Millions of Buhari’s extreme supporters do not have reason, By Fatoumata Oumar
Millions of Buhari’s extreme supporters do not have reason
By Fatoumata Oumar
Nigerians are avoidably facing some serious social challenges, economic and security wise. But the sect who are the worst hit—the poorest of the poor—seem not to understand the source of their issues neither do they ever think that their situations could be anything better. This brings to mind, the third serious issue with Nigerians—religion. Most Nigerians seem to be at the extreme points of the two dominant religious influences: Christianity and Islam. In expression of their faith, Nigerians seem to be insulated from all logics and realism.
The number of terribly poor Nigerians have risen sharply, overtaking other hitherto most vulnerable countries like India and Pakistan. But it is funny that the most affected people do not see any problem with that. According to a recent survey by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) largest clusters of poorest Nigerians can be found in the states of Nigeria’s North-East and North-West. These people are so poor that they live below half a dollar per day. And they earn their living by depending on the nearest person for their survival.
Nigeria’s North also owns the largest portion of Nigeria’s share of global insecurity. Between 2015 and January 2019, not less than 32, 000 people have been reported killed by combined forces of Boko Haram and herdsmen. And the number consists of 95 percent Northern peasants.
Latest report by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says there is upsurge in violent attacks in crisis-ravaged North-east Nigeria since 2015. Between November 2018 and January, 2019, 59,200 people were displaced in that particular region.
When these people are displaced, they find ‘refuge’ in worse places to be—the camps for the internally displaced. The internally displaced persons are not in any way living any good life because of widespread corruption in the ranks of the military and other officials who are in charge of their wellbeing. There have been reports of how the authorities stole the reprieve meant for the displaced persons. Items donated to the internally displaced persons by good spirited individuals and international humanitarian agencies find its way into the open market where they are sold for the gain of government officials. On Monday, the IDPs protested neglect.
Armed extremists, notably, Boko Haram militants, had contributed to the humanitarian crisis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, and has spilled over into the Lake Chad region.
The government of president Muhammdu Buhari has not been able to improve the security and economic lives of the people. Buhari’s body language has exacerbated the burning issues instead of abating them.
In the areas of insecurity, the poor civilians continue to bear the brunt of conflicts that have led to widespread forced displacement and violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
On the economy, the worst-hit are the poorest of the poor. And at the same time, the poorest of the poor are the major supporters of the government which has inflicted so much poverty and death on them.
The massive turn-up and followership by the Northern youths at the last political rally of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Northern states was evident. This writer self-sponsored a trip to Kano to cover the rally and conducted some survey on the reasons for the intimidating followership for Buhari. The result of the survey confirmed my earlier conviction that millions of president Muhammadu Buhari do not have any reason for showing their support.
When we asked some members of the multitude why they preferred to re-elect Buhari for another term of four years, the answer they give us was ‘SAI BABA BUHARI’. Their support was not that Buhari would solve their economic or security challenges. In fact, most of them did not even know that there was economic challenge in the first place. They did not understand that their lives could be anything better if right things are put in place.
Nigeria is at a cross-road presently. By the 2019 elections, opportunities dangle before Nigerians: opportunity to elect leadership that can re-float Nigeria’s economy and improve on the wellbeing of her people. There is also opportunity to forestall further degeneration of security challenges for people living in Nigeria. There is also an unfortunate opportunity for Nigerians to ignore all the other opportunities and re-elect Muhammadu Buhari.
Our Stand: Buhari must arrest erosion of confidence in 2019 election
Buhari must arrest erosion of confidence in Nigeria’s 2019 election
In a matter of days from now, on February 16th, Nigeria’s presidential election would be underway. By all standard, that election is a deciding election; so critical to Nigeria that lives and fortunes, unity and progress and development of Nigeria depend on it.
In the history of Nigeria’s democracy, there has never been a time Nigerians intended to participate in the electioneering process like they did for the 2019 election. More than 77 political parties are fielding candidates for the election. 31 political parties fielded presidential candidates. That is to say that there are 31 presidential aspirants. This is the hugest as far Nigerian political participation is concerned.
Hitherto floundering opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) struggled through the court to stabilise and surprisingly conducted primaries which all members accepted. Other opposition parties and candidates also nurtured their ambitions through the ranks, hoping that the will of the power would happen through the ballots.
There had been faith in the process leading to the election until recently. Fears for the credibility of the general elections started late last year after the conduct of Ekiti State Governorship election. There was palpable interference in the process through vote buying. International and local election observers noted that there was undue interference. The ruling party clamped down media houses which reported under dealing in the process. Eventually, the candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) was elected and returned. The opposition party, the PDP, went to the election tribunal, hoping to find justice.
Second was the conduct of Osun State Governorship election. After the election, the opposition party won. But the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the PDP did not win properly or clearly; that there was a need for a run-off. The ruling party won the run-off by some laughable margin. After all hues and cries, the candidate of the ruling party was declared elected and returned by the INEC. Again, the opposition went to the election tribunal, hoping that the court could grant them some fair hearing.
Concerned stakeholders have cried out, alleging plans by the ruling government to rig the 2019 elections. Former president Olusegun Obasanjo in a recent pubic letter warned that President Muhammadu Buhari wanted to thwart to collective will of the people and urged the world to stand up in defence of democracy in Nigeria. Obasanjo was not alone in this. Other well-meaning Nigerians joined in the calls.
Then comes the forceful suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and immediate swearing in of his purported replacement. Both local and international bodies have expressed displeasure and concern over the manner the CJN, Walter Onnoghen was removed and replaced. But Nigerian government has refused to budge.
A lot of things depend on the Judiciary. If the Judiciary is cowed, it will be right to say that the whole country is cowed. That is why the whole world seems to be concerned about the Judiciary.
The United States reacted to the suspension of Onnoghen. In a statement on Saturday, January 26, 2019 the US embassy in Nigeria said it had taken note of widespread criticisms that the suspension is illegal.
“The Embassy of the United States is deeply concerned by the impact of the executive branch’s decision to suspend and replace the Chief Justice and head of the judicial branch without the support of the legislative branch on the eve of national and state elections, “ the statement read.
“We note widespread Nigerian criticism that this decision is unconstitutional and that it undermines the independence of the judicial branch.
“That undercuts the stated determination of government, candidates, and political party leaders to ensure that the elections proceed in a way that is free, fair, transparent, and peaceful – leading to a credible result.
“We urge that the issues raised by this decision be resolved swiftly and peacefully in accordance with due process, full respect for the rule of law, and the spirit of the Constitution of Nigeria.
“Such action is needed urgently now to ensure that this decision does not cast a pall over the electoral process,” the statement ended.
In a seperate statement, the UK Government also reacted to the suspension of Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Muhammdu Buhari noting the reactions of prominent Nigerians especially the Nigerian legal profession.
In a statement published on the British High Commission to Nigeria’s website on Saturday, January 26, 2019 the UK Government said it calls for peaceful solutions to the apparent constitutional crisis.
“The British High Commission expresses serious concern over the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria. We have heard a wide range of credible and independent voices, including in the Nigerian legal profession and civil society, who have expressed concern over the constitutionality of the executive branch’s suspension of the chief officer of the judiciary.
“We respect Nigeria’s sovereign authority and its right to adjudicate on constitutional provisions but as friends of the Nigerian people, we are compelled to observe that the timing of this action, so close to national elections, gives cause for concern.
“It risks affecting both domestic and international perceptions on the credibility of the forthcoming elections. We, along with other members of the international community, are following developments closely.
“We encourage all actors to maintain calm and address the concerns raised by this development through due process, demonstrating their commitment to respecting the constitution and the impartial administration of the rule of law.
“We further urge them to take steps to ensure that elections take place in an environment conducive to a free, fair and peaceful process,” the statement ended.
Also, in its reaction, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) expressed concern over the process and timing of the suspension.
Its statement reads:
“The European Union was invited by the Independent National Electoral Commission to observe the 2019 general elections.
“The EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) is very concerned about the process and timing of the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Onnoghen, on 25 January.
“With 20 days until the presidential and National Assembly elections, political parties, candidates and voters must be able to have confidence in the impartiality and independence of the judicial system.
“The decision to suspend the Chief Justice has led to many Nigerians, including lawyers and civil society observer groups, to question whether due process was followed. The timing, just before the swearing in of justices for Electoral Tribunals and the hearing of election-related cases, has also raised concerns about the opportunity for electoral justice.
“The EU EOM calls on all parties to follow the legal processes provided for in the Constitution and to respond calmly to any concerns they may have.
“The EU EOM will continue observing all aspects of the election, including the independence of the election administration, the neutrality of security agencies, and the extent to which the judiciary can and does fulfil its election-related responsibilities.”
Also, a presidential candidate, Olawepo Hashim, criticised the president’s action, calling for urgent international sanctions against Mr Buhari and his administration officials.
Mr Olawepo in his statement said Mr Buhari has plunged Nigeria into dictatorship.
“This is a clear indication that we have returned to full blown dictatorship. Following the suspension of the Chief Justice of the Federation, we are seeing full-blown dictatorship in Nigeria. It is an abyss, an aberration and a clear violation of our laws.
“We will not allow Nigeria fall into dictatorship anymore.
“I call on all lovers of Nigeria and lovers of democracy and the international community to immediately impose sanctions on officials of the executive arm of government, their families, including their friends and associates,” Mr Olawepo said.
But Buhari has called all concerns by the foreign bodies, meddlesomeness. Nigerian government has said it refused any foreign ‘interference’. This calls for a concern. The current body language of Muhammadu Buhari is worrisome. This is the same body language of African dictators such as Yahayah Jammeh of Gambia who was forced out by African leaders, including Buhari to give way for Adama Barrow.
We like to reiterate that Buhari is taking wrong steps. Nigeria is strategic and important to both Nigerians and outsiders. One illusion that anybody could habour is to think that everyone would fold their hands and watch one individual destroy the heritage that all have laboured to build. That may be the illusion in the heads of the ruling party in Nigeria. However, we like to state again that the sooner Buhari arrests the current erosion of confidence in the conduct the coming elections and set Nigeria again on the path of democracy, the better for everyone.
Revisiting Empathy and Kevin Carter Tragedy, By Kelechi Okoronkwo
Issues: Revisiting Empathy and Kevin Carter Tragedy, By Kelechi Okoronkwo
It has been more than 24 years after Kevin Carter died by taking his own life. But the circumstances that led to his tragic end remain evergreen, poking our consciousness on how to live.
Sometimes, opportunity presents itself to us with temptation to exploit other people. At that situation, unguided people would jump at such opportunities. But the end consequences are always dire, mostly violent death.
Look at the photo above very well. You might have come across it before or even know the story behind it. But there is an angle to it I want to share with us today.
Working hard is necessary for our success. But there is something that is as important or even more important than hard work. It is EMPATHY. Empathy means having a human face or human feelings. It means putting yourself in the shoes of the other person. Hard work can give you money but it is empathy that will give you the peace to enjoy the money. Hard work will buy you a car, house or marry you a wife, but it is empathy that will make you enjoy your wealth.
These days, suicide rate is alarming. According a World Health Organisation (WHO) data in 2016, Nigeria ranks number 15 (with 17.3 percent suicide rate) out of 180 countries studied on suicide activities. Statistics portray that suicide rate is growing from 10.7 percent reported globally in 2016. One intriguing fact is that some people who are successful by some estimation are also taking their own lives. Not quite long ago, we read about a medical doctor in Lagos who drove her Sports Utility Vehicle to the bridge, alighted from the car and jumped into the lagoon. There are many incidences of suicide that irk our imaginations. Reason may not be far from the fact that some people pursue material achievement without balancing it with things that could grantee their peace of mind.
The photo above is popularly known as “The Vulture and the Little Girl”. It is a real-life story. It is a picture of a vulture waiting for a starving Sudanese girl to die was taken in 1993 by Kevin Carter, a South African photojournalist, who later won the Pulitzer (an International Award for arts worth 10 thousand Dollars then) for this picture. But he lived just few months to enjoy his supposed achievement because he later got depressed and took his own life.
He was actually enjoying his achievement and being celebrated on major news channels and networks worldwide.
His depression reportedly started when during one of such interviews (phone in program) someone phoned in and asked him what happened to the child. He replied, “I didn’t wait to find out after this shot as I had a plane to catch.”… And the person replied,
“I put it to you that there were two vultures on that day. One had a camera”.
His constant thought of that statement, led to depression and his ultimate suicide on July 27th, 1994 at the age of 33.
In whatsoever we do, let humanity come first before what we can gain out of the situation.
Kevin Carter could have been alive today if he just picked that little girl up and taken her to the United Nation’s feeding center where she was reportedly attempting to reach.
For us, by all standards, we are hardworking. And success is coming. If we add humanness to our achievements, our success will be sweeter and we will be happier. We might be tempted to exploit other people in order to hit our target or to silence the voice of the weak so our voice is the only one to be heard. Discerning hearts do not fall into such temptations. A soul that would live in peace would not enjoy hurting others just to have your own way. Great souls show their humanness and feel the pain of others. This is just a food for thought.
Kelechi Okoronkwo, a Nigerian writer and Public Relations Executive sent this piece from Abuja
Revisiting Empathy and Kevin Carter Tragedy, By Kelechi Okoronkwo
Issues: Revisiting Empathy and Kelvin Carter Tragedy, By Kelechi Okoronkwo
It has been more than 24 years after Kevin Carter died by taking his own life. But the circumstances that led to his tragic end remain evergreen, poking our consciousness on how to live.
Sometimes, opportunity presents itself to us with temptation to exploit other people. At that situation, unguided people would jump at such opportunities. But the end consequences are always dire, mostly violent death.
Look at the photo above very well. You might have come across it before or even know the story behind it. But there is an angle to it I want to share with us today.
Working hard is necessary for our success. But there is something that is as important or even more important than hard work. It is EMPATHY. Empathy means having a human face or human feelings. It means putting yourself in the shoes of the other person. Hard work can give you money but it is empathy that will give you the peace to enjoy the money. Hard work will buy you a car, house or marry you a wife, but it is empathy that will make you enjoy your wealth.
These days, suicide rate is alarming. According a World Health Organisation (WHO) data in 2016, Nigeria ranks number 15 (with 17.3 percent suicide rate) out of 180 countries studied on suicide activities. Statistics portray that suicide rate is growing from 10.7 percent reported globally in 2016. One intriguing fact is that some people who are successful by some estimation are also taking their own lives. Not quite long ago, we read about a medical doctor in Lagos who drove her Sports Utility Vehicle to the bridge, alighted from the car and jumped into the lagoon. There are many incidences of suicide that irk our imaginations. Reason may not be far from the fact that some people pursue material achievement without balancing it with things that could grantee their peace of mind.
The photo above is popularly known as “The Vulture and the Little Girl”. It is a real-life story. It is a picture of a vulture waiting for a starving Sudanese girl to die was taken in 1993 by Kevin Carter, a South African photojournalist, who later won the Pulitzer (an International Award for arts worth 10 thousand Dollars then) for this picture. But he lived just few months to enjoy his supposed achievement because he later got depressed and took his own life.
He was actually enjoying his achievement and being celebrated on major news channels and networks worldwide.
His depression reportedly started when during one of such interviews (phone in program) someone phoned in and asked him what happened to the child. He replied, “I didn’t wait to find out after this shot as I had a plane to catch.”… And the person replied,
“I put it to you that there were two vultures on that day. One had a camera”.
His constant thought of that statement, led to depression and his ultimate suicide on July 27th, 1994 at the age of 33.
In whatsoever we do, let humanity come first before what we can gain out of the situation.
Kevin Carter could have been alive today if he just picked that little girl up and taken her to the United Nation’s feeding center where she was reportedly attempting to reach.
For us, by all standards, we are hardworking. And success is coming. If we add humanness to our achievements, our success will be sweeter and we will be happier. We might be tempted to exploit other people in order to hit our target or to silence the voice of the weak so our voice is the only one to be heard. Discerning hearts do not fall into such temptations. A soul that would live in peace would not enjoy hurting others just to have your own way. Great souls show their humanness and feel the pain of others. This is just a food for thought.
Kelechi Okoronkwo, a Nigerian writer and Public Relations Executive sent this piece from Abuja
OPINION: Nigeria moves two steps backwards on election transparency by Fatoumata Oumar
Earlier in the year as Egypt prepared for presidential election, the country became the cynosure of both local and international election observers and commentators. People were more interested in the electoral process than the election itself. Reason is that any wrong step in the process would ultimately affect the election itself.
When it was established that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who was seeking re-election, did not offer a level playing field for opposition candidates, election observers, more than a dozen of them, in February, barely one month to the actual election, declared that the election was not going to be credible. Although the election came and al-Sisi won by a landslide margin, it still remains in our subconscious that al-Sisi did not win credibly.
Presently, Nigeria’s election, which is barely a month away, is on the front burner, almost globally, because of the position Nigeria occupies in Africa.
Recently, Cameroon voted. From the day Paul Biya, who was 85 years old, declared intention to run for his seventh term in office, people lost hope of a change in government. Reason is that Paul Biya has the Cameroon electoral system under his armpit. Cameroon’s electoral system is so terribly defective that it could up to three weeks for the result of the election to be declared. In the end, Biya was re-elected amidst all hews and cries from the opposition.
As long as elections are important, the quality of the electoral system must not be taken for granted.
In February, Nigeria will be going to the polls. But the atmosphere, talking about the electoral system, is not as clear as one would have loved it to be. The refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari, to sign the Electoral Bill into law after rigorous efforts by the parliament particularly calls for concern. Getting the process right is a journey in progress and must be treated as such. In the time past, there were spirited efforts to make elections free, fair and credible in Nigeria. One of the major gains of the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua/Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration (2007 to 2011) was setting the tone for the emergence of a truly independent electoral umpire in Nigeria.
Former Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan, and then opposition candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, , after signing a renewal of their pledge to hold peaceful “free, fair, and credible” elections in 2015.
By the efforts Nigeria exerted to reform the electoral system between 2007 and 2011, electoral transparency moved at least one step forward. But from 2015 to date, election transparency in Nigeria has moved at least two steps backwards; the following analysis is a clarification.
Yar’Adua wanted to reform the electoral process. His body language was unmistakably clear! In his inaugural speech on May 29th, 2007, Yar’Adua stunned his electors and noted that the electoral process which brought him to power was faulty and needed to be reformed. He promised to reform the process and make elections count in the country.
In the second paragraph of that historic speech, just after the protocol, Yar’Adua noted:
“We acknowledge that our elections had some shortcomings. Thankfully, we have well-established legal avenues of redress, and I urge anyone aggrieved to pursue them. I also believe that our experiences represent an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Accordingly, I will set up a panel to examine the entire electoral process with a view to ensuring that we raise the quality and standard of our general elections, and thereby deepen our democracy”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regime which conducted the 2007 election was roundly condemned as partial and compromised. Both local and international election observers observed this and with Yar’Adua body language, it was time to make a difference.
Yar’Adua made good his promise. Only three months into his administration, on August, 28, 2007, he inaugurated a 22-man multi-stakeholder electoral reform panel headed by Retired Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais.
That was also the period when Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) with interest in politics and electoral reforms thrived in Nigeria. Their number and influence grew astronomically. We had both international CSOs and NGOs working in Nigeria. The NGOs and CSO formed coalitions and pressed for electoral reforms. One of the recommendations of the panel and other interest groups was that to ensure a credible electoral system, the INEC must be independent; and that must start with getting a credible and independent person to chair the INEC.
From May 29th, 2007 to June 8th 2010 when the Kebbi State born Professor Attahiru Jega was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan to head the INEC, the issue of electoral reform remained topical and dominated the media and discussion space in Nigeria.
Insiders said Prof. Jega was recommended by coalitions of CSOs and handed down to the then President; and the government of the day wilfully transmitted Jega’s name to the National Assembly for confirmation.
That was how strong, influential and concerned civil liberty organisations were in Nigeria prelude to the 2011 general election. And truly, their efforts paid off. Jega conducted the 2011 election and it became popular as the most credible election ever conducted in Nigeria; both local and international election observers observed this. And Nigeria was happy that the journey of political greatness of Nigeria had begun.
Jega held his head high in INEC. He conducted the 2015 election and bowed out gracefully on June 30th, 2015. But since Jega’s retirement from the INEC, nobody has ever asked a single question about what is happening in the INEC, the ultimate electoral umpire. It seems as if nobody is interested any longer or as if all the CSOs and NGOs have simply vanished after the 2011 election.
First, when Jega was leaving, he handed over to someone, Amina Zakari, practically, the most qualified person within the organization but few weeks later, Zakari was replaced with Mahmood Yakubu. It is instructive to note that Yakubu did not emerge through the same process as Jega…and curiously, none of the activists who midwifed the emergence of Jega ever asked questions on how Yakubu was appointed. Everyone kept quiet. While that does not mean that Yakubu is not qualified for the job, it means that Yakubu emerged through a less popular process. It means that Yakubu did not go through the furnace; at least, the type of furnace which Jega went through. It may ultimately mean that Yakubu is not as responsible to the people as Jega was and the implications of that will not be lost on the electorates as elections come and go.
True to that, the performance of the present regime of the INEC has been controversial. Nigeria has had more than a fair share of inconclusive elections. And certain appearances and approaches of the INEC during Edo and Ondo, Ekiti, Osun gubernatorial elections have continued to raise question marks on the real status of this INEC.
There were reports of underage voting in a recent election in Kano, Nigeria
Elections remain the most popular process of governance in democratic systems. Anywhere in the world, particularly in democracies, the nature of the electoral process always determines the quality of governance.
It is unfortunate that Nigeria may go to the polls from February 2019 with less clear electoral system. Nigeria should have gone past here if the present government had taken up the task of reforming the electoral system from where the previous administration ended. And Nigeria is in a dire need to move ahead from here.
Fatoumata Oumar, Editor at Discover Africa News, sent this piece through faceofafrica2017@gmail.com
Letter to Editor: 17 million Nigerians lost their jobs in 2018 alone
In Nigeria, it is common to come across an individual who is a breadwinner for a family of five persons or more. Any employed individual in the country has a number of ‘dependants’ from family and friends. This is because less than forty percent of Nigeria’s nearly 200 million people were fully employed. That was when the going was good. Things have become worse today under President Muhammadu Buhari. The few that are employed are losing their jobs increasingly as a result of poor economic policies of the government.
The private sector has barely shut down. And the government sector is ridden with obtuse corruption. Minimum wage is still N18, 000 even when Buhari raised fuel price to N145. There is low income, low investment and low output. Therefore, there is significantly low spending.
Unemployment rate in Nigeria jumped by nearly 30 percent this year to 16 million, according to a November report by the National Bureau of Statistics. According to a VOANEWS analysis, “another two million are expected to be unemployed by the end of the year. The negative trend comes just ahead of February presidential elections”.
The government is implementing a citizen support initiative called TraderMoni. But instead of using the idea to lift the people, the people are being impoverished the more. Under TraderMoni, citizens are entitled to get a loan of N5, 000 (Five Thousand Naira). And when they successfully repay it, they will ultimately access a higher N10, 000 (Ten Thousand). The government has been accused of forcing beneficiaries of the loan to supply details of Voters’ Cards. They must vote for Buhari. They are cajoled to vote for Buhari. That is the bottom line. This idea is poor. Giving someone a loan of N5000 to trade in Nigeria is just a ruse.
The VOANEWS quoting an Economist Eze Onyekpere, says unemployment cuts across Nigeria’s economy.
“It’s also a product of the policy choices you make in your trade policy, labour policy, in your industrial, even in your education policy, in your health policy,” he said. “It’s just a demonstration of the faith that people have in your economy and how productive it is and the quality of goods and services you are preparing… producing in the country. So we have a government with that is, with all the greatest respect, that is virtually clueless about economic policies.”
Nigeria has overtaken India this year as the Poverty Capital of the world, having the largest number of people living in extreme poverty — 87 million — according to the Washington-based Brookings Institution.
Nigeria needs economic rebirth. This is at the foot of all developments anyone can think of. And this miracle is not under the hands of President Buhari. He does not have the magic. Nigerians must look elsewhere in the coming election. Things should not continue in this direction.
Mr. Johnson Emmanuel, a former Banker sent this piece from Abuja, Nigeria
Buhari style: Nigerians responding to a recent job announcement
Letter to Editor: Buhari style: 18 million Nigerians lost their jobs in 2018 alone
In Nigeria, it is common to come across an individual who is a breadwinner for a family of five persons or more. Any employed individual in the country has a number of ‘dependants’ from family and friends. This is because less than forty percent of Nigeria’s nearly 200 million people were fully employed. That was when the going was good. Things have become worse today under President Muhammadu Buhari. The few that are employed are losing their jobs increasingly as a result of poor economic policies of the government.
The private sector has barely shut down. And the government sector is ridden with obtuse corruption. Minimum wage is still N18, 000 even when Buhari raised fuel price to N145. There is low income, low investment and low output. Therefore, there is significantly low spending.
Unemployment rate in Nigeria jumped by nearly 30 percent this year to 16 million, according to a November report by the National Bureau of Statistics. According to a VOANEWS analysis, “another two million are expected to be unemployed by the end of the year. The negative trend comes just ahead of February presidential elections”.
The government is implementing a citizen support initiative called TraderMoni. But instead of using the idea to lift the people, the people are being impoverished the more. Under TraderMoni, citizens are entitled to get a loan of N5, 000 (Five Thousand Naira). And when they successfully repay it, they will ultimately access a higher N10, 000 (Ten Thousand). The government has been accused of forcing beneficiaries of the loan to supply details of Voters’ Cards. They must vote for Buhari. They are cajoled to vote for Buhari. That is the bottom line. This idea is poor. Giving someone a loan of N5000 to trade in Nigeria is just a ruse.
The VOANEWS quoting an Economist Eze Onyekpere, says unemployment cuts across Nigeria’s economy.
“It’s also a product of the policy choices you make in your trade policy, labour policy, in your industrial, even in your education policy, in your health policy,” he said. “It’s just a demonstration of the faith that people have in your economy and how productive it is and the quality of goods and services you are preparing… producing in the country. So we have a government with that is, with all the greatest respect, that is virtually clueless about economic policies.”
Nigeria has overtaken India this year as the Poverty Capital of the world, having the largest number of people living in extreme poverty — 87 million — according to the Washington-based Brookings Institution.
Nigeria needs economic rebirth. This is at the foot of all developments anyone can think of. And this miracle is not under the hands of President Buhari. He does not have the magic. Nigerians must look elsewhere in the coming election. Things should not continue in this direction.
Mr. Johnson Emmanuel, a former Banker sent this piece from Abuja, Nigeria
Rev. Edet Umo says Nigerians should increase their faith in God
Dear Nigerians, it’s high time we increased our faith in God, By Rev. Edet E. Umo
We are facing perilous times as the Scripture is being fulfilled. If you are brave enough to read the newspaper, listen to and watch the news both on Radio and Television, then you will agree with me. Most of us can’t read the newspaper or listen to the news and have our meals at the same time because of gory and horrible news headlines we receive daily! Two of these must certainly be in the news: bomb explosions, riots, first class rape, high ranking embezzlement, murder of close relative and love ones, personal interest by our Representatives in the Legislative arm of government, insincerity of the government towards the governed, school and academic degradation, poor state of our social infrastructure, religious insensitivity and derailment from the original plan of God, family crises and the likes.
You surely will agree that we need help; help from somewhere; a place that is greater than ours and from somebody whose strength is more powerful than ours. It’s easy for our faith to diminish in these times of economic collapse, problems in our families, pay cuts and minimum wage crises, problems in our churches, families, shootings and bomb blast in our country, killing of soldiers by insurgents etc.
Now more than ever, we definitely need our faith to be strong. In our Congregation, we need to see faith at work whenever we come to church, during the preaching, prayers, and fellowshipping. We need to hear and feel our unwavering faith as the messages of hope in times of despair, of peace in times of trouble and of love in times of world dissention is being preached.
All in all, we need a faith lift. In fact, we cannot be pleasing to God unless we are demonstrating faith, according to the writer of Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]”.(Amplified Version)
Throughout the Scriptures, we have messages of hope that can take us “Beyond the Bitter to the Better”. Take for instance Psalms 30:1-5, “…I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (KJV).
We have been eating candy and we know the lesson in it, it is always a warhead, and for the first thirty seconds or thereabout it will be incredibly bitter, but then something always happened. The bitterness began to fade and the sweetness came through. The bitter became better.
We all think that we would like to be David when we read the first four verses. David says these things.
· You’ve lifted me up.
· You’ve healed me.
· You’ve kept me alive.
· He then encourages us to Sing unto the Lord.
But consider this.
· If you’ve been lifted up, it means you have to be down.
· If you’ve been healed, it means you have to be sick.
· To give praise of to be kept alive, your life must have been in danger.
· And THEN he says, you can sing unto the Lord.
Verse 5 then sums it up this way: “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (KJV).
To get to the joy, you’ve got to go through the weeping.
To get to the morning, you got to go through the night. William Scroggie Translation of the Holy Bible put it this way: “At nightfall Weeping comes as a guest to tarry; but in the morning Joy comes to stay”.
The mistake that many of us have made is to assume that weeping has come to stay, and joy is forever gone, but the Bible tells us just the opposite. The first thing I notice about these Scriptures is that it lets us know that there will be bitter times.
I don’t have the space in this column to do it, but I could take you through the Scriptures and show you time and again that God’s people are not excused from trouble. The question is not “are you going to have trouble”, but “how are you going to respond to it?”
How did David respond? Look at verse 1 of Psalms 30. “I WILL EXTOL THEE”. Look at how God described the making of the two cherubims on the mercy seat of God. Exodus 25:18 says, “And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat”.
Those were physical representations of Spiritual beings, but he wanted to make sure that we understand that they were BEATEN into the PROPER SHAPE. In 1 Peter 1:3-8, the Bible says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. ….That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory”.(KJV)
But all of that comes while you are in “heaviness through manifold temptations”. As 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 says, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. And then the classic event is Job 1:21, “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD”. (KJV)
I’ve said it before, God is not nearly so worried about the circumstance of our life as He is concerned with how we respond to them. Our proper response should ALWAYS be worship. Where are those that say, “His presence is more important than my problem”. When a problem comes into your life, there are two things going on. First, the devil tries to get us to look at our flesh and give up. Secondly, God tries to get us to look at Him and praise up.
Job 2:9-10 says, “Then said his wife unto him, dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips”.(KJV)
Remember these when always faced with perilous and difficult times that you are here:
1. By God’s appointment
2. In His keeping
3. Under His training
4. For His time
And your response in the midst of it is for you to go into worship.
Job 13:15 says, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him”.
Nigeria’s Kid Gloves Approach to Boko Haram Fight and Matters Arising
Nigeria’s Kid Gloves Approach to Boko Haram Fight and Matters Arising
In a short while, the government of the Federation of Nigeria will release another set of Boko Haram suspects into the society. No fewer than 155 of the terrorists will be released soon, according to government sources. Another batch of about 100 Boko Haram fighters were released in February this year. Recently, 480 Boko Haram fighters were granted pardon by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and also released after they were said to have been rehabilitated under the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR).
The other season, earlier in the year when 480 members of the deadly regained freedom, there were attacks on public spaces in the North-East. One of the terrorists who was released vowed that he was going back to terrorism and his wife said there was no regret being married to the terrorist.
One astonishing fact is despite the despicable acts of the Boko Haram, the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria seems to be too soft about them.
On Sunday, more than 70 officers of the Nigerian soldier were mauled down by Boko Haram fighters. Unofficial sources said about 115 military officers would have died in that attack on Nigeria’s 157 Task Force Battalion in Borno State while much more than that number could not be accounted for as we write. The military kept this attack under cover until foreign media blew the lid.
At the last cursory count, no fewer than 500 officers of the Nigerian Army have died under the guns of the Boko Haram members since this year. Civilian casualties are much more than this. And it beats imaginations that the military authority would rather want to hide the real situation in their Boko Haram fight. Nigerians have been fed with information that Boko Haram has been defeated and government urging residents of flashpoint areas to return home. In that guise, captured fighters of the terrorist group were set free. But the real situation is what we see today.
President Buhari should know that Boko Haram is far more deadly and dangerous than he might want to believe. If Boko Haram were a monster created by any individuals, those creators may wish to know that the monsters they created have gone weird beyond their control. It is important to note that the government should deploy drastic measures against Boko Haram, the same way the government could tackle any other form of insurgency from any other part of the country.
Barely one week after slaughtering over 70 officers, President Buhari on Saturday said he was shocked over the killing of military personnel in Metele village of Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists, assuring at the same time that immediate measures are being taken to ensure that the loopholes which led to the fatalities are blocked once and for all.
According to President Buhari, no responsible Commander-in-Chief would rest on his oars or fold his hands to allow terrorists to endanger the lives of its military personnel and other citizens. “Our loyal forces have proved their strength over the terrorists and we are ready to give them all the needed support in terms of equipment and manpower to succeed in ending the renewed threat. In the coming days, I am engaging the Military and Intelligence Chiefs in extensive discussions on the next steps we shall be taking.”
“The President noted that fighting terrorism has taken a global dimension, which necessitates international collaboration among states facing similar security challenges.
“President Buhari reassured Nigerians of his continued commitment to their security and of his efforts to sustain the momentum in the previous significant successes recorded against the terrorists.
“He, however, advised Nigerians against making a political capital out of national tragedy, stressing that members of the armed forces are one family who are commonly committed to the security and safety of all Nigerians”, Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu said in a statement.
There is no denying the fact that this terrorist group, about the deadliest of them all has taken more lives in Nigeria more than any epidemic. The Government should look at them as terrorists they are and enforce actions that would check their activities and stop their spread. Treating Boko Haram with this approach we consider a kid gloves approach is not doing Nigeria any good.
Akere T. Muna ran for the office of Cameroon President in 2018
Opinion: I Ran for President in Cameroon. Here is What I Learnt, By Akere T. MunaOn 6 November, Paul Biya was inaugurated for the seventh time. The 85-year-old has already been in power for the last 36 years and will now serve another seven-year term.
President Biya won disputed elections on 7 October amidst rising unrest in Cameroon. The country is divided into the Francophone area – which makes up four-fifths of territory – and the smaller Anglophone area. In the last two years, the latter region has been in a situation just short of civil war.
Over the decades since unification, the Anglophone regions have been increasingly dominated (https://bit.ly/2DDukwx) and felt resentful. This led to a movement that, in 2016, began by holding strikes and peaceful demonstrations. Activists called for the restoration of the English-speaking education and judicial system.
The government responded with furious repression and shut down any discussions about federalism. This led to a spiralling crisis. Today, the talk is about secession, while the conflict has become bloody. There are now over 300,000 internally displaced persons and more than 40,000 refugees in Nigeria. At least 90 villages have been razed, while over 400 civilians have been killed and thousands more wounded. 40% of Cameroon’s revenue derives from the Anglophone regions, but the local economy has been deeply undermined by the insecurity.
This is the context in which Cameroon’s elections were held last month. In theory, this exercise was an opportunity for citizens to shape the direction of the nation. But the reality is very different.
The body that organises Cameroon’s elections is supposedly autonomous, but all its members are appointed by the president and can be removed at will. All electoral disputes are settled by the Constitutional Council, but all its members are also appointed by the president. The Minister of Territorial Administration, another presidential appointee, handles all other administrative issues connected with elections.
In Cameroon, the voting system is first-past-the-post and uses multiple ballots. Voters are given papers for all the candidates and then cast their vote by putting their favoured nominee into the ballot box. This means they can leave the booth with the papers of the other candidates, allowing vote-buyers the ability to check how people voted. Calls to adopt a single ballot paper system have been ignored.
For presidential hopefuls, getting onto the ballot in the first place is challenging. Nominees must pay around $60,000 to submit their candidacies. They must either be endorsed by a party with at least one elected official or, if running as an independent, produce at least 300 signatures from specific kinds of dignitaries from every region.
In the elections themselves, there are close to 25,000 polling stations. What candidate can field representatives in each of these locations? The official campaign period lasts two weeks and it is illegal to campaign before this period. How can one visit 360 districts in just 14 days? The presidential campaign team, which includes ministers and other dignitaries, travels the country at the expense of the state, meaning the playing field is nowhere near level. Meanwhile, the state media turns into the ruling party’s propaganda machine.
Despite the very high hurdles, however, I decided to run for president. I have spent the last 25 years defending good governance and fighting corruption. In 2000, at a time Cameroon was accused of being the most corrupt country in the world, I founded the national chapter of international anti-corruption NGO Transparency International. Needless to say, this earned me the ire of the establishment. I went on to work for bodies such as the African Development Bank and High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa.
In this time, I watched as my country steadily moved in the wrong direction. And with the worsening situation in the Anglophone regions threatening to pull apart the fabric of our nation, a sense of responsibility weighed on my soul. I knew that I had to put my experience at the service of our citizens and attack the issues at their source – the system.
In the end, though, I withdrew my candidacy and backed Maurice Kamto. There is nowhere in African where the opposition has removed a dictator like Biya without presenting a common front. In Cameroon, the remaining eight candidates held some further meetings, but never met once together as a group. This meant that there was no single opposition candidate. This fact discouraged voters who concluded it was a waste of time.
In the final tally, Biya officially won with 71.28%. Kamto came second with 14.23%. But there were reports of massive fraud. The absence of opposition officials at many polling stations allowed the stuffing of ballot boxes. An incomplete biometric system meant that certain people voted multiple times.
The legal challenge against the election results that followed exposed the Constitutional Council as political institution. This all played out on national television and many citizens, for the first time, witnessed the fraud that cripples our electoral process.
The danger that Cameroon now faces is that its elections’ lack of credibility could lead voters to question the need to participate. And if electoral justice becomes captured by politics and hence incapable of addressing issues raised by the proper, the streets will take over. Since the presidential elections, there have been demonstrations against what has been described as a faulted political process. These demonstrations have been relayed to the Diaspora in Europe and America.
Cameroon needs to design an adequate electoral system. It is essential to make reforms so that the individual controlling the process is not also a player in it. This year, Cameroons saw first-hand the effects of a lopsided system. If the electoral playing field is not evened out then the country risks being stuck in an interminable loop created by a government for the government. Cameroonians will only stand for this so long. Till then, Cameroon remains a state captured by a few oligarchs.
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