Category: Opinion

Development Reporting And Hysteria Journalism, By Kingsley Moghalu

Posted on by The Elites

Keynote Address by Professor Kingsley Moghalu, Former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, At The Niche 4th Anniversary Lecture

 

Gentlemen of the press and distinguished guests

As someone who appreciates the role of the media in shaping society, it is my pleasure to address you at this event. Today’s chairman, Professor Oluremi Sonaiya, has also been an important voice in our public discourse.

It is also my pleasure to be here because I am among former colleagues. I don’t know how many of you know this, but in my former life I worked in the media with Newswatch. That is why I am very much at home with journalists. I was at Newswatch in its glory days, when it was one of the most widely read news magazines in Nigeria, and one of the most trenchant and consistent voices against a military establishment that had long overstayed its welcome.

Under the leadership of that trio to end all trios –Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese and Yakubu Mohammed – Newswatch was an example and an inspiration to many, a guiding light in those difficult times of the struggle against military rule. I recall the many battles fought against the military in court, through bans and harassment by security agents, with the obvious aim of silencing us.

My work in the media didn’t end with Newswatch. I also was a special correspondent for international publications like the Christian Science Monitor and Africa News Service, as it was known at that time, as well as a contributing columnist for The Guardian.

Media and technology

Thirty years after I left it, the media landscape in Nigeria has changed significantly. Print consumption is in what looks like permanent decline, with online consumption holding sway. While the mode of consumption of news has changed, the role of the media to inform has not changed.

We exist in a time that is defined more and more by what some have called an information deluge. In addition to traditional media like TV, radio, billboards and so on, we now have the constant barrage of notifications from our mobile phones, alerting us to all sorts of things, the majority of which could be described as trivial. And yet these trivialities have the capacity to take up all our time and leave us unable to focus on the things around us that truly matter.

Media these days is indistinguishable from technology. Where once the medium was separate from the message, they have become one and the same, fulfilling Marshall McLuhan’s prophecy. Our choices at every level are influenced by our exposure to the Siamese twins of media and technology. In this day and age, it is easier than ever before to become a news outlet, and the revelations about the use of the Facebook platform by organizations to harvest user data and use it to spread falsehood and influence the outcomes of elections and referendums, should give us all pause to reflect about the impact of news outlets on our psyche.

There are a number of schools of thought about the way media should interact with society, and development reporting stems from the development theory of media, which holds that media should be an agent of educating the masses in line with the development needs of a nation. It says that development communication is that which is employed for the purpose of social transformation.

Development Reporting

What do we mean by development journalism? It is a bit of a controversial term because its critics call it “government-say-so” journalism.But it broadly means that journalism in developing countries should contribute to social transformation by educating and informing citizens on activities that contribute to economic and social development, highlighting the importance of those issues and activities. In this understanding, there is a conscious bias by the media towards what is seen as a larger goal of the society, and less emphasis on other issues that may be newsworthy but are seen as “trivial” or just not advancing the desired consciousness that development journalism seeks to create.

We had a lot of development journalism when the role of the government was in the society and the economy was very strong in many countries including Nigeria, in the 50s, 60s and 70s. In some countries with socialist governments, there simply was nothing else. As from the 1980s with economic liberalization, development journalism began to die a natural death as the media sought to survive in increasingly capitalist economies by being relevant to its consumers by giving more attention to new trends.

Today, development journalism is practiced only by specific, specialized media, much of it, ironically in the western world in the context of these countries’ roles in “international development”. We have as examples Devex, an organization that publishes news and views on development issues around the world.

Investigative journalism and social transformation

One of the major ways by which the media that play role of a catalyst in social transformation is through investigative journalism. By uncovering evidence of malfeasance and shedding light on social ills, journalists can influence public discourse in a major way. There is so much that is wrong with our country today, and a vibrant tradition of investigative reporting can help change this.

The tradition of investigative reporting in Nigeria has been dying slowly as news has become more commercialised, that is why the work of outlets like Premium Times and the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism, for example, is crucial to keep those traditions alive. Speaking truth to power and going beyond press releases is never easy, but that is what must be done in order to truly make an impact.

Good investigative journalism is about resources, and the ability for editors and publishers to resist external pressure when reporters ask uncomfortable questions. There is a general absence of both, and that is a key reason why there are so many important stories which remain untold.

The ownership structure of the Nigerian press has always been centered around politicians, or those who aim to go into politics. Even back to pre-independence days, Herbert Macaulay, NnamdiAzikiwe, ObafemiAwolowo and other leading political agitators all owned media outlets. After independence, some of thesemedia continued and were put in the service of one ethnic agenda or the other, leading to the civil war and later, the end of the Second Republic and return of military rule. All those events had at their core the use of media to advance an agenda that served narrow interests.

Nigeria’s press cannot play an effective developmental role because the elite who own these media have no worldview. Their only concern is access to political power, and unfortunately, these outlets are deployed in pursuit and maintenance of this access.

That is why when your newspaper runs on advertising money from some connected people in society, that revenue is at risk if they or their friends are the subjects of an investigative report. Often, the choice is between the advertising revenue and the report. That is one of the reasons 234Next is no longer with us today. Business models that do not rely on the patronage networks of a corrupt political and business class are best for publications that want to do good work in this area.

Entertainment or real news?

There is another aspect to this. And that is the prevalence of news as entertainment that is sweeping the globe. It would seem as if people are more interested in Big Brother Nigeria, the English Premier League or following the lives of their favorite celebrities. So, there is this tension: can the serious, in-depth reporting necessary for good developmental journalism break through our increasingly cluttered digital lives? Even reputable media outlets abroad seem to move more and more toward tabloid-ism, in response to the tastes of their audience.

It is important to note here that the digital space is significantly different from the written word, and news outlets hoping to make an impact will have to deliver their information in ways that are effective. We have seen media outlets move toward the use of short videos and infographics in recent times, to get their message across.

Hysteria Journalism

Closely linked to the entertainment quotient of journalism we have today, is hysteria journalism which seeks to play on the latent prejudices of readers. This has the effect of reducing public discourse to a shouting match and leaving the public less informed. Let us be clear: hysteria journalism is a reflection of our country and the magnified fault lines that exist in it today. The destructive tone and divisive rhetoric of Nigeria’s political class is what is largely responsible for hysteria journalism in Nigeria today.

One of the most common examples in these parts is the recent controversy over a so-called “looters list” of allegedly corrupt past government officials and party functionaries of the past PDP-led government and the response of the PDP. This is one example of how, instead of doing the serious institutional and procedural reforms necessary to reduce corruption, our politicians play political football with corruption and feed the hysteria mode of journalism that dominates our society today. There exists a loud and constant cacophony of divisive and bellicose threats, counter-threats and allegations that create much heat in the societal fabric but very little light.

The discussion on the removal of subsidies in 2012 was a seminal moment. While it is true that the communication around the removal was less than perfect, the narrative that keeping subsidies was a good idea was always wrong. The discussion should have centered on how to re purpose the funds to subsidize production instead. Years later, the oil price crash has exposed the folly of this position.

In the West, hysteria against immigrants is driven by right-wing media. According to them, the immigrants take their jobs and are out to replace them, when all available evidence shows that they contribute significantly to the economies of their new countries. The narrow win by the pro-Brexit campaign in the UK was driven in part by this, as well as a marked tightening of immigration opportunities in the United States. The world we live in is very complex, with many variables. Good developmental journalism cannot afford to be ignorant of this.

Investing in journalists

I cannot talk about developmental journalism without talking about the journalists themselves. Before journalists can carry out their role as watchdogs effectively, they need to have capacity. Typically, Nigerian journalists used to be highly regarded in society. People like the late, great Dele Giwa of Newswatch made the profession appealing to many. That is hardly the case today. Journalism in Nigeria has become a profession where you are not guaranteed the basics. The working conditions of many journalists in Nigeria are appalling. They are not given the support they need.

In many outlets, journalists go for months without pay, while their bosses live large. The result is that the media becomes real estate to be bought by the highest bidder, because people have to feed their families. The truth is that much, though certainly not all, of what appears in news media in Nigeria today is paid for. In this state of affairs, journalism does not perform a public good, and it cannot serve developmental ends.

Before journalists can even educate others, they must also be educated. What is the financial literacy level of journalists who cover finance and economic topics? What’s the science and technology literacy of the journalists who cover those topics? If most media houses find it difficult to pay their staff, how would they be able to invest in their staff to upgrade their knowledge of their respective beats? Every day, new information is being created, and it is so easy to get left behind. It would now fall on a highly motivated journalist to educate himself or herself.

The result of this current landscape is the inability of the Nigerian journalist to inform the public, be at the forefront of social transformation, and hold the powerful accountable. Everyone loses. The Nigerian journalist exists within the Nigerian state, and unfortunately cannot rise above the average level of his or her environment. It would be unfair to demand this.

My vision for the Nigerian media

That is why we need a new elite led by a worldview that is focused on ensuring that Nigeria can fulfill its potential. Nigeria needs to become a worldview state. Only then can journalism in Nigeria play a developmental role, in line with that worldview.

Without an overarching worldview, what happens is what we have at present: several smaller views holding sway in various parts of the country. These narrow worldviews are driven by ethnic and religious considerations, and most importantly, corruption and a lust for power.

My vision for the Nigerian media is as a creator and promoter of a national philosophical worldview that permeates all aspects of our national life. This will reduce and even eliminate the various ethnic instabilities in our society. For a period of time in the 1970s, Nigeria appeared driven by a worldview: that of being a bellwether country for Sub-Saharan Africa, and actively supporting the fight against apartheid as well as other liberation movements in Southern Africa. However, this assured posture in the foreign policy arena masked a lack of economic strength that was quickly exposed by the decline of oil prices in the early 80s.

All the greatest countries in the world are driven by their worldviews, which are actively promoted by their media. The US, China, Russia, and others all have well-funded and highly sophisticated media outlets that promote national unity at home, and project soft power abroad.

There is no reason at all why Nigeria cannot do the same. The NTA used to be the home of great programs, and many of the first wave of Nollywood actors were trained by the NTA. Its decline is a prime example of how rudderless our elite have become. We aim to play a leadership role on the continent and even globally, while the government owned media, like many other things owned by government, is basically moribund.

It is my hope that in the coming years, the lot of the Nigerian journalist will improve due to the type of people who will finance media outlets; a new kind of Nigerian elite who understand the realities of our time and are prepared to use their resources to create and promote strategic national goals.

Thank you very much.

The Trouble With The Intellectually Inclined…, By Pius Adesanmi

Posted on by The Elites

The trouble with the intellectually inclined…

Ogbeni Kingsley Moghalu is running for President. I’ve been advocating a fair hearing for candidates like him who are not politically exposed.

You can tell that I have opinions about all these new candidates – Sowore, Durotoye, Moghalu, etc. Moghalu detains me this time.

Unless I am missing something, the man lives on Twitter where he is announcing keynote lectures everyday. At this rate, Mr Moghalu is going to organize a lecture and invite himself to deliver the keynote.

Unless I am missing something, Mr. Moghalu is yet to seriously hit the streets and pound the pavement.

Where are your campaign events?
Where is your campaign organization?
Where is your structure?
What is your ground game?
What exactly are your issues?

Intellectuals don’t know how to navigate multiple habitats and multiple social realms.

It is good to be able to hold elevated dinner discourse with the Ikoyi crowd while listening to classical music, discussing high art, fluctuations in the New York stock exchange, and the prospects of Eko Atlantic.

However, to become President, you must also be able to become one with and translate all that complex stuff to the life-worlds of the crowd listening to Chimuanya’s “Ayakata Bongo” or Obesere’s “Wind E” while playing droughts and drinking paraga in Iyana Ipaja.

When we say change the game and the paradigm, what we mean is respect the dignity and the humanity of these people. Find a way to connect with their intelligence and campaign to them as full, sentient subjects and citizens without the crude approach of buying them and their bellies like the politicians.

We are not saying ignore them, have no game plan for them, retreat exclusively to the world of keynote lectures in air-conditioned rooms where IMF and World Bank types pat you on the back while talking through their noses, and claim that you are running for President.

If you are close to the Moghalu campaign, tell him that if I hear of another keynote lecture before he really hits the pavement, I will enter the same trouser with him.

Ex-US First Lady Barbara Bush Critically Ill, Snubs Hospital

Posted on by The Elites
Barbara Bush, the wife of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, is in “failing health” and has decided to no longer seek medical treatment, the office of the ex-president said in a statement from Houston on Sunday.

The former first lady, who is also the mother of former President George W. Bush, “will instead focus on comfort care,” the statement said. She is 92 years old.

The brief statement did not indicate the nature of Bush’s illness but said that she had had a series of recent hospitalizations.

CNN reported that Bush was suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure. A Bush family spokesman said she was being cared for at her home. He did not provide information on the nature of her illness.

“She is surrounded by a family she adores and appreciates the many kind messages and especially the prayers she is receiving,” the statement added.

As first lady from 1989 until the start of 1993, Bush was a popular national figure known for her sometimes blunt talk and self-deprecating wit.

Her husband, the 41st U.S. president, is 93 years old. Her son, the 43 U.S. president, is 71.

Another son, Jeb, is a former governor of Florida who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2015 and early 2016, quitting after a series of lackluster performances highlighted by tough skirmishes with then-candidate Donald Trump.

With hair that had turned white prematurely, Bush was known by family members as the “Silver Fox.”

Her work as first lady focused on promoting literacy and reading. At the time, she said she was more interested in running a household than in helping her husband run the country.

“Barbara Bush has a character that is as big, inspiring and iconic as Texas,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement on Sunday. The Bushes moved to Texas in the mid-1940s.

Bush holds a unique place in U.S. history.

She is the only woman to see her husband and son sworn in as U.S. president. Abigail Adams, first lady from 1797 to 1801, was a major influence on husband John Adams, the nation’s second president, but died before her son, John Quincy Adams, was elected president in 1824.

Tuface To Run For Political Office

Posted on by The Elites
Multiple music award winner, Mr Innocent Idibia, is set to swell the ranks of entertainers seeking political offices.

Speaking on Tuesday in Lagos, the R&B crooner and songwriter said it is about time good people intervened in Nigeria’s politics.

He however, did not reveal under which political platform and at what level he would be seeking to actualise his political aspiration.

Nonetheless, Mr Idibia said he was interested in affecting lives positively and would soon pick up the challenge of a political position. He also urged youths to get more involved politically.

“Politics affects everything I do. So, I am definitely going to be interested in politics. I will soon participate as a contestant and speak the truth at all times.

“I hope and pray that good men will rise up and make a difference in this country, because we need more patriotic people in all aspects of life,” he said.

Also, Idibia called on Nigerians to come to the aid of victims of the herdsmen and farmers clashes.

“There is so much we’ve been saying about this crisis, but nothing much has come the way of the victims.

“We just need more people to support and join hands to continue extending relief materials to affected people.

“This is the most important thing we can now do; bring succour to the victims,” he said.

The musician said people need to be sensitised on safety precautions during times of crisis.

Idibia appealed to the Federal Government to do the needful by ensuring permanent solution to the crisis.

“This thing is going on for too long, repeating itself over and over. There has to be a solution, the victims are not goats they are humans and should be taken care of.

“I feel terrible not because it also happened in Benue State, where I hail from, but because it is also happening almost throughout the federation.

“It does not have to happen to someone you know before you speak up about it,” he said.

Omoyele Sowore: The Audacity To Dare, By Olabode Opeseitan

Posted on by The Elites

Whoever knows about his background needs no convincing to know that Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of the globally acclaimed Sahara Reporters is a man of strong convictions. He likes to fight for the cause of the oppressed. This perhaps was one of the motivating factors behind his decision to establish Sahara Reporters, an online news agency he has nurtured from its infancy in 2006 to one of the most vibrant sources of news in Nigeria today. Hate him or love him, you cannot ignore Sowore’s Sahara Reporters, particularly if you operate in the Nigerian histrionic political space.

In the past couple of days, information has been circulating in the social media that Sowore is desirous of contesting the 2019 presidential election. I have followed the comments passed by many Nigerians on the development and I find quite a lot of them inspirational while some were downright flippant. One even complained about his hairstyle, while completely ignoring the depth of his character or the profundity of his ideas. Some asked him to go and contest for lower offices like George Weah did in Liberia before aspiring for the highest office in the land. What they failed to factor in is that if you are a disruptor, you don’t have to follow any tradition, particularly if your disruptions do not offend societal sensibilities.

Personally, I am delighted that Sowore, a friend and brother was audacious enough to join the presidential race. Everyone knows how murky the Nigerian political terrain can be. That is why millions of decent men opted to stay aloof and watch from a safe distance while our Rome burns, with far reaching consequences on our lives as a collective. Media mogul, Chief Dele Momodu gave it a shot years back in 2011 but rather than backing him, many of our youths largely scorned the move. Yet, they have the numbers to turn the tide of what many described as the rudderless ship of state.

This is a new dawn for Nigerian politics. I have been seeing exciting names like our adorable Kanu Nwnakwo, Fela Durotoye, the former CBN Deputy Governor, Professor Kingsley Moghalu (not exactly a young man but I love the values he stands for) and several others. The Nigerian youths can only hope to take their country back when they realise the power they wield and decide to support one of their own at the polls.

The Sowore I know is a young and principled man who has a deep passion for the welfare of the downtrodden. He has many of the characteristics I will like to see in a future Nigerian leader. He is a wealth creator, he is prudent, he is eager to make a GENUINE change. He is also very hardworking. While running Sahara Reporters, he was also working as a Lecturer at Columbia University, a top Ivy league University for more than ten years. He loves to support social causes and social movements.

I hope Sowore will pursue this ambition all the way. Good luck to a dogged fighter.

The Reasons Nigeria Must Wake Up Fast, Dele Momodu

Posted on by The Elites

Fellow Nigerians, please, permit me to say it as bluntly and categorically as possible, our dear country, Nigeria, the giant of Africa, is slumbering and snoring deeply. The Federal Government apologists are free to live in delusion and denial, but I stand by this obvious position. They can continue to deceive President Muhammadu Buhari and although he can continue to suffer under their hypnotic spell for a long time, he would one day wake up to appreciate people like us telling him the unadulterated truth. We were abused black and blue by the Jonathan guys in those days, but where are they today? Anyone who has eyes can see very clearly that we are not moving at the pace God allocated to us. We are inching like snails and millipedes when we are supposed to be speeding like bullet trains.

Nigeria is snoozing and sleeping. I’m not even comparing us to Europe or America. I have travelled sufficiently in Africa. Everywhere I have been, I saw nations at work. I wrote about Rwanda recently, a country that went through one of the most terrible wars ever known to mankind. The Rwanda genocide was gory and ghoulish. An entire nation was almost wiped out. I can see Nigeria has not found any lessons to learn from that atrocity against mankind. We are stoking the fire of ethnicity and stupidity that would never do any good to us. We are so close to the precipice, but we don’t seem to know or just don’t care. Meanwhile, those in far worse situations are busy doing progressive things while we backbite and backstab!

I was in Ethiopia a few years ago at the instance and invitation of Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the launch of his humongous cement plant and was pleasantly surprised this technological wonder didn’t have to invest so much in power generation. This is the same Ethiopia where celebrities were so shocked by the abysmal level of hunger that they had to come together to sing “we are the world.” I flew out of Addis feeling sad and melancholic. It was the same experience in Tanzania, Zambia, Senegal, Benin Republic (next door to us) and others. These countries are marching slowly, but surely, while we are busy fighting and wallowing over frivolities. Once you cross the Seme Border into Cotonou, the reality that hits you instantly is refreshing. Yet most of these countries rely and depend on Nigeria for many things.

The reason for my preamble is simple. Most Nigerians seem not to realise how desperate our condition is. Nigeria can no longer afford to recycle this madness, which Fela Anikulapo-Kuti called “demoncracy”, every four years, as if God has frozen time for us and we can do whatever nonsense we like. No please. Time is no longer on our side and we have over-experimented with saints and sinners. None has performed spectacularly. The essence of my sermon today is to drum it into our ears that we cannot continue along this path of foolishness and foolhardiness. We need all hands on deck desperately and urgently to rescue this country from the throes of imminent death. We have already fulfilled all righteousness by supporting our great incorruptible Muhammadu Buhari, in 2015, despite our avowed rejection of him in the past. It would have been unfortunate if we had not tried and tested him. We would have been lamenting, like the Biblical Jeremiah, from now till eternity, had we not tried him, thinking God was punishing us for ignoring our best solution and gift to mankind.

Now that we have discovered that it is a human being that is behind the mask, and not an ancestor from heaven, we should be bold enough and accept that we’ve misplaced our hopes in gods with feet of clay. What has now been corroborated, unequivocally, is that no one can give what he does not have. Of course, there are always exceptional cases but, unfortunately, this is not one of them. Staying at home, or on a farmland, for the most part of 30 years, would stultify anyone’s worldview without doubt. But I personally love the fact that God has made this day to come, to demonstrate to us that we should not bow before any idols, and we should never ascribe to mortals the powers that belong to God.

No angel is going to come down to save or rescue Nigeria. We must all join hands to do it. I think we are wasting too much time and resources on seeking a God on earth to run our affairs. The time has come to make use of the best brains amongst us in a united government, strengthen our democratic institutions, stop the charade of selective injustice, promote unity and religious tolerance. I weep every time I see young people insulting themselves on behalf of politicians who are all friends off-radar. They kill themselves for mere pittance while the children of the priviligentsia are living large on the sweat and blood of the proletariat. Those who have ears should please listen.

We need a new orientation. We need leaders who know their onions. We need modern leaders. What belongs to antiquity must be left where it belongs. Those who want this system to continue, understand the game well. They are in control when the leader is weak and cannot perform. It is not about loving the old man. They just want to govern from behind. They are the faceless and unseen cabal.

2019 cannot come and go as business as usual. It won’t be funny. Are we so jinxed that we keep repeating the same mistakes? Why can’t we stand up to our leaders and demand excellent performance? Why can’t we see that the world is leaving us behind and adjust quickly? Truth must be told, as imperfect as our politicians look, they are the ones we must manage, and manage well. We cannot afford to waste another four years worshipping the gods who cannot liberate us from poverty, hunger, diseases, wars, backwardness, and general retrogression.

In summary, I will support Buhari’s government within my modest sphere of influence till 2019. That was my unwritten contract when I voluntarily offered my support, in cash and kind, in 2015. It is nothing personal, I’m just a patriotic and passionate Nigerian who believes we can do much better and there are millions of great Nigerians who can fix Nigeria without making a fetish of what it would take to achieve it. For me, Buhari represents the Mandela option. He has already served a useful purpose as stopgap between the known devil and the unknown. We have now seen that despite the blame games, there is really no difference between six and half a dozen. What is the point in a doctor killing the patient in the process of treating ulcer? That is the situation we have found ourselves. Perhaps, it would have been bearable and endurable if there was no obvious hypocrisy in the whole set up.

I beg, like Mandela, the world’s greatest statesman, one term is enough.

God bless Nigeria.

GOOD NIGHT, MRS WINNIE MANDELA

When I made my most recent visit to South Africa, somehow, it was as if I had a premonition of Winnie Mandela’s death. On my last day, February 3, 2018, I had a night flight to catch to Kigali, but I told my South African friends, Cebo and Malcolm X that I wanted to pay a courtesy call on Mrs Winnie Mandela in Soweto before heading to the Oliver Tambo Airport. Malcolm X was like a son to Winnie Mandela and he put a call through to her house. Minutes later, we bundled ourselves into my chartered car and off we went to Soweto. But the devil is a liar because just at the junction and turning to Mama’s house, we encountered horrendous traffic.

“What is this,” I exclaimed. As if by some conspiracy, it also started raining. Whilst we tried to meander through the horrible traffic, a call came through that Mama, as Winnie Mandela is known to those close to her, was being rushed to the hospital. Meanwhile, we were just stuck on one spot. We decided to hang out at a nearby popular Soweto restaurant as it was obvious that I was not going anywhere fast. Kigali was becoming impossible and the courtesy call to Winnie Mandela was seemingly ruined. However, I couldn’t believe my ears when the hospitalised woman called Malcolm asking to personally apologise to me for her inability to make the appointment. I was deeply touched. Despite her pain, she still had such human feeling, courteousness, consideration and civility in her. A truly remarkable Lady! She asked me for my hotel and promised to stop by if discharged early. This was getting too good to be true, a visit from the Mama of Africa would be too much. We rushed back to my hotel and waited with bated breath.

Then the call came. Mama has been discharged but was on sedatives and would not be able to come over again. But she said she would struggle to stay up for me. I packed my bags and we returned to Soweto. True to her promise, she stayed up. We were invited to sit with her in a small sitting room in her house and we chatted on for some time, despite protestations from her aides who had given us only a few minutes and had banned us from taking pictures.

We discussed Nigeria and she was quite knowledgeable about our affairs. She was curious to know the state of things. She asked of Buhari, Jonathan and Chief Gabriel Igbinedion. She had kind words for former President Olusegun Obasanjo who she described as a good friend and benefactor of South Africa.

Not wanting to waste this opportunity I asked if we could take pictures, she nodded approvingly. As a journalist, I immediately seized the moment and we just fired away. Such a simple and humble woman, she nodded approval and we took as many shots as we could in rapid fire motion. These were probably the last pictures of her taken by any foreign journalist.

We left her on a sober note considering how frail she looked, even though she had been most accommodating to us. Two months later, the sad news broke, on April 2, 2018, Mama had gone home to rest. My mind continually flashed back to the great session we had with her. I feel truly honoured and humbled to have been in her presence, particularly at such twilight period of her life. May her beautiful soul rest in peace. Amen.

‘Black Panther’ To Break Saudi Arabia’s 35-Year Cinema Ban

Posted on by The Elites

‘Black Panther’, Marvel’s superhero blockbuster will help open the first movie theater in Saudi Arabia on April 18, ending a 35-year ban on cinemas.

Marvel’s record-breaking superhero blockbuster, which has already amassed north of $1.2 billion since launching in February, will herald Saudi Arabia’s long-awaited return to the cinema world.

It will be the first film to screen to the public in a movie theater in the country since it lifted a 35-year cinema ban.

The news makes Disney and its regional distribution partner in the Middle East, Italia Film, the first to officially release a movie in the kingdom as it undergoes dramatic reforms.

The film will be given a gala premiere on April 18 in Riyadh at the first AMC-branded cinema, which was announced Wednesday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The 620-seater theater set to open less than four months after the ban lifting was announced in December is a converted symphony hall in the King Abdullah Financial District, and is the first of hundreds of cinemas planned to open in the next decade.

Black Panther is set to play for five days in Riyadh and will be swiftly followed by Avengers: Infinity War, which is being given a day-and-date release on April 26.

 

No, It Is Not Just A Bus Stop! By Muyiwa Kayode

Posted on by The Elites

This is no ordinary Bus Stop. It is an iconic development which marks another milestone in the development of Lagos and another evidence of the visionary leadership that is so sorely missing in the rest of the country. Instead of asking other governors to take a cue from Lagos and launch their states into an era of 21st century development, Nigerians were broadcasting silly messages on Whatsapp, berating President Buhari for coming to Lagos ‘to commission a bus stop’. Meanwhile, there is no such standard in other parts of the country. This is not just a bus stop, but an important milestone in the State Bus Reform Project.

According to Governor Ambode, the first phase of the program will see the unveiling of 13 new terminals including major terminals at several strategic locations across the state. 5,000 new buses will be introduced over the next three years including 820 eco-friendly high capacity buses by September 2018. There will be 300 new bus stops, bus depots and Intelligent Transport System which will help commuters plan their journeys on the public transport system. It’s a transformational vision. I wish Mr President had brought the FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello with him. Under Bello’s watch, our Federal Capital City has continued a progressive decay and rapidly becoming an embarrassment to the nation. I do not think Bello understands he is presiding over the capital city of the world’s largest black nation and Africa’s most populous country. It is indeed Abuja that should be leading the way in terms of iconic projects. Our FCT should be setting the pace. But sadly, this is not the case. No, it is not just a bus stop.

Our people are suffering from chronic scepticism and incurable pessimism. If they see this same kind of bus terminal in Dubai, they will say ‘go to Dubai and see what the bus stops look like’. But do something similar in Lagos and it is ‘just a bus stop’. What is wrong with us? Success is not a destination but a journey. It has no end but only new beginnings. We must therefore learn to celebrate every step we take in this success journey. We must accentuate those things that tell us there is hope for our country to attain the heights we dream of. No, it is not just a bus stop.

This bus terminal looks far more beautiful than some airport terminals in this country. They are neither iconic nor do they justify the humongous amounts of money spent to build them. I have seen multi billion naira airports in this country whose terminal buildings look like community town halls in the village square. We need more developments like the Ikeja Bus Terminal, to give us the belief that it is possible to build our nation into something we can all be proud of. I understand that many decades of failed promises and false dawns have created a pervasive atmosphere of hopelessness and despair. But that should not kill our hopes altogether. No, it is not just a bus stop.

It is a sign of greater things to come. It is also a call to the other governors in this country to wake up and give their people something to be proud of. Every governor should do at least one or two things that had never been done in their states before. If we had our governors thinking this way, I believe our country will develop more rapidly than what we are witnessing today. We should look beyond putting functional projects in place and actually make those projects and structures iconic. They should be landmarks. This is what makes great cities. If you go to Dubai and see their air conditioned bus stops, it will certainly make a positive impression on you and add to the unique status of that city. The city of London derives some of its beauty and uniqueness from its double decker buses. Our leaders are some of the most widely travelled people on this planet. They know and see these things. Why is it impossible for them to use that knowledge and exposure for the improvement of our nation and our people? You don’t have to copy what you see abroad but seeing it should tell you there is so much you can do to give your cities their own unique identities. No, it is not just a bus stop.

It is destination branding. We must put structures in place to build our cities into tourist destinations. This means upgrading and elevating our facilities to the standards international travellers are familiar with. Many of our people travel frequently and are well aware of the standards available at major cities in other parts of the world. Why must we continue to be different? If at any time we see any of our leaders doing something that points in the right direction, we should acknowledge and celebrate it. We may not be making the rapid progress we all desire for our country but we must encourage those trying to move us forward. The drive to diversify our economy must give priority to tourism in those cities where the viability for tourism development is high. Lagos is top of that list. With tens of kilometres of beaches, islands and world class hotels, the state offers a great variety of entertainment for tourists within a safe and very vibrant and energetic environment. No, it is not just a bus stop.

It is an indication that other state governors need to step up their game. In each state, the leadership must take a strategic look at developing competitive advantage. While some have such advantage in agriculture, for others, it lies in tourism. Some may build theirs on industrialisation based on the abundance of raw materials for certain industries, while others may consider solid minerals. One thing however has become absolutely necessary. States must begin to develop their respective economic advantages, based on their unique resources. This will gradually stimulate the economy and create wealth. It will reduce our currently suffocating poverty levels as well as urban migration. It is not just a bus stop.

It is for me a beacon of hope. A bright ray, just as the bright colours of the terminal indicate, that the days of people oriented development initiatives are here. It is a sign that we must no longer treat our people with disdain and disrespect, but must elevate and empower them. Because you can only judge the progress of a nation by the quality of life of the poor. And if a state is providing such facilities for regular commuters, I am happy that the days of making okada and keke (motorcycles and tricycles) our major means of mass transit, are numbered. Let other states take a cue. Every man on the street deserves to ride in safe, comfortable air conditioned buses. It is not a privilege. Good leadership is about elevating the status of your people because their well-being is the measure of your success or failure. Of course, it is not just a bus stop.

• Muyiwa Kayode is CEO at USP Brand Management and author, The Seven Dimensions of Branding. Brand Nation is a platform for promoting national development based on the universal principles of branding.

FG Names Diezani, Oduah, Fani-Kayode, Omokore, Ladoja, Others In Fresh List of PDP Looters

Posted on by The Elites


The Federal Government has reacted to the barrage of attacks by some of the named treasury looters and has gone further to name 23 others, most of them members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

In a press statement, Minister of Information and Culture, ALhaji Lai Mohammed said the list of alleged looters which Government released on Friday was based on verifiable facts, including the amount involved, the date the amount in question was collected and from where it was taken.

Mohammed, also said those complaining that the list was too short apparently did not understand that it was strategically released as a teaser.

”At the press conference where the list was released, I did say it was a tip of the iceberg. Apparently, this does not mean anything to people whose style is to comment on issues they barely understand, or
just to shoot down anything coming from the government,” he said, adding that the Federal Government has a large number of alleged
looters on its list.

Alhaji Mohammed slammed the PDP for daring to challenge the Federal Government over an issue that the party knows is its weakness: Looting
of public treasury.

”What was the PDP expecting when it challenged the FG to name the looters of the public treasury under the party’s watch? Did the PDP actually believe that the massive looting under its watch was a joke?
Did they think it is April Fool?” he queried.

The Minister said the PDP’s reaction to the looters’ list has shown that its recent apology is an election-induced act, contrived to deceive unsuspecting Nigerians to vote for the party in the 2019 general election, even when it has not come clean on its looting spree during its time in office.

”The hysterical and panicky reaction from the PDP has shown that the party is not at all sincere about its choreographed apology. Were it not the case, the party would have followed in the footsteps of one of its leaders, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, who simply owned up to his role in the party’s rigging in the past elections and said he had turned a new
leaf.

”It is said that a true confession is done in humility with an attitude of repentance. It is clear that the PDP does not know this,
hence its resort to hubris instead of humility and genuine penitence,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said the Federal Government will neither be intimidated nor blackmailed into silence, adding that it will also not
rest until all those who looted the public treasury have been brought to justice.

SECOND BATCH OF ALLEGED LOOTERS AND THE AMOUNT ALLEGEDLY EMBEZZLED

1. Former NSA Sambo Dasuki: Based on EFCC investigations and findings
alone (this is beside the ongoing $2.1billion military equipment
scandal), a total of N126 billion, over $1.5 billion and 5.5 million
British Pounds was embezzled through his office. A good number of
these monies were simply shared to persons and companies without any
formal contract awards.

2. Former Petroleum Resources Minister Dieziani Alison-Madukwe: In
just one of the cases the EFCC is investigating involving her, about
N23 billion is alleged to have been embezzled. She is also involved in
the Strategic Alliance Contracts of the NNPC, where the firms of Jide
Omokore and Kola Aluko got oil blocks but never paid government taxes
and royalty. About $3 billion was involved. The Federal Government is
charging Omokore and Aluko and will use all legal instruments local
and international to ensure justice.

3. Rtd. Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah: N13.9 billion. N4.8 billion
recovered by EFCC in cash and property

4. Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika: N4.5 billion. N29m recovered by the EFCC so far.

5. Alex Barde, former Chief of Defence Staff: N8 billion, and EFCC recovered almost N4 billion in cash and property already.

6. Inde Dikko: former CG Customs: N40 billion, and N1.1 billion in cash recovered in cash and choice properties.

7. Air Marshal Adesola Amosun: N21.4 billion. N2.8 billion recovered in cash. 28 properties and 3 vehicles also recovered.

8. Senator Bala Mohammed, former FCT Minister: N5 billion. Interim forfeiture order on some property secured.

9. Senator Stella Oduah: N9.8 billion. Interim forfeiture order on some property secured.

10. Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu: N1.6 billion – from NSA.

11. Senator Jonah Jang, former Plateau State Governor: N12.5 billion.

12. Bashir Yuguda, former Minister of State for Finance: N1.5 billion. $829,800 recovered.

13. Senator Peter Nwaboshi: N1.5 billion

14. Aliyu Usman: Former NSA Dasuki’s aide: N512 million

15. Ahmad Idris: Former NSA Dasuki’s PA: N1.5 billion

16. Rasheed Ladoja: Former Oyo Governor: N500 million

17. Tom Ikimi: N300 million

18. Femi Fani-Kayode: N866 million

19. Hassan Tukur, former PPS to President Goodluck: $1.7 million

20. Nenadi Usman: N1.5 billion

21. Benedicta Iroha: N1.7 billion

22. Aliyu Usman Jawaz: Close ally of former NSA Dasuki: N882 million

23. Godknows Igali: Over N7 billion

 

Enitan Olukotun and His Convoluted Poster Boy Story-story

Posted on by The Elites

By Bodunrin Awosanmi
Enitan Olukotun’s feeble attempt to whitewash the image of his Principal Mr. Babatunde Fashola appears to only compound his problem. If the former Lagos State Governor seeks forgiveness for his several misdeeds, he should come out frontally to plead for mercy instead of attempting to sneak in through the back door.

Enitan seeks to portray Fashola’s alleged snub at the recent Bola Tinubu colloquium as one snub too many and blames Vice-President Osibajo, Asiwaju Tinubu himself and Akinwunmi Ambode for his recent travails and diminishing reputation as a former poster boy for the All People’s Congress. The so- called article which was obviously concocted by a misguided and misinformed “palace scout” underscores the reasons why the janus nature of Enitan’s principal has unravelled in recent years.

Enitan chose to ignore the failures of his Principal at the federal level in handling his super portfolio but instead chose to allude to him as a star player who has been benched for a less skillful payer. A skillful player indeed who has been unable to score any significant goals in the there years of playing the federal match he has chosen to play in.

The fictional 100 day in office celebration mentioned in the “article” apparently never happened as the present Lagos Governor is known to use quarterly town hall meetings to give account of his stewardship. Furthermore, the same delusion appears to seize Enitan when he says his principal completed the LASEMA Emergency Centre in Cappa Oshodi. If he had bothered to check his facts he would have known that the location previously housed a moribund bus manufacturing joint venture for Marcopolo buses during his principal’s tenure.

The hatchet writer also alludes to the Fashola magic wand of governance and his failure to dismodge Asiwaju Tinubu when he had the chance to do so, as deserving of him being named a hero/messiah. The jury is still out on the so- called magic wand of governance especially with what is now known of the eight years of unbridled smoke and mirrors. The fact that his true story has not been told does not mean it does not exist. As for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, if Enitan revels in the fact that Fashola could have castrated and indeed almost castrated a man who blew away a crowded field of seasoned politicians for him – a political neophyte, then it is not surprising he is being snubbed and diminished today.

Enitan again delves into the mystery of self imposed amnesia when he attempts to make us forget that it was the same Fashola who sought to install Supo Shasore and Obafemi Hamzat as candidates of the APC but failed woefully. It was only then he reluctantly signed up to the Ambode project in a last-minute attempt to curry favor and return to a state of grace. His spirited campaigns were self serving and designed to only ensure that a rampaging PDP with their looted funds did not get a beach head in Lagos and unravel his 8 years.

Enitan further posits that Ambode is at the root of an insidious plot to diminish his principal by seeking to erase his legacies and give him land to build a housing estate. However, the misguided writer has forgotten that it was his Principal who was roundly honored like other governors during the Lagos at 50 celebrations but yet he still refused to be present at the State banquet where all former governors who had ever governed Lagos State and other state Governors were present, including Ayo Fayose of the PDP and his former opponent Jimi Agbaje. But it was this same Governor that story-teller Enitan seeks to demonise that received Fashola with pomp at his residence and visited him in his office to conclude the hand-over of the presidential lodge in Marina. That the word “KAI” with the throw-back to a military era is not relevant today should not be rocket science to even the likes of Enitan. A legacy of barracks -like low-income apartments on prime Ilubirin waterfront speaks volumes of the so- called vision and acumen of his principal, lionized by Olukotun in his hack piece of writing. In a city with the smallest land mass, space is usually in short supply and a State Government’s needs have preference over Federal needs; surely Enitan’s pay madters can understand this having exercised similar preferences during his own tenure.

Anyway, Enitan Olukotun or whatever his real name is must be reminded that just being loquacious does not automatically translate to performance. The ability to mesmerize is usually temporary and the true performance index of the 3–in-1 is ultimately unraveling itself. Enu o she (it’s not by mouth), as the Lagosians would say!

Bodunrin Awosanmi is a citizen journalist based in Lagos.