Will APC Please Stop that Embarrassing Exercise?

2^nd November, 2013.

Tinubu, Buhari and Ogbonnaya Onu

By: Amir Abdulazeez

I

 have observed with dismay how the highest ranking leaders of the All Progressives Congress have been going round the states of the aggrieved G-7 PDP Governors in an attempt to woo or formally invite them to their party. It is disturbing to note that, they can’t even send the governors’ counterparts in the APC to do the job but they chose to ridicule the party by offering themselves as the noblest people in the party to do the job. Can anynone imagine President Jonathan, Bamanga Tukur etal going round the country inviting Tanko Al-Makura, Babatunde Fashola and other APC Governors to join the PDP?

Firstly, this exercise embarked upon by the well-respected APC leaders in General Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu etal is embarrassing to the party signifying that it either lacks sufficient quality within its ranks or it’s not grateful with the quality of people it has.

Secondly, the exercise is an insult to the Nigerian public whom the APC have times without number told that they have been misgoverned by the same PDP and its governors. Most of the PDP Governors the APC is inviting are alleged election riggers whose help questionably brought Jonathan and past PDP Presidents into Aso Rock and Buhari knows this too well. What then is there to cherish about such governors or is it that the APC want enough ‘riggers’ in its fold to enable them attain federal power by hook or by crook? Is it now safe to believe the pundits who have stressed that APC has no any other objective besides wrestling power from the PDP?

If we x-ray the current composition of the APC, we can find out that about one-third or more of its prominent members have at one time being PDP members. It is obvious that some PDP members only join the APC to cleanse themselves of their crimes overnight. Just imagine that a person like Femi Fani-Kayode has the authority haven hidden under the opposition to accuse the ruling party which he served as a minister of misgoverning Nigeria.

It is obvious that in Nigeria that everything, no matter how good associated with PDP is an evil and everything no matter how evil is associated with the opposition is classified as good. It is highly unfortunate that we have allowed this poison to damage our thinking so much so that we have been made to believe that whatever rebellion against the PDP for whatever reason, whether selfish or otherwise is seen as heroic. Likewise, whatever romance with PDP, even for good is seen as unpatriotic.

Recently the PDP accused the APC of hypocrisy by trying to steal its members. I often disagree with the PDP in almost everything but i agree with the party on this matter to some extent.

Let’s assume that the APC have succeeded in wooing the PDP Governors, how will they reconcile some delicate issues like the Shekarau and Kwankwaso saga in Kano or the Bafarawa and Wammako saga in Sokoto for instance? Are they not therefore doing more harm than good or are they willing to sacrifice some key members to accommodate the governors who have power and wealth? Let APC be told, loud and clear that by the time the G-7 governors joined the party, it will become an annexed PDP and Nigerians are not fools, they will decide appropriately.  

Day-in day-out, the Nigerian elites are giving us more than enough reasons to believe the notion that Nigeria will never be great. People have a lot of hope for the new APC but they have started dashing peoples’ hope. Let them please call-off this embarrassing exercise immediately and tender their full apology to Nigerians.

©2013: abdulazeezamir@hotmail.com

Wa Zai Kauda Cin Hanci da Rashawa a Najeriya?

24 GaOktoba, 2013.

Daga: Amir Abdulazeez
                                                                                         

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alilai biyu ne suka sa ni yin rubutu akan wannan batu duk da cewa akwai dubunnai irina da suka sha yin sharhi da rubuce-rubuce akan cin hanci da rashawa a Najeriya.

Dalili na farko, a shekarar 2009 na kai wa wani aminina ziyara, mu na zaune mu na tattaunawa sai wani matashi wanda nake tsammanin su na da wata alaƙa da shi ya zo inda mu ke. Daga ganin alamarsa a buge ya ke ko kuma ya na yawan buguwa da kayan maye. Wannan matashi sai ya tambayi amininnan nawa N500 akan zai yi kuɗin mota zuwa ƙauyensu saboda ya karɓo takardar shaidar zama ɗan asalin ƙaramar hukumarsu domin ana dab da ɗaukarsa aikin ɗan sanda kuma lallai ne za’a buƙaci wannan takarda. Wannan aminin nawa sai ya ɗauko N 500 ya bashi, sai ya tafi. Bayan ya tafi sai ya juyo ya kalleni, yace: ‘abokina, Najeriya ba za ta taɓa gyaruwa ba’. Na tambayeshi, me ya sa? Sai yace: ‘ka duba wai wannan bugaggen, mara tarbiyyar za’a ɗauka aiki mai muhimmanci irin na ɗan sanda wanda kuma in da rai da rabo, watarana shi ka ke sa ran zai zama shugaban ‘yan sandan Najeriya. Na girgiza kai, ban sake cewa komai ba amma na kai tsawon shekaru huɗu ina jinjina wannan magana ta sa, sai yanzu na samu cikakken ilimi da kuma kafar da zan yi tsokaci akan abin da ya gaya min.

Amma kafin in kawo dalilina na biyu, ga wasu tambayoyi. Shin me zai sa Dagatai da Masu Unguwanninmu su dinga sanyawa mutane hannu akan takardar shaidar zama ɗan asalin yankinsu ba tare da sun tantance amfanin da mutum zai yi da takardar ba? Me zai sa ba za su yi ƙoƙarin hana mutane irin waɗannan shiga irin wannan aiki ba ta hanyar bada mummunar shaida akansu? Ko kuwa ba su da wani zaɓi, tunda mutanen kirki duk sun guji aikin sai mutanen banza ne da kuma waɗanda suka rasa aikin yi su ke shiga aikin? To ko shi ya sa rundunar sojoji, ‘yan sanda da sauran masu ɗamara ta Najeriya ta cika da ma su  karɓar cin hanci da rashawa?

Dalilina na biyu na yin wannan rubutu shi ne; an taɓa gayyata ta wani taro da wata ƙungiya mai fafutukar yaƙi da cin hanci da rashawa anan Jihar Kano ta shirya a shekarar 2011 a Ɗakin Karatu na Jihar Kano. Taken wannan taro shi ne: ‘Gudunmawar da zan Bayar a Matsayina na ɗan Ƙasa Wajen Kawar da Cin Hanci da Rashin Gaskiya a Najeriya’. Wannan taro ya samu halartar ƙwararru da dama, ciki har da wakilan hukumar yaƙi da cin hanci ta ICPC. Duk da cewa taken wannan taro ya bayyana mana ƙarara cewa ana so ne kowa ya faɗi me ya ke ganin ‘yan Najeriya za su yi a matsayinsu na waɗanda ake mulka domin kawar da cin hanci da cin amana a ƙasarnan, amma abin takaici, mahalarta wannan taro, waɗanda kuma aka kira da ƙwararru, duk wanda ya miƙe maimakon ya yi magana akan abin da aka tsara sai ya ɓige da zagin Shugaban Ƙasa, ‘yan majalisu, ministoci, ‘yan siyasa da sauran ma su mulki. Ni kaɗai na fita zakka, yayin da aka bani damar magana sai na tunatar da mahalarta taron cewa ya kamata mu daina barin jaki muna dukan taiki, kamata ya yi mu kalli namu matsalolin kafin mu kalli na shugabanninmu. Kafin kace kwabo, sai aka yi min caa a ka, wai ai babu laifin mabiya, ai shugabanni ne ɓarayi don haka dole a faɗa, kai a taƙaice ma ni ban san me na ke yi ba. Ganin cewa babu wanda ya goyi bayana, sai na sulale cikin kunya na fita daga wannan taro kuma ban ƙara waiwayar wannan magana ba sai yanzu.

Abin tambaya anan shine, wai me ya sa sau dubu sai mu take laifin mu amma muna da idon hango na shugabanninmu? Wai me ya sa, sai mutum ya tafka ta’asar da ya ga dama, idan an yi magana wai sai yace ai haka Najeriya ta ke, kowa ba shi da gaskiya don haka ma in ka yi gaskiya kana ɓatawa kanka lokaci ne kawai? Wai me ya sa dukkan abin alkhairin da ƙasarmu ta yi, ba ma faɗa amma komai ƙanƙantar sharri ko da ba mu yi bincike mun tabbatar da shi ba sai mu yi ta yayata shi? Shin wai lalacewar Najeriya ya kai yadda mu ke kururutawa kuwa? Wai muna kallon wasu ƙasashen na ƙasa da mu ko kuwa muna la’akari ne kawai da na sama da mu?

Tunda munji waɗannan dalilai, bari na dawo kan tambayata ta asali, shin wanene zai kawar da cin hanci da rashawa a Najeriya? Wannan tambaya tana da wahalar amsawa kai tsaye kuma tana da amsoshi da yawa domin kowa a Najeriya idan ka tambayeshi, yana da amsar da zai bayar akanta. Amma kafin na bayar da tawa amsar ina so mu sani cewa, kowa da kowa ya na da gudunmawar da zai bayar wajen gyaruwar Najeriya ko lalacewarta komai girmansa kuma komai ƙanƙantarsa.

Babu wani shugaba a duniya komai nagartarsa da zai iya zuwa ya ci nasarar kawo wani gyara ko canji a rayuwar mutane ba tare da su mutanen sun ba shi haɗin kai ba. Wannan shi ya tuna min da wani furuci na tsohon Shugaban Ƙasa Cif Olusegun Obasanjo inda ya ke cewa: “Dole ne idan za ka yi maganar kyakkyawan shugabanci, to ka yi maganar ingantattun mabiya.” Bayan wannan, za mu iya ɗaukar darasi daga gurin Joseph Stalin na tsohuwar rugujajjiyar Tarayyar Soviet wacce ita ce ƙasar Russia a yanzu wanda ya mulki tarayyar na tsawon kusan shekaru 25. Ya yi sanadiyyar mutuwar tsakanin mutane miliyan 5 zuwa 10 a ƙudurinsa na kawo wasu sauye-sauye a ƙasar, amma duk da haka bai cimma nasara cikakkiya ba domin ya na mutuwa sauye-sauyen na sa suka ruguje domin mutane ba sa tare da su.

Anan, ko kusa ba ni da niyyar in tsame shugabannin Najeriya daga laifukan da ake zarginsu da shi domin na yarda cewa sun a da laifuka ma su yawan gaske, amma ya kamata mu sani cewa waɗannan shugabannin ba aljanu ko mala’iku ba ne, ko kuma ba sauko mana su aka yi daga sama ba, daga cikinmu suke fitowa. Don haka ashe mu ɗin ne a lalace kenan? Wani abin lura da shi anan shi ne, mun sha juyawa shugabanninnan baya a zaɓe ta hanyar musanyasu da wasu kuma ƙarshe su ma waɗanda mu ka sauya ɗin su ba mu kunya. To tunda shugabanninan daga cikinmu su ke fitowa, wajibi ne sai mun gyara kanmu.

Bugu da ƙari, duk irin satar kuɗin jama’a da shugabanninmu suke yi, mu talakawa mu mu ka ba su dama. A yanzu da mutum zai riƙe muƙamin Gwamna ko shugaban ƙaramar hukuma kuma ya sauka ba shi da naira miliyan 100 misali ko kuma ya sauka ya cigaba da rayuwar da ya saba da ita kafin yan hau muƙamin, sai ka ji ana zaginsa ana cewa ba shi da ƙashin arziki. Ko muna tsammanin ma su riƙe da muƙaman ba su san wannan ba? Mu tuna fa cewa, idan zaɓe ya zo, masu mulki ne da masu neman mulki suke zagayawa su na raba mana cin hanci don mu zaɓe su. Wasu daga cikinmu ma har yawo suke yi da ganye a ka, wai su na sayarwa ne.

Wai meye cin hanci ne? Cin hanci shi ne duk wani abu da za’a ba ka na kuɗi ko na amfani wanda zai sa ka ka yi abin da ba shi ya kamata a yi ba a wannan muhallin.

Mu ɗinnan ne fa mu ke taruwa a gidaje da ofisoshin masu mulki mu na tilasta mu su su bamu kuɗi duk da cewa mun san cewa albashinsu bai kai su bamu abinda mu ke nema a gurinsu ba. To tsammaninmu a waɗanne kuɗaɗen su ke ɗebowa su na bamu?

A cikin wannan al’aumma tamu ne, ba’a ganin mutunci ko darajar mutum akan iliminsa, gaskiyarsa ko iya mu’amalarsa, sai dai akan kuɗinsa kuma ba tare da anyi duba da hanyar da ya bi ya samu waɗannan kuɗin ba.

Mu tuna fa mutum ne zai saci kuɗin mutane, amma sai ka ga ya fito ana kwanciya ana gaida shi. A nan garin ne wani ya yi zaman kurkuku na kusan shekaru biyu saboda kotu ta yanke masa hukuncin cewa ya saci kuɗin jama’a. Amma ranar da ya fito, sai da talakawa suka yi gangamin taron tarbarsa da kuma girmamashi. To anan wanene ya ke ɗaurewa cin hanci gindi, mu ne ko kuwa shugabanninmu?

Don haka ko shakka babu, amsata ita ce, mu talakawa mu muke da kaso mafi tsoka wajen hana cin hanci da rashawa a Najeriya duk da cewa su ma shugabannin akwai rawar da za su taka ba ƙarama ba.

Duk mai tunanin gyara a Najeriya, ya fara kallon kansa tsaf, ya ga shi a gyare ya ke? Mutum ya gyara kansa, ya yi gaskiya akan kansa, sannan sai ya yi ƙoƙarin gyara gidansa. Idan ya gama da gidansa, sai ya fara tunanin gyaran unguwarsu, sannan ƙaramar hukumarsu, sannan jiharsa, kafin ya fara tunanin Najeriya.

Cin hanci da rashawa da sata ba za su taɓa rabuwa da mu ba, sai mun yi gaskiya a kasuwancinmu, aikinmu, iyalinmu, ƙungiyoyinmu, abotarmu, Masarautunmu da dukkan al’amuranmu.

Bayan mun yi wannan, sai mu kalli shugabanninmu ido da ido, mu ci kwalar rigarsu, ƙila ma har da lakace mu su hanci sannan mu ce mu su: me ya sa ba ku da gaskiya?

©2013: abdulazeezamir@hotmail.com

Inama Mun Ɗauki Zakka da Muhimmanci………

                                                                                                                              17^th November, 2013.

Daga: Amir Abdulazeez

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au tari sai ka ga mun samu kan mu a wani mawuyacin hali wanda babu abin da ya jefa mu a cikinsa face aiyyukanmu. Abin takaicin shine, muna yin wasu abubuwan da mun san sakamakonsu sarai amma kuma idan sakamakon ya same mu sai mu koma gefe muna takaici da mamaki kamar dama can bamu san cewa wannan abin da ya same mu shine sakamakon aiyyukanmu ba. Kamar mutum ne ya bulbule gidansa da fetur kuma ya ƙyasta ashana da hannunsa, sai bayan gidan ya ƙone kuma sai ya koma gefe yana mamaki kamar dama bai san hakan za ta faru ba. Wannan shi ne kwatankwacin wanda ya ƙi bayar da zakka kuma ya dinga mamakin me yasa jama’a suke masa hassada ko baƙin ciki akan dukiyarsa. Haka zalika, wanda ya ƙi bayar da zakka, kada ya yi mamaki don talauci ya yi yawa a gari  wanda har tsananin talaucin ya kai ga wasu sun shiga sana’ar sata kuma a wayi gari ɓarayi sun hauro gidansa sun masa sata.

A matsayin zakka na ɗaya daga cikin manyan turakun Musulunci guda biyar, ya kamata a ce wani hamshaƙin malami ne zai yi rubutu a kan ta amma idan aka duba yadda aka yi watsi da ita da kuma yadda a ke wulaƙanta ta duk da irin tasirinta a cikin rayuwarmu ta yau da kullum, to sai mu ga cewa haƙƙi ne akan kowa ma ya yi tsokaci dai-dai gwargwado a kan ta har da ma ɗalibai iri na.

Idan muka kalli turakun Musulunci guda biyar, za mu ga cewa zakka ta sha bamban da ragowar turakun guda huɗu waɗanda suka haɗa da Kalmar Shahada, Tsaida SAllah, Azumi da Aikin Hajji. Ba don komai ba sai don cewa, ita zakka bayan kasancewarta ibada, akwai kuma wani gagarumin tasirin da take  da shi a fannin tattalin arziki, zamantakewa, tsaro, kai har ma da siyasa. Wataƙila wasu su yi mamakin menene alaƙar zakka da siyasa?

Idan muka kalli siyasar duniya, za mu ga cewa ɗaya daga cikin abin da yake ƙarawa ƙasashe ƙarfin faɗa a ji a duniya shi ne kyauta da taimako. Za mu ga cewa ƙasashen Kiristoci da Maguzanci masu ƙarfin tattalin arziƙi irinsu Amurka da China sun daɗa faɗaɗa ƙarfinsu ta hanyar ɗibar dukiyar da Allah Ya basu suna taimakawa ƙasashe masu ƙaramin ƙarfi. Duk da cewa ba za mu kira abin da suke yi a matsayin zakka ba kuma ba suna yi ne don Allah ba, amma mu duba irin yadda wannan alheri nasu yake ƙara musu ƙarfi a siyasance. Inda a ce wadatattun ƙasashen Musulmi  masu arziƙi suna fitar da zakka  su kaita ƙasashen Musulmi da ake buƙatarta, ya za’a ga ƙarfin faɗa a jinsu a siyasance?

Ko da a ce babu malami a kusa wanda zai jawo mana ayoyi ko hadisai akan muhimmancin zakka, ya kamata mu yi tunani mai zurfi don gano hikimar da ta sa Allah SWT Ya wajabta ta. Domin sanin kowa ne cewar Allah ba Ya yin abu face sai da hikima a cikinsa, sai dai rashin ilimi, bincike, zurfin tunani ko kuma gazawa irin ta Ɗan Adam ta sa ya kasa gano hikimar. Misali, dukkan duniya an taru akan cewa dukiya ni’ima ce babba, wasu ma suna ganin ita ce mafi girman ni’ima domin tana iya kawo maka sauran ni’imomin. Ita kuma ba kowa Allah Ya ke ba wa  ita ba sai ‘yan tsiraru. Za ku yarda da ni idan nace masu kuɗin duniya ba su kai kashi uku cikin ɗari ba. Kuma me yiwuwa ku yarda da cewa yawan waɗanda suka mallaki naira miliyan ɗaya tasu ta kansu a Najeriya, ba su wuce kashi ɗaya cikin ɗari ba.

Kasancewar Allah Ya san cewa ba kowa ya ba wa dukiya ba, sai ya ɓullo da zakka domin dukiyar duniya ta dinga zagayawa a tsakanin kowa tunda ba zai yi ma’ana a ce an halicci kowa mai kuɗi ba domin rayuwar ma ba za ta yiwu a haka ba.

Ita dai zakka ba cewa aka yi kowa sai ya fitar da ita ba, a’a sai wanda dukiyarsa ta kai nisabi, idan kuma dukiyar ta kai nisabi to sai ƙarshen shekara kuma kashi ɗaya bisa 40 kacal za’a fitar. Da kai da dukiyarka fa duk mallakar Allah ne, ajiya kawai Ya baka, idan kuma ya ga dama gobe sai ya karɓe ajiyar ya baiwa wani. Haba jama’a!! Ina laifi a cikin abin da aka baka ajiya ba don ka fi kowa dabara ba kuma aka ce a sau ɗaya a kowacce shekara ka fitar da kashi ɗaya bisa 40. Kuma Wanda Ya baka ajiyarnan, ba shi za ka bai wa ba, a’a ɗan uwanka Ɗan Adam mai ƙaramin ƙarfi za ka ba wa.

Amma abin takaici yanzu, a al’ummarmu ta Hausawa ba’a mayar da zakka a bakin komai ba. Wasu ko fitar da ita ma ba sa yi, waɗanda kuma suke daurewa su fitar da ita sai ka ga  suna fitar da ita a wulaƙance, sai su tara mutane suna raba musu N100 ko N500 wai sun fitar da zakka.

Marigayi Sheikh Ja’afar Adam ya taɓa cewa zai yi wahala ka ga maikuɗi ya zo wajen malami neman fatawa akan zakka, sai dai ya zo neman fatawa akan neman aure, kasuwanci, siyasa ko wani abin daban. Yace sai ‘yan ƙalilan ne suke zuwa neman bayani akan yadda za su fitar da zakka.

Wani abin da ya kamata mu kiyaye shi ne, akwai manoma, da makiyaya waɗanda su ma suke watsi da al’amarin zakka musamman a ƙauyukanmu. To lallai ya kamata mu shiga taitayinmu. Wataƙila wannan ce ta sa noman namu na wannan zamanin ma ba ya yin wata albarkar kirki saboda ba ma fitar masa da zakka.

Zakkar nan idan mun fitar, amfanin kanmu yake dawowa, idan kuma mun ƙi fitarwa, masifar a kanmu take ƙarewa. Ita dai zakka idan ka fitar da ita, bayan cewa ka bi umarnin Allah, zai baka lada kuma zai ruɓanya maka dukiyarka, Ya yi mata albarka kuma ya ajiye maka sakamakonka a lahira, akwai amfaninta a nan duniya waɗanda ba za su ƙirgu ba. Ga kaɗan daga cikinsu.

1. Kakkaɓe talauci: Bankin Duniya wato World Bank da ke ƙasar Switzerland yace sama da kashi 60 bisa 100 na ‘yan Najeriya suna rayuwa a ƙasa da Dalar Amurka ɗaya, kwatankwacin N160 a kullum saboda talauci kuma mafi yawancinsu a Arewacin Najeriya suke (inda Musulunci shi ne addini mafi ƙarfi a yankin). Duk wanda ya mallaki naira miliyan 40 kuma ya fitar da miliyan 1 zakka ya bai wa mutum biyu masu hankali misali. InshaAllahu baɗi su ma sai sun fitar da zakka. Idan aka cigaba a haka, to za’a wayi gari, gari guda sun zama mawadata ko masu rufin asiri, sai dai wata shekarar a ɗebi zakkar wannan garin a kai wani garin da suke da buƙata. Da muna haka a Arewacin Najeriya, da talauci zai dame mu?

2. Maganin Hassada: Dukiya tana daga cikin abin da ake yi wa mutum hassada a kan ta. Idan kana ɗiban dukiyarka, kana bayar da zakka, za ka samu ƙarancin masu yi maka hassada da ƙiyayya domin dama wani rashin ba ka ba shi ba ne ya sa yake maka hassada.

3. Maganin Masifa: na taɓa jin Mallam Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa yana cewa, lokacin da suka kai wa waɗanda gobarar ta rutsa da su a Kasuwar Kantin Kwari ziyara a shekarun baya, yace bayan sun jajanta musu kuma sun ba su shawarar su dinga fitar da zakka domin wannan ibtila’in ya yi kama da jarrabawa dalilin rashin fitar da zakka. Dama kuma ita zakka idan ka ƙi fitar da ita, to za ta fitar da kanta ta hanyar da ba ka so kuma ga shi babu lada, gara ma ka fitar da kanka ka samu lada. A wannan gobara ni kaina na san mutum ɗaya da naira miliyan 20 ɗinsa ta ƙone ƙurmus a cikin shago banda ɗumbin kayayyaki.

4. Tsaro: Ɗaya daga abin da yake kawo rashin tsaro shi ne talauci. Ita kuwa zakka tana rage talauci. Don haka ɓarayi da ‘yan fashi waɗanda suke taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen haddasa rashin tsaro za su yi sauƙi.

A ƙarshe, idan da ace yadda mu ke tururuwar yin salloli biyar a masallatai, yadda muke tururuwar yin azumi lokacin Ramadan, yadda muke takarar zuwa aikin hajji, a ce haka muke takarar bada zakka, da munga canji a cikin al’amuranmu. Kuma ko da ma zakka ba ta da wani amfani a nan duniya, shin ba za mu bi umarnin Allah, mu fitar da ita ba?

Da fatan za mu nemi malamai su yi mana cikakken bayani akan yadda za mu fitar da zakka, lokacin da za mu fitar da ita da kuma waɗanda za mu bai wa ita.

©2013: abdulazeezamir@hotmail.com

The Impotency of Government-Owned Media in Nigeria

                                                                                                                                 15^th January, 2014

By: Amir Abdulazeez

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ne of the most annoying and disgusting things in Nigeria nowadays is to tune-in to a State Government or Federal Government-owned radio or TV station. This is because most of what is been broadcast is systematically partisan and occasionally one-sided in favour of those that are in power either at the federal level or at the various states. At times, their coverage is directly bias, shamelessly misjudging and unfortunately sycophantic.

We must thank God that there are no local government-owned radio and TV stations; I guess things would have gotten worse. We must also be glad that the governments lack the endurance and zeal to sustain the print media, which is not a lazy man’s job. Otherwise, we would have been made to read only what the people in power wants us to read. We should in no small measure, be delightful with the fact that online and social media are easily accessible and extremely difficult to control or hijack.

The primary functions of a typical media outfit are to tell the truth and disseminate credible and reliable real-time information to the public without fear or favour. Any other function is secondary.  However, government-owned media in Nigeria only gives us selective information, that is, they choose what to tell the people and what not to tell them as directly or indirectly dictated by their pay masters. Furthermore, when at their best, they only tell the truth half way or they tell it in a systematically partisan and one-sided way to favour the individuals in power and to give people the impression that they are on the right side. They will only tell you the full and detailed truth in matters that do not concern the people in government or in matters which the people in government have no interest whatsoever. Whereas they will jump at any slight opportunity to exaggerate the good works of government or to expose the faults of perceived government enemies. This primarily renders them impotent and incompetent.

Sometimes, I use to wonder how some Nigerian journalists manage to work in such media organizations. After thinking hard, I always arrive at the conclusion that such journalists only need a job and not a career. Unfortunately in Nigeria we hardly give much emphasis on career, we are only after jobs, as far as we are been paid for what we do, then we do not care. I have come to realize through my short interaction with journalist that the profession is all about passion, integrity and independent mindedness. Can one really call himself a journalist if whatever he writes or reports, no matter how well he sticks to the ethics of the profession, must be censored or even completely rejected by his superiors to save their seats from the president, governor, minister or commissioner’s axe and then he doesn't care? Can one really call himself a journalist when he is been forced to always agree with what the government does or defends the government irrespective of whether it is right or wrong?

I know of people who stopped patronizing the services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) during the military regimes, only to later change their minds and find it the same if not worse under the civilians. The military will oppress everyone, but the politicians will select those to oppress. I agree with those people who have boycotted the NTA for so long, as my experience with the station shows nothing better. A lot of political events happened in the build-up to 2014 towards the tail end of last year which I expected them to have a fair if not a balanced reportage of those events, but unfortunately they ended up airing mostly what the presidential spokesmen wanted them to.

Recently, when I wanted not only to know but to see and have a true picture of the political crisis in Rivers State, I had to find another platform that will enable me have access to privately-owned media and shift away from the one way traffic coverage by the government-owned media. The Rivers state-owned media will favour the State Government completely in its reports and the Nigerian-owned media will favour the Federal Government in its own reports. We are not saying, they shouldn’t be obedient to those in power, but they should be fair by realizing that they work for the people and if they cannot do that, they should resign and not accept such responsibilities in the future.

The situation with these government-owned media becomes worse during electioneering campaigns where they display their partisanship openly. In the last elections in 2011, I heard the Buhari and Shekarau Presidential Campaign Organizations complaining that the NTA refused to air their adverts under the guise that the contents of those adverts are abusive to the president. Who told them that NTA belongs to the president? It belongs to the government and the government belongs to the people. Any way, if what they alleged was true, why don’t they call the attention of the sponsors to make corrections and then air it? If we may ask, how many times have they given the ruling party unlimited access to rain abuses on the opposition?

Despite all of these, the Federal Government media is even fair and decent as compared to their state government-owned counterparts. This is because, the ones at the federal level do their bias professionally and systematically. But those in the states do so directly and in broad day light been fully protected by State Governments and ruling parties’ stalwarts. You wouldn’t dare criticize a state governor in a radio or TV station owned by the state government. They spend half of the time which they should have used in airing meaningful programs in singing praises and sycophantic words for state governors and their wives.

This is highly unfortunate especially at a time when government-owned media are some of the best across the world. Can’t we borrow a leaf from the likes of British Broadcasting Corporation, Voice of America and the rest? Can someone imagine the British Prime Minister trying to control or determine what the BBC should broadcast? May be the very first time he does that, it may be the end of his political career.

Despite these problems, we must appreciate the gradual revolution going on in the Nigerian Radio Industry. This is because from 1999 to date, we have had a lot of privately-owned radio stations. As at 2002, there was almost no privately-owned radio station in the whole of Northern Nigeria, but now we have an average of one per state. In Kano alone, there are about seven. However, these radio stations are been occasionally threatened with closure with every slight opportunity and they are been charged exorbitant licence and renewal fees by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission.

Another aspect of the Nigerian media that is doing well is the newspaper industry. However, the main problem here is the poor reading culture of Nigerians in particular and Africans in general. You may be targeting a set of people with vital information, but at the end of the day, you will find out that they don’t even have access to newspapers or they don’t care to read them. A particular saying among the white men goes like this: “if you don’t want Africans to see something, just write it down.”

The online and social media are doing well in Nigeria, but the problem is that they are a platform for the good, the bad and the ugly. Hardly can you trust information online these days, as it is often infiltrated with rumour, unverified sources and sometimes falsehood.

Conclusively, it is time for those in power to leave government-owned media alone to do their jobs. They must also stop regarding privately-owned media as enemies just because they are independent of them. If they don’t want criticisms, let them do the right thing, let them be transparent and let them clean-up the skeletons in their cupboards. I am even suggesting that the National Assembly should enact laws to protect government media from those in power by preventing them from using it as their personal instruments of airing what they like.

The government-owned media must not be a friend and servant of anybody in power, but rather the friend and servant of the people and the champion of the truth and accountability. Failure to do so is institutional corruption and betrayal of the people.

©2014: abdulazeezamir@hotmail.com

Obasanjo Has Nonetheless Achieved His 3rd Term Agenda

                                                                                                                                                              19^th December, 2013

By: Amir Abdulazeez

C

hief Olusegun Obasanjo apparently sought for a third and unconstitutional term in Presidential office, but he was massively rejected by the Nigerian masses and some well-meaning elites including those among his cult-like ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

In apparently trying to elongate his tenure, Mr. Obasanjo approached Nigerians through the door and when they refused, he didn’t give up. Rather, he turned around and approached them through the window and there, he got the better of them. In other words, Baba Obasanjo failed to achieve a third term in office physically, but he managed to achieve it ideologically. This is obvious because among his purportedly ill-fated plans for Nigeria contained in his third term agenda, which of them have not been fulfilled, although not by him directly, but indirectly by his PDP successors?

Let me stop speaking in parables and begin to speak clearly now. The 'statesman’ Obasanjo achieved 8 uninterrupted years in power, having enjoyed the questionable exercise of 2003 in the name of election victory, although we may only express our opinion but the Supreme Court has approved and legitimized what happened in 2003. With that in mind, he nursed a deceitful ambition since probably early 2005 or may be earlier, to replicate the 2003 fiasco in 2007 in order to continue in power. The INEC under him later even managed to better the 2003 rigging in 2007, but he was not the direct beneficiary.

Apart from that, Chief Obasanjo may have wanted to count on the support of the legislature to have some legitimacy or you can call it legal backing if you like.  He probably knew it was possible, based on his previous experience with both chambers of the National Assembly and with the successful ouster of Ghali Umar Na’abba and other stubborn lawmakers from both chambers, he was optimistic. However, they did Nigeria the biggest favour at that time by surprising him eventually when it mattered most.

Obasanjo was not done with Nigeria yet and he went ahead to field Ummaru Musa ‘Yar’Adua as the PDP Presidential Candidate and by doing so, it was clear that he has not relented on his 3^rd term bid. His ‘nomination’ of Goodluck Jonathan as Vice President also confirmed his continued pursuit of his 3^rd term agenda, but through a different approach. The illness, tiredness and unwillingness of Ummaru to accept any further burden beyond his 8 years governorship sojourn of Katsina State was not a secret. However, Obasanjo exploited the latter’s weakness and used his domineering influence to force him into the Presidential race and he succeeded in anointing him to the Presidency. Secondly, very few people know of Goodluck Jonathan and it was well evident that he has not being fully prepared to succeed even as Bayelsa State Governor when he was dragged overnight to become Ummaru’s running mate. This was a job which he has absolutely no idea on how to even handle, not to talk of succeeding in it. Obasanjo knew better that, his plan could back-fire in the long run if he gave Ummaru a competent Vice President like Donald Duke or a powerful one like Peter Odili.

It was clear that by assembling such a ticket, Obasanjo is not after Nigeria’s well-being, he was trying to portray the Nigerian Presidency as a mediocre office without him. That is, it is only when he is in charge that the Presidency should be seen to be anything serious. Well, if I may ask, was it that Obasanjo was smarter than all Nigerians, or were all Nigerians too foolish to fall prey or both?

Going by what unfolded later on and if we are to be fair to Ummaru, his Presidency showed clearly that he was not pursuing Obasanjo’s agenda, but that soon came to past. If you look at the huge responsibilities of a President, how does a fully healthy and strong man copes with the demand of the office, not to talk of a sick and tired man? I don’t want to accuse anyone of causing President ‘Yar’Adua’s death, but one thing we certainly know is that, Ummaru would have been a healthier and better man without the Presidency.

Most of what has happened has now become history despite the fact that it is still haunting us and the rest will by the Grace of God soon also become history but we must tell ourselves the bitter truth that Obasanjo has succeeded in executing his third term plan for Nigeria. Going by the democratic record of Obasanjo’s 8-year tenure as President, few people will argue with me that he was not seeking the elongation of his tenure to do anything good or positive for Nigeria. He was indeed planning to continue with his widely reported recklessness, dictatorship, corruption and other landmarks of his administration. This is because, up to his last day in office, there was never any sign that he will correct his past mistakes, if they were mistakes at all.

One of the main reasons why I find it unworthy to criticize President Jonathan is that, I don’t even believe in his capability because I know he became President by chance; he was never prepared to become even a Vice President. The main problem is that, the Presidency is always looking to be bigger than Jonathan and he has failed to grow or learn from the demands of the office over time. Despite spending roughly four years in power, Jonathan always looks like someone who assumed office last week.

I don’t know the secret contents of Obasanjo’s third term agenda but I think he has achieved most of them through Jonathan. Never mind his letter to the President pretending as if he never knew all that is happening now was going to happen. That notwithstanding, there are five broad and open objectives of the third term agenda which Obasanjo needs not to tell us before we know them and from my analysis, he has achieved all of them.

First, he possibly wanted to show Nigeria, Africa and the world that he was the only one who can govern Nigeria. He therefore sought a third term and when we refused he installed a weaker leadership which makes many Nigerians to prefer his rule in spite of his failures.

Secondly, he probbaly wanted to escape anf form of probe or questioning from all the wrong-doings he might have committed. Apparently, he needed a third term to consolidate his grip on institutions so that nobody can question him after he has left or maybe he needed it to pave way for a 4^th and 5^th term in office so that he will escape query forever. Now, who has given Obasanjo at least a formal questioning or an official inquiry with regards to his 8 years in power? All what he has done has been swept under the carpet, perhaps forever. Maybe that’s why Obasanjo would rather die than have Buhari as President, because he knew he must account for his actions, no matter what. By masterminding the 2003 and 2007 questionable elections through INEC, he thought he has succeeded in frustrating Buhari out of politics, but Buhari has emerged more determined to help build a new political party that may bring the likes of Obasanjo to question.

Thirdly, Obasanjo apparently wanted PDP to remain in power, may be for the next 300 or 500 years. Although he’s not the one in charge, but PDP is still in power simply because, with the help of his former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former INEC Chairmen, Maurice Iwu and Abel Guobadia, he has built a notorious PDP machine which may not be easily dismantled for long.

Fourthly, from his body language, he might have wanted power to remain in the south and preferably in Yoruba land. He may not have gotten both, but at least power is in the south which is a complete betrayal of an agreed gentle-man zoning arrangement which he was not only the biggest beneficiary but without which he may never have emerged President in the first place.

Fifth and final, Obasanjo wants to remain relevant in Nigerian and international politics and that, he has also achieved. He activated a time-bomb in the PDP which he knew exactly when it will explode and after it has exploded, he carefully studied the resulting problems which he has been capitalizing on every now and then to assume the role of mediator. Therefore, as far as PDP is having problems, he will continue to remain relevant. At this juncture, may I show my tremendous gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan and Alhaji Bamanga Tukur for detonating Obasanjo’s PDP time bomb, much to the advantage of Nigeria’s democracy. This is because, as long as PDP is doing well, then Nigeria’s democracy is under threat.

Unfortunately, Obasanjo’s 8 years in power is seen internationally as a learning process in Nigeria’s nascent democracy and he is often hailed as a hero for coming out from prison and accepting to serve under a ‘learning process’. Furthermore, he is still relying on his 1979 achievements to attract accolades world-wide, besides, during his time in power, his government did not directly inflicted on international interests. This was a man who was freely giving out Nigerian territory without hesitation just to please the International Community.

To me, Obasanjo’s 18-page letter to Jonathan was only a confirmation and a testimony to the fact that, all his third term plans for Nigeria has been achieved by the latter. The former’s only problem was probably of jealously that he wasn't the one who executed the plan himself.

Let me conclude my analysis by borrowing Mahmud Jega’s words on Obasanjo: “He went within 8 years from a Commonwealth Eminent Person, African Candidate for UN Secretary General, prisoner of conscience and De Gaulle-style national saviour called out of retirement to a normal self-serving, corrupt, manipulative and sit-tight African ruler”.

©2013: abdulazeezamir@hotmail.com