by Osho Adetunji
In a sane community where leaders and followers co-exist, where the flag
bearers and the supporters subsist, where the politicians and the voters
reside, who owns the power? It is believed that power is clenched in the
fists of the rulers as they use it to oppress the masses. The masses will
continue to be under oppression and molestation until they realize the true
source of power. The masses gave the power to the leader through their
votes; they are the owners of the power the leader claims to have. Lord
Acton opines that; “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts
absolutely”. Lord Acton’s statement seems to be in operation in Nigeria as
the power given to our leaders has corrupted them. A governor gets the cars
in his convoy with taxpayers’ money and uses the same car to kill a citizen.
This is the highest form of public oppression and harassment.
Deep in the midst of the scuffle between Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government (FG), ASUU
lost a sage to the cold hands of death. The death of former President of
ASUU, Prof. Festus Iyayi came as a shock to all and sundry, as the
cock crew in Benin in the wee hours of the morning on November 12,
2013, he was hale and hearty beaming with smiles, little did he know that
that day was going to be his last. Death snatched the academician from
our hands in a way we least expected, no premonitions about his death all
we knew was that he was on his way to Kano for National Executive
Committee (NEC) meeting of ASUU. The news moved from the
North to the South, from the West to the East that the don of Business
Management is gone. On Lokoja-Abuja highway, one of the cars in the
convoy of Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada rammed into Iyayi’s car
which caused his death. The frivolous and the exuberant state of life of a
chauffeur made us lose a renowned activist.
The list of deaths caused by the convoy of top public office holders is
alarming and getting out of hand. In 1995, the convoy of the then
Communications Minister, the late Abubakar Rimi was responsible for the
killing of two school children near Lagos airport. In 2011, the convoy of
Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema was involved in an automobile
accident which claimed the lives of five persons including the aide-de-camp
to the governor. On April 28, 2012, the convoy of Edo State governor,
Adams Oshiomole was involved in a gruesome auto-accident which resulted
in the death of three journalists with four journalists seriously injured. On
September 24, 2012, Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-
Makura escaped death by whiskers when his convoy was involved in a
fatal auto accident in which he lost three of his aides. On October 6,
2013, the convoy of the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwan Adamu ran into
that of the Taraba State acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar along the
Gombe/Bauchi Road. In December 2012, the convoy which initiated
Prof. Iyayi’s death was involved in a ghastly motor accident which
claimed the life of an aide-de-camp while the Governor himself was
hospitalized with an injured leg. This is the list of the deaths caused by a
convoy; these are the ones reported and yet they have left a lot of families
in grief. The essence of convoy is for protection of the so-called public
official, the governors all escaped death but some of their aides never got
too lucky with the precarious situation.
The siren-blaring and the over-speeding nature of the convoys need to be
under scrutiny. Of what good is this to the citizens of the country? The
main essence of convoy is to provide protection and ensure that top
government officials meet up with their official appointments. Of recent, the
convoys have been a constant source of noise pollution, deaths, injuries to
road users and a source of public harassment. It is interesting to know that
the convoy of a Nigerian governor is larger than that of the British
Prime Minister and no American State governor or Canadian provincial
premier attempts to disrupt the serenity enjoyed by the citizens. Nigerians
are expected to earn such a level of dignity and nobility from their leaders.
Since his inception as the governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola
has decided to be a leader with a difference as he is the only governor who
refuses to oppress those who elected him with siren-blaring and speed
racing convoy. He condemns the trend as an abuse of power and
harassment of the citizens; he also gave clear orders to his commissioners to
desist from such an act. This is a quintessence of civilized governance. It
is high time other governors in Nigeria emulate the behavior of Babatunde
Fashola and display a modicum of respect to those who elected them into
office.
No need listing the number of families that have been tossed into the loch
of mourning and grief as a result of the barbaric attitude of the drivers in
the convoy of public officers. The list got extended with the recent accident
in Anambra involving a convoy of bank bullion van and other commercial
vehicles which claimed the lives of four people. The onus lies on the
Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, to enforce the order
curbing the use of siren to a limited number of public officials. Federal
Road Safety Corps need the audacity to challenge convoy drivers that
break all traffic rules and speed limits with exemption. The governors
might have immunity; the drivers do not have immunity against trials. We
have to realize that no one is above the law, all fingers are equal, and the
law is made for both the rich and the poor. The problem most times in
Nigeria is the liberation with which people get involved in criminal acts
because the Law enforcement agencies lack the mettle to check the law
breakers.
The words of Edmund Burke comes to mind; “evil persists when good men
do nothing”. Good men in the country must arise and find pertinent
solutions to the brutal use of convoys by public officers which connotes
abuse of power. The death of Prof. Festus Iyayi should be the starting
point for the prosecution of law defaulters, the law breakers must be brought
to book so as to serve as a deterrent to others.

19 People Confirmed Dead and 38 Others Injured In Fatal Road Accident In Katsina

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has publicly confirmed that no fewer than 19 persons have died and 38 other persons were injured in a ghastly road accident on Daudawa-Funtua road in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State earlier on Friday, April 5th.

The FRSC Sector Commander in Katsina state identified as Godwin Ngeuku, made the confirmation to newsmen on Friday afternoon in Katsina state.

Godwin Ngeuku stated that the tragic incident happened on Friday morning at Daudawa, few kilometres to Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State involving a Mitsubishi vehicle.

The FRSC sector commander in Katsina state revealed that the driver lost control of the vehicle while speeding, skidded off the road, somersaulted and killed some passengers on the spot.

Read more https://idonsabi.com/19-people-confirmed-dead-and-38-others-injured-in-fatal-road-accident-in-katsina/

jitela:
by Osho Adetunji
In a sane community where leaders and followers co-exist, where the flag
bearers and the supporters subsist, where the politicians and the voters
reside, who owns the power? It is believed that power is clenched in the
fists of the rulers as they use it to oppress the masses. The masses will
continue to be under oppression and molestation until they realize the true
source of power. The masses gave the power to the leader through their
votes; they are the owners of the power the leader claims to have. Lord
Acton opines that; “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts
absolutely”. Lord Acton’s statement seems to be in operation in Nigeria as
the power given to our leaders has corrupted them. A governor gets the cars
in his convoy with taxpayers’ money and uses the same car to kill a citizen.
This is the highest form of public oppression and harassment.
Deep in the midst of the scuffle between Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government (FG), ASUU
lost a sage to the cold hands of death. The death of former President of
ASUU, Prof. Festus Iyayi came as a shock to all and sundry, as the
cock crew in Benin in the wee hours of the morning on November 12,
2013, he was hale and hearty beaming with smiles, little did he know that
that day was going to be his last. Death snatched the academician from
our hands in a way we least expected, no premonitions about his death all
we knew was that he was on his way to Kano for National Executive
Committee (NEC) meeting of ASUU. The news moved from the
North to the South, from the West to the East that the don of Business
Management is gone. On Lokoja-Abuja highway, one of the cars in the
convoy of Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada rammed into Iyayi’s car
which caused his death. The frivolous and the exuberant state of life of a
chauffeur made us lose a renowned activist.
The list of deaths caused by the convoy of top public office holders is
alarming and getting out of hand. In 1995, the convoy of the then
Communications Minister, the late Abubakar Rimi was responsible for the
killing of two school children near Lagos airport. In 2011, the convoy of
Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema was involved in an automobile
accident which claimed the lives of five persons including the aide-de-camp
to the governor. On April 28, 2012, the convoy of Edo State governor,
Adams Oshiomole was involved in a gruesome auto-accident which resulted
in the death of three journalists with four journalists seriously injured. On
September 24, 2012, Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-
Makura escaped death by whiskers when his convoy was involved in a
fatal auto accident in which he lost three of his aides. On October 6,
2013, the convoy of the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwan Adamu ran into
that of the Taraba State acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar along the
Gombe/Bauchi Road. In December 2012, the convoy which initiated
Prof. Iyayi’s death was involved in a ghastly motor accident which
claimed the life of an aide-de-camp while the Governor himself was
hospitalized with an injured leg. This is the list of the deaths caused by a
convoy; these are the ones reported and yet they have left a lot of families
in grief. The essence of convoy is for protection of the so-called public
official, the governors all escaped death but some of their aides never got
too lucky with the precarious situation.
The siren-blaring and the over-speeding nature of the convoys need to be
under scrutiny. Of what good is this to the citizens of the country? The
main essence of convoy is to provide protection and ensure that top
government officials meet up with their official appointments. Of recent, the
convoys have been a constant source of noise pollution, deaths, injuries to
road users and a source of public harassment. It is interesting to know that
the convoy of a Nigerian governor is larger than that of the British
Prime Minister and no American State governor or Canadian provincial
premier attempts to disrupt the serenity enjoyed by the citizens. Nigerians
are expected to earn such a level of dignity and nobility from their leaders.
Since his inception as the governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola
has decided to be a leader with a difference as he is the only governor who
refuses to oppress those who elected him with siren-blaring and speed
racing convoy. He condemns the trend as an abuse of power and
harassment of the citizens; he also gave clear orders to his commissioners to
desist from such an act. This is a quintessence of civilized governance. It
is high time other governors in Nigeria emulate the behavior of Babatunde
Fashola and display a modicum of respect to those who elected them into
office.
No need listing the number of families that have been tossed into the loch
of mourning and grief as a result of the barbaric attitude of the drivers in
the convoy of public officers. The list got extended with the recent accident
in Anambra involving a convoy of bank bullion van and other commercial
vehicles which claimed the lives of four people. The onus lies on the
Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, to enforce the order
curbing the use of siren to a limited number of public officials. Federal
Road Safety Corps need the audacity to challenge convoy drivers that
break all traffic rules and speed limits with exemption. The governors
might have immunity; the drivers do not have immunity against trials. We
have to realize that no one is above the law, all fingers are equal, and the
law is made for both the rich and the poor. The problem most times in
Nigeria is the liberation with which people get involved in criminal acts
because the Law enforcement agencies lack the mettle to check the law
breakers.
The words of Edmund Burke comes to mind; “evil persists when good men
do nothing”. Good men in the country must arise and find pertinent
solutions to the brutal use of convoys by public officers which connotes
abuse of power. The death of Prof. Festus Iyayi should be the starting
point for the prosecution of law defaulters, the law breakers must be brought
to book so as to serve as a deterrent to others.