The Zany Analyst

The real fuel cabal and saboteurs

2012-01-24T07:29:00.000-08:00

The word cabal, a coinage from cabalocracy, became more pronounced during the recent anti-fuel subsidy removal strike and protests. It was the recurring term Nigerians used to condemn in unequivocal terms, those short-changing them under the cover of fuel subsidy. While all attention focused on the invisible and faceless economic saboteurs, Nigerians must not forget that the economic felons could not, on their own, milk the country dry without readily available official collaborators and accomplices.

It won't be strange to say that the majority of Nigerians occupying various spheres of human endeavour in the country are enslaved under the burden of corruption. However, the intimidating aspect of this is when those who consider themselves clean are disappearing, or battling with their resolve to remain steadfast. Nevertheless, the murky enticement corruption offers is making many to compromise or lose faith as they see the situation as irredeemable.

The so called cabal in the nation's oil sector and their counterparts in other subsectors have thrived in their sabotage because an immoral and unpatriotic society so permits. Corruption and impunity reign supreme across all strata in the land. No wonder these â€˜sabosâ€™ have succeeded in wrecking an endowed country that has the resources to make it great and the envy of the world. The country ranks among some of the pauperized nations even in the African continent. How can one explain the free passage of diverted consignments of oil to neighbouring countries and the rising subsidy payments from N261billion in 2006 to N1.46 trillion last year?

This is happening amid 38 different checks on the Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) checklist. The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi, in a statement, said the Federal Government has been swindled of millions of dollars by fuel importers who pretend to import products from abroad, whereas they sourced their stock from their local consignments. But should all blame be on these opportunists, while we turn blind eyes on those who are supposed to man and scrutinize the regulatory documents and ensure that the necessary standards are met before payments are made?

In every established corruption deal, there are always insider collaborators, and along the chain is the existence of many benefactors who will be bent on ensuring that they maintain the status quo ante. On a daily basis, loads of fuels are diverted by trucks to neighbouring countries where they are sold at a higher price. Most times, one sees the trucks being accompanied by security personnel who serve as escorts. Are these heavy trucks invisible to the many road blocks manned by men of the Customs Service and other security operatives along the border routes? The truth is that Nigeria's border routes have turned a heaven of sorts for the illicit activities of smugglers.

These compromised security operatives and public officials that refuse to arrest economic criminals are the real cabals and enemies of the people and the nation. The products from the nation's comatose refineries are diverted and stage managed as imported products by common criminals glorified as cabals, who turn around to claim billions of naira as subsidy money. A suggestion raised that the country's locally refined fuel be coloured differently from imported fuel was jettisoned. Most times, such propositions end up on the tables of those who benefit from the illegal businesses. Just as it is said, the devil cannot cast out devils. Can corrupt public officials who have no moral pedigree be useful tools in the fight against graft?

How can the country's economy grow when people who can build refineries are not allowed to do so in the country? Sadly, too, some unpatriotic Nigerians who have the resources prefer building refineries outside the country, either for the sheer greed for higher petro-dollars or to cut their own share of the country' s subsidy largesse. When the government on a daily basis, continues to pay subsidy for about 24 million litres of fuel which Nigerians do not consume , as reports claim, ordinary Nigerians are denied developmental projects worth N1.1billion.

But for this kind of reckless spending, why should Nigeria continue to remain stagnant and retrogressive in terms of the provision of infrastructure and basic amenities? This also explains why the gulf between the rich and the poor has remained extremely wide. Nigerians, no matter their levels or position, are quick to exploit the misery of their fellow citizens for selfish gains.
How can one for example, explain the situation where petrol dealers that were quick to changing their pump price from N65 to N141 on January 1, 2012, even when they have old stock when the subsidy removal was announced, were very reluctant to revert to N97. For about three days after President Goodluck Jonathan announced the new pump price of N97, many filling stations hoarded fuel or remained shut, which led to artificial scarcity.

Those that opened dispensed the product at a black market price of N140 or more to desperate consumers. Transport operatives, even those using diesel to power their vehicles, equally doubled or tripled their fares. A report where engineers in the Delta State Broadcasting Service removed parts of an expensive transformer and gave same to their cronies to bring back as spare parts for self- inflicted damages on the transformer vividly mirrors the kind corrupt practices holding down the nationâ€™s up and down stream oil sectors.

Why government can’t subdue Nigerian protesters

2012-01-17T05:24:00.000-08:00

Nigerians protesting fuel subsidy removal

In recent times the world has witnessed several protests and revolutions in countries where people are dissatisfied with their governments. The Arab Spring started with one man in Tunisia, when Mohammed Bouazizi set himself alight and the fallout was the dethronements of the Tunisian President , Zine el Abidine Ben Ali.

In Egypt and Libya, President Hosni Mubarak and Muammar Gaddafi respectively lost out in the power game. While the latter paid with his life and those of some of his children, Mubarak who is bedridden, is currently undergoing trial for mass killings while his Tunisian counterpart is in exile in Saudi Arabia. In all these anti-government protests, despite the killings and maiming, running into thousands, the people usually emerge victorious. For instance in Syria, President Bashar al-Assad has killed over 6,000 people since last March to suppress the protest calling for his ouster. Despite this high death toll the protesters are still unrelenting.
Apart from the fact that aggrieved protesters have decided to take their fate in their own hands, after 'years of oppression', the success drive for these protests is the ability to mobilise huge numbers within the shortest space of time. Relying on internet, social networks, and other communication devices no doubt have limited the effectiveness of these governments in suppressing protests tasks.
Advancement in technology in this computer age has its pros and cons. While hackers and 'yahoo-yahoo' cronies are busy exploiting the negative side of this inevitable modern tool, the internet and social network sites are invaluable tools that have make the Arab Spring and other protests across the world in recent times very successful.
Nigerians indeed are catching fast and are not left behind when it comes to applying this for negative or positive use. Any wise government in this era should endeavour to promptly and adequately exhaust all medium for dialogue before any issue of public concern transmute into mass actions. The Nigeria Labour Congress and civil society organizations organized mass action against the federal government's removal of subsidy on fuel, was indeed a huge success last week. Nigeria was virtually grounded with the protesting people occupying key cities across the country. For the first time Nigerians showed the resolve to take their destinies in their own hands.
The social media and modern communication devices that spread information within seconds were the backbone and facilitator of the protests. Government cannot easily silence an aggrieved crowd who are well informed and have gadgets to mobilise other people for their cause. Nigerian security forces have not lived up to its responsibility of protecting lives in the unfolding episodic remonstration. Police that are meant to protect lives have turned their guns against the people. There is no justification for the lives lost during the general strike.
In civilised nations batons, water cannons, tear gases and shields are used to control protesters. Rubber bullets which are injurious to the human body are rarely. The use of live bullets to kill protesting Nigerians would not only heighten tensions but lead to more aggression that would eventually cause more destruction of lives and properties. The situation last week where death toll of protesters was 12 for the first day alone shows how trigger happy our police officers are and how ill trained they are in crowd control management.
The senseless killings continued the next day where on Tuesday two people were killed in Ibafo, Ogun state. As at Friday, reported figure put the toll at 22. One of the most callous death witnessed last week is the killing of Abiodun Ademola in Ogba, Lagos where the DPO attached to Pen Cinema Police Divisional Headquarters, Tunde Fabunmi was reported to have shot the victim himself. Photographers captured how Ademola where he was been brutalised by a group of police before he was eventually shot death.
The killings of these Nigerians that were hacked down in their primes shouldn't just go in vain. The alleged DPO should be made to face the full wrath of the law if he is found culpable of killing Ademola in cold blood. We should anticipate more deaths if the protest is allowed to continue this week. More Nigerians would be aggrieved and be tempted to join the already teeming crowd as the days of protest elongates.
To prevent the incidence of more destruction to properties and lives an immediate compromise is required from government, where it should revert to status quo and then engage in workable dialogue with Labour and Nigerians. The country's economy is losing billions daily as the strike continues, I don't see government winning this fight, other than for it to go back to the drawing board and prepare more viable policy on the sector for the future.

Time to redefine our democracy

2012-01-11T11:21:00.000-08:00

Paul Arhewe

(Published 10/1/2012)

Nigerians protesting over fuel price hike

The simplest and most popular definition of the term ‘democracy’ is that proffered by the former American president, Abraham Lincoln (1809 -1865). For him democracy is “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Nigeria may claim she is administering the American presidential system of government; however, it is funny how our leaders continue to taunt us that democracy is in place here.

Let the truth be told, what the country is practicing as democracy is a far cry away from any resemblance of its tenets and principles. In an ideal democracy the people are supreme, because they are the ultimate sovereign since power resides in them. The masses’ wishes most always count; prior to, during and after elections and in all government policies. Can we attest that Nigerians wishes are been recognised and upheld during any of these phases of electioneering and the consummation of government policies and programmes? Since the intension of government to discard fuel subsidy was unveiled last year majority of Nigerians have openly kicked against it. However, in an obstinate demeanour, President Goodluck Jonathan and his government want their wish to supersede those of the masses. It is an aberration when our government chooses each time to dance to the drumbeats of Breton Woods Institutions in total disregard to the wish of the people. It is amazing, how each time cronies of World Bank and IMF are around the corridors of power some unpopular anti-Nigerian policies are introduced with non-appealable seal.

The removal of fuel subsidy is indeed another phase of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) that hindered and moved the country miles away from the progress ladder of development when it was implemented in the mid 80s and early 90s. Whose better admonition does our government needs before it reframes from its anti-people policy than those from the man who steered the ship then? Former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida recently said the idea of removing fuel subsidy was ill timed. “The issue of subsidy should be seen more as politics and not economics, because the sole purpose of government is for the good of the people and not to create hardship.” I believe he is talking from experience. Though, President Goodluck Jonathan meant well for Nigerians by taking a bold step towards the removal of subsidy on fuel, nevertheless, his good intensions cannot run contrary to the wishes of the masses. By tenaciously going ahead to implement the policy, while the National Assembly was yet to pass the 2012 Appropriation Bill into law amounts to an autocratic display of power.

Nigerian leaders have so much become accustomed to military dictatorial rule, which has characterised about two-third of the country’s political history that the tenets of democratic principles are been discarded like rubbish. As a student of Public Administration I was taught that the executive arm of government has the power to prepare the budget, while the power for budgetary authorisation and appropriations lies solely with the legislative arm of government, except in some rare situations where the president may will his veto power to subdue the lawmakers.

The Nigerian constitution has conspicuously defined these exceptional grounds. By going ahead to implement the removal of subsidy on fuel, while the budget for 2012 is yet to be appropriated, the president and his executive cabinets are culpable of ultra vires and have usurped on the powers of the legislators. I think the legislatures should rise to the occasion and protect their legislative jurisdiction that is been encroached upon here. It is important to also note that the country’s 2011 budget was amended to run till 31st March this year. This means the subsidy ought to be on ground till the end of March. The question is where would, its provisions in this extended last quota go to.

It is germane that an education institution or the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be saddled with the extra responsibility of orientating, in an explicit programme, the rudiments of democracy and public administration to elected leaders before they are sworn into offices. Our leaders should know that in a democratic setting it is not the people that serve every whim of those in power, but government relies on the needs and desires of the majority in fashioning policies to be implemented. Any exception to the above negates the social contract and political mandate entrusted on those elected to lead the masses.

New year, new security challenges in Nigeria

2012-01-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

PAUL ARHEWE
(Published 03/01/2012)

Christmas Day bombing in Niger state

Those of us who are alive to witness and partake in the celebrations that ushered in the New Year, especially against the backdrop of the enormous security challenges facing our country Nigeria, would definitely be grateful even when the country is still in a lugubrious disposition following the last Christmas Day bombings amid other senseless serial killings and maiming that characterised 2011.

While as a country we may be optimistic that the New Year comes with a miraculous salve that would immune it from the not too pleasant security malaise Nigeria experienced last year, the reality is that the New Year indeed comes with more new challenges for the country; especially in the area of securing the lives and properties of the people. It then behooves President Goodluck Jonathan to take charge and revamp the country's security apparatus by discarding ineffective and wane hands, or allow the situation to crumble his government in the New Year
The country's security network that should be a soothing factor and beacon of hope to the already traumatised and fear engrossed Nigerians, is even seeking for protection from the conscienceless Boko Haram sect. The National Security Adviser (NSA) General Owoye Azazi last week, to the bewilderment of the public, said it is difficult to effectively police a large country like Nigeria. It is absolutely difficult to man every point of the country when there are security problems. Like I have said before, there is need for security awareness.

There is need for public participation so that there must be cooperation between security and the society for us to make progress. Such defeatist statement is one that helps to attest to the hopelessness in relying on a feeble security network to safeguard the populace amid rising crimes; the more reason why citizenry participation through information dissemination is required for a successful policing of the country. Nigeria is currently inundated by myriad of crimes that is threatening to tear down its existence. Perpetrators of crimes like armed robbery, kidnapping, terrorism and bombings, raping, cultism, cybercrimes; among others are consolidating and adopting more advanced approaches in their infamous activities while our security network is still relying on anachronistic and colonial era strategy in combating these 21st century menace.
The coordinated Christmas Day bombings in St. Theresa Catholic church, Madalla in Niger state and another at Mountain of Fire Church, in Jos Plateau and other attacks in Damaturu in Yobe and Adamawa states that claimed about 40 lives is indeed one too many in a chain of attacks where human carnages have continued to mount following the non-curtailed activities of the Islamist sect. Though, previously the sect group attacks have left many, including Muslims and northerners as victims, without handpicking a particular religion or ethnic group as its targets.
The Christmas Day bombing has taken a new pattern; targeting Christian worshippers. Boko Haram has shown to the world that the predilection for bloodletting is beyond the political struggle that some people before now think that is their raison tre, but one that has expanded to sheer hatred, religious intolerance and the desire to see this country burn down into ashes. Can Nigeria survive a religious war? History has shown that it is difficult for any nation to survive the bitter leftovers of religious war. We are still one country after the civil war of between 1967 and January 1970, which was a purely sectarian strife.

Religious war cuts deeper into ethnic divides. The country may not survive a religious war. A reprisal attack last week in Sapele, Delta State, where some Muslims were injured in an Arabic school, is an indication that government needs to step up its strategy in curbing the excesses of Boko Haram to prevent the spring up of other counter groups that would definitely pose a bigger task for our security forces to handle.

While the Sultan of Sokoto and many prominent Islamic leaders and scholars have openly condemned the inhuman and atrocious act targeted at innocent Christian worshippers, more need to be done by the apex Muslim body in the country and Islamist leaders in putting a stop to these incessant killings.

Usually the sect camouflaged their callous activities professing to be fighting the cause of Islam. While far reaching campaigns and orientation by the highest Islamist body in the country is germane to winning the battle, the Muslim body should totally disassociate itself and help security forces in fishing out these faceless sect members and their sponsors. Information dissemination at the appropriate time is inevitable in ensuring a well secured Nigeria. Happy New Year!

Foreign policy to spur economic diplomacy

2012-01-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan and his US counterpart, Barack Obama. Photo: USAfricaonline.com

Paul Arhewe

(Published January 6, 2012)

Foreign policies adopted by any countries have some reflections of internal happenings on homefronts. Nigeria’s foreign policy over the years has nosedived after the many decades of concentration on Africa. The interventions to restore peace in Liberia, Sierra Leone and the fight against apartheid in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola amid other missions of mediating in conflict prone countries like Gambia , Mali, Burkina Faso among others signify the height in foreign interventions in the 1990s. Since the last few years the country’s foreign relations have been tamed, mainly due to internally overwhelming problems associated with finding footings for our nascent democracy amid pressing economic malaise.

Last year, government charted a new path for the country’s foreign policy thrust, with the concentration to be on policy that promotes growth and national development. In this new policy both private partnership and foreign missions would be utilised as new vanguards and foot-soldiers in economic diplomacy.

Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, while throwing more light on the new paradigm shift emphasised that “We will redress existing imbalances and forge a strong partnership with organised private sector, OPS to assist economic growth. Consequently, members of OPS would frequently constitute part of any bilateral discussions between our governments and other foreign delegations, so that Nigeria can benefit from visits to and from other countries.”

“Our envoys would be directed to drive this new focus of our foreign policy by spending more time and effort on the attraction of foreign investments to Nigeria. Simply put, our ambassadors would be the foot-soldiers in this new approach for the purpose of achieving our Vision 20:2020 and bringing economic benefits to Nigeria.”

In 2012 the Nigerian government would really need to build a friendlier policy that would encourage more foreign investors to show interest in the country. Crude oil is a major cord that ties Nigerians to other energy consuming countries. Crisis stemming from militants attacks, which is ebbing due to the ongoing amnesty programme and bombings alongside other crises that have impeded the growth of the sector, the Nigeria government would need to work towards stabilising the free flow of the economy’s mainstay by minimizing events that would cause disruptions like the ongoing protests against subsidy removal.

Hence, in positioning the organised private sector and Nigerian foreign missions to contribute positively in making the country reap from this new foreign policy thrust, the confidence of foreign investors should be bolstered by ensuring their safety and availability of necessary infrastructure. For instance, constant power supply is germane for industrialisation growth. Secured environment free from terrorists’ bombings would go a long way in making our envoys and missions abroad to convince foreign investors.

Also, government would need to fight headlong the monstrous corruption that has eaten deep into every fibre of the countries sectors. Thus, it is necessary that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies like Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Public Complain Commission (PCC) are given free hand to carry out their functions to the extent which the constitution allows. Undermining and criticising their actions on regularly basis through frequent court injunctions and executive barriers would only portray the country to the outside world as unserious in the fight against corruption, thus hindering the new drive for direct foreign investments.

Furthermore, we know that Nigeria is not isolated from the comity of nations.

Hence, in 2012, the country’s foreign policy should strive to reflect emerging global challenges, including those new realities in Africa and the rest of the world.

These include the battle against global recession, rising wave of insecurity, climate change that has affected food production in some climes and caused negative changes in atmospheric conditions.

Hence, the country needs to strengthen and increase its participation in the international community through improved capacity building in the ministry of foreign affairs.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Ambassador Ashiru welcomes US Ambassador Terence McCulley
during a courtesy call last year. Photo: US Embassy

Last year, the already tensed global environment put on more challenges for actors in the international scene; amid rising terrorist attacks, and wildfire protests that colourised the Arab spring saga. Three African governments; Tunisia, Egypt and Libya were toppled amid death toll running into thousands for the incidences combined. The African continent is still far from making much progress in its regional integration. Hence,

Nigeria as a key player, being one of the most populous and second largest economies would no doubt play more roles in the New Year to ensure Africa Union and other sub regional bodies like Economic Commission of West African states (ECOWAS) advance in making more peaceful resolutions to conflicts in order to avoid deadly clashes and confrontations.

While it is true that the country by now should be enjoying the benefits from the huge past sacrifices in human and material resources given to ensure peace reign in some African countries, the fact still remains that many other African countries still look upon Nigeria as the big brother, and we cannot totally deny this position despite our desire for economic vibrancy to which the new policy path leans.

Let subsidy removal start from the top

2012-01-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

President Goodluck Jonathan

PAUL ARHEWE

Published (27/12/2011)

The huge wave of discordant divisiveness that the intended removal of fuel subsidy has garnered is unprecedented in regards to issues invoking public opinion. The tempo at which proponents and antagonists are trying to outmanoeuvre each other to attract public sympathy to their stance on the issue is really startling. The raison d’être of federal government’s oil subsidy removal thrust is to accumulate more funds for capital projects and relax the ‘pampering’ of the oil sector. While, this writer takes a neutral stance on oil subsidy removal, it is believed that most Nigerians opposing the proposed policy have lost trust on government.

The intension of saving billions of naira for other capital intensive projects to them is another phantom venture that may end up worsening the plight of the people, as huge funds may end up again to fatten the private bank accounts of few at the expense of the masses. Government expects to recoup N1.2 trillion annually if the subsidy is eventually discarded. While this is admirable, Nigerians would no doubt want to enjoy expanded social infrastructure, good healthcare facilities and many public utilities that are available to advance countries, but the fear is what percentage of these will actually go into capital projects? The mistrust of the people on government boils down to the many years of thriving corruption and lip service paying in the war against it.

While substantiating with facts why the subsidy must go, President Goodluck Jonathan had lamented in a report that Nigerian capital budget for last year, about N1.146 trillion was wholesomely run on borrowed funds and the trend is continuing in this year’s budget. While it is true that the country’s economy should not continue to run on rising deficits, the over blown cost for servicing our recurrent expenditure should really be a concern for the Nigerian government, than the full focus on subsidy removal. N2.472 trillion is budgeted for recurrent expenditure as against N1.32 trillion for capital budget for next year. Estimate shows security vote is allocated twothird of education budget and about four times what is budgeted for health. While it is true that at this turbulent times in the country security need to be bolstered, but the root cause of this insecurity is traceable to joblessness, hunger and ignorance and their likes.

The pattern of budget allocation where security vote has N921.74 billion and other critical sectors like health (N283 billion), education (N400 billion), and agriculture (79 billion) getting far less is similar to a scenario of killing a patience to treat the sickness in him. Nigerians indeed need to pay the sacrifice of freeing more capital projects fund; however the forfeiting must start from the top. Nigerian federal system of government is seen as one of the most expensive in the world due to bloating peripherals that go with every arms of government as the politics of affiliation and ‘chop-I-chop’ syndrome continues to reign supreme. Over the years we have seen diverse levels of advisers’ portfolios and aides to top government functionaries having their own aides. The above scenario amounts to great wastage of the country’s scarce resources.

Indeed the taxpayers have over the years borne the burden of ‘subsidising’ the leisure and affluent lifestyles of those few privileged administering this country. Government officials should be prepared to lead by example by shedding those excess baggage that have led to a large part of our annual budgets going for servicing recurring frivolities. For instance, last week the food budget for Aso Rock alone in the 2012 budget is pegged at approximately one billion naira. If every arms of government, ministers and parastatals allocate such huge sum for food in their official capacity what will be left for Nigeria in running its capital budget? Recently, the renowned lawyer and ex- Attorney General of the Federation Chief Richard Akinjide, in his lecture to commemorate National Mirror newspaper’s one year anniversary rightly said the lawmaking should not be a full-time job and this was the original design of the country’s constitution.

The National Assembly and the Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido, Sanusi, last year had a ruffled time when the latter boldly declare that the lawmakers’ overhead is 25.4 percent of the nation’s total budget. The executive and legislative arms of government really need to do more of the sacrifice to free more funds for capital projects. Even though government has set plans to reduce the country’s recurrent spending to about 67 percent of its budget by 2015, the removal of fuel subsidy seem to have overshadowed this. The former should be the main focus; which trickling effects will at the long run aid in the plan to remove the later on a sequential basis.

That unrealistic LASU fees hike

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Governor Fashola

Disapprovals and indignations have greeted the recent hike in school fees for students of Lagos State University (LASU). Nevertheless, the Babatunde Raji Fashola government has shown no indication it is ready to shift grounds on this ill-advised policy. Governor Fashola is depopularising education and thus making it exclusive for the children of the rich. Hiking fees from N25, 000 to between N195,000 and N350,000 per session for fresh students smacks of insensitivity of the highest order. With the existence of diverse regimes of taxes which already are seen as huge burdens to Lagosians, it is unwise for a government that is reluctant to implement a meagre N18, 000 minimum wage to even contemplate a 750 percent hike in school fees. This indeed is an expensive joke; a caricature of its highest magnitude.

One can’t help but wonder if government now wakes up from its slumber and announces a new policy without carrying out an elaborate assessment of its impact on the society? Lagosians would like to know the background and antecedents of the members of the Visitation Panel that recommended these new fees. Is their decision inclined towards self-seeking; a reversal of the gains of liberalised education policy for which Lagos was known with an aristocratic one?
I think it is germane we know for sure what prompted this ill-timed and improbable decision. Some people are already of the belief that the aim is to ground state owned educational institutions in order to pave the way for private institutions to thrive in their money gyratory venture. That government is attempting to sustain this derogatory action by exempting old students from it is another height of charlatanism and hypocrisy. Those fresh students who will suffer the burden of these new fees are their parents or financiers earning differently from the rest of Lagosians? Or are they aliens or foreigners with special means of generating their incomes?
No doubt, these new fees are directed to widening the existing gap between the rich and poor. In plain words, the deprived and proletarian class in the state is targeted and would be cut off from accessing tertiary education. Was this canvassed by Fashola during the buildup to the April 2011 general elections? In civilised climes, this decoy amounts to a scam on the electorate. Why would a vying politician hide his/her intended agenda from electorate only to punish them when he or she has attained the seat of power? I guess the Nigerian electorate should be wiser now, and discard the passive and disinterested disposition to ask questions where necessary, especially when politicians go cap in hand begging for votes. If Fashola was asked how he intended to fund education in the state during his campaign for reelection, the new increment won’t come as a surprise; that is, if he was bold enough to disclose the thrust of his new education policy to the people.

What the governor should know is that it is more expensive to control a populace where ignorance thrives than training a few educated people. With this fees hike, the long-run effect is to breed a populace that whirl in ignorance, as only a few people can now afford higher education. The LASU some of us attended at the dawn of the millennium was a pride to us given the level of intellectual intercourse and the capable hands that imparted knowledge to us. I remember final year students were made to pay N150 while other students paid N250 as school fees. Justifying the hike in fees on the need to rehabilitate poor infrastructure and enhance personnel welfare is not tenable.

Taking a comparative analysis of performance of graduated students who were privileged to enjoy the aforementioned low fees and the current students where is the justification for further increase in fees?

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) no doubt has opposed President Jonathan’s proposed move for subsidy removal. No doubt, what Fashola government’s has done with the ballooned fee hike is worse compared to what Nigerians will suffer when the new policy on oil is implemented. One wonders what the ACN government policy on education would be when it captures power at the centre. It is high time the party called Fashola to order and made him consult widely with all the stakeholders, especially the students union government before settling for a compromise fees. This single act if allowed to stay can jeopardise its chances in future elections in the state and federal levels.

David Cameron’s dangerous recolonising gambit

2011-12-05T06:26:00.000-08:00

UK PM, David Cameron

Paul Arhewe,

(Published 2nd December, 2011)

When the Common Wealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) wound off in Perth, Australia last October, the British Prime, Minister David Cameron, left with a parting shot: zero tolerance to gay life style is now a prerequisite for African nations seeking aid from the United Kingdom. This decision ought to and should be a conscience assault on a continent that is reeling in hunger and famine and the crippling effects of corruption and bad governance.

The position of the self acclaimed ‘lord of our civilisation’ is nothing but a recolonisation of our consciences and values.

The worse that can happen to any society is when it is forced to embrace anomic and alien values, that is a state of breakdown in social norms and operating with value sapped culture. Indeed, this extremist and beyond the ordinary sexual fantasies is non-African and the people of the continent being one that accord prime regards to religion and culture would nevertheless be forced to accept easily this carrot and stick approach of Cameron and his cohorts.

We are gratified that many African leaders have so far demonstrated an uncommon resolve not to be blackmailed into what is obviously a mission into self immolation. Last week, three Cameroonians were imprisoned for five years for homosexual acts and dressing publicly like women. Earlier this year a Ugandan gay activist, David Kato, was massacred for trying to propagate this foreign lifestyle to his people. Ghanaian President John Atta Mills has won the hearts of many in his public renunciation of homosexualism when he said: “I as president of this nation will never initiate or support any attempt to legalise homosexuality in Ghana.” Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s adviser, John Nagenda, accused Cameron of adopting a “bullying mentality” and of treating Ugandans like “children”.

It is rather uninspiring, especially for the leader of a self professed giant of Africa to keep mum when other leaders of smaller neighbouring countries are overtly declaring their positions; not minding whether the former colonial emperor’s ox is gored. To put this straight, our president has not really done much in this regard to declare his stance. President Goodluck Jonathan should follow the path of Mills, Mugabe and other African leaders in condemning or if he is in Cameron camp, he should declare his backings for it and be ready to give cogent explanation why it should be allowed.

It is good news that the Nigerian Senate has stood its ground by passing into law on Tuesday a bill prohibiting same sex marriage. Senate President David Mark deserves public commendation for out rightly condemning it even before the senate consent to the bill. Mark acknowledged the resistance and criticism of western countries over the passage of the bill. However, he said Nigeria would not bow to international pressure on any legislation. If Cameron and other western governments really care about the fate of gays and lesbians in Africa, they should relax their immigration requirements to allow them to claim asylum more easily in their countries.

More supports are needed to see that this new bill be effective in meeting its purpose. Our religious leaders, traditional authorities and other prominent opinion leaders should not fence sit, but lend their voices to a national cultural reawakening campaign. The National Orientation

Agency (NAO) has a great task ahead in taking the anti-gay campaign to schools and homes. The West should know the world has gone beyond the era of cultural imperialism. If aids and grants are tied to a compelled submission to extremist moral perversity then such Greek gifts of Trojan horse are not worth it. We better live with the resources we have than selling our conscience for the biblical porridge.

The argument of the West for advocating for freedom of gay marriage boils down to human rights freedom of choice and privacy. The level of perversions in this clime would only lead to complete breakdown in social norms and values if such is endorsed here. The Western world has little to fret over hunger, poverty, corruption, bad governments and their likes that have plagued our society.

What should be our focal concern here and which requires the support of these advanced countries is how to ameliorate the effects of the aforementioned.

Mario Monti: Daunting task to revamp Italy’s shaky financial market

2011-11-30T11:39:00.000-08:00

Paul Arhewe
(Published November 21st, 2011)

Italians last week took to the street in jubilation over the ouster of their former Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi. No doubt the vacuum and pitiable financial market situation this European country is left with during Berlusconi’s regime needs someone that is vast in economics and one who gathers political might; who can weather the storm. The person Italy has laid solace on is no one else but a technocrat and former European Commissioner, Mario Monti. He has since taken over from Berlusconi as Italy’s Prime Minister.

He accepted the monumental task penultimate Sunday and has expressed confidence that the nation can beat the crisis if its people pull together.

His selection came a day after Berlusconi reluctantly resigned as premier, bowing out after world markets pummelled Italy's borrowing ability, reflecting a loss of faith in the 75-year-old media mogul's leadership. Berlusconi quit after the Italian parliament approved new reform measures demanded by the European Union and central bank officials - but even those are not considered enough to right Italy's ailing economy.

Monti has the huge task to consolidate on Italy’s shaky financial markets amid fears that this eurozone’s third largest economy might default on its debt and follow the pattern of Ireland and Greece who had to seek international bailouts.

The fragile state of confidence on Italy’s financial market was exposed after its bond auction, and the release of figures showing industrial production slumped by 2% in the eurozone in September, raising the spectre of recession.

" Monti is perceived to be a positive change for the country," said Annalisa Piazza, rate strategist at Newedge.

"Cautiousness on the future developments in Italy is fully justified. Credibility has been lost and it will take a while for market participants to believe that the country is back on the right track."

Italy had to pay a euro-lifetime record yield of 6.3% to sell five-year bonds with investors wary of buying its debt until Monti can undertake profound economic reforms.

The first step in trying to pull Italy from the brink of economic disaster is for Monti to equip himself with a formidable cabinet. He has appointed himself as the minister of economy and finance, and has opted to select a relatively small cabinet. He has so far, as at yesterday, chosen a government of ex-bankers and technocrats, to prevent the country from being dragged deeper into the euro zone debt crisis. No politicians have been included in the new administration, which was announced yesterday and consists of distinguished but largely unknown academics and financial experts.

His background

Monti who was born March 19, 1943 in Varese .His father is an Argentinean of Italian descent, while his mother is of Italian descent.

He holds a degree in economics and management from Bocconi University, Milan. He completed graduate studies at Yale University, where he studied under James Tobin, the Nobel prize-winning economist.

He taught economics at the University of Turin from 1970 to 1985 before moving to Bocconi University, where he was its Rector from 1989 to 1994, and has been its President since 1994. He was also the President of SUERF (The European Money and Finance Forum) from 1982 to 1985.

His research has helped to create the 'Klein-Monti model', aimed at describing the behaviour of banks operating under monopoly circumstances.

Monti served as European Commissioner from 1995 to 2004. Under this capacity he was responsible for internal market, services, customs, taxation and competition.

He was also appointed a senator for life in the Italian senate on November 9, 2011.

He is a member of the Presiderium of the Friends of Europe, a leading European think tank, was the first chairman of Bruegel, an European think tank founded in 2005. He is the European Chairman of the Trilateral Commission, a think tank founded in 1973 by David Rockefeller. He is also a leading member of the Bilderberg Group.

Monti is an international adviser to Goldman Sachs and The Coca-Cola Company.

Berlusconi’s first government in 1994 appointed Monti to the European Commission. His appointment to the new European Commission was four years later, in 1999, confirmed by Massimo D’Alema’s government under the presidency of former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi. Thereafter he was responsible for Competition policy, where he initiated anti-monopoly proceedings against Microsoft.

He also led the investigation into the proposed merger between General Electric and Honeywell in 2001, which the European Commission blocked.

The second Berlusconi government did not confirm his appointment for a third time in 2004, instead proposing Rocco Buttiglione in his place. The Italian government had to replace Buttiglione with Franco Frattini when he was rejected by the European Parliament.

In 2007, Monti was one of the first supporters of the first European civic forum, Etats Généraux de l'Europe, initiated by European think tank EuropaNova and European Movement.

In December 2009, he became a member of the reflection group for the future of Europe, chaired by former Spanish Premier Felipe Gonzalez. In this forum, he advocated an economic government for Europe and a European Monetary fund. He also supported a New European Deal with a better coordination between social and economic issues in Europe.

In 2010, Monti was asked by Commission President Manuel Barroso to produce a "Report on the Future of the Single Market" proposing further measures towards the completion of the EU Single Market.

Can Monti rescue Italy?

Although, the 68-year-old economics professor is no pushover, as aforementioned, he has earned a reputation for staring down challenges as a tough EU competition commissioner, but he'll have to win a confidence vote in Parliament before he can lead the nation.

Monti told reporters he will carry out his task "with a great sense of responsibility and service toward this nation." Italy must heal its finances and resume growth because "we owe it to our children, to give them a concrete future of dignity and hope", NDTV reported

Berlusconi's party also demanded that only technocrats - not politicians - make up Monti's Cabinet in exchange for its crucial support.

He faces a daunting challenge - preventing an Italian default that could tear apart the 17-nation eurozone and send Europe and the U.S. into new recessions.

"There is an emergency, but we can overcome it with a common effort," Monti told the Italians, shortly after Italy's president formally asked him to see if he can muster enough political support to lead the country out of one of its most trying hours since World War II.

"In a moment of particular difficulty, Italy must win the challenge to bounce back, we must be an element of strength and not weakness in the European Union, of which we are founders," he added.

Gaddafi: Life and times of a dictator

2011-11-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

Muammar Gaddafi

By Paul Arhewe

(Published October 21st, 2011)

The long awaited drama surrounding the hunt of Libyan strongman, Muammar Gaddafi finally drew to a close, as the National Transitional Council (NTC) forces successfully drew the curtain, where he was hunted down, captured and killed from his burrowed hideout in Sirte, in his hometown yesterday.

The 42 –year rule of this proponent of a ‘United States for Africa’, and fondly referred to as ‘Brother Leader’ by some is no doubt one that has colourised the continuation and presence of tight-sitting leaders in the African continent. Unfortunately, Gaddafi had failed to learn where his tight-sitting predecessors had failed. The story trailing the demise of Idi-Amin of Uganda, Samuel Kanyon Doe of Liberia, Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo, Omar Albert Bernard Bongo of Gabon, Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire, among others have failed to deter those still clinging on to power.

His early days

Gaddafi was born in 1942, to a family of a Bedouin herdsman, in a tent near Sirte on the Mediterranean coast. He abandoned a geography course at the Benghazi University for a military career that included a short spell at a British army signals school.

He entered the Libyan military academy at Benghazi in 1961, and graduated in 1966. Both towards the end of his course and after graduation, Gaddafi pursued further studies in Europe.

He took power in a bloodless military coup in 1969 when he toppled King Idriss, and in the 1970s he formulated his “Third Universal Theory,” a middle road between communism and capitalism, as laid out in his “Green Book.”

After seizing power, he laid out a political philosophy based on pan-African, pan-Arab and anti-imperialist ideals, blended with aspects of Islam. While he permitted private control over small companies, the government controlled the larger ones.

The Libyan ruler argued for the creation of a "United States of Africa" - an idea first conceived by US pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey - in which the continent would include "a single African military force, a single currency and a single passport for Africans to move freely around the continent". He also supported membership among countries in other parts of the world whose citizens are mostly part of the African Diaspora, including Haiti and Jamaica.

The project did not pan out, although some of its ideas influenced the African Union, which was created in 2002. Gaddafi served as chairman of the African Union from 2009 to 2010.

A 2008 meeting of African monarchs proclaimed Gaddafi the continent's "king of kings".

Gaddafi had seven sons and a daughter.

How the insurrection started

The insurgency in Libya was prompted by the success recorded in Tunisia and Egypt’s revolution that brought down the governments of Zine El bidine Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak respectively in latter part of last year and January this year.

Libyans began to hold protests against Gaddafi’s regime in the eastern city of Benghazi in February of this year.

The Libyan revolution had taken a different twist from that which was witnessed in Tunisia and Egypt that led to the ouster of.

Gaddafi used military force to quell demonstrations, but the protests escalated into an all-out armed conflict, with NATO-led forces intervening.

On June 27, the brutal actions of the Libyan government were referred to the International Criminal Court, which issued arrest warrants for Gaddafi, one of his sons and his spy chief on charges of crimes against humanity.

Gaddafi repeatedly blamed the unrest on al-Qaeda and a "colonialist plot". He called those opposed to him "rats", and alleged that they had been influenced by "hallucinogenic drugs". In his last address before rebels entered Tripoli, he accused "Western intelligence" of "working with al-Qaeda to destroy Libya".

On October 20, an NTC official reported that Gaddafi had been killed in a gun battle near Sirte after fighters liberated the deposed leader's hometown.

Intention to die as a martyr in Libya

Since the revolution began in February this year, Gaddafi had insisted that he will fight to the last and die in Libya. Truly he has fulfilled his word.

“I am not going to leave this land, I will die here as a martyr … I shall remain here defiant,” he said in one broadcast.

His sons are equally displayed the high level of power drunkenness that was a symbol of their father. Libya to them was a kingdom where their ancestral lineage is only authorised to rule

They were in support to see that their dynasty is preserved.

"Listen, nobody is leaving this country. We live here, we die here. This is our country,” his son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour during an interview early this year.

As one of the world’s longest serving national leaders, he had no official government function and was known as the “Brother Leader and Guide of the Revolution.”

He strove for influence in Africa, showering his poorer neighbours with the largesse that Libya’s vast oil wealth allowed and styling himself the continent’s “King of Kings.”

His love of grand gestures was on display on foreign visits when he slept in a Bedouin tent guarded by dozens of female bodyguards.

In Italy last year, Gaddafi’s invitation to hundreds of young women to convert to Islam overshadowed the visit, which was intended to cement growing ties between Tripoli and Rome.

U.S. diplomatic cables released by the WikiLeaks website shed further light on the Libyan leader’s tastes.

One cable posted by The New York Times describes Gaddafi’s insistence on staying on the ground floor when he visited New York for a 2009 meeting at the United Nations and his reported refusal or inability to climb more than 35 steps.

Gaddafi was also said to rely heavily on his staff of four Ukrainian nurses, including one woman described as a “voluptuous blonde.” The cable speculated about a romantic relationship, but the nurse, Galyna Kolonytska, 38, fled Libya after the fighting started.

Gaddafi was born in 1942, the son of a Bedouin herdsman, in a tent near Sirte on the Mediterranean coast. He abandoned a geography course at university for a military career that included a short spell at a British army signals school.

Gaddafi took power in a bloodless military coup in 1969 when he toppled King Idriss, and in the 1970s he formulated his “Third Universal Theory,” a middle road between communism and capitalism, as laid out in his “Green Book.”

His battered family

In this cause of the war those lucky ones among Gaddafi’s family were scattered around other African countries like Algeria and some in Niger. His wives, daughter and grand children took refuse in Algeria while a part of his forces led by his son were harboured in Niger.

Gaddafi’s had eight biological children, including Muhammad (born 1970), who escaped with the remaining of his father’s loyalists, Saif al-Islam (born 1972) who was termed as the supposedly successor, and was reported yesterday to be fleeing with a faction of loyalists away from Sirte. Al-Saasi was alleged to be arrested by the NTC forces, but turned out to be incorrect. On August 30 NTC senior official said Al-Saadi (born 1973) made contact to discuss the terms of his surrender, indicating he wish to remain in Libya. Hannibal (born 1975) was known for his violent lifestyle in Europe. Ayesha (born 1976) is the only daughter of the late Libyan strongman, and she is married to a cousin of her father. She gave birth to a son in Algeria when the family fled Libya in August.

Al-Mutassim (born 1977) was found dead in Sirte yesterday, fighters told a news agency.

Khami (born 1983) served as the commander of the Libyan army’s elite Khamis brigade. He was killed in August 29 in Tarhuna.

Hana Gaddafi was claimed to be his adopted daughter, was apparently killed at the age of four, during the retaliatory US bombing raids in 1986, but was reported to be alive and working as a doctor in a Tripoli hospital.

Mad dog

U.S. President Ronald Reagan called Gaddafi a “mad dog” and sent warplanes to bomb his Bab al-Aziziyah compound in 1986, after the bombing of a West Berlin discotheque he blamed on Libyan agents.

Gaddafi used the Tripoli building bombed in the raid, left unrepaired for 25 years, to deliver one of his first defiant speeches of the war, standing beside a memorial in the shape of a giant metal fist crushing an American warplane.

This week, the interim government sent bulldozers in to start levelling the compound.

In televised addresses in response to the rebellion in the east earlier this year, Gaddafi blamed the unrest on rats and mercenaries and said they were brainwashed by Osama bin Laden and under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs used to spike their coffee.

As the weeks passed, there was repeated speculation that Gaddafi has either been killed or wounded in NATO air raids, but he made carefully choreographed television appearances in response to the rumours.

In May, Gaddafi taunted NATO, saying its bombers could not find him.

“I am telling the coward crusaders that I am at a place you cannot reach and kill me,” he said in a broadcast audio recording. His later speeches during the summer were also delivered as audio recordings, presumably to conceal his whereabouts.

Wangari Maathai: Environmentalist, even after death

2011-09-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe

Maathai (C), with President Barack Obama (L) and his wife

The demise of African first woman Nobel Peace laureate last Sunday indeed has left behind a huge lacuna in the continent, especially in advocacy for the protection of environment. Professor Wangari Maathai was not only a forerunner and a courageous environmentalist but one that has invested beyond her life; even in death to propagate this interest. She had projected and made arrangements that would continue the struggle in keeping the course alive in environmental protection.

Maathai’s last wish was to be buried not in a wooden coffin; this she told her Green Belt Movement after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She is of the belief that with the high rate of death from Aids, an alternative to stop the traditional felling of trees to build coffin is needed in order to protect forests.

“She was one of those who did say that we better think of something else besides cutting down trees for caskets” Professor Vertistine Mbaya, who is a treasurer of the Green Movement, told Kenya’s Daily Nation.

The movement is putting effort to make her last wish of remaining green to the grave fulfilled.

Maathai with Oprah Wifrey

Some critics are of the view that she only planted trees, and wonders how could she get the Nobel Peace Prize for planting trees? She indeed planted trees, millions of trees, to prevent the spread of the desert and to strengthen the environment. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said in a message to reporters that “Planting trees was also one way for her to combat the country’s dictatorship.”

The Green Belt Movement, which she founded in 1977, has planted an estimated 45 million trees around Kenya.

She will also be remembered for her courage and tenacity in seeking social justice, human rights protection, conservation, democracy and fighting corruption.

The Kenyan government yesterday announced plans to give her a state burial. President Mwai Kibaki has also declared a two-day national mourning for her.

Other several activities have been lined up to honour the fallen icon. There will be daily prayers at St Andrews PCEA Church in Nairobi starting at 5.30 pm until she is buried.

Her private life

The Nobel Laureate’s ex-husband, Mwangi Mathai left her in 1977 and he eventually sued for a divorce in 1979 saying she was too strong-minded for a woman and he was unable to control her. He even accused her of adultery with another law maker, which he said has lead to his high blood pressure and cruelty. The Judge agreed with the husband in the divorce case. During an interview Maathai referred to the judge as either incompetent or corrupt. This led to her six-month sentence, which she spent only three days before her lawyer successfully convinced the court to secure her release.

After the divorce, her ex- husband sent his lawyer to demand that Maathai drop his surname. In defiance she chose to add an extra ‘a’ to the name instead.

She is survived by her three children—Waweru, Wanjira, and Muta, and her granddaughter, Ruth Wangari.

Political experience

As previously stated, Maathai was also a political activist, and fought against corruption and course to uphold her country’s democracy. She paid a heavy price for her courage that comprised of repeated beatings, incarceration, harassment, and public vilification by the Daniel arap Moi regime.

She is famously known for coming out against former authoritarian president Moi's plans to build a skyscraper at a park in central Nairobi and grab a forest near the city centre.

In 1979, shortly after her divorce, she ran for the position of chairman of the National Council of Women of Kenya (NCWK), she lost by three votes and was chosen as vice chairman. She repeated the contest the next year, and her opponent withdrew when it was certain she will win. She was then declared winner unopposed.

Ironies trailing executions of American murderers

2011-09-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

Paul Arhewe, WITH AGENCY REPORTS
Published 23/09/2011

Troy Davis

As US President Barack Obama, including other world leaders was busy with the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York, at the wee hours of yesterday, executions of condemned murderers were enforced in two other American states.

The irony in these two murder cases has to do with differences in race, colour, and the personalities of the villians and the victims. One of the convicted persons was a white American who along other two whites killed an African-American, while the other case involved the murdering of a white police officer by a black American. While, the execution of Lawrence Russell Brewer in Texas neither went with any remorse from the murderer nor clamour to halt it, the other involving Troy Davis in Georgia, indeed, posed a tough task and challenging moments for the US judicial system.

Lawrence Russell Brewer

Davis not only reiterated his innocence, even at the point when the needle transmitting lethal fluid was fixed into his body, but the US judicial system went ahead to execute him despite protests from millions of people across the world because of doubts expressed in some quarters over whether he actually killed police officer Mark MacPhail in 1989. Prominent world figures like Pope Benedict XVI, former American President Jimmy Carter and a former FBI Director intervened but to no avail. This case, that drew international attentions, is one that is full of white spots and the decision in carrying out the execution order is termed as half-baked by some people. Troy Davis lifted his head and declared one last time that he did not kill a police officer before being executed yesterday, while outside the prison a crowd of more than 500 demonstrators cried, hugged, prayed and held candles. “I am innocent, all I can ask ... is that you look deeper into this case so that you really can finally see the truth.

I ask my family and friends to continue to fight this fight,” he said for the last time, according to journalists who witnessed the killing. “The incident that night was not my fault. I did not have a gun,” Davis said, according to Rhonda Cook of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper. I did not personally kill your son, father and brother. I am innocent,” Cook quoted Davis as telling members of MacPhail’s family who were present in the death chamber. Davis was put to death at 11:08 p.m. ET yesterday at a prison in central Georgia prisons, spokeswoman Kristen Stancil said.

The execution was delayed by more than four hours as the U.S. Supreme Court considered whether to issue a stay. Hundreds of protesters rallied outside Georgia Diagnostic and Classification prison earlier, chanting “I am Troy Davis” and other slogans and a cheer briefly went up when it was reported that the execution had been delayed. But the crowd dwindled as the evening wore on, and by the time the execution took place they were outnumbered by police in riot gear. Most of Davis’ supporters slipped away in silence as the execution was announced. MacPhail was shot and killed outside a Burger King restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, as he went to the aid of a homeless man who was being beaten. MacPhail’s family say Davis is guilty and his son witnessed the execution. Since Davis’s conviction, seven of nine witnesses have changed or recanted their testimony, some have said they were coerced by police to testify against him and some say another man committed the crime. No physical evidence linked Davis to the killing. Prosecutors and police officer Mark MacPhail’s family said justice had finally been served. “I’m kind of numb.

I can’t believe that it’s really happened,” MacPhail’s mother, Anneliese MacPhail, told agency reporter in a telephone interview from her home in Georgia. “All the feelings of relief and peace I’ve been waiting for all these years, they will come later. I certainly do want some peace.” She dismissed Davis’ claims of innocence. He’s been telling himself that for 22 years. You know how it is; he can talk himself into anything.” A majority of Americans support the death penalty and most executions attract little national attention, but the Davis case prompted a rash of protests as well as expressions of concern from Europe. France and the Council of Europe this week urged U.S. authorities to stay the execution. Defence attorney Thomas Ruffin put Davis’ death in a racial and class context, and pointed out that a disproportionate number of inmates in Georgia’s prisons and on death row are black men, as was Davis.

“This night the state of Georgia legally lynched a brave, a good and indeed an innocent man,” Ruffin told a news conference, in a reference to the lynching of blacks in Georgia and other southern states from after the Civil War through the 1960s. The Supreme Court took the rare step in 2009 of allowing the defence to present its case to an evidentiary hearing but a federal judge in Savannah said it cast “minimal doubt” on the conviction. Once a death warrant was signed, Davis’s best hope of avoiding execution had rested with the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, but on Tuesday it denied him clemency following a one-day hearing. On Wednesday, his lawyers went through a series of manoeuvres in an attempt to stay the execution, finally reaching the Supreme Court. It took the court more than four hours to issue its onesentence order, an unusually long time in such cases.
The other execution of the white supremacist prison gang member, Brewer was enforced Wednesday evening for the horrific murder of James Byrd, Jr. an African- American from East Texas. Byrd, 49, was murdered by three white men in Jasper, Texas, on June 7, 1998 in one of the most notorious incidents in the history of lynching. The victim had accepted a ride from Shawn Berry (age 24), Lawrence Brewer (age 31), and John King (age 23), but instead of taking him home, the three men took Byrd to a remote county road out of town.
The trio beat him with anything they could find, urinated on his unconscious body, chained him by his ankles to their pickup truck dragging him for three miles. Brewer later claimed that Byrd’s throat had been slashed by Berry before he was dragged. However, forensic evidence suggests that Byrd had been attempting to keep his head up while being dragged, and an autopsy suggested that Byrd was alive during much of the dragging. Byrd died after his right arm and head were severed after his body hit a culvert. Berry, Brewer, and King dumped their victim’s mutilated remains in front of an African-American cemetery on Huff Creek Road; the three men then went to a barbecue. Along the area where Byrd was dragged, authorities found a wrench with “Berry” written on it. All three were tried and convicted for Byrd’s murder, with Brewer and King receiving the death penalty, while Berry was sentenced to life in prison. Brewer, 44, when asked if he had any final words, said, “No. I have no final statement.” He was pronounced dead at 6.21 pm, 10 minutes after the lethal injection.
A psychiatrist testified that Brewer did not appear repentant for his crimes. The day before his execution, Brewer told KHOU 11 News in Houston: “As far as any regrets, no, I have no regrets. No, I’d do it all over again, to tell you the truth. Hopefully, today’s execution of Brewer can remind all of us that racial hatred and prejudice leads to terrible consequence for the victim, the victim’s family, for the perpetrator and for the perpetrator’s family,” Clara Taylor, one of Byrd’s sisters, said. She called the punishment “a step in the right direction”. Brewer, prior to Byrd’s murder, had served a prison sentence for drug possession and burglary. He was paroled in 1991. After violating his parole conditions in 1994, Brewer was returned to prison.

9/11 attacks: Decade of terrorism at its peak

2011-09-15T04:03:00.000-07:00

Paul Arhewe

Published 08/09/2011

The first tower of the World Trade Centre collapses after being hit by a hijacked plane How time flies! It was just like yesterday when the world was shocked by the terrorist attacks on the New York Twin Towers and the Pentagon where nearly 3,000 lives were lost. Sunday would make it a decade since that gory experience, which shock Americans in no small measure and tore a once serene environment to one of fear and suspicions.

Two fuel loaded planes were crashed straight into World Trade Centre- housing the two tallest buildings in U.S. within interval of 17 minutes, third plane after about one hour plunged into Pentagon in Virginia (destroying a wing of government’s military headquarters) and a fourth one heading to Washington D.C. about 30 minutes later was prevented from carrying out the suicide mission, as it crashed half way in Pennsylvania, following the interventions of passengers that rushed the terrorists after hearing of previous attack through their cell phones. The attacks killed 2,977 people. The vast majority, 2,753, died in New York, while 184 people were killed at the Pentagon and another 40 at Shanksville. Those figures exclude the 19 terrorists.

The US government, after the September 11, 2001 attacks actually heightened the war against global terrorism and al-Qaeda terrorist network, which was seen as the prime suspect. Osama bin Laden, the head and financier of al-Qaeda group had a ransom on his head, and was American most-wanted man until May 1 this year where the decade-long search finally paid off. With a go-ahead order from President Barack Obama, US Naval Seals stormed bin Laden’s hideout in a compound in Abbottabad, some 50 miles northeast of Islamabad; an area that is home to many Pakistani military retired officers. According to US officials, the terrorist chief resisted the assault force and was shot in the head and killed. The Obama’s administration definitely scored a political point with the death of this American most-loathed personality. A point, which he surely need to have good footings especially as the race for a second term is currently on with a momentous pace.

Events fanning flames of mayhem

Last year, during the ninthanniversary of this terrorist attacks certain religious events fanned the flames of mayhem in America and across the world as tensions were high over the purported moves to set hundreds of Korans on fire by American pastor Terry Jones. This pastor of the Dove World Ministry who shepherds a small congregation of fifty people in Florida announced the burning of Muslim holy book in commemoration of the attack anniversary, after a previous inscription on his church that “Islam is of the Devil.” This attracted huge condemnations among Muslim faithfuls in Middle East countries and other parts of the world, who staged protests burning US flags and calling for Jihad against Americans. However, the pastor was admonished and he suspended the idea. Also, the proposed move last year to build a mosque near Ground Zero where the terrorist attack happened sparked off protests from many Americans. Feisal Abdul Rauf, the Imam behind the construction of the mosque stated in an interview then that the 13-story building has compartment for community canter and a memorial to victims of the September 11 attacks. However, after years of controversies over what to rebuild on the Ground Zero site, One World Trade Centre has been erected with 961 feet above street level, making it the tallest building in Lower Manhattan. Also, work continues on the seven-story deep 9/11 Museum, which would be launched in next year’s 9/11 anniversary.

Terrorism taking a global dimension
After ten years since the September 11 attacks, terrorism has become a global phenomenon and the carnages it leaves behind cut across race and countries. Apart from the Middle East countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, India, that usually witness terror attacks on rapid sequences, European, America, Asia and Africa continents have their better pills accounts to narrate. In UK two major terrorists incidences took place in 2007, the London car bombs and the Glasgow International Airport attack. Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian who attempted the Christmas-eve botched terror attack on a Detroit bound plane in 2009 showed how wide the al-Qaeda network has taken its root in the world. In Africa, the Somali al-Qaeda linked group al-Shabaab, with extreme Islamic faith has not only devastated Mogadishu but gaining grounds as it has started penetrating other African countries with its deadly acts.

The heights of this sect attacks was showcased in last year’s attack on Uganda’s stadium after the 2010 South Africa world football tournament. 74 football lovers in Kampala perished in that attack alone. In Nigeria, the spate of bombings from Boko Haram, a similar sect with connections to al-Qaeda and Somali al-Shabaab since last year has heightened. After the October 1, independent anniversary last year recurring suicide bombings and terrorist attacks have been witnessed in the country; many have turned deadly with casualties. The police force headquarters office in Abuja was bombed in June 16, and recently the UN building in same city was bombed with 23 killed and several people injured.

Has US won the war against terror?
Since 2001, the US military has not only committed millions of dollars in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but over 110,000 lives have been lost. The UK Guardian estimated that 6,026 American service members have died since ten years when the two wars began. The wars initiated by President George Bush were inherited by current US leader, President Obama. From all indications we cannot say it is total victory for the Americans, but over the years the al-Qaeda has suffered series of blows which have led to the deaths of three of their top four leaders including Bin Laden. US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta recently told reporters that “We can take great pride that since 9/11 we have achieved very significant success in going after A-Qaeda, in going after Al- Qaeda’s leadership.” However, he warned and reminded Americans why they should be vigilant. “They continue to plan attacks and I don’t think we can take anything for granted,” he said.

Unaddressed issues in the Lagos tenancy bill

2011-09-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 29/08/2011

The witty saying that “it is not difficult to come to Lagos, but to return to one’s hometown is very difficult” maybe hilarious but it makes some sense. The cost of living in the state is high and adjudged to be one of the most expensive cities in the world.

In 2009, the Mercer’s Cost of Living Index ranked The Centre of Excellence as the 32nd most expensive city in the world and the 5th most expensive in Africa/ Middle East continents. According to the rankings, it is costlier to reside in Lagos than to live in advance western cities like Barcelona, Berlin and Brussels, and even U.S. locations such as Washington and Los Angeles!

The Lagos States new Rent Bill introduced by the State Assembly and awaiting the signature of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola is indeed a welcome development. The plight of Lagosians under the compulsory two or three-year advance rents collected by many landlords in the state have really become a burden to many families. Many workers whose wages are not adequate for feeding their families are at disadvantage with the existing practice of advance payment.

I believe no worker in the state is paid one year salaries or more in advance, so why should Lagos landlords request residential tenants for advance rents in multiple years? Even, small scale businesses that should titivate the economy of the country are stifled and rendered passive due to the burden of advance payments and high rents.
I tend to disagree with those who see this bill as anti-landlords. Lacunas and some provisions in the bill have tilted to the favour of properties owner.
The argument that prices of building materials are on the rise is not tenable here, as we all know many landlords that have built their houses since the 1970s are still collecting advance rents in the same two to three-year format and increase rents every year; citing high cost of building materials for their actions. In my view, this laudable bill is not thorough in its entirety; there are some loopholes that would even worsen the fate of tenants than protecting them.
The bill has not addressed the more burdensome issues associated with rents in the state. New tenants are more under the pressure of paying agency and agreement fees than paying advance rents normally requested by landlords. Most times, agencies and agreements fees for apartments in the state have equalled the actual payment for rents. I believe this ought to be a major nut to be cracked. With available provisions on the new bill, I don’t think the plights of tenants in the state are really protected as envisaged.
For instance, if tenants pay two or three year advance rents, they really loose nothing, but have enough time to concentrate their finances on other projects for the periods covered. On the other hand, a landlord can still choose to increase house rent by any proportional margin since the bill has not fixed rent rates. Hence, the tenants would be at loss here, he would be paying for one year at almost same rate as two years before the enactment of the law, that is, if it is eventually signed. The practise of demanding for agency and agreement fees is another issue that is really peculiar to Lagos. Landlords in other Nigerian states don’t engage in such burdensome demands.
Once a tenant pays for the house rents most times one year or less, they take possession of their apartments. I don’t see the reason why a landlord would collect agreement and agency fees even when potential tenants come directly to them to secure an apartment. Also, apart from agreement fees some landlords in addition demand for damage fees. What is the difference between agreement and damage fees?
As most times damage fees are non-refundable. However, the Centre of Excellent is unlike other Nigerian states, where demands for apartments are less than supply. Nevertheless, the aforementioned practice should be discontinued. That is the more reason governments at the different levels in the state need to build affordable low-cost residential houses to augment those from private landlords. This would not only break their monopoly but help to bring down exorbitant rents charged in Lagos.

Helen Keller and passion for the physically-challenged

2011-08-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe (12-8-11)

In this part of the world, people with deformities of any kind are usually seen as those with ill-fated destinies that are subjected to destitution and, most times, regarded as societal nonentities.

You see mendicants on our streets subjecting themselves to begging and having pessimistic attitudes to life due to defects in parts of their body. Most times these categories of people are not given the chance to showcase their relevance in society; where competitions among the able-bodied are intense, leaving no room for the feeble. Hence, their survival depends on the meagre droplets they could garner from sympathetic fellows. Our society has not really helped physically- challenged people to develop those inherent talents and untapped potentials lying fallow in them.

Recently, after reading the profile and life history of Helen Keller (1880 –1968), an American, who got blind and deaf after an illness at the age of 19-months, my perception was changed, and I am made to believe truly no situation in life is doomed to a state which cannot be salvaged. With determination and support from willing hands, that situation we think is irredeemable would become a success story. I may sound here a little like motivational speaker, but really, I am baffled how this American became the first blind-deaf human to get a Bachelor of Arts Degree and move on to become a renowned lecturer, world- famous speaker and author of 12 published books and several articles.

During her era, she travelled to over 39 countries and dined and wined with world leaders and famous figures across different countries. She was privileged to meet every US presidents from Grover Cleveland to Lyndon Johnson. Keller did not, on her own, make the transformation to become a world celebrated personality. Anne Sullivan who was also blind was the ‘miracle worker’ behind this remarkable success story. How was Sullivan able to teach a blind deaf to read and write? This task, indeed, requires much tolerance and patience. She started by spelling the word D-O-L-L on her palm. This was the present she brought along to Keller.

In her own world, Keller was wondering what this lady was trying to do. She was frustrated at first, and in annoyance broke her doll. It was not until a month later that Sullivan had a break through. She spelt W-A-T-E-R on Keller’s left palm and poured cold water on the right. After several attempts, when Keller was taking her bath, suddenly she felt the coldness of the water on her body and reasoned that substance was what Sullivan was trying to communicate to her.
After this breakthrough, she began demanding for the names of every other thing she could think of. The lesson from the above story highlights the effectiveness of perseverance, eagerness and wilful heart in making the insurmountable workable. In Nigeria, the skills and education of many physically-challenged people on our streets can be developed to enable them make meaningfully contribution to their lives and society. If government, private organisations, and individuals can put up a determined will to invest in the lives of this category of people, not only would the relegation and belittling they are subjected to on daily basis be eroded, the pride and joy of seeing their contribution in the society where they live would also be a thing of joy to them.
There has been recurring accounts of discriminations for physical-challenged persons, especially during recruitment for vacant job positions. Their fate remains unchanged as the society in which they find themselves have not shown the utmost will to execute programmes that would better their lives. I know there are some government initiatives like the skill acquisition programme being run by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to physically challenged persons, but more needed to be done to remove the spate of begging that has virtually taken over all streets in major cities across the country. While contributions are required from individuals and private organisations, it is admonished that government should put the machinery in place to fine-tune those available skill acquisition programmes for physical challenged persons. The will to fully implement this is desired for effective results.

Mandela: A legend at 93

2011-08-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE
21/07/2011

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is one of the world’s renowned living personalities; whose fame has gone far across countries beyond the African continent.
No wonder for his recognition, apart from his 6 meter statue at Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton, Johannesburg, there is a bridge named after him in the same city. Also there is a statue of this famous African son in Parliament Square in London and another Mandela Garden in Leeds. This legend, who was at the forefront of the struggle to halt apartheid in South Africa, on Monday clocked 93 years. Prominent world leaders marked the day with encomiums on his many achievements in life.

Background

Mandela was born 18 July 1918 in Mvezo, a small village situated in the district of Umtata, Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. His linage is traced to the cadet branch of the Thembu dynasty. His patrilineal great-grandfather Ngubengcuka (who died in 1832), ruled as king of the Thembu people. One of the king’s sons, named Mandela, became Nelson’s grandfather and the source of his surname.
Mandela’s father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, served as chief of the town of Mvezo. However, upon alienating the colonial authorities, they deprived Mphakanyiswa of his position, and moved his family to Qunu. Mandela spent much of his childhood. His traditional name Rolihlahla means “to pull a branch of a tree”, or more colloquially, “troublemaker”. Mandela became the first member of his family to attend a school, where his teacher Miss Mdingane gave him the English name “Nelson”. In South Africa, Mandela is often known as Madiba, his Xhosa clan name; or as tata meaning father in Xhosa.
His marital life

His first marriage was to Evelyn Ntoko Mase but broke up in 1957 after 13 years, with two sons, because of his constant absence, devotion to revolutionary agitation and because she was a Jehovah’s Witness. His second marriage was to Winnie Madikizela-mandela. They had two daughters. The marriage ended in separation in April 1992 and divorce was later conducted in March 1996, which was fuelled by political estrangement. He was remarried for the third time in 1998 on his 80th birthday to Graca Machel; widow of Samora Machel the former Mozambican president and ANC ally who was killed in an air crash 12 years earlier.

His arrest and imprisonment

On 5 August 1962 Mandela was arrested after living on the run for seventeen months, and was imprisoned in the Johannesburg Fort. The arrest was made possible because the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tipped off the security police as to Mandela’s whereabouts and disguise. Three days later, the charges of leading workers to strike in 1961 and leaving the country illegally were read to him during a court appearance. On 25 October 1962, Mandela was sentenced to five years in prison. While Mandela was imprisoned, police arrested prominent ANC leaders on 11 July 1963, at Liliesleaf Farm, Rivonia, north of Johannesburg. Mandela was brought in, and at the Rivonia Trial they were charged by the chief prosecutor Dr. Percy Yutar with four charges of the capital crimes of sabotage (which Mandela admitted) and crimes which were equivalent to treason, but easier for the government to prove. They were also charged with plotting a foreign invasion of South Africa, which Mandela denied.
The specifics of the charges to which Mandela admitted complicity involved conspiring with the African National Congress and South African Communist Party to the use of explosives to destroy water, electrical, and gas utilities in the Republic of South Africa. Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island where he remained for the next eighteen of his twenty-seven years in prison. While in jail, his reputation grew and he became widely known as the most significant black leader in South Africa. On the island, he and others performed hard labour in a lime quarry. Prison conditions were very basic. Prisoners were segregated by race, with black prisoners receiving the fewest rations. Political prisoners were kept separate from ordinary criminals and received fewer privileges. Mandela describeshow, as a D-group prisoner (the lowest classification) he was allowed one visitor and one letter every six months. Letters, when they came, were often delayed for long periods and made unreadable by the prison censors.
Whilst in prison he undertook study with the University of London by correspondence through its External Programme and received the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He was subsequently nominated for the position of Chancellor of the University of London in the 1981 election, but lost to Princess Anne.

Freedom

President F. W. de Klerk reversed the ban on the ANC, State and other anti-apartheid organisations on 2 February 1990, and announced that Mandela would shortly be released from prison. He was released from Victor Verster Prison in Paarl on 11 February 1990. The event was broadcast live all over the world. Political history In 1961 Mandela became leader of the ANC’s armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (translated Spear of the Nation, and also abbreviated MK), which he co-founded. He coordinated sabotage campaigns against military and government targets, making plans for a possible guerrilla war if the sabotage failed to end apartheid. He also raised funds for MK abroad and arranged for paramilitary training of the group. Later, mostly in the 1980s, MK waged a guerrilla war against the apartheid government in which many civilians became casualties.
As South Africa’s President from 1994 to 1999, he was the first president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC). In 1962 he was arrested and convicted of sabotage and other charges, and sentenced to life in prison. Mandela served 27 years in prison, spending many of these years on Robben Island. Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, Mandela led his party in the negotiations that led to multi-racial democracy in 1994. As president from 1994 to 1999, he frequently gave priority to reconciliation. He has received more than 250 awards over four decades, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize.

UK riots: Tales of poor welfare, gangsters’ display

2011-08-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

By PAUL ARHEWE

Wrecked: Two police cars used as a road block were set alight during the troubles Since 26-year-old vegetable seller, Mohammed Bouazizi in Tunisia sets himself ablaze after undergoing frustrated attempts at reporting extortions from government officials, the Arab world has never remained the same, but the last of protests and riots is yet to come following the recent upheavals in the United Kingdom. Like wildfires, revolution against insensitive government’s policies has becomes the in thing.
Tunisian government was the first to be sent packing, followed by Hosni Mubarak’s government in Egypt. The Libyan war has stretched and lingered on for over five months now with protesters and rebels calling for Muammar Gaddafi to leave his over 40-year throne , and Syria and Yemen are still at the edge of caving in. The ongoing riots in UK’s capital city, London that started in Tottenham, has spread to other cities and has claimed its first victim on Tuesday with many properties burnt down. The riots, which began last Saturday over the death of Mark Duggan, a 29-year-old father of four shot by police, have resulted in the arrest of over 500 people in the initial three days of the insurrections. Prime Minister David Cameron had to recall parliamentary members from their recess and deployed 16,000 police officers on the streets of UK to curtail the spreading riots. Police report says Duggan was shot dead as the force unit in charge of investigating gun crime in the black community stopped the cab he was riding in. Investigation conducted by the UK’s Independent Police Complaints Commission has shown that “non-police firearm” was recovered at the shooting scene. However, report by a UK newspaper reveals that a bullet in the police officer’s radio was one of those issued by the police force.

This indicates Duggan may not have fired at the officer. Attesting to the innocence of the shot victim, Duggan’s partner, Semone Wilson, insists that he is not connected to gang violence and called for more probe on his death. Wilson also rejected suggestion that the widespread riots were linked to protests over her fiance’s death. “It got out of hand. It’s not connected to this anymore. This is out of control,” she told the Associated Press. The spate of destructions carried out by rioters and the dimensions they have taken, may highlight that protesters are not only aggrieved with the police brutality, but are dissatisfied with their welfare and the increasing rate of unemployment in this European state. These riots may be indicating that the UK government need to reappraise the gap between the rich and poor folks and implement policies to bring out an effective distribution of wealth. Bryn Phillips a 28-year-old self- described anarchist and one of the rioters told the Associated Press yesterday, that “this is the uprising of the working class. We’re redistributing the wealth.” Phillips claimed rioters were motivated by distrust of the police, and drew a link between the rage on London’s street and insurgent right-wing politics in the United States.

“In America you have the tea party, in England you’ve got this,” he said. David Cameron, since he took the over from Gordon Brown in 2010 as the British Prime Minister, has enforced policies that has reduced many welfare incentives and benefits to the less-privileged in that society. Last year, there were similar mass protests against the tripling of student tuition fees and cuts to public sector pensions. In November, December and March, a faction of protesters broke away from large marches in London to loot. In the most dishonourable occurrence, rioters attacked a Rolls-Royce carrying Prince Charles and his wife Camilla to a charity concert. The full impact of spending cuts has yet to be felt as unemployment rate remains highest among youth, especially in areas like Tottenham, Hackney and Croydon. Some people caught up in the unrest insisted that joblessness was not to blame. “It’s just an excuse for the young ones to come and rob shops,” Brixton resident Marilyn Moseley, 49 told the Associated Press. Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Dalhatu Tafida, told reporters that there have been no negative reports on any Nigerian in the ongoing violence there. “I can assure you that no Nigerian is affected or involved at the moment in the incidents,” Tafida told NAN on Monday. “We are in touch with the community leaders in these areas and as the event keeps unfolding we will get the public informed,” he added.

A Nigerian based in London, who does not want his name in print, told this reporter in a chat on Tuesday that most Nigerians there are keeping themselves indoors, avoiding the rioting youths, many of whom give less regards to lives and properties. He bemoans the state of children over pampering in this clime where security forces would have arrested the situation as in the ‘Nigerian way’. “If it’s ‘Naija’, their grievances would have been sorted out with horsewhip and few bullets in the air, but over here, it’s a criminal offence to flog kids or give them dirty slap!! Discipline has to be restored back into schools and homes.” He said this is the case of sparing the rod and spoiling the child. But some of the rioting youths, like Philips have expressed that their grievance with government is over inadequate concern for their welfares and inequality in wealth distribution.

Al-Bashir: The splitting of Africa’s largest country

2011-08-03T10:25:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 14/07/2011

Sudan’s President al-Bashir addresses the parliament in Khartoum on Tuesday Last week Saturday the long awaited secession of Sudan was finally conducted as South Sudan becomes Africa’s newest country. The man in the middle of the storm, while this North African country civil war and internal crisis lasted, is President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir. President al-Bashir on Tuesday announced austerity measures for Sudan and proposed to change the country’s currency after Africa’s newest country, South Sudan, had announced same measure the previous day.

Background

Al-Bashir was born 1 January, 1944 in Hosh bannaga in Khartoum. He hails from Al-Bedairya Al-Dahmashya, a clan of the larger ja’alin tribe, a Nubian tribe in north of Sudan, then part of the Kingdom of Egypt and Sudan. He received his primary education there, and his family later moved to Khartoum where he completed his secondary education. Al-Bashir is married to his cousin Fatima Khalid. He also has a second wife named Widad Babiker Omer, who had a number of children with her first husband Ibrahim Shamsaddin, a member of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation who had died in a helicopter crash. Al-Bashir does not have any children of his own.

Military career

Al-Bashir joined the Sudanese Army in 1960. He studied at the Egyptian Military Academy in Cairo and also graduated from the Sudan Military Academy in Khartoum in 1966; where he quickly rose through the ranks and became a paratroop officer. He was sent in 1975 to the United Arab Emirates as the Sudanese military attaché. He became a garrison commander after his return home. In 1981, he returned to his paratroops’ background when he became the commander of an armoured parachute brigade. Later, al-Bashir served in the Egyptian Army during the Yom Kippur War in 1973 against Israel. Al-Bashir was 42 years when he seized power in a sudden military coup on 30 June, 1989 from the democratically elected government of Sadeq al-Mahdi.

Governance

On 16 October 1993, al- Bashir’s powers increased when he appointed himself President of the country, after which he disbanded the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation and all other rival political parties. The executive and legislative powers of the council were later given to al-Bashir completely. In the early 1990s, his administration gave the green light to float a new currency called Sudanese Dinar to replace the battered old Sudanese Pound that had lost 90 percent of its worth during the turbulent 1980s. He was later elected president (with a five-year term) in the 1996 national election, where he was the only candidate by law to run for election[18] and Hassan al-Turabi was elected to a seat in the National Assembly where he served as speaker of the National Assembly “during the 1990s.”

Al-Bashir and the Presidential Committee put into effect a new constitution in 1998, allowing limited political associations in opposition to his National Congress Party and his supporters to be formed, although these groups failed to gain any significant access to governmental power until the Darfur conflict became a subject. On 12 December 1999, he sent troops and tanks against parliament and ousted Hassan al-Turabi, the speaker of parliament, in a palace coup. However, despite receiving international criticism regarding internal conflicts, Omar al-Bashir has managed to achieve economic growth in Sudan. This is partly because of the drilling and trading with oil from Southern Sudan.

Civil war and Darfur crisis

Civil war had raged between the northern and southern halves of the former Sudan, which lasted for over 19 years between the northern Arab tribes and native southern African tribes, but the war soon effectively developed into a struggle between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and al-Bashir’s government. The Dafur crisis is believed to be an ethnic, rather than a religious war. The ethnic cleansing towards the non-Afro-Arab population by the Janjaweed (literally “devils on horseback”) The Sudanese government has been accused of suppressing information by jailing and killing witnesses since 2004, and tampering with evidence, such as covering up mass graves. The Sudanese government has also arrested and harassed journalists, thus limiting the extent of press coverage of the situation in Darfur. While the United States government has described the conflict as genocide, the UN has not recognized the conflict as such. In March 2007 the UN mission accused Bashir’s government of orchestrating and taking part in “gross violations” in Darfur and called for urgent international action to protect civilians there. After fighting stopped in July and August, on 31 August 2006, the United Nations Security Council approved Resolution 1706 which called for a new 20,600-troop UN peacekeeping force called UNAMID to supplant or supplement a poorly funded and ill-equipped 7,000-troop African Union Mission in Sudan peacekeeping Al-Bashir force. Sudan strongly objected to the resolution and said that it would see the UN forces in the region as foreign invaders. The next day, the Sudanese military launched a major offensive in the region.
ICC arrest warrant
Al-Bashir became the first sitting head of state that was issued an arrest warrant in 14 July, 2008 by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The warrant for his arrest was based on the civil war genocide where tens of thousands of people were killed. Luis Moreno Ocampo alleged that al-Bashir bore individual criminal responsibility for genocide crimes against humanity and war crimes committed since 2003 in Darfur. The former Sudan, before the South secession last week was a country divided between mostly Muslim Arabs in the north and Christian or animist black Africans in the south. The southern Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) launched its drive for secular democracy and selfdetermination in 1983. Since then, the Government (even before al-Bashir became leader) has conducted an all-out war against southern dissidents.
The United Nations put the death toll at 300,000 and about 2.7 million internally displaced as a result of fighting between government forces and their Janjaweed militia allies and the separatist rebel groups in Darfur that peaked in 2003 and 2004. Sudan’s government estimates is at pegged about 10,000 people died and about 70,000 displaced. Since, the issuance of ICC’s arrest warrant, al-Bashir has visited several countries such as Eritrea, Egypt, Libya and Qatar, all of which are non-signatory of ICC treaty. He also visited Kenya who decided not to arrest him, even though the country is a member signatory of the ICC treaty. In April, this year President Omar al-Bashir admits for the first time in an interview with a foreign media that he accepts full personal responsibility for the conflict in Darfur that left tens of thousands of people dead. But in an exclusive interview with the Guardian, his first with a western news organisation since he was charged with genocide by the ICC, Bashir accuses the UN-backed court of “double standards” and conducting a “campaign of lies”.

Recently, the Libyan embattled president Muammar Gaddafi was also issued a arrest warrant by ICC over the human right abuse and war crime against his people since the revolution to oust him began since March this year.

Breivik: Massacre that tore Norway’s serene environment

2011-07-29T10:48:00.001-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE WITH AGENCY REPORTS 29/07/2011

The ambience in Norway; a tranquil and peaceful European country, was turned into a lugubrious one since last week Friday when Anders Behring Brevik ran amok.

The good looking murderer, first, explode a car bomb into a government building in Oslo killing eight people and injuring 26 others near the Prime Minister’s offices and other several government buildings. That bomb attack was a divertion for security forces to the real mayhem that was to come. Brevik, 23-year-old man, subsequently travelled to the island of Utoya where Norwegian Labour Party youth camp was been hosted and attacked participants using different weapons for 47 minutes to kill 68 people and injuring 66, mostly teenagers.

Two minutes after police landed, Breivik surrendered without resistance. Even more serious was the realization that despite his’s active political extremism, none of Norway’s intelligence services had taken notice of him. He was arrested on Utoya and is currently in police custody. Following his apprehension, Breivik was characterised by officials as being a right-wing extremist. The acting police chief, Sveinung Sponheim, said the suspect’s Internet postings “suggest that he has some political traits directed toward the right, and anti-Muslim views, but if that was a motivation for the actual act remains to be seen.”

Six hours before the attacks, Breivik posted a YouTube video urging conservatives to “embrace martyrdom” and showing himself wearing a compression garment and pointing a rifle. He launched a Facebook account just days before the attacks. It has since been taken down, but it listed him as a conservative Christian. He also launched a Twitter account at the same time. It featured just one tweet, a quote from philosopher John Stuart Mill: “One person with a belief is equal to the force of 100 000 who have only interests”.

Motives behind his act

Breivik has disclosed his anti-Islamic stance. His motive behind the killings is based he said is based on the increasing numbers of Muslim migrant allowed into Norway by the Labour government. Two huge conspiracy theories form the gearboxes of his writing. The first is that Islam threatens the survival of Europe through what he calls “demographic Jihad”. Through a combination of uncontrolled immigration and uncontrolled breeding, the Muslims, who cannot live at peace with their neighbours, are conquering Europe.

Who is Anders Behring Brevik?

Breivik was born 13 February 1979 in London. His father, Jens David Breivik is a Norwegian civil economist, who worked as a diplomat for the Royal Norwegian embassy in London. He later served in Paris. Breivik parents divorced when he was one year old, and his father got married to another diplomat, Tove Overmo. They also divorced when he was 12 years old. His mother remarried a Norwegian army officer. Breivik spent the first year of his life in London, and grew up in the affluent west-end of Oslo. He attended Smestad Grammar School, Ris Junior High, Hartvig Nissen High School and Oslo Commerce School. When he reached adolescence his behaviour became more rebellious and wayward. A fan of hip-hop music, he and his gang of friends would reportedly spend their evenings hanging around Oslo, spraying tags and graffiti on buildings.

In his manifesto, he claimed that after he was caught spraying graffiti on walls, his natural father stopped contact with him. A former classmate has recalled that he was an intelligent student who often took care of people who were bullied. Breivik parents both hold left of centre political views. He disclosed that his parents are supporters of Norwegian Labour Party policies and that his mother was a moderate feminist. He wrote: “I do not approve of the super-liberal, matriarchal upbringing as it completely lacked discipline and has contributed to feminising me to a certain degree.”

He also worked in the customer service of a company. His former co-worker has described him as an “exceptional colleague”, while a close friend of his stated that he usually had a big ego and would be easily irritated by people with Middle East or South Asian origin. Breivik was exempt from conscription in the Norwegian Army and has no other military training. In his manifesto he bragged how he dodged his mandatory military service in the Norwegian Army three times by claiming he would not put his life on the line for Norway’s political parties. He was described by friends as a ‘mummy’s boy’ who did not leave home until the age of 30, had few friends and no serious girlfriends. Many people who came into contact with him through the years describe him as quiet and withdrawn.

He listed Freemasonry as one of his interests on his Facebook page and was himself a Freemason. He had displayed photographs of himself in Masonic regalia on his Facebook profile and was a member of St. Olaus T.D. Tre Soiler No. 8 in Oslo. In interviews after the attacks, his lodge stated they had only minimal contact with him, and Grand Master of the Norwegian Order of Freemasons Ivar A. Skaar issued an edict immediately expelling him from the fraternity based upon the acts he carried out and the values that appear to have motivated them. His manifesto called for a revolution to be led by Knights Templar.

Christianity claim

During interrogation, Breivik claimed membership in an “international Christian military order” that “fights” against “Islamic suppression”. This order allegedly is called the “Knights Templar” and, according to his manifesto, has between fifteen and eighty “ordinated knights” besides an unknown number of “civilian members”. The order, whose full name is the “Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici” or PCCTS, is said to have been established in London in April, 2002. It was established to take political and military control of Western Europe, with its members being armed as an “anti-Jihad crusader-organisation”.

It reportedly was established by nine men: two Englishmen, a Frenchman, a German, a Dutchman, a Greek, a Russian, a Norwegian, and a Serb. The main initiator apparently was the Serb, whom Breivik claims to have visited in Liberia and whom he referred to as a “war hero”. Breivik said that his own code name was “Sigurd Jorsalfar” and that his “mentor” was “Richard Lionheart” (recalling the twelfth-century Crusaders King Sigurd I of Norway and Richard the Lionheart). Breivik asserted that Norway had “4,848 traitors” who had to die.

Inauspicious time for introduction of Islamic banking

2011-07-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 22/07/2011 03:45:00

Again, the intention of Central Bank of Nigeria to introduce the much talked about Islamic banking, into our financial system have showed how sensitive issues with the coating of religion attract public interest in this clime.

From the interpretations given by the Governor of Central Bank, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, Islamic Banking system has some merits that would surely benefit our society to reduce inflation. Maybe there is a truism in this, especially the inherent mercantilist and capitalist bourgeois financial system we have where profit amassment is a prime criterion for measuring success.

Two factors are responsible for the manner in which some Nigerians, especially those from the Christian folks are reacting to its introduction.

First, the introduction of Islamic banking amid the high rate of terror onslaughts in some parts of the country from the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, makes the timing wrong. In the last few years we have all been witnesses to some fanatical religious clashes in parts of northern Nigeria where many families have lost their loved ones, properties and are rendered homeless.

Many churches and mosques were burnt down, even before the emergence of the dreadful sect. The deadly onslaughts from the Al-Qaeda- like sect have heightened the level of extremism and fanaticism in the country. Moreover, the fashion in which Boko Haram executes its mayhems, with the claim that it is protecting the Islamic faith would really becloud any good associated with the Islamic banking system for the country. The situation is made worse with the recent report that Boko Haram has started attacking some commercial banks in parts of northern Nigeria.

The sect admits in that report that it had to attack branches of Unity Bank, Finbank and Bank PHB because their practices are not in line with the Islamic principles. If the sect group has declared that other banks which have western origination are abhorred and should be attacked, it then means in future only Islamic banks would be allowed in parts of northern Nigeria.

Secondly, the messenger (Governor Sanusi) has aided in no small measure in delivering the message in a not too pleasant manner that could incur antagonism all over. The manner in which the CBN governor is insisting that the emergence of Islamic banking is sacrosanct and a must for Nigeria, he is bound to continue to incur many antagonists than supporters It was John Stuart Mill who first proposed the Utilitarian ethical theory which posits that government right action is one that pursues the maximisation of the ‘overall good’. Jeremy Bentham helped to spice it that it is the ‘greatest happiness to the greatest numbers of people’.

Sanusi has reiterated the benefits Nigerians stand to gain, I believe he has considered that it would be worthwhile to Nigerians, but what is the yardstick of his action in consonance with the happiness and good of the greater percentage of Nigerians? Has he measured and had a result that shows over 50 percentage of Nigerians would be happy with the benefits from this banking system? Was subjectivity or objectivity the driving force for the proposed Islamic banking system?

The CBN governor has fueled the resistance of his proposed ‘lauded system’ with the religious nomenclature attached to it. He should have known, maybe he is not disposed to taking admonition from advisers that the name ‘Islamic’ attached to the introduced banking system would surely provoke reactions in a multi-religious state as Nigeria, just as Muslims would react if he has named it ‘Christian banking’. The wise thing would have been, to remove any religious affiliation and changed the nomenclature, even without modifying the system. I dare say the opposition would be, if any, few and inconsequential.

Time for BRF to call his boys to order

2011-07-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE

It is baffling that it is only in countries like ours that policies are implemented without recourse to setting up standby measures to alleviate the suffering of those to be affected in the adopted action-plan.

On many occasions, one sees market shanties destroyed, roadside traders chased around, houses demolished, in cosmopolitan cities in the name of modernising and attaining a mega metropolitan status. The poor and hapless downtrodden in society are most times affected by some of these government policies. What complicates issues is when no alternative is readily provided before implementing those action plans. A scenario I witnessed at Leventis bus stop in Marina, Lagos state last week makes me to ponder, and I asked myself “Why are the already traumatised people in our society sometimes at the receiving end of government’s browbeating in the name of policy implementation?”

Last week, on my way to office, I saw some men and women scampering recklessly into the ever-busy CMS express road with their wares in their hands. Wondering what must have prompted this dangerous action, I curiously walked closer and saw officials of the Central Business District (CBD) of Lagos state and LASTMA running after traders confiscating their wares. Some of those whose wares were seized gazed, looking miserable, most of them shedding tears. One could see the anxiety and hapless situation these young men are relegated to; as if the whole world has suddenly crumbled on them.

Amid a high unemployment rate and harsh economy situation in the country, I don’t think taking away the livelihood of these young men is the best Lagos state government can do. Most frustrated ones among them may end up becoming armed robbers and engage in criminal activities. Lest we forget, the on-going revolution in the Arab world was triggered in Tunisia because state officials were in the habit of extorting money from a young university graduate, Mohamed Bouazizi, who shunned crime but chose to engage in menial work by selling vegetables on the roadside. The guy who out of frustration set himself ablaze had complained to public officers who paid deaf ears to all his entreaties. The same situation is what we are witnessing in this part of the country.

Again, this same CBD and LASTMA officials on Tuesday went to raid shop owners along Broad Street confiscating their goods packed in front of their shops. They started fighting some members of National Mirror staff who were watching them, threatening to descend on them heavily if they take any picture of their illegal operations. I believe Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola should call these guys, acting like touts in the name of working for the state government, to order.

When the likes of CBD, KAI, and LASTMA officials enjoy confiscating goods of traders and not provide alternative affordable market stall where these traders can trade in their wares, those frustrated after losing all their capitals may be forced to embarked on criminal activities. I wonder why can’t law enforcement agents be visibly stationed in fixed spots in streets to wade off potential offenders, instead of waiting till state laws are broken? Chasing after street hawkers and roadside traders in busy roads constitutes public nuisance and usually endanger the lives of these traders and even passersby.

Has anyone asked who takes custody of those confiscated goods? It won’t be far from the truth if one posits that these state’s officials are very more concerned with the volume of goods seized than keeping our streets free from these category of traders. By the manners in which they execute their task one would be forced to assume that Lagos state government have created jobs for these ‘voracious boys’, where bounties gotten from their supposedly official duties are shared among them. The same practice applies to state and federal officers on our highways, the like of LASTMA, police, Federal Road Safety Corps. These officers are of the habit of hiding in concealed spot away from unsuspecting motorists, but usually jump on them when they least expect.

Must public officers wait till someone break the law before they act? I believe those laws that created these government agencies should greatly emphasised, if it has not done so, that officers foremost duty is to prevent offenders from breaking these laws than arresting them and confiscating their wares or personal properties. Arresting offenders usually create a quick means of extorting money from them, and seized goods end up in their official personal usage. This shouldn’t be so.

Laws to restrict heavy-duty trucks please!

2011-07-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

Paul Arhewe
07/07/2011

According to statistics recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Nigeria is named as the 191 out of 192 countries in the world with unsafe roads. The death rate from road traffic accidents for our country is pegged at 162 per 100,000 populations. The above statistics reflects the many deadly accidents witnessed in Nigeria, especially in densely populated states like Lagos.

What makes the situation intolerable is that if laws are enacted to restrict heavy-duty trucks like trailers and tankers from plying busy roads during day time, many of these deadly accidents could be prevented. The rate at which these long vehicles fall and cause accidents when they are on motion is on the high side, especially as the rainy season has left majority of expressways covered with flood. The many potholes in our roads, some as deep as those trenches dug by combatant troops during the civil war, have made matter worse; causing accidents in a rapid sequence.

These dead traps are not only endangering the lives of commuters and users of roads in the country, but causing unending traffic deadlocks that keep workers stranded, resulting in loss of manpower working hours. In many countries, these heavy-duty trucks are only permitted to travel at night when the roads are free of smaller vehicles; hence reducing deadly road crash. In a not too pleasant experience last week, other commuters and I escaped death by a whisker around 10pm in Festac Town, along Badagry Expressway in Lagos when a trailer that was fully loaded with cement in front of our commercial bus suddenly entered a pothole and went down lying on its side.

It spilled its load across the road as the driver couldn’t successfully control the truck. Passengers started pushing themselves to outwit one another in jumping out from the bus, thinking that the trailer would go up in flames. In that commotion, many of them sustained injuries. Leaving that scene some few minutes later, in the same bus, we met another trailer conveying a container in the same position that we left the former. This also caused an enormous traffic gridlock. The above incidents are only two cases of the many caused by heavy-duty trucks which commuters witnessed on daily basis; with many of them usually turning deadly. These truck drivers in their recklessness, see themselves as kings of the road and most times, in haste to beat traffic jam, tend to struggle roads with small vehicles. They have not only constituted themselves to bullies on our roads, but seen as contractual agents for dispatching many souls to the great beyond.

Even, the lauded government LAGBUS transport scheme in Lagos is not spared from these reckless displays on our roads. Throwing caution to wind some LAGBUS drivers have formed the habit of speeding above the required limit, endangering not only the lives of their passengers, but other road users. Some countries have enacted laws to curb the recklessness of truck drivers by forbidding them from plying roads during day time. For instance, the Portuguese government, in January this year, enacted an ordinance to prohibit movements of long vehicles from circulating on single lane roads.

Drivers caught violating this law during specified days termed as ‘optional holidays are made to pay fines. Nigeria should copy from this good example. Desperate situations usually need to be tackled with solutions sometimes perceived as sacrificial. Hence, the subject matter in this discuss requires a dawn to dusk ban on heavy-duty trucks. This would not only reduce the rate of accidents on our roads, but provide great relief from the unpleasant traffic jams they aid to build. When this category of long vehicles is allowed only to drive on our highways, for instance from 12am till 5am, it would save every one of us the trouble and nightmare associated with the surge in road accidents in the country.

The aforementioned WHO report says deaths by road traffic accident will raise by 65 percent by 2015 and 2020; surpassing deaths caused by terminal ailments like tuberculosis and malaria. The time to act is now. Our government should start by repairing bad roads; putting them in good condition and restricting the movements of heavy-duty vehicles during day time.

Jean Ping: A defender of AU’s original combat spirit

2011-07-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

By PAUL ARHEWE

He has an appearance that resembles people from the Asian race, but his not too light complexion, that shows he is a half-caste, indicates that African blood runs in his veins. These attributes reflect the parental bloodline of the current Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Jean Ping. Ping is the son of a Chinese trader, Cheng Zhiping of Wenzhou descent and his mother is a Gabonese.

He was born in Omboue, Etimbwe Department, Ogooue-Maritime Province in November 24, 1942. Ping began his diplomatic career in 1972 when he was appointed at UNESCO in its Sector for External Relations and Cooperation as an international civil servant. In 1978, he became advisor to the Gabonese embassy in France, and he subsequently became Gabon’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, in which position he served until 1984. He became Director of the Civil Cabinet of the President of Gabon, Omar Bongo, in 1984, serving in that position until 1990 He extended his career by taking ministerial portfolio in February 26, 1990 when he was appointed as Minister of Information, Posts and Telecommunications, Tourism and Recreation, and Reform of the Parastatal Sector, in charge of relations with Parliament, as well as Gabonese Government Spokesman. He served in that position for two months before becoming Minister of Mines, Energy, and Hydraulic Resources on April 29, 1990.

He remained in the latter position until June 1991, and then served as Minister of Mines, Energy, and Hydraulic Resources for a second time from August 28, 1992 to March 24, 1994. He was then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and La Francophonie from March 25, 1994 to October 29, 1994, then Minister Delegate to the Minister of Finance, the Economy, the Budget, and Privatisation from October 30, 1994 until he was appointed as Minister of Planning, the Environment and Tourism on January 28, 1997.

Two years later, he was promoted to the position of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, La Francophonie, and Regional Integration on January 25, 1999. He was previously the Foreign Minister of Gabon from 1999 to 2008 and served as President of the United Nations General Assembly from 2004 to 2005. He was elected to the National Assembly from Omboué in the December 1996 parliamentary election, the December 2001 parliamentary election, and the December 2006 parliamentary election. He was chosen to be President of the fifty-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2004. Ping was one of President Bongo’s closest and longest-serving ministers and is considered one of the most powerful figures in Gabon. Ping was one of the key figures who helped arrange the visit to Gabon in 2004 of Chinese President Hu Jintao, who used the capital Libreville as the platform for making a land-mark speech promising a new era of engagement with Africa, “without political strings.”

In the government named on January 25, 2007, Ping, previously a Minister of State was promoted to the rank of Deputy Prime Minister while remaining in charge of foreign affairs. On December 7, 2007, Gabon’s Ambassador to Cameroon, Michel Mandougoua, announced that Ping would seek to succeed Alpha Oumar Konaré as chairman of the Commission of the African Union in early 2008. His candidacy was backed by the Economic Community of Central African States. Ping, being the second Chairman of Commission of AU, was elected into this capacity during a summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia organised by the African bloc on February 1, 2008. He had been the frontrunner, enjoying the support of countries in Central, West, and East Africa. North African countries also ultimately backed him; Ali Triki of Libya was prevented from standing due to submitting his candidacy late. Southern African countries opposed Ping, however. In the election, he defeated Osman Abdulai Conteh of Sierra Leone and Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika of Zambia, winning 31 out of 46 votes and obtaining the necessary two-thirds majority in the first round. On February 4, Bongo appointed Laure Olga Gondjout to replace Ping as Foreign Minister. Ping officially succeeded Konaré as chairman of the Commission on April 28, 2008.

Awards and recognitions

Ping’s distinguished 32-year career in government has been marked by diplomatic success, notably his contribution to the many efforts by the President of the Gabonese Republic, El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, to restore peace and stability in Central Africa, in particular in the Republic of the Congo, Chad, the Central African Republic and Sao Tome and Principe. A recipient of numerous honours in recognition of his outstanding career and service to his country, both at home and abroad, Ping has been awarded Gabon’s medals of Commander of the Equatorial Star, Grand Officer of the Equatorial Star, Commander of the Maritime Merit Order and Commander of the Gabonese National Order of Merit. France has conferred on Ping the distinction of Commander of the Legion of Honour and of Officer of the Order of the Pleiad and the Order of la Francophonie. Ping also has been awarded Portugal’s Grand Cross of the Order of Merit.

Buttressing stabilised and sovereign African states

Recently, Ping has intensifies concern for an unrelenting African Union that would continue to imbibe the original fighting spirit to attain the organisation’s objectives. During a speech last week at the 17th AU Head of States and Government Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea he said the fight of the African countries for its integrity is a long march that started with the Pan African movement. “It is important to remember that all the victories obtained by Africans happened due to Africa coming together and having had a strong conviction about the challenges of the moment”, Ping said. During this meeting he reiterates the strengthening of stability and protection of sovereignty of states which is the main agenda of the African Union.

Accuses ICC of bias

The Libyan five months old civil unrest that has seen the embattled President Muammar Gaddafi fighting to remain in power recently incurred the arrest warrant of International Criminal Court (ICC) on the recalcitrant leader. Reports have it that Jing has accused ICC of bias against African states. He emphasised African support for the ICC, but lambastes the double standards of its chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo. “We Africans and the African Union are not against the International Criminal Court. That should be clear,” Ping told a news conference at an African Union summit in Ethiopia. “We are against Ocampo who is rendering justice with double standards,” The ICC’s active cases all target crimes against humanity committed in the African states of Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Uganda and Kenya. “Why not Argentina, why not Myanmar... why not Iraq?” said Ping. This AU commission chief has always negated the issuance of the arrest warrant on Gaddafi saying it complicates efforts to end the conflict in this North African country.

National cake and ‘millionaire voters’ club’

2011-06-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE
(Published 30/06/2011)

The phrase ‘millionaire club of voters’ may not be a familiar term to some observers of happenings in our local politics. Apparently, it is one of the latest inputs in Nigerian political lexicon, as its emergence is linked to the last April general elections. What interpretation would you give to the above phrase? Probably, some people may decipher it as a club of rich electorate congregating to appoint politicians of their choice.

Those who followed this answer path will be astonished they are far from its connotation. When Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State visited President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja recently, he went there to remind the Nigerian leader that his state is among those that gave him at least a million votes; wanting an assurance that Plateau would get its share of the national cake. Last week he brought back the good tidings to his subjects in Pankshin, using it to assuage and boost their optimism for fair treatment from the present administration. In his words, “I was with the president at the Villa and I told him that this time around, Plateau must get its own share of the national cake because we joined the millionaire club of voters.”

Curiously pondering on the above statement, one wonders since when is a slice from the country’s national cake pegged on the ability to provide the president with a million votes? Does it denote that only few states with at least a million votes for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during last presidential polls would receive more Federal Government projects and attention? Maybe Jang is saying there was an agreement reached behind the scene, which I doubt. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in chapter six provides for fair treatments to all persons without recourse to discrimination. I believe this would also apply to all states in the federation; where their needs and statutory allocations to each of them are explicitly divided according to the existing derivative formula.

The results from April’s presidential election show that only nine (Abia, Akwa- Ibom, Anambra, Delta, Imo, Kaduna, Lagos, Plateau and Rivers) out of the country’s 36 states meet the qualification to be in this club. What the scenario above implies is that the remaining 27 states should be considered as second class category when allocating dividends of democracy because they didn’t reach the criteria for belonging in Jang’s millionaire voters’ club? I don’t think any state should get more favour than others as a result of the amount of votes garnered for the president. Democracy is all about choice; the beauty of this system of government lies in the freedom by electorate to express the right to choose. In advance democracies, the electorate usually don’t feel any disparity when their choice is not elected; the difference usually lies in government’s policy choice, and the ruling party usually prioritise projects that are implemented.

I also think same should apply to Nigeria. For states that didn’t accrue a million votes for the president, that doesn’t mean he is loved less or he has no supporters there. The president won in 24 states and got good percentage of votes in others where PDP did not win. The president is leader to all states and not just to those that gave him million votes. This was buttressed in his campaign trip to Kogi in February. Jonathan had said: “Myself and Vice President Sambo mean well for Nigeria. We are not into politics to make money. We stand for the unity of this country. We have no enemies to fight. We will not discriminate against anybody of any tongue, tribe, or religion.” It is okay for Plateau to seek for fair treatment from the Federal Government, that is, if the state has been unjustly treated in the past. But, the numbers of votes the state garnered for the PDP should not be used as a guarantee or certificate for invoking attention. I foresee the President fulfilling his promise to treat all states equally and fairly.

It is suggested that each of them are given attention on the basis of their specific needs and the urgency attached to same, not on sympathetic or on jolly-fellow recognition.

Boko Haram and our porous security network

2011-06-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 23/06/2011 03:20:00

As a reporter on the foreign beat over the years, whenever there is any bomb blast in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan or Iraq, this never takes the lead position in the arrangement of my stories. Why you may ask? There is a 90 percent probability that a bomb would be detonated in the aforementioned countries on a daily basis given the restiveness and the well sophisticated network of al-Qaeda in this region.

But for countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom, and others which Nigeria used to belong, it is very unusual to witness a single blast, and if by error of omission or commission one goes off usually they lead in screaming headlines. To say the spate of bombings in parts of northern Nigeria is out of hand would be an understatement. Last Thursday’s attack in Abuja Police Headquarters and the subsequent detonation of another in Borno is a vivid signal that the Boko Haram sect has declared war on Nigeria.
The situation at hand is one that shouldn’t be treated with levity; it is either our security forces sit up to take decisive control or their ineptitude would allow fanatics to successfully plant fear in the mind of every Nigerian.

The worst that can happen to any society is when people walk on the streets or sleep in their houses with frights; not knowing when the next bomb would detonate. Every sector in the country would definitely suffer. Not only would foreign investors be scared to bring in their investments; their local counterparts would be forced to relocate in order to protect their investments. Also, public and private infrastructure would be at the mercies of these bombers, even as human lives, which are irreplaceable, mean nothing to them.

Does Nigeria have any proactive counterterrorist force? If the answer to this question is in the affirmative, then one may be tempted to say the force is not alive to its duties; just a group of untrained Nigerians waiting for each month’s pay slips. If there is none, then there is the need to train intelligence personnel to be abreast of tactics in handling the twenty-first century vices, as it is obtainable in countries with organised counter-terrorist teams like the United States, Israel, and United Kingdom.

In August 2009, then visiting US Secretary Of State, Hillary Clinton, warned Nigeria of the infiltration of al Qaeda network into the country. In her words “There is no doubt in our mind that al Qaeda and like organisations that are part of the syndicate of terror would seek a foothold anywhere they could find one, and whether that is the case here (Nigeria) or whether this is a home-grown example of fundamentalist extremism that’s up to the Nigerians to determine.” We would have saved ourselves these national embarrassments and lugubrious situations if adequate measures were put in place to curb the excesses of Boko Haram sect. While we don’t pray for any subsequent attacks like the one witnessed last week, it is the duties of our security operatives to be proactive and equip its intelligence departments on how to get information of this group before their evil designs are perpetuated. Being proactive is not chasing after perpetrators after the deeds and destructions have already occurred; it is obstructing and nipping in the bud any nursed attempts. Maybe there is a need to train our security personnel on how to manage intelligence information. Many of our past criminal confrontation with government and murders remain unresolved and the mockery keeps staring us in the face when at press briefings security forces announce “investigations are ongoing to track perpetrators”. We all know how such investigatory exercises usually end.

There have been news reports that The Movement for the Actualization of the Soveriegn State of Biafra (MASSOB) is planning to take to the same strategy of bombing attacks like Boko Haram. If there is any truth in these reports, then conciliatory approach to Boko Haram won’t be a solution. How many of such devilish inclinations would government continue to appease? It is either they are annihilated and chased out of the country or every one of us takes to our fate and continues to bear more of such deadly onslaughts.

Abracadabra and Nigerian war against corruption

2011-06-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe
Many see efforts against curbing corruption in the country as an exercise in futility, as our so called leaders are either the major culprits or they are known to have penchant for shedding their cronies from facing corruption charges. Past Nigerian governments have formulated policies and built in place institutions to combat corruption in the country, but we seem to be going round the circle with no concrete results to show for this. One major factor that has obstructed past efforts in eliminating this monster is adduced to be government’s insincerity and unwillingness to provide full support for this course.
The level of corruption in the country is so intense, that it has eaten deep into every fabric of the country’s socio-economic life. The Halliburton and Siemens’ corruption saga all died a natural death, when powers that be obstructed avenues to make these cases see the light of the day. Past events have shown that agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are more of witch-hunting tools than mechanism for combating corruption. Those who have fallen out of grace and are in the bad books of our leaders are usually made scapegoats; while allies are usually protected and remain untouchable as long as their Godfathers are still in power. How long should we continue to deceive ourselves in this country? The many abracadabras of yesteryears we pray shouldn’t raise its ugly head in our present administration. The whereabouts of some governors and public office holders who handed over last week are unknown. If there was sincerity in this course, the machinery of the state would have been used to monitor these politicians’ movements and blocked loopholes for their escape; especially as their immunity in office was about to expire. Many politicians’ manifestos were laden with slogans for zero tolerance to corruption, but they end up in office aiding and abetting all sorts of shenanigans. We hope the present administration won’t tow same route past regimes woefully failed the country. The late president Umaru Yar’Adua so much trumpeted the rule of law slogan which, as we all know, ended up in mere sloganeering. His Attorney General did more to obstruct justices against corruption and became a willing tool in abhorring corrupt politicians. When corrupt institutions are used in fighting corruption, we should only expect sophistication in schemes to advance corruption. Our security forces have not fared well in this regards. The open show of bribery collection tells it all. When security personnel mount roadblocks and turned them into toll collection for private pockets what miracle will make them patriotic in the battle against corruption? The judicial arms of government that ought to be the last hope of the ordinary Nigerians and custodian of the laws have in recent pasts aided in no small measure through motions and counter motions in obstructing any moves initiated by EFCC and ICPC. How sincere are we in the fight against corruption in this country? The arrest of embattled ex- speaker of House of Representatives, Demiji Bankole, by EFCC personnel on Sunday night, came at the right time to erode the not too pleasant scuttling effort attempted by the Inspector general of police, Hafiz Ringim as reported. Jonathan’s new government would have carried the brunt of criticisms supposing Bankole succeeded in travelling out of the country in a quest to elude EFCC agents. While, the Jonathan’s regime is admonished to shun the attitude of past governments that paid lip service to the fight against corruption, he should see the successful victory against this fight as sacrosanct if truly he wants to fulfil those many promises made during political campaigns. Mr President may have all the good intensions in this world to bring a turnaround to the country, but when those surrounding him are wolves in sheep clothing and corruption flows in their veins, nothing meaningful will come out of these saintly intentions.

Mr President, one year is too long a time

2011-06-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE
(Published 01/06/2011)

Overwhelmingly Nigerians cast their votes for him; even in the stronghold of the opposition, he clinched the mandate to steer the affairs of Africa’s most populous country for four years. A country that is bedevilled with high poverty amidst abundant natural resources; where corruption has become another nomenclature, by which its offspring is being stereotyped.
For sure, the task ahead is daunting despite this enviable position he has mounted. President Goodluck Jonathan, who was sworn in on Sunday after emerging winner in April 2011 election, to many, is seen as a signature of God; a man whose name has mirrored and showcased the great destiny witnessed so far, and that ahead of him. Jonathan, no doubt, has won the hearts of many in the country, as reflected in the election generally recognised as one of the freest and fairest in Nigeria, despite the turmoil that almost discoloured this laudable attainment.
But how long would he continue to be in the good books of Nigerians?
Nigerians as we all know are fair weather friends; they tend to give their full support when their expectations are met and immediately turn their back when they feel no good is forth coming.

A good example of the aforementioned is witnessed during football matches between our national players with other countries. It usually amazes me when Nigerian fans who usually begin a match with ear deafening ovation to arouse patriotism in the men donning our national colours, always turn to booing them and hailing their opponents when goals are against Nigeria. That is a typical attitude of a Nigerian-in politics, leadership and other spheres.
I will like to inform Mr President that a four-year period is a long time to create a turnaround to the known distortions and misfortunes in the socio-political problems of our country. However, Nigerians won’t be patient enough to wait till 2015 before they start passing judgements on his performance. This brings to mind the popular Nigerian maxim that the first step a masquerade displays usually determines how well he can dance. Many promises were made during the political campaign period.
President Jonathan promised to bring an end to the incessant power shortages; improve on health and education; clamp down on crimes and kidnappings; ensure food self-sufficiency in the country; create a Sovereign Wealth Fund; create a university in every state of the federation; construct a refinery and give proper care for communities along the waterways etcetera. Nigerians would expect some of these promises to start manifesting after one year of his new stay in office. The line between sympathy and rejection in the continuum is very thin; the tendency for Nigerians to turn their back on the president is tied around what he can deliver, even from the first year in office. This is even worse because of the belief of some people that Jonathan won based on sympathy votes he got because of his marginalised tribe and the manner of his ascendancy to power after Umaru Yar’Adua’s demise.
It is common knowledge how the late president Yar’Adua was termed by some Nigerians as ‘baba go-slow’ when his preference for due process was overshadowing and impeding the rate of delivery on specific basic needs of the people, especially stable power supply on which he declared a state of emergency on. Nigerians can be easily convinced and their trust could be won over quickly when compared to other people. I believe Lagos state Governor Babatunde Fashola knows this secret; his performance, from inception in office during his first term, targeted areas where Lagosians dearly needed succour. Security was beefed up; road networks were expanded, among many others. Lagos government was visibly seen executing one project or the other.
Ranking high among the needs in the country or needs begging for attention at the moment is electricity as a recent survey has shown. If President Jonathan can tackle this sole monster headlong, majority of Nigerians would score him high. Nigerians should start feeling the impact of the Jonathan government even from the first 100 days in office. One year is enough time to make a good impression.

Based on people’s expectation, I dare say that one year is too long a time!

2011 elections: Politicians and social network media

2011-05-31T05:23:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe, Online Editor (Published June 1, 2011)

Before now, social network sites are seen as majorly an effective means of interacting and building relationships across different racial groups beyond countries’ borders. Also, they are veritable tools for business to business (B2B) networking or business to customers (B2C) interactions. However, their values are now been widely utilised by politicians for wooing electorate and used as means for election campaigns to gain advantage over opponents.
There are ample of opportunities for political candidates and office holders alike in the use of social media, especially in contemporary politicking across the globe.
These media connect politicians with voters and sell to them the transparency associated with their manifestoes. It is also utilised to spar opponents and sway the electorate with an explanation why they should vote for them and not their opponents.“So much of social media is non-partisan, it can make government better. The key is to making sure people...are making an authentic impact on the process,” American Cantor’s Digital Communications Director, Matt Lira disclosed.
In 2008, then US Senator Barack Obama in his campaign adequately utilised these social network media in gaining popularity; hence winning the trust of many Americans who overlooked his black skin to vote massively for this first black US president. Obama’s team used 15 different social networks to reach 5 million supporters over the course of the campaign season. By November 2008, Obama had over 2.5 million followers on Facebook, 115,000 on Twitter, and 50 million viewers of his YouTube channel.
Again, President Obama has kicked off his reelection bid recently with a digital video emailed to about 13 million supporters. In the same vein, his opponents are not relenting; Republican Tim Pawlenty has disclosed his presidential aspiration through Facebook, and his rival Mitt Romney did his with Tweeter. In Thailand the story is the same. Thai oldest political party is currently leaning heavily on social media to woo voters. The party is campaigning for the incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, and organising for him to talk to the public via Livestream on his Facebook page.
Many Nigerian politicians actually took a cue from the successes recorded from Obama’s innovative social network campaign in 2008 as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogpages and tailored websites were widely utilised as observed during the campaign period that trailed April general elections.
President Goodluck Jonathan who emerged winner in the poll, and sworn in on Sunday for a four-year term, also caught the bug. In fact he announced his intention to contest the presidential poll via Facebook. His presidential campaign was indeed a major social media milestone in Nigeria’s political history, as it created closer rapport between him and his supporters.
For instance, Jonathan’s Facebook page was regularly updated to keep his over 557,200 followers informed. This web platform made Jonathan more accessible to the ordinary Nigerian than any other past presidents. Many people had direct role in campaigning for the president, as the platform provide them the avenue to share promotional information with other friends on their lists, thereby winning more supporters for Jonathan.
A school of thought believes that Jonathan emerged winner in the last election because his campaign team concentrated heavily in the use of Information communication technology (ICT) and the social media.
An ICT Publishers Alliance based in Lagos, having six ICT media owners as members, also upholds this view. The Chairman of this alliance Aaron Ukodie said, “An inexplicable feature of the ICT revolution is the social media tools which allowed Nigerian citizens to monitor and report the electoral process via SMS, video and voice in a manner never before now seen.”
President Jonathan’s also launched a website used to coordinate his campaign team and followers. The chairman of Goodluck Jonathan Global Campaign Team, Peter Eledan stressed that the architect behind goodluckjonathanfor2011.com website served as “the linking paper handkerchief” that helped supporters, volunteers and campaign workers to coordinate their offline and online activities. Supporters could reach out to one another.
However, Ukodie admonished President Jonathan that the use of ICT for electioneering purposes must go beyond this stage. “He must begin to explore, with effective and elaborate collaboration with players in the sector through active policy involvement of the presidency, how ICT can be deplored to galvanise the growth of the Nigerian economy and information sharing,” he said.
In same vein, the CEO of TPT International, a PR firm based in Lagos, Charles Igbindu warns that “... politicians should know that engaging with voters through social media is a continuous process, and can’t simply be revived a few months or a year before the time of election.”
The presidential candidate for Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Nuhu Ribadu evoked a great presence online after declaring his intention to vie for the 2011 poll. Seen as one of the youthful presidential aspirants in the last election he targeted young Nigerians (the next generation) who normally have strong penchant for social networking via this modern media. The ACN candidate launched a website (www.ribadu.com) and registered an account with Facebook where he had 177,199 followers. On both platform there was YouTube video containing his campaign manifestos.
The Ribadu website has a portal where visitors can send free campaign text messages to their friends or relatives mobile phones to solicit votes for ACN. Even, after the polls Ribadu continued to use his Facebook page to communicate with his followers. In a recent note on his wall page he thanked Nigerians; especially the youths that constitute 70 percent of the population. He used this medium to express their feeling regarding the outcome of the election. “The truth is that the elections offered us lifetime and wonderful opportunities to encounter the vivid living realities of our people. It fundamentally challenged our received notions of development regarding one of the richest nations on the face of the earth but which nonetheless still ranks in the bottom file on all the human development indices”, Ribadu wrote.
Just like his opponents, the presidential candidate for the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Muhammadu Buhari also utilised some of the aforementioned social media platform. The campaign team for Buhari4Change coordinated its supporters through a website (www.buhari4change.com) linked with YouTube videos containing campaign outings and programmes. There are 13,811 followers on the Buhari4Change Facebook page.
The campaign jingle on the CPC candidate site has attracted a huge controversy. A firm, Bluelabs Limited has alleged it conceptualised and developed the song which Buhari’s campaign team used on its YouTube videos, Facebook page and website. “To our greatest consternation, the video was set against our Transformation Song and adopted similar graphics”, the firm wrote in a website. “While we were delighted at the testament to the quality of our company’s work, we felt seriously aggrieved that our song had been ripped and used in broadcasts without authorisation or license from us.” The Buhari4Change team on its website admit that neither CPC nor any of its officials own, designed or developed the YouTube video montage in question. “We have records of email from Femi Odewumi, MD of Bluelabs LLC indicating their intention to sell the ‘project’ to CPC.”
The use of social media during the last election was not exclusive to these presidential candidates; many gubernatorial and legislative candidates operated websites and Facebook pages to interact with their supporters.
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, for instance, has over 5,000 followers on his face book page. From observations, Fashola greets Lagosians good morning and good evening on daily basis while the campaign period lasted. From his page, those greetings have now ceased and no more forth coming; probably because he has gotten the second term that was the target.
The use of social media by Nigerian politicians has really come to stay. The media also serve as an avenue for collecting donation from supporters. The fact that it was pronouncedly and effectively utilised during campaigns leading to April polls, we hope to see wider reach and more Nigerians following these media in future elections.

Making the perpetrators pay for their uprisings

2011-05-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

By PAUL ARHEWE 25/05/2011 00:57:00

The spate of political and religious violence in the country in recent times actually calls for concern, even as carnages from such uprising keep mounting and have left many Nigerians families in sorrow. Many incidences in northern parts with recurring toll in places like Plateau, Borno and Bauchi where the proclivity for killing is taking an unprecedented dimension require more daring and drastic measures. Our government has continued to set up committees upon committees to probe past uprisings without much remedy to arrest the growing monstrous situation.

Recently, another of such panels was set up to look into the causes of the post-election violence last month, and as expected, nothing tangible is expected from these seeming futile efforts; as disagreements over who leads the panel has highlighted the foreseeable failure in the whole exercise.
Last week, an international human rights watch stated that about 800 lives were snuffed out during the mayhem, even as our government is keeping the death toll to its chest to prevent further reprisals. One way to get these nonentities to stop the spate of killings is to make them pay directly or indirectly for the destruction of lives and properties each time this madness takes place.
How can this be done? Simple, when a church or mosque is burnt down during an uprising in a particular area the monthly statutory allocation for the local government and state where the unrest occurred is deducted by the federal government and a better worship structure is put in place for the one that was destroyed. Also, the aforementioned should be applied to any public infrastructure or private properties destroyed. When this practice is put in place, and the youths and elderly in a rancorous locality see that all allocation for their local government or state is persistently used to service debt from their irrepressible uprisings, they will have no choice than to make recourse to self-motivated effort in curtailing future reoccurrence. Their traditional rulers, local and state governments would be forced to embark on intense campaign against behaviour that spurs bedlam in their locality. Not only would these leaders campaign to dissuade those rascals from perpetuating further destruction, they will constitute a force to fish them out.
More knocks than kudos followed the emotive palliative of President Goodluck Jonathan to the ‘NYSC 10,’ where five million naira was given to each family member of the deceased. Many see this subtle benevolence as inadequate. For me, state governments and local governments in areas where these killings took place should be made to pay heavily to compensate these families. Those traditional leaders, heads of clans and communities, in my view have not really contributed enough to arrest the incessant spate of violence and mayhem in their communities.
Hence, when communities statutory allocation, meant for development and to cater for the welfare of the people, are continuously used in serving the notoriety of few in a community, then majority of them in that same locality would be forced to team up and handover the bad eggs among them to security forces. The time for treating these evil perpetuators with kid gloves is over. Since they don’t mean well to our common heritage called Nigeria, they should be prepared to receive fire for fire. In situation where their excesses lead to loss of any life, those who are culpable should be made to pay the supreme price. No amount of money is enough to pay for a single life that is lost.

Cancelled US DV -2012 results:Cries of 22,000 selectees

2011-05-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe, Online Editor

The hopes of many people world- wide that had nursed the dream to travel to God’s Own Country next year through the visa lottery programme were dashed last week as the United States government announced the invalidation of the released results due to computer glitches. About 22,000 entrants who were notified to proceed to the next level of the exercise would have to forfeit that opportunity, as the American government says the process for selecting them was neither fair nor randomly carried out.
The US Diversity Immigrant Visa programme began in 1994. The annual programme gives skilled and educated adults from selected countries across the globe the opportunity to travel to America on a work visa.
At least 100,000 applicants are supposed to emerge to proceed to the next stage out of the 14.7 million applications submitted for the 2012 exercise. About 50,000 Green cards are issued annually for the programme.
A call was made by National Mirror to the Information Specialist Media Officer, Joke Omotunde of the US Public Affairs Information office in Lagos. Omotunde said there is no new information regarding the cancelled visa, except those uploaded in the diversity lottery website.
The initial list of selected 22,000 entrants has been removed from the US dvlottery website.
Another fresh selection process would be conducted, based on the original entries for the 2012 programme submitted between October 5 and November 3, 2010. The new lists of those to be selected in the rescheduled phase would be published, July 15 on the same website (www.dvlottery.state.gov), as the computer error in the initial draw has been identified and corrected, a statement from the US government discloses.
The fates of those 22,000 entrants initial selected remain unknown as no favourable consideration would be accorded them. Hence, they would either be lucky to get reselected or miss out.
Harish Gupta, national editor of Indian Daily News and Analysis (DNA), who recently paid a visit to Nigeria, says the computer glitches or hitches are supposed to revert.
The US government says it was necessary to invalidate the list of those initially selected because its law requires that the Diversity Immigrant visas be made available strictly on a random process.
The computer programming error made the last selection not truly random, thus the outcome did not meet the requirements of the law. Hence, it would be unfair to many DV entrants if it is allowed to stand.
Already, some of those affected entrants have formed a group on a website www.petitionspot.com and on the social network site, Facebook, to sign petitions in attracting the attention of US government to their plight. In a message purportedly posted by one of the anonymous victims reads “US Green Card Lottery DV-2012 –22,000 winners can’t be ignored – join this Facebook group and sign the petition”.
Another new dimension the affected selectees are embarking to see that justice is done is seeking means to get a bill raised by the US congress which will make them get their status without recourse to the 50,000 DV visas.
Abdou Sizar, one of those selected said “on May 1, I saw the heaven; hope and future but on May 13, I saw life in black just darkness and hopeless, really the dv-2012 broke my heart so badly”.
Another selectee, Joe Ibrahim with a family of three who have applied for many years in order to raise their two children in the US, said “My elder child was the happiest person in the world when we told him that we won and after a while, we will be moving to the US. We are in a great shock since we got the notification that the lottery results will be ignored. My wife can’t stop crying, I almost stopped working and the big problem is we don’t have the courage to tell our eldest son that the lottery results have been cancelled. We won’t travel this year to the US. It was much pretty easier if we did not win from the scratch”.
Also, Ahmed Elekiaby, among those selected says “...when the results were cancelled I was very distressed, because I changed all my plans for life during these two weeks of happiness, I sold my property, turned down a good job proposal, paid $100 to DHL to sent my application forms to Kentucky”. “So when I heard the news I was so crashed, that I don’t know what to do next. I’ve already lost my confirmation number, as did many other participants, because it was said that for the further steps we need only “case number”. So if we are lucky the second time in July, we won’t have any chances to find it out. There are a lot of us who want to get our results back. We don’t know where to apply and nobody cares”.
In the same vein, Andreea Thompson expresses his grief over the cancellation: “I am one of the selectees for 2012 DV Lottery and on May 2, 2011 when I checked the results, I was the happiest person in the whole world. I have applied for the lottery for many years and this was my lucky year. I couldn’t believe that they voided our results when I heard it, especially on Friday morning of May 13th I went to the USCIS office in San Francisco and confirmed that they could adjust my status in US from a visa to the green card. As soon I stepped out of the USCIS office, I mailed my letters to KCC and the cheque to DOS with my application fee as I was heading to Europe for work. When I landed in Europe, my mom called me crying (because she knew that this will be a big shock and disappointment for me) saying that she heard on the news that the 2012 DV lottery results were cancelled”.
The experiences of many of the 22,000 people across the globe are the same. Nigeria has continued to lead with the highest number of entrants and those selected to proceed to the next level in previous editions. For the 2010 edition there were 1,570,316 Nigerians that submitted entries; the figure rose in 2011 to 2,144,626, and there were 2,005,876 entries in the 2012 edition. Nigeria came second with 6,000 becoming the country with the highest number of those selected in the DV 2011 next to Ghana’s 6,002 selectees.

After Fashola, who is ACN’s next Joker?

2011-05-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 11/05/2011 01:05:00

The stronghold of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), one of Nigeria’s major opposition parties, was tightened during the last general polls, as the ‘progressives’ have successfully captured all, but one of south western states.
Except for Ondo State currently controlled by the Labour Party government, the Awoist styled party with a commanding force in Lagos; the Centre of Excellence, is a major thorn the ruling party will love to overpower in the region during another balloting exercise, certainly for 2015. In Lagos state, the incumbent and governor-elect, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) would, by 2015, complete his second term and ACN would be left to seek for a viable replacement: The question is; who would the party use to dazzle the electorate after Fashola?
Some people would definitely say it is too early to start showing concern over who succeeds the incumbent governor in the state, more especially as he is yet to begin his second term. Four years is a long time, but early planners usually carry the day. Lagos, as the commercial and economic nerve centre to the country, is a state the ruling party will not want to miss again.
No wonder President Jonathan had to relocate to the state some days prior to the last gubernatorial poll in order to step up strategy to outwit the ACN. For many Lagosians, because of his outstanding performance during his first tenure, the re-election of Governor Fashola during the last gubernatorial poll was almost as sure as the air we breathe. There was a general belief that even if he had left the ACN to contest under another platform, Fashola would have still emerged a winner of the poll.
The closest the Peoples’ Democratic Party have gotten to snatching Lagos was in 2007 with late Engr. Funsho William as its candidate in the state before his sudden assassination. William had won the heart of many Lagosians then, but was not allowed to achieve his dream of ruling Lagos. It would have been a difficult one for Fashola against William in 2007 than with Musiliu Obanikoro.
Last year, there were reports that the current Lagos state speaker Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji actually submitted a letter indicating his ambition to vie for the party’s governorship primary poll against Fashola. He may be the Joker for the party, based on his experience and pedigree, one which could be contested with Gbenga Ashafa, senator-elect, who is with a rising profile in the state’s political landscape. The saga behind the purported move by the State Assembly to impeach Fashola and truncate his vying for another term then was clandestinely initiated to make room for those who can’t wait till 2015 for him to vacate power to leave space for the wolves to come and dine.
Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, a fine gentleman with lots of experience; a onetime Speaker of Lagos Assembly until 2003 when he was elected to the Senate, has the mien and is a sagacious politician the party can use to spring a surprise in 2015, even though the party leadership supposedly forced him not to vie last year in the senatorial race.
In another vein, as a way to placate the womenfolk, the party may take a swap at preparing a female contestant to break the ice in this exclusively masculine tryst. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, re-elected to the House of Representatives on the party’s flagship, is fast gaining popularity in the state.
She may equally be the Joker if this second approach is adopted. Joke Orelope Adefulire, deputy-elect to co-pilot the affairs of the state with Fashola, may not really be a Joker here, as she will need to be tested to alter the pattern in which Sarah Sosan was discarded despite a tall performance as deputy-cum Commissioner of Education in the state. ACN would really need someone in its sleeve that could win the hearts of Lagosians and be really trustworthy to surpass the achievements of Fashola for the party to continue to tighten its grips on power in the state even in 2015.

Do foreign media really see any good in Nigeria?

2011-05-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

By PAUL ARHEWE 05/05/2011 01:07:00

The April elections are over, leaving behind trails of woes and applauses. While winners are still in celebrative mood, those bad losers are either seeking avenues for redress or still attending to their defeats.
Nevertheless, we will forever remember the distasteful event that underscores the electoral exercise where many lives were inhumanly snuffed out, despite the fact that the polls were adjudged to be the most transparent and fairest Nigeria has conducted in decades. Many families are left in a lugubrious state from the residual of this deadly mayhem. From observation, foreign media have, in no small measure, contributed in abetting divisive outburst through their pattern of reportage and in the manner in which they harp continuously on the flimsiest of brouhaha in Nigeria until they snowball into a conflagrated quagmire.

The post-election mayhem is not an exception. One is flummoxed that most times, maybe deliberately, they chose to neglect those laudable happenings taking place in Nigeria, but pick holes to find derogatory excitement that will be celebrated through their media. For instance, not many a media in this clime did celebrate with screaming headlines to salute the transparency that accentuated the just-concluded polls in the country, but as usually influenced by their known idiosyncrasy, they quickly focus to pinpoint faults and trumpet them to stir the hornet’s nest. This grotesque reportage has attained a dimension where these foreign media begin and end any story concerning Nigeria in a picture that portrays irredeemable division and uncontrollable corruption.
The only good thing they report about the country is the abundant deposit of crude oil. For instance, how does one explain the constant reportage in any story about Nigeria where they usually begin with “the Muslim North” and “the Christian South”, “a Christian President from the South” or “a Muslim presidential candidate from the North”? Who told them the northern part of the country is 100 per cent Muslim or the southern part constitute wholly of Christian residents or indigenes? Such adjectives usually are aimed at causing division and creating suspicions along religious and ethnical pathways. When northerners begin to suspect the South that their plight would suffer when a southern leader take over the rein of power, tempers are usually flared at the slightest provocation.
This was mirrored in the recent post-election bedlam in parts of the north; a region where majority of youths and elderly are only informed from Hausa service programmes broadcast by foreign media. Also, it is so bad that they can never end any story relating to the country without indicating the fact that Nigerians are corrupt. From the BBC, the Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, Skye news and lots of them, none is innocent in this regard. The corruption index in the country may be on the high side; no country is immuned from it, and it should not be a consistent phrase that should be used to stereotype every Nigerian. This is the economic implication some of these foreign media have contributed in the country. Maybe they are working towards making their prediction a reality that the country would secede come 2015?
Our leaders both present and past have, in many instances, given nudge, wittingly or unconsciously to the prolongation of this neo-colonial imperialism by patronising foreign media with first-class privileges on issues of national interest. We all know how the news of the ailment and saga of the late President Musa Yar’Adua broke: Nigerians only got to hear his ailing voice and health condition on BBC, despite the fact that we have many capable private and government-owned media that would have professionally deciphered the content of the message in the local parlance that could have been effectively digested. Likewise, the presidential candidate of the Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) Muhammadu Buhari, gave his first reaction on BBC in regard to the killings in the recent post-election violence. I think it is high time our government checked the pattern of broadcast and checkmated the tendency of using this medium continually to fuel crisis in the country.

How U.S got Bin Laden

2011-05-02T13:08:00.000-07:00

Paul Arhewe

The near decade hunt for American most wanted terrorist and mastermind of the September 11, 2001 Twin tower bombings in New York came to an end early yesterday when Osama bin Laden was killed by US troops through a helicopter fire-fight in a commando fashion.
US intelligence got the information in August last year that Bin Laden was holed up in a high-walled compound in Abbottabad, some 50 miles northeast of Islamabad. How bin Laden was able to reside in posh vicinity fortified with Pakistani military officers is still a mystery.
A U.S. official said a key clue to tracking bin Laden down was learning the name of a trusted courier, which led U.S. intelligence to the compound raided on Sunday. After noting the compound had few electronic links to the outside world - and incinerated its trash, rather than putting it out to be picked up - Obama gave the go-ahead last week for a helicopter raid into the compound.
Bin Laden "did resist the assault force," the U.S. official said, but was shot in the head and killed "as our operators came into the compound."
The area was home to many retired Pakistani military officers, and had been spared much of the extremist violence that has erupted in the country over the past several years.
"The compound has been in existence for roughly five years, but we don't know how long bin Laden had been there," A Whitehouse official told ABC News.
The property was valued at about $1 million but had no phone or Internet service, another sign that led U.S. intelligence to believe bin Laden was being harboured inside. Residents at the home also burned their garbage, rather than put it out for pickup as others residents in the area did.
"It was custom-built to hide someone of significance," one official told reporters.
The White House said three other men were killed in the raid, including two couriers and one of bin Laden's adult sons. One woman was also killed, the U.S. said, after being used as a human shield.
It would be churlish, but accurate; to point out that he had eluded a worldwide manhunt for close to a decade after eluding a tightening, but fraying, U.S.-Afghan net at Tora Bora on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in December 2001. As hundreds crowded around the White House to celebrate bin Laden's demise, it's also relevant to note that bin Laden's impact peaked on 9/11, and has dwindled ever since. Nonetheless, the symbolic impact of his death cannot be under-estimated, either in the war on terror or on Obama's re-election prospects.

An emerging pattern of balloting in Nigeria

2011-04-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 20/04/2011 02:43:00

A significant voting pattern was observed as the results from last week’s presidential election began to trickle in on Sunday Nigerians, to some extent may have jettisoned the moribund pattern of voting en-masse along party line. As it was made obvious in the poll that the electorate voted based on personality preference; this also took into consideration the ethnic and religious pathway. Thus, clearly dividing the country dangerously in two halves: -the northern and southern- like the prototype the late Gideon Okah proffered during the botched April 22 coup in 1990.

That the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) could decisively secure Lagosians’ ballots, a stronghold of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) attest to the fact that there is an emergent pattern of balloting, where consideration for party, which hitherto was a major factor in past elections, may soon be secondary if this trend continues. For ACN to clinch virtually all seats in Lagos and accrued a frightening proportion of winnings during the National Assembly elections for the whole of Southwest and a week later lost all but one (Osun) state to PDP, this tells it all. Someone asked this writer if the PDP would also floor ACN in the gubernatorial poll in the state? Many voters who trouped out to cast votes for PDP last week were actually voting for Jonathan, the personality bearing the flag of the party, not the party itself. It won’t come as a surprise to me next Tuesday if Governor Babatunde Fashola should garner 90 per cent of votes cast during the governorship poll for Lagos state where PDP won convincingly last Saturday.
People have already started venting their opinion that the victorious emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan is an output of voters’ sympathy and voting based on sentiment; pleading the cause for a minority ethnic group to take their turn at the highest position in the country. To a great extent, there is truism in this statement. However, to this writer, there is really no better alternative among the lots that contested the election with Jonathan.
While deadly uprisings are spreading like wild fire in some parts of the North, the triumph we have already recorded in the conducted polls would likely be overshadowed if such attitude continues as losers and their supporters fail to embrace the reality, and accept defeat honourably. For once, we can raise our head high, and be proud as Nigerians because we are certainly getting it right with the level of fairness and transparency that embodied the presidential and the legislative polls. Apart from the botched 1993 general election by the man known as evil-genius, elections in Nigeria, especially since the country embraced democracy in 1999, has continued to record backlog of widespread riggings, daylight ballot box snatchings, and deadly violence.
President Goodluck, Attahiru Jega and his INEC team deserve to be lauded for the commendable outcome of the two polls already conducted. Foreign observers, both the EU representatives and those from our neighbouring countries have all raised their thumbs up in acknowledging a well-conducted and very transparent election. The level of transparency for the polls is undoubtedly the best Nigerians have witnessed in decades.
Former Ghanaian president, John Kuffour who represented the Africa Union (AU) in monitoring the elections extols Nigerians determination and called the election a “refreshing” and “positive” impact on the continent. Other international observers from EU, ECOWAS and the US joined in rendering positive comments on the outcome of the poll. Monitoring group from Unites States, say thousands of polling unit across Nigeria were largely peaceful and free of major glitches associated with previous elections. This is indeed a turning point, we still have some more elections to conduct next Tuesday, and for INEC to have a clean slate and complete excellent grade, it needs to ensure that similar transparency accompanies the gubernatorial and the remaining parliamentary polls set for same day. Those little skirmishes observed during the last two polls need to be addressed.

At last, a watershed in Nigeria’s electoral process?

2011-04-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe

Change, as it is generally known, is a constant factor that can never be ruled out in any human engagements, whether positively or negatively driven। No doubt, last weekend’s Senatorial and House of Representatives polls have brought significant change, both positively and negatively in the hitherto pattern of electioneering in Nigeria. Recently, I read an article from the archives of Times Magazine titled ‘Nigeria: Electioneering in the Bush’. This article was written November 2, 1959, precisely eleven months to Nigeria’s independence. Nigerians then had never voted in any popularly organised election.
The event then was likened to an unbelievingly strange exercise, one that was out of the blue. The naive Nigerian electorate then were dazed by the struggle between the duo of Anamdi Azikiwe and Obafemi Awolowo who had eyes for the office of Prime Minister of the federation, with the turbaned Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello interested in the dignified post of Governor General. The primitiveness at that era was illustrated in one instance where Awolowo had hardly begun to speak in a campaign in the North when a herd of wild cattle charged across the site of the rally, breaking up the speech, as his political enemies laughed from their safe vantage spot. Things have really changed from that naive comical display of native to one in our contemporary epoch where bombs are easily detonated at the slightest chance, with mundane target as simple as passing a warning message to opponents. For the first time in the history of Nigeria electioneering the use of bomb has become the in-thing in some part of the country. Nevertheless, with a pulsating enthusiasm as displayed by the electorate; despite the distasteful twin previous postponements, we saw the massive turnout and witnessed the eagerness of Nigerians to vote conscientiously. No wonder the results released have shown how the mighty have fallen; to some extent we can say voters performed the task without fear or favour. That the speaker of the House of Representative, Demiji Bankole and Iyabo Bello Obasanjo, among other prominent heavyweights lost in the parliamentary polls go to justify that there was little or no intervention to garner the votes in their favour; credit should be given to President Goodluck Jonathan for keeping to his words; as he had vowed for a level playing field. Also, kudos to Professor Attahiru Jega and his associates for making Nigerians’ vote count. Indeed, if this new demeanour in electioneering should continue for the remaining elections then money-bag politicians and those unrepentant riggers should take a self-counselling session and be prepared to either embrace another vocation or wait and see how they are made irrelevant in a foreseeable future in Nigeria’s politics. While the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) should be commended for a job well done, it is not yet uhuru nor mission accomplish for the electoral umpire as there is more room for improvement, as the highly intrepid-evoking presidential and gubernatorial elections are still around the corner. Though, last Saturday’s election was not totally free from the normal ballot snatching and scuffles that are now idiosyncrasies of Nigerian elections, but this was minimal compared to what was witnessed in previous election. International observers have rated the outcome of the polls high next to the aborted 1993 polls that is adjudged by many Nigerians as the most freest and fairest. However, we can’t say this is a watershed and a new pattern of electioneering for the country. It is still too early to attribute such feat to it. Jega and INEC can still take us there, as the next presidential and gubernatorial polls would give impetus and make us determine which direction we are heading to. From an optimistic point of view Nigerians deserve commendations for their exhibited zeal during the last polls. If this tempo should continue we won’t wait too long before we reap a new verve that will see us outgrow the era of election riggings and overcome the do-or-die politicking that country dearly seek to discard.

Now, the ball in INEC’s court?

2011-03-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 30/03/2011 03:35:00

The long anticipated wait is almost over with barely two days to the April polls. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured us that all is in position to ensure well-conducted national elections, starting with the parliamentary poll on this Saturday; the presidential poll is slated for April 9, and the gubernatorial and state legislative elections for April 16. Four years after the last general elections, and a hasty preparation that visibly began only last year with a princely 86 billion Naira to fund the exercise in order to avert hitches, should we now as a country, say we have gotten it right? And does the ball now lies in INEC’s court which will bring about a perfect election that the country has dearly sought for? Not at all! Just as OBJ was alleged to have once said; even if Jesus should conduct an election in Nigeria there will still be foul cry; INEC with its staffers and ad-hoc staff cannot alone make us get it right 100 per cent.
The task at hand now is for all Nigerians to make this exercise violence free and obstruct any move geared towards rigging. This would not only save us from shame, as the rest of the world is keenly watching, it will make the country a true symbol African democracy, which has been the aspiration and expectation of other countries in the continent. INEC alone cannot avert violence and prevent ballot box-snatching in the 774 local government areas in the country. It is every Nigerian’s duty to ensure miscreants don’t have a field day in disturbing the peaceful conduct of these polls. The move to use serialised ballot boxes for the elections is a good idea, but, this cannot totally prevent rigging. Any serialised box can be emptied with the legitimate contents to be refilled with forged voters’ materials. Thus, complete vigilance from both INEC staff and the electorate is required to frustrate election mal-practices. The hell-bound riggers won’t stop at nothing than seeing they fraudulently forced their candidates on us. The numbers of culprits nabbed by police with INEC materials in the past two weeks is on the rise. This is the more reason that all Nigerians with the mind-set to see things work for this country should wake up this time around and shun those beggarly incentives some politicians have used in time past in blindfolding electorates. This clarion call is very important at this time that our democracy is yet to move from its nascent stage to a consolidated one. Indeed as a country, there are many issues that should capture our attention as we anticipate a flawless exercise this time around. The last INEC’s registration exercise in January, as expected, was not devoid of discrepancies; multiple registrations were recorded. Report shows that about 870,612 duplicated registrations were uncovered. Even after the registration exercise, many attempts were made with collaboration of some in-house personnel to beat the ‘sophisticated’ computerised system the electoral body established. The Commonwealth Observer team, led by former Botswana President Festus Mogae, recently raised fear that violence in some parts of the country may threaten the nationwide polls. While this proclamation may not come as a surprise to many, it is the duty of traditional leaders, religious clerics and party chieftains to control their followers and our security forces also have a huge role to play here to scuttle any plan for unleashing deadly onslaughts and skirmishes, fast becoming the order of the day in some parts of the country. The Akwa Ibom mayhem last week which resulted in the burning of hundreds of cars and trucks, the frequent uprisings in Jos and other areas in the country would normally give a cause for concern. Though, one does not see these uprisings as a major threat that can totally mar the overall outcome of forth coming elections. But we can’t predict the extent the overzealous politicians will go to attain their ambitions. Notwithstanding, all hands should be on deck to make Nigeria respect the votes of its people, through truly free and fair polls.

Mark Zuckerberg: A mirror for Nigerian youths

2011-03-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 23/03/2011 00:39:00

Recently Forbes International released the list of world most richest people, of which two Nigerians AlikoDangote and Mike Adenuga emerged the 51st and 595th respectively। One of the profiles of these wealthy personalities that fascinate me most is that of Mark Zuckerberg, the youngest of these billionaires, occupying the 52nd position next to Dangote with a fortune of $13।5 billion। It may surprise many of us who don’t know that 26-year-old Zuckerberg, is the founder and CEO of the popular social–networking site, Facebook, that both old and young people are passionate about.
Also, the young man dropped out of Harvard University in 2004 to pursue his idea of creating Facebook and drove it into a big achievement just like the world’s second richest man, Bill Gates, took। The young Zuckerberg started using and writing computer software at his infant age while still in primary school. His father, who is also vast in computer programming taught this American whizkid basic computer programming and later hired an expert tutor to coach him into the software guru he is. David Newman who mentored Zuckerberg said he is a ‘prodigy’; he always stayed ahead of what he wanted to teach him. He actually started the idea of building a networking website during his school days in Harvard. Then, as fun, he created ‘Course- Match’ and ‘Facemash’ that allowed students to form study groups and upload photos to interact. In Harvard, students have what they call Face Books, which contain names and pictures of every student in the different dormitories. Zuckerberg using these books, he created a site where he intermittently uploaded pictures of two males and two females, and the rest of the students would vote to choose the couple that is hotter. The site became very famous that it overwhelmed the server in Harvard within few days of its launch, which made the school sites inaccessible to students for their academic works. The school authorities have to pull down the site, amidst complaints that students pictures were been used without their permission. Zuckerberg was however not relenting on that instant obstacle. The massive demands by Harvard students for site similar to proscribed Zuckerberg’s site propelled him to forge ahead in building a more sophisticated one, which materialised in the launch of Facebook in February 4, 2004. It is painful, seeing many of our youths in this part of the world wasting precious time in committing cyber crimes, and many idle, but discuss round-the-clock foreign football leagues that would never fetch them one naira. Yahoo-yahoo boys are everyday devising clever schemes in hoodwinking their ‘Mugus’. It would be of immense societal benefit if such brilliant brains are utilised in bringing about positive ideas like Zuckerberg. The whiz-kid had the option of hacking banks and financial institutions websites, and would have smoothly and successfully become enriched as a genius, through this negative means, but chose a more legitimate course. In 2004 he had no car, no house no job, but turned down billion- dollar offers from big corporations begging to buy over his cherished Facebook idea. No wonder he was named TIME magazine’s ‘person of the year’ in 2010. Though, in the western world children are motivated at an early stage in developing their potentials, which goes a long way in making them useful assets to their society, even as early as adolescent. This is a cue to our government and parents need to adopt. With the aid of parents, children should be encouraged to pursue talents they show penchant for and be encouraged at the primary level to study along this identified path until their tertiary education. That is why our government should be encouraged to continue to allocate more funds for the education sector. It is never too much to invest in a child’s education; the future gain is monumental compared to what is expended.

Nigerian politicians and their vague promises

2011-03-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 23/02/2011 01:26:00

Many vague and bogus promises are bound to be bandied across Nigeria as politicians campaign to win the votes of the electorate. The aforementioned may not be new to us, nevertheless, what many of us would find hilarious and a kind of mockery is, when politicians, having spent four years without much achievement to show us, come around to tell us when voted for another term, they would conjure paradise from heaven to Nigeria. Please, they should spare us such illusionary cajole and think of better ways to woo the electorate. The question a reasonable person should ask is: What stopped them from implementing in the first four years those fine ideas they are now peddling? Some of them would argue they need another term to fine-tune and complete projects they have started- If this is their stance, we should begin to see how poorly they have managed government business entrusted to them.
A good manager should know how to judiciously use the available time he has in executing projects.

Why embark on white elephant projects, when there are pressing ones that could be completed within the shortest time? It has been observed that politicians in this part of the world engage in many vague and bogus promises as their manifesto during campaigns; mundane promises of food, shelter, schools, hospitals and many others. It is high time we started asking our politicians during campaign details of the ‘hows’ and the ‘whens’ of any promise they make. We have reached a stage in consolidating our democracy where we begin to recognise empty promises and make demands for concrete details on how they would be executed. Governor Jonah Jang, when kick-starting his campaign for second term, tried to woo the traumatised people in Plateau State by promising to bring an end to the protracted restiveness there. Maybe he is saying he wasn’t elected in his first term, that was why he is seeking a genuine authority from electorates that will equip him in intervening fully in the state crisis. It is really funny that Governor Jang seemed to have forgotten that his status as the chief security officer of the state, though with some limited powers over security forces, will remain the same when re-elected except there is a constitutional reform by the Federal Government to change the status quo.

The question really is: What magic would he perform that he has not attempted in his first term? Jang is a fine gentleman who means well for his people, but what I expected from his campaign to his people should be what he has done so far in curtailing the crisis during his first term, those things he could not implement within the next three month (with May 29 being the expiration of his first term tenure) and those strategies or plans he will inject into Plateau’s system during his second term. Jang should not just be giving vague promises that are now an idiosyncrasy of many politicians in the country.

Any of his opponents could likewise talk of bringing peace and development to Jos and its environs when given the mandate but what should make the difference is the ‘how’ and ‘when’ this peace and development can be attained. When the latter becomes a pattern of campaigning in the country, the electorate would know when to hold politicians by their words when they are not fulfilling their promises. Politicians should learn how to expressly say and show what they intend doing for their people and lay all cards on the table to make the people know whether such promises will be fulfilled or not. Vague promises only lead to complications and make the people have false hope. Nigerians should, by now, be wary of those false promises from politicians and they should be prepared to ask questions, especially now that campaigns are at a crescendo ahead of the April polls.

Head or tail, Gaddafi still loses

2011-03-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 15/03/2011 05:21:00

Muammar Gaddafi’s continuous slaughtering of his people to remain in power, even though he has spent the last 42 years as a sole leader for this North Africa country, no doubt has again illustrated how power can intoxicate and his show of abundant recklessness and inconsideration for the many lives and public infrastructure that are destroyed daily.
Since penultimate Sunday, the aggressive anti-counter attacks against rebels, who are pursuing his ouster made this tyrannical ruler regain some lost grounds. Gaddafi’s forces attacked the areas where rebels had taken control of; bombarding them through airstrikes, tanks, and rocket launchers making death toll mounts. One fact is clear whether Gaddafi eventually regains all rebels captured areas in eastern and other parts of Libya, he will still be a loser. Winning or not, his people will continue to despise him and he won’t be able to rule majestically and have the free reign to command total control as he flamboyantly flaunt before this self attracted predicament.
It is one thing to force people and coerce them to obey, it is another thing to make them totally submit their legitimate consent to continue to be subjected to a leader many have shown disapproval for.
There are reactions from the Gaddafi’s camp that the western media has concentrated and portrayed a picture showing that a greater percentage of the Libyan population are opposing Gaddafi’s rule, even though this may be seen as a strategy for the insubordinate leader to win sympathy to his defective course, the obvious is that he is killing his people in hundreds. The Libyan revolution has taken a different twist from that which was witnessed in Tunisia and Egypt that led to the ouster of Zine El bidine Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak. The situation in Libya is akin to a civil war. Human Rights Watch said "Gaddafi and his security forces are brutally suppressing all opposition in Tripoli -- including peaceful protests -- with lethal force, arbitrary arrests, and forced disappearances."Gaddafi has seven sons and a daugther.
His sons are equally displaying the high level of power drunkenness that is now a symbol of their father. Libya to them is now a kingdom where their ancestral lineage is only authorised to rule. One shouldn’t blame them as they were born, bred and grew in Gaddafi’s palace, where they can neither differentiate what people’s sovereignty is in regards to state issues nor can they fathom the true feelings of what the Libyan people wants. The arrogance in their reaction to the happenings in Libya tells it all. Recently, one of them, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi spoke in an interview with CNN Christiane Amanpour. "Listen, nobody is leaving this country. We live here, we die here," he insisted. "This is our country. The Libyans are our people. And for myself, I believe I am doing the right thing." He went further to ask Amanpour to show him a single attack or single bomb that has been fired on civilians. Today, the whole world is seeing the continuous airstrikes and tank assault on areas where oppositions have taken over.The repeated announcement by his sons that there will be civil war in Libya if Gaddafi should step down, shows they are desperately protecting their supposedly ‘inherited throne’, and urging their father to continue the war to slaughter the people he has been ruling, even to the extent of destroying the last man standing.
More revolts are bound to occur even if Gaddafi successfully crushes the rebels and regain the eastern region and other parts. Already his army is divided; a faction is in solidarity with the rebels’ course, there may be coup to eventually overthrow him. Having western backings and France openly recognised the government of the rebels to the consternation of the European, Gaddafi can never be the ‘old lion of Africa,’ the posture he proudly exhibited prior to this massive revolt. This proponent for a United Africa tate would only end up aggravating this revolt into a full scale civil war that would tear Libya and destroy the development he had built for over four decades. The United State government is treading with great caution not to unilaterally back the rebelsin flashing out Gaddafi. The option to arm rebels and fortify them to match Gaddafi’s forces would have been adopted by the Americans; they are only waiting for consensus from other world powers, consisting of the UN Security Council. As the rebels call for a declaration of no-fly zone on Libya grows louder to obstruct Gaddafi’s air bombardments, the Libyan war lord is gaining upper hand these few days.
His forces have reclaimed parts of oil facilities and towns, including Brega, hitherto occupied by rebels. U.S is currently soliciting the consensus of other world powers to help rebels against the anti-Gaddafi struggle. In Hillary Clinton’s tour to seek support for the Libyan rebels U.S is initially meeting with President Nicolas Sarkozy; whose government was the first to identify with the rebel regime. Gaddafi stand no chance of having a free reign within Libya and outside his country, as only few country’s leaders would be prepared to welcome him with open hands, even if he wins the ongoing war.

Making caricature of our societal values

2011-03-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe

It is only in a fool paradise that the grandiose display of parody and the daylight slaughtering of societal values are wholesomely applauded. When criminals and ex-convicts are publicly celebrated and pencilled down for future highest political positions then it explicitly shows how putrid societal values has been debased.
The red-carpet reception organised by friends and toadies to celebrate the return of the ex-convict cum PDP big whip is not only a slight on our societal values but really degrading especially as the country is trying to stamp out the smear Nigerians are stereotyped with as one of the world’s most corrupt people. How would observers from other sane societies take us serious in our claims and pseudo-determination to adopt the Dora Akunyili’s approach of rebranding Nigeria?
Many like me were really taken aback and mourn the sordid state this country plunging to, seeing posters with bold portrait of Bode George adorning and defacing many beautiful walls around Tafawa Belawa Square during last week campaign flag off for President Goodluck Jonathan in Lagos. Trying to outshine the really focus of the campaign, those posters have inscription ‘Bode George, The Joseph of our time’. He is likened to Joseph in the Bible who left the Egyptian prison to become the country’s prime minister next to Pharaoh. I see no resemblance between these two characters. While Joseph was incarcerated based on falsehood for act he did not commit, George in our case here was found culpable by a competent court for fraud during his leadership of Nigerian Port Authority. The heroic and grandiose celebration of his release no doubt is a bad precedence, especially as the country engages in a war against corruption. How would the young general eschew criminal tendencies when societal elderly are publicly celebrating criminality? These days you see our youths finding pleasure in flaunting dignity when they engage in crimes like internet scamming; ‘yahoo-yahoo’ as it is popularly called in our society. This group of cancerous youths are bold to show off amid this repugnant vice, because there is a lacuna in societal values that should make them hide their faces in shame. Some of our supposedly elders, that should be custodians of our societal values are not really helping matters here. Chieftaincy titles are recklessly awarded to looters of our national treasury, armed robbers and drug barons are openly lauded and their prominence is readily showcased in every public functions, so far they are willing to dole out parts of their dirty bounties. It is disheartening that this menace is slowly creeping into our religious houses.
It is a wise thing that former president Olusegun Obasanjo publicly condemned the celebration of criminality of the ex-con and quickly disassociated himself from it. This is how statesmen and elderly should distance themselves from those anti-societal activities that are tearing down good values in our society. Being the chairman of board of trustees of his party, he is right when he said he is the conscience of his party. Seeing his party members celebrating criminality and not publicly condemning this act would not only portray the party as a cohort of gangsters but one that has lost all traces of values and virtues. For one, George was not convicted and incarcerated as a political prisoner and the basis of his confinement was not as a freedom fighter. Then for no reason should he be celebrated, rather be made a societal nonentity as a lesson to others.
There is a need we take to the path of strengthening and upholding the right societal values so that Nigeria could move up in the integrity indexes which it has share the bottom position for a long time now. Transparency International last year ranked Nigeria as 134 out of 178 countries assessed. Ghana our neighbouring country is ranked 62. There is no way we should expect to climb to a respectful position in this integrity index when we continue to celebrate criminality in Nigeria.

Ghana: Nigerians must come!

2011-03-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

PAUL ARHEWE 04/03/2011 02:47:00

It is amazing how time flies and events change fast. The axiom that what goes around comes around can be linked to the 1983 ‘Ghana must go’ operation under the regime of then General Muhammadu Buhari and his able deputy, late Brigadier-General BabatundeIdiagbon. Many pointers are vividly showing us how Nigerians and many firms are shifting sites and their headquarters to the former Gold Coast.
It was just like yesterday that we witnessed the convoy of trailers, like those used in transporting goats and cows from Sokoto to Lagos, taking the dislodged ‘unwanted Ghanaians’ home. The nomenclature ‘Ghana must go’ bag is now popular with the multi coloured sack-like bag because this was what many Ghanaians then used in packing their little belongings back to the country of Kwame Nkrumah.
I remember as a young chap, along with other viewers, we climbed the bridge in front of the International Trade Fair in Lagos to catch a first-hand glimpse of the thousands of ejected Ghanaians; many of them were wailing and looking dejected. I saw frustrations in their eyes, probably foreseeing a bleak future ahead for them in their country’s economy. But that wouldn’t be the case as Ghanaians have successfully managed a bad situation into one that attracts other Africans with a future full of many enviable promises.
How Ghana was able to turn around this pathetic state within 20 years and why are Nigerians making the country a destination of choice? This is really a puzzle. Many localized multinational firms have relocated their headquarters to Ghana! Companies like PZ plc., Unilever Nigeria plc., Dunlop plc., Guinness Nigeria plc., Ok foods and several textile companies are now operating from there. Though, some may argue they may be expanding their business networks, but we all know the business environment in Ghana is presently friendlier and cost-efficient than what we have here in our country. Two major reasons are underpinned here as the cause for this sudden change. For any country to have a thriving economy; the small, medium and large scale businesses require constant power supply which is a sine qua non. This is invaluable and a must, especially for an era where competition is very keen due to globalization and the rate to access products from other markets is open and at cheaper due to improved telecommunication and the internet. We cannot forget in a hurry that Ghana celebrated ten years of uninterrupted power supply in the whole of that country recently. Though, it is true Ghana is as small as the size of Lagos and Oyo states combined, with the huge resources God has endowed Nigeria with, we cannot boast of uninterrupted power supply in any part of the Nigeria for just one day.
Billions of Naira had been injected by past and present governments into arresting the power situation with no progress in sight. It seems the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) is so rusty that pumping more billions to salvage it only boomerangs to worsen the already deteriorated state of power generation and distribution in Nigeria.
The hurdles and costs for clearing imported goods from our seaports are a source of disinvestment to importers and investors generally. Apart from the approved import duties that importers pay at our ports, after waiting for months to get their goods cleared, they are made to pay at least five times more before these goods get to their warehouses. Security personnel, like ants that can’t get their eyes off sugar, see trucks with containers as easy way of making quick money. The importers are made to ‘settle’ all the policemen, soldiers and Road Safety officers they encounter before arriving at their warehouses. This usually increases the cost of the end products. Products from Nigerian indigenous manufacturers come with high prices and in low quality. While Ghanaians have the vision of turning their country into an African pride with more promising future as they continue to discover more oil wells, our government should urgently address these obstacles that fast collapsing our economy, and driving Nigerians and our companies to her neighbouring countries. Let’s not wait till Ghana takes her turn to order ‘Nigerians must go’ once again!

Careless deaths: A call for more police trainings

2011-03-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

By PAUL ARHEWE 16/02/2011 05:16:00
The stampede last weekend at the campaign rally of the president in Port-Harcourt where 12 people were reported to have lost their lives, has again shown how shabbily events with mammoth crowds are organised in Nigeria and the role security men play to prevent misfortunes. Why should people be crammed and arranged in a space where escape routes during emergency are not visibly available?
The Port Harcourt sports stadium, venue of the rally, was turned into an arena of commotion and pandemonium as a shot from a policeman to disperse crowd sparked off panic. In this modern age, how can a policeman shoot into the air just to control crowd? This goes to show how untrained many of our security officers are.
Any knowledgeable human being ought to fathom that shooting to create panic in the mist of thousands of people locked within tight space, could end up in a deadly stampede. This show of lack of professionalism among our security personnel, gives a cause for concern and clarion calls for the need to train Nigerian police on how to be skilled in crowd control. In modern and civilized societies, police hold batons and water cannons to disperse large crowds, not live bullets as we witnessed in our society on daily basis. In late January, four youths were cut in their prime by police bullets for partaking in the protest against the relocation of the newly approved Federal University of technology from Kabba, its original location, to Lokoja in Kogi State. Accidental discharges have always been an excuse when a driver or bus conductor is felled by police bullet for refusing to cooperate and part away with settlement fees. Last month also, a danfo driver named Anayo, 35, was killed by a stray bullet when driving out of his street in Lagos.
Policemen were shooting sporadically in the air and one of the bullets killed this father of three. It is sad every time one hears of such careless killings and authorities are not really doing much to prevent reoccurrence. How many more of these careless killings should we continue to tolerate? It is high time our police officers are trained in the rudiments of crowd control and effective handling of assigned guns. We know the crime rate is on the high side in the country, but not every Dick and Harry in the police force should be made to carry gun, especially when it comes to crowd control. Effective use of baton, water cannons and tear-gas canisters should be widely practiced, especially during mass protests as witnessed in modern and civilized cities. This will relatively reduce the rate of killings at such mass rallies. Government and security operatives in the country should consider the fate of the families left groaning whose their breadwinners were cut down by careless police bullets. One wonders if insurance coverage is ever considered for such events like political rallies; considering the teeming crowds that are attracted to such occasions.

In the recent case in Port Harcourt, what would happen to the families of those who lost their loved ones as they were trying to associate and pay tribute to their contesting president? The reply remains a puzzle. Past experiences have always been short of expectation. Usually, there will be a call for investigation to trace the cause of the stampede. After a week or two, things are back to normal, and the families are made to bear their lost and forever suffer the stress that comes with it. Careless police-induced deaths such as the latest occurrence in Port Harcourt should always be avoided. Except a free and fair polls are recorded come April, those who died trying to support and honour President Jonathan, could be regarded as dying in vain.

Significance of Ideology in Nigerian politics

2011-03-02T06:07:00.000-08:00

By Paul Arhewe

The New Year has seen political activities in the country at its crescendo as the April general polls become imminent with few months away. As expected, the world is watching and waiting with keen interest to see if the most populous black nation can break the jinx this time to conduct elections that would be freer and fairer than what were experienced especially since Nigeria retraced its steps to democratic rule since 1999.
Indeed, last week the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in its presidential primaries in Abuja successfully used a well organised convention and peaceful process in selecting incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan for its sole ticket for the exalted seat. For once, Nigerians are showering PDP with encomiums for the transparent manner it organised the poll.

For its previous intolerable acts the party is seen by many Nigerians as a major obstacle to democratic consolidation in the country. These conducts have left bitter taste in the mouths of many ordinary Nigerians. A party that started with a promising profile has long been overtaken by thugs and looters. The presidential primary is indeed a facelift to redeem the already bartered image of the party, and a repeat of this act of even-handedness in the fort coming elections in April will no doubt be a saving grace for its dwindling profile.
Many staunched critics against the Nigerian ruling party were greatly impressed with this particular event last week. The party’s delegates also deserve commendations for the manner they conducted themselves and their votes have shown they disregarded ethnicity and parochial predilections.
However, even as the party’s primary polls were adjudged free and fair some critics have condemned the state-by-state voting pattern adopted; faulting it on the ground that delegates were not really free to secretly make their choice as president Jonathan would know those states that voted for him and those who backed out. While it is true that as state delegates the group votes are easily traceable, just as Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan berated seven Deltan delegates that voted for Atiku, nevertheless this argument is porous; as a few south-south delegates actually voted against Jonathan without their identity revealed. Heaven wouldn’t have fallen if others followed suit.
Interestingly, Jonathan’s landslide against Abubakar Atiku (a Northern consensus candidate) is a pointer that we are approaching an era where electorates won’t danced to the dictates and desires of a few cabals; where their votes would be conducted based on their own sound judgements and not on ethnocentric or fiefdom leanings. The fact that he lost in his own state and in many northern states is a lesson other politicians should be abreast with by now that our electorates are really wiser now. Parties’ primaries with the platform they provide are one good place to sell to the electorates, candidates’ manifestos and how policies would be organised. Atiku’s nemesis, which was not only an outshoot of his hopping front and back from party to party, but as vividly shown from his speech in the last PDP convention he was not wooing the delegates on issue-based argument, but was using the opportunity he had to fight dirty. Lack of ideology was his undoing.
Politicians in matured political climes associate with a party that shares same ideology that they have. As a graduate in Public administration having taken many courses in political science, it is glaring that none of our political parties in the country have a clear patterned ideology; just grey areas. No wonder there are so much rigmarole among our politicians, with consistent defection to other parties not minding their ideological proclivity.
In United Kingdom, for instance, the Conservatives are known to have an ideology that has positive outlook on the state. Hence, it maintains control and order in society with limited intervention by the state in service delivery; though basic ones should be provided. Margaret Thatcher ideology as the leader of the Conservative party in 1975 was dubbed ‘Thatcherism’ because she believed in radical change and was moving the party to a neo-liberal ideological stance. In her time, the party was economically liberal but morally conservative. But in contemporary time, the present Conservative leader, David Cameron, is creating more law and order as he is moving more to the right wing. That is why we are seeing more intervention of border police in cracking down on immigration, and other policies introduced to stop people from claiming many welfare packages when they can work. On the other hand, the UK Labour party since the era of Tony Blair was troubled with ideological strife; combining both social democrat and neo-liberal ideologies. Gordon Brown lost to the Conservatives last year is attributable( not exclusively) to his steering the party more towards neo-liberal stance, similar to the Thatcherism; making his party to lose ideological focus.
To be relevant in contemporary politicking, as event from the conducted parties primaries have shown, politicians in the country should be focused with sound ideological posture; as electorates would be more positioned to vote based on personal fitness and significance of candidates.

Will Nigerians ever get over last-minute-rush syndrome?

2011-03-02T05:48:00.000-08:00

By PAUL ARHEWE 03/02/2011 00:38:00

One glaring idiosyncrasy associated of many Nigerians is this problem of procrastinating and waiting till the eleventh hour, even when an activity is vital and of national interest. This syndrome was in display last Monday being the last day in January which the Central Bank had earlier set as deadline for bank account updating. The disorderliness and confused state of things at the entrances and inside of most commercial banks makes one to ponder whether notices were actually passed to their customers or maybe, those customers are from another planet? Before Monday’s deadline all banking halls were free for people to walk in and easily do their updating, one wonders; why wait to rush? Maybe, a research should be extensively conducted whether Nigerians derive happiness doing things during rush hours?
Though, before the previous December 31, 2010 deadline, awareness was not well publicised, with the extension one could say many people were adequately informed. It is baffling that the rush to update accounts before December 31, 2010 disappeared only to reappear January 31,2011 with massive crowds. From all indications, if CBN should extend this exercise by a year, many people will still show a blasé wait till the very last two days to its expiration before embarking on a mad rush to partake in the exercise.
Procrastination they say is a thief of time, but in another way it can be viewed as a lazy-man-thing that portrays a not well organised and coordinated person. It wouldn’t be a surprise that many people would still be waiting for the deadline before registering in the ongoing INEC exercise despite the many hitches and difficulties that has marred it. This syndrome is not only attributable to individual Nigerians; our government and its agencies have shown they are culpable of the act when conducting important national events and functions. We can still remember vividly how in 2009 Nigeria nearly lost hosting of the U-17 FIFA’s world cup due to last minute preparations. Jack Warner, the head of the FIFA’s team that inspected facilities in the six stadiums billed for the competition only saved us the shame by giving a month grace after several visits. Furthermore, we witnessed one of our worst outings in FIFA world cup tournaments at the senior level last year in South Africa. What was the cause? Again, it is traceable to last-minute preparation. Lars Lagerback was appointed just three months to the tournament to lead Super Eagles to South Africa; a team he has never in his life had anything to do with.
Has anyone asked why there are too many hiccups in the on-going INEC voters’ registration? We remember how Professor Attahiru Jega last year complained of insufficient time to successfully conduct programmes leading to voters’ registration and the actual conduct of the April polls. With the manner and time voters registration machines were ordered and shipped to the country; how do we expect we could get the best from thousands of computers that were packaged in a rush? We had four years to plan for the 2011 polls after the last one in 2007, but as a result of the known eccentricity our government, it chose to wait till few months to 2011 before appointing Jega and embarking on electoral reforms. As it has been pointed out, these delays sometimes seem like deliberate intentions to provide lesser time for proper public accountability and give account for how those billions of Naira to conduct the exercises were spent. Another school of thought posits that politicians especially the ruling party, may not sincerely want a decent and credible elections; hence the strategy is to delay funds till the last minute to frustrate the exercise. Whether this is true or not, we have witnessed issues of nonchalance and lacklustre approach our government put in issues concerning our social life and security in the country. For instance, why leaving pot-holes in our roads unattended to during dry seasons, only to put serious efforts to salvage them in their deteriorating states during the rainy season? One fact we should be abreast with regarding to time is that it is never enough. It is only the prudent that judiciously make wise use of the little they have.

Making our security forces more proactive

2011-03-02T05:19:00.000-08:00

By PAUL ARHEWE

The increased spate of bombings and terrorist attacks in recent times have vividly shown and exposed again how unsecured Nigeria is and the lacuna in its security outfits. Alertness and professionalism which are germane to securing a country with teaming population like Nigeria, are virtually absent or been compromised. To many, these current spates of bombings in the country may not have come as a surprise; as our security forces have been forewarned of the attacks by sect groups, especially the Boko Haram. In July last year when the Islamist sect group, Boko Haram, commemorated one year anniversary of the death of their slain leader, a serious security apparatus in the country would have been on the alert and highly proactive to nipping in the bud any premeditated and nursed onslaughts. This would have saved the country from the lugubrious situation we find ourselves.
From all indications, our country’s intelligence and security forces have done little to scuttle and avert these senseless bombings despite lead signals and warnings from many quarters. The confiscated 13 containers laden with arms and ammunitions at the Tincan Port in October last year, was indeed a good lead that should be enough to pass the signal to our security forces that, some people (be they politicians or religious fanatics) do not meant well for this country and appropriate actions needed to be taken to stop subsequent surprise attacks. After the world cup bombings in Uganda in an article published on July 18, 2010 with the title "Uganda Suicide Bombing: Why Nigeria Should Be Vigilant", this writer asked if Nigeria government was stepping up security to prevent or quell any surprise move like the Somali al-Shabaab linked to al-Qaeda group. This warning then came amidst website revelation that members of the Boko Haram sect were liaising and sympathising with the Iraqi al-Qaeda insurgents. The question raised then was "If this group should infiltrate our borders or pass the act of suicide bombing to their supposedly brotherhood in Nigeria, then destruction of life and property would remain unimaginable; given the poor security network we have and our large population".
In that article the admonition was "Nigerian government and security officers should wake up and brace up for the challenge ahead, and desist from treating with kid gloves the threats from the remnant of the Boko Haram group, especially as it commemorates one year of their leader’s death".
The recent revelation from the American Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), that the Abuja bombing is linked to al-Qaeda, is an indication that Boko Haram is bent on turning this country to another Afghanistan and Pakistan. The signature from the Abuja bomb matched those associated with other blast by the al-Qaeda terror network. It becomes a disturbing issue with the lack lustre approach our security operatives have shown to previous threats.
Nigerians are known for their lackadaisical approach and eleventh hour rush to address issues of prominence. This culture has been passed to issues concerning our national security and peaceful coexistence. Our security forces, including their intelligence squads, have caught this bug and seem to be compromising their professional calling to safeguard life and properties of the citizenry. In a report last week, it is revealed that FBI has conceded to Abuja’s request to station a permanent independent counter-terrorism unit in Nigeria that would aid in training our security forces in the act against terrorism, and help in preventing the rising incidents of blasts through better coordinated security surveillance. Our indigenous security outfit is again made a mockery of as the proposed counter-terrorism unit will operate independent from any of existing agencies in the country; as the Americans are scared many of their officials may have sold their conscience to bribery. Who dare say these Yankees are wrong?
Government introduction of accounts updating with banks to checkmate means for funding terrorism and their activities, and the intention to install close security circuit cameras all over the country is a welcome development. The police should be friendlier with the masses for people to willingly give vital information in curbing the excesses of these insurgents.

Cote d’Ivoire: Another shameful show of ‘African democracy’

2011-02-07T05:44:00.000-08:00

By Paul Arhewe

The current tussle for Cote d’Ivoire’s presidential seat has again exposed a derogatory practice of democracy, exclusively African, to the rest of the world. Electioneering and democratic practice in the continent is shown to be deeply obscured in inconsideration, selfishness and disregard for the wishes of the electorates. No wonder Africa is singled out from the rest of the world as it has a different definition and way of practicing its democracy. This becomes mind-boggling where many non-African countries have thrived and consolidated to an extent that democracy is a norm, even instilled into infants in their societies. We may say they have been practicing democracy for centuries. Alas, Africa’s democracy is simply rotating in a circle and retrogressing, showing no sign of improvement and would remain so for long time to come if nothing drastic is done.
Cote d’Ivoire currently has two presidents differently sworn in same day; an upshot from a run-off election after the first didn’t produce any clear winner. The incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo refusing to concede defeat to the former militia leader turned prime minister Alassane Ouattara, sought judgement from a constitutional council led by his friend Paul Yao N’Dre who voided many results in the Northern region where Ouattara has many supporters. Hence, the electoral commission’s result was overturned in favour of Gbagbo.
Ouattara’s victory from the poll has attracted near-universal recognition. The African Union, ECOWAS, European Union, France (her former colonial master), United States, and the United Nation have openly backed Ouattara’s claim, and at the same time condemn Gbagbo’s continues seizure of power and occupation of the presidential palace. Ouattara is forced to operate from a small hotel room amid solid security from UN peacekeeping troops while the defiant Gbagbo still continues to pay deaf ears to global outcry requesting him to step down. He went as far as refusing to answer the telephone call of U.S. President Barack Obama.
The continent has been inundated by replicas of the current Ivorian madness where sitting presidents would prefer to reign as life president and be prepared to quash any form of oppositions aimed at their selfish quest. The practice of democracy in the continent at the electioneering and the public accountability stages are most times a replay of what happened in George Orwell’s animal farm, where those we call leaders’ are so much intoxicated and blindfolded by power to the extend they can’t differentiate what the masses want from their self propelled desires.
In 2008, the Zimbabwean prototype of current Ivorian demonstration of wanton craziness was in display. Then, the veteran president Robert Mugabe through several brutality and oppression forced his major opponent Morgan Tsvangirai to boycott an election he was favoured to win. Through a regional intervention led by former South African president Thabo Mbeki, a unity government was fashioned out. Prime Minister Tsvangirai in October this year cried out to the West that the deal is not working and threatened his party will back off. The monster in Mugabe still remain untamed as he has taken unilateral decisions in running the unity government and the prime minister’s office is redundant. The Kenyan 2007-2008 election crisis also illustrated how messy what we describe as democracy in Africa. Then incumbent President Mwai Kibaki was declared winner and sworn in a grossly rigged election, what many have termed as a daylight robbery against Raila Odinga his main opponent. The Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was an instrument that would negotiate a power sharing deal; making the people’s choice a second fiddle to a mandate robber.
It is then worrisome seeing a new mediation process set to be headed by the same Mbeki to intervene in the Ivorian quagmire. It won’t be a surprise, as the best Mbeki can get is a power sharing deal or unity government which is fast becoming a genre of democracy exclusive for Africa. In this era where a black is American president, one is concerned that this new trend of unity governments would only lead to hamper any little consolidation the continent would dream to achieve in her democracies. Why make the electorates choice play second fiddle?
Having a near-universal acknowledgement of his victory in the poll, anything less than installing Ouattara solely in the presidential palace to execute the mandate of the Ivoirians is tantamount to encouraging more African incumbents and future leaders to continue the now contagious practice of disregarding and rubbishing electorates’ mandates and expunging peoples’ wishes, which form the nucleus of real democracy. The ECOWAS, AU and UN should at this instance combine actions to pressurise Gbagbo to step down. Persuasions and more talks would only prolong his hold on the stolen mandate. It is high time drastic measures are meted out to these power drunk and self-anointed life presidents like Gbagbo. Some analysts have suggested they are no better than coup plotters and should be treated as same.
As expected, soldiers loyal to Gbagbo have started killing protesters sympathising with Ouattara. The shedding of citizens’ bloods, whose crime is that they vote and want their ballots respected, should not be allowed to go in vain. He should be held responsible for the deaths of those innocent Ivoirians and many others who will still be used as sacrificial lambs as this madness continues.

Tunisia revolution: Warning for Nigerian Government

2011-02-07T05:07:00.000-08:00

By Paul Arhewe

There is a limit to which every human being can tolerate oppression from tyrant leaders. Beyond that level of tolerance, the outcome is insurrection which can be deadly and consequentially disastrous. This is the picture in Tunisia where the then sit-tight President, Zine al Abidine Ben Ali, had ruled this North African state for 23 years. The Tunisia’s ‘Jasmine revolution’ is linked to a regime that has oppressed the people for too long, amidst high rate of unemployment, corruption and oppression. The trigger was a 26-year-old university graduate whose offence was that he didn’t take to carrying arms to rob the people after remaining unemployed for years, but chose to settle for a mere fruit and vegetable trade on a cart. Police molested Mohammed Bouazizi despite this humble profession he was engaged in; seized his cart, slapped and roughed him up severally because he does not have licence to back up his trade. Bouazizi filed a complaint with municipal authorities but was rejected. He died some days later after setting himself ablaze at the front of government house.
Other people in other North African countries like Egypt and Algeria had followed the steps of the Tunisians in staging protests to oust their overstayed government. It is the turn of President Hosni Mubarak who has ruled Egypt for close to 30 years. Like his ousted counterpart in Tunisia; the Egyptians are calling for his head. One thing about the Arab world is that they tend to emulate themselves in unison of purpose. The widespread protests against the Dutch cartoonist’s mimicry of Prophet Mohammed and the recent copycat suicides attempts, showcase an overture that we are yet to see the end of these protests, more are likely to come up in other Middle East countries; notably in Jordan, Morocco, Yemen and Turkey. What these tight-sit heads of state have failed to understand is that sovereignty lies with the people. The supreme power to determine what should be or not in a country does not stop at the Presidential office or hallowed chambers of legislature; these arms of government usually are representative of the masses. The three major exponents of social contract theory- Thomas Hobbes, J.J. Rousseau and John Locke- all acknowledge the fact that sovereignty lies with the people.
It is out of need to establish law and order and ensure maximum security that the people had to compromise their liberty to submit some of these freedoms to an authority at the centre for the general good of the public. Though in Nigeria we are more enlightened in this part of the world to allow a tyrant rule for decades with maximum oppression, but the level of unemployment in the country is frightening. Jobless millions of Nigerian youths roaming the streets, and our tertiary institutions are yearly turning out thousands into the labour market with no adequate government plans to accommodate them and secure their future. If this trend should persist for the next five years, the consequence would be worse than what we are presently experiencing in the Arab world. Nothing stops our government from giving soft loans of between N500,000 to one million Naira to aid every fresh graduate start a small scale business after graduation that will be closely monitored by agents of government. World Bank record last year showed that about 40 million Nigerian youths between the ages of 18 and 25 are unemployed. This is outside the teeming number of those who are between 26 and 40 years, many left tertiary institutions for as long as 5 to 10 years and are still jobless. If these jobless Nigerians are added, we may have nothing less than 70 million Nigerian youths that are jobless- probably the highest in the world and about 57% of our total population in Nigeria.
Official figures state that 14% is unemployed out Tunisia’s population of 10.4 million. If revolt by about 1.46 million Tunisian jobless youths and rising cost of living (with GNI per capita at $3,720 in 2010) which is less, compared to that witnessed in our country (with GNI per capita at $2,748 same year) could lead to deadly revolution; who dare say with the level of unemployment and excruciating pain to survive in the country, we are not sitting on a time bomb ready to explode any moment from now? Nigeria is even far behind Ghana and Cameroun who currently have $10,748 and $10,758 per capital income respectively. The time to avert this foreseeable revolt is now.

Wikileaks Exposures: Is Pubic Interest Threatened?

2011-01-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

BY Paul Arhewe

Secrecy is a germane ingredient of international diplomacy that some analysts argue should be maintained for the safety of the public. Transparency, they posit, could sometimes be detrimental to public interest. Thus, “unveiling all secrets is not a universal and absolute good”, Steve Harvey of Colorado Confluence argued.
The above statement is justified when former American President John F. Kennedy successfully negotiated a peaceful end to The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 by making a secret promise to remove American missiles from Turkish soil.
Diplomacy is the chief instrument of countries’ foreign policies. This act usually requires the conducting of relationships for gains without conflict. Hence, its methods according to Britannica Concise Encyclopaedia include, inter alia, secret negotiation by accredited envoys including those conducted by political leaders.
Wikileaks set precedence recently by divulging thousands of U.S. diplomats’ memos through its website. This move has not only starred tensions among nations but it is said would go a long way to affect the base of international diplomacy. This has divulged some ugly behind the scenes manoeuvrings and conspiracies among allies and plots against foes. The organisation operated silently since 2006 when it was established not until early part of this year when their first batch cables were revealed.
Wikileaks may not be the first in exposing those clandestine dealings of envoys and their patrons, but it has upped the ante. In 1979 Iran through its revolutionary guard took hold of similar releases of cables from U.S. Embassy, though in smaller version. Never before in human history has the volume of diplomatic material and broad scope of subjects released to the public. The content of the over 250,000 cables is linked to 300 embassies dated from 1966 to 2010. Subjects covered include external political relations, internal government affairs, human rights, economic conditions, terrorism and the UN Security Council.
The organisation’s whistle-blowing operations have attracted massive supporters and at the same time it is in the bad books of many governments and their envoys who are calling for prosecution of Julian Assange the founder of Wikileaks. In support of the Whistle blower’s popularity recently a rally was staged in Melbourne where thousands of people condemned his arrest in UK in connection with sexual abuses committed in Sweden. The protesters pledge they will continue to gather in front of the British consulate every Friday until he is released. As a matter of fact, call for his nomination for Noble Peace Prize is been advocated by Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party Leader Walid Jumblatt.
The impact of these leaks on international diplomacy and foreign relations would have a far reaching effect. Firstly, the amount of information and assessment shared among countries will likely be constrained and restricted. Secondly, the leaks are likely to influence the way leading world power like U.S. relates with other countries. This may likely tell on the fortunes of present political leaders and actors at the international scene. Thirdly, if the leaks continue as Wikileaks has threatened the disclosures of internal documents of banks will have colossal repercussions on the financial industry globally.
Diplomats and peacekeeping troops abroad are likely easy prey for terrorists as these leaks have exposed their operations’ strategy and some government scheming.
Furthermore, a regime of suspicions among countries has begun to take place. After the leaks many countries were denying actions and postures attributed to them. Even as Iran says it will not react against Saudi Arabia on the revelation of its anxiety over Tehran operations nevertheless Iran would be suspicious of her neighbouring friend even if this is not overtly shown.
In her reaction to the leak, U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton condemned it as an attack not only on U.S. but on all governments. She said “It is an attack on the international community, the alliances and partnerships, the conversations and negotiations that safeguard global security and advance economic prosperity”. Clinton went on to criticise those protagonists on the side of Wikileaks. According to her “some may mistakenly applaud those responsible...There is nothing laudable about endangering innocent people, and there is nothing brave about sabotaging the peaceful relations between nations”.
If affected governments are not at ease with these disclosures reaching the public, then many have asked why do they say them or execute such act at the first instance. In this stance, Tony Obiechina media officer for the Israeli Embassy in Abuja told National Mirror “It is a very good development to have the Wikileaks disclosures because it has laid bare some of those selfish decisions and actions taken by a few power mongers in government who pretend to represent the vast majority of us”. He further added that “more disclosures are needed hopefully to keep our leaders on their toes”
Public interest is usually referred to as common well-being or general welfare of all. Then, the argument that secrecy in diplomacy should be maintained to safeguard public interest has it pitfalls; some of the revealed cables by Wikileaks have shown to represent the ego and subjective interest and views of few people government. For instance, the recent released cables exposed how U.S. plan of getting a united Korea under Seoul got the consent of China. Is this move considered from the view of public interest or a subjective inclination? With the present setting in that part of Asian continent, annexing North Korea under Seoul is one easy way of promoting the birth of a bloody colossal war. A Saudi crown Prince was also revealed in the leak to have thrown a party where alcohols, drugs and prostitutes were used to service guests. One would ask if keeping this secret would be for public advantage. Nigeria was also not spared from the leaks. It is revealed that Dutch Shell BP has planted agents in all ministries and government agencies in the country. If this is true, of whose interest was it done? Is it to protect the oil conglomerate’s interest or those of Nigerians?

Lessons Nigerians must learn from Chilean mine rescue

2010-11-26T07:21:00.000-08:00

By Paul Arhewe
Just like in the movies, 32 Chileans and a Bolivian, trapped miles beneath the rocks of a Chile’s mine for 68 days, were all rescued in a task that was achieved through coordinated state- might and a determined commitment that spared no cost to see that they were reconnected to their loved ones and the rest of the world. Millions of dollars were committed to bring specialists from NASA and some drilling experts within the shortest time, just to rescue the miners. The successful rescue of the 33 is peculiar as this would be the first time in human history that miners trapped for over two months beneath the earth, came out alive.
As it will be recalled, on August 5, 2010, the 33 miners were literarily cut-off from the rest of the world as 700,000 tonnes of rock collapsed and caved in on them. They only had a glimpse of hope of surviving this nightmare 17 days later. This mine rescue was the second event which brought the country into world focus this year. The first was in February, when a devastating 8.8-magnitude earthquake that left about 500 people dead and more people missing, hit the country. The country’s resolute and spirited show of oneness in the face of disaster, has given credence to the general assertion that South American people have strong sense of national identity and commitment to the welfare of one another.
The Chileans have successfully taught the rest of the world, especially Nigeria, how to turn a miserable and hopeless situation into glory. As a matter of fact, many observers have expressed fear that if this event had taken place in Nigeria, the rescued mine workers would have perished without any assistance. Authorities in Nigeria should note that, while Copiapo would have gone into history as a mine site of mass grave, it is now a place where patriotic valour is celebrated.
The country has even begun to reap from this brandished exhibition of commitment to national goal of protecting life and properties of her citizens. To many analysts and observers of international politics, Chilean President, Sabastian Pinera, posing in front of Number 10 Downing Street with Prime Minister David Cameron, is a great diplomatic mileage achieved by Chile. Ipso facto, the country has continued to enjoy universal appreciation of the historic rescue of the trapped miners.
Although the country had a bad record of human rights abuse, especially during the dictatorship rule of Augusto Pinochet from 1974 to 1990, what entire world has learnt from Chileans is that, there is no limit to the level of success to be achieved when a nation directs her energies towards genuine goal of making the difference. Nigeria must learn from this fact and begins to redirect her energies towards developmental activities capable of making her true giant of Africa before the end of the first quarter of this century.
Nigeria has much to learn from President Pinera’s assertion that, “Chileans are facing more challenges with the same enthusiasm and commitment, especially on how to improve and strengthen their economic relations; how to work together in terms of education and many other issues”. One big lesson to be learnt from this globally celebrated event is that no problem is insurmountable for any country as long as there is genuine will and commitment from both the people and their government for that purpose.
The pertinent question here is whether or not Nigeria, the self-acclaimed Africa giant, would have attained same feat, given the same scenario; would our government have got the same zeal and commitment to put a stop to its business and go the whole length to commit vast resources in rescuing 33 ‘ordinary’ miners, especially when victims are not directly or ‘indirectly’ related to those in the corridors of power?
Like many people have expressed, it is quite evident that this sort of rescue mission would have been a complete flop in Nigeria as tribalism and other centrifugal considerations would have had a visible role to play in scuttling the rescue effort. The question many would have asked is whether or not the victims are Yorubas, Hausas or Ibos? Many ethnocentric arguments would have sprung up. If the government had demonstrated the will to commit its time and resources to the rescue mission, opposition would have delayed and eventually scuttled it. The commitment of government would have worn out with many selfish demands which have no relevance to the timely intervention required by rescue of the miners.
Recently, Nigerian government put up a similar show of commitment to rescue the abducted journalists in Abia state. However, the exhibited commitment of the government was more of a function of the personality of those kidnapped. Before their abduction, several people had been kidnapped in many parts of the federation without any serious rescue effort either by the government or its security agencies.
President Pinera might have used the rescue mission to score some political points at home and on the internationally stage, but this does not diminish the fact that the Chileans have a strong sense of national identity, an attribute Nigeria with an ethnocentric and divisive cleavages, should adopt.

Sept 11: New events fan flame of mayhem

2010-10-11T04:01:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe, Online/Foreign Editor

Before 2001, September 11 was like any other date for the Americans and the rest of the world.

But this was not so again after the terrorists’ attack on New York Twin Towers, and the Pentagon where about 3,000 lives were sniffed out within intervals of minutes. Two fuel loaded planes were crashed straight into World Trade Centre- housing the two tallest buildings in U.S. within interval of17 minutes, third plane after about one hour plunged into Pentagon in Virginia (destroying a wing of government’s military headquarters) and a fourth one heading to Washington D.C. about 30 minutes later crashed half way in Pennsylvania, following the interventions of passengers that rushed the terrorists after hearing of previous attack through their cell phones.

This development did not only immediately shattered U.S. security, but threw it into a state of emergency.

Though the U.S. intelligence were quick in pointing fingers to Osama bin Laden al-Qaeda group in Afghanistan, and the Bush administration spared nothing in retaliating against the Islamic Taliban regime that had protected the al-Qaeda in the mid-east country’ one wonders if the Taliban actually owns up to the 9/11 attacks? However, new argument last week by the Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad casts doubts on if actually U.S. is telling the world the truth or knows who the real actors behind these attacks were. According to him, "Something happened in New York and still nobody knows who the main perpetrators of that act were." He further charged that "No independent people were allowed to try and identify the perpetrators". Does Ahmadinejad knows what the rest of the world do not know about the true happenings or untold story of the 9/11 attacks?

No sooner than the twin towers were grounded that prophesy was linked to establish background of the event. This emerged from a script dated many centuries from a foremost astrologer of all times Nostradamus. The prophesy in his book The Centuries written in 1654 was In the City of God there will be a great thunder, Two brothers torn apart by Chaos, while the fortress endures, the great leader will succumb",

The third big war will begin when the big city is burning.

Interpreting this -the ‘City of God’ is New York City, the “two brothers torn apart by Chaos” was surely the fallen towers of the World Trade Centre. The fortress is the U.S Pentagon, and the ‘great leader’ succumbing to chaos surely is United States of America, and the third big war is a pointer to World War III.

Has the US successfully fought this war since 2001 by its military futility in Iraq and Afghanistan where over 110,000 lives have been lost? Or maybe the ‘third big war’ is imminent following recent events that are fuelling the ambient of religious bedlam.

First was the purported building of a mosque close to Ground Zero; the spot where the fallen towers in 9/11 attacks took place. This development attracted conflicting debates and threatened President Barack Obama, following his initial statement that the American Muslim community has right like any other religious group to build their mosque in any part non-restricted area in U.S. in his words: "This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are”. Many are of the view that Obama next bid to return to the Oval office would be tested on debates stemming from the aforementioned posture he exhibited.

Feisal Abdul Rauf, the Imam behind the proposed move to build the mosque two block next to Ground Zero stated in an interview recently that: “The status of Muslims in America and how America engages with its Muslim community has global ramifications”. The 13-story building is also to have compartment for community canter and a memorial to victims of the September 11 attacks.

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq the US troops fought were not explicitly religiously inclined but one waged against terror. Thus, they were restricted and limited to the mid-east region. But the proposed move to burn Koran publicly by a U.S pastor and intention of an Imam to build a mosque near Ground Zero would spark a colossal war that could culminate into war with factions aligned under religious basis. This is surely a good parting for WW3.

Rauf, even admitted this when he said, "If we don't do this right, anger will explode in the Muslim world ... If we don't handle this crisis correctly, it could become something very dangerous indeed."

Another event that is like a time bomb ready to blow off, sparking religious war between Christian and their Islamic brotherhood is the planned move to set hundreds of Korans on fire by a U.S. pastor controlling a small congregation of fifty people in Florida. Rev. Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center has marked out the 9/11, in commemoration of the terror attack anniversary to burn Muslim holy book for 3hours (6pm-9pm), an spinout of his last year declaration where he posted signs in front of his church with inscription stating "Islam is of the Devil."

Jones’ recent plan to burn Koran has attracted many reactions and condemnation to this action that is not only insanity, but one presumed is aimed at making him and his 50-member congregation famous. Not only would U.S. troops in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and other embassies across the world to placed as easy targets, fanatics among the Islamic faith would joyfully see this as an avenue to quickly attack Christians with the slightest of provocation. We remember the reactions the caricatured cartoon of Prophet Mohammed spurred in part of Northern Nigerians despite the fact the event took place in millions of miles from Nigeria.

Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Kabul Afghanistan, first raised his voice condemning the pastor’s plan; saying it would undermine the U.S. effort in Afghanistan and jeopardize the safety of American troops and civilians.

According to U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton this plan is “disrespectful, and disgraceful”. She also explicitly condemned the plan. Already effigy of Pastor Jones and U.S. flags have already been burnt in open protests against his move in Afghanistan and Indonesia among other Muslim states. The pastor knows he is not safe, as he made known to public last Wednesday that he had already received 100 death threats, and that he has armed himself with a .40-caliber pistol to safeguard himself wherever he goes.

Obama also lent his voice last Thursday on the issue, imploring the minister to have a change of heart on the despicable act. According to him the intended act of the pastor is “a bonanza to mass recruitments for the Taliban”. He implored him during an interview with ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ saying "If he's listening, I hope he understands that what he's proposing to do is completely contrary to our values as Americans," Obama said. "That this country has been built on the notion of freedom and religious tolerance."

One would be wondering why no arrest is made on the pastor to stop him from carrying out his threat. U.S. is a country that guide jealously his constitution and are ready to abide by it even when situation are not too pleasing to the eyes of other people across the world. According to constitution analysts, Rev. Jones has not violated any constitutional right. In fact, he is exhibiting his freedom of speech through his action, and cannot be held since his action has not caused any direct bodily harm to anybody. Hence, other suave moves to placate him out of his insanity planned act should be employed.

Though acknowledging the grave negative consequence the stationing of mosque close to Ground Zero would attract Rauf is still resolute like Rev. Jones saying that nothing is off the table, the move is still on to build it at the proposed spot. He said moving the project to another location would strengthen Islamist radicals' ability to recruit followers and would increase violence against Americans.

This year’s commemoration of 9/11 attacks is no doubts one that has attracted proceedings that are ready to tear apart America war against terror and jeopardise the security of Americas across the world.

Hence, The U.S. government under Obama need to carefully handled situations like these current religious outbursts that could easily spark mayhem leading to bloodletting from already high tempers of the people from either side of faith - be it Christian or Muslim.

Death penalty cases: U.S. double standard condemned

2010-10-11T03:46:00.000-07:00

Paul Arhewe, Online/ Foreign Editor

The accusation of double standard against United States has trailed its execution of Teresa Lewis last Thursday at the Greensville Correctional Centre in Virginia despite the fact that American led other western states in condemning Iran’s purported plan to stone an accused woman for adultery and her having a role in her husband’s death.

Several entreaties, over 7,300 appeals, from European countries coupled with those from right activists’ and open staged protest for Virginian government to halt the execution of Lewis by lethal injection, all were ignored and the execution was conducted.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earlier last week before the execution condemned western media and the western world of double standard in death penalty cases. Ahmadinejad during a speech to Islamic clerics and other figures in New York noted that "millions of Internet pages" have been devoted to Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, whose stoning sentence was suspended in July and her case put under review.

"Meanwhile, nobody objects to the case of an American woman who is going to be executed."

"Today Western media are propaganda agents who continuously speak about democracy and human rights though their slogans are sheer lies," he added.

His condemnation would be staring the America on the face as practising internally those same acts that it condemns in other countries, especially those considered as its foes.

Her case and that of the Iranian woman’s have drawn international sympathy mainly because of their feminine status which normally is seen as docile to criminal tendencies. The proportion of male to female execution in U.S. is very wide, especially since the country’s Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976. Out of over 1,200 people executed only 11 were women.

The cases of both condemned women bear semblance. For Lewis, who her attorneys say she is mentally imbalance, confessed she was guilty for the killings of her late husband and step son, and pled for forgiveness before her execution. Ashtiani, the condemned Iranian woman still maintains her innocence and retracted her earlier statement. She claimed she was forced under duress to give false confession which led to her conviction in the adultery case.

Ashtiani was convicted in 2006 of having an ''illicit relationship'' with two men after the murder of her husband the year before and was sentenced at that time to 99 lashes. Later that year, she was also convicted of adultery and sentenced to be stoned.

After putting the stoning sentence on hold, Iran suddenly announced that the woman had also been brought to trial and convicted of playing a role in her husband's 2005 murder. Her lawyer disputes that, saying no charges against her in the killing have ever been part of her case file. In early August, Iranian authorities broadcast a purported confession from Ashtiani on state-run television. In it, a woman identified as Ashtiani admits to being an unwitting accomplice in her husband's killing. The Iranian authorities are said to have flogged her for the publication of a photo of a woman without her hair covered in the Times of London newspaper.

Lewis in 2002 contracted two men whom she had sex with and gave them cash to kill her husband and step son for her to claim a $250,000 insurance policy. Both men would have to die for her to receive the insurance payout. She married Julian in 2000 and two years later, his son Charles entered the U.S. Army Reserve. When he was called for active duty he obtained a $250,000 life insurance policy, naming his father the beneficiary and providing temptation for Teresa Lewis.

She met at a Walmart with the two men who ultimately killed Julian Lewis and his son. Lewis began an affair with Matthew Shallenberger and later had sex with the other triggerman, Rodney Fuller. She also arranged sex with Fuller and her daughter, who was 16, in a parking lot.

On the night before Halloween in 2002, after she prayed with her husband, Lewis got out of bed, unlocked the door to their mobile home and put the couple's pit bull in a bedroom so the animal wouldn't interfere. Shallenberger and Fuller came in and shot both men several times with the shotguns Lewis had bought for them.

She was testified by her attorney, many other prisoners and warders as a changed woman before she was put to death. She had openly confessed her wrong and begged for forgiveness to the only surviving daughter of her late husband. In her words: "I was doing drugs, stealing, lying and having several affairs during my marriages," Lewis wrote in a statement that was read at a prison religious service in August. "I went to church every Sunday, Friday and revivals but guess what? I didn't open my Bible at home, only when I was at church." Moments before her execution, Lewis asked if her stepdaughter was near. She was. Kathy Clifton was in an adjacent witness room blocked from the inmate's view by a two-way mirror. "I want Kathy to know that I love her and I'm very sorry," Lewis said.

The act of Lewis is one that called for capital punishment, just like many people have condemned her that she desired what she got. Nevertheless, Iranian government was painted a monster in Ashtiani case, and well trumpeted by western media. But the American government and the western media, who were leading the cry against her stoning, went mum when Lewis’ case gained international attention, amid several entireties for stay of her execution. Is this not a case of double standard?

Iranian government would have the upper hand in the barbaric death sentence of Ashtiani by stoning, even as it is undergoing review. A mark which can be interpreted as the painted devil sometimes listen to entireties while the acclaimed saint turns deaf ears to clemencies and pleas. The two cases and their endings portray huge irony, where only bias less elucidation would only make one to decipher the boundary that separates both.

Uganda Suicide Bombing: Why Nigeria Should Be Vigilant

2010-07-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe, Online/Foreign Editor

THE HAVOC from the Somali al-Qaeda linked group al-Shabaab is not only growing; the invoking fright from the devilish group’s expansion outside the Mogadishu borders calls for concern to all African governments especially in the area of security fortification and alertness.

In its deadly fashion, this group known for possessing the penchant for killing innocent people for the sake of propagating an extreme Islamic faith, the insurgents turned a joyous ending for viewers of the last football World Cup to a lugubrious one. In twin suicide bombings last Sunday, 74 football lovers in Kampala were dispatched to the great beyond, for having a crime to be in a country that sent 3,000 troops to join the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to help in quelling the rising level of insurgency in the North African country. The world in unison has condemned this dastardly and wanton killing over a cause to propagate a faith that is paradoxically a religion of peace. The group claimed it carried out the terror attack due to Uganda government’s snub to its request to stop sending its troop to Somalia. In its words: “We warned Uganda not to deploy troops to Somalia; they ignored us,” said Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage, al-Shabaab’s spokesman. “We warned them to stop massacring our people, and they ignored that. The explosions in Kampala were only a minor message to them. ... We will target them everywhere if Uganda does not withdraw from our land.”

What is African governments doing securitywise to counter threats of more onslaughts from such group? As Ugandan government has vowed to crush their uprising by sending more troops, al-Shabaab is threatening that what happened last week is a tip of the iceberg of what the Ugandan people stand to receive if its government persisted.

Al-Qaeda group in the Middle East has strongholds in Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, and Afghanistan. Their deadly suicide bombings of decades are no more weighty news or front-page banner due to their daily occurrences. In that part of the world, suicide bombings from this extremist group is now in fact a way of life and the people there have come to terms with them.

Back home, is Nigeria government stepping up security to prevent or quell any surprise move of such ‘servants of death.’ Report has it last week that the remaining fashion of the notorious Boko Haram sect group in Northern part of the country posted an Arabic message in al-Qaeda website. When translated, it was a message of solidarity and support for the cause of Iraqi al-Qaeda and commiseration with the group over the demise of its leaders Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Omar al-Baghdadi who allegedly were killed during the U.S.-led troop attacks in the country. Imam Abubakar Skekau, a deputy of the Boko Haram, the sect group that killed and maimed scores during last July mayhem, has called for more attack on the Americans and hailing the dead al-Qaeda leaders as Hero of Islam.

The same sect group would definitely be in support with al-Shabaab, especially in lieu of its recent achievement in the Kampala bloodletting.

If this group should infiltrate our borders or pass the act of suicide bombing to their supposedly brotherhood in Nigeria, then the carnage of destruction to lives and property would remain unimaginable; given the poor security network we have and population mass. This indeed, is a call to plan ahead even before any fanatical group would even nurse the idea of suicide bombing in the country. Some may say at present we are not in the red alert or in danger zone, but the Uganda people were caught napping, and couldn’t tell what hit them, not until after the act.

Policing in Nigeria, without mincing word, has become an open disgrace to our society and a bane to economic growth. Checkpoints in every nook and cranny of the country have been converted to ‘toll gate’ where the bounties are not remitted to government coffers. Police stations are now houses for loot collections; after every day’s work you see members of the force go home with a fraction of what they were able to collect from hapless citizenry. In fact, the force men have coined the nomenclature ‘tapping’ for their shameful act. Kidnapping in South East and South-South parts of the country is on the increase simply because the police has lost every sense of professionalism and see their uniform as a means of milking the people they are meant to protect. They are known to abet men of the underworld in their act of criminality. How would such security force be a pillar of hope to the Nigerian society? Surely, a suicide bomber with a vast will elude our security personnel as most times they are preoccupied and distracted with the tapping toll they collect in streets and checkpoints, and lose focus over their primary area of assignment.

Nigerian government and security officers should wake up and brace up for the challenge ahead, and desist from treating with kid gloves the threats from the remnant of the Boko Haram group, especially as it commemorates one year of their leader’s death. It is no news that Boko Haram sect abhors western civilisation, what should be news is their alignment and camaraderie with al-Qaeda. The signal is clear, this group is subscribing to the devilish act of terrorism, even if it has not yet graduated to suicide bombing.

Hurdles Before Israeli-Palestinian Peace Move

2010-07-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

Paul Arhewe, Online/Foreign Editor
(With agency reports)

A new phase in the Middle East hostility is beginning to unfold as Israel, with the support of its old ally, The United States, is pushing for peace. Israel has declared its intension through its leader Benjamin Netanyahu that it is set to embark on direct peace talks with Palestinians.
Israel in May drew the irk of many in Middle East and other parts of the world when its forces killed Nine activists in an attempt to stop a flotilla of ships with humanitarian goods meant for the suffering Palestinians whose import and export routs have been cut off by the Israeli blockade in Gaza. This act has not only made Egypt to open its blockade of its own end of the Gaza border, but invokes and heightens the call for the lifting of Gaza blockade by Israel. In another vein, the only Israeli ally in the Middle East, Turkey, threatened to completely call off its relations with Tel-Aviv. In implementing this threat, Ankara has since stopped Israeli military aircraft from flying through its airspace.
Another thorny issue is the call for Israel to freeze constructions in West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements, which the Israelis maintain a stand that it wont secede any portion to its neighbours. This is a major obstacle to establishing a concrete platform for peace in the nearly 60-year conflict since the creation of Israel.
Last Tuesday in the Oval office with President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu talked about his country’s readiness to commence direct talk with its warring neighbours.
Obama, like his predecessors is known to have soft spot and an unbreakable relationship with the Israelis. But playing the good world police, Obama seems to welcome this new initiated move of Netanyahu to embrace peace.

Yet, the hard-liners in Netanyahu's coalition government will probably not be won over. They have no interest in answering Palestinian demands for a freeze on settlement building in return for direct peace talks.
And that's still the critical issue between the U.S. and Israel, one neither Netanyahu nor Obama addressed after their fifth meeting since Obama took office 17 months ago.
Netanyuhu sidestepped that question again Wednesday in an interview broadcast on ABC's "Good Morning America."
"The simplest way to advance peace is to put aside all the grievances and all the preconditions," he said, asserting he's "ready to sit down" with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to discuss peace "without preconditions."
Asked what concrete steps he was willing to take to set the framework for new talks, Netanyahu said his government already had relaxed "hundreds of roadblocks and checkpoints" in addition to its decision to ease the Gaza Strip blockade.
But he also told a foreign media that "we have to have very strong security arrangements so that the areas that we vacate do not turn into Iranian strongholds. We have some very clear requirements. ... The Palestinians will have very clear requirements."
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office last Tuesday, both Netanyahu and Obama had ducked a question about the Israeli leader's plans for extending a limited freeze on West Bank settlements. The moratorium expires in September.
While stark differences remain, the tone was far warmer than it was when Obama and Netanyahu were last together. That was in the spring and Obama was upset over Israeli policies in disputed East Jerusalem. He had Netanyahu to the White House in the evening, out of sight of reporters.
After this meeting, however, the leaders' Oval Office remarks were expansive, but — when carefully studied — held little or nothing new.
Obama praised Israel for easing its Gaza blockade, allowing in consumer goods, after heated international criticism for the deadly interception of a Turkish aid flotilla.
The president said he believed Netanyahu "was willing to take risks for peace," and heatedly rejected the premise of a question about having given the Israeli leader the cold shoulder in recent months.

Netanyahu said he was "committed" to peace with the Palestinians and said it was "high time to begin direct talks." He praised Obama for leading the U.N. Security Council to a new round of sanctions against Iran over its suspected nuclear arms program.
He was fulsome in thanking Obama "for reaffirming to me in private and now in public as you did the long-standing U.S. commitments to Israel on matters of vital strategic importance."
"To paraphrase Mark Twain," the Israeli leader said, "reports about the demise of the special U.S.-Israel ... relationship aren't just premature, they're just flat wrong."
The two leaders had gotten off on the wrong foot right from the start when Netanyahu — in their first White House meeting soon after Obama was sworn in — publicly rebuffed the new president's call for a freeze on settlements.
The Netanyahu government compounded that negative start when it announced, during a fence-mending visit to Israel by Vice President Joe Biden, plans for a large settlement expansion in east Jerusalem.
Regardless of that history, Netanyahu and Obama were emphatic that relations had never gone sour. What's more, they agreed, it was time for the Palestinians to come to the table again for yet another try at face-to-face peace talks.
The challenge in this new drive for peace is how Netanyahu would convince the Israeli hard-liners to accept it, and secure positive responses from Palestinian to see reasons to let the war end. The Palestinians mission in Washington and its officials are already trying to put spanner at the wheel of progress in the new found peace, as they say there would be no response for at least a day. They are demanding the halt in activities in West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements before it would embrace any direct talks.
Some analysts are of the view s that Obama and Netanyahu might have reached a private understanding that Israel would extend the construction moratorium in return for direct talks.
“This enables Israel to say it didn’t pay for direct talks, but there’s an understanding that once the expiration date rolls around, the moratorium will be extended,” said David Makovsky, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Among the other “concrete steps” Israel is expected to take toward the Palestinians, analysts said, is greater cooperation with the Palestinian Authority on security matters and increased economic aid for the West Bank. Netanyahu has suggested to aides that he has other steps in mind, Israeli officials said, but he has not yet disclosed them.

Obama’s stance reflected domestic political pressures on both men. Netanyahu, who is struggling to keep his fractious right-wing coalition together, has been under pressure at home not to appear to pay an additional price to lure the Palestinians to the negotiating table.

And with Democrats facing a tough time in the midterm elections in November, Obama has reasons for softening his public stance on Israel. Republican candidates have been courting Jewish voters, who ordinarily back Democrats, by trying to portray the president as anti-Israel.

Some analysts say last week’s session reflects what Aaron David Miller, a longtime Middle East peace negotiator, calls a “false calm” in the relationship. Miller predicts fissures in the relationship, the result of a “fundamental expectations gap” in which Obama expects more from the peace talks than Netanyahu will be able to deliver.

Apathy Of Nigeria To Citizens’ Execution In Libya

2010-06-09T10:40:00.000-07:00

Paul Arhewe, Online/Foreign Editor (With agency report)

LAST YEAR when the report came that some Nigerians in their scores were awaiting the hangman’s noose in Libya, while a responsible government would have made good efforts at intervening for stay of execution or embark on plea bargain for lesser punishment, the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry under the ex-minister Chief Ojo Maduekwe was busy faulting the report, claiming no Nigerian was on death row in the North Africa country. The chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa told Sunday Independent last week that the Federal Government through its foreign ministry had earlier denied that there were Nigerians on death row in Libya. Her words: “When we raised the alarm the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was not true”.
Last week executions of 18 condemned inmates in Libya, consisting of 10 Nigerians and other eight foreigners from Chad and Egypt confirmed the fact that Nigerian government had not only put up a bland show to safeguard its own, but showed how irresponsible many of our public office holders are to the plight of the ordinary Nigerians, especially those abroad. It is not as if one is asking government to protect those of her citizens convicted for criminal acts in another country or encourage them to break the laws of other countries, but any responsible government with information of unfair hearing that led to the condemnation of some of her citizens would have acted, and ensured Libyan government mete out fair judgement on those on death row. Over 200 people are awaiting executions in Libya, with large number of them foreigners, a Libyan newspaper, Cerene, reported.
In reaction to the incident, Amnesty International’s Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Malcolm Smart said “In Libya we fear that death sentences were handed down after proceedings which fail to satisfy international standards for fair trial.” The rights group further argued that Libya is known to have unreasonably executed large number of foreigners, even with the flimsiest reasons. The Arabian country’s legal system often doesn’t give foreigners access to lawyers and its trial processes are done in Arabic language where foreigners are left in a lost paradise only to find themselves in gallows awaiting the executioner’s noose.
Prior to its ‘Great Revolution’, Libya like other Arabian countries adopted the Egyptian civil law. In the 1970s, the country adopted a new approach to government, which led to great reform in its legal system. Ironically, the People’s Republic ‘Jamahiriya’ that the Libyan government fashioned to open its country’s to the new era of global relations is one that is grossly unfair to foreigners where hundreds are executed at the flimsiest reasons. The current Libyan law stipulates that execution or pardon for an accused lies on the wish of the relatives of the victim of the crime.
While reports have it that more Nigerians are still awaiting the hangman’s noose in Libya, it then behoves on Nigeria government to act now and dispatch a strong team to negotiate their release and fair judgement. As Dabiri-Erewa rightly stated, the execution is expected to take place in batches. Then a quick action from our government will not only safe the lives of many of Nigerians that were unfairly sentenced, but would make Libyan government to be responsible enough to give fair hearing to Nigerians in the future. A Nigerian residing in Tripoli, who spoke on the conditions of anonymity to a media, said: "At least 10 Nigerians are among those that were executed. There are over 50 Nigerians awaiting execution. Some of them were convicted on flimsy reasons."
Nigerian government needs to learn from her neighbouring counterparts, Ghana, which passed through similar scenario when three of her citizens and a Nigerian were sentenced to death for a murder case in 1998.
In May 17 1998, three Ghanaians and a Nigerian were sentenced to death for murdering a Libyan national in a drug related case. The Ghanaian government took it upon itself and did all within its might to ensure her three citizens were let loose. The Ghanaian embassy in Libya took keen interest in the case and arranged for the defence of the accused persons during trial and subsequent appeal. According to a report on Ghanaweb, “Subsequently the embassy had contact with the family of the deceased to explore, in accordance with Islamic practice, the possibility of seeking clemency or the payment of compensation to cancel the death sentences. The family however, rejected any negotiations and insisted that the law should take its course.”
In May, 2007, the Libyan authorities notified the Ghanaian embassy and her Nigerian counterpart of the imminent execution of the condemned four. While Ghana’s government went the whole length securing a second stay of executions for her three nationals, the only Nigerian was executed since the Nigerian government, then under Olusegun Obasanjo, was too preoccupied with issues that would benefit their immediate families and bandwagon of allies and gave no iota of regard to a common and worthless Nigerian who found himself in such a mess in Libya.
But surprisingly, the then Ghanaian president went to Libya to intervene for the release of these three Ghanaians.
"In late May 2007, the President John Agyekum Kufuor visited Libya and raised, among other matters, the plight of the three nationals with the Libyan Leader who promised to look into the matter.”, Ghanaweb reported.
In June 2007, officials of the Embassy made another attempt to contact the family of the murder victim but the latter declined a meeting”.
"On December 29, 2007 the Ambassador of Ghana took the opportunity of visit to Ghat to discuss the matter with the Governor of the Province. The latter however explained that the case was a difficult one because of the persistent of the family to modify its position, not even on the instance of a request emanating from the office of the Libyan leader”.
"On January 20, 2008, the Embassy was notified yet again by the Libyan authorities that two of the three nationals were scheduled to be executed by 22nd January 2008. The Embassy immediately made representations to the Libyan authorities for a further stay of execution to allow time for consultations with Government on this development”.
"However, without responding to the Embassy's request, the Libyan authorities proceeded to execute the two nationals by firing squad, together with three others, including a Libyan, a Sudanese and an Egyptian”.
The Ghanaian government in the above case made efforts to ensure three Ghanaians were spared execution, even though they were eventually executed. This move alone shows in all ramifications that it is a responsible government and attest to the fact that they are more responsible and have high regard for every of their citizen within and outside Ghana, than what our Nigerian government display here as vividly illustrated in the aforementioned case.
In another murder case of a Senegalese where a Ghanaian and a Gambian were convicted and sentenced to death in May 2007, the Ghanaian government successfully secured the stay of execution for her national while the Gambian was executed. The Embassy of Ghana made representations to the Embassy of Senegal in Libya on the possibility of clemency from the family of the deceased. Even though the Embassy of Senegal was unable to locate the family of the deceased national, it took upon itself to offer clemency to the Ghanaian national.
If Nigerian government had intervened in the same way the Ghanaian government did in the above case, then the recent execution of 10 Nigerians would have been prevented or at a worse scenario delayed.
While last Sunday’s executions can not be reversed, our government can still save it’s face by immediately intervening to stop the remaining executions of the about 50 Nigerians in Libyan prisons.

Racism And Nigerians In Diaspora

2010-05-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe,
Online/Foreign Editor

Last Sunday another spate of maltreatment was meted out to some Nigerians living in Warsaw, the capital city of Poland. This latest incident, like some past ones claimed the life of a Nigerian, while 32 other foreigners, mostly Nigerians were arrested.
The unfortunate Nigerian, Maxwell Itoya died of gun-shot injury, after police raided some Nigerian traders selling shoes at the bazaar at the Stadium in the Praga district of Warsaw. Maxwell was trying to intervene in the case of Police arrest and brutal treatment of another handcuffed Nigerian when he was shot in the stomach. Max, who had lived many years in Warsaw was legally married to Monika, a Polish woman, and has three children, aged 10, four, and two.

While Nigerian government through its foreign ministry has called for immediate and full inquiry into the killing of her citizen, Polish police spokesman Mariusz Sokolowski said his country’s prosecutor’s office has already began investigation into the assault against a policeman, and would determine if the policeman had broken the law by firing his gun.
However, the Polish police was quick to give the media another version of the same story reporting that the ill-fated Nigerian was running away from patrol team, and was chased into the market place, where the policeman handcuffing him mistakenly shot him when mob protesting his arrest tried to besiege him. Even if this version is true, resisting arrest shouldn’t be a justification to take the life of a foreigner, especially in a highly racist country like Poland, where such incident would definitely be associated with xenophobic outburst. In Nigeria, hardly would there be an incident of police brutalising white foreigners; even though the Nigeria police are good at brutalising their own countrymen.

Definitely, it is expected the Polish police would have to defend themselves and blame the protesting mob. Sokolowski in defence of his colleagues said "This man could have been saved and police officers started to resuscitate him, but they were repeatedly attacked with stones by a group of foreigners and were forced to defend themselves, and had to stop the resuscitation". In civilised society of which Poland belongs, tear gas is usually used by police to disperse angry or protesting crowd not live bullets? If the victim was to be Polish citizen I dare say the police man wouldn’t shoot him to death.
A Nigerian named Caesar living in Warsaw, who claim to be an eyewitness to this deadly act in the marketplace, said the Polish police are usually brutal to blacks, and highly segregate against them. According to him, “this is the latest in a long line of police abuse and brutality towards blacks in this predominately racist country”. “The open air market place, which is referred to as Stadium, is made up of mainly Ukrainians and Vietnamese traders, but the biased report would have you believe that it is only Nigerians that were arrested and causing problems”, he added.
While the police and government should be apologising sincerely, they are busy prosecuting the 32 arrested foreigners. According to report, 25 out of those arrested would face charges of assaulting a police officer, which when found guilty would send them to prison for 10 years.
Nigerian government should do more than calling the Polish authorities to probe the case, like in previous similar incidents. Our government usually make statements, after which no further deliberations or actions are taken. Nigerian government, through its embassy in Warsaw, should follow thoroughly every phase of this particular probe.
Nothing has been heard again on Emmanuel Egisimba’s case. Egisimba died last year in Chinese town of Guangzhou after trying to avoid police brutality. He jumped headlong from a second floor shop and died. Hundreds of blacks’ after the death of Egisimba protested calling Nigerian government to intervene in the frequent maltreatments and molestations they face in this Asian country.
In another similar case, in 2008, a Nigerian businessman, Ojide Ekene, was said to be descending the steps leading to a subway metro station to look for some place to urinate when the security men accosted him and began to beat him. He was allegedly hit on the head with heavy iron battens, knocking him to the ground in a pool of his own blood.
But the Chinese consulate had said that Ekene fell on the staircase of Yulong building as he tried to run to urinate, adding that in the process he got a heavy hit on his head. Many of such dehumanising cases come up frequently, but Nigerian government usually do little to address them.
The frequent brutalities and xenophobic treatments that Nigerians are made to suffer in Poland, and other racist countries should be properly addressed, and their governments should be held responsible anytime such ill-treatments occur. The bland and indifferent attitude these governments have put up in addressing the frequent and continuous maltreatments of Nigerians in their countries has prompted their police to have a field time in this intolerable act Nigerians are made to pass through.
While these foreign countries hear news of those brutalities Nigerian police melt out to their citizens on daily basis, they tend to see our citizens in their countries as trash that can be maltreated knowing full well Nigerian government would only make noise and cannot bite anytime such ugly trash happens.
Our government usually dream of making Nigeria to belong among the leading 20 economies in the world, one wonders how this tall hallucination and mirage of a dream would come to reality when the same government have little value for her citizens especially those in foreign lands.
Unites States can sacrifice huge resources in order to rescue an American in distress no matter where the challenge is coming from. Last year, when some Somali pirates hijacked a U.S. ship and held its American captain, Richard Phillips, as hostage the US Navy immediately diverted its guided missile destroyer, Bainbridge, and successfully rescued Phillips alive after keeping watch on the pirates movement for days.
Poland is among the less-developed countries in Europe. One wonders, supposing our country is well managed by our past governments and leaders, what would Nigerians still be doing in a society that overtly shows they hate them. I believe they would in drove be returning to their fatherland. As the popular maxim goes ‘no place is like home’. It is then a task on Nigerians and our government to ensure things work here in order to prevent such beastly treatments our brothers and sisters are made to pass through in unfriendly countries. While, waiting for that time to come, our government need to show it cares and values her citizens no matter where they are reside.

Cameron’s Daunting Task Of Changing UK

2010-05-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

By Paul Arhewe, Online/Foreign Editor

The political terrain in United Kingdom has embraced a new atmosphere. This is not only because the Conservatives, in a coalition with the Liberal democrats, have taken the rein of power from the opposition position it has been subjected to since the past 13 years , but that young stars, like Obama, are now calling the shoots in one of Europe’s biggest economy. 43-year-old David Cameron is UK’s youngest Prime Minister since the last 200 years (since Robert Banks Jenkinson in 1812), with six months younger than former PM Tony Blair, and his deputy from Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg is also 43.

The results of UK general election last week have shown that there are neither vanquished nor outright winner for the three major political party leaders. For Cameron, prior to the votes, he was greatly favoured to sweep the polls and maintain an exclusive government, but he ended up with a hung parliament; embracing a plea bargain to woo the liberal democrats in coalitional government. Clegg was the hero during the great debates; outshining his opponents, but became the loosing team that others must take along in realising their kingship. Gordon Brown of the Labour party outrightly admitted his flop and party’s failure, but his decision to quit was really timely, and has won him the respect as a quintessential contemporary politician, what Blair would have loved to achieve during his time.
The tasks before Cameron, no doubt is daunting. As the loquacious and major critic of Brown, especially since the latter became Prime Minister in June 2007, Cameron would need to outshine Brown’s performance and proffer results to those many economic and financial criticisms he had levelled against his predecessor. He will be assessed based on how successful he is able to turn around the British post recession economy, and manage those many flaws Brown had incurred.
The British society is one that is conservative in nature; hence, there is the need for the new Tory administration to cut down the rising government expenditures, another pitfall which Brown administration carried along. The taxpayers in Britain are the ones bearing the huge cost used in maintaining the about 100 ministers, where there are about 170 cars for ministers alone that gulp 20 million pounds annually. No wonder, a segment of the British society are calling government to introduce public transportation to ministers so as to save the huge cost in funding cars and the entourages that go with public officials. Boris Johnson, a columnist with UK Telegraph, sums this up by arguing that “Politicians should stop wasting our money and start taking public transport”.

Britain is a major player in the global economy. Cameron has a huge task in cooperating with his America counterpart, Barack Obama to give a facelift to the world’s economy that is still finding its feet after the great recession that hit major economies last year.
The realities of contemporary challenges on global economy may just be a different ball game in tackling by extrapolation from the past. There is also the challenge emerging super economies are portending to the developed western states, of which UK belongs. China, India, and Brazil are all set to surpass the ‘old’ economies of the west within no more than a decade or two. The Third world or developing economies in Africa and part of Asia are no longer developing; they are ever ready to continue their plea for aids and bailouts, even though they provide the raw materials on which engine the global economy. The new British government under the leadership of the Tories need to put the machinery in order to provide a deep and valuable trading partnership with the aforementioned nations.
On the political scene, Cameron would really need to win the trust of his co-travellers, especially in the coalition government that is formed with the opposition, as a writer rightly puts it “The formation of a coalition means conspiring with political enemies and smiling in front of the cameras pretending to agree”. There is also the glaring eyes of Labour party that will be watching to catch on the flimsiest gaffe.
In addition to this the new government need to rebuild the trust of the electorate in their government, which was the undoing of Brown at the later part of his administration. Cameron’s speech when assuming the mantle of power as PM lays credence to this: “One of the tasks that we clearly have is to rebuild trust in our political system. Yes, that's about cleaning up expenses, yes, that's about reforming parliament, and yes, it's about making sure people are in control and that the politicians are always their servants and never their masters”.
The UK support with U.S. on the Iraqi and Afghan wars is another tough decision Cameron would need to look into. Of recent, the deaths of British soldiers in Afghanistan are on the rise, and this is not too appealing to the British citizenry. Cameron would decide whether to cut short the number of UK troops in these war zones or decide to totally hands up, which is not too possible, as it would not be a pleasing pill that the American government will love to swallow.
The tasks before Cameron has made his new position not too enviable, as he has a lot on his hands today, but changing the expectations of the British people has to be high up on his priority list.