₦airaland Forum

adaku123:
Dis drama is just too much!! Dis Sanusi guy is too good to be real!!!! There is politics involved!!

[color=#990000]Not trying to start any tribal/religous trouble but why is it that the 5 ppl sacked are southerners and are christians>
Are they really the only thieves   The coincidence is just too much, [/b]

The EFCC are just total zombies they should f/u/c/k/o/f/f  _{excuse the french}[/color]

Most of the 24 bank MD's are southern Christians. out of the 5 banks that have passed (First bank, UBA, GTB, Diamond and Sterling) all of them are southerners and only two (GTB and Sterling are Muslims), the others are christians. if they sack any of the remaining 14, the statistic will still be the same.

[b]I hope that addresses both your ignorance and your mischief.[color=#990000][/color]

jacobs123:
.

in his interview with punch he declared thus when asked abut "a northern agenda"
Have they said that i am a thief? have they said I am not qualified? have they said I do not understand economics? have i done insider related transactions? in my 20 years of banking, has anyone given me a bribe? have i ever taken money froma customer? have i ever given myself a loan? i will take all of them on because there is nothing in my records that I amashamed of. and we will deal with anybody who had been involved in any unprofessional or unethical practice in banking.[color=#990000][/color]

we need to start being objective as a people and also start relying less on our compromised journalists.

one of the tragedies of NIgeria is that we condemn people who are 70% honest for their 30% percieved dishonesty while we keep quiet about those who are 100% dishonest hoping that God will deal with them. That is why our country keeps going in the opposite direction of progress.

how many of his critics can make the declaration above in their jobs. how any bank CEOs can say this? how many of those traders who call themselves bank marketers can say this. You find bankers going before credit risk comiittee to justify loans that will go bad because they've collected some money. I'm sure we have bankers on this forum and they understand what i'm talking about. Is that not one of the reasons why a banking officer in marketing may be living larger than an assistant manager in operations?

Sanusi has demonstrated what it means to be a regulator. He sold his shares in first bank when he became MD, he asked that his running loans be converted to commercial rates to avoid conflict of interest.

The Ghana must go and lazy press will not report this, but will complain that the man is making mistakes. The only set of people who do not make mistakes are those who do nothing.

in his interview with punch he declared thus when asked abut "a northern agenda"
Have they said that i am a thief? have they said I am not qualified? have they said I do not understand economics? have i done insider related transactions? in my 20 years of banking, has anyone given me a bribe? have i ever taken money froma customer? have i ever given myself a loan? i will take all of them on because there is nothing in my records that I amashamed of. and we will deal with anybody who had been involved in any unprofessional or unethical practice in banking.[color=#990000][/color]

we need to start being objective as a people and also start relying less on our compromised journalists.

one of the tragedies of NIgeria is that we condemn people who are 70% honest for their 30% percieved dishonesty while we keep quiet about those who are 100% dishonest hoping that God will deal with them. That is why our country keeps going in the opposite direction of progress.

This was Sanusi well before he became CBN governor. he's a man with strong convictions as we can all see and he speaks his mind. I believe he's capable of independent thinking as he showed in the senate. How many of our ministers could criticize the 7 point agenda during their screening yet this man did it, some of the ministers only murmur about Yar Adua's failings, how many of them can walk away from his govt yet we come here and talk of a northern agenda.

see details here:

http://www.isaiahbalat.com/news/features/restructuring_corporate_nigeria_sanusi.htm

Conclusion (take time to read the paper)

I started this paper by saying that restructuring the Federation was not a simple task, and should be considered only as part of the process of nation-building. The message I have carried all my life is that all Nigerians have a right to maintain their diversity but this should only be on the basis of respect of the same rights for other Nigerians. No nation can be built on the platform of inequity, intolerance and selfishness.

I am Fulani. I am Muslim. But I am able to relate to every Nigerian as a fellow Nigerian and respect his ethnicity and his faith. I am also convinced that we tend to exaggerate our differences for selfish ends and this applies even to matters of faith.

I have no doubt in my mind that the leadership of Nigerian politics in all parts of the country today, is in the main, reactionary, greedy, corrupt and bankrupt. Brought up in the era of tribal warlords, most political leaders are unable to think first and foremost like Nigerians. To this extent, any conference held today may be a waste of time.

But the audience may ask “Is there any hope for this Country”? My answer is yes! I rest my hope partly on personal experience. In every part of the country, I come across young Nigerians who do not agree with their elders. In the North, there is a new northerner, throwing off the yoke of irredentism, the toga of nepotism and the image of being a beneficiary of quota system. In the South-West, I find many young Yoruba citizens who frown at the rabid tribalism and provincialism of their leaders. In Igboland, we see young Igbos who regret the past and look forward to a brighter future. I have indeed received several letters from Nigerians, northerners and southerners, christians and muslims, encouraging me in the fight against the twin vices of religious intolerance and ethnic chauvinism.

But I rest my hope on a much deeper and profound base than these fleeting impressions. The hope for this Country is founded on the existence of the very problems we have just examined. The people of this Country have a long history of being together. Yet each group jealously guards its own identity, be it ethnic or religious. This is so only because our cultures, our religions, teach us core values within which we find full expression of our humanity. If only we would look, we would find that the values that make a good Fulani, Yoruba, Kanuri or Bini man; the values that make a good Christian and a good Muslim; are the same. If only we had in each part of this country, a leadership with the vision to recognize this, to harness this, to bring together good Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Ogoni and Angas men and women; good Christians and Muslims; to run the affairs of this country, we would find peace.

I rest my hope, finally on my generation. A generation of young, educated Nigerians, brought up in luxury, weaned by the traumatic experiences of the last two decades, and ready to take up the gauntlet, and ignite the hopes, for a renewed Nigeria. This is the generation much maligned by the present administration of septuagenarians. The generation discarded and treated like a pack of potential thieves. The only truly marginalized generation. This is the generation that will pick up the pieces and by the grace of Allah, leave those coming behind with a legacy far more progressive than the one we
inherited.


Thank you.

http://www.elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=861:the-adulteress-diary&catid=25:politics&Itemid=37



The Sanusi is not only qualified to be Central bank's governor, he is a Nigerian in whom every progressive Nigerian must find a partner to uplift our nation from the doldrums. The Sanusi Lamido Sanusi that I knew personally (in the 1980s) was a Marxist--a protege of the late Bala Usman20and a respecter of the intellectual integrity of the anti oligarchical Marxist, the late Bala Mohammed (assassinated through arson by a hired mob "protesting" the querying of the Emir by then radical Governor Abubakar Rimi--Bala Mohammed -was his political adviser).

Sanusi's intellectual depth is unquestionable; his numerous writings bear witness to this assertion. He is a Muslim in whom non-Muslims have a friend. He is not into proselytizing or into fostering Islamic supremacy. He adheres to his religion with open minds--as in the way Obama adheres to his Christianity. Above all, he never shies away from confronting the hypocrisy of Northern politicians who use Islam to mislead the down trodden masses of the North. His world class article, The Adulteress Diary (reproduced above calmed the nerves of rattled Southern Christians, women of Nigeria, and exposed the hypocrisy of Northern oligarchies (in religious matters) following the death sentence passed on a hapless Safiya Husseini. For this article, Sanusi was pilloried (even threatened with death or physical harm) by stooges of the decadent regressive feudal lords of the North. In fact, that article so struck awe and demystified the hypocritical Ullamas of the North that its link, at Gamji.com, is disabled.

Sanusi's pursuing of a degree in Islamic/Sharia was a fulfillment of intellectual curiosity and his love for his religion. That pursuit has benefited Nigeria because from the knowledge he acquired, he has been able to speak against (to the chagrin of conservative/ fanatical Northern Muslims) the abuse or exploitation of Sharia by corrupt politicians of the North. When he speaks out, he does so with authority--citing sources and interpreting verses that were purposely twisted by crooked politicians. His critics concede to his excellent interpretations of the Hadith (or whatever it is called) within minutes of his effortlessly flooring their arguments.

Sanusi's political ideology (assuming he is still the same man I knew years ago) is based on deploying the instruments of the State to ennoble the people-- into actualizing their best potentials. Even though his father was an Emir, he is not too fund of the parasitic pity of the Northern Royal families. Sanusi is of the Malam Aminu Kano school of thought--a school that frowns at class distinctions. If he gets into the position he is being rumored as getting into, his policies will definitely be driven by what benefits the Nigerian peoples, not just on what corporate greed breeds (this is why I doubt that he will be appointed to the Central Bank' s Governorship) .

Sanusi is of our generation (those born in an independent Nigeria--1960s) . His disdain for corruption and sycophancy is Buhariesque (uncompromising) in dimension. If he becomes Central Bank's Governor, we can almost take it to the bank that he will stamp out corruption in Nigeria's banking industry (again, this is why I doubt that he will get the position--you are looking at another Ribadu in the making). Sanusi is a Northerner who understands that he is a Nigerian, so he will not use the nation's institution ( Central Bank) to implement any parochial agenda of a few Northern aristocrats (he loathes them).

Some Southern Christians should get a life and stop being paranoid schizoids whenever a Muslim who does not hide his religion is appointed into any position of responsibility. Where were these Christians when Chris Okotie, an ordained Minister, was running for the presidency of a multi religious Nigeria? Were an Imam running for president then, these Nigerian Christian Talibans would have raised hell and fabricated stories against the candidate. They fabricated stories against Buhari, dubbing him a sharia monger, even though he is politically and religiously opposed to any misuse/abuse of religion. In the same vein, they are trying to have Sanusi Lamido Sanusi mischaracterized- -portrayed as an ill-educated Sharia monster. This nonsense will not fly because not all of us Southerners are chained by religion or its zealotry.

If appointed Central Bank's Governor, Nigeria will benefit tremendously from Sanusi Lamido Sanusi's stewardship. By any indices used to measure his appointment, Sanusi qualifies beyond reproach. With him at the helm, the Central Bank will work for the people; merit will chase away mediocrity; corruption will be extinguished, and all the good deeds Soludo implemented will be preserved.

But I am skeptical that Yara'Adua will appoint Sanusi into that office. Unless Yara'Adua is retracing his old steps (in the old Peoples Redemption Party--PRP) I do not know why he (a man who is presiding over a behemoth of corruption, inefficiency, and mediocrity) will bring in someone who is his direct opposite. Let us keep our fingers crossed and hope that he does the right thing. Let us also watch out that his critics are not hirelings of corrupt corporate Nigeria-- to thwart Sanusi's appointment as Central Bank's Governor.

Nebukadineze@aol.com

McKren:
If Elumelu are using people like slave as you suggest, Sanusi should bring his Foreign Freinds to come and compete and drive them out of Business with their fair minded policies. To bully people and take over their Business smacks of dictatorship.

sometimes you need a bully to deal with other bullies. we all know that Elumelu and co had unfair edge over others while Soludo ran the show. If they couldn't consolidate on that but chose to fritter away the money in bad loans, then I don't care if they are gotten rid off especially if it is within the rule. Before you conclude that Sanusi acted as a dictator, let's wait to hear what the courts will decide afterall Ibru and Akingbola are in court.

monopolist:
Islamist Terrorists are about taking over the banking sector of the nigerian economy. We must pray them out, bind them and act against them b4 we regret things.

I see their wicked plans and acts back-firing against them in Jesus Christ name.Amen.

sanusi cannot last as Gov.

He rejected wise counsel.

was it your wise counsel that he rejected. Don't bring Jesus into this man made banking mess.

uchemanga:
I REALLY WONDER WHAT HAPPEN TO RATIONALISM IN NIGERIA.
WHAT MATTERS IS GETTING TO THE PROMISE LAND NO MATTER WHO TAKES US THERE!
SEE HOW SELFISH SENTIMENTS MAKE ONE A MUMU!
I STILL MOURN THE REMOVAL OF SOLUDO!!
GOD SAVES US FROM THESE MEN WHOSE MINDS ARE CRIPPLED BY RELIGION.

thanks my brother, when you read what some nairalanders write, you can't but feel sorry for this country. In the same generation when American youths brought in a black man into white house, people are still blinded by religious and ethnic sentiments. if we were so good religiously, how come our country is so bad. And who does not know that it is all tribes that has contributed to the decay of this country. Almost all tribes are represented in the Federal executive council and also in our states, what has it done for us?

I guess some people can't just this SAnusi guys. Soludo was also accused of getting rid of a deputy governor (Msheila or so, ) and no one complained. by the way, what has been the contribution of these deputy governors that were sacked. it's an appointment and it can be terminated, did they not know.

pcicero:
Sanusi doesn't strike me as someone who tolerates opposing views. I see him as ultra-conservative and this might not be too good for him since no man is an island of knowledge and considering the sensitivity of his position.

Soludo was not tolerating of opposing views either. Pat Utomi had issues with him because of this, even Atedo Peterside disagreed with him on consolidation. The consolidation was kicked against by most people. by the way, those who tolerate all views may not be too successful. You can't satisfy everyone. There is no doubt that a good number of people support Sanusi.

McKren:
I had always wondered why Sanusi is so obsessed with Foreign takeover of the only sector that seems to be working and which is actually homegrown?

He should go and get his Foreign Friends to come and take over the Textile and plastic manufacturing sector and leave our banks alone.

please tell us what is working in the banking sector. I guess you must be an outsider or one of the few insiders feeding on the incompetence of the regulator. A few people come together to set up a bank and drive young men/women to the extreme in meeting deposit targets only to squander the money away to their friends. The sector hardly contributes to the real sector of the economy yet they've driven property prices through the roof. I prefer that the foreigners come and take over. I'm sure many bankers will prefer to work for these foreigners than the Elumelu's Ovia's, Akingbola's who use you like their servants. Atedo Peterside saw the sense in this and teamed up with Stanbic but these slave drivers will rather die there.

While Nigerians are coming up with all sorts of theories about the MD's sack especially the one called the northern agenda, the elites who continually want you guys to remain "the masses" are grouping together everyday to device strategies to milk this country dry.

These elites come from all tribes of the country (Yoruba, Ibos, Jukuns, Tivs, hausas, Ijaw, itsekiri, Benin etc) and they don't care about their tribes as long as they all continue to have access to obscene wealth but once they loose out, they refer to a tribal agenda and "the masses" go on all out war based on that. The bad loans belong to Hausas, Yourubas, Igbos, Edos, Itsekiris, Urhobos,Ijaws - which of these tribes are better off as a result of these bad loans.

I'm not surprised that even the newspapers can not be objective. Who owns the newspapers - are they not politicians and their friends (Sun, Thisday, Compass, Guardian, Vanguard etc) and with the journalists poor pay, you can bet on getting anything that is based on research. Infact I stopped buying newspapers a while back (except for job adverts), because of the poor quality of the reporting. You can almost sense who paid for some of the news item you read from these papers.

Nigerians write and clamour for change everytime but once one is in the offing, everybody starts getting defensive - we are like the biblical jews who cannot sense their salvation and is it any surprise that we are continually raped, tortured, brutalised and afflicted by these elites.

For me I'm giving Sanusi the benefit of doubt especially with the proofs he has. We all know something was wrong with our banks unless you don't understand basic economics. However, one thing am still waiting for and that should be the question - what is in it for Nigerians? (will inflation fall, will house rent drop, will there be jobs etc?)
I'm tired of all these increase in GDP, fall in interbank rates - all those sophisticated talk).

Like GT the guitar man, I'm asking when will we be able to live like Kings / queens?

akpolopez:
The ex governor of the CBN has done very well and should be applauded for bringing sanity and stability into the Nigerian financial sector. It's not his job to check the financial status and health of commercial banks.
He has done marvellouslly well.

whose job is it to check their status and their health. why is CBN called the regulator? Or is your job to check their status and health?

stiyke:
sorry my bad

http://www.cenbank.org/Out/publications/pressRelease/GOV/2009/Press Release 190809.pdf

the list was compiled as at May 31st 2009, Soludo was still CBN governor then.

The list of debtors is as at 31st May. that doesn't mean it was compiled when Soludo was there or compiled by Soludo. 31st May is supposed to be a cut-off date.

There was also an advert (that's the only thing I can call it) in thisday probably on behalf of Aig and Wigwe (both of access) that their loans are performing forgetting that the list was compiled with a cut off date of 31st May, 2009 and will not reflect those who hurried to pay after.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=152170

In the letter from Intercontinental Bank to the Chief Executive of United Alliance,  jointly signed by the Head, Remedial Management of the bank, Rasaq Yusuff and the Group Executive, Credit Risk, Yemi Ogunfeyimi, Intercontinental Bank stated: “Please be informed that you are up to date on both principal and accrued interest due on the account as at today.”
Intercontinental Bank in the letter, which was obtained by THISDAY acknowledged the receipts of payments made recently on the loan by United Alliance. The payments included N170 million paid to Intercontinental by United Alliance on July 3, this year; the sum of N725 million paid to Intercontinental on July 15, 2009; N440 million paid the bank on August 11, 2009 and N360 million also paid to Intercontinental on August 10 this year.[color=#000099][/color]

naijaking1:
You maybe the one on hard drugs here, for all I know and read from reliable Nigerian newspapers, banks such as Oceanic just recently passed their CBN audit, so before you join this stupid talk about insolvency, please check with people in the know.[color=#990000][/color]
Igbos say that if you pull off a tick from a dog without showing it him, the dog would think you were just pinching him out of animosity

So, show me an insolvent bank, show me the hurried need to inject a paltry 400billion into private banks so that you can forcefully take them over in the name of the federal government of Yar'dua.

You know and read "reliably" in the papers that Oceanic just passed an audit and heard "unreliably" from the CBN Governor that Oceanic Bank just failed a stress test/audit.

Please help me understand how and why you chose to believe the reliable newspapers, also maybe you want to tell us who you and what you know. Did you by any chance conduct the audit?

dancewith:
The writer of this piece is a big fool. what Nigerian dont know is that the north has an agenda and that is what sanusi is expertly executing. when the wool is lifted from our eyes, it would be too late. the fact is none of these banks had any probem that would warrant a take over. oceanic has N217b in capital base. their total risk assest (or loans & advances) is N45b. if they are to make a full provision which has been done, they still have over N150b capital base! Fin bank has N105b capital base and total risk asset of N25b. if they make an unlikely 100% provision for the risk asset, thier capital base is still over N70b! Intercontitental bank has over N300b capital and total risk asset of N70b. You do the match. The north is coming back and that is why these people are being pushed out. Dangote has already been imposed on the stock exhange. these banks will soon change ownership to northerners who will 'repay CBN' with the 'injected funds' (when this happens me & u wont hear it) and be sure the take over will be packaged from d north. last month sanusi launched islamic banking and granted them licence. they will take 20% each in these banks. we are so blind. by the time we put two and two together it will be too late. None of these banks have problems. i work in a company that audits these banks. i was shocked when these lies are spread as truths and soon we discovered why. whenever cbn says banks have problems they know the public will buy it hook, line and sinker! there is something seriously wrong going on and we should be very very very careful and pray for this country

@ dancewith

at the risk of inviting insult from you, I have to ask what the writer wrote that will make you call him a fool?
I have a foolish idea- get a GRE or GMAT book and answer some analytical questions / critical thinking questions. By the time you can score up to 25%, you should be able to appreciate what this guy has written and probably challenge it in a reasonable way. My fear however is that it will take a very long time.

People like you are the reason why Nigeria is where it is --- everything is turned to sentiments! Even if he takes their bank and gives it Dangote, they brought it on themselves, why did he not sack GTB MD?

I won't exactly say Soludo was a failure but HE FAILED![/color]

Soludo was a comforatble lecturer who became Adviser in Aso-Rock and got close to money and the good life. From there he became CBN governor - the regulator of one of the most unprofessional and corrupt sectors of our economy (@ 2004).
He was a man for his time, his first meeting with the CEOs, he told them point blank that some of them will soon cease to be MDs as it was better to be manager of something than MD of nothing. He was bold, took the decision to consolidate and OBJ stuck with him. The successful guys raised the 25B required and with so much money in their hands and no idea in their head, they started to work on corrupting Soludo and the tough guy started to melt.
I won't blame him, there was success for him and acknowledgement of his brilliance but no money and he knew (or must have been reminded by pple like Jim Ovia) that he will cease to CBN governor someday, you better make your money. That was then end of the regulator.

Soludo also loved glamour and probably a bit arrogant and with that he was destined to FAIL!. I  believe he knew of the problems and even the solutions but he must have been too compromised[color=#990000] to take the hard decisions. He was the darling of the MDs, they loved him to death and they were willing to pay any price to have him do a second term - they went for cheap blackmail, bribed, coerced but YAR ADUA no gree and the result is what we have today.

I will also excuse Soludo because he had some policies they didn't allow him to carry out - like paying the states allocation in dollars staright to banks.

To play the Devil's advocate also for the banks, until government policies stabilize and there is power supply, the banks cannot do well legitimately. Who can the banks trust with their money when one government policy can mess up any business not to talk of unavailable infrastructure. The only people to trust are the Dangote's, Otedolas and politicians who can control the policies.

The monies lost to bad loans can transform our economy and this should be a learning point for Sanusi, influence government to stick with policies and also build infrastructure. with 1 trillion, we can create a mortgage industry and construction will thrive and there are young men/women with jobs who can be paying back these mortgage monthly. Let's liberalise the power sector. the over 400B lost to margin loans can bring uninterrrupted power supply to the whole nation. The 36 Billion Intercontinental gave to the "oil magnate" can transform Lekki-Epe way or Badagry -Seme border and they will recover their money. There are bankable projects in infrasturcture but govt. policy can destroy it. until we have infrastructure, banks will not give money to SMEs.

Once again Soludo failed for lack of character but this is Nigeria, who cares. I'm sure his Children and wife will be glad with the path he chose. I'm still waiting on him to finish the hospital he said he wants to build in memory of his mother - if the banks didn't give him bad checks. Bye to Soludo - the most glamorous CBN governor (he may become a politician in Anambra). he has the tendencies of a PDP politician. we've come a long way from where Soludo started from and I will credit him for that. it's Sanusi's turn, hopeful he can finish the race and I hope Yar Adua supports him especially with infrastructure.

@ vladmir2

I don't think you understand the workings of a Nigerian organisation. there is the rule and there is the practice. I can't think of any Nigerian organisation (certainly not any Nigerian bank) that would think twice about the rule when there is great gain (especially personal) to be made.

is it not in this same country that the supreme court told us that even without serialisation (as ordered by the electoral act) the election is still valid. (Yar Adua's election case)

by the way, i'm not saying that Ibru and Akingbola are complicit but it won't surprise me if they acted unilaterally or forced/coerced/induced other board members to tag along.
The banking system needs sanitisation and I'm talking as one who has worked in two banks (foreign owned and Naija owned) in Nigeria. Many of these guys are not professionals at all + the intimidation/harrassment that goes on in banks, anything can happen.

Man but come you guys, why is it that the people running out the central bank in nigeria, and any organization are all olodos. Sanusi has an Msc in economics WTF. The minimum requirement in my own opinion for running a central bank is a PhD in economics especially with a lot of research macroeconomics. Man i don tire, I think we should try and get more people from the diaspora with degrees from top schools (aka moi ) who at least know what to do to improve naija's economy.

A position like CBN governor is not just about inteligence but has a lot to do with Character on which count we found Soludo wanting towards the end of his tenure. I can list a couple of Ph.Ds who have failed us even in their own fields (Okereke Onyuike, Paul Ogwuma, Adenike Grange, Osotimehin, Usman Shamsudeen, Sam Aluko for Abacha) not to talk of those who veered off (Aunty Dora, Iwu). In a set up like CBN you should also have Deputy Governors who are professionals because Sanusi cannot know everything.
As to the qualification of Sanusi, i think he is eminently qualified (he has the qualification and experience) and did anyone raise an objection concerning his qualification when he was nominated (only his tribe was an issue). Soludo was a man for his time and I make bold to say that Sanusi is more like who we need right now 'cos our greatest problem now is corporate governance, risk management and getting the regualtory authority to do the right thing.


I respect the quality of Nigerians in the Diaspora but i think we overate these Diasporans and foreign degrees sometimes (by the way, I have a foreign degree too). I can mention a couple of those diasporans with designer degrees that have messed up (Speaker bankole, Bola Tinubu, Andy Uba, Keem Belo-Osagie) and for every Okonjo Iweala,we have a Nuhu Ribadu or Fashola. The problem Nigeria has right now is not about diasporans taking charge or even in need of a foreign degree. who doesn't know that we need our roads to be tarred or that we require power, water etc and these are not rocket science. these technologies have been in existence since.

Even though i have not gotten my BS yet, I can write a three paged plan that could move nigeria towards the path of a developed nation. Anyways sha just pray i run for nigerian presidency one, and you guys should vote for real change.


There are so many like you and me who can write a plan to take Nigeria to Eldorado but when we get to that office and we see the Ghana must go, do we remember the plan we had before. Soludo came in with a change message. The corruption in Nigeria is of a different order and this tendency for primitive acquisition of wealth needs to stop. how?-----------i do no have the answers!
----by the way concentrate on getting your BS.

@ SEFAGO

SEFAGO:
Man but come you guys, why is it that the people running out the central bank in nigeria, and any organization are all olodos. Sanusi has an Msc in economics WTF. The minimum requirement in my own opinion for running a central bank is a PhD in economics especially with a lot of research macroeconomics. Man i don tire, I think we should try and get more people from the diaspora with degrees from top schools (aka moi ) who at least know what to do to improve naija's economy.

A position like CBN governor is not just about inteligence but has a lot to do with Character on which count we found Soludo wanting towards the end of his tenure. I can list a couple of Ph.Ds who have failed us even in their own fields (Okereke Onyuike, Paul Ogwuma, Adenike Grange, Osotimehin, Usman Shamsudeen, Sam Aluko for Abacha) not to talk of those who veered off (Aunty Dora, Iwu). In a set up like CBN you should also have Deputy Governors who are professionals because Sanusi cannot know everything.
As to the qualification of Sanusi, i think he is eminently qualified (he has the qualification and experience) and did anyone raise an objection concerning his qualification when he was nominated (only his tribe was an issue). Soludo was a man for his time and I make bold to say that Sanusi is more like who we need right now 'cos our greatest problem now is corporate governance, risk management and getting the regualtory authority to do the right thing.


I respect the quality of Nigerians in the Diaspora but i think we overate these Diasporans and foreign degrees sometimes (by the way, I have a foreign degree too). I can mention a couple of those diasporans with designer degrees that have messed up (Speaker bankole, Bola Tinubu, Andy Uba, Keem Belo-Osagie) and for every Okonjo Iweala,we have a Nuhu Ribadu or Fashola. The problem Nigeria has right now is not about diasporans taking charge or even in need of a foreign degree. who doesn't know that we need our roads to be tarred or that we require power, water etc and these are not rocket science. these technologies have been in existence since.

Even though i have not gotten my BS yet, I can write a three paged plan that could move nigeria towards the path of a developed nation. Anyways sha just pray i run for nigerian presidency one, and you guys should vote for real change.

There are so many like you and me who can write a plan to take Nigeria to Eldorado but when we get to that office and we see the Ghana must go, do we remember the plan we had before. Soludo came in with a change message. The corruption in Nigeria is of a different order and this tendency for primitive acquisition of wealth needs to stop. how?-----------i do no have the answers!
----by the way concentrate on getting your BS.

@ vladmir2

find below the speech and data highlighted.
15.08.2009
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press. As we are all aware, the world economy has been hit by the repercussion of the financial meltdown that started with the sub-prime mortgage crisis in the United States of America and spread to Europe and other parts of the World. This crisis has led to the collapse of many banks and other financial institutions, and even rendered an entire nation bankrupt.
In Nigeria, the banking system appears to have weathered the storm due to a number of factors. Among these are the facts that our financial system, as well the relatively simple nature of financial products and strong capitalisation and liquidity of Nigeria banks.
However, there are many who have been aware for a while now that whereas the system in general is likely to absorb and survive the effects of crisis, the effects vary from bank to bank. A few Nigerian banks, mainly due to huge concentrations in their exposure to certain sectors (capital marker and Oil and Gas, being the prominent ones), but due to a general weakness in risk management and corporate governance, have continued to display signs of failure.
As far as October last year, some of the banks showed serious liquidity strain and had to be given financial support by the Central Bank in the form of an “Expanded Discount Window” (EDW) where the CBN extended credit facilities to these banks on the basis of collateral in the form of Commercial Paper and Bankers’ acceptances, sometimes of doubtful value.[/color][color=#990000]As at June 4, 2009 when I assume office as Governor of the CBN, the total amount outstanding at the Expanded Discount Window was N256.57 billion, most of which was owed by the five banks.
A review of the activity in the EDW showed that four banks had been almost permanently locked in as borrowers and were clearly unable to repay their obligations. A fifth bank has been a very frequent borrower when its profile ordinarily should have placed it among the net placers of funds in the market. Whereas the five banks were by no means the only ones to have benefited from the EDW, the persistence and frequency of their demand pointed to a deeper problem and the CBN identified them as probable source of financial instability, most likely suffering from deeper problems due to non-performing loans.
The impact of the situation of these banks was being felt by the market in different negative ways. Because of this strain in their balance sheets, the banks pushed up the interest rate paid to private sector deposits and their competitors had to follow suit. They also contributed to the destabilization of the inter-bank market as many of their competitors were unwilling to take an unsecured risk on them. It was primarily because of these banks, or at least some of them, that the CBN took the step of guaranteeing the inter-bank market when it stopped granting new lines under the EDW. Without that guarantee, almost four banks would not have been able to borrow in the inter-bank and would probably have collapsed.
As you are aware, we guaranteed the inter-bank market to give us the time to conduct a thorough diagnosis of the banks and ensure that appropriate remedial action is taken. At least four of the banks in question have, since the guarantee come into force either remained heavy users of funds at the EDW or drawn heavily from other banks under cover of the CBN guarantee to wind-down at this window. In all events, it is clear that they do not have the ability to meet their obligations to depositors and creditors as they are in a grave situation.
In view of the aforementioned circumstances, I instructed the Director of Banking Supervision of the CBN to carry out a Special Examination of the following five banks:
1. Afribank Plc
2. Finbank Plc
3. Intercontinental Bank Plc
4. Oceanic Bank Plc and
5. Union Bank Plc.
[b]The examination was conducted by a joint team of CBN and NDIC officials. The major findings on the five banks included:
1. Excessively high level of non-performing loans in the five banks which was attributable to poor corporate governance practices, lax credit administration processes and the absence or non-adherence to the bank's credit risk management practices.
Thus the percentage of non-performing loans to total loans ranged from 19% to 48%. The 5 banks will therefore need to make additional provision of N539.09 billion.
2. The total loan portfolio of these five banks was N2,801.92 billion. Margin loans amounted to N456.28 billion and exposure to Oil and Gas was N487.02 billion. Aggregate non performing loans stood at N 1,143 billion representing 40.81%.
3. From 1 and 2 above, it is evident that the five banks accounted for a disproportionate component of the total exposure to Capital Market and Oil Gas, thus reflecting heavy concentration to high risk areas relative to other banks in the industry.
4. The huge provisioning requirements have led to significant capital impairment. Consequently, all the banks are undercapitalized for their provisions for loan losses, which impacted negatively on their capital. [/b]
Indeed one is technically insolvent with a Capital Adequacy Ratio of (1.10%). Thus, a minimum capital injection of N204.94 billion will be required in the 5 banks to meet the minimum capital adequacy ratio of 10%.[/b]5. The five banks were either perennial net-takers of funds in the inter-bank market or enjoyed liquidity support from the CBN for long periods of time, a clear evidence of illiquidity. [b]In other words, these banks were unable to meet their maturing obligations as they fall due without resorting to the CBN or the inter-bank market. As a matter of fact, the outstanding balance on the EDW of the five banks amounted to N127.85 billion by end July 2009, representing 89.81% of the total industry exposure to the CBN on its discount window while their net guaranteed inter-bank takings stood at N253.30 billion as at August 02, 2009. [/color][color=#990000]Their Liquidity Ratios ranged from 17.65% to 24% as at May 31, 2009. (Regulatory minimum is 25%).[/b][b]It is important to note that at least three of the banks are systemically important (accounting for more than 5% of Assets and Deposits in the Banking System) and together the five banks account for 39.93% of loans, 29.99% of deposits, and 31.47% of total assets as at May 31, 2009.
Consequently, having reviewed all the reports of the examiners and the comments of the Directors and Deputy Governors, I am satisfied that these 5 institutions are in a grave situation and that their Management have acted in a manner detrimental to the interest of their depositors and creditors. Therefore, in exercise of my powers as contained in Sections 33 and 35 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 1991, as amended, and after securing the consent of the Board of Directors of the CBN, I hereby remove the Managing Directors and the Executive Directors of the following banks from office with effect from Friday, August 14, 2009.
1. Afribank Pic
2. Intercontinental Bank Pic
3. Union Bank of Nigeria Pic
4. Oceanic International Bank Pic
5. Finbank Pic
These persons forthwith cease to be directors and officers of their respective banks.
The Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria has also appointed the following as the MD/CEOs of the affected banks:
1. Mr. John Aboh - MD/CEO Oceanic International Bank Pic
2. Mr. Mahmud L. Alabi - MD/CEO Intercontinental Bank Pic
3. Mr. Nebolisa Arah - MD/CEO Afribank Pic
4. Mrs. Suzanne Iroche - MD/CEO Finbank Pic
5. Mrs. Funke Osibodu - MD/CEO Union Bank Pic
Each of the above will head a management team that will include Executive Directors and Chief Financial Officers to be appointed by the CBN. This team is tasked with continuing the businesses of the banks as a going concern. I therefore appeal to the Boards of the affected banks, in their own interest, to co¬operate with the newly appointed Executive Management.
We are conscious of the fact that changing management alone will not resolve this problem. Consequently, the CBN is injecting a total of about N400 billion into these five banks with immediate effect in form of Tier 2 Capital to be repaid from proceeds of capitalization in the near future.
This injection is sufficient to resolve and stabilize all the institutions and enable them continue normal business. The injection of fresh capital by the CBN is a temporary measure as government does not intend to hold the shares for long and shall divest its holdings as soon as new investors recapitalize these banks.
Let me also advise all debtors of Nigerian banks, that the CBN and all government agencies are united in our commitment to support the recovery efforts of the banks. Debtors who do not pay shall have their names published in National Newspapers in due course and we will solicit the support of law enforcement agencies in recovery.
Let me reassure especially the customers of the affected banks and all the banks in general that there is no cause for alarm. They should continue to transact their normal business in the banks where their accounts are domiciled as this exercise is meant to further strengthen the banking industry and recapitalize the affected banks.
I should also state at this point that the scope of the Special Examination was widened to cover all 24 banks. So far, we have concluded the audit of 10 banks including these five, the others being Diamond Bank, First Bank, United Bank for Africa, Guaranty Trust bank and Sterling Bank. We have also commenced the next batch of 11 banks and hope to conclude them by end of August. All in all, we expect to conclude the audit in mid-September. The Central bank is requiring all banks to make appropriate provisioning for non-performing loans and disclose them. We hope that by the end of this quarter, all banks would have cleaned up their Balance Sheets. On the basis of the information available to us so far, we are confident that the banking system is safe and sound and we have dealt with the major sources of systemic risk.
I will conclude by restating that, going forward, the CBN will not waiver in its desire to ensure that public confidence in the Nigerian banking system is maintained through appropriate disclosures and the reinvigoration of its policy of zero tolerance on all professional and unethical conducts.
We will not allow any bank to fail. However, we will also ensure that officers of banks and debtors who contribute to bank failures are brought to book to the full extent of the law and that all proceeds of infraction are confiscated where legally feasible.
Thank you.


if you need anything more than these, then it will probably be too much information for a neutral party like you. Did you have the data Halifax BOS, AIG, Citi etc?

Vladmir 2:
@hammer07,this is a very political decision.Days ahead will only confirm our thoughts and fears.

@ vladmir2
what do you need facts anf figures for? I thought you had facts and figures before making the comment above.

i suggest that you check the facts and figures made available by SAnusi and published on the websites of Thisday (www.thisdayonline.com), NEXT (www.234next.com), SaharaReporters etc.

They don't lead to your conclusion above. Even if this is politically motivated, these CEOs have lost depositor's money and are not running the bank well.

instead of the banks to focus on real issues, they went for ego trips. Opening branch in London, advert on CNN, branding of Heathrow terminal 5.
The truth is that most of the bankers know nothing about banking, just traders (rightly called marketers) and if you combine this ignorance with the average Nigerian's lack of integrity and primitive greed you can only get this type of trouble.

People have said it on this forum in the past that Intercontinental, Oceanic were in trouble but some guys rushed to dismiss it and they are still claiming that Sanusi has ulterior motives.

I do not know the BOFIA act but I know Soludo forced out WEMA Bank's Omoyeni from office (how many of you remember) but no mention of the right of CBN then.

By the way only 10 of the banks have been audited and five found wanting. Sanusi kept saying that he won't do anything until all the banks have been audited but I have a feeling that there were pressures on him to stop the exercise from the banks who had been found wanting so he had to wield the big stick. (my evidence: Akingbola was with the Sultan some weeks back and Thisday also reported that he went to beg Obasanjo)

I believe Soludo was a man for his time just as Sanusi is proving to be. Soludo started well and fell off and I wasn't surprised to see him fall off , when you have these corrupt bankers enticing you with money and you remember your poverty days as a lecturer, it will only take special characer and integrity to resist and even at that NIgerians will not appreciate you. Soludo was probably the most glamorous governor of a central bank. (bank chiefs are supposed to be conservative imho!)

fayahsoul:
@jacobs123

The description of the afurakan by lugard is never to be accepted because it's not true and it came from a white supremacist conceptual frame work.

And u people advocating a return to colonization are the problem because you think there's only one model for economics and governance. A model that's not yours.

@fayahsoul

I'm not exactly advocating a return to colonialism but I'm not against it since that it is what we are practicing right now only that the colonial masters are our own brothers.
My suggestion however is that since it's obvious that we can't lead ourselves (this is evident all over Africa) then we need to try something else even if it means paying them as consultants to lead us. come to think of it, they run many things right now, why don't we just accept that and learn if we ever can.

the model we've practiced for 50 years has not worked ad my point is that the problem is not just our leaders but we all as a people.

We are always eager to point out that our leaders are bad but the sad reality is that we are bad people and we can only expect bad leaders. I know that's so hard to take for those of you who think you are good people but consider the following
1. have you seen how we drive on our roads, do we know what queues and orderliness are about and how can such a people ever move forward?
2. have you ever noticed how a Nigerian is always intent on bringing an individual solution to a community problem, that's selfishness and no society with such huge number of selfish pple will ever develop?
3. have you ever compared a company run by Nigerians and those run by westerners, it should tell us something about our leadership capabilities.
4. for the good people amongst us, why do we become so bad when we have power?, Africans generally have no idea of what to do with power except enslave others.
5. For those who criticize Lugard, please take a honest look at his statement and see if they are not through, if you say he had a condescending view of us, my response is that all over the world most white people view us condescendingly and i think we deserve it. Do the Yorubas and Igbos not view Hausas condescendingly and vice-versa? More over many of us on this forum , do we not look at Nigerians in lowly positions in a condescending way?
6. We as a people are not given to objectivity, we always operate on emotions and we see a lot of it on Nairaland. The Americans wanted Bill Clinton to bring back the jobs to China, he told them face it, they are gone. The Brits complained about Foreign students, Blair told them, the data shows we need them (read as their money). we need objectivity among the people not just leaders to develop.
7. It has always surprised me how Nigerians keep snubbing someone like Pat Utomi, yet people like Alao-Akala can become Governor. we talk about pat Utomi not being being perfect , yes he has flaws but what about OBJ, UMYA etc
8. if you attended a Nigerian university, what was the student union like or even the NANS, where will the good leaders come from?
9. I've observed that Nigeria is probably the only place in the world where the words "Leaders" and "Masses" are used a lot in the polity even by Journalists and the people, it's a behavioural disorder if you ask me and it does not surprise me that the Leaders trample on the masses while the masses worship the leaders.
10. it's good to blame the Brits for our problem because it's consistent behaviour with Nigerians but my observation is that even if someone caused a problem between groups of people and for 50 years you still cannot resolve it, then you really should be looking at yourself. Did the brits not cause problem in US, India, Pakistan etc. if somebody caused your problem and you cannot agree that you need good roads, power, water etc, then forget independence and ask for colonisation.
11. Even the youths of today will not make a difference in Nigeria's story, we still don't have the critical mass. education and advocacy will help but it's sad that even the educated ones just want to be settled first. Check out the House of Reps. In school back then we used to have what we call "ojooro cancel" meaning let's stop cheating and be fair when playing games. i've asked myself several times, when will the leaders of this country say to themselves, "Ojooro cancel", we've stolen a lot, let's do some work. Fashola seems to be saying so but how many are with him even in his cabinet?
12. For those of us who are Christians, it's time to live righteously not just to pray, donate offering and submit tithe.

if Nigeria ever becomes good, it will be because of the Lord's mercy not because we worked for it or deserved it, it will just be the story of the sick man at the pool of Bethsaida, that Jesus just healed for mercy's sake because even when the solution to his problem was around, he just kep complaining.

Sorry for my epistle but I think we the youths of this country should just march across the country and beg for America, israel, ghane to come and colonise us instead of hustling for their visas.

Nigeria was not ready for independence. Infact I kinda like the fact that people like Pa Enahoro are living witnesses of what they got us into. We should infact still be colonized right now. It is obvious everywhere you go that Nigerians are not good leaders. There is nothing shameful about being weak in some areas as long as you have a plan to manage the weakness. Whatever we thought we wanted to avoid by getting independence have not been avoided.
1. Today, a British man is superior to a Nigerian in this country.
2. There is no resource or advantage that our previous colonial masters want that they can't get even today and for cheap.
3. The foreigners are still the ones who can afford to stay where the colonial masters stayed in Ikoyi.
4. The majority of Nigerians are still enslaved by their own people whether as houseboys, drivers or in jobs where they work for nothing.

My personal opinion is that we still need colonial masters but because it is not fashionable these days, it will make sense to hand over the management of our affiars and the headship of key ministries and Parastatals to competent foreigners while we learn from them.


The statement below by Lord Lugard is probably one of the most racial statements that most of us will have read but I'm ashamed to say that it is true today as it was several years ago when the observation was made. As a black man I am proud of today as Mr. Obama becomes the first black president of the U.S.A. and wish the same can happen in Nigeria or Africa but it is sad to note that we are not even our way. The Obama victory to me is one driven more by whites than black even though Nigerians and Africans are desperate to see it as black victory. It is important to note that it was even whites that believed in him before the blacks supported him and eventually gave him victory.


""In character and temperament" wrote Lord Lugard, "the
typical African of this race-type is a happy,
thriftless, excitable person. Lacking in self control,
discipline, and foresight. Naturally courageous, and
naturally courteous and polite, full of personal vanity, with
little sense of veracity, fond of music and loving
weapons as an oriental loves jewelry. His thoughts are
concentrated on the events and feelings of the moment,
and he suffers little from the apprehension for the
future or grief for the past. His mind is far nearer to
the animal world than that of the European or
Asiatic, and exhibits something of the animals placidity
and want of desire to rise beyond the State he has
reached. Through the ages the African appears to have
evolved no organised religious creed, and though some
tribes appear to believe in a deity, the religious sense
seldom rises above pantheistic animalism and seems more
often to take the form of a vague dread of the
supernatural"

He lacks the power of organisation, and is
conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of
men or business. He loves the display of power, but
fails to realise its responsibility , he will work
hard with a less incentive than most races. He has the
encourage of the fighting animal -an instinct rather than
a moral virtue, In brief, the virtues and defects
of this race-type are those of attractive children,
whose confidence when it is won is given ungrudgingly as
to an older and wiser superior and without
envy, Perhaps the two traits which have impressed me as
those most characteristic of the African native are his
lack of apprehension and his ability to visualize the
future" Pg 70 of The Dual Mandate by F.D.Lugard 1926

father ab:
Nigeria is actually a product- a product of our collective actions, Nigeria is a company- a company of good people who still remain one despite all the horrors we have been through.

Your question as to what the banks' CNN advert did for them, my answer is A LOT!
How many of our banks are listed on the london stock? Atleast I know of 2 (GTBank and Intercntal) You cant achieve that feat being in the dark despite an effective management in place.

I promise those of you naysayers, YOU WILL BE SILENCED very soon.

father Ab,
i would have loved to sit down with you to understand where this faith in the re-branding exercise comes from but I suspect that even that will be a useless waste of valuable time.

I'ld like to know if you know about the re-branding exercise of a bank called WEMA bank. Dora may want to learn from them why re-branding does not solve every problem. I would have loved to talk about the so-called "success" of GTBank and Intercontinental Bank's branding campaign but I guess learning from WEMA bank will tell us that there is a chance of failure even when you re-brand.

The question i'ld love to ask Prof. Dora are:

if Nigeria were a product,will she re-brand it?
if Nigeria were a company, will she re-brand it?

My own personal answers are

if Nigeria were a product, I will seek to improve it's quality not re-brand it.
if Nigeria were a company, I will change it management team not re-brand it.
Anything short of the above is like a Nigerian bank advertising on CNN or a Nigerian bank branding Heathrow's Terminal 5. It is waste of money, deception and an ego-trip.

I think she can ask the banks what their re-branding effort has done for them on CNN or seek to understand why countries like Cyprus, India, Malta, South Africa, Malaysia etc will seek to have a product to market before advertising themselves on CNN. As if to underscore the point, one of her team members lost his phone at the venue of the re-branding.

All the best to her in this effort. I hope she can silence those of us who see this as a waste of effort.

fegflu:
It is Only in Nigeria that u need qualification to do everything. the world has change far away from such ideas. Experience is wat matters now. Go out of the country and c if qaulification is an issue 2 get a job.

To those who think that paper qualifications do not matter, i'ld refer you to probably the most successful guy without a paper qualification.
Meet Bill GATES and tell him that you need a job, you are so smart but you have no paper qualification and he will probably tell you to start your own company. You may try to apply for a job with Microsoft and see if there is something this successful dropout knows about paper qualifications.

In my opinion, paper qualification is not everything, experience is not everything either but I'd still prefer that we start with paper qualification.

Diamond Bank adopts new workings hours    E-mail
Written by vanguard   
Monday, 02 March 2009


In furtherance of its strategy of being “the employer of choice,”  Diamond Bank Plc recently reviewed its working hours, pegging all official works to close by 7pm to enable its staff join their respective families before night falls. According to sources, this policy christened “Operation Eat Dinner with Your Family” was put in place after a careful review of the prevailing working conditions of bankers in the country and in appreciation of the challenges faced by staff in striking a balance between the world of work and family. Recall cases of armed robbery attacks on workers on their way home at late hours and also broken marriages arising from psychological distance created between couples in the name of work.

It is a known norm that an  average Nigerian banker spends over 12 hours in the office such that most bank employees  appear as mere visitors in their various homes. A good number of them get to see their children on weekends because before the children wake up, they are in the office and due to late arrival from work, they meet their wards sleeping. In some instances, bankers’ children erroneously call their parents uncles and aunties.

Also because of the traffic situation in some cities, most workers resorted to leaving their homes very early having to close very late. It was so bad a situation that Diamond Bank decided to set the pace by embarking on this staff oriented exercise. Reacting to this life-saving initiative, one staff stated, “we have heaved  a sigh of relief since the inception of the new closing hours and our families are the direct beneficiaries.”

With this noble initiative by the Bank’s management, our source revealed that Diamond Bank’s “staff have learnt to work smart using official working hours to deliver on their assigned tasks and thereby justifying management interest in their welfare.



I'm guessing that we are supposed to praise Diamond Bank for this family friendly initiative. Next thing we'll probably hear is that they have won "Thisday Awards" for the most family friendly bank.
To Diamond bank staff, please what was the previous closing time?

While these pictures says a lot, it is not enough to evaluate and come to a conclusion on what may have transpired. There are however a few things we can conclude however:

The Nigerian Police cannot curb crime in this country the way it's presently constituted and led and it needs to be reformed.
Majority of our policemen do not deserve to wear a Police uniform anywhere in the world.
Every body complains about the state of Nigerian Police but is it a surprise that this is one institution where hardly anyone resigns.
If our policemen cannot resign from this job, then it is probably the best they can get so they should keep quiet. (note that my first point is that they need to be reformed)
I have worked closely with Policemen and know that most of them don't even have school certificate. These are illiterates.
The last recruitment of policemen still had people buying scratch card of 1,000 naira for a salary of 10,000 naira. does it not tell you that they are going there for the bribes?
There is no way we can expect any change from the present hierarchy of the police force. Somebody has to be brought in as the IG from Commisioner of Police and below and all his seniors sacked!
I was inside a danfo once and heard the driver saying that a certain policeman was his former conductor!!!

Quote from: londoner on Yesterday at 05:08:04 PM
It is heartless for people not to understand that a person who has recently undergone a kidney transplant may need to take a few weeks off, yes its heartless.

@ londoner

You seem to know what some of us do not know.
when did the President undergo kidney transplant and where?
AS far as I know, the President has never admitted this. I watched his interview last year and what he complained of was the Malaria drugs he took. he struggled to say that he had kidney issues in the past and did not expatiate. if you are going to take up the job of presiding over 150 million people, then you need to open up on things to expect sympathy especially when people die daily from your inactions.
In the age when more and more countries are embracing openness, yar adua's govt. is becoming more reclusive.
By the way, till today, the government has not said a word about his trip to Mecca not even in passing. how are we supposed to have sympathy on him, what for? travelling at the expense of tax payers?

Quote from: londoner on Yesterday at 05:08:04 PM
He is just one man after all, and Nigeria is not a place you can change overnight, two years is literally overnight when you talk about type of changes which the average Nigerian wants to feel.

If you need to see what a leader can do in 2 years, then I'm offering to drive you round Lagos state. By the way, Yar Adua's govt. has not not tarred or constructed 1m of new road in 2 years and you think it's becos he's thinking his decisions through. Well I hope we have enough people alive to use his infrastructure when he's through with thinking. As we speak, people are dying from accidents and generator fumes.
He has succeded in cancelling the few gains of the Obasanjo govt. and now that there is nothing else to reverse, he steps back to relax when Presidents all around the world are doing everything to resolve the economic crises!

Quote from: londoner on Yesterday at 05:08:04 PM
I am not joking at all. At the very worst, this president was the best of the bad bunch, at best he is a man who is slowly trying to make a change in the midst of vultures.

A lot of people have said this man is a good man, while I may not have enough evidence to the contrary, I have a problem with a "good man" with bad fruits and making a conscious decision to surround himself with good for nothing people (Ibori, Udenwa, Aondakaa, Okiro, Anenih) and this calls into question his goodness. At the end of his tenure, I'm of the opinion we may come to realize that this is a calculating and evil administration.

Kobojunkie:
I think so too.

I want to believe that the issue of marrying more than 1 wife is more of a cultural thing than religious thing and it also has to be identified as a disorder in the society.

talking about educating the women, i dunno how far it will go in helping this cause given the following examples below.

Just this saturday, Nafisa, the 21-yrs old President's daughter got married to the Bauchi State governor as the fourth wife. I'm told she schooled in the UK so what further education could have helped her. by the way, I think her education was a waste of tax payers money that was stolen to educate her. It's noteworhty also that her elder sister is married to Kebbi State governor not as first wife also. But the irony is their mum is an only wife! By the way, the wedding was a roll call of looters and would-be looters.

The Evil genius (IBB) also has a daughter married to the zamfara state governor (I think) as 2nd wife. she had all the education possible and we can't say money was her problem. Her father can make any man of her choice rich in 1 day and even make him governor in 2011.

The Adamawa state governor has four wives all of them with good education including Justice Nyako of Abuja High Court.

There are many muslims scattered over UK, US, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia etc. and most do not have more than 1 wife.

I may not have addressed the post but suffice it to say, the issue of marrying many wives and I dare say, not fending for them is a northern culture to me rather than religious although some people have found it attractive in the south too.

Seems like the only indiscipline that Sir Mike Okiro, Mr Parry Osayande and the Minister of Police Affairs can handle is that of Mr. Ribadu.
I hope somebody will teach our Policemen how to wear their Police Uniform. Even the NURTW Agberos are sensible enough to put on their uniforms so why not Okiro's men.

By Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja
Published: Saturday, 24 Jan 2009
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, has warned policemen to stop flouting his orders.





Okiro, who spoke in Gusau, Zamfara State on Wednesday, during his monthly conference with senior police officers from the rank of commissioner and above, accused some police officers of writing petitions to extort money from people.

He said that despite his orders prohibiting the use of covered number plates, a Deputy Inspector-General of Police still had the effrontery to report for work at the Force Headquarters, Abuja in a vehicle covered plates. Okiro, who was visibly angry, lamented that the DIG, whom he did not name, was among the top cadre of the Nigeria Police.

Okiro said he would have impounded the DIG’s vehicle but the plea for leniency by another senior officer made him to change his mind. Okiro said, “When I gave the January 1 deadline prohibiting people from using siren, people thought it was a joke. It is unfortunate that even officers come to the FHQ with a covered number plate. Even a DIG, who is number 12 in the hierarchy of police officers in the country, came to the FHQ with covered number plate. A number 12 police officer! I would have impounded the vehicle and asked the officer to trek home, or go and take a taxi. Now, how do you expect such an officer to go back to his command or zone and relate whatever instructions I give to his subordinates?”

The IG also said that he was dismayed that officers had ignored his earlier directive that area commanders should conduct inspection tours on a quarterly basis and send their reports to him.

Looking at the officers, he said, “This directive has not been complied with, as available records show that many of them prefer to forward theirs through the command headquarters. The DPOs do send their newsletters to my officer. So what is new in this directive on tour inspection reports?

“Henceforth, command commissioners should warn their area commanders to adhere strictly to this directive. The tour of inspection is part of the check and balance initiative of the present police administration, so that the execution of our crime prevention and control strategies or work plan is effectively monitored down to the divisional levels.”

He attributed the high traffic of petitions to his office to the selfish interests of some police officers. He therefore said that he had constituted a monitoring committee to visit the various commands and check all abandoned cases, adding that he had also noticed that 70 per cent of the hard knocks the police received from the public was due to their ability to prevent crime.

He said, “Also, abandoned case files and sponsored petitions are on the increase. Policemen write petitions and direct such petitions to themselves, with the sole aim of extorting money from people. That has to stop forthwith. Anyone caught with that will be dealt with.” Frowning at the involvement of officers in several cases in 2008, which he said made the police to pay about N502 million as damages, he warned that officers and the rank-and-file that incurred lawsuits against the Nigeria Police would be suspended.

He also warned that affected officers and the rank-and-file might be dismissed at the conclusion of the suit. Okiro said the Nigeria Police could not afford to waste money on lawsuits when it was in dire need of funds for its numerous needs.

Okiro said, “The huge amount of money that the Force incurred on Ganishee orders last year will no longer be allowed to repeat itself. Henceforth, police officers who incur legal action against the Force due to their non-adherence to these directives will face stringent punishments, up to dismissal.”

Meanwhile, the Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, has said that policemen in Lagos endure the worst working conditions in West Africa. The United Nations News Agency, IRIN, quoted Chukwuma as saying in an interview that “less than 10 per cent of police officers have official accommodation in barracks or privately rented apartments. Many others sleep in broken-down vehicles or vehicles they seize from people; others sleep in their offices.”

He added, ”If you look at the range of weapons available to the police, what is supposed to be used as a last resort - the gun - is often used as first. In traffic situations or during riot control, you see them (police) brandishing AK-47s.”

IRIN also quoted an unnamed police sergeant as saying that they had to depend on bribes to survive. The riot policeman said, “We fuel our patrol vehicles by raising our own money from the public. We buy almost everything ourselves; torches, even our belts and boots.”