Category: Opinion

Pendulum: Now That Baba Akande Has Spoken, By Dele Momodu

Posted on by The Elites

Fellow Nigerians, let me state categorically that the great fun is about to begin in our dear beloved country. Walahi. Chief Bisi “Baba” Akande controversially stirred the hornets nest today when he proclaimed the death knell of zoning so far as the South West is concerned.

In case you don’t know, Baba Akande is a former Deputy Governor of old Oyo State, former Governor of Osun State, former Interim Chairman of Alliance for Democracy, former Chairman of AC, former Interim Chairman of APC and much more, is one of the most respected and revered leaders in Nigeria today. He has worked hard to earn that uncommon reputation. If you want someone who can bring about a consensus where it seems strife is inevitable, then Baba Akande is your man. He is very honest and remarkably frank. He is also a man of fairness, justice and peace. Most people I know see him as an icon and treat him as one. He is seen as one of the few Yoruba leaders who has remained steadfast and loyal to the lofty ideals and heights of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. I have done this little introduction for the sake of our young ones who may not know how important and influential Baba Akande is.

When such a political colossus speaks, therefore, you must listen attentively to one of our most outstanding symbols. Yes, Baba Akande spoke two days ago and tremor reverberated across the nation. In fact, he said what many of us already knew was coming. I had written several times about it, more appropriately, against it. I’ve never hidden my disdain against the idea of zoning political appointments. Zoning and Federal character have both failed to cure the maladies that gave birth to them. They have mostly empowered and enriched some cliques and acolytes. Those policies could not have succeeded in any event because they fail to take account of the truism that merit cannot be sacrificed on the altar of expediency as the only result is doom.

My interpretation of Baba Akande’s salvo is that the alliance at the centre is about to collapse. The ruling party, APC, is about to splinter into many parts, unless a miracle happens very fast. A rebellion of monumental proportions is brewing even if it has not yet exploded into smithereens. I have no doubt in my mind that the cookie is about to crumble and the bubble is about to burst. Please, watch this space, and note more what Baba Akande has not said than what he said.

What Baba Akande has not said is simply that the days when the Presidency would be voluntarily zoned to exclude most sections of the country in favour of another section, whether the candidate presented and supported by the people is competent or useless, are over. The truth is zoning never worked anyway, as some Presidential candidates left their original parties for other parties in defiance of the zoning formula of their own party. Without mincing words, it is obvious that the Yoruba leadership has decided it would no longer support other tribes, zones or regions to attain to power to the exclusion of their tribe. They would rather work hard, reach out, and join hands with like minds to get power. Their decision is borne out of the acute frustration and disappointment that makes them feel cheated about the Nigerian configuration which does not throw up the best but regularly favours the dregs of society who have only contributed to drawing Nigeria backward, in most cases.

The campaign has probably started in earnest, culminating in the search for a Yoruba Presidency. Though the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Peter Ayodele Fayose has controversially but ceremoniously thrown his hat into the ring, it is the fact that the capo di tutti capi, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, may be warming up for his turn to take a major shot at the race of his life that is most significant.

Mark my words. One of the greatest political strategists in Nigeria, Tinubu is tired of being a kingmaker and he would rather be the king. Indeed, that has always been his ambition but this has been largely curtailed by circumstances. Like many of those who supported Major General Muhammadu Buhari to attain power, after so many attempts, the former Senator and former Governor of Lagos State, feels he’s not gotten the respect and relevance he deserves for his monumental effort. Accordingly, he seems determined to make a personal push.

Apart from the virtues of Baba Akande that I have enumerated above, a lesser known one is his deep sense of loyalty. In thus regard he is known to he fiercely loyal to Asiwaju, who saw his sterling qualities and has promoted them on the national stage. When he spoke therefore, he was also wittingly or unwittingly acting as his friend’s voice and heralding Asiwaju’s aspiration to be top dog! The options that are likely to be pursued by Tinubu can be shortly and succinctly summarised.

BAT, as we love to call him, will contest as Presidential candidate. Clearly, such an audacious attempt would be in a party other than APC which going by recent events and noises, is likely to insist on fielding a miraculously rejuvenated President Buhari. This is obviously Asiwaju’s preferred move, but again the present dynamics and the dark clouds which hovers ominously over him may mean that he is better suited to hide behind another person as President. Remember, age and health are going to be strong factors in the coming election and at 65 now, Tinubu is seen as having crossed the threshold.

The second option is to realise his limitations and pressurise APC into submission to the extent that he would have to be appeased and rewarded. BAT’s former protégé and current Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo may be cajoled into stepping down for his political mentor. It is not known if President Buhari would agree to this fiasco, which would mean, not only a Muslim Muslim ticket but also one without the benefit and refreshing vigour of vibrant youth, out of desperation for a second term.

No matter what you think, these are not the easiest of times for APC. It is very clear that there are no easy options ahead with the number of hardened and resolute aspirants on parade, including the flighty former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku who seems on the way out of APC. Some are also suggesting an Atiku/Tinubu ticket but there won’t be much difference between that pair and that of Buhari/Tinubu on account of age and religion. This is why many feel Tinubu just wants to rattle Buhari to bring him to the negotiating table but I thing he’s very determined about being the president himself after helping a few African Presidents to power.

Sadly, it is not just about elections and ambitions, even the presidential team is rapidly falling apart. Everyone is fighting everybody and it is so disheartening and distressing! What we envisaged to be a change is fast becoming a mirage and turning out to be a riotous calamity!

A GOOD MAN CALLED TONY ELUMELU

I’ve known Dr Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of United Bank of Africa for about two decades. I first noticed his wizardry as the boss of Standard Trust Bank. There was something refreshingly different and elegant about the branches of the bank. I operated an account at their Allen Avenue Branch then and was hooked on their brilliant services. Behind that spectacular performance was a prodigiously gifted CEO who truly knew his onions. Like a true navigator, Elumelu charted his path and followed his course all the way. He faced challenges like all great people but he never looked back. Even when he was maligned regularly by those who hated his guts, he responded with more earth-shaking successes.

I was shocked to my bones one bright afternoon when news reached me that he was bidding for UBA, the third biggest bank in Nigeria at the time. We wondered how a small bank could swallow a bigger one. It was like saying Jonah swallowed the whale instead of the whale swallowing Jonah. The incredible take-over reverberated beyond Nigeria. I was in Accra, Ghana when the big news of the mega deal landed thunderously. Elumelu soon invaded other African countries and sought to conquer the world. Before our very eyes, he realised his dreams.

As at today, his exploits have led to his foray into about 20 countries, thus creating a global enterprise. He has extended his fingers into many more pies in different fields of human endeavours, including power, oil and gas, and so on. His economic philosophy and concept of Africapitalism has been hailed as one of the most original thoughts in modern times in Africa since Kwame Nkrumah and Nwalimu Julius Nyerere. He has backed his words with action, establishing The Tony Elumelu Foundation and setting aside a stupendous sum of US$100 million over a period of ten years to raise new sets of entrepreneurs in every part of Africa.

Now, not everyone achieves his dreams in life. And not all those who make it in life remember their fellow humans. I knew Elumelu as a man with Midas touch but didn’t know of his kind heart until we approached him in 2007 to get UBA to support the first ever Ovation Red Carol. Once he read our proposal and found that we were planning to give something back to a society that has given us so much, he approved without much ado. I see the excitement on his face every time he attends our events. At the 2007 edition, he approved the next one right from inside the venue. Elumelu loves anything that would help empower mankind and Africans in particular.

Today, he’s empowering thousands of African youths to find their bearings in life. He’s teaching them to fish instead of giving them fish to eat. He has surpassed the expectations of every one by his large out. All I can offer him and his family are my prayers and tributes such as this to encourage to march on in a world where good deeds are often misconstrued.

I truly doff my cap to this unstoppable, caring genius … May his tribes increase…

In Defence of Aishah Ahmad, By Gimba Kakanda

Posted on by The Elites

 

I didn’t want to dabble in this petty debate of Mrs. Aisha Ahmad’s choices of what to wear, following her nomination as Deputy Governor of CBN, which is driving our underachieving men nuts, and which, they argue, fall below their moral expectation from a Muslim woman, but this clarification may make the sincerely insular characters see why she is not an invention of anyone:
Aisha came from a place and people that enable the rise of strong women, almost to the point of matriarchy. The Nupe are culturally respectful of the choices their women make, noting the history of female singers like Hajiya Lolo during and after the colonial rule to present-day Aliya Pelemi and even down through politicians like Senator Zainab Kure.
These women were, and are, revered for their talent, their intellect, their wealth, their education, their wisdom, their skills, their philanthropy – their substance. The musicians have a band of all-male drummers and all-female dancers, who all defer to the female band leaders. Sometimes I wonder whether my mum too, who preferred gele to hijab, could have survived this male-privileging labyrinth as an itinerant trader if she had come from a people who prefer their women chained with words at home. And I’m proud to be from a place that does not disrespect their women or police then rudely like these bleeding chauvinists, who possibly have not prayed today or in weeks, raising fake credentials of their qualifications as self-appointed litigators of God.
Let this woman, who’s of course married, exhibit her right to not pander to your rude attempt to tell her what to wear and how to live. What’s even funnier is, some of the clowns attacking her are probably seeking a way to see her for help, and shamelessly they’d say “Ran ki ya dade, Malama!” – Long may you live, Madam! – as they beg for a thousand Naira to feed the baby factories they have chained at home.

Alleged NNPC Scam: The Social Media Is Agog With Ill-informed Narratives, By Caxton Fatanmi

Posted on by The Elites

NNPC story of the last two days got so twisted. The Nigerian media is failing to educate. The reportage is so poor, high in sensationalism and spread of ignorance as to the facts and processes.

First, there is nothing like a Contract Award in the real sense of the word where money is paid out by NNPC to Contractors.

NNPC selling crude oil to a customer is not a Contract Award, it is a Commrercial transaction.

It is the GMD of NNPC that has ever been signing Crude Oil Sales Term Contract at NNPC from the begining of that corporation as NNOC. From Lawrence Amu, to Chief Marinho, Arets Adam until even when Kachikwu was GMD.

When a Customer signs a Term-Contract to buy Nigerian Crude Oil it is covered by the customer’s bank opening in favor of NNPC either a Standby Letter(s) of Credit (SBLC) or a Documentary Letter(s) of Credit (DLC). Such banks are only amongst the top 50 international banks that are acceptable.

It is after lifting any crude oil under the Sales Contract that the L/C is negotiated and the proceeds goes to the account of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the name of NNPC. These accounts are held in New York, mostly.

There is no cash that changes hands between individuals for and on behalf of NNPC.

The insinuation that NNPC through the current GMD is holding some wild figures is plain stupid !

Dr Kachikwu as GMD it was that signed these same Contracts in his capacity in 2015/16.

Now, for the rest of the muddle we have been thrown into, you may wish to read the extant statutory laws that governs NNPC’s Procurement Processes herebelow.

There is no law violated here by the NNPC.

Quote:

AN X-RAY OF DR. IBE KACHIKWU’S LETTER TO MR. PRESIDENT ACCUSING DR. MAIKANTI K. BARU OF LACK OF ADHERENCE TODUE PROCESS IN THE AWARD OF CONTRACTS. Nigerians yesterday woke up in the morning and were greeted with a supposed leaked memo from Dr. Ibe Kachikwu the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources to Mr. President against Dr. Maikanti Kachalla Baru the GMD of NNPC. This write up will attempt to x-ray the alleged wrong doing in the procurement processes of NNPC vis-à-vis the extant laws that regulate such (Public Procurement Act PPA). Please note that I am neither the spoke person of NNPC nor that of Dr. Maikanti K. Baru. Section 2 of the PPA provides “The Council shall: (a) consider, approve and amend the monetary and prior review thresholds for the application of the provisions of this Act by procuring entities.” In exercise of the above provision, Bureau of Public Procurement vide a circular ref: SGF/OP/I/S.3/VIII/57 dated 11th March, 2009 from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation conveyed the Council’s approval in respect of “Implementation of approved revised thresholds for service wide application and special application to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources for expenditure related to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Procurement Methods and thresholds of application and the composition of Tenders Board.” In the above circular particularly part (b) thereof, it approved the establishment of five Tenders Boards for NNPC namely: NNPC Tenders Board (NTB) with approval of less than USD$20 Million; Group Executive Committee (GEC) with approval limit of less than USD$10 Million; Directorate Executive Committee (DEXCOM) with approval limit of less than USD$4 Million; Management Executive Committee (MEXCOM) with approval limit of less than USD$2 Million; Divisional Committee (DIVCOM) with approval limit of less than USD$0.50 Million respectively. Section 17 of the PPA provides: “Subject to the monetary and prior review thresholds for procurements in this Act as may from time to time be determined by the Council, the following shall be the approving authority for the conduct of public procurement (a) in the case of (i) a government agency, parastatal, or corporation, a Parastatals Tenders Board ; and (ii) a ministry or extra-ministerial entity, the Ministerial Tender Board.” From the above provision, it is very clear that the only recognised approving authority for the conduct of public procurement in NNPC is the NNPC Tenders Board (NTB) and not the Board of Directors of NNPC as the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources wants us to believe. I have gone through the PPA or the approved threshold and can’t find anywhere reference is being made to NNPC Board as an approving authority for NNPC. In case where the contract sum is excess of USD$20 Million, the circular quoted above mandated NNPC to forward such to Federal Executive Council (FEC) and not the Board of Directors of NNPC. Section 20.—(1) of the PPA provide “The accounting officer of a procuring entity shall be the person charged with line supervision of the conduct of all procurement processes ; in the case of ministries the Permanent Secretary and in the case of extra-ministerial departments and corporations the Director-General or officer of co-ordinate responsibility. (2) The accounting officer of every procuring entity shall have overall responsibility for the planning of, organization of tenders, evaluation of tenders and execution of all procurements and in particular shall be responsible for : (a) ensuring compliance with the provisions of this Act by his entity and liable in person for the breach or contravention of this Act or any regulation made hereunder whether or not the act or omission was carried out by him personally or any of his subordinates and it shall not be material that he had delegated any function duty or power to any person or group of persons ; (b) constituting the Procurement Committee and its decisions ; (c) ensuring that adequate appropriation is provided specifically for the procurement in the Federal budget ; (d) integrating his entity’s procurement expenditure into its yearly budget ; (e) ensuring that no reduction of values or splitting of procurements is carried out such as to evade the use of the appropriate procurement method ; (f ) constituting the Evaluation Committee ; (g) liaising with the Bureau to ensure the implementation of its regulations.” The import of the above section is that the GMD of NNPC being the Accounting officer of procuring entity NNPC has the overall responsibility for the planning of, organization of tenders, evaluation of tenders and execution of all procurements. This is the intention of the drafters of the PPA. I am very sure if they have Board of Directors of NNPC or that of any Parastatal in mind, they could have stated such clearly in the Act except if the Honourable Minister of State has now abrogated to himself the powers of interpretation of the Act to include the Board of Directors of NNPC which he chairs. It should be noted that all the contracts listed in the Honourable Minister of State Memo to Mr. President followed strictly all the laid down procedures before they were approved by the relevant approving authority. In conclusion, it is my considered opinion that the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Memo was sent to Mr. President and subsequently leaked to public with the sole aim of tarnishing the good image of the NNPC and GMD and as well subject the duos to public ridicule.

End of quote…

Dr. Kachikwu is a lawyer. He should have been better guided in his outburst in that Memo.

The social media is agog with ill-informed narratives.
Even the opposition PDP and NASS are showing serious ignorance on this issue.

Please know before you talk.
– Caxton Fatanmi

Ogun State: The Army and The Miscreants, By Pius Adesanmi

Posted on by The Elites

Warm and hearty congratulations to all proponents of the military in routine law enforcement and the military in civilian spaces. As a social activist, it is very rare for the society you dream of and struggle to achieve to emerge in your life time.
Those whose social struggles revolve around the normalization of the military in civil spaces have achieved the feat of seeing their struggle come to fruition in their life time. I am envious of them. Look at me, envisioning and fighting for a version of Nigeria that I may never see. I am just trudging on, hopeful and confident that future generations will live in such a Nigeria long after I am gone. I am very envious of those whose version of Nigeria is playing out in their life time before their very before. They must feel very fulfilled indeed.
The Military announced today that she will commence Operation Crocodile Smile in Ogun State. Let me not speak for the Army. Hear out Ogbeni Basil Adoke, Brigade Commander of the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta:
“We are going to start Operation Crocodile Smile in Ogun and it involves series of actions to step up tempo targeted at miscreants…Though the state is relatively peaceful, we still have some miscreants to deal with, so when you see Crocodile Smile, don’t be scared.”
You have heard from the Army. In Umuahia, because they did not anticipate such a groundswell of support from a certain critical segment of civil society, the Army took the precaution of at least saying they were going to face “terrorists” in a show of force.
Now that the support of such forces can be taken for granted, no need for pretext and niceties. They are going to weed out “miscreants” in a “relatively peaceful” state. Obviously, the police need not and cannot be better equipped, better trained, and better moraled to deal with miscreants in routine law enforcement.
Once again, I rejoice with the civilian dreamers and enhancers of this version of Nigerian society. Very soon, the Army will add a sweetener for them by graduating from “terrorists” and “miscreants” to handling students “playing truancy” in secondary schools. Juvenile truants are also a very serious menace requiring a show of force.
If they will not say that my mouth is smelling, I will advise the “irresponsible elders” in Ogun state to talk to their miscreants before crocodiles begin to smile in the streets of Abeokuta.

Can PDP Rise From Own Ashes? By Fela Shodunke

Posted on by The Elites

Since the the July 10 Supreme Court judgement which confirmed former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Maikarfi as validly elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, the party has returned to the news. Maikarfi’s mandate is to midwife the election of a substantive national Chairman which hopefully will take the party to the next election in 2019.

This sidekick to this development is that beyond the one-sided narratives from what is fast looking like a one-party state Nigerians are expecting robust issue based campaigns with rhetorics, promise and options of “better life” and improvement of living conditions. The All Progressive Congress, the ruling political party have had it going for it since May 29, 2015 all thanks to the protracted crises in the PDP. The citizens expect a change in rhythm in the songs of hope. But can the PDP rebrand to play that role expected or anticipated by the citizens? The next track on the political album and the lyrics played by the politicians should chorus that.

Perhaps what the All Progressive Congress has going for it is that it was formed on the ashes of those who had played in the Opposition for sixteen years; those who felt they had played on the sideline of national politics and those who were disgruntled things were not as they wished in the then ruling party, the PDP, put simply those who were angry with the way issues and matters resolved. They needed an expression, a vent. It then comes as no surprise that even in government, APC retained itself as an Opposition to itself. PDP looks like having a second chance like the mythical Phoenix to rise from its own self immolation.

PDP miscalculated on its confidences to dominate the Nigeria political space for some fairy one hundred years and became too fat to fly, members behaved like fat cows without much troubles and the party became a fiefdom of contest for control of landed properties and Spartans were being hired as mercenaries in the political warfare. Since 2011, conquered territories declined, the party started shrinking and loosing battle weary soldiers to other political parties. The few parcel of land yet partitioned among various contending interests. The APC defeated the PDP at its most vulnerable point, lashing on to its weakest link.
The APC on the one hand built its structure and ascendancy to power on a foundation which appealed to the emotions of the younger generation, maximising the new political hardware of the social and new media; the PDP refused to be regenerative. Except perhaps in the South Eastern states, the younger members of the party are gradually distanced from the PDP, and the party becomes Orthodox suffering similar fate as the Anglican Church in the face of rising Pentecostalism or “Gospel” churches.

The Supreme Court landmark judgement however gave a renewed hope for a re-set; an option for a fresh start or further partitioning. The Maikarfi led National Caretaker Committee has set December 9, 2017 as the date for a new National Convention to elect those who will steer the affairs of the party towards 2019. Many options have been thrown before the members; former South West Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George who had also served as the Military Governor of old Ondo State 29 years ago, precisely between July, 1988 and September 199. Also in the race is Professor Tunde Adeniran, a former Minister for Education. Both Bode George and Adeniran are equally members of the party’s Board of Trustees BoT, (the spirit and highest decision making organ of the political party) they have played roles either for its good fortune or otherwise. If age is Bodeo George’s albatross, Adeniran’s gooney bird is the fear that he is being sponsored by a controversial Senator from Ogun who many believed was a leading mercenary and one of those responsible for the party’s immediate sordid pass.

A former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel has als shown interest in the race, so is Proessor Taoheed Adedoja, a former Minister for Sports. All of them are from the South Western states of the country where it is believed the zoning arrangement might be preferred for the reason that the region had never had a shot at the office since the party was founded in 1998. The political party had zoned to the South. Both Adedoja and Daniel are the age card prospective to connect and build successor generation and regenerate the party.

However, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, the media merchant from the South South is also rumoured to be in the race. His main card on the table is the ownership of one of the most virile media organisation which is believed could assist the PDP in its perception reconstruction. But his choice may suffer from the zonal arrangement and an impediment to the aspiration of the South Eastern part to produce the Vice President in 2019.
Whatever their choice, the PDP has taken on itself the responsibility of redrawing the political landscape of Nigeria as an Opposition party and a prospective party to be in power, it needs to recreate, refresh, rebrand and connect to all generations to live in the future.

Fela Shodunke is a Public Affairs Commentator, lives in Ikeja, Lagos

Ambode: A Quiet But Virtuoso Performance, By Adewale Adeeyo

Posted on by The Elites

IN his 27 years as a civil servant in Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode was a quiet, solid achiever of immense gifts and remarkable ethos. With a bachelor’s and master’s in Accounting, he was focused early enough to start his working career from the modest position of Assistant Treasurer, Badagry Local Government in 1988. Nearly three decades later, and after a number of courses within and outside the country, the brilliant and hardworking civil servant had risen to the position of a Permanent Secretary and Accountant-General, even holding both positions at a time. His accomplishments were staggering; but what was even more astonishing was the quiet manner he rose through the ranks and left a lasting impact.

It was, therefore, not surprising that less than three years after he voluntarily retired from the civil service, and with the same quiet dignity and self-effacement that have become his hallmarks, Ambode, 54, was back in government, this time at the highest level in Lagos State as its third elected governor in the Fourth Republic. It is not certain, despite his hardwork and accomplishments, whether he thought that amazing political trajectory possible. It is not even clear, though he has great mentors, whether a year before he assumed office as governor, anyone thought to make a political gladiator of the self-effacing financial and administrative manager.

Thirty years after he first signed up to work for the Lagos State government, through which he rose to be a consummate civil servant and adept financial manager, Ambode had become governor in extraordinary circumstances. He was indisputably sound as an auditor and accountant, even a chartered accountant, but not many, including perhaps some who voted for him in 2015 on trust, were absolutely convinced that the seemingly quiet and unpretentious financial expert and latter-day politician could muster the élan and charisma to lead the boisterous coastal state which recently celebrated its 50 years of founding. Ambode had come highly recommended by a past governor, the pacesetting iconoclast, Bola Tinubu. And having excelled in school, he had acquired the character of showing grit, determination and uncommon brilliance. But he did not seem a natural politician, not to talk of being a lawyer and career rabble-rouser – these were the sort of people believed capable of succeeding as administrators and politicians. Ambode was different, confidently and quietly so.

But he was not the usual politician Lagosians had grown accustomed to over the decades. Indeed, shortly after he was sworn into office, the most populous state in Nigeria seemed to experience some stasis, unable to respond to the new governor’s novel methods.

But less than two remarkable and astounding years later, after Ambode had executed dozens and dozens of quality and, in some instances, expansive projects one after another, it was as if the state had been waiting for him all along with bated breath. Both Ambode and Lagos were made for each other, after all. He has not yet forsworn his self-confident disposition, yet his achievements have both been recognised and lauded, often very loudly, as if to compensate for his quietude.

Charisma is not usually associated with quiet detachment; but in the case of Ambode, his achievements have illustrated his sometimes impalpable charisma. And as every analyst knows, it is indeed possible to possess charisma without a corresponding or even ethical demonstration of progress. Ambode defies stereotypes and confounds propositions by his relentless and ironically charismatic accomplishments.

Far beyond the number and quality of Ambode’s monumental projects is the scientism of his methods, the integrated network of projects and programmes that blend with one another and create a seamless, impactful whole. Whether road projects or school and health facilities, or whether security or human development programmes, Ambode’s strides in two years possess at once a certain abstractness and concreteness. Abstractness because many of the projects seem enviably and reassuringly futuristic; and concreteness because they are of practical and immediate use as tools for revving up development and raising living standards.

It would be flattering to suggest that Lagos has a perfect cabinet. It probably doesn’t. However, given the achievements recorded in the past two years, and the peace and cooperation abiding in the cabinet, they are a reflection of the cerebral quality of the governor and his leadership skills as well as an indication that he has a critical mass of commissioners and heads of agencies to help him transform theory into practice. Importantly too, as is the nature of politics generally, the remarkable progress Lagos has made under Ambode reflects excellently on his interpersonal relations and financial management skills.

No matter how brilliant a cabinet, if the leader is not equally or better endowed, there would be no one to set the pace and direction. If Lagos is presenting itself as an example for other states and attracting attention from within and outside the African continent, it is an indication that a vision is in place and is being remolded and refined, and a leader possessing character and confidence is also running the show.

What is most remarkable about the solid and frenzied pace of development in Lagos today is its spread, both spatially and intrinsically. Spatially, projects are sited in concentric circles in all the senatorial districts of the state constituencies, and wards. And in one way or the other there is an engaging interconnectedness in nearly all the projects so that they can integrate forward and backward and hum synergetically to make life liveable in the Lagos megacity. Intrinsically, ongoing projects include roads, bridges, hospitals, security, apparatuses and many legacy monuments. The Epe axis is being opened up grandly.

Alimosho axis is being transformed into a behemoth, Oshodi is on the way to experiencing one of the most modern renewals ever, Lekki is enjoying a very thoughtful design makeover, and a new security architecture called neighbourhood security watch is already assembled. All these renewals and re-engineering have been made possible because they were predicated on a masterful re-engineering of the state’s financial infrastructure.

It is perhaps fitting that Ambode is in the saddle as the state marks 50, having been created in May 1967. He is fortunate to have predecessors like Asiwaju Tinubu who laid the foundation, and Babatunde Raji Fashola who built on that foundation. Ambode has placed himself appropriately to build on the works of his predecessors, and to take the megacity project to dizzying heights. As a former civil servant, he knows how to drive the civil service and get the best out of it. As a career financial manager, he has reorganized the state’s finances and put it on an even keel to make it work for the state. As a thinker and scholar, he has designed practical and engaging ways to get things done and make the state and himself respond adequately like a scientist to the challenges of statehood. And like a deep thinker, he has primed himself, standing on the shoulders of his predecessors, to envision an incredibly expansive, surefooted and glorious future for Lagos.

That Ambode is able to achieve these great strides without the accompanying and distractive noisemaking politicians are so often and clearly besotted to is a testimony to his idiosyncratic resolve to leave a mark and legacy in Lagos. He is just half way into his first term. By the end of the first term, and at the rate he is going, not to say the fluidity of his rhythm, he is expected to accomplish so much more, even as many of the legacy projects begun months back start to manifest in all their splendor. Lekki Expressway has been transformed, including a flyover at Ajah. Epe-Itoikin Expressway is nearing completion,and the Abule-Egba flyover has been delivered. A number of other flyovers are in the works. More than 600km of roads have been rehabilitated or reconstructed. So too, have bridges been built. What is even more impressive is that it takes a very self-confident politician who will be facing re-election in less than two years to eschew the self-promotion and narcissism many politicians and governors are obsessed with.

Under Ambode, Lagos is permanently in the works, aggressively and thoughtfully. Sometimes, all it takes is a lay-by of not more than half a football field in Oworonshoki or Ketu. But it does wonders for traffic flow. Sometimes, all it needs is erasure of roundabouts, and traffic gridlock is eliminated. The beauty of the Ambode revolution coursing through the state’s sinews is that brain works, after all, and reflectiveness can go a long way in ameliorating the problems of a community. Today, there is no contention about Ambode’s capacity to govern exceptionally well. If the sometimes querulous leader of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos, Bode George, could give Ambode not only a pass mark, but an excellent mark, all that the governor needs is to sustain his performance and probably better it in order to pass safely into the legend of Lagos where only a few past governors reside. Imagine the poetry implicit in a quiet governor undertaking a quiet but unmistakable revolution. It is called virtuoso!

The clincher for many Lagosians and South-Westerners is that, far beyond working wonders in Lagos State, Governor Ambode is also deeply thoughtful, philosophical and ideologically expansive. His pursuit of regionalization, where his predecessors had been fairly isolationist, speaks to his mindset as a true and well-bred son of the soil. He did not wait to be persuaded; and did not ask to be wooed. His instincts told him regionalism was right and did not detract from the state’s independence nor violated the constitution, nor yet flouted the unity and integrity of the nation. More importantly, he selflessly prepared his mind to put the vibrant economy of Lagos at the service of the region, knowing full well that the strength of his people and their security depend on the collective prosperity of the region. No sooner was he sworn in than he asked to be integrated into the Oodua Group, and its think-tank arm – the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission.

There is no telling what six more years of Ambode will do for Lagos and the South-West. He has started well, worked well, thought well and from all indications, will finish well. The energy he brings to the job, and the organized and orchestrated ideas that undergird his stewardship, not to say the soundness of his vision, will ensure that the projects he has committed himself to, whether Lagos Smart City, Fourth Mainland Bridge, Dubainisation of Alimosho, renewal of Ikeja Business District and the rapid metamorphosis of the Lekki Axis, among other great developments, will permanently change the landscape of Lagos.

The tender and tough amiability of Governor Ambode is powerful. The extraordinary elements intrinsic to his glorious élan infused the future of Lagos State Government with great promise, and her present with the illumination of commanding graces. But it is his splendid gravitas that sparked simple things as street lights to sparkle, brighten and pulsate, inviting tourist and tempting global investors.

 

Now That The Race Has Started, By Dele Momodu

Posted on by The Elites

Fellow Nigerians, let me say exciting times are here again. You may ask what is so exciting about this period with our myriad of problems? Please, allow me to put it this way. Politicians are like students while the voters are their teachers. Every now and then the chickens come home to roost and politicians are forced to test their popularity and performance. The examiners are the voters who have waited patiently for this time to come so that they can pass or fail their representatives as they deem fit. Sometimes the electorate get things right. Oftentimes they get it wrong, as we’ve seen on many occasions. What is important is that it is payback time, for good or for bad.
There is no time for any long preamble today. The nitty-gritty of this epistle is dictated by two major events that occurred almost simultaneously during the week, signalling the beginning of the 2019 Presidential race. First, was the open and frontal declaration of Ekiti State Governor, Dr Peter Ayodele Fayose, a man of immense courage. Second, was the release of the electoral timetable by the electoral umpire, INEC. Prior speculations about who’s running or not will soon be affirmed or refuted. The time has finally come for the masquerades to come out of the groves and dance in the marketplace.
Love him or hate him, Governor Fayose’s declaration is bound to kick-start the electoral jamboree and give impetus to others who have been rather squeamish or “squirmish” about throwing their hats into the ring. Also, I love the fact that the ruling government can no longer afford to be complacent. We now have an aspirant, who for whatever he is worth will definitely keep the APC on its toes. The controversy has already started because Fayose is the quintessential hype-man. If he does not court publicity, propaganda would always trail him. He is a master of the game who understands that a bully only respects a bully. The ruling government may pretend that he is no threat, but they understand the adage that “a leper may not be able to squeeze milk but he definitely knows how to spill it…” Let no one dismiss Fayose. Remember the way some of us swore Donald Trump will never defeat Hillary Clinton in many lifetimes to come.
It would be a big shame if APC fails to see the urgent need to reposition and repackage itself as quickly as possible. My ideas may seem a bit radical and far-fetched but they remain my kobo advise to President Buhari and his team. If I were President Buhari, I will start grooming a successor right now. By the time he finishes his first term in 2019, he would have attained the age of 76, or thereabout. By then, he should be thankful to God for preserving his life after a rigorous battle with some near-fatal ailments. At that age and stage, Nigeria deserves some fresh leader, in body, mind and soul. The world has moved beyond the type of leadership we are currently saddled with. Buhari was a choice for a special reason and purpose. He has served and fulfilled that righteousness. I believe, with all due respect, that he should set Nigeria on the path to higher glory by getting his succession plan right. Many of his predecessors were too pre-occupied with self-adulation that they forgot the future. By the time the future inevitably arrived, it was too late to turn the hands of the clock backwards.
President Buhari still has over one year to prepare for the epic journey ahead.. It is certain and obvious that he would be tempted like all mortals to cling to power, and as a matter of right anyway, but may God grant him the uncommon wisdom and that spirit of selflessness to be able to resist the allure of office and power. The APC has a lot to gain from his sacrifice and he would have placed himself on a higher pedestal in global reckoning. He has many able disciples who can carry his legacy to a much higher level. The world would remember him as a leader who came at a time of serious crisis and averted the cataclysmic collapse of Nigeria, laid a solid foundation and handed over to competent builders and performers.
In other to avoid an acrimonious transition, the President should invite some interested and influential members of his party and allow its politburo to vote or decide amongst themselves the shape of the new government they wish to form. Their decision is more likely to be binding on the party in general. President Buhari owes it to Nigeria to kill the ethnic and religious tension in our country. He’s always been viewed as a religious bigot and ethnic jingoist but he can redeem himself gracefully by championing new causes, breaking down walls of superstition as well as exterminating those primordial sentiments that have bedevilled our country and sent us several centuries backward. Buhari should help in combing every part of Nigeria and beyond for the best brains and talents that God has kindly endeared and endowed us with. He should realise that nothing could be as fortunate as being handed a second chance on a platter of gold as has happened to him. He has nothing more to gain but plenty to lose.
I would not be shocked or surprised if those currently enjoying the spoils of power dismiss my appeal to our dear beloved President as arrant nonsense. However, the truth is that Nigeria is in crisis and critical mode, deserving the most accomplished surgeons the country has, to excise the cancers and tumours ravaging her. We can no longer continue to wobble and fumble at the present snail speed. Time does not wait for anyone. And it will certainly not wait for Nigeria. APC parades many fantastic leaders but they are not able to blossom and glow in full bloom because of the overpowering aura of President Buhari. That power can be put to better use by helping APC to remain intact without experiencing the type of implosion that sentenced PDP to its shallow grave.
I will like to see APC retain the support and loyalty of Atiku Abubakar (who I believe should act like a true father of the party rather than desperately trying to return to power 12 years after he retired as Vice President) and Bola Ahmed Tinubu (who should continue in his now acclaimed role of kingmaker). These two titans of the party should support President Buhari in harnessing the talents and strengths of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Bukola Saraki, Dogara Yakubu, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Nasir El Rufai, Aminu Tambuwal, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Rochas Okorocha, Rotimi Amaechi, Olorunnimbe Mamora, and several others who may be hovering in the wings with the hopes of becoming President or Vice President in the not too distant future. If these great assets are not well-managed and encouraged to sacrifice their personal ambitions and interests for the sake of Nigeria, history might just repeat itself because a house divided against itself will not stand.
Such a similar situation was mismanaged by former President Goodluck Jonathan who inadvertently lost the election the day he allowed some key members of PDP, to saunter away to join a new coalition called APC. With the benefit of hindsight, I am sure Jonathan would have eaten humble pie and stopped those aggrieved party members, by fire by force. Unfortunately, he was goaded and egged on by sycophants who probably boasted that Atiku, Saraki, Amaechi, and company were easily dispensable. They were dead wrong. Their exit led to the tsunami that swept away the Jonathan government.
My prediction is that if Buhari decides to stubbornly pursue his own personal ambition and agenda by not making the necessary sacrifice at this crucial moment, he may be swamped and consumed by the lava of the volcanic eruption that would definitely hit his party in a most devastating manner. Truth be told, Buhari would not have even picked the ticket of APC in the last primary election but for the herculean task and audacious effort of Tinubu, Amaechi, Saraki and others who performed the miracle of turning water into wine.
Believe me, nobody wins election in Nigeria based on sainthood or clean records. Elections require the ability to raise cash, tonnes and tonnes of it. In case he is oblivious to what transpired in the last election, the President should ask his campaign team what it cost to oil that blistering operation that catapulted the “invincible” Jonathan out of power. Who donated what and how were APC agents funded nationwide? It is not going to be that simple this time around. Most of those who fell for the change mantra have since changed from billionaires and millionaires to paupers. Many supported Buhari hoping they would not be hounded but permitted to henceforth do business the proper way. They were unprepared for the fury unleashed against them which has ensured they’ve not been able to do business, clean or dirty. They are just licking their wounds with equanimity and hoping that this nightmare shall soon pass away. Undoubtedly the Nigerian economy has suffered as a result. The main beneficiaries have been shady multinationals who continue to steal us blind whilst claiming to support a failing corruption crusade.
Therefore, APC has to urgently re-strategize by picking one of its trusted and tested younger personages, hoping that he may reignite the much-needed passion in Nigerian youths, the business community and all those who feel short-changed and brutalised by the Buhari government. If APC lacks the courage to rejig its modus operandi, it may be forced to swallow its own phlegm sooner than later…
I will soon offer an analysis on what PDP needs to do to bounce back and beat the APC. My advice to all those who think PDP is dead and buried is that they should perish the thought because Lazarus may still rise. As a matter of fact, PDP is not dead. It is merely a sleeping and snoring giant. We may yet be in for a rude awakening on all counts!

THE UNTOLD STORY OF CHIEF MOSHOOD ABIOLA
On July 7, 2018, it would be exactly 20 years since Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola suddenly died in solitary confinement. No one has been able to give a comprehensive account of the June 12, 1993, saga till this day. Nigerians, and the world at large remain in total darkness about why Nigeria’s best election was annulled, those with noble or dastardly roles, why the winner ended up in detention instead of Aso Rock, and how finally, only his lifeless body was brought back home.
Ovation Books, a new arm of Ovation Communications, is poised to offer a special publication on what remains another dark chapter in the chequered existence of our country. We need your help to make this dream a reality. All we need is access to hitherto never revealed information. We shall also be knocking on doors to seek definite answers to pertinent questions.
Did you know Abiola one on one, or do you have credible information that can help recapture the period of campaign, election, annulment, incarceration and disappearance from public glare from 1994-98? Were you a personnel at some of the detention centres he was kept? You may wish to write to us, even anonymously, about your experience. You may send text messages to us via +2348055069220, +233233751111. We promise prompt responses and where necessary will get one of our researchers to meet with you.
At Ovation Books, we plan to reduce the dearth of information on very distinguished Nigerians, by publishing biographies of great men and women. We are counting on your kind prayers as always. The Abiola and June 12 debacle is just a tantalising beginning!

Psquare: Twins On The Path of Biafra, By Mike Awoyinfa

Posted on by The Elites

Whether it is column-writing or biographical-writing or whatever form of writing, for me, it starts with getting a good headline or a good title which drives and guide the writing like a map to an adventurous explorer.
Writing is a form of adventure and every writer is an explorer. You know where you are going, but you don’t know what you will find along the way. That is the mystery of writing. That is the fun of writing. You begin somewhere and end somewhere.
I like my writing. I enjoy it. Sometimes it is fun. Sometimes it can be torture. It can be sweet. It can be agony. Particularly when two ideas are competing for attention. Or better still when you are faced with two choices, two topics all begging you to “write me, write me.”
Today, I am tempted to write something a bit autobiographical, something about my life as a father of two boys who came into the world about the same time, two identical boys, so identical that at the hospital bed I didn’t know who is who. It took some time, some effort, some kind of divine intervention before I could finally distinguish one from the other. I can never forget the bliss of seeing them for the first time. The picture is forever framed in my heart as my personal memorabilia, as one of my happiest moments.
Automatically, you get a new name, a new tag. For having twins, everybody starts congratulating you in double measure, calling you “Baba Ibeji” (Twins Father). The woman enjoys it more being called “Mama Ibeji.” She wears the tag proudly like a PhD, she wears it round her neck like an everlasting precious jewel sent from above. Culturally, people tell you that having twins is a good omen, that they are bringers of blessings, that if you treat them well, they will bring you loads of blessings. It makes you wonder, why in the first place would parents not treat any child well whether they are twins or not? Truly, my twins have been a blessing. I have watched them grow with the pride and joy of a father. I have developed a special love for twins, such that I see twins everywhere as my children. I wish them well and I pray for them the same way I pray for my own twins. Their success is my success. Their agony is my agony. I was in Osogbo last Saturday for a wedding. While reading the Saturday Tribune, I came across the pathetic story of Taiwo and Kehinde Popoola, 47, two blind identical twins who are both newspaper vendors, sharing their life stories, how fate afflicted them with blindness not at birth but at primary school. Gradually, their sight started fading until they both lost their sights probably due to childhood glaucoma which was not promptly detected and treated or managed until total blindness set in.
And with the blindness, their destiny changed. It’s a sad tale, a tale of two brothers who probably would have ruled the world like the famous Nigerian show-business twins P-Square but are instead wallowing in misery and poverty, carrying their own cross, selling a product they cannot even see and having to devise their own ways of protecting the little money they make as newspaper vendors. In a rat-race and dog-eat-dog world ruled by money which must be preserved and protected from thieves and pickpockets, one of the twins says after making money, “What I do is to put N1,000 notes inside my trouser pocket on the left side. The N500 notes would be at the other back pocket. Then the N200 notes would be in another place; ditto for N100 notes and N50 notes respectively.”
I felt so sad after reading the story. It is the kind of story I would have put on the cover in my heyday as the pioneer editor of the Weekend Concord, a paper I gave birth to in March 1989 shortly after the birth of my twins in September 1988, a paper that made heroes out of people, particularly the downtrodden. People tell me the birth of my twins brought me the blessing of becoming an editor for the first time and I proudly agree. But then, I must have worked hard and paid my dues for me to be elevated into the editor’s chair which is every reporter’s dream.
If I am sad about the plight of the Popoola twins of Osogbo, I am equally sad about the shame of Nigeria and Africa’s most famous musical twins Paul and Peter popularly called P-Square who are currently at war with each other. Two brothers, twins at each other’s neck, fighting each other with primordial hate and fury like Cain who killed his brother Abel in the Bible. I saw the video of their dirty fight now trending and I felt so bad, so sad, so mad. I said to myself: “This is an abomination in our nation.” I saw the footage of P-Square fighting, dueling, warring, uttering and making hate speeches against each other. And I remembered the poor twins of Osogbo, united by brotherly love and poverty. It was like the difference between night and day.
I saw the violent picture of P-Square and I remembered Biafra. Two brothers fighting, disagreeing and wanting their own Biafra. It is the same picture of Nigeria right now. P-Square is the parable of Nigeria, two or three brothers under diabolic spell, divided, fighting among themselves and asking for separation, restructuring and division of all they have acquired in life.
I want to write but I cannot write further. My heart is broken. I weep for Peter, I weep for Paul. In my agony, my son Taiwo sent me from London an untitled poem he wrote for the fighting twins:
A tale of two brothers, Peter and Paul
Two black birds, falling off the wall
Don’t fly away Peter! Stay with Paul
Don’t put it on Twitter, Peter! Better call Paul
Don’t be bitter Peter! It’s better for us all
Come back little black birds and sit on the wall!

Psquare: When Sad Square Squared, By Azuka Jebose

Posted on by The Elites

I watched with great sadness,video of the silly squabbles of Nigeria’s twin brother music superstars, Peter and Paul, popularly beloved as P SQUARE. The video, allegedly, from their Lawyers office should not:(A). Have been recorded by anyone, including the staff of the alleged Law firm.(2) The alleged Lawywer should not have allowed any recording device in the meeting, at any time. (3). The recorded temper- flared arguments should not have been secretly released. Their lawyer, I understand, is a SAN candidate, must take responsibility for the leaks. He should be fired for breach of trust, compromising clients confidentiality and privacy. Or best, resign. When the tempers calm, P Square must find ways to address their issues, concerns and differences, as blood brothers. Few drops of blood are thicker than water. Every family is disfunctional. They will walk out of this few moments of stress enhanced pressure. But They need a cool off period, take a long vacation: find out that which would heal their minds. Its not easy being superstars. They should disengage the services of their older brother as Manager. He is part of the major problem. He is not a manager. Reorganize the group, have some family time. Get therapy… best luck

Women Are Their Own Enemies By Bamidele Ademola-Olateju

Posted on by The Elites

Since childhood, I have always wondered why women are not as powerful as men. I found the answer in graduate business school while taking the Organizational Behavior class. I discovered women build power from the top and men build power from the bottom. I also found out, women do not erect foundations. Actually the word foundation, as it relates to power and influence is strange to them.

I found another example this morning in this picture of Zainab Otiti, Ooni’s ex-wife posted on Iyen Na Nice wall. Women descended on her. They called her names and threw invectives on her person. For what? For failing in marriages? Has she killed anyone or stolen their money? Her past may not exactly be rosy. We all make mistakes. We all have dark things we did, that we regret. Some of us are lucky and smart enough to have made rewarding and approved choices in our youth. But I testify that life cards are different. Good people often draw bad cards. Either due to their actions, inactions, circumstances that are unforseen or plain life curve balls. I find it indecent and arrogant to judge people on their failures. For all I know, those holier than thou women may be marital rejects and failures themselves! Even if they are in successful marriages, what right have they to judge her on her failed marriage(s)? Ironically, most women who berate divorcees and unmarried women are in stony, no joy marriages where they keep a brave face or become prayer warriors. Nonsense! I am so incensed and angry. Do people want her to die because her marriage failed?

I have always known that girls can be mean to other girls, but it is absolutely pathetic when adult women compete to destroy another. Most often, women do not succeed because the undercurrents of meanness and negativity from women are just too much! It is in the open that women suffer serious, life-altering knocks in the hands of other women. If you find a woman ill at ease in her marriage, it is either her sister-inlaw or female cousins of her husband, behind her predicament. The horrible rituals meted to widows and deprivations they go through are often spearheaded by women. Why?

I am yet to understand what drives the Ilubirin intense woman to woman incivility that is as insidious, as it is gratuitous. These women self-hating acts are the reasons why I often wager that women will never be as powerful as men in a thousand years no matter how empowered they become because of the innate jealousy and competition baked in the X-Chromosome. Each time I encounter these intra-female meanness online or offline, I see a common denominator. The social battles are often fought by the very same women engaged in rabid feminism and girl power.

Each time I think of women and how they bring each other down like crabs, the words of Sigmund Freud rings true; what does a woman want? It is a shame that women are designers of their own unhappiness, through schadenfreude and horizontal hostility. If you don’t want drama as a woman, belong to the Sisterhood of the boys. Bite me oh!