Africa THisday
PRESIDENT JONATHAN’S CAMPAIGN PROMISES AND WHY HE MUST NOT FULFIL THEM. |AFRICA THISDAY
“…..To revive the rail system in the country 2- To complete Lagos to Jebba rail project 3-To intervene and revitalize the moribund Nigeria Machine Tools and other infrastructure owned by the federal government. 4-Government has budgeted N50b for job development and infrastructure *To modernize the ports *To complete the second River Niger bridge before the expiration of the tenure *To make the Minister of Works to im
mediately start repairs of the road leading to Murtala Mohammed International Airport 5-To transform all major routes in Damaturu to federal roads *To assist in resuscitating all the collapsed industries in Kano state”…. “To address the issues of unemployment through diversification of the nation’s economy to that of sustainable agricultural development across the 36 states of federation 21-To reduce production cost by inviting manufacturers of high demand commodities in the country to set up production factories in the country 22-To get industries in Lagos up and running, also bring industries to the Niger Delta…” and many more.
Jonathan is responsible for not fulfilling his promises. Nigerians are equally responsible. The real power of a state does not rest with the government, but with the people. If you voted for a legislator for money, you are responsible. If you are a legislator and you paid for vote, you are responsible. If you are a member of the press and you fail to inform the people or campaign for a more free press, you are responsible. If you do not vote, you are responsible. If you are a member of the executive and you are not transparent, you are corrupt. If you are a law enforcement agent and you receive corrupt payments, you are responsible. If you vote for people with no checkable employment history or known business, you are responsible.
I believe that responsibility for failure should be borne at the top. Accordingly, a nation is ever built or rebuilt from the bottom and therefore change can only come from the bottom and not from the top. Jonathan’s perception of the problem at hand was illusive and I believe he ought to have known that to achieve those objectives would require first, creating conditions that would enable the implementation of those policies. This can only be done through creating avenues of informing and empowering the people. This is where Nigerian press have failed.
The fight against corruption can only be won by the people, with the press as champions of accountability and with tough legislations billed from the house. This therefore, de-emphasises the power of the executive. Jonathan I am sure is a good man with the right ambitions. But, if we are to confront the challenges ever faced by Nigeria, we must begin from our communities, and unify against our community challenges; then encourage others and other communities to do the same. In this way, we would have begun to build a nation of our ideals; with the power to make changes and influence government decisions. But we need leadership from the bottom, at community levels. Unfortunately, our intentions at community levels are usually distracted and undermined through selfish power struggles that care less about the greater good and more about self interest in the short term. This is the very culture that sustains the degree of corruption in our country today. I contend that many Nigerian leaders’ understanding of corruption problems is misconceived. They understand it as just a crime. But it is not just a crime, it is a culture. It is only if and when corruption is recognized as a culture can we approach the problem with any reasonable prospect of success. From criminological perspective, crimes sustained by culture including terrorism require a situational approach of inducing public condemnation and shame along side severe punishment to those that commit such deadly crimes. Any approach must be accompanied by political and economic intervention aimed at job creation, dignity of labour (better conditions of work) and reasonable living wage to all public workers. If Nigeria were to begin these processes today, it can take up to 10years to realise. As far as I can see, Nigeria has yet to begin.
I have read reports of Nigerian government paying millions of dollars to foreign security consultants who promise the country that they would deal with Boko Haram in 12 months. As far as I can see there is yet to be a strategy for dealing with terrorism and other organized crimes, like kidnapping in Nigeria. The fight against these crimes cannot be fought in isolation with corruption. Terrorism and kidnapping are dangerously entangled with corruption in the Nigerian security context. I can confidently predict that Nigeria’s sugar coated approach to terrorism in isolation with the underlying corruption, economic and political problems could finally bankrupt the nation within 10 years.
To deal with our security problems, Nigerian police and policing must be restructured and reorganized to meet the security challenges of this century. I know many reorganizations of the police force have taken place in recent times; but moves lack strategic thinking.
Without a doubt, Nigeria has been thrown off balance by the new wave of crime and terrorism. Plural policing and expansion of the Nigerian private security industry has never been more urgent. To this end, Nigeria must relax company formation rules and encourage entrepreneurship in order to stimulate the growth of more indigenous corporations able to compete nationally and internationally with foreign counterparts. In this way it is possible to develop the Nigerian private sector and decrease over-dependence on foreign contractors or consultants who may not commit to any long-term strategic security plan. This will then ensure the stability of a strategic security plan to deal with the security challenges faced by Nigeria and Nigerians and facilitate intelligence gathering through job creation for young people.
Terrorists are faceless. Regardless of what their motivations could be, it is important to deal with the obvious problem – terrorism by dealing with the injustices of our time – poverty. Participatory democracy that recognizes the role of a free media, engaged with the business of informing the people and holding the government to account on behalf of the citizens. Nigeria will then become a nation with intellectually stimulated citizens. In reality, this will result in opposition of or support for the government; and both are necessary.
At present Nigeria has no structure. In this century and age of globalization and free market economy, country with poor political, economic, social and security structure will benefit less from all that globalization have to offer. In this present world, it is easier for the most powerful nations to filter the ills that come with globalization or displace them to unprepared nations to deal with. The ill of this new way of life in this century is corruption and countries that have no mechanism for dealing with or managing the problem will die. So far, in my opinion, Pakistan and Nigeria are in the same league and these two nations top corruption league as well, in the world today.
The world is neither more secure nor less secure today compared to the past years. The end of world war II was followed by cold war. The UK, America, Russia and some other G-8 Nations faced a different threat during the cold war – the threat of subversion and overthrow of government by other enemy states and state sponsorship of terrorism. This threat changed following 9/11 attack and the world united against a common enemy, the non-state terrorists we know today. This is what they mean when they say that the US and the UK are saferand the world is safer today. As these nations have better resources and are better prepared, terrorism has been displaced to countries that are considered easier targets as the terrorists continue to redefine and modify their interpretation of who their enemies are. Their original enemies were the US and the West. Now their new enemies are anybody or anything associated with the America and the West (justified through wrongful interpretation of the takfir doctrine in the Sharia as Haram) as it became increasingly unlikely that they would successfully carryout another atrocity in American or UK soil.
The reason for this brief narrative is to educate Nigerians on the sort of enemy Nigeria as a nation is up against and that there exists no quick-fix. It is therefore in the interest of all Nigerians to help solve this problem through democratic involvement. Goodluck Jonathan is just one man. But as a leader, he is responsible for uniting us all against these problems and creating the conditions that encourage participatory democracy through transparency and governance.
Finally, it is important to clarify that the level of corruption as used in this article is beyond that of a student bribing a teacher or police collecting ‘egunje’ or public servants collecting private fees to do what they are already paid by the state for. The corruption at the back of my mind is at the high level and includes international payments from foreign private organizations to Nigerian public officials to facilitate transactions or negotiations and the power or influence of non-state actors on the government or government agencies for personal political, economic or social gain; minority of law enforcement agents helping criminals or terrorists for personal gains. Foreign governments employing private organizations to negotiate deals with the Nigerian government. This problem is bigger than one man; especially one that enjoys life and cares less about the future of the country. But whenever solved, Nigeria could be in a position to compete with any other world power, given our population, diversity, landmass and natural resources. And Nigerians will become what they are created to be – free and independent.
God Bless Nigeria.
Chike Onyeari writes from London.
SOUTH AFRICA: NEW IMMIGRATION LAWS TEARS FAMILIES APART.
Cape Town – A Cape Town family has been torn apart by home affairs’ new immigration regulations that came into effect on 26 May.
IOL reports that Brent Johnson, 41, his wife Louise Egedal Johnson and their 2-year-old son recently went on a trip to Namibia and when they returned were shocked to find that Danish-born Louise would not be allowed back into the country.
She was apparently called an ‘undesirable person’ by home affairs and detained for six hours in a room at Cape Town International Airport on their return from Namibia on Sunday.
They were eventually informed that she would be deported back to Denmark, forcing Brent to buy both her and their son, Samuel, one way tickets to Copenhagen.
“I am married to a Brazilian. According to the new rules, we have to go to Brazil every two years to apply for the renewal of her permit. If we don’t, my wife will be deported and our family will be split up. In the past the renewal could be done here. Do you think that is constitutional?” commented Emile Myburgh.
Sten Klasson said that he has been married to a South African woman for seven years and that they recently returned to Johannesburg after living and working overseas. He said that during their time overseas, his wife never had a problem getting work permits and citizenship.
“We have been here since June last year and still my permanent visa is still not in place. I have lived in Europe my entire life and seen how Russia was ruling the eastern block. This is where you South Africans are aiming,” he warned.
A social media commentator, Kosmonooit, also aired his frustration, saying: “Tell me about it! Already waiting 5 months for a visa for my wife and daughter, with no information forthcoming! And el-presidente signed this act into law his good self this last Friday, the consequences were put forward in the brief period give for public comment. 3rd World Abyss here we come.”
In a recent interview with News24 Live, immigration law expert Gary Eisenberg explained that the new regulations are, in essence, xenophobic.
“There is no longer any flexibility in the system. The South African government is out to punish foreigners and perhaps this is a sign of the kind of xenophobia that may be lurking somewhere in the wings,” he said.
He also explained the damaging effects these kinds of laws could have on foreign investment in South Africa.
“If, for example, a business visitor comes to South Africa and – for a particular reason – is one day late in applying for an extension, the permit expires a day ago, and that person leaves the country to go back home – and perhaps going back home to organize an investment into the country – that person is excluded for a year. They cannot come back to South Africa. They are declared undesirable people,” he said.
In a similar development, the Nigerian community in South Africa has condemned the new immigration regulations claiming they are the major target of the new laws. Mr. Stanley Ebele, a Nigerian living in South Africa spoke to Africa Thisday in Pretoria : “I am married to a South African lady and I love her so much but this law is a big threat to our marriage because I may soon be asked to back home leaving my beloved wife and child here.” He added that “these new immigration laws are xenophobic and targeted at Nigerians the most because of our increasing population in South Africa.”
While the country’s law administratively allows a person to go to court to vindicate their rights, the process is flawed and appeals are often delayed to frustrate the applicant.
LATEST ON ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CRISIS: EFCC COMES IN.
The crisis rocking the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria has taken another dimension as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun a probe into the financial transactions of the church following allegations of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds coming from the warring parties.
Top on the alleged scam is the purchase of N220 million property in Germany by the church through a loan obtained from a commercial bank.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that some key members of the church have been interrogated by operatives of the commission while others suspected to be involved in the alleged scam have gone into hiding.
The probe is sequel to a petition by a faction of the church led by the Assistant General Superintendent, Rev Chidi Okoroafor, alleging that the Executive Council of the church was neither privy to the property bought in Germany nor gave approved the purchase.
They alleged that the said property whose purchase was said to have been completed in 2011 was non-existent, adding that its embattled General Superintendent, Prof Paul Emeka, single-handedly handled the transaction.
But in a swift reaction, Emeka said his predecessor, Rev Charles Osueke, commenced the process of purchase of the property with an initial deposit of N20 million, adding that his administration continued with the transaction when it came on board four years ago.
He stated that the transaction was completed from a loan secured from the GT Bank, adding that the entire thing was based on the decision of the executive council of the church.
Source: All Africa.
MUTINY: WHY THE SOLDIERS FIGHTING BOKO HARAM OPENED FIRE ON THE ARMY GENERAL YESTERDAY.
MAIDUGURI—The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Ahmadu Mohammed, yesterday, escaped death as angry soldiers opened fire on his official vehicle when he came to address them at the Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
This came as local villagers succeeded in repelling a Boko Haram attack, killing about 200 of the sect members in the process.
A source said the soldiers went on an operation in Kala Balge council area of Bornu state but they were instructed to withdraw from the assignment and return to Maiduguri immediately. The source said on their way back, they were ambushed leading to the death of some soldiers.
According to the source: “The troops arrived with the corpses of the slain soldiers to Maimalari barracks while the GOC was addressing some troops on the ongoing operation against the insurgency. But when the soldiers sighted the corpses of their deceased colleagues, and learnt about how they died, they condemned the way their superior officers allegedly treated them in the course of the operation, and therefore started shooting sporadically, while others opened fire on the GOC’s vehicle as he narrowly escaped from the scene”.
According to the source, “what angered the soldiers most, was the unnecessary deduction of their allowances and subjecting them to harsh working conditions without proper equipment to carry out their duties and as a result, many of them were being killed like rats by the insurgents”.
A top commentator on Africa Thisday had earlier told Africa Thisday that “some muslim military officers have Positioned themselves in the Nigerian Army at powerful positions and they even allow our gallant troops to be slauughtered by terorrists on dailly basis just because the junior Officers are Non-muslims.” He stated further that “GOCs who are Muslims would pick troops who are mostly comprised Of Christians & non muslims, provive inadequare armunition and make them to face the dreaded islamist terrorist group-Boko Haram”. Another commentator said: “I am angry that the GOC escaped. The soldiers must have realized that the GOC is the real Boko Haram”.
LET’S FACE IT AFRICA with First Son Of Africa.
Read this if the economy of your country directly/indirectly affects you… For about one month, I’ve been crawling through the pages of a book titled: “Capitalist Nigger” authored by Chika Onyeani. Every sentence in this book is loaded with an explosive capable of shattering the high walls of economic slavery raised in the minds of the average African living in Africa or born,raised& living outside the soil of Africa. Never has it mattered to me that ‘none of the natural resources under the soil of Africa is under the control of Africa’. We are a rich people living the poor life. We don’t care that the revenues generated by Four Foreign Oil companies in Africa has surpassed the revenues of ALL the 50 black African countries south of the Sahara combined. I strongly believe that every R3VOLUTION has always been a child of Revelation.
IN AFRICA: Tanzania jails 4 Nigerian footballers.
Four Nigerian football players were sentenced to six-months jail by Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s court after pleading guilty of illegal stay in the country. Kisutu is an administrative ward in the Ilala district of the Dar es Salaam Region of Tanzania.
Andrew Okoro and Chiku Odia appeared before Magistrate Frank Moshi and after pleading guilty they were each fined 100,000 Shillings or serve a six-month jail term. The duo opted to jail terms after failing to pay the stated fine.
Two other Nigerians Chikereke Messaiah and Onyekwu Daniel also had to serve six-month jail after each failed to pay fine to the tune of 50,000 Shillings having pleaded guilty of illegal presence in the country. Magistrate Gabriel Mirumbe had no option other than to hand them the jail sentence.
The accused Okoro claimed that he came Tanzania for trials with relegated top flight side of Ashanti United but would not make a breakthrough.
Okoro claimed that he was supported to gain access into the country by his manager Aishi Shaban who took his passport and $500 before flying to South Africa.
Accused Odia who was a football player with Mwanza-based first division club of Toto Africa said he lost his passport and reported to the police station only to be advised to check with his embassy for assistance.
Reading the facts, prosecutor from immigration department Patrick Ngayomela told the court that the accused admitted after being arrested that they were to join Ashanti United but their bid failed to materialise.
He added that the accused Odia was in the country since 2012 and he had been playing for Toto Africa but since the team was relegated he has failed to secure another registration.
According to the charge sheet, the accused Okoro and Odia were arrested at Shayo Guest House in Tandika while Messaiah and Daniel were arrested at TIG Church in Chang’ombe surburb.
So while western countries were rallying round Nigeria to rescue the abducted school girls, Tanzania, an African country is having fun jailing Nigerians for finding safety in their nation.
SHOCKING: World’s 10th Most Evil Man Becomes a pastor. Video will shock you.
Video Posted on
This is a video of the confession of an ex-warlord whose regime was more fierce than the reign of Abubakar Shekau, leader of Nigeria’s Boko Haram. He was named as the tenth most evil man who lived on earth. Milton Blahyi is a former feared rebel commander in Liberia’s brutal civil war who was initiated as a tribal priest and participated in his first human sacrifice at the age of 11. During the course of the ritual, Blahyi says that the “Devil” told him that he would become a great warrior and that he should continue to practice human sacrifice and cannibalism to increase his power. Later, the Krahn elders appointed him as high priest, a position that would lead him to become the spiritual advisor to Liberian President Samuel Doe.
Milton Blahyi was notorius for killing children and eating their heart and liver to gain spiritual power.
Blahyi stopped fighting in 1996, saying God appeared to him and told him that he was doing Satan’s work. So, he became an Evangelist preacher. Blahyi is now the President of the End Time Train Evangelistic Ministries Inc., with headquarters in Liberia.
Watch video and comment if Milton should be forced to face the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
RACISM, PAN-AFRICANISM AND MODERN IMPERIALISM.
Ngugi wa Thiong’o has argued that the ideology of racism has become a weapon for mental and spiritual domination and subjugation of peoples, which comes wrapped up in many forms and disguises that include religion, the arts, the media, culture, values, beliefs and even feelings. He adds that racism is one of the most devastating of all ideological weapons wielded by imperialism today because it is meant to safeguard the entire system of exploitation of the many by the few within and among nations. He cites five interlinked features as being responsible for this state of affairs in which racism becomes the centre-stage.
First, racism obscures the exploitative relations of the system between the wealthy few and the majority of the poor. It also obscures the reasons behind the vast gaps of wealth that exist between the rich capitalist nations, and poor nations of Africa, Asia and South America. It creates a situation where the exploited majority who produce the wealth enjoyed by the few become subservient and ever grateful to the rich for the ‘assistance’ given to them. It also obscures the origin of this wealth, which was produced by slave trade, slave labour, and colonialism by creating a belief that Europe developed because it is exceptional and superior.
Pan-Africanism was conceived and developed as anti-imperialist ideology of the African people. It came into being when the African people in the Diaspora became conscious of themselves as Africans poised against a racist society, which had enslaved them. It was a response to the oppressive European race consciousness, which was conceived for the purposes of enslavement and exploitation. The resistance to imperialism and racism was born within the struggle to develop a Pan-African Ideology. The persistence of imperialism and its servant racism are therefore factors which need to be explored and examined in order to spell out new directions in the struggle against it in new conditions.
The concept race and its expression in the social sciences has followed the path of capitalist transformations. Over time, racism has been built into the body politic of modern imperialism. A successful struggle against the enemy must depend on how successful the Pan-African intellectuals are able to sharpen their tools of analysis to combat racist ideology in whatever forms it may appear.
Sserubiri Uhuru is Africa Thisday’s columnist from Kampala, Uhuru. Send your questions to: sserubiri@africathisday.com
JUSTICE FOR MR. AREMU SEGUN KUTI: THE MAN WHO WAS ASSAULTED BY 2 MILITARY OFFICERS IN ABUJA.
Earlier today, we published the story of Mr. Aremu’s oppression in the hands of two Nigerian military officers in Abuja, Nigeria. The story went viral on the internet after we published it with several people sharing the story on the social media networks. As a result, the Nigerian Police Force detained the two military officers this morning and later released them on bail pending a court appearance tomorrow.
Cosharis Motors Ltd has released a bill of N399,999.65 to fix Mr. Aremu’s car which is supposedly going to be paid by Mr. Effiom E Okokon, Staff of NNPC. Evangelist Charles Awuzie who is currently facilitating that justice comes to Mr. Aremu has told Africa Thisday this evening that he is already in touch with some human Rights organizations in the United States of America who will swing into action soon if the Nigerian system does not bring the two military officers to book.
“THEY DRAGGED ME DOWN FROM THE STAIRS, STRIPPED ME NAKED AND GAVE ME THE BEATING OF MY LIFE”: MR. AREMU SEGUN KUTI, ABUJA BUSINESSMAN NARRATES HOW NIGERIAN ARMY OFFICERS BRUTALLY ASSAULTED HIM ON BEHALF OF THEIR CIVILIAN FRIENDS.
Max lerner once said: “We can not live by power, and a culture that seeks to live by it becomes brutal and sterile”. Professor Chinua Achebe once told an audience in America that “Nigeria is an example of a power-driven system. The common man on the street wants to display his superioty to another fellow. The military looks for any opportunity to remind the civilian who they should be protecting that they have some ‘brutal’ powers. The only people who are not caught in the web of this power-show is the power sector of Nigeria. They have chosen to remain humble.” Mr. Aremu Segun Kuti is the latest victim of military brutallity in Abuja and here is his ‘unedited’ story:
“At about 1.46pm on Monday 21st April , 2014, while driving in my car in company of my wife’s friend to a meeting suddenly I heard a hit behind on my car FORD ESCAPE 2013/2014 Edition. Lo and behold it was one young man by name Efiom E Okokon who claims he works with NNPC headquarters in Abuja driving in his Toyota Camry with a lady in the car. He first admitted to fix my car by calling his Panel Beater but my own car is a Brand New SUV which is being handled by COSCHARIS MOTORS. I called Coscharis Motors but was asked to bring the car to their office on Tuesday 22nd April, 2014.
I then asked the young man to write an undertaken admitting in principle to be liable and responsible but amazingly, he refused. I
because uncomfortable with his disposition and he noticed. Then as God would work in my Favour, he willingly gave me his staff ID Card. I got hold of the card while we both gentlemanly, agreed for him to fix the car. We drove out of the scene of the auto-crash. Unknowingly to me as we’re driving towards A.Y.A in Asokoro, he had invited two of his friends or brothers to join him in assaulting me so as to intimidate me. On getting to A.Y.A junction, I stopped for us to discuss based on the agreement on how to settle amicably but here he demanded for his ID Card which I did not oblige him. I instead gave him a condition to write and sign an undertaken so I could return his ID Card to him. Then he was out for trouble.
The meeting I was supposed to have at Kubwa was scheduled for 2pm. Therefore, I pleaded with him to follow me to the meeting because some dignitaries were waiting for. I got to the meeting venue. The young man Efiom would not alight from his car but his two
military friends came down from his car and accosted me. I asked them to give me a minute to address those waiting for me. I was moving and suddenly on the staircase to the meeting, they dragged me downwards the staircase, tore my new lace (traditional dress)
bought by my wife for the Easter celebration and gave me thorough beaten.
At this juncture, I didn’t know they were military personnel. Immediately, my wife’s friend in my car ran to invite Policemen nearby to rescue my life and before long people gathered and then Policemen came. It took Police several couple of minutes to calm them down. They were bragging, insulting, cursing and molesting my personality for doing nothing. I suffered not just physical injuries but also psychological injuries.
They wouldn’t obey the Police to be taken to the Police Station whereas I quickly drove in my car with a Police Inspector to lay complaint.The two young military personnel one by name flight officer FEMI ADEMULEGUN and the other Lieutenant Efiom or so called other military colleagues one of them is Lieutenant SIMPA of the Nigerian Army. Although, SIMPA first came to plead and at the same time harassing me telling me there is morning I could do and I should go anywhere I wanted to.”
Africa Thisday is in touch with Mr. Aremu Segun Kuti. A South African based vibrant gospel preacher and a social activist, Evangelist
Charles Awuzie told Africa Thisday: “It is high time that Africa confronted military and police brutallity with justice. I will stand beside the
oppressed and the suppressed until their trampled fundamental human rights are restored. I urge every African to seek for justice
whenever their fundamental human rights are abused or raped. I seek for the repair of Mr. Aremu’s car, his health to be taken care of and that the military officers involved in the assault should be brought to book. No man is above the law. No more in Africa will it be heard that injustice is greeted with timidity. No more!”
AFRICA THISDAY 