OBJ VERSUS PMB: AS THEY FRAME EACH OTHER

The former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo announced recently that President Muhammadu Buhari is framing up stories to finally detain and prosecute him. This new major outburst of OBJ  this year made me remember Tunde Kelani’s epic film, Ti Oluwa N’ile, where a well-respected town chief, Otun, gravely manipulated a judge to bungle justice. But from the night the judgment was made and his excited side won, death started killing the winners serially by interment. Chief Otun fought at processions to stop interments, ran for his life, cried hard till he got solution and his life was spared. Having left for years after the crises, Otun returned to town suddenly, asking to regain his chieftaincy title. Otun in the greedy battle, over the title at the end, lost his life even when interments and killer-ghosts spared him despite his earlier atrocities.

Truth be told, Obasanjo worked hard as president. Taking over power in a country where soldiers were so used to political power than staying in the barracks, OBJ stabilised the polity by retiring such soldiers, confronted ethno-religious crises aggressively, scouted for rugged and seasoned professionals like the Akunyilis, the Okonjo Iwealas and Oby Ezekwesilis. They came with expertise. They all worked as a team starting free feeding in schools, setting up Global system for mobile communications, sanitizing the food-drug industry and finally getting a major debt cancellation.

But old habits, they say, die hard. OBJ although quite a very detribalised personality has some inhuman personal habits and his militocratic approach to many issues as he many times denounced fundamental human rights, democratic values and the rule of law. In his days, politicians die under mysterious circumstances and electoral rigging was the order of the day.

There are very few respected personalities in Nigeria that Obasanjo has not quarrelled with in his lifetime be it IBB, MKO, Wole Soyinka, GEJ, the Kutis, Tinubu, Buhari, etc to mention but a few. Obasanjo’s complicated lifestyle as reaffirmed by his first wife positions him better to tolerate many bootlickers, fake friends, liars and crooks. But when he was in power, they cuddled him the El-Rufai way.

If anyone should be grateful to God and consider human leadership as ephemeral it should be OBJ. A man that no one invited him to the 3 coups but when they won, they did call him to lead. A man that handed over power in the military and gets it back in a democracy. A man God led from prison to presidency and yet handed over power to democratically elected governments twice. A man whose CV is a book.

But If there is anyone who should never complain that someone is framing up plans and documents against him, it is Obasanjo. Who framed up Fayose and removed him? Who wiped off the whole of Odi and toppled 2 senate presidents? For me, it is legends like Nelson Mandela that qualifies to write such public letters to perhaps Jacob Zuma, not those who cannot identify the killers of a sitting attorney-general, vents at foreign journalists because of Malabu oil scam questioning and goes livid when asked why his soldiers pushed down a 70+ year old female activist from a storey building. OBJ’s letters are mostly political and the most impatient amongst those leaders he wrote jailed him immediately. This just tells us that OBJ can definitely write letters but not a public one.

Obasanjo and Buhari

But come to think of it. Comparing OBJ and PMB, don’t you think OBJ is more alert, detribalised, understands the body language of business, fights conflicts with all aggression, employs experts, understands foreign policy but applies militocracy for personal wishes?  Sai Baba is unaware, strongly tribal even where federal character matters, runs on propaganda, lays back during crises and employs more party loyalists than experts. He lacks the finesse for international business and politics.

The issue is both of them are one-way traffic, selective in their anticorruption fight, ignores the office of the citizen, belongs to the same age-long Nigerian political class, manipulates the rule of law and apply good governance moderately. The only thing I am sure of is that PMB will never write any letter.

How I wish Buhari could help bring this former Nigerian leader to justice if found culpable at last? That will pass a great message to the Nigerian Elite.  But I sincerely doubt if Buhari himself will not be culpable of most of OBJ’s atrocities when he leaves office, Or even more.

Oya fight me.

JUNE 12: THE PEOPLES WISH AND THE PRICE OF NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY_Tunde Adegbite

I just saw the interview of Hafsat Abiola-Costello on President Muhammadu Buhari's declaration of June 12 as democracy day in recognition of her father, Bashorun MKO Abiola as a Grand Commander of the Federal Republic. Her words moved me. Most touching was the fact that Hafsat found the democracy day declaration the most significant. Her calm voice expressed Hope, Excitement, Emotions and Fulfilment. Be that as it may, everything about June 12 should be lessons for us as a people and as a nation.

1. Many countries never went through what Nigeria swam in before they were torn into shreds. Had June 12 split Nigeria, no west African  country would have been able to contain us. If it happened, Europe will tilt. America will groan. If they are feeling tired of Syria already, they will have cried over Nigeria and her alarming population. We need to thank God.

2. Nigeria was once run by a group of people who serially brokered political power amongst themselves in military uniforms. Only death and God took them out of power. Life is ephemeral.

3. How do you explain it that the total number of political and military leaders putting pressure on IBB then to annul the elections were not even up to 100 human beings. But because of just them, the wishes of 150m people was truncated. A country without the office of the citizen is an empire of tyrants.

4. While I agree with Honorable Justice Belgore that Paragraph 2 of the Honours Warrant made pursuant to the National Honours Act provides that ‘a person shall be appointed to a particular rank of an Order when he receives from the President in person, at an investiture held for the purpose...’ I prefer as sighted by Femi Falana(SAN)  to align with Paragraph 3 of the same act that gives  '...the President the unqualified discretion ‘to dispense with the requirement of paragraph 2 in such manner as may be specified in the direction'

5. Where was Bukola Saraki and Dino Melaye when Nigeria was boiling in 1993? Where was Rochas Okorocha during the Epetedo declaration? Where was Buhari during Abiola's incarceration? And what comments did he make between 1993 and 1998? Could you have some democratic values and fail to speak during that crucial period? Merit and sacrifice is always stupid to the Nigerian political class until elections start knocking.

7. In a bid to reclaim his mandate, Abiola confronted 3 military governments simultaneously and refused to succumb till he died. Honour is a major producer of heroes. It is the tradition of the Noble. A country without heroes will be zero.

7. The Quarrels between Abiola and Obasanjo has been on since BBHS days when they were both Editor and Deputy editor of the school Magazine. It has always started, ended and restarted since then. I doubt if they ever at any point trusted each other. Nigerians need take their eyes off any lies that rests on PDP or APC. It is the same political class. The Failure of Good Governance in Nigeria is systemic.

8. Sometimes back, I  saw a documentary on the first Nigerian coup which stated that barely a week after Aguiyi Ironsi was killed in 1966,  Lagos was already running normally as if nothing happened and that there was more weeping over the death of Aguiyi-Ironsi in London than in Lagos. What does this speak of us as a people wwith respect to this June 12 declaration?

9. Nigeria is beginning to deserve a National day of Thanksgiving.

I am asking myself today what is going on in the mind of IBB and the 3 service chiefs he left in the military. What was his motive? Wherever they are, it is sure that this will not be funny to them. I am sure they are all ashamed. The lesson in all of this is that, there is always a point in our lives when we have the powers to do almost anything-right or wrong, good or bad, truth or lies. There is a point when the brilliant people around you can argue you in or out of virtually anything and either way. It is right there that the right human and godly values you have kept for years will rise and tell the truth to you. Right actions make a country great. The victory of evil over good will remain temporary. Always  do the right thing when you have the chance. God bless the Abiola family. God bless martyrs of the June 12 struggle. God bless all Nigerians who believe in good governance and God bless Nigeria.

OFFA ROBBERY: WHAT THE NIGERIAN POLICE CAN DO_ TUNDE ADEGBITE

www.instreaminnigeria.blogspot.com

A heartless robbery of robberies happened in Offa, Kwara state Nigeria. Armed robbers moved to the Nearest police station and killed 9 policemen before attacking banks to kill more than 20 people.

The media condemned the acts. The police was gruesomely bitter. The executive was embarrassed. Investigations commenced immediately. And in less than 10 weeks, many of the robbers have been caught. Lessons learnt:

1. If the police will not wait till her men get killed before doing her job by sorting  her internal issues, this country will be a better place.

2. When you hear of herdsmen killing, robberies and major insecurity, it is because the police is yet not willing to do her job. If the police decides to really work, you will not find any criminals in Nigeria.

3. There may be no sufficient technology to support the police like CCTV and Biometrics etc but even in the world of robbery, there are maps, there are kingdoms and there are kingpins.

4. These maps, kingdoms and kingpins are usually in police custody.

5. When the police is failing, it is not because they are lazy. It is because the executive is not interested.

6. The indiscipline you see in the police today thrives because the executive prefers it.

7. There are criminals in prisons on awaiting trials and jail terms who by merely hearing the robbery modus operandi or seeing the darkest pic will mention all the robbers involved for just a drink. Prison intelligence must be taken seriously for adequate security to thrive.

7. An average teenager in some developed nations at the sight of crime can remember the plate number, car model, skin color and guess the height. In some cases, he knows the shoes he saw, all at first questioning. Is something wrong with our child education or how we teach alertness?

8. Your house is at stake when your neighbours wall is ablaze.

9. Analogue security men will never police a digital and youthful generation. The police must retrain her men for security and safety to thrive in the land.

10. Nigerians must vote only leaders who respect fundamental human rights.Its worrisome that there are businesses that kill more than 50 people annually with little or no consequences. A leader that protects cow lives and businesses more than the lives of her citizens do not deserve the leadership of the country.

FOI AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NNPC

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana made a Freedom of Information act request from Nigeria's petroleum Industry, asking for Nigeria's Fuel Importation data for a period. Upon reciept, the state minister  for petroleum Dr Ibe Kachikwu forwarded the request to the NNPC to provide the information.

But Dr Maikanti Baru's NNPC replied via her lawyers, O.B Omale solicitors declining the request on the grounds that it is not a public corporation. In response to Femi Falana, NNPC stated 'Please be informed that our client doesn’t fall under the purview of the freedom of information (FOI) Act, 2011,”

“The provision of the act particularly section 31 thereof is clear and unambiguous as to the meaning of public institution.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the section provides as follows: public institution means any legislative, executive, judicial, administrative or advisory body of the government including boards, bureau, committees, or commissions of the state and any subsidiary body of those bodies including but not limited to committees, and sub-committees which are supported in whole or in part by public funds or which expends public funds and private bodies providing public services performing public function or utilizing public funds.

“Our client is neither a legislative, executive, judicial, administrative or advisory body of government of Nigeria.

“It is a body established by the law to manage the commercial interests of Nigeria in the oil and gas sector and conduct trade therein. It cannot therefore by any stretch of imagination be brought within the definition of public institution under the act"

Now, O.B. Omale, who replied the letter on behalf of  NNPC stated that there were already judicial endorsements on this position in several cases.

The NNPC went further to state that even if it would ever qualify as a public institution, the information requested for is not within the purview of the act as it involves trade secrets, non-disclosure agreement and third parties.To worsen it, the NNPC stated that the  information does not serve any public interest in its opinion and thus cannot be granted.

We are in for interesting times

Now the president is the Minister for petroleum. The NNPC chairman is Dr Baru and Dr Ibe Kachikwu is the State Minister for petroleum.

In defining what is a public corporation, I am shocked that Omale Solicitors does not agree that the NNPC is commissioned by the Nigerian state to do what it does. Now this is a corporation which as at 5:57pm on the 5th June 2018 stated on its  group website , 'The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is the  'state oil corporation....'. What is a state oil corporation? A personal business? I also noticed that the critical phrase '....Including but not limited to....' Has disappeared from Omale's quoted response as stated in the act.

Thirdly Baru's NNPC is not a Public corporation as he said but it is supported 'in whole and in part with public funds' as stated by the act. What an Irony? Not only that, the NNPC expends and utilises public funds, hence it inevitably and  wholly qualifies to obey the FOI act.

Also, it is interesting that Baru's NNPC did not read Section 2 subsections E (I),(II),(III)  which states that all files containing contracts, permits, grants, licenses, agreements reports and documents all qualify as public information under the FOI act. Going by all these, My concern is how do you represent the government and yet hide trade secrets, non-disclosure agreement and third parties on transactions you did on behalf of the state. Is NNPC now a private enterprise? As the former minister Oby Ezekwesili puts, is the NNPC another Federal republic?

Is Baru even aware that the staff of a company or organisation where government owns controlling shares or interest is clearly a public servant as stated by the 1999 constitution ? Is Baru aware  that in some of Nigeria's ministries, suppression of records is the second most grievous act of misconduct you can commit?

It is a global concern that a ministry where the president is the minister for Petroleum works in so thick opacity that the government cannot be asked about her deals and transactions done on behalf of the public. All the achievements with the Nigeria's extractive industries' accountability has now been trashed by this government.

You know there are evils done in Nigeria because crook is so rest assured that the victim will never get justice until 2064. So why worry? The administration of the federal republic of Nigeria particularly the NNPC is definitely run by a cabal that hijacked power. I think the extractive industry is trapped and there is nothing anybody can do about it until elections next year.

2019 NIGERIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: WHO CAN I VOTE FOR? _TUNDE ADEGBITE

As the 2019 elections get close, so many questions are on my mind. Which presidential candidate do I vote for? Who has competence, capacity and credibility amongst them? Who can say 'No' to status quo? Who has made a mark where they are and now wants to make a mark here politically? Who is that detribalised, non-bigoted candidate? Who is it that can take on Nigeria’s security, economy, education and infrastructure and then turn around the narrative? Who is that candidate whose Executive Will can resist the age long Nigerian political class? Who can transform our street realities? Who is ready to put Nigeria in her rightful place amidst the comity of nations?  Who loves these different numerous tribes and faiths that we have? Who loves this nation?

As a believer in the Redcard political ideology, I have rushed through most of the candidates of several of the 68 political parties. I need to state clearly that I have given my red card to the APC and PDP. I am already tired of them both as a Nigerian, hence I have every political right to move on. Amidst my search, I have seen three candidates of exciting and honest report- CEO Sahara Reporters Yele Sowore, Former CBN deputy Governor Prof Kingsley Moghalu and the CEO of Gemstones Mr Fela Durotoye. For me, I take very personal interest in saying that first, these 3 men are young. Hence, they are energetic, deliberate, intelligent and aggressive and have all devoured the lions of impossibilities in their different industries.

Sahara reporters came in as an online newspaper. It never made sense and smelled virtual to many with no value. Today its considered the strongest anti-corruption online daily to ever come out of Nigeria. The daily is as aggressive, compelling and forceful as its CEO whose videos online shows him as a 22 years old boy fighting for democracy right behind the widely acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12 presidential elections, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. Yele is outrightly radical and dangerously fearless. He believes that crooks have cornered powers in Nigeria since 1960 and believe that until their self-perpetuation is grounded, the country will not experience growth.  He believes so strongly that Nigeria's problem is a leadership problem. So many fill Yele Sowore may be arrested and kept incommunicado via a court injuction while the incumbent's preferred candidate continues to campaign and win as it happened in the last Ondo state governorship elections. I think otherwise.

Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu owns one of the most exciting CVs amidst all the Presidential aspirants. Born to a father known in the public sector for probity, Kingsley Moghalu emerged a political economist, lawyer and Professor of Practice in International Business and Public Policy at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He's worked with the United Nations for about a decade before deciding to join the CBN in 2009.
Now this is the exciting part. Moghalu definitely earned accolades for his work at CBN. The years 2009-2014 that He worked at the CBN are years never to be forgotten in the banking industry having worked with the legendary former CBN governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and helping to disrupt the recklessness in the Nigerian industry and setting up practices that align with international standards. The CBN leadership 2009-2014 which Kingsley Moghalu played a major role in transformed the banking industry, overhauled so many regulatory processes and interestingly had a way of  bringing multibillionaire bank CEOs to  accountability even as some were even convicted. Today even the federal government cannot by law prosecute cases of mismanagement, abuse of office and corruption professionally without meaningless political influence or media trial. A Kingsley Moghalu with his vast work experience at the United Nations and the CBN will work towards setting up a country with a thriving macro economy, where all men will do their jobs and crooks will dwell in prison and not on horses. Some believe Kingsley could not have achieved all these without a godfather and they believe that a Kingsley in power will have to compulsorily answer to 'some' powers that be. I think otherwise.

Adetokunbo Olufela Durotoye is an excellent business consultant and virtually the best and most popular motivational speaker from the West African sub-region. He is the president of the GEMSTONE Nation Builders Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization. Fela started motivational speaking at a time when most of such were done by teachers only, triggering a disruption. Not only did he transform it, he turned it into an industry that has created thousands of jobs. Fela has caused institutional transformation for so many industries. He believes that leadership is the basic problem Nigeria has. He markets Nigeria all over the world aggressively and believes that standards set by good governance and the rule of law can put Nigeria in her place amidst the comity of nations. Some people feel Fela is quite too new, too Godly, too clean for Nigeria's dirty political space but I think otherwise. The job of fixing a nation is that of men that fear God, have standards and have a heart for the people.

I am sorry to disappoint you that President Muhammadu Buhari is not an option for me. My reasons are countless but I will stick strictly to 3. First, the Benue, Taraba and Plateau genocide ongoing is the first reason why I will not vote for PMB. In a sane society, the president will first of all, BAN grazing in those 3 states! Allowing grazing to continue with the killings is dehumanising, insensitive and shows lack of a heart for the people. I cannot imagine people getting killed in Oke Ilewo, Sapon, Ijebu Oru or Odeda on a daily basis because some herdsmen cannot find the criminals amongst them. I will rather ban all cows and herdsmen in that area to save the life of a Nigerian. The life of a Nigerian is more important than the life of a thousand cattle and I mean that statement! Secondly, I can’t vote for a septuagenarian that has some serious health issues undisclosed to her citizens. I will rather follow Mo Ibrahim's warning that I should vote for young credible leaders and take decisions like others in developed parts of world. Lastly I have been taught all my life that Leaders don't pass bulk. They take responsibility and get things done. I cannot never vote for a man who after making major mistakes would tell me he does not know or could even pass the bulk to Henry Townsend. This is not Animal farm where Napoleon will claim to all that Snowball, their former leader is their problem.I have not seen much difference between the leadership of the APC and the PDP as  there is no difference between 6 and half a dozen. 

My most important message is that we vote for a man drilled by experts in critical fields for the nation before our very eyes. Watch their tongue for out of the abundance of the heart their mouths speak. Vote for a man that has disrupted his occupational space and now hopes to disrupt the political space. Vote for a man who knows the data on Nigeria, understands the problems and won't start passing bulk. Vote for a man that can stand the test of debates. A man that misses same debate question the second time is a time bomb. Vote for a man that has integrity but note that integrity alone without knowing what to do cannot fix a nation. Vote for a candidate that is not telling lies repeatedly. Never vote for a man because he is an incumbent. So many people are by the sides as shown above that are better than incumbents. Vote for a candidate that is competent, young, capable and credibility. That you are credible does not mean you are competent. Nigeria needs leaders with these 3 Cs. Nigeria needs leaders that respects good governance and would enforce it. Next year again is the time.

Don't stay at home on Election Day. Get your PVC now. If you stay home collecting 2k bribes from candidates to vote in mediocres or just sleeping, then please don't complain when money for those desired roads, portable water and quality schools are being stolen by crooks and politicians. Don't stay at home snapchatting, instagramming, whatsapping, facebooking, gisting and peppersouping on Election Day as riggers cart away your votes. Keep in mind that, that is their prayer. Check INEC for your polling booth and support the most qualified candidates and not the most likely to win. Reject the wrong options regardless of how wealthy or powerful they are! The very desire to have good and credible leaders is in all of us Nigerians as a people but the power to vote for excellent leadership that eschew mediocrity rests on our Thumb. Please vote very intelligently.

14 LESSONS LEARNT DURING THIS PMB TENURE & GEJ ADMINISTRATION

1. The corruption in Nigeria is systemic! Its already a culture! Before you boast of a sudden change, try to know the exact situation and status of things. Your Manifesto can manifest your incompetence.

2. That you are a strong opposition does not mean you know how to fix the country. Speaking hard at those on stage is different from speaking from the stage. If you perform well, claps will come. Don’t force us.

3. Get politicians to do the jobs of politicians. Get experts to do the jobs of high expertise & governance that needs high level expertise. Put square pegs in square holes.

4. Watch out for political candidates who run away from debates, trips off the question and give a wrong answer the second time! They are time bombs!

5. The Nigerian political class is older and stronger than the president. They silence the rule of law and any president that has a need.

6. Immediately you have a second term ambition, you are half-caught in their web. You either align or park well.

7. The Rule says “Routinely clear your rear guard” of rebellion. The more you avoid it, the more nepotic and compromised you become.

8. Until big thieves get big jail terms in Nigeria, corruption will continue to make sense to the poor. Nigerians hate long jail terms.

9. Your propaganda & buck-passing can continue to deceive some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time. You definitely cannot deceive all the people all of the time.

10. The more your excuses, the less your achievements. For the average Nigerian, the excuses are stories for the gods- Even some gods hate excuses!

11. Nigeria is looking for a leader- not a slow or incompetent man, not a man without integrity, not a man that is not aware and not a man that is not in a hurry to do anything.

12. A political party is already sick when it calls every scientific data, a lie, when it calls global entrepreneurs an opposition and apolitical experts are running away from honouring or fixing the nation.

13. Immediately you don’t honestly confront all illegal killings of your citizens as a leader or you respond sluggishly to it by failing to bring the culprits to book, your place before your citizens is already lost. Stop looking for it.

14. Corruption has existed from time immemorial. So leave the story. The inaction of your predecessor should be your shining edge-Not your poem. Have a plan. Face your work, fix the nation and pass your buck to your dog. No condition is permanent!

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NIGERIA : NO BORDERS NO NATION

Two neighbouring farmers in Robert Frost's classic poem, Mending Wall had a discussion on why they must rebuild the wall between their farms. While the writer sees no need and even feels nature dislikes it, his neighbour emphasized its importance twice insisting that 'Good fences make great neighbours'. This adage reigned in most of Europe in the 17th century. In India till today, there is an adage that says 'Love your neighbour but do not throw down the dividing wall’.

A country without borders will always be at war within and without. Anything goes in an uncontrolled environment. Any country without borders must be ready to face the war of decay and insufficiency. And I mean limitless insufficiency of space, safety, food, clothing, shelter, raw materials, opportunities and purposeful living. Research has showed clearly that sufficiency projected by evident data and physical abundance may not really translate into wealth. In fact, in Africa, this exactly is the case! Let me explain.

Nigeria is a country of 183 million people and a border length of about 4900 kilometres with 853 kilometres of it being the coast line. Till today, there are fewer of the borderlines where serious invasion or intrusion is not going on. On the major borders, various shades of smuggling are thriving varying from Forex, gold, solid minerals, agro products, PMS to cattle. I'm sure you wondered when you saw cattle.

While the south-western borders are the entry points for smuggling cars and agro produce, the coastal line and high seas is the hub for oil theft as the smugglers move fast to hit the high seas with several illegal trading activities also going on at the northern borders. Most of the borders are unguarded, allowing free walk in and walk out.

Nigeria does not have wealthier neighbours and most of her neighbours have citizens who in one way or the other depends on Nigeria strongly for survival. In fact in some parts of northern Nigeria where same languages are spoken across the walls, the Nigerians can help ship the alien across the border and perhaps help him confront immigration officials.

It was this same uncontrolled borderlines that made several aliens from neighbouring Niger and Chad keep invading Maiduguri until it became what we have today. It is this same uncontrolled borders that made so many West African herdsmen consider Nigeria as the best place for grazing. It is this same uncontrolled borders that is responsible for the visa-less entries of those non-Nigerians that Senator Marafa was complaining about in Zamfara state recently. We never knew that heinous killings will follow that complaint much sooner. Except something is done, we may painfully have to expect more of these invasions as the elections come closer. This is besides the fact that uncontrolled borders are even a major entry point for diseases!

If we truly want to be successful and enforce the rule of law, security of lives and economic policies efficiently, we must take care of our borderlines. Such unwanted invasions is one of the major reasons why till today, China prefers the diplomatic sanctions against North Korea. If war breaks out in North Korea today, China will be the first recipient of unstoppable invasion of the North Korean war victims who will turn in as refugees. Safety of lives is one of the reasons why Israel watches her borders day and night via the Israeli Defence Forces. Every day, The USA is worried about what it will do about the Mexican border.

All these tells us is that Nigeria is grossly overdue to have a Nigerian Borderline Surveillance and Defence Force. This special force made up of national guards will go through hard core military training with strong ethics where a northern border guard will never watch a northern border. There are several surveillance technologies today that can protect our border perfectly while well trained Surveillance coast guards will protect our coast lines and high seas. This function is getting extremely heavier for the 124000 active military personnel in the Nigerian armed forces as insurgency and killings takes a new dimension.

As we do this, we may end up finding out that the firm control of our borders will first lead to scarcity and then a resurrection of companies, Made in Nigeria products, safety of lives and full control of the country’s economic and socio-political landscape. It will frustrate the penetration of foreign assassins with no identity, make budget planning easier, check our very assorted taste, strengthen agriculture, and leave a more positive impact of economic policies on the citizens. Invasion of herdsmen might decline and we can fight our enemies better in terms of terrorism. A firmly protected border will trigger a compulsory need for identity and identification. This besides will assist to determine how much power, portable water, housing, school, clinics we need as we will be able to determine how many people sleep in Nigeria per night like developed nations. By doing this, jobs will naturally sprout and the revenue of Nigerian Customs Service might in fact triple.

Ronald Reagan did state that a nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation.Control is key to the life and prosperity of a nation. The only countries that prospers in the world are the countries with sound economic policies, strengthened by good governance and the rule of law in a controlled environment. Nigeria needs a controlled environment to succeed amidst her neighbours.

WHY GHANA WILL SOON END FULANI HERDSMEN KILLINGS BUT NIGERIA WONT.

Ghana and Nigeria, two countries facing wanton killings of farmers and settlers by Fulani herdsmen are approaching the same problem differently.

Ghanaian police and Army has given a 'shoot at sight' order at any herdsmen that attempts to kill a Ghanaian.

Nigerian government is telling her citizens to embrace peace always before during and after any destruction or killings by herdsmen! Strange?

Ghana's security apparatus has an order against any Fulani herdsmen that destroy anything.

Nigeria's security apparatus is always waiting for order from Abuja to stop killings by herdsmen.

Fulani herdsmen in Ghana obey court orders. They left Agogo community following a court order.

Nigerian herdsmen do not care about any grazing law. Their cattle can eat or destroy anybody's crop and grass.

Ghana is moving Fulani herdsmen out of locations and towns where they have caused killings in the past.

Nigeria's government is asking for cattle colonies in the same regions where herdsmen have carried out havocs close to genocide.

Fulani herdsmen are living the communities where they misbehaved like Agogo community in Ghana.

Fulani herdsmen are moving more deeply into inner Nigerian cities where they are not wanted.

Ghana's police chief sees herdsmen killings as terrorism.

Nigeria's police chief sees herdsmen killings as communal clash.

Ghana's president and judiciary speak for safety of lives first with a counter attack against killers and destroyers.

Nigeria's traditional leader speak for survival of cows blaming security agencies-not herdsmen.

Fulani herdsmen in Ghana are begging President Nana Akufo-Addo to temper justice with mercy with respect to their flush out.

Fulani herdsmen state their position in Nigeria insisting on theft of cows as reason for settlers killings.

Ghana's president set up a taskforce to wipe out excesses of Fulani herdsmen which is yielding results already

Nigeria's government is always setting up juicy peace and reconciliation meetings that leads nowhere.

Money allocated for the Ghanaian taskforce to check the excesses and killings of innocent citizens is not only in good use, but also yielding results.

In Nigeria, the 100bn allocated for grazing routes disappeared amidst the governors involved!

Ghana is using force to compel erring Fulani herdsmen to comply with constitutional law and order.

A Nigerian governor is using huge bribes to pacify Fulani herdsmen to comply with constitutional law and order. Same money that will be used to buy AK47s to kill more farmers.

So Fulani Herdsmen are begging for help in Ghana. If all these are so, can someone tell me why it wont be the wisest decision for the Fulani Movement to tell all their members in the west African savannahs to relocate with their cows and guns to their conquered lands in the 'Niger Area' where visas and passports  won't matter when moving in,where traditional rulers will fan you safely by blaming security apparatus and not herdsmen? 

Former Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha once said: ‘If insurgency lasts in any country more than two weeks, then the government must have hands in it”.  I plead with you that you get a voters card today and vote poor governance out on election day. Stop leaving the leadership of this country in the hands of only market women, area boys, almajiris, students and bribed fellows. Woe unto that kingdom whose kings are kids. Woe unto that country whose leaders are vagabonds.

CATTLE REARING IN NIGERIA:WHAT IS POSSIBLE?

If Uruguay, a country of 3.46m people with less than 177000 sq km, ranches 12m healthy cows that enjoy choice fodder, clean H2O  and veterinary care, why cant Nigeria with more than 920,000 sq km ranch hers as well? Why is it that Cattle rearing does not cause communal conflicts, human killings, stream pollution, farm crop destruction & sterile national debates in that not fully developed but orgnanised  nation? Uruguayan cows are so well cared for, with an ear device connected to a data bank for health & movement monitoring etc. You can infact request for the birth certificate of your beef at a restaurant. Here, our mostly lean  Nigerian cows trek 25km daily eating anything on their way, with no serious veterinary care  and as a result are too tired to produce milk . If you were a Nigerian cow having trekked several kilometers, you wont want to produce milk too.

 

Uruguayan cowboys are equipped with ranching and veterinary care methods while Nigerian herdsmen are armed with arrows & AK47 to protect cows! I ask myself-if you use AK47 to protect livestock, what will you use to protect Agbami, Oloibiri and Gulf of Guinea if you own them?

How did  3.5m Uruguayans get themselves leaders with potentials to earn $2.2bn from just cow milk, hides and beef only? This, been part of GDP, also helps to support free education from primary to tertiary level but Nigeria’s huge $405bn GDP in 2016 only led to the loss of 4m jobs the following year. (Source  World Bank 2016, NBS, 2017)

 

Which visionary leader will think beyond  blocs & rigs to show Nigeria beyond her 15m cows and prove to these herdsmen that some countries have 330m cows and they are not killing farmers. Which visionary leader will stop importation of 98% of the milk consumed in this country to generate milk from our own cows? London Economist should not start writing about a forthcoming “rise and fall” before grazing will be banned in Nigeria. Only Purposeful leadership will solve Nigeria’s problems and maximize the potentials of her energetic, ingenious but grossly untapped population. We need Leaders.

BENUE KILLINGS: I DO NOT WANT TO BECOME A CANNIBAL

Just like the time of Ese Orhuru and the initial shameful position of the Emirs palace, Former CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi again in an eloquent but shamefully biased style spoke on the Benue herdsmen killings in such a way that I got too tired of asking questions. Sanusi, a supposed nationalist and detribalised traditional leader, took his time to explain the failures of the security agencies, the government and politicians in curbing killings. He emphasised that killings are done by both sides- herdsmen and indigenes. He explained the desired prosperity and wishes of the patrons of Miyetti Allah of which he is one and the frustration caused by desertification and demographic implosion.

He said and i quote 'Grazing routes have been taken way by politicians. We have demographic implosion in the North, desertification, reduction in water reserves and competition for resources among various aspects of agriculture – crop production, animal husbandry and fishing.' My question is which politicians? Togolese or Niger?  And if so, should your newly desired grazing routes/stock routes be forced on other peoples and destroy their means of livelihood?

Sanusi also said Miyeti Allah 'is committed to protecting the fundamental rights of herdsmen as Nigerians including constitutional right to freedom of movement and the ownership of private wealth and peaceful conduct of their business.” I believe anyone who understands English will question why Sanusi is deliberating merging clauses he knows that the Miyetti Allah does not obey. Did anyone question the ownership of wealth of these herdsmen or their perpetual desire to destroy the meagre  private wealth of ordinary farmers in a bid to expand their own wealth.

Many Fulanis have lived down south for decades enjoying tenancy in different parts of southern Nigeria. It is only an accommodating landlord that allows tenancy of cows that defeacates inside classrooms roads rivers but when it comes to defending the cows for destroying the wealth of their landlords, there is no way the matter can ever be swept away. The southerners up north do not use their sales and products to destroy the wealth of northerners. 

Sanusi forgot that we have seen these Fulanis during grazing shoot on even major roads at even drivers who hit their cows in an accident and neighbours had to help the driver scamper into safety. In no part of Nigeria or in any kind of farming in Nigeria, will a common motor accident  lead to attempted killings like these fulanis always do.

How does Sanusi and Miyetti Allah see farm crops? As assets like cows or as something owned by no one that naturally  grows from the ground? Why should SLS go on to tactically  defend Miyetti Allah to leave the blame on security agencies without addressing the foundational cause of these killings which is farm crops destruction?

Could it be such backings that made even the IG initially see these killings as a common communal clash? Did you even notice that Sanusi didn't almost mention farm crops at all in this?

Does SLS know that cows to the herdsmen connotes crops to the farmer?

Does Sanusi know that losses and woes betides any farmer that has crops around a river when its time for these grazing cows to drink with Herdsmen making their animals graze leaving a heartless destruction of crops? With Sanusi's tone, is Sanusi ready to tell Nigerians how Miyetti Allah members get AK47 guns?

By precedence, the Sanusi we know is a man that takes everything he considers a wrongdoing to the public. Why was the dossier of the 800 fulanis killed in Taraba and Benue farmers and settlers not taken to the media? When the Media failed to tell the story, did he call a press conference to state his position?Or Is this killings a proof of revenge? Ranched cows are known to do well and produce better beef and quality milk than these frustrated trekking cows. Is Sanusi saying ranching cannot be done up north with planning?

The protection of cows has superseded the protection of humans. These thoughts make me worry about how I eat Nigerian beef. I am not willing to eat or drink anything that is raised and sustained on any human blood let alone the blood of innocent women and children. I don't want to become a cannibal.

INSTITUTION VERSUS FAITH - IN A RING OF MISPLACED PRIORITIES

Each time I read about Firdaus Amasa, the Unilorin graduate that refused to join the call to bar ceremony because of her Hijab, I question myself about what defines a cause in Nigeria and how self defined interests can be so nationally debated to prove only a religious point. Personally I won't want to talk about the rudeness of  Firdaus at that ceremony as stated by eye witnesses neither will I show interests in physically adorned dress rights.

While religious bodies have turned this matter into a religious cause, it becomes very important for us to ask very pertinent questions as this matter inevitably goes to court after which it will be left again, to fate. We come from a country where nothing is really wrong or right. The worst atrocities against humanity, democracy, faith and ethnic groups has been glossed over in this country without much ado. But when any matter crosses the line with some faiths, heads must unfailingly roll.
Hijab usage is such a big deal in Nigeria. There may even be NGOs that fights such a cause.  Fields of professions have battled it such as medicine, teaching and very many corporate places. But when a lawyer picks the fight against a country's law school, fundamental questions must be asked

Nigerian Law School was set up in 1962 much earlier before Firdaus was born in Nigeria which is a secular nation and not an Islamic republic.

Was Firdaus aware that this school do not allow hijabs to their ceremonies but still decided to enroll for Law in Nigeria and not Iran?

Is Firdaus aware that the name of this school is Nigerian Law school and not Nigerian Islamic Law School?

As Firdaus continued in the University of Ilorin, did she ever get to know that there is a dress code to be worn to the call to bar ceremony of the Nigerian Law school?

Is Firdaus aware that there are several other religions like the catholics, deeper life and African Traditional worshippers that have a religious dress code they will like to wear but they conform to show respect to the institutions where they belong?

What impact will it have if other faiths all wear their own dress codes to call to bar ceremonies?

Are we saying that the Nigerian Law school does not respect faiths because it decided to set her own dress code?

If no, Must the dress code be changed for just one faith and leave others?

Was the law to avoid  religious dress codes set up to tolerate other faiths considering Nigeria's diversity?

In what way does this Hijab argument improve the lives of Nigerians, Nigerian Law school, the Nigerian Judiciary or the Nigerian Justice System?

If every faith should wear their minimum dresses to every school or institution, there will be need to first collapse the entire professional dress code.  You cannot ban a deeper life member's pitting skirt or the different accessories of Yoruba traditional religious attires and tell someone to cap on.

Dressing does not make students more brilliant neither does it heighten spirituality. It is strictly for uniformity and to maintain proud institutional identity. It also portrays a level of order and compliance in line with the school’s mandate and ethics. The Nigerian legal dress code is noble enough for respect anywhere in the world. If its no more wanted then it must be outrightly outlawed.

The argument that kenyan or American lawyers wear hijabs and all that should hold no water. If they do not have a law that states exact legal dress code, then, they have broken no law. In Nigeria there is one and it should be respected.

The court of Appeal in its judgment in ‘The Provost, Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin & 2 Ors v. Bashirat Saliu & 2 Ors (CA/IL/49/2006), and Asiyah & Ors v. LASG & Ors (2016), 15 NWLR (Pt 1535) 117, where the court declared that the use of hijab by female Muslim students constitutes an act of worship and preventing them is an infraction of their rights should be a judgment for all. Catholic sisters, Deeper Life Members, ATR worshippers should all go to court and get their own judgments.

The argument that wig and gown all have Judeo/Christian neo-colonialist origin that should be done away with is another senseless argument. Olokun worshippers or olumba olumbas will not stop learning algebra because it was propounded by Al-Kwarzimi, a Muslim. Parting with models and methods with Judeo-Christian origins is like parting with more than 70% of the technologies and life saving methods  we all use today.

How better will it be if Firdaus helps us deal with the Nigerian thieves that steal billions of petrodollars and come out to contest?  How exciting will I be to see her join the cause of the chibok girls? We would have adorned her in that Hijab.  We should not be dressed in an activism that is protected by  bigotry to express extremism. Nigeria is a country of 182 million people of diverse faiths and a man's religion should be his business and not a burden on the laws of secular institutions or a secular society.

Should these kinds of clamour for beards, religious accessories, long skirts and short trousers jump into the Nigerian Military or paramilitary, we may need to fight harder against the lawlessness, disorderliness and chaos that can emanate from that imbroglio. I hope that one day we will all be able to talk to God. We will ask him that day  if he was really the one that created us together and yet left us with all this confusion.