₦airaland Forum

SLIDE waxie: Good for HiM.
But, so what?

All na politics

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•From left: Obasanjo, Zuriel’s sister, Kufour and Zuriel

‘My encounters with eight African Presidents, others’
Posted by: Lekan Otufodunrin in News, Online Special August 13, 2013

Zuriel Oduwole, 10, who lives in California in the United States last week made history as the youngest person to be interviewed by Forbes. Miss Oduwole, who was an invited guest to the African Union 50th anniversary, has interviewed leading African personalities, including eight African Presidents, Africa’s richest person Aliko Dangote and tennis super stars – Venus and Serena Williams. In this online interview with Lekan Otufodunrin, Zuriel gives an insight on her incredible feat and her Rebrand Africa project to make a case for the girl-child in the continent.

What is the origin of your interest in media and communication, especially personality interviews?

The origin of me creating documentaries started with a school project. When I was nine, I entered a school competition called, “National History Day.” And I was the youngest student to enter the competition. In that competition, I had to create a presentation, an exhibit, a performance, or a documentary.

So I chose to do a documentary, because I thought using media would be a better way to show something positive about Africa. If I did a performance or a presentation or an exhibit, no one, besides the judges, were allowed to come into the room while I was presenting it.
But with a documentary, whoever wanted to come in and watch it could. So if I did a documentary, more people would be able to see Africa in the way I see it.

And that documentary could lead on to positive and greater things for Africa. I like to show the rest of the world the positive things about Africa, through my documentaries. One of my documentaries won an award in the largest county in the United States. My documentary has also chronicled the impact of the OAU on Africa. Do you know I write my own scripts, I produce my own documentaries, I shoot my own scenes, I do my own voice over, I edit my own documentaries, and I co –direct my documentaries. I am an African Child – a Nigerian Girl Child.

How much of your Nigerian and African heritage has impacted on your life?

Oh I would say a lot. Since I want to show the world the positive side of Africa, my African heritage has helped me a lot. I know where my roots are from on the African continent because my dad’s family and my mum’s family are from two different parts of Africa, and I lived in Africa in both regions for periods of time.

I have not always lived in California. So, when I watch the news, I always see bad things being said about Africa, like the wars and famine going on. And I don’t like seeing those things being said about my home country, even though it happens. It is how they say it that is unfair.
If I was American, I would still want to help Africa. But because I am African, I feel the need more to help Africa than I if I was just American. It is like helping your own people.

There are some problems, like the power going off. But do you know that there are times the power goes off in the United States as well. The only difference is they fix it very quickly, or bring it back very quickly. So, we all need to help.
I read in the papers that General Electric is now in Nigeria doing the power. That is very good, because the children need to study at night for school.

Why are you passionate about your Dream up, Speak up and Stand up for African renaissance campaign?

I think my programme, Dream up, Speak up, and Stand up will help the new African era, by helping the girl- child. It is the best way I can help. Other people do things as well like have foundations, or do charities and raise money, but for me, my best way is to work very hard, and be an example. So that means when I say Dream up, they can see I am living the dream and so can they, when I say Speak up, they can see me speaking to World leaders, and when I say Stand up, they can see me standing up for the African Girl child. Also, I am hoping that the parents of girls in Africa will see me as an example, and see that their girls have a lot of potential in life, and can achieve great things in life. Even though they might have very little as some of them do, they can still push harder to get their girls to school, or find more ways to get them educated.
When I launched the project in Nigeria in March this year, it was very good to have the support of the Lagos Business Schools communication’s department, the US Consulate in Lagos, Protea Ikeja Hotel and Federal Palace Hotel too. They supported the project. So now, I am going to other regions of Africa to launch the project next.

What is your impression of the African leaders and others you have interviewed and what advice do you have for them?

First I have to say the whole experience was really cool. They were all very kind and very warm and friendly to me. I think some of them were surprised by my questions, because only one of the Presidents I have met asked me to send the questions before I arrived for the interviews.
The other seven did not. For example, President Ellen Johnson of Liberia by the time when I asked her the third question said to me you are a tough interviewer, and everyone laughed.

Also, when I asked President Jonathan how much Goodluck his name has brought to Nigeria, he laughed as well, and then answered. President Fonseca of Cape Verde said he was once a University Professor and has seen many questions, but none like mine, and he invited me to come to his country to inspire the girls.
President Joyce Banda of Malawi was also surprised by my question. She said when she was my age, she never dreamt of doing things like I was doing, but that she is inspired that I have the boldness to go and interview heads of states.
Some Presidents hugged me after the interviews, some called me their daughter, some kissed me on the head; they were all very kind. And when I saw some again at the AU last May, they were excited to see me again, like President Kikwete of Tanzania. He spent some time talking to me and kept his entourage waiting. I saw people asking who that girl is. It was a special time for me.

President Kufuor was also happy to see me again at the AU because I had interviewed him last year in Kumasi, and he remembered me very well. He then introduced me to his friend, President Obasanjo, and then we took pictures together. I don’t have any advice for them because they are older, but I like everyone to know that educating and fighting for the education of the Africa Girl Child, is an investment in Africa. I hope you think so too.

What is your reaction to being touted as the next Larry King?

I am just doing my best. Larry King has accomplished many great things in his life. He, like me, has also interviewed many people like sports persons, leaders of countries, leaders in business and we all do it for many reasons. He has done many great things at his age, and that is Larry King.
I have also tried to accomplish some things but because I want to show what the Girl Child can do, if they are educated, and encouraged. Just imagine all 5, or 8, or 10 or 12 year olds especially in Africa being given an opportunity to go to school and have real dreams.
It means Africa would be a more developed and have more qualified leaders 10 years from now or 15 years from now. Because it means we would be 20 years old or 25 years old or 30 years old then.

How supportive are your parents in your campaign?

My mum and dad have been very, very supportive from the beginning. They are always supportive of me and my young siblings. It doesn’t matter if its Basketball, Music class, Soccer, or Cheerleading, they are always supportive and drive us to all our classes and events.
Sometimes, I think it is a lot especially when me and one of my parents have to travel overseas for my interviews with Presidents because they have to make sacrifices like ask us to chose between something we wanted to do or me and my parent for the travel.
I had to learn the meaning of opportunity cost when I was eight years old. Dad said it means choosing between two things and which one has the more value than the other, or which one would have the more potential in the future.

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Zuriel, Nigeria’s wonder kid
Posted by: Lekan Otufodunrin in Lekan Otufodunrin August 11, 2013

Monday, August 12 is Daniel, my last child’s tenth birthday. He is indeed a special child for my family in many ways among which is the fact that he is what some people call the ‘extra or bonus’ child – the unexpected child when you think you are through with having babies.
He was born seven years after my third born. His coming-however, caused some panic as I was barely managing to survive with my family. No thanks to my failed attempts to be self, employed, I didn’t have enough to pay my bills.
I had disposed of my problematic car and the future was really bleak. However I had a revelation to name the expected child, Korede, which in Yoruba means bring fortune,.

Thankfully, the young man that turns ten tomorrow true to his name, fortune,. I miraculously bought a car shortly before he was born. I later got a top editorial job I was not expecting, moved to a better accommodation and the story of my family has been from one level of glory to glory.
So much for Korede, who is really not the focus of this piece. My real focus is another ten year-old; a Nigerian girl, Zuriel Oduwole who last week made history as the youngest person ever to be interviewed in Forbes, the global iconic magazine title, in its almost hundred years of publication.

Zuriel the award winning documentary film maker, conference speaker and writer who featured in the August 2013 edition of Forbes Africa is touted by some as the next Larry King, considering her record of interviewing leading African business, political, and sports personalities, including eight current African Presidents, Africa’s richest person, Aliko Dangote, and Tennis super stars – Venus and Serena Williams.
Zuriel is committed to Rebrand Africa by showing the positive things about the continent, and making the case for education the girl -child in Africa and Emerging Markets.

For her age and notwithstanding that she lives in America, Zuriel’s story sounds like a fairy tale but it is true. She is not only a whizkid but a rare gem that has proved that accomplishment in life is not about how far but how well.
Her responses to my questions during an online interview I had with her which will be published on Tuesday confirms her incredible understanding of issues many of her age cannot comprehend and boldness not expected of a ten -year- old.
She recalled that during her interview with President Goodluck Jonathan, she asked him how much goodluck his name has brought to Nigeria. All the heads of states she interviewed must have been expecting some ‘childlike’ questions from her, but she shocked them with her very articulate questions.

Though as a girl-child living in the comfort of America she could have chosen not to be bothered about the plight of the African girl-child, but Zuriel’s campaign is commendable and deserves all the support she can get to get her message through to all who need to hear and do something about it.
Africa must have many other Zuriels waiting to be discovered and encouraged to fulfill their visions. The challenge is that we need to provide an enabling environment for them to thrive and accomplish their goals in record time.
Zuriel should be an inspiration to all, not only kids of her age, including my Korede, but all youths who desire to impact on the present and coming generation.

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Nigerian girl interviews Jesse Jackson
Posted by: Lekan Otufodunrin in Online Special 8 days ago

Nigeria’s whiz kid, Zuriel Oduwole has added American Civil Rights leader, Reverend Jesse Jackson to the list of world leaders she has interviewed.
Last Thursday, Oduwole, who is youngest person to be interviewed for a feature by Forbes magazine when she was 10 sat for a camera interview with Rev Jackson at the Annual Clinton Global Initiative in New York.
Jackson, who was with the reverend Martin Luther King Jr till his last seconds before he was assassinated in Memphis – Tennessee in 1968, gave a no holds barred interview to Zuriel on Thursday September 26th, discussing topics including what it meant to him when Barack Obama, a Kenyan, became the 44th President of the United States.
He also spoke on what it was like to be the first African American to mount a serious run for the White House, in 1984.
Zuriel had before now interviewed leading African personalities, including eight African Presidents, Africa’s richest person Aliko Dangote and tennis super stars – Venus and Serena Williams.

Tinubu visits crash survivors



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ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, THE APC NATIONAL LEADER VISITS PLANE CRASH SURVIVORS @ LASUTH

Former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday visited the survivors of the Associated Aviation crash at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where they are being treated.
The aircraft which was conveying the body of the former Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu and some others to Akure crashed on Thursday after taking off in Lagos.

Shortly after landing at the Murtal Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) visited the victims. He was accompanied by his wife Senator Oluremi, the interim spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji and other party stalwarts. The former Lagos governor spent some time at the ward.
He described the death of the former Ondo State governor as a great loss to the country, describing Agagu as a good man he will miss despite their partisan differences.

He said Nigerians should give thanks to God for sparing the lives of Agagu’s son: Feyi and the son in law in the crash, affirming that government needs to fix the corruption and rot in the aviation sector.
Speaking in an interview on arrival at the airport, he described the crash as a national disaster, and called on the Federal Government to urgently overhaul the aviation sector.

He said until professionals are put in place to oversee the industry, the country may not meet the global standard of aviation it desires.
Rather than put the right personnel and equipment in place including a world standard runway, government he said has used the aviation sector to victimise perceived political enemies , whose aircraft are either grounded or recalled mid air.
He cited examples of the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Asiwaju said “Agagu was a committed family man. Tunji (Okusanya) was a close friend of every one of us. But God has done one thing, has shown us His wonders. In the midst of all of these, Feyi Agagu survived, his brother in law survived.
“He has given room for us to give thanks to God.

Nigeria’s aviation sector is a risk, we have never allowed professionals to run the Aviation industry, and we created too much bureaucracy. Where are the professionals, where are the engineers? What is the age of the plane and the records of maintenance? But when they have already compromised the office, they waste our valuable lives and time.”
He lamented that corruption has crippled the system, as according to him, “We have to remove corruption that is a cancer in our society. We have to remove ethnicity and clannishness in our society; it is a shame on our society.”

bibiking7: are you trying to place the safety of the president over the welfare and wellbeing of most of his citizen who are struggling to survive. So, the president feels safer with 11 aircrafts than he would feel with 2 or 3. Let me remind you of the fact that death is constant and inevitable. President Umar Musa Yaradua had all these aircrafts in his control and all the security details of his predecessors but still died of his illness. DID YOU LOOK AT THOSE FIGURES? The money spent on maintenance is outrageous. If as a business man, you spend more than you earn, then your doom is looming, now imagine that on a global scale, our doom is looming. There is no fuccccckkinggg way to defend this. Bro, You sound like a reaonable guy, dont drag yourself to that level, a level which is so common on this forum these days, where people for some funny reason try to defend some of the outrageous, shameful and unbelievably stupid actions of the government.
"Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity, nothing exceeds the criticisms made of the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed." herman melville.

Billyonaire: Gbawe, do not mislead our younger nairalanders.

shymexx: That's a great leader. I still don't know why Nigerians celebrate wasteful spending, to be honest.

Billyonaire: @Gbawe

Always summarize your points and present facts relevant to the thread. Some of us are on phone and old fashion. so we do not have the luxury of time to separate chaff from rice. I havent read your post. its labourous to go through the mountains of unrelated jargons.

shymexx: I honestly don't think there's anything historical and educative about wasteful spending. And the only thing expository about it, is the fact that, Nigerian leaders - both past and present - are the scums of the earth. These people were selected and elected, either through the barrel of a gun or by elections, to serve the people - not themselves. So evidently if the people they are/were there to serve are in abject poverty, despite all the country's huge resources - then the head should know how to cut it coat according to its cloth.

Yes, the poor would always blame the rich - however, in a situation where the rich is culpable, then justice must be served and served cold.

Nigerian jet for Malawian President

JULY 16, 2013 BY EDITORIAL BOARD


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Malawi’s President, Joyce Banda

WHEN Nigeria dispatched a jet from its Presidential Air Fleet late last month to fetch Malawi’s President, Joyce Banda, to Abuja, it unwittingly drew attention to our government’s fiscal recklessness. It was lost on President Goodluck Jonathan that while Banda had sold her cash-strapped country’s only presidential jet to save costs, he has, in three years in office, expanded Nigeria’s executive fleet to 10 aircraft.

Neither the reality of over 60 per cent of the population living in poverty, nor the recent alarming revelation by the Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that government’s revenue inflow had dwindled to a dangerous level, has persuaded Jonathan to pare down the size of the Presidential Air Fleet. Instead, it is projected to rise as provision has reportedly been made to purchase two additional helicopters to ensure the President, Vice-President, their families, and other top functionaries travel in luxury at public expense.

Banda was in Nigeria to deliver the keynote address at the Global Power Women Network Africa summit in Abuja at the invitation of Nigeria’s First Lady. To ease her trip to Nigeria’s capital, our generous government dispatched a jet to pick her from Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital, and return her home after the event. That is to be expected since Malawi lacks a presidential aircraft.

[b]Shortly after assuming the presidency in 2012, Banda had taken a critical look at her country’s economy. Almost 40 per cent of the national budget came from aid donors, while revenues from its major exports – tobacco, tea, coffee and sugar – were falling due to lower global demand and prices. Moreover, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank had withdrawn most aid in response to the purchase in 2009 of a presidential jet by Banda’s predecessor, Bingu wa Mutharika, and his abandonment of an IMF-dictated adjustment programme. Other donors followed the World Bank/IMF lead.

Besides selling the presidential plane for $15 million, Banda also sold off a fleet of 35 Mercedes Benz limousines reserved for the president and the cabinet. She cut her own salary by 30 per cent, among other austerity measures. Her actions won praise around the world and convinced the IMF and other aid donors to return with credit and handouts to back the government’s ongoing painful structural adjustment programme.

But Nigerian leaders will not sacrifice their own comfort for anything. Even in a rich country like Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron and cabinet members took pay cuts in response to the global recession and the spending cuts that the government introduced. Here, our leaders are obsessed with living in luxury, regardless of the mass of people who are poor, the lack of infrastructure, mass unemployment and dwindling revenues. Okonjo-Iweala’s warning that the government may run out of money to pay salaries by October in the face of massive oil theft and vandalism of pipelines that have sharply reduced oil production and revenues has not jolted officials. Neither the wasteful Executive nor the overpaid legislators are ready to give up their luxurious lifestyles.

But British leaders often take commercial flights and, occasionally, trains when travelling for state functions. Japan, with its Gross Domestic Product of $4.52 trillion and per capita income of $36,200, (at Purchasing Power Parity), has only two aircraft – Boeing 747 – 400 – for use of the prime minister and the emperor; the Netherlands, with GDP of $770.2 billion and PCI of $42,300, has two; the British Queen, Elizabeth II, and Cameron travel on chartered British Airways flights, despite their country’s $2.32 trillion GDP and PCI of $38,700; South Africa has just one presidential aircraft with its GDP of $678.6 billion and PCI of $11,300, though it expects another soon, while Malaysia has one, but has also ordered a second; but with its GDP of $492 billion and PCI of $16,900, like others cited, Malaysia is ahead of Nigeria with a GDP of $450.5 billion and PCI of $2,700.[/b]

Given these scenarios, it is high time we ended this absurdity. Today, the aviation sector is in dire straits. How does one explain that only two domestic airlines – Arik, with 23 planes, and Aero Contractors with 14 – have larger fleets than this one kept for a few at public expense? Over N9 billion is believed to be spent on the maintenance of the presidential fleet each year, while the PAF required 47 Nigerian Air Force officers, 173 airmen/airwomen and 96 civilian employees on full time call in 2012.

Nigerians, however, desperately need a government that exists to serve the people, not a few. Successive governments have demonstrated incompetence and abused and misused public funds. There should be minimum ethical standards and decorum in public office. Other developing nations like Ghana where a former president, John Kufuor, once disposed of a spare presidential aircraft, retaining only one, should shame us into prudent conduct.

Jonathan has no excuse to continue keeping 10 aircraft and our under-performing legislators have no reason to keep approving new purchases or the billions of naira they appropriate for their maintenance each year. But, ultimately, it is only when the electorate shakes off its lethargy and demands accountability and responsibility from public officials that things will change for the better

Symphony007: with all due respect sir, you just said nothing. The fact remains that a fleet of jets is the least of nigeria's problems. The country has serious problems and we need every penny to solve them. Is'nt the son suppose to learn from the father to better himself? Britain is miles richer than nigeria but it says it can't afford the frivolity of a plane for their head of state and head of government. If i should'nt compare nigeria with britain then tell me another country, that spends so much on trivial things while a majority of it's citizens suffer, should i compare nigeria with north korea, or zimbabwe? Call out wrong when you see the:. Not everything is defensible.

shymexx: I completely agree with you. This topic should be thrown in the bin and there's absolutely nothing to celebrate. The country has some of the worst airports in Africa, no national airliner, and the Nigerian airforce's inventory has to be one of the worst in Africa. Yet we're talking about the presidential air fleet when those who have ruled naija from independence are some of the worst of ever walk this planet. smh

They need to sell all those darn planes and at least use the funds to buy 4th generation fighter jets for the Nigerian airforce, if aircrafts are the only things they care about, to be honest.

ilugunboy: Sheer waste of resources for vanity....

This is not the type of thread worth celebrating.

Budget 2011: Presidency to spend N18bn on fleet

THURSDAY, 06 JANUARY 2011 00:00 ANTHONY OSAE-BROWN E-mail Print PDF

•Enough to provide accommodation for 17m Nigerians

Following plans by the Presidency to spend N18 billion from this year’s budget on the maintenance of presidential planes in its fleet, financial and real estate experts have disclosed that the amount is only N1 billion higher than what could provide decent accommodation for the 17 million UN-Habitat estimated un-housed Nigerians.

Figures obtained by BusinessDay has shown that the allocation for the presidential fleet comes under the allocation to ‘Intelligence Community’ which got a total budget allocation of N105 billion, ranking it as one of the top ten allocations in the 2011 budget.

The amount of money the Presidency plans to spend on its presidential fleet of planes which carries it in comfort around the world is about N1 billion higher than the N16 billion with which government plans to confront the housing deficit of over 17 million Nigerians.

The N18 billion on the presidential fleet is also N7 billion higher than the N11 billion the government intends to spend equipping the country’s police force in 2011, and just about N2 billion less than it intends to spend on the nation’s aviation sector.

Financial analysts have also calculated that the N18 billion, if deployed to the epileptic power supply the country is currently grappling with, could provide 120 megawatts of electricity which is enough to light up Asaba, Delta State capital.


It will be recalled that in August 2010, the minister of Information at the time, Dora Akunyili had, at the end of a Federal Executive Council meeting, announced the acquisition of three additional presidential jets for the Nigerian presidential fleet at the cost of N23.1 billion.

The addition was to complement the eight existing aircraft that were already in the fleet.

Nigeria’s presidential fleet, which is one of the largest in the world, is made up of a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) bought in 2006 by President Olusegun Obasanjo, a Gulfstream V, a Gulfstream IVSP, and two Falcon 900s.

It is not clear, though, if the N18 billion allocation to the Presidential fleet in 2011 is purely for maintenance, buying an additional airplane or for both; but a source in the Presidency last night told BusinessDay that there was no plan to buy new planes for the Presidency this year.

In the 2010 proposal, the Presidency had actually proposed the acquisition of four new aircraft for the presidential fleet and had made a budget provision of N23.4 billion in that budget for them.

Akunyili had said then that “the committee set up for the acquisition of the aircraft was able to get a reduction of the sum of $2.9 million from the proposed price of two Falcon 7X aircraft and a reduction of the sum of $5.4 million from the offer of the Gulfstream G550 aircraft.”

She had also explained that “the first Falcon aircraft being purchased will be delivered by the end of the fourth quarter of 2010 while the second Falcon and Gulfstream G550 will be delivered by the end of the second quarter 2011.”

BusinessDay investigations show that Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world with a dedicated presidential fleet. Most countries prefer to convert aircraft used by their national carriers for use by their Presidency crew whenever the President is going on international trips. At other times, such world leaders could use an aircraft managed by the country’s Air Force for local trips.

For example, international trips of the Chinese President are managed by the government-owned national carrier - Air China, while domestic travels are operated by the 34th division of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

For the British monarch and other members of the Royal Family, the Prime Minister and other ministers of the British Government, air transport is provided by either No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF), chartered civilian aircraft or scheduled commercial flights - normally British Airways - for senior members of the royal family, and other commercial carriers for the Prime Minister and aides.

Aside Nigeria, the United States of America is another country that maintains a dedicated fleet of aircraft for its presidency.

With Nigeria’s Presidential fleet parading 11 different planes, BusinessDay analysis shows that the cumulative spend of N41 billion on the presidential fleet in two years would be enough to buy five Boeing 737-600 planes; large enough to start a national carrier for the nation. The average cost of a Boeing 737-600 is N8.5 billion (based on figures obtained from Boeing website). An analyst familiar with workings at airports told BusinessDay that “a national or flag carrier like Air Nigeria can be safely and profitably operated with five aircraft.”

The Federal Government sold Nigeria Airways - the nation’s national carrier - because it could not run it profitably.

The offices under ‘Intelligence Community’ which allocation of N105 billion ranks among the top ten allocations in the 2011 budget include: Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Directorate of State Security Service (SSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Presidential Air Fleet.

A breakdown of the allocations to the various units shows that the Office of the NSA plans to spend N37 billion in 2011; the SSS will spend N24 billion, while the NIA is planning to spend N26 billion.

software man: You are getting of mixed up. The people who admire tinubu do not do so because they think he perfect. Nobody is and definitely no nigerian politician is.what we all do is look at someone's redeeming qualities and make a choice accordingly. For me, I prefer tinubu for the following reasons.
One, he is the leading opposition politician in Nigeria without him, today, nigerIa would have been a virtual one party state with PDP ruling every region of the country.
Second, since he left his job as treasurer of Mobil to become a senator under SDP , he has been consistently consistent in his political leanings.
Third, he was the only governor that stood up to Obasanjo on the issue of local government, and did not buckle under even after Obasanjo illegally ceased allocation for three years.
He is the architect of modern Lagos. He increased IGR from 650 million in 1997 to more than 14 billion and conceptualized most of the worthy programs his successor FASHOLA is now actualosing.
When obj and his PDP goons came to capture the south west in 2003 and brought ruins and backwardness, the jagaban was the generalissimo headed the army that drove away the bandits and swept the south west clean of the PDP vermin.
But most of all, he gave us FASHOLA. everybody turned against him then.but he said then. This is the best man for the job. Now it is very obvious. But then we all turned against him.
Is TINUBU perfect? Absolutely not. Most objective people judge a man by comparing his positives with his nuisance value and I think that is why aside from buhari, no other politician has the kind of cult like followership TINUBU has in this country today.

gokelicious: it's allowed for you to dislike the man but don't make the mistake of bringing his tribe into it. We the yorubas prefer tinubu, the man who has been championing development in our land to others. It is insulting to ask that question (how he became a yoruba asiwaju) if you are not a yoruba. There is something called mutual respect, we don't ask those type of questions about yours right.

biafranqueen: this was 7 years ago and before he was the President what are you celebrating. So you think that we don't know that grom Governor to vp to president will not increase his chances of clepotracty SMH so they really think we are Mumus that is old news if he declares assets for this group it will even help him with his champaign showing that he is not corrupt and the best the reason he will not show is because I am sure now his assets are ten times what they were SEVEN LONG YEARS AGO!

The refusal of President Goodluck Jonathan and other public officials to publicly declare their assets

agbameta: GEJ is the president of Nigeria and a public official while Tinubu is not both. Must you compare a private citizen with your president? Think highly of your incompetent president sometimes..

Even your analogy sounds bogus and redundant unless you have anything to show us depicting people getting petty and frivolous like you regarding GEJ's arrival from anywhere at any airport.

Bigcake: Shut up jor, u better look for a husband to marry. And stop talking as if u r the one feeding urself.

eGuerrilla: @Gbawe, it is simply that our membership of OGP is not too far off now. It is only a matter of time before those who currently bask in a state of ignorance become better enlightened about their civic responsibilities.



What is Open Government?

egift: The major failure of President Jonathan are not just the wrong things he have done, but more of the good thing he don't and the indifference he exhibit when issues facing Nigeria and its citizens comes up.

Worst is that because some of this problems have been for years, many people think is normal if he do not fix them. Then the question like "why was he elected if not to provide solution to existing problems and actively confront the new challenges that will come along".

Nigerians must learn to hold their leaders responsible at all times. We should not give them the leverage to divide us with religion and ethnicity. God bless Nigeria

NL member: He is even breaking the law by refusing to declare assets yet he is nonchalantly dismissing his action as if it isn't a big deal.

Criminal oshi.

Italiano1: What exactly are you trying to say? Very petty argument Afam. What did you expect him to do? To kneel down and kiss the ground?

Idi Amin: And if I may ask u Ode, what are the benefits of joining the useless organization in the first place. Park well my friend

berem: One man's ignorance and arrogance has denied Nigeria membership in the Global anti-corruption body? Not only him precisely but anyone who has benefitted directly or indirectly through him as a result of corruption. When Nigeria was tagged highest user of private jets,it looked like a major achievement to the corrupt people in government despite the fact that poverty still dwells in the land.

So how does he intend to fight corruption alone when he has refused to declare his asset? A President who stupidly said corruption is the 3rd problem Nigeria has. When asked to mention the first 2, he simply said "go and ask the Minister of Finance. A president who dumbly said Corruption occurs in a wedding too? Smh

I only but weep for my country!

oluface: WAREVA WE ARE OKAY WITH HIM

TRILLIONIAR: if someone close to you get heal you dont get happy for him?

henchamb: some people will not eat tonight

EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan’s secret assets deny Nigeria membership of global anti-corruption body – PREMIUM TIMES


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Goodluck Jonathan


The refusal of President Goodluck Jonathan and other public officials to publicly declare their assets as required by law, has been pointed as the chief reason Nigeria has been denied membership of the Open Government Partnership, an influential global anti-corruption initiative backed by major nations.


The partnership was launched by world leaders in 2011 to ensure governments’ commitment to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption and use new technologies to strengthen governance.
Its membership has grown from eight countries to 60 countries in just two years, and is now viewed as a mark of a country’s high transparency standard.
While Nigeria was spurned, six African countries have been admitted to the prestigious body. They are Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and South Africa.

Jack Mahoney, the partnership’s Program Associate, told PREMIUM TIMES in an email that despite showing an interest, Nigeria has failed to make the cut to be accepted as a member.
“Nigeria is very close to eligibility, but has not yet reached the necessary score. At last count performed in March 2013, the Nigerian Government scored an 11/16, and is therefore one point away from the 12/16 minimum score required for countries to be eligible to join,” he said.
Top on the list of the reasons given why Nigeria is still falling short is the blatant refusal of President Jonathan, alongside other public officials, to publicly declare their assets.
Last year, during a media chat, Mr Jonathan showed utter disregard for transparency when he declared he was not going to declare his assets publicly.
“The issue of asset declaration is a matter of principle. I don’t give a damn about it, if you want to criticise me from heaven. The issue of public declaration I think is playing to the gallery. You don’t need to publicly declare any assets.

If I am somebody who wants to hide it is what I tell you that you will even believe,” the president said.
Mr Mahoney also told PREMIUM TIMES that for country to be accepted as a member, it needs to publish its annual Audit Report measured by the Open Budget Index (OBI).
The OBI measures the state of budget transparency, participation, and oversight in countries around the world.
Last year, Nigeria’s budget scored a woeful 16 point out of 100 leaving the country at the 80th position out of the 100 countries surveyed. With 93 points, New Zealand was rated as the country with the most transparent budget followed by South Africa with 90 points.
Mr Mahoney said Nigeria needs to also improve its score in the Democracy Index (DI) to be considered for membership. The DI is compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit and it measures the state of democracy in 167 countries base on 60 indicators grouped in five different categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, functioning of government, political participation, and political culture. In 2012, DI Nigeria was ranked the 7th most terrorised country in the world.
Three Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) have called the federal government to task over the inability of the country to qualify as a member of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) membership.
Media Rights Agenda (MRA), BudgIT Nigeria, and Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) say “Nigeria’s inability to meet OGP’s eligibility requirements constitutes a major slur on the country’s image and reputation, particularly in the light that six other African countries are already members of the OGP.”
The groups therefore advised the government to do the following to be accepted as a member of the OGP:
1. “Ensure that audit reports of public accounts, particularly by the Auditor-General of the Federation, are proactively disclosed and made available to members of the public.
2. Ensure that incomes of all categories of public officers are proactively disclosed as required by Section 2(3) (d) (vi) of the Freedom of Information Act and other applicable laws.
3. The Code of Conduct Bureau should bring itself into compliance with the Freedom of Information Act by acceding to requests from members of the public for it to disclose asset declarations in its custody submitted by elected and senior government officials, which constitute information maintained by it as a public institution within the meaning of the Act.
4. Improve citizen participation and civic engagement in policy-making and in all aspects of governance, including around the issue of Nigeria’s membership of the OGP.”