President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Nasir Fagge, yesterday dashed the hopes of students and parents as he vowed that the union will continue its over one month strike until government meets all its demands.
Fagge, who spoke to journalists after leaving the sub-committee meeting headed by Bauchi State Governor Gabriel Suswan’s NEEDS Assessment committee, stated that the union would not end the strike until the union completely deals with all the challenges confronting universities.
When asked if ASUU could not end the strike for the interest of the students, he said no. He queried: “Didn’t we do that in the past? How many times did we call off strike before and nothing happened? When we call off strike, people just go back and sleep. Is that what you want us to do?
Continue having strike in this country? Don’t you think for once, it is better we come out and things are done right before we call off the strike? I think that is better for this country.”
But Governor Suswan, Chairman of the Federal Government NEEDS Assessment Committee for universities, assured that the face-off will be resolved in two weeks time.
He said that the sub-committee set up by his own committee has made some progress in sorting out the fundamental issues involved in the re-negotiated agreement with ASUU.
Suswam said: “The meeting went on very well, we have made substantial progress in the negotiation. I would like to say that we are almost getting there. The sub-committee that I set up could not completely finish its work and because there is holiday in between, we have shifted the meeting till next week Tuesday.
“Based on the commitment and seriousness of the negotiations, we are hoping that we will complete this thing in the next two weeks, that was last week when I spoke.
“Because of the holiday in between, we would have been able to finish negotiations. Hopefully, we would agree on all the issues and if the issues are agreed upon by the two parties, I’m very optimistic that the issues would be addressed next week. I believe once we address the issues, the strike will be called off,” he said.
the Sun
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
Army jails colonel 7 years for defrauding Bayelsa Govt
The Nigerian Army yesterday convicted one of its officers for defrauding the Bayelsa State Government. The officer identified as Lieutenant Colonel David Ahangba was found guilty of two-count charge out of the four counts for which he was initially charged and was subsequently handed a seven year jail sentence.
Delivering judgement at the end of its sitting in Lagos, President of the Court Martial, Brigadier General Edward Nze said the officer should also refund the sum of N150million to the Bayelsa State Government.
General Nze urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Military Police to ensure the money is recovered from the convicted officer and handed to the Bayelsa State Government.
However, Nze said the decision of the court was subject to confirmation by the Army headquarters, which is the convening authority, adding that the officer serving the sentence automatically means he is dismissed from the force.
He said: “As a rule, ex-convicts don’t serve in the armed forces and so if the superior authorities enforce the decision of the court, it automatically means that the officer has been dismissed.”
The convicted officer was arrested in 2012 following a letter from the late former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Andrew Azazi, which was directed to the Army headquarters stating that the officer impersonated him to obtain money from Bayelsa State Government.
the Sun
Delivering judgement at the end of its sitting in Lagos, President of the Court Martial, Brigadier General Edward Nze said the officer should also refund the sum of N150million to the Bayelsa State Government.
General Nze urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Military Police to ensure the money is recovered from the convicted officer and handed to the Bayelsa State Government.
However, Nze said the decision of the court was subject to confirmation by the Army headquarters, which is the convening authority, adding that the officer serving the sentence automatically means he is dismissed from the force.
He said: “As a rule, ex-convicts don’t serve in the armed forces and so if the superior authorities enforce the decision of the court, it automatically means that the officer has been dismissed.”
The convicted officer was arrested in 2012 following a letter from the late former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Andrew Azazi, which was directed to the Army headquarters stating that the officer impersonated him to obtain money from Bayelsa State Government.
the Sun
Thursday, 1 August 2013
REPS RECEIVE N146M YEARLY NOT N29M, SAYS EX-LAWMAKER
Former member of the House of Representatives Bashir Idris Nadabo has said the total yearly salaries and allowances received by each lawmaker is N146 million and not N29 million as reported by Daily Trust last week.
The Daily Trust reported, quoting official documents, that a House member is entitled to N29 million yearly, making him among the highest paid globally.
But Nadabo, who was a member of the House in 2003-2007, said the lawmakers collect much more than this amount.
He said each member receives a monthly salary of N1.2 million and quarterly allowances of N33 million, making a total of N146.4 million yearly.
“During our time 2003-2007, we were receiving about N280,000 monthly salary and N8 million quarterly allocations. It was at the last quarter of our tenure that the allocation was raised from N8 million to N14 million,” Nadabo told Daily Trust in Abuja.
“During our time former Speaker Aminu Bello Masari did not yield to pressure to collapse the allowances as some of them are not paid until needed and applied for. It was during former Speaker Bankole that they collapsed these monies and paid upfront even when there is no need for its usage by the lawmakers like attending to the health needs of their families or constituency members. I think this is why the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) laments that the lawmakers are paying themselves padded allowances,” said the former lawmaker from Katsina State.
Nadabo also said the purchase of cars for the lawmakers meant for committee duties was wrong since each of them receives car loans.
“The cars were allocated to each member despite being paid the car loans. The records of those the cars were allocated to are there in the National Assembly with the chassis numbers against the names of the legislators they were allocated to. It is however disturbing to see some of the cars bought at over N8 million being sold at car stand especially in Abuja and Kaduna at between N5 million to N6 million,” he added.
daily trust
The Daily Trust reported, quoting official documents, that a House member is entitled to N29 million yearly, making him among the highest paid globally.
But Nadabo, who was a member of the House in 2003-2007, said the lawmakers collect much more than this amount.
He said each member receives a monthly salary of N1.2 million and quarterly allowances of N33 million, making a total of N146.4 million yearly.
“During our time 2003-2007, we were receiving about N280,000 monthly salary and N8 million quarterly allocations. It was at the last quarter of our tenure that the allocation was raised from N8 million to N14 million,” Nadabo told Daily Trust in Abuja.
“During our time former Speaker Aminu Bello Masari did not yield to pressure to collapse the allowances as some of them are not paid until needed and applied for. It was during former Speaker Bankole that they collapsed these monies and paid upfront even when there is no need for its usage by the lawmakers like attending to the health needs of their families or constituency members. I think this is why the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) laments that the lawmakers are paying themselves padded allowances,” said the former lawmaker from Katsina State.
Nadabo also said the purchase of cars for the lawmakers meant for committee duties was wrong since each of them receives car loans.
“The cars were allocated to each member despite being paid the car loans. The records of those the cars were allocated to are there in the National Assembly with the chassis numbers against the names of the legislators they were allocated to. It is however disturbing to see some of the cars bought at over N8 million being sold at car stand especially in Abuja and Kaduna at between N5 million to N6 million,” he added.
daily trust
COOKING GAS: Dry Depots Raise Scarcity Fears
With the exception of NIPCO, all the major Liquefied Petroleum Gas (cooking gas) depots in Lagos are now empty, reports show.
It was gathered that depots belonging to Navgas, NOJ, and PPMC had run out of cooking gas due to very high demand following the recent face-off between the Nigerian LNG Limited and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.
"We still have a small supply of gas that could serve for about three days but if we load in the night, it is something that we can finish the next day," a source at NIPCO told our correspondent on the telephone.
NIMASA had blockaded the NLNG Bonny terminals for weeks, halting the loading of Liquefied Natural Gas for the export market and LPG for the domestic market.
The situation, which led to cooking gas price hike and scarcity, affected consumers who had to pay through their nose to get cooking gas.
Though product supply was restored after the NLNG blockade was lifted, the available product was immediately bought by cooking gas plants, 99 per cent of which went completely dry during the crisis.
This was done with the expectation that the cooking gas vessel would deliver another round of supply to further cushion the effect of the scarcity considered as the worse since NLNG started supplying LPG to the domestic market.
While the vessel is being expected, our correspondent gathered that the depots are already going dry and LPG retailers feared that the market could be thrown into another round scarcity.
As at July 25, the price of a 12.5-kilogramme cylinder of LPG, which was N5,000 in Lagos and Ogun states during the NLNG/ NIMASA scuffle, had dropped only to N4,000, a far cry from the N3,000 the same 12.5kg cylinder of gas sold for before the crisis.
The National President, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Michael Umudu, who spoke with our correspondent, confirmed that the retail price for a cylinder containing 12.5kg of cooking gas was still N4,000 in Lagos and Ogun states.
He said the same volume of the product was still selling for N5, 000 in Benin because product circulation had yet to get to the state and the entire South-South and South-East regions.
While the depots are going dry again, Umudu expressed fear that the market might be thrown back into scarcity if LPG was not supplied on time.
Other stakeholders, however, said there was no cause for alarm, saying the hitches being experienced in the market was expected considering the fact that the depots and plants were completely emptied during the NIMASA/NLNG rift.
Punch
It was gathered that depots belonging to Navgas, NOJ, and PPMC had run out of cooking gas due to very high demand following the recent face-off between the Nigerian LNG Limited and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.
"We still have a small supply of gas that could serve for about three days but if we load in the night, it is something that we can finish the next day," a source at NIPCO told our correspondent on the telephone.
NIMASA had blockaded the NLNG Bonny terminals for weeks, halting the loading of Liquefied Natural Gas for the export market and LPG for the domestic market.
The situation, which led to cooking gas price hike and scarcity, affected consumers who had to pay through their nose to get cooking gas.
Though product supply was restored after the NLNG blockade was lifted, the available product was immediately bought by cooking gas plants, 99 per cent of which went completely dry during the crisis.
This was done with the expectation that the cooking gas vessel would deliver another round of supply to further cushion the effect of the scarcity considered as the worse since NLNG started supplying LPG to the domestic market.
While the vessel is being expected, our correspondent gathered that the depots are already going dry and LPG retailers feared that the market could be thrown into another round scarcity.
As at July 25, the price of a 12.5-kilogramme cylinder of LPG, which was N5,000 in Lagos and Ogun states during the NLNG/ NIMASA scuffle, had dropped only to N4,000, a far cry from the N3,000 the same 12.5kg cylinder of gas sold for before the crisis.
The National President, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Michael Umudu, who spoke with our correspondent, confirmed that the retail price for a cylinder containing 12.5kg of cooking gas was still N4,000 in Lagos and Ogun states.
He said the same volume of the product was still selling for N5, 000 in Benin because product circulation had yet to get to the state and the entire South-South and South-East regions.
While the depots are going dry again, Umudu expressed fear that the market might be thrown back into scarcity if LPG was not supplied on time.
Other stakeholders, however, said there was no cause for alarm, saying the hitches being experienced in the market was expected considering the fact that the depots and plants were completely emptied during the NIMASA/NLNG rift.
Punch
Why I Murdered My Husband - 17-yr-Old Wife
Seventeen-year-old Maryam Yahaya has told the police that she killed her husband because he usually subjected her to "excessive" sex after she was forced to marry him last year.
Maryam was alleged to have killed her husband, 26-year old Lawal Bala, a butcher from Gangare in Jos North Local Government of the State.
She said that for the past one year that she married her husband, he turned her into a sex machine by making love to her at least six times a day.
Maryam said, "On each occasion, he would go as far as six rounds after taking drug enhancement. The thought of running away was out of the question because my patents will send me back to him. There was no other way out for me until the devil got into me."
Maryam pleaded to be set free, saying she had repented. She added that she needed to go home to take care of herself as she was two months pregnant.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Olakpe, assured justice would be done.
He said, "On July10, about 4.30pm, a distress call came from Gangere that Lawal Bala was murdered in his house by unknown persons.
"In the course of police investigation, one knife stained with blood, a bed sheet with blood stain and some cooked noodles were recovered at the scene of the incident.
"Maryam became the prime suspect and was arrested. She later confessed to the crime. The course of justice will be followed in the case."
Punch
Maryam was alleged to have killed her husband, 26-year old Lawal Bala, a butcher from Gangare in Jos North Local Government of the State.
She said that for the past one year that she married her husband, he turned her into a sex machine by making love to her at least six times a day.
Maryam said, "On each occasion, he would go as far as six rounds after taking drug enhancement. The thought of running away was out of the question because my patents will send me back to him. There was no other way out for me until the devil got into me."
Maryam pleaded to be set free, saying she had repented. She added that she needed to go home to take care of herself as she was two months pregnant.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Olakpe, assured justice would be done.
He said, "On July10, about 4.30pm, a distress call came from Gangere that Lawal Bala was murdered in his house by unknown persons.
"In the course of police investigation, one knife stained with blood, a bed sheet with blood stain and some cooked noodles were recovered at the scene of the incident.
"Maryam became the prime suspect and was arrested. She later confessed to the crime. The course of justice will be followed in the case."
Punch
TRAGEDY: Boko Haram Slaughters 8 In Borno
Eight persons, including a lecturer at the College of Education, Waka, Biu Local Government Area of Borno State (names withheld) were, yesterday, slaughtered by suspected Boko Haram members.
They were suspected to have invaded the town after escaping from their camps in Sambisa and other camps in Borno and Yobe states, during the military raid.
It was learnt that the killing took place around the popular Kadafur Cinema area and other wards where a lecturer at the Waka College of Education, who was also an Islamic cleric, three members of a family and four others were slaughtered.
Meanwhile, the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Kano is considering floating a civilian JTF outfit to complement efforts by security agents to police Sabon Gari, a predominantly Christian quarters that had witnessed terrorist attack recently.
Briefing journalists in Kano, Chairman, Kano chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Tobias Idika, explained that the option had become "very viable in the light of increased activities of terrorists in the densely populated quarters.
Idika said that the "option of taking up our collective security through civilian JTF, is long overdue to set an example on how members of the guest community can best come together to confront a national question threatening the fabric of the nation.
"Residents of Sabon Gari have been the target of attacks by the extremist group since they struck January 20, 2012.
"The motor park bombing last March, with its attendant devastation, is still fresh in our minds and the question left unanswered is 'for how long would members of the guest community continue to lose its productive population?" he added
vanguard
They were suspected to have invaded the town after escaping from their camps in Sambisa and other camps in Borno and Yobe states, during the military raid.
It was learnt that the killing took place around the popular Kadafur Cinema area and other wards where a lecturer at the Waka College of Education, who was also an Islamic cleric, three members of a family and four others were slaughtered.
Meanwhile, the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Kano is considering floating a civilian JTF outfit to complement efforts by security agents to police Sabon Gari, a predominantly Christian quarters that had witnessed terrorist attack recently.
Briefing journalists in Kano, Chairman, Kano chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Tobias Idika, explained that the option had become "very viable in the light of increased activities of terrorists in the densely populated quarters.
Idika said that the "option of taking up our collective security through civilian JTF, is long overdue to set an example on how members of the guest community can best come together to confront a national question threatening the fabric of the nation.
"Residents of Sabon Gari have been the target of attacks by the extremist group since they struck January 20, 2012.
"The motor park bombing last March, with its attendant devastation, is still fresh in our minds and the question left unanswered is 'for how long would members of the guest community continue to lose its productive population?" he added
vanguard
Before we all port away
HERE we go again, chasing shadows and leaving the substance. The British, by announcing an impending Visa Bond, are saying, very clearly, that they do not want us in their country; and, as usual, we are flaring up, fuming and shouting.
Our almighty Federal Government is crying foul, with our dear President and Commander-in-Chief, Goodluck Jonathan, up in arms demanding that Britain does not implement the hike.
But, is he, along with his cabinet and his “largest party in Africa” that has over these past 14 years, pushed Nigeria into the deep abyss that she now is in, not ignoring certain important fundamentals, relative to the matter on the ground?
Instead of raving at Britain, should our leaders not be thinking of how to return Nigeria, once again, to a country whose citizens do not love RUNNING AWAY from? Or, can they pretend not to know that Nigerians are fleeing away in droves for the simple reason that conditions of living here have become unbearable due to their mis-governance, profligacy, impunity, thieving and corruption?
The UNDP’s Human Development Index Report for 2013, issued in March, ranks Nigeria at 153 of the 186 countries assessed, with 68 percent of the population living below 1.25 USD (about N200) per day.
The depth to which living conditions have sunk for the average Nigerian, the grave impoverishment that he is today suffering, was confirmed by President Jonathan’s government itself when, shortly after the January 2012 fuel price riots, a very graphic statement came out of Aso Rock saying that participants at that historical event were bribed by the opposition with “Pure Water” (!!!). Meaning: 50 Kobo sachet of water was so very much beyond the reach of the people that they could subject themselves to all the pains, discomfort and inconveniences that they experienced during those two weeks of the riots.
The aftermath of that event was a flurry of hi-octane body motions and a load of promises by Jonathan and his government about how they would transform Nigeria into paradise on earth. But, as we expected, it has all turned out to be just motion and no movement.
A mere mirage except for the politicians and those in government, along with their dependants, government apologists and sycophants, contractors and other human parasites who are feeding fat from our (tax-payers’) money. These people, numbering under ONE PERCENT of our 160 million population, corner 80 percent of our collective wealth in, arguably, the greatest case of lootocracy that the world has ever seen.
Since the riots, or, even over these past 14 years that the present crop of leaders invaded Aso Rock, where are the promised giant leaps in education, health care, roads and other infrastructure, jobs, power? As far as economic growth is concerned, where other nations, like our smaller and poorer neighbours, are doing tangible, sustainable things that reflect on lives, Nigeria’s case is that of paper growth and propaganda. Regarding corruption, which was the main issue surrounding the riots, please let’s just not go there at all. President Jonathan himself signalled the death knell to the fight against this all-consuming monster when he said, sometime ago, that he does not give a damn(!!!) about assets declaration. And, as should be expected, report after report by Transparency International, such as that of a few weeks ago, show how Nigeria continues to sink deeper and deeper into the cesspit of corruption.
Now, to this matter of fees hiking. Is the Nigerian government itself not guilty of similar actions and worse? Look around you, fees and tariffs of almost all government-provided goods and services in this country are going up exponentially by the day without any thought to the stagnated incomes and the increasing poverty levels of the people who have to pay such fees.
Take the very unpopular fuel price hike, for instance, when Nigerians got their Yuletide/’New Year’ joy shattered on the very first day of the year as they woke up to the realisation that their already seriously depressed quality of life was going to go further south, following a whopping 120 percent rise in the price of a commodity that permeates every stratum of living.
Also, in the very recent past, other fees, such as cost of vehicle registration and the associated driver’s licence, have been increased indiscriminately by the FG. What about electricity tariffs? Are we not paying higher and higher bills for light that we do not get?
Add to these the completely unchecked acts of extortion, bribery, graft and similar vices by government workers, including the security agencies, and you have the very sorry picture of a population seriously oppressed by the same people who took oaths to protect and provide for them. Needless to say, all these different forms of government championed exploitation are part of the factors making Nigeria a living hell for the larger majority people.
So, if things remain so bad that 50 Kobo pure water continues to be a luxury item, can you blame Nigerians for running away from their own country and tramping all over the world looking for where to call home? And, the exodus cuts across all ages.
The young, able-bodied unemployed graduate, for instance, has this as an obvious choice between criminal activities such as stealing, robbing, as well as kidnapping or begging, in an environment where people do not have enough to care for self and family, talk less of giving out. And, does it matter if what these fleeing Nigerians get in those other countries is the most menial of jobs? For Nigerians in this 21st Century, Home is no longer Sweet Home.
Home is any other country where three square meals can be guaranteed for self and the family; where the children can get quality education; where there is access to quality health care and where light turns on at the touch of a switch and stays on for as long as you need it.
Availability of these basics which other countries have long taken for granted continues to be a mirage in Nigeria. What makes it so daunting is that there is no hope or indication that things will change in the foreseeable future as our leaders are obviously clueless or just do not “give a damn” about how to handle Nigeria’s multifarious problems. All we see is a lot of grandstanding and more and more promises.
Obviously, these leaders, particularly over the past 14 years of this our strange and uniquely Nigerian version of democracy, do not know the first thing about the important leadership mind set known as “Pride of Self and Country”. If they did, they would be far more committed to Brand Nigeria and work hard to make the country they rule over that country that foreigners love to flock to.
Instead, they are totally preoccupied with perpetuating their stay in power, even as Nigeria continues to hurt and bleed and descend closer and closer to its past pariah State status.
The way we are going, it will be no big surprise when even our smaller and poorer neighbours also find ways to chase us away from their shores, just as Britain is now doing. For, even those countries have long got over such primordial developmental challenges as power supply and taken giant strides of progress, while our Giant of Africa country, led by the “largest party in Africa”, still lies grovelling on the ground in its medieval darkness.
May God save us from our leaders lest we all port away.
Mr. TUNDE ILEVBARE, a social critic, wrote from Lagos
vanguard
Our almighty Federal Government is crying foul, with our dear President and Commander-in-Chief, Goodluck Jonathan, up in arms demanding that Britain does not implement the hike.
But, is he, along with his cabinet and his “largest party in Africa” that has over these past 14 years, pushed Nigeria into the deep abyss that she now is in, not ignoring certain important fundamentals, relative to the matter on the ground?
Instead of raving at Britain, should our leaders not be thinking of how to return Nigeria, once again, to a country whose citizens do not love RUNNING AWAY from? Or, can they pretend not to know that Nigerians are fleeing away in droves for the simple reason that conditions of living here have become unbearable due to their mis-governance, profligacy, impunity, thieving and corruption?
The UNDP’s Human Development Index Report for 2013, issued in March, ranks Nigeria at 153 of the 186 countries assessed, with 68 percent of the population living below 1.25 USD (about N200) per day.
The depth to which living conditions have sunk for the average Nigerian, the grave impoverishment that he is today suffering, was confirmed by President Jonathan’s government itself when, shortly after the January 2012 fuel price riots, a very graphic statement came out of Aso Rock saying that participants at that historical event were bribed by the opposition with “Pure Water” (!!!). Meaning: 50 Kobo sachet of water was so very much beyond the reach of the people that they could subject themselves to all the pains, discomfort and inconveniences that they experienced during those two weeks of the riots.
The aftermath of that event was a flurry of hi-octane body motions and a load of promises by Jonathan and his government about how they would transform Nigeria into paradise on earth. But, as we expected, it has all turned out to be just motion and no movement.
A mere mirage except for the politicians and those in government, along with their dependants, government apologists and sycophants, contractors and other human parasites who are feeding fat from our (tax-payers’) money. These people, numbering under ONE PERCENT of our 160 million population, corner 80 percent of our collective wealth in, arguably, the greatest case of lootocracy that the world has ever seen.
Since the riots, or, even over these past 14 years that the present crop of leaders invaded Aso Rock, where are the promised giant leaps in education, health care, roads and other infrastructure, jobs, power? As far as economic growth is concerned, where other nations, like our smaller and poorer neighbours, are doing tangible, sustainable things that reflect on lives, Nigeria’s case is that of paper growth and propaganda. Regarding corruption, which was the main issue surrounding the riots, please let’s just not go there at all. President Jonathan himself signalled the death knell to the fight against this all-consuming monster when he said, sometime ago, that he does not give a damn(!!!) about assets declaration. And, as should be expected, report after report by Transparency International, such as that of a few weeks ago, show how Nigeria continues to sink deeper and deeper into the cesspit of corruption.
Now, to this matter of fees hiking. Is the Nigerian government itself not guilty of similar actions and worse? Look around you, fees and tariffs of almost all government-provided goods and services in this country are going up exponentially by the day without any thought to the stagnated incomes and the increasing poverty levels of the people who have to pay such fees.
Take the very unpopular fuel price hike, for instance, when Nigerians got their Yuletide/’New Year’ joy shattered on the very first day of the year as they woke up to the realisation that their already seriously depressed quality of life was going to go further south, following a whopping 120 percent rise in the price of a commodity that permeates every stratum of living.
Also, in the very recent past, other fees, such as cost of vehicle registration and the associated driver’s licence, have been increased indiscriminately by the FG. What about electricity tariffs? Are we not paying higher and higher bills for light that we do not get?
Add to these the completely unchecked acts of extortion, bribery, graft and similar vices by government workers, including the security agencies, and you have the very sorry picture of a population seriously oppressed by the same people who took oaths to protect and provide for them. Needless to say, all these different forms of government championed exploitation are part of the factors making Nigeria a living hell for the larger majority people.
So, if things remain so bad that 50 Kobo pure water continues to be a luxury item, can you blame Nigerians for running away from their own country and tramping all over the world looking for where to call home? And, the exodus cuts across all ages.
The young, able-bodied unemployed graduate, for instance, has this as an obvious choice between criminal activities such as stealing, robbing, as well as kidnapping or begging, in an environment where people do not have enough to care for self and family, talk less of giving out. And, does it matter if what these fleeing Nigerians get in those other countries is the most menial of jobs? For Nigerians in this 21st Century, Home is no longer Sweet Home.
Home is any other country where three square meals can be guaranteed for self and the family; where the children can get quality education; where there is access to quality health care and where light turns on at the touch of a switch and stays on for as long as you need it.
Availability of these basics which other countries have long taken for granted continues to be a mirage in Nigeria. What makes it so daunting is that there is no hope or indication that things will change in the foreseeable future as our leaders are obviously clueless or just do not “give a damn” about how to handle Nigeria’s multifarious problems. All we see is a lot of grandstanding and more and more promises.
Obviously, these leaders, particularly over the past 14 years of this our strange and uniquely Nigerian version of democracy, do not know the first thing about the important leadership mind set known as “Pride of Self and Country”. If they did, they would be far more committed to Brand Nigeria and work hard to make the country they rule over that country that foreigners love to flock to.
Instead, they are totally preoccupied with perpetuating their stay in power, even as Nigeria continues to hurt and bleed and descend closer and closer to its past pariah State status.
The way we are going, it will be no big surprise when even our smaller and poorer neighbours also find ways to chase us away from their shores, just as Britain is now doing. For, even those countries have long got over such primordial developmental challenges as power supply and taken giant strides of progress, while our Giant of Africa country, led by the “largest party in Africa”, still lies grovelling on the ground in its medieval darkness.
May God save us from our leaders lest we all port away.
Mr. TUNDE ILEVBARE, a social critic, wrote from Lagos
vanguard
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