Father Hassan Kukah Attacks Niger Delta Elites

The most politically visible Catholic Priest in the last decade, Father Hassan Matthew Kukah, has thrown his weight behind the 19 Northern State Governors who dropped the bomb that the North can survive without oil from the Niger Delta. This outburst by the Northern Governors was in response to an accusation by the leader of Niger Delta Volunteer Force, Asari Dokubo, that the North is parasitic and living off the oil and environmental degradation of the Niger Delta.

According to Father Kukah, who stirred the reconciliation between Ogoin and Shell, the problem of the Niger Delta, is their elite. Falling short of agreeing that the problem of Nigeria is class struggle, he thundered “I know enough political science to know that this nonsense about north and south does not exist”. In an interview with a national newspaper, Father Kukah said the good thing about abusing the north or abusing government is that it saves the elite of the Niger Delta the trouble of dealing with the problems they have created; the contradictions of their own inactivity and inefficiency. I hear people say, the road to my village is not okay or my people don’t have water. For goodness sake, people who have lived in Victoria Island, they have lived in all the comfort of Nigeria, in embassies abroad representing Nigeria, didn’t they know that people in their village don’t have water then? Suddenly at the age of 70 or 80 that people are wearing glasses that enable them to see the poverty of their people. Father Kukah wants the people not only the people of the Niger Delta to confront their leaders and ask them when they were ministers on federal character representing the people, what did they do for the people.

We at WWN agree with Father Kukah but cannot help pointing out that there is room for a renegade to be born again and champion the course of his people after purging himself of the betrayal. All we solicit the people of the Niger Delta and other oppressed peoples of all ethnic groups in Nigeria, is to see the crisis in Niger Delta as an intra-class struggle between the rich elite to reposition themselves in appropriation of the oil and continue the oppression of the working peoples, the fisherman, the hewers of wood and the poor Nigeria.

All oppressed peoples of Nigeria must unite; hold their leaders accountable while they are in office. Oppressed Nigerians should not wait till a thieving governor, a member of both State and National Assembly leave office before his name is dragged to the mud. Nigerians should be a vigilant watch dog and “attack” any representative of the people who is not representing the people.

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Biogas- for a sustainable society!

The saying that traveling is part of education cannot be less true in all ramifications. I say so because my recent visit and tours of Sweden as a part of the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) sponsored Ecological Sanitation Resource class 2008.

I was among fifteen other top sustainable development professionals invited to Stockholm to undergo three weeks Ecological Sanitation Resource training. As part of the training we had schedules of visits to very interesting places in Stockholm such as the Natur Centrum, the Skansen Centre, as well as the Skarpnack and Listudden neighborhoods. What I saw in these sites made me ‘dumb’. They were great places to visit by anyone who is really interested in the preservation of nature/ecology.

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Nigeria, A Paradox?

Written by: ADEKUNLE THEOPHILIUS

At times, i just stare at space in particular, as i ponder over life in Nigeria. I always find it difficult to fathom the Nigerian clime and stereotype. Most inexplicable is the fact that things that are anomalous in decent climes are passed off as acceptable and the norm in Nigeria. To be plain, Nigeria is a country where aberration thrives, where the ludicrous reigns supreme and the absurd stumps over the terrain like a colossus.

Why are we so misanthropic in this country for God’s sakes?, it’s so hard to decipher!, is it a natural or a mentality thing?, How can a society in the 21st century deride people for espousing honesty, how can people be condemned for decent works?, how can corruption be so brazenly condoned and promoted by a state.

No issue is most poignant than the events after the death of Abraham Adesanya. I am sure the man must be weeping and gnashing his teeth in his grave with the way he was messed up and things he would never have subscribed to while alive was made the norm on his demise. This is a modest and frugal man shunned ostentation, flippancy, mediocrity,opulence and equivocation. He was a practical man who lived a life devoid of self aggrandizement and watched his circle of friends. But his demise showed that death is not a deterrent to grandiose looting by Nigerians. Read more

PETER OBI; a pinhole peep

The journey to Agulu Anambra State began with a distress call from Mrs. Anulika Obienyem. I have known her from my hay days in Abuja and she has been a faithful friend. The message from the call was simple, “my father-in-law is dead. We had to bury him immediately according to his wish.” I was dumbfounded that the Igbo man could bury his deceased relation in record time. To confirm this sad story, I got a call from Valentine Obienyem, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State.

I have known Val. for over ten years, as far back as in our undergraduate days in Lagos State University and a fraternal friendship is still blossoming over since. I cancelled all my engagements to make sure that I attend the final burial rites of his father, Ozo Bonaventure Obienyem, who died at the age of 78. Apart from Val. being a reliable friend in the university, my first child was actually conceived in his house at Lugbe, Abuja.

Having put my relationship with Val in perspective; let me regale you with the journey to his father’s burial that ended up in an unforgettable encounter with the democratic phenomenon of Nigeria’s democratic experience, Mr. Peter Obi.

I took off from Abuja my economic exiled base to Biafra (South East Nigeria) and anchored in Owerri. The conversation in the bus was centred on the marginalization of the Igbos in Nigeria, despite the”no victor no vanquished” declaration by the Gowon administration at the end of the 30- month civil war.

As an afterthought, the passengers zoomed in on the non-performance of the South-East governors. While these arguments raged, all the passengers were in agreement that the Amanbra State governor is in a class of his own and a trail blazer in the enforcement of rule of law, firm belief in the due process and integrated approach to development. Why won’t he, I belched, after all it was the judiciary that restored his stolen mandate. It should be remembered that Governor Peter Obi ran through the judiciary gauntlet to reclaim his mandate stolen by Dr. Chris Ngige of the PDP, after the former had spent 3 years in office.

Ever since Peter Obi regained his mandate, he has stuck to the rule of law and due process, with little regards to whose ox is gored. Despite these pass mark given to Peter Obi in the bus, I still remained a doubting Thomas. My pinch-of-salt faith in the accolades showered on Peter Obi, sprang from the numerous newspaper advertorials by governors, brandishing what they have done during the past one year. Yet in their states, there is nothing to show for it. The dividends of democracy and good governance to their people are on the pages of newspapers and the crafty imagination of their image makers.

As though one passenger read my mind, I was reminded that the ongoing stalemate with the PDP dominated state House of Assembly is nothing but the governor’s stubbornness that the interest of the Anambra people must prevail against party and selfish interest. With great skepticism about reports from bush telegrams and Nigerian arm chair investigative journalists, over the super performances of the governors, I proceeded to Agulu via Ideato North.

To my greatest shock, the road from Urualla is as smooth as the Abuja-Keffi road. When I passed my Alma Mater, St. John Chrysostom Seminary Osina, pride swelled up to a bursting point in me. It was in this school, under steady hands of Rev. Sam Ilo that my faith was shaped. It was also there that my first baptism of rebellion was born. I protested the forceful banning of vernacular by Mazi C.C. our form master in Class 2B. I still have fresh memories of my brief stay in that school.

Akokwa to Ekwulobia was a pleasure to travel on and once in a long time, I was proud of the South East roads. Another interesting observation was the absence of bill boards advertising the governor. A trip round other South-East states, in fact the whole federation, you will have the faces of their governors welcoming you to squalor, unemployment and insecurity.

But that was not the case in Anambra. As we cruised across the border of Imo and Anambra, no nuisance bill board was welcoming me to Anambra. I started feeling there is something different about the state. But my pride knew no bound when I got to Obe Village, Agulu, the venue and Val’s village. There was electricity, which I understand has been there since the seventies. One could feel the fresh air exhuming from the green trees and virgin vegetation.

I was minding my beer, discussing Barack Obama’s half chance in November, reinterpretation of Andy Uba’s empty mandate and the failure of the opposition parties to challenge the foisting of Rotimi Amaechi at the Rivers State Election Tribunal with Barrister Emeka Ikedigwe that I paid no attention when the Governor’s presence was announced by the master of ceremony. But when Peter Obi appeared, with little fanfare, my pride did a somersault and at once I longed to be a governor in the shoes of Peter Obi.

Peter Obi came with the most skeletal security out-fit I have seen in modern times. Coming from Abuja, where a common minister intimidates road users, it was a cultural shock for me to see a governor at close range and his security details were not over -zealous, not wearing Abacha-like goggles and scaring electorates. I cannot remember the last time I was this at ease in the presence of security men.

To crown it all, Peter Obi ate in public glare. No special venue was arranged for him to eat. This simplicity touched me that I could not help but think, how better Nigeria will be if all governors will borrow a leaf from Peter Obi, make themselves accessible and not build wall of Jericho with Policemen around the governor. You may also wish to know that the convoy used by Peter Obi had about four cars; there was no dispatch rider or a lorry load of Mobile Policemen.

The siren was not at full blast. The governor mixed well with the people and was accessible to all who wanted to chip a word into his ever listening ears. With a wide smile and gentle voice the governor nodded to the praise singers and cheerfully made himself available to all and sundry. Read more

Ikedi Ohakim vs Sir Victor Umeh - It’s Over!

When the Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim declared in his recent Aka Ikenga lecture at NIIA, Lagos that ‘It’s over’ he was not un-mindful of elements like Sir victor Umeh.

In his lecture as reported by Ochorome Nnanna in the Vanguard he opines that some people within Ndigbo are acclaimed ’marginalisation cryers’ who have perpertually refused to see that the war was over decades ago; he observed thus

They have not accepted us back after the war. The war is still going on in their minds; it’s only the shooting that stopped. They are cheating us. They are killing us. They have enslaved us. We are marginalised. They have given us inferior ministries. They are doing this to us. They are doing that to us. 

I have no doubts, it is the likes of Sir Umeh that have not yet realised that ‘it is over’; Umeh’s purported reaction in today’s Vanguard leaves a lot to be desired. As much as one allows oppostion to his/her views, one does not just oppose for the sake of doing it , in other to be heard. Umeh still re-echoes the same old lines that Ohakim had earlier outlined. Sir Umeh, get it, it’s over! Just like Ohakim said;

It’s their fault. Fingers were pointed into the air, at them. But as it happens, when you point one finger at others, three are pointing back at you, telling you to search yourself first and be sure whether the fault is not really yours. Look at the mirror first. Are you sure the main problem is not that person who is staring back at you?

How many fingers are pointing at you? How much have you been searching yourself lately? Probably, you do not have a mirror to examine yourself.

The time has come and indeed, it’s time we start listening to the likes of Ohakim and other liberated Ndigbo sons/daughters out there so that we all can help deliver Igbo land from the defeatist physic that have beleaguered it since the war ended. We have what it takes to get ourselves out of this doldrums. We need to look inwards and rid ourselves of the marginalisation mentality as preached by our jobbers and buccaneers ( Ori na Crisis people ) representatives. They have not helped our cause and quest in the past nor present and the future holds nothing for them in Igbo affairs.

Let us rise above the defeatist mentality and invoke the Igbo unsuppressible spirit of enterprise and self preservation, with which we shall overcome and together we will establish the Igbo nation of our dreams. 

You may not agree with the messenger in Ohakim, but let us listen to him. He has got a lot to say. ( Okpu okwu n’onu! )

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INCONSEQUENTIAL INCONSISTENCES.

By Che Oyinatumba

If you have not read or heard of the call for a revolution by Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN) during his book presentation, its either you have seen the emptiness of the call or the un-seriousness of the callers. Prof. Nwabueze first made this call during an interview reported in The Guardian of Sunday January 13 2008. At the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), the venue of his book presentation he was boldened by the presence of the new “enemies” of Obasanjo to pull the tiger by the tail. These characters: Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, G.O.K Ajayi (SAN) Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) Orji Uzor Kalu, Ayo Fayose, Emeka Ngige (SAN) Otunba Fasawe. (For a comprehensive list see Cicero @ Thisday, the Sunday Newspaper April 6 2008, page 103.) Like you who have not read, I chose not to reply, for the “bellful” cannot prescribe revolution. These characters can’t withstand anything. Their primary interest, is how to undermine the genuine agitation of the masses, so as to be seen as a sympathetic class in the plight of the masses. For expose on the emptiness of their revolutionary credentials, read: Obasanjo, Nwabueze and Revolution by Femi Falana, Thisday April 14. (Back page).

I elected to do a rejoinder to this call, after reading Femi Falana’s reply to Kayode Komolafe’s Our Latter Day Revolutionaries, Thisday April 6^th and Sam Omatseye’s Not yet a revolution in the Nation Newspaper of April 14^th 2008. Juxtaposing Femi Falana and Sam Omatseye, I cannot but get into the fray.

Of all the comments I have read on this irritant call for a revolution, Sam’s Not Yet a Revolution is the most apt and a must read for what is left of the Nigerian left. In divers write ups, I have maintained that the dearth of credible opposition, in Nigerian political land mine, is the absence of an alternative based on ideology.

Most Marxists of the 70s – early 90s, have “torpedoed” into NGOism and international donor seeking beggars. The very few relics are working either as SA, PA or hangers on to politicians who were discredited in their university days. You have a situation where club/party boys, carparkites, loafers are now employing “ism” quoting, long bearded, non-conformist radicals of the 70s - 90s.

It is this lack of revolutionary elite (Sam Omatseye) and revolutionary organizations that made these bloated oppressors of the masses to call for a revolution.

Furthermore, the masses of Nigeria are disappointed by the so called “comrades.” The shallowness of this was exposed by past president Obasanjo, when he ridiculed a young chap from Niger Delta, who introduced himself as “comrade. Loquacious Obasanjo replied, “Even Adams Oshiomole is no longer a comrade.” This is an insight revelation, for Obasanjo, despite what people say, has a Machiavellian understanding of power and how to seduce his enemies. All those celebrating Adams victory in Edo, should watch it, as Adams may not be better (read last 2 pages of George Owell’s Animal Farm). Adams has started romancing Tony Anineh, the prince of Edo PDP, who foisted and sustained Lucky Igbenedion for wasteful 8years in Edo state.

I opened this can of worm because Sam listed wasted opportunities for a revolution and missed out the fuel increment rally that had Nigerians mobilized and ready for a showdown, only for Adam’s NLC to chicken out. The “revolutionaries” in the civil liberty/human right movement cried foul, especially with the death of Chima Ubani. Like Sam’s submissions, this also was wasted.

Is revolution feasible in Nigeria? In as much as there are inconsistencies in the character of the messenger, must we throw away his message? The messengers – Nwabueze and gang, (through leprous) have raised a mirror. Killing them (though they will be among the first victims of any uprising), will not change the message that there is a need to address the drifting gulf between the poor and the rich in Nigeria.

Nigerians are so traumatized by poverty that they only want the basics of life. Most Nigerians, will vote in a benevolent thief, who will steal with a basket, for the content of the basket will slip out and quench their hunger, provide light, give quality education and healthcare; there will be no need to go to Germany to cure “cold.”

Most of Nwabueze’s gang is employers of labor, what are the working conditions in the factory they own? For the SANs, what is the take home of a lawyer with 5yrs post call? Let everyone brighten the coner where he is. Revolution begins with rebellion of the heart, the challenge of the status quo wherever and whenever you see it. As the saying goes, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Nwabueze’s gang should sheath their dane guns, for the greatest impediment to revolution in Nigeria is the almighty United State. With t he unipolar imbalance of power after the collapse of USSR, any uprising must have the blessing of America, secure a steady flow of crude oil and guarantee that EU interests will not be attacked.

For Femi Falana who supports Nwabueze’s call, I ask where are the revolutionary elite to mentor a cadre of selfless Nigerians to die for the cause? The victims of June 12 are yet to be integrated by “big boys” of the human right community, who got lime-light via the sacrifice of these victims.

There is need to revive the “aluta” culture In Nigerian Universities, to challenge the evils that are daily oozing out in Nigeria. This can be done by building study centres, interactive forum between the mainstream labour movement and the student body. If these cadres on campus are not harvested, the dearth of viral labour movement will remain an epidemic and the quest for a just workers friendly environment will remain but a fleeting illusion to be pursued but never attained-Apologies to Bob Marley. Ex-while NANS comrades, who are now SAs, Pas should be discouraged from splitting National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), turning her into award awarding organization and a willing tool of agitation in favor of any politician that doles out the heaviest Ghana-must-go.

Akin to this, comrades across the divides, should join hands and build a labour party, arming her as a tool in the democratic overthrow of the existing oppressive political structure in Nigeria.

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