₦airaland Forum

The recent christening of Former president Olusegun Obasanjo as the Divider-in-chief by a presidential aide to President Mohammadu Buhari is apt and not very far from the truth. This development was in response to OBJ's controversial comment that the country was drifting into a failed and badly divided Nation-State under the present administration.

This development is rather needless and laughable, especially when it is coming from the person of OBJ, who instead of developing the country as a Military Head of State and later as a democratic President holds the record for impunity and mismanaging the country's huge resources. Now that the chickens have come home to roost OBJ is crying wolf in his characteristic manner.

As a former President, a lot is expected from OBJ rather than his fantasy for cheap propaganda against those who succeeded him. It is evident that his administration despite the availability of huge economic resources has little or nothing to show for, especially as corruption and looting of public funds thrived under his watch and glaring insecurity occasioned by the activities of Egbesu and Bakassi Boys, OPC, MASSOB, and MEND among other groups which was the order of the day.

Globally, it is common to see past Presidents and Head of States often take the back seat and assist successive administrations by giving advises and proffering solutions to issues based on experiences garnered by them while in office all in the interest of their nations where they are referred to as elder statesmen. This statesmanlike character does not seem to be the case of ex-president Obasanjo who takes up every opportunity to ridicule every successive administration especially the President Muhammadu Buharis'. As a matter of fact, Obasanjo has written unconstructive open letters to all successive administration in the country. Little wonder his messianic arrogance has led to believe he is the only leader fit to rule the country so much that he brazenly pursued the infamous Third Term Agenda. Suffice to note this administration’s policies are primarily geared towards righting most of his wrongs when he was at the helm.

OBJ's criticisms many a times raise questions as to whether it comes from an objective mind or maliciously driven going by the fact that he led Nigeria for a total period of 11 years both as Head of State and democratically elected President. Undoubtedly, this means he should have good knowledge of governance in country and contribute to its growth and development, as well as it woes. But the reverse is the case as he has the senility to forget that he was once in the helm of affairs when the country had its share of challenges but he chooses to peddle propaganda just to distract a president who unlike him is making giant strides in the country.

It is no secret that Obasanjo's accusations of Buhari's failures are the exact failures he recorded while being president. His failure to address ethno-religious relations which had plagued our chequered history as a country since 1966 and other centrifugal forces attempting to fight against the indivisibility of the country.

In addition, to the challenge of endemic corruption recorded in core sectors of the economy under OBJ's administration is unparalleled in the Nation. The inferior privatizations of public institutions like the then National Electric Power Authority, NEPA and the mismanagement of $16 billion expenditure on power project remains unanswered. This is aside other staple looting of public funds like the N950 billion non-existent road constructionsand his failed bid for third term which ranked Nigeria among the most corrupt countries with lack of infrastructural development and over 50% decline in employment rates among others.

Undoubtedly, Obasanjo established institutions like EFCC, but used the commission as a tool to harass perceived political opponents and enemies which made his administration notorious in breaching basic fundamental human rights of Nigerians. OBJ with his foible should not be pointing out that of others.

IkoObong from AkwaIbom

you choose to venture into politics now, so deal with what comes with it. this is the packages politicking comes with in Nigeria. enjoy it.

from the Governor Ortom narrative, it seems this Gana was his killing machine. i don't like the way he is distancing himself from the killing of a monster like Gana. does Ortom know something he is not telling us?

kingzizzy:
And the constitution has said that such person, if apprehended, has right to life and should be put through to the due process of the law. If the authorities cannot keep the law then who should?

Someone has surrendered, laid down his arms, submitted himself to the authorities. Rather than follow the law, the authorities turn into assassins. Terrible

so you are one of the supporters of the terrorist in the land, how I wish the Army will kill him for the second time if there were any. if it were to be Shekau now, you will be clapping that a monster has finally reached his waterloo.

Wiseandtrue:
You can imagine the audacity

When you started hisbah, and you stood by them, did it cost you anything Did it cost you the presidency

Why must you dictate for others

Abi na which kind 2 faced people be this

I don't blame you, CPC couldn't win the election without the help of the south, South West to be precise and now you have the audacity to dictate

Something dey worry una

get it straight Mr Man, the Hisbah are working with the police. any of their arrest is being handed over to police.

why do Nigerians only perfom well when they are outside the country?

which pipe are they maintaining when we carry all our petroleum product in trucks. abi the refineries are suddenly working?

somebody that cannot win an election in his state, I wish he try contesting for state Assembly member of his Local government, come and see highbrid disgrace. he keep on going from state to state begging money from these visited governor to survive.
Nigerian politics is a bitch, once you join, you can't manage business again because you life style has been moved to next level that a small business cannot fund it.

not bad though, i wish Nigerian DICON can start somewhere even if an flying keke.

we need more of your kind in this our trying time in Nigeria. i Hail you Ambassador of peace.

The unfortunate incident of Sunday August 23, 2020, that took the lives of well-meaning Nigerians in Emene, Enugu state, when security forces on patrol were attacked by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has once again brought to bare the cost of violence, the price of rebellion and the risk of disobedience.

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. The only real revolution is in the enlightenment of the mind and improvement of character wrapped in a refined civil approach. Bombs and guns do not achieve a revolution if there any from the first place, the sword of revolution is sharpened using the whetting-stone of ideas through dialogue and communication.

As a country we must remain cautious of how we handle such developments as they unfold.

I am just a preacher of peace, lover of orderliness, I have understood long ago that violence is never an answer to any challenge when we have one to deal with. The great Martin Luther King once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Going by this idea, violence cannot drive out violence, only peace can.

When an agitation is faulty from the onset, then avoidable pitfalls of loss may not be totally ruled out. But the best way to survive and rise as a nation lies on a way we manage agitations within the ambits of the law. We should focus more on supporting the governments in its effort of protection and preservation of the constitution as they have sworn to do.

It is quite unfortunate and regrettable that the incident lead to untimely deaths of some fellow Nigerians who chose to pay the ultimate price for peace, but we must remember that obedience to constituted authority is divinely a duty if we proclaim to be religious people. And this ultimately will leads us to true freedom. Laws are not meant to destroy us, but to maintain orderliness in a sane society. But otherwise leads to our own destruction.

It remains a thing of concern how swift some volatile Nigerians act to cash-in on such events to further spread hate and enemity on the internet, directed against security forces whose sacrifices we enjoy. Mind you, these securities we rebuke are Nigerians too.

They chose to put their lives on the line so that we can have peace. They sacrifice their sleep, comfort and quality time with families, patrolling our streets to ensure our safety. But we always not only under-appreciating them, but easily condemned them as they bleed to protect us.

Since the incident happened, I took time to go through some comments on the social media, all I see was a spit of venom directed towards these securities whom their fault was only making sure we remain peaceful. I was heartbroken, close to shading tears, I ask myself this simple question just like one unanimous person as always "how did we get here" or "who did this thing to us"? those who we ought to be applauding for laying down their lives so that we can live are instead being accused and taunted, calling them names and wishing evil against them. These individuals know little or nothing about the cost of war.

I also read the unsavoury threats by the fugitive leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, calling on IPOB members not to hesitate in activating defensive mechanism against security forces, then I remembered he is just a clown who derives pleasure in misleading people and fomenting trouble.

We must absolutely disregard the odious remarks by these agitators who know little to nothing about the cost of beating the drum of war.

IPOB being a proscribed group in the eye of the law, any gathering by them remains unlawful, and they should understand that. Moreover, on a general note, coronavirus is still active and people are being discouraged from gathering, what happened to the social distancing? Avoiding unnecessary gathering because of the pandemic is still in force!

A tweet from one Samson Adeyemi @ChiefOjukwu was particularly encouraging he wrote "Dear IPOB please do not take laws into your hands. I am against the killing of unarmed Citizens, but please let the agitations not lead to more killings. The DSS operatives you killed are humans and your brothers too. Your leaders are your real enemies, not the DSS."

At this critical time we are duty bound to preach peace and acceptance not hate for it can only lead to greater destruction. We need to do this for our future and those of our children.

Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow any religion of my choice , free to talk, think and act for myself — and I will obey every law or submit to the penalty, Chief Joseph. So says a wise man.

Unity is strength, division is weakness. He who experiences the unity of life sees his own self in all beings, and all beings in his own self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.

We can’t keep silent we must keep speaking against violence of any form. A choir is made up of many voices including yours and mine. If one by one all go silent then all that will be left are the soloists.

Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty of the test of our civilization. Put race against race, religion against religion, and prejudice against prejudice. Divide and conquer! We must not let that happen here.

How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity. When we work together in love and unity we can expect heaven’s help.

There are so many wrongs happening in this country, so many. Be that as it may, resorting to violent confrontation is hardly the way to achieve true democracy.

Yes, We will hold our leaders accountable for our lives and the best way is by supporting and believing they mean and are capable well and holding on to their responsibility.

A nation falls not because of governmental atrocity, but because of the citizens’ indifference to ways of solving those atrocities through strive.

Chukwuebuka from Nnewi South, Anambra.

nairavsdollars:
Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos



https://www.independent.ng/boko-haram-can-invite-el-rufai-to-their-agm-odumakin/

this Odumakin is agwero from which motopark abegi?

Igbochief001:
Is the white man trust worthy ? ...is the Chinese trust worthy? Russians ? ...u need a bit of aggressiveness to grow really ...most Africans lack this except maybe igbos

The rules is meant to keep the weak man down ...there is no rule in this world ...it's a dog eat dog world

No country achieved growth without doing something bad .. except the few small country with large resources ...it's a matter of time they would soon drop too

see one of them here, this country was basterdise by Igbos with no apology, they are the one that started money ritual through killing their father or any of the family member, they started the 419 game, they started the yahoo stuff, they take the large chunk in prostitution may be competing with Edo, I can go endless. they have succeeded in afflicting other ethnic group with this bad character. may God save this country.

Obj has always been a comedian, I wonder why people are taking him serious. Anyway, it is part of what he thinks will keep him in the limelight of politics. But he set the standards for our present predicament since 1999.

One of the biggest flaws of people is pretending to be blind to their own mistakes, but do not pretend to be deaf towards the mistakes of others. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is almost taking up the career of a government critic with his numerous reprimanding letters online forgetting that he may have laid the foundation for the present socio-economic, political and security realities.

The former President may not be able to boast of a fabulous 8 years reign because his regime actually looted the country dry and set it on a sordid path that successive administrations have battled to obliterate. A vivid example is the over $16bn his administration budgeted for power that could not be accounted for. Had the funds been utilized, the days of epileptic power supply would have been over and small and medium enterprises along with the manufacturing industry would have flourished.

Patriotism and political maturity ideally requires that leaders and stakeholders like Obasanjo offers political and economic solutions and advise on issues bordering the country. Equally, there should be support to government's economic objectives towards goal achievement through constructive and positive declarations instead of grumbling at every slight provocation.

As an elder states man and a former Head of State/ President, his recent habit of resorting to online media criticism against governments that he ordinarily has unrestricted access to, tells a lot about his person. It clearly shows how thirsty he is for power and attention. No one would believe that a man who spent three years as a military Head of State, and eight years as a democratic President with nothing to show for will still have the conscience to raise his voice on successive governments that are trying to clean up his mess.
The heart of Obsanjo's criticism is mostly centered on insecurity, but can his regime really boast of doing enough to curb insecurity? The Boko Haram evolved in the North, the OPC was notorious in the South-West, the Militants in the South-South (Niger-Delta), and Kidnapping and armed robbery was alarmingly high in the South East. Rather it was successive administrations that made giants strides in the fight against vices.

Talking about the corruption of anti-graft agencies, Obasanjo deserves the credit for establishing EFCC and ICPC. However, it remained a known fact that these agencies were solely established as private security guard dogs with an adjusted mandate of hunting down perceived political opponents. He exploited these anti-graft agencies to harass, arrest and torture opposition leaders.

Mr Obasanjo prides himself as a farmer but could not develop the agric sector to achieve the most talked about diversification, hence the country's continued dependence on oil. His major pre-occupation in this regard was pumping funds to stabilise his personal farm in Ota, as well as building a library in his name using donations from government and public office holders. This he did to the detriment of the National Library which was left to rotten by his administration.

There is also the issue of his flirtatious life style which led to his son Gbenga, divorcing his wife of six years after his father (Obasanjo) was accused of having sexual affair with her. A young girl, Faith Olusegun Obasanjo also came up online claiming to be one of the numerous offspring conceived by one of the numerous concubines of Obasanjo. Of utmost concern is the revelation the twenty-one year old made by claiming that Obasanjo gave her a whopping sum of $1m to set up herself.

Another sore point is his utterances on Fulanization/Islamisation which is regrettably aimed at sowing discord among fellow countrymen. He complains about nepotism, but it was under his watch that his daughter Iyabo served as a Commissioner of Health and subsequently Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly. At the Senate, Obasanjo lobbied for her to emerge as the Chairman Senate Committee on Health. She was later investigated by the EFCC over funds stolen from the Ministry.

With all these should OBJ still be regarded as a serious person that can attack other people's sense of morality?

Successive governments may still be striving on putting Nigeria on the right path, yet it obvious the present administration has made tremendous impact in the last 5 years reign despite inheriting backlog of problems including struggling economy, insecurity, dearth of railway, epileptic power supply, plummeted oil price, low employment rate. At present the situation is gradually improving, with significant gains still being made amidst the battle against global pandemic of COVID-19.

Today, there is the trader moni scheme to assist small and medium scale enterprises, school feeding program to attract and sustain children in the schools, the N-Power to empower the unemployed, as well as those in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and workers are being adequately remunerated with new welfare packages introduced.

The present administration has also shown commitment to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within the next 10 years with the Alliance for Poverty Eradication (APE) programme which will cover all states in the nation.

A lot has been achieved in the fight against insurgency; the economy is out of recession, railways are been revamped with cargoes being transported from one region to the other. The fight against corruption is been acknowledged and applauded locally and internationally, and leakages that hitherto encouraged looting of government’s funds are being plugged, and a new minimum wage with a significant upwardly reviewed to address issues relating to workers' welfare has been signed and implemented.

According to Adlai E. Stevenson, a hypocrite is the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree, then mount the stump and make a speech for conservations. Obasanjo needs to eschew his bitterness and rancour on those that have succeeded his administration whose only crime is to clean the mess he left. He should be constructive in his criticism and always remember that as a former military Head of State and a civilian president, the gates of the Presidency is always open for inputs and advice from elder Statesmen.

Nigeria will not seize to amaze me, how are the corrupt individuals finding their way of sponsoring one to head anti corruption in the land. God save my country.

! Man character comes under scrutiny since saraki days. But just as usual we are in a country where everything is possible.

When you think you have seen it all. Bagam!! Another bese will just show up. I was just wondering why Mr president will continue working with someone that have been denied approval for five years.

Magu: The Double Face of a Corrupt Anti-Corruption Czar

Ever since my enlistment into EFCC, I have never witnessed the level of unprecedented incompetency, selfishness, greed, and corruption in the Commission as we are seeing under the leadership of Ibrahim Magu. When Magu was appointed by President Muhammad Buhari, there were high hopes and expectations within the agency that he would be a complete upgrade from his predecessor, Ibrahim Lamorde. Little did we know that the Commission was in for a rude shock.

As someone who studied forensic accounting outside the country, I returned home to join the agency not only out of the need to be employed but from a burning desire and passion to contribute to the progress of the Nigerian nation through a robust fight against graft. Despite the initial challenges I encountered earlier at the Commission, I was beginning to settle in and was a little excited about what lies ahead, when there was a change of guard at the Commission. And so far, it has been a slide down the hill rather than up it.

My chairman has so far displayed the opposite of that which he has been mandated to check. He has exhibited extreme character flaws and his tenure has been marked by gross incompetence and inefficiency in leading the anti-corruption war. It is therefore not surprising to many in the know that his confirmation was opposed by many and why he has remained in acting capacity after five years.

Mr. Magu has bungled most of the high profile corruption cases the commission has prosecuted both locally and internationally. So bad is the situation that many criminals and fraudsters have been let off the hook for lack of diligent prosecution or insufficient evidence. His tenure has been characterized by media trial rather than actual prosecutorial success and most of the criminals he was mandated to prosecute are now lounging in different parts of the country and world.

My worry lies not only on the incompetence of the Chairman but on the public ridicule he brings to the Commission. The commission has lost its place and has become a shadow of itself. Chairman is now publicly seen aiding the escape of wanted persons for a price. The agency is now perceived as weak, inefficient, and corrupt.

International criminals like Invictus Obi, Mompha, and Hushppupi to mention a few were all reported to the commission and were let go before their eventual arrest by foreign security agencies. Despite intelligence from International Police (INTERPOL), Magu failed to act on to arrest these fraudsters when they visited the commission, mainly because of what happened behind closed doors. For example, Mompha who was flagged by the Interpol and initially arrested by the Commission was let go and is now lounging in Banana Island, Lagos.

This development among other failings of Mr. Magu has led to a break off of cooperation by foreign security services like the FBI, to collaborate with the Commission in extraditing wanted Economic and Financial criminals to face trial in Nigeria.

Not many Nigerians are aware that Mompha’s bail was secured with a well-furnished apartment acquired for Ibrahim Magu in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is therefore not surprising that many Nigerians are insisting that the recently arrested international fraudster, Ramoni Igbalodely Abbas aka Hushpuppi should not be released to the agency as they are concerned that his case too, would go the way of others.
Aside from international fraudsters, our corrupt politicians are roaming the streets freely despite damning evidence against most of them. Those the Commission had attempted to try have been set free by the court due to lack of diligent prosecution.

At this point, I am convinced beyond doubt that unless and until a new change of guard is witnessed in the Commission, the fight against corruption in the country would remain a joke. Already, the Commission under Mr. Magu has rolled decades of achievements. To allow him to continue to preside over such a critical agency would be a disservice to the country. To save the face of Nigeria from such ignominy, the President should act and LET MAGU GO!

This professor is too old to be appointed na, though Mr president is his mate maybe if I guess correctly, but in my bandit opinion, I hate mediocre. If you have a better idea on how to govern well, give it to the president and let him make use of them. Not all of us can win election at once. But in Nigeria we have this attitude of if am not the president let me be on the attacking side.

Anyway, for those who failed out with president Buhari and have pitched tent with the opposition, shame on them. Nigeria is not their investment, some people for the whole of there lifetime have never own any business except to be in the government and have become billinaire through such. These category of people should leave Nigeria alone.

This professor is too old to be appointed na, though Mr president is his mate maybe if I guess correctly, but in my bandit opinion, I hate mediocre. If you have a better idea on how to govern well, give it to the president and let him make use of them. Not all of us can win election at once. But in Nigeria we have this attitude of if am not the president let me be on the attacking side.

IS PROF. ANGO ABDULLAHI TURNING THE NORTHERN ELDERS FORUM INTO A GATHERING OF FAILED AND ANGRY POLITICIANS?

It is unfortunate, the travesty that has become of the Nigerian Elders Forum (NEF) under the leadership of AngoAbdullahi. At inception, the NEF was composed of eminent members of the Northern elite. Its voice was seen as a strong voice of reason from the region and advocates of nationalism. It is therefore regrettable that such a noble organization has allowed its platform to be used by failed and bitter politicians to ventilate their frustration.

Since the inauguration of the present leadership of the NEF in February 2018, the body has constituted itself into the mouth-piece of the opposition. The decision of the Abdullahi-led NEF to deviate from its advisory role ultimately led to the factionalization of the body. This was brought to fore by a former Board of Trustee member, late AbubakarTsav, who clearly dissociated the NEF from some uncharitable statements made by Prof.Abdullahi and his cohorts.

Ahead of the 2019 general election, Prof.Abdullahi-led team had gone to town calling on voters to reject President Muhammadu Buhari’s bids for a second term in office. Having failed in their bid to stop the re-election of President Buhari, Abdullahi recruited more partners and like minds in the person of Hakeem Baba Ahmed and Usman Bugage, to further his attacks on the government. This was immediately announced via a press statement in which they claimed that the administration has failed in its responsibility to Nigerians.
Ever since the group has been relentless in its attack through unfair criticism of the government. The zeal with which the NEF has pursued this agenda points to the fact that these men are driven by personal grudge and vendetta against the person of President Buhari, rather than by patriotism or genuine concern for the people. This is not difficult to see for any discerning mind.

First, Abdullahi is known for making reckless statements that serve his ego. For example, despite the current successes recorded in the fight against corruption by the Buhari-led government, he believes that the only way the government can prove its success so far is for the prisons to be overflowing with inmates and convicts of corruption. Such archaic reasoning should make anyone listening to him have a second thought.
Secondly, many Nigerians are not unaware of the failed ambition of Hakeem Baba Ahmed to clinch the position the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) or Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President. His failure to secure either of these perceived powerful positions of authority invariably pushed him to turn against the President.

It is therefore visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that these men are simply fighting a personal war under the umbrella of the NEF.

It is for this reason that Nigerians should be wary of their latest attacks on government under the guise of insecurity. World over, issues of security are not devoid of politics. Insecurity calls for a united front against a common enemy which are the criminals, the terrorists, and the bandits. It is, therefore, condemnable for anyone to seek to score cheap political points from the death of innocent citizens in the hands of terrorists or armed groups.

The NEF must take steps to redeem its image by ridding itself of this gang of failed and angry politicians who have taken over its space. The forum must reform and take its place as an advisory body and partner with the government in nation-building. On their part, the Abdullahi led group should do the honorable thing and come out as a political group, rather than hiding under the cover and protection of the NEF.
Nigerians are wiser and can no longer be deceived by selfish men seeking to use them to further their personal ambition. WE ARE WISER!![i][/i]

I think we have enough reasons now to allow the third tier of the government to function that is the local government. It is the closest government to grassroots. Some selfish politicians have made it look like their fathers farmland where they can take what they want. Untill we are ready for peace before we shall see one.

The Nigerian security self is underpaid. Imagine a security officer that put his life on the line cannot feed his family with his take-home pay. Peace is far from what we are thinking except the leaders are able to tell themselves the bitter truth.

Though the ungoverned spaces are much in the north, I think it would be good if the mandate of the Civil Defense should be reviewed to include concentrating them in the village rather than struggling mandate with the police in major cities.

Although the Emirate council pays the District heads and Dakaci's, but Mai anguwa's role have continued to be a voluntery service. I think it's time for government to include them into the payroll even if it is salary of level four local government staff. It is a trying time for them too. They have served for so long.

“Uniformity...creates a void, and Nature abhors a vacuum.”― Henri-FrédéricAmiel, The Private Journal of Henri Frederic Amiel

The recent wave of wanton killings by bandits and other armed groups in the North-central and North West of the country, particularly Katsina and Zamfara States has attracted widespread attention in the media and other well-meaning people from different parts of the country. The string of attacks somewhat seems to have defied several security operations and local peace negotiations even as the attacks are yet to abate.

The large expanse of bare land and under governed spaces pervade most northern states, to give some perspective to it, Katsina State is seven times larger than Lagos, it is bigger than Ekiti, Lagos and Osun States combine. So under governed spaces is not an entirely new concept, it has been applied to solve age-long problems namely the lack of effective government presence in parts or places within its territory. Under governed space is a direct reflection of the inability of the state to effectively perform its minimal statutory functions: the exercise of monopoly on the use of force; full territorial control; and provision of basic social services.

These spaces are marked predominantly with the absence or limited provision of security in parts that are vulnerable to occupation by criminal elements. These ungoverned spaces occur in national, state, and local government levels, but the land is mostly covered by the local government.
The kinds of attacks recorded in the North West are not novel but they have always been nipped in the bud through community vigilance and information sharing from the communities to aid in curbing the menace of banditry and sundry crimes.

The role the traditional institutions play in maintaining law and order in their various domains cannot be overemphasized. Some traditional leaders have been accused of working in tandem with the bandits or other armed groups against the interest of their people in particular and the country in general.

The traditional leaders are more in tune with the grassroots and the local populace. For instance, in the north, we have, the ‘mai anguwas’, the district heads, and other levels of calibrated local leadership, which one of their core mandates is maintaining peace and security within their various domains, a task in which they have failed miserably well in the circumstance. The fact that some traditional leaders have been found complicit in exacerbating the security, some are beneficiaries of the system.

For instance, as the case was in Zamfara State, where some traditional rulers were recently deposed, the Emir of Maru and Kanoma district head for allegedly being part of armed banditry in their respective domains as such they were stripped from their positions after due investigation by a committee set up by the state government. Suffice to say, the role traditional leaders play in a society like ours is multifaceted as the prerogative of protecting lives and property of people in their various domains lies with the traditional leaders as first-line contacts of the people.
The third tier of government must be alive to its responsibility at the grassroots level.

Like it is said nature abhors a vacuum. Our traditional institutions should work in sync with security agencies and governments at all levels to curb criminality across the country, a clear nexus exists between the provision of security by all constituent communities and the information voluntarily provided by the local populace through the traditional leaders. All hands must be on deck to nip these threats in the bud.


Abubakar Maryam writes from Funtua, Katsina State.[b][/b]

one bad thing that has always been a problem with Nigeria is playing a double standard. opposition over the years have been criticizing successive administration but without an alternative solution. I love opposition because they make the government be on their feet. but if you criticize an idea, provide a better alternative way of achieving the same.

anyway, na inhouse fight among northerners, though there is a clear threat to lives of the people in the region, when compared to previous years there were successes and suddenly upsurge in the spate of killing.

Mishaya:
AGAIN! THE UNENDING HOSTILE POSTURING OF THE NORTHERN ELDERS FORUM AGAINST PRESIDENT BUHARI



The sustained hostile posturing of the now disreputable Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has come to the fore again with the recent harsh and unjust criticism of President Buhari’s handling of the long established security challenges bedevilling the country. Again in its usual manner the NEF is playing to the gallery like the proverbial ostrich, the NEF has buried its head in the sand claiming to be oblivious of their role in further worsening the situation in the North rather than provide genuine solution to the challenges they highlighted.

Be that as it may, the Federal Government has put in place measures and is consistently implementing comprehensive security strategies with a view to overcoming the myriad of security challenges confronting the nation. Some of the strategies on ground include but not limited to, the expansion of the National Command and Control Centre to 19 states of the federation, resuscitation of the National Public Security Communication System and commencement of the implementation of the Community Policing Strategy etc.

Firstly, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, the self-acclaimed convener of the NEF, whom the Presidency responded to his criticism with some scathing acidic words of themselves highlighting Prof. Ango’s-led NEF in its antipathy against President Buhari, and its preference for another candidate which could not stop the president’s re-election in 2019. The NEF has failed to realise President Buhari’s good intentions and his commitment to the Nigerian project as well as securing all lives and property across the country as his constitutional mandate states.

Secondly, in enumerating the challenges faced by the country, the NEF, is to say the least, is only playing the ostrich as I have earlier noted. However, the NEF needs to bring out workable solutions to nation building, peace initiative and strategies that will have the buy-in of the northern populace in addressing the security challenges of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, rising numbers of out-of-school children, sedentary farmers and nomadic herdsmen clashes etc in the north.

Thirdly, the likes of Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who was in the forefront of NEF’s vituperation against the President was a seasoned technocrat with vast experience in governance and administration. Following his retirement by the then Yar’adua’s administration, he sought political relevance by lobbying for political appointment in the advent of President Buhari’s administration in 2015. In the aftermath of failing to clinch any position, he later aligned with Atiku Abubakar in the run up to the 2019 elections. Suffice to note that disparaging the President instead of joining hands towards nation building is simply not statesmanlike. For Prof. Ango, there is no better response that what he was rightly referred to as an irritant and featherweight by the Presidency.

To build this nation is a task we all must strive towards irrespective of tribe, religion, ethnic affiliation, political orientation and beliefs.

Isa Umar writes from Zaria, Kaduna State.

, na wao for this professor ango abi wetin dem they call this old ABU VC . the man be like a one man squad for this his Northern Elders Forum. abi house how una take see ham?