Saturday, July 16, 2016

Percy Omenazu's Journey to Poetry Part One



MY LIFE AND THE JOURNEY TO POETRY WORLD Part 1

The first time I was in a pure poetry class in senior secondary school was under Mr Igbokwe at National High school Aba and the first poem he taught us was David Diop's AFRICA. As a result of how interesting the class was, I became the first to memorize the poem in my class and till today, I can still recite it. The poem really awakened a particular consciousness I never knew could be existing in me. How could a man use a few words to paint a long generational story? I started practising poetry.

However, the first time I was able to write and document mine was in 1996. Before this period, I was of the opinion that those poets whose works we were studying and memorizing must have been specially trained to be able to write at least one poem. I couldn't believe that an ordinary person without studying English and literary studies in the University could write a poem. There were so many ideas to communicate poetically but I was simply unable to express them until one day.

My friend and brother before the war, Evang Okey Moses who was also interested in writing gave me a piece of poetic work by Kaodi Onuoha who was then a law student at Abia State University Uturu. I read the poem just once and went into a deep thought. Okey wanted us  to discuss the poem but I am sure he didn't understand that I was not interested in the discussion. I was about to be admitted into the Law faculty, I never knew that a Lawyer could be a poet. However, before me was a poem written by a Law student. I was highly inspired.

Friends, the next visit to Okey, I presented to him my own poem for his consumption. Today, poems don dey fetch me little little things for pocket.

It looks like a mountain but you have the ability to climb or fly over it inside of you. Jacob said:"This is the gate of heaven but I did not know...."

Have a nice weekend and expect more of this story....
Follow me on twitter @lordpercyo

Monday, May 30, 2016

Full Text Buhari's Speech on Democracy Day



The statement was published by the presidential media aide Femi Adesina. Read the full speech below:
“My compatriots, It is one year today since our administration came into office. It has been a year of triumph, consolidation, pains and achievements. By age, instinct and experience, my preference is to look forward, to prepare for the challenges that lie ahead and rededicate the administration to the task of fixing Nigeria. But I believe we can also learn from the obstacles we have overcome and the progress we made thus far, to help strengthen the plans that we have in place to put Nigeria back on the path of progress. We affirm our belief in democracy as the form of government that best assures the active participation and actual benefit of the people. Despite the many years of hardship and disappointment the people of this nation have proved inherently good, industrious tolerant, patient and generous. The past years have witnessed huge flows of oil revenues. From 2010 average oil prices were $100 per barrel. But economic and security conditions were deteriorating. We campaigned and won the election on the platform of restoring security, tackling corruption and restructuring the economy. on our arrival, the oil price had collapsed to as low as $30 per barrel and we found nothing had been kept for the rainy day. Oil prices have been declining since 2014 but due to the neglect of the past, the country was not equipped to halt the economy from declining.
The infrastructure, notably rail, power, roads were in a decrepit state. all the four refineries were in a state of disrepair, the pipelines and depots neglected. Huge debts owed to contractors and suppliers had accumulated. twenty-seven states could not pay salaries for months. in the north-east, Boko Haram had captured 14 local governments, driven the local authorities out, hoisted their flags. Elsewhere, insecurity was palpable; corruption and impunity were the order of the day. In short, we inherited a state near collapse. On the economic front, all oil dependent countries, Nigeria included, have been struggling since the drop in prices. many oil rich states have had to take tough decisions similar to what we are doing. The world, Nigeria included has been dealing with the effects of three significant and simultaneous global shocks starting in 2014: A 70% drop in oil prices. Global growth slowdown. Normalization of monetary policy by the United States federal reserve. Our problems as a government are like that of a farmer who in a good season harvests ten bags of produce. The proceeds enable him to get by for rest of the year. However, this year he could only manage 3 bags from his farm. He must now think of other ways to make ends meet. From day one, we purposely set out to correct our condition, to change Nigeria. We reinforced and galvanized our armed forces with new leadership and resources. We marshaled our neighbours in a joint task force to tackle and defeat Boko Haram. By the end of December 2015, all but pockets and remnants had been routed by our gallant armed forces. Our immediate focus is for a gradual and safe return of internally displaced persons in safety and dignity and for the resumption of normalcy in the lives of people living in these areas. EFCC was given the freedom to pursue corrupt officials and the judiciary was alerted on what Nigerians expect of them in the fight against corruption. On the economy, in particular foreign exchange and fuel shortages, our plan is to save foreign exchange by fast tracking repair of the refineries and producing most of our fuel requirements at home. And by growing more food in Nigeria, mainly rice, wheat and sugar we will save billions of dollars in foreign exchange and drastically reduce our food import bill.
We resolved to keep the Naira steady, as in the past, devaluation had done dreadful harm to the Nigerian economy. Furthermore, I supported the monetary authority’s decision to ensure alignment between monetary policy and fiscal policy. We shall keep a close look on how the recent measures affect the Naira and the economy. But we cannot get away from the fact that a strong currency is predicated on a strong economy.
And a strong economy pre-supposes an industrial productive base and a steady export market. The measures we must take, may lead to hardships. The problems Nigerians have faced over the last year have been many and varied. But the real challenge for this government has been reconstructing the spine of the Nigerian state. The last twelve months have been spent collaborating with all arms of government to revive our institutions so that they are more efficient and fit for purpose: That means a bureaucracy better able to develop and deliver policy That means an independent judiciary, above suspicion and able to defend citizen’s rights and dispense justice equitably. That means a legislature that actually legislates effectively and Above all; that means political parties and politicians committed to serving the nigerian people rather than themselves. These are the pillars of the state on which democracy can take root and thrive. But only if they are strong and incorruptible. Accordingly, we are working very hard to introduce some vital structural reforms in the way we conduct government business and lay a solid foundation on which we can build enduring change. An important first step has been to get our housekeeping right. So we have reduced the extravagant spending of the past. We started boldly with the treasury single account, stopping the leakages in public expenditure. We then identified forty-three thousand ghost workers through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information system. That represents pay packets totalling N4.2 billion stolen every month.  In addition, we will save Twenty-Three Billion  Naira per annum from official travelling and sitting allowances alone. Furthermore, the efficiency unit will cut costs and eliminate duplications in ministries and departments. Every little saving helps. The reduction in the number of ministries and work on restructuring and rationalization of the MDAs is well underway. When this work is complete we will have a leaner, more efficient public service that is fit for the purpose of changing nigeria for the good and for good. As well as making savings, we have changed the way public money is spent. In all my years as a public servant, I have never come across the practice of padding budgets. I am glad to tell you now we not only have a budget, but more importantly, we have a budget process that is more transparent, more inclusive and more closely tied to our development priorities than in the recent past. 30% of the expenditure in this budget is devoted to capital items. Furthermore, we are projecting non-oil revenues to surpass proceeds from oil. Some critics have described the budget exercise as clumsy. Perhaps. But it was an example of consensus building, which is integral to democratic government. In the end we resolved our differences. READ ALSO: Buhari makes striking confession about EFCC operations We have, therefore, delivered significant milestones on security, corruption and the economy. In respect of the economy, I would like to directly address you on the very painful but inevitable decisions we had to make in the last few weeks specifically on the pump price of fuel and the more flexible exchange rate policy announced by the central bank. It is even more painful for me that a major producer of crude oil with four refineries that once exported refined products is today having to import all of its domestic needs. This is what corruption and mismanagement has done to us and that is why we must fight these ills. As part of the foundation of the new economy we have had to reform how fuel prices had traditionally been fixed. This step was taken only after protracted consideration of its pros and cons. After comprehensive investigation my advisers and I concluded that the mechanism was unsustainable. We are also engaged in making recoveries of stolen assets some of which are in different jurisdictions. The processes of recovery can be tedious and time consuming, but today I can confirm that thus far: significant amount of assets have been recovered. A considerable portion of these are at different stages of recovery. Full details of the status and categories of the assets will now be published by the Ministry of Information and updated periodically. When forfeiture formalities are completed these monies will be credited to the treasury and be openly and transparently used in funding developmental projects and the public will be informed. On the Niger Delta, we are committed to implementing the United Nations Environment Programme report and are advancing clean-up operations. I believe the way forward is to take a sustainable approach to address the issues that affect the delta communities. Re-engineering the amnesty programmes is an example of this. The recent spate of attacks by militants disrupting oil and power installations will not distract us from engaging leaders in the region in addressing Niger Delta problems. If the militants and vandals are testing our resolve, they are much mistaken. We shall apprehend the perpetrators and their sponsors and bring them to justice. The policy measures and actions taken so far are not to be seen as some experiment in governance. We are fully aware that those vested interests who have held Nigeria back for so long will not give up without a fight. They will sow divisions, sponsor vile press criticisms at home and abroad, incite the public in an effort to create chaos rather than relinquish the vice-like grip they have held on Nigeria. The economic misfortune we are experiencing in the shape of very low oil prices has provided us with an opportunity to restructure our economy and diversify. We are in the process of promoting agriculture, livestocks, exploiting our solid mineral resources and expanding our industrial and manufacturing base. That way, we will import less and make the social investments necessary to allow us to produce a large and skilled workforce. Central Bank of Nigeria will offer more fiscal incentives for business that prove capable of manufacturing products that are internationally competitive. We remain committed to reforming the regulatory framework, for investors by improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the first steps along the path of self-sufficiency in rice, wheat and sugar – big users of our scarce foreign exchange – have been taken. The Labour Intensive Farming Enterprise  will boost the economy and ensure inclusive growth in long neglected communities. Special intervention funds through the Bank of Agriculture will provide targeted support. Concerns remain about rising cost of foods such as maize, rice, millet, beans and gari. Farmers tell me that they are worried about the cost of fertilizers, pesticides and the absence of extension services. The federal and state governments are on the same page in tackling these hurdles in our efforts at increased food production and ultimately food security. I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the increasing role that our women are playing in revitalizing the agricultural sector. Modern farming is still hard and heavy work and I salute our Nigerian women in sharing this burden. In this respect I am very pleased to announce that the government will shortly be launching the national women’s empowerment fund, which I have approved to provide N1.6 billion in micro-finance loans to women across the nation to assist in rehabilitating the economies of rural communities, particularly those impacted by the insurgency and conflict. READ ALSO: Has Buhari failed Nigeria already? With respect to solid minerals, the minister has produced a roadmap where we will work closely with the world bank and major international investors to ensure through best practices and due diligence that we choose the right partners. Illegal mining remains a problem and we have set up a special security team to protect our assets. Special measures will be in place to protect miners in their work environment. For too long, ours has been a society that neglects the poor and victimises the weak. A society that promotes profit and growth over development and freedom. A society that fails to recognize that, to quote the distinguished economist Amartya Sen “ poverty is not just lack of money. It is not having the capability to realize one’s full potential as a human being.” So, today, I am happy to formally  launch, by far the most ambitious social protection programme in our history. A programme that both seeks to start the process of lifting many from poverty, while at the same time creating the opportunity for people to fend for themselves. In this regard, Five Hundred Billion Naira has been appropriated in the 2016 budget for social intervention programmes in five key areas. We are committed to providing job creation opportunities for five hundred thousand teachers and one hundred thousand artisans across the nation. 5.5 million children are to be provided with nutritious meals through our school feeding programme to improve learning outcomes, as well as enrolment and completion rates. The conditional cash transfer scheme will provide financial support for up to one million vulnerable beneficiaries, and complement the enterprise programme – which will target up to one million market women; four hundred and sixty thousand artisans; and two hundred thousand agricultural workers, nationwide. Finally, through the education grant scheme, we will encourage students studying sciences, technology, engineering and maths, and lay a foundation for human capital development for the next generation. I would like to pay a special tribute to our gallant men and women of the armed forces who are in harm’s way so that the rest of us can live and go about our business in safety. Their work is almost done. The nation owes them a debt of gratitude. Abroad, we want to assure our neighbours, friends and development partners that Nigeria is firmly committed to democratic principles. We are ready partners in combating terrorism, cyber crimes, control of communicable diseases and protection of the environment. Following on the Paris Agreement, COP 21, we are fully committed to halting and reversing desertification. Elsewhere, we will intensify efforts to tackle erosion, ocean surge, flooding and oil spillage which I referred to earlier by implementing the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report. We are grateful to the international community notably France, the US, UK and China for their quick response in helping to tackle the recent Ebola outbreak in our sub-region. We also acknowledge the humanity shown by the Italian and German governments in the treatment of boat people, many fleeing from our sub-region because of lack of economic opportunity. We thank all our partners especially several countries in the EU. READ ALSO: One year in office: PMB lists achievements as military rescue 11,595 B’Haram captives We appreciate the valuable work that the UN agencies, particularly UNICEF, ICRC, the World Food Program have been doing. We must also appreciate the World Bank, the Gates Foundation, the Global Fund and Educate A Child of Qatar for the excellent work in our health, education and other sectors. Fellow citizens let me end on a happy note. To the delight of all, two of the abducted Chibok girls have regained their freedom. During the last one year, not a single day passed without my agonizing about these girls. Our efforts have centred around negotiations to free them safely from their mindless captors. We are still pursuing that course. Their safety is of paramount concern to me and I am sure to most Nigerians. I am very worried about the conditions those still captured might be in. Today I re-affirm our commitment to rescuing our girls. We will never stop until we bring them home safely. As I said before, no girl should be put through the brutality of forced marriage and every Nigerian girl has the right to an education and a life choice. I thank you and appeal to you to continue supporting the government’s efforts to fix Nigeria.”
Read more: https://www.naij.com/843855-video-president-buhari-addresses-nation-democracy-day.html?source=notification

Sunday, May 29, 2016

LESSONS FROM THE GAME FOOTBALL Part one


LESSONS FROM THE GAME OF FOOTBALL Part one 

Whenever I go through the post match analyses, I concentrate more on shots on target than ball possession. This is because as long as I am concerned, the results are more important than the processes.

I have always felt disappointed when a team that requires winning gains a few shots at the target. As long as I am concerned, I have always regarded such a team as an unserious one.

May I draw a little of your attention to a particular time the Nigerian Super Eagles needed a simple win ahead of their North African counterparts. The government made a pledge to reward the goals differently. In addition, a particular MNC also pledged to reward shots on target. I was convinced that the Siasia-led group would be motivated by these promises. To my amazement, the team could not produce more than two shots on the target in the first half.

Make me a part of the team at that moment, I would have two things in this my mind. It is either I get the goal or I produce the shots. This simply means that every opportunity that comes my way, some dollars would be made from my shot. Entertainment would have been suspended, unnecessary passes around the goal post suspended and back pass would not feature unless it would produce a good shot that would attract more money. Anybody that tells that I would not get these results does not know me. I must encourage myself.

One major problem the children of God face in this part of the world is the inability to nurse ambition and sustain it. Shots at the target are likened to AMBITION while the goals are the ACTUALIZATION. You can't actualize an ambition you have not nursed. This elucidates that one of the greatest sins a child of God would commit is failure to nurse ambition.

See the case of Joshua. 

God said to Joshua:

Joshua 1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

This means that the accumulation of more territories is a function of how much Joshua could step his feet. If God gives you such a promise and you remain at a spot, your case is irredeemable. If you really wish to make it in life, you keep marching on places and accumulating them. Children of God have failed in this regard.

How do we apply the Joshua measure?

When you begin to nurse different godly ambitions, you are stepping on different grounds like Joshua. Can I tell you something? God will help you to acquire them. For that reason, have a change of mentality today. Every child of God is entitled to a good life and it is a function how many territories you have made up your mind to step upon.

Watch out for part two with my true life story.

Friday, May 6, 2016

Abia State Government Responds to the Aba Killing


PRESS RELEASE FROM ABIA STATE GOVERNMENT
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Abia Press statement

1. Our dear brothers and sisters, It is with heavy hearts that the state government received reports of the unfortunate incident at Aba abattoir today. Initial information made available to us indicate that the violence was sparked off by a solider who killed a meat-seller at the  popular waterside abattoir located at the Ogbohill area of Aba.

2.  We condemn the dastardly act that led to the untimely death of our brother, father and bread winner of his family. Our hearts and prayers are with his family and friends in this moment of pains and loss, even as we also commiserate with the traders at the market and others who were affected by the ensuing crisis.

3. The solider who allegedly perpetrated this act has been arrested and taken into custody.  He will surely face the full weight of the law.

4. We call on the good people of Abia, especially those of us living and doing business at Aba, to remain claim. We reassure all citizens and residents of the state that the government is doing everything to protect lives and property of citizens as well as prevent further disruption of peace.

5. The Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has instructed the recently re-equipped security agencies in the state to ensure watertight security around our borders and towns against any form of attack.

6. He has also directed the men of the Abia State Vigilante Services (AVS) to commence, with immediate effect, a two week intensive training, for onward deployment to our communities to assist in community policing under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police.

7.  All Traditional Rulers in the state have been directed to submit names of 10 able-bodied youths from their community to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs from Tuesday 10th to Wednesday 11th May 2016. These youths will be enlisted into the Abia State Vigilante Services (AVS) to further boost community policing in the state.

8. Law enforcement agencies have been mandated to search and monitor all trucks and vehicles conveying livestocks, food items and persons into the state from any part of the country with a view to preventing inter-state movement of arms and terrorists. The law enforcement agencies will also search and monitor markets and settlements where  livestocks and dealers are located, to ensure security.

9. The Governor of Abia State has approved the constitution of a Farmers/Herdsmen Conflict Resolution Committee. The Commissioner of Police will head the committee at the state level. Other members of the committee are: The Brigade Commander, State Director of DSS, State Commandant of the NSCDC, the Naval Commander, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Myati Allah cattle dealers representative and Sarikin Hausawa.

10. The State Governor has also directed the constitution of Farmers/Herdsmen Conflict Resolution Committees in the 17 Local Government Areas of the state. The Local Government chairmen will head the committees in their LGAs. Other members of the committees include; Divisional Police Officers in the LGAs, Local Government NSCDC heads, the DSS Local Government Chiefs, LGA Chairmen of Traditional Rulers Council and LGA Heads of Hausa communities.

11. We wish to encourage our people to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement or activities of strange persons within our communities to the Traditional Rulers or call any of the following Police Emergency Control phone numbers: 08079210003, 08079210004, 08079210005, 08035425405 for prompt deployment of a Rapid Response Unit formed for the purpose of dealing with security alerts.

Godwin Adindu
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

We will Achieve 7,000 Megawatts in the next 18 Months- Osinbajo


Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has assured Nigerians that the problems in the power sector are being given serious attention as the Federal Government targets generation of 7,000 megawatts in the next 18 months.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has assured Nigerians that the problems in the power sector are being given serious attention as the Federal Government targets generation of 7,000 megawatts in the next 18 months. Osinbajo, who spoke on Monday at the 50th anniversary of the House of Lords, Nigeria, where a book entitled, ‘Nigeria: The challenges of growth and development, an-depth analysis by experts’, was presented at the University of Ibadan, also lamented that about $15bn was being lost to corruption in the country.
The vice president said Nigerians deserved the best from the government, adding that this year’s budget would solve some of the problems associated with the weakness in the power value chain.
While highlighting some of the challenges militating against the generation and supply of adequate power in the country, Osinbajo said that despite Nigeria’s huge resources, there was a major constraint in conveying gas from the gas wells to the power plants.
He said, “Power is a major factor in nation building. But the most important part of this is that the aspect of power generation that is weak at the moment will be quickly restored. The most important aspect in power generation is gas and its transmission. It is in our plan not only to produce more gas, but also that we are able to pipe the gas to appropriate stations.
“We are going to generate 7,000 megawatts of power in 18 months. But the problem is pipeline vandalism. The President has, however, ordered a full-scale protection of the pipelines by the military.”
He added, “Early in the life of this administration late last year and early this year, power generation was possibly at its best. Nigeria, for the first time, was actually generating 5,000 megawatts, which was the first time it would happen in the history of the country.
“By February 14, 2016, the Vorcados Export Terminal was blown. Of course, the gang up after the blowing ensured that 40 per cent of our gas that goes for power is no longer used for the purpose. This situation led to the immediate loss of 1,500 megawatts of power. It is our priority that the pipeline projects are completed so that gas will be adequately supplied to the power plants.”
The vice president also stated that the Federal Government would begin the implementation of the 2016 budget in a few days.
“The budget is not ambitious in size but more in its broad range of fiscal policies. Our strategic implementation plan proposes 33 action points. The action points cut across six political ties of security, governance, economic diversification, power, road and rail, oil and gas, ease of investment and social investment,” he said.
Osinbajo also said that for the first time in three years, Nigeria would dedicate 30 per cent of the budget to capital expenditure, noting that the amount set aside for that purpose was three times higher than the 2015 budget.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: editor@punchng.comsinbajo, who spoke on Monday at the 50th anniversary of the House of Lords, Nigeria, where a book entitled, ‘Nigeria: The challenges of growth and development, an-depth analysis by experts’, was presented at the University of Ibadan, also lamented that about $15bn was being lost to corruption in the country.
The vice president said Nigerians deserved the best from the government, adding that this year’s budget would solve some of the problems associated with the weakness in the power value chain.
While highlighting some of the challenges militating against the generation and supply of adequate power in the country, Osinbajo said that despite Nigeria’s huge resources, there was a major constraint in conveying gas from the gas wells to the power plants.
He said, “Power is a major factor in nation building. But the most important part of this is that the aspect of power generation that is weak at the moment will be quickly restored. The most important aspect in power generation is gas and its transmission. It is in our plan not only to produce more gas, but also that we are able to pipe the gas to appropriate stations.
“We are going to generate 7,000 megawatts of power in 18 months. But the problem is pipeline vandalism. The President has, however, ordered a full-scale protection of the pipelines by the military.”
He added, “Early in the life of this administration late last year and early this year, power generation was possibly at its best. Nigeria, for the first time, was actually generating 5,000 megawatts, which was the first time it would happen in the history of the country.
“By February 14, 2016, the Vorcados Export Terminal was blown. Of course, the gang up after the blowing ensured that 40 per cent of our gas that goes for power is no longer used for the purpose. This situation led to the immediate loss of 1,500 megawatts of power. It is our priority that the pipeline projects are completed so that gas will be adequately supplied to the power plants.”
The vice president also stated that the Federal Government would begin the implementation of the 2016 budget in a few days.
“The budget is not ambitious in size but more in its broad range of fiscal policies. Our strategic implementation plan proposes 33 action points. The action points cut across six political ties of security, governance, economic diversification, power, road and rail, oil and gas, ease of investment and social investment,” he said.
Osinbajo also said that for the first time in three years, Nigeria would dedicate 30 per cent of the budget to capital expenditure, noting that the amount set aside for that purpose was three times higher than the 2015 budget.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Dressing masquerades can create a thousand jobs per week, says Lai

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says dressing masquerades could create a thousand jobs per week for Nigerian men.

Speaking at the sectoral debate of the federal house of representative in Abuja on Tuesday, Mohammed said most states in Nigeria have one festival or the other.

“Most states today have more than one festival a year, but the packaging and lack of capacity has not enabled them to make the most out of these festivals,” he said.

“There’s a particular masquerade in the south east, it takes 100 people to dress him, another 100 people to undress him.

“If this masquerade is well-packaged, it can provide employment in one week for more than 1000 young men. These are some of the untapped potentials.”

Mohammed explained that Nigeria has the oldest forest in the world in terms of biodiversity for tourists to visit, but tourists are discouraged by bribing and insecurity in the country.

“I worked in the airport for 10 years, and I know that if you want your passport stamped as a foreigner, you slip $100 into your passport. No tourist would come back to a country where he has to bribe immigration to enter.

“No tourist would come to a country where, when he leaves immigration, he enters a ‘one-chance’ taxi or ‘one-chance’ bus. It’s a holistic problem and these are all contained in the national tourism master plan, which I would make available to the house.

“We must make a difference between tourist sites and tourist attractions; what we have in Nigeria are tourist sites. They are not tourist attractions.

“You need infrastructure to convert a tourist site to a tourist attraction. If you don’t have infrastructure, it would always remain a tourist site,

“In Cross Rivers reserve park, Nigeria has the oldest forest in the whole world. It is the oldest in terms of biodiversity, and we have this very rare, white-mane gorilla in that area, but because my people in Cross River have decided to turn them to bush meat, they have now escaped.”
-TheCableng

Sunday, April 24, 2016

No proof Buhari government is cutting cost –Dele Momodu


The Publisher of Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, speaks about President Muhammadu Buhari’s government and other issues in this interview with’NONYE BEN-NWANKWO and GBENRO ADEOYE
What is your view on the state of the country?
The state of the country now is a bit volatile. Don’t forget that a very strong political party was voted out of power last year, so naturally, the tension is still there. But my attitude to it is that the tension can be tackled by the government. There is nothing happening in Nigeria that has not happened elsewhere. In fact, we have had worse situations. In South Africa, Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years and when he came out of prison, he could have prolonged the disunity and the tension but he was smart enough to know that the only thing that could bring about progress in a nation is an atmosphere of peace. So that is what I recommend but unfortunately, some people in Nigeria feel that the tension should continue and that we should fight to the finish. But I believe that I am a good student of history and my attitude is that every Nigerian, whether in the Peoples Democratic Party, the All Progressives Congress, the National Conscience Party, the Labour Party or whichever, must join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari to rescue Nigeria and he too must join hands with them.
Do you also feel that this government is slow and that nothing is really happening in spite of its promise of change?
I won’t use the word slow. I’d say we could do better. I’m not on the hot seat; I’m not the President of Nigeria, so there are things he would know that I don’t know. He would have access to more information than the ordinary man on the street. But I believe that Nigerians are very agitated at the moment. I’m seeing a lot of complaints on social media and all kinds of caricatures. You would think the government has been in power for four years. In less than one year, people are already abusing us. ‘You guys are idiots; you brought Buhari on us’, ‘Shame on all of you’. I don’t know if all of these are getting to the government but this is the feedback that we are getting. If you have been reading my articles in a national newspaper every Saturday, you must have seen that I’ve been reflecting that mood. What I know about government and power is that people (who are close to him) hardly tell the leader the truth. They tell him what they think he wants to hear; they tell him everything is under control. “Oh! Don’t mind the disgruntled elements.” In government, everybody is always disgruntled. This time last year, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s boys were busy abusing us thoroughly. There was nothing they didn’t say. But we knew we had to carry on with our mission, based on principle. I’m not a member of the APC or the PDP, but people don’t know. I was just a volunteer. Our generation, I believe, is different. These days, nobody thinks that anyone can do anything based on principles. They think it must be based on political affiliations, religious fraternity and so on. I’m just a Nigerian who wants Nigeria to be good. I’m already 55 years going on 56 and I’m just worried. When the Wole Soyinkas were describing their generation as a wasted generation, I was so sure that mine would not be wasted. But at this rate, if care is not taken, we have virtually joined that generation. No electricity, no water, bad roads, nothing. If you listened to Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s songs in the 70s and the early 80s, you can still replay the songs today and they will be relevant. The same old story! It is troubling for some of us, which is why I said we must join hands with Buhari because if he fails, we are in trouble. The President should also reach out to everybody; it does not matter whether you are a Christian or a Muslim or animist, whatever you are, we are all Nigerians at the end of the day.
Are you saying you could have done any better if you had been elected when you contested Presidency?
Me? Well, it is a matter of conjecture. The Yoruba have a saying: ‘Enu dun ro efo’ (It is easy and convenient to cook vegetable soup by mouth), so you never know until you get there. But if you asked me, naturally, the answer would be, ‘Yes, I would perform’. This is because there are basic lessons I’ve learnt, especially from the lives of some people like Chief Obafemi Awolowo- a life of service. What was the secret? He was able to assemble the best brains around, listen to them and act on whatever quality advice they gave him. Any leader who wants to succeed must do that. Your team must be able to reach you, have access to you, respect you but not be afraid of you to the extent that they cannot talk, take risks, take decisions.
Are you saying that Buhari’s ministers are afraid of him to that extent?
I wrote an article about that recently that Sir (Buhari), you need to free your ministers from this cage. What I see presently is a regime where ministers are afraid, maybe because they have not been able to get over Buhari’s first coming. But this is a democracy, so things must change. We cannot have a dictator. One of the ministers actually called me because I compared this cabinet to that of former President Goodluck Jonathan. In his time, say what you will, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was talking and reassuring the nation. You’d see her on Aljazeera, CNN,defending Nigeria, their policy and so on. But that is not the case here. What we have now is a preponderance of media operatives for the government. Garba Shehu says his; Femi Adesina says his; and then you hear from the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. There have been a cacophony of information but this information has not been able to coagulate to reassure Nigerians, who are rightly anxious, that things are okay. I wrote an article titled, ‘Buhari and the burden of expectation’. To whom much is given, much is expected. People saw Buhari as a magician, either rightly or wrongly. So they expect so much from him. So those who are getting angry and asking ‘why are people saying he should do this or that, he has just started? People expected what I call Talismanic results. So they expected him to perform miracles. I told him that Nigerians expect you to perform the miracle of Jesus Christ raising Lazarus from the dead because Nigeria was virtually comatose. So my mind has been oscillating between, ‘Are we fast enough?’ or ‘Are we too slow?’ I just believe that we should jazz up some things quickly and urgently because we don’t have the luxury of time. By May, a year would have been gone. We will enter the second year by May 29 and by the third year; politicians are already jostling for the next elections. So there will be no attention paid to governance again. Now, some people are already talking about 2019. In fact, part of the battle right now is about 2019 when we have not even passed the first budget. So the executive and the legislature must bury whatever differences they have and come together for the sake of Nigeria. The judiciary must assist but what I see now is a fight between the executive and the legislature. People are abusing the judiciary of being corrupt and if we bastardise all our institutions, there will be nothing left at the end of the day.
So are you one of those pleading for more time for this government?
I always tell people that leadership is not about politics but about managing people and resources. A leader must be ready to adjust accordingly. If you are not making enough money from oil, so what do you do? Agriculture is not an overnight thing but you can set things in motion. We should begin the process of making sure we move from a mono-economy to a diversified one. Two, Chief Moshood Abiola used to tell us that when you want to cut your coat, you look at the available material. If it can give you a three-piece suit, fine. But if it can’t, reduce it to a two-piece suit, and you don’t make it too wide. Right now, I’ve not seen any sign of austerity in Nigeria.  If you asked for my honest opinion, I think that Buhari should reflect austerity measure in Nigeria, especially in government. The bulk of our resources are going towards funding the politicians. I read last week that government officials should no longer fly first class. That is minor; anybody can fly anything. I fly a lot and I know how to get the best bargains. But you know in government, it is not like that. There would be an agent somewhere who is related to someone in government and he is the one writing tickets and he is writing the most expensive ones. So these are things that the government does not realise.
Do you think that the President should have pruned the size of the Presidential Air Fleet?
I think we have too many presidential jets right now; that is my opinion. I believe that we have too many and even Buhari himself had criticised that before he became the President. So I don’t know what they are waiting for. I think we are spending too much money flying round. Each time they fly, they tell me they have reduced the entourage but I don’t think so. I was in New York on my own but stayed in the same hotel with them last year July during the United Nations General Assembly and I could still see that a lot of the people were just roaming and roving around with nothing to do. I don’t see why the President should travel every time with a full entourage, especially for a country like ours. You may say that Tanzania is a small country but a broke country is also a poor country. We are very wealthy in terms of our resources and assets, but right now, we lack cash flow. So we have to show that we are serious. If my company is not making money, I can’t go and be spending money on expensive lifestyles. It’s about how you manage yourself and I don’t see that yet. We have returned to the days when people think government is about enjoyment.
Pruning the presidential air fleet was one of APC’s campaigns, so do you think all the other promises the party made were a mere gimmick to attain power?
I don’t know. There is a book I like to quote. It was written by a Brazilian author called Paulo Freire. It is titled, ‘Pedagogy of the oppressed’. There are two things I picked from the book. One is that the oppressed man respects and fears only one person- his oppressor. The second one, which is relevant to what I’m talking about, is that the oppressed man is waiting for an opportunity to become an oppressor. The only dream he has in his life is: I just want to be great. I want to get to power. But when he gets to power, the reality is different. President Buhari, I believe, is a man of modest means, humble, easy going, and I don’t think he is overtly crazy about money or primitive accumulation of wealth. I once described him as a man who is like Jesus Christ, but without disciples. If your followers don’t share in your philosophy, then everything will spiral out of control, which is what I think is happening in Nigeria.
Some people have attributed your open letter to President Buhari as a sign that you are still sulking for not being made a minister. Is that what it is about?
I know the number of people who were begging me to do everything possible to become a minister. And I told them: the only reason you want me to become a minister is so that I can go and steal on your behalf. You are not saying it because you think I’m qualified or because you love me. They told me it’s their own opportunity; that I worked for these people. And it got to a stage that even my wife said people did not allow her sleep; they would call her in the UK and say ‘Madam, talk to your husband, he is too arrogant and foolish. How can he work for Buhari so much and not get anything?’ If I was going there for service, nobody would worry me. So the mindset of an average Nigerian is still that government is the easiest way to make money. And with that kind of mindset, what can Buhari alone do?
Were you not disappointed that your name was not on the list of Buhari’s ministers?
No, I wasn’t disappointed. I actually wrote an article before the list came out on why I believed my name would not be there. People were circulating some names. But to start with, I’m not a member of their party. Anybody who wants to be a minister, an ambassador, the first prerequisite usually is to be a member of the political party. It is even almost a constitutional thing. Till today, I have never left my party, the NCP. So if I was desperate for an appointment, I would have left my party. Nobody would drive me away if I want to join the APC. As a matter of fact, my good friend, Rotimi Amaechi (Minister of Transportation), has asked me many times why I have not joined the APC. I said no, I’m not interested. I don’t know how people do it when they jump from party to party like frogs. Maybe it is because I come from a background of intellectualism. I was supposed to be a lecturer but I couldn’t get a job in the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) when I finished my Master’s degree in 1988. That was what brought me to Lagos. So I was already 28 years old by the time I arrived in Lagos in 1988. That ‘village boy’ mentality has not left me till today- ignore all the glamour. I am just who I am. I am happy contributing my quota to the development of my country. I’ve appointed myself as a global ambassador. I’ve been negotiating with rebels in Sierra Leone as far back as 2001. I would go there to visit our soldiers. You see, I read a lot and I’ve watched the lifestyles of the rich and famous elsewhere and I see how they contribute to their societies. You don’t have to be in government to contribute positively. Princess Diana used to go to Angola to campaign against land mines. You see Prince Harry going to Afghanistan to fight alongside British soldiers. Would you see the child of a Nigerian President or king ready to do all those things? That is me. But people don’t believe it because what they see is that he is the publisher of Ovation, he hobnobs with the rich and famous. Yet, I write my columns every Saturday and I’m able to tell President Buhari what nobody would tell him. I was able to write and tell Jonathan what nobody would tell him. When the late Umaru Yar’Adua cabal was holding Nigeria to ransom, I went on the street and I was not a member of the PDP and I never sat with Jonathan one on one. He is probably the only President in recent times that I never took pictures with. I’m just who I am. I’m more of a scholar. My dream is to return to the university and teach the young ones. All the experience that we have gathered should not be wasted.
Speaking of your open letter to the President, it is widely believed that it is when you are unable to get anything from the government in power that you start bad-mouthing it.
Was I a friend of Jonathan in power? I just told you that I went on the streets to fight for his right when he was being oppressed by the cabal. Did I go to them? If I was a friend of everyone in power, won’t I be a member of a big political party? People just talk. Fortunately for me, I learnt from MKO Abiola. When I came to Lagos in 1988, Abiola was probably the most hated Nigerian. Even when I was going to work inConcord Newspapers, it was because I couldn’t get a job in The Guardian. I had wanted The Guardian. When a friend suggested Concord to me, I was reluctant to go there. I told him people said that Abiola was an Islamic fundamentalist; they said he was a millionaire fanatic. But I got to Concord and everything was different. We had a bush canteen inConcord where we could drink beer. Would you drink beer or smoke in an Islamic empire? People were smoking. So I have learnt from the lives of great people that people must talk about them. What matters is for you to be true to your beliefs, philosophy and principles. Go and check if there was any government that I didn’t know and I was bold enough to tell them the truth. The secret is that I don’t abuse people. When I write, I critique and I proffer solutions. Go and read my articles. When I met with President Buhari, I had a copy of my forthcoming book, which contained some of the articles I wrote in the last five years on Jonathan. I said ‘Sir, I appointed myself Special Adviser to the President and these are some of the things I wrote about him, but he didn’t listen’. I said I hope you won’t mind, I’m going to be playing the same role. I’ve not gone back to Buhari. When I went to see him, I was invited. Thereafter, I have never gone near the place. I’ve not met Lai Mohammed since he became the Information Minister, you would not believe it. And this is a man who has been my friend for over 20 years. I’ve not been to Amaechi’s office. We may have been together when he is in Lagos and in the same hotel or at a function. I don’t run around. Journalists are treated like poor specie in Nigeria; I respect myself. I’m older than most of the political actors on the stage today. And where I come from, we value seniority. If you don’t respect yourself, nobody is going to respect you. So when people talk and say you are defending this and that, I say I defend principle.
Were you paid by the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Maduekwe, to launder her image with the interview you recently had with her?
That is why some people will rather leave this life of activism because whether you do it or don’t it, people must abuse you. What did I do wrong with Diezani? This is a woman that every reasonable journalist in the world would love to interview. People interviewed Osama Bin Laden. If it was in Nigeria, people would say they paid you to promote terrorism. They would change the word reportage to promotion. That is what they do anytime because Dele is not supposed to be a poor person, he is a flamboyant man, so everything he does must be for financial considerations. What insult! I’m older than Diezani. Look, I’m the only one who knows how I gain access to people. When I contacted someone that I would like to speak to Diezani, the person told her and she said, ‘Ha, no no no, Dele is our enemy.’ That was the first thing she said and the person told me. I said I was nobody’s enemy; whatever she says is what I would reproduce. A journalist must be able to give his word. People are abusing me for interviewing Diezani; what crime have I committed? Did I write in the interview that Diezani did not steal money? Where did I write it? Did I write that Diezani was the best minister in Nigeria? What did I write? Just questions and answers! Is it true that you have cancer? I took pictures with my phone and they accused me of doctoring pictures.
People said you went out of your way to try to launder her image for money.
Oh! Are you also trying to launder my image now by talking to me? No! What are you doing here? If I interview James Ibori now, people will say that I’m trying to launder his image. Is Ibori not a human being? Does he not have a right to express himself? In fact, all the things we fought against under dictatorship are what we are preaching now. It is called censorship. People have gone on exile or to prison for censorship. I was a victim. That is why I go against censorship. If somebody kills my mother today and I have an opportunity to interview him, I will ask: why did you kill my mother? But Nigerians will say you are a bastard, how can you sit and talk with the person who killed your mother? They don’t understand that it is a job. That is the nature of the job.  There is no journalist who can be successful if he doesn’t have access to his subjects.
But we heard that you are being sponsored to write some of the things you write and that your open letter to Buhari was particularly sponsored by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Is that the case?
I haven’t heard that in recent time. Before, I used to hear that. When he was taken to the Code of Conduct Tribunal and I wrote in his support, some people who were his political enemies abused the hell out of me. But Tinubu is my big brother. We were comrades in exile. We have come a long way together. I fight against oppression. So did Jonathan pay me to go and demonstrate for him in Abuja? So Tinubu paid me to write that he was being victimised? Jonathan paid me to write that the cabal did not want to hand over power to him when it was obvious that the then President was not well. Some people called me a bastard for supporting Amaechi at the Senate, even to my face. I did not mind them, I carried on with my campaign. Some people are attacking me now for supporting Saraki. Why? Because I said we must resist the impunity of a man suddenly becoming a villain only when government is fighting him. And it happens every time, right from Obasanjo’s time. If a governor was not in support of Obasanjo, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission would go and pick him. I resisted it at that time. I wrote an open letter to Nuhu Ribadu that it was impunity and that it was not good to set fire on an entire village to catch a few rats. His guys came back at me seriously. I almost sued This Day Newspaper because it was used to libel me for speaking the truth. But at the end of the day, Ribadu himself became a victim of impunity and he had to flee the country. So if they are fighting Tinubu, I don’t talk. They are fighting Saraki, I don’t talk. The day they come for me too, there will be nobody to talk.
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Saturday, April 23, 2016

The Nigeria I Handed Over to Buhari was the Largest Economy in Africa- Jonathan, the Hero of Democracy


IMMEDIATE-PAST President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has stated that when he was elected into office, Nigeria was the second largest economy in Africa but by the time he was leaving, he handed over a Nigeria with the largest economy in Africa.


image
Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria's immediate past president.

Jonathan stated this yesterday while speaking to Friends of Africa coalition at the Mayor’s office in Newark, New Jersey, on topics bordering on strengthening democracy and elections.
The Former Nigerian President also noted that in 2009 the richest Nigerian was the 5th richest man in Africa, but he handed over a Nigeria that produced the richest man in Africa.
Jonathan also spoke about the 2015 general elections, the economy of Nigeria before and during his administration and the recent elections in Benin Republic.
According to Dr. Jonathan:
“Even in the 2015 general elections in my country, Nigeria, there was potential for major crisis if I was not a President duly elected by the will of the people.”
“The campaigns leading to the elections almost polarized the country into Christian v Muslims and North v South divide. Most World leaders were worried that our elections will result into major crisis. Some pundits even from here in the United States said that those elections would spell the end of Nigeria and that we would cease to exist as a nation because of the polls.”
“That is where the leadership question comes into play. As a leader that was duly elected by the people, I considered the people’s interest first. How do I manage my people to avoid killings and destruction of properties? With the interest of the people propelling all the decisions I took, we were able to sail through.”
“Indeed, we sail through because I refused to interfere with the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, having appointed a man I had never met in my life to run it. My philosophy was simple. For elections to be credible, I as a leader, must value the process more than the product of the process. And the citizens must have confidence in the electoral body.”
“This rule of the law of process ensured that Nigeria’s peace, prosperity and progress was not derailed by the conduct and results of the 2015 elections and I am proud to say that while I took over a Nigeria that was the second largest economy in Africa with a GDP of $270.5 billion in 2009, I handed over a Nigeria that had grown to become the largest economy in Africa and the 24th largest economy in the World with a GDP of $574 billion.”
“I inherited a Nigeria in which the trains were not working, and handed over a Nigeria in which citizens can safely travel by trains again. I inherited a Nigeria that was a net importer of cement, and handed over a Nigeria that is a net exporter of cement. In 2009 the richest Nigerian was the 5th richest man in Africa, but I handed over a Nigeria that produced the richest man in Africa.”
“These are but a few of the parameters that illustrate some of the economic transformations we engineered during my term in office. This was made possible by the fact that there was a stable political leadership in Nigeria that did not have to pander to any other constituency except the electorate who brought me to power. And these actions have a contagious effect.”
“Perhaps because of what we achieved in Nigeria, our next door neighbor, Benin Republic, last month replicated what President Mathieu Kerekou did in 1991, that is to organize and conduct free and fair elections that led to the victory of opposition candidate Patrice Talon.”
“Once again, I must commend my friend, the incumbent and outgoing President of Benin Republic, President Thomas Boni Yayi, for his statesmanlike conduct during and after the elections.”
April 23, 2016.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

THREE QUALITIES OF GREAT LEADERS

THREE QUALITIES OF GREAT LEADERS 

There are three qualities possessed by great people. I discovered one myself while two were conveyed to me by my father. These qualities are:

*Speaking
*Writing
*Dancing

SPEAKING:
Speaking is an act of the head through the mouth. The reason while there are a few good speakers is because there is a talent of speaking and there are talented people for it. Every great leader is required to have the quality of good speech. Through this ability good followers are maintained. Examples of leaders who could make impact through speaking include: Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Michael Okpara, Adaka Boro, Tafawa Balewa the golden voice etc
A leader may be loaded with good intentions, but if he lacks the ability to convey these intentions to his people through the language power, he will be misunderstood and the visions dead. If any leader wishes to move forward, the power of speaking is necessary.

-Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks....

WRITING:
Writing is a demonstration of the inner conviction through the use of the pen. The writer might not really be in the position of leadership at the moment, yet he is equipped with suggestions on how the leadership positions are run. In most cases, if he suddenly finds himself in a position of authority, his first actions are mainly based on his writings. Writing is not ordinary. Writers convey internal messages through writings. Consider this, all well-known world leaders are writers. Their writings are based on how best they wish the world is arranged. A writer is a generator of ideas. The generation of ideas is beyond the ordinary. That is why real writers don't lack ideas to convey. His ideas may not work in accordance with your expectations but any idea conveyed is for somebody. When a nation is led by a man that has no ideas to convey in writing, the nation fumbles.

-Out of the abundance of the heart the hand writes....

DANCING:
I discovered this quality myself. I realized that every work of music has a suitable dance style for it. In Nigeria today, we have different names given to different dance styles and people easily identify each style whenever it's displayed. Probably, the reason I display so much respect for dancing might be because I am not gifted in the area. However, I have realized that dancing is also a physical  demonstration of what happens inside of the dancers. For dancing to be interesting, the body rhythm must be moving in agreement with the music or drumbeat. That is an art. When people shake their bodies and millions of people emulate them all over the world, that is greatness.

Note, dancing can be ambiguous. Anything one does to entertain or influence the people can figuratively be termed dancing. Hence, every leader may not necessarily be involved in physical dancing but every dancer is a leader.

-Out of the abundance of the heart, the body moves....

In conclusion, these are three attributes identified in leaders. Try as much as you can to identify more.

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Two Meetings with Two Local Government Bosses, Two Different Results



The Chairman said to us:

"Don't market me.... I don't care about people's perception about me. I don't need to be marketed."

I remember leading a courtesy visit to one Local government Chairman in my days as an undergraduate. This Chairman, drew his seat very close to us in order to hear us properly. When it was time for our presentation, without mincing words, we told him our mind.

However, the Chairman also told us his mind. He doesn't care about what the people take him for. We returned.

What his story later became:

*After his term as Chairman, nobody has ever heard about him in the political arena.

*As a Local government chairman, he was not able to construct the road that leads to his home where his magnificent building still stands.

*As a Chairman, a refuse bin beside his compound was never evacuated.

*Today, nobody talks about him. He was of no value to his people and nobody wishes to be like him.

Funny enough, a few weeks after leaving the office, I returned to same office for a meeting with a new Local Government chairman. We really understood each other in the course of the meeting. This Chairman was later made a commissioner in the State.

The difference is clear.
My people talk say if a man take his hand bury himself, if his hand no comot, his leg go comot.

#servethepeople

Friday, April 15, 2016

FAYOSE WRITES CHINA IN DEFENCE OF NIGERIA


Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has written the Chinese government, seeking the stoppage of the $2 billion loan being sought by the Federal Government, saying that “the government of China should be mindful of the fact that Nigerians, irrespective of their political and religious affiliations are totally opposed to increment of the country’s debt burden, which is already being serviced with 25 per cent of the Federal Government annual budget.”
In the letter dated April 12, 2016, with reference number EK/GOV/28/10, addressed to President Xi Jinping of China and delivered by Chief of Staff to the governor, Barrister Dipo Anisulowo in Abuja on Thursday, through the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Gu Xiaojie, Governor Fayose said some of the projects for which the loan was being sought were not captured in the controversial 2016 budget, which has been sent to the President by the National Assembly for his assent. Anisulowo, who was accompanied by Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Segun Adewumi, Chairman House Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, Chairman House Committee on Health, Dr Samuel Omotosho and Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said Governor Fayose, who is in China will also deliver a copy of the letter directly to the Chinese President. The letter read; “I write as one of the major stakeholders in the project Nigeria, and a governor of one of the federating units making up Nigeria, to draw your attention to report that the Federal Government of Nigeria is on the verge of obtaining a $2 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of China. “This $2 billion loan is part of the N1.84 trillion the Federal Government of Nigeria has proposed to borrow to finance the 2016 budget, which is yet to be signed by the President, Muhammadu Buhari, owing to unending controversies between the Executive and Legislative arms of government. “According to reports, Nigeria desires to raise about $5 billion abroad to cover part of its 2016 budget deficit. This is projected to hit N3 trillion ($15 billion) due to heavy infrastructure spending at a time when the slump in global oil prices has slashed the country’s export revenues. “While conceding that all nations, especially developing ones need support to be able to grow because no nation is an island, I am constrained to inform you that if the future of Nigeria must be protected, the country does not need any loan at this time. “The government of China should be mindful of the fact that Nigerians, irrespective of their political and religious affiliations are totally opposed to increment of the country’s debt burden, which is already being serviced with 25 per cent of the Federal Government annual budget. “It will interest the government of China to know that some of the projects for which the loan is being sought are not captured in the controversial 2016 budget, which has been sent to the President by the National Assembly for his assent. For instance, the Lagos–Calabar Rail project was not included in the budget proposal the President presented to the National Assembly and it was not included in the Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly. “Most importantly, Nigeria is presently servicing debt with about 25 per cent of its annual budget and what will happen to the economy in 2017, when the country will begin to service the additional debt to be incurred this year is better imagined than experienced. “The Chinese government must also be aware that some western nations approached by the Federal Government for loan diplomatically and cleverly declined. “This must have been informed by the suspicion in the present government’s capacity to salvage the nation’s economy, as well as the sincerity in the fight against corruption. More so that Nigeria’s Foreign Reserve, which is the only guarantee for foreign loan has declined to a very uncomfortable level. “For instance, the UK Telegraph Newspaper reported today that hundreds of millions of pounds of British foreign aid given to Nigeria to help combat Boko Haram terrorists is instead being used to fund a witch-hunt against opposition politicians. “Therefore, like the foreign aid that is reportedly being mismanaged, whatever loan that is granted to the Federal Government of Nigeria by the Chinese Government may be mismanaged too. “In my opinion, Nigeria needs the collaboration of the Government of China in the area of technology transfer, rather than granting loan that will be mismanaged under the guise of building infrastructure. “It is also important for the Government of China to note that the Federal Government of Nigeria claimed to have recovered and still recovering trillions of Naira allegedly looted from the treasury. For instance, over $200 billion is expected to be recovered from Dubai, the United Arab Emirate while N3 trillion was said to have been saved from the Treasury Single Account (TSA). “The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has also said that it will generate not less than N4.5 trillion this year. What then is the rationale behind the $2 billion loan from China? “As a result of the government’s bad economic policies, the middle class has been eliminated, power supply is at its lowest ebb, petrol is not available and by the time fresh loans begin to pile up, 95 per cent of Nigerians will definitely be pauperised. “Particularly, by the autocratic nature of our president, the Federal Government is not prepared to listen to wise counsel, hence the desperation to take unwarranted loans even if the future of Nigeria and its people will be mortgaged. “It will also interest Your Excellency that our president’s visit to china will be his 28th trip outside Nigeria since he assumed office 10 months ago and this unnecessary foreign trip is estimated to have cause the country $50 million. “I therefore appeal to Your Excellency to assist Nigeria and its people in the area of technology transfer so as to limit importation of goods and services, rather than granting the country unnecessary loan. “In conclusion, I wish to state that this letter and information became necessary for posterity sake and to put it on record that when the future of Nigeria and its people was going to be mortgaged through loan from the People’s Republic of China, I stood up to be counted in defence of our country.”