National

Prof Nwosu asks FG to review NYSC program to 2years, rekindle Unity schools

Published

2 years ago

December 12, 2022

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***Okonkwo advocates equitable, management of diversities as best model for restructuring

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme and the Unity Colleges which have been nation building institutions should be rekindled for Nigeria to achieve greater unity in diversity, former health Minister during the President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, Professor ABC Nwosu has advocated

Speaking at the weekend during the presentation of a book ‘Making Nigeria Work’ -Pathways to greatness’ authored by Professor Obiora Okonkwo, Nwosu advocated for the NYSC which used to be one year Service to the fatherland to be upgraded to two years for graduates.

“Why not strengthen Federal Government colleges. Why don’t we strengthen the greatest nation building institution born after the Civil War by General(rtd) Yakubu Gowon when he set up the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

“Why don’t we make it two years, the first six months, you have survival training that includes military training and 18 months building them into an army that will bring out of school children through. These are just my thoughts.”
According to him since 1960 Nigeria has been trying how to become a nation
“We need to be unified. The Federal Government colleges were nation building institutions. I am not one of those who say some entered with 3 while some with 33. It doesn’t matter. That is where all the ethnic groups meet and they will be taught by the same teachers, let us go back to that doctrine. They will take the same examination.”

On the restructuring of Nigeria he aligned with the author of the book Professor Obiora Okonkwo who referred to restructuring as the proper management of the Nigerian diversities.
Nwosu who wrote the forward of the book extolled the virtue’s of Okonkwo, as a rare breed that has successfully combined entrepreneurship, intellectualism and politics for the good of Nigeria.
He commended the author of the book for turning a very difficult subject of restructuring on its head that made me understood it better.
Reminiscing his days in the secondary school, at Government college Afikpo when they matched to bring down the flag he said “We had high hopes for Nigeria but today we have mismanaged our diversity. Nigeria is not a conquered territory, Nigeria is a negotiated territory.
“All the people sat at conference, negotiated our coexistence. Independence constitution was gazetted in 1959 by the British and they had constitution of the Federal Republic followed by the constitution of Northern Nigeria, western Nigeria and Eastern Nigeria.
When you talk about restructuring and somebody said they want us to go back to regions that is very pedestrian thinking and I don’t believe in pedestrianism.
He said no part of Nigeria is subnational to others as they are all equal.
“So Professor Okonkwo has put it in the proper perspectives, let us manage all diversities and stop talking of the lower ones, I am talking of The Birom, I am talking of the Ogoni.
“Each one was created to be in Nigeria and have an equal right in Nigeria. There is no senior or junior Nigerian and there will never be.

“Any people that think they can succeed in making others senior and junior Nigerians is going to have trouble and his children he thinks he is protecting one day a child will arise from those he thinks are junior Nigerians and they will be in trouble so that chapter
Nwosu recalled the leadership qualities of selflessness of the first premiere of Eastern Nigeria Micheal Iheonukara Okpara who gave out choicest lands at GRA but gave none to himself.
“There cannot be a Premier like him. He said he tried to tell Obiora when he contested to be Governor of Anambra State.
“He shared land in GRA Enugu he did not take any. Meanwhile Eastern region included Portharcourt he didn’t take any, and when he lived in Iloyi he did not take it. The only property he borrowed £20, 000 to build he gave to Biafra and that is the Biafra Bunka but what happened?
“The people he served contributed money and built a beautiful house where he was buried and some of us who benefited from his selfless service made sure we were there at his funeral.

“He was a Medical doctor. I don’t know why medical doctors are taking to governance but the record is that when they go into governance they do well. So using M.I Okpara as a model was very good for me.

“For me anybody who aspires to be like M.I Okpara is on the right track for governance and for Obiora to have figured him as a model was okay.
He also recalled the selfless leadership style of Senator Oluso Saraki (Oloye) “I am not sure his children knows about his wealth because his wealth was for the people and he used if for the people.”
The author of the book prof.Obiora Okonkwo advocated equitable and fair management of the nation’s diversities as best model to restructure Nigeria.
Okonkwo, who is a Professor of Business at the University of Abuja said this in Abuja, at the launch and public presentation of his book ‘”Making Nigeria Work ,Pathways to Greatness.”
The book, with 15 chapters, brought fresh insights and incisive reasoning into nagging issues such as, how Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups could be welded in to a truly united and peaceful nation.
Discussion on chapter one of the book centered on Value of Diversity: Restructuring to Save Nigeria,while chapter two discussed the Quest for a New Nigeria,the late Michael Okpara model.
Chapter eight focused on Reawakening the Age- long Norms and Values of the people,while chapter 12 highlights the activities of media on national development.
Okonkwo, who also used the occasion to mark his birthday said a restructured system would make Nigerians focus more on what happens in their states.

He said the people would hold the governor’s and state lawmakers more accountable to them, than it was currently focusing attention on accountability to the federal government.

This, he said would spur collaboration among the states in pursuance of economic development and integration.

“For example, nothing stops the states in the south -East from collaborating to build railways or monorails, to connect all state capitals in the region and boost economic activities that will drive development of the region.

“Such collaboration could also extend to the south-South region for mutual benefits,states in other regions could also collaborate to pursue development that are of mutual benefit to them.

“In doing this, states are are now forced to look at their diversity to get , integrated backwards and make use of the best, because regions will be in development competition.

“This is the sort of thing that restructuring will achieve ,it is not already happening because our current system of government enthrones a leadership recruitment system that does not allow for the best from our diversity,” he said in the book.
He said the 262 page book was his gift, to the educational institutions, gift to intellectual team, adding that the longer the nation waits to restructure, the deeper the wound and the hurt it experiences.
“When we talk of true federalism,it dose not mean taken what does not belong to anybody,it means people having what they should have and doing what they should do .
“The center has taken so much, the center still remains, active, with its own dedicated area of activities.
“In true federalism, you have powers in different states, doing also what they ought to do given by the constitution.
“This was a negotiated constitution before independence, it helped us, it brought about the fastest development, we have ever seen in this country.
“It will bring an end to a lot of issues, I hope the argument and opinion I have in the book will help people to know that this is not intended to hurt any body or deprive any body, but is to make us happier in this one entity Nigeria, where there will be equity, justice and fairness.”

High point of the occasion was unveiling and launch of the book by the Chairman of the occasion, Dr Abubakar Saraki, and the Special Guest of Honour, Former Secretary to Government of the Federation Sen.Anyim Pius Ayim.
Others present at the event are the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, Sen .Uche Ekwunife, captains of industry, among other dignitaries.

National

Edo Governor Joins National Economic Deliberations

Published

3 days ago

November 21, 2024

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Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, attended his inaugural National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday at the State House Council Chambers in Abuja.
The session was presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The NEC serves as a vital forum for state governors, deputy governors, and the federal government’s economic team to discuss and address key economic challenges.

In a gesture to mark his first appearance, Governor Okpebholo was invited by Vice President Shettima to lead the opening prayer after the national anthem.

This event underscores Edo State’s active commitment to collaborating on national economic policies and driving solutions for Nigeria’s progress.

National

At Achebe Forum, Obasanjo Labels Nigeria a ‘Failing State’ Criticizes Tinubu’s Leadership

Published

1 week ago

November 16, 2024

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Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed sharp criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that Nigeria’s decline is now evident to “every honest observer.”
Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University in the U.S., Obasanjo attributed the country’s deteriorating state to leadership failure, pointing specifically to Tinubu’s governance, which he referred to as “Baba-go-slow and Emilokan.”

In his keynote address titled “Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria,” Obasanjo highlighted that pervasive corruption and mismanagement have worsened Nigeria’s challenges, driving the country deeper into insecurity, division, and underdevelopment.
He quoted the late writer Chinua Achebe, who in his book The Trouble with Nigeria argued that the country’s fundamental problem is a failure of leadership, not a flaw in its people or resources. According to Obasanjo, this diagnosis remains as relevant today as it was over 40 years ago.

Obasanjo cited works by American experts Robert Rotberg and John Campbell, who have characterized Nigeria as a “failed state.” Their argument, he noted, suggests that Nigeria’s inability to maintain security and stability has serious implications for Africa and the world at large.

Additionally, the former President described “state capture” as a pressing issue in Nigeria, where powerful individuals and groups exploit government resources and policies for personal gain. Obasanjo argued that this corruption undermines national interests, with influential elites shaping the country’s legal and economic systems to benefit themselves. Such practices, he warned, compromise public welfare, affecting the quality of education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.

In reflecting on Achebe’s legacy, Obasanjo praised the late author’s commitment to truth and the moral foundation he established for Nigeria. He urged Nigerians and the international community to recognize the dangers of state capture and work towards restoring a governance model that prioritizes the public good.

National

Sule Lamido, Shehu sani disagree over National Security Adviser

Published

1 week ago

November 15, 2024

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Shehu Sani and Sule Lamido

The senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani has disagreed with a former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido over national security issues
Lamido had taken a strong position against the current National Security Advisor (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu accusing him of compromising his professional integrity and acting more like a spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu than fulfilling his constitutional role.
Sani advised Lamido to at least appreciate how the Tinubu led Administration tackled insecurity instead of politicizing it in his comment on the National Security Adviser.
Ribadu who was basking in the euphoria of the recent claims of decimating the insurgents cautioned anyone “not to dare Tinubu”, espercially the new Lakurawa Insurgents a development which infuriated the former governor of Jigawa State and a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party,(PDP), prompting him to take to his verified facebook wall to describe the NSA as “loquacious, flippant and qualified to have been Tinubu’s Minsiter of Information instead of NSA.”
Lamido Criticizes NSA for Sycophantic Behavior, Urges Focus on Duties.
Lamido in his comment had expressed concerns over the NSA’s behavior, particularly his past actions as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under President Olusegun Obasanjo. Lamido reminded Nigerians of the NSA’s controversial remarks, including his public labeling of prominent governors—such as Tinubu, Kalu, and Akume—as the “most corrupt.” Lamido pointed out the stark contradiction between the NSA’s earlier criticisms and his current position, serving under the same figures he once condemned.

The former governor called the NSA’s decision to join the administration of President Tinubu—a leader he previously described as corrupt—a “singular mistake,” one that Lamido believes has tarnished the NSA’s credibility and character. “You are not a spokesperson for the President, you are a National Security Advisor,” Lamido emphasized, urging the NSA to return to the professionalism that has historically defined the role.

Lamido argued that previous holders of the NSA position, including the late Umaru Shinkafi, General Gusau, and Colonel Dasuki, all displayed discipline and a low profile, focusing on security matters without resorting to public displays or sycophantic behavior. Lamido lamented that the current NSA’s behavior reflects a departure from this standard, pointing to his increasingly vocal and partisan approach.

Rather than fulfilling his duties as an anonymous and diligent security advisor, Lamido claimed that the NSA’s moral dilemma and excessive displays of loyalty to the president have shifted him into the role of a “Minister of Information,” undermining the neutrality and importance of his position.

In closing, Lamido urged President Tinubu to allow his NSA to regain focus, remove his fears, and return to the professional standards expected of someone in such a sensitive and critical role. The criticism continued to ignite debates about the role of the NSA and the expectations of public office holders in Nigeria, with many calling for greater transparency and consistency from those in power.
Reacting, Shehu Sani countered Lamido in a statement on Friday in Abuja, saying there should be a credit and a commendation for an administration that inherited multi-faceted security challenges ,but which has been reduced to the barest minimum, wondering how the elderly statesman failed to acknowledge the many triumphs of government in bandits hotbed regions in the north.

Sani who served in the upper legislative Chamber in the 8th National Assembly said, he witnessed to the appropriation budget allocated to security which unfortunately did not abate security challenges before now, expressing that Nuhu Ribadu has achieved what many of his predecessors have failed to accomplish despite the hundreds of billions spent in the name of defence and security in the past;

According to him, bandits have been neutralized to a large extent, thus encouraging government in this direction until total victory should have been ideal rather than playing haywire politics which he said may not help the yet-volatile situation in the North.

He said: “Neutralisation of top bandit leaders, end to mass abductions of students in northern schools,

“Securing rail lines and major northern highways hitherto notorious for kidnappings. The prompt response to terrorist attacks on power lines is worth mentioning.

“Security challenges are not over but in all indices of comparison, he has performed better and set unprecedented records. His political critics are fully entitled to their views ,but his delivery on his mandate is unparalleled.”, Sani concluded.