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Tag: Hope

  • Nigeria@60: A Call To Hope, By Bishop Hassan Kukah

    Nigeria@60: A Call To Hope, By Bishop Hassan Kukah

    Independence Message by Bishop Matthew Hassan KUKAH, Catholic Bishop, Diocese of Sokoto on October 1, 2020

    1: I want to first thank God Almighty the Father of all creation and the maker of Heaven and earth. Strange as it may sound, I would like to thank the colonial masters who wove our diverse peoples together and for all the efforts that they put into ensuring that we had everything a people had to launch itself into a modern state. It is a time to thank those brave and selfless missionaries who laid the foundation for our modern civilisation by providing us with high quality education.We must appreciate the context of colonialism and the fact that its driving philosophy was the exploitation of our resources and we must concede that they laid the solid foundation for extracting our resources for the development of their own country. Their interests were buried in the womb of the country they created. Today, we have destroyed the institutions they created and distorted their vision for our development.

    2: On October 1, 1960 when we became independent, our joy clearly knew no end. It was my first year in primary school.We all turned out as neat as we could afford to be to hear our Head Master talk about the terrible white men who had come and stolen our lands. I didn’t understand this because I never saw anyone stop my father from going to farm. We played around freely in the village and so, I thought to myself, which land did white people take? I had seen only two white men in my life then. Both of them Priests and even though I did not know fully what a Priest was, they were good men and came from a very far country.

    3: They had built a Church and school for our village and that was the first building I saw that was not thatched. It was impossible for me to understand how any white man could be wicked or even steal our land. The teacher talked about a new song which we were to sing in praise of our new country even though I did not see anything that was new. I had no idea what was being said in the song but we all tried to murmur something in excitement. The greatest treasure was the little flags and cups that were distributed to us. Holding to my first cup in my life and waving a little flag seemed like a great contradiction to the Head Master’s portrayal of the white thief.

    4: We soon learnt the name of our new Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa the man who came to be known as the golden voice of Africa. In his speech on October 1, 1960, the Prime Minister announced that;our new day had arrived and promised to dedicate his life for the service of the country. He noted that our country had emerged without bitterness and bloodshed and that; building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: it has been thorough, and Nigeria now stands well-built upon firm foundations.

    5: Barely six years later, we murdered him. He became a symbol of the blood sacrifice that has now drenched our country in a sea of blood arising from a civil war and endless circles of communal bloodletting which have now become part and parcel of our governance structure. Successive leaders have not come to terms with how to end this culture of death. Today, our country is littered with the very sharp pieces of broken promises. Yesterday’s dreams have become our worst nightmares. As we look back today, watching our country drift in a wide sea of uncertainty, we ask, from where our help come? (Ps 121: 1). After sixty years, bloodletting has become embedded in our culture of existence. So, how do we celebrate?

    6: There is enough blame to go around. We can blame the British, blame the politicians, blame the military but none of these changes anything. It is the fate of nations to go through the furnace and crucible of suffering. Under the banner of religion, Europe fought the 30 years war (1618-1648), the world lost millions of men and women in two wars propelled by human greed (1914-1918, 1939-1945). Fleeing from the Kuomintang army, Mao led his people on the famous long march stretching thousands of miles (1934-1935). Mr. Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom is a metaphor for the struggles against white domination. Journeys to greatness require more than just good people, more than just good will, more than just hope. Those journeys have to be led by men and women with vision and tested character prepared to mobilise their people towards the attainment of a goal.

    7: It is easy to say that we have been one unlucky country. The evidence is glaring. One of our Presidents marveled at how a country that had taken so much beating was still standing. In spite of huge resources after 60 years, we cannot feed our people, we cannot keep our people safe, we are still in darkness, we cannot communicate with one another by roads or railways. What we inherited, we have either stolen, broken or thrown away. The nation is a wasteland littered with white elephant projects, conceived and abandoned but all paid for. In Nigeria, governance is a criminal enterprise, not a call to service.

    8: No nation has ever taken a short cut to success, not because we have not tried, but because no such road exists. The military, perhaps even worse than the colonial state destroyed the very foundations of our Democracy, Bureaucracy and public service by introducing a culture of arbitrariness and violence as a means to power. A combination of these laid the foundation for corruption as the worst manifestation of a culture of total lack of accountability. To be sure, when General Abdusalami A. Abubakar broke with the military tradition of clutching to power in 1999, he laid a foundation for the return to Democracy and a retreat of the military. We thank God that after over 20 years, we have conducted five back to back elections even in the most controversial of circumstances. After 16 years of being ruled by one political party, the nation decided it was fed up with arrogance and blatant thieving and looting that had become the political culture. Its citizens made a radical and unprecedented turn.

    9: In 2014, the unexpected happened: a sitting President conceded defeat against the run of play and even well before the tally of all the votes had come in. The nation, well across ethnic, religions, regional and class lines believed it had turned the corner. The new President had campaigned on a rich menu of promises, ending corruption, ending Boko Haram, ending poverty, uniting the country among others. He ushered in his administration by promising to uphold the Constitution and said he would “belong to everyone and to no one”. We all looked up in hope to a man who had campaigned on the key philosophy of Integrity and Character.

    10: Today, the tide has turned. The President has turned his back on almost all the key promises he made to the people of Nigeria during his campaign. Our country now looks like a boiling pot that everyone wants to escape from. Nepotism has become the new ideology of this government. In following this ideology, it is estimated that the President has handed over 85% of the key positions to northern Muslims and has ensured that men of his faith hold tight to the reins of power in the most critical areas of our national life; the National Assembly and the Security Agencies!

    11: In chapter 2 of our Constitution, under Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, the Constitution states very clearly and unambiguously in Section 13 that: “It shall be the duty and responsibility of all organs of government, and of all authorities and persons, exercising legislative, executive or judicial powers, to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of this Chapter of this Constitution.”
    Section 14(1) states very clearly that: “The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice.” Article (b) follows by stating that: “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”, and subsection 3, states that: “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.”

    12: By adopting Nepotism as a primary ideology, clearly unable to secure our country and people, President Muhammadu Buhari is in flagrant violation of the Constitution which he swore to uphold. Today, our sense of national unity is severely under threat and test. Our common citizenship has been fractured and diminished. The principles of equity, fairness and egalitarianism on which our Constitution hangs have been assaulted and diminished.

    13: Nigerian citizens feel collectively violated. There is clearly a conflict in narratives and understanding between the principles and ideologies contained in the Manifesto of the Party on which he campaigned and the brutal realities of today. It would seem that it was in anticipation of this dissonance that the President built such a firewall of protection around himself by the partisan selection of Security Chiefs based on religious and ethnic affiliation. It could be the reason for the adoption of the same principles in the National Assembly today. The President has been quite diligent and focused in the pursuit of an Agenda that is clearly alien to the aspirations and hopes of our people across religious lines. Nigeria was nothing like this before he came. How long will this lie last before it melts in our faces? We are living a lie and we know it.

    14: The motto of our dear nation reads: Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress. Today, where is Nigeria’s Unity? Today, who has Faith in Nigeria? Today, where is the Peace? Today, where is the Progress? The whole world stood with Nigeria sixty years ago expecting us to lead Africa and beyond. TIME Magazine on December 5th, 1960 made our Prime Minister its Man of Year. No black person had been conferred with this honour. Where are we today with that trust?

    15: At the end of his speech 60 years ago, our beloved Prime Minister thanked the missionaries for the great work they had done in Nigeria. We as a Church are still on out duty post, following the legacy of those who have gone before us. The Catholic Bishops spent the last forty days praying every day for an end to the killings. As we celebrate our independence today, I call on the President to please urgently make a turn and heed the voices of Nigeria’s friends and the rest of the world.

    16: We all face a dilemma: it is our national day but how can we sing a song when our country has become a Babylon? Where are the Chibok daughters? Where is Leah Sharibu? Who are the sponsored murderers who have overrun our land? Our land is now a pool of blood. Mr. President, please reset the clock before it is too late. I pray for you that God will touch your heart so that you embrace the ideals of those who came before you. This is not the Nigeria they dreamt of. This is not the Nigeria you went to war for. With hope in God, but sorrow in my heart, I say to Nigerians, let us stand together. Let us renew our faith. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed (Rom. 13:11). God bless our beloved fatherland.

  • UAE sets goal to build human colony on Mars with launch of Amal

    UAE sets goal to build human colony on Mars with launch of Amal

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday launched a spacecraft to Mars with a goal to build a human colony on the planet by 2117.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the spacecraft blasted off from a launch centre in Japan in what is the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission.

    The Mars orbiter, named Amal or Hope, blasted off from the Tanegashima Space Center aboard a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ H-IIA rocket.

    Amal is set to reach Mars in February 2021, the year the UAE celebrates 50 years since the country’s formation.

    In September that year, Amal will start transmitting Martian atmospheric data, which will be made available to the international scientific community, according to Omran Sharaf, UAE Mars mission director.

    A newcomer in space development, the UAE has successfully put three Earth observation satellites into orbit. Two were developed by South Korea and launched by Russia, and a third, its own, launched by Japan.

    A successful mission to Mars would be a major step for the oil-dependent economy seeking a future in space, coming less than a year after the launch of the first UAE astronaut, Hazzaa Ali Almansoori. He spent over a week at the International Space Station last fall.

    “It sends a very strong message to the Arab youth that if the UAE is able to reach Mars in less than 50 years, they could do much more,” Sharaf told The Associated Press on Sunday as his colleagues prepared for the launch.

    The Amal spacecraft, along with its launch, cost $200 million, according to Sharaf. Operation costs at Mars are yet to be divulged.

  • Don’t lose hope, By Stephen Ojapah MSP

    Don’t lose hope, By Stephen Ojapah MSP

    Stephen Ojapah MSP

    Hope in Catholic Theology is described as one of the three theological virtues. St Thomas Aquinas defines it as “a future good, difficult but possible to attain…by means of the Divine Assistance…on whose help it leans”. Hope is often oriented towards some future good. Like the other two theological virtues of faith and charity, hope finds its “origin, motive, and object” in God (Catechism of the Catholic Church, §1812). The author of the letter to the Hebrews gives this injunction: “Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy” (Hebrews 10:23). Hope as a theological virtue, is an infused virtue. Unlike any good habit that is the outcome of a repeated action or the product of our own industry, hope is a divine gift, bestowed by God Himself.

    In Christian tradition, hope in Christ and faith in Christ are closely linked. Hope connotes a firm assurance that is anchored on faith. It does mean that even in the face of trials, tragedies and difficulties, hope is able to sustain the faith and endurance of the Christian faithful. It is the “anchor of the soul”. For instance, it was hope that sustained the early Christians during their persecutions by some Roman emperors. Their Christian hope enabled them to withstand the sufferings and pains inflicted upon them by the likes of Nero, Diocletian, Domitian, Gaius (Caligula), Tiberius, Commodus and Marcus Aurelius. As those early Christians were concerned, hope in Christ sustained their resolve since it was like an investment of faith for a better tomorrow that was worth all the pain.

    In my previous reflection, I briefly relayed what the Colosseum meant in popular Christian Folklore. The Colosseum is generally regarded by Christians as a site of the martyrdom of many believers during the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. Beside the cruelty associated with it, the Colosseum also stands as a grim emblem of hope. The sands of history are stained by the blood of innocent martyrs whose stories of faith and struggle continues to encourage those who persecuted especially Christians. For instance, in Kebbi State, natives and traditional worshipers are ruthlessly killed and displaced from their lands. Their persecution has been going on for the past six months. Sadly, no mention of their suffering has made it in the media outlet in Nigeria including the social media. Zamfara State where majority of the communities that are attacked are Muslims, have gained little or no coverage after a failed settlement with bandits they have been bleeding unattended for months now.

    On the 2nd of July 2020, the EYN Church in Adamawa State hosted a world conference and shared with the world, the number of lives and properties they have lost in the mayhem of Boko Haram from November 2019 till date. The church detailed the names of the victims as well as their communities that have been rendered inhabitable as a result of the sanguineous campaign by Boko Haram. According to Rev Joel S. Billi the national President of EYN Church, “we lost 8,370 to Boko Haram” with 700,000 members displaced, (Daily Trust July 3th 2020). In his press conference, about twenty-two separate attacks were mentioned by the National President, Rev Joel S Billi.

    I will just recount three: First, “the 16th June, 2020 was a thick cloud of man’s inhumanity to man as Boko Haram devastated Mbulabam of Chibok LGA of Borno State abducting a young girl by name Mary Ishaku Nkeke while her two brothers Emmanuel and Iliya went missing for three days. Second, the following day 17th June, 2020 the same Boko Haram came to Kautikari community Chibok LGA of Borno State killing three: Mr Musa Dawa 25 years old married, Mr Yusuf Joel 30 years single and Mr Jacob Dawa 35 years married. Five women and girls were abducted all members of EYN. They are Martha Yaga 22 years single, Mary Filibus 13 years old single, Saratu Saidu 22 years single, Eli Augustine 21 years married and Saratu Yaga 20 years married. Five days after, being 22nd June, 2020, Boko Haram yet again invaded Kautikari community of Chibok LGA of Borno State killing Bira Bazam 48 years old married and Ba Maina Madu 62 years old. Three girls were abducted, Laraba Bulama 20 years old single, Hauwa Bulama 18 years single and Maryamu Yohanna 15 years single. Third, the month of June ended on a sad note for EYN as Boko Haram attacked farmers of Nasarawo, Kautikari of Chibok LGA of Borno State killing Mr Zaramai Kubirvu 40 years old married” (Rev Bill; 2nd July Press Conference).

    Elsewhere outside Nigeria, terrorists are leaving no stone untouched in their determination to allow any respite to Christians. The members of ISIS made no secret about their plans to exterminate Christians when they began their killing spree in 2012. In March 2014 in a Convent in Aiden, Yemen where some Catholic Nuns work as caregivers to the elderly, ISIS slaughtered the following nuns: Sisters Anselm from India, Marguerite from Rwanda, Judith from Kenya and Reginette from Rwanda). The mayhem of these terrorists is now a global nightmare. Back home in Nigeria, Christians as well as Muslims sleep with one eye and use the second to be on the look for the ravaging men of Boko Haram and Bandits who give their hapless victims two options: conversion to their brand of Islam or death. What else does the Christian have as an anchor in the face of such daunting persecution? The answer is HOPE that does not abandon the Christian faithful. It is that hope that inspires our dream about Nigeria where Christians and Muslims be free and happy to practice their faith as enshrined in the federal constitution.

    Finally; when the system is saturated with hopelessness and news of various impasses: socially, economically and politically, it is heartwarming and encouraging to hear the flip side of the story; numbers, figures and names might just be a single narrative to the entire saga, and we must be careful. Speaking at length with the Secretary of the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, Fr John Bakeni on the 7th of July 2020, I felt happy and encouraged to hear the great dialogue and friendship that has resulted in the rebuilding of Churches by the former government of Kashim Shettima and the current government of Babagana Umaru Zulum. These are signs of hope for the future, and we commend them. The faith community has suffered great losses in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe more directly as a result of the activities of Boko Haram; some of the Christian faith leaders have confirmed to me that they are yet to feel the impact of the Presidential Committee on the Rebuilding of the North East. This too can give us hope.

    Fr Stephen Ojapah is a priest of the Missionary Society of St Paul. He is equally the director for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism for the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, a member of IDFP. He is also a KAICIID Fellow. (omeizaojapah85@gmail.com)

  • Inspiration from the Colosseum and hope for the persecuted, By Stephen Ojapah, MSP

    Inspiration from the Colosseum and hope for the persecuted, By Stephen Ojapah, MSP

    STEPHEN OJAPAH MSP

    Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matt 5: 11). The life of Jesus is marked with persecution right from his birth. Herod the king of Judea ordered the killing of the male children from the age of two and under, in and around Bethlehem. (Matt 2:16-18). When he eluded the preying harms of Herod, the angel requested that they flee to Egypt for safety (Matt 2: 13-23). The entire life of Jesus is filled with tales of false allegations, dislike for his claim of connection with the divine. In some instances, the dislike was motivated by sheer hatred and jealousy which eventually led to his cruel death. As an honest person, Jesus had prepared the minds of all his followers about what might be their fate for being his disciples.

    In John 16:33, Jesus said: “I have told you all these things so that in me you will have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Our peace as Christians comes not from the wealth and wallow of material comforts. That was the experience of St Paul who wrote in Philippians 3:8 “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”

    Christians through the centuries have gone into hiding as a result of persecution. For the first three hundred years of Christianity, being a Christian in some regions of the Roman Empire, was almost synonymous to being a criminal. After the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64 when rumors swirled that the emperor himself was responsible, Nero blamed the Christians instead. According to the Roman historian Tacitus, Nero had the Christians covered in wild beast skins and torn to death by dogs. The early Christians suffered sporadically similar persecutions until the beginning of the 4th century. One edifice that has remained till date as a reminder of that painful past and a symbol of hope is the Colosseum.

    I was fortunate in 2016 to attend the closing ceremonies of the Year for the Consecrated Life in the Eternal City of Rome. I was privileged to visit some historic and memorable sites in Rome. One of such sites was the Colosseum. In popular Christian folklore, the Colosseum is generally regarded by Christians as a site of the martyrdom of many believers during the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, as evidenced by Church history and tradition. Historians believe that the majority of martyrdoms may have occurred at other venues within the city of Rome rather than at the Colosseum. They cite a lack of supporting physical evidence or historical records. Although “some Christians were executed as common criminals in the Colosseum for their refusal to reverence the Roman gods”, it remains an undeniable fact that most Christian martyrs of the early Church were executed for their faith, especially at the Circus Maximus. According to Irenaeus (died about 202), Ignatius of Antioch was fed to the lions in Rome around 107 A.D. Even though Irenaeus said nothing about this happening at the Colosseum, tradition ascribes the place of St Ignatius’s martyrdom to that place.

    Christians in many parts of the world are still persecuted today albeit not as bloody as those suffered by the early Christians. It is pertinent to acknowledge that there are countries especially in some Islamic countries like Pakistan, North Africa and the Middle East where Christians live in perpetual fear on account of their belief. In the Western world with their so-called “liberal democracy”, Christians suffer other forms of non-bloody persecution. For instance, about ten years ago, a Catholic Nun in the US was denied hospital Chaplaincy work because she was requested to remove her religious veil as a precondition for the job. Autocratic China has severed diplomatic ties with the Vatican for over half a century. Many of the bishops and priests who did not bow to the demands of communist China were either imprisoned or lived the rest of their lives in hiding. The mistreatments of Christians by liberal and dictatorial governments around the world are numerous.

    When the attention is turned towards Nigeria, many Christians especially in the northern part of the country are deprived of certain opportunities on the basis of their religious creed. A lamentable silence eclipses over a hundred cases of forceful conversion of girls from Christianity to Islam in many rural communities in Northern Nigeria. In one local government in Katsina state, Christians are not allowed to build churches and to bury their dead. There have been several cases of land grabbing meant for Christian Schools and Churches in Gusau, Kano, Katsina and Sokoto. All these mistreatments continue on a regular basis in clear contravention of the Federal Constitution of the country that recognizes the equality of its citizen regardless of tribe and religion. Any law is as good as a dead letter without enforcement and teeth to bite!

    It is highly regrettable that a Christian in Northern Nigeria may not be employed based on his or her qualification and competence unless he or she is prepared to become a Muslim. A young Christian man in Katsina State went for an interview to join the Nigerian Army some years back. After going through all the hurdles and rigors of military examination, the officer in charge asked him to recite Kuluwallahu ahad in Arabic meaning: (Proclaim that there is one God) and the young man said: “I don’t know it because I am a Christian”. The officer said in Hausa: maganan banza ke nan (this is nonsense talk). Christians in Northern Nigeria may not suffer bloody persecution as in some other places although the Boko haram exists to do just that, the same Christians, nevertheless, are forced to endure discriminations and harassments on the account of their faith as Christians.

    The Colosseum stands as an image of hope for Christians during persecutions. When Christians remember the horrors of the colosseum, they do so with hope and courage. They are inspired by the stories of the martyrs both known and unknown because they never denied Jesus in the face of hardship that tried the human spirit and its capacity for endurance. As Venerable Bede once said: “As long as the colosseum stands, Rome shall stand; when the colosseum falls, Rome will fall, when Rome falls the whole world will fall.” In other words, when the hope of the persecuted minorities is lost then the conscience of the world would have been dead as well.

    Fr Stephen Ojapah is a priest of the Missionary Society of St Paul. He is equally the director for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism for the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, a member of IDFP. He is also a KAICIID Fellow. (omeizaojapah85@gmail.com)

  • I pray Nigerians won’t place curses on APC for dashing their hopes soon – Oyegun

    I pray Nigerians won’t place curses on APC for dashing their hopes soon – Oyegun

    The immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has said going by recent developments unfolding in the party, Nigerians might curse the party and its leaders for their hopes despite its rigorously campaigns of change in 2015.

    Oyegun however called for the invocation of the doctrine of necessity that would provide for institution of a caretaker committee to resolve the ongoing leadership crisis in the ruling party.

    He made the call on Saturday in Abuja in a statement titled: “Before it is too late”.

    Odigie-Oyegun who expressed concern over the recent leadership crisis rocking the party said, “there is a most urgent need for the party National Executive Committee (NEC) to meet and institute for the party a Caretaker Committee (even if we have to invoke the doctrine of necessity), whose main responsibility will be to arrange for a special National Convention.”

    The former national chairman then urged President Muhammad Buhari, who is the leader of the party to rise up to the current crisis bedeviling the party, stressing that the President cannot allow the struggle to enshrine progressive government and the achievements of his administration to be eroded by leadership crisis of the party.

    “As former National Chairman of the party, I remain proud of the great strides of our government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. However, I am afraid to note that the legacy of a government is defined mostly by its politics rather than its achievements in other areas, no matter how lofty those achievements are.

    “Our recent history bears enough testimony to this reality. The military government of President Ibrahim Babangida is today remembered mainly for the June 12, 1993 elections and its aftermath. Our own political party, the APC, is fast becoming the single most dangerous threat to the legacy of our government and our President,” Oyegun warned.

    Recalling the sacrifices made for the formation of the party Odigie-Oyegun said, “when we decided in 2012 to build a political coalition of progressives, we were driven by a deep sense of patriotism to rescue our country and a strong commitment to salvage our democracy.

    “We believed at the time that the ship of our country was headed for the rocks. Therefore, the significant progressive opposition parties and indeed all men and women of goodwill joined forces, not only to bring it back on course but also to set it on a completely different trajectory that would restore the hopes of our people and make every Nigerian proud of this great country again.

    “We approached Nigerians with the promise of change that resonated widely across the country. Based on our promise of change, the people voted against the ruling party in a collective political action that was unprecedented in our nation’s history. Never before had our people’s hopes been so raised. It is my fervent prayers that in a few years from now, we do not look back and say never before have a people’s hope been so dashed.

    “In the last few months we have watched how the party has brazenly subverted its own principles of internal democracy and flagrant violation of every rule of decent political engagement in a manner that makes everyone associated with its promise of change liable to be accused of either hypocrisy or apostasy.

    “We must therefore remember that our victory in the 2015 Presidential elections and the peaceful transfer of power that followed was a major testament of progress in our nation’s journey towards real democracy. This unprecedented democratic achievement has since inspired progressive forces all over Africa and has become a standard by which democracy is measured in the rest of the continent.

    “Unfortunately, it appears that while other countries around us have marched ahead in the democratic journey, we have largely regressed. Because we were the political party that benefitted from a system that offered the opposition a chance, everyone expected us to show unwavering dedication to broaden the democratic space for everyone; to ensure that equity and justice take precedence over all other considerations and to ensure that our party truly functions as the vehicle for aggregating and managing contending political interests. Unfortunately, what we have witnessed from our party is the steady erosion of even the very basic tenets of democratic principles in a manner that could turn our watershed victory of 2015 to the waterloo of our hard won democracy.

    “As a major stakeholder and as a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, I have made various efforts to add my voice to those of several other well-meaning leaders of the party, in ensuring that the ideals and principles that we fought for are not completely thrown overboard. However, I have come to realise that those who feel more entitled to the party are no longer capable of hearing alternative viewpoints other than those counselled by their ego and their self-serving interests, which they have promoted over all other considerations, including that of common decency. Yet, no political party will survive for long, which is unwilling to accommodate competing ideas and provide the space for healthy debates.

    “This statement is therefore a clarion call to leaders of the party, particularly the Governors and Mr. President to urgently bring a stop to the disgraceful and humiliating charade occurring within the National Secretariat of our great party.”

  • Buhari renews hope for better Nigeria in New Year letter to Nigerians

    Buhari renews hope for better Nigeria in New Year letter to Nigerians

    My Dear Compatriots,

    NIGERIA’S DECADE

    Today marks a new decade. It is a time of hope, optimism and fresh possibilities. We look forward as a nation to the 2020s as the opportunity to build on the foundations we have laid together on security, diversification of our economy and taking on the curse of corruption. These are the pledges on which I have been twice elected President and remain the framework for a stable, sustainable and more prosperous future.

    Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. I salute the commitment of the millions who voted in peace last February and of those leaders who contested for office vigorously but fairly, submitting to the authority of the electorate, the Independent National Electoral Commission and judicial process. I understand very well the frustrations our system has in the past triggered. I will be standing down in 2023 and will not be available in any future elections. But I am determined to help strengthen the electoral process both in Nigeria and across the region, where several ECOWAS members go to the polls this year.

    As Commander-in-Chief, my primary concern is the security of the nation and the safety of our citizens. When I assumed office in May 2015 my first task was to rally our neighbours so that we could confront Boko Haram on a coordinated regional basis. Chaos is not a neighbour any of us hope for.

    We have been fighting on several fronts: violent extremists, cultists and organised criminal networks. It has not been easy. But as we are winning the war, we also look to the challenge of winning the peace, the reconstruction of lives, communities and markets. The North East Development Commission will work with local and international stakeholders to help create a new beginning for the North East.

    The Federal Government will continue to work with State Governors, neighbouring states and our international partners to tackle the root causes of violent extremism and the networks that help finance and organise terror. Our security forces will receive the best training and modern weaponry, and in turn will be held to the highest standards of professionalism, and respect for human rights. We will use all the human and emerging technological resources available to tackle kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery.

    The new Ministry of Police Affairs increased recruitment of officers and the security reforms being introduced will build on what we are already delivering. We will work tirelessly at home and with our allies in support of our policies to protect the security of life and property. Our actions at all times will be governed by the rule of law. At the same time, we shall look always to engage with all well-meaning leaders and citizens of goodwill to promote dialogue, partnership and understanding.

    We need a democratic government that can guarantee peace and security to realise the full potential of our ingenious, entrepreneurial and hard-working people. Our policies are designed to promote genuine, balanced growth that delivers jobs and rewards industry. Our new Economic Advisory Council brings together respected and independent thinkers to advise me on a strategy that champions inclusive and balanced growth, and above all fight poverty and safeguard national economic interests.

    As we have sat down to celebrate with friends and family over this holiday season, for the first time in a generation our food plates have not all been filled with imports of products we know can easily be produced here at home. The revolution in agriculture is already a reality in all corners of the country. New agreements with Morocco, Russia and others will help us access on attractive terms the inputs we need to accelerate the transformation in farming that is taking place.

    A good example of commitment to this inclusive growth is the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the creation of the National Action Committee to oversee its implementation and ensure the necessary safeguards are in place to allow us to fully capitalise on regional and continental markets.

    The joint land border security exercise currently taking place is meant to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and security. No one can doubt that we have been good neighbours and good citizens. We have been the helpers and shock-absorbers of the sub-region but we cannot allow our well-planned economic regeneration plans to be sabotaged. As soon as we are satisfied that the safeguards are adequate, normal cross-border movements will be resumed.

    Already, we are making key infrastructure investments to enhance our ease of doing business. On transportation, we are making significant progress on key roads such as the Second Niger Bridge, Lagos – Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja – Kano highway. 2020 will also see tangible progress on the Lagos to Kano Rail line. Through Executive Order 007, we are also using alternative funding programmes in collaboration with private sector partners to fix strategic roads such as the Apapa-Oworonshoki Express way. Abuja and Port Harcourt have new international airport terminals, as will Kano and Lagos in 2020. When completed, all these projects will positively impact business operations in the country. These projects are not small and do not come without some temporary disruption; we are doing now what should have been done a long time ago. I thank you for your patience and look forward to the dividends that we and future generations will long enjoy.

    Power has been a problem for a generation. We know we need to pick up the pace of progress. We have solutions to help separate parts of the value chain to work better together. In the past few months, we have engaged extensively with stakeholders to develop a series of comprehensive solutions to improve the reliability and availability of electricity across the country. These solutions include ensuring fiscal sustainability for the sector, increasing both government and private sector investments in the power transmission and distribution segments, improving payment transparency through the deployment of smart meters and ensuring regulatory actions maximise service delivery.

    We have in place a new deal with Siemens, supported by the German government after German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited us in Abuja, to invest in new capacity for generation, transmission and distribution. These projects will be under close scrutiny and transparency – there will be no more extravagant claims that end only in waste, theft and mismanagement.

    The next 12 months will witness the gradual implementation of these actions, after which Nigerians can expect to see significant improvement in electricity service supply reliability and delivery. Separately, we have plans to increase domestic gas consumption. In the first quarter of 2020, we will commence work on the AKK gas pipeline, OB3 Gas pipeline and the expansion of the Escravos – Lagos Pipeline.

    While we look to create new opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing and other long neglected sectors, in 2020 we will also realise increased value from oil and gas, delivering a more competitive, attractive and profitable industry, operating on commercial principles and free from political interference. Just last week, we were able to approve a fair framework for the USD10 billion expansion of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, which will increase exports by 35 percent, restore our position as a world leader in the sector and create thousands of jobs. The Amendment of the Deep Offshore Act in October signalled our intention to create a modern, forward-looking industry in Nigeria. I am confident that in 2020 we will be able to present a radical programme of reform for oil and gas that will excite investors, improve governance and strengthen protections for host communities and the environment.

    We can expect the pace of change in technology only to accelerate in the decade ahead. Coupled with our young and vibrant population, this offers huge opportunities if we are able to harness the most productive trends and tame some of the wilder elements. This is a delicate balance with which many countries are struggling. We are seeking an informed and mature debate that reflects our rights and responsibilities as citizens in shaping the boundaries of how best to allow technology to benefit Nigeria.

    During my Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2019, I promised to lay the enduring foundations for taking a hundred million Nigerians out of mass poverty over the next 10 years. Today I restate that commitment. We shall continue reforms in education, health care and water sanitation. I have met international partners such as GAVI, the vaccine alliance, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation who support our social welfare programmes. I will continue to work with State and Local Governments to make sure that these partnerships deliver as they should. Workers will have a living wage and pensioners will be looked after. We are steadily clearing pensions and benefits arrears neglected for so long.

    The new Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development will consolidate and build on the social intervention schemes and will enhance the checks and balances necessary for this set of programmes to succeed for the long term.

    I am able to report that the journey has already begun with the passage and signing into law of the 2020 Appropriation Act. As the new decade dawns, we are ready to hit the ground running. Let me pay tribute to the Ninth National Assembly who worked uncommonly long hours to make sure that the 2020 budget scrutiny is both thorough and timely. The close harmony between the Executive and Legislature is a sharp contrast to what we have experienced in the recent past, when the Senate kept the previous budget for 7 months without good reason just to score cheap political points thereby disrupting the budgetary processes and overall economic development plans.

    Our policies are working and the results will continue to show themselves more clearly by the day. Nigeria is the most tremendous, can-do market, offering extraordinary opportunities and returns. Investors can look forward with confidence not only to an increasing momentum of change but also to specific incentives, including our new visa-on-arrival policy.

    They can also be certain of our unshakeable commitment to tackle corruption. As we create an environment that allows initiative, enterprise and hard work to thrive, it is more important than ever to call out those who find the rule of law an inconvenience, or independent regulation an irritation. We are doing our part here in Nigeria. We will continue to press our partners abroad to help with the supply side of corruption and have received some encouragement. We expect more funds stolen in the past to be returned to us and they will be ploughed back into development with all due transparency.

    This is a joint initiative. Where our policies have worked best, it has been because of the support of ordinary Nigerians in their millions, numbers that even the most powerful of special interests cannot defy. I thank you for your support. Transition by its very nature carries with it change and some uncertainty along the way. I encourage you to be tolerant, law abiding and peace loving. This is a new year and the beginning of a new decade – the Nigerian Decade of prosperity and promise for Nigeria and for Africa.

    To recapitulate, some of the projects Nigerians should expect to come upstream from 2020 include:

    47 road projects scheduled for completion in 2020/21, including roads leading to ports;
    Major bridges including substantial work on the Second Niger Bridge;
    Completion of 13 housing estates under the National Housing Project Plan;
    Lagos, Kano, Maiduguri and Enugu international airports to be commissioned in 2020;
    Launching of an agricultural rural mechanisation scheme that will cover 700 local governments over a period of three years;
    Launching of the Livestock Development Project Grazing Model in Gombe State where 200,000 hectares of land has been identified;
    Training of 50,000 workers to complement the country’s 7,000 extension workers;
    Commissioning of the Lagos – Ibadan and Itakpe – Warri rail lines in the first quarter;
    Commencement of the Ibadan – Abuja and Kano – Kaduna rail lines also in the first quarter;
    Further liberalisation of the power sector to allow businesses to generate and sell power;
    Commencement of the construction of the Mambilla Power project by the first half of 2020; and
    Commencement of the construction of the AKK gas pipeline, OB3 gas pipeline and the expansion of the Escravos – Lagos pipeline in the first quarter of 2020.
    Thank you very much!

    -President Muhammadu Buhari, State House, Abuja.

  • 2020 Budget: Ahmad Lawan ignites hope in National Assembly and Nigeria, By Abubakar Sidiq Usman

    2020 Budget: Ahmad Lawan ignites hope in National Assembly and Nigeria, By Abubakar Sidiq Usman

    By Abubakar Sidiq Usman

     

    The ninth Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made history on Thursday, December 5, with the passage of the 2020 Appropriation Bill into law, thereby fulfilling the promise of the legislature to return the budget cycle to January – December period as it used to be.

    Until few years after the return to democracy in 1999, Nigerians had become used to the January to December budget cycle such that individuals, businesses and corporations plan their activities in line with the cycle, but the ritual was distorted due largely to disagreement between the legislature and the executive, resulting in not only late presentation of the budget, but late passage and assent by the president.

    The situation of late passage of the budget got to its peak during the 8th National Assembly particularly because of the uneasy relationship which resulted in incessant friction between the Presidency and the Bukola Saraki led National Assembly.

    The 2019 budget, for example, was presented to the National Assembly on December 19, 2018. It took the legislature a little over four months before it was passed into law on April 30, 2019 and assented to by the President on May 27, 2019. The injection of projects, particularly those to be executed in the constituencies of the lawmakers, was partly responsible for the delay. In exercise of their powers of appropriation as expressed in the 1999 Constitution in Section 80, Subsections 1- 4, the legislators inserted their constituency projects into the budget. The President, on the other hand, kicked against the insertions, subjected the passed budget to almost a month of vetting to sort out the grey areas, thereby delaying presidential assent.

    The resultant effect of development like this as we have seen with many budgets is the incalculable harm to the economy. Infrastructure projects, which catalyse economic development, suffer the most and as this happens, the welfare of the people take a plunge.

    The passage of the 2020 budget by the Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday has however brought renewed hopes in the National Assembly and Nigeria. Upon assuming the mantle of leadership of the National Assembly, President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, vowed to return the country to the January – December budget cycle. To achieve this, several parleys were held between the Presidency and principal officers of the National Assembly, the result of which culminated in the presentation of the budget on October 8.

    The Senate President took it further by mandating the standing committees of the ninth Senate, with concurrence from the House of Representatives, to use the remaining period in the month of October to carry out the defence of the budget by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Lawan’s resolve further received a boost with the directive by the President that all heads of MDAs must not travel out of the country until they have successfully defended their respective budget. The National Assembly Complex thus became a sort of Mecca as heads of the various MDAs trooped in to take turns. The various committees dutifully carried out their assignment, most times worked very late in the night and presented their reports to the Appropriation Committee, which in turn played its own role before the eventual presentation and subsequent passage of the budget by the Senate on December 5, 2019.

    Before the passage of the 2020 budget, the Ahmad Lawan led National Assembly had already taken the initiative to ensure that the implementation of the budget does not go the way of previous ones. It is common knowledge that the budgets of precious years have witnessed abysmal performance and much of this is critically affected by the poor revenue inflow, especially as oil production and export remained below the Budget estimates and the general performance of the economy impacting negatively on non-oil revenue. But desirous of significantly putting an end to this ugly trend, the Ahmad Lawan-led-Senate had before now passed three critical bills that would not only see to the generation of more revenues, but will also ensure that the process of implementing the budget, especially its capital components are fast tracked and the desired results achieved.

    The first among the three critical bills is the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act (amendment) Bill, passed into law on October 15 with the expectation of making Nigeria richer by at least $1.5bn in 2020. According to the Senate, the IOCs had failed to remit a total sum of N7trn ($21bn) to the Federal Government in the last 26 years based on non-implementation of the PSC Act. This was even when the law provided for a review anytime the price of crude oil exceeds $20 per barrel or every 10 years since the passage of the law which successive government and the legislature failed to do until the coming of the ninth Senate under the able leadership of Distinguished Senator Ahmad Lawan.

    It is therefore a landmark achievement by the ninth National Assembly as an additional injection of $1.5bn to the national treasury in 2020 as a result of the amendment of the act can only mean one thing – more revenue for the provision of critical infrastructure across the country.

    Next is the Finance Bill, 2019, presented alongside the 2020 Appropriation Bill to the joint session of the National Assembly. One of the key components of the amended bill is to increase government revenues through various measures part of which include widening the tax base for non-resident companies, increase in Value Added Tax from 5% to 7.5% and removing the tax exemption granted for dividends or incomes received from companies charged under Petroleum Profits Tax Act.

    Equally important is the passage of the amendment to the Public Procurement Act. According to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the “public procurement process in Nigeria has been a big bottleneck for some time probably since it was passed.” This is one reason why many projects earmarked for execution in a budget cycle are never achieved because of the processes involved, but as a result of the several provisions included in the amendment, the procurement process will become more simplified and easily achieved.

    With the three critical bills put together and the return of the budget cycle from January-December, the road is now clearer to actualise the objectives of the 2020 budget with an early start and more revenues to implement Infrastructure projects that will catalyse economic development and take Nigeria to the next level. Senate President Ahmad Lawan justified this in his remark after the passage of the 2020 appropriations bill when he said “With the recent passage of landmark legislations such as the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) Act, Finance Bills & Public Procurement Bills by the National Assembly, the Executive arm of government is now sufficiently empowered to ensure successful implementation of the 2020 Budget.”

    It is therefore safe to say that Distinguished Senator Ahmad Lawan has delivered on his promise of an early passage of the budget and by extension leading a National Assembly that works for Nigerians.

     

     

    Abubakar Sidiq Usman

    Special Assistant on New Media

    Office of the President of the Senate

     

  • Nigeria@59: Nigeria should be beacon of hope, democracy, freedom – Atiku

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said that Nigeria should be the beacon of hope, democracy and freedom, not only to the African continent but to the black Diaspora all over the world.

    In a statement released via his official twitter page, to commemorate Nigeria’s 59th independence, he said Nigeria belongs to all and Nigerians have a role to play in making the nation great.

    He said: “You see, when we put Nigeria first, we not only revive the Nigerian Dream, we also revive unity & faith, peace & progress, which were the ideals our founding fathers had in mind when they came together to put forward this new & independent nation 59 years ago on October 1, 1960”.

    Atiku, however, lamented the issues plaguing the nation, saying that “all is not well”.

    He berated the attack on the judiciary, level of extreme poverty in the country, clampdown on freedom of the press and other issues.

    He said rather than calling for prayers, he charged all Nigerians to believe in the betterment of the nation.

    He said: “So, rather than just call for prayers today, I am calling on all Nigerians to believe in Nigeria’s betterment, to work for Nigeria’s betterment, and to insist that no one in Nigeria, no matter how highly placed, shall be bigger than the laws of our land.

    “We all have a duty to support and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And this we must do, so help us God,” he added

  • Ayade preaches hope on New Year

    Ayade preaches hope on New Year

    Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has urged Cross Riverians to be hopeful of a better 2019 as the foundation his administration has laid in the last three years is progressively being crystalized through the rapid industrialization of the state.

    In his New Year message signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, Governor Ayade said the herald of a New Year, which comes with new vistas, new aspirations and a revitalized hope, offers Cross Riverians the chance to look forward to a better Cross River in 2019.

    According to Ayade: “Seeing out a year gone by and ushering in a new one is always a moving experience. If we take stock of the year gone by, we have every reason to be happy as our expectations are being fulfilled and our efforts at building a virile, stable and sustainable Cross River is crystalizing.”

    While soliciting a hand of fellowship to actualize the dreams envisioned by his administration, the governor said: “Today, I thank you for standing by us so far and for the great support we have received from you. I also urge you to stretch your hands along with me that together, we may force a dawn of greatness on Cross River State.”

    Ayade who highlighted the giants steps he has taken in the last three years to reposition the state and decouple it from the federal allocation, noted that “massive industrialization in the area of the establishment of the Calabar Garment Factory, the Rice seedlings and multiplication centre, the cocoa processing plant in Ikom, the fully automated and digitalized rice mill in Ogoja, the piles and pylons factory in Akamkpa, are some of the strides we have made towards making the state self-reliant.”

    Others according to the governor, include the tooth pick factory in Ekori, in Yakurr Local Government Area, the Banana plantation in Odukpani, the Noodle and chicken processing factories, organic fertilizer plant all in Calabar, the British/Canadian international school in Obudu.

    Assuring that 2019 signals the crystallization of the momentum begun three years ago, Ayade, said: “As we begin a new voyage to a New Year, it offers us another unique opportunity to consolidate on our well scripted chapter with exhilarating pages that are worth reading by the end of the year.”

     

  • June 12: We must keep hope alive – Ambode

    June 12: We must keep hope alive – Ambode

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Monday urged Nigerians to keep the spirit of June 12 alive and strong by remaining united and hopeful of a more prosperous future for the country.

    Ambode, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, made the call at an event organised to mark the 24th anniversary of the June 12, 1993 annulled presidential election.

    It was organised by the State’s Office of Civic Engagement in collaboration with June 12 Coalition for Democratic Formations in Lagos.

    The 1993 presidential election, adjudged free and fair, but annulled by the then military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, was believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola.

    Abiola insisted on his mandate and declared himself president, which led to his arrest and subsequent death on the verge of his release on July 7, 1998.

    Ambode believes the seed for the fourth republic and democracy witnessed since 1999 was sown and watered by the blood of Chief Abiola and others.

    He urged Nigerians, as they marked the June 12 anniversary, to must remain committed and steadfast in upholding democratic principles by participating in democratic processes such as the voters registration exercise.

    The governor also charged the citizenry to vote for their choice candidates at the polls, and avoid anything that could disrupt peaceful conduct of free, fair and credible election.

    “That way, we will be keeping the spirit of June 12 alive,” he said.

    Ambode pledged that his administration would continue to uphold democratic principles, rule of law, strengthen democratic institutions as well as implement policies that would enhance the well-being of the people.

    In his address, Rear Adm. Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd), a former Military Administrator of Lagos state, said June 12, 1993 was a day Nigerians from all parts of the country were united in their choice of a leader.

    Kanu attributed the current challenges and agitations in the country to the lack of true federalism.

    “The happenings in our nation today can only be salvaged if we restructure – which is a return to a federation of different peoples.

    “It is in the best interest of every section of the country if Nigeria works well.

    “It is either we peacefully go back to a federal Nigeria, a federation of different people who want to live and move together, or we must be prepared for an unfortunate avoidable non-peaceful resolution,” Kanu said.

    In his lecture entitled `Development Strategy in Lagos State: A Blue Print for National Development’, Dr Dele Ashiru said that development was not only about economic growth but the quality of life of the people.

    Ashiru, who is a lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, said development was also about rule of law, inclusiveness, accountability, power to the people and the dividends of democracy.

    “With problems of militancy, terrorism, unemployment, lack of infrastructure, corruption and others, we can say that Nigeria is yet to experience true democracy and development that MKO Abiola and others died for.

    “Lagos state government should be commended for upholding the principles of democracy by ensuring that its economic development benefits the people.

    “Other governments should emulate Lagos and bring the country out of the several challenges confronting it,” Ashiru said.

    Mr Mumuni Abiola, one of the sons of late MKO Abiola, commended Lagos state government and its other counterparts in the South-West for keeping the memory and legacy of his father alive.

    He urged governments at all levels to work toward a unified Nigeria where the yearnings of Nigerians for a free and prosperous country would be met.

    In his remarks, Mr Kehinde Joseph, Special Adviser to Gov. Ambode on Civic Engagement, said that June 12 was worthy of commemoration as it remained a defining moment of the nation’s current democratic dispensation.

    According to him, it entrenched democracy in Nigeria and enhanced the well-being of the people.

     

     

    NAN