Six unidentified armed men, in the early hours of today, kidnapped His Royal Majesty, Isaiah Aghaza I in Delta state of Nigeria.
The kidnappers were said to have stormed his palace, heavily armed with AK47s, and ordered him into a waiting vehicle that had no number plates, and zoomed off.
The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Celestina Kalu who confirmed the incident said: “Olomoro King HRM Aghaza I, was kidnapped in the early hours of on Friday from his palace. His abductors took off to an unknown destination with a dark-green Range Rover Jeep.
“Efforts are being made to track down the culprits.”
It will be recalled that two monarchs and about six others were kidnapped in barely six weeks in the state. [myad]
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Ekpo Nta, has been elected as one of the seven new members of the Board of Governors of the International Anti-Corruption Academy, Austria. Nta was elected into the IACA Board of Governors to represent the African Regional Group during the Assembly of State Parties Conference of the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Vienna, Austria. He is the first African and Nigerian to be so elected. The ICPC said in a statement today that this signals a great honour for him and was an international acknowledgement of upsurge of Nigeria’s prevention activities in the anti-corruption fight. IACA, in a letter dated December 17, 2015, signed by its Dean and Executive Secretary, Martin Kreitner, to Ekpo Nta, said: “With the 4th session of the Assembly of parties of the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) having come to a successful close, I have the pleasure of once again thanking you for your valuable contributions during this session, and to also of formally notifying you on your election by the Assembly-upon a proposal by Federal Republic of Nigeria – to IACA’s Board of Governors. “As you know, the IACA is an international organization basedin Laxenburg, Austria. It is the first global institution of this kind, dedicated to overcoming current shortcomings in knowledge and practice in the field of anti-corruption, and seeking to empower professionals for challenges of tomorrow. The organization was initiated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the Republic of Austria, and other stakeholders. “It became an intergovernmental organization on 8 March 2011. To date, it comprises a constituency of 66 Parties from all over the world, including three international organizations. IACA has permanent observer status to the UN General Assembly. “In view of IACA’s role as a dynamic and consistently growing global anti corruption stakeholder and service provider, we look forward to working with you in curbing preventing corruption by empowering professionals. The next meeting of the board is scheduled for 7-8 March 2016.” Other members elected were drawn from Iraq and Jordan (Asia Pacific Group), Chile (GRULAC), Azerbeijan (Eastern European Group), Brazil (GRULAC) and Thailand (Pacific Group). A report from the IACA’s newsletter stated that delegates at the forum voiced their strong support for IACA and underlined the importance of its global work in anti-corruption, education, research, networking and co-operation. The assembly reiterated that the anti-corruption capacity-building activities provided by IACA could further contribute to the achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, IACA signed three Memoranda of Understanding within the framework of the Assembly, with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Law Institute of Lithuania, and the Academy of Justice of the Republic of Armenia. [myad]
The Nigeria’s Supreme Court has sacked two Senators from Anambra State, Stella Oduah and Andy Uba, nearly two months after a third Senator from the state, Uche Ekwunife, was sacked.
In a ruling today, the Court nullified the elections of both Senators representing their constituencies in the State.
Oduah was a former Aviation Minister, who resigned her position to pursue her political ambition while Uba was a former Special Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Domestic Affairs.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared them winners after the Senatorial election held last year.
All the Senators from Anambra State, including Mrs. Ekwunife, emerged on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
On December 7, the Court of Appeal in Enugu in nullified the election of Uche Ekwunife, as the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District.
The court consequently ordered a fresh election within 90 days.
After the Appeal Court’s order, Mrs. Ekwunife defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), with hopes of securing the ticket, after Senator Chris Ngige of the APC who was also vied for the position had been appointed Minister.
Anambra Central Senatorial district is regarded as one of the most keenly contested in the country, having a former Governor Chris Ngige, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh and of course Mrs Ekwunife. Channels. [myad]
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has commissioned the Abuja Inner Southern Expressway in the city’s Central Business District.
The Inner Southern Expressway commences where the Abuja-Keffi road terminates by Mogadishu Barracks in Asokoro District. The road traverses the City from Phases I to IV to connect the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) within the precincts of Kuje township.
Commissioning the road today, Muhammad Bello appealed to the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to consider the full expansion of the Abuja-Keffi road to 10 lanes capacity to tackle the traffic bottlenecks often experienced on that axis.
The minister who was represented at the occasion by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, said that the expansion of the Abuja-Keffi road to 10 lanes with interchange bridges at critical junctions will guarantee hitch-free traffic flow in and out of Abuja city from the North-East axis of the country.
Muhammad Bello recalled that the FCT Administration has already expanded the Kubwa and Airport roads to serve those entering into the Federal Capital City from the northern and southern parts of the country respectively.
He reiterated that the FCT Administration decided to partially open the ISEX also known as the Goodluck Jonathan Expressway to reduce the traffic gridlocks around the city centre particularly at peak periods.
The Minister disclosed that 90 percent of the ISEX project has been completed, adding that it was in a bid to alleviate the traffic congestion being experienced within the city Centre at least by providing an alternative route to ease movement in the East-West Axis in the southern flank of the city.
Muhammad Bello said that hitherto to commencement of the ISEX project, commuters from Abuja-Keffi axis usually experienced chaotic traffic congestion and suffered untold hardship when plying that route, with the resultant effect of extensive man-hour losses.
He emphasized that the FCT Administration funded the substantial completion of the ISEX in line with policy of the present Administration to continue with all on-going projects that will impact positively on the lives of Abuja residents and Nigerians at large.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Adamu Ismaila who was represented at the occasion by the Director of Mass Housing, Engr. Umar Gambo Jibrin said road is designed as a 2×2-lane service carriageways and 2×3-lane main carriageways making a total of 10 lanes with four interchanges and four box culverts at various locations.
Engr. Ismaila said that the scope of the project includes underground and surface storm water drainage, power supply, a pedestrian bridge, street lighting and telecommunication ducts, among others. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has called for an intensification of intra-African trade and acceleration of the pace of economic integration across the continent.
Speaking at a banquet in Nairobi in his honour at the conclusion of his state visit to Kenya, President Buhari said that the expansion of trade relations between Nigeria and Kenya in recent years should be replicated by all other African countries to speed up the pace of economic development on the continent.
“We now have Nigerian industrialists establishing cement plants in Kenya while Nigerian telecommunications operators are learning and adopting the Kenyan mobile banking model as a tool for financial inclusion in rural Nigeria.
“We have Nigerian farmers coming to learn from successful Kenyan farms while at the same time, we have many up and coming Kenyan oil and gas businesses partnering with Nigerian oil companies.
“We have Nigerians drinking Kenyan coffee in their homes and offices, while we have many Kenyans listening to Nigerian music and watching Nollywood movies
“These developments point to a real integration on the continent beyond formal diplomatic relationships. Greater intra-Africa trade will ultimately result in the creation of millions of jobs within Africa for Africans.”
The President expressed the hope that Nigeria and Kenya will continue to build on the mutually-beneficial trade and economic relations between them.
He called for the rapid implementation of all bilateral agreements already signed by the two countries and the convening of their Joint Commission for Cooperation.
“As our two governments move ever closer, our business communities will also take full advantage of this momentum to increase trade and economic activities.
“I feel confident that by the end of this visit, new and solid bridges for movement of persons, goods and services would have been constructed,” President Buhari said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that both leaders agreed to intensify bilateral cooperation on trade, investment and the fight against corruption and terrorism. [myad]
A teenage boy today detonated a suicide vest at a crowded market in Gombi town in Adamawa State, killing as many as eight and injuring about 17 others.
The casualty figures are still unclear, but Adamawa state police spokesman Othman Abubakar said three people including the bomber were confirmed dead, while 17 others were injured.
An eye witness said that he saw at least eight dead bodies, after the blast which happened at about 1pm today.
Residents say they saw mutilated bodies as they ran in panic, with traders abandoning their stalls.
Gombi was recaptured from Boko Haram in 2014 and since then, the insurgents have made several failed attempts to retake the town from the Nigerian
Meanwhile facts have emerged that the bombers that attacked Chibok, north-east Nigeria on Wednesday were men wearing woman veils (hijabs), according to Nigerian military. The men were said to have strapped the explosives to their backs to look like babies.
At least 13 people were killed in the multiple explosions.
Chibok is the town where Boko Haram abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in 2014. [myad]
My criticisms of the excesses of the online phenomenon in terms of its brazen abuse in an unregulated environment has often made me the target of attacks, with many insisting on quoting the opening paragraph of a piece I once wrote along these lines as if it is a memorial verse, but further developments have shown that indeed, liberal, accommodative, useful and open as the growth of the new media may seem in Nigeria, we may well, if care is not taken, be dealing with a dangerous tool in the hands of the unscrupulous which could drive society towards the lunatic fringe.
The beauty of the new media is its democratic temper. With any electronic device, anyone at all, can set up a communications unit, using a phone, a tablet, a laptop, a desktop, and simply occupy the social space and broadcast information which in a matter of minutes may go viral and condition public opinion. It grants the person involved absolute freedom, even anonymity, dangerous anonymity of self, space and location, but the worst part of it is the freedom from decency, responsibility and conscience. And so while so much good can be done by persons exchanging information, and as has turned out, creative jokes and skits which entertain and amuse, a lot of evil can be committed through resort to blackmail, abuse, and mischief.
This dangerous dimension is beginning to grow in different directions and the latest that I have seen is what seems to be the emergence of cartels, or perhaps cabals in the online industry, with various persons organizing themselves into groups, and if this were to be a sign of freedom of association exercised by like minds, it would be commendable. But rather what is emerging is bitter rivalry among the various groups, a fierce struggle for territory, unhealthy, cut-throat competition, and a desperation to out-do each other. The group warriors are not necessarily fighting for any great ideal, but ego, power, privilege and access to the corridors of power.
I happen to have suddenly become a victim in the midst of this turf-fighting, as my name this week was drawn into a cat fight between two groups: the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) and the Online Publishers Association of Nigeria (OPAN). These are two of the emerging groups but there are others: Association of Online Bloggers, Association of Nigerian Online Publishers (ANOP), the Online Magazines Publishers Association (OMPA). And who knows, there may well be the Association of What’s App Users, the Nigerian Association of Twitter Voltrons, Association of Nigerian BBM Users, National Association of Chat Group Administrators, all of them fighting over influence, space, and patronage. This politicization of the online business can only in the long run diminish its influence and promote opportunism.
The case that I refer to was triggered by a meeting in Lagos, between the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and a group of online publishers under the umbrella of GOCOP. This prompted a rival group, the OPAN to issue a statement accusing Alhaji Mohammed of meeting with the wrong group and ignoring the main stakeholders. There has been serious “blood-sharing” since then. GOCOP issued a rejoinder in which it attacked OPAN. And my name was brought in. I was accused of being the spirit behind OPAN, and an attempt was made to set me up against Femi Adesina, my successor as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of Nigeria. Femi was given special praise, he being a Trustee of GOCOP, so the whole thing is projected as OPAN being pro-Jonathan and GOCOP being pro-Buhari.
I was also accused of having influenced the Corporate Affairs Commission to block the registration of NOPA, the first name that the other group had chosen when it sought formal registration. I was alleged to have used the powers of the Presidency to victimize members of then NOPA, who eventually adopted a new name and got registered. But obviously, the aggrieved were looking for an opportunity to go after me. And they believe the time is now right and that their facts are right, hence they threatened to release “documents”.
They are wrong. Here are the facts: I was invited to be a Trustee of OPAN in 2010 when I was still Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Guardian. I was at the time involved either as a Trustee or contributor to many social causes – motherless children’s homes, special children, book reading clubs, girl child education projects, and hence, adding to that list a group that defined its objective as developing standards in the emerging online space was not a problem for me. I agreed to be a Trustee of OPAN and I made inputs into the drafting of the philosophy of the group. It had become clear by then that the online space was bound to grow and that there was a need for an articulation of ethical and professional standards, which may not be officially imposed but which could provide a basis for the insistence on a responsible use of the internet to promote serious issues. OPAN secured registration with the CAC, but it remained in a formative stage throughout the period I was in office, and was only formally launched late 2015. I did not even attend the launching ceremony. Having seen that the group had finally found its rhythm and its objectives properly defined, I offered to step down from the Board of Trustees. I got to know of the bitter fight over CAC registration between GOCOP and OPAN in the press release issued by the former.
Let me make this clear: I could not have been involved in that fight. The CAC is a statutory body and I believe it is in a position to defend its integrity. Anyone knows that the CAC conducts name-search before registering any organization and where any conflict in identity is subsequently reported, it has its own mechanism for resolving such. If NOPA and OPAN were fighting over nomenclature, it was the job of the CAC to resolve that, not the Presidency. In any case, my office could not have supported one group of online publishers against another, because that would have been counter-productive. My assignment required me to relate regularly with website owners, bloggers, and all categories of journalists and they all published our materials. I have made it clear privately that I probably received more support from members of GOCOP, many of whom I had always known and with whom I had shared happier moments, particularly at the St Bottles’ Cathedral in Lagos: our hang-out in those days.
But I see that twice in the past eight months, there have been curious attempts to pitch me against my successor, Femi Adesina. In the imagination of a dubious minority, I am supposed to be fighting him and make his work difficult. I can imagine the kind of stories that may have been going back and forth, invented by persons looking for what to eat. I have been there and I know how it is. But Femi and I have never fought over anything and we have absolutely no reason to fight. I am out. He is in. Life goes on. I have nothing against him or the PMB government. In 2015, the Nigerian people made a choice and spoke. It is a choice that we respect.
But as if all that is not plain enough, the latest that I have seen is a 2012 private e-mail “document” purportedly leaked to Sahara Reporters giving the impression that I worked with an online group to undermine Sahara Reporters in defence of the Jonathan Government, and of course the sub-text is to link me with the current war of the online publishers. This has to do with an e-mail, which the Association of Nigerian Online Publishers (ANOP) sent to a third party which was forwarded to me. I was then hearing about ANOP for the first time.
I forwarded the mail to the main promoter of OPAN, the only one of such groups that was known to me then and I only wanted to know if this was the same group, given the striking similarity. The leaked mail is one of many such unsolicited proposals and suggestions that came to my desk. Nothing came out of it thereafter, and I had no reason to worry about that innocuous incident until now. I took an oath of office to defend the interests of the people, President and Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and I did my bit, but it was not the style of that administration or my office to intimidate, gag, frustrate or undermine the free media. I had direct access to Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters.
Throughout my four years on the job, he used every single press release that we issued and always listened to my many protestations. He always insisted however, that he had his facts, and that he knew more insiders than I could ever imagine. I was always shocked how State House documents and inside stories regularly found their way to his desk, and how on the day the President’s brother died, he had published the story even before anyone in Aso Rock knew. If the leaked e-mail proves anything, it is that he and his own colleagues are involved in a bitter rivalry, and that there is indeed a war of online operators and this can only get worse with everyone these days, becoming a blogger or online publisher. This poses a serious challenge for media, reputation, and perception managers who must continuously swim in an ocean of sharks, alligators and piranhas. If you relate with A, you could offend B. And if you receive a mail from C, you could get into trouble, not knowing which cartel or cabal you are dealing with.
The truth, if we must say so, is that the social media in Nigeria has become a battle-ground for survival. It is no longer about young people playing with a phone or a laptop, it is big business, and where the stomach or sheer rivalry, is involved, we can see that persons are ready to shed blood, shred reputations and break jaws. It is most unfortunate that this positive force that could be used for the good of society is finally going the way of all things. The other truth is that the big war of communications is no longer fought on the pages of newspapers, but online and all the bad habits of old have been transported, without any ethical restraint. This is where the real danger lies.
The challenge is to insist that online journalists, publishers, bloggers and tweeters must be held down to certain prudential standards of practice. The in-fighting is unnecessary. The various associations can be useful as vehicles of self-regulation, and for promoting values and best options. They should not become special purpose mechanisms for patronizing politicians and political office holders. [myad]
Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, under the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo of unleashing a misplaced anger on the present National Assembly.
Senator was reacting to Obasanjo’s letter which he addressed to the leadership of the National Assembly, drawing their attention to corruption that had ruled the law making body since the beginning of democracy in Nigeria. In a statement today, Melaye said that it was the former president who exposed the legislature to corruption, describing Obasajo’s action through the letter as misplacement of anger. He said that though he has tremendous respect for the former President, but that if the truth must be told, Obadanjo’s letter to the 8th National Assembly on issue of corruption, introduced by himself to the fourth Assembly, was uncalled for, more so when the 8th Assembly and in particular the 8th Senate, has nothing to do with corruption. He said that though he is against corruption anywhere in Nigeria, but that he will not support accusations based on anger and vindictiveness. Part of the text of Senator Melaye reads: “I have tremendous respect for President Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo. Elder statesman, respected pan Africanist and committed patriot. I went through the letter written to all Senators and members of the House of Representatives. “The letter I can see, is a misplacement of anger. Our leader is mistaken the 8th National Assembly as the same Senate Assembly that defrauded him in 2007. Those who collected his money and refused to implement the 3rd term agenda. I appeal to baba that we are not the ones please. “After nine years of that bribery saga, the first of its kind, I expect forgiveness to have taken place. There was the case of bribery introduced by the Obasanjo regime in the desperate attempt to remove Speaker Ghali Umar Na’abba from office then. In fact there was open display of that bribery money on the floor of the house. “That government exposed the National Assembly to corruption and easy money. I hope this is not in an attempt to cover up and distract attention from the Halliburton and Siemens corruption allegations. “While I am against corruption anywhere in Nigeria, I will not support accusations based on anger and vindictiveness. The 8th Senate should also look inwardly and purge herself of all the deliberate misgivings of the past. Nigeria must work and we must support the anti corruption stand of the Buhari Administration. God bless Nigeria.” [myad]
The Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked its supporters to take heart over the Supreme Court judgment of yesterday, which upheld the election of Nyeson Wike as governor of the state. in a statement today, the party’s state chairman, Chief Davies Ibiam Ikanya called on the members, especially survivors of those who lost their loved ones before, during and after the 2015 electoral violence “that the justice we sought to put a closure to their pains and losses, though denied us by man, will still be granted by the ultimate judge, God Himself.”
Ikanya stressed that God would prove that those who paid the ultimate price did not do so in vain “because He is the God of justice.” He recalled that the struggle to retrieve the mandates of the party’s candidates, including that of the governorship candidate, hijacked in the 2015 sham elections, led to various rulings by the election petition tribunals and Appeal Courts which annulled and ordered for the rerun elections for 22 State Assembly positions out of 32, all 3 Senatorial seats and 12 out of 13 House of Representatives seats. “Ordinarily, such large-scale annulment should have logically led to upholding the annulment of the governorship election as pronounced by the Tribunal and the Appeal Court. Unfortunately, the earlier decisions of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and that of the Appeal Court annulling the election of the Rivers State Governor, Barr Nyesom Wike was upturned by the Supreme Court of Nigeria yesterday. While we are neither applauding nor condemning the decision of the apex court, we can only give thanks and adoration to God Almighty whose wisdom surpasses that of man.” The chairman promised that APC would continue to play the role of a responsible opposition by protecting the peoples’ common interests and provide the bridge between the people and the APC Federal Government. “We call on all our brothers and sisters who recently saw the light and joined us to serve our people to know that they made the right decision as we all will create and enhance a working synergy that will transcend the present times in service to our people. “Finally, I urge all members of the APC in Rivers State to remain calm, focused and ready for the task ahead of us as party leaders and supporters at our various units, LGAs and the State. In all things, they should continue to give God all glory and adorations as that which is ahead is greater than that behind us.” [myad]
After spending 23 days behind bars, the national publicity secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Olisa Metuh, has finally left Kuje prison, Abuja today. This was after meeting the conditions of bail handed down by two separate high courts.
The party’s director of new media, Deji Adeyanju announced today: “we are on our way to the house now. We met the bail conditions about 20 minutes ago, and we are just leaving the federal high court,” Adeyanju said.
Metuh, until Thursday, had been in custody since January 5.
A federal high court judge in Abuja, Justice Okon Abang, Maitama, Abuja, had granted him bail in the sum of N400 million, with two sureties and landed property at Maitama.
However, the PDP spokesman asked for a variation of the conditions of the bail whereas, Abang ruled that he must perfect the conditions of bail for him to be released from prison.
Citing a ruling of the court granting him bail, Abang held: “The court cannot be expected to seat on appeal over its decision.” He directed the accused person to go on appeal against the ruling of the court if he was dissatisfied with it. However, the judge, while stating that the decision of the court to grant Metuh bail was not to keep him in custody, varied the condition requiring the accused person to have two sureties who must have landed property at Maitama, Abuja. He held that the scope of ownership of property for the sureties was now expanded to include all parts of the federal capital territory. In other words, the sureties must have landed property within Abuja, and not just at Maitama. That was the only prayer in the application for variation of bail sought by Metuh that was granted.
Another high court judge in Abuja, Justice Ishaq Bello, last week granted Metuh bail in the sum of N300 million with two sureties in the like sum.
The PDP spokesman is facing a seven-count charge of money laundering at the federal high court, and two-counts of destruction of accused person statement at the FCT high court. [myad]
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Six unidentified armed men, in the early hours of today, kidnapped His Royal Majesty, Isaiah Aghaza I in Delta state of Nigeria.
The Online Warriors, By Reuben Abati
The beauty of the new media is its democratic temper. With any electronic device, anyone at all, can set up a communications unit, using a phone, a tablet, a laptop, a desktop, and simply occupy the social space and broadcast information which in a matter of minutes may go viral and condition public opinion. It grants the person involved absolute freedom, even anonymity, dangerous anonymity of self, space and location, but the worst part of it is the freedom from decency, responsibility and conscience. And so while so much good can be done by persons exchanging information, and as has turned out, creative jokes and skits which entertain and amuse, a lot of evil can be committed through resort to blackmail, abuse, and mischief.
This dangerous dimension is beginning to grow in different directions and the latest that I have seen is what seems to be the emergence of cartels, or perhaps cabals in the online industry, with various persons organizing themselves into groups, and if this were to be a sign of freedom of association exercised by like minds, it would be commendable. But rather what is emerging is bitter rivalry among the various groups, a fierce struggle for territory, unhealthy, cut-throat competition, and a desperation to out-do each other. The group warriors are not necessarily fighting for any great ideal, but ego, power, privilege and access to the corridors of power.
I happen to have suddenly become a victim in the midst of this turf-fighting, as my name this week was drawn into a cat fight between two groups: the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) and the Online Publishers Association of Nigeria (OPAN). These are two of the emerging groups but there are others: Association of Online Bloggers, Association of Nigerian Online Publishers (ANOP), the Online Magazines Publishers Association (OMPA). And who knows, there may well be the Association of What’s App Users, the Nigerian Association of Twitter Voltrons, Association of Nigerian BBM Users, National Association of Chat Group Administrators, all of them fighting over influence, space, and patronage. This politicization of the online business can only in the long run diminish its influence and promote opportunism.
The case that I refer to was triggered by a meeting in Lagos, between the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and a group of online publishers under the umbrella of GOCOP. This prompted a rival group, the OPAN to issue a statement accusing Alhaji Mohammed of meeting with the wrong group and ignoring the main stakeholders. There has been serious “blood-sharing” since then. GOCOP issued a rejoinder in which it attacked OPAN. And my name was brought in. I was accused of being the spirit behind OPAN, and an attempt was made to set me up against Femi Adesina, my successor as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of Nigeria. Femi was given special praise, he being a Trustee of GOCOP, so the whole thing is projected as OPAN being pro-Jonathan and GOCOP being pro-Buhari.
I was also accused of having influenced the Corporate Affairs Commission to block the registration of NOPA, the first name that the other group had chosen when it sought formal registration. I was alleged to have used the powers of the Presidency to victimize members of then NOPA, who eventually adopted a new name and got registered. But obviously, the aggrieved were looking for an opportunity to go after me. And they believe the time is now right and that their facts are right, hence they threatened to release “documents”.
They are wrong. Here are the facts: I was invited to be a Trustee of OPAN in 2010 when I was still Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Guardian. I was at the time involved either as a Trustee or contributor to many social causes – motherless children’s homes, special children, book reading clubs, girl child education projects, and hence, adding to that list a group that defined its objective as developing standards in the emerging online space was not a problem for me. I agreed to be a Trustee of OPAN and I made inputs into the drafting of the philosophy of the group. It had become clear by then that the online space was bound to grow and that there was a need for an articulation of ethical and professional standards, which may not be officially imposed but which could provide a basis for the insistence on a responsible use of the internet to promote serious issues. OPAN secured registration with the CAC, but it remained in a formative stage throughout the period I was in office, and was only formally launched late 2015. I did not even attend the launching ceremony. Having seen that the group had finally found its rhythm and its objectives properly defined, I offered to step down from the Board of Trustees. I got to know of the bitter fight over CAC registration between GOCOP and OPAN in the press release issued by the former.
Let me make this clear: I could not have been involved in that fight. The CAC is a statutory body and I believe it is in a position to defend its integrity. Anyone knows that the CAC conducts name-search before registering any organization and where any conflict in identity is subsequently reported, it has its own mechanism for resolving such. If NOPA and OPAN were fighting over nomenclature, it was the job of the CAC to resolve that, not the Presidency. In any case, my office could not have supported one group of online publishers against another, because that would have been counter-productive. My assignment required me to relate regularly with website owners, bloggers, and all categories of journalists and they all published our materials. I have made it clear privately that I probably received more support from members of GOCOP, many of whom I had always known and with whom I had shared happier moments, particularly at the St Bottles’ Cathedral in Lagos: our hang-out in those days.
But I see that twice in the past eight months, there have been curious attempts to pitch me against my successor, Femi Adesina. In the imagination of a dubious minority, I am supposed to be fighting him and make his work difficult. I can imagine the kind of stories that may have been going back and forth, invented by persons looking for what to eat. I have been there and I know how it is. But Femi and I have never fought over anything and we have absolutely no reason to fight. I am out. He is in. Life goes on. I have nothing against him or the PMB government. In 2015, the Nigerian people made a choice and spoke. It is a choice that we respect.
But as if all that is not plain enough, the latest that I have seen is a 2012 private e-mail “document” purportedly leaked to Sahara Reporters giving the impression that I worked with an online group to undermine Sahara Reporters in defence of the Jonathan Government, and of course the sub-text is to link me with the current war of the online publishers. This has to do with an e-mail, which the Association of Nigerian Online Publishers (ANOP) sent to a third party which was forwarded to me. I was then hearing about ANOP for the first time.
I forwarded the mail to the main promoter of OPAN, the only one of such groups that was known to me then and I only wanted to know if this was the same group, given the striking similarity. The leaked mail is one of many such unsolicited proposals and suggestions that came to my desk. Nothing came out of it thereafter, and I had no reason to worry about that innocuous incident until now. I took an oath of office to defend the interests of the people, President and Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and I did my bit, but it was not the style of that administration or my office to intimidate, gag, frustrate or undermine the free media. I had direct access to Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters.
Throughout my four years on the job, he used every single press release that we issued and always listened to my many protestations. He always insisted however, that he had his facts, and that he knew more insiders than I could ever imagine. I was always shocked how State House documents and inside stories regularly found their way to his desk, and how on the day the President’s brother died, he had published the story even before anyone in Aso Rock knew. If the leaked e-mail proves anything, it is that he and his own colleagues are involved in a bitter rivalry, and that there is indeed a war of online operators and this can only get worse with everyone these days, becoming a blogger or online publisher. This poses a serious challenge for media, reputation, and perception managers who must continuously swim in an ocean of sharks, alligators and piranhas. If you relate with A, you could offend B. And if you receive a mail from C, you could get into trouble, not knowing which cartel or cabal you are dealing with.
The truth, if we must say so, is that the social media in Nigeria has become a battle-ground for survival. It is no longer about young people playing with a phone or a laptop, it is big business, and where the stomach or sheer rivalry, is involved, we can see that persons are ready to shed blood, shred reputations and break jaws. It is most unfortunate that this positive force that could be used for the good of society is finally going the way of all things. The other truth is that the big war of communications is no longer fought on the pages of newspapers, but online and all the bad habits of old have been transported, without any ethical restraint. This is where the real danger lies.
The challenge is to insist that online journalists, publishers, bloggers and tweeters must be held down to certain prudential standards of practice. The in-fighting is unnecessary. The various associations can be useful as vehicles of self-regulation, and for promoting values and best options. They should not become special purpose mechanisms for patronizing politicians and political office holders. [myad]