Get the latest Codewit World News: Nigeria News and information on the latest top stories, business, sports , Nollywood and entertainment headlines, and analysis from Codewit Nigeria News
President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday sent the names of eight ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation.
In another letter, the president sent the names of nominees for another five-year tenure in Federal Character Commission (FCC) and dropped the current chairman of the commission, Prof. Abdulraheem Oba.
The ambassadorial nominees are: Mr. O.F Muoh (Imo); Mrs. T.J Chinwuba-Akabogu (Anambra); Mr. Adamu Emozozo (Edo); Mr. A. Echi (Benue); Mrs. G.M. Quist-Adebiyi (Lagos); Mr. M. Dauda (Borno); Mr. Hakeem O. Sulaiman (Ogun) and Dr. Bolere Ketebu (Bayelsa).
In the letter dated July 4 and addressed to Senate President, Senator David Mark, Jonathan said the nominations were in accordance with Section 171(1)(c) sub-section 4 of the 1999 Constitution.
The president also sought the confirmation of Dr. Adamu Mohammed Fika as Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission and 12 others as members.
The President said the nomination was pursuant to Section 3(4) of the National Assembly Service Commission Act. Cap N7, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
Among the 22 nominees for Federal Character Commission, seven are for re-appointment for a second and final tenure of five years while 16 others are fresh nominees.
In his letter, Jonathan said some members' tenure expired on April 15, 2013 and in line with the provisions of Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, he was forwarding the nominations for Senate's consideration and confirmation.
He said: "The Federal Character Commission is one of the federal executive bodies under section 153(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. By the provision of Part 1,Paragraph 7 of the Third Schedule of the Constitution, the commission shall comprise of a chairman and one person to represent each of the states of the Federation and the (Federal Character Commission) FCT."
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
As Muslim faithful begin the Ramadan first today, President Goodluck Jonathan, Tuesday in his felicitation urged them to offer special prayers during the period for greater peace, security, unity and rapid socio-economic development in the country.
The president also enjoined non-Muslims to strive to imbibe the virtues of piety, self-discipline, tolerance, equity, fairness and sympathy for the less privileged which the Ramadan fast promotes.
Jonathan also urged all persons of the faith who may have been misled by extremists and agents of international terrorism into taking up arms against their fellow countrymen, women and children to re-open their minds, during this Ramadan season, to Islam’s true lessons of love and peaceful co-existence with others, adding that he wished the Muslim community a successful and spiritually gratifying Ramadan fast.
Also, former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar; Senate President, David Mark; his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, alongside other eminent leaders, urged the Muslim Ummah to pray for Nigeria as this year’s Ramadan fast begins Wednesday.
Specifically, Atiku called on members of the Boko Haram sect to disarm totally and permanently in the spirit of the Ramadan period by embracing dialogue and disarmament in order to save the country from the needless violence against innocent people.
Similarly, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, his Plateau State counterpart and Chairman of the factionalised Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Jonah Jang; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, all charged Muslim faithful to use the Ramadan period to pray for peace, unity and quick resolution of security challenges confronting the country.
In a goodwill message to mark the beginning of the fasting, Atiku appealed to the Boko Haram insurgents to permanently abandon any form of violence against innocent people.
According to him, cold-blooded murder of innocent people was against the teachings of Islam and, therefore, advised the insurgents to embrace peace, using the Ramadan season as the beginning of the end of their violence against defenceless victims.
He urged the federal government and the military to adhere strictly to international best practices and conventions on engagement even as it waged the war against the Boko Haram insurgents in the affected areas.
According to him, “The deliberate violence against innocent people cannot be justified under whatever circumstances and it benefits nobody. The Boko Haram insurgents should take advantage of this Ramadan period to end all forms of violence once and for all, and save us from this endless trauma.” The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Mark, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said:
“As you (Muslims) commence the season of Ramadan, do remember our nation in your prayers. You should also remember the poor, the less-privileged and the vulnerable in the society. We need to pray and work together for the peace, unity and progress of our country. We have no other place to call our country. We must, therefore, do all we can to protect and preserve our common heritage.”
Similarly, NAN reported that Ekweremadu, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, said: “Muslims and all Nigerians must pray for divine intervention and work together to enthrone national reconciliation and respect for constituted authorities which are the core messages of Islam and the month of Ramadan.”
On his part, Tambuwal, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, said the ideals of service and good governance could only make meaning, when those in positions of authority see themselves as leaders with responsibility to serve the people.
“Unless and until we insist on what is right for the overall good of our people, our quest for good governance and its derivatives may remain elusive to us a nation. We must use this holy period to love one another, sacrifice for the overall growth and development of the nation, and cooperate with constituted authorities for the attainment of our national goals,” he said.
Equally, Shettima, who spoke in a Ramadan message to the people of the state, said what was needed at different levels of the country was leadership with strong passion to better the lives of citizens.
Corroborating Shettima’s position, Jang, in a statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPPA), Mr. James Mannok, said since Ramadan signifies purity, Muslims should maximise the spiritual and physical benefits embedded in the fast by adding value to society.
Also, Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, described Ramadan as “the glory of all months in the Islamic calendar”, adding that Ramadan fast was one of the five pillars of Islam that Muslims must strictly adhere to in line with the injunction of Allah.
Amosun, according to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Funmi Wakama, encouraged all adherents of Islam to pray fervently for peace and progress in the country during the fasting period.
“With sincerity of purpose and supplication to the almighty Allah, we can overcome all our challenges,” Amosun said.
On its part, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a goodwill message issued in Abuja, by its acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Tony Caesar Okeke, urged: “Muslims and indeed all Nigerians to use the occasion of this year’s fasting to reflect on Islamic teachings of love, peace, forgiveness and piety.” The party added that, “the nation cannot make any progress unless the citizens imbibe and live by such.”
Meanwhile, the former governor of Kwara State and senator representing Kwara Central senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki, has released the sum of N100 million for the feeding of less privileged people at various comprehensive locations within his constituency for iftar.
He also released the sum of N35 million to buy food items as Ramadan gift for all Kwara monarchs, Chiefs, Imams, Islamic clerics and political followers.
Saraki, in a statement issued Tuesday in Ilorin, and signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Advocacy, Mr. Bamikole Omisore, said the gesture would go a long way to help needy people especially during this holy month of Ramadan.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The battle for the stool of Obong of Calabar has shifted to the Supreme Court, as one of the contenders to the throne and former Minister of Finance in the late General Sani Abacha’s administration, Chief Anthony Ani, wants the apex court to have the final say on the tussle.
Five litigants including Ani are challenging the July 4 Appeal Court judgment, which nullified the selection of Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Out as the Obong of Calabar, ordered for a fresh selection process and cleared Otu to re-contest but barred Ani because he was yet to be capped an Etubom.
Counsel to Ani, Mr. Joe Agi (SAN), in a stay of execution filed, wants a halt to the execution of the judgment in the appeal No. CA/C/97A/2012, so that all the parties maintain status quo pending the determination of the appeal.
He submitted that if the Appeal Court judgment is not put on hold “the appellants’ right of appeal against the said judgment, it would be infringed upon (and) if the appeal succeeds, it will create a situation of helplessness and make the judgment of the appellate court nugatory.”
Agi predicated the appeal on four grounds. First, that “the learned justices of the Court of Appeal misdirected themselves in law when they attempted to draw distinction between eligibility and qualification and consequently found that the sixth respondent (Otu) in the court below was of agnate decent thus reaching a perverse conclusion when they held and relied on exhibit 11 which was the genealogical chart tendered by the first respondent (Ani) as evidence of the agnate decent of the sixth respondent.
“Second, the counsel argued that the Court of Appeal judges misdirected themselves in law when they found and held that Otu was qualified to vie for the stool of the Obong of Calabar and be voted for at the time the selection of candidate for the stool was carried out and based on the 1970 Accord and “the evidence before the trial court remains that the sixth respondent (fourth respondent herein) is of cognate decent and not agnate decent remains incontroverted.”
On the third ground of appeal, Agi said the Appeal Court justices misdirected themselves in law when they held that “the first respondent was not qualified to vie for the position of the Obong of Calabar as he was not a capped Etubom (whereas) the appellant was invited by the kingmakers to appear for screening as candidate for the stool of Obong of Calabar in spite of the provision of capping by the Chairman of the Etuboms Conclave.
Fourthly, he argued that the Court of Appeal judgment “is against the weight of evidence” and therefore sought “an order setting aside the finding as to the non-qualification of the appellant, an order setting aside the finding as to the qualification of the sixth respondent and affirming the findings and orders of the High Court as contained in its judgment delivered on January 1, 2012 by Justice Obojor Ogar.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
One of the foremost traditional rulers in Bayelsa State (name withheld) is in the custody of the Joint (Military) Task Force (JTF) on the Niger Delta, Operation Pulo Shield, for allegedly sponsoring crude oil theft.
The high-ranking traditional ruler was arrested along with three other persons for their alleged involvement in crude oil theft in the waterways of the Niger Delta.
The royal father and the three men were alleged to be the owners of an unlicensed vessel used in the stealing of 2,000 metric tonnes of crude oil along the waterways of Akassa Community in Brass Local Government Area of the state.
A source said the first class traditional ruler is from around the area where the vessel was arrested, adding that he was arrested after the crew apprehended on the vessel fingered him as their main sponsor and one of the owners of the vessel.
According to the source, JTF operatives had been on the trail of the vessel and its owners for a long time.
“We discovered that the boys came under the cover of the night and siphoned crude oil from the oil pipelines along the Brass-Sagana River in Akassa area.
“We have discovered that some of these traditional rulers and community heads provide cover and funding for the activities of these oil thieves in Bayelsa. We have started a series of collaboration with communities but we will not spare those directly involved in the illicit trade,” he said.
However, Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said he was yet to get the details on the arrest, adding: “I would get in touch with our men in Sagana area and get back to you.”
Meanwhile, a group, the Ijaw Peoples Development Initiatives (IPDI), has called for the review of the federal government’s position on the battle against illegal bunkering in the region, describing unemployment and poor governance as reasons for the rise in oil theft.
According to the National Coordinator of the Group, Austin Ozobo, the activities of local refinery should be legalised and incentives given to them to improve the qualities of their operation so as to provide thousands of job for the jobless youths in the country.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Court of Appeal in Ilorin, Kwara State, Tuesday dethroned the Oloffa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye, by setting aside last year’s judgment of the state high court which upheld his earlier appointment and installation by the state government.
There had been a legal tussle over his enthronement since two years ago by a rival Olugbense ruling house which also claimed right to the throne and candidature of any member of their family to the kingship of Offa.
Delivering the lead judgment in the appeal suit no CA/IL/71/2012, Justice Hussain Mukhtar restrained Esuwoye from parading himself henceforth as the Oloffa of Offa and as well, ordered the state Attorney General and the state governor to install Alhaji Abdulrauf Adegboyege Keji as the new Oloffa in his stead.
The judges upheld the evidence of the appellants – the Olugbense ruling house and Keji – and also granted all their 16 reliefs which included the appointment and installation of Esuwoye.
The court affirmed the claims of the Olugbense ruling house that the ascension to the stool of Oloffa of Offa was by rotation between the house and Anilerin ruling house which had been established since 1969.
“The rotation principle has been established since 1969 when the late Oba keji from the Olugbense ruling house agreed to step down and allowed the late Oba Mustapha Olawore Olanipekun from the Anilerin ruling house to ascend the throne in order to allow peace to reign in Offa. This was after the intervention of the government,” the court stated.
The appellants had among other things, prayed the court to declare that Adegboyega Keji “is the validly and duly nominated candidate to the stool of Olofa of Offa and entitled to be appointed and installed the Oloffa.
They also prayed the court to nullify the appointment and installation of Esuwoye with a perpetual injunction to restrain him from parading himself as the Oloffa of Offa while Keji is installed in his stead.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Worried by the dearth of research and low interest in post graduate studies in the nation’s universities, the federal government has said all lecturers and academicians in the system must obtain doctorate degrees.
It described as appalling the situation uncovered by the NEEDS assessment of universities where about 57 per cent of the 36,000 lecturers do not possess doctorate degrees.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, speaking at the opening of a retreat for the governing councils of all public universities in Abuja yesterday, said this development was not good for the education system.
Anyim, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary for Special Duties in his office, Dr. Jamila Shuara, also lamented that there is a low number of post graduate students in the system with just three per cent of students studying for a Masters degree and two per cent undergoing doctoral studies.
The SGF appealed to the unions in the tertiary education system to embrace dialogue options for dispute resolution instead of the incessant strikes, which the system has now been known for.
“The instability caused by the strikes, have lowered the perception of certificates issued by Nigerian universities by foreign institution and has also discouraged enrollment in post graduate studies. “FG is committed to university autonomy and would not interfere with the councils except where their actions or inactions are detrimental to the universities,” Anyim added.
The Minister for Education, Prof. Ruqqayatu Rufa’i, in her address, warned the councils against frivolous awards of honorary degrees owing from the situation where many of the awardees turn convocations to political rallies and jamborees.
In another development, the National Universities Commission (NUC) working with the University of North Texas, US have commenced the training of Nigerian academics on Specialist in Ageing Certificate Programme as part of efforts to address the challenges of population ageing.
The two-week programme is currently holding in Abuja. Rufa’i said the population of Nigeria’s elderly persons which is currently estimated to be almost eight million would reach 16 million by the year 2030, citing figures from the National Population Commission (NPC).
She commended the efforts of the Executive Director of Dave Omokaro Foundation/Visiting Scholar at NUC, Dr. Emem Omokaro, whose works in the promotion of ageing studies led to the initiative.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The political mayhem in Rivers State took another dimension today Tuesday July 9 as the speaker of the state House of Assembly was impeached in a blood-related saga. The house symbol of Authority, 'Mace' was broken, computer sets used by members of the Assembly were destroyed.
There were bloody fights among pro and anti ex-speaker supporters. Watch the shameful video above then continue to watch as thugs invade Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Speaker…
The video captured an attack led by a member of the Rivers State house of assembly in an attempt to impeach the speaker of the house. The Speaker and 26 other members of the house are loyal to the governor, Rotimi Amaechi, while five others led by Evans Bapakaye Bipi, representing Ogu/Bolo constituency are loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience.
Mr. Bipi here is seen arriving the house with thugs, he later attacked the camera crew before breaking into the chambers to attack his colleagues. Watch the shameful video courtesy Sahara TV.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
A 27-year-old tailor, Adeduro Ayodeji, who allegedly abducted, raped and impregnated a 15-year-old girl, has been set free by an Akure Magistrate’s Court after he agreed to marry the victim.
The decision of the court followed a letter written by the victim’s father, Michael Adikwu, withdrawing the case since the accused had agreed to marry the victim.
Adeduro was said to have abducted, repeatedly raped and impregnated the victim, every time she was sent to collect money from him.
The accused was first arraigned on June 18, 2013 and the offence was said to have contravened Section 361 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol.1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
The Prosecutor, Inspector Zakari Ibrahim, told the court that the offence was committed on April 14, 2013 at about 4pm, at No.15. Ifesowapo Street, along Ondo Road, Akure.
Adikwu, a farmer, had earlier written a petition to the Police Area Commander, Akure, stating that his daughter had absconded from home and all efforts to locate her proved abortive.
He alleged in the letter: “It was last week l discovered that it was the said Ade who abducted her, stopped her from going to school and kept her in his house indefinitely. All attempts made to secure my daughter from the said Ade’s custody proved abortive as he resulted to threatening the entire family with cutlass and thugs if l dare ask for my daughter‘s release again.’’
The case, however, took a dramatic turn at the weekend when the prosecutor told the court that the victim’s father had written a letter to withdraw the case.
Adikwu, who came to the court with his daughter, said he was no longer interested in the case because the accused had agreed to marry his daughter.
In the letter dated July 5, 2013, he wrote: “The reason for withdrawal is that the family of the accused person has come to beg me and have promised to take care of my daughter who was impregnated.”
The Presiding Magistrate, Johnson Adelegan, struck out the case, following the letter written.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has refuted claims by the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo that labour issues with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN workers has been resolved.
The minister was quoted on a national television last week that the Federal Government had resolved outstanding contentious issues with the workers.
But the Lagos State Chairman of NUEE, Comrade Adeleke Ibrahim, maintained that the core labour issues have not been settled, noting that the minister had made similar pronouncements in March, 2013.
He said: “In March this year, the Minister of Labour said Labour issues have been settled with PHCN workers, but we have not seen anything yet. None of our members have been settled.
“Only last week, we saw the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo on national television saying that labour issues have been settled and severance payment will be made by the end of July.
“We will watch and see if government will fulfill their promise at the end of this month (July),” he said.
Ibrahim however, admitted that the Federal Government is currently looking into the severance payment of PHCN workers before handing over assets to investors.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had disclosed that it will hand over 15 of the successfully privatised successor companies heaved off the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to their winning investors by the end of July 2013.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Power, Hajia Zainab Kuchi had earlier hinted that all labour issues have been address adding that payment of severance will commence at the end of June.
“We are finalising on labour, the labour is what is standing between us and the handing over and all the issues that were there had been addressed. We are about to begin payment, as soon as the payments are finalised by June ending, we will definitely be handing over to the successor companies by the end of July; that is the projection we have here and that is the stance of the BPE which has a timeline which was created with the labour issues in mind.
We have taken over all the problems and addressed all the issues, the funding is there for the payment of labour and all we are doing is data computation and as soon as we are done with that the handing over will be done,”Kuchi said. – See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/labour-issues-still-unresolved-in-phcn-privatisation/#sthash.JdMHHDXj.dpuf
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
This is the story of the Lagos State Executive Council, EXCO! More importantly, however, it is the story of a state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, and how the state EXCO takes decisions that affect the millions of people living in the state. It is a story that is at once compelling and revealing.
From the very serious to the very mundane and sometimes ridiculous, spending about 11hours observing the EXCO members and their chairman invokes a feeling of appreciation regarding what it takes to govern the complex state called Lagos. This is a first part in what can be described as a fairly formal environment. Another session, open-ended, would be presented.
“E mi-o ni gba o” (I no go gree-o, I won’t allow it)
Abraham Lincoln once said that “if you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend”. That, perhaps, is what has kept Lagos State together under the governorship of Babatunde Raji Fashola. At first, it was like a very difficult pill to swallow for Lagosians – his style, the need to change Lagos State and make it a mega city, the demolitions, the new rules he created on how to operate and govern; the apolitical posturing, sometimes bordering on the stiff-necked – because the old style, the affable, politically induced aura of inclusiveness and tolerance that his successor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had created, was seen by many as a template for success in governance.
But here was a man, a gangling lawyer, thrust upon a polity of clashing socio-economic-religious and political interests, in a manner most shocking; and pushing an agenda that was considered alien and finicky! It was so bad that even between Fashola and Tinubu, there was a disagreement on matters of style.
However, today, because Fashola took Lincoln’s admonition to heart, that there was need to first convince Tinubu and Lagosians that he is indeed a sincere friend, he has been able to win many, very many, to his cause. Decisions thought to have been rash and anti-people appear to be yielding results. The catch-phrase in Lagos is, Eko o ni baje (conditions in Lagos will not be allowed to degenerate)
Therefore, when Fashola told members of the EXCO, last Monday, that “E mi-o ni gba o”, he was insisting that he needed to make his position clear about the need to “keep faith with the promise and commitment made to the original shop owners of the burnt Tejuosho market”, by allowing them the right of first refusal – that is, allow them to come forward, make a bid to buy the shops and then be disqualified by their own incapacitation to comply.
This was at the 106th Lagos State Executive Council meeting.
A Council of Equals
The observation of the EXCO meeting was up close.
The meeting started at exactly 9:20am: 2011-2015, 106th LSEC MEETING.
The EXCO chambers, on the first floor of the Governor’s Office, is well laid out. With 71 chairs, arranged on two simple terrace floors, it was a packed chambers and any form of lateness is not tolerated. The EXCO members are 43 in number (see box)
Indeed, there are fines for infractions on the established rules of the EXCO meeting. As is always the case when Fashola has a private, close-knit public function, telephones are either kept at bay or totally switched off. So, at the security entrance in the buildings, all phones – including commissioners’ – had to be deposited.
Anxiously, you expected the governor to come in through a designated back door that links his office to the chambers but he was not forthcoming.
While you expected him, it was Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the female deputy governor, who called the meeting to order.
And contrary to some views about her lack luster persona, she acquitted herself with enviable dignity and decorum. She took charge.
“This meeting is called to order”, she bellowed into the microphone.
While a few of the commissioners were still bantering, she called them by their designation – “Works, please sit down; Agric, please the meeting is called to order”.
Within seconds, there was pin drop silence in the EXCO chambers.
From where she sat at the head of the arrangement, to her immediate right was a vacant red leather chair; to her left is another woman, the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dr. (Mrs) Idiat Oluranti Adebule. At the other end of the five-seat arrangement sat the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye, and to his own left sat the Chief of Staff, Lanre Babalola.
Before the commencement of the meeting, the deputy governor announced the presence of the duo of Sam Omatseye (Chairman, Editorial Board of The Nation) and I! We were warmly welcomed.
Businesslike, Adefulire started the meeting, she moderates while Fashola chairs.
“Let’s have a look at the minutes of the last EXCO meeting”, Orelope Adefulire announced – after an opening prayer.
Because you are not a member but a first time observer, the next thing you heard from the presiding deputy governor was a bit confusing: “Page 1, 2, 3, 4…….10, 11, 12, 13”.
At that point, one of the commissioners noted an observation in the minutes on page 13.
That was when it dawned on you that fast as she was reading out the numbers, the deputy was not merely engaging in numeral recitation. The commissioner noted a correction on page 13. After the formalities of making the correction, she continued counting. There were other observations on pages 20 and 27.
It was a 34-page minute, printed on yellow papers.
Enter Raji Fashola
At exactly 9:34, Governor Fashola cames in, dressed in a black bow tie, grey suit and a sky-blue shirt.
Devoid of any formality, he simply took his seat at the middle of the five seats at the head of the siting arrangement and the meeting continued as if nothing had happened. His only interjection was to say that Omatseye and I were in the gathering to observe and “you can behave and conduct yourself as if they are not here”. The governor added: They have earned their stripes and should know what to publish and what not to publish”.
That statement, coming from the governor, transferred the responsibility of censorship to us.
As he warmed his way into the meeting, he threw banters with the Economic Planning Commissioner, Ben Akabueze, the only non-Lagosian in the EXCO – he was inherited from the Bola Tinubu administration.
His entry did not in any way alter the course of engagement.
Perhaps, dwelling on the fable that the Executive Council of the Federation, EXCOF, meetings, when Olusegun Obasanjo was President, played out no more than a very powerful king holding court with subordinates, the EXCO meeting of Lagos State can be engaging.
Of importance is the quality of the discussion as would be discovered later.
There was an update on the issue of a pedestrian bridge that was reported to experience an “imminent collapse”. To this, the Works Commissioner insisted that there was no “imminent collapse” but that the bridge was distressed..
“When you say imminent collapse”, the Works Commissioner charged, “it means the bridge would collapse today or tomorrow but when we inspected it, it showed that the bridge was distressed and we are already on it”.
Fashola and a few seconders made the commissioner understand that the observation that the mail he got read “imminent collapse” and that it was for the commissioner to explain and address the house on the correct status of the bridge. The commissioner’s contention was that the use of the phrase imminent collapse was inappropriate. This engagement lasted for some four minutes.
Putting the people first
The health commissioner made a presentation on the virus presently giving concern to the Saudi and French authorities; the Saudis, moreso, because of the up-coming Hajj. For an EXCO that is religion-blind, every contribution during the discussion was how best to protect the pilgrims from Lagos.
Therefore, the advisory from the Saudi authorities about not sending terminally ill, elderly, pregnant women, children (12 and under defined as children) on pilgrimage this year, was extensively discussed. Conclusion: High-level consultations with the clerics and some stakeholders would be held with immediate effect.
But the EXCO members were also concerned about other sources that would supply pilgrims, if they would take the advisory as seriously as the Lagos government was doing. In terms of ratio, the World Health Organisation, WHO, and the Centre for Disease Control, CDC, are hopeful that with a globally recorded case history of 77 with 40 fatalities, the virus, contracted from bats, with a common symptom of cold, “is not as deadly as the SARS global pandemic which struck in 2003. Indeed, the EXCO made a resolution to possibly buy the machines for detection at the state’s major entry point – the airport.
Incidentally, last Monday was Tunji Bello’s birthday. A special cake was brought in and, at about 10:06, the meeting was broken for Bello’s birthday cake-cutting ceremony.
That done, business resumed.
The virtual governor
After the meeting resumed, the pace changed.
Fashola disclosed that he needed to make some points which he “had picked up in the course of the previous week”.
Mind you, these points he “had picked up” are products of the e-mails, the letters, the telephone texts, postings on Facebook and twits from you and I, as well as personal on-the-spot informal assessment of some assignments.
The governor pointed out that in the Abraham Adesanya Estate, Lekki, some of the roads therein were going bad. He ordered immediate remedy. He also said he noticed some abandoned ambulances at the entrance of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. He wanted to know why the situation existed. He had one issue or the other to discuss and seek remedy for.
Next was the exchange over the Central Business District, CBD.
Fashola said while he was driving through Nnamdi Azikiwe last Sunday, he discovered that the refuse points were overflowing. He charged the Adviser in charge of CDB to be more functional. She, in turn, made it clear that the solution was already in a memo she’d recently sent to the governor.
The exchange was both revealing and instructive. The Adviser would not succumb to the suggestion that she was taking a back foot; just as the governor stuck to his gun that whatever needed to be done should be done to clear the mess.
At a point, the Adviser requested for privacy to which the governor retorted that there could be no other private forum that the one they both already were in. She then told Fashola point-blank what needed to be done. At that point, a pall of silence fell on the chambers. But because here was a governor who had set tasks and deliverables, he did not push to argue against the Adviser’s suggestion which is going to be very drastic. This exchange lasted for almost 10minutes.
A stickler for details, Fashola took on the Commissioner for Physical Planning. He said a building appeared to have suddenly sprouted in-between two others somewhere on the same street. He found it curious that people could build on the space.
He said he could vouch that his dependable commissioner could not have approved such; worse still, he said he “noticed that the building contractor was just stacking blocks on the road, thereby obstructing traffic”. He needed the ministry officials to go there and check; and he believed the building would have to give way.
Still on things he picked up, he said he’d observed that Molue and other commercial buses were already filing on the Carter Bridge again and causing congestion.
He touched on almost all sectors from health to social welfare, the aged and underprivileged, et al. In the health sector, Fashola said, “Rwanda is stealing medical tourism from Nigeria”. Though he admitted that “war throws up opportunities for fresh breakthroughs” and “I also think our own challenge with terrorism can also help build our own doctors without borders”.
Demonstrating that if “you do not constantly evolve for the better, other people would catch up with you, he stated, “Just look at Spain yesterday against Brazil. The world has caught up with Spain and there ticki-tacki style and that was why the two teams from Spain were roundly defeated during the Champions League competition; the same happened yesterday”.
“My people”, he continued, “the lesson for all of us is that we cannot rest. We need to keep striving to break new grounds. That people are saying we are doing well is not enough. Other states are also striving”.
Akabueze, buckets of cold water and a gov to the rescue
But if you think that the earlier exchanges were heated, what transpired when Akabueze and his team presented the Lagos State Development Plan, SDP, was something else.
The LASG EXCO is not an easy place to be. The EXCO meeting is not a place to try to flaunt your intellect. If you think you are intellectually grounded, try bamboozling your way through the presentation of a memo. It is also not a place where you pull wool because there are people waiting with buckets of cold water – they would pour the water on you and your wool.
After what appeared to be an admirable presentation by Akabueze on projections and prospects for a Lagos in 2025, his colleagues took him to task. He took their observations in good stride.
The plan, for the overall development of the state, would be driven by public and private sectors as well as civil society. It is for all and organized in three parts – Lagos today, Lagos tomorrow and then the implementation. It has a 15-year life-span programme with development pillars.
The vision to strategy is hinged on the following:
1. Economic development
2. Infrastructure development
3. Social development and security
4. Sustainable Environment
For each of these, there are objectives/outcomes; policies and strategies; and MDA sector policies.
By the time his colleagues punched holes in some of the projections you could not but feel sorry for Akabueze. For instance, the projection that today’s unemployment rate of 8%, which is expected to become 5% by 2025, was thought to be unrealistic.
There is expected to be a 40% access to homes for the population.
In some cases, the plan was short on details.
Fashola, who excused himself and later came back to rejoin the meeting after about 90mins, would occasionally interject or amplify a question or response regarding the plan.
Akabueze was, however, up to the task. He took his colleagues’ reservations one after the other. Firstly, he pointed out that “Nigerians delude themselves that ‘in Nigeria there are good plans but it is a problem of implementation”. That can’t be true, he said because every good plan must be implementable because implementation is part of a plan.
In any case, if a plan is simply about little vision, then you can as well continue to do the routine.
Waterfront Commissioner’s intervention about the enormity of the problem of coastal erosion in terms of its financing was cut by the deputy governor because it was becoming a seminar on its own. Even as he attempted to continue, Orelope-Adefulire said he should present a paper on that to which the Waterfront Commissioner said “Ben, I will come to you so we discuss this later”.
Some of the commissioners also believed that with the challenge of power and finance, actualizing the plan would be very difficult.
To this, Fashola admonished all to think locally and be more creative in raising funds.
He maintained that a vision needs to be very ambitious.
In 1999/2002, there were 34committee reports; by 2004, they were compressed to the 10-point agenda. All these were diagnostics and from 2007/2008, “we began to solve the problems”.
Now, the governor said, we have three, four, five year plans. “Physical and economic planning is the back bone of what we’re doing and both will determine our success or failure”.
Then came a strange but ingenious suggestion. From Fashola and Akabueze came the idea that commissioners should look inwardly for funds that may not be of priority utilization that can be consolidated in a pool for the purpose of taking care of the housing needs of the people of Lagos.
Come and make your case
This is not about pork-barrel. You must earn that allocation.
Though it was not the operating rule, you could discern that the aggression to have more resources for your ministry so that you can perform played a role in the arguments and debates. In any case, there was also the seemingly unwritten brief that your points of view had to be grounded in intellect and logic. That way, pouring cold water on you would not be an easy thing.
Then you had the chairman of EXCO, Fashola himself, who kept engaging his commissioners like a lecturer dealing with a bunch of precocious students. Not that he always had his way – because there were a few times when presentations were being made and you could see Fashola nodding or taking notes.
Left handed though, part of the governor’s luck is that his parents did not force him to change and become right-handed – it is thought in this part of the world that being left handed is not good for children and, therefore, in their formative years, they should be forced to become right-handed.
A medical report, decades ago in the United States, found that students, who were naturally left-handed possessed some very unique qualities. Forcing them to become right-handed, alters the natural thought process and patterns. So, all thanks belong to the senior Fasholas.
In terms of style, briskness was it. You may miss the sequence if you are not attentive:
“Motion moved for adoption, seconded; counter? If none, by consensus?
Okay moved”. Then the governor reaches for the gavel and hits it on its receptor. That is how motions are moved after exhausting the debate. When he intervenes, he does so to save both arguing parties from one another.
He does not allow time to be wasted. As the meeting was going on, he was attending to files.He called the man in charge of PPP and admonished him to cut the needless bureaucracy in signing agreements in the power sector
“Be hung for taking initiative; let me be the one to complain that you are too fast”, Fashola charged.
At about 3pm, there was lunch break. By 3:30, the EXCO chamber was filled with members to continue.
Is the EXCO just a rubber stamp for Fashola’s agenda? Not at all.
From what the eyes could see – apart from the deputy governor and the chief of staff, the EXCO members did not know of our participation – the members, too, have earned their stripes a la Fashola. The governor had insisted that the meeting would come to a close by 6pm. It didn’t. The meeting ended by 7pm. And to think you arrived Fashola’s office from 8am.
But there was a Whitepaper on government views and decisions on the report of the committee to examine sources and management of IGR of state owned tertiary institutions. The examination of the Whitepaper took so much time.It was Bill Cosby who said: “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody”.
Throughout the meeting and, as issues were being debated, you could decipher that these were people who were not interested in pleasing one another. Some who had been cracking jokes before the meeting started began to tear one another’s points of view to shreds.
And Fashola, who does not appear to suffer fools at all, cannot be described as infallible.
He cannot also be described as a saint because once he doesn’t agree with a point of view, he remains adamant – he only evens it out by ensuring that a superior argument is presented. But just as John Craig had said, that “no matter how much work you can do, no matter how engaging your personality may be, you will not advance far if you cannot work through others”, the governor, working through his EXCO members, cannot but be appreciated. And that is why he appears to be very popular in Nigeria.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
