As June 12 beckons, any hope for Nigeria

(Published in the Nigerian Compass on the 8th of June, 2010)
IN another five days, the Nigerian nation will be remembering an event which shook Nigeria to its foundation and as a result, threatened the nomenclature, Nigeria. History has it that Nigeria was a mere marriage of convenience that was orchestrated by the colonial masters who felt that for easier management of the colonies, bringing together dissimilar nations will afford them the opportunity of overseeing the large expanse of land.

The amalgamation of these diverse nationals and nationalities was the beginning of the woes of the current day Nigeria. Citizens of this country now see themselves as Nigerians but first as a northerner or southerner. No matter how good a person is now, he has to wait for the turn of his constituency to assume national political office. If Nigeria were to be what it ought to be, should zoning of the presidency be an ideal thing? If Nigeria were an ideal nation, will Yorubas, Igbos and Hausas be killed in other regions other than theirs? If this country is really a nation and not a mere marriage of convenience, will joining the Armed Forces be on quota? So many questions. Unfortunately, the questions are meant to be answered by the same people who had put us where we are. These people are the post colonial masters or neo-colonial masters. It is a story of 'How Nigerians underdeveloped Nigeria'.

We never had it so good in this country when it comes to election. So when in 1993, General Ibrahim Babangida, who was then the Military President, released the election time table, everybody thought it was going to be business as usual. But we were wrong! The electoral umpire, Professor Humphrey Nwosu, took Nigeria by storm, and changed the calculation of many. All over the country, credible elections were held and when the presidential election held, the electoral strategy of Option A4, it was indeed a beauty to behold. People queued behind their candidates and the votes were counted openly. Nwosu, against all odds, notably a directive from Babangida not to announce the result of the presidential election, went ahead to announce the results, and by the time he had announced up to 14 states and the FCT, he was stopped forcefully. Then, the results had shown that late business mogul and philanthropist, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola was in a pole position to win the election. Even his opponent, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, had congratulated the Abeokuta born chief. At that point, Nigeria as a geo-political entity collapsed, and till today, all we have been able to do is window dressing. Like Abiola campaigned, Hope '93 was the only hope left for Nigeria to be redeemed. I told my peers then that it could only get worse. My prediction has come to pass and I am being seen as a prophet now because I could read well where Nigeria was heading for when God was ready to salvage us from shackles of oppression, suppression and depression.

Seventeen years after, the major actors have different fate. While the winner of the election, Abiola, is dead and his family had disintegrated, the 'anuller' is still alive, even wanting to become the president of this 'state'. Nigeria is just a conglomeration of unlike people. What has a Fulani man got to do with an Ijebu person? Or an Ibibio man and an Egba man? Yeah, we should, as a matter of nationalism, clamour for one Nigeria, since we have found ourselves bound together, but the truth must be told that, it will do this country a lot of good if confederalism could be allowed to operate. This will give rise to a situation where a Hausa will first be loyal to his state before being loyal to Nigeria and thereby ensure that his region develops. When a Yoruba sees this, he too will further the development of his region and the Igbo will do same. Whatever that is left will then be given to the centre for mere coordination and not as it is that the centre is lord. Why should a governor go and meet the president in another state because the latter is visiting?
Another advantage this confederalism has is that anytime a confederate state wants to secede, it is free without any holding back. This is the more reason all confederating units will treat one another with respect and the centre will be weakened to the extent that it will not determine what goes on in these units.

June 12 goes beyond a personality as millions of Nigerians lost many things including lives in the struggle to emancipate themselves from dictatorship. I for one, have vowed not to be interested in the in the presidency until my vote in 1993 was made to count, because that was where we lost our chance, and without due respect accorded to June 12 1993, I doubt if we are not going to continue like this. Moreso, the culprit has openly canvased a national mention for the date, it is left to be seen how 'Niger Area' will continue to be one, as being canvassed by those who are benefiting from the marriage. Kudos to Aremo Segun Osoba, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), who uphold the date as sacrosanct, by declaring it a public holiday in their domains. This shows that some of our leaders are still with the spirit of June 12. That was the day Nigerians stood up to rewrite their destiny, whereas, some people were waiting to scuttle it.

Nigeria: So much money, so much poverty

(Published in the Nigerian Compass on June 1, 2010)

I had to scream last Friday when the Nigerian Compass newspaper dazzled its readers, on its front page, with a screaming headline; 'Reps cut Bankole's quarterly allowance to N100m'. My scream, though internally, could not immediately be explained. It gallivanted between two reasons. I could not decipher whether it was due to my ignorance of the much our assembly men take home or the amount involved?but after critically analysing these issues, I came to realise that both issues were responsible for my cry. This country is richly poor, or poorly rich. Put it as you like, as much money as Nigeria has, as much poverty in the land.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, has his three months allowance cut from N147 million and his Deputy, Usman Nafada, from N100 million to N80 million. All members are entitled to N42 million each for the same period of three months. Senators are also playing their card to have their allowances jacked up to N100 million. A breakdown, which I did to confirm the shock I went through last Friday, shows that if a member of House of Representatives earns N42 million, equivalent $280, 000, per quarter, he invariably earns $1, 120, 000 a year. For the Speaker, N100 million translates to approximately $667, 000 per a quarter. His annual allowance would then be $2.7 million. The Deputy Speaker will pocket, with the same calculation, approximately $2.2 million per annum. Let us do it this way, if representatives could earn these sums, how much then do governors, ministers, senators, the Vice President and the President earn as total packages? How then can you persuade anybody not to contest elections with a do-or-die attitude.

Whereas, a report last week had it that American President, Barack Obama takes home about $400 thousand dollars a year, and each United States' Senator is being paid $130,000 annually, which translates to about N19.5 million, and these US lawmakers sleep in their respective chambers daily debating on issues important to their country and passing thousands of bills and amendments into laws, Nigerian House of Representatives member takes home about $1.2 million dollars a year, and does nothing than fight for seniority with the Senators. The US Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, earns $223,500 annually.

Take note of Section 65, (1) of the 1999 Constitution; subject to the provisions of section 66 of this Constitution, a person shall be qualified for election as a member of the Senate, if he is a citizen of Nigeria and has attained the age of 35 years; and the House of Representatives, if he is a citizen of Nigeria and has attained the age of 30 years. (2) A person shall be qualified for election under subsection (1) of this section if (a) he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent. This is what I want point out. Is it not outrageous to give over a million dollars to an office that requires a school certificate holders while professors are being locked out of classrooms for demanding less than $40 thousand per annum.

In furtherance to my statistics and calculations, if a representative pockets $1.2 million per annum, then all the 360 members would have pocketed about a $432 million dollars which translates to about N65 billion. This is just the amount to run the house members just for one year. In Canada, a Member of Parliament earn $147,700 a year.

Nigerian politicians could easily be said to be selfish, heartless and wicked. When it comes to what goes to their pockets, they compare themselves with 'those of their overseas' counterparts, but when it borders on what the masses get, they remember and argue that Nigeria is a poor third world country! Nigerian politician has none of his children in public schools, doesn't attend public hospitals, builds borehole but never drinks even 'pure water', doesn't stay in public ares but GRAs, travels every now and then to go and enjoy what politicians like them had built but never comes back to do same to his country, and 'chops' every little incentive that could have better the lives of his people. What a wicked specie Nigerian politicians are! This is country where people die in hospitals due to the inability to to deposit, sometimes, as low as N5, 000 or even less buy drugs; where people die every minute on our bad roads; where graduates are without jobs and are forced into criminal activities and prostitution. This country is sick, the politicians are wicked and demented and the citizens are weak.

In a related development, The Nation also reported that not less than ten former governors were found to have stolen $250 billion while in office in what ECOWAS said represents the highest corruption index in Africa. These figures are scary and crazy. With unemployment at its highest, insecurity blossoming, armed robbery and kidnapping booming, prostitution profiting, little or no power generation, poverty written all over the country, infant and maternal mortality rate on the increase, life expectancy shortening, numerous other health challenges uncared for, poor learning facilities in schools and universities, low per capita income and numerous other challenges facing the country, it is highly irresponsible for these politicians to continue in their ways and equally embarrassing for we citizen to continue to look like 'look-man' and not rise up and shoot down this government to make way for a better tomorrow. It has been done elsewhere, why not here in Nigeria. Our destiny is in our hands and we should not forget that Nigeria's conscience, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, is no more. Its now or never!