very close to the President. Odili was also very close to him. Saminu Turaki was an Obasanjo man. I deliberately did not go after the opposition. Yes, we investigated Orji Kalu. We also investigated Bola Tinubu. I know the President’s people would have wanted the EFCC to go after a man like Ken Nnamani. But we needed to start with the Obasanjo people to make a point that nobody is above the law. And that was why we investigated the President himself, And we went after his daughter. I was in Kuru then, but I knew about the Iyabo case. If we want to clean up our country, then let us do it. And that was why I went after Atiku. Atiku is from the same village with me. But Nigeria is more important. It belongs to all of us, not some powerful people.”

Ribadu’s book is also a response to questions about due process and the rule of law. “People complain that we didn’t obey the rule of law, that we violated due process and they use specific instances to criticise us. I plan to respond to all those criticisms. Take a man like former IG Tafa Balogun. I didn’t like what happened myself. I was against putting him in handcuffs. But I have to be sensitive to the people who work under me. They came to me and accussed me of double standards. When I accepted the job, I was inspired by the example of Jerry Rawlings of Ghana who went after the big fish and changed his country for good. So we decided that if we could put a Bank MD in handcuffs and follow that up with an Inspector General of Police, then Nigerians would realise that we meant serious business. That was what happened. I am a human being. I make mistakes. I admit that. But I was honest about what I did. So they say we abused the rule of law? What is rule of law? The same rule of law that has now been used to recapture Nigeria?”

I told Ribadu I can’t wait to read and review his books. When are they coming out? “This year. By July. We have to keep the anti-corruption campaign alive. For me personally, there is nothing left for me other than to dedicate myself to the struggle. I am not seeking to be an Obama. But people must be prepared to make the sacrifice. We need change more than America.” How is he these days? “I sleep well these days”, he said. “My needs are minimal. Look at this pair of slippers”. I checked: an over-abused pair of slippers with worn edges and threatening holes. “I have been wearing this since 2003 and I am okay. But I must tell you I have enjoyed a lot of goodwill since I left office. I was offered jobs by many international organisations. I receive invitations to attend conferences and to write books. I came here for example from Lusaka. I am happy to know that there are people out there who have faith in human progress and integrity.”

It was soon the turn of Ribadu to participate in a panel discussion focussing on country case studies. There were contributions from representatives of Nigeria’s EFCC and the ICPC, but Ribadu’s comments had a special accent which struck a chord among the participants. He said: “If you fight corruption, it fights back. If you go after petty corruption nothing will happen to you, But if you go after grand corruption, you’d be taking on the politicians and they have the money. And they will come after you, But you can choose to go to bed with them and you’d continue to be Chairman or Director, and you can go to conferences and enjoy tea and collect estacodes. But I made a choice, I decided to go after the big ones, even if they were the ones that put me there, I investigated President Obasanjo, I took his statement myself. I went after his daughter, a Senator, I went after Governors, I charged all of them to court. One of them offered me $500, 000 US and a house in Seychelles and an aircraft, but I rejected all of that. By the time I left EFCC, I had 275 convictions in a country that never had one on cases of grand corruption, I charged the Vice President to court – somebody from my village. I proved that it can be done.

“It is the most difficult work to do. To confront it will require people who make sacrifice like Mandela, like the people who fought for independence in our various countries. It requires people who have courage, people who do not think that they want to enjoy. If you want to enjoy, it is not the kind of work you can do. I have no regrets. It requires a strong will to make sacrifice. You have to make a fundamental decsiion. It can even mean you lose your life. They will try to compromise you, They will try to blackmail you. I survived an assassination attempt. I have bullets in my car. I intend to keep that car for life. I have no regrets. You have the media. You have to carry them along, be open, be accountable. I have never given a penny to anybody in the media, But there is no newspaper in Nigeria that has not made me Man of the Year, even though I charged some publishers to court and even threatened to close down newspapers. Which shows that people are good. If they see that you mean well, they will support you. I am out now, but Nigeria has changed. You need international co-operation. You also need to build capacity.

“We built a Financial Intelligence Unit, you have to be in control of Financial intelligence in your country. because money is at the root of all forms of corruption. If you track the money, you can stop the corruption. Be on the side of your own people. Don’t be on the side of the leaders. A President will go, but the country will be there, Those who are in control, it is only temporary. History will judge you and you will never regret.”

]]> http://busayoakanro.com/2009/02/22/public-enemy-no1/feed/ 3 http://busayoakanro.com/2009/02/06/the-future-is-now/ http://busayoakanro.com/2009/02/06/the-future-is-now/#comments Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:01:00 +0000 bussee http://busayoakanro.com/?p=239

I was told about this song few days ago and I’ve been listening to it relentlessly. It was rendered by John Legend at the Democratic National Convention for the recent Presidential Elections. It inspires me per time. It motivates me and sets me on fire.

I haven’t been able to write post for the past few days not because of lack of desire or lack of content but because of a heaviness a just couldn’t lift. I have been reading “Long walk to freedom” by Nelson Mandela and I regularly get goose pimples as I read and discover the way destiny unfolded for him. He didn’t plan to become the president of South Africa but his beliefs about how africans were treated against how they should be treated drove him to fight for equality between white and black in South Africa and ended in his becoming president of the Nation.

Mandela was the son of a chief and was being groomed to become a high chief in his native land. In fact, the reason education was important for him then was because as a respected adviser to the regent which was his career path, he needed to be educated so he could contribute from an enlightened perspective to the matters of council.

Education exposed him to the reality of racism and unfair governance in his country and sucked him deeper and deeper into the fight for liberation. One way or another, he gave up his rights as a chief in the making, as the ward of a regent and even as a lawyer to fight for the emancipation of his people.

He could no longer wake and sleep in peace knowing that with every turn of the day africans (the original owners of the land) were living as slaves in their own country in bondage to the white man. He suffered for his beliefs. His family paid for his beliefs. He eventually went to prison for his fight against enslavement and spent almost 3 decades behind bars.

He was ready to die to see South Africa free of Apartheid. He wouldn’t live free if his people were not free. He saw the that the future was now (while he was alive). He was willing to sacrifice his present even though he was aware of the past so he could secure the future.

He is now the most influential man alive and the future of native South Africans is secure.

Nigerians!!! Let’s wake up to the present so we can face the future and deliver it. The future was yesterday and we are already late, John Legend sang. Are you out there? Can you hear me? If you can, let’s join our hands together and set our faces toward the future while we employ our present with the benefit of our past to DELIVER THE FUTURE for Nigeria.

The country is far, very far from its destination and slavery, slavery by our own is holding forte. We need to be ready to break free from form this bondage. We need to become informed followers so we can elect responsible leaders. We need to become impossible to enslave any longer. We need to become difficult to rule but easy to govern.

IF YOU ARE OUT THERE…….

A few minutes ago I saw President Obama (doesn’t it feel good to call him that) escort ex-president George Bush to the “Mobile One” helicopter and went back to the steps of the white house to wave at him as he was flown off the white house premises. That was the activity that culminated the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States of America. A few minutes before then the president had been sworn in at the Capitol Hill and had given a land mark inauguration speech.
I saw the camera view change time and time again from the crowd at the Capitol Hill to crowds in Memphis, Tennessee, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and so on. Even in the National Museum was gathered a crowd to watch on screen the inauguration process. Crowds gathered in the streets of New York to participate in this uncommon but popular mark of history. I was moved to tears especially during his speech not only because it occurred to me that he was setting in clear terms the direction for the price of oil subsequently with statements like “We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories”, but also because I felt, if we ever have any inauguration or swearing in of a president that has as many people in the country participating in watching the process, then whoever that person is must be the right person this nation needs to rule it.
I have a dream that one day, crowds of people will gather to see Nigeria swear in a true president that is deserving of the office.
Regardless of how much emotion one feels at the fulfillment of such a seemingly far fetched goal, we must understand as Nigerians that loads of preparation and strategy must have gone into the process. Even George Bush never really knew anything about Obama until about two years ago and could never have had a bad dream in which Obama was running for president on the ticket of the Democrats not to talk of becoming the President he would hand over to. He was watching out for Hilary Clinton.
We as forward looking Nigerians, Nigerians who want to see a new Nigeria, Nigerians who desire a procession like that we just witnessed today; Nigerians who want to have leaders whose quotes generations after them would stand with pride and declare; Nigerians whose children and grandchildren would learn about in their primary and secondary schools with pleasure and a sense or awe; Nigerians, whose definition of leadership would be service and progress to humanity and the society; NIGERIANS WHO WILL DELIVER THE FUTURE.
Fellow Nigerians, interestingly the 2 verses of our National Anthem define how responsibility should be divided. Verse 1 points to our responsibility and verse 2 points to God’s responsibility. If we do our responsibility FIRST, we can then pray and trust God to do His part.
So then,
ARISE!!! O compatriots, NIGERIA’s call OBEY
to SERVE our father land, with LOVE and STRENGTH and FAITH
the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain
to SERVE with HEART and MIGHT,
one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity

O God of Creation, DIRECT our noble cause
GUIDE our leaders right, our youths the truth TO KNOW
in love and honestyTO GROW, and living JUST and TRUE
great lofty heights ATTAIN, to BUILD a nation where peace and justice SHALL REIGN.

God bless you and God bless Nigeria

This is quite a lengthy article but a must read for every Nigerian who loves his country. Just when we were beginning to rejoice that our economy was moving vertically upwards and that our currency was getting stronger, something seems to have pulled out the floor from under us and everything seems to be plummeting towards ground zero. I just read this article in the newspapers and feel I need to post it as it is. If those managing the economy of this country are so intent on destroying it, then we who are bound by oaths to save this country need to rise up and deliver the future. The president yesterday or today inaugurated a team that will look into and combat the financial meltdown that is upon us in the country. As usual, he has chosen a reactive means rather than a proactive one to address serious national issues.  I find this article very insightful and interesting. It doesn’t mean that the article portrays my views about the situation or that I totally support the facts but it’s really an eye-opener. It’s titled “Naira’s strategic crash”.

Naira’s strategic crash
Written by Les Leba
Wednesday, January 14, 2009

News Analysis

In August 2007, President Yar’Adua shot down the Central Bank’s proposed Strategic Agenda for the Naira (SAN) on the grounds that the Presidency was excluded from its conception.

In spite of the announcement that an adhoc economic team had been constituted to re-evaluate the proposal, nothing more was heard of the verdict of government’s economic experts.

This presumably could mean that no merit was discerned in the proposals for naira redenomination and for dollar derived revenue to be paid as dollar allocations to the three tiers of government.

Indeed, the tenets of CBN Governor’s proposed Strategic Agenda for the Naira was a complete somersault from the overt inclinations of Soludo’s prevailing monetary framework, but the proposals were surprisingly in consonance with the framework which I had canvassed unceasingly for over seven years, in spite of the indifference and open derision by the CBN!

We have always insisted that all the permutations for a development agenda, from NEEDS, to SEEDS to LEEDS to NAPEP, etc, etc, would come to naught if the CBN continued to impound federal dollar derived revenue and substitute naira allocations!

To be fair, President Yar’Adua may be excused for his suspicion of CBN’s sudden turnaround in its monetary policy framework after earlier assurances and promises that the Nigerian economy was treading the path of recovery and development under expert professorial guidance.

The issue of redenomination, as canvassed by Soludo, may also have smelt foul to Mr. President, seeing that billions of naira of public funds had just been expended in designing, producing and promoting the acceptance of new currency notes and coins!

The thought of discarding these notes and coins barely six months or so after introduction certainly would not sit well if viewed from the perspective of any rational person. Indeed, our advice in several articles that the issue is not that of new currencies but that of value or related purchasing power went unheeded!

Our prediction that the coins would not be adopted because of their meaningless values was similarly discountenanced! Today, the CBN is stuck with container loads of valueless coins for which it has now placed newspaper adverts to solicit for those buyers who may want to recycle the coins into bangles, trinkets, copper pipe and wires or other forms of designs or gift items and artworks!

Not even a hurriedly enacted legislation with prison terms and fines as penalty have induced the public to patronize the new coins or treat our currency notes with respect! (See our article “RESPECT FOR THE NAIRA”) at www.geocities.com/lesleba.

The CBN’s subdued acceptance of the government’s suspension of its Strategic Agenda for a healthy naira may be seen as an indication of Soludo’s lack of faith even in his own proposal!

If, indeed, the CBN believed in the power and relevance of its ‘new’ agenda in promoting economic development in the face of increasing poverty in the land, the CBN failed to exercise its constitutional duty to promote policies which will improve the common good and discard policies with negative or adverse consequences for the economy!

In other words, something else other than the desire to serve our people faithfully and productively goaded the CBN Governor to continue in the pursuit of defective monetary policies!

In our paper titled, “A LIBERALISED FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET: a proposal for a liberalized foreign exchange market in Nigeria and its economic benefits” – Boyo/Ojomaikre, we had insisted that the system where the CBN was the major direct supplier of both naira and dollar to the money market was an unhealthy monopoly with serious consequences for a market-determined economy!

Our advice that the three tiers of government be given dollar certificates (not cash) for distributable dollar derived revenue to ensure a market-determined naira rate that will stimulate economic growth was discountenanced and the CBN subsequently responded with its farcical so-called ‘liberalized foreign exchange market’, which in reality was no different from the earlier and existing market frameworks, called DAS, WDAS, IFEM, AFEM, etc.

The common denominator of all these foreign exchange market contraptions was the maintenance of the CBN’s stranglehold on the dollar market and the consolidation of a market system which ultimately instigated increasing poverty with increasing wealth!

The evidence of this correlation was amplified when our dollar reserves rose to over $60bn at a time we became classified amongst the world’s poorest nations!

In fact, monetary policy in that period became so confused that the CBN appeared embarrassed by our sudden healthy reserve balances and decided that the best way to use up the reserves was to allocate over $3bn every month to Bureaus de Change (BDCs) patrons.

Our entreaties in various articles of the suicidal consequences of this profligacy were ignored as the BDCs became an easy pool for capital flight as looters of public treasury and smugglers of contraband had a field day.

The result is now plain for all to see— divestment by such multi-nationals like Dunlop and Michelin and the suffocation of indigenous small and medium enterprises which are generally regarded as the engine of growth in all economies!

The admission of increasing unemployment and insecurity by various agencies of government can only be a confirmation that our monetary policy experts failed woefully to turn our years of plenty into meaningful welfare improvement for our people.

Now that the locust years are at hand, Nigerians should be ready to finally lay undisputed claim to the lowest rung of the world’s poverty ladder!

Indeed, in spite of the sustained increase in reserves from less than $20bn a few years back to over $60bn in November 2008, Nigerians ignored our clarion observation that the naira rate of exchange to the dollar remained resistant rather than its touted state of stability by all and sundry, including the poorly informed Chambers of Commerce and Association of Manufacturers!

Our sometimes irreverent overtures to these pillars of the private sector to see reality were unceremoniously rebuffed! Regrettably, the chickens have now come home to roost! In less than six weeks, the naira rate has depreciated by almost 50% with no end yet in sight!

The CBN has once again suddenly accepted our enduring observation that it is not in its mandate to sell dollars to BDCs, while our foreign reserves have quickly fallen by almost 15% in six weeks; at this rate of depletion, we may inexplicably have zero reserves before year end and we may need to go borrowing big time before the end of 2009; never mind the CBN’s often expressed notions of over 30 months of imports cover provided by our level of reserves!

The tragic thing about the above scenario is that the CBN Governor confidently confirms that the devaluation of the naira is deliberate and designed to ensure a balance in government revenue against projected expenditure!

In other words, the depletion in our oil revenue will be countered by deliberate devaluation of the naira so as to ameliorate any potential deficit in the quantum naira available for monthly allocation! In this wise, we may see the naira rate fall to almost N200/$1 before year end!

This would be no surprise as the government’s economic bible, NEEDS 1 & 2, had projected a naira value of over N180/$1 as the appropriate exchange level that will drive economic development!

It was a tragedy of epic proportions to watch the standing ovation by members of the National Assembly in response to Prof. Soludo’s presentation in defence of the deliberate policy to devalue the naira!

One day, one day, their abysmal ignorance or complicity in deceit will be blown wide open, but regrettably, millions of lives would have been depraved by the self interest of a few Nigerians!

SAVE THE NAIRA, SAVE NIGERIANS!

I want to say congrats to the former president for eventually getting a university degree. It’s just a pity that he got it at a time after he had ruled the country twice. Perharps, had he gotten it earlier, the country may have benefited from his experience in a higher institution. Albeit, I don’t think the receipt of a degree by a former president should have caused such inconvenience and suffering to the people of the state. The roads were blocked completely at major points in Victoria Island, Lagos on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 simply because Obasanjo was getting a Bachelor’s degree. What would happen when he got a Doctorate or if he became a professor. Bill Clinton became a visiting professor after his tenure as president of the United States of America and the Secret Service didn’t harass anybody either on or off the campus.

I really don’t understand why our leaders can’t bring themselves to be humble and empathize with the people. Why is power so intoxicating in Africa? Several hundreds or even thousands of road users had to go through near stand still traffic for hours just because a former president was receiving a Bachelors’ degree. It’s more amazing that the degree is in Theology which has one of its cardinal doctrines as Humility and Tolerance. I hope the former president would be able to practice what he has studied and may soon begin to preach. The article below was culled from The Punch.

The National Open University of Nigeria on Wednesday celebrated its maiden convocation with former President Olusegun Obasanjo refusing to speak to the press after collecting a certificate from the institution.

The former president, popularly called ‘Student Obasanjo’ by staff and students of the open university received his certificate from the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olagbemiro Jegede, amidst ovation from one of his predecessor Alhaji Shehu Shagari.

Present were the Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Senate President, Mr. David Mark and the Director-General, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura.

However, journalists, who had hoped that Obasanjo would grant them an interview on his stay in the university after the convocation, were disappointed as he refused all entreaties to answer even their congratulatory messages.

As soon as he walked out of the venue, journalists moved to his side, to comment, but rather than answer them, he walked up to Koichiro whom he had a little discussion with.

Though his security aides were civil, pleading with the press that they should give him some chance to discuss with the UNESCO boss, the former president who looked tired, jumped into his waiting sports utility vehicle.

Before he entered the black vehicle, he struggled to remove the academic gown, but when he could not, he called one of his aides to help him.

He hopped into the car after exchanging pleasantries with some of the dignitaries including the Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wammako and Chief Obafemi Olopade and left the venue.

Her daughter, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello and his former Special Assistant on Media, Dr. Doyin Okupe, were some of the people that accompanied the former president to the convocation.

Earlier, while presenting his convocation speech, the vice-chancellor, had described Obasanjo as a hardworking student.

“As a student, Obasanjo vigorously pursued his studies on full time basis…He is a shinning example of how seriously a student should take his learning. Like everybody, he sat for all the examinations using anonymous matriculation numbers, and by our internal quality control and security-proof control measures, his papers were marked by different tutors located in some of our study centres including Damaturu, Minna and Yenagoa,” he said.

Jegede explained that nobody had a foreknowledge of the former president’s marks until all students’ marks were assembled and presented to the university senate for approval.

In his remarks, President Umaru Yar’Adua, who was represented by his deputy, expressed the Federal Government’s continued support for the open distance learning university.

According to him, education is a top priority in the seven-point agenda of the administration and as such, government will continue to inject funding to the university.

I stumbled upon this article by Gani Fawehinmi a few hours ago as I was going through the local news online. I really wasn’t surprised at the contents. Apparently, the weak government of the day in Nigeria had offered to bestow upon him a National Award, Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) to be specific. Unfortunately for this government, no right thinking person had brought it up as an issue before he was contacted that he might refuse. If Professor Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe, right thinking pro-democracy icons in Nigeria have rejected such awards previously, someone should have suggested his rejection and its possible consequences.

Anyway, since nobody was thinking proactively, Gani Fawehinmi was sent the notice of intention of the government to honour him with a National Award. He therefore replied accordingly. 

I was not just impressed with his reply but I couldn’t help thinking “If Gani had fought for and believed to see a New Nigeria for over four decades and is almost dying without seeing his dream come to fruition, then I must live my life giving to Nigeria all it demands to become the Nigeria of his, my and other believers in the New Nigeria’s dream”.

I so believed this hero of democracy deserves to be honoured by having his response to the National Award offer published on my blog. Please read.
Why I can’t accept award of OFR, by Fawehinmi
By Gani Fawehinmi

AT the weekend, notably on Friday December 12, 2008 it was published in most of the newspapers in Nigeria that the Federal Government of Nigeria has honoured me with the Officer the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).

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I have had time after the publication to think deeply whether to accept or reject the honour.

I thank President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. I thank the Federal Government of Nigeria and I am very grateful to the Council of State, which approved the honour of OFR given to me by the Federal Republic.

I wish to express my gratitude to numerous Nigerians who by telephone calls, mobile text messages and some by personal visits congratulated me on the award of the honour of OFR.

This is the first government in Nigeria to honour me with the national award. Obviously this government must have considered my activities in the last 43 years before deciding to give the national award of OFR. From my own standpoint and perception, my struggles and crusades include:

1. The abolition of poverty from the face of our country.

2. The unqualified need to preserve, defend and protect the fundamental human rights.

3. The governance of our country through democratic processes.

4. The subjection of everybody and everything to and under the Rule of Law.

5. The right of the people to free and qualitative education at all levels.

6. The right of the people to free and qualitative health services and facilities.

7. The strengthening of our economy through sound development of infrastructures including power generation (electricity), good roads, good and modem rail-system across the, length and breadth of Nigeria, good water way transportation system.

8. The overall duties of all Nigerians and governments (local, states and federal) to make Nigeria a corruption free country by fighting corruption with all our might and main.

In the course of my struggles over the decades for the above ideals, I have been subjected by various governments to all traumatic travails and persecutions including:

(a) Series of detentions in several prisons across Nigeria notably Ikoyi Prison (three times), Kaduna Prison, Gombe Prison, Gasua Prison, Kuje Prison (two times), Bauchi Prison, etc, etc.

(b) Twenty three (23) police detentions between 1969 and 1998 at Police Headquarters, Kaduna, Jos Police Station, lIorin Police Station, Police Headquarters, Lagos, C.I.D., Alagbon, Lagos, Inter-Centre Detention Outpost, Lagos, Ikoyi Police Station, Panti Police Station, Lagos, Police Station, Wuse, Abuja, Police Station, Ikeja, Police Headquarters, Abuja, etc, etc.

(c) Arrested 32 (thirty-two) times between 1969 and 1998, which led to the series of detentions and trials.

(d) My Chambers (Gani Fawehinmi Chambers) at Anthony Village, Lagos was attacked by security men under various governments 16 times, culminating in the attack on Friday August 26 1994 when security men under Gen. Sani Abacha regime at 4 am turned my Chambers into a pool of blood.

(e) Thousands of copies of my books notably on the murder of Dele Giwa were forcibly removed and seized by security agents under Gen. Ibrahim Babangida regime and despite court orders to return my books, the military government at that time refused to obey the court orders.

(f) My international passport was seized more than 15 times between 1966 and 1998.

(g) I was charged to court 18 for politically motivated criminal offences including treason and I was jailed once and became Prisoner J60 before the Court of Appeal terminated my imprisonment.

Today I am 70 years and eight months old and I am struck down by lung cancer for which I have been receiving medical treatment outside my country because my country Nigeria has one of the poorest medical services in the World but one of the richest countries in the world in terms of oil revenue.

My decision to either accept or reject the award of OFR will depend on how far the Nigerian nation through Nigerian governments tried to achieve any of the eight goals I set out in page 2 above.

1. The Abolition of poverty from the face of our country:

Nobody can contest or dispute the fact that poverty in Nigeria today is more pervasive, humiliating, dehumanising than 43 years ago despite our mounting and skyrocketing billions upon billions of dollars of revenue from oil and gas exploration. In this respect, the nation has failed to use the resources to abolish poverty. This is an indictment against all Governments in Nigeria including the present government that awarded the honour of OFR to me.

2. The unqualified need to preserve, defend and protect the fundamental human rights.

In the last 43 years all governments military and civilian have been guilty of abuses of the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people. The present government that awarded this OFR to me has been guilty of abuses of human rights. For example, the closure of Channel Television Stations in Lagos and Abuja on Tuesday, September 16, 2008. The man who helped to catapult this regime into office Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo committed some of the worst abuses of human rights as a civilian leader between 1999 and 2007 namely: He sent troops to murder 2,999 innocent Nigerians in Odi, Bayelsa State of Nigeria in November 1999. He also shut down African Independent Television (AIT) on Sunday October 23, 2005 and Bayelsa State Radio Station on Wednesday, November 30, 2005. Some of the most atrocious human rights abuses were also committed by the military regimes.

3. The governance of our country through democratic processes.

Democracy is the best form of governance. However, Nigerians have never been allowed to usher in a truly democratic government with their ballots. Rigging has been the order of every elected in this country. We have never had a truly elected leader with the ballots of the people. Several thousands have died at every election. Only recently in Jos, Plateau State, more than 500 Nigerians were killed including three National Youths Service Corps graduates, one of whom was a lawyer. In this country most election results have ended up in the law courts. The 2007 General Elections of which the present government that awarded me the OFR emerged were characterised by bloodletting, rigging and all forms of malpractices at all levels including the elections of some of the Governors who are members of the National Council of State that approved my OFR honour. Some of the members of Council of State who approved my OFR were not known or elected by the electorate as the court imposed them. For example, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.

4. The subjection of everybody and everything to and under the Rule of Law.

The most fundamental Rule of Law can be found in the Constitutions of Nigeria, the current one being that of 1999. All the relevant sections of the Constitution that will promote the wellbeing and welfare of the people of Nigeria have been ignored and dispensed with since the making of that Constitution in 1999 and they are still being ignored by the present regime. I refer to one of them i.e. Section 16, which provides in sub-sections 1(a), (b) and 2(d) as follows:

“16(1) The State shall, within the context of the ideals and objectives for which provisions are made in this Constitution

(a) harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, a dynamic and self-reliant economy;

(b) control the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity;

(2) The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring – (d) that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age ‘care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens.”

Take for example, the National Minimum Wage in Nigeria today is N5,500 monthly, which is N183 per day. This cannot buy a bottle of palm oil and no national minimum wage in Nigeria today can buy one tuber of yam.

The leaders of the country in the Executive and the Legislature are swimming in splendour of wealth while the masses are wallowing in agonising and abject poverty. Today, the judicial workers in the country are on strike because of poor wages, which are not living wages as enjoined by Section 16 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

5. The right of the people to free and qualitative education at all levels.

The standard of education in our country is at its lowest ebb. The infrastructure for the promotion of education are the worst ever. Teachers, lecturers, professors many at times use ‘okada’ as a form of transport. Today, of the first 500 educational universities in the world, Nigeria is not included. In most educational institutions, textbooks are not available;’ students depend on handouts.

6. The Right of people to free and qualitative health services and facilities

All universities teaching hospitals in Nigeria lack modern health facilities. All General Hospitals across the country lack modern health facilities. Modern diagnostic equipment cannot be found in most parts of Nigeria. It is difficult to treat a patient without knowing what is wrong with him or her. Hardly a month passes without a Nigerian going abroad for proper medical treatment not because we do not have qualified medical personnel but because those that chose to remain in Nigeria among them work virtually with their bare hands. I am a living victim of the failure of medical services in Nigeria and yet I am an awardee of the OFR.

7. The strengthening of our economy through sound development of infrastructures.

Without doubt, our entire infrastructure are decadent and no effort has been made by this regime to improve on the infrastructure. Under this regime, power generation is next to zero and everyday the country is thrown into darkness. The manufacturers and domestic users of power are at the mercy of generating sets. Waterway transportation has not been harnessed. Our railway system has not appreciably improved from what the British left behind on October 1, 1960.

8. Corruption

Corruption is one single, fundamental factor that has retarded the progress of the nation and its socio-economic development.

The issue of corruption is fundamental in the governance of any nation. It affects the economy in its entirety. No country can’ effectively and properly develop if corruption holds sway as all aspects of, human existence will be negatively affected where government encourages corruption.

It is generally agreed nationality and internationally, that Mallam Nuhu Ribadu did a lot to retard the inhibitive progress of corruption. 419 crimes were on the decline. Gross misuse of public funds by public officers was on the downward trend. Looting at the top became minimised. As Nigerians were breathing a sigh of relief, the government of Yar’Adua threw Ribadu out of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The removal of Nuhu Ribadu as EFCC Chairman happened at a time Nigerians were saying the fear of EFCC is the beginning of wisdom as far as corruption was concerned.

I went to court to challenge Ribadu’s illegal removal from the EFCC. I thought Yar’Adua’s government would allow the court to do its work. But alas, Ribadu was sent to National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru for a one-year course. While undergoing the one-year course in Kuru, on August 5, 2008, the Government demoted Ribadu from the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police to Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Ribadu rightly approached a court of law by instituting an action to challenge the obnoxious demotion. Whilst the suit was pending, security agents physically removed him from the ceremony on November 22, 2008 where he was to be awarded his certificate for success at the NIPSS.

Today, the architect of the unprecedented anti-corruption war, unprecedented in the annals of Nigeria since, 1914, is now literally roaming the streets of Nigeria without official car, without official status, without any form of security, and yet he is still being subjected to, hounding, haunting and all forms of dehumanising vilification by the Government.

His only “offence” is that he used the instrumentality of a public institution the EFCC to investigate, arrest, charge, and in some cases, to convict through the law, courts some public officers, in various corridors of power throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria- people who were otherwise called the untouchables.

By the performance of his duties, Nigeria and Nigerians gained in integrity, honour and recovery of their looted wealth. But Ribadu did not make any personal gain. He only waged a war against corruption, graft, stealing, money laundering, etc, etc, in the corridors of power. In return, the regime of Yar’Adua decided to wage unrelenting war against anti-graft war.

Instead of the Government to publicly acknowledge the unprecedented good Ribadu, has done to the, psyche of Nigerians by awarding him the greatest national honour, the Government has decided to continuously persecute this young man. It was therefore the greatest embarrassment for me, when at the weekend, it was announced that I was one of those 275 Nigerians honoured with national honours and in my case the OFR.

Yes, I have done my best for this country in various fields and I still want to continue to do my best. But we live in a situation where the 1999 Constitution provides in Section 15(5) that: “The State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power” and a young man emerged to do what the Constitution enjoins and he is being persecuted. Yet, the President swore to observe, preserve and defend the same Constitution. I find it extremely difficult to accept that Yar’Adua’s government has the honour to dispense honour.

In the light of the above, I cannot accept the “honour” of the OFR. Whether now or in the life beyond, how can I wake up in the morning and look at the insignia of honour bestowed on me under a government that persecutes anti corruption efforts particularly the of Ribadu?

At the time the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) wrote the letter to my office that my name would be forwarded for national honour while I was in London receiving medical treatment for lung cancer, the Government of Yar’Adua had not begun in earnest the war against anti-corruption war and the harrowing persecution of Ribadu had not reached its crescendo. I do not blame the NBA for sending my name at the time it did for national honour. However, events from August 2008 to this day are so bizarre, unbelievably barbaric in their intensity, in terms of persecuting those fighting against corruption and the singling out of Ribadu for persecution, all for giving honour and dignity to this country and for recovering for our treasury, billions of naira and other forms of wealth looted by public officers.

A government that covertly and overtly encourages corruption has no honour in its arsenal of power to dispense honour. Consequently, I reject the dishonour of OFR termed ‘honour’ given to me by the Government.

The Plight of the masses of our people

Nobody can dispute the fact that since this regime came to power the plight of the masses has worsened as I have shown in items 17 above. But I wish to reiterate that in all the ramifications of human existence, the masses have found themselves in the doldrum of pain occasioned by gross mis-governance of the country.

Furthermore, since the President came to power on May 29, 2007, the masses of our country have been groaning in unprecedented poverty as a result of lack of direction.

The directionlessness of the Government has been characterised by the following, amongst others: collapsed infrastructure, total paralysis of the health sector at all levels, constant nationwide power failure and the attendant negative effects on all sectors of the economy; pervasive unemployment, thereby generating increased armed robbery cutting across all ages of our people; debilitating homelessness; retrogressive educational programmes and policies, which have made no Nigerian university to be ranked within the first 500 universities in the world, and no effort is being made by the regime to improve on the humiliating situation.

Put simply, the Federal Government is a total failure, worsened by lack of direction and leadership. Is this the atmosphere for the award of national honours? Certainly Not!

In addition to my rejection of the honour of OFR on the ground of Government’s conscious war against anti-corruption war, the decadent socioeconomic situation does not engender the wellbeing of ordinary people and there is no hope in sight.

In view of the foregoing, I reject the award of OFR.