The Presidency is not comfortable with Foreign Affairs magazine on its publication recently that portrayed it as having blindly joined those who see nothing good in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, adjudging Nigeria as a failed nation.
In a letter to the magazine today, Jun 3, Senior special assistant to President Buhari on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu said that while the presidency had come to expect negative comments from partisan blogs and politically motivated lobbies, “it is still a surprise, and a disappointment, to see them joined by Foreign Affairs.”
The letter read in full:
Dear Sir,
The latest article on Nigeria in Foreign Affairs titled ‘The Giant of Africa is Failing’ is unfair both to a magazine with such an esteemed pedigree and to its readers.
Ambassador Campbell has been predicting the collapse of Nigeria for several years. He is of course entitled to his opinions, even where events consistently prove him wrong.
But facts should not be bent to support distorted opinions.
Let me give you one example.
The authors write:
‘At an April meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Buhari reportedly requested that the headquarters of the U.S. Africa Command be moved from Germany to Nigeria so that it would be closer to the fight against jihadi groups in the country’s north.’
President Buhari did not request that AFRICOM move to Nigeria. The transcript of the call with Secretary Blinken is available on the State Department’s own website.
It’s not just a question of the invented addition of ‘to Nigeria’ with regard to AFRICOM. It sums up a piece that attempts – subtly but revealingly – to shift facts to suit an argument.
Nigeria faces multiple challenges, not least of which is the dissemination of fake news and prejudiced opinion.
This is something we have come to expect from partisan blogs and politically motivated lobbies. It is still a surprise, and a disappointment, to see them joined by Foreign Affairs.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has suggested to the Senate, the inclusion of FCT Infrastructure Development Fund (FCT-IDF) in the Nigeria constitution, now being reviewed for amendment.
The minister, in a goodwill message to the National Public Hearing by the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution taking place in Abuja, said that such body would ensure adequate funding of infrastructure in the FCT.
Muhammad Musa Bello said: “We propose that a definitive constitutional provision be made to ensure adequate and unhindered funding of the FCT through the creation of an FCT Infrastructure Development Fund, OR through a 1st line charge on the funds of the Federation or some other acceptable arrangement.”
The Minister explained that this is essential considering the fact that Abuja is home to an ever increasing number of Nigerians who have made the Territory their homes.
Of the 196 districts that make up the FCT, Malam Bello revealed that only 10 districts have been fully developed with infrastructure, 12 districts partially developed with 70 districts within the Federal Capital City undeveloped.”
According to him, with the rate of population growth, without a robust and well-structured funding arrangement for the provision of and maintenance of infrastructure, the FCT might ultimately be birthing an urban slum.
Muhammad Musa Bello advised that submissions seeking amendments to the 1999 constitution should be guided by the principles of national unity, patriotism and peaceful co-existence of all Nigerians.
He called on Nigerians to seize the opportunity provided by the exercise to strengthen national bond and cohesion. In the words of the Minister, “the Strength of our country lies in the diversity and dynamism of her people. We should seize the opportunity provided by this exercise to strengthen our common bond as a people and guarantee the growth and development of our country”.
The Minister prayed for amendments to certain sections of the constitution which will seek to bring governance closer to the people an also guarantee funding for the development of the FCT.
While seeking amendment to SECTION 7 of the constitution, the Minister proposed the inclusion of a new sub section immediately after Section 7(5) to read as follows: A: (6) The functions to be conferred by law upon the Area Councils may include those set out in the Fourth Schedule to this Constitution and, where so conferred, shall be performed outside the Federal Capital City (FCC) and such areas as may be designated from time to time by the Minister in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja”.
The justification for this, according to the Minister, is that “Section 7 (5) as presently constituted gives room for duplicity of roles, conflicts and mismatches in planning, provision of infrastructure and service delivery in the Federal Capital Territory.
The proposed amendment, the Minister explained is aimed at addressing the aforementioned problems and achieving harmony between the FCTA and the Area Councils. The Area Councils, he continued are entitled to their Constitutional mandates. However, they should do that outside the Federal Capital City (FCC) and, as a matter of expediency, collaborate with the FCT Administration, to ensure harmony in the development of infrastructure and provision of amenities.
The Minister added is necessary because the Federal Capital Territory is a planned modern project with a centralized planning system, cohesive infrastructural coordinates and interconnected engineering designs.
In proposing amendments to section 301 of the Constitution, the Minister submitted that Section 301(c) to read: “References to persons, offices and authorities of a State were references to the persons, offices, and authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration with like status, designations, and powers, respectively”.
“This current provision does not give full effect to Section 299 of the Constitution and as such requires an amendment that will effectively empower the Federal Capital Territory functionaries to discharge their statutory responsibilities including, but not limited to those specified by Presidential Order No. 1 of 2004.
“The proposed amendment will enable the Federal Capital Territory functionaries to assume the statutory roles assigned to certain Government functionaries under the Federal Capital Territory applicable laws as contained in the Schedule of the Federal Capital Territory Act.”
Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade has advised his fellow governors across Nigeria to rally round President Muhammadu Buhari in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to collectively move the country forward.
The governor, who answered reporters’ questions today, June 3 in Abuja, said: “most countries that have done well like the UAE is a monarchy.”
He cited China as another country with almost one party system that had attained the position of world power.
“So who says that all the (political) gladiators cannot come together and agree on a way forward.”
Governor Ayade said that the President needs the whole goodwill in this world to prepare the country for the next generation, even as he called on “other governors, to please do all they can, let’s move to the Centre.”
He said that discussion is ongoing to develop a strategy that can change the insecurity narratives.
“All over the world, if you look at the history of the countries that have become first world, when at sixty, Nigeria is better. “Nigeria is 60 but there is room for improvements. “All these nations right back as 1876, started having industrial revolution. If any nation wants to do well, the first step is industrial growth-agro-industrial revolution. So the first step is what this country has to take in line with Mr. President’s policy of Nigeria without oil.”
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has said that one of the reasons he dumped opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is the cannibalistic manner the opposition is being played in Nigeria.
Governor Ayade, who spoke to newsmen today, June 3, after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential villa, Abuja, deplored the manner PDP takes pleasure in celebrating killings in Nigeria.
“The opposition party only celebrates insecurity and killings by militia and bandits because they (opposition) believe it gives them a chance to win in 2023. So opposition becomes very cannibalistic.
“You rejoice over the bloodbath in your country. You rejoice over the level of insurgency and killings in your country just because you are playing opposition. “The country is snowballing into a civil strife. We need to come together and support Mr. President to overcome the insurgency which is characterized by external militias who are paid for the purpose.”
The governor said that some external forces have basic interest in natural resources of Nigeria, especially tantalites and cobalt related derivative as well as diamond and gold.
“As you know what this international community does for Africa; once they see large deposit of natural resources, they will be glad to see that such country goes to war.
“On one side, they are funding enemies of state; on the other hand, they are funding secessionists so that they can be in the business of guns.
“So, Nigeria, as a leading country in Africa, for me to play opposition and support the conflagration of my country, I thing I will be doing injustice to all that I represent.
“I think moving to the Centre and supporting the President is to reduce the tension and attend to the national unity that we have. That’s why globally, black is no longer seen as a colour but an attitude of greed that we only think from the stomach.
“What do you stand to gain if police stations are attacked, a lot of people are killed, people are kidnapped and you heap it up on the ruling party.
“That is what I want to depart from. So, why don’t we join hands?
“Besides, we all seek access to power to bring value for change to prosperity agenda for Nigeria. The ruling party says my doors are open. So why do you want to use the bullets when a handshake can do it?
“Why not sit on a negotiation table on how to move Nigeria forward? APC is providing that platform to say we are open to receive as many and discuss how we can make Nigeria better; how can we make it the pride of the black man.”
File photo: President Buhari and Some Igbo prominent leaders
Some days ago, a very good egbon argued that the Igbos have been mindlessly marginalised in Nigeria. After reading the post, I asked him to explain how the Igbos are marginalised. I am well aware we have many who binge on elite conspiracies which are just mere grand design to pollute the waters for personal advantage. With an open mind, I asked my good egbon to educate me on how the Igbos have been marginalised because I really want to know. Let me say I am still waiting to be well schooled on how badly Nigeria has treated Igbos.
For decades, many people, including the media have perpetuated wrong narratives in this country because of the way falsehoods have been mainstreamed. There is no part of Nigerian history from 1958 when we had the first all Nigerian cabinet headed by a Nigerian elected Prime Minister, preparatory to independence in 1960, that supports the false narrative of marginalisation of Igbos.
For those who may not know, the first indigenous Federal Permanent Secretary even before independence was an Igbo man, Mr. Francis Nwokedi. Mr. Nwokedi and Dr. S.O Wey, who later in 1961 became the first Secretary to the Government of the Federation, were the first two indigenous Federal Permanent Secretaries in the colonial government. The two men were the doyen of Nigerian civil service. Mr. Nwokedi was promoted as Permanent Secretary about two weeks ahead of Dr. Wey.
To make Agustin Ironsi the General Officer Commanding of Nigerian Army, Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa broke rank with his Northern People Congress colleagues and Sir Ahmadu Bello. NPC and Ahmadu Bello, Premier of Northern Region wanted a Northerner as the GOC. The last British General Officer Commanding of Nigerian Army, Major-General Christopher Welby-Everard in his recommendation to the Prime Minister raised a number of issues against the then Brigadier Aguiyi Ironsi who at the time was the most Senior Nigerian Army Officer and concluded Brigadier Ironsi was unfit to lead the Army of a brand new country. For fairness and to preserve the tradition of seniority in the Army, Balewa ignored General Welby-Everard’s recommendation. He appointed Ironsi as the first indigenous General Officer Commanding of Nigerian Army. A stubborn fact of history is that the Igbos dominated the top echelon of the Army and Federal Civil/Public Service for many years from 1958. Till date, Abia, Anambra and Imo State have largest number of indigenes in Federal Civil Service.
If we all agree our country has historical animus we must, therefore, be honest to acknowledge them and confront them. If it is about trading blame of who did or caused what in Nigeria, no tribe or group will smell like roses. In confronting our demons, we must also reject this persecution mentality many Igbos have carried for far too long. It is distorted version of history that is fueling anger in Igboland since the civil war broke. However we choose to dice it, Nigeria has been good to all tribes. Each tribe can only complain of not having enough but no one can honestly complain of having the short end of the stick. Like other countries, our union is not perfect. It remains a work in progress.
Let’s go back to our history and let history guide us. There is no strong argument to support the marginalisation of Igbos in Nigeria beyond what exists in the imagination of those who constantly mine the Biafra franchise to amass private wealth from brainwashed people and politicians who use same for political bargain. I can conveniently say that Igbos have had the best of Nigeria more than any other tribe. Blackmailing the country with victim mentality is not a strategy. Today, many Southern politicians and so-called activists built their public credentials on constant agitation for restructuring of Nigeria. If indeed there is anything wrong with the current political structure of the country, the blame should be more on Igbos. Who promulgated the Decree 34 that abolished 1963 Federal Constitution and unitarised the Federal structure? It was Major-General Aguiyi Ironsi as Military Head of State. With scant regard to other tribes, Igbos dominated the security agencies and the Federal civil service in the first Republic. Professor Ben Nwabueze who is now the chief priest of restructuring drafted the unification decree as Legal Counsel to General Ironsi. Igbos who literally ran the Federal Government then executed the unitary arrangement for domination and ethnic advantage. Who plotted first coup that decimated South West and Northern political establishment? The fallout of that misadventure led to the civil war in 1967. The mainly Igbo officers who masterminded the coup didn’t kill any political leader from their tribe. Some Igbo leaders talk about the Civil War as if Nigeria started the war against them. Colonel Emeka Ojukwu started the war not Major-General Yakubu Gowon. Gowon had a duty to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria.
Even with all the noise about all that is supposedly wrong with Nigeria, who are the biggest beneficiaries of Nigeria’s diversity today? It is still igbos. Every part of this country welcomes them. They prosper more across the country outside their ancestral homeland. Igbos are probably the biggest real estate owners among all Nigerian tribes. In fact records show they own more than 60% of houses, Plazas, hotels and housing estates in Abuja. They play big in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, and Port Harcourt – every part of Nigeria. I need someone to tell me the number of Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ijaw, Kanuri, Tiv man or woman etc that currently have lands, houses or any business that can employ 50 people in any part of South Eastern Nigeria the same way Igbos do in South West, South South and in the North. Do they sell land to non-Igbos in South East same way they freely buy land and own properties in other parts of Nigeria?
Under President Jonathan, the government they seem to have invested heavy emotions more than Jonathan’s own Ijaw tribe, Igbos got key federal appointments through Senator Pius Anyim as Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Did other tribes bitterly complain the way Igbos now do over appointments? In any case, which statutory appointments have they been denied by current government despite rejecting President Muhammadu Buhari and his party in 4 elections? Let’s get real here. Igbos really want to get all top appointments in a government they rejected and have shown unimaginable hostility despite the government offering them the best deal in Nigeria in terms of real development no administration offered them since 1960. It is on record Buhari, in two presidential contests, made top Igbo politicians his running mate. Let’s face it. Which government in Nigeria has taken on the quantum of Federal government-funded infrastructural projects that are going on in the South East than this current FG since 1960? If we analyse the Federal Budget from 2016 when President Buhari presented his first budget, the current FG has possibly spent more money developing SE in 6 years than it has done in Buhari’s own North West if we consider FG’s spend on Infrastructure per region.
It will appear Igbo elites prefer appointments that only benefit individuals and their hangers-on more than real development that benefits majority of citizens of that region. They covet appointment of an Igbo person as Chief of Army Staff more than Second Niger Bridge, Enugu-Port Harcourt Express, Awka-Enugu Express, Owerri-Port Harcourt Express, Port Harcourt-Aba and other dead Federal highways that are being reconstructed across the region. For all the special intervention supports by Federal Government to all States of the Federation, I am not aware President Buhari denied South Eastern States what is due to them because Igbos didn’t vote for him. Question: how did all the appointments held by Igbos before the Buhari administration including Chief of Army Staff, Comptroller General of Immigration, Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Inspector General of Police, Minister of Aviation, Director-General of Pension Commission, Executive Chairman of National Electricity Regulatory Commission, Minister of Power etc improve the lives of Igbo people. Stella Oduah and Osita Chidoka as Ministers of Aviation couldn’t even fix Enugu Airport in 5 years or did Dr. Sam Amadi, Professor Bath Nnaji and Professor Chinedu Nebo who superintended over the power sector for 6 years supply more electricity to Onitsha, Aba and Nnewi? Having Igbo sons leading the power sector for 6years could not even resolve the legal logjam between Emeka Offor’s, Enugu Distribution Company and Geometric Power owned by another Igbo man to supply regular electricity to Aba. Whereas a Federal government being led by a man they rejected in every election since 2003 has done, in 6 years, what the Igbo adopted political party could not do for them in 16 years. It was Buhari that gave Ariaria Market, the biggest market in the region uninterrupted electricity supply.
The main point here is the fact that Igbos cannot continue to claim they are the only good people or tribe in Nigeria while others are the evil people holding them down. Certainly, hate and insulting other tribes can’t be a strategy for engagement in addressing any grievances if at all there are genuine ones. Even though the Nigerian constitution does not allow for referendum, let the Federal Government allow it to see if majority of Igbo people will vote to leave Nigeria. I am sure majority wants to remain citizens of Nigeria because they know Nigeria serves them better. If the Nigerian government won’t allow a referendum, can the South East governors agree and fund an informal referendum to even give us a scientific basis to know if the Igbos want to live as citizens of Biafra, after all, Lagos State, in 2003 or so, conducted its own census independent of the Federal Government.
The Igbo elites must summon courage to counter the IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu’s hate mongering. Igbo elites have tolerated Kanu too much without considering their own hard work, sweat and investments in Nigeria. Whatever our country is today is what we all made of it. If we now need to press the reset button it should be done in a manner we all can listen to ourselves. We must not yield the space to the mad man and his specialists in IPOB.
Ajayi writes through his Facebook handle, @ajayi.carter
A youth leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State, Kenneth Amukamara has been killed by unidentified gunmen.
Amukamara, the PDP youth leader in Oru-East local government area of Imo was assassinated by the gunmen in Umuokwe village.
The assailants also burnt down his house and car during the attack.
The gruesome murder was confirmed by the Imo state PDP youth Leader, Greg Nwadike.
He wrote: “Finally confirming the assassination of the PDP LGA Youth Leader of Oru-East LGA, Imo State, COMRADE KENNETH AMUKAMARA.”
“He was assassinated Monday night at his home in Awo-Omamma by assailants and his house with his brother said to have been set ablaze. Sketchy information available say about two other members of his family were also killed.”
Two years after they were exposed in the sex-for-grades documentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), two senior lecturers of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka have been sacked.
The embattled lecturers, Dr Boniface Igbeneghu of the Department of European Language and Integrated Studies and Dr Samuel Oladipo of the Department of Economics were found guilty of allegations of sexual harassment levelled against them.
The University had set up a panel to investigate the allegations of sexual harassment against two of its lecturers indicted in the sex-for-grades scandal.
Wearing a secret camera, a reporter, Kiki Mordi, had visited Igbeneghu, posing as a 17-year-old admission seeker. The clip went on to show the lecturer making sexual overtures to the reporter.
The lecturer, in one of the recorded meetings, described a section of the school’s staff club as the “cold room” where lecturers make out with female students.
“There’s an upper part of the staff club where lecturers take girls to for smooching and romance.”
In October 2019, Igbeneghu and Oladipo were suspended by UNILAG pending the outcome of investigations by the investigative panel set up to look into the matter.
The panel, headed by Prof Ayodele Atsenuwa, a professor of Public Law, who was then the Dean of Faculty of Law looked into the case.
A statement from the Public Affairs Unit of the institution, dated June 2, 2021, said the governing council has approved the immediate dismissal of Igbeneghu and Oladipo from the services of the university.
The statement said the decision was taken at a council meeting, which considered the report and findings of the Senate committee set up to investigate the allegations of sexual harassment against the two lecturers in a BBC investigative series, titled, African Eye, which centred on sexual harassment in tertiary institutions.
“The council consequently decided and approved that both Dr Boniface Igbeneghu and Dr Samuel Oladipo be dismissed from the services of the university for misconduct, with effect from Monday, May 31, 2021, in line with Section 18 of the University of Lagos Act 1967.”
The council further directed the university management to review the sexual harassment policy as may be necessary and institute effective strategies to prevent future occurrence.
‘Sex for grade’ is one of the problems confronting the nation’s tertiary institutions.
A lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Prof. Richard Akindele, lost his job in similar circumstances after a report of his ”sex-for-mark” scandal trended on social media.
The Aliko Dangote Foundation, in partnership with Germany’s VDMA (the German Association for Mechanical and Plant Engineering) and its Foundation for Young Talent in Mechanical Engineering (NWS) have committed the sum of seven million Euros to a technical training program in Nigeria, in a bid to boost skill acquisition in all the key sectors of the nation’s economy.
Speaking at the official launching of the programme today, June 2, the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote confirmed that the landmark program is a Seven-million Euro investment, a large percentage of which is for the specialized, leading-edge equipment that has been shipped from Germany and installed in five workshops purpose-built for this program at Dangote Academy in Obajana. He also said the beneficiaries will be trained, using these machines, so they can learn practical skills that will be transferable as they enter the work force.
This program, according to him, is the first of its kind in Nigeria, and will be replicated in all the six geo-political zones of the country.
He said that vocational and technical skills are vital to the well-being of any economy, as key levers for growth, specifically in the manufacturing sector, adding that significant skills gaps exist in Nigeria, which is what this program is seeking to address.
“The trainees that successfully pass through the full vocational training will be prepared as well-rounded professionals. In addition to the technical training, they will also get personal effectiveness trainings of same quality as our staff”
Germany’s minister for economic cooperation and development, Dr. Gerd muller, lauded the Aliko Dangote Foundation and VDMA for the enviable program that can transform and develop the economy of Nigeria. He said his ministry has supported the initiative with €3.6 million and will not hesitate to do more for the purpose of the initiatives to be achieved.
The VDMA past president, Dr Reinhold Fostge stated that “I am very happy that this has become reality eventually in Nigeria. We started six years ago. Four years ago, we signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a Nigerian German training project. This program is to raise the skill level of workers and make the youth employable…our vision in VDMA is that, in future, we should be able to exchange highly skilled professionals between Nigeria and Germany and as a matter of fact, I have no objection to inviting Nigerian specialists to help me in Germany and vice versa”
Meanwhile the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, enjoined both the Aliko Dangote Foundation and VDMA to consider citing the second training workshop in Lagos, with a promise to make funds available for the take off this laudable programme.
“I am truly excited to be part of this epoch and nation changing event…for us in Lagos, I am happy to announce that we have six well maintained vocational training schools… but we are going to not just talk here today, we are going to be making a public commitment that given what I have listened to now, we are not going to leave this to Dangote Foundation alone, we have to upscale our commitment.
“We won’t wait for him to replicate this in the six-geographical zones of the country. Lagos State will work with him and ask the VDMA what level of commitment is required from the state government…to ensure that in no distance future, we can replicate and bring a full arm of the Dangote academy to Lagos State…we do not want government bureaucracy to stall this, if it is to raise finance that is required, I can assure you that Lagos state is ready to that and why are we making this commitment?
“It is because of where we see Lagos… the amount of the teeming youth that we have in our country and our state. Lagos has continued to be the biggest economy in our country and even in Africa, and what this present to us is an opportunity to bridge that will help to significantly reduce the unemployment level in the state”
Congratulating the trainees, Dangote said: “I understand that we chose only 120 of you out of over 4,000 applicants. This means you are smart, you are the best and the brightest, we believe in you, and expect great things from you. I urge you to make use of this wonderful opportunity and become productive for the well-being of our country.”
He also promised that more youth will be admitted and very soon, all the six geo-political zones of the country will witness massive development through the scheme.
File photo: Members of IPOB during protest in Anambra
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has encouraged President Muhammadu Buhari to allow the igbos have their own country, the Republic of Biafra.
The group, in a statement today, June 2 by its spokesman Abdulazeez Sulaiman, said that allowing Igbos to have their own country is the only way to avoid another civil war in Nigeria.
“The only reasonable option to ensure a more secure future is for the Igbo to be allowed to have their wish for a Biafran nation.
“It is time for the Nigerian state and all stakeholders to wake to the reality that the only remaining option to avoid a civil war is for the Igbo to be allowed to have the Biafra they have used intermittently for decades to destabilize the nation and deny peace to other components of the country,”
President Muhammadu Buhari has issued a stern warning to those bent on destroying the country through promoting insurrection and burning down of critical national assets to await rude shock of their lives soon.
The President spoke today, June 1, after he received briefing from Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on series of attacks on facilities of the electoral body round the country.
“I receive daily security reports on the attacks, and it is very clear that those behind them want this administration to fail,” President Buhari said. “Insecurity in Nigeria is now mentioned all over the world. All the people who want power, whoever they are, you wonder what they really want. Whoever wants the destruction of the system will soon have the shock of their lives. We’ve given them enough time.”
President Buhari recalled that he visited all the 36 states of the country before the 2019 election, and that majority of the people believed him, and the election proved it.
Buhari, who vowed to continue leading the country in accordance with Constitutional provisions, noted that those misbehaving in certain parts of the country were obviously too young to know the travails and loss of lives that attended the Nigerian Civil War.
“Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand. We are going to be very hard sooner than later.”
The President said that the Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police have been changed, adding: “we will demand security from them.”
On the dangers posed to future elections by the burning of INEC facilities, President Buhari said that he would give the electoral commission all it needed to operate, “so that no one would say we don’t want to go, or that we want a third term. There will be no excuse for failure. We’ll meet all INEC’s demands.”
In his briefing, Professor Yakubu said that so far, there have been 42 cases of attacks on INEC offices nationwide, since the last General Election.
“The 42 incidents so far occurred in 14 states of the Federation for a variety of reasons….Most of the attacks happened in the last seven months, and they are unrelated to protest against previous elections. From the pattern and frequency of the most recent attacks, they appear to be targeted at future elections. The intention is to incapacitate the Commission, undermine the nation’s democracy and precipitate a national crisis,” Prof Yakubu said.
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President Muhammadu Buhari has issued a stern warning to those bent on destroying the country through promoting insurrection and burning down of critical national assets to await rude shock of their lives soon.
Are Igbos really marginalised in Nigeria? By Temitope Ajayi
Some days ago, a very good egbon argued that the Igbos have been mindlessly marginalised in Nigeria. After reading the post, I asked him to explain how the Igbos are marginalised. I am well aware we have many who binge on elite conspiracies which are just mere grand design to pollute the waters for personal advantage. With an open mind, I asked my good egbon to educate me on how the Igbos have been marginalised because I really want to know. Let me say I am still waiting to be well schooled on how badly Nigeria has treated Igbos.
For decades, many people, including the media have perpetuated wrong narratives in this country because of the way falsehoods have been mainstreamed. There is no part of Nigerian history from 1958 when we had the first all Nigerian cabinet headed by a Nigerian elected Prime Minister, preparatory to independence in 1960, that supports the false narrative of marginalisation of Igbos.
For those who may not know, the first indigenous Federal Permanent Secretary even before independence was an Igbo man, Mr. Francis Nwokedi. Mr. Nwokedi and Dr. S.O Wey, who later in 1961 became the first Secretary to the Government of the Federation, were the first two indigenous Federal Permanent Secretaries in the colonial government. The two men were the doyen of Nigerian civil service. Mr. Nwokedi was promoted as Permanent Secretary about two weeks ahead of Dr. Wey.
To make Agustin Ironsi the General Officer Commanding of Nigerian Army, Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa broke rank with his Northern People Congress colleagues and Sir Ahmadu Bello. NPC and Ahmadu Bello, Premier of Northern Region wanted a Northerner as the GOC. The last British General Officer Commanding of Nigerian Army, Major-General Christopher Welby-Everard in his recommendation to the Prime Minister raised a number of issues against the then Brigadier Aguiyi Ironsi who at the time was the most Senior Nigerian Army Officer and concluded Brigadier Ironsi was unfit to lead the Army of a brand new country. For fairness and to preserve the tradition of seniority in the Army, Balewa ignored General Welby-Everard’s recommendation. He appointed Ironsi as the first indigenous General Officer Commanding of Nigerian Army. A stubborn fact of history is that the Igbos dominated the top echelon of the Army and Federal Civil/Public Service for many years from 1958. Till date, Abia, Anambra and Imo State have largest number of indigenes in Federal Civil Service.
If we all agree our country has historical animus we must, therefore, be honest to acknowledge them and confront them. If it is about trading blame of who did or caused what in Nigeria, no tribe or group will smell like roses. In confronting our demons, we must also reject this persecution mentality many Igbos have carried for far too long. It is distorted version of history that is fueling anger in Igboland since the civil war broke. However we choose to dice it, Nigeria has been good to all tribes. Each tribe can only complain of not having enough but no one can honestly complain of having the short end of the stick. Like other countries, our union is not perfect. It remains a work in progress.
Let’s go back to our history and let history guide us. There is no strong argument to support the marginalisation of Igbos in Nigeria beyond what exists in the imagination of those who constantly mine the Biafra franchise to amass private wealth from brainwashed people and politicians who use same for political bargain. I can conveniently say that Igbos have had the best of Nigeria more than any other tribe. Blackmailing the country with victim mentality is not a strategy. Today, many Southern politicians and so-called activists built their public credentials on constant agitation for restructuring of Nigeria. If indeed there is anything wrong with the current political structure of the country, the blame should be more on Igbos. Who promulgated the Decree 34 that abolished 1963 Federal Constitution and unitarised the Federal structure? It was Major-General Aguiyi Ironsi as Military Head of State. With scant regard to other tribes, Igbos dominated the security agencies and the Federal civil service in the first Republic. Professor Ben Nwabueze who is now the chief priest of restructuring drafted the unification decree as Legal Counsel to General Ironsi. Igbos who literally ran the Federal Government then executed the unitary arrangement for domination and ethnic advantage. Who plotted first coup that decimated South West and Northern political establishment? The fallout of that misadventure led to the civil war in 1967. The mainly Igbo officers who masterminded the coup didn’t kill any political leader from their tribe. Some Igbo leaders talk about the Civil War as if Nigeria started the war against them. Colonel Emeka Ojukwu started the war not Major-General Yakubu Gowon. Gowon had a duty to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria.
Even with all the noise about all that is supposedly wrong with Nigeria, who are the biggest beneficiaries of Nigeria’s diversity today? It is still igbos. Every part of this country welcomes them. They prosper more across the country outside their ancestral homeland. Igbos are probably the biggest real estate owners among all Nigerian tribes. In fact records show they own more than 60% of houses, Plazas, hotels and housing estates in Abuja. They play big in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, and Port Harcourt – every part of Nigeria. I need someone to tell me the number of Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ijaw, Kanuri, Tiv man or woman etc that currently have lands, houses or any business that can employ 50 people in any part of South Eastern Nigeria the same way Igbos do in South West, South South and in the North. Do they sell land to non-Igbos in South East same way they freely buy land and own properties in other parts of Nigeria?
Under President Jonathan, the government they seem to have invested heavy emotions more than Jonathan’s own Ijaw tribe, Igbos got key federal appointments through Senator Pius Anyim as Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Did other tribes bitterly complain the way Igbos now do over appointments? In any case, which statutory appointments have they been denied by current government despite rejecting President Muhammadu Buhari and his party in 4 elections? Let’s get real here. Igbos really want to get all top appointments in a government they rejected and have shown unimaginable hostility despite the government offering them the best deal in Nigeria in terms of real development no administration offered them since 1960. It is on record Buhari, in two presidential contests, made top Igbo politicians his running mate. Let’s face it. Which government in Nigeria has taken on the quantum of Federal government-funded infrastructural projects that are going on in the South East than this current FG since 1960? If we analyse the Federal Budget from 2016 when President Buhari presented his first budget, the current FG has possibly spent more money developing SE in 6 years than it has done in Buhari’s own North West if we consider FG’s spend on Infrastructure per region.
It will appear Igbo elites prefer appointments that only benefit individuals and their hangers-on more than real development that benefits majority of citizens of that region. They covet appointment of an Igbo person as Chief of Army Staff more than Second Niger Bridge, Enugu-Port Harcourt Express, Awka-Enugu Express, Owerri-Port Harcourt Express, Port Harcourt-Aba and other dead Federal highways that are being reconstructed across the region. For all the special intervention supports by Federal Government to all States of the Federation, I am not aware President Buhari denied South Eastern States what is due to them because Igbos didn’t vote for him. Question: how did all the appointments held by Igbos before the Buhari administration including Chief of Army Staff, Comptroller General of Immigration, Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Inspector General of Police, Minister of Aviation, Director-General of Pension Commission, Executive Chairman of National Electricity Regulatory Commission, Minister of Power etc improve the lives of Igbo people. Stella Oduah and Osita Chidoka as Ministers of Aviation couldn’t even fix Enugu Airport in 5 years or did Dr. Sam Amadi, Professor Bath Nnaji and Professor Chinedu Nebo who superintended over the power sector for 6 years supply more electricity to Onitsha, Aba and Nnewi? Having Igbo sons leading the power sector for 6years could not even resolve the legal logjam between Emeka Offor’s, Enugu Distribution Company and Geometric Power owned by another Igbo man to supply regular electricity to Aba. Whereas a Federal government being led by a man they rejected in every election since 2003 has done, in 6 years, what the Igbo adopted political party could not do for them in 16 years. It was Buhari that gave Ariaria Market, the biggest market in the region uninterrupted electricity supply.
The main point here is the fact that Igbos cannot continue to claim they are the only good people or tribe in Nigeria while others are the evil people holding them down. Certainly, hate and insulting other tribes can’t be a strategy for engagement in addressing any grievances if at all there are genuine ones. Even though the Nigerian constitution does not allow for referendum, let the Federal Government allow it to see if majority of Igbo people will vote to leave Nigeria. I am sure majority wants to remain citizens of Nigeria because they know Nigeria serves them better. If the Nigerian government won’t allow a referendum, can the South East governors agree and fund an informal referendum to even give us a scientific basis to know if the Igbos want to live as citizens of Biafra, after all, Lagos State, in 2003 or so, conducted its own census independent of the Federal Government.
The Igbo elites must summon courage to counter the IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu’s hate mongering. Igbo elites have tolerated Kanu too much without considering their own hard work, sweat and investments in Nigeria. Whatever our country is today is what we all made of it. If we now need to press the reset button it should be done in a manner we all can listen to ourselves. We must not yield the space to the mad man and his specialists in IPOB.