Yorubas Are The Problem With Nigeria - By Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

Yorubas are the Problem with Nigeria – By Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

In sum, the Yoruba political leadership, as mentioned by Balarabe Musa, has shown itself over the years to be incapable of rising above narrow tribal interests and reciprocating goodwill from other sections of the country by treating other groups with respect. Practically every crisis in Nigeria since independence has its roots in this attitude.
The Yoruba elite and area-boy politics;
Igbo marginalisation and the responsible limits of retribution; and
The Yoruba Factor and "Area-boy" Politics.
My views on the Yoruba political leadership have been thoroughly articulated in some of my writings, prime among which was " Afenifere: Syllabus of Errors" published by This Day (The Sunday Newspaper) on Sept 27, 1998. There was also an earlier publication in the weekly Trust entitled " The Igbo, the Yoruba and History" (Aug. 21, 1998).
In sum, the Yoruba political leadership, as mentioned by Balarabe Musa, has shown itself over the years to be incapable of rising above narrow tribal interests and reciprocating goodwill from other sections of the country by treating other groups with respect. Practically every crisis in Nigeria since independence has its roots in this attitude.
The Yoruba elite were the first, in 1962, to attempt a violent overthrow of an elected government in this country. In 1966, it was the violence in the West which provided an avenue for the putsch of 15th January. After Chief Awolowo lost to Shagari in 1983 elections, it was the discontent and bad publicity in the South-West which led to the Buhari intervention.
When Buhari jailed UPN governors like Ige and Onabanjo, the South-Western press castigated that good government and provided the right mood for IBB to take over power. As soon as IBB cleared UPN governors of charges against them in a politically motivated retrial, he became the darling of the South-West. When IBB annulled the primaries in which Adamu Ciroma and Shehu Yar Adua emerged as presidential candidates in the NRC and SDP, he was hailed by the South-West. When the same man annulled the June 12, 1993 elections in which Abiola was the front-runner, the South-West now became defenders of democracy.
When it seemed Sani Abacha was sympathetic to Abiola, the South-West supported his take-over. He was in fact invited by a prominent NADECO member to take over in a published letter shortly before the event. Even though Abiola had won the elections in the North, the North was blamed for its annulment. When Abdulsalam Abubakar started his transition, the Yoruba political leadership through NADECO presented a memorandum on a Government of National Unity that showed complete disrespect for the intelligence and liberties of other Nigerians.
Subsequently, they formed a tribal party which failed to meet minimum requirements for registration, but was registered all the same to avoid the violence that was bound to follow non-registration, given the area-boy mentality of South-West politicians. Having rejected an Obasanjo candidacy and challenged the election as a fraud in court, we now find a leading member of the AD in the government, a daughter of an Afenifere leader as Minister of State, and Awolowo´s daughter as Ambassador, all appointed by a man who won the election through fraud.
Meanwhile, nothing has been negotiated for the children of Abiola, the focus of Yoruba political activity. In return for these favours, the AD solidly voted for Evan Enwerem as Senate President. This is a man who participated in the two-million- man March for Abacha´s self-succession. He also is reputed to have hosted a meeting of governors during IBB´s transition, demanding that June 12 elections should never be de-annulled and threatening that the East would go to war if this was done. When Ibrahim Salisu Buhari was accused of swearing to a false affidavit, the Yoruba political elite correctly took up the gauntlet for his resignation.
When an AD governor, Bola Tinubu, swears to a false affidavit that he attended an Ivy League University which he did not attend, we hear excuses.
For so many years, the Yoruba have inundated this country with stories of being marginalised and of a civil service dominated by northerners through quota system. The Federal Character Commission has recently released a report which shows that the South-West accounts for 27.8% of civil servants in the range GL08 to GL14 and a full 29.5% of GL 15 and above. One zone out of six zones controls a full 30% of the civil service leaving the other five zones to share the remaining 70%. We find the same story in the economy, in academia, in parastatals.
Yet in spite of being so dominant, the Yoruba complained and complained of marginalization. Of recent, in recognition of the trauma which hit the South-West after June 12, the rest of the country forced everyone out of the race to ensure that a South-Westerner emerged, often against the best advice of political activists.
Instead of leading a path of reconciliation and strong appreciation, the Yoruba have embarked on short-sighted triumphalism, threatening other "nationalities" that they ( who after all lost the election) will protect Obasanjo ( who was forced on them). No less a person than Bola Ige has made such utterances.
To further show that they were in charge, they led a cult into the Hausa area of Sagamu, murdered a Hausa woman and nothing happened. In the violence that followed, they killed several Hausa residents, with Yoruba leaders like Segun Osoba, reminding Nigerians of the need to respect the culture of their host communities. This would have continued were it not for the people of Kano who showed that they could also create their own Oro who would only be appeased through the shedding of innocent Yoruba blood.
I say all this, to support Balarabe Musa´s statement, that the greatest problem to nation-building in Nigeria are the Yoruba Bourgeoisie. I say this also to underscore my point that until they change this attitude, no conference can solve the problems of Nigeria. We cannot move forward if the leadership of one of the largest ethnic groups continues to operate, not like statesmen, but like common area boys.
iii.The Igbo Factor and the Reasonable Limits of Retribution.
The Igbo people of Nigeria have made a mark in the history of this nation. They led the first successful military coup which eliminated the Military and Political leaders of other regions while letting off Igbo leaders. Nwafor Orizu, then Senate President, in consultation with President Azikiwe, subverted the constitution and handed over power to Aguiyi-Ironsi. Subsequent developments, including attempts at humiliating other peoples, led to the counter-coup and later the civil war. The Igbos themselves must acknowledge that they have a large part of the blame for shattering the unity of this country.
Having said that, this nation must realise that Igbos have more than paid for their foolishness. They have been defeated in war, rendered paupers by monetary policy fiat, their properties declared abandoned and confiscated, kept out of strategic public sector appointments and deprived of public services. The rest of the country forced them to remain in Nigeria and has continued to deny them equity.
The Northern Bourgeoisie and the Yoruba Bourgeoisie have conspired to keep the Igbo out of the scheme of things. In the recent transition when the Igbo solidly supported the PDP in the hope of an Ekwueme presidency, the North and South-West treated this as a Biafra agenda. Every rule set for the primaries, every gentleman´s agreement was set aside to ensure that Obasanjo, not Ekwueme emerged as the candidate. Things went as far as getting the Federal Government to hurriedly gazette a pardon. Now, with this government, the marginalistion of the Igbo is more complete than ever before. The Igbos have taken all these quietly because, they reason, they brought it upon themselves. But the nation is sitting on a time-bomb.
After the First World War, the victors treated Germany with the same contempt Nigeria is treating Igbos. Two decades later, there was a Second World War, far costlier than the first. Germany was again defeated, but this time, they won a more honourable peace. Our present political leaders have no sense of History. There is a new Igbo man, who was not born in 1966 and neither knows nor cares about Nzeogwu and Ojukwu. There are Igbo men on the street who were never Biafrans. They were born Nigerians, are Nigerians, but suffer because of actions of earlier generations. They will soon decide that it is better to fight their own war, and may be find an honourable peace, than to remain in this contemptible state in perpetuity.
The Northern Bourgeoisie and the Yoruba Bourgeoisie have exacted their pound of flesh from the Igbos. For one Sardauna, one Tafawa Balewa, one Akintola and one Okotie-Eboh, hundreds of thousands have died and suffered.
If this issue is not addressed immediately, no conference will solve Nigeria´s problems. By Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
Being Excerpts from A Paper Presented At The “National Conference On The 1999 Constitution” Jointly Organised By The Network For Justice And The Vision Trust Foundation, At The Arewa House, Kaduna From 11th –12th September, 1999.
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African Politics

march 28 2015 presidential election in nigeria

If there's anything I've learned on campaigns and democratic culture in Nigeria, particularly with regards to march 28 2015 presidential election, it's not only how easily the combination of grassroots supports, in terms of human and the capital resources you have can be the difference between winning and losing, but also the inevitable factors of the thin line between, religion, ethnicity and politics in its primordial sense. This was exactly the outcome of the election.
In all of these melodrama, the social media particularly facebook became and was a widely utilized platform for the effective realization of these primordial religious, ethnocentric political goals. With an unremitting effort of all dedicated members of the two major political party; PDP & APC and people who share in the ideal to support their presidential candidates with knowledge and expectations of what is and what is to come, Mobilized a generation of social revivalists who to an extent helped to shape and influence opinions, thoughts and feelings, subject to before and after the election outcome. These inspiring thoughts will serve you in a number of ways in understanding these subject matter. Godbless Nigeria.

Ekara Caroline

Protect Nigeria’s today for the benefit of tomorrow

>As Nigerians we have no other place to call our home. Even those of us who've been opportune to leave and live in other lands, particularly Europe and America would agree with me that in spite of the seemingly social comfort which we seems to enjoy, yet round their neck, wrist and ankles are all tied with modern-day slavery chains embedded in their citizenship status, either as a low-class or second class, legitimate or illegal immigrants as the case may be, in a system that is controlled by the factors of economic determinism. It’s in view of this that I urge all Nigerians to commit themselves to ensuring that we do everything humanly possible to protect today’ Nigeria for the benefit of tomorrow this in my view should be the ideal watch word for any politician aspiring for any elective leadership position, that would merit the people's trust and mandate come February 2015 and beyond.

I believe in one Nigeria as an indivisible state a nation of many people who share the same values and purpose, where the benefits of investments in social and economic development are for all to enjoy; and merit comes before privilege. This is expectedly the ideal force that should drive the engagement in every social relations in this country, be it politics, business or philanthropy. These would ensure inclusive, equitable and accountable governance in Nigeria by promoting the development of viable human capital, application of technology for innovation and learning, public private partnerships approaches, regional collaboration and national integration. Our people are now cautious and are very skeptical of political promises; this is understandable in view of the past and ongoing experiences at various levels of political leadership in the land. Many times over the past years, the political leadership in this country at various levels had made promises delivered only with dodgy achievements used for media propaganda whereas the daily reality of the people's experience is one of disruption of education, increasing insecurity, a rising debt profile and no or low investment flows into the country. Enough is enough the time is come now for us as people to be focused in unity and determination, irrespective of our various segments of interest to come together that this will STOP!. We must rescue the Nigerian state and protect our future. Do not let these wrong old and insincere story tales deceive us again, of Couse I don’t need to tell you how devastating that would be to our future and that of our unborn children. Educate and mobilize fellow Nigerians today for action to vote right, the 2015 general elections is in just 2 month away. That means we have very little time and very soon these politicians would come to knock on our doors, just as INEC had already started the verification and registration of eligible voters, as well as the distribution of the permanent voters card (P V C) across the country.What you do right now will determine what direction our country takes: Would you let them take charge of everything from the future of healthcare to education, infrastructural and socioeconomic re-engineering to power, Or would you make sure true and vibrant Democratic values strives by being in charge? Fellow Nigerians please take charge of your future with your votes. Vote right and be wise with your votes its important, its counts.

[socialpoll id="[socialpoll id="2247885"]"]

How to transfer your voter's registration by INEC

Introduction:-

A Nigerian has the right to live in any part of the country. An important part of voter's registration is that an eligible person is advised to register at a center nearest to him or her within the Ward in which he or she resides. This is to make it easy for the voter to access the polling unit and vote on Election Day.

However, a person who relocated to another place, outside the constituency in which he registered cannot vote in his new location unless he transfers his registration. Section 13 of the Electoral Act 2010 as Amended provides for Transfer of Registered Voters.
Procedure for Transfer:-
- Step 1-
- The person who intends to transfer his registration will write an application to INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner of the State where he is currently residing.
- Step 2-
- The applicant will attach his voters card to the application.
- Step 3-
- The applicant must apply to the Resident Electoral Commissioner not later than 30 days before the date of an election in the constituency where he is residing.
- Step 4- - The Resident Electoral Commissioner will direct the Electoral Officer of the applicants Local Government Area to enter his name in the transferred voters list.
 Step 5-
The Electoral Officer will assign the applicant to a polling unit in his constituency.
- Step 6-
- The Electoral Officer will issue the applicant with a new voter’s card
- Step 7-
- The Electoral officer will retrieve the applicant’s previous voter’s card
- Step 8-
- He will then send a copy of the entry to the Electoral officer of the constituency where the person whose name has been so entered was originally registered.
- Step 9-
- Upon receipt of this entry, that Electoral Officer shall delete the name from his voters list.
- Note- Apart from State Headquarters Offices of INEC, applicants can also submit their applications at the INEC Office in their Local Government Areas. The applications will be forwarded to the Resident Electoral Commissioner for necessary action.
Courtesy INEC

thought, nature & purposes of the state

PRESENTED BY:NWABIA PATRICK M

INTRODUCTION-The subject-matter of Political thought revolves around the nature and purposes of the state, its ultimate justification or indispensability and the relationship between it and the citizens. Also much of the History of Political thought adumbrates upon the logic of the state – the possibility that the state has logic in the performance of governmental task and the intuitionist notion that the state is a task-doer.
Consequently, political thinkers (philosophers) seeks answers to these and many other myriad of questions, and issues about the state, the citizens, and the relations of state with state, citizens etc. subsequently, the subject-matter of political thought had, to a great extent, shifted its focus from the best Political Organization for man to the more tedious and highly abstract task of analyzing the terms employed in political discourses. However, Leo Strauss (in Gould and Thu007rdy, 1969:48), posits that a study of political thought is “the attempt to know both the nature of political conduct, through critical and coherent analysis”. In other words, it’s a logical and systematic Investigation of the problem of man and Society in an effort to establish Knowledge of ultimate truth and justification of political matters. This introductory analysis obviously provides the answers to the question, “why do we study Political Thought”`
WHY DO WE STUDY POLITICAL THOUGHT?
The imperative of the study of political thought is first.
To accomplish the task of formulating goals towards the realization of which human societies should strive, while simultaneously attempting to formulate the best or ideal social political arrangement favorable to the attainment of such goals.This twin assignment is a task which the great political
thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Marx and others, engendered by the dissatisfaction with the sociopolitical organizations in which they lived, had endeavored to accomplish. This task is even more potent today than it was in the past, as far as our world is still far from being perfect and glaring inequalities among individuals and nations Economically, Militarily and politically, as well as the problems of Starvation, Poverty, Disease and Illiteracy continue to stare us in the face. These imperfections therefore make the task of formulating a more human and more utilitarian Sociopolitical arrangement in the world more urgent
Secondly, the subject-matters of political thought set standards for the evaluation of political actions. In other words, in its normative role, political thought formulates the basic assumptions upon which sociopolitical life is based and tries to influence human actions towards the desired common goals. For instance, the study and understanding of political thought could help the participants in a political competition on how to be magnanimous in victory as well as how to accept defeat gracefully or with equanimity in a sports man like fashion. Also the subject matters of political thought lays down the ideological standards which a political leadership ought to epitomize in any given society and political system. Again, political thought defines and prescribes the constructive purpose for which public power could be employed, since as stated in (Encyclopedia Britannica-Knowledge in Depth)….”Mankind has at its disposal the power either to create a world of civilization in which modern technology can immeasurably to the human race or destroy itself in pursuit of benefit of political myth. In this situation the scope of political thought is great; the clarification of its power purpose and limitations is an urgent aspect, indeed, of civilization’s survival.” Thus an imperative for the study of political thought.
Thirdly, the extent to which words and Concepts are employed in Political discourses are meant to influence actions, in a political process and since “ill defined political concepts may lead to confused and often contradictory, political actions”, the study and understanding of political thought becomes an imperative necessity for the analysis, clarification and articulation of these concepts such as “lobbying,” a political opponent”, “democracy”, “equality”, right”, justice”, liberty”, which may have contradictory meaning depending on the political system concerned. For instance in Nigeria the term “lobbying” may conjure the connotation of “Ghana-must go” (where money changes hands as a reward for some goal or expected action), where as in the united states from where the concept originated, it means Persuading someone by strength of one’s Superior logic and reasoning based on hard facts, raw and authentic data, to appreciate point of view which ought to have been well appreciated or acted upon without additional explanation in the first place. More so where as in the capitalist West, “Human rights” refer to civil, political, legal and socioeconomic/cultural rights, in the socialist east, “Human rights are basically rights to Food, Clothing, Shelter and the right to be treated as an end rather than as a means (the right not to be exploited). All of these exemplify the imperative need for the study of political thought.
On the final analysis however, it’s an obvious fact that the study of political thought helps us to sort for solutions to the various problem relating to Sociopolitical actions aimed at achieving societal goals in other words, the solution to the problem of bringing about reconciliation between ideologies and sociopolitical actions. This is in view of the fact that there must be a positive relationship between political ideology and political theories on one hand and the human actions or conditions which they were meant to address on the other hand.