The 1999 Constitution Makes Nigerians Subjects Not Citizens

By

Ndidi Uwechue

The aim of this article is to open up the thinking ability of young Nigerians who continue to be manipulated by their elders whom they look up to for guidance. Having successfully dragged young people to give themselves to elections 2023 instead of first correcting the faulty constitutional arrangements of the Nigeria Union, using the misleading slogan that “a new Nigeria is possible” under the fraud called 1999 Constitution foisted upon Nigerians, now the same cunning individuals have started a new deception over the meaning of “citizen”.

One such influencer is a celebrity lawyer who helped to drag his many followers to those doomed elections, and rather than now tell his depressed and disappointed followers that their vote never counts in unitary Nigeria, but it is their act of going to vote that is needed to be seen by the watching world, he is leading them down another dark byway this time telling them that elections having been rigged, they can still salvage something by reclaiming their citizenship!

Just because a word can be applied in Europe, Australia and North America does not always mean that it is applicable in Nigeria. Such are the words “citizen” and “citizenship”. Nigeria is an artificial country created and maintained by a unitary Instrument of Governance, deceitfully called “1999 Constitution” that does not have the mandate of Nigerians because they never made it or agreed it. Such is this place called “Nigeria”. It is the owners of that imposed Forgery, ie the 1999 Constitution who are the lords of Nigeria and who by force and deception keep Nigerians inside the unitary Union they created. We know who they are, they are the immigrant settler Fulani, helped into a dominating position by the departing British around the time of Independence in 1960. Making no secret of their agenda, Ahmadu Bello the then Premier of the Northern Region, declared that henceforth Nigeria would be “ruthlessly” turned into the “estate” of the Fulani, and Nigerians would be a “conquered” people – as reported on 12^th October 1960. That 1999 Constitution is the Instrument that brings about the Fulanization Agenda declared by Ahmadu Bello: it overrides Sovereignty, and hijacks the Self-Determination of indigenous Ethnic Nations. HOW then can Nigerians ever think to apply the word “citizen” of Nigeria to themselves? As a consequence of that 1999 Constitution Nigerians are a CONQUERED people, so cannot truthfully be referred to as “citizens” of Nigeria. What they are, are SUBJECTS of Nigeria.

The word “subject” has Latin roots. “Sub” means under, and “jacio/jacere” means to throw. So subject means someone “thrown under” something or someone else. Thus, a subject is someone who is under the power of another. To put it plainly, as long as Nigerians accept the fraud called 1999 Constitution to govern them, since it was not made or agreed by them, they place themselves under the power of the Fulani Caliphate who are the owners of that 1999 Constitution, and, in so doing, Nigerians are in reality subjects of the Fulani’s unitary Nigeria not citizens in the real sense.

We can use an example from history to illustrate how Nigerians are subjects of Nigeria as presently constituted, not citizens by looking at the country that became the United States of America, quoting from and using material from The Difference Between A Citizen And A Subject by W R Miller, 2015.

With the Declaration of Independence by Congress, on 4^th July 1776, “a nation was born in a day”, so those who had been subjects of the English Crown now became citizens of the free independent states that had now confederated together and started a new political association.

“The United States are a new nation, or political society, formed at first by the Declaration of Independence, out of those British subjects in America, who were thrown out of royal protection by Act of Parliament, passed in December, 1775. A citizen of the United States, means a member of this new nation. The principle of government being radically changed by the revolution, the political character of the people was also changed from subjects to citizens.

The difference is immense. Subject… means one who is under the power of another; but a citizen is an unit of a mass of free people, who, collectively, possess Sovereignty.

Subjects look up to a master, but citizens are so far equal, that none have hereditary rights superior to others. Each citizen of a free state contains, within himself, by nature and the Constitution, as much of the common Sovereignty as another…”

Despite being warned by NINAS that Nigerians should FIRST correct the faulty constitutional basis of the artificial Nigeria Union, Nigerians went headlong towards the sham elections 2023. As predicted, their problems have multiplied, and the existential threats they face from the Fulani Conquest Agenda have increased. So what should Nigerians do now? The solution remains what it has been since 1999 when the 1999 Caliphate Constitution was foisted upon Nigerians. The solution is therefore to TERMINATE the operation of that 1999 Constitution. The NINAS Proposition to do so is an ORDERLY PROCESS based on United Nations instruments (eg UNDRIP) and international law, and has been on the Table since 16 December 2020 when the Constitutional Force Majeure was Declared. It involves Transitioning to Renegotiate the Nigeria Union. Yes, sham elections have taken place, but Nigerians can stop further crises and further insecurity by even now Rejecting and Repudiating the fraudulent and illegitimate 1999 Constitution then going to Transitioning.

We should also consider why so many Nigerians are gullible and so easily deceived by influencers and by the Fulani Caliphate’s willing tools. An elderly gentleman has answered that for us, he said that it is because of a “sheer unwillingness to learn”. Reader, especially if you are a young Nigerian, it is hoped that is not your attitude, but that after reading this article you will do your own Research about the grand swindle called 1999 Constitution

Ndidi Uwechue is a British citizen with Igbo heritage from the Lower Niger Bloc. She is a retired Metropolitan (London) Police Officer, she is a signatory to the Constitutional Force Majeure, and she writes from Abuja.

The 1999 Nigerian Constitution is like the system of Victorian treaties of the past!

By Ndidi Uwechue

Although indigenous peoples of Nigeria curse Frederick Lugard, the Amalgamator, before him was an equally unjust man also with racial supremacist views: the merchant George Dashwood Taubman Goldie who formed the Royal Niger Company (RNC), originally the United African Company then the National African Company. Even before obtaining a Royal Charter that gave Goldie and his company enormous powers, Goldie had managed to get Treaties signed by native Traditional Rulers. Some would have signed those Treaties under threats (“by gunpoint”) but some would have happily signed them for personal gain (ie the willing tools). By these Treaties, Traditional Rulers handed over the Sovereignty of their People to Goldie and his RNC. Quoting from Royal Niger Company by nigerianscholars.com: 

“Even before gaining its charter, the [Royal Niger] Company signed treaties with local leaders which granted it broad Sovereign powers. One 1885 treaty read:

We, the undersigned King and Chiefs […] with the view to the bettering of the condition of our country and people, do this day cede to the National Africa Company (Limited), their heirs and assigns, forever, the whole of our territory […] We also give the said National African Company (Limited) full power to settle all native disputes arising from any cause whatever, and we pledge ourselves not to enter into any war with other tribes without the sanction of the said National Africa Company (Limited).

We also understand that the said National African Company (limited) have full power to mine, farm, and build in any portion of our territory. We bind ourselves not to have any intercourse with any strangers or foreigners except through the said national African Company (Limited), and we give the said National African Company (Limited) full power to exclude all other strangers and foreigners from their territory at their discretion.

In consideration of the foregoing, the said National African Company (Limited) bind themselves not to interfere with any of the native laws or customs of the country, consistently with the maintenance of order and good government … [and] agree to pay native owners of land a reasonable amount for any portion they may require.

The said National African Company (Limited) bind themselves to protect the said King and Chiefs from the attacks of any neighbouring tribes (Ibid.).

The company considered itself the sole legitimate government of the area, with executive, legislative and judicial powers, all subordinate to the rule of a council created by the company board of directors in London…”

While the Nigerian reader may be shocked at the text of this example of a Treaty in Victorian times, TODAY the 1999 Constitution, a known Forgery foisted upon Nigerians achieves the very same thing! Here are some ways the 1999 Constitution robs Nigerians. Firstly, by the false claims in its Preamble, the Sovereignty and Self-Determination of indigenous Ethnic Nations are hijacked, and it is made to look as if Ethnic Nations put their signatures to it.

Secondly, through the 68-item Exclusive List (Second Schedule, Part One) indigenous Ethnic Nations lose control of their lands and the valuable resources in them. 

Moreover, since Arms and Ammunition are in this Exclusive List, Ethnic Nations cannot protect themselves against armed invaders, and must depend on Central Government, and if such government has been accused of being complicit with the genocidal insecurity as President Buhari has been, indigenous peoples then face a serious existential threat.

Thirdly, although in Chapter 2 of that 1999 Constitution, welfare and security are promised to Nigerians, these are cunningly ousted in Chapter 1 by section 6. (6)(c).

Just as those Treaties of old were intended to steal from indigenous peoples, and dispossess them, those are also the goals of the illegitimate 1999 Constitution, whose beneficiaries are the Fulani, rigged into dominating power by the departing British in 1960. As the NINAS Alliance of indigenous Ethnic Nations of the South and Middle Belt has identified, that 1999 Constitution is the instrument used to rob indigenous Ethnic Nations, and also bring about Ahmadu Bello’s Declaration of 1960 that Nigeria would be converted into the “estate” of the immigrant settler Fulani. 

Sovereignty is defined as the most essential attribute of an indigenous Ethnic nation in its ancestral land, meaning that it has dominion and supremacy to control its present and its future. Therefore, playing the role of the “ever ignorant African” is not advisable in this, the 21^st century. So it is not acceptable for indigenous Ethnic Nations of Nigeria to continue to allow the 1999 Constitution to rob them of their inalienable position of Sovereignty, and power of Self-Determination. The same way Nigerians are today horrified that (somehow) those Victorian-age Treaties got signed, is the same way future generations will be horrified that indigenous Ethnic Nations allowed the operation of a Forgery, that illegitimate 1999 Constitution, over them, their resources, their lands, and their future. Therefore, terminating the operation of the 1999 Constitution is a task that MUST be done! 

As at today, the 1999 Constitution has been Repudiated and a Constitutional Force Majeure declared. Not surprisingly, the Fulani-dominated government has refused to acknowledge this – a big mistake on their part because indigenous Ethnic Nations did not make or agree that 1999 Constitution, and therefore did not sign away their Sovereignty. What not just Nigerians, but the rest of West Africa deserve is that Unitary Nigeria, a Union of death maintained by gunpoint, be brought down in a peaceful and controlled manner, and then be Renegotiated using globally accepted tools, which is what the NINAS-template Transitioning Arrangement is about. The NINAS Propositions have been on the Table since 16 December 2020. 

Ndidi Uwechue is a British citizen with Igbo heritage from the Lower Niger Bloc. She is a retired Metropolitan (London) Police Officer, she is a signatory to the Constitutional Force Majeure, and she writes from Abuja.

Governors insisting on the continued circulation of old naira notes do so with the intention of utilizing them to buy votes – SAN

According to Senior Advocate of Nigeria Muiz Banire, the governors’ insistence on the continued use of all old naira notes as legal tender is an attempt to buy votes.

In order to “purchase voters’ conscience,” according to Banire, the governors planned to deceive the public into accepting the “already stocked old notes in their custody.”

“A lot of us might not understand why the Governors are insisting on the old notes being legal tender,” the SAN wrote.  “Certainly, it is not that they don’t know that they do not have the power to declare what is legal tender, neither did they not know that [they] … lack the capacity to enforce any Supreme Court judgment.

He claimed that their true intentions were to deceive naïve prospective voters into taking the already stocked old notes in their possession in order to buy voters’ conscience.

Banire advised people to demand “the true legal tender as stated by the apex bank” in all cases

In his letter, he advised prospective voters to either insist on the real legal cash declared by the apex bank or use any other form of payment they found acceptable.

But he cautioned, “Your conscience is not worth purchasing; if you must collect the money, which is primarily taken from the Treasury, insist on acceptable legal tender and still vote your conscience.

The Evil-Genius In Kaduna

By JD Ephraim Esq

Anything said about this evil-genius could be true. Sometimes such geniuses could be like the proverbial crocodile who swallows a heavy stone and believes it will help it sink deeper.
There is nothing I will not believe about this evil-genius. He has tampered with the architecture and engineering of Kaduna State between 2015 and now and there may be more tampering by 2023, If God allows him, to reach that time.
An incidental fall-out of his actions and, or inactions, is that most of us have gone spiritual. And we are testing the spirit world, according to our measure of access to it. In this spirit world, there are forces of darkness and forces of light,as well . To them, have been given, all powers, in their measure, by the Almighty Creator.
However, the more superior of the two forces, is that of light. But it is not freely available, in the material world. It depends on our ability to access it in the spiritual realm, as distinct from, the material world. Whoever has better access, controls the material world. Access to the forces of darkness, translates to, control of the material world; however, this can only be temporary. Control of the material world is not ad- infinitum. It does change, according to the personalities. There in lies our hope, to conquer, in the end, no matter the ingenuity of the evil-genius in Kaduna.
By 2015, majority of the people of Kaduna State voted the evil- genius in, because of the hatred of the then incumbent, especially in the Southern part of the State; where the political elite did what is normally known as “anti-party “.It was an all-party thing. Little did we know that the whole state was stepping into the viper’s hole. We did, praying that, even if anything, he would perform the miracle he did in Abuja, when he was Minister. Alas, we were wrong. The miracle he did in Abuja,it would seem, was to make the city become his, his family, friends, and associates, according to the Senates Committee probe of his land administration in the FCT. They thus ,banned him from holding any public office, but he was smart enough to head to court to have it set aside. By that smart act of going to court,, he became “clean”.On being accused of allowing property to self, family, friends, and Associates ,by the Senate’s Probe Committee, he said , ” well, if it is your time to be Minister in Abuja, you can appropriate the city to your enemies “. Well, some of us believe that here, in Kaduna, he is guided by the same philosophy, and thus, may repeat the Abuja “miracle”.
For a start, we know he has sold off, most of the government’s houses. We do not know yet, to who, but ,we may surmise a guess– and say, “to himself, family, and friends.” We pray that this time around, it would not be so.But what we know, for sure, is that, he may not sell it to his “enemies”. Only time will tell.
But that is just a “tip of the iceberg”. We leave the rest for another day, and the judgement of history.
By 2018,it was clear, that this evil- genius, had done enough harm, to the state. But in his calculation, a span of four years, was not enough. He had retired all the the credible politicians, in the state, to prepare the political space, for himself. He almost succeeded. But not totally. That is why we are able to talk and write.
For him to win the 2019 elections, which would have been impossible, but, as intelligent as he was, he embarked ,on the manipulation of religion. He knew the southern part of the state would not vote for him, because of the actions he had taken against their corporate interest, as mostly Christian minorities . He embarked on campaigns in the northern part of the state,for the 2019 elections, claiming he had declared a jihad on the Southern Kaduna State Christians.He came up with a law controlling religious practice and licensing of the clergy. That done with, he descended on their traditional institutions, and abolished tribal Chiefdoms and titles , and reduced their domains to mere towns and villages. He sacked district heads. He uplifted the Chiefdoms of Jere, Kajuru, and Kauru to Islamic emirates. Kachia, Zango Urban in Zangon Kataf Local government, are still in the sleeves, and we are all watching.
Not done with that, he descended on the civil service, sacked the teachers, and many civil servants . Pensions became a play-toy for him. As most Southern Kaduna people are not business men, but civil servants, and teachers, the Hameed Ali’s experience, was visited, on the people ,as most families, went under the economic realm, while most people fell ill,, frustrated and might have died. For those in businesses, he ensured he crumbled their businesses, for instance, the Micro finance banks- a vital link with the active rural poor . These banks were supporting the active poor through loans, but mounting the saddle of power, civil servants that maintained salary accounts in such banks were forced to transfer them to the conventional commercial banks thereby forcing the microfinance banks to become comatosed.
Within a span of four years, he had dealt with southern Kaduna and defeated them, in a “jihad” he unitarily, declared silently.
The evidence could be seen on the ground. What Uthman Danfodio could not do in the 19th century, other than the raids for slaves and slavery, he has now proven that even in the 21st Century, “jihad” was still possible . He had conquered southern Kaduna and raised his “Jihadic flags”. One could see the flags in the new Emirates of Jere,Kajuru and Kauru that were chiefdoms .

Going hand in hand with this is the spade of insecurity, going on, caused by, terrorists who they falsely brand “bandits”. There are also kidnappers, violent crimes, killing, maiming, raping, and burning down of buildings, farms, and whole villages.
Truly, this is what you see in a jihad. But it has fallen short of converting the people to Islam which a true Islamic jihad is supposed to achieve. It will appear the wickedness is not limited to Southern Kaduna alone but the whole state.
Going back to the 2018/2019 electioneering campaigns, it was enough for the evil genius to show what he had done to Southern Kaduna, and the people will believe that truly he had undertaken and almost won a “jihad” .He needed four more years, to complete, and consolidate the “jihad.” Therefore, he went to Zaria and the rest of the people in the Northern side of the State, during the 2019 electioneering campaigns, and said he needed four more years to complete the “jihad”. Our prominent PDP leaders in the northern side were, it would seem, mischievously silenced, through threats of exposure of skeletons in their cupboards, and they submitted to the mischieve .
The final electoral “victory” was done, it would seem, through Compromises and riggings.

Now. then, after the "jihad" of the 2019 elections, what next ? It is consolidation of what he has in store for the state. Then nature struck : and the Emir of Zazzau died. Allahu Akbar.  Inna lillahi wa inna illaihi rajiuun.  May Allah forgive his shortcomings, and grant him aljanat firdausi.  But the evil- genius is not thinking of how he too will end up in this world. He sees every happening, as an opportunity, to restructure and re-engineer society, in his own image. What sane people think is impossible, for him, it is possible. He has to satisfy his interests. Tradition will not count. It is either that he splits the emirate and ignore history ,or he places his own there ,ala Ganduje of Kano. 

And so it went. Just like during his first term, when he declared he was fighting a “jihad” against a particular section of the state, the rest of the people later, discovered it was not a real Islamic jihad, but his own version of” political jihad”, against the whole state. Those he said he was conducting the jihad for them, after wining,
became the first victims of the evil genius’ “political jihad” and everybody in the state , without exception, is a victim; victims of ill choice. Religion, being opium of the masses, can be used by ,( not angels), but the devil himself. After all, Christians know that when Jesus, was caught-up in the wilderness, to be tempted by Satan, it is reported that Satan quoted from the Bible.
To the Zaria people, the evil genius fought a “political jihad” purportedly, on their behalf, and they mistook it for the real jihad. At last, they have become the victims: real toys in the power calculus, of the evil- genius. Only time will tell.

AN ANALYSIS OF SOUTHERN KADUNA UNDER POLITICAL BONDAGE AND THE CLOSEST OPPORTUNITY FOR FREEDOM IN 2023

By Eldee

The best political decision for Southern Kaduna people in 2023 is to transfer their bloc votes to Labour party who’s presidential candidate is a movement that has the power to push mountains.

Secondly, Though all the candidates from Southern Kaduna are competent enough to govern Kaduna State, Comrade Jonathan Asake’s sacrifice as SOKAPU President for the Southern Kaduna people in their dark experiences of kidnappings and killings has made him an easy candidate to sell than others who came out before him.

His courage and boldness to confront the government in power against all odds and to lead his team through vulnerable areas in the Kidnappers den shows he has the capacity to lead the fight against insecurity from the front.

His ability to mobilize support both locally and internationally for those living in the IDP camps dipicts his capacity to fight poverty and hunger.

His leading role in fighting for justice, equity and fairness amongst the 3 zones in the state will checkmate him to ensure justice equity and fairness for zone 1 and 2 if elected.

However, what about the risk of loosing and dividing the votes of PDP in Southern Kaduna to the advantage of APC Muslim-Muslim ticket government. If a choice must be made between the devil and the deep blue sea, between bad and worse which has been the position of Southern Kaduna people since the return to democracy in 1999 a good analysis of the dilemma must be made.

First and foremost we need to know that marginalization brings us closer to freedom than subjugation .

The reason why black Americans got their freedom at last was because they were able to endure years of marginalisation instead of accepting subjugation .

The reason why the black majority led by Nelson Mandela in South Africa got their freedom at last was because they endured years of marginalisation instead of accepting subjugation .

The reason why the Hausa’s can never break away from the political bondage of the Fulani’s is because they accepted subjugation instead of enduring marginalisation .

The reason why southern kaduna will be free in the long run is if we decide to endure marginalization rather than accepting subjugation .

Marginalization refers to social exclusion, where certain groups of people are denied access to certain rights in the society. i.e. denial of access to institutions, funding and other opportunities.

Subjugation is essentially an action by which a group of people conquers another group of people and the conqueror decides over all kinds of aspects relating to the conquered. Treating the conquered as inferior or subjects.

Our Muslim brothers in kaduna state whether APC or PDP do not believe that we have the right to produce a governor in kaduna state. They believe that it is their birthright to produce the governor in kaduna state. So both APC and PDP have the same agenda but they go about achieving it using different strategy.

While APC is using marginalization PDP on the other hand is using Subjugation .

It is easy to gain freedom after many years of marginalization because you will attract the attention and sympathy of the world when you are marginalized . But nobody gives you attention when you are comfortable with the crumbs that falls from your masters table as subjects.

The governorship of late Sir, Patrick Yakowa was an act of God not an act of PDP. Yar’adua died and God used Goodluck Jonathan being a Christian President to pick Namadi Sambo for Yakowa to be governor.

Majority of the Federal appointment we’ve had i.e Isaiah Balat, Garba Ali madaki, Nenadi Usman, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, Gen. Luka Yusuf etc. were all appointed by Christian Presidents in PDP against the wishes of the governors of that period that are from the Northern part and also PDP.

If PDP truly appreciates our loyalty to party and Bloc votes since 1999 what is our reward? Deputy? God forbid. Politics is about give and take, we have been giving their candidates Bloc votes since the 1999. Now why didn’t they ask us to produce a candidate that they also will support? Politics is about negotiation, see how Gov. Nyeson Wike is negotiating for his people, what are our elders negotiating for us? For anybody to say that we should continue supporting PDP is as good as saying that we should accept second fiddle for only God knows how long. If they did not give Late Isaiah Balat the ticket to contest for the governorship of this state despite his sacrifice for the party, do you think they’ll give anyone of those parading themselves today? NO

APC is rather courageous enough to say they are taking everything because we didn’t vote for them and perhaps if they continue taking everything our freedom will eventually come one day or maybe if they continue taking everything PDP will come back to her senses.

Being a Christian dominated zone, our vote in 2023 is in defence of our faith, our freedom of worship, PDP have not defended us either, both at the state and the federal level they have not come out to speak against the he killing of Christians. Tell me what Sen. Makarfi said when we were being killed, tell me what Hon. Isah Ashiru said when we were being killed or didn’t Atiku withdrew what he said? Haba jama’a what did they take us for?

We told PDP to give us a better candidate against APC in 2023 yet they repeated the same unsalable person as 2019 but are expecting a different result. To make matters worse Southern Kaduna PDP elders now pushed a deputy governorship candidate that is older and more qualified than the governorship candidate, what an insults to the collective intellectual capacity of the Southern Kaduna people. Don’t we have younger competent youth? enough is enough! It’s better we take a stand now under the current movement and make our position of the No.1 seat known than continue going for second seat for God knows how long.
Please don’t mind my outrage ?

Eldee
08032986521

Why Southern Kaduna Should Support Engr. Dr. Michael Ayuba Auta

By Steve Realist

There is no doubt Nigeria needs a paradigm shift from the norm if truly positive change must be attained. This shift cannot come without resistance, from largely those who are controlling or benefitting from the regressive system, even though such benefit is a mirage because it is not really there in the long run.

It is clear now to every Nigerian that those holding the country ransom have permeated and dominated the dominant political parties too. At every election, Nigerians are repeatedly left with the devil’s alternative – to choose between two evils.

It is for the above reasons that the Labour party has offered a dose of fresh air in the candidature of Peter Obi, a political tsunami that is about to sweep the entire country. Peter Obi however, can not effectively work without having legislative members in the upper chambers. Southern Kaduna people must see to it that they give Peter Obi a most befitting representative in the person of Engr. Dr. Michael Ayuba Auta.

Engr. Auta is courageous man with the requisite passion for the growth and development of Kaduna South Senatorial District. He is an astute business man and a philanthropist who has achieved tremendous success in the business world – a sort of Peter Obi of Southern Kaduna. Engr. Auta desires nothing than to bring about effective legislative representation in the Kaduna South senatorial district.

Engr. Auta has, in more ways, contributed immensely for the advancement of human capital developmental across the Zone 3 senatorial district without making much fuss about it in tandem with Mt. 6:6 “…let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth”.

Engr. Auta is a man equipped with the prerequisite knowledge of, and care about the plight of, the Southern Kaduna natives, even by practical demonstration. He recently gave numerous scholarships to young Southern Kaduna sons and daughters to study at Nile University in Abuja. A rare altruistic gesture that can only be showcased by a man genuinely passionate about the younger generation.

Not long ago, he started a project of building free residential houses for the less privileged in the district, and donated relief materials worth millions to IDPs spread across the entire state.

Southern Kaduna must support this positive change with everything she’s got because the stakes are high enough she can not afford to make another mistake.

Killing Of Catholic Priests In Nigeria– Enough Is Enough: Catholic Bishops To Change Strategy

By 
Emmanul Gandu

EXCERPTS

[ It takes a minimum of ten (10) years and millions of #aira to train a priest in the Major Seminary up to ordination. Therefore, to allow this human capital investment be cheaply exposed to the bullets of some unmerited dregs of the society smacks of negligence.
The Catholic Church could not have ordained their priests to be used as sacrificial lambs at some terrorists alter of martyrdom hence it behoves on the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to as usual live up to its calling by calling off the lamentation and change strategy ]

INTRODUCTION
Nigeria’s Catholic Priests are running for their lives in fear of the rampaging terrorists, kidnappers, and gunmen who hunt for them like wild life for the game.
This is reminiscent of the ‘head hunters’ years of the primitive society, except that what obtains today is that the head of a Catholic priest is more of gold mine in $dollars value rather than the mere prestige of a warrior’s total number of collection of human heads as sign of bravery and.

Hardly any day passes by without reports of missing, kidnapped, or killed Catholic priest (s). Sadly, our churches have become more of places of requiem, funerals, Lamentations, burial sing songs and homilies for slayned priests instead of other forms of worship. Regrettably too, the cemeteries are fast becoming larger in acreage than available farmlands for agricultural purposes, while coffin construction is now such a lucrative business for survival in this period of Buharianomics, making carpenters keep smiling to the bank.

As a consequence of this alarming rate of killing of Catholic Priests across Nigeria, thousands of Catholic faithful, the Pope, Bishops, priests, religious, and concerned citizens have expressed their dissatisfaction with the federal government over its inability to protect lives and property of the citizens – Catholic Priests inclusive.

This discourse is an attempt to highlight and contribute in the on – going efforts to further encourage the Catholic Bishops on to a higher notch of responsibility and action in order to curb the rising spate in violence especially to our humble, esteemed and honoured Catholic priesthood.
Permit me at this juncture to plead for penitential amnesty for any sins I may commit in the course of this presentation, and if committed, may it be considered as a ‘holy sin.’

THE SITUATION ROOM
It takes a minimum of ten (10) years and millions of #aira to train a priest in the Major Seminary up to ordination. Therefore, to allow this human capital investment be cheaply exposed to the bullets of unmerited dregs of the society smacks of negligence.
Invariably, the Catholic Church could not have ordained their priests to be used as sacrificial lambs on a terrorists alter of martyrdom, hence it behoves on the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to as usual live up to its calling.

According to a report from findings by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law sent to the Agenzia Fides’ agency, at least 70 priests and religious were kidnapped, or killed from June 2015 – March 2020. These casualty figures had since risen higher and higher from March 2020 – June 2022.

As a result of these rising cases of killings, kidnapping, and attacks, thousands of Catholic faithful and concerned citizens have always flooded Nigeria’s streets in protests against the pogrom.
One of such protest rallies was led by all black attired Cardinals and Archbishops, followed by priests, religious, lay faithful, and the general public in Abuja on March 1st. 2020.

You would also recall that the fiery Sokoto Diocese Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, and other Bishops have been unrelenting on this matter.
While delivering an anniversary lecture at the flag off ceremony of 70th anniversary Logo and Mascot launch of the Order of the Knights of Saint Mulumba (KSM) Nigeria in early June, 2022, Bishop Kukah said that Nigeria now ranked as the 9th worst country for Christians to live in the world. Iran occupies the no. 8th position.

WHAT NEXT ?
(1) Enough of public demonstrations and rallies because nothing seems to be achieved from that so far.
(2) Enough of this ‘call to glory’ advertorials for our killed clergy because that is the indication for the enemy perpetrators success.
( 3) Enough of the elaborate Lamentations during requiem, funerals and burials of our killed clergy. I desire more of strategic planning.
(4) I want to see workable, pragmatic steps from the Bishops on ways to secure our clergy.
It is understandable if they are killed or kidnapped during Mass, but even at that something more concrete can still be done.
Enough is enough.

WHY ARE CATHOLIC PRIESTS A TARGET ?
The killing and kidnapping of Catholic Priests may be attributed but not limited to the following :
(1) The Nigerian government has been unable to provide adequate security for the citizens and as a result there is growing insecurity in the land. Since the terrorists are aware of the weaknesses of the Nigerian state, they attack at will realising that there isn’t really restraining force.
The Nigerian military has been so much compromised that they have become ‘a toothless bull dog’.
Little a whole lot of people including the Catholic Priests are left vulnerable to whims and caprises of the terrorists.
(2) Regrettably, apprehended or the so called repentant terrorists in Nigeria get pardoned and re integrated into the society with due diligence of checks. These repentant terrorists later transform back to unrepentant terrorists to continue to wreck havoc in the society.
Likewise, kidnappers get bread thrown at them instead of bullets fired at them. They in turn use the ransom proceeds to purchase more weapons for more daring expeditious kidnappings and killings – and the vicious cycle continuos.
(3) Terrorist’s religious fanaticism and ideological considerations arising from a flawed teachings, doctrines, orientation, and sometimes indoctrination for hate of any other faith other than theirs on the face of the earth.
(4) The ostentatious lifestyle flownted by (some) Catholic priests may be a source of attraction to kidnappers who end up killing the victim priests even after collecting the ransom.
(5) The religious war of rivalry for supremacy between Nigeria’s two major religions make the Catholic priest vulnerably prone to attacks even to the point of total annihilation.
(6) This may be a manifestation of growing criminality in a Nigeria that lacks a deliberate, workable, effective jurisprundence, and a sustained regime for crime punishment.
(7) Catholic priests are seen as part of a privileged group, and as such, attacks may come as an expression of, or a form of anti – clericalism that is based and fueled on vendetta, or the loss of the sacredness and sanctity of the priesthood as symbolised by the Catholic priest.
(8) Catholic priests (some) drive fine cars, are known to have posh homes elsewhere, and appear to be quite comfortable, and contented.
The kidnappers who are spurred on by the get – rich – quick syndrome and mindset see these priests as ready prey to be pounced upon.
(9) Catholic churches anywhere in Nigeria are among the largest and well built.
This really attaches not only a lot richness of wealth status on their priests, but also attracts some notoriety for flounting that wealth.
And therefore, the kidnappers also want a bit of the action, and a bite of that wealth.
(10) According to Pew Research, the world total population is 7.5 billion.
With a total of global Catholic population of 1.36 billion (baptized only), the Catholic Church no doubt is the largest single Christian denomination, as she makes up to 18% of the total world population.
It is therefore a pride of no mean achievement for any enemy of Christianity to hurt the Christians by getting at the Catholic Church through her priests.

SUGGESTIONS TO THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE OF NIGERIA
Since the Nigerian government is not doing enough to protect her citizens, the citizens on their part must seek alternative means in order to stay alive. The resentment and awareness must have to build up, and the CBCN is better placed to lead this vanguard.
To halt this endless bloodletting of our Catholic priests is a task that must be accomplished.
(2) All Catholic priests to posses guns for self defense.
(3) All priests to be at Mass with their guns. The CBCN should borrow a leaf from some aspects of the ‘Liberation Theology’ of Latin America of the 60’s and 70’s.
(4) Travel restrictions be placed on priests in and out of their domains ( parishes, dioceses) until some level of sanity is attained.
(5) All parishes, churches, priests homes be guarded by armed men especially on vulnerable days.
(6) Parishioners who qualify to posses guns/firearms be allowed to come to church with such.
(7) Catholic priests to cultivate modest lifestyles and cut down public display of affluence.
(8) Federal government is to put in place workable, tested, legal, and verifiable measures to ensure the security of life and property.
(9) Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah’s suggestion towards tackling this menace suffices : “…… When a dog is backing at you, walk towards it because if you turn back it would attack.” “…….We Christians must walk towards the barking dog.”
(10) Extraordinary times demand extraordinary response.
Enough is Enough.

Peace ? and Obi-dient
2/7/2022

HAVE NIGERIAN GIRLS ALWAYS MATTERED?

By Emmanuel Onwubiko

“Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.” — Kofi Annan

“Achieving gender equality requires the engagement of women and men, girls and boys. It is everyone’s responsibility.” — Ban Ki-moon:

Barack Obama became the first black man to become an elected President of the United States of America.  

He did not make much developmental impacts to Africans and Africa as a result of his very privileged position because even President Bill Clinton before him did a whole lot for Africa by funding campaigns against sexually transmitted diseases. 

But one positive value he (Obama) celebrated often as the President of the World’s most powerful economy was the equality that ought to exists amongst the two genders and the fact that belonging to either of the genders shouldn’t become a polarising factor but should be seen as an opportunity for all to give out their best to promote universal happiness. 

He (then President Obama) was all over the place with his beautiful daughters  I think two of them who look very much like their highly educated mother. Obama was said to have met his wife at the college. 

This tendency of President Obama to publicly celebrate his girls brought home for us here in Africa, the indubutable and undeniable truism that a girl and a boy are the same since they are both products of same divine origin, the differences in gender notwithstanding.  

President Obama’s public shows of his female children did a lot to put to rest this inexplicable attachment of some primitive minded male chauvinists to grade male children far above female. 

Although it is not culturally and statutorily stated in black and white, the truth is, even in this 21st century World, some Nigerians still see the female child as disposal item that is only good for marriage and procreation to such a ridiculous extent that even in some states in Nigeria, girls who originate from one state but married into another state that is not her father’s state of nativity, can’t be trusted with public offices. 

Such discriminatory practices are not known to affect the males even when Section 42(1) of the Nigerian Constitution speaks to the issue of discrimination. 

There a whole lot of discriminatory practices that many communities inflict on females which have confused visitors to Africa to think that females are not actually regarded as equal with males. 

But this is factually inaccurate if we recall the roles and leadership positions of some historical women like Queen Amina of Zaria and the recent activism played by the Aba Women in 1929 to challenge certain oppressive policies of the then British colonial administrators at a time that the men were afraid for their lives. 

So Africans, have always regarded the females as important as the males but in a lot of cultures in Nigeria,  the females still suffer deprivation like not being considered when the inheritance rights are dispensed. 

Even when there was this Supreme Court’s verdict in which it was ruled that Igbo girls ought to share in the inheritance and assets of their fathers, a lot of Igbos think it was an affront to their customs (later in this article, we will recall that verdict which applies all over Nigeria). 

This norm of subjecting females to odium and illegal discriminations is being challenged in a very stylistic and methodical way by some of Nigeria’s richest elites and the tool been deployed in doing this is to expose their daughters to as much top rated educational and scholarly experiences in some of the finest institutions as much as the males. 

I think President Barack Obama should take the credit for this. This is because rich men in Africa love to be identified as persons that are not bound by old and meaningless cultural barriers that limits the opportunities of their children to make it as much big as they have individually achieved just like how the then United States President showed us that a father should be happy whether he has males or females since all children are equal. 

What happened 24 hours ago tells me that this trend by the wealthy needs to be celebrated so the society can become happier because the female gender has some unique beautiful style on how to bring about purposeful leadership styles in most of the businesses that they are the heads. Females who knows their onions bring atmospheres of solidarity, high energy and creative tendencies just like the males. In effect, there is really no much difference between a female and male engineers because both underwent identical trainings and are therefore similarly equipped and ready for the arduous engineering tasks just like their male colleagues.

Writing on the theme- “Do Nigerian Women Have The Right To Inherit Properties?,” Nonso Ayansi wrote in a piece in The Guardian thus: “Spoken in hush tones and taught to girls from a tender age, the age-long question often causes a stir when asked… the Supreme Court affirmed the right of Nigerian women to inherit properties from their deceased parents. This is the case of Ukeje & Anor v Ukeje (2014) LPELR-22724(SC) where Lord Olabode Rhodes-Vivour JSC made the noteworthy pronouncement that:

“No matter the circumstances of the birth of a female child, such a child is entitled to  an inheritance   from  her   late   father’s  estate. Consequently  the  Igbo  customary  law  which disentitles a female child from partaking, in the sharing of her deceased father’s estate is in breach of Section 42 (1) and (2) of the Constitution, a fundamental rights provision guaranteed to every Nigerian. The said discriminatory customary law is void as it conflicts with Section 42(1) and (2) of the Constitution.”

This decision settled beyond all doubts, the fundamental right of a female to participate in the inheritance of her deceased father’s estate. The judgment of the Court in this case is of very significant value to Nigerian women because the Nigerian judiciary has experienced a chequered history on this issue of the right of women to inherit their deceased father’s properties, in light of the various customary laws in some parts of the country which prohibits women from participating in such inheritance.”

The writer recalled that  in 1963, the Supreme Court had in the case of Nezianya & Anor v Okagbue & ors (1963) 1 All NLR 352, held that a widow is a recognised member of her late husband’s family and not a stranger to it, and thus permitted to live in her late husband’s house, but she was not permitted to dispose the property by giving it out or selling it. This 1963 decision left women handicapped as they were incapable of exercising ownership rights over the properties of their late husband.

This 1963 judgment also formed the basis of support for the old Igbo “Oli-Ekpe” custom which stated that only the eldest surviving male off-spring could inherit the property of their late father and prohibited female inheritance because the judgment suggested that ownership of property should be restricted to the patrilineal lineage of the deceased. 

However, in 1997, the Late Niki Tobi (Justice of the Court of Appeal) was bold enough to declare this “Oli-Ekpe” custom as being repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience in the famous case of Mojekwu v Mojekwu (1997) LPELR-13777(CA).”

The immediate trigger for this piece was the story that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has quit his position as the publisher of one of Nigeria’s most flamboyant and successful media platforms Daily Sun group of newspapers and has handed over to his daughter. 

The serving Senator and erstwhile Abia State governor who is a very successful entrepreneur before entering politics may have been influenced by few other wealthy elites like Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu and the Lagos based billionaire Femi Otedola who all celebrate their daughters publicly and in the case of the duo of Dangote and Elumelu, they publicly announced strategic business roles for their daughters in their corporate institutions.  Otedola’s girls are some of the vastly educated youths in Nigeria. 

There are a number of ladies who were practically trained by their fathers to step into their big shoes in Nigeria just like Obama and not to forget Bill and Hilary Clinton who also have a daughter that they too celebrated and who is doing well in her chosen field.  

Below are a few of those emerging amazons whose impressive rise signposts a new kind of corporate culture amongst the business and political elites in Nigeria in what can be called ‘like fathers, like daughters. This is challenging the nonsense stereotype about the females. 

We have read about Oyeyimika Adeboye who is a woman of many parts, the most visible being her position as the Managing Director of Cadbury Nigeria Plc. These much was written by a reporter who penned some details about her rise from greatness to greatness. 

As reported, in April 2019, she was announced as the successor to Amir Shamsi, the erstwhile Managing Director of Cadbury Nigeria Plc. By this development, she became the first female MD of the company in its over 50 years of existence.

Oyeyimika was born to late Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola, a foremost entrepreneur of his time. It is on record that he was one of the pioneers of indigenous manufacturing in Nigeria, alongside the likes of Alhassan Dantata (Aliko Dangote’s great grandfather) and Louis Ojukwu (father of Odimegwu Ojuwku, the Biafran leader), and was the first President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) when the body was formed, writes the reporter. 

The reporter then asserted that being daughter to the man who created a “multimillion-dollar conglomerate including three factories, a retail franchise, a cattle ranch, a 5,000-acre plantation, a sawmill, and an exporting business before the end of British colonial rule in 1960” must have been an inspiration, in addition to having a mother who was a very successful businesswoman. Oyeyimika recalled in an interview that her parents were her role models.

After graduation, Oyeyimika started her career as an articled clerk with a United Kingdom accounting practice, Midgley Snelling & Co., Chartered Accountants and was on this job while she qualified as a Chartered Accountant. She became a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Nigeria.

She returned to Nigeria in the 90s and took up a job with the erstwhile Nigerian Accounting and Tax Practice of Arthur Andersen & Co for a couple of years. From there, she moved to Nigerian Bottling Company Plc in 1994 as the Director of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for about 13 years.

Returning to Nigeria from the United Kingdom was a career-defining moment for Oyeyimika, and she recalls the trigger event thus: “My first “ah-ah” moment was triggered by a conversation I had with an English friend and colleague who was a senior manager in a firm while I was still working in the UK. She had worked in this firm for many years but remained a senior manager while the firm admitted other male managers into partnership.

In November 2008, Oyeyimika was headhunted to join the board of Cadbury West Africa as Finance and Strategy Director, West Africa; and a director on the board of Cadbury Ghana Ltd. She was also a member of the audit committee of the company until October 19, 2016. She is a member of the executive management committee, and member of the risk assessment committee of Cadbury Nigeria.

She spent a total of 10 years and seven months with Cadbury before being appointed as MD, Cadbury Nigeria Plc in April 2019. Her LinkedIn profile confirms that she also became MD, Mondelez (Cadbury) West Africa, two months later. Mondelēz International is the parent company of Cadbury Nigeria Plc.

Then comes the latest news that the Chief Whip of the Senate and founder of The Sun Publishing Limited, publishers of Daily Sun, Saturday Sun, Sunday Sun and Sporting Sun, has formally stepped down as Publisher of the newspaper company.

In his place, Barr Neya Uzor-Kalu, who was recently appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company, steps in to double as Publisher/Chairman.

The recently reconstituted board of The Sun has as members the following: Barr Neya Uzor Kalu; Onuoha Ukeh (Managing); Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, Mr. Iyke Ekeoma, Alhaji Kabiru Mohammed Shuaibu, mni, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Goka, Mr. Abayomi Fatusin and Engr. Niyi Babatunde. Barr Obinna Kalu was reappointed as Secretary to the board.

Senator Kalu had stepped aside from the board prior to contesting the senatorial election in 2019, to concentrate on his assignment as a lawmaker.

Barr Neya Uzor-Kalu has a degree in Law and an MSc in Finance from the University of Buckingham, United Kingdom. She has 12 years experience crafting and implementing business initiatives across industries and functions.

The new board chairman/publisher, who is currently a businesswoman and entrepreneur spanning across various industries as reported by the newspaper, had previously worked in the banking sector, for five years, in the role of Human Resource Manager. Senator Kalu may have embraced what the likes of Tony Elumelu and Aliko Dangote did by frontloading their daughters to prestigious corporate positions to the admiration of many around the World. 

As scripted by a media reporter, Mr. Tony Elumelu reportedly got married to his Wife Vivian Awele Elumelu in 1993 and they have Seven Children made up of five girls and Two twin boys. They are Oge, Ugo, Onyinye, Ogor, Nneka and the twin boys who names are not made known to the public.

Oge Elumelu who is the First daughter of Tony is described by this particular media reporter from whose piece we are qioting to be a young and Smart Girl who is gradually following the footsteps of her father. She was born on the 29th of March and is currently studying Economics, History and Religious Studies at St Catherine’s Bramley School, UK.

Oge Also Spends more time with her dad as she has visited her dad at UBA where she is learning the Concepts of Banking as an Intern. It is no news that both father and daughter share a strong bond and hopefully she will lead the Affairs of her father’s companies soon. 

Children of billionaires have access to a world that many can’t even begin to fathom. Some are just there to live lavishly in the fantasy created by their parents’ fabulous wealth —think vacationing around the world, exploring the seas in yachts, stocking closets with designer clothes, and partying it up in the city. But Halima Aliko-Dangote, one of the beautiful daughters of Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is an exception and not such a freak. Since her father’s decision to rope her into the business, the self-effacing young woman has devoted her time taking the leading role in her father’s business empire. With nearly 15 years of professional experience, Halima has straddled several Executive Management roles in her father’s Dangote Industries Limited, one of Africa’s largest and most diversified business conglomerates. The next person who actually set the trend is the daughter of Billionaire Aliko Dangote known as Halima. 

Halima has reportedly been said to be making her dad proud to the extent that she’s just been entrusted with a bigger and strategic role: appointed as a non-executive director of the Group’s flagship, Dangote Cement. She would be filling the void created by the death of her uncle, Sani Dangote, the former vice president of the Dangote Group and a director in the company, who died in November 2021.

Halima, who has a strong passion for the empowerment of women, is a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, the President of the Board of the Africa Centre in New York, United States, a Board member of Endeavour Nigeria, as well as member of the Women Corporate Directors (WCD).

As a father of a very lovely daughter Nneoma Chisom Onwubiko who is just 11 months today, I think this kind of revolution whereby girls are loved and treated same as their opposite gender needs to be celebrated so the continent of Africa will change the wrong stereotype that Africans do not regard the females which isn’t true in any way.  

Also, it is expected that this example been displayed by these rich elites should serve as a spring board to demolish any left over cultural barriers and practices that devalue the place of the female gender such as female genital mutilation,  early marriages and neglect of the educational needs of the female child as much as the males. 

I think the saying that training a girl translates into training an entire town is true. Looking at the phenomenal heights that Queen Elizabeth of England reached should inform us that a girl child is as precious as the boy.  

*EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO is head of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA and was NATIONAL COMMISSIONER of the NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF NIGERIA.

MUSLIM – MUSLIM TICKET : THE CASE OF NASIR EL-RUFAI’S GOVERNANCE OF KADUNA STATE

By
Emmanuel Gandu

EXCERPTS

[ Nigeria and Nigerians have been so much bastardized and killed respectively by religious intolerance that any sacrifice to reclaim our humanity, and country from the brink will not be too much.]

INTRODUCTION
The search for credible candidates that would bring democratic fortunes to Nigerian political parties have led to the emergence of alliances and scheming leading to issues like having a Muslim – Christian ticket, or Muslim – Muslim ticket.
Interestingly, the Moshood Abiola – Baba Gana Kingibe Muslim – Muslim ticket gave Nigeria the most nationally acceptable, best, and free election in history – the 1993 June 12 election that was annulled by General Ibrahim Gbadamasi Babangida.

However, Nigeria cannot dream of another Muslim – Muslim ticket because the country today is so polarized and divided along religious, ethnic, tribal and regional lines that it will come with catastrophic consequences.
Unfortunately, this is more so because Muhammadu Buhari (2015 – date) has put a knife on the things that held us together and we’ve fallen apart.

SOME CONSEQUENCES OF THE MUSLIMS-MUSLIM TICKET IN KADUNA STATE
(1) Development projects are concentrated in the Muslim dominated parts of Kaduna town, and also in Zaria.
These projects include major roads, township roads, neighborhood roads, flyovers, and markets.
(2) On the contrary, the Christian dominated parts of Kaduna town, and indeed the entire Southern Kaduna is totally neglected and abandoned.
The only semblance of road construction/renovation is the Muslim settlement in and around the Emir of Kafanchan palace.
(3) The 17 year old Kaduna State University have five Mosques on the Kaduna campus while Christians have no single Church.
Efforts by the Christian community to erect a structure was resisted with a June 6 2022 demolition allegedly supervised by military/security who collected the hand set phones of the few Christians present at the time of demolition.
(4) Kaduna State government declared a Friday work free day for its work force. If this was for the purposes of equity since Sunday is also a work free day which to me is commendable, then it behoves on the person who preaches equity to be fair and just to all concerned in all cases.
He who talks about equity must come with clean hands.
(5) Kaduna State has witnessed a dangerous and an unending religious crisis than any other state in Nigeria.
This got to a higthtened with catastrophic consequences from 2016 – date.
Consequently, killing in the name of God by both adherents of Christianity and Islam in Kaduna state became the norm rather than the exception.
Regrettably, cases of religious related attacks and killings are reported on daily basis, with government seemingly overwhelmed.
(6) This Muslim-Muslim ticket may be a catalyst for a feeling of superiority of Muslims over Christians who feel that they are in charge.
On the part of the Christians, they may have a feeling of a second class status and therefore resign themselves to any situation meted to them.
Consequently, this superiority and inferiority complex is the gunpowder for violence at any slightest provocation.
(7) It may be argued that Nasir El-Rufai’s concept of introducing the Muslim-Muslim ticket was to eliminate the age long dichotomy in the state, but it seems like the people from either of the two divides might not have been ripe for such a radical change.
Whatever it is, time and posterity will judge and or vindicate.

CONCLUSION
The experience of Kaduna State, and as highlighted above should not only serve as a lesson for all political parties in making the choices of their candidates for executive positions, but also as a guide in the governance and policies of state.
Nigeria and Nigerians have been so much bastardized and killed by religious intolerance that any sacrifice to reclaim our humanity, and country from the brink will not be too much.

                   Peace ?
                 11/6/2022

INSECURITY: NIGERIA NEEDS A WORKING FORMULA

By Emmanuel Onwubiko

“Objectives are not fate; they are direction. They are not commands; they are commitments. They do not determine the future; they are means to mobilize the resources and energies of the business for the making of the future.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

In about a week’s time, the two most prominent political parties namely the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party will select/anoint/elect their Presidential candidates for the 2023 Presidential poll. 

The aspirants have since started campaigns by travelling around the Country seeking out the support of the elected delegates who are to nominate the candidates of the political parties. 

In the APC, the aspirants are saying many things but most of them do not have workable templates on most of the promises they are making verbally to the delegates and to  Nigerians. Some of the Presidential aspirants like Nyesom Wike are as intellectually empty as it can ever be in the area of preferring practicable panacea to the crises caused by the National climate of insecurity and terrorism by and non State actors. Nyesom Wike who is governor of Rivers State is lucky to have inherited the Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi’s security formula in Rivers State in which the former Rivers State’s helmsman and now a Frontline aspirant for the position of a Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress implemented that made Rivers State during his eight years reign as the most crime free State in the 36 States of the Federation. It is not known that the successor to Rotimi Amaechi as Governor of Rivers State Nyesim Wike introduced any other strategy different from the larger security template put in place by Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi. 

We will come to the issue of the blueprints for development that the aspirants have articulated but first let us look at the issue of whether the incumbent President has a favourite Candidate to succeed him or not. 

The President himself recently confirmed that he indeed has one most favoured successor but that he will keep the identity close to his heart since he does not want to jeopardise the security of the person. 

Incidentally, the special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, says his principal has a favourite candidate to succeed him in 2023, but will not mention the person.

Adesina made the revelation during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Thursday.

So far ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba  have joined the presidential race on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC). Of these bunch, the immediate past minister of Transportation Mr Amaechi seems to be poles apart as the most significant political Son of President Muhammadu Buhari in terms of who amongst all his appointees allocated the most strategic national assets like Railways and Transportation University in Daura the homestead of President Muhammadu Buhari. So if being favourite is to be rated by who loves the President and his people the more, Rotimi Amaechi is obviously the number 1. The rest are hypocrites. But let us hear what the President’s Media minder said. 

Mr. Adesina, an ordained Deacon of a Pentacostal Church, who said he is not card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), touched on the sensitive matter of who is indeed President Muhammadu Buhari’s favoured successor in 2023. But he stopped short of naming names. 

Adesina said, “In a previous interview when the president was asked whether he had a favorite candidate, he answered yes; but he will not mention him because mischief may happen to that person.

“That shows you that the president himself is interested in the process and he has a preferred candidate; but whether he will impose his candidate is what you can no determine at the moment.

Political pundits believe that if royalty is the yardstick for President Muhammadu Buhari to decide his favourite then the immediate past minister of Transportation Mr. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi will be amongst the top most favourites. The then former governor of Rivers State sacrificed so much by way of resources to campaign vigorously for the then APC Presidential Candidate in 2014 before the incumbent President cruised to victory at the polls in 2015. 

Few days back the Abuja civil Society community including the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) converged in Abuja to deliberate on the State of the nation and to set agenda for the Presidential candidates of the parties that will emerge from the primaries this week. The groups expressed happiness that Aspirant Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi of the All Progressives Congress has made the issue of insecurity his sacred mandate and the Centre of his blueprints. It is not a secret that the number one problem facing Nigeria is insecurity.  The coalition of civil rights campaigners also stated that they agreed with Rotimi Amaechi’s claims of what programmes and steps he took ad the then Governor of Rivers State to tackle insecurity.  

The then Ricers State governor who is the immediate past Minister of Transportation and APC presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday said he tackled insecurity while he was Rivers governor by equipping the military and the police. The Human rights stakeholders said Rotimi Amaechi is correct to make the claim.

Recall that Mr Amaechi spoke while visiting the Deji of Akure, Aladetonyibo Aladelusi Ogunlade, at his palace in Ondo State.

He also paid a private visit to former presidential candidate, Olu Falae. Mr Amaechi later proceeded to Ibadan, where he paid a visit to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Olalekan Balogun, and met with delegates and party faithful at the Oyo State APC secretariat.

The minister said if elected as president, he would be detribalized and would ensure that the yearnings and aspirations of all Nigerians are protected, irrespective of tribe and religion.

“You recognized us for who we are, you recognized us not as a Yoruba candidate, not as an Hausa candidate, not as an Igbo candidate or Ikwerre where I come from, but as a Nigerian candidate,” Mr Amaechi told the Deji of Akure.

“I am detribalized, I don’t know Yoruba or Hausa, I just know Nigeria, and everybody should be treated like that, there should be no segregation,” he said.

Mr Amaechi said as president, he would deploy his wealth of experience in governance and fighting insecurity.

“Your Majesty sir, It is not enough to say I was a former Governor for two terms, former Speaker for two terms, and all of that. The question to ask is what did I do with those positions? Because when I say I come with experience, I actually come with experience.

“Quite a lot of those who are contesting or aspiring to be the President don’t come with that kind of experience that I come with. I have governed a state where there was insecurity.

“When I was governor of Rivers state, they were kidnapping two months old babies.”

Mr Amaechi said he was just a few weeks in office when two high-profile kidnappings took place in Rivers.

“The first they confronted me with was the kidnap of a prominent Nigerian, a Rivers man, Prof. Nimi Briggs, one time Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt.

“The next person they kidnapped was the wife of late Chief Lulu Briggs, prominent people, and I was barely few weeks or months old in office, I rescued them.

“So we equipped the military and police, we trained them and made sure that at any point in time you kidnap anybody, we are in the position to rescue the person and punish the kidnappers.

“So I am experienced in finding solutions to insecurity,” he said.

Responding, the Deji of Akure, described Mr Amaechi as a grassroots politician who knows the needs of his people.

“You have already passed through the hierarchy of politics, from Speaker, two times. All these two times position has a meaning,” said the Deji, putting two fingers up and adding that it signifies peace.

“In a good democracy setting, you should not have any problems at all,” the monarch continued.

“Currently, you have transformed the Ministry of Transportation, and I want the rail to come to Akure with the Seaport in Ondo. Whatever it takes for the rail to come to Akure, we will do it, and whatever it takes for the Seaport to come to Ondo, the people of Ondo will do it.

“We are not doubting you at all because you passed through all the stages. You did what you were supposed to do at each stage, all those that elected you, they did because of your integrity and for the love you have for your people. Not for your people alone, but for the nation.

“Like you said earlier, you are not from Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba alone, you are a typical Nigerian and we take it like that and when you get there, I know you will be a typical Nigerian not one-sided,” he said.

The conference of human rights practitioners championed by the National Coordinator of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko said the security blueprint canvassed by Mr. ROTIMI CHIBUIKE AMAECHI is noteworthy just as the activists said the endorsement of Aspirant Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi by the immediate past Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai demonstrates the validity of the security templates that the aspirant has been talking about. 

It must be recalled that as the consultations with delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the country by Presidential Aspirant and former Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi continue to attract high profile support, a former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai has endorsed the former Minister, stating that his loyalty and love for Nigeria and humanity is unmatched.

Gen. Buratai who is currently, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, gave this endorsement at a parley with delegates of the APC in Bauchi, Wednesday night, when he and other dignitaries accompanied the Presidential hopeful, Chibuike Amaechi to solicit delegates’ support in Bauchi ahead of the party’s primaries.

Burutai stated that he was spurred to give his support to Amaechi due to his outstanding profile and vast experience in governance.

He said, “You can see from the introduction, the experience of our Presidential aspirant. The profile of Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is quite intimidating. He has proven to be a sound administrator, a versatile leader, a good strategist and a politician per excellence, who has shown good qualities in all areas he had worked. As Speaker, as Governor, as Minister and also first among equals during his tenure as Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, as well as the dexterity and the quality of the campaign (for President Buhari) that he led on two occasions. That is why I am giving him my full support.

“He did that diligently with all his determination, loyalty and of course with love for Nigeria and love for humanity irrespective of what religion you belong to. This is quite commendable, that’s why he’s here today to solicit for your votes. From what you have heard about him, I believe you know that he’s the man of the moment. He is the right choice. So, I urge you to make the right choice and vote for him,” Buratai said.

Addressing the delegates, Amaechi said he is the only aspirant in the party with impressive records that would defeat the opposition party. He urged the delegates to vote for him for the overall benefit of all Nigerians.

According to him, “This is the moment of decision. For twenty two years I have held public office, as Speaker, as Governor and as Minister. And in all of these, you will see my footprint. There’s a railway construction going on from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri. It includes Bauchi and it’s called the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway. If you vote for me, that project will be completed and it will create employment. So vote for me, make me the candidate of the party. I doubt that the other aspirants have the capacity to defeat me, If you vote for me I will defeat PDP.”

Earlier, at a visit to the Emir of Bauchi, HRM Dr. Rilwan Suleiman Adamu, Amaechi used the occasion to re-emphasize his commitment to deliver on infrastructure and tackle insecurity if elected.

“Your Highness, I am here to seek for your blessings, to appeal to the Bauchi delegates to give me their votes on the day of the primaries, because there is no aspirant in our party that is as prepared as I am to be the President of Nigeria.

“I have the energy, I have the capability, I have the knowledge and the strength to be the President of Nigeria. I have the experience of what the problems are and what the solutions should be and I’m seeking your support to provide solutions to those problems.

“One of the things I did to fight militancy in Port Harcourt was to create employment. I will introduce agricultural programmes to create jobs for the people. I will provide infrastructure in Bauchi, I am full of experience, If you vote for me I will chase the criminals away. I did it in Port Harcourt and Rivers State and I am prepared to do it again. I will do my best to restore security in the country. Please tell your people to vote for me and I will bring that experience to bear, Amaechi said.

HURIWA as well as the over 36 register Civil Rights Advocacy Groups said the qualitative security blueprint of Mr. ROTIMI CHIBUIKE AMAECHI is commendable and should be looked on by other aspirants because it is obvious that our most fundamental human development issue destroying the body polity is insecurity. In fairness, most participants at the CSO’s parley in Abuja at the Weekend hosted by HURIWA somewhere at Wuse two, were of the unanimity of opinion that if truth be told, Mr. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has the most acceptable security template to take Nigeria out of the WILDERNESS OF INSECURITY AND TERRORISM within a short time frame because of his Profound commitment to the thematic area of HUMAN AND NATIONAL SECURITY. 

And as Ralph Waldo Emerson pointed out, commitment is the single virtue a charismatic leader of a nation needs to take his nation to the frontiers of advancement and sustainability. 

*EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO is head of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA and was NATIONAL COMMISSIONER of the NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF NIGERIA.