Column
Column
[Posted on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 --- By SAAD ZANGRE] ---
Since finishing fourth behind President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 presidential election as the presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the immediate past governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Sardaunan Kano, is one politician whose political or presidential credentials have been on the ascendancy and continued to enjoy nation-wide acceptability based on the gentlemanly, sporting and mature way he conducted himself and his presidential apparatus before, during and after the said presidential election. Not only was he able to perfectly handle all the pressures associated with vying for the hottest office in undoubtedly Africa’s hottest country, he...
Column
[Posted on Tuesday, January 8, 2013 --- written by JAMES SWAM ] ---
The emergence of Ambassador Nuhu Audu Bajoga as the preferred candidate to fill the vacuum - a slot reserved for the southern senatorial zone - as the deputy governor of Kaduna state wasn’t without some form of agitations. His emergence out of the blues came on the heels of the elevation of Mukhtar Ramalan Yero as governor in the aftermath of the sad demise, on December 15 last year, of the God fearing, amiable, soft-spoken and open-minded former governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.
While the acrimonious banter by the youths of southern senatorial zone wasn’t indeed unexpected given, the fact that there are also qualified young men and women who could fill the vacuum - advertised by numerous youth groups, it is believed that some of the agitators and campaigners for a change, went a bit too far in their estimation to the point of pouring insults on the person o...
Column
[Posted on January 7, 2013 --- By Aminu Bala Sokoto] ---
Karl Marx once said “religion is opium of the masses”. According to recent survey report on religion in the world, Nigeria is adjudged as one of the most religious in the world. Funny enough, this is a country whose constitution is very explicit about it being a secular nation.
Islam and Christianity remained the two major religions in Nigeria that are recognized by all despite its secularity. They play significant roles in the political life of the nation, they contribute positively and negatively in the Political Arithmetic of Nigeria. Positively, it energises the masses to partake in the democratic process and negatively it brings about disunity and abandonment of merit and excellence for sentimentality.
Today, any appointment be it political office or otherwise is being carefully observed and studied with a view to ascertain which religion the appointee belongs to....
Column
[Posted on January 2, 2013 -- written by Sanusi Muhammad]
Bauchi state came to existence in 1976 from North-Eastern State . When it was a provisional headquarters in colonial administration, it served as the deciding factor in national politics. Politicians of substance, who later played key roles for independence, had political tutorials in Bauchi. The province had the first general-secretary of National Council of Nigeria’s Citizens (NCNC), Sa’adu Zungur when it was under the leadership of a patriot, Herbert Marcauly and later, Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe.
The likes of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka of United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC) and Malam Aminu Kano of Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) were groomed in Bauchi by a Non-Governmental Organization established by the radical Sa’adu Zungur, Bauchi Discussion Circle .
Since then, Bauchi has maintains its position in national politics and produced the first prime minister of i...
Crux of the Matter
THE nation’s banking industry had indeed come a long, turbulent, sometimes prosperous, way, ranging from boom eras of the late 70s and 80s to the failed banks of the Abacha period and culminating in the recent reforms being implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). A lot of water has since passed under the bridge as regards issues raised and unfolding events surrounding depositor interests, investor attraction and the health of the system, as well as the general macro-economic environment. The concern and efforts of all stakeholders in the economy notless.
The years 2006, 2008 and 2010 in particular saw the operating licences of a number of insured banks and 103 micro finance banks being revoked, leaving depositors to worry as to what hit and would become of them or their deposits. This brings to mind the place of Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) established in 1989 with the primary responsibility of deposit ...
Beneath the Surface
[quote]“The way a cat walks is not the way it catches rats” South African Proverb.[/quote]
Around this time last year the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) held a major conference on the economic and political fortunes of the North. Last week the region was again involved in a number of meetings which focused on its challenges and dwindling opportunities. Beginning with the first Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation Memorial Lecture delivered by the reknown international diplomat, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the last week also witnessed two major gatherings of politicians, academics, professionals, media executives, religious leaders and an assortment of elders and young people all of whom had something to say or wanted to hear about the alarming state of society and economy in the political and geographic North. There were also smaller, but significant events: former Vice President Atiku Abubakar delivered the Shehu Yar’Adua M...
The Groundings
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n recent weeks the Federal Government of Nigeria has been making noise about oil theft in the Niger Delta. Two developments led to the governments’ apparent concern over the theft of crude oil. First, there was a serious blow up after “thieves” trying to tap from the Shell Petroleum’s pipelines led to an outbreak of fire that forced the company to shut down the pipeline. The immediate result was the shortage of petrol at filling stations in several parts of the country, which has persisted for about a month now. The second was an enquiry by the House of Representatives into oil theft in the Niger Delta. That enquiry was the result of the disagreement between the Government and the National Assembly over crude oil price benchmark for the 2013 budget. We say that the Federal Government has been making noise because they are very knowledgeable about the oil theft but have chosen to complain instead of t...
Beneath the Surface
“A pot that can no longer boil water should be discarded.” —Sudanese Proverb
The intense quarrels which broke out among PDP big-wigs long before President Jonathan presented the 2013 budget proposals to the National Assembly do not appear to be abating. They are, in all probability, likely to worsen if the disputes over the 2012 budget implementation continue to be sources of friction. The ruling party is living up to its reputation as a working contraption which feeds off the weaknesses of our political system, and delivers less and less to the quality of governance. A stranger to this tendency for the PDP to tear itself up every once in a while, and still find a way to stay on its feet will be thoroughly baffled. But Nigerians familiar with the disconnect between political power and the capacity to win elections and deliver service will most likely just note this particular round of fights within the PDP. Younger Nigerians...
Wisdom in Humour
Mallam KASARMU TAGADO, what in your view are the challenges facing this kingdom?
The problems of this great kingdom are as follows; first corruption, second looting, third rating conduct; fourth, ‘treasury ‘maniacy’, fifth, finger itching in the corridor, then others e.g reckless practice of democracy; official lawlessness; extra judicial massacre; excessive greed; tribalism; religious bigotry; nepotism; emotions and not least un seriousness. These are the core challenges.
High positions are now avenues for itching finger practices, in all ramifications. Stealing of public funds, professionalized corruption, mindless squander-mania and lots more are operating at high speed. They no longer ‘thief’ in billions, but in trillions and nothing happens. There was an 18 year old who was sent to jail for three months for stealing yam tubers worth only N1500. Reflect on the subsidy thievery and you know what I am. Jai...
Wisdom in Humour
Mallam Kasarmu Tagado, happy 52nd anniversary.
Thank you Dan Jarida. However, it bothers me to the marrow that we are talking only of 1960 without 1914 when we came into this inter- world. We were born in 1914 but weaned in 1960. We were several entities before 1914, Sokoto Caliphate, Kanem Borno Empire, covering most of today’s Chad, Niger, Sudan and even parts of Libya, Oyo. Benin, Nupe Empires respectively. Like America, we were moulded in 1914. Can’t figure out why we find it proper to sideline this historic year in our history. It s a fact of our origin.
This takes us to the “artificiality” concept of our history.
Absolute nonsense. Shallow concept of history. There is no country in the world that was not artificially created. There was no place called Great Britain until it was artificially born, fathered by kings from France, Germany etc who imposed colonial rule on the Anglez, the original English people. They brou...