HARDBALL NIGERIAN POLITICS: 2014

Thursday, 17 April 2014

Slumped Elder Statesmen: Elders, Corruption and Politics

Slumped Elder Statesmen: Elders, Corruption and Politics

When the list of delegates selected for the national Confab emerged every reasonable Nigerian was distraught by the choice of such elder statesmen who have all had their time in business, politics and government. Most wondered what they could come up with in three months that they have not been able to do in fifty-four years of Nigeria's existence. These were men who stood by out of cowardice and watched the military derail an entire generation of Nigerians. They stood by and watched and nurtured corruption into the hydra headed monster that it is today. Corruption can only be likened to a cancer that has eaten deep into the tissues and fabrics of our country and can only be destroyed by removing the tissues.In Nigeria Corruption has tainted every facet of our daily existence.The system is structured in such a way that it breeds corruption. It draws in the pupils in primary school by making exam malpractice a norm and this as simple as it seems erodes the conscience and gradually pulls the individual into the heart of corruption where public property are usurped for personal gains.The child grows from primary to secondary through to tertiary schools of corruption and gains employment in the ministries of corrupt practices.It is a system that has been structured to ensure that every Nigerian remains corrupt.

Back to the delegates at the Confab in Abuja. These old men who are already neck deep in corruption are not the best representatives of the visions and aspirations of the Nigerian people. Their strength is gone as evidenced by the number of hospitalization among them. The federal government is now forced to pay hospital bills for these man who are plagued more byt their High blood pressure, Arthritis, heart conditions, Viagra efficacy,bowel disease, kidney conditions than any problem facing Nigeria. You cannot expect any significant transformation to come from a gathering of these men.

The Youths would have been the best bet here. Youths who may just be ankle deep in corruption and many clean ones would take audacious steps to have a better Nigeria they would be proud of. A lot of things the old men would fear to touch they would boldly discuss.It is on this grounds that I began to doubt the sincerity of Jonathan in calling for the National conference. I wonder whether it was a distraction he brought up at a time when the polity was heated against him to diffuse the pressure on him and it worked or if it was a political weapon in his hands to negotiate his second term.

Thursday, 10 April 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND SOUTH EASTERN DELEGATES

Our forefathers must be turning in their graves at the site of those sent to represent the Igbos at the conference. In the olden days as depicted in Things fall apart and other historic books, young able bodied men like Okonkwo and his mates were the ones sent out as emissaries on any matters involving the community with the counsel of elders at home who remain the brain and strategist behind them. The rational is that when the young men are defeated the old men at home will re-strategise, However the case is different now, If these gray haired men fail to achieve the goal they went for it means we are finished. If they did their bit in bringing up the igbo youths, they would not be in abuja at their old age fighting for the youths but they have connived with the enemy all these years to steal from the youths of this country and they now claim by their action that they are the best ones to decide how nigerians will live for the next 100 yeasr mindful of the fact that most of them have barely ten years to go as life expectancy in Nigeria is way below 50 years.
There is no doubt that they have failed us and they have nothing to offer.

Apologies to Sullivan Chime who happens to be the best Governor in Igbo land. The power of what youths can do. Elders advise yourselves if you want Igbo land and this country to move forward. The man died in him that keeps quiet in the face of tyranny.

List of African online Magazines and Newspapers

African Media

African Examiner (Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.): Owned by RD Frontline LLC, Baltimore, Maryland. http://www.africanexaminer.com/

AllAfrica.com - Nigeria News: Wide variety of current news sources. Company formed from the former Africa News of Durham, NC. http://allafrica.com/nigeria/

Aminiya: In Hausa. Has the same publisher as the Daily, Weekly, and Sunday Trust. [KF] http://aminiya.com/

BBC Africa News: The British Broadcasting Corp often has Nigerian news. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/

Business Day: Site for the daily print business newspaper. Includes information technology news. http://www.businessdayonline.com/

Business Hallmark Newspaper: Published by Patroni Limited, Lagos. Daily online edition of a weekly print business newspaper. Covers Nigeria, Africa. Commerce, capital markets, info tech, oil & gas, transport, etc. http://www.bizhallmark.com

BusinessNews: Online newspaper featuring Nigerian business. News releases, "reviews and opinion on Nigeria, finance, real estate, technology, transportation, insurance, energy Industry and more." http://businessnews.com.ng/

Business World: http://www.businessworldng.com/

Daily Champion (Lagos): Site of the print Lagos newspaper. Selected articles. http://www.champion.com.ng/

Daily Sun (Lagos): Site for the print newspaper targeted at young adults. Published by The Sun Publishing Ltd. "The Sun Publishing Limited was incorporated on March 29, 2001 to undertake the business of printing and publishing. The company’s The Sun title joined the swelling ranks of the ever-vibrant Nigerian press on Saturday, January 18, 2003 as a weekly and June 16, 2003 as a daily. http://www.sunnewsonline.com/

Daily Trust (Kaduna) and Weekly Trust: Web edition of the print newspaper. AllAfrica.com republished a Daily Champion (Lagos) January 16, 2008 article stating that one of the publisher's Directors had been arrested on charges of terrorism. Published by Media Trust Nigeria Ltd. Began publication January 2001. [KF] http://www.dailytrust.com/

Financial Standard (Lagos) and Facebook site: Site for the print weekly business newspaper. Published by Millennium Harvest Limited. http://www.financialstandardnews.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=57595550877

Fresh Facts (Abuja): Published by Media Projects Ltd. http://www.freshfactsonlinenews.net/

Gamji.com: Current news from the Daily Trust newspaper and political commentary. Links to news from other Nigerian newspapers; articles appear in frames. Links to the Hausa news from the BBC, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle. Maintained by Ismail Iro (Ph.D.), Hallmark Developement, Corp., Bowie, Maryland. [KF] http://www.gamji.com

Global NewsBank: Subscription only. Some universities subscribe. Not the latest news but good for researching news from a week ago back to 1985. Selected reports from the BBC Monitoring Service (English translations of news), Agence France Presse, IPS, PANA, radio and/or TV stations http://infoweb.newsbank.com/

Google News - Nigeria: Automatically retrieved news (from AllAfrica, BBC, African, U.S., and other news sources). http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=nigeria&btnG=Search+News

The Guardian: Electronic edition of the well-known independent Lagos newspaper. http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/

Information Nigeria: News, entertainment, education, sports, job vacancies, etc. Based in Lagos, Nigeria. http://www.informationnigeria.org/

Leadership Nigeria (Abuja): National newspaper, supports good governance. Published by Leadership Newspapers Group Limited. http://www.leadership.ng/nga/

Al-Mizan (Zaria, Nigeria): In Hausa. Online version of the print newspaper from Zaria, published since 1991. http://almizan.faithweb.com/

Nation (Lagos): Daily newspaper. Current news, business, sports, arts, health, education, cartoons. http://www.thenationonlineng.net/

The News (Lagos): Weekly news magazine. Current news, sports, business, photographs, etc. Published by by Independent Communications Network Ltd. See also PM News. http://thenewsafrica.com/

Newswatch (Lagos): Current and past articles from the print weekly news magazine. Published by Newswatch Communications Limited. http://www.newswatchngr.com/

Next: Has ceased publication. Current news (and readers comments), opinion articles, cartoon of the day, arts & culture, business TV news, entertainment. Founded by Pulitzer Prize winning writer, Dele Olojede. [KF]

Nigeria World: Has pop-up ads. Current news from Nigerian newspapers gathered from other Nigeria-related web sites (mainly from odili.net). Political commentary, letters from Nigerians world-wide. Maintained by Chuck Odili, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. http://www.nigeriaworld.com/

Nigerian News: Current news from Nigerian newspapers. Interviews, guest columns. Links to other Nigerian news sites. http://www.nigeriannews.com/

Nigerian Observer (Benin City): Published by the Edo State Government. Site for the print daily newspaper. Owner: Nigerian Observer Newspapers. Published by the Bendel Newspapers Company Limited, Benin city, Edo state, Nigeria. http://www.nigerianobsevernews.comf

Nigerian Tribune (Ibadan): Site for the print daily newspaper. Published by African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC. http://www.tribune.com.ng/

PM News (Lagos): Published since 1994, by Independent Communications Network Ltd. See also The News. http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/

Port Harcourt Telegraph: Web site for the print newspaper from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. http://www.thephctelegraph.com/

Premium Times (Abuja): Online media organisation. Current news, politics, business, arts, entertainment, opinion pieces, religion, sports, video reports. Seeks to "strenghten Nigeria's democracy" The Managing Editor, Musikilu Mojeed, will be a Stanford University Knight Fellow 2012/2013. Published by Premium Times Services Limited. [KF] http://premiumtimesng.com/

Punch (Lagos): Web edition of the Nigerian print newspaper. Political, business, stock market, cartoons, sports news. On-line polls. Promotes democracy and free enterprise. Published by Punch (Nigeria) Ltd. http://www.punchng.com/

Sahara Reporters: Current news, commentary. "an online community of international reporters and social advocates dedicated to bringing you commentaries, features, news reports from a Nigerian-African perspective." http://www.saharareporters.com/

See also background about the site.

Sun News Online - Daily Sun (Ikeja): Published by the Sun Publishing Ltd. Based in Ikeja, Lagos State. http://www.sunnewsonline.com

Sunday Trust: See also the Daily Trust and Weekly Trust. [KF] http://sundaytrust.com.ng/

Tell (Lagos): Site for the print weekly news magazine. http://www.tellng.com/

This Day (Lagos): Online edition of the print newspaper. Selected articles, e-business news, etc. http://www.thisdayonline.com/

Tide: Online edition of the print newspaper. Published by Rivers State Newspaper Corporation. News, especially on the Niger Delta, business, the environment. http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/

Topix.net - Nigeria News: News aggregated from different sources (Nigerian newspapers, Nigeria web sites, North American and European newspapers, etc.). (RSS feed: http://rss.topix.net/rss/world/nigeria.xml) http://www.topix.net/world/nigeria

Tribune. See Nigerian Tribune

Triumph (Daily) (Kano): Daily print newspaper published by the Triumph Publishing Company, Ltd., Kano, Nigeria. Also publishes, Weekend Triumph, Sunday Triumph, Albishir & Alfijir. http://www.triumphnewspapers.org/

turenchi - Nigerian News Aggregator: Aggregates Nigerian news, sports, from Reuters, Vanguard, Guardian (Lagos), Daily Trust, This Day, BBC and other sources. http://www.turenchi.com/

Urhobo Times (Ughelli): Online site for the print newspaper. Northwestern University Library has print issues. Published by Urhobo Times Press Limited, Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria. http://www.urhobotimes.com/

Urhobo Vanguard (Ughelli): Online site for the print newspapers. Current news, business, sports, entertainment, letters, etc. Northwestern University Library has print issues. Published by Urhobo Vanguard Press Limited, Ughelli, Nigeria. http://www.urhobovanguard.com/

USAfrica Online (Houston, Texas): Articles on Nigeria-related topics and U.S.-Africa relations. Profiles of prominent people. Web site of a Houston, Texas newspaper published by Chido Nwangwu. A subscription is $30 a year. http://www.usafricaonline.com

Vanguard: Electronic edition of the independent daily Lagos newspaper established in 1984. http://www.vanguardngr.com/

Weekly Trust (Kaduna): "The Weekly Trust and Daily Trust are... published by Media Trust Nigeria, Limited, an Abuja-based integrated marketing and communications outfit." The Weekly Trust began publication March 1998. [KF] http://weeklytrust.com.ng/

Yahoo - Nigeria News: http://news.yahoo.com/topics/nigeria

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Please send corrections to Karen Fung. All rights reserved.

Chime: 55 garlands for a silent achiever

By BY CHUKS UGWOKE on April 10, 2014 · Politics

It does not surprise people close to him any longer that there is no contemplation of any plan to celebrate his birthday today. As it has happened these past seven years, state functions have been scheduled for the day, including a joint Easter retreat for House of Assembly members, Executive Council members and the 17 local government chairmen, perhaps, partly, to keep both the elected and appointed officers at bay from his official residence.
Since he came in the saddle as the governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Iheanacho Chime has maintained such familiar distance and tradition of keeping everybody busy or embarking himself on inspection of projects, which, clearly exposes his reluctance to mark his birthday. The ritual is that his chaplain will conduct a brief mass “to thank God for the life of His servant, Sullivan Chime” and the few family members and privileged few friends will say “Happy Birthday, Your Excellency” and that will be it!

To risk this unsolicited tribute is, in itself, walking a tight rope, prayerful that no eyebrows are raised. Thankfully though, there are some events beyond his control: his birthday is today and he cannot stop the grateful people of Enugu State and others, who will take newspaper spaces, send text messages or use other platforms to wish him well.
Such chosen solemnity accords well with Chime’s self-detached disposition to his well-known achievements. The circumstances of his birth and progression in life seemed to suggest that his parents, Igwe Elias Aneke Chime, himself a First Republic parliamentarian and one-time Minister of Enugu, and his wife, Ezinne (Lolo) Theresa Ekpeluchi, glimpsed the future when they gave him a name, which conveyed destiny.
The couple had travelled all the way to the Vatican to meet Pope Pius XII way back in 1958. They had their first girl-child, named May, after which there was a seeming “break.” Rather than give up or seek other ways, the devout Catholic couple went to Rome to ask the Pope to pray for them to have more children. Pope Pius XII prayed for them and prophesied the birth of two sons. On April 10, 1959, Sullivan was born and the parents named him Iheanacho (what we have been looking for) and after him came Dr. Jide Chime.
Since he came on stage, the people of Enugu State have also been celebrating the emergence of a governor they had fervently desired. Governor Chime truly inherited a state on crutches but he showed no interest in those who inflicted the obvious mortal damage that left it bleeding profusely. His primary goal was to heal the wounds and wipe away the scars of deprivation and devastation. It is in the same spirit of giving humble service and not seeking earthly acclaim that the governor has refused to advertise his solid and numerous accomplishments that are not tainted by any untoward crave for cheap popularity and self-glorification. His constant refrain has always been: “Why do you want to distract yourself by screaming that you’ve done what you were elected to do?”
Today, one must confess that the frustration of not having all the freedom to sing the praises of your performing principal has given way to the acknowledged appreciation of Governor Chime by the high and the low in the state and far beyond, as a quiet pace setter and noiseless achiever. That is, perhaps, why society needs to identify and celebrate such silent performers, like Chime. If anything, it will aid to inspire the upcoming generation to embrace devotion, hard work, probity, accountability and selflessness in service. These are enduring virtues and values we must inculcate in our youths for the needed rebirth of our nation.
His birthday is not the ideal occasion to highlight the quantum accomplishments of Governor Chime. A day will surely come when we shall, using verifiable facts and figures, bear witness to the realities on ground and chronicle the journey so far. That will be the period to tell how the government under Chime’s charge has made driving in the state such a pleasurable motoring experience, with the network of well-marked urban and rural roads, spanning hundreds of kilometers of newly constructed, rehabilitated and newly dualised roads with concrete-paved walkways. That will be the time to talk about the traffic lights and how the streetlights installed by his regime are powered by dedicated transformers once there is power outage to illuminate the city, boost nightlife and aid security.
The Coal City Garden underlines Chime’s signature in the housing sector where the government has done more housing estates than any other one before it and with the Palm Estate, situated in Obukpa, Nsukka, being the first and only one outside the state capital since the creation of the state. Ditto for the success of the Free Maternal Child Healthcare, which has drastically reduced morbidity and mortality, and has continued to attract patients from even neighbouring states. Having also outlawed the imposition of indiscriminate levies in order to protect parents and guardians from exploitation by public secondary schools, and with financial support given to the state-owned tertiary institutions, Governor Chime also made the first nine years of education free for every child in Enugu State. In order to boost intra-city transportation, a total of 750 brand new cabs have been given to hundreds of unemployed beneficiaries as poverty-reduction packages under a subsidised hire purchase arrangement in which the government also bears the cost of bank interests.
From the San Carlos pineapple project to the Enugu Songhai initiative in agriculture, to the provision of electricity to numerous communities and the extension of power to the few remaining rural towns this year, the people of the state have enjoyed a new lease of life. It is the same success story in waste management, as in human development across the entire state and the alluring beautification of the capital city.
A man of few words, Chime hardly talks about these tangibles. He is more preoccupied with respecting constitutional dictates and processes that have now restored the faith and confidence of our people in governance. He has conducted a record fourth local government election in a clime where some of his colleagues continue to see and run the third tier as an appendage of the state governments. In turn, the democratic running of the local governments in Enugu has led to unprecedented development in the rural areas with local government councils carrying out capital-intensive projects because the Chime government does not tamper with allocations due to the third tier.
Rather than talk about the mega projects like the multi-storey, ultra-modern new secretariat and governor’s office at advanced stages of completion and the Polo Park Shopping Mall, the biggest in the country built under a Public Private Partnership arrangement between the government and a private concern, the governor prefers to pursue the sustenance of the prevailing peace and security of life and property in the state via his collaboration with the security agencies. It is such support which comes in the form of provision of security vehicles and other communication gadgets to the security agencies that has helped to combat crime, necessitating the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, to rate Enugu as the state with the lowest crime rate in the country.
Rather than climb the rooftop to proclaim his invincibility or monopoly of knowledge, he would pursue inclusiveness in governance by the process of consultation and negotiation as opposed to confrontation in the resolution of whatever conflicts, political or otherwise, even if he insists that mutual agreements reached by
parties and/or persons must be respected.
At the outset of his government, Governor Chime inaugurated a special committee, known as Visit Every Community, which, as the name implies, visited the 260 communities of Enugu State to ask and document the key developmental needs of the people as chosen by them. It is a novel initiative worthy of emulation because numerous projects have been executed, in line with the priorities of the communities. It serves as a useful guide for the successor government to continue to address the
needs of the people.
Such are the legacies he will bequeath to the coming generation and the proud inheritors of the solid foundations he has laid. By his next birthday, he will have just 49 days to regain his freedom from what he sees as one self-imposed imprisonment. But when that time comes, Chime, this workaholic governor with legendary patience and uncommon capacity to listen, will be bowing out gracefully.
As for today, it does not matter if champagne glasses clink, in the celebration of his birthday or not. What is certain is that this day, as in many decades to come, the people will continue to have the fondest memories of this proverbial cat with nine lives, who made huge personal sacrifices for the overall wellbeing of his people, who will long remember him for what he did in the state than what we write on the pages of newspapers.
Happy Birthday, His Excellency!
•Ugwoke is the Enugu State Commissioner for Information

Culled from Sunnewsonline