Nigeria is not a place but a people. The colour on our flag is a representation of who we are but our self-seeking ambitions have discoloured what we once called our pride. I keep wondering if we’re still green or a colour full with greed.

We flaunt a colour green and call ourselves Nigerians whereas by our attitude we are more of aliens professing a creed not reflecting in deeds, pointing fingers at others forgetting to realize that no one else is responsible for our lives and actions except us.

When people say there is nothing to celebrate in Nigeria I wonder why event planners are booming in business. If we glamorously celebrate our anniversaries and ‘achievements’ without a referral to sustainable communal development then we are the perfect definition of mediocrity.

Imagine a future where we have all stolen from ourselves and have nothing left in common except the anticipation of being the first to kill the next loose cow. That’s the future that awaits our misplaced values and self-seeking attitude. In our angry actions and words against our ‘rulers’ and with our fights and complaints, we have gradually become more of what we most disdain.

Chunu Teajay

No matter how far we run we can’t run from who we are, WE ARE NIGERIANS first before anything else; the most favoured and endowed among black nations who are yet to articulate a common vision and master the art of discipline to achieve same. If Dubai that has Sun, Sand and Sea can in the desert grow a tree then for Nigeria, I see a possible future waiting for you and me.

As we celebrate 54, two numbers with great significance, let’s StepUp with the grace God has given, gathering the rich beauty of nature and culture from the north, south, east, west and walk in unity to achieve a common goal. Let’s recolour our pride from greed back to green. We can make Nigeria the most desirable nation to live in as a Generation Empowered, Motivated and Stirred To Operate in Natural Excellence if we…

– Make a positive impact on everyone we meet and everywhere we go.
– Be a ROLE MODEL worthy of emulation.
– Be a solution to problems and not a part of the problem being solved.
– Be the best in all we do particularly the things we are naturally good at
– Do the right thing regardless of who is doing the wrong thing.
– Value time and make the best of it.
– Care and show that we care through our words and actions.
– Consciously build a great legacy starting today & everyday.
– Live a life of INTEGRITY.
– Make our family, nation & God proud. Be someone’s claim to fame.

Happy independence to those who are truly independent

Chunu Teajay can be reached via Twitter @unusualteajay or Email: teajaydotbob@gmail.com

By Kola Johnson

I remember my first attempt at the West African School Certificate exam in the 70s. The horrible outcome was a veritable culmination of a veritably horrible performance.

Subjects like Economics, Bible Knowledge and the like, that pass off as easy match-over, even for less than the average student, were for me like a carmel passing through the eye of the needle.

On this, I need not detain my readers with causative explanations. The creative nature of my mind; bordering on an almost eccentric obsessiveness is such that is averse to the boring conundrum of rote learning.

This was why at whatever point in time, I was always carried away, amidst the hypnotic spell of my imagination chimera.

This again is why even till today, I remain etched more than ever before, in the universe of my individual solipsism; in terms of the oddly bent of my world view, eccentricism, iconoclasm and peculiarity.

Ironically, a redeeming air of cheers in this general run of gross underperformance was as it turned out, in the face-saving haul of ‘C4’I made in history with an almost effortless ease for that matter.

The reason for this is not far-fetched. I’m a faddist of history. A freak of history. Freakishness bordering on pathological intensity.

I remember those good old days of the 60s while in the primary school. Such was the standard of education in those halcyon days of yore that the romance with history started for primary school pupils, right from primary three.

In those days, at a supposedly formative, trajectory of existence, my impressionable mind was titillated by evocative historicisms as the Jihad of Usman Dan Fodio; Jaja of Opobo, Nana of Itsekiriland, Overamwen of Benin, the 1897 invasion and destruction of the ancient Benin empire.

But curiously enough looking back with the benefit of the illuminating messianism of later conscientisation by the dynamics of history and the dialectical linkage circumscribing the spatial frame of the past, present and future – it beats me hollow to recall that a considerable baptism of the thematic treat extant in those days were of exotic foreign stuff and derivation.

I remember as if it were yesterday, such supposedly alien themes like Albert Schweitzer, Ronald Ross, Hellen Keller and a host of sundry foreign nature – which we went through right from the primordial phase of formal learning, in primary three!

I got into the secondary school only to be greeted with a diametrically different scenario. It all began with The Revolutionary Years – that magnum opus of historical peregrination of a bewilderingly engaging depth and profundity – and to be sure – the culmination of the distinctive genius of J.F. Ade Ajayi – the erudite patriarch, legend and intellectual linchpin of the drive at African socio-historical renaissance.

My baptism with the fire of African historicism, on such specific themes as the great empires of Western Sudan, namely the ancient Mali, Ghana, Songhai, including the Oyo, Bornu, Asante, Fante, Benin and Dahomey among others – were such that exuded a tremendous appeal as was too much for me to resist.

Such was the persuasive proselytism of such a grippingly engaging appeal, that was to usher a new dawn of mental and intellectual revolution – supplying in turn, the motivating font of impulse for the resurgence of the primeval self-esteem of the African personality, hitherto languished in centuries of lamentable trauma, limbo and atrophy.

Under Ajayi, the Ibadan school of history attained the salutary apotheosis of world fame and glory – charting new vistas and frontiers of illuminating socio-historical rediscovery on those momentously inspiring epoch of the grandeur of African historical past, and its unique place on the larger global macrocosm as an organic integral of the dynamics of world history and civilization.

Rarely within the vast chronological frame of human existence had the world been greeted with an exemplarily inspiring quintessence of unremitting life-long engagement with a worthy cause, as the bewildering zest and gusto; indefatigable doggedness, unwavering zeal and sacrificial altruism which this iconic scholar of formidable leviathan frame and stature had deployed to the epistemological proselytism of the primeval elevation and dignity of the African personality – predicated on his unique role in the mainstream of world civilization – as exemplified in the distinctive genius, brilliance and prodigy defining the corpus of Ajayi’s pontification, exegesis and dissertations on the unique theme of African historiography.

While it is true that the Ekiti-born patriot and illustrious son of Africa, might have traversed the triumphal lane of remarkable signal achievement; with equally outstanding sterling integrity – one may assume with a modicum of obviously reasonable assumption, that the fulsomeness of joy supposedly defining his exemplary trajectory could not but be averse to lamentable susceptibilities – as especially evoked in his unceremonious sack in the wake of the Ali Must Go Crisis, during his stint as Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos.

Second is the lamentable atrophy of the vibrant spell, robustness and versatility of the Ibadan school of history, which soared to enviable global eminence, during the epoch of golden memory of this distinguished scholar of world acclaim – in terms of the scholarly brilliance and engaging intellectual efflorescence converging as its defining hallmark – which today, basks at best – to borrow the popularly over-beaten cliché – in the shadow of its old glory.

Thirdly, if not the most traumatic and devastating, is the progressively decreasing emphasis on the importance of history in the school curricula – which attained a high – water mark under the Jonathan misgovernance – the gravity of which becomes poignantly manifest in the face of Jonathan’s trail – blazing feat – perhaps a euphemism for the ominously portentous ill-luck – of being the first doctorate degree holder to preside at the apex of political authority of the macrocosm of the Nigerian federation. What a tragedy.

I remember some decades ago I was going through the papers I stumbled on a news feature; reporting the gathering of Old Boys of the famous Igbobi College. Along the line, I was suddenly enraptured with a most memorable one: the nostalgic recall by Professor Kwaku Babatunde Adadevoh, a distinguished Professor of Medicine and later Vice-Chancellor University of Lagos and father of Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, the Hippocratic martyr of blessed memory.

Going down memory lane, Professor Adadevoh recalled that when in 1946, his elder brother and he were enrolling as fresh students into that reputable institution, it was J.F. Ajayi, then a HSC student in the upper six and also their House Prefect, who welcomed them.

As my mind goes back to that distant mist of golden memory and the startling finality of the reality of Ade Ajayi’s earthly departure, I cannot help but be awakened and on a rude note too, to the temporariness of life, which essentially impels us to imagine why the Divine mind could not bestow the mystique of immortality on iconic legend and titans in the mould of the Ade Ajayis, in order that they could live for ever and continue by that token, to inspire the mass of humanity with their welters of sterling qualities and exemplarily ennobling feat.

Though, exit in the flesh, the consummate story teller, master narrator, a great patriot, statesman, wizard of African historical renaissance, fertile mind; illustrious son of Africa, and jewel of academic excellence lives for ever.

Adieu J.F.A. the immortal Herotodus of African history. May your great soul rest in perfect peace.

•Johnson is a writer and journalist.

By Odunayo Joseph

On the 1st October of every year, it has become a norm for our country to celebrate her independence from her colonial master, Britain.  This year’s edition which is the 54th is being celebrated on a low key as it was last year. Under normal circumstances, the celebration of any nation’s independence should come with fanfare but for two years running if not more, it has become characteristic for our independence anniversary to be celebrated in a grave yard like manner and this development no doubt calls for sober reflection by all Nigerians both at home and abroad.

In the Nigerian family set up, it is only when an unfortunate incident suddenly happens that an event which should under normal circumstances be celebrated with fanfare is usually celebrated on a low key.

There is need for us all, as citizens of Nigeria, to ask ourselves why our independence should be celebrated on a low key in spite of our being labelled as the sixth largest exporter of crude oil in the world and labelling of ourselves as the giant of Africa with the biggest economy in the African continent. The answer may not be far-fetched. The bitter truth is that, apart from the myriad of social and political problems staring our country in the face, such as corruption and greed, insecurity to life and property as was the case recently when thugs invaded a High Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State which resulted in the alleged slapping of a judge and consequent locking up of all the law courts and imposition of partial curfew in the state.

There is also soaring unemployment; the lack of electricity supply and potable water for the citizenry in spite of Nigeria’s existence as a nation for 54 years with abundant human and natural resources at her disposal; the age-long widening gap between the rich and the poor on one hand, and between the leaders at all levels of governance in our country today and the led on the other hand; jettisoning of service to the people for personal aggrandizement by politicians and  public office holders in our country. It would be recalled that the immediate past boss and the incumbent one for the Economic, Financial and Crimes Commission (EFCC), Chief (Mrs.) Farida Waziri and her successor Mr. Ibrahim Larmode decried the crazy manner of accumulation of wealth by Nigerian leaders; and the recent bemoaning of the wide gap between the huge monthly allocations to state governments and the infrastructure on the ground in the states respectively); unguarded utterances by political sycophants which can threaten the corporate existence, peace and stability of Nigeria as a nation.

There is pervasive show of religiosity with ungodly disposition side by side both by leaders; power recycling in the polity; the bleak future of our youths as exemplified by the fast disappearance of reading culture and paying of much of their attention to football viewing centres in all nook and crannies of the country rather than their books coupled with the craze for entertainment and music hearing all day which is also fast becoming a dangerous norm among them.

The get-rich-quick mentality has sadly made the majority of our youths to run away from skilled work, just to mention a few: the poor standard living of the people in general in the absence of dividends of democracy and hunger in the midst of plenty is no doubt not helping matters.

In a recent programme on the Channels Television this September, Prof. Pat Utomi expressed fear, while appraising the present political and economic state of affairs in our country, that our nation is sinking to the bottom of the pit each passing day and wondered what would happen by the time we continue to sink further until we reach the bottom end of the pit and have nowhere to further sink to.  This is no doubt a serious observation which calls for a sober reflection as we celebrate 54 years of nationhood.

It is hoped that under a tension-free and fair election in 2015, true and God-fearing representatives of the people will emerge and this is one of the ways by which we can go back to the good old days when both the young and the old including even the handicapped lined up on roads to cheer up their leaders with fanfare and ecstasy as opposed to what obtains today in our present day Nigeria, where we not only celebrate the anniversary in a situation that can aptly be likened to that of the grave yard but the people are finding it difficult to make out any difference between the day set aside for the celebration and the ordinary normal day in the life of the people.

•Odunayo wrote from Kogi State.

By Joe Igbokwe

Before June 21 Governorship elections in Ekiti State Professor Jide Osuntokun spoke from Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world that Ayo Fayose may be bad news for Ekiti State, Yoruba Nation and Nigeria, if he is forced on the people Ekiti judging from the feelers he got from the powers that be. In that historic piece , Prof. Osuntokun screamed: ”How on earth, in the year of our Lord 2014 can anybody compare Kayode Fayemi, our incumbent Governor with Fayose, our former Governor who we are trying to forget that he ever ruled our state.”

In the same piece Prof Osuntokun thundered: “If we are sensible people and I think we are, we should not be faced with this choice but the choice is clear. There’s no meeting point between darkness and light, between peace and war, between serenity and confusion, between murder and life, between development and underdevelopment, between progress and backwardness and between education and illiteracy.’’

Professor Jide Osuntokun saw it coming and he spoke out. The rest is now history. The worst has happened in Ekiti State, the unthinkable, the unbelievable, the unacceptable, unpardonable, the bizarre, and the hopeless. The world was told that Ayo Fayose won the June 21 Governorship election in Ekiti State because Governor Fayemi did not play politics of the stomach or stomach infrastructure politics. They told us that Ayo Fayose is a popular candidate who is in touch with his people. These dangerous unsubstantiated fairy tales nearly covered and shielded the obvious and painful truth that when you allow lies to be told a thousand times educated illiterates in the 21st Century may accept the lies as truths.

 Only few Nigerians especially the opposition asked serious questions about why APC leaders were prevented from going to Ekiti State to campaign few days to the elections proper. Had APC known half of what they found out before the state of Osun elections, the story would have been different today. The truth is that we allowed PDP and the nation’s security agencies to intimidate us out of Ekiti State and they went ahead to rig Fayose to power. As we went to sleep thinking that PDP and its agents would be fair to all, the worst happened, and a villain instantly became a hero, an illiterate became a professor over night and darkness became light instantly.

Before the June 21 election in Ekiti, all the security agencies in Nigeria were in the know that Ayo Fayose has a case of corruption with EFCC. They knew that he was impeached for reasons known to all of them. They knew that he has two murder cases to answer in the court of the land. But PDP still went ahead to give him the ticket to run and consequently rigged him to power.

Now, APC Ekiti later discovered that something went wrong somewhere and headed to the court of the land to seek redress. But the worst happened few days back. Sensing that things might go wrong Ayo Fayose went to the Ekiti State High Court on Thursday September 25, 2014, slapped the Judge, Justice John Adeyeye and ordered thugs to beat the Judge up. The next day the PDP thugs descended on the APC Secretariat in Ado Ekiti and razed it down including vehicles. Policemen were standing by and watched as the Judge was being assaulted and they did nothing. As at the time of writing this, no serious explanation has been given to Nigerians why the police stood by as a Court Judge wais being assaulted. It speaks volume of how deep we have sunk in this virus called impunity and brigandage. It shows at once that something is fundamentally wrong with our democracy. It shows the world what to expect in days ahead. Those who know better will tell you at once that we have reached a dead end, where it is either we do something or we all perish.

The Ekiti Court invasion may not be the first of its kind in Nigeria but beating up a Judge may be another new invention in the politics of Nigeria which continues to baffle the world. In almost 16 years PDP has devastated South West in particular with the worst characters in their midst. PDP has used political criminals and nonentities to under develop South West. They have used their worst to undermine their best. For eight years former President Obasanjo was in power South West suffered degradation and decimation. They rigged charlatans and scoundrels to power and they used it to vitiate their progress for eight years. The criminal invasion and the beating of a High Court Judge is yet another assault on the sensibilities of not only people of South West but the whole of Nigeria. It is a big threat to democracy and rule of law. It signals anarchy and lawlessness. It portends death wish to Nigeria.

Now, if the truth must be told, the world must know that the majority of Yoruba leaders, thinkers,  rulers, and followers, etc.  do not want PDP anywhere in their land. To them PDP is like a Virus, Ebola, HIV/AIDs and Cancer. They see PDP as potentially dangerous and deadly. Anything PDP touches in Nigeria goes down and at best to ashes. The party celebrates corruption, impunity, brigandage, rigging of elections, mediocrity, lawlessness, crass incompetence, and inefficiency.

If the truth must be told we have come to the point where we can no longer trust the President, the army, the police or any agency of the government. It is that bad. In every sector we see decay, betrayal, mistrust, hopelessness, helplessness, arrogance, and confusion.

I plead with Nigerians once again to get up and give Nigeria hope by rejecting PDP now. We need to inject new blood, new ideas and new hope into the system. We need to do things differently now, we need to have the courage to say no to this cabal and say in one voice, in amity , in unity, concord, loud and clear that enough is enough.

•Igbokwe is Lagos APC Publicity Secretary

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday announced the first domestic case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the United States.

The yet-to-be identified patient arrived the US from Liberia on 20 September but didn’t show any symptoms until four or five days later. The patient however sought for treatment on 26 September, but was initially misdiagnosed and was sent home with antibiotics.

While it is comforting that the government of United States appear to be on top of the issue, I believe that this situation opens a window of opportunity for Nigeria.

There is quite a similarity in both situations as both Nigeria and the US initially had one index case. While Nigerian doctors successfully diagnosed the index patient, doctors in US were a bit inexperienced and misdiagnosed their index patient.

This should be of grave concern as he may have unknowingly infected others and someone or people in contact with this individual could come down with Ebola in a few weeks time.

I believe that Nigeria can be of help to the US by sharing its experience and strategies with a sister country. Nigeria is the only country that has been able to beat back the outbreak of Ebola with quick and coordinated action.

The Nigerian government should offer a form of knowledge transfer aid to the US for doctors especially, those who worked in the containment of Ebola.

This would go a long way in boosting the image of Nigeria, increasing the value of our healthcare system and increasing the psych of Nigerian doctors.

Tolulope Laniran can be via Email: mal_lt@yahoo.co.uk or on Twitter: @mal_lt

The constitutional role of the government in any society is to improve the welfare of its citizens at all levels and where this is not the case, such a government has failed in its responsibility. However, since the emergence of the present government in Ogun state, a lot of watchers and commentators have commented on the giant strides being accomplished by the Senator Ibikunle Amosun administration in the area of infrastructural development which is unparalleled and visible to the eyes of any discerning and objective person except to those who have eyes but cannot see due to jaundiced perception.

One has also read about the progress being made by the government in other areas of life which is worthy of commendation. One is quite aware of some of the shortcomings of the administration which is natural since nobody or institution is perfect, so we must all strive to keep government on its toes through constructive criticism for a better society.

This and many more have been the propelling motivation in one carrying out his societal responsibility as a society watchdog, after all, it is an acknowledged fact that eternal vigilance is the watchword for democracy.

In corroborating the fact that Ogun state under Senator Ibikunle Amosun has made progress unlike where we were before he came into office, one is glad to read in the papers on 3rd October 2014 that the World bank ranked Ogun state as one of the top performing states in 2014.

What was gladdening about the report was that the report made a comparison between 2008 and 2010 when the state ranked as one of the lowest overall performers. According to the report, the state has made tremendous progress on three out of four ‘doing business indicators benchmark’ which was the basis for the assessment.

I would therefore like to align with others to congratulate the government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun for its giant strides in delivering the dividends of democracy to the good people of Ogun state, but like they say, human beings are Oliver Twist and so, we will always ask for more and urge the government not to rest on its oars.

Written By Nelson Ekujumi

They come in different sizes and levels of care, depending on the environment they are reared. In the villages, they, with their guttural sound, search through every available garbage. A disgusting sight to see.

The hybrid pigs that are reared by big farmers in modern pens appear neater.

However neat or dirty, the pig has its own problems as listed by JR Cofer, a preacher and scientist at St. Petersburg, Florida.

Here are the 13 problems:

1) A pig is a real garbage gut. It will eat anything including urine, excrement, dirt, decaying animal flesh, maggots, or decaying vegetables. They will even eat the cancerous growths off other pigs or animals.

2) The meat and fat of a pig absorbs toxins like a sponge. Their meat can be 30 times more toxic than beef or venison.

3) When eating beef or venison, it takes 8 to 9 hours to digest the meat so what little toxins are in the meat are slowly put into our system and can be filtered by the liver. But when pork is eaten, it takes only 4 hours to digest the meat. We thus get a much higher level of toxins within a shorter time.

4) Unlike other mammals, a pig does not sweat or perspire. Perspiration is a means by which toxins are removed from the body. Since a pig does not sweat, the toxins remain within its body and in the meat.

5) Pigs and swine are so poisonous that you can hardly kill them with strychnine or other poisons.

6) Farmers will often pen up pigs within a rattlesnake nest because the pigs will eat the snakes, and if bitten they will not be harmed by the venom.

7) When a pig is butchered, worms and insects take to its flesh sooner and faster than to other animal’s flesh. In a few days the swine flesh is full of worms.

8) Swine and pigs have over a dozen parasites within them, such as tapeworms, flukes, worms, and trichinae. There is no safe temperature at which pork can be cooked to ensure that all these parasites, their cysts, and eggs will be killed.

9) Pig meat has twice as much fat as beef. A 3 oz T bone steak contains 8.5 grams of fat; a 3 oz pork chop contains 18 grams of fat. A 3 oz beef rib has 11.1 grams of fat; a 3 oz pork spare rib has 23.2 grams of fat.

10) Cows have a complex digestive system, having four stomachs. It thus takes over 24 hours to digest their vegetarian diet causing its food to be purified of toxins. In contrast, the swine’s one stomach takes only about 4 hours to digest its foul diet, turning its toxic food into flesh.

11) The swine carries about 30 diseases which can be easily passed to humans. This is why God commanded that we are not even to touch their carcase (Leviticus 11:8).

12) The trichinae worm of the swine is microscopically small, and once ingested can lodge itself in our intestines, muscles, spinal cord or the brain. This results in the disease trichinosis. The symptoms are sometimes lacking, but when present they are mistaken for other diseases, such as typhoid, arthritis, rheumatism, gastritis, MS, meningitis, gall bladder trouble, or acute alcoholism.

13) The pig is so poisonous and filthy, that nature had to prepare him a sewer line or canal running down each leg with an outlet in the bottom of the foot. Out of this hole oozes pus and filth his body cannot pass into its system fast enough. Some of this pus gets into the meat of the pig.

By Peter Claver Oparah

In a country where the citizenry do not ask hard questions, a person can commit blue murder and walk away with it. In some cases, he can be garlanded for bravery and lionized for heroism as we have become accustomed to seeing in Nigeria. But a land where citizens do not ask questions or raise posers and expect convincing answers is dead as heaps of riddles and jigsaw puzzles pile on each other for space. Such a country is bound to tolerate anything and live with any given situation no matter how demeaning. Perhaps, it is the reason why Nigerians are so adaptive, so tolerant and can manage the paradox of being the third poorest nation on earth with being the happiest people on earth.

Let us recall that as soon as Jonathan won the 2011 election and Boko Haram, either through inaction or tacit support of Nigerian officialdom, became bolder and daring, the reigning song from Jonathan and PDP camp was that Boko Haram came into being because Jonathan, a Southerner won election and that some people vowed to make Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan. It sounded so sweet to the ears of the rabid supporters of Jonathan and the PDP as it went viral. This was irrespective of the fact that Boko Haram predated the 2011 election and that it became so intertwined to a bloody war with the state after its leader was killed by Jonathan’s predecessor who had a firm resolve to wipe out the sect. it did not even matter to Jonathan and PDP supporters that there had been fiercer radical groups in the North even under Northern rule like the Maitatsine and that the objectives of such groups are founded on radical employment of religion to sow dread and blood on others. But to them, it was all targeted at the PDP and this prevailed for a long time.

It was so pervasive that when the late National Security Adviser, General Patrick Azazi who was a kinsman to Jonathan released a security report that directly indicted PDP and its obnoxious politics for the prevalence of the Boko Haram crisis, no one listened. Hear Azazi in an address he presented at the South South Economic Summit in Asaba Delta State:

“In discussing the relationship between national security and development, let me say that one cannot do without the other,” the NSA said. “The issue of violence did not increase in Nigeria until when there was a declaration by the current president that he was going to contest. PDP got it wrong from the beginning. The party started by saying Mr. A can rule, and Mr. B cannot rule, according to PDP conventions, rules and regulations and not according to the constitution. That created the climate for what is happening or manifesting itself in the country. Is it possible that somebody was thinking that only Mr. A could win, and if he did not win, he could cause a problem in the society?”

It was as damning as it was and dealt a rude blow to the calculations of the PDP and the Jonathan government on Boko Haram. Because it was not pleasant to their ears, the report was played down and instead, Azazi was quickly removed and he was to die soon after in a mysterious helicopter crash in his native Bayelsa State.

Again, let us recall that a PDP senator, Ali Ndume was arrested in connection with support for Boko Haram when a senior member of the sect, Ali Sandar Umar Konduga revealed him as one of the sponsors of the sect. While Ndume admitted that he was on a telephone contact with the group. He swore to an affidavit at an Abuja High Court affirming that Vice President, Namadi Sambo was aware of his dealings with Boko Haram. The issue was watered down because it did not add some rose to the PDP’s calculations on the Boko Haram issue.

PDP knew all these and glossed over them.  A nation was to watch helplessly as Boko Harsm grew in reach and stature and overgrew its limited provincial domain to launch bizarre and daring attacks on choice targets all over the North. The Federal Capital was not spared as even the Police Headquarters and the United Nations office in Abuja were successfully attacked in this era of madness. Curiously too, the state cowered away and waxed limp as Boko Haram increased the intensity of its attacks.

As government flailed and the nation remained at the mercy of Boko Haram, PDP and the Jonathan government were busy composing songs of those that want to use Boko Haram to run them out of power. They blamed the opposition and the North for their failure to make any reasonable dent as the group grew more powerful and audacious and these formed the official reactions they made on the relentless raid of Boko Haram on defenseless citizens. Tolls mounted and casualties swelled but they remained satisfied with the feat they recorded passing the blame on their opponents.

When the APC emerged from a coalition of legacy parties and with the verve with which it launched, PDP and the Jonathan presidency found a pawn for the Boko Haram malady. Instead of marshalling full force to stop the insurgent’s threat, it was more interested in labelling APC as a Boko Haram party fighting a Christian party (PDP) and a Christian government. Even as APC challenged Jonathan to move in and arrest its members found culpable in the Boko Haram brouhaha, the government simply grew numb and waited for the next attack to blame the APC.

Let us recall that it was the involvement of former Borno Governor, Modu Sherrif in the APC that gave PDP its major prop to tag APC as Boko Haram and it seemed to work as it lasted. The quintessential weather cock, Femi Fani Kayode, running desperately from justice for his corrupt deeds while serving as minister of Aviation, found it so comforting to soften the ears of the mandarins in PDP and purchase for him an acquittal from the clutches of justice, as is traditional with PDP. It worked for him.

  As soon as APC was formed, Modu Sheriff started waxing conspiratorially uncomfortable about power sharing in the party and immediately followed this up with the declaration of intent to join PDP. A shocked nation was to observe that it took this declaration of intent for the Jonathan government to open a closed Maiduguri airport, which use was even denied pilgrims from the state, for the sole use of Sheriff. If this was not shocking enough, a distraught and aghast nation was to see their president, who had sounded so sanctimonious about his opponents’ use of Boko Haram to unseat him, include Sheriff in his entourage to Chad. When the outcry against this immoral politics went out, the presidency was to offer a most tepid and infantile defence to the effect that Sheriff gate crashed into the president’s meeting with the Chadian president because he was in Chad when Jonathan came visiting! What a baloney!

But were Nigerians fooled? I doubt it gauging from their reactions from this suggestive embrace for a man that should be a social reject and an outlaw. These, however, merely served as a precursor to the bombshell from an Australian priest and a federal government negotiator with both the Niger Delta militants and Boko Haram. He was to make a public revelation that both Sheriff and the former Chief of Army Staff who is now a chieftain of PDP, Ihejirika, were behind sponsorship of Boko Haram. This was not what PDP wanted to hear at that time and his report was hushed.

These are the untidy puzzles the Jonathan government and the PDP are battling to fix. With each passing day, these naturally fall in place and reveal what is emerging as a frightful scenario that PDP and the Jonathan government know more than they are telling Nigerians on the Boko Haram issue. We need full disclosure here. What is more, from the very blues, we are suddenly hearing of the possibility of the release of the Chibok girls. We are suddenly being treated to happy scenarios of the Boko Haram insurgents suddenly balking and throwing up their arms in surrender, even without a fight. We are suddenly being treated to definite time-lines by both Jonathan and the PDP as to the foreclosure of the Boko Haram menace. As laudable and heartwarming as these are, we wonder why the coincidence between these sudden gush of relief the nation has been denied for years with the foreclosure of the presidential contest for PDP for 2015. We wonder how this will help arrange the puzzle and give Nigerians a clearer picture of what really happened. Who sponsored Boko Haram and for what purpose, who did what and what really is the game plan. How come, the Jonathan government has suddenly discovered the Chibok girls to the extent of making campaign promises of their release? We remember that our soldiers were bolting with the speed of a Ferrari at the mention of Boko Haram just some few weeks ago. Many even fled to Cameroon and Boko Haram which emerged as a club wielding band of ragamuffins suddenly became a dreaded sect with such arms and ammunition that our military reported being under-equipped in contrast with Boko Haram. The suddenness with which Boko Haram turned pawpaw is too swift and mechanical to be credible. We need to find out how the rouging of Boko Haram and the swiftness of their surrender fits into PDP’s cold blooded calculations.

Don’t tell me how incredulous it is for PDP to fund and bolster such groups for political and power retention advantages. It even happened here some light years ago with the late Abacha who was busy detonating bombs, killing his opponents and causing insurrection and turning round to blame his victims for such acts. If we decide to ignore all the relevant reports about Boko Haram which almost all indicted the PDP one way or the other, we will not ignore the fact that as of a sudden, the PDP is now marshalling the defeat of Boko Haram and the release of the Chibok girls as winning electoral strategies. I firmly believe this tallies fully with the opposition’s position that PDP has been sustaining and fuelling Boko Haram for political gains. I believe time has come for the Jonathan administration and the PDP to take up the opposition’s challenge for an international inquest into Boko Haram. This will clear the air on the emerging deadly political game that serves as the culmination of the Boko Haram politics. Before PDP takes up this challenge, they must tell the nation what they know about Boko Haram and clear the mountain heaps of indictments trailing it on the Boko Haram debacle.

•Oparah wrote from Lagos

By Bamidele Johnson

Shame on me and every other person that branded Prophet TB  Joshua a fake prophet in the wake of the collapse of the guest house in his church. Now, I admit that I misfired in branding him a fake for not seeing the tragedy before it occurred. I also urge every other person that questioned the integrity of Joshua’s prophetic gifts to take the path of honour and apologise to him. The prophet foresaw the tragedy in which at least 115 people, mostly South Africans, perished. The  claim is contained in a statement posted on the Synagogue Church of All Nations Facebook page.

In the statement, Prophet Joshua warned those saying he didn’t foresee the tragedy to desist henceforth or suffer grave consequences. “For the three weeks before the incident, if you heard my message and sat down, you would know I was giving you a vision and prophetic word on how to handle the situation at hand,” Joshua claimed.

God, obviously, also told him that people-including me-propagating the guff that he foresaw nothing are tools of Satan and will soon “suffer” for their deeds. I don’t want to suffer. In fact, I am singing Me I No Go Suffer/I No Go Beg For Bread… I also want to stop being Satan’s tool. As such, I am desisting and tendering an unreserved apology to Prophet Joshua. If not for the lack of funds, dear Prophet, I would have published the apology in at least five newspapers and the bulletin of your church.

Your warning is sufficiently stern. You have cautioned those who could not prevent the tragedy to be “careful of their tongues” because “anybody can go for it.” I’d rather not “go for it” for the simple reason that I also aspire to be what you are: clairvoyant, rich, influential and powerful.

You have described those who died as martyrs (?) and very forcefully warned your critics against continuing on the same path unless they could bring the dead back to life or get severely punished.  “If your brother is involved, unless he can resurrect the people who died, he will join them. If you can resurrect the people who died, you can go free,” you said.

I prefer to heed the warning. I have no expertise raising the dead. That must be really complicated. I avoid complicated things. I am the type that gets into trouble when opening the zipper of my few pairs of trousers, which happens to be the most complicated assignment I have ever undertaken.

Raising the dead is a skill that is, perhaps, exclusive to you, dear Prophet. You have done it before, can do it again and I’d  be mightily thrilled if you do it again. Almost everyone, including those members of the CAN and PFN who sneer at your halting English and spiritual gifts, would be thrilled. To raise 115 people from the dead would top every achievement that man has recorded. Prophet, do not pass up this chance to button up the lips of your detractors.

Some cheeky people- I am no more in that category- are still suggesting that you foresaw the event after it happened. One of them described it as “hindcasting”. I assume he has coined a word for forecasting an outcome after it has become evident. The more cynical ones among them told me that I am a better prophet than you are. My resume as a prophet contains some accurate predictions in 2012, when I foresaw that Lionel Messi would not join 3SC of Ibadan. I also predicted that David Cameron will not duel with President Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election.

I am fairly level-headed, the reason for which I am not predisposed to the hazard of the hype my friends have whipped up around me. I will remain level-headed.

Since defecting from their camp, they have been asking me why you did not ask God to avert the disaster. I have not been able to give them an answer. But a few minutes ago, I also foresaw that you needed martyrs, which was why you did not ask God to prevent the disaster. This was days after you had described those who died in the rubble as martyrs. My former friends sneer at my explanation, the way some do at your pirate goatee and halting English, arguing that those you have described as martyrs were not killed because of beliefs, but in an avoidable accident. I do not disagree with their definition of the word, which is the way dictionaries- with the possible exception of the one you use- define it. But I am convinced that you are right.

As a result, I am forced to tell them that concrete and iron rods have a way of persecuting and killing people for their religious, political, even social beliefs or for the type of beer they drink. Some of them are being persuaded.

Those that remain unconvinced keep pointing at your claim that you told your followers how to respond to the tragedy when you predicted it. Probably, Prophet, the appropriate response you envisaged must have entailed an assault on emergency officials and journalists at the site of the tragedy. I suspect that your followers wouldn’t dare go against your instructions, which we know always coincide with what God has in mind.

Prophet, I apologise for all the spittle-flecked abuses hurled in your direction. Some of these came from people who accuse you of giving prophecies that are as accurate as horoscope. The very base ones among my former friends liken the accuracy of your predictions to that of transfer news in football publications.

Football journalists appear paid to make things up. They simply throw as many darts as they can find in the knowledge that one will hit the bull’s eye after which they come out to say: “We told you first”.

I have started telling my former friends that they do not understand the simple fact that prophecies are double-headed coins: If  they come true, God revealed them; if they don’t, God didn’t want them to. Either way, it is God at work. Let them continue in their folly. Someday- if they haven’t suffered the consequences of doubting you- they will realise that you are the real Godfella.

•Johnson wrote from Lagos

By Comrade Akido Agenro

Whereas policy makers, public commentators, opinion leaders and social crusaders from both within and outside the shores of this country have on a number of occasions lamented the low level of patriotic fervour, civil responsibility and ethical orientation among the population a vital issue and one with a more devastating consequences on the Nigerian society for that matter has either been deliberately ignored or overlooked. When the harmful effect of this negative attribute on the society is considered and compared with the evil from the aforementioned traits one discovers that the society has been concentrating its energy and resources on curing ringworm while allowing a life threatening malignant cancer to fester.

The level of simple-mindedness prevailing in Nigeria is such that should be of concern to all men and women of good conscience. The gale of violence sweeping across the length and breadth of the land can easily be traced to this social malady. This horrible state of affairs is an indictment on institutions and all agencies that have a stake in the nurturing of a responsible Nigerian citizen.

Simple-mindedness is an attitude or a state of mind whereby the individual accepts all the information at his disposal on the face value having not cultivated a critical mindset to subject all opinions and ideas to a logical evaluation and thorough scrutiny to divest the available information of embellishments, sentiment and deceit. The Microsoft Encarta Dictionary defines simple-mindedness as ‘[1] Lacking due thought: showing a lack of intelligence thinking or proper consideration, [2] unsophisticated: lacking guile or complexity’.

Care should be exercised not to confuse the term simple-minded with simple-hearted as the latter denotes honest, open and lacking deceit or deviousness. It goes without saying that deviousness and deceit are common features in the Nigerian society. It is also worthy of note that simple-mindedness along with shallow-mindedness, small-mindedness, weak-mindedness and mindlessness are mutually reinforcing concepts. Thus, anywhere one finds the manifestation of any of these negative attributes the others abound there also contributing to its entrenchment.

The Good Book in several chapters and numerous verses condemns very strongly the disposition of simple-mindedness. ‘For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them’ it admonishes in Proverb 1: 32-33 [NIV]; then hastens to take another swipe at simpletons, ‘A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps’ [Proverb 14:15 NIV]

In all climes various reports, news and other forms of communications are circulated on the public space- rumours, hearsay, sensationalism, gossip, trickery, half-truth even outright falsehood but it’s the unwary citizen who in their simplistic, naive and unsophisticated state of mind that swallow such tales hook line and sinker and worse still go around to peddle same homburg among their fellow simpletons.

Faith-based organizations are the major culprit in breeding people with the herd instinct, the legion of men and women whose attitude of one-way traffic reasoning as satirized by the afro beat king Fela in his 1976 bestseller, Zombie, reduced many youths in different parts of the world to tools in the hands of selfish politicians, tribal warlords, ethnic chauvinists and religious bigots. These pawns in the chessboard of power brokers bat no eyelid when they pull the sword to wreak havoc on the community.

Religious ideologies are dogmatic teachings that brook no iota of dissent while the Alfa and ‘Man of God’ entertains no question from adherents. Religious leaders take advantage of this dictatorial position to manipulate the people. The diabolical work of enemies, witchcraft, evil arrow, marine spirit, abiku and ogbanje are regular refrains in sermons, counselling and evangelism.

Take the case of the South African clergyman, Pastor Daniel Lesego of the Rabboni Centre who is fond of taking his congregants for a ride. At any point if they are not compelled to eat grass like goat, being trampled on like disused clothes then they will be engaged in one tomfoolery or the other.  Recently he served them petrol to drink in the false belief that it had been miraculously turned into pineapple juice.

It is undeniable that young people who have been brainwashed lose the mental capacity to reason and are thus rendered vulnerable to the exploitation of wolves in sheep’s clothing. The young men so hypnotized form the foot soldiers waging an unending war of terrorism, insurgency, tribal conflicts and countless other bloodletting crises threatening to rip various nations apart. Nigeria has had more than a fair share of this global plague not to be bothered by this phenomenon.   

Simple-minded people are easily fooled and for this reason frequently fall prey to the antics of the politician. At critical moments of elections the simple one trades his precious vote for a plate of porridge without qualms since he is ever so contented with the handout that trickles to him before an election which he values above the weighty issue of electing a candidate with a compassion for the common people and a burning desire for service to the community. In this instance, a capacity to faithfully preside over the commonwealth which ought to be the overriding consideration for voting an aspirant to public office is superseded by the greed for pre-election freebies, an anomaly now referred to in Nigeria as ‘stomach infrastructure’.

When politicians get involved in heated arguments during which they fire verbal and literal salvoes at each other, even condescending to the level of emphasizing ethnic and religious cleavages to attract sympathy when they have run out of tricks in their chicanery to outwit each other, they get desperate and the political contest gets messier. At this stage many among them are inclined to believe that exposing the weaknesses of their opponent is not potent enough to drag them down, it then behoves on a shrewd electorate to examine the issues at stake critically, carefully and dispassionately in order to take a safe position as to avoid getting caught in the crossfire that will ultimately result from the tension.

Unfortunately, the weak-minded make themselves canon fodders for their overambitious masters when the chips are down.

It hurts me so much whenever I find myself in a public forum and in the midst of simple-minded individuals who listen with rapt attention to the telltale that is reeled out by an enthusiastic storyteller encouraged by his naive audience. In my agony seeing the obvious falsehood being unashamedly peddled I’ve had to ask relevant questions that leave the talebearer fidgeting in an effort to rationalize the illogical assumption contained in his narrative. My agony is further exacerbated when graduates fall victims to barefaced deception, for as noted by M. Kirk, “The hallmark of a university trained mind is intelligence and unprejudiced skepticism”.

One serial in the melodrama of fooling the people played out recently in the aftermath of the collapse on 12 September of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations [SCOAN]’s guest house undergoing reconstruction in a Lagos suburb which resulted in the unfortunate death of at least 115 pilgrims. In his first official reaction on the tragic incident, the founder of the church, Prophet T.B. Joshua was to further shock a grieved world when he ascribed the collapse to the evil machination of the insurgent group operating in the North-East part of Nigeria, Boko Haram. This position was to change the following day when the guest house collapse was again attributed to the hovering of a military airplane, a Hercules -130 over the building. Pray, was this the only structure under construction in the neighbourhood at the time the ‘military aircraft’ flew across the area?

In all of the theories hurriedly formulated to explain away the possible cause of that disaster, the fact that the structural integrity of the building was unduly compromised by the alteration of the original plan of the guest house from the initial two-storey structure to six was not considered an issue worthy of mention. The intention as always was to hoodwink the people by devising a strategy to shield the truth from the prying eyes of a curious public. The less discernible gets fooled.

There was also this rumour that made the rounds in South-South Nigeria spun by detractors of the governor of Delta State shortly after the 2011 election. According to the opposition spin doctors, Governor  Emmanuel Uduaghan was caught in London with Ghana-must-go bags packed with millions of dollars but escaped arrest and prosecution by cleverly explaining that the cargo of cash was meant for the purchase of high calibre buses and that it was by sheer accident of fate arising from this incident that the oil-producing state acquired those vehicles that now make for improved intra-city transportation in the state and by no means a deliberate programme to alleviate the transport difficulty faced by the masses.

It was rather unfortunate that nobody among the desperadoes who glibly spearheaded the spread of this malicious rumour nor anyone among the multitude that gleefully bought it would remember that an undeclared amount found on a traveller above the stipulated basic travel allowance [BTA] is an offence punishable by law and that huge cash found on an individual amounts to money laundering which attracts severe penalty in international law.

For those dyed-in-the-wool rumour mongers who have held tenaciously to this obvious speculation since the past three years in their usual obstinate if-not-absolutely-true-it-must-have-an-element-of-truth disposition the national embarrassment that Nigeria has suffered over the $9.3m [N1.5bn] seized from two Nigerians and an Israeli on 5 September at Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg which the trio claimed was meant for the purchase of arms for security agencies in Nigeria has exposed their folly.

Anyone with an elementary knowledge of transactions in international trade understands that its method of payment is more complex than what obtains at Jankara Market in Lagos where cash and commodity change hands at the point of sale as it requires foreign exchange remittances hence the involvement of commercial and the apex banks in its process.         

Most of the information emanating from the desk of Nigerian politicians is sheer propaganda; biased opinions that are aimed at gaining the sympathy of the public. Politicians, true to the term are insincere people. Ever so acrimonious; treasury, manoeuvring and vendetta are their stock in trade.   Unstable as the weather, sheepish and myopic the simple-minded are pushed hither and thither, here and there like an empty shaft that is blown by the wind.

The simple are often confused and get fooled by the myriad of ideology, philosophy, propaganda and misinformation circulated in the media. When the terrorism and insurgency challenges are factored into the propaganda conundrum the effect of indoctrination on the society is better imagined than experienced. It takes the development of a mind-set with a capacity to thoroughly evaluate issues and sieve every view on the screen of truth for the individual to withstand the torrent of information directed at his person in this age of information and communication technology [ICT].

Only nations that have managed to tame the monster of simple-mindedness through a policy of a relentless pursuit of the institutionalization of independent-mind in the polity have enjoyed relative peace. To mitigate the high incidents of violence arising from the rebellious attitude prevalent in Nigeria in addition to evolving a robust, thoroughbred and wholesome democratic experiment the inculcation of independent-mindedness in the populace is imperative.

This policy should be vigorously pursued both at the home front and at all levels of education in Nigeria. Above all, the school curriculum should be tailored not just to the material wellbeing of the person but to raise thinking, self-confident and highly inquisitive citizens.   

By Prince Kingsley Afeniforo

It is true: a country deserves the leader he gets. Nigerians are always at crossroads with themselves even when there is a conspicuous road or who is afraid who?

The national dialogue offered us the greatest opportunity and an escape route to slough off the toga of incontinence. Suffering and smiling is the aphorism to describe Nigerians in the face of oppression. The majority of our leaders are bad. They never represent the masses, if they do, how could it be said that NO ONE proposed the breakup of Nigeria during the FEMI OKUROUMU-led national dialogue sessions across the nation? You are all bad and selfish leaders. Pretenders!

Indeed, if a voice is enough as a dissentient view to the unity of Nigeria, I hold that view on behalf of the teeming majority of Nigerians.  I proposed during the national dialogue for the breakup of Nigeria into south Nigeria and North Nigeria.

Perhaps, Dr. Okunromu had a skewed mindset against my kind of proposal. This is because I told him while on Radio Nigeria programme on the national dialogue when the chairman, secretary and some other members of the dialogue were on air receiving phone calls and text messages that the breakup of the nation is the best thing since the unholy marriage in 1914. My two text messages on the programme read: (1) “ Clamour for SNC for years is for split into North and south Nigeria but no government has been  bold enough to do our wishes peacefully, it’ll persist until by arms,” (2) “No fuss about how to overcome the woes: let us revisit pre-1914 arrangement and go it that way…”

The foresight of Mr. President is unequalled in the annals of Nigeria. The setting up of the dialogue was legendary.

The raison d’etre  for BOKO HARAM is for us to split or how do you justify the inequality between northern and southern Nigeria ever since the amalgamation?

In the speech of Obafemi Awolowo, in 1961 to Nigerian students at Conway Hall London, he painted a gloomy dominance by the North. Quota System in employment and political allocation of positions promotes mediocrity over and above merit, all in the name of assuaging the north. The current number of states and local governments are disproportionate, largely giving undue advantage to the North. Such that in a free and fair election it would always win. Why? We must resist this. As big as Ibadan is, it has 11 councils whereas three states would be carved out a local government in the north with the same land mass and  population. Example is Taraba State.

We are not one. Quota system, in which the North is allowed to field mediocre to lord it over  qualified southerners in the name of balancing position only when the interest of the Hausas  is at stake. But no eyes are seeing them at the state and local government levels, such as at the NYSC posting in Kopa, Kogi State in the case of my son. His tales are that Nigeria cannot be one. The unity slogan is deceptive. He was to be assigned to a veterinary teaching hospital there but pointedly told such an opportunity is reserved for Northerners! This should be investigated.

The NYSC members, especially the veterinary corps members from the south should be interviewed on the statement that only the Northerner  corps members could be posted to the teaching hospital!

Unfortunately, some of them were mowed down by Boko Haram insurgents. Miss Precious Okotor was not that lucky. Few days to rounding off and returning to her parents for a congratulatory welcome, she was killed. Hopes dashed!

The white paper on the National confab must address this. The best way out is to split into Sudan-like dichotomy. The resources with which Nigeria is run is domiciled in the South. Whereas same resources are squandered on state sponsorship of wedding for their folks in the North. Why then would southerners not be allowed to occupy the presidency in peace? We are not one, Oh! Obviously therefore which way Nigeria!.

•Afeniforo is former Editor Third Eye Newspaper. Tel.:08181064041.

Dear Ignatious,

I read with joy your comments condemning Nigeria’s draconian anti-gay legislation, and the consequent un-Christian persecution of gay people (published in the Pinknews paper).

You added that there had been a “gross misinterpretation of the law” by the media. This is not true. As a Christian Nigerian man who is openly homosexual, and having lived in Nigeria until 2008 when I was forced to leave, I have been challenging the Nigerian churches over their homophobia for many years, and have seen and experienced the terrible persecutions which gay people face in their homeland.

I continue to receive reports from friends and colleagues of what gay people are going through in Nigeria. If anything the media underplays the terrible violence which this legislation has unleashed.

I strongly believe in family and marriage, but also believe that if two people of the same sex want to make their relationship more stable and commit themselves more deeply to each other, this can only be for the good of Nigeria. It makes no difference whether the couple is gay or straight.

You said “we are not supporting the criminalisation of people with different sexual orientations. We would defend any person with homosexual orientation who is being harassed, who is being imprisoned, who is being punished”.

Following the passing of the Nigeria’s anti-gay law there was and continues to be wide-spread violent attacks against those suspected of being homosexuals in Nigeria. Indeed, the persecution of gay people in Nigeria is strongly influenced by religious homophobia.

The Nigerian Christian Association has stood firm in supporting the new laws, and there is no record anywhere to prove that your church or any other church has seriously challenged the persecution of gay people in Nigeria.

I applaud what you are doing, but for the love of God, please continue to speak out, as strongly as you can against the barbaric treatment of gay people in Nigeria. All right thinking Christians throughout the world, including His Holiness, will be listening.

This opinion was written by Davis Mac-Iyalla

Kailash Satyarthi

Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, to President Goodluck Jonathan has increasingly become inept in handling his sensitive task as the Media and Publicity adviser to the president with his childish and silly gaffes.

His most recent error, although small would make Nigeria and Jonathan a laughing stock globally. On Saturday 11 October, in Jonathan’s congratulatory message to Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi, the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, Abati and his boss referred to Satyarthi as a female.

Many Nigerians did not take note of this but a foreigner called my attention to it, terming the presidency a ‘Big Joke’. One would have expected Abati and his team to search the person called Kailash Satyarthi and not assume that ‘He’ is a ‘She’ because Malala is a she.

The statement has been published widely by Nigeria’s media outfit most of whom also do not know Satyarthi is a ‘He’. Abati’s statement on behalf of his boss read: “He urged others with grievances around the world to emulate her method of non-violent protests,” Jonathan referring to Satyarthi.

Airport? President Goodluck Jonathan (c), Chad President, Idriss Deby and Modu Sherif (l) during Jonathan’s visit to Chad

It would be recalled that it was Abati and his team that sent the pictures of Jonathan, Modu Sheriff (alleged Boko Haram sponsor) along with President Idriss Deby at the presidential palace in Chad. They thought they were laundering the image of the president until the backlash on social media.

Abati knowing that he had to defend his boss wrote on his Twitter page that the picture was taken at the airport, when even a blind man could tell otherwise. “The pictures which formed the basis of the bogus allegation were taken at the airport. Sheriff’s presence was not at President Jonathan’s instance,” Abati tweeted.

One would have thought it wise that he kept shut and took the barrage of attacks that came his way. Many more gaffes have been committed in the past many of which we know but the question is, if the people at the top cannot get small information right, how can they lead the people right?

Abati and his crew should get their acts together or quit the presidency. It is truly shameful and embarrassing.

By Debo Seun

By Kola Johnson

I had known Dimgba Igwe by reputation, right from his “Day One”, as a staff writer in the defunct Sunday Concord. I, however, had the opportunity of interacting with him personally, beginning from some 28 years ago.

The veteran journalist, Monzor Olowosago and Dimgba were colleagues in the Sunday Concord, then edited by Dele Giwa, the flamboyant media chief of blessed memory.

I was at that time Assistant Editor Oriwu Sun, the imperial wave making leader of community newspapers in the Nigerian journalistic firmament, founded by Monzor Dawodu Olowosago; who prior to his advent into newspaper publishing was the production Editor of Sunday Concord in which Dimgba was a senior staff writer.

At that momentous inception of that pioneer leader of community journalism, colleagues of the publisher, who were obviously joyous about his vision, had ensured that they availed their quota of input in the drive to propel the experiment to the envisioned height of fulfilment.

Prominent in this category more than others, were Dimgba Igwe and Chuma Adichie also of Sunday Concord. Their more enduring input to the newspaper contrast with Mike Awoyinfa’s whose involvement probably didn’t transcend the pioneer stage of the newspaper.

Dimgba and Adichie were by this token, more regular spectacles in our office then. This aside, I had cause to relate on frequent basis with Dimgba – usually on the premise of his regular editorial contribution to our newspaper – at the Mafoluku location of his office at the then glorious but defunct National Concord newspapers where we not only undertook our production work, but also printed the newspaper.

With time, Dimgba receded in presence, ostensibly on account of his increasingly busy schedule, as Adichie featured more prominently, even to date.

While Adichie radiated an impressively personable airs, Dimgba from my own ken was diametrically contrary. Not too pleasantly at least on the face of it. This to repeat, might after all be a natural outward façade; at variance with perhaps a more sublime inner nature.

My interpretative connotation of this; whether rightly or wrongly was that it might be syndromic of the popular Pentecostal strain of born-againism.

It was of course for this abstemious code of born-againisim as one was apt to recall then, that the Oriwu Sun publisher Mr Olowosago would usually tease him: “Dimgba how Una girlfriend now?” – to which Dimgba was usually indifferent in response.

As Dimgba rose through the rank from the National Concord to the Weekend Concord and later The Sun – coupled with his extra-journalistic exploit in book authorship – it would not be off the mark to suppose that it was the bold hand of God tellingly visible as a trademark consequence of the prophetic covenant of Divine prosperity of God, for the exclusively hallowed circle of his chosen.

Dimgba to be sure, soon attained the apotheosis of journalistic fame and glory. He had a happy family and was full of life, beans, vigour, vibrancy and sundry items converging to salutiferous robust health.

For a self-made man like this writer, who for whatever reason was devoid of the availing benefit of a first degree; this was no mean achievement – but an unusual kind, exclusively repository of the inner circuit of the beloved of the most high Divine.

For Dimgba, all things went well. Life was fine. Life for him, was the quintessential paradise on earth. Dimgba became a role model to all – especially by those animated by the juxtapository spirituo-temporal cross-current of professional accomplishment on one hand and the subliminal elevated spirituality of the higher Pentecostal hue.

It was against this background that when recently, the departed media notable was writing, in a tribute – in the wake of the death of Dora Akunyili – little did it occur – of the imminence of his own passage. It was as if the dividing line, in the spatial frame of time, would amount to an eternity.

Can you imagine a man, who in a remarkably pathetic elegy as rendered in his regular weekly column in The Sun had narrated his sense of shock, in the face of the eventual but grim unfolding that he would have no option than to henceforth refer to Akunyili in the past tense.

However, not exactly three months after, the mourner himself is gone in a stupefyingly reminiscent motion picture fiction or fantasy-like fable of classic textbook yarn for the marines. Gone to be seen no more.  What an intriguing humour in irony!

Whereas he was supposed to jog to live, considering the infinitely endemic benefit of jogging to life – he jogged to death. An even grimmer humour in archetypal paradox. May his soul rest in peace.      

•Johnson is a writer and Journalist

By Joe Igbokwe

Last week a powerful delegation of Igbo leaders made up of secretary to federal government, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Minister of Labour & Productivity, Emeka Wogu, National Publicity Secretary PDP, Mr Olisa Metuh, Mr Ifeanyi Ubah and former Governor Peter Obi stormed Dover Hotel at Lekki Phase 1 Lagos to woo Ndigbo Lagos for President Jonathan’s 2015 presidential bid. At Dover Hotel, they met eminent and prominent Igbo leaders namely President General Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, President Ndigbo Lagos, Professor Anya. O. Anya, President Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, former Chairman Diamond Bank, Chief Pascal Dozie, former Governor of Lagos State, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu(retd), former President of Nigerian Stock Exchange, Dr Raymond Obieri, Eze Ndigbo of Ikeja, Eze Uche Dimgba and President Ohaneze Ndigbo Lagos, Barr Fabian Onwughalu and many other eminent Igbos in Lagos. Like I said their mission is to persuade Ndigbo in Lagos to join the train in the campaign to make President Jonathan to continue in office even after 2015. The meeting was well attended and this mission was clear: It is President Jonathan or nothing!

The Lagos mission has indeed thrown up some big questions on what Igbo agenda is in Nigeria. What does Igbo want in Nigeria? What is their strategy? What is their mission? What is their plan for Nigeria? What is their strength? What is their thinking? What is wrong with Igbo politics?

Few weeks back an Igbo youth I cannot remember his name posted a question on his Facebook page. Hear him: “Why is it that Igbo are always in the forefront to work for other people to be Presidents in Nigeria? Is it that no Igbo is good to be president of Nigeria?” He traced the days of IBB and Abacha when Chief Arthur Nzeribe and one Daniel Kanu played prominent roles to extend their tenures in office. Nzeribe went to court to stop June 12 1993 election so that IBB will continue in office. It failed: Daniel Kanu, Chief Arthur Eze, Orji Uzor Kalu, Sam Mbakwe, Onyeka Onwenu and others staged a two million-man march tagged Youths Earnestly Asking for Abacha, YEAA in Abuja to get an extension of tenure for Abacha. It failed also. Of all the men that have led Ohaneze only Professor Ben Nwabueze and Dr Dozie Ikedife gave good account of themselves. Professor Irukwu sold Ohaneze to President Obasanjo’s failed third term bid for a price. The late Chief Ralph Uwechue sold Ohaneze for cash to President Jonathan in 2011. Now the current President General Ohaneze Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey has sold Ohaneze again to President Jonathan for 2015 elections. Today, like Daniel Kanu of YEAA, Ifeanyi Ubah is driving TAN for Jonathan. Now where does all this lead Igbo to? Is there anything they know that we do not know?

South East has the least number of States in Nigeria, the least number of Senators, the least number of House of Reps members, least number of State House of Assembly members, least number of Ministers at the federal level, least revenue allocation, least federal presence or Investment, least local governments, least wards and the least of everything in Nigeria. Can we conclude that Igbo worry about nothing except their stomach? Can we assume that an Igbo is not good to be president of Nigeria? Can we conclude that top Igbo Politicians lack strategy, tact and vision to think deep in matters of politics? Can we conclude that we are satisfied with the status-quo ante? Is there hope for Ndigbo in Nigeria’s Political equation? Igbo politics worries me to the marrows!

For eight years the former Governor of Anambra state, Mr Peter Obi ruled on the platform of APGA and according to him then, it was either APGA or nothing. To celebrate the late Ikemba Nnewi Chief Emeka Ojukwu, he wore his clothes everywhere he went, he erected billboards bearing his photo with Ikemba. Now few months after he left office, the bug has caught him up and he has moved to PDP, betraying the late Ikemba and APGA. Again what will you call this? Is it Politics of Ideas or what? Is it Politics of the stomach?

If Ndigbo help President Jonathan to remain in Power till 2019 where does this leave Ndigbo? By 2019 Southern Nigeria would have been in power for 18 years. Now do you think the North will just sit down to continue to be spectators in a democracy? Is this what we struggled for from 1985 to 1999? The South did not struggle for power shift to the South so as to keep it for 18 years. It will be a threat to democracy, a threat to national unity and a threat to the corporate existence of Nigeria as a political entity. This is a timely warning!

As 2015 draws near, our prominent and eminent Igbo leaders do not think about the state of the nation. They are not worried about insecurity in the land. They are not worried about the tragedy in the power sector, they are not worried about outrageous corruption, impunity and mediocrity at the federal level, they are not worried about the threat to national unity, they are not worried about colossal decay of infrastructure, they are not worried about the decay in our schools and hospitals, they are not worried about Nigeria’s monumental battered image and they are not worried about Nigeria’s threatened future. There is no strategic alliance with the major ethnic groups, the Hausa-Fulani and the Yoruba just for the sake of Nigeria. They abuse them and call them names forgetting that they need their votes to rule Nigeria. They allow their flanks to be infiltrated for a mess of porridge. It is money for hand back for ground. It is give me money and I kill myself (Inyem ego egbuom onwem). The truth is that Igbo has been left behind in matters of Nigerian politics. There is no strong presence in PDP and no strong presence in APC, the two major parties. Igbo politics worries me to the bones!

But it is not yet a hopeless case for Igbo. Things can get better if we sit down to discuss strategies and think properly. If you do not know where you are going, nobody can help you. If you do not stand for something, nobody will take you serious. If you do not love others, then they can never trust you. If you do not show some seriousness in anything you do, nobody will take you serious.

The truth is that South South and South East votes cannot make President Jonathan president again in 2015 if politics is still a game of numbers. Given the situations in the country, given the gamut of failures staring us in the face in every department in Nigerian and given the bloodshed we have recorded in the past 15 years of democracy, President Jonathan ambition to rule Nigeria for 10 years is a difficult pill to swallow.

•Igbokwe, Publicity Secretary, Lagos APC wrote from Lagos

By Tayo Ogunbiyi

The World Mental Health Day is set aside every 10th of October, by the World Health Organisation (WHO), to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilize efforts in its support. The Federation for Mental Health, founded in 1948, to prevent emotional and mental health disorders and help those who do suffer from them, is responsible for the organisation of the annual World Mental Health Day. The day is meant to create an avenue for all stakeholders on mental health issues to freely discuss and share experiences about their job. This is quite important in view of a recent research which reveals that about 240 million people across the world experience depression and other symptoms of mental illness during their lifetime. Thus, if not properly addressed, mental illness could as well turn out to be a time bomb waiting to explode in an already troubled world.

The Medilexicon’s medical dictionary, depicts mental illness as medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder.  Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing.

Mental illnesses cannot be overcome through “will power” and are not related to a person’s “character” or intelligence. This illness falls along a continuum of severity. According to a WHO data, four of the 10 leading causes of disability in the United States and other developed countries are mental disorders. By 2020, major depressive illness will be the leading cause of disability in the world for women and children.

Mental illness usually strike individuals in the prime of their lives, often during adolescence and young adulthood. All ages are susceptible, but the young and the old are especially vulnerable.  The consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering. It could lead to unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and wasted lives. The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than 150 billion dollars each year in the United States. Approximately 25% of people in the UK have a mental health problem during their lives. Equally, in the UK, Canada, the USA and much of the developed world, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability among people aged 15 to 44. The best treatments for serious mental illnesses today are highly effective; between 70 and 90 percent of individuals have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with a combination of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments and supports. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible.

The causes of mental illness are complex and vary depending on the particular disorder and individuals. Genetics, early development, drugs, a loss of family member, disease or injury, neurocognitive and psychological mechanisms, and life experiences, society and culture, can all contribute to the development or progression of different mental disorders in people. The most common, view, however, is that mental disorder tend to result from genetic vulnerabilities and environmental stressors combining to cause patterns of dysfunction or trigger disorder. Signs of mental health condition include erratic or changed behaviour, depression, loneliness, desperation among others.

No matter how seemingly the effects of mental health issues are, whether it is depression, epilepsy, dementia alcohol dependence or death, they can be managed effectively with the affected individual living a reasonably normal life. Not managing mental health in the workplace has a huge impact on individuals and is equally bad for business too, with an estimated annual cost to employers of over 25 billion pounds. Recent survey indicates 40 per cent of employers view workers with mental health conditions as a significant risk while 42 percent of employers are still underestimating the relevance of mental health in their workplace. Given the negative perception from employers, many applicants may feel that it is in their best interest not to disclose their mental conditions.  Today, 73 percent of work places across the globe still have no formal mental health policy.

Schizophrenia, which affects about 26 million people in the world, is the focus of this year’s World Mental Health Day. Though it is a mental condition that can be treated, more than 50% of people with schizophrenia cannot access adequate treatment. Schizophrenia is particularly considered a dangerous mental state because it affects the way a person thinks, feels, and acts. Some of the major features of early Schizophrenia include insomnia (sleep disturbance), unusual behaviour, incoherent speech, persistent feelings of unreality and appetite disorder. Schizophrenia can occur in anyone but it’s a treatable disorder. Long term medication may be necessary for some people but talking therapies and self-help groups can also be effective.

In Lagos, an average of 14.1 percent of the total population suffers from one mental case or the other. It was this realisation that, perhaps, made the state government to adopt a policy that aims to respect the rights of residents with mental disorder. The objective is to guarantee social justice and equity for victims of mental illness as well as ensuring that the rights of people suffering from mental disorders are respected. This new approach by the state government includes sufficient and detailed strategies aimed at reducing the impact of mental health in the state.  The basic components of the state’s mental health policy include promotion aimed at conducting awareness programmes and educating the people on the effects of substance and alcohol abuse, primary care and access to services, treatment guidelines at health care level, services for people with severe mental illness, reduction of work place stress and the risk of suicides and human resources for mental health. Presently, the first step in this new policy is investment in mental health across the state.

With appropriate effective medication and a wide range of services tailored to their needs, most people who live with serious mental illnesses can now significantly reduce the impact of their illness and find a satisfying measure of achievement and independence. We have for long allowed stigma and a now unwarranted sense of hopelessness to erect attitudinal, structural and financial barriers to effective treatment and recovery of victims of mental illness. It is hoped that the occasion of this year’s World Mental Health Day would help, in small way, to break down these barriers.

•Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

By Toyin Falola

Laa ilaaha illal-lahuu

Muhammadur Rasuulullah

 ["There is no good example except Allah (SWT).

Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah (SWT)."]

Inna lillaahi maa akhaza,

wa lillaahi maa a’ataa,

wa kullun indahu,

bi ajalim musamman,

faltasbir waltahtasib.

 ["Verily everything belongs to Allah (SWT)

that He hath taken away,

And belongs to Allah that He hath given.

Allah (SWT) is with him for an appointed time;

forbear and except reward."]

The colossus with the feet of steel joined his ancestors in the early hours of October 13, 2014. Ali Mazrui was larger than life! The most prodigious scholar of African politics, his multiple talents combined creative work in elegant prose and poetry with polemics. A teacher, orator, journalist, filmmaker, and public intellectual, he was arguably the most connected and best known African scholar for over half a century. There will be a legion of tributes in his honor all over Africa and elsewhere. My tribute will be limited to the place of language in his long writing and scholarly career.

Growing up in Christian homes, many Africans believe that they would hear about Babel only in Christian parlance—or, if you will, in Christendom—where it refers to the countless tongues when the “Tower of Babel” was being built. However, in this tribute, I crave your indulgence to allow me to use the opportunity of Mazrui’s death to re-introduce The Power of Babel: Language and Governance in the African Experience published by the University of Chicago Press in 1998. This seminal book was co-authored by Professors Ali A. Mazrui and Alamin M. Mazrui (two Mazruis, needing only one more to create a triple heritage of names!). I would like to use this book to pay tribute to a legend, to talk more broadly about the power and ambiguity of languages, how word choice connects you and me to society, and how language opens a window into the world of politics. Baba Mazrui used languages to distinguish himself.

Autobiography is connected with language.  Mwalimu Ali Mazrui (also honorifically called Nana in Ghanaian royal parlance) was born and raised in East Africa, where he learned English, Swahili, and Arabic. He was a Creolite, that is, one who had the capacity to mix languages, and became entangled in the cultures as well as the identities of these languages. Years later, when he became a respected scholar, he formulated his eclectic language background into what he called Africa’s “triple heritage”: indigenous, Islamic, and Western. That triple heritage, as he defined it, has a foundation in language. Undoubtedly, the Creolite in Mazrui came across very forcefully in this articulation of the triple heritage in a successful documentary film series on Africa.

Orality is critical, and it is sometimes presented as the use of African languages or their revival to advance the agenda of modernity. The endorsement of the creative power in orality becomes a sort of theatrical performance itself. The people whom he wrote about are grounded in orality, and they represent this orality in conversations and text. Mazrui was able to capture their imaginations and reality.

To Mazrui, English was a vehicle to mobility, modernity, and intellectual power. His prolificity was facilitated by the infrastructure of the English language. His works are focused on African politics and economy, the search for change agents, and the understanding of processes in the longue durée.

The languages of Mazrui, a Creolite, embedded the narrative of the self in that of the nation. Although he did not pursue his work in a chronological fashion, the genealogies are clear. There was the autobiography of childhood in the TV series, one that talked about his family, and how that family was connected to an identity. This is how orality structures a narrative. He possessed a nostalgia for Mombasa, Kenya, and lamented the passing of many of its cultural elements into oblivion, just as the Griot in Senegal would present a storyline. Mazrui was fond of placing stress on space and memory which, although presented in the colonial language of English, he always grounded in orality.

Orality recognizes the organic relationship between the environment and human beings, as humans use the powerful animals in the jungle to describe themselves. Human beings developed a strong understanding of everything around them, from insects to trees, and call upon the resources of the environment to organize their religions and rituals. This connection with the environment can be characterized as sensing nature itself, and in doing so, using a language that draws heavily on all available objects and elements and working them into idioms, proverbs, and parables.

Moving into the school system, the language of orality is not discarded but expanded upon. English and Swahili become juxtaposed, and indigenous languages may be added to create a creolization. One sees in a number of Mazrui’s writings this juxtaposition. Strikingly, he also brought in poetic stanzas, woven into prose, stylistic choices that embroidered an argument or were used as transitional connecting points in building an assembly of ideas.

In Mazrui’s work, poetry reveals creolization, the unconscious recourse to the multiplicity of languages and creative genres. This brings the otherwise estranged languages of the farmers and the professor closer to a mutual understanding. Mazrui was a language bargainer, shopping for the appropriate genre in which to negotiate in the marketplace of ideas. He was indeed a smart bargainer, as he drew from so many diverse sources.

Orality is about dialogue, and Swahili is conversational. Thus, Mazrui often wrote as if he were engaged in dialogue, with a few sentences forming short paragraphs. These shorter paragraphs tended to invite another set of dialogues, a style not drawn from the European languages but from East African oral culture. When you “call out” in orality, it takes the form of a performance. Orality does not encourage monologue. Orality is spontaneous and creative, and one sees the deployment of both aspects in the way Mazrui answered questions in seminars and conferences. He could be theatrical, using imaginative and figurative language.

Mazrui’s intellectual assembly was a combination of the plurality of issues, the plurality of subjects, the plurality of perspectives, and the plurality of languages. But that plurality of languages was enfolded in what I have identified as the recourse to orality, the constant references to fragmented histories and memory. But as Mazrui deployed the English language, he needed to fracture and fragment himself, that is, his own being and body; his presentation of the past, grounded in orality, sometimes became “mythical.” Indeed, he often took the Islamic as “indigenous,” thus casting its impact in mythical ways as well.  This is where Mazrui not only betrayed his preference but his transparency: the Western and the Christian became patriarchal and masculine, in opposition to the innocence and femininity of the mythical.

The dominance and status of the English language in Mazrui’s work are clear. The English language was used to present Africa to Africans and to the world, and to re-Africanize Africans in drawing from lost traditions. A blended language, the “Englishes” with doses of Swahili and Arabic revealed creativity but drew attention to curiosity as well. Creativity and curiosity raised questions not just about intellectual innovations, but the content of ideas. A language has such a powerful linkage with culture that writing in English does not mean a rejection of one’s cultural immersion. Let me illustrate this point with a citation from The Power of Babel:

Where do the ‘pronouns’ come in? Languages betray the cultures from which they spring. Pronouns are part of that story. In referring to a third person English is gender-conscious—so the pronoun he refers to the male and the pronoun she refers to the female. In many African languages pronouns are gender-neutral. The words for ‘he’ or ‘she’ are fused into one. To the present day many Africans competent in the English language sometimes refer to a third person female as ‘he’ when speaking in English because of the linguistic influence of their own mother tongues. [ 210.]

And there are cultural nuances:

Most African languages do not have separate words for ‘nephews’ and ‘nieces’ because your sister’s children are supposed to be equivalent of your own biological children. The same word which is used for your child (mtoto in Kiswahili) is used for your niece or nephew. Very few African languages have a word for ‘cousin’. Your uncle’s daughter or son is the equivalent of your sister or brother, so cousins are counted almost as siblings. Once again language betrays the tightness of kinship ties in the African extended family. [The Power of Babel, 210.]

 Identity is central to this language use: how Africans see themselves, how others gaze upon them, how they are represented. Mazrui had to define himself, and language enabled him to do so. Then he had to define his continent, again falling on the power of language to do so.

Turning again to The Power of Babel, specific elements emerge in how Mazrui and his co-author presented language in terms of its acquisition and usages, its universal nature, its connections to ethnicities, and its linkages to identity and nationalities. The way and manner that words are used can reveal a lot about people and places.

Mazrui presented the creative aspect of language in many ways. He used language to inspire heroism, as in his celebration of the career of poet-president Léopold Sédar Senghor, who was nominated many times without success for the Nobel Prize for his command of French (written and spoken), and his poetry and philosophy. To Mazrui, the love for John Milton’s Paradise Lost is said to have influenced Apolo Obote (1925—2005), president of Uganda, to adopt Milton as his first name. Mazrui was full of praise for Julius Nyerere, the late president of Tanzania, who translated William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and The Merchant of Venice into Swahili. Mazrui valued these translations for advancing the modernist agenda of African languages.

Politics was always central to Mazrui’s philosophy. Indeed, just as he saw politics as influencing language, he saw language as also influenceing politics. He linked the end of the Cold War and the fall of apartheid to the possible decline in the use of French, Russian and Afrikaans. Charting the rise and fall of European languages in Africa was like playing “a chess game with African cultures. Will the African languages be Europeanized or will the European languages be Africanized?”

This “chess game,” as Mazrui explained, dealt with choices and options, negotiations, and brokerages. The game was played in the context of globalization. Power had to be extended, as part of imperialism, which involved the imposition of language. Power, too, had to be resisted, in the nationalism that called for self-assertion, for which, as Mazrui saw, language, too, was crucial. To him, no matter how the issue of control or resistance is resolved, language becomes the critical part of that resolution: the very possibility of co-existence within national frontiers and of cooperation between frontiers involves language.

Back to Mazrui and the “chess game”: as individuals struggle for influence, resources, money, power and more, we are drawn to those very institutions and structures that society puts in place to resolve our struggles. The state’s structures and its coercive apparatuses use the language of law and order to legitimize their  violence. In the fabric of society itself, where these conflicts play out intensely, language mediates the struggles between men and women, matriarchy and patriarchy. The language of respect recognizes boundaries between the youth and the elderly, resolving conflicts of interest in favor of older men. What we call persuasion is grounded in idioms, metaphors and similes that appeal on the basis of culture. The language of persuasion is of course different from that of threat.

To an extent, my point is that at the very heart of politics and political discourse is the deployment of language. This language, in words and texts, communicates processes and actions. Each action has its own characteristics. The word, as Professor Ademola Dasylva of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, is fond of reminding me, can be transformed into a spirit—as in words of prophecy, of curses, of wishes, of incantations. If many political scientists ignore language, Mazrui recognized fully its association with political discourse, both in the context of politics itself and the texts used to communicate its contents.

I began with autobiography as foundational, and I want to close with a celebration of this genre. Mazrui deployed various first-person narratives in his presentations. He defended the preservation of traditional institutions, but he was not a traditionalist. He was a man of multiple cultures, but he celebrated identity. Amazingly, he lived in the West, but he translated Africa. He was, on the one hand, an autonomous scholar but, on the other, he was imbricated in the “arrested development” of Africa. Mazrui was a Creole, with a style that showed how to accept the cultures of the West while retaining an African identity.

Mazrui was the Griot of critical narratives, an agent provocateur of deeply-rooted intellectual discourses.  Never before have we seen an African intellectual so controversial, yet so loved by the same critical mass that pointed to his “controversiality.” What he wrote about, what he spoke about, how he wrote about them, and how he spoke were often the bones of contention—a fact that underscored the power of the spoken (and the written) word as observed in the life of this departed giant!

As a Creole, he maintained a stream of dialogue with the colonizers and the “globalizers”: he rejected de-personalization; he rejected de-culturalization; and he rejected de-Islamization. In sum, that is our Mzee—our Nana—the indomitable Ali A’lamin Mazrui, the teacher, scholar, global citizen, the embodiment of refined African-cum-Western cultural being, and, above all, a tireless and incurable pan-Africanist.

May Allah forgive his failings

And reward his contributions to the human spirit

May Allah (SWT) grant Mwalimu Mazrui Jannat

May the Mzee be received by all our ancestors

May Allah provide those of us he has left behind

The fortitude to continue the Nana’s work.

 Let us proclaim today as the beginning of a new ideology: Pax Mazruiana! Jazakumu Allahu Khayrain!

Falola, a global scholar and Africa’s preeminent historian, is the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities and University Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, USA.

By Nduka Uzuakpundu

The recently concluded National Conference was, indubitably, a well-thought-out political initiative by, President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan. It was, in the president’s well-considered opinion, a durable strategy aimed at the solidification and consolidation of the Fourth Republic.  But, while the National Conference was going on, Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, celebrated his birthday with pomp and ceremony. There were some participants at the National Conference, who said Soyinka’s birthday carnival was uncalled for. Take former senator, Major-General Ike Nwachukwu, for one.  He told this writer that the National Conference, which has created a gargantuan hole in the national purse, was convened by the Jonathan administration, to find tidy panaceas to such challenges as crushing corruption, anaemic economic growth, environmental pollution in the Niger Delta, falling standard in education, deepening ethno-religious distrust, rising youth unemployment, insecurity in the air and infrastructural decay etc. facing the country. Nwachukwu, like former Petroleum and Education Minister, Professor Jubril Aminu, felt genuinely displeased with the drunkenness and breach of public peace by university students reading English, Greek, and Theatre Arts, nation-wide, while they were marking Soyinka’s birthday. Nwachukwu and Aminu said that Soyinka might be sued for dereliction of duty, for not warning his apostles in the universities, to act and drink responsibly, while celebrating his historic birthday. A more convincing reason, according to Nwachukwu, was the failure of Soyinka to obtain a police permit to mark the gargantuan waste that was his birthday celebration.

Nwachukwu and Aminu were deafeningly silent when this writer asked: “Would you have taken the authorities of Leeds University and the Mayor of Leeds, in Britain, to court for celebrating Soyinka’s birthday, because, truly, they never obtained a police permit to that effect? Aminu, who’s is an unblinking, educational enemy of Soyinka, cast a long, side, disapproving look at this writer, when he realised that the question was in defence of Soyinka’s birthday celebration – even though, it’s true that in his habituated stubbornness, which turns tauntingly wild, each year he has celebrated his birthday, since Oslo, he never obtained a police permit. The former education minister was undisguisedly sarcastic when he said: “Were Soyinka the president of this country, he would have bribed the National Assembly to legislate to the effect that all political parties, State Houses of Assembly, Local Governments and Departments of English and Thespian Arts, in all the country’s universities, should celebrate his birthday.

Nwachukwu was of the view that: “All that was slurped, to the tune of =N=19.34 million, on that occasion, ought, for very strong moral reasons, to have been donated to some of the orphanages in the country”.

Aminu thought differently: Soyinka, as one of the most eminent beneficiaries of the free education programme of the defunct Western Region, under the Awolowo administration, ought to have known better;  every dime that was wasted in the celebration of his birthday ought to have been donated, in the alternative, to a tertiary institution, either in Kaduna or Calabar, solely for the construction of an eighty-metre-long, gargantuan, two-storey, hostel building, having eighty commodious rooms, each of which would accommodate a minimum of eight beds – solely for students reading Theatre Arts, English language and Greek – so as to help the choking crowd of students in the existing ones. In the course of an interview, at the lobby of the Abuja venue of the National Conference, Nwachukwu said: “Had the gargantuan sum of money wasted, in the name of celebrating Soyinka’s birthday, been pumped, wisely, into a bastille project, Soyinka, in his informed stubbornness, would have resisted any harmless attempt to link him with such a magnificent, lavishly furnished penitentiary.    

Recall that it was the same Soyinka the Rejector, who, almost sued the Federal Government, some years ago, simply because an attempt was in the offing to name a serene boulevard, in Abuja, after him. It was at this point, at the lobby of the venue of the National Conference, that a cynical Aminu, who had joined this writer and Nwachukwu, thirty minutes earlier, chipped in by saying: “Soyinka rejects everything. There’s nothing the Federal Government does that pleases him! Is that how to be a social critic!?”

But, in the course of the 193.4 minute-long interview, Nwachukwu said that he would have “gladly taken an active part in Soyinka’s expensive birthday carnival, and, as a well-wisher, he would have sent a gold-plated birthday card to him, via courier, but for his insatiable appetite for pork. In addition, one is quite certain that had a certain ex-military governor intruded into the crowded, well-lit venue of Soyinka’s lavish birthday celebration, he would not, for his active distaste for stratocracy, have surfaced for a return match on September 1. And, again, that’s the same Soyinka who seldom smiles, and always cups his nostrils because, he says, he’s disgusted with the political stench that he perceives around him. The Soyinka, whom the military, in a rare act of generosity, offered an exclusive, rich Biafra experience, which, as a distinguished oenophile, he brewed, with a thinly-veiled appeal to Ate, into a palatable wine that tasted very much like Solzhenitsyn’s The Gulag Archipelago. And, in his frantic bid to beat the record set by the military, Soyinka, in a rare act of generosity, later presented fifty-four litres of the wine, in a special bottle, imported from Burgundy, in France, with an inscription ‘Akinloye’ on it, to Adisa on his birthday.

This is an era of community-based, F.M. radio stations in the country’s universities and, so, Nwachukwu felt that: “Soyinka ought to have invested the gargantuan sum of money wasted in the name of marking his birthday in setting up one of the best radio stations in the country. It’s my guess that Soyinka would have instructed the authorities of the benefitting university to root well-armed soldiers at the entrance of the radio station so that no miscreant takes it to ransom”.

Nwachukwu, who averred, solemnly, that he had never participated in or profited from any coup, since the demise of the First Republic, dilated upon the Soyinka coup as would a latter-day Clausewitz, said he suspects that “because of the political stubbornness for which Soyinka is famous, there might be a rider:  Soyinka may be told that he must refrain from his dirty habit of quaffing non-alcoholic wine or eating white guava, like the ones standing guard at the entrance to his Abeokuta residence, lest he be sent back to prison – where he’ll be held in isolation, indefinitely. But, while it’s an indubitable fact that Soyinka is constitutionally qualified to contest the 2015 presidential poll, my honest advice, as a former military governor and a pioneering senator in the Fourth Republic, is that the President of the Senate, Mr. David Mark, should evoke the Doctrine of Necessity to ensure that Soyinka is not only banned from contesting the 2015 presidential marathon, but, as well, barred from getting too close to any radio station. Soyinka has to be so firmly shackled, so that he does not prevent Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from announcing false election results; a practice without which no election in Nigeria can be ruled as free, fair and transparent.”

“But, if it becomes compelling, he should be held in communicado, in that, a free-Soyinka, roaming about, unshackled, like a hungry lion, would block such dividends of democracy as blood-letting, wetie, arrest of opposition party chieftains, the presence of hooded security agents, snatching of ballot boxes, vote-rigging, distribution of free rice, beans, cooking oil and sugar, gargantuan bundles of crisp naira notes not stolen from the national chest, bags of salt, loaves of bread, T-shirts, onions, tinned tomato, yams, plantains, bales of ankara, exercise books, biros, rulers, face-caps, plastic buckets and plates, hand-bands, etc. to gullible voters by selfish politicians.  One is making these comments – as, indeed, some well-founded warnings – because, for Soyinka’s sake, the cloud that one sees, as a visionary, as the 2015 presidential poll draws near, is frighteningly ominous.  Put differently, Soyinka must be put away, for as long as the 2015 elections lasts. Besides, the Department of State Security (DSS), SSS, the police and army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), should watch every real and imagined member of the Confraternity of Sea-Dogs, very closely. By 2015, it would have been about five decades since Soyinka staged the first coup. He still nurses the unquenchable ambition to be the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He wants, no matter what it takes, to transmit his stubborn ambition to fruition. Nevertheless, Soyinka should realise that Nigeria is not the defunct Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) – not even its satellites, in the former Eastern Europe – where gerontocracy was practiced.  Soyinka should slough his pathological obsession with wanting to plagiarise Mandela: the oldest, democratically-elected President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Truth is that if, by default, the security agents allow Soyinka to hold a radio station to ransom, again, that would be the end of the country’s longest and most-promising democratic dispensation. It would be history repeating, as it were, itself. The Fourth Republic would sink. In that event, Soyinka would have sent a tacit invitation to some unsmiling rifles, armoured tanks and shiny, rugged boots – a majority of whom, it would be revealed later – in the coming to pass of one of the prophecies of Brother Jero – are card-carrying members of the Confraternity of Sea-Dogs – to take over the affairs of this great country, and the consequences would be quite catastrophic and gargantuan. Nigeria would, then, be turned into a play-house of tragedies never imagined or written about by Soyinka.

“As the Nigerian educational system bounces back to global fame from Siberia, the costly brains that had been drained, as one of the gravest consequences of Soyinka’s coup, would fly, gladly, back to this great nation. Beyond that, there’s a very strong likelihood that brains from such countries as Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, the almighty United States of America (USA), Great Britain etc., would troop, in their thousands, into this great nation – to the extent that all the polytechnics, colleges of education and universities would be overwhelmed by the attendant brain glut.  It might just be possible – in one of the oldest prophecies made by one of Soyinka’s brightest characters – Brother Jero – coming to pass – that at least eighty percent of all the over one hundred and fifty three tertiary institutions in the country would have revenant Nigerians or foreigners as

Pro-Chancellors, members of Council of Governors, and Vice-Chancellors, who’d be more fluent in Yoruba – Egba, to be precise – than Soyinka! The Nobel laureate speaks a remarkably, opaque sub-tongue of the Egba dialect. It’s a sub-tongue that is proudly associated with an unconstitutionality: holding a radio station to ransom. Soyinka says that the Egba that he speaks has a vocabulary enriched with a copious quantum of jaw-breaking words, stubbornly borrowed – without police permit – from Greek, Xhosa and Zulu languages.”.

•Uzuakpundu is a Lagos-based journalist.

By Babatunde Raji Fashola

They say lightning does not strike in the same place twice. For the sake of all of us, I sincerely hope that this saying holds true for Nigerians.Whilst thanking my hosts, the Leadership newspaper, for inviting me to speak at this event to celebrate General Yakubu Gowon, a patriot and public servant of no mean repute, I apologize that I must open with such words of what I may call frugally measured hope.

This is because the circumstances which thrust a young General Gowon upon our Nation as a leader in the 1960s are not too different from what appears on Nigeria’s political and social landscape from what any honest Nigerian can see.

Indeed the dark clouds that gather are this time prefaced by an ominous prediction about the continuity of our union from a place far away.

If anybody has any doubt about what I say, I will recall history and go back to a speech delivered on Sunday 5th February 1970 in which it was partly said as follows:-

“Before and since the end of the civil war, we have heard a good deal about physical reconstruction, with particular and almost exclusive reference to the reconstruction of roads, bridges, airports, buildings, market-places and other such-like material and concrete objects which were damaged during the war.

“I know, and I want to assure you, that all the Governments of the Federation are already busy making gargantuan preparations to the end that every trace, however slight, of the extensive physical damage done during the war shall be totally erased within the next year or two. But, if the rebuilding of roads, bridges, etc. were all that needed to be done, then the task of reconstruction would be an exceedingly easy proposition.

For Nigeria has the requisite material and financial, as well as the human resources to tackle these jobs effectively and expeditiously. In addition, it has a large circle of friendly countries which are prepared to come to its aid as and when required.

But before we have travelled far on the road of material reconstruction, we must realise, and do so vividly and truthfully, that the most crucial areas of reconstruction are the minds of Nigerian citizens on both sides of the fighting line.

“In other words, in addition to material reconstruction, there is an urgent and massive need for moral and spiritual reconstruction as well: the kind of reconstruction which will help to demolish morbid desire for naked power and domination; abuse and misuse of power and office; greed, selfishness, and intolerance; nepotism, favouritism, jobbery, bribery, and other forms of corruption; and erect, in their places, probity, tolerance, altruism, and devotion; equality of treatment, justice, equity, and fair play to all.”

This speech was given by Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

For those who still need to be persuaded, I ask further, why would we gather to celebrate the 80th birthday anniversary of General Gowon, who led us through a bitter civil war, inaugurated a rebuilding process built on 3Rs of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation and 44 years after that process we will gather to discuss a topic such as “Rebuilding the Nation: Lessons from other Lands” if all was well with Nigeria.

Why are we not at this occasion celebrating our arrival on the moon?

I do not know how General Gowon feels inwardly as he continues to lead prayers for Nigeria, but I would not be happy that today’s Nigeria is what lives were sacrificed to keep together, if I were him. Nevertheless, I personally know that all is not lost. I am an optimist. I am convinced that the problems are man-made, and therefore men and women can and will solve them.

I have believed as a child and continue to believe as an adult in the great promise of Nigeria. Whether we like it or not, the promise of Nigeria will be fulfilled. What I do not know is when. Whether it will happen in my lifetime or after. It would be nice to experience it. I can visualize it.

The world’s largest collection of black people, blessed in many more ways than one, diverse in human and material resources, and if only it can unite in its purpose and mission.

I would love to live that dream. And it is possible. But it must start with us.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Nigeria has not changed. It is us Nigerians who have changed. As one commentator put it, we have lost our innocence.

The assets of Nigeria, in men and material resources, have continued to grow or at least remained undiminished.

What has diminished in many vast quantities are our values.

We have refused to look in the mirror because we know what we will see and we are not ready to confront it.

What we will see is a people who appear unsure again how to define good and bad.

In order to avoid the confrontation that we must have with ourselves, amongst ourselves and within ourselves, we have thrown up false reasons.  The constitution is bad. It is our diversity. It is our religion or it is our ethnicity. So, in order to avoid the truth, we have lived in our own bubble, amending constitution after constitution as if that was the problem.

Instead of the many Constitutional Conferences that we have had, what we really need is a conference of values.

Nigerians have not experienced the promise of this country because our values and moral codes have gone in different directions.

Ever so often, when the Nigerian people have asked the leadership for a better life, we seem to miss the question or we avoid it; we give them a new law or a new document, or we set up one Committee.

The ordinary Nigerian will not be as interested in what is written in the Constitution, as he will be interested in safety, food, shelter, prosperity, education and work.

But when we finally agree to look in the mirror, we will see that these things have been denied by our values.

From the shortage of electric power, to the deficit of roads, insecurity and crime, sub-optimal economy, high interest rate, poor exchange rates, the poor value issues and misuse of power, greed, selfishness, intolerance, nepotism, favouritism, bribery and other forms of corruption identified since 1970, lie at the heart and as root-cause.

Therefore on discussing my topic, as chosen by my hosts, which is: Rebuilding the Nation, Lessons from Other Lands, my approach today will be to share some of the problems that we are all too familiar with as examples of what must change.

Then I will proceed to look at other places and make possible comparisons, in order to show what they have experienced, and what they did, as lessons that we may consider; if we must re-build our nation.

Let me start with some of the problems.

And I will not say anything that comes from me. I will only repeat what some ordinary Nigerians have said and what some of you may have read.

I will start with Alade Fawole who writes on the back page of Tribune Newspapers and what he said in the Tuesday edition of 7th October 2014, which he titled “The Mo Ibrahim index exposed the ugliness of Nigeria’s underdevelopment.”

He said in part as follows:

“A few months ago, after the Nigerian economy was officially rebased, a mere statistical abracadabra that placed Nigeria as having the largest economy in Africa ahead of South Africa which had rightly occupied that position for decades, our national officials were giddy with celebration, effusively touted the wielding of that magic wand called rebasing as another evidence of the success of President Jonathan’s transformation agenda.

“And they did their level best to persuade us of the ‘benefits’ of this newly minted status. Many perceptive analysts advised cautious jubilation at the time, stating that the mere statistical manipulation or creative accounting exercise neither reflected the actual economic realities on the ground in the country nor would it make any meaningful impact on the lives and living standards of the 70 percent ordinary Nigerians who survive on less than two dollars a day.

“Fancy economic statistics that fail to translate into positive improvement in the living conditions of the mass of the people is at best useless.

“Every commentator with a contrary view was at the time regarded in official circles in Abuja as either working for the opposition party, (the accusation routinely levelled at anybody who disagrees with government), or he/she was downright unappreciative if not also unpatriotic.

“But the reality is that this rebasing did not, and has not, addressed chronic poverty, infrastructure decay, creeping authoritarianism, mass youth unemployment, adult underemployment, burgeoning insecurity and overall bad governance, and other challenges that confront the country.

“The 2014 Ibrahim Index on African Governance (IIAG), an annual review on governance in Africa of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, released on Monday, September 29, ranks Nigeria among the worst governed countries in Africa. It has revealed the stark ugliness of Nigeria’s underdeveloped status in the world.

“Of the 52 countries profiled, Nigeria is placed number 37, far below its principal competitor and continental rival, South Africa, which ranks number 4, after Mauritius, Cape Verde and Botswana in that order. Nigeria scoring 45.8 not only ranks below the West African average of 52.2, it ranks scandalously lower than the overall African average of 51.5!

What makes this highly atrocious and humiliating, in my humble view, is that Nigeria is the undisputed sub-regional ‘superpower’ by several statistical considerations. It all shows that the rebasing was just another statistical hocus pocus contrived to hoodwink the people that they are actually more prosperous than previously imagined.

“Let’s return to the 2014 Ibrahim Index. Eleven West African countries, among them post-conflict states like Liberia and Sierra Leone still coping with the devastating consequences of civil wars, rank ahead of Nigeria!

“How much more scandalous can things get? All the 52 African countries were judged on four basic premises, namely: Safety and Rule of Law, Participation and Human Rights, Sustainable Economic Opportunity, and Human Development, and Nigeria ranked poorly in virtually all of them.

“It is customary during major national celebrations for our governments to reel out their wonderful achievements. This year’s nationwide independence anniversary broadcast by President Goodluck Jonathan on 1st October did not disappoint…as usual it was full of self-praise and effusive celebration of the government’s fantastic achievements.

“Among the things that caught my attention is the President’s claim that ‘we have been able to sustain a big, strong and influential country with a robust economy. We are currently in our sixteenth year of uninterrupted democratic rule, daily improving on the consolidation of our democratic process.’ “Add to that sundry claims of the power sector reforms that will bring us electricity, ‘giant strides in the agricultural sector’ and sundry policies meant to fast-track job creation, inclusive growth and industrialisation, upgrade existing infrastructure, and all that. Coming just two days after the release of the Ibrahim Index, the speech and all the fancy claims rang rather hollow and unconvincing.

“While a little self-congratulation may not be completely out of place, it’s high time the government came down from its high horse to acknowledge the ugly realities of Nigeria’s underdevelopment, and began to come up with innovative ways of solving them so that Nigeria can in the next few years emerge from this sorry state.

“Not much will be achieved by wallowing in self-congratulations instead of facing the facts. I don’t know about our government, but I consider it shameful, scandalous and unacceptable that a big country endowed with abundant natural and human resources like Nigeria would place thirty-seventh in Africa and tenth out of sixteen in the West Africa sub-region. The only appropriate appellation for it is ‘big for nothing country’.”

I will also quickly refer you to the views expressed by Abimbola Adelakun who writes on the back page of Punch Newspapers and this is part of what she had to say in the Tuesday October 9th 2014 edition about security (on which we have received a poor rating) in a piece she titled “The battle the Army needs to win.”

She said:

“How, one wonders, does a fundamentalist sect without any training in modern warfare defeat Army officers? Boko Haram, ab initio, is a copycat organisation; no original thought.

“They are as vicious as any psychopath armed with high-octane weapons can be. Their videos portray them as a disorganised band whose major strength is the worthlessness of their lives which they never hesitate to throw away.

On this page some weeks back, I noted that now that ISIS beheads people on video, Boko Haram too will soon follow suit – and they did! Boko Haram is asymptotic of the spectacularisation of violence elsewhere. Even their triumph is barely original. How can such a group endlessly confound the Nigerian Army if not for the politics of war?”

•To be continued tomorrow.

•Fashola delivered this speech at the Leadership Annual Conference and 2013 Awards Presentation on Tuesday, 14 October, 2014 at THISDAY Dome, Abuja

Bayo Onanuga

There are indications that the man with whom Nigeria’s military and presidency officials agreed a truce over the raging insurgency in the North east of the country may be an impostor, who may not have any connection with Abubakar Shekau, the Boko Haram leader.

Multiple analysts have already cast doubt on the credibility of the ceasefire agreed with Nigeria, with scepticism about the identity of the purported Boko Haram envoy who allegedly represented the Islamists at recent talks in neighbouring Chad, agency reports said.

The VOA had reported that the talks was in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and quoted Ahmadu as saying Chadian and Cameroonian officials were involved.

Shekau: part of ceasefire talks?

Various sources with intimate knowledge of the insurgent group said the envoy, Danladi Ahmadu, had no connection to Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau.

In six tweets today, Ahmad Salkida, the Nigerian journalist, now on retreat in the UAE and with proven contacts with the leadership of Boko Haram dented the credibility of the ceasefire and appeared to suggest that Nigeria may have been hoodwinked by the broker.

He tweeted as follows:
“I guess Nigerians are tired and as such, any news that offers respite on this protracted war between Nigeria & #BokoHaram is always welcome.Sadly anybody that demised(sic) such good news becomes Nigeria’s enemy. But the leadership of #BH are said to be miffed that a nation of the profile and magnitude of Nigeria, with high level of intelligent people is being easily encased in deceit and nobody seems to be asking tough questions.

“What is most worrying here is, government at the highest level and the intelligence formations in #Nigeria has embraced this ‘good news,.This shows lack of understanding of the reality that this is an ideology that can only be neutralised after long hardwork that is yet to start

“It also appears that government is more interested in shadows and bubbles, than in substance and clear headed engagement with the #BokoHaram ideology”, Salkida concluded.

The last time Salkida faulted Nigeria’s military was over the purported death of Abubakar Shekau, said to have been killed in the battle for Konduga. Salkida insisted the man was alive, but military spokesmen said he was dead. Some few days after, Shekau appeared in a new video and announced he was alive.

“What is most worrying here is, government at the highest level and the intelligence formations in #Nigeria has embraced this ‘good news,.This shows lack of understanding of the reality that this is an ideology that can only be neutralised after long hardwork that is yet to start”—-Salkida

Nigeria had been fooled before with such Boko Haram ceasefire, only for the sect to erupt with more deadly attacks on Nigerian targets.

In July 2013,one Imam Muhammadu Marwana, who claimed to represent Boko Haram gleefully announced a ceasefire agreement with Boko Haram.

On the Hausa Service of Radio France International where the agreement was unveiled, Marwana not only sought Nigerians forgiveness for the sect’s past murderous activities, he absolved the sect from the attack on Government Secondary School, Maudo, Yobe state. Described as an influential Boko haram member, Marwana said:

“WE are seeking forgiveness from the people over the number of people killed in the country.
I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us. I want to state clearly that we have no hands in the unfortunate attack on the secondary school (Government Secondary School, Mamudo, Yobe State).”

The so-called agreement came exactly 82 days after the Federal Government raised a 25-man committee to work out modalities for granting the amnesty to the sect.

The ‘agreement’ was signed on behalf of the Jonathan government by Minister of Special Duties and Chairman of the Peace and Dialogue Committee in the North, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki. It was the eve of Ramadan and Nigerians wanted peace.

“We have sat down and agreed that Jama’atu Ahlul Sunnah Lidda’awati wal Jihad, known as Boko Haram will lay down their arms as part of the agreement so as to end the insurgency. Government agreed with ceasefire and will look into ways to ensure that the troops relax their activities till the final take off of the ceasefire,” Turaki told his interviewers.

As it turned out, the agreement was not worth the piece of paper it was written upon.

Boko Haram stepped up its deadly campaign and the rest is history.

Analysts believed that the Jonathan administration may be looking for a window of peace, preparatory to President Jonathan’s declaration for the nation’s presidency, days after his likely principal contender, Muhammadu Buhari made a similar declaration in Abuja.

At the moment, there has been a lull in fighting in the frontline, despite reports that many towns in the North east seized by the sect, are still in their firm grip and their Islamic Caliphate. Among them are Bama, Gamboru Ngala, Kala-Balge, Gwoza and Dikwa LGAs of Borno State.

“Contrary to earlier reports that the said local government areas were reclaimed by the Nigerian government and are now under the control of Nigerian troops, they are still under the control of the Boko Haram,” representative Abdurrahman Talbe told the House on Thursday.

As Nigeria observed ceasefire despite the $1 billion loan approved to buy arms, neighbouring Cameroon, has been busy piling pressure on the Boko haram insurgents. In its latest statement on brushes with the insurgent, the cameroon defence ministry, said its soldiers had killed 107 insurgents this week.

The “fighting of rare violence” occurred in two areas in the north on Wednesday and Thursday and also resulted in the deaths of eight soldiers, the defence ministry said in a statement read on state radio.

The question most Nigerians should ask the military authorities is: Why will the military accept with gush a ceasefire by the sect at the time the country is building a West African coalition counter-force against the rag tag soldiers of Boko Haram?

Why waste all the time hosting defence chiefs of the neighbouring countries and the foreign affairs ministers, when we seem to have lost the appetite to crush the enemies?

Why did the officials give conflicting accounts of the terms of the ceasefire: one person said the kidnapped 219 girls would be released. Another said, their freedom was not part of the deal. What deal should be more paramount now: buying fighting holiday for our soldiers or buying freedom for the girls spending their seventh month with the Boko Haram militants?

I wonder and I think you should wonder too.