₦airaland Forum

Banditry crisis in Nigeria and the ethic dimension
By Abdulrazaq Hamzat

Alot of people have requested for my opinion on the menace of banditry in Nigeria and the increasing ethic dimention, especially with the development in Oyo State and other southern part of the country.

While i have delibately stayed away from the subject so as not to aggravate some people's agony, i therefore find it worthy to give my opinion now, before it is too late.

1. Federal Government of Nigeria failed to protect the herders from cattle rustlers, thereby leading to crisis in the industry.

For over a decade, cattle rustlers were having a field day, rustling of cows, killing and miaming fulani herders.

In the process of rustling, thousands of herders were killed, their sources of livelihood crippled and endless waiting for justice and protection from government produced no result.

2. When government has failed to protect the herders, who are often within the forest areas, they resort to self help, contributing money to acquire similar weapons used by their tormentors as a means of self defence.

3. With their new found power of the guns, they protected themselves from their aggressors, but that seems not enough because there's no much to hold unto, and soon, they take to crime and became the aggressors.

As history has shown us, every evil often start with a good intention, but a criminal without gun is still far better than a saint with gun. So, from the problem of cattle rustling, the dynamics of crime changed to human rustling, better known as kidnapping.

4. As more victim of cattle rustling, who have lost every source of livelihood discovers the possibility of escaping from their state of victimhood through human rustling in exchange for ransome, thousands of them were recruited into this business which is far easier than herding cows and soon, it became the new menace of organized banditry.

From victims, they became aggressors.

But the irony of it all is that, they feel justified within them, pointing fingers to government and their former tormentors.

5. The same government, which failed to protect herdsmen from rustlers during their decades of victimization, has equally failed to protect farmers and the general public from these highly wounded, highly populated and highly coordinated bandits.

From petty kidnapping, they grew into sophisticated banditry and now gradually metarmorphosing into insurgency.

Government must be held accountable for failing in its responsibility to the nation, it must be forced to be responsible and all efforts to solving the problem should be joint approach, not ethic based profiling.

This is not an ethic problem, it is a problem of government failure and a criminal problem.

6. Seeing failure of government to respond to the crisis appropriately, farmers and the general public are seeking a way out, through self help.

Quite notice and attacks against fulani community by the likes of Sunday Igboho is being supported by some people, under the guise of seeking solution to the current logjam.

7. However, just like the bandits, who are kidnapping and killing innocent people as a response to their own experience of victimhood in the hand of the rustlers, Sunday Igboho and their likes are largely attacking innocent people, a situation that may soon turn them to greater aggressors.

And because a criminal without a gun is far better than a saint with gun, we need to act with high level of restrain and responsibility, especially in giving them a nod.

8. It is important to note that, immediately local communities resort to self help, attacking, brutalizing and evicting others, just like the victim herders turn aggressor bandits, they may soon run out of fulani herders to attack, but instead turn greater threat, far beyond the one they currently claim to fight.

When they no longer have fulani herdsmen to attack with their weapons, they will turn to you, in greater proportion and there will no longer be anyone to evict or give quit notice.

9. Then, the circle of violence will continue, against you, by the people you enable.

10. However, if we resist the temptation of self help or blaming each other, but instead focus on holding government accountable and forcing them to take responsibility, we would have acted better than the herdsmen.

I therefore call on all well meaning Nigerians to become a voice of reason in this trying period, not re-echo or aggravate the situation.

*Abdulrazaq Hamzat is a peacebuilding professional. He can be reached at discus4now@gmail.com*

lionshare:
I read it prior to asking my question. Kindly answer my question.

You should kukuma enrol me in phd classs to be listing 110 road project in an article.

If you really care about the list, visit Kwara State Govt website. Check ministry of works

maryjames9:
Has he paid new minimum wage? NO. Instead, he dribbled workers Union and used court to stop them from embarking on indefinite strike since last year after dribbling them to suspend their first strike last year.

Kwara workers gets the least salary so far in Nigeria. They are the only state in Nigeria collecting 9k minimum wage, thanks to the Saraki Dynasty and off course special thanks to Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman who promised them new minimum wage during campaigns and is now unfortunately failing to fulfill his promise to them.

The truth is, for Kwara Workers, the Governor has failed woefully and they are only waiting for 2023 to kick him out, regardless of the number of roads, schools, infrastructures and projects he has probably embarked on in the state

Minimum wage, is not the same as infrastructural development.

Before he came on board, workers are owed almost 10 months salary.

Almost all state owned indtitutions are shutdown.

Subeb teschers are being paid half salary.

Even pensioners are owed almost 23 months unpaid

So, how do you expect a new govt to come onboard and start paying minimum wage, when all of the above burden are left for him to clear?

Is he a super man or will he print money by himself?

Thankfully, he has cleared all the above burden and the only thing left is the minimum wage.

He has even promoted workers and cash backed it, something that don't happen so regularly.

At the right time, he will implement the minimum wage, something that has been captured in this year's budget.

Workers, who are just less than 2% of the population, should not be blackmailing the govt, because his responsibility is to over 3.5 million people.

He Must strike a balance between workers welfare and citizens welfare.

lionshare:
Still waiting for your answer. For emphasis, list the projects completed in January, 2021 as your post says 5 projects per month.

Read the full article again and you will find your answer there

santakris:
Remove Coca-Cola road please. Some portions were done not the whole Coca-Cola road

Some portion were done, yet you don't think those who did that portion are on course?

This article was written over a year ago, detailing the various road projects.

Over 150 ongoing road projects in Kwara State almost at no cost

By Abdulrazaq Hamzat

Kwara Must Change, a Pro-Democracy group has been following very keenly, the pace of development in Kwara State and in the course of this engagement across the state, the group has come to understand that the Kwara State government is currently executing more than 150 road projects across the state, some of which are about to commence, others are ongoing or completed, either construction or rehabilitation.

Ordinarily, with the Kwara of yesterday that we used to know, this figure seems highly exaggerated and unreal, but to be honest with you, the figure is very real.

While it is true that Kwara Must Change has not been to all the over 150 projects, it is also true that it has been to several of the ongoing projects and based on available records, we can say that indeed, Kwara State is executing more than 150 road projects across the 16 local government areas of the state.

After the publication of an article titled ‘’3 hours with Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’’ where I echoed in passing, the discovery of Kwara Must Change, about the over 150 ongoing road projects being executed in the state, a couple of people had reached out to me, asking to know more about the projects.

While some people are probing the claim to be able to criticize it, rightly or wrongly, others are asking because they really want to know, so as to follow the pace of development in the state with all sense of responsibility.

I have therefore penned down this opinion to provide some context to the claim, while those who need specific details can reach out to appropriate authorities.

*Kwara North*
In Kwara North for example, particularly in Baruten Local Government, several road projects are either ongoing , in the pipeline or already completed, among which include, Market junction road, Emir Palace road, Gwanara road, Okuta-Kenu- Gwanara road, Ilesha Baruba road, Maigida Baanu road and many others.

In Edu local government, we have the secretariat road Lafiagi, Tswata Bodzo road, Tsonga road, Tsaragi Market road, Batakpan box culvert, Lafiagi Bacita road, Ahmadu bello way, Bacita road, Zaria road and many others.

Moving on to Mooro Local Government, we have the Pepsi road, Labour camp road, Jebba road, Sabo road, Bode Saadu road, Taiwo road, Station road, Shao Malete road, Shao township road, Oke Oyi Lanwa road, Lanwa Oloru road and many others.

In Kaiama Local government, Bode Saadu-Kaiama road is ongoing. Then we have Kaiama-Kosubosu road, Kaiama to Chainage road, Kaiama general hospital road and several others. In Patigi on the other hand, the Emir’s palace road is ongoing, along with several others.

*Kwara South*
When you go to Kwara South, particularly in Offa local government, several roads are under construction, rehabilitation or about to commence, among which include, Popo road, Omolola Olagunju road, Secretariat road, Taiwo road, Offa Ojoku road, Federal Polytechnics Offa road and several others.

In Irepodun Local Government, we have the Museum road in Esie, Taiwo road in Omu Aran, Oro-Esie- Arandun road, Omuaran-Oro ago road, College of Education, Oro road and several others.

Moving on to Oyun Local Government, we have the Town hall station road, African School road to Oyan and Erin ile road.

Others include, Oke Oyan bridge, Oro Ago- Oke Oyan road, Oke Oyan- Owakajola road and others.

In Ifelodun Local government, Oro Ago- Oyate road, Oro Ago-Owa Kajola-Owu fall road, Ajasse Igbaja- Yaru- Okeode road, Kabba-Kajola- Alomiliya- Ogbondoroko road, Shagbe- Babanla -Oreke road, Abayan Ora road, Shagbe Ologomo Bisewa-Zambufu road and others.

When you get to Oke Ero Local Government, Ilofa - Imode road is there, Aiyedun Township road is there, Osi- Obbo Aiyegunle road is there, Odo Owa- Erinmope road is there and several others.

In Isin Local government, Owode-Ofaro- Afin- Ikosun- Alabe- Oreke road, Oke Onigbin, Isanlu Isin road, Isanlu isin -Owa Onire-Owu fall road.

We also have that of Osi township road in Ekiti local government and others.

*Kwara Central*
Coming back to Kwara Central, we have the Rehabilitation of vandalized Cargo terminal at Ilorin International Airport, Internal road of College of Arabic and Islamic legal studies (CAILS), Odota- Lao road, Sango-Akerebiata road, Ganmo road rehabilitation, Gaa Akanbi, Agbabiaka road, Kilanko Michael Imodu road, Area court center Igboro road, Tanke, overcomers eastern reservoir network road, Culvert at Okesuna primary school, Coca cola road, Otte eroded portion of federal road, Interlock at Koro Afoju and several others.

These are just the few that can be captured here.

It is important to note that, a significant portion of these projects are being handled by local contractors, which is a deliberate policy by government to encourage indigenous contractors.

With this policy, the Kwara State government is killing three birds with just one stone.

Firstly, government is providing road infrastructure to make the transportation of goods and services easy.

Secondly, it is creating jobs, through the engagement of local contractors, aswell as increasing their capacity to compete at the national level.

And finally, it is doing the above two at no cost to the state's economy, since the larger chunk of the cost is still retained here, thereby stimulating the economy.

In other words, Kwara State government gives out the job, the jobs get done, yet Kwara State economy still retains the cash.

Abdulrazaq Hamzat is the Convener of Kwara Must Change

Roads of various length

*Strange facts about Kwara State Govt*
By Abdulrazaq Hamzat

1. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq came into office on May 29, 2019, precisely less than 21 months ago.

As at today, February 10, 2021, for every 1 month he has spent in office since 2019, he has constructed, at least 5 new roads, totalling over 110 new roads.

This means that, for every 6 days Abdulrahman has spent in office, he has constructed at least, 1 new road.

With this statistics, we can actually project that by the end of his first term in office, he would have constructed at least, 300 new roads, 1 road in every 6 days.

The roads being built were built without any loan and without owing any contractor.

They were built from the meager allocation of Kwara State and its mild Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

It is also important to note that, from this small income, the state government also paid the counterpart funds for RAAMP, in which almost 200 rural access roads will be built over the next 2 years.

This means that, by the end of Abdulrahman's 4 years in office, his government would have successfully built over 500 new roads in the state.

500 new roads in 4 years, would be 125 roads per year, more than 10 roads per month and more than 1 road every 3 days spent in office.

2. In 21 months in office as governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman has constructed or renovated at least, 37 schools.

That is almost 2 schools per month or 1 school, every 15 days he has spent in office.

From the meager allocation of the state and its mild Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the Kwara State government have equally paid off Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) debt and other counterpart funds to access over N7Billion for education infrastructure.

The N7Billion received from this efforts, according to the government, would be used to build 600 new schools in the next 2 years.

With the 600 new schools the government is planing to build with UBEC funding in the next 2 years, that would be a total of 637 schools constructed in 4 years by the Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq's administration.

Literarily, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq's government would have built almost 160 schools per year.

Almost 13 schools every 1 month and 1 school in less than every 3 days in office.

3. Between 2019 till date, more than 50 primary and secondary medical facilities have been constructed, renovated and equiped.

This is about less than 3 facilities per month and 1 in every 10 days.

There are several ongoing projects in the health sector that we cannot even talk about.

All of these projects were done without any loan or debt and doing them has not hinders government from meeting its other obligations, such as prompt payment of salary, payment of pension, provision of water infrastructure and so on.

If the government doing all of the above then came forward, to say that, i need bond to carry out enterprising projects across the state to be able to provide jobs for the teeming population and generate more income for the government, any objective person would agree that the government has really demonstrated capacity to win over members of the Kwara State House of Assembly and the general public.

So, when anybody say to me, why are you defending and supporting the government of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq?

I would respond, why are you not?

*Abdulrazaq Hamzat is the Convener of Kwara Must Change*

*Inviting Saraki to review Legislative Watch is to subject it to harsh and critical review*

Kwara Must Change as a leading pro-democracy group in Kwara State is not scared of subjecting itself and its activities to the review and criticism of people it has been critical of in time past.

Criticism, especially a constructive one, in our understanding, should propels excellence, not hinders it.

This is why we deemed it fit to subject our recently produced Legislative Watch report to the review of the most unlikely person, whom we believe, would give us the most divergent and critical review of the report.

In the past 24 hours or thereabout, especially after the report that says former senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki is amongst individuals and groups given the opportunity to review Kwara Must Change's Legislstive Watch Report, i have received several calls and messages from far and near.

I have equally read several critical comments and remarks across the various social media platforms in Kwara State.

To begin with, a review is just another person's opinion or observation about a report. Such opinion may or may not have any influence on the report itself, but it could help validate or strengthen it.

Kwara Must Change's decision to subject Legislative Watch report to diverse review is to obtain as much critical review as possible to strengthen the report.

It is a known fact that Kwara Must Change has been very critical of the former senate president over the years, and our criticism of him has been strictly based on issues that jointly affect us.

We stand by all our positions over the years and we are also not scared of critical or even harsh review that may come from him.

For us at KMC, subjecting Legislative Watch report to Dr Bukola Saraki's review is the height of our confidence in the report and we are not unmindful of the fact that, the most critical review may come from someone who has been viewed very critically by us over time, as this is his opportunity to assess us back in return.

We therefore urge all those interested in the report to see this as a positive development for our democracy and not the other way round.

Abdulrazaq Hamzat
Convener
Kwara Must Change

*Former Senate President, NILDS, CISLAC, Budgit, ENETSUD and others to review Legislstive Watch-KMC*

A leading Pro democracy group, Kwara Must Change, which recently collaborated with Grand Plan to produce Legislative Watch Report to assess Kwara lawmakers have decided to subject its report to diverse scrutiny, and strengthen the novel concept, which is yet to be published.

Kwara Must Change said that former senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki, National Institute of Legislstive and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Budgit, CISLAC, ENETSUD and others have been given the opportunity to review the report.

In a statement by Abdulrazaq Hamzat, Convener of Kwara Must Change, the group said that, we are sure that with Legislstive Watch, Kwara Must Change is institutionalizing legislative accountability devoid of political consideration and we are subjecting the report to wider scrutiny to advance the objective.

The statement reads:

In furtherance to our commitment to subject our efforts to wider scrutiny, we have done as follows in this past month:

1. Presented the Legislstive Watch Report to former senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki for review.

2. Presented the Legislstive Watch Report to Director General, National Institute of Legislstive and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for review

3. Presented the Legislstive Watch Report to Executive Director of Budgit, a National CSO tracking Legislstive activities

4. Presented the Legislstive Watch Report to Cislac, a National platform, working with Transparency International to review the Report.

5. Presented the Legislstive Watch Report to a local CSO, Enetsud to have their input.

There are few other individuals reviewing the report and we expect every thing to be concluded by the end of this month, the statement reads.

Hamzat maintained that, the essence of this is to ensure that we have diverse reviews and inputs, to strengthen our efforts at institutionalizing legislstive accountability.

End

*Atunwa's Bomb, Bolaji's Missile and Abdulrahman's N35b bond for Kwara development*

Kwara State House of Assembly recently approved the request of the Kwara State government to raise N35b bond to carry out certain developmental projects.

However, former speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly and defeated opposition governorship candidate, Hon Razaq Atunwa and former Minister of Youth, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi are the two respected and prominent voices that had condemnd the move.

While Hon.Atunwa said he's putting anti graft agencies on notice, whatever that means, Mallam. Bolaji Abdullahi said the bond approach by government shows that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq's government is not a thinking one.

Although, i respect the opinion of both personalities, but i disagree with them.

Ordinarily, it was expected, with all due respect, that the thinking person, would have shown us the product of his thinking, by at least telling the public, a better approach the government could have taken to finance its developmental initiatives, but after reading through his epistle, nothing was mentioned as a better idea, other than what the hausa would describe as dogon turanci.

From history and antecedent of the current government since 2019, evidences show that, the government is not owing anyone, either workers or contractor and every project inherited, aswell as those newly embarked upon are being completed as at when due.

This shows that the government can be trusted to do with the bond, what it said it would do, which is to establish industries across various sectors and build trade, technology, tourism, agriculture and all sorts of economic infrastructures.

"Kwara requires huge investments in strategic infrastructure and revenue-generating vocations to widen the economic base of the state without resorting to undue taxation of the citizenry", a statement from Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State governor reads.

Listing some of the projects to be executed, the statement reads:

"N13bn of Kwara bond sums would go into funding 37 (ongoing and new) roads of varying sizes across the three senatorial districts.
 
"The agricultural sector will gulp the second biggest investment at N7bn. The government plans to establish ‘virtual farms’ spanning thousands of hectares of land, supported with processing and packaging factories. The focus, according to the plan, is on cashew, soya bean, shea, and cocoa processing".

"A cumulative sum of N15bn will be spent on the education, health, entertainment, and creative sectors.

"A film factory will be built in the capital city Ilorin. A race to tap into the multimillion-dollar entertainment industry, the facility will offer production and post-production services for Nollywood and other West African movie industries. Primed to rival Lagos and Accra, the two major hubs for postproduction in the African subregion".

"Some funds will also go into completing the ongoing visual arts centre, with a space for gold-standard antiquities sourced from across the state, workshop studios for artists to practice, a space for exhibition of contemporary art, art shops, and a café".

Looking through the other proposed items tells us that these are indeed worthy projects that will not only enhance Kwara's development and business environment, but would also improve its human capital development.

To now imagine that two former aspirants to the office of Governor in the state, would describe the above futuristic plans as unthinking, without being able to present anything to the contrary, put a question mark on their understanding of 21st century governance.

Although, i understand that their position is largely motivated by politics, but sometimes, there's need to outgrow the pettiness usually associated with politics.

When i read the literary bombs thrown into the market square by Hon Atunwa, all i could do was to shake my head.

If you read him very carefully, you will observe that the bombs he threw sounded more like that of Boko Haram, which seek to terrorize the heart of the people rather than a voice of reason in the interest of the people.

Unfortunately, any action motivated by bitterness cannot produce reason.

The question therefore is that, what good can the Boko Haram bomb do to advance our quests for development other than bring stagnation and destruction, even to Boko Haram itself?

So, like Boko Haram, Hon Atunwa's bomb also couldn't serve any better purpose.

This is somebody who had served in government for 15 years in various capacities, and without any major achievement other than corruption and inpunity. The allegation levelled against him by Hon Ilyasu Ibrahim in 2012, while serving as Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly is still fresh.

If there's anything I am thankful to Allah for, it is the fact that somebody like Atunwa didn't smell the Kwara government house because that would have amounted to a disaster of the greatest proportion.

And as if Hon Atunwa's salvo is not enough, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, whom many actually expected more from, turn out to be worse. The beginning of his statement gave so much hope until it ended without manifesting.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Mallam Abdullahi's piece didnt sound like that of Boko Haram's bomb, but more like the missile of their counterpart in the Niger Delta.

In other words and with all due respect, they are birds of the same feather, who lack justification in their disposition.

In retrospect, between 2009 to 2015, former Governor, Distinguish Senator Bukola Saraki and Dr. Abdulfatai Ahmed's government took a combined bond of N47billion.

In 2009, Dr. Saraki took N17b and in 2010, he took another N10b.

Although, the bond had a 5 years tenure of repayment, but by 2014, they were only able to pay back N10b, without succesful execution of most of the targeted projects.

How will they pay back the remaining debt? They dont know.

By 2015, Governor Ahmed took another N20b bond, some of which went into repayment of previous bond. You know, they use debt to pay debt.

The N17Billion bond taken by Dr. Saraki was supposed to be used in executing some projects, but most of the projects were either not executed, or abandoned half way. Only few was completed.

Projects such as Asa Dam Mixed Development, International Truck Plaza, Cement Factory, Commercial Agriculture Phase II, Water Project, International hotel and conference cente, Amusement Park and Land Acquisition compensation were never executed, even till this day.

Others like New Secretariat, Aviation College, Kwara State University etc were executed half way.

Does this not supposed to worry Hon Atunwa and Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi and help them ask the right questions from the present government instead of playing politics with governance?

As at August 2018, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that Dr Bukola Saraki and former governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed diverted a larger portion of the N17 billion bond for private use. Same with the N10b taken in 2010 and N20b taken in 2015.

It is therefore surprising that members of the past government, which perpetrated such act will be shooting bombs to a government, which has excellently governed the state since 2019, clearing inherited mess, building infrastructure and attempting to advance its good job by taking bond to create industries and enterprising opportunities in the state.

Let me conclude by saying that, we should not politicize governance. Politics can be for politicians, but governance is for all.

Additionally, it is understood, that the government of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq had prepared a people's oriented budget, where most projects targeted with the bond are in direct response to people's demand during community budgetary engagement across the state, but nonetheless, anyone with genuine question should engage government constructively to advance the course of good governance and not reduce governance to politics.

*Abdulrazaq Hamzat is the Convener of Kwara Must Change*

There's no much difference between tribalism and racism.

While racism happen between people of different races, tribalism occur between people of different tribes.

For decades, accusation and counter accusation of tribalism has been made in political, entertainment and even in civil service.

Share your personal experience of tribalism across states in Nigeria.

How to achieve restructuring –Olawepo-Hashim

Published January 28, 2021

‌
John Alechenu, Abuja

A former Presidential candidate in the 2019 general election, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), can achieve a lot in the area of restructuring by urgently sending an executive bill to the National Assembly in areas where a national consensus has been built.

He said this while speaking to newsmen, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The businessman turned politician noted that from ongoing public debate, it was obvious that consensus has been built around issues such as the desirability of state police to deal with insecurity, devolution of powers to states to control resources in their inland basins to pay taxes to the centre.


This, he said, would be a good way to start. He argued that it was practically impossible for the Federal Government to continue to carry on the way it was doing without devolving power to the federating units.

Olawepo-Hashim said, “It is time for us to agree on things that are agreeable and continue to discuss things that are not clear but may become clearer in the future.

“Some of the areas where there exists clear national consensus include: creation of state and local government police, side by side with the Federal Police, to make policing more efficient and to bolster National Security.”

https://punchng.com/how-to-achieve-restructuring-olawepo-hashim/?amp=1

*OLAWEPO-HASHIM COUNSEL FG AND AGITATORS ON NEED FOR COMPROMISE*

Businessman and Presidential Candidate in the 2019 general elections, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has suggested the need for compromise and consensus building as solutions in the raging debate on restructuring in the overarching interest of unity, peace, security and development of the country.

A known voice in the nation’s political and economic discourse, he premised his prayers on the fact that whilst the federal government cannot continue to do nothing about devolution of power especially on clear items, that are practicable and achievable, the voices on the other sides too cannot continue to insist that every item on their shopping list must be disposed off before the next election”

According to him, a compromise and consensus driven by the Federal Executive, Leadership via constitutional amendment Bill, on particularly sections dealing with the concurrent, exclusive and residual legislative list is immediately possible, especially in such areas where there already exists a clear national consensus.

Olawepo-Hashim went further: “It is time for us to agree on things that are agreeable and continue to discuss things that are not clear but may become clearer in the future. Compromise is never a sign of weakness but a noble act that springs from the depth of wisdom, honour and kindness”

Noted for his creative ideas in the build up to the last presidential race, he listed some of the areas where consensus seem to exists amongst warring factions as creation of State and local government police, side by side with the federal police, to make policing more efficient and to bolster National Security, and amendment to enable States government to have some control over the development of all mineral resources in the inland basins.

Other areas of consensus are amendment to ensure concurrent jurisdiction of Federal and State Government over Electricity Generation, Transmission and Distribution, and Electoral Reform clause to include electronic transmission of results from all level of results collations.

These matters, he pursued do not require the drama and time-consuming activities of a National conference. “A simple Executive sponsored constitutional amendment Bill narrowed to the above clearly defined items, may get a resounding support, if properly managed with the 36 Governors in Nigeria, as well as speakers of the States assembly. The requirements for 2/3 support from the States’ assembly of the federation will be achievable in order to meet the constitutional requirement of a valid amendment”

He argued that the country must move forward together in peace and harmony, as nation building will not be completed in one day. “There will still be life after 2023 and I am optimistic that Nigeria will survive, and other issues can be looked into after 2023 elections by the grace of God”

Olawepo- Hashim concluded: “Let there be COMPROMISE where there exists clear National consensus. Compromise is a mark of confidence not weakness. The only area where I see No Compromise is the agitation by extremists’ forces to dismember Nigeria. For those of us who love Nigeria and for those who have sacrificed or suffered deprivation for the country’s democracy and the Nation. The indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria is sacrosanct. This is not a cliché; it was what our forefathers settled for in the Lancaster conference. It was a clause proposed by Great Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the leader of the Eastern delegation and was agreed by all that Nigeria shall exist in PERPETUITY”

END

Hum

Hum

*Attack on Fulani and the mismanagement of crisis in South West*

Courage without clarity is a disaster and instead of addressing the insecurity issue in South West with wisdom, we should be careful not to bring more disaster upon the region.

On Friday, 22nd January 2021, the home of Seriki Fulani in Ibarapa area of Oyo State was attacked by a group of indigenous people in the area, led by one Sunday Igboho.

The attack followed a purported 7 days ultimatum given to Fulani to vacate the environment due to the increased insecurity and kidnapping by alleged Fulani herdsmen.

It should be recalled that kidnapping by alleged Fulani herdsmen and bandits has increased in recent time across the country.

The situation in South Western Nigeria is taking a troubling and an alarming shape, just like those of North Western states of Kaduna and Zamfara State.

In this past week, quit notice was given to Fulani by the indigenous people of Ibarapa.

Similarly, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu reportedly gave Fulani quit notice from Ondo State forest reserve aswell.

It is my view that, the repeated quit notice or outright ejection, being given to citizens of Nigeria within Nigeria in response to conflict or crisis will amount to courage without clarity and mismanagement of crisis. Such unfortunate proclamations or unlawful ejection, instead of addressing the insecurity situation, may aggravate it, not just in the South West, but across the length and breadth of the country.

The Attack on Seriki Fulani in Ibarapa, no matter the good intention, will do more harm than good to the people and government across the country should do everything they can to discourage such unhealthy practices.

Insecurity in the country affects everybody.

People being kidnapped and killed in Katsina State are Fulani. People being kidnapped and killed in Zamfara are Fulani. People being kidnapped and killed in Kaduna are Hausa and also Fulani.

Who will victims in those northern states hold accountable other than the government?

Available facts shows that, contrary to popular narrative, even the Fulani herders are also victims of the insecurity and it would amount to double catastrophe to create an atmosphere of chaos under the guise of seeking an end to the security situation in South West.

Although, based on our investigation, the Ondo State government didn't give quit notice to Fulani herders in Ondo State as reported, the governor actually gave them order to quit a reserved forest, which has been taken over by them for years.

Ordinarily, occupying such reserved forest in itself is against the law and so, it would not be right to say they were given quit notice in Ondo, because they could live in any other part of the state outside the reserved forest they are currently occupying unlawfully.

In Oyo on the other hand, the situation has degenerated into house and car burning, which has reportedly claimed two lives and if not controlled, its effect will be counter productive to the peace we all seek.

Our advise to the federal government would be to be up and doing in its responsibility of securing the nation.

The continuous failure of federal government in handling the security situation can no longer be tolerated.

Government needs to be up and doing in its responsibility of securing the nation, to ensure citizens don't need to resort to self help.

Government also need to make national security focus peacebuilding centric to ensure appropriate information about the situation is known by all stakeholders and jointly, we can device a lasting solution.

Abdulrazaq Hamzat

*Legislative Watch to issue result card to all Kwara legislators-KMC*

An evaluation program known as Legislative Watch by leading Pro Democracy Group, Kwara Must Change to assess legislators performance will issue result card to all Kwara legislators.

The result card shall also be presented to their political parties, opposition parties, traditional leaders, religious leaders and community associations.

This was made known today by Convener of Kwara Must Change, Abdulrazaq Hamzat while responding to questions about the Legislative Watch assessment during a radio program on Midland F.M in Ilorin, the state capital.

According to Hamzat, Legislative Watch has made it impossible for any lawmaker to hide from accountability because, whether they give account or not, their Legislative Watch result card will show their performance.

Hamzat explained that, each lawmaker will have a result card, which will not only be presented to the lawmakers themselves, but will also be presented to their political parties, opposition parties, media organizations, Non,- Governmental Organizations, community associations and the general public.

He added that, Legislative Watch will not only be made an elite document for intellectual conversation, it would also be taken to the grassroots for each community to be fully sensitized about the performance of those they elected to represent them, and we believe this would shape future conduct during election, both within the parties and during general election.

End

*Group rate Kwara legislators, unveil key findings*

A national project for the assessment of legislators performance in Nigeria known as Legislative Watch has been piloted in Kwara State by a leading Pro Democracy Group, Kwara Must Change.

Legislative Watch is a professional and apolitical rating of legislators based on verifiable standard that is inline with global best standard.

Kwara Must Change partner with Grand Plan Enterprise, a research and communication firm to develop the assessment mechanism over a year ago and it deligently produced the report with adequate information to all Kwara legislators.

In a statement by Convener of Kwara Must Change, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group in partnership with Grand Plan commenced the development of Legislative Watch as a standard assessment of Legislators in Kwara State, both at the Kwara State House of Assembly, Federal House of Representatives and at the Senate.

"Ahead of the official release of the novel and maiden edition of Legislative Watch, whose date shall be communicated in due time, we are proud to release the key findings of our first year assessment of Kwara Legislators" he said

Hamzat explained that, more than 90% members of the state assembly score below average, signifying worsening state of legislative understanding, while more than 80% members of federal house of Representatives also scored below average.

Legislative Watch key findings indicates that, quality representation, legislative advancement, executive oversight and and constituency project are key element of legislative engagement and based on the above criteria, Distinguish Senator Sadiq Umar, from Kwara North senatorial district emerged as most performing lawmaker in Kwara State.

Hon Bio Omar from Baruten/Kiaiama federal constituency and Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Danladi Salihu emerged as most performing member of federal house of Representatives and Kwara State House of Assembly respectively.

Similarly, Hon Yekini Alajagusi from Ilorin West/Asa, Hon Tijanni Ismaila from Offa/Oyun and Ifelodun federal constituency and Hon Abdulganiyu Cook Olododo from Ilorin South/East emerged as least performing lawmakers from Kwara State.

Legislative Watch also discovered that, most members of Kwara State House of Assembly have limited understanding of legislative engagement and the deputy speaker of the house, Rt Hon Raphael Adetiba and 9 others emerged as least performing members of the house.